Sunday Everyday

   If you long for leisurely filled days of summer or meeting people and their stories, cruising around Adriatic or Mediterranean Sea is just the thing for you. Forget tourist traps and where you shall eat, because the glories of cruising don’t stop at the views. Cruise liners have daily tours to magical destinations and you can be in a different country each day. Once the ship docks at the location go ashore for site seeing adventures by strolling around or travel on an air conditioned bus. Experience the culture, interesting food and shopping before its time to heading back.
   The ship which is your luxurious home away from home has everything you could need or want. Go to one of the many eating areas and choose from a range of food and desserts. You can then work off the calories on the top decks walking track or in the fitness centre. If you want to relax you can take a swim and lie in the sun, read a good book or go back to your cabin for a nap or a little TV. Their are many things to do on the ship apart from planning your trips ashore, eating, working out, swimming and sunning. So if you find extra time have a look at the many shops on board where products are sold at discount prices. If you feel lucky try out the casino or go to watch just for the experience. If you don't mind heights you could try rock climbing for a great view at the top or keep your feet on the ground for a game of mini golf. Looking for some more entertainment head to one of the theaters where artists will perform and entertain you until the early hours of the morning or dance the night away with the band. Try and have a reasonably early night because you need strength for more fun aboard and ashore the very next day - Bon Voyage.

Fabulous Green Cycling

   The road is full of color and shades, the scent of the season and the beautiful nature make you smile as you peddle on. The sound from the asphalt travels through the air and you look with excitement through your sunglasses as you near your destination. Cycling has inspired me a lot in life, most of which I believe that biking increases your sense of freedom and independence. The effect of biking in our surroundings is tremendous. By encouraging biking we are reducing our impact on the environment and protecting the beautiful places we work and live in everyday.         
   In our modern society, politicians are forcing different bike share programs and investing in bicycle infrastructure and facilities in cities and metro areas. The idea of a bike share program increases the interest of many people in big cities around the world. Not only is it great exercise and fantastic for your health, but it’s also an investment for the future of our planet. You don´t have to be a scientist to understand that biking prevents pollution and reduces waste. It is a great alternative form of transportation as you have bicycle lanes and at the end good parking facilities. Usually goes public transportation hand in hand with bicycle traffic, so good parking facilities at transport hubs encourage you to use your own bike, because your bike ride will help to reduce the impact on the environment and lead to a more sustainable life.  
   In a historic perspective, Horace Dobbins built the first bicycle superhighway from Pasadena to Los Angeles in 1897, when bicycling having a great time of prosperity. A few years later Horace become the Mayor of Pasadena. The bike share program started in Amsterdam as an anarchist project in the 1960´s, you just help yourself with a white second-hand painted bike and then leave it later for someone else to pick up. Today China has the largest bike share program in the world. It´s not necessary to own a new safe bike that functions to perfection in a big city. To participate in a bike share program is easy and a great value for money if you do not have your own bike, or cannot afford to by one.    
   To improving our cycling culture is to take action in your own community and encourage others to get involved with the development of a more relaxed bicycle atmosphere. Many cyclist are eager for security and adopt helmet for a safer ride. Let´s hope for more well designed network of bicycle superhighways and traffic cameras in bicycle lanes during rush hour, so a wider audience can follow the traffic in their smartphone for to know what path to take for the best journey. Your ride should give delight and pleasure, because cycling is more than transportation, it´s poetry. 
   To expanding bicycle lanes and tracks will bring more people back to cycling. Our community is founded on the principal of education and promoting action that last for a very long time. This way we have the privilege of falling in love with the place we live in and enjoy the time we spend there. Biking is providing us with a brighter future and celebrating a green way to get around cities. 

100 Days of Collection

A collector tells a story, a story about objects and its activities. One of the greatest collectors I know about is architect John Soane and artist Donald Judd. Soane lived before my time, so I don't know so much about him except for his magnificent collection and museum in Lincoln´s Inn Fields. Judd was perhaps the most influential minimal artist of his time. Despite the familiarity of his work, it is often analyzed as an isolated object and not related to its context. I had the opportunity to met Judd in Marfa when I was there on my scholarship at Chinati Foundation. To study Judd´s collection and talk to him about the art of collection was a great experience and gave me an insight in the mind of a collector. Judd let me have full access to his hole collection. I lived with them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Today, I still think about the great opportunity I had. To walk around in his buildings and to study his marvelous collection as much as I wanted.

Judd was a warm and generous person and made shore you had everything you needed. He came to visit me in my studio when I first arrived at the Chinati Foundation and asked if the table I was working on was to small. I was very happy with my original designed  Judd 2 meter table so we moved onto another subject and I thought nothing more about it. The next day when I went to my studio I found  Judd with his sketches, a carpenter and my new 5 meter table. Judd loved his large ocean like tables and one of his studios had 4 of these. Another one of his great collections and very practical. We took a trip to Mexico to collect an award he was given. After a fantastic award ceremony with the Major we walked around the town while Judd collected ideas and inspiration on Mexican architecture and a few bottles of tequila. Judd was a living collector of memorabilia for a lifetime. Even 20 years after his death everything he touched lives on. He was not only an artist, designer or architect but so much more. I was fortunate to meet Judd in Sweden and offered a scholarship to the Chinati Foundation in Marfa. To watch him build his dream of the Foundation, his home, buildings and ranches was an opportunity of a lifetime. I had access to a living unique man, his dreams, ideas, inspiration and collection while he was creating his Utopia. Now his footprint lives on forever and ever.

As an artist I have explored different ways of seeing and perceiving. I love collections and I hate them as much, specially museum collections that tells a sleepy story of objects of a certain quality that are just accepted into the collection. My art project "100 Days of Collection" tells about memory and objects visually experience over a period of time. Through out of this time I  systematically seek and acquire objects for 100 days. Move them into a particular position to show how diversified and unique everything is. The collections are widely varied from small stones, to insect I have found inside my house. The project reveals an enormous variety of objects within each category common in our daily life. My interest lay more in investigating variations on categories rather than development toward a formal ideal, a critical attitude toward the heritage of museum collections detached from history.

brianscircle's photostream

brianscircle's photostream on Flickr.

Photograph the nature of vision and see the difference between how you see reality and how the camera records it.

Destination Black Bear

You seldom see bears when you live in a city, except when they are made of chocolate, or jelly and found in the lolly section. Seeing a wild black bear is a memory for a life time. You can find black bears in most part of North America, such as mountains, deserts, subarctic tundra, and even in residential areas. If you have bears in your area, minimize availability and odors of food, so put out garbage on the day of pick up and not the night before. Bears will eat everything from the garbage, such as glass, bottle caps, aluminum foil and other package material that can be harmful to their teeth, throat and digestive system.  Bears quickly become accustom to our food and will teach their cubs to do the same. Clean your barbecue area and store the barbecue with pet feed and garbage in a solidly built storage. Also bird feeders should be out of reach for bears and take the feeders down when natural seeds and nectar are available for the birds. If you have fruit trees, pick all ripe fruit from the tree and keep the ground clear from fallen fruit. Most of the wild bears haven´t lost their fear of humans. Bears activity intensify in the spring when they move out from their dens and during the fall when they are bulking up for the winter. Black bears rely on natural food, such as acorns, berries, insects, vegetation, fish and other live prey for proper nutrition.  To prevent bears from becoming a problem. We must keep our food away from them. Plan an area of open land through your community, so bears allow to pas without any disturbance. Establish a neighbor calling network to warn each other if there is a bear in the area.  Clear all vegetation away from playgrounds and position  swings and  play set´s  in the centre with viewable space around them. All wild animals have the potential to be dangerous. Allow them to do their daily routine to earning a living for food. You are responsible for your safety and the safety of wildlife. Warn children never to approach wildlife and squealing, or making animal noises. 

To be bear aware when you are out and hiking. Read all signs where the trail begins and let someone know where and when you coming back. You should never pose for a photo with a wild animal. Use your camera with common sense and photograph from the trail and observation areas. For your safety carry bear spray , make your presence know and hike in a group. Look out for bears signs along the trail, such as claw marks, diggings, torn apart logs and stumps. If you are approach by a bear or other animal, back away and maintain a safe distance. If a bear approaches you, be calm and do not run, face the bear and slowly back away. Use your bear spray if the bear attacks you and fight back with everything in your power. Carefully choose a campsite away from animal trails and place your tent, so there is viewable space around it. Use a sound food storage 3,5-meters up in a tree and about 60-meters from your camp. Place all your scented items, such as soap, tooth past, lotion, and all food and garbage in the tree. Pack everything away and never hide anything underground, or burn it in a fire pit. Keep your sleeping area free from food and odors, also clothes that you wore while cooking or handling fish must be kept away. Have in mind that bears and other wildlife may pass through your campground at anytime. Ask a ranger at the site about bear safety and how to store your food. A bear seeking food from humans can be aggressive and may have to be taking away. Please keep bears wild and do not approach or feed them. 

Staying Fit Above

For a sweet ride in the air, try to relax while flying and dress appropriately. The ultra skinny jeans and sparkling top for super chic seduction, may seemed like a good idea when you are at home, but on a plane they bind in at all wrong places. A thumb rule is if you wouldn't go to bed in your outfit, don't where them on a plane ride.  To be successful, dress lose and casual, take your shoes off and drink plenty of water, avoid  to much alcohol, tea or coffee. When sitting on a crowded plane with the person seat in front of you almost on your lap and someone's foot resting on your armrest from behind - remember that the flight will end, so breath in deeply, relax and walk around.

Deep Vein Thrombosis  has long been associated with air travel. DVT is a blood clot in a deep vein and a thrombosis is a clot inside a blood vessel.  It usually occurs in the leg but can also occur in the arms, neck and abdomen. The danger of blood clots means that parts of your body are not receiving normal blood flow and oxygen, another danger is the clot may come loose and travel to the heart, or lungs which may be life threatening. To avoid DVT, more and more people are wearing Compression Stockings.  These stockings have sharply reduced the levels of DVT in airline passengers.  The stockings are firm fitting, below the knee and applies pressure at the ankles assisting with correct blood flow. Movement is the best way to keep the blood flowing, so make sure you get up and walk around in the cabin and stretching, avoid sitting with your legs crossed as this restrict circulation.  You don´t need to be a physical therapies for to do some exercises.  I have great difficulty in sleeping on planes and have long flights constantly throughout the year.  These exercises can be done every hour and only takes a few minutes, but it breaks up a long flight beautifully and you feel more refreshed when you land.  Here are five easy movements that you can do from your seat, as usual never do anything if it causes pain or injury.

FEET: With heel on the floor, stretch your toes upwards. Do 10 times, also with other foot. Then, keep your toes on the floor, stretch your heel upward, also with other foot for 10 times.

ANKLES: Lift one foot on the ground. Rotate your foot in circular motions in one direction and then the other. Do the same with the other foot for 15 times. 

KNEES: Lift your knee toward chest, decreasing the amount of joint space at the back of the knee. Do the same with the other knee for 30 times. 

SHOULDERS: With your hands relaxed by your side. Rotate your shoulders in a circular motion in one direction for 5 times. 

LEGS: Bend forward slightly, hold your knee and raise it to your chest for 15 seconds. Do the same with the other leg for 10 times. 

Stock a light traveling bag with items you need for a comfort flight and tuck it all away in the bag when not in use. If you are afraid of flying, there is an App for that, both for iPhone and Android, learn more from the VALK Foundation. 

valk.org

Magnificent 3000 K´s

Traveling across the USA by car has  pretty much everything to offer for an exciting holiday, full of adventures and inspiring  moments of delight. It´s easy to get there from most places in the world, and with access to the Web, airfare has become so much cheaper and detail travel so much easier for a happy holiday. Driving within USA is efficient, convenient and safe, at any time you can find lodging along the way. One of the most iconic road trips is to follow the Pacific Coast, a border to border drive through California, Oregon and Washington State. 

Make it memorable by starting in San Diego, and discover the Spanish and Mexican roots  for to better understand how California came to be. In 1869, Rudolph Schiller photograph Old Town and the San Diego river, where the native Americans Kumeyaay had lived for thousands of years before the Spanish colonization of California began in 1769. Today Old Town pays tribute to the cultural influence that makes California so special. Two hour´s drive north to Orange County, the natural home of TV´s reality show Laguna Beach, The Hills and the off spin The City began exciting careers of tremendously rich nameless youth. Further up coastal highway sprawling Los Angeles, with it´s colorful history of old Hollywood glamour, Venice Beach and architectural landmarks. The weirdest architectural marvel is the Walt Disney Concert Hall, made in curvilinear steel by architect Frank Gehry. A stunning catalyst for masterly architecture and audacious skill of engineering. 

Malibu is not always scenic here are the mansions that links so much of today´s history and its diverse communities. Follow Highway 1 to peaceful Santa Barbara, harmonious Spanish revival architecture, and a sun drenched Mediterranean climate make Santa Barbara to a quiet retreat to the big city bustle. From here on, the road is slow and winding, a good bet for hairpin turns and sublime vistas.  After a thrilling stretch make a stop at Hearst Castle in San Simeon. A holiday paradise for newspaper baron Randolph Hearst and his Hollywood friends. Architect Julia Morgan labored between 1919 and 1947 to create this illusion of southern European Renaissance estate, stuffed with museum pieces from the finest auction houses. After a few minutes north on Highway 1, is the playground of  West Coast sea life. Meet elephant seals bask in the sun on the beaches at Piedras Blancas. The subadult males are exiting to watch, they like to spar and play, and challenging each other with their changing voices. The adult are just here to molt, after their feeding journey to Alaska.  

To see San Francisco in all its glory is sit still in your car and drive, or go to prison on Alcatraz Island for some tremendous vistas. The boat ride give you the best postcard look over the city and Golden Gate Bridge. The architect couple, Irving and Gertrud Morrow gave the iconic bridge its lightning and color. One of California´s  greatest landmarks since 1937. Take Highway 101 north, the route bristles with coves crags and looming pines interspersed with homey wineries along State Road 128. Follow Highway 101 to exploring the Redwood National Park. A monarch of the North Coast, treasures of nature and culture. In 1800 redwood exploration replaced gold fever, the trees start to fell and seeming endless at first. A living link to the age of dinosaurs. Congress created Redwood National Park in 1968 to protect the world´s tallest trees and life along the coast. The park lie also in territories of native Americans groups, who lived along the coast for thousands of years. About 100 K´s north from the Park you crossing the border into Oregon, where the coast mountain range meets the dunes and the ocean. No trip along the coast is complete without a hike through Oregon Dunes between Florence and Coos Bay. The dunes is like no others in North America, formed by forces of wind and water for about 55 million years. Drive north along Highway 101 and finally you reach Astoria, crossing the mighty Columbia River into Washington State. Home to Olympic National Park, one of the rainiest places on earth, which create massive trees and lush vegetation with snow feed rivers. If you here for a hike in the rugged mountains, a stroll in the rain forest, or on intriguing beaches for to see the tides. To really appreciate all this, you need to stay in the park for a day, or more. Heading then to Lake Quinault Lodge, an extravagant lakeside lodging designed by architect Robert Reamer. The perfectly preserved two-story main lodge with its centered fire place was built in 1926. Here you can spend your time in front of the masonry fireplace, playing lawn games, and enjoying quality chair time in front of the lake. From lake Quinault, follow Highway 101 to see the mystical town Forks where Stephenie Meyer based here Twilight book series. Before you leave the Olympic Peninsula, visit the remote native American Makah Museum in Neah Bay. The museum features archaeological discoveries from the coastal village Ozette, where the Makah people have lived for 500 years as whalers, sealer, fishermen, hunters, gatherers, crafts maker and warriors before the white man came in double decker ships. Seattle is the final stop on the trip and was the starting point for gold seekers in 1897. Tens of thousands came to the small waterfront town, for to be outfitted for the goldfields of Alaska and Canada. Discover more of the glory days of Klondike Gold Rush at the historic Cadillac Hotel in Pioneer Square.