With the Wisconsin recall election going on tonight it seemed like a good time to post a photo from a trip I took to Milwaukee.
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Tag: Travel
Some enhancements to the pages to facilitate finding articles
As this web site continues to develop there will be periodic changes in structure and content. Some of these changes will be BIG AND NOTICEABLE while others will be a wee bit less obvious.
One of those “wee bit” changes is the addition of a link on each of my individual pages that provide access to all of the posts on that page’s topic with a single click.
On my Abraham Lincoln page look at the bottom of the page “For a full list of my Abraham Lincoln posts click here.”
On my Nikola Tesla page look in the very first paragraph “For all my Tesla articles click here.”
On my Travel page look about two-thirds of the way down for “To get you started, you can click on this link or simply click on the “Travel” tag at the end of any travel post.”
I have also now provided my email address at the bottom of the About Me page. [For those not familiar with spammers, just change the AT to @ and the DOT to . and close up the spaces so it looks like an actual email address.]
To keep up with all my posts you can subscribe via email on the home page (look under the calendar on the right hand side).
A Pisa Preview
David J. Kent, Writer is now “The Traveling Scientist”
I have a new name! Well, technically my name hasn’t changed, but this web site now has an actual title instead of just my name:
The Traveling Scientist
It captures at least two of my primary passions – science and travel. I’ve been a working scientist for about 30 years and have now traveled to almost 30 countries (with hopefully at least 30 more to go). Of course, there is also my passion for Abraham Lincoln, so if you want to really stretch the metaphor you can say that I’ve traveled a long way in gaining knowledge about Lincoln. Or even that if you travel a long way from Lincoln’s place of birth in Kentucky to England you would find Charles Darwin being born on the very same day – February 12, 1809. And Charles Darwin is certainly someone who traveled as a scientist.
Okay, I said it was a stretch. [Spoiler alert – check back later for a WIP on Lincoln and science that is not so much of a stretch]
Now back to the new title. Those who frequent this site know that I write about a few sometimes overlapping topics – science (currently Nikola Tesla), travel, and Abraham Lincoln. As it continues to develop I’ll be setting up a schedule of when I’ll post on each topic so those with specific interests in one area more than another will know when to check back.
Better yet, subscribe to the site on the top right of the home page and you’ll get a gentle reminder when new content has been added.
Oh, one more thing. I’ve changed my Twitter account to reflect the new name. Now it reads as “Traveling Scientist” – Scientist by day, writer by night, Abraham Lincoln aficionado always.
I hope you like the new name, and the new look that will be coming soon. Feel free to leave me a comment with likes/dislikes, ideas for topics to discuss, and just general thoughts.
Back soon.
I Walked 77 Miles Through Italy – For This?
I recently returned from a well-deserved (at least in my mind) trip to Italy, during which my total walking mileage was about 77 miles. In 9 days. The trip started in Rome, passed through Pisa, flourished in Florence, broke in Bologna, and mingled in Milan before coming to a close in Geneva. And in those places there was the Sistine Chapel, the leaning tower, the naked David statue (another David, no relation), the two towers (no, not the Tolkien ones), the Last Supper, and a mostly not spurting jet d’eau. Oh, and then there was the guy who picked my pocket.
But I’m not going to talk about those now. I’m going to talk about the weirdos.
There are weirdos in Italy. Did you know that? To be honest I really shouldn’t be shocked given that I’ve seen this sort of thing everywhere I’ve gone in Europe (not so much in Asia for some reason). Mostly they are the street performers, if you can call sitting or standing with no movement performing.
First there was the guy sitting on the corner of piazza that keeps Trevi Fountain from running down the street. I think he went by the name of Ronnie Raygun.
Nearby was a slightly lost Praetorian Guard. I believe, but cannot confirm, that he was checking the GPS app on his iPhone to locate the colosseum (two miles east).
Not to be outdone was this finely dressed gentleman. Something strange about him – Not quite sure I can see what it is though. I think he’s hiding something.
This guy isn’t really a weirdo. In fact, he played the most extraordinary guitar. On a most extraordinary guitar. Very talented and a real treat to hear.
Now this guy – he was weird. But environmentally friendly!
Even the horses got into the act. Now I know what they mean by that old expression – “tying on a feedbag.”
Too bad we can’t teach the folks here in DC how to wear a costume and stand still for hours. They would make a lot more money begging that way.
So this was my weirdo, er, street performer post for Italy. I assure you that there were a lot of incredible sites along the way and I’ll definitely come back to share them with you all soon. Here’s some art to whet your appetite. Anyone know who this is (who they are)?
Cinco de Mayo – What to do in Cancun and Chichen Itza
Hola! Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Wondering what to do on Mexico’s traditional day of celebration? Well, head on down to Cancun on the Yucatán peninsula. And don’t forget to take a day trip to Chichen Itza. Just make sure you do it before the end of 2012 (it’s Mayan, you know).
5 Things to do in Cancun
1. Relax at an all-inclusive resort hotel on the beach. Once you arrive everything is already included – all meals, all drinks, all goofy pool games, and all 15 or so miles of the beach along the hotel zone.
2. Be Active at the various hotels, marinas, and yes, even a sinkhole. Take a smiling parasail ride, or if you’re really daring, dive into one of the many Yucatan sinkholes.
3. Shop in Cancun, or work your way down to the Mayan Riviera. Or head inland to check out the Mayan artwork.
4. Visit Chichen Itza. If Cancun is like being in Miami (English and dollars are more prevalent than Spanish and pesos), then Chichen Itza is like going back in time. This center of Mayan civilization is a marvel to see.
5. Watch the sunrise. Come on, it’s the beach. Of course you’re going to watch the sunrise.
I’ll have much more on Cancun and Chichen Itza in the future (this was just to whet your appetite). I’ll have some videos and many more photos and ideas for what to do. But before then, let’s take a quick look at…
What not to do in Cancun
Note the cell phone, an iPad, and even a laptop at his feet. Okay, Mr. Workaholic. Step away from the electronic devices and put on some sun block.
David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
Need some inspiration? This inspired me…
A Whale of a Tale – Woods Hole, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
In one of my past lives I was a marine biologist. Yep, Jacques Cousteau was my idol. I loved the beach not so much for the sand but for the psammon (pronounced like the fish, but really the microscopic flora and fauna of the interstitial spaces between sand grains of sea-shore and lake-shore areas). Okay, too technical, I get it.
In any case, I did a lot of scrounging on the rocky shores of New England, snorkeling in the pristine clear waters of Bermuda, and scuba diving in the murky muck of the Jersey coast (long story). I even worked at the National Marine Fisheries Laboratories on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Sandy Hook, New Jersey. I studied jellyfish in the first and fish behavior in the second. The only problem with marine biology as a career was that there was basically one high-paying job in the business – and Jacques had it. So, alas, despite my all too brief discussion with Jean-Michel Cousteau about growing algae in Iowa (another long story), my marine biology days are behind me. At least professionally (yet another long story).
I did recently make my way back to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where I strolled past the Fishmonger Cafe and The Captain Kidd, passed along the moored boats, and said hello to a new old friend – the whale in front of the NMFS aquarium (more on aquariums later). So here are a couple of photos reminiscent of days long gone but never forgotten.
A Whale of a Tale
Something about the reflection in this photo brings back fond memories.
The Atomium, Brussels, Belgium…on a clear day
The Painted Buddy Bears of Stuttgart
With all the stress going on in the world right now it seems like a good time for a change of pace. How about we look at some painted bears? United Buddy Bears, to be exact. A great number of these bears came together a few years ago in Stuttgart, Germany, and I was lucky enough to come across them. I gave you a glimpse of one of them a few days ago in “There’s a story to every picture.”
The “United Buddy Bears” are focused on the idea of “The Art of Tolerance.” For a limited time only the city of Stuttgart put on display bears from around the world. Each participating country was given a blank bear to paint any way they wanted. Then about 150 of them were placed around the fountain near the old palace (in the Schlossplatz). Each country tried to capture the essence – or sometimes the mystery – of their nation in how they painted the bears.
Let’s start off with an easy one.
Okay, the “Statue of Liberty bear” from the United States was pretty easy to guess. But how about this one:
Too easy? How about another easy one:
Okay, waaaay too easy, right? Let’s try one that might take a little more thinking. Look closely at the markings and the bit of a metaphor thrown in as a subtle point.
Now, how about a little scuba diving? This one may not be so easy to figure out, especially for North Americans.
One more because I found this one totally fascinating:
That’s enough for now. Feel free to guess which country each one represents in the comments.** (See below for answers. No cheating.)
David J. Kent is an avid traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, now available. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!
Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page. Share with your friends using the buttons below.
**Answers
1. United States
2. Cuba
3. China
4. Croatia
5. Panama
6. El Salvador
