Travels

Life's journeys are not destinations but rather processes, acts and thoughts within and through experiences.

I have circumnavigated the world once,
and journeyed to all of the continents except "the cold one." I began my travels with the United States' Peace Corps in 1968. I was a small city boy who had not traveled before.

In my younger days, my philosophy about travel was that I tried to study the language of an area/country before visiting, and that I visit more than "several days" in one location to get a sense of place, to know the people, that they may also get to know me.

Travel is a reciprocating experience: Selected selfies and list with years

2017: Liege, Belgium; Luxembourg; Strasburg, France.


2016: Cambodia: Angkor Region of Archeological Temples

2016: Việt Nam Capstone Vietnam Speaking and Book Signing Tour

2015: Europe: the 3-week, 3-country tour
celebrating my 70 years. Timeline and selfies link to Facebook, timeline 2015. Began in Paris, train to Lyons, train to Geneva and Montreaux, train to Milan where I met my sister and where we attended Design Week! Fabulous.

2012 Europe: the 8 week, 6-country research tour
First stop Paris. Timeline and selfies also on Facebook, timeline 2012.

2012 Europe: the 8 week, 6-country research tour
Second stop: My ancestral hamlet Pořežánky in the Czech Republic, its chapel, friend Rosa in a cherry tree and Čzesky Krumlov.

2012 Europe: the 8 week, 6-country research tour
Second stop: Prague and the 150 anniversary of Sokol gymnastic/cultural society.

Europe 2009: Paris, etc.
I visited my friend Andre in Paris. After a day in the Louvre, we walked about the streets of Paris including le Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Montmartre, and had lunch aside Notre Dame.

Europe 2009: then Rennes et Mont San Michel

San Francisco, California 2009
Google I/O Developer Conference, San Francisco, California May 27-28
While waiting for the Asian Art Museum to open, I toured City Hall, as well as waited with a crowd for the ruling by the California Supreme Court on Proposition 8 that invalidated future same sex marriages in California but validated 18,000 past marriages!

Playa del Carmen, Mexico 2008 for my niece Holly's wedding
with friends Bill and Tim
Chichen Itza & Cenote, with cousin Deb and her daughter Coley

2007 South Africa
14th International Learning Conference at the University of the Witwatersrand

2007 Grahamstown
South Africa National Arts Festival

The National Arts Festival is an important event on the South African cultural calendar, and the biggest annual celebration of the arts on the African continent. It runs for 11 days in the small university (Rhodes) city of Grahamstown, which is situated in the Eastern Cape. The Festival comprises a Main and a Fringe program, and the program comprises drama, dance, physical theatre, comedy, opera, music, jazz, visual art exhibitions, film, student theatre, street theatre, lectures, craft fair, workshops, and a children’s arts festival.

2006: Nottingham, England
the Higher Education Academy Conference 2006, University of Nottingham. Nottingham
(Pub building--1185?--rests against Castle Rock upon which Nottingham Castle is built, Robin Hood, and dog just sleeping)

2006: Birmingham, England--St. Martin in the Bull Ring

2006: Dublin, Ireland
Here I am in Dublin (!) with Loretta and Oscar Wilde in a park.

2005: Argentina March 3 - 23, 2005
The occasion of my visit to Buenos Aires and Argentina was a study program Design Intensive/DHA 5196 between the School of Design, University of Minnesota and the School of Architecture, Universidad de Buenos Aires.
I also toured the Capital Federal, San Telmo, Recoleta, the fruit market of Tigre, the city center, tango bars & events, Puerto Madero, and stayed at my friend's house in Belgrano. I traveled by subte (subway), taxi, and as a passenger in my friend's car!
 

2005 Iguazu Falls, Misiones Jesuíticas, Colonia March 3 - 23, 2005
I flew to Iguazu to wander the town and tremendous falls (better than Niagra!) and toured the Misiones Jesuíticas a world heritage site. Then I took the Buquebus across the Río de la Plata/River Plate, a rather strange name for what is translated in Spanish as the River of Silver In Uruguay.

2005: Montevideo & Colonia, Uruguay
I toured Montevideo that got its name from Hill/Monte + Number Six/VI + deo (deo = from east to west, a sailing direction) and dropped down to Colonia, another world heritage site.

2003: Italy: Rome, Tuscany, L'Aquila
L'Aquila and the SSGRR Conference