Wandering Fi

Show Cleveland Some Love

2018-09-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

It's time to give Cleveland the love it deserves.

We've just got back from a long weekend up on the banks of the Erie and had a great time. In fact, we found some many things to do and places to eat that we definitely need to go back. But so many people thought we were mad for going there. So if you've tended to dismiss Cleveland as not being worth a look (and I admit I was one of those at one time), here are a few reasons to think again.

Places to Go.

We drove up from Lexington, KY on a Friday, arriving in Cleveland at about 3pm. Time to check in to the hotel and take a quick breather before heading out to our first stop.

Cleveland Museum of Art. Courtesy of ThisisCleveland.com.

Cleveland Museum of Art. By far, one of the better art museums I have been to, the Cleveland Museum of Art houses a magnificent collections that includes works by Dali, Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, and many more of the masters. Whether your taste leans to ancient Greek, far Eastern, medieval religious, contemporary American, or sculpture, the museum will have something to whet your appetite. We had not bought tickets to the Yayoi Kusama exhibition and it was sold out by the time we got there, but that didn't matter as there was still so much to see. Be sure to check out the William Morris room. The Cleveland Museum of Art is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10am. Admission is free. There is a charge for parking.

Courtesy of ThisisCleveland.com and Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If you're a music lover, you can't visit Cleveland without spending some time at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame so that was our first stop on Saturday. As with the Museum of Art, there is something for everyone. The museum starts downstairs with early blues and works its way up several floors, charting the history of popular music. Along the way you'll see exhibits and memorabilia from such greats as Elvis and Jimi Hendrix, and covering such events as the Summer of Love, the rise of punk, and much more. See who has been inducted on Level 3 and cast your own vote for who you'd like to see in the next class. (Votes for Warren Zevon from the both of us!) And on the higest floors, you can see a series of exhibits about music on TV and music video. But for us, the highlight was the musical performances. The Power of Rock Experience is a short film by Jonathan Demme that shows some of the induction highlights and which closes with a mindblowing guitar performance by Prince. In another theater, a four hour recording from Madison Square Gardens plays on a loop. Stay and watch the entire show or just sit and enjoy a few clips. (The Mick Jagger and Fergie performance with U2 is excellent). Plan to spend at least a couple of hours here but you'll probably want to linger and recapture favorites from your youth. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is open daily from 10am to 5.30, with later hours on Wednesdays. Buy tickets online before you go to save a few bucks.

Courtesy of ThisisCleveland.com

A Christmas Story House. Author Jean Shepherd may have grown up in Indiana, but anyone who has seen the movie adaptation of his beloved book will recognise this house, used in the filming. Take a tour of the museum and the house and see tons of memorabilia from the Christmas classic, including of course the infamous major award lamp. After looking around, buy your own leg lamp or bunny suit in the neighboring gift shop. Or book an overnight stay. The house is open every day with the first tours at 10.15am.

Lincoln Park, Tremont. Photo by Daniel X. O'Neil.

The house from A Christmas Story is in Tremont, which was convenient for us since our next Saturday adventure was a food tour of the area with Taste of Cleveland. For three hours our guide Fallon shared the district's history with us as we stopped off at several local restaurants to try their wares. Taste of Cleveland also operates food tours in the city's West Side Market and Little Italy. If you remember, we took a food tour with Taste Indy a few years ago. This is run by the same folks so you won't be hungry by the end of the evening.

Community artwork in Tremont

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. On Sunday we faced the drive back to Kentucky but we weren't ready to leave just yet. A brochure in the hotel room mentioned that Cleveland's zoo had one of the largest collections of primates in the nation. Enough said. The zoo is set on 183 acres and is nicely laid out. We got there at opening time, which as great as we were able to chat with one of the keepers and learn more about the snow leopards. The selection of animals was impressive, and because the zoo was so spacious, it never felt overcrowded. We spent a little over three hours here, but could have happily lingered for longer.

Where to Eat.

We enjoyed some great dishes so below are the restaurants that featured on our food tour and another excellent discovery.

Der Braumeister. Our first evening in Cleveland, good beer was a given. But what we also wanted was some good German food. Der Braumeister did not disappoint on either count. The traditional wooden decor took me back to my summer spent working in Bavaria. The servers were very knowledgeable about the beer and were spot on with their suggestions. Meanwhile, the food was wonderful. We started with some lox and cream cheese. Then, Nic had the sauerbraten with spatzle while I had a sausage plate. Lastly, although stuffed to the gills, we wouldn't resist sharing a slice of strudel, fresh from the oven.

The SouthSide, Tremont. The first stop on our Taste Cleveland tour of Tremont was this restaurant and bar on West 11th. And despite having lived in Kentucky for 17 years, it took my first trip to Cleveland for me to try chicken and waffles, complete with a rich maple butter, maple syrup and hot sauce. Apparently they have one of the best Bloody Marys in the city but I've never been able to face drinking anything with tomato juice.

Parallax, Tremont. Further along West 11th, Parallax is the flagship of a series of restaurants around the city owned by renowned chef Zach Bruell. Its menu offers fusion seafood and sushi. We were treated to tempura green beans and hanger steak pot stickers. Fallon tells me the cocktails are also very good.

Ty Fun, Tremont. Next stop was Ty Fun, and don't fret about the pronunciation. We were told that chef and owner Sunny Ting pronounces it one way, and his sister and co-chef pronounces it another! We got to taste the chicken satay and a sweet chicken curry which also featured Sunny's homemade tofu. Needless to say, both were delicious.

Tremont Scoops. You can't have a food tour without dessert, so our final stop in Tremont was Scoops for ice cream. Be sure to stop by for a cup or cone if you find yourself in the area. Vegan and dairy-free offerings are also available.

Although our stay in Cleveland was short, we managed to pack a lot into it and we enjoyed it all immensely. I had honestly expected a grimy industrial city. Instead we found a vibrant city with plenty of great attractions and some fabulous dining choices. And since there are still lots of other places there to explore, I believe a second trip may be in my future.

Courtesy of ThisisCleveland.com

Book Review: South Carolina Country Roads

2018-04-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

Venture off the beaten path to forgotten roads, where a hidden South Carolina exists. Time-travel and dead-end at a ferry that leads to wild islands. Cross a rusting steel truss bridge into a scene from the 1930s. Behold an old gristmill and imagine its creaking, clashing gears grinding corn. See an old gas pump wreathed in honeysuckle. Drive through a ghost town and wonder why it died. When's the last time you saw a country store's cured hams hanging from wires? How about a vintage Bull Durham tobacco ad on old brick? Tom Poland explores scenic back roads that lead to heirloom tomatoes, poke salad, restaurants once gas stations, overgrown ruins and other soulful relics.

My own experience with South Carolina is pretty limited, I must admit, having only driven through most of the state to reach Hilton Head or crossed the northern border just far enough to visit friends in Irmo. But coincidentally, South Carolina County Roads arrived in my mailbox just as my husband and I started to make plans to visit Charleston for a long weekend.

Cooper's County Store

The latest series from The History Press takes a look at those lost gems, those long-forgotten remnants from a past era that few see anymore. As people speed to their next destination via interstate, thousands of miles of country roads retain stories from communities that no longer exist. Author Tom Poland ventures onto the path less travelled to discover overgrown roads, rusting gas pumps, and other Americana.

Poland says that he finds driving these country roads "calming, like therapy." During the two years he researched the book, he estimates that he drove some 12,000 miles around South Carolina, never once touching an interstate. He says, "Modern life is a mad dash that drives you insane. A leisurely drive down a country road restores your sanity and makes you a better person."

I don't know if it will make me a better person, but I definitely plan to take a few detours on our way to Charleston, aided by South Carolina Country Roads. I also plan to make more effort to get out and about on our Kentucky backroads.

South Carolina Country Roads by Tom Poland is due for release on April 16, 2018.

McCormick County, SC

And as an extra plug for The History Press and me, feel free to check out my own books with the same publisher: Lexington (Then and Now), Wicked Lexington, Kentucky, and A Culinary History of Kentucky.

New Orleans and Voodoo

2017-09-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

(Note: The following is by no means an attempt to explain voodoo in full. There are many excellent books on the subject for those interested in learning more. When visiting New Orleans, be aware that voodoo is a spiritual belief system and should be treated with respect.)

It is almost impossible to separate voodoo from New Orleans history and the modern-day culture. They are all intertwined, meaning that you would be missing out if you do not attempt to understand some of the voodoo religion and its continuing influence over the city.

Display at the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum

Louisiana voodoo developed as an amalgamation of traditional religious practices brought by slaves from West Africa and the Catholic religion which the local landowners and settlers followed. Slaveowners tried to make their slaves convert to Catholicism. Like so many other aspects of New Orleans culture, religious beliefs combined, bringing together various backgrounds to create something unique to the region.

The most famous practitioner was Marie Laveau, the daughter of a white planter and a black Creole. While working as a hairdresser, she developed a reputation for being able to cure sickness, unite lovers, and bring luck to clients. Her customers ranged from the wealthy white elite of the city to slaves and the impoverished. A strict Catholic, she encouraged many of her followers to attend Mass, and it may have been this that helped to cement the link between the two systems.

Today, although voodoo has become very commercialized in New Orleans, used to sell all manner of trinkets to tourists, it is still an important belief system. Many stores in the French Quarter can provide good luck charms, dolls, and advice.

A good place to learn more is the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum on Dumaine Street. Visitors can learn about local tours, or can book readings with practitioners. They can also browse the museum which, while small and often crowded, contains a wealth of information about Marie Laveau, voodoo's origins, and its links to Catholicism. Again, be aware that many of the displays are altars and should be treated with respect. They may look very different to a Christian church altar, but each item carries significance.

Offerings at the tomb of Marie Laveau

The other key place to visit is the tomb of Marie Laveau in St. Louis Cemetery #1, aka the City of the Dead. Since 1789, thousands upon thousands of people have been buried in this small burial ground, which barely covers one city block. Since 2015, the cemetery has been off limits to unaccompanied visitors. This is to cut down on vandalism which sadly has caused lasting damage. Those wishing to visit may do so as part of an organized tour, such as the one we took with French Quarter Phantoms.

Burial vault marred by scratches

The cemetery is absolutely fascinating but most people want to see Laveau's tomb, where people still leave small offerings. You will notice that one her tomb and, more prominently on several other tombs, dozens of Xs have been etched into the stonework. DO NOT DO THIS! Tour guides back in the early 20th century started a rumor that Laveau was in fact buried in a different tomb and that if visitors scratched XXX into it, they would gain good fortune. This brought the guides larger tips from eager visitors, while causing irreparable damage to the tombs. Show respect to the dead rather than desecrating their resting places.

Incidentally, the story of how people are buried in New Orleans is incredibly interesting but I shall leave that for you to learn from your guide.

This Voodoo Circle was originally located in a building on Toulouse Street and is believed to have been used to protect the inhabitants from the spirits.

Treme: The Musical Heart of New Orleans

2017-08-07T13:54:00.002-07:00

There's no going to New Orleans and ignoring the music. Why would you want to? The city is a vibrant combination of color, life, and sounds. This is a place where, if you can pull together a band and $50 for a license, you can have a parade for any reason. Seriously! If I lived there, I'd be finding all sorts of reasons to party. Sunny day? Let's have a parade. Feeling blue? Time for a parade to lift the spirits!

Old Satchmo himself - Louis Armstrong

But while many people associate New Orleans with jazz, there is so much more variety to the musical history of the Big Easy. It is the very heart of American music.

One of the best ways to learn about the musical history of New Orleans is to take a walking tour. French Quarter Phantoms does a fabulous musical tour of the Treme neighborhood. (We weren't paid to say that - we took a number of their tours and enjoyed every one.) Our group set out with our trusty guide Justin and a boombox of tunes for a neighborhood discovery that ranged from the drumbeats of the Congo to Marilyn Manson (yes - there's a New Orleans connection).

Obviously I encourage you all to take the tour so I'm not going to give away everything, but I will share a few of the highlights to hopefully whet your appetite.

So let's start with a little history about the Treme neighborhood. This beautiful collection of streets with the brightly colored houses is adjacent to the French Quarter. It is also the oldest African American neighborhood in the United States, and as such, has a rich history that encompasses civil rights, the arts, social change, and of course music. It was the earliest place where free people of color were able to buy and own property. The streets may have been quiet the afternoon of our tour, but at weekends they are filled with local musicians and residents.

Congo Square

Our tour began in Louis Armstrong Park, more specifically in Congo Square. Here, under the rules of the Code Noir observed by the French colonists, slaves met each Sunday. Their dances, rhythms, and songs, transported thousands of miles, provided inspiration for generations of future musicians.

The park is full of sculptures commemorating New Orleans music, but they might not all be what you expect. For example, the French Opera House Sculpture. While you might not put opera and New Orleans together, a magnificent opera house stood in the French Quarter from 1859 to 1919, when it was destroyed by fire.

French Opera House Sculpture

Nearby, you can also see statues of Charles Buddy Bolden, Big Chief Tootie, and the park's namesake, Louis Armstrong.

As we learned from Justin, after the Civil War, many musicians found themselves back in New Orleans. They would take the military marches and add the drum rhythms handed down from Africa and the West Indies. Jazz was born. Although opinions differ as to exactly who started it and when. Some will say Buddy Bolden in 1895. Others will claim it developed later. In reality, there wasn't just one person on one day. Jazz formed from an amalgamation of styles, instruments, traditions, and creative souls.

Buddy Bolden

There is so much more I could write about this - about the Second Line, about how music continues to evolve to this day in New Orleans with groups such as the Rebirth Brass Band, about how trumpets continue to sound around the city in a seemingly never-ending stream of music festivals, and about how artists in so many other genres come to Treme in search of inspiration. And that doesn't even get to the local hip hop and metal scenes.

But as much as I could talk about it, the best way to experience it is to visit New Orleans. Take a guided tour through Louis Armstrong Park and Treme. Hear the stories. Hear the sounds. It may sound corny, but this city is ALIVE with rhythms and tunes, and all have a story to tell.

Passebon Cottage in Treme, built in 1843, is being renovated to be part of an expanded African-American Museum

In case you can't tell, I sort of fell in love with New Orleans, especially Treme!

Budget Friendly Vacationing in the Big Easy

2017-08-04T08:24:00.001-07:00

Photo by Didier Moise

We finally did it! We made it to New Orleans for a vacation.

Ordinarily that might not sound like a big deal, but we had started to think we might be a jinx upon the place. We had first talked about visiting years ago... and then Katrina happened. A few years later, we raised the topic again... and cue another major hurricane. And so on. Until we figured it might just not be in our destiny.

But earlier this year, I was chatting to a bunch of people in Louisiana for several Group Travel Leader pieces I was writing. Maybe it was time to go for real.

Despite the naysayers, we picked a week in July and off we went. And we had a blast. It was not overly expensive either.

Over the next few posts, I'll be sharing some of our adventures in New Orleans and the surrounding area - walking tours, the food, the swamps, the food, the French Quarter... and did I mention the food? I am now obsessed with making every type of gumbo I can find a recipe for.

But to start off, I want to share a few tips that came in useful for us in keeping our vacation very budget friendly. I haven't been paid by anyone to say nice things, nor did we receive any freebies. These are simply a few of the ways we enjoyed our break without breaking the bank.

There's always a reason for a parade in New Orleans!

When you go.

So I mentioned the naysayers. That's because some people felt it incredibly necessary to tell us what a miserable time we would have in Louisiana in July. That we would be entering a unbearably hot and humid swamp of mosquitoes.

It was actually pretty nice weather. In fact, the air temps were hotter in Lexington while we were gone than they were in NOLA. Sure the humidity bumped it up, but it was no different to if we'd stayed in Kentucky, and definitely cooler than our trip to Death Valley a few years ago!

Ah but it's a different kind of heat. Different to the dry desert heat, but not to the humidity we'd been having in Kentucky. The weather was hot but pleasant and definitely not so uncomfortable that we could not enjoy our time outside. As for the mosquitoes - not a problem in the city. I got bitten a few times when we went out to the swampier areas, but repellent kept most of them away.

So why July? For starters, it was easier for my husband to get away from work. And when I had spoken to various travel bureau folks, they all agreed that July is one of the quieter months. Still pretty busy but fewer crowds than many tourist destinations in summer, and that also means cheaper hotel prices....

Gorgeous iron work in the French Quarter.

Where you stay.

Where you will want to stay depends largely on what type of vacation you are looking for. If you're going to New Orleans to party, no doubt you will want to stay in or close to the French Quarter. The same applies if you are flying and don't want to deal with a rental car. Sure you could get Lyfts or Uber but that adds up. Chances are you want something within walking distance, or at least along a cable car route, and you will have plenty of options.

Since we drove down to Louisiana over the course of 2 days, it was easier for us to get around. And we're pretty basic travelers - give us a clean room and bathroom and we're good to go. Since my husband travels a lot for work we used some of his hotel points and stayed in a nice new TownePlace Suites in Harvey, about a 20 minute drive into the Quarter each day. But even though we used points, going in July meant we got a much better deal than if we'd traveled at other times of the year.

No we're not suggesting you stay here but do make time to visit St. Louis Cemetery #1

So does that mean ridiculous parking fees?

"You drove into the French Quarter! What about parking?"

That occurred to us once we got down there as well. Having been to Chicago, San Francisco, and New York and seeing the horrendous daily rates for parking in convenient locations, we were considering the cost benefits of getting a Lyft in each day. However, with a quick internet search we were able to find all-day parking in a secure lot for about $7.

Per day!

We could reserve a spot, pay online and have parking from 10am to 10pm or later for the princely sum of $7 per day. And it was just a few blocks from Bourbon Street.

The company is Premium Parking. I'm not getting paid to say good things about them - we're just glad we found them and saved a bunch of money.

Local color in the French Quarter

What to do.

New Orleans has plenty for visitors to do even if, like us, you have no interest in drinking on Bourbon Street til the sun comes up. But we found huge discounts on the things we wanted to do.

Thanks to Groupon.

We made a list of things that interested us and then got to searching for deals. All told, over the course of the week, we did a fantastic food tour, an eco-tour of the bayou, plus four walking tours - for a total of 48% of what we'd have paid on the day! The tours were great - more on those in upcoming posts. We had fun, met plenty of interesting folks and learned a lot.

New Orleans has a rich and varied musical history.

What to eat.

New Orleans is a paradise for foodies, but it can be really easy to overlook some of the best places to eat. Thanks to our food tour on Monday, we had a list of places to explore for the rest of the week. He pointed out little places in the French Quarter that we would have easily passed by, not even realizing they were restaurants. Muffaletta, gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, gator, oysters... there's so much good food that I would say it's worth taking a food tour to learn a little more before you get started. Skip the tourist traps and find out where the locals eat.

Crawfish, mudbugs... whatever you call them, they're good eatin'!

This is just a start. Over the next few posts, I'll be sharing more details about tours, food, history and more, but hopefully it has given you a few ideas for enjoying the Big Easy on an easy budget.

Introducing British Food and Travel

2017-06-07T20:48:00.001-07:00

If you're wondering why I haven't updated here for a while, there have been a variety of reasons, but the main one has been that I've been busy building a new site dedicated to my home country.

British Food and Travel recently launched. The site highlights the best of British food, coast, and countryside. Each week, expect to find at least one food-related post and one travel post.

One current series, posted every Friday, is spotlighting the National Parks of the British Isles. Later this year, I'll be running a series about the literary landscape of Britain, and charting the coastal path. I'll be walking some of the coastal path this fall so watch out for posts about that.

I'll also be featuring places to stay, things to do, and how to experience the very best of the great British outdoors.

So come on over and check us out at British Food and Travel.

And don't worry - I'm not completely abandoning this page. I've got a bunch of Louisiana posts coming soon!

The Ups and Downs of LA

2016-08-30T13:47:00.002-07:00

Griffith Park in LA. No idea who the guy is - he wandered in and posed as I took it!

LA.
I have been to LA twice in my life and it's one city that leaves me with very mixed feelings. For me, it is a stressful city to visit, and a large part of that stress is caused by the traffic. I have a rule that I do not drive in Los Angeles. Not gonna do it.
That leaves Nic to deal with those hassles while I navigate.

Our recent trip to LA had the added stress of involving family. My parents, my sister, her husband, and their kids flew to California, spent a week at Disney and Palm Springs, and then drove up to LA where we met them for the second week.

Now don't get me wrong. It was great to see them. In fact, with just 5 real days for doing stuff, it wasn't long enough. But a group of 8 people, ranging in age from 7 to 64, with vastly different likes and dislikes, not to mention two vehicles and GPS that became decidedly squiffy for the last few days... it adds up to a certain amount of stress.

Long Beach is a beautiful spot to spend a summer evening

Here I am going to share my favorite spots to spend some time in and around LA.

1. Long Beach.

Visit the Aquarium, dine, shop, and enjoy a stroll with some beautiful scenery. Gorgeous area.

2. Toi on Sunset. Great place to eat. We ate here the first time I visited LA and made sure to come back this time. Best of all, it had a great array of vegetarian options for my niece. (We were surprised what poor veggie options many restaurants had). Go for the vibe. Go for the food.

3.

Santa Monica. When the city gets me stressed, I need to be by the sea. Santa Monica pier had plenty of attractions for the kids, the beach was clean. We came back a few days later to meet a friend at one of the nearby restaurants in the 3rd St area. I love Santa Monica.

Incidentally, we also visited Venice Beach. Interesting for people watching and the sight of my 7 year old niece busting through the bodybuilders at Muscle Beach to play on their equipment was awesome. However, my other niece felt distinctly uncomfortable and the area doesn't have anything like the family friendly feel of Santa Monica.

Santa Monica Beach

4. Carousels. Santa Monica Pier, LA Zoo, Long Beach, Ventura County Fair... I lost track of the number of carousels my niece rode on. She loved them all.

5. Yes, I mentioned the Ventura County Fair. By the end of the week, I needed out of city space so we drove up to Oxnard for the fair. Tons of fun. Plenty of fresh air. Pig racing. Deep fried Oreos. And of course a drive back to LA via the...

6. Pacific Coast Highway. Perfect for breathtaking views of the ocean.

Stop off at the Reel Inn in Malibu to soak up the atmosphere while enjoying a beer and some seafood.

7. Go whale-watching. We took a two-hour trip with LA Waterfront. While we didn't see any whales, we did find ourselves in a large pod of dolphins. Again, the 7 year old had a (pardon the pun) whale of a time.

Art Viewing in Vegas

2016-03-23T16:45:00.006-07:00

I've been meaning to put these photos up since our trip to Las Vegas last summer. Staying off-strip in the Fremont Street area allowed us to see and experience so much more than lots of people I've spoken to who spend all their time on the strip. Case in point: all of this fabulous street art. The old downtown area is chockablock with some of the most wonderful and creative murals. Take the time to go for a stroll and enjoy the free exhibits.

And finally... on that just has so much going on, I'm not sure where to begin. Rabbits, cabbages, a rifle, and a scantily clad woman around the corner to complete the scene. Whatever way you look at it, you've got to love the Vegas street art!

A Little Bit of Chocolate Heaven

2016-02-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

So you walk around a few little side streets in Central London, and you come across a little, rather unassuming corner store. But when you step inside, you see this:

And one more thing... it's all chocolate.

Welcome to Choccywoccydoodah!

A magnificence of chocolate!

I had never heard of this place until a year or two ago when my sister ordered a birthday cake for my niece. She sent me the link to something so decadently chocolatey and elaborate, I nearly drooled over my keyboard.

It seems the business is based in Brighton, but they also have a small shop/cafe in London. I could tell you about them but honestly, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. This isn't a simple piece of molded chocolate; this is pure art.

We stopped off at the London store while we were in town to see Les Mis. And since we had an hour or two before the show, what better place for lunch. We made our way upstairs to the cafe area, fortunately beating the crowd. Within half an hour there was a line up the stairs and a rope was in place to prevent more gathering.

Now let's make one thing clear, when I say lunch. This place is a mecca of chocolate. Do not, as one unsuspecting gent did, make the mistake of asking if there are salads or sandwiches served. Are they made of chocolate? Of course not.

The menu consists of various types of hot chocolate, all made with pure creamy ... you guessed it. There are also shakes, sundaes, dipping pots, and cake. Make no mistake - we were there for the cake!

Each of us enjoyed a mug of chocolatey goodness, piled high with cream and marshmallows. But then we had to choose our cake. So many triple-layered choices all laid out on the table. I went for an amaretto sponge with praline truffle filling; my sister chose the lemon champagne; my niece the triple chocolate, and my mum... by this point I was in a sweet-induced coma of happiness and so I don't remember what she ordered. Rum and raisin! She had rum and raisin chocolate cake!

All I can say is: the cake was beyond delicious. And it was a good thing we had a bit of a walk to the theatre, to burn off a few of those calories and to make sure we didn't fall into a delicious doze. I will say nothing more but leave you with pictures.

Just a few of the choices - can I have one of everything?

Reculver and Wantsum

2016-02-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

Reculver against a winter sky

If you happen to find yourself visiting Kent and driving down the Thanet Way, you may find yourself glancing across to the sea and wondering about that old tower you see. The one that looks like the remains of something once much larger.

What you are seeing is the Reculver Towers, and they have been part of the Kent landscape since Roman times. Now maintained by English Heritage, Reculver Towers have a long history, dating back to the days when the Isle of Thanet was indeed an island.

Centuries ago, the land that is now occupied by Ramsgate, Margate, and Broadstairs, was separated from the English mainland by the Wantsum Channel.

The Romans built two forts to guard against Saxon raids: one at Reculver and one at the other end of the seaway in Richborough. Many years later, in the 7th century, the site became a monastery, part of St. Augustine's mission to bring Christianity to the British Isles.

The land seen here to the right beyond the ruins was once an ancient seaway.

Map showing the old Wantsum Channel

By the 12th century, the Wantsum Channel was starting to silt. Boat traffic lessened because of the difficulty in navigating what was becoming marshland. Also at this time, the towers were repurposed again, becoming a church for the people of Reculver.

Fast forward another 400 years, and what was left of the Wantsum was drained and turned into farmland. Ramsgate and Margate were now part of the mainland. All that remains of the waterway now is a narrow river. But the towers at Reculver still stand tall on the landscape, accompanied by headstones and graves from the 1700s, when it was still a parish church.

Reculver is open to visitors free of charge and is a popular Sunday afternoon walk destination.

Ramsgate: Above and Below

2016-01-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite sights - Ramsgate Harbour.

Yes, this was taken in December!

I have recently returned from a five-and-a-half week trip to Ramsgate, in the South-East of England, to spend Christmas with my family.

Returning home is always an odd thing after so many years living elsewhere. On the one hand, it is and will always be home and I feel comfortable as soon as I am there. On the other hand, it has undergone changes during my absence and so a part of me feels like an outsider.

Ramsgate Beach, the morning of New Year's Eve.

One of my favourite things about being back is the ability to walk... somewhere... anywhere! Living in Lexington, opportunities for walking are limited unless you first drive somewhere with a walking trail. I can walk in my small subdivision and then no further because there are no pavements to link us to the next subdivision, and so on.

But in Ramsgate, every morning I could go on a long walk through old neighborhoods, ending up at either the East Cliff or the West Cliff, then winding my way down to the harbour and back up through the town. A three or four mile walk with a dose of refreshing sea air. Walking is just easier and more pleasant there.

One of the windier days on the cliffs.

This time back in Ramsgate, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a lot of the old archway spaces alongside the harbour have been renovated and reopened into coffee shops, bars, and art galleries. In the summer, I expect it's a beautiful spot to sit and watch the boats come and go.

The Phoenix Queen - an artist's houseboat that resides in
Ramsgate Harbour

This was also my first time home since the opening of the wartime tunnels and so, a few days after our arrival, Nic and I made our way along there before they closed for the Christmas season.

The entrance to the Ramsgate Tunnels

Growing up in Ramsgate, I always knew about the labyrinth of tunnels that wound their way under the town and through the surrounding cliffs. Some - used by smugglers centuries ago -connected caves at Pegwell to long-forgotten outlets in Manston. Others were more recent - former railway tunnels, and those used as shelters during World War II. With entrances scattered around town, some intrepid explorers made their way down from time to time to see what remained.

The entrance shown in the photo was originally part of a railway tunnel, built in 1863 for the railway line that served to bring daytrippers down to the Ramsgate sands, dropping them off just feet from the beach. The railway line is now long gone, the main station having relocated to more than a mile away.

A replica of a typical family's living quarters in the tunnels.

In the late 1930s, as it became clearer that Hitler's advances in Europe would lead to war, the town's mayor put in a request to the British government that a series of shelters and tunnels be built beneath the town. Ramsgate's position on the coast made it a clear target. Despite several refusals, the go-ahead was eventually given and construction began. Although originally intended to provide short-term shelter, the tunnels would end up becoming home for many families, displaced by repeated air raids or the bombing of their homes.

For the last few decades, a group of dedicated locals have tried to get support for reopening parts of the tunnels as a museum. Finally, in 2014, the Ramsgate Tunnels opened. At present, a little over a mile of tunnels are open. It is hoped that more might eventually be cleared and made safe for visitors. Sadly, despite the opening of the wartime military HQ under Dover Castle, the secret wartime Navy base under Ramsgate (HMS Fervent) is expected to remain off limits for the foreseeable future.

The original signage for the tunnel railway.

The tunnels hold particular interest to me, not just because of their location in my hometown but also because of their connections with my dad's family. The museum features photos of his dad, who served in North Africa, and of other ancestors who were instrumental in the town's early lifeboat rescue service. Other family members operate the tea room, while another served as our tour guide.

After watching a short video, we donned our hard hats to walk the tunnels, viewing some of the entrances, reading the graffiti left by past generations, and hearing stories of life underground during the war.

Arklow Square Entrance

The tunnel beneath Victoria Road

After our tour, we walked home, taking the same route above ground that we had previously been taking below. Even if you're not local to Ramsgate, I'd have to recommend a trip to the Ramsgate Tunnels. The tour guides are incredibly knowledgeable and it really is a fascinating look back in the country's wartime history.

Rediscovering Dover

2016-01-27T11:35:00.000-08:00

View across Dover from Dover Castle

Continuing my series on overlooked places in East Kent, today I'm turning my attention to Dover.

Hold on a minute. We all know Dover, right? White cliffs. Ferries to and from France.

But when you were taking one of those ferries, did you ever stop and look around the town itself?

If you look closely, you can see the French coastline.

Have you visited Dover Castle? Even if you have, visit again. Because it seems that every time I go, I discover something different that leaves me wondering if it was always there, or if it's part of a new exhibit.

We visited Dover Castle on a rather windy January 2. Luckily, we arrived late morning, still in time to go to the top of the keep. Warning signs were posted that it would be closed if there were high winds, and it did indeed close shortly after we came back down.

We were able to get the requisite
wind-blown hair shot.

Always a popular attraction, Dover Castle gained new attention when they opened the secret wartime tunnels to the public. Dug into the famous white cliffs is a complex labyrinth of offices, a military control center, hospital, and so on, all of which played a key part in keeping Britain safe during World War II. We didn't go into the tunnels on our recent trip due to lengthy waiting times outside in freezing rain, but I do recommend them.

Even if you skip those tunnels, there are others to explore. Another series of tunnels, built during a siege in the 13th century, were later used as an underground barracks during the Napoleonic wars. Cannons still guard the defenses, although now all you see outside are rare-breed sheep.

The Medieval Tunnels

Tunnels aside, let's start at the main keep of the castle. After climbing to the top for some windswept views across Dover and the English Channel, work your way back down through the exhibits in the Great Tower. It was built by Henry II, husband to Eleanor of Aquitaine, father of Richard the Lionheart and Bad King John. He is perhaps best known in Kent though as the man whose alleged complaint: "Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?" led to the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.

Craftsmen have carefully recreated the kitchens, dining rooms, and royal bedchambers, and visitors who envision castles as cold, dull places to live will no doubt be surprised by the rich tapestries and bright colors.

If, like me, you're something of a food historian, you'll be fascinated by the kitchens, complete with all the tools of the era. Whether you're grinding grain or butchering a hog for a royal feast, everything you need is here!

What a feast I could make in these!

After browsing the tower, a snack or lunch is in order. The NAAFI Restaurant was once used by the military folks stationed here and photos from WWII adorn the walls.

Another stop while you're on the grounds should be Saint Mary in Castro Church. The small church actually predates Dover Castle, and still contains some Roman-era tilework. But if you're wondering why it looks a little more modern, it was largely rebuilt in the 1860s. Services are still held here.

And next door to the church is a Roman lighthouse from the first century. Some parts of it were rebuilt in the 1400s but it remains an impressive sight, particularly when you imagine it lighting the way across the Channel for Roman ships nearly 2000 years ago.

St Mary in Castro Church and the Roman Lighthouse

You can easily spend an entire day at Dover Castle (especially when the weather is a little more welcoming than it was the day we went).

Favouring Faversham

2016-01-22T04:06:00.000-08:00

It seems to me that when it comes to visitors, much of East Kent is overshadowed by Canterbury. Not that there is anything wrong with Canterbury; it is a beautiful little city and, when I'm home, I enjoy making day trips there to browse the shops and soak up some history.

But East Kent has so much more to offer.

Faversham, for example.

Boats moored along Front Brent's Creek

Within the past few weeks, I have made two trips to Faversham, a medieval market town situated some ten miles from Canterbury. The town has pre-Roman roots as an ancient sea port, and was once home to Faversham Abbey. It was later an important center for both brewing and the explosives industry. The Chart Mills are one of the country's only fully restored gunpowder mills, and they are open to visitors.

A Shepherd Neame welcome

One of my favorite places to visit when I'm in Faversham is the Shepherd Neame brewery. Shepherd Neame, Britain's oldest commercial brewery, has been operating in one form or another in Faversham since 1698, although there is evidence that the brewing of ale was probably taking place on the site before then. It remained in the Shepherd family for generations. In 1864, Percy Neame joined as a partner, and in 1875, after the death of Henry Shepherd Jr., he became the company's sole proprietor. Since then, the company has remained in the hands of the Neame family.

Shepherd Neame produces a wide range of beers, and also is the UK distributor for such overseas brands as Asahi and Sam Adams.

I did the Shepherd Neame brewery tour a few years ago, and knew that I would have to do it again with my husband. Luckily, my parents bought us a tour as a Christmas present and so immediately after Christmas, we went in search of beer.

One of two stained glass windows showing the history
of Shepherd Neame.

Our guide was a lovely woman named Helen. After showing us a short video about the history of brewing in the town, she led us through the various aspects of the brewing process. We tasted some of the hops and barley used, and learned about the stages involved in producing top-quality beer.

Of particular note are two beautiful stained glass windows, which show different parts of Shepherd Neame's history. In the window shown here, you can see the spitfire plane and a bishop's finger road sign (both have given their names to ales). You can also see boats on the creek, other buildings around Faversham, and depictions of the brewing itself.

But of course, when you tour a brewery, you all want to reach the end. That's where the beer is. The tour finished in the brewery's pub (open only to tour members). Here we embarked upon a tutored tasting of six Shepherd Neame products. We learned about the aroma, color, and clarity of the beers, and the taste. Each guest received six sizeable samples. Among our day's samples were Whitstable Bay Blonde, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Christmas Ale, Double Stout and (if memory serves) Rudolph's Reward and Late Red. The tour takes about 2 hours and reservations are recommended.

The tours frequently run on a Sunday, and so afterwards, I recommend strolling just up the street to The Bear Inn, a Shepherd Neame pub, for a roast dinner and another pint or two. If you are feeling "ale-d out", there are a couple of very nice tearooms opposite the brewery where you can recover with a pot of Earl Grey and a slice of bread pudding.

Faversham also has some wonderful walks along the creeks that surround the town. Although it was a bit too muddy to enjoy some of the trails on the January afternoon that we set out, we were still able to enjoy strolls past moorings, country pubs, and the old priory.

So next time you happen to be in Kent, don't just stick to a day in Canterbury. Head to some of the surrounding towns and discover more of Kent's rich history.

Primate Posting: Cincinnati's Bonobos

2015-11-12T10:46:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've posted about my beloved primates. No I didn't jet off for a quick trip to Africa, but I did stop off at Cincinnati Zoo on the way back from Indianapolis. The gorillas weren't feeling particularly sociable but I did spend some time watching the bonobos, and snapped a few pics.

One of my favorites.

Nic snapped this pic to the left. I was further down, watching from my own quiet spot, away from the main crowd and the usual irritating comments and monkey noises! They're not chimps. They're not monkeys.

This young one was feeling particularly lively while we were there.

I just loved watching this older bonobo.

Sitting

Eating Our Way Around Indy

2015-11-11T13:09:00.002-08:00

I've been to Indianapolis a few times, but usually just as a stopover on my way to Chicago. While I've raced around the Indy Speedway, enjoyed the works of Georgia O'Keeffe at the Museum of Art, and toured the Medical History Museum (highly underrated and well worth a visit), I've not spent much time exploring the local restaurants. So I was pleased to head up there this past weekend for a food and walking tour. We ate and ate, and then ate some more. It turns out that Indianapolis has some great food!

The Rathskeller

Our tour started at 3pm at The Rathskeller, where we were greeted by our guide Dani.

The German House was built by the city's German community in the 19th century. Its goal was to provide one location for their many social, political, and sporting clubs. Renamed the Athenaeum during World War I, the building now houses a YMCA, several theatre companies, and many other organizations. It is still home to the Rathskeller restaurant and beer garden.

Heading inside, we took our seats in the large event hall, ready for the first portion of our feast. I have never had a light German meal, and this was no exception. In addition to the beer of our choice, we were treated to plates of fresh pretzels, complete with two types of mustard, one of which gave the sinuses a good cleaning!

Then came the serious food - a plate featuring our types of sausage, sauerkraut, rotkraut, and spaetzle.

It was all delicious. I had fully intended to pace myself, having read the reviews of the tour and knowing that we had more food stops ahead of us. Let's just say once I tried the food, all hopes of pacing vanished.

The Rathskeller Sample Plate

One of the beautiful historic properties of Lockerbie Square.

Following our hearty German sampler was an opportunity to walk off some of our recently ingested calories with a stroll through the historic Lockerbie Square. Here Dani shared the history of the many charming houses in the neighborhood.

One stop along our route was the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home. Famous poet James Whitcomb Riley, creator of Little Orphan Annie, lived in the home as a lodger for several decades. We were shown around the first floor, and I fell in love with the highly polished and very impressive stove. I believe if I were to rip out all of the appliances in my tiny kitchen, I may just have room for such a beast.

The Peachy Pig and Sweet Potato Fries at Ralston's

The tour's second food stop was Ralston's DraftHouse on Massachusetts Avenue. At 4pm on a Saturday afternoon, the place was a-hopping.

In an effort to pace myself, I decided to skip the beer. (I had heard that the margaritas at our next stop were not to be missed). However, Nic ordered a cherry mead ale that was as full of flavor as it was color.

The dishes provided for us on this stop consisted of two types of flatbread and sweet potato fries.

No soggy tomatoes in this ratatouille!

The Peachy Pig was topped with pulled pork, cheddar, ginger, cilantro, and a peach-chipotle reduction. The combination of pork and peach is one that I plan to do myself on a homemade pizza.

I was a little more reserved about the Ratatouille Flatbread... until I tried it. Usually ratatouille is one of those-take-it-or-leave-it dishes for me, overly swimming in stewed tomatoes. This was far beyond my expectations, with the perfect blend of eggplant, peppers, onions, squash, and tomatoes, topped with cheese.

The sweet potato fries were a tasty side, and came with ketchup and cinnamon cream cheese.

I could have happily spent more time at Ralston's soaking up the atmosphere, but we had more exploring to do, and so on to the next.

After admiring the architecture of the Murat Centre and stopping to say hi to Kurt Vonnegut, we continued our way along Massachusetts Avenue to Bakersfield.

Indianapolis' most famous son.

Before I mention Bakersfield, I should note some of the benefits of doing a tour like this. Obviously, the food is a highlight; you get to try samplers at places you may not have tried before. You also meet a fascinating variety of people, and have the added bonus of a knowledgeable guide to tell you the history of the area. But another benefit is that you have a table waiting for you. Take for example Bakersfield. They do not take reservations and on a Saturday evening, they are filled to the gills. They do keep a space for a tour though, meaning that we were able to walk right in and find the food ready and waiting.

Chicken tacos

Aiming for a vibe similar to its namesake city in California, Bakersfield prides itself on three things: tacos, tequila, and whiskey. Dani had told us about the excellent margaritas and she was not wrong. It may well be the best margarita I have ever tasted, surpassing the ones I had in Mexico and even the ones at my favorite local Mexican restaurant. If you find yourself in Indy, go and order a margarita at Bakersfield, stat!

To accompany our drinks, we were presented with platters of chicken and fish tacos, both delicious.

Fish tacos at Bakersfield

The fish was particularly surprising. All too often, I come across fried fish that has gone soggy. These pieces of fish were firm with a crisp batter. Very nice indeed.

And finally, we reached our last stop: The Flying Cupcake bakery. Given my choice of cupcakes, I picked out a bananas foster but took it with me for later enjoyment. For now, I was stuffed.

So how would I rate the tour? Excellent. Dani was a wonderful guide. Each of the food stops was a delight. If I had to pick a favorite dish, I would probably say it was the Peachy Pig, but that is a tough call, because I did enjoy everything. I actually can't wait to go back to Indianapolis to revisit some of my new food discoveries.

Feeling Alive in Death Valley

2015-08-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

Of all the places we visited during our week in Vegas, Death Valley was my favorite, even better than the Grand Canyon. I fell in love with the place.

We had saved Death Valley for the last day of our trip, knowing it would be a lot of driving (it turned out to be less than going to the Grand Canyon). I've already described the first part of the day in my earlier post about Rhyolite, so we'll pick up from there.

The Death Valley National Park website has a great downloadable pdf of driving routes from Las Vegas, so you can choose if you want to take the shortest route, the most scenic, etc. We chose to make our outward journey along the Ghost Town Route (taking in Rhyolite) and then return via the route listed as the most scenic.

From Rhyolite, we continued driving on NV Hwy 374, across the state line into California and into Death Valley. As the mercury rose, miles of flat lay before us.

Harmony Borax Works.

At Hell's Gate, we took a left onto the Beatty Cut-off Road. I couldn't help but notice that the few other cars on the road all continued on 374. Did they know something we didn't?

A few miles further and we noticed some ruins a little way off the road. We ignored the climbing temperatures; we were here to explore, and so explore we did. Harmony Borax Works was in operation from 1883-1888. Borax was "the gold of Death Valley". I shuddered to imagine how they managed the heat (which by now was about 113 Fahrenheit) as they worked.

Once pulled by a 20-mule team to transport borax.

Speaking of the heat, I was ridiculously excited about it by this point, insisting that we take a picture of the temperature reading every time it climbed a degree. After all, I didn't know how hot it would get and I didn't want to miss that all-important reading. Don't worry - I won't bore you with EVERY degree.

Soon we reached Furnace Valley Visitor Center, where we refilled every water bottle in the car, using the handy-dandy refill fountains, browsed the visitor center, and bemoaned the lack of spoons. My mother collects them and they are becoming increasingly difficult to find - National Parks, take note!

Not the highest.

By this point we were getting rather hungry. The Visitor Center directed us to a campsite a mile or so down the road, complete with golf course, play area, souvenir shop (spoon!) and diner. Although puzzled to find that, even in the height of summer, the diner had a soup of the day, we enjoyed our sandwiches and fries before continuing on our way, now following the directions back to Vegas via the "most scenic route".

Once we got back in the car, I resumed my habit of taking pictures of every view. Every few feet or so, I would insist we pull over so I could photograph the miles of nothing.

And then, there it was. The magical 120 Fahrenheit.
But no, still hotter it became.
No longer able to get any reception on our phones, we were relying on the car's dash for outside temperature readings.

And since you're no doubt dying to know how hot it got that day, here you are...

122 degree Fahrenheit.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you 122 degrees!

It's kinda warm!

But back to Death Valley and the scenery.

Now here's the part that puzzled me. We were on Badwater Road when we saw the sign noting the turn-off to the Artist's Palette. I knew from reading up that this was the scenery we really wanted to see - a colorful blend of mineral-soaked rocks. But the few other cars on the road bypassed it completely. How often do you get to see this?

Artist's Drive took us on a looping tour through the beautifully-colored rock formations. Words can't do them justice, and the changing position of the sun must surely mean that they always look different. I'll simply share some photos.

Artist's Palette

The layers of minerals include iron, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, red hematite, green chloride, and more. Magnificent.

Once we rejoined the main road, we continued on to Badwater Basin, which holds the distinction of being the lowest spot in North America - 282 feet (855 meters) below sea level. For trivia fans, Mount Whitney, the highest spot in the contiguous 48, is just 84 miles away.

Spot the Sea Level Marker - yes,
I've circled it to make it easier for you!

We emerged from the air-conditioned car to walk along the platforms by the delicate salt flats, and this is where the heat really started to feel intense.

Have you ever been somewhere so hot that you feel as if you are standing in front of an open oven door?

Somewhere so hot, that your hands are actually cooler when you put them IN your pockets because that removes them from the blasting dry heat?

I have now.

Even with plenty of water, after a few minutes I could feel my throat tightening from the heat. The air was so dry that all moisture evaporated immediately.

I had finally met my match.

Badwater Basin

Wooden platforms protect the delicate salt flats.

This is not the sort of place where you want your car to break down or where you want to be caught without water, hence our multiple bottles, all carefully refilled at Furnace Valley. While we're on the subject of your car breaking down, a few miles later we were worried that we may be developing a flat tire. The alarm light went off and I had visions of us needing to do a change in the infernal heat (I've always wanted to use that phrase!) Several checks showed no apparent problems with the tires, and we can only conclude that the extreme temperatures were confusing the gauges and the pressure sensors.

On we drove, and eventually we reached the edge of Death Valley, and signs of civilization. By civilization, I mean Shoshone, California, population: 31.

If you were low on gas, this was your opportunity to fill up, for the princely sum of $5.50 a gallon. To be fair, this was miles from anywhere so the simple law of supply and demand was in evidence, although I suspect there may have been a cheaper, unadvertised rate for locals.

St. Therese Mission, Tecopa, CA.

From Shoshone to Tecopa, a comparative boomtown with a population of 150 but lacking a gas station or grocery store. For those items, Shoshone had captured the market. Tecopa is home to some natural hot springs which apparently attract quite a few visitors. At Tecopa, we joined the Old Spanish Trail, which would lead us back into Nevada to Hwy 160. This part of the drive was largely uneventful (despite signs promising what appeared to be happy dancing cows and deer). We did, however, pass the St. Therese Mission just outside Tecopa, and note what appeared to be a dust storm moving through the valley.

Dust sweeps through the valley.

That evening in Vegas - a balmy 102 degrees - I found myself feeling a little chilly. I guess the heat had got to me, in more ways than one.

Death Valley was, without a doubt, my favorite part of the trip. It is a beautiful wilderness and experiencing it in such heat, it is almost unfathomable how people made their livelihoods out here. But they did, as the ruins of Rhyolite show. And they still do, as is evidenced in Shoshone and Tecopa. And back in the humidity of Kentucky the next day, I found myself uncomfortably sweaty and missing the dry heat of the desert.

Drops of water in the salt flats at Badwater

A long-dried river bed near the Artist's Palette

Death Valley: Land of Extremes

More spectacular colors at Artist's Palette

The obsessive photographer

The Vegas Strip

2015-08-13T10:47:00.001-07:00

Caesar's Palace

This post is going to be more pictorial than anything, because quite honestly, I don't have a lot to say about the Vegas Strip.

For all of the expected gaudiness, it is actually a very nice area and we spent a couple of afternoons wandering, sightseeing, etc.

In fact, the gardens at Caesar's Palace were a perfect little oasis of peace, a far cry from the constant noise and lights of Fremont.

The Bellagio

We did consider stopping for a cocktail at the Bellagio, but after viewing the prices, stopped off at Sin City Brewing instead for an excellent beer. I'm not at a point in my life where I can justify $30+ for a simple frozen cocktail.

This is really the place to see the incredibly wealthy and the high-end boutiques, as well as the lower end. But I think what surprised me was how family friendly the strip was. It was just a pleasant way to spend an hour or two.

We did take in one show during our trip. Penn and Teller were on a summer break, so instead we took in the Zombie Burlesque at Planet Hollywood. Lots of fun. But even if you're not into shows and casinos (and I definitely am not), do take the time to browse the strip.

The famous fountains at the Bellagio

The gardens at Caesar's Palace

Inside the Bellagio

Eating on Fremont

2015-08-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

There is no shortage of places to eat in Vegas' Fremont Street area, from quick to cheap to pricier to the ever-present all-you-can-eat buffet. I ate wonderful shawarma here, some of the best fries and sausage sandwiches (the beer garden at The Plaza), award-winning pizza... and then there was one of the worst meals I've ever had.

Yes, you read that right - anyone over 350lbs eats free!

Their slogan may be "Food You'll Die For", but that is not because the meals served at the Heart Attack Grill are so good. Quite the opposite. I should preface this by saying that I am a health and a food writer, and so eating here left me feeling so incredibly conflicted/ disgusted/ oddly fascinated. But my husband really wanted to go and so we did.

This is a grotesque celebration of obesity, gluttony, and bad food, with a fair dose of sexism thrown in.

No words.

Upon arrival, the wait staff (dressed as sexy nurses) give you a hospital gown to wear during your meal. The walls of the restaurant are covered in TVs playing stories about rising obesity levels in the US and one of their regular customers who died of a heart attack. But let's face it, if you're eating here, you know what you're getting into.

The menu is limited in variety but not in size. My husband, being a lover of a good milkshake, ordered a chocolate one. No he didn't want a heavy dose of vodka in it. It arrived topped with a pat of butter. He described it "not a milkshake but a giant dose of soft-serve." If you happen to be vegan and somehow ended up here (why?!) your menu is limited to a choice of cigarettes.

1/2 lb coronary dog

Not wanting fries or a burger (you can have up to 8 patties and 40 slices of bacon), we both opted for the 1/2 pound coronary dog. We figured we wouldn't eat dinner that night, and honestly, we couldn't face it.

This is somewhere you eat (hopefully) purely for the novelty value so good quality food was not high on my list of expectations. Even so, this managed to plummet lower. The sausage was ok and you can't mess up an onion. But add a stale bun, Velveeta cheese, and canned chili that bears a strong resemblance to dog food (which I wouldn't feed my dogs). There's your meal.

Now there is one additional caveat to the experience. If you do not finish your meal, you will be spanked. Since my pure stubbornness says I would rather punch out a waitress than let her touch me with a paddle, I finished my entire dog, something I spent the rest of the day revisiting. Let's just say that chili "taste" keeps coming back. Hubby was spanked.

Bottom line: by all means go. I know it may sound odd that I'm saying that but go for the experience. Go for the vacation novelty factor. Go to remind yourself that salad is a wonderful thing. We've been. And now we never have to go back.

A much better meal - dare I say it, the best meal we had in Vegas - was a simple pizza. I like pizza but it's something I rarely eat unless I make it myself. I am not a fan of the overly greasy delivery fare on a crust that is either so thick it is still raw and doughy, or something so thin it is little more than a potato chip. But Pizza Rock is your source for good, nay, excellent pizza. We stumbled upon it by accident while looking for somewhere to eat, and they were just turning away a group of 12 for lack of room. Luckily, though, they had a table for the two of us.

The chef, a California native, has an impressive array of accolades to his name, not least of which is the 2007 World Champion Pizza Maker at the Pizza World Cup (there is such a thing) in Naples, Italy. He was the first American and the first non-Neapolitan to win. If this guy can impress the Italians, I want to try his pizza!

The menu is differentiated by types of pizza - American, Neapolitan, Sicilian, etc - and by the type of oven and oven temperature. Although the Sausage and Stout was tempting (only 23 are made each day), we decided to try the Cal Italia, Gold Medal Winner in the Food Network Pizza Champions Challenge. The crust was perfect, neither too thick nor too thin. On top: Asiago, Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, a fig preserve, prosciutto, Parmesan, and a balsamic reduction.

It was, in short, pizza heaven. If I lived nearby, I would probably eat much more pizza. Instead, I may have to settle for one or two of his books.

Exploring Vegas - Fremont St.

2015-08-11T14:39:00.001-07:00

Fremont St at night

During our recent trip to Vegas, we stayed in the Fremont St area, against the advice of friends who rarely ventured off the strip during their vacations.

Fremont Street is the old downtown area, before the development of what is now the Strip. This is where the first casinos and hotels were all built. For a while, it became the seedy side of town, but it has recently undergone something of a facelift and is now a bustling hive of activity encased in a video screen ceiling which broadcasts concert footage.

In truth it was very much a mix of the good and bad that Las Vegas has to offer. There are still plenty of casinos and restaurants, as well as street entertainment, live bands, and so on. If you're visiting with children, my advice would be to browse during the weekdays or the week evenings. Friday through Sunday is awash with panhandlers, topless women, mankinis, church groups praying for your soul, and people drinking.

Better yet, take the kids to the Container Park. We only discovered this on the last day of our trip and it was all of a block from our hotel.

The Container Park is a block or two away from the main Fremont St craziness and is filled with boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment for the whole family. How we missed it, I'm not quite sure; there is a huge praying mantis sculpture at the entrance.

The atmosphere is laid-back and peaceful, a stark difference to the neighboring blocks. Even better for families: there is a large play area for kids. Looking at a posted schedule, it is clear that lots of entertainment is available throughout the summer, from open-air concerts to family movie nights.

Had we discovered this sooner, we would have tried one of the restaurants. Next time....

Another place to make sure you visit in the area is the Mob Museum. You can book tickets online (and save $2 per person by doing so). Housed in the former Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse, the Mob Museum is three floors of everything you could ever want to know about organized crime and law enforcement attempts to combat it, not just in Sin City but nationwide.

Tours begin on the third floor with the chance to participate in your own police lineup. Learn about the birth of the mob, the origins of Las Vegas, and much more. You can also see the original wall from the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

Work your way through the exhibits, learning about possible mob connections to the assassination of JFK, trying a Tommy Gun, and seeing some of the more gruesome tools used in a number of murders. Near the end of the tour you get to sit in the courtroom where the Vegas hearings for the Kefauver Committee took place. Watch footage from the hearings before making your way back to the first floor where you'll see exhibits of, among other things, movies and the mob.

In all, be sure to allow 3 hours or so to tour the museum; there truly is that much to see.

All this reading built up an appetite, but where to eat in Fremont Street? Check back tomorrow to find out.

Grand Canyon

2015-08-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have that one day on vacation? That one day you've been looking forward to more than the others? That one big day that ends up being the most frustrating day of the entire vacation?

For me, it was the day we visited the Grand Canyon.

I know, I know. It's the Grand Canyon. How could it be anything less than spectacular?

The day started well enough. We woke up early to get on the road so we could have as much time as possible there. We had seen signs and publicity everywhere for the skywalk at the west rim, only a couple of hours from Las Vegas.

Brilliant!

The drive there took us through the usual desert flats, and fairly soon we started to see the expected mesas and mountains in the distance.

And the timing was perfect since I was starting to feel a little unwell. There was just one thing... this

did not look like any National Park I'd ever been to. Helicopters were taking off and landing everywhere and a giant white tent at the end of the parking lot seemed to be the entrance.

Now I'm going to give you all the benefit of our experience so you don't make this same mistake.

When in Vegas, ignore ALL signs and promotion for the skywalk at the Grand Canyon. Don't do it. As it happens, this is nothing to do with the National Park. Instead it is on private reservation land and the minimum price to even go out to see part of the Canyon is along the lines of $80 per person, with no photos allowed.

Hugely disappointed but glad that we had started out so early because it was barely 10am, we decided to retrace our steps and drive to the real National Park. Plus side: we'd get to see the Grand Canyon. Down side: hours more on the road driving through the desert. And I do mean hours. We stopped off a few times to get more water and to have lunch at Sonic. And the hours ticked away.

By the time we arrived in Tusayan, at about 2.30, I was snappy, crabby, feeling mean as hell. Just show me the bloody canyon already!

One of the many ravens native to the area.

Rather than drive on up to the park and find somewhere to leave the car there, we used the Park and Ride service available for Tusayan. Simply park your car at one of the four pick up spots in town, buy your entry pass to the park, and hop on the bus. You beat a lot of the traffic into the park, and the pass covers the bus services within the park itself.

We were finally at the Grand Canyon by 3pm. And I was tired and frustrated.

We spent the next four hours enjoying the South Rim, hiking in some areas, and riding the bus to others. Near the Visitors' Center was absolutely heaving with tourists, and so taking the bus to points further out allowed us to enjoy the views much more.

To be fair, it is beautiful... despite my grumpiness. The layers of rich color seem to be constantly evolving with the changing light. Vistas stretched for miles, and sound carried just as far.

Nic admires the view as the Colorado River runs below.

Knowing that we had a long drive back to Vegas, we decided to beat the traffic from the park by leaving a little before the sun set. After dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Tusayan, we made our way back through the desert into Nevada, arriving at our hotel at about 1am. Next day would be a lazy Vegas day.

Will I go back to the Grand Canyon?

Absolutely. I want to be able to enjoy it when I am in a better mood. More importantly, we'd both like to enjoy it without as many tourists and yelling children. (Is it bad that we both wouldn't have felt too much sadness if a particularly rowdy trio of kids, whom we'd already told off for defacing the rocks, had fallen? I know that probably makes us bad people but we've all been there.)

At the furthest point of the bus route, Hermit's Rest offers some
relief from the crowds.

Next time we visit the Grand Canyon, we'll plan on making a week of it, doing the hike down to the bottom and back.

Desert Mining Towns Part 2 - Rhyolite, NV

2015-08-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I wrote about the former mining town of Chloride, AZ, now a quirky community with gunfights for tourists at weekends.

Today I want to look at another former mining town that we visited during our trip to Nevada, this one now a skeleton of its former self, and just a few miles from Death Valley National Park. Just as Chloride was named for the mineral mined there, so Rhyolite was a source of its titular mineral, as well as gold and quartz. But I'm getting ahead of myself... first the drive there.

Long, empty road.

To reach Rhyolite, we followed the directions given on the Death Valley NP site, following the long road to Beatty and then turning toward the park. The drive itself was not particularly remarkable, save for the reminders that we were in Nevada, where brothels are legal. My favorite roadside billboard (which sadly I did not take a picture of) proudly advertised: BROTHEL - Hot Sauce, Pictures, Souvenirs.

Hot sauce - who knew!
The gas station where we stopped also sold a variety of Bunny Ranch souvenirs.

We didn't stop in Beatty, although we later learned that it is home to a huge candy store, one of the biggest in the state, thanks to a local entrepreneur with a sweet tooth.

On the road from Beatty to Hell's Gate, in one of the most desolate places you can imagine, there is a road that turns off to the remains of Rhyolite, paved in spots, gravel in others. Follow that a little way and turn off to the left toward Bullfrog. One more left turn down a gravel road brings you to the Rhyolite/Bullfrog cemetery (Did you think I'd skip it?)

Cemetery

The cemetery is home to some 280 graves, although the majority of them are unmarked or marked only by a simple pile of rocks.
A monument marks the historical significance of the site, and there are a few more recent graves.

A few older ones have stone markers, which are still legible. They offer a glimpse into the miners who settled the town, people such as Daniel Kennedy, who traveled from Nova Scotia to

Grave of Daniel Kennedy

Bullfrog, presumably to find his fortune. Daniel died at the tender age of 21.

Other graves, even if once marked, were now worn away to - if lucky - a faded wooden slab, the occupants' names and stories lost to the mists of time.

Rocks outline the two graves marked by this more recent stone.

Some old graves have wooden barriers around them...

Details lost to the ravages of the desert air.

Wandering around the burial ground was a profoundly peaceful experience, but one with an enormous sense of isolation. Hot winds blew across the rocky desert. Seeing mounds of gravel that had never settled lay scattered in seeming random positions. If I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine the far off sound of mining tools.

Leaving the cemetery and heading back toward Rhyolite, we could see the ruins of buildings, and something else...very unexpected.

Silhouetted against the starkness of the skyline were figures - tall, white, hooded.

The Last Supper

The Goldwell Open Air Museum is an unexpected find at the edges of a ghost-town. At the same time, the sculptures add to the eeriness.

The Last Supper and several other ghostly works are by Belgian artist Albert Szukalski. According to the museum brochure, the figures were cast by using models draped in fabric which was then soaked in layers of plaster. As the plaster set, the model slipped out, leaving the shell behind. The sculptures were then coated with fiberglass to protect them from the weather.

Ghost Rider

In addition to those pieces by Szukalski, the museum contains pieces by several other Belgian artists, all of whom made their home in this unlikely location during the 1990s. Now, their work makes up possibly the most unique art museum I've ever visited.

From the Goldwell, it's a short drive to Rhyolite.

Ryolite was born in 1905 and quickly attracted those determined to find their fortune in gold. At first, Bullfrog was a competing camp, and the two struggled against each other to become the primary settlement. Rhyolite won and by 1906, the last merchant had quit the neighboring camp.

In the frenzied days of the Gold Rush, thousands of claims were made in the area, and growth of the town was rapid. The town boomed, having close to 10,000 residents within a year or two. Railroads, banks, an opera house, a stock exchange, more than a dozen restaurants, churches, 40 saloons - Rhyolite was civilization in the middle of nowhere. Of course, there was also a red light district, with seven brothels available to provide comfort to those lonely miners.

Rhyolite

Rhyolite's decline was as swift as its rise. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, investment slowed. Some investors claimed they had been tricked into buying shares. In 1911, the town newspaper declared that the main mine, the Montgomery-Shoshone, was dead. The newspaper went out of business two weeks later. The editor wasn't the only one to leave town. The population of 7,523 in 1910 had shrunk to a few hundred within a year. In 1920, only 14 people remained. The last person left in the 1960s, moving to nearby Beatty.

Many of the buildings were moved or torn down and strippped for materials. Today, as the pictures below show, just a few shells are all that remain of the once-booming gold town.

As the sign in the window says - BROTHEL

Remains of the school and a bank. By the time the school was completed, the town was already in decline.

The former railroad depot

Main(e) Street

The Tom Kelly house. Seventy-six year old Tom Kelly spent five months building this house between 1905 and 1906. More than 30,000 bottles were used to construct the walls. Once completed, he raffled off the house.

All that's left of Rhyolite

Desert Mining Towns Part 1 - Chloride, AZ

2015-08-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

Originally, I was going to write one piece about the mining towns we encountered during our recent trip to Nevada, but I soon realised there was one problem. I have too many photos that I want to share. The desert light was just so perfect.
And so this is going to be a two-part post, both parts rather photo heavy.

I don't recall where I first saw Chloride, AZ mentioned, probably one of those tourist magazines that are in the hotel rooms. Whatever the source, I was intrigued by its description as a "living ghost town". That sounded like a place I needed to visit.

The railroad station now lies abandoned, the tracks dismantled.

Chloride dates back to the 1860s when the mining camp first formed. Although the camp was named for the silver chloride mined there, a number of other minerals were also dug out of the nearby rock, including gold, lead, copper, and zinc. By the turn of the 20th century, railroads came through the town and business was booming. At its peak, the town's population was 2000. By the time World War II rolled around, the area's mining had already declined significantly, in part due to a lack of a workforce and the increasing costs of extracting ore.

Yet somehow Chloride has kept going, no longer as a mining town, but now as a small community of 250 or thereabouts. And the town definitely has a funky vibe that gave me the impression: if you're going to live in a place like Chloride, you need to have a certain degree of eccentricity.

As we turned off the main highway down to the isolated community, the first thing I saw was a coyote dashing across the dusty road to disappear behind a mass of cacti. Yep - this was not Kentucky.

Chloride Cemetery

Our first stop was the Chloride cemetery, in keeping with my tradition of visiting out of the way burial grounds. This was unlike any burial ground I have ever seen.

Although a section was marked off as the original historic cemetery, there was little to be seen, the harsh, dry desert air having worn away most of the headstones. Instead, we browsed rows of more recent graves, decorated with flags and all sorts of monuments, from a simple bunch of flowers to a cornucopia of nic-nacs, as if they had simply moved the contents of Great Aunt Marge's curiosity case from her house to her tomb. It had personality, to say the least.

From the cemetery, we headed into town, unsure what to expect. At weekends the locals put on fake gunfights and reenactments for tourists, but we were visiting on a sleepy Monday afternoon. We circled the two or three small blocks of houses, trailers, and yard art before deciding that the heat was leaving us quite parched. There was a small grocery store/market/tourist office but Digger Dave's clearly looked like the place to go.

Digger Dave's

The titular Dave was not around but the lady sitting on the porch told us to go on in and feel free to browse and take photos.

We had walked into a treasure trove! Every square inch of wall and ceiling was covered - album covers, concert programs, random rusted implements - why throw something out when it could be used for decoration. In the corner of the main bar, AC-DC blasted from the jukebox. Next to the bar was a sign requesting that only girls under 4ft 7inches dance on the bar - it was a low ceiling after all.

Behind Digger Dave's Bar

After giving us a chance to wander and explore, the lady from the porch came in. As she got us each a beer, she introduced herself as Maria. She had come to live in Chloride some 13 years ago. She pointed out the story of Digger available for us to read, and then left us to return to her spot on the porch.

Dave, it seems, had come to Chloride via New York and Washington states. He still hired out his backhoe services to local construction projects. I marveled at how most people we chatted to in these small towns had moved from elsewhere.

If we're ever back in the area, we'll be sure to stop back by Digger Dave's.

Following Maria's advice, we stopped by the visitor's office to pick up a map of the town. Outside of town is a series of murals by artist Roy Purcell. However, we were advised that our SuperBug may not be up to the off-trail drive and so we had to content ourselves with admiring photos.

With map in hand, we explored on foot, stopping by the old jailhouse, the former rail depot, and the other sites of town.

I wish I'd had a chance to stop by Digger Dave's in the evening to chat to some locals. I'd love to know who lives in Chloride, what they do, and how they came to be there. Those would be some stories indeed.

The Chloride Jailhouse

Main Street

Cactus

This yard art captures the quirkiness of Chloride

Hoover Dam

2015-07-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Hoover Dam Complex

Hoover Dam.

My knowledge of dams is strictly African in focus - we learned about the Aswan High Dam years ago in school. But it seems that Hoover Dam is something that you should see if you're in the Vegas area so off we went in SuperBug.

A work colleague had warned me before going not to wear rubber-soled shoes. Apparently when she had gone several years before, her mother's flip-flops melted in the heat. As if I would wear flip-flops anyway! But while we're on the subject of heat, this was the first real day that I was out in the full sun (much of the drive to Area 51 being just that - a drive in a comfy air-conditioned car). I had not yet adjusted and so was not on my A-game at dam. Big dam. Water. Damn it's hot! Definite kudos to Bullfrog Sunscreen though. My pale English skin burns very, very easily. A trip to the beach in Hilton Head several years ago resulted in second-degree burns, despite layers of SPF 50. We picked up some Bullfrog spray to try for this trip, since Nic had heard it was used by soldiers in the desert. Not one burn. I've finally found a sunscreen that works!

Back to the dam.

How about a few nice historical facts for non-US readers:

Originally called Boulder Dam, it was constructed between 1931 and 1935, and straddles the Arizona-Nevada border. It was officially dedicated as Hoover Dam by FDR in 1935.

Cost some $49 million to build and more than one hundred workers died during its construction. Despite what you may hear, there are no bodies in it. The concrete was poured one foot at a time so chances are they'd have been noticed!

Very nice monument to the construction workers.

That beautiful azur-colored water you see is Lake Mead. And it truly was the most stunning color. The water level was also VERY low, a reminder of the drought conditions facing much of the Southwest and California.

When at maximum capacity, Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the US; that hasn't happened since 1983.

In fact, just yesterday, a story ran on CBS about how the decreasing water levels are revealing some interesting historical sites.

Note the low water levels on Lake Mead.

Kentucky Kicks Ass shirt at the Hoover Dam.

We spent some time walking around atop the dam, taking plenty of pics, making sure we didn't lose our ballcaps in the wind, and Nic making a good show of representing his home state. He also took a few shots over the edge, gingerly leaning with his iPhone.

View Over the Edge

Eventually though, the strong sun was a touch too much. (Oh how I miss it now!) So it was back to the car and off into Boulder for a very nice (but huge) lunch at the Southwest Diner, followed by exploration into Arizona. But you'll have to wait to read about what we found there until later in the week.

Until then, I leave you with a few more pics of the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.

Driving to Lake Mead

Atomic Aliens Part 2 - Area 51

2015-07-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

Panoramic Shot of Rachel, NV. Photo by Nic Brown.

After whetting our appetites with the Area 51 exhibit at the National Atomic Testing Museum, what better way to spend our first full day in Nevada than a trip to Area 51 itself.

We got off to a rather late start due to an unscheduled trip to the emergency room (expect a future blog post about what to do when you forget your meds on a trip). But, we soon set off with some handy directions from Vagabond3, a full tank of gas, sunscreen, and plenty of water.

The aforementioned items should all be considered essential before you go off driving in the deserts of the Southwest. You don't know how far it might be until your next gas station, and so take lots of water with you. Since the temps were north of 100F, sunscreen and water were key.

Long Road Ahead

First stop was the Pilot at exit 64 off I-15. The place was heaving, clearly a last potential stop for many travelers. For some reason, our radio was tuned to a Chinese-language station and I listened to the incoherent chatter, watching people come and go. As it happened most of those stopping were continuing on I-15 and so we drove off along US-93N leaving the hustle and bustle behind.

This was my and Nic's first time in the Nevada desert, and one thing that struck us over the next few days was just how different the landscape was, depending which direction we drove from Las Vegas. The desert north of the city looked very different from what we would see in Arizona and in Death Valley. All were similar for their sense of space. As we drove, we discussed if we would rather live in the open like this, where you could see for miles, or in the forest, where you could remain hidden but you'd have no idea who was watching you. I found myself preferring the space.

Much further down the road, we made a brief stop at the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, long enough to stretch our legs and refill our water bottles. Then it was back on the road through the isolation. Finally, we passed through the small towns of Alamo and Ash Springs, which alerted us to our drawing close to Area 51 and the Extraterrestrial Highway.

Nic's New Friend

One mile further and we came to the impressive-sounding Alien Research Center. Sadly, although we had heard it was open at weekends, there was no sign of life, except for one other car of equally-disappointed tourists. We did, however, make sure to pose for the obligatory photos with our new friend.

Back to more miles of lonely road. It is easy enough to see why this part of the desert is still used by the military for testing new aircraft. The flats stretch for miles and miles, providing excellent opportunities for low-flight without attracting too much attention. Since sound and light no doubt extend for miles here at night, I'm sure the area's few residents have many stories to tell.

And speaking of stories to tell, we heard a few once we made it to Rachel, Nevada, home to some 98 humans.

I admit I did find myself wondering what 98 people could possibly find to do in and around Rachel. My best guess is farming cattle and dodging abduction.

Once in Rachel, there is one obvious place to go....

The Little A'Le'Inn is Rachel's bar, hotel, restaurant, souvenir store, community meeting spot, and source for chatting to locals about their mysterious nearby neighbors.

The walls are covered with alien and movie memorabilia, including signed photos from the cast and crew of Paul. Other displays shared photos of strange, unexplained lights, sent from around the world. Plenty here to keep you entertained.

As we enjoyed our late lunch of - what else- the World Famous Alien Burger with a side of potato salad, one of the staff shared tales of the unexplained lights she had seen at night, far too high in the sky to be riders rounding up the cattle. Some new aircraft? Or visitors from another galaxy stopping by for a beer?

Little A'Le'Inn - the Alien Burger is delicious!

Inside the Little A'Le'Inn

What lies beyond those gates?

Recharged with food, a bathroom break, and souvenir t-shirts for friends, we hit the road again. This time our destination was the back gate of Area 51. We knew that we would be stopped before we could reach the gate, and so we respectfully stopped at a reasonable distance, took photos and turned around to make our way back to Vegas. On the way, I stopped to take pics of a cow skeleton we had passed as we drove from Rachel to the gates. I was having a Georgia O'Keeffe moment so I snapped dozens of pics of bones, while Nic snapped pics of me taking pics of bones.

Stopping for my Georgia O'Keeffe moment

One for the conspiracy theorists: hit by car at night or something more unworldly?

If you're up on your Area 51 knowledge, you may have noticed that I haven't mentioned the Black Mailbox, mistakenly believed by many to have been the mailbox for the secret military base. I had kept an eye open for it on our way to Rachel, but having no luck, we asked at the diner. Sadly, it is no more, and this is where I have to go on a little rant. The mailbox belonged to a local resident. For more than 40 years, he had collected his mail there... until some idiots decided to break into it and open his mail. This happened several times, at one point private tax documentation being destroyed. Eventually the post office said that they would no longer deliver there. So now, thanks to the selfishness of a few jackasses who somehow thought they might find secret alien documents (?! because we all know the Government would use USPS for that!), this poor local now has to drive to the Post Office at Alamo, a good 45 minutes away, to collect his mail.

Meanwhile, a rather odd but touching little memorial has popped up where the mailbox used to be - a few rocks piled atop each other with messages scrawled on them. Paper notes are also wedged beneath the rocks, offering consolation to the man for the loss of his mailbox.

The drive back to Las Vegas was rather uneventful, save for the unmarked (not even a license plate) white vans that occasionally passed us, transporting Area 51 workers back home after their shifts. Not exactly inconspicuous but better than unmarked black vehicles, I guess.

Did we see signs of alien life? No. Did we have fun? Yes. And when you think about, the aliens probably found ways to disguise themselves anyway. :-)

Atomic Aliens in Nevada

2015-07-28T15:06:00.001-07:00

Landed in Las Vegas.
Check.
Picked up car after ridiculously long lines and a free upgrade to SuperBug.
Check.
Stopped for lunch at very tasty but overpriced Indian restaurant.
Check.

What do you do upon arrival in Sin City?

Go to the National Atomic Testing Museum of course.
Stranger still, it was my choice!

Science was most definitely not my forte in school. I took physics GCSE purely because I had to take one science and it was the only one that fit in with my schedule. Boy, was I glad to be done with that. And there, at the age of 15, ended my scientific education.

But a few years ago, I was hired by some folks at the University of Kentucky to write a history of a gaseous diffusion plant in Paducah. My lack of scientific knowledge was just what they wanted - someone able to translate the dry engineering talk into something people would want to read. For the next few months, I researched and studied the development of the plant, its impact on the local community, the history of the Manhattan Project, and so on. It was absolutely fascinating.

Since then I've had a strong interest in the social history surrounding the atomic bomb so sign me up for a visit to the National Atomic Testing Museum.

You can find plenty of info about the museum online, as well as reviews, so I'm not going to add a bunch of info here. However, if you go, and I do recommend it, be aware that the museum is very pro-atomic bomb. To my disappointment, there was no mention of several topics that could have made interesting counterpoints - after-effects in the South Pacific, changes of opinion among some of the project's architects, etc. Nevertheless, it is an incredibly detailed attraction, and well worth a few hours of your time.

Nic meets a friend at the Atomic Testing Museum.

The museum also featured a visiting exhibit about Area 51 and aliens - lots of newspaper clips and news footage of sightings. Whether you believe in alien life or not, it was a fun addition.

It was also the perfect prequel to our planned trip on Sunday... to Area 51.

Come back tomorrow to see if we find any extraterrestrial life.