Summertime and the Living is Easy

Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena, Ibiza, Spain 
Image by: hotel hacienda-ibiza.com

Summer is waning, but one important fact remains: It is still summer. So, let's not give up on it yet. I spent many of my childhood summers swimming in lakes in Michigan. It has been a while since my last swim, however.  Stumbling upon Architecture Art Design's list of "24 Amazing Pools You Need to Jump in Before You Die" made me think about my old seasonal pastime. Many pools on the list are so stunning, just taking a dip there seems worth the entire trek.




A favorite from the above list would be hard to name, but the pool at Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena in Ibiza, Spain seems to have an amazing view.

Marina Bay Sands Resort, Singapore
Image: Vivek Prakash/Reuters

Another member of the list is the Marina Bay Sands Resort in Singapore.  (Rated one of the top 10 rooftop pools by The Huffington Post). Just look at that cityscape from the infinity pool.  

I will leave you with a view of the pool at the Sarojin in Thailand and The Hotel Cambria in Switzerland. Just looking at them makes me relax; imagine what a trip there would do. 

Do you have any end of summer travel plans? 

The Sarojin, Khao Lak, Thailand
Image by: sarojin.com

The Cambrian Hotel,  Adelboden, Switzerland
Image by: thecambrianadelboden.com

Yoshitomo Nara Exhibits

Photo Credit: haley green

Years ago, a small postcard collection at Borders Books grabbed my attention. The title alone "OH! MY GOD! I MISS YOU!"  would have enticed me to buy it, but then I thumbed through the cards, and was won over by the illustrations. They were a collection of at once whimsical and slightly devious characters. They were smile-inducing. I quickly had a new favorite artist.

Over the years, I have run into the errant Yoshitomo Nara piece. Once, while working in Japan, I was in a store that was selling custom-framed Yoshitomo Nara prints. I absolutely had to have one, but I was on vacation, and they were not shipping them, nor selling them online. Alas.

I was cleaning yesterday and found my old postcard book. I had forgotten that he had sculptures in various places (as pictured in his book). Today's destination is seeking out his amazing pieces of art.

We will start with the Aomori Museum of Art. "They commissioned both 'Octagonal Chamber' and 'Aomori Dog' by Yoshimoto. They have many additional works; it is a permanent collection. As he is an Aomori native who went on to become a world-class artist, it makes sense that they would have such a collection." (Justin Velgus, 10-8-12, The Aomori Museum of Art, http://en.japantourist.jp/view/the-aomori-museum-of-art).

Next, let's see the Museum of Modern Ceramic Arts in Gifu, Japan. Unfotunately, we have already lost a bit of time on this one, since they started on May 25. Do not despair. Yoshitomo's sculpture 'White Riot' is still visible until August 25, as part of the special exhibition 'The Magic of Ceramics – Artistic Inspiration.' (The Magic of Ceramics – Artistic Inspiration, n.d. http://www.cpm-gifu.jp/museum/19.english/19_2_1englishexhibition.html).

Stops outside Yoshitomo's home country include the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Des Moines, Iowa (home to the sculpture 'White Ghost'), the  Palm Springs Art Museum–where 'Your Dog' resides. Both are permanent collections.  If you would like to catch other international collections stored permanently, "MoMA, New York; CAC Malaga, Spain; and Queensland Art Gallery, Australia are all options. (Yoshitomo's "White Ghost" Coming to Park Avenue," 8-9-10, http://www.nycgovparks.org/news/press-releases?id=20937).

I never need an excuse to travel, but if I did, I just got a new reason to go to the above places.

Summer Tobogganing in Switzerland

Image by www.pilatus.ch

I went to a diner in the middle of nowhere last night. A couple from Switzerland was at the next table; they were here in the US, traveling for a couple of months. My parents told them all about their travels in their home country, leaving me envious of the four of them. I told the Swiss couple how much I wanted to venture there. 

After returning home, I looked up some Swiss sites. Being from Michigan, as a kid, I had plenty of opportunities to go sledding. However, I have never done so in the summer. That is one amazing activity I found in Switzerland; summer tobogganing on Mount Pilatus.

What is more astonishing than summer tobogganing is that Mount Pilatus is not the only place to do so. "It is merely the longest run, at 1350 meters" (4429.13 feet). I can just imagine whirring through it, looking at that crisp mountain scenery. "Once you reach the end, an apparatus actually picks you up and lifts you back to the top for more speedy fun. If the quickness is a bit much, it is said that one may adjust the pace," but it does not say how. (Pilatus Luzern, n.d., http://www.pilatus.ch/en/pilatus-active/summer/fun-action/summer-toboggan-run/)

Suspended rope course
Image by www.pilatus.ch

There is a plethora of other activities there, such as hiking, biking and paragliding. There is also tubing down slides and a suspended rope course. Whether you want to take in some scenery, challenge yourself, or go play like a kid, Pilatus is where its at. I am game; are you?