A Very Special Wedding

April 15, 2019 Joe BenningLeave a comment

We spent this past weekend in Baltimore for a very special occasion. We attended the wedding of Jennifer Rynda and Mark Sapienza. Jen is the daughter of our very good friends Rich and Anne Marie Rynda. Jen and Mark were married in a beautiful ceremony on the waterfront, followed by a reception on the waterfront. Amazingly enough, no one went into the harbor.

Before the wedding we got a chance to spend some time with our good friends of many years, Ron and Ethel Thau, along with their two daughters, who were also in town for Jen’s wedding. So we all walked around the Fells Point section of town for a bit. Fells Point is a landmark historical district where the architecture dates back to colonial times. Complete with cobblestone streets, the area is full of shops, restaurants and boutique hotels. It’s quite charming (as befits Charm City) and vibrant—even if you are not on your way to Jen’s wedding.

Here (below) are a couple of shots from our brief walkabout around the city. More photos are at Evocative Photos.

Thames St, Baltimore, Maryland, USA — April 13, 2019. Photo taken on Thames Street in the popular Fells Point Section of Baltomore with its boutique hotels, shops and restaurants.

Baltimore, MD, USA –April 13, 2019– People walk along on the promenade; a man dressed in a red shirt and sneakers feeds the pigeons.

Baltimore, MD, USA –April 13, 2019– A Baltimore City fireboat sails into the waters of the inner harbor.

Peak Bloom for the Cherry Blossoms

March 30, 2019April 2, 2019 Joe BenningLeave a comment

The Cherry Blossom Festival runs every year from March to April to commemorate the gift of 3,000 cherry trees the Mayor of Tokyo donated to the United States in 1912. The trees were meant to symbolize the friendship between the Japanese and American people. Located mainly around the Tidal Basin, the festival attracts large crowds to D.C. each year, especially for “Peak Bloom” which occurs when 70% of the Yoshino Cherry trees are open.

A Potomac Park morning with the cherry blossoms in peak bloom.

The festival includes walks, tours, concerts and a kite flying festival. However, the peak bloom period lasts only a few days, so people pack the District to celebrate the event during a narrow time window. This year predicted peak bloom is April 1, so Mary Anne and I headed out to the District to catch the sights and some of the celebration.

Washington, DC, USA — March 30, 2019. The Washington Monument seen through blooming cherry blossoms on a Spring morning.

Washington, DC, USA — March 30, 2019 A woman takes a photo of two friends under blooming cherry blossom trees by the Potomac.

Washington, DC, USA — March 30, 2019. Cherry Blossoms along the Tidal Basin display their pink flowers as thy approach peak bloom.

Washington, DC, USA — March 30, 2019. The Jefferson Memorial on a clear spring morning.

Sure enough there were large (mostly polite) crowd there to celebrate. And it is sure worth celebrating. The scenery is just spectacular. So: Here are a few shots taken today at the fesitivities.

JFB

Florida in February

February 28, 2019 Joe BenningLeave a comment

We took a short trip down to the Tampa-St.Pete area on the Gulf Coast to celebrate my sister’s wedding. The weather in February was perfect. St. Petersburg is a vibrant town with impressive parks, restaurants and spaces for art.

St Petersburg, FL, USA –February 15, 2019. Boats are moored in a Florida marina on a February morning.

We stayed at the Don Cesar, a first rate hotel, and met some friends who live nearby for dinner.

We also headed out to visit Fort De Soto Park in Tierra Verde. It’s the largest park within Pinellas County. It is made up of 5 interconnected islands and encompasses 1,136 acres. It has 7 miles of waterfront that includes 3 miles of sandy beaches; there are campsites, a museum, a ferry service, food concessions, birdwatching, swimming, nature trails—you name it. And if you don’t have a car, you can just Uber over and back.

Beach chairs and lounges decorate the beach at dusk

Fort De Soto Park, Florida — February 17, 2019. Photo of three men fishing off a pier into the Gulf of Mexico.

Fort De Soto Park, Florida — February 17, 2019. Photo of a long pier in the Gulf of Mexico with fishermen and tourists.

JFB

Colonial Williamsburg

January 14, 2019January 14, 2019 Joe BenningLeave a comment

We took a short trip down to the historic triangle which encompasses colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. This is not a trip to be missed. Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the new land and the place where the mighty British Empire established its first presence. Not surprisingly, Jamestown served as the first capitol of the Colony of Virginia, from 1618 until 1699. It was also the home of the county’s courthouse.

**Williamsburg, VA, USA — January 9, 2019. Actors in period costume, surrounded by tourists, put on a mock trial in colonial Williamsburg.**

It is difficult in the modern age for us to even imagine the dangers and hardships the settlers endured. For instance, from 1609 to 1610 over 80% of the settlers perished from disease and starvation, in what came to be known as the “Starving Time”. During this time the the settlers dug graves for the fallen, but hid the site so the Indians wouldn’t realize how weakened their position had become.

**A simple gravesight, recently discovered, secretly established by early settlers of Jamestown VA.**

It was also in Jamestown that the first Africans arrived—aboard a Portuguese slave ship. Thus began America’s long history with slavery, which was not to end until the civil war (1861—1865). But some effects linger to this day.

Yorktown, VA, USA — January 10, 2019. Photo of a small reconstructed wooden building that served as slave quarters on a Yorktown farm during the colonial era. Four to six people would have been housed here.

Virginia is a living museum to the American experiment in self government, and the historic triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown tells an important part of the story.

Williamsburg, VA, USA — January 9, 2019. Photo of horses, carriage and drivers in period dress by a hitching post by shops on the streets of colonial Williamsburg.

**Williamsburg, VA, USA — January 9, 2019. Photo of shops, pubs and Inns in colonial Williamsburg, VA on a cold and cloudy winter day.**

JFB

Changing Seasons

November 28, 2018November 28, 2018 Joe BenningLeave a comment

Winter is right around the corner. Here’s a video of the change in seasons.

Visit Evocative Photos to view high quality stills.

JFB

Autumn Arrives

October 30, 2018October 30, 2018 Joe BenningLeave a comment

Fairfax County Virginia has an extraordinary system of public parks. There are lakes and nature trails everywhere you turn. In addition, Great Falls National Park in McLean Virginia features a spectacular series of waterfalls in addition to picnic grounds and hiking trails. Now that the end of October has arrived, the trees are bursting with fall colors; kayakers are braving the rapids of the Great Falls and fishermen are casting for perch and bass in the lakes. Have a look below at recent photos taken in the parks.

JFB

George Washington’s Farm in Mount Vernon

September 6, 2018 Joe BenningLeave a comment

One of the very nice things about living in Virginia is the abundance of historical sights. For instance, the Smithsonian is 15 miles away in DC; there is the Manassas National Battlefield Park, and the Mount Vernon Ladies Association maintains Washington’s farm and mansion and runs a first rate museum and film center.

We recently paid a visit to Washington’s mansion and the grounds in Mount Vernon. The tour begins with an excellent short film that focuses on Washington’s leadership in the Revolutionary War. The grounds are beautiful and the story is inspiring. It is hard—impossible actually—not to reflect on the courage and leadership of Washington compared to the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. That alone makes the trip worthwhile, even though there is so much more.

Perhaps the difference between Washington and the current crop is best summed by Washington when he said “I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.” Something to think about.

Some photos below.

JFB

Touring Banff: Walking on Glaciers and Sailing on Turquoise Lakes

August 9, 2018August 9, 2018 Joe BenningLeave a comment

Banff deserves a priority listing on any to do list. The place is a natural wonderland, with spectacular mountains, valleys and lakes. It is full of good restaurants; it has wonderful hotels, the service is first rate and there are numerous tours lasting from a couple of hours riding a tour boat on a lake to weeks long camping trips. Among other things, we booked a tour that allowed us to walk on a glacier.

We also booked an all-day tour with a guide named Sam who took us all around Banff, Lake Moraine and Johnston Canyon, where we did a considerable amount of hiking around. One place was more spectacular than the next. (Thanks Sam!)

Now we are back in the airport in Calgary waiting to fly back to DC. It was a great trip and belongs on everyone’s to do list. Here below are a few shots from the tours.

JFB

Tourists take a walk on the Athabasca Glacier in Banff.

Photo looking over Lake Minnewanka from a boat with a colorful sky and the Canadian Rockies in the background.

Banff, Canada

August 4, 2018August 4, 2018 Joe BenningLeave a comment

Banff is nestled in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada. It is a place of spectacular beauty, which may explain the proliferation of one of the banes of modern life. I refer to that most horrid of devices: The Selfie Stick. It seems like everyone in Banff has at least one, ever ready to snap a photo of the owner with a mountain or lake in the background. Which is not to short change go-pros; they are everywhere as well, if only slightly less obnoxious.

But even the ever present selfie stick fades into insignificance in the midst of the breath taking beauty of Banff. The Canadian Rockies are ever present; the lakes and rivers are a clear gorgeous turquoise, and there are massive glaciers all over the place. Our initial outing included a trip to Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, and the Athabasca Glacier, which we got on chance to walk on. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Here are some photos below. More will be posted in the coming days.

JFB

Wide angle shot overlooking Peyto Lake in Banff Canada. Note the selfie stick photographer in the lower right corner.

Main street in Banff with mountain rising in the background

On to England

July 26, 2018July 26, 2018 Joe BenningLeave a comment

After spending some time in Ireland doing some sightseeing and visiting family, we made our way over to England to visit (and stay with) with our good friends Michael and Sally Oxlade who live in the country side. They were kind enough to take us on a 2-day whirlwind tour that included Winchester Cathedral, Highclere Castle (where Downton Abbey is filmed) and the Winchester Museum that, among other things, includes a re-creation of King Arthur’s Round Table. These are just a few of the spots we visited. Perhaps most importantly we all went to the village pub to relax and share some memories before having one of Sally’s delicious dinners.

Thanks, Sally and Michael (and your son Charley) for a wonderful time. Here are a couple of photos of places we visited on the too short visit.

JFB