Tagged With "Inside Old Shadows"
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Re: November 24, 2016: Enger Tower, Duluth, Minnesota
Hi Garry I never thought of counting the number of steps to the top of Enger Tower for I was too preoccupied with the beautiful scenery; However, thanks to your question I did some internet investigating and discovered that apparently there are 105 steps you must walk to get to the top of Enger Tower (therefore 210 steps in total to get up and down the tower). You really don't need to be an Olympian to get to the top of Enger Tower. Although the number of steps sounds like a lot, and the...
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Re: January 20, 2017: Swaledale Barns, Muker, North Yorkshire
I love these old stone barns! Thanks, Ian.
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Re: Boston in the fall - suggestions please!
Agree with PHeymont. Plan your trips around the leaf watching. Lots of pretty small towns around New England, although many will be pretty booked. I'd leave at least 3-4 days for Boston. Lots to see and do there, including many items relating to the rebellious Yankees throwing off the ties with old King George. And great museums and restaurants and such. We can get into more details if you'd like, but you'll definitely want a good guide book. Many people find a day in Salem (famous for its...
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Re: Boston in the fall - suggestions please!
Thank you Dr. F. - wise words we will keep 1-2 hotels booked ahead and be flexible beyond that. We are really looking forward to this new 'slice' of America, I never realised that the Pilgrim fathers just named every new town after their old home towns - I'm going to be quite confused!! Thanks too Garry that looks lovely! I envy you being there ahead of us!! PS we are now on the verge of booking Cuba too and are horrified at the cost that Virgin Atlantic is trying to screw us for an upgrade...
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Re: Portland, Oregon — Part I - Eating
Not a Voodoo fan (I'm more into old standard flavors and sizes), but I'll second the Tastebud Pizza, which I had recently at another of the Portland Farmers Market locations...
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Re: Sea World gives up its killer whale shows
I grow weary of political correctness. Orcas are highly intelligent animals, no doubt -- and have the "cruelty" we expect of intelligent animals (anyone who's seen them hunt a baby gray whale for hours, only to kill it, eat its tongue and let the rest go to waste knows what I mean). I never saw Blackfish, but I do recall at the old Marineland park in Southern California. The park was closed for a number of months, and the orcas got depressed. Listless, didn't eat, didn't look good. Someone...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 16, 2015: Franklin Automobiles in Tucson, Arizona
It is amazing the different stories there are! And because of all the different car manufactures there might be truth to a lot the stories. About the horse carriages,the pictures I've have seen of the old carriages is the driver sitting on the right , especially if theres two seats up front, because a right handed person would want to use the whip with his right hand and not whip the passengers.
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
Ah, now I see what you meant. No, nothing esoteric. It's actually part of the roofline of one of the buildings; the black area with the rectangles is just the shadow of part of the windowless wall adjoining it. Here's what it looks like without the shadow...
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
I see now, it's a shadow giving the illusion that was confusing me. Now it's just a case of disappearing chimneys. A very interesting building.
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Re: Heidelberg Castle: Where Gumbo Was (#135)
Nice memories of a fun place to visit. I seem to recall there's an interesting old pharmacy/pharmacist museum in the Castle. Not exactly the kind of thing you find often.
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Re: Motel 6 freshens its rooms...and its image
The French AccorHotels owned them for a time and really made some great improvements, updating rooms and making new hotels. And those prices were the same price as their old rooms. I wonder what happened to Accors plans that they sold
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Re: Portland, Maine: A Big Little City
Lovely photos! I haven't been to Portland since I was a little kid on summer vacations...we often combined Portland, Old Orchard Beach and Kennebunkport. Maine looks just as pretty as I remember.
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Re: Oct. 3, 2016: Old Store & Post Office, Evinston, FL
A very cool destination! I love old places like this, especially ones that still work! You don't stress it, but they have a nice display of Elvis memorabilia. Makes me wonder if he stopped by long ago when he was touring the southeastern USA>
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Re: Sept. 30, 2016: Autumn in Chicago
It's good to see a row of non-conformist trees. Like houses or Shopping Malls. The one that sticks out from the status quo is the one that gets my attention. Probably one of the reasons I like old small towns. Where the architecture spans 3,4 or 5 generations. All in a short walk.
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Re: Berlin's Museum Island
Great Blog Story. I was at the Pergammon years ago and your story caused me to dig out the old photo album from the basement archives and relive our stay at Alexanderplatz and the museum visit. Thanks.
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Re: Berlin's Museum Island
Glad you liked the story. I hope you enjoy my next pieces on Berlin
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Re: Loiza - Afro-Puertorican Culture
When I lived in PR, in Santurce between Old San Juan and Isla Verde, the commercial street that served the area half a block from my apartment on Calle Taft was Loiza Street (Appears, from a google map to now be numbered, road 37). I wonder if it was the original road from San Juan to the town of Loiza in the early days. Do you know Jonathon? It certainly goes in the right direction.
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Re: Crashing the geocache
guten abend, Janine - That is reassuring. Thanks so much ! He had also been wondering about how to use his mobile in Europe. No problem downloading some apps - too many ! - while in the uS. I think his buddies said that they have GPS on their devices. So the dogs are really good at finding the geocaches ? Our dog only finds old shoes and icky trash. I was in Germany in my college days and loved it. They say a lot has changed. The food and the beer is probably better than ever, though. Thanks...
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Re: London In 1927, Recreated Shot For Shot.
Thank you for that fascinating link! The similarities are as startling as the differences (including the freeing up of Marble Arch from its gates and stone guardians). I've passed it along to my daughter, whose teenage students were sure the other day that color films were only about 30 years old...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day: Jan. 16, 2014: Liverpool Victoria Gallery
My favourite time to visit attractions is May-June-July. Before the little monsters are released on school vacation. Liverpool has hundreds of things to do - no exaggeration ! Here's 128 to go on with http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/A...seyside_England.html Liverpool makes a good hub for visiting nearby Chester with its 2,000 year old Roman Walls and Tudor Buildings. The River Dee and North Wales. All using local public transport - mostly trains. You can get a flight, Liverpool - Dublin from...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11
Chester is a Walled City. It has 3 miles of Battlements enclosing the Centre. The Roman Amphitheatre is just outside the City Gates. The seating was wooden. It has no raised sections like other Roman Amphitheatres. You can see the remains of this 2000 year old settlement and walk the circuit on the original walls of Chester. Tudor Buildings
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11
My profile pic used to be me holding up the Old Roman wall in Chester . Without me there,is it still standing? Lol I especially enjoyed seeing the Racetrack there.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11
All hail, IAM_NOTATOURIST. Please join us and tell us please, how the heck could you tell the difference between one arena and another? Artsnletters, same question, and the reason I suggested 3 (not 4) as possibilities. Maybe it's the age-old answer, you just had to be there. But still, I'd like to hear it from the sources.
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Re: Alfred the Great's bones found!
I don't think we'll find Hoffa until they start tearing down some of these old ball stadiums... Somewhere deep in the concrete I think!
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? # 9
How many Folk Singers does it take to replace a roof ? 3. 1 does all the work - and the other 2 hold the ladder while singing a song about how much better the old roof was.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #6
This is pretty tough. Looks like an old bridge with strong Chinese influence. I've never been there but would favor something in Southern China or maybe Southeast Asia. Anyone besides PortMoresby ever seen this before?
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #6
Originally Posted by Travel Luver: This is pretty tough. Looks like an old bridge with strong Chinese influence. I've never been there but would favor something in Southern China or maybe Southeast Asia. I agree with Travel Luver. It reminds me of traditional architecture in Thailand. I wonder whether the wooden structure is the same age as the stone supports or a replacement.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #6
OK. So we know it is Asian, and that it was built by colonizers/invaders from another country. Since the architecture is Asian, I think we can assume the invaders were, too. The problem then is the next term: "link them with a settlement of people from a third country." That seems to imply that the "third country" people are NOT across a border in their own land but are also in the invaded country, but living separately from the invaders. If I'm correct in guessing the bridge at upwards of...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #6
O.K. So it's not in Japan or probably Malaysia or Indonesia. I think it unlikely that Port Moresby has been to Myanmar (though he certainly appears to be a very intrepid traveller). The more reading I do leads me to believe that it's most likely Port Moresby is referring to European trading within Macau, Canton, Hong Kong or perhaps Taiwan...so given that we think the bridge is...well, very old I would be leaning toward the Portuguese or the Dutch as one of the nations involved and China...
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Re: Should Wi-Fi be free in all hotels?
Maybe it's the old capitalist coming out in me, but I think "should" is a strong word. Free access to wi-fi certainly helps me determine where I'll stay, just like free breakfast is...but if a hotel has enough other amenities so that people are willing to pay for it's wi-fi then so be it...although it is easy enough to get free somewhere, I don't value it enough to pay for it.
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Re: Should Wi-Fi be free in all hotels?
Originally Posted by JohnT: Maybe it's the old capitalist coming out in me, but I think "should" is a strong word. Free access to wi-fi certainly helps me determine where I'll stay, just like free breakfast is...but if a hotel has enough other amenities so that people are willing to pay for it's wi-fi then so be it...although it is easy enough to get free somewhere, I don't value it enough to pay for it. I agree with you John, that market forces will drive this. But the demand for "free"...
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Re: Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, Kennedy Space Center
Thanks for the comments, guys! The entire shuttle is actually much longer than I'd thought, maybe 180 ft. What was surprising is how small the living/pilot compartment is where the astronauts spent so much time. It's that space in front of the opened cargo door. The US space program is just a former shadow of itself with the retirement of the Shuttle program and nothing ready to take its place. But I was pleased to hear that NASA is working on the Orion project. It is a rocket based space...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #5.5
Interesting clues here but nothing definitive. The vegetation growing through the cobblestones might indicate a moderate climate throughout the year. This path appears to be residential and not one frequented by tourists. Maybe Mediterranean or a colonial city in the Americas. The cobblestones are on the small side and are more common, I think, in southern Europe. Also the light fixtures are a modern design and not typical of a city trying very hard to preserve the old look and feel of the...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 2, 2014
After being married for 40 years, I took a careful look at my wife one day and said, "Forty years ago we had a cheap house, a junk car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a 10-inch black and white TV, but I got to sleep with a hot 20-year-old girl every night. Now, I have a £500,000 home, a £45,000 car, a nice big bed and a large screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 60-year-old woman. It seems to me that you're not holding up your side of things." My wife is a very reasonable woman. She told me...
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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!
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Re: Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
It's interesting how we perceive age. In the U.S., we have few buildings over 200 years old, while in other places buildings older than that are part of the housing stock. And here we have a building of intricate design and decoration old enough that we hardly know any of the history of its builders. A reminder to us how much there is to see and know that is beyond our daily lives. Thank you for the tour!
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Re: Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
Perceptions of time ! Interesting subject. You do get a little blasé about History when you're surrounded by it. This is my local Church. It's nearly a thousand years old and still in regular use !
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Re: Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
GarryRF was kind enough to take me to that church It's impressive. People just walk old walls too there like it's no big deal. I guess it's really what you're used to
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
PowerStick only charges from a USB port. The PowerStick has a capacity of 750mAh Perfect ! That is all that I need for my modest travel needs - just a little juice for a camera or my old flip (!) phone, if needed during a day of sightseeing. The PowerStick is only about the size of a pen, takes no thought to use and does not involve batteries. My kind of tool. Travelers who carry a lot more toys have greater needs than little me.
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Hank, While you're in London you can get a Coach (Bus) Tour that will show you Stonehenge and Bath and The Cotswold Villages - very pretty and very old. Leeds Castle (not in Leeds, close to London). Stonehenge is not an overnight stop - remember what I said about distances in the UK being smaller? If you need to fill a gap take the Train (or Bus) to York. Very old - lots of History and a Museum that will take you back 150 years walking the streets of Victorian England. Go into Old Shops and...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 8, 2013 : The Sanctuary Knocker, Durham Cathedral, a World Heritage site
It's an impressive image, Mac, made all the more interesting by the story behind it. One sometimes forgets the role the church played in "forgiveness" acts through the centuries. I'm always astounded at the quality of craftsmanship behind these thousand year old items. In many ways, we've lost ground, not improved on their skills. Thanks for the education, and sharing this photo!
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
To say that Ireland is typically wet and cold is true of Winter. The Summers are often pleasant and warm but when you get to the West Coast then the wind blows in of a cold Atlantic Ocean. But the weather can change 4 times a day - so there's something there to please everyone. Ireland has wonderful fresh food. Fresh from the sea and farm. Try a locally produced Vintage Cheddar Cheese or an 18 year old Jamesons Whiskey. Soda bread is a local speciality. But stay away from the home made...
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
When I go to my local Pub in Liverpool I'll have a choice of Beers. Heineken Dutch Lager - San Miguel Spanish - Carlsberg Danish - Stella Belgian - Fosters Australian - Sagres Portuguese. Plus many local brews. Old Speckled Hen, Bishops Finger and my favourite Newcastle Brown Ale. Served in a Pint - 20 ounce - Bottle. With a half pint glass. It keeps cooler in the bottle ! Liquid Toffee ! Not a light Beer. Lots of Flavour and quite potent. I've found bars around Ocean City Maryland who serve...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 22, 2013: Moab before the storm
Wow, that's beautiful! Reminds me of the old John Wayne movie settings.
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
Hi everyone! I'm back. Just arrived at my parents home for Thanksgiving. Not had a lot of time to work on this trip since I last visited TravelGumbo, but some progress to report. I have a firm ticket reservation for Manchester, returning from Paris, though a few days off the dates we talked about. But 29 days in Europe! Whooppeee!! I have a guidebook from the Library which I'm going to go through this long weekend (one by Fodors). I think this will help. Anyone know of a good pocket size...
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Re: Finishing college. Need help planning trip to U.K,
England is only as big as Florida ! I haven't seen a Guide book that sub-divides us! Wales is full of Castles, Mountains and Lakes. Tourists often divide England between the North and South. The North is often cooler and wetter than further South. But your Dollar will go twice as far up here in the North! And we're much friendlier. Have a look at places you'd like to visit. York (the old one) will keep you busy for 2 days. Train or Bus from Liverpool. Or a day or two in Europe from Liverpool...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan 31, 2013: Lindisfarne, the Holy Island
Thanks for the interesting post, Mac! I love the old abbeys of Britain and Ireland. And perhaps most important is the valuable roll they played in preserving the written word and scholarly traits during the Dark Ages. I imagine that the Lindisfarne Gospels are a lot like the Book of Kells?
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #36
Looks a bit like a Tudor cottage stuck on top of an obelisk. Let me start the guessing with the idea that despite the decor, it's not all that old (since when Tudor-era builders used those wooden crosspieces they were structural, not decorative.) But if I'm right about when, it completely unmoors this from the idea of 15th-century England, and it could be absolutely anywhere!