Rev. Dr. Charles and Belinda Alkula

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Family get-together

Charles got to get together with his cousin, Dottie and her husband, Patrick tonight for supper. It was special to be able to catch up with them!

Charles had some free time this afternoon and he decided to venture a block away from the hotel to take in The Museum of Illusions. It is a small, but really interesting place. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to share it with someone!

Monday, April 20, 2026

Monday in Cleveland - pt. 4

On the waterfront in Cleveland

SS William G. Mather & the Sailor's Statue

A surprising find

Forward torpedo tubes

Command deck

The final stop of the day included checking out the lakefront near the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (he'd been there before, so he didn't go in this time). Seeing the SS William G. Mather, one of the big ore ships, by the Science Center (which is closed on Mondays) was cool and so was finding his way to the USS Cod, a WWII submarine!

Monday in Cleveland - pt. 3

No, that isn't a real gorilla!

Trumpeter Swans

A beaver takes a swim

A Koala catches a few winks

A Sloth Bear takes a stroll

Back to the hotel was next to get his jeep and then off to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Charles hadn't been to this zoo since the mid-60s! There wasn't much going on today since it was too chilly for many of the animals, but it was a fun outing all the same.

Monday in Cleveland - pt.2

Welcome!

A stingray is a beautiful sight

Lion Fish

A unique turtle

"Jo-Jo" is cool!

Next up for Charles was a quick coffee before continuing his walk to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. It is a nice place to visit with knowledgeable people working there and some well-done exhibits.

Monday in Cleveland - pt.1

Charles headed out on a chilly Monday morning to explore some of the local sights including the famous "Guardians of Traffic" on Hope Memorial Bridge, which spans the Cuyahoga River.