The Temples of Nikko, Japan
The temples of Nikko, Japan are some of the most ornate in Japan. The Nikko shrines were built by the Tokugawa Shoguns in the17th to 19th Centuries.
Tom Bartel
Getting Lost in Tokyo
We had a notion that Japan was going to be a bit, shall we say, inscrutable. And we were right. There’s something about not having an alphabet so foreigners can … Read more
Roadside Shinto Shrine, Nikko, Japan
This Shinto shrine was tucked into a hillside right next to the highway. Nikko is the home to some of the most distinctive Shinto shrines in Japan.
National Championships, Sumo Wrestling, Tokyo
For some reason the first day of the national Sumo Wrestling tournament in Tokyo reminded me a bit of bullfighting in Spain. There’s a lot of traditional pomp, a lot … Read more
Haleakala Volcano Crater, Maui, Hawaii
The crater at the Haleakala Volcano National Park on Maui was not made by an eruption, but by the constant erosion of the wind and rain in the time since … Read more
Durham Cathedral, England
The pillars and walls at Durham Cathedral, built in the 11th Century, are so massive when compared to the delicacy of the Exeter Cathedral, built almost 400 years later. The bulk is relieved slightly by carved design visible on the left pillars, but the overall sense is one of pure weight.
Coventry Cathedral, England
The Cathedral at Coventry, England, once thought to be among the most beautiful in England, was destroyed by German bombs on November 14, 1940. Some of the 14th Century walls … Read more
County Wicklow, Ireland
From various high points in County Wicklow, you can see the sea both to the west and to the east. It’s just a faint blue line from here, so you … Read more
The Dark Hedges, near Ballymoney, Northern Ireland
I’m told that fans of Game of Thrones will recognize this scene from Northern Ireland, where much of Game of Thrones is filmed, evidently. Sorry, but I’ve only seen snippets … Read more
Graffiti Artist, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Just after finishing a spray paint portrait of Margaret Thatcher, a graffiti artist sprayed a white rectangle next to Maggie to prepare his next canvas. We stopped a bit and … Read more