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London: Royalty and Rebellions, London Walks, Beheadings, and all that Cultural Loot
King George III stole the show. British royals also stole a few countries, an entire Greek temple, Padre’s Irish ancestral homelands, and India’s massive Koh-i-Noor diamond, inset on one of the crowns displayed with the Crown Jewels. So plenty of thievery here on the Sceptered Isle, but King George’s heist was a masterpiece of musical theater. I’ll never forget how the mad King pouted his way onstage, commanding us to sing along as he snapped, “NO don’t change the subject…’cuz you’re my favorite subject….forever, and ever and ever….” Well maybe not forever. In addition to our cheap third row (oh wow!) seats to Hamilton, we ran from a clown brandishing a…
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Key West and the Dry Tortugas: The Sounds of Silence and the Boat to Nowhere
Something seemed off. With daypacks hitched to our backs, we hiked through Key West’s sleepy streets to the ferry terminal before dawn, then climbed aboard Yankee Freedom III for our trip to Dry Tortugas National Park. Along with 248 other intrepid souls, we were off for a nine-hour tour to one of the most remote national parks in our nation. After a long ocean journey that took us far away from Key West’s party scene and 70 miles out to sea, we spotted a tiny American flag perched atop a faraway hexagonal brick structure. This distant fort in ruins seemed like a mirage, but Fort Jefferson – a former Civil…
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Australia Easter: Convicts, Conquests, and Light in the Darkness
I’m having my own Sunrise Service here at sea, waiting for the sun’s rays to peek over the horizon any minute – I’m sure the captain up on the bridge is on the lookout as well. Padre plans to check out the passenger-led service later this morning, but you know Padres. They assess the ministering, just like teachers critique the teaching when they become the students. So I’m staying here to do my own Easter thing, and I’m sure I’ll hear all about it later. Padre has great fun attending the various offerings on board – yesterday, he went to one on men’s mental health (seriously) but he came back…
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Rome’s Colosseum: Bread, Circuses, and Christians (maybe)
We joke that Padre, standing in THAT place in Rome’s ancient Colosseum, would soon be toast, considering his chosen profession. Just a light snack for the snarling lions bearing down upon him, all while the raucous crowd cheers on his imminent demise. History supports some of that scenario, but not all. The picture we have of cowering Christians huddled in fear as prowling lions stalked them is more a Hollywood invention than Roman reality, although it may have happened; we just don’t know for sure. At times in Rome’s early history, Christians were persecuted, of course, but beheading, not shredding-by-lion, may have been a more likely fate (think: Apostle Paul).…
