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Tagged With "East Africa"

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Re: Nov. 12, 2016: Memorial to Women of WW II, London

GarryRF ·
The Cenotaph in London is a remembrance of all the war dead from all the British Empire. Canada, India, Australia, South Africa and many more. They all send servicemen to represent their own countries in a march past. Did you know that Belgium has a parade of armed soldiers at the London Cenotaph too ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT6ChvVoPNQ
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Re: Top 10 Most Beautiful Gardens In The World

Professorabe ·
Any such list would be contentious, of course. However, this one doesn't contain a single garden in Africa and this, in my opinion, is a serious omission. The Majorelle Garden in Marrakesh and the Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town would be obvious contenders. There are also many more fantastic gardens in Asia - e.g. the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
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Re: St Stephen's Green, Dublin. (Where Gumbo was #137)

Paul Heymont ·
I have to admit that the first clue reminded me, in succession, of a spot in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in Paris, of Prospect Park in Brooklyn and of Frogness Park in Oslo...it was only when the clues got more specific that I could rule them out, and only when the Fusiliers Arch appeared and I could search its text that I could find the answer. That arch, by the way, provoked a lot of controversy when erected in 1907; it memorializes a regiment in England's colonial war against the Dutch Boers...
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Re: So, what’s it worth ?

Travel Luver ·
Great story, Bob!
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Re: So, what’s it worth ?

DrFumblefinger ·
No one spins a travel yarn quite like Robert Cranwell! Enjoyed this one. Podcast is worth listening to as well, everyone.
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Re: So, what’s it worth ?

GarryRF ·
A familiar story when travelling in those countries we know little of. But the eagerness of the Police to put it right was assuring to others that follow. Perhaps we're not that well advanced. An interesting story and educational too.
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Re: On Safari in Africa -- wildlife gallery

GarryRF ·
Great photo's DrF. !! How close to the animals do you get ? Did you need plenty of zoom on the camera ? Me and the family always had health problems while I'm in Africa. Were you OK ?
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Re: On Safari in Africa -- wildlife gallery

DrFumblefinger ·
Thank you for your comments PortMoresby and GarryRF!. Yes, we got quite close to the animals Garry, although you definitely need to have a telephoto lens and best to have a camera with a quick shutter speed. I used my digital SLR on these and shot photos in bursts of 5-6, picking out the one I like best. You need to be very careful about where you eat in Africa, maybe more so than in most places. But we traveled with a quality safari outfit (And Beyond), which not only prepared great meals,...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day: Jan. 16, 2014: Liverpool Victoria Gallery

GarryRF ·
My favourite time to visit attractions is May-June-July. Before the little monsters are released on school vacation. Liverpool has hundreds of things to do - no exaggeration ! Here's 128 to go on with http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/A...seyside_England.html Liverpool makes a good hub for visiting nearby Chester with its 2,000 year old Roman Walls and Tudor Buildings. The River Dee and North Wales. All using local public transport - mostly trains. You can get a flight, Liverpool - Dublin from...
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Re: East Coast TGiving Travelers May Need a 'Plan B'

Former Member ·
That is all part of Thanksgiving. Bad weather and lots of delays for Thanksgiving Eve are a long standing holiday tradition. Somehow, the flight delays always seem to happen on the way to grandma's house on Wednesday, not on the return trip on Sunday to go back to work.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Mar.4th 2014: Dubai Water Taxi

DrFumblefinger ·
It's a great image, Islandman! I really enjoy photos of people going about their every day lives in different locations about the world, a reminder to me how much more alike we all are than different. This photo is made more interesting by their obviously ethnic diversity -- people who have come to Dubai for a good job and to improve their lot in life. The contrast of the old wooden taxi and modern skyscrapers in the background is great!
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Re: Good news, bad news on UNESCO's world heritage

DrFumblefinger ·
I enjoy traveling to UNESCO sites because most of them are very interesting destinations. I even know of some travelers whose goal it is to see "every" UNESCO listing. Good luck to them! I really think UNESCO is doing it's job by identifying important places and encouraging their conservation. I shudder at the thought of a global UNESCO police swooping in to "defend" these sites. It's up to the countries that govern them to do so. Some do a great job; others don't. Some citizens care, others...
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Re: East Gill Falls, Swaledale, North Yorkshire

Marilyn Jones ·
I am always impressed with your photography!!! Beautiful and creative!
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Re: Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt seeing visitors again

GarryRF ·
The Canary Isles are an all year Spanish hot spot - located off the coast of Africa. Perfect for a Christmas Vacation too !
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Re: A Culinary Adventure in Portugal

GarryRF ·
Sagres and Superbock Beer are a Portuguese favourite. I always have a supply in the fridge. For drinks after dinner I prefer a Mateus Rose Wine. Strong in alcohol content - sparkling and not dry. Portugal has an all year warm climate as the prevailing winds come up from North Africa and the Sahara Desert.
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Re: Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park, Hawaii Island, Hawaii

GarryRF ·
You'd love the Canary Isles. Volcanic islands off the north west cost of Africa. Its a winter hotspot where the islands belong to Spain. Its party time all year and a favourite with the younger set. Its famous on Tenerife for young men to drive up Mount Teide in winter and collect snow from the peak in Cooler Boxes. Drive back down to the 77'f / 25'c beaches and throw snowballs at the topless sunbathers. Might be a bit too much for non-Europeans !!
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Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding

GarryRF ·
Climate change "experts" are saying that: "Antarctica’s massive stores of ice are likely to melt as the planet warms and contribute ever greater amounts of water to the world’s oceans." But the facts are: "The winter ice around the southern continent has been growing relatively constantly since records began in 1979. The US National Snow and Ice Data Centre, which monitors sea ice using satellite data, say that the year’s maximum was 1.54m sq km (595,000 sq miles) above the 1981-2010...
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Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding

Paul Heymont ·
Garry, aside from the fact that climate change involves far more than the question of polar ice caps, we're not in huge disagreement, I think. 1. Climate change is a more accurate term than global warming, because it's not all about warming, and in some cases the change brings colder rather than warmer. 2. The effects are not the same everywhere, nor are they always immediately harmful. It is possible for one area to be threatened with inundation while another benefits from a return of...
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Re: Germans Reflect on Reunification

DrFumblefinger ·
I was in Berlin on Saturday, the day of the 25th anniversary of reunification. There were tons of people in the city, as crowded as I've ever seen any major city. The main activities were in the Tiergarten, especially around the Brandenburg gate. By the time we made our way there, the police had closed down the area and were not allowing more people in because it was overcrowded. Still, everyone seemed well behaved and having a nice time. I think most Germans feel reunification was a good...
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Re: Franschhoek Motor Museum, South Africa

Professorabe ·
South Africa is a country that constantly challenges your expectations. There seems to be a lot of interest in classic cars, at least in the Western Cape. This is another car museum. I must admit that it did not look too promising when we arrived (see first photo), but there were quite a few gems if you cared to look for them (as illustrated below).
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Re: Franschhoek Motor Museum, South Africa

GarryRF ·
I can see a 60s Ford Capri on the right - Europe's answer to the Mustang !
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Re: Around the World in a Day with Coca-Cola

Travel Rob ·
Thanks Samantha! The Taste It Sampling Bar was by far the highlight for me too. I enjoyed the sodas from Africa the best. The Downtown location of the museum is great. The Georgia Aquarium is across from it, the Civil and Human Rights Museum is behind it and on the other side of the street is Centennial Olympic Park. Not to mention you're only a few blocks away from one of the great hamburger and hot dog drive-in's, 'The Varsity' .
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Re: East Beach Trail, Naikoon Provincial Park, Graham Island

Marilyn Jones ·
Wow; what a wonderful post! So interesting and your photos are creative and beautiful!!
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Re: East Beach Trail, Naikoon Provincial Park, Graham Island

Travel Rob ·
Incredible!
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Re: George Eastman Museum - Rochester NY

Travel Rob ·
A wonderful piece Jonathan!
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Re: George Eastman Museum - Rochester NY

Marilyn Jones ·
So interesting especially for anyone who loves history, beautiful houses and photography and that's me!! Well done!!
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Re: Sahara beats French ski resorts for snowfall

GarryRF ·
Most of our fresh winter produce ( lettuce - tomato - aubergine - grapes ) comes from North Africa. The stores have few supplies left in the UK.
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Re: Pesuta Shipwreck, Naikoon Provincial Park, Haida-Gwaii, British Columbia

Former Member ·
These photos are evocative. Makes me very glad not to be a sailor back in the day. I have seen some of the many trees washed up on the beaches of the Pacific Northwest. Those are also very impressive. Did you find any glass floats ? I used to have a number of the ones used by Japanese fisherman to hold up their nets. You never know what will turn up.
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Re: Pesuta Shipwreck, Naikoon Provincial Park, Haida-Gwaii, British Columbia

DrFumblefinger ·
The glass floats tend to wash up on the west (windward) side of the Pacific. This hike was on the leeward (eastern) side, where these floats tend not to come. But there were a gazillion trees, like these.
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Re: Pesuta Shipwreck, Naikoon Provincial Park, Haida-Gwaii, British Columbia

Former Member ·
Like the tree pics. I picked up all of my glass floats a bit farther south - on the seaward side of Vancouver Island and on the western shore of the Olympic Peninsula. I think it was always in the summer. Maybe the tides and winds bring different material at different times of the year.
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Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I

DrFumblefinger ·
Wow! Thanks for this fascinating contribution, Lestertheinvestor. I was exhausted just from reading the directions for applying for the visa. It is quite obvious that Saudi Arabia doesn't want infidels visiting them. A few questions you might know the answer to: 1) Is the process stream-lined for a Muslim wanting to go to Mecca, and what kind of proof do they need to have that they're a Muslim? 2) Do you have any rough idea how many hours you spent on this process? Ball-park guess would do.
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Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I

Lestertheinvestor ·
1) The process is easier for a Muslim who is going on a hajj. However, unless you are native born, you must present a document from the Imam of your mosque documenting your status as a Muslim in good standing. For a Caucasian woman who is a converted Muslim, you must still get permission from your husband or a male relative, along with the letter from the mosque to allow you to make the hajj. 2) Between my wife and I (she actually presented our documents each time to the consulate in Los...
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Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I

Travel Luver ·
What a bureaucratic nightmare! I wonder if there are countries that make it harder to visit than this one?
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Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I

Lestertheinvestor ·
Originally Posted by Travel Luver: What a bureaucratic nightmare! I wonder if there are countries that make it harder to visit than this one? My wife and I have visited 119 countries, with China, Bhutan and Saudi Arabia the most challenging to enter.
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Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I

HistoryDigger ·
My husband and I were invited to live there for two years while he did a medical fellowship in genetics. The challenge for me was that I am a very independent traveler, and I could not imagine how I would deal with the restrictions on women. In the end, those restrictions influenced our decision to go to Germany for two years instead. However, after having seen your photos, I am curious to see more. I regret that I do not know this part of the world.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, November 1, 2014: Marsaxlokk

GarryRF ·
Malta is less than 200 miles from the coast of Africa. It has a winter climate that is absolutely perfect. Its summer climate can be extremely hot. Christmas in Malta is amazing. The locals wearing their furs and heavy coats. And its still between 70 and 80f !
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Re: NYC-The Lower East Side

Paul Heymont ·
Thanks for this piece, and especially the notes on the Lower 'Eat' Side. I used to live not far away from Katz and Yonah Schimmel, although in those days I couldn't afford them as often as I might have liked...but I remember enjoying the aromas even when I couldn't eat! By the way, Russ and Daughters has just opened a small sitdown cafe where their "appetizing" can be enjoyed. The Tenement Museum is a great place for families; I've taken small school groups there. Each apartment in the...
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Re: NYC-The Lower East Side

DrFumblefinger ·
I am embarrassed to say I've never had a knisch. But now I know where to find the best and will have to look the place up when in NYC. A fascinating bit of Americana. Thanks, Jonathan.
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Re: NYC-The Lower East Side

Travel Rob ·
Thanks Jonathan! I'll follow your excellent itinerary next time I visit. I was fascinated by the history lesson you gave us!
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Re: NYC-The Lower East Side

IslandMan ·
Excellent article, Jonathan, thank you. Such an amazing and colorful history and you've made it tempting to visit (again). We were there in 2007 and I had a pastrami sandwich at Katz's. It was so big I couldn't get my mouth around it!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 24, 2014: Floral Clock, Niagara Parkway, Ontario

GarryRF ·
Outside Pietermaritzburg City Hall, South Africa is a Naval gun from the British Royal Navy Ship HMS Fawn. After the ship ran aground in 1850 the gun was relocated to its current location. It was fired to announce 1 O'clock to the surrounding town. A visiting dignitary asked how the time was kept to ensure its accuracy. "We have a telescope that looks into the local clockmakers shop. He has a 100 year old Belgian clock in the window that is famous for keeping perfect time" So the wealthy...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 29, 2014. Shira Plateau, Tanzania

DrFumblefinger ·
Garry -- that's like saying stay at home with the kids and play in their kiddy pool instead of taking them to see the ocean. It was a hard but most fascinating trip. Standing on the roof of Africa, watching the sun rise above the clouds (which are thousands of feet below you) is an experience I'll never forget! But having done it once, I'm not going back anytime soon.
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All the Tea In...Charleston?

PortMoresby ·
  Tea gardens, as the farms are traditionally known, no matter the size, have been seducing me for over a decade.  In Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces of China, Himachal Pradesh and Darjeeling in Himalayan India, in the Cameron Highlands of...
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Lonely Planet's Best Bang for Your Buck in 2015

PortMoresby ·
While some of the destinations they include will be no surprise to the well-traveled group here on Travel Gumbo, I was interested in some of the places mentioned.  Samoa, for instance, I wouldn't have expected, or South Africa.  And I'd...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 13, 2013: Jeronimos Monastery

Paul Heymont ·
Sunlight and shade highlight the complex carving of this stonework at the Monastery of Jeronimos at Belem, in Lisbon. This late-Gothic style is called Manueline, after King Manuel I. It’s marked by ornate stonework, often including maritime...
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The Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park, Palm Desert

DrFumblefinger ·
Palm Desert's LIVING DESERT offers a place to see several desert ecosystems, as well as an interesting assortment of animals from the Americas and Africa.
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Monterey Bay Aquarium: Oceans Apart

Lestertheinvestor ·
  Located directly on the Monterey Bay just south of Santa Cruz is a sprawling complex of nearly 200 exhibits of more than 550 species in a 2 storey building nearly 30 years old: the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA). Started in 1978, and open to the...
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Look east! Gallery re-examines East German interior decor

Paul Heymont ·
A glittering new gallery in Berlin, just off Karl-Marx-Allee, is taking a new look at mid-century design in the former German Democratic Republic, along with contemporary design from elsewhere in the East bloc and the west.   East German (and...
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A Price War over Trans-Atlantic? TravelGumbo interviews Norwegian Air

Travel Rob ·
                                                                  ...
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A Place of Fairy Tales & Magic – The Biltmore Estate

GutterPup ·
By JP Chartier NUZZLED SNUGLY, DEEP WITHIN THE PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST AND ENCIRCLED BY MOUNTAINS THAT BREATHE BLUE SMOKE IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND THIS PLACE OF FAIRY TALES AND MAGIC. The opulent and somewhat imposing French Renaissance,...
 
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