Picture The World...

www.instagram.com/reel/Cg979GWJ1Oc/ Also known as the Salmon Street Fountain — at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. Dedicated in 1988, its three water patterns are controlled by a computer. And in Portland it’s pure summer. When temperatures rise, children (and some adults) can be seen frolicking in the waters to cool off.

Given the choice, would you choose a boat that gives you a rush, a thrill, a lot of quick excitement, or a boat that drifts with the wind, gives you a sense of calm and inner peace? For me it depends on the time and place, even the day of the week. I love excitement, fun, having a good time with abandon. But nothing beats serenity, being in a state of relaxation, all the world’s chaos left far…

I Hear A Freight Train, Ah Coming…

A front row seathttps://youtu.be/hIiw8rwnATI In cities across the United States, passenger and freight trains crisscross local roads, at all hours of the day in some places. While spending a part of my summer in Portland, Oregon, I’ve chosen an Airbnb in a section of town with its share of trains. Known as the Pearl District, it’s a section of town teeming with shops, restaurants, bars and…

How you enjoy. Feel free to leave a comment.

Los Angeles International Airport On a grassy area in the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles, near one of the runways of Los Angeles International Airport, easily hundreds of people gather daily to watch planes land. Not sure you can call it a hobby or entertainment, but plane-spotting is a thing. Some people are just fascinated by airplanes. I confess, I’m one of them. I went to this…

In Plain Site: Bishop’s House

You can’t miss this building in Portland, and yet you can. This is Bishop’s House, located in Downtown Portland. It’s 142 years old, completed in 1879. It was the official residence of Archbishop William Hinckley Gross, after the Roman Catholic Archdiocese moved from Oregon City to Portland.  Hinckley, who also served as the Bishop of Savannah, Georgia, died in 1898 at age 61, in Baltimore,…

Seattle’s Post Alley Gum Wall

A sticky situation When did this become a thing? Several cities around the world now have a wall where you are encouraged to stick your spent chewing gum. Everybody agrees that it’s gross. At least that’s what they say. And yet, they flock to these walls for photos they happily post on social media. Besides “gross”, the word “germs” is most often heard. Some wonder if the gum is ever scraped…

Cycling from Downtown Los Angeles to Venice Beach

On a beautiful winter day in Los Angeles, I pedaled my bicycle across town to the Pacific Ocean, stopping along the way to check out the sights and sounds. I live-streamed the journey (you can hear me talking to people on the broadcast, answering their questions. Here’s how the day went. Venice Beach DowntownVenice At the beach Life is not a trip…it’s a journeyTweet