Old Pictures from Around the World

Since this is a blog about trips made over the years, I thought I would take some of my favorite pictures taken over the past fifty years and publish them. This may be the first of many to come and maybe more back and white; we will see. Thanks Peggy for the thought!

This is one of my favorite of a bridge in Frankfurt am Main, Germany taken about 1957 with my first 35mm camera: a Cita camera or at least I think that was the name. I also developed and printed this picture, so that may be why it isn't too good! I doubt if this bridge is still standing. If any knows, let me know.

A junk cruising the South China Seas in Hong Kong. It is a little foggy so not really clear.This was taken in 1982.

The last train stop on the Orient Express: Kowloon, Hong Kong. I love this tower and thank God when they moved the station they saved the tower. Picture taken in ca 1981 before the Culture Center was built and before the tower was added to the Peninsular Hotel.

Just one of the many canals in Venice. I like this one because of all the colors. As anyone who has been to Venice knows, every corner is a "photo moment". Picture was taken in 2001.

This picture was taken in Guangdong Province ca 1982. I missed getting the picture of the baby, but I thought this would make a good picture. I love to take pictures of people especially when I think it is an unusual situation.

The old Peak Tram Station in Hong Kong. I believe the new station was opened about 2002. Picture take in ca 1982.

Manchu Picchu, one of the most beautiful places in the world. It is, how does one describe this shot, like maybe: spiritual!

A little girl in Cusco, Peru.

I love these old trucks, well I guess you could call them trucks even though it looks like it has a motorcycle engine. Taken on one of your tours to China; Jenny and her sister were shopping which left me to my own devices: taken pictures.

This shot was taken in Salzburg, Austria in ca 1958. A color slide I scanned several years ago. I can't believe that this slide and about 150 other slides I took in the '50's are still in pretty good condition. I have almost thrown those slides away several times when I moved many times over the past years. I'm just so happy I didn't!

Boscobel Mansion - Garrison, NY

This mansion is so much different than Lynhurst; it is what we might call a gentleman farmer’s home, albeit a rich gentleman. Its design is from the Federal design school made popular after the Revolution War and copied much from Roman and Greek Architectural (sometimes called Neoclassical Design). I like it a lot; it is simple and to the point.

The origination of the word Boscobel is believed to have come from the oak tree in which Charles II supposedly hid after his defeat by Oliver Cromwell in the battle of Worcester (1651). The tree was near the Boscobel House, which still stands today near Albrighton, England.

The Boscobel Mansion was constructed in 1804 in Montrose, NY (about fifteen miles south of present day site of Boscobel)by States Dyckman. He was a descendant of one of the early Dutch families of New Amsterdam. As a Loyalist during the American Revolution, States became a clerk for the British Army's Quartermaster Department in New York. He was recalled to London in 1779 and stayed for ten years. When he returned he married his neighbor, a very rich young lady and proceed to build the Boscobel Mansion. Unfortunately in 1806, Mr. Dyckman died.

The Boscobel Mansion eventually ended up in the hands of Veterans Administration who decided to raze the house. A committee was formed to save the house; purchased land in Garrison, NY; and about 1955 the house was moved to Garrison,NY.

State of the art washing machine for early 1800's.

And the matching dryer!

Jenny standing beside the beautiful view: Hudson River and West point in the distance on the right (west side of the Hudson).

Lynhurst Mansion - Tarrytown, NY

Lynhurst was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1838. It is an excellent example of Gothic Revival Design and in fact may be the best in the US. The first owner was Retired NYC Mayor and Congressman William Paulding; around 1864 merchant George Merritt bought the mansion and double its size; then the infamous railroad tycoon Jay Gould purchased the mansion in 1880. I will not go into all the financial manipulation and dealings of Mr. Gould; you can read it yourself, but suffice it to say that he would have fit in perfectly with the likes of Bernie Madoff.

The one puzzling thing I saw in the mansion was the use of “faux finish" Design. I guess it was popular in early 19th century but to look at marble and leather walls and find out that it is paster and paint, left me a little cold.

Hiking - Buck Mountain, Lake George, NY

What a beautiful day! You just couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day: temperatures in the mid 60’s and slightly overcast. The previous week we encountered a lot of mosquitoes hiking Moreau State Park, but this time a limited number. Buck Mountain is the tallest mountain around the Lake at 2330 feet. It is a moderate hike with accent around 1600 feet, but when you get there it is well worth the effort.

Jenny at the Trailhead

Jenny signing in at the Trailhead.

View from the top, with a couple of hikers blocking the view!

A better view without the hikers!

Another view: this one looking south toward the Lake George Village.

Munson Williams and Proctor Museum - Utica, NY

The front entrance to the Museum

Inside the Museum; there are galleries around the outside. This open area is unique, but it seems like a lot of wasted space!

One of the galleries; this one happens to show two of the Voyage of Life paintings by Thomas Cole

Jenny standing in front of Number 2, 1949 by Jackson Pollack.

This is Fountain Elms, the home of the families the Museum is named and also contained the decorative collection of the Museum

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On August 18th after we left the Arkell Museum in Canajoharie, we went to Utica, about a half hour west, to the Munson, Williams & Proctor Museum (MWP), which is much larger than the Arkell Museum with about 25,000 art works. MWP also has an art school, performing arts and Pratt/MWP art school, which by its name has an association with the famous Pratt Art Institute Brooklyn Campus.

The highlight of this museum is its many works by the Hudson River Art School, which I am a very big fan. The the four paintings entitled, Voyage of Life, by Thomas Cole was the most interesting to me. I’m not going into the history of this famous work, but suffice it to say that their are two sets of, Voyage of Life; the original just happens to be in MWP, while the copy is in the National Galley of Arts, Washington, DC. If you want to know the amazing history of this painting (set of four), go to Voyage of Life Chronology written by Dr. Paul D. Schweizer, Chief Curator of the MWP Museum.

So if you like American artists: Thomas Cole, William M. Chase, Frederic E. Church, William Harnett, Winslow Homer and many others do plan to make a trip to MWP.

Arkell Museum - Canajoharie, NY

Before one start some serious review of art, he must have a good breakfast. As you can see from the photo above, this is a serious breakfast: country ham, eggs, grits (for you not so informed grits is a thick corn porridge), fried apples, gravy, apple butter and of course biscuits (also for you Hong Kongers this biscuits is bread not a cookie!)

Arkell Museum is in the town of Canajoharie, NY which is situated on the old Erie Canal and now the Mohawk River. It has a population of about 3000 people and is the home of Beech-Nut Corporation. Today after going through many mergers the company only makes Baby Food products. Anyway the Arkell Family who started a company that became Beech-Nut was into art big-time. The family eventually gave over 300 works to start a Museum that was named after the Founder Mr. Bartlett Arkell.

This Day in History - August 18

1550 John White, the governor of the Colony of Roanoke, returns from a supply-trip to England and finds his settlement deserted.

1587 Virginia Dare became the first child of English parents born in America

1774 Meriweather Lewis was born

1834 Mount Vesuvius erupts again

1909 Tokyo mayor Yukio Ozaki presents USA with 2,000 cherry trees; President Taft decides to plant near the Potomac River

1920 19th Amendment to Constitution passed guaranteeing women's suffage

1930 Eastern Airlines begins passenger service

1937 Robert Redford born.

1938 DOW Industrial Average closed 152

1938 FDR dedicates the Thousand Island Bridge connecting Canada and USA.

1938 Bobby H Braswell born.

1947 Hewitt-Packard is incorporated

1961 The building of the concrete Berlin Wall is started.

1964 South Africa banned from Olympic Games because of apartheid policies

1973 Hank Aaron record 1378 extra base hit surpasses Stan Musical

1982 Pete Rose sets record with his 13,941st plate appearance