GLOBETROTTERS JANUARY TRAVEL WRITING PROMPT

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours

See what I did there?

I’m not sure if the above image is technically a sign, but I couldn’t resist. As a living and breathing Joe myself, it was fun to find this marquee for a cocktail place in downtown San Jose, California during a family visit.

Like so many of you, at first I balked at the Globetrotter writing prompt on Signs. Who takes the time to stop and take photos of signs?

Apparently, a ton of us — at least in this era of digital photography when pics of anything can be taken at whim. I’m betting in the era of pay-to-develop-film photography a lot less of us wouldn’t have “wasted” a shot on some random sign. A tiny win for technology!

Of course, directional signs were my first thought, but it turns out there are so many out there, so let’s hit the comedy first.

Humorous Signs

How blessed we are that someone thought to cross-stitch this. I may just have to do my own sampler. I came across the above in a fashionable bathroom while zipping through Northern California.

A few more chuckles —

You’re not kidding, honey! At least some churches won’t offer validation.

I found the above unceremoniously taped in front of a city parking lot in Santa Fe and the double meaning just killed me.

Similarly —

Ahh, good, I’m glad tickets are selling out and Jesus is coming. I wondered if they took his name down whenever it was time for Cher or Elton John to be Coming Soon. In truth this one hurts a little, as I took this photo in Lahaina on the island of Maui and I have a feeling in my heart that the whole church may’ve been destroyed in that devastating wildfire. Tragic.

I was delighted by this creative and empowering sign outside of a coffee joint in the High Sierra Nevada town of Truckee, California.

Speaking of signage for businesses and eateries, I couldn’t help but snap pics of these signs inviting folks into the Frisky Business Cat Cafe during a visit to Palm Springs — a new favorite place! I’m going to be writing an entire Medium story on Frisky Business soon, but the signs tell the tale — it’s a true community hub, a place of paying it forward and giving it back.

City Murals and Giant Signs

With every city finally catching on to the free Instagram publicity, it’s easy to find creatively commissioned wall murals and giant city-name signs perfectly placed for tourists to snap pics.

Here are two from visits to Yuma, Arizona and good old Albuquerque.

Animal Crossing Signs

Just two months ago my partner and I were lucky enough to be on the island of Kauai. As we ventured around the North Shore area, we kept seeing these unique “NeNe Crossing” signs. And though I kept saying, “I’ve gotta get a picture of that,” I never did get around to it. Sigh.

But I do have these unique animal crossing signs found at two AirBNBs we visited — one in Taos, New Mexico and the second near Joshua Tree, CA.

FORMER Signs

Similarly, some of the most fun signs to witness are those still advertising establishments from another era, long since gone. I’ve come across so many of these, but alas only thought to photograph a few.

The Downtowner Motel sign towers over beautiful Flagstaff, Arizona.

Best of all, next is a sign celebrating those bright signs of yesterday decked out in colorful neon. Discovered during a walk while visiting downtown Los Angeles, the city steeped in advertising for the car culture.

So. Many. Signs.

You editors at Globetrotters really pulled it out of the hat with this unexpected, obscure prompt. So many writers logically pointed out all of the perhaps metaphysical or metaphorical “signs” from the Universe that come during travels too — like that moment when you receive the sign from above that maybe it’s time to go back home.

Speaking of which, in our journeys to Barcelona, you couldn’t help but notice the graffiti and signs sending a clear message that too many AirBNBs had taken over the city and forced authentic locals out. The signs were everywhere, and I thankfully thought to take a pic.

“TOURISM KILLS THE CITY — TOURIST GO HOME”

Much further south in always-baking Seville in the heart of Andalusia, we felt bathed in authenticity and followed the sandwich-board signs enticing us to witness the flamenco performance. Just stunning and soul-shaking.

Speaking of international, while taking the train out of Rome, I couldn’t get enough of this Italian Bugs Bunny hocking food items.

But I’ll close with perhaps the first and obvious iteration that popped into my mind when it came to signs — road signs and directional signs that get us safely to our destinations.

I’m not sure how authentic this next one is, but it was too good not to take a photo. On the Big Island of Hawaii, as we toured Volcanoes National Park, we came upon this scene in the Devastated Area, reflecting lava flows of the past.

It was a little too perfectly placed but the irony wasn’t lost as so much hardened lava stretched over a long abandoned road. Made its point!

And to make my point, I guess I’m going to close by revealing I spent a good 25 years of my life living basically beneath one of the most famous damn signs on the globe.

Ugh, what a tool we all can be during certain segments of our youth.

Check out the tiny flip phone from the pre-smartphone years! A selfie taken with a traditional digital camera, if you can believe it.

I want to thank Kenny Minker, Scott-Ryan Abt and Victoria Hydes for your great submissions to Globetrotters — your creative takes helped open my mind to all the possibilities waiting deep within my own photo libraries — things I’d never considered — the comedic, the directional and the inspirational.