Neon Boneyard from http://www.markwu.info

On our road trip in the US last summer, one of must-sees on the itinerary was the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas. Not being much of a gambler or glitzy show watcher, I had to find alternatives for our visit to Sin City and this seemed a great way to learn a bit more about the history of the place and see just what the predecessors of the MGM Grand and New York New York looked like. And of course, the signs being so important to draw the tourists in off the Strip, they were fantastic pieces of work.

The Neon Museum

There are great plans for this museum. The planned visitors’ centre will be housed in the La Concha motel lobby, removed in bits from the Strip and reconstituted beside the boneyard itself. It’s a beautiful curved white building and will be stunning and otherworldly when it’s fully restored.

The museum has already restored some of the old neon signs, and you can take a self-guided tour of ten of those in the Fremont Street area. Many of the rest will be restored and mounted along Las Vegas Boulevard, which will be a fantastic sight, and others are probably just too far gone. Even these may turn out to be useful, though, as there’s a plan for an entrance sign made up of lettering from more than one sign.

The museum is a fantastic organisation who have done a great job so far saving neon signs that are no longer viable – lcd and led signs are much cheaper to make and run and can be seen during the day. And they keep the history of Las Vegas alive, in a city which mostly obliterates and builds over its past.

Neon Boneyard signs

Here are some of the stories behind the signs:

Ugly Duckling car sales was a franchise that specialised in selling cars to those who would otherwise have difficulties finding finance to do this. The franchise has since closed down, and the company has now changed their name to DriveTime. Hence no more Mr Ducky. I’m not entirely sure in whose view this duckling is ugly, mind you! There’s a view of the sign in situ on this great web page

I haven’t been able to find out anything about the company behind this sign. If anyone has any information, please let me know. As you can see, however, the design of the sign means that in the dark you would have a cute animated shirt waving its arms about!

Benny Binion was a convicted murderer and mobster and came to Vegas in 1946. His Horseshoe casino was popular due to the high limits for bets. And he was the first to get rid of the sawdust on the floors and bring in plush carpets and free drinks for patrons.

The Lido de Paris girls arrived in Vegas in 1958. There’s a great photo of them scoffing hot dogs on this Early Vegas page. According to that site “The Lido Girls set a Las Vegas trend, followed by the Beauties of Japan, Hawaii, the South Pacific, the Mambo Showgirls of Havana and the Carnival Women of Brazil.” The Lido was replaced by a new show, Enter the Night, in 1992.

Sassy Sally’s was a strip joint. The sign showing Sassy Sally herself, wife of Vegas Vic (they were actually married by a Vegas minister) is back up in Fremont Street and part of the Neon Museum self guided tour (along with Vegas Vic). (Photos of both of them here.
Sally’s leg no longer kicks up (I’ve read that it never did work, really) and Vic’s arm no longer moves.

Neon Museum details

You must register for their tour – they run twice a day Tuesday to Saturday at the moment. Full information on how to do this can be found on the Neon Museum website

The museum is situated about 20-25 minutes’ walk from Fremont Street. Bear this in mind if you’re planning on walking on a hot day, and think about taking the taxi or car instead. Take plenty of water as you’re out in the open. Until the visitor centre opens, there are no toilets available – but there is a handy public library across the street if you’re desperate!

Dark Valentine Night at Le Manoir

Valentine’s Day 2012

The Manoir are holding a very special Valentine’s night experience. Billed “Dark Valentine Night” you’ll tour through the Manoir in total darkness apart from one light, and to mark Valentine’s day you’ll be serenaded by “love songs and rock and roll” and attacked by 20 monsters. Got to be better than an overpriced Valentine’s menu, don’t you think? More on the Manoir below:

We queued on a chilly November day at the entrance courtyard of a 1900 originally built by the Boulanger earthenware factory, being entertained by a tall, dark, bloody, growling, slurping, lurching actor and his equally bloody, yowling companion with a broom (that’s her below).

I hadn’t noticed this place on English websites, only French, I think because it hasn’t been open for very long and appears to be very much in French. However a quick look at Le Manoir website suggests that you can ask for the tour to be done in English when you’re buying your tickets.

However, gore, horror and people running around making horrible gut wrenching sounds is international, I feel, so you’ll not lose much by taking the French language tour.

This is an immersive, interactive show where you taken as part of a group through the mansion, which has been split into 13 different sections, each representing one of the dark and more macabre legends of old Paris. Our experience was made all the better by being in a group with two young, dramatic “mon dieu” and “maman” whispering and screaming females who, of course, were picked on by the ghouls and ghosties the whole way through (the best ones to get a reaction from, bien sur.)

Subjects include the Phantom of the Opera (who could’ve done with a bit of deodorant, to be honest), the prisoner in the iron mask, the phantom of Tuileries, the Hunchback of Notre Dame and even the crocodiles in the Parisian sewers. The tales are told by way of decoration, plenty of darkness, noise and actors doing their utmost to get a fright out of you by jumping on you. I’m not the world’s most easily frightened person, but in Monoprix a good quarter of an hour after the end of the experience I was still waiting for a tap on my shoulder  …

Details

Address

Le Manoir de Paris
18 Rue de Paradis 75010
Metro: Poissonniere, Bonne Nouvelle, Gare de l’Est, Gare du Nord

Opening hours

Hours vary – do check Manoir de Paris website before you go.

This experience is not for young children – they recommend that those under 10 years old don’t attend. I would suggest that it’s suitable for children even older than this, though. And those with heart conditions, epilepsy and pregnant women (?) should stay clear.

York watergate (from http://www.urban75.org)

Thanks to Boris Johnson and TFL, we were treated to a free walk with London Walks as part of Walk4life yesterday. The walk we chose was Subterranean London, and we were told to meet at 10:30 at Embankment Station.

We arrived at 10:15 to an enormous crowd, a fair proportion taking advantage of the free offer, I would guess. Luckily, London Walks had prepared for this and there were four guides, each taking their own group separately. There were by the end of our walk 95 in our group, but as Adam, our guide, is an expert at projecting his lovely Scottish voice, this turned out not to be a problem.

One thing that stuck in my mind from the walk was York Watergate. To see it, leave Embankment Station by the Villiers Street exit, and enter Victoria Embankment Gardens on your right. What you’re looking for is the Italianate arch – it won’t be hard to find!

The construction of the Thames embankments was an immense engineering project, designed to reclaim land from the river. As a result, there are “footprints” as our guide called them, of what has gone before. The Watergate, now around 150 yards from the water, originally had steps that led down to it. It was built in 1626 and was the exit from nearby York House (since replaced by at least three different developments – such is London). The house was first owned by George Villiers, first Duke of Buckingham. The arch was designed perhaps by Inigo Jones, perhaps by Sir Balthazar Gerbier.

Below is the painting “York Watergate and the Adelphi from the River by Moonlight” by Henry Pether, which is owned by the Museum of London. As you can see, there is a line of mansions along this north bank of the Thames – York House was just one of them. It gives a heavily romanticised view but also some idea of what the scene would have looked like. Long may the Watergate live, even if everything else around it changes!

York Water Gate and the Adelphi from the River by Moonlight (http://www.andrew-havis.co.uk)

Wroclaw town hall (source Wikipedia)

I saw an ad on the London Underground yesterday about Wroclaw, Capital of Culture 2016 (also known as City of Culture). Wroclaw? I’m ashamed to say I’d never heard of this city before, so I thought I’d do a bit of research on a town which is following in the illustrious footsteps of Stockholm, Athens and Prague

Wroclaw in southwest Poland was the ancient capital of Silesia (there are parts of Silesia in Germany and the Czech republic although most of it is situated in Poland) and has in its time been Bohemian, Prussian, Austrian and German – not an uncommon story in this part of the world.

It’s Poland’s fourth largest city with a population of around 630,000 and is the largest town on the banks of the River Oder which runs from the Czech republic and forms part of the border between Poland and Germany.

Rynek Market Square Wroclaw

Things to see in Wroclaw

This is a beautiful old city, lying alongside the magnificent Oder (Odra is it’s it Germanic name) river. It boasts over 100 bridges and 12 islands and some call it Venice of the North. The colourful market square is large and busy with lots of little streets branching off.

The cathedral of St John the Baptist can be climbed to view the oldest part of Wroclaw, Ostrow Tumski which dates from 10th century. The town hall is especially interesting and over the top – see the photo at the top of this post.

Things to do in Wroclaw

Wroclaw is a city of music festivals, including the biggest one, the Wratislavia Cantans. Opera and jazz festivals as well as an American film festival are also held in the city. Wroclaw-life.com has a list of 36 cultural things to do, including the National Musem and the Fine Art Academy Museum.

Have a look at the lovely list of things to do in Wroclaw on Poland’s tourism website.

Wroclaw gnome (source wroclaw-life.com)

The best thing of all, from Quirky Travel’s point of view, are the Wroclaw gnomes. The origins of these little bronze creatures come from the Orange Alternative Movement in the 80′s who drew gnomes as a protest in areas where communist police had erased anti-communist propaganda. There are said to be at least 15 of of the little bronze creatures around the city.

Hotels in Wroclaw

Art Hotel

Art Hotel

The Art Hotel consists of two connected tenement houses in Wroclaw’s main square. Breakfasts are said to be great, and the interiors look plush. An example price is £138 per room per night in May 2012.

Academus Apartments

Also centrally located just off Rynek square, these are spacious apartments with kitchen facilities and free wi-fi. And the pub downstairs (according to the Academus) sells “the best beer in Poland.”

Pubs and restaurants in Wroclaw

Spiz

A microbrewery which does pub food as well as more restaurant quality food, this place is situated in a cellar on Rynek (number 9). Try the sausage, sauerkraut or soup in a bowl and a honey-infused beer.

Bernard Piwiarnia restaurant and pub

Bernard Piwiarnia Restauracja

A large pub/restaurant spread over three floors and to be found at 35 Rynek Square, this place is often busy and could easily be a tourist trap but does not appear to be be so. It serves proper Eastern European food including dumplings, pork knuckle and pasta and has live music at the weekends. Good beer also served.

How to get to Wroclaw

Skyscanner has a list of airlines who fly to Wroclaw. The list includes Ryanair and Wizzair.

I was expecting the four mile Parkland Walk to be little known and tranquil. This wasn’t the case on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, unfortunately, though I’ll pretend to be magnanimous about it and say that it’s great to see it being well used by the citizens of North London. By cyclists especially…

The walk runs along an old railway line – the Great Northern Railway Branch line – from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Park, with entrances and exits along the way. The line was closed in 1971 with the extension of the Northern Line past Highgate.

We entered the walk at Finsbury Park – walk north from the underground/rail station through the park itself, keeping left, and you’ll see signs to the Capital Ring – follow these out the of park. Part of the Capital Ring follows this walk. Although the line runs through the hilly parts of London, this really isn’t a strenous walk, although it’s not entirely suitable for people with mobility problems. The friends of the Parkland Walk, however, do their best to keep it well maintained and clear of litter (by both trying to convince the local authorities to do this, and by getting stuck in and doing it themselves.)

We carried on through the green corridor, past where Crouch End station would have been with old train platforms that can still be walked along. Unfortunately we didn’t see any muntjacs (small deer) which apparently have been seen on the walk. The multitudes of butterflies and bees weren’t in evidence either, but this was the beginning of January in an effort to walk off 10 calories worth of Christmas dinner.

One of the great things about this walk is the graffiti. Although not always welcome, the bridges and walks along here are dressed particularly well in multi-coloured street art and is welcome on a January day when there is a distinct lack of any colour other than green. (We’ll be visiting again in the summer.)

When Muswell Hill is reached, near the end of the walk, lovely views are to be had of the City of London while walking across a viaduct. We exited near Alexandra Park and that was us, nearly home and wondering why they hadn’t introduced trams along the line (one of the plans mooted for it in the 80s). Of course it’s always a better plan to have green space in the city, and the walk is a lovely one for a day out with the kids or the dog.

More details on the Parkland Walk

Friends of The Parkland Walk for a map with access points, and information on its history and wildlife.

Haringey Council’s page on the walk

Related posts: Highgate Cemetery London Underground Ghost Stations

Yayoi Kusama from livincool.com

Yayoi Kusama at the Tate Modern

9th February to 5th June 2012

Spots, pumpkins and repetition are this 82 year old lady’s trademarks and she is said to have been a big influence on Yoko Ono. Her art, which earned a record amount of money for a female artist  in 2008,  reflects her own obsessions and she has been living voluntarily in a psychiatric insitution since the 1970s.

Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi Theatre

10th March to 22nd September 2012

QT has already bought tickets for this one. The production of this dark musical earned fabulous reviews when it ran in Chichester in 2011, and its stars Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton are transferring to the West End show. The lyrics and music in this Stephen Sondheim creation are the best I’ve ever heard, so if you like your entertainment slightly twisted and in a minor key, go for it!

Master and Margrita from http://english-learners.com

Master and Margarita at the Barbican

15th March to 7th April 2012

Mikhail Bulgakov who wrote “The White Guard” which ran at the National Theatre in 2011 wrote the novel on which this is based.  It describes a visit of the devil to the Soviet Union and is a satire on the stifling social order in Russia of the 1920s and 30s. Considered a masterpiece this production comes from the Complicite theatre company.

Gross and Klein at the Barbican

13th to 29th April 2012

This one’s set to be immensely popular as it stars Oscar award winning actress Cate Blanchett. It’s a surreal Alice in Wonderland-like play where the main character becomes unfamiliar to all who previously knew her. This production has already appeared in her home country Australia, and garnered great reviews for Ms Blanchett’s performance.

Caligula at ENO

25th May to 14th June 2012

This German opera composed by Detlev Glanert is based on Albert Camus’ 1944 play about the perverted Roman emperor of the same name. QT knows nothing about opera but has been a fan of Caligula since seeing John Hurt play him the 1970s BBC series I, Caligula (available very cheaply on Amazon) Should be dark and disturbing and will probably bring to mind our modern day dictators.

Bauhaus school, Dessau

Bauhaus – Art as Life at the Barbican

3rd May to 12th August 2012

The Bauhaus school was only around for 14 years but has had a huge influence on Modernist architecture and design ever since. This exhibition will include painting, sculpture, architecture and more and the Barbican are running workshops and films to complement the exhibition.

Dr Dee at ENO

5th June to 7th July 2012

The prodigious talent of Damon Albarn keeps on rocking. This Alan Moore-inspired opera first saw the light of day in Manchester in 2011 and is coming to the ENO. It tells the story of 16th century magician and scientist John Dee, advisor to Elizabeth I and owner of one of the largest libraries in Britain at the time.

Here’s a Guardian video of Albarn and others discussing Dr Dee

Gillian Wearing

Gillian Wearing at Whitechapel Gallery

28th March to 17th June 2012

A Turner prize winner (for her sins), Gillian’s photographs and films are really quite unnerving and apparently seek to explore identity. They often feature ordinary people in slightly odd circumstances. The Whitechapel Gallery itself is a lovely gallery and if you get a chance, go to see its Rothko exhibition before it ends on 26th February.

Another London at Tate Britain

1st July to 16th September 2012

This photographic exhibition will feature classic 20th century images of London by the likes of Henri-Cartier Bresson, Bruce Davidson and Elliot Erwit. Old London photographs always a winner, in my book!

And last but certainly not least …

Viva Forever

Yes – Spice Girls, the Musical. I haven’t bothered to look up where it’s happening or when as this is really just a joke entry. But it is written by Jennifer Saunders!

Related post: Top 10 Best Kept Secrets in London

Famous Egyptian Monuments

I’d studied Egyptology for a quite a few years. I knew the difference between my Ra and my Bestat. I’d been looking forward to this holiday for a long time.

Our first mistake was the cheap three star hotels. These were the days before TripAdvisor (I know – I’m that old) and we had a habit of going for the bargain-basement hotels in those days (we’re not much better now to be honest, but at least we have ready access to reviews by trusted members of the public in these tech- savvy times…)

Egyptian insect - probably not the one that bit my leg (from whatsthatbug.com)

The windowless room in Luxor was made more miserable by the sound of a scuttering cockroach in the bathroom. And at least the lack of light meant it was less easy to see the throbbing red sores on my legs (I believe there were around 40 of them in total), caused by those rampaging insects who found me so delectable on the night I sat outside my slightly posher hotel room in a hotel on the outskirts of Cairo. And there was even less light to see the welts by when the electricity packed in (this happened more than once.) Although out in the bright light of a Karnak morning, a lady behind me in the queue was able to see them very well, commenting on “that poor girl’s legs!” I was mortified.

A Madame Rosa (Simone Signoret actually - not the real one) From maremurex.net

Don’t get me wrong, the sight of the pyramids had very nearly reduced me to tears, and some of the not so well known temples that we were taken to by a lady and her taxi driver friend that we ran across completely by accident (she called herself Madame Rosa) were tremendous. Madame Rosa was in Luxor as a scientist, working on the greening of the Egyptian desert while living in the village of Kuna on the banks directly opposite Luxor. She took tourists around who were interested in seeing sights away from the madding tourist crowd as a side-line to her main job. (In fact, I’d love to hear from anyone else who has come across her.)

Arthur Daley (vespasiansecurity.wordpress.com)

And Cairo museum was great – the number and quality of exhibits there was mind-blowing to this amateur Egyptologist. Even the Arthur Daley character who accosted us in the street outside and made us go and see his Papyrus showroom didn’t take the shine off too much. And our trip into the desert by convoy to see Hathor’s temple at Dendera as an experience and a half (this wasn’t long after the bombing at Luxor in 1997). But we never did take to the bargaining for goods (we ended up finding the one shop in Luxor that had set prices) and the baksheesh issue ended up giving us nervous tics (even though we know it’s a poor country – we know, we know.)

But for all that, and especially for those more travel-savvy than we were at the time, I couldn’t recommend Egypt enough. And thinking about it, it’s probably one of the holidays that I remember in most detail – which must mean something.

Viktor room Hostel Artharmony

There is a range of off-beat accommodation in Prague, some of it right in the centre but others slightly out of town. Here’s a selection of three quirky hostels – the first is central, the other two out of town but from which Prague is easily reachable:

Hostel Artharmony

Birdy murals, trees, hand-painted signs to rooms called Kevin, Viktor and Daniel and a rocking horse, this is a pretty, clean hostel just five minutes’ walk from Wenceslas Square. Each room has access to its own bathroom. And they accept pets!

Address

Hostel Artharmony
Jecna 509/12
Prague 12000

Website: Book Artharmony

Hostel Elf reception

Hostel Elf

Quirkily decorated and free hot wine on a Thursday night of a winter, plus plenty of hot water and a large communal area. Choice of rooms with or without bathrooms as well as dorms.

Address

Hostel Elf
Husitska 11
Prague

Website: Book Hostel Elf

Hostel Marabou

Hostel Marabou

This colourful residence is situated in the trendy Žižkov area, 20 minutes from Prague Old Town on a bus that stops outside the building. Large dormitories, a laid-back atmosphere and a free beer on arrival all make this one an attractive proposition.

Address

Hostel Marabou
Konevova 55
Prague

Website: Book Hostel Marabou

Related posts: Legend of the Golem of Prague Quirky Hotels, Paris

Hospital in the Rock | Sziklakórház (Photo by thelittletraveler.blogspot.com)

The underground medical establishment/nuclear bunker came into being in 1939 as a military hospital secreted well away from air raids. The caves it is housed in are a series of natural hydrothermal structures under the castle area of Buda, brought together by connecting passages and corridors. The caves themselves were rooms within the hospital.

It was designed to hold 60 but over Christmas 1944 and the Siege of Budapest, it held 600 patients. It must have been bedlam. Bandages were taken from dead bodies and re-used on the living, water was cut off by Russian bombings and as a result the rate of infection was sky-high.

Our guide told us that after the war, it was put to use by the Russian communists – as a top secret nuclear bunker and hospital. For 40 years it was kept from prying eyes: fuel was pumped underground disguised as water for the castle’s gardens, for instance.

Cave Hospital from Funzine.hu

We were told that injured Hungarian citizens would be brought into the caves should nuclear attack occur. I was more than a tad sceptical of this – surely it would be the Soviet Apparatchiks who would be ushered beneath the ground? However, perhaps something was lost in translation as the tour was run in Hungarian and English (taking turns between the two.)

We heard how one man and his wife had kept the hospital running during that time: he maintained the power and ventilations systems, and she changed the bed linen once every two weeks throughout those 40 years.

Tours around this underground hospital take place every hour on the hour. Simply turn up at the door, unless you’re a group of 15+ when you should email in advance. It can be found by walking down the street that leads directly down from the front entrance of Matthias Church, to a set of steps down to the foot of the castle wall. Walk to your right and you’ll come across the entrance.

This off the beaten path tour lasts around an hour in total and is well worth seeing for the insight into a particular and important period of Hungarian history.

Details

Address: Sziklakórház Múzeum, H-1012, Budapest, Lovas, ut 4/c

Tours every hour on the hour. Open 10am – 8pm Tue to Sun.
Buses 16, 16A or 116.

Website: http://www.sziklakorhaz.hu/szikla_en.html

Related post: The Legend of the Golem of Prague

Yule Lads stamps from http://iceland.intracore.com

Mischievous, monstrous or generous? Iceland has 13 equivalents of Santa Claus who appear on separate nights in the lead-up to Christmas. Their origin was in Icelandic folklore, and they were a useful way to keep children in check as they had some quite vile behavioural characteristics.

These days the Yule lads are benevolent, gift-giving fellas and often appear dressed basically like Santa Claus that can probably be hired for public appearances. All a child has to do to receive a present is leave a shoe on the window sill. If they’ve been bad, mind, they’ll find a potato in that shoe on Christmas morning.

Here’s a cheesey Yule lads video:

Here’s a list (With thanks to Wikipedia)

December 12 Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod) – Harasses sheep, but is impaired by his stiff peg-legs.

December 13 Giljagaur (Gully Gawk) – Hides in gullies, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the cowshed and steal milk.

December 14 Stúfur (Stubby) – Abnormally short. Steals pans to eat the crust left on them.

December 15 Þvörusleikir (Spoon-Licker) Steals Þvörur (a type of a wooden spoon with a long handle – I. þvara) to lick. Is extremely thin due to malnutrition.

December 16 Pottasleikir (Pot-Licker) Steals leftovers from pots.

December 17 Askasleikir (Bowl-Licker) Hides under beds waiting for someone to put down their ‘askur’ (a type of bowl with a lid used instead of dishes), which he then steals.

December 18 Hurðaskellir (Door-Slammer) Likes to slam doors, especially during the night.

December 19 Skyrgámur (Skyr-Gobbler) A Yule Lad with an affinity for skyr.

December 20 Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage-Swiper) Would hide in the rafters and snatch sausages that were being smoked.

December 21 Gluggagægir (Window-Peeper) A voyeur who would look through windows in search of things to steal.

December 22 Gáttaþefur (Doorway-Sniffer) Has an abnormally large nose and an acute sense of smell which he uses to locate laufabrauð.

December 23 Ketkrókur (Meat-Hook) Uses a hook to steal meat.

December 24 Kertasníkir (Candle-Stealer) Follows children in order to steal their candles (which in those days was made of tallow and thus edible).

Proof of Yule Lads’ existence

Has to be true:

Buy some Yule Lads’ figurines

The Nordic store are selling this set of 16 figures:

Yule Lads figurines

The devilish-looking character at the back is the lads’ troll mother, and there’s even a Yule cat who attacks those unfortunates who don’t receive a new piece of clothing at Christmas.

Related posts: Legend of the Golem of Prague