To love beauty is to see light.

Victor Hugo

Whether it’s soft, early morning light or rays turning everything gold just before sundown, light transforms ordinary objects into studies in contrast, all in a matter of moments.

Consider these photos taken in Apalachicola, Florida, one early spring afternoon. Near downtown, these old buildings — once thriving destinations for conducting business or serving vacationers — are now hauntingly deserted, but still magically aglow at sundown.

Further away from downtown Apalachicola, shrimp boats at Mill Pond stand waiting for another longed-for run into blue waters.

For those who love authenticity, antiquities, and relics of another time, it just doesn’t get any better than these working boats in Apalachicola — a real find for photographers and boat lovers of all ages.

It’s that interplay of light and shadow that bring these boats to life. Or make you do a double take as you notice some items receding into shadows while others pop out, awash in afternoon light.

After staring at the long row of boats, we became enamored with how light played on useful objects — like these coils of rope and cable ready to be tossed out into deep waters. But in their relaxed state, they’re almost art forms.

Sunsets are proof that endings can often be beautiful too.

Beau Taplin

Perhaps it’s too much to say this mariner’s “at the end of his rope,” but what else would be appropriate for a day on the water, away from everyone and everything, doing what you do best? Definitely a good end to a good day.

And, of course, it’s all about the light!

For more examples of how light impacts photos, check out Tina’s blog, Travels and Trifles. If you want to add a post of your own, be sure to add the tag Lens-Artists at the end.

Enjoy the light!

Rusha & Bert

Although not in our top five Most Viewed posts, Morocco was perhaps our Number One destination in 2018.

It was about this time last year that those nice folks at Gallivance (Terri and James Vance) published Best of the Blog: The Top 10 Faves, and ever since then, we’ve wondered what you, our readers, would find fascinating among our ramblings for 2018.  After all, we’ve been near (our home town of Knoxville) and far (Maine and Morocco), but never really thought of what you enjoyed reading about the most . . . until now.

Come to think of it, looking back is a good thing.  We just may want to do less of one place and more of another based upon what you like.  (Now there’s a concept — pleasing our readers!)

So, with thanks to the Vances for inspiration (good writing, humor, great photos, too), here are our top five Most Viewed posts of 2018.  Ta-da!!!

Most Viewed Number 5:  “Food, glorious food:  West End Market, Cleveland, Ohio”

Now, this one was no surprise to us:  everyone we know who travels seems to love eating food of the area.  And after a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the house in A Christmas Story, we decided that a big market like West Side was just what we needed to see (and sample).  With a plethora of fresh veggies piled high for the taking and some regional specialties we just don’t get that often in Tennessee (think perogies, apple provolone stuffed tenderloin, and pizza bagels), it was definitely love at first sight — and first bite — at West Side Market.

And we were glad that the market was ginormous.  It gave us an opportunity to walk off what we sampled — from macarons to ginger snaps and then some.

You can be sure we’ll be frequenting more Farmers Markets in 2019.  In fact, you can hardly beat the Knoxville’s Saturday set-up in our downtown Market Square.  So watch for more food, glorious food.

Most Viewed Number 4: “Sunrise at Acadia Dock”

Shoulda known this one would be in the Top Five.  Sunrise photos rank right up there with puppies in a basket and cuddly babies in knitted caps as favorites.  But these sunrises were special to us.  We woke early almost every morning during the month we spent in Castine, Maine, just to walk to the dock and stand with the locals in silent reverence for God’s paintings on the water.

Sunrise: Castine Harbor.

We loved it all — from boats tied up and waiting, to watching lobstermen hard at work before dawn, to the launch each day of the Maine Maritime Academy’s training boat, the Bowdoin.

Bowdoin, training vessel for Maine Maritime Academy

In fact, those early morning strolls down the street, cup of coffee in hand and jacket zipped up, remain some of our fondest memories.  But coming in at a close second after clapping for the sunrise was hiking up the main drag to enter MarKel’s Bakehouse for a whiff of those moist right-out-of-the-oven blueberry scones.  Would go back in a heartbeat!

Morning light: Castine, Maine.

Most Viewed Number 3: Out of this world:  Monhegan Island, Maine

Speaking of going back — one night in Monhegan is definitely not enough.  From the boat trip on choppy waters to the laid-back, no-improvements-needed landscape of this little island Down East, it was, hands-down, one of our sites and sights to remember from all of our U. S. travels.

Main road in Monhegan – pleasantly untouched.

Just like our early morning adventures in Castine, Maine, we wanted to see Monhegan at dawn.  So getting up early and trekking to the top of the hill where the original lighthouse and Monhegan museum stand was a no-brainer.  We had to do it, and we did.  And the reward? A panorama of houses and unmanicured yards and dirt paths leading up the road apiece.  It’s life as it was fifty years ago, and that’s why people come to see it. And it’s what keeps the locals there even through brutal winters.

Greeting the sun: buildings at Monhegan Island Light

If you’re ever in Maine wondering whether to spend a couple of days in Monhegan or not, we say, “Go for it.”  It’s artistry, community, and raw beauty all in one — something you can’t find packaged together much anymore. If this post isn’t enough of Monhegan (and one post really isn’t), try taking a look at this one as well:  “Five places to see: Monhegan Island, Maine.” 

Most Viewed Number 2:  “Variations on a Theme: Island Cottages, St. George Island”

Near Apalachicola, Florida, lies an expanse of beach that, although lined with residences, doesn’t seem crowded at all.  It’s because the founding fathers or the current municipal fathers (or both) have seen fit to leave St. George Island almost untouched.  You rarely see a restaurant.  And there are few rental places, few beach shops selling air-brush t-shirts, and almost no dune buggies whizzing past.  Just beach.  And that’s the beauty of it.

But there are viewing spots — now, more than ever.  Island cottages are nestled in and among the older beach houses so that we who want to visit St. George can get a glimpse, no matter how high up, of that beautiful blue water and untouched sand beach.

Lined up for your island vacation at St. George

So, here’s to the skinny houses, the ones that seem precariously perched on stilts so that residents can sit on skinny porches, raise their binoculars and search for dolphins swimming by.

All in a row: St. George Island

This was one of those posts we put together for the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, and we must admit that we miss those weekly suggestions for posting sent to us by the WordPress folks.  It only takes a few words from the blog people to make the photo bugs within us search our memories (and our hard drives) for just the right thing. But since that’s no longer done for us, we probably need to do that on our own a little more often.

Most Viewed Number 1:  “Weekly Photo Challenge:  Silence in a Garden”

And here it is:  Number One!  Again it was a WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge response that catapulted this little three-photo post to the Most Viewed status among our blogs in 2018!  Perhaps readers share our desire to “sit a spell” in a relaxing place, like a garden, and let the cares of the world pass us by, even if just for a short while.

A weathered garden bench invites visitors to sit a spell and enjoy the quiet.

Or perhaps it’s the power of WordPress to help us network and share posts with so many people who blog on a regular basis.  Whatever the reason, we are delighted that a garden spot in Knoxville, Tennessee, was the Most Viewed Post of 2018.

And maybe we need to rethink big trips — like the one we took to Morocco — for popular posts.  Not one of our Morocco posts landed in the Top Five; instead, viewers liked sunrises, beaches, and gardens more.  (And we love those as well.)

We’ve been photo bombed — by a cat in Meknes, Morocco. Oh, well.

Thanks to you, our viewers, we look forward to another year of blogging.  We’ll finish up our series Marvelous Morocco just in time to head to Southeast Asia for a January 2019 itinerary that includes meandering the streets of Hanoi, sleeping two nights on a junk in Halong Bay, snapping endless photos of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, and reveling in the colorful city of Bangkok.

We wish for all of you a very happy 2019 — whether you travel far or near.  It’s all good when you love where you are in the world.

Thanks for following Oh, the Places We See.

Rusha and Bert Sams

“Unconditional Surrender” by the marina in Sarasota, Florida

Down by the marina in Sarasota, Florida, a 26-foot tall sailor connects with a pretty young lady.  The statue, officially named “Unconditional Surrender,” has also been dubbed “The Big Smooch” (at least by roadsideamerica.com), and people either love it or hate it. Originally intended to help people forever connect to the memory of WWII, Jack Curran, a former signalman, put up $500,000 to help preserve the memory of those who served. Although many have called the statue “a big gaudy sideshow” (Source:  Herald Tribune), a Florida contingency brought it back by popular demand in 2006 after it spent time in San Diego, California.  It seems a lot of people connect with the world’s largest random embrace!

For more “connections,” go to Weekly Photo Challenge: Connected.

A beautifully symmetrical patterned walkway leads to Ca’ d’Zan at The Ringling in Sarasota, Florida.

It’s not just the miniature circus at The Ringling that draws tourists to dreamy Sarasota, Florida.  It’s also the lure of how the wealthy once lived.  And who doesn’t like a glimpse of the lavish lifestyles of the past?  If you’re visiting The Ringling, save time for a tour of the dramatic, highly patterned Ca’ d’Zan.

The imposing tower of Ca’ d’Zan, former home of John and Mable Ringling.

Ca’ d’Zan (House of John), the historic home of John and Mable Ringling, stands tall at water’s edge. Inspired by the architecture of Venice’s iconic structures — Ducal Palace, Ca’ d’Oro, and the Grunwald Hotel, the Ringlings commissioned New York architect Dwight James Baum in 1924 to create a masterpiece incorporating European design motifs and the creative ideas of Mable Ringling. But as much time and effort that Mrs. Ringling poured into the home (completed in 1926), the time she actually spent living in it was cut short by her death three years afterward.

Stunning zig-zag patterns on the marble bayfront terrace complement arched windows, stained glass, mosaic panels, and terra cotta ornamentation.

The 36,00-square foot home, Ca’ d’Zan, is a study in patterns inside and out. Overall, the style is known as Venetian Gothic, evident in the typical arched windows and doors, layering of terra cotta tiles, and zig-zag patterns of imported marble in the bayfront terrace. Stained glass, mosaics, and graceful arches add to the ambiance of this showcase home.

Patterns repeat themselves inside, too.  Similar arched doorways, black and white tile floors, and ornamentation on stairwells and balustrades reveal an attention to detail and love of Italianate style.

Furniture pieces, frequently embellished with delicate hand painting, often utilize floral motifs similar to art of the old masters.  Don’t know marquetry from faux painting? Talented docents (some of the best we’ve encountered on historic home tours) willingly share their knowledge of styles and periods of architecture, ceramics, furniture, and art. (And answer questions!)

Hand-painted bed with gold leaf: Ca’ d’Zan

Ca’ d’Zan stands with the best historic homes in America — European and Asian influence but a lavish, well-executed style all its own.  It’s definitely worth seeing when you visit the world of the Ringlings, even if it does make you realize that most of us live in ordinary abodes, compared to the stunning home of John and Mable!

A blend of patterned terra cotta tiles, mosaics, and twisted columns greet guests to Ca’ d’Zan at The Ringling.

For more information:

Ca’ d’Zan, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, Florida, 34243; 941-359-5700; https://www.ringling.org/ca-dzan

Open daily 10-5; Thursdays ’til 8.

Boomer travel tip:  All areas on the tour of Ca’ d’Zan are accessible.  Tour guides are some of the best we’ve encountered — knowledgeable, yet approachable and patient with all who have questions!

Miniature band members atop band wagon at The Ringling Circus Museum in Sarasota, FL.

While you may think of the circus — and who wouldn’t? — as the Greatest Show on Earth, there’s a whole world of tiny circus people and animals and tents sure to make you lean in to glass showcases for a closer look.  It all happens at The Ringling’s Circus Museum in Sarasota, Florida.  In one part, you can check out what’s under the Big Top at Howard Bros. Circus Model but don’t miss the Tibbals Learning Center where archives and tiny replicas of circuses around the world will thrill you to peanuts.  Just goes to show — tiny things can bring great joy!

The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243; ringling.org/circus-museum

For more tiny shots, head over to Ailsa’s blog Where’s My Backpack?  for Travel theme: Tiny.

Enveloped by a big-eyed sea horse . . .

And this one cuddled by a huggable manatee — while the little one looks longingly for the postman!

Or how about being enveloped by a big ol’ wide-mouth bass?

And last, this slick, silver dolphin proud to be enveloping a mailbox at the end of a Florida driveway.

Totally enveloped now?  Not even close.  Check out more examples of this week’s word in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Enveloped.  

Sunset on the waterfront, Amelia Island, Florida

After walking the broad Fernandina Beach and touring Fort Clinch, we longed for one last coastal sunset before heading back to Tennessee the following morning.  Ah, yes.  This will do: the waterfront at Amelia Island.

As we arrived, a man standing on a ramp was ending what he later told us was a nightly ritual: pitching fish into the water at sundown.

Feeding the fish at 5:30, Amelia Island, waterfront

The birds (mostly pelicans) loved it as they flew, swam, darted, and pushed — eager to get in there and get fish at any cost!

Seagulls, brown birds, pelicans, and more.  Didn’t matter — all wanted a piece of the action.  And here they came, flapping wings, splashing water, honking and screeching.  We scrambled to focus our cameras to take it all in.

Perched on a post at Amelia Island waterfront

And just as we started taking pictures, one singular bird — a rather large, pensive pelican — perched atop a green post.  And sat there.  Watching.  Waiting.  Taking us in, or so we thought.  He’s harmless, right? But with that stern look, we weren’t so sure.

He looked left and right.  He stared forward and back.  But he always seemed to have one eye squarely focused on us.  And then, just like that, he was gone.

Taking flight.

By this time the feeding frenzy had ended, the man was walking back up the ramp, and birds began paddling around, content. We looked past the marina into the sunset once more as we heard the man, now behind us, say softly, It happens every night about 5:30.  Come back tomorrow.  It’s fun every time.  

Looking into the distance at the Amelia Island waterfront

And we wished we could, of course.

Sunset, Amelia Island.

For more information:

Check out this post on Kate Harris’s blog:  “Fifteen Things to Do on Amelia Island in 2015”

And also take a look at the site Welcome to Amelia Island full of suggestions for what to do and what to see on Amelia Island.

Here’s hoping you’ll have more time than we did to see this lovely coastal area!

For more on the Coasting series, click here.

The graceful arches of stately Southern trees form a suitable canopy over the road leading to Fort Clinch State Park on Fernandina Beach, Florida.  The icing, so to speak, on all this Southern graciousness are the touches of green along the branches and wisps of Spanish moss that move delicately with the wind.

For more entries in Ailsa’s Where’s My Backpack? photo challenge — Travel theme: Graceful — click here.

Strolling St. George Street, St. Augustine, Florida

As we prepared to say good-bye to St. Augustine, a town of many surprises, we remembered the sites that have become must-see’s for tourists:  Castillo de San Marcos, Flagler College, the Oldest Wood Schoolhouse in America, etc.  But we found ourselves leaning more and more toward an appreciation of the ordinary as much the tourist-book notables.

Ordinary is relative, we suppose.  But we mean ordinary in the sense that simple things can tell you about a place as much as its celebrated landmarks.  It’s what you see when you drive down a side street where people live, garden, and decorate for holidays.  The ordinary doorways, windows, and fretwork that have become worn by time.  The out-of-the-way things you share with each other as a way of enjoying “the find” as much as the check-off list.

One of the notables: Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Augustine

So here are some of our parting shots.  Some are ordinary.  But all hold special meaning. Maybe just because of where we were in our journey to “do” St. Augustine.

Sometimes the back of a place can be as interesting as the museum inside.  At the Gonzalez-Alvarez House (the Oldest House in America), the walkway behind the house was adorned with statues representing the seasons.

Walkway behind Gonzalez-Alvarez House, St. Augustine

Further to the right of the walkway, a little house of aging stone held artifacts of a simpler time.

And in the garden, peaceful statues stand among the vines.

Peaceful setting along a garden wall, St. Augustine

Harbor walks offer another side of life as there are usually boats and/or people coming and going.  Here’s a shot taken from the sidewalk that runs along the harbor leading to Castillo de San Marcos.

Harbor scene, St. Augustine

And at the Castillo, we marveled at the detail on the aging bronze cannons as much as we stood in awe of the size and strategic position of the fort as a whole.

Cannon detail, Castillo de San Marcos

Some buildings typified the old St. Augustine as no others could.  It wasn’t just one feature — the grillwork, the Spanish moss, the discolored walls.  But rather it was the whole of it that spoke to us.

Spanish moss, windows with balconies — St. Augustine

St. Augustine came to represent what we think of in terms of a city with history, but also a city of beauty and a city of fun.  It may have just what you’re looking for, but it also may surprise you by showing you what you never knew was there.  At least that’s how it was for us.

For more posts in our Coasting series, click here.

For more information: 

Florida’s Historic Coast: http://www.floridashistoriccoast.com/

Twitter: @FLHistoricCoast

St. Augustine 450th Commemoration: http://staugustine-450.com/

Facebook: St. Augustine 450th Commemoration: https://www.facebook.com/450th

Bert takes a look at a doorway in Fort Clinch.

While roaming through Fort Clinch State Park at Fernandina Beach, Florida, on a weekend when re-enactors were not only in costume but also in character, Bert wandered into a spacious room to take a look at an intriguing doorway.  The “guard” moved in, seizing the moment to talk about the prison cell behind the door.

Bert takes a closer look, peering into the darkness.

The authentically clothed guard then asked Bert if he’d like to go inside the cell.  Bert hesitated.  But then compelled by his curiosity and the guard’s insistence, my innocent husband wandered in.

How does it feel in there? A little small?

Immediately, the guard closed the door explaining that he wanted Bert to get the “full experience” of being jailed.  Of course, the guard assured him, you do have this little peep hole at the top and a slot where we’ll most assuredly shove your daily ration of bread!

Moral:  Beware of doorways in old prisons.  You never know when it just might be your turn to be on the “other side.”

For more entries into Ailsa’s Travel theme: Doorways at her blog Where’s My Backpack, click here.