#buena vista street bridge

[architectureforsuicides]

Ambulance (Michael Bay, 2022) (From foreground to background) Metro Gold Line Bridge Los Angeles, California (USA) Bridge over the Los Angeles river Type: beam bridge. & North Broadway Bridge / Buena Vista Street Bridge Los Angeles, California (USA) Bridge over the Los Angeles river Type: arch bridge. & North Spring Street Bridge / Downey Avenue Bridge Los Angeles, California (USA) Bridge over the Los Angeles river Type: arch bridge.

[asprinterandamarathon]

BOTR - Day 34 - July 18, 2024

5am. Still dark outside. We got up, got dressed, pulled the shades off the windows, rolled off the leveling blocks, and quietly rolled out of the campgrounds. We drove out of the park and east on highway 50 towards Gunnison.

We climbed over a pass before the sun was enough for us to really see what was around us. The mountains were pretty close to us. They were steep and jagged. After a number of miles, we passed the other end of the Black Canyon.

Sunrise with the reservoir in the distance!

Then it all opened up. We saw a damn that held back the Blue Mesa Reservoir, fed by the Gunnison River. Mountain peaks, smooth hills, and buttes surrounded the reservoir. The hills were golden and sparsely tree covered.

50 wound along the side of the reservoir. We rounded a turn to see a line of traffic waiting for the pilot car to start leading vehicles across the bridge. We fell in line and waited. Wordle, Connections, Stands, Spelling Bee…

The line moved forward and we crossed the 100 yard span across the reservoir. The bridge had been stripped down and looked like it really needed the repairs that it was getting. Fortunately, all cars made it across without issue.

On the other side, workers were getting ready to start their shift. It wasn’t yet 7am. They all wore yellow safety vests and floatation vests. I don’t know how deep the water is below the bridge but I’d expect that falling in wearing work clothes with tools would be catastrophic.

We made our way up the lake and pulled over in a day use area. We were both ready to jump out of the van when we noticed it had been swarmed by green flying bugs. With that, we simply washed up and changed in the van then moved in to Gunnison for breakfast. Diane hadn’t really seen the town when she passed through so we walked the main street for a bit. That gave me a chance to work off the chorizo and chili verde eggs benedict I had had earlier.

From the day use area.

Next stop, Salida. I hadn’t seen it and I was curious. What a cool town! Blocks and blocks of shops, galleries, restaurants, bars, and more. Many restaurants sat right on the river. The town celebrated the river with a large park. We could easily spend some time there but we wanted to continue east.

Alpaca ranch north of Salida. Zoom in.

We drove up towards Buena Vista and then headed northeast on 285 to FairPlay for lunch and ultimately just west of Denver for the night. The views in 285 were quite stunning. It was amazing how desolate it was even though we were just a couple hours outside of Denver.

Northeast of BV.

More northeast of BV.

FairPlay had the old mining town thing going for maximum tourist dollars. Although much of it looked authentic. And the restaurants seemed to serve as many locals as out-of-towners.

Old town FairPlay. A mining town in its day.

Once in Denver, after 4 days of camping with no services, it was time for long showers and a sit down dinner in a restaurant. A walk and a nightcap later and we were asleep in a comfortable hotel bed.

Different views that what we had been seeing over the past 4 weeks.

Local wildlife. Prairie dogs along the highway.

[viaggianteviaggi]

Viaggio a San Francisco, la città sulla baia

Vai in viaggio a San Francisco e vedi una città che trasuda semplicemente fascino e tradizione. Vanta una ricca cultura, incredibili meraviglie architettoniche e una scena culinaria distinta che sicuramente delizierà gli appassionati di cibo. Sede di monumenti importanti come il Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street e l'isola di Alcatraz, la città ha continuato ad attirare turisti da tutto il mondo. Cosa rende San Francisco così speciale? Ecco alcune delle cose che contraddistinguono la città. La città può essere facilmente esplorata a piedi e offre ai visitatori la possibilità di scoprire i suoi quartieri unici. Adagiato sulle colline, il quartiere storico di Nob Hill è uno dei preferiti da molti turisti. La famosa Lombard Street offre una vista mozzafiato sulla città ed è uno spettacolo incredibile da vedere. Ci sono anche numerosi musei che offrono ai visitatori la possibilità di esplorare la storia di San Francisco. Una delle cose che ha reso San Francisco una delle migliori destinazioni culinarie sono i suoi frutti di mare. La città è benedetta da un'abbondanza di pesce fresco, preparato sapientemente dai migliori chef in vari ristoranti della città. Il piatto da provare a San Francisco è la famosa zuppa di vongole servita in una ciotola di pane a lievitazione naturale.

Viaggio a San Francisco, metropoli del Golden Gate

Un'altra cosa che distingue San Francisco dalle altre città è l'architettura unica che è esposta in tutta la città. Case vittoriane ed edoardiane fiancheggiano le strade e testimoniano la ricca storia della città. The Painted Ladies, una fila di case vittoriane dai colori vivaci, è uno dei monumenti più fotografati della città. Il Golden Gate Bridge è forse il simbolo più famoso di San Francisco e si erge come simbolo della città. Il ponte è una meraviglia dell'ingegneria e i visitatori dovrebbero farci una passeggiata per apprezzarne appieno la bellezza. Per una prospettiva diversa, puoi vedere il ponte da lontano prendendo un traghetto per l'isola di Alcatraz, che ospita la famigerata ex prigione.

Viaggio nei quartieri di San Francisco

San Francisco è anche sede di una delle comunità LGBTQ più vivaci al mondo. Il quartiere di Castro è il fulcro della comunità LGBTQ di San Francisco e vanta numerosi bar e discoteche gay aperti tutta la notte. La città ospita anche diversi eventi rivolti alla comunità LGBTQ, tra cui la parata del Pride, che si tiene ogni anno. Un'altra cosa grandiosa di San Francisco è la sua posizione. La città è situata sulla costa e offre ai visitatori l'accesso ad alcune delle spiagge più belle della California. Una delle spiagge più famose e facilmente raggiungibile da San Francisco è Baker Beach. La spiaggia offre una vista mozzafiato sul Golden Gate Bridge ed è il luogo perfetto per un picnic al tramonto. Infine, San Francisco è una città che ospita numerosi spazi verdi, parchi e giardini. Il Golden Gate Park è uno dei parchi più famosi della città e ospita numerose attrazioni come il de Young Museum e il Japanese Tea Garden. Altri parchi importanti della città includono Presidio Park e Yerba Buena Gardens. In conclusione, San Francisco è una città che offre ai visitatori la possibilità di esplorare la sua ricca storia, concedersi la sua scena culinaria unica ed esplorare la sua splendida architettura. Dai suoi monumenti iconici alle sue meravigliose spiagge e spazi verdi, la città ha qualcosa per tutti. La città lascia ai visitatori ricordi ed esperienze indimenticabili che custodiranno per tutta la vita. Vuoi viaggiare in altre destinazioni americane?Vedi allora le nostre proposte per l'America. Read the full article

[drgregoryfinkelson]

San Francisco's well-known parks

There are a number of well-known parks in San Francisco that you might want to visit if you want to spend some time there. Golden Gate Park, Crissy Field, and Mission Dolores Park are a few of them. The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Exploratorium, and the Point Reyes National Seashore are additional attractions.

A sizable open park called Dolores Park can be found in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood. It has great views of the city skyline and is perched on a hill. One of the most well-liked locations in the city for picnics is the park.

This park has long been recognized as a landmark in the community. The city government bought the land in 1905 and later turned it into a park. Two baseball diamonds, a 300-by-50-foot lake, a sizable stone staircase, and a lovely garden were all part of the original plan.

In San Francisco, California, there is a sizable urban park called Golden Gate Park. It is a well-liked travel destination for city tourists.

From east to west, Golden Gate Park is three miles long and contains more than 1,000 acres of public land. The park has a variety of gardens, lakes, and playing fields. In addition, the park hosts a variety of attractions and activities.

The renowned museum of fine arts, the de Young Museum, is located in Golden Gate Park. Explore exhibits dedicated to nature, animals, art, and more.

One of San Francisco's most popular parks and tourist destinations is Crissy Field. Crissy Field is the perfect location to appreciate nature because of its breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The park offers a wide range of enjoyable activities. Visitors can go outside and explore the tidal marshes, beaches, and trails there. The park serves as a natural habitat for local species.

Visitors can traverse the park on foot or by bicycle. The park is a great location for a picnic in the afternoon. Start on the east side if you want to take a stroll.

California's Marin County contains the 100 square miles of coastal bluffs, beaches, and forests that make up the Point Reyes National Seashore. There are numerous ecosystems and more than 1,500 different plant and animal species.

People from San Francisco frequently take day trips to this wilderness area by the sea. One of the biggest herds of tule elk in the state can be found there as well. Elk are protected at the Point Reyes Wildlife Area, which provides a variety of wildlife experiences.

The national seashore does not allow vehicles, but there are a number of clearly marked trails.

The Point Reyes bluffs and beaches are the best places to go hiking if you prefer that activity. The Earthquake Trail and the Sculptured Beach Trail are two of the best trails.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is a fantastic option if you're looking for the best art in San Francisco. The museum's collection of exhibits is impressive and features cutting-edge contemporary art. Regular performances and other free events are also held there.

The Yerba Buena Center has a broad program as part of its goal to support the Bay Area's artistic and cultural development. Live performances, full-length movies, works of visual art, and dance performances are all featured. Along with a children's playground, other amenities include a bowling alley and an ice skating rink.

Look no further than Buena Vista Park if you're looking for a great location to take your family hiking. This park on a hilltop offers breathtaking views of the city.

36 acres of open space with trails and a natural area make up Buena Vista Park. It's a well-liked neighborhood getaway that's also a fantastic place for a jog or an intense workout.

A bustling neighborhood and grand mansions surround the park. Between the lower and upper Haight is where it is situated. There are many bars and eateries close by.

The park is accessible by car or bus. From Market, Muni Metro Bus 71 ascends Haight Street. Typically, metered parking is available in the area. Finding a parking spot might be challenging depending on the time of day.

The Exploratorium is an interactive museum with the goal of raising public awareness of the arts and our natural surroundings. The Exploratorium was established in 1969 by physicist Frank Oppenheimer and is devoted to the investigation of perception, science, and art. This museum, which is situated on Pier 15 of the Embarcadero, is well-liked by both visitors and locals.

The Exploratorium is one of the most entertaining tourist attractions in San Francisco and is packed with interactive displays, sculptures, and a wide range of art and science experiences. The museum gives visitors the chance to learn about a range of sciences, including chemistry, electromagnetism, static electricity, and computers.

[topiaryheart]

disneyland fireworks viewed from sunshine plaza at california adventure, june 2010

[ayeronomy]

a humid afternoon

The air around me feels too warm. It’s the sticky kind of hot where the deepest inhale doesn’t feel deep enough and puckering my lips to blow air onto my shoulders and down to my arms does little to cool me down. I can faintly register the sultry guitar pickings of a Buena Vista Social Club tribute band somewhere behind me, but most other things fade into the background as I stare into your decadent brown eyes. I never thought I would experience the feeling of melting under a person’s gaze in real life, until I met you.

Your mouth twitches briefly as you ascertain that I am speechless. It is rare for me to run out of things to say, and it is even rarer for us to share moments of silence amidst our ceaseless chatter. If ever I am found silent, you happily saddle the brunt by recounting college anecdotes, or tales about your skittish ex-roommate, who is now happily serving his sentence in the corporate world of Madrid.

You are so good at sculpting your adventures with your words that, if I focus hard enough on the empty wicker seating settled at edge of the coffeeshop across the street, I can almost visualize one of the many fateful evenings from last summer you have narrated, with Jerry nervously twiddling his thumbs under the table to set the scene. I can picture his eyes widening as he looks back and forth in distress while you try to play wingman for your roommate with the pretty server bringing you cappuccinos. 

It takes place in my mind like a faded vintage film roll, a slight vignette making the edges blurry, all the while pinning you in the centre of it all. The colours might a little faded, but your presence glows. It makes these old movies worth replaying in my mind every time we come across a street and you point it out as the setting for a story you’ve shared amidst hushed whispers and fingertips brushing and tangled sheets from the comfort of your patchwork duvet.Flirting our way through the stone-cobbled streets of Barcelona is a flash of happy images and brief video clips strung together into an upbeat montage. 

Snapping out of my inner monologue, I suddenly looked back and chuckled to myself at the realization that whichever song this tribute band was currently staging might be the perfect sound for such a montage. As the piano started skirting in and out through the steady pumping of the saxophone, the song they were playing reached its epochal bridge, and I straightened my back to lay my eyes on you once again.

I bit my bottom lip and involuntarily gulped as I mulled over a response to your frank admission. Since the moment we first spoke, your honesty has been harsh, it grates against my soul and invigorates my mind in a way I have never felt before. Either you have a unique power over me—candor only being one of the many things I admire about you—or, I have been cushioned by spurious praise for far too long by people around me in my real life. 

In the mean time, you began to lean closer towards me from across the table in anticipation, but I don’t think you realized you were doing it. The song in the background kept building as I tilted my head slightly and uttered the words you likely weren’t expecting.

“This can’t go on beyond Barcelona.” I maintained eye contact as your demeanor shifted ever so slightly and I kept my gaze steady as I let us both down. Your eyes widened before clouding the hurt that briefly surfaced upon hearing my words. You pursed your lips and took a deep inhale, looking away momentarily, probably because you were measuring how exactly you were going to phrase what you said next. I couldn’t help the small smile that brought to my face. You weave magic with your mouth, in every possible way.

You chose that moment to look back at me, and your expression was once again assured, the air around you unhurried. “I understand why you believe it is best to make a clean break,” you started. Hearing your voice, the unthinking inflections, the initial throaty baritone that emboldens into a smooth melody the longer you speak; it’s like being lulled awake by the tempting smell of fresh Colombian coffee. Your voice and your thoughts can waft into my heart in the same way that you can sometimes feel the sunlight streaming over you, and it brings a smile to your face on a chilly morning, before even opening your eyes. This was why I could not let you talk me into changing my mind. It would be too easy.

“I know what you’re going to say. This feels,” I had to interrupt you, “extraordinary. But what we have, what happened here, I have to protect it. I can’t let it escape this bubble we have created. If it seeps into the rest of my life, it will weather damage, doubts, circumspection. I want to preserve this moment exactly as it is. I want to remember you exactly as you are. And I want you to remember me like this, as this... carefree charlatan,” I spoke in a soft voice, and had to pause as our eyes clashed. You mirrored the rueful smile on my face at the memory of when we first met, when you first uttered those words.

You can probably recall my indignation upon hearing you tease me for the first (of many) time with the same vigour I can. The fond memory fuelling my resolution, I added, “You are extraordinary. With you, I feel invincible. I need to lock this feeling away in a safe deposit. I need to be able to come back to it, I need to be able to return to you in my memories, when I need to feel this feeling again.”

You pursed your lips once again, disagreeing with me, but I kept talking before you could find an opportunity to interject and respectfully express your dissent. Even in disagreement, we regard one another with respect and understanding. This is another thing I cannot bear to tarnish.

“This is what we agreed on since the very beginning. I know it feels harder now than it did then to hold up our terms of agreement,” I don’t want you to mistake my resolve for detachment, “I feel it too.” The thought of leaving you weakens my heart, pains my mind, plunders my soul. “I’m not letting you talk right now. If I let you talk right now, you have the power to make me stay. Don’t do that, okay? Let me have this.” I end my soliloquy with a plea.

You gulp, and start to reach for my hand, but stop halfway, and pull back into yourself. The silence we were once entirely unfamiliar with rears its head once again. All I can do now is try to memorize every detail on your face, muggy heat forgotten. With all the effulgent wonder you created for me in this little corner of Barcelona, it’s only fair that I commit to memory the exact moment that I broke both our hearts and snapped myself out of the reverie you built for us.

The rest of our afternoon blurs in my memory.

Later in life, I replay this movie in mind. It presents like a silent film. The moments are fleeting, the words are blurry, but I feel the intensity in ever glimpse. The mischief in your eyes as you let me slip out of your arms and into clear blue waters. The amused smile as you watched me moan over freshly cooked spaghetti. The ghost of laughter on the corners of your mouth and the curves of your palms joining in a teasing clap every time I tripped over a cobblestoned pathway. The electricity emanating from your fingertips every time your skin touched mine.

The colours become more somber as I approach the end of the movie, but the feelings persist. If I close my eyes, and focus hard enough, I can distantly hear the songs playing that afternoon, as though the sound has travelled far and wide to meet my eardrums. The background blurs as we approach that afternoon, the other people seated around us fade. The syrupy heat that once exacerbated the discomfort of leaving someone like you forgotten. All I remember now is the curve of your lips, and the pain in your eyes, mirroring my own. The background music slips away entirely now, it was barely there to begin with. The silent movie meets its silent ending. Relishing in that silence, I bury the memory of you once more, putting you away for safekeeping until the next time I reminisce.

Inspired by the following music: 

El Cuarto de Tula,

 Dos Gardenias,

Candela, 

De Camino a La Vereda, 

Lágrimas Negras

[architectureforsuicides]

Ambulance (Michael Bay, 2022) (From foreground to background) North Broadway Bridge / Buena Vista Street Bridge Los Angeles, California (USA) Bridge over the Los Angeles river Type: arch bridge. & North Spring Street Bridge / Downey Avenue Bridge Los Angeles, California (USA) Bridge over the Los Angeles river Type: arch bridge. & North Main Street Bridge Los Angeles, California (USA) Bridge over the Los Angeles river Type: arch bridge.

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/3-dead-as-wildfire-explodes-in-northern-california-national-news/

3 dead as wildfire explodes in Northern California | National News

Property is left in ruins after the Creek Fire passed through Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Tollhouse, Calif.

A fire ravaged structure smolders after the Creek Fire passed through Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Tollhouse, Calif.

Recreational vehicles are lined up in a fire-ravaged property after the Creek Fire passed through Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Tollhouse, Calif.

Rick Archuleta of the Clovis Fire Department hoses down hotspots left behind by the Creek Fire Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Tollhouse, Calif.

Tim Lesmeister of the Clovis Fire Department puts out hotspots left behind by the Creek Fire Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Tollhouse, Calif.

Massive wildfires are burning huge areas of California, Oregon and Washington, destroying homes, closing roads and forcing evacuations.

Flames lick above vehicles on Highway 162 as the Bear Fire burns in Oroville, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

Firefighters watch the Bear Fire approach in Oroville, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

Firefighters monitor the Bear Fire burning in Oroville, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

Seen from the Forbestown community in Butte County, Calif., a plume rises from the Bear Fire as it approaches Oroville on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

Embers fly across a roadway as the Bear Fire burns in Oroville, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

Flames lick above vehicles on Highway 162 as the Bear Fire burns in Oroville, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

Shawn Thornton hugs his wife, Shannon Thornton, next to the rubble of their burned home Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Malden, Washington the day after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the tiny town west of Rosalia. Shawn and Shannon weren’t home at the time, but their son Cody was and managed to get their dog and a few belongings before leaving just minutes before the flames swept through.

A.J. Garcia (left) looks on as his wife Kendra Garcia (right) embraces her sister-in-law Tiffany Luvaas at the site of their former home that burned during the Colfax Fire Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, in Colfax, Wash. “It started down the hill,” Luvaas said while tears escaped her eyes. “I woke up to it jumping the fence, and I barely had time.” Luvaas, her boyfriend and her mother were the three residents of the home, and neither them or their dogs were harmed. The Colfax fire was 100 percent contained as of Tuesday, Sept, 8, 2020.

In downtown Malden, Washington, what’s left of an old gas station still smolders Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, the day after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the tiny town west of Rosalia. Many cars and boats around the building were burned. The town was hit by a wind-driven wildfire Monday that destroyed many structures./The Spokesman-Review via AP)

Shannon Thornton looks into the basement of her burned home Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 in Malden, Washington the day after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the tiny town west of Rosalia. Shannon and her husband Shawn weren’t home at the time, but their son Cody was and managed to get their dog and a few belongings before leaving just minutes before the flames swept through, destroying their home, garage and multiple vehicles. The Thorntons have been married 22 years.

A helicopter is on the scene as firefighters respond to a brush fire off Fruit Valley Road and NW Lower River Road in Vancouver, Wash., on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020.

The sun is seen against a sky turned orange with smoke from wildfires as it sets, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, near Sumner, Wash., south of Seattle.

A steady stream of vehicles heads west on a road east of Springfield, Ore., as residents evacuate the area ahead of a fast-moving wildfire Tuesday Sept. 8, 2020.

Jennifer Steckler walks two horses along state Highway 226 in Lyons, Ore., early Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Steckler had walked them for more than two miles during evacuation from the Santiam Fire.

Shannon, left, and Shawn Thornton comb through the rubble of their burned garage Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Malden, Washington the day after a fast-moving wildfire swept through the tiny town west of Rosalia. Shawn and Shannon weren’t home at the time, but their son Cody was and managed to get their dog and a few belongings before leaving just minutes before the flames swept through.

A hand crew clears vegetation from around a barn as the Bear Fire burns through the Berry Creek area of Butte County, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

People look toward the skyline obscured by wildfire smoke in daytime from Kite Hill Open Space in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020.

A man walks his dog along Bridgeway Avenue as smoke from wildfires darken the morning Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Sausalito, Calif.

Patrick Kenefick, left, and Dana Williams, both of Mill Valley, Calif., record the darkened Golden Gate Bridge covered with smoke from wildfires Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, from a pier at Fort Baker near Sausalito, Calif. The photo was taken at 9:47 a.m. in the morning.

A hand crew works to save a home as the Bear Fire burns through the Berry Creek area of Butte County, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, embers light up a hillside behind the Bidwell Bar Bridge as the Bear Fire burns in Oroville, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

Flames shoot from a home as the Bear Fire burns through the Berry Creek area of Butte County, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

This photo taken from the home of Russ Casler in Salem, Ore., shows the smoke-darkened sky well before sunset, around 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Strong winds and high temperatures continued to fuel catastrophic fires in many parts of Oregon on Wednesday, forcing thousands of people to flee from their homes and making for poor air quality throughout the West. Huge wildfires also continued to grow in neighboring Washington state.

This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken at 20:00 UTC (4 p.m. EDT) and provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), shows brown smoke from wildfires blowing westward in the atmosphere from California’s Sierra Nevada to the Coast Ranges and from Oregon, top, on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020.

A scorched car rests in a clearing following the Bear Fire in Butte County, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

Under darkened skies from wildfire smoke, a waiter carries a tray of Irish Coffee to people having lunch at the Buena Vista Cafe Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in San Francisco. People from San Francisco to Seattle woke Wednesday to hazy clouds of smoke lingering in the air, darkening the sky to an eerie orange glow that kept street lights illuminated into midday, all thanks to dozens of wildfires throughout the West. The picture was taken in the middle of the day at 12:39 p.m.

Catherine Shields, of Silverton, Ore., leads her horse Takoda under smoky skies, on the Oregon State Fairgrounds, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Salem, Ore. Shields evacuated the horse and other animals from her home on Tuesday, as a wildfire threatened. Hundreds of horses have been brought to the fairgrounds in Salem by people fleeing the fires, along with llamas, goats and other animals. The Red Cross is helping people at the fairgrounds, which has been turned into an evacuation center.

Under darkened skies from wildfire smoke, a man crosses Hyde Street with Alcatraz Island and Fisherman’s Wharf in the background Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in San Francisco. People from San Francisco to Seattle woke Wednesday to hazy clouds of smoke lingering in the air, darkening the sky to an eerie orange glow that kept street lights illuminated into midday, all thanks to dozens of wildfires throughout the West. The picture was taken in the middle of the day at 12:29 p.m.

Under darkened skies from wildfire smoke, people walk at Fisherman’s Wharf Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in San Francisco. People from San Francisco to Seattle woke Wednesday to hazy clouds of smoke lingering in the air, darkening the sky to an eerie orange glow that kept street lights illuminated into midday, all thanks to dozens of wildfires throughout the West. The picture was taken in the middle of the day at 1:01 p.m.

A plume rises from the Bear Fire as it burns along Lake Oroville on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Butte County, Calif.

A scorched car rests in a clearing following the Bear Fire in Butte County, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The blaze, part of the lightning-sparked North Complex, expanded at a critical rate of spread as winds buffeted the region.

OROVILLE, Calilf. (AP) — Three people have died in a Northern California wildfire that has forced thousands from their homes, authorities said Wednesday.

Two people were found dead in one location and a third person was discovered elsewhere, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea announced. He didn’t provide details but California Highway Patrol Officer Ben Draper tells the Bay Area News Group that one person was found in a car and apparently had been trying to escape the flames.

The fire northeast of San Francisco is threatening several communities. Stoked by high winds, it’s burned a 25-mile path through mountainous terrain and parched foothills.

Hundreds of homes and other buildings are believed to have been damaged or destroyed, fire officials said at an evening news conference.

The fire even threatened the town of Paradise that was devastated just two years ago by the deadliest blaze in state history, causing a panic that led to a traffic jam as residents tried to escape.

The North Complex fire was one of more than two dozen in the state, including three of the five largest ever as wildfires burned across parts of the West amid gusty, dry conditions. Forecasters said some weather relief was in sight that could help firefighters overwhelmed by the blazes.

In Washington, more acres burned in a single day than firefighters usually see all year. Fires also forced people to flee homes in Oregon and Idaho. A blast of polar air helped slow wildfires in Colorado and Montana.

[droppedfromjupiter]

• Keep you face to the sunshine!☀️ • 📍Prague, it’s dreamy. No matter if you love castles, beauty, ice cream, or a good beer, Czech Republic's capital and most popular city is one of the most interesting and beautiful in Europe. As one of Europe's best preserved cities you'll walk by cobbled streets through stunning cathedrals, the full of history and amazing views Charles Bridge, and might just end the night bar hoping or eating traditional food. 🌟What I loved the most: • Boat ride. • Waling, walking and walking. • Prague Castle. • Prague Astronomical Clock. • Jewish quarter. • Lennon Wall vibes. 📌If you are catholic or like some history and arquitecture: You should passs by the church of the Prague Infant Jesus and St. Vitus Cathedral. —— . 📍Praga, es de ensueño. No importa si amas los castillos, la belleza, el helado o una buena cerveza, la capital y la ciudad más popular de la República Checa es una de las más interesantes y hermosas de Europa. Como una de las ciudades mejor conservadas de Europa, caminarás por calles empedradas a través de impresionantes catedrales, llenas de historia y vistas increíbles del Puente de Carlos, y quizás termines el bar nocturno esperando o comiendo comida tradicional. 🌟Lo que me encantó: • Paseo en bote. • Caminar, caminar y caminar. • Castillo de Praga. • Reloj astronómico de Praga • Barrio judío. • Vibras del Lennon Wall. 📌Si eres católico o te gusta la historia y la arquitectura: debes pasar por la iglesia del Niño Jesús de Praga y la Catedral de San Vito. #tickettoanywhere ✈️ . . . . . #travelgirl #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #travelblogger #wanderlust #traveladdict #traveller #traveling #photography #travelling #traveltheworld #traveler #travelholic #photooftheday #beautifuldestinations #picoftheday #travelblog #europe #travellife #PRAGUE #PRAHa #explore #sheisnotlost #Pragueworld #czechrepublic #czech #praga (en Prague, Czeck Republik) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8jhHXxnCxx/?igshid=y299y89hs5bg

[life-in-every-limb]

If I can say one thing with certainty about my third trip to San Francisco, it’s this: my photography skills have improved since last year’s trip. (If I do say so myself–we’ll see if y’all agree with me!)

THURSDAY

We took a second trip to San Francisco to visit Teddy in February 2019.  It was another all-day journey, this time with a connection through Chicago, pictured above.

As usual, I am not a big fan of flying.  I pray the rosary non-stop until we are safely in the air.

We reached the city with daylight to spare, and found ourselves on the 11th floor of the Hyatt in the Financial District, with this beautiful view. (Thank you, Priceline!)  Teddy came to meet us and we walked into the Little Italy area to have dinner with him and one of his Notre Dame buddies.

Afterwards, we relaxed in the hotel lobby for awhile.  Though we were tickled by the names above, I actually just ended up with coffee.

And then it was time to rest up for the busy day we had planned.

FRIDAY

It was a beautiful morning! After breakfast at the hotel, we started walking toward the starting point for our big adventure.

We were heading for Pier 33 to board a ferry for Alcatraz Island.  I had to buy these tickets before we left Knoxville, as they sell out well in advance.  We purchased a ticket for Teddy as well, but something came up at work so we were on our own.

The sky darkened as we approached the island.  And it did in fact rain heavily during our visit there, but happily we were inside when it happened.

One of the cool aspects of our Alcatraz tour is that it covered the entire history of the island, from its beginnings as a fort to the 1970s when Native Americans took over the island to draw attention to their unfair treatment at the hands of the U.S. Government.

Since the prison is what Alcatraz Island is most famous for, I was surprised and fascinated by all the history shared by the Park personnel and the movie we watched at the beginning of the tour.  It is also a surprisingly beautiful place, if a little dilapidated in spots.

The self-guided prison tour, accompanied by headphone narration, was masterful.  Voices of former prisoners and guards provided the commentary as we walked from site to site within the prison.

One of the hardest aspects of confinement at Alacatraz was the nearness of the city, always a visible reminder of the world outside.  Sometimes sounds of laughter and music would drift across the Bay.

Our visit to Alcatraz took most of the day.  I feel like this was the evening we went to see Teddy’s apartment–he had moved with a friend into a place closer to his office–but I can’t remember what we did for the rest of the evening.

SATURDAY

Saturday was a busy day for me and a mostly restful one for John.  I started by leaving the hotel (above) in search for some good coffee (below).

On our last visit, Teddy had made it a point to take us to several local coffee establishments, which were all excellent.  Philz was the closest to the Hyatt, and I enjoyed my first ever avocado toast along with the coffee.

After I took John some coffee and breakfast, I went back out and headed for the Ferry Building and the Saturday market I had enjoyed so much on my last trip to San Francisco.

I bought some souvenirs to take home and then went back to the room, where I discovered John had neglected to pack his preventive asthma medication, which necessitated many calls to find an open nearby Walgreens and to get an emergency prescription transferred there.  There were many within walking distance, but because we were in the Financial District, most were not open on weekends.  So my next task was to go on a walk and return with the medicine.

By the time I returned I had already walked about three miles.  And it was time for more walking, since the day’s plan involved my meeting Teddy at the Museum of Modern Art, some distance away.

We didn’t have enough time to see the entire museum, but we saw a lot.  Here are a few things that stood out:

After the museum, we walked to Chinatown to meet John and to eat and stroll about.

I convinced John we should walk back to the hotel afterwards.  It was downhill all the way, which was a good thing since I ended up having walked around 12 miles all told.  We had drinks in the lobby and stared, mesmerized, at the giant sculpture below, which changes colors frequently thanks to an array of lights that are trained on it.

SUNDAY

The next morning, we met Teddy behind the Ferry Building to catch the Sausalito Ferry.

We didn’t take the ferry for the view–although it was lovely.  We had a purpose for our trip.

We ate a quick lunch at a nearby cafe, and then hopped on a bus (tickets purchased in advance–this is not something you can do on the spur of the moment) for our trip to Muir Woods to see some giant redwoods.

It was, as you would expect, beautiful and peaceful, and very different from the forests on our side of the country.

After our bus ride back to Sausalito, we walked along the water in search of dinner.

We ended up at Scoma’s, which is funny since we ate at the one on the San Francisco side of the bay on our last trip to San Francisco and we did not know there was one on this side until we happened upon it.

Then it was back to the city to rest before our final day.

MONDAY

Before we left the eleventh floor for the last time, I wanted to record the terrifying drop to the lobby below.  We were grateful not to have any small children with us, particularly considering the small children we once had, who would almost certainly have tried to climb over the drop if they had an opportunity!

We checked out but left our luggage in storage, and took a nice walk along the waterfront, making our way to the Maritime Museum, where we had planned to meet up with Teddy.  Here are some sights along the way.

The museum itself was incredibly cool and I’m a little surprised I didn’t take any pictures of its art deco architecture and decor.  Pictured below is the tiny craft in which a young Japanese man once crossed the Pacific to reach San Francisco.  Please take the time to read his words in the second picture, which I found incredibly moving.

We ate lunch at a nearby restaurant before heading to the San Francisco Maritime National Park, just a couple of blocks away.  This included a museum showcasing displays on the history of the city, and admission to the Hyde Street Pier, with its fleet of historic vessels.

The Eureka, pictured above, was my favorite–a ferry that carried people (and cars!) across the Bay every day until the bridges were built.  Below are a few more pictures of her.

Below is Hercules the tugboat:

And there were older ships as well:

I got some nice shots as we left the pier:

From there, the three of us headed to the Buena Vista Cafe, famous for Irish Coffee.  Teddy had treated me to one during our epic walk on our last trip to San Francisco, and I wanted another one.  That was the last thing we did together before Teddy left us to go back to work.  We made our way back to the hotel to get our luggage and head to the airport, where we ate dinner before taking another redeye flight home.

And tomorrow we will be heading out for our third trip to San Francisco.  The most important item on the agenda this time is meeting Teddy’s girlfriend.

You can follow along on Instagram or wait till I post about it here!

The post Another Trip to San Francisco appeared first on Life in Every Limb.

[azulelectrico]

Nueva York, Diciembre 2018

Último viaje del año,sí, despedimos el 2018 en Nueva York, una de las mejores experiencias de nuestra vida, tanto, que nos gustaría volver en cuanto volvamos a coger otra oferta como la de este viaje. 

Desde hace un tiempo, es bien sabido, que los billetes de avión a Nueva York han bajado. Si los cogéis con tiempo por unos 250 Euros tienes ida y vuelta al país de las oportunidades. Buscar alojamiento fue toda una experiencia ya que es una de las cosas más caras del viaje. Tras unas semanas de búsqueda, dimos con un Hostel por la zona de Columbus que fue una gran elección. ¡Tenía todo lo que necesitabas y en el centro! Si volviésemos, reservaríamos otra vez allí ya que el precio fue genial, aunque eso sí, tienes que saber que dormirás en una habitación para dos personas solo, pero en una litera.

Aterrizamos entorno a las cinco de la tarde y tras varias vueltas en el metro conseguimos llegar. Es un poco lioso la verdad, pero preguntando se llega a todos los lados. Recuerdo esa sensación que sentí al salir del metro, ver los edificios tan altos y sentirme insignificante entre tantos rascacielos. Fue increíble la sensación... 

El Jet lag no estuvo mal, nos acostábamos pronto y nos levantábamos super pronto también, así es que no supuso ningún problema, me atrevería a decir que incluso es lo mejor que se puede hacer en época de frío.

DÍA 1:

Comenzamos a pasear sin rumbo por “La gran ciudad” ya que sabíamos que estábamos por el centro y tarde o temprano empezaríamos a ver edificios y lugares míticos por aquel lugar. Y así fue, dimos con la tienda gigante de M&Ms que hay en una de las arterias principales de la ciudad. Lo mejor de todo era que ya estaba todo lo de Navidad puesto y cada dos pasos te encontrabas decoraciones navideñas que te dejaban atónito como luces gigantes, bolas enormes en mitad de una plaza o el Big Tree de Rockefeller Center.

Allí mismo podéis ver la Lego Store y una de las jugueterías más famosas del país. Fue bonito pasear por la zona, pues había grupos de gente cantando canciones de Navidad, Papa Noel repartiendo caramelos...Toda una experiencia!

Ese mismo día entramos en Nintendo y en Disney como tiendas por excelencia en la gran ciudad. Son muy chulas y tienen muchos souvenirs con los que puedes sorprender. Para nuestra suerte, aquel día era el “Free Day” en el MoMa, pero tenías que llegar a las 17 para hacer una cola (no muy grande) y entrar a las 17:30. Pasamos la tarde en el museo, uno de los museos más impresionantes en los que he estado, más incluso que el de San Francisco. Para acabar el día, no pudimos resistirnos a las típicas pizzas con  mil kilos de queso encima y super grasientas que te cuestan un dólar por porción, eran muy neoyorkinas...

DÍA 2:

Un día más madrugamos porque seguíamos con el dichoso Jet lag, pero nos vino bien para aprovechar más el día. Descubrimos un lugar donde comer tortitas para desayunar en el que había descuento para estudiantes y allí desayunamos casi todos los días las míticas tortitas americanas. El desayuno no es un gran problema en la ciudad ya que está llena de food trucks con baggels y sandwiches para desayunar.

El día anterior habíamos decidido coger un bus turístico que hay en la ciudad llamado Big Bus. Vais a encontrar prácticamente una persona en cada esquina del centro, ofreciendo a los turistas entradas para los buses turísticos. Os recomiendo regatear un poquito con ellos. Nosotros pagamos unos 70 Dólares por persona, por dos días de bus con entrada al Empire State, paseo en barco hasta la estatua y ruta turística nocturna por el Broklyn Bridge. Cuando contratas estos buses, tú eliges las tres cosas que quieres hacer, pero tienes alguna más, no solo las que elegimos nosotros. Nuestra primera parada ese día fue el Empire State Building. Gracias a que teníamos incluidas las entradas en el bus, no tuvimos que hacer la gran cola de la puerta. El edificio por fuera no es muy bonito que digamos, pero las vistas desde su terraza más alta son impresionantes con 400 metros de altura es uno de los edificios más altos de Nueva York y después del Pentágono es el edificio con más oficinas de Estado Unidos.

Nuestra siguiente parada fue Wall Street y su famoso toro. Siempre pensé que sería una zona muy grande con edificios impresionantes y la verdad es que los edificios son bonitos pero son calles estrechas.

Para acabar el día fuimos a ver el Museo Gughenheim. El museo por fuera es muy chulo, tiene una arquitectura muy original pero por dentro se me quedó corto después de ver el de Bilbao. Nos quedamos con las ganas de ir al Museo Metropolitano, pero teníamos que dejar algo para volver...

DÍA 3:

Era Domingo y nuestra oportunidad para ver Gospel en directo, así es que después de desayunar tortitas en nuestro sitio de confianza, nos cogimos el bus por segundo día y pusimos rumbo hacia Harlem, al “The greater refuge temple” En el barrio de Harlem hay muchas iglesias donde ver Gospel en directo pero esta era la más recomendada. Os puedo decir que fue una de las GRANDES experiencias de mi vida. Dentro no te dejan hacer fotos pero estas tan entretenido con la músicas, las voces y los movimientos que solo quieres participar, cantar y pasártelo bien.

Al salir dimos una vuelta por el barrio, que aunque hace unos años era uno de los más peligrosos de la ciudad, a día de hoy no lo es tanto. tienes un montón de tiendas de gangas para visitar, comercios y no os olvidéis de ver el teatro Apollo si vais por el barrio. Desde allí volvimos a coger el bus para visitar el barrio chino. Allí podéis probar un montón de comida china por muy poco dinero y entrar en tiendas típicas chinas, eso si el olor del barrio es muy peculiar y no está hecho para todos los olfatos.

Desde Little China, si sigues caminando llegas al Barrio italiano. En este barrio puedes disfrutar de las mejores pizzas italianas, tiramisú y café. Lo más divertido es seguir las pinturas que hay a lo largo de Little Italy. Nosotros probamos el café italiano para coger fuerzas y dirigirnos hacia la 5th Avenida donde Jorge quería visitar la tienda de Apple. Las distancia en esta ciudad son enormes y eso que nosotros estamos acostumbrados a las distancias en Madrid, pero nada que ver. Una de las cosas buenas que tiene Estados Unidos es que puedes compartir los Uber con gente y sale más barato, aunque los atascos son interminables en la ciudad, sobre todo en horas punta.

DÍA 4:

Me levanté antes que Jorge y mientras lo esperaba estuve dando una vuelta por nuestro Hostel, cual fue mi sorpresa cuando encontré desde una pequeña ventana unas maravillosas vistas.

Este día fuimos a coger el barco para dar una vuelta alrededor de la Estatua de la Liberta, pues no habíamos podido conseguir entradas para subir a verla. te recomiendan hacerlo con meses de antelación pero nosotros lo dejamos pasar y cuando quisimos cogerlas ya no había nada. No obstante, lo pasamos bien en el mini crucero que hicimos. Duró entorno a una hora.

Al volver al embarcadero fuimos hacía la zona de las Torre Gemelas para ver el monumento y el Centro comercial de Calatrava que hay enfrente. El monumento a las víctimas de los atentados es gigante y da mucho respeto estar allí. Alrededor hay muchas pinturas y grafitis de artistas conocidos de la ciudad que quisieron aportar su granito de arena a la reconstrucción de la zona.

Para acabar el día quisimos hacer el recorrido turístico nocturno, aunque paramos en Gran Central Terminal para verlo por dentro (tienda de Apple incluida) 

La ciudad de noche es muy bonita, sobre todo cuando ya están puestas las luces de Navidad en los edificios, pero lo más bonito de todo fue pasar por el puente de Broklyn por la noche mientras en el bus te ponían la canción de New York de Frank Sinatra.

DÍA 5:

Último día en Nueva York y teníamos que aprovecharlo a tope, aunque estábamos ya algo cansados de estar los últimos cuatro días sin descanso ninguno. Fuimos a Central Park, estaba al lado del Hostel y vimos factible visitarlo a pie, hasta que nos dimos cuenta de lo inmenso que era. vimos la pista de patinaje y pensamos que era buena idea coger una bici, bueno, en verdad lo pensó Jorge, porque yo no me llevo muy bien con las bicicletas, pero eso ya os lo contare algún día... Pues bien, cogimos dos bicis de alquiler por horas de la ciudad y dimos vueltas para ver el parque. ¡Dentro hay hasta un zoo y está repleto de ardillas!

Para terminar el día, visitamos HBO y su tienda de Juego de Tronos, además de la Biblioteca Central. Como me gustó tanto el Big tree, volvimos a pasear por la zona hasta la hora de irnos al aeropuerto.

Pienso que disfrutamos la ciudad al máximo y aunque nos dejamos sin ver muchas cosas, lo más importante lo pudimos visitar. esta ciudad nos conquistó tanto que hemos querido ir en varias ocasiones desde que volvimos, pero no hemos encontrado un hueco. Sabemos que volveremos pronto porque nueva York tiene un “yo qué sé, qué se yo” que hace que vuelvas.

Con este viaje acabamos el año sin saber que el primer viaje del 2019 sería a Eslovaquia, Hungría y Austria ¡ahí es nada!

[hetmusic]

Interview | Albin Lee Medlau | HumanHuman

First appearing eight months ago with a demo version of viral single “Lou Lou”, the gravelly voiced Albin Lee Meldau was discovered by Hillydilly.com with this glowing recommendation: “Having a unique voice is such a big factor in music today, and when you've the kind of vocals that Sweden's Albin Lee Meldau has, standing out and making a good impression isn't too hard at all” (via Hillydilly). Since making his official debut one month ago, this Swedish singer-songwriter has blown up with over 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and racking up 38k listens to “Lou Lou” on SoundCloud, and he is currently jet-setting across the globe to play live for a new throng of adoring fans.

What you’ll find in this interview is that beneath the raw emotion and folk-pop aesthetic is an honest-to-a-fault individual who quite simply wants to makes the best music he can. Here, we discuss what it means to go solo, an appreciation for imperfection, a love for retro pop music and a few things that don’t quite gel with one of Scandinavia’s fastest rising artists.

First of all, can you tell me a little about yourself and your musical background?

Okay, I’m a 28-year-old musician from Gothenburg in Sweden. I play pop music, straight from the heart. For me, the essential part is the story, so I try to keep myself as broad as possible. My background comes from playing on the street, playing in churches, weddings, funerals, all kinds of places. I’ve played soul for six years, I had a band called Magnolia, and so one year ago I started doing my own thing. That’s basically it, I’ve been playing a lot and busking a lot. Oh, and my parents are both singers, so I come from a musical family. I also used to play the trumpet.

Oh, do you ever play the trumpet now?

No, it’s really hard. It’s something you need to practice like all the time, so it’s not something that you can do when you feel like it. Now, I play the guitar, sing and produce.

You said you made the switch from soul to pop?

Yeah, I used to play quite old-school 60s/70s music and now I try to do more of a pop, indie thing. It’s more modern, because I don’t want to do that retro music anymore. I wanted to do my own thing.

Is there anything that influenced that change?

Well, it’s two different things: this is a diary that I’m in control of and a band is a relationship between people. It’s just a different thing. I guess it’s life that has influenced this change. I want to do things with my life, I can’t be waiting for six other people, and it’s very hard for bands also these days. No one wants to sign bands these days unless they’re 100% sure. I started this one year ago and now to be where I am today, it’s very well done, and if I had to do that as a band, I don’t think I would have managed to get this far; it’s very hard to break bands. That’s probably why, and I don’t really like waiting around or sharing or having to listen to people as well [laughs]. No, no, I just mean I’m not a very good team player in that sense. I like to be the one in charge, thus the interviews and being the front of the whole project. I’ve been the back-up singer and the singer in that band [Magnolia] for a long time, I played all kinds of instruments with them, and back-up singing is really what I used to do. I wanted to be a solo singer-songwriter.

You described this project then as your “diary”?

Basically, yes. I’m a young, diligent artist and it is about love and it is a diary. It doesn’t have to be about myself, it can be about any sort of story, but it’s definitely my diary, yeah. It’s just what it is. Most people live their lives and all people can express emotion, but this is my way of doing it. It’s a lot of emotion in one little diary, and hopefully I can release it as soon as possible. I released a little video on Mahogany Sessions the other day for “Darling”, for the next tune that’s coming, and there will be lots more songs in the near future.

Well, I’ll look forward to that, but the song we’ve been listening to a lot recently is “Lou Lou”. It’s a very emotional song, what does it mean to you?

That’s a very dark love story about a girl I used to know when I was young, it’s really… well I will leave it up to the listener to decide what it’s about. It’s filled with emotion as something people could probably relate to. It’s a short, dark, obscure, Scandic-noir love story. Horrible song for me, personally, I don’t like it one bit, because it’s so sad and I hear it all the time! Just wait, I want to release the next song, and the next one, and then the album so there will be plenty of stories.

“It’s a short, dark, obscure, Scandic-noir love story.”

Is “Lou Lou” one that you’d perhaps struggle to play live?

Look, I love all my babies. The worst thing I know is when you don’t want to listen to a song, but if you skipped one song on [Marvin Gaye’s album] Let’s Get It On then you miss the whole story. But no, don’t worry about that. This is the first song, the first one I ever recorded, and I recorded that version for two hundred quid in a cellar, that’s just how we did it. There will be more songs coming up with fantastic producers like Jimmy Napes, Justin Koch, Bjorn Yttling Rich Cooper, Ben Burrows, Bastian Langebaek, Eg White - these are fantastic producers, grammy winners, and Justin even wrote video games. These are great people and so there will be great songs.

I would say that one thing that bloggers and listeners have picked up on is your unique vocal, is that something that came naturally to you or has it been developed over time?

I’ve been singing my whole life. I sang in choirs and I’ve been a backup singer in reggae, blues and soul bands my whole life. I’m not saying I’ve got a unique vocal, but yes I do have a voice that sounds a certain way, and you can hear that it’s me straight away, which is something I’m very proud of, but am I a fantastic singer?! There’s so many fantastic singers today, it’s ridiculous, but for me it’s what the story is all about. I’m a really big Bob Dylan fan, and a fan of people who can’t really sing, at least that’s what other people say, but that’s not what it’s about for me. The voice itself, the sound of it, is obviously something I’ve been working on, obviously, it’s my instrument. I get quite bored of listening to Beyonce and Aretha [Franklin], but yeah the singing is a big part, but some songs that whisper, those might be the good ones. Big vocals don’t really interest me, it’s the message and emotion. Perfection is not attractive at all. You need to find some kind of scar, there needs to be some weird little thing that makes it interesting. That’s probably what I think about when I sing, that it shouldn’t be perfect, it shouldn’t too much.

I completely agree, I much prefer an emotional performance, it’s not about whether it’s technically correct.

Yeah, but then you see someone like Elvis, who I think is the best singer ever, because he could combine the two - perfection and emotion. It’s really a very hard question, I’ve done this a long time, I’m a singer. I wish I could be a poet instead, and maybe a model, maybe a blogger in fashion, and I want to be a producer!

Well we often talk about how artists self-produce and how there’s more producers than ever now, would that be a goal of yours?

Well, I worked with Bjorn Yttling on the first track, “Lou Lou”. Some songs have been produced by others and some I’ve worked on. It doesn’t really matter, whatever the song becomes is the most important thing. If I do a better job then I’ll pick my version and if someone else does the better job I’ll pick their version. I would never say that I’m not open-minded to working with geniuses like them.

Obviously, you’re from Sweden, a country synonymous with pop music, do you think that’s still true today?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Are there any contemporary Swedish artists that you look to or take note of?

First Aid Kit are great singers and “My Silver Lining” is a fantastic song. Lykke Li is fantastic, a fantastic woman. Earlier this year I was a support act for Aurora, she’s a fantastic singer and artist. Basically, everyone is very good! But what do I listen to? I listen to Bob Marley, The Wailers, Elvis Presley, The Temptations, but I don’t really listen to that other stuff.

So, you’re not really a modern pop fan?

Yes, some songs are fantastic, but when it comes down to it, I don’t really have time for anyone else’s music really but my own. When I have the time I’ll listen to Bach or somethin I’ve been really longing for, I don’t have the time to search for new music since this year has been so hectic. I do like First Aid Kit however, I think they’re very good. The new Kendrick [Lamar] album, I thought that was good. Some things that come up like the Drake thing with Rihanna [referencing “Work”], you go out and you can’t really avoid it, I think it’s hilarious, but it’s not what I would listen to. Hmmm… what do I listen to. The Tallest Man On Earth is very good, Leon Bridges had a really good song, Alabama Shakes was fine. I can’t really remember! There’s millions of songs that come every week and it’s just… stuff. I can’t keep up with it. I just concentrate on writing good music. Oh, recently I found this mix of Elvis Presley’s “Crying in the Chapel” with The Wailers. I like weird stuff.

Oh wow, a little bit obscure, but cool.

Obscure, yes. Most things I would listen to right now aren’t on playlists. I don’t like doing my own playlists, I can’t be bothered, like going to one artist and changing. I also can’t understand the idea of someone else doing the playlist for you, so I just go to an artists and press shuffle! Then it has to be an artists where all the songs are good, so Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Buena Vista Social Club. I want my albums to be like that. No one should press skip or swipe to the next one because they feel the story is not good enough.

Moving on from music that you listen to, to your own career. In your opinion, what’s the best thing about being a musician? Is it writing, recording, touring?

Oh, I haven’t been touring, this is very new this thing. It’s not what you’d picture it to be, of course it’s nice not to worry as much as I used to, but it’s not nice having to get up really early every morning [laughs]. It’s not too bad, that’s probably the worst thing about being a professional musician. This is my fifth year of being a professional musician, but I’ve been busking and playing music for a long time. I mean, what is the best thing about work? And that’s when you work! I like performing, I love writing music, I like working. It’s also very nice when people listen to your song and when people all around the world want to tell you that they love your thing, that is of course fantastic. It was a very big honour for me when Quentin Tarantino said it was good and requested a mixtape. Stuff like that happens to me now. It’s the feeling that anything could happen. I love football and sports in general, and this is a sport for me, something that I need to evolve. I can’t stand people who don’t work hard, I hate lazy people. As long as I’m working, I’m happy.

“It was a very big honour for me when Quentin Tarantino said it was good and requested a mixtape.”

That’s great. So, from everything that’ you’ve been writing over the past year, do you have a favourite song?

No! That might change from week to day, and you never know which one it’s going to be. Sometimes you think “this is my favourite song” and then you just hate it. Also, all the songs have got different stories about them, some songs might be brilliant, but it’s such a sad story that you don’t really want to listen to it.

You’ve given us lots of hints that more music is coming soon, so what’s the next release going to sound like? What’s the story behind it?

I don’t know... I’m with Sony Music here in the Nordics, so we’ll see what they say and we’ll see how the streams are going and what sort of plan they’ve got for me. I’m playing a few festivals here, I’m going to The Great Escape, and I’m going to Cape Town to work with fashion. I’m going to London, New York, L.A. and all kinds of places in the next few weeks.

A lot to look forward to this year then?

Oh, I hope so! I mean we’re doing a good job. I’ve got a fantastic team, a brilliant band and a good song. I’m very, very happy that people like it and just being able to survive on doing music, I feel like a fraud here! You pinch yourself and wonder when you’re going to wake up.

https://humanhuman.com/articles/interiew-albin-lee-meldau

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This post may contain affiliate links. Florida is the perfect family road trip destination. The state is huge and has so much to offer from beaches to springs to Disney World! Our Ultimate Florida Road Trip will take you from one end of the state down around and back up to the Florida panhandle. Have you thought about renting an RV for your trip – we highly recommend it!

*Be sure to check out our FREE Ultimate Florida Road Trip With Your Family eBook below!

The Ultimate Florida Road Trip Map

St. Augustine

There are so many things to do in St Augustine Florida, it’s an amazing way to start your ultimate Florida road trip. We recommend 2 nights, but really you could stay a week. If you are staying 2 days visit:

St. Augustine Alligator Farm

You can spend hours here exploring all the different alligators, feeding them, and watching the shows. Plus for only $5 you can take your picture with a baby alligator!

Fountain of Youth

It seemed like such a tourist trap to us, but really there is more to it than just the fountain. The grounds are beautiful and filled with multiple history lessons – including the Timucuan Village and seeing them fire a cannon! The road to get to the Fountain of Youth is also amazing with a canopy of old oaks covering the street. Needless to say it is worth it to go.

St. George Street

You can end your day by visiting St. George Street. It is filled with restaurants and one of our favorite stops Hyppo for homemade popsicles! They even had a champagne flavored one. And yes, those are our dogs. St. Augustine is super dog friendly!

We also recommend checking out: https://www.historictours.com/staugustine/index.php they offer great package and other ideas of things to do in the area. The trolley was an amazing way to get around town and really learn a lot about St. Augustine. It also meant we didn’t have to drive and find parking everywhere we went.

Visit our post about St. Augustine Where to Stay:

RV Park:  St Johns RV Park – http://www.stjohnsrvpark.com/ Let me tell you up front there is NOTHING special about this RV park. And to be honest when we first pulled in we thought it might be a little shady . . . there are some permanent trailers where people live in the back of the park. Given the price we got (with Passport America) and how close it was to downtown St. Augustine it worked out great. Which is why we recommend it. We also had no problems when we were there and the staff was very nice.

Hotel: Hilton St. Augustine Historic Bayfront We did not stay in a hotel when we were there but given where this hotel is located we think it would be a great place to stay. If you stay here you could walk to a lot of the downtown attractions or easily get on the trolley.

If you are looking for a stop to make in between St. Augustine and Orlando check out Exploring The Local Life’s post below.

Ocala National Forest: http://www.exploringthelocallife.com/alexander-springs-ocala-national-forest-play-swim-snorkel-and-scuba/ Lyonia Preserve: http://www.exploringthelocallife.com/lyonia-preserve-florida-scrub-jay-habitat-native-florida/

Orlando

You can’t come to Florida and not go to Orlando. Plan on at least 3 days for all of these things to do in Orlando, Florida:

Magic Kingdom

Visit Magic Kingdom for 1 day. We have done it multiple times and really feel you can see the majority of the park in 1 day. We wrote a post about our tips for visiting in 1 day here: 11 Tips For Visiting Magic Kingdom In 1 Day Here are some tips from Global Munchkins: Disney World Tips & Tricks We always love finding unique things to do when we visit places. Check out Merlot Mommy’s post on: 6 Unique Things To Do In Walt Disney World

Plan on heading to Animal Kingdom? Our friends at We3Travel share what the best ride is in Animal Kingdom and all of Disney!

Discovery Cove is another cool place to check out: A Day At Discovery Cove.

Universal Studios

We had put off going to Universal Studios until our kids were a little older. Now that our youngest is 5 we figured it was a good time to go! We had an absolute blast and loved every minute of it. There was plenty to do with younger kids and the older ones could go on almost all of the rides. We also had a great time going to Volcano Bay and highly recommend if you are going to Universal plan a day at Volcano Bay!

Travel Babbo shares: Why We Prefer Universal Orlando To Disney World Great tips from Global Munchkins on visiting Universal: The Best Universal Orlando Tips From A Pro Have teens? Merlot Mommy shares: The Best Rides for Teens at Universal Orlando Resort

Tubing

Go tubing at Kelly Rock Springs and visit Downtown Disney. This has been one of our favorite things. The water is crystal clear and with all the beautiful greenery and perfect water it is a can’t miss destination! You start from the top of the spring on an inner tube and float all the way down to the beach. AMAZING!

You can learn more about it in our post: Tubing By Orlando The Best Non Disney Experience

Legoland

If your kids are 12 or younger we recommend also making a stop at Legoland Florida for a day. The size of the park is so much easier to manage then Disney World and in a day you can pretty much do every ride and see the shows.

Here is our post on Legoland and the Legoland hotel.

You could also look to plan a trip over to the Kennedy Space Center and maybe catch a launch!

Where to stay: RV Park: Orlando RV Resort – https://www.thousandtrails.com/florida/orlando-rv-resort/ With our RV we always stay at the Thousand Trails Orlando. Its proximity to all of the things we listed above is great and you are a little ways away from the hustle and bustle of Orlando. If you want a more glamorous place to stay then Disney’s Fort Wilderness is for you. We spent a day there and it was pretty awesome and we know other RVers who call it their FAVORITE place to stay in the whole US.

Hotel: Embassy Suites on International Drive If you are looking for a hotel and want to give your kids a special treat then stay at the Legoland Hotel. They have gifts for your kids once they complete a scavenger hunt in your room, all the legos you want to play with in the lobby and some amazing shows. Then of course there are all the Disney properties. To be honest we always look for ways to cut costs so we can take more trips and do more things. In that mindset we stayed at an Embassy Suites that provide breakfast was close to Disney – so that is always an option too.

Here are a couple other hotel options:

If you are looking to kick back with a big group or want to experience a luxury vacation home check out this Orlando Vacation Home! We stayed here for a week with friends and it was AMAZING!! Stuffed Suitcase shares their experience at Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa in Orlando.

Travel Babbo shares their review of The Hotel That Made Us Skip Disney World If are looking for a few extra free things to do check out Real Mom Reviews: 5 Free Things To Do With Kids In Orlando, Florida. 

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Miami

Welcome to Miami! Miami has a very cool vibe to it. We recommend doing the following:

Little Havana

Miami has an amazing Cuban presence and vibe to it. Head into Little Havana and grab some ice cream at: Azucar and then walk down the street to see if you can hear any cuban music coming from the bar/restaurants and do a little dance in the street.

Wynwood

Next head into Wynwood and check out the amazing artwork on the sides of the building. This is an up and coming area in Miami and has an awesome vibe to it! You can also park and get out and walk around Wynwood Walls to check out the artwork and restaurants in the area.

South Beach

Go to South Beach and see what South Beach is really like! We didn’t get a chance to get out of our car due to how busy it was. But it was cool to drive down A1A and take in everything South Beach has to offer.

Miami Seaquarium

Yes they have an Orca whale – yes we have mixed feelings – but we still went and saw the show and it was a really cool experience to see an Orca Whale up close. The rest of the Seaqaurium has a lot of offer and some great shows.

Check out our post on: 7 Things To Do with Kids in Miami Where to stay: RV Park: Miami Evergaldes RV Park – https://www.crazyfamilyadventure.com/miami-everglades-rv-resort/ We stayed at the Encore RV park. We had to drive a ways to get into downtown Miami – but it was still worth it since the RV park was so nice and quiet. Plus they had a great pool, hot tub and mini golf course!

Hotel: Check out this highly rated family friendly hotel: InterContinental Miami

Another idea is to take a cruise when you are in Miami! The Carnival Vista looks amazing! If you do go on a cruise be sure to check out this great post on your family cruise packing list.

Florida Keys and Key West

Ever wonder the distance from Miami to Key West? Well, it’s about 160 miles. Crazy, right?! That 3 hour drive could be a road trip in itself! Well, now you know the distance from Miami to Key West, and along the way, check these amazing stops:

Feed the Tarpons

Stop at Robbie’s and feed the Tarpons. It is a really cool experience. For just a few bucks, you get a bucket of fish that you then feed to the large tarpon that hang out by the pier. So fun! Just look out for the Pelicans, they’re savage!

Grab lunch at Sunset Grille

This is a cool restaurant on the water that has a pool! It is a great place to stop, eat lunch and take a swim before heading on. Once you are done swimming walk up the stairs that go under the bridge and walk out on the famous 7 Mile Bridge.

7 Mile Bridge

You can’t avoid it on your way down to Key West, but I wanted to add it so you can be sure you have your camera ready. I love this bridge and the idea of the water surrounding you on all sides!

Key West – Fort Zachary Taylor

Explore the fort and spend time at the beach. The beach doesn’t have soft white sand, but most in the Keys don’t due to the reef but that’s OK. The color of the water and the ability to snorkel right off the beach make up for it! There is also a small restaurant here where you can grab lunch and a beer.

Key West – Mallory Square

Then head to Mallory Square for the Sunset Celebration. There are a variety of fun shows for the whole family. Yes, some of the comments can be a little crude (they do try really hard to make it family friendly) – but normally will go right over your kids head. We were able to drink from a coconut and enjoy some great food too.

Key West – Fury Ultimate Adventure

The Fury Ultimate Adventure is one of our favorite things we have done! Spend 6 hours on a large catamaran where they feed you all day and provide all you can drink soda plus beer and wine at the end the end of the trip. While you snorkel, parasail, jet ski and play on huge inflatables in the middle of the ocean. Such an amazing time!!

You can learn more at our post: The 4 Best Water Activities With Kids In Key West.

Key West – Dry Tortugas

If you can fit it in take the boat ride out to the Dry Tortugas. It is an amazing and magical place. Seriously, it is an island 70 miles off of Key West with the bluest water you have ever seen and a beach filled with conch shells. And the fort offers the best photo opportunities. Get Dramamine and be prepared for the long and bumpy boat ride.

Here is our post on it: Dry Tortugas – One For The Bucket List Or if you have enough time, plan on camping on the Dry Tortugas! We didn’t get a chance to do it but it is on our list to go back and stay for a few nights. Here is a post from a family of 5, Currently Wandering, who spent a few days on the Tortugas (lucky!): Family Camping In Dry Tortugas National Park You can check out: https://www.historictours.com/keywest/index.php for more ideas and discounted packages on things to do in Key West. We really enjoyed the aquarium and the kids loved being able to feed the sharks!

We spent 2 1/2 months in the Florida Keys. You can check out all of our posts on our time there on our: Florida Keys page.

Check out We3Travel’s post: Family Fun In The Florida Keys to learn more as well!

Where To Stay: RV Park: Boyds Campground – https://www.boydscampground.com/ We haven’t stayed here but we have heard if you want to be close to Key West this is a great place to stay with your RV. If you are looking for a less expensive option and somewhere that is in a quieter location, we recommend Sunshine Key – which is where we stayed. It is a good 90 minute drive into Key West so be prepared for that. Or if you can get in the Bahia Honda State Park is amazing – especially if you get right on the water.

Hotel: Casa Marina Resort, in Key West. The property is beautiful and not right in the middle of downtown Key West – which we think is a great fit for being with a family in Key West.

If you can stay in the Keys for longer we also recommend Hawks Cay! The only problem with staying here is you won’t want to leave but will instead want to stay at the hotel and enjoy all the amenities. So for a road trip it would be great for a couple day break but we really recommend it if you are looking for a week long stay in one place.

Everglades National Park

Shark Valley

Make a stop at the Shark Valley Visitor Center in the northern end of the Everglades and take a tram ride (may have to buy tickets well ahead of time for this) or if you have your bikes or want to rent them you can take the 15 mile bike ride into Shark Valley – which we recommend! You don’t need tickets to do the biking.

You can learn more about the tram and about renting bicycles here: http://www.sharkvalleytramtours.com/.

It is one amazing and wild ride as you pedal right past gigantic alligators!!! And depending on the weather you may even be riding through rain puddles with alligators sitting right in them. Once you reach the lookout you can climb to the top and have an amazing view of the Everglades. At 15 miles round trip it is a long ride, but the path is paved and flat – but like in our case – if it is windy, it can be challenging.

Be prepared when you get to Shark Valley Visitor Center that there may be a line to get into the parking lot. They have a small parking lot and they only let so many people in. We just sat in our car and waited our turn. It took about 20 minutes or so. A few other people parked on the road outside the entrance. If you have your bikes I recommend waiting for a spot in the lot since you will be there a while.

Check out our post on Shark Valley here: 7 Things To Do With Kids in Miami.

Where to Stay: RV Park: If you are up for National Park Camping we recommend Midway Campground  https://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/midway-campground.htm It is a 21 minute drive from there to Shark Valley.

Hotel: Best Western Plus Kendall Hotel & Suites We did not stay here but do to its location it would be great for visiting Shark Valley. It is about a 38 minute drive to Shark Valley Visitor Center.

Highlands Hammock State Park

Looking for things to do in central Florida other than Orlando? Stop at the Highland Hammock State Park. It is a beautiful park and we recommend taking at least 1 of the hikes before heading out. The Cyprus Swamp – Highland Hammock Trail is one of our favorite hikes. A couple of our kids were a little freaked out about it but when it was said and done everyone had fun!

Here is our post on: Highland Hammock State Park. Where to stay:

RV Park: Highland Hammock State Park campground. We stayed here and it was great!

Hotel: The Inn On The Lakes  We did not stay here but due to its location we would recommend it.

Here is a post from a fellow travel bloggers the BareNeckers about their time at Highland Hammock.

Clearwater

Clearwater Beach

Voted one of the best beaches in Florida. Clearwater is a beautiful beach with white sand and aquamarine water and beautiful beach resorts. Just be prepared that it can be very busy. If you can spend a day hanging out at the beach and then head to the main street to check out the shops and grab dinner.

Dolphin Tale

Visit Winter from the movie Dolphin Tale at the Clearwater Aquarium and be sure to take the free boat ride over to the museum that is dedicated to the movie. And be on the look out for dolphins in the ocean on the ride!

Here is our post on Clearwater Aquarium.

Where to Stay: RV Park: It is a bit of a drive, but we stayed at Lazy Days and made the 1 hour drive into Clearwater Beach.

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort would be a great place to stay due to its proximity to the beach! Check out these three spacious Clearwater Beach resorts perfect for families too.

Destin

Finish your trip by stopping in Destin for a day of relaxation. If the weather is going to be warm enough when you go then get a hotel room on the beach and plan on just kicking back and relaxing for your last few days. If you aren’t ready to relax Destin also offers an amazing pirate boat adventure for the kids and a dolphin cruise. Plus there is under the sea bowling and a lot of yummy restaurants in the area.

The sunsets are amazing so be sure to catch it each night you are there!

Here is our post on Destin (we have stayed twice: 3 weeks one time and a month the next and we totally miss it!).

Where to Stay: RV Park: Camp Gulf on the beach! It is by far one of our favorite RV parks and we highly recommend paying the extra to stay on the beach.

Hotel: Hilton Sandestin The hotel is actually pretty close to the RV park. You can walk on the beach to the hotel from the RV park and get a drink at their bar/restaurant. A great way to watch the sunset!

If you are looking for more ideas on Florida check out our guest post on yTravel Blog: 18 Places To Visit With Kids In Florida

Airbnbs

Another option for lodging during your Florida Road Trip, check out some Airbnb options.

Florida has so much to offer. If you can, we recommend staying for months – we stayed for 6. But if that isn’t an option this road trip could take approximately 2 weeks depending on how much time you spend at each location. You will be covering a lot of miles but it will be worth it to see all of these amazing places and to get a real feel for what Florida is all about!

Be sure to check out Passport America if planning on camping throughout Florida, you’ll save a bundle!

Want more road trip ideas? Check out our post on 365AtlantaFamily: 20+ Things To Do In Florida On The Ultimate Sunshine State Road Trip

Looking for a Florida Beach focused trip? Check out our post on 365AtlantaFamily: Florida Beaches: 25 Best Family Vacation Destinations

Want some more tips on Florida? I told you this was the Ultimate guide :). Check out these amazing Places To Visit In Florida.

Looking for another Road Trip? Check out these great East Cost Family Vacation Ideas! 

Recommended Itinerary for 14 nights:

Download (XLSX, 26KB)

And if you want to get our free eBook on the Ultimate Florida Road Trip With Your Family click the image below. The ebook documents everything in this post, along with an area for notes under each city, so you can easily print it and use it for your planning and when you go on your trip.

If you have any questions on the Ultimate Florida Road Trip, let us know in the comments! Pin this for later:

     The post The Ultimate Florida Road Trip: 31 Places Not To Miss appeared first on Crazy Family Adventure.

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ATRACCIONES - Central Park

The Great Lawn

La pradera más grande del parque.

Ubicado en la mitad del parque.

Entre las calles 79th y 86th.

Strawberry Fields

Significa en español ‘Campos de Fresas’ -por la canción de los Beatles.

Mosaico “Imagine” en memoria de John Lennon.

Designado como símbolo de paz.

Entre las calles 71th y 74th.

Reservoir Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Estanque con el nombre de la ex primera dama.

Su recorrido comprende 2,5 kilómetros.

De la 85th a la 96th streets de este a oeste.

Belvedere Castle

Belvedere en italiano significa “Bonitas vistas”.

Castillo estilo victoriano construido en el siglo XIX.

Ubicado en la cima de 'Vista Rock' (el punto más alto del parque), una de las rocas del parque no artificiales con más de 450 millones de años.

Con sus dos balcones, ofrece maravillosas vistas panorámicas: The Delacorte Theater, The Great Lawn, The Turtle Pond y The Ramble.

Abierto de 10AM - 5PM.

En la calle 79th, en el centro del parque, en Turtle Pond.

Sheep Meadow

Zona muy popular para admirar el horizonte de la ciudad.

Hasta 1934 era una zona en la que pastaban ovejas.

Sólo abre de abril/mayo a octubre.

Entrada gratuita.

Entre las calles 66th y 69th, lado oeste.

North Meadow

Mide la mitad del Great Lawn.

Es un gran centro deportivo al aire libre. Tiene 12 canchas para múltiples disciplinas (el fútbol, el fútbol táctico, el béisbol y el softbol).

Se ubica al norte de Great Lawn, en la calle 97th.

Shakespeare Garden

Jardín cuyas flores y plantas el autor William Shakespeare menciona en sus obras.

Se dice que hubo una ‘morera’ (planta arbórea cuyo fruto es la mora) que el mismo Shakespeare plantó en 1602. El árbol cayo en una tormenta de 2006 y fue retirado.

Ubicado cerca del teatro Delacorte.

Hidden Waterfalls

Cinco cataratas artificiales, con agua potable.

Entra por la zona oeste del parque por la 102nd Street y sigue la corriente llamada “The Loch” hasta llegar a la 106th Street.

Bethesda Terrace

El corazón del parque.

Escalones. Vista al lago y de Great Lawn. Bajo las escaleras una buena acústica.

La fuente Bethesda, junto con la “Fontana de Trevi” (Roma) es la fuente más fotografiada y filmada del mundo.

La estatuta de la fuente de casi 2,5 metros de altura se llama "Angel of the Waters" (Ángel de las aguas) y celebra la apertura del acueducto que llevó agua potable a Nueva York en 1842. Debajo del ángel hay cuatro querubines que simbolizan salud, pureza, moderación y paz.

A la altura de la calle 72 y al extremo sur de ‘The Mall'

Loeb Boathouse

Ubicado enfrente de la fuente Bethesda, al otro lado del agua.

Ofrece alquiler de barcos, paseos en góndola, exquisita experiencia gastronómica.

Es el sitio del restaurante Boathouse con la opción de asientos en el interior o al lado del lago, en el que se puede disfrutar de una cena de pescado de temporada. Excelente opción para una relajante noche pasada admirando la belleza del parque mientras cena.

En el lado este (East Side), calles 74th y 75th (sólo se puede cenar aquí de abril a noviembre).

Naumburg Bandshell

Un escenario de música clásica.

Tiene una importancia histórica por sucesos como un discurso pronunciado por Martin Luther King Jr.

Se encuentra en el centro del parque, entre 66th y 72nd streets.

Bow Bridge

El puente de hierro fundido más grande/famoso/elegante del parque (26,5 metros).

Cruza ‘The Lake’ y es utilizado como paseo peatonal.

En español significa “Puente del Arco".

El puente se encuentra a la altura de la calle 74, al oeste de Bethesda Terrace, y atraviesa The Lake uniendo Cherry Hill y The Ramble.

The Lake

Antes un gran pantano, ahora un impresionante y pintoresco lago de 8 manzanas hasta el norte.

La idea inicial era utilizarlo como pista de patinaje en invierno y para pasear en bote durante el verano.

Con la construcción de la pista de ‘Wollman Rink’, el lago se cerró al patinaje en 1951.

Puedes realizar paseos a remos de un bote o caminando por los senderos que lo bordean. Para alquilar una barca debe dirigirse a Loeb Boathouse.

Wollman Rink

Pista de patinaje a la que accede desde la parte sur del parque.

De octubre a abril se puede patinar sobre hielo, el resto del año sobre el cemento de la pista.

Está a menos de cinco minutos a pie de la entrada sur de la calle 59th Street y la 6th Avenue. La pista abre diariamente a las 10:00 AM y los horarios de cierre varían.

Grand Army Plaza

Plaza de estilo europeo construida en memoria al Ejercito de la Unión en la Guerra Civil.

Divida por la calle 59 en dos semicircunferencias.

Su construcción se inspiró en ‘La Concorde de Paris’.

Es la entrada más utilizada al parque.

En la parte su se encuentra la ‘Pulitzer Fountain’ (esta fuente cuenta con una estatua de bronce de la diosa romana de la abundancia, Pomona), una fuente de estilo italiano mientras que la plaza del norte está presidida por la estatua ecuestre dorada del general William Tecumseh Sherman.

Ubicada entre las calles 58 y 60, junto al hotel Plaza.

The Pound

Escape perfecto del ajetreo y bullicio de la ciudad.

240 especios de aves migratorias habitan el estanque.

Los arboles de Crabapple y Forsythia ayudan a crear el ambiente calmante de la zona.

El cercano Hallett Nature Sanctuary educa a los visitantes sobre la flora y fauna de esta zona del Parque.

Ubicado al sudeste del parque.

El pequeño puente de piedra que se encuentra al norte, el Gapstow Bridge, fue construido en 1896 sustituyendo al original fabricado en madera.

The Mall and Literary Walk

De la calle 66 a la 72 se extiende ‘The Mall’, un paseo flanqueado por olmos.

Al comienzo del Mall se le conoce como Literary Mall y fue el único lugar del parque al que accedieron los arquitectos para colocar esculturas: William Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott y Robert Burns y músicos como, Victor Herbert y Ludwig van Beethoven.

En el extremo Sur, el jardín Olmsted Bed rinde homenaje a uno de los arquitectos que diseñaron el parque: Frederick Law Olmsted. El jardín está rodeado por olmos, el árbol favorito del diseñador.

Conservatory Garden

Antes un invernadero, ahora un espléndido jardín de estilo europeo.

Usado como decorado para reportajes fotográficos de bodas.

Divido en tres zonas: Centro ➡ Estilo italiano, Norte ➡ Estilo francés, Sur ➡ Estilo inglés.

Se entra directamente por la 5ta Avenida con la calle 105 a través de las puertas Vanderbilt, donadas por Cornelius Vanderbilt y que pertenecía a su mansión.

Central Park Zoo

El zoológico más famoso de Nueva York.

Situado en la esquina sureste del parque. La entrada está en el parque, cerca de 64th Street.

Alberga una gran variedad de animales exóticos, como leopardos de las nieves, osos grizzly, pandas rojos, macacos japoneses y leones marinos. También viven diferentes especies de pingüinos, incluido el pingüino rey.

Hay una réplica de la selva tropical donde se puede ver varias aves exóticas, lemures, murciélagos y serpientes.

Por si fuera poco, también hay un cine 4D con efectos sensoriales extra, como viento y agua.

Dairy

Ubicado a la mitad del parque, entre 64th y 65th Street. Abierto todos los días de 10:00 am a 5:00 pm.

Una antigüa lechería que data de 1870, construida en madera y granito y que hoy alberga el Visitor Center donde encontrará toda la información que precise del parque además de una tienda de recuerdos.

Tavern on the Green

Restaurante situado al extremo oeste del parque a la altura de la calle 66/67.

Su menú está enfocado en el uso de productos locales e ingredientes de temporada.

Reserva con antelación.

Un antiguo corral convertido en restaurante que tiene forma de herradura.

Cuando el clima lo permite también se puede comer o tomar en el jardín situado en el exterior bajo las mas de los arboles que lo pueblan.

CENTRAL PARK... ¡Corazón latente de Manhattan!

[davidblaska]

After his decisive but not unexpected defeat for Madison school board, the Policy Werkes prescribed some two-wheeled therapy for its proprietor, David Blaska.

Wisconsin weather being as fickle as Madison voters, Blaska retreated to the Policy Werkes’ west coast offices in sunny California during the second week of April. Brother Richard and wife Margaret have homes in San Francisco and Sonoma and were gracious enough to put up with this old coot, who expresses his thanks.

The Old Guy rented a bike through Eagle Rider, a national chain featuring several makes of motorcycles. 

For Sonoma County’s mountain and valley twisties, a Harley Davidson Sportster seemed about the right speed, as opposed to a big touring bike, which you might want on the Interstate or the wide-open spaces. No need for cruise control on these roads!

Truth be told, I expected to encounter a beater on the floor of the Mission Street dealer in San Francisco. Instead, a brand new Sportster 1200 Iron awaited me with all of 17 miles on the clock. This model is a beauty pageant winner; black dual exhaust, blacked out primary case and fins highlighted by stainless steel bolts. Tank and fenders are what HD calls “twisted cherry” red. Mini-high rise handlebars and a small cowl around the headlight completed the picture on this one-up stunner.

I had this baby for five days at $139 a day plus another $35 per day for theft and damage insurance.

Thank Saint Steven Jobs for his Map app to get me out of SF, although it insists on zig-zagging me through turn after turn in search of the shortest way out, as the crow flies. Navigating SF’s vertiginous hills demanded coordination between left-hand clutch and right-hand braking while working the gears.

This was my first extensive use of a full-face helmet, which you got to have if riding without a windshield. Had purchased a Scorpion (brand) helmet with a built-in sun visor. Compares favorably to a much more expensive Schuberth and, at $260, about a third of the cost. Had a wireless Cardo wifi installed into the helmet. Helmets are mandatory in California.

There is no better bucket list than crossing the Golden Gate bridge on a Harley Davidson. Its an experience the word “exhilarating” was invented to describe. 

Set up shop at brother Richard’s hacienda north of the village of Sonoma; it borders the BR Cohn vineyards. Never did dip in the pool but did dip into his wine fridge. As is our custom, we left youngest brother and his spouse with more vintage than we found.

All but the oldest-growth vines were already springing to life. Workers ran tillers between the staked rows, some of which climbed up the foothills of the low Mayacamas mountains that separate Sonoma County from Napa to the east.

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Sonoma was briefly the capital of newly independent Alta California, the town square (the largest in California) still flies the Bear flag from the revolt for independence from Mexico in 1846. The 1832 mission was the final and northernmost established by the padres and the only one under Mexican (rather than Spanish) rule. The barracks next door reflects the Mexican government’s nervousness over the advance of the Russian bear southward to Fort Ross (for Rossiya) on the coast.

An oddity: A transplanted Wisconsinite started California’s commercial wine industry. Count Agoston Haraszthy left Hungary to found the Wollersheim winery on the other side of the river from Prairie du Sac, then pulled up stakes (so to speak) to establish Buena Vista winery in Sonoma in 1857. 

  Sebastiani, Kenwood, and Ravenswood (famed for their zinfandels) are other big names here. We stopped at a smaller, more experimental winery, Imagery, an offshoot of our all-time favorite wine stop, the Benziger family winery just west of the quaint village of Glen Ellen, which hugs the Sonoma River upstream from Sonoma itself. Benziger is next door to Jack London’s ranch, now a state park. 

Unlike many of the wineries here with aspirations to French chateau vibe, Benziger’s has a family farm feel, including a fair collection of old tractors. 

On a previous visit the Lovely Lisa and her Old Guy drained a bottle of their sauvignon blanc on a modest porch outside the tasting room. I heard clanking and ran to a building to witness a bottling. The vineyard lies within the caldera of an extinct volcano. B’s actively cultivate gardens to encourage beneficial insects to do the work that pesticides would perform elsewhere.

But many of the wineries here are little known; some vineyards simply sell their juice to the bigger labels.

Back in Glen Ellen, a sign on one of the buildings thanks firefighters for saving the town. We looked but saw no evidence of fire, save for that sign and a couple of others than warned of greater danger for mudslides.

Why I ride

Roads hereabouts are heaven. Everything one could want atop a motorcycle, those being:

1) hills and valleys that exhilarate with the changes in altitude, 2) twisty roads that 3) reveal something new around every curve: a farmstead or vineyard here, forested hills there, next a rushing stream, there a rock cropping; 4) easy pull-offs for picture taking. Better yet, a small village for a quick bite.

Only on two wheels can you seemingly flow through the landscape, smell the air like a dog hanging out the window, sway left or right as you bite into a corner, then twist the throttle to pull you through, hear that satisfying BLATT! from the pipes as the air-cooled twins respond, then float down the hill in overdrive as the world unfolds before you.

There is a God and he was good to Blaska in wine country. 

— More to come.

Riding the high wine country on two wheels; Part #1 After his decisive but not unexpected defeat for Madison school board, the Policy Werkes prescribed some two-wheeled therapy for its proprietor, David Blaska.