Tagged With "Cities In Your Bucket List"
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Re: Iceland: 'No we're not Disneyland'
Now that Rekyjavik is on the European Budget Airlines destinations list its hard to avoid a rush. It was one of those places you wouldn't visit unless you had a business interest and an expenses account. They're still advertising Iceland on TV, so someone must be pleased with the extra income tourism brings.
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Re: Top 10 Most Beautiful Gardens In The World
Any such list would be contentious, of course. However, this one doesn't contain a single garden in Africa and this, in my opinion, is a serious omission. The Majorelle Garden in Marrakesh and the Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town would be obvious contenders. There are also many more fantastic gardens in Asia - e.g. the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
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Re: Top 10 Most Beautiful Gardens In The World
I think that's one of the problems with so much travel journalism: Top-Tenism, the urge to line things up in order and crown a winner. That means, often, directing attention away from wonderful things that 'didn't make the list.' I'd much rather see lists of 'Ten wonderful gardens you might enjoy' or 'ten restaurants I've enjoyed.' As for gardens: Some are quite formal, others either informal or with the goal of showing nature rather than decor. Some are large, others small. Some are...
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Re: Huntingdon, Pennsylvania: Peaceful Holiday Getaway
Nicely done Stephanie ! The Swigart Car Museum was on my list for a future travel blog since I travel Route 22 but go east from I-99 to my brothers' residences in Punxsutawney and Parker, PA. I always seemed to be short on time to take the detour to go west on Route 22. Your Swigart photos whetted my appetite to now take that detour and visit that place. Loved the automobile photos and the stories behind some of them.
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Re: Huntingdon, Pennsylvania: Peaceful Holiday Getaway
Thank you George. They close in the winter, so call first to be sure so that it's not a wasted trip.
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Re: Small Brooklyn: Three small but fascinating museums
Jonathan ... Would like to see a blog on your NYC Museum of the American Gangster if you ever get the itch.
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Re: Fotografiska, New York's new photography museum
Looks interesting, but the entrance fee is rather steep!
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Re: Fotografiska, New York's new photography museum
Yup, it is pricey. On the other hand, Museum prices have been going up in NYC.
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Re: Wonders of the Modern World
The Soviets have never been completely transparent about Chernobyl, but this is the story as best as I was able to synthesize it: It seems that the alarm system was malfunctioning (going off all the time) so it was turned off by the tech monitoring the system. He had the fuel rods pulled out of their cooling chambers for maintenance work, was distracted (remember, the alarms are off), then by the time he focused back on the task at hand the rods had begun to melt and couldn't be reinserted...
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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: The Memorials of Berlin - Part 2
Excellent coverage and photos Jonathan. If I have a return trip to Berlin, these places will absolutely be on must see list.
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Re: St. Mary's in the Mountain, Virginia City, Nevada (Where Gumbo Was #225)
I've driven right by it, twice. A lesson in paying more attention!
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Re: Portland, Maine: A Big Little City
Excellent piece of History and Interest on Portland. Maine. Perhaps when I've finished my exploration of Smalltown USA I'll add the Big Little Cities to my list. Portland looks so familiar. Is it close to Cabot Cove ?
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Re: A Visit to Berlin's Reichstag (Where Gumbo Was #186)
I never received your guess, Garry. But from your comment I knew you knew. I'll add your name to the list of people who got it right. KA F
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Re: Visiting My Backyard—Riverside Park
Glad kids are still using the park. I also think I going to parks is an important part of growing up and in most cases very safe. A few years ago FBI statistics showed crime was at a 40 year low in a lot places in the US, but perception was crime was the highest its ever been. The rates might of gone higher a bit in the last few years but crime is still at historic lows.
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Re: Visiting My Backyard—Riverside Park
It was my backyard, too, for quite a while. We lived at 99th St and West End, a short walk away in the late 40s and early 50s, and my uncles used to take me for walks there. My father tried to teach me to ride a bike there (our family story is that I learned, but he didn't teach...go figure). Later, I went to Columbia for several years; aside from anything else, it's where I escaped from tiny apartments and roommates to spread the Sunday NY Times out on a bench. Glad to see it's alive and...
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Re: Visiting My Backyard—Riverside Park
It's always gives a "feel-good factor" to revisit the playgrounds of our childhood. I remember the field where I hit my first six runs in cricket. To do it today I would have to hit the ball through 16 windows. Time and bad City Planners can be so cruel.
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Re: Bangkok still #1, but most-visited list shifts
I was under the impression Orlando should be near the top of this list.
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Re: July 11, 2018: New Orleans Streetcars
HI George. I hope they still have them in Pittsburgh. It is on our bucket list and would love to ride them around the city Thanks for sharing.
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Re: Herculaneum, 79 A.D.
Pompeii has never attracted me, for a number of reasons...but I think you have just sold me on Herculaneum. It sill have to wait a while, sadly, but it is on the list.
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Re: Crashing the geocache
Is there a main website that the geocache folks have set up? You could also ask over on Craig's list www.craigslist.com in the "community" section of where ever you want, or even where the kids are traveling to..... I would do some research, but Europeans are into travel alot, maybe they have done it more than the Americans ever had since they have been around longer? I hope this helps.....
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11
And what possible good is a puzzle without a bit of chicanery - by definition, I should think. I haven't seen the arena at Arles, though it's already on my list for the next visit to France. I have walked past the arena in Verona as it was between the train station and the garden I'd come to photograph. Likely why it came to mind just after the Colosseum.
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Re: Where We Went: London, Paris, Toronto
What's also interesting about the information is that it's from hotels.com which says in the first line it's helping us find "the best cities around the world". I'm not sure I buy the premise that popular is best. Another index I also find VERY interesting, in the quest to locate interesting places for longer stays on a budget, is the cost of living index for places around the world. While visitor costs and resident costs are not the same, still, it's an interesting tool and also gives us...
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Re: Where We Went: London, Paris, Toronto
That's a great point! I never like "best" lists, anyway...and like to stray into any place that looks good and take a chance on whether it's "Zagat-quality." The cost of living is interesting, too, especially for travelers on tight budgets; my experience in Portugal last summer (see BLOG here on TravelGumbo) has sent a couple of younger colleagues off to plan Portugal trips instead of more expensive parts of Europe.
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Re: Thai Tourism Blossoming
I think of travel in Thailand as "Asia Lite". In a good way. It was the first place I ventured in Asia and have continued to go back, combined with more challenging destinations. So I'm not surprised. It's also my destination of choice for recuperation when the food elsewhere does me in. It's pretty much in the middle of the region with flights in from all over and that, combined with the fresh & delicious food, makes it a relaxing and beneficial spot to forget one's food woes. It's high...
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Re: See Them While You Can: 10 Wins for Historic Preservation
Note that the National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private organization. I think that's key in this era of government cutbacks and a congress unable to accomplish anything to speak of. If the National Park Service is unable to maintain it's infrastructure then one can only imagine how little care might go into preserving bits of our cultural heritage lacking big names, such as those on the list above. Commercial interests also have a place in accomplishing what government and...
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Re: See Them While You Can: 10 Wins for Historic Preservation
PS - Pheymont, I haven't found the International list (faulty website or faulty eyes, I suspect the latter). Would you post a link, please?
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Re: "Mind Your Manners!" VisitBritain Warns Hoteliers
The Author of these "Do's and Don'ts" is a Trainee Journalist and has gathered this list without leaving the comfort of her armchair. Lazy journalism based on stereotypes you find in cheap travel guides. Maybe we could start a list of "Do's and Dont's" for US Hotels and employees ? #1 : DONT say "You guys from Europe all sound the same !"
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Re: "Mind Your Manners!" VisitBritain Warns Hoteliers
Perhaps not a trainee journalist. Since the list came from the government's tourism promotion agency, we might presume the author to be a Trainee Bureaucrat, who someday will be, sadly, writing the rules! Originally Posted by GarryRF: The Author of these "Do's and Don'ts" is a Trainee Journalist and has gathered this list without leaving the comfort of her armchair. Lazy journalism based on stereotypes you find in cheap travel guides. Maybe we could start a list of "Do's and Dont's" for US...
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Re: "Mind Your Manners!" VisitBritain Warns Hoteliers
No, no one is hacking them...and the "advice" was picked up by all the major British papers...usually with an air of slight derision. You won't find it on the public website, which is devoted to getting us to visit; it was distributed as guidance to hotel operators, and as a press release. Originally Posted by TatToo: It is not the author's list. The cited articles and various others on the Internet state that the list was originally published on VisitBritain's website. However, I am not...
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Re: "Spotted On the Road": Everglades City, Florida
It is an MGB. The rubber-covered bumpers first appeared on 1974-1/2 models. The appearance didn't change much after that. The wheels on this car lead me to believe that it is no later than a 1979 model.
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Re: "Spotted On the Road": Everglades City, Florida
I think '79 or '80 was the end of the line for MGB, so you're probably in the right time-frame. Sad thing about the B...it could never look to me like an MG. Tell me MG, and this is what I see...
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Re: "Spotted On the Road": Everglades City, Florida
I do like the look of the little white convertible! Thanks WorkerBee and PHeymontfor your help pinning it down. Presume that metal rack on the back hood was to "tie down" excess baggage. Don't see stuff like that much anymore.
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Re: "Spotted On the Road": Everglades City, Florida
"excess baggage?" No, just baggage period! The T basically had room at the back for a few tools and maybe a lunch; there was also a wee bit of space behind the seats. I'm pretty sure there the C had space for an overnighter back there, just that and a spare tire.
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Re: "Spotted On the Road": Everglades City, Florida
Look at what I discovered this afternoon! Adler-Trumpf, Germany, made 1933-1939 Citroen Half Track, France, pre WWII Claveau, France, 1956 Panhard Dynamic, France, 1936-1939 More to follow!!
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Re: Biggest Apple Ever: NY Gets 54M Tourists, Expects More!
Are you sure that number is correct? Paris does just over 20 million visitors a year.
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Re: Biggest Apple Ever: NY Gets 54M Tourists, Expects More!
We'd have to compare the methods used by the two cities in counting. Tourism figures are notoriously difficult (are business travelers disaggregated? Regional visitors? etc.) It's possible that if Paris used the NY methodology, it would have a much larger figure.
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Re: Biggest Apple Ever: NY Gets 54M Tourists, Expects More!
Originally Posted by PHeymont: We'd have to compare the methods used by the two cities in counting. Tourism figures are notoriously difficult (are business travelers disaggregated? Regional visitors? etc.) It's possible that if Paris used the NY methodology, it would have a much larger figure. Gotcha. A bit of an apples and oranges comparison. Sort of whether to count all migratory birds or only the snowbirds.
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Re: The "Eiffel Tour" Only Starts with the Tour Eiffel
Your piece will serve inspiration for many future trips,I'm sure of that.I had no clue as the extent of Eiffel's work but I now want to see several of them in person. This serves as an example of why TravelGumbo is so different and needed
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Re: The "Eiffel Tour" Only Starts with the Tour Eiffel
PHeymont, Your post reminded me that I had seen a pre-fabricated church designed by Eiffel in Baja, Mexico. It is in the small town of Santa Rosalia and still in use. There is more info here .
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Re: The "Eiffel Tour" Only Starts with the Tour Eiffel
Absolutely fascinating, thank you. And I thought that UK's Isambard Kingdom Brunel was prolific!
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Re: The "Eiffel Tour" Only Starts with the Tour Eiffel
Brunel has fascinated me since reading a book on the Great Eastern, an unlucky ship he designed. Perhaps someday I can find time to post about his work...unless I hear a volunteer? Thanks!
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Re: The "Eiffel Tour" Only Starts with the Tour Eiffel
I'm personally acquainted with one of Brunel's railway bridges, the Gatehampton Bridge over the Thames in Berkshire, England. I was advised by my Thames Path guidebook that I was approaching it. There was a strategically placed bench in a meadow where I sat, had a snack and looked at it from a distance for a bit before walking under it. Not at all knowledgeable, or even much interested, in bridges I tried to get at least a glimpse of what the guide meant when it said "one of Brunel's Great...
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Re: The "Eiffel Tour" Only Starts with the Tour Eiffel
T&N, you make an interesting point about the air circulation and coolness of Eiffel's building. These days we are constantly reading about advances in "green design," intended to reduce excess energy use. Ironic how well some of those principles of making life bearable were known so long ago by those who didn't have the option of mechanical air-conditioning! Another example is in today's blog about Gaudi's Casa Battlo in Barcelona, which uses an open well through the center of the...
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Re: Delta Hangs Up on Inflight Calling
Delta just moved up on my list of preferred airlines! I can see it coming -- calling and non-calling sections in planes.
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Re: Just over 2 weeks to Christmas. Be sure you get your letters mailed to Santa
The letters are triaged by elves, and the ones by naughty kids don't make his reading list. But all the good kid letters do!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct. 30: Monet's Gardens at Giverny
This is on my list now!I love gardens and this sounds like a perfect day trip.