Life in progress

Category Archives: Travel


by 15 Comments

Paris – #JusJoJan Jot #15

My trip to Paris was, for the most part, a waste.

I was fourteen years old and bored with everything, not least of all, traveling with my mother. I do have pictures somewhere … I don’t think I’m in any of them because what bored teeny-bopper wants to have their picture taken with their mom? What I do remember about the trip:

My very first croissant. And boy, was I in love.

My first bidet. No, I didn’t try it, because ewww!! (I was fourteen.)

Stairs.

Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower through the window of a tour bus.

Dog poop.

Sacré-Cœur.

Stairs.

Crazy drivers.

Being driven to our hotel with a woman cab driver who had her German Shepard in the front seat with her.

Being the only one who knew how to speak French out of myself, my mom, and her friend who we were traveling with.

Did I mention stairs?

Were I to go now, as an adult, I’m positive I’d colossally appreciate it.

As for the stairs? I’ve been to Japan. It can’t be worse for stairs than that. Can it?

The prompt word, “Paris,” for today’s post is brought to you by Kelli! Thanks, Kelli! To find her “Paris” post, click here. And say hi while you’re there!

It’s never too late to participate in Just Jot it January! Click the following link to find out how, and see all the other participants’ links in the comment section. It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/01/15/jusjojan-2019-daily-prompt-jan-15th/


by 30 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Settings

There’s something uniquely beautiful about having a place that inspires you enough to set an entire book in it.

The Hochelaga Inn, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

The Magician’s Curse ~ The Great Dagmaru, Book One

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!


by 4 Comments

#JusJoJan 2018, the 5th – Memories

It seems to me that memories are like family recipes. They might be passed down religiously, but in time they morph into what fits, depending on the recollections–or the ingredients–at hand.

To me, the saddest thing in life is that our memories of loved ones, of relatives who have passed on, fade. Perhaps that’s what makes them so precious.

Shibuya, Tokyo, December 2015

 

This post is brought to you by Just Jot it January, and in particular, prompted by the word, “memories,” provided by Cage Dunn! Thank you so much, Cage! You can find Cage’s blog by clicking right here. Please go and say hi! To participate in the prompt, please visit this post, where you’ll find the rules and you can leave your link in the comments.


by 26 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Priorities

In Akihabara, Tokyo, they take their video games somewhat more seriously than their fast food.

Photo by me, November 2015

____________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our very cool badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

#1linerWeds badge by Dan Antion


by 24 Comments

eXpedition – #AtoZChallenge

I like to think of myself as a world traveller, but there are only two places I regularly go – around my own province of Ontario, and Japan.

Yes, I know “expedition” doesn’t start with “X.” I cheat on this letter almost every year. It’s just the way I roll. Apparently also the way I roll is to post when I’m falling asleep, and this entry is no exception. So, tonight, I’m just going to post something really neat about my last trip to Tokyo.

If you were around for my 2014 trip, you might remember a video I posted: the traffic camera at the Shibuya intersection, made famous in the movies Lost in Translation and Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift among others.

Since I stayed a five-minute walk from the intersection last time I visited, I set up a “meeting” with my family at home. I emailed them early one morning, just before I left my hotel room, and had them watch the traffic camera. Although I walked around the intersection in almost every direction, only one screenshot was captured. This was me just before the lights changed–I walked directly across, towards the camera. Apparently it’s surprising that I didn’t hear Alex scream with excitement when Mom waved to him from across the other side of the globe.

I’m beside the lamp post in front of the yellow store front.

The only picture anyone took of me while I was in Japan was taken from 6,447 miles away. That’s one hell of a zoom lens. HA!

Here’s the traffic camera. It’s fun to watch:

***
With just the click of a button, you can have my A to Z Challenge-inspired novelette “All Good Stories” expedited to you! It’s a romantic comedy about two best friends who belong together – Xavier knows it, but Jupiter has her eye on another guy: a shady character named Bob.

“A delightful read!!” ~ Cheryl Lynn Roberts, 4 stars, Amazon Canada review

“A short funny tale of two friends” ~ Ritu, 4 stars, Amazon UK review

“Quirky and charming.” ~ Bobby Underwood, #11 top reviewers on Goodreads – 5 stars

Click the picture to find it on Kindle, or get it on Kobo here: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/all-good-stories


by 52 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Elvis has left the … ladies’ restroom?

Possibly the funniest thing about this picture is the looks I got when I came out of the bathroom stall: I couldn’t turn the shutter sound off on my phone camera.

Care to attempt a caption… or five?

PLEASE click the picture to read the note on the sign.

_____________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to participate, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do,
you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a ping back, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a ping back from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our very cool badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

#1linerWeds badge by nearlywes.com

#1linerWeds badge by nearlywes.com


by 26 Comments

Just Jot It Jan 12 – Tingle, with Thursday Doors

One of the amazing things about writing a novel set in a real city is the opportunity to visit it. I went even further in my book, The Great Dagmaru, and had my main character, Stephen Dagmar, go to school at Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. That I get tingles walking around the beautiful old campus is an understatement.

When I took these pictures, I thought of our dear departed friend, Paul Curran. He went to this school too. I hoped to show them to him, but I never had the chance.

Enjoy.

The links:

Thursday Doors is brought to you by the awesome Norm Frampton. You can find him and his awesome pictures here: https://miscellaneousmusingsofamiddleagedmind.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/thursday-doors-january-12-2017/

The Just Jot It January prompt of the day, “tingle,” is brought to you by the awesome Tessa. Check out her blog here: https://finallyawriter.com/

And you can be awesome too, by joining in JusJoJan! Check out the prompt post of the day, where you can find the rules and lots of other awesome posts, here: https://lindaghill.com/2017/01/12/jusjojan-daily-prompt-jan-12th17/


by 18 Comments

#ThursdayDoors and Cee’s Fun Photos – Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

In August, I went with my museum-loving son to Ottawa to visit, among others, the Canadian Museum of Nature. The museum is housed in a beautiful, historic building.

There’s more history to this place than I can recount in one sitting. Here’s just a small sample:
img_20160828_133900

“After the burning of the Parliament Buildings on the night of 3rd February, 1916, the House of Commons assembled in this building on the 4th and the Senate on the 8th February. Parliament met here for the last time on the 10th November, 1919 and assembled for the first time in the rebuilt Parliament Buildings on 26th February, 1920.”

I love taking pictures of doors when I can see them from the outside as well as in. Please click on any of the images to take a closer look.

It’s impossible to get the whole building in one shot from the front because the road is too narrow and there are houses across the street. But I did find this neat site, where you can slide the cursor back and forth to see a before (1912) and after (2013, when they renovated): http://www.pastottawa.com/comparison/canadian-museum-of-nature/113/ The photo is taken from the northeast – apparently the road was too narrow to get a full shot even a century ago.

If you enjoyed this post and would like to see more doors and participate, too, please visit Norm Frampton’s site here for links and instructions.

Cee’s Fun Photo Challenge this week is also all about entrances and doors! Here’s her link as well: https://ceenphotography.com/2016/11/08/cees-fun-foto-challenge-entrances-and-doors/

Thanks to Norm and Cee for the prompts!


by 4 Comments

Song-Lyric Sunday – Cities In Dust, The Mortal (Cover)

The theme for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday, a prompt from the lovely Helen Espinosa, (find her post here and join in today! https://helenespinosa.wordpress.com/2016/10/30/song-lyric-sunday-the-devil-in-i-by-slipknot/ ) is “scary.” The song I’ve chosen isn’t really scary, as such, but it’s about as Goth as you can get.

Originally written and recorded by Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1986, Cities In Dust may arguably be one of the most popular Goth songs of all time. Still haven’t heard it? Well here’s your chance.

I’m so excited to be able to share with you The Mortal’s cover of the song. Sakurai Atsushi, the vocalist, translated the verses into Japanese for his version of it. In my opinion, the arrangement of the song is even better than the original. Add to that the fact that I WAS ACTUALLY AT THE CONCERT in the video:

img_20161030_125501

My name is on the ticket!

and it’s even more awesome. The video was filmed at the NHK Hall in Tokyo, in November, 2015.

Here’s the video (subbed in English), and below are the lyrics.

Courtesy of A-Z Lyrics:

Cities In Dust

Water was running, children were running
You were running out of time
Under the mountain, a golden fountain
Were you praying at the Lares’ shrine?
But oh, your city lies in dust, my friend
But oh, your city lies in dust, my friend

We found you hiding, we found you lying
Choking on the dirt and sand
Your former glories and all the stories
Dragged and washed with eager hands
But oh, your city lies in dust, my friend
But oh, your city lies in dust, my friend
Your city lies in dust

Water was running, children were running
We found you hiding, we found you lying
Water was running, children were running
We found you hiding, we found you lying
Your city lies in dust, my friend
But oh, your city lies in dust, my friend

Hot and burning in your nostrils
Pouring down your gaping mouth
Your molten bodies, blanket of cinders
Caught in the throes
And oh, your city lies in dust, my friend
Oh, your city lies in dust, my friend
Oh, your city lies in dust, my friend
Oh, your city lies in dust, my friend
Your city lies in dust, my friend
Oh, your city lies in dust, my friend…

img_1345


by 26 Comments

#ThursdayDoors – Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

On Tuesday, my son, Christopher, and I went to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

It’s a yearly excursion for us. This year’s special exhibition featured the art of Dale Chihuly.

The pictures really don’t do the art justice. If you ever have a chance to see Chihuly’s work firsthand, go.

Thursday Doors is a prompt by the fabulous Norman Frampton. Click the following link to go to his post for this week and see how you, too, can join in! https://miscellaneousmusingsofamiddleagedmind.wordpress.com/2016/08/04/thursday-doors-august-4-2016/