Cleared for Departure

Category: Europe

  • Paris, The Chunnel, and Brexit

    What do Brexit, Parisian street merchants, and The Chunnel have in common?

  • Kew Gardens

    Today we visit Kew Gardens.

  • A Tale of Two Buildings

    Before leaving this NFL experience behind, I’d like to discuss the stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and another famous building, Royal Albert Hall.  

  • The NFL Storms London

    The NFL Storms London

    So, what’s the NFL doing here anyway?  Britons have a “football,” and our football ain’t it.  The answer turns out to be remarkably simple.  The NFL, a not-for-profit organization, wants more money.

  • London Bound … Sort of

    London Bound … Sort of

    Hello!  And welcome back.  It’s high time to take another trip.  In two weeks RBD and I depart for London.

  • The End

    Our time together has come to an end.  As I write this, I am 1600 miles from home.  Currently we are over open water and approaching the coast of Newfoundland.

  • Last Names and Old Town

    Once upon a time, nobody much used last names.  Rich and powerful men had them, but the lower classes did not.  This changed at different points throughout history.

  • Art New Vogue

    I cannot call anyone in Latvia.  It is unclear why.  When I dial, my phone beeps three times and hangs up.  I am able to call other countries.  I logged online and chatted with tech support, a person named Anne.  She instructed me to use the code +34, which is the Riga city code, she…

  • A Brief History of Latvia

    It rained much of the day.  Not a heavy rain, more a persistent drip.  It was a challenging environment for photography. Riga did come to life today.  Many more cars and people filled her streets.  It certainly felt less like The Rapture.   Riga is home to roughly 600,000 residents, which makes it the most…

  • The Flowers of Dobele

    We cabbed back to the airport to rent a car and drove to Dobele, about an hour away from Riga. The town has an annual lilac festival, with concerts, music, flowers, and rides.  It reminded me of State Fairs back home, with less fried food.  It’s a big deal here, but not a large tourist…