Archives for Travel category
Posted on Feb 25, 2010 under Entertainment, Travel |
Baltimore is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the rhythms of life in a cosmopolitan setting. The city is very rich in resources, both physical and ephemeral, and some of the most exciting things here depend on the moment and the talent of the local artists. There are plenty of attractions here, a gorgeous waterfront, and an extremely lively downtown scene. One can reasonably expect to have plenty of good days shopping and exploring, spectacular meals, and evenings of fun and entertainment. There’s some great hotels here that can make the stay truly delightful.
There are plenty of talented people in town, thankfully, to provide a sure and steady stream of interesting new work. Some of the musicians are great at pleasing the crowds, some play excellent covers, and some make their own songs, and push the boundaries of their respective forms, creating new paths for the listeners to follow. One of the latter is Angela Taylor, and it seems as though she’s spectacularly apt at pleasing crowds as well, moving them through wonderful evenings in different styles and textures.
She’s an indie folk singer from here who’s got plenty of chops. She teaches at Peabody, and has won a Best of Baltimore award, as well as being a finalist for the Lilith Fair. She also has a pretty impressive list of creds for recording, and knows her way around electronic music very well. All of this adds together when she sings, where the voices inside burst out, sometimes with a purr and sometimes a roar, but always with an edge of empowerment, and messages of survival. There is a lot of darkness here, but always with a very keen edge of hope on this knife of despair, making a delicate balance that is something to behold.
Posted on Feb 23, 2010 under Culture, Entertainment, Films, Travel, dining |
Singapore is a barrage of sensations, where sounds, colors, and smells are constantly coming at you, offering you new ways to turn your attention outward, and find new ways to chase your thoughts. It’s a splendid city to get lost in, if you have the time, and one of the wonderful things about vacations is that funny thing they do to time. You can enjoy all the sights that the guidebooks recommend, see the local shows, enjoy a Chinese restaurant, and find yourself distracted by the show of everyday life that’s going on in the streets.
There are plenty of entertainments in town, and all art forms, too. With theatre, performance art, experimental music, installation art, and more, there are always lots of things to choose from. There are also local filmmakers, too, and the indie scene is not necessarily at a level to compete with the big movie making cities, but with filmmakers like Eng Wee Pen, it is certainly alive.
She has two documentaries, Diminishing Memories 1 & 2, and they’ve both been earning her a lot of attention, and her reputation is growing as a young artist to watch. Both of these films are about her family from her perspective, the first one constructed of her own memories as a nine-year old, and the second from her point of view today as a 20-something. This is a very honest family portrait, framed in a way to make you constantly aware of the framing. This is a rather brilliant touch, so that while we’re watching her memories, we think about how we construct our own.
Posted on Feb 21, 2010 under Travel |
There are great military men who have come from all over the United States and have done great things for there country. When you look at Augusta Georgia you will find a few fine military men. One was General Edwin A Pollock. He was born in Augusta in 1899 and went on to become a great asset for the marines and our country. He was awarded many medals for his service as the Navy Cross. He was a hero in 1942 on the Guadalcanal while fighting against the Empire of Japan.
He went on to receive 34 medals including the Army Distinquished Service Medal, Legion of Merit w/ valor device, Bronze Star w/valor device, Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/3 service stars, Navy Unit Commendation w/1 service star, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, Dominican Campaign Medal, Nicaraquan Campaign Medal in 1933, American Defensive Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 5 service stars, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal w/ 3 service stars, Order of Military Merit, Taeguk Cordon Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the United Nations Korea Medal.
One can see how long this man was serving the government, over 35 years. He traveled all over the world. He spent time on the USS Galveston (CL-19) and the USS Arkansas (BB-33). He stood as Commanding General with the Fleet Marine Force, at Camp H.M. Smith Honolulu and beyond until he retired in 1959. He may have started his life in Augusta Georgia but he influenced many other lives all around the world. Find a hotel in green Augusta and see the drinking water that grew such great men. There are many on this site to help you find the best one to fit your personality and needs.
Posted on Feb 18, 2010 under Travel |
While most of the world is being dumped on by cold rain and snow, South Padre is fluffing up their pillows at the luxury hotels across South Padre anticipate your visit. As long as the storms don’t do something really crazy like drop a lot of snow on the white sandy beaches than this is were everyone might end up. You may want to book now or you could find yourself sleeping on the beach. Which is great during the day but maybe not ideal for a good nights sleep.
There are many activities to do while enjoying your stay on South Padre Island. One such connection to make might be with Captain Billy L. Sandifer. He has almost 50 years of experience fishing in the local waters and is ready to share his knowledge and adventures with you. He is considered an expert fishing guide and has caught all the different kinds of fish in the sea. It would be quite a thrill to pull in a shark with the guidance of Captain Sandifer. He has got everything you need to get out and enjoy the waters and its creatures that live in it.
It won’t be long before Spring Break hits town. Some time in the second and third week of March the city will be mainly in the ages between 19 and 25. This will be a town filled with young fun. The beaches will be filled and the bars will be hopping. Places like Tom and Jerry’s Beach Club and Grill will be the hot spots at night. It is a casual and fun atmosphere with plenty of beer and food to keep you going. Another must see place to eat and hang out is Pirates Landing Here the whole family can enjoy this destination of fun. They have great food and also museums, boat rides, shopping and more.
Posted on Feb 14, 2010 under Travel |
Washington, DC is a funny little town, or so says David Byrne, the Scottish-born music icon. It’s a place where interesting blends come together, and a place where radical divisions can be immediately apparent. There are plenty of opportunities to get in touch with the culture wars, and well as the cultural marriages in the world just by visiting, and astute travelers who have a thing for history will find plenty of chances to dig in and investigate larger pictures and puzzling connections. Coming into the city raw, without much of a plan, can be one of the most exciting ways to get to know it. With no agenda, and nothing in hand except for the plane ticket and reservations at a cool hotel, the city is here, waiting for you to add your perspective.
It doesn’t mean that your opinions will be accepted without question. This is a town that’s made for arguing. People like to argue about the essential issues of the day, like wages and health care, or also to argue about mundane things, like the best way to lace a boot, or even high philosophical matters, like the body and mind problem. In fact, there are few places on earth where there is so much genuine joy given to fighting, outside of Ireland. So it’s no coincidence to see a band like U2 play to sold-out audiences here. DC has an Irish diaspora population, of course, and there’s also the extreme global popularity of some of their songs, but something about the band speaks to this city.
It might be possible to link the band’s relevance here by looking at Irish identity in a global context. Their particularly brutal history of oppression, from external as well as internal sources, makes it a rather apt lens through which to see the world from a keen political perspective. This may be something discussed at the U2 Academic Conference in North Carolina, but it’s worth talking about in DC as well. It might lead to some new friendships, or an all-out scuffle, or perhaps a bit of both.
Posted on Feb 08, 2010 under Travel |
Outside my junior high school, there was a cliff and small cave where a few bats wheeled around at dusk. Years later, I had a chance to see over a million bats exit Carlsbad Caverns, a dark cloud of Mexican freetail bats swirling out from the Natural Entrance and into the sky; however, today, if I want to do some bat-watching, I’d make my way to Austin, Texas, and watch the million and a half of the free tail bats pour out from the Congress Avenue Bridge. I’ve seen it before, and it’s an astonishing show of nature that occurs nightly in the Texas state capital.
To see this sight, go to the top of the bridge or from below, and wait for dusk. You’ll want to bring along a hat as well, when these creatures make their entrance into the sky. You’ll find on Congress Street a sculpture to honor this creature, titled Nightwing. The bats are, of course, only one of the things that make Austin a favorite city of mine. Afterwards, you’ll have a choice of great music and great restaurants (all seeming to have an abundance of chips and original recipes for queso dip. Most of the time, though, I’m in the mood for taking some time out with a cup of coffee and a piece of cake or pie, and that means Mozart’s, a great little coffee shop on the banks of Austin Town Lake.
If you’re in the city, take a night out, see the bats and have a cup of joe at Mozart’s with friends. After that, while the million and a half bats take care of any pesky mosquitoes, you can find in Austin hotels that are the best you’ll find anywhere for a great night’s sleep.
Posted on Jan 20, 2010 under Animals, Travel |
Carol had heard that he could experience some of the greatest birding opportunities of his life at Cape May, New Jersey. So, he finally convinced his wife to go with him and last summer they spent two full weeks in one of the hotels Cape May. His wife Bonnie enjoyed the beautiful afternoons on the beach and actually developed an interest in Carol’s fascination with the different bird species. This is something that she just couldn’t understand before and always thought her husband was a bit odd, for being so obsessed with the migratory bird populations and their habits. However, finding herself in a more receptive mood their on the beautiful island paradise, she listened to his endless chatter and even found herself paying attention and taking an interest.
Determining bird species and following their migration patterns had been a hobby/quickly turned passion of Carol’s for about five years. He had always been interested in birds, though and experience with a work associate five years ago really inspired him to pursue it. Bonnie bought him a book that year for his birthday and it turned out to be one of the best guides he could get. Of course he thought that meant his wife supported his hobby and had even taken an interest in it. It couldn’t be further from the truth.
However, as they watched the birds and Carol explained the species to Bonnie that summer, she actually began to try and do it on her own. The next morning Carol disappeared for twenty minutes and returned to present Bonnie with a binocular harness. Bonnie wasn’t sure what to do with it, but Carol explained that he was going to buy her her own set of binoculars, but instead thought she should pick them out herself. He would go with her and they could get her some that afternoon, and Bonnie was actually very excited. She even tried on her brand new harness.
Posted on Jan 08, 2010 under Travel |
While the city of Phoenix is quite expansive, filled with many residential sub-divisions, shopping malls and high rise buildings, there are many locations throughout the city for hiking and adventure. For some, the hike alone is worth it, such as the shorter but very steep climb to the top of Squaw Peak, or the longer journey up the side of Camelback Mountain, and the winding paths for biking and climb through the South Mountain Range. For others though, it is a quest, a mission for a legendary treasure that draws not only the residents of Arizona, but treasure seekers from around the world. This is the hike through the Superstition Mountains and the search for the legendary Gold Mine of the Lost Dutchman.
For more the one hundred and twenty years, this beautiful range of mountains has enticed people and has haunted the minds of everyone who happens to take a hike through the Superstitions. Many believe this to be one of the most famous and sought after treasures of all time. Anywhere you go in the city you will find information regarding this, from the plethora of books written on the subject in the bookstores, to the pamphlets handed out by travel agents and the staff at the front desk of many of the hotels in greater Phoenix areas surrounding the mountains.
For a few years now, many have been making speculations that this is much more than legend. Of course the treasure seekers have always believed this, but now there appears to be scientific evidence that yes there does appear to be gold in them there hills. Apparently, a man named Pegleg has been corresponding with the magazine, “DesertUSA” with facts that he states reveal not only that the legend is fact, and not fiction…but that he has evidence as well, of exactly where the gold is located. So far though, no one has come out of the superstitions with it, so as has been going on for years, the seekers will keep seeking for the treasures of the Lost Dutchman.
Posted on Jan 07, 2010 under Travel |
Being in New York City again was reinvigorating and I was looking forward to having a few days unfold before me. I had booked accommodation at a New York boutique hotel that I thought gave me the best advantage of being centrally located. After I got a good night’s rest, I headed off to explore the East Village. It was a crisp October morning and during my stroll, I noticed that as I crossed from 1st Avenue onto Avenue A, this seemed to be the demarcation of those in New York who have money and those who aren’t so fortunate. The streets were suddenly filled with graffiti, weeds, high-rise housing projects and lifeless playgrounds.
From Avenue A, I headed off to Chinatown in search of the apartment featured in ‘Flight of the Conchords’ a TV series on HBO. I took a few photos and waited around in hopes that I’d run into someone from the show, but no such luck. So, a headed back through Chinatown and made my way to Little Italy for some lunch. On my way, I saw a man with two gutted pigs slung over his shoulder. Quiet a site and truly unexpected. After a great lunch, I continued my search for locations featured on TV shows. I made my way over to the corner of Broadway and 112th street to have a cup of coffee in the restaurant in which Seinfeld was filmed.
Later in the evening, I checked out the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. I know I was chancing it, but I thought I’d give it a try anyway. My earlier attempt, two days ago, there was a queue going around three city blocks. This time though, I arrived an hour-an-a-half before the 7pm church service and was lucky to be granted a free tour of the history of the church. The church, at one time, had 15,000 members. I was so thrilled to experience this gospel church service, it will go down as the best highlight of my trip. All the spontaneity, the music, the positive experience was a very uplifting moment. I can’t explain the experience, but it was a true celebration of life. The sermon touched me so deeply, that I can actually say I was a changed person and changed for the better.
Posted on Jan 06, 2010 under Travel |
The Lowell National Historical Park preserves the history of America’s early working life; it’s essentially a series of museums in the middle of Lowell, just about thirty miles outside Boston. This small city, founded in 1820, was created as a center for textiles. To learn about the Industrial Age in America, all you need do is check into one of the hotels Lowell has to offer, and set out among the trolleys and canals to the various museums that will grant any visitor a window nearly two hundred years into the past. From the Textile Museum to the Working Peoples and Immigrants Museum to the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, you’re certain to learn the way people lived and worked in the 19th Century.
The Boott Cotton Mills were certainly a part of that history, whose doors were open for over a hundred and twenty years, not shutting down until 1955. The museum now features exhibits of the mill equipment and allows guests to experience the look of a working mill. In the “Weave Room,” there are industrial grade looms, fully active, operating at its highest speed. The roar of the looms illustrates what workers had to endure on a daily basis here. You’ll find the museum gift shop next to the Weave Room, where there’s much more information about Lowell and the Mills.
Walking along the grounds of the Boott Cotton Mills, you’ll stroll past the Merrimack River, and may pass the cotton storehouse. The museum itself contains three floors, two occupied by the museum, and the third by condominiums and lofts which have a view of the waterfront. Throughout the park, you’ll also may see The Boardinghouse, a place where the women who worked in the mill lived. The Boardinghouse now is known as the Mogan Cultural Center, which provides historical exhibits, educational programs and celebrates communities and their urban roots.
If you’re a history buff, but also want a scenic place to relax, Lowell, Massachusetts, with its proximity to Boston, may be a pefect choice for a visit.