While normally I am a big fan of public transportation and opt for trains, planes, and buses while on vacation, our trek to Italy and Croatia required covering a lot of ground to remote locations. A car was a necessity. Although the driving was left in the hands of the guys, we’ve covered enough ground that I can make a few observations (albeit from the passenger’s seat) about driving in Italy. The stereotype of aggressive Italian drivers has some roots of truth, but these observations are not meant to be demeaning. We soon found ourselves conforming to many of these driving habits as well. After all, when in Rome (but hey, there’s no need to have a car in Rome). . . . If you’re staying in one of the larger cities, like Rome, Florence, Naples, or Bologna, Italy, you’ll […]
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Burgers & Attitude at Hamburger Mary's
Calling itself an “open-air bar and grille for open minded people,” Hamburger Mary’s delivers good food and a fun atmosphere. Part of a 14-store national franchise, Hamburger Mary’s opened in San Francisco in 1972. It opened as a family oriented, affordably priced, restaurant and bar that target the gay and lesbian community and their families, along with those friendly to that population. As the chain has expanded it has refined its concept with a focus on fresh food, home-style meals, that are prepared and presented in a fun atmosphere. At the Palm Springs Hamburger Mary’s location, you’ll be greeted outside the door by a larger than life Mary welcoming you and tempting you with a larger than life burger. Once inside, that saucy attitude continues. It’s a little like being at your best and most irreverent friend’s home, where you […]
Read MoreWhere Do Airplanes Come From?
If you live in Seattle, as I do, there’s only one answer to that question – they come from Boeing. As the saying around here goes, “If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going!” While some of the Boeing plants have relocated elsewhere, the plant at Paine Field (about 30 miles north of Seattle) is still home to The Future of Flight & Boeing Tour, This tour of the Boeing factory lets you see the flight line where the 747, 767, 777, and 787 are made. This tour takes you through one of the largest buildings in the world (by volume), as you learn how much room it takes to build a jumbo jet. There’s lot to see on the tour so don’t forget to look up (futuristic aircraft are flying), down (a painted runway on the floor), and around (the […]
Read MoreHow to Spend Ground Time at Salt Lake City International Airport
If you’ve got substantial connection time at Salt Lake City International, you can spend time just hanging out, or take advantage of your ground time and get in a little sightseeing and cultural expedition. Between the hours of 9 am – 6:30 pm, a complimentary van service makes scheduled trips between the airport and Temple Square. The service delivers you to one of the two visitor centers where complimentary tours are offered. You can take a quick guided tour of this 10 acre area at the center of the city, then return to the airport for your outbound flight. Regardless of religious affiliation, Temple Square is one of the most popular attractions in the state. It is home to the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the Salt Lake Tabernacle and the huge […]
Read MorePoint Magu: A Tribute of January 31st, 2000
Five years ago – on January 31st, 2000, at about 4:46 pm Pacific Time, a tragedy occurred at Point Magu. Today I honor the memory of friends lost in the tragedy. I hope those of you know me well enough to understand the significance of today will join me in a moment of silence this afternoon. Photo credit: wikimedia
Read MoreBack to Basics: Minimum Connection Time
With all the tools available for booking travel online, more and more people choose to do it themselves rather than use the services of a travel agent. I think the ability to research, sleuth out the best and perfect deal, and make reservations yourself is a wonderful thing. BUT – it also means that you have to take responsibility for those reservations, including the mistakes that you make. One mistake that I’m seeing on a regular basis, is travelers not allowing sufficient time to make a connection. This can have unintended consequence that can wind up costing you money. Here are a few scenarios, and my recommendations on making sure you have enough time to make your connection: You are traveling domestically on Airline A and are connecting to another domestic flight also on Airline A: If it’s a large […]
Read MoreNational Park Service: The American Presidents
With the Presidential inauguration just a couple weeks away, it’s a good time to think about our former Presidents and the place they occupy in history. Putting politics aside, that’s just what the National Park Service has done – put Presidential PLACES on display – with the new Discover Our Shared Heritage on-line travel itinerary site. The American Presidents itinerary explores the lives, contributions and historical sites of all 43 presidents. (President-elect Obama is not yet on the list.) Among the sites listed are birthplaces, home and memorials. There’s also a general presidential itinerary that includes the White House, Mount Rushmore, and other general sites. The list includes over 70 sites spanning the country, all listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and about half part of the National Park System. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find: Description […]
Read MoreTravel Resolutions for 2009
My travel resolutions last year were sort of a mixed bag, but I have a feeling 2009 is going to be a year of more travel and more travel experiences. I want to discover some new places, but I also want to revisit some spots to see how they’ve changed, or how I’ve changed and now see them differently. So my resolutions are a combination of old and new, all with the goal of seeing the world one place and one experience at a time. Here they are — Visit two new countries Visit two new states Re-visit five places that I’ve already been, but see and experience them differently Discover new restaurants, hotels, and resorts and share those experiences with you. Keep reading this year, and you can help keep track of how I’m doing. How about you? What […]
Read More8 for 2008 – Reflections on the Year
I spent some time in personal reflection at the end of last year, and it seems like a good thing to continue. Here are a few special moments, thoughts, travel experiences, and ponderings on the meaning of life as another year comes to an end 8 Memorable Travel Experiences: Coming up from the metro in Rome and seeing the Coliseum looming in front of me Throwing three coins in Trevi Fountain Eating gelato (the real thing) in Italy Wine tasting in Tuscany The ruins at Pompeii Making some great new friends in Guadalajara, and practicing my Spanish a little more Pow-Wow in Las Vegas, a wonderful event in and of itself, but also one that gave me story ideas for the year and more The Vatican 8 Favorite Things: Family & friends Misha & Benjamin My passport which opens door […]
Read More2008: The Travel Year in Review
Looking back seems to be the thing to do this time of year. So it’s time to take a look back at how I did with all the resolutions that I made for 2008. How did I do? Here’s a recap: Visit two new countries – I can check this one off with my visit to Italy and Vatican City. Visit two new states – Ooops, a big zero here. Some plans fell through at the last minute, and never did get rescheduled. Visit four new cities in countries or states that I have already visited – I’ve been back to Guadalajara , Mexico, after a 20 year absence so that almost counts as a new city. But that’s about it. Lots of good intentions, but not much follow through. Try a minimum of one new restaurant a month (while […]
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