Page 71 – A Brit and A Southerner

The Rock – Discovering Alcatraz

Chris Boothman

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Aug 2, 2013

One of the highlights of our trip to San Francisco was visiting the island of Alcatraz! The island is of course famous for the prison, but it also has other key characteristics that made this famous as a fort, a natural habitat and a Native American homeland.

The tour begins on land as you embark on the Alcatraz Cruise which sets sail from Pier 33 on the San Francisco Bay side and is about a 15-20 minute cruise to the island providing great views of the San Fran skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, mountains in the background and of course the island itself.

After arriving on the island you are given a very brief introduction from a national park ranger, and then you are left alone to go on a self-guided audio tour of the island. Rather than going into intricate details of the tour, here are our top 5 ‘must-see’ aspects of the Alcatraz Tour:

The Escape Attempts

There were of course many escape attempts during both Alcatraz’s time as a military prison between 1859-1933 and as a Federal Penitentiary between 1934-1963. During this latter time, a total of 34 men that tried to escape in 14 separate attempts. Five of these men were never heard of or seen again, and are presumed to have drowned due to the severe current and frigidity of the water. One inmate successfully crossed the stretch of water but was captured on the rocks of the Golden Gate Bridge with exhaustion.

Throughout the tour of Alcatraz, you are given detailed accounts of the escape attempts and you can see the various spots that the attempts took place.

The Cells

I would say that the best experience of the tour is being able to stand inside one of the cells and envision for a few moments at least, what the inmates were feeling. For the most parts, the cells are small, ‘dingy’ and pretty much what you would consider stereotypical solitude but at the end of the day, prisoners knew that they had to survive and deal with the conditions the best they could.

Some would deal with the conditions better than others while those that struggled and caused problems, would be resigned to dropping to the notorious ‘D-Block’ which although the cells were slightly larger, had much less sanitation and poorer living conditions in general.

The Infrastructure

When you think about Alcatraz and its buildings, you first thought is likely to be the main prison cell house which of course is the iconic image and architectural giant on the island. However, there are many other landmarks that served a roll on Alcatraz. The ‘Dock’ was originally completed in 1854, and has been modified and enlarged several times since then. Built in 1857, the ‘Guardhouse’ is the oldest building on the island. This was the first line of defense against any form of attack and contained gun ports and various firing positions on the roof. The ‘Warden’s House’ was a pinnacle landmark as it housed the leader of the island. In 1970, a fire ripped through the abandoned building leaving the shell and remains that you see today.

The Policies and Regulations

Learn about the daily routines of the inmates and in particular what they were allowed, supposed and expected to do. One of the most insightful of all the policies set forth in the inmates handbook was rule #5

You are entitled to food, clothing, shelter, and medical attention. Anything else you get is a privilege.

The Dining Quarters

The inmates met three times each day as a group and this was probably one of the more appealing times of the day as for 20 minutes they were able to eat a relatively good meal and dine in what they would deem to be a luxury setting. However, this was also three times a day that was the most dangerous for the guards and wardens on duty, as the potential for fights and attempted group attacks was a definite possibility.

The dining room today is still pretty much intact and as you stand there it is a pretty small room which given that it would house anywhere between 260 and 300 inmates at any one time, was not the most appealing thought for anyone thinking this was a time to relax away from the confines of a cell.

These are only a few of our highlights from our trip to Alcatraz. We spent three hours on the island and were not able to see everything there. I would certainly recommend getting on an early cruise and spending the majority of the day there because you can learn a lot of history and get a better understanding not only to the location of Alcatraz and its relative proximity yet distant nature from the San Fran coastline, but also the experiences of inmates and conditions they were forced to live in.

Have you visited Alcatraz before?

If so, what did you learn from your experiences there?

Day Trip to Yosemite National Park

Chris Boothman

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Aug 2, 2013

25

Before traveling to San Francisco, we decided to either venture north to the wine valleys of Napa and Sonoma or head away from the coast inland to Yosemite National Park. I am not sure what the eventual determining factor was but we opted for the latter and prepared a route from San Francisco that saw us first head south to Pebble Beach and the 17 Mile Drive along the Monterey Peninsula, and then head across country to Yosemite (about a 4 hour drive). From Pebble Beach, we drove a couple of hours before staying overnight in Modesto and then woke up early Saturday morning to take on the 2 hour drive to the entrance of the National Park.

There are various routes that you can take to get into Yosemite and it really depends on the type of drive and scenery you want. The scenic Route 120 was our chosen method and this even allows you to take on the infamous ‘Old Priest Grade’ which has some pretty steep gradients but in reality is just a quicker way to get to your final destination of Yosemite. I am not convinced that this route would be as ‘easy’ in bad weather but given the perfect driving/road conditions on our trip it was not as bad as reputation suggests.

Yosemite National Park, for anyone that has never visited here, is truly breathtaking. The scenery is unbelievable and maybe that was because I have been trapped in the lowland states of Kansas, Oklahoma and currently Arkansas, but in reality the natural beauty present in Yosemite can surely only be found in national park settings.

Arriving at the entrance to Yosemite, you have to pay a $20 fee if you are in a vehicle but this in reality is not bad as it gives you a 7 day pass in and out of the park as long as you keep your receipt. It may seem a little expensive if you are only staying for a day, but after you have drove around and experienced what Yosemite has to offer, you will realize it was well worth it! If this is your first time into the park, the map and guide the ranger provides will prove to be very useful.

The entrance from Route 120 is a great way to get into the park because you are starting from the 6,000 feet elevation and drop down into the valley to get to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Driving down through the valley gives you amazing photograph opportunities along the way, with views looking over the valley, surrounding mountains and forest. There are countless spots to pull over and even though the ranger indicates at the entrance you are about 45 minutes from the Visitor Center, with all the stops along the way, I would recommend allotting about 1 1/2 hours to get to the bottom of the valley.

Once you get into the valley, your first problem is going to be parking! The bottom of the valley is the hub for transportation to get to all the ‘hot spots’ around Yosemite and hosts several camp grounds for folks hiking and staying overnight in the park. We were fortunate to locate a spot and were then able to get out and start exploring. One major difference that you will notice if you are visiting from the San Francisco Bay Area is the vast difference in temperature. Whereas the Bay Area had a very comfortable 75 degrees, Yosemite was a toasty 98 degrees which for anyone interested in hiking would certainly require you to carry plenty of fluid along the way!

Some of the key landmarks in Yosemite worth visiting especially if you only have a day are as follows:

1. The Waterfalls

There are a variety of waterfalls in Yosemite that are worth visiting, none more spectacular than Yosemite Falls itself. Other waterfalls in the region include Bridalveil Fall, Horsetail Fall and Sentinel Falls (among many others).

Depending on the time of the year that you visit will determine how many of these falls are actually active and we were fortunate that early July still sees many of these falls flowing water as the final amounts of snow that melted flows down the mountainside.

2. El Capitan

The granite face of El Capitan, formed by glaciers thousands of years ago, rises more than 3,000 feet from the valley and is a true spectacle and landmark inside Yosemite. One of the favorite spots for rock climbers, many times you will see folks trying to master a true test of even the best of climbers out there!

3. Half Dome

Missing out on seeing Half Dome is like going to London without seeing Buckingham Palace or Paris and not visiting the Eiffel Tower. This landmark really is the stereotypical attraction that people associate with Yosemite National Park. Rising nearly 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and 8,800 feet above sea level, Half Dome is a great challenge to many hikers.

From the Visitor Center in the bottom of the valley, you can take on the 14-15 mile hike into relative unknown wilderness in search for reaching Half Dome but by all accounts, this is not for the faint-hearted and should only be attempted by those folks that are serious or at least in shape.

There is so much more to see in Yosemite than I have mentioned above. Just get out there and start exploring but what I would recommend is going against this whole post and spending more than just a day trip in the region. Take advantage of that 7 day entrance fee pass and camp among the wildlife and true nature that Yosemite offers.

What is your favorite landmark in Yosemite?

Do you have any hidden trails or hikes that you would recommend travelers to try?

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Seattle

Chris Boothman

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Jul 26, 2013

11

Seattle, Washington is one city that we are really hoping to visit in the near future (hopefully at some point during 2014). We are excited about the opportunities available here and the fact it is in close proximity to the Canadian border so you could make a bigger trip out of this by crossing over into Canada.

As we have yet to visit the infamously named “Emerald City”, this is a great opportunity for us to learn more about this beautiful city especially given it is one of our ‘bucket list’ locations.

Here are 5 interesting locations/attractions worth visiting from our research and certainly something we would consider if and when we venture to the far North West corner of the United States:

Crystal Mountain Resort

So the first place which is a little out of the way or “off the beaten path” is located about 80 miles outside of Seattle city center. If you are interested in seeing spectacular views and love the natural beauty of national parks, you have to take a trip to Mt. Rainier National Park and head up to Crystal Mountain Resort. Perched in the middle of the Cascade Mountains, this resort is the place for ultimate relaxation.

Crystal Mountain Resort is no longer just a mecca for snow enthusiasts rather it remains open all year round and offers a myriad of activities for all ages including hiking, guided horseback riding, disc golf and of course scenic gondola rides (no need to travel all the way to Venice to ride a gondola when you can just be whisked away in the beautiful mountains).

Of course, Winter is the perfect season to visit this part of the country especially if you love to hit the slopes and test your skiing skills! After a long day on the slopes or hiking around the beautiful national park, why not sample some local northwestern cuisine in the Summit House located inside the Crystal Mountain Resort. This is a perfect way to end the perfect day and if you cannot relax in this part of the country with such breathtaking views, there won’t be many places around that you can!

The Museum of Glass

Situated a little closer to Seattle is Tacoma which at just over 30 miles is within a short commute of the Emerald City, the Museum of Glass is a great way of experiencing contemporary glass art in a breathtakingly beautiful museum on Tacoma’s revitalized waterfront. The hub of the northwest USA glass manufacturing industry, Tacoma is the perfect setting for the museum to be located and one of the major attractions of this place for so many people are the amazing glass blowing demonstrations that are readily available to the public on a daily basis.

The museum’s galleries are dedicated to temporary exhibitions of works executed in glass and there are a host of local artists and those from further afield that travel to this spot of the country to demonstrate and advertise their works of art! Along with these temporary pieces, there are more permanent exhibitions on offer all year round for those who wish to return and just explore the beautiful pieces of architecture that these brilliant artists have created.

Jimi Hendrix Memorial

You may have read that we are heading to an Elton John concert in Memphis soon so we are of course avid music fans! Living in the heart of the Mid-South, we are in the stereotypical hub of country music so we really don’t have much contact with the ‘Rock N Roll’ era aside from Elvis’ legacy in Memphis!

Seattle’s most infamous musician has to be the one and only Jimi Hendrix who for any budding guitarists out there is probably one of the true greats. Now I am personally not a Hendrix fan, I don’t particularly like his genre of music but even if you are not affiliated with the culture he was involved in, simply visiting a monument devoted to the true legend of music he was has to be worth spending some time at.

“Although Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) had verbally requested to be buried in England, his body was returned to Seattle and interned at Greenwood Memorial Park, Renton, Washington, approximately 30 minutes south of Seattle.” (Discover Black Heritage, 2013)

I would recommend taking along your iPod or iPhone, setting your playlist to the likes of Voodoo Child and Angel and just reminiscing of the music legend that Hendrix truly was whilst taking in the magnificent monument and park that it stands in.

Space Needle

Afraid of heights? Here is your chance to conquer that fear! Love the thrill of climbing to the summit of a skyscraper? Here is your chance to add yet another impressive structure to your list of climbs. The Space Needle is a major landmark of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and a symbol of Seattle standing at over 600 feet tall. From the top of the Space Needle you can see landmarks such as the snow capped Mt. Rainier in the distance along with a host of other key Seattle and NW US attractions all from a perfect 360 degree vantage point.

One of the most exciting attractions of the Space Needle is the SkyCity restaurant which rotates the full 360 degrees and offers visitors the opportunity to sit, relax and take in the breathtaking views as your are slowly guided around the city.

Heather and I both have a soft spot for skyscrapers and this is probably one of the reasons why I featured this despite it not really being off the proverbial beaten path.

Boeing Factory

Ok, so you love traveling! All avid travelers probably have one of many things in common – they have flown on a Boeing plane at some point. Well what better way to experience a Boeing on your next flight than by getting a better understanding of the manufacturing process of these soaring birds. Located about 30 minutes north of Seattle, there are great tours available around the Everett factory. Home to the 747, 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner production lines, this is your chance to learn exactly how these planes are constructed.

“During the tour of the world’s largest building by volume (472,000,000 cubic feet or 13,385,378 cubic meters), visitors will see airplanes being built for our worldwide base of airline customers.” (Boeing, 2013)

All tours of the Boeing factory last around 90 minutes and prices range from $16-18 depending upon what time of the year you visit. Unfortunately no personal items (for security reasons) are allowed on the tour so it will be you and your memories that you are able to take away from this tour!

I have always been amazed at the engineering and construction that goes into the aviation industry so I would love to be able to take a tour of such a plant and explore the intricacies as to what actually happens in the development of these forms of transport.

Seattle has so much to offer, let’s be frank! I didn’t even mention any of the main attractions such as the Pike Place market, CenturyLink field etc. but those above are a great way to see the broad spectrum of the NW part of USA.

Does anyone else have any suggestions on places “off the beaten path” to visit in the Seattle region?

Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39

Chris Boothman

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Jul 13, 2013

7

A vacation or trip to San Francisco would not be the same without visiting Fisherman’s Wharf and in particular Pier 39. If you are staying in the downtown area as we were, such as on Union Square, you have two recommended options of accessing the Wharf area and I have to admit that both of these are viable choices which we encountered on our trip to San Fran.

a. Take the local cable car – A short walk from Union Square to Market Street will allow you to pick up the F-Line MUNI cable car. This is not the ‘stereotypical’ old-school cable cars that all the souvenirs and movies recognize, but it is still a very convenient service that for $2 is a real bargain! You can hop on and hop off as many times as you want during a 90 minute period (or longer in some cases as the drivers rarely check your tickets). Later in our stay we realized that you could take the Hyde-Powell Cable Car which is the old-style cable cars where folks lean off the side and head to the Wharf but this is a little more expensive but probably worth it just for the experience!

b. Get some exercise and start walking – After riding the MUNI cable car, you probably think that the walk is out of the question given the route the cable car takes and length of time it takes to reach Pier 39. However, a direct walk from the Hilton Union Square hotel (where we stayed!) is about 1.8 miles to Pier 39. The walk is not all flat and encounters some pretty steep gradients but it is worth the trek, especially as you can swing by the cable car museum along the way which unless you walk this way you will probably never know exists there.

So….after you have decided your method of transport to get to the Wharf, what is there to do there? Well, pretty much everything but here are our top 5 attractions in the Wharf/Pier 39 area:

Eat at one of the Pier 39 restaurants or cafes

There are plenty of options available in the area to wine and dine but we recommend sampling on the local places rather than opting for a chain location. We Players Sports Grill and Arcade which is similar to a Dave & Busters location. The food is pretty expensive there and not all that brilliant but the atmosphere is cool inside and it’s a nice place to relax for lunch or early evening dinner. If you are more interested in sitting down with gorgeous views over the Bay towards the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island, why not sample either Neptune’s Waterfront Grill and Bar or the Pier Market Seafood Restaurant.

Our favorite location though on Pier 39 has to be ‘T’s Fish & Chips’ which offered a great British style chippy experience! As you walk inside you are greeted with the Union Jack flag with FISH AND CHIPS across the middle of it! After setting the mood, order yourself some grub from a wide range of options and then enjoy the great value food.

Gift Shops

Every other store around the Wharf and on Pier 39 is a gift shop so that you can purchase a cherished memory to take back with you! Whether it is a magnet of Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge or even a penny machine (Heather’s favorite!!), there will be something for everyone. I know we certainly enhanced the economy of the gift stores whilst in the area. One of the cool stores is Lefty’s San Francisco – The Left Hand Store, where everything inside is designed for left handed people. If you are right-handed, you have probably never thought about what it is like for lefty’s using everything that is designed for right handed people.

Sit and relax while gazing over San Francisco Bay

After walking around Pier 39 and reaching the end, you can sit for hours taking in the beautiful scenery of the Bay with Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge and mountain range in the backdrop. All of this, along with a cool ocean breeze provides the perfect setting for relaxation.

Ghirardelli Square

Situated just off Fisherman’s Wharf, the home of Ghirardelli is a perfect spot to go and enjoy something to meet your sweet tooth! There are various options available and of course its personal preference but I would recommend the Ghirardelli Caramel Sundae (check out one of your flyers that you are bound to pick up along the way because there will likely be a $1 off coupon to save some cash!) which was delicious. Our justification for sampling the caramel sundae was the amount of walking up and down those San Fran hills would certainly help burn off the calories.

Pier 39 Street Performers and July 4th Fireworks

Every day there are performances on Pier 39 to keep tourists and locals entertained. Whether it is a local band playing some classic hits, or a magician keeping everyone on their toes, there is someone available to keep you interested.

Our trip was over the July 4th weekend so of course on the evening of July 4th, we were treated to a spectacular firework display over the San Francisco Bay. We stood on top of the bridge by the Wharf and watched among thousands of other onlookers as the impressive display continued for around 30-45 minutes.

We spent almost two full days experiencing the Wharf and Pier 39 and we could easily have spent much longer in this area! You will notice that this is the hub of San Francisco and where all the locals and tourists hang out. There is a lot of hustle and bustle going on in this part of the Bay, but at the same time it can be very relaxing!

What are your experiences of Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39?

What is your favorite restaurant on Pier 39 or nearby?

San Francisco Beckons!

Chris Boothman

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Jul 3, 2013

1

When you think about San Francisco you probably all consider the likes of the Golden Gate Bridge, the beautiful San Fran Bay Area, the Wharf, Alcatraz or nearby places such as Napa Valley, Yosemite or Pebble Beach?

Well you are not the only ones that think like that because these are all areas we are excited about visiting in the next few days as we embark on our travels again later today.

We fly out of Memphis tonight and stay in the San Francisco area until Sunday. We prefer not to make a definite structure on what we will do but here are some of the highlights we are wanting to visit while in the area:

1. Golden Gate Bridge

2. Alcatraz

3. The Wharf and Trolleys

4. Pebble Beach Golf Links

5. Yosemite National Park

6. Napa Valley

As you can see from all the above images, this is just a very brief snapshot of the things we are considering seeing and visiting while in the San Francisco region. Hopefully our pictures will be as good as these that we found on Photopin which for any travel bloggers out there that need some images is a great way to find those that are copyright free and available for use on all our blogs! Our itinerary is pretty flexible though we do have confirmed tickets on Thursday for the Alcatraz Tour. Everything else will just be whatever we feel like doing – that’s what vacations are for right?

We will be updating our travels as we go via our Twitter and Facebook accounts so please be sure to FOLLOW and LIKE us on both of those social media fronts!

What are your favorite memories and experiences in San Francisco?

Where have you visited ‘off the beaten track’ in San Francisco?

Opportunistic Traveling

Travel Tips

Chris Boothman

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Jun 28, 2013

4

Is there anything better than taking a random trip somewhere on a long weekend break? We love just being spontaneous and leaving it until the last minute to take trips. Of course, when you are looking at international travel, for the most part you need to plan in advance because you are likely going to need to take time off work, organize your activities and make reservations.

Ok, so maybe we are not the most spontaneous of travelers in that sense. I was tweeting with someone the other day about this and asked them if they had ever traveled to the airport and randomly selected somewhere from the departure board and purchased tickets. Their response was similar as they had used the Skyscanner app and selected a destination of ‘Everywhere’. This is a great way of indicating your desired travel dates and then allowing the World Wide Web to locate the best deals for that time range you specified.

What do we truly mean by Opportunistic Traveling? We all have opportunities to do things, whether it is traveling or in any other sense of the imagination. We have to take advantage of these opportunities and pursue our dreams. Many people have told us that now is the time to travel before we decide to have children because things will change a lot and your ‘opportunities’ will diminish. I can accept that but only to a certain extent. I prefer to think about it like it would open up more avenues to explore the world given the places that would be kid-friendly are not necessarily the spots we would choose to go now. E.g. Disney World.

If we combine the word opportunity with travel, there you have today’s topic – opportunistic traveling. It’s all about taking advantage of the options you have available to you. We would certainly encourage people to have savings for emergencies and of course there are other things in life that you need to focus on, but don’t let all of these get in your way of exploring the hidden world that is out there. From my experience in Arkansas (Any Arkansans out there reading this, please do not take any offense), many of the folks living here know nothing outside of their State. I am sure this is the case with many of the other states and in fact I would go as far to say as this is a feasible mentality around the world, though many people don’t have any other option.

Why don’t they get out and travel more? Well, it’s just the norm apparently that people just stay around their own dwellings and surroundings and the old adage that ‘Why do I need to go anywhere because everything I need is right here’ is a philosophy that prevents people from really enhancing their travel experiences.

This post is all about encouraging people around you to broaden their horizons. Why stay at home when you have the chance to explore? Take advantage of the travel opportunities that lay right in front of you. Go out on random trips, pick a destination and just go there – you never know, you may be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy it.

The National Mall in Washington DC Part 2

Chris Boothman

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Jun 25, 2013

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The National Mall in Washington DC Part 2

Following up on our other post regarding the National Mall in Washington DC, we had a great experience visiting a number of FREE (yes that’s right, the majority of museums in the Mall in DC are free of charge) museums. Truth be told, you could probably spend at least half a day or maybe even a full day if you are really interested in each of the museums.

Many of the museums are part of the Smithsonian Institution which are the world’s largest museum and research complex, with 19 museums, 9 research centers and more than 140 affiliate museums around the world.

Washington DC is of course also home to the President of the United States of America – The White House. Located in the National Mall, this is another infamous location that is worth seeing if you are in the area.

Here is a brief overview of the museums and famous buildings we visited and others that are available:

The White House

The White House is the official residence of the President of the USA. It is one of the iconic stereotypes of American architecture and standing in front of those gates peering across the White House gardens was certainly a memorable experience. You can compare this with the likes of Buckingham Palace when thinking about infamous residences.

The Capitol

Located at the furthest point in the National Mall (if you start at the Lincoln Memorial that is!), the United States Capitol is the meeting place of the U.S. Congress, the legislature of the U.S. federal government. The white architecture may lead some people to mistake this for the White House or Treasury department, but it’s location atop Capitol Hill makes this infamously spectacular.

Smithsonian Institution HQ

Home to the Smithsonian Information Center as well as the Institution’s administrative headquarters, the ‘Castle’ is a great place to head inside, grab a quick snack after a morning wandering around the National Mall Memorials and Monuments and then decide on which museums you plan on visiting in the afternoon. There is a gift shop inside and of course Heather’s favorite penny-machine to take home a cherished treasure of your museum visit.

The National Air and Space Museum

I am not exaggerating when I say that you could literally spend a full day inside this museum and probably still not have enough time to learn about everything that is on offer inside this wonderful building. A whole host of exhibits are available and this is a great museum for all ages.

I will be the first to admit that I am generally not a museum sort of person, but this provides a detailed (plus in some instances hands-on experience with the moon rock touching experience) display of air and space throughout history to the present day iconic planes and rockets that we are all familiar with.

The National Museum of Natural History

This is very much similar to the American Museum of Natural History but the main difference between the two is that the Smithsonian version in DC is FREE. There are numerous exhibits that have life-like creatures, the entrance hall has a life size elephant as you can see from the image above. You can wander around the well structured halls, looking at animals by continent from African lions to Australian kangaroos. There is a sea life center with a giant squid on display that was captured off the coast of Spain and is at least 20ft long.

Holocaust Museum

The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.

Entering the Holocaust Museum in DC is a somber feeling as you consider the millions of lives that were lost during this appalling period. Free tickets to tour the museum are available but unfortunately when we arrived at 11:30AM, the next available tour was at 1:00PM so we decided to venture back out and see other museums rather than wait. This is certainly one of those museums that I would like to return to and tour because all the reviews and feedback I heard suggest that this is a worthwhile tour though you will likely be left feeling upset afterwards.

There are several other museums available throughout the National Mall area but as I have mentioned throughout, there is just not enough time in the day to visit all of these in one day.

Have you visited the museums in DC, if so which is your favorite?

What other museums are worth visiting that are FREE?

The National Mall in Washington DC Part 1

Chris Boothman

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Jun 24, 2013

1

The National Mall in Washington DC Part 1

If you are looking to spend a full day exploring a plethora of history, heritage, fun and excitement for FREE then you would do well to find anywhere better suited than the National Mall in Washington DC. You are probably asking – surely it is too good to be true that you claim everything is free and there has to be a catch! Well, from first hand experience last week all of this is true and we had an absolute blast!

To start things off, take a look at the map below to give a better idea of where everything is located. We started our daily tour at around 9:00AM and finished at 5:00PM. Of course, we didn’t visit every museum/memorial and we were selective over those that we did see but everything we did do was FREE!

To make things even better, you certainly get a lot of exercise from visiting the National Mall in the heart of DC! Here are some of the top memorials and monuments in the National Mall that we visited or walked by (check out our other post on The National Mall in Washington DC – Part 2):

The Lincoln Memorial

This was a great way to start our tour of the National Mall, the impressive structure of the Lincoln Memorial stands proud at the start of this infamous area. There is an eerie silence as folks pay their respects when you walk inside the memorial and are presented with a large statue of Lincoln sitting in a chair (see below). The 19-foot tall statue was designed by Daniel French and depicts Lincoln in the middle of the Civil War as he contemplates the next moves.

One wall inside the memorial contains Lincoln’s Gettysburg address in 1863 while the other side opposite this includes Lincoln’s second inaugural address in 1865.

Korean War Veterans Memorial

After walking a short distance from the Lincoln Memorial, the mood becomes much more somber as you arrive at the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The statuesque figures of soldiers fighting in the fields of Korea bring back harsh memories of past wars and how thousands of troops lost their lives. The 19 stainless steel statues were sculpted by Frank Gaylord and they are approximately 7-feet tall and represent an ethnic cross section of America.

There is a Pool of Remembrance and engraved on granite blocks near the water pool at the east end of the monument are the casualty statistics for the soldiers who fought in the war.

Dead — United States: 54,246, United Nations: 628,833
Wounded — United States: 103,284, United Nations: 1,064,453.
Captured — United States: 7,140, United Nations: 92,970.
Missing — United States: 8,177, United Nations: 470,267.

World War 2 Memorial

The World War 2 Memorial is a really impressive fountain and surrounding pillars makes this a very peaceful environment. These fifty-six pillars represent the states, territories and the District of Columbia at the time of the war.

The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people.

The Washington Memorial

The Washington Monument is arguably the most prominent feature of the Washington, DC skyline. Visitors are welcome to climb the 896 steps inside the monument to the observation level which, on a clear day, provides 30-40 mile views (there is also, of course, an elevator!).

Unfortunately the Washington Memorial was closed due to renovations but looking at this from a distance still allowed us to see what an impressive structure this is. The reflection pool that runs all the way from the Washington Memorial to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial is a great place to relax and walk around before you head further towards the other National Mall landmarks.

Of course, the above monuments and memorials are not the only iconic landmarks in Washington DC. There are others that we did not have time to visit such as the Vietnam War Memorial and also the Thomas Jefferson Memorial which is an impressive structure.

Part 2 of our Washington DC experience will highlight our experiences in the museums and famous buildings such as The White House.

What is your favorite monument/memorial in Washington DC?

What are your experiences in the National Mall?

The World of IKEA – Modern Swedish Décor

Chris Boothman

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Jun 1, 2013

1

The World of IKEA – Modern Swedish Décor

Whenever you think about things to do in Dallas, Texas you are probably not considering visiting a furniture store and getting excited about it. Well, when you have never visited an IKEA before and are looking for anything relating to modern day furniture or household goods, this store certainly provides a delectable array of products and overall experience that will make you want to return.

Hence the reason for this post on what makes the ‘IKEA experience’ such a memorable one that will make you want to return here sometime in the future.

Located in Jonesboro, Arkansas our access to IKEA is limited to say the least. Looking at the map of US locations, our proximity to both Atlanta and Dallas are the closest warehouses and either option is at least 7-8 hours away driving. So after embarking on our long journey south across the Texas border, we decided that we wanted to make the most of our experience at IKEA. However, what we didn’t realize is that we would be visiting here three times over the three day Memorial Day weekend!

Yes, that’s right we visited IKEA on three separate occasions while staying in the Dallas region. Why? Well a couple of reasons though the primary one surely has to be because of the enjoyment level we had whilst spending time in this store. The first two times we visited, we were pushed for time so decided to venture back on Memorial Day before heading back to Arkansas.

For first time visitors to IKEA, I would certainly recommend that you consider making a list of anything that you may need for your home. On entering the showroom and marketplace, you will be surprised at just how much variety there is at IKEA. It may be wise to take measurements of spaces for furniture and most importantly ensure there is sufficient room in your car as everything comes in flat-packed boxes. That’s another story altogether though because you better be prepared to hone your handy-man skills in order to piece together some of the wonderful pieces of furniture IKEA has to offer.

Whenever you first enter the store in Dallas (specifically IKEA is located in Frisco which is one of the northern suburbs of the Dallas metro area), you have the choice of either going to the showroom or marketplace. If you are a returning visitor and know exactly what you want to purchase, you will likely go direct to the marketplace and find your item before heading to checkout. However, for the newbies out there and anyone who wants to seek some guidance on how to decorate your home Swedish style with beautiful décor, head up the escalator to the showroom and take part in the experience before your very eyes.

Our first encounter inside the showroom was in reality one of just pure awe. Where on earth do you start looking around what appears to be the size of an airport hangar? The best thing about IKEA’s layout is that it is perfectly designed to take you on a guided tour around your own home. Starting out in the living room with an array of sofas, loveseats and sectionals you have the opportunity to sit in comfort while also viewing the various room exhibitions that are on display. Every piece of furniture that you can possibly think of is in this showroom and the best thing is that everything is decked out with IKEA pieces that can be purchased on the same day. The room settings are built entirely from IKEA products, and will give you inspired ideas for furnishing, lighting and decorating your home.

Every item is tagged with the Swedish style names along with an article number and a location tag which indicates where in the marketplace you can purchase this. You can also collect a pencil and form that provides space to make notes so you can remember every item you want. The organization within IKEA is of an extremely high standard. After passing through a myriad of rooms furnished with living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and office furniture you can head down an escalator to the marketplace.

Alternatively, before heading down for the second leg of your journey you may be better advised to sample the delectable cuisine at the IKEA restaurant. Whether you are looking for a light buffalo chicken wrap or baby-back ribs, there is something here for everyone at a very reasonable price. We were fortunate that we visited over the Memorial Day weekend as they had a special where you could ‘Eat for Free’. You paid for your meal and then if you spent at least $150 in the store, you would receive reimbursement for the value of the meal. A great little incentive that I am sure worked wonders for IKEA.

The marketplace is where your credit card can begin getting a real hammering! Wandering through the masses of products with your cart and just going on a ‘shopping frenzy’ picking up some real bargains to furnish your new look home is certainly an appealing attraction in IKEA. Everything that you spotted in the showroom can now be purchased. The market hall is just what it sounds like: many different specialty shops gathered together.

IKEA is more than just a shopping experience. Evident throughout the infrastructure and design of these superstores, IKEA provides an overwhelming experience that certainly helps frame your outlook on design and décor. Whether you are just looking to furnish a 250 sq/ft. apartment or a brand new house, there is something here in IKEA that you will like.

What is Blogging All About?

Travel Tips

Chris Boothman

-

May 26, 2013

6

Where would we be without the world of blogging?

Ok so that may be a little bit of a cliché but if we hadn’t discovered the magnitude of blogs out there, we probably wouldn’t have established our original name of ‘Tourist Guide Central’. It seems like a long time ago that we came up with that name and in hindsight that was our first mistake as novice bloggers.

TGC may be a little misleading for many folks because at first glance this sounds like one of your stereotypical travel sites that is looking to make money by advising people about where and how they should travel. This was certainly not our intentions but we were novices and true ‘newbies’ to travel blogs and at the time of opening we thought our name had to be something related to the travel industry. The decision to rename and rebrand our site as ‘A Brit and A Southerner’ was certainly a positive move for us and we certainly appreciate the positive feedback we have received from our followers.

Heather and I met in 2008, I am from England and Heather a small town in Arkansas, USA. How on earth does that work? Well it does and we have a great chemistry that allows us to think alike in some many respects including the main reason we are doing A Brit and A Southerner – our love of traveling.

In September 2012 when we headed to the Ryder Cup, we started talking about how we wanted to start documenting our travels to the world. I have previously had very basic experience with WordPress, in helping a friend to setup a blog in a completely different domain so I knew that there was a lot of potential out there. What I didn’t know was the depth and myriad of options that are out there when you start digging. We have since moved away from WordPress and adopted Blogger but in reality both interfaces offer varying options to create attractive bloggers.

So what do we mean by the term ‘blogging’. Well let’s look at WordPress’ definition of the word ‘blog’.

“Blog” is an abbreviated version of “weblog,” which is a term used to describe web sites that maintain an ongoing chronicle of information. A blog features diary-type commentary and links to articles on other Web sites, usually presented as a list of entries in reverse chronological order. Blogs range from the personal to the political, and can focus on one narrow subject or a whole range of subjects.” (WordPress, 2013)

So….in a nutshell a blog is basically whatever you want it to be! It is your opportunity to express your thoughts and in reality there are no rules or definitive structures that you have to follow. My suggestion to you is this – follow your heart and let your fingers start typing because trust me, there are folks out there that will be interested in what you are saying.

Tourist Guide Central/A Brit and A Southerner has been up and running for around 12 months now and one of the difficult aspects is making time to actually write about your travel experiences, ideas and thoughts! At the beginning when you first start out, you have plenty of content and you think it will be a never ending channel which is true to extent but after a while your enthusiasm will dry up. It is even more difficult to structure your routine and fit in your blogging needs whenever you have day to day activities such as work, housework, family etc.

How do you resolve this? One of the misconceptions that you soon find out is that your audience is always wanting to read new material. This is not true and the sooner you realize this the better because in reality you are not going to be able to post new thoughts every single day.

There is so much to do but simply not enough time in the day to get everything done. I am trying to work on getting a more ‘themed’ approach to our weekly schedule, but don’t want to give too much away at this point but hopefully our followers will continue to keep checking out our page and Facebook/Twitter accounts.

I love writing blogs and hopefully some of you out there will find out material interesting. Heather probably gets tired of me complaining about her inactivity on our site but her contributions are elsewhere. She helps with determining our material and keeps our social media flowing which is one of the aspects we really cherish. Blogging is a great way to unwind. Sometimes you will get the infamous writers block but once you overcome this and start writing, the words will generally flow. The beauty of blogs is that you can’t really go wrong!

I think this is enough rambling for this post but I am intrigued to hear about the following questions.

What made you get involved in blogging?

What inspired you to write about your passions in life?

Do you use WordPress or Blogger?

The Escape Attempts

The Cells

The Infrastructure

The Policies and Regulations

The Dining Quarters

1. The Waterfalls

2. El Capitan

3. Half Dome

Crystal Mountain Resort

The Museum of Glass

Jimi Hendrix Memorial

Space Needle

Boeing Factory

Eat at one of the Pier 39 restaurants or cafes

Gift Shops

Sit and relax while gazing over San Francisco Bay

Ghirardelli Square

Pier 39 Street Performers and July 4th Fireworks

The White House

The Capitol

Smithsonian Institution HQ

The National Air and Space Museum

The National Museum of Natural History

Holocaust Museum

The Lincoln Memorial

Korean War Veterans Memorial

World War 2 Memorial

The Washington Memorial

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