Spain Webcams

Spain has a fair number of webcams available to the public. Regular readers of this blog know that Spain is among my favorite places, (probably number one on the list). There is a great message board called Madridman.com. On it you’ll find very good information from people who live, travel to, and know the details about Spain. This includes travel information, favorite places, great restaurants, cultural info, and so forth. As I said, much of it is first hand information, the best kind there is.

What I like most, however, is taking a peek at the webcam shots every now and then, especially when I’m between visits. Here is a direct link to Madridman’s page that has a list of webcams from all over Spain: http://www.madridman.com/spaincams.html. Some of my favorites are the Segovia Aqueduct, the Plaza Santa Ana, and the different cathedrals.

There are many ways to travel in this modern world. Sometimes you have to put one foot in front of the other; other times you can do it from your computer. Sure, it’s not the real thing. But in a pinch, it’ll suffice. It may even help you work out your itinerary or enable you to communicate with people you might otherwise never meet. Try it. It doesn’t hurt a bit.

Published in: on December 27, 2008 at 1:21 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Good For The Goose…

The Grumman Goose was a legendary airplane. It served all types of functions, including shuffling people like Hemingway around the Caribbean. It was a rugged, sturdy design, capable of landing on land and sea, a fine example of great aeronautical engineering. Of course, history marched forward and the goose became a relic. Until… a couple of people set up shop to build them again. Here’s a photo of their Goose:

She may not be the most handsome aircraft, but she does conjure up plenty of emotion. The plane evokes the glory days of aviation, of island hopping, of finding that place that no one else has yet found. Hmmmm…. maybe I’ll write a story featuring this plane. It’s been a long time since I read Lost Horizon.

I sincerely hope this company finds great success. I’d love to see this modern version of the goose flying. Wouldn’t mind flying one myself.

Sunset Over Savaneta, Aruba

Savaneta, Aruba was the island’s first capitol. That’s where my shack is located. I made this video starting with a panorama of the southwest part of the island. It includes San Nicolaas, the refinery, the piers where the tankers dock, then moves northward. Take a look.

The Aruba Beach Chalets shown in the video are a great place to stay. I used to rent there before I bought the shack. The place sits on the water and you can literally take three steps from the back door and enter the Caribbean. YouTube degrades the video, but there were several tankers out there on the evening that I shot this footage. Must be tough to sit on one of those ships, looking at an island as attractive as Aruba.

Bon dia.

Published in: on December 10, 2008 at 11:16 am  Leave a Comment  
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Bits of Wisdom

Readers of this blog know that I hold Benjamin Franklin in high esteem as perhaps not only the greatest of Americans to date, but also the first and most wise. Thus, it is only right that I put a few bits of his wisdom here on The Bent Page. The following are a few of my favorites:

Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.

Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to get leisure.

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.

 

Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.

If only these prescriptions were followed more closely. Surely our world would be a better place for all.

Published in: on November 28, 2008 at 8:45 pm  Leave a Comment  
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