A Simple Grave Marker In Alaska

A Short Story

While hiking up to Skagway Falls in Alaska we passed through the Gold Rush Cemetery where there are numerous headstones and markers with many well over a hundred years old. The cemetery is located on a slope with graves spaced at random, many markers are difficult to read and some contain little information. One marker caught our interest because it is a plain slab with a painted inscription and very little information. The grave marker simply says “Florence Oliver, aged 19, died October 24, 1899”.

Later we do some research on that grave and in the process discover a tragic tale of newlyweds and a viscous murder. It’s about Bertram Horton, age 27, and Florence Oliver, age 18 who were married in Oregon on February 27, 1899. He was a butcher and she was known as a member of the Episcopal Church. The story says this young couple decided on an Alaska honeymoon and arrived in Skagway, Alaska on March 7, 1899.

It was recorded that Bert and Florence Horton had picnicked at a spot along the bay near Skagway on October 24, 1899 when a James Hanson, AKA Kebeth or White Eagle an Aleut native from Sitka murdered the newlyweds. It was said he was unbalanced and was accusing the Horton’s of a death, and decided to kill them out of retribution. He shot both of them and slit Florence’s throat.

He was convicted for the murders of a young couple, Bert and Florence Horton as they picnicked at a spot along the bay near Skagway, while on their honeymoon on October 24, 1899. Kebeth was said to be a bit unbalanced and he accused the Horton’s of a previous death, and decided to kill them out of retribution. He shot both and slit Florence’s throat. Kebeth had his friends keep quiet about the murders but eventually one talked and Kebeth was tried and convicted.

His sentence was commuted later due to his mental state. He was incarcerated again and on August 13, 1905, James Hanson, also known as Kebeth or “White Eagle” Kaagwaantaan, died in prison at MacNeil Island, Washington.

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Standing Watch Above The Rhine

People, places and captured moments selected from The Intentional Travelers photo collection. Marksburg Castle on the Rhine River Marksburg Castle, a majestic fortress located above the town of Braubach in Rhineland, Germany. This castle holds the unique distinction of being the only hilltop fortress on the Rhine that has never been captured or destroyed. Originally…

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The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The History Behind The Celebration Of Easter Without question the holiest site in all of Christendom is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. It represents the location where Jesus was crucified and where his body was laid to rest. Today there is a high level of certainty that the location has been actually identified.…

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Todays Images • Maeklong Railway Market Thailand

The train approaches the Maeklong market

In Thailand the water market is famous with its vendors and shoppers in boats but perhaps more interesting is Maeklong’s railway market located next to the Maeklong station

One of Thailand’s famous water markets

The Maeklong market is a typical Asian market that sells everything from fruit and vegetables to fresh caught fish (stingrays and eels are very popular). The unique feature of this Thai open air market is that it operates right on the tracks of an active train line. The market is set up just outside the Maeklong train station and as the trains approach they slow down to a crawl to give the sellers time to move their wares off the track, pull back the awnings and withdraw the carts. As soon as the train passes it’s back to business as usual.

Enjoying a snack sitting on the train tracks

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Exploring South America

with From Cartagena, Columbia to Ushuaia, Argentina the South American continent is an amazing land of natural wonders and human accomplishments. Explore the islands of the Galapagos or hike around Iguazu Falls, climb up to Machu Picchu or cruise through the Panama Canal. You can even cast off for a trip to Antarctica or walk…

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Where In The World #5?

It seems so other worldly, like Mars or the Moon but it’s right here on Earth. It’s so alien that the NASA space program uses it to test rovers and other equipment. Find the answer HERE. Here Are A Few Of Our More Recent Postings You might Find Interesting…

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Port Of Call Lima, Peru

Spending Time In Incredible Lima

Lima, a city filled with colonial history, is the only capital in South America that touches the sea, and is hailed by many as the gastronomic capital of Latin America. The city boasts world-renowned chefs like Gastón Acurio and Virgilio Martínez. Making Lima the only city with two restaurants ranking in the top 10 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Central and Maido.

Where Your Ship Docks


Cruise ships dock at the Cruise Portao, located approximately 9 miles west of central Lima. Bus and taxi services are available at the port to take you to central Lima. A ride into Lima by taxi can take 60 minutes or longer and cost around US$15 or more if traffic is heavy getting into central Lima. When docking at the Lima Cruise Port it is highly recommended to arrange transportation into central Lima. While downtown Lima and the historic district are considered safe, wandering around the port area itself isn’t advisable.

Wheelchair Accessibility
Disembarking – This is a working industrial port without a cruise ship pier. Disembarking varies by the individual ships gangway design and a steep ramp or even stairs can be encountered. For passengers using wheelchairs there can be a difficult time disembarking.

Explore Lima’s Cuisine

Peruvians love soup and Lima loves seafood. Claiming credit for originating Ceviche, a popular offering made of diced fish with lots of fresh lemon juice garnished with red onions, chopped cilantro, and other seafood. Popular local meats include deep fried pork, Cuy Chactado (fried guinea pig), Llama a lean meat often grilled, added to stews or pan-fried. Traditional dishes make a lot of use of corn, potatoes and peppers with Rocoto Relleno (stuffed spicy pepper) being a common offering.

The city of Lima is one of South Americas largest metropolitan areas with a population of almost 13 million. Lima experienced most of its growth after 1960 going from less than 1 million to that 13 million from migration of people away from Peru’s rural areas. The city also spread out during that period increasing its area by seven fold.

Central Lima from the cliff top at night

Geographically it sits on a coastal plain on cliffs above the Pacific Ocean. Because the prevailing winds come from the east with the Andes capturing most of the moisture and rain, the region has a mostly arid climate.

The city’s historic original area is today contained completely within the Miraflores District, home to upscale shopping, many good restaurants, hotels and colonial historic areas.

Transportation

If you are arriving by plane to catch a cruise the International Airport is only about five miles from the port and a taxi should cost less than US$10.

If you need to go into Miraflores (Central Lima). The best options at last check included:

  • Lima Airport Express Bus to Miraflores for about $6 per person taking 40-45 minutes (Reserve HERE)
  • A Tourist Shuttle Bus for about $10 per person taking 50 – 60 minutes
  • Taxi $20 – $25 taking 45 to 60 minutes

Some of those options may be available from the port if a cruise ship is in.

Currency

1 Peruvian Sol equals about US$0.27. Most major credit cards are welcome and ATMs are readily available. Avoid using ATMs in more remote locations.

Tipping In Peru

As a general rule, you should tip about 10% of the total bill at a restaurant and a few dollars to tour guides and hotel workers. For taxi drivers, it is common to round up the fare to whole currency or tip 10% for longer trips.

Attractions

City highlights include the UNESCO historic center, the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology, and History of Peru, Huaca Pucllana pyramid and the Malecón a cliff top walkway.

Recognized as the birthplace of Lima, the Plaza de Armas is still the heart of Lima and the location of the original Spanish colony dating to 1535. A must visit for every first-timer to Lima.

Located in the historic center of Lima, this main square is a must to visit with its bright yellow Municipal Palace, as well as the bronze fountain that dates back to the early 1650s.

Huaca Pucllana, an amazing archaeological site sits in the middle of the Miraflores neighborhood. The massive clay and adobe brick structure, which once functioned as a ceremonial site during the pre-Columbian era, dates back to 400 B.C. Since the excavation began in 1981, multiple pyramids, ceramics, textiles and tools have been discovered.

The church of Saint Francis of Assisi – Dating back to 1672, this baroque-style church named in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi is best known for the network of catacombs located underneath the chapel. The catacombs contain an estimated 70,000 remains dating back to the 17th century. The church and convent are also home to a library with approximately 25,000 antique texts dating back to the 15th century.

In the center of Lima is a park rivaling the fountains of the Bellagio in Las Vegas, it’s the Circuito Magico del Agua combining a landscape of fountains with 13 automated lasers it uses music to create a spectacular light show. The show tells the history of Peru with movies projected into the water fountains accented with the laser displays.

Lima is also famous for its cliffside pedestrian boardwalks provide amazing ocean views, and are always filled with locals and tourists. The Malecón is a 6-mile stretch of parks and boardwalks along the coast lined with upscale shops, restaurants, parks and a major shopping mall. Allow time for a long stroll or rent a bike from Lima Bike Rentals.

Another widely popular Lima attraction is its miles of beaches. Surfing is a major recreation here and surfing tournaments join a collection of ocean activities and sports.

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Discovering Kruger National Park, South Africa

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Todays Images • Mykonos

The Iconic Windmills Of Mykonos. Traditionally, these windmills are heavy, three-story buildings made of stone, are circular in shape, reflecting the simple yet functional design typical of the Cycladic islands. They were primarily built by Venetians in the 16th century and continued to be constructed into the early 20th century for milling wheat. Mykonos is…

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Encounter With A Whale

Unexpected Whale Watching In Alaska

A whale at Icy Straight Point

A Short Story

A few years ago while on an early season Alaska cruise our ship stopped at Icy Straight Point. For a number of reasons we had decided to take it easy that day. The ship was anchored out and we had gone ashore early in the morning and took a nice hike thru the forest. We were back on the ship well before noon and had gone out on our balcony to read.

Some of our friends had taken the opportunity to go on excursions in the port and whale watching seemed to be the choice of the day. Of the whale watching options one was a kayak trip and as we sat on our balcony we could see the kayaks move along the shore and head out toward open water.

Humpback whale at Icy Straight Point

A little over thirty minutes into our reading we were startled by a loud noise coming directly below us. It was a large Humpback whale that had crossed under the ship and was blowing as it surfaced directly below our stateroom.

We had been whale watching before and had seen whales off of Hawaii, Vancouver Island and in Alaska. On one cruse up the Inner Passage we had a pod of Orcas pace the ship for over a half hour. With them I never got a picture because we never knew where they would surface next and before you could react – they were gone.

This time at Icy Straight Point our Humpback stayed near us for twenty minutes, circling and diving and putting on a real show. Most of our fellow passengers were off exploring and it seemed we had this whale all to ourselves.

That evening talking to our fellow passengers it seemed that the whale watch tours that day were mostly a dud. The kayakers had seen whales but none had come anywhere near the group and one whale watching boat had not seen any whales at all.

Sometimes lady luck just smiles…

Orcas near Skagway, Alaska

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Every Day Buddhism

The Character And Nature Of Every Day Buddhism

I’ve always been fascinated with Buddhism as a faith and philosophy and while I’ve read a bit about the Buddha’s teachings I’ll admit there’s much I don’t understand. We’ve traveled a fair amount through Asia and I’ve had a lot of conversations with Buddhists about their beliefs and I’ve learned how many relate to their religion. Most every day Buddhists are serious about the rituals and the shrines and temples without really understanding the core philosophy. Much of being raised in a faith is participating in those worship services and they in turn form the foundation of the general culture with its associated traditions, but that doesn’t mean people are well versed in the philosophic fundamentals.

The first thing I realized is the faith of every day Buddhists and Christians are much different. While Christians purportedly will usually turn to God and pray for the health of someone or to seek spiritual guidance, every day Buddhists are constantly asking a Buddha for help with everyday things. One man I talked to said he wouldn’t buy a lottery ticket without praying first to “his” Buddha. A woman we spent a day with lost her wallet and we had to stop by the temple of “her” Buddha so she could pray for help. She got a call from a stranger who found her wallet within the hour. These are actually pretty typical examples. The first time I heard the expression “every day Buddhist” was in talking with a Buddhist teacher.

This doesn’t mean that there are not every day Christians, there are lots of Christians that are involved in the church and its rituals without actually living a life ascribed by Jesus.

The Core Difference Between Buddhism And Christianity

Buddhism is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the enlightened one attaining nirvana. Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, meaning it doesn’t ascribe to a belief in God, but is based on a philosophy. It teaches meditation leading to attaining nirvana or reaching a state in which the mind, enlightened as to the illusory nature of the life-death cycle, transcends all suffering and attains eternal peace.

Christianity is monotheistic and centered on the teachings of Jesus. They accept God as the creator of everything and believe that He ascribed the rules to be followed to attain a place with eternal life. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son Of God who acts as a guide and intermediary with God and they can develop a relationship with God through prayer.

In Buddhism there is no deity one can direct prayer to but rather the faith is based on meditation and learning that can lead to enlightenment. When a Buddhist is to pray to a specific Buddha they are actually recognizing his (her) wisdom and seeking guidance in better understanding the philosophy. While Christians are actually praying to God for direction, understanding and intervention.

Understanding Buddhism

Most Westerners misunderstand Buddhism, thinking that there is only one Buddha while in fact there are many. In Buddhism, Buddha is a title for an “awakened one” who are spiritually awake or enlightened, and have thus attained the supreme religious goal of Buddhism, variously described as nirvana, awakening and liberation. Because of that many of the statues in shrines and temples represent many different but specific Buddhas. The first was the Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha, also known as Gautama Buddha, who was a spiritual teacher and the founder of Buddhism. He was born in Lumbini, Nepal, around the 6th century BC. He renounced his royal life at the age of 29 and spent six years seeking enlightenment. After attaining enlightenment under a bodhi tree, he became known as the Buddha, which means “the awakened one.”

The Path to Buddhahood

Becoming a Buddha requires cultivating wisdom, compassion, and ethical conduct. It involves practicing meditation, studying Buddhist teachings, and engaging in virtuous actions.

The Stages of Enlightenment the path to Buddhahood is divided into four stages: Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, and Arhat. Each stage represents a deeper level of realization and detachment from worldly concerns.

Meditation and Spiritual Practice Meditation is a central practice in the pursuit of Buddhahood. It helps calm the mind, develop concentration, and cultivate insight into the nature of reality. Other spiritual practices, such as chanting, pilgrimage, and devotional rituals, also support the journey to Enlightenment.

Number of Buddhas The exact number of individuals who have achieved Buddhahood is not explicitly identified in Buddhist scriptures. The concept of Buddhahood is central to Buddhism, representing the state of enlightenment and liberation from suffering.

Buddhist Scriptures Buddhist scriptures, such as the Pali Canon and the Mahayana sutras, provide accounts of various individuals who attained Buddhahood, including Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Different Buddhist traditions and schools of thought may have varying perspectives on the number of Buddhas. Some traditions believe that there have been many Buddhas throughout history, while others focus on the teachings of a specific Buddha, mostly the Shakyamuni Buddha.

Where In The World #4?

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This Intentional Traveler features thousands of pages of information on destinations, great maps, amazing images, detailed travel help and just a few stories for the fun of it. Chance are we’ve got what you’ve been looking for, so take a moment and explore this incredible world with The Intentional Travelers. CLICK FOR GREAT TRAVEL IDEAS!…

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Todays Image • Ireland’s Annie Moore

On the waterfront in the Irish city of Cobh stands a statue of a young seventeen-year-old girl and her two brothers.

Waterfront Cobh, Ireland

This statue celebrates Anna “Annie” Moore an Irish émigré who was the first immigrant to the United States to pass through federal immigrant inspection at the Ellis Island station in New York Harbor when it opened in 1892. Bronze statues of Annie, created by Irish sculptor Jeanne Rynhart, are located in Cobh, Ireland and at Ellis Island, New York.

After arriving in America, Annie married a German named Joseph Augustus Schayer, a salesman at the Fulton Street Fish Market, with whom she had eleven children. She died on December 6, 1924, at age 50 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, in Queens, New York.

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Before you leave you might also find some of our more recent postings, listed below, of interest.