For the average person, just the word "Hawaii" conjures up an array of images; white sand beaches, large-scale hotels, blue-green water, and many, many palm tree's. For the most part, these assumed images are right, that is, if you are traveling to Oahu, or Maui, which is almost always the case when making a trip to the Hawaiian Islands. Oahu and Maui are the most tourist traveled islands in the Hawaiian chain, and are busy year-round with travelers from around the world, seeking a beach paradise vacation.
However, there is an entirely different Hawaii out there to experience. I speak of the ACTUAL Hawaii, commonly know as "The Big Island." The Island of Hawaii is the youngest of the Hawaiian Island chain, made from several erupting volcano's. You will find few to none white-sand beaches on this island, especially on the Hilo side. There is the famed Hapuna beach on the Kona side of the island which fulfills any "Hawaiian beach dreams" you may have. The rest of the coastline of the this beautifully lush, tropical island, is rough, jagged, lava rock. It may seem formidable at first, but it is surreal, beautiful in its own rite, and relatively easy to walk on. The exception to this coastline is another anomaly of nature: the black sand beach. Black sand beaches are made from ground, evolved lava rock, and feel and look similar to white sand beaches, only black. They are truly a sight to see!
The five volcano's that created Hawaii are the still active Mt. Kilauea Mt. Mauna Loa, the inactive since 1801, Hualalai, and the recently inactive Mauna Kea and Kohala. The Hawaii volcano's National Park is an awesome adventure for all shapes, sizes, and physical capabilities. You can go as far as to hike down to the active lava, or simple view the volcanoes from the walking path and look out points.
For those with a sweet tooth or a common salt-craving, the Mauna Loa Macadamia nut Farm and Factory is another place to have to go. You get to see everything from Macadamia nuts on the plants, right through the cleaning, roasting, flavor-adding, and packaging processes, with plenty of free samples and Macadamia nut products available for purchase.
Near the town of Hilo on the Western side on the Island are some naturally heated pools, heated by the lava flowing beneath the island, which happen to be home to some Great Sea Turtles. This is a terrific snorkeling experience if that is your cup of tea.
All in all, a visit to The Big Island is a great idea and a fun alternative to the traditional Hawaiian vacation. With lots to do, impressive scenery and many anomalies of nature, it is defiantly worth your time!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Make You Mark
Tony and I took a trip to London while we were staying in France. We flew out of there at 11 in the morning and were in England by 2 in the afternoon. The flight landed at London Standsed airport, which is about 45 minutes out of London. We took the regional train system, which was much better than the bus that my friends and I had taken the last time we had gone to London. We got to see much of the English countryside and were able to relax and plan the rest of our trip.
We were staying at a hostel that was located near to an underground station; which made transportation for the weekend quite easy to access. It was a bit further out of the way than the hostel from earlier this year, but it was nice nonetheless. When we arrived at the hostel, we couldn't quite believe our eyes, it was like a fairy-tale hotel! We had to check the address twice to make sure that it was actually our hostel, because on the outside it looked quite beautiful. It was called the Clapham Common Parkside Hotel, and we had found it, of course, on the internet.
Before we could go check in, however, we had some business that we needed to attend to When I had gone to London with my friends the first time that semester, it had been a question of whether we wanted to see a show or not, which of course we decided in favor of. In this case, Tony and me, as most of you will recognize, it was never a question of IF we should go to a show. It was WHICH shows shall we see?
We had decided even before he had arrived in Pau that we would see two shows. One of them only played Thursday nights, and it was for THIS reason that we left for London on a Thursday. Therefore, as soon as the regional train let us off on the underground system, we headed towards Leicester Square, where we knew that we could find reasonable, perhaps half-price tickets to the show we wanted to see. After we had purchased our tickets for that evening, we headed towards the hostel.
It ended up being a very nice place indeed. It was also VERY cheap, for London, which is the main reason we had booked it. We were shown a rather large basement room that contained, for a mere 33 pounds a night, two rather good sized beds, a closet, chest of drawers, sink, AND fridge! Perhaps the drawback would have been that the windows were barred shut, and the fire door which was located next to our room appeared to lead to an abandoned hallway.
HOWEVER, such is the life of young students visiting their way through Europe, and such is a HOSTEL. We were pleased to be insured of the fact that the sheets had been changed, because as we arrived, a woman was actually DOING this, and we had to wait several minutes before we could put our things in the room, and head back downtown for our show.
On Thursday night we saw "The Bible, abridged" which was performed by the same company that had done "The Complt wks of Wlm Shaskp." that I had seen the last time I had been in London. It was a fantastic show, and was VERY funny.
Friday and Saturday we spent sightseeing in London. Friday afternoon we visited the wax museum, and took many interesting photographs. Tony and I were both able to stand with such celebrated figures as GW and Hitler, as well as the Queen of England and the Beatles. Being "theatre people" as we are, I can tell you that many of the photos were QUITE interesting indeed. We had a GREAT time wandering through the rooms and I believe that both of us took several rolls of film. It was a great day!
We ended Friday by taking a walk to Abbey Road. Its one of my favorite places to visit in the entire world. There is something just WONDERFUL about walking across that famous crosswalk and taking pictures of each other and ourselves together. Perhaps one of my favorite parts of being at Abbey Road is to read the scribbles of the people who have visited before.
People come to Abbey Road from all over the world to take their photographs in the very same crosswalk. The traffic stops of course, because the crosswalk is one that ALWAYS gives the right of way to people walking across the street. The drivers seem to understand that people will forever be walking across the street at this very point, and there aren't even too many horn honks as they come to a halt and wait for fans to cross. Tony and I dared even to step into the street and halt, waiting for another tourist to take our photo.
After you have walked across the crosswalk and found the studios, you write your name and date and place on the wall. This has been done for years and years, and it is beautiful to read. "Long live the Beatles!" "I love you John!" and "we will never forget!" are scribbled across the wall surrounded the studio. People want to leave their mark, and its expected to do so. There are things written in all sorts of languages, things drawn, song lyrics, and many, MANY different names.
And of course we added our own. "Here Comes the Sun, Tony and Liza" we wrote on the wall, and on the 'Abbey Road' sign, as well as on the light pole in front of the crosswalk. We then left Abbey Road, content in knowing that we, too, had left our mark.
ON Friday night we saw The Lion King. The show is absolutely fantastic and beautiful. The people who have done the sets and props and costumes have done a fantastic job of creating a truly African cultural experience. The songs and dances and bright colors work together to form an amazing show that simply leaves the viewer on the literal edge of the seat. Tony and I had a most fantastic evening.
On Saturday we tried our hardest to see all that there was to see in London. Of course, since Tony and I have both been to London before, there was no pressure to see EVERYTHING. We walked around the Tower of London and shared some Tango and Kindereggs in front of beautiful buildings. We saw some of our favorite sections of town, and even visited the mall that was near the place we had both stayed before, many years ago. It was a rewarding experience for both of us, and brought back many wonderful memories to share.
Saturday night was the only night we ate in a restaurant. We are poor students, you all realise. We ate some fantastic Mexican food and stood in Leicester Square sharing a bottle of wine. We watched people, and we talked to people. After about an hour, shortly after I had finally gotten a hold of my littlest brother to wish him a happy birthday, we heard a street preacher talking in a megaphone. Tony, who had been practicing his English accent the entire weekend, was keen to engage this man in a conversation about the bible and various religious things the man was saying.
I have to say that it was interesting to hear his opinions and views, and it was also interesting to see the way the street preacher, who at first glance might SEEM concrete in his ideas and views, had no answers for Tony other than more biblical quotes. The man got frustrated with him I believe, and left. Later on, we saw another preacher who was doing a much better job. While the first one was simply shouting quotes into a megaphone, this man was standing amongst a crowd of people and he was not simply repeating the same verses over and over again. He was preaching love, and he was using the crowd to make his point.
We very much enjoyed our evening, and managed to just barely catch the final train back to our hostel. The train was full, and we were talking rather loudly. Of course, by this time, Tony had convinced me to practice my own English accent, that I wasn't even aware I had the ability to do. I am sure I didn't do it WELL, but it was well enough for two young and very nice English men to turn to us and start a conversation. Wisely, I stopped talking, knowing of course that Tony's accent was by far the better.
The two young men tried to decide where on earth we were from. They knew that Tony's accent wasn't LONDON English, but they couldn't guess where else it might be from "Cyprus? Greece? Italy?" They guessed, over and over. The United States was about the 7th place that they guessed, and they laughed when Tony said he was from there. "We don't believe you!" They said, and we both laughed. They then asked Tony to "do your American accent!" And when Tony said, in his normal voice "I am an American from South Dakota" the two men laughed and looked at each other. "Wow! " They said "He does a GREAT American accent!"
Tony and I laughed as the men continued to try to guess WHERE on EARTH we could have come from. "Nah!" they finally decided "He's putting us on! He's English!"
Sometimes its fun to pretend to be who we are not. It is fun to talk to others and to try to figure out what others are thinking, and where they are coming from. Part of the fun of being an "actor" is trying to make other people believe you are who you are pretending to be. I haven't done theatre myself for quite a long time, but I remember the feeling very well. That of stepping into another's place and wandering, for just a bit, in their shoes. Sometimes, by listening to others as they try to 'devinir' where it is exactly you come from, one can learn a great deal about themselves.
Yes, it is fun to pretend.
And other times, it is important to be completely yourself. To leave your mark on society and be certain that the people around you know exactly who you are and what it is that you stand for. For much the same reason that people come to Abbey Road from all over the world to leave their own mark on the place that helped to contribute to some of the greatest music ever recorded, it is important to leave your own mark on the things that are important to you.
Sign a guest book for somewhere you have been. Scratch a smiley face into the dust of your best friends rear car window while you wait for them. Write your name in the sand on a completely empty beach and walk away before the words are washed out to sea. These things, too, are important.
When Tony and I boarded the plane that took us back to France, we left knowing that we had left our mark, in some small ways, in London. The young men on the train might not have been able to guess where exactly we were coming from, but the wall outside of Abbey Road bears to this day our own words.
"Here Comes the Sun, Tony and Liza".
Find your own symbolic things to leave your mark on. Have fun, sometimes, pretending to be what you are not, but always know for sure, who you are. And when it is important, leave something of yours behind to prove that you have been, that you are... that you exist.
Greece Italy United States South Dakota
Tony and I laughed as the men continued to try to guess WHERE on EARTH we could have come from. "Nah!" they finally decided "He's putting us on! He's English!"
Sometimes its fun to pretend to be who we are not. It is fun to talk to others and to try to figure out what others are thinking, and where they are coming from. Part of the fun of being an "actor" is trying to make other people believe you are who you are pretending to be. I haven’t done theatre myself for quite a long time, but I remember the feeling very well. That of stepping into another’s place and wandering, for just a bit, in their shoes. Sometimes, by listening to others as they try to 'devinir' where it is exactly you come from, one can learn a great deal about themselves.
Yes, it is fun to pretend.
And other times, it is important to be completely yourself. To leave your mark on society and be certain that the people around you know exactly who you are and what it is that you stand for. For much the same reason that people come toAbbey Road
Sign a guest book for somewhere you have been. Scratch a smiley face into the dust of your best friends rear car window while you wait for them. Write your name in the sand on a completely empty beach and walk away before the words are washed out to sea. These things, too, are important.
When Tony and I boarded the plane that took us back toFrance , we left knowing that we had left our mark, in some small ways, in London Abbey Road
"Here Comes the Sun, Tony and Liza".
Find your own symbolic things to leave your mark on. Have fun, sometimes, pretending to be what you are not, but always know for sure, who you are. And when it is important, leave something of yours behind to prove that you have been, that you are... that you exist.
We were staying at a hostel that was located near to an underground station; which made transportation for the weekend quite easy to access. It was a bit further out of the way than the hostel from earlier this year, but it was nice nonetheless. When we arrived at the hostel, we couldn't quite believe our eyes, it was like a fairy-tale hotel! We had to check the address twice to make sure that it was actually our hostel, because on the outside it looked quite beautiful. It was called the Clapham Common Parkside Hotel, and we had found it, of course, on the internet.
Before we could go check in, however, we had some business that we needed to attend to When I had gone to London with my friends the first time that semester, it had been a question of whether we wanted to see a show or not, which of course we decided in favor of. In this case, Tony and me, as most of you will recognize, it was never a question of IF we should go to a show. It was WHICH shows shall we see?
We had decided even before he had arrived in Pau that we would see two shows. One of them only played Thursday nights, and it was for THIS reason that we left for London on a Thursday. Therefore, as soon as the regional train let us off on the underground system, we headed towards Leicester Square, where we knew that we could find reasonable, perhaps half-price tickets to the show we wanted to see. After we had purchased our tickets for that evening, we headed towards the hostel.
It ended up being a very nice place indeed. It was also VERY cheap, for London, which is the main reason we had booked it. We were shown a rather large basement room that contained, for a mere 33 pounds a night, two rather good sized beds, a closet, chest of drawers, sink, AND fridge! Perhaps the drawback would have been that the windows were barred shut, and the fire door which was located next to our room appeared to lead to an abandoned hallway.
HOWEVER, such is the life of young students visiting their way through Europe, and such is a HOSTEL. We were pleased to be insured of the fact that the sheets had been changed, because as we arrived, a woman was actually DOING this, and we had to wait several minutes before we could put our things in the room, and head back downtown for our show.
On Thursday night we saw "The Bible, abridged" which was performed by the same company that had done "The Complt wks of Wlm Shaskp." that I had seen the last time I had been in London. It was a fantastic show, and was VERY funny.
Friday and Saturday we spent sightseeing in London. Friday afternoon we visited the wax museum, and took many interesting photographs. Tony and I were both able to stand with such celebrated figures as GW and Hitler, as well as the Queen of England and the Beatles. Being "theatre people" as we are, I can tell you that many of the photos were QUITE interesting indeed. We had a GREAT time wandering through the rooms and I believe that both of us took several rolls of film. It was a great day!
We ended Friday by taking a walk to Abbey Road. Its one of my favorite places to visit in the entire world. There is something just WONDERFUL about walking across that famous crosswalk and taking pictures of each other and ourselves together. Perhaps one of my favorite parts of being at Abbey Road is to read the scribbles of the people who have visited before.
People come to Abbey Road from all over the world to take their photographs in the very same crosswalk. The traffic stops of course, because the crosswalk is one that ALWAYS gives the right of way to people walking across the street. The drivers seem to understand that people will forever be walking across the street at this very point, and there aren't even too many horn honks as they come to a halt and wait for fans to cross. Tony and I dared even to step into the street and halt, waiting for another tourist to take our photo.
After you have walked across the crosswalk and found the studios, you write your name and date and place on the wall. This has been done for years and years, and it is beautiful to read. "Long live the Beatles!" "I love you John!" and "we will never forget!" are scribbled across the wall surrounded the studio. People want to leave their mark, and its expected to do so. There are things written in all sorts of languages, things drawn, song lyrics, and many, MANY different names.
And of course we added our own. "Here Comes the Sun, Tony and Liza" we wrote on the wall, and on the 'Abbey Road' sign, as well as on the light pole in front of the crosswalk. We then left Abbey Road, content in knowing that we, too, had left our mark.
ON Friday night we saw The Lion King. The show is absolutely fantastic and beautiful. The people who have done the sets and props and costumes have done a fantastic job of creating a truly African cultural experience. The songs and dances and bright colors work together to form an amazing show that simply leaves the viewer on the literal edge of the seat. Tony and I had a most fantastic evening.
On Saturday we tried our hardest to see all that there was to see in London. Of course, since Tony and I have both been to London before, there was no pressure to see EVERYTHING. We walked around the Tower of London and shared some Tango and Kindereggs in front of beautiful buildings. We saw some of our favorite sections of town, and even visited the mall that was near the place we had both stayed before, many years ago. It was a rewarding experience for both of us, and brought back many wonderful memories to share.
Saturday night was the only night we ate in a restaurant. We are poor students, you all realise. We ate some fantastic Mexican food and stood in Leicester Square sharing a bottle of wine. We watched people, and we talked to people. After about an hour, shortly after I had finally gotten a hold of my littlest brother to wish him a happy birthday, we heard a street preacher talking in a megaphone. Tony, who had been practicing his English accent the entire weekend, was keen to engage this man in a conversation about the bible and various religious things the man was saying.
I have to say that it was interesting to hear his opinions and views, and it was also interesting to see the way the street preacher, who at first glance might SEEM concrete in his ideas and views, had no answers for Tony other than more biblical quotes. The man got frustrated with him I believe, and left. Later on, we saw another preacher who was doing a much better job. While the first one was simply shouting quotes into a megaphone, this man was standing amongst a crowd of people and he was not simply repeating the same verses over and over again. He was preaching love, and he was using the crowd to make his point.
We very much enjoyed our evening, and managed to just barely catch the final train back to our hostel. The train was full, and we were talking rather loudly. Of course, by this time, Tony had convinced me to practice my own English accent, that I wasn't even aware I had the ability to do. I am sure I didn't do it WELL, but it was well enough for two young and very nice English men to turn to us and start a conversation. Wisely, I stopped talking, knowing of course that Tony's accent was by far the better.
The two young men tried to decide where on earth we were from. They knew that Tony's accent wasn't LONDON English, but they couldn't guess where else it might be from "Cyprus? Greece? Italy?" They guessed, over and over. The United States was about the 7th place that they guessed, and they laughed when Tony said he was from there. "We don't believe you!" They said, and we both laughed. They then asked Tony to "do your American accent!" And when Tony said, in his normal voice "I am an American from South Dakota" the two men laughed and looked at each other. "Wow! " They said "He does a GREAT American accent!"
Tony and I laughed as the men continued to try to guess WHERE on EARTH we could have come from. "Nah!" they finally decided "He's putting us on! He's English!"
Sometimes its fun to pretend to be who we are not. It is fun to talk to others and to try to figure out what others are thinking, and where they are coming from. Part of the fun of being an "actor" is trying to make other people believe you are who you are pretending to be. I haven't done theatre myself for quite a long time, but I remember the feeling very well. That of stepping into another's place and wandering, for just a bit, in their shoes. Sometimes, by listening to others as they try to 'devinir' where it is exactly you come from, one can learn a great deal about themselves.
Yes, it is fun to pretend.
And other times, it is important to be completely yourself. To leave your mark on society and be certain that the people around you know exactly who you are and what it is that you stand for. For much the same reason that people come to Abbey Road from all over the world to leave their own mark on the place that helped to contribute to some of the greatest music ever recorded, it is important to leave your own mark on the things that are important to you.
Sign a guest book for somewhere you have been. Scratch a smiley face into the dust of your best friends rear car window while you wait for them. Write your name in the sand on a completely empty beach and walk away before the words are washed out to sea. These things, too, are important.
When Tony and I boarded the plane that took us back to France, we left knowing that we had left our mark, in some small ways, in London. The young men on the train might not have been able to guess where exactly we were coming from, but the wall outside of Abbey Road bears to this day our own words.
"Here Comes the Sun, Tony and Liza".
Find your own symbolic things to leave your mark on. Have fun, sometimes, pretending to be what you are not, but always know for sure, who you are. And when it is important, leave something of yours behind to prove that you have been, that you are... that you exist.
Tony and I laughed as the men continued to try to guess WHERE on EARTH we could have come from. "Nah!" they finally decided "He's putting us on! He's English!"
Sometimes its fun to pretend to be who we are not. It is fun to talk to others and to try to figure out what others are thinking, and where they are coming from. Part of the fun of being an "actor" is trying to make other people believe you are who you are pretending to be. I haven’t done theatre myself for quite a long time, but I remember the feeling very well. That of stepping into another’s place and wandering, for just a bit, in their shoes. Sometimes, by listening to others as they try to 'devinir' where it is exactly you come from, one can learn a great deal about themselves.
Yes, it is fun to pretend.
And other times, it is important to be completely yourself. To leave your mark on society and be certain that the people around you know exactly who you are and what it is that you stand for. For much the same reason that people come to
Sign a guest book for somewhere you have been. Scratch a smiley face into the dust of your best friends rear car window while you wait for them. Write your name in the sand on a completely empty beach and walk away before the words are washed out to sea. These things, too, are important.
When Tony and I boarded the plane that took us back to
"Here Comes the Sun, Tony and Liza".
Find your own symbolic things to leave your mark on. Have fun, sometimes, pretending to be what you are not, but always know for sure, who you are. And when it is important, leave something of yours behind to prove that you have been, that you are... that you exist.
Getting the Most Out of Barcelona
I was nearly to the point of not going on spring break because I couldn't find anything that fit my budget for this semester. However, 6 of my friends were heading to Barcelona at a VERY reasonable rate, so I decided to go along with them!
We left around 810 for Barcelona. This was a long process that took all of the day. We had a three hour train ride to Toulouse, which all of us slept through, and then another three hour trip from Toulouse to Le Tour de Carol, which is a boarder town with Spain.
If you have a map in front of you, you can see that Toulouse and le Tour de Carol are not really places that you would expect to travel in order to GO to Barcelona. However, the French train system, while it goes lots of places and is very affordable, is very time consuming because most little towns only have a couple of trains that go a couple of directions. The trains MOSTLY run from each town to Paris and back again, and they don't often run the directions in between. So we had to go to Toulouse, even though it is in the other direction from Barcelona.
At any rate, we were in Le Tour for about three hours before our train left for Barcelona.
The last train took us to Barcelona and we arrived at about 8:30 pm. We found our hostel with no problems and started to check in. This was the moment in which we all realized that perhaps 11 euros a night was a bit too little to pay for a decent place! When Lisa went to check in, she paid, like all of us had, with a credit card.
When she went to sign the slip, she noticed that the man had charged her 558.00 euros instead of 55 euros and 80 cents! It was obviously a mistake, but she was upset and the language barrier made it difficult to insure that the problem was taken care of...and the man was a little mean with us. However, a call to the manager and a check with the credit card company insured that it was, indeed, taken care of.
We had all been a little disappointed to discover that we were staying in a room with 18 beds. There were seven of us, and we had really wanted out own room. However, we found that through the five days, many interesting girls came and went. We met three from Germany, followed by three that we never spoke to because they danced all night and slept all day, followed by three from the states who gave us cookies because they had packed too many. Never underestimate the value of meeting new people. You just might get free cookies!
We spent the next four days sightseeing. Saturday we shopped a LOT because the stores in Spain were MUCH cheaper than the stores here in France. We went out on Saturday night and didn't come home until 4 in the morning. This is the way it goes in Spain! Many of the bars and clubs do not even open until 11 or 12, and if you show up before one you are looked at funny. So we went to the Hard Rock Cafe around 10 for dinner, and found a dance club after that! In Spain the night life doesn't seem to start until dinner does, and that doesn't start until after 10 PM. Bars are open AFTER dinner, and clubs are open after that. People make up for staying out so late however. We were frustrated to discover nothing open until 10 or 11 on our first morning there. We decided we would stay out late like the Spanish and sleep in like they did as well!
We had a fantastic time, but of course we didn't get up until 12:00 on Sunday. We bought ourselves 2 day passes on a hop-on hop-off tour of Barcelona. Sunday we rode the entire tour from top to bottom, seeing all of the sights from a double-decker bus... the houses of Gaudi, his Sagrada Famillia, the Olympic park and all of the buildings built for that, the pier and the beach, and the older downtown areas of Barcelona.
On Monday we rode the same tour again but this time we got off of the bus at various locations. We climbed to the top of the Sagrada Familia, a cathedral built by Gaudi, which is still being completed. Look it up on the internet, it is amazing!
This is perhaps the most beautiful building I have ever seen! We had so much fun wandering around and looking at it and also visiting the museum that showed us the history and CONTINUING plans for this remarkable building. We also saw the Olympic village and an old Spanish Village where we walked around and took more pictures. We took pictures for two days straight! It was a fantastic trip. On Tuesday we visited the Picasso museum and did some more shopping. Some people we love are getting lots of stuff from Barcelona! It was so cheap and SO much fun!
Yesterday was spent again on the train. I am beginning to really enjoy train rides. There is something wonderful about getting onto a car in a station and watching the countryside pass you by until the car stops and you are in another town. It is interesting for me because unlike a REAL car, in which you can go ANYWHERE, the train cars go from the same place to the same place, and back again. The track that you begin with continues without an end until you reach your destination.
I suppose this could be somewhat like lives. Some of us get in our cars and pick roads, and some of us stick to the same track until we reach our destination. The same track might be safe and predictable, and there might be an awful lot to see on it, but think of the train cars, and the monotony of seeing the same mountains and trees every single day of life.
While we were on the streets of Barcelona, some of the girls with us wanted to constantly be looking in the guidebook for a map to make sure we were always on some great big street and we always knew exactly where we were at all times. I put up with this throughout the sightseeing days, knowing that there were certain things that we WANTED to see, much like the fact that there are certain train stations you should ALWAYS stop at in your life. However, as we left the Picasso museum on Tuesday, and they hunted in their book for just the correct street to lead us SOMEWHERE, I decided that I had had enough. I reached over to Amy and shut the book.
"Listen up, guys" I said to the group. "My mom has got this great system for going places."
My friends all listened intently. In London, a few weeks ago, I had referenced my mother when we were lost and everyone was grumpy because we couldn't find our underground station. In the rain, I had stood in front of them and said "My mother says that ATTITUDE is the difference between an ADVENTURE and an ORDEAL" We had all smiled, laughed, and continued on our trip.
And so in Barcelona, when they heard me mention my mother, they knew that perhaps I was onto something. "My mom picks a road, you know;" I said.
And it's true. My mom picks a road and goes, and she sees what she sees and she always arrives at the destination, usually after having seen much more than the same mountains and trees. She always arrives where she meant to arrive. Of course, some days it might take her a couple of hours to drive across town, and some trips to North Dakota certainly have taken much longer than they should. But every time she picks a road, she ends up going exactly where she wants to, in a much better way than simply hopping on a train and taking the path of least resistance.
And so we picked a road at random, leaving the Picasso museum. We turned down an alley, and again it was raining a little. We splashed through the puddles and laughed and talked as we looked at buildings and explored the alley. One more random turn brought us to the most amazing shopping street that we had found yet, and we happily spent the afternoon going from shop to shop, finding great deals and fun things to see.
When the sun was setting, and people were getting antsy to head back to the hostel, we picked one more road, and took a turn, by random. And there, in front of us, was the street that led directly to the place we were staying.
"Hey!" the girls exclaimed. "This whole picking a road thing works pretty well!"
A track works great for a train, yes. And on days like Wednesday, when you are tired and your braids are VERY fuzzy, and all you want to do is get home, call the people you love, and go to sleep, a track is a great way to go. You don't have to think about it, you don't have to consult any maps or make any plans. You step up on the platform and choose a seat, and watch the world go effortlessly past your window. Trains are wonderful ways to travel. We enjoyed being on that track, twice. One time it took us to a beautiful city, and the other time it took us home again.
And tracks work well, too, for sightseers. Our bus rides might have taken us around the same track a few times, but we were sure not to miss any of the important things in Barcelona, and the bus was always waiting to pick us up when we were ready to head to the next stop. The bus was affordable, easy to use, and very useful. And it followed a track.
But by far our favorite day was Tuesday, the day that we picked a road. We all found the most amazing things, and saw things that we would have never seen on a track. We saw the little cafes and the small children playing in the courtyards. We visited tiny stands where the men in charge would bargain with us until we walked away with something wonderful for a very little bit of money. And we found a tiny diner to eat in, where the man fed us salads, roasted chicken, rice, diet cokes AND flan for desert, all for 7 euros and 50 cents.
We would all agree that picking a road works the best. Thanks, Mom.
We left around 810 for Barcelona. This was a long process that took all of the day. We had a three hour train ride to Toulouse, which all of us slept through, and then another three hour trip from Toulouse to Le Tour de Carol, which is a boarder town with Spain.
If you have a map in front of you, you can see that Toulouse and le Tour de Carol are not really places that you would expect to travel in order to GO to Barcelona. However, the French train system, while it goes lots of places and is very affordable, is very time consuming because most little towns only have a couple of trains that go a couple of directions. The trains MOSTLY run from each town to Paris and back again, and they don't often run the directions in between. So we had to go to Toulouse, even though it is in the other direction from Barcelona.
At any rate, we were in Le Tour for about three hours before our train left for Barcelona.
The last train took us to Barcelona and we arrived at about 8:30 pm. We found our hostel with no problems and started to check in. This was the moment in which we all realized that perhaps 11 euros a night was a bit too little to pay for a decent place! When Lisa went to check in, she paid, like all of us had, with a credit card.
When she went to sign the slip, she noticed that the man had charged her 558.00 euros instead of 55 euros and 80 cents! It was obviously a mistake, but she was upset and the language barrier made it difficult to insure that the problem was taken care of...and the man was a little mean with us. However, a call to the manager and a check with the credit card company insured that it was, indeed, taken care of.
We had all been a little disappointed to discover that we were staying in a room with 18 beds. There were seven of us, and we had really wanted out own room. However, we found that through the five days, many interesting girls came and went. We met three from Germany, followed by three that we never spoke to because they danced all night and slept all day, followed by three from the states who gave us cookies because they had packed too many. Never underestimate the value of meeting new people. You just might get free cookies!
We spent the next four days sightseeing. Saturday we shopped a LOT because the stores in Spain were MUCH cheaper than the stores here in France. We went out on Saturday night and didn't come home until 4 in the morning. This is the way it goes in Spain! Many of the bars and clubs do not even open until 11 or 12, and if you show up before one you are looked at funny. So we went to the Hard Rock Cafe around 10 for dinner, and found a dance club after that! In Spain the night life doesn't seem to start until dinner does, and that doesn't start until after 10 PM. Bars are open AFTER dinner, and clubs are open after that. People make up for staying out so late however. We were frustrated to discover nothing open until 10 or 11 on our first morning there. We decided we would stay out late like the Spanish and sleep in like they did as well!
We had a fantastic time, but of course we didn't get up until 12:00 on Sunday. We bought ourselves 2 day passes on a hop-on hop-off tour of Barcelona. Sunday we rode the entire tour from top to bottom, seeing all of the sights from a double-decker bus... the houses of Gaudi, his Sagrada Famillia, the Olympic park and all of the buildings built for that, the pier and the beach, and the older downtown areas of Barcelona.
On Monday we rode the same tour again but this time we got off of the bus at various locations. We climbed to the top of the Sagrada Familia, a cathedral built by Gaudi, which is still being completed. Look it up on the internet, it is amazing!
This is perhaps the most beautiful building I have ever seen! We had so much fun wandering around and looking at it and also visiting the museum that showed us the history and CONTINUING plans for this remarkable building. We also saw the Olympic village and an old Spanish Village where we walked around and took more pictures. We took pictures for two days straight! It was a fantastic trip. On Tuesday we visited the Picasso museum and did some more shopping. Some people we love are getting lots of stuff from Barcelona! It was so cheap and SO much fun!
Yesterday was spent again on the train. I am beginning to really enjoy train rides. There is something wonderful about getting onto a car in a station and watching the countryside pass you by until the car stops and you are in another town. It is interesting for me because unlike a REAL car, in which you can go ANYWHERE, the train cars go from the same place to the same place, and back again. The track that you begin with continues without an end until you reach your destination.
I suppose this could be somewhat like lives. Some of us get in our cars and pick roads, and some of us stick to the same track until we reach our destination. The same track might be safe and predictable, and there might be an awful lot to see on it, but think of the train cars, and the monotony of seeing the same mountains and trees every single day of life.
While we were on the streets of Barcelona, some of the girls with us wanted to constantly be looking in the guidebook for a map to make sure we were always on some great big street and we always knew exactly where we were at all times. I put up with this throughout the sightseeing days, knowing that there were certain things that we WANTED to see, much like the fact that there are certain train stations you should ALWAYS stop at in your life. However, as we left the Picasso museum on Tuesday, and they hunted in their book for just the correct street to lead us SOMEWHERE, I decided that I had had enough. I reached over to Amy and shut the book.
"Listen up, guys" I said to the group. "My mom has got this great system for going places."
My friends all listened intently. In London, a few weeks ago, I had referenced my mother when we were lost and everyone was grumpy because we couldn't find our underground station. In the rain, I had stood in front of them and said "My mother says that ATTITUDE is the difference between an ADVENTURE and an ORDEAL" We had all smiled, laughed, and continued on our trip.
And so in Barcelona, when they heard me mention my mother, they knew that perhaps I was onto something. "My mom picks a road, you know;" I said.
And it's true. My mom picks a road and goes, and she sees what she sees and she always arrives at the destination, usually after having seen much more than the same mountains and trees. She always arrives where she meant to arrive. Of course, some days it might take her a couple of hours to drive across town, and some trips to North Dakota certainly have taken much longer than they should. But every time she picks a road, she ends up going exactly where she wants to, in a much better way than simply hopping on a train and taking the path of least resistance.
And so we picked a road at random, leaving the Picasso museum. We turned down an alley, and again it was raining a little. We splashed through the puddles and laughed and talked as we looked at buildings and explored the alley. One more random turn brought us to the most amazing shopping street that we had found yet, and we happily spent the afternoon going from shop to shop, finding great deals and fun things to see.
When the sun was setting, and people were getting antsy to head back to the hostel, we picked one more road, and took a turn, by random. And there, in front of us, was the street that led directly to the place we were staying.
"Hey!" the girls exclaimed. "This whole picking a road thing works pretty well!"
A track works great for a train, yes. And on days like Wednesday, when you are tired and your braids are VERY fuzzy, and all you want to do is get home, call the people you love, and go to sleep, a track is a great way to go. You don't have to think about it, you don't have to consult any maps or make any plans. You step up on the platform and choose a seat, and watch the world go effortlessly past your window. Trains are wonderful ways to travel. We enjoyed being on that track, twice. One time it took us to a beautiful city, and the other time it took us home again.
And tracks work well, too, for sightseers. Our bus rides might have taken us around the same track a few times, but we were sure not to miss any of the important things in Barcelona, and the bus was always waiting to pick us up when we were ready to head to the next stop. The bus was affordable, easy to use, and very useful. And it followed a track.
But by far our favorite day was Tuesday, the day that we picked a road. We all found the most amazing things, and saw things that we would have never seen on a track. We saw the little cafes and the small children playing in the courtyards. We visited tiny stands where the men in charge would bargain with us until we walked away with something wonderful for a very little bit of money. And we found a tiny diner to eat in, where the man fed us salads, roasted chicken, rice, diet cokes AND flan for desert, all for 7 euros and 50 cents.
We would all agree that picking a road works the best. Thanks, Mom.
French Social Life and Family Customs
It truly is a new century in France. After traveling abroad in France this summer, living and learning in a country different from my own, I was able to see this with my own eyes. It was enlightening to witness many of the things I had previously read and learned about while in France. As a traveler to France for the third time in eight years, I was able to see the changes that have taken place there even in that short of a time. A month and a half, this time, was much longer than any of my previous European travels, and allowed me to appreciate much more of the culture and social life of the French people.
While I was abroad, I was able to witness many things that I had read about in John Ardagh's book France in the New Century . The overviews presented in this book were detailed and descriptive, and provided me with much background knowledge to draw from. The discussions in class, personal experiences and conversations, as well as the other material that I read helped me to tie much of the information together and get what I believe is a firm understanding of the cultural and social life of the French people. I was able to witness, not just read about how they live, educate their children, work, play, and pay for what they want. All of my French experiences have tied into what I believe is a more culturally accurate and detailed knowledge of the Francophone culture. I am grateful to have had this experience, and plan on using what I have learned many times over in my life to come.
Knowing much about French social life, their customs and education, as well as the place of the French in the world must have its base in history. An overview of anything related to France must begin with the most obvious aspect of French life - their culture. The life of a French citizen is dominated by the French culture. Unlike America, where all cultures are celebrated and encouraged, the French culture is the only culture that is truly accepted in France. This is not to say that other cultures don't exist, or are not allowed, but simply that in France, people live like the French. Every aspect of the French culture is carefully controlled and regulated - the Minister of Culture maintains the "correct" way of French life, while the Academy maintains the French language.
It is important to be "French" while you are in France. This is made clear by the ideals and opinions of the citizens of this country. If you are not "French" you do better to pretend you are trying. I had been told dozens of times that French waiters will be rude to you - unless you try to speak French to them, in which case they will be considerably nicer. In French stores, if you greet them in French they will help you more. If you don't wear anything that screams you aren't from France you will be better off than if you do. These things I learned.
But what is "French"? What does it mean to be French? There are aspects of life that are very important to the French people. John Ardagh discusses these ideas fluently in his book France in the New Century and I have learned much about what it means to be French by living in France.
To be French means that great importance is placed on the family life. In chapter 8, Ardagh discusses the importance of a tightly knit French family. He explains that historically the French family is very close and important to people. Who you are in dependant on who you live with - literally who you are - who your parents are and who their parents were. Through the years the idea of family has gone from the extended family to the small family units, parents and children, which has become the most important aspect of a French person's life.
The family is central. In France, people don't have a lot of "stuff". They don't have things that cost money; instead they spend their money on people. They take long vacations to be with family and go out to eat or to concerts or events that they can all do as a family. To be French means you care about the people around you more than the things you own. The French spend their money on things like flowers and food, things that people think of as romantic and loving. It is important to a French family to get back to their "roots", or to re-discover themselves on vacations and trips together.
I did witness this in France. It seemed to me that it was true that people didn't have a lot of stuff. They had bookcases with just a few books on them, but they would spend hundreds of Euros to take their children to a fancy restaurant or rent a car to go to the seaside. It wasn't important for the French women to have fancy clothes, but rather to take an extra week to travel with their husbands.
The family and social life, therefore, that I witnessed, was all rolled into one. Most families would have large dinners at their house where the entertained all of their relatives. They would attend concerts in the park or take a vacation to England or Spain. It was apparent that even the poorest people would try to take a vacation rather than buy anything new for their house or themselves. It just wasn't as important to own things as it was to eat good food and enjoy the company of their loved ones.
Enjoying things together as a family is possible in France because of the huge emphasis that is placed on cultural activities. In France there are many opportunities to enjoy cultural experiences and to witness things that involve the French idea of culture.
Ardagh discusses the importance of French culture throughout his book, and I witnessed it throughout my stay in France and all of my travels. I found that above all else, cultural ideas were very important.
Perhaps the reason that culture is so important in France is that it is at the height of everything the people do. As Ardagh talks about in chapter 6, French people spend money on what they believe are truly culturally important things. 50 million Francs on the parade to open the World Cup, thousands spent to open museums and exhibits, money that the French will spend to celebrate a cultural event. Many times the French will spend money on cultural events rather than on remodeling their apartments with brand new furniture.
I witnessed this enthusiasm for cultural events while I was in France. The Tour de France - the parades and merchandise give-aways that proceeded and followed it - the crowds of people waiting in line, following the race, buying things for their racers. I also saw many festivals and exhibits while in France - everyone seemed to want to celebrate some aspect of the French culture. We walked through parks that were full of people sharing and buying French art, or music. We saw dancers in Paris and artists in Bayonne - all wanting to celebrate where they came from and allow others to help them maintain the French lifestyle.
Ardagh goes on to talk about, in chapter 6, that however much the French might want to celebrate culture, it is usually having to do with a group of people or performers rather than one single person or artist. This we saw also in great detail. Instead of having an art exhibit of one artist, we found exhibits of certain types or mediums of art. The focus never seemed to be on a single artist. While touring the Béarnaise cities, we saw a highly publicized exhibit about artists who worked with the clay medium. Most of the artists had a similar theme, but in the exhibit itself, the focus was on the medium. There were signs about the detailed work that had gone into the clay artifacts, but hardly anything about the artists themselves.
This was similar throughout the places I traveled in France. Even in Paris, many of the museums that we toured contained wings with focuses on the medium or the project, and almost on the side references to the artists themselves. Compared to the American style, where oftentimes you see exhibits of a particular person, it is different to see the people themselves not as important as the idea behind the art.
Performing Arts are also discussed in Ardagh's book. He mentions that performing in groups has become very important, while solitary performers are not as important. In the musical scene, I can see this trend. While we were in France, I saw many advertisements for musical groups - I did see advertisements for solitary musical performers, but many more for groups.
More importantly, regarding the arts, is Ardagh's point that France is slowly becoming a more artful society. This might seem strange, given the idea of France as a cultural and artistic place. It was once, but in the recent past France had fallen into a less artistic mind set. Ardagh explains that in these changing times, the French are beginning to be more involved and excited about music and art than they have been in the past - more comparable to the great traditions in years gone by. For instance, Ardagh notes that summer music festivals and amateur activities like choral singing and drama are becoming more and more widely accepted and performed. I witnessed this as well. France is turning away from the solitary closed performances of the past and the stuffy recitals and opera halls and becoming more and more open and excited in its music and arts scene.
While we were in France, we visited many such outdoor festivals. I saw a Blues Brothers concert which was quite enjoyable, where the people in the town sat around on the grass and enjoyed themselves. There were also large, open gatherings while I was in Pau. Free outdoor movies and concerts that celebrated the openness of summer and the delight that the French have for their cultural heritage.
Another aspect of the cultural importance in France and the way that it is changing is that the French are becoming more and more aware of the visual arts. Ardagh talks about the French people's continuing effort to bring new museums and exhibit halls into the French landscape. I also witnessed this while I was in France. Every town we visited, it seemed, was having the grand opening of some museum or another.
France is a cultural society. And the cultural ideas of the French citizens are extremely important. However, one of the things that I noticed the most while I was in France was that it was French culture that is important, not necessarily the culture of the people who are in France. As Ardagh discusses in chapter 3, the French are making social progress. The French have a great social welfare system. They take care of women who give birth, they take care of the poor and the sick and the children. Education is free, maternity leave is mandatory and paid. Doctors are free. In France the elderly don't have to chose between food and medicine like they do in America. It is important to the French to take care of everyone, and it seems that no one minds paying for it.
However, in France, it is almost always the French that benefit. The problem or racism is continual. Immigrants aren't considered to be "French." In chapter 3, Ardagh discusses some of these problems. He mentions that the poorest areas are those with the highest number of non-"French" born citizens. These are the places with the most crime, and least number of advantages, the worst schools. The technical stance in France, coming from the revolution, is that all citizens should have equal rights, and therefore their ethnicities don't matter. However, this is not the case in "life". There is much hatred towards minorities, and a general sense of French nationals being "better" than others.
While I was in France, I didn't see much racial violence. I think that I went to bed too early and stayed in safe neighborhoods. However, I did see a lot of graffiti that spoke out against the Arab population, as well as the United States. Also, I heard tales from students who were in Pau for longer periods of time about seeing violence among the races.
What I did see was an obvious distinction between the upper and lower classes. It seemed to me that an awfully large number of minorities lived in the high rise apartment buildings that would be called the "slums" in the United States. I don't know if I saw a single person of a minority who lived in the upper class neighborhoods I traveled in.
I also saw racial differences in jobs. Many people who worked as street vendors, or, worse, who begged for money on the streets were minorities. Banks and restaurants and stores employed "French" people only. I seemed to notice the racial differences more in the larger cities, but even in Pau it was important that the minorities lived and worked in a very different France than the natural born French people did.
Within all of these cultural aspects of French life, there is a struggle for Globalization. In the world today, there is a push for the countries in power to be more open and more accessible. The French are generally opposed to the issue of Globalization. According to Ardgah's book, it is hard for them to give up the cultural ideas that they have had for hundreds of years. The French are a proud country of people, and it is important to them to maintain life exactly as it has always been. In France, the people do not want to change, although they like the modern conveniences of the Globalized life. The Academy, for instance, strives to control the French language. Whenever a new idea or produce is introduced, the Academy will create a French word for it to prevent other languages from creeping into French. The French people, however, still use these words, whether they be American or otherwise. The Academy will give a word for something, but if the American way of saying it makes more sense to the French people, or if they are used to saying it that way, the French word might not be used as much, except in the highest society.
The French also try to globalize without losing who they are. In this Stealth Globalization, the French attempt to become a globalized nation without actually admitting they are doing it. Ideas that the French say they dislike do well in France because they are convenient. While I was in France I saw this in numerous ways. The shopping center, for instance, a purely American idea, is creeping into even the smallest towns in France. American music is thought of as being bad and not really music, but it plays on the airways. English is spoken more and more as the French people realize that speaking English is a necessity.
While I was in France, I began to realize that this is true. I saw many examples of anti-American sentiments. Graffiti on the walls, anti-American propaganda, and a general dislike for American ideas. However, I saw many examples of American things that the French people enjoyed. The computer - many French people have and use computers - to name one of many.
France is moving towards globalization. One of the oldest states in Europe, with a permanent seat on the security council, France has always been an important nation. The French people and the French government understand that to become globalized is to be important in the world, and they need to become globalized to continue to succeed in the world today.
However, it is difficult for France to become globalized because it is a centralized state with deep set traditions, values, and cultural ideas that make it nearly impossible to change quickly. The view that only the state understands the public good, and the idea that it is important to have a state that controls everything so it can look out for everyone are hard set ideals that people don't want to let go of. It is hard to imagine a France any different than the one there is today, but changes are slowly coming into it.
Although the Academy is in charge of the language, and although they continually recreate words to fit the new ideas presented, words like "week-end" and "Disney" creep into the vocabulary. When it comes to globalization, culture is the most easily affected and quickly noticed. American culture is becoming the most important culture in the world, and therefore Globalization is associated with America. This happens in France as well.
The French do not want to become American. They don't want American ideas or products to become the norm in their society, but it doesn't seem there is anything they can do about it. Take McDonalds, for example. Although the French will say they HATE McDonalds you can hardly ever get into one because of the vast number of people inside.
Globalization is a huge challenge for the French people. In his book, Ardagh tries to explain the ways that the French are attempting to become more global-minded without losing their ideas. While I was in France, I saw this.
From watching and listening to my host family, the teachers at the school, and the French friends we met, I realized that the French really are a people who are intent on keeping their culture while moving towards the future. If France is able to do that, it will continue to be a place that is truly a wonder to visit. This beautiful country full of culture and cultural ideas has the ability to become one of the world's strongest nations.
While I was abroad, I was able to witness many things that I had read about in John Ardagh's book France in the New Century . The overviews presented in this book were detailed and descriptive, and provided me with much background knowledge to draw from. The discussions in class, personal experiences and conversations, as well as the other material that I read helped me to tie much of the information together and get what I believe is a firm understanding of the cultural and social life of the French people. I was able to witness, not just read about how they live, educate their children, work, play, and pay for what they want. All of my French experiences have tied into what I believe is a more culturally accurate and detailed knowledge of the Francophone culture. I am grateful to have had this experience, and plan on using what I have learned many times over in my life to come.
Knowing much about French social life, their customs and education, as well as the place of the French in the world must have its base in history. An overview of anything related to France must begin with the most obvious aspect of French life - their culture. The life of a French citizen is dominated by the French culture. Unlike America, where all cultures are celebrated and encouraged, the French culture is the only culture that is truly accepted in France. This is not to say that other cultures don't exist, or are not allowed, but simply that in France, people live like the French. Every aspect of the French culture is carefully controlled and regulated - the Minister of Culture maintains the "correct" way of French life, while the Academy maintains the French language.
It is important to be "French" while you are in France. This is made clear by the ideals and opinions of the citizens of this country. If you are not "French" you do better to pretend you are trying. I had been told dozens of times that French waiters will be rude to you - unless you try to speak French to them, in which case they will be considerably nicer. In French stores, if you greet them in French they will help you more. If you don't wear anything that screams you aren't from France you will be better off than if you do. These things I learned.
But what is "French"? What does it mean to be French? There are aspects of life that are very important to the French people. John Ardagh discusses these ideas fluently in his book France in the New Century and I have learned much about what it means to be French by living in France.
To be French means that great importance is placed on the family life. In chapter 8, Ardagh discusses the importance of a tightly knit French family. He explains that historically the French family is very close and important to people. Who you are in dependant on who you live with - literally who you are - who your parents are and who their parents were. Through the years the idea of family has gone from the extended family to the small family units, parents and children, which has become the most important aspect of a French person's life.
The family is central. In France, people don't have a lot of "stuff". They don't have things that cost money; instead they spend their money on people. They take long vacations to be with family and go out to eat or to concerts or events that they can all do as a family. To be French means you care about the people around you more than the things you own. The French spend their money on things like flowers and food, things that people think of as romantic and loving. It is important to a French family to get back to their "roots", or to re-discover themselves on vacations and trips together.
I did witness this in France. It seemed to me that it was true that people didn't have a lot of stuff. They had bookcases with just a few books on them, but they would spend hundreds of Euros to take their children to a fancy restaurant or rent a car to go to the seaside. It wasn't important for the French women to have fancy clothes, but rather to take an extra week to travel with their husbands.
The family and social life, therefore, that I witnessed, was all rolled into one. Most families would have large dinners at their house where the entertained all of their relatives. They would attend concerts in the park or take a vacation to England or Spain. It was apparent that even the poorest people would try to take a vacation rather than buy anything new for their house or themselves. It just wasn't as important to own things as it was to eat good food and enjoy the company of their loved ones.
Enjoying things together as a family is possible in France because of the huge emphasis that is placed on cultural activities. In France there are many opportunities to enjoy cultural experiences and to witness things that involve the French idea of culture.
Ardagh discusses the importance of French culture throughout his book, and I witnessed it throughout my stay in France and all of my travels. I found that above all else, cultural ideas were very important.
Perhaps the reason that culture is so important in France is that it is at the height of everything the people do. As Ardagh talks about in chapter 6, French people spend money on what they believe are truly culturally important things. 50 million Francs on the parade to open the World Cup, thousands spent to open museums and exhibits, money that the French will spend to celebrate a cultural event. Many times the French will spend money on cultural events rather than on remodeling their apartments with brand new furniture.
I witnessed this enthusiasm for cultural events while I was in France. The Tour de France - the parades and merchandise give-aways that proceeded and followed it - the crowds of people waiting in line, following the race, buying things for their racers. I also saw many festivals and exhibits while in France - everyone seemed to want to celebrate some aspect of the French culture. We walked through parks that were full of people sharing and buying French art, or music. We saw dancers in Paris and artists in Bayonne - all wanting to celebrate where they came from and allow others to help them maintain the French lifestyle.
Ardagh goes on to talk about, in chapter 6, that however much the French might want to celebrate culture, it is usually having to do with a group of people or performers rather than one single person or artist. This we saw also in great detail. Instead of having an art exhibit of one artist, we found exhibits of certain types or mediums of art. The focus never seemed to be on a single artist. While touring the Béarnaise cities, we saw a highly publicized exhibit about artists who worked with the clay medium. Most of the artists had a similar theme, but in the exhibit itself, the focus was on the medium. There were signs about the detailed work that had gone into the clay artifacts, but hardly anything about the artists themselves.
This was similar throughout the places I traveled in France. Even in Paris, many of the museums that we toured contained wings with focuses on the medium or the project, and almost on the side references to the artists themselves. Compared to the American style, where oftentimes you see exhibits of a particular person, it is different to see the people themselves not as important as the idea behind the art.
Performing Arts are also discussed in Ardagh's book. He mentions that performing in groups has become very important, while solitary performers are not as important. In the musical scene, I can see this trend. While we were in France, I saw many advertisements for musical groups - I did see advertisements for solitary musical performers, but many more for groups.
More importantly, regarding the arts, is Ardagh's point that France is slowly becoming a more artful society. This might seem strange, given the idea of France as a cultural and artistic place. It was once, but in the recent past France had fallen into a less artistic mind set. Ardagh explains that in these changing times, the French are beginning to be more involved and excited about music and art than they have been in the past - more comparable to the great traditions in years gone by. For instance, Ardagh notes that summer music festivals and amateur activities like choral singing and drama are becoming more and more widely accepted and performed. I witnessed this as well. France is turning away from the solitary closed performances of the past and the stuffy recitals and opera halls and becoming more and more open and excited in its music and arts scene.
While we were in France, we visited many such outdoor festivals. I saw a Blues Brothers concert which was quite enjoyable, where the people in the town sat around on the grass and enjoyed themselves. There were also large, open gatherings while I was in Pau. Free outdoor movies and concerts that celebrated the openness of summer and the delight that the French have for their cultural heritage.
Another aspect of the cultural importance in France and the way that it is changing is that the French are becoming more and more aware of the visual arts. Ardagh talks about the French people's continuing effort to bring new museums and exhibit halls into the French landscape. I also witnessed this while I was in France. Every town we visited, it seemed, was having the grand opening of some museum or another.
France is a cultural society. And the cultural ideas of the French citizens are extremely important. However, one of the things that I noticed the most while I was in France was that it was French culture that is important, not necessarily the culture of the people who are in France. As Ardagh discusses in chapter 3, the French are making social progress. The French have a great social welfare system. They take care of women who give birth, they take care of the poor and the sick and the children. Education is free, maternity leave is mandatory and paid. Doctors are free. In France the elderly don't have to chose between food and medicine like they do in America. It is important to the French to take care of everyone, and it seems that no one minds paying for it.
However, in France, it is almost always the French that benefit. The problem or racism is continual. Immigrants aren't considered to be "French." In chapter 3, Ardagh discusses some of these problems. He mentions that the poorest areas are those with the highest number of non-"French" born citizens. These are the places with the most crime, and least number of advantages, the worst schools. The technical stance in France, coming from the revolution, is that all citizens should have equal rights, and therefore their ethnicities don't matter. However, this is not the case in "life". There is much hatred towards minorities, and a general sense of French nationals being "better" than others.
While I was in France, I didn't see much racial violence. I think that I went to bed too early and stayed in safe neighborhoods. However, I did see a lot of graffiti that spoke out against the Arab population, as well as the United States. Also, I heard tales from students who were in Pau for longer periods of time about seeing violence among the races.
What I did see was an obvious distinction between the upper and lower classes. It seemed to me that an awfully large number of minorities lived in the high rise apartment buildings that would be called the "slums" in the United States. I don't know if I saw a single person of a minority who lived in the upper class neighborhoods I traveled in.
I also saw racial differences in jobs. Many people who worked as street vendors, or, worse, who begged for money on the streets were minorities. Banks and restaurants and stores employed "French" people only. I seemed to notice the racial differences more in the larger cities, but even in Pau it was important that the minorities lived and worked in a very different France than the natural born French people did.
Within all of these cultural aspects of French life, there is a struggle for Globalization. In the world today, there is a push for the countries in power to be more open and more accessible. The French are generally opposed to the issue of Globalization. According to Ardgah's book, it is hard for them to give up the cultural ideas that they have had for hundreds of years. The French are a proud country of people, and it is important to them to maintain life exactly as it has always been. In France, the people do not want to change, although they like the modern conveniences of the Globalized life. The Academy, for instance, strives to control the French language. Whenever a new idea or produce is introduced, the Academy will create a French word for it to prevent other languages from creeping into French. The French people, however, still use these words, whether they be American or otherwise. The Academy will give a word for something, but if the American way of saying it makes more sense to the French people, or if they are used to saying it that way, the French word might not be used as much, except in the highest society.
The French also try to globalize without losing who they are. In this Stealth Globalization, the French attempt to become a globalized nation without actually admitting they are doing it. Ideas that the French say they dislike do well in France because they are convenient. While I was in France I saw this in numerous ways. The shopping center, for instance, a purely American idea, is creeping into even the smallest towns in France. American music is thought of as being bad and not really music, but it plays on the airways. English is spoken more and more as the French people realize that speaking English is a necessity.
While I was in France, I began to realize that this is true. I saw many examples of anti-American sentiments. Graffiti on the walls, anti-American propaganda, and a general dislike for American ideas. However, I saw many examples of American things that the French people enjoyed. The computer - many French people have and use computers - to name one of many.
France is moving towards globalization. One of the oldest states in Europe, with a permanent seat on the security council, France has always been an important nation. The French people and the French government understand that to become globalized is to be important in the world, and they need to become globalized to continue to succeed in the world today.
However, it is difficult for France to become globalized because it is a centralized state with deep set traditions, values, and cultural ideas that make it nearly impossible to change quickly. The view that only the state understands the public good, and the idea that it is important to have a state that controls everything so it can look out for everyone are hard set ideals that people don't want to let go of. It is hard to imagine a France any different than the one there is today, but changes are slowly coming into it.
Although the Academy is in charge of the language, and although they continually recreate words to fit the new ideas presented, words like "week-end" and "Disney" creep into the vocabulary. When it comes to globalization, culture is the most easily affected and quickly noticed. American culture is becoming the most important culture in the world, and therefore Globalization is associated with America. This happens in France as well.
The French do not want to become American. They don't want American ideas or products to become the norm in their society, but it doesn't seem there is anything they can do about it. Take McDonalds, for example. Although the French will say they HATE McDonalds you can hardly ever get into one because of the vast number of people inside.
Globalization is a huge challenge for the French people. In his book, Ardagh tries to explain the ways that the French are attempting to become more global-minded without losing their ideas. While I was in France, I saw this.
From watching and listening to my host family, the teachers at the school, and the French friends we met, I realized that the French really are a people who are intent on keeping their culture while moving towards the future. If France is able to do that, it will continue to be a place that is truly a wonder to visit. This beautiful country full of culture and cultural ideas has the ability to become one of the world's strongest nations.
New Shoes and a French Hike
I have been very busy at school these past few weeks. They keep us busy with little bits of work every night, not enough so that we are swamped, but just enough to keep us doing well. I am very intent on learning as much as I can, so I try to do little bits of homework each night to improve my writing and spelling (and my accents, which I still cannot remember!) The snow has faded and has been replaced with very nice temperatures, around 8 and 9 C. I don't really KNOW exactly what the temperature IS, because I don't yet have a handle on the Celsius, but I know that it snows at 0 and BAKES at 35 (the temps we lived through two summers ago...) so for February, 8 and 9 and 10 is nice.
Last Saturday our excursion to Bordeaux was cancelled because of the half inch of snow. The bus company did not want to send out the busses in the case of accidents. On Sunday, however, we did have an excursion to San Juan de Luz, a coastal town that I had been to in the summer of 2003. It was a gorgeous trip through the country to get to the town. We had signed up for it on a whim, seeing the beautiful picture posted on the door of the office of foreign students.
"Randonnee!" The sign proclaimed. We didn't know what a Randonnee was, but the town looked beautiful and the trip was very cheap. We knew that Sundays in Pau can be a bit boring, so we decided to go. We were excited and the few of us that had signed up climbed on the bus and enjoyed beautiful scenery and a little bit of the town as it coasted by past the windows a couple of hours later. We were excited to visit this town, and watched the shops as we went past, glad to see that some of them were open, even though it was a Sunday. My friend Laila was wearing a brand new outfit and was excited to be headed to a new town to sightsee and do a little shopping. Laila came to the US from Brazil when she was 13. She has thick hair and calls me things like 'babe' and 'hon'. And she likes to shop, a lot. She showed me her brand new shoes the second we got on the bus, and I had told her that I thought they were GREAT new shoes for a day in a new town.
The bus seemed to be heading OUT of town though, before it stopped. We were slightly concerned with this, but as it began to climb a huge hill and wind in and out of tiny country roads we were excited that perhaps there was another winery, or some neat touristy thing at the top of the mountain. We arrived, the bus stopped, and we gazed below us, at the town of San Juan de Luz as it spread out beneath us. Tiny houses gleamed in the sunlight, roofs of spectacular colors shimmering like jewels in a long forgotten lake of some distant fairy tale, the kind where mermaids are nice and will share their treasure with you. The town was very small beneath us and the rain clouds that were coming in off of the mountains made the view quite distracting. So much so that we didn't see the leader of the group changing her own shoes.
There was a despairingly long path leading down the face of the hill and into the forests that separated us from the tiny French town. A VERY long path. I snuck a glance to the other people in the group. Some were lacing up running shoes, some were stomping out hiking boots. No one seemed to be wearing brand NEW shoes, like Laila, nor fake converse All Stars (paid for during the SOLDES, 4 Euros a pair!) like myself.
Worried now, I pulled out my trusty little yellow dictionary. Of course, my friends and I had signed up for the excursion thinking it was simply a tour of this town and another in Spain. "Randonnee" the little dictionary innocently proclaimed "drive; ride; walk; hike." My brain attempted to process those words as the occupants were shuffled onto the deserted forest ground, and the bus doors firmly shut. Hike?
Laila was trying not to get her new shoes muddy while at the same time reaching for her camera to take a picture of the beautiful town, the obvious, to her, reason the bus had stopped so far out of the way of the quaint streets and little, tame shops. She grabbed my arm and turned in quiet surprise as the bus threw itself in gear and back up quickly, heading down the windy mountain road.
"It's a HIKE, Laila."I said, and she laughed at me, at first, until she noticed the others hefting their backpacks onto their shoulders with determination and following the leader through the undergrowth that clawed at their feet, like a tide rising to drag them out to sea. The town was MILES away.
We followed the leader for quite some distance through trees and forests and mountains, keeping the view of the town and the spectacular sights in the foreground, hoping that a trick of the air made them seem quite further away than they were. Eventually we were amongst the trees, which made it hard to SEE the town stretched out before us, and I convinced myself that this was a GOOD sign, that perhaps it would just jump out of the forest like a jack in the box and scare us all silly. "Here I am!' It would say "Come shopping!" and we would laugh with delight and scrape the mud from our shoes and join it for tea in a nice, pleasant, climate controlled cafe.
But it did no such thing. In fact, before we knew it we were somehow in a residential district on the outskirts of town and the leader of the group was squinting at street signs and regarding her map. She had left the path behind, and we were finishing our hike in a suburbia that had quickly become hell. Our feet hurt, we were hungry, and every French car that drove past seemed to contain a driver who most certainly did not understand why a French woman was leading a scraggly group of tourists through the neighborhood. And it had begun, of course, to rain.
Three hours after the bus had left us on that muddy forest path, we arrived in the center or San Juan de Luz. We DID at last scrape the mud from our shoes and settled on benches that seemed very appropriate to the location. The woman in charge looked us all over as we collapsed gratefully and pulled out the sandwiches we had brought, expecting to eat them sitting beside the water, enjoying the view.
"We meet the bus in 30 minutes." She said, not at all unkindly. We hadn't complained much during the hike. Most of us had been too tired to mutter more than simple words under our breath. The woman gave swift directions. "Over there. Find a bridge, then take a turn, and find the bus." Before we could even remember how to tell her in French that we didn't understand, or manage to ask which direction to turn, she had pivoted and vanished into the crowds on the street. Laila sighed into her sandwich which was no good anyway: it was soggy with the rain, and stood up on her now muddy and broken-in new shoes.
"We had better head that way. Find a bridge, or something." We laughed, and we did.
We found a souvenir shop that happened to be open on Sundays and I bought some items with the Basque symbol on them. I did NOT buy any shoes. And that was all the time we had in the French Basque country. The bus found us and we climbed back aboard. Once upon it, I frowned and looked at the schedule. There was another town on the list.
Our bus took us across the boarder into Spain, to a town called Hundarrabia. I vowed silently to watch the leader and see if she put her hiking shoes back on. If she did, no way was I going to get off of the bus, adventure or no adventure! She left her regular shoes on, however, and we got off the bus in the center of town. The day was cold and everything was closed because it was a Sunday. However, we ended up walking around and taking pictures of the buildings and trees that looked like fingers spread out into the sky. We made Brenda practice her native Spanish and all bought pastries to eat. We met the bus and were back in Pau by 7 PM on Sunday night. We were exhausted and none of us felt much like walking anywhere, so we all went home.
My mother has always taught me to treat each experience like an adventure, and to learn from it. I have generally thought that this was good advice. I certainly DID learn a lot on this trip, and I saw things I had never seen before. Tiny houses, shimmering like diamonds, trees with fingers that reached heavenward. It had been quite the day to see new things. Even so, I would like to add one small piece of advice to hers, however wise it might be on its own. It's all nice and dandy to have adventures all of the time. But look up words you don't know BEFORE you leave on them. At least that way you can take along the right kind of shoes.
Last Saturday our excursion to Bordeaux was cancelled because of the half inch of snow. The bus company did not want to send out the busses in the case of accidents. On Sunday, however, we did have an excursion to San Juan de Luz, a coastal town that I had been to in the summer of 2003. It was a gorgeous trip through the country to get to the town. We had signed up for it on a whim, seeing the beautiful picture posted on the door of the office of foreign students.
"Randonnee!" The sign proclaimed. We didn't know what a Randonnee was, but the town looked beautiful and the trip was very cheap. We knew that Sundays in Pau can be a bit boring, so we decided to go. We were excited and the few of us that had signed up climbed on the bus and enjoyed beautiful scenery and a little bit of the town as it coasted by past the windows a couple of hours later. We were excited to visit this town, and watched the shops as we went past, glad to see that some of them were open, even though it was a Sunday. My friend Laila was wearing a brand new outfit and was excited to be headed to a new town to sightsee and do a little shopping. Laila came to the US from Brazil when she was 13. She has thick hair and calls me things like 'babe' and 'hon'. And she likes to shop, a lot. She showed me her brand new shoes the second we got on the bus, and I had told her that I thought they were GREAT new shoes for a day in a new town.
The bus seemed to be heading OUT of town though, before it stopped. We were slightly concerned with this, but as it began to climb a huge hill and wind in and out of tiny country roads we were excited that perhaps there was another winery, or some neat touristy thing at the top of the mountain. We arrived, the bus stopped, and we gazed below us, at the town of San Juan de Luz as it spread out beneath us. Tiny houses gleamed in the sunlight, roofs of spectacular colors shimmering like jewels in a long forgotten lake of some distant fairy tale, the kind where mermaids are nice and will share their treasure with you. The town was very small beneath us and the rain clouds that were coming in off of the mountains made the view quite distracting. So much so that we didn't see the leader of the group changing her own shoes.
There was a despairingly long path leading down the face of the hill and into the forests that separated us from the tiny French town. A VERY long path. I snuck a glance to the other people in the group. Some were lacing up running shoes, some were stomping out hiking boots. No one seemed to be wearing brand NEW shoes, like Laila, nor fake converse All Stars (paid for during the SOLDES, 4 Euros a pair!) like myself.
Worried now, I pulled out my trusty little yellow dictionary. Of course, my friends and I had signed up for the excursion thinking it was simply a tour of this town and another in Spain. "Randonnee" the little dictionary innocently proclaimed "drive; ride; walk; hike." My brain attempted to process those words as the occupants were shuffled onto the deserted forest ground, and the bus doors firmly shut. Hike?
Laila was trying not to get her new shoes muddy while at the same time reaching for her camera to take a picture of the beautiful town, the obvious, to her, reason the bus had stopped so far out of the way of the quaint streets and little, tame shops. She grabbed my arm and turned in quiet surprise as the bus threw itself in gear and back up quickly, heading down the windy mountain road.
"It's a HIKE, Laila."I said, and she laughed at me, at first, until she noticed the others hefting their backpacks onto their shoulders with determination and following the leader through the undergrowth that clawed at their feet, like a tide rising to drag them out to sea. The town was MILES away.
We followed the leader for quite some distance through trees and forests and mountains, keeping the view of the town and the spectacular sights in the foreground, hoping that a trick of the air made them seem quite further away than they were. Eventually we were amongst the trees, which made it hard to SEE the town stretched out before us, and I convinced myself that this was a GOOD sign, that perhaps it would just jump out of the forest like a jack in the box and scare us all silly. "Here I am!' It would say "Come shopping!" and we would laugh with delight and scrape the mud from our shoes and join it for tea in a nice, pleasant, climate controlled cafe.
But it did no such thing. In fact, before we knew it we were somehow in a residential district on the outskirts of town and the leader of the group was squinting at street signs and regarding her map. She had left the path behind, and we were finishing our hike in a suburbia that had quickly become hell. Our feet hurt, we were hungry, and every French car that drove past seemed to contain a driver who most certainly did not understand why a French woman was leading a scraggly group of tourists through the neighborhood. And it had begun, of course, to rain.
Three hours after the bus had left us on that muddy forest path, we arrived in the center or San Juan de Luz. We DID at last scrape the mud from our shoes and settled on benches that seemed very appropriate to the location. The woman in charge looked us all over as we collapsed gratefully and pulled out the sandwiches we had brought, expecting to eat them sitting beside the water, enjoying the view.
"We meet the bus in 30 minutes." She said, not at all unkindly. We hadn't complained much during the hike. Most of us had been too tired to mutter more than simple words under our breath. The woman gave swift directions. "Over there. Find a bridge, then take a turn, and find the bus." Before we could even remember how to tell her in French that we didn't understand, or manage to ask which direction to turn, she had pivoted and vanished into the crowds on the street. Laila sighed into her sandwich which was no good anyway: it was soggy with the rain, and stood up on her now muddy and broken-in new shoes.
"We had better head that way. Find a bridge, or something." We laughed, and we did.
We found a souvenir shop that happened to be open on Sundays and I bought some items with the Basque symbol on them. I did NOT buy any shoes. And that was all the time we had in the French Basque country. The bus found us and we climbed back aboard. Once upon it, I frowned and looked at the schedule. There was another town on the list.
Our bus took us across the boarder into Spain, to a town called Hundarrabia. I vowed silently to watch the leader and see if she put her hiking shoes back on. If she did, no way was I going to get off of the bus, adventure or no adventure! She left her regular shoes on, however, and we got off the bus in the center of town. The day was cold and everything was closed because it was a Sunday. However, we ended up walking around and taking pictures of the buildings and trees that looked like fingers spread out into the sky. We made Brenda practice her native Spanish and all bought pastries to eat. We met the bus and were back in Pau by 7 PM on Sunday night. We were exhausted and none of us felt much like walking anywhere, so we all went home.
My mother has always taught me to treat each experience like an adventure, and to learn from it. I have generally thought that this was good advice. I certainly DID learn a lot on this trip, and I saw things I had never seen before. Tiny houses, shimmering like diamonds, trees with fingers that reached heavenward. It had been quite the day to see new things. Even so, I would like to add one small piece of advice to hers, however wise it might be on its own. It's all nice and dandy to have adventures all of the time. But look up words you don't know BEFORE you leave on them. At least that way you can take along the right kind of shoes.
The St. Lawrence Seaway and The Great Lakes (part 1)
The St. Lawrence River is a body of water that runs from the Atlantic Ocean through to the Great Lakes. The river pours out like a tap running into a sink in a downward motion. The Seaway enables large ships come into the heart of North America by way of these Great Lakes.
The St. Lawrence River is sandwiched between the Appalachian Mountains to the south and the Canadian Shield to the north. The Canadian Shield stretches across most of Northern Canada up towards Hudson Bay. The river runs the length of 1,290 km from the Atlantic to the edge of Lake Ontario and allowed early settlers to make their homes in Canada. In 1535, Jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence to modern day Montreal to make his home. He, like his predecessor, John Cabot was searching for a route to China and instead they discovered a gateway to a new continent.
For these early settlers, the St. Lawrence River was seen as the only practical means of moving both people and goods in towards the heart of the continent. Overland routes were too difficult (because of weather) and very dangerous. Between the Atlantic Ocean towards Montreal, the water was smooth sailing. However, the rapids just upstream from Montreal, made it almost impossible to navigate small boats through to take goods upriver, thus was the beginning of canals, dams and locks being built in the river.
As the ships became larger and as early as 1833, the first canal was built to bypass Niagara Falls. In 1855, the Soo locks and Canal were built allowing the first shipment iron ore from Lake Superior soon after.
Fast forward to the present. If you travel to the province of Ontario and northern NY state, you will find a series of ship elevators that allow ships (both lakers, which are longer and allow for more content) and salties, which are shorter than lakers and are ocean going vessels). This series of lake elevators run through the St. Lawrence River all the way to Lake Superior and Lake Michigan which enables these ships to deliver their goods to American ports such as Duluth, MN, Detroit, MI, Cleveland, Milwaukee, WI and Toledo, OH and as far south as Chicago, IL and includes Canadian ports such as Hamilton and Toronto, ON which in turn allows the goods to be shipped farther over land either by truck or by train.
Between Montreal, Quebec and Lake Ontario, there are five Canadian Locks and two that are American. Between Lakes Ontario and Erie, there are eight Canadian, not to mention the Sault St. Marie locks and that is just the beginning. The St. Lawrence Seaway was first opened in 1959 by Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower and took 15,000 people to build beginning in 1954.
Maybe not a tourist site that you would think of visiting, but it is definitely a place to consider. These locks are quite a sight to see. They are quite literally, a ship elevator that carries a ship to the next level. The Great Lakes are at different heights with Duluth (on the top corner of Lake Superior) is at 183 metres above sea level, where as Lake Ontario is only 75 metres above sea level. The amount of time it takes to go through a lock takes about 45 minutes per lock and for instance, between the eight locks of the Welland Canal (between Lakes Erie and Ontario) and getting through the canal takes about eight hours from end to end.
It is something for the whole family to see. I live close to the Welland Canal and have always taken visitors that are visiting from other places there. It is a marvel of man’s technology to view it and to that end and to encourage visitors, several of the locks have built visitor friendly viewing platforms and have added restaurants, gift stores and rest stops. For instance, on lock 3 of the Welland Canal, you will find its viewing centre. It has a platform for looking down into the lock itself, a gift store, a museum, washrooms, a playground for kids, a snack bar and a restaurant.
Not only for lakers or salties, the St. Lawrence River as well the other locks are also open to pleasure crafts, so viewing the locks from the water is also a possibility. Tours with stop overs in cities such as Prescott (to see Ottawa), Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Kingston or the Welland Canal to visit Niagara Falls are even available if you do a little bit of research. One I found comes out of Quebec City and ends up in Buffalo, NY. Massena, NY also offers some special events to encourage people to visit the Eisenhower locks and would be a great place to visit during the fall months.
While you are visiting the locks you can learn a lot about on how they work, how many ships travel through them (the Welland Canal is open from the end of March till the end of December) and sees about around several hundred ships pass through its locks every season. There are a lot of opportunities to visit the various locks, both in the United States and in Canada and should be viewed at least once during one’s life time. Besides airplanes and trains, it is another of man’s wonders in seeing these big ships and how they travel into the inner parts of North America.
The St. Lawrence River is sandwiched between the Appalachian Mountains to the south and the Canadian Shield to the north. The Canadian Shield stretches across most of Northern Canada up towards Hudson Bay. The river runs the length of 1,290 km from the Atlantic to the edge of Lake Ontario and allowed early settlers to make their homes in Canada. In 1535, Jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence to modern day Montreal to make his home. He, like his predecessor, John Cabot was searching for a route to China and instead they discovered a gateway to a new continent.
For these early settlers, the St. Lawrence River was seen as the only practical means of moving both people and goods in towards the heart of the continent. Overland routes were too difficult (because of weather) and very dangerous. Between the Atlantic Ocean towards Montreal, the water was smooth sailing. However, the rapids just upstream from Montreal, made it almost impossible to navigate small boats through to take goods upriver, thus was the beginning of canals, dams and locks being built in the river.
As the ships became larger and as early as 1833, the first canal was built to bypass Niagara Falls. In 1855, the Soo locks and Canal were built allowing the first shipment iron ore from Lake Superior soon after.
Fast forward to the present. If you travel to the province of Ontario and northern NY state, you will find a series of ship elevators that allow ships (both lakers, which are longer and allow for more content) and salties, which are shorter than lakers and are ocean going vessels). This series of lake elevators run through the St. Lawrence River all the way to Lake Superior and Lake Michigan which enables these ships to deliver their goods to American ports such as Duluth, MN, Detroit, MI, Cleveland, Milwaukee, WI and Toledo, OH and as far south as Chicago, IL and includes Canadian ports such as Hamilton and Toronto, ON which in turn allows the goods to be shipped farther over land either by truck or by train.
Between Montreal, Quebec and Lake Ontario, there are five Canadian Locks and two that are American. Between Lakes Ontario and Erie, there are eight Canadian, not to mention the Sault St. Marie locks and that is just the beginning. The St. Lawrence Seaway was first opened in 1959 by Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower and took 15,000 people to build beginning in 1954.
Maybe not a tourist site that you would think of visiting, but it is definitely a place to consider. These locks are quite a sight to see. They are quite literally, a ship elevator that carries a ship to the next level. The Great Lakes are at different heights with Duluth (on the top corner of Lake Superior) is at 183 metres above sea level, where as Lake Ontario is only 75 metres above sea level. The amount of time it takes to go through a lock takes about 45 minutes per lock and for instance, between the eight locks of the Welland Canal (between Lakes Erie and Ontario) and getting through the canal takes about eight hours from end to end.
It is something for the whole family to see. I live close to the Welland Canal and have always taken visitors that are visiting from other places there. It is a marvel of man’s technology to view it and to that end and to encourage visitors, several of the locks have built visitor friendly viewing platforms and have added restaurants, gift stores and rest stops. For instance, on lock 3 of the Welland Canal, you will find its viewing centre. It has a platform for looking down into the lock itself, a gift store, a museum, washrooms, a playground for kids, a snack bar and a restaurant.
Not only for lakers or salties, the St. Lawrence River as well the other locks are also open to pleasure crafts, so viewing the locks from the water is also a possibility. Tours with stop overs in cities such as Prescott (to see Ottawa), Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Kingston or the Welland Canal to visit Niagara Falls are even available if you do a little bit of research. One I found comes out of Quebec City and ends up in Buffalo, NY. Massena, NY also offers some special events to encourage people to visit the Eisenhower locks and would be a great place to visit during the fall months.
While you are visiting the locks you can learn a lot about on how they work, how many ships travel through them (the Welland Canal is open from the end of March till the end of December) and sees about around several hundred ships pass through its locks every season. There are a lot of opportunities to visit the various locks, both in the United States and in Canada and should be viewed at least once during one’s life time. Besides airplanes and trains, it is another of man’s wonders in seeing these big ships and how they travel into the inner parts of North America.
Freight Cruise Travel
In ages past, the great transatlantic and transpacific ocean liners were all the rage. After all, there was no other way in the days before plane flights that one could cross the ocean or travel around the world. Even when airlines started to become successful the great ocean liners were still popular. But, all eras come to an end and, in time, these great ocean liners were retired do to lack of interest. Yes, there are cruise ships a plenty. But the days of using a ship to travel around the world have become a thing of the past. Or have they?
Anyone who has watched an old B-movie is probably fairly familiar with the cliche of the stow away on a freight boat who volunteers for duty. This was, the adventure seeker could see the world by conning the people in charge of a great freight ship into joining their journeys. These days as well belong to an era that is no more. Haven't they?
Well, while no one will accept a work for passage deal, quite a few freight ships will take on a passenger if the passenger buys a travel tickets with them. Yes, while they are not all that well known, freight cruises have grown in popularity in an amazing fashion in the last decade. The idea of visiting anywhere in the world in any manner one sees fit appeals to those who will enjoy the comforts and the fairly reasonable tickets prices of a freighter ship cruise.
For those unfamiliar with what a freight ship does, it is no different than a tractor trailer that one sees on the road. Freight and cargo are loaded upon the ship and then transported from port to port where drop offs and pick ups occur. It is not uncommon for a freight ship to be at sea for three or four months in a row, making several overnight stops in ports all over the world.
Some of these freight ships have a cabin or two that they are not using and they offer their cabins as a place to stay on the boat while one travels to a multitude of destinations (or even just one destination, depending on how long one wishes to stay at sea). Meals are also included as part of the trip which makes this quite a fabulous deal.
Is freight passage inexpensive? Freight passage usually runs $75-$100 a day. This is not a bad deal. Considering that three meals a day and a hotel room can run $200 a day and the hotel is traveling across the world. Booking a freight travel trip is kind of unique as most destinations are one way tickets and one will need to purchase another ticket on another freight cruise to get back home. (If one decides to return at all, that is!) Because there is quite a number of freight liners that accept passengers and the fact that each freight ship is following a different path across the world, one can create a wild adventure comprised of several composite tickets that will result in bouncing the traveler all over the planet!
For those interested in this type of travel, the website http://www.freighterworld.com/ is a great place to check out for news, information, bookings and articles. Freighter World is not the only site, however, as there are many others out there providing valuable information as well. In fact, when one takes all these sites into consideration, then it becomes fairly obvious that freight travel is far more common and popular than one would think. It is, however, far more popular with college age adults than with families. Perhaps this type of travel, since it suits the adventurer, attracts young males traveling solo a lot? Maybe. But it is a form of travel that can be enjoyed by anyone looking for a fun traveling experience.
Looks like the days of the great cruise liner traveling across the world still live. And, mercifully, because of the nature of what a freight cruise is, this type of trip will always be an intimate experience and not one that a person would have to share with a hundred other vacationers. Hopefully, freight travel will never suffer the poison of over-commercialization and stay such a wonderful little secret.
Anyone who has watched an old B-movie is probably fairly familiar with the cliche of the stow away on a freight boat who volunteers for duty. This was, the adventure seeker could see the world by conning the people in charge of a great freight ship into joining their journeys. These days as well belong to an era that is no more. Haven't they?
Well, while no one will accept a work for passage deal, quite a few freight ships will take on a passenger if the passenger buys a travel tickets with them. Yes, while they are not all that well known, freight cruises have grown in popularity in an amazing fashion in the last decade. The idea of visiting anywhere in the world in any manner one sees fit appeals to those who will enjoy the comforts and the fairly reasonable tickets prices of a freighter ship cruise.
For those unfamiliar with what a freight ship does, it is no different than a tractor trailer that one sees on the road. Freight and cargo are loaded upon the ship and then transported from port to port where drop offs and pick ups occur. It is not uncommon for a freight ship to be at sea for three or four months in a row, making several overnight stops in ports all over the world.
Some of these freight ships have a cabin or two that they are not using and they offer their cabins as a place to stay on the boat while one travels to a multitude of destinations (or even just one destination, depending on how long one wishes to stay at sea). Meals are also included as part of the trip which makes this quite a fabulous deal.
Is freight passage inexpensive? Freight passage usually runs $75-$100 a day. This is not a bad deal. Considering that three meals a day and a hotel room can run $200 a day and the hotel is traveling across the world. Booking a freight travel trip is kind of unique as most destinations are one way tickets and one will need to purchase another ticket on another freight cruise to get back home. (If one decides to return at all, that is!) Because there is quite a number of freight liners that accept passengers and the fact that each freight ship is following a different path across the world, one can create a wild adventure comprised of several composite tickets that will result in bouncing the traveler all over the planet!
For those interested in this type of travel, the website http://www.freighterworld.com/ is a great place to check out for news, information, bookings and articles. Freighter World is not the only site, however, as there are many others out there providing valuable information as well. In fact, when one takes all these sites into consideration, then it becomes fairly obvious that freight travel is far more common and popular than one would think. It is, however, far more popular with college age adults than with families. Perhaps this type of travel, since it suits the adventurer, attracts young males traveling solo a lot? Maybe. But it is a form of travel that can be enjoyed by anyone looking for a fun traveling experience.
Looks like the days of the great cruise liner traveling across the world still live. And, mercifully, because of the nature of what a freight cruise is, this type of trip will always be an intimate experience and not one that a person would have to share with a hundred other vacationers. Hopefully, freight travel will never suffer the poison of over-commercialization and stay such a wonderful little secret.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Indoor Amusement Parks
By Misti Sandefur
Scattered throughout North America and various other locations are numerous indoor amusement parks you can enjoy with your entire family. Don't let rain and thunderstorms put a damper on your vacation or fun again. An indoor amusement park is the solution!
If you want to still experience the outdoor surroundings then take your family to The Park at MOA (formerly known as Camp Snoopy).The Park at MOA is 4.2 million square foot, and includes over 50 rides, arcades, unique shops, electronic shooting gallery, petting zoo, dining and much more.
The Park at MOA is located inside the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. -- roughly five minutes from the airport.
Load your family in the car and head to Ohio to visit the I-X Indoor Amusement Park at the I-X Center in Cleveland. I-X Indoor Amusement Park has 30 rides for the kids, over 30 rides for teenagers and attractions and entertainment for everyone! Note: I-X Indoor Amusement Park isn't open year-round. Check their Web site (http://www.ixindooramusementpark.com) for dates, times and admission fees.
Jeepers presents fun and excitement for kids ages 2 to 12. Their indoor amusement park provides families with rides, games, a playground and events. This indoor amusement park is located on the Northwest corner of Alma School Road and Guadalupe in Mesa, Ariz.
Go Bananas in Norridge, Ill., has rides and entertainment for the young and young at heart. Bumper cars, roller coasters, trains, games, bowling, simulators and more are part of the excitement awaiting your presence at Go Bananas. Go Bananas is less than 30 minutes from Highland Park.
Visit Disney Quest's Indoor Interactive Theme Park where you can experience 3-D and virtual reality -- entertainment in five levels. One of the many experiences you can participate in while visiting Disney Quest's indoor theme park is creating your own roller coaster -- oh what fun! You can construct your roller coaster however you wish, then, once complete, get into the simulator and ride the roller coaster you just created. Oodles of fun for everyone!
Disney Quest is located in the West Side section of Downtown Disney. Hours of operation: Sunday through Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.
Not into gambling, but still planning a trip to Las Vegas? Stop at The Adventuredome Theme Park where there are no slot machines but still loads of fun! Behind the West Tower at Circus Circus is five acres of rides and attractions for the entire family. The Adventuredome Theme Park is proof that there is more to Las Vegas than just casinos. Besides, wouldn't you rather blow your money on fun and excitement with your entire family instead?
Some of the rides at Adventuredome include the double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster, the Rim Runner (water ride), the Sling Shot, bumper cars, pirate ship, carousel and many more.
When you need a break from the rides, you can enjoy some of Adventuredome's attractions: miniature golf, simulators, interactive games, video games in the arcade, clown shows and more.
West Edmonton Mall in Canada is home of Galaxyland -- the world's largest indoor amusement park. While visiting Galaxyland you will discover roller coasters, a backwards tilt-a-whirl, a freefall ride, a pirate ship that swings, swings that swing and move in a circular motion and much, much more!
Cosmo's World Theme Park in Asia features 14 rides. Cosmo's World Theme Park is located in Berjaya Times Square, and covers over 300,000 square feet of floor space. Enjoy rides, live entertainment, games, places to buy snacks and more.
Wild Zone Adventures in Ontario, Canada (a short drive from the U.S./Canada border) has something for everyone no matter what your age. Some of the fun rides at Wild Zone Adventures include Emerald Mine (rollercoaster), a ferris wheel, flying airplanes, flying bus, laser rescue, bumper boats, go-karts and more.
Ontario, Canada is home to Fantasy Fair, another indoor amusement park. Fantasy Fair is located on the second level inside Woodbine Shopping Centre. At Fantasy Fair you can take a ride on the Fantasy Fair Express, enjoy a ride on their antique carousel, or make yourself dizzy in Ships Ahoy (you control how fast you spin).
No matter which indoor amusement park you plan to go to see, make it a family adventure! If you cannot decide on the amusement park you want to visit first, then you can always visit one amusement park, and the following year you can load up the family car again to visit another amusement park. Make your family adventures an annual event and try out all the indoor amusement parks listed above.
Scattered throughout North America and various other locations are numerous indoor amusement parks you can enjoy with your entire family. Don't let rain and thunderstorms put a damper on your vacation or fun again. An indoor amusement park is the solution!
If you want to still experience the outdoor surroundings then take your family to The Park at MOA (formerly known as Camp Snoopy).The Park at MOA is 4.2 million square foot, and includes over 50 rides, arcades, unique shops, electronic shooting gallery, petting zoo, dining and much more.
The Park at MOA is located inside the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. -- roughly five minutes from the airport.
Load your family in the car and head to Ohio to visit the I-X Indoor Amusement Park at the I-X Center in Cleveland. I-X Indoor Amusement Park has 30 rides for the kids, over 30 rides for teenagers and attractions and entertainment for everyone! Note: I-X Indoor Amusement Park isn't open year-round. Check their Web site (http://www.ixindooramusementpark.com) for dates, times and admission fees.
Jeepers presents fun and excitement for kids ages 2 to 12. Their indoor amusement park provides families with rides, games, a playground and events. This indoor amusement park is located on the Northwest corner of Alma School Road and Guadalupe in Mesa, Ariz.
Go Bananas in Norridge, Ill., has rides and entertainment for the young and young at heart. Bumper cars, roller coasters, trains, games, bowling, simulators and more are part of the excitement awaiting your presence at Go Bananas. Go Bananas is less than 30 minutes from Highland Park.
Visit Disney Quest's Indoor Interactive Theme Park where you can experience 3-D and virtual reality -- entertainment in five levels. One of the many experiences you can participate in while visiting Disney Quest's indoor theme park is creating your own roller coaster -- oh what fun! You can construct your roller coaster however you wish, then, once complete, get into the simulator and ride the roller coaster you just created. Oodles of fun for everyone!
Disney Quest is located in the West Side section of Downtown Disney. Hours of operation: Sunday through Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.
Not into gambling, but still planning a trip to Las Vegas? Stop at The Adventuredome Theme Park where there are no slot machines but still loads of fun! Behind the West Tower at Circus Circus is five acres of rides and attractions for the entire family. The Adventuredome Theme Park is proof that there is more to Las Vegas than just casinos. Besides, wouldn't you rather blow your money on fun and excitement with your entire family instead?
Some of the rides at Adventuredome include the double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster, the Rim Runner (water ride), the Sling Shot, bumper cars, pirate ship, carousel and many more.
When you need a break from the rides, you can enjoy some of Adventuredome's attractions: miniature golf, simulators, interactive games, video games in the arcade, clown shows and more.
West Edmonton Mall in Canada is home of Galaxyland -- the world's largest indoor amusement park. While visiting Galaxyland you will discover roller coasters, a backwards tilt-a-whirl, a freefall ride, a pirate ship that swings, swings that swing and move in a circular motion and much, much more!
Cosmo's World Theme Park in Asia features 14 rides. Cosmo's World Theme Park is located in Berjaya Times Square, and covers over 300,000 square feet of floor space. Enjoy rides, live entertainment, games, places to buy snacks and more.
Wild Zone Adventures in Ontario, Canada (a short drive from the U.S./Canada border) has something for everyone no matter what your age. Some of the fun rides at Wild Zone Adventures include Emerald Mine (rollercoaster), a ferris wheel, flying airplanes, flying bus, laser rescue, bumper boats, go-karts and more.
Ontario, Canada is home to Fantasy Fair, another indoor amusement park. Fantasy Fair is located on the second level inside Woodbine Shopping Centre. At Fantasy Fair you can take a ride on the Fantasy Fair Express, enjoy a ride on their antique carousel, or make yourself dizzy in Ships Ahoy (you control how fast you spin).
No matter which indoor amusement park you plan to go to see, make it a family adventure! If you cannot decide on the amusement park you want to visit first, then you can always visit one amusement park, and the following year you can load up the family car again to visit another amusement park. Make your family adventures an annual event and try out all the indoor amusement parks listed above.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Three 'Must-See' Places In Northern Kentucky
During my youth, Covington, KY, the city I was raised, endured a face lift much like many cities go through. The stables that used house horses at the end of Scott Street next to the Suspension Bridge have given way to the River Center buildings and the used car lot at the beginning of Madison streets has moved so that Northern Kentucky could have parking for its own convention center. Even though Covington, KY has changed its skyline to attract corporate revenue, the city has not abandoned its old world charm. In 1988, Covington adorned its historic Riverside Drive with several statues that commemorated those who have crossed the shores of the Ohio River in the past. Statues depicting John Roebling, designer of the first suspension bridge that connects Covington to Cincinnati and Simon Kenton, pioneer explorer and name sake of Kenton county, in which Covington lies, are just a few of the statues that add to Riverside Drive's historic aroma. Among these life-size representations of historic Northern Kentucky figures, the statue of James Bradley, a former slave who did who followed his life-long dream to become educated, is one of the most astonishing.
James Bradley started his life as a child in Africa. Early in his life, young James was stolen from his family and brought to the Unites States. Young James arrived in South Carolina and immediately sold to a slave handler who brought him to Pendleton County. Within several months, young James was sold to Mr. Bradley, which whom James gets his surname.
James grew up on the plantation in Pendleton County, KY and by the age of eighteen James managed the plantation. James' master decided to move his family and the plantation to Arkansas and after the move; James sought out to purchase his freedom. James worked for his master during the day and at night worked for himself, often only able to muster a few hours of sleep during the night. After the death of his master, it took James over five years of working over time, to save seven hundred dollars and purchase his freedom. Once a free man, James crossed the Ohio River at the banks of Covington, KY. It was not too long after he taught himself how to read that James was admitted into Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. Being the first African American student admitted to Lane Seminary, James was instrumental in aiding the abolitionists during the infamous Lane Debates of 1834. After the rebellion during the same year, James attended The Sheffield Institute for one year, but nothing is known of James Bradley after that.
The James Bradley Statue, created by George Danhires, is made of bronze and has the dimensions of 49"x29"x53" with a base of 28"x8'x17". The statue is placed on an actual park bench over looking the Ohio River on Riverside Drive in Covington, KY. Tourists and residents alike have taken pictures of themselves reading along side of Mr. Bradley or sitting on the park bench next to him. The pages that are in Mr. Bradley's open book are blank, but they do not symbolize the emptiness of his life, but reinforce that fact that life is like an open book waiting for the written word.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, Slavery to Freedom Museum (1807 -).
This brick townhouse, fashioned in Georgian and Federal styles, is located in Washington, KY. In 1833, when owned by Marshall Key, nephew to Chief Justice John Marshall and brother to Col. Thomas Marshall who served as a Staff Officer under George Washington, his daughter became the pupil of Harriet Beecher (Stowe) (1811-1896), author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Upon a visit, Beecher (Stowe) received the inspiration for the book's characters, "Uncle Tom" and a "Topsy". Topsy's real name was Jane who later married Isham Anderson. Behind the museum is a small brick structure, known as an "Indian Fort." The Fort helped settlers ward off Indians who often crossed the Ohio River at nearby Maysville. Included in this museum are original mantels, woodworking, floor, doors, slavery artifacts, period furnishings, slave leg irons and Civil War artifacts. This museum is included on the "Underground Railroad Tours."
RiverCenter (1990-)
Master planned as an urban redevelopment that encompassed all aspects of private and public cooperation, RiverCenter was officially proposed to the city of Covington in 1988. Opening May 1990, RiverCenter composed of an eleven acre complex which included an eighteen story office building, a two-hundred and thirty roomed Embassy Suites hotel and Covington Landing which had two floating facilities that housed restaurants, shops, entertainment activities and riverboat excursions. At the time, Covington Landing was deemed the largest floating entertainment facility on a US inland waterway. Corporex Companies Inc of Ft. Wright was commissioned to develop the on land portion of RiverCenter. BnW was commissioned to develop the floating portion. North/south oriented, RiverCenter is bound by Court St., Second St., Madison St., and the Ohio River. Champion Ice Co. building, which was on the National Register of Historic Buildings, was demolished in to make way.
James Bradley started his life as a child in Africa. Early in his life, young James was stolen from his family and brought to the Unites States. Young James arrived in South Carolina and immediately sold to a slave handler who brought him to Pendleton County. Within several months, young James was sold to Mr. Bradley, which whom James gets his surname.
James grew up on the plantation in Pendleton County, KY and by the age of eighteen James managed the plantation. James' master decided to move his family and the plantation to Arkansas and after the move; James sought out to purchase his freedom. James worked for his master during the day and at night worked for himself, often only able to muster a few hours of sleep during the night. After the death of his master, it took James over five years of working over time, to save seven hundred dollars and purchase his freedom. Once a free man, James crossed the Ohio River at the banks of Covington, KY. It was not too long after he taught himself how to read that James was admitted into Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. Being the first African American student admitted to Lane Seminary, James was instrumental in aiding the abolitionists during the infamous Lane Debates of 1834. After the rebellion during the same year, James attended The Sheffield Institute for one year, but nothing is known of James Bradley after that.
The James Bradley Statue, created by George Danhires, is made of bronze and has the dimensions of 49"x29"x53" with a base of 28"x8'x17". The statue is placed on an actual park bench over looking the Ohio River on Riverside Drive in Covington, KY. Tourists and residents alike have taken pictures of themselves reading along side of Mr. Bradley or sitting on the park bench next to him. The pages that are in Mr. Bradley's open book are blank, but they do not symbolize the emptiness of his life, but reinforce that fact that life is like an open book waiting for the written word.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, Slavery to Freedom Museum (1807 -).
This brick townhouse, fashioned in Georgian and Federal styles, is located in Washington, KY. In 1833, when owned by Marshall Key, nephew to Chief Justice John Marshall and brother to Col. Thomas Marshall who served as a Staff Officer under George Washington, his daughter became the pupil of Harriet Beecher (Stowe) (1811-1896), author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Upon a visit, Beecher (Stowe) received the inspiration for the book's characters, "Uncle Tom" and a "Topsy". Topsy's real name was Jane who later married Isham Anderson. Behind the museum is a small brick structure, known as an "Indian Fort." The Fort helped settlers ward off Indians who often crossed the Ohio River at nearby Maysville. Included in this museum are original mantels, woodworking, floor, doors, slavery artifacts, period furnishings, slave leg irons and Civil War artifacts. This museum is included on the "Underground Railroad Tours."
RiverCenter (1990-)
Master planned as an urban redevelopment that encompassed all aspects of private and public cooperation, RiverCenter was officially proposed to the city of Covington in 1988. Opening May 1990, RiverCenter composed of an eleven acre complex which included an eighteen story office building, a two-hundred and thirty roomed Embassy Suites hotel and Covington Landing which had two floating facilities that housed restaurants, shops, entertainment activities and riverboat excursions. At the time, Covington Landing was deemed the largest floating entertainment facility on a US inland waterway. Corporex Companies Inc of Ft. Wright was commissioned to develop the on land portion of RiverCenter. BnW was commissioned to develop the floating portion. North/south oriented, RiverCenter is bound by Court St., Second St., Madison St., and the Ohio River. Champion Ice Co. building, which was on the National Register of Historic Buildings, was demolished in to make way.
Food For Thought in Greater CIncinnati
In the hustle and bustle of downtown living, mornings could prove a daunting time. There are only a few short hours where most people are going to work or trying to get their children (or themselves) off to school. This is why coffee and the shops that sell them have become so very popular. This is also why coffee shops have expanded to serve much more than just your regular cup of java. Large coffee chains have added to their menus a different bevy of barista wares. This phenomenon has not been lost on the smaller, locally owned coffee corner stores. Coffee Emporium is a perfect place to find the regular cup of Joe and more. For one thing, they roast their own coffee beans and have a marinade of selections to choose from. They only have a select few that are readily available for the drink and go crowd, but you can wait a few minutes longer for whichever flavor you want.
Saturday morning is one of the better times to go because you miss the sometime hurried bustle of the downtown crowd. Along with my Grande Carmel Latte, I order a sausage, egg and cheese croissant. Again, something else that can not be found at that larger coffee store based in Seattle, Washington. Not only are the baristas very pleasant, the also know how to make a sandwich, clad with wireless internet access, I park myself on the very comfortable couch and place my lap top atop of my lap (to actually write this article) and await my order. After many pleas form me to let me come up to the counter to get my order, the workers still make every effort to walk around the large counter and bring my food out to me. All though I would love to one day try their home made soups that are from Myra's Dionysus restaurant in Clifton, I never seem to surpass that craving for their breakfast sandwiches. Stay awhile, relax with your cup of coffee and maybe you will run into a marinade of Cincinnati's who's who. Coffee Emporium has another location in Hyde Park. After my breakfast sandwich, I come to the end of my latte but still craving more. I decided to leave with a Grande Carmel Frapichino (pictured below).
Grade: A
110 East Central ParkwayHistoric Over-the-RhineDowntown Cincinnatit: 513.651.5483 Store HoursM-F 7am - 4pm
When looking for a touch of French class in Cincinnati, there are a few different places one can frequent. Un-surprisingly there are all run by the famous Jean Robert. One type of French cuisine that was assuredly left out was that of breakfast.
This changed just a few moths ago when Jean Robert branched out and scudded across the Ohio River to quaint street of Greenup Ave to open the Greenup Cafe.
This cafe on Greenup surprisingly brings a touch of Rue De Champs Elysee to this Northern Kentucky city. Its outdoor seating, a few tables in the front and the side and a larger number in the back, was a perfect compliment to a Saturday morning of next to perfect weather.
Remembering this recently opened cafe, we ventured to try the new digs. Expecting to have a wait, or at least be seated by a server, my friend and I walk inside the small service area where there were customers lined to by freshly made pasties on display. Speaking with a server, we were told that we seat ourselves, a great way to cut the tension and relax the customer. Obviously, we chose to take advantage of the summer's fall-like weather and sit outdoors in the back.
Seating ourselves, it was not long before a slight speaking server approached our table and took our drink order. That was the fastest service we would get that morning. Having ample time to look over the breakfast menu before our drinks were served, I decided to order the Omlette Medley and my friend, an order of buttermilk pancakes.
From the wait for our food to arrive, you could tell that the space between the tables was not made for the servers to quickly move from table to table. The waters and waitresses did not look rushed at all. After about 30mins (despite the great conversation with my friend and those whom I knew who happened to be there fro breakfast as well), I started to wonder if our server had forgotten our food, let alone a re fill of our drinks.
When the food finally arrived, it was well worth the wait. My Omelet medley was filled with mushrooms, tomatoes, gruyere cheese, asparagus and crème fiache, topped with parsley. I was surprised that the omelets was accompanied by home-style potatoes, cut in quarters and seasoned with a slight spicy Cajon sprinkle.
My friend was not too impressed with his pancakes, mostly due to the lack in number of the patties, but I would suggest the omelet, for sure!
308 Greenup St
Covington, KY
M-Sa
6am to 4:30
My good friends who had relocated to Ashville, NC were in town for a few days so before they left, I wanted to treat them to dinner. The last night that they were in town, we scudded across the Ohio River into Covington, KY to try our taste at Korean cuisine. Riverside Korean Restaurant, located just blocks from the Ohio River on Madison Avenue, is so named because of its close proximity to the water of both the Ohio and Licking Rivers. This small and quaint restaurant is nestled in Covington's old downtown district. Opened limited hours during lunch and dinner (as are most restaurants in this area) a reservation is not necessary at dinnertime, but they are taken and highly encouraged.
Like many other Asian cultures, it is customary to serve dinner ban-chan, a number of small dishes that we would call appetizers. These are pictured in the white bowls. The ban-chan included kimchi, dried radish, cold kimchi, cooked yams and spinach, all delightfully seasoned with authentic Korean flavor. There were six of us but because of previous visits, decided to only order 3 entrees and share among the six of us.
Surprisingly, there are a number of selections for such a small and limited restaurant. As I looked over the menu, I skipped over the grilled cow tongue decided that I wanted to chomp my bit on Corn Hen Soup cooked with Ginseng (pictured below). Our other two dishes were Korean barbecue, tweegi bulgoki and stir-fried chicken and vegetables, tak doritang.
Not too used to spicy food, it was the consensus to order all of the dishes mildly hot, which we had requested to be mildly hot, seasoned with visible flecks of hot pepper. I do have to say that there are a limited number of establishments that serve authentic Korean faire (I do believe there are only a handful in the entire Cincinnati area) but being a former Korean Linguist in the US Army and obtaining a degree in Korean Studies, after tonight's meal, I thought that I was once again in Nam Tea Buk.
Grade: A+
512 Madison Ave Covington, KY 41011-1506 (859) 291-1484
Mon-Fri 11:30am- 2:00pm Fri-Sat 5:00pm-10:30pm Sat 12:00pm- 2:00pm Sun-Thu 5:00pm- 9:30pm
Saturday morning is one of the better times to go because you miss the sometime hurried bustle of the downtown crowd. Along with my Grande Carmel Latte, I order a sausage, egg and cheese croissant. Again, something else that can not be found at that larger coffee store based in Seattle, Washington. Not only are the baristas very pleasant, the also know how to make a sandwich, clad with wireless internet access, I park myself on the very comfortable couch and place my lap top atop of my lap (to actually write this article) and await my order. After many pleas form me to let me come up to the counter to get my order, the workers still make every effort to walk around the large counter and bring my food out to me. All though I would love to one day try their home made soups that are from Myra's Dionysus restaurant in Clifton, I never seem to surpass that craving for their breakfast sandwiches. Stay awhile, relax with your cup of coffee and maybe you will run into a marinade of Cincinnati's who's who. Coffee Emporium has another location in Hyde Park. After my breakfast sandwich, I come to the end of my latte but still craving more. I decided to leave with a Grande Carmel Frapichino (pictured below).
Grade: A
110 East Central ParkwayHistoric Over-the-RhineDowntown Cincinnatit: 513.651.5483 Store HoursM-F 7am - 4pm
When looking for a touch of French class in Cincinnati, there are a few different places one can frequent. Un-surprisingly there are all run by the famous Jean Robert. One type of French cuisine that was assuredly left out was that of breakfast.
This changed just a few moths ago when Jean Robert branched out and scudded across the Ohio River to quaint street of Greenup Ave to open the Greenup Cafe.
This cafe on Greenup surprisingly brings a touch of Rue De Champs Elysee to this Northern Kentucky city. Its outdoor seating, a few tables in the front and the side and a larger number in the back, was a perfect compliment to a Saturday morning of next to perfect weather.
Remembering this recently opened cafe, we ventured to try the new digs. Expecting to have a wait, or at least be seated by a server, my friend and I walk inside the small service area where there were customers lined to by freshly made pasties on display. Speaking with a server, we were told that we seat ourselves, a great way to cut the tension and relax the customer. Obviously, we chose to take advantage of the summer's fall-like weather and sit outdoors in the back.
Seating ourselves, it was not long before a slight speaking server approached our table and took our drink order. That was the fastest service we would get that morning. Having ample time to look over the breakfast menu before our drinks were served, I decided to order the Omlette Medley and my friend, an order of buttermilk pancakes.
From the wait for our food to arrive, you could tell that the space between the tables was not made for the servers to quickly move from table to table. The waters and waitresses did not look rushed at all. After about 30mins (despite the great conversation with my friend and those whom I knew who happened to be there fro breakfast as well), I started to wonder if our server had forgotten our food, let alone a re fill of our drinks.
When the food finally arrived, it was well worth the wait. My Omelet medley was filled with mushrooms, tomatoes, gruyere cheese, asparagus and crème fiache, topped with parsley. I was surprised that the omelets was accompanied by home-style potatoes, cut in quarters and seasoned with a slight spicy Cajon sprinkle.
My friend was not too impressed with his pancakes, mostly due to the lack in number of the patties, but I would suggest the omelet, for sure!
308 Greenup St
Covington, KY
M-Sa
6am to 4:30
My good friends who had relocated to Ashville, NC were in town for a few days so before they left, I wanted to treat them to dinner. The last night that they were in town, we scudded across the Ohio River into Covington, KY to try our taste at Korean cuisine. Riverside Korean Restaurant, located just blocks from the Ohio River on Madison Avenue, is so named because of its close proximity to the water of both the Ohio and Licking Rivers. This small and quaint restaurant is nestled in Covington's old downtown district. Opened limited hours during lunch and dinner (as are most restaurants in this area) a reservation is not necessary at dinnertime, but they are taken and highly encouraged.
Like many other Asian cultures, it is customary to serve dinner ban-chan, a number of small dishes that we would call appetizers. These are pictured in the white bowls. The ban-chan included kimchi, dried radish, cold kimchi, cooked yams and spinach, all delightfully seasoned with authentic Korean flavor. There were six of us but because of previous visits, decided to only order 3 entrees and share among the six of us.
Surprisingly, there are a number of selections for such a small and limited restaurant. As I looked over the menu, I skipped over the grilled cow tongue decided that I wanted to chomp my bit on Corn Hen Soup cooked with Ginseng (pictured below). Our other two dishes were Korean barbecue, tweegi bulgoki and stir-fried chicken and vegetables, tak doritang.
Not too used to spicy food, it was the consensus to order all of the dishes mildly hot, which we had requested to be mildly hot, seasoned with visible flecks of hot pepper. I do have to say that there are a limited number of establishments that serve authentic Korean faire (I do believe there are only a handful in the entire Cincinnati area) but being a former Korean Linguist in the US Army and obtaining a degree in Korean Studies, after tonight's meal, I thought that I was once again in Nam Tea Buk.
Grade: A+
512 Madison Ave Covington, KY 41011-1506 (859) 291-1484
Mon-Fri 11:30am- 2:00pm Fri-Sat 5:00pm-10:30pm Sat 12:00pm- 2:00pm Sun-Thu 5:00pm- 9:30pm
Vacationing at the Jersey Shore
If you're planning a trip to the New Jersey shore, there are several things to consider. Because there are so many beach towns, you should do your research ahead of time. If you're looking for a quiet seaside town, you may want to vacation in a small town like Avalon. If you want to be closer to the action and excitement, Wildwood or Atlantic City may be more your speed. If you want to see historic sites, consider Cape May. Luckily, no matter where you stay at the shore, you will likely be within 45 minutes of most any other town. On my family's recent trip to Avalon, we made several day trips to some of Jerseys other seashore towns.
Avalon. Avalon is a quiet town. If you're going strictly for the beach, it's wonderful. With nary a boardwalk in sight (there is a very small "boardwalk" with a small arcade and an ice cream shop-- that's pretty much it). Avalon is still my favorite place for a family-style vacation. This summer they had free movies on the beach every Tuesday night. Restaurant stop: Tortilla Flats, for some authentic Mexican food.
Stone Harbor. Stone Harbor is a charming town, with some great little shops. I stepped into a Christmas shop in July! There are also some great restaurants, including Henny's, which is a Stone Harbor tradition. Restaurant stop: Henny's-- and check out the early bird specials if you like to eat before 5.
Sea Isle City. Sea Isle offers bicycle rentals on their boardwalk. We rented a big carriage style pedal bike for my husband and I and our two kids. Very fun indeed! Restaurant stop: JR's Chicken & Ribs
Ocean City. If you're looking for a boardwalk, OC's is one of the best. Look for the guy that makes the huge sand sculptures. Restaurant stop: Cousins, for Italian food.
Wildwood. Wildwood also has a great boardwalk, featuring Morey's Piers. There are also arcades, old fashioned photo studios, games and tons of places to eat and buy fudge and salt water taffy. The boardwalk tends to be less crowded during the afternoon hours, so if you have young children who want to go on the rides, this is the best time to go. Restaurant stop: Menz Restaurant--check out the cool artifacts throughout the restaurant!
Cape May. Cape May is a great day trip if you're down at the shore. Look for the old lighthouse. There's also great shopping. Best of all, Cape May has a large zoo, The Cape May County park and Zoo, which is free. We took our kids there and they had a great time. Also, take a cruise on the Cape May- Lewes ferry. Restaurant stop: the Mad Batter, for a delicious breakfast.
Atlantic City. Known as the home of the East Coast's casinos, AC has a lot more to offer. If you want to check out the casinos, try the new Borgata, which is elegant and sleek. Atlantic City also has plenty of things for the kids to do-- just 10 miles west of AC is the famed Storybook Land, which is a story-themed amusement park. Restaurant stop: Cuba Libre, inside the Tropicana Hotel and Casino, for awesome Havana style food and drinks (it's a rum bar).
There are so many more Jersey shore towns-- many, many that I have never been to. But I've heard great things about Long Beach Island (not to be confused with New York's Long Island), Sandy Hook, Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant beach.
Wherever you decide to stay, make sure to take advantage of all of the fun things you can do at the Jersey shore--from renting a jet ski to going to the top of a lighthouse to taking a walk on the boardwalk for ice cream. If you have kids, make at least one stop at a water park or amusement park-- and don't forget to play a round of miniature golf (miniature golf places are all over the place at the shore). And remember, when all is said and done, nothing is better than taking an early morning walk on the beach. Get up as early as you can and take a stroll with only the seagulls-- and maybe a few fisherman-- as your company.
Avalon. Avalon is a quiet town. If you're going strictly for the beach, it's wonderful. With nary a boardwalk in sight (there is a very small "boardwalk" with a small arcade and an ice cream shop-- that's pretty much it). Avalon is still my favorite place for a family-style vacation. This summer they had free movies on the beach every Tuesday night. Restaurant stop: Tortilla Flats, for some authentic Mexican food.
Stone Harbor. Stone Harbor is a charming town, with some great little shops. I stepped into a Christmas shop in July! There are also some great restaurants, including Henny's, which is a Stone Harbor tradition. Restaurant stop: Henny's-- and check out the early bird specials if you like to eat before 5.
Sea Isle City. Sea Isle offers bicycle rentals on their boardwalk. We rented a big carriage style pedal bike for my husband and I and our two kids. Very fun indeed! Restaurant stop: JR's Chicken & Ribs
Ocean City. If you're looking for a boardwalk, OC's is one of the best. Look for the guy that makes the huge sand sculptures. Restaurant stop: Cousins, for Italian food.
Wildwood. Wildwood also has a great boardwalk, featuring Morey's Piers. There are also arcades, old fashioned photo studios, games and tons of places to eat and buy fudge and salt water taffy. The boardwalk tends to be less crowded during the afternoon hours, so if you have young children who want to go on the rides, this is the best time to go. Restaurant stop: Menz Restaurant--check out the cool artifacts throughout the restaurant!
Cape May. Cape May is a great day trip if you're down at the shore. Look for the old lighthouse. There's also great shopping. Best of all, Cape May has a large zoo, The Cape May County park and Zoo, which is free. We took our kids there and they had a great time. Also, take a cruise on the Cape May- Lewes ferry. Restaurant stop: the Mad Batter, for a delicious breakfast.
Atlantic City. Known as the home of the East Coast's casinos, AC has a lot more to offer. If you want to check out the casinos, try the new Borgata, which is elegant and sleek. Atlantic City also has plenty of things for the kids to do-- just 10 miles west of AC is the famed Storybook Land, which is a story-themed amusement park. Restaurant stop: Cuba Libre, inside the Tropicana Hotel and Casino, for awesome Havana style food and drinks (it's a rum bar).
There are so many more Jersey shore towns-- many, many that I have never been to. But I've heard great things about Long Beach Island (not to be confused with New York's Long Island), Sandy Hook, Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant beach.
Wherever you decide to stay, make sure to take advantage of all of the fun things you can do at the Jersey shore--from renting a jet ski to going to the top of a lighthouse to taking a walk on the boardwalk for ice cream. If you have kids, make at least one stop at a water park or amusement park-- and don't forget to play a round of miniature golf (miniature golf places are all over the place at the shore). And remember, when all is said and done, nothing is better than taking an early morning walk on the beach. Get up as early as you can and take a stroll with only the seagulls-- and maybe a few fisherman-- as your company.
Close to Home Labor Day Weekend Getaways
By Christina VanGinkel
With Labor Day weekend only a few days away, deciding on a destination for a weekend getaway might seem like it is too late to accomplish, but it is not. If you do not want to travel far, especially if you will be getting to any destination you choose by driving, consider some of the many options open to last minute travel on the long weekend. While you might think many locales would have no openings available late in the season, with many colleges and schools now starting before what was once the traditional step up to the school year, you can often find openings for getaways that at one time would have been booked solid long before the holiday weekend.
County fairs are happening in all sorts of communities at this time of year. If one is within driving distance to you, make it a day trip or even an overnighter. Fairs often have a variety of fast foods, games, amusement rides, and down home attractions such as beef sales and horseshows. Stock racing is increasingly becoming popular at fairs, so if you are a fan, you might even be able to take in a race or two.
Camping is always a great way to spend Labor Day weekend. Check with local or not too distant campgrounds to see if any spaces are available. Whether you are camping roughing it style with a tent and not much more, or you have a camper and want to set up camp at a location that has electricity and running water, a three day weekend is a perfect time span for a quick camping outing. Go on a hike, get in some geocaching, grill out, sit under the stars and stargaze, roast marshmallows around a campfire, in general just spend the time relaxing once camp is set up.
If you happen to have a Bed and Breakfast close by, consider checking in for the weekend. Maybe you have always wanted to check it out, but figured taking a vacation so close to home was not really a vacation, but if you would really like to spend the time relaxing, what better way than to save your sanity by not spending it traveling. Once you have stayed there and checked it out personally, you can also give first hand recommendations to out of town guests.
Check into a spa. With three days to spend there, you can actually get into the relaxing part of the stay that you may not have the time to accomplish with just a conventional two-day weekend. Book a full body massage, a pedicure, and a facial. With three days to fill, you can take part in many more treatments and activities than you would think possible.
Is there an attraction close to where you live that you have always thought you might like to try, but you never seem to have time to check it out? A hot air balloon ride, a river rafting excursion, paragliding or hang gliding, or how about a beginner's set of lessons on a hobby such as surfing or scuba diving are all choice options for the long weekend. Check with a local travel agency to find out what might be available this late in the season. Last minute bookings can be a bonus both ways. The travel agent gets to fill otherwise empty spots and you might even discover a bargain or two amidst the late holiday season.
Shopping might not be everybody's idea of a vacation, but with malls and stores everywhere offering up sales on Labor Day weekend, if you enjoy shopping, the three-day weekend might be your dream come true. Maybe you have always wanted to check out a large mall that is a few hours away, but figured that by the time you arrived on a Saturday and would have to head home on Sunday that it was just not worth the drive. With Monday added to the queue, you can be assured you will have plenty of time to hit all of the stores you want. Be sure to call ahead to arrange lodging, and plan to check out a few of the local eateries to round out the weekend.
If you want to spend Labor Day weekend taking a mini vacation or occupied doing something you have always dreams about, it is not too late. Pick up the phone and make a few calls, and spend the weekend having fun instead of home thinking about all the places you might have gone or excursions you might have enjoyed!
With Labor Day weekend only a few days away, deciding on a destination for a weekend getaway might seem like it is too late to accomplish, but it is not. If you do not want to travel far, especially if you will be getting to any destination you choose by driving, consider some of the many options open to last minute travel on the long weekend. While you might think many locales would have no openings available late in the season, with many colleges and schools now starting before what was once the traditional step up to the school year, you can often find openings for getaways that at one time would have been booked solid long before the holiday weekend.
County fairs are happening in all sorts of communities at this time of year. If one is within driving distance to you, make it a day trip or even an overnighter. Fairs often have a variety of fast foods, games, amusement rides, and down home attractions such as beef sales and horseshows. Stock racing is increasingly becoming popular at fairs, so if you are a fan, you might even be able to take in a race or two.
Camping is always a great way to spend Labor Day weekend. Check with local or not too distant campgrounds to see if any spaces are available. Whether you are camping roughing it style with a tent and not much more, or you have a camper and want to set up camp at a location that has electricity and running water, a three day weekend is a perfect time span for a quick camping outing. Go on a hike, get in some geocaching, grill out, sit under the stars and stargaze, roast marshmallows around a campfire, in general just spend the time relaxing once camp is set up.
If you happen to have a Bed and Breakfast close by, consider checking in for the weekend. Maybe you have always wanted to check it out, but figured taking a vacation so close to home was not really a vacation, but if you would really like to spend the time relaxing, what better way than to save your sanity by not spending it traveling. Once you have stayed there and checked it out personally, you can also give first hand recommendations to out of town guests.
Check into a spa. With three days to spend there, you can actually get into the relaxing part of the stay that you may not have the time to accomplish with just a conventional two-day weekend. Book a full body massage, a pedicure, and a facial. With three days to fill, you can take part in many more treatments and activities than you would think possible.
Is there an attraction close to where you live that you have always thought you might like to try, but you never seem to have time to check it out? A hot air balloon ride, a river rafting excursion, paragliding or hang gliding, or how about a beginner's set of lessons on a hobby such as surfing or scuba diving are all choice options for the long weekend. Check with a local travel agency to find out what might be available this late in the season. Last minute bookings can be a bonus both ways. The travel agent gets to fill otherwise empty spots and you might even discover a bargain or two amidst the late holiday season.
Shopping might not be everybody's idea of a vacation, but with malls and stores everywhere offering up sales on Labor Day weekend, if you enjoy shopping, the three-day weekend might be your dream come true. Maybe you have always wanted to check out a large mall that is a few hours away, but figured that by the time you arrived on a Saturday and would have to head home on Sunday that it was just not worth the drive. With Monday added to the queue, you can be assured you will have plenty of time to hit all of the stores you want. Be sure to call ahead to arrange lodging, and plan to check out a few of the local eateries to round out the weekend.
If you want to spend Labor Day weekend taking a mini vacation or occupied doing something you have always dreams about, it is not too late. Pick up the phone and make a few calls, and spend the weekend having fun instead of home thinking about all the places you might have gone or excursions you might have enjoyed!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Historic Quebec City
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada is located on the St. Lawrence Seaway in the southern part of the province of Quebec and has enjoyed its place in Canada for many years. Quebec City is one of North America's oldest cities and in 2008, the city will be celebrating its 400th birthday, so if you don't have the time to visit now, plan to come in '08. There is so much to see and do in a city that is steeped with so much history.
The old part of the city is lined with narrow streets. Some of these streets are so narrow that a car complete with mirrors will just fit through with mere inches to spare on either side (then you will hit sidewalks and buildings). But don't let that deter you from coming to see Quebec City. It is worth the trouble, believe me!
Besides history being a focal point, you will also find all amenities that are typical in any large city. From great motels to great restaurants there is no shortage of places to eat and stay while in the city.
Since Quebec City is almost 400 years old, you would expect to see history come alive in its architecture. And you would be correct in that assumption. Architecture built from as long ago as the city's earliest beginnings and up to the present, following the styles of the particular time in history they were built. Military has played a large part in Quebec City's history as well. The area played a large part in the War of 1812 and you will find the city has fortresses and battle fields. One battle field is called "The Plains of Abraham" and is the site of one of the war's famous battles and where Generals James Wolfe and Louis-Joseph de Montcalm were fatally injured during the battle.
Religion has played a large part in the history of Quebec City as well. Founded by Catholic missionaries, the area and in fact the whole province has remained largely Catholic throughout the years. There are many an old basilicas and churches that are interesting sites to see. One of the most famous of these is The Notre-Dame-de-Quebec-Basilica-Cathedral which features several impressive pieces of art that have to be appreciated in person. Of course, there are many parks and other museums that you will want to make time to see while you are visiting the city.
The Chateau Frontenac is supposedly one of the most photographed buildings in the world. Located on bluffs over looking the St. Lawrence River and more than one hundred years old, it stands as a window to the past, present and even the future. Containing a beautiful hotel and fabulous restaurants, the building also offers daily guided tours and should be at the top of your list to visit while in Quebec City.
Strolling throughout the many quaint streets of the city can be a treat in itself. No matter if you are looking for gourmet food or chocolatiers or fashionable boutiques or handcraft stalls or art galleries, Quebec City is for you. You will find over one thousand boutiques throughout the streets and malls.
Quebec City is known for its European flavour and is mostly French speaking (Montreal has more English speakers than Quebec Citydoes), though in saying that, with tourists and the many tours that are run to the historic sites, quite a bit of English is spoken there. It might not hurt to pick up a few French phrases that will be helpful, such as 'Parlez-vous Anglais?' (Do you speak English?) 'Ou Sont Les Toilettes?' (where is the bathroom) are some of the more important phrases you will want to pick up. You might even want to invest in a French/English phrase book. But there are tours that are often given in Spanish, Japanese and German besides English due to the influx of tourists that come to the city on a regular basis, so English should really be a problem. However, if you travel into rural Quebec, keep in mind that French is the main language spoken.
What to bring with you on your trip will depend on the time of year you come and visit. In the winter you will want to bring boots, mittens, a hat and a scarf because of the winter temperatures that are usually slightly below zero and snow is evident on the ground. In the summer you will want to dress comfortably for humid weather and bring comfortable sandals. In the spring and the fall, layers work best because as the day heats up, you can remove a layer.
No matter what you come to Quebec City for a romantic get-away for two, a business trip or a family vacation, you will enjoy the sights and sounds and surroundings are you spend your time in fabulous Quebec City.
The old part of the city is lined with narrow streets. Some of these streets are so narrow that a car complete with mirrors will just fit through with mere inches to spare on either side (then you will hit sidewalks and buildings). But don't let that deter you from coming to see Quebec City. It is worth the trouble, believe me!
Besides history being a focal point, you will also find all amenities that are typical in any large city. From great motels to great restaurants there is no shortage of places to eat and stay while in the city.
Since Quebec City is almost 400 years old, you would expect to see history come alive in its architecture. And you would be correct in that assumption. Architecture built from as long ago as the city's earliest beginnings and up to the present, following the styles of the particular time in history they were built. Military has played a large part in Quebec City's history as well. The area played a large part in the War of 1812 and you will find the city has fortresses and battle fields. One battle field is called "The Plains of Abraham" and is the site of one of the war's famous battles and where Generals James Wolfe and Louis-Joseph de Montcalm were fatally injured during the battle.
Religion has played a large part in the history of Quebec City as well. Founded by Catholic missionaries, the area and in fact the whole province has remained largely Catholic throughout the years. There are many an old basilicas and churches that are interesting sites to see. One of the most famous of these is The Notre-Dame-de-Quebec-Basilica-Cathedral which features several impressive pieces of art that have to be appreciated in person. Of course, there are many parks and other museums that you will want to make time to see while you are visiting the city.
The Chateau Frontenac is supposedly one of the most photographed buildings in the world. Located on bluffs over looking the St. Lawrence River and more than one hundred years old, it stands as a window to the past, present and even the future. Containing a beautiful hotel and fabulous restaurants, the building also offers daily guided tours and should be at the top of your list to visit while in Quebec City.
Strolling throughout the many quaint streets of the city can be a treat in itself. No matter if you are looking for gourmet food or chocolatiers or fashionable boutiques or handcraft stalls or art galleries, Quebec City is for you. You will find over one thousand boutiques throughout the streets and malls.
Quebec City is known for its European flavour and is mostly French speaking (Montreal has more English speakers than Quebec Citydoes), though in saying that, with tourists and the many tours that are run to the historic sites, quite a bit of English is spoken there. It might not hurt to pick up a few French phrases that will be helpful, such as 'Parlez-vous Anglais?' (Do you speak English?) 'Ou Sont Les Toilettes?' (where is the bathroom) are some of the more important phrases you will want to pick up. You might even want to invest in a French/English phrase book. But there are tours that are often given in Spanish, Japanese and German besides English due to the influx of tourists that come to the city on a regular basis, so English should really be a problem. However, if you travel into rural Quebec, keep in mind that French is the main language spoken.
What to bring with you on your trip will depend on the time of year you come and visit. In the winter you will want to bring boots, mittens, a hat and a scarf because of the winter temperatures that are usually slightly below zero and snow is evident on the ground. In the summer you will want to dress comfortably for humid weather and bring comfortable sandals. In the spring and the fall, layers work best because as the day heats up, you can remove a layer.
No matter what you come to Quebec City for a romantic get-away for two, a business trip or a family vacation, you will enjoy the sights and sounds and surroundings are you spend your time in fabulous Quebec City.
What's Gay In Cincinnati
Traditionally, Cincinnati has been the gateway to the liberal north and away from the Confederacy of the South for many who were trying to run away from the enslaving conditions. Despite its now conservative values, there are many gay and lesbian travelers who find solace in the small city appeal, and big city attractions that Cincinnati has to offer.
Pleasantly nestled on the banks of the Ohio River, downtown Cincinnati is surrounded by seven hills that add to its solace location.
How to get here
With the ever-increasing cost of travel, Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, located in the northern Kentucky city of Florence, may be one of the most expensive airports to travel in and out of, but its close proximity to the city and easy access to the city makes the flight well worth the price. If you are looking for a less expensive way of travel, Greyhound Bus terminal is located directly downtown Cincinnati, within walking distance of area hotels and hotspot. Megabus is yet another way of getting to and from Cincinnati, but only available if you are traveling from another city located in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois' adjoining states.
http://www.cvgairport.com/
http://www.greyhound.com/
http://www.megabus.com/
Where to stay
When thinking about where to stay in any vacation, you want to make sure that you find a place that is in close proximity to everything that you want to do, is safe, and most importantly, is inexpensive. Extended Stay has several locations through out the Greater Cincinnati area, but has a prime spot, located on the south shores of the Ohio River in Covington, KY. If you want to stay cozened up in a national chained hotel, but want to experience a hotel stay unique to the area, try the Radisson, also in Covington, KY. Its cylindrical shaped hotel is topped with a circler; revolving restaurant that will give you an experience that you are not soon to forget. If class is what you looking for, make sure you check in to the Netherland Plaza Hotel, located downtown Cincinnati. This luxury hotel is bellied up next to a fine, indoor, downtown shopping mall. Both are house in the Carew Tower, Cincinnati's tallest building.
http://www.extendedstayhotels.com/
http://www.radisson.com/
http://glass.typepad.com/journal/2005/03/omni_netherland.html
Where to Eat
For the most part, there are not any specifically gay themed hotels to stay in Cincinnati. I am not sure if the city is ready for something like that. On the other hand, the city has opened it s hearts and arms to eating establishments where you can really show your rainbow colors. Universal Grill (formally Hamburger Mary's), boasts having the best Karaoke in the city and along with its tropical hamburgers coupled with Friday evening cabaret, by the time you leave you will definitely be screaming for a flying pig! If you do not want to brave the crowds, the noise and the hot bois that frequent this newly renovated watering whole, head just a few blocks east to Union Station and watch one of their several big screen televisions or play trivia. If you stay the weekend are not too hung over from the night before, make it to Bella for Sunday brunch. An upscale establishment that is not accompanied by the snootiness, the Sunday brunch that you have here will rival some of the best in the city, with out breaking what's left of your pocketbook.
http://www.cincinnatiusa.com/Dining/detail.asp?RestID=7566
http://www.bellacincinnati.com/contact_index.html
Where to site see
Depending on what you want to see, you may decided to forgo the usually touristy sites and, depending on if it is near the holidays, make it up one of the seven hills of Cincinnati to Clifton and spend some time grazing on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Its newly renovated Tangeman Hall, Main Street attractions and sports complex draws in college boys from all over the area to run shirtless on the outdoor track and practice their backstroke in the Olympic size swimming pool. If you are looking for an older and more sophisticated sort of eye candy to suckle on, your best bet is to tread your way through majesticique Eden Park and take a stroll through the Cincinnati Art Museum. There you can find works of art by some of the area's greatest artists, to include Frank Duvenek. If you are not worried about looking at some of the most spectacular bodies in the Greater Cincinnati area and have your sites set on more natural phenomenon, take a wake to the top of the Purple People Bridge. That way, your eyes will be filled with more that just last night's escapade.
http://www.uc.edu/
http://cincinnatiartmuseum.org/
http://www.purplepeoplebridgeclimb.com/
Where to play
Its too late to lay by the pool, but if you are gearing up for next summer's trip to Cincinnati, make sure you make it to Adonis Night club, where the pool is open during the summer. Here is where you can baste your eyes on a bevy of bronzing Betties while sipping a margarita, poolside. If you a bit shy, you can also head to The Dock, located in the packing district along side the Ohio River. The not so populated evenings make for great cruising grounds. If an older, more mature crowd is what you are looking for, head up to the Gaslight District and take in one of the campiest drag shows at the oldest gay establishment still in operation. Golden Lions is you can feel like a hometown Joe without pretending that you are looking for a G.I. one.
http://adonisthenightclub.com/
http://thedockcomplex.com/
Pleasantly nestled on the banks of the Ohio River, downtown Cincinnati is surrounded by seven hills that add to its solace location.
How to get here
With the ever-increasing cost of travel, Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, located in the northern Kentucky city of Florence, may be one of the most expensive airports to travel in and out of, but its close proximity to the city and easy access to the city makes the flight well worth the price. If you are looking for a less expensive way of travel, Greyhound Bus terminal is located directly downtown Cincinnati, within walking distance of area hotels and hotspot. Megabus is yet another way of getting to and from Cincinnati, but only available if you are traveling from another city located in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois' adjoining states.
http://www.cvgairport.com/
http://www.greyhound.com/
http://www.megabus.com/
Where to stay
When thinking about where to stay in any vacation, you want to make sure that you find a place that is in close proximity to everything that you want to do, is safe, and most importantly, is inexpensive. Extended Stay has several locations through out the Greater Cincinnati area, but has a prime spot, located on the south shores of the Ohio River in Covington, KY. If you want to stay cozened up in a national chained hotel, but want to experience a hotel stay unique to the area, try the Radisson, also in Covington, KY. Its cylindrical shaped hotel is topped with a circler; revolving restaurant that will give you an experience that you are not soon to forget. If class is what you looking for, make sure you check in to the Netherland Plaza Hotel, located downtown Cincinnati. This luxury hotel is bellied up next to a fine, indoor, downtown shopping mall. Both are house in the Carew Tower, Cincinnati's tallest building.
http://www.extendedstayhotels.com/
http://www.radisson.com/
http://glass.typepad.com/journal/2005/03/omni_netherland.html
Where to Eat
For the most part, there are not any specifically gay themed hotels to stay in Cincinnati. I am not sure if the city is ready for something like that. On the other hand, the city has opened it s hearts and arms to eating establishments where you can really show your rainbow colors. Universal Grill (formally Hamburger Mary's), boasts having the best Karaoke in the city and along with its tropical hamburgers coupled with Friday evening cabaret, by the time you leave you will definitely be screaming for a flying pig! If you do not want to brave the crowds, the noise and the hot bois that frequent this newly renovated watering whole, head just a few blocks east to Union Station and watch one of their several big screen televisions or play trivia. If you stay the weekend are not too hung over from the night before, make it to Bella for Sunday brunch. An upscale establishment that is not accompanied by the snootiness, the Sunday brunch that you have here will rival some of the best in the city, with out breaking what's left of your pocketbook.
http://www.cincinnatiusa.com/Dining/detail.asp?RestID=7566
http://www.bellacincinnati.com/contact_index.html
Where to site see
Depending on what you want to see, you may decided to forgo the usually touristy sites and, depending on if it is near the holidays, make it up one of the seven hills of Cincinnati to Clifton and spend some time grazing on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Its newly renovated Tangeman Hall, Main Street attractions and sports complex draws in college boys from all over the area to run shirtless on the outdoor track and practice their backstroke in the Olympic size swimming pool. If you are looking for an older and more sophisticated sort of eye candy to suckle on, your best bet is to tread your way through majesticique Eden Park and take a stroll through the Cincinnati Art Museum. There you can find works of art by some of the area's greatest artists, to include Frank Duvenek. If you are not worried about looking at some of the most spectacular bodies in the Greater Cincinnati area and have your sites set on more natural phenomenon, take a wake to the top of the Purple People Bridge. That way, your eyes will be filled with more that just last night's escapade.
http://www.uc.edu/
http://cincinnatiartmuseum.org/
http://www.purplepeoplebridgeclimb.com/
Where to play
Its too late to lay by the pool, but if you are gearing up for next summer's trip to Cincinnati, make sure you make it to Adonis Night club, where the pool is open during the summer. Here is where you can baste your eyes on a bevy of bronzing Betties while sipping a margarita, poolside. If you a bit shy, you can also head to The Dock, located in the packing district along side the Ohio River. The not so populated evenings make for great cruising grounds. If an older, more mature crowd is what you are looking for, head up to the Gaslight District and take in one of the campiest drag shows at the oldest gay establishment still in operation. Golden Lions is you can feel like a hometown Joe without pretending that you are looking for a G.I. one.
http://adonisthenightclub.com/
http://thedockcomplex.com/
NEVADA: A VACATION WONDERLAND
I love Nevada!
If you tour Nevada, you will find that it contains an abundance of other sites and sounds just as exciting as the casinos and shows on the Las Vegas Strip. The Sagebrush State is more than Las Vegas, magic, showgirls and gambling, although there is plenty of glitz and glamour to enjoy in all that. Nevada is also the home of the London Bridge, Area 51, atomic testing history, The Star Trek Experience and the Pony Express!
In fact, the top 10 Cities visited in Nevada each year are these:
Top 10 Cities in Nevada
THE PONY EXPRESS LANDS
Among the beautiful desert country lays a particularly interesting spot near its center. The Pony Express region of Nevada stretches across US Route 50, tracing the historic Pony Express route that extended from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California in the early 1860s. Some of my ancestors from Ireland and Scotland traveled this stretch of land to arrive in California at about the time of the Pony Express, and they were witness to its magic. This a region both reminiscent of the 19th century and firmly rooted the future, and the Pony Express will never die here.
Only a few towns exist now along US 50, called “The Loneliest Road in America” by the media. Lonely motorists and folks who leave the frenetic pace of the big city both are lulled by the tranquility in the magnificent peace of the desert. Pony Express lands are full of undisturbed natural creations and historic mining towns that you will enjoy. Going from east to west the next stop on US 50 is Great Basin National Park. Filled with giant bristlecone pines that grow only at elevations over 10,000 feet above sea level, these forests live up to 4,000 years. There are hiking trails leading to alpine lakes and Nevadan mountain tops worth seeing. Lehman Caves in the park displays stalactites and stalagmites that have been developed over several thousand years, perhaps as old as the earth itself. The town of Baker, five miles east of the park, welcomes you with several restaurants, a motel and a gas station.
About an hour northwest of Great Basin is Ely, an old copper mine town that makes a good base camp for trips to local recreation areas and historical sites. Ely has several restaurants, hotels and RV camp spaces, with murals that bring you up close to Nevada’s history. The Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely includes the rail yards and shops of the Nevada Northern Railway, a short line that ran for almost 80 years from 1906 to 1986. We wish it were still running today. The refurbished train depot includes a museum, a gift shop and rides on “The Ghost Train of Old Ely.” This would be great for those of you who love Halloween activities and steam engines. There is even the opportunity to drive a locomotive on a trip up the narrow mountain canyon. Exciting!
Seventy-eight miles to the west is Eureka, a 19th-century mining town founded in 1864. It still has many of its original buildings, including the Eureka Courthouse, opened in 1880. Across the way sits the Eureka Opera House, a renovated building that is now a convention and performing arts center. The Eureka Sentinel Museum displays local history and features the press equipment used to produce the town newspaper for 90 years from 1870 - 1960.
To the west is Austin, another mining camp. Silver was discovered in Austin, Nevada in 1862 and within a few years, Austin was the second largest community in the state. Don’t miss the three historic churches: St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, built in 1866; the Methodist Church, also 1866; and St. George’s Episcopal Church, 1878. Austin and the nearby Toiyabe, Toquima, and Hot Creek mountain ranges are popular with mountain bikers.
On the way west from Austin to Fallon, Sand Mountain is a two-mile-long, 600-foot-high sand dune that attracts dune buggies, dirt bikers and sand skiers. The Sand Mountain Pony Express Station is just south of the dune, a large rock enclosure used by Pony Express riders 150 years ago. Further west on US 50 is the Grimes Point Archeological Site and interpretive signs guide you along a trail lined with petroglyphs, which are the rock drawings made by Native American peoples living there from 5,000 B.C and 1,500 A.D.
MORE PONY EXPRESS LANDS ATTRACTIONS
BHP Mining Tours
Enjoy a mining video, guided tour of the mill and operations in the pit from an overlook; seven miles west of Ely on US 50. Call 775-289-7000; or P.O. Box 382, Ruth 89319. Hours: Call for hours and reservations. Year-round Admission: FREE.
McGill Drugstore
Explore the inventory of 50s and 60s memorabilia plus a working 1930 vintage soda fountain. Call 775-235-7082, 11 Fourth St., P. O. Box 757, McGill 89318. Hours: Call for information. Year-round Admission: FREE.
Eureka Opera House
Built in 1880, restored in 1994. Original 1924 hand-painted stage curtain. Unique historic experience. Information: 775-237-6006; P.O. Box 284, Eureka 89316. Hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri. Year-round except state holidays. Admission: FREE.
Eureka Sentinel Museum
In the old Eureka Sentinel building, site of the town's longest running newspaper, museum displays artifacts from 1870s lead and silver mining era. Information: 775-237-5010; P.O. Box 284, Eureka 89316. Hours: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Apr.-Sep., daily; Oct.-Mar., Tue.-Sat. Admission: Donation.
Nevada has my favorite! – Native American Indian Country.
Thousands of years ago, Lake Lahontan, an ancient inland sea covering parts of Northern Nevada and Utah, was full of fish while the land was roamed by mammoth, bison, antelope, deer and big cats. While ancient American peoples left few artifacts, they did create petroglyphs, the rock writings found throughout Nevada and the Western United States today. The etchings show a variety of designs and stick figures, big horned sheep, lizards, and other animals.
At Grimes Point east of Fallon on US 50, there are some very good petroglyphs. They can also be found at Valley of Fire State Park. As Nevada grew dry in the past, larger animals went extinct and the Native Great Basin Peoples adapted to the changes. Lake Lahontan receded and became two small lakes, Pyramid and Walker. The shores were called home by the Northern Paiute. To the South, the Southern Paiutes lived near Las Vegas Valley and the tributaries of the Colorado River. Other tribes, including Western Shoshone and Washo, settled in the mountains.
The descendents of the original Native Peoples continue to occupy their ancestral lands. Pyramid Lake north of Reno is on the Northern Paiute Indian reservation. Pyramid Lake Rd. (State Rt. 445) is a National Scenic Byway, the only federal scenic byway entirely on an Indian reservation. Pyramid Lake has some of the best fishing in Nevada and Pyramid Lake Visitor Center houses a great museum of natural history and Native culture.
Parts of Walker Lake and the town of Schurz are on Walker Lake Indian Reservation to the south. The Lake offers trophy fishing, dramatic desert landscapes, and wide-open spaces. Native tribes have been in Nevada for many thousands of years, but were preceded by a culture known as the “Anasazi” or ancient ones. These people built elaborate adobe villages along the Muddy and Virgin rivers. Today, you can visit the Lost City Museum in Overton, with Anasazi artifacts and adobe buildings and pit houses. The Nevada State Museum in Carson City has a large display of Native Nevadan artifacts and the Stewart Indian Cultural Center, south of Carson City, was a federal boarding school for Indians up until recently in 1980. Today, it is a museum for the school.
Nevada’s Native American nations are involved today in many profitable businesses, from Native American traditional crafts to golf ranges to smoke shops, tobacco being a specialty. The Las Vegas Paiute Resort, owned and operated by the Southern Paiute Nation, includes two championship golf courses just 20 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
MORE NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN SITES TO SEE
Humboldt Museum
Three turn-of-the-century buildings with antique autos, farm collection and Native American exhibits. Information: 775-623-2912; Jungo Rd. and Maple Ave., P.O. Box 819, Winnemucca 89446. Hours: 10:00 a.m.-noon and 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri.; 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Sat. Year-round except major holidays. Admission: Donation
Pershing County Marzen House Museum
An 1874 two-story house, mining equipment, home fixtures, Native American artifacts, Indian Cave exhibit. Information: 775-273-2115; 25 Marzen Ln., P.O. Box 212, Lovelock 89419. Hours: 9:00 a.m.-l:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri., Nov.-Apr.; 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Year-round Admission: Donation.
The Eagle's Nest
Panoramic vistas of the Ruby Mts., wagon/sleigh rides, barbeques, studio/gallery featuring Western art and memorabilia. Information: 702-744-7370; JC 30-449 Box 4, Elko 89801. Year-round Admission: Call for rates; reservations required.
Grapevine Canyon
Seven miles west of Laughlin, ancient Native American petroglyphs above the springs. Information: 702-298-3321; 800-452-8445; c/o Laughlin Visitors Bureau, 1555 S. Casino Dr., P.O. Box 502, Laughlin 89029.
Rainbow Canyon
Self-guided tour with map, petroglyphs, geologic features; allow at least two hours. Information: 775-726-8100; Bureau of Land Management, Caliente Field Station, U.S. Hwy. 93, P.O. Box 237, Caliente 89008.
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Wetland oasis supports rare fish, plants, native wildlife. Information: 775-372-5435; HCR 70, Box 610-Z, Amargosa 89020. Hours: Sunrise to sunset; Year-round Admission: FREE.
VIVA LAS VEGAS
No travel piece about Nevada can be complete without looking at Las Vegas. This city is the site of 18 of the 20 largest hotels in America and visitors will be overwhelmed by the entertainment, tours, shopping and dining. Las Vegas has more lights than any other city, and is an adult’s Disneyland of wonders. Visiting the Las Vegas Strip, you’ll see a pirate ship battle, an active volcano and laser light water shows. Hotel-casinos present ancient Egypt, King Arthur’s Court, Rome, Venice, New York, Monte Carlo and the tropics. There is 24-hour gaming, restaurants of the most famous chefs in the world and many a star-studded show. Downtown Vegas is enclosed by a canopy of lights for five blocks. Called the Fremont Street Experience, the canopy lights up night with powerful light and sound shows.
Las Vegas is also a center for history and the fine arts. Art and historic museums range from classic and contemporary art, to archaeological and anthropological exhibits of the Native American Peoples. And not to be ignored is the museum of Liberace! Amusement theme parks in Las Vegas pit do anything in the rest of the USA. Recreational sports nearby include golf, boating, hiking, cycling, rock climbing, car racing, and sand and snow skiing.
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, formerly owned by Howard Hughes is now a retreat for outdoor concerts. Half an hour north of Las Vegas is Mount Charleston, like a garden island in a sea of desert. Visitors can stay cool their without air conditioning. In Boulder City, southeast of Las Vegas. is Hoover Dam, a 726-foot- high concrete dam that holds back Lake Mead. It is one of the seven man-made wonders of the world, with tours of its hydroelectric system completed in 1935. Lake Mead is actually the largest man-made lake in the Western Hemisphere. With Lake Mohave, it is in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which offers five beaches and marinas, campgrounds, boat and Jet Ski rental, sightseeing boats, and other activities. Valley of Fire State Park is 55 miles to the northeast of Lake Mead, with bright red sandstone mountains and valleys.
Mesquite is a city located northeast of Vegas on the Virgin River, a resort with golf and spas, horses, trap shooting and indoor activities for which Nevada is famous. Mesquite is conveniently located for side trips to nearby Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks. In the extreme southern tip of Nevada on the Colorado River is Laughlin, which in 1966, consisted of just a small motel and restaurant that catered to local fishermen. Fishing is great and Laughlin is a lively resort full of 5-star hotels offering big-name entertainment. You can water ski, swim, boat or relax on the nearby beaches. Laughlin’s water taxis are available to take passengers from Arizona to Nevada and back. Make sure to visit a town halfway between Laughlin and Las Vegas: Searchlight. You’ll find an interesting little museum in Searchlight, full of mining memorabilia and local historical color.
MORE LAS VEGAS THAN MEETS THE EYE – DON’T MISS ANY OF THIS
Closing October 1, 2006 -- ELVIS-A-RAMA EXPERIENCE – Not much time left!
The Elvis-A-Rama is an 85-foot-long, 10-foot-high painted mural of the legendary life of Elvis Presley. It was painted by an obscure country music songwriter, Mitchell Torok. The mural was bought in 1994 by another obscure musician, Jimmy Velvet, and moved to Branson, Missouri. Four years after that it was bought by another Elvis collector and moved back to Vegas, where it now stands behind a velvet rope at a mall near the strip. The Elvis-A-Rama Experience displays celebrity autographs of Chet Akins, Archie Campbell, Sonny James, and Maria Shriver.
Elvis tribute performances are given in a small theater by Elvis impersonators. The original blue suede shoes are here, along with his first Cadillac and his turquoise karate outfit with the eagle rhinestone appliqués. One display holds the hotel bill from Elvis's first gig in Las Vegas, and shows that in two weeks he spent only $207.07. Meanwhile, Graceland has paid $68 million for Vegas property next to the Harley-Davidson Cafe, where an Elvis museum and casino resort is to be built.
Elvis-A-Rama Experience: 3401 Industrial Rd, Las Vegas, NV. One block west of The Strip West side of Industrial Rd, behind the Fashion Show Mall, just north of Spring Mountain Rd and Sands Ave. Admission: Adults $12.95 Hours: Until October 1, 2006 only! Phone: 702-309-7200)
American Heroes Veterans Museum
Priceless memorabilia recognize America's Veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The museum is open daily, 10 a.m. to 4 pm with a large WW II collection, and displays honoring Korea and Vietnam Veterans. A multi-media show, On the Wings of Eagles, pays tribute to American courage. Four screens show scenes of combat from WWII to Desert Storm. Attached to the hotel casino, admission to the show and museum is FREE year-round! Information: 702-298-4200; 800-243-6846; Ramada Express Hotel Casino, 2121 S. Casino Dr. Laughlin, NV. 89029.
Atomic Testing Museum
The Testing Museum opened in Las Vegas with exhibits that chronicle the history of US nuclear weapons testing. This includes a realistically simulated atmospheric blast in Ground Zero Theater. The museum is at 755 East Flamingo Road and Swenson Street, just east of the Las Vegas Strip in the Frank H. Rogers Science & Technology Building. Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. $10 for adults, $7 for seniors 65 and older, children 7 to 17 and members of the U.S. armed forces. Children 6 and under are admitted free.
Cowboy Trail Rides
Red Rock Canyon riding stable. Guided horseback riding, mustang viewing, campfire, music cowboy poetry. Information: 702-387-2457; 1211 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas 89104. Hours: 8:00 a.m.-dark, daily. Admission: $25.00 and up.
Guinness World of Records Museum
See the amazing facts and feats of the Guinness Book of Records brought to life via replicas, videos and hands-on displays. Information: 702-792-3766; 2780 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas 89019. Hours: 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., daily. Season: Year-round. Admission: Adults-$4.95; seniors, students and military-$3.95; children (12 and under)-$2.95.
Imperial Palace Auto Collection
Displayed in a plush, gallery-like setting are over 200 antique, classic and special-interest automobiles, including Model J Dussenbergs. Also a gift shop with memorabilia and books. Information: 702-794-3174; Fax 702-369-7430; www.autocollections.com or 3535 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas 89109. Hours: 9:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m., daily. Season: Year-round. Admission: Adults-$6.95; seniors-$3.00; children (4-12)-$3.00; children (3 and under)-free.
Laughlin River Tours
Steamboats on the Colorado River. Available for weddings, special events and dinner cruises. Information: 702-298-1047; 800-228-9825; P.O. Box 29279, Laughlin 89029. Hours: 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., daily. Season: Year-round; winter hours may vary. Admission: Adults-$10.00; children-$6.00; children (under 3)-free.
London Bridge Jet Boat Tours
Scheduled 6-hour round-trip jet boat tours from Laughlin to the London Bridge on Lake Havasu. Leaves from the Pioneer Casino. Information: (702) 298-5498 or (888) 505-3545; P.O. Box 508, Laughlin 89029. Hours: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. daily form mid-Feb.-Nov. $52.00 per person; over 65-$47.00; children (under 12)-$32.00.
Liberace Museum
Memorabilia from the world-famous pianist and legend, including a rare piano collection, automobiles, the world's largest rhinestone plus samples from his glittering wardrobe. Information: 702-798-5595; Fax 702-798-7386; www.liberace.org or 1775 E. Tropicana, Las Vegas 89119. Hours: 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Sat.; 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., Sun. Year-round except major holidays. Admission: Adults-$12.00; seniors-$8.00; students-$8.00; children (10 and under)-Free.
Star Trek: The Experience
See the USS Enterprise bridge, ride a turbo lift and experience a shuttlecraft mission. Enjoy dining, shopping and gaming in the 24th century. Information: 702-697-8751; 888-462-6535; www.startrekexp.com; Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas 89109. Hours: 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. daily, year-round, Admission: $14.95. Live long and prosper!
Zoological-Botanical Park
Endangered cats, the last of the Barbary Apes, chimpanzees, eagles, ostriches, emus, parrots, wallabies, flamingos, exotic reptiles. Information: 702-647-4685; http://www.lasvegaszoo.org
1775 N. Rancho Dr., Las Vegas 89106. Hours: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily, year-round. Adults-$5.95; seniors 62 and over and children 2-12 - $3.95; children (under 2)-free.
NEVADA FACTS
Capital: Carson City
Population: 1,998,257
Governor: Kenny Guinn(R, to January 2007)
Entered the Union: October 31, 1864
As the: 36th state
Motto: All for Our Country
Nickname: Sagebrush State, Silver State, and Battle-born State
Flower: Sagebrush
Bird: Mountain Bluebird
Song: Home Means Nevada
Sports Teams: None
Origin of Name: From a Spanish word meaning snowcapped
Major Industries:
Hay, Alfalfa Seeds, Barley, Wheat, and Potatoes; Gaming Equipment, Lawn and Garden Irrigation Devices, Titanium Products, Seismic and Machinery Monitoring Devices (Plus Divorce and Gambling!)
Historical Sites:
Las Vegas Mormon Fort, Stokes Castle in Austin, and the Pony Express Station in Elko
Points of Interest:
Hoover Dam, Pyramid Lake, Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Lehman Caves at the Great Basin National Park, Las Vegas, and Reno
Bordering States:
Nevada borders California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona.
If you tour Nevada, you will find that it contains an abundance of other sites and sounds just as exciting as the casinos and shows on the Las Vegas Strip. The Sagebrush State is more than Las Vegas, magic, showgirls and gambling, although there is plenty of glitz and glamour to enjoy in all that. Nevada is also the home of the London Bridge, Area 51, atomic testing history, The Star Trek Experience and the Pony Express!
In fact, the top 10 Cities visited in Nevada each year are these:
Top 10 Cities in Nevada
Las Vegas
Reno
Laughlin
North Las Vegas
Henderson
Carson City
Elko
Boulder City
Stateline
Mesquite
THE PONY EXPRESS LANDS
Among the beautiful desert country lays a particularly interesting spot near its center. The Pony Express region of Nevada stretches across US Route 50, tracing the historic Pony Express route that extended from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California in the early 1860s. Some of my ancestors from Ireland and Scotland traveled this stretch of land to arrive in California at about the time of the Pony Express, and they were witness to its magic. This a region both reminiscent of the 19th century and firmly rooted the future, and the Pony Express will never die here.
Only a few towns exist now along US 50, called “The Loneliest Road in America” by the media. Lonely motorists and folks who leave the frenetic pace of the big city both are lulled by the tranquility in the magnificent peace of the desert. Pony Express lands are full of undisturbed natural creations and historic mining towns that you will enjoy. Going from east to west the next stop on US 50 is Great Basin National Park. Filled with giant bristlecone pines that grow only at elevations over 10,000 feet above sea level, these forests live up to 4,000 years. There are hiking trails leading to alpine lakes and Nevadan mountain tops worth seeing. Lehman Caves in the park displays stalactites and stalagmites that have been developed over several thousand years, perhaps as old as the earth itself. The town of Baker, five miles east of the park, welcomes you with several restaurants, a motel and a gas station.
About an hour northwest of Great Basin is Ely, an old copper mine town that makes a good base camp for trips to local recreation areas and historical sites. Ely has several restaurants, hotels and RV camp spaces, with murals that bring you up close to Nevada’s history. The Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely includes the rail yards and shops of the Nevada Northern Railway, a short line that ran for almost 80 years from 1906 to 1986. We wish it were still running today. The refurbished train depot includes a museum, a gift shop and rides on “The Ghost Train of Old Ely.” This would be great for those of you who love Halloween activities and steam engines. There is even the opportunity to drive a locomotive on a trip up the narrow mountain canyon. Exciting!
Seventy-eight miles to the west is Eureka, a 19th-century mining town founded in 1864. It still has many of its original buildings, including the Eureka Courthouse, opened in 1880. Across the way sits the Eureka Opera House, a renovated building that is now a convention and performing arts center. The Eureka Sentinel Museum displays local history and features the press equipment used to produce the town newspaper for 90 years from 1870 - 1960.
To the west is Austin, another mining camp. Silver was discovered in Austin, Nevada in 1862 and within a few years, Austin was the second largest community in the state. Don’t miss the three historic churches: St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, built in 1866; the Methodist Church, also 1866; and St. George’s Episcopal Church, 1878. Austin and the nearby Toiyabe, Toquima, and Hot Creek mountain ranges are popular with mountain bikers.
On the way west from Austin to Fallon, Sand Mountain is a two-mile-long, 600-foot-high sand dune that attracts dune buggies, dirt bikers and sand skiers. The Sand Mountain Pony Express Station is just south of the dune, a large rock enclosure used by Pony Express riders 150 years ago. Further west on US 50 is the Grimes Point Archeological Site and interpretive signs guide you along a trail lined with petroglyphs, which are the rock drawings made by Native American peoples living there from 5,000 B.C and 1,500 A.D.
MORE PONY EXPRESS LANDS ATTRACTIONS
BHP Mining Tours
Enjoy a mining video, guided tour of the mill and operations in the pit from an overlook; seven miles west of Ely on US 50. Call 775-289-7000; or P.O. Box 382, Ruth 89319. Hours: Call for hours and reservations. Year-round Admission: FREE.
McGill Drugstore
Explore the inventory of 50s and 60s memorabilia plus a working 1930 vintage soda fountain. Call 775-235-7082, 11 Fourth St., P. O. Box 757, McGill 89318. Hours: Call for information. Year-round Admission: FREE.
Eureka Opera House
Built in 1880, restored in 1994. Original 1924 hand-painted stage curtain. Unique historic experience. Information: 775-237-6006; P.O. Box 284, Eureka 89316. Hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri. Year-round except state holidays. Admission: FREE.
Eureka Sentinel Museum
In the old Eureka Sentinel building, site of the town's longest running newspaper, museum displays artifacts from 1870s lead and silver mining era. Information: 775-237-5010; P.O. Box 284, Eureka 89316. Hours: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Apr.-Sep., daily; Oct.-Mar., Tue.-Sat. Admission: Donation.
Nevada has my favorite! – Native American Indian Country.
Thousands of years ago, Lake Lahontan, an ancient inland sea covering parts of Northern Nevada and Utah, was full of fish while the land was roamed by mammoth, bison, antelope, deer and big cats. While ancient American peoples left few artifacts, they did create petroglyphs, the rock writings found throughout Nevada and the Western United States today. The etchings show a variety of designs and stick figures, big horned sheep, lizards, and other animals.
At Grimes Point east of Fallon on US 50, there are some very good petroglyphs. They can also be found at Valley of Fire State Park. As Nevada grew dry in the past, larger animals went extinct and the Native Great Basin Peoples adapted to the changes. Lake Lahontan receded and became two small lakes, Pyramid and Walker. The shores were called home by the Northern Paiute. To the South, the Southern Paiutes lived near Las Vegas Valley and the tributaries of the Colorado River. Other tribes, including Western Shoshone and Washo, settled in the mountains.
The descendents of the original Native Peoples continue to occupy their ancestral lands. Pyramid Lake north of Reno is on the Northern Paiute Indian reservation. Pyramid Lake Rd. (State Rt. 445) is a National Scenic Byway, the only federal scenic byway entirely on an Indian reservation. Pyramid Lake has some of the best fishing in Nevada and Pyramid Lake Visitor Center houses a great museum of natural history and Native culture.
Parts of Walker Lake and the town of Schurz are on Walker Lake Indian Reservation to the south. The Lake offers trophy fishing, dramatic desert landscapes, and wide-open spaces. Native tribes have been in Nevada for many thousands of years, but were preceded by a culture known as the “Anasazi” or ancient ones. These people built elaborate adobe villages along the Muddy and Virgin rivers. Today, you can visit the Lost City Museum in Overton, with Anasazi artifacts and adobe buildings and pit houses. The Nevada State Museum in Carson City has a large display of Native Nevadan artifacts and the Stewart Indian Cultural Center, south of Carson City, was a federal boarding school for Indians up until recently in 1980. Today, it is a museum for the school.
Nevada’s Native American nations are involved today in many profitable businesses, from Native American traditional crafts to golf ranges to smoke shops, tobacco being a specialty. The Las Vegas Paiute Resort, owned and operated by the Southern Paiute Nation, includes two championship golf courses just 20 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
MORE NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN SITES TO SEE
Humboldt Museum
Three turn-of-the-century buildings with antique autos, farm collection and Native American exhibits. Information: 775-623-2912; Jungo Rd. and Maple Ave., P.O. Box 819, Winnemucca 89446. Hours: 10:00 a.m.-noon and 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri.; 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Sat. Year-round except major holidays. Admission: Donation
Pershing County Marzen House Museum
An 1874 two-story house, mining equipment, home fixtures, Native American artifacts, Indian Cave exhibit. Information: 775-273-2115; 25 Marzen Ln., P.O. Box 212, Lovelock 89419. Hours: 9:00 a.m.-l:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri., Nov.-Apr.; 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Year-round Admission: Donation.
The Eagle's Nest
Panoramic vistas of the Ruby Mts., wagon/sleigh rides, barbeques, studio/gallery featuring Western art and memorabilia. Information: 702-744-7370; JC 30-449 Box 4, Elko 89801. Year-round Admission: Call for rates; reservations required.
Grapevine Canyon
Seven miles west of Laughlin, ancient Native American petroglyphs above the springs. Information: 702-298-3321; 800-452-8445; c/o Laughlin Visitors Bureau, 1555 S. Casino Dr., P.O. Box 502, Laughlin 89029.
Rainbow Canyon
Self-guided tour with map, petroglyphs, geologic features; allow at least two hours. Information: 775-726-8100; Bureau of Land Management, Caliente Field Station, U.S. Hwy. 93, P.O. Box 237, Caliente 89008.
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Wetland oasis supports rare fish, plants, native wildlife. Information: 775-372-5435; HCR 70, Box 610-Z, Amargosa 89020. Hours: Sunrise to sunset; Year-round Admission: FREE.
VIVA LAS VEGAS
No travel piece about Nevada can be complete without looking at Las Vegas. This city is the site of 18 of the 20 largest hotels in America and visitors will be overwhelmed by the entertainment, tours, shopping and dining. Las Vegas has more lights than any other city, and is an adult’s Disneyland of wonders. Visiting the Las Vegas Strip, you’ll see a pirate ship battle, an active volcano and laser light water shows. Hotel-casinos present ancient Egypt, King Arthur’s Court, Rome, Venice, New York, Monte Carlo and the tropics. There is 24-hour gaming, restaurants of the most famous chefs in the world and many a star-studded show. Downtown Vegas is enclosed by a canopy of lights for five blocks. Called the Fremont Street Experience, the canopy lights up night with powerful light and sound shows.
Las Vegas is also a center for history and the fine arts. Art and historic museums range from classic and contemporary art, to archaeological and anthropological exhibits of the Native American Peoples. And not to be ignored is the museum of Liberace! Amusement theme parks in Las Vegas pit do anything in the rest of the USA. Recreational sports nearby include golf, boating, hiking, cycling, rock climbing, car racing, and sand and snow skiing.
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, formerly owned by Howard Hughes is now a retreat for outdoor concerts. Half an hour north of Las Vegas is Mount Charleston, like a garden island in a sea of desert. Visitors can stay cool their without air conditioning. In Boulder City, southeast of Las Vegas. is Hoover Dam, a 726-foot- high concrete dam that holds back Lake Mead. It is one of the seven man-made wonders of the world, with tours of its hydroelectric system completed in 1935. Lake Mead is actually the largest man-made lake in the Western Hemisphere. With Lake Mohave, it is in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which offers five beaches and marinas, campgrounds, boat and Jet Ski rental, sightseeing boats, and other activities. Valley of Fire State Park is 55 miles to the northeast of Lake Mead, with bright red sandstone mountains and valleys.
Mesquite is a city located northeast of Vegas on the Virgin River, a resort with golf and spas, horses, trap shooting and indoor activities for which Nevada is famous. Mesquite is conveniently located for side trips to nearby Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks. In the extreme southern tip of Nevada on the Colorado River is Laughlin, which in 1966, consisted of just a small motel and restaurant that catered to local fishermen. Fishing is great and Laughlin is a lively resort full of 5-star hotels offering big-name entertainment. You can water ski, swim, boat or relax on the nearby beaches. Laughlin’s water taxis are available to take passengers from Arizona to Nevada and back. Make sure to visit a town halfway between Laughlin and Las Vegas: Searchlight. You’ll find an interesting little museum in Searchlight, full of mining memorabilia and local historical color.
MORE LAS VEGAS THAN MEETS THE EYE – DON’T MISS ANY OF THIS
Closing October 1, 2006 -- ELVIS-A-RAMA EXPERIENCE – Not much time left!
The Elvis-A-Rama is an 85-foot-long, 10-foot-high painted mural of the legendary life of Elvis Presley. It was painted by an obscure country music songwriter, Mitchell Torok. The mural was bought in 1994 by another obscure musician, Jimmy Velvet, and moved to Branson, Missouri. Four years after that it was bought by another Elvis collector and moved back to Vegas, where it now stands behind a velvet rope at a mall near the strip. The Elvis-A-Rama Experience displays celebrity autographs of Chet Akins, Archie Campbell, Sonny James, and Maria Shriver.
Elvis tribute performances are given in a small theater by Elvis impersonators. The original blue suede shoes are here, along with his first Cadillac and his turquoise karate outfit with the eagle rhinestone appliqués. One display holds the hotel bill from Elvis's first gig in Las Vegas, and shows that in two weeks he spent only $207.07. Meanwhile, Graceland has paid $68 million for Vegas property next to the Harley-Davidson Cafe, where an Elvis museum and casino resort is to be built.
Elvis-A-Rama Experience: 3401 Industrial Rd, Las Vegas, NV. One block west of The Strip West side of Industrial Rd, behind the Fashion Show Mall, just north of Spring Mountain Rd and Sands Ave. Admission: Adults $12.95 Hours: Until October 1, 2006 only! Phone: 702-309-7200)
American Heroes Veterans Museum
Priceless memorabilia recognize America's Veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The museum is open daily, 10 a.m. to 4 pm with a large WW II collection, and displays honoring Korea and Vietnam Veterans. A multi-media show, On the Wings of Eagles, pays tribute to American courage. Four screens show scenes of combat from WWII to Desert Storm. Attached to the hotel casino, admission to the show and museum is FREE year-round! Information: 702-298-4200; 800-243-6846; Ramada Express Hotel Casino, 2121 S. Casino Dr. Laughlin, NV. 89029.
Atomic Testing Museum
The Testing Museum opened in Las Vegas with exhibits that chronicle the history of US nuclear weapons testing. This includes a realistically simulated atmospheric blast in Ground Zero Theater. The museum is at 755 East Flamingo Road and Swenson Street, just east of the Las Vegas Strip in the Frank H. Rogers Science & Technology Building. Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. $10 for adults, $7 for seniors 65 and older, children 7 to 17 and members of the U.S. armed forces. Children 6 and under are admitted free.
Cowboy Trail Rides
Red Rock Canyon riding stable. Guided horseback riding, mustang viewing, campfire, music cowboy poetry. Information: 702-387-2457; 1211 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas 89104. Hours: 8:00 a.m.-dark, daily. Admission: $25.00 and up.
Guinness World of Records Museum
See the amazing facts and feats of the Guinness Book of Records brought to life via replicas, videos and hands-on displays. Information: 702-792-3766; 2780 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas 89019. Hours: 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., daily. Season: Year-round. Admission: Adults-$4.95; seniors, students and military-$3.95; children (12 and under)-$2.95.
Imperial Palace Auto Collection
Displayed in a plush, gallery-like setting are over 200 antique, classic and special-interest automobiles, including Model J Dussenbergs. Also a gift shop with memorabilia and books. Information: 702-794-3174; Fax 702-369-7430; www.autocollections.com or 3535 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas 89109. Hours: 9:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m., daily. Season: Year-round. Admission: Adults-$6.95; seniors-$3.00; children (4-12)-$3.00; children (3 and under)-free.
Laughlin River Tours
Steamboats on the Colorado River. Available for weddings, special events and dinner cruises. Information: 702-298-1047; 800-228-9825; P.O. Box 29279, Laughlin 89029. Hours: 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., daily. Season: Year-round; winter hours may vary. Admission: Adults-$10.00; children-$6.00; children (under 3)-free.
London Bridge Jet Boat Tours
Scheduled 6-hour round-trip jet boat tours from Laughlin to the London Bridge on Lake Havasu. Leaves from the Pioneer Casino. Information: (702) 298-5498 or (888) 505-3545; P.O. Box 508, Laughlin 89029. Hours: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. daily form mid-Feb.-Nov. $52.00 per person; over 65-$47.00; children (under 12)-$32.00.
Liberace Museum
Memorabilia from the world-famous pianist and legend, including a rare piano collection, automobiles, the world's largest rhinestone plus samples from his glittering wardrobe. Information: 702-798-5595; Fax 702-798-7386; www.liberace.org or 1775 E. Tropicana, Las Vegas 89119. Hours: 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Sat.; 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., Sun. Year-round except major holidays. Admission: Adults-$12.00; seniors-$8.00; students-$8.00; children (10 and under)-Free.
Star Trek: The Experience
See the USS Enterprise bridge, ride a turbo lift and experience a shuttlecraft mission. Enjoy dining, shopping and gaming in the 24th century. Information: 702-697-8751; 888-462-6535; www.startrekexp.com; Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas 89109. Hours: 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. daily, year-round, Admission: $14.95. Live long and prosper!
Zoological-Botanical Park
Endangered cats, the last of the Barbary Apes, chimpanzees, eagles, ostriches, emus, parrots, wallabies, flamingos, exotic reptiles. Information: 702-647-4685; http://www.lasvegaszoo.org
1775 N. Rancho Dr., Las Vegas 89106. Hours: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily, year-round. Adults-$5.95; seniors 62 and over and children 2-12 - $3.95; children (under 2)-free.
NEVADA FACTS
Capital: Carson City
Population: 1,998,257
Governor: Kenny Guinn(R, to January 2007)
Entered the Union: October 31, 1864
As the: 36th state
Motto: All for Our Country
Nickname: Sagebrush State, Silver State, and Battle-born State
Flower: Sagebrush
Bird: Mountain Bluebird
Song: Home Means Nevada
Sports Teams: None
Origin of Name: From a Spanish word meaning snowcapped
Major Industries:
Hay, Alfalfa Seeds, Barley, Wheat, and Potatoes; Gaming Equipment, Lawn and Garden Irrigation Devices, Titanium Products, Seismic and Machinery Monitoring Devices (Plus Divorce and Gambling!)
Historical Sites:
Las Vegas Mormon Fort, Stokes Castle in Austin, and the Pony Express Station in Elko
Points of Interest:
Hoover Dam, Pyramid Lake, Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Lehman Caves at the Great Basin National Park, Las Vegas, and Reno
Bordering States:
Nevada borders California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona.
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