One of the highlights of this latest trip was re-visiting Universal Studios (and experiencing lighter than normal traffic on the infamous freeways). One new attraction to me was the Ifly experience located in the "citywalk" which leads to the main entrance. This is a "vertical wind tunnel" which for $40 and 2 mins of your time (after waiting in line and undergoing a short instruction session) you can "fly"! Put on a flight suit, goggles and … [Read more...]
The Los Angeles River
From north of downtown. Every time I'm in town I try to stop by a different section of the Los Angeles River - this time I visited the part of the river immediately north of downtown. This stretch is surrounded by the 5 and the 134 freeways and the concrete almost seems to shake at times when large trucks go over the bridges. From looking at some of these photos you might think this river could be in the mountains, or in a very natural setting, … [Read more...]
A Visit to Francis Ford Coppola Winery
A few days ago we made the trek up to see the progress on the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in northern Sonoma County - about 1 hour and 20 minutes north of San Francisco California (with good traffic). While the focus is on the wine here there is actually quite a bit to explore on the property - 2 large pools, a restaurant, of course a movie collection, several tasting bars, bocce courts etc. The pools opened sometime this fall and … [Read more...]
Francis Ford Coppola Winery
We recently visited Francis Ford Coppola's winery and estate (Francis Ford Coppola Winery) in northern Sonoma County which with good traffic is about 1 hour and 20 minutes north of San Francisco California. The location is a rather bucolic one, the winery is nestled against the hills surrounded by vineyards. We have visited hundreds of wineries over the years; this one is unique. While wine is the focus of their operations here, the estate offers … [Read more...]
An Inspirational Refutation of an Uncomfortable Stereotype
"People try to insult me by saying my success is from a falang (foreigner)," said Nate, smiling as she steered us through the moped-filled traffic, "but it's just me." The story that emerged as Nate (in her taxi-service capacity) drove me from her restaurant to the Phuket bus stop was inspirational. But was also a desperately welcome antidote to the uncomfortable Older-Western-Man-funding-Younger-Thai-Woman situation thick on the … [Read more...]
Kakum Rainforest Walk, Cape Coast
I just arrived in Ghana's Cape Coast for a few days of much needed R&R. The bus travelled with an armed guard. I'm not an expert in high caliber weaponry but the gun he was holding sure looked like an AK47. Here we were cruising through the jungles of the Cote d'Ivoire with a bunch of 25KG bags labeled “Uncle Sam” rice from Thailand strewn all over the floor. I soon found out this rice was for a humanitarian mission; apparently public … [Read more...]
Old Dhaka, Bangladesh – June 2010
Few tourists ever visit Old Dhaka Bangladesh, but for those adventurous travelers with a penchant to experience new cultures, food and acquire new experiences, than Dhaka is an excellent city for you. With over 14 million people it is rather crowded, but is fairly spread out and doesn't have that huge megalopolis city feel. Old Dhaka is located along the banks of the Sadarghat River and area of town similar in feel to Varanasi, India. Old … [Read more...]
A Few Words about Madagascar
Sometimes it's good to be cautious--and other times it's better to go with your gut. People told us not to visit Madagascar, that political conflict made the country unsafe for tourists. But we decided to go anyway because if we had listened to those voices, we'd never have gone to Nairobi, Kampala, or Kigali. We are cautious when we travel, but aware that our best and most eye-opening experiences are places well off the beaten … [Read more...]
LAX is Number One Origin and Destination Airport in U.S.
Los Angeles International Airport Ranked Best for On-Time Performance Among Nation's Busiest Airports LOS ANGELES, May 14, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) ranked best among the nation's busiest airports (more than 40 million annual passengers) for on-time performance for flight arrivals and departures, according to U.S. Department of Transportation statistics released this week. LAX also is the number one … [Read more...]
482 Words About Uganda
People here are very laid back and the feeling is contagious! We managed to go three days without a cup of coffee didn't seem to mind. You hear the words "Hakuna Matata" everywhere. Literally. Internet services down nationwide all day? Hakuna Matata... Flights cancelled? Hakuna Matata... Two hours in wall-to-wall rush hour traffic in Kampala? Hakuna Matata... In the Mukono District, about an hour outside of Kampala, Uganda, we … [Read more...]
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