Blue Canadian Rockies / Vera Lynn
The Columbia Icefields seem massive. Yet year by year, the glaciers recede.
Soon to be gone.
Scientists say they will gone in 80 years.
Google Maps image of Columbia Icefield and area
Soon to be the Columbia gravel pit.
Panorama shot
See those dots?
Those are people.
But we missed our scheduled Icefield Tour.
Have to come back tomorrow.
See you then.
Fire Prayer / Denean
Below Castle Mountain
Unidentified Range
Cirrus Mountain (left)
Hilda Peak (right) looks a little like the Matterhorn of Switzerland.
Athabasca Mountain with glacier in the Centre.
Snow Dome Mountain and Mount Kitchener
Snow Dome and Dome Glacier
Finally! The Columbia Icefields!
We head into the Columbia Icefield Visitors Centre
My amateur video. Suggest you play on HD and .75 speed
– adjust in lower right.
Wonders to behold.
“I always wanted to write a book that ended with the word Mayonnaise.”
― Trout Fishing in America
Yes Marilyn I know a lot of this stuff is pretty “unclear”.
That’s partly because of my style and partly because
I probably wasn’t all that clear when I did it.
1967 / White Rabbit / Jefferson Airplane – written by Grace Slick
Coming back to me / Surrealistic Pillow / Jefferson Airplane / written by Marty Balin
Where to now St. Peter / Elton John
Mountains are sort of like flowers.
Only bigger.
Heading out from Calgary. Rockies ahead.
Apology: A lot of these are going to be pedestrian quality images – tourist shots.
Grotto Mountain
Cascade Mountain
Cascade – How it got it’s name.
Mount Bourgeau
Unidentified Mountain
Every mountain has it’s own personality.
Castle Mountain (Left)
Was Mount Eisenhower for many years. Could have left it that way.
He was worthy of a Mountain.
Castle Mountain
Probably one of the most photographed mountains in the world.
Majestic, Amazing, Powerful
Time has come Today / The Chambers Brothers
“Grail”
Mostly vectors
“Angie”
A Minor Ballad / Gordon Lightfoot
“If Lake Louise is a pearl, Maligne is the entire pearl necklace.”
– Mary Schäffer
Just in case you thought I snitched this photo of Spirit Island at Jasper off the Net …
I didn’t. That’s mine.
I could easily have done that though – many great shots of this famous scene.
But I took this with my Sony DSC-HX80.
A nice little camera – but not Pro level.
And if I really knew how to operate that thing the photo would likely have been better.
Yet it’s almost impossible to take a lousy pic up there.
I was hoping to get a nice reflection shot, but there was too much wind and rain.
Still nice.
We’ll be posting some more soon. Rose took a number of great shots.
Below is Peter Gales‘ famous photo of Spirit Island “Maligne Lake“.
Peter Gales‘ image of Spirit Island hung in Kodak’s Colorama showcase in New York City’s
Grand Central Terminal in August and September of 1960.
This certainly helped to make Jasper famous.
“The island is a spiritual place for the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, who believe mountains are physical representations of their ancestors. The fact that Spirit Island is surrounded on three sides by the same mountain range is very rare and makes it particularly significant to the Stoney.”
– https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/maligne-lake-cruise/stories/8-amazing-facts-about-spirit-island/
(1861 – 1939)
American-Canadian naturalist, illustrator, photographer, and writer.
She is famous for her experiences in the Canadian Rockies in the early 20th century.
Samson Beaver and Family: daughter, Frances Louise and wife Leah.
Photograph taken by Mary Schaffer; artist, photographer, writer and naturalist, in 1907. 
In 1907, Samson Beaver met Mary Schaffer, who had just failed in an attempt to find the route to a reputed large lake high in the mountains between Lake Louise and Jasper. Samson sketched a map showing the route to Chaba Imne.
Hell on Wheels main theme
I haven’t given enough attention to this Western Series which was filmed in Alberta from November 6, 2011 to July 23, 2016 = 5 seasons. It was pretty good.
Hell on Wheels is an American/Canadian Western television series about the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States, which broadcast in the United States and Canada on the cable channel AMC.
If you like Westerns you can still pick this up on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/70210883
Yup, I’m shamelessly plugging Alberta too.
Norton Buffalo
Hmmmm … Tinkering with your Blog Settings is like trying to tame a rattlesnake. 
DOWN BOY!
After fooling with the Settings I started to get emails every time I edited or worked on a Post.
I wondered if those same emails weren’t being sent out to you all too???
That wouldn’t be a good thing.
So I fixed it.
If you were getting any of those emails I apologize.
Anyhow I’m back from Jasper National Park.
My week there far exceeded what I expected. Wonderful.
I’ll be posting some stuff right away.
Have a good one.
Spirit Island, Jasper
Going to Jasper National Park for a week.
In the Rockies.
Haven’t been up that way in about 30 years.
We’re going to take lots of pics
Hope to post some.
See you in a week.
Pics from Vernon trip last summer.
The Villain/ Mel TillisThe Villain / Cactus Jack / (1979)
“What is the point of being on this Earth
if you are going to be like everyone else?”
– Arnold Schwarzenegger
No point at all Arnold.
Alias Cactus Jack
A long time ago I stopped identifying Movie Stars as Actors.
Because many Movie Stars are lousy Actors (or Actresses). Terrible.
However, a lot of good Actors never become Movie Stars either.
In the Entertainment trade, Acting, Talent, and Skill are secondary to Charisma: Star Power.
Sex appeal enters here largely.
In all, it’s about Money.
A Movie Star who is a good Actor/Actress with Star Power and Sex Appeal is a rare and Hot commodity.
But Star Power and Sex Appeal are often all it takes to be Hot at the Box Office.
Acting by itself rarely does the trick.
Therefore a great Shakespearean Actor may never become a Movie Star.
This brings us to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a lousy Actor.
Yet he became one of the biggest Movie Stars ever.
Star Power.
Arnold’s climb to Stardom didn’t happen overnight.
From 1963 to 1980 – age 16 to age 33 – he was in Bodybuilding competitions. 20 years.
Won everything.
Perhaps the greatest Bodybuilder ever.
So eventually – in 1979 – 32-year-old Arnold made his 3rd/4th? Movie:
The Villain. (Also called Cactus Jack).
A Western Comedy.
This wasn’t his breakthrough Movie.
That was Conan in 1982.
In The Villain Arnold was terrible. His Acting was about as wooden as a cigar store Bodybuilder.
Arnold claimed he’d been taking Acting lessons.
They weren’t evident.
This Movie should have ended his career.
So it’s rather incredible he was still around for Conan in 1982
where he was definitely Cast for his incredible physique – not his Acting chops.
Therefore, perhaps the strangest thing about The Villain was that Arnold’s only undeniable asset – his phenomenal musculature –
was not exploited in any way in the Movie!!?
He doesn’t bare even one muscle.
Which is rather mind numbing!
So why was he in this Movie at all?
*shrug*
Beats me!?
“If it bleeds, we can kill it.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger / Predator
That’s a theory.
I’d call this a very generous review.
This Movie is bleeding all over, but it’s still moving.
Apart from Arnold – the Cast in this thing was pretty good:
Kirk Douglas, Ann-Margret, Paul Lynde, Foster Brooks, Ruth Buzzi, Jack Elam, Strother Martin, Mel Tillis …
There certainly seems to be enough Talent here to make something happen.
So I have to blame things on Director Hal Needham. The Director is the guy in charge. And though Directors are not usually involved in the Casting or Writing he still had something to work with. A great Director can get a worthy performance out of a dead horse.
Kirk Douglas!!!?? in this thing!? What was he thinking?
Even the great ones make a couple of klunkers.
At least Arnold can say he was in a Movie with one of greatest Western Movie Stars of all time.
Hal Needham, who was one of the greatest Film Stuntman of all time (Legendary) went on to Direct
Burt Reynolds, in Smokey and the Bandit, Hooper, The Cannonball Run and Stroker Ace.
Reynolds and Needham … ka-ching, ka-ching …
Those Movies made multi-millions.
Meanwhile …
Arnold Acting.
Even marvelous Paul Lynde can’t save this thing.
There’s no place to hide Kirk.
Yes that’s actual dialogue from the Movie.
Ann knows why she’s there.
Desistance is futile.
Kirk and Foster Brooks. If you’ve seen Brooks once that’s pretty well enough.
Kirk Douglas and Jack Elam
So … was this Movie a Contract Dump? You have to wonder.
And how did Arnold even get a contract to begin with?
I’ll show you.
“Don’t be afraid to fail.”
– Arnold Schwarzenegger
Yep.
Memory is the second thing to go.
– anon
My work buddy Jon and I quiz each other on music from a Golden Era of pop music that started in the mid 60’s and carried through to the 80’s – where it seemed to dwindle into the oblivion we have today.
So last week I quizzed him on who did California Sun (1964)?
My (shameful) recollection was that it was by Wayne Fontana and the Fireballs.
We mumbled and argued about it a bit – then finally looked it up on Google.
Wellllllll … the most famous version (of many) of California Sun was by The Rivieras.
(*Slap*ping my head! How could I forget that!?)
But I did.
Surf was Up … in 64′.
Still a Classic.
45’s. Remember those?
I had a pile.
Bet this would be a Hit if it came out today.
_________________________________________________________________________
OK … so who was Wayne Fontana then? and the Fireballs?
Wayne Fontana was actually an English rock and pop singer,
best known for the 1965 hit “Game of Love” with a group called The Mindbenders.
Yeah.
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Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
A good song, but definitely NOT Surf Music.
(Bent my mind anyway.)
Notice that this was put out by an outfit called Fontana Records?!
Interesting.
__________________________________________________________________________
So what about those Fireballs?
The Fireballs – sometimes called Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs
were an American rock and roll group, popular at the end of the 50’s and early 60’s.
who had a Hit song called Bottle of Wine (1967) (written by Tom Paxton).
Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs weren’t ‘One Hit Wonders’.
They’d had a few Hits plus a previous
sweet little song called Sugar Shack (1963).
Not that we’re keeping score, but Due to my Mangled Monikers
I figure I lost about 20 Trivia points to Jon.
I plan to do better …
while I still have a little memory left.
I want to be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart / Patsy Montana
Dedicated to STW, WIlliam S. Hart and Folks of Billings, Montana.
One of these Nights / The Eagles / 1975
________________________________________________________________
The Blue Canadian Rockies / Valdy
Early days North West Mounted Police outpost
My roots are deep in Calgary
My Dad was born here and I was told
that my great grandfather was a member of the
North West Mounted Police
North-West Mounted Police of Canada, 1887 (colour litho), Remington, Frederic (1861-1909)
Jeremiah “Jerry” Potts (1840 – July 14, 1896), (also known as Ky-yo-kosi, meaning “Bear Child”),
was an American – Canadian plainsman, buffalo hunter, horse trader, interpreter, and scout of Kainai (Blood) and Scots heritage.
Potts is just one of many early Canadian Explorers and Frontiersmen.
Canadians know disgustingly little of their own History or of such people.
We don’t celebrate them. We never developed a film industry like the US
that tells of them in any way. Their exploits were easily equal,
but they are almost completely unknown. Because of this I would guess
that the average Canadian knows more about US History than Canadian History.
Don’t know who these cowboys are? but it looks like
they got a bag of pancake mix and 4 beers for posing.
I’ve seen things that you people wouldn’t believe.
How important is this movie to many people?
and Rutger Hauer’s role in it?
It still has a huge following.
“Quite an experience to live in fear, isn’t it? That’s what it is to be a slave.”
“Fiery the angels fell. Deep thunder rolled round their shores. Burning with the fires of Orc.”
“I want more life, father.”
“It’s not an easy thing to meet your maker.”
“Can the maker repair what he makes?”
“If only you could see what I’ve seen with your eyes!”
“I want more life, father.”
Though I always admired Arnold Schwarzenegger’s indomitable will
to achieve whatever he put his attention on,
I always thought of him as a self serving person.
But this is pretty good.
The Calgary Stampede Song / Wilf Carter
When I’m not trying to wake people up – including myself,
I do ordinary things – like go to the Calgary Stampede.
The Stampede is a 10 day event and Rose and I go down to the
Stampede Grounds for one day every year – usually Seniors Day (get in free!).
We take transit because driving around downtown is insane.
Calgary – not a town anymore.
The Saddledome. Soon to be torn down and replaced
by a new $550-million arena.
(Would we be surprised if that reaches a billion before it’s finished?)
Anyway … The Calgary Stampede: quite an event.
There’s action all over town.
Horses get ‘right of way’.
It’s crazy at the transit station.
Hope you don’t mind crowds.
The gates are in sight.
No drunks; No drugs; No guns; No smoking; No tasers; No blades; No drones;
No explosives; No baseball bats, hockey sticks, golf clubs, bows and arrows;
Etc; Etc; Etc …
Geez, you can’t do anything.
On the grounds.
Lots of people.
Free entertainment.
Places to rest.
But you can win stuff: cars, trucks, motorcycle, a house. lottery … many things.
Things like this car.
Have a silly pic taken.
The Return of the great Western Painter C. M. Russell.
Awesome.
Russel masterpiece.
We always go to the Art Exhibits first.
“Go ahead … try t’ steal me.”
The Queen rode in.
But I had to loan her a quarter.
Lots of fun !
rocket man / iron horse
___________________________________________________________________________________________
“Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.”
– HG Wells
“Inform Rose that I have engaged the Clock.”
I would say this:
Of most of technological devices and gadgets I have, I’d say I know less than half
of what they do and how to use them to their full potential.
This goes for our TV, my camera, and our Samsung tablet.
Among other things.
I doubt that I am unique here though.
Never thought I’d ever have a colour TV.
That was for rich folks.
Now we’ve got this gigantic Samsung Smart TV.
It might be smart, but sometimes I’m not doing so good.
We figured most things out: like Netflix; Youtube; how to get Game of Thrones,
and how to download stuff from the Net and play it from a USB stick …
Our main issue is this thing:
The ‘Clicker’.
These are our Clickers below:
We’ve got three of them.
We use one (left) to turn the TV on and adjust the Volume.
And the second one (middle) to choose the Channel.
The third one (right) is for the DVD Player.
We still don’t know how to fully operate them.
I do know you can buy a movie you didn’t want by pressing the wrong buttons.
and I think one button launches a ICBM in Dakota.
We’ve called in a Tech guy a couple of times to try to figure a few things out.
I’ll make a simple guess why many Tech products are so difficult for us.
It’s not because we’re dumb – or don’t have Tech savvy – though we don’t.
It’s because most modern Tech is designed by young people for young people.
That’s where the money is.
They don’t care about us older folks.
But we blunder and fumble our way through anyway.
It’s a new world out there …
Let’s get at it.
20th Century Man / The Kinks
“It was a bright day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
1984 / George Orwell
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You will periodically see this cartoon on my blog.
It never gets old.
I have other names for this stuff, but I can’t print them here.
It refers to an absolute mass (mess?) of modern Tech that is harder to use;
takes longer to use; and is more difficult to use.
Instead of the opposite.
There’s a legion of this stuff around and I’m sure dozens of articles have been written
decrying the evils that has been inflicted upon us in nearly every category of appliance.
My Coffee Maker (Thank God I can still make coffee without having to program it).
Our DVD player. It took me an hour to figure out how to play a DVD the other day.
I’d forgotten how to use it.
It’s slow to operate, but works OK.
My Clocks. I’ve been using that black thing for a while now.
But the power went out the other night and I don’t recall how to reset the time?
The Radio on it works though. It woke us up in the middle of the night.
See those buttons on top? They do stuff. Not fast or easily.
That’s my old clock on the right.
You can wind it up and set the time in less than 15 seconds.
But it makes a ticking sound.
Remember that?
This is my one of my several USB sticks.
This one contains my many Passwords for my computer.
If I ever lost this I would really be in trouble.
It’s a simple and useful device.
Go figure.
Here’s my Cell. Haven’t used it in about 4 years.
It’s old. I think it cost 24 bucks when I bought it.
Nobody ever phoned me except bill collectors so I put it away.
Never missed it.
The Bill Collectors were looking for somebody called Alexandra
who previously owned my number.
No matter how many times I told them I wasn’t Alexandra they kept phoning me anyway.
I bet she’s in Russia by now, and they’re still phoning her.
Rose bought me this neat lamp.
It tells temperature, time, chimes on certain dates and other stuff.
I use it as a lamp.
Haven’t mentioned my computer yet?
That’s where I do all this blog stuff.
It’s sacred. Like an Altar.
I’m addicted.
I can’t remember what I used to do before I had it?
Yes, it takes a lot of upkeep, updates, software, etc …
My Tech abilities are poor so it’s a struggle …
And I pretty well have to buy a new system every 4 years so I can keep up.
That’s expensive.
Uh oh … I’m getting an alert from Microsoft 9000:
“We have just picked up a fault in the AE-35 unit.”
Really??! Darn! I better check that out.
So this is just SOME of the Tech stuff we have all over our house.
But it’s everywhere.
Our dependance is immense.
And worrisome.
I wonder that this whole outfit will go down someday and we lose electricity for instance?
And communication – and many other things.
HG Wells expressed fears about this in The Time Machine.
Fears of a world where we revert to a hunter/gatherer state after a war
because we have forgotten how to fix or recover our once marvelous technology?
Atlantis has already proven that one.
“We all have our time machines, don’t we. Those that take us back are memories …
And those that carry us forward, are dreams.”
―
We’ll see …
RUSTY WRIGHT / 2019 Saddle Bronc Champion
LISA LOCKHART / 2019 Stampede Barrel Racing Champion
“Cricket ??!!!!” you say??
He must be out of his mind.
Well, I do keep an eye on ALL sports.
Because REALLY amazing things happen in Sports.
Cricket – whether us North American people know it or not –
is about the the most popular Sport on the Planet – outside Soccer
SO … Yesterday (all my troubles seemed so far away)
England – who invented the Sport – wins the World Cup of Cricket
for the first time – after 44 years of heartache and disaster.
BIG BIG CELEBRATION going on over there.
And it was a truly amazing match.
Carry on Lads!
The Long and Winding Road / The Beatles / 1970
________________________________________________________________
the walls of the world / katie melua
Early in my Spiritual journey I didn’t care much about past lives or reincarnation.
I knew these concepts were fundamental Spiritual principles,
but apart from idle curiosity I really had no interest in them.
I simply didn’t see any reason to give it much attention.
That was soon to change.
Shortly, I started to have a series of strange dreams. Several were about ancient Egypt. In another I saw a Celtic burial mound – and I knew had been buried there. Other dreams followed – a Chinese soldier – native American Indians – Ancient Rome and Greece. And more. Initially I merely dismissed them as unusual dream symbols. But eventually I started to notice that in many instances these dreams related to things that I was going through in my present life. They answered a lot of my questions. Questions about relationships, health, interests, talents and knowledge – many aspects of my life.
I was forced to pay attention because the information was often useful and important.
Finally I read that we reincarnate as both man or woman. I challenged this because
in all my past life recollections I had been a man. A male.
But somebody was listening.
I was soon shown a past life where I was a Mayan woman. This was shocking enough in itself, but I was also pregnant! Incredible! Try that one on. As I stood there in my humble hut, I saw temples in the background. Chichen Itza? (Would I be surprised?) Then I looked into the fire and saw the face of a Spiritual Master. Quetzalcoatl!??
I really don’t know? But that would make some sense to me.
We’ve been around a hell of a long time.
Ixchel – Mayan Goddess of love, pregnancy, childbirth, medicine, healing, weaving and domestic art
Dust in the Wind / Kansas
Whirlwind/DustDevil at the Pyramid of Kukulkan/Chichen Itza / Spring Equinox 2019
Path to the Yucatan / Caleb Hennessy
There a literally dozens of depictions of Quetzalcoatl.
the combination of the Quetzal bird and the rattlesnake.
I really wonder if Quetzalcoatl would agree
with the depictions of him as an dragon like monster.
If Quetzalcoatl was/is was a Spiritual Master
he would have preached, taught and practiced Love. Not Power.
But the artwork is fantastic.
Obviously still a lot of fervour for Quetzalcoatl
Path to the Yucatan / Caleb Hennessy
The recovery of the ancient Mayan cities – their Temple Pyramids – which are the Mayan churches –
has been a revelation to the modern Maya and a revival of Mayan religious traditions.
Video borrowed from YouTube
“According to legend, twice a year when the day and night are in balance, this pyramid dedicated to Kukulcan (or Quetzalcoatl), the feathered serpent god, is visited by its namesake. On the equinox, Kukulcan returns to earth to commune with his worshipers, provide blessing for a full harvest and good health before entering the sacred water, bathing in it, and continuing through it on his way to the underworld.”
– https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pyramid-kukulcan-chichen-itza
Modern depictions of Quetzalcoatl/Kukulkan.
Said to be The God of knowledge and learning – among other things.
Creator of the Calendar and books.
Kukulkan / Quetzalcoatl obviously still has a powerful appeal.
From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukulkan:
“The cult of Kukulkan/Quetzalcoatl was the first Mesoamerican religion to transcend the old Classic Period linguistic and ethnic divisions. This cult facilitated communication and peaceful trade among peoples of many different social and ethnic backgrounds. Although the cult was originally centred on the ancient city of Chichén Itzá in the modern Mexican state of Yucatán, it spread as far as the Guatemalan highlands.”
Akeviz
“A spiritual city in the highlands of Guatemala; one of the smaller communities of Spiritual Travelers who are still connected with the ancient civilizations of the Mayans;
promotes the ancient mysteries of the once powerful Mayans and Aztecs.”
– A Cosmic Sea of Words / Harold Klemp
“… in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. Mesoamerican priests and kings would sometimes take the name of a deity they were associated with,
so Quetzalcoatl and Kukulcan are also the names of historical persons.
He was known as the inventor of books and the calendar, the giver of corn to mankind, and sometimes as a symbol of death and resurrection.
Quetzalcoatl was also the patron of the priests and the title of the Aztec high priest.”
https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/q/Quetzalcoatl.htm
sazilakab / jorge-reyes
Another pretty good video of this amazing whirlwind
that occurred at the Pyramid of Kukulkan this Spring.
And a Happy 4th of July to our American Friends.
Let us celebrate this rare time in history where we have Nations
that care more about Freedom more than power.
HURRAH!
Happy Canada Day
From the Web
Today July 1’s is Canada’s 152 Birthday. Across the country the day will be celebrated in many ways with parades, musics and Fireworks. The biggest celebrations took place in Canada’s capital Ottawa were they had an afternoon concert and there will be an evening concert. Then the evening will finish of with a fireworks display.
In our city activities for Canada Day are being held in our city downtown. With activities at Studio Bell Home to the National music center and also New central Library. The activities continue at Princes Island Park and River front with a concert. The evening will then be finished with fire works display at 11 Pm.
Canada Day Fire Works 2018
Path to the Yucatan / Caleb Hennessy
Here’s a phenomenon that occurred this year at Chichen Itza right in front of
the Pyramid of Kukulkan the day after the Spring Equinox
– which is a day that locals celebrate as the return of Kukulkan.
Call me crazy, but that looks just like a flying snake.
From Wikipedia:
“Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of wind, air, and learning, wears around his neck the “wind breastplate” ehecailacocozcatl, “the spirally voluted wind jewel” made of a conch shell. This talisman was a conch shell cut at the cross-section and was likely worn as a necklace by religious rulers, as they have been discovered in burials in archaeological sites throughout Mesoamerica, and potentially symbolized patterns witnessed in hurricanes, dust devils, seashells, and whirlpools, which were elemental forces that had significance in Aztec mythology. In codex drawings, both Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl were pictured wearing an ehecailacocozcatl around the neck.[5] There has additionally been at least one major cache of offerings with knives and idols adorned with the symbols of more than one god, some of which were adorned with wind jewels.”[6]
Streisand / Somewhere
Don’t know how they got permission to use the Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza,
Hope they got a some good gold out of it. But it shouldn’t happen.
No doubt who the Star was.
In his career George Chakiris did have his moments in the Sun (West Side Story, Diamond Head …)
Shirley Anne Field – beautiful, but not very Mayan.
Brad Dexter? Where have we seen him before?
In The Magnificent Seven (1960) also with Yul Brynner.
In Kings of the Sun, Brad gets a new hat.
Chichen Itza and the Pyramid of Kukulkan
Before CGI there was people!!!
Those steps are steep and jagged.
Here come the Toltecs.
Storming the Pyramid of Kulkulkan.
A dangerous stunt.
Many of the 91 steps are jagged and uneven – and over 12 inches in height.
The Pyramid of Kukulkan incline is also a steep 45 degree angle.
Combined with heat and/or wind and you can have a real problem here.
And a fall on these steps would not be a happy event.
Don’t know what pyramid this is, but it’s a typical Mayan Pyramid.
Coming down is even more treacherous than going up.
Imagine if this guy had fallen at the top.
Coming down the steps of the Pyramid of Kukulkan.
You can see it’s no joke – even if you’re young.
I have to think that they stopped people climbing on the Pyramid for 2 reasons:
– It was destroying the Pyramid.
– Safety. People were getting hurt.
So look at this scene!!! This is insane!
I’m guessing they performed this slowly – then sped up the footage for the Movie??
But it doesn’t look like it.
simple man / lynyrd skynyrd / 1973
________________________________________________________________
Dedicated to my friend Don Ostertag
https://donostertag.wordpress.com/
__________________________________________________________
Love Song / Elton John / 1971
___________________________________________________________________________________________
I smoked for 7 years.
Not moderately. 2 packs a day.
Combined with drinking, LSD, cocaine, hashish, ??? …
I did everything but heroin.
I was a well rounded abuser.
This was my lifestyle.
My drinking alone would have qualified me as a alcoholic.
I was drunk and stoned much of the time.
Drugs and booze were readily available back then – and cheap.
Cigs cost about 60 cents a pack.
A case of beer was $2.75.
In the tavern draft beer was 10 cents a glass.
I could go to the bar with 5 bucks and drink all night.
And have enough money left to take a cab.
Then I quit it all.
It didn’t mix with a stronger need that I had.
Spirituality.
I was starting a new chapter in my life.
I had run the gauntlet and made it.
Others … ?
It took 6 months to cough the tar out of my lungs.
I never smoked again and I had no inclination
to do any of that other stuff either.
I was done.
But why did I do it?
I don’t know? I just felt I needed to.
I don’t regret it. But I don’t encourage it.
It’s stupid and destructive.
Avoid it.
When I stopped everything I lost most of my friends.
Our relationship revolved around drugs and drinking.
They didn’t want me around if I wasn’t participating.
I felt the same way about them.
Did I dodge the bullet?
I hope so.
I walked away.
And started a new life.
