Mocking Gerry Adams, Belfast, Northern Ireland

This mural on the Shankill road depicts Adams in a business suit, as he usually presents himself to the media, and as an armed terrorist. 

Mural Paying Homage to Queen Elizabeth

One of many murals on the Shankill Road supporting the Queen and the Monarchy.

Monument to Catholic Dead

This monument on the Falls Road is a tribute to those on the Republic side who died during the Troubles. 

Shankill Road Mural

This mural promoting the Ulster Young Militants is one of many promoting an armed response to the conflict in Northern Ireland. 

Bobby Sands - Falls Road

This mural of hunger striker Bobby Sands who died in prison is a dominant feature on the Falls Road in the Catholic section of Belfast. 

Belfast, Northern Ireland

This is the Prince Albert Clock Tower near the Lagan River in the shipbuilding part of town. It looks like my picture is crooked, but it's actually the clock which is leaning 5 feet off center at the top. The yellow crane that you can see to the lower right of the tower is called Goliath and is one of two massive cranes imported from Germany for the construction of the Titanic.

I arrived in Belfast on Saturday and took this picture the following day during a tour of the city. 

Harmony

This sculpture in the Aurajoki River is called Harmony by Achim Kuhn.

Turku Castle, Finland

Built in the 1280s, Turku Castle has been preserved as a prime example of Finland's heritage.

Turku, Finland

Today I drove to Turku, about 50 km. west of Salo. Turku is the oldest city in Finland, and one of the largest. A river runs through Turku as well. In this picture we see the pharmacy museum, a building that dates back to 1700.

Salo, Finland

Yesterday, I flew from Jonkoping to Copenhagen to Helsinki and drove about 100 km west to Salo. A pretty town with a small river running through it; right in front of my hotel actually.

Grenna, Sweden

Grenna is a beautiful small town close to Jonkoping in Sweden. They claim to have invented the candy cane. In 1859 a widow started making "peppermint rocks" to support herself. However, these striped red and white sticks have no hook at the end...so I don't know...

Jonkoping, Sweden

I've been in Jonkoping all week, but of course didn't get around to taking any pictures until the weather changed from beautiful to crappy. Here we see the edge of downtown as viewed from the pier on the lake.

I Kid You Not!

You need to know your fractions in Turtle Lake! How else are you going to know if 2 7/8 Street is before or after 2 1/2!! (Yes there is a 2 1/2 and also a 2 1/4.)

Turtle Lake, WI

Turtle Lake, Wisconsin is a small town an hour and a half north east of Minneapolis. People here like the outdoors, and hunt and fish in the summer, drive dirt bikes and ATVs, and ice fish and ride snowmobiles in the winter. The town is dominated by a huge casino. I did visit the casino, but only because the two best restaurants in town are inside it!

St. Peter's Church

A very old Catholic church in Jaffa.

Ramses II's Gate Garden

This is the reconstructed gateway to a building from the time of Egyptian ruler Ramses II (1400-1200 BCE). A portion of the jamb, inscribed with hieroglyphics, was discovered by an Israeli archeologist in the late 1950s.

The Mediterranean in Jaffa

Some newer construction close to the port in old Jaffa.

Tel Aviv Seen From Jaffa

Tel Aviv, as seen from the hill in old Jaffa.

Old Jaffa, Israel

On Friday before leaving, I spent a couple of hours exploring old Jaffa, which is located just south of Tel Aviv along the Mediteranean Sea.

Mini Israel

On Wednesday night, my friend from the Lod plant, Asaf, took me to visit Mini Israel. The Park is located in Latrun, just off the main highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and only a few minutes from Ben Gurion Airport. It contains scale models in incredible detail of the main attractions from all over Israel laid out so as to correspond to where they are geographically. I didn't have my camera so I can't show you pictures. The following link will take you to pictures and more information. Afterwards, we had supper back in Tel Aviv at an outdoor restaurant overlooking the beach. http://www.minisrael.co.il/

A More Colourful Sunset

Tried agin Tuesday night to get better sunset photo from the balcony. This one's not too bad.

Sunset on Sunday

I have access to the executive lounge which has a balcony overlooking the beach. It got a bit cloudy on the horizon and kind of messed up my planned sunset shot, but it still looks pretty good. People still swimming even after dark. The water is warm but there are stinging jellyfish which are impossible to spot in the dark! It's a tough life.

Mini Vacation

So much clean white sand and great surf right across the street from my hotel. It's like a mini one-day dream vacation in paradise. I gotta come back here!

Tel Aviv, Israel

I arrived early Sunday morning at 3:30 am. Got up at noon later Sunday, looked out the window and found myself in paridise. This shot of the beach doesn't do it justice. It was well above 30C and humid, but there was a breeze. Went swimming in the sea and the water is so warm. Great waves too.

The Lanchid Across the Danube in Budapest

The Lanchid, or chain bridge, links Buda and Pest across the Danube. Built by Adam Clark, a Scot, in 1849, this major landmark is closed to vehicular traffic every Saturday in the summer and open to pedestrians. Kiosks for souvenirs and food are set up at each end of the bridge and bands play at both ends while throngs of people walk back and forth.

Diosgyor Castle

Diosgyor Castle in Miskolc was built in the mid 1200s and for a time was home to the King of Hungary. The Turks held the castle and the country for about a century and a half starting in 1544. The Austrians overcame the Turks and for a time the castle was a mint and treasury. A Hungarian revolt in 1706 led to the destruction of the town and the gradual decay of the castle.

Miskolc, Hungary

I left Montreal Sunday night and arrived in Budapest Monday morning and drove to Miskolc. It was a beautiful warm, sunny day for a drive. To avoid the traffic in Budapest, at the suggestion of the car rental agent, I drove through a number of small towns, and picked up the highway to Miskolc east of Budapest. The drive took about 2 1/2 hours.

Today (Thursday, July 21) I drove to Lillafüred, about 20 km. from Miskolc to eat dinner in a castle!

Waterfall in Lillafüred

This is the highest waterfall in Hungary. There are also caves in the rock where hundred thousand year old flint implements were found.

Hotel Palota, Lillafüred

This hotel was completed in 1930 as part of a community project to develop the area for tourism and recreation.

Lake Hámori, Lillafüred, Hungary

Lake Hámori at sunset.

Mt. Rushmore at Night

Last night the temperature was warm and the sky clear so I drove back to Mt. Rushmore to get a shot of the memorial illuminated. There was a short talk by a park ranger, and then a short film about why the four presidents were chosen, and then they turned on the spotlights. A nice ceremony. Getting a good shot took me 7 tries, however. Taking a time exposure shot with no tripod is a bit of a challenge.

Showdown on Main St., Deadwood

I really should drive more carefully! No, this wasn't my fault...just another gunfight in rollicking Deadwood!

Deadwood - Gold, Gambling & Gunpowder

Deadwood was a gold rush town that was saved thanks to gambling dollars after the gold ran out. It's also the same Deadwood as in the HBO series. The collage contains scenes from the graves of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane in Mt. Moriah Cemetary and sights around town. If you're wondering, yes I did some gambling...played the penny slots and netted 20 bucks...high roller!!

The Museum of Woodcarving, Custer SD

Most of the 38 exhibits in this museum were carved over a 30 year period by Dr. Harley Niblack. Almost as fascinating as the intricately carved scenes, such as this one of an old-time barbershop, is the animation. Niblack designed and built elaborate mechanisms to bring his 3D scenes to life. in 1954-55 Niblack designed the animation at Disneyland. 

The 1880 Train, Hill City

The 1880 Train is a must for train buffs to see. Shown here as it stops in Hill City, SD to take on passengers for a 2 hour scenic trip to Keystone. 

Mount Rushmore

Arrived in Rapid City, SD on June 5 and did some sightseeing on Saturday, June 12. No visit here is complete without a trip to Mount Rushmore. It's at least the second time and maybe the third time I've seen it, but it's just as impressive each time. 

Collage of Photos from Tata

Most of these photos were taken at or around the Big Lake in Tata. The two churches, the smaller Capuchin church and the baroque parish church of Tata were built in the 1700s, as is the church you can just see the top of next to the 3 crosses and with the Stonehenge-type rock arrangement in the foreground.

Residential Area in Tata

Streams cut through some of the back yards close to the lake. The stone and brick work around some of these streams looks very old. The effect is very attractive.

Tata, Hungary

I arrived in Tata Monday evening, May 9th. Tata is a town close to Tatabanya, the town where the plant is located. -banya means mine, and there used to be several coal mines in the area. I did some exploring Wednesday night. There is a lake, the Oreg-to, in town with a lot of green space around it. The castle in this picture was built in the middle of the 14th century and houses a museum. It's located at the north end of the lake.

Parliament Buildings, Budapest

The Parliament as seen from the Pest side of the Danube. Taken while sightseeing on Saturday, May 7.

Boldog Születésnapot, Krisztina!

Last Friday I was invited to help Krisztina celebrate her birthday with some friends from the office. From left to right: Balazs, Edina, Tamas, Krisztina, and Sandor.

May Day

Yesterday was May Day (like our Labour Day). The park near my hotel had a small fair set up. Reminded me of the Pierrefonds fair held around Canada Day every year. Probably the same old, creaky rides!

Szekesfehervar, Hungary

I arrived in Budapest via Prague yesterday afternoon, and drove to Szekesfehervar. It was a beautiful day for the 80 km. drive. Temperature was about 21C. This picture was taken at a lake close to my hotel. Today is even better. Temperature is above 25C and brilliant sunshine. However, the rain that follows me around lately must have only been slightly delayed at the border and will arrive tomorrow!