Tagged With "Garden Island of Fiji"
Comment
Re: Iceland: 'No we're not Disneyland'
Iceland is a great destination, but it has limited tourist facilities. The population of the entire island is about 300,000 and there aren't all that many hotel or B&B choices in smaller places. I think the lack of infrastructure is the main problem. They certainly have the space and ability to handle more tourists, but need to develop services for them outside Reykjavik.
Comment
Re: England's Thames Path: Kew Palace
Fascinating stop! As I seem to recall, George was one of your ancestors? Do I remember this correctly?
Comment
Re: England's Thames Path: Kew Palace
"...George was one of your ancestors?" No, though no doubt related somehow. But he is a favorite, seems kinder & more interesting than most of them.
Comment
Re: England’s Thames Path: Kew Gardens
My wife Diane and I spent almost an entire day at Kew Gardens. So much natural beauty to see. We arrived from central London at the Kew Station in mid-morning and didn't leave until almost dusk. At one time our son had a possibility of being transferred to London and I recommended getting a place in the Kew Garden area for the beauty and quiet. One of my photos from Kew.
Comment
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.
Comment
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...
Comment
Re: January 1, 2020: Arderne Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa
Here is the missing link: https://www.ardernegardens.org.za/
Comment
Re: January 1, 2020: Arderne Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa
It looks like a wonderful way to enjoy nature at its best !
Comment
Re: March 3, 2020: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Booked a wedding anniversary trip to St. Thomas and we had a fabulous romantic time. If you get the chance, take the Red Hook ferry to Cruz Bay at St. John's and explore the Virgin Island National Park. Lots of plantation ruins from back in the day when Denmark ruled the Virgin Islands. We had a wonderful lunch and view from the Caneel Bay Resort, which I understand has not reopened after being pummeled by two hurricanes.
Comment
Re: Calabria to Sicily: A bridge too far?
I like it when people take on huge tasks and succeed at them. The American Space Program was like that -- expensive, risky, exciting and one of man kind's greatest achievements. This bridge would be a great engineering triump. And I think it would be important to link Sicily more closely to Italy. It would make the island much more accessible and allow freer flow of people. 9 billion Euros is a lot of money, but is probably comparable to the debt the US government runs up in a few days, so...
Comment
Re: Dale Chihuly at the New York Botanical Garden
Looks like a very enchanting exhibit. I really like the rectangles in the reflecting pool...clever design!
Comment
Re: South America, part 3 - Nesting Leatherback Sea Turtles
Fascinating! I was just visiting Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia today and discovered that leatherbacks like to spend their summers off the coast feasting on jellyfish. Amazing what long journeys they make to lay their eggs.
Comment
Re: Wave Hill Arboretum, Bronx, New York
Great piece and photos! You've convinced me to make a longer trip to NYC. My short stays don't do your spectacular city justice.
Comment
Re: Where Gumbo Was #14: A Sewer Journey
IslandMan - Good one ! Your island home of Malta is an interesting case in point of modern water and wastewater management. The limestone and clay geology there leads to rapid groundwater runoff during the winter rains. Because of this, precious water is reused after treatment in one of the two above ground sewer plants. Water has always been a very valuable resource on the island. Perhaps you might like to make a report sometime about the natural springs and history of the Maqluba doline in...
Comment
Re: The Maltese Islands – Underrated gems or best kept secret ?
Thanks for your comments TatToo. Summer is the best time for water sports,from May to October. Most operators usually shut down over winter. There isn't much surf to speak of unless there is an exceptionally stormy day, but the northern parts of the island are more suited for windsurfing and paragliding as the winds from the northern Mediterranean tend to have more strength in them
Comment
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...
Comment
Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct. 30: Monet's Gardens at Giverny
You wonder how many times Monet actually used these gardens as inspiration for his art -- likely hundreds. Perhaps his most spectacular pieces are the huge canvases he painted on display in Paris' Orangeria museum. These were the works of an old man loosing his eyesight to cataracts, but are truly spectacular!
Comment
Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct. 30: Monet's Gardens at Giverny
Definitely hundreds! In fact, for the last 40 years of his life, he painted almost nowhere else. He even created a floating studio on a small boat so he could paint within his waters, and nearby on the Seine.
Comment
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.
Comment
Re: Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
Walking the "Walls" that enclose the City - maybe 3 miles around - is a local ritual ! At frequent intervals there are Pubs to stop at. The idea being that you stop at each one , have a drink and proceed to the next. Its only the hardened drinkers who complete the circuit. A friend from Anna Maria Island, Florida sent his daughter to stay with us for a while. Same age as my daughter and they got along like a house on fire ! So when we arrived in Chester I told her our day was walking around...
Comment
Re: Ellis Island Finally Open a Year After Superstorm Sandy
This is good news. Makes me want to go to NYC just to see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Reply
Re: Spring Honeymoon Help
Congratulations SueZee! We're delighted in your marriage, and you've picked a great country in which to honeymoon. May is not too early to go to Italy, although pack a light jacket just in case. The crowds won't be there yet and you'll save some money when compared to the peak summer season. Where to go is very much a matter of taste. Most definitely you need to go to Venice and I'd say spend at least 5 days here, maybe with a day trip or two (such as to the glass making island of Murano or...
Comment
Re: Island Air: Even Billionaires Get Airline Blues
Poor Larry Ellison. It's such a hardship owning your own Hawaiian Island.
Comment
Re: Island Air: Even Billionaires Get Airline Blues
Billionaires are made, not born. Mr. Ellison seems to be making a business move - pressure the FAA to make things difficult for Hawaiian air, upgrade the Island Air service, achieve sole "Ohana" certification for Island Air. Ohana certification is keenly sought for this market. Here is a description. http://www.examiner.com/articl...on-spiffed-up-planes
Comment
Re: Island Air: Even Billionaires Get Airline Blues
Well, it's worth noting that Hawaiian has still not gotten Ohana off the ground, literally. They're citing FAA's cutbacks due to sequestration and then the shutdown as the reason. Island Air used to be a Hawaiian affiliate, flying Dash-8s and ATR-42s into small airports and feeding passengers into Hawaiian. Ohana was/is their plan to stay in that market with ATR42s. Island is unhappy with its ATRs (both the 42 and the larger 72), but doesn't seem to be able to solve any of its problems. I...
Comment
Re: Island Air: Even Billionaires Get Airline Blues
Mr. Ellison plays hardball. He comes by his wealth through calculated strategy. It appears that the matter of securing better aircraft for his airline is part of a larger effort to corner the market for premium service to "his" island. Who knows, maybe the island is for sale ? Make him an offer. When you own the island, let me know; I will be glad to come to Lanai and run the canoe livery.
Comment
Re: The Valley Island of Maui: 2) Haleakala National Park
US Immigration is a bit of a hassle, although most Canadians receive about a smooth a ride as possible. In most Canadian airports, you can actually clear immigration within Canada, rather than the USA (infinitely preferable because the lines are so much shorter). Not sure if that's true of Montreal, though. Thank you for your kind words about the Hawaii blogs. Hawaii is a special place. I've always gone and explored it by myself, so in this setting I tend to drift to isolated places that are...
Comment
Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
I didn't know that there were so many Irish in Liverpool. There are certainly many of them in Canada and the USA as well. One wonders how many more Irish live abroad than on their home island.
Comment
Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, March 18th, 2014: Chihuahua Man of Marsaxlokk
Island Man, just over a year ago I landed on Malta after my freighter trip from Singapore. I stayed first in Marsaxlokk for several days, at Duncan Accommodations, above the bar of the same name, which it appears Chihuahua Man is looking right at! I loved the town, especially fun on market day. Thanks for the memory.
Comment
Re: Family Friendly Attractions in Malta
Hello Jason and thanks for the interesting and informative post about family Malta. I am resident here myself and I agree with the family attraction side of the island. It's a fun place to visit and I do notice many families enjoying their time together.
Comment
Re: The Huntington, Los Angeles (Where Gumbo Was)
Once again - an excellent introduction to the Gardens and Museums of America. Loved the photo's too. Must have taken some time putting them all together. Thank you.
Comment
Re: The Huntington, Los Angeles (Where Gumbo Was)
Great piece! The Huntington is one of my favorite places in the LA area and also pretty close to another one of my favorite spots ther , the beautiful racetrack, Santa Anita. As far as smog goes in LA , it really has gotten a lot better since I was a kid but still can be a shock to people.
Comment
Re: The Huntington, Los Angeles (Where Gumbo Was)
Smog in LA ? It doesn't mention that in the travel guides !
Comment
Re: The Huntington, Los Angeles (Where Gumbo Was)
Did you catch Gainsborough's PINKY and BLUE BOY? Among my favorites at the Huntington. I haven't visited the Huntington in about 15 years but when we lived in the LA area we would try to stop by at least once every few years.
Comment
Re: California Gardens 2017: Gold Country, Part I
Luv your garden posts! They've taught me to look at the micro of a garden, not just the overview. Thanks for this!
Comment
Re: California Gardens 2017: Gold Country, Part I
A nice observation, DrF, both aspects of the "art" I speak of.
Comment
Re: Boston's Beautiful Public Garden
It's a great garden and a wonderful place to go for a walk or jog at the end of a summer's day.
Comment
Re: Cables mapped: How you're connected to the world
Very interesting. For those particularly interested in the history of the subject, there's a lovely little museum on Valentia Island in SW Ireland dedicated largely to commemorating the first successful transatlantic cable which I visited while staying with a friend there. Near the Skelligs if you need another reason to go. http://www.valentiaisland.ie/e...tia-heritage-centre/
Comment
Re: Lyndale Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota
That's a wonderful oasis of paradise hidden away in a busy city. I love to follow sign posts to what I would call "picnic spots". Take a seat and feel all that strain melt away. Good find Ottoman !
Comment
Re: Museum Island, Berlin
An amazing collection of sculpture. Worth a few days exploring the Museums alone. Fly Liverpool to Berlin with Ryanair return ticket for a 2 day trip. £105. Serious thoughts ......
Comment
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!
Comment
Re: Canada's 10 Best Kayaking Destinations
Great suggestions! Another excellent place to Kayak is Johnston Strait, on the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland. Several pods of Orcas live here so your chance of seeing them is excellent!
Comment
Re: Canada's 10 Best Kayaking Destinations
Thank you for that Suggestion! I'll have to keep it in mind. Canada has so many amazing places to paddle there could be at least 50 that could feature on this list!
Comment
Re: Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Canada. Where Gumbo Was #36
You must be civilised in Canada too - cricket ! The original design for Central Park NY was made here - near Liverpool UK Birkenhead Park. Same guy did both. Just a bit smaller. We're a bit pushed for space over here !
Comment
Re: Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Canada. Where Gumbo Was #36
We are indeed very civilized here, but in full disclosure, cricket is just a footnote sport. Not played by many. There is only one sport in Canada and that is hockey. Every other sport combined would not equal half the popularity of ice hockey.