First attempt to summit Everest in 1922

The video details the first attempt to climb Mt. Everest in 1922 following a 1921 expedition that surveyed the mountain to determine the best route for the climb. 

While today climbing Everest is a bit of a rich man's tourist trap, in 1922 it was a challenge in largely unknown Himalayan territory. In 1922 they made three attempts to summit Everest, but each fell short, with their highest climb ending 2,000 feet below the summit. The last ended in an avalanche that killed nine porters. Still, they learned valuable lessons on the expedition, the most important being the value of bottled oxygen. It is a very interesting video.

This is all very foreign to me. As a Florida resident our tallest mountain range is located in Disney World and features such awesome peaks as Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, The Matterhorn, and Expedition Everest. You 'climb' them by riding in little cars, which seems preferable to me than having to hack out ice steps on the side of a cliff, although you will encounter such perils as animatronic Yetis and the like. 

 

I'm back

Detail of a basilica in  Malaga, Spain 

Well, I'm back from my vacation. My plan to bag a whale, get it stuffed, and hang it above my mantel fell short. And no, not by the interference of the wankers of Greenpeace, instead it was TSA that foiled me. Apparently, you're not allowed to board an airplane with a harpoon. Who knew? Stupid airlines and their draconian carry-on rules.

Anyway, I went to Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco and the Canary Islands. I met interesting people along the way and made some new friends. It was a good trip.

    

Maxime Maufra

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Maxime Maufra (1861–1918) was a French impressionist painter. He primarily painted landscapes and the seaside. His use of color is quite striking.

Maxime Maufra

Paixão Fogo e Brava

Get ready for an ardorized weekend with Gardenia Benros.

 

Tagine cooking in Morocco

This is a video of a restaurant in Sidi Bibi, a small town in Morocco, that is known for its tagine. Tagine is both a dish, essentially a type of hunter's stew, and the earthen wear it is cooked in. The meal is generally cooked in a plate, which doubles as a serving dish, atop of that is placed a cone-shaped top that traps the steam during cooking. It looks pretty tasty.   

 

Veterans Day

Soldier at Home by Joseph Christian Leyendecker 

When our perils are past, shall our gratitude sleep?
- George Canning -

Cans of various types

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On my last vacation I did a post Our friend the tin can, so I'll return to that theme for this vacation as well. All sort of cans: drink cans, paint cans, watering cans, oil cans and even garbage cans. Enjoy.