© Heather Alderink
St. Lucia, Caribbean Islands. My friend Heather sent this to me while she was on her honeymoon in the Caribbean. Love it!
Friday Funny Sign: Please Be More Selective When You Pee Here
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Travel Oops: The Unfortunate Photo — Here’s a ‘Little Ditty’ about a Rock Star Who Didn’t Really Want his Picture Taken
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
© Stephanie Glaser 2011
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.
© Edward Schuck 2004
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.
Travel Oops: The Unfortunate Photo — “Is There a Snake in Your Pants or Are You Happy to See Me?”
© Judy Schuck
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.
© Judy Schuck
Travel Oops: “Tenemos un Problema con el Baño” (We Have a Problem with the Bathroom)
My sister Suzie and I © Edward Schuck 1981
Becoming fluent in Spanish was an important goal of mine in seventh grade at Santa Barbara Junior High in 1981. Already, I knew that I wanted to travel.
Every Sunday when my dad brought in the Los Angeles Times and placed it on our kitchen table, I rifled through for the travel section, which was huge. I scanned all the ads and articles as well as filled out every form, requesting brochures and tourist materials. Many of the countries to which I wanted to travel were Spanish-speaking nations.
© Dhscommtech
Consequently, to learn Spanish, I dutifully conjugated verbs, poured through my textbook and practiced the book’s basic dialog scenarios at home. Literally translated into English (only in present tense), the riveting stories went something like this:
Carmen: Hello, Juan.
Juan: Hello, Carmen.
Carmen: I go to the shoe store.
Juan: I go to the shoe store, also.
Happy New Year and Safe Travels for 2013
© Stephanie Glaser
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
© Stephanie Glaser
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.
Travel Oops: “Someone smashed a window, Miss! And he’s right there!”
© Jade Taylor 2010
After local troublemakers invaded Le Fevre and punched the principal as he tried to get them out of the school, the entire staff was on high alert. First, the assailants had broken a window and then charged into the main building to “bash” a year 12 who had slept with one of their girlfriends. They brought knives and knuckledusters (brass knuckles).
Having a school lockdown situation was nothing new to me since I came from the US. I was now in Australia as an exchange teacher. Word on the street with my year 11’s was that the derelicts weren’t finished. Another massive bashing was on the way.
Two weeks earlier, at nearby Henley High School, students had given their uniforms to some hooligans from another school. Consequently, the intruders, who had major grudges, stalked the Henley halls unnoticed. They kicked the crap out of a student, who again, had slept with the wrong girl and then unwisely publicized it on Facebook.
Travel Ahh….Holidays in the Quiet Mountains and in the Crazy City
© Stephanie Glaser
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.
© Stephanie Glaser
© Stephanie Glaser
Friday Funny Sign — Any Milk Left for My Latte?
© Stephanie Glaser 2012
Colorado, USA. Who knew Starbucks had a mom and pop dairy that makes milk for all that foam? The former dairy is on the way to a popular ski area and it catches my eye each time I drive past.
Travel Oops 