The Tuscany region of Italy Continuing with my geography awareness week of posts, I move on to the continent of Europe. There are so many places in Europe that I’d like to visit that it was hard coming up with a destination to discover. Well, actually it wasn’t hard to come up dozens of places that I’d like to visit, what was hard was narrowing it down to one. But finally, I chose Tuscany, in central Italy. What’s so appealing to me about Tuscany is its rich variety of life. From the history and magnificent art of its capital city of Florence, to the small towns and villages in the countryside, and the delicious wine and food of the entire area, it all sounds wonderful! This spring I’ll have the opportunity to spend a time in Tuscany, staying in a […]
Read MoreDown Under in Sydney
Four days into Geography Awareness Week, and now it’s time to go down under, giving me an opportunity to write about where I’d like to go on the continent of Australia. I’m featuring a different dream location each day this week, one from each of our seven continents, so be sure to check out my posts on Antarctica, The Maldives, and Kruger National Park. While most of my dream trip locations have been fairly remote, and appealing to the side of me that loves solitude, my choice for Australia would be a bustling city, full of culture and fun —Sydney. Sydney is the capital of New South Wales, and is located on the southeast coast of the island. It’s the most populated city in Australia, and is the country’s center of finance, media, and tourism. I’d need to spend some […]
Read MoreWhere in the World are the Maldives?
In keeping with this week’s theme of Geography Awareness, I continue with my exploration of travel destinations on all seven continents. Yesterday was Antarctica, and today, I head off for Asia. . . and the Maldives. The Maldives (more officially the Republic of Maldives), is located in the Indian Ocean south of India and southwest of Sri Lanka. It is an island nation, the smallest smallest of the Asian countries in terms of population, and is home to spectacular beaches. Tourism plays a key part of the Maldive economy, and the country now boasts luxurious tropical resorts. A typical resort is situated on a private lagoon, and often a private island. Many times lodging will consists of a building on stilts in the middle of the water, or a cottage on a sandy beach. The water is that beautiful azure […]
Read MoreDo You Take Your Vacation Time?
I was reading the other day that more and more people are foregoing their annual vacation. Some are choosing to work through vacation, opting to get paid out for their vacation days. Other people are continuing to work, just letting vacation accrue in their leave accounts, some at the risk of “using or losing” days. Some people don’t want to lose time away from the “fast track” by taking vacation, believing they are showing loyalty to their job and company by staying at their desks. Still others take time away from work, but work on projects at home rather than taking any actual vacation. To take, or not take, your vacation time has become the subject of numerous studies, leading to a variety of articles and books written on the topic. And guess what? It turns out that taking a […]
Read MoreThe Paris Series: Preparation
Last month I took a much delayed, but VERY anticipated, trip to Paris. The City of Lights has long called to me, and I was determined to finally make it happen. I decided to share with you my preparation for the trip, and some of the memorable experiences I had while there, over the next few months. The process is one that can be replicated for most destinations. Preparation is a key part of travel, but despite my best efforts to plan as far in advance as possible, some last minute scheduling issues intervened, and I was left with only about a week to pull everything together. This was my first trip to Paris, and despite a flurry of last minute changes, I found that it is a trip that can be done at the last minute. Preparation helps, but if […]
Read MoreThe Beat Goes On
Fans of Kerouac, Burroughs, and Ginsberg, probably already know about The Beat Museum, and it’s certainly no surprise that the home of The Beats is now the home of The Beat Museum. Having moved to San Francisco’s North Beach area from a prior location on the coast, The Beat Museum continues to celebrate the beatnik generation of art, music, and way of life. The lure of The Beat is probably as strong as it’s ever been. It’s been 50 years since Jack Kerouac published On the Road, and it is arguably more popular today than it was when originally published. The Beat Museum is located at 540 Broadway (at Columbus) in San Francisco’s North Beat area (map it). It is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am – 10 pm. Closed on Monday. Depending on your interest in the topic, and your […]
Read MoreFall Money Saving Travel Tips
As we head into the fall travel season, here are a few money saving travel tips to keep in mind: October and early November are generally considered “shoulder” seasons in the travel industry. If you can travel now, you may be able to find some great bargains — especially in you have flexibility in your travel dates or location. This time of year is also a busy one for conventions and conferences. Generally speaking, there will be one or two conference hotels, and organizers will strongly encourage you to make your reservations using a group booking method. This usually results in a very good rate, but always check. I have found special web fares and other discounts available that can occasionally beat the conference price. NOTE: It is impossible to use a group booking, if the price is right, when attending a […]
Read MoreOdd Travel Memories from Childhood
Growing up, I lived a couple hours north of Seattle. While that doesn’t seem very far of a drive by today’s standards, back then, the trip involved a great deal of logistical planning, and was one my family took only a few times a year. A couple of favorite places that we would go included the Woodland Park Zoo, the Museum of History and Industry, and to the Waterfront, with dinner at Ivar’s Acres of Clams. We usually managed, after pleas from us kids, to find time to visit Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. The shop was compelling in an odd, freak-show kind of way. Perfect for kids in that pre-teen age bracket. It had been there forever, we thought, and its wear and tear made it comfortable and appealing. The store has actually been there for over 107 years, so as […]
Read MoreStringing You Along with The World's Largest Ball of It
I wasn’t sure if it was true, or an urban legend, but there really is a large ball of string, claiming to be the World’s largest. I don’t know if it really is the largest in the world, but this hulking ball of string is located in Weston, Missouri (500 Welt Street) at America Bowman Restaurant. The site was the location of the former West Museum, located in a barn on the property. One of the artifacts proudly on display in the museum, was a huge ball of string, measuring 19 feet in circumference and weighing in at a cool 3, 713 pounds. This is pure string, which means that no materials of a thicker composition (like yarn or twine) are in the ball. No one has been able to answer the questions as to the origination of the ball, or the owner […]
Read MoreThe Puka Dog: Hot Dogs Hawaiian-Style
Every geographical area seems to do its own special version of a hot dog, and for a tasty dog Hawaiian-style, Puka Dog is the place to go. What is a Puka Dog? It’s a special bun-sized loaf of bread with a hole at one end, pierced through the length of the bun, forming a hole throughout. Secret-sauces, relishes, or just the usual mustard and catsup, are then poured into this hollowed out bun creating a soft nestling area for a Polish-type sausage. Take a look a the photo to get an idea of what it looks like. To order a Puka Dog you specify sausage or veggie, followed by your choice of garlic lemon sauce (mild original, spicy jalapeno, hot chili pepper, or hot hot habanero), followed by your choice of relish (mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut, banana, starfruit, or catsup, […]
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