Author Archives: Lorne Anderson
Greyfriars Abbey, Dunwich
It is in what could be considered the middle of nowhere, definitely off the beaten track, though admittedly there were a lot more people around in the 13th century. In rural Suffolk you can find the ruins of a medieval Franciscan friary, founded in 1277 and in use until 1538. I assume it was closed […]
Different Approaches
I was flabbergasted at the words of the British woman who was showing me around the lifeboat station. We were in the English town of West Mersea, and there was an open house at the local station of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Never having been in such a place before (Ottawa is a long […]
The Trip to Juno Beach
Vivian wanted the joy of a trip she didn’t have to plan, so she delegated all the details of our 2014 European vacation to me. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t make “suggestions.” “Make sure you book a Juno Beach tour, space is sure to be limited.” Well, I didn’t see it that way, but […]
Gotta Be Flexible When Traveling
“I’m sorry, but your train has been cancelled.” “When will the next one be?” “Tomorrow.” My wife might tell you that I am not very flexible, that once I decide on something I hold to it and can’t be budged. That’s not a good idea when you are traveling. So much of travel is beyond […]
Walking in Bucharest
Two things are guaranteed to get my attention: free and highly rated. When I discovered a walking tour of the historic part of downtown Bucharest, Romania, I signed us up. I chose my time carefully. We were arriving on a flight from Paris in mid-afternoon. I didn’t know how long it would take to get […]
Looking For A Legacy
We have a craving for eternity, a longing for something that transcends this mortal coil. We know our time on this planet is limited and we want to be remembered. Those seeking to leave a legacy for future generations frequently fail to achieve their goals, perhaps because they try too hard or fail to understand […]
Three Countries, Six More Churches
Last Sunday’s post,”Five Countries, Five Churches” got a fair amount of appreciation, and I thought since it is Sunday I might once again post a photo essay of sorts of some of the churches we visited on our travels in Europe this past summer. We’ll start with the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, located on Trafalgar […]
A Walk in Old Brasov
It was the sign on the hill that got me chuckling. I’ve never been to Hollywood, but I have seen the iconic sign in movies, print and television (and yes I know it was originally a real estate ad). So when I saw the sign for Brasov I had to wonder what image the Romanian […]
Black Friday
Today, if you didn’t already know, is the day after the American Thanksgiving holiday, which for the past 50 years or so has been referred to as Black Friday. It is an orgy of consumerism, a shopping frenzy with supposedly lower prices and longer store hours and chaos in shopping malls across the USA. It […]
Mystery of the Missing Pigs
Every family has certain traditions that have developed over the years. Frequently they are small, sometimes silly, things that don’t mean much but are fun to have. In our family one of those rituals involves having your picture taken with the pigs in Lippstadt, Germany, my wife’s ancestral home. The pigs in question are public […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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