October 25, 2026
gem
travel
chiyoda, ginza, honeymoon, japan, meiji-jinga, metro, Senso-ji, tokyo
First thing in the morning, during rush hour on day 1 in Japan, the orderliness and silence of the chiyoda metro is astonishing. It was just after 8:30am when we slipped into the stream of commuters through a side entrance, and filed down the steps, walking on the left side in perfect order, reached a door line, waited 45 seconds, boarded an entirely silent car and made our way in 15 minutes from the Peninsula basement to Meiji-Jinga. There were even seats on the train.
Welcome to Japan, where rumors of smashed commuters confront the reality of perfect order.
Contrast this with the day 12 Ginza line metro ride (unplanned until after breakfast) back from SensÅ-ji on the last day…which was packed with unruly tourists who were noisy, uncouth, and didn’t follow the rules (simply because they didn’t know the rules and didn’t have enough cultural awareness to find out that there even were rules). Take a cab instead of the Ginza line.
We did meet some nice people at the end of the line who snapped this picture of us.
One guess which metro trip we enjoyed the most.
October 17, 2026
gem
travel, wedding
honeymoon, japan, Meiji Jingu, shinto shrine, tokyo
One of the must see Shinto shrines in Japan, Meiji Jingu makes a good first day walk.
Through the gate straight off the silent subway.
Walking to the shrine (through the shrine). How very zen. Be the shrine. You are not the shrine.
Entering properly with respect.
The Divine Trees representing husband and wife. We had some fun with the Italians trading photos.
Listen
The priests process as we buy amulets.
A wedding (there is always a wedding).
The Inner Garden.
We stamped our papers.
And saw a heron…just like home, only more Japanese.
And a gardener…not much like home, unless you are me.
We started in the last cool of the morning. By the time we left, the temperature was in the mid 70s.
October 9, 2026
gem
ocean, travel, who knows
bocce, cocktails, dad, gem, laura, lisa, noelie, ocean isle beach, OIB, romey, stick, the stick
The Stick in the Fall is perfection. This iteration’s fun included dad and laura, and noelie and lisa (from the UK).
First a NEWS FLASH! McGraw wins at Bocce…
(the editors were not paid (much) for this disinformation.)
It all started with a sunset. Or was that a full moon?
The dogs were psyched to be back in the Atlantic.
This is not a dog. It is a bloody margaret.
However, this is a dog.
Full moon walk.
Catoctin Creek in the house.
Cheers.
Fuck All Y’all models.
What? Drinking again?!
Angelic
The flags
Designed to drive the dogs bannanas
Hey look, new table.
Sun goes down.
Moon comes up.
The best one.
Dog at dusk.
Get up and do it again.
Maybe gets surprized!!!!
The great science experiment.
August 4, 2026
gem
photography, travel
brugges, photography, travel
Some images from our latest visit to Brugges.
August 4, 2026
gem
travel
boat, harbor tour, port tour, rotterdam, video
When you are a tourist in Rotterdam, you have to take a harbor tour. It’s mandatory. So much famous architecture. And a huge world port.
City view.
March 4, 2026
gem
travel, who knows
bruges, travel
Ancient home of the rich. All silted in.
Pompous palaces
Boats full of tourists
Sugar in the air
Friendly dogs
Beautifully cooked steaks
Nighttime magic to close the trip
Champagne in a Kir Royale by the fire.
Fin.
March 4, 2026
gem
travel
belgium, bruges, madou, romey, tower, travel
If you’ve seen In Bruges, you’ve seen this tower. And you’ve thought about falling off of it.
In fact, you need to see In Bruges before you come to town.
The climb up is 366 steps and was not design with American litigation lawyers in mind.
The carilon is loud.
And very mechanical
Yonder lichtervelde.
Yonder Leuven.
Formidable guards
Tourists crawling like ants high on sugar
A panorama
If you have a friend who lives in Lichtervelde and has never been up the tower you can drag him up.
March 4, 2026
gem
travel, who knows
boat, bruges, madou, romey, tourism, travel
Some of us have been to bruge 4 or 5 times. Others 10,000. Still others once. But we all got on the same boat, and it was great.
We found an opportunistic window of blue sky.
Swans
Churches are a thing. Were a thing.
Our hotel and the famous tower
Tourism is fun!
March 3, 2026
gem
farm, travel, who knows
dogs, lichtervelde, madou, pinball
Chez Madou was a respite and a calm retreat after our Amsterdam extravaganza. Ahhh. No rum thing this time…which probably would have killed us anyway.
Sitting by the wood stove as Spring unfolds behind us. Talking and laughing and just being together.
There is pinball.
Views from the guestroom.
Did we mention pinball?
We can’t wait to return and walk again with the dogs.
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