Coit Tower

San Francisco, California - USA

Coit Tower stands today thanks in part to Lillian Coit who donated a third of her estate money to the city of San Francisco when she died in 1929.  She requested it be used to add beauty to the city she loved.  As a result, this tower was built on Telegraph Hill offering beautiful 360º views of the bay area.  Faculty and students from the California School of Fine Arts were asked to paint murals inside focusing on scenes from San Francisco, racial equality and leftist political ideas.

 

Jack Kerouac

San Francisco, California - USA

Jack Kerouac is a novelist and poet and, alongside Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs, is considered a pioneer of the Beat Generation.  Many references are made to him in San Francisco, such as this street which became a pedestrian street and was painted with several murals and references from his work.

North Beach neighborhood

San Francisco, California - USA

North Beach is considered the Little Italy of San Francisco and is also where the Beat Generation came to be known in the 1950s.  Many Beatnik writers such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso, just to name a few, lived in this neighborhood.

Columbus and Transamerica

San Francisco, California - USA

The Columbus tower (also known as the flatiron building) on the right and the Transamerica Pyramid on the left are two emblematic buildings of San Francisco.  The flatiron building, located in the North Beach neighborhood, was taken over in the 1970s by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas creating the American Zoetrope Studio, an early adopter of digital filmmaking.

Old St. Mary's

San Francisco, California - USA

Here's the first building to be erected in the state of California and considered cathedral.  St. Mary's, standing in the heart of Chinatown, was started in 1853 and was one of few buildings to remain standing after the San Francisco earthquake in 1906.  Much of the stone for this cathedral was quarried and cut in China.

transportation

San Francisco, California - USA

Here you have one of many means of public transportation offered in San Francisco.

 

downtown Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - USA

The Milwaukee River flows through downtown Milwaukee and empties into Lake Michigan.
 

Quadracci Pavilion

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - USA

This wing-like structure, known as the Burke Brise Soleil from the Milwaukee Art Museum, opens and closes at different times of the day acting somewhat as a sunscreen.  It was designed by Santiago Calatrava, a Spanish architect.

Windhover Hall

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - USA

Windhover Hall, overlooking Lake Michigan, is the grand entrance to the Milwaukee Art Museum.
 

Calatrava in Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee Art Museum on Lake Michigan designed by Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava.
 

Lake Michigan

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

on the shores of Lake Superior

Cornucopia, Wisconsin

I love this little town on the shores of Lake Superior!  It's considered the northernmost village of Wisconsin.

Chequamegon

Drummond, Wisconsin

Covering more than 1.5 million acres of northern Wisconsin, this forest offers nature lovers endless possibilities!

Kasbah Ellouze

Tamdaght (Ouarzazate), Morocco

Kasbah Ellouze is one of the most amazing places I have ever stayed!  Colette and Michel Guillen are a charming French couple who welcome you to this wonderful paradise.

 

a pick up game of soccer

Tamdaght (Ouarzazate), Morocco

daily life in Tamdaght - a pick up game of soccer at sunset...

 

P-1506

Tamdaght (Ouarzazate), Morocco

Road P-1506 takes you to rural Morocco.  On this road you see things you've never seen before!  Tamdaght is just the beginning!

Ait Benhaddou

Ait Benhaddou (Ouarzazate), Morocco

This spectacular fortified city (ksar) full of kasbahs has been used numerous times to shoot films and TV series such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Jewel of the Nile, Gladiator, Babel, and The Game of Thrones, just to name a few.  The ksar was founded in 757 with one family and over time more families joined in.  It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

It really is something you think only exists in the movies!  Amazing!

Berber blue

Ouarzazate, Morocco

driving through the palm groves

Skoura (Ouarzazate), Morocco

heavy loads

before Skoura (Ouarzazate), Morocco

along the Dades River...

spices by weight

Boumalne Dades (Ouarzazate), Morocco

Local markets in Morocco wouldn't be complete without these emblematic bags of spices.

 

local markets

Boumalne Dades (Ouarzazate), Morocco

Dades River Valley, Morocco

Dades River Valley, Morocco

The Dades River Valley and Gorge area is unbelievable!  The distinctive patterns in the rock formed from water and wind erosion are curiously called "monkey fingers".  The rocks and red earth are beautiful themselves, but the deep green of the Dades River Valley makes this a very special place to visit, one I will never forget!  

This is the area of a 1000 kasbahs.  One can be seen in the distance to your left.  Click here for a closer look!

life

Ziz River Valley, Morocco

The river of green gives life to this area...

Ziz River Valley

Ziz River Valley (Errachidia), Morocco

a river of palm trees

Ziz River Valley (Errachidia), Morocco

The Ziz River valley, tucked away between the Atlas mountains, is a river of green going for miles that will make you say "wow" more than once!

when the sun goes down

Merzouga (Erg Chebbi), Morocco

golden

Merzouga (Erg Chebbi), Morocco

that magical time of the day when the sand turns into many different hues of orange, red... a color difficult to describe...

 

camping among the dunes

Merzouga (Erg Chebbi), Morocco

Fès el Bali

Fès, Morocco

Fès el Bali (Old Fes) - ONESCO World Heritage Site

 

the streets of Fes

Fès, Morocco

color in the medina

Fès, Morocco

one of many mosques in Fes

Fès, Morocco

street art

Fès, Morocco

orange juice, anyone?

Fès, Morocco

bread, anyone?

Fès, Morocco

details make all the difference

Fès, Morocco

ceramic beauty

Fès, Morocco

Ceramic pottery and tiles are an integral part of decorating in Islamic cultures.

perfect displays

Fès, Morocco

Fès el Bali (Old Fes) dates from the 9th century with a medina as busy as ever before.  It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981.  Here we can see a proud shop owner with a perfect display of dried fruit.

hand of Fatima

Marrakech, Morocco

The hand shaped figures, known as hamsa or khamsa, were used as a sign of protection in many societies throughout history.  In Islam they are known as "the hand of Fatima".  This open right hand is a sign of protection, represents blessings, power and strength and is thought to ward off the evil eye.

a door in Arabic

Fès, Morocco

The inhabitants of Morocco were originally the Berbers, but in the 7th century the first Muslims arrived and brought their language, their government and their religion, which remains the predominant religion of the country today.

detailed patterns

Tamdaght (Ouarzazate), Morocco

camels and dunes

Merzouga (Erg Chebbi), Morocco

The picture speaks for itself...
 

lighthouses on a rocky coastline

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain

serendipity

Luarca (Asturias), Spain

Some of the best moments are those than just happen without any planning and that happen by chance.  Serendipity.  That is exactly what happened to us on a beautiful Sunday morning in Asturias.

I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning than listening to live music outside - and better yet - in this beautiful fishing port as a backdrop.  When walking to this area of Luarca, we heard a voice from the other side of the port singing Johnny Cash's signature song "Ring of Fire".  I thought to myself, "Wow, they're really good.  Let's get closer and check this out."  The closer we got, the more impressed I became.  It turns out, it was a group called the Strangers made up of Silvia Fernández and Lee Wolfe, but I didn't know their names at the time.  The more they sang the more I thought they had to be native English speakers, based on their accent singing.  However, hearing this duo speak between songs, I realized the man must be American and the woman Spanish, which was confirmed after the concert talking to them.  It turns out he was from Pennsylvania and she was from Asturias.  I absolutely loved the concert full of American roots music with songs as varied as Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, etc.  

It was one of those moments you never wanted to end, with such good music, such good weather, such good company and such beauty surrounding us!

mountains, a river and the sea

Luarca (Asturias), Spain

Luarca is in a privileged area surrounded by mountains and the River Negro flowing into the sea.

Luarca

Luarca (Asturias), Spain

Luarca is definitely worthy of a visit, especially with weather like this!  It is the hometown of the 1959 Nobel Peace Prize winner in Medicine, Severo Ochoa.

fish market

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain

A tradition of fishing clings to this picturesque village in the north of Spain.  The old Lonja de Pescado (fish market) can be seen here blending in with the rest of the colorful homes of Cudillero.

 

from high above

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain

Take a walk up the hill by following any of the blue railings which lead you to impressive views from high above.  You can sneak a peek inside some of the colorful homes on the way.

pixuetos

Cudillero (Asturias), Spain

The people of Cudillero are also known as "pixuetos" which comes from the Asturian word meaning "people who make a living from fishing"  (pix = fish; ueto = activity).  This term was meant to differentiate them from the majority of the rest of the people of Asturias who made a living from agriculture and cattle raising.