Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, USA

June 19, 2026

Yosemite National Park is one of those rare places (like The Grand Canyon and Milford Sound) that, despite the hype, actually exceed expectations. We weren’t surprised that it has been named the most beautiful place in California.

In 1864, the United States Congress passed legislation that was signed by President Abraham Lincoln creating the Yosemite Grant. It was the first time that land had been set aside specifically for preservation and public use by the U.S. Government and set a precedent for the 1872 creation of Yellowstone National Park, the nation’s first.

Interestingly, the indigenous Ahwahneechee people who lived at Yosemite actually called it Ahwahnee meaning “big mouth” probably describing the big open shape of the Yosemite valley. The name Yosemite is believed to come from a term used by the neighboring Milwok people to refer to the Ahwahneechee and has been translated to mean “those who kill”, likely referencing their fierce reputation.

We spent two idyllic days exploring the park with our nephew Christopher and his better half, Carla. The first iconic site we saw on entering the valley was El Capitan, perhaps the world’s most famous climbing wall. It rises straight up for about 3,000 feet (914 meters). In 2017, Alex Honnold became the first person to climb it without ropes, an achievement captured in the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo. It is one of the most terrifying things we have seen on film. Unfortunately, the photos don’t do justice to just how immense it is.

There are many beautiful walks in the valley, some ending in dramatic waterfalls.

We were reminded of Woody Woodpecker from the cartoon of our childhood watching these two woodpeckers go to work on a tree.

New Zealand vs. Iran, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California, USA

June 15, 2026

The soccer World Cup is currently underway in North America and as luck would have it New Zealand was playing Iran in Los Angeles at SoFi stadium, home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. Opened in 2020, it is a state of the art stadium with a curving polymer roof and a unique double sided video board that weighs over 2 million pounds (1,000 metric tons). The stadium holds over 70,000 people and with its towering stands, it is not unlike the World Cup quidditch stadium in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Los Angeles has one of the largest Iranian communities outside Iran itself, and we think that most of them must have been at the ground, because it definitely felt like a home game for Iran. When they scored the sound was deafening. But that does not mean that those at the game were necessarily fans of the current regime. In fact, it appeared to be just the opposite, with many fans booing the national anthem which had been adopted by the Islamic state in 1990. Many also waved the the Lion and Sun flag that was Iran’s national flag before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The flag has become a symbol of Iranian identity, protest and support for democratic change. FIFA’s ban of the flag as a political symbol appeared to be widely ignored, based on the number of flags being waved both outside and inside the stadium. The game ended in a 2-2 draw which seemed to be a fair result.

Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California, USA

June 7, 2026

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the current World Champions of baseball. Although, that might be overstating it a bit, because Major League Baseball actually only includes teams from the United States and Canada. Our son, Ben, arranged a family outing to see the Dodgers play their crosstown rivals, the Angels.

It was an opportunity to see Shohei Ohtani who is perhaps the greatest baseball player of all time. The Japanese player signed a contract after the 2023 season with the Dodgers worth around $700 million. Unfortunately, we didn’t see him hit one of his prodigious home runs, although he did have a couple of hits.

Practically every second fan was wearing one of his jerseys. Lauren and her sister Marcy decided to get in on the act.

Although the Dodgers got crushed by the Angels, nobody seemed to mind much. Eating, drinking and socializing seemed more important than the actual game.

Peanuts and Cracker Jacks are a baseball staple. Hence, the lyrics of the famous song. “Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the crowd, buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, I don’t care if I never come back”. For the uninitiated, Cracker Jacks are a type of caramel popcorn. Back in our childhood they used to come in boxes and included a small plastic toy which was undoubtedly a choking hazard. Nowadays you get a paper-based surprise, puzzle, sticker or code that unlocks a digital game.

Hot dogs are also a fan favorite, especially at Dodgers stadium home of the famous Dodgers Dog.

Speaking of dogs, it was bring your dog to the game day. A large number of our furry friends had dressed for the occasion and appeared to be enjoying their day out.

Chanticleer, Wayne, Pennsylvania, USA

May 7, 2026

We had not heard of the gardens at Chanticleer until our friends Dale and Joe recently sang its praises. We are grateful that they did because they are the most beautiful gardens that we have ever visited. Located in Wayne, just outside Philadelphia, the gardens are on the estate of The Rosengarten family, whose pharmaceutical company later became part of Merck. The estate was transformed into a public garden after Adolph Rosengarten Jr. established the Chanticleer foundation and opened it to the public in 1993.

There is a large staff of gardeners many of whom are also designers and artists. Different sections of the property have distinct personalities, and many garden structures, including benches, gates, fountains and furniture are handmade by the staff. Chanticleer is derived from the old French name for rooster, so there were plenty of sculptures of roosters to be seen during our tour.

We were joined by our friend Charlet and Lauren’s sister, Marion, who lives nearby.

Lauren and Marion

We liked the mural painted on the inside of this little half buried building that showed two dog trying to reach some prey tucked safely underground in their burrows.

There are two beautiful homes on the property, a guest and a main house.

There were plenty of spots to sit and enjoy the garden on the handcrafted furniture.

Some of the wooden seats actually looked like leather.

Many of the gardens and pots had vegetables, particularly lettuce mixed in with the plants and flowers. Apparently, there is a high fence around the estate to keep out the deer. We are not sure how they kept the rabbits away.

There were also beautifully crafted bridges.

Including this one that was built to look like a fallen tree.

And if you got thirsty there were also handcrafted water fountains.

The Japanese garden had a koi pond.

And a beautiful restroom with artwork and freshly cut flowers.

There was a third home on the property that had been partially torn down to create a ruin garden.

Even the utility shed was beautiful.

There was a stunning pergola draped in white wisteria.

We came across this little guy enjoying the sunshine.

We might be breaking a record here for the most photos in one of our blog posts but there was just so much to see.

What looked to us like a manuka tree was decked in pretty pink blossoms.

There were fields of rye cut into flowing patterns.

The paths through the forests in the Japanese garden were covered in pine needles that were very pleasant to walk on.

In other parts the paths were made of cut stone.

There was not much sculpture in the garden but we liked this colorful sculpture made to look like bamboo.

We particularly liked this unusual chandelier primrose that dotted the small creeks.

And this large grouping of ferns.

There was a vegetable garden.

National Cathedral, Washington DC, USA

May 1, 2026

The 97th Annual Flower Mart is taking place this weekend at the National Cathedral. We went for a visit with our neighbor and good friend Charlet. Along with the plant and flower market, there were stalls selling crafts and gifts, food stands, and lots of activities for kids.

The Cathedral may look like a medieval European cathedral but it was, in fact, built during the twentieth century and wasn’t completed until 1990. The craftsmanship is such that it is difficult to distinguish it from an original medieval cathedral, although the Darth Vader gargoyle and the stained glass window that includes an actual piece of moon rock brought back on Apollo 11 may be a giveaway. That and the fact that apart from the odd Viking, no Europeans actually lived on the continent until after Medieval times.

We started out by walking the grounds and checking out the stalls.

Then we went for a look inside the Cathedral where various embassies had provided flower arrangements which looked particularly beautiful backed up by the stained glass windows. This is from The Ukraine.

And this is from Hong Kong.

The light from the nearby stained glass window gave an idea of what George Washington would have looked like if he’d gone clubbing.

Abraham Lincoln, on the other hand, was much more subdued.

Like much in the Cathedral, the tapestries looked original but were, in fact, beautiful replicas made using medieval techniques.

Located on the Cathedral grounds is one of Washington’s most beautiful gardens. The Bishop’s Garden was designed by George Burnap in the early twentieth century to reflect the medieval cathedral gardens of Europe. Like the Cathedral itself most of the stonework pieces in the garden are replicas of original medieval works. It is a peaceful place to sit and contemplate.

Glen Echo Park, Maryland, USA

April 24, 2026

Glen Echo Park was first developed in 1891 as a National Chautauqua Assembly. The cultural gatherings, which began in 1874 at the Chautauqua Institution in New York, had started as training programs for Sunday school teachers but quickly grew into a national movement that remained popular through the early part of the twentieth century. The assemblies included lectures and talks on a variety of topics including science, religion, politics and literature as well as music, theater and storytelling performances.

There was only one Chautauqua gathering at Glen Echo Park and by the early 1900s the site had become the Glen Echo Amusement Park which it remained until 1968. Lauren remembers going there as a child. Today, it is a fascinating place to visit. Some of the buildings from its days as an amusement park remain and have been restored which gives it a nostalgic but somewhat creepy feel. We definitely would not want to be stuck there on a dark and stormy night.

As befitting for a place that started as a Chautauqua gathering place, it is now also host to many local arts and cultural organizations, as well as artist studios. There are also art, photography, pottery and glass blowing classes as well as summer camps and puppet shows for the kids. The large Spanish ballroom, a beautifully restored 1993 Mediterranean-style Art Deco building, is still considered one of the best dance halls on the east coast and is something of a Mecca for the Swing dance community, attracting dancers from throughout the country.

In its heyday, people rode street cars (trollies) directly to the park from nearby Washington DC. You can still see the tracks outside the entrance.

The park included a massive pool that could hold thousands of swimmers. Sadly, only the entry of the pool remains.

Our good friends Dale and Joe, who were visiting us from Connecticut, followed the advice on this building.

There are some beautifully restored deco buildings.

As well as a playground and large picnicking area under the trees.

There are a number of yurts on the grounds that are used by local artisans.

One of the park’s central attractions is its beautifully restored carousel which unfortunately was not open while we were there, so we couldn’t go for a spin.

The carousel has an interesting role in Civil Rights History. In 1960, a group of Howard University students formed The Nonviolent Action Group (NAG) to combat racism and segregation in the Washington DC area and chose Echo Park, which was segregated, for one of their first protests. With tickets purchased by a white NAG member, the students seated themselves on the carousel. Seeing black students in the group, the operator refused to start the ride. After a two and a half hour standoff, five black students were arrested for trespassing. A picket line continued outside the park throughout the summer, with the protestors enduring the oppressive Washington heat, threats of violence and a counter-protest organized by George Lincoln Rockwell’s American Nazi party. The protests ended on September 11 when the park closed for the season. By then they had gained widespread national support and over the winter, Attorney General Robert Kennedy intervened and the owners of the park abandoned their segregation practices. When the part reopened for the new season in 1962 it was open for all and remained that way until it closed in 1968.

Across the creek from the park is the home of Clara Barton (1821-1912), the founder of the American Red Cross. During the American Civil War, Barton became known as The Angel of the Battlefield. She organized supplies and personally delivered aid to the soldiers on the front lines, often risking her life. After the war she visited Europe where she learned about the international Red Cross movement. Inspired, she returned to America and founded the American Red Cross in 1881. The home in Glen Echo was built in 1891 not just as her home but also as a headquarters for the American Red Cross. She lived there until her death in 1912. It was designated a historic site in 1974 and is considered the first U.S. national historic site dedicated to a woman’s achievements. Unfortunately, due to ongoing preservation issues, the interior of the building is not open currently to visitors and the outside is very rundown.

Takoma Park, Maryland, USA

April 18, 2026

In an already liberal area, the suburb of Takoma Park leans so far to the left that it has earned the tongue-in-cheek nickname, The People’s Republic of Takoma. Even the Takoma Business Center is decidedly Soviet Brutalist.

The Main Street is very quaint with quirky touches, including a tribute to a local rooster and a giant tricycle.

If you’re going to live somewhere, it may as well be terrific.

If you have a craving for old fashioned independent radio, we suggest you check out Takoma Radio (WOWD), voted Washington DC’s best radio station.

And if you’re looking for something to read, than you belong at People’s Book.

The sympathies of the locals are readily apparent in the neighborhood lawn signs.

If you are in need of a mural artist, you may want to give Nancy a call.

It is definitely one of the most charming neighborhoods we have walked through, with its colorful storybook houses, lining leafy streets. It was particularly beautiful as the azaleas are in full bloom.

The neighborhood is perhaps best summed up in the words of this young poet.

One group that, apparently, doesn’t garner the sympathies of the locals are the deer.

Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA

April 15, 2026

Many of Washington DC’s suburbs are, in fact, located in surrounding Maryland and Virginia. In fact, the Washington DC metropolitan area is often referred to as The DMV (District, Maryland, Virginia). Sometimes, suburbs straddle the border between the District and the neighboring state. One of these is Chevy Chase, one of the area’s most affluent suburbs. The suburb takes its name from an old English ballad (Apparently the famous American comedian whose real name is Cornelius Crane Chase got his nickname Chevy from his grandmother who knew the ballad).

Chevy Chase was developed in the late 1800s as one of America’s earliest streetcar suburbs. Infamously, but not unusually for the time, parts of Chevy Chase were deliberately developed to exclude Blacks, Jews and other non-white, non-Christian groups. It was not until 1948 that the Supreme Court in Shelley v. Kraemer ruled that these covenants could not be enforced. While the suburb is more diverse now, it is still less diverse than many of its neighbors.

The historic part of the suburb, where we decided to go for an after dinner stroll, is just across the line from the District. It is quiet and residential with tree-lined streets and large stately homes.

Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

April 9, 2026

Williamsburg has two primary claims to fame. First, it is the home of The College of William and Mary. Founded in 1693, it is the second oldest college in the United States (after Harvard). Its students include Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and George Washington (who earned his surveyor’s license there). Second, it is the home of Colonial Williamsburg, a massive living-history museum which recreates life in 18th century America – specifically the years leading up to and during the American Revolution. Covering over three hundred acres, it includes over 80 original buildings and hundreds of reconstructed ones and is staffed by historians and actors in period clothing.

We watched an interesting presentation on printing and learned, among other things, that upper and lower case letters get their name from where the type was stored in the printers’ wooden cases.

Much of the clothing worn by the actors and historians working in Williamsburg is made on site by traditional craftsmen and women using eighteenth century methods.