The Travel Ahh…Alleyways and Side Streets

Posted on January 13, 2013 by sglaser

Side streets and alleyways often exude mystery. What’s around the corner or what will I find? Danger? Intrigue? Side streets and alleys often have a negative, managing connotation and are associated with dodgy activities. Perhaps, that’s the appeal. The photo collection of alleyways and side streets here is not particularly threatening — especially since the photos were taken in the daytime. However, each alleyway and street offered something interesting.

The shot above and the following two pictures I took in Melbourne, Australia. I was lucky to be traveling with Amy, a dear friend of mine who is an excellent photographer, and she inspired me to appreciate beauty in even the smallest detail.

I really like this shot above because you can see Federation Square — perhaps the opposite of an alleyway — A cheery meeting place with heaps of activity.

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Travel Oops: The Unfortunate Photo — Here’s a ‘Little Ditty’ about a Rock Star Who Didn’t Really Want his Picture Taken

Posted on January 10, 2013 by sglaser

Look at how excited John Mellencamp is to pose with me!

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA. In 1986, I posed in a photo with John (Cougar) Mellencamp, one of the biggest rock ‘n rollers in the United States at the time. “Jack and Diane,” “Hurts So Good” “Pink Houses,” “Small Town,” “Lonely Ol’ Night,” “R.O.C.K’ in the USA” are a few of his “little” ditties.

You don’t need to be a body language reading expert to assess that the picture was pretty much taken against his will. That summer, Mellencamp was vacationing in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I was there, too, with my good friend, Melissa, and her family. The condo where we stayed overlooked Mellencamp’s penthouse. Word on the beach was that he was staying there, and that we might run into him.

One day I was walking on the beach with Melissa’s cousin, Catherine, from Pennsylvania. She spotted Mellencamp, and being a bit more…aggressive, persistent and “east coast,” shall we say, she immediately had a mission. “Come awwwn, Steph…let’s go talk to him,” Catherine said as she trooped over to get his photo. She shoved me in the picture, and I felt very awkward, especially since it was clear John did not want to be bothered.

John Cougar Mellencamp’s penthouse © Stephanie Glaser 1986

The Travel Ahh…Bridges

Posted on January 7, 2013 by sglaser

I love bridges. They are artistic, functional and symbolic. Just the idea of connecting two places along with a way to further travel is enough reason for me to appreciate bridges. It must have started for me at an early age because grew up in Eden Prairie, MN, USA. It was the town with the Graffiti Bridge, after which rocker Prince named his 1990 movie and album. The following are photos from my travels, and the majority are pictures of structures found in the United States, Europe and Australia. One of my travel goals is to take photos of bridges in Africa, South America and more from Asia.

Above is the Hood River Bridge that spans over the Columbia River from Hood River Oregon and White Salmon, Washington.

Prague, Czech Republic. Prague has the bridges — here’s the Charles Bridge, which is sort of sandwiched in between two other bridges. It is a very recognizable landmark.

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Travel Oops: The Unfortunate Photo — “Is There a Snake in Your Pants or Are You Happy to See Me?”

Posted on January 3, 2013 by sglaser

Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. I’m here with my dad and a python who was getting a little too friendly at the Alice Springs Reptile Centre. For some reason, it chose my crotch and the top of my thigh as a secure anchor for its wanderings.

From the look on my face, you may think I was enjoying this a bit more than necessary. Actually, I had a lot of nervous energy going…especially since the snake decided to live up to its cousin’s name and become a boa around my neck.

Happy New Year and Safe Travels for 2013

Posted on January 1, 2013 by sglaser

Here’s to hoping everyone gets a chance to travel — whether it’s to the next city, state or province over or to an entirely new country. Thank you so much for stopping by, commenting on and following Travel Oops — it’s been a fantastic journey becoming a blogger and sharing stories with such a diverse and supportive community!

I’m planning to travel as well and embrace the unexpected in 2013 — after all, I always need more material. Thanks for laughing with me or at me — I hope you’ve done both! Cheers, Steph

The Travel Ahh….Life on a Frozen Lake

Posted on December 30, 2012 by sglaser

Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. In many cases winter represents an end to something: like an end to fall, an end to warm weather, an end to the year, an end to a life cycle. It can be a bit depressing, really. Consequently, I’m not a fan of winter or the cold, but when you travel back to Minnesota for the holidays, that is what you will get. This year I decided, however, to appreciate winter, in particular, the beauty and the mystery of a frozen lake.

Seaweed in the ice © Stephanie Glaser

A frozen lake is just another phase of a life cycle. Actually, you see quite a bit of life, albeit some of it cryogenically preserved. Sensory details keep it interesting as well whether it is the crunch of snow, the cold on your face or the bright glare of the sun reflecting off the ice.

A somewhat unsettling, but cool, sound occurs when the ice contracts and expands, making noises like a whale or a thick wire reverberating. My favorite description is from my son Eddie, who noticed the ice sounded a stormtrooper firing his blaster in “Star Wars.” So really it’s like whales playing laser tag. Fortunately, this is normal activity for a frozen lake and while there are cracks that happen way down in the layers of ice, water seeps in and refills the cracks.

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Travel Ahh….Holidays in the Quiet Mountains and in the Crazy City

Posted on December 26, 2012 by sglaser

Salida, Colorado. Winter in the mountains is farther away — it shows up in the peaks, evergreens and the chair lifts. Christmas is calm and quiet.

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Travel Oops: The Unfortunate Photo —Is that Vomit in the Viewfinder?

Posted on December 20, 2012 by sglaser

With digital cameras, it’s so easy to delete photos with mistakes or unwanted shots. Sometimes those pics can be gems, however. At the very least, they may be a reminder about a funny incident or the challenge to get the photo in the first place. So Travel Oops has a new feature: “The Unfortunate Photo!”

Melbourne, Australia (above). I really wanted a family photo with a cityscape of Melbourne in the background. We chose a bit of an awkward spot in terms of getting several buildings in the shot. My friend Anne took the picture and was definitely intent on getting the right angle.

Unfortunately, with that angle, she also inadvertently included a pile of barf, which we had almost stepped in moments before. It caught my eye after I picked up the developed shots, and now it’s really the only thing I see when I look at the photo. It cracks me up each time.

Travel Ahh…Children

Posted on December 17, 2012 by sglaser

Because of the recent unthinkable tragedy in the United States, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about my own kids and children in general. I want this Travel Ahh…to be a celebration of children and their innocence. The photo above is of a child in East Berlin, East Germany feeding pigeons in a mall area. I love how kids can be captivated by a bird adults think of as a dirty pest.

Exouth, Western Australia. Putting your hands in mud or dirt is a universal joy. This is my daughter, Kasey, who was fascinated with the red dirt.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. These shy girls were coming home from school and they kindly agreed to have their photo taken.

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The Travel Ahh…Roads and Streets

Posted on December 10, 2012 by sglaser

Roads and streets are definitely symbolic when it comes to travel. Just listen to Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” or read Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. Of course, when you are stuck in traffic during a commute, the road is the last place where you want to be. But, when you’re traveling, roads and streets always lead somewhere new or unexpected. Sometimes it’s not always the destination, but what you see on the way that is so striking. (The photo above was taken along a remote road on Kangaroo Island, Australia.

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