theStearns

The Washington Monument at dusk (photo by Kenn Stearns)

The Washington Memorial lies near the center of a cross formed by the U.S. Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House and the Jefferson Memorial. Made of marble, sandstone, and granite, the obelisk is the world’s tallest stone structure and the world’s tallest obelisk. Construction took place over 30 years, between 1848 and 1884. The difference in shading about a third of the way up shows where progress stalled for a variety of reasons including intervention of the War Between the States.

The Potomac River near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC (photo by Kenn Stearns)

A late afternoon view of the Potomac River near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial with the Arlington Memorial Bridge in the background.

The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on May 30, 1922 (Kenn Stearns)

Last night rain showers rolled through Washington, DC. The inclement weather didn’t seem to stem the flow of visitors to the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. Lincoln’s white marble statue in the central hall took four years to complete. It is alleged that sculptor Daniel Chester French, who was familiar with American Sign Language, formed the statue’s hands into sign language versions of Lincoln’s initials as a tribute to the 16th president signing legislation that benefited Gallaudet University, a university for the deaf. Each year almost 4 million people visit the Lincoln Memorial.

View of the Lincoln Memorial from the base of the Washington Monument (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Parasailing off the coast of Catalina Island (photo by Kenn Stearns)

When it comes to caring and nurturing, there’s no better way to express your protective side than to pay good money to have your kid fitted with a harness, tied to a long line, and reeled out a 100 feet or so in the air behind a boat slamming through choppy seas.

Scenes from Charleston, South Carolina (photo by Kenn Stearns)

It was Charles Towne in 1670 and by the late 1600s had grown to become one of America’s largest cities. It was renamed Charleston in 1783 and remained one of the largest cities until the mid-1800s. Nicknames include Carolopolis, Charlie-O, Chucktown, and The Holy City. By any name, Charleston’s historic buildings, art and historical museums, tourist attractions, and culinary diversions are well worth enjoying. My personal favorite is Rainbow Row, a series of colorful historic homes known for their pleasing and highly photogenic pastel colors. My encounter with the popular tourist attraction happened at dawn when traffic was light and when the air was clear so the sunrise could cast enchanting shadows that were commanded to dance across architectural treasures. Chasing daylight down Rainbow Row is moving, exciting, and somewhat spiritual.

Sunrise cast shows and daylight dances across historic Charleston (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Nyhavn is a popular entertainment and tourist district in Copenhagen, Denmark (photo by Kenn Stearns)

There’s a certain charm to Nyhavn, a colorful waterfront district of Copenhagen that’s a popular tourist destination. But “colorful” means more than the bright canal-front buildings in the photo above. In its day, Nyhavn was an active harbor best known for pubs, prostitutes, and partying. The infamous reputation has given way to tourism, the old buildings that once housed merchants and brothels are now restaurants, ice cream parlors, and tourist attractions such as canal tour boats. In the summer, music and people are everywhere – the lively atmosphere a stark contrast to the medieval architecture and the wooden boats.

The smell of freshly-baked waffle cones wafts from the open doors of Vaffelbageren, an ice cream shop in Nyhavn where foam and jam can be added to the frozen desserts (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Fantasmic! is a night-time show staged on the waters of the Rivers of America at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA (photo by Kenn Stearns)

I’ve been spending the week in Southern California and whenever I’m here Disneyland comes to mind. Before there was a Disney World, my family would visit Disneyland for summer vacations. My father usually combined our visits to the greater Los Angeles area with business. One year we stayed with business friends in La Cañada Flintridge – their daughter was in a music group that Disneyland had signed on as an act and we watched them perform at the park. Little did I know that decades later my own daughter would perform at the park during the summer of 2009.

You're Invited! Celebrate Today! Main Street USA at Disneyland (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Farringdon Within is one of 25 Wards in the City of London (photo by Kenn Stearns)

The City of London (also referred to as “the City” or “Square Mile”) is a core historic district within London, England. The City’s boundaries cover a little more than one square mile and have remained mostly unchanged since the Middle Ages when it constituted all of London.

The City of London is made up of 25 Wards that are ancient. Only four of the Wards (Aldersgate, Cripplegate, Portsoken, and Queenhithe) are primarily residential. The City’s daytime non-resident population is about 450,000 but there are only about 10,000 residents. This means the City’s controversial electoral system includes voters representing businesses. The City has its own police force, one hospital, one primary school, and five libraries.

Originally known as the Ward of Anketill de Auvergne, in 1394 it was divided into Farringdon Within and Farringdon Without – named for the Farindon family of landowners. Farringdon Within is one of the largest of the 25 Wards in the City of London.

A studio entrance at Solage Calistoga in Calistoga, California (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Solage Calistoga is situated along Silverado Trail in Calistoga, CA. The property is billed as the “first full-service luxury resort in the valley,” but we found a far better experience could be had for luxury prices – apparently outside the “valley” – at Auberge du Soleil (15 miles away) or Meadowood (12 miles away) located in secluded hillside areas that evoke true luxury: seclusion, exclusivity, and hospitality.

I arrived at the property on a Friday in the summer, peak tourist season in the Wine Country. While I’m no enologist/oenologist, sommelier, vintner, or viticulturist – moderately serious wine lovers should stay away from the summer chaos. I got off to a bad start when neither of the two bellmen on duty offered to assist with my luggage – and they were not helping others. Maybe my rental car was too pedestrian. The check-in representative loudly announced my pre-paid rate, pointed out my “studio” on the map, and advised I drive to the room. Their cancellation policy, like the resort, is not friendly:

100% of the reservation including tax is due at time of booking. Any cancellations or no-shows within fourteen (14) days of arrival will result in forfeiture of all deposits. A cancellation processing fee of $35.00 will be charged should you cancel at any time after booking.

Each of the 89 rooms are photographed with idyllic bicycles neatly parked in a rack nearby. Mine remained locked to the rack for the entire stay – no one was certain how to unlock it. When I asked the manager about the “green” aspects of the property (solar panels are prominently visible on the roof) he wasn’t sure. The poolside bar was out of things I ordered, e.g. my Pinot Noir was served in a martini glass. The heralded Solbar restaurant service (a Michelin star!) and cuisine were below average. However, breakfast Saturday morning on the patio was a delight and the waiter exceeded expectations.

My favorite aspect of this luxury-less “resort” was watching it grow smaller in the rear view mirror when I drove away Sunday morning. There are so many places to visit and stay in the Wine Country. I cannot recommend Solage Calistoga for anything other than a nice breakfast.

RMS Queen Mary 2 in Cozumel, Mexico (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Although the largest cruise ship ever built to date is the Oasis of the Seas launched in October 2009, RMS Queen Mary 2 remains the largest ocean liner ever built. The RMS prefix stands for Royal Mail Ship, a designation used since 1840 for vessels that are authorized to carry mail under contract with the national postal service of the United Kingdom: Royal Mail. The RMS designation was viewed as a mark of quality because the mail was required to be on time.

A cruise ship is a floating hotel designed to operate in calm waters under normal conditions for mostly short-term pleasure trips. With strengthened hull and faster engines, an ocean liner is built to traverse the world’s seas with the ability to cover long distances while handling a wide range of weather conditions. Think of it as the Titanic versus the Love Boat.

The Queen Mary 2 cost almost a $1 billion and is 1,132 feet in length. She can accommodate 3,056 passengers and 1,253 officers and crew. On board facilities include five swimming pools, 15 restaurants and bars, and the first planetarium at sea. She is the current flagship of the Cunard Line.

Springtime in Minneapolis (photo by Kenn Stearns)

April in Minneapolis may include a dusting of snow.

Kryssningsfartyg sign in Sweden (photo by Kenn Stearns)

This morning I was browsing photos from international travel looking for a Photo of the Day candidate. I came across the Kryssningsfartyg sign above and went to Google for a translation. Search results led to a translated Wikipedia page. It was a relief to learn “cruise ships have no tires” in Sweden.

Machine translation still have some issues.

Peterhof Palace and Garden outside St. Petersburg, Russia (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Designed by Peter the Great, Peterhof  was a summer residence for Russian tsars on the shore of the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea). The massive luxurious royal estate is a combination of several palaces and parks also referred to as the “Russian Versailles” built between 1709 and 1724. It was virtually destroyed by the Nazi’s during WWII. More than 34,000 paintings and sculptures were destroyed. Restoration began in 1944 and continued through 1960.

The East Chapel is one of two buildings flanking the the central palace.