Grumpy and Fade

Grumpy and Fade are two more cats that live in my neighborhood on the island of Aruba. Grumpy is the little black cat in the photo below. He’s always making trouble with his pal, Fade, whose colors enable him to blend in with the hues of the walls in the area. Take a look.

fadegrouchJust one look at Grumpy and you can see he’s trouble. At the same time, I’ve seen these two napping in the afternoon, minding their own business. You have to feel sorry for any small creature in their theater of operations. These two can be vicious when it comes to small birds, lizards, and such. Of course, they’re cats: lovable one minute, killers the next.

Bon dia.

Published in: on May 15, 2009 at 12:27 pm  Comments (1)  
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Castillos (con encanto)

Previous posts here at The Bent Page mentioned a few castles in Spain. In the process of planning my next stay, I rediscovered a book called Castillos con encanto, which I had purchased in Spain. This book is one of a series of books published with the con encanto tag.

castbookThis book provides plenty of useful information, not to mention dozens of great photographs. There is also a map section, which works well when doing general trip planning. You will need Spanish skills as the book is written entirely in that language. However, it is an opportunity to further your involvement in the culture as you work out your plans.

Saludos!

Published in: on May 14, 2009 at 1:07 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Jules Thin Crust (as in Pizza)

If you want to control your carbs, go gluten free, and still enjoy excellent Pizza, head to Jules Thin Crust in Doylestown, PA, USA. This place serves the best thin crust pizza I’ve had to date, and that’s no small sample. Stroll up to the counter and here’s what you’ll see:

jules_counterThere is a wide variety of pizza on display, everything from a “Greek Salad” to “meat lovers” to “margarita” and so on. Let’s take a closer look at two of my favorites.

jules_pizza1Sort of your regular sausage on the left and meat lovers on the right. Here’s two more.

jules_pizza2The one on the left in the photo above is three cheese, extra garlic, and sauce. On the right you have that sort of Greek Salad one. I’ve never had anything but excellent food and service here at Jules. The ingredients are stunningly fresh, the crust cracker thin yet flavorful, and to have only two pieces is a crime. So, triple or quadruple your order! For fun here’s a look at the seating area.

jules_seatingPlenty of room for your family and friends inside as well as outside now that the weather is getting better. Finally, check out the menu. I’m sure you’ll find something you like.

jules_menuThere you have it: Jules Thin Crust, Doylestown, PA, on Main Street where you can’t miss it.

The Venerable 172

The Cessna 172 has been around (in one form or another) for more than 50 years. It deserves the title VENERABLE as much as any of its fellow small aircraft. I would venture a guess that more people learned to fly in this airplane than any other.

hawkflyingThat’s a handsome airplane up there, no doubt about it. It has excellent stability, decent fuel economy, and great visibility. These days, the instrument panel has changed dramatically. Slowly the “steam” gauges (or round dials you might have seen) are being replaced by multi-function displays like the one shown below.

hawkpanelThe information presented is the same, only the format has changed. This is not your grandfather’s 172. Still, flying remains the same; you have to watch your airspeed, look out for other traffic, and not forget to keep an eye on where you’re going.

These days general aviation has suffered with everyone else due to high fuel prices, increasing fees, and encroachment upon airports of housing developments. However, flying remains more than a dream for many. Stop by your local airport and you’ll see people admiring the planes, trading stories, and discussing their next trip. And well they should. If you haven’t looked at the sky and wondered what it was like to fly, check for a pulse. You might have expired without knowing it.

As always, do your checklist!

Published in: on April 15, 2009 at 1:16 pm  Leave a Comment  
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