Chateau d'If

As Pam mentioned yesterday, we are out of town, spending some time in the South of France. For those of you who have read (or watched) The count of Monte Cristo, Chateau d'If may sound familiar. Originally a fortress, but for many years a prison, the Chateau was the island prison of Edmund Dantes for fourteen years. Although the story is fiction, Chateau d'If exists on a small island off the coast of Marseilles, France.

We spent some time there today and had fun exploring and learning a little about the prison no one was supposed to be able to escape from.

Evidently it was seagull nesting time, so all over the island we came across the birds sitting on or guarding their nests hidden within the wildflowers.

It made for a beautiful day.

Island perspective

I'm back in Hawaii for a quick 4-day trip, so I thought I would to share a couple of views of Waikiki. Tonight we had dinner at one of the restaurants in the recently re-created International Marketplace, which is now a seriously posh shopping and dining center. The only thing that remains of the original area is the banyan tree in the center of the complex.

Originally founded in 1957, the Marketplace was closed down for reconstruction in 2014 and reopened last August. As beautiful and charming as it is now, I have to admit, I miss the local feel the original Marketplace had.

After dinner I had to take a short walk down to the beach.  I couldn't resist trying to capture the palm tree shadow on the beach.

"Traveling ~ it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller. 
~ Ibn Batutta 

Santa Catalina

Santa Catalina Island lies about 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. It's a popular tourist destination, with the boat trip taking about an hour from Long Beach. (And it's free if you go on your birthday.) This is a view of part of the Avalon harbor, with the Casino in the background.

The Casino was built in 1929 by William Wrigley, Jr. You might recognize that name from the chewing gum brand that he created, or as the owner of the Chicago Cubs, where Wrigley Field was named after him.

Cars are limited on the island, so you mainly get around by foot, bike, golf cart, or boat. My daughter and I walked around the town, took a glass-bottom boat tour (fun!), and climbed up several flights of stairs to this vantage point where we had this wonderful view of the entire harbor.

The Big Island

No, this picture is not of Downey. I am on the Big Island of Hawaii. Nearly twice as big as all of the other islands combined, it is also extremely diverse.

Today I drove across the island to get a "feel" for it and found the green rolling hills of Waimea, with horses and livestock on the wide open plains. Then as I headed into the center of the island I found fields of black rock as far as you could see.

And, of course, my beautiful day ended as the yellow gold sun set on the water, coloring the entire sky.

A Balboa valentine part 2

Yesterday I talked about our Valentine holiday on Balboa Island. Today, I want to continue telling you about that great day. We walked for over 6 miles during the day and had a great view the whole way. There are water sports galore. For these guys, the calmness of the bay is ideal for exercising while enjoying the view.

For others, it's a time for laying around. Even if it is on someone else boat. I don't think the owner of this $30,000 boat is going to be happy to find it has been appropriated by these seals in his absence.

A Balboa valentine

Last Friday, which was Valentine's day this year, my wife and I went to Balboa Island, Newport Beach, for the day. Balboa Island is 33 miles south of Downey. It was created in 1909 by William Collins by dredging up sand from the harbor and piling it onto the local tideland. Lots that sold originally for $600 are now selling for several million on average. This ferry, which carries cars and passengers between Balboa Peninsula and the Island, first began operation in 1920 with a single two-car boat.

It now operates 3 three-car boats. I estimated it has transported over 19.5 million cars in its 93 years.

More of Balboa Island tomorrow.