Hubbard Glacier Alaska
This summer we went on a cruise to southeastern Alaska with the Celebrity Infinity. On the way we passed the Hubbard glacier for some photos. Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier on the North American continent. It has been thickening and advancing toward the Gulf of Alaska since it was first mapped by the […]
Lovely Lemurs in Madagascar
Last year I had the privilege of visiting Madagascar to see the unique animals and plants often found only there. The prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana separated the Madagascar–Antarctica–India landmass from the Africa–South America landmass around 135 million years ago (mya). Madagascar later split from India about 88 mya, allowing plants and animals on […]
Beautiful Larger Birds in Southeast Arizona
The larger birds of Sierra Vista are outstanding in terms of their colors and shapes. Arizona is a vast landscape of bold color, formations and piercing beauty. The southeastern corner is no exception. Isolated mountains called “Sky Islands” rise abruptly from the arid desert highlands, harbor a tremendous variety of plant and animal life and […]
Exotic Birds in Madagascar
When I visited Madagascar the focus was really on chameleons and lemurs. There was little time to explore the beautiful and unique birds of Madagascar. What I lost in numbers I gained in quality. The birds I did see were colorful and unique many of which found only on Madagascar. The distance from Africa to […]
Portugal
Portugal is a small, sun-drenched country with a big footprint on world history. It preceded Spain by almost 250 years in expelling the Moors from it’s territory. Portugal emerged as a country in 1143, after a 15 year rebellion by Afonso I. Under Prince Henry the Navigator, Portuguese ships sailed out along the coast of Africa. The Madeira Islands and the Azores were colonized. Under John II (1481–95) voyages of exploration were resumed. Bartholomew Diaz rounded (1488) the Cape of Good Hope. By the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), Spain and Portugal divided the non-Christian world between them. During the glittering reign of Manuel I (1495–1521) the Portuguese Empire extended across the world, to Asia, Africa, and America.
