The steel industry vacated Pittsburgh starting in the mid 1980's and by the mid 90's had almost entirely disappeared. With a hold on the industry of Pittsburgh for such a long time the loss of the steel mills happened rather quickly. However the legacy of the period of steel in Pittsburgh lives on; names like Carnegie, Mellon and Frick dot the city. As a testament to the resourcefulness of Pittsburgh, neighborhoods have since been revitalized, … [Read more...]
Toss the camera and open your eyes. Tales from Peru
I just returned from watching the sun set on the sandstone cathedral in Arequipa's Plaza de Armas. I sat on the bench with ice cream cone in hand watching the trabajadores on their 3rd day of a hunger strike. Some hung on large crosses with steps to hold their weight and others lay on the ground in sleeping bags. This visual is a good entry point into the realities of South America. After so many trips to lesser developed countries I find … [Read more...]
Spending Taca in Bata in Dhaka
Bata shoe stores are everywhere in Dhaka! Most people assume Bata is from "their home" country based on the companies' large International distribution. Desher's told us Bata is their own company, others said it is Canadian. In actuality Bata is based in Switzerland having been founded in 1894 in what is now the Czech Republic. The founder said, "Work collectively, and live individually" We made it safely back and are now in Thailand. What a … [Read more...]
Sundarbans Tour, Bangladesh
The following is a description of a 4 day 3 night guided tour to the Sundarbans in Southern Bangladesh. This trip was taken in January during the winter season (cooler with pleasant at times warm days and cooler nights, but not too cold). The Sundarbans are the world's largest Mangrove swamp with the majority of this swamp within Bangladesh while part of the swamp is in India. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main purpose for most … [Read more...]
Trains and More Chaos
Chaos reigns at the New Delhi airport - pre paid taxis are a joke. Many people in old dirty clothes hanging around. The fog here was TERRIBLE last night. Its the norm in the winter during the nights with merely 5 to 7 feet visibility. We landed around 9pm and arrived at our hotel around midnight just to catch the New Year's festivities. Drive from airport normally takes 25 minutes! Hahaha yea. Driver kept stopping every few seconds while getting … [Read more...]
Five Days in New York City
New York, the largest city in the USA boasts incredible stimuli 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, whether it be visual, noise or activity related. This is a city that doesn't sleep with services available 24/7. How many large cities have metros that never shut down - New York's metro runs all day and night 365 days a year. Those who live here sometimes need to escape the "craziness"; those who visit perhaps come here for this. This is not a … [Read more...]
Amazing Moscow
Amazing Moscow. A visit to Moscow only leaves you wanting to spend more time here. Moscow delivers beautiful architecture including incredible onion domed cathedrals, world class museums, shopping and nightlife. We recently spent a few days in this amazing city. We recommend at least 4-5 full days to experience the highlights of Moscow. First things first; all visitors to Russia must acquire a visa before entering the country and the tourist … [Read more...]
Fe y Alegra
"God, Brisa," I sighed, tightening my ponytail as we climbed the steep concrete stairs to the classroom in El Salvador. "I don't want to be here." "I know, me neither," Brisa whispered. "Mondays suck." We shared a withering smile, knowing that the next four hours would leave us emotionally exhausted. I took a deep breath, then stepped into the second grade classroom where we would spend our next hour. The classroom was green, like … [Read more...]
Matanzas
So here's the idea: We had been trying to get out of the hotel for weeks, and finally, an opportunity presented itself. We were going to Matanzas, a town in the countryside of Cuba. It was the center of the slave trade in the time of its existence and in keeping with the trend of that trade, it created some of the most intriguing musical and cultural styles of the area. It is also completely untouched by tourism and it came highly recommended … [Read more...]
Wadi’s, Deserts, Ocean, Arabic Hospitality – Enjoying Oman
The following is taken from Dave's Journal regarding his time in Oman in which he covered parts of Muscat, several Wadi's including Tiwi, the fort town of Nizwa, the main north south highway, and many areas within several hours driving of Salalah in the south. We have driven over 2000 miles so far! I must say that Oman is TRULY THE PINNACLE of off roading! With its huge, steep, rocky, remote wadis, large sand dunes, and tracks anywhere you … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- …
- 56
- Next Page »