On The Road

The new test site is very much closer to being ready for development work. It’s taken 98% of my Balloon-Juice attention, including some other important community stuff you’ll hear about soon.

So just a small set today; much more to send us off into the holiday weekend Friday morning, don’t lose faith!

From my archive, just a simple reminder that a meaningful image doesn’t have to be while travelling, or even outside the house. My wife shared this, and some of her sisters with me, and I was charmed. Still am, tbh. Nigh-on-20 years later!

Ok, enough about me. As always, I’m sure I messed up some order-to-description.

One of the first things the test site will enhance will be the photo submission and description process. I’ll still be involved, but a systemic approach will reduce human confusion and less-than-ideal attention span.

Now there’s a development site to perfect this kind of enhancement, things should get even better, with less errors, much more quickly. Seriously.

This function will of course work for any other frontpagers. The general goal is to develop some simple enhancements to the site that make it better for you, the reader and commenter. Some things will be better for frontpagers, but those things should benefit all.

Ok – pictures and stories:

From Claudia:

Where it was taken: Seattle, WA
When: yesterday, May 23, 2017

Pictures of a Sunny clear day in Seattle, which I was told are rare particularly after this past winter where they have seen a lot of rain. Other notes or info about the picture:

Space Needle with chihuly sculpture at the bottom right hand

Picture of the Space needle taken from inside the chihuly exhibit.

This actually a picture of a ceiling inside the chihuly exhibit…It was
beautiful…

A picture looking out to Puget sound

Downtown Seattle with Mt. Rainier in the distance.

And finally, a view from the back of my old house in Colorado. For us, the view wasn’t looking down on town like everyone else, it was looking away, up, West to undeveloped country.

As it happened one night, we saw the space station shoot overhead. It was in view for almost 40 minutes – crazy. I literally pointed at the the top of the mountains to the west and told my wife and mother that, “any moment, the space station should rise over there somewhere” and where I was pointing , a golden, shining, moving spot appeared over the mountains. It flew over us and down the Arkansas valley towards Pueblo and I cannot remember feeling more connected to something out out of this world.

And yes, that is a koi pond I designed and built in the Colorado high desert. It was/is an oasis for all kinds of wildlife including spadefoot toads and rare salamanders.

:

Travel safely all, more tomorrow!

Once again, I’m sure I’ve got the pictures-to-descriptions off. That’s why we’re setting up a better system, one that ensures the correct text per picture, and correct order. It will remove the human – ahem, dummy – element of the equation!

Where it was taken: Glacier Natl Park

When:Late June ’16 (1st 2), #3 Aug ’16, #4 April ’17

Commenter nym: realbtl

Other notes or info about the picture: I live about 40 miles from the west entrance to Glacier NP so I get to go there often.  Every year I take the convertible or motorcycle over Going to the Sun road the 1st Monday after it opens (pictures #1 & #2.  #3 is Kintla Lake in the park which because of the rough dirt road doesn’t get nearly as crowded as the main part of the park in summer.  #4 was taken in early April of this year at McDonald Lake.

From Kilgore Trout

We’ve made it up to St. Petersburg and spent the first of our two days here in a marathon of sightseeing. And with all of the Trump news swirling around (what a curious time to be in Russia!) I’ve had an epiphany on how Trump sees himself…he fancies himself to be an American Czar.

The first picture is from the Hermitage museum, and the second is of the palace at Peterhof. All that gold leaf made me think of that ridiculous picture of Donald, Melania and Barron in their Trump Tower residence
surrounded by gold…everything.

In all seriousness though, St. Petersburg is a remarkable city, and there is so much to see here it is a bit mind boggling. The Hermitage in particular was so impressive, and Thursday we go to Catherine Palace and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

Across the harbor from where we are docked we can see the new Gazprom headquarters tower going up. Here’s to that being Trump’s new home in exile after all the dust settles.

Another place I’ve always wanted to visit- thank you – (best Trump impersonation) so nice!

Next up, from dear otmar:

Where it was taken: The Netherlands
When: May 2017
Other notes or info about the picture:
I’m on a business trip in the Hague. Here are some pictures:

1. Flying into Schiphol airport: a view over the Ij river in the direction towards the north sea.
2. The building of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in Scheveningen.
3. The historic seat of the Dutch government is the Binnenhof, I walked by this morning.Rest: pictures from a skyscraper close to The Haag train station. In one you can see the cranes of Rotterdam harbor.

Thanks otmar and enjoy your travels!

Oh – a little plug – at 12:30 on Friday, I’ve setup a guest post on Oceanography from long-time reader and more recent active commenter, Boussinesque. It will be interesting and hopefully the beginning of a series of guest posts on a number of topics by members of the community. He’ll be around for an hour or so to answer questions and spur conversation, and I hope he’ll return with a second and perhaps third installment.

Tomorrow we begin to see some glorious nature and I will share a picture or two as well.

Have a great day everyone – much more tomorrow. Thanks to all who’ve sent pictures and please, do send more. I know some of you are or have been recently in places both exotic and humble, places where a good picture or two shares a bit of your world. Please do – we can all do with seeing a bit more of each other’s world!

First up, from BillinGlendaleCA:

Where it was taken: Stagecoach Inn, Thousand Oaks, CA
When: May 3, 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: This is a reconstruction of the Stagecoach Inn, the original built in 1876, in Thousand Oaks(my hometown) which is about 50 miles northwest of Downtown LA.  It was built as an overnight stop for the stagecoach that ran between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara that roughly follows the current route of US101.  In the 1960’s they decided to widen the 101 and put a new exit where the Inn was, so they moved the inn in 1969.  In 1970 the inn burned down at this new location(I was fortunate enough to tour the original building).  They rebuilt it in time for it’s centennial.  They have a few additional buildings related to the area’s history here: an old school house, an adobe, a barn, and Chumash(local Native American tribe) village.  As a bonus, you can see my new ride(front and just off center).

Where it was taken: Stagecoach Inn, Thousand Oaks, CA
When: May 3, 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: An infrared pic of the inn, cause that’s the way I roll.

Wow. Just amazing, thank you Bill! I do love IR photos, though my foray was B&W and so mostly landscapes – bushes and trees.

Where it was taken: Stagecoach Inn, Thousand Oaks, CA
When: May 3, 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: An interior shot of the parlor.

Where it was taken: Reagan Library, Simi Valley, CA
When: May 3, 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: The Reagan Library is in Simi Valley which is a few miles northeast of Thousand Oaks.   This is a reproduction of St. Ronnie’s Oval Office.  Unlike the Nixon Library where you can walk though the reproduction of the Oval Office(sit in the chair, make a phone call…) they keep you to the side of the office.

Where it was taken: Reagan Library, Simi Valley, CA
When: May 3, 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: Pretty much the star of the show at St. Ronnie’s place, Air Force One(not really since the President isn’t on board).  This plane was used as Air Force One by Presidents Nixon though Bush Junior, though the newer 747 was brought into service during the HW Bush administration.

Where it was taken: Reagan Library, Simi Valley, CA
When: May 3, 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: St. Ronnie’s(and Nancy’s) final resting place.

Where it was taken: Reagan Library, Simi Valley, CA
When: May 3, 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: View from the gravesite, notice the sign which warns that this is a natural rattlesnake habitat.

I have a similar shot of the view from my father’s grave in a small mountainside cemetery in Switzerland. I find the view from places often as interesting as the view of the place; one of my favorites is a shot of looking out from a dwelling at Mesa Verde. I sat for perhaps ten minutes, contemplating what a local 400 years ago thought while looking out as the day drew to a close and hints of the cool of night began.

As always, thank you!

Have a wonderful day everyone – and do keep sending in pictures. We’ve got lots in store for you the rest of the week, but we. need. more.

First up, the rest from this batch from Rlchina   大芒果

Where it was taken: “new city” south Fuzhou China
When: Sundy Feb 26, 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: We were walking around far south Fuzhou in an area they call “new city” and came upon a temple renovation.  We were allowed in to take pictures.

Thank you so much, we can’t wait to see more!

Next , from LeComteMonteCristo:

Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville
When: May 14, 2017
For holidays, nothing beats the track. Food service is good, and everyone is occupied with gambling and drinking.
These are from outdoor areas in the Stakes Room.

Looks like a beautiful day at the races!

And a little catch-up from Laura S.:

Here’s the shoes pic that didn’t make it earlier: “Giantess”
And one last Highline Park.

Thanks so much for re-sending those!

Travel safely everyone, and for those who aren’t straying too far from home, be safe. And to greennotGreen and her family, I have been swamped the last two days so I have not kept up, but our thoughts and prayers are with you. And to all of you suffering or recovering from the loss of a loved one. I know at least one front pager has had some recent pain, and a number of commenters have had terrible news in recent months. We hold all of you in the light.

Even more from Rlchina   大芒果!

Other notes or info about the picture:

the Mrs. and the hotel cat is my favorite picture…I set it as background on computers in all the places we stayed…..

I recommend train travel and the “lesser” sites to get a true favor of where ever you go…our best moments have come away from the must see tourist places (with a few exceptions Siem Reap for example)…

Apologies for the sidewards-ho pictures. WordPress isn’t letting me rotate them and I’m tired and brain is off. So please, everybody….one…two…three. it’s just a (neck) turn to the left.

I’m once again a bit spooked by both DemocraticUnderground and FreeRepublic being down. I implore you to ensure your precious data is backed up, and that you have updated machines and security software. It’s serious and will be forever.

 
Travel safe everyone, and please send in more pictures. I’m getting close to my last reserve, so folks on the road or even at home, please share your world!

First, more from Rlchina   大芒果:

Where it was taken:  Various places in China
When: fall winter 2016 Spring 2017
Other notes or info about the picture: Woman with umbrella runs store in our apartment building, she and her daughter were out post Typhoon last September.

Thank you, I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us tomorrow!

Next up, the continuing adventures of Kilgore & Mrs Trout…

Friday was our first port, Oslo. The trip up the fjord was beautiful but chilly. Went up to the top deck to grab a shot of the island of Drobak.
Once is Oslo we took a hop on hop off tour of the city, and then walked to a CD shop I had googled to pick up a few CDs by Norwegian jazz artists, who
are plentiful and talented, and then we enjoyed a pint of a local brew in a small cafe upstairs. Not sure what the story was with the women’s drum
group but they provided some color to the day which was a bit cool and gray. After walking the city we spent some time touring a fort that was
right on the harbor, apparently it withstood every attack for hundreds of years until the Nazis took Oslo without firing a shot. Got a nice nighttime
shot of the fort as we pulled away.

Saturday is a day at sea, then Sunday we dock in Warnemunde and take a tour into Berlin for the day.

Looks like we picked a busy news week to be out of the country, we were on a trip when Comey dropped his pre-election turd in the punchbowl too.

Sending pics individually.
Where it was taken: Copenhagen

Clearly, I need to get myself to Copenhagen!

Thanks, and travel well everyone. Please keep greennotGreen and her family in your thoughts, prayers, and thanks. They’ve given us a gift in sharing this with us, and we are forever changed.