Where in the World?

Next to the Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia is a wonderfully diverse place called the Reading Terminal Market. It began in 1892 and has survived the Depression and the two world wars. Currently, over 80 vendors sell their wares daily. There is a dizzying array of merchandise; ethnic foods, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, baked goods, cheese, Amish wares, restaurants, spices, flowers, seafood, jewelry and etc.

I love these kinds of markets not only because of the variety but for the interesting aromas and goods that abound at every turn. We ate at a great diner each morning for breakfast. It was a fast paced environment complete with music playing from an old jukebox but that didn’t distract from having a relaxing breakfast.

I enjoyed walking around, exploring the different shops and watching the people interact with each other. Markets like these are gems. It’s one of the main reasons I love to travel. I love finding places like this as it is a great way to explore the local culture. You can get a good feel for how life runs in a particular place. Plus it’s just a lot of fun seeing new things for the first time.

How about getting out and exploring a little bit today? Go somewhere you haven’t been. You don’t have to go far.

Hope you are having a great day!

Michael

I flew into Philadelphia today. I’ve never really spent any time here. I’ve only flown into the airport for some meetings in New Jersey. So, it was nice to fly in and meet Erica while she is exhibiting at a show in the convention center.

Since we couldn’t spend Valentine’s Day together, we decided to celebrate the day after. After the show ended at 6:00 p.m., we walked down Market Street to a restaurant called Tangerine. We really liked this place. It had a Moroccan edge to it. The decorations inside were lovely. There was a long wall; maybe 50 feet long and 8 feet tall full of indentations holding lit candles. The feeling was like walking into a grotto. Quite spectacular.

For appetizers, we ordered the crunchy calamari (red pepper aioli, kalamata olives, argula salad), shortrib spanikopita (shredded beef, spinach, feta, almond sugar) and the chopped Mediterranean salad (crispy rock shrimp, feta, artichoke confit). We split the Mediterranean spiced whole bronzino (a type of bass) for the main course. It was topped with a cucumber-tomato salad and cilantro basmati rice. Desert was a banana creme brule which was heavenly and a dish of coconut and tangerine sorbet.

There were lots of new flavors to experience. I really enjoy trying new dishes when I travel. It adds to the adventure. One of the things I like about Erica is that she loves to experience new things, travel and try out new restaurants

Overall, tonight was one of those perfect evenings.

Michael

For all the toll the desert takes of a man it gives compensations, deep breaths, deep sleep, and the communion of the stars. – Mary Austin

A desert is a place without expectation. – Nadine Gordimer

We started the morning off with a drive through Saguaro National Park East. I’ve always loved desert forms and shapes. They are endlessly fascinating. The strange shapes of the desert plants give clues to their unique ability to survive in the harsh environment of the desert. The amount of life in the southwestern U.S. deserts is staggering.

The Rincon Mountain District, which is where we were driving and walking, is home to 1,162 species of plants. Simply amazing! 25 of those plant species are cactus.

Today, we saw many birds and a jack rabbit. There were signs showing that wild pigs or javelinas roamed the area, but we didn’t see any on this trip. Maybe next time.

The Giant Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is one of my favorites and is an icon of the west. Within the Saguaro National Park there are 1.6 million of them. It is one of my favorite forms in the southwest. The Giant Saguaro lives on the average about 150 years but some live to be 200 years old. During the rainy season, they are able to absorb 200 gallons of water, store it and then use the water throughout the remainder of the year. A 20 foot Saguaro specimen can weigh up to 2000 pounds.

Many species of birds use the Saguaro including the gilded flicker, gila woodpecker, elf owls, screech owls, purple martins, finches, harris hawk, red-tailed hawk and sparrows. Other animals like the bat and many rodents eat the Saguaro fruit.

I’ve always found walking around the desert to be both relaxing and invigorating at the same time. I’m not sure what causes that dual feeling, so I tend to just enjoy it instead of questioning it.

If you’re interested, please view my other photos from this morning’s shoot.

Have a great day!

Michael

Erica and I are visiting Tucson for the Gem and Mineral Show. There are literally hundreds of wholesalers and retailers displaying a dizzying array of gems, minerals, rocks, crystals, beads, precious metals, carved wooden figurines and other assorted items. She is here for her business. I’m tagging along for the sheer enjoyment of it.

It was initially quite overwhelming. There is so much to see that you don’t really know where to start. So, we just picked a location and then a booth and moved on from there. After awhile you start to see things that inspire you and then you get into a flow.

I love specimen mineral pieces, wooden carvings from Bali and small bronze statues from India. So, I focused on those booths and kept my eyes open for other interesting things. We had a lovely lunch at a restaurant called Feast. It was a nice break from the myriad displays. What was surprising was how fast 1:00 p.m. came. It felt like we had just started.

We continued our search for rocks and gems by perusing a large exhibition at the Holiday Inn. This took up the rest of the day until the show shut down at 6:00 p.m. My knee joints were aching. I’m sure it was from the many miles we walked. We finished off the day and went to dinner at a restaurant called Wildflower. Erica and I shared the calamari salad. She ate the duck and I had a Thai curry with shrimp. Very good!

Tomorrow is another day of exhibitions and walking.

Have a great day!

Michael

Erica and I landed in Phoenix, Arizona a bit before noon and quickly drove to Tucson. We are here for the annual rock and mineral show, but more on that later.

It’s really exciting to be back visiting this desert community. The last time I was in Tucson for any length of time was in 1975 right after high school. I was with a friend and we were on a three week driving tour of New Mexico and Arizona. We camped most nights. One thing I loved about the desert was the sky at night and in the morning.

After we got back from dinner last night, I stopped for a while to look at the sky. Even with the lights of the city, I could see more stars than other areas of the country. They were sharp as knives. The low humidity of the desert makes the air especially clear.

I watched for some minutes before retiring for the night. I look forward to seeing the sky right before sunrise tomorrow morning.

These are the moments that make my life special.

Have a great day!

Michael