Salem In October

Yesterday we went to Salem, which is just north of Boston. (It is actually on their commuter rail system it is so close, but we drove.) The town is really busy in October and was so beautiful. I definitely want to go back. The historic homes are incredible, they have houses dating back to the 1600s. There was a lot that we didn't get to see, just being there for a day. It is a harbor town and we didn't even make it down to the waterfront area. We were mainly there to learn more about The Salem Witch Trials.

If you don't know about this strange point in American history, I really suggest you look it up. The Wikipedia entry linked above gives a decent overview but I am sure there are other sites as well. Both Kristen and I consider this a common knowledge point but there are so many historic events in the USA it seems it isn't as known about as I had assumed. There is also a lot of miss information, and the Salem Trials get confused with facts from those that occurred in Europe.

Here are some things I was surprised about:
- Not as many deaths as I had thought, they 'only' executed twenty people
- Trials are well documented, there are surviving transcripts from witness interviews
- They relied on spectral evidence, which was a thing
- It all ended when the Governor's wife got accused
- They didn't 'test' the women in water, might have been a European thing
- Starts with accusations from afflicted children
- Along with sexism issues, racism was a factor too

Another Extra One

Nothing was scheduled for Monday on the tour since it was the day that everyone flies home, and the flights all leave at different times. For example, Kristen and Noah had a 7pm flight out of Johannesburg and later on Mom, Jason, Tessa, and I had to catch a plane at midnight. It did mean that all of us had pretty much a full day to fill. Here's what everyone decided to do:

-- Jason and Tessa went to the spa next to the hotel for massages, and spent time by the pool

-- Kristen and Noah went to The Cradle of Humanity to the the caves and museum

-- Mom and I decided to do another extra safari, we went to Pilanesberg National Park

Itinerary Update - Soweto Tour

Pre-Scheduled Post: Sunday - Soweto Tour
As per our trip itinerary (bar any issues/changes/complications etc.) we will ....

After an early breakfast depart on a half day tour of Soweto. Experience a fascinating glimpse of the bustling neighborhood life of Soweto, the most metropolitan township in the country, setting trends in politics, fashion, music, dance, and language. Drive by the former residence of Bishop Desmond Tutu and visit Nelson Mandela's former home, before proceeding to the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum, dedicated to one of the first casualties of the Soweto uprising of 1976. Continue to the Apartheid Museum, journey through the racial segregation experienced by millions of South Africans. This evening enjoy a Farewell Dinner with the Tour Manager and fellow travelers.

Trails And Tea - Thursday In The Azores

Jason and I arrived this morning in The Azores, specifically Sao Miguel Island, after an overnight flight. After leaving our luggage at the hotel (it was too early to get our room) we went exploring the central area of the north coast. I got us lost a lot so we ended up driving up mountains at some points and then through towns on really narrow streets. Eventually we made it to the tea plantation, which was where we had chosen to spend a bit of time while we waited for our room to be ready. 

They have two major tea plantations on the island, we chose to visit the free one which is still an active factory (the other is more of a museum I think.) The one we saw, Gorreana, is only one of three places in Europe that grows and produces tea. Though they have only been doing it since the late 1800s.

Besides checking out the factory, we did a hike through the tea fields (elevation gain of over 200m in 30 minutes gave me some Inca flashbacks.) The trail system here is incredible! Great maps and trail markers:

Amazing Trail Map And Markers

Gorreana, Sao Miguel, Azores

Photos by Jason

The main tourism website actually lists all the hiking trails and lets you search by length, difficulty, and shape. Unfortunately this one through the tea fields is the only loop-style easy trail under 5km. Looks like our next few hikes will be harder, and I didn't find this one particularly easy! However, the lack of sleep may have played a part, luckily our room was ready in the early afternoon and I could nap to catch up on sleep. 

Birthday Weekend Tradition

Today is Jason's Birthday!! We celebrated together a couple of days ago with a surprise weekend, a gift that I promise to continue each year.

If, according to my rule, the second occurrence makes something a tradition and the third solidifies it - than surprising Jason with a weekend of activities has become a solid tradition for us. Since we started dating in 2012, I have tried to do something fun.

Here are the past weekends we have done for Jason's Birthday:

2012 - James Bond
Themed as a 007 mission docket, we went to see an all night marathon of James Bond movies at the TIFF Lightbox. The gift also included a one year membership to TIFF and other James Bond activities they were doing.

2013 - NYC
So probably the biggest weekend so far was a trip to New York City, complete with JetBlue flights, Daily Show tickets, and more. The surprise was accidentally uncovered in mid-November when Jason saw a text from Teri on my phone that referenced it. But we just started being excited for the trip together. Note: The trip was postponed until October of 2014 because of my father's death a few days before we were scheduled to leave.

2014 - Dog Sledding
With each activity mapped out in separate envelopes, I surprised Jason with a trip to Gatineau, Quebec, detailed in my Nov 29, 2014 post.

2015 - Caves and Buttertarts
Last year we went on a Buttertart Tour and stayed at a motel a couple of hours north-east of Toronto. We also made a visit to see Taylor and her family, as well as, climbed through some very tight caves. This is when I learnt that Jason had a bit of claustrophobia. While I had already known that he didn't like spiders, I unfortunately hadn't made the connection that caves would be a place that spiders might be. We enjoyed the experience anyway, caves should be a bit scary!

2016 - This Year!
I was able to do a bit better job with giving the weekend a theme and presented Jason with a geography challenge that had puzzles. The solutions detailed the activities. We stayed at the Royal York downtown, visited the Hockey Hall of Fame, watched the Leafs beat the Capitals at the ACC, and met up with friends for brunch.

I am already trying to figure out what to do for next November!

And The Tradition Continues, Or Starts

Jason and I are spending the weekend in The Finger Lakes region of New York State. This marks the third time we have spent Thanksgiving in the USA.
- New York City 2014
- Chicago 2015
And now exploring Northwest New York, it is really becoming a tradition. The actual definition of 'tradition' is a bit more complicated but I think the second occurrence suggests a tradition and the third solidifies it.

We considered staying home, especially because the Canadian Dollar is particularly bad at the moment, but decided that it was a fun pattern to have and we could do it cheaply. Instead of flying we drove and we aren't taking any extra days off of work so it will be a short vacation.

Today we drove around the orchards found in the area between the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario. We found a map that detailed a Apple Tasting Tour so had fun visiting eleven different locations, mainly farms or local produce stands but also a winery, a distillery, and a couple of cider breweries.

Then we headed west to Rochester. I wanted to go to The Strong, which includes The National Museum of Play, the Toy Halls of Fame, International Center for the History of Electronic Games, etc. Basically it is a 'children's museum' but that didn't phase me. We had a good time!

Jason and I - Virtual EtchASketch

The Strong - The Toy Halls of Fame - 2016

Rochester, NY 

Before heading back to the hotel in Newark (not the airport, the town) we decided to grab some dinner. Dinosaur Bar-B-Q is a small chain that we remembered having great reviews when we were staying in Harlem during our 2014 NYC trip; they only have nine locations, mainly in New York State. It turns out they had a restaurant in Rochester so we went there. It is super popular! There was going to be an hour and half wait for a table but then we noticed that they have a big area doing take-out, so we grabbed a sandwich to go! I had brisket, my favourite thing to have barbecued, it was delicious.

I Want To Be A Media Mogul

Today we visited Hearst Castle. Here is a post of quotes and photos to give you a sense of the experience.

A few months ago, 

while planning for our trip:

Teri: I want to visit Hearst Castle. It is at the bottom of the Big Sur area.
Me: Umm, sure. What is it?
Teri: It's the real life mansion made by the man Citizen Kane is based on.
Me: I haven't see Citizen Kane, is that the "rosebud" one?
Teri: Yes

The night before our castle tour, 

while watching Citizen Kane

Me: This movie is SO GOOD! How have I never seen this before. Hey! Are you even watching it?
Teri: I have seen it before. I am looking up stuff about Orson Welles, the movie, and William Hearst. Hearst did not like the movie.
Me: What?! He was alive when it came out? Yeah, that's insulting.

At the start of our tour, 

looking at the front door:

Me: It looks like a cathedral... It is a bit much. But designed by a female architect, which is super cool. Wahoo, go feminism.

Seeing the part Teri was most excited about,

The Neptune Pool

Teri: Aw, it is all drained. I have the worst luck with pools!
Me: Closed for maintenance last night.
Teri: Or you know, when we were in Washington and the Reflecting Pool was drained for repairs?
Me: Oh yea, that sucked.

Wandering on our own after the tour,

the grounds are beautiful.

Me: Let's get a selfie with the ocean behind.
Teri: Haha, I thought we weren't doing selfies?
Me: No no no, it is no selfie-sticks. I am too lazy to ask someone to take our picture. Oh, let's also get a shot of our feet again, I love all the tile work.

Looking at the gardens,

admiring one of the three guest houses.

Me: Oh, my god! This is a guest house?
Teri: Yeah. Which one is it?
Me: I don't know. There is Casa Del Sol, Del Mer, and Del Monte. Sea, sun, and mountain.
Teri: It is based on the views. So that one over there is Casa Del Mer, it faces the ocean. That back there would be the mountain one, and that means this is the sun?
Me: I guess it faces the sunset nicely. I would totally live in this, as like a house.

As we were leaving,

The Roman Pool.

Me: Huh? There is a modern ladder.
Teri: Yeah, the family can still use the facilities. Even though they donated it to be a museum, the kids come back and swim and stuff.
Me: Man it would be cool to swim in a museum.

All photos above taken by ME with my phone

Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California, USA

Congratulations Heather

Heather has been awarded a Graduate Professional Certificate in Cultural Heritage Studies from the University of Victoria.

The program provides advanced learning for emerging and mid-career individuals involved with a range of cultural heritage fields. Heather already has an MA in Greek and Roman Archaeology from the University of Newcastle in England. She has been working in her field (museums) for as long as I have known her. It feels like just yesterday she was talking about starting the online program from U of Vic. She did it on a part-time basis, one course per term, so she could still work full-time. It can't have been easy, I am so proud of her.

NYC Romance - II

After visiting the museum, we went for a walk around Central Park. It was nice and sunny, best weather of the trip. We spent some time sitting on a big rock (sore feet) as well as wandering around. The sun began to set and we watched the light change across the many buildings around the park - so beautiful.

Central Park Selfie!

Jason and I - One of the many Central Park bridges

Jason's NYC Museum - II

As I mentioned before, Jason and I didn't get a chance to visit the space and earth part of the American Museum of Natural History. We went back to see it this morning. The museum is quite expensive, in contrast to Washington and London, where they are all free. However, to quote an internal website, "NYC Area Museums Offer Complimentary Admission to IBM Employees - A number of local area museums, currently receiving IBM philanthropic support, offer complimentary general admission to employees, In some cases, immediate family members and guests are also included." For the American Museum of Natural History, Jason could bring up to 5 guests. We looked for mention of IBM's donations inside the museum and it appears they are only at the 'Friend' level, but they treat their friends well! The best part, especially yesterday, was that we got to skip the massive line and go to the Membership Desk instead.

Space Selfie!

Jason and I - Rose Center for Earth and Space

Jason's NYC Museum - I

Jason wanted to visit the American Museum of Natural History, and I had never been, so it seemed like a perfect choice visit for our first time together in NYC. I love to learn and was very happy to be in such an amazing place. Although I do have some small misgivings about it, I have to agree with Jason when he stated that he was very impressed with place. He also wanted to see so many of the different halls, for a change it was me that ran out of steam first. We plan to go back tomorrow to see the Rose Center for Earth and Space section.

Dinosaur Selfie!

Jason and I - American Museum of Natural History

THE Science North

In my experience, few things stand the test of aging. What I loved as a child is often not nearly as thrilling now that I am 30. For example:
- I still enjoy The Neverending Story but could never watch it on repeat, multiple times a day.
- I like the board game Labyrinth but it isn't as suspenseful and challenging now that I am older.
- I no longer like many of the annoying repetitive songs that I did as a kid, like This is the Song that Never Ends.

However, some things do maintain their enjoyment as I age. (There is a difference between the test of time and the test of age, something can stand the test of time but still only be amusing to a certain demographic.) I love a lot of things that I did as a child. For example:
- I can still dive repeatedly in a swimming pool for items thrown in that sink to the bottom. This is like a human swimming equivalent of fetch and I could still do it for hours.
- I love candy and can eat piles of it.
And new to the list:
- No matter my age, a day is still not long enough at Science North!

On our recent camping trip, Jason and his family had to deal with a lot of rain. By the time I showed up, it wasn't raining as badly, but it was still gloomy weather. To take a break from Killbear - Jason and I took a road trip on Friday. We drove the 2 hours or so north to Sudbury and went to my favorite childhood cultural centre - Science North. I have always said it is the best science centre that I have ever been to and I have visit them all over the world, however, I hadn't actually been in over 15 years. We used to go often as a family because my uncles lived in Sudbury and then later my grandparents had a cottage near by.

Jason and I were at Science North for over 4 hours but I could have gone longer. I don't feel like we got to see everything I wanted to see, play with enough things, see enough shows, do enough. The enter place is so much fun. I love to learn and I like things to be interactive.

Side note: Jason's favourite part was when we got to pet the porcupine. He was very cute, sleeping in awkward positions and doing little excited dances when getting fed. We got to stroke his back, which felt like matted hair, they also smell really gross.

Chillin' With Lincoln

Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC

Photo by Teri O

And by "chillin' with Lincoln," I actually mean sweating my ass off! It has been been high 30's here in Washington with intense humidity, also The Mall is wide open and dry making walking unbearable at times. Teri is often heard saying, "It is like we are in an oven!" However, the city is awesome; the buildings, memorials, and museums are impressive; and the history is amazing!

Time In Texas

Here is a brief point-form summary of my week in Texas.
So in no particular order...

Location: Southcentral Texas
Dates: February 18th to 25th, 2011

-saw lots of birds: whopping cranes which are endangered with only 500 or so in the world; a roseate spoonbill that was pink and weird looking; pelicans; little things I call 'peeps' running along the sand; herons fishing; and a whole bunch of ducks
-I find it confusing that gas is measured in gallons and that the weather channel only uses Fahrenheit
-tried to eat healthy but ended up having ice cream pretty much every day
-it was so great to spend time with my parents, I had really missed them and the trip was very relaxing
-bought a bunch of clothes including white pants and capris that look like they should be worn by a 75 year old at a Tampa trailer park, I am going to try to rock this look which I am calling 'Florida Chic'
-took a ferry and saw dolphins playing in the bow-wave of an ocean liner passing in front of us
-ran 5km each day
-wore sunscreen but was still able to get a little bit of colour
-stayed at a place right on the water and fish were jumping all the time to the point that it was sometimes freaky
-got a Guess bikini for a wicked sale price
-spent some time in San Antonio; walked, ate, and took a boat ride along the Riverwalk which was mesmerizing beautiful, I can understand why it is the top attraction in Texas
-ate fresh shrimp every night with dinner
-visited The Alamo, and was surprised by a number of details in the story that I was not aware of
-got nearly attacked by seagulls who were trying to get the ice cream sandwich that I was eating while walking on the beach
-went to a BBQ restaurant in the middle of no where (Van's BBQ) that had the most amazing warm biscuits, melted in your mouth
-spent some time in flip flops and am now very much looking forward to spring/summer
-got my parents to take me to the San Antonio Zoo even though they were not keen on the idea, but it ended being a really good zoo and we had a great time
-watched the second half of the first season of Glee on DVD in the evenings
-ate a lot of tex-mex
-bought some cheap vodka to help stock the open bar at Taylor's wedding
-was surprised how warm Washington, D.C. was during the flight connection on the way down
-got to visit a bit with my grandparents to took me to and picked me up from the Buffalo airport
-caught a strange Canada vs. USA old-timers baseball game at a park were we went for a walk
-did marking every day but was still unable to finish it all

Graceland Basement

My parents are on their way down to Texas. I got the following update from my Mom:

We spent 4 hours at Graceland and am embarrassed to say, really enjoyed it. The house itself was a tribute and a memorial to his life, music and movies and was done very tastefully. The house is not very big and was left decorated as it had been in the 60s and 70s and Dad fell in love with the TV room and now wants to do the basement in navy blue and yellow with a mirrored ceiling, shag rugs, sparkly cushions and a bank of 3 TVs. His cars and aeroplanes were also pretty cool. Rest of it was pretty tacky as expected. ie Elvis mugs, purses, ashtrays etc etc, you could even have your own beaded jumpsuit for $2,100.

Foggy Thoughts

In keeping with tradition, I am going to write a brief point-form summary of my recent trip to New Orleans. So in no particular order...

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Dates: December 31st, 2010 until January 4th, 2011

-No last call, no limits to the amounts of alcohol in a drink, can purchase and drink on the street, these lax liquor laws are insane
-Touched a sting ray at the aquarium
-Great ratio but I still managed to fail in the guy department
-Kept a quote book that is filled with hilarious comments
-Saw only two people throw-up and one fight, so impressive with that many people, most of them being guys, and that much drinking
-By the second day my stomach muscles ached from laughing so much
-Found a huge (2 inch body) beetle in our hotel room the first night, were unable to get rid of it until the second, named it Fernando
-Got my tarot cards read
-I made it home one night because someone wrote our address on a napkin
-Will admit to getting some of my beads the legitimate way, however other members of the group only smiled and waved, ironically they ended up with more than me
-Amazing architecture
-Do not pick up mardi-gras beads off the ground, even if they have just fallen
-Raw oysters are just as wonderful as I remember
-Had to cab back to the hotel every night because we had been told by more than one person not to walk in that area after dark
-Visited a small VooDoo Museum which was interesting and not at all scary
-A lot of football stuff going on and I became a temporary Arkansas Razorbacks fan after we learnt their cheer
-Watched hilarious acrobatic street performers who made racist jokes
-I bought a drink at a mall and JennB got a beer at the IMAX
-Had wonderful weather, though at times it was a bit cold, even though the forecast had been bad
-Spent one day in bed with a hangover and have spent two days back in Canada recovering as well
-Heard it cost $5000 to rent a balcony for New Years
-Outside of the French Quarter we could still see the destruction and water damage from Katrina
-Saw a improv comedy show where they made fun of us, predominately for being Canadian
-Ate shrimp everyday although most of the time is was deep fried
-Had amazing travel companions!!
-Trip Causalities: My voice, JennB's chin

Not Again

So, I'm up late writing up a presentation for school. (I will be speaking on Modernity and the Museum.) As I was reading the paper I am to discuss, I decided to play a little game with myself to find the most pretentious sentence so as to share it on Always Standing. There were so many to choose from. However, I think this will do the trick and give you an idea of the great stuff that critical theory is made of:

From The Birth of the Museum: History, Theory, Politics
by Tony Bennett
"Furthermore, while these comprised of an intersecting set of institutional and disciplinary relations which might be productively analysed as particular articulations of power and knowledge, the suggestion that they should be construed as institutions of confinement is curious."

Yes, curious indeed Mr. Bennett. The sentence before this one was three times as long and equally as ridiculously wordy, but I decided to spare you. Also, the author is trying to 'synthesize' a theorist named Gramsci with Foucault. And you know that I think? Fuck Foucault!

Guest Writer - Iceland - Kristen

From Kristen:

Iceland

Many people hear Iceland and think this:
Bjork: Iceland’s international superstar infamous for her fashion choices. But Iceland is oh so much more than just a woman who dresses up as a swan.

Iceland tends to fall under the radar. We know its an island and we know its somewhere north of us. I didn’t even know it was in Europe until now. But it is actually one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world. In 2007, the UN deemed it the most developed country. It is a free market economy with low taxes, universal healthcare and tertiary education open to all citizens.

Its coastline is basically a 4970 km fjord, where most of the 320,000 people who occupy the island, live. Two-thirds of the population call the capital city, Reykjavik, and its surrounding area, home. This is because the interior of the island is a mixture of sand and mountain terrain that is uninhabitable.

The land is beautiful, there is no doubt about it. Everywhere you look nature unfolds into a breathtaking landscape:
But let’s be honest. We, too, live in a rich and beautiful country with a gorgeous landscape and universal healthcare. So what really sets Iceland apart, makes the 7-hour flight worth it? The over 150 pickled penises they call their own, obviously

The Icelandic Phallological Musuem prides itself in having a penis for almost all mammals living on and around the island. This includes everything from whale wangs to seal schlongs to a hamster’s love machine. Not only are they preserved but penises and penile parts have also been transformed into scrotum-skin lampshades, walking sticks and toothpicks for the viewer’s pleasure. And in the future, the museum looks forward to having a human’s penis, as four men (still living) have chosen to cut off their member at their time of death and donate it to complete the musuem’s collection.

Now when you hear Iceland, I hope you picture more than just Bjork but also the lifelong work of the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Bon voyage.

LIVE UPDATE - # 26

I have arrived in Iceland and met up with JennB at our hotel. It was so wonderful to see her!! She has our whole trip planned out, in a spreadsheet that she sent me a few days ago. Here is what we are planning on doing...

Monday
Perlan restaurant for lunch, free walking tour of Reykjavik, city swimming pool, Oliver,s Cafe for dinner and drinks
Tuesday
Goldon Circle bus tour, History of Reykjavik Comedy Show for dinner
Wednesday
Museums in Reykjavik, Lava Tour horseback riding, night club in the evening
Thursday
Blue Lagoon spa for the day with pedicures, night club again in the evening
Friday
Final day exploring around Reykjavik

LIVE UPDATE - # 23

I'm on my own now. This morning I met up with the tour leader, who is the only one left in town, and we went to visit a church together and had lunch. Then we said goodbye and I was all by my self. I went on a half-day bus tour to a palace outside of town that was just beautiful. I have been chatting with a bunch of people at the hostel over the last couple of days so I feel like I have a little bit of company. I booked a ticket to go and see Swan Lake tomorrow night and I have a long list of chores that I need to get done tonight and tomorrow. (Things like booking the bus to Estonia, finding hostels in Estonia and Helsinki, shopping, going to a post office, etc.) I figure I will be fine as long as I keep busy. I have already perfected taking pictures of myself!

Sitting In The Gardens At Tsarskoe Selo

Taken by ME!