It's the Little Things

Kew Gardens in London, England, contains the world’s largest collection of living plants. It also has the largest compost pile in the world. Its many gardens and buildings are the envy of botanical institutes worldwide. Featured in this photo is the Japanese Gateway and is considered the finest example of traditional Japanese buildings in Europe. What Anna remembers about her visit here is that the train station is very nice. And, they were followed around by a very scraggy pheasant. That makes me smile, because sometimes it is the little things that make an impression.

Anna also writes that she would pick visits to botanical gardens over museums. I agree! We have a beautiful botanical garden in Pittsburgh and I love to go to the Phipps just for a walk through the gardens and a chance to discover the little things in life.

Humbled By Grandeur

Another lovely view of St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, Italy. Marie writes that everything ... monuments, statues, columns ... are bigger than life in Vatican City and visitors are "obliged to feel humble in front of such strength and beauty, even if you're not a believer." I'm sure that is probably quite true for most, but I wish more people were as humbled by natural places as they are by man-made.

Dear Karl,

Dear Karl,

Happy Birthday you 192 year old icon! I'm sure your parents never dreamed the baby in their arms would be reknown, and even have an "ism" named for him. To be sure, Marxism is not a word most understand, and though I've tried hard, I can't begin to define it.

You would not believe the state of the world today. Financial institutions crumbling and political unrest everywhere. Well, maybe you would believe it. You sort of predicted all this, didn't you? But, it isn't what you think. Really. Capitalism has its glories and I'm not ready to throw the entire system out just because of a few, and it is a few in the grand scheme of things, greedy bastards.

What bothers me most is the ridiculous way people banter about words likes socialism and liberty these days. These people haven't a clue about what socialism is and liberty ... the only liberty they care about is their liberty to condemn people for their race, religion and sexual orientation. I can't say I am an expert on socialism, but I do know the current use of the word in the US is horribly misguided. And let's not even get into Marxism.

I'm sure you would be surprised to see your photo used as a postcard. It was published by a company in Russia, Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga. When the postcard was printed, Russia was known as USSR, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. USSR ended in 1991. It was an interesting time.

I sent the postcard to Cathy in New York and she sent it back with a message. She writes that you are an inspiration to her as one of the world's greatest philosophers/revolutionaries and we need to "postmodernize Marx." She also includes a line from your Theses on Fauerbach, "The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it." We talk a lot about change in this country, Karl, but we mostly talk, or argue. I wish we could move beyond the talk.

Postally Yours,
PostMuse

A Man and His Goat

The caption reads "Le Maitre chevier et son bouc" (The goat master and his goat). I am not sure what goats have to do with Chateau Frontenac (the building in the background ... a very posh hotel) in Quebec, Canada, but I can't resist a man in uniform. Even if he is minding a goat.

Danielle lives in Japan now, but is from Canada and writes about the romantic city of Quebec. Outdoor cafes, cobble stone streets, shops with flowers ... Danielle visits every summer for those delights. And the winter brings the very popular Winter Carnival, and the snowy scene is truly magical.

Japanese Lesson

Ginkaku-ji is the Silver Pavilion, not to be confused with Kinkaku-ji, which is the Golden Pavilion. Both are in Kyoto and Anna warns that you need to be very careful to make sure your taxi driver knows which one you wish to visit, because Kinkaku-ji is off on its own. I imagine not a few tourists mispronounced the Japanese and ended up thinking "My, that sure looks more gold than silver to me ...."

Anna also notes that there is a lovely walk behind the temple that leads to excellent viewing of Kyoto and the temple through the leaves.

Tour Valencia!

This is the most postcards I've ever featured in one post. Sandrine in Valencia, Spain, adopted the card to the left and followed up with three more Valencia cards of her own!

This first view is the "heart of Valencia." Sandrine writes that the red roof is the Central Market, Mercado Central, Santos Juanes Church is in the left foreground and the Longe is the other large building just behind the church and market.

To the left you see a closer view of Lonja (silk market), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sandrine writes that in the spring the orange trees in the garden are in bloom and smell quite wonderful. Mmmmm! And to the right is a front view of Santos Juanes Church. Click either image for a larger view.

Above is the interior of the huge Mercado Central, which is Sandrine's favorite place in Valencia. There are nearly 1000 little stands selling everything from cheese, fruits, vegetables, fish, meats, and on and on. This is the sort of place I love to find when I'm traveling. I can buy all my own foodstuff and then make a picnic for later.

Now pack your suitcase and book the next plane (or train if you are so lucky to live in Europe) to Valencia!

Happy May Day!

I have a memory of going house to house on May Day, delivering paper cone baskets of wildflowers to neighbors, celebrating the end of cold weather. I'm not sure if it really happened, because my mother wasn't much into arts and crafts, but I like to think it did.

May Day is also International Workers' Day, which came about, in part, because of a rally supporting striking workers on May 4, 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago. Though the events of that day were quite horrific (lots of dead people), the May Day movement did result in support, and then passage into law, for an eight hour workday.

None of the above ramble has anything to do with the postcard, except that the card features flowers, which made me think of May Day. These lovely lupines are found at the strangely named Turnagain Arm in Cook Inlet, south-central Alaska. Anna managed an inexpensive cruise in this area last summer. Anna relates her own memory that includes a temper-tantrum, bread pudding (I love bread pudding!), and $5000 fine from US Immigration. The details are mine to keep, though ;-)