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Oct 5, 2016, 03:38 PM
#1291
Who wants Bob next (preferably in USA)
I'm having trouble finding a next home for Bob. Going down the list isn't working very well - so..here's an open call. If you are on the list, preferably in the US, and would like to host Bob next - please raise your hand.
La lutte elle-même vers les sommets suffit à remplir un cœur d'homme; il faut imaginer Sisyphe heureux.
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Oct 5, 2016, 03:51 PM
#1292
Originally Posted by
KennethRSloan
I'm having trouble finding a next home for Bob. Going down the list isn't working very well - so..here's an open call. If you are on the list, preferably in the US, and would like to host Bob next - please raise your hand.
Feel free to send it my way here in North Carolina. Unfortunately I don't have any special trips or other things planned soon, but the NC State Fair is coming up, and that would be full of crazy photo ops. I hope Bob likes fried food:
Scotch Creme Egg
Cadbury creme egg, coated in peanut butter and jam, blast frozen then coated in Cocoa pops and smoked sea salt. Deep fried until crisp.
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Post Thanks / Like - 6 Likes
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Oct 5, 2016, 04:00 PM
#1293
Originally Posted by
OTGabe
Feel free to send it my way here in North Carolina. Unfortunately I don't have any special trips or other things planned soon, but the NC State Fair is coming up, and that would be full of crazy photo ops. I hope Bob likes fried food:
Scotch Creme Egg
Cadbury creme egg, coated in peanut butter and jam, blast frozen then coated in Cocoa pops and smoked sea salt. Deep fried until crisp.
I almost had a coronary reading that 😂
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
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Post Thanks / Like - 3 Likes
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Oct 5, 2016, 10:14 PM
#1294
La lutte elle-même vers les sommets suffit à remplir un cœur d'homme; il faut imaginer Sisyphe heureux.
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Post Thanks / Like - 2 Likes
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Oct 5, 2016, 10:39 PM
#1295
Some people have opinions - The rest of us have taste.
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Oct 9, 2016, 05:37 AM
#1296
Bob in Birmingham
Bob has left the building. About time for me to post some pictures.
In this installment, a brief tour of Birmingham, AL.
Well...I seem to have hit some sort of limit - so this is part 1.
First - Bob walking out my front door, in beautiful Mountain Brook, AL
On my commuting route is this overlook on Red Mountain, where we find this artillery piece standing guard.
Taking a short detour, we find "Vulcan". Largest free-standing cast iron statue.
Nearby, a view of the Birmingham skyline:
A closer view of Vulcan. Vulcan is wearing only an apron. When first installed, there were no significant residences on the other side of Red Mountain. And then they built Homewood - whose residents were not pleased with their view of the statue. It was re-habbed awhile ago, and when re-installed, Vulcan was rotated slightly to avoid presenting Homewood with a full moon every night.
Note the Spear in Vulcan's hand. Over the years, it was modified several times. Most recently, it had a garish red/green light indicating the absence/presence of recent highway deaths. In the rehab, it was restored to it's original appearance.
Bartow Arena, on the campus of UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham), along with "Blaze", the school mascot. Los Angeles basketball fans will recall Gene Bartow as the BB coach who took over from some legend who coached there once.
The brand new Hill Student center. Mostly food court.
Regions Field - a greate little AA ballpark. Conveniently located 4 blocks from my office. I have season seats in the 3rd row, behind home plate.
Across the street from the ballpark, the Good People Brewing Company, whose motto is "legally brewed since 2008".
For some reason, a best seller at the ball park is their IPA - it's a perilous journey crossing the street.
More to come...
La lutte elle-même vers les sommets suffit à remplir un cœur d'homme; il faut imaginer Sisyphe heureux.
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meijlinder,
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Oct 9, 2016, 05:44 AM
#1297
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Post Thanks / Like - 14 Likes
meijlinder,
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Oct 9, 2016, 05:56 AM
#1298
Bob in Tokyo
Once again - in two parts.
We last saw Bob boarding in the Sky Priority land at BHM.
Here, Bob enjoys a brief layover in the DTW Delta SkyClub
Many hours later, we are in the air over Russia (didn't Gary Powers run into difficulty here?). Still more hours before arrival
At last, in the hotel. Weather was not the best. And...all concerned were a bit tired and jet lagged. A view from the hotel is all we can manage on our first day in Tokyo.
The sign is self-explanatory
We are in an ancient garden - once the domain of the Shogun. Interesting transpositions of old and new. Here, we see a teahouse (recently used for international diplomatic negotiations), with downtown Tokyo looming nearby
Another view from the garden
And finally, a view of an open green area in the garden, enjoying the view of the skyline, and our traveling companion (my wife)
Bob takes a boat tour
Bob is mystified by modern Tokyo architecture
A closer view. The tour guide offered several interpretations of the object on the right - including one she attributed to small children, but which she found herself unable to say out loud to a boatload of tourists.
One more post coming, with the remainder of the Tokyo tour.
La lutte elle-même vers les sommets suffit à remplir un cœur d'homme; il faut imaginer Sisyphe heureux.
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Post Thanks / Like - 14 Likes
meijlinder,
geoffbot,
crownpuller,
Col Angus,
mlcor,
The Watch Smeller,
tribe125,
iyonk,
popoki nui,
bu11itt,
OTGabe,
pepperami,
FuzzyB,
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Oct 9, 2016, 06:08 AM
#1299
Bob in Tokyo, part II
Continuing our tour of Tokyo (Alas, Bob spent many days sitting in sessions at an Ophthalmology conference - no pictures necessary)
After the boat tour, we visited a few major shopping areas. One in particular was particularly interesting. Here we are on a random Tokyo street corner:
Bob visits an ancient gate (now in it's n-th re-incarnation after many fires and other calamities). It leads directly to a row of shopping stalls - a sort of gauntlet the tourist must run before arriving at the big Temple at the other end.
We have arrived at the Temple. Biggest and most popular Buddhist temple in Tokyo. According to our tour guide, Japanese are "religion flexible", ranging from "Christmas Christians" to "Funeral Buddhists" to "Happy Events Shinto" as the occasion demands. This Temple, while nominally Buddhist, had several Shinto trappings at the periphery.
On a late evening walk, Bob walked through a tunnel underneath a major road - lined with many posters. Not unlike what you'll find in the Paris Metro. Here's sample:
Two views of the Tokyo Municipal Building (I think that's right) - at night. Bob doesn't photograph well in the dark, but he was there with us.
These are the towers visible from our hotel room.
And then, too soon, it's time to check in at NRT for the flight home. All praise to the Tokyo airport for an efficient and painless check-in procedure. In no time at all we were through security, relaxing in the SkyClub...ready for the 13 hour flight to ATL (and then the 22 min flight to BHM)
Sayonara!
La lutte elle-même vers les sommets suffit à remplir un cœur d'homme; il faut imaginer Sisyphe heureux.
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geoffbot,
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Oct 9, 2016, 11:01 AM
#1300
Great pics.
Originally Posted by
KennethRSloan
Well...I seem to have hit some sort of limit - so this is part 1.
Yes, I discovered that limit, too; when I tried to post the first batch of Bob's tour of Bristol.
Some people have opinions - The rest of us have taste.