Tagged With "Gotthard Base Tunnel"
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Re: Switzerland: First passengers for world's longest tunnel
That sure is a long tunnel, and from a country that likes to make them as much as the prairie dogs I see on the plains. I would think ventilation would be a problem in such a long tunnel. Would you know if the trains need their own oxygen system? Having driven through the Swiss tunnels by car before, which were about 15 km long as I recall, the air was extremely bad in them and made me regret not driving the scenic route over those windy roads across the mountains.
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Re: Regensburg, Germany, offers Medieval Holiday Magic
Visited Regensburg twice as it was a very convenient stop on our drives from my US Army base in Augsburg to Pilsen and Prague in the Czech Republic. There is so much to see in Regensburg that two half-day visits didn't seem to touch the number of historical landmarks here. I've included a photo of my wife Diane standing in front of the Prinzess Cafe which the historic sign says it is the first cafe house in Germany established in 1686. The other photo is of the Regensburg Cathedral that was...
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Re: Wonders of the Modern World
The London Crossrail picture looked amazing, but I wasn't sure just what the project is, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. It's really amazing, it's a railroad project that goes 89 miles from west of London through the city and out the other end to the south. In the center of London it's got 13 miles of the tunnel in the picture! You can see more in Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossrail
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Re: Notes and Noticings from the road
Actually, I think the banks have a fairly minimal (as small as I can make it) impact on my currency transactions, in part because I never deal with exchanges; I use bank ATMs. That way, the exchange takes place not on my account, but as an interbank transaction at the base rate banks use with each other. I used to use my ATM card from Citibank, but eventually they began charging a 3% foreign exchange fee even on withdrawals. At that point, I opened an account with Charles Schwab, a brokerage...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? # 9
Well, nothing "Thais" us together like a good puzzle! But alas, this one did not last to the weekend. WorkerBee, our puzzle champion started homing in by e-mail on Wednesday, with an inspired but wrong guess: Once again Gumbo is taking time to visit a church. This church is made of wood on a base of stone. The location is near Barsana (Birsana) in Maramures county, Romania. By Thursday, he had continued his research, and last night he was back with another e-mail, and he had nailed it. On...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? 7.8
It does look like a puggle. Of course that could be either a baby platypus or a baby echidna. In either case it is likely to be in Australia. My guess is that is an echidna. Since there is a breeding program for echidnas at the Perth zoo it could be there. My guess for the location, however, is the Australia Zoo, former home base of the late Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter.
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
By the way...here's my solution to the other charger issue (plugging in at home). It's a 5-port USB host that has a short cord to plug in (no brick to get in the way at the outlet) and takes 5 standard USB cords for your devices...the kind that come with your device, although more are available cheaply. The five outputs include 2 2100mA for iPad, 2 1000mA for most phones, and 1 1300mA for Samsung. All can be used for any device up to the designated output (that is, you can plug your phone...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
Not only is Liverpool a great city to visit,but it has so many great places for daytrips that make staying there an excellent base. And to me it seems prices are half the cost of London. One thing Garry might expand on in the thousands of European tourists that are coming there for the day or weekend ,thanks to the budget flights. It has a very international feel to it.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#130)
Hmmm....is this tunnel part of the mystery location, or only a means to get to it?
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#130)
Time for another clue. Before Gumbo entered the tunnel, he saw this unusual planter....
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#130)
Today's clue shows part of the view you see at the distant end of the tunnel.... Does this ring any bells?
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#130)
A few more views of what Gumbo sees at the end of the tunnel...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#130)
With the exception of the tidy tunnel and the "lake", all the pictures remind me very much of a place I lived in SE AZ, where copper was queen. The "planter", the headframes above the pit, all very familiar.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Aug. 2, 2015: Uncertain times
Zum Nussbaum is there, in this picture, nestled at the base of the Nikolaikirche—although like the rest of the neighborhood, it is a reconstruction. But then, so much of life is...
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Re: Welcome to The Golden State.
Later today, after I'd posted this photo, I was watching the local 6:00 news, Sacramento. A fire had started in Lincoln, NE of Sacramento, a yard full of trucks engulfed and spreading into grass, moving toward a subdivision. A spotter plane left the Grass Valley Base, flew over my house and I looked to see what it was. About 10 minutes later the news helicopter showed it arriving low over the fire to inspect it. I went out again to watch the next plane, a retardant tanker, possibly the one...
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Re: June 23, 2017: The Shortest River in the World!
A few times on road trips to Italy from my US Army base in Augsburg Germany, we stayed a few days at Lake Garda. Just a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the many local wines ... our favorite was Bardolino. Each time we stayed at a small family run pension in a lakefront room in the town of Sirmione which is perched on small sliver of a peninsula jutting out into the southern portion of the lake. Owners were very friendly and engaging. We enjoyed walking the old town and having a delicious...
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Re: View of the Flatirons, near Boulder, Colorado.
Thanks for sharing my favorite part of Boulder! I loved Chautauqua Park at the base of the Flatirons The hiking trails can be pretty challenging but they are great. Summer is a great time to visit https://bouldercolorado.gov/parks-rec/chautauqua-park
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo (#38)
I'm tempted to suspect that it is in the north of England, perhaps near York. The trouble is that so much of the country outside the major cities would have been poor. The clue must be in "selling it's goods" which suggests that they had a manufacturing or production base already established. Or was that perhaps farming produce.... I do like the filigree cast iron roof supports - very "of the period". Oooh, this is a tough one.
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Re: Iceland's new attraction: tunnel into a glacier
Glaciers are constantly moving, and not all parts at the same rate! Makes you wonder how they plan on keeping the tunnel safe and in good condition all the time?
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Re: Why you should visit Borneo
Originally Posted by DrFumblefinger: Some GREAT photos. I presume you saw lots of animals on your travels in Borneo? Is there a specific park or place you'd recommend? Thanks very much! Yeah, we saw so many animals it was incredible. I'd highly recommend Sepilock in the North of Borneo, which is great for spotting wild Orangutans, Sun Bears and Proboscis Monkeys. Kuching, in the South, is a great base too if you want to visit Bako National Park, which is a great place for spotting Snakes,...
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Re: Airbnb's plans for business travelers
My point, more succinctly, is that while I have no problem with Airbnb expanding it's customer base, a surprising number of my guests are first-time users and I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to extract them from dead-ends they've gotten themselves into on the site. Until the booking process is a straight line, easily negotiated by new users, I believe their efforts would be better spent serving the customers they already have, before heading in new directions.
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Re: Euro airlines: Delays continue in compensation for delays
I'm going to take the contrary view. First, remember that the short clip above doesn't reflect the detailed regulations or the deliberations of the court. But remember the circumstance quoted “which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken,” Reasonable measures guarantee that crews are scheduled so that even if illness befalls the scheduled crew, it does not take over 3 hours to bring a replacement crew on line. Reasonable measures to avert mechanical...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#115)
Time for another clue. Our rock artist in the photo above is working under the base of a tower. You can climb this tower for better views of the destination. Today's view is in the direction of the highway we drove on. Tomorrow a different view from the tower. Does this help you figure out where Gumbo is?
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Re: Books That Sent You Packing (your bag, that is)
People always laugh when I tell them this but the book that most inspired me to travel was Arthur C Clarke's "2001 a Space Odyssey". It made me want to see the universe -- or at least Clavius Base on the moon. It wasn't until later that I learned I'd have to settle for staying on the planet. Little did I know those journeys would one day lead me to the home and friendship of the man who wrote the book that so inspired me.
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Re: Airlines defend holding onto fuel surcharges
Yes Paul. We've been paying for the 3 mile tunnel under the River Mersey for 50 years. It was supposed to be free 2 years ago - fully paid for. We're still paying now - with an increase to subsidise better public transport. Again - I smell a rat in the kitchen. A greedy one as well
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Re: France to Send 120 Extra Police to Secure Channel Tunnel
Did the tunnel last Friday - Paris to London and back same day. No trouble, but was very concerned there might be having read about tires being set on fire on the tracks. The migrant issue hadn't occurred yet. That's new. But I wonder why the French government didn't do a damn thing about the tire burning. Ah, it was a union issue - no wonder.
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Re: Calgary Farmers' Market
Wonderful pics. Is this the market on the former military base? That was one of our favorite reasons to drive into Calgary when we were in Canmore! The was a wonderful pit shop in the food court - best savory pies around!
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Re: Airfares have remained flat for 20+ years
Another factor to keep in mind when considering why flying seems more expensive: while the base airfares are flat when you factor in inflation, earnings are not. Over the past 40 years, depending on measure, real wages (what you get when you factor in inflation) have actually eroded a bit, and at points a lot. Add to which the fact that "wages" as used in those figures includes benefits such as health care, which doesn't translate into spendable income. And add to which many other things...
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Re: Stockholm's "blue hall", where the Nobel awards reception dinner is held each year
Garry's got it right. It was initially to be painted blue (like the Swedish flag), but the architect so loved the look of the space he left it as it was when made. Still, the name stuck. Sort of like Tunnel Mountain in Banff, which was to have a railway tunnel blasted through, although the rail was diverted and no tunnel ever made.
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Re: February 17, 2020: San Francisco Views
Go to Fishermans Wharf. Rent a Bicycle. Ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. Stop at all viewing spots. On to Sausalito. Stop for Coffee and a cake. Sit on the sea wall and watch the Fishing Boats cleaning their nets. The Seagulls will steal your piece of cake when you're not looking . Back on the Bicycles and on to Tiburon using the Cycle Tracks. Find the Ferry Terminal then back home to base. Wonderful days excersise !
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Re: Spotted on the Road: Riley 1969 Saloon
I'm disappointed you never spotted the Motorbike used by Hagrid in Harry Potter. Sections filmed in Liverpool and in the underwater Mersey Tunnel.
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Re: Luggage to withstand airline handling
I have two favorite suitcases I use when needing checked luggage. Both have similar construction, having a hard base and sides, but a soft expandable top. Hence, they combine the protection of a hard suitcase for the most part, but offer the advantage of being somewhat expandable. I wrap delicate purchases in laundry or a jacket, place near the hard base of the bag and without exception nothing has broken in transit (so far). One bag is also an Eagle Creek bag and the other is made by...
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Re: Getting to know Canada's hidden gems
Yes, there is some evidence of early man in Canada and the northern USA, mostly a few bones found accidentally here and there, some dating back thousands of years. No large human findings, at least not that I'm aware of, but in places with large collections of bison bones at the base of jumps (places they chased a herd over a cliff to harvest meat). Canadian natives were mostly nomadic people living in tents and temporary shelters they constructed, not so much in caves. And of course there...
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Re: Feb. 11, 2016: Flatiron Building, New York City
Glad you grabbed one of my favorites! Even though it's sometimes had embarrassingly badly-dressed stores in the base, it's always had a real dignity to it. Incidentally, it was New York's first building with a steel skeleton instead of masonry, which allowed it to be built very rapidly. In a way, it was an advertisement for its owner, the Fuller company (still a major builder). Daniel Burnham was the architect—which doesn't mean the building was popular when new!
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Re: Is a stopover in Iceland worthwhile
Well, thanks everyone. You've been great and this has all been very helpful. So yes, I will go to Iceland for 4 days. I will base myself at a hostel in Reykjavik (all I can afford), and I'll do 2 day trip tours, still researching which ones but those recommended look great. And I love hot springs, so I plan to soak the evenings away after enjoying the "youth scene" over there. I need to check out a good Icelandic beer. Any recommendations. And I will visit Iceland at the of my trip, rather...
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Re: A visit to Great Basin National Park
Well, for a start, make sure you visit Reno, Travel Luver. It's a much small town than Vegas but still has all the casinos, restaurants, etc that you'd expect from a Nevada City. From here it's easy to do a day trip to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, or down to Carson City. Reno is actually the closest major city to Great Basin National Park, say about a 3-4 hour drive. Vegas is 6-7 hour drive away. Salt Lake City is closer to Great Basin than Vegas. But you really can't do it as...
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Re: A visit to Great Basin National Park
No, I'm painfully aware of the past and present cuts...but I see more ahead. My concern is that there are loud voices (my own included) to speak out against cuts to parks that have a big "fan base," including Gateway here in the NY area. Because so many speak out for those parks, I fear that NPS will increasingly "hide the damage" by even more drastic cuts to others--perhaps even outright abandonment. And that's not so far-fetched an idea. For some 20 or more years here in New York, Prospect...
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Re: John F Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida
I always thought that when rockets were fired from the launch pad, there were clouds of smoke to accompany it. I learned, on the tour, that a few seconds before launch a million gallons of water were released onto the launch pad to stop the heat of the rockets from melting the concrete base. So it was just creating some steam !
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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)
My first thought was a garden tool - shovel maybe. On the far left is a sign that says in part, Hola..then what? Could be meaningless for our purposes, or not. It does look political in nature and it appears they were on a budget when they installed it, a plain concrete-looking base. Temporary, maybe? Who knows who will be in power next election. Maybe Spain, or that left-leaning France.
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Re: Vineyards, Burgundy, France
It`s a great story, PortMoresby! The kind of adventure that would appeal to me. A week of walking sounds just about right. And my knees are telling me to stop going into the mountains and seek flatter ground! I`m curious how you arranged the transportation of your gear as you were walking from one place to the next. Did you carry it all, or did you return to the same base every night? And, I hope, there was some cheese to go with that wonderful looking wine!
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Re: Valletta, Why Do I Love Thee So?
The island of Malta became part of the British Empire in 1800. The French had invaded Malta 2 years previously and were unwelcome. The British removed the French and established a base there at Valletta to give them a port in the Mediterranean Sea. And it provided employment and security to the local people. In 1964 it voted for Independence. The Coat of Arms of Queen Victoria can be seen over the VICTORIA GATE photo - above. The current Queen Elizabeth ceased any connection with Malta in...
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Re: Billy Bishop Airport, Toronto. Where Gumbo was #77
In case you were curious, the pedestrian tunnel between Toronto and the island airport has been completed and is now open. It eliminates the waits for the ferry services for passengers who want to get to their departure gates. More on that story from Frequent Business Traveler at this link .
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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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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, November 29, 2014: Winter in Sorrento
Mid-December and moving north from Egypt and Malta, Sorrento was our base for a few days before heading for Rome and home. The weather was mild, as the potted flowers on the doorstep attest, mostly overcast with an occasional shower....
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A Remote Canadian Village offers Indescribable Natural Discoveries
As I left the hotel in Winnipeg I was outfitted in all my brand new cold-weather gear headed for the airport and a two hour flight to the remote village of Churchill. I prayed my preparation for facing the sub-zero temperatures and brutal...
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The Loire River Valley
Many find a visit to the Loire Valley to be the highlight of their visit to France, as did we. When we were planning our journey I discussed our itinerary with my friend, Wayne. Wayne and his wife had...
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Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport Adds Another International Route
Eva Air is the latest to announce new service to Houston's Airport. The new route will go to Evas's base go in Taipei. ANA,Korean Air,SAS, United, & Spirit all have added or announced new routes to Houston in 2014. Read More: http://www.usatoday.com/story/...ontinental/20514757/
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Arctic Birds on Migration: Saskatchewan
Many of the Arctic birds are large white birds such as geese and swans but also include smaller and different coloured sandpipers and other birds. Where is the best place to see these magnificent Arctic birds? The most...
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Saguenay Fjord — Deep and Long but not very Tall
I’d heard as a schoolboy that the Saguenay Fjord was one of the longest in the world. Years later someone told me the area around Tadoussac was pretty, sparsely developed and inviting. Given a spare day or...