Dave Beckwith

Anyone interested in horseracing should find a trip to Bowie most satisfying—in particular, Belair Mansion and Stables, whose curator and guide are most informative and delightfully generous with their knowledge.

Among Belair’s bragging points are Gallant Fox, Omaha and Nashua. Selima is also associated with Belair.

The mansion, once occupied by Governor Ogle, went through many changes over the centuries. But, as the curator tells us, this museum reflects those changes, rather than trying to be true to only one particular point in time. It works particularly well in this case, since most changes tended to be improvements.

Everyone should live here for at least one year. Four is best. Five is too much. Three is less than four but more than two.

All city and town planners should be forced to study Harvard Square. Maybe they too would become little universes unto themselves, where most anything in the world could be got within a few square blocks. Anything related to culture, that is. Riding lawn mowers might be in short supply. But if you want a book on architecture, say…well there is an entire bookstore devoted to nothing but. That sort of thing.

But the people are really what makes it a groovy place. One wonders if Brother Blue is still enchanting town and gown alike.
I take it Tracy Chapman moved on.

I have too many memories to even begin to tell them. Instead, I will just give it my highest recommendation.

The collection casts deep and wide, bringing together the old, the foreign, the independent, the avant-garde, and the new and excitingly wonderful. Leger, Lumiere, Melies, Muybridge, Ray, Richter, Vigo, Vertov, Eisenstein, and the rest…

When I first arrived in Green Witch Village, I thought I had arrived in Greenwich Village, except I was surrounded my mountains, streams and otter. Lots of otter. More otter than you can shake a spear at. So don’t bring your spear. Bring someone else’s if you must, but do not, I repeat, do not, bring your own. Especially not the ruby-tipped one.

I had heard stories about how magical, even mystical, the mountains of North Carolina were, but I thought it was all legend…until I saw, and felt, for myself, the natural power of this ancient and venerated land…which, by the way, is in danger of being divvied up and sold to the highest bidder.

To find the actual village, you will require a guide of high spiritual caliber. If and when you are ready to go, that guide will appear, and whisper the words “Go go” into your left ear. It will be on a Sunday, and probably in the late afternoon.

You will then need to promptly slip into your go-go boots and miniskirt (or kilt), and follow him, blindfolded, on the back of a horse name Wildfire or Trigger. Sometimes Larry.

Do not press your go-go heels into the horse, as he would remind you of the story of Neitzsche or Kundera’s Karenin.

Please leave your cell phone in the nearest trashcan.
You are about to live.

As the gallery is arranged chronologically, you can see how the English mug evolved over the centuries. Not necessarily in an entirely upward progression. Peaked at Blake, I think.

Don’t miss William Blake’s death mask…or the gallery.

That west side is pretty nice! You’d almost think rich people lived there! And they probably do!

If you find yourself watching the changing of the guards, or watching the pelicans eat the pigeons (got a nice shot of it!)...consider yourself fortunate. You can walk to St. James, Harrods, Albert Hall, various great musea, Victoria Station, Kensington, Tate Gallery, Knightsbridge and lots of beautiful people.

The Palace is not bad either.

When I visited this great center of the world, I was more impressed by Christopher Wren’s architecture than the profound place it holds in English history. I was far too irreverent. My humble apologies…

Other than being a great work of architecture, it is also the resting place of some of the greatest people in English history.
Take the complete tour…and pay attention!

Everything is in the British Museum. From the Discus Thrower, to the interior of the Parthenon, to the works of Joyce, Mozart, Beethoven, Bede, the First Folio, Rosetta Stone, and on and on. It is endlessly fascinating, and as rich in history as any museum in the world.

Make this your first stop, as you will want, and need, to come back. It is also close to many other places you will want to see.

If LA is too much for your nerves, take the coastal highway north, and plop down in Santa Barbara. I hope it is as laid back as it was when I was there. But alas, that has been over a dozen years.