Travelonz

Drivin' on Daytona Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:06:00 +0000

You can smell the salty air long before this famous Florida beach appears on the horizon. And what makes this beach so special is that it’s one of the few places where you can actually drive ON the sand.

For a mere $5, you can drive past fire pit rings, brightly painted ice cream trucks or beachcombers snoozing under a striped umbrella. Here and there a kite tugs a child along the sand, so be sure to observe the 10 mph speed limit.

Drivers can relive a dream that began in the early 1900’s when the hard packed sand of the local beach became the Daytona Beach Road Course. This is where land speed records were set back in the 1920s and 1930s. In later years fans would celebrate the names of Red Byron, Marshall Teague and Lee Petty.

The last beach race was held on the sand in 1958--a year before the first Daytona 500 was held at the new Daytona International Speedway in 1959.

This is also where NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), the internationally popular sport, got it’s start.

NASCAR headquarters is still located in Daytona Beach. There are track tours and a museum at the Speedway for race fans to enjoy.

Daytona beach is open to vehicles from sunrise to sunset Nov. 1 through April 30, and from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. the rest of the year.

Munching at The Marietta Diner

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:05:00 +0000

The parking lot is filled with cars at all times of the day or night. Shiny chrome doors flap open to admit hungry diners while letting out small clusters of happy faces. Step inside this big shiny building and you will become one of over 2,000 visitors a day ready to eat at this famous roadside restaurant just northwest of Atlanta, Georgia in the city of Marietta. While it may be local, the diner’s heritage goes back to its Greek owner and his New York City roots.

Here, the scent of freshly made desserts mingle with the aroma of crisp fried bacon and the tang of pickles, homemade soups and oversized tuna salad-on-rye sandwiches. You can almost hear the sizzle of burgers as the staff brings out the heavily laden serving trays. Have a taste for spanakopita at midnight? They’ll carve out a generous piece for you from one of the more than 30 trays a chef prepares fresh each day.

Wine? In a diner? Yes, and beer too, which complement any of the nearly 500 items on the menu. As you leaf through the pages of the menu, you’ll find long lists of tasty entrees, appetizers, soups and specialty fare. The food is all-American but includes a number of ethnic Greek, Italian and Spanish dishes. Portions are oversize and all of it is delicious. There’s even a bakery, and a take out section. But most of the patrons linger over large plates of breakfast or lunch in the unexpected charm of the classic dining room décor featuring dark wood, sparkling mirrors and art deco fixtures.

I should have taken more pictures, but I was too busy eating.

The Marietta Diner is located at 306 Cobb Parkway South in Marietta, Georgia. If you go, bring a big appetite, and you won’t leave hungry.

Fitzgerald GA Architectural Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:03:00 +0000

It used to be a turpentine forest before the Union soldiers came. And the road into town is still lined with pine forest interspersed with cotton fields.

The history of the town dates back to 1895 when P.H. Fitzgerald, a newspaper editor from Indianapolis and former drummer boy in the Union army, bought land in southeast Georgia to establish a “colony” for aging Union veterans of the Civil War. Why relocate? After the War Indiana farmland was stricken with blizzards and drought and nothing would grow in the dust. In the new town of Fitzgerald, men who once fought each other on the battlefield now worked to build a city where North and South reunited.

What remains today is a charming historic district where visitors can see the beautifully kept homes built by the settlers dating from that era. You can drive or take a walking tour of the area using a downloadable guide.

Harris House - Queen Ann style, built c. 1905

Phillip Jay House - Unusual house that has only three masonry Doric columns, built c. 1905

Dorminy-Massee B&B, built c. 1915

Glover House with Victorian turret, c. 1900

Blue and Gray Museum with Civil War artifacts

If you go, don’t miss the Wild Chicken Festival in March that celebrates locally grown, colorful Burmese chickens.

Frogmore Stew a Southern Delight

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:52:00 +0000

Some call it “Frogmore Stew”, even though there really aren’t any frogs in it. Legend has it the name came from the birthplace of Richard Gay. He created it from an old family recipe when asked to cook a meal for 100 hungry national guardsmen using regional ingredients. Frogmore itself is a community on St. Helena Island, near Beaufort, South Carolina. And the name of the stew is variously referred to as “Beaufort Stew” or “lowcountry boil.”

In South Carolina, “lowcountry” refers to its central and southern coastline, including the Sea Islands. Here, the culture and cooking draws from its Southern, European, Caribbean, Native American and African roots. Lowcountry boil originated with the Gullah people of these Sea Islands, who are descendants of the East African slave trade. They and have preserved much of their culture and cuisine for visitors to enjoy today.

Along the East and Gulf coast of the US there are a number of seafood boil recipes. The star of the show is locally harvested shellfish.

Lowcountry Boil

4 pounds small red potatoes

5 quarts water

1 (3-ounce) bag of crab boil seasoning

4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

2 pounds kielbasa or hot smoked link sausage, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

6 ears of corn, halved

4 pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

Cocktail sauce (optional)

Add potatoes to large pot, then add 5 quarts water and seasonings. Cover pot and heat to a rolling boil; cook 5 minutes. Add sausage and corn, and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add shrimp to stockpot; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain. Dump onto a newspaper covered table. Serves 12. To serve more—find a bigger pot.

Crab, onion and butter are sometimes added. Whatever you call it, this one-pot wonder is tasty and satisfying!

Valdosta Bar-B-Que

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 17:47:00 +0000

Before you even see the smoke, your nose picks up the rich, luscious scent of barbeque chuffing out of more than a dozen cookers. Tents shield the grill masters from the intense South Georgia summer sun, while a sprinkling of chairs compete for a few patches of shade. In the background a local musical group, The Groove, sets the tone of a southern style family reunion.

It’s the 16^th annual Downtown Barbeque Competition in Valdosta, GA sponsored by the 100 Black Men organization, a local chapter of the national organization focusing on achievement, scholarship and mentoring of youngsters in the African-American community. It’s one of several fund raisers they hold throughout the year.

Stroll the grounds of the Lowndes county courthouse where thousands of visitors stop to sample a variety of grilled ribs, pulled pork, smoked butt, chicken and even deep fried alligator. There’s Carolina mustard sauce, baked beans, funnel cakes and bottled water for sale. You can even buy Nirobi African sculptures, paintings and watercolors.

Zach & Zoei’s Bar-B-Que uses a smoker named “The Praiser” which produces tender, savory chicken and meaty ribs. The name originated as an acknowledgement of the blessings the griller had received from the Lord that enables him to produce his tasty creations.

Another of the 16 competitors whose tent lines the sidewalk is Sam’s BBQ, (this year’s 1^st place winner). One bite of a delicious rib and munchers will understand why he can add the new trophy to the collection on display in the corner of his tent.

Never had ‘gator? Frog legs? Gizzard? There’s a chance to sample bites of these local delicacies at the Gator’s Rib Shack display, whose entry won 2^nd place in the Commercial Category.

Come hungry and early to enjoy the food and family fun that keeps folks returning year after year to this annual fund-raising event. My plate is empty now, and I can't wait for next year's cook-off, which should be scheduled for early August.

Agrirama - a Tifton Treasure

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Wed, 11 May 2011 20:19:00 +0000

Sit too close to the front and you’ll get soaked. An old steam engine tugs 2 open-air wood cars lined with bench seats around a 95-acre park. Each time the engineer blows the whistle, a cloud of steam belches from the stack. It cools quickly sending a splash of water onto the dozen or so passengers riding behind it. That’s just one of the fascinating attractions of Georgia’s Living History Museum in Tifton, Georgia.

Agrirama is the story of life in rural Georgia—sharecropping, collecting and distilling turpentine and so much more. If you spend the day exploring the living outdoor museum, you may catch sight of a mule harnessed to a plow; a blacksmith hammering out a horseshoe, or children dripping freshly made ice cream down their arms in front of the old time drug store.

Wander through six areas: the National Peanut Museum to see actual machinery used in cultivating and harvesting crops; a rural town, the Museum of Agriculture; an 1870s farm complete with butchering shed, barn, cabin and well; an 1890s progressive farmstead and see a cotton gin, syrup shed and sugar cane grinding area, or visit the industrial sites complex.

Agrirama also offers educational workshops for schools, churches or scouts giving visitors the opportunity to dress in the costumes of the 1890s. Want to learn how to corn is ground into meal? Visit the 1879 water-powered gristmill. You can purchase a bag of cornmeal at the country store to take home. See how turpentine is made at the Turpentine Still. Learn how to sew and quilt, set a 1880s farm table. Or seed and card cotton, all under the helpful eye of friendly guides and staff.

For more information about Agrirama, visit their website at www.agrirama.com.

Uptown Ducks

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:32:00 +0000

Most ducks fly, but this one arrives at the table on a rolling wood cart. Crisp tawny skin stretched taut over glistening brown meat falls neatly into juicy-sweet slivers as the server wields the carving knife, stripping the duck in 90 seconds. I want to snatch a slice with my chopsticks while nobody's looking. But everyone is watching the tableside show--and wishing they too had ordered the Beijing Duck at Sun Wah BBQ on Chicago's Uptown/Edgewater neighborhood.

Rows of fully cooked poultry hang in the front window, and you'll see a whole roasted pig being carried out to the open kitchen just inside the front door. Along the far wall is a tank of live fish. The scent of pork BBQ, fried rice, and pickled vegetables wanders through the 4,000 sq. ft. dining room. Here you can celebrate the Chinese New Year in February, or pick up a Thanksgiving turkey to go. Want to try fried pig's intestine or salt baked chicken? Save room for the best egg rolls in town.

Founder Eric Cheng moved Sun Wah BBQ from New York's Chinatown to Chicago's Argyle St. in the spring of 1987. By 2009 his family's expanded operation moved around the corner to accommodate 4 times as many customers. Kelly, the oldest daughter and general manager, frequently stops by your table to oversee service and quality.

If you don't have time to visit Hong Kong for lunch or dinner, Sun Wah brings the authentic flavor and cooking style of China to Chicago. Visit their website at www.sunwahbbq.com.

You won't find Beijing Duck on the menu so if you want to try it call 773-769-1254 at least an hour ahead to get your cart rolling.

Some Things I Would Like For Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:38:00 +0000

My two front teeth

The frost that was on the pumpkin

Tea with Lizzie Bennet

My childhood

1 set of chicken’s teeth

Some of last year’s snowflakes

The last rose of summer

A visit to King Arthur’s court

Some of the water that went over the dam

The spilt milk

The evening star

A ride in Michael’s rowboat

The name of Lot’s wife

To meet Eve’s daughter

The keys to the Kingdom

A king’s ransom

Immortality

Snacks - a poem

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 13:54:00 +0000

Two men.

One stout one not.

Sitting across from me

Seiza-style by the low table.

My western knees would

Not bend their thataway.

Steaming bowls

of champon

Chase away the winter devils.

I wonder at their capacity to hold such great portions.

Our tongues were

Born the same year.

And this day

There are many bowls full.

Growing up

I ate my fill of warm toast and jelly

Every day after school, while

One boy staved off

His hunger by rubbing a button

Under his nose.

The other by

Burning a strand of hair to sniff.

Now we are

All three old.

It is may years

Since the hunger of after-war.

Stone hibachis on the tea-room floor

Shiver, and

Our bowls are full of

Toast, buttons & hair.

Vintage Rides and Car Buffs

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 12:53:00 +0000

His eyes polished the chrome detailing. Shiny layers of custom paint shone in the late afternoon sun. ‘69 Chevy Super Sport. 23,711 miles. Mint. “My daddy had one of these. It drove like a boat, an’ he loved it,” he reminisced in a soft Kentucky drawl.

I scanned the hotel parking. Antique cars—some in trailers, others parked on the asphalt next to newer cars were filling the lot. Late into the warm summer night owners and admirers were holding a security vigil waiting for the dawn when they would roll their entries over to the big show a few miles up the road.

This is the NSRA Street Rod Nationals held at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. This year is the 41^st annual event held August 5 through 8, 2010. Open to vehicles 30 years and older it showcases cars from all over the US and Canada, and a few from the UK--all built in the years ranging from the 1920’s up to the 1980’s.

Billed as the largest street rod event in the world, more than 11,000 cars participate in the event which attracts over 100,000 visitors who come to see the cars and vendors as well as other enthusiasts.

Did you know that some of the cars have graphic designs worth up to $150,000?

Everything from the muscle cars of the 60s and 70s to the old classics and vintage autos are on display. And if you’re looking for an original vintage auto part, you just might find it at the giant swap meet.

There’s even a “Women’s World,” arts and crafts area for “car widows.” It’s a great family event with live music and special activities for all.

Tickets are $14 for adults (13 and older), $5 for children (6-12). Kids under 5 free. Discounts are available for military and seniors 60+. Visit their website at www.nsra-usa.com

Tabasco Treasure

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:41:00 +0000

A salty, piquant aroma of pepper sauce tickles your nose as soon as you walk into the visitors center. Sign up for the next tour beside a giant size replica bottle of Tabasco sauce.

This is Tabasco country, and you’re on Avery Island in southern Louisiana a 2-1/2 hour drive west of New Orleans.

Here you can tour the pepper sauce factory to learn and see how it’s made. At the reception area meet the guide – a spicy Cajun gal who talks about the McIlhenny family who started the operation in 1868. Today, product is shipped to 40 countries worldwide. Did you know that most of the pepper plants grown on the island only produce seeds? These seeds are so valuable; they are stored in bank vaults until ready for export to Central and South America where they are grown into plants. The peppers are returned to the island where they are ground and mixed with Avery Island salt and put into barrels to ferment for 3 years.

You can buy the sauce and mementos in the old-fashion Tabasco Country store, the last stop of the tour. Hungry for pepper-flavored ice cream? How about a dollop of spicy jelly? You can taste a variety of Tabasco spiked foods at the store’s sample bar.

If it’s not raining, enjoy bird watching or stroll the 200-acre Jungle Gardens to see the bamboo, azaleas and camellias. There’s plenty of wildlife to see, from the Snowy Egret to alligators, nutria and armadillo that share the swamps and marshland.

For a $1 bridge toll you can visit the 2600-acre Avery Island that sits on a salt mound that is deeper than Mt. Everest is high. Tour hours of the pepper sauce factory are Monday – Sunday 9 to 4. It’s closed on major holidays. Admission is free. Phone: 1-800-634-9599. Visit their website at www.TABASCO.com

Pinkie

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Suddenly, there she stands - the glorious and exuberant “Pinkie.” And the longer I remain at the foot of her portrait, the lighter my heart becomes as I soak in the joy of the moment.

Here is the little girl on the verge of womanhood. Her lustrous shell-colored satin bonnet trails matching ribbons that fly in the wind. She is at once casual and elegant. Childlike and mature, as any 11 year-old might appear to be.

Even if you’ve seen a print of this oil you might not have caught the soft delicate shades the artist brushed into the original oil. Photos and color plates often show the clouds as menacing and dark – they’re not. Some prints show them tinged with red and orange – they are not that either. Instead, the fragile blue and frothy white clouds dance and shimmer in lively strokes that caress the canvass.

A bright breeze blows the diaphanous cream-colored fabric of her gown aside to expose the pointed toe of her little black shoe. The visual pun of her extended little “pinkie” finger is amusing but the gesture is a natural part of her casual pose.

This is a portrait of Sarah Barrett Moulton by Thomas Lawrence (1794). She was a member of the prosperous Barrett family from Jamaica. Did you know she is related to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning? Her brother Edward was the poet’s father, and Sarah would have been Elizabeth’s aunt - had she lived. Sadly, she died within the year.

“Pinkie” is often thought of in tandem with Thomas Gainsborough’s “The Blue Boy”. Yet two different artists painted them some 24 years apart. For me “Pinkie” is the crown jewel of the vast collections of rare books, immense gardens and art at The Huntington in Pasadena, California.

Vibrant Las Vegas!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:49:00 +0000

Stepping out of the terminal at McCarran airport in Las Vegas, the 110-degree June heat smacks you in the face like a hot iron.

Now that I’ve run the gauntlet of one-armed bandits and electronic billboards encircling the baggage carousels, I’m ready to head to the taxi line to pick up a ride to my hotel.

At Trump Tower there’s a corner room waiting for me on the 44^th floor. In the morning I can see The Strip set against a backdrop of pearl grey mountains fringing the Mojave Desert. At night it sparkles with countless lights. Did you know that seen from space Las Vegas is the brightest city on earth?

In the suite, the main bathroom (and there are 2) is larger than my apartment in Chicago. Soaking in the Jacuzzi-style tub, I can see the city, or watch the TV embedded in the oversized mirror over the sink. It’s off-season, so I can afford a really nice room at great rates.

There’s no smoking in the whole building, and no casino here at Trump. Best of all I can get a complimentary late check out ‘til 4 pm.

I personally don’t gamble but am always real happy to lose a bundle at the dining table. And there are lots of choices all over town. Just off the lobby of Trump, DJT restaurant serves a beautiful assortment of appetizers. One or two will make a perfect size meal. That leaves me enough room for dessert.

Strolling around town, you begin to realize that nobody is actually “from” here. Yet they all manage to find their way to this dazzling down. Where else can you meet a taxi driver from Haiti, a waiter from the Philippines and a bouncer from Bulgaria all in the space of 1 hour?

Most folks say that business is picking up; people are coming back for the fun and excitement to be found here. Just outside the window, I can see the Wynn and Encore. I think I'll head on over there for lunch.

The energy of this town resonates with me. Viva Las Vegas!

Medical Tourism Explained

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Thu, 27 May 2010 18:45:00 +0000

My new book "Travelin' Trots" was just published as an ebook on Smashwords. In it I talk about some of the pitfalls and benefits of being an accidental medical tourist. I hope you'll take time to check it out at Smashwords, for free.

"35,000 feet over the Amazon jungle Mary Anne gets slammed with a debilitating gastrointestinal bug . Seven hours later she lands in a foreign country where she doesn't speak the language. Now she has to quickly find medical help. A travel writer and nurse, she documents the process and what it really feels like to be sick on the road ..."

Here's the link http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15074

Won't you take a moment to spread the word about my book to everyone you know.

Thanks for your support. Mary Anne

Medical Resources On The Road

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Sat, 15 May 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Where are you going on your next trip? I'd love to hear from you. Are you planning a medical tourism adventure? If so, here's a short list of medical resources to get you started planning for the big event:

American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (www.surgery.org)

American Society of Plastic Surgeons (www.plasticsurgery.org)

ASPA physician-finder (www1.plasticsurgery.org/ebusiness4/patientconsumers/findintsurgeon.aspx)

CDC (www.cdc.gov)

Deloitte. Medical Tourism: Update and Implications – 2009 Report (www.deloitte.com)

eMEDTV (www.emedtv.com)

Fodor’s (www.fodors.com)

Foreign Currency exchange (www.xe.com)

Frommers (www.frommers.com)

International ASPS member surgeons (www.isaps.org)

JCI accredited hospitals (www.jointcommissioninternational.org)

John Hopkins Hospital (www.jhintl.net)

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com)

Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.com)

MedlinePlus (www.medlineplus.gov)

Quest Diagnostics (www.questdiagnostics.com)

Travel costs calculator (www.xe.com/tec/table.shtml)

Travellerspoint Travel Community (www.travellerspoint.com)

TSA guidelines (www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/index.shtm)

Urgent Care Association of America (www.ucaoa.org/buyers/ucaoa_orgs.php)

US Department of State (www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html)

WebMD (www.webmd.com)

Places I've Seen ...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:37:00 +0000

Can you identify this location?

Dallas: Day 28

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 12:31:00 +0000

If it’s going to be this cold and snowy in Dallas, we might as well go home.

On the last days of the journey, we drove up to Dallas and saw their record snowfall. Schools closed and children were struggling to find makeshift sleds or build lopsided snowmen. This has the makings of tales they would tell their own grandchildren, decades from now.

Austin: Day 27

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:58:00 +0000

Forget the live music, the Governor’s Mansion, LBJ museum or the bats. We came to Austin for the wood-fire BBQ.

Some of the best of its kind can be found at a converted “speak-easy” with a panoramic view of Texas Hill Country, at the edge of the city.

This is the County Line restaurant (On the Hill location), one of 2 in Austin. There are 2 in San Antonio, and ones in Montgomery, Houston, Albuquerque and Oklahoma City.

The menu features bring a chuckle to the reader with such entries as “all you can stand” family size platters, Skeeter’s Caesar Salad and the Hippie Burger. The burgers come with a “heap of fries and a bowl of beans.”

Come hungry. This is real Texas-pit barbecue

Texas Hill Country: Day 26

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:11:00 +0000

In the mid-1800’s a large number of German settlers migrated to Texas to avoid political persecution and economic troubles back home. Baron Ottfried Hans von Meusebach founded the town of Fredericksburg naming it after Prince Frederick of Prussia. It’s one of the charming small towns in the Texas hill country where visitors can find a number of B&Bs, wineries, dude ranches and parks.

In 1849 Fredericksburg was the last stop for gold rush prospectors bound for California to load up on supplies before heading to the coast.

A number of shops, restaurants and historical buildings lure travelers from all over, and it’s a favorite weekend destination for folks from nearby San Antonio and Austin. One such building is the Nimitz Hotel, originally hosting stagecoach travelers in the 1860’s, now houses the National Museum of the Pacific War.

16 miles east of Fredericksburg is the LBJ historical park, complete with memorabilia from President Johnson’s childhood, and the family ranch.

On the road, we saw a trailer transporting a couple of cows. If you look closely, you can see a border collie sharing the ride.

Castroville: Day 25

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:25:00 +0000

The last place I would expect to find great sauerbraten would be west of San Antonio, in Castroville located on the edge of the south plains of Texas.

Entering the 150- year old European style “Old Alsatian Steakhouse & Ristorante”, is like walking into a scene from a fairy tale, with old stone houses with beamed roofs and little gardens.

Here, diners can feast on steaks, seafood and northern Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner, as well as authentic Germanic dishes. I was tempted by the Alsatian sausage sampler with mustard and pickles, the veal marsala, Alsatian salmon, German apple rum cake - but could only fill one stomach.

The village was founded in 1844 by Henri Castro of Landes France, who obtained a land grant of more than a million acres of land in Texas, then recruited 700 colonists from his native land, particularly the Alsace-Lorraine region.

Today, visitors can take a walking tour to view some of the 50 buildings from that time – many of which are B&Bs, restaurants or private homes. The Chamber of Commerce publishes a catalogue detailing the history of many of the houses.

If you speak Alsatian, you’ll feel right at home conversing with folks of the older generation who live in Castroville.

Visit their website at www.oldalsatiansteakhouse.com

San Antonio: Day 24

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:29:00 +0000

On a rainy, cold morning, we walked the four blocks from our hotel in the downtown area of San Antonio to the bullet-riddled remains of the Alamo.

Now a national shrine, the mission was built in 1724 by Spanish missionaries. What remains of the original complex contains the chapel, the long barracks – site of the most bloody hand-to-hand combat, and a gift shop/museum.

Inside the church, visitors can listen to a docent who relates the history of Texas and the Alamo. During the battle, a handful of women and children were gathered in the sacristy for protection. Many of these survived as eye-witnesses to the fight.

Originally, the church did not have a roof although one was added about 100 years after the battle. Standing inside the grey stone walls, with it’s crumbling frescoes, you can smell the cold, damp stone.

General Santa Anna’s 5,000 Mexican troops attacked the site in February 1836. The siege lasted 13 days, ending on March 6^th. All 189 defenders were killed. They had come from many US states as well as Scotland, Ireland, England, Germany and Denmark. Here was the last stand of Davy Crockett (frontiersman), Jim Bowie (the knife fighter), and Col. Travis.

The phrase “Remember the Alamo” was the battle cry of the Texans who then defeated Santa Anna’s men at San Jacinto some 46-days later, in a revenge battle. That victory signaled the birth of the Republic of Texas.

San Antonio: Day 23

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:05:00 +0000

Twenty feet below street level visitors can sip margaritas and feast on any number of local specialties as they watch the flat-bottomed chalupa boats float down the San Antonio River. This 2-1/2 mile stretch of river bank is bordered by stone walks and lined with shops, restaurants, hotels, bars and museums. It's traversed by 13 bridges and flanked by 11,000 trees.

Ask most travelers about San Antonio and they might mention the Alamo. But more than an outpost at the edge of the South Texas Plains, this town is the seventh largest city in the US.

The night these travelers discovered the River Walk it was unseasonably cold and windy for January. We chose to sit outside on the verandah under the propane heaters and bundled up in wool panchos, while our server prepared a bowl of fresh guacamole at tableside.

Holed Up In Houston: Day 22

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:20:00 +0000

Leaving the hotel in Montevideo at 1:00 am to catch a 4:00 am flight to Panama City early Saturday morning, we ran into a mega storm cell that pushed back departure by 90 minutes. Just enough to snarl up the connecting flight from Panama to Houston.

That flight was also late, imperiling the connection to ORD. It took nearly an hour to get through immigration (I can never remember a time when I wasn’t queasy, achy and worn out weaving through those lines). With minutes to spare after picking up luggage, we got through customs, but the flight scheduled to be the last leg of the journey, was pulling away from the gate.

We took a taxi to the nearest hotel and let the dust settle for a couple of days.

By then, we were running dangerously low on G7 instant coffee. For those who enjoy café sua, this is the nearest thing to heaven-in-a-cup.

Luckily Houston is home to the largest population Vietnamese-Americans in the country, in fact it has the largest Asian population of any other city in the South. So we stocked up on coffee at the Tan Binh Market on Bellaire Blvd., in the vast New Chinatown area. In its parking lot shoppers can admire the sculptures honoring military who served in Vietnam, and its people.

Montevideo: Days 12 - 21

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:33:00 +0000

Two days later, I felt miserable and became convinced I would shrivel up in the hotel without seeing the light of day. Between Monday morning (when I weighed myself in Panama) and Thursday I had lost 38 pounds. (No typo here).

Friday morning, called in the doctor - this was the 3rd one. He assured me I was on the right path, and added Cipro. He also didn't seem too concerned about all the weight loss, and assured me I would gain it all back... drat!

So what does one do all day then (esp. with only 1 or 2 channels of English language TV?) I was too sick to do anything except drag myself to the bathroom, and drink Gatorade and/or ice water. Did not even have the strength to open/read/write emails. Too tired to read. Too tired to open the computer, except for short bursts after a long rest. Slept hour after hour, day after day. Now I'm trying to catch up on things.

Total consumption of solid food: 3 tablespoons of rice, 2 tablespoons of applesauce and a banana in 5 days.

When my health began to improve we went to a favorite restaurant where I nibbled on plain chicken. The picture above shows the facade of Locos de Asada, and its sister restaurant Tannat.

Not a fun way to enjoy Montevideo for 11 days, but we did see some lovely sunsets from the room.

Finally mustered the strength to walk around and enjoy some of the lovely summer days in downtown Montevideo. The picture on the left shows a vendor of mate (the national drink of Uruguay) mugs, while the one on the right was taken at one of the many city squares where craftsmen sell their wares.

Panama to Montevideo: Day 11

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Anne Lonze) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:10:00 +0000

Monday noon we left Panama City for the 7 hour flight to Montevideo, Uruguay. About 2 hours into the flight I started to get achy and chill. As the next 5 hours dragged on I was getting sicker by the moment. High fever, chills, anorexia (so unusual for me not to want to eat), weakness, lethargy, stomach pain (and worse). Really felt miserable and it was one of the few times I didn't pack antibiotics and Tylenol in my carry on.

By the time we got to the hotel in Montevideo, I just wanted to curl up in a dustbin and die. Everything hurt (the typical flu symptoms, plus “la tourista”)

Tuesday morning I awoke feeling even worse, and agreed to bring in the heavy guns. The doctor arrived within minutes. Through the hotel interpreter, I learned that she wanted to administer an IV antipyretic - Yikes! I didn't even recognize the name. By then I didn't have the strength to inquire or resist. She gave me a stack of stuff to do-take-etc. 12 hours later, I was still miserable and by then had made a zillion trips to the banos.

Called the doctor again. Arrived soon after. Made a few adjustments. Reassured me I'd be fine.