20 subscribers and you'll get a marathon. So, please subscribe. =) Joe: Am I adopted? *serious face* Kevin: ADOPTED?! Where the hell did you get that? *shocked* Joe: I dont know. Dad makes me feel like Im not his son. Kevin: Of course you are. Joe: *silent* Kevin: Dad is not the type of person that shows off his affection to others. Joe: Yeah right. *rolls eyes* Kevin: Oh come on Joe, you know dad loves you and cares for you. He just wants the best for you. He wants you to be happy. Joe: He doesnt want me to be on the team. Kevin: Then talk to him. Joe: He will not listen. Kevin: Just try Joe. *stands up* Joe: *lays down on the bed* Kevin: Goodnight Mr. Captain. *closes the door* -- the next day -- *Nick and Demis house* Nick: *runs downstairs while shouting* Demi were gonna be late. Hurry Up! Demi: *sitting in the couch smiling* Good morning! Nick: *shocked* Oh, hey. . . youre early. Demi: *laughing* And youre late. *grabs nicks hand and goes out of the house* Come on. Nick: *stops* Wait. Im hungry. I didnt eat breakfast. *about to go back* Demi: *pulls Nicks arm* No. I brought you sandwiches. *gives him the sandwiches* Lets go. Were going to be late. *gets in the car* Nick: *bites the sandwich and gets in the car* *their mom is driving* *after 15 minutes* Demi: Were here! *excited* Bye mom! *gets out* Nick: *gets out* Why are you so excited? Demi: Its my first day in school. *smiles and walks* [a/n: Demi was home schooled back in Geneva] Nick: *follows her* Selena ...
Monday, December 26, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
RULE OF MAN (Christian Music Video) by NEW INDIE ARTIST BRANDT MORAIN(song is best at top HD setting
THIS VIDEO / SONG SOUNDS BEST WHEN VIEWED IN HD (High Definition-the hottest video resolution). We use HD to give you the best Christian music video experience possible. A free MP3 of this Christian song is available for download at www.BrandtMorain.com in the best music format possible (True CD quality -- 320Kbps). YouTube formats do NOT give you the best music video quality. YouTube is not CD quality. Sample audio of our other songs are also available. Band / Group Details: Our new Debut CD "Volume One" has had great reviews and articles from Music Review, USA Today, Alternative Press Magazine as well as contributing writers for top publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine. Our album has received substantial Radio Airplay in Phoenix AZ and Albany NY as the official music for two radio talk shows on stations KFNX 100 and Talk 1300 AM, some of the hottest radio stations in their market. Brandt Morain "Volume One" is comprised of multiple genres including 1970-80's style Rock, Country, A Capella, Christian / Religious, a song that makes fun of Rap, Easy Listening and a few recordings that defy categorization. In order to bring you the best Christian music possible, our recording philosophy omits recording industry "innovations" such as Autotune. These devices damage a recording artists performance in our opinion, producing sterile results that have destroyed the quality of some of the best Christian songs and other great music in the industry. Music Review said Brandt ...
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Scotland - Crossing the Borders in Quest of the Bell Clan
A solitary candle flickers in the topmost window of the stone tower. A faint red glow outlines the distant ridge, silhouetting a bank of horsemen against the sky. They thunder closer, intent on plunder...even murder.
We are at the Tullie House Museum in Carlisle, England viewing a sound and light show depicting a typical border raid by the reivers, or plunderers, the nighttime guerrilla action that occurred from the 12th through the mid-17th centuries. Sometimes the conflict was between neighboring clans; at other times, Scottish riding clans joined forces with their bitter enemies to repel English occupation.
The theater lights rise, illuminating the audience, and we note that the sign-in book is dominated by the signatures of visitors whose surnames are identical to those of the major players in the Anglo-Scottish border feuds that transformed law-abiding citizens by day into terrorists by night.
So it is that my husband, Boyd, and I discover we are not the only ones on a foray into the past. Our geographical destination is the area known as the Borders: the chunk of much-fought-over land defined loosely by Carlisle on the south; Berwick, England, on the northeast and Dalkeith, Scotland (just south of Edinburgh), on the north. It is countryside once roamed by my forefathers, the Bells and the Maxwells. Not atypical Scottish border families, they were among the ruffians and cattle rustlers who, in the 17th century, were exiled by the British government to Northern Ireland.
A generation or so later, these tough and resolute people with strong clan loyalties sought their fortunes in North America, in my case on the Pennsylvania frontier. American history books identify these immigrants as the Scotch-Irish. Fittingly, one of their descendants, Neil Armstrong, was the first man on the moon. While probing my family's gnarled roots, we will view the storybook world they left behind along with their fears.
Having vicariously experienced a typical border raid, Boyd and I wander across the street to explore Carlisle Castle, built by the Normans in 1092, and the nearby Carlisle Cathedral, notable for its medieval carvings, stained-glass windows and the altar where Sir Walter Scott was married in 1797.
Holding even greater fascination for us, Carlisle is headquarters for tours to Hadrian's Wall. The taxi driver at the head of the cue turns out to be an expert on the local history. He provides us with detailed maps to peruse throughout his informative narration. From Solway Firth on the west to the River Tyne on the east, he tells us, the 73-mile stone wall was built between 122-128 A.D. by Roman emperor Hadrian to protect Roman Britain from northern tribes. It tumbles across land at once desolate and felicitous. Except for mournful cries of curlews and relentless winds that whip across this archaeological treasure, the surrounding moors are mute.
Hadrian's Wall marches through fresh, rugged countryside, bounded on the north by forests, parkland and barren crags rising nearly 2,000 feet. To its south, the Cumberland Plain is dotted with grazing sheep, Roman ruins, ancient castles, and crumbling abbeys where monks once mass-produced beautiful wools for local use and export. Naworth, Featherstone, Corby, Toppin and Bellister castles lie along a 10-mile stretch parallel to the wall. Casual hikers and serious backpackers dot the roadsides, fortified with sturdy walking sticks, binoculars, and rain gear.
Nearly 2,000 years after the Romans left, their preserved forts and signal towers attest to their engineering skills. At each major excavation, a small museum houses relics revealing how the ingenious Romans made themselves at home in a harsh land. They constructed comfortable barracks, hospitals, granaries, shops, inns, bath houses and latrines. With so many examples of technology lying about, historians wonder why the barbaric natives learned nothing from their progressive conquerors and continued to live in primitive fashion for centuries afterward. Our driver waits patiently while we study the exhibits and purchase booklets to read back home.
After capturing camera shots all the more photogenic for the brilliant blue sky dappled with cottony clouds, we return to Carlisle and catch the next train to rendezvous with our genealogist-hostess, May McKerrill. We learn in advance from others who have enjoyed her hospitality that she should be addressed formally as the Lady Hillhouse (pronounced Hill'-iss), and her Scottish chieftain husband, Charles, may be referred to as Sir Charles, or Lord Hillhouse.
The train rockets north from Carlisle past Gretna into Scotland. The countryside is a quilt of grassy mounds speckled with grazing sheep, accented by rough hedges, meandering streams, stone fences and whitewashed cottages of bygone ages.
Minutes later, we detrain in Lockerbie. Except for the stationmaster, we are alone. The late afternoon solitude is heightened by the adjacent barren hillock, site of the 1988 Pan Am explosion. Momentarily, a Renault station wagon pulls up, the driver clad in trousers of the McKerrill clan's blue tartan Introductions aside, Sir Charles loads us and our luggage into his car for the 10-minute ride west to Lochmaben. On the way, he takes a brief detour to point out Remembrance Garden, Lockerbie's most visited spot, dedicated to the Pan Am victims.
Our road parallels a hiker-friendly dismantled railroad track leading from Lockerbie to
Lochmaben, five miles to the west. Beyond the village green overlooking quaint brick and stone cottages, Lochmaben Castle - site of the boyhood home of Scottish King Robert the Bruce, who won his country's independence from England - lies in ruins.
Taking a cue from other Borders aristocrats bent on weathering a depressed British economy, May and Sir Charles welcome guests into Magdalene House, their solid brick dwelling named for the village's patron saint. The cellars of the house date back to the 14th century. First occupied by priests serving the now-deserted adjacent Roman Catholic church, it became a Presbyterian manse after the Reformation. Resplendent with McKerrill heirlooms, Magdalene House warmly embraces guests eager to plumb their past. Beyond the entry hall's circular stairway, a parlor opens onto a walled garden abutting the church graveyard. Caressed by sunshine, its lush plantings offer food for thought over a steaming pot of Earl Grey tea.
At 7:30 each evening, May serves dinner in the stately dining room, its walls lavish with red velvet flocking. Candlelight romanticizes massive gilt-framed portraits of the past lords Hillhouse - all clad in the clan's distinctive blue tartan - and their elegant ladies.
Magdalene House is large enough to serve several parties of ancestor seekers, yet small enough to be comfortable for all guests eager to join May on her daily treks. Mornings at nine sharp, sated by a hearty English breakfast, guests scramble into May's station wagon for an excursion through villages and pastures dotted with ruined castles and towers marking ancient clan and family sites.
Genealogy is taken seriously here. Residents of ancestral farmhouses and towers throughout the area can recite their clan lineage by heart. Voluminous church records confirm their accuracy. May has studied the history of each clan and freely recites facts, figures, and lore. She says that my Bells are among the most visible of the Borders families, with their shield of three bells still to be seen etched on gravestones and above numerous doorways throughout the area.
Our Bell country encounter begins the moment May hustles us into her car for a short drive to Dumfries, the royal burgh and commercial headquarters of Dumfriesshire where, in 1306, Robert the Bruce slew Red Comyn and declared himself King of Scotland. This was the last home of poet Robert Burns. He died in Burns House in 1796 and is buried in the family mausoleum in St. Michael's churchyard just across the road.
Today, Burns House is a museum offering a film about Burns' life, portraits of his family members, and original copies of his writings penned in his hand. After perusing its relics, we contemplate more history at the Old Bridge House museum on the River Nith. Directly across the water is the village of Maxwell Town, made famous by the song dedicated to one of Burns' loves, Annie Laurie.
Later, from high within a refurbished windmill, the Burgh Museum, we view the red sandstone buildings and vast expanses of parkland that comprise the town of Dumfries. Little has changed since my ancestors made their way through these thriving, narrow streets by foot or cart, except for a huge Safeway market that anchors the main shopping mall on the edge of town.
On the road once again, we glimpse frequent ruined towers and thick forests as we motor eastward. Beyond Lockerbie, May abandons the modern speedway for back roads that meander through tiny settlements at Nithsdale and Annandale to an ancient church dominating the village of Middlebie.
The raincoats and boots we packed reluctantly prove their worth as we slog through tall grass beaded with raindrops to inspect the cemetery thick with Bell gravestones. Despite erosion and chipping, the etchings of three bells are distinct on each. The cold, steady rain slackens to a drizzle as we press on to two Bell homes dating to the 14th century. A direct view of the prosperous horse farm at Bankshill is blocked by a high knoll; the next house is secluded beyond a narrow lane and a wobbly plank bridge spanning a deep gorge and waterfall.
Our camera clicks steadily and I quickly fill the pages of my notebook as May chauffeurs us over the scenic hills and dales, once vast battlefields on which my ancestors fought to defend their lands from other riding clans and the English. As we drive, May recounts tales of local intrigue, none more stirring than that of fair Helen Irving of Kirkconnel, whose brief life was bitterly entwined with my Bell line. The daughter of an early 16th century local land baron, Helen was hailed as the loveliest girl in Scotland. When her parents offered her hand to handsome, wealthy Richard Bell, heir to Blacket House, everyone declared it a perfect match.
Helen, however, had a secret love, Adam Fleming. Aided by an understanding servant, the sweethearts met secretly until the fateful evening when Bell materialized from the shadows bearing a crossbow. At the moment he aimed, Helen threw herself between the two men.
As Helen lay dying, Fleming chased his rival to the banks of the River Kirtle and pierced him with a sword. Fleming fled to France, but could not dismiss Helen's ghostly cry. Heartbroken, he returned to die draped across her grave and was buried beside her. The tragic event was later recounted in a poem by Sir Walter Scott.
After Bell's death, Blacket House was passed down to subsequent generations, but not without angst. Every resident since has reported the presence of Richard's evil ghost, which is generally credited with orchestrating family misfortune, from lost love to financial failure. Today, Blacket House is recognized as the Bell family seat because it was the home of the clan's last recognized chief, William (Redcloak) Bell. Near the village of Eaglesfield, the tower is all that remains of the original L-shaped Blacket House. Situated on 13 acres of lawn, garden, and woodland bounded on the east by the River Kirtle, the surviving tower stretches to four floors, its walls and stairs intact, its topmost window an ideal lookout.
Later, warmed by May's dinner of local roast lamb, herbed vegetables and lemon pudding, we anticipate a restful sleep. Because Scottish nights are notably damp and brisk, we close our bedroom windows and avoid lighting the gas heater. Snuggled beneath the down quilt, I nod off, unaware that Boyd's fresh-air fanaticism is at work.
Halfway into a dream, I hear a crash. Then a faint cry for help.
Still groggy, I follow the voice into the bathroom. Boyd is standing spread-eagle on the windowsill. How did he get there, I wonder, and why is he gripping the upper half of the window?
Moments later I grasp the full picture: overheated by the heavy quilt, he climbed out of bed to open the window less apt to funnel a draft on our heads. As he lifted the sash, the upper half of the casement fell parallel to the lower, wedging his fingers between. (We later learn that this style of vertical sliding sash and case window operated by pulleys and weights was first installed in Scottish houses in the late seventeenth century; we suspect that the errant window has received no maintenance since then.)
Help arrives promptly in the form of our vigilant hosts, who pry the heavy frame off Boyd's fingers.
Sir Charles surveys the window, shaking his head. "I can't imagine why the pulley broke," he mutters, jaw clenched.
As May speaks, I notice that the color has drained from her face. "It's the Bell ghost! He must have been watching from the tower. He does mischief to declare himself the last proven chief of the Bell clan."
Boyd and I exchange glances. Who are we to dispute Scottish ken?
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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Lady of Burlesque: Barbara Stanwyck, Michael O'Shea and Iris Adrian (1943 Movie)
DVD: www.amazon.com thefilmarchive.org Lady of Burlesque (also known as The G-String Murders and in the UK, Striptease Lady) is a 1943 American mystery film starring Barbara Stanwyck and Michael O'Shea, based on the novel The G-String Murders written by famous strip tease artist Gypsy Rose Lee (with ghost-writing assistance from mystery writer Craig Rice). The plot concerns the murder of two strippers, backstage of a New York burlesque theatre and the detection of the killer. The film is a faithful, if sanitized due to the censorship of the time, adaptation of the original novel, although Gypsy Rose Lee, who appears as a character in her own book, is here renamed "Dixie Daisy" (Stanwyck). Michael O'Shea plays her romantic interest, comedian Biff Brannigan, and Iris Adrian portrays a showgirl. Pinky Lee, a burlesque comic in real life, is another notable supporting player, as is Gerald Mohr as villain Louie Grindero. The film depicted as much as the censors would allow with respect to the precise nature of "bumps" and "grinds", and the slapdash nature of burlesque shows. Songs include "Take it off the E string, play it on the G string", rendered by Stanwyck. Barbara Stanwyck (July 16, 1907 -- January 20, 1990) was an American actress. A film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra. After a short but ...
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Thursday, December 1, 2011
myHotelVideo.com presents Nash Rex & Residence in Geneva / the centre of Switzerland / Switzerland
More @ www.myhotelvideo.com Location: This upmarket hotel is only 5 minutes from the UN building and other prominent international organisations whilst a bus stop is located 600 m away. The beach, river, nightclubs, bars and the tourist area of Geneva are roughly a ten-minute walk away. Various sights including the impressive water fountains (roughly 2 km) and the historical old town (3 km) are situated in the immediate vicinity. Countless shops are only approximately 1 km away whilst the transfer to the Airport takes approximately 10 minutes.Facilities: Renovated in 2004, this hotel is spread over 6 floors, with 70 rooms of which 7 are suites and 5 are apartments. Lying on a main road, facilities within the building include a foyer with a 24-hour reception desk, a currency exchange counter, a lift and a hotel safe. There is also a conference room, a bar and a public Internet terminal. Those arriving by car may take advantage of the hotel garage facilities Room and laundry services round up the offerings. Rooms: The comfortable rooms come with an en suite bathroom with hairdryer, satellite/cable TV, carpeting, a minibar/fridge, a hire safe, air conditioning, a double bed, an Internet connection and central heating. Sports/Entertainment: The nearest golf course is approximately 5 km away. Meals: Breakfast may be selected from a buffet service. Guests have the opportunity to book either a half-board, or a full-board stay. Payment: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard ...
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Sunday, November 27, 2011
myHotelVideo.com presents Royal Manotel in Geneva / the centre of Switzerland / Switzerland
More @ www.myhotelvideo.com Location: This hotel is located close to public transport, nightclubs, bars and restaurants (around 100m away) as well as shopping facilities around 200-500 maway. Facilities: Renovated in 2003, this air-conditioned hotel comprises an 8-storey main building and a 3-storey neighbouring building.. There are a total of 34 doubles, 62 singles and 6 are suites to choose from. Facilities include a foyer with 24-hour reception desk, a hotel safe, a currency exchange desk, lifts, a café and a bar. The air-conditioned restaurant with highchairs for infants invites guests to stop off and indulge in some delicious cuisine. Business guests may make use of the conference room and the WLAN access point (free WiFi). There is also bicycle storage and parking facilities for an added fee. Laundry and room services round off the offerings. Rooms: All rooms include an en suite bathroom, hairdryer, a direct dial telephone, an Internet connection, a minibar, a double bed, a fridge and satellite/cable TV. They additionally include air conditioning (individually regulated), a hire safe and individually regulated heating. All rooms are carpeted as standard. Sports/Entertainment: Those wanting to relax can enjoy a sauna, a Jacuzzi or a massage. A gym is available for those looking for more exercise. Meals: Breakfast is on offer each morning and may be selected from a buffet service. Lunch and dinner may be selected from the à la carte menu or alternatively chosen from ...
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Steamboat Chalets and Other Luxurious Accommodation Facilities
There is no dearth of hotels and condominiums in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Steamboat resort has several hotels and chalets lined up from the downtown area to the base of the mountains. You will find several hotels in Steamboat resort & they range from the modestly priced hotel rooms to the most luxurious Steamboat chalets one could possibly imagine. Other than that, several condos are also available for the tourists. Unlike most other ski resort towns, Steamboat has almost five thousand rooms for rent which makes it the most preferred ski destination in North America.
The prices of accommodation are very inviting and it is not very expensive unlike other resort towns. The impressive price range will get you the cheapest room for around 150$-200$ per night during the peak ski season. And if you want to live like a celebrity and have money in your pockets then you can opt for some of the most luxurious Steamboat Chalets for as low as 0 per night!
The luxury options at Steamboat are cheaper than what you would generally find in Europe. The facilities you would get are unbeatable when compared to other places. The cheaper motels offer you food at nominal rates and include some donuts and coffee. In comparison, the luxury hotels offer sumptuous meal with everything imaginable waiting for you on your table to help start your snow-ski day. Other than hotels and motels, there are also chalets waiting for you in Steamboat. These can take in approximately 10-15 people and are suitable for large groups or families. Steamboat chalets offer both catered and self-catered options.
There aren't too many choices when you talk about bed & breakfast style accommodation in Steamboat. There are around eight such facilities in the whole town and the price of each range from 0 to 0 per night. You will find facilities like the "Moving Mountains" which recreates the look and feel of a traditional European mountain accommodation. Situated close to the Steamboat chalets are the Thunderbird high-speed quad lifts. These lifts will give you a spellbinding view of the surrounding snow stuffed mountains. Food is also served on the mountains. You will get mouth-watering meals specially prepared by a five-star gourmet chef. If you want to go around the town, you could also hire luxurious taxi facilities.
Steamboat chalets are packed with luxury and will give you an experience that will be hard to forget.
Wine Tours - Iowa's Thriving Wine Country
Way back in the mid-1960's, 1966 in fact, the state of Iowa entered into my consciousness. As a five year old at the time, it wasn't much of a consciousness. All I really knew was Dad took a temporary job transfer and we'd be leaving Chicago to live in Iowa for a year.
Over the next 15 months, we made several long car trips to and from western Iowa to Chicago. I remember always wanting to see the Mississippi River from the big window of our station wagon.
All these years later, the Mississippi River still holds a grip on me, but for an altogether different reason. Now, historic river towns beckon with their architecture, scenery, and sense of place. And so it was as we traveled west on I-80, destination eastern Iowa wine country and one of our favorite weekend destinations - Dubuque, Iowa.
Iowa Wine
Iowa has a long history of grape growing and wine making, much like other midwestern states. The soil here is fertile and conducive to growing all sorts of crops, including grapes. In particular, the river valleys in Iowa's western and eastern regions are perfect for vineyards.
When Prohibition arrived in 1920, Iowa farmers turned to other pursuits and the wine industry here lay dormant until the late 1980's. Now, some 20 years later, the Iowa wine industry is in the midst of an exciting upswing. Wineries number almost 60, and Iowa's five wine trails are introducing travelers and wine lovers to some terrific wine.
Since Interstate 80 cuts directly through central Iowa, exploring any of Iowa's wine trails is an ideal destination or scenic detour for anyone traveling cross country.
Of Presidents And Wine
Let's start our exploration of the Eastern Iowa Wine Trail in the small town of West Branch, adjacent to I-80 and about 45 minutes west of the Quad Cities and the Mississippi River.
If West Branch sounds even vaguely familiar to you, congratulations, you're an historian! West Branch is the birthplace of Herbert Hoover, our 31st president, and houses the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.
This was our first stop, and it's highly recommended. Far from a stuffy and dusty old museum, the Hoover Presidential Library not only chronicles Hoover's presidency, it features fascinating exhibits pertaining to all the presidents. In reality, it's a learning center devoted to American history and specifically presidential history. We've visited several times over the years, and each time is more fascinating than the last.
Our first winery stop is along the Herbert Hoover Highway, about 4 miles from the Presidential Library. It's Wallace Winery, about as scenic a setting as you'll find. With a century old barn and a post and beam tasting room, you'll want to linger. We felt the white wines starred here, especially the Traminette, made from the gewurztraminer grape - a great buy at .
Also be sure to try and buy the Iowa Barn White. This friendly, easy to enjoy white table wine is a tribute to a vanishing part of our national landscape, the old wooden barn. In fact, Wallace Winery donates a portion of profits from the sale of these wines to the Iowa Barn Foundation, a non profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic heritage barns.
From Wallace Winery, travel north on beautiful Iowa Route 1 toward the town of Anamosa. On the way, you'll drive right through the antiquing town of Mt. Vernon. Stop, stroll around, and enjoy small town Iowa hospitality.
In Anamosa, you'll find Daly Creek Winery on north Ford Street. Located in a former creamery building, one of the first things you'll notice is the Iowa red cedar tasting bar. Adjacent is Daly Creek's 50 seat bistro, and although we didn't eat here, the menu is inviting.
On to Daly Creek's wines. Being a big fan of the movie "The Shawshank Redemption", my first pour was Penetentiary Red, a Cabernet Franc that's full bodied and full flavored. Remembering our college art appreciation classes, we also enjoyed Daly Creek's white table wine, Gothic White. This wine is named after Anamosa, Iowa's most famous resident, painter Grant Wood, most known for his classic painting "American Gothic".
After grabbing a few bottles to take home, we headed east from Anamosa on Iowa Route 64. It's about 25 minutes to Baldwin, a small village that's home to our next winery, Tabor Home Vineyards and Winery.
We were particularly pleased to visit here, as we've tried Tabor Home's wines before. Since 1997, Tabor Home has been adding to their wine offerings and racking up wine awards. These are true Iowa wines, with most bottlings created from grapes grown in Tabor Home's vineyard.
Introducing Dubuque
From Tabor Home, it's a short 40 mile drive north on Iowa 51 to our overnight destination, historic Dubuque, nestled along the Mississippi River at the confluence of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Dubuque is a perfect long weekend destination that can be combined with its Illinois historic counterpart, Galena, just 20 miles away. Dubuque has been described as a river town, a history town, and a college town. Of course, it's all three!
Dubuque: The Particulars
In Dubuque, everything starts with the river. Along the banks of the Mississippi, you'll find a nationally noted aquarium, a 19th century restored brewery building, a redeveloped riverwalk, nightlife, boat rides, and entertainment options. Just blocks away, there's the historic downtown district with unique shops and live jazz at night. Further west, it's the college district, with its own style and vibe.
Dubuque is Iowa's oldest city, celebrating 175 years in 2008, and it has long been a vibrant river city. Dubuque is particularly distinctive because of its steep hills and river bluffs - geographic features that many people don't expect to find in Iowa. With 62,000 residents, it's large enough to be diverse and small enough for easy navigation.
There are a number of "must sees" in Dubuque. A good place to start is the Mississippi River Aquarium. Here you'll enjoy dynamic exhibits, including an up close and personal visit with a few river creatures like catfish and alligators. Plan to spend a few hours. At .50 per adult admission, this is one of the best bargains in the Midwest.
From here, you can take a boat ride on the river, or stroll the riverwalk. We did the latter on our first day, up to the renovated Dubuque Star Brewery building, now housing a new winery, Stone Cliff Winery.
When you visit, you'll taste wines made from grapes grown in Stone Cliff's vineyard just west of Dubuque. Our favorites were the Cabernet Sauvignon, a silver medal winner at the Indiana State Fair wine competition, and the Riesling, a semi sweet fruity gem of a wine. Open in the Dubuque Star facility since May 2007, Stone Cliff is the newest Dubuque attraction along the riverfront.
Enjoying More Wineries
You'll find this area's next winery just 15 miles west of Dubuque. It's Park Farm Winery and Vineyard, surrounded by Iowa's beautiful countryside, with rolling hills, trees, and terraced fields.
Park Farm Winery and Vineyard leans heavily on Iowa grown grapes and crops, with grape varieties like LaCrosse, Niagara, Marechol Foch, and Vidal to name a few. It's a warm and welcoming site, with a stunning new outdoor deck added to the chateau which houses the tasting room and gift shop. The deck itself overlooks a lush valley, and it's a visit you won't want to rush.
Another area winery gave us the opportunity to travel north on Iowa Route 52, more or less along the river. Eagles Landing Vineyard and Winery is located in Marquette, Iowa, just across the river from Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin.
Eagles Landing is not only a winery, but a bed and breakfast as well. Located directly on the banks of the Mississippi, this is a bird watchers paradise. The name stems from numerous bald eagles who winter in this area, perching high in the trees or swooping onto the river for a meal.
There's a separate tasting room in downtown Marquette offering 18 varieties of Eagles Landing wine. Try the Frog Hollow Foch, a dry red finished in oak, with grapes grown in Eagle Landing's Iowa vineyard. There's some great fruit wines here too. You can also enjoy the Iowa Pearl, a semi dry white with a nose of apricot and a nice clean, fruity finish.
After exploring downtown Marquette and neighboring Prairie Du Chien (both well worth a stop to stroll around), we headed back to Dubuque. We should mention there is one additional winery on this wine trail - it's Winneshick Wildberry Winery in Decorah, about 1/2 hour away from Marquette. We heard very good things about their fruit wines, so if you're in the area, do stop in.
This part of Iowa is a scenic, relaxing place to visit, and Dubuque is perfectly located in the middle of the Iowa Wine Trail, making it an ideal overnight stop. If your plans call for I-80 travel, or if you live in the upper Midwest, be sure to carve out some time for the wineries of eastern Iowa.
Friday, November 25, 2011
How To Pack Light For That Bus Tour
Packing light does not fit the needs of everyone, and certainly not for every kind of travel. Cruises always require more, although even there, one can economize on the luggage. Deluxe tours where you stay in four star hotels and eat in Michelin's best recommended restaurants requires a much fuller wardrobe than a six day bus tour through the Benelux.
My way of packing light comes from personal experience coupled with what I've picked up in guide books and from fellow travelers. Some of it you might consider carrying it to extremes, but one thing I've come to realize is that how you pack and what you pack is about personal choices. I've read articles in magazines and books and half the stuff I'd throw out. On the other hand I would add just as much that I thought absolutely necessary. So with that in mind, here's how I do it.
My travel is constrained by finances for the most part. So I travel on the cheap. When travelling alone I stay in Bed and Breakfast establishments (B & B's) when I can find a clean one handy to where I want to be, and that's most of the time. Otherwise I'll stay in cheap but clean hotels. Here I find guide books indispensable, but even then you have to watch your step. Areas and districts change, usually not for the better. When in Paris I have always liked to stay in the Quartier Latin. Last time I stayed at different hotel than usual, one recommended in a guide book. In the morning I came strolling out the front door with visions of a café au lait on my mind and with my backpack slung over one shoulder. Next thing I know, somebody is seriously tugging on my pack. Fortunately, a stiff palm thrust to his nose dissuaded him from continuing and we both went on our separate ways. I've been overnighting in the Quartier Latin since 1959, that's the first time anything happened. Indeed, it's the first actual violence I've encountered in Europe in twenty odd years, and that time too, it was because I was unaware of my surroundings. My first bit of advice - no matter how safe you may think it is, keep your wits about you at all times. You're a foreigner in a foreign land and considered fair game to the unenlightened.
To pack light is to not pack for the worst scenario. Travelling in Europe in the summer time, you don't need a heavy coat. My personal choice is a quality dressy dark windbreaker that can shed rain, it's an item I can wear most anywhere, and I don't need to pack it - it's on my back. Spring or fall, I will pack a lightweight dark cardigan to wear under the windbreaker when the temperature drops.
I take only one pair of pants, the ones I wear on the plane. I favor one brand, Tilleys, but not the ones that can be unzippered into shorts, they scream "Tourist" which is "Sucker" in any European language. There's numerous brands, on the internet and elsewhere. They should be washable, have some zippered pockets and be comfortable. If you need headgear, seriously consider a Tilley hat. Look inside one and you'll understand why.
One pair of shoes, the ones I'm wearing. I favor a sturdy pair of Hush Puppies or Rockports, equally as good and as comfortable. Three or four short sleeved shirts in the summer, long sleeved the rest of the year. Again hand washable, again dark colors preferred. One dark matching tie, material that won't have wrinkles when it's unrolled. The trick with dark colors is simply that if they get dirty, so what, they were dark to start with! If a shirt gets seriously stained, then I throw it out, buy a new one. I'm not going to pack a dirty shirt all over Europe just so I can wash it when I get home!
Plan on doing some hand laundry every two nights or so if possible. That way you've always got clean shorts (three pairs), socks (three pairs) and shirts. A small squeezeable bottle of liquid soap is always a good idea. Get one of those spring loaded reels with a twenty foot thin rope that you can use to hang your wash on to dry over night. Consider packing a light plastic or nylon raincoat (the kind with a hood) if you're going to the UK, they can be folded up to about the size of a deck of cards. Don't carry two months worth of toiletries for a two or thee week trip. Drop into a store in whatever country you're in and pick up what you need. You never know what you'll find. I picked up a tube of toothpaste in Cagliari years ago with the wierdest taste I've ever encountered, not unpleasant, just different from anything I ever tasted before or since.
Being of the male persuasion, I need to shave, at least every two days. Anything electric can quickly add weight and bulk to your pack what with voltage transformers, an assortment of wall plugs, etc. I used to use dispensable razors, and still do at home, but one day while walking in Geneva, I came across a shop that specialized in electric razors. I got a battery driven razor that lasts unbelievably long (three weeks easily) on four AA batteries, not much bigger than a king-sized pack of cigarettes. I've never seen them anywhere in North America and I only use it on trips.
I wear a moneybelt for the obvious reasons, plus a plastic document pouch that hangs inside my shirt from a clear thin strap around my neck. I also stash photocopies of all documents, including any reservations in a ziplock bag stowed in my backpack. The Euro is always taken, sometimes preferred, but I like a few hundred US dollars in my moneybelt, it is always a good fallback. Otherwise, an ATM card and one credit card, I like to take an American Express card, though others prefer Visa.
Some like to have a day pack but I find them a nuisance. However I keep a small rollup nylon carryall in my backpack for emergencies. Speaking of emergencies, always carry a small sewing kit in your gear. If you have medicines, bring a copy of the prescriptions, and try to have enough in their original pharmacy bottles on hand for the duration of the trip. One last thing, put all bottles inside a ziplock bag in case they start to leak, especially aboard aircraft.
And there you have it. While I appreciate my list is for men, it should also be a handy guide for women. Well, except for the bit about razors, of course!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Where to Stay in Paris on a Budget
In many ways Paris is an excellent holiday location for people trying to enjoy high life and culture on a budget. It's very close to the UK, and fine dining needn't come at the cost it does over here. The point where people often struggle is finding a reasonably priced hotel that will allow them to see the sights of this wonders of the city without breaking the bank. Having lived and worked in the city giving Paris airport transfers for most of my life, I've learned a thing or two about where to go to save cash. Here are some of the better rated hotels in Paris that won't cost an arm and a leg:
Hotel du Square d'Anvers
Just a 2 minute stroll from a Metro station, Hotel du Square d'Anvers is a cheap and cheerful way to see the city. The staff are polite and friendly, the rooms are comfortable, and it's so close to the centre that you can see the top of the Eiffel Tower from some of the balconies! Fair enough, it can get quite hot and the rooms are a little on the small side, but you really won't want to spend much time in your room when you're in a city as marvellous as Paris. My shuttle passengers are generally positive about this one - don't expect the Ritz and you'll get excellent value in a superb location.
Hotel Rive Gauche
Another cheap hotel that boasts an excellent location with just the right mix of locals and tourists. Just across the river from the Louvre, this is a great location for visitors looking to see the classic sights of Paris. The rooms are basic, and you may find the street noise a little much with the windows open, but for the price it's a good deal for exploring the city.
Hotel Chopin
For the price of a night at the Hotel Chopin, it's hard to imagine anything better! Local to the Louvre and with a fine selection of old world shops and restaurants nearby, the hotel is best described as quaint and charming. The staff aim to make guests feel like friends and family, and they succeed admirably. If you're looking for modern facilities like wi-fi internet and cable TV, you'll be sorely disappointed, but for the price it offers a perfectly good room in a splendid location.
Hotel Britannique
Placed 5 to 10 minutes from Notre Dame and next door to Les Halles Metro stop, it's hard to imagine a better location in the entire city. In terms of value for money, it's excellent and unlike a few of the others in the list is air conditioned, meaning you won't have to risk noisy streets with the windows left open in the night. Its average price is a little higher than some of the others, but if you intend to go in the off-season, this has possibly the best value for money. According to some of my Paris airport transfer passengers, it compares favourably to some of its more expensive rivals!
Hotel Langlois
At around 70 Euros per night, you can't beat the Hotel Langlois. Just a short walk from the Metro station with spacious rooms and oozing with character, this is the budget hotel that gets the most praise from my Paris shuttle customers. It has many features you'd expect from a more expensive hotel including cable TV (with English channels!) and free internet. One thing though - watch out for the lift, which can be a very tight squeeze. If you're in a large group, you may have to take a few trips!
Sure, not every Paris shuttle driver will know where these are (bring a map!) but, if you're looking to save a few quid without having to settle for squalor, you can't go wrong with these. Having successfully ferried hundreds of passengers in my Paris airport transfers, I have a good idea of which hotels to rate and which ones to avoid, and all of these get a solid thumbs up for travellers of a thrifty disposition!
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
PAPI - Freestyle - 17 juillet 2010
PAPI - Freestyle du 17 juillet 2010 my.zikinf.com Prise d'image: B&B Prod. Montage: Papi
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Oaxaca, Mexico and the Global Economy - No Word For Welcome Book Review
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is a 120 mile strip of land between the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, almost entirely in the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca. It's been inhabited by indigenous groups with different languages and customs for millennia. Since colonial times it's attracted both national and international attention because of its important geographical location and richness of resources.
In No Word for Welcome: The Mexican Village Faces the Global Economy (University of Nebraska Press, 2011), author Wendy Call, a self - described grassroots organizer and researcher, makes an impassioned plea; if not for halting the invasion of the global economy into Oaxaca's Isthmus of Tehuantepec, then for proceeding only after critical evaluation of environmental and cultural impact studies. Ms. Call spent two consecutive years living and working on the Isthmus, from 2000 to 2002, in addition to shorter visits totaling a further year.
The federal government proceeded with its Trans-Isthmus Megaproject by commencing the construction of a four-lane highway through the region, in some cases as a bypass around small Oaxacan towns and villages otherwise connected by potholed two lane roads. It became part of former president Vicente Fox's Plan Puebla Panama, an initiative to extend Mexico's main, relatively new highway system from the US border through to Central America.
The scope of the Megaproject initially included 150 proposed projects including oil refineries, plantations, industrial parks, commercial shrimp farms and a highway - rail network to carry products to national and international markets. The project would inevitably alter both the environmental and cultural landscape. Townspeople opposed development of the region mainly out of fear of the unknown due to a lack of information and consultation. Government and commercial interests were intent upon forging forward.
Call's steadfast contention is that development will result in wholesale irreversible adverse impact to the natural environment, and to inhabitants by altering their means of eking out an economic existence, while at the same time destroying other cultural indicia such as traditions and language. The book centers upon objection to construction of the highway system and the proposed replacement of small fishing operations with large industrial shrimp farms.
In addition to her own personal experiences, in No Word for Welcome Call chronicles family histories and livelihoods as well as opposing individual points of view. This is accomplished by providing detailed examinations of the lives of individuals she came to know intimately in the course of living in the Isthmus for three years, and to a lesser extent through interviewing civil servants and other proponents of the project.
Call's novel-like use of colorful, detailed description draws you in. She holds your interest by weaving together the stories of her subjects (i.e. the activists, the fishermen, the uneducated schoolteacher); otherwise often dry archival evidence of the historical importance of the Isthmus (referencing for example the reign of dictator Porfirio Díaz, the US attempt to buy the Isthmus in the 19th century, and the early 20th century foreign consulates in port city Salina Cruz); the sometimes violent and destructive manifestations of opposing positions (fishermen burning government trucks and dredging machinery and running workers out of town; gesturing with a machete while threatening "if the government doesn't respect the people..."); and her own viewpoint.
You cannot help but become extremely opinionated, either by jumping on Call's bandwagon or being critical of how her political point of view affects the presentation of her thesis. She approaches her chapter centering upon Huatulco, the Pacific resort town created by FONATUR (Mexico's national tourism development agency), with disdain, though she does note positive impressions of its Mexican residents. She seems to mock the government when she writes that the FONATUR office "felt more like a travel agency than a government agency, with overstuffed furniture, brochures filled with beaches and bikinis, and the hollow air of a place with more infrastructure than activity." How else does one attempt to sell tourism, sun, sand and surf?
But it's Call's style of writing, inevitable as a consequence of her very reason for being on the Isthmus, which contributes to keeping the reader at the edge of his seat, either cheering for the cause and hoping that "the people" prevail, or cringing at naivety - the arrival of the global economy in the Isthmus is inevitable and could have been foreshadowed since the 1500s, perhaps earlier.
The description of the lives and hardships of fishermen and their environs is rich and compelling. Yes, perhaps industrial shrimp farms will destroy the mangroves and might have a short lifespan, leaving a swath of destruction. But we're given little in the way of alternatives for the area and its industry.
Both industrialization and the residents themselves have played a part in marginalizing existence and requiring government intervention. But there appears to be a lack of understanding on the part of residents of the complexity of the issue and the part they have played in creating the current conundrum; Call's job is not to educate in this regard. A fisherman surmises that his people have been harvesting shrimp, fish and crabs for over a thousand years, so asks why he should pay attention to some mestizo government regulation banning the use of large rectangular nets. He seems to deny any direct role as a contributor to the problem and states that you cannot trust a government whose solution would create a bigger problem (industrial shrimp farms).
The area has become overfished. Fishermen were not forced to begin using motorboats. They discarded their smaller nets, each of which took a year of spare time to make, in favor of buying the large 0 USD Japanese machine-made ones, and proceeded to trap their catch by extending these new nets across the river's mouth. The result was that small shrimp and other marine species could not get through the nets and into the mangroves to reproduce. The government had to ban the use of these nets in order to protect the industry. The fisherman is adamant that he needs to harvest that much fish to survive.
Many in the fisherman's position opt to head to the US. Call notes emigration in passing from time to time but it's not fully addressed in her book, perhaps because it is not consistent with Call´s thesis. One rarely finds an anthropological writing of this nature which does not deal with emigration head on. But Call is not an anthropologist, and in fact is critical of social scientists, for some reason lumping them together with others working in the Isthmus: "I tried not to act like so many of the journalists, anthropologists, folklorists, and sociologists I'd encountered while living on the Isthmus. They tended to come for just a few hours, days, or weeks, blurting out questions before their bodies had warmed a chair." Perhaps anthropological fieldwork has changed dramatically since my days in graduate school.
The superhighway and a network of smaller roads and rail does result in physically dividing populations, and yes can adversely impacts indigenous culture. Relocating populations into neighborhoods with street names such as Poblado One, Two, etc. rather than retaining names of heroes of The Revolution or pre - Hispanic gods and royalty impacts a pride in one's society and heritage. But globalization is inevitable, for the benefit of not only a few rich Mexicans and foreigners seeking to capitalize on NAFTA, as is submitted in the book, but for the residents of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Of course, as Call suggests, cultural and environmental impact studies are crucial for minimizing destruction of peoples and their lands. And yes, they are sometimes not done or are ignored and politics and power often govern. What I found missing were propositions regarding the least detrimental alternative, which in these circumstances I would suggest, is the best one could hope to achieve, rather than a wholesale halt to all. When subcomandante Marcos' caravan was en route to Mexico City in 2001, and he assured that he would take President Fox the message that "the Isthmus is not for sale," perhaps someone should have suggested a rental agreement with terms maximizing the benefit for the istmeños.
No Word for Welcome is a well - written book, holding the reader's interest from start to finish. I recommend it for prospective visitors to southern Mexico because its descriptions of life in that part of Mexico are extremely accurate, from the workings of local politics, antics, strategies and sometimes destructive forces used to make a point, to the richness of detail, to the lesson in history. The expat living in Mexico will find Call's experiences familiar and reaffirming on many levels (a department store employee is indeed often taken aback when you ask how much a refrigerator costs for cash not credit).
For those interested in the global economy and industrialization or wanting to understand how competing interests are addressed and resolved in Southern Mexico in particular, No Word For Welcome is a must. It's written with a strong bias, and as such it stirs emotion. The reader is anxious to learn how it all turned out, and to some extent is told. Ms. Call's final chapter includes her impressions from her 2008 visit.
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Grenoble and Orleans: Two French Cities Worth Visiting
About an hour and a half south of Paris lies the scenic French town of Orleans. Located on the Loire River, Orleans plays host to five interesting museums, including Joan of Arc's house and a Natural Sciences Museum. There are eight separate beautiful parks located throughout the city, all of which are perfect for a romantic French picnic. The beautiful river was once a busy trading route, however now only large ships are able to make it as far as Nantes. Many of the boats that used to journey on the river are on display for the enjoyment of locals and visitors alike.
From Orleans, take your rental car over to quaint French cities like Montargis or Glen to stay in any of the local bed and breakfasts that are available. Maybe you will want to head over to Blois to visit the world famous Chateau de Blois, and walk on the winding pathways throughout the hilly city. Or head a little further west to Tours for some of the finest wines in the country and medieval sight seeing. Whatever your interests may be, Orleans will provide you with the access you need to get to larger cities or small towns, but is also filled with enough culture of it's own to keep you feeling immersed.
Known as the capital of the French Alps, Grenoble is one of France's most beautiful cities. Home to the 1968 Winter Olympics, athletes from all over the world still train here. Home to over 20 ski stations, Grenoble is a popular location year round for all kinds of people. The mountainous landscape is also filled with many abandoned mills and factories, attracting skiers of all kinds, day hikers, and photography buffs. Whatever your reason for coming here, you won't want to leave without getting your fill of outdoor adventure!
Take a car rental in Grenoble to many of the ski areas located outside the city for some of the world's best skiing! After you've had your share of the area, you could head north to visit beautiful Lake Geneva, in Switzerland, or even travel east and see Italy with your rental car in Grenoble. Wherever you're off to, a car will give you the freedom you need to see more of France on your next European vacation!
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