Tagged With "Pittsburgh's North Side"
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Re: Boston in the fall - suggestions please!
That's good news, Mac! OK...the leaves start turning first in the north, moving south as the weather changes...but timing is always tricky because it depends on each year's combination of temperature and humidity. Here's a link to a site I've found useful in the past...it's from Yankee magazine, and includes a live map of the progress of the leaves as well as itineraries and more. http://www.yankeefoliage.com/ We haven't had a good leaf-peeping piece on Gumbo yet, so I'm looking forward to...
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Re: Boston in the fall - suggestions please!
Glad you're traveling again, Mac. Boston is my home town, and October is THE BEST MONTH. Where are you staying in the city? I'd walk the Freedom Trail if you're feeling up to it. Go down to the waterfront. Boston Common and Charles Street are fun places to hang out. Newbury Street is fancy shopping and also has a few fun bistros and coffee shops. The Science Museum is excellent. Plenty of seafood to be had. New England clam chowder is great if you have sweater-weather. Go whale-watching...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 16, 2015: Franklin Automobiles in Tucson, Arizona
I’ve heard that, but I’ve also always wondered if it were true, since a driver holding the reins on a horse or horses would want to be able to exert equal force on either side…and all the pictures I can find of buggy drivers seem to show the driver in the middle! One site I just looked at suggests that Ford made the switch to make it easier for passengers to get in and out, by moving the driver away from the curb; the same site suggests that in the early days on the Continent, right-hand was...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 16, 2015: Franklin Automobiles in Tucson, Arizona
The pictures I found on my quick look were all of NY and Montreal tourist buggy drivers...and I since realized that they must be a special case because...even more important than the whip, probably...you have to sit on the side where the lever for the brake is!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct 20, 2015: Sicilian Fiat
Let's also not forget the Volkswagon on the European side. And the Ford Model T, which so greatly dropped the cost of an automobile it became a mass consumer good.
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Re: St Stephen's Green, Dublin. (Where Gumbo was #137)
I have to admit that the first clue reminded me, in succession, of a spot in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in Paris, of Prospect Park in Brooklyn and of Frogness Park in Oslo...it was only when the clues got more specific that I could rule them out, and only when the Fusiliers Arch appeared and I could search its text that I could find the answer. That arch, by the way, provoked a lot of controversy when erected in 1907; it memorializes a regiment in England's colonial war against the Dutch Boers...
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Re: A Visit to the Heinz Chapel
And it was all paid for by millions of gallons of ketchup and mustard. A very nice legacy and nicely presented George, thanks.
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Re: July 28, 2016: Coit Tower, San Francisco, California
It really is one of the most beautiful cities in North America. Thanks for reminding us of these great views!
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Re: Portland, Maine: A Big Little City
It's about 30 miles north of Cabot's Cove, which is near Wells, Maine. Which is at one end of the excellent Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, which combines forest and shore habitats and makes a wonderful walk. It was featured in a couple of Pictures of the Day, and was the scene, back in 2013, of Where in the World is TravelGumbo #5
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Re: Sept 1, 2016: Wild Roses on the River Side.
A great moment of a wonderful day.... We have wild roses in North America too, at least in the mountains and northern parts. But they are smaller and while they smell nice, are not as fragrant as those you describe.
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Re: Top 4 Rafting Destinations in Europe
Thanks for this! I usually think only of North America when rafting is mentioned, but obviously that's been a mistake...
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Re: Red Brick and Sandstone: Look of the North
If you had travelled a mile north you would have seen the biggest brick built building in the world. Liverpool Tobacco Warehouse, The 14 storey building spans across 36 acres - and its construction used 27 million bricks, 30,000 panes of glass and 8,000 tons of steel
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Re: October 5, 2018: Sweets Shop, Delhi
I imagine that with all the places you've been and eaten at, you likely have the antimicrobial resistance of penicillin. But those of us who get out less often do need to be careful. Nothing can spoil a vacation quite as much as a case of vomiting or diarrhea. A few minutes of gustatory pleasure don't make up for hours or days of GI distress. I wouldn't recommend the tapeworm therapy, even if it works. Has nasty potential side effects.
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Re: October 5, 2018: Sweets Shop, Delhi
Actually K, neither would I, but as the author of 'Supernature' it was kinda in his brief ! His friend advised the beef tapeworm because they're easier to evict than pork ones (!) - he had to eat ~50% extra to placate the sucker (sic) BTW resistances don't really last that long but you're right, I very rarely got, or get ill.
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Re: Belfast: An Uneasy City
I think I have to disagree on comparing human societies to plate tectonics; over the latter we have no control, but I would hate to ever think we've exhausted the possibility of dealing with the former. Examining mass religious conflicts generally reveals other issues beneath. That's certainly true of the long and tortured history between the two islands and the two Irelands. While James was a Catholic and William a Protestant, the real issues behind the conflict that set Ireland's future...
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Re: Gallery: Fuli Town Market, Guangxi, China
First visit to Bondi Beach in Sydney they had a stall at the side of the road. "Freshly Made Smoothies" The fruit was uncut and drinks were made to order. The display looked so amazing -but what were they all ! Even when someone tells you its Starfruit - you've no idea what it tastes like. So I had the best smoothie - ever. Fresh sliced Pineapple and Root Ginger. With extra Ginger. Nothing else added. Heaven in a glass ! Been to so many countries since that insist you have to have Yoghurt or...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day: Jan. 16, 2014: Liverpool Victoria Gallery
My favourite time to visit attractions is May-June-July. Before the little monsters are released on school vacation. Liverpool has hundreds of things to do - no exaggeration ! Here's 128 to go on with http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/A...seyside_England.html Liverpool makes a good hub for visiting nearby Chester with its 2,000 year old Roman Walls and Tudor Buildings. The River Dee and North Wales. All using local public transport - mostly trains. You can get a flight, Liverpool - Dublin from...
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Re: Is Porto worth the trip?
Much as I loved my time in Porto...it's NOT a day trip. Much too much to do there, including evening stroll along the Douro, port-wine tasting across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia and more. I'd say take the advice above and save Porto for another trip. Of the recommended day trips above, I'd vote for Sintra. It's an easy trip--trains run about every 30 minutes, more frequently in rush hours, The town itself is interesting, the Moorish Castle up on the mountain and the Pena Palace above that...
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Re: Travelodge to relaunch its brand
It is the UK company and I thought it was also the North American one. Different businesses then?
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Re: A visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
I would agree that presentism is a real danger for historians...but without wanting to veer this discussion too far off course, you'll note that I cited two of his close colleagues and acquaintances in Virginia alone, not to mention Lafayette and many others IN HIS TIME AND ACQUAINTANCE who had already concluded that it was time, and many others were acting on it. It was an active debate in his time and place, he was aware of it, and sadly...he took the wrong side.
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Re: A visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
I agree his side was not the right one, PHeymont, but I also believe of greatest importance for him was forming the new country. I don't think we'll ever know his personal feelings about slavery because he didn't write about them.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 11, 2014: Please Close the Gate.
Oh my, someone's gotten up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 11, 2014: Please Close the Gate.
When I stay with Family in the US I'm told there are many cultural subjects to avoid. I don't talk about your recent history, religion, your politics or your gun laws. With or without a sense of humour ! So I'll tread on the side of caution and not upset the natives !
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Re: Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, Kennedy Space Center
Last launch I watched was from the East Coast of Florida - maybe near Cocoa Beach. The Sky was complete darkness, just a few stars and the moon. We were listening to the launch radio station from about T minus 15 minutes - as NASA described the last minute checks. A few seconds before launch time you could see the ground at Cape Canaveral illuminated like a bright white flare. The steam from the launch pad turned into a white cloud and on "Zero" the rocket was moving slowly into the air. For...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? 21.0
Well, I didn't expect anyone to twig it quite that fast, and it's not just because of a polar route. Although we usually don't think of Hawaii extending north of Kauai, in fact the state includes the entire Hawaiian Ridge/Emperor Seamount chain, running up to the Aleutian trench, just off Alaska's Aleutian islands. Mostly underwater, mostly administered by Federal agencies as a preservation/conservation area. Kure Atoll and Green Island is the northernmost habitable place in Hawaii, and it's...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? 21.0
I was kidding about the polar route. Isn't that what people say when a thing is closest by going north? I didn't have any idea about the rest. I just looked at my globe. Gumbo is a fascinating host.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #5.5
Interesting clues here but nothing definitive. The vegetation growing through the cobblestones might indicate a moderate climate throughout the year. This path appears to be residential and not one frequented by tourists. Maybe Mediterranean or a colonial city in the Americas. The cobblestones are on the small side and are more common, I think, in southern Europe. Also the light fixtures are a modern design and not typical of a city trying very hard to preserve the old look and feel of the...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 2, 2014
After being married for 40 years, I took a careful look at my wife one day and said, "Forty years ago we had a cheap house, a junk car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a 10-inch black and white TV, but I got to sleep with a hot 20-year-old girl every night. Now, I have a £500,000 home, a £45,000 car, a nice big bed and a large screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 60-year-old woman. It seems to me that you're not holding up your side of things." My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me...
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Re: Please Don't Squeeze the Passengers: Airbus
I've never flown an A380, Mac. They still haven't caught on in North America, where Boeing clearly dominates the market. One thing that I've wonder about is with all those people to board (somewhere over 500), is the process of getting on and off the plane very slow or have they figured out how to make this move along with reasonable efficiency?
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Starting to get things planned now Hank ! You have the choice of flying into Edinburgh in Scotland. Manchester in the North of England. Or Gatwick / Heathrow which both serve the London area in the South of England. You can get a Train to Paris to end your tour with a few days of Culture in a foreign language ! Fly back to the US from Paris will save you hundreds of Dollars because you wont pay the UK "Departure Tax" but not vital ! Liverpool is less than an hour on the Train from...
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Re: Christmas in Arizona--what to do?
Thanks everyone. I have to ask you more questions! My friends have come up with two more suggestions. One is Sedona, and the other is the Navajo reservation that Tony Hillerman wrote all his books about and that has some big canyons. Is that area too far north for warm weather?
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Wow, this is turning into a real education!! I checked with my uncle and yes, I can fly Chicago to Manchester and return from either London or Paris to Chicago. The ticket is free to him and he said he would cover any fees as a "graduation gift to me" (he's a pretty cool dude!), but I don't want to burden him with a heavy departure fee, so maybe Paris would be the way to go. I'd like to leave about Friday, May 9th and return 4 weeks later, June 6th. A few days later and returning a few days...
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Re: Christmas in Arizona--what to do?
Originally Posted by EyeWonder: Thanks everyone. I have to ask you more questions! My friends have come up with two more suggestions. One is Sedona, and the other is the Navajo reservation that Tony Hillerman wrote all his books about and that has some big canyons. Is that area too far north for warm weather? Navajo country is too far north and too high up for a warm winter break. But if you bring a warm jacket, it will be magical that time of year. Sedona will be nice, but with cooler days...
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
Thanks for your comments, Garry! We actually had very nice weather during our visit, GarryRF. It was windy and rainy at times, but being from Canada that was no great hardship. Still, good for people to be forewarned and prepared. Always pack in layers and let one layer be a rain shell. It was one of your fellow countryman who said, "There's no bad weather, just bad clothing" or something to that affect, but I can't remember who that was. Didn't try the "moonshine" (no one offered!), but my...
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
The American addiction for "Ice Cold Beer" should not be applied to Guinness! Its a Stout - full of flavour - to be savoured - cool as the Pubs Cellar! Billy Connelly is the Scottish comedian who's observations of life have had us in stitches for years now. But like many Brits - he's felt the warm winters of LA and is reluctant to come back ! Is it uniquely British to actually enjoy cool weather? Perhaps the way we've been bred ! I do get odd looks in the Autumn when many North Americans are...
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Re: Wow! Iceland Express successor adds U.S. flights
I really am excited about hearing this.I was a big fan of Iceland Express, so I'm hoping Wow will offer the same consistent low prices to North America as they did.
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Re: Sri Lanka: A Land Like No Other. (Part 5) The Elephants of Pinnawala
I'm becoming more intrigued by the day. On the practical side of things, specifically how to get there, what's your usual route, DrF, or is there a best way. From the US west coast. I'm thinking about using miles and I haven't found a cheap way yet for an onward flight from, say, BKK or HKG to Colombo. India is the obvious closest but costs more miles to get to than BKK. Any ideas? AA miles if have any experience with that alliance.
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
England is only as big as Florida ! I haven't seen a Guide book that sub-divides us! Wales is full of Castles, Mountains and Lakes. Tourists often divide England between the North and South. The North is often cooler and wetter than further South. But your Dollar will go twice as far up here in the North! And we're much friendlier. Have a look at places you'd like to visit. York (the old one) will keep you busy for 2 days. Train or Bus from Liverpool. Or a day or two in Europe from Liverpool...
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Hi guys, hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. It was good to be with my family again. Visiting and catching up with everyone took longer than I'd thought, but did do a little research into the trip and came out with this plan. Basically, with GarryRF's advice, I think I'll focus my time in the north to save money cause my budget is limited. After that I'll finish my vacation in London and Paris. I need to find places to stay but more important now just to frame the trip. The details I...
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Hi Hank. If you enjoy hiking and the weathers fair then you can go up to the Snow line and above. Take the Train up, then continue on foot to the peak. Train from Llandudno Junction on the North Wales coast Plenty of info here: http://www.nationalparks.gov.u...arks/travelsnowdonia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utjPQZVpOiY for the Mountain Railway .
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Summer months are best - between May and September. Snowdon is 3,560 feet high. Temperature drops 5.4 F per 1,000 feet of elevation. This winter has been very warm so far. So the snow will clear early if it continues to be warmer than usual. You'll see the current Temps before you go up clearly displayed. The weather can change suddenly so pack for wind, rain, sun and snow ! The Mountain doesn't warm up. It depends on which way the wind blows. From the South = warm From the North =cold...
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Re: Greenland from six miles high!
I agree it's a spectacular sight not to be missed and that there's more to Greenland that just the ice sheet. 2014 will see me on my 7th month-long visit in the last 9 years. I will again hike alone from Sisimiut on the west coast to a location north east of Kangerlussuaq (something like 110 - 120 miles) and then join colleagues doing wild goose research. By all means aim to set foot on the ground there and enjoy camping in the remote arctic landscape - being alone out there is a unique...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
No, not thinking of mills and chimneys, necessarily--note my very pre-Industrial Revolution examples--but certainly industrial, and by the nature of sizable cities with people living in close quarters and with the side-products of their industry, an argument can be made for dirty. It's not a slam...it's just the condition of cities that are alive. Here's a quotation, by the way, from the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health: The industrial revolution in England had by the beginning...
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Re: "Spotted on the Road". Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Car #2... I don't know what kind of Dodges you guys have up north there, but that's a Chevy Camaro in the picture. Hey, somebody tell him what year?
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Re: WiFi on the way for international flights
Geosynchronous orbit is only close enough to planes flying in that area (ie. around the equator). A plane flying the polar route from North America to Europe won't be able to connect with a geosynchronous satellite. They will be connecting with a series of lower altitude satellites, not unlike global satellite phone system. These satellites are moving quickly, as is the plane.
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Re: United's Award Chart: Premium Award Cost Goes UP
I think for premium travel,it makes sense. It has always surprised me that premium travel is so much cheaper from a frequent flier perspective (2:1) vs economy than when you actually buy the ticket. Just as a side note, aeroplan has recently reduced miles required on some of their reward charts as well.
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Re: 1000's Drawn to North Dakota
I have not done that, Rob, but I do have some friends in North Dakota. The wages are good, but before anyone makes the jump there, be sure you understand the cost of housing and such. Apartments and homes are in short supply and expensive. But as you pointed out, so is labor. So if you can share an apartment with someone and are willing to work more than 40 hours a week, you can save a nice stash of cash. Don't just go. Educate yourself. There are excellent job opportunities in the Dakotas,...
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Re: 1000's Drawn to North Dakota
Yes DrFumblefinger, housing looks like a major issue there. And North Dakota can have harsh weather that one doesn't want to get stuck outside in. It is nice though to hear of places with more jobs than people
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Re: 1000's Drawn to North Dakota
Just checked the unemployment rate. North Dakota's is the lowest in the nation. In Aug 2013, it was 3.0%. Neighboring South Dakota's is 3.8%, as it too benefits from the oil boom.