Every place has a story. The story of every place is shaped not only by its Physical Geography (mountains, rivers, climate, vegetation, etc.), but also by the people that live there. Human Geography (culture, economics, demographics, politics) is intrinsically interwoven with the Physical landscape, as both affect one another.
Out of the way places interest me, as there is something to learn from every place and something to learn about ourselves and our place in this world. Describing the cultural meaning of PLACE is an interest of mine. Most of the places that I will write about are known to some, but not necessarily popular tourist locations. If there are pristine and undiscovered places that I may write about, I may take editorial license to give them different names to keep them protected. How places change over time or how we perceive them differently as time passes is also an interest of mine.
I am continuing to travel and explore our world. Posts are categorized by location or topic. There are a wide variety of locations to choose from, including Alaska, Oregon, International (which includes trips to Spain, Norway, Bolivia, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Tanzania, New Zealand, Canada, and Morocco, just to name a few). Topics include nature, travel, and memoir. I invite all of you to come explore and take a geographical journey with us. We hope that you will not only experience new places with us, but also gain new insights about your place in this world.
A few weeks have passed since I first met the Flag Man from Skopje and I can’t stop thinking about that fateful day. Have you ever met a stranger who both intrigued you and terrified you at the same time? If so, maybe it was because they reminded you about some things about your own self, both positive and negative.
While walking through a familiar Central Oregon neighborhood on an unseasonably warm, sunny day in December, when Rob Reiner was still alive, when the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs still had playoff hopes, and just one day before the atmospheric river in the Pacific Northwest shifted further south and inundated Bend, Oregon with much needed rain, I noticed a home that was flying a beautiful red and yellow flag from the republic of North Macedonia. I had seen this house fly many flags in the past and was always intrigued to see what kind of person lived there, but hesitated to knock on the door for fear that the resident might be unfriendly. Neighbors had previously warned me that he was a bit quirky. I wasn’t sure if he was simply a vexillologist or if he might be a terrorist.
Flag of North Macedonia-
But this time, I took a deep breath, wiped the sweat off of my brow, and mustered whatever little courage I still had left and walked toward the front door of the house. You see, I’ve always wanted to go to North Macedonia, but have yet to experience it for myself.
Just below the door bell was a sign that read “NO SOLICITING”. I hesitated. I reconsidered knocking on the door. Better to wait until I saw someone in the yard some other day to make contact! I started to slowly creep back away from the door when the front door abruptly opened.
“WHY YOU ON MY PORCH?”, angrily shouted the short, stocky, mean-looking fellow glaring back at me, his hands flailing wildly as he shouted. My life flashed before me! The steely gaze from his fiery eyes penetrated through his long, white locks of hair, and seemed to pierce through my soul. He appeared to be about a decade older than me, but still threatening nonetheless. A white and black hooded tunic did not conceal the hooked knife sheathed to his belt. He looked like he could have been a general in Alexander the Great’s army. Had he wore a different hat, he could’ve passed for the wizard Gandalf (either the Grey or White version). I’m still wondering how I survived that encounter!
Just over another week passed since that scary encounter. Looking up from my place in the hot tub, I see a meteor trail in the sky. I reflect on the events since the day I met the flag man. The atmospheric river has moved further south and now floods are ravaging California. The world has become a much more sad and dangerous place since the week of December 14. Rob Reiner and his wife were stabbed to death by their own son. The same day that the Reiners died, terrorists murdered several people at a Hannukah gathering in Bondi Beach, Australia. Patrick Mahomes, the KC Chiefs star quarterback, suffered a season ending knee injury and his team was eliminated from the playoffs.
Things got even worse in the days that followed. A gunman walked into a South African pub and shot 29 people, killing 19 of them. A car sped through a crowded outdoor Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, injuring several people. Our government seized a couple of oil tankers from Venezuela and we are preparing for war in the Caribbean. This December seems more like the season of hate than the season of love and good will towards all men. My meeting with the Flag Man from Skopje could’ve gone sideways……..But it didn’t! I’m still wondering if that meeting really turned out the way it did.
Trembling, I struggled to find the right words to address the flag man…….
“I’m so sorry to bother you”, I muttered. “I’m just a geographer and I was just admiring your flag from North Macedonia”, I stammered. “I’ve always wanted to visit that country”.
He stopped shouting, and then just stared at me for a moment. I wasn’t sure what I should do next. Then, his countenance changed. I detected a wry smile. Maybe, just maybe, today might not be my last day on earth!
“I come from Skopje (pronounced Scope’ Yay), the capital of Macedonia”, he replied, with a grin. “You come in and you drink Raki with me. I tell you about my country!”. Somewhat relieved, but still a little shaken, I agreed and we entered his home together.
The flag man offered me a grilled meat kebob (one of the national dishes of North Macedonia) and poured a shot of Raki for each of us. I have to admit, it went down like I imagined a shot of nail polish remover would taste like. Or, maybe how rocket fuel might taste. Over the next hour, he took me on a virtual tour of his country. In Skopje, we toured the Kale Fortress, visited the Alexander the Great Statue in Macedonia Square, strolled along the banks of the Vardar River together, and viewed the home that Mother Theresa grew up in. Later, he showed me other iconic places from his country….Lake Ohrid, Matica Canyon, and the mountains of Mavrovo National Park near the Albanian border to name a few.
A bottle of Raki
When I asked him why he was so upset when I came to the door, he told me about his fear of the rise of White Christian Nationalism in the United States. Coming from such a multi-ethnic society which was the crossroad between Europe and the Middle East, and being raised behind the Iron Curtain as a young man, he had first-hand experience with racism and ethnic cleansing. He is afraid to publicly display a Menorah during Hannukah, and instead celebrates that holiday indoors, while his blinds are closed. He came here more than 35 years ago, when North Macedonia was part of Yugoslavia, just before that country disintegrated into several different countries based mostly on ethnic lines. Even though he is now a citizen of the USA, he sees similar disturbing trends between old Yugoslavia and present day America. Flying a flag that is not the Stars and Stripes might bring risk to a homeowner who chooses to fly a foreign flag. And when a stranger comes up to your front door unexpectedly, they might not have the best of intentions.
I hadn’t thought of that before…..I have flown my Ireland flag at my own house on St. Patrick’s Day and never felt afraid to do so. But I did think it was odd when I carried it up to the top of Pilot Butte a few years ago and someone warned me about doing it. Really? I thought everyone was familiar with the Irish Flag…
When I told him I write a blog about geography, I asked if I could write one about our encounter together.
“NO ADDRESS, NO NAMES, AND NO PICTURES“, he pleaded. “ONLY FLAG YOU SHOW“.
So, to honor his privacy and his wishes, I won’t reveal his name or address.
Over the next hour, we talked about places that were important to us, and we learned a lot about each other. We found out that we have a few shared overlapping geographies (Greece, Uzbekistan, Montenegro, and Bosnia). But we also shared information about places that were unfamiliar to each other. I have extensive travel experience in Latin America, and the Arctic; places he has never been to. He has extensive travel experience in Eastern Europe, and in Turkey, Syria, Georgia, and Armenia, neither of which I have ever been to. I speak only Spanish and English; he is fluent in eight languages (Greek, Turkish, English, and Russian, just to name a few).
I could have stayed much longer, but it was getting late and I had a few miles to walk to get home. Besides, if I had one more shot of Raki, I might need to call Beth to pick me up and drive me home.
He even invited me to come back again, but with one admonishment. “You text me first, so I know when you come. Please, no ring doorbell as a surprise!“
The New Year is now just hours away. A waxing Gibbous moon struggles to light up the night sky. It is a cold night, temps in the 20s. Steam from the hot tub wafts upward towards the stars. The nightly news tells us about record credit card debt in our country; our Central Intelligence Agency just conducted a drone attack on Venezuelan soil; our government is rapidly building mass detention centers to house people who are labeled as THEM (At what point will THEM become US?)
But there is a glimmer of hope in all of this…..and I have to thank the Flag Man of Skopje for that!
You see, the Flag Man texted me a few hours ago to wish me a Happy New Year. He suggested we get together sometime soon during the New Year.
I texted back, “Maybe after Perihelion“.
“Ha! Only January 2 then“, he replied.
“No. Perihelion is Jan 3rd at 9:16 AM this year“, I said. Perihelion marks the closest Earth comes to the sun in its annual orbit around it. We are about 3 million miles closer to the sun at this time of year. I choose the beginning of a new orbit around the sun as my measure of the start of a new year.
“Ha! OK. After Perihelion, then!“, he texted back. Could this really be the start of a friendship??? We are both vexillologists after all!
Besides teaching me new geographies, the Flag Man from Skopje taught me some important life lessons. Don’t be too quick to judge someone else, as first impressions can be misconstrued. It is okay to be wary of one another in a dangerous world, but don’t let fear keep you from interacting with a stranger. And just because someone has different customs and culture than you do, don’t be tempted to label them as weird. After all, isn’t the term “weird” just a social construction?
Dear Readers…..whether you celebrate New Year’s Day, or just Perihelion like I do, may you be open to making new friends and creating Good News in the upcoming year! And while it is very likely the nightly news will focus on what’s bad in the world, don’t let that keep you from having hope and working towards building a more just world. In each of your communities you can find your own versions of the Flag Man from Skopje. It may take time and effort to find them, but cherish it when you do.
Salaam…..
I wrote a prelude to this story and posted it as a blog months ago. Here is the link to that story for those who haven’t read it yet.
It might seem hyperbolic to suggest that a Giant Pacific Octopus would be able to teach me Spanish. I can hardly believe it myself, but it’s true!
His name is Marcellus, and he lives in an Aquarium in Washington state. You would be amazed by some of the things he is able to do. He really is a Remarkably Bright Creature!
Most of you already know that I volunteer at a local food pantry where I often have to translate for our Spanish speaking guests. But, my vocabulary is limited. However, Marcellus has recently been helping me to expand my vocabulary. When I am showing new guests what we have to offer in the carnes enlatadas (canned meats) section, I can point out that we usually have atun (tuna), pollo (chicken) and salmon (salmon). Last week however, we had clams on the shelf, which is a rarity. Because Marcellus had already told me about his preferred diet, I was able to confidently point out the almejas (clams) to our Spanish speaking guests.
I know what you must be thinking by now. “How can a Giant Pacific Octopus communicate with a human to teach him a foreign human language like Spanish?” Well, you’d be gobsmacked to find out that Marcellus can communicate in MANY HUMAN LANGUAGES ! He is also capable of many other wonders….I would need to write a book about him to explain it all to you. Luckily, someone else already has……
Author Shelby Van Pelt wrote a best selling novel which included Marcellus as one of the main characters. I went to the library to pick up a copy and read it. It was already checked out. However, there was a copy of the book written in Spanish, so I checked that version out instead. Marcellus is one of the narrators and he tells the story of his life in the tank at the aquarium and imparts his observations on the behaviors of humans. That’s when he told me about his preferred diet.
The story is well written and the author used a lot of vocabulary that I would be familiar with if I had begun to read it in English. I often had to use a Spanish/English dictionary multiple times per page, but I kept a notebook and wrote down many new words to help expand my vocabulary in Spanish. Spanish-only reading was slower going, but still productive.
new words learning while reading Spanish
A few weeks later, the English version of the book had been returned to the library. Since I was still only half way through the story, I checked out the English version and renewed the Spanish version at the same time. Each chapter in the story is relatively short, so I would first read a chapter in Spanish and then read it again in English to check my understanding. Having both versions to read simultaneously helped me read the story at a much faster pace.
reading two versions at once
Then, about 3/4 of the way through and really getting into the story, I read the English version all the way to the end. It was an engaging read and hard to put down. Once I got to the end, I began to read it again in Spanish. This time, it was easier to figure out what a foreign word meant in the context of the sentence, without having to consult the dictionary so much.
Remarkably Bright Creatures has been translated into both Spanish and Swedish so far, and may soon be translated into other languages. Whether you are learning English for the first time, or studying a foreign language, I highly recommend reading two versions at the same time. The great writing and excellent story line, as well as the short chapters suggest that this book would be a great choice for studying and acquiring proficiency in another language.
I’ve paid for private Spanish lessons in the past, but work only as a volunteer. That is not economically sustainable in the long term. That’s why I had to turn to Marcellus for help!
Sometimes you have to think outside of the box when learning another language. In Marcellus case, you have to think outside of the tank.
I can’t wait until a Portuguese translation comes out!
The landscape belongs to the person who looks at it- Ralph Waldo Emerson
King Penguin Colony- St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia
Ahhh, Landscapes! What other topic could entice a geomorphologist/geographer who is only an amateur photographer to want to submit a post where professional photographers showcase their photos?
I follow a few of the photographers who post each week and enjoy viewing their posts, but don’t usually participate in the LAC. However, I am very interested in the concept of PLACE, and this topic especially motivated me.
Landscapes evoke strong emotions in many people, myself included. While many photographers of landscape don’t include human artifacts or animals in landscape photos, I occasionally include either animals or man made items into the concept of landscape photography. The opening shot of the King Penguin Colony on South Georgia island makes the landscape. Even without the abundant wildlife there, the landscape of the island is stunning. However, the fecundity of the landscape of such a remote and seemingly inhospitable place makes it such an unforgettable place.
Sheldon Wildlife Refuge in Northern Nevada is a minimalist landscape, but I feel the empty chair gives it more of a feeling of remoteness. I spent lots of days during the pandemic there.
Remote- Sheldon Wildlife Refuge, Nevada
My tiny blue tent in the field below the Parinacota Volcano makes the high volcano seem even more impressive than it is (and makes me feel smaller than I already am!)
Parque Nacional Lauca, Northern Chile near Bolivian Border
To really get an eagle eye view of the power of glaciers to carve the landscape, climb up to the top of Reinebringen to see the flooded out glacial valley. The tops of the peaks are sharper, as they were shaped by frost shattering and not glacier scouring. Truly a majestic place!
View of Reine Fjord- Norway
Sunlight on Yellow Tents, Blue Ice and the Purple Lupine of Tsaa Fjord in Icy Bay Alaska…..I can still hear the boom of glaciers calving when I see the picture of this landscape.
Wilderness Camping in Icy Bay, Alaska
I’ll close with a shot of a double rainbow viewed from the beach of Lincoln Island, Alaska, from my guiding days in Southeast Alaska. This picture brings back the smell of seaweed from the tide lines, and the crunching sound of my boots over the wave rounded pebbles on the beach. Time to build a beach fire above the high tide line!
Double Rainbow from Lincoln Island, Southeast Alaska
Who knew a Swamp Rabbit could be such an endearing animal?
meeting a friendly swamp rabbit- Photo:Beth McCann
In our quest to ride bikes in all 50 states, we opted to ride the Swamp Rabbit Trail from Greenville to Travelers Rest to check off the state of South Carolina from our bucket list of states. The trail far exceeded our expectations.
Since we only lacked three states in the Southeastern USA, we chose to fly to Asheville, N.C. and rent a car. From there we would drive to different rail trails (N.C., VA, and S.C.) and rent bikes at the trailhead of a rail trail.
A beautiful sunny Thursday in early October saw us venturing into Reedy Rides, a bike shop in downtown Greenville. Seth, a helpful store employee, set us up on a couple of seven speed cruiser bikes, a map of the trail, and some recommendations of where to stop along the route.
Photo: Mick McCann
You couldn’t have asked for a better weather day. Well, you could have, but you wouldn’t get one that was any better! Sunny skies, no wind and temperatures in the low 70s, made for a perfect start of a smooth ride on the paved trail.
Just north of downtown Greenville- Photo:Mick McCann
The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 22 mile multi-use greenway that traverses along the Reedy River on an old railroad corridor which connects the cities of Travelers Rest, SC and Greenville, SC. After the old Greenville and Northern Railway ceased operations in 1997, the land was purchased in 1999 and converted into the multi-use greenway which opened to public recreation in 2009.
The trail name comes from the railroad’s rough ride, as passengers noted that the train over the wetlands was uneven and jerky, which made the ride seem like a rabbit hopping through the wetlands. Today, the paved trail offers a smooth ride for bikers. You will likely see a mix of runners and bikers, some of whom are local, as well as many people who have traveled far to enjoy this wonderful trail.
trailside statue- Photo:Mick McCann
The route offers variety of ecosystems, from shaded forests, to urban greenways, to bucolic countrysides.
Photo: M.McCann
Often, there are openings in the canopy which lets the afternoon sun warm you as you ride.
Photo: Mick McCann
Heading north from Greenville and before you reach Travelers Rest, the campus of Furman University sits just off the trail.
Photo: M.McCann
We took Seth’s recommendation to divert off of the trail and pedal around the lake at the university. The beautiful 940 acre campus sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is internationally recognized for its beauty.
path around the lake at Furman University- Photo: M.McCann
Even the turtles could not resist crawling up on a rock to enjoy such a beautiful sunny day!
Photo: Beth McCann
Near the northern end of the trail is the charming town of Travelers Rest, honored as one of “The South’s Best Small Towns” by Southern Living Magazine.
Mural seen from the trail- Photo: M.McCann
The name of the town says it all, as it was once a stopover for low country travelers seeking an escape from South Carolina’s summer heat. Today, it is a destination for outdoor enthusiasts and foodies. Downtown boasts a number of boutique shops and eateries, as well as a brewery. The D Cafe describes itself as the place “where coffee meets creativity”.
Travelers Rest, or TR as the locals refer to it, is into local, fresh food, as the sign below relates.
Photo: Mick McCann
While we were tempted to eat at any number of places in Travelers Rest, we already had our hearts set on eating at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe, a place that we had already pedaled past, just to the north of Greenville. On the route back, I stopped to take a picture of the vintage rail car at the pocket park located at Sulphur Spring Road in the community of Berea.
Swamp Rabbit Station at Berea- Photo: Mick McCann
Just to the north of Greenville, we pulled off the trail and parked our bikes at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery. Their mission is to “buy, sell and cook with fresh, local food to support a sustainable food system and provide a community space where people come together to celebrate meals.” Beth said that the bread on her turkey sandwich, which is baked daily and salted and glazed, was the tastiest bread she had ever eaten. The Pecan Brown Ale I sampled from Steel Hands Brewing out of Greensboro, NC was so delicious, that I was tempted to move into the area so that I could have it more often!
Photo: Beth McCann
Pumpkins displayed just outside of the market added to the ambiance.
Photo: Beth McCann
Hunger now satisfied, we rode south along the river and used an underpass to avoid crossing a busy street.
The trail continued into Falls Park, the crown jewel of the city of Greenville. It is a wonderful oasis in the middle of a growing city where one can walk, bike, or just relax and listen to the sound of the waterfalls.
Falls Park kind of reminded us of Sioux Falls, South Dakota….only it was a bit more upscale. We ended up staying at one of the hotels overlooking the park and the river. For dinner, we opted to dine at “Up On The Roof“, a stylish rooftop hangout overlooking the park, with scenic city views.
Falls Park on the Reedy River- Photo: M.McCann
So, if you are ever anywhere near Upstate South Carolina, you should consider getting together with a Swamp Rabbit. After all, it is such an endearing animal.
Nexus (noun); the central point or hub, where multiple elements meet. The focus or center….
There is ONE Greek island in the Cyclades that is in the middle of it all and is big enough, beautiful enough and historical enough to link it all together in one package. That would be the island of NAXOS! Where else could you find both Zeus and Apollo, climb the highest mountain in the Cycladic Island Group, walk among ancient ruins, and enjoy the gastronomic delights of local Greek cuisine?
But there are so many different opinions on which of these would be considered to be the NEXUS of NAXOS. Some might say that the unfinished Temple of Apollo near the harbor of Chora is the iconic symbol of the island. It is the first thing that your eyes will be drawn to as you arrive by boat. The temple was built in the 6th to 7th century B.C., but was never finished. Today, viewing a beautiful sunset through the window of the Portara remains as one of the must do things on one’s to do list on Naxos.
Sunset over the Temple of Apollo on Naxos- Photo: Beth McCann
Others may opine about ascending Mount Zeus, the highest elevation point of the Cycladic Island group at 3,290 feet above sea level. It is associated with Greek mythology as the birthplace of Zeus, the sky and thunder God of ancient Greek religion and the chief god of the Greek pantheon.
Aerial shot of Mount ZeusOn
On the trail up to the summit of mountain, you will pass by the Cave of Zeus, where Zeus allegedly hid from his father Cronos. It was here that it was told that Zeus was given the mighty lightning which made him the ruler of Olympus.
trail to Zeus Cave; Mount Zeus in the background- Photo: Mick McCann
The trail to the top of the mountain can get steep in places.
A steep route up Mount Zeus- Photo: Mick McCann
And when you finally make it to the top, lift up your hiking stick to the heavens and make believe it is a lightning bolt in your hands. Looking at the 360 degree view from the top makes you feel like you are the God of Thunder!
On top of Mount Zeus- Photo: A fellow hiker at the top
Other people may argue that Greek food is the real Nexus of Naxos. Most Greek islands tout their seafood offerings, but Naxos is large enough to have a sufficient amount of inland areas devoted to both agriculture and herding. Lamb is a specialty on the island, and the salads that are made with local ingredients are superb! There is even a craft brewery on the island…
Healthy salad and craft brew at Doukato Restaurant in Naxos- Photo:Mick McCann
However, like most other locations in Greece, cats are ubiquitous in the cultural landscape. Might they also be considered to be the Nexus of Naxos??
cat on a hotel patio in Naxos – Photo: Mick McCann
All of the fore-mentioned items deservedly have votes for being the Nexus of Naxos. However, my vote goes to the Grotta Hotel. Remember that the definition of NEXUS included not only center or focus, but the location where all elements meet. The Grotta was our home base for our entire stay in Naxos, and they had a part in each of those places. Full disclosure, I DO NOT receive any compensation from them, so my whole purpose in nominating them is just my humble, honest opinion.
Beth outside of the Grotta -Photo: Mick McCann
The opening shot of the Temple of Apollo was taken from just outside of the Grotta Hotel, which is overlooking Grotta Beach. Our second floor room and balcony afforded a similar view. When we explored the Temple of Apollo, we walked there directly from our hotel room at the Grotta.
Arriving at a new airport in a country that speaks a foreign language can be a daunting experience when looking for transportation to your hotel. The Grotta had a driver waiting for us when we landed, and took us directly to the hotel for no extra charge.
Arrivals at Naxos Airport – Photo: M.McCann
When we had to rent a car to go tour the island and drive to the trailhead of Mount Zeus, staff at the hotel arranged for a rental car to be delivered on site. We signed the paperwork in the hotel lobby and were able to drive directly from the hotel. At the end of the day, we parked the car on the street outside of the hotel and simply handed the keys to a staff person at the front desk.
The food at the hotel restaurant was also excellent, but the morning breakfast buffet was legendary! The spread on the buffet table included several types of quiches, pies and cakes, fruits, cereals, juices, coffee and hot chocolate. The staff were hard working, attentive, and friendly.
The owners of the Grotta Hotel also manage another business; the Eggares Olive Press, several kilometers outside of town where we dined and bought some foods to take home with us.
And, since there is also a resident cat at the Olive Press, which has ties to the Grotta Hotel, you can say that they have checked all of the boxes to earn the title of “The Nexus of Naxos.”
Wherever you may be traveling to, you will likely seek out the Nexus of that location. Usually, either a hotel or agency that takes care of planning and logistics will fit that bill. May you be fortunate enough in your travels to find the nexus of the place you are exploring. For us, the Grotta Hotel and their staff was at the center of our Naxos experiences.
If you are contemplating a trip to the Greek Islands, BEWARE….there is a lot of catting around going on there!
Of all of the interesting things about Greek culture there is ONE thing that you will be immediately struck by upon your first visit. Everywhere you go, you will find cats; cats in the streets, cats in parks, even cats in fine dining restaurants! If you stand or sit in one place too long, you will likely feel a furry creature rubbing against your leg.
Taking a snooze on the rooftop of a car outside of a restaurant in downtown Naxos- Photo:M.McCann
I wondered, “Does the Greek culture venerate felines like the ancient Egyptians did?” After researching this question, I found that many animals were considered to be sacred in Greek Mythology, but cats were not among those animals. However, in Ancient Greece, they were valued as household animals for their ability to control rodents. In modern Greek society, cats are considered by many to be cherished members of the community and many locals leave food out for them.
Many of the skinny, street cats with matted hair appear to be homeless, but others appear to be as healthy as Bo or Oscar, or even Buddy D in his prime, and are probably someone’s pet.
Cat guarding a doorstep of a home in Crete- Photo: Mick McCann
In some urban areas, the amount of homeless cats living in the streets are evidenced by the amount of scat littering the streets. No litter boxes around for these guys!
Street cats in Naxos Old town- Photo:M.McCann
Say something nice to a street cat and they might end of following you while you walk. I ended up speaking Spanish to this Greek cat, and she ended up following me for about a half a mile before she finally gave up. Who knew a Greek cat could understand Latin American Spanish? Or, instead of being multi-lingual, maybe they are just good at reading your aura!
Cat in Crete who seems to understand Spanish- Photo: Mick McCann
It is not uncommon to be dining in a restaurant and feel a cat rubbing against your leg—even in an upscale restaurant. The cat below took up residence at the Eggares Olive Press- a local olive grove and cafe in the Naxos countryside where we ordered lunch. He looked healthy and was likely the family pet. He patiently watched us eating our meal, hoping for a handout. We were pretty hungry ourselves, and ended up disappointing him by finishing all of our meal! He calmly sauntered over to the table of another couple who were dining there and patiently waited to see if they might have any leftovers. He seemed to relish his job as caretaker of the premises.
Cat at Eggares Olive Press- Photo:Mick McCann
And as I was eating a delicious vegetarian lunch, I felt another furry creature rub my leg (see photo below).
Lunchtime in Naxos-Notice the cat curled up below our table- Photo:Beth McCann
Try to take a walk and you will be pursued by a feline, like this one who approached Beth in Kefalonia. Like us, they’re searching for both food and for love. Luckily for them, the Greek people are very hospitable to visitors, both human and feline alike. It is a communal thing for citizens to leave out food and water for street cats.
With the lack of birth control and the abundance of feline promiscuity all over Greece, I expect their numbers only to increase in the future. So, get ready for a cultural landscape full of felines on your next trip to Greece. Because there is a lot of catting around going on over there!
This is going to be a difficult post to write. Losing someone important to you is never easy.
The Grand Canyon is a timeless place, where people go to experience something bigger than themselves in hopes of finding themselves. But it is also big enough, wide enough, and deep enough to swallow you up, without it feeling any remorse about it. The Grand Canyon doesn’t need us. But we somehow have a need for it, and are often willing to endure pain and suffering in an attempt to connect to a place that has endured for millennia, in hopes of bringing deeper meaning to our ephemeral lives.
I am perched a little less than one mile down from the Grand Canyon’s North Rim on the North Kaibab Trail at the Coconino Overlook. It is a Wednesday in May. Hours earlier, I dropped off my friends at the South Rim who are doing a one day rim-to-rim hike. I drove for over four hours to meet them as they finished the hike at the North Rim. The hike should’ve taken about 12 hours. But, they are behind schedule, so I have hiked down into the canyon to assist them, and to see if any of them need help. They originally asked me to hike with them, and I really wanted to. But when I found out that the plan was to hike from rim to rim in only one day instead of multiple days, I declined. Without proper training ahead of time, I didn’t think I would be physically up to such a challenge. So instead, I decided to act as the support person for the group.
Coconino Overlook on the North Kaibab Trail- Photo: M.McCann
Six intrepid hikers from four different states who had family ties to one another were attempting the challenge. The hike of just under 22 miles involves descending through layers of rock which represent nearly 2 billion years of geologic time, surviving scorching temperatures at the bottom of the canyon, and then climbing over 6,200 feet up to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion are very real. Combining those risks with the possibility of flash flooding in a rainstorm, falls from the narrow ledges off of the steep trail, or risks from dangerous animals, and you have the reasons why Grand Canyon National Park has earned the title of “Deadliest Park in the United States.“
Over 900 people have died in the park since its inception in 1919, and lately it’s been about a dozen each year. I didn’t want to be a statistic in that category. That’s why I chose to be a support person instead.
Do you believe in omens?
On the drive from home to Grand Canyon National Park, my buddy and I set up our tents at a campsite in Great Basin National Park in Nevada, 10 hours from our home in Bend, Oregon. That first night, while sleeping out under the stars, some unknown critter took a bite out of my finger while I was sleeping. I flipped on my headlamp and looked around for a scorpion, a snake, or a squirrel. I never did see who did it, but the sharp pain and the amount of blood called for a visit to a medical center the very next day. Not a good way to start a trip…..Omen number one….
Ouch! Whodunnit? – Photo:Tom Barry
The following day took us to Zion National Park, where we met two other people who were going to hike the Grand Canyon. At our developed campground, I woke up in the middle of the night to make a trip to the men’s room. As I looked up to the stars in the sky, I was puzzled to see the constellation of the Southern Cross in the sky. I’ve seen it during my visits to Argentina and New Zealand, but there is no way I should be seeing it in the skies above Utah! It belongs to the skies of the Southern Hemisphere. Something was amiss!!…..Omen number two…..
As I stopped to stare at the Southern Cross in the sky, I noticed one of the stars started to move. After a while, it appeared to move more swiftly across the sky. I laughed. It was probably a just a plane appearing at just the right time to make it seem like it was part of the Southern Cross Constellation. I convinced myself, “What a strange coincidence to be at that exact place at just the right time!” That was on Saturday.
A few days later I would find out that it was no coincidence.
Cell reception is very unreliable in the Grand Canyon. Therefore, a member of the party brought along a two-way satellite communicator to share their whereabouts with me. The first few messages I received showed that the group was progressing well; so well that I thought I should hurry to the rim so as not to be late. I waited a long time without hearing anything, so I decided to hike down the trail a bit. I asked other hikers if they had seen them. Nobody remembered anything about the group. I worried. Now I was outside of cell service too, so I would not be able to receive a message if they had sent one. With only one full water bottle, I ventured just a bit further until I reached the Coconino Overlook. Now perched several hundred feet below the rim, I waited and dared not venture further down.
From my cliffside perch I peered below into the gaping abyss, gazed at the myriad colors of the strata and was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the scene below. Realizing that I was in the strata of Coconino Sandstone of the Permian Age which correlated with several mass extinctions roughly 260 million years ago, I began to think about how brief and insignificant our lives are in comparison to this awesome landform.
Names of the layers of the Grand Canyon strata with correlating geologic periods listed on the left
In the quiet, serene space I was in, I took the time to reflect on my own mortality and for the recent painful loss of an important person in my life.
Photo: Mick McCann
Just one day ago, I got a text from a friend that my college Spanish professor had passed away on Saturday. Dr. J. Kay Gardner is the reason that I can communicate with others in the Spanish language. I owe all of the rich cross-cultural experiences I’ve had in my life with Spanish speakers to her. In high school, I actually hated Spanish class, and was bummed that a language was required of all students at Berry College, my undergraduate institution. Reluctantly however, I enrolled in Spanish instead of choosing German or French.
Dr. Gardner was such a wonderful educator, and she instilled in me the desire to learn the language. After taking the required four classes for the B.A. degree, I decided to switch my major to Spanish. I then spent the summer of 1978 working at a hospital in Aguascalientes, Mexico—something that I would have never dreamed of had it not been for her influence in my life. She is remembered for her engaging classes, mentorship, and steadfast commitment to students. She also started Berry’s study abroad program to Spain. And the twelve Spanish speaking countries that I would later personally visit allowed me to become a better Geographer.
When I found out that she had died the previous Saturday, my thoughts went back to the Southern Cross constellation that I thought I’d seen in the sky. Maybe it wasn’t really a flying plane that made up the final star of the constellation after all. I think it must have been her star falling from the sky.
As I quietly sat there waiting for my hiker friends to arrive, I thanked Kay for her life and influence in my life (in both English and Spanish). A few minutes later, members of the group I was waiting for began to appear…worn out, and sore, but safe and alive. Walking back uphill towards the van at the rim, I realized that even though our life spans are so short with respect to geologic time, what little time we have here can have a profound effect on others around us. Her life was a testament to that and a lesson for all of us.
Our lives may not have the time and the power to carve a canyon out of solid rock, for our lives are merely vapors in the wind of time. But if that is true, the least that we can do is to have the vapor of our lives leave a pleasant scent to those downwind of our existence. I was blessed to have been downwind of Kay Gardner’s life to experience the pleasant “Eau de Kay.”
Thank You Kay! Now Everybody….”Let’s get busy living to the fullest while we still have some life to live!” “And may the scent of your brief life be pleasant to those downwind of you.” Selah.
With arguably some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, the rugged White mountains in the interior of the island, and Venetian and Ottoman influences in the architecture of its cities, the island of Crete certainly deserves the adjective of gorgeous for the physical beauty of its landscape. Crete’s natural wonders are equalled only by the richness of its history.
View of the Venetian harbor at Chania at twilight- Photo:Beth McCannLooking West from the village of Sfakia on the South coast- Photo:Beth McCannThe Pink Sands of Elafonisi Beach of Western Crete – Photo: Beth McCann
However, a geomorphologist might have a different definition in mind when describing Crete as a Gorgeous place!
gorge (noun): a narrow, steep-walled valley between mountains or hills often carved by rivers or streams over millions of years.
gorgeous (adjective) : a mountainous place which has many gorges carved into the landscape
The tortured geological history of the island will give you a clue as to why the island has so many gorges. What are now high mountains were once part of a seabed millions of years ago. Much of the rock is layered sedimentary rock composed of limestone, dolomite or marble. Located at the confluence of two major tectonic plates smashing into one another, the advancing African Plate is subjecting below the Aegean Plate and uplifting the bedrock. Intense weathering of easily erodable limestone allowed for the formation of many gorges and caves on the island. Running water from Winter rains plus Spring snow melt from higher elevations combined with ongoing uplift continue to carve the landscape.
Sedimentary layers of Imbros Gorge- Photo: Beth McCann
Crete is a paradise for hikers, including the long distance E4 trail along the South Coast. May and September are optimal months, since they avoid the extreme heat of the summer. For day hikes, there are so many gorges to choose from such as Aradena Gorge, The Gorge of the Dead, Katholiko Gorge, Rouvas Gorge, or Samaria Gorge, just to name a few. Originally we planned to hike the famous Samaria Gorge (reportedly the longest in Europe), but it was not open when we arrived in early May. Therefore, we chose to hike the nearby Imbros Gorge, which is still as gorgeous (beautiful) as Samaria, but only about half as long (so maybe slightly less gorgeous to a geomorphologist).
Photo: Mick McCannHiking through the narrow passage of Imbros Gorge- Photo: Mick McCannSteep Walls of Imbros Gorge- Photo: Beth McCann
After hiking Imbros Gorge, I picked up a book in Chania about the Cretan resistance to the German occupation of Crete in 1942 during World War II. At that time, there were no paved roads linking the North Coast to the South Coast, so the gorges were used to smuggle arms to resistance fighters, who often had to live in caves high in the mountains to avoid German troops. Before the War, the gorges were the highways used by locals for transhumance- where they would migrate to the lowlands in the winter to tend to their olive trees and migrate higher in the summer to grow grapes and graze their goats and make cheeses. Remaining evidence of the stone base of today’s gorge shows that Imbros was once used as a highway. In this way, you can see how the geology of Crete played a significant role in shaping the culture of the people there.
How might you describe the culture of the Cretan people? Just take a look at the foods that their culture produces. I ordered a Cretan Salad for dinner in Heraklion.
A Cretan Salad- Photo: Mick McCann
When the waiter brought it to our table, Beth exclaimed, “That salad is simply GORGEOUS”!
Geomorphology: The study of the process of landform evolution and the processes that create and modify them, like erosion, weathering, and deposition.
Philadelphia, America’s fifth largest city, has a lot to offer. It is America’s first UNESCO World Heritage City, was voted “One of the Nation’s best Food Cities” by Condé Nast Traveler; has been listed as a top travel destination by Trip Advisor, and voted “Best City for Street Art” by USA Today. That’s why, when making plans for an extended trip to New England where our air carrier required a change of planes in Philadelphia, we scheduled a layover on both the front and back ends of our trip. Not only did it help to break up long days of cross country flying, but it allowed for more variety in our vacation plans.
With so many things to choose from you will have to cogitate a bit to prioritize which parts of the Philly experience you want to participate in. A good place to do that is at the base of “The Thinker” statue outside of the Rodin Museum along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. However, I recommend that you do as much planning as possible BEFORE you arrive in town!
Where to go next? Photo: Beth McCann
What better way to experience the “City of Brotherly Love” than to see a baseball game with some old friends from high school days, who you used to play baseball with. We timed our first layover with a series of games where the Phillies were in town and three friends from my old neighborhood in New Jersey came over for the evening.
Left to Right- Mick, Mike, Tom and Mark. Photo:Beth McCann
The Phillies squeaked out a narrow 3-2 win over Tampa Bay. Citizens Bank Park is a nice venue to see a game and the weather was great! Citizens Bank Park recently received the top spot in the 2025 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Major League Baseball Stadium. In 2024, it was third, just behind Pittsburgh’s PNC Park and Baltimore’s Oriole Park.
Citizen’s Bank Park- Home of the Phillies. Photo:Mick McCann
Philadelphia is a very walkable city, voted two years in a row by USA Today as the most walkable city in the United States. Nestled between the Schuylkill (skoo’ kulh) River and the Delaware River, the center city is laid out in a grid pattern. To get to the city center, you can use a SEPTA (South East Philadelphia Transit Authority) train. If you are aged 65 or over, you can get a pass that is valid for free rides on any of their trains or busses. As visitors, we spent a few minutes filling out paperwork and received passes that are valid for four years. For those younger than 65, fares are $2 for a one-way ride with a transfer.
SEPTA transit map-makes planning easier
Once in the center city, we first walked to the Liberty Bell. Philadelphia is where America began, and several historical sites of interest are in close proximity to one another. In fact, one can visit seven of the top 10 must see places listed by the Philadelphia Visitor Bureau in one day. Nearby the Liberty Bell, you can next visit Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed and the Constitution was created. Also close by are the Benjamin Franklin Museum, the Museum of the American Revolution, the National Constitution Center, and the National Museum of American Jewish History,
The Liberty Bell. Photo: M.McCann
But Philadelphia is not just for history buffs of the late 18th century. You won’t want to miss visiting Reading Terminal Market at 12th and Arch Streets. It is an Indoor Farmer’s Market…..one of the oldest public markets in America and considered as one of the finest public markets in the USA. The Reading Terminal Market is the third most popular attraction in Philadelphia after the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. It houses more than 80 diverse merchants and many different cuisines. We even saw the future Secretary of the Interior dining on a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich there.
Reading Terminal Market. Photo: M.McCann
We were there on an especially warm day in the summer, so we stopped by Love Park at the corner of Arch and 15th streets to cool off before walking to the Northwest down Ben Franklin Parkway.
From Love Park, we walked northwest down Ben Franklin Boulevard, which is referred to as “Philly’s Most Artistic Mile”. The street is modeled after the Avenue des Champs Elysees in Paris. Strolling down this Boulevard gives you a sense of being in Europe. There are lots of museums, parks, and statues along the route.
Fountain at Logan Square along Ben Franklin Blvd. Photo: Mick McCann
No trip to Philly would be complete without a trip to the “Rocky Steps” where Sylvester Stallone was filmed training (as Rocky Balboa) for his fight against “Apollo Creed” in the first Rocky Movie. You will find these steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art at the end of Ben Franklin Boulevard. Run up the 72 steps, raise your arms and channel your inner Rocky Balboa, and you will feel like you can get into the ring with Apollo Creed and fight for a boxing title!
The Rocky Steps- “Yo, Beth—I did it!” – Photo: Beth McCann
Philly has a lot to offer and we only scratched the surface. Now that I have a SEPTA pass, I will have to visit again and make a stop in Philly on our next trip to the East Coast. You can access the SEPTA train system directly from Philadelphia International Airport and the pass is valid to transfer to city busses.
Food insecurity is a pervasive problem across most communities in America. One way to measure the DEPTH and HEART of a community is to measure how many people step up to the plate to combat that problem. In our community of Bend, Oregon, that plate is a food pantry called “THE GIVING PLATE.” But how many of you have considered the WIDTH of your community? Community WIDTH refers to the help that comes from outside of our region!
Giving Plate warehouse on First Street- Photo: Mick McCann
The DEPTH of caring of the community of Central Oregon
The Giving Plate, a local food pantry that began in 2010, depends on hundreds of local volunteers and a small dedicated staff in working toward their mission to “Fight Hunger and Feed Hope” to the growing number of food insecure members of the Central Oregon community.
Some of the food is donated by local people buying extra groceries at other supermarkets and then donating them to the Bend Food Project, a food-collection program of The Giving Plate. Local people fill Green bags with non-perishable food and put them outside their front door for neighborhood coordinators to pick up every couple of months. That food will show up on the shelves of the Giving Plate’s community store.
Bend Food Project’s “Green Bag” Program- Photo: M.McCann
Other local businesses and individuals also donate food and/or money to purchase additional food items, which is another example of the depth of caring in the Central Oregon community.
The WIDTH of our community-those outside of our region who have stepped up to the plate
But how many of us know much about the WIDTH of what it takes to help alleviate hunger in our communities? You’d be surprised to find out just how many people outside of your local community have stepped up to the plate!
By taking a closer look at the food on the shelves of the Giving Plate’s Community Store, you will be amazed to find out which communities are helping to alleviate hunger in Central Oregon. The predominantly African-American community of Isola, Mississippi, stepped up to the plate to provide Frozen Catfish fillets from ponds with farm-raised Catfish.
Plant at 299 South Street, Isola, Mississippi- Photo: M.McCann
Several communities of Florence County, South Carolina, also stepped up to the plate. In Effingham, a farming community on the banks of the Lynches River, the citizens of the Pee Dee region of Coastal Carolina farmed nutrient-dense collard greens for hungry people in our community. Workers at Haigler Farms in Cameron, SC, likely grew and picked those collards. Others worked at the McCall Farms plant in Effingham, where the collards were canned.
Collards from McCall Farms in Effingham, South Carolina- Photo:Mick McCann
The community of Williams, California, also stepped up to the plate by providing much of the rice that is on the shelves of the community market.
Photo: M.McCann
And thanks to the Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2011 and Electronic Product Code information services, customers are able to use a website and a lot number on a can to trace the supply chain from ocean to plate to find where the canned tuna or the canned salmon on the shelf came from. A heartfelt “Thank You” to the gill net and purse seine fishermen of Thailand and Senegal!
Photo:M.McCann
The Oregon Food Bank and the TEFAP Program
Besides the local donations, the Giving Plate depends on a lot of other people in distant communities in food transportation and procurement. While local donations and local sourcing are important, the community store is assisted by the Oregon Food Bank and government programs of the USDA, such as the TEFAP program.TEFAP stands for “The Emergency Food Assistance Program.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides administrative funds to states to operate the program, which has a dual mission– to provide food assistance to people at no cost to them while simultaneously supporting American Agricultural Producers.
But how does the food make its way from those far and wide places and end up in a food pantry in Bend, Oregon? As far as I could research, someone from the non-profit “Feeding America” in Chicago, Illinois, coordinated oversupply in one part of the country and paired it with need in another part of the country and facilitated the connection between producers and the Oregon Food Bank in Portland via the TEFAP program. They, in turn, allocated portions of what they received to various Food Banks in the State of Oregon and shipped some of that food to NeighborImpact in Redmond, Oregon (the regional food bank for Central Oregon).
Neighbor Impact Food Bank, Redmond, Oregon- Photo:M.McCann
The chart below shows % of donations where Neighbor Impact’s food comes from.
Neighbor Impact % of food sourcing
Neighbor Impact’s total numbers and percentages differ a bit from the Giving Plate. TGP accessed 986,365 pounds of food in 2024, 29% of which was purchased from local grocers or wholesalers. The remaining 71% was donated, 28% of which came from Neighbor Impact. Bend Food Project supplied 29% of the Giving Plate’s food, while the remaining 14% was from general donations from business and community members. As you can see, a lot of people ended up stepping up to the Plate!
The long migrational journey of the Catfish, the Collards, the rice, the tuna, and other products is nearly complete. From Redmond, an employee of The Giving Plate will pick up their food allotment and make the 17-mile drive to their warehouse on 1st Street in Bend, where it is sorted, put into crates, and date-checked. After that, the Community Store will take inventory and request enough products to fill the shelves for customers (guests) to come in and choose what foods they would like to take home with them. Guests may come in twice per month for food.
Giving Plate Community Store- Photo: Mick McCann
Each product that you consume has a connection to another community, and we are linked with one another in ways that we have just begun to discover. Whichever community you belong to, dear reader, will have someone who is experiencing food insecurity. YOU have the power to help in your home community and show how DEPTH of caring can define the meaning of community. But by now, I hope you have an awareness of how WIDE your community is and a curiosity about the stories of each of the various communities you have a food connection with.
But, “What if?“………… What if, after we realized the width of our community, we began to feel the same depth of caring for people in those faraway places? Would we recognize that what happens in one locale has a profound effect on other places? Would we bother to ask, “How are they dealing with their own food insecurities?” “Are they prone to flooding, hurricanes, or tornados in the places where they live?”
What if we cared as much about the lives, hopes, and the future of the students at Humphreys County High School or the Bruins of South Florence High as we did of our own students? Could we conceive that our connection to each other was not just ephemeral? What if we made personal and communal investments in each other’s local communities? What would the world look like then? What if we chewed on that thought while we were chewing on the food that came from there?
Geographical Journeys 