More of the Microcosm of Connecticut...Sherwood Island State Park

Several years ago a friend of mine told me about a place that she had been to.  She described it to me, but she didn't know what it was called, and I set off researching what she'd told me.  I found Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, CT.  Much time had passed, so I decided that it was time to go and check it out.  I was really glad I did.  Sherwood Island is only 235 acres.  It has two beaches, a pavilion, a marsh, a nature center, a lot of grassy picnic area, a snack stand, two changing houses, and a rocky outcropping.  The main thing that has is a great view of Long Island Sound, and the distinction of being the first State Park ever established in Connecticut.

Back in 1914 land was starting to be set aside for a park.  By 1937 it was all a go and one of the only parks to offer a public beach in Fairfield County was established.  The park is scenic and peaceful.  It's the kind of place that you can walk all over, or you can just sit on the beach.  It's a matter of choice.  It seems like a huge park, but it's small.  It turned out to be a great place to spend the day.

The Nature Center is a great little spot to take the kids to learn about the local wildlife.  They have some taxidermied animals on display that live in the area.  They also have some live animals like a turtle and some salamanders.  They have activities for the kids to do, and they have a tank of various crabs and rays that the kids can touch. The hours are 10 to 4. Outside the center there are birdhouses for the local birds to nest in.  Next to the center is the local marsh where hundreds of birds live.  There are paths to walk through the marsh as well.

There is a trick to the Nature Center though.  When we got there, we followed the one way road around the park.  The signs all say that the center is at the East Beach.  If you've never been there, this won't be as easy to get to as you might think.  The first signs you see lead you to believe that the Nature Center is in the main pavilion building.  Then you find information that just sends you to the East Beach.  When you get to the East Beach, there are flyers that tell you to go to the far end of the beach and up the little hill to the building.  It can be very confusing, but it is there and it is a cute place to take the kids.

There's a lot of wildlife at Sherwood Island.  The marsh is teeming with all kinds of birds.  Of course, I didn't have any luck getting photos of the petite birds that flit around the marsh.  I can tell you that they were colorful and made beautiful music.  I did, get some great shots of the regulars.  There were tons of Seagulls and Canadian Geese wandering the grounds and they were fairly tame with the visitors.  The woodchucks that make their homes under the rocky outcrop, however, weren't too happy that I was taking their pictures.

In the center of the waterfront part of the park is a rocky outcrop.  This is a great place to sit and watch the wildlife, the birds and just relax.  There is a great view of other islands in the area, the coastline, Long Island and in the distance you can even see New York City.  This is at the narrow west end of Long Island Sound, so there isn't a lot of distance between Connecticut and Long Island at this point.

The West Beach is rockier than the East Beach and was less crowded.  The water there was very shallow and you could walk out quite a ways without even getting your knees wet.  It was low tide, however.  The view is still nice, but it did seem like more people were actually in the water on this side.

In the middle of the park sits an enormous pavilion.  This place is partially enclosed by glass walls that have great views.  There is an area that looks as though it may be for caterers.  This is a great place to have a family reunion or a wedding reception.  Even if the weather gets a little dicey, the glass enclosure will make it a nice party.

9/11 was an event that really made an impact on the people of this area.  For one thing, several people who died in those attacks were from Fairfield County.  Fairfield County is full of people who commute to New York City every day for work.  Most of the people in this area identify more as New Yorkers than they do as Connecticut residents.  On top of losing several people in the attacks, the locals could see the smoke billowing from the towers from Sherwood Island.  Therefore, a lot of the park is dedicated to 9/11 and there are two memorials on the island.

There's a lot more than meets the eye in this little park.  It's educational, it's a memorial, it's a place for gathering, it's peaceful, it's full of wildlife, and my favorite part; oh the view.  It's a great little park, and it started the ball rolling on state parks in Connecticut.  I've said it for years; Connecticut is a microcosm.  Give me two hours and I can show you the world right here in Connecticut.  So, come and see the little state that can take you from beach to mountain and from country to city and from ocean to woods in two hours.  It's a little spot, but it's amazing how much is crammed in it.  Follow me as I check out many places in the state this summer.  Come and visit us and enjoy!

http://www.ctvisit.com/interest/parks-forests?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Standard_Keyword&utm_term=connecticut%20state%20park&utm_content=State%20Parks_CT&gclid=COGc9oH7q80CFZQbgQodDKUGaw
http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325260&deepNav_GID=1650
http://friendsofsherwoodisland.org/
http://www.lisrc.uconn.edu/coastalaccess/site.asp?siteid=560
http://www.ctvisit.com/listings/sherwood-island-state-park
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxfRynvJslk
http://www.stateparks.com/sherwood_island_state_park_in_connecticut.html
http://www.munic.state.ct.us/fairfield.htm
http://www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com/
http://www.ctvisit.com/
http://www.lisrc.uconn.edu/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

Did You Know?

It's been a while since I've done a little did you know piece.  So, here goes.

Did you know that there are several tours you can sign up for to see the street art around New York City?

http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-york-tours/walking-tours/manhattan-street-art-tour/

Did you know that swimming is the number one activity in Iceland these days?  There are over 200 outdoor pools heated by the country's thermal energy.  They are open all year round.

http://swimminginiceland.com/

Did you know that Miss Molly's Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas was once a bordello or whore house, and is supposed to be haunted?  If you stay there, you will find the old time decor from when it was for gentlemen to visit.

http://missmollyshotel.com/

Did you know that not only is Top Gear the television series still going after it's fallout with the original crew, but that you can take a ride around their track with the Stig?  You can also sign up for a package where you get filmed taking the reasonably priced car around their track.  Tickets to the show?  Well, those are hard to come by.

http://www.topgear.com/

Did you know that not only is the Johnson Space Center at NASA in Houston, Texas one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state, but that you can also meet astronauts and you can even have lunch with one of them?

http://spacecenter.org/

Just some food for thought when you are deciding on exactly what you might like to do with your vacation.  There are always more ideas on how to make you vacation into an Adventure for Anyone.  Enjoy!

The Green Line...?

Where and what is the Green Line?  I wasn't sure, but I certainly found out.  I must say, I grew up with the Berlin Wall and was ecstatic when it fell.  I've also seen the border walls in Israel and I understand, but I wish it didn't have to be.  The same with that wall that everyone is talking about on the border of Mexico and Guatemala.  From ancient times people have built walls for protection, or separation alone.  The one in China should tell us just how long this practice has been going on.  In the modern era, there aren't many of these areas left.  There are borders, but not true divisions.  However, there is a division running right down the middle of the island nation of Cyprus and it runs right through the capital, Nicosia or Lefkosia, depending on whether you're speaking Turkish or Greek.

I'm just fascinated by this concept. There is not a wall.  There is a UN buffer zone or no man's land that runs 180 kilometers across the entire island.  It's 7 kilometers wide in some places and covers 3% of the country.  The north is Turkish.  The south is Greek.  There are Greek and Roman ruins all over this amazing island.  Legend has it that this is the birthplace of both Adonis and Aphrodite.  The coast is gorgeous.  The mountains are amazing.  It's just that when the island got it's independence from Britain in 1960 it was a short time of true independence.  In 1963, fighting broke out between the Greeks and the Turks.  It's never been solved, hence the Green Line.

I love strange borders and unusual situations.  The Adventure for Anyone here is simply visiting.  This is truly amazing.  Nicosia/Lefkosia is the last city in the world to be divided in this manner.  The Lerda Street Crossing is in the middle of the city and is the only place in the city where you can go back and forth from north to south Cyprus.

There are walled up streets in the middle of the city.  There are walls with barbed wire on them.  There is a Toyota dealership that sits in the no man's land that still has the cars in it from 1974.  You don't get to see things like this every day.  Visitors will tell you that the border is easy to cross.  It's not as though your life is in danger or anything.

Nicosia/Lefkosia is a bustling city with a lot of things to see and do.  They have all kinds of museums and shopping and restaurants.  It's a busy city that divided between two countries that aren't that fond of each other.  It's odd, but that's why visit.

For history buffs, this island country has got it all.  Birthplace of Gods, and once conquered by Alexander the Great.  And for modern history buffs, this island has been the hideout for more than one felled dictator.  Hosni Mubarak fled to Cyprus when he left Egypt.  But if that doesn't interest you, the ruins will keep you busy.  They are all over the island.

It's hard to forget who owns what in Cyprus.  It's blatantly obvious who owns the north, with the Turkish flag put across the side of a mountain.  The best part is that it lights up at night.

But, the true Adventure for Anyone is on the west coast of Cyprus.  This is the isolated and puzzling exclave of Kokkina.  You can see on the map that there is a definitive partition with the Green Line.  Off in the west is a little piece of land with a line drawn around it.  That is Kokkina.  There are no border crossings on land.  You have to visit it by sea.  It sits in Greek territory, but it is part of the Turkish run north.  It reminds me of Kaliningrad.

There are beautiful hotels in Kokkina.  It sits along sandy beaches with azure waters and beautiful views.  It's a peaceful, relaxing and fun place to spend your time.  You just have to take a boat to get there, because this is where the Turks came ashore to attack the Greeks during the conflict.  They are cut off from the rest of the country, but this is the place to visit.  You'll feel like you stepped back in time and landed at a great resort area.

Cyprus is amazing whether you visit the city or the country or the coast with the resorts.  Both the Greek and Turkish people are fiercely independent.  They have divided the country in two with the United Nations presiding.  However, it's a great chance to get to experience both cultures in a small area.  It's about the history, it's about the culture, it's about the ruins from the Greek and the Roman eras.  It's an enigma in that the environment seems hostile, but the people are outgoing and friendly.  The border is somewhat relaxed, but the Kokkina Exclave is still isolated.  What I find amazing is that everyone seems so relaxed, even though the country is divided right down the middle by the infamous Green Line.  So, take that adventurous trip that you've always dreamed of.  Come to a divided country in the modern era.  Come and meet the Greeks and the Turks and see their way of life on the largest island in the sea.  Come and see Cyprus before they actually solve the dispute, or you won't get to see one of the strangest anomalies ever.  Come and see the Green Line.  Come and cross the Green Line.  Come and see the isolated exclave of Kokkina and enjoy!

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/cyprus.html
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/cyprus
http://www.north-cyprus.travel/
http://blogs.reuters.com/photographers-blog/2014/04/10/los-in-time-the-cyprus-buffer-zone/
http://www.scribblesnaptravel.com/a-tour-along-the-green-line-of-nicosia-the-worlds-last-divided-capital-city/
http://www.cyprusgreenline.com/
http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/europe/cyprus/crossing-green-line/
http://www.apolloncyprus.com/Kokkina.html
http://www.a1cyprus.com/
http://www.newpresidentholidays.com/
https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/north-cyprus-holidays/
http://www.cyprusparadiseproperties.com/
http://www.welcometonorthcyprus.co.uk/
http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/europe/cyprus/north-cyprus/
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cyprus/safety-and-security
http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-04-22/photos-un-buffer-zone-cyprus-show-place-where-time-stands-still
http://www.worldpress.org/Europe/1124.cfm
http://www.northcyprus.co.uk/yeni-erenkoy/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

I always wonder what it is that makes people think the way that they do.  My son and I went down the street to watch a college baseball game tonight, and when I got home my husband was wondering why we would go.  It's true that I'm not a baseball fan.  You can't pay me to watch a game on television.  But, when someone asks me if I would like to go to a game, I'm right there.  It never occurred to me that anyone wouldn't understand why I would want to go.  But, now that my own husband seems confused about this issue, I thought I would write about it for any of you who might wonder the exact same thing.  I thought that I would write to explain to those who have never gone to a professional or college baseball game why they should give it a try.

Let me start by explaining a few things.  I'm a football fan.  Anyone who knows me at all knows that I am a die hard Green Bay Packer fan.  I park myself in front of the TV every time I get a chance when my Packers are playing.  I'm not a baseball fan.  I grew up with my family watching and rooting for the Chicago Cubs.  It is what it is.  So, if I had a baseball team, it would probably be the unluckiest team in baseball.  But just last year, my son and I stopped off in Cleveland just to go to an Indians game.  Why?  Because Cleveland is fun.  Those people know how to have a good time doing anything.  Cleveland is a fun place to watch baseball.

Last summer, my son and I also went to New Britain, Connecticut to get a last experience watching the Rock Cats before they moved to Hartford and became Yard Goats.  But, why do we do it?  It's not because of baseball.  It's because of the whole experience.  It's about the activities.  It's about the food and souvenirs.  It's about the crowd in the stands.  It's about all of it.  It has very little to do with baseball.

Take tonight's game for instance.  The Torrington Titans were playing the Pittsfield Suns and they lost 11 to 7.  If I were a fan, I would have been upset.  I would have been upset that the shortstop for the Titans can't catch.  I would have been upset that the center fielder apparently can't throw home.  But that doesn't bother me.  I'm not a big fan.  I do understand the game, but I'm not that into it.

No, tonight my son and I were enjoying the company of the two lovely ladies who sat next to us who are big Titan fans.  They were wonderful company and they saved our seats for us when we went to the concession stand and my son chased down the two players who were selling the raffle tickets and purchased some for the ladies.  We all laughed and joked about various things during the game and had a great time.  The game provided a lot of entertainment too.  There were two bats broken and many foul balls that went flying into the parking lot, the stands, over buildings, and everywhere.  All that excitement that we really enjoyed and we aren't big baseball fans.

One of the activities for the night was that they had some kids go out and play a version of Bocci where they tried to get their baseball closest to the Titan's player.  It was adorable.  They also got us all up to dance at one point.  That was a good time. My son's shop teacher was in another part of the audience and he and my son were texting jokes to each other throughout the game.  We watched kids catching foul balls.  We watched people out having a good time with their friends and family.  We listened to the music in the down times.  We had hot dogs and french fries and ice cream.  There are so many things to enjoy at a baseball game.

Major league stadiums, like the Indians, have restaurants, bars, play areas for kids, shops, and all sorts of entertainment for those who actually paid to get in and see the game.  People spend a lot of time in these extraneous areas during the game.  For anyone who hasn't gone to a game because you don't watch baseball; you should give it a try.  It's reasonably cheap to get into a baseball game.  It's not nearly as high priced overall as say football.

My favorite baseball games are actually the minor leagues and college leagues.  We have four minor league baseball teams here in Connecticut in Norwich, Bridgeport, Hartford, and New Britain.  In Torrington we have the Titans College League.  We also have several colleges around the state.  There's a lot of baseball going on in a state that has no major league teams.  I spent a lot of time in my younger years at New Britain games.  The name of the team has changed a few times over the years, and they are now the Bees; but it's a great place to watch a baseball game.

Baseball is America's past time.  There's a reason for that.  It's a great place to go and hang out with family and friends.  There's all kinds of entertainment, there's delicious junk food, there's good company, and there's the simple fact that you got out of the house and got away from the computers and the televisions for a while.  I've spent a lot of time watching baseball games and I intend to watch a few of them this summer.  I like seeing what it's like at the different stadiums.  I remember listening to Harry Caray sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley Field many times over the years.  It was classic Cubs baseball.  I love the ambience at a baseball game.  I love to watch the crowd.  It's just something that everyone should do with their families and friends, and for God's sake take your kids.  Not all travel is grand vacations.  Sometimes a short trip to a baseball game will give you just as many great memories as a grand trip.  Memories are precious, and the ones I have of going out to baseball games are great.  I wouldn't trade them for anything.  Go out and make some memories.  Take in a baseball game and learn what it's like to experience it live and in person with those you love.  Enjoy!

http://www.torringtontitans.com/view/torringtontitans
http://bridgeportbluefish.com/
http://nbbees.com/
http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t538
http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t571
http://www.milb.com/milb/standings/index.jsp
https://www.facebook.com/minorleaguebaseball
http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/
http://www.minorleagueball.com/
http://baseballnews.com/summer-collegiate-leagues/
http://www.thefuturesleague.com/view/futuresleague
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred