On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Good Morning All,
This weekday feature is for Balloon Juicers who are on the road, travelling, etc. and wish to share notes, links, pictures, stories, etc. from their escapades. As the US mainland begins the end of the Earth day as we measure it, many of us rise to read about our friends and their transient locales.
So, please, speak up and share some of your adventures, observations, and sights as you explore, no matter where you are. By concentrating travel updates here, it’s easier for all to keep up-to-date on the adventures of our fellow Commentariat. And it makes finding some travel tips or ideas from 6 months ago so much easier to find…
Have at ’em, and have a safe day of travels!
Should you have any pictures (tasteful, relevant, etc….) you can email them to [email protected] or just use this nifty link to start an email: Start an Email to send a Picture to Post on Balloon Juice
Sorry for the lack of pictures yesterday, I was away from the house and unable to easily publish from email. Here are a slew from one commenter, with a promise of a s$%@-ton for Friday! Have a great day, travel safely, and do send in some pictures of your world!
From Le Comte de Monte Cristo fka Edmund Dantes:
Where: Sunset Key, west of Mallory Square – this was part one of the surprise trip for the kids that culminated in a week long sail to the Bahamas. This was from the deck of our villa
When – the vault, July 2006
Where – The Fishpot, Barbados
This was a lovely trip with my family. This was a sunset view from the open window of a 17th century British fort in Speightstown (IIRC) on the western side of the island. This was a restaurant where you ate fish which had been swimming where they’re supposed to be within 2 or 3 hours of eating them. I was shooting 35 mm film (probably 100 or 200 speed) from a Minolta X-370.
Wow.
When – July 2006
Where – Sandy Lane, Barbados
This was a routine Sunday on the beach in Barbados, within 200 yards of where Tiger Woods got married. Totally natural and relaxed
When – August 2007, the vaul
Where – 10 nautical miles off David, Panama
Story – We had taken the family in another sailing trip via Windjammer, running along the western coast of Costa Rica. We had maybe 80 pax and under 20 crew, so a limited number. We were a little into the trip when we spotted these fishermen. They had jury rigged a distress flag, were way too far out, and their motor had crapped out nearly a week before. Our Venezuelan captain and first officer were extremely cautious on approach (the fishermen had no working radios), and feared piracy given our remote location – they asked that all men man the rails in a very nice way. It turned out that they’d endured no fewer than 3 storms and were in a bad way. I took other closer photos as we tied them in; as a matter of respect I have held those back. Due to Panamanian and Costa Rican maritime and immigration restrictions, they could not be allowed to board even though we were tied off while we awaited the Panamanian coast guard, but they did have some lovely fish to hand to us in exchange for beer, water and spirits. There were a lot of tears that day.
When: June 2006 Vault
Where Miami, Windhammer, Leaving
When – 12/2008
Where- Ik Kil Cenote, Yucatán
We had taken a trip to Isla Mujeres, MX for Christmas as a replacement for Christmas expense. Dad screwed it up because he hates going anywhere, mom was a bit of a drag but it was otherwise full of great experiences as trips go. We took a day to go to Chichen Itza and Valladolid, Ik Kil cenote (a kind of warm sinkhole, something I routinely scubadive in) is a nearly mandatory stop. Water is dark with VERY large fish. I jumped off the high platform.
Where- Barbados
When – July 2007
My girls, giggling on a bluff
When – June 2009, Vault
Where – North of Isla Mujeres, Q.Roo, MX.
Swimming with whale sharks at an upwelling at the Continental Shelf (lots of tasty plankton). I’m the human body in the background; the shark is manifested by the tail in the center to lower tight of the photo.
When – April 2006 vault
Where – Chacchoben ruins (inland from Mahahual), Yucatán.
This was nearly at the border to Belize. Recent discovery, but really fun and we could climb it.
Wow – thank you so much! I can’t wait to see what is in store for Friday!
OzarkHillbilly
Ahhhhhhhhhh……
I see my threats yesterday worked. ;-) Thanx for all Alain.
More cenotes, Le Comte.
Baud
Nice, Compte.
SFAW
Beautiful stuff.
Dad? That you? Remember me, your long-lost son? Can you send me a ‘plane ticket? I’ll meet you there tomorrow. Wherever “there” is.
ETA: And, were I able to read English competently, I would have noticed the dates the first time. Never mind.
Still, lots of great photos.
raven
Great photo’s. When I was in Rocky Point I fished on a boat like the Panamanian craft.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
I have Australia in May – I’ll have some major goodies on that one…
rikyrah
The pictures are beautiful. Love all that water. Looks so inviting?
?BillinGlendaleCA
I don’t have a fancy vault like Le Comte de Monte Cristo fka Edmund Dantes, I’m just a simple network guy, but I do have archives(backup early and often kids). You folk are gonna make me delve into them if you keep this shit up. You’ve been warned.
satby
Beautiful pictures and family! Thanks for sharing!
OzarkHillbilly
And apropos of the picture of the Panamanian fishermen: Philippines fisherman tells of deadly two-month ordeal stranded at sea
Soon after my wife was born, my FIL was washed overboard on 2 separate occasions. Somehow someway he miraculously survived both times. After the 2nd time my MIL put her foot down and told him he was no longer fishing for a living. If Monse said no more, she meant NEVER AGAIN. The most stubborn person I’ve ever met.
Betty Cracker
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: Nice photos, and your daughters are lovely! Would you mind sharing the name of that villa near Mallory Square?
Raven
@OzarkHillbillyI must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way, where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
OzarkHillbilly
@Raven: Nice, thanx. Where’s it from?
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@Betty Cracker:
Sunset Key Villas. They’ve got 2 and 3 bedroom options, and a launch between Sunset Key and Mallory Square on the half hours. It is about a 5 minute ride, which means that you can be showing off body parts on Duval and doing body shots, but walking quiet, stunningly manicured paths in silence about 15 minutes later.
They’ve also got a really nice restaurant there, Latitudes. I was at the best wedding I never got invited to there (tables are on the beach, fine dining while barefoot). An adorable young couple was doing a destination wedding barefoot, just best friends and their parents with them, and they were about 15 feet away from us. It was so relaxed and so intimate – so much unstressed good feelings.
Steeplejack (phone)
@OzarkHillbilly:
“Sea Fever,” John Masefield.
Betty Cracker
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: That sounds fabulous! The mister and I spent our honeymoon in the Keys, part of the time in Key West. We’re coming up on our 20th this year, and we may go back to mark the occasion, but the place we stayed is no longer there, so I’m on the lookout for new options. Sunset Key Villas might fit the bill!
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@Betty Cracker:
Looks like they are now called Sunset Key Cottages, once they disconnected from the Hyatt down at Mallory Square.
OzarkHillbilly
@Steeplejack (phone): Thanx.
Iowa Old Lady
Re the last picture, I’m reading 1491, by a science journalist about what the Americas were like before Columbus. Most of the surprisingly large population lived south of the Rio Grande so there’s a lot about place like the one in that picture. Fascinating stuff.
debbie
All are really nice shots, but I especially like the last one of the ruins. They don’t build them like they used to!
Anne Laurie
@OzarkHillbilly: Fishing is always near the top of the ‘Most Dangerous Occupations’ category, IIRC.
Gloucester, MA put up its famous Fisherman’s Memorial in 1925. In 2001, the Gloucester Fisherman’s Wives Association put up a memorial of their own!
OzarkHillbilly
@Anne Laurie: Yep, last I saw it topped the list. I have pictures of the Fisherman’s memorial in Palma, Mallorca. I suspect that everywhere men and women go out to sea for their livelihood, there are memorials to the ones who never returned home.
Quinerly
@Betty Cracker:
I have friends who spend the month of February in Key West each year. They get a fabulous deal through Air BnB at the Truman Annex.
hedgehog mobile
Thanks everyone! Beautiful pix snd poetry…wonderful start to the day.
Yarrow
Great photos! Such a nice way to start the day.
imonlylurking
In two weeks I’ll be in London. I’m getting the fancy lenses for my iphone tomorrow. Should be funnnnnnnnn!
imonlylurking
@Iowa Old Lady: 1491 is a great book. Be sure to read the sequel.
BellyCat
@imonlylurking: Have a great trip!
Alain the site fixer
@imonlylurking: pix or it didn’t happen!