Prelude

At thirty-eight, I ran the first of my six completed Marathons in September, 1978 in New York City. The race traverses all five boroughs of the City.  The race begins at Fort Wadsworth Park in Staten Island and immediately crosses the Verrazano Narrows Bridge across New York Bay to Brooklyn.  Through Bay Ridge and downtown Brooklyn and across the Pulaski Bridge to Queens.  Then across the 59^th Street-Queensborough Bridge to Manhattan, north to the Willis Avenue Bridge to the South Bronx, and then the Madison Avenue Bridge back to Manhattan, through Harlem and Central Park and finally to Tavern on the Green Restaurant near Columbus Circle.  (A friend of mine quipped, “I wouldn’t even want to drive that route!”)  The race covers the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles or 42.2 kilometers!

Here's a cute story I like to tell about that race: “I ran the race with the famous marathoner Bill Rogers!  He is the eventual winner at 2’ 10”….  But when he crossed the finish line in Manhattan, I was still slogging along in Brooklyn!”

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Jomtien Beach

Thailand

Early Sunday Morning

July 20, 2025

Windy and Overcast

Hello,

And speaking about runners slogging (or just walking) along:

 By the time I realize what is happening in my neighborhood this morning, the Pattaya Marathon had been in progress for three hours. The elite runners and well-trained long-distance runners have already crossed the finish line.  Since my location on the route is at 32 kilometers. or about 20 miles, I am watching “the back of the pack.”

Bangkok

Thailand

June 19, 2025

Hello,

In May 2022, my friends Roberta and Sergio and I traveled to Iran.  I think I can speak for them and say that it was a favorite journey.

I decided today to look back at my trip and collect photos of some of the folks I met along the way.

Today is also a special day.  My former wife, the late Alice Dawn would have been celebrating her Eighty-fifth Birthday.  Alice was a devoted teacher of French and a dedicated activist for peace in the 1960's and 70's. I am certain she would have been supportive of my project today.

Please click on the photo above for the photo gallery.

You can find my Iran travel letters, photographs and videos on this website.

All the best,

Jan

Bangkok

Thailand

May 12, 2025

Hello,

To prepare for my trip to southern Africa last year, I read several comments posted by previous travelers. Most are positive regarding the accommodations and the staff at the safari lodges.   Everyone is delighted to view the wildlife and the scenery.

But to this day I remember one comment from an unhappy traveler on a game drive: “We drove through the bush for three and a half hours and all we saw were trees!”

Bad luck. (It’s not like you can pick up the phone and ask the giraffes to wander over for a visit.)

I had lots of good luck with wildlife.   

But you know?  I also loved the trees!   Common or exotic.  Alive or dead.  I love the trees.  

Nizwa  (pop 84, 600)

Oman

January 16, 2015

At the Nizwa Souk this morning, sellers are selling families.  Buyers are buying families. 

Mothers and their children are white; others are brown or black. The seller leads his family group around a paddock while the buyers sit in a clutch, discuss the offerings, observe the quality of the merchandise and make a decision.