Tagged With "colonial era"
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Re: United, Delta ready to retire 'Queen of the Skies'
It is the end of an era. My first overseas flights were all on 747s. Getting on one was always exciting, for back then they were comfortably configured and they always too me to exotic locations.
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Re: Where Gumbo Was #12. Brasov, Romania
Congratulations Worker Bee! Nice write up PHeymont! The Black Church holds some significant memories for me personally as does the whole city. In the aerial shot, if you look closely, you will also find some drab communist era apartment buildings. The time of Ceausescu and the Securitate was a time no one who lived in the country will forget. It was also Romania's baby boom when a lot people of people were born due to no birth control. The Romanian people are talented and o pen and I...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 13, 2015: Gettysburg at dusk
Thanks for the tip, Jonathan. Another interesting stop is to President Eisenhower's home, which adjoins Gettysburg. Like stepping back into the era of MadMen.
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Re: See Them While You Can: 10 Wins for Historic Preservation
Note that the National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private organization. I think that's key in this era of government cutbacks and a congress unable to accomplish anything to speak of. If the National Park Service is unable to maintain it's infrastructure then one can only imagine how little care might go into preserving bits of our cultural heritage lacking big names, such as those on the list above. Commercial interests also have a place in accomplishing what government and...
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Re: Where Gumbo Was (#9): Poiana Brasov, Romania
This area brings back fond memories I remember falling a lot too because I was unable to buy good boots in an era when Romania rationed just about everything. The hike from Brasov to Poiana is a nice one and there is a bus as well if you don't have a car. Besides skiing, there is also a good tourist restaurant in Poiana that serves hunters food. Not sure if the outdoor ice skating rink is still there?
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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!
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo (#38)
Well, I suspect it is England, given the overflowing litter bin and no parking yellow lines (oh joy!). It looks probably to be a minor town station from the Victorian era. And now I'm clutching at straws!!
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Re: Do traveling Brits hate kids?
Having traveled with children myself, I'm quite sympathetic to folks on the road with their tots. It's hard to do and difficult to keep them entertained and sitting still for such long periods of time. I feel sorry for parents who are trying to comfort their children -- some in obvious distress from ear pain -- without success. A lot of poorly behaved kids (eg. kicking seats) are poorly parented. I'm far more upset with the parent than with the child. the kid needs to be instructed not to do...
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Re: Cruising down the Nile (part 4)
Although I've wanted to go to Egypt most of my life, to Egypt and Japan, for some reason I haven't made it to either place (except through the Suez canal, which hardly counts). Your pictures of the colonial-era hotels, though, may be the encouragement I need to finally get there. It's probably less crowded now than it will ever be, also an encouragement.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 3, 2014: Metropole Hotel, Hanoi
I too am a fan of Colonial era hotels. The only ones I've ever stayed at were in Sri Lanka where, at the time, they weren't much more than a night at a Howard Johnson's. When you make your way to Sri Lanka, PortMoresby, check out some that island has to offer. You might be pleasantly surprised. Sri Lankan people I interacted with actually were quite grateful overall for the contributions the British made to their island -- tea plantations, roads, railroads, and government. And, of course,...
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Re: Impression about Perth, Australia
I've actually visited Perth, attending a medical meeting there some years back. I really enjoyed the city. Mostly modern, but with historic colonial era buildings. Very friendly people, especially considering they're all descended from convicts (a point of pride and good humor with them, I found). Perth was a good springboard for a road-trip around southwestern Australia, including a drive up to Shark's Bay, through the wildflower way (am I remember that name correctly), down to the large...
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Re: San Juan's El Morro: Layers of Stone, Layers of History (Where Gumbo Was, #84)
Fascinating history. Stunning photos. Thanks.
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Re: San Juan's El Morro: Layers of Stone, Layers of History (Where Gumbo Was, #84)
A missing bit: El Morro and the historic site as a whole is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but while I included that in the Tags and Collections for the blog, I forgot to mention it in the text! My apologies...
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Re: Would you believe: Beach tours to N. Korea!
I would like to see how life is in North Korea although it looks the minders have a tight grip on what you can see.From the documentaries, it seems similar to cold war era Romania. One of the most interesting documentaries I've seen is "Crossing the Line" about a American defector to North Korea. After the Korean War ,six American soldiers defected . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Joseph_Dresnok https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/s...la&hsimp=yhs-001
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Re: Homes of Leadville
Hi Garry. Regarding your comment, I think the Victorian era was one that was "special" in world history. It was a time when the sun never set on the British empire and the British influence on the world (mostly good in my opinion -- a common language, parliamentary goverance, etc) was at its peak. I don't think we'll have an Elizibethian II era nor a Charles era.
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history
It is good that a people face up to and learn from the past. We must learn from the lessons of history, but I do hope this will not become a "self-flagellation" exercise. At the end of the 18th century, everyone had slaves. Every people, every race, every culture, every country participated in the buying, selling and owning of other people. It was the norm. Fortunately, with a few rare exceptions, modern society has become enlightened and the rights of individuals is now a central focus of...
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history
'Presentism' is always a danger for historians, but in this case, there's a real issue of interest based on the late-in-the-day entry into slave-owning by the later Catalan grandees; they went into it when all European countries had already abolished it, and when it had been abolished in many colonial areas. Sadly, not Cuba, Brazil, or, at the beginning of that period, the United States. One of the reasons it's important to consider these past things is because they do enter into the...
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history
Slavery is just part of a long cruel history. Wherever there is chance to make money, people of any race or creed will gladly join in. Even the African warlords who sold the "prisoners" to the slave ships played their parts in this piece of history. Even today fortunes are made by sending young men to die in the name of "Defence". Money has no morals.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, October 24, 2015: Poppies -- Weeping Window at Woodhorn
Ah, remember my note about my childhood! Your 30 years are later, and after the Vietnam War had changed many people's view, not necessarily on the poppies or on remembrance, but on the American Legion and VFW, and their role during the Vietnam era.
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Re: February 15, 2017: Sunset on Newcastle Quayside
Picture of the Day? More like Picture of the Year, or Era, or...an Impressionist painting.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, 13 Dec 2013: Sati Handprints - 15 Jodphur Queens left their handprints...
That is an amazingly sad story. But that's for sharing that wonderfully symbolic photo, Mac.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, 13 Dec 2013: Sati Handprints - 15 Jodphur Queens left their handprints...
My main purpose in traveling is to see how things are done elsewhere. I try only observe and not overlay my personal opinion on what is there. After all, the point is to see and learn. Sometimes, as in this case, it can be hard to lay aside those personal feelings. The old custom does speak volumes about the importance to these people of tradition and structure in their lives. Thank you for the thought provoking photo.
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Re: Wrong Airport: Help, I've landed and I can't get up!
There are few stories more embarrassing for a pilot than the old "landed at the wrong airport one". Wonder how often this happens? This particular story is news because it couldn't take off easily without special clearance. In this era of modern flight navigation, one has to wonder how it could happen at all.
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Re: Classic American Cars #7
Hi folks The yellow convertible is probably a 1951 Chevy. It's a bit hard to tell because some of the trim appears to be from a 1952 and/or another GM car from the era. The usual way to year-spot these cars is to look at the grille. Paul's photo of the red car correctly identifies it as a 1952, with the prominent 'teeth' in the grille. The yellow car doesn't appear to have the teeth, which would normally make it a '51... but who knows in Cuba?? Best regards, Dave B.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, August 14, 2014: The CN Tower, Toronto, Ontario
Hi Travel Luver! Yes, I have walked on the transparent floor many years ago (pre-digital photography era, which reminds me that I need to get those slides transferred to digital). Unfortunately on this last trip to the CN Tower I did not have time to take the ride up to the observation deck. It probably goes without saying that if you are afraid of heights, the observation deck of the CN Tower may not be the attraction for you. Your adventure begins with a long but quick elevator ride to the...
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Re: Credit Card size Cameras ! Any Good?
I think for an easy to have at hand camera, it does the job, GarryRF. Love what's on your 1960's era television set. Looks like an episode of that long-running series, "If you want a thing done....ask a busy man!"
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Re: The Library of Congress: Where Gumbo Was (#65)
I have been there, I'm now reluctant to admit, used the library for some research. I obviously failed to look up. Recognizing the era of the decoration, I guess, is something, but a lesson in not drawing too many conclusions. I obviously need to go back and pay attention to the building, as well as the contents.
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Re: Wallace, Idaho: From mining town to "Center of the Universe"
Wallace reminds me of all my favorite places in the western US although I'd never heard of it before. I guess it's the look of an era rather than a particular place, when civilization arrived, paid for by the mines. Shacks replaced by wood replaced by stone & brick, a similar story all over the West. And amazing that so many survive. Thanks, DrF.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Apr. 2, 2014: Looking Across Time
Seeing this picture, I somehow assumed that the Gare d'Orsay was the location of Martin Scorcese's movie 'Hugo'. But now I read that the station in the movie was actually a composite of "Gare Montparnasse, the train station where a major part of the film’s action takes place...the Gare du Nord for its façade and the Gare de Lyon for its geographic location and clock tower, an important plot element in Hugo ." Momentarily disappointed, I read on, "... the Gare d’Orsay, provides another...
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Re: Gallery: Thai street food
Fascinating, Mac! I have to admit some of the shellfish on sale look like something out of the Jurassic era, but with a little Chili peppers and lime juice, I'm sure they're extremely good. Did you and your lovely wife indulge in the feast at all?
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Charleston's Grand Mansions: Drayton Hall
On a recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, I bought a 2-day pass, called the Charleston Heritage Passport , at the North Charleston Visitor Center near the airport, and planned to include as many of the sites it offered of...
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Memphis, Tennessee 3) The rest of the city
There’s a lot more to Memphis than Graceland, although Graceland is by far the city’s most popular attraction (which I’ve previously discussed here ). A city of about 650,000, Memphis has a...
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Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
Newgrange is the oldest structure I've ever visited. It was built over 5,000 years ago (about 3,200 B.C.) during the Neolithic era, before even Stonehenge or the Great Pyramid of Giza. It’s obvious that Newgrange was...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan 3, 2014: Santorini, the site of lost Atlantis?
Located in the southern Aegean Sea, 120 kms north of Crete, the beautiful island of Santorini lies in the island group known a the Cyclades, often referred to as the Windy Islands due to it's total exposure to all winds in the Aegean Sea. Thera,...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 6, 2013: The Brooklyn Museum...and Neighbors
Here’s the Brooklyn Museum, in a night view that has the dramatic lighting of a linen-era postcard. The museum is a world-class collection that doesn't get noticed as much as it should because it lives in the shadow of Manhattan’s...
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Walla, Walla: “So nice they named it twice!”
What’s a Walla Walla? It’s a Indian name meaning “many waters”. It’s also the name of a charming city in southeastern Washington; nestled close to the Columbia and Snake River valleys, and with a river of its...
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A Home for Caribbean Artists: The Puerto Rico Museum of Art, San Juan
Sometimes, at home or traveling, you miss an obvious place to visit, just because it’s nearby and you can fit it in “any time.” On our last day in Puerto Rico, we finally got to visit the museum around the corner and a few blocks...
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San Juan's El Morro: Layers of Stone, Layers of History (Where Gumbo Was, #84)
El Morro, the giant fortification that's guarded San Juan Harbor for nearly 500 years, is the sight we saw before we saw it. Its image is everywhere when you do online research for a trip to Puerto Rico; its "garitas"—small domed...
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Road Trip, Day 3: A Sunny Day in Sonoma
March 11, 2015 The drive down California Highway 1, along the Mendocino and Sonoma County coast, was a bit of a bust. It started to rain as I arrived at Point Arena and Fort Ross was closed, it turned out, on weekdays, so I...
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AA joins Delta, United in tweaking capacity
AA's 787s...arriving slower The last MD-80s...leaving sooner U.S. legacy airlines are all making money again, but...
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Nashville, Tennessee.....the Elvis tour continues!
Until I attended my first medical meeting in Nashville, I'd never thought much about visiting this mid-sized city, an oversight on my part. Nashville's a fun destination in many ways, especially if you're a fan of Country music. I...
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Las Vegas -- last stop of the Elvis tour
This post marks the end of our journey to see sites related to Elvis Presley's life. So far we've visited Elvis' birth home in Tupelo , his mansion, Graceland , its car museum , and we've toured Memphis ...
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Welcome to the town of Dawson City, Yukon
Dawson City owns its existence as a direct result of the Klondike gold discovery in 1896 in the nearby creeks. Dawson was founded in 1897 and incorporated as a city in 1902. By 1898, the population was almost 40,000. It was the largest...
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Gallery: Signs of Toronto -- Queen West
Previously I've presented a overview of Toronto featuring its signage, which you can see at this link . Today's post focuses on a very colorful region of the city, the western end of Queen Street (often just referred to as "Queen West")....
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Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Toronto
One of Toronto’s newest big attractions is Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada , with underwater creatures and habitats from across the globe. It's in a fabulous location, on the harborfront adjoining the CN Tower, Rogers Center and...
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Morse Museum: Tiffany and Much More
When it's time to leave Disney World for the Real World, Orlando's Charles Hosmer Morse Museum provides an excellent re-entry point.
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Italy's oldest vintage wine: 6,000 years old
University of South Florida find shows that Italian winemaking has been going on for twice as long as previously thought.
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Sept. 22, 2017: Flowers at the Petit Palais, Paris
After viewing an exhibition at the Beaux Arts era Petit Palais, PHeymont enjoyed a visit to its flower beds as well.