Archive for the 'City' Category
Today we did a drive-by day trip to New York, New York, capturing as many attractions as can be seen in under 24 hours.
At Total Adventure, we strive to travel the scenic route, so to get into the city, we decided to take the ferry. It is an inexpensive, safe, and more beautiful alternative to the highway.
The first (and free) attraction everyone should see in NYC is Central Park. This huge park nestled between the skyscrapers has almost everything imaginable to do from petting zoo to ice skating, or a horse-drawn carriage ride. Many people just enjoy the peacefulness of nature in a huge city.
For lunch, we went to the Burger Join. This is a delicious (and clearly popular) burger and beer spot with a dive bar feel. The decor is based on classic movies and music, and is autographed by years of guests. Though it might be hard to find, don’t miss this burger joint in Parker New York Hotel behind the big black curtain.
After lunch, we headed to the Natural History Museum to see everything from dinosaurs, to ancient cultures, to space exploration of today. This is a huge, very informative free attraction for adventurers of all ages.
Finally, we finished the day off with some nightcaps at the Rum House. This vintage style bar has a huge selection of mixed drinks and liquors with a dark, piano bar atmosphere.
Day, night, rain, or shine Bourbon Street is bustling with tourists and locals alike enjoying restaurants, shops, loud street music, and of course the bars!
Right in the heart of the French Quarter, Armstrong Park is a gathering place for picnics, sports, and just relaxing.
Within the park, be sure to check out Congo Square to reflect on the rich influence of African culture on New Orleans.
And don’t leave without visiting Armstrong himself
A visit to New Orleans is never complete without one or two of their famous hand grenades: A nearly hazardous concoction of liquor, and NOLA’s strongest drink.
To close up the evening, we suggest dining like a local. Mother’s is a cafeteria style eatery serving authentic cajun-creole food.
Mother’s combination platter comes with Jambalaya, red beans and rice, potato salad, crawfish, and greens. A true slice of the south that will leave your mouth watering for days.
After two days in Da Nang, TotalAdventure moved on to Hue on the Reunification Express. Unlike other things in Vietnam, the train has not changed at all, except that the French built cars we rode in in 1993 are now 25 years older. “Express” is a hopeful term, as it too nearly 3 hours to cover 43 miles( 70 km).Beautiful views.
Hue is the exact center of Vietnam and incredibly beautiful.
We’ll move this later , but our travelers will surely enjoy this beautiful videoof a bridge in Da Nag.
TotalAdventure explored Bolivia from October 8th to 14th – in the high Altiplano , Lake Titicaca , Lipiz Sur and Salar de Uyuni .We landed at El Alto – the world’s highest commercial airport at 14,000 feet. Getting off the plane, after a six hour flight from sea-level Miami – literally takes your breath away.
La Paz – sits at 12,000 feet – this photo is taken from 14,000 feet. As the city is vertical, instead of an underground Metro train, there are gondolas rising to all sections of the city – complete with different colored lines and transfer stations. Bolivia is really like two different countries . The cold dry ,sometimes snowy highlands with Andean cultire and languages – Aymara and Quechua. In many areas it is winter year around. In the hot humid lowlands it is summer year around – the Northern area being part of Amazonia. TotalAdventure was transported by two different guides, arranged by Pierre Lipiko . One arranged price included driver/guide, car, hotel and most meals.
Please read the articles below to follow a TotalAdventure in Bolivia !
As mentioned in March, 2012 posts, TotalAdventure spent 1967 to 1969 in Heidelberg. TotalAdventure has only visited twice until now – in 1983 and 2012;. In 2012, Mark Twain Village and Campbell Barracks, were off limits to non-Military personnel due to 9/11 Security. Consolidation to Wiesbaden and Dortmund has led the Army to return bases to the German people, in many cases for the first time since the 1930s when the German Army requisitioned the same land. Right now Mark Twain Village is a Ghost Town, but will be a new housing area in about 3 years. TotalAdventure attended school on the base from 2nd though 4th grades.
Schloß Heidelberg by night.
Alte Brücke by night.
TotalAdventure’s home base in Heidelberg. Temperature was 95 ( 35 C) but air conditioning has not yet been installed.
The Castle by day.
Home from 1967 to 1969.
Alte KIrche in Handschuhsheim.
On the morning of July 3rd TotalAdventure arrived in Paris. While Paris does not conjure adventures other than those of gastronomy ,art and retail , it is home to adventure companies that lead trips into former French West African colonies – the safer ones being Cameroon,Gabon,Mauritania and Burkina Faso. Niger,Chad and parts od Algeria are inadvisable at this time due to murderous incursions by Boko Harem.
It’s about 10 hours from Miami to Paris. It would be great if Air France would have WiFi on their flight. They don’t.
The Tour de Eiffel on a Glorious Summer Evening. In Early July It Stays Light Past Ten.
The Tower From Underneath.
The Louvre.
In 4 Hours It Is Possible To See About Ten Percent Of The Louvre.
Always Real Escargot, Not Canned Like In The States.
After many hours and 4 trains changes from Kutna Hora, we finally arrived in Krakow about 10 PM , in time for an outdoor dinner behind the Cathedral, where Pope Joh Paul II was Cardinal before 1978.
In the Staro Grad. Word of warning – don’t change money at the tourist change houses – you will get 25% less than you do in a bank !
Hearty cuisine – a bit heavy in the summer weather.
The Pope as Priest – 1960s.
The sun rises at 5AM in June.
On To Budapest.
Budapest was a quick layover for sightseeing and eating local specialties . It was TotalAdventure’s first visit since 1983 – when the Red Star of Communism was at the top of the Parliament Building.
We arrived early on Sunday morning , June 19, after an overnight journey form Krakow, through Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Though we had First Class Eurail, only second class sleepers were available. Comfortable enough.
Our luxury hotel ( quite cheap ) , the Buddha Bar was just across the bridge.
No Euro here. At 285 forint to the U.S. Dollar, gourmet meals are amazingly cheap.
In the Central Market.
Delicious Game for lunch.
Shot by TotalAdventure’s Blaine Zuver and Martin Zuver.
A an overnight first class sleeper train ride from Budapest had us arriving fresh and rested on the first morning of summer, June 21.
The”Dacia” Boarding in Budapesti Keleti.
Brasov – Romania’s Hollywood ? Brasov is the center of Transylvania.
Dracula’s Castle, known as Castle Bran, is about 25 km from Brasov. Building began in the 1200s and was added on to over the centuries.
A hidden stairway deep in the interior.
The modern day ( 1883 ) Peles Castle, in Sinaia. was built by King Carol. It was built with electricity,telephones,telegraph and other modern conveniences.
A comfortable drawing room in Peles.
The Carpathian Mountains are quite undeveloped. There are a few small ski areas, with a long powdery season, rafting,climbing and seeing rare animals that are extinct in Western Europe. For many years only Dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu was allowed to hunt.
While forcing his subjects to live in poverty and half-starvation,Ceaușescu lived in the grand style of a Communist Emperor .An entire section of Bucharest ( not just a neighborhood, but comparable to the Upper West Side of Manhattan or Soho in London ) in order to build the People’s Palace – the world’s second largest building in terms of square footage , just after the Pentagon. It took 18 years to complete – from 1978 to 1996 – 7 years after the execution of he and his vile wife Elena.
A chandelier weighing 5 Metric Tons – one of over 100 in the building – constructed at a time the populace was relegated to one 40 watt lightbulb per apartment.
The Dictator. – “Genius of The Carpathians” was one of his many self-bestowed titles.
One of many grand staircases. Many had to be rebuilt several times in order to make him seem taller than his short stature.
The view from one of the balconies from which Ceaucescu would never make a speech.
One in three adults were rumored to work for the Secret Police – the Securitate.
In a nautical mode.
In Nicolae and Elena’s villa – solid gold water faucets. Commoners were rationed to half an hour of hot water every other Sunday.
Modern radio – circa 1988.
On the morning of June 24 TotalAdventure flew from Bucharest to Belgrade,Serbia and then took a 6 hour van ride to Sarajevo,Bosnia. The alternative would have been a 2 day train journey. Rail lines in former Yugoslavia are still heavily damaged from Allied bombing during the 1990s wars and are only now starting to be rebuilt.
The Balkans in Bosnia are quite beautiful,belying the centuries of warfare that have been taking place there.
20 Years later and damage is still evident throughout Sarajevo, a four year siege of bullets and shells.
Air Serbia to Belgrade.
A Shrine In Western Serbia.
Along the river in Sarajevo.
Above Sarajevo.
Hundreds of thousands were killed over a four year period.
All the stones in this area of the graveyard have the same departure date. Graves are everywhere, including in city parks.
In Ramadan there is a sixth prayer call of the day – after Iftar – when the daily fast is broken.
Iftar Tea.
Iftar Approaches.
Iftar Meal – Lamb Sausage.
Mostar ( Bridge) in Mostar. It was blown in half during the war and rebuilt a few years ago. See the video to watch men dive from it.
Bombed Buildings In Mostar.
Shrine To Slobodan Milošević in a Republika Srpska bus station. Republika Srpska consists of t Serbian controlled areas of Bosnia. For now, a tense peace exists.
Destruction Everywhere.
Kosovo is Serbian !
A Peaceful Summer Day in Mostar. The temperature was about 38 C ( 101 F).
