First time a pilot came out to apologize for a late flight—he did it twice, over the mic to all, then walked around and took questions. [Really: last night, but first part of flight in essence.]
First high-elevation corporate witticism I had to “share.” [We left about three hours late; our destination: Madrid.]
Best airline food I’ve ever eaten. Yum. Truly.
We took off in the rental car, headed north, and the first time we hit a dirt road we saw our first caballero.
First Roman villa. This is a late one, and the central courtyard-garden still sports a tree.
First five-arch Medieval bridge. Last modified in 1973.
First Neanderthal cave cluster (mostly protected from the elements with a roof or with small openings—fenced, so we couldn’t get closer).
First fabulous sky of the trip.
First mystery. Sign says the water isn’t potable.
First dramatic bottleneck/pass we’ve driven through.
First night’s hotel room view.
We’re getting into the swing of the Spanish lifestyle: we will dine tonight at 8:30; only two more hours to wait. Over and out.
Posted at 12:28 PM |
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At BookClub, we always talk about more than The Book. This time, we also went out to check our hostess’s new patio upgrade (already had the waterfall; the fireplace is new), and furthermore did a bit of star-gazing (not shown—heh).
Posted at 10:01 PM |
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Back in 1902, officials opened a penitentiary south of Atlanta, and now amidst neighborhoods and other development. The property was centered on a secure, walled facility for the inmates, and had several nearby buildings, including homes. Here’s one, long unoccupied. What a weird thing to be a kid growing up here.
Posted at 9:22 PM |
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Glad to hear the huge teams of artisans, engineers, and many other specialists have been able to get this building open again. I enjoyed walking all the way around the cathedral; it’s huge and not just a façade. Double-duh.
Posted at 10:02 PM |
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Windows are pretty amazing. And relatively modern. Glad I don’t live, at least part of the day, in a window-less structure with dried mud walls. Anyway, glass…so good.
Posted at 11:07 PM |
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Speaking of perspective and lens gyrations (see yesterday), how to crop? Follow horizontals (as I did), or align to verticals? Or, be a renegade and do neither, resulting in crazy angles everywhere. Whew.
Posted at 8:42 PM |
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Sometimes stained glass can function as a filter, and make already beautiful light even more gorgeous. [Do I use the word gorgeous too often?]
Posted at 10:25 PM |
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Glacial erratic (taller than The Guru). I think.
Architectural remnant. I think it was the entry to an otherwise destroyed building, slightly modified to have four irregular sides…somewhat like a mini-chapel.
Posted at 8:51 PM |
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Most recent binge-watch: “La Grande Maison Tokyo” (fiction). Tonight’s binge selection: “Lost Treasures of Rome” (science/NatGeo).
Posted at 7:39 PM |
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I’m sure it’ll be warmer again soon, but for now the mornings keep being in the 60s. I’m still distrustful that it’ll continue. Call me a climate sceptic?
I found the word minimifidian among the synonyms for sceptic. I’ve no recollection of ever seeing it before. Turns out it was apparently used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1825—once. No wonder I missed it.
Posted at 8:28 PM |
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