Leaderboard
728x15

Cool Vacation To Jamaica images

Some cool vacation to jamaica images:


Sexy Supermodel DJ Mona-Lisa
vacation to jamaica
Image by DJ Mona-Lisa
From the movie DJ Mona-LIsa (Sex and Fame) Pt 4..watch this episode-The reality show of a threesome dialogue between DJ Mona-Lisa and friends who intend to get her in bed before she leaves Jamaica where she is on vacation. DJ Mona-Lisa is shocked, provoked but remains calm as she tries to deal with the real world...was it more fun just being internet's hottest cyberspace girl?: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wkyCCQ6sTo


Angi on our Last Day
vacation to jamaica
Image by upheaval
I think it's going to become a tradition for us to take a picture of Angi with a very sad face on the last day of every vacation.


Blue Water Cocktail
vacation to jamaica
Image by SBPR
Another of the tasty signature cocktails at the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort Montego Bay, the Blue Water is as refreshing as a dip in the cool, clear Caribbean Sea. To make one for yourself, take a 10oz glass and add an ounce of Jamaican overproof rum, a splash of Blue Curacao and a dash of Angostura Bitters. Fill your glass about halfway with Sprite, add some ice, stir and enjoy!

www.caribbeanhi.com/jamaica

Cool Weekend Getaways images

A few nice weekend getaways images I found:


DSC_0606
weekend getaways
Image by azbarkmans


Montreal public art AIDS memorial in the Village
weekend getaways
Image by Downtown Traveler


Jean Paul Gaultier human body stocking at Montreal art museum
weekend getaways
Image by Downtown Traveler

Cool Vacation Village images

Some cool vacation village images:


Gamelon Orchestra on Break. Rambitan Village. South Lombok, Indonesia 2010
vacation village
Image by mikaku
Pujut, Rambitan, and Sade Villages
Sasak traditional villages where most of the inhabitants practice and maintain their traditional and cultural values. The Sasak villages exist mostly on sloping hills. Rice and corn, their annual crops, can be cultivated only during the rainy season, with most families keeping animals such as chicken, goats, cows and buffaloes for the food the offer during the summer season.
Sasak villages are distinctively marked by grass-roofed-houses symmetrically constructed on wood frames and most with bamboo-walls. Bale is the construction for a living house, built with a single room functioning both as a sleeping room and kitchen. Lumbung is a curve-like construction which functions as a rice store. Most Sasak houses are built with a lumbung and some also include sekepat or sekenem, constructions which function as guest reception or meeting places. Pujut, Rambitan and Sade Villages are located in the southern part of Lombok, some sixty kilometres from Mataram.
Lombok, Indonesia 2010. Balifornian Tours
www.Balifornian.com


Roquebrune Vieux Village, Panorama
vacation village
Image by Paolo666


Duval Village
vacation village
Image by Richard Elzey

Cool Resort Spa Vacation images

Check out these resort spa vacation images:


Inclusive Pet Resort
resort spa vacation
Image by MTSOfan
I love having pets. For the right people, they add quality to life -- measurable quality! I enjoy having dogs in the house. I buy a special food for our dachshund and I make sure that both of our canines receive necessary veterinary care.

But, where do we draw the line? Most of us have seen fivolous things in stores, intended for pets to wear, ride in, play with, or eat.

How much money could we save if we stuck with the necessities for our pets? Do they know the difference anyway?

Nice Vacation Specials photos

Some cool vacation specials images:


Handy Man Special
vacation specials
Image by JonU235


Manager's special (my usual)
vacation specials
Image by Clipp2nd

Cool Vacation To Mexico images

A few nice vacation to mexico images I found:


Mexico 2013
vacation to mexico
Image by tonitunes
Mexican Vacation with Greg & Kat June 24 to July 3, 2013


Mexico 2013
vacation to mexico
Image by tonitunes
Mexican Vacation with Greg & Kat June 24 to July 3, 2013


Mexico 2013
vacation to mexico
Image by tonitunes
Mexican Vacation with Greg & Kat June 24 to July 3, 2013

Light

A few nice vacation village resort images I found:


Light
vacation village resort
Image by Vox Efx
Photography/Travel Blog~Flickr~Twitter


Alice in wonderland
vacation village resort
Image by Beaulawrence
Taken with a Diana F+ using Lomography 100 ASA film


Fish out of Water?
vacation village resort
Image by Vox Efx
Photography/Travel Blog~Flickr~Twitter

Nice Vacation To Hawaii photos

Some cool vacation to hawaii images:



Cata! Catamaran!
vacation to hawaii
Image by sotheavy


Old Lahaina Luau
vacation to hawaii
Image by sotheavy

Cool Vacation To Go images

A few nice vacation to go images I found:



I'm Ready To Go Swimming!
vacation to go
Image by Cayusa
Savanah was a real trooper today while we were at Ding Darling Bird Reserve. She didn't complain and was happy to see all of the different birds. She even got to talk to one of the rangers about manatees which have become a favorite animal of hers.

I was glad that we ran into the ranger and that he and Savanah got to talk about them. She knows they are endangered and seems to have fixated on that and kept asking when they die. She was worried that her toy manatee was going to die. The ranger reassured her that they live up to 60 or so years and that while they are endangered, they are doing quite well and there numbers are up.

Savanah named her toy manatee Pretty, because they are apparently very sensitive about how they look and that even though they might not be the prettiest and cuddliest animals around, they are still pretty and she wanted her toy manatee to know it. I know she is sweet and compassionate little girl, but she amazes me time and time again.

As good as she was, she really wanted to go swimming. She showed great restraint and didn't really harp on it the entire time we were in the reserve, but once we pulled out of the gate, it was all about when she'd get to go swimming.

P7054493

Some cool vacation and travel images:


P7054493
vacation and travel
Image by jon|k


P7044457
vacation and travel
Image by jon|k


London 042
vacation and travel
Image by Joits

Nice Vacation To Hawaii photos

Some cool vacation to hawaii images:


Desert Climate
vacation to hawaii
Image by bobosh_t


Natural Bridge
vacation to hawaii
Image by bobosh_t


Sunset
vacation to hawaii
Image by bobosh_t
viewed from the Hana Highway

Nice Vacations On The Beach photos

Some cool vacations on the beach images:


January 2011 - Vacation on Grand Cayman - Seven Mile Beach
vacations on the beach
Image by pmarkham
Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is a spectacular white sand beach that stretches for...well....seven miles! The last two days we were there it was very windy and there were much larger waves than the first couple of days, but it was still beautiful.


January 2011 - Vacation on Grand Cayman - Seven Mile Beach
vacations on the beach
Image by pmarkham
Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is a spectacular white sand beach that stretches for...well....seven miles! The last two days we were there it was very windy and there were much larger waves than the first couple of days, but it was still beautiful.

Cool Walt Disney World Vacations images

A few nice walt disney world vacations images I found:


Daily Disney (Explored)
walt disney world vacations
Image by Express Monorail
The Orton effect felt kind of fitting for this shot...

___________________________________________________________________

Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you're having a great day!

__________________________________________________________________

This picture made it to Flickr Explore September 1, 2010 - #467 - thanks everyone!

Cool Walt Disney Vacations images

Check out these walt disney vacations images:



Walt Disney World 2013
walt disney vacations
Image by Cakvala-SC
Vacation to Walt Disney World where the house of the Mouse is large! These photos were all shot with a Nikon D7000, using a variety of settings and some post production clean up!

Vicki says 'Hi' at cenote Cristolino

Check out these vacations cheap images:


Vicki says 'Hi' at cenote Cristolino
vacations cheap
Image by dchrisoh
Cenote Christolino is near Puerto Adventuras on the Yucatan peninsula. Close to Dos Ojos and others, the entrance fee is cheap (4$ ) and easy to get to.


cenote Cristolino
vacations cheap
Image by dchrisoh
Cenote Christolino is near Puerto Adventuras on the Yucatan peninsula. Close to Dos Ojos and others, the entrance fee is cheap (4$ ) and easy to get to.

Asleep on mommy's shoulder

Some cool vacation resort florida images:


Asleep on mommy's shoulder
vacation resort florida
Image by origami_potato
My niece Mary Jo at Orange Lake Resort. Such a long day it was starting out to be. :P


Waldo's
vacation resort florida
Image by Editor B
Another view of Waldo's Restaurant and Bar. Note the bells on the upper level — which houses four or five resort units.

Mexico_2013_187

Check out these vacation mexico images:


Mexico_2013_187
vacation mexico
Image by nisibis350
Mexico Vacation 2013 Isla Mujeres


Mexico_2013_198
vacation mexico
Image by nisibis350
Mexico Vacation 2013 Isla Mujeres

Cool Vacation To Go images

Some cool vacation to go images:


Drink Coca-Cola ...item 1.. I admit it. When it comes to love, I'm a bit crazy -- We know logic from emotion but somehow we have our expectations anyway (December 19, 2011 / 23 Kislev 5772) ...
vacation to go
Image by marsmet543
It’s just that women need more. We need refills on a regular basis in the form of reassuring words and actions, details about their day, acknowledgement – things that create an emotional connection – which go a long way toward filling and refilling the tank.

Hearing “I’ll be home late,” is not nearly as comforting (or satisfying) to a woman as “I’m stuck at exit 143 behind a big red van and it’s bumper to bumper as far as I can see. I wish I could get home faster.” (Read: you are the most important thing in my life and I would fly if I could.)

.......***** All images are copyrighted by their respective authors ......

.
... Love is an emotion that is based on an opinion of women that is impossible for those who have had any experience with them. -- Henry Louis Mencken

... To be in love is merely to be in a state of perceptual anesthesia - to mistake an ordinary young woman for a goddess. -- Henry Louis Mencken
.
.
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
.
.....item 1).... aish.com ... Women & Love ... I admit it. When it comes to love, I'm a bit crazy. ...

December 19, 2011 / 23 Kislev 5772
.
.............................................

img code photo... Women & Love ...

media.aish.com/images/WomenAndLove230x150-EN.jpg
.............................................
.
by Melissa Groman, LCSW

www.aish.com/f/m/Women__Love.html

It makes no sense, but I am angry. Not the heart-pounding, mind-numbing, finger pointing angry, but the sulking, skulking and simmering kind. My husband is on vacation.

I told him he should go. I encouraged it. And besides, it’s not a real vacation. He is visiting his parents who live far away. He is not lounging on the beach or cruising the sea with a cocktail in his hand (though I know there will be beer and steak). But he is going for long walks, sleeping in and playing a lot of Scrabble.

It’s not that I mind staying home and holding the fort. And I don’t like Scrabble. I could take a vacation of my own if I’d like to. But somehow, anyway, I’m feeling the buzz.

My friend Debbie told me that one night last week her husband called to say he’d be home late. He told her that there was some kind of huge back-up on the Interstate. She was nice to him on the phone, but inside she was seething. Why didn’t he leave earlier? Why didn’t he take an alternate route? Traffic?

Really? Yeah, sure.

After listening to the radio, she heard that in fact there was a traffic nightmare and folks were delayed for hours. But she was still clenching when he walked through the front door, as if somehow the very least he could’ve done was catch a helicopter home that night.

Click here to receive Aish.com's free weekly email.

It’s not that she didn’t believe him about the traffic, it’s just that women are not always creatures of fact so much as we are creatures of feeling. This is often lost on men. Trying to explain how an obvious and objective fact such as traffic could possibly have anything to do with how much your wife feels loved is like trying to explain the color blue to someone who is color blind. Either you understand all too well, or you don’t understand at all.

Related Article: Ten Things Women Wish Men Knew

It’s this too: Women are irrational sometimes, especially when it comes to love. We know logic from emotion but somehow we have our expectations anyway. It’s not that we are not grateful for the good stuff our men do, or for the sheer fact of having him, it’s just that we see things through female lenses and have a seemingly gender-based leak in our emotional gas tanks. Most of the men I know work hard; they take their part of the partnership seriously. They do their man things and offer women all the love they have and hope to receive love in return. In doing so, they believe that they are putting fuel in the relationship. And they are.

It’s just that women need more. We need refills on a regular basis in the form of reassuring words and actions, details about their day, acknowledgement – things that create an emotional connection – which go a long way toward filling and refilling the tank. Hearing “I’ll be home late,” is not nearly as comforting (or satisfying) to a woman as “I’m stuck at exit 143 behind a big red van and it’s bumper to bumper as far as I can see. I wish I could get home faster.” (Read: you are the most important thing in my life and I would fly if I could.)

Even though we want men to go and to do, on some deep down emotional level, we don’t want men to want to.

Women get emotional nourishment from many sources: friends, mentors, spiritual leaders, creativity. We know we have to take care of our own growth and self esteem. But no matter how self aware we are or how secure we feel, when it comes to our man, we are always looking for the emotional connection, “that lovin' feeling.” Being without it is as painful to a woman as being denied physical intimacy is to a man.

When women are willing to good-naturedly acknowledge their own nature and men are willing to learn how to step it up emotionally, relationships fare a lot better.

We understand traffic. We understand the occasional men’s night out. We can even support their vacations. It’s just that even though we want men to go and to do, on some deep down emotional level, we don’t want men to want to. We want our man to want only to be with us. And then he can go.

Just after 11 pm my time (it’s only eight on the West Coast), the phone rings. It's my husband calling to say good night to me. He tells me that he is having a great time with his family; he tells me that he loves me. And he thanks me for the umpteenth time for “letting” him go. He says I get a share in his mitzvah of honoring his father and mother. He says that he misses us all so much and can’t wait to come home.

Music to my female ears.
.
.
..............................................................................................................................................................................................
.
.


Farley trying to go w/ me to Switzerland
vacation to go
Image by Daysleeper724
Farley trying to go w/ me to Switzerland

Mountain Coaster Wisp Mountain (McHenry, Maryland)

Some cool resort family vacation images:


Mountain Coaster Wisp Mountain (McHenry, Maryland)
resort family vacation
Image by cseeman
The Mountain Coaster on Wisp Mountain is one of the most fun things we did on our vacation. I got three rides in (as did the boys).


Mountain Coaster Wisp Mountain (McHenry, Maryland)
resort family vacation
Image by cseeman
The Mountain Coaster on Wisp Mountain is one of the most fun things we did on our vacation. I got three rides in (as did the boys).

Nice Vacation Specials photos

Some cool vacation specials images:


VIP Bed, Jamaica
vacation specials
Image by SBPR
Anyone can request a VIP towel arrangement like this when booking a stay at the all-inclusive Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort Montego Bay. You also get a VIP armband at check-in ensuring you receive special treatment throughout your stay. Best of all, there's no extra charge! All you have to do reap these benefits is become a member of IHG's Priority Club Rewards program (sign up at www.priorityclub.com). Membership is free, and points can be used to cash-in hotel and/or airline rewards. Once you're a Priority Club Member, just ask for the VIP treatment when you call reservations (888-288-6006).

www.caribbeanhi.com/jamaica


Day 83 - Arches National Park
vacation specials
Image by fermicat
Delicate Arch near sunset in Arches National Park, seen through the opening of Frame Arch. We hiked 14+ miles today. The hike to Delicate Arch is nothing special, but the view once you arrive is worth the effort. This is one of those classic shots that you have to get.

March 24, 2010


303 - Must be one of those occasions...
vacation specials
Image by minxlj
30th October 2007

It's a special occasion when I'm up, ready and breakfasted by THIS time in the morning. Too damn early for me! It's just as well I was headed for Disneyland :-)

On the deck of the P&O Ferry the 'Danmark' departing Dover at an ungodly hour. I am not a morning mouse...

Cool Vegas Vacation images

Some cool vegas vacation images:


Valentines Day in Las Vegas
vegas vacation
Image by Carolyn Coles
For Valentines Day, Jake took me to Vegas! We stayed at the Wynn, ate great food, wandered the strip, and enjoyed the world's most comfortable bed!


Valentines Day in Las Vegas
vegas vacation
Image by Carolyn Coles
For Valentines Day, Jake took me to Vegas! We stayed at the Wynn, ate great food, wandered the strip, and enjoyed the world's most comfortable bed!

Litter Bin

A few nice vacation sell off images I found:


Litter Bin
vacation sell off
Image by Wootang01
9.4.09
The flight arrived on time; and the twelve hours while on board passed quickly and without incident. To be sure, the quality of the Cathay Pacific service was exemplary once again.

Heathrow reminds me of Newark International. The décor comes straight out of the sterile 80's and is less an eyesore than an insipid background to the rhythm of human activity, such hustle and bustle, at the fore. There certainly are faces from all races present, creating a rich mosaic of humanity which is refreshing if not completely revitalizing after swimming for so long in a sea of Chinese faces in Hong Kong.

Internet access is sealed in England, it seems. Nothing is free; everything is egregiously monetized from the wireless hotspots down to the desktop terminals. I guess Hong Kong has spoiled me with its abundant, free access to the information superhighway.


11.4.09
Despite staying in a room with five other backpackers, I have been sleeping well. The mattress and pillow are firm; my earplugs keep the noise out; and the sleeping quarters are as dark as a cave when the lights are out, and only as bright as, perhaps, a dreary rainy day when on. All in all, St. Paul's is a excellent place to stay for the gregarious, adventurous, and penurious city explorer - couchsurfing may be a tenable alternative; I'll test for next time.

Yesterday Connie and I gorged ourselves at the borough market where there were all sorts of delectable, savory victuals. There was definitely a European flavor to the food fair: simmering sausages were to be found everywhere; and much as the meat was plentiful, and genuine, so were the dairy delicacies, in the form of myriad rounds of cheese, stacked high behind checkered tabletops. Of course, we washed these tasty morsels down with copious amounts of alcohol that flowed from cups as though amber waterfalls. For the first time I tried mulled wine, which tasted like warm, rancid fruit punch - the ideal tonic for a drizzling London day, I suppose. We later killed the afternoon at the pub, shooting the breeze while imbibing several diminutive half-pints in the process. Getting smashed at four in the afternoon doesn't seem like such a bad thing anymore, especially when you are having fun in the company of friends; I can more appreciate why the English do it so much!

Earlier in the day, we visited the Tate Modern. Its turbine room lived up to its prominent billing what with a giant spider, complete with bulbous egg sac, anchoring the retrospective exhibit. The permanent galleries, too, were a delight upon which to feast one's eyes. Picasso, Warhol and Pollock ruled the chambers of the upper floors with the products of their lithe wrists; and I ended up becoming a huge fan of cubism, while developing a disdain for abstract art and its vacuous images, which, I feel, are devoid of both motivation and emotion.

My first trip yesterday morning was to Emirates Stadium, home of the Arsenal Gunners. It towers imperiously over the surrounding neighborhood; yet for all its majesty, the place sure was quiet! Business did pick up later, however, once the armory shop opened, and dozens of fans descended on it like bees to a hive. I, too, swooped in on a gift-buying mission, and wound up purchasing a book for Godfrey, a scarf for a student, and a jersey - on sale, of course - for good measure.

I'm sitting in the Westminster Abbey Museum now, resting my weary legs and burdened back. So far, I've been verily impressed with what I've seen, such a confluence of splendor and history before me that it would require days to absorb it all, when regretfully I can spare only a few hours. My favorite part of the abbey is the poets corner where no less a literary luminary than Samuel Johnson rests in peace - his bust confirms his homely presence, which was so vividly captured in his biography.

For lunch I had a steak and ale pie, served with mash, taken alongside a Guinness, extra cold - 2 degrees centigrade colder, the bartender explained. It went down well, like all the other delicious meals I've had in England; and no doubt by now I have grown accustomed to inebriation at half past two. Besides, Liverpool were playing inspired football against Blackburn; and my lunch was complete.

Having had my fill of football, I decided to skip my ticket scalping endeavor at Stamford Bridge and instead wandered over to the British Museum to inspect their extensive collections. Along the way, my eye caught a theater, its doors wide open and admitting customers. With much rapidity, I subsequently checked the show times, saw that a performance was set to begin, and at last rushed to the box office to purchase a discounted ticket - if you call a 40 pound ticket a deal, that is. That's how I grabbed a seat to watch Hairspray in the West End.

The show was worth forty pounds. The music was addictive; and the stage design and effects were not so much kitschy as delightfully stimulating - the pulsating background lights were at once scintillating and penetrating. The actors as well were vivacious, oozing charisma while they danced and delivered lines dripping in humor. Hairspray is a quality production and most definitely recommended.


12.4.09
At breakfast I sat across from a man who asked me to which country Hong Kong had been returned - China or Japan. That was pretty funny. Then he started spitting on my food as he spoke, completely oblivious to my breakfast becoming the receptacle in which the fruit of his inner churl was being placed. I guess I understand the convention nowadays of covering one's mouth whilst speaking and masticating at the same time!

We actually conversed on London life in general, and I praised London for its racial integration, the act of which is a prodigious leap of faith for any society, trying to be inclusive, accepting all sorts of people. It wasn't as though the Brits were trying in vain to be all things to all men, using Spanish with the visitors from Spain, German with the Germans and, even, Hindi with the Indians, regardless of whether or not Hindi was their native language; not even considering the absurd idea of encouraging the international adoption of their language; thereby completely keeping English in English hands and allowing its proud polyglots to "practice" their languages. Indeed, the attempt of the Londoners to avail themselves of the rich mosaic of ethnic knowledge, and to seek a common understanding with a ubiquitous English accent is an exemplar, and the bedrock for any world city.

I celebrated Jesus' resurrection at the St. Andrew's Street Church in Cambridge. The parishioners of this Baptist church were warm and affable, and I met several of them, including one visiting (Halliday) linguistics scholar from Zhongshan university in Guangzhou, who in fact had visited my tiny City University of Hong Kong in 2003. The service itself was more traditional and the believers fewer in number than the "progressive" services at any of the charismatic, evangelical churches in HK; yet that's what makes this part of the body of Christ unique; besides, the message was as brief as a powerpoint slide, and informative no less; the power word which spoke into my life being a question from John 21:22 - what is that to you?

Big trees; exquisite lawns; and old, pointy colleges; that's Cambridge in a nutshell. Sitting here, sipping on a half-pint of Woodforde's Wherry, I've had a leisurely, if not languorous, day so far; my sole duty consisting of walking around while absorbing the verdant environment as though a sponge, camera in tow.

I am back at the sublime beer, savoring a pint of Sharp's DoomBar before my fish and chips arrive; the drinking age is 18, but anyone whose visage even hints of youthful brilliance is likely to get carded these days, the bartender told me. The youth drinking culture here is almost as twisted as the university drinking culture in America.

My stay in Cambridge, relaxing and desultory as it may be, is about to end after this late lunch. I an not sure if there is anything left to see, save for the American graveyard which rests an impossible two miles away. I have had a wonderful time in this town; and am thankful for the access into its living history - the residents here must demonstrate remarkable patience and tolerance what with so many tourists ambling on the streets, peering - and photographing - into every nook and cranny.

13.4.09
There are no rubbish bins, yet I've seen on the streets many mixed race couples in which the men tend to be white - the women also belonging to a light colored ethnicity, usually some sort of Asian; as well saw some black dudes and Indian dudes with white chicks.

People here hold doors, even at the entrance to the toilet. Sometimes it appears as though they are going out on a limb, just waiting for the one who will take the responsibility for the door from them, at which point I rush out to relieve them of such a fortuitous burden.

I visited the British Museum this morning. The two hours I spent there did neither myself nor the exhibits any justice because there really is too much to survey, enough captivating stuff to last an entire day, I think. The bottomless well of artifacts from antiquity, drawing from sources as diverse as Korea, and Mesopotamia, is a credit to the British empire, without whose looting most of this amazing booty would be unavailable for our purview; better, I think, for these priceless treasures to be open to all in the grandest supermarket of history than away from human eyes, and worst yet, in the hands of unscrupulous collectors or in the rubbish bin, possibly.

Irene and I took in the ballet Giselle at The Royal Opera House in the afternoon. The building is a plush marvel, and a testament to this city's love for the arts. The ballet itself was satisfying, the first half being superior to the second, in which the nimble dancers demonstrated their phenomenal dexterity in, of all places, a graveyard covered in a cloak of smoke and darkness. I admit, their dance of the dead, in such a gloomy necropolis, did strike me as, strange.

Two amicable ladies from Kent convinced me to visit their hometown tomorrow, where, they told me, the authentic, "working" Leeds Castle and the mighty interesting home of Charles Darwin await.

I'm nursing a pint of Green King Ruddles and wondering about the profusion of British ales and lagers; the British have done a great deed for the world by creating an interminable line of low-alcohol session beers that can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner; and their disservice is this: besides this inexhaustible supply of cheap beer ensnaring my inner alcoholic, I feel myself putting on my freshman fifteen, almost ten years after the fact; I am going to have to run a bit harder back in Hong Kong if I want to burn all this malty fuel off.

Irene suggested I stop by the National Art Gallery since we were in the area; and it was an hour well spent. The gallery currently presents a special exhibit on Picasso, the non-ticketed section of which features several seductive renderings, including David spying on Bathsheba - repeated in clever variants - and parodies of other masters' works. Furthermore, the main gallery houses two fabulous portraits by Joshua Reynolds, who happens to be favorite of mine, he in life being a close friend of Samuel Johnson - I passed by Boswells, where its namesake first met Johnson, on my way to the opera house.

14.4.09
I prayed last night, and went through my list, lifting everyone on it up to the Lord. That felt good; that God is alive now, and ever present in my life and in the lives of my brothers and sisters.

Doubtless, then, I have felt quite wistful, as though a specter in the land of the living, being in a place where religious fervor, it seems, is a thing of the past, a trifling for many, to be hidden away in the opaque corners of centuries-old cathedrals that are more expensive tourist destinations than liberating homes of worship these days. Indeed, I have yet to see anyone pray, outside of the Easter service which I attended in Cambridge - for such an ecstatic moment in verily a grand church, would you believe that it was only attended by at most three dozen spirited ones. The people of England, and Europe in general, have, it is my hope, only locked away the Word, relegating it to the quiet vault of their hearts. May it be taken out in the sudden pause before mealtimes and in the still crisp mornings and cool, silent nights. There is still hope for a revival in this place, for faith to rise like that splendid sun every morning. God would love to rescue them, to deliver them in this day, it is certain.

I wonder what Londoners think, if anything at all, about their police state which, like a vine in the shadows, has taken root in all corners of daily life, from the terrorist notifications in the underground, which implore Londoners to report all things suspicious, to the pair of dogs which eagerly stroll through Euston. What makes this all the more incredible is the fact that even the United States, the indomitable nemesis of the fledgling, rebel order, doesn't dare bombard its citizens with such fear mongering these days, especially with Obama in office; maybe we've grown wise in these past few years to the dubious returns of surrendering civil liberties to the state, of having our bags checked everywhere - London Eye; Hairspray; and The Royal Opera House check bags in London while the museums do not; somehow, that doesn't add up for me.

I'm in a majestic bookshop on New Street in Birmingham, and certainly to confirm my suspicions, there are just as many books on the death of Christianity in Britain as there are books which attempt to murder Christianity everywhere. I did find, however, a nice biography on John Wesley by Roy Hattersley and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. I may pick up the former.

Lunch with Sally was pleasant and mirthful. We dined at a French restaurant nearby New Street - yes, Birmingham is a cultural capitol! Sally and I both tried their omelette, while her boyfriend had the fish, without chips. Conversation was light, the levity was there and so was our reminiscing about those fleeting moments during our first year in Hong Kong; it is amazing how friendships can resume so suddenly with a smile. On their recommendation, I am on my way to Warwick Castle - they also suggested that I visit Cadbury World, but they cannot take on additional visitors at the moment, the tourist office staff informed me, much to my disappointment!

Visiting Warwick Castle really made for a great day out. The castle, parts of which were established by William the Conquerer in 1068, is as much a kitschy tourist trap as a meticulous preservation of history, at times a sillier version of Ocean Park while at others a dignified dedication to a most glorious, inexorably English past. The castle caters to all visitors; and not surprisingly, that which delighted all audiences was a giant trebuchet siege engine, which for the five p.m. performance hurled a fireball high and far into the air - fantastic! Taliban beware!

15.4.09
I'm leaving on a jet plane this evening; don't know when I'll be back in England again. I'll miss this quirky, yet endearing place; and that I shall miss Irene and Tom who so generously welcomed me into their home, fed me, and suffered my use of their toilet and shower goes without saying. I'm grateful for God's many blessings on this trip.

On the itinerary today is a trip to John Wesley's home, followed by a visit to the Imperial War Museum. Already this morning I picked up a tube of Oilatum, a week late perhaps, which Teri recommended I use to treat this obstinate, dermal weakness of mine - I'm happy to report that my skin has stopped crying.

John Wesley's home is alive and well. Services are still held in the chapel everyday; and its crypt, so far from being a cellar for the dead, is a bright, spacious museum in which all things Wesley are on display - I never realized how much of an iconic figure he became in England; at the height of this idol frenzy, ironic in itself, he must have been as popular as the Beatles were at their apex. The house itself is a multi-story edifice with narrow, precipitous staircases and spacious rooms decorated in an 18th century fashion.

I found Samuel Johnson's house within a maze of red brick hidden alongside Fleet Street. To be in the home of the man who wrote the English dictionary, and whose indefatigable love for obscure words became the inspiration for my own lexical obsession, this, by far, is the climax of my visit to England! The best certainly has been saved for last.

There are a multitude of portraits hanging around the house like ornaments on a tree. Every likeness has its own story, meticulously retold on the crib sheets in each room. Celebrities abound, including David Garrick and Sir Joshua Reynolds, who painted several of the finer images in the house. I have developed a particular affinity for Oliver Goldsmith, of whom Boswell writes, "His person was short, his countenance coarse and vulgar, his deportment that of a scholar awkwardly affecting the easy gentleman. It appears as though I, too, could use a more flattering description of myself!

I regretfully couldn't stop to try the curry in England; I guess the CityU canteen's take on the dish will have to do. I did, however, have the opportune task of flirting with the cute Cathay Pacific counter staff who checked me in. She was gorgeous in red, light powder on her cheeks, with real diamond earrings, she said; and her small, delicate face, commanded by a posh British accent rendered her positively irresistible, electrifying. Not only did she grant me an aisle seat but she had the gumption to return my fawning with zest; she must be a pro at this by now.

I saw her again as she was pulling double-duty, collecting tickets prior to boarding. She remembered my quest for curry; and in the fog of infatuation, where nary a man has been made, I fumbled my words like the sloppy kid who has had too much punch. I am just an amateur, alas, an "Oliver Goldsmith" with the ladies - I got no game - booyah!

Some final, consequential bits: because of the chavs, Burberry no longer sells those fashionable baseball caps; because of the IRA, rubbish bins are no longer a commodity on the streets of London, and as a result, the streets and the Underground of the city are a soiled mess; and because of other terrorists from distant, more arid lands, going through a Western airport has taken on the tedium of perfunctory procedure that doesn't make me feel any safer from my invisible enemies.

At last, I saw so many Indians working at Heathrow that I could have easily mistaken the place for Mumbai. Their presence surprised me because their portion of the general population surely must be less than their portion of Heathrow staff, indicating some mysterious hiring bias. Regardless, they do a superb job with cursory airport checks, and in general are absurdly funny and witty when not tactless.

That's all for England!

Nice Vacation Spots photos

Some cool vacation spots images:


So Archipelago
vacation spots
Image by Let Ideas Compete
On the island of Öja near the village of Landsort in the Stockholm archipelago.

One of my hobbies while living in Stockholm was "island collecting." That is visiting as many islands in the Stockholm archipelago as I could. They are rich in quaint scenes like this one.



Here's a cute little 10 minute slideshow on YouTube of Landsort.


Ready for summer
vacation spots
Image by Let Ideas Compete
Picnic tables are present at every Swedish home in the summer. Meals and socializing happen here during the long summer evenings.

This is on the island of Harö in the Stockholm archipelago.


Family Sails
vacation spots
Image by Let Ideas Compete
Somewhere out in the Stockholm archipelago.

Leaderboard