remnants and rembrants of europe

yeah, its taken me a while to get this post up but for what its worth these are the top six photo's of the trip per country--one for each. europe certainly had its virtues--its own jewels and gem and it certainly shines more than Seoul in the summer but that's probably just a bad comparison altogether.

conclusions and things we (aubri and i) learned: one month is not enough. (never is when you travel). the eurail pass is only worth it if you cheat the system by not reserving a seat. (perhaps they account for this when the attach the price). Couch surfing is the best way to travel--we met really amazing people and stayed for free in their homes. (but keep it a secret please--if CS keeps growing the way it has been the site is going to crash and then their will be a lot of homeless travelers.) the Notre Dame offers free wifi. Italian food is good everywhere you just get more of it in germany (same is true of the ice-gellato). Not even rome is pleasant when the temp is 106˚. Paris is pretty to look at, much more so than London but neither have the zip nor zest of Amsterdam. Florence and Rome fall into a different category. King Louis was brilliant (Aubri disagrees on this one). If you were to take all of the thousands of flat-screen tv's, beamers, living room tile and ceiling plaster, the cheap reprints and amenities etc. of middle class living and put all those people in grass huts and put then to work in stone, glass, and gardening--well then our generation could have something really amazing and lasting to leave for our children--a 21st century Verseillies. Instead it all goes to the landfill. The Ufiitzi in Florence probably speaks great depth to the art history major but for me the Rijiks and Van Gogh museums in Amsterdam were the best. Rembrant's clarity and contrast convey a real depth of talent but nothing slapped me in the face with the emotional tug like Van Gogh's 'potatoe eaters' and 'crows'. Michelangelo's Pieta was breathtaking. Its a shame they have to keep it behind the plastic wall. If you are a Mormon you should know about Zolichfen even if you've never heard of Bern or Geneva. Toblerone sells a 10kilo chocholate bar. The coolest single place was stonehenge--tragically so. Its got fences and ropes a busy freeway running past and they want $16 for to just walk up to the rope. From the free dirt road 100 yards off the stones are much smaller but its quite, tourist free and out there across the rolling wheatgrass feilds, when the sun sets and shines on the stones the soul of the place comes alive. We were told they let crazy enthusiasts in on the summer and winter solstice for sunrise--and then you can actually touch the rocks. Perhaps we'll have to go back.

The Spiral Jetty

Some friends and I took, what for me, was a second trip to the sprial jetty the sunday before last. It occured to me that Robert Smithson's idea is working, so far as the jetty goes. I guess he has some eight or nine of what he called, 'earthworks' spread out in different places from Rome to Manhattan to Texas. The idea of getting people to come to unusual places in nature, i think, is a good one. Because, I would normally probably stop at the golden spike monument if I even got that far. The jetty is not an easy visit. From Korin it takes about 30 minutes to get to golden spike and from there it is 23 miles of dirt road to the north rim of the salk lake where the jetty is located.

Both times I've been there, I haven't been alone. by that I mean our group hasn't been exclusive. Other people were there to check it out. The jetty itself is impressive but not nearly so as the north rim of the lake. Out their where the saltwater meets the basalt rock from the ridges behind, you feel like you're on the moon or better than the moon. I don't know that ethereal or extraterrestrial describes it either. It's almost--holy. Gazing across the lake it's difficult to tell where earth ends and heaven begins. It's liminal space at its best.

ps. All those in favor of straitening the jetty please leave your comments in the affirmative here.

Buddha's Joy

My sister, brother and I were returning from a 4th of July trip to Afton Wyoming this weekend when we encountered some rather rude Californians. We were moving along nicely in our 81' beater truck when they started flashing their lights and waving a cell phone at us hysterically. We pulled over to find out what the issue was and the lady in the passenger seat sprung out and threatened to call the **#*$$*% police if we didn't put the **#*$(#( dog in the cab. Her husband was echoing her every word from the driver's seat of their white SUV.

Buddha, our pet dog of six years was up on top of all the camping stuff with his nose to the wind. From inside the cab we were taking pictures of him because he looked pretty comical with his ears flapping in the wind. In some ways, it was Buddha at his best. He was taking in the sights, sounds and smells with a lively curiosity. He was happy surfing the rain clean air of Star Valley. Enter crazy animal rights activists.

We were incredulous at first. We couldn't understand why they were so upset. We assured them that the dog would be fine and kept driving. Much to their chagrin. I can only imagine what conversation they had with the local police but at some point they must have realized that they weren't getting any help. So they decided to follow us and for the next 150 miles they repeatedly passed us and then fell behind as the woman in the passenger seat took pictures. We smiled and waved--being both amused and annoyed by such eccentric behavior. I can only imagine how useless those pictures will be to her when she files her complaint with the ESPCA.

So, Mr. and Mrs. Supersensitive to Dog Rights, if you ever read this, please remember that in most cases people should get at least as much respect as animals. And rest assured that Buddha is safely and happily home.

Life Escalated

I have found my new favorite place in Utah. Zions aside, the vistas of the small piece of the Grand Starcase of Escalante that I saw more than reminded me of why Utah will always be home. I loved the duluges, rich earth, and acacia of the rift valley in Ethiopia. Between Seoul and DC I learned to appreciate the city scape. And the high rugged mountains of the Uintah's and the Wind River range are grand beyond measure. But I've never seen a landscape that seemed so teeming with life as I saw in Escalante.

It had its share of annoyances. Nat bites heal slower than meskitoes and the nats were everywhere. I also had a few scary encounters with rattlesnakes and changed my mind about sleeping out under that stars. But even the annoyances were part of what made the land so entriguing. During the three mile hike towards Neon, every step off the trail was like a miniture pit-fall that reveled a network of burrows where the desert wild-life found refuge from the sun. In the canyons we encountered frogs and crows, catterpillers and stinkbugs, and dancing daddy-long-leg spiders without number. There in the damp cool shadows the spiders gather by the hundreds and bounce on the rock rythmically, as though they are gathering life force from the rock.

The green moss the hugs the canyon walls in selective places is apparently where the canyon 'Neon' gets its name. The colors are electric like the spiders. It's as though they are plugged in to something. The pictures won't show as much as the living landscape but I've posted a few anyway.

It was a first rate trip. Hope to return again soon.