Just a quick post to tell you all I Made It!
Had a wonderful tour of Frankfurt with CouchSurfer Sue.
Flight leaving was 3 hours late. The video was broken. So who cares? Got plenty of sleep. Joan met me at the airport and whisked me off to lunch with fellow bloggers Ann and Evelyn.
I’m feeling pretty good except my feet and ankles are swollen. Sure hope that goes away by tomorrow so we can start exploring.
Will post pics soon.
.jpg "South Africa relief map")
I may have mentioned I’m going to South Africa in recent posts and realize many of you may not have been around when I bought tickets back in June.
I’ve wanted to see the world all my adult life and this is my first trip off my own continent. I’ve been in western Canada a few times and traveled throughout a lot of eastern Mexico. Now’s My Time!.jpg "Flight plan from Phoenix to South Africa")
In fact blogging has a lot to do with my going specifically to South Africa, although it was already on “the list.” Not long after I started blogging, over a year ago, I found an amazing blog written by Joan at SouthAfricanPhotographs with many gorgeous and teasing photos of her country and wildlife, that’s Big and Small as she is really into bugs and such. We cultivated more than a “followers” friendship and she told me I could stay at her place if I came for a visit. That got my gears rolling and I started to research the possibility of following my dream. The cost of the flight wasn’t too bad and within my budget and the rate of exchange is around $1USD/$8Rand. The hardest thing was actually buying the ticket, 9 months in advance. I rarely plan anything more than 6 months ahead.
I started to research, something I truly enjoy. For me the “plan” is part of the journey. I discovered and joined CouchSurfers (CS) hosting a couple of times last summer at the North Rim Grand Canyon NP.
Since then I’ve made several contacts with people along my proposed route in South Africa and should find overnight accommodations in the comfort of a welcome home at many stops along the way interspersed with some camping.
.jpg "Flight route from Phoenix to South Africa")
I leave from Phoenix Monday morning, March 1, switch planes in Washington DC and arrive in Frankfurt, Germany Tuesday morning. A fellow CouchSurfer is going to show me around as I have an 11 hour layover and don’t need a Visa to leave the airport. Wednesday morning I land in Johannesburg, South Africa where Joan will pick me up. Then, hopefully, attend a lunch with two other SA bloggers, Just I and Myself and Thatchwick Cottage.
[The big 5 http://www.smartguide.co.za/]Joan is taking a vacation and we’re going safari camping in the world renowned Kruger National Park. OMG, I can hardly believe I’m getting a chance at possibly seeing the “Big 5” of South Africa. Hopefully we’ll actually see some animals over all the talking we’re sure to do. 😉
.jpg "Sign for driving on the left")
Thanks to blogger Jo at Memorable Meanders I will be backpacking 2-3 days in the Drakensberg Mountains with her son John and maybe wife Debbie. By then I’ll have rented a car and have to remember to drive on the “wrong” or left side of the road.
I want to see it all, but a month just isn’t long enough, so I made a long list and will do what I want/can. I hope to journey into KwaZulu-Natal, the Garden Route coast of the Eastern Cape, Little Karoo and the Western Cape where I fly out of Cape Town Monday, March 29.
.jpg "The new netbook")
I bought the Netbook to stay in touch. So hopefully I’ll find a little time to post. Otherwise, if I can ever label all the photos I’m sure to take, I should have enough posts to last…..
Am I Excited? You Better Believe It! 18 days and counting.
.jpg "Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Scotty’s CastleAfter two days exploring the stark beauty of Death Valley National Park I was totally unprepared for the opulence of Scotty’s Castle built in the desert. It really is an amazing place with many innovative ideas and magnificent handcrafts. Yet the best part is the story, and Ranger Scott, dressed as a professor visiting during 1939, spun a good tale.
.jpg "Gate into Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Wrought iron and wood gate with J&SFirst there’s Scotty himself, called a scoundrel by some and a friend by others, who did not own the “Castle.” Born Walter Scott and known as Death Valley Scotty, he was undoubtedly the most famous prospector in the region yet unlikely ever struck a vein of gold.
.jpg "Courtyard Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Ranger Scot in the courtyardScotty grew up in Kentucky around horses and traveled west at a young age where he became a cowhand with his brothers not far from Death Valley. In 1890 he was recruited into Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and spent the next 11 years traveling in the US and Europe.
.jpg "Scotty and Johnson's cars Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Scotty and Johnson’s cars
In 1904, an in debt Scotty met Albert Johnson, a multimillionaire insurance executive from Chicago. They were opposites in almost every way yet were partners and friends for over 40 years. Scotty was gregarious and loud with loose morals that often caused him trouble with the law. Johnson was shy, deeply religious and a respected citizen.
.jpg "Clock tower Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Equipment and mechanical building with 56-chime clock in tower
Johnson may have been living out his own fantasies or just entertained by Scotty when they traveled into Death Valley a portion of each winter. The condition to get his wife Bessie to accompany him was to build a proper home.
.jpg "Main salon Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Construction began on the Moorish-style house in 1922 and because of the location caused quite a stir amongst the press. The flamboyant Scotty was there and called it “my castle” and it seems Johnson was glad to stay in the background. A custom cooling system was built using waterfalls like the one seen in the far right above along with water soaked burlap placed behind a wall vent and ducted with air flow from the basement.
.jpg "Sitting room Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Sitting room showing light patterns from wooden window covers
Money was no object. The interior was adorned with imported and hand-carved furniture.
.jpg "Dinning room Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Dining room
Custom made Italian dishware were used to serve guests who afterward moved to the main salon where Scotty would entertain for the evening telling stories of his Wild West days while the Johnsons sat quietly by.
.jpg "Kitchen Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Kitchen
A diesel generator provided electricity for modern conveniences and water was solar heated.
.jpg "Music room Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Music room
There is a custom-made organ in the music room along with an electric player piano.
.jpg "Scotty's bedroom Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Scotty’s bedroom with his signature hats and red ties
Scotty didn’t actually live in the castle instead he had a ranch located several miles away. He would bid guests goodnight and leave the salon through an adjacent door into his bedroom where another door led outside.
.jpg "Shooting hole in Scotty's bedroom Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Shoot hole
At Scotty’s request a hole was built next to the door leading out of his “bedroom” so he could shoot any scoundrels that came around. Yet knowing the bad guys usually traveled in pairs, the outside of the “shooting hole” directed the bullet one way towards the door and the other way towards a window. It was never tested.
.jpg "Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Front of house with pool
Work stopped in 1931 and the Depression was rough on Johnson. Ultimately the house comprised of 31,000 sq. ft. of floor space, plus stables and guesthouses. The large pool was never completed or filled. When Johnson died in 1948 he left the castle and ranch not to Scotty but to the Gospel Foundation of California which he had established and allowed Scotty to stay and entertain guests until his own death six years later. During the late 1960s the National Park Service acquired all the properties.
.jpg "Scotty's Castle Death Valley NP CA")
Castle in a desert oasis
After this grand tour we continued our explorations of Death Valley from opulence to a big hole in the ground.
Scotty and Johnson’s carsIn 1904, an in debt Scotty met Albert Johnson, a multimillionaire insurance executive from Chicago. They were opposites in almost every way yet were partners and friends for over 40 years. Scotty was gregarious and loud with loose morals that often caused him trouble with the law. Johnson was shy, deeply religious and a respected citizen.
Equipment and mechanical building with 56-chime clock in towerJohnson may have been living out his own fantasies or just entertained by Scotty when they traveled into Death Valley a portion of each winter. The condition to get his wife Bessie to accompany him was to build a proper home.
Construction began on the Moorish-style house in 1922 and because of the location caused quite a stir amongst the press. The flamboyant Scotty was there and called it “my castle” and it seems Johnson was glad to stay in the background. A custom cooling system was built using waterfalls like the one seen in the far right above along with water soaked burlap placed behind a wall vent and ducted with air flow from the basement.Sitting room showing light patterns from wooden window coversMoney was no object. The interior was adorned with imported and hand-carved furniture.
Dining roomCustom made Italian dishware were used to serve guests who afterward moved to the main salon where Scotty would entertain for the evening telling stories of his Wild West days while the Johnsons sat quietly by.
KitchenA diesel generator provided electricity for modern conveniences and water was solar heated.
Music roomThere is a custom-made organ in the music room along with an electric player piano.
Scotty’s bedroom with his signature hats and red tiesScotty didn’t actually live in the castle instead he had a ranch located several miles away. He would bid guests goodnight and leave the salon through an adjacent door into his bedroom where another door led outside.
Shoot holeAt Scotty’s request a hole was built next to the door leading out of his “bedroom” so he could shoot any scoundrels that came around. Yet knowing the bad guys usually traveled in pairs, the outside of the “shooting hole” directed the bullet one way towards the door and the other way towards a window. It was never tested.
Front of house with poolWork stopped in 1931 and the Depression was rough on Johnson. Ultimately the house comprised of 31,000 sq. ft. of floor space, plus stables and guesthouses. The large pool was never completed or filled. When Johnson died in 1948 he left the castle and ranch not to Scotty but to the Gospel Foundation of California which he had established and allowed Scotty to stay and entertain guests until his own death six years later. During the late 1960s the National Park Service acquired all the properties.
Castle in a desert oasisAfter this grand tour we continued our explorations of Death Valley from opulence to a big hole in the ground.