Rehoboth
Beach, DE - August 2006. The
first time we saw the sand
castle competition was several
years ago. It was late in the
evening and difficult to see. We
awoke early the next morning to
finish looking at these works of
art, meticulously created,
lasting only as long as the
weather and the surf would
allow. We found a woman and a
young boy there before us, with
the boy kicking and jumping on
the castles. Appalled, we asked
what was going on. The woman,
the boy’s grandmother,
explained, “We come here every
year so he can destroy the sand
castles.” Stunned and
speechless, we walked away. Now
we make sure we arrive early
enough to see the castles the
evening of the competition. But
I have never forgotten that
little boy, and will never
understand how a parent or
grandparent could not only
allow, but teach a child to
destroy castles in the sand.
From the
balcony
of the
Boardwalk
Plaza,
Rehoboth
Beach,
DE -
November
2005. My
wife and
I took a
long
weekend
at the
shore
for our
anniversary.
It was a
cool
autumn
morning,
and we
slept
in. Our
room had
a
balcony
overlooking
the
ocean,
and we
left the
door to
the
balcony
ajar all
night so
we could
hear the
surf.
That
morning
we
started
our day
with
cups of
hot tea,
sitting
on the
balcony,
listening
to the
waves,
and
looking
over a
beach
that
seemed
to
belong
just to
us.
Nice,
France -
March
2005.
This is
the
beach
along
Promenade
des
Anglais,
the Côte
d’Azur,
looking
out at
the
Mediterranean.
It's
beautiful,
also all
stones
and no
sand, so
I'm not
sure how
comfortable
it
actually
is.
March is
the off
season,
so you
can
actually
see the
stones
in this
picture.
I was
there as
a
chaperone
for a
high
school
French
trip and
managed
to even work
in a jog
along
the
walkway
next to
this
beach.
Sacre
Coeur,
Paris,
France -
March
2005. It
was warm
and
sunny,
and we
were in
Paris.
The
Basilica
of Sacre
Coeur is
in the
Montmartre
section
of Paris
at the
top of a
hill
looking
back
over the
city.
Tourists
like us
were
visiting,
but it
seems to
also be
a place
just to
hang
out.
There
were
people
lounging
on the
lawn, a
couple
of
guitars
being
played,
and just
a
general
air of
"joie de
vivre."
We had
just
visited
Notre
Dame,
and my
daughter
commented
on the
difference
between
the
warm,
inviting
feel of Sacre
Coeur
versus
the cold,
intimating
feel of
Notre
Dame.
Rehoboth
Beach,
DE -
November
2004. My
wife
says I’m
crazy,
that we
are on
vacation
and
should
sleep
in. But
I am
still up
early
enough
on most
days to
see the
beach
sunrise.
It’s
quiet
and
peaceful,
with no
sound
but the
surf as
the sun
comes
over the
horizon.
While
there
are no
crowds,
the
beach is
not
deserted.
There is
always
an early
morning
walker
or
runner.
A few
early
risers
buy a
coffee
and a
newspaper
at the
coffee
shop and
grab a
seat on
a
boardwalk
bench.
Others
watch
the
sunrise
from
chairs
on the
beach.
In the
warmth
of
summer,
the
sunrise
is
frequently
obscured
by haze
and low
clouds.
But the
fall
chill
often
produces
a
perfect
sunrise.
Birkit Al Mawz, Oman - July 2000. As we traveled from the Omani coast through the mountains into the desert, we came upon the ancient town of Birkit Al Mawz. It is perched on the side of the mountain, and is framed by anticlinal strata that has given it the nickname "the rainbow city." The date palms beneath it are irrigated through the aflaj, an aquaduct like irrigation system that has existed for centuries.
