Postcard from the Cascades - Autumn

It was around 92 today here in Tucson. As usual, I was running around in shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals. I took a short trip this week to spend time with my son and his wife in Yuma, where it was in the mid to high 80’s. Let’s face it, I live in a land where summer lasts 6 months and the rest of the year is like a warm Spring…Which of course explains the existence of snowbirds.

Anyway, I was talking to a friend up in the Northwest where the temperature was in the low 50’s today and heading down…and I began to miss the beautiful autumns I experienced up there in the Cascade Mountains for so many Octobers. Thankfully I have many photos from those times, a few of which I have shared here from time to time.  Here is another.

Another friend of mine, who was born and raised in Maine, came through the Cascades one year to visit and he remarked that Maine had nothing on the Cascade Mountains. It is spectacularly beautiful…so I hope you forgive me if now and then I share a photo from that area.

Postcard from Rome–The Coliseum

I am taking a break from my Chicago trip to show you an image from one of my trips to Rome…the famous Roman Coliseum. I love this image as it reminds me of all my special times in Italy.  It was shot on slide film, then converted to Black and White.  It was photographed at sunset.

This most famous structure of the Roman Empire was completed in 80 AD. It was originally called Amphitheatrum Flavium (Latin), or the Flavium Amphitheater. It is located in the center of Rome, at one end of the Roman Forum and is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering.

In the days of the Dark Ages, after the fall of the empire, it was stripped of all its marble, and much of its stone…not to mention the bronze clamps which held the stonework together. These were pried or hacked out of the walls, leaving numerous pockmarks which still scar the building today. What makes it even more remarkable is the the structure is still standing as it should have collapsed with these supports removed. The Romans knew how to build.

Originally, it was used for gladiator combat, animal hunts and other such Roman entertainments. It was once filled with water and used for a naval battle with real ships. But, contrary to the belief of many, it was never used to burn or crucify Christians during the days of persecution. But funding for the construction did come from the booty collected during the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

The original structure must have been a site to behold. But even in its current condition, it is a major tourist attraction. I hope you can all see it in your lifetime.  As the old saying goes, “When in Rome…”

Postcard from Chicago–The Drug Deal

Today’s blog has nothing to do with the picture you see here.  This photo is of “The Bean” in Millennium Park, which I‘ve written about here before...and while this photo shows one of the best parts of Chicago, my story concerns a more seamy side.

It occurred on my last day in Chicago…in fact, my last few hours. My friend Susan and I were riding the #55 bus that starts at Jackson Park along Lake Michigan and travels along 55th Street, all the way west to Midway Airport. I was headed back to Tucson and Susan was riding with me to the airport.

As we caught the bus early on its route, we were sitting right up front with my suitcase.  The ride to the airport takes about an hour…and while the bus route starts in Hyde Park, one of the more beautiful areas of Chicago, it also passes through some of the lesser desirable neighborhoods of Chicago.

Somewhere along the route, a young man in a baggy t-shirt got on board. I didn’t think anything unusual about him. He sat down near us and shortly began talking on his cell phone. As his voice was loud, it became clear he was talking to someone he was going to meet and that his friend had a somewhat limited intelligence.

He began telling his friend what bus he was on and to watch for it. He had to explain several times what street the bus was on and which side of the street it was on. As the bus approached the appointed rendezvous, he had to keep shouting to his friend that he was in the front of the bus and to look down 55th Street so he could see the bus.

His friend apparently figured it out and was waiting for the bus as it pulled up at the stop. The man on the bus (let’s call him the dealer), stood by the driver at the front of the bus. A couple of other folks were there also, ready to get off. As the doors opened the dealer allowed the two people to get out, then stepped down to the bottom step by the door and held out his hand, which I could see carried a wad of cash. His contact, the drugee, reached in with his hand, took something, then took off running down the street.

The dealer then stepped back and resumed his seat on the bus as if nothing had happened. It all happened so fast that it didn’t register for a few seconds what was going down. At first, because I had seen the wad of cash, I thought he was lending a friend some money, but after a few seconds, I realized it was a drug deal. Had to be. It was a move that had been practiced several times and the drugee was probably a regular. We guessed the drug passed off was crack as it is a cheap drug of choice for many poorer drug users.

After a few more stops, the dealer finally got off the bus and we continued on to the airport. Nobody on the bus said anything, not even the driver. I figured it happens many times a day on buses all over Chicago and that the driver would put her life in jeopardy if she said anything.

It was something to see and we had a ringside seat…and I hope never such a thing again. It was a reminder that Chicago and other cities are not just all peaches and cream for tourists like me. There is a darker side of big and little cities alike that haunts us all.

Postcard from Chicago–Here’s Looking at You

Now this is something you don’t see everyday…and you won’t be seeing it for much longer if you live in Chicago.

This is a 30 foot sculpture of artist Tony Tasset’s eyeball. “What?” you say. True enough. It’s a piece of art designed to help attract tourists, or so its rumored. Well, it attracted me anyway…the Tucson tourist. It’s made of steel reinforced fiberglass and it costs somewhere in the six figures, though Tasset is not very forthcoming about specific dollar figures.

The sculpture is installed at Pritzker Park on State Street in downtown Chicago, but will be taken down after Halloween (how appropriate is that). So if you are in Chicago sometime in the next two weeks, be sure and drop by. 

I will have more images and stories from my most recent trip to Chicago coming soon.

Postcard from Chicago

I thought I would show you another photo from my first ever visit to Chicago in April. This is the Chicago River, flanked on both sides by skyscrapers, with some lovely clouds thrown in for good measure. I really like this photo and as you may have read here before, I really like Chicago.

In fact, I like it so much that when my friend Susan invited me back, I decided to go. Actually, I leave in a couple of days. So, this blog is going on a two week hiatus, or as they say in educational circles, I am taking a short sabbatical to improve my photographic skills and widen my horizons.

I will probably visit a few places I went to on my last trip, like the Chicago Institute of Art and Ditka’s restaurant…not to mention some great Chicago Dog places. But, I hope to spend the majority of this trip seeing new places like Little Italy, Old Chicago, the Lincoln Park Zoo, Northwestern University, and more. Also I plan to spend this Sunday night watching Chicago Bear football from one of the many sports bars by Wrigley Field (the Bears are playing the Giants in New York). Chicago is arguably the most rabid sports city in America, so it should be fun. I will be a Bear fan for one night just for the experience. 

Will also be enjoying some cooler weather. On the day I leave, it will be 100 here and 54 in Chicago. That should be interesting. The long range forecast says most days will be in the mid 60’s for most of my visit.

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you may see some photos from this trip as I move from place to place. So, don’t forget about me and I look forward to sharing more photos with you soon.