April in the Mediterranean — First Step, Chicago O’Hare

VIKING STAR Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn Ocean Cruise
Barcelona to Athens April 3-24, 2023

PRE-EXTENSION IN BARCELONA APRIL 1-2
POST EXTENSION IN ATHENS APRIL 24-28

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” ~ Pico Iyer

Chicago To Barcelona

We had United/Lufthansa flights, Chicago O’Hare to Frankfurt Germany to Barcelona. We had a tight 1:35-minute connection in Frankfurt and a delay in Chicago cut that to 55 minutes. Still, we had enough time to make our connection. Be advised: there is a long flight of stairs going up from the airplane to the terminal, then there is a 15-minute walk to security. Once through security, there is another 15-minute walk to the regional jets. We arrived at 5:30AM so the airport was not crowded — I’m sure that made a difference. We had only had carry-on luggage — hard for the stairs, but otherwise worked fine—thus there was no need to worry about transferred luggage. Lufthansa was checking the weight of economy baggage and refusing those bags weighing more than 17 pounds. If you were in business class, no worries. Plenty of room for carry-on in Business.

UNITED TERMINAL, OHARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Hotel Nobu Barcelona
Easy to find Viking representatives at the luggage carousels. Just follow the luggage/exit signs. Small vans were there to take us to the hotel. Our FRA-BCN flight was delayed 30 minutes due to airspace restrictions because of the French air controller strikes. We arrived in BCN at 10:00 and were in our hotel room by 11:15. Nobu has Viking down to a science. There were 331 passengers from both the Star and Jupiter for the extensions. Four reps handled questions, made reservations, and offered restaurant recommendations for the Star, another set of reps served the Jupiter passengers. There was an optional Viking walking tour of Barcelona late afternoon of the day before embarkation. $59 per person. We didn’t go since we’d made Park Guell and Sagrada Familia reservations three months ago. (If you want to see the highlights, get advanced tickets. Folks were disappointed to find out main attractions were sold out. Research before you hop on your flight unless you’re satisfied with Viking planning and providing your Barcelona experience. The hotel is lovely and very modern, the staff is helpful. Included breakfast is what you’d expect. Basic buffet with paid options such as omelets and special order eggs. We ate there the first morning, otherwise went in search of local places. Found a great Catalan dining spot three blocks from the hotel. Brassos Bier.

The train station is right across the street from Nobu — underground connections for regional trains/trams and the metro. (Barcelona Sants) We bought a 48-hour Hola travel card for about 16 euros each and took the metro to and from Sagrada Familia, and busses to museums. Recommend using public transportation if you are a seasoned or adventurous traveler and you are mobile. Stairs departing and arriving, not all stations provide services for reduced mobility folks. It worked for us but we had some moments of confusion. An accommodating attendant smoothed the way, but it took some perseverance to find an English-speaking attendant when we ran into issues with the machine refusing our ticket! The train station across the street from the hotel also has many stores — think clothing, luggage, food market, and more. Also, a well-stocked Pharmacy (Farmacia) if you need any last-minute medical stuff. Remember, the pharmacies in Spain are more like urgent care in the States.

Meditation on a Lotus Flower and Change

Water Lotus

Water Lotus ©2013 Bo Mackison

…the best kind of change, is the change that comes from the inside and begins its way out until it emerges on the outside; a change that is born underneath then continues and spreads until it has reached the surface. That’s a true change. A powerful change. ~ C. JoyBelle C.

A few days ago I strolled the Japanese Gardens at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. I rested on a slatted bench in the midst of a garden of water lilies, sat long enough to watch the lotus, fully open, gradually close its petals as the afternoon skies darkened. I contemplated the constant flow of rushing water in the waterfall gardens. It was a cloudy afternoon, not hot though, as a breeze blew in from Lake Michigan. Fishy air is often a part of the Chicago sensory experience. It was somehow comforting, an in-the-moment connection.

I wandered, sat, absorbed, felt surrounded and held: as I centered myself in the gardens; as I strolled, hand-in-hand with my husband of 38 years; as we sent comfort to each other in our language of hand squeezes and quiet glances.

Sherpa and I had spent the morning with his mother. It was a morning fraught with emotion and change, one of those times in life when a major life change — deeply feared — was inevitable. We were there to tell my mother-in-law that independent living was no longer an option, that her medical situation now required a move to an assisted care facility . The move was no longer a plan in the future, it was a necessity.

As I gently told her she had to move, she expressed an array of emotions – disbelief, confusion, anger, frustration, fear, denial. I watched her eyes as we talked, as she realized we couldn’t change the plans. Gradually she realized her children, doctor and the administrator of her current living situation were in agreement – she could no longer live in her apartment.

“What if I refuse?” she asked.

I held her hand and said as kindly as I could, “That’s not a choice.”

I deeply empathized with M, perhaps because I have been in similar situations — times when I grasped that I was struggling, when I needed more care than I could provide for myself, when I refused to give up control but the situation demanded another person make decisions for my care and safety. For me, those occurrences were temporary. But the feelings of knowing that one has lost their basic, decision-making powers is deeply frightening.

I don’t think I understood that this awareness was present while I was speaking to my mother-in-law, but once we left her apartment, I knew I had to find a green space to walk and process all that had transpired.

The Chicago Botanical Garden was not far from our route home, and we stopped.

I stood in the grasses of the gardens and grounded myself, visualized sending an anchor deep within the earth, visualized a calm light surrounding me from above. Re-connection.

I contemplated the lotus, a plant whose beginning are in muddied waters. The plant sends up a stalk much like an umbilical cord, its leaves open upon the water’s surface, and the flower rises above the water, opening into a magnificent blossom high above the waters.

The lotus breaks free of its muddy origins and emerges white and pure, with a brilliantly yellow pod, a tiny sun.

Change. Renewal.

Sitting on a bench and watching the open lotus slowly close as evening approached, I thought about my mother-in-law entering a new phase of her life. It was a small comfort to realize that the closed lotus flower would open again in the morning, and that M would pass through this stage of her life and eventually move into a different stage, and into her own light, in her own way.

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Bo Mackison is photographer, book-maker, collector of stories, naturalist, and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. I am also daughter in law, and I have the deepest respect for my mother-in-law, doing the best that she can in a most difficult time.

Hotel Living

Closet

Closet ©2012 Bo Mackison

Shower

Shower ©2012 Bo Mackison

Towels

Towels ©2012 Bo Mackison

Waste Basket

Metal and Paper ©2012 Bo Mackison

More Comfortable

Getting Comfortable ©2012 Bo Mackison

Pillows

Pillows ©2012 Bo Mackison

Curtains

Curtains ©2012 Bo Mackison

Chair

Chair ©2012 Bo Mackison

Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.

On Printing House Row in Chicago

Doors on Printer's Row

Doors on Pontiac Building ©2012 Bo Mackison

It feels appropriate that while I am at a photographers convention in downtown Chicago, my hotel and many of the buildings within sight of my destination are part of the Printing House Row Historic District. It isn’t that much of a stretch to connect the early days of newspaper and book printing with the printing of photographs.

I’ve taken just a few photographs. All day workshops and lectures in the evening limit my ability to get out there for a long shoot, though I am anticipating some camera time this weekend. I’ve done my homework and know which of the nearby buildings have historical merit. I did a few morning shots just as the sun was peeking over Lake Michigan, and again when the sun lit some of the buildings.

And I’ve discovered a favorite haunting grounds from my college days, just in a new location. I spent more than a few evenings, studying gross anatomy while munching on Gino’s East pizza.

I’ll post about the conference after I’ve had time to pull my notes together into more cohesive ramblings! And check out the building on Printing House Row.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.  She is attending the Filter Photo Festival in Chicago the week of October 15.  My take on this marvelous conference and learning experience coming soon.

This Weekend in Chicago — 57th Street Art Fair

Great Dogs at the 57th Street Art Fair Hyde Park Chicago

Great Dogs at 57th Street Art Fair © 2011 Bo Mackison

I’m beginning the Summer Art Fair season and taking Seeded Earth Photography on the road today. Sherpa and I are heading to the Hyde Park area in Chicago for the 57th Street Art Fair. Let’s hope the weather gods cooperate and we have a great week-end of weather for strolling this historic art show.

My booth is #716, on the north side of 57th Street.

Enter the booth and you will be in a photo garden!

57th Street Art Fair Hours:

SATURDAY, JUNE 2  11:00 AM TO 6 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3  10:00 AM TO 5 PM.

The Hunt for Art at the 57th Street Art Fair Hyde Park, Chicago

The Hunt for Art at the 57th Street Art Fair © 2011 Bo Mackison

If you’re in the Chicago area, come and visit. The 57th Street Art Fair is a early summer tradition for all of Chicago! There will be nearly 200 artists – support these artists and their small businesses, get original art, and enjoy strolling the neighborhood. All good stuff!

Mention this post to receive a 10% discount.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Bo is looking forward to her trip to Hyde Park this weekend — she loves the art, architecture, and friendly atmosphere!