Random Observation/Comment #357: “There are no pretty women in Brazil.” is what I practiced saying to my gf throughout the trip. Things Brazil Does Well: Churrascaria (A.K.A. Brazilian barbecue, A.K.A. all-you-can-eat meat heaven) is awesome and relatively cheap. You must do this at least once while you’re here and you’ll be mighty satisfied afterwards. Eat all the meat. Note that...
Random Observation/Comment #354: Italians and Chinese are very similar with family values and their love of food. Maybe that’s every big family conversation. Things To Eat: Pasta pasta pasta, Gelato, Pasta pasta pasta, Cappuccino. For those that need liquid courage in the morning, get a corrected espresso. It’s corrected with Bailey’s or whisky. It’s awesome. If you like chocolate coffee...
Random Observation/Comment #351: Chicago has the chi-fecta of foods that make me extremely happy and fat. These three must-tries are: Italian beef hero, Chicago hot dog, and deep dish (stuffed crust) pizza. I love it when cities have a focus with their specialties. Things Chicago Does Well: Architecture. After the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, architects had the opportunity to...
Random Observation/Comment #348: There’s something about listening to Rhapsody in Blue live that just makes the whole vacation better. Things Montreal Does Well: Architecture of common houses. Driving through Montreal, I just noticed there was something commonly interesting about all the apartments – they all have balconies and really high ceilings. These apartments are all 2 or 3 story NYC...
Random Observation/Comment #341: Always order seafood if you’re staying on an island. Well, maybe not Long Island; that place is gross. Triumphs During the Trip: Got scuba certified Saw a Caribbean reef shark about 15 feet away (peed my wetsuit) Saw silverfish and tried to hit them (they really move like in Finding Nemo) Held a Sting Ray (felt like...
Random Observation/Comment #333: I love planning trips, but not everyone likes to do the things I do. If you don’t like alcohol, good food, taking pictures, learning about culture, walking everywhere, or experiencing new things, you should probably stop reading this blog for travel advice. New York City is my home. It’s a metropolis of diversity and hidden fun activities...
Random Observation/Comment #327: I don’t think I spent a day sober in Scotland. I can’t be an alcoholic if I’m on vacation, right? Is Scotland, as a travel destination, right for you? Things you must like: Drinking whisky (period). That’s basically it.
Random Observation/Comment #326: It’s a wonderful and terrifying thing to surrender control of the quite normal tendencies to, ya’know, know where you’ll be going on vacation. I wanted a spreadsheet so badly, but maybe it’s a good thing to let go a bit and live on the whim. You can’t get lost if you don’t know where you’re going, right?...
Random Observation/Comment #324: South Africa really needs a radio station devoted to Lion King songs. It would get all the tourist listeners. Is South Africa, as a travel destination, right for you? Things you must like: Adventures Roughing it in the wild Impromptu decisions Driving long distances (~7 hours per day) Animals far away Photography (because someone will be stopping...
Random Observation/Comment #316: I caught the travel bug in 2008 and I still got it. It’s like the photography, writing, table tennis, eating, and alcoholic bugs – they’ve become good friends. There’s something about traveling that makes me smile. Maybe it’s the free spirit letting loose of all the stress, or maybe it’s the photographer in me that sees every...
Random Observation/Comment #281: I love traveling and I’ve gotten really good at it. There’s a method to my madness: 1) research, 2) planning documents, 3) well-packed and prepared bags, and 4) just wing it when you get there. I’ll probably write a separate blog entry about this. As mentioned in the previous bucket list blog post on foods, people usually...
Random Observation/Comment #277: I’ve been taking a lot of these long-weekend trips of 3 nights. I think they are the perfect number of days before you stop being productive with your foreign-country-adventure. After all, these vacations are more for my exploration of a new country than the relaxation from any type of stress. What can be so stressful if I’m...
Random Observation/Comment #274: I love adding things to my bucket list unintentionally and then checking them off immediately. Dog sled across a glacier. Check. Eat Minke Whale. Check. Gadinkadurgen to all (don’t try to look up this word because you won’t find it). Iceland is an absolutely beautiful place filled with random acts of precipitation and sporadic weather representing all...
Random Observation/Comment #225: My grandparents have such a boring daily routine that I’m surprised that they still know what day of the week it is. It’s a continuous cycle that basically involves the following activities: walking, shopping for groceries, cooking, eating, napping, and watching TV. I wonder if I will do this when I’m their age or if I’ll just...
Random Observation/Comment #224: Hong Kong and Japan are both wonderful places to visit, but not exactly the best places to live. Japan is filled with cute small girls and has lots of cool toys, but the hierarchical system is too strict and unbearable. People really need to loosen up and make adjustments to that old management style. Hong Kong has...
Random Observation/Comment #220: There’s nothing more exciting than planning a trip. It keeps me on my toes, and the constant research through travbuddy and flickr makes me anxious to explore even more destinations with my camera. The drive to take pictures is even greater than ever with my new Canon Powershot S90. I think it is the best purchase I...
Random Observation/Comment #211: Jake, James, and I would make the hottest person imaginable if only our powers were combined. Separately, we do a very good job attacking and defending our different fronts. I usually get the intellectuals and Asian girls. James goes for the tall blonde girls that like eccentric guys with white t-shirts and tattoos. And Jake gets the...
Random Observation/Comment #210: I’ve taken a lot of pictures of myself in the same position with the same smile, but with different backgrounds from places all around the Europe and Japan. I even used the SL flash for all of them so it makes me look brighter, and gives the slight possibility that I could have been photo-shopped into this...
Random Observation/Comment #208: As the trip winds down, I feel this nervousness that I can only describe as the feeling I get right before I wake from a lucid dream. I try to concentrate on my hands and relish the dream state, but I know it’s slipping. It’s like the universe realizes I’m close to finding the meaning of life,...
Random Observation/Comment #207: Christian is a gentleman and a scholar – or in more colloquial terms – he’s freakin’ awesome. Not only did he act as a tour guide and “couchsurfing-type” host for a week, but he also reminded me of something very important: a summer is not a summer vacation without friends. Yes, I’ve met quite a few random...
Random Observation/Comment #206: There’s always a level of sadness during transitions. I’ve found that I’m always looking for excitement, yet I deep down yearn for a conservative state of equilibrium. No matter how much I reject these routines, I desperately cling on to creating a new familiarity. When you’ve grown accustom to the freedom and the friendly faces, it’s hard...
Random Observation/Comment #205: The less I post; the more fun I’m having. Without this me-time, I do feel a little bit claustrophobic, but at the same time, I’m usually spending it with people for a good reason. It’s not exactly what you can call “efficient,” but I feel these small social breaks are mandatory for an enjoyable lifestyle. I sound...
Random Observation/Comment #204: This soul searching business is wearing me out. I’ve written and thought so much about each subject methodically, yet I can’t make a solid decision. Every damn methodical and calculated approach has been used, but I don’t feel like I’ve gotten anywhere (Where you goin’? – Nowhere). If I really had a passion for this thing (whatever...
Random Observation/Comment #203: I seem to make more interesting observations and comments in my twitter feed. They are definitely more succinct and directly relate to my everyday life. I’m tempted to remove this section, but I really like how I’m keeping track of the posts with the comment numbers. Ever since I’ve started writing, I’ve been trying to cling on...
Random Observation/Comment #202: I consider myself a quiet guy with a lot to say. It requires a bit of prying, but it’s quite easy to get me on some weird topic rant. Since I try to gain a little bit of knowledge in everything, I’m sure it won’t take a long time of searching to find something we have in...
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