Posts in: travel

Behold, the Maryland state flag — one of the best in the Union — and state flower on top of the Maryland state desert, the Smith Island (birthday) cake. Best of all, this was a birthday we celebrated while on Smith Island.

A birthday cake with chocolate glazing, two (plastic) black-eyed Susans and a (paper) Maryland state flag placed on top.

The Las Vegas travel guide for families: come for the chocolates, stay for the surrounding cactus garden.

As an aside, is there anything more American than being so bored in retirement that you start a new business which 20 years later gets sold back to your old company?

A variety of short cacti in front of the “Ethel M Chocolates” factory.

As tall as they all are, Honolulu’s skyscrapers still respect the sky.

Honolulu skyline as seen from the elevated National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

We had great hopes for the Dole plantation on Oahu, being great fans of their pineapple soft serve. Alas, it was a pure tourist trap.

The train ride was the only good part: the soothing sounds of the engine combined with the rocking and the outdoor breeze led to the best nap I’ve ever had.

Small, bright yellow train labeled “Pineapple Express”

These signs work for raising awareness as much as they do for prevention. Case in point: we were half an hour too late to see those sea turtle eggs being deposited, so the next few mornings we were up even earlier for our morning walks hoping to catch another nesting. Without any luck, of course.

Four yellow posts cordoning off a square section of the beach. “Sea turtle nest” is written on one of the posts, with smaller print underneath.

A perfect sunny day in the Windy City, which may not be called “Windy” for the reason you think.

Buckingham fountain and Chicago skyline under a clear, cloudless blue sky.

The foliage may not be the prettiest, but the that cherry is a thing of beauty. At Green World Coffee Farm on Oahu last October.

A single bright red coffee cherry surrounded by plasticy grean leaves. One of the leaves has an irregular border and a brown stain.

April is here, and so starts the season of family travel! Two years ago this month we visited Epcot for spring break, saw this plush toy and realized that between the name and the September birthday Doraemon closely resembles a junior member of our family.

Doraemon plush toy in a museum case. Text next to it lists a September 3rd, 2112 birthday.

The latest walkalogue from Chris Arnade confirms what I have already suspected to be the case: that Belgium is the promised country, and that the area around Antwerp in particular is where I would want to be if I were still in Europe.

On a sadder note, it seems that Brussels is the capital not only of the European Union but also of McEurope, and is to be avoided.

One day spent in Miami and after a few encounters at stores, restaurants, cafes, etc. it is with some sadness that I have to report that I am most definitely not made for these climates. How does any work get done with so much waiting in line while the cashier is chatting to the customer in front?