Notes from Abroad – Shastified, Continued

Mars Is Overrated: How to Go Camping in Namibia

You want to unplug, completely. You want to spend time in a place that feels like another planet, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by empty space. You want to see fascinating alien creatures, but not the kind that can eat you (at least, not without taking many, many tiny bites). You don’t like mosquitoes.Continue reading “Mars Is Overrated: How to Go Camping in Namibia”

Sign Figures Part Two: Trips

As I mentioned in the previous post on Slips, the key difference between a Slip and a Trip (based on my informal survey of sign figures) is that you slip backward and trip forward. Slips are far more common than Trips, but there’s still more than enough in this category to keep my attention. Let’sContinue reading “Sign Figures Part Two: Trips”

Sign Figures Part One: Slips

I’ve been taking pictures of warning signs, particularly ones with stick figures, for a long time, and I’ve accumulated enough at this point that I think it’s time to share. I’m starting with one of the biggest categories, Slips. At first I focused on the text of warning signs, because I love how the sameContinue reading “Sign Figures Part One: Slips”

From Newfoundland to Ireland with Marconi

Winter, 1907. You live in Clifden in western Ireland, and your favorite way to spend the rare clear-skied evening (after a hard day of farming or herding or shopkeeping) is to walk up the hill to the monument. The sunsets are gorgeous over the Atlantic ocean, and as dusk falls you can look south toContinue reading “From Newfoundland to Ireland with Marconi”

Mercury in the Bath

August, 2017: the sun is shining on the edge of North America, but the foghorn still cries its warning to the clouded sea. Two paired blasts per 60 seconds; a signature to identify location by sound. In the dark, you need to know which horn you’ve heard. This is Cape Race lighthouse, which holds oneContinue reading “Mercury in the Bath”

“Do Not Become Casual with Stressing Procedure”

February, 2021: Crouched between bushes at the top of a steep hill, listening and watching for activity. First sighting from inside the perimeter: a huge hare, bounding between stacks of scattered concrete beams, beams left like a child’s building blocks to gradually erode and gather moss and become part of the Irish landscape. Alone, then.Continue reading ““Do Not Become Casual with Stressing Procedure””

Sherbet and Socialism: Architecture in Kyiv

September, 2018: Kyiv! This was one of my favorite cities, in large part due to the architecture. I described it upon arrival as “rainbow sherbet with floofy bits” and I stand by that assessment, at least for many of the buildings.

The Life of Wonderful People: Place Names and Food in Ukraine

September, 2018: I love the names of things in post-Soviet places, and Kyiv is an absolute treasure trove. I’m sure it’s partly translations, but it can’t be just that…. Not when I went out for cheesecake and cocktails at Life of Wonderful People (pictured here: the Eruca Smash, with gin, lime, sugar syrup, arugula leaves,Continue reading “The Life of Wonderful People: Place Names and Food in Ukraine”