Some ideas and inspirations

Inspire Me North America

The winds that blow through the wide sky in these mounts, the winds that sweep from Canada to Mexico, from the Pacific to the Atlantic — have always blown on free men.

Quote Source - Franklin D. Roosevelt

USA, Mexico & Canada

USA - Chicago

Chicago is perhaps not the most obvious of places to go, but it is one of our favourite big cities. There is so much to do here, and if you are a fan of the ”Blues Brothers” films, it’s like a living film set.

In fact if you love blues and jazz then look no further. Why not take in the magnificent mile and shop till you drop, and there are so many amazing Art Deco style buildings to see along this route too.

Set on the edge of the Great Lakes and Lake Michigan it seems more like sea than a lake. Navy Pier is a good place to head, and spend a few hours, even if it just people watching and promenading along the pier with an ice cream.

One of our favourite natural history museums is here too. The Field Museum and don’t forget to say hello to “Sue” a nearly complete T Rex dinosaur and at more than 40 feet long and 13 feet tall at the hip she is one of the largest (if not the largest) every found.

The buildings come pretty big here as well and the skyscraper Willis Tower (formally the Sears Tower) checks in at a healthy 1,451-ft - 400ft taller than the UK’s tallest building the Shard. It still ranks as one of the tallest buildings in the world despite its age. You can find out more in our man - made world tall buildings section.

But Chicagos trump card has to the Frank Lloyd Wright buildings and in the surrounding areas of Oak Park you can find more of Franks buildings here than anywhere else. He is one of our favourite architects, and his philosophy of organic architecture means designing in harmony with humanity and the environment; now why isn’t there more of that?

In August there is also the annual Air and Water show - a spectacular military air display which we were lucky enough to see and well worth timing your visit to coincide with it.

Canada - North West Passage - The Footsteps of Franklin

We were fortunate to travel down the North West Passage and Greenland with Quark Expeditions, and this is one of several trips we have made to both Canada and Greenland, Including Orcas at Victoria in British Columbia and Polar Bears in Churchill on the Hudson Bay.

On this trip we started it at Kangerlussuaq (translates as large fjord) in the Qeqqata municipality taking in the wreckage of a Lockheed T-33’s that crashed in the late 1960’s. From here we made our way to the largest Glacier on the East Coast ice sheet on our way to pick up our ship in the deep harbour and up to the “gateway” of Greenland Sisimiut. Known for its fishing and its 18th century Danish village the centre of which is guarded by two massive whale jaw bones, probably from the incredibly long lived Bowheaded whales.

We skirted all the way up the West Greenland coast before pushing over to Ellesmere Island, with just a couple of hundred people living in an area the size of Great Britain. We landed at a place called Gris Fiord Qikiqtaaluk region Nunavut, by Zodiac and as we made our way up the beach where we were greeted by a Canadian Mounty in full - immaculate red uniform! His boots were beautifully polished too.

It is one of the most Northerly points of inhabited land on the planet and the coldest too, with an average temperature of -16.5c.

Northern Canadian territories of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, is a great place to see Muskox, (Ovibos moschatus) which is giant form of goat. They are fascinating creatures to study and very protective of their young.

Photo - Muskox.

Mexico - A country of contrasts

Mexico is a vibrant colourful and sometimes a very dangerous place. It has a history second to none and for the most part a friendly and welcoming people.

We had trouble with bandits during our visit both having to divert hundreds of miles to avoid them; some groups didn’t and allegedly had their tour bus and luggage stolen. Being stopped by groups of bandits dressed in “lucha libra” wrestling masks, might look comical, but the pistols and machete they brandished were very real. The police were there as well, (they are often in on the act and get their cut) but did nothing, whilst a hat got passed around to relieve us of our 100 pesos “fine” for safe passage.

You could not pay it at your own peril. Another ambush some time later failed when the driver presumably fed up with them just drove through the rope barrier, much to the annoyance of the local Bandidos.

The diversion like most changes of plan turned out to be a stroke of luck and we able to visit the Giant Heads of the Olmec people, which was well worth the inconvenience. The local zoo was also really good with some black panthers and jaguars.

The Chiapas region is so interesting, but there has also been unrest with the Marxist inspired EZLN previously lead by subcomandante Marcos and Comandante Ramona. Marcos has since retired as a revolutionary (how does that work?). Their main focus was on the protection of indigenous peoples rights.

One of the highlights of so many highlights in Mexico has to be Teotihuacan. The valley of the dead which links the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun, the latter two with panoramic views from their summits. When you sit on top looking out of this vast complex it is worth reminding yourself that you are probably seeing just 10% of it, the rest is still under the jungle.

USA

  • Authentic Stetson

Canada

  • Small soapstone carving of Polar Bear by jimmy-iqaluq

  • Wooden Snow shoes with sinew cords - c 20th c.

  • Musk Ox and Arctic Fox fur

  • Rocks and fossilised corals from Devon island

  • Metal slag from Terror and Erebus Beach

  • Illustrated ships chart of our journey along the West Greenland coast and down the North West Passage following in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin.

Mexico

  • Original homemade UZLN Flag

  • Mayan Blue jade pendant - pre-columbian

  • Aztec Musician c 15th - pre columbian

  • Small iron meteorite

  • Minerals and rocks

  • Mount Alban Mixtec / Zapotec culture (Famed for the temple of the dancers - actually they depict rival tribes being tortured - not dancing) - Collection of 12 Gods - Bat Culture (Nocturne) Grave goods from high status lady.

  • Teotihuacán (Sun and Moon Temple) deity statues of various gods ‘Old God” is one of a Teotihuacán cultures specific gods, but others are from Aztec and Mayan cultures, including Quetzalcoatl, The Goddess of Beauty, and Maize god. These were probably local peoples “house gods,” made from moulds, an early form of mass production.

What can you find in the Museum from this location.

The Museum of Anthropology - Mexico City - The Sun Dial