We were blessed to visit this park with our friends, the Sachs.
Derek & Laura; Aeryn & Christian
We enjoyed the violet lantern tour, lasting about three hours.
As we approached the cave entrance on a very hot day (approaching 100 degrees), I was astounded to feel the powerful air current (around 54 degrees) emanating from the cave like a giant air conditioner.
How large is the Mammoth cave network? Although efforts have succeeded in mapping 367 miles of caves, they realize there are so many more undiscovered passages. Mammoth is indeed an appropriate name.
There are many different tours to choose from. The violet lantern tour included a visit to a hospital that had been located in the cave many years ago to treat tuberculosis patients. At that time, they hoped that a cool, damp environment would cure the disease; before later discovering the opposite - - a dry and hot area is a more effective treatment. We also saw early markings of native American tribes of centuries ago.
One of the most interesting aspects of the tour was a cavern where a Methodist church used to meet for services to enjoy the great acoustics. When traveling through central Kentucky, consider touring this wondrous park.
As I continue posting reports of our May Mediterranean cruise, our itinerary finds us sailing from Ephesus to Athens, Greece. Our tour guide, a native of Greece, spoke eloquent English, much better than I ("reckon' that ain't too hard?")
I really enjoyed seeing the Parthenon, especially since Nashville, Tennessee has a full-scale replica. Remember I posted some photos of Nashville's Parthenon a while back? (Nashville has long been referred to as "The Athens of the South.")
As with many of the tours on this trip, it included an obligatory visit to a souvenir / gift shop.
We didn't get to see everything during our half-day trip, but our tour did include a quick visit to this fancy hotel. I have seen several hotels, like this one, where the tour guide told of celebrities, like John F. Kennedy staying there.
The remains of the temple of Zeus showcased the grandest of the Grecian temples.
I would certainly enjoy returning to this city which holds countless, ancient secrets.
I have never been to Jerusalem or the area referred to as the "holy lands," but I was thrilled to visit the biblical city of Ephesus. I could not help but snap quite a number of photos at every turn.
The smaller amphi-theater was used for musical events.
I was fascinated by the sewer system Ephesus utilized.
We took a stroll through history.
It was a very unique experience to walk these historic streets.
There is so much of this ancient city that is still available for us to see.
It was very crowded the day we visited, so I tried to take most of the photos without tourists in the picture.
Check out this intricate flooring work.
This is one of my longest posts, as there was so much to photograph and absorb during the visit.
This was the location of the public restrooms.
You could almost hear the sounds of many centuries ago while viewing the ruins of Ephesus.
If you've made it this far in the post, perhaps you are also fascinated with this city.
My favorite place was the giant theater that brought back stories of a riot involving the Apostle Paul.
My lens was not wide enough to catch the capacity of this amazing arena. The acoustics were special in order to accommodate the largest crowds. This trip whetted my appetite to see more of the Bible lands.
One of the highlights of our recent vacation was the historic city of Istanbul, Turkey.
I was intrigued by the traffic sign indicating all types of travel.
Although a short distance, traffic congested the commute from the European side to the Asian side of this city, slowing us to a crawl.
Once a church, the Hagia Sofia is now a museum with breathtaking views.
Our tour included an obligatory visit to a carpet center, where one could not help but be impressed with the high quality of the carpets; most requiring months to weave. We were shown one carpet that boasted a retail price of $40,000.
As they made their sales pitch for these beautiful, colorful carpets, I broke my 33-month fast from coffee to sample some of their atomic, high grade java. As my Dad used to say, "That'll put hair on your chest." It looked more like 10 W-40.
One of our favorite stops was the Grand Bazaar, witnessing the crowded market place and countless vendors.
There were numerous tourists here and we felt safe; except, Sharon noticed a number of people staring at my camera -- which is much more than a simple "point and shoot" model. I was more concerned about pick-pockets in Naples, Rome and Athens.
Colorful wares of all kinds . . .
I don't remember seeing a harbor as busy as this one. There were so many vessels coming and going, I would guess these boats needed some kind of traffic lights to avoid collisions.
As I expected, this visit was both magical and fascinating. I'm so glad that Istanbul was on our itinerary.
I was struck by the contrasting diversity of each port and country we visited. After leaving Italy, the distinct style of this Greek Island was apparent from our first look.
All the buildings are painted white; many with colorful trim.
As the cruise ship passengers descended upon this island, I’m sure the population multiplied. Shopping opportunities abounded.
Now I understand all the talk about the beauty of the Greek Isles.
What an eerie experience to stroll back in time via the streets of Pompeii. As a result of the deadly volcano's sudden eruption, this city became one of the most well-preserved sites of antiquity.
I can't imagine the horror of being trapped by the darkening effects of the nearby volcano's fury. Individuals were frozen in time from the moment they drew their last breath.
This only serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the precious commodity of time. Another day will come - - like a thief . . . and one day, time will be no more.
It seems that we are always following current events. It was difficult to navigate Rome, as there was a very special bicycle race concluding in Rome on the very day we visited. We even got to catch a glimpse of it as we visited the Vatican.
"Good things come to those who wait. . . " "The third time's the charm. . ."
We tried to visit the Mediterranean for our 25th wedding anniversary. Then 9-11 prevented the travel. We tried a second time, to no avail. As they say, the third time is the charm.
What an unbelievable trip! Those of you who know me realize that cruising is my favorite form of vacation. This trip was amazing. Check out these ports of call:
Barcelona Monte Carlo Florence Rome Pompeii Mykonos Istanbul Athens Venice
I'll eventually post more photos. By far, the most amazing cruise we have experienced to date.
Sharon and I are enjoying our first experience with Princess Cruise Lines. Every cruise line seems to have unique features. I'm really enjoying the entertainment on the newest ship of the Princess fleet, the Ruby Princess. Their singers and dancers are doing a fabulous job!
Some of you may remember the title song for one of our children's albums, "Like My Daddy." (Didn't George Pendergrass write that song?) I thought of that song, because I want to be "like my daughter," Kim, as she is such an amazing photographer. As I snapped a lot of photos of this performance, I particularly liked the following composition:
I hope that those of you who would like to experience a cruise vacation get an opportunity in the future to make it happen. It is by far the favorite form of vacation for Sharon and me. Prices are at near all-time lows, so it's a good time to plan a trip. Better yet, I hope you plan to join us on our congregational singing cruise that I announced last week. Check out the details here.
Our first introduction to Italy was the port of Livorno, gateway to Florence and Pisa. As the saying goes, “all roads lead to Rome.” We took one of the Roman roads toward Pisa.
Signs, signs, everywhere signs.
Bicycles and motorcycles everywhere.
The architecture was pretty much what I expected, having seen Italy in so many movies and magazines.
Crossing the river.
There was a stark contrast seeing so much litter in the streets after having just seen Monte Carlo the day before.
The defensive walls of history.
The leaning tower is amazing to see in person.
We also visited inside the nearby cathedral.
Can you believe this is just a baptistry?
This is what very soft soil will do to buildings over centuries.
We are enjoying visiting these places for the very first time. Monaco is the second smallest nation in the world. It is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods on the planet. France is just behind this little nation and Italy can be seen in the distance.
I wanted to go check on our yacht, but we couldn’t remember where docked it.
One of the private yachts in this harbor boasts a crew of 61. With the downturn in the economy, I wonder if they had to cut their crew to 60?
We strolled by the palace, but were disappointed that the Prince was not available to have coffee with us.
This is the hotel (we were told) would cost $20,000 to stay one evening. I sure hope it includes breakfast at that price!
We stopped by their famous casino, but we didn’t see James Bond. Can you believe that they charge admission to go inside this casino? Charging money to take your money.
We missed their famous Grand Prix by a few weeks. Although only a few hour visit, it was fun to see this place with so much history. We heard stories about Grace Kelley and saw a museum once directed by Jacque Cousteau. A thought struck me as we left this affluent location. It’s a shame how they can afford such lavish mansions and yachts but can’t afford deodorant.
Without a regular internet connection, I'll be delayed in reporting on the places we are visiting. Barcelona is such a beautiful city.
Taxis and more taxis.
I'm not sure what this sculpture is supposed to represent?
The "hop on, hop off bus" is a great way to get an overview of the city, especially on the open top deck. Bacelona is full of buildings with unique architecture.
A delightful stroll down La Rambla found some interesting sights.
It can be challenging enough to transition to a different time zone, seven hours ahead of your normal clock.
It is even more challenging to try to sleep throughout the entire evening while the streets are filled with shouting, whistles, cannon explosions and car horns; all celebrating the results of their Futbol championship.
Today we leave Nashville for New York, Toronto and London to arrive in Barcelona tomorrow, Lord willing. As the Three Dog Night song goes, "Well I've never been to Spain. . ."
I plan to keep posting articles on my blog, but will share much more when I return.
Do me a favor? If you know anyone who would especially enjoy the AVB concert, please pass the word along to your friends about the "one and only" AVB Reunion Concert in Nashville, July 3rd at Lipscomb. Tickets can be purchased through iTickets.com
Another song just came to mind (I believe it was Ronnie Milsap), "Let's take the long way around the world . . ."
It doesn't take long for visitors to Australia and New Zealand to become acquainted with the running rivalries between those two Island nations. To find out for yourself, just ask them who was responsible for creating the dessert, pavlova. The Aussies claim it. But, the New Zealanders declare that the case has long been closed and they have the correct answer. I found myself in the middle of that discussion more than once.
Billboard in Christchurch, New Zealand
I took this photo for my friend, Mike Shepherd. He will love to see this advertisement, enticing New Zealanders to holiday in Brisbane. Okay Mike, don't misquote me to my Brisbane friends and cause me any more trouble! :)
The New Zealanders are not ones to give up easily as they are fully equipped for the debates. As one friend was orienting me to New Zealand, he informed me that New Zealand has a North Island and a South Island. He went on to inform me that New Zealand also has a West Island, that some call Australia.
The primary contest I'm interested in is the "best fish and chips." In fact, the Fergusons (from the Madison Church) who are accompanying us on this trip, have declared this tour, the "South Pacific Praise & Harmony, Awesome God, Fish and Chips Tour."
Gold Coast of Australia
We'll keep you updated on our progress. I'm attempting to stay neutral in these discussions, but it's difficult.
In the South Island, we stayed with the Knotts family who made us feel so very welcome.
Liam and Gabrielle
Liam and Gabrielle helped show us around the beautiful countryside in their New Zealand hometown. You can see them in my Portraits Gallery, along with friends from Brisbane, Melbourne and quite a few from Gosford, Australia, including one of our most talented, young Praise & Harmony singers, who has already experienced her second workshop!
One of the joys of conducting Praise & Harmony workshops is witnessing the zeal of the youngest children during the singing. We pray that these precious young ones will always hold on to their joy of singing about Jesus.
