Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon

I Love Geeky Attractions, and Here's a Fast Five of Them!

2026-10-15T13:46:57.033-04:00

A lot of people want to see Paris, or cruise to Alaska, or hike in the Grand Canyon, or see Buckingham Palace. But what if you're bucket list isn't like everyone else's? I just thought I would share some of the crazy, but a little geeky things that have fallen on my bucket list.

1. The Headquarters of the United Nations, International Territory, Manhattan, New York. I just finally had the opportunity after all these years to visit this hallowed ground. Since 1952, this complex in the city has been their official headquarters. They do have offices in Geneva, Switzerland, Nairobi, Kenya, and Vienna, Austria; but this is the official headquarters and this is where all 193 delegates of the general assembly meet to discuss vital socioeconomic and human rights issues around the world.

I went through a lot of security and even had to have a badge to even get in the visitor's center. A security guard escorted me from the security area to the meeting building directly to where I would find my tour. In that area there were a lot of things. They have an amazing bookstore, enormous gift shop with items from all over the world, a cafe, and more. They also have another security stop where you prove you have a ticket for the tour, they check everything again and give you an ID for your specific tour. A lot of security. But, technically you've left the United States, so it's to be expected.

For $29, I got a guided tour and it was pretty thorough and lasted about an hour and a half. I learned a lot. I saw great exhibits, meeting rooms, and so much more. I learned a lot about how the United Nations works and how many different things they are working on all at the same time. We even ran into Michael Waltz, our current Ambassador to the United Nations. You may think this is just plain nerdy, but they are there to make the world a better place. It was amazing, and I highly recommend it.

https://www.un.org/en/visit/tour

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/un

https://news.un.org/en/news

https://www.reddit.com/r/visitingnyc/comments/1v2hxi7/is_it_worth_it_to_tour_the_un/

https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47715

2. The Supercollider Complex at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. This was not my bucket list; it was my husband's. However, I was really glad I went. This was years ago, and it was one of the earlier things on any list we were able to do. We were actually on our way to the Alps and Lauterbrunnen, but we stopped to stay a night and get some rest in the area. Turns out we were staying at the apartment complex where the physicists stay when they come to work. Needless to say, it was easy to get a tour.

I didn't know it then, but we felt like Sheldon Cooper of "Big Bang Theory" as we got to see how it works, the collider itself (part of it). It is a 27 kilometer in circumference ring. And we got to see a lot of the equipment they use. It was educational, interesting and I felt like I'd been transported to another planet. If you ever get the chance; do it.

https://home.cern/

https://visit.cern/

https://www.instagram.com/cern/?hl=en

https://cerncourier.com/p/magazine/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1974645-d242814-Reviews-CERN_Science_Gateway-Meyrin_Geneva.html

3. The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Illinois. Believe it or not, this was one of my favorite places to take a day trip to when I was a kid growing up in northern Indiana. To be fair, it's not just me. This museum is ranked one of the best of its kind in the world, and the largest science museum in the western hemisphere. We've seen all the museums around. That's a huge claim to fame.

I can't explain what this museum taught me and how they kept me entertained. They have a nuclear submarine. They have the Fairy Castle; the largest doll house in the world. They have a simulated coal mine. They have a hall of whispers. They have so much to do that you probably can't do it all in a day. I've been several times and I guarantee that if I went back today, I would find something new and interesting.

It's $26 for a ticket, but it's so worth it! There's so much to do that no one should miss this one!

https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/museums-art/museum-science-and-industry-chicago/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g35805-d131645-Reviews-Griffin_Museum_of_Science_and_Industry-Chicago_Illinois.html

https://travel.usnews.com/Chicago_IL/Things_To_Do/Griffin_Museum_of_Science_and_Industry_32626/

https://www.instagram.com/griffinmsi/?hl=en

https://www.griffinmsi.org/

4. City Hall, Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden. This one breaks my heart. I was in Stockholm and I've just told you how I am about the United Nations whose members have won 12 Nobel Peace Prizes, so imagine how I felt that it was closed during my visit!

This city hall is probably the most famous city hall in the world, largely because this is where they award those Nobel Prizes. The Peace Prize is not the only one they award. There are several other categories and the laureates are all remarkable people in their fields.

Most of the time, you can book a guided tour to see this beautiful and remarkable place. Unfortunately, I didn't get to and I'm not sure that I'll ever be back in Stockholm. If I go back, I'll make sure I can tour this fascinating spot. The building is centuries old and still is a seat of government. It's beautiful and can also be rented out for special occasions, as long as it's not during the Nobel presentations!

https://www.visitstockholm.com/o/the-city-hall/

https://stadshuset.stockholm/en/visit-stockholm-city-hall/guided-tours/

https://www.frommers.com/destinations/stockholm/attractions/stadshuset-stockholm-city-hall/

https://www.visitstockholm.com/o/city_hall_tower/

https://www.stockholmmuseum.com/museums/art-and-design/stockholm-city-hall.htm

5. Hobbiton, the Movie Set, Matamata, New Zealand. That's right, "Lord of the Rings" fans can visit the iconic movie set used in the Peter Jackson films that brought the J. R. R. Tolkien books to life. I'm planning on visiting this next year, so hopefully that will cross this one off my to do list. No, I'm not going all the way to New Zealand to see this, but it is close by Hamilton where I'm going for another reason.

Now, that being said. It will cost you around $130 at least to take a tour of this site. It is in the middle of nowhere, so you'll either have to drive or take a tour that brings you from the city to the site. There are various ones available. Most tours last about an hour and a half and you get to wander through the village where Sam, Frodo and Bilbo legendarily lived. Is this a geek spot? Oh yeah. I can't wait to go!

https://www.hobbitontours.com/

https://www.newzealand.com/us/plan/business/hobbiton-movie-set-tours/

https://whereandwander.com/how-to-visit-hobbiton-and-the-shire-movie-set-new-zealand/

https://aucklandandbeyond.co.nz/where-is-hobbiton-a-guide-to-new-zealands-famous-film-location/

https://destinationlesstravel.com/is-hobbiton-worth-it-hobbiton-review/

There you have it! What's on your geeky bucket list? Let me know and I'll check into the details! I love doing some of the off beat things. I don't always like to do what everyone else does and I do like to do what I want to. Don't be afraid to do travel your way instead of doing what everyone else does!

I'm always busy and I've done some of these things, so check out my YouTube Channel "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon" that's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

There will always be more travel stuff with me! Like & Follow & Subscribe to this and my channel for more! Enjoy!

Halloween is coming & This Week I Have 5 Great Places for You to Go!

2026-10-07T14:48:54.208-04:00

I love Halloween! It's probably because I was born in the fall, but who knows? The season is upon us, and if you'd like to do something special; here's some ideas on this week's fast five!

1. Sleepy Hollow, New York. New York folks love literature, and keep it alive today with possibly the highest concentration of literary agents in the world. Is it any surprise that they took Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleep Hollow" to heart? Irving lived in the Hudson Valley for most of his life and spent a lot of that time living in Tarrytown. When the village of North Tarrytown was incorporated as Sleepy Hollow, was anyone really surprised?

These people celebrate Halloween for over a month. There are blazing bridges, performances of not only Washington Irving's "Legend of Sleep Hollow" but also Edgar Allen Poe stories, parades, events, and some of those historic mansions in the area are really done up for the tours that time of year. You'll really get your creep on in an old fashioned way in Sleepy Hollow.

https://hudsonvalley.org/halloween-in-sleepy-hollow-country/

https://visitsleepyhollow.com/

https://www.travelandleisure.com/sleepy-hollow-new-york-travel-guide-12116617

https://adventuresinfamilyhood.com/halloween-sleepy-hollow-country.html

https://visitsleepyhollow.com/events/month/2026-10/

2. Croton on Hudson, New York. Just a hop skip from Sleepy Hollow, you'll find this gem. You'll see serpents, and windmills, and carousels, and they're all made of blazing pumpkins! It's called the Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze and it's all over town. This town loves Halloween and fall and pumpkins.

This has become one of the areas biggest events. There is a charge to visit the blaze, but it's spectacular! The whole town gets into the game with special food at the restaurants, events, parades, and more for six weeks in the fall. They are paired closely with Sleepy Hollow, so if you go to one, you should really check out both!

https://pumpkinblaze.org/

https://hudsonvalley.org/events/blaze/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g47560-d23971908-Reviews-The_Great_Jack_O_lantern_Blaze-Croton_on_Hudson_New_York.html

https://www.newyorkhauntedhouses.com/halloween-attractions/croton-on-hudson.html

https://westchestermagazine.com/things-to-do/great-jack-olantern-blaze-croton-pumpkin/

3. Telluride, Colorado. Welcome to the Telluride Horror Show! For six weeks this city celebrates all things horror and Halloween. The annual Horror Show is largely a film festival with, you guessed it, horror movies. Telluride is one of those places where the locals appreciate scary stuff. They have shows, haunted tours, lamplight cemetery tours, a Halloween Parade, parties, pub crawls and so much more.

There's so much to do that it keeps everyone busy for weeks, and draws thousands of visitors. There are a lot of historic locations in the city, and most of them hold haunted tours during this season. So, if you want to watch some scary stuff and visit some haunted places; this could be for you!

https://www.telluride.com/discover/blog/2025-halloween-happenings/

https://www.lodgingintelluride.com/blog/things-to-do-for-halloween-in-telluride

https://www.telluridehorrorshow.com/

https://www.telluridemuseum.org/2025/10/halloween-on-the-hill/

https://www.telluridekidsguide.com/Halloween_Guide.php

4. Anoka, Minnesota. Did you know that Anoka is the official Halloween Capital of the World? I didn't. I would have thought maybe Hell, Michigan or Salem, Massachusetts, but nope. Anoka, Minnesota. The question is why?

Many moons ago in the late 1800's, Anoka had a problem around Halloween. Local children were playing some awful pranks and setting things on fire. The people of this one of a kind town decided to go with it and so their festival was born. They have all kinds of events from pumpkin contests of various kinds to a giant bonfire. They have blazing jack-o-lanterns, corn mazes and of course; all things Halloween.

Since 1937, when one of the locals went to Washington DC to make Anoka the official Halloween Capital of the world, they have proudly held the title. Here's something I love. Like other Halloween towns I've been to, some of the stuff is there year round. But the biggest celebration is in the fall during September and October.

https://anokahalloween.com/

https://www.anokacountymn.gov/4377/Getting-to-Anoka-Halloween-Celebrations

https://www.travelandleisure.com/how-to-visit-anoka-minnesota-halloween-capital-11823260

https://www.spookylittlehalloween.com/blog/anoka-mn-halloween-capital-of-the-world

https://twincitiesfamily.com/anoka-halloween-capital-of-the-world/

5. New Orleans, Louisiana. Where do you go from the Halloween Capital of the World? New Orleans. This one goes without saying. They have cemeteries that are famous tourist attractions. They are proudly well known for Voo Doo. They party in the streets in the French Quarter. Halloween is natural there.

If you want a great adventure for Halloween, this is it. They have parties, parades, ghost tours, and all kinds of spooky stuff. In true New Orleans tradition; they overdo it for decor and liveliness. You won't sleep while you're visiting, as none of us ever do, but you will have a really good time at all the events throughout the season.

https://www.neworleans.com/events/holidays-seasonal/halloween/

https://www.frenchquarter.com/french-quarter-new-orleans-halloween/

https://www.kreweofboo.com/

https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2026/10/01/best-halloween-parades-parties-events-witches-brunch

https://www.witchesbrew.co/pages/halloween-new-orleans/?srsltid=AU7gw4XOyclR2UTELbrtD65V_bdAQ4XW1eGK4bsU8yDAqKCgn4I_G6Yv

There you have it. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I know it can be controversial, but I just like to have fun. Don't get too overthinking about it and just go and have a great time. I've given you some places that you can visit anytime during the fall and have a spooky time, so get out there and do something this fall!

If you'd like to see what I'm currently doing, check out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon" That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Okay now, Autumn and Halloween are waiting! What are you waiting for? Enjoy!

Some Cool Things to Do in Vermont on This Week's Fast Five!

2026-10-02T13:48:41.789-04:00

I recently went to Burlington, Vermont for a bit and had a great time. Here are some of my favorites from that trip!

1. Visit the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory, Shelbourne. This is just south of Burlington, and may be an actual part of the city. Not entirely sure. This is a great place for young and old and everything in between. You get a tour of the factory (the original one) for only $6. Who doesn't love teddy bears?

Also, they have the Vermont Flannel Store there with great cozy flannel stuff. They are the home of Bernie Mittens, if you remember the Bernie Sanders meme. The mittens are super warm and cozy. I tried some on. They also are the regional base for the Make a Wish Foundation. If you don't know what that is, look in the links below. It's wonderful work to make seriously ill children feel better and have a wish come true if only for a while.

This is a great spot to visit. There are photo ops outside, and a terrific gift shop where you can buy a teddy bear. Who doesn't honestly want a teddy bear? You also can work with the staff and make your own bear. One of the best stops in Vermont.

https://vermontteddybear.com/pages/come-visit-us?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21313080232&gbraid=0AAAAAD_v5GtWS9NjucJGRX9FMpkEtWpmK&gclid=CjwKCAjwrP3VBhBbEiwAnaqpQ3Wcz9Iv_c5rW7IwpVMW87ClvfVntigsSv5XMMnOGBTL1UeeLnmrFRoCQd8QAvD_BwE

https://wish.org/vtny

https://www.shelburnevt.org/312/Tourist-Attractions

https://vermontteddybear.com/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57394-d1154369-Reviews-Vermont_Teddy_Bear_Company-Shelburne_Vermont.html

2. Take a cruise on the Spirit of Ethan Allen II. This is a 90 minute trip around the local area of Lake Champlain that takes off right from the waterfront in Burlington. It runs daily in season (April sometime to about Columbus Day in October). Check the website before visiting. The standard price is $36.99 and it's a lot of fun.

We had a beautiful day for our trip, but it was a little cool, so this boat has the solution to that problem. They have glass garage doors. We got to sit inside and still had amazing views. Genius. There also was a meal option which we didn't choose. We ordered snacks and drinks and enjoyed the ride. They have a full bar as well as snack and meal options. There was music and the trip was narrated so we knew what we were looking at.

I enjoy day cruises when I travel and this one was a lot of fun. Great views, great history, great stories, and pretty darn good food.

https://soea.com/

https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/event/cruise-aboard-the-spirit-of-ethan-allen-iii/6292/

https://www.valuevaultmcv.com/deals-detail/28-spirit-of-ethan-allen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htdbTUUaHog

https://www.expedia.com/Things-To-Do-In-Burlington.d601763.Travel-Guide-Activities?locale=en_US&siteid=1&semcid=US.UB.GOOGLE.DT-c-EN.PACKAGE&semdtl=a124126400480.b1202878435487.g1aud-2054876055294:kwd-332750878505.e1c.m1CjwKCAjwrP3VBhBbEiwAnaqpQ-P2XzQk11ycAmNHtjmeApP6a8Dl-LphY_lyVvngvFF-cOc5VkQpyRoCo9EQAvD_BwE.r1.c1.j19003419.k1.d1820807844857.h1p.i1.l1.n1.o1.p1.q1.s1.t1.x1.f1.u1.v1.w1&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24126400480&gbraid=0AAAAACTxZ9ZIw38QeP8hrrjrRxsYbRndZ&gclid=CjwKCAjwrP3VBhBbEiwAnaqpQ-P2XzQk11ycAmNHtjmeApP6a8Dl-LphY_lyVvngvFF-cOc5VkQpyRoCo9EQAvD_BwE

3. The World's Tallest File Cabinet, Burlington. No, I wasn't bored. This might seem ridiculous, but I love this stuff. This was verified by Guinness and is a one of a kind piece. We looked all over and finally found this while we were visiting. This wasn't because we ran out of things to do. I really wanted to find it.

Designed by Bren Alvarez in 2002, this has been a staple of Burlington for a very long time. It's right next to a complex of industrial buildings at the intersection of the Champlain Parkway and Flynn Avenue. There are breweries and distilleries in the complex, so it's good for a night out too.

The thing that impressed me upon arrival was the simple fact that people had left stickers representing where they were from and they come from all over. Not only all over the country, but the world. I really wished I'd brought a sticker, so if you visit this one; bring a sticker!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/world-s-tallest-filing-cabinet

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/8782

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDbw4OGoNgM

https://schaumann.com.au/2014/02/filing-cabinet/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/FAQ_Answers-g57201-d5949516-t2683965-How_tall_is_it.html

4. The Waterfront and Downtown, Burlington. Burlington is a tourist attraction. Most of their regular stores and stuff are in the more residential part of town, leaving the downtown and waterfront mostly for visitors and people going on a night out. I will put a caution here; they have a slight bit of a homeless problem down there, but it's nothing worse than you'll see in New York.

What they have is a great pedestrian street with stores, sweets, bars, and restaurants all over it. We ate in a restaurant that used to be a bank and it was fabulous. You have a park with lighted splash pad and all sorts of scenic amenities just one block over, and the waterfront is only a few blocks away from all that. The downtown is very walkable and pretty. The sunsets over the lake are amazing as well. I really enjoyed the two evenings that we spent hanging around down there.

This downtown gives a very relaxed vibe. I do have to say that you will have to scan QR codes to park your car. I don't care where you park it. The entire downtown is paid parking. It can run anywhere from $1 to $4 per hour and some parking lots close at night, so be aware. You also can take a train to Burlington. Amtrak stops there on their way to Montreal. However, I didn't see a car rental and there really isn't much public transportation. That's why I drove on this trip.

https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/

https://vermontvacation.com/places-to-visit/downtowns/burlington/

https://travel.usnews.com/Burlington_VT/

https://www.visittheusa.com/destinations/vermont/burlington/

https://www.sweetwatersbtv.com/

https://www.whizbangscandy.com/

5. The Shelbourne Wineries, Shelbourne. This place is open 11 am to 7 pm in season. Winter is noon to 6 pm. This was cute and the wine was good. The atmosphere was relaxed and the owner was present and taught us a lot about the wine that grows in Vermont. It was a super pleasant experience.

That being said, I don't want to single them out. This was where we went and we had a great time. It's virtually across the street from the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory so it was painfully easy to combine these two activities. And you have to watch your Google Maps, because it will tell you it's two minutes away on Route 7, but it's like 15 seconds.

Here's the thing about Burlington and wine, beer and spirits. They have a thriving alcohol culture in the Burlington area. We also stopped off in the Stowe area at the Von Trapp Brewery. We had to pick and choose because we were only in the area for a couple of days, and there were way too many distilleries, breweries and wineries for us to visit, especially since we were driving. They are all over the place and this is just one, so check them all out and visit accordingly.

https://www.shelburnevineyard.com/

https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/listing/shelburne-vineyard/68/

https://www.vermontgrapeandwinecouncil.com/our-members/shelburnevineyard

https://americanwineryguide.com/wineries/shelburne-vineyard/

https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/things-to-do/bars-nightlife/distilleries/

https://web.vermont.org/brewery-winery-distillery

There's my short list of things to do in Burlington. Remember, this is an area as well. There are other towns like Waterbury with Ben & Jerry's and Stowe Mountain with everything at the resort. There are a lot of things to do while visiting Burlington, Vermont, and I've only mentioned a few.

If you'd like to see what else we did in Vermont, check out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Remember, fall is a great time to visit anywhere in the Northeastern United States, so get out there, do some leaf peeping and enjoy!

Let's Talk Northeast Leaf Peeping on This Week's Fast Five!

2026-09-25T16:13:16.197-04:00

It's that time of year again and I just spent some time looking at the leaves in and around Burlington, VT! I'll talk more about them later. For now, I'm gonna share some other favorite spots!

1. The White Mountains, Northern New Hampshire. The White Mountains are some of the tallest mountains in the Northeast. Mount Washington is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi. It's also home to the world's worst weather, so consider that. The Presidential Range in the White Mountains is full of pines, rocky and just plain big. By late September they're starting to sport some gorgeous colors. As with most parts of the northeast, follow foliage trackers and maps closely, so you don't miss the show.

The last time I went for foliage season, we were a tad early, but still got to see some great colors. We went to the top of Mount Washington, which I recommend everyone does in the morning. The later the hour, the more likely to find yourself in a cloud or a storm with no view. Taking the route that circles the area through Conway, Lincoln, Franconia, etc. is a great way to get varied foliage scenes. There are waterfalls all over, lots of beautiful still ponds, and trails galore to walk. There are a lot of activities in the area like train and gondola rides. Take advantage of that and a bunch of covered bridges and you have yourself a beautiful getaway!

https://www.visitwhitemountains.com/events/fall-foliage/foliage-tracker/

https://www.visitnh.gov/plan-your-trip/fall/peak-foliage-map

https://www.nordicvillage.com/news/experience-fall-foliage-in-the-white-mountains/

https://www.cannonmt.com/attractions/aerial-tramway

https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/mt-washington-state-park

2. Moosehead Lake and Greenville, Maine. I love this area. I've visited at pretty much all times of the year. I've even seen cars race on the frozen lake. This massive almost entirely wilderness area is absolutely gorgeous in the fall. It starts by mid September and continues until it's done. Unfortunately, there's no real way to predict mother nature. You can only try to follow along with the trackers online.

One of the unique things you will encounter around Moosehead Lake are the moose. Fall is the Rut. This is mating season. While that tends to be in October, always watch out for frisky moose in the fall. They are enormous and you don't want to irritate one. While the moose are a lot harder to find around Greenville now, due to ridiculous timber companies, they are still in the area and it's great fun to see one. One of the best ways to enjoy the foliage in the area is to take a flight seeing ride over the lake and just look at the beauty.

https://destinationmooseheadlake.com/seasons/fall/

https://lodgeatmooseheadlake.com/blog/2023/08/maine-fall-foliage-at-moosehead-lake/

https://wilsonsonmooseheadlake.com/fall-into-moosehead-lake

https://themainehighlands.com/places-to-visit/moosehead-lake-region/

https://jacksairservice.com/

3. Hunter Mountain, Hunter, The Catskills, New York State. There's no place like the Catskills. Everyone from Washington Irving to the people that brought us "Dirty Dancing" love this area. Hunter Mountain is obviously a ski resort, but it's pretty busy year round. There are festivals and hiking and concerts and scenic lift rides. It's a great place to spend some time. They have luxury condos and lodge rooms for rent and Hunter; the town, is a great place to hang out and enjoy the view as well as the food and drink.

When fall arrives in this area, it's just plain special. Foliage season will come when mother nature decides, but that's normally mid September. The chair lift is open a lot during this season and the views and the foliage light up the world up there. One of the best things about this location is that they have Oktoberfest for three weekends every fall. There's Schnitzel and music and of course beer. I've been there for weddings, concerts, parties, and sometimes just the view. While in the area you should always visit Kaaterskill Falls. It's one of the most beautiful falls in the Northeast.

https://www.huntermtn.com/

https://www.greatnortherncatskills.com/explore/towns/hunter-ny

https://townofhunterny.gov/community/arts-recreation/

https://visitcatskills.com/

https://www.greatnortherncatskills.com/explore/kaaterskill-falls

4. Ithaca, Finger Lakes, New York State. This is a magical place. In the fall, it explodes with color, only to add more beauty to one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. What's so special? The Finger Lakes are gorgeous, and Seneca Lake is probably my favorite. But it doesn't end there.

There are over 200 waterfalls in this area, and some of them top 200 ft. high. There are more leaf trees than evergreens and that makes the color explosive in fall. Ithaca is one of those places where you don't even have to leave the center of town to see all of this. Ithaca Falls and Cascadilla Gorge are basically downtown. Add in the food scene, the wine and beer scene and the best Wegman's Grocery Store I've ever been to, and there's nothing quite like it or better in the fall. The season here is a little later, running into the beginning and mid October, but check those foliage trackers!

https://www.visitithaca.com/plan-your-visit/the-ithaca-experience/fall-foliage-report/

https://www.visitithaca.com/blog/post/ithaca-fall-events-guide/

https://www.fingerlakes.org/blog/forecasting-fall-foliage-peak-reliable-sources

https://www.explorefall.com/states/new-york

https://www.inntfalls.com/go-local/attractions/local-state-parks-attractions

5. Niagara Falls, New York or Ontario. I have yet to find a bad time to visit Niagara Falls. There, I said it. I've been there every season of the year and it's all good. However, I'm a fall baby and that seems to make me a fan of fall. I don't care which side of the border you're on; this place glows in the fall. One of my favorite views is actually from Goat Island on the American side. That isn't normally my opinion, but in fall it simply glows all over that gorge.

Another one of my favorite spots in fall is a little down from the falls at the whirlpool area. That spot is surrounded with trees and is just fire in foliage season. Other great things about visiting Niagara Falls is the falls and all the activities, especially on the Ontario side. Whether you're doing activities on Clifton Hill, overlooking the falls gorge from the Skylon Tower or the wheel, or just gazing at the falls; the activities never seem to stop. There are casinos and all kinds of stuff for kids of all ages 2 to 102. The American side is a little less busy, but in the fall some of my favorite views are from there. Make sure you check that foliage tracker, because you'll probably catch this one at the end of September, but not always!

https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit-niagara-parks/attractions/

https://www.cliftonhill.com/

https://www.skylon.com/

https://www.niagarafallsusa.com/

https://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/

https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/seasons/autumn/

Fall is a great time to take a trip and the views that are always good are even better. I love to travel in the fall because the heat of summer is over and the foliage is like frosting on an already beautiful cake. Lots of foliage areas are truly alive with activities and events just for leaf peeping season. There are tours for foliage, cruises for foliage, festivals for foliage and so on. Don't always plan your holiday in the overpriced summer season. Fall is great and foliage is beautiful!

I just returned from this year's foliage trip to Burlington, Vermont as I was saying. Check out my YouTube channel in the coming days and weeks to see what that looked like! It's "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me! https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

You can also find out a lot about New York City and some other spots in the world on my channel.

In the meantime, make sure you don't overlook foliage season. It's gorgeous! Or as they say in Ithaca, "Ithaca is gorges!" Thanks for joining me! Enjoy!

Crashes Make Some Fascinating Stops! Check Out This Week's Fast Five!

2026-09-18T14:40:27.534-04:00

I went to Greenville, Maine several years ago looking for a moose sighting. I got that, but I also found one of the strangest things I ever saw. A B-52 Bomber crashed there, and it had become a tourist attraction. Such was the beginning of some pretty strange things that I've seen on trips. Check it out! I found five of them! I've been to three!

1. The B-52 Bomber crash of 1963, Elephant Mountain, Maine. It happened. It was January and there was no road up to that area at that time. Today, it's just a dirt road, not much more than a path through the trees. When I first visited this area many years ago, I was driving down Lily Bay Road and started to see the yellow signs with the plane on them and B-52. They didn't say site back in the day. I love to explore and followed the signs thinking that they could only be talking about the giant plane.

It's still there, or what's left. This was at the height of the cold war and there were secret things on the plane, so after the initial rescue, the government came and removed what they had to and left the rest there. It's still an interesting site when you can get to it. The intrusive new timber company has all but shut off the road. How rude. And don't think about taking a souvenir plane piece away either. That's a crime.

https://visitmaine.com/articles/b52-crash-site/

https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/b-52-crash-site-trail

https://themainehighlands.com/b-52-crash-site/

https://lodgeatmooseheadlake.com/blog/2021/05/b-52-crash-site-elephant-mountain/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/b52-crash-site

2. The B-25 Bomber crash of 1948 at Round Top Mountain, Arkansas. This plane was unarmed, unlike the Maine incident, but also, all five crew members died. They were on a routine flight from Wright Patterson AFB to Little Rock in inclement weather, including fog and they just crashed. Honestly, I think the military should be better at cleaning up their messes, but that's just me.

This one is a hike. It's on the Round Top Mountain Trail and it will take you a while to walk it. It's roughly 3.5 miles round trip to see this one, but on the other hand, there's nice views from the top of the mountain. It's located at Round Top Mountain, which is close to Fayetteville in the Boston Mountains of the Northwest part of the state.

https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/b25-bomber-crash-of-1948-18524/

https://www.arkansasheritage.com/arkansas-register/round-top-mountain-crash-site

https://www.buffaloriver.com/hiking/roundtop-mountain/

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/arkansas/ar-plane-wreck-hike

https://www.magnoliareporter.com/news_and_business/regional_news/article_17fd31ca-03e3-4d1f-8bab-e2797d636d33.html

3. The very strange incident in Roswell, New Mexico, 1947. This is the king of them all. I love Roswell. To this day the legend continues that on the night of July 7th, 1947 a UFO carrying aliens crashed on a ranch outside Roswell. The government investigated and declared that it was a weather balloon. That is what was said.

Out of this incident has come such folklore and legend that I don't think anyone could have imagined. The entire town is famous and embraces the legend of the crash. There's a UFO Museum and Research Center in the middle of town. Everything is about the aliens in Roswell right down to the one that holds up a giant donut at the Dunkin Donuts. I've never visited anyplace quite like Roswell, and I'm sure there's only one. If you're ever anywhere near there, you need to visit Roswell, NM.

https://seeroswell.com/the-1947-roswell-incident/

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/roswell-ufo-incident

https://www.history.com/articles/roswell

https://www.roswellufomuseum.com/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g47182-d17834836-Reviews-Dunkin-Roswell_New_Mexico.html

4. The Crash of the Douglas C-47B in Gustavus, Alaska. This happened back in 1957. This military flight was on its way to refuel at Annette Island and that didn't work out because of the weather. Surprise; it was southern Alaska, not far from Juneau. They diverted toward Gustavus, and weather was bad, winds were bad, they had to try three times to land and on the third time, it clipped a tree and crashed. The good news is that not the whole crew perished. Seven out of eleven people lived.

If you'd like to investigate this site, that's fine. It's off of Mountain View Road on your way from Gustavus to the Glacier Bay Lodge. There's a marker along the road and the walk to the crash site is only about a quarter mile.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/douglas-c-47b-crash-site

https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-douglas-c-47b-15-dk-gustavus-4-killed

http://www.gustavushistory.org/articles/view.aspx?id=10000

https://beartrackinn.wordpress.com/2017/08/01/gustavus-plane-crash-site/

https://www.gustavusak.com/

5. The Lynrd Skynrd Memorial Site, Magnolia, Mississippi. This one is a lot less hike to it and a lot more tourist stop. In 1977 several members were killed in the crash that happened on a farm outside of Magnolia. The band to this day is wildly popular and therefore, the site of their deaths has become a memorial site visited by thousands of people from all over the world. To this day, around the anniversary date of the crash in October, about 3,000 people visit this little out of the way memorial.

The memorial is beautiful, made of mostly black granite, and is open daily. It's a roadside attraction so it's free. They don't have a good way to count visitors, but they do say that the people who take care of the memorial can say for sure that people have visited from at least 60 countries.

https://www.lynyrdskynyrdmonument.com/

https://magnoliatribune.com/2024/08/20/discover-mississippi-lynyrd-skynyrd-the-plane-crash-the-monument-and-the-heroes/

https://visitmississippi.org/things-to-do/history/lynyrd-skynyrd-monument/

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/67255

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukGgGzQnJxc

And that's all I have to say about that. As you can see, the government isn't real good at cleaning up the mess they make. But all the unfortunate circumstances lead to some tiny towns having a little something to go and see that you won't see just anywhere. I've encountered such things in a few places and they are fascinating. I just ran across the Mars Bluff Crater in Florence, South Carolina recently. It's just part of my theory that you shouldn't only visit the big attractions. I've learned a lot about the people who live in the crash area from exploring the crash site. It's unique and worth the time.

If you'd like to see what I'm currently up to, check out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me!!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

I'm off to look at some early foliage and should have some great stuff soon! Thanks for reading! Follow for more little ideas! Join me on YouTube for better visual aids! Enjoy!

Let's Go To Florence On This Week's Fast Five!

2026-09-10T14:15:09.797-04:00

Once in a while, I get out and go someplace a little unusual. My family and I decided to go to the NASCAR Chase Race at Darlington Raceway, South Carolina. It was a great time and I learned a lot about Darlington and the town we stayed in, Florence!

1. Fly FLO. I love this airport! I simply couldn't believe it when I saw it. All 4 gates and the garage door that opens when there's a flight that comes in. It's amazing. This airport began in 1929, helped the postal service, was part of the military in WWII, and has endured. Since 1990, it has been updating and becoming quite the little regional airport. Do you fly American Airlines? I hope so. They're the only ones who fly here.

Oddly enough, this tiny airport has everything you need. They have a baggage claim, 4 boarding gates, ticket counter, restrooms, 4 car rental counters, a fire department in case of emergency, TSA, Homeland Security, Sheriff's Department presence, and one of each of the pieces of equipment you need to load, unload, fuel, and maintain the planes. They even have one set of stairs, since they have no jetway.

Just under 50,000 people come through this tiny airport each year. They have a library, mini market, business center, drone center, snacks to buy, and parking. It's amazing. The airport is also used by small planes, if you happen to have one. Anyway, some of the smallest commercial jets I've ever seen fly in there from American Eagle and it's quite an adventure.

https://flyflo.com/

https://www.facebook.com/flyflo.us/

https://aeronautics.sc.gov/airports/florence-rgnl-airport

https://www.expedia.com/lp/airports/flo/flights-from-florence-regional-airport

https://businessviewmagazine.com/florence-regional-airport/

2. The Mars Bluff Incident. This is the kind of history that I can never get enough of. This is such a quiet area of South Carolina that you wouldn't imagine anything much ever goes on there. Wrong! Back in 1958 our government was out messing around with a nuclear bomb of all things, on a training flight, and there was an incident.

The Air Force was flying through the area when there was a problem with some of the devices attached to a nuclear bomb they were transporting. Long story short; something jammed, one of the crew and the bomb fell onto the bay doors. It was a trainee, and he managed to stay in the plane. Not the bomb. Fortunately, the core was stored separately on the plane, but the bomb detonated in Mars Bluff. The crater is about 75 feet wide and 30 feet deep. It destroyed a local man's house in the blast, even though it was not nuclear. What a story!

Today, the crater still exists with some markers and such in the area. There's an exhibit about it at the local museum which was fascinating. We saw the trail that leads to the crater, but it looked like it might go through someone's personal property, so we didn't actually walk to it. This was the best story I'd heard of since I heard about the B-52 crash on Elephant Mountain in Greenville, Maine.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mars-bluff-crater

https://www.flocomuseum.org/featured-objects/mars-bluff-bomb/

https://www.islands.com/1725985/mars-bluff-atomic-crater-south-carolina-accidental-fascinating-blend-history-mystery/

https://supersabresociety.org/this_time_in_history/today-in-history-march-11-1958-b-47-accidently-drops-nuclear-bomb-on-house-in-mars-bluff-sc/

https://www.thestate.com/news/state/south-carolina/article290616594.html

3. The Waffle House. This is a time honored tradition when visiting a place that has one. This is a wonder created in 1955 in Avondale Estates, Georgia. They now have 2,000 locations in 25 states. They aren't in mine, so when I'm around one, I go at least once.

Waffle House is that fabulous 24 hour a day 365 day a year place where you can get breakfast anytime. They do have other food during the day, but breakfast is what they're famous for. And, you have to have a waffle. Just sayin'. Right now, they have a cinnamon crunch waffle that I tried and it is to die for.

But that's not the only reason to go to Waffle House. One of the things they're known for is being lively. To this day they will greet you with boisterous hospitality. The staff will smile and chat with everyone. You get that old time diner experience where they shout the order to the kitchen which is right in the main room. It's fun, delicious and always open. Never miss out on a Waffle House experience.

https://order.wafflehouse.com/menu/waffle-house-751

https://www.wafflehouse.com/

https://www.eater.com/2017/5/2/15471798/waffle-house-history-menu

https://dekalbhistory.org/blog-posts/waffle-house-history-a-dekalb-original/

https://wafflehousetracker.com/history

4. Florence, South Carolina. This was a truly interesting and delightful town. Actually, it's a city of 40,000 people, but it feels like a town. I was duly impressed by the airport alone, but there was so much more. This town went through an economic crisis. I don't know what it was, but they're on their way back. Wild guess; industry moved out or closed down.

It has a few colleges, including Francis Marion University which has been there since 1970 and has just under 5,000 students annually. Other things that keep the city going are the headquarters of QVC, a Honda plant, and a hub for Otis Elevator amongst other businesses. It is a county seat in the Pee Dee Region of the state. The city was founded in 1890 and has been there ever since. They have a hospital and medical center. They actually have a lot of things. You can see downtown in particular, a lot of unused buildings and can tell that the town had some tough times, but they're really coming back with a new lease on life.

We visited several businesses downtown and ate some great food throughout the city. They have a busy mall and all kinds of other shopping. As I said, they have an airport and a Buc-ee's to keep everyone busy. They have Florence Center for concerts and such. It's a very busy city these days, and the free museum is beautiful, nicely presented and a great place to visit.

Then, there's the other stuff. There are between 30 and 40 hotels in this town. They have their own short track for racing there and some minor league and college league sports. Twice a year, there's a NASCAR Race At Darlington and Florence is probably where you'll stay. We ran into race team employees at our hotel. It's a thriving spot these days in Florence. Do I recommend a stay there? They have an accidental bomb crater and a Buc-ee's. You need to check this place out.

https://www.cityofflorencesc.gov/

https://discoversouthcarolina.com/florence

https://visitflo.com/

https://peedeetourism.com/florence-county/

https://www.southernliving.com/florence-sc-8715659

5. Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina. It's "the track too tough to tame." It's been a racing venue for 75 years. It's history, meets, modern day, meets excitement. I don't go to many NASCAR races, but when my husband and son asked me if I wanted to meet up and go, I couldn't resist. This track is egg shaped. It's a 1 1/3 miles. It's one of the oldest existing venues in NASCAR. So, when you visit this one, you get history to go with your race.

We went to both the O'Reilly Series race on Saturday and the NASCAR Cup Chase Race on Sunday and it was fabulous. There was shopping for merch, there was a lot of food and drink, there were activities and trivia games, there were people everywhere, and there was noise. It was exciting and we had great seats right at the start/finish line. If you want to see a NASCAR race and you don't have the time or whatever to see a bunch of them; this may be the venue for you. It was a lot of fun and I would happily do that one again. If you go, make sure you get your tickets and your accommodations early. This place sells out.

https://www.darlingtonraceway.com/75th-anniversary/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g54200-d1961300-Reviews-Darlington_Raceway-Darlington_South_Carolina.html

https://www.nascar.com/

https://www.nascar.com/standings/nascar-oreilly-auto-parts-series/

https://www.darlingtonraceway.com/

There you have it. If you ever thought about making that trek to Darlington, and by means of needing a place to stay and an airport; Florence, give it a try. We had a wonderful time, discovered a city I'd never given a single thought to visiting, and saw some great racing. One thing I did learn though. Don't take an umbrella to a NASCAR Race. They will confiscate it.

I will be posting some videos about my experiences on my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Remember, always keep adventuring, always be willing to try something new, and Enjoy!

Wow! Here's Some Weird Stuff For This Week's Fast Five!

2026-09-02T17:18:25.077-04:00

I love hearing about strange places and strange histories and just plain strange stuff. So here you go! Here's five things that suddenly fascinated me, and some of them for all the wrong reasons!

1. The Bra Fence, Iceland. I don't care how you look at this one, it's unusual. This fence is at a farmer's house along the Ring Road, Route 1 in Southern Iceland, between Seljalandfoss and Skogafoss Waterfalls. What is this all about? The short story is, no one is quite sure.

It started back in 2012. The farmer reportedly awoke one day to find several bras strewn along the fence. He left them there. Why? No one knows. Since then, it's become a thing, and now we have the bra fence. People stop by and leave bras and the area of fence that's covered has grown over the years. What's the draw? I don't know. It may be like stapling a dollar at a beach bar in the Caribbean or something else. It's hard to tell. Feel free to leave a bra, but don't leave underwear or gloves. The farmer will take those down.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/south-icelands-bra-fence

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g15145656-d21121559-Reviews-Bra_Fence-Holt_Westfjords_Region.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/422335988214633/posts/2549362845511926/

https://www.funiceland.is/news/posts/2018/september/the-bra-fence-is-gaining-popularity/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbcfk26AF2U

2. Ruterberg. If you like the obscure, this is it. Ruterberg is in Germany. That's the short version. The real story is really weird. Have you ever felt invisible? This place did.

Back in the day; I mean those days after WWII. Germany had issues. They'd just tried to commit genocide and pretty much pissed off most of the world, and after the war, they were divided. This fact doesn't escape pretty much anyone; however, Ruterberg was all but forgotten in the fray.

This village sits along the Elba River, which was a border between East and West for a long time. The village sat in a particular area that was just in the bend of the river, to the point that the borders were drawn all around it, but they weren't included in either side. There was even a fence around it for years. Were they the East or the West? Neither one made a point of claiming them. Years down the road in 1989 they declared their independence as their own republic on November 8th, 1989. Well, the next day a little thing happened and the Berlin Wall was felled. At this point, they are in Germany, but are they a republic or not? Interesting question, and I'm not sure anyone truly knows the answer to that.

https://www.visit-mv.com/destinations/a-heimatstube-rueterberg

https://www.militaryhistories.co.uk/locations/view/61

https://www.outdooractive.com/en/poi/mecklenburg-schwerin/rueterberg-village-republic-1967-1989/14864214/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQTJTpbTaco

3. Slope Cars of Japan. How do I describe these? Have you ever been out and needed to go up a hill but really didn't want to climb it? In Japan that's not a problem. The slope car is this one of a kind device that can be a monorail, funicular, or cog rail type car that takes you up and if you like, down a hill.

These cars are all over the country, although one of the most famous ones is in Nagasaki. Some have several seats, some have a single seat. Most are self operated and free to use. There are over 80 of these cars in the country. Weird, yes? They were created for people's convenience in the 1960's. So, if you have mobility issues and need to go up a hill in Japan; this could be for you.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1121493-d11867641-Reviews-Hikosan_Slope_Car_Hanaeki-Soeda_machi_Tagawa_gun_Fukuoka_Prefecture_Kyushu.html

https://www.discover-nagasaki.com/en/sightseeing/65004

https://enjoy-kyushu.com/column/fukuoka/usefulinformation/4260.html

https://web-japan.org/trends/11_tech-life/tec202403_vehicle.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgGQXEXVTrc

4. Gracie Mansion, Carl Schurz Park, New York City, NY. You might not have any idea why anyone would give a hoot about this house. Looking at it, I wondered about that too, but it's a special place.

Since 1942, every single mayor of New York City, except Michael Bloomberg, has lived in this house. It was originally built in 1799. It used to be Belleview Mansion and at one point it burned down. It went through being for many things, and at one point, became Gracie Mansion, and in 1942 it became the home of the mayor. How unusual is that?

That's not the best part. This house sits in Carl Schurz Park. If you know anything about this park, which I didn't until I visited it last week, it's a public park with amazing views of the East River, Roosevelt Island, Queens and beyond. It's amazing. It's a huge park with beautiful spots and facilities for playing and so on. In the middle of it lives the mayor. The house is accessed off the end of 88th Street, and the Astoria Ferry arrives just north of it at the end of 90th Street. It's a great spot.

There's just one thing. This park sits on top of FDR Drive. It makes a tunnel for the busy road and the entire park, mansion, and everything is on top of a tunnel. Wow.

https://www.graciemansion.org/

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/carl-schurz-park/highlights/12329

https://nylandmarks.org/explore-ny/gracie-mansion-yorkville-manhattan/

https://historichousetrust.org/houses/gracie-mansion/

https://www.ferry.nyc/

5. The Ghostbusters Firehouse. This is the Hook & Ladder Company 8 in Manhattan. Yes, it's a real firehouse and it's in operation today. If you ever wondered, was it a real firehouse? Is it currently filled with firemen? Yes. It's also a very popular quick stop for tourists in New York City.

Face it, we've all seen Ghostbusters. We all loved it. It's one of the most beloved movie franchises in modern history. I don't even know how many people stop by here on their visit to New York, but it's a lot. I had never been there until recently, and the day I stopped by, it was crowded. The building has been there since 1903, even though it was refurbished a few years back. Don't worry; it still looks like the old Ghostbusters headquarters inside.

The firefighters at this company are thrilled to be so closely associated with Ghostbusters. They have a lot of fun with it. They are always cordial to the tourists and if they aren't busy fighting a fire, they might just take you on a tour. You can use the 1 subway to Franklin Street for your visit. Once you exit the subway just put it in your Google maps and it will guide you right to it.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ghostbusters-firehouse

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d3728839-Reviews-GhostBusters_Firehouse_Company_8-New_York_City_New_York.html

https://www.thefilmtripper.com/blog/ghostbustersfirehouse

https://www.ghostbusters.com/

https://www.untappedcities.com/ghostbusters-1984-nyc-filming-locations/

I love strange stuff and I wanted to share some of it with you! If you like, check out a YouTube Channel called "What On Earth Is This?" He has good weird stuff. I also like "The Tim Traveller." If you'd like to see what I'm up to check out my YouTube Channel "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's Me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Check in next week and see whatever I might come up with! I'm traveling this weekend, so you never know what I might find! Thanks for joining me! Enjoy!

This Week's Fast Five is Less Fun & More Things You Should Be Aware Of!

2026-08-27T14:16:28.094-04:00

When you are well traveled, you realize that there are things going on in the world that as an American in the United States, you may not hear about. What the media sometimes fails to understand is that as a global society, what goes on in the far reaches of the world may impact our lives right here. So, today I bring you a few things that hopefully you haven't missed, but unfortunately in the United States you may have.

1. What are the Kuril Islands? If you were to look at the pictures I've placed here, you'd probably liken them to the Faroe Islands or something like that and think that it couldn't possibly impact your life. Surprise! The Kuril Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific/ Sea of Okhotsk between Russia and Japan. Did that get your attention? It should.

There was never a formally accepted peace treaty between these two countries after WWII, because out of this chain of islands, Russia and Japan couldn't agree on who owned four of them. There's been tension there ever since. Tension, Japan, Russia. Think about that.

Fortunately, it was an ignored issue for decades, but recently, Russia decided to up the ante so to speak. Russia is having troubles in its war with Ukraine. There's also a lot going on there that we don't hear about. As Americans, we don't dare get directly involved in that or there will be a large war. However, a certain Russian President suddenly decided to visit these disputed islands for the first time ever and it's set off a firestorm of public rhetoric. Where is that going? No one knows for sure, but the flame has been ignited.

As a public supporter of both Taiwan and Ukraine, Japan now kind of sits in the hot seat between China and Russia. You should be aware of that.

https://www.youtube.com/@PulsePointReport

https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1949v07p2/d167

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/18/kuril-islands-putin-takaichi-dispute-japan-russia-northern-territories

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/eurasia/explainer-putin-s-1st-kuril-islands-visit-what-is-the-territorial-dispute-between-japan-russia/4026281

https://www.mzunguexpeditions.com/kuril_islands_2025_en

2. What's up with Indonesian Ferries? That might seem like an odd question, however there have been multiple incidents with these ferries recently. I know of at least three incidents with the Bali/Indonesia ferries. Weather capsized one, Weather sank another and fire caused one to have everyone abandon ship. Why do I bring this up?

Those ferries run through 19 different operators and cover 36 routes. They are a normal way to get around and if you travel on a budget like I do, you might use them to get around if you happen to be traveling in the area. Everyone loves to go to Bali and it's one of the best ways to go if you're in Indonesia.

Is there a problem? For reasons passing my understanding, boats catch fire and no one can put them out. They are on water. I don't get it. It happens. Weather around Indonesia during this season can be extremely unpredictable due to monsoon season and other conditions. Does this mean that the ferry operators are lax or not to be trusted? Not as far as I can see. Sometimes things just happen. I remember times over the years that planes seemed to crash right and left, and it wasn't anything in a pattern or from neglect, so that leads me to think that maybe stuff just happens. However, I thought that you all should know just in case it might affect a trip you're planning.

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/03/g-s1-136858/blaze-indonesian-passenger-ferry

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/passengers-rescued-as-second-ferry-in-days-catches-fire-in-indonesia/article71335131.ece

https://voi.id/en/economy/590595

https://openferry.com/destinations/indonesia?

https://www.netferry.com/ferries/from/indonesia/indonesia

3. Have you heard about the AI Heaven that was created in China and went viral online? This was amazing. Why do I mention it? for one reason; not all news should be bad. For another, I think that the combination of the person who created it and the fact that it went viral might give us a little insight into how the Chinese might view heaven.

It was created by what's called an Optical Shop by a Chen Aijun, and it is beautiful. This 30 second snippet lets us see his view of heaven. Over 5 million views, people. Was it Chinese people or all around the world? I don't know the ratio, just the ball park total. I saw it. It was serene and gorgeous, but I probably would have liked more waterfalls. That's just me.

What does this mean to anyone? It's just a potential view into the psyche of Chinese people. They're reported as Communist, which means no religion. However, we all know that there are various temples all over the country. Just something to ponder and a beautiful video to watch. It also may just be a reminder that people are people no matter where they live.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1785622403215644

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202608/1368856.shtml

https://inelda.org/the-chinese-approach-to-death-and-dying/

https://orcasia.org/the-mandate-of-heaven-then-and-now

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czepw096wy4o

4. Who are the Houthis? Excellent question. What do you know about Yemen? I didn't even know that their capital is Sanaa. However, this one is good to know. The Houthis appeared in the 1990's. That's a long time ago, right? They control parts of Yemen, including that capital and carry a lot of weight in the region. If you've ever been told not to go to Yemen, this pseudo civil war is probably why. It reminds me of the Taliban and Afghanistan.

This group is militant and does physical, military style, guerrilla attacks on certain entities. The latest one this year is against the Saudi Oil Trade. They've been disrupting the oil channels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway connecting the continents of Europe and Asia. Military action, blockades and so on.

What does this mean to people from the United States? If you've been watching, oil has been an issue lately. Iran, Venezuela, Russia and on and on. Throw Saudi Arabia into the mix and there's just more trouble. I know what people say. They say that's why we need electric cars. Have you ever looked at all the everyday items we use that are oil products? This affects all of us. Oh yeah, they're on Iran's side too. You need to be informed.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/27/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-yemen-houthis-war.html

https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/08/25/how-the-houthis-have-become-the-most-fearsome-of-irans-allies

https://mei.edu/backgrounder/the-houthis/

https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/war-yemen

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChasDMjXYn_oyoKlDSSB39w

5. What is the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement? From what I can tell, this is what happens when some of those Middle Eastern countries get sick and tired of it all. This is one we all need to know about. These are three strategically placed countries and Pakistan is even a nuclear power.

What's happening is that the United States is becoming less reliable as the world's peacekeeper (sorry, it's just true), so these three decided to join forces in a NATO style pact. I just mentioned the troubles the the Saudis are having with the Houthis. Pakistan has always had troubles with India. Turkey borders Syria, Iraq, and particularly Iran with all the latest shenanigans there. Together, they will become a force. Would I attack any of them? Not now, much less after the Mecca Agreement. Attack one, responds all.

This is new. It doesn't mean that the United States will be in an animous relationship with any of these countries. Historically, we get along with them pretty well as Middle Eastern relations go. However, you should be aware of this. What goes on in the Middle East often comes home to America. We are at war in Iran right now. You should know.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/17/trump-hails-mecca-pact-can-it-replace-the-regions-us-security-umbrella

https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/mecca-agreement-why-saudi-arabia-turkey-and-pakistan-teamed-historical-moment

https://freedomhouse.org/country/saudi-arabia

https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/turkey.html

https://pakconsulatela.org/about-pakistan/

I know this isn't my normal blog, but in my defense; there are things we should know. Everything here, with the possible exception of the Chines AI Heaven, can directly affect our lives here in the United States. War affects us. Oil disruption affects us. Global relations affect us. Even ferry transportation can affect us. Just because Russia isn't bugging us, doesn't mean that what goes on with them and Japan is unimportant. It's better to be informed than surprised. This is also why I advocate travel as education; which is why you might want to know about the ferries. If you've never gone out and looked at the world; you may not be aware of what no one will publicly tell you. It's important.

If you'd like to see something more light hearted and what I'm up to right now; check out my YouTube Channel; Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon. That's Me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Thanks to so many of you for reading my little blog! See you next week! Get out there and see the world! Enjoy!

All I Wanna Do Is Have Some Fun! This Week's Fast Five!

2026-08-21T13:18:51.903-04:00

This is that time of year when my birthday is coming up and I get that urge to do something a little nutty. Here are some amazing play time activities for young ones and adults alike. Yes, I've done a couple of these.

1. Long Tom Toboggan Ride, Misty Mountain on the Panorama Route, South Africa. This is quite a ride. 1.7 kilometers long, down the side of a mountain going potentially 45 miles an hour on a monorail. This is like a mountain coaster on steroids. It's the longest ride of its kind in Africa. It costs about $20 per ride.

This one I haven't done, simply because I've never been to South Africa. Here's the thing. People will say it isn't safe. The company says it's meticulously maintained. Use your own brand of caution. There's no way to promise that people won't get hurt on such a thing. Use you best judgement. Nothing is perfect.

That being said, there are other things at Misty Mountain. They have tours, hiking, scooters, lodging and more. It's a great stop in the middle of the beautiful Panorama Route.

https://www.longtomtoboggan.co.za/toboggan.html

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RuIn83CQyp4

https://www.mistymountain.co.za/activities.html

https://www.trip.com/travel-guide/attraction/rhenosterhoek/long-tom-toboggan-at-misty-mountain-61818781/

http://www.melanievanzyl.com/adventures/an-adventurers-guide-to-the-panorama-route

2. The Canopy Tour, Rainforest Adventures, St. Lucia. Yes, I did this one. This place is fabulous. We drove there on our own, but it might have been wise to take a tour out of Marigot Bay, the north end of the island or Castries. The driving is a bit athletic.

Starting at about $60 per person, depending on the package you get, you can have a great time flying through the rainforest. They give instructions and some training on the ground at a low flying test site before you take the cable car up to the top. You always have a guide with you and it is so much fun. Sightseeing plus adventure all in one. I really enjoyed it a lot.

It takes about two hours to do the whole thing, and there are 16 platforms and 8 different zip lines. There's a lot to see as you're flying around up there. If you're going to St. Maarten, or Costa Rica; check into the same company there!

https://rainforestadventure.com/#

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g8843287-d2267862-Reviews-Rainforest_Adventures_St_Lucia-Rodney_Bay_Gros_Islet_Quarter_St_Lucia.html

http://www.ouredventures.com/activities-3/rainforest-adventures-in-st-lucia-251650

https://stlucia.org/en/itinerary-nature-rainforest-adventure/

https://www.viator.com/tours/St-Lucia/St-Lucia-Aerial-Tram-and-Rainforest-Tour/d38-5189STAT

3. The Cata-monster Dual Zipline, Catamount Ski Resort, Massachusetts. New England ski resorts are always looking for something to have for people to do year round. Zip Lines have been a big one and they don't come bigger than the Cata-monster. It's just over a mile long and goes up to 55 miles per hour. It's the longest dual zip line in the United States. It takes almost two hours to do the whole experience. You have a safety and fitting sessions, then you take the chair lift up to the starting point. You do the other zip lines and then you strap in to the Cata-monster and take the mile or so ride down the mountain.

Yes, I did this one and it was absolutely thrilling! Prices start at $99 per person, with it being more on the weekends. There are also other activities at Catamount in the summer like hiking, biking and so on. There are also some events on weekends in the summer. I had a great time at this one, and it's really not that scary.

https://catamountski.com/summer/catamonster-zip-tour

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g47899-d2227163-Reviews-Catamount_Aerial_Adventure_Park-Hillsdale_New_York.html

https://columbiacountytourism.org/business/catamount-ski-area/

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/things-to-do/2021/09/wheres-the-longest-zipline-in-the-us-youve-never-seen-new-york-like-this-video.html

https://www.expedia.com/Catamount-Aerial-Adventure-Park-Hillsdale.d553248621532664791.Vacation-Attraction?semcid=US.UB.GOOGLE.DL-DSA-c-EN.PACKAGE&semdtl=a114123493019.b1124072454063.g1aud-2051518675148:dsa-1392933267286.e1c.m1CjwKCAjw7p_UBhBlEiwAhpIs7wGrDiZmhAsXLlxGC_kCvAGwKyFlIXADizf3xF77Luy4ynTIpFzEXxoCTtQQAvD_BwE.r1.c1.j19003419.k1.d1660685802137.h1.i1.l1.n1.o1.p1.q1.s1.t1.x1.f1.u1.v1.w1&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=14123493019&gbraid=0AAAAACTxZ9bIooOTT_4InOfzKA5nrVUgQ&gclid=CjwKCAjw7p_UBhBlEiwAhpIs7wGrDiZmhAsXLlxGC_kCvAGwKyFlIXADizf3xF77Luy4ynTIpFzEXxoCTtQQAvD_BwE

4. The High Flyer, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Connecticut. It's right nearby, but no, I haven't done this...yet. I plan to actually. I just haven't gotten there. This is something to add to your concert and gambling trip. Foxwoods is known for having a lot of different things to do. It's quite the playground, largely for adults, but you can bring the kids too. This is just that one more thing after gambling, a show, good food, shopping, go karts, and so much more.

It's dubbed the only rooftop zipline in America. It's located in the middle of it all at the Fox Tower Hotel. You start 350 feet up and take off. Four people can ride at one time as they have four zip lines. That's a lot. It goes for about a mile, and up to 60 miles per hour. There's a training session and safety before you go and the whole experience lasts at least an hour. Prices start at $65 per person. and it looks like a lot of fun. There's a lot to do at Foxwoods; I even hear they opened a Great Wolf Lodge.

https://foxwoodshighflyer.com/

https://foxwoods.com/activity/highflyer-zipline

https://ctvisit.com/listings/highflyer-zipline-foxwoods-resort-casino

https://thisismystic.com/to-do/recreation/highflyer-zipline-at-foxwoods/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g33831-d14141254-HighFlyer_Zipline_at_Foxwoods-Mashantucket_Mystic_Country_Connecticut.html

5. The Tobotronc Mountain Coaster, Andorra. I couldn't write a post like this without mentioning this one. It's on by bucket list. We've all seen mountain coasters and alpine coasters and whatever you wish to call them. This one is simply the longest one in the world.

This Alpine Coaster goes 3.3 miles (5.3 km; 1.7 km up and the rest not) down 400 feet of elevation drop through the La Rabassa Forest. It winds, it glides, and the views are fabulous along the way. The speed? That's up to you. Mountain Coasters are self regulated by the rider.

Starting at roughly $50 per person, you can buy a package. I'm not sure that you can just buy a ticket for a ride on the Tobotronc. There are other activities at Naturland and they all look fun. Prices go up as you add more activities, but most of them include a ride on Tobotronc.

https://web.naturland.ad/en

https://web.naturland.ad/en/activities/tobotronc

https://visitandorra.com/en/nature--sports/tobotronc-at-naturland/

https://www.themeparkjames.co.uk/theme-parks/europe/andorra/naturland/rides/tobotronc/

https://evendo.com/locations/andorra/sant-julia-de-loria/landmark/tobotronc

There you have it. Just in case you were looking for some cool rides to enjoy the outdoors. There's nothing quite like flying through the trees or gliding down a mountain. There's nothing wrong with a little adrenaline rush.

If you'd like to see what I'm doing at the current time, check out my YouTube Channel, Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon. That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Never stop adventuring and for God's sake, never act your age! It's just not fun! Thanks for joining me! Follow for more, and subscribe to the YouTube Channel for more on New York City & the world!

Giving You Some Thought Provoking Concepts On This Week's Fast Five!

2026-08-15T17:09:34.704-04:00

Sometimes things just blow my mind. It's that simple. Here are five concepts involving travel, because that's what I do, that might make you ponder the way you look at certain things. Quick! Let's go!

1. The Gimmelwald Honesty Shop, Gimmelwald, Switzerland. This was one of the most amazing places I'd ever seen when I saw it in 2013. That was a long time ago. There was a tiny shop in a large building in a tiny village on the edge of a cliff where you could take a gondola down to the Lauterbrunnen Valley. That village had amazing views, it was quiet, and no one was home in this shop. You were supposed to go in, pick out your merchandise, and leave the proper amount of money before taking your things away with you. I'm not joking. Sound crazy? That couldn't work you say.

Here it is 13 years later and not only has the shop worked out; it's expanded. It's still in the same building, but now it takes up more of the building. Think about that. No one mans this store. No one ever has. Just when you think that society is going down the tubes, here's a shop in the middle of nowhere on a cliff in Switzerland that begs to differ. Honesty is still a thing.

https://www.honestyshop.com/about-us/

https://www.facebook.com/TheHonestyShop/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwyPEFC4Tsk

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DTiL-FUkxg-/

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/destinations/gimmelwald/

2. The Isles of Scilly, UK. What can I say about this? It's a getaway for Brits. That's a start. It's off the southern tip of the UK from Cornwall. You can get there in any number of ways, air or ferry or whatever. Cruises do stop there. There's a whole archipelago, and only a little over 2,000 residents. Why visit?

This is a spot of subtropic wonder off the coast of England. England is known for it's gloomy weather and rainy days. These islands tend to be warmer, sunnier, full of beaches and activities, including outdoor and even spas. It's kind of like visiting the Azores of Portugal, but the Pound is the currency and everyone speaks English. It's kind of advanced tourism, because it's not big on the tourism radar, but it's worth it for the getaway that leaves you somewhere in the UK that doesn't feel like the UK at all.

https://www.visitislesofscilly.com/

https://www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/historic-sites-of-scilly/

https://duchyofcornwall.org/estate/isles-of-scilly/

https://www.islesofscillyholiday.co.uk/travel/

3. The Bunkers of Cornwall, England, UK. While we're talking about southern UK, let's talk bunkers. This is something to ponder. Cornwall is not just a town but a district of the UK. During WWII, they played an active role there in monitoring and even disrupting communications amongst adversaries. There are at least 15 to 20 of these bunkers in the area still today. They were telegraphy stations during the war.

Some of these are private homes. Some are holiday rentals. Some are little museums. Some are just there. The Veryan Bunkers and the tunnels at PK Porthcurno are some of the most popular visiting spots. There is a National Trust Organization and some local groups in the area that can help you with which ones to visit and how to get to them and that kind of thing. It's just that little something in a quiet area that you'd probably not be aware of and it was a key operation during World War II.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/carne-and-pendower/wartime-bunker-on-nare-head

https://www.cornishsecrets.co.uk/guide/cornwalls-underground-attractions-to-visit/

https://hostunusual.com/property/the-bunker/

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/cornwalls-cold-war-nuclear-bunker-6531422

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pl7sq0Ej_wk

4. What is a coolcation? This is something to ponder. Summer is travel time, and beaches fill up and droughts happen worldwide, and I don't know what to make of Florida and Arizona in the summer. Do you have to go someplace and endure ridiculous heat and humidity because it's summer? People do this every summer, and it's ridiculous.

There are plenty of places that you can go that aren't going to be that hot. Two of my favorites are Iceland and the Swiss Alps. There's so much to do, the scenery is something you'll never forget and believe it or not; people mostly speak English. What I do when I'm looking to go somewhere in the summer, which is rare for me anyway, is look at the climate that they typically have in a location throughout the year and then if that looks doable, I look at the current predictions for the time I intend to travel there.

You don't necessarily have to run to the opposite end of the planet to find some cooler weather for your summer trip. You will find that there are some great places all around you. Normally, if you go to mountainous areas, you'll find a little cooler weather. If you do travel internationally, visit Canada, Norway, Iceland, the UK, or something like that. If in the United States, I would say check out the Rocky Mountains or the Cascades or the Sierra Nevadas. The Upper peninsula of Michigan is normally a nice area. Normally, but not always, you have to check, the Pacific Northwest. Alaska tends to make that list, but closer to Denali and that area.

This is something that takes some research, but there's no reason to go to Florida in the summer. There are options, and they are worth the research and planning.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/what-is-coolcation-best-places-in-europe

https://www.visitnorway.com/plan-your-trip/coolcation/

https://www.azureroad.io/how-to-plan-a-coolcation-in-a-warming-world/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQEQp58BJCA

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2025/06/17/the-coolcation-trend-is-heating-up-and-the-numbers-prove-it/

5. Here's a big ponder; what kind of hotel do you need? I can tell you all day about the great places I've stayed and you might think I'm crazy. Everyone is a bit different. There are all kinds of accommodations out there for all kinds of tastes.

You might travel on a budget and light and stay at a hostel. Some people might want to camp and take road trips. Some folks like the flexibility of stopping at motels. Some people like historic hotels. Some folks like Air BnB or VRBO for that living space. Some people might want a hotel with options for a suite. Some want a vacation home, and some want to go to an all inclusive resort. Some people would rather take a cruise. There are so many options. You can rent a yacht and drive it yourself if you want in some places.

There's no wrong choice. You do you. Just remember that you need to look into it. That's why I call it a ponder. Do some self exploration on the web to figure out what you really want for your accommodations, because it can make or break a trip.

https://www.expedia.com/

https://www.cruises.com/

https://www.hotels.com/

https://www.historichotels.org/us

https://www.recreation.gov/

That's my ponders for you. I say never travel before doing some planning.

If you'd like to see what I'm doing right now, check out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Explore those unique places and never lose faith in your fellow inhabitants on this beautiful planet. Just when you think it's all going downhill, you'll find that something that renews your faith in people. You'll see where war led to creativity, and you'll find that spot that you really never thought existed. If you take the time to ponder what you want to do, where you want to stay, and how you want to travel; you'll have a great time! Enjoy!

I Have Some Thoughts and Oddball Information On This Week's Fast Five! Join Me!

2026-08-07T13:53:12.958-04:00

The more I travel, the more amazed I am about the things I learn. I've been traveling my entire life and I'm never unamazed. Here's a few things that either I just found out about or haven't mentioned before. They're all things that may or may not help you out in your travels!

1. Have I ever used an audio guide in New York City? The answer to that is no. However, it's a really great idea. New York City is huge, has a lot going on, and isn't always user friendly. It is one of the most walkable cities in the country. It has more famous sites to visit than most places in the United States. They have probably more guided tours than anywhere else in the country. But if you'd like to take yourself around; and I highly recommend that; you need a couple of things.

First, you need an OMNY card and a subway map. That's your best bet to get around. You also need a list of things you're interested in, which means prior research in a lot of cases. After that, if you want an explanation and you don't want to stand out by being in a huge group on a tour, get that audio guide to tell you what you're looking at.

You can choose from over 100 different audio guide options. There's Action Tour Guide, which is a service that covers a lot of places; not just New York City. They offer a yearly membership and after you pay your $99 a year, you can look up audio guides for stuff all over. Not a bad deal.

Another way to get an audio guide is to go where you get your podcasts. There are different platforms, but they all offer some audio guides for things in New York. You can look into in on Trip Advisor, Viator and companies of that sort. Sometimes in New York, you can just scan a QR code on site and you'll be all set.

This is just another way to get yourself around. I love doing things on my own. There's a certain level of accomplishment that goes along with it. It also makes me able to do things on my own schedule. Investigating locations on my own gives me more information, helps me learn my way around in general and provides a challenge that I think I need.

https://www.centralparknyc.org/explore-the-central-park-digital-guide

https://actiontourguide.com/

https://www.viator.com/New-York-City-tours/Audio-Guided-Tours/d687-g12-c26963

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g60763-d25557232-Private_Audio_Guided_Walking_Tour_in_New_York-New_York_City_New_York.html

https://izi.travel/en?visit=1786120201

2. The underground world of South Manhattan. Did you know about this? This is amazing. I'm still investigating this. I love the mole people effect that the underground world and the subway has in New York City; particularly in Manhattan. There's one area that continues to amaze me. The area between Brookfield Place and William Street in South Manhattan.

Let me explain. Brookfield Place is a shopping mall along the Hudson River, just across the street from 1 WTC. It's a lovely place which is currently doing some sea wall work along their marina. You can walk along the riverfront behind this mall and even catch a ferry to New Jersey. It's a lovely place and it has palm trees inside. It's pretty cool.

Here's a really cool thing. If you go down the escalators by the entrance to the mall, you'll enter what I'm calling the underworld. From there you head east. You can go to 1 WTC to the observation deck from down there. You head via passageway over to the Oculus. In the Oculus you can catch a PATH Train to New Jersey or catch a subway. In one end you have the 1. On the other end in one way or another you can catch the 2, 3, 4, 5, R, W, J, Z, A, and C via passageways and Fulton Center on the other end of that. You can also catch the E in that end of the Oculus.

But we're not done yet. When you connect to some of these subways, while still underground; you haven't come out of the underground yet; you may walk to Chambers Street, Park Place, Cortlandt Street and on and on. You'll find out that Fulton Street and Fulton Center are not the same place but are connected. If you keep investigating all these subways, you will find that it doesn't end until you get to the William Street section of the 2 and the 3. That's in the Financial District. It's a lot to take in, but I guarantee it's nice for people on bad weather days.

There's more going on in that underground than in most places in New York. There's restaurants, high end shops, tourist attractions and all the World Trade and 9/11 Memorial things accessible via that underground system. You can also investigate the financial district via the system. It's amazing where it goes.

https://www.explorewtc.com/en/local/learn-about-wtc/oculus-transportation-hub.html

https://www.bfplny.com/visit/getting-here/

https://www.projectsubwaynyc.com/complex-connections

https://www.renewnyc.com/ThePlan/transportation.asp

https://www.mta.info/project/fulton-transit-center

3. It's called the East River Esplanade. The section I'm referring to runs from roughly 53rd Street to 63rd Street. This is a unique pathway that runs along the East River for about ten blocks and also goes underneath the massive Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge at 59th Street. It's scenic and classy and sits right out there over the river.

What is it?

The city of New York has been for years making the waterfront a pedestrian/park/greenway/scenic waterfront/bike route. Unfortunately, they ran into a problem, and the problem was FDR Drive. In this particular spot the road literally runs over and right up against the East River. They couldn't move the road. I've looked at it. They really couldn't.

Therefore, they had to come up with a solution or they wouldn't have people space all around the island. So, they built a bridge. That's right. This Esplanade is really a ten block long bridge. There are bridges over FDR Drive on each end and there's a couple of other access points along the way, but it's a walkway over the water. They've made it beautiful with stone walks and benches and landscaping with plants and trees. It's pretty amazing, just like the ingenuity you find with projects all over the city.

In addition to the nice walkway over the water, you get some of the most amazing views of the Queensboro Bridge and Roosevelt Island that you'll ever get. This section is at Sutton Place and runs under the bridge, and also accesses Andrew Haswell Green Park.

https://www.esplanadefriends.org/

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/east-river-esplanade/

https://edc.nyc/project/east-midtown-waterfront

https://commercial.unilock.com/projects/parks/sutton-place-park/

https://travelpal.ai/destinations/north-america/united-states/new-york/east-river-esplanade-sutton-pl-s

4. Summit One Vanderbilt. I've visited pretty much all the tall buildings in New York, and this was interesting. One of the main points for this one is the simple fact that it's really at the train station. You don't have to even go outside of Grand Central to go to the observation deck that is Summit One.

That being said, I have mixed feelings about this one. Just because it's the newest and it says Vanderbilt on it, doesn't necessarily mean it's the best or even great. I bought a ticket on their website listed as $44. There were fees and then I don't know what that made it total $57. That's a big leap for coming from their own website with the idea that you have to buy it in advance to get in. I'm still torn about how I feel about that. It feels like a tourist trap move to me.

The experience was nice. They had three levels of observation deck and the option to pay extra to take the Ascent, which was the outer elevator to the tippy top of the building. It was all right. Did I have a good time? Yes.

However, they were a one trick pony. Go up high and see reflective stuff. We had to wear booties so our shoes wouldn't, God forbid, put a scratch in one of their mirror floors. That was fine. Then there were blobs of reflective material on the floor in one room. Cute. There were reflective balloons bouncing all over a room that also had great views. It was also cute. There was a room where you could wait in a line to step onto a bay that hung out off the side of the observation deck and you could see the ground below. It was cute. The top deck gave access to the outside which was cool. There were snacks and drinks available. That was nice. Honestly, the best part of the experience were the main areas of the lower two decks where everything reflected. I liked that.

1.4 Million people visited Summit in the first year alone. Is it worth the hype? I don't think so. The reflective stuff is cool, but that's most of what you've got. They don't really have many experiences. They have reflection and views. The views are really nice.

https://summitov.com/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g60763-d23904654-SUMMIT_One_Vanderbilt_Experience_Ticket-New_York_City_New_York.html

https://wherearethosemorgans.com/best-observation-decks-in-nyc/

https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/city/new-york-city

https://www.hines.com/properties/one-vanderbilt-new-york

5. Real ID; what is it good for? This is part story and part report. I had to renew my driver's license shortly before these went into effect. I was at the DMV and there were ads and signs all over about getting your real ID. I only go to the DMV when I absolutely have to. I hate it there. So, I asked the person when I was talking to them to renew my license if I could get the real ID while I was there. They said they could do it, but I had to renew my regular driver's license first and come back after and pay extra to replace that with a Real ID. That was the dumbest thing I ever heard and I told her that. She informed me that shortly I wouldn't be able to fly without one and I replied that the joke was on the State of Connecticut, because I have a valid passport. That's the story part.

Long story short, this is basically a money grab. I've used my passport for the last year and a half or so, and I've had no problems. I still have my driver's license for driving, and I'm good to go. as a matter of fact, I can do a lot of stuff with my passport. I can get security checked really quickly for things with my passport. I can obviously use it all over the world, because that's what it was made for. I've traveled the world with it, therefore it doesn't bother me to carry it with me when I travel. What am I really missing? I don't think anything.

Will I get my Real ID? I will when I need a driver's license. I will always renew my passport, because I don't want to be trapped in my own country all the time. Therefore, the Real ID will forever be something that I will get when I have to renew my license or when I decide. I hate being told what to do, especially by the government, and especially for nothing more than a money grab.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DMV/Real-ID-Brochure-English.pdf

https://www.usa.gov/real-id

https://travel.state.gov/en/passports.html

https://www.usps.com/international/passports.htm

There you have it. Some thoughts, opinions, and information to help in your travels. Remember, a lot of what I do is find out amazing things about New York City and make videos about it on my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Come by there and check it out. Tall buildings are definitely a current subject over there. Hope this gives you some insight into various things about your next potential adventure! Follow for more! Thanks for joining me! Enjoy!

So, You Want To Travel? Here's Some Important How To's Before You Go On This Week's Fast Five!

2026-07-31T16:00:10.789-04:00

I've done a lot of traveling, and continue to do so. Why would I travel in such a dangerous world you ask? What if a hurricane comes by my destination? What to bring? How to book? I have a few answers!

1. Let's talk about what you carry with you when you travel, and how you carry it.

Every time you turn on the news, which you probably shouldn't even do, you hear about how many criminals there are in the world, and everything bad that can happen to you if you put yourself out there. I've been hearing it my whole life. International travel comes with many stigmas. The State Department website will warn you against going just about anywhere if you're a woman. It's scary. Unless you learn a few simple things.

First and foremost, don't buy the average black suitcase of any kind and check it at the airport. They all look alike. In America, anyone can walk into a baggage claim area. If your black bag comes around someone might take it. It looks like everyone else's. Be aware. You are more likely to have your luggage stolen in the United States at a baggage claim than in any other country, pretty much.

Mark your luggage so it doesn't look like anyone else's.

Then, there's the whole issue of behind you. People pull their luggage behind them. They wear back packs. Why are you doing this? Always get a piece of luggage with four wheels, so it will go along beside you or even in front of you like a well trained dog. This is for crowds. Airports have crowds, as do train stations, subways, ferries and on and on. Keep an eye on your luggage. Let it walk with you, not behind you.

Another one of my pet peeves is the back pack. That's fine for books and school. However, if you bring a backpack into a crowd and it has all kinds of cool pockets on it for different stuff; you're a target for petty theft. If it doesn't even zip, then shame on you. What were you thinking? If that very back pocket on your back pack is where you keep your passport and wallet so you can easily get to it in an airport, find the person who taught you that and punch them in the face.

You cannot walk into a crowd and keep an eye on things that are behind you. That's a simple fact. Make that bag stand out and follow along beside you on its four wheels. Carry a cross body bag in front, or at the very least, don't leave valuables in the back pack. It's just common sense. I see this all the time in airports and train stations, and I see that even I could steal your stuff without you knowing all day long. I'm not even a criminal.

https://travel.yahoo.com/advice/safety/articles/dangerous-reason-best-avoid-black-014500793.html

https://www.islands.com/1541664/think-twice-traveling-with-backpack-why/

https://www.buzzfeed.com/elizabethlilly/hands-free-bags-for-adventures

https://www.meetingstoday.com/articles/140747/12-ways-prevent-luggage-theft-and-minimize-hassles-if-it-happens

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/luggage-theft-a-persistent-problem-at-airports/57506/

2. Where you get your news can affect just how aware you are of what's really going on in the world.

If you watch a cable news channel or network news, you're probably missing a lot and what you do hear is going to sound like the end of the world is coming on a regular basis. I don't like to say it, but it's true. I'm a journalist. There's something I bet you never knew about me. That's what my degree says.

I tend to read my news. I discovered a long time ago that our local and national news is skewed at best and at its worst, it's an outright lie. YouTube is a great place to find the news in its purest form and surprisingly accurate analysis. There are even some channels that are barely supported by the platform, because they are considered rebellious. What they are is a fresh perspective, and sometimes it's even on topics that no one ever talks about here in the United States.

Did you know that Russia is attempting to import North Koreans to help fight Ukraine? Did you know that Canada is making deals all around the world economically, because they are trusting the United States less and less? Did you know that Poland just built a canal so that their ships can enter the Baltic Sea without asking permission from Russia? There's a lot of stories out there that we don't hear or that we hear wrong. Did you know that India's youth formed a political party to battle the government over a corrupt Education minister? Interesting stuff.

Check out some of the listings I've provided, all on YouTube that might just give you the fresh perspective you need. It's imperative that you have a clear picture of what's really going on in the world when preparing to travel.

https://www.youtube.com/ThePlanetD

https://www.youtube.com/@PulsePointReport

https://www.youtube.com/@JonnyTickle

https://www.youtube.com/@euronews

https://www.youtube.com/@WION

3. Always do research before you book a trip when traveling the way I do; as a budget traveler.

If you read articles and watch vlogs about travel as I do, you've probably heard a thousand different ways that you can get the most out of your trip and do it for an amazingly small amount of money or even free. There's no such thing as a free lunch. It's an old saying but it's absolutely true.

The people you see who travel around and make videos for a living, also work. They may not have a conventional job, but they do work. Some of them start their own businesses. Some of them get a lot of sponsorships. Some of those sponsorships allow them to earn money for referring you to get a specific credit card. Think about that. Some of them rack up a lot of views on YouTube and work on their videos all the time. If you think it's all fun and vacation all the time; you're just wrong.

Can you save money with a points card? Yes, but you won't earn a lot of miles unless you spend a lot of money. You have to watch out for that. I do that a little bit, but not a lot. Here's what I know. I use my credit card instead of a debit card or cash. I just do my regular shopping and get a fair amount of points that add up and eventually I can use them for a trip. It takes time. Unless you go bankrupt spending money on the card; you won't build up points that quickly. Be aware.

What you need to do is always check your options. I do it with every trip. Amtrak will cost different amounts depending on what station you board at. Check different stations in your area before booking. You could save a lot of money.

When you book a flight, I always start with Expedia. It's my preference, but there are a dozen of these kinds of sites and they all do kind of the same thing. I look at packages most often. Sometimes just a flight. I always find the package that I think looks good, but then I also check it against the airline and accommodations listed to see if I can book direct and get a better price. Sometimes yes and sometimes no, but worth looking.

I even look at different routes on the commuter trains with MTA in New York City. Timing and cost can differ. Always look around the app. This is the same with most commuter trains and express buses.

Would you like to travel for less? We all would. There are a lot of ways to do that. Do your research. There's CouchSurfing, Trusted Housesitters, and all kinds of oddball ways to have lodging. It won't work for everyone, but if you have more time than money, one of these could be for you.

Always do research before traveling. You'll be surprised the deals you might find.

https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/

https://www.couchsurfing.com/

https://www.amtrak.com/home

https://www.mta.info/

https://www.expedia.com/

4. Why would you skip the most popular spot?

In a word; crowds. There's also cost, lodging availability, seasonal pricing, and special events that fill up the venue. I've spent a lot of time traveling around the world, and I've learned that quite often the most popular spots aren't the best. It's just a fact. I joked for years that part of my choosing a destination was to look for the most popular destination in a country and take a hard left. It's really worked out for me. I do it to this day.

Recently, I went to Bratislava, Slovakia. It's a mouthful, but it's a great city. There was so much to do, great places to stay, some of the best local food I've had in a while, and a distinct lack of crowds and high prices. Most people go to Vienna, Austria and visit Bratislava on a day trip or they take a Danube River Cruise and stop by there for the day. By dinnertime, any crowds are gone. You have a local city. It's fabulous. We saw castles, old town, churches, parks, riverfront, and had great food and drink. We even took a boat trip for the afternoon to castle ruins up the Danube. We also easily took day trips around to other towns and even to Vienna. It was relaxing and a great trip. I'd happily do it all again.

Another time we did this was when we skipped Lisbon, Portugal for its second city, Porto. We loved it so much, we might move there when we retire. Never be so set on that popular location that you can't take a hard left and experience something that not everyone else does. It's unique and uniquely yours.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/least-visited-countries

https://www.visitorscoverage.com/blog/5-of-the-worlds-less-traveled-tourist-destinations/

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/least-visited-countries-travel

https://slovakia.travel/en

https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/offbeat?srsltid=AfmBOoqBR4QCw1cyLSFFnCI4vUSmz8VWtLXqz9u5GI7MkECWKSNto3kZ

5. What about the weather? This is something that will always plague travelers. However, modern technology has come a long way. Most reports still don't really know what the weather will do pretty much anywhere but a stone hard desert. But there are ways that I monitor it before and during a trip.

Get yourself an app. You can still watch the daily forecasts on the local news if you want and if you speak the language where you are. I always have my sign in for YouTube with me so if I have a streaming TV, I can sign in and watch my favorite weather there.

But, I always have an app. It doesn't really matter which one you have as long as it's updated 24/7. That's the important part. I plan a trip ahead, but I also leave room for change. I have indoor activities planned for a trip, but it's the app that helps me decide when we do those. I check it more than once a day, so it should be on your phone. It changes as the day goes on and you need to be aware. It's part of being a trip planner. I also periodically take a peek at the radar section. Once in a while, the app's prediction and what I see on the doppler are the same. Weather is something you cannot control, so finding a way to live with it is important and can make or break a trip.

https://weather.com/

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/weather/id1069513131

https://www.accuweather.com/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.weather.forecast.weatherchannel&hl=en_US

https://www.weatherbug.com/

There you have it. If you're planning a trip for yourself or your family, there's a lot of pertinent research to do. Get an app for weather. You shouldn't leave home without it. Make sure you have the proper luggage and that you keep it where you can keep an eye on it. Check the news. It's important, but don't always buy into the American news. They seem to like to scare us. Remember, there are a lot of countries out there that are safer the the United States. Think about that. Check everything for the best prices and don't have your heart set on Paris, when Lyon is far better for a trip. I can't stress enough that your trip is in your hands. Make wise choices for you. Stay informed, and I mean truthfully informed. You can have a really good time traveling if you prepare, educate yourself and be flexible.

Hope this helped. Follow me for more good advice! Check out what I'm doing right now on my YouTube channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon"

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Thanks for joining me! Enjoy!

A Little Warning About Weekends and Some Good Eats in NYC on This Week's Fast Five!

2026-07-23T12:34:43.755-04:00

As you may have guessed, I spend a lot of time in New York City. However, I rarely am in the city on a weekend. Yes, I know my way around, and I use the subway almost exclusively. However, on the weekends that can change! Let's get on with it!

1. Weekends vs. Weekdays in New York City. There are millions of people in New York City. That doesn't include the massive influx of visitors that come by, especially in the summer. Summertime is vacation time, and up to 18 million people come to visit New York City during this season every single year. There are lots of events on the weekends as well, so most tourists visit then. This is a bit cathartic if you don't relish crowds.

Just know that if you join the massive crowds descending upon New York on the weekends that you will be dealing with a million or so extra people, diminished subway operation, locals in the mix for leisure activities and so on. While there is extra ferry service on the weekends in the summer, it doesn't make up for the buses, trains and subways offering less. Public beaches like Rockaway and Coney Island are totally overrun on nice weekend days. Restaurants that you can walk into on a weekday suddenly need a reservation, and if you don't get there because your subway is only running at half schedule or skipping your stop, you might get charged $25 just because you didn't show up for that reservation.

When I go into the city on a weekday, there is rush hour on the subway. However, no one is doing construction on a weekday, so there are more subways and they are more reliable. Other than that, it's calm compared to the weekends in the summer. All I can say is contemplate this carefully.

If you are attending an event, your hands are tied. If you're visiting museums, parks, venues, etc. Check for weekday closures and think about going on a weekday schedule. You'll be able to get around easier, get a table easier, not get stuck in as many lines and crowds, and probably have a better time.

https://www.mta.info/

https://www.ferry.nyc/

https://www.nyctourism.com/things-to-do/events-and-festivals/

https://www.viator.com/blog/ways-to-beat-the-crowds-in-new-york-city/l50138

https://www.iloveny.com/blog/post/new-york-on-a-budget-free-and-low-cost-things-to-do-in-nyc/

2. The Time Out Market, DUMBO, Brooklyn. This is a story that you might not like. My husband and I just finished walking the Williamsburg Bridge and were hungry. We hauled our butts all the way over to DUMBO, because the Time Out Market had been advertising all week about how they were turning part of the market into a little Portugal and this was Lisbon weekend!

We are huge fans of Portugal, and we even intend to retire there. We love the food and thought it was well worth the time and trouble to make our way over there, even though we knew well that there was a watch party forming feet away for the finals of the World Cup. We hopped two subways and walked down from High Street to Brooklyn Bridge Park to go to The Time Out Market. We followed the signs through the apparently non participating vendors to the second floor where we were told was Portuguese Food being cooked in the Lisbon fashion.

What we found after walking through the entire market and going up to the second floor and all the way through that, was that a single vendor was selling Bifana sandwiches. That was it. Not joking. We looked all over and couldn't even find a glass of Port wine. The lesson I learned from that was to be wary of themes at Time Out Market. I thought of it as a hoax. While the views off the second floor deck are amazing, and the food in the Market is good; there was nothing special going on there. So, if you want to go for the regular food; it's good and varied throughout the vendors. If you're counting on that theme; I wouldn't bother.

https://www.timeout.com/time-out-market-new-york

https://www.nyctourism.com/restaurants/time-out-market-new-york/

https://brooklynbridgepark.org/

https://dumbo.nyc/

https://dumbo.nyc/publicspaces/

3. Golden Hof Korean BBQ, 48th Street, Manhattan. This place is both a gem and a travesty. This is one of the places where you can cook your own food over a grill in your table. I love these places! My husband loves to cook the food! It's an experience that you shouldn't miss.

However, apparently visitors to New York don't understand how this works. We were up by Rockefeller Center, so I was pretty sure there were very few locals in this place on a Saturday night in July. The entire time we were there, we were the only people enjoying the experience. The servers asked us if we wanted them to cook it for us, and we thought that sounded crazy. It wasn't a hibachi with a show. It was a Korean BBQ with a grill.

Then I looked around to see that we were the only ones using the grill. Many tables had someone cooking for them. Other tables, the servers had used the grill to keep the plates of food warm. It was bizarre to me. There are a bunch of Korean BBQ places that you can go to and just order food. At Golden Hof, if you don't wish to cook, you could just reserve a table on the upper floor. Other types of Korean BBQ's are far less expensive. Why bother with the one designed for you to have the experience of grilling for yourself?

Anyway, the food was delicious and the experience was fabulous. If you aren't joining in the experience on this one, you're missing out. I find it a real shame. If you want to give it a real try, Golden Hof was great and the staff were patient, accommodating and kind.

https://www.goldenhof.com/about

https://www.yelp.com/biz/golden-hof-new-york-5

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d33024522-Reviews-Golden_Hof_Korean_Bar_Grill-New_York_City_New_York.html

https://resy.com/cities/new-york-ny/venues/golden-hof?date=2026-07-23&seats=2

https://www.instagram.com/goldenhofny/?hl=en

4. H. K. Wonton Garden, Mulberry Street, Chinatown, Manhattan. This is my husband's favorite place, maybe on Earth. He loves the Duck Soup. To be fair, I've never had bad food in this place, and while he always gets the Duck Soup, I try something different almost every visit. We've been stopping off here for more than 15 years, and it never disappoints.

When in Chinatown, there are some things to know. First, most people who visit Chinatown, only really know the main drag on Canal Street. I promise you, the best parts of the neighborhood are on other streets. Most people go to Mulberry Street and go the opposite direction of our favorite restaurant to visit Little Italy. This is a local gem, and the food is fantastic. There's even a bit of a language barrier, but it's no where near enough to make it worth going somewhere else.

I love this one. Can't recommend it enough. Always good food. Always a place to sit, because it's a local place. Always good service and pleasant atmosphere. This is a good one!

https://hkwonton.top/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/h-k-wonton-garden-new-york

https://hkwontongardennyc.com/

https://chinatown.nyc/

https://www.untappedcities.com/secrets-chinatown-manhattan/

5. The Frying Pan, 12th Avenue at pier 66, Hudson Riverfront, Manhattan. This is a pub. Let me be clear. A pub and bar. We ate fish and chips like I do most of the time when I visit a pub. However, this place is wild.

The Frying Pan is a collection of floating items turned into a seasonal restaurant, and basically a pub. The focal point is the lighthouse ship named the Frying Pan Shoals. I understand they use these in the Carolinas to this day, but this one has been retired for decades. Apparently, it was even used at the Panama Canal once. There was also a collection of other boats, a water wheel, a caboose from the Lackawanna Railroad and you entered across a floating bridge. Was that all cool? Yes!

We did make a reservation for this, but you can try to just walk on. Once again, we were there on a Friday night. If you visit during the week, it will be less crowded. One of my favorite parts was the view over the Hudson River. You can't beat it.

Now, the food was good. The boats and everything was cool. The view was fantastic. However, this was a multi sectioned pub and bar over a few different boats that were all connected. The staff was sparse and due to understaffing, everything was slow and a bit difficult. Our first table, in a restaurant that was in no way filled to capacity, was in the setting sun and it was hot and we couldn't see. We had to ask to be moved. The hostess was reluctant but moved us anyway. After our initial order, we couldn't find anyone to get another drink or the bill. We waited a normal amount of time for our initial order, but we waited almost an hour to pay. Little weird, but they did seem understaffed.

Overall, I liked the Frying Pan. It is pricey for what you get, but the view alone can really be worth it on a nice night. Just be prepared to stay awhile, because it can be hard to get the check.

https://www.fryingpan.com/the-big-red-boat/

https://hudsonriverpark.org/activities/frying-pan/

https://newyorkcliche.com/2014/09/03/bar-barge-and-boat-the-frying-pan-nyc/

http://www.bigapplesecrets.com/2014/09/the-frying-pan-historical-boat-and.html

https://hudsonriverpark.org/

There you have it. I love to visit local restaurants when I travel and New York City has some of the most fascinating local restaurants anywhere. I love a different venue, various cuisines, and an experience to remember. I hope that you try most of these suggestions. I did truly love Golden Hof, and the Frying Pan, while H. K. Wonton Garden has been a favorite for years.

If you'd like to see what I'm up to right now, check out my YouTube channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Never stop adventuring! There's so much to see and do out there that it would be tragic if you didn't get in on at least a little bit of it. Join me each week and follow if you'd like to be notified of my next post! Thanks for joining me! Enjoy!

And Then There Was That Day I Went On A Waterfall Hunt In Manhattan, & It Is This Week's Fast Five!

2026-07-15T16:48:08.490-04:00

For years I've been saying I was going to go on an all out waterfall hunt in New York City, and last week brought the day about finally. I found five areas with reported waterfalls in Manhattan. I didn't look in the outer boroughs yet. What did I find? I found this week's fast five!

1. The Morningside Park Waterfall, Harlem. I had to swipe some photos for the waterfall on this one. It was constructed in 1990 and is 20 feet tall. It was created in order to circulate the water in the pond. It fell into disrepair until recently, and it's been announced that it's running again. I've seen pictures, but when I visited, as you can see in my photos, the water was green and the waterfall was once again dry.

Morningside is a splendid park however. It sits on the outskirts of Columbia University's Campus on the west end of Harlem. The 30 acre park is in a cliff and is beautiful. There are ball fields on the south end with a historic dugout. There's the pond and it's ever struggling waterfall next to them. There are a lot of stairs due to the cliff, but the views from the top are amazing and well worth the climb.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/morningside-park

https://www.morningsidepark.org/

https://www.nyctourism.com/attractions-tours/morningside-park/

https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/attractions/morningside-park/

https://olmsted.org/olmsted-trail/jobs/morningside-park/

2. The Waterfalls of Central Park, Manhattan. I've heard it for years. There are waterfalls in the ravine along the loch in the North Woods of Central Park. It was true! The entirety of the park was created and landscaped, just so you know. I didn't find a single natural waterfall in New York, but the ravine is the closest you'll ever get.

Designed in the 1860's, the pool above, the ravine, loch and waterfalls, and the Harlem Meer at the north end of the park, along with the whole North Woods are man made. The rocks were obtained in the area and everything was made to look completely natural as though we're all in the Adirondacks.

That being said, I was duly impressed. I took at least a mile walk in the woods and saw at least three waterfalls there. I think there were five, but two of them were a little small for me to call a waterfall. The path was lovely, with man made viewing platforms over the loch. The wildlife was almost completely tame. Squirrels and cardinals were posing for me. They weren't even on zoom. It's a popular spot to take a walk and find some quiet. It's 32.5 acres worth of north woods.

Central Park is beautiful. If you don't know that, I don't know what rock it is you've been living under. There's something so natural about the north woods. It makes you feel like you're way upstate away from it all. And when you come back out along 110th Street, you see the pool which is open to the public during the summer and the Harlem Meer. It's a great way to spend some time. You really can't tell the waterfalls are man made!

https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/attractions/waterfalls/

https://secretnyc.co/central-park-secret-waterfalls-spring-ny/

https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/the-ravine

https://triptins.com/central-park-waterfalls/

https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/new-york/central-park/waterfall

3. This thing at Citigroup Plaza, 53rd Street and Lexington Avenue Subway entrance, Manhattan. I don't know what to say about this. It's a waterfall. I know that, because I've seen them before. Apparently, it once was a fountain designed by Hideo Sasaki, which fell into disrepair and now is a step waterfalls. The creator of this version was not named.

It's part of the sunken plaza at the Citigroup Center. I'm not entirely sure if it even still belongs to Citigroup, but there it is. It's a nice quiet place to sit and have a Dunkin and enjoy not being up on the noisy streets. What's the catch? Well, it's also the entrance to the subway station there.

The original fountain was destroyed in 2017. I'm not sure when the step waterfalls came along, but I like them.

https://aviewoncities.com/new-york/citigroup-center

https://www.nyctourism.com/places/atrium-at-citigroup-center/

https://buildingsdb.com/NY/new-york/citigroup-center/

https://archinect.com/news/article/150033697/

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/lets-not-destroy-new-york-city-brutalist-masterpieces

4. Greenacre Park Waterfall, 51st Street between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue. This park is privately owned and the waterfall was designed in part by the same Hideo Sasaki that designed the defunct fountains at Citigroup Plaza. This waterfall is 25 feet high and is a double decker. It's pumping system is fed by a stream that runs along one side of the park. It has a grand entrance, a snack bar, and trees. You can sit in a chair or at a table and enjoy the escape from the noise of the city outside.

This is a haven for people who live and work in the area and is a gorgeous waterfalls. The whole park is a mere 6,000 square feet and was built in the 1970's. I was impressed. The park is open from 8 am to 8 pm for all to enjoy. It does have gates and does close overnight. It is also closed on some holidays.

https://greenacrepark.org/

https://www.sasaki.com/projects/greenacre-park/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/greenacre-park

https://www.tclf.org/landscapes/greenacre-park

https://sideways.nyc/discover/27hr8qq9W3PyHWhORGgsB6/greenacre-park

5. Paley Park Waterfall, 53rd Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue. There are a lot of little havens in this neighborhood. This is another pocket park, also privately owned. The waterfall was built by Robert Zion for William S. Paley in honor of his father Samuel Paley.

Opened in 1967 the 4,200 Square Foot Paley Park is home to a 20 foot high wall of water. Once again, built as a haven to get away from the noisy streets of Manhattan, there are places to sit and relax, and it's open from 8 am to 8 pm daily. This is a wall of water, and I enjoyed it very much. In Paley Park, you feel a little more closed off from the rest of the world than any of the other urban falls.

https://www.paleypark.org/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/paley-park

https://www.tclf.org/paley-park

https://www.untappedcities.com/paley-park-a-hidden-oasis-in-midtown/

https://www.watercubedesign.it/paley-park/

There you have it. I found five different waterfalls groups in Manhattan. To be fair I know of a couple more, even though the internet tells me they aren't there. I might visit them soon. While I promise you there are no natural waterfalls in Manhattan, they do have some beautiful falling water designed by humans. I don't know what is up with the waterfall in Morningside Park. I was assured it was working and when I went, the water was green and there was no waterfall flowing. Still a mystery.

Waterfalls are one of the things in this world that historically bring people peace. All of these waterfalls were designed to help people escape the hustle, bustle and noise of Manhattan, and from what I saw and heard; they all do a good job.

I'm a waterfall enthusiast from way back. I've hiked to and photographed most waterfalls in New England and many in other places around the world. This was a fun venture in New York City, and if you'd like to see what I'm doing right now, I have a YouTube Channel for that.

"Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's Me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Hope you enjoyed learning about Manhattan's waterfalls! Thanks for joining me! Enjoy!

Wanna See Some Crazy Stuff? Here's This Week's Fast Five!

2026-07-09T15:46:45.745-04:00

Once in a while I just love crazy stuff. Here's some towns, homes, and temples around the world that are just insane! The best part is that most of them you can go and visit!

1. Vardzia, Erusheti Mountain, Southern Georgia. That's a mouthful, but this amazing cave monastery has been there since the later 1100's. It's 500 feet up and has 19 stories of caves that have been carved into every imaginable building.

They lived there, worked there and worshipped there. This was a completely isolated and completely self supporting monastery with 15 or so places of worship and over 100 dwellings. It's had a bit of a wild history being taken over by Mongols, Ottomans, and Soviets and others over the years. Later excavations revealed that the location has been inhabited off and on since the Bronze Age. Today, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you would like to visit this place, It's open daily from 10 am to 7 pm most of the time. It costs the equivalent of $5.50 to get in. They have a visitor center and audio guides for you if necessary. There are buses and taxis to go out there or you can drive it yourself in a rental. If you'd rather not put in that much work, you can book a tour through TripAdvisor, Viator, and GetYourGuide.

https://www.getyourguide.com/vardzia-l90039/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g7092359-d1598757-r391347834-Vardzia-Aspindza_Samtskhe_Javakheti_Region.html

https://www.viator.com/tours/Kutaisi/Vardzia-cave-city-and-Rabati-castle-Tour/d50207-45676P5

https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5236/

https://georgia.travel/vardzia

2. Jingyin Temple, Gujian Mountain, Chongqing, China. Another mouthful, but an interesting temple complex on quite a cliff. This place dates back to 960 or so and it was a Buddhist Complex mostly. It sits 3,760 feet up from the ground below the cliff and has views you can't imagine.

It's built so that it blends in with the stone around and there are several parts to it. It was a sanctuary for centuries and is now a place to go and visit. It's about a 2 hour drive from Chongqing. You can take a bullet train and then a taxi if you like. Tours are available and the property is open all the time. There are some accommodations in the area if you'd like. Tours are very affordable. Allow a couple of hours for exploration. The one kicker is you have to walk and it's got over 700 steps to get up there.

This one is for the slightly adventurous, or you can just visit to get a look at it.

https://www.ichongqing.info/attraction/gujian-mountain-in-qijiang-district/

https://www.chinadragontours.com/attractions/jingyin-temple-in-qijiang-district-chongqing

https://www.getyourguide.com/chongqing-l959/chongqing-historical-blocks-temple-and-mountain-tour-t1017541/

https://dancingpandas.com/is-chongqing-worth-visiting-guide/

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2017-03/24/content_28667612.htm

3. The Volcano House, Newberry Springs, California. This wild one was built in the late 1960's by architect Harold James Bissner Jr. Why? Creativity I suppose. It drives a lot of people in California. It's built atop an ancient volcano cone. It's in the middle of nowhere in the Mojave Desert and has 360 degree views from its perch.

This is a private home and not open to the public, but if you drive out there you can at least get a look at it. It's a functioning house and its design reportedly reflects the heat of the desert. Thought it was an interesting one.

https://www.desertsun.com/story/desert-magazine/2016/09/28/step-inside-volcano-house-desert-masterpiece/91225446/

https://www.yatzer.com/volcano-house-lance-gerber

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/06/the-volcano-house-of-newberry-springs.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxytKVBgPH4

https://www.ignant.com/2016/08/26/a-dome-shaped-house-in-the-middle-of-the-desert/

4. Linshi Town, on a bridge, Chongqing, China. A lot of interesting stuff goes on in the province of Chongqing, apparently. This is a village on a bridge. Can't say much more about that.

People live on this bridge. People have businesses on this bridge. There are restaurants on this bridge. It is a town, so you can visit this bridge. One of the strangest things I've ever seen, but it was built that way. It was built in the 1980's and it's on a viaduct 400 feet above the river below. Simple as that. It's a completely functioning town.

You can take a bullet train to Fuling and visit from there. Catch a ride share or taxi. There's an elevator up to the village. You can also book a tour. There's a small fee to visit.

https://www.trip.com/travel-guide/attraction/chongqing/linshi-ancient-town-136329270/

https://app.ichongqing.info/mixmedia/a/201912/18/WS632dd9c6e4b09d51144641ee.html

https://travelpal.ai/destinations/asia/china/chongqing/linshi

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1974446/chinese-city-bridges-neighbourhood-chongqing

https://www.news18.com/buzz/this-unique-town-in-china-built-on-a-bridge-deserves-your-attention-7569373.html

5. Bonifacio, Corsica, France. This is a village, on a cliff that's not in Asia. It's on the island of Corsica off the coast of France. You may have heard of Corsica. It's where Napoleon was born. It has a rather interesting history, mostly because of that.

This place is perched on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean. It's medieval. It's not accessible and you climb 189 steps to get up to the village and bastion. It's a great day trip on a lovely island in the Mediterranean Sea. What more do you really need to know? If you come to Corsica in early May, you might also get to celebrate Napoleon's Birthday. It's a local holiday in Corsica.

Bonifacio is also the city around the hilltop village. You can fly in, drive in, come by boat or take a tour. There are many accommodations, just check the listings.

https://bonifacio.co.uk/

https://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/destinations/bonifacio/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g612416-Activities-c42-Bonifacio_Corse_du_Sud_Corsica.html

https://northabroad.com/bonifacio-travel-guide/

https://www.getyourguide.com/bonifacio-l91244/ttd/

There you have it! Some odd and unusual things to take a look at and experience. The world is full of wonder, and if you'd like to know what I'm up to right now, check out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Remember, the world is full of amazing things, so never stop Adventuring! Enjoy!!!!!

You Should Know, You Need to Know, and Do You Want to Know on This Week's Fast Five!

2026-07-02T13:16:58.930-04:00

I decided to do a few more Did You Knows for this week's fast five, so hope you get something out of this one!

1. Did you know that there was a park called Morningside in Manhattan and that they are supposed to have a waterfall?

The park is located on a cliff, so this makes a waterfall entirely possible. There is a lake, so that makes a waterfall even more possible. The powers that be actually made a man made waterfall in this park. It's roughly 20 feet high and is embedded in the cliff next to the lake. Pretty cool right?

I went to visit the waterfall the other day, however, and it was dry. I don't know if it's the season, if there was something wrong with the pumps or what. I'd heard that they'd recently done some work on the pumps to make sure it was flowing and I saw a lot of pictures and videos online, but when I got there it was dry. Just a heads up!

You can reach Morningside Park best by taking the B, A, or C, lines to 116th St. and walking west. If you take the 1 line to 116th St. you'll have to walk across Columbia University Campus and that isn't as easy as it sounds.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/morningside-park

https://www.morningsidepark.org/

https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/attractions/morningside-park/

https://news.columbia.edu/news/morningside-park-restored-waterfall-renewed-pond-and-blueprint-climate-resilient-public-space

https://foresyteapp.com/morningside-waterfall-new-york/

2. Did you know that the Waterbury Line on Metro North is shutting down for 10 months? That's right. 10 months, starting July 20th, 2026. They expect to reopen on June 1st, 2027.

There have been many changes to the Waterbury line over the years, although I suspect they're still using the same trains, and this is just the latest. The state of Connecticut decided that in order to fix all the platforms at all of the 6 stations that are exclusively on that line; they'll get it done fast and better if the trains aren't in the way. Fair assessment.

Don't worry, you can still take advantage of the free parking and the lack of dealing with Bridgeport's transportation hub traffic. There will be buses throughout the duration of the upgrades and you'll still be able to use your traintime app for tickets.

https://www.mta.info/

https://portal.ct.gov/governor/news/press-releases/2026/05-2026/governor-lamont-announces-construction-underway-on-four-waterbury-branch-line-station-upgrades?language=en_US

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/mta-buses-to-replace-waterbury-branch-trains-starting-july-20/3750825/

https://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2026-05-01/ct-metro-north-train-stations-upgrades

https://valley.newhavenindependent.org/2026/07/01/waterbury-branch-to-use-buses/

3. Did you know that if you take an American Cruise on an American Cruise Ship, you'll only be dealing with Americans?

Let me explain this one. In the United States, there are cruise lines that only travel places in the country. There are some exclusively Alaskan cruises, Mississippi River cruises, Puget Sound area, Chesapeake Bay, coastlines, great lakes and the likes. This particular area of cruise travel has some unique laws in our country.

If your cruise company only travels in the United States of America with no other ports, your company needs to be owned and operated by Americans. The ship must be made by an American company and staffed by Americans, while being an American run cruise company. I'm not joking. I didn't know that, but there it is.

What do I think about this? I'm not sure. It's called the Jones Act and it's not new. It comes from around 1920. I'm all for supporting American products and companies. The government has made no such restrictions on international cruise ships operating within American based companies. It's a point of conversation. Just found out and thought I'd share.

https://www.tipsfortravellers.com/legal-restriction-on-usa-cruise-ships-shorts/

https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1004?language=en_US

https://www.barneslawfirm.com/how-the-jones-act-affects-cruise-ships/

https://naylorlaw.com/blog/how-does-the-jones-act-affect-cruise-ships/

https://www.sutliffstout.com/jones-act-cruise-ships/

4. Did you know that tipping is more prevalent in several South African locations than it is in the United States?

Bet that one never occurred to you. I've been bombarded in recent years with tipping situations. I buy a bottle of water at a stand and they want a tip. Sorry, you don't see the cashiers at Walmart doing that. It seems as though we have the most intrusive and constant tipping society in the world. When I visit Europe, tipping is mostly not done, and if it is, it's by choice. So, how on Earth could there be anywhere that's crazier on tipping than here?

My friends, that place is South Africa. From what I understand, Apartheid is over, but some of the issues linger on. Apparently, and I don't know for sure, because I've never actually been there; segregation and the wealth gap larger than the Grand Canyon are still alive and well. I heard a story just last week that some restaurants still seat certain people in the back and others in the front. True story.

At any rate, to make some extra cash, the people doing various unskilled and menial jobs are reliant on tips. They need to get by. So, remember when you're tooling around South Africa; tip.

Tip your bartender, housekeeping, servers and waitstaff, valets, guides, gas station attendants, and more. It's customary there.

https://www.capetownmagazine.com/tipping-south-africa

https://www.expertafrica.com/south-africa/info/tipping-in-south-africa

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293740-i9186-k14701257-Tipping-South_Africa.html

https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/108672/tipping-in-south-africa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=318aSmggvdg

5. Did you know that there's a cat boat in Amsterdam?

There are a lot of things that we all hear about Amsterdam. Getting around by bike and boat, all the canals, the red light district, hash bars, Anne Frank. We hear a lot of that stuff. What I'd never heard about was the cat boat.

I find this fascinating, because we all know that there are a lot of homeless cats in the world and they need a place to live and someone to care for them. shelters are not uncommon. However, I was intrigued to hear about a bunch of homeless cats being cared for and living on a boat. I've had cats and they were never a fan of water. This is something I never would have thought of.

At any rate, they are cared for and comfortable and a little bit spoiled. They are available for adoption and if you want a kitty; there are plenty there to choose from.

https://depoezenboot.nl/en

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/de-poezenboot-the-cat-boat

https://all.accor.com/a/en/limitless/thematics/off-the-beaten-track/cat-boat-amsterdam.html

https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1384?language=en_US

https://www.state.gov/transition-center/returning-to-the-u-s-with-pets

That's all I have to say about that. I hope you found these items a bit interesting and somewhat helpful. Sorry to say that the waterfall in Morningside Park is dry. But, it is. I'm rummaging around New York City on my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone With Terri Dixon" that's me! If you'd like to check out what I'm up to right now, here you go; https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Thanks for joining me! Never stop adventuring! Enjoy!

We're Doing A Did You Know For This Week's Fast Five!

2026-06-25T11:56:27.676-04:00

Sometimes I just want to see if y'all are paying attention to some of the stranger little things around the world!

1. Did you know about Seborga, Italy? It's a town that thinks it should be a country. What? Well, it's all about a technicality. apparently, the village of now 300 people was sold in 1729, but the sale to then royalty was never officially recorded. Somehow, that led a local resident named Giorgio Carbone to campaign for the village's independence in 1963.

The little village is only 35 km from Monaco along that southern coast along the Mediterranean Sea, and is a great little stop along the way. They've printed and minted their own money and they have their own flag. They are not recognized as a country, but they are determined. Is it a vacation spot? No. Just a stop along the way.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g2052406-d4420640-Reviews-Seborga-Seborga_Province_of_Imperia_Liguria.html

https://instantlyitaly.com/discover-seborga-an-old-village-in-liguria-unique-character/

https://www.italia.it/en/liguria/seborga

https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherinesabino/2023/09/06/what-to-know-about-visiting-seborga-a-destination-unlike-any-other-in-italy/

https://www.principatodiseborga.com/history

2. Did you know that there's an island called Pheasant Island, in France or Spain? Actually, it's both. This strange island which is uninhabited, needed a home. France is on one side of the Bidasoa River and Spain is on the other. Ironically, no one ever included this little island in any treaties or anything, so it's not clear whom it belongs to.

How to sort that out? Well, the two countries decided to be fair. Or what seems fair to Spain and France, which was to each claim responsibility for the island for half the year every year. And, it's not like they set up the schedule using new year's which most people would do. No. That would be too easy.

From February 1st to July 31st each year, France is responsible for the island. From August 1st to the next year's January 31st, it is governed by Spain. Does this make any difference to the island? No. But rules are rules. My favorite part is that it's not even open the public, so you couldn't visit other than to look at it if you tried.

https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/what-to-see-in-basque-country/pheasant-island-nationality-spanish-half-year-french-other/20240710150541067216.html

https://www.basquecountry-tourism.com/directory/pheasant-island/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pheasant-island

https://www.defactoborders.org/places/pheasant-island

https://airial.travel/attractions/%C3%AEle-des-faisans-pheasant-island-bidasoa-river-france-spain-5vHz6X_m

3. Did you know that the time zone in Newfoundland is weird? We've probably all heard of Newfoundland. Although it sits on the east coast of Canada, it's very remote. St. John's, Newfoundland is the first place the sunrise is visible in all the Americas every day. It's an interesting country with very few people living in it for its size. There are two islands just off its southern shore that are a province of France. You can sit on the beach in Newfoundland and watch icebergs float by.

There's not doubt that it's an interesting country, famous for Vikings having lived there and their fishing industry, and very cold winters. My father was stationed there with the Navy in the 1950's and he told some crazy stories about the winters there.

However, did you know that they have one of the strangest time zones on Earth? In a world where times zones are separated by an hour, Newfoundland decided that none of that suited them. Here's the story.

When the world decided to standardize time zones, Newfoundland was a British Dominion and not a part of Canada. They fall precisely in the middle of two of the time zones that were established back then. So, they split the difference. They became part of Canada in 1949, and at that point it was assumed that they'd adopt a time zone. However, it's been a cantankerous political topic to this very day. The Newfoundlanders like their unusual time zone. They feel it's part of their history and they aim to preserve it. There have been votes, campaigns, referendums and on and on, but as of right now, they are still 3.5 hours west of Greenwich Mean Time.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/newfoundland-half-hour-time-zone-1.7001193

https://www.britannica.com/story/why-are-some-time-zones-30-minutes-off-instead-of-an-hour

https://www.productofnewfoundland.ca/articles/5-facts-about-the-newfoundland-time-zone

https://www.citymonitor.ai/analysis/the-worlds-weirdest-time-zones/

https://www.canadainfolink.ca/time-zones-canada/

4. Did you know that the Giant Ferris Wheel at Der Prater, Vienna is special? Why? Well, it's the oldest Ferris Wheel in the world. I wondered about this. I was always told that the Ferris Wheel was created in Chicago, Illinois, USA for the Columbian Exhibition in 1893. Turns out that also is true.

The things are named after the creator; George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. That's a mouthful; pretty happy they shortened it to Ferris. But, alas, that first wheel went away. It was refurbished a few times for events in Chicago but was officially demolished in 1906.

The Giant Ferris Wheel in Der Prater in Vienna came along in 1897 to celebrate the 50th Jubilee of Franz Joseph I. Unlike Chicago, Vienna has preserved that very wheel to this day. It's 65 meters high and takes about 15 minutes to make a revolution. It does give a great view of the city and comes with its own museum. It costs 13.5 Euros for a ride and is well worth it!

https://www.wien.info/en/see-do/prater/giant-ferris-wheel-346994

https://wienerriesenrad.com/en/home/

https://www.praterwien.com/en/attractions/details/platform-9-giant-wheel

https://www.austria.info/nl-nl/bestemmingen/giant-ferris-wheel/

https://viennawelcomecard.at/attraction/giant-ferris-wheel

5. Did you know that Napoleon blew up Devin Castle, Slovakia? I had no idea. But, this medieval behemoth, which sits on top of a fantastic hill overlooking the Danube and also the Morava Rivers was just a bit much for Napoleon to deal with back in 1809.

This castle was originally an area inhabited in prehistoric times. It was a piece of land used by Romans, Celts, Hungarians and many others over the years. Fast forward to the years of Napoleon. He put a siege on Pressburg (modern day capital, Bratislava). While that was kind of working out, the castle was being used as a stronghold station against him. When the whole thing was over, Napoleon simply decided, in his paranoid mind, that he should blow it up so no one could use it as a stronghold against him in the future. Now, we all visit the ruins.

The castle is a deeply embedded piece of Slovak history. It holds deep meaning for the people there. The castle is a popular site to visit and it only costs 8 Euros to enter. You can reach it by boat or bus and it's open daily until 6 pm.

https://www.visitbratislava.com/places/devin-castle/

https://muzeumbratislava.sk/en/devin-castle

https://hraddevin.mmb.sk/en/

https://slovakia.travel/en/devin-castle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIx80SMa3qI

I do cover a lot of these topics on my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." You can learn more there about several of the topics here.

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

There you have it. Just a few little things that I didn't know if y'all knew about. There are a lot of little tidbits around the world. I've mentioned just a few. If you're curious about what goes on out in the world, go out and check it out. You only live once and there's a whole world to see! Enjoy!

New York City Has Some New Secrets To Me That Everyone Should Check Out On This Week's Fast Five!

2026-06-18T14:48:11.428-04:00

I love to find new things to investigate in New York, and I recently found some great stuff that I will be covering on my YouTube Channel, Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon in the near future. If you like Central Europe, I'm doing a series on my visit to Slovakia right now. https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

1. The Dyckman Farmhouse and Park, The Bronx, New York. Gotta love this one! It's an 18th century farmhouse turned park and museum right in the city! Is it a thrill a minute? No. However, this is a gem. It's at the end of the blue A line on the subway and it's one of the oldest houses in the entire city. Besides, it's a farmhouse. It was built in 1784 and rebuilt in 1793. The family used to farm there on a couple hundred acres. Over the years, things changed and eventually the house was gifted to the city and made into a museum and park. It's only open Wednesday through Saturday 12 to 4, but it also only costs $3. There's a little half acre park around it as well. If you want a little side trip to the Bronx before or after your Yankees game; this could be for you.

I like it because it's unique. What makes me visit some of the places I go to? Just that. Have I ever heard of an existing farmhouse in the Bronx? No. Now I want to go.

https://dyckmanfarmhouse.org/

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/dyckman-house-museum

https://dyckmanfarmhouse.org/visit/tickets-tours/

https://historichousetrust.org/houses/dyckman-farmhouse-museum/

https://www.nyctourism.com/museums-galleries/dyckman-farmhouse-museum/

2. Far Rockaway, Queens, New York City. What exactly is Rockaway, or Far Rockaway? Interesting question. I've been spending some time out there lately and when I figure it all out, there will be a video and maybe a whole other blog post.

It's a peninsula in Queens. You can get there by Long Island Railroad (LIRR). You can get there across the water in Jamaica Bay by the blue A Line on the Subway. Yes, this is the other end. The Bronx end is close to the Dyckman Farmhouse. There's also another shuttle out there that separates from the A Line to go to the west part of the peninsula and the rest of the beaches.

There are beaches out there. Miles of them on the ocean side of the peninsula. You can walk for miles along the Atlantic shore. It's beautiful. It's also beach land for beach people. It's also the only place in the city where it's legal to surf. In the summer, you can even take surfing classes.

If you don't want to spend an hour and a half coming from the train station on the subway, you can go to Pier 11 and catch a ferry that will get you there in an hour. It's a bit out there. You can see JFK Airport from Far Rockaway. There are bridges. They are connected to Queens. You can drive there if you like. I don't drive in the city and certainly wouldn't drive out there.

There are 85,000 residents in Rockaway/Far Rockaway. There are high rise apartments. There are schools. There are industrial businesses, and a complete city out there. It is truly unique. It's busy, bustling, with people running to get where they're going. Then, you can hop off the train in another area and just walk along a boardwalk right on the ocean and feel like the city part is a million miles away instead of a block.

This place needs to be investigated and I'm going to do that.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/rockaway-beach-and-boardwalk/

https://www.cityneighborhoods.nyc/far-rockaway

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g47702-Far_Rockaway_Queens_New_York-Vacations.html

https://www.ferry.nyc/routes-and-schedules/rockaway-soundview/

https://www.mta.info/stations/far-rockaway

3. The Frying Pan Restaurant and Cafe, Pier 66a, Chelsea, Manhattan in Hudson River Park. What on Earth is this? Well, once I figured out what a historic lighthouse boat was, I had a better clue. They used to use them in the Carolinas as they needed them to be movable; why I don't know. I stumbled right onto this one and plan to have a meal there soon, just to check this out.

It was built in 1929 and was used as a floating lighthouse in Cape Fear. It's name was the Frying Pan Shoals. When it was retired in 1965, it warranted a second chapter. It was eventually brought to NYC in the 1980's and was docked at Pier 63 and turned into a restaurant. It was declared a historic site in 1991, moved to Pier 66a in 2007 and the rest is history. They serve pub fare and some seafood. They also have another site in Brooklyn.

However, this is not the only vessel used at this site. There's also a floating bridge from the B & O Railroad to enter the property on, a Lackawanna RR Barge, and a retired fire boat. This looks to be a venue that would be as much fun as a party boat, but it's just a scenic Hudson River restaurant in Chelsea with what appears to be really good food.

They're open seasonally, weather permitting, from 11:30 am to 10 pm daily. To get there, I would take the purple 7 Line to Hudson Yards and enjoy the walk along the river.

https://www.fryingpan.com/

https://hudsonriverpark.org/activities/pier-66-bar-grill/

https://www.nyctourism.com/restaurants/the-frying-pan/

https://loving-newyork.com/frying-pan-restaurant/?ltad=gads_LNYus_newyork_PMAX&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23737172802&gbraid=0AAAAADNqAdE3nqAX7HFjNwOnOapvG6_Hr&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrs7RBhDuARIsAIVfBD39Sxnr0nCy1SN8KhshnKh8vWdoLqNU_hA6vkiRTIjajZH1_0m9uvgaAhgREALw_wcB

https://www.fryingpanbrooklyn.com/

4. Bowling at Chelsea Piers, Chelsea, Manhattan. Chelsea Piers is one of those locations. There's so much to do there, it's crazy. This is where a lot of people get their sports on. They have golf; figure that out. They have health clubs, various sports groups for kids in particular, ice skating, swimming, and all kinds of stuff. I went to Arte Museum there a bit ago for immersive art. They have cool restaurants. This is where you'll catch a lot of local cruises in Manhattan. There's a lot going on.

It sits on the Hudson River at Piers 59, 60, and 61. The complex is huge. It's part of the Hudson River Park and there's a walkway right through it. Therefore, I was walking along after I went to Arte Museum and discovered that there's also a bowling alley and arcade.

Lucky Strike Arcade and Bowling. They're a chain of entertainment venues. They also have laser tag. It's a truly cool looking venue and face it; how many bowling alleys do you find in Manhattan? I know, there's one in Port Authority Bus Terminal, but how many others?

This is the kind of place where you can game, tag, bowl, eat and drink. On those rainy days, this is a winner. Their hours vary throughout the week, so check before you go. You can also book ahead online and make sure you have a spot. They have all kinds of specials and special events, so make sure you check their website.

Just to put it out there, I went to Arte Museum, and it was a great time. It's worth the $50 price tag any day.

To visit Chelsea Piers I would just take the blue A Line to 14th Street and walk from there toward the Hudson River. Yes, there is an A Line theme today.

https://www.luckystrikeent.com/?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A23087449821%3A189957319107%3A779030195660&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23087449821&gbraid=0AAAAADPFdQSOJ_VNA3aEjU35jgT67nBdy&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrs7RBhDuARIsAIVfBD23HW_RyL3A2xSCMU2bZuzAoMQOpC51AGuQy6WGqjI8Bxa1LFQsDkoaAjF6EALw_wcB

https://www.luckystrikeent.com/location/lucky-strike-chelsea-piers

https://hudsonriverpark.org/activities/bowling/

https://www.chelseapiers.com/

https://www.nyctourism.com/attractions-tours/chelsea-piers-sports-entertainment-complex/

5. Centre 360 or the observation deck on top of City Hall, Manhattan. This is a 100 year in the making experience. The original 36 story high deck was closed about 100 years ago and just opened for the first time since then this month. It delivers its promised 360 degree views over the city and does it for free.

What's the catch? Well, there are a lot of them. It's only open Monday Through Friday 9 to 5. Office hours baby. You also can only go up in groups of five. It's a small elevator, and its a cupola on top. Those are the catches. It is free and it is a great view. You have to book in advance on their website to get a spot and they aren't easy to get as this is new for this generation, free and popular. The best time to try and make a reservation is first thing on the first of the month. Spots will fill up quick. First come, first serve. There's a limited number available.

I'll let you know when I manage to get a spot. To get there, take the green 4, 5, 6, the brown J, Z, or the yellow R, W. This is also the station that is at the end of the Brooklyn Bridge, so you can walk that. It's also the station where you can ride the green 6 on its turnaround and see the abandoned subway station. It's a really cool neighborhood, close to South Street Seaport and Pier 17. It has great views along the East River. So plan a day of it when you get your ticket. There's a lot in a confined space worth seeing.

https://a856-centre360.nyc.gov/

https://newyorkyimby.com/2026/06/centre-360-public-observatory-opens-atop-david-n-dinkins-municipal-building-at-1-centre-street-in-lower-manhattan.html

https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcas/news/015-26/dcas-officially-opens-centre-360-the-public-city-s-new-only-municipal-observation

https://medium.com/compoundclassroom/why-this-neighborhood-is-an-undiscovered-manhattan-gem-21d063e0e070

https://www.mta.info/

There are some of my latest finds. Will I be looking into it personally? Absolutely! You'll be able to check it all out on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

There are many hidden gems in the city. I find new ones all the time. There's always something new and different in New York. Most of the time I don't even have to look for it; I just stumble across it. Just remember, when you visit a city; check ahead and see if you can find some hidden gems where you're visiting. They are always some of the most memorable activities you'll have. I like the hidden gems because they aren't normally overrun with tourists. It gives me unique stories to tell and memories that not everyone has.

Check back here for more travel information on New York City, the world, and the do's and don'ts of travel. Enjoy!

Here Are Five Amazing Things I Learned in Bratislava, Slovakia on This Week's Fast Five!

2026-06-11T14:24:03.613-04:00

Central Europe is one of my favorite regions. I've been visiting it since it was the Soviet Bloc. I've been to Czechoslovakia, but modern Slovakia was a new one for me. I loved it even more! Why? I've broken it down into five categories, not including the main one; the people! I don't always say it, because sometimes the people aren't the best part, but in Bratislava they really were the best part.

1. I love food. I'm more of a foodie than anyone you've ever seen on CNN, the Food Network, or the Travel Channel. I love to eat, and it shows unfortunately, and one of my favorite areas of the world to eat is Central and Northern Europe. They love root vegetables, paprika based spice, meat, dumplings, sauce and more. It's not the healthiest for a bunch of Americans, but it tastes amazing.

In Bratislava I learned about a few things and there were some things I already knew. The hearty dishes I knew about. I also knew of what we here in the USA would call a difference. I was always raised to have a meat, a vegetable and a starch for a dinner meal. It was standard. In Slovakia this is also standard...with a twist. You may find yourself in a traditional restaurant where the potato is the vegetable and rice or dumplings are the starch. It's delicious, but it can feel a bit heavy in the gut if you aren't used to it.

I think everyone should visit a grocery store when they travel. I try to visit a pharmacy, a grocery store, a city market and a coffee shop in every location I visit. It tells you a lot about the culture. There are some things that you might find different in the grocery store in Slovakia and Central Europe. They don't refrigerate as many things as we do. You might find eggs in a box or milk on a shelf. Beer and wine are never in a cooler. It's a way of life. it doesn't mean any of these things are spoiled. It's cultural.

Drinks. What can I say? If you get water, be aware. All over Europe. Gas or no gas? Still is a term that's used. The Europeans love sparkling mineral water. They are acutely aware that Americans don't tend to drink it. The minute a waitress spots you as American and you order a water, they'll ask if you want gas or no gas or still or not. If you don't want that carbonation, say no gas or still. However, in the grocery store things can get more confusing. That's where the locals shop. Most waters will be with gas. I just get out my Google Translate when necessary and make sure I find the ones with no gas.

Soda is another one, especially colas. Don't go buying a six pack of cola for your hotel or apartment thinking it tastes like Coke or Pepsi. If it doesn't say Coke or Pepsi it probably doesn't taste like it. I recommend trying one and see if you like it. Then think about getting a supply for your trip.

What is a bagel? When I was in Slovakia, it was a crescent shaped item. It did taste like a bagel, but it didn't look like one. Once again, try one at a market and see if you like it before you buy a bag.

Overall, I say jump right into the food scene. It's always fun to try new things. These are some of the things that I've either found in Europe or I recently discovered in Slovakia.

https://www.farawayworlds.com/food/traditional-food-of-slovakia

https://www.tasteatlas.com/slovakia

https://shop.billa.at/anmelden

https://www.kofola.cz/en/about-us

https://www.globalslovakia.com/post/the-drinking-guide-to-slovakia-part-2-spirits

2. One of the main things I always look for in a destination is the view. If you don't travel to see the view I can't help you. That should always be a reason.

Bratislava and the area had amazing views. They have what they call the UFO Tower right there on the SNP Bridge crossing the Danube River. This is great for so many reasons. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love to walk bridges. The Danube while walking over it is beautiful. It's also beautiful while taking a boat on it or walking along the waterfront. It's hard to make that river look bad.

Bratislava sits on that river and has developed its waterfront to be very engaging. You can walk dine, drink, catch a boat, or even stay in a hotel. They have a Boatel. Some of the trams run along the waterfront, so it's easy to get to. Buses also. One of the trams even runs across one of the bridges. Great views in that neighborhood. The UFO Tower on the bridge has a 95 meter high outdoor observation deck and just below it is a restaurant and bar. It has amazing views and the food and drink aren't bad either. If you have to pee, they also have the bathroom with the best view ever.

Soviets once ruled this land, and unlike most other cities in that situation with that past hanging around; the people of Bratislava kept all the stuff. Some of the great places to visit in Bratislava were built by Soviets. Slavin is the war memorial up on a hill. It has magnificent views of the city and of the other Soviet monuments and is a real learning venue. The castle is a museum. The original castle was gone a while ago. In the late 1950's they started to rebuild and remake. It's a great venue that you can spend half a day at with amazing views. The TV tower; also a Soviet creation. You can eat at the restaurant in this as well and they also have an observation deck where you can see the entire city. Always look for the views.

One day we took a little trip up the river on a boat to some castle ruins called Devin Castle. Beautiful views on the boat. The castle ruins were on top of a hill and had amazing views of the river and all the villages and hills and lands around. Amazing.

Views are a part of travel and the rolling hills at the foot of the Alps along the Danube provide amazing views. If you don't take advantage of it, that's on you.

https://www.visitbratislava.com/top-10-views-bratislava/

https://www.getyourguide.com/bratislava-l765/viewing-points-tc238/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g274924-Activities-c47-t166-Bratislava_Bratislava_Region.html

https://aniolvisuals.com/bratislava-photography-spots-guide/

https://www.visitbratislava.com/places/devin-castle/

3. I always visit a city market. Even Boston has one. However, with the modernity of Bratislava, there were more grocery stores and malls than what I would call a city market. So, if you show up for a day trip on a Sunday; you missed it. For the most part they only have one. It's only on Saturdays, but it is in old town so the tourists can find it.

It's in the Old Market Hall in Old Town. It's also a venue off and on, but on Saturdays it's a market. This is where I discovered the local wine, beer and bagels. You can buy a lot of things there. Art, flea market type stuff and local food and produce. There was a lot of local honey, sweet treats, cheese, and unique vegetables. It was a great experience. No matter where you go, you should check out a city market and to be fair, it's normally easier than it was in Bratislava.

Just one major note. I found that malls were all over the place, but finding them wasn't that easy. What I did find, being a traveler who uses public transportation was that if you take the #4 tram to what's called City Center. It's a main bus hub and there is a nice mall there to check out. There's also a more local market at that stop and you can see some more local stuff.

https://www.visitbratislava.com/places/old-market-hall/

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/slovakia/bratislava/articles/the-best-markets-in-bratislava

https://www.getyourguide.com/bratislava-l765/markets-bazaars-souks-tc260/

https://www.visitbratislava.com/your-visit/shopping/

https://nivy.com/en

4. Public transportation. I use it. I advocate everyone else using it. It costs more and more all the time to rent a car. In many countries, after age 65 you can't anyway. When visiting a city in particular, and pretty much anywhere in Europe, just take the mass transit.

Bratislava was typical of Central European Countries. While Vienna had a subway to go along with all the older stuff, Bratislava was the land of trams, trains, buses, and ferries. You can also pay to take Taxis or Bolt (the European Uber). Bolt also offers bike and scooter rentals on their app. Just like Uber, they also have a food delivery service. I also saw a food delivery service called Wolt.

I like trams. There are places that you need to take a bus, but in the normal city fashion; if you get a transit pass, it will cover both tram and bus. Sometimes the Subways are separate. In Vienna, subway and tram were together. Buses were separate. In Bratislava, for about 20 Euros we got a week pass and it worked great. Unlimited rides and the public transit runs from about 5 am to almost midnight. It's the way to go.

We also took some day trips. If you've never taken a European commuter train; you're missing out. for very cheap you can catch one of these to a great side trip. We took one to Trnava, which was a great little town with ancient buildings, churches and walkable city walls. We also took them back and forth to Vienna, where we flew in and out of and spent a day trip. The staff at the train station is very helpful and it makes it so easy to just go. The trains are quite comfortable too.

We took a boat up to the castle ruins one day. Our trip was scheduled, but there are also ferries that run back and forth to Vienna, but you have to have the schedule. There's a building along the waterfront where you can buy tickets for anything on the river. They offer it all and give you the instructions you need to take the trip you book.

Bratislava had one thing that I found amazing. The Castle in the city sits on top of the main hill. Next to it is the country's parliament building. When you go up to the castle, I recommend taking the bus as it gets you the closest to the castle. Less walking uphill. Just keep an eye out for all the tour buses. Bratislava is a major stop for river cruises and a popular day trip for tourists from Vienna. There will be cruise ships all over the river and tour buses all over the top of castle hill. One more reason to learn to take public transportation. Also, the trams go through a tunnel that runs directly under the castle simply because they needed to go through there.

So, trams, trains, buses, and ferries. They are the most common and pretty easy to take to get around.

One important note. If you take the specialty bus up to the TV Tower; make sure you check your watch and the schedule. When we went, they only ran until 6 pm and only on weekends.

https://www.visitbratislava.com/informations/transport/

https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/europe/slovakia/bratislava/gettingaround/

https://thingstodoinbratislava.com/transportation/

https://brightnomad.net/bratislava-city-break/

https://www.bratislava-slovakia.eu/about/public-transport

5. One of a kind things to see and do in Bratislava. This is a unique place. The people make it. I flipped the switch on this vacation. Bratislava is notoriously a day trip for a cruise or people visiting Vienna. When we checked into our aparthotel; the staff was genuinely surprised to see how long we were staying. I'm glad we did. It was a wonderful city.

That being said; why so long in a city that's normally a day trip? The one of a kind things to see and do. I believe these folks have an amazing sense of humor. They kept the old Soviet stuff and use it for entertainment in the modern day. There are places to pose for selfies at the mall. When we went to see the castle ruins we got to play with sheep. There are statues, both serious and fun all over town. They are a city known for their statues; particularly Cumil. But all of them are great to see. There are Embassies everywhere, as it is the capital. A lot of them hang out in old town which is just a stone's throw from the Presidential Palace. We saw the Blue Church, which is a one of a kind church in the city. We saw UFO towers, KGB pubs and all sorts of entertaining sights all over the city. They had Karaoke booths in a Korean restaurant. There's a Casino, but it's not what you might expect. They have lots of breweries, clubs and shopping for those so inclined. It's just a great city to spend some time in. It's relaxed, easy to communicate, not too expensive, and full of people who genuinely like to be around people from all over the world. You have a variety of food to choose from and they have a very international food scene if you get out of old town.

https://www.visitbratislava.com/most-photographed-statues-in-bratislava/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g274924-Activities-c47-t26-Bratislava_Bratislava_Region.html

https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/bratislava-slovakia/statues

https://voicemap.me/tour/bratislava/where-three-cultures-meet-an-introduction-to-bratislava-s-old-town/sites/hidden-statues

https://www.bradtguides.com/bratislava-statues/

Why do I say you should spend more than a day in Bratislava? Because it's uniquely fun. You have a castle that has never been lived in. You have entertaining statues all over the place. You have amazing people and food. You have a UFO. You have a waterfront that begs you to spend time there. You are central to some great day trips. The cost is lower than most places around. This one is an opportunity. After the day trippers go away, you get to feel like a local. Whether you're visiting all the fabulous parks, the breweries, the restaurants, the clubs, or whatever. It's not just a city to visit. It's a city to fall in love with.

If you'd like to see more about Bratislava, I'm posting some videos on my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon."

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Take the time and make the effort on this one. You won't regret it. Enjoy!

Notes on Traveling and What to Have and Wear on This Week's Fast Five!

2026-06-04T14:02:02.647-04:00

I've spent a lot of time and energy lately on traveling smarter and better. Here's some of my best advice!

1. A travel toiletry or makeup kit. This is one of the most essential things I carry. I'm female and have a lot of stuff to bring. My husband has a smaller one, because he's a guy and has less crap to carry with him. Why do you need this?

Many reasons. First and foremost is to keep your toiletries separate from your clothes. It's that simple. What if something leaks? This provides that added barrier that could save your clothes. I have one that hangs up. It's a great thing because I don't even unpack the entire thing. It's hanging there in the bathroom ready to use. Pack smart and don't pack full sized bottles of anything and this little idea will be your best friend.

By keeping this kit, I've managed to designate a space in my bag at all times, so I know exactly how much space I have for everything else in that bag. Can't stress this one enough. Whether you're a guy and need a little one or a woman and need a lot of room; particularly if you wind up carrying some of your man's stuff, because he didn't pack as well.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-toiletry-bags

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/favorite-toiletries-bag-b9bb4175-3c62-4b9e-b54d-f5744dca07bd

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-toiletry-bags/

https://eaglecreek.com/collections/toiletry?srsltid=AfmBOope2Tcaza1_Lv7mriGgk8GACFKKTIDI-ZXGnI5FanepXHlcuJLP

https://theeverygirl.com/best-travel-toiletry-bags-for-women/

2. What luggage should you use? I've run the gamut on this one, and I've learned a lot. I've spent many a 10 day trip in Europe, whether it's multiple countries or a single city, and here's what I've learned. Pack light, take a small bag. Period.

If it doesn't have four wheels that make your bag follow you everywhere you go like a well trained puppy; you bought the wrong bag. If you have anything much larger than a carry on; you picked the wrong bag. If you brought multiple checked bags for one person; you did it wrong. If you have soft sided luggage; you did it wrong. If you feel the need to attempt to take your luggage on the plane; I can't help you.

I recently went to Europe for a week and a half. There were people on my flights that checked five or more giant pieces of luggage for a group of less than five. There was more than one group like that I witnessed. It's ridiculous. My husband and I each carry a small hard sided four wheeled well behaved bag. I carry a cross body bag for my essentials and electronics and he carries a back pack. That's all we take.

I carry light clothes and an all weather jacket. He does the same. I carry meds, headphones, camera, phone, charging stuff, batteries, and a bottle of water in my bag. He carries headphones, meds, a book, a bottle of water, charging stuff and batteries. That's all we take on the plane, plus wallets and passports. How does this work?

We normally rent an apartment in Europe. It's all the rage in most other countries and it's quite affordable. This means we normally have a washing machine. We do laundry. What happens when we don't have a washing machine? Do your research. I normally make sure we can go to a laundromat close by if we don't have laundry on site. You don't run 20 hours a day, so take the time and wash your clothes. It's not a big deal and it cuts down on luggage.

Here's a tip. You show up with a carry on sized bag and agree to check it and they'll probably do it for free. The airlines are always offering to check carry ons to make space on the plane.

Why do I say hard sided? Soft sided luggage is fine and most come with four wheels these days, but I have one thing to say about it. Weather. Things have far less of a chance to get wet in rain in a hard sided bag.

Here's a note. Where to shop for luggage? My favorite spot is Burlington. Great prices. Anything you need or want.

https://www.packhacker.com/blog/general/best-carry-on-luggage/

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-carry-on-luggage

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-checked-luggage/

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/travel/best-travel-bag

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/best-luggage-a942ff39-6bdb-4849-a95c-1c8134f24543

3. Communication. It's the most important part of your trip. I promise you. This covers everything from finding your way around to making reservations, to keeping in touch with your teenagers at home. I struggled for years. I got sim cards at the airport upon arrival for each and every country. I used a pay up front travel plan. I've tried the ever popular esim. What did I get for all that?

I have a stack of old sim cards at home. That's a waste if I ever saw one. Travel plans to pay forward are just going up and up in cost. They also tend to change activation rules to something you can't do like text someone to activate it in a country. Pain the the butt. Esims are pretty good, but once again you deal with it from country to country. Last trip I didn't even fly into the country I was actually visiting, so I had to take a train across a border and that would have been two hassles even with an esim.

So, what's a girl to do? Especially someone old like me? I'm a problem solver. I went to the Google Store and asked them to just make it all work. I walked out with a Pixel 10 and Google Fi's international plan. Sounds expensive? It does sound like that. However, phones are expensive. That ruled out worrying about that aspect. The international plan on Google Fi runs $65 per month or $55 if you have two lines. Does that sound expensive? Maybe, but I found out that you get discounts for buying the phone outright. I won't say how much, because I don't know if it differs from person to person. Sometimes that's a thing.

What does this mean? I understand that people love their iPhones and Samsungs and so forth. But, this Pixel has an amazing camera. I left my professional camera at home, and still got great pictures and videos. It's got the best phone camera I've ever encountered. The Google Fi service claimed to work seamlessly in over 200 locations. I went to five countries in my travels for various reasons, and the thing just worked. I got a message saying welcome to whatever country I'd just entered and it just worked. I had to pay $.20 per minute to make calls, but other than that it was seamless and worked absolutely everywhere I went. It even welcomed me as I crossed a border in the middle of nowhere on a train.

This Google Fi Pixel experience just worked. I love the phone, the camera and the service. I went into a Google Store, but I hear you can also go to Best Buy and get the same service. They did all the work. They transferred everything and made sure it all worked for me. I'm old and not that proficient with phone programming and transfers. They did all the work and I was on my way with a true travel solution. Here's my favorite part. If I have a question about my phone or my service; I just ask my phone. It's all Google, which is something you don't normally run into. I had a Moto on Verizon. Now I have a Google Pixel on Google Fi. It really simplified my life. I also advocate this as a phone for people in my age group which is 50-80. It's that easy. Even I can use it.

https://fi.google.com/about/phones/pixel-10?srsltid=AfmBOooc_Hblj2xYqtStyZclKWiQltycvYeLZGFTpC0wLnSbSfJ5J8Qn

https://store.google.com/magazine/google_fi?hl=en-US&srsltid=AfmBOopiU1xRv3Oq1VMZH7bZo1WvWj7nbF1E3cSh9VTvm8PThuFdl4t-

https://fi.google.com/about/phones/pixel-10-specs?srsltid=AfmBOopHVdtGprmxB6XyiboX-y79NhJvCuz2WzmmQngMEmwjzUT5Jr5X

https://www.androidheadlines.com/google-fi

I covered this on a video for 6/5/2026 on my YouTube Channel "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon"

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

4. The perfect coat or jacket. This is a tough one. I suppose it depends on where you're traveling to. If it's a cold location; you need a puffy jacket with a hood. If you buy the right one, you can even get a heated one that TSA will allow you to wear on a plane, but make sure you do your research. Not all heated jackets will be allowed. One of the things that are helpful with cold weather locations is that you will want to wear the coat while flying. This takes out a lot of the guesswork as to what to pack.

On the other hand, if you're going on a trip like the one I just came back from; you may have varying weather, limited space and some decisions to make. Here's what I do, and it works. I have a shell that can handle a hurricane's worth of rain with a hood and it's tough. It's lightweight, packs up tight and has enough pockets for me. It's attractive enough that I can wear it to dinner. It works. My husband has a similar jacket, only for men. I pack a compact jacket in case it gets cold. Mine is worn with my shell that I wear for rain. It looks good, and I always wear one of the jackets on the plane if not both, depending on the season. My husband carries a nice sweater that packs up nicely to wear under his coat. It works. The brand isn't important as long as you work it out so that you can wear layers and be versatile without taking up a lot of room in your luggage. My shell is a raincoat that I used to wear to an outdoor job I had years ago. It's good looking and really tough. My husband's jacket is Amazon Basics. Nothing fancy; just appropriate.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-lightweight-rain-jackets-for-travelers

https://www.rei.com/c/rain-jackets/f/f-packable

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/women-s-packable-rain-coat

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/best-rain-jacket

https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-packable-jackets-8378780

5. What to and not to wear while traveling; especially in another country. When I'm at home, I look like a tourist. I love my souvenir tshirts and sweatshirts. I do. That's why I buy them. I live in New England and there's nothing better in the cold months than a big soft hooded sweatshirt. I pick them up here and there, and when at home; they're most of my wardrobe worn with jeans and sneakers. It's who I am.

Then, there's travel me. When I'm in Europe in particular, I don't really want to stand out. I don't want to look like a tourist. If anyone has ever heard about how easy it is to spot an American tourist in Europe; it's not a joke. I can spot them in a hot second myself. But, it's more than sticking out with gaudy tshirts and ripped jeans, and stupid looking sneakers. It's a matter of practicality and safety.

Hear me out. First of all, when you travel, I've said it. Don't bring your whole wardrobe. Bring carefully chosen items. If you do this; you will have an interchangeable wardrobe that's easy to pack. You might pick a color theme with mix and match items. I do that all the time. You might take a skirt instead of all jeans, as I do just in case I need to fancy it up a bit. I do wear sneakers and I'm just too old to wear anything trendy, but trendy will make you look like an American. Plain comfortable shoes is how I go. I also take some little flats in case I go out. It's all part of being Practical.

Then, there's the safety aspect. If you're wearing a tshirt, sneaker tag that says American; you could be making yourself a target. You might get scammed by a taxi driver. You might get bothered more by beggars. It happens. Most of the rest of the world thinks that people from the United States all have a bottomless pit of money and can afford to suffer the indignities that go with the locals trying to get their cut of it. It's a way of life. I try not to look flashy at all. I dress nicely, but I only bring one versatile set of jewelry and it's not fancy. Wearing flashy gem jewelry around will bring you trouble. Pickpockets, muggers, scammers and the like will spot flashy jewelry right away. They'll also spot expensive shoes and those sneakers that you want to show off. I carry a cross body bag that zips up. Firstly, it's across my body making it tough to grab and run. It's also more comfortable for me to carry, so win win. It's harder to pickpocket someone who's bag has a zipper closing. Just a fact. It's a nice bag, but practical. I only carry it when I travel.

Everyone has their own style, but don't dress like the ugly American. Everyone notices, and it might not work to your advantage.

https://europeupclose.com/article/what-to-wear-in-europe/

https://hespokestyle.com/what-to-wear-in-europe/?srsltid=AfmBOornILGGwsyX2bRxYcHZm0VSLDDVdEg6MCZwvjfOiaaFlNB5L5YK

https://jonesfamilytravels.com/what-not-to-wear-when-traveling-abroad/2023/03

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-not-to-wear-on-vacation_b_5794ba02e4b0e339c23f1479

https://www.travelandleisure.com/multi-use-europe-travel-outfits-carry-on-only-amazon-11988164

That's my best advice. Remember, I'm not paid by any manufacturer or designer or even Google. These are my personal recommendations and thoughts on the topics, and I hope it helps you plan a better, easier and more safe and fun vacation. Enjoy!

I've Been Traveling! Let's Discuss Some Airlines on This Week's Fast Five!

2026-06-01T12:01:09.145-04:00

Flying various airlines as I do; you can find some great carriers. However, sometimes it's a hard pass after one ride.

1. Frontier Airlines; hard pass. I've talked about this one before, but feel that I can never really stress this one enough. They stranded me in Raleigh Durham. Overnight. I had to find a hotel and a flight from there to Chicago. They did nothing. They barely acknowledged me. I researched and found no legitimate reason for the cancellation. Other stranded passengers said it happens all the time. When I got to Chicago the next day, I got an email saying my flight in Houston was cancelled. I had no idea that they'd put me on a flight to Houston and had no idea why. I received no apology. I received no compensation for having to get a hotel room and another flight to get where I needed to be. They sound great, but if you don't get where you need to be; what's the point? Let me be clear. No reason for the cancellation. No customer service regarding the cancellation. No contact from the company in any way. I still receive ads on my phone two years later for deals with Frontier. I can't unsubscribe; I've tried. Don't go there. You will be disappointed.

https://www.flyfrontier.com/

https://www.reddit.com/r/frontierairlines/comments/1jf4bmj/is_frontier_airlines_really_that_bad_thinking_of/

2. United Airlines. Are they great? Complicated question. They are tedious, and you will pay for every little thing. The planes are cramped in coach. The staff leave a lot to be desired in personality in my experience. They aren't a discount airline, but they kind of act like one, but the prices are way higher than budget airlines.

What does this mean? I can't stand United Airlines. However, if you really need to get where you're going; they are one of the best options in the country. They are reliable beyond most of the other United States airlines. That's why it's complicated.

Here's my story. I flew them recently from Raleigh Durham to Chicago. They weren't friendly, I had to pay for any little thing they gave me on the flight. There was no communication over the PA system from the pilots. It was cramped. There was no have a good day or thanks for flying with us. There was definitely no in flight entertainment. But, remember, I said I took them from Raleigh Durham to Chicago. Why did I fly with them? Because Frontier stranded me there. United had a seat and they actually flew the plane to Chicago. Was this the first time I'd found myself in this situation? Where United rescued me? No.

Bottom line, they will get you where you need to be. That's why I occasionally fly with United. They are the only major airline in the US that has never stranded me.

https://www.united.com/en/us/

https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedairlines/comments/1g19j6c/experiences_with_united/

3. Aer Lingus. Once again, it's complicated. I just flew with them for my first time, and it will be my last. Let me explain.

It started in Boston. We came a bit early for dropping our bags off and waiting for our flight. That happens to me in Boston, because it's normally a later in the day flight and I have a long drive to get there and drop off my car. We joined a long line that was already waiting. There were two attendants at the multi station check in area. One was talking with some customers who still had to do their check in. The other one was on his phone. We stood in a non moving line for an hour or so.

Let me explain, because Aer Lingus didn't. Most of their staff don't start to do bag drop and easy check ins until two hours before flight time. Most airlines who do this have a sign at the desk or put it in an email or in the information when you book or check in online for the flight. None of that. That was strike one.

I must say, the flights to Vienna were fine. The staff was great, the onboard service was great, the food was pretty good, and the entertainment was just fine. We got there when we were supposed to, and we were very much alive. My luggage followed me like a good little doggy and we were on our way to our vacation. Seemed like it was one little glitch and then we were good to go.

However, there was the trip home. I went to check in online the day before the flight. It said we had to check in at their counter at the airport, because we were flying with a partner airline. I wasn't aware of that. Apparently there had been a change. The flight said it was still at the same time, so I was like whatever.

We showed up at the airport the next day for our flight. No Aer Lingus counter. We'd been put on a British Airways flight, but there was also no British Airways counter. We checked the flight boards. There was no flight at the time our flight was scheduled and our flight number did not appear anywhere. Big problem.

I actually called Aer Lingus to speak with customer service. I was told, specifically, verbatim, "You are no longer flying with Aer Lingus so it is not our responsibility." Process that for a moment. Big fat strike two. They moved us, after we booked with them. They didn't actually notify us; I looked into it to figure out what was supposedly going on. "Not our responsibility." Wow.

British Airways did open a counter two hours later for another flight that wasn't ours. We spoke with them and they told us that our flight had been cancelled and rescheduled five hours later. We at least knew we had a flight. They promised us we were in the system and could check in two hours before that flight. That did leave us in Vienna's dumpy airport for several hours with nothing to do, but at least we were going home. This trip would have us on the road for nearly 30 straight hours because of it all, but at least we were going home.

No thanks to Aer Lingus. So, there I was with nothing to do for hours in an airport where I couldn't even get to a lot of the cool stuff, because I couldn't go through security without a boarding pass. I decided to take my frustrations with Aer Lingus out via the internet. This got a response from Aer Lingus over time. They responded to my posts and reviews asking me not to say what I was saying. I told them that they shouldn't have stranded me in an airport with nothing else to do and demanded an apology.

Later that day, we'd gotten on our flights with British Airways and traveled back to Boston. As we were flying over eastern Canada to land, I got an email from Aer Lingus telling me my flight had been cancelled and I would have to make my own arrangements for hotel and another flight, but they would be happy to reimburse me for any hotel. Wow, what a strike three. They didn't even realize that I'd gotten a flight home.

I hate experiences like that one. I don't like having to bash airlines on the web. But their customer service isn't customer service. They should be ashamed of themselves for what they did. They actually offered me money to quit posting about it, but they wouldn't just apologize. Is it possible to have an enormous strike four? I obviously didn't accept the money. It was an insult.

Book with these guys at your own risk. I won't ever do that again.

https://www.aerlingus.com/html/en-US/home.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/AerLingus/comments/1f0rai9/is_aer_lingus_really_that_bad/

4. British Airways. Obviously, I just flew with them. This one is an interesting situation, because I didn't book with them. I never even considered them for my trip. I've never flown with them before in my life. Yet, I just flew with them. Uncharted territory for me giving my opinion about an airline. Overall, were they great? Not really, but they were acceptable in my situation completely.

They opened their counter in Vienna at 9:30 am for a flight that was not my flight. I had tried to talk to Aer Lingus on the phone and gotten no information. I'd tried to call British Airways, but had no luck getting through. That made me nervous about the whole situation even more. I approached the counter, even though I wasn't on that flight, but I'd been at the airport for over two hours and wanted some answers. I was terribly early because of train issues coming from Slovakia, so that part was on me.

The lady I spoke with at the counter told me that the flight was cancelled and rescheduled and looked it up for me and assured me that we were booked on that flight. That was great. She told us when they'd be at the counter for our flight and I had my answers. I wasn't thrilled, but at least they were going to get me home.

Check in time came. We went to the counter and they checked us in immediately. We got real paper boarding passes. They checked our bags for free. They gave us drink vouchers for the flights. They apologized for the inconvenience that was actually caused by Aer Lingus. They thanked us for flying with them. Once on the flight, we had free drinks, free Wi-Fi, and fabulous service. Everyone was wonderful and the food was pretty good. We had our layover at Heathrow, which I'd managed to avoid my entire life. It was shocking and impressive at the same time how I had to take three buses and go through security again on a layover, but they got us where we needed to be and then flew us home. When we were stateside, I got an email from them thanking me for flying British Airways and asked me for a review. I had a pleasant experience.

Would I fly British Airways again? I probably would. They were polite, kind, and got me where I needed to go. My flight was delayed five hours, but I'd been dumped off by my original airline, so it seemed better than it most likely was. I was easily reunited with my luggage and was on my way quickly upon arrival. I don't ask for much when flying and they delivered more than I asked for. Should you fly with them? I'd say why not? Most airlines have scheduling issues and stuff, so they're pretty much like most other airlines. Average is better than Aer Lingus.

https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_us/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Flights/comments/16a9sbf/is_british_airways_any_good/

5. Breeze Airways. This is a fast five, and I will always take any opportunity to talk about Breeze. They are a budget airline, and they are far superior to any budget airline and a lot of big name airlines I've flown.

Will they take you anywhere you want to go? No. That's the only setback. Breeze was designed to address some lesser used routes to give those of us who need to go from Connecticut to Phoenix etc. an inexpensive and direct way to go. The prices are right. Do you pay for stuff? Yes. Bags; yes. WiFi; yes. But, these guys are kind, reliable, have pretty good snacks and sodas and they get you where you're going. Always the bottom line with me. They've never cancelled on me. They've never lost my luggage. They've never been rude to me. If you need a route they offer; take them. That's my easy view of it all. Better than most legacy experiences I've had in coach.

https://www.flybreeze.com/home

https://www.reddit.com/r/BreezeAir/comments/1cggy1x/how_good_is_this_airline/

There you have it. Some of my takes on airlines. Mind you, these thoughts are on travel in coach. I'm a budget traveler. I don't sit in business or first class and have no idea what that's like on literally any airline. When I write about an experience it's always coach.

If you'd like to see what I'm up to currently, check out my YouTube Channel, Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon. That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Like & Subscribe to both for more information on travel in New York City and around the world! Enjoy!

Just A Little Note Before I Go!

2026-05-15T12:35:38.761-04:00

It's that time of year again. It's the time when I hit the road for a couple weeks and come home with all new adventures to talk about! Europe is my playground and we're off to somewhere I've never been and somewhere I have been a long time ago.

Bear with me and I will be back with stories to tell and ideas to give to fellow travelers.

In the meantime, enjoy Memorial Day! Root for my son's team Dreyer and Reinbold with drivers Jack Harvey and Connor Daly in the Indianapolis 500! He's worked really hard getting these cars ready for those drivers!

Enjoy!

Here's A Few of the Things I've Learned About International Travel on This Week's Fast Five!

2026-05-07T15:11:57.907-04:00

I've been traveling my entire life, and I'm not a young woman. Over the decades I've kept up with the way things work, and it's not been easy. In the current climate, the following is some solid advice for anyone traveling abroad. This advice is for people living in and traveling abroad from the United States.

1. What's the best smart phone for international travel. To be fair, I've tried a lot of things for this situation. I've bought local sim cards when I've arrived in a country, I've rented a satellite phone, I've had a prepay travel policy per country, and I've even tried the esim. What I discovered is that over the years, technology has advanced quickly. Thereby making the question go from how do I do it, to why is this so difficult?

I finally gave up all the antics and just bought a phone that works. Reportedly, Samsung Galaxies, iPhones and Pixels can all just transcend the madness and work in most countries. That's what we all need people.

You need to purchase that phone. It needs to be unlocked to truly work properly. Get a plan that covers it all. It's really that simple. I went Google and it was easy. They say it will work in 200+ countries. That sounds very cool since reportedly there are only 197 countries. Maybe they're counting on there being some more countries later.

And the reported best services for this are T-Mobile and Google Fi.

At any rate, my advice is quit buying all the hacks and just get a phone that works.

https://surfroam.com/blogs/news/best-mobile-phones-for-global-roaming-in-2025?srsltid=AfmBOoqYVqbSNt2bwQn1YkTa6vM9Blf_bxOBFoqudy4sQ9mR9v_2OaAL

https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/summer-travel-guide-2025-phones

https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-travel-phone/

https://intentionaltravelers.com/iphone-vs-android-best-phone-for-travel/

https://neverendingfieldtrip.com/best-travel-phones/

2. What bag is best and how should you pack it? Once again, I've been through a lot of stages. I've done overpacking, underpacking, what was I thinking packing and every conceivable notion. One thing I learned is always go prepared. If you're going for a few days, just pack what you need. If you're going for over a week, make sure there's a place to do your laundry and take less.

Check the weather right before you leave your house. We have apps people. Just pop it open and look up what the weather is going to be for the next ten days wherever you're going. Not that hard. I like to pack easy to pack clothes and a jacket or coat. Normally I wear the jacket or coat. I try not to take a bunch of shoes, jewelry, accessories and so on. I have what I call travel clothes. They are all easily packed, easily interchangeable for many looks with different combinations. I try to take one pair of shoes. This does depend on what I plan to do on the trip, but it often works.

Now, about actually packing. If you do it right, you don't have to worry about taking a big bag. I'm not saying put it all in a carry on. I check my bag. I carry a cross body bag on the plane. But, if you have a gigantic bag and end up having to carry it up a lot of steps (trust me I know this from experience), you'll have at least one miserable moment or so on your trip. Take less, make sure it all goes together, and take one small bag. They still sell sets of luggage. Don't fall for that.

The last question I may be able to help with is whether to go hard or soft, and how many wheels? Four wheels people. Your luggage should follow you around like a well trained dog. Don't buy something you have to carry or drag. Two wheels is still dragging. I've had both hard and soft sided luggage. I wouldn't trade the hard sided luggage for anything. Even if it's just peace of mind, you feel like your stuff is better protected in hard sided luggage. It also is better protected in the rain. Can't beat it.

https://products.bestreviews.com/best-luggage-for-international-travels?cid=17571377514&aid=136528076325&eid=&tid=dsa-19959388920&ul=9003419&mt=&n=g&d=c&dm=&dt&sn&adid=736984251095&k=&p=&pc=&ap=&brprdct=1&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17571377514&gbraid=0AAAAADlFbU_wgy0F-1u7wpaUDwnTbY6nt&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8PDPBhCeARIsAOJwmWWlxRpLV0eg5fgSqnypMU3Q84aR2Ul4ut4mXNO1lCIJW2VK0AneVuYaAvcUEALw_wcB

https://www.packhacker.com/blog/general/best-luggage-for-international-travel/

https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/travel/best-luggage

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Suitcase-International-Travel/s?k=Best+Suitcase+for+International+Travel

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/packing-light/backpack-or-rolling-bag

3. What kind of accommodations are best? In this day and age we can choose. There are traditional hotels, resorts, and so on. But now, we also have aparthotels, apartments, Air BnB and VRBO. You have a wide variety of choices. What to choose?

It depends on what kind of services you want and how much space you need. For a few days, I say go with a hotel. Services and possibly a pool is a great thing. They normally are in convenient locations and most of them have parking.

However, I have discovered that if I'm staying a couple of weeks, I like to rent an apartment of some kind. Here's why. I don't like to drive when I travel these days. I'm over it. I've figured out how to go by public transport and I'm not going back. Getting an apartment gives me choices. I can cook a meal if I want. I can have breakfast in which I love to do. I can do laundry. That's important, so I don't have to carry a giant piece of luggage.

The laundry is normally the big deal. If I know I'm going to have to do laundry in Europe I normally rent an apartment. I also like what's called an aparthotel, because they are a unique combination of hotel and apartment. The TV situation is normally better in an apartment too.

It all depends on what works for you. Just always make sure that if you drive, there's parking and if you aren't driving, that you're close to public transit.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/sleeping-eating/reserve-accommodations

https://www.artsy-traveler.com/europe-accommodation-tips/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i9658-k8047795-Best_type_of_accommodation_for_Europe_family_trip-Family_Travel.html

https://wanderyourway.com/find-right-accommodation/

https://wanderyourway.com/accommodation-in-europe-types-tips/

4. How should you get around? That's an interesting question. To be fair, there are situations where you need a car and have to drive. Then, rent a car. No brainer.

However, if you don't have to drive, don't. It's that simple. It removes the need to get an international driver's license or whatever you may be required to have. It's just one less errand before the trip. But, how will you get around?

Take that public transport. I've ridden on buses, trams, trolleys, subways, ferries and on and on. I've even hopped countries on Ryanair and taken gondolas up mountains. You can always download a metro map on your phone and make your way around. It's really easy. Like I always say on my YouTube channel; give up your sense of direction and follow the signs. If they aren't in English, use Google Translate or ask a local. It's a lot easier than it looks or sounds, so I would just do it unless you're traveling the highlands of Iceland or something.

Also, once again; make sure your accommodations are close to public transport. It makes life truly easy.

https://www.moonhoneytravel.com/europe-travel-itineraries-without-a-car/

https://findingalexx.com/car-free-travel/

https://www.contiki.com/six-two/article/11-car-free-cities-to-visit-in-europe/

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2026/02/28/heres-where-to-go-for-a-car-free-escape-in-europe

https://green-travel-blog.com/car-free-travel-in-europe/

5. Are there day trips? When you plan a trip to Europe and you plan to stay in a city and not drive. Or, even if you plan to drive. Here's something to consider. I learned this over the years.

Will there be enough to do where you are to keep you busy for two weeks? Here's the real answer. You don't know. You've never been there. This is where research is your friend. Look for potential day trips.

I try not to plan too much on the itinerary. I like to be able to explore and find cool things that research didn't reveal. Does this happen? Every single time. Therefore, I research possibilities but don't lock them in. I only schedule a couple things and then I have a list. Often times we don't decide exactly what we want to do until we get there and get a little feel for the place.

Why is that important? If you've ever traveled on a group tour, you'll know what I mean. Independent travel means going at your own pace and doing what you want. If you over plan, you'll do to yourself what you pay someone to do on a tour. Have a list, and worry about the rest when you arrive. Day trips are a wonderful way to get to know more than just the city you're staying in. It gives you a better idea about the country you're visiting.

https://www.rediscovereurope.com/destinations/using-hub-cities-in-europe

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/central-base-of-operations-for-touring-european-cities

https://www.getyourguide.com/explorer/travel-inspiration/amazing-day-trips-from-europes-top-cities/

https://www.neverstoptraveling.com/great-european-day-trips-2

https://www.tuigroup.com/en/newsroom/news/beyond-the-city-europes-top-30-destinations-for-day-trip-searches-according-to-tui-musement

There you have it. Just some sound advice that I've learned over the years. It's not antiquated. It's modern. When you travel you have to keep learning new ways or you won't be comfortable traveling after a while. Don't fall behind. Keep checking out the latest stuff.

If you'd like to check out what I'm currently up to, check out my YouTube Channel "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Hope you find this advice helpful. Remember, memories are the most important, so go out and make some! Enjoy!

Be Aware...Not Everyone is Put on This Earth to Travel the Way I Do. This Week's Fast Five is About That!

2026-04-29T16:54:44.219-04:00

I go out into the unknown of travel. I don't take tours or cruises. I make my own plans, take off and go exploring. I look for travel like a local. I search for unique ideas, and budget accommodations. I get the most bang for my buck and the most time to check a place out that I can. Is this for you? Let's analyze that.

1. What does it take to ride the subway? Is this for you? To ride the subway, you have to be able to let go of your sense of direction and follow the signs. It's the only way it will work. That's just the first part of it. You have to deal with crowds, both inside and outside the trains. You need to have a little patience for the train to show up. The subway may stop while you're on it. Patience is necessary there too. Creepy people may be riding your subway. That really unnerves a lot of folks. Tolerance of all kinds with everything from homeless people sleeping in the priority seating to people having their small children try to sell you candy; people preaching about the end of the world or performing dances on the trains.

I love to see what the world has to offer. People watching is a highly coveted activity for me. Crowds have never bothered me. I don't fear much. I have no problem saying no to a child selling candy and on and on. I know people who come from a small town and aren't used to the hustle and bustle and crowds jamming onto subway trains. It most generally freaks them out. Don't feel like there's something wrong with you. It may just not be your thing.

Just remember, life is full of firsts, adventures and necessities. Driving in the city is a nightmare. Taxis are increasingly unreliable. The last time I took a cab, I had to explain to the driver how to get where I was going. If you really think you can't handle a subway, I hate to say it, don't. I get it. But if you happen to be one of those people who could care less how many people or what kind of people cram into a train, it might be for you. Or maybe you should just challenge yourself and give it a try.

https://www.mta.info/

https://www.mbta.com/

https://www.wmata.com/

https://www.mta.maryland.gov/schedule/metrosubway

https://www.transitchicago.com/

2. What does it take to ride a train? Once again, I love the train. I love the scenery out the window all the way to my destination. I love a snack car. I think it's great, but it's not for everyone.

Amtrak is an acquired taste in a lot of ways. If you ride something like The Acela, all seats are reserved. The train doesn't stop for long in most locations, so you have to find where to stand so that you'll be entering the car you need to be in. It can be a little tedious in some places. Most trains are only reserved if you're in business class or above. Coach seats are catch as catch can. This means that if you're traveling alone, you have no idea who might end up sitting next to you or maybe no one.

All of these things are something to consider. You may have to make several transfers if you're on a long trip. You may not get a window seat in coach. If you want to guarantee a thing like that, you may have to pay more for business class. It can be frustrating.

You also may be coming through the corridor I live in. All trains were cancelled between New Haven and Boston recently because a piece of the roadway; an overpass; collapsed on the rails. It happens.

In many areas, the rails are shared. Most of the time Amtrak takes precedence, but you might get hung up because of a commuter train or a freight train. It happens.

The bottom line is, if any of that drives you absolutely crazy; the train might not be for you. Mass transit is something that I find very convenient and fun to navigate. Not everyone feels like that. Do you? Or does driving sound like less of a hassle? There's a lot to consider.

https://www.amtrak.com/home

https://www.viarail.ca/en

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/

https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/traveling-by-rail/

3. What does it take to ride commuter trains? For me, the only thing harder to take than a plane is a commuter train. These guys are like a bus on rails. I hate the bus. I only take them when absolutely necessary. Does that happen to me? Once in a while. Commuter trains run almost nonstop and go great distances. They can get overcrowded, which is no fun. I've actually gotten off and waited for the next train because of the crowd.

Commuter trains deal with every imaginable customer service issue in the world. I've seen fights, disoriented lost people. I once talked to a man who was supposed to be on Amtrak. All of these things seem like they shouldn't ever happen, but they do. The trains break down and they have to send a bus. It happens. They run late, they have to pull up to ramps instead of platforms and only open the doors on certain cars. All the while, they have to keep all of us passengers informed as to where we have to go to exit the car, what the next stop is, what the current stop is, give lists of all the stops on the route. They do everything they can to help us do what we need to to and get to where we're going. Does that always work? No.

The biggest problem with being a passenger on commuter trains is making sure you're on the right train. There are probably a dozen going on the route you need to go on, but they won't all stop where you need to get off. You need to be careful about that. Will people annoy you on a commuter train? Yes. Be prepared for that. It's all part of the program, and if you can't stand it; you shouldn't ride the train. For me, it's a hoot and I wouldn't miss it for the world.

https://www.mta.info/

https://www.mta.maryland.gov/

https://cp.pt/info/en/porto-trains

https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track

https://massbytrain.com/

4. What does it take to ride a ferry or water taxi? Whether these guys are the size of a cruise ship or tiny, they are the most used method of mass transit around the world. Didn't know that, did you? Water taxis and ferries have been around much longer than subways, commuter trains, buses, trains, and planes. Why? Boats have been around longer than any of that, and in lots of places where there are now bridges; there didn't used to be any. So, this is the most common form of mass transit world wide.

Is it for you? It has all the unplanned seating of the Northeast Regional. It has all the noise of a commuter train. It has all the crowds of a subway. It has it all and it floats. There are ferries you take your vehicles on and some you don't. There are ferries that travel for days between locations and some that take less than two minutes across a river. There's also everything in between. They are a way of life in countries all over the world.

Here's the list. If you get seasick, it might not be for you. If you don't like mass transit in general, it might not be for you. You may not like the price which tends to be more than other types of mass transit. There are, once again, many variables.

What are the nice things about ferries? On several, you can bring your car, allowing you to drive once you get across the body of water you're traversing. Mid to large sized ferries have snack bars, delis and sometimes even a lounge. The ferries that cross the Atlantic and go up the coast of Canada have rooms to rent for an overnight voyage. It all depends on what kind of ferry you're taking and where to. They will get you where all other forms of mass transit won't, but they aren't for everyone.

https://www.ferry.nyc/

https://siferry.com/

https://www.88844ferry.com/

https://fireislandferries.com/

https://nywatertaxi.com/

5. What does it take to fly on a plane? This one amazes me. We all do this. It's the worst travel experience of them all. We don't think anything about it, because it's become a way of life. Layovers are ridiculous and half the time the airline changes something and changes your layover, making it impossible to catch that next flight. However, most people I know don't even think of other modes of transportation. They want to go somewhere, they look for a flight. It's ingrained in us. Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, and on and on all have us trained. To get there you need to fly. How's that feeling right about now with the jet fuel shortage? It's time to reconsider.

Here's the facts. You have to have a real ID to even get off the ground. No star or passport; no go. You must pack your toiletries the way you're told to. Too big of a bottle and you don't go. Keep your rechargeables in your carry on or you won't go. It's a hassle from the get go. You need to check in from home, or in some cases; there won't be anyone to help you. You have to get there hours before your flight. The list goes on.

Here's most of the rest of that list. You may not be able to carry on your carry on, because everyone before you took up all the space. Your flight could be changed at the last minute by the airline. Planes sometimes don't come. Staff to fly the planes sometimes don't come. Weather. Period. TSA; it's not their fault, but sometimes it's almost impossible to get through the lines. Biometric photos. Fingerprints. In other countries; visas, EES, ETIAS, heightened security. It goes on and on. I have a prosthetic breast and in Indianapolis, Indiana they not only need to pat it down; they check it for explosives. I find it funny but wow. Take off your jacket, empty your pockets, and thank God we don't have to take off our shoes at this point. Questions from customs agents, forms to declare whatever you may have to declare when crossing a border. It's amazing all the stuff you may encounter.

Lest we forget other reasons that flying is a pain. Crying babies, smelly people, paying for Wi-Fi, no Wi-Fi, paying for snacks and food and drink, having none of that. Having your luggage get lost. There's an endless list of reasons why not to fly, but we all do it. Why? It gets us where we need to go. I'm just here to remind you that if any of that bothers you enough; don't fly. I didn't even mention how cramped it is in coach.

https://www.expedia.com/

https://www.travelocity.com/

https://www.booking.com/

https://www.kayak.com/

https://www.citi.com/

Travel is different for everyone. You may love cruises. You may only want to go to Disney. You may prefer the outdoors and want to camp. You may love road trips. Remember, there's no right or wrong way to travel. It depends on the individual. I do it as budget. That's my jam, but I just mentioned about a hundred reasons why some people would hate the way I travel. If you need luxury, that's fine. If you need less crowds, good for you. My point here is to assess what you really need to enjoy your travels before you go. Don't do something just because someone else you know did it. Do it for you and for your tastes.

If you'd like to see what I'm doing right now, check out my YouTube channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon."

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Travel is to be enjoyed. Don't sabotage yourself by trying to do it the way someone else does. Do your research, pick your spot, pick your activities, pack your bags and enjoy!

It's An Unusual Fast Five, But I Wanted To Address Some Reality, and It Does Affect Travel!

2026-04-22T14:30:12.156-04:00

The topic today is loosely...Politics. I don't like to talk about it either. However, there are things out there guiding our lives. Things that we had no say in. Things that we do and don't agree with. Things that we aren't always sure are even accurate or true. I said it, and I don't apologize. So, without further ado; here are some snippets that might give you a little insight into what is really going on with some things in the world.

1. Canada and the United States. This has been a hot topic lately. It's a bit tense. I watch this one pretty carefully, seeing as I live pretty close to a border. Canada is beautiful, diverse, vibrant, and by all means polite. This is probably why it's been so easy for the news in the United States to twist, ignore, and block out some pertinent information. I said it. This post will be like this and I don't apologize for any of it. I don't work for anyone in the media or a government and I don't have to slant or edit anything.

I read some articles lately about the decline in Canadian tourists visiting the United States. We used to have a lot of guests from Canada. However, in true Canadian fashion; they've quietly been not coming and going elsewhere. Why? According to US news sources it's because of financial problems in Canada and that people are having trouble getting by and can't afford to travel. That's what I read in American news.

Here's where people like me come in. I travel. I'm out there. I've been out there off and on my entire life. Learn this now. Our news is censored and we are the ones kept in a bubble. Travel. Learn.

Canada and the United States have really had a lot of tension in the last 18 months or so. Being referred to as the 51st state. Tariffs being instated and rescinded over and over. Being insulted publicly as though they have no way of supporting their own country or controlling anything. Some of the quotes I've heard and read are downright abhorrent. Canadians are people you know.

Here's the unfortunate truth for us. Canada has always been a very important partner in manufacturing, defense and tourism. But they don't need us. They are the second largest country in the world by land mass. They have amazing resources. They have good relations with pretty much every country out there. That fall in tourism? The 21% decrease? That's a boycott. They aren't coming because they are insulted, they have been detained at the border for no reason, they don't feel safe here, and there are a lot of other places in the world to travel to. It's a choice, and we need to understand that. It's affecting the United States by $4.5 Billion so far.

Canada is negotiating trade deals all over the world. They are working toward ending several trade deals that they have with us. This could affect more than just tourism. That's the reality.

https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/076a1848-5107-4049-886e-175ab8313ffc/canadian-tourism-report.pdf

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20251211-where-are-all-the-canadians-going

https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/when-neighbours-stop-knocking-hidden-impact-canadas-2025-tourism-decline-us-local

https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/topics-start/canada-united-states/travel

https://o.canada.com/travel/where-are-canadians-travelling-this-summer

2. What's the real story with Russian oil? Here's my understanding. Russia attacked Ukraine and many countries put sanctions on Russian oil. That's Circa 2022. What's been going on? What's happened since then? Interesting question.

Well, not everybody sanctioned Russia and their oil. They sell it to China, Turkey, India, Hungary, Slovakia, France, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, and some Southeast Asian countries. Did you really think they were unable to sell their oil? No.

In similar fashion, there were many foreign retail and food businesses operating in Russia before Ukraine happened. The result of all that? Several companies, lots of them European, still operate in Russian neighborhoods and malls. There are even a couple of American ones. Some of them made a tidy profit selling out to Russian companies. Can Russians go shopping? Of course.

The idea that sanctions are crushing them is unrealistic. Not the entire world is in favor of the sanctions and have a different kind of relationship with Russia. That's the reality. It's not that I like it, but it's reality. The mess has gone so far that when we attacked Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz became an issue; the United States lifted our sanctions on Russia's oil. Did you know that? What does that mean? It's a bit scary when you start to ponder the big picture. And realize that some of the countries that they are currently selling oil to are right in the EU.

https://energyandcleanair.org/february-2026-monthly-analysis-of-russian-fossil-fuel-exports-and-sanctions/

https://www.kpler.com/blog/which-russian-commodities-does-the-eu-still-import-and-for-how-much-longer

https://www.statista.com/chart/34842/biggest-importers-of-russian-fossil-fuels-after-jan-1-2023/?srsltid=AfmBOooFQNVNmyQnUGUJDBgBU-5pkMPccfWzy8N-iU-cNNZagCA5EoZL

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy031d1ny7jo

3. China. Ingenuity, creativity, and navigation of modern survival in a chaotic political climate. It only matters so much if you've been watching the news and either do or don't like China. They are the second most populous country on Earth and that means that they have a lot of people to look out for on any given day. You'll hear about the Chinese being "Communists." You might even whisper when you say the word. We've been cautioned about them. We've heard all the stories about COVID. It goes on and on. They're spying on us through social media. They're stealing our identities and hacking into all of our computers. On and on. It's like problems with Nigerian princes and the UK Lottery never existed. Apparently, only the Chinese are a threat to our cyber security. Ridiculous.

Yes, China is different. A lot of us Americans just can't even wrap our minds around it. However, one fact remains; no matter what we call the politics, it's actually Socialism. There are thousands of privatized businesses. People own their homes in places, even though that isn't common. It's a bit different from what we're used to in Sweden or Portugal, but it's Socialism. Elected leaders are the only difference. Yes, China has a President that's actually a General Secretary and he was not elected by the people. He is strict, so it's not the kind of socialism that we're used to, but it works for them. So the first thing we should all do is get that part right.

China is technologically way ahead of us and most people are impressed by that when they visit. Once again, visit. Don't let someone influence how you feel about an entire culture without checking into what it's really all about.

But with the second largest population in the world, China is going to need oil. In a perfect world we could all live on electricity that was organically created, but I'm talking reality today. Not my opinion. Reality. Form your own opinions. I'm not here to tell you what to think. I'm here to tell you to think for yourself.

China imports a lot of their oil. Where does it come from? Russia. It's one of the countries that hasn't sanctioned them. Where else? That's right; no one only gets oil from a single source. No one. They also import from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the UAE, Brazil, Iraq, Venezuela and Iran. What did I just say? Russia, Venezuela and Iran? That's right. They do what they do. These countries are still doing business.

What about the Strait of Hormuz? I recently heard it jokingly called the Strait of Schrödinger and it made me laugh. Is it open? Is it not open? Love that one.

China has some alternative ways to transport the oil they get from Iran and the Middle East. They have trains. They have plans to build a pipeline as well. That way when the next war happens in the Strait or the Gulf; it won't bother them. Don't believe for a second that we are controlling that situation financially or politically. Read the news. Don't just watch the network and news channel stuff on TV. Back in the 1990s, CNN had a special channel for the United States. There was CNN International and CNN America. Our news was censored. Be aware.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-where-china-gets-its-oil/

https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/where-china-gets-its-oil-crude-imports-in-2025-reveal-stockpiling-and-changing-fortunes-of-certain-suppliers-including-those-sanctioned/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/3/how-chinas-teapot-refineries-are-cushioning-it-from-iran-war-oil-crisis

https://www.gtreview.com/news/global/china-still-buying-90-of-iranian-oil-despite-us-sanctions-waiver/

https://www.seetaoe.com/details/259917.html

4. How about those Russian Oligarchs? You might think that American Billionaires are controversial, whether it's their space race or the idea of allowing Elon Musk to evaluate how our country runs. Just remember, there's nothing shadier than the Russian Oligarchs. That's what we're led to believe.

Circa 2022. We put sanctions on these guys; there were 117 of them at the time, to influence Putin and the country to end the war they'd started with Ukraine. We heard about it on the US news for a while and then it just faded away. When's the last time you heard about these guys? I bet it's been a while. What's the deal with this crew?

Well, by the end of 2022, the number was down to 83 billionaires. Some left, some lost money. Specific sanctions made a bit of a difference. However, it didn't make enough of an influence to get Russia to go home and quit bullying Ukraine. That was about when we stopped hearing about the brutal, criminal Russian Oligarchs on a regular basis.

Fast forward a bit. Over the past few years, war and all, these guys have still been operating? Have you ever had a money guy? Have you ever dealt with a business person who's only God to worship is money? I have. I promise you, all that ever happens with people like that is they shift gears, find something else to back or invest in, start making money on the next idea and move on. None of these guys was ever really down and out.

Most of the Russian billionaires changed what they invested in. Most of them started to buy property and invest in businesses outside of Russia. Their country wasn't a good bet, so they just worked and sometimes lived elsewhere. This year, there are a reported 146 billionaire Oligarchs in Russia. They have new yachts, mansions in many countries including the UK. All that fuss barely mussed up their hair.

And that war? It's still going on. A lot of those billionaires are making a fortune supporting it. Russia's economy is on an upturn. Why? The war. For anyone who finds that offensive or ridiculous sounding, remember that when we started messing around in WWII with supplies; before Pearl Harbor; our country started an upswing too. Russia isn't failing. The Ruble is gaining in value. War creates commerce. Always pay attention to the money. That's what the Oligarchs and politicians do.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g6xgv1n41o

https://www.goodreturns.in/billionaires-in-russia.html

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/03/11/record-155-russians-make-forbes-billionaires-list-a92193

https://inspirepreneurmagazine.com/top-20-millionaires-in-russia/

https://russiapost.info/economy/russian_billionaires

5. What is Washington DC really like now with all that is or isn't going on in the world? I've commented on the state of the world a bit. I don't normally do that, but I've seen a lot of off base news lately. There's always a bigger story. Therefore, let me tell you a little bit about my recent trip to Washington DC. This isn't analysis as much as it is first hand reporting.

I've been to DC many times. This visit was a bit different. Our capital has become a bit more militant than I've ever seen. There were National Guards People in the subways. The day I left Union Station was all but blocked off. The White House, as we all know is completely inaccessible and half missing. This wasn't my normal trip to Washington.

What did I think about all that? I thought that closing down a mall and even McDonald's and half of Union Station to have a fundraiser was a bit of a stretch; especially during a partial government shutdown. I thought that there were better things the President and his peers could have been doing that day. Had to say that. People aren't getting paid. Let's fix that before we raise money for the party.

The National Guard in the subways. That was new. I understand that they were placed there for public safety. That's what has been cited. In my experience, Washington can be a rough town. Did they need to do that? Maybe. I've seen some rough places in DC. Did I feel safe on the subway? Absolutely. Did I feel uncomfortable with a dozen National Guard people in full gear in one subway station? No. I have to give these kids credit; and I call them kids simply because they are my son's age. They didn't amp up their presence. They gave people directions and posed for pictures with the tourists when asked. They smiled and were polite. Did I believe that if a situation broke out they would handle it? I did. I have to say, I didn't mind them being there one little bit. Did I feel like I needed them? Not personally, but who's to say what would happen if they weren't there? Violent crimes in those areas are significantly down since they showed up. Judge for yourself.

Could I see the White House? Not one little bit. The fences are far from there, and there's one spot across the street from the Washington Monument that you can make out the entrance from. Other than that, you can only see the construction cranes looming in the sky. According to the website, you can still contact your congressman to set up a tour of the White House, but I'm not really buying that. What you can do is visit the gift shop which is over by Federal Triangle. It's nice.

Washington DC has always been unique. Is it rough? In some places. At some times. It depends. I visited DC 40 years ago and when I got to my hotel there was a gang fight going on in the parking lot and I decided quickly to go to another hotel. This visit I went to that very same neighborhood and it's been almost entirely gentrified and it's a nice place to spend some time. What a difference 40 years makes. Should you visit Washington DC? Yes. It's still the capital. Our country is celebrating 250 years this year. There are a lot of things to see and do. My favorite times to visit are during the summer, because there are a lot of cool activities that you just can't do the rest of the year. During the fall, because it's a slower time but still warm. During the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It's gorgeous!

https://www.extraspace.com/blog/city-guides/pros-and-cons-of-living-in-washington-dc/

https://www.trolleytours.com/washington-dc/know-before-you-go

https://www.triphacksdc.com/visiting-washington-dc/

https://www.visitacity.com/en/washington-dc/guides/washington-dc-on-a-budget

You can also check out my YouTube channel, Adventures for Anyone With Terri Dixon for my videos from my visit to Washington DC:

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026

Before I leave you pondering everything I've written here, I have a couple more things to say. I don't dislike my country. Some of what has been happening recently makes me sad. That's true. I just truly believe that you can't make sound decisions on what to believe without seeing all the sides and hearing all the stories. There are 197 countries in the world and not all of them revere the United States. That's just a fact. We need to try harder to be the best versions of ourselves. We all do. If we don't try to be our own best version, can we really expect that of our country as an entity? We're all in this together. We all need to start looking at it that way. It's not us against them within this country. Chill the political rhetoric. Remember, "If we do not hang together, we will surely hang separately." That was Benjamin Franklin 250 years ago. I think it still applies today. Ponder.

Here's some more YouTube channels that you can check out to get another perspective on certain issues. Should you believe every word they say and side with them? No. It's just a different perspective.

https://www.youtube.com/c/JonnyTickle

https://www.youtube.com/ThePlanetD

https://www.youtube.com/@euronews

https://www.youtube.com/@JasonLivinginChina

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Ize0RLIbGdH5x4wI45G-A

How do you wish to see the world? I like to look with my eyes wide open and learn all I can.

Hope you liked this little rant in my otherwise innocuous blog. Enjoy!