Category Archive: Photos

London Bridge in London & Lake Havasu

Do you remember singing this as a child: London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady.   I sure do.  But when I sang it, I had no idea what London Bridge was really all about or where it was – other than London, I mean.. So what’s the real scoop? London Bridge crosses over the River Thames connecting London and Southwark.  This is city central, with lots of London hotels and attractions nearby, and is a busy spot in the city.  Although London Bridge is often confused with the Tower Bridge, it is actually located between the Tower and the Cannon Street Railway Bridge. London Bridge has actually been a succession of bridges, with many incarnations occupying the same space and the same name.  In the mid 1960’s, the then […]

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Las Vegas Weekend: Monte Carlo Resort & Casino

I recently had the opportunity to stay at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino and was curious to see how it had fared since my last stay some 10+ years ago. It was a mixed bag, like any hotel stay, so I’ll break it down into easy to understand categories. The Good: Great location at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip (map) offers easy access to everything that’s going on in the area.  A monorail moves you back and forth between the Monte Carlo and the Bellagio (map), meaning you have great access to all the hotels, casinos, and shopping on that side of the strip. Beautiful exterior facade, even more so when lit up at night. Affordable prices with lots of package deals currently being offered that can bring the price of a room to under $60 […]

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Honolulu Pride: Military History in the Islands

It’s easy to be caught up in the sun, sand, and surf of Hawaii, but the islands are also rich in military history and sites.  Although it can be sobering and painful to think about, these military sites deserve a spot on any must-see list. Next time you’re on Oahu, take a beach break and work some of these spots into your schedule: Pearl Harbor:  This site is administered by the National Park System, and in my book is the must-see historical site on the island.  It’s an easy drive from Waikiki, about 45 minutes, and is also served by public transportation.  If you’d prefer a tour, it’s a stop on many of them.  The tour includes a brief video, followed by a boat ride to the Arizona Memorial. Like most visitors to the site, I was profoundly touched and […]

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Coit Tower Adds Art-Deco to San Francisco Skyline

In San Francisco’s Pioneer Park (map), atop Telegraph Hill (map), stands the 210-foot tall, art deco, Coit Tower. The tower was built in 1933 with funds donated by Lillie Hitchcock Coit.  Folklore claims that the tower was designed to look like a fire hose nozzle, and was a tribute to the firefighters of the 1906 earthquake fire.  Although this version is disputed, and it’s not clear if it’s true or merely urban folklore, the story is widely retold and is consistent with the general quirkiness of the donor. Today, Coit Tower has become as much a part of the San Francisco landscape as the Golden Gate Bridge (map) or the Transamerica Pyramid (map), and is one of the recognizable pieces of architecture in the San Francisco skyline.  It went through a major restoration in 1984, and remains one of popular […]

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Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum

Gerald R. Ford was the 38th President of the United States, and when he in 2006, politicians from both parties lauded the legacy left by the man who was elected to Congress from the State of Michigan, and while he served as both Vice President and eventually President, he was elected to neither position.  He will likely be best known for pardoning former President Richard Nixon, for which he was eventually awarded the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award. Ford, like all Presidents, amassed volumes of “stuff” during his term of office, even though he spent less time in the White House than many other Presidents.  Presidential “stuff” takes on a life of its own, resulting in volumes and volumes of documents, schedules, casual notes, and even scraps of paper.  All these items are collected, cataloged and filed away.   […]

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10 Essentials to Pack for Your Beach Vacation

Beach vacations are a popular choice, whether you’re flying to an exotic location or hitting the shore close to home.  But you can’t just head out to the beach — it can actually be one of the vacation destinations that is complicated to pack for. Here are 10 items that I consider essential for a beach vacation: Swim suit and cover up – whether you’ll be walking to the beach from your hotel room or out the door of your cabin, a swimsuit is the essential item of beach clothing.  You’ll also want a cover up for walking through a hotel lobby, or when it’s time to cut back on your sun exposure.  If you’ll be at the beach for more than a day or two consider packing additional swimsuits. Sunscreen – it seems like this is a no brainer, […]

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Las Vegas Predators at Shark Reef Aquarium

For the price of a hand of blackjack or a roll of the dice, you can spend some time with predators of a different kind — at Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef Aquarium.  The only predator-based aquarium in the United States calls the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino (3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, map) home. What predators lurk here? Tigers Sharks.  The second deadliest specie behind the Great White, these two females are quickly becoming the prima donnas of the aquarium, and it’s the only place tiger sharks are available for viewing in the US.  You’ll be able to spot them easily with their tiger-striped markings and sharp-serrated teeth. Komodo Dragon.  What they lack in looks, they make up for in speed, and the world’s largest lizard uses both its speed, cunning and power to track and kills it’s […]

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An Italian Retrospective

It’s with mixed feelings that I’m back in Seattle after three and a half weeks in Italy.  It’s always good to come back home, of course, but there is a part of me that was left behind, waiting patiently until I come back to claim it. The pace was both busy and leisurely, with a day or two of activity followed by a day or two of rest. Leisure days were spent by the pool, taking naps, drinking wine, eating pasta and lots of gelato.  Activity days were full of exploring, sightseeing, discovering new things, and lots and lots of walking to counteract all that pasta, gelato, and wine.  It was the perfect combination of Adventure Holidays and Walking holidays, with plenty of rest to get ready for it all. Here are some of the highlights of the trip: Climbing […]

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Lotus & Lilies at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Located on a 14 acre parcel along the east bank of the Anacostia River, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is the only National Park that is devoted to the propagation and display of aquatic plants, with a history that is of great significance to the botanical study and development of water plants. The gardens were initially a hobby for Civil War veteran W.B. Shaw.  With a few water lilies from his estate of Maine, and a single pond, he started his hobby venture.  As the the plants thrived, he dug more ponds and experimented more in developing hybrid lilies, turning a hobby into a burgeoning business. In 1921, Helen Shaw Fowler (W.B.’s daughter) agreed to let the public in for a viewing of the lilies one day a week during the blooming season.  It’s estimated that up to 6,000 people a day lined up to […]

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Los Angeles is Vacation Heaven for Sports Enthusiasts

As the second largest city in the United States, Los Angeles gets it fair share of visitors attracted by the ocean beaches and sunny days.  Home to Hollywood, Disneyland, and museums and parks galore, LA is as distinctively west coast as New York City is east coast.  It is also a major city for sports, having hosted two Olympic Games.  Sports are also big business in LA, attracting millions of visitors each year who come for both spectator and participatory athletics. If you’re a sports fan, here are some considerations that may help you plan your visit to Los Angeles. Basketball (fall to early summer):  The LA Lakers and the LA Clippers both play at Staples Center (map).  It’s not unusual to see television and film celebrities sitting court side cheering on their team.  Dyan Cannon, Denzel Washington, and Jack […]

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