I remember reading a story about a policeman who wandered the streets of the city in a daze just after the 1906 earthquake. He had been on the third or fourth floor of one of the San Francisco hotels when it collapsed and had somehow survived and then dug himself out. Out in the streets [...]
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Walking the Cova de Montserrat
Hitler thought the Holy Grail was hidden somewhere inside a mountain in Catalonia. According to Wolfram von Eschenbach, Titurel safeguarded the Grail at Munsalvaesche. The Benedictine monks of Montserrat, however, always claimed the Grail was hidden in the caves and tunnels under the sanctuary northwest of Barcelona. Montserrat juts up from the edge of the [...]
Famous People Dead : Five Incorrupt Saints You Have to Meet
Of course the Portuguese had gotten all out of control. Timayya had done his work well and the Bijapur kings were out of the way. Goa belonged to Portugal and everyone was rich from slaving and spices. Other than to wait for next year’s spice fleet, there was not much to do beyond bearing the [...]
Archaeology, Environment, Travel and Obscura – News Roundup
Probably the best headline of the week: French Polynesia denies cannibals ate German tourist. Good thing that. I guess. I do wonder, however if eating a German can give you some of the weird side effects our normal diets do or if you’d have to eat an Australian for that. Maybe the German should have [...]
Archaeology, Environment, Travel and Weirdness – Friday News Roundup
It is snowing on the mountain this morning and I’ll be heading out to take pictures soon after the light. All yesterday the sky spit rain and tiny balls of ice. The wind blew. The air was chilly. I’ll be back in Finland next March…when it is still so cold. Most Finns just embrace it. [...]
Obscura Day 2011 at the Saltstarumen Sound
In celebration of Obscura Day 2011, famed Finnish architect Sami Rintala and your humble photographer led a group of boys to the Saltstarumen Sound in northern Norway. Located in Norland, the Saltstarumen Sound is the strongest tidal current in the world. Over 400 million metric tons of seawater slam through a three kilometer long and [...]
Purchase Fine Art Prints and Books by Jim O’Donnell
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Twenty-One Beautiful Birds of Panama – Birdgasm!
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Cemetery Junction – Eight Groovy Graveyard Pictures
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Spring Rainstorm Pictures – My Shot of the Day – April 1, 2013
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Seeking Some Sassy Ceviche at the Fish Market in Panama City
