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Ahmet Erkun
Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

traveled in 74 countries Read more
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  • Life in Colorado
    Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.Hosting the Sercels for dinner — Colorado Springs, CO.

    A Good Time Had By All

    August 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    Tonight we hosted the Sercels for dinner at our place.

    We met Pat & Jon on the 2022 world voyage … when we joined Oceania’s Insignia for its European crossing segment from Miami to Athens.

    We were supposed to have been on this voyage, setting off from Los Angeles when the ship began the 180-day adventure. But concerns over how the lingering effects of COVID-19 might impact the itinerary had caused us to move our booking to 2023.

    The original itinerary for 2022 was indeed turned on its head because not all of the ports were yet sure they wanted to accept cruise ships. When the revised itinerary called for a spring crossing to Europe instead, we decided to hop on Insignia when it reached Miami to get ourselves to Europe for an early family visit.

    We were having breakfast at the Terrace Café on the first day at sea. Mui was wearing a ball cap with “Colorado Springs” emblazoned across the front. On his way to his own table, Jon noticed the hat and approached to introduce himself to a couple of fellow-Springers. And the rest, as they say, is history.

    With that backstory, moving on to today.

    The weather cooperated with comfy temps, no wet stuff from the daily monsoonal rains, and a lessening of the wind that had made it impossible to place the tablecloth on the deck table earlier in the day. Appetizers and drinks al fresco … with the bonus of good conversation. Perfect. Mui’s hummus and the Brie on crackers were a success!

    We moved indoors to the dining room for dinner. On the menu tonight … piyaz (Turkish bean salad); zeytinyağlı enginar (stuffed artichokes cooked in olive oil); grilled lamb kabobs and shish köfte (meat pattie) … with a side of rice.

    As for dessert — continuing the kabob theme, Mui prepared fruit skewers. But of course, he couldn’t be satisfied with that alone, so he also served orange and chocolate possets … garnished with raspberries.

    If the conversation, laughter, and length of time we sat at the table is any indication, a good time was had by all tonight.

    Here’s to repeating the experience again … when we happen to all be in Colorado Springs and not traveling somewhere around the world 😄    Read more

  • Fall & Winter 2024
    A car and driver will get us to DEN for our outbound flight.

    🚘 & Driver to DEN … ✔️

    August 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    Uber. Private driver. One-way car rental. These have always been options for us when past trips required us to get to or from DEN.

    Often, the car rental rates have been less than the cost of a car service. Sometimes a few dollars more perhaps. But renting a car was worth it regardless … for not having to rely on someone else to get us to DEN … especially for an early morning departure when an unexpected snag could wreak havoc on the trip.

    Our last few trips, however, have seen the rental rates going sky high. Our upcoming trip in September has been no exception in this regard. Believe me … I’ve been checking on and off since January.

    I finally gave in and made a reservation with Avis in July … just to have something in our back pocket. I’ve been monitoring the rates since making the booking … even submitting a couple of requests through AutoSlash in the hopes of finding a better rate. No can do.

    So, I turned to one of the two private drivers I have in my contacts app to get us to DEN for our evening flight on 8 September.

    When I called April, she quoted $90 for the drive … best rate I’ve seen … ever. Definitely a ‘big-chunk-of-change’ savings over the car rental rate.

    I have since confirmed the arrangements with April and canceled the Avis rental.

    One last logistics ✓ on the to-do list.

    Now, to the worst part of travel IMHO … packing. But I have some time before I have to get cracking on that.    Read more

  • Fall & Winter 2024
    Playing the NCL Upgrade Bid game.

    NCL Upgrade Bid Game

    August 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

    Isn’t that what they say? So, when we received an email from NCL today to bid for an upgrade for our TransAtlantic cruise, we decided to play the game ... especially since we won't be charged for the bid unless it is accepted.

    I was surprised that all of the eligible categories — except one — were in The Haven ... NCL's "ship-within-a-ship" class of staterooms. The one exception was the Club Balcony. The differences between this category and the veranda we have booked isn't worth a bid IMHO. So, we crossed that one off the list and focused on the others.

    Some of The Haven cabins were simply out of our price range — like the deluxe owner’s suite. Others were way too big for our needs — like the two-bedroom family villas. Yet others were not suitably located — like the courtyard or forward-facing penthouses. That left the aft-facing penthouses with large balconies — perfect!

    This TransAtlantic cruise is simply transportation for us. And at our current fare, it is inexpensive transportation at that. Keeping that in mind, we decided to submit the minimum bid amount.

    We might well miss out on an upgrade at the rates we submitted. NCL’s upgrade tool even rated our bids as such by showing them as being "poor." No matter. We really don’t want to spend too much more for this cruise. As nice as it would be to have the extra indoor space for what promises to be a cold-weather crossing, we’ll be satisfied with what we have booked if the upgrade bid is not accepted.

    When will we find out if one of our bids is successful? Anytime between now and just before sailaway on 3 December.    Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Colorado State Capitol & Civic Park from the Martin Building @ the DAM.
    "Chantet Lane" by Andrew Dasburg ... DAM — Denver, CO."Tom Po Qui" by Robert Henri & necklace by a Navajo artist — The DAM, Denver."Houses in Victor" by Paul K. Smith ... DAM — Denver, CO."The End of the Trail" by James Earle Fraser ... DAM — Denver, CO.Bureau Mazarin ... one of the earliest French desk forms ... DAM — Denver, CO."The Game of Civetta" by Pietro Fabris ... DAM — Denver, CO."Three Young Girls" by unknown British artist ... DAM — Denver, CO.Late 1700s English man's court coat ... DAM — Denver, CO.Romanian coat & Indian head cover; Apache poncho & skirt; Diné dress & wearing blanket.From the "Thirst // Exposure // In Place" series by Fazal Sheikh ... DAM — Denver, CO.Guardian Lion ... served as a temple guardian to ward off evil ... Northern Thailand.Elaborately carved section of a palace façade (c 1835) ... from Pakistan's Swat Valley.Shiva Nataraja (Lord of Dance / c. 1200s) ... from Tamil Nadu, India ... DAM — Denver, CO.Shrine door from India (late 1600s) ... DAM — Denver, CO.Mandala by the monks of Seraje Monastery (foreground) and "The Three Precious Jewels" by K. PhuntsokBurmese Buddhist altar from Myanmar (late 1800s-early 1900s) ... DAM — Denver, CO.Shell necklace by unknown Bahía artist from Manabi Region of Ecuador ... DAM — Denver, CO."Death Cart" by José Inés Herrera ... DAM — Denver, CO.3Lunch at The Ponti with Sonia & Boris — DAM ... Denver, CO.

    Denver: DAM … Martin Building

    August 5, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F

    And still we have more to see!

    When we visited the Denver Art Museum [DAM] in June, we only managed to wander through the Hamilton Building … one of the two premises of the museum … located in Denver’s Golden Triangle.

    Going back today, we figured we could go through the Martin Building from top to bottom and see everything we missed the first time around. Hah! We only got through floors seven through four … and that only because we gave a fairly cursory look-see around floors four and five.

    True, we arrived about 30 minutes after the museum opened at 10:00a … stopped to shop at the Middle Eastern supermarket on our way to the DAM.

    True, we took time to have lunch at The Ponti with our friends, Sonia & Boris … great to see them again since our last get together in June.

    True, we left well before the museum closed for the day … we wanted to get home before the forecasted rain storm totally muddled up the traffic.

    Even if we hadn’t done all that, however, I don’t think we’d have been able to get through all the exhibits before our feet gave out. There’s just so much to see at the museum.

    We’ll just have to plan a third trip back to the DAM. But it’s doubtful we’ll manage to squeeze it in before we head to Europe in September for our fall/winter trip. Oh well … something to look forward to in the new year!

    By the by … we did beat the storm. The impending rainstorm had already obscured the mountains and the foothills by the time we got to Colorado Springs. But the heavy winds and buckets of rain held off until we were nice and cozy at home.

    [I took some 200 photos today at the DAM. Difficult to select just 10% of them to share in this footprint. If you want to see more images from today, you’ll find my online gallery at this link … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can….]    Read more

  • Fall & Winter 2024
    Will this be the only itinerary change? We shall see.

    NCL Itinerary Change #1

    August 5, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    An NCLH company after all!

    So, no surprise that we got an itinerary change right after the final payment deadline yesterday … while we were on our way to Denver for some sightseeing.

    Yeah, yeah. I know this happens with all cruise lines. But it seems like it has become a habit with the NCLH lines in the last few years. We’ve experienced it on Oceania. And now on NCL.

    I had to laugh at the paragraph that said, in part, “… pleased to share that we have preserved the amount of time originally scheduled for our visit to Ponta Delgada, Portugal.” True, but we did lose an hour each in Vigo and Lisbon, and another hour in Southampton … the latter because the sailaway has been moved up from 5:00p to 4:00p.

    Technically, I don’t mind the changes. This cruise is transportation for us. Any sightseeing we do will be DIY, so no plans to re-jigger. Plus, we will be arriving earlier ... which is a good thing. After all, we are sailing in December and it will get dark early anyway.

    I titled this itinerary change #1. With only three ports of call, I would think that there would be no other changes. But we shall see! There is always the possibility that more's to come.    Read more

  • Fall & Winter 2024
    Another cruise paid off!

    Cha-Ching: NCL Paid in Full

    August 2, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    With final payment for our Encore TransAtlantic due on Monday, I did the deed today.

    I've also completed my sightseeing research for the three ports of call on this cruise. We will DIY it all the way. The stories will unfold when we call on the cities in question.

    Pre-cruise logistics ... ✓
    Final payment ... ✓
    Sightseeing plans ... ✓

    Now we just need to wait for the final documents to be issued. But that won't happen until 21-days prior to embarkation.    Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Our destination today ... Pikes Peak — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Pikes Peak (far left) from Crystal Reservoir (@ 9,160 feet) — Pikes Peak Highway.Pikes Peak (far left) from Crystal Reservoir (@ 9,160 feet) — Pikes Peak Highway.My panorama and signage ... Crystal Reservoir (@ 9,160 feet) — Pikes Peak Highway.We meet Big Foot at Crystal Reservoir (@ 9,160 feet) — Pikes Peak Highway.Unsolved Mysteries aired a show about an alleged Big Foot sighting in nearby Green Mountain Falls.America's Mountain ... this time with land in the foreground — Pikes Peak Highway.Switchbacks make for reasonable grades for vehicles to negotiate — Pikes Peak Highway.The new and the old Pikes Peak markers — at the summit.The new visitor center opened in 2021 — at the summit.Panorama from the visitor center terrace — at the summit.The boardwalk near the visitor center and the cog railway — at the summit.The Cog Railway — at the summit.Toot, toot! The Cog Railway arriving at the summit of Pikes Peak.One of several North Slope reservoirs that are scattered around the Pikes Peak National Forest.What's left of the old signal station/summit house (from 1882) — at the summit.Yellow-bellied marmot — at the summit.Donuts in the Sky ... fluffiest donuts ever — at the summit.Info panel at the museum explains how the Rockies were formed.Pikes Peak ... the inspiration for "America the Beautiful."Bottomless Pit ... on the way down from the summit of Pikes Peak.

    America’s Mountain

    July 30, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    A Mountain of Many Names!

    The Utes knew it as Tava-KaavÌ (Sun Mountain) … the Pawnee knew it as Tûs Pêh (Where the Heavens Touch the Earth) … the Jicarilla Apache knew it as Ya ta ye’ It si’ (Mountain Touching Heaven) … the Arapaho knew it as Heey-otoyoo (The Long Mountain).

    When they came through the area in the late 1700s, Spaniards called the mountain El Capitán. When he spotted it in 1806, Zebulon Pike called it the Grand Peak. In 1820, the mountain was renamed James Peak … in honor of botanist Dr Edwin James … to whom the first ascent of the mountain is attributed.

    Today, we know this mountain of many names as Pikes Peak … named as such during the 1850s to honor Zebulon Pike. Pike never ascended the mountain that bears his name. He merely saw it from the top of another mountain — thought to be Mt Rosa … some 100 miles away. In fact, when he first spotted the mountain, he thought it was “a small blue cloud.” It was only when he got “closer” that he appreciated the mountain for the giant that it is.

    Pikes Peak is number 30 of Colorado’s 53 “fourteeners” … mountains that are in the 14,000-foot plus range. Part of the 300-mile long Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, it has another moniker by which it is known — America’s Mountain … an inspiration for USA’s unofficial national anthem, “America the Beautiful.

    Today was our third time visiting Pikes Peak … but the first time since the new visitor center opened in 2021. Unlike back in the day when visitors had to hike up, ride burros or horse-drawn carriages, we drove the 19-mile road that was constructed in 1915 … a toll road that requires an advance reservation to secure parking at the top. We opted for the 8-10a window. Early, but a good choice. By the time we left around noon, the summit was hopping!

    Another time — perhaps next winter — we’ll ride the cog railway (built in 1891) for a different perspective of the scenery. But today, we simply enjoyed the stops along the road that were familiar to us … but amazing, nonetheless.

    We knew it would be cold when we reached the summit. No worries. We were there to escape the heat … forecasted to reach into the 90F range in the city. Besides, as Colorado residents, we always carry winter gear in the trunk of our car. The parkas came in handy as we were at the top well before today’s Pikes Peak high temp of 48F was reached … + windchill … only slightly mitigated by the sun shining bright in the cloudless blue sky.

    The summit of Pikes Peak is at 14,115 feet. At that elevation, there’s only 60% of the oxygen that is available at sea level. Since we live at a little over 7,000 feet, we’re used to operating with less oxygen … maybe 75-80%. Nonetheless, the difference in oxygen level at the summit immediately made itself noticeable. The solution? Take it slow and easy.

    We had a quick breakfast … packed from home; wandered around the visitor center terraces and interpretive boardwalk; checked out the amazing views from the different vantage points; enjoyed a close encounter with a yellow-bellied marmot; watched the cog rail arrive and depart … packed to the gills in both directions; and explored the exhibits at the small but interesting museum.

    Oh, and of course, we treated ourselves to “Donuts in the Sky.” These donuts are said to be scientifically crafted. Technically, that means that a special recipe is used. After all, at 14,115 feet, the air is thinner and the water has a lower boiling point … some adjustments are bound to be needed. Fluffiest, tastiest cake donuts that we’ve had anywhere … we opted for the cinnamon sugar variety.

    An excellent visit to America’s Mountain … and our local fourteeener.

    [More photos from today at this link … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can….]

    [Photos from June 2015 … with snow on the ground … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/WeGoA-Rollin/Fulltim….]

    [Footprint from the December 2019 family visit to the summit … with even more snow on the ground … https://findpenguins.com/8pccjefaitoru/footprin….]    Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Siirt Kurabiyesi ... pistachio cookies with a smile! — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Mui's Been Busy (2 … with recipe)

    July 29, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    Mui loves his sweet treats. If they have pistachios in them ... well, so much the better since, in his mind, pistachios fall into the "fresh greens" category 🤭

    So, when he found a recipe for Siirt Kurabiyesi (Siirt Cookies), he just had to take it for a bake & taste drive.

    What did he think of the cookies? "They taste like Turkish baklava," he said.

    Siirt, by the way, is a province in southeastern Türkiye ... a region that is well-known and celebrated for its pistachio production. It is also home to the world's third largest pistachio processing plant.

    While we have visited other provinces in the region, Siirt is not one of them ... not yet at least.

    🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

    RECIPE

    Siirt Pistachio Cookies

    125 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
    110 g sugar
    1 egg yolk
    100 g finely crushed pistachios
    80 g of flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1 TBSP vanilla extract (or to taste)
    Whole or half pistachios for garnish

    Preheat oven to 350F

    Whisk the butter and sugar for a few minutes. Add the egg yolk and continue to mix. Add the remaining ingredients (except the flour) and mix (a rubber spatula works fine). Slowly add the flour as you continue to mix. The resulting dough is at the appropriate texture if it isn’t sticking to your hands. If necessary add more flour in small amounts until the texture is right. Use a small ice cream scoop to portion out the dough onto the baking sheet. Garnish with pistachios. Bake until the cookies take on color …. required time to bake will depend on size of the cookies … approx. 12 minutes.

    Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let stand until the cookies have cooled. You can then remove the cookies from the baking sheet to a rack to completely cool.    Read more

  • Life in Colorado

    Closer Than Ever

    July 27, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    Normally the hot air balloons launch from a place much farther away and float towards us.

    This morning, they launched from a neighborhood nearby … in perfect conditions following several hazy days filled with smoke from the wildfires in Canada and California.Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Lolley's ... our favorite ice creamery — Monument, CO.

    Monument: National Ice Cream Day

    July 21, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    How could we not honor National 🍦 Day?

    With the afternoon rain storms holding off, on our way back from Littleton, we detoured to Monument … a little over 6 miles from home.

    First, a late lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant — Casa La Fiesta.

    Then, down the street to our favorite creamery “that’s full of dreamery” — Lolley’s — for ice cream that is scrumpdillylolleylicious! Hey, I’m just repeating what the sign says!

    Methinks we won’t be eating dinner tonight 😊 😉

    And yes, we not only beat the rain home, but managed to get in a quick bit of exercise before the downpour to walk off some of the lunch and desert calories.    Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.
    Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.2Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Lavender Festival @ Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Monarchs ... Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Queen (top left) and Monarch butterflies ... Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.I'm a carrier! ... Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Gulf Frittilary (top left); Red Admiral (top right) & Buckeye (bottom left) ... Chatfield Farms.Butterflies @ Chatfield — Littleton, CO.Hildebrand Ranch @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Hildebrand Ranch @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Hildebrand Ranch @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Hildebrand Ranch @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Sunflower @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.Nigella (Black Cumin) @ Chatfield Farms — Littleton, CO.

    Littleton: Lavender Festival

    July 21, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    A few weeks ago we came across an article promoting a lavender festival … to be held at Chatfield Farms, which is part of the Denver Botanic Gardens … in Littleton, which is about an hour’s drive north of us.

    Tickets had to be purchased in advance … online only. Knowing that rain storms tend to come through in the afternoon, we purchased tickets for the 10:00a time slot for today … the earlier slots were already sold out.

    Chatfield Farms is “… a historical ranch, working farm, and an important habitat for wildlife.” So said the signage near the booth where our tickets were scanned for entry. Once inside, we meandered, using the paths running through the property, and around the lavender fields.

    Apparently, French and Spanish lavender aren’t cold-hardy enough to withstand the Colorado climate. English lavender and lavandin, on the other hand, thrive here. And that is what is planted at Chatfield Farms.

    Near the lavender fields we found the “Butterflies at Chatfield.” The young woman who gave us the entry and exit rules also told us that there are some 200 butterflies … 15 species. The butterflies were flitting about as they are wont to do, but there were plenty of photo ops when they landed on the colorful flowers in the enclosed garden. By my count, we saw 12 of the 15 species … not bad.

    Next, we headed over to the working farm where they cultivate greens and root vegetables — such as lettuce, scallions, beets, radishes, and more. This section is on the lands of the former Hildebrand Ranch, which dates back to 1860. But even well before there was a ranch here, the land was used by Native inhabitants. The Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho hunted, gathered, and camped on these grounds for thousands of years.

    The ranch house today serves as a museum of sorts. It was open to visitors, so we wandered in for a quick look-see before wrapping up our visit.

    I must admit that I was a bit disappointed. Most of the 2,000 or so lavender plants seemed like they were in the early stages of bloom. I was expecting that the festival would be timed to coincide with peak blooming.

    Disappointment in the lavender plants notwithstanding, we had a fun outing … on a sunny day that wasn’t too terribly hot … at least for this time of the year.    Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    What's that in Jumbo's hand? — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Why, it's the news he's been waiting for! — Colorado Springs, CO.Fountain @ the park — Colorado Springs, CO.Rainbow in the fountain water jet — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Jumbo the Egg Got the News!

    July 20, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    … the egg came first. Not the chicken.

    Here at over 7,000 feet we are lucky in that even when it is really hot during the day, we have comfortable mornings and evenings.

    We took advantage of a nice morning for a neighborhood stroll that took us to a nearby fountain. Not only did we get to visit with Jumbo, we saw a rainbow in the water jet.Read more

  • RTW Redux ... 2023

    Making the Blog Whole

    July 8, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    No, we are not bouncing all over the world.

    It may seem like it, however, from the footprints that are about to show up in your Find Penguins home page and any notifications you receive.

    Now that I am caught up on the 2023-2024 Adventuring Down Under footprints, I am traveling back — in words only — to RTW2023 in an effort to make the blog whole. Mixed in will be occasional footprints from local day trips in Colorado. After all, life doesn’t stop just because I am writing about the past.Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Happy 4th! — Colorado Springs, CO

    4th of July @ Home

    July 4, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    We are lucky in that we don’t have to go far to see fireworks on the 4th. We can see them from our deck!

    We don’t usually have to bundle up to sit outside and enjoy the festivities … but the temp tonight was only about 65F. Not complaining mind you!Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Foggy morning at the end of June — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Wrapping Up June with Fog

    June 30, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Fog ... and 65F when we go for our morning walk at 8:45a.

    Nice break from the unseasonably warm temps we've been seeing recently.

    These conditions won't last long. The temps are expected to rise again ... but to numbers that are more season-appropriate 🤞🏻Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Rainbow on the plains — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Post-Storm Rainbow

    June 24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Rainbows seem to grace us fairly frequently. We’re lucky that way.

    A sudden, fast-moving storm that popped up this afternoon after we returned from Denver today gave us another rainbow to enjoy … with the hint of a double colorful arc.

    In fact, it was a rainbow not-unlike this one that sealed the decision for buying our home where we did. That was in the summer of 2018. We’ve been happy with our decision ever since.    Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Untitled (Atlas) by Fred Wilson ... the DAM — Denver, CO.
    The Bloom of the Corpse Flower ... by Simphiwe Ndzube (South Africa) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.African Art Exhibit ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Cheval: The Other Side of the Mirror is Home ... by Didier William (American born in Haiti).Nature Morte ... by Pablo Picasso (Spanish) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.No Man is an Island (with Atomic Rainbow) ... by Niki-Hastings-McFall ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Freedom (R); TV Man (L); All This, And Heaven (hanging) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Biophilia ... Flowers & People — A Whole Year Per Hour ... by teamLab (Japan) ... the DAM — Denver.Biophilia ... Botanica Chandelier (by A. A. Rusu) // Bulbo Chair (Humberto & Fernando Campana).Biophilia ... Ethereal Double Console of Sycamore veneers and resin ... by Marc Fish (British).Biophilia ... One-seater Concrete Tree ... by Nacho Carbonell (Spanish) ... the DAM.Biophilia ... Meadow ... by Drift (established in Amsterdam) ... the DAM.Biophilia ... dresses inspired by nature ... the DAM — Denver, CO.About (MT 97 4) ... by Mark Tansey (American) ... comparison with right side up (L) and upside down.Winter Landscape with the Convent of San Cosimato, near Tivoli ... Jules-César Denis van Loo.La Petite Pensée (The Little Thought/Pansy) ... by Thomas Ball (American).The Gulf of Spezia ... by Henry Roderick Newman ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Edge of a Wheat Field with Poppies ... by Vincent van Gogh (Dutch) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Waterlilies or The Water Lily Pond ... by Claude Monet ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Autumn, Poplars, Éragny ... by Camille Pissarro (French) ... the DAM — Denver, CO.The Awake Volcanoes Exhibit of Sandra Vásquez de la Horro ... Ring of Fire ... the DAM — Denver, CO.Awake Volcanoes Exhibit of Sandra Vásquez de la Horro ... From the Rising Sun ... front (top) & back

    Art & Ice Cream in Denver

    June 24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    On a day that reached 94F in our state capital, we figured the Denver Art Museum — aka the DAM — would be a cool place to visit … in more ways than one.

    We left the house around 8:15a for the 1.5-hour drive to Denver. Traffic was light and we made good time. Even with having to find parking near the museum and fiddling with the QR code to make payment at the unattended lot, we arrived before the DAM opened at 10:00a. Luckily, there was shade under the trees. Otherwise it would have been a hot, uncomfortable wait for the doors to open.

    The DAM consists of two buildings — the Hamilton Building and the Martin Building. They are across the street from each other. We figured that we could go through both buildings today. Perhaps we could have. But it would have been overwhelming. Instead, we decided to focus on the galleries in the Hamilton Building and leave the ones in the other building for another time.

    We were last at the DAM in December 2019 … with members of my family, who were visiting us from Türkiye, and Sonia & Boris, our Denver-based friends. Our primary reason for going to the museum then was to see a special exhibit of Claude Monet’s paintings. Thus we gave the rest of the galleries short shrift. This time there was no specific purpose to our visit. That being the case, we took the elevator up to the fourth floor and worked our way down … spending more time in some galleries than others … sometimes because of our interest in the artwork on display; other times simply because of the size of the exhibit.

    When we reached the second floor, the bridge connecting the two buildings of the DAM beckoned us. At this point, we were still thinking that we could do both buildings. It took a mere glimpse of the few pieces in the foyer of the seventh floor of the Martin Building to change our minds.

    Once we made the decision to stick to the galleries in the Hamilton Building, we started to retrace our steps across the bridge. We didn’t get far as that was when we noticed that the two dining venues at the museum are both located in the Martin Building … Café Gio and The Ponti. After perusing the menus, we settled on The Ponti for lunch. The food was delicious; the kiwi lemonade very refreshing.

    Thus energized by lunch, we returned to our meandering around the Hamilton galleries. Shortly after 2:00p, having already extended our parking from 1:00p to 2:30p, we were ready to move on to the next portion of the outing … ice cream!

    If I am being honest, it was the ice cream that led us to Denver today. Our source of inspiration was an article in the “303 Magazine” email Mui receives on a regular basis. The article mentioned a time-limited collaboration between Bonnie Brae Ice Cream and 7Cellars Winery … the latter owned by John Elway of the Denver Broncos fame (and an NFL Hall of Famer). The result of the collaboration … three ice cream flavors made with wine … available for tasting through the end of June.

    Of course, tasting these flavors was attractive … but they were not enough of an inducement for a 90-minute drive. Hence the addition of the DAM to today’s outing … and the invitation to Boris & Sonia to join us for a sweet treat. Turns out that the only wine-flavored ice cream Bonnie Brae still had was not to our taste. Just a bit … well, too wine-y. So, we went with some of their regular flavors … tasty and creamy.

    A sweet wrap up to our day in Denver.

    If you would like to see more photos from our DAM visit, or would like to read some of the additional information that I could not fit in the captions … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can…. (For the caption information, click the photo you are interested in, then click “i” icon on the left.)    Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    African Lion ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.
    Leo the Lego Lion ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Grevy's Zebra ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Reticulated Giraffe ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.American Flamingo ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Komodo Dragon ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Variegated Sea Urchin ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.South Arabian Spiny-Tailed Lizard ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Showy Milkweed ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Eastern Bongo ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Clouded Leopard ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO."Marshmallow" the albino wallaby ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Black-Handed Spider Monkey ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Tawny Frogmouth ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Bearded Iris ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO."Family" ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Cinereous Vulture ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Lesser Kudu ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.Black Crowned Crane ... Denver Zoo — Denver, CO.

    Denver Zoo

    June 14, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    We, of course, prefer to see animals where they belong. In the wild. But that’s not always possible … especially when one has a specific goal … to be accomplished within a particular time frame. In this case, I wanted to test a new camera to see if I wanted to keep it.

    Our recent adventure Down Under made it clear to me that while the iPhone 15 is great for all around shooting, it doesn’t have the zoom reach for wildlife. Upon returning home in May, we ordered a Nikon Coolpix P950, which has an 83x optical zoom … equivalent to a 2000 mm lens.

    Last week, we pre-ordered timed-entry tickets for the Denver Zoo, which we had not been to before. Might as well do some sightseeing with a purpose, we figured, and set off bright and early this morning … hoping to get in and out before the forecasted storms hit the I-25 corridor.

    The camera performed brilliantly. The weight turned out to be easily manageable. Admittedly, I mostly used the program mode this time, allowing the camera to make most of the decisions. Now that I have decided to keep the camera, I’ll practice with the other modes to re-sharpen my photography skills.

    We almost always have an ulterior motive for going to Denver … to get together with our friends Boris and Sonia … usually for lunch. This time was no exception. We met up for a nice meal at the City Park Tavern … across the road from the zoo. The weather cooperated and the rain held off so that we were able to dine al fresco with a distant but lovely view of downtown Denver. A great way to wrap up our day trip.

    For more photos from our trip to the Denver Zoo … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can…    Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Brewer's Blackbird — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Brewer's Blackbird — Colorado Springs, CO.Brown-headed Cowbird — Colorado Springs, CO.Brewer's Blackbird — Colorado Springs, CO.Pronghorn ... a mammal unique to North America — Colorado Springs, CO.American Robin — Colorado Springs, CO.House Finch — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Critters ... from Our Deck

    June 5, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    It is always a pleasure when we have birds and beasts come a-callin' ... and we get to enjoy them without having to travel far.

  • Fall & Winter 2024
    Every dollar counts.

    NCL Re-Fared

    June 1, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    Was it worth it?

    Maybe. Maybe not. But it is a done deal. And I was on the phone no more than 5 minutes to get our fare reduced based on the current promo.

    Who cares if this re-faring falls into the small change category. Any amount of savings is a good one!Read more

  • Life in Colorado
    Rainbow over the plains — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Colorado Springs, CO.

    Hail & Rainbow

    May 31, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Last Day of May.

    Wrapping up spring with rain ... which led to hail ... which led to a full rainbow.

  • Fall & Winter 2024
    Pre TransAtlantic cruise logistics are completed.

    Pre-T/A Logistics ✓

    May 18, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Flight … bus … hotel!

    All of the logistics for our pre-cruise overnight before embarking NCL Encore on 3 December are complete.

    We didn't want to take more time away from our family visit. So, no pre-cruise this time. Not that we will be flying in on embarkation day. That would be way too stressful.

    Instead, with our departure from İzmir set for 2 December; we will have an overnight in Southampton.

    Familiarity with our destination helped speed up the required bookings … even though we won’t be flying into Heathrow as we usually do.

    Rather, we will be flying SunExpress nonstop from İzmir to London Stansted Airport [STN] ... a former US base ... now the fourth largest airport in England.

    Next, I moved onto getting us from Stansted to Southampton.

    We always take the National Express bus service when we fly into Heathrow. So, we're going the same route from STN ... with a connection at Victoria Station in London. I booked the 3:25p departure. The good news is that airport pick-up passengers are allowed to board any bus within three hours on either side of the purchased ticket … at no extra cost. Of course, that’s on a space available basis. 🤞🏻 all will go like clockwork.

    Our accommodations in Southampton are sorted out as well.

    The Holiday Inn on Herbert Walker Avenue may not be the most luxurious of accommodations. But we have stayed there before and it is the closest hotel to the port. Walking distance if the weather cooperates and we feel like rolling our bags to the terminal. If not, hopping in an Uber will be easy enough.    Read more

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