Most of the day was spent on one of the Aran Islands. It was a great day for photography as it was actually sunny and there was so much to photograph, from a remarkable fort to literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of stone fences from millions of stones dividing up the
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THE FIFTH COLUMN: Ireland Bike Tour – Cycling Day 2, To The Burren Slide Show
Today we did a circle route through the remarkable Burren, a landscape that almost defies description, although parts of Ottawa’s Lime Kiln Trail with it’s underlying Limestone hints at it. And, of course it’s Ireland so there were more ruins. This was the second hardest climbing day of the tour.
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Ireland Bike Tour – Cycling Day 1, The Irish Landscape Slide Show
Today we got setup on our bikes with our self-guiding instructions so we could ride on our own while Jeff went ahead with the van and then would mysteriously appear on his bike cycling towards us to make sure we were not lost. We rode to the Cliffs of Moher
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Ireland Bike Tour – Ennis Slide Show
We arrived a few days early and got to know the town of Ennis which was full of stone walls, first thing we noticed, and lots of local shops and pubs – no Walmarts or big box stores. The only chain store we noticed was a large Irish department store,
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: Ireland Bike Tour Overview
In recalling our wonderful bike tour of Ireland at first it seems like one long uphill ride in the rain, the green being the only constant. But actually every day was different with many different landscapes and varied geography throughout the over 300 kilometre route. We even had some dry
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Phake Photos Make Come Back #nlpoli
The Mighty Ceeb ran a story on Thursday about a block of three houses in downtown St. John’s. Tourists and some residents are upset by a set of wires that one of the local phone companies has installed in front of the houses. They quoted Les Cuff, who lives in
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Dear travelers to Montreal,
As the nightly demonstrations that snake their way through the city continue, often picking up thousands along the way and cheered on by onlookers from balconies, windows, and outdoor patios, I hope you understand that these marches are peaceful, joyous, and filled with the same festive spirit that is unique to Montreal and unparalleled in North America. I hope that you can look beyond the countless negative stories produced by mainstream media outlets that mischaracterize this city as, among other things, violent and dangerous. Montreal is neither violent nor dangerous. I hope that you can see clearly through the if-it-doesn’t-bleed-it-doesn’t-lead journalistic strategy and discover that the rare abandon of the aggressive few is minute compared to the extraordinary coming together of the gentle masses. People of varying ages and from diverse backgrounds coalesce at these nocturnal happenings. Some bang utensils, pots, and pans (a nod to the practice of our Chilean counterparts undergoing a similar period of change), and all are armed—no, not with weapons—but with the determination to make the world a better place. If you choose to march with us (and we welcome you with open hearts), it will quickly occur to you that all these well-meaning human beings wouldn’t be out on the streets of our enchanting neighborhoods if they didn’t already take for granted that Montreal is a safe and friendly town for citizens and travelers alike, no matter where you decide to go and even after the sun sets. This is Montreal. Come and see for yourself. You’ll be witnessing an historic moment in the process.
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Dear travelers to Montreal,
As the nightly demonstrations that snake their way through the city continue, often picking up thousands along the way and cheered on by onlookers from balconies, windows, and outdoor patios, I hope you understand that these marches are peaceful, joyous, and filled with the same festive spirit that is unique to
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Dear travelers to Montreal,
As the nightly demonstrations that snake their way through the city continue, often picking up thousands along the way and cheered on by onlookers from balconies, windows, and outdoor patios, I hope you understand that these marches are peaceful, joyous, and filled with the same festive spirit that is unique to
Continue reading