My most current blog entry:
Staying at the Victoria Railway Hotel, Invercargill, New Zealand
Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 4:13PM The Victoria Railway Hotel in Invercargill, New Zealand has been continuously operated as a hotel since it was built in 1893. The current owners have lovingly restored it to it's original charm and beauty. I much prefer these old gems to any Hilton or a motel.
At -1c the old beauty looks great. Invercargill is the last stop on the rail road at the very southernmost tip of New Zealand's South Island. If you were a British, or Scottish visitor, or immigrant, in the 1890s you would have reached the absolute farthest outpost in the English-speaking world: 12 time zones of longitude and over 90 degrees of latitude! You would have stepped of the train and walked across Levent Street to this very hotel.
The food in the 1890s dining room was fresh, honest, and tasty. Yes . . . . if these walls could speak . . . .
In the old days this is where you would repair for a cigar after your meal and perhaps reminisced about the Old Country, and how far away from it you were.
What a perfect period perfect restoration!
A special mood permeates the Victoria Rail Road Hotel.
New Zealand Small Towns and Small Roads
Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 1:31PM We are off on the long road trip around the South Island of New Zealand. Very beautiful . . . a little fog . . . and a little brilliant sunshine.
Some of the oldest life known on Earth: two billion year old "boulders" made by single celled "animals."
The fog and mist began to lift in the afternoon.
Green, cold, and beautiful.
Far down the South Island on the small Highway 93.
3C degrees cold. 45 degrees south latitude.
Small towns (Dunedin) in all their former glory . . . under giant skies.
Steampunk HQ? Oh . . . . Victorian era inspsired steam-powered dystopian sci-fi that gained popularity in the 1980s. Good article about this 'movement' HERE.
Every single town we passed through had a WWI monument to the town's war dead.
You can buy your booze in bulk in New Zealand!
A touch of Europe on the 'other side of the world.'
On the very bottom of the South Island (the town of Bluff).
You are here, Bluff, New Zealand.
The Victoria Railway Hotel (est. 1893) in Invercargill . . . our hotel for tonight.
On The [Cold and Wet] Ground in New Zealand
Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 5:17AM BBBBBRRRRRRRRR! . . . . . and Beautiful!
Just outside of Christchurch.
Wonderful winter coastal landscaped. A nice mood.
Friendly Gulls.
New Zealand Here We Come!
Monday, June 21, 2010 at 11:57AM We're off to the South Island of New Zealand for a photographic expedition. Watch this space for photo updates sent from my iPhone on the very cool SQUARESPACE iPhone app.
It could be a bit breezy and wet on the South Island . . . . . . but we wanted a winter vacation. Current Christchurch weather should be a high of 12c and a low of 1c. Bbbbbrrrrrrr. The plan is to stay in a few B&Bs, a farm stay, and hotels.
The satellite image is most intriguing . . . . now to see it at ground level! Interestingly, the southern tip of the South Island of New Zealand is at 45 degrees South latitude . . . . and I am from Oregon in the USA which is at 45 degrees North latitude.
Dr. Jeff Harper
Just arrived to a perfect sunny day in Christchurch! A sleepless night on the plane, feeling pretty rough. The evening at the MU Steak House arund the corner from our hotel was perfect . . . . but the walk home in 1c wind was an unexpected hardship for a Bangkok dweller like me . . .bbbbrrrrrrrrr!
Jordan 2008 Photos Added
Friday, June 18, 2010 at 8:40PM I went to the wonderful country of Jordan in 2008 and took literally thousands of photos. The light in February was wonderful. I have recently been going through my photos from that trip and have been adding some to my Jordan Photo Bank. Go HERE for more.
Petra, even with tourists, is a MUST SEE in one's lifetime.
Jordan is full of interesting sites to see. This is the interior of the fort where the real Lawrence of Arabia lived for three years. Jordan had fascinating Biblical, Crusader, Islamic, Judaic and WWI and WWII sites. Go here for more.