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Tagged With "Outdoor living"

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Re: An Englishwoman's Home in France

DrFumblefinger ·
What a great place to live! Definitely more my style than a huge city.
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Re: Antarctica, part 3. Antarctica Rocks!

DrFumblefinger ·
Hi Kirsten, Behind in my emails, but did want you to know that the last of your series on Celebrating Nature went live today. I want to personally thank you so very much for sharing your tremendous talents with our audience. I enjoyed reading -- and learned a lot -- from your posts and greatly enjoyed your wonderful photography! I'm sure many others did, too. If you have more material you'd like to post on TravelGumbo in the coming months, it would be our pleasure to host it. Hope you had a...
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Re: Qantas eyes more UK-Oz nonstops

GarryRF ·
After sitting on an airplane seat for 12 hours it's an absolute pleasure to ride an exercise bike in Kuala Lumpur Airport - before my onward journey to Oz. Just for 20 mins so the lower part of my body regains the will to live. I thought a few minutes jogging would help me - until I realised I had presented myself as a moving target to the Airport Police. The thought of a 17 hour direct flight in cattle class is awful. Maybe travelling in business class - with room for my arteries to...
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Re: Palais Garnier: Opera House in Paris

Samantha ·
Thanks guys. It is such an amazing place and I can't image how incredible it would be to see a live performance. Maybe someday Thanks again.
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Re: Money Savings Tips, for your Big Trip - Part 1

TravelingCanuck ·
Thanks Samantha. All great tips. Some we do now and some (public transit) we do not since we live outside Edmonton and both work in the city. A 15 minute commute would turn into over an hour on transit. We actually just redid our cable subscription, obtained a better plan and updated internet with a reduced monthly cost. With our kids now moved out we are able to save a good bit on our utilities, phone costs and especially food costs. All extra coin for the next trip.
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Re: Money Savings Tips, for your Big Trip - Part 1

Samantha ·
Thanks for the comment. Glad you were able to get a new contract with your cable company. We had Comcast and they don't care about retaining customers, only getting new ones Such a shame. Thanks for the comment and happy travels.
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Re: Belfast: An Uneasy City

Paul Heymont ·
Garry, I'll live with judgemental, but without taking it as a bad thing. Travel and observation involves judgement, even at the simplest level (am I having fun? would I come back here?), but sometimes the circumstances require a deeper look and thought. In that way, for instance (and perhaps unfairly) it is possible to visit Dublin, and have only a historic thought to 1690 and 1916; they're woven into history and customs, but only at a level that does not consciously intrude—but to visit...
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Re: Why I Travel

GarryRF ·
My early travels in the US were all done with maps. I've been lost many times. So I bought the American Maps for my UK TomTom Sat Nav. Best thing I've done in years ! I love taking roads that aren't tourist routes - and getting lost - now. Explore the back woods and the one horse towns. Explore where the rich folks live and the poor. Taking photo's of local characters. Folks that have worse teeth than the Brits ! Show me the tourist route and I'll go the other way !
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Re: Where Gumbo Was #14: A Sewer Journey

Paul Heymont ·
It's true that it's an acquired taste (and Mrs. Gumbo has sworn off any more visits of this sort) but it's really more about the history of how we've learned to live than it is about sewers in and of themselves...
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Re: Frommer's New EasyGuides: A Future for Print

GarryRF ·
A review for London ? Haven't been there for 40 years Paul. Really don't like big Cities and the "too busy to care attitude of people who live there" It's just my personal opinion. On the Tube Train into London people don't make eye-contact or talk to strangers. Here in Liverpool you'll be in conversation with 3 or 4 strangers and share a few laughs on the journey ! Someone falls on the street here ( and most of Northern England ) and folks rush to help. London they step over you. Rant over...
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People

GarryRF ·
When I go to my local Pub in Liverpool I'll have a choice of Beers. Heineken Dutch Lager - San Miguel Spanish - Carlsberg Danish - Stella Belgian - Fosters Australian - Sagres Portuguese. Plus many local brews. Old Speckled Hen, Bishops Finger and my favourite Newcastle Brown Ale. Served in a Pint - 20 ounce - Bottle. With a half pint glass. It keeps cooler in the bottle ! Liquid Toffee ! Not a light Beer. Lots of Flavour and quite potent. I've found bars around Ocean City Maryland who serve...
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Re: Frommer's New EasyGuides: A Future for Print

DrFumblefinger ·
Like GarryRF, I'd rather be in wide open places. But that said, I do love snippets of big cities. A week at a time is about enough to satisfy my need for hustle and bustle for awhile. I know others can't live without the constant adrenaline rush of a city. The beauty of a free world is that everyone can pick what they want.
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People

DrFumblefinger ·
I didn't know that there were so many Irish in Liverpool. There are certainly many of them in Canada and the USA as well. One wonders how many more Irish live abroad than on their home island.
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Re: The Worst Train in the World

PortMoresby ·
If I live it won't be my last. Just prior to that one, same trip, I'd gone from Guilin to Nanning, then after lunch got on another, overnight to Hanoi. Later overnight again, Hanoi to Hoi An. Now that I think about it I realize they got progressively worse as I went along, culminating in The Worst. I hadn't thought about it until just this minute, hindsight is a wonderful thing that way. A great disappointment to me several years ago was the apparently permanent cancellation of the Hanoi to...
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Re: Family Takes Year Off to Travel the World

Former Member ·
They did not take a year "off"; they took a year "on" to live life. What lucky kids ! What lucky parents ! Bully on this family for making that "luck" happen.
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Re: Idaho's Craters of the Moon National Monument

GarryRF ·
Yellowstone National Park has over 500 Geyser's - so I guess that counts as a "Hot Spot" (I just Googled it) I remember the smell of sulphur being one of the giveaways to a live site so I'll sniff my way about! Thanks for the info DrF.
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Re: Greenland from six miles high!

GarryRF ·
The Vikings were the first to live in Greenland - they described it as a "Green and pleasant land - with pastures and animals" Maybe when we get some serious Global Warming we'll all go back with our Cameras and the latest Frommers' Guide .... Greenland - Land of the Surfers and the 24 Hour Sun
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Re: Venice's ban on huge cruise ships suspended

Paul Heymont ·
The only alternatives I can see are to build a new cruise port outside the lagoon. Chioggia might be too far, but perhaps just north of the main way into the lagoon, across the inlet from the Lido. That would provide land-based alternatives for other day trips from the boats, and could also be served by vaporetto-sized boats heading into Venice itself. Of course, I haven't consulted the folks who live there and run campgrounds there...
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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

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: Paris warned: bigger floods will happen

Paul Heymont ·
Actually, part of the problem is that the Seine, like many others, is no longer a "natural" river. It's had its banks turned into walls, its flood plains turned from farms to cities, and more. And that requires, yes, experts to figure out how we can live with that when it rains. In the U.S., we have a similar issue with the Mississippi River, which has been so altered that floods that once spread over wide areas of land or were contained in marshy areas, and which fed fresh soil to farms and...
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Re: Italian town bans barking

DrFumblefinger ·
If this ban will be enforced, it is effectively a ban on having dogs in that town, because by their nature, dogs will bark. Some do it more than others, but they all will bark sometime. You can try to control and discipline them, but that will have limited success. People love their dogs. I know that's true of me and it's true of many others. Doesn't sound like the kind of place I'd want to live in.
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Re: Ultimate outdoor vacation: a year without walls

DrFumblefinger ·
I love being out of doors, including some time roughing it. But I also love showers, a nice meal and a comfortable bed. Glad to know there's adventuresome folks out there!
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Re: JetBlue at JFK: A most unusual rooftop lounge

DrFumblefinger ·
Is it a "frequent flyer" only lounge, or open to all JetBlue passengers?
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Re: Copenhagen's missing tour bus found, busnapper arrested

George G. ·
Our son and his family live in the beautiful rural Jutland Peninsula of Denmark. Though Denmark is still one of the safest countries in the world, they have seen a dramatic rise in criminal activity by immigrant gangs, so no matter where you travel, you should always be cognizant of your surroundings.
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Re: Canada's 10 Best Kayaking Destinations

DrFumblefinger ·
Great suggestions! Another excellent place to Kayak is Johnston Strait, on the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland. Several pods of Orcas live here so your chance of seeing them is excellent!
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Re: Canada's 10 Best Kayaking Destinations

Floating Authority ·
Thank you for that Suggestion! I'll have to keep it in mind. Canada has so many amazing places to paddle there could be at least 50 that could feature on this list!
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Re: Terry Fox Monument, Thunder Bay, Ontario

DrFumblefinger ·
Thanks for sharing this story with our audience, Ottoman. I remember Terry Fox well. His run across Canada became an important news story, and the image of him hoping on his good leg before stepping with his prosthesis has always remained with me. He was a remarkable brave young man, and it's sad that he didn't live to see the profound influence that one life can have. A reminder how how cancer can strike anyone. No age, no sex, no race, no social class is immune from its reach. I really...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day: May 6th, 2014. Cairo Roadside Cafe

DrFumblefinger ·
You've truly got a slice of everyday life as the "locals" live it, Islandman! thanks for sharing this.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 4th, 2014: Humming Birds

DrFumblefinger ·
I enjoy these birds, although like guys speeding by on motorcycles (affectionately called "organ donors" in Germany) they seem to live on the edge. Life in Fast-Forward x12! One year we discovered a hummingbird nest in one of our bushes. Its eggs were amazingly tiny! The entire nest wasn't much bigger than my thumbnail (wish I'd taken photos of it) And PHeymont, we need to get you out of the city more. I know NYC is famous for its big cockroaches, but if you can't tell a bird from an insect,...
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Re: Cruising California's 17 Mile Drive

DrFumblefinger ·
Far be it for anyone to say you are selfish, Garry! It is one of the most expensive places to live in California, but I suspect all those drivers going through help subsidize the neighborhood more than that homeowners might want to let on. And I'm not sure most of us could afford the taxes, even if we wanted to. Being an average guy, this is just not my scene.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, November 25, 2014: Fall colors at Upper Kananaskis Lake, Alberta

DrFumblefinger ·
Hi GarryRF, Yes, this part of the world includes vaste stretches of wilderness. Lots and lots of unspoiled mountains, valleys, forests, rivers and lakes. It is only an hour's drive from west Calgary, so lots of those of us who live here spend our weekends in the Rockies. Much like those in Denver. Camping is wonderful in the summertime, as the weather is mild and the days very long. It's also great to hike here at that time. Camping in the winter is only for the brave of heart. You need to...
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Re: Memphis, Tennessee: 1) Graceland

GarryRF ·
You've put together an interesting tour DrF. I never knew you got that up close and personal on a tour . You mentioned the 2nd floor. Do the family still live there ? I'm surprised to see there's no mention of his manager. 50% - wow - that's some fee. Heard stories but never knew that was the figure. There have been other cases of artists - of that time - being mis-used too.
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Re: Finding Reiner #7: Shrapnel & Bones

Paul Heymont ·
I can't help thinking, as I read your descriptions, and the memories of the people you met, at the people, old and young, caught up in Palestine and in Iraq in circumstances not very different. It is sad that we continue to live in a world where their wishes and hopes are of so little consequence to those who call the shots. Literally.
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Re: Gumbo’s Pic of the Day, August 22, 2014: Postcards from Greece - The Donkeys

PortMoresby ·
When I stayed on Santorini 10 years ago, on a walk around Oia, I saw the donkeys used to collect trash. I sincerely wish they'd adopt the practice where I live. I'd so much rather wake to the sound of hooves than the crash and roar of garbage trucks.
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Re: And life was never the same again: How Barcelona stole my heart

Jonathan L ·
I love Barcelona. It is one of the few cities that I feel I could live in, if I were to leave NYC. Large enough to have an active cultural and social life that is not dependent on tourists, small enough to be able to get around and do things without a car. Lovely things to look at. Great food.
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Re: And life was never the same again: How Barcelona stole my heart

Paul Heymont ·
I'll second Jonathan L on that...one of the two or three cities I'd be willing to live in, besides Brooklyn...and you found my favorite tapas place, too!
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Re: AirBnB vs New York. Update

Paul Heymont ·
As a frequent Airbnb renter (about 16 times) I obviously think it's a valuable thing and want it to succeed. I also think that there's room for reasonable regulation that's sensitive to local needs, and that a reasonable compromise can be found. Let's take the case of New York City...there is a real shortage of affordable housing. While it's not caused by Airbnb, but rather by a series of market issues that I won't rehearse here, it's reasonable for the city/state to ban short-term rentals...
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Re: AirBnB vs New York. Update

PortMoresby ·
Everything you say, P, is logical and fair. The problem becomes compliance and enforcement, not a separate issue. A segment of people will always try to game the system and it's impossible to enforce these kinds of regulations in such a complex and populous place. Even here, where I live in a relatively rural place, I suspect I'm the only one in a large county collecting and paying the short-term occupancy tax. I do it, not because I'm honest, but because I don't want to think about possible...
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Re: Prague's Jerusalem Synagogue: Where Gumbo Was (#129)

Paul Heymont ·
My apologies to the three Guessers who correctly identified Where Gumbo Was...when I wrote the blog, the guesses were not in yet. When I updated it with the congratulatory paragraph, I apparently failed to save it, and the older version went "live" this morning. Again, my apologies to Jonathan L, TravelingCanuck and PortMoresby, all regular (and often successful) participants. .....PHeymont
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Re: SkyMall's Business Dwindles With Increased Internet Usage In-Flight

DrFumblefinger ·
It would be a shame if they went out of business. I've always found looking at their catalog of things I can live without, but which are highly entertaining, make a long flight pass by.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, January 27, 2015: Breaking the winter blues at the Calgary Zoo

DrFumblefinger ·
That's a good point, GarryRF! People who live in places with cold climates do adapt and most involve their kids in out door activities -- winter or summer. For example, downhill skiing is very popular. But that walk with the penguins intrigues me. I've never heard of this except, of course, in Antarctica. Need to go by and check it out sometime.
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Re: Six Reasons Why Lisbon Made Me Nostalgic for San Francisco

Paul Heymont ·
Thanks for this really special blog that links two cities I've only visited but have come to love. Of course, San Francisco can't live up to my description of Lisbon as "steep, but cheap!"
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Re: No place like home? 41% of Americans stayed there!

PortMoresby ·
Is there a difference between those who can't afford to travel and those who believe they can't afford it, but could? I cannot tell you how many times those with far greater resources than I have said to me that they wished they could travel. The obvious reason is priorities, not lack of funds. To tell you the truth, I'm surprised it wasn't higher than 41%. I'm also surprised at what they describe as "the other end of the spectrum", those who took more than 20 days. A measly 20 days being...
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Re: "World's scariest walkway" re-opens; may be safer

DrFumblefinger ·
There are some experiences in life I can live without trying. This would be near the top of that list.
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Re: Family kicked off flight

PortMoresby ·
I think all children should be buckled in, just as the law requires them to be in cars where I live, in car seats when small. There have been a number of cases where children have been among the only survivors of air crashes, the theory being their more elastic bodies withstand trauma better. But a baby (or 3 year old) sitting unrestrained or on its mother's lap would likely not. I know of no seat belt laws that give an exemption for stupidity. The airline was right to remove the family.
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Re: Airbnb's stunt: floating a house on the Thames

PortMoresby ·
Enter here, https://www.airbnb.com/night-at/floating-house if you live in the UK, care to write an essay, have an Airbnb account and can stay in the house on May 22nd.
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Re: Airlines defend holding onto fuel surcharges

Paul Heymont ·
Or, alternately, if it’s a time-limited charge to pay for specific capital costs of improvement, call it that—and take it off when the work is done. Although those of us who live with bridges and tunnels that were supposed to become free after they were paid off…good luck!
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Re: Aw shucks. Danes are no longer the World's Happiest People

DrFumblefinger ·
I do know that the further north people live, the less daylight they have in the winter, the higher the rate of depression. For example, Alaska has a high winter suicide rate at least in part because it is so gloomy there half of the year. The same, I would think, is true of the Nordic folks. My perception of these sorts of lists is that they represent things that "should make you happy", much like our friends, the Eloi. What are some of the things that make me happy? An evening with good...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#137)

DrFumblefinger ·
Thanks for your comments, gentlemen. Yes, Pheymont, it is both specific and generic and with more clues it will definitely be much more specific. John T, as you know I live in Canada and for tonight, I'll add the tidbit that this is not in Canada. Another photo might help.....?
 
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