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Tagged With "spring cleaning"

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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct 20, 2015: Sicilian Fiat

Paul Heymont ·
Belongs in the pantheon of true "people's cars" along with the Citroen 2CV and (dare I say it?) the ugly duckling of the lot...the Trabi, which was advanced over its peers in a number of ways. Ironic, isn't it, to think the original Fiat 300s like this one were banished for smoking, and now we find that VW's "clean diesel" was smoking a pack a day on the road!
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Re: Sydney Expat Guide

GarryRF ·
My first impression of Australia was how clean and modern everywhere is. Oz has a shorter history span than the US. Their view of people from other countries is limited to what they see on TV News. Similar to Americans. My 3 kids lived in Australia for a while and found it very safe with well mannered folks. I have lots of family over there and the great plus of living in Oz is being able to enjoy the great outdoors. Even in winter when most days are above 60f - which the locals call cold !
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Re: Where Gumbo Was #14: A Sewer Journey

TravelandNature ·
How people have solved civil engineering problems is of great interest to many persons. I have visited the Egouts several times over the years. It is very interesting to see how the engineers went about providing - and continue to do provide - this important service for the growing city. A related infrastructure challenge for developing areas is always how to provide clean water for the populace. In Istanbul, it is possible to visit one of the ancient cisterns to see how this feat was...
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Re: Spring Honeymoon Help

DrFumblefinger ·
Congratulations SueZee! We're delighted in your marriage, and you've picked a great country in which to honeymoon. May is not too early to go to Italy, although pack a light jacket just in case. The crowds won't be there yet and you'll save some money when compared to the peak summer season. Where to go is very much a matter of taste. Most definitely you need to go to Venice and I'd say spend at least 5 days here, maybe with a day trip or two (such as to the glass making island of Murano or...
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Re: Minneapolis in the winter

Former Member ·
The Mall's more interesting than you might think - besides the shopping there are the restaurants, amusement venues, and events going on. Here some info about stuff to see at the Mall http://www.mallofamerica.com/attractions To get to the Mall of America you Take Metro Transit (easy and clean) From Minneapolis Hiawatha Light Rail (Route 55) - The Hiawatha light-rail line offers fast, frequent service from downtown (5th Street) to Mall of America. Hiawatha light-rail trains leave every 7.5...
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Re: Buddy, Can You Spare 5.3 Million Dimes?

Former Member ·
This is a no brainer. The money was left behind by frustrated travelers. It should be used to minimize some of the frustration and indignity imposed on travelers at the TSA checkpoints. Little things would make a big difference in the "reassembly area" : + Buy easy-to-clean sturdy benches for the re-assembly area. + Put footstools in front of benches to help with putting on shoes. + Put baskets under the benches so people can place their small backpacks, purses, shoes, and belts out of the...
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Re: The Beautiful Pools and Geysers of Yellowstone National Park

Paul Heymont ·
Wow! those vivid colors were totally unexpected. I'm assuming different chemicals in the water and rocks are producing them?
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Re: The Beautiful Pools and Geysers of Yellowstone National Park

DrFumblefinger ·
DrY is away on vacation this week, PHeymont, so he'll get back to you on his return. But I believe a lot of these colors are due to the highly specialized microorganisms that live in this environment.
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Re: The Beautiful Pools and Geysers of Yellowstone National Park

Andre Pur ·
Wow amazing pictures, beautiful colors, i love the ones with the yellow and orange colors. Is it true that under the Yellowstone Park is a giant vulcano and if it will be an eruption the whole America will be extinguished ?
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Re: The Beautiful Pools and Geysers of Yellowstone National Park

DrFumblefinger ·
Hi Andre, and welcome. As DrY is away on vacation, I'll try to answer your question before he gets back. Yellowstone National Park does sit on what is known as the "Yellowstone Hot Spot". You see this in its geysirs and hot water pools. This does have the potential to become a massive volcano and cause a tremendous eruption. As big as any volcano in recorded history and then some. The jet stream would carry the ash and smoke mostly east (towards the Atlantic Ocean), so those areas would be...
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Re: The Beautiful Pools and Geysers of Yellowstone National Park

Andre Pur ·
Thank you for the information DrFumble Let's hope... )
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Re: The Beautiful Pools and Geysers of Yellowstone National Park

Dr.Y ·
Hi PHeymont, Andre and DrFumblefinger, Just back from a winter break and glad to see many of you also like the brilliant colors associated with the geysers, pools and hot springs in Yellowstone! As of how the mesmerizing colors are formed, I know no more than my friend DrFumblefinger (thanks Karl for the explanation). I only know that was those incredible heat-loving thermophiles that somehow survived and produced those amazing nature wonders.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#125)

Paul Heymont ·
The next clue is a wider view of the beautiful vaulting...so clean you might well wonder if it's old or contemporary...
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Re: California Gardens 2017: Gold Country, Part I

DrFumblefinger ·
Luv your garden posts! They've taught me to look at the micro of a garden, not just the overview. Thanks for this!
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Re: California Gardens 2017: Gold Country, Part I

PortMoresby ·
A nice observation, DrF, both aspects of the "art" I speak of.
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Re: Yellowstone HQ, Mammoth Hot Springs

DrFumblefinger ·
I agree with you about this being the most interesting visitor site in the park, although my heart does belong to Old Faithful region. I never came across Touchdown -- probably to my advantage -- but I do admire an animal with spunk!
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Re: Yellowstone HQ, Mammoth Hot Springs

PortMoresby ·
I guess "spunk" is one way of seeing it. I suspect for the Park Service he's more huge pain in the butt. I'm surprised they haven't deported him, could maybe drive him to Banff in the dead of night.
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Re: Yellowstone HQ, Mammoth Hot Springs

DrFumblefinger ·
There are enough Elk with Attitude in Banff as is. Touchdown should stay on his home turf!
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Re: Yellowstone HQ, Mammoth Hot Springs

PortMoresby ·
Then I predict elk burgers in the grill.
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Re: Norway getting an all-electric fjord ferry

DrFumblefinger ·
It's a good idea in a country that derives almost 100% of it's electricity from clean renewable hydroelectricity, like Norway. Seems to make much less sense in a country that burns fossil fuels to generate electricity -- might as well just use a standard engine in that case.
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Re: Norway getting an all-electric fjord ferry

Paul Heymont ·
Norway's in an odd spot on that: It's one of the world's leading oil suppliers. It's also the case, sometimes, that it's worth moving and concentrating the 'dirtier' parts to keep things clean where the people are. Everything's a balancing act... Like the hydrogen-cell cars I was happily awaiting here in New York, until my wife asked "Do you know where the hydrogen is coming from? How are they producing it?"
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Re: Norway getting an all-electric fjord ferry

DrFumblefinger ·
The modern world still needs oil so I'm glad Norway is able to help add to a world supply that makes us all less reliant on the volatile middle east. But they do have abundant hydroelectricity, as does Canada, and it's places like this that I see as good testing grounds for battery powered experiments like this ferry because charging the batteries here doesn't add much pollution. Hydroelectric dams may be somewhat controversial (what isn't?), but once they're built they generate lots of...
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Re: April 3, 2018: Vilshofen, Germany

GarryRF ·
Sometimes I love the untidiness of a city street. With its adverts and street performers. Small Town Germany makes a refreshing change with its prim and proper spotlessly clean and tidy streets. Just like it looks on the Postcard. Maybe too sterile at times.
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Re: Gallery: Signs of Toronto -- the City at Large

DrFumblefinger ·
Thanks, Islandman! Canada has a reputation for being "clean", generally true. As you can see from the gallery, even the "smutty" places are very clean-looking.
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Re: Gallery: Signs of Toronto -- the City at Large

rbciao ·
Nice selection of pics and thanks for the post. Toronto is truly a great Canadian city. We are hoping to spend a long weekend there at the end of February or beginning of March. Your comment concerning the smutty being clean is a cogent observation.
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Re: Spring Time on Table Mountain

Travel Rob ·
Thanks adventuretime88 , Your blog made me feel like I was taking that hike! California really is an incredible state .
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Re: Spring Time on Table Mountain

DrFumblefinger ·
A most beautiful place! I can see why it's special to you. Glad that there are still unspoiled places left like this in California. From your photos it's a little difficult to get a sense of the size and scale of Table mountain. Is it a huge place? A smaller oasis?
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Re: Spring Time on Table Mountain

adventuretime88 ·
I have spent whole days hiking Table Mountain and haven't even covered half of it. The top of the mountain is divided by the single two lane road that cuts up and over it. This day was spent on the West side of the divide. I couldn't find any information on the square mileage, but as a rough estimate I would say "huge". There are also caves, which I have never found, but then again I have never found Phantom Falls, either. Just North of this spot there is a "ghost town" called Cherokee.
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Re: Cruising down the Nile (part 2)

Mac ·
Hi Karl - sorry for a delayed reply. We booked onto a Thompson Holidays trip out of London and were very satisfied with the whole experience, including value for money. We chose the "all inclusive" option and were very pleased with the quality of their wines etc. The boat was very clean and well maintained, all the crew cheery and pleasant, the food good and plentiful (buffets). There were a good number of "included" trips to temples whilst other trips were extras (Abu Simbel and Cairo for...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#39)

GarryRF ·
Reminds me of the words from "Penny Lane" ( Beatles ) "It's a clean machine"
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Re: The Berkeley Pit, Butte, Montana (Where Gumbo was #130)

DrFumblefinger ·
Thanks for your comment, HistoryDigger. The tailing pond is relatively shallow and I don't believe is anywhere near as contaminated as the pit water. But I still wouldn't swim in it (not that you could, the entire area is sealed off except to workers) The pit water really is not accessible to anything except birds flying in, and hopefully their natural fear of flying into a hole would keep them away. There's enough rivers and lakes nearby that they have a lot of options -- not like trying to...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 23, 2015: First Class, Nanning Train Station

PortMoresby ·
I wouldn't dream of occupying while stabling in the train rest room, but in the waiting room? I thought that's what they were for. A wise man, or FaMale, should know better than to leave a nice comfortable clean place and get on a train in some parts of the world. It was a lesson it took me several trains to learn on that trip.
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Re: Spring Images - North Yorkshire.

Travel Rob ·
Wow! These images are spectacular!
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Re: Spring Images - North Yorkshire.

Marilyn Jones ·
Lovely photos -- all of them -- but your little lamb is adorable!!.
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Re: Tips on Traveling with Parents

artsnletters ·
I traveled with my mom when she was around that age, and in much the same way - I was the tour guide and she was along for the ride. I did all the work - ALL of it - and she paid for both of us, so I considered it an excellent deal. She did have some ideas where to go - "I haven't seen Italy, Austria, or Switzerland." But we also went to Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris (she had been to Paris before but wanted to get up close and personal with the Eiffel Tower). I got to pick where to take her...
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Re: Name Your Favorite Restaurants for Atmosphere, Past or Present

DrFumblefinger ·
One of the most memorable places I ever ate at was a small taco joint in La Paz, Mexico. Sorry, but I don't remember its name. I was on a guided whale watching/kayaking trip and would NEVER have gone in except for our guide saying it was safe to do so. The outside was dingy, dirty, poorly kept -- signals for dysentery if I'd ever seen them (but apparently expected -- make it nice and the vandals will deface it). The inside was clean and simple, but the food was absolutely outstanding!
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Re: Spain or Portugal?

Paul Heymont ·
Portugal's rail system feels a bit worn in places, and some trains look terrible from outside...but the interiors are clean and the system seems to work. Not a terribly large country, so that time between the two largest cities (Lisbon and Porto) is about 3.5 hours. If you add in getting to the airport early and getting in from the airport at the other end, it's probably faster than flying. Other significant points in Portugal also have reasonable rail service, including Coimbra, the...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 29, 2014. Shira Plateau, Tanzania

GarryRF ·
Was this part of a guided tour DrF. ? A safari ? The further I get from civilisation - I get more concerned for safety. Wild animals, clean water and getting lost ! Was this a family vacation ? You must be a "hardened traveller"
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Re: Help with Provence Itinerary

artsnletters ·
Nearest St-Remy: - Don't miss Les Baux . The village is touristy but the castle complex on top is fantastic and the views are to die for - you don't need to be a fan of scenery to appreciate them. - Roman ruins of Glanum , walking distance from St-Remy - Arles for more Roman ruins (but I think you've been already?) Farther away: - Day-trip to the Luberon for unmatched scenery and charming little villages full of vernacular architecture - what people build themselves, without an architect.
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Re: The Ghan - an Australian rail journey of style and comfort

TravelandNature ·
IslandMan - A superb experience ! Thank you for sharing !
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Re: The Ghan - an Australian rail journey of style and comfort

PortMoresby ·
This looks like a fantastic trip and any reason to go by train is good one to me. Wondering if the place names (Adelaide, Alice, Katherine) recall days of too few settler women for the number of men?
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Re: The Ghan - an Australian rail journey of style and comfort

Travel Rob ·
Thanks for taking us on that journey! A wonderful piece!
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Re: The Ghan - an Australian rail journey of style and comfort

Paul Heymont ·
M. Poirot regrets that he had necessity of leaving the journey before the end. An important affair required the attention of his gray matter...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. May 5, 2014: Spring in Chicago!

PortMoresby ·
Isn't it interesting how the red tulips seem 3-dimensional. I noticed it in the Ananda pictures too. Very nice, DrF.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. May 5, 2014: Spring in Chicago!

Travel Rob ·
i love Chicago and your photos really capsured the feel of Spring. A note for cheapskates like me ,is parking is expensive.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. May 5, 2014: Spring in Chicago!

PortMoresby ·
I'd like to comment on design as it applies to the Pic of the Day thumbnail that appears on the homepage. I've been trying to choose pictures for this feature that look attractive in the small scale we first see, that will invite viewers to click on it to see it full-sized, along with whatever else we post. I think this one is a great example of what looks good in such a small size, clear design elements, in this case the central flower bed with a linear frame of pavement, trees and...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. May 5, 2014: Spring in Chicago!

DrFumblefinger ·
Thanks for the comment, PortMoresby.
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Re: As if you didn't know: NY Gov calls NYC airports terrible

PortMoresby ·
I'm going to have to agree with the Governor. One must acknowledge a problem before it can be fixed. I believe La Guardia is just about the worst airport I've had the misfortune to use in recent years. I include any number of developing nations in the assessment. Most countries try to encourage tourism by giving a good impression on arrival. Even in places where infrastructure as a whole is lacking, the airports are often clean and new. I sincerely hope the Governor succeeds in this.
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Re: Mercado de San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

GarryRF ·
My first experience of a "Spanish" style market was in Menorca. A small island off the east coast of Spain. The Island of soldiers and cows the locals called it. We had our kids with us as we went around the market square calling at each of the butchers shops. None had steak for sale - but would have plenty at 3pm ! So we returned at 2:45pm. We could hear the excitement but there was no one there. A few minutes later a bull was dragged into the marble floored market square. Kicking and...
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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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