Arm Chair Traveler

Like most people I believe we are living in a world that is experiencing a technology glut.  Too many devices and way too much software to learn about.  Knowing the down side doesn’t keep us from enjoying the upside, however.  Here’s one of the websites I visit often…..

EarthCam.com is dedicated to the voyeur in all of us.  It was founded in 1996 in Hackensack, New Jersey.  Over the years it has expanded by leaps and bounds, a window to the world for anyone with a computer. 

Some years ago I had a device that would scan web cam sites, giving me a ten minute view of any place I chose as long as it was in the system.

The sites from which to choose were fewer in those days, but every morning I would have my coffee as I checked in on Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands, then the picture might be from atop the Eiffel Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge or the Hollywood sign looking out over the valley. I could travel the world daily without ever putting my coffee cup down!

Today the EarthCam offerings have grown to include hundreds of sites.  Locations range from a Las Vegas wedding chapel shown in real time to a botanical garden in Ferrara, Italy. 

 The Statue of Liberty torch cam

provides a look at all the cameras originating their feeds from the statue. 


In Keystone South Dakota, the cameras are always aimed at Mt. Rushmore, providing us a close up view of the sixty foot high faces of four of our most famous presidents.  It’s no effort at all to find web cams in dozens of countries and, very likely, in places you’ve always wanted to visit.  It’s the next best thing to being there.

 

Several years ago my husband and I were planning a trip to Niagara Falls.  He found a web cam located on the Minolta Towers building, and asked for a room close to the camera's location because the view of the falls was so beautiful.  We ended up in the perfect room to look down on the falls because of that camera.

Some sites are live, some update every few minutes.  You can entertain yourself by watching the action on Bourbon Street, or the inaction of an anonymous home owner’s cat door.   Sometimes I check in to see the conditions on my favorite beach, the white sands of Panama City Beach, Florida.   The site is as eclectic and off beat as the Internet itself.

If you’ve always wanted to see the Aurora Borealis you might want to visit Porjus.eu, or visit Porjus Northern Lights Apartments on Facebook.   Every year my husband goes to Canada fishing, and he’s always told me how fantastic the northern lights are.   I’ve seen them, too, without ever having to bait a hook.   The cameras for Porjus are located in Lapland, Sweden.

Whenever you want to ‘get your British on’ all you need to do is check out Abbyroad.com for 24 hour, real time audio and video of the Abbey Road crossing.  This is the street where the Beatles shot the iconic picture used for their 1969 album cover; the web cam service is provided by Abby Road Recording Studios.

The Internet of chocked full of interesting time wasters, and this is just one of them.  The earth cams are something that I enjoy, but you do need to pay attention when you’re searching these sites.   Some of the things I’ve accidentally stumbled upon would make a world traveling sailor blush.

The Internet has taken us from “Calgon take me away” to “Internet take me anywhere I want to go”.   It’s a great way to travel with absolutely no unpacking…..

                                                                         

                                                          Life is Good