April 26: The Pillars of Hercules

All the photos and knowledge of Gibraltar did not prepare me for the jaw-dropping sight of the Rock rising from Spain and its precipitous descent into the Mediterranean. I visit Europa Point, the southernmost point on Continental Europe.  I head to the Upper Rock Reserve for a view of monkeys and fog.  Yes, true to the British experience, along with stodgy pub food, the fog rolled in.  The sun reappears as I cross into Spain.

April 19: Desert tracks

April 12: Enchanting Marrakech

True to my nature, my first activity in Morocco combines eating, learning, and helping disadvantaged women.  I mix turmeric, garlic, coriander, ginger, and sweet paprika along with loads of vegies for one tasty vegetable tagine.  Surprisingly easy!  I will definitely include this dish into my repertoire back home. I head back to the captivating beat in Djemaa al Fna Square. 

April 5: Icy sculptures

The combination of wind, cold, and water on Lake Superior creates some interesting formation.  I had expected caves with ephemeral stalagmites and stalactites.  Instead, I encounter icy curves sculpted by nature.  Beautiful nonetheless.  It would have been nice if I were warm enough to enjoy.  Do appreciate the photo.  They were snapped with great personal sacrifice of numb fingers.

March 29, 2015: Little giant

I attend a lecture by the illustrious Brenda Milner.  What an honour!

She speaks of experiences as an experimental psychologist in Wilder Penfield’s laboratory.  This petite woman’s research spanned our knowledge of how the mind works—from Penfield’s homunculus to recent fMRI technology.  She describes how she made key discoveries of motor skill function of the brain with her work with HM, one of the most famous patients of neuroscience.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Milner

March 22, 2015: Light show, no sound

Ten years ago, I learned an important lesson: take time to enjoy the moment.

I was making my way to work in northern rural Ontario.  At the beginning of a 4-hour drive late at night, I had seen in the distance streaks of green. A delayed flight lengthened my night.  No time to pause--I hurried on. I discovered the next day that the previous night’s aurora borealis was one of the most spectacular in decades. Just a few minutes pause would have given me an unforgettable sight.  Instead, I received an unforgettable lesson.

Fast forward 10 years.  Local radio announces that clear skies and high solar activity predict excellent aurora viewing tonight.  I set my alarm for wee o’clock.  At wee o’clock, my body wanted to continue its slumber.  I finally dug myself out of bed at 3 a.m., snuggled into my parka, and headed out.

Leaving civilization was an easy feat in Atikokan—2 km drive up the road and I was enveloped in complete darkness.  Except for the skies.  Car lights dimmed.  Eyes adjust.  I look north.  Spectacular!  The lights danced fluidly between pulses, quite different from the faint streaks I had expected.  No regrets over lost sleep.  One regret: I could not record this on camera.