Tagged With "Winter Olympic Games"
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Re: Belgium and Sweden see night-train link
I haven't found a definitive answer to that; the nearest I have come is speculation that DB is concerned about competition with existing conventional trains along the route; DB is the major carrier on the route, but they are clearly not doing much of a job of it as the schedule I've linked here shows. The minimum number of train changes is 2, with some itineraries requiring 8! And the ones with only 2 or 3 changes sell for nearly $200, compared to $70 with 8 changes. I'd think a direct...
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
I'm interested in the darker stone or brick construction right in the center of the top photo. Did I miss a reference to it or is it an illusion?
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
If you're referring to the marked area below, it's not an illusion, but not part of a building, either! There are buildings further up the hill, but not that close to the castle.
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
No, in the lower left of that one, right below the individual tree on the left and below your circle. Put your finger dead center of the top photo and it's there, just above the 2 gothic windows, between the 2 halves of the castle. Looks like a modern construction and appears to be leaning left, 2 chimneys.
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
Ah, now I see what you meant. No, nothing esoteric. It's actually part of the roofline of one of the buildings; the black area with the rectangles is just the shadow of part of the windowless wall adjoining it. Here's what it looks like without the shadow...
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
I see now, it's a shadow giving the illusion that was confusing me. Now it's just a case of disappearing chimneys. A very interesting building.
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
Nice memories of a fun place to visit. I seem to recall there's an interesting old pharmacy/pharmacist museum in the Castle. Not exactly the kind of thing you find often.
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
You might be amazed at how many pharmacy museums there are, aside from the one in Heidelberg...this LINK takes you to a 100+ page list of them in the U.S. and Canada. We've also found them in Spain and Italy, and just now noticed that there's one in Krakow, where I believe you are at the moment! Here's a LINK to that one!
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Re: Yes, Winter's coming: France gets first snow
We almost got snowed in as we were leaving Krakow, Poland. Yes, it's that time of year when winter is letting us know it's coming.
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Re: Yes, Winter's coming: France gets first snow
Hurricane Joaquin crossed the Atlantic and got split in two by the jet stream. France got trapped in the middle of the two. Allowing cold air from Siberia to blow across northern Europe. So the Geese have arrived here on the wind too. 3 Weeks too early. Its what the remnants of Hurricanes do.
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Re: Crashing the geocache
Hello TatToo, I live in Europe especially Germany. I do know Geocaching and of course the game is known here. If you don't have a GPS device with a European card in it you can use your mobile phone as long you have the geocaching app. Before your son goes to Europe just with that mobile phone, make sure he looks for geocaches in areas he will be first and download the map and the cache itself. Even if you don't have an Internet connection they can use it via GPS. I did it in USA and it has...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#313)
Here's the final clue—it almost gives the game away! Where are we?
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Re: Wandering In and Around Split
Split is amazing! And I love your article, I missed out on some of the things to do. Instead I visited all the Game of Thrones filming locations in and around Split I tried to visit as much as possible early in the morning avoiding the crowds, this place seems to be very popular already...
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Re: March 19, 2018: Winter at Caraquet Wharf, New Brunswick
Brrrrr. I can feel that North Atlantic wind crossing over all that ice. It's a little hard to tell from the photos but I assume the boats are dry-docked fro the winter? Ice can be a very destructive force when it thaws.
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Re: March 19, 2018: Winter at Caraquet Wharf, New Brunswick
A lot of boats are dry-docked for the winter, but I did see others that were not. The Bay looks more like a field. That's an island out there!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 14, 2015: Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto
Dark chocolate is good for you Garry I actually don't watch hockey much anymore, although from time to time I'll try to catch a game in person. As with many sports, watching it on the tube doesn't do it justice. You need to see a game in person to appreciate the action, the speed of the sport, the skill in passing and stick handling. Done properly, I think it's one of the world's greatest spectator sports.
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Re: AirBnB vs New York. Update
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: Snow in your backyard? Wanna host the Winter Olympics?
What's funny is everybody enjoyed the Olympics when they used existing older stadiums too. Time to get back to good sportsmanship ,competition, and people coming together
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Re: Snow in your backyard? Wanna host the Winter Olympics?
There's too much ego on the part of the hosting country, and the games have gotten too expensive. It would make sense to return to those cities who have previously hosted and who have already got the proper facilities in place.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, January 27, 2015: Breaking the winter blues at the Calgary Zoo
It's important to teach the children that winter is there to be enjoyed too. It's never bad weather - just the wrong clothes !
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, January 27, 2015: Breaking the winter blues at the Calgary Zoo
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: Yellowstone National Park in Winter
Thanks so very much for making us a part of your fascinating road-trip by sharing your visit to this unique place at such a special time. It's so rare to actually talk to someone who visited Yellowstone in the winter, much less to read such a wonderfully written report and to share in your experience through your beautiful photos. I'm sorry you didn't get to see wolves in the wild, but in this you are not alone. As many times as I've been in the wilderness, I've yet to see them (though I was...
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Re: Yellowstone National Park in Winter
I really enjoyed this blog entry! I have been to Yellowstone but never in the winter, I want to now though. I especially loved the picture of the Bison in the snow.
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Re: Too real? Sicily Mafia boss son takes heat for tours
I'm a little surprised he's "talking", which likely means very few details are forthcoming from the young Angelo. Seems someone is always offended by something, but if Angelo wasn't involved in the crimes I think he has the right to speak. The killing of these judges was a huge game changer in Sicily. Before this act the Mafia was not liked much, but tolerated. With the murders, the public turned against them and helped police finger the mob. Many arrests occurred and the mob has faded into...
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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: Oh, to be in England! Now that April's...snowing!
The weather here in northern England has cooled off - was 72f and now 50f. But its still sunny, pleasant and dry. Too dry - just had to water the flowers ! Apple Blossom in the garden - just now ....
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#327)
The final clues – almost giving the game away! Where are we?
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Re: Hound Tor, Dartmoor, Devon
Location of Sherlock Holmes' Hound of the Baskervilles. The Game is ON!
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#167)
Two of our readers have successfully identified this location! Let's see if these clues help you....
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? (11/20/13)
It's been a great game, Gumbo fans, and you've now pinned it to the wall. Tuesday morning's post will confirm your correct answer, with more details. It was fun playing with the group. In answer to the question: I've only been to Kaliningrad twice, both times on paper. Most recently, I was reading Tatiana, and was struck by Smith's comments on the rebuilding of churches, partly as vanity projects of the new capitalist class. When I came to the chapter in which Renko is attacked at the...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Sept. 29: Reflections on Reykjavik's Tjornin
That's a great photo, Pheymont! Guess I'll have to add Iceland to my trip of destinations -- after Portugal, that is!
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Re: Olympic Ski Jump, Calgary, Alberta
BEST WISHES TO ALL OLYMPIC ATHLETES, PEACE AND SUCCESS!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec 17, 2014: Fish Creek Park, Calgary
You picked the perfect morning for these photos, SCP. The light in winter in Calgary is really superb for photos, and you did a great job with these. Happy Holidays to you as well!
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Re: Bayfront Stadium, Pensacola: As Good as it Gets
Nice touch, having a chance to catch a ball while swimming! Seriously, maybe the best thing about the revival of minor-league ball (besides the training opportunities for future big-leaguers) is the affordability that makes it possible for families to enjoy and learn the game now that most major league tickets (and concessions) are out of range! There's no way you can really understand baseball from TV watching, where you don't really see the game, only the camera angle chosen at that...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#63)
Looks like its some kind of park. Still favor a flag being raised over a bat held up -- maybe the gamekeeper can clarify with a clue. If a flag, it has overtones of a revolution and I'd favor France then, probably Paris. The minibleacher invites the tykes to come -- play along with the French Revolution game. PHeymont has not shown us the mock-up of the guillotine beside this display (if it exists).
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Re: Finding Reiner #2: Chasing Ghosts
Another brilliant post, HistoryDigger! Thanks. I think you've described the situation many young German men were in, and it's a lesson for all of us to fight tyranny at every step and with all we have. It is also a reminder to me how a government that is "a friend of the people" can crush those same people if their power isn't checked. After the Nazis had seized power, there was no tolerance for dissent. You were either with them -- or you were in big big trouble (possibly even fatal...
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Amazon to enter the travel booking business
First Google, now Amazon. When will Apple get into the game (or have they and I just don't know about it)? Amazon is looking to start a hotel booking travel service, to compete with the likes of booking.com. It carries with it a...
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Lufthansa: Name your own upgrade...
Lufthansa has come up with a unique new...well, not sure if I should call it an offer, a game, a fee or a lottery! Economy passengers on Lufthansa's 747-8s is offering passengers in economy to bid on an upgrade to premium economy, or from economy to...
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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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Quebec — A Walled European Fortress In America
Quebec, like New York, is both a city and a state (or rather, a province). It’s an island of French heritage and culture within our Anglo-North American continent. We combined this visit with stops in Montreal and...
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ET, Call Home: A visit to the Arecibo Observatory
On our recent visit to Puerto Rico, we took an unplanned side trip to what might be called ET’s phone booth—a vast radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory that “listens” to space both for astronomical information and any...
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Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Springs
It's a great time of year to be visiting the desert regions of the Southwestern USA. The weather is warm and pleasant, the wildflowers are starting to bloom, and the oppressive heat of summer is a distant...
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Super Bowl crowds the skies
U.S. airlines are adding dozens of extra flights, and even some temporary routes, to get fans to next week's Super Bowl game in Phoenix. United's added the most, with 55 extra flights, both others are not far behind. As well, some airlines are using...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, January 27, 2015: Breaking the winter blues at the Calgary Zoo
Long winter blues with bad weather and nowhere to go? Why not pay a visit to the Calgary Zoo? Even in the cold hard winter weather in Alberta, you still can see Amur tigers out in the snow; Hippo Libi perform his back...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 14, 2015: Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto
It's hard for non-Canadians to understand just how beloved ice hockey is in Canada. Do you think football is popular in the USA? Soccer in Ireland? Cricket in India? Well, hockey is comparatively bigger than that in...
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Booking.com Changes as Travelers Change : Interview With Stuart Frisby
One of the biggest stories in travel over the last 20 years has been the growth of accommodation website, Booking.com. It was founded by a computer scientist, Geert-Jan Bruinsma in 1996 and is based in Amsterdam. Priceline bought Booking.com in 2005...
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U.S. bad weather, strong dollar = big bonus for Mexico tourism
A north-of-the-border 1-2-3 combination of severe weather, cheaper gas and a strong dollar have meant a booming tourist season south of the border, as Mexico is seeing more U.S. tourists than usual, with more money than recently to spend. ...