Author Archives: tomrburke

Tompkins Square Park is closed, and there is a big tree down in the middle of one of the paths. Pigeons, squirrels, and a disgusting number of rats are running around together eating whatever was tossed up by the winds. Saw a smaller tree fallen o… Continue reading →

Did a little walkabout in Bushwick, and this is the worst damage I saw. I called 311 to report it and waited 10 minutes on hold before they answered. My civic deed for the month. Hurricane Irene was a non-event for me. Hardly rained yesterday and … Continue reading →

This is a public art installation done by the Animus Arts Collective for the NYC Department of Transportation’s Summer Streets program. http://animusart.com/current-projects/flaming-cactus/I love it. Continue reading →

The most South-Western point on the continent of Africa. Beautiful coastline. Continue reading →

Took us 1.5 hours to hike up. Continue reading →

On safari, the most common objective is to see what’s known as the Big Five: elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, and rhinos. We saw the first two of these animals on our first day and every day. The first lion sighting came on the second day at La… Continue reading →

Check it out. A hundred or so hippos seeking relief from the Serengeti sun in a muddy pool. Tails flicking and splashing, honking on the off beat, a barrel roll here and there – it was mesmerizing. Seeing hippos was one of the things I was looking… Continue reading →

The Serengeti is an ocean of earth, and the plain stretches as far as the eye can see. It’s an impressive landscape. Shortly after we left the lodge in the morning, we saw a lioness sunning herself in a wide open space. Best view of a lion so far…. Continue reading →