Tagged With "niversary of Shakespeare's Death"
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Re: Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Poland. The infamous 'Arbeit macht frei' sign at the entrance
Yes, TravelingCanuck, I sensed the same at Auschwitz. It was somber and oppressive, even when the sun was shining. And it was a place of death. You could even smell lingering scent of ashes, probably human, at Birkenau. I think it's just hard for us to comprehend that "civilized" humans could establish death factories for those they deemed unworthy. That what was once a trusted government could so turn on its people and all people. It is one of the reasons I don't put my trust in any government.
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Re: Dutch mill village calls 'Enough!"
Don't bite the hand that feeds you. You don't know where your next "Wiener Schnitzel " will come from. For 4.3 Million they can take photos as they walk through my living room. "They doth protest too much, methinks" is a line from the c. 1600 play Hamlet by William Shakespeare
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Re: SFO gets OK for emergency cellphone blast
Sounds like an incredibly stupid idea ! In a crowded enclosed space a stampede of a thousand people would create a death toll far greater than the initial problem.
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Re: Why the Return of Frommers Guidebooks is a Big Deal
Last year a lot of people were lamenting the death of Frommers Guidebooks and the industry. Now that we have the Frommers back producing the guides , I hope people will support them robustly. Rick Steves had a nice piece on Facebook last year on how he thought the industry might change,but not go away . Time will tell .I , like PHeymont stated above,want to see those points of view from authors and travelers. https://www.facebook.com/notes...ad/10151387578169702
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Re: Montmartre Cemetery, Paris
She died nearby, as well. She returned to Montmartre in 1928, a year before her death, and eked out a living selling matches and peanuts on a corner near the Moulin Rouge.
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Re: Serra's Church, Mission San Juan Capistrano, California. Where Gumbo Was #46
Somewhere I've got a snapshot of a very young me with a tiny lady holding an object who had insisted my friend take our picture in the garden together. It was in the village of Petra, Majorca and she officiated at the small museum commemorating Junipero Serra's birthplace. I was spending the summer on the island and every student educated in California knows his name almost as well as their own. The address of my high school was El Camino Real, Father Serra's road from mission to mission and...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 14, 2015: Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto
All that wonderful wholesome food ! Then....." Death by Chocolate " I think you have to be raised on Hockey to feel a need to watch it. Like Football ( that's non-US ) Cricket or Rugby !
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Re: The Medieval Fortress and Town of Chinon
I love Chinon, thought it the perfect place when I spent a few days there resting up, after a week or so walking from chateau to chateau from Chambord. Uncrowded, an idyllic setting, small yet big enough - in short, it has everything. And residents not touristed out, as places can get, loved to death. Many thanks for the reminder, DrF, as beautiful as I remember.
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
Another addition to the list of current shows of great photography, this one in Paris. Ten years after his death, Henri Cartier-Bresson at the Pompidou, until June 9th.
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Re: A small plaque high on the wall...
The story of the Black Death and it's ongoing effects over the centuries is a fascinating one. One of the most evocative places I've been in England was to Eyam in Derbyshire, where houses have signs posted at the sidewalks for passersby to know the individuals and families taken by the plague. The village is not an empty museum site, but a living place, attached firmly to it's history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyam One of my all-time favorite books is 'Year of Wonders', by Geraldine...
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Re: Why You should visit Nevada's Valley of Fire
You are correct, GarryRF. There have been a number of movies filmed in the park. Lifted straight from Wikipedia , here is a listing of these: Film History : Valley of Fire is a popular location for shooting automobile commercials and other commercial photography. It has provided a setting for the following films and television shows: The Professionals with Burt Lancaster , Lee Marvin , and Claudia Cardinale was filmed in 1966. As of November 2012 a piece of the movie set is still up for...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#115)
Death Valley looks like it's teaming with plant life compared to our puzzle photo. More clues to follow. And don't be shy about guessing.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#115)
This was a tough one. The first couple of photos made me think this might be Death Valley or possibly Saddle Road on the Big Island of Hawaii, but the last couple of photos clinched it for me. If you look closely at the rocks the vendor is selling, you can make out images of what appear to be animals, possibly birds. The last photo looks like it shows some carving in the sand. Such a desolate place...my guess would be the Nazca Lines, Peru.
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Re: Death Valley National Park
That's about as thorough a write up of Death Valley as I've ever seen. It is a very desolate place and the temperature extremes are amazing. In one late winter day we went from snow to 115 F. The heat, especially in the summer, is dangerous. Don't visit in the summer. Visit it in the winter. The scenery is beautiful and it's definitely worth seeing.
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Re: Death Valley National Park
I came across this piece on Death Valley which, while not as interesting as Tom's blog, has some interesting facts. You can read it at this link !
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Re: France: Baking up a fight over bread and hours
I'm not so sure I trust free markets to run things so well...and I've seen mice run themselves to death on a treadmill. But I do think that it should be possible for bakeries to be open 24/7/365 as long as workers' hours are reasonable and there are enough of them.
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Re: Studies: travel abroad=more creative, outgoing, smarter
Not only is travel good for the mind, it good for health as well. The report commissioned by the US Travel Association also quotes previous studies that show women who travel twice a year have significantly reduced chance of heart attacks or coronary death and men who didn't take a vacation had a 20 percent higher risk of of death.
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Re: A visit to Normandy: exploring the D-Day beaches
Several vets I know say that the Normandy beach landings as portrayed in the movie "Saving Private Ryan" are the way they remember it. Madness, chaos, noise, death, fear, adrenaline, more fear. And yet they ran into the madness. It takes a type of courage that's hard for us to imagine in the 21st century. Thanks for sharing that story, Garry.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #17
This reminds me of desert in the American Southwest, maybe Death Valley or Joshua tree or Baja California. I imagine it's pretty hot out there on a summer day!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, August 16, 2014: Graceland's Walls, Memphis
Thanks for your comments, Islandman. At his heart, Elvis was and remained a country boy. He never lost his connection to his roots, despite his great success and wealth. I think something that most bothered him about his fame was his loss of privacy -- he could never go anywhere without being "mobbed" by people who literally loved him to death. But he had a giving heart and it was a great pleasure for him to see the joy in someone's face when he gave them an unexpected present, like a car.
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Re: Pittock Mansion, Portland, Oregon
Good job, P. I was just about to look for it. I don't think I knew that you visited one. Karl's is there, too. I've been to the one on Santorini and, of course, Shakespeare & co.
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Re: Hawaii: Coping with Hurricane Ana
The Flag was adopted 70 years after the death of Cook. It was designed by the Head of the Hawaiian Navy. Who's previous employment was with the British Royal Navy.
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Re: The Dempster Highway: a Drive to the Arctic Coast of Canada
It sounds like a great adventure! Thanks for sharing it with us. This road trip has been on my bucket list for some time, but sounds like it's worth delaying until the road to Tuk is completed. I've heard fall is a nice time to go. Not only is the tundra vividly colored, but there are no mosquitos (frozen to death by evening frost). Know any downsides to this, Tom?
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Re: The Dempster Highway: a Drive to the Arctic Coast of Canada
Originally Posted by DrFumblefinger: It sounds like a great adventure! Thanks for sharing it with us. This road trip has been on my bucket list for some time, but sounds like it's worth delaying until the road to Tuk is completed. I've heard fall is a nice time to go. Not only is the tundra vividly colored, but there are no mosquitos (frozen to death by evening frost). Know any downsides to this, Tom? Yes, I would wait until the road is finished. I had to fly from Inuvik to Tuk and return by...
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Re: Yosemite National Park: A walk among Giants. Hiking in the Mariposa Grove
Thanks for all your comments. Followup: DrY. Yes, you and your family should see this sometime. You would love it! We need to plan out a trip to California for you that includes its best parks and some city sites. PHeymont. Yes, you must DO Yosemite. I recommend mid to late May as the best time to go as the waterfalls are brimming with meltwater. I like hikes of all types and can still do "moderate" hikes, though no longer take on "challenging" ones. But the Mariposa grove is doable by...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 22, 2014: Columbia Icefields, Alberta
Great photos Dr Y. Is this an all year tourist resort or would I freeze to death in winter ? I presume this remains sub zero all year due to its elevation. Does it contain any wildlife ? Is it receding with warmer weather ? We see pictures of areas where glacier ice is disappearing but there are areas we don't see where it's on the increase. I remember being taught about shifting ice regions in the 1950's and all this alarmist talk today seems to be just a continuation of normality.
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Re: Delta: Cheap inflight WiFi for Smartphones
It seems to me the smart thing for all the airlines to do would be to offer free wifi for any device, any flight, any distance. Southwest has stood out from the crowd by continuing to offer a free checked bag when others haven't and have gained loyalty as a result. May it continue. I understand that baggage fees have added a huge amount to the bottom lines but brand loyalty is worth a lot too. By giving away a $2 item and thereby correcting the notion, to a certain degree, that airlines mean...
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Re: Stockholm's Skansen Museum Park: Where Gumbo Was #27
I'd never heard of this museum, PHeymont, and find it all fascinating. Another reason to visit Stockholm! But I did guess the building was a cache (name used in Canada for structures like these people use to store meat in the winter without any access except a ladder). Not claiming victory as I had no idea where it was, but you want a building without windows, large doors (although you need a way in, be it from the bottom or side) or an ability to chew threw on ground level to protect your...
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A Day in Chartres
If you’re looking for a nice escape from the crowds and chaos of Paris, consider heading to the small city of Chartres for a day or two. Situated 60 miles (96 km) southwest of Paris, just an hour’s train ride from the...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, December 11, 2014: Jeffery Pine, Sentinel Dome
Yosemite National Park is one of my favorite places. A remarkable and grand landscape of granite mountains, sheer valleys carved by glaciers, thunderous waterfalls plunging thousands of feet and several groves of majestic Sequoia...
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The Sunshine Skyway Bridge – The Creepy and the Miraculous
If you follow Interstate 275 south through the city of St. Petersburg, Florida until you run out of land, you’ll be greeted by a gentle slope of road that seemingly rises from the waters of the Tampa Bay. This...
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Visiting Versailles
Among the many wonderful palaces of Europe, Versailles is said to be the greatest and grandest of them all. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and is on almost every traveler’s list of “must see”...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct. 30: Monet's Gardens at Giverny
Almost as if he were painting with plantings and water, the Impressionist painter Claude Monet spent years creating gardens and water features around his house and studio in Giverny, west of Paris and on the edge of Normandy. Monet and his family...
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A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
I remember being in Wales several times and looking across the sea to the west, thinking that I needed to get to Ireland. Well I finally made it, completing this journey with my brother on our annual "getaway trip"! It was a trip we really...
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Frommer's New EasyGuides: A Future for Print
Over the past past year, there’s been a lot of musing among travelers and in the travel industry about whether the day of the printed travel guide is over, in the face of vast stores of on-line information and smartphone...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, January 17, 2015: Shakespeare Books, Avignon
I didn’t really need more books, but how could I not visit the English bookstore, Shakespeare Books, in Avignon. I was staying in this great medieval town on the Rhône, on the south side just inside the wall near...
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Washington Oaks Garden: a Peaceful Paradise in Florida
With all that Florida has to offer, you'd think it would be hard for anybody to pick a favorite place in the state. In my case though, it's not. By a mile,my favorite place is Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. Washington Oaks is one of the most...
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Spring 2015! Selfie Garden Debuts at Keukenhof
Photo of Keukenhof : Wikimedia Commons , Author Alessandro Vecchi Keukenhof Estate is a 32 hectare park in the Netherlands filled with over 7 million flowers in Spring....
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, April 27, 2015: Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Garden
One of the prettiest cottages anywhere, dating to the 15th century, is just a mile from Stratford on Avon. Anne Hathaway lived in this 12 room home as a child. She is best known for being the wife of the bard, William Shakespeare,...
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Van Gogh Museum takes a new look at Vincent
Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum is marking the 125th anniversary of his death by refocusing the display of its collection to change the focus of how we look at the artist; in their words "to discover the ideas and ambitions behind his art" and present "a...
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Brooklyn's Spectacular Botanic Garden (Where Gumbo Was #112)
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a pint-size treasure that always seems bigger than it is (and which occupies an outsize place in botanical research) was this week's answer to Where in the World is TravelGumbo? Because the Garden presents an array...
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Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park (The Place of Refuge), Big Island of Hawaii (Where Gumbo was #113)
Perhaps the best place on the Big Island to enjoy a sunset (from many great possibilities), Pu’uhonua o Honaunau (the Place of Refuge) is a remarkable destination. This is a National Historic site which should be...
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Gold Country, California: The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
I thought this series about Gold Country was done. But I realize now that may not be true for some time. About 6 months ago, wanting to replace the wood stove in my house that was installed when the house was built in 1978, I called...
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Pompeii frescoes, stolen in 1957, return to Italy
Three frescoes, missing from Pompeii since 1957 have turned up in the U.S., and been returned to Italy. They are part of a larger trove; a number of other pieces have already been recovered. These three apparently spent the past almost-60 years...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 18, 2015: Changing Seasons
I think spring may be just around the corner for us here in Calgary, watching nature change with the seasons is so metaphorical to me. The repeated cycles of death and rebirth that the fall and spring show us is a reminder to me that I...
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A Brief Visit to Avignon
The center of Avignon with the Rhône and l'Île Piot in the distance. The purpose of my stop in Avignon was a pause in a pleasant small city, between arriving in France and the week I planned to spend in Uzes. I recalled...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Mar. 29, 2015: J. S. Bach's Tomb
This week marks Johann Sebastian Bach's 330th birthday on March 21 or 31, 1685. The difference is due to the change, during his lifetime, from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Above, his vault in the floor of the Thomaskirche, Leipzig Germany....
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Las Vegas -- last stop of the Elvis tour
This post marks the end of our journey to see sites related to Elvis Presley's life. So far we've visited Elvis' birth home in Tupelo , his mansion, Graceland , its car museum , and we've toured Memphis ...
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The Sunshine Skyway Bridge – The Creepy and the Miraculous
By JP Chartier If you follow Interstate 275 south through the city of St. Petersburg, Florida until you run out of land, you’ll be greeted by a gentle slope of road that seemingly rises from the waters of the Tampa Bay. This...
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A Place of Fairy Tales & Magic – The Biltmore Estate
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,...