Sunday, May 27, 2007
Sunday Blogs of Note
Things I'm loving this week online this week are as follows:
Skybus airlines launched this week out of Columbus. Jaunted was there with an entertaining liveblog of the first few flights.
MSNBC reports that Las Vegas tourists are skipping the walking they might get on their vacation for motorized scooters usually reserved for the handicapped.
Has anyone seen the airplane air purifiers that are being sold some places? Hook it up to your little personal air jet thing and it supposedly makes the clean air cleaner or something? They're mostly forbidden, and might start the occasional on board fire - maybe. Fly Away Cafe was on that this week.
I'm fascinated with Knife Tricks. It's my favorite blog of late - all about his recent trip to North Korea. This week, Dog Soup!
Finally, Salon's Ask the Pilot describes the worst airport on earth. It's in Senegal.
Things I'm loving this week online this week are as follows:
Skybus airlines launched this week out of Columbus. Jaunted was there with an entertaining liveblog of the first few flights.
MSNBC reports that Las Vegas tourists are skipping the walking they might get on their vacation for motorized scooters usually reserved for the handicapped.
Has anyone seen the airplane air purifiers that are being sold some places? Hook it up to your little personal air jet thing and it supposedly makes the clean air cleaner or something? They're mostly forbidden, and might start the occasional on board fire - maybe. Fly Away Cafe was on that this week.
I'm fascinated with Knife Tricks. It's my favorite blog of late - all about his recent trip to North Korea. This week, Dog Soup!
Finally, Salon's Ask the Pilot describes the worst airport on earth. It's in Senegal.
Labels: airplanes, airports, blogs, las vegas, north korea, skybus, travel
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Four Crazy Nights: Unexpected Overnight Accommodations
You might be the same way. Love traveling, hate spending money to make it happen. Over the last few years, I've found a lot of different places to catch some shut-eye. Some amazing, some just amazingly bad. Nonetheless, I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything. Except maybe the Larouche cult trying to convert me to their style of politics. But even that was kinda fun, in a Jim Jones without the Kool-Aid kind of way. Anyway, here are some of the crazier, not so savory spots I've slept over the past few years.
1. The Tent - Munich, Germany
Is there anything better than a place to crash, hundreds of like minded travelers, and breakfast in the morning for eight dollars a night? If there is, I haven't found it yet. I spent three wonderful nights there in 2003, near the end of their season. The stay was pretty incredible. Meeting up with a lot of broke American backpackers, and a lot of Germans there for various reasons - including a few on business! The place sleeps about 300, all on the floor. They provide bedding, but bring your own sleeping bag. The bedding I got consisted of a foam pad, and four not-so-clean blankets. Including one with gum stuck to it. But when the beer is cheap, who cares where you sleep?
During my stay, I got attacked by Larouchites. Lyndon Larouche, political crackpot of the US, apparently has a political party in Germany and these people were staying there to campaign for their local slate of candidates in the Bavarian elections at the time. Larouchites from all over Europe came down to the Tent to headquarter a big weekend of campaigning. Problem was, none of them knew who the local candidates were. Their campaign consisted of protesting the US Presidency. Somehow this was going to get them votes, for local candidates.... in Germany. By the second night of inculcation, it got annoying, but the free beers I scored were pretty sweet - so I'd call it a wash.
This year the season opens June 15, and goes through early October. Rates for a spot on the floor of the big tent are Euro 7.50 a night. Click here to visit The Tent.
2. Amtrak
Need a cheap way to get across the country? And do you have a few days to kill? Than America's attempt at passenger train service is the right fit for you. Travel from Chicago to New York in a break-neck time of just 27 hours! That's only 15 hours longer than driving!
Seriously, though, when you catch sale fares, you can literally get from Chicago to New York for about 10 dollars sometimes. It's definitely an option for the budget conscious. Nights in the coach car, however, leave something to be desired. Seats are comfortable, but I always had the feeling I was one step away from being in a knife fight. Something there didn't feel entirely safe. And the feeling wasn't helped by when I woke up to find someone rifling through my bags directly over my head.
3. Botafogo Easy Hostel - Rio de Janiero, Brazil
There are few places I've found more relaxing than the Botafogo Easy Hostel. The name pretty much says it all. And it seems unique from other hostels in Latin America in that the vast majority of people there are actually from all over. So many of the travelers that were there said that in months, this was the first real international hostel they'd stayed at.
In some ways, the place felt like Cheers. There was a little bit of everything there. Cute Gay Brazilians, Drunk Canadians, Homeless French guys, Hot Belgian Women. Well, maybe not quite like Cheers - but close enough. It was a comfortable place to stay and there always seemed to be someone to talk to and pal around with. I don't think my visit to Rio would have been nearly as enjoyable anywhere else.
Check out cheap, comfortable digs here.
4. Den Roda Baten - Stockholm, Sweden
What better way to see the islands that make up Stockholm then by staying on a boat? Well it turns out, many. I was sick when I stayed there. Unfriendly staff. A Samoan guy picking pockets of the Japanese tourists in my room, bathroom sinks that didn't work and showers without hot water. All for 25 dollars a night! This makes my "Crazy Nights" list only because it was, without a doubt, the single worst hostel experience I've had. People find this place kind of hot and cold though. Some love it, some hate it... and some get bedbugs.
You might be the same way. Love traveling, hate spending money to make it happen. Over the last few years, I've found a lot of different places to catch some shut-eye. Some amazing, some just amazingly bad. Nonetheless, I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything. Except maybe the Larouche cult trying to convert me to their style of politics. But even that was kinda fun, in a Jim Jones without the Kool-Aid kind of way. Anyway, here are some of the crazier, not so savory spots I've slept over the past few years.
1. The Tent - Munich, Germany
Is there anything better than a place to crash, hundreds of like minded travelers, and breakfast in the morning for eight dollars a night? If there is, I haven't found it yet. I spent three wonderful nights there in 2003, near the end of their season. The stay was pretty incredible. Meeting up with a lot of broke American backpackers, and a lot of Germans there for various reasons - including a few on business! The place sleeps about 300, all on the floor. They provide bedding, but bring your own sleeping bag. The bedding I got consisted of a foam pad, and four not-so-clean blankets. Including one with gum stuck to it. But when the beer is cheap, who cares where you sleep?
During my stay, I got attacked by Larouchites. Lyndon Larouche, political crackpot of the US, apparently has a political party in Germany and these people were staying there to campaign for their local slate of candidates in the Bavarian elections at the time. Larouchites from all over Europe came down to the Tent to headquarter a big weekend of campaigning. Problem was, none of them knew who the local candidates were. Their campaign consisted of protesting the US Presidency. Somehow this was going to get them votes, for local candidates.... in Germany. By the second night of inculcation, it got annoying, but the free beers I scored were pretty sweet - so I'd call it a wash.
This year the season opens June 15, and goes through early October. Rates for a spot on the floor of the big tent are Euro 7.50 a night. Click here to visit The Tent.
2. Amtrak
Need a cheap way to get across the country? And do you have a few days to kill? Than America's attempt at passenger train service is the right fit for you. Travel from Chicago to New York in a break-neck time of just 27 hours! That's only 15 hours longer than driving!
Seriously, though, when you catch sale fares, you can literally get from Chicago to New York for about 10 dollars sometimes. It's definitely an option for the budget conscious. Nights in the coach car, however, leave something to be desired. Seats are comfortable, but I always had the feeling I was one step away from being in a knife fight. Something there didn't feel entirely safe. And the feeling wasn't helped by when I woke up to find someone rifling through my bags directly over my head.
3. Botafogo Easy Hostel - Rio de Janiero, Brazil
There are few places I've found more relaxing than the Botafogo Easy Hostel. The name pretty much says it all. And it seems unique from other hostels in Latin America in that the vast majority of people there are actually from all over. So many of the travelers that were there said that in months, this was the first real international hostel they'd stayed at.
In some ways, the place felt like Cheers. There was a little bit of everything there. Cute Gay Brazilians, Drunk Canadians, Homeless French guys, Hot Belgian Women. Well, maybe not quite like Cheers - but close enough. It was a comfortable place to stay and there always seemed to be someone to talk to and pal around with. I don't think my visit to Rio would have been nearly as enjoyable anywhere else.
Check out cheap, comfortable digs here.
4. Den Roda Baten - Stockholm, Sweden
What better way to see the islands that make up Stockholm then by staying on a boat? Well it turns out, many. I was sick when I stayed there. Unfriendly staff. A Samoan guy picking pockets of the Japanese tourists in my room, bathroom sinks that didn't work and showers without hot water. All for 25 dollars a night! This makes my "Crazy Nights" list only because it was, without a doubt, the single worst hostel experience I've had. People find this place kind of hot and cold though. Some love it, some hate it... and some get bedbugs.
Labels: amtrak, brazil, germany, hostels, munich, rio de janeiro, stockholm, sweden, travel
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Flashback: Prague, Czech Republic - July 2003
So we're staying at the luxurious "Manhattan" in downtown Prague. The location and price are beautiful. Just 13 Euros each for a double room in the heart of the city. But the place is so less regal than it sounds. Our room has three cots crammed into it and shares a toilet with the floor. The shower is, well, scary. I'm not sure if you'd call it hostel, hotel or flophouse. Our room is actually what appears to have been a kitchen in an apartment.
So we're staying at the luxurious "Manhattan" in downtown Prague. The location and price are beautiful. Just 13 Euros each for a double room in the heart of the city. But the place is so less regal than it sounds. Our room has three cots crammed into it and shares a toilet with the floor. The shower is, well, scary. I'm not sure if you'd call it hostel, hotel or flophouse. Our room is actually what appears to have been a kitchen in an apartment.
We didn't know of the place before we got to the city, it was not in Brent's Lonely Planet guide... we were met at the train platform in Prague by one of a few people desperately looking to fill rooms in their hostel. We were met by some crazy guy named Pavel. Now, if you are ever in this situation, it goes without saying that you should be very careful. There's no telling what this guy might really want, and you should use your best judgment. The first five minutes, we followed him and kept a close eye on him. When I realized that we weren't expected to ride in his car or walk down a dark alley to get to his "hotel," I felt more at ease. Pavel talked to us and sort of showed us around as we walked, he also kept pointing to every attractive girl and drooled a little. At one point he nearly walked into one... on purpose and laughed when she got pissed. He almost got hit by a car crossing the street too. He was crazy.
Turns out he didn't own the Manhattan. A friend of his runs the place and he was just drumming up business. Chances are that most of the people that are doing this kind of work are doing it on the side for a commission. When we got to the hotel, we asked to see his cheapest room and we saw it. Cheap was a good word for it. But it was very late, nearly midnight and we had an idea that it would be difficult to find something better in Prague. So we took the room for one night at 13 Euros each.
We asked for a receipt... Pavel told us in the morning, Brent was skeptical and insisted. The reception lady was simply not going to get up and fill out a receipt slip for us... so I had Pavel write stuff down in my blank book and after he took the money, I had to go to the "bathroom" right after he left so I saw him hand our money to the reception lady (who lived on that floor) and saw her give him his 200 crown commission (about 25%).
After a few minutes in the room, party time had arrived. Prague is legendary for its bars and for all the ex-pat Americans and backpackers travelling about. I forgot about the strength of Czech beer and drank a ton of beer. Brent matched me beer for beer until he switched to Absinthe. Crazy. We were in this beer cellar in the city center, where the beer was a bargain, 0.5 liters of Pilsner Urquell for the equivalent of 90 cents. (By contrast a small bottle in America costs about three times that.) After we closed the bar, we stumbled back towards the hotel, deciding to stop in one of the many casinos in downtown Prague. Probably for the best, we were turned away. Apparently, in Prague you have to wear pants to gamble.
Labels: drunkenness, hostel, prague, travel
Monday, May 21, 2007
Picture of the Week: San Francisco, California
"That's an unusual bathroom," my friend said as he returned to the beer I'd been guarding for him as we killed time before meeting some other friends for dinner. "Unusual?" "There were some interesting fixtures in there," he said. Visions of Koehler commercials danced before my eyes. He leans in close. "There was a human toilet in there." I did a double take, and before I could repeat what he said, he just shut me up with a "Welcome to San Francisco."
Umm, yeah. Welcome indeed!
"That's an unusual bathroom," my friend said as he returned to the beer I'd been guarding for him as we killed time before meeting some other friends for dinner. "Unusual?" "There were some interesting fixtures in there," he said. Visions of Koehler commercials danced before my eyes. He leans in close. "There was a human toilet in there." I did a double take, and before I could repeat what he said, he just shut me up with a "Welcome to San Francisco."
Umm, yeah. Welcome indeed!
Labels: california, san francisco, travel
The blogs worth reading...
Every day, I find another travel blog to explore, and there's always a couple things worth sharing. Here's what I loved this week.
The New York Times is all about Weissbier! They took a tour of Northern Germany and explored the different kinds of regional brews that Germany was famous for before everyone learned to love the Pilsner.
Have I mentioned how much I'm loving Knife Tricks lately? My new favorite blog is bringing out piece by piece stories of his visit to North Korea and I'm absolutely enthralled.
Oh yeah, Slate has a great photo essay on Seattle and its architectural revolution over the last thirty years or so.
Every day, I find another travel blog to explore, and there's always a couple things worth sharing. Here's what I loved this week.
The New York Times is all about Weissbier! They took a tour of Northern Germany and explored the different kinds of regional brews that Germany was famous for before everyone learned to love the Pilsner.
Have I mentioned how much I'm loving Knife Tricks lately? My new favorite blog is bringing out piece by piece stories of his visit to North Korea and I'm absolutely enthralled.
Oh yeah, Slate has a great photo essay on Seattle and its architectural revolution over the last thirty years or so.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Thursday is a getaway day!
Sorry about lack of updates for the last couple days. Been getting ready for a weekend trip to Columbus, Ohio. We're flying Jet Blue and this will be my second experience on the airline within a month. I have to say that my first experience was really quite positive. Good TV, pleasant seatmates, nice assortment of snacks. The only downside is a 6 hour flight with just potato chips and cookies to eat can be a bit long. Especially when House Hunters is a rerun. But still, I was very impressed with the service and me and a friend got a great deal to fly to Ohio for a weekend.
I went to college there and am looking forward to it. As for the flight, not so sure. Flying a smaller jet than their Airbus, and Turbulence Forecast has alerted me to possibility of up to moderate turbulence. Moderate turbulence never feels moderate to me. But with a five dollar beer, I'm sure I'll be just fine. Catch you on the flipside!
Sorry about lack of updates for the last couple days. Been getting ready for a weekend trip to Columbus, Ohio. We're flying Jet Blue and this will be my second experience on the airline within a month. I have to say that my first experience was really quite positive. Good TV, pleasant seatmates, nice assortment of snacks. The only downside is a 6 hour flight with just potato chips and cookies to eat can be a bit long. Especially when House Hunters is a rerun. But still, I was very impressed with the service and me and a friend got a great deal to fly to Ohio for a weekend.
I went to college there and am looking forward to it. As for the flight, not so sure. Flying a smaller jet than their Airbus, and Turbulence Forecast has alerted me to possibility of up to moderate turbulence. Moderate turbulence never feels moderate to me. But with a five dollar beer, I'm sure I'll be just fine. Catch you on the flipside!
Labels: airports, fear of flying, jet blue, turbulence
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Flashback: Brazil, July 28 2006
The following is an excerpt from my private journal about my trip to Rio in July of 2006. This was the day that we made it to Corcovado, but what I noticed reading this over a second time was how much emphasis I placed personally on the people I was with. With one or two exceptions, I've never heard from any of these people again. At the time it felt like I'd made friends for life... but that's what happens when you travel.
Some days I feel like I've done nothing, today I
Hector works at Trader Joe's in LA and is a real nice guy, he's traveling for two weeks - doing a few days in Rio, Iguacu Falls and then Buenos Aires. Emerson works for the Brazilian government. He works with projects that the federal and state governments are doing in conjunction with international organizations. He grew up in Brasilia so this is part work, part fun for him.
We finally got rolling out of here at about 11:30. About two hours after the plan. One of the things about being in a hostel is that when you find people to gang around with, it can take a while to get us all ready to do the same thing. Once we finally got out and ready to go, we took a bus to Corcovado and instead of the tram, the five of us split with a private driver. He took us to a couple lookout spots on the way up. (Corcovado is in an urban forest - a remnant of the rain forest that was around Rio years ago and some of which is still there to the north and south of the city). The views were stunning, you could see everything and the planes which were landing in the local airport (jet planes, mind you) are just about at eye level. It's a little nuts. After we got to the base of Corcovado, you have two options. Stairs (which give you more opportunity to pay ridiculously expensive prices for crappy souvenirs) or the elevator. I was all about the stairs, all about the new, slightly more aerodynamic, slightly less sloth-filled and gluttonous me. About half way up the stairs, I changed my mind, but it was too late to stop. Before long, I was at the top, with the same view that Jesus has.
Corcovado is the name of the mountain that Christ the Redeemer sits on. It was named it for the shape of the mountain, described as a hunch back. Atop the mountain is the statue, the largest art deco sculpture in the world. It really is a wonder and was built in 1931. One thing you notice from being that high is the smog. Rio is a city of ten million people who are letting a lot of crap in the air and the haze was so bad that the entire north end of the city was barely visible from the top of Corcovado. The south side was somewhat prettier. The water over the ocean helped to clear some of it off.
Rio never has many smog free days, but that's because its tropical, literally. It lies just north of the Tropic of Capricorn which means even winter days like today see highs in the mid 90's, like today. But I'm used to the heat now and it doesn't bother me much at all. But without cooler winters, the air is always hazy. Seems the colder the weather, the less crap you actually see in the air.
Our driver was very nice and on the way down offered to drive us through the Favela that he lives in. It's a pretty safe favela, or slum, but safe is a relative term. We didn't get out of the car, we didn't go there at night and I didn't dare pull out the camera. I just didn't want to lose it. The Favelas by and large in Rio (at least as the story goes) are kind of self-policed. Violently. And crime to people outside of the Favelas is just accepted as so. The biggest, baddest one of them all is Rocinha, which we did NOT go through. A couple of people in our hostel tried to go themselves, without a tour. They lasted two minutes there and came back to the hostel, not just lighter their wallets but their shoes and socks too.
Rio is not the safest place on earth, but usually you're OK as long as you're careful and not stupid. Walking into a favela unaccompanied is stupid.
After Corcovado, it was a quick ride back to the hostel for a couple minutes and then off to Ipanema for another afternoon at the beach. I tried to swim. The surf is high on Ipanema - and I found myself being turned literally underwater as the 7 foot waves knocked me around like a rag doll. It was both exhilarating and scary. Complete lack of control and you just pray to be alright in the end (but still a lot of fun) It's sort of like a bus ride in Rio.
Afterwords we saw the bar that Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz wrote The Girl from Ipanema. The bar is still open, now renamed The Girl from Ipanema Bar. We didn't get anything, but the bar across the street was having a Bossa Nova show today. I was all about the show and Emerson and I went after we hung out for live Samba music from two local Rio guitarists. Great music from two guys whose name I cant remember [ feel like I've done a lot. Our gang about Rio is facing some changes in staffing. Gone is Evelyn. Olivia did her own thing today - mostly the beach. Maria and Matthew and I were joined with two new people. Hector, from LA, and Emerson, from Brasilia, the country's capital.It was Antonio Carlos & Jocafi]. But it was wonderful and a great end to another day in Rio. I can't believe I really only have two days left on my vacation. Gotta make the most of it.
The following is an excerpt from my private journal about my trip to Rio in July of 2006. This was the day that we made it to Corcovado, but what I noticed reading this over a second time was how much emphasis I placed personally on the people I was with. With one or two exceptions, I've never heard from any of these people again. At the time it felt like I'd made friends for life... but that's what happens when you travel.
Some days I feel like I've done nothing, today I
Hector works at Trader Joe's in LA and is a real nice guy, he's traveling for two weeks - doing a few days in Rio, Iguacu Falls and then Buenos Aires. Emerson works for the Brazilian government. He works with projects that the federal and state governments are doing in conjunction with international organizations. He grew up in Brasilia so this is part work, part fun for him.
We finally got rolling out of here at about 11:30. About two hours after the plan. One of the things about being in a hostel is that when you find people to gang around with, it can take a while to get us all ready to do the same thing. Once we finally got out and ready to go, we took a bus to Corcovado and instead of the tram, the five of us split with a private driver. He took us to a couple lookout spots on the way up. (Corcovado is in an urban forest - a remnant of the rain forest that was around Rio years ago and some of which is still there to the north and south of the city). The views were stunning, you could see everything and the planes which were landing in the local airport (jet planes, mind you) are just about at eye level. It's a little nuts. After we got to the base of Corcovado, you have two options. Stairs (which give you more opportunity to pay ridiculously expensive prices for crappy souvenirs) or the elevator. I was all about the stairs, all about the new, slightly more aerodynamic, slightly less sloth-filled and gluttonous me. About half way up the stairs, I changed my mind, but it was too late to stop. Before long, I was at the top, with the same view that Jesus has.
Corcovado is the name of the mountain that Christ the Redeemer sits on. It was named it for the shape of the mountain, described as a hunch back. Atop the mountain is the statue, the largest art deco sculpture in the world. It really is a wonder and was built in 1931. One thing you notice from being that high is the smog. Rio is a city of ten million people who are letting a lot of crap in the air and the haze was so bad that the entire north end of the city was barely visible from the top of Corcovado. The south side was somewhat prettier. The water over the ocean helped to clear some of it off.
Rio never has many smog free days, but that's because its tropical, literally. It lies just north of the Tropic of Capricorn which means even winter days like today see highs in the mid 90's, like today. But I'm used to the heat now and it doesn't bother me much at all. But without cooler winters, the air is always hazy. Seems the colder the weather, the less crap you actually see in the air.
Our driver was very nice and on the way down offered to drive us through the Favela that he lives in. It's a pretty safe favela, or slum, but safe is a relative term. We didn't get out of the car, we didn't go there at night and I didn't dare pull out the camera. I just didn't want to lose it. The Favelas by and large in Rio (at least as the story goes) are kind of self-policed. Violently. And crime to people outside of the Favelas is just accepted as so. The biggest, baddest one of them all is Rocinha, which we did NOT go through. A couple of people in our hostel tried to go themselves, without a tour. They lasted two minutes there and came back to the hostel, not just lighter their wallets but their shoes and socks too.
Rio is not the safest place on earth, but usually you're OK as long as you're careful and not stupid. Walking into a favela unaccompanied is stupid.
After Corcovado, it was a quick ride back to the hostel for a couple minutes and then off to Ipanema for another afternoon at the beach. I tried to swim. The surf is high on Ipanema - and I found myself being turned literally underwater as the 7 foot waves knocked me around like a rag doll. It was both exhilarating and scary. Complete lack of control and you just pray to be alright in the end (but still a lot of fun) It's sort of like a bus ride in Rio.
Afterwords we saw the bar that Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz wrote The Girl from Ipanema. The bar is still open, now renamed The Girl from Ipanema Bar. We didn't get anything, but the bar across the street was having a Bossa Nova show today. I was all about the show and Emerson and I went after we hung out for live Samba music from two local Rio guitarists. Great music from two guys whose name I cant remember [ feel like I've done a lot. Our gang about Rio is facing some changes in staffing. Gone is Evelyn. Olivia did her own thing today - mostly the beach. Maria and Matthew and I were joined with two new people. Hector, from LA, and Emerson, from Brasilia, the country's capital.It was Antonio Carlos & Jocafi]. But it was wonderful and a great end to another day in Rio. I can't believe I really only have two days left on my vacation. Gotta make the most of it.
Labels: antonio carlos and jocafi, bossa nova, brazil, corcovado, flashback, friends, rio, travel
Monday, May 14, 2007
Picture of the Week: Rio de Janeiro
"Quiet nights of quiet stars, quiet chords from my guitar
Floating in the silence that surrounds us
Quiet thoughts and quiet dreams, quiet walks by quiet streams, and a window
looking on the mountains and the sea.
How lovely! this is where i want to be.
Here, with you so close to me, untill the final flicker of lifes ember.
I who was lost and lonely, believing life was only
A bitter tragic joke, have found with you
The meaning of existence oh, my love. "
-Tom Jobim "Corcovado"
July 2006 - Standing behind Corcovado. Rio de Janiero, Brazil
I never understood how imposing this 100 foot soapstone statue really is until I got to Brazil. You look up and you see Jesus. No matter where you go in the city. No matter where you go.
"Quiet nights of quiet stars, quiet chords from my guitar
Floating in the silence that surrounds us
Quiet thoughts and quiet dreams, quiet walks by quiet streams, and a window
looking on the mountains and the sea.
How lovely! this is where i want to be.
Here, with you so close to me, untill the final flicker of lifes ember.
I who was lost and lonely, believing life was only
A bitter tragic joke, have found with you
The meaning of existence oh, my love. "
-Tom Jobim "Corcovado"
July 2006 - Standing behind Corcovado. Rio de Janiero, Brazil
I never understood how imposing this 100 foot soapstone statue really is until I got to Brazil. You look up and you see Jesus. No matter where you go in the city. No matter where you go.
Labels: brazil, music, photo of the week, travel
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Blogs I'm Loving.
Once a week or so, I want to share the blogs that I loved reading these past few days. Two really struck me this week.
First, with Delta and Northwest exiting bankruptcy, we all know that it's a good thing for the airline itself. But is it good for the average Joe Economyclass? Upgrade: Travel Better isn't so sure.
Second, I love a good exotic travel story. And these days, it doesn't get more far flung than Pyongyang. In fact, it doesn't get more exotic than flying there on the state run airline of North Korea. Knife Tricks reviews his flight on Air Koryo.
Once a week or so, I want to share the blogs that I loved reading these past few days. Two really struck me this week.
First, with Delta and Northwest exiting bankruptcy, we all know that it's a good thing for the airline itself. But is it good for the average Joe Economyclass? Upgrade: Travel Better isn't so sure.
Second, I love a good exotic travel story. And these days, it doesn't get more far flung than Pyongyang. In fact, it doesn't get more exotic than flying there on the state run airline of North Korea. Knife Tricks reviews his flight on Air Koryo.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Five Places to Travel in 2007
Everyone loves to travel. Problem is, where to go? I've already notched the first trip of the year under my belt - with a four day visit to California - my first visit to the west coast of the United States. Other vacations and trips are in the works. Some planned, some possible, some confirmed. Here are the top five places I plan on heading this year.
1. Columbus Ohio (confirmed May 2007)
Ohio isn't usually the first place on anyone's list. But it is on mine. I went to college here! I'm planning on visiting some old friends and new for a quick weekend getaway. I've only been back sporadically in the eight years since I finished school at Otterbein College, but I've been amazed at how quickly everything seems to change. It's been hardly recognizable from one year to the next. I haven't been back in four years, so I have no idea what to expect. At least there's always Used Kids records - the best place for music in the midwest.
2. Reykjavik Iceland (October 2007 possibility)
I made it to Iceland for the first time since I was tiny last year. Why go back? First of all, Iceland is magic and Reykjavik quickly became one of my favorite places when I went back to see the Sugarcubes reunion in November. Unfortunately, two days just isn't enough to see anything - and when there is a music festival as amazing as Iceland Airwaves, how can someone refuse? In addition to international headliners Bloc Party, of Montreal and !!!, there will be dozens of Icelandic bands worth seeing - including three of my favorites - Mum, gusgus and Benni Hemm Hemm. Icelandair runs specials from the US for the festival, so you can get four nights hotel, roundtrip airfare and tickets to see all 170 bands in the festival for about $850 roundtrip! Maybe I'll actually see Iceland during the daytime this time around too!
3. Belize and Guatemala (Summer/Fall 2007 possibility)
After my visit to Rio last summer, I've had an urge to experience more culture shock. I've always been somewhat used to Europe - and so there was never anything really strange about European nations before - at least the ones I've seen - apart from a language I can't comprehend. However, Brazil was an eye opener. I felt totally lost and totally enthralled in just absorbing a culture I have no previous relationship with. I'd love to do that with Central America as well. I'd like to see more than just the resorts and ports that both Belize and Guatemala are known for. I'd like to see the inner country, ride the chicken buses and live comfortably on $25-$30 a day. This is the kind of "seat of your pants" travel that I love to do, and hope to get done this year.
4. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Canada (Late Summer 2007 possibility)
There's something mildly exotic about Atlantic Canada. Perhaps its the semi-frenchiness of the place. The idea that it feels half American and half European and that the Canadian identity falls between these two places makes me all the more intrigued. I just finished this book, Theatre of Fish, and its made me very attracted to the rocky shores that mark the end of the new world and the path back to the old. I don't know if it's something I'll get to this year - but I'd love it to happen.
5. St. Maarten/St. Martin (2007, likely)
Of all the Caribbean islands, this intrigues me the most. It's a small strip of land in the Caribbean that is split between two countries and is a slice of Europe, just a stone's throw from home. I'm fascinated by this concept - of culture transported so far away from its home and creating its own nest - somewhere exotic and far-flung. There's a romanticism of that which appeals to me. Will I make it to this place, or any of the others on this list? I have no idea. But it's where I'm looking to go as the summer approaches and beyond.... And if you happen to be reading this from any of these locations and want to offer me a couch to surf for a night or two, it might just very well become that much more likely for me to surface in your neck of the woods.
Labels: belize, canada, caribbean, destinations, guatemala, iceland, ohio, travel
Thursday, May 10, 2007
On The Road Eats: 5 Great Fast Food places!
1. In-N-Out Burger (Multiple Locations)
Oh my goodness, what amazing food! And what a simple menu too! I was floored on my first visit there and how packed it was, but when I tasted my 4X4 Animal Style, I knew that this was something special and I understood. The menu is simple. Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger, fries, milkshakes and soda. But there are hidden menu items. You can get your burger there protein style, which is with a lettuce bun - or animal style which contains some sort of secret sauce. The fries are fresh cut in the restaurant and always always fresh. I have eaten no finer fast food then that of the In-N-Out Burger.
2. Max's (Long Branch, NJ)
What can I say about this place that can't be described in four words? Foot Long Hot Dogs. And they're great. It's not all that the restaurant which is right off the Atlantic Ocean serves every summer when it opens, but it might as well be. It's what they're known for and rightly so. Nothing says summertime to me quite like my first foot long of the year doused in brown mustard at Max's.
3. L'As du Falafel (Paris, France)
Nothing says fast food to me better than mediterranean food. Be it Falafel or Gyros or Doner Kebap sandwiches - and the Ace of Falafel in Paris is just that. Just the right blend of spicy and crunchy. I was shown the place, which is in what remains of the Jewish quarter of the city in the 4th Arrondisement. Recommended dish here - the Falafel!
4. Random Doner Kebap Stand (Across from Zoo Bahnhof, Berlin Germany)
I went to Germany all the time as a child, and until my late teen years, I was always afraid of Doner Kebap. The everything but the kitchen sink sandwich that Turkish fast food stands sold around seemingly every corner in Germany. Finally, at age 14, I tried one. I fell immediately in love. When I was 16, I'd have a fourth meal after dinner with my grandparents every night. I'd walk to the stand three blocks away and have a Doner. It grew to be my favorite food ever, and its probably because of its location and how it was always near my grandparents. Four years ago, I visited the area. My grandparents were no longer there and nor was the stand. However, I found a stand near Zoo Bahnhof, just off Kufurstendamm that was almost as good. Just not quite the same feeling to go with the flavor.
5. King Gyros (Michigan City, Indiana)
When I thought about the fifth spot for this list. I was torn between this and Skyline Chili, the midwestern chili chain that comes from Cincinatti. I fell in love with the Three Way when I was in college, but King Gyros is ultimately the most special. There's no other reason to go to Michigan City, in my opinion... other than the beaches. But the Gyro platter with what seems like a pound of fresh Gyro meat, nice salad, huge chunks of Feta cheese and fresh French Fries. Sometimes, a meal like this makes you think that everything IS right in this world after all.
Labels: california, food, france, germany, indiana, new jersey, travel
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Tackling Your Fears
I've drifted asleep over the coast of Venezuela last summer. It was a red eye taking me back to New York from Brazil when suddenly our plane flew into the chop. Maybe we were passing over a storm, maybe we just hit a current of something, I'm not really sure but the plane started bouncing. Just enough to wake me up. And just enough to make someone accidentally hit a button that would reset all the flight attendant call lights. The first thing I saw as I woke up from what I'd hoped to be a long nap.
I panicked. I bit my fingers and must have turned pale white. Scared enough to freakout the guy at the window. I hit the call button and the nonplussed flight attendant said "Everything's fine, the Captain has told me I can't stand up right now though." Needless to say this didn't help my sudden panic. A few minutes later as the turbulence calmed somewhat, she came back, with some water and talked me off the ceiling. I spent the next five hours all but bracing for a crash that was never going to happen. I didn't really get back to normal til the distance maps showed us over Bermuda.
Fast forward to three months later. I'm visiting my family in Chicago and flying back. Flying on miles, I have a stopover in Cincinatti. As I'm on the plane, they announce that they are delayed due to a mechanical issue. OK, I thought. No big deal. The pilot then says "Evidently, a piece of the engine fell off, either in the air or was sheared off by a service vehicle here at the airport."
Wait, what?
A piece of the engine fell off???? Again, all I needed to hear. Panic attack starts - now! Next thing I know, I'm back in the gate, they're trying to show me the teeny piece that got sheared off and convince me that its safe to get on that plane. I wasn't having any of it. I couldn't stop hyperventilating or crying. I stayed in Ohio that night. Got on a much smaller plane back and did alright.
But I remained nervous for my next flights, I've developed this fear of flying recently. I've gotten on planes on three separate trips since this last freakout with little problem. I think its because I'm using some things online to help me. These tools are really the geekiest of geek stuff, but it helps convince me that my plane wont just drop out of the sky.
The first is http://www.flightaware.com. This website lets you track flights as they make their way across the country. It even keeps a sixty day log of previous flights and can show you that these trips are run safely day after day. http://www.flightstats.com goes one step further. It will even take a specific flight and tell you how often the flight arrives on time, how long the average delay is and often has more up to date information about what time the flight is scheduled to take off and land that day than the airlines do! Like I said, total geek-out stuff.
The other thing that I'll look at frequently is http://www.turbulenceforecast.com. This is a website solely devoted to forecasting turbulence during flights. He focuses mostly on domestic US flights, and the owner of the site "tb_neg" will even offer personalized turbulence forecast for flights coming up in the short term. He's been pretty spot on with my flights to California.
These things don't quell the fear completely, but they help. Well that, and a few glasses of wine. Nothing like flying a little lubricated.
I've drifted asleep over the coast of Venezuela last summer. It was a red eye taking me back to New York from Brazil when suddenly our plane flew into the chop. Maybe we were passing over a storm, maybe we just hit a current of something, I'm not really sure but the plane started bouncing. Just enough to wake me up. And just enough to make someone accidentally hit a button that would reset all the flight attendant call lights. The first thing I saw as I woke up from what I'd hoped to be a long nap.
I panicked. I bit my fingers and must have turned pale white. Scared enough to freakout the guy at the window. I hit the call button and the nonplussed flight attendant said "Everything's fine, the Captain has told me I can't stand up right now though." Needless to say this didn't help my sudden panic. A few minutes later as the turbulence calmed somewhat, she came back, with some water and talked me off the ceiling. I spent the next five hours all but bracing for a crash that was never going to happen. I didn't really get back to normal til the distance maps showed us over Bermuda.
Fast forward to three months later. I'm visiting my family in Chicago and flying back. Flying on miles, I have a stopover in Cincinatti. As I'm on the plane, they announce that they are delayed due to a mechanical issue. OK, I thought. No big deal. The pilot then says "Evidently, a piece of the engine fell off, either in the air or was sheared off by a service vehicle here at the airport."
Wait, what?
A piece of the engine fell off???? Again, all I needed to hear. Panic attack starts - now! Next thing I know, I'm back in the gate, they're trying to show me the teeny piece that got sheared off and convince me that its safe to get on that plane. I wasn't having any of it. I couldn't stop hyperventilating or crying. I stayed in Ohio that night. Got on a much smaller plane back and did alright.
But I remained nervous for my next flights, I've developed this fear of flying recently. I've gotten on planes on three separate trips since this last freakout with little problem. I think its because I'm using some things online to help me. These tools are really the geekiest of geek stuff, but it helps convince me that my plane wont just drop out of the sky.
The first is http://www.flightaware.com. This website lets you track flights as they make their way across the country. It even keeps a sixty day log of previous flights and can show you that these trips are run safely day after day. http://www.flightstats.com goes one step further. It will even take a specific flight and tell you how often the flight arrives on time, how long the average delay is and often has more up to date information about what time the flight is scheduled to take off and land that day than the airlines do! Like I said, total geek-out stuff.
The other thing that I'll look at frequently is http://www.turbulenceforecast.com. This is a website solely devoted to forecasting turbulence during flights. He focuses mostly on domestic US flights, and the owner of the site "tb_neg" will even offer personalized turbulence forecast for flights coming up in the short term. He's been pretty spot on with my flights to California.
These things don't quell the fear completely, but they help. Well that, and a few glasses of wine. Nothing like flying a little lubricated.
Labels: fear of flying, offlying, statistics, travel, turbulence, websites
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Be a Frequent Flyer without Flying Anywhere!
Free flights! The siren song of the internet these days for me. I'm always looking for a reason to get away and sneak off somewhere... be it to hang out with a good friend far away, or just to explore someplace that's new to me. There are plenty of ways to do that on the cheap these days - believe it or not, the price of flight has stayed relatively stable in the last 20 years, despite fuel costs that have tripled! There are the low cost carriers like Southwest, JetBlue and Frontier which can get you pretty far on $100 dollars, the incoming Ultra Low Cost class of airlines - like SkyBus and Spirit where penny airfare sales are common and tickets are available regularly for ten dollars or less!
But that's still not cheap enough for my skinflint heart. I want it for nothing, dammit! So frequent flier miles seem to be the best option. Flying not actually necessary. Seriously.
For example, Delta, is the airline I collect miles on. I'm saving up for 50,000 miles so I can get overseas on them and I'm currently a little over half way there. Funny thing is, I have only flown Delta five times in my life. Twice on miles. Last year, I earned 15,000 miles for getting a Delta branded American Express card, about 5,000 miles for fueling my Diet Coke addiction, and a couple thousand miles for eating at IHOP. That's right, I earned enough miles to fly home at the last minute last October by eating pancakes. Ain't life grand?
Now sure, there are drawbacks. Earning miles can be a bit of work - looking for special programs and utilizing them, but it will pay off. When I head to Buenos Aires next year for free on Delta, the kidneystones I formed from all that soda will be treated to a window seat 35,000 feet in the sky... and another Diet Coke.
Free flights! The siren song of the internet these days for me. I'm always looking for a reason to get away and sneak off somewhere... be it to hang out with a good friend far away, or just to explore someplace that's new to me. There are plenty of ways to do that on the cheap these days - believe it or not, the price of flight has stayed relatively stable in the last 20 years, despite fuel costs that have tripled! There are the low cost carriers like Southwest, JetBlue and Frontier which can get you pretty far on $100 dollars, the incoming Ultra Low Cost class of airlines - like SkyBus and Spirit where penny airfare sales are common and tickets are available regularly for ten dollars or less!
But that's still not cheap enough for my skinflint heart. I want it for nothing, dammit! So frequent flier miles seem to be the best option. Flying not actually necessary. Seriously.
For example, Delta, is the airline I collect miles on. I'm saving up for 50,000 miles so I can get overseas on them and I'm currently a little over half way there. Funny thing is, I have only flown Delta five times in my life. Twice on miles. Last year, I earned 15,000 miles for getting a Delta branded American Express card, about 5,000 miles for fueling my Diet Coke addiction, and a couple thousand miles for eating at IHOP. That's right, I earned enough miles to fly home at the last minute last October by eating pancakes. Ain't life grand?
Now sure, there are drawbacks. Earning miles can be a bit of work - looking for special programs and utilizing them, but it will pay off. When I head to Buenos Aires next year for free on Delta, the kidneystones I formed from all that soda will be treated to a window seat 35,000 feet in the sky... and another Diet Coke.
Labels: Delta, frequent flier miles, pancakes, travel
Picture of the Week: Reykjavik, Iceland
This picture was taken at NASA in Reykjavik Iceland on November 18, 2006. DP One was spinning at the biggest club in Iceland. Turned out he didn't even know it was happening on the way there. Neither did we til we saw posters for the event plastered across the city. NASA is one of the biggest clubs in Iceland. The turnout was small, but the dancing... who knew they had B-Boys in Iceland?
This picture was taken at NASA in Reykjavik Iceland on November 18, 2006. DP One was spinning at the biggest club in Iceland. Turned out he didn't even know it was happening on the way there. Neither did we til we saw posters for the event plastered across the city. NASA is one of the biggest clubs in Iceland. The turnout was small, but the dancing... who knew they had B-Boys in Iceland?
Labels: iceland, photo of the week, travel
Monday, May 07, 2007
Flashback: June 2003. The Start of Something Big
The date was June 4 and I was in South Bend. Sitting in John's VW, eating double cheeseburgers just before I was to start my new ambition of coasting across the world and living hand to mouth on odd jobs and the charity of friends and well wishers. Being as cheap as possible, I found myself flying out of New York and taking a 24 hour train across the midwest and northeast of the country to get there. Standing at that rundown station, in a not so nice part of the down at heel city - there were lots of feelings running through me. Feelings I wasn't ready to accept yet. It was the end of a lot of things - a difficult relationship with John, the boyfriend of 3+ years that I was about to leave for this dream, a very poor professional situation that was on its way to bankrupting me, a general feeling of malaise and being in a rut, and a feeling of comfortability.
It was the start of a lot of things too. My new career of travel was definitely one, which would soon founder along with my confidence. My love affair with simplicity in life (which I would grow again to hate, and then love again) started that week too. I was off to find a life, find a self-confidence and self-motivation. I was ready to get things started!
I was conflicted that day. Leaving my entire life behind. My material goods mostly stuffed in my old childhood bedroom, the boyfriend I'd grown to love despite all of our relationship's failings, my career - however shitty. I felt like I was at the start of big opportunities... and big mistakes. Turns out I was right on both counts.
The train pulled away from the station, my point of no return reached. I shed a tear, sat in my seat - and watched the miles start to fly by, not knowing what the future holds. I was a little sad. I was a little excited - but mostly ready to get moving and take whatever life had to offer.
The date was June 4 and I was in South Bend. Sitting in John's VW, eating double cheeseburgers just before I was to start my new ambition of coasting across the world and living hand to mouth on odd jobs and the charity of friends and well wishers. Being as cheap as possible, I found myself flying out of New York and taking a 24 hour train across the midwest and northeast of the country to get there. Standing at that rundown station, in a not so nice part of the down at heel city - there were lots of feelings running through me. Feelings I wasn't ready to accept yet. It was the end of a lot of things - a difficult relationship with John, the boyfriend of 3+ years that I was about to leave for this dream, a very poor professional situation that was on its way to bankrupting me, a general feeling of malaise and being in a rut, and a feeling of comfortability.
It was the start of a lot of things too. My new career of travel was definitely one, which would soon founder along with my confidence. My love affair with simplicity in life (which I would grow again to hate, and then love again) started that week too. I was off to find a life, find a self-confidence and self-motivation. I was ready to get things started!
I was conflicted that day. Leaving my entire life behind. My material goods mostly stuffed in my old childhood bedroom, the boyfriend I'd grown to love despite all of our relationship's failings, my career - however shitty. I felt like I was at the start of big opportunities... and big mistakes. Turns out I was right on both counts.
The train pulled away from the station, my point of no return reached. I shed a tear, sat in my seat - and watched the miles start to fly by, not knowing what the future holds. I was a little sad. I was a little excited - but mostly ready to get moving and take whatever life had to offer.
Labels: flashback, navelgazing, trains, travel
Saturday, May 05, 2007
I guess today would be the second part of my reintroduction. An explanation, if you will, of what I plan to do with this blog and where I plan to take it. Since my life is in flux, I'm not 100% sure. But if little changes in my life over the next few months - I do plan the following.
In 2008, I am currently planning to take a three month hiatus from the working world to travel parts of the globe that I have yet to see. In order for this to work, I need the following - 10K in the bank, a manageable debt load, and a good idea of what I'm going to do and where I'm going to go. My goal is pretty clear cut, and its going to be a lofty one to acheive. I need to save another 5K and cut about the same from my debt load in the next year. If that can happen by March, all things go!
My trip will be more about people and experiences than places and things. I want to focus my trip on South America, Asia and potentially Australia. If I only visit one of these continents, I'm alright with that - as long as the adventure helps me get a good feel for life there - as bourgeois and class snobbish as that might sound.
The things I always loved about travelling in Europe was that I was able to fit in and feel like I lived there, all the time, even if I was just there a couple days. Doing that in Brazil last summer, was much more challenging - and when I started to get that feeling, it was much more satisfying. I'd like to see that feeling return, and often.
In 2008, I am currently planning to take a three month hiatus from the working world to travel parts of the globe that I have yet to see. In order for this to work, I need the following - 10K in the bank, a manageable debt load, and a good idea of what I'm going to do and where I'm going to go. My goal is pretty clear cut, and its going to be a lofty one to acheive. I need to save another 5K and cut about the same from my debt load in the next year. If that can happen by March, all things go!
My trip will be more about people and experiences than places and things. I want to focus my trip on South America, Asia and potentially Australia. If I only visit one of these continents, I'm alright with that - as long as the adventure helps me get a good feel for life there - as bourgeois and class snobbish as that might sound.
The things I always loved about travelling in Europe was that I was able to fit in and feel like I lived there, all the time, even if I was just there a couple days. Doing that in Brazil last summer, was much more challenging - and when I started to get that feeling, it was much more satisfying. I'd like to see that feeling return, and often.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Every few years, my life gets difficult. Uncomfortably comfortable. Stuck in a bit of a rut. I find myself needing something to shake myself out of it. The last time I felt this way, I tried to travel til the money ran out. It lasted about four months or so, considering the $3000 budget, it was a pretty long stretch.
I'm feeling the call of the road again, but this time I am a bit more conflicted. I think that travel isn't a cure to my problems. Four years ago, I thought it was. I know that I need a change of life, and it could take a number of forms. I could grow deeper roots here in New Jersey. I could pick up and join the peace corps and spend two years in small town Eastern Europe or Central Africa. I've also thought about a three month leave of absence to explore the world a bit more.
Whatever ends up happening, travel will be a big part of my plans. Not to see things and sights but meet people and build relationships. I'm restarting this blog because I'm motivated to create my own adventures and my own network of experiences to grown on. Travel isn't just about hopping on a jet to someplace exotic. Travel is about making your life an adventure, be it just down the street from the house or across the globe. And I hope to do that. And I hope you enjoy reading about it.
I'm feeling the call of the road again, but this time I am a bit more conflicted. I think that travel isn't a cure to my problems. Four years ago, I thought it was. I know that I need a change of life, and it could take a number of forms. I could grow deeper roots here in New Jersey. I could pick up and join the peace corps and spend two years in small town Eastern Europe or Central Africa. I've also thought about a three month leave of absence to explore the world a bit more.
Whatever ends up happening, travel will be a big part of my plans. Not to see things and sights but meet people and build relationships. I'm restarting this blog because I'm motivated to create my own adventures and my own network of experiences to grown on. Travel isn't just about hopping on a jet to someplace exotic. Travel is about making your life an adventure, be it just down the street from the house or across the globe. And I hope to do that. And I hope you enjoy reading about it.
