Arkansas

Arkansas as a travel destination?  It's not the Grand Canyon, but it does have its charms.  In Little Rock, the state capitol was designed, in part, by Cass Gilbert, who as every Minnesotan knows also designed the capitol in St. Paul.  The two buildings have much in common, although the Arkansas version lacks the ornate details of its northern sibling.  Some views:

The capitol as seen from the south side.  The sculpture honors students who integrated Little Rock High in 1957.

One has to look closely to see that this is not in St. Paul.

And this is not Governor Jessie Ventura.

Portugal in the "Off-Season"

Relatively few tourists go to Portugal in the winter.  No sunny beaches, blue skies, or suntans.  Expect rain every day and cold winds.  But the historic towns and beautiful architecture remain in place and the lives of everyday citizens go on as usual.  We visited in February, visiting Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, and Sintra. Here's a sample of my images:

Rain in Coimbra

Boy meets girl in Coimbra

Waiting for patrons in Coimbra

Blue tiles in a Porto church

The sun comes out in Lisbon

A funicular ride is the easiest way to the best Fado district in Lisbon

The hilltops were spared significant damage in the earthquake/tsunami of 1775