Vacation Advisory!

[Brahmsian]

Leaving tomorrow morning.....gone for a week with the family to Cuba (near Camaguey) 

[SonicMan46]

Leaving tomorrow morning.....gone for a week with the family to Cuba (near Camaguey) 

Ray - Canada to Cuba!    Should be quite a contrast - please report back here at your earliest convenience - 

Susan & I are currently in New Orleans - tomorrow we are taking a 'small van' tour of the post-Katrina neighborhoods hardest hit by that hurricane - just want to learn more 'in-depth' experience of this awful storm that hit this wonderful city - spending most of our time in the French Quarter which was pretty much unaffected by this natural disaster.  In fact, the area this week is just OVER-POPULATED w/ tourists - busiest that I've seen the place in years! 

[SonicMan46]

New Orleans - of course the French Quarter (old city) is the focal point of much tourism in the 'Crescent City' - but the architectural and landscape symbol of the Quarter is Jackson Square (below w/ Andy Jackson - victor at the Battle of NO in 1815) - the famous St. Louis Cathedral in the background (third building built on that spot - first in the 1720s or so).

The Jackson Square area is just bustling w/ activity - shops, art galleries, restaurants, carriage rides, Mississippi River cruise (on the huge paddle wheel steamer, the Natchez), and the famous Cafe du Monde w/ its excellent coffee(s) and beignets - we were there yesterday, but the line was so long to get in that we skip a beignet snack - will try again! 

Well today, probably another early 'oyster' lunch, and then a Katrina van tour - should be interesting and sad at the same time - 

[Harpo]

Cafe du Monde w/ its excellent coffee(s) and beignets - we were there yesterday, but the line was so long to get in that we skip a beignet snack - will try again! 

Well today, probably another early 'oyster' lunch, and then a Katrina van tour - should be interesting and sad at the same time - 

The Katrina tour was enlightening, sad, infuriating and haunting. We got personal accounts of Katrina from two of our tour guides whose houses were completely submerged and who lost everything they had. The government was--and is--extremely slow at helping, and frequently added insult to injury. Those neighborhoods that were left are still in a shambles. Many residents and businesses have left for good, and there is still limited health care.

We did love the food and music, though, being a regular "concert-goer" I was distracted by all the drunken noise when I wanted to hear the music. I sang "My Funny Valentine" with the pianist at the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone. (One cocktail is all I need for courage.) We have been to New Orleans several times before and have never seen it this crowded. Good for their economy, but frustrating. French Quarter was relatively untouched by the storm, so everything is in full swing there and there are no reminders of a storm. Never got our beignets.

The bayou was a needed respite from the city--mysterious and peaceful. Our driver was one of the people who lost their house. In addition, he paid $30,000 to a contractor who absconded with the funds. Sonic can provide more details.

[SonicMan46]

...............The bayou was a needed respite from the city--mysterious and peaceful. Our driver was one of the people who lost their house. In addition, he paid $30,000 to a contractor who absconded with the funds. Sonic can provide more details.

We often like to get out of New Orleans for one day - plenty of options; bayou & swamp tours are a plenty - this time we did a half-day tour near the northeastern corner of Lake Pontchartrain in an area called the Honey River Swamp connected to the Pearl River; now a swamp is basically 'flooded' fresh-water land w/ trees, esp. cypress but plenty of others; most covered w/ Spanish Moss - the day was a little chilly, so the alligators were not out sunning themselves, but we did see a lot of birds (several snowy egets & great blue herons), plenty of snakes and turtles, and even some baby nutria (basically a LARGE vegetarian rodent) - some pics below of the place off the web.

 

[Bogey]

Today we ventured to two places within an hour of our homestead.

First, Buffalo Bill's Grave, which included a small, but decently done museum:








Then it was on to one of the many "ghost towns" here in Colorado.  This one is named Nevadaville, which died out due to the silver and gold drying up.  It does have a Masonic Lodge that is still used, though.  Kind of an interesting place to have one if you ask me.  6 residents still live up the hill a bit and I am guessing they or the Masons are responsible for the flag you see fluttering.  As my son put it, it is not "quite" a ghost town, but with over 1,500 here in Colorado we have plenty to meet his strict standards.



Abandoned store:



Also abandoned:



Ruins and such:







Masonic Lodge.  Lower level is abandoned.

[SonicMan46]

Today we ventured to two places within an hour of our homestead.

First, Buffalo Bill's Grave, which included a small, but decently done museum:

Then it was on to one of the many "ghost towns" here in Colorado.  This one is named Nevadaville, which died out due to the silver and gold drying up...........................

Bill - thanks for the post and the wonderful pics!  Susan & I have made a number of 'ghost town' visits in the west - but just one trip to Colorado together (mainly Boulder & Denver) - ventured into Cripple Creek & the Rocky Mountain park (bought a couple of art works in the gift shop - a Hopi kachina & a pot, as I recall) - OH, I was also in Vail to a meeting on my own, so I guess 2 trips to your state for me!

BTW - we have a Maine vacation planned for August (about 1 week); decided on a couple of locations in and south of the Portland area on the coast - plan to consume MANY lobsters!    Dave

[MN Dave]

Very cool, Bill. Thanks for taking the time to post all that.

[SonicMan46]

Susan & I are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary w/ a long weekend trip to The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA (i.e. Virginia) - near the West VA border (just over a 4 hr drive from our home town) - historic place (started in 1766!) which has been visited by nearly 2 dozen US presidents (there is a beautiful lounge w/ their portraits on the wall, some not that good!).

The food has been just excellent (we decided on the 'meal plan' including room, breakfast/dinner, and the resort amenities); below are two pics (actually taken back in 2007 on our last visit here of the front and back of the main buildings) - typical VA architecture (i.e. plenty of red brick and white painted wood).

Added as an attachment is a pic that I took today - for exercise (to work off part of our meals) we took one of several mountain trails - this one was nearly 3.5 miles and was both difficult & easy - but we both made the trip (more difficult @ our ages!) - but the warning is always bothersome in these Appalachian Mountain hikes that we do quite often - 

[Gurn Blanston]

Looks very nice, Dave. Our Canadian friends have the market cornered on bear signs though:





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Now playing:
La Petite Bande / Kuijken - Hob 01 52 Symphony in c 1st mvmt - Allegro assai con brio

[SonicMan46]

Looks very nice, Dave. Our Canadian friends have the market cornered on bear signs though:

Gurn - LOL!  Just have black bears around these parts of the country (like the one below seen on the Grandfather Mtn nature preserve); I've seen a number of these bears cross the road in front of my car while driving in the mountains, and one was actually killed w/i the limits of our city last year, so these bears are coming out of the western part of the state and moving east! 

As for grizzly bears, the only live ones in nature that we've seen were in Denali National Park in Alaska - and would NOT want to come across one, especially after watching the documentary Grizzly Man! Dave 

[pjme]

I was recently in France/Normandy.

It is wonderfully lush and green in early summer.

Varengeville is a lovely little village on the cliffs. Its "cimetière marin" boasts the graves of Albert Roussel and Georges Braque.

The nearby "Parc des Moustiers" is a superb wood/garden. The "Arts & crafts" villa was built by sir Edwin Lutyens , the gardens (partially) designed by Gertrude Jekyll.

see: http://www.vacanceo.com/albums_photos/fiche-album_14441.php


( If my memory is correct : sir Edwin Lutyens was father of "enfant terrible" ,composer Elisabeth Lutyens. )

[pjme]

Varengeville / Normandy

[pjme]

The coastline / Dieppe bay.

[pjme]

Dieppe bay

[jowcol]

Finishing up a trip to Thailand-- my 8th so far.   (Family on the wife's side is Thai).

Just a brief note-- despite the recent political troubles and protests, we've seen little if any signs of friction, and nothing has caused us to regret coming.  And, as usual, the food is to die for.

Most of our excursions within the country  have been to remote areas that don't have an established tourist industry-- at least for outsiders- and those have been the best!

[SonicMan46]

Well, Susan & I are off on our Maine vacation this week - 3 nights near Camden on the coast, staying at the Samoset Resort (pic below) in Rockport on Penobscot Bay - beautiful view of the golf course running up to the water - lobster the first night, as expected.

Brought along a LOT of electronics including an iPod w/ 40 hrs of music, mini-speakers, laptop, and our 'new' Garmin GPS device - really helpful getting from the Portland airport along these coastal Maine roads and through the small towns and villages!

Our second 3 nights will be at In by the Sea (attached pic) in Cape Elizabeth just south of Portland - near the Portland Light - a previous visit and remember a great restaurant there! 

[greg]

Just got back from Somerset, KY... we stayed at a little cottage in Nancy and did a few things over the week.

First, we visited the Amish areas and went to a couple of food stores with Amish cashiers. Then, we went to our uncle's place to visit in Columbia. We let our grandma spend a night with us after celebrating her birthday.

We also visited Cave City and went to Mammoth Cave for the second time, this time being a tour starting off with a bus ride to the woods to get to the entrance of the cave. Then we visited some strange tourist shops in the city.

I got to see my dad and spent a night at his place after getting a tour of the town and the library and seeing my sister and nieces and taking a bunch of pictures with them, and yesterday we had the family reunion. We just got back driving home today.

I'll get some pictures later and post them...

[SonicMan46]

Greg - love KT - Susan & I visited Mammoth Cave many years ago (probably late 60s) - we've been to many other caves since but would enjoy returning there - looking forward to your pictures!

Today in Maine, we spent the day in Rockland - we first visited the Puffin Project Center - rather small place and part of the Audubon Society but w/ a wonderful video, plenty of information, and some gift center items of interest; basically, part of a seabird restoration project that began back in the 1970s - just amazing how many Maine islands now have dozens of breeding puffins that were nearly extinct in the state at that time!

Also located in this quaint coastal Maine town is the Farnsworth Art Museum - a complex of buildings including the museum which is mainly devoted to Maine artists over the centuries, and also including an exhibit on 'rug hooking' - may sound corny but for those 'in the know' and those who have seen these works, the rugs are quite amazing!  In addition to the Farnsworth house, there is also a building devoted to the Wyeth family (mainly N.C., Andrew, and Jamie - a multi-generation of artists); of course, Andrew Wyeth if likely the most famous (Christina's World being one of his most famous paintings, shown below) - but just plenty of other examples, and those of other Maine artists.

Eating has been great - would post in the 'eating thread' but here, Susan & I have been quite focused on the same food, i.e. shellfish!  Last night a special lobster dish for both of us at our resort inn; today for lunch, steamers, Maine oysters, and a shared lobster roll; this evening, Maine oysters again and steamed lobsters - plus a few local Maine beers listening to a jazz ensemble!  Having a great time despite non-sunny weather - 

[Brahmsian]

Gurn - LOL!  Just have black bears around these parts of the country (like the one below seen on the Grandfather Mtn nature preserve); I've seen a number of these bears cross the road in front of my car while driving in the mountains, and one was actually killed w/i the limits of our city last year, so these bears are coming out of the western part of the state and moving east! 

As for grizzly bears, the only live ones in nature that we've seen were in Denali National Park in Alaska - and would NOT want to come across one, especially after watching the documentary Grizzly Man! Dave 

Dave/Gurn,

Lots of bears up here in Manitoba.  Mostly black bears, except far north off Hudson's Bay by Churchill, considered the Polar Bear capital of the world.

As for a black bear, we came across one when camping, it was about 50 feet from us.  We just started making ourselves look big, start singing loudly and walk in the opposite direction, that is what you are supposed to do.  Make lots of noise and make yourself noticed.

With grizzlies, not the same story.    You should play dead if you are attacked.  (Easier said than done I'm sure!  )

With polar bears........ummm, nevermind.  Good luck!