| No question about it, sometimes Friday's Journal has a mind of its own. I've often started a page with one idea, only to see it take a detour and end up barely resembling my original thought. Seldom, though, has it gone quite as far afield as this. While I was searching for pictures about my original subject, I noticed a particular photo on Webshot's home page and, although it had nothing to do with my topic, I kept coming back to it, until, finally, I gave in and went to its album. A few pictures in and it was all over---I discarded my first idea and started collecting images of Crimea! (Crimea?? I know, that's what I said.) But, everywhere I searched, I found image after beautiful image, most with intriguing captions. Usually, I have to sift through hundreds of photos to find a handful that I really like...but, even though there were far fewer pictures to choose from, I soon found that I wanted to keep all of them. Aside from the dramatic landscapes and seascapes, after a little web searching, I found out so much about Crimea's fascinating history, some of which I'd known nothing about and some of which I'd left behind in long ago history books. I became so interested in the Crimean War, and Queen Victoria's part in it, that I didn't make it to bed until 2 a.m. (So many countries, so many rich histories...and so little free time!) Are you familiar with the poem, "The Charge of the Light Brigade?" My father used to recite it by heart...a dramatic tale, to go with the drama of the Crimean War. By the way, the picture that lured me into the Ukraine was the one above...Swallow's Nest Castle, near Yalta. Legend has it that it was built by a baron for the love of his life...as it turned out, unrequited love, because she refused to marry him. (Maybe she was just afraid of heights!) Anyway, here we go...off to the Black Sea and a quick tour of some beautiful and magical places. Enjoy! Nancy |
