Daniel Rathbone – Technology, Travel & Adventure

Now that my motorcycle road trip across the USA has come to a close, I’m hunting for my next job. I’m considering a position on the LiveLabs team at Microsoft, the group that’s responsible for some really cool projects – SeaDragon, Pivot, and PhotoSynth.

It looks like an exciting day for LiveLabs. They’re launching a new site, Zoom.it, which looks like a large-picture hosting and zooming service based on their SeaDragon technology and a Silverlight viewer.

I gave Zoom.it a test – and the results are below.  You must have Silverlight installed to view the pictures.  Be sure to scroll your mouse wheel or click inside the pictures to zoom.

This is also a preview of my photography from the tail end of my Europe trip and my USA road trip. Future posts will show the rest, of course.

Inside New York’s Public Library

A Greenhouse in Kylemore, Ireland

On the Oregon Coast

An Orchid in Pennsylvania

James Madison’s Home, Montpelier

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Warehouse in Kentucky

Lake Meade in Nevada

More Oregon Coast

View from Mt. Si in North Bend, WA

I hiked Seattle’s favorite hike today with my good friend Ben.  Once we reached the summit of Mt. Si we realized we were between the clouds.  I caught this picture of a plane in the distance.  Notice how he’s flying below us!  On the way down we noticed that the high clouds filtered the sunlight into a rich yellow, like a sunset color, even though it was the middle of the day. 

Although I'm only posting this now, I was in Cordoba over March 27 and 28, 2010.

I like the idea that you can find a never-ending wealth of experience almost anywhere, such as a small town, past its prime, with all its history behind it. If this is true, and not mere romanticism, then a good place to test it is Cordoba, with its interesting, but limited, attractions.

Cordoba's history reaches back into the ancient world. Its heyday, however, was during the middle ages, when it was the capital of an islamic caliphate and one of the largest cities in the world.

Alas, I didn't stick around to chase my romantic ideas. I spent only two days and one night in the city. Knowing my time was limited, I went straight to the heart – the famous Mezquita. This fascinating building was originally one of the world's finest mosques. After the Christians chased the Moors out of Iberia, the determined to make this building their own — they literally built a cathedral in its center. To date the place retains the character of both religions, and is filled with interesting artifacts.

That evening I sought out Cordoba's second claim to fame – oxtail stew. Delicious!

In the morning, before a long bus ride to Seville, I went running to stretch my legs. My run was interrupted. Instead of the quite peace of a sleepy city I heard the piercing, proud sound of Spanish horns. In the place of the lonely narrow streets I had notices the day before, I found a crowd, standing, waiting, watching the Nazarenos pass. It was a parade! Spain's holy week had begun.

Though I’m only posting this now, I was in Alhambra on March 24.

The singular Alhambra is the Moorish palace and military complex that rises on a hill above Granada.  A walk through the place is a walk through history.

Alhambra reached the the height of its historical significance in the notable year of 1492.  Granada, the city surrounding Alhambra, was the longest lasting Muslim stronghold in the Iberian peninsula. It was there, in Granada, in Alhambra, that the final Muslim Emirate of Al-Andalus handed over the keys (and all his authority) to the famous Christian monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella.  Viewed more broadly, This act completed the Christian Spanish “Reconquista” of land from the Muslims — ending centuries of religious and military conflict.  Finally, as if that year were not significant enough for Alhambra, it’s the same year that the world-changing Christopher Columbus visited the palace before setting sail and discovering the New World.

The palace is situated on a hill that rises above the city, and provides stunning views of the neighborhoods Sacromonte and Albayzin.  The elevation, the separation, helps the palace avoid the typical clashing anachronisms of bright lights, traffic, and litter that can diminish a historical location.

Walking through Alhambra imprinted my memory with a sense of amazement that will persist when many other details from my trip float away.  It was there that I first appreciated the depth of history that immersed me in Europe. Visiting Alhambra was a highlight of my trip.

Most of this was created by Granada's street artist (and local hero) "El Niño".

In my few days I explored the city, the palace Alhambra, the neighborhoodAlbayzin, I saw a flamenco show beneath a massive archway in an underground bar, visited a Turkish bath, and took two Spanish lessons from a beautiful local girl.  I enjoyed these experiences thoroughly.  One experience, though, was frantic.

In Granada, just beyond the white walls and windy roads of the former Muslim neighborhood of Albayzín, a hill rises above the town.  On this hill there's a neighborhood called Sacromonte of gypsy squatters who carve themselves a life by carving apartment caves into the hillside.  Although this is illegal they have the tacit approval of the city government which turns the other cheek and prevents further development of the area.  Thus, these gypsies, who pay nothing, enjoy their caves and their view, which is better than the view which was enjoyed by the kings and queens of the Spanish monarchy as seated in Alhambra.  It seems that in Granada the meek inherit the earth.

Sacromonte is not a tourist attraction, and as the residents live without rights to the land, they don't take kindly to strangers.  Regardless, I thought the idea of gypsy squatter caves was too interesting to ignore, so I decided to run through the area.  In retrospect this was a bad idea.  I'm a good runner so I managed to avoid the squatters and agitated roaming dogs, but I feel a bit of luck was involved.  Unfortunately I didn't manage to get great photos of the caves but I did manage to see several from the outside.  At last I arrived at the monastery at the top of the hill and then escaped through the backstreets of Albayzin.

Though I’m only posting this now, I was in Granada March 23 through 27.

Granada is a fascinating city.  I oriented myself by exploring the neighborhoods with their walled gardens, street art, interesting shops, cubist street lamps, and slightly misleading signs, and happily ate huge family-style meals back at the hostel.   I stayed in the heart of the city near the cathedral and caught glimpses of Alhambra, which I later spent a whole day exploring.  On my last day in Granada I noticed long lines of chairs and stages had been erected – the preparations that foreshadowed the Semana Santa, an overwhealming and mystical festival celebrated throughout Spain but most intensely in Seville, which was my destination for the week.

Note: My time in Valencia was mid-March, though I’m only getting around to posting this now.

After ‘Las Fallas‘ I attempted an easy morning run for the first time since I completed the marathon in Barcelona.  To my delight my slight knee and foot injuries from the race were not aggravated and indeed seemed to be healing just fine.  A lack of exercise make me loopy and the few days of Las Fallas were crazy.  The following few days I stuck around in Valencia were a welcome return to sanity.  In that time I ate some delicious food, visited some old buildings, climbed the old wall tower,spent some time in the city center, and visited the fantastical Arts and Sciences complex.

I left this futuristic landscape to travel southwest in direction and backwards in time on the overnight rain to Granada, seeking the trail of Christopher Columbus.

As I approach the end of my big trip through Europe, I’m starting to think about the next part of my life.  I’ve updated my work page to indicate that I’m looking for a job.

Our family cat, may he rest in peace.