Month: November 2008

Categories
Historical Travel

Manassas Sandwich

Shotgun Shack
Shotgun blasts through corrugated sheet metal leave the pattern you see. This is what results when you mix hunters and a deserted cabin in the middle of nowhere. Beware! Don’t loiter!

The acme of the day was the Manassas National Battlefield Park where the Civil War’s first land battle was fought. Before and after this I went hiking, hence “Manassas Sandwich”. From sunrise to sunset I was busy-busy but the weather will soon turn cold and I had to take advantage of this beautiful day.

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Categories
Historical Travel

Washington National Cathedral

National Cathedral Stained Glass
Rev. Satterlee’s vision was to build “a genuine Gothic cathedral on this side of the Atlantic that will kindle the same religious, devotional feelings and historic associations that are awakened in the breasts of American travelers by the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe”

The rose window above is just one of many beautiful stained glass windows that include one with a moon rock embedded which commemorates the 1969 lunar landing. Windows were only a one feature of what makes the Cathedral a splendid place to visit.

As is always the case in a great cathedrals, the expansive interior and ornate construction take your breath away. In the past year I’ve been to many cathedrals from Notre Dame to York and Canterbury Cathedrals and the awe they can evoke stirs the heart. The Washington National Cathedral is no different. <fix>

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Categories
Road Travel

One Day Key West

Key West
In the back of my mind I remembered something extreme about the gentle town of Key West, FL. As I drove and drove and drove down the chain of islands I remembered. ..

Where’s the southernmost point in the continental United States? Given the name of the blog post I don’t suppose you could guess incorrectly but just to be sure … the answer is Key West, Florida and they make the  most of it.

After returning from the Dave Koz Cruise I stayed an extra day in southern Florida. Originally I planned a day of bicycle riding but the day seemed perfect for a long drive to a destination I’d long had in mind. After four hours driving, many bridge crossings and lots of great views, I arrived in Key West.

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Categories
Ocean Travel

Dave Koz Jazz Cruise

Cruise Jam Session
To spend time with people who share a passion is a wonderful experience. Spending a week at sea with dozens of musicians, 1,800 jazz enthusiasts and my best friend was great!

No elaborate story here, just a series of ingredients which when mixed together produced the best child-free vacation we’ve had since Courtney and Kelsey were born.

Here are the ingredients:

  1. – Eight days on Holland America’s cruise ship Westerdam.
  2. – Four ports-of-call: St. Barth’s, St. Thomas, Half Moon Cay, and Samana.
  3. – Dozens of renown contemporary jazz artists sequestered on the ship.
  4. – Multiple concerts, a myriad of activities, and wonderful food every day.
  5. – 1,800 jazz fans with whom to share the entire experience.

Best of all? This trip was shared with my best friend of 25 years … Beth.

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