California - Monterey, Carmel and Capitola

Sunny California - and a little time for sight-seeing interspersed with conference attendance...

Carmel by the sea

Capitola

Seals and sea lions at Monterey

 

 

Apparently, I've managed to chose a very good week to be away from London where it is cold and raining...

 

A handmade mother's day gift

It is mother's day today in Australia, and this is the little tea cosy I made for my mum. Last year (or the year before...I can't quite remember), I bought my mother a sweet little 2-cup teapot from Windsor Castle for her birthday gift.

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She has a couple of tea cosies for her larger teapots but they swamped the size of this petite version. My sister managed to surreptitiously confirm the dimensions of the teapot for me, and I down-sized this pattern to make her gift.

I had to make some guesses in terms of how wide each of the side openings needed to be, but hopefully it will be a nice fit...and do the job of keeping her tea warm...

Home...briefly...

I arrived back in London last Monday on what was a beautiful sunny bank holiday. In fact the weather (temperature and sunshine) was virtually exactly that we had left in Texas. I spent the last few days of my trip in Fort Worth at a conference which was excellent, but with a very full programme of sessions. A lot of learning and a lot to absortb now that I am home.

This was my view on Thursday morning as I exited Westminster Station on my way to a training programme that is part of one of my scholarship programmes. (Sadly, the lovely sunshine didn't last...). The programme was very interesting - basically it aimed to give us insight into how the Department of Health/NHS is run from a Government/political and Whitehall/civil servant perspective. Despite being completely stressed for much of the day it was still a very valuable learning experience...and whilst I have never held political aspirations, that was very much confirmed for me after the day's events!

It has been a flying visit home - I am on a flight back to the US tomorrow morning to present at another conference. I'm going to the West Coast this time (near Santa Cruz) - predicted temperature on arrival is 28 degrees (much nicer than the 14 degrees we are having here in London today). But, my skills at capsule packing have improved over the last month, so I'm all packed and ready to go

Dallas: Dealey Plaza and the Texas School Book Depository

JFK Memorial, Dallas

 

I'm currently on the final leg of my fellowship, and arrived in Dallas on Saturday afternoon. I travel to Fort Worth tomorrow for a conference, which is the last element of my trip before flying home to London on Sunday.

So this past Sunday was my last chance for what has become a customary Sunday exploration of a new city. I didn't really know what to expect of Dallas. I have never watched the old television series (so had no preconceived ideas from that perspective), and also knew that it wasn't the stereotypical cattle or oil city that people from outside of the US might expect...but other than that, I had little idea of what to expect.

My first observation was that this is a very car oriented city. On Sunday morning I walked from my hotel (which is in the uptown area) to the downtown part of the city ... a walk which only took me about 25 mins - and in that time I only saw one other jogger out on the street. That said, there also weren't many cars around at 10am either. Even later in the day I really only saw people clustered around the more tourist focused sites (e.g. the Dallas Art Museum, Clyde Warren Park and Dealey Plaza). I can only assume that the downtown area is really just business focused, and has very little in the way of residential living. There was certainly a greater number people out and about in the uptown area when I was there later in the afternoon.

My Sunday exploration this week focused on Dealey Plaza and the 6th Floor Museum in the building that in 1963 was the Texas School Book Depository.

Standing in Dealey Plaza looking across at the area which became known as the 'grassy knoll'

 

This is obviously a very popular visitor site in Dallas - there was a lengthy queue even at 10am when the museum opened. I was most intrigued to hear the recollections of the people around me about where they were when they heard the news that JFK had been shot. Almost 50 years on from the events of that day, it was clear that this was an event that continues to reverberate in the psyche of US citizens, and those from around the world.

The top two floors of the building have now been transformed into the 6th floor museum, and it was a fascinating exhibition. It takes the visitor on a journey - beginning with a synopsis of the various issues that were facing the US at the beginning of the 1960's, through JFK's election campaign, and through the major events of the years of his presidency. The exhibit becomes more specific as it imparts information on Kennedy's visit to Texas in November 1963, and the events of the morning leading up to the motorcade in Dallas. As you wind your way through the exhibit you are gradually drawn towards the corner window from where it is alleged that the fatal shots were fired.

The view from the same angle from the 7th floor of the building

 

Using a mix of multi-media you are thrust into both the immediate aftermath of the assassination, and the events in the days that followed, leading to moving footage of his funeral and internment, and how the impact was felt around the globe.

The remainder of the exhibition follows the various enquiries that have been established over the years in an attempt to find a definitive answer as to whether Oswald was guilty that day, whether he worked alone, or whether the assassination was part of a great conspiracy.

It was a fascinating way to spend a few hours - and having spoken to a few people since, it has made me realise that the events of 22 November 1963 are still one of the defining characteristics of this city.

 

St Louis Zoo and Forest Park

The hospital complex where I am working this week (St Louis Children's Hospital, Jewish Barnes Hospital and Washington University Medical School), including the hotel where I am staying, is across the road from the lovely Forest Park.

The weather when I arrived on the weekend was lovely, and so on Sunday I set off on my now routine Sunday morning exploration (I'm thinking this is a habit I should try and continue when I get home to London). I walked through the park and spent several hours at the zoo - in actual fact this walk was a little longer than it looked on the map, and probably took me at least 45 mins each way...but the park is lovely, the weather was sunny, and there were a lot of people out and about enjoying the morning.

St Louis zoo is known to be one of the best zoos in the world...and I was astounded that it was free entry. It has a long time since I've been to a zoo, but from memory they are generally quite expensive (at least the one in Sydney is). My only disappointment was that the giraffes were inside their home and not able to be seen roaming in their enclosure - and I do love giraffes. But, there were certainly many other animals out enjoying their enclosures...

...and there were quite a few signs of spring within the zoo as well...

 

Developing an addiction to HGTV...

I'm not sure if I would call this a pro or a con but I have developed somewhat of an addiction to HGTV during my time in the US. At any time of the day (but generally most evenings when I am working in my hotel room), I can watch back to back television programmes focused on home design - and what is not to love about that!

Even last week when all of the country was glued to the news as the events unfolded in Boston, it was nice to have the option to switch over to something that was not focused on the human trauma invoked by those acts, and instead be immersed in home renovations.

Some of the programmes I had seen before when staying with my mother in Australia (as she has cable tv and some of these programmes are picked up by the home and lifestyle channels). Others are completely new to me and I am a little bit addicted (Income Property anyone??)

I am a little concerned about having to completely break my addiction when I return home, as I don't have cable/satellite tv...no doubt I'll be relying on my love of Kirstie and Phil to help ease the transition!

 

Spring in Cincinnati

It has been an eventful time to be travelling in the US. The events of last week in Boston and West Texas left me feeling little like blogging.

However, I did have a beautiful day of sunshine in Cincinnati last Sunday after I arrived, and so used the opportunity to explore the downtown and waterfront area.

Followed by a short bus ride up to Mount Adams for lunch and some admiration of the lovely trees in blossom.

I spent some very valuable days at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and University Hospital throughout the week. I've now moved on to St Louis and hearing up for my next week of adventures...