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Vacations in 2012

Benjamin Grimm Jan 01 2012 06:20 AM

Where will your travels take you in 2012?

themetfairy Jan 01 2012 06:42 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Nashville, for the Country Music Half Marathon. Boston, for the Run to Home Base 9K that finishes up in Fenway Park. San Diego, for Comic Con.

Rockin' Doc Jan 01 2012 12:55 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

I have a lot of travel this year. My work and professional duties will take me to New Orleans in January, Atlanta in February, Washington, D.C. in April, Myrtle Beach, SC in June, Chicago in June, and Asheville, NC in November. I suspect another trip or two will be added before the year is out Personal down time will be a week in Bermuda for a belated 30th anniversary.

themetfairy Jan 01 2012 01:21 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Bermuda is my favorite place in the world - let me know if you have any questions about the island :)

sharpie Jan 01 2012 02:59 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Panama in February for a week. Will miss the Super Bowl. Possibly Seattle in May to glom on to mrs. sharpie's work trip. San Francisco to visit my daughter sometime. Prolly somewhere else at some other time. I like to travel.

A Boy Named Seo Jan 01 2012 03:31 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie wrote: Panama in February for a week. Will miss the Super Bowl. Possibly Seattle in May to glom on to mrs. sharpie's work trip. San Francisco to visit my daughter sometime. Prolly somewhere else at some other time. I like to travel. You know whereabouts in Panama you'll be? I went in 2010 and had an awesome time.

Ceetar Jan 01 2012 11:11 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Vegas in February, and then hopefully Oktoberfest in Munich. (and perhaps Amsterdam/Bremen)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 02 2012 07:14 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Hawaii in February. Maybe Frisco in the summer, but maybe not.

Benjamin Grimm Jan 02 2012 08:25 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Southern Africa in August.

sharpie Jan 02 2012 02:11 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

You know whereabouts in Panama you'll be? I went in 2010 and had an awesome time. Panama City -- Bocas del Toro -- Bocacas -- Panama City. Where'd you go, Seo?

A Boy Named Seo Jan 02 2012 07:18 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Flew into Panama City, went to San Blas (Kuna islands) for a couple days, back to Panama City to catch a bus to Boquette, then on to Bocas del Toro. We stayed in the Casco Viejo neighborhood in Panama City. It was crappy & dangerous in some parts, but we still had fun. Canal was kinda interesting to see, but really pretty boring, to be quite honest. The hostel was fun, but Panama City was our least favorite spot. The people at the hostel were dead serious about where NOT to go & when, and we listened to em. One guy didn't, and he got robbed at gunpoint. Oopsie. Bocas was great. The beaches were gorgeous & lots of snorkeling, kayaking, watery stuff to do. There's surf there, too, if you're into it. It has a rep as a party place (well deserved, I can confirm), but there are also some more tranquil spots, as well. A friend of mine went after we did & she had a completely different (also great) Bocas experience. Very quiet, picturesque Caribbean vacation for her. She just kinda went a little more remote. Water taxis will take you to the different islands, it's really pretty cool. Bocas was the complete opposite of San Blas, which had no running water, electricity, anything. We got completely off the grid there. Not familiar with Bocacas. Boquette is a really beautiful rain forest town if you find yourself nearby. There were a lot of American dollars in that town & some nicer places to eat (a break from non-stop empanadas). Cafe Ruiz coffee plantation tour was awesome, one of my trip's highlights. There's also a volcano you can hike, but it rained non-stop, so we, um, stayed in. We traveled the country via bus & taxi and the taxi drivers are loco & we got our shit robbed on a bus. Cuidado, sharpie. It is a fun place, though.

sharpie Jan 02 2012 08:51 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

When I wrote Bocacas I meant Boquette. We're staying at a coffee plantation there. We travel by plane between PC and the other places, taxi between Bocas and Boquette. Can't wait.

TransMonk Jan 03 2012 07:59 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Cozumel, Mexico for the Super Bowl and then the Amalfi Coast of Italy in May.

TheOldMole Jan 03 2012 07:07 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Austin next week to visit Pat's son who just moved down there.

Ceetar Jan 10 2012 08:57 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

officially booked for Vegas at the Cosmopolitan for mid-february. Interestingly the last time the Mets were on the field I was on my way to Vegas, and now the first time they'll step back I'll be there.

Ceetar Feb 06 2012 08:57 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: officially booked for Vegas at the Cosmopolitan for mid-february. Interestingly the last time the Mets were on the field I was on my way to Vegas, and now the first time they'll step back I'll be there. 10 days to Vegas. Starting to seriously look at our trip to Oktoberfest in Munich. Looks like we're probably escorting the in-laws to family in Northern Germany so probably flying into Amsterdam and then spending the first week between there and the Bremen area. Then down to Munich. this is where it gets interesting. We want to hit at least another city on our way back to North German to escort the in-laws back home. (shoot, who's going to take care of our cats?) We talked about Prague maybe, but we feel weird about missing Berlin. But then Venice seems so close? and Zurich is right over there..and Salzbury..

Benjamin Grimm Feb 06 2012 09:16 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

[crossout]Do you mean Salzburg, Austria? Take it from me, you can skip that. (It may be nice if you're skiing, but if not it's not all that interesting.)[/crossout] (EDIT: Oops, my bad! I was thinking of Innsbruck. Salzburg IS nice, but still not as nice as the other cities I mention below.) Prague, Venice, and Zurich are all much better choices. If I could only visit one of those cities, I'd choose Venice; it's one of the most unique cities in the world. Prague is prettier than Zurich, but if I were to choose one of those cities to live in (and if I could afford it; Zurich is very expensive -- try to eat as cheaply as you can) I'd choose Zurich. If I ever return there, I want to rent a motorboat and cruise through the beautiful lakes that lead into the city.

Ceetar Feb 06 2012 09:28 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

[crossout]Do you mean Salzburg, Austria? Take it from me, you can skip that. (It may be nice if you're skiing, but if not it's not all that interesting.)[/crossout] (EDIT: Oops, my bad! I was thinking of Innsbruck. Salzburg IS nice, but still not as nice as the other cities I mention below.) Prague, Venice, and Zurich are all much better choices. If I could only visit one of those cities, I'd choose Venice; it's one of the most unique cities in the world. Prague is prettier than Zurich, but if I were to choose one of those cities to live in (and if I could afford it; Zurich is very expensive -- try to eat as cheaply as you can) I'd choose Zurich. If I ever return there, I want to rent a motorboat and cruise through the beautiful lakes that lead into the city. Time/travel constraints probably favor Prague (or Berlin) just because it's sorta on the way back. Wife suggested Prague because it's supposed to be pretty. Venice's uniqueness definitely plays in. If we "never get back" to that part of Europe I think we'd regret not seeing Venice more than Prague. Is Zurich really 'very expensive' or is that just the standard warning? I find more and more when people tell me some place is expensive it never really seems like it because I'm so used to NYC prices.

Benjamin Grimm Feb 06 2012 09:43 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Dinner for four at Burger King in Zurich: over $70 in U.S. money. We went to Burger King in an attempt to save some money after spending well over $100 for four small bowls of pasta the night before. Prague and Munich were cheap. Zurich was crazy expensive.

metirish Feb 06 2012 09:48 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

You were using the Swiss franc? that's some ripoff

Ceetar Feb 06 2012 09:48 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Dinner for four at Burger King in Zurich: over $70 in U.S. money. We went to Burger King in an attempt to save some money after spending well over $100 for four small bowls of pasta the night before. Prague and Munich were cheap. Zurich was crazy expensive. ouch.

TransMonk Feb 11 2012 02:47 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Mexico pics. We didn't take the Canon SLR we normally use. These were taken with Wifey's new Canon Powershot 300 that I got her for her birthday in January (except for the underwater pics). I'm pretty impressed with what a point and shoot can do these days.

Ceetar Feb 11 2012 03:03 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

TransMonk wrote: Mexico pics. We didn't take the Canon SLR we normally use. These were taken with Wifey's new Canon Powershot 300 that I got her for her birthday in January (except for the underwater pics). I'm pretty impressed with what a point and shoot can do these days. my favorite. margarita?

themetfairy Feb 11 2012 03:49 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Mexico pics. We didn't take the Canon SLR we normally use. These were taken with Wifey's new Canon Powershot 300 that I got her for her birthday in January (except for the underwater pics). I'm pretty impressed with what a point and shoot can do these days. Very nice - it looks like you had a great time :)

TransMonk Feb 11 2012 07:57 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: margarita? Sangria, I believe. It's some effect on the camera that turns every color but one into black and white. So far, I've only been able to figure out how to isolate green.

Ceetar Feb 11 2012 08:59 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

TransMonk wrote: Ceetar wrote: margarita? Sangria, I believe. It's some effect on the camera that turns every color but one into black and white. So far, I've only been able to figure out how to isolate green. Oh. neat. I've always had to do that in photoshop afterwards, and rarely get to it.

sharpie Feb 13 2012 12:57 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Got back from Panama yesterday. From Panama City flew to Bocas del Toro. Stayed in an off-the-grid place about a half hour out of town accessible by a rutted road that involved driving on a beach and on wooden planks over a river. Cab drivers hated to go there. While there we hear that an Indian tribe was protesting a government plan to build hydro-electric dams in areas that contain primarily Indians. Their protest consisted on cutting down trees to make roadblocks -- including a roadblock into the little town where goods and passengers came and went from Bocas del Toro. After a couple of days fruit and vegetables disappeared from menus. Our plan was to have a driver pick us up in that town across the strait and drive us to our next destination, Boquete. That plan seemed to be impossible because of the roadblocks. On the evening before our planned departure, however, the government and the Indians settled so our plans were not disturbed. Saw the remnants of the roadblocks on the side of the road, however. Boquete is filled with retiring Americans but is quite beautiful. We stayed on a coffee plantation and drank lots of their delicious coffee. Lots of MFY hats due to Mariano Rivera. I did hear that Carlos Ruiz is from Boquete but I saw no Phillie hats. Nor any Astro hats for Carlos Lee. Nor any tributes to Rod Carew. Beautiful country, interesting time.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 17 2012 03:03 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Leaving for Hawaii this weekend. I somehow wound up catching a cold in my ear last last weekend and have been underwater for most of the week. Doc prescribed super steroids and I'm going in for a re-check now. I may have to wear a space helmet on the plane I dunno. Roids make my joints ache and tendons more weak than usual, and my cold meant no running since last Saturday, so will race this 8 mile thingy out there only hours off the plane in shit shape. Then, we party.

TransMonk Feb 17 2012 03:26 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie: Sounds like it was a pretty great trip. JCL: Aloha!

Edgy MD Feb 17 2012 07:43 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Yeah, race well. Don't take any tikis from Vincent Price, though.

Ceetar Feb 21 2012 03:41 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

The Cosmopolitan Casino in Las Vegas is amazing. hundreds of custom cocktails, just about everyone of which I've had has been amazingly awesome. Never mind a 'secret' pizza place that if you had at a random place in NY you'd enjoy. it's open to 4am and is very geared at post-nightclub customers. Regardless, the pizza place doesn't even bother having a name or a sign and is down a random hallway and always packed and crowded and popular. Yes, I'm writing this at 5:40 am NY time after having partook in what I wrote above. I sincerely recommend this casino. Of course, the Roulette wheel, and the Nevada Cops, don't like me, but screw 'em all, what do you say?

sharpie Feb 21 2012 08:01 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Seattle in May. mrs. sharpie has a conference so I gets to tag along.

The Second Spitter Mar 20 2012 07:35 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Israel in August. Hopeful before the region erupts again.

Ceetar Apr 12 2012 07:59 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Anyone know super secret germany hotel booking tricks? Apparently procrastination has gotten the best of us and hotels for Oktoberfest have spiked to at least 300+

Benjamin Grimm Apr 13 2012 07:33 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

What city are you going to be in, and on what dates? I usually try to book hotel reservations (that are cancelable) immediately after I book plane tickets. That way we at least have a place to sleep every night. Then, if I later find something with a better price and/or location, I can make the switch. I was once in your situation; I procrastinated on making hotel reservations in Barcelona in 1999 and when I finally got around to it, every room in the city was either over $400 or under $40, and I was very suspicious about the quality of those cheapest rooms. We ended up not going to Barcelona at all and went to Extremadura and Segovia instead.

Ceetar Apr 13 2012 07:55 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Amsterdam, (family in Northern Germany), Munich, Prague. It's the Munich part that we put off too long. (something like 7 million people decent on the area that week) we're gonna end up paying like 300 a night. ouch. We haven't booked the flight yet either, we'd been haggling over exact departure/arrival cities based on whether or not my in-laws were coming because we figured we should travel with them. Bottom line is 2 weeks in Europe is really expensive, even if you're spending 4-5 nights with family. Especially if you're hitting multiple cities and one of them's for a tourist trap event. (Oktoberfest)

Benjamin Grimm Apr 13 2012 09:59 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

When we were in Munich in 2009, we stayed here. It's not in the heart of downtown, but it's not far off. It's in a quiet neighborhood and a short walk from the Arabella subway station which will take you downtown. I picked some arbitrary dates in October and a room for two is going for 170 euros ($224) per night. And yes, being in Europe can be very expensive. Munich wasn't so bad, and Prague was fairly inexpensive. You could be worse off.

Mets – Willets Point Apr 13 2012 10:21 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I had a great time in Amsterdam (in 2010) and Munich (in 2003). I'd love to visit Prague. Looks like you have a great trip planned for yourself. Hope you've set aside a budget for beer purchases.

Ceetar Apr 13 2012 10:32 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Mets – Willets Point wrote: I had a great time in Amsterdam (in 2010) and Munich (in 2003). I'd love to visit Prague. Looks like you have a great trip planned for yourself. Hope you've set aside a budget for beer purchases. 10 euros for a Litre at Oktoberfest. yeesh. Brouwerij 't IJ is in Amsterdam, figure I have to check that one out. Probably skip Heineken though. Probably only in Holland for 2 days. hmm, does Prague have good beer? lol: "The most widely exported Czech Beer is Budvar (Budweiser in German), the name of which is also used by an unrelated American brew."

Chad Ochoseis Apr 13 2012 06:26 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Los Angeles area for my company's annual meeting in a couple of weeks. ABNS, check your PMs. Also, my girlfriend wants to go to Belize. Anyone been there?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 13 2012 09:09 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

The Second Spitter wrote: Israel in August. Hopeful before the region erupts again. Like, all over?

metirish Apr 16 2012 06:47 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Really had an amazing time at Disney......I thought I knew what it was but when I got there I knew I didn't.....it's huge for one......we went with a family that go every year and that only added to our trip, they knew all the parks, were enthusiastic to show us, our kids got on great .....the younger one who's not yet three would call me either Frank of grandpa.......funny.....did the park hopper ticket, only way to go.....lines were never more than an hour, seriously they know how to organize people ....wow....I could go on an on but to see how much enjoyment Lorcan had here was worth it all......will probably do this trip each easter break..... The drive?......it's just so freaking long......not sure about that part....

Ceetar Apr 16 2012 06:50 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Yeah, I went to Disney a couple of years ago. The DMV and USPS should hire Disney employees, because they really know how to move a line. Guess you didn't hit Universal/Harry Potter World?

metirish Apr 16 2012 06:55 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

We didn't go inside Universal but did the City Walk thing.....Downtown Disney was great too.....next time we will try and stay at a resort inside, the Broardwalk area near the Swan and Dolphin hotel looks great...

The Second Spitter Apr 20 2012 04:29 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Off to Melbourne to watch the mighty Carlton Blues demolish the Essendon Bombers in front of a sold-out 100,000 crowd (that's Aussie Rules for those who care) and to try the fabled Andrew's Burger of Albert Park.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 20 2012 05:34 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

metirish wrote: We didn't go inside Universal but did the City Walk thing.....Downtown Disney was great too.....next time we will try and stay at a resort inside, the Broardwalk area near the Swan and Dolphin hotel looks great... How was driving? Did you try it in one shot or arrange to stay someplace along the way?

metirish Apr 20 2012 06:04 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

All the way baby.......going we left around 5:30am on the Friday morning......I drove four hours go us into Maryland somewhere , stopped and ate breakfast(going we were also following another family), wife took over and damn but we hit a wall of traffic from DC to Richmond VA...........around 3pm I took over and drove then for the next 6+ hours.....that took us to 9:30pm, wife drove then me and then wife again and we got to hotel at 3:30 Saturday morning.....coming back we didn't follow the other family, stopped when we needed to , again left at 5:30am Saturday morning and got back to the Bronx at 1:30am Sunday.....it's a loooooooooooong drive no doubt, and it's at times stressful.......the longest parts were Georgia through the Carolinas. Going down we hit those states at night, was quite, coming back we hit the NJ turnpike late on Saturday night and it was busy to say the least.... would we drive it again?, I don't really know....gas in the Mini was only $130 each way and I use premium....that's a major plus....

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 20 2012 07:47 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Nice work. Wifey is dead set against long car rides but I enjoy driving for the most part.

HahnSolo Apr 20 2012 08:02 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Nice work. Wifey is dead set against long car rides but I enjoy driving for the most part. We broke up the drive back when we did it. But, that was because we had a flight cancelled last minute due to Irene and were up half the night arranging things. We also avoided 95 and stayed overnight just north of Charlotte. I think if it's planned ahead you can do it in one shot. Neither of us had the energy to do it all in one day.

metirish Apr 20 2012 08:09 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I think there is also the notion that yeah I can stop over somewhere but Christ I just want to get it over with....saw a lot of cops on the way down and a lot of people pulled over, but still, it's hard not to go mid 80's on the open road....there are long stretches on 95 that are two lane and it can be a bit hairy with the trucks.....still, glad we did it as I always wanted to do the long American drive...

TransMonk May 17 2012 11:43 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I'm off to Italy tomorrow for some food, wine and sight-seeing. Let's Go Mets!

Benjamin Grimm May 17 2012 11:45 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Nice! Have fun!

Ceetar May 17 2012 11:50 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

TransMonk wrote: I'm off to Italy tomorrow for some food, wine and sight-seeing. Let's Go Mets! oooh, have fun.

themetfairy May 17 2012 11:52 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Have fun TM!

sharpie May 17 2012 12:09 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Have fun. I'm off to Seattle and Olympia National Park on Saturday for a week. Looks like we're going to Sardinia for a couple of weeks in September.

themetfairy May 17 2012 12:15 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie - do you mean Olympic National Park? D-Dad grew up in that area.

sharpie May 17 2012 12:28 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Yes, I did mean Olympic. Looking forward to going there.

themetfairy May 17 2012 12:38 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

It's pretty out there :)

metirish May 17 2012 01:35 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

TransMonk wrote: I'm off to Italy tomorrow for some food, wine and sight-seeing. Let's Go Mets! enjoy, you deserve it.....I think :)

Fman99 May 17 2012 07:16 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

A half week camping in the Adirondacks next month, in a log cabin, campfire, smores, maybe a canoe ride or two. We went last year and had a blast. My favorite pic from that trip -- Fgirl sacked out after a day at the local waterpark.

metirish May 17 2012 07:21 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

That sounds really cool fman, send me some information when you get a chance please.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 17 2012 09:23 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

We're browsing camping setups for a jaunt at some point this summer, between friends' weddings in Maryland (June) and North Carolina (August)

The Second Spitter May 18 2012 01:52 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Possible thoughts going through Fgirl's head: "Geez, this vacation sucks. I wish I was back in Disney World. I'm gonna pretend I'm asleep so my old man doesn't think I'm having a good time. " "I wonder if a mosquito will enter my mouth if I tilt my head back like this" "Should I be feeling bad for nearly drowning little Timmy at the waterpark today?" "When is Ike gonna start hitting, FFS."

themetfairy May 19 2012 08:43 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Hi from Boston

Fman99 May 19 2012 08:23 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Possible thoughts going through Fgirl's head: "Geez, this vacation sucks. I wish I was back in Disney World. I'm gonna pretend I'm asleep so my old man doesn't think I'm having a good time. " "I wonder if a mosquito will enter my mouth if I tilt my head back like this" "Should I be feeling bad for nearly drowning little Timmy at the waterpark today?" "When is Ike gonna start hitting, FFS." Funny, man. Hey, irish, I sent you a PM with the details. Taking a long weekend trip for Memorial Day to visit family in Maryland, my brother and aunt/uncle live there and my cousins are coming in from Virginia and Philly, with their respective families, and my folks too. Should be a hoot.

sharpie May 27 2012 11:31 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Back from Washington state. Seattle was mostly wet and cold. Had a good time and all but jeez. One day looking at the NY Times weather listings of all major cities in the world and Seattle was the coldest place listed. Had my daughter visiting with us, saw the Mariners beat the Rangers and Yu Darvish (sat in right field among the Japanese Ichiro fans), walked around a lot, ate good food. Went to the Olympic Peninsula for a few days. Stayed at a hot springs in the park. Breathtaking scenery, outta range, relaxing. On the rainingest freezingest day in Seattle, ducked into a used record/CD store. Guy saw my Mets hat and launched into a pretty good Mets conversation. Guy knew his stuff, used to live in Brooklyn, etc. Anyway, good time.

Ceetar May 28 2012 08:05 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie wrote: On the rainingest freezingest day in Seattle, ducked into a used record/CD store. Guy saw my Mets hat and launched into a pretty good Mets conversation. Guy knew his stuff, used to live in Brooklyn, etc. Anyway, good time. I love that you get rewarded for wearing Mets stuff out and about the country. Mets fans are everywhere.

TransMonk May 29 2012 08:39 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Back from Italy. I was nowhere near the earthquake last week. I've eaten more in the past 10 days than I ever have in a 10 day stretch before. Every meal there had as much food as I would eat in three in the US...but the food was amazing. I will not be eating any more cheese for quite some time. The sites, weather and Italian peeps were all awesome. The only downside was the travel (two 24 hour non-stop travel episodes on either side of the vacation), but that was to be expected and was unavoidable. I'll post some pics once I get caught up from being gone and my jet-lag wears off.

Ceetar May 29 2012 08:45 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

sounds awesome. I'm like 4th generation Italian but glad to know the "put more cheese on it and have another cannoli" gene hasn't been lost.

Ceetar Jun 09 2012 10:39 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Base Fare (includes U.S. Tax) 532.40 U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Fee 5.00 Passenger Facilities Charge 4.50 Carrier-imposed International Surcharge 496.00 U.S. Custom User Fee 5.50 U.S. September 11th Security Fee 2.50 U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Fee 7.00 Other Taxes/Fees 25.50 my favorite is the "We can't figure out what to call it, but just want to charge you more so we call it 'other'" fee.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 09 2012 12:01 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Carrier-imposed International Surcharge 496.00 Too bad that's not negotiable.

Edgy MD Jun 15 2012 02:02 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Taking a B&B weekend with my wife and shih tzus. A rare trip out of Doge for all. We have a free evening in a town with little going on. Do we... [list][*]Take in some summer collegiate baseball. Wood bat league with the home team featuring mostly players from Washington & Lee.[/*:m] [*]Take in a drive-in double feature: Battleship with 21 Jump Street on the undercard.[/*:m][/list:u] Both activities allow you to bring the dogs.

TransMonk Jun 15 2012 02:27 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Go see the kids play ball.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 15 2012 02:30 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

You know Battleship will suck, so its up to how bad you want to see Jump Street.

Edgy MD Jun 15 2012 02:33 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

I'm a little worried that summer collegiate league ball won't have enough side distractions for the missus. Any further down the baseball ladder and it's Lunchbucket begging his rightfielder to stand up while the ball's in play.

TransMonk Jun 15 2012 02:49 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Yeah, I guess that kind of baseball experience depends on the venue. My local team is summer-college guys, but the stadium provides many off-field distractions. I can see where the experince would drag if those distractions weren't there.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 15 2012 06:47 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Is it possible to go on vacation without the dogs?

Edgy MD Jun 16 2012 03:42 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

That's so sweet of you to offer, Ben.

Chad Ochoseis Jul 01 2012 07:02 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

On Amtrak to Montreal right now. It's way too crowded and we haven't gotten to the good part of the ride north of Albany but, hey, free wifi.

Rockin' Doc Jul 02 2012 10:07 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Just got back from 6 days attending the AOA Conference in Chicago. Will be heading out for a relaxing 6 days in Bermuda on Sunday. I'm really looking forward to getting away without any official duties or work to attend to. Just the Mrs. and I relaxing on the beach with a good book and a few rum drinks or cold beers.

themetfairy Jul 03 2012 05:33 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ooh - Bermuda is my favorite place in the world. Where on the island are you staying? And let me know if you have any questions about it :)

metirish Jul 03 2012 06:37 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Chad Ochoseis wrote: On Amtrak to Montreal right now. It's way too crowded and we haven't gotten to the good part of the ride north of Albany but, hey, free wifi. have wanted to do this for a long time......obviously not your forst time.....is it always way too crowded? good places to stay for long weekend trips?. what's the deal crossing the border? enjoy your holidays Doc

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 03 2012 06:42 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

That post also made me wanna schedule a train trip to Montreal. We are headed to Vermont after lunch, back on Saturday.

Ceetar Jul 03 2012 06:53 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: That post also made me wanna schedule a train trip to Montreal. We are headed to Vermont after lunch, back on Saturday. There's pretty not a post here that doesn't leave me thinking "Oooh, I want to go too!" I've never been to Vermont.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 03 2012 06:59 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I'm now only four weeks away from heading to South Africa. (Very strange feeling; all the plans were finalized back in November. The trip has just been a "background fact" for a long time now. It's weird how it's quickly becoming an imminent reality.) I'm having more trouble than I should have getting adequate proof of our yellow fever vaccinations, but that will hopefully be resolved soon.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 03 2012 07:03 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Lotta maple syrup and hippes.

metirish Jul 03 2012 07:04 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I'll be interested to hear how you fair with the South African accent , I am writing this while doing one in my mind....silly how that happens....I've met quite a few over the years, especially in Ireland, it is a very distinctive accent.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 03 2012 07:07 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

You mean, will I be able to understand the accent? Or will I be able to speak it?? I hope I can understand it. The only place I've ever been where I've had trouble with the local accent is, believe it or not, Alabama. I blew out a tire on a highway in southern Alabama years ago, and we found a local shop where I bought a new tire. I couldn't understand a word that the guy in the shop was saying. My wife actually had to translate. (I'm glad she was able to understand.) It was very strange... he'd say something to me, and I'd turn to my wife for the translation. Without her there I would have been totally helpless.

metirish Jul 03 2012 07:09 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

funny story, yes I mean, will you be able to understand it.

sharpie Jul 03 2012 07:48 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

A friend of mine should be in South Africa about the same time as Ben. Her fourth time, I think. I'm 10 weeks or so away from going to Sardinia.

Mets – Willets Point Jul 03 2012 09:43 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

The few times I've met South Africans I've gone through this thought process: "Scottish? No....Australian? No...Where the fuck are these people from?....Oh! South Africa!"

Chad Ochoseis Jul 04 2012 07:53 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

metirish wrote: Chad Ochoseis wrote: On Amtrak to Montreal right now. It's way too crowded and we haven't gotten to the good part of the ride north of Albany but, hey, free wifi. have wanted to do this for a long time......obviously not your forst time.....is it always way too crowded? good places to stay for long weekend trips?. what's the deal crossing the border? enjoy your holidays Doc Hanging out on the terrace waiting for the gf to wake up right now...overlooking a park and a dumpster. A bunch of workmen are yelling back and forth in French, which I can usually understand OK, but I don't know what the hell these guys are saying. Also, they're listening to David Bowie. Amtrak...the wifi is in and out. The Penn Station waiting area is a little skeevy on Sunday mornings and the NYC Amtrak employees at the station were in a nasty mood that seemed to be typical. The train ride is a scheduled 11 hours (actually took 12, because they had to limit their speed in the hot weather) for what would have been a 90 minute flight or a 7.5 hour drive including customs. That being said, it's cheap - only about $140 r/t. The seats are roomy and comfortable. Not quite as good as 1st class on an airplane, but a lot better than coach. The employees on the train itself - the attendant and the cafe car guy - were quick, friendly, and efficient. The scenery is nice in summer and - from when I did this a few times in the 80s - amazing in winter. The border crossing takes about an hour and a half, but isn't difficult. Just the basic questions - business or pleasure, where are you staying, etc. Montreal is great...am in the middle of typing up a quick guide to PM to ABNS...will shoot it over to anyone else who is interested once I get my act together.

Edgy MD Jul 04 2012 09:20 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Great stuff. In fairness, you have to account for peripheral time in listing the flight time, as airports tend to be a further ride out from city centers and certainly a longer process from curb to seat.

A Boy Named Seo Jul 05 2012 09:29 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Thx, Ocho, look forward to the tips. We're going Montreal and then Quebec City... neither of us have been, so we're really excited on it. Poutine? Not looking all delicious from here! We were gonna to rent a car in Quebec to drive down to Vermont & then drop off in NY, but I'm fearing that it will be a huge ($$) pain in the ass so we might train it afterall. Huge car-rental border fees are not in my budget as I keep trying to find overpriced 'Book of Mormon' tix. #worried

themetfairy Jul 05 2012 10:01 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Poutine rules - the cheese curds make the dish!

sharpie Jul 05 2012 11:18 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Agreed. Poutine does rule. But only in Quebec.

The Second Spitter Jul 05 2012 09:14 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Just got back from Viet-fucking-nam. And before that 7 days on the Kokoda Track...

Chad Ochoseis Jul 06 2012 06:38 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Here's a few rambling pages on Montreal...originally meant for Seo, but I figured I'd post it. Will add on some Quebec City later. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNe ... v42po/edit Wikipedia, when talking about the Kokoda track wrote: Hot, humid days with intensely cold nights, torrential rainfall and the risk of endemic tropical diseases such as malaria make it a challenge to walk. Jeez, Spitter. I'll take Montreal.

A Boy Named Seo Jul 06 2012 08:57 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Not able to open that doc. I see an 'edit' at the end of the url... maybe a permissions thing? Thx for posting, just the same. Look forward to having a read.

MFS62 Jul 06 2012 09:31 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Taking the 3 grandkids (ages 13 mos to 9 yrs old) to Dutch Wonderland and Hershey Park in a few weeks. Any recommendations on family-style places to eat around there? In case you are wondering, the mom of the 13 month old is going with us. Later

Swan Swan H Jul 06 2012 09:43 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Dienner's was the one we liked best. Their web site has no information at all, but all of the review links (tripadvisor, yelp, etc.) will give you address, hours, etc. Hershey Park is one of my favorite amusement parks. Have fun!

Ceetar Jul 06 2012 10:52 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

MFS62 wrote: Taking the 3 grandkids (ages 13 mos to 9 yrs old) to Dutch Wonderland and Hershey Park in a few weeks. Any recommendations on family-style places to eat around there? In case you are wondering, the mom of the 13 month old is going with us. Later i don't think any of the grandkids would appreciate Troegs Brewing Company, located in Hershey..but..

sharpie Jul 06 2012 11:07 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

There's a Greek place that we went to in Hershey about 10 years ago. Found pieces of brown glass in my moussaka. Discovered by pulling one out of my mouth. They comped the meal (thanks) and offered me a replacement entree (no thanks).

A Boy Named Seo Jul 06 2012 10:06 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Chad Ochoseis wrote: Here's a few rambling pages on Montreal...originally meant for Seo, but I figured I'd post it. Will add on some Quebec City later. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNe ... v42po/edit FYI - this is completely awesome. read it if you're going to Montreal or if you've already been or if you're not going at all, it's still cool. (I can read the doc now, so it musta been me, but thanks for PM'ing just the same).

The Second Spitter Jul 07 2012 04:28 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Chad Ochoseis wrote: Here's a few rambling pages on Montreal...originally meant for Seo, but I figured I'd post it. Will add on some Quebec City later. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNe ... v42po/edit Wikipedia, when talking about the Kokoda track wrote: Hot, humid days with intensely cold nights, torrential rainfall and the risk of endemic tropical diseases such as malaria make it a challenge to walk. Jeez, Spitter. I'll take Montreal. The weather on the Kokoda track is not too bad at this time of the year. But the people I went with are insane, the chick included, as they wanted to do the 60-odd miles in 7 days. The weather in Vietnam was something far worse. The day we climbed Hamburger Hill, including the bike ride from Hue, I must have dropped 5lbs. Amazing place, though. Btw, has anybody else been to Vietnam? We were looking for Eagle Beach (the place US GI's would go for R&R). We asked a few of the locals but we only got disapproving stares in response.

MFS62 Jul 07 2012 03:55 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Thanks, folks, for the where to go and the where NOT to go. Later

Rockin' Doc Jul 08 2012 02:53 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Just settled into our room in Bermuda. Looking forward to 6 days of R,R, & R (rest, relaxation, and rum). Any suggestions as to must see attractions while in Bermuda?

themetfairy Jul 08 2012 03:30 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

The gardens are beautiful. The Crystal Cave is a great rainy day destination. Where specifically are you on the island?

themetfairy Jul 08 2012 03:35 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Hi from Ocean City, MD Just a quick weekend, but we're here with all three of our kids. If we're lucky, we may even get a shot with all five of us at some point....

themetfairy Jul 08 2012 03:41 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Rockin' Doc wrote: Just settled into our room in Bermuda. Looking forward to 6 days of R,R, & R (rest, relaxation, and rum). Any suggestions as to must see attractions while in Bermuda? You should think about getting a bus/ferry pass. The local transportation is clean and reliable, and the views (especially from the ferries) are gorgeous. It's a great way to get around the island, and much cheaper than taking taxis everywhere.

Mets – Willets Point Jul 08 2012 05:48 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

I enjoyed The Royal Navy Dockyard but I'm into history stuff. That's also the place where I got drunk and fell into a cactus, but you should be safe from that.

Rockin' Doc Jul 08 2012 07:15 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

themetfairy wrote: The gardens are beautiful. The Crystal Cave is a great rainy day destination. Where specifically are you on the island? We're at The Reefs in Southampton Parish. Absolutely gourgeous views from our room. We will probably check out the ferry/bus pass deal tomorrow around lunch. Plan to walk (10-12 minutes) to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse after lunch. They say the views from the lighthouse are amazing. Besides I have a thing for lighthouses, I have countless photos of the lighthouses we have visited over the years. We are heading to the Royal Navy Dockyards on Tuesday. Plan on taking in the sites there and visiting the rum cake bakery and the glass blowing studio. Going to swim with the dolphins that afternoon while we're there. Will check out the botanical gardens. The weather is forecast to be clear and fair, so we may save the Crystal Cave for another visit. Always have to leave an excuse to come back

themetfairy Jul 08 2012 07:35 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

The lighthouse is beautiful :) I think you're near Elbow Beach, which is gorgeous. It's a bit of a schlep to the original Swizzle Inn, but you're near the South Shore Swizzle, their sister establishment. The swizzles are spectacular, and they actually make the best honey mustard that I've ever had. The Royal Naval Dockyard area is much more touristy than in Willets' day, but there's a good amount for tourists to do there. Consider taking the ferry from the Dockyard to Hamilton - the shopping on Front Street is the best on the island, and the views are gorgeous from the boat.

Mets – Willets Point Jul 08 2012 07:50 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Yeah, I'm actually recommending the actual fort and not the tourist development around it, but definitely take the ferry from Hamilton regardless.

themetfairy Jul 08 2012 07:55 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Finally - a shot of the five of us!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 08 2012 08:24 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Lake Dunsmore in Vermont.

Chad Ochoseis Jul 09 2012 03:35 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Here's a few rambling pages on Montreal...originally meant for Seo, but I figured I'd post it. Will add on some Quebec City later. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNe ... v42po/edit FYI - this is completely awesome. read it if you're going to Montreal or if you've already been or if you're not going at all, it's still cool. (I can read the doc now, so it musta been me, but thanks for PM'ing just the same). Thanks, Seo. Now updated to be even wordier. Also includes Quebec City. La poutine: Quebec City walls:

A Boy Named Seo Jul 13 2012 10:35 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Here's a few rambling pages on Montreal...originally meant for Seo, but I figured I'd post it. Will add on some Quebec City later. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNe ... v42po/edit FYI - this is completely awesome. read it if you're going to Montreal or if you've already been or if you're not going at all, it's still cool. (I can read the doc now, so it musta been me, but thanks for PM'ing just the same). Thanks, Seo. Now updated to be even wordier. Also includes Quebec City. La poutine: Quebec City walls: Just sent to the printer. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou. And to poutine, I've decided after 4-7 beers, I'm gonna eat the crap out of you.

Fman99 Jul 13 2012 10:52 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Poutine is the shit.

Ceetar Jul 13 2012 11:49 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Fman99 wrote: Poutine is the shit. They had a poutine like thing at Citi Field last year. don't think it's there this year.

Swan Swan H Jul 13 2012 11:54 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: Fman99 wrote: Poutine is the shit. They had a poutine like thing at Citi Field last year. don't think it's there this year. Indeed. No more Disco Fries at Box Frites.

seawolf17 Jul 16 2012 05:31 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Four(ish) hours to kill in DC, starting roughly now. Need to be back here in Arlington, re-showered and ready to go for a meeting by 12:30. What to do, what to do. Family vacation starts Monday; details on that when I get home later in the week.

seawolf17 Jul 25 2012 07:24 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

In Hartford this week with the fam, doing the Dinosaur Trail. The Children's Science Center in Hartford is pretty fricking awesome. I love science museums. The dinosaur room is awesome; all the dinosaurs move around and roar.

The Second Spitter Jul 26 2012 02:02 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Has anybody visited the Cold Harbor battlefield in Virginia? I have an urge to see it before it is decimated by developers. What are other Civil War battlefields are worth visiting, other than the famous ones (Gettysburg, Manassas, etc)? themetfairy wrote: Finally - a shot of the five of us! MK's hair > Jayson Werth's hair.

themetfairy Jul 26 2012 06:07 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

LOL 3D. The kid is almost 16. Long gone are the days when we can tell him to get a haircut (or, more accurately, that he'll do it just because we ask).

Swan Swan H Jul 26 2012 07:24 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

The car is packed, and we're off to the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale, NY. This will be our 12th year of the past 13 that we have attended, skipping '09 due to some surgery my wife had, and it's a highlight of the summer. We camp with friends, listen to great music, stay up through the night playing and singing (or, in the case of tin-ears like me, listening), and invariably get rained on. The weather looks particularly brutal for today, but we wouldn't miss it if humanly possible.

Mets – Willets Point Jul 26 2012 08:22 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I'm still damp from the last time I went to Falcon Ridge and it rained cats and dogs. My wife's cousin will be there. Say hello.

Edgy MD Aug 01 2012 09:06 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ugly and pointless jealousy makes me avoid this thread very carefully, but I just got clarified that I'm visiting Niger and Burkina Faso October 13 to 25 and, well, HOLY CRAP!

Ceetar Aug 01 2012 09:23 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Edgy DC wrote: Ugly and pointless jealousy makes me avoid this thread very carefully, but I just got clarified that I'm visiting Niger and Burkina Faso October 13 to 25 and, well, HOLY CRAP! cool.

Edgy MD Aug 01 2012 09:25 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Shots! Shots! Shots coming!

sharpie Aug 01 2012 09:31 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

That's great, Edgy. The person whose apartment I stayed at in Paris last year spent a few weeks in Burkina Faso shortly before we got to Paris. She liked the people and country a lot but said it was the hottest place she'd ever been.

Edgy MD Aug 01 2012 09:38 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Good information. Thanks. I'm there to observe the effects of the drought in the Sahel, the resultant food crisis, and the plight of the Malian refugees camped in Burkina. A lot of international crises to take in at once.

The Second Spitter Aug 02 2012 07:07 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Off to the Hunter Region for the weekend, where I'll be staying on winery (which is kinda convenient). We play the Newcastle [crossout:24hq35xq]Sheilas[/crossout:24hq35xq] Knights this week looking for our 10th straight win so decided to make a weekend of it.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 14 2012 12:24 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Just checking in (briefly) from South Africa. Having many memorable experiences; I'll share details next week when I return to the USA. Don't forget to keep up with your Schaefer voting! The catch-up tallying isn't far off. Are the Mets in first place yet?

Ceetar Aug 14 2012 12:32 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Just checking in (briefly) from South Africa. Having many memorable experiences; I'll share details next week when I return to the USA. Don't forget to keep up with your Schaefer voting! The catch-up tallying isn't far off. Are the Mets in first place yet? yay memories! they're certain in some place.

metirish Aug 14 2012 12:37 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Just checking in (briefly) from South Africa. Having many memorable experiences; I'll share details next week when I return to the USA. Don't forget to keep up with your Schaefer voting! The catch-up tallying isn't far off. Are the Mets in first place yet? they are not but are fighting hard to win 3rd place....there's value in that you know.....

The Second Spitter Aug 18 2012 01:01 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Here's a useful travel tip: Never use your credit card in Vietnam.

Ceetar Aug 18 2012 06:50 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

The Second Spitter wrote: Here's a useful travel tip: Never use your credit card in Vietnam. because of fees, or because they steal your numbers?

The Second Spitter Aug 18 2012 09:59 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Found 3 fraudulent transactions put on it since i returned totally around $700. Yeah, not having the best month or so.

Ceetar Aug 18 2012 01:43 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

ick. Gonna stick mostly to ATM withdrawals overseas I think.

TransMonk Aug 18 2012 04:03 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

I work at a financial institution and by default we don't even allow our member's ATM/debit/credit cards to work in Vietnam (among a couple other countries). You can ask for special permission...which usually involves a guy like me (as well as a computerized third party fraud monitoring agency) monitoring your account everyday ready to pull the plug at any red flag. TransMonk's Asian travel tip: don't always expect your ATM/debit/credit cards to work. Have multiple forms of payment. A common misconception is that the plastic that you carry is your property, but it is only the money in your account that is actually yours. The plastic that is the conduit for accessing that money belongs to your financial institution, who is probably growing increasingly aware of fraud losses year after year.

The Second Spitter Aug 19 2012 12:13 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: ick. Gonna stick mostly to ATM withdrawals overseas I think. Use a travel card -- it functions the same as a credit card but you have to transfer funds into it and you cancel it whe n you return to the States. Also you  incur no foreign forex or ATM fees. I know Shiti have one. Also if you have a 6 digit pass code on your cards, change it to a 4 digit code. European/African ATMs don't support 6 digit codes. Edit: I often wonder how many cpfers have 143741 as their passcode or a variant thereof.

Ceetar Aug 19 2012 09:10 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

The Second Spitter wrote: ick. Gonna stick mostly to ATM withdrawals overseas I think. Use a travel card -- it functions the same as a credit card but you have to transfer funds into it and you cancel it whe n you return to the States. Also you  incur no foreign forex or ATM fees. I know Shiti have one. Also if you have a 6 digit pass code on your cards, change it to a 4 digit code. European/African ATMs don't support 6 digit codes. Edit: I often wonder how many cpfers have 143741 as their passcode or a variant thereof. yeah, but I'm lazy as hell. The idea if having to get a card, transfer money to it and than transfer it back. ugh. doesn't seem like a CC with the fees is wise though either. nah, 4 digits for me. good to know though. I still use the default HSBC assigned me years ago, some combination of my social security number and birthday. probably should've changed that.

themetfairy Aug 19 2012 10:26 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Meanwhile, the Diamond Knights just returned from a one week cruise to Bermuda. I'm not much for cruising, but the guys enjoy it. It's nothing daring, but it's my favorite place in the world. I plan to return in January for the Fairmont to Fairmont road race.

The Second Spitter Aug 21 2012 07:12 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Nice to have you back, Shazza! Going to Canberra on Friday night to see the Dogs try to clinch the best record in the regular season. I may stay the weekend. The game will be played in close to freezing temperatures and screened live on tv in Sydney, so you may ask why I'd bother make the 7 hour round-trip. There are two reasons: 1. In the midst of my winter of discontent, following the Bulldogs has been the only (and i mean only) source of joy in my life -- So i kinda feel obligated. 2. I am inspired by Gwreck going to ballpark on June 1, 2012, despite the fact he was sick as a dog (pun not intended).

themetfairy Aug 21 2012 12:56 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Thanks 3D, and best of luck to the Dogs. Have fun!

Vic Sage Aug 21 2012 01:01 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

leaving Saturday for a week on the Jersey shore... Ocean City, nj. We're renting a unit in a house right off the boardwalk (we had the same one last summer); it's small but comfy and convenient. We've been going to Ocean City for a few years now, and i'm looking for some nearby activities we might not have tried yet. Maybe Atlantic City (it's about 1/2 hour north), but other than another boardwalk, casinos my kids can't go to, fancy restaurants we have no interest in, and cheesy, overpriced shows, i'm not sure what AC offers a family. anything there i'm overlooking, or anywhere else in the area? thanks -

Ceetar Aug 21 2012 09:20 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

I just got a Delta confirmation email as a result of my discussions with a KLM employee to change my in-laws return flight (booked with my credit card) to an Air Paris flight. I can log into any of those three company websites and see my reservation. Only one leg of the journey has seats pre-selected, which is a KLM flight booked through Delta, but I can only see which seats I have if i log on to KLM or Air Paris, not Delta, which is where I originally booked the flight. This seems mighty fucked up to me.

sharpie Aug 21 2012 09:56 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

I fly to Italy in a few weeks on Alitalia and I have no idea what seats they're giving us. My flight back (on Delta) I have seats. I've experienced this before on foreign airlines and it has always worked out fine but still. All that being said I've had far better flights on foreign carriers on overseas trips than American carriers. Air France, TACA, and, especially, Austrian Air were all good. American, Delta, not so good.

Mets – Willets Point Aug 21 2012 10:23 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

On our flight home from our honeymoon on Alitalia, I was seated in the front row of coach and my wife was seated in the very last row of the plane. It was nice for me as I was able to stretch out my legs under the curtain into first class. But it would have been nice to actually sit next to my newlywed wife.

themetfairy Aug 22 2012 05:54 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I flew Virgin Atlantic to London about ten years ago. The flight out was great, and on the flight home they bumped me to Business Class - it was amazing!

Ceetar Aug 22 2012 06:44 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Mets – Willets Point wrote: On our flight home from our honeymoon on Alitalia, I was seated in the front row of coach and my wife was seated in the very last row of the plane. It was nice for me as I was able to stretch out my legs under the curtain into first class. But it would have been nice to actually sit next to my newlywed wife. yikes. I've determined that air travel is one of those things you have to micro manage and double check everything you've booked/done. I was only changing this reservation because they randomly canceled the first part of the flight. So instead of leaving Bremen at 3:15 with a 2 hour layover in Amsterdam, they were leaving Bremen at 10:15 with a 6+ hour layover. I was able to get it fixed with no issues by switching flights (which thankfully they allowed due to the cancellation) but I was told I can't select seats until check in. I used to think travel agents were antiquated, but I start to think it's good to have a dedicated personal hammering out the details and fighting with the airlines for you.

themetfairy Aug 22 2012 07:35 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: I used to think travel agents were antiquated, but I start to think it's good to have a dedicated personal hammering out the details and fighting with the airlines for you. Especially if you have a canceled flight or other kind of change in plans.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 24 2012 12:00 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Leaving in the morning for camping at Cape Henlopen. I badly need a break so this is good.

cooby Aug 25 2012 06:22 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Home from Brandywine Valley and Ocean City, MD. 700+ Viagra ads in my various inboxes.

themetfairy Aug 25 2012 06:24 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Welcome home cooby!

Benjamin Grimm Aug 28 2012 08:05 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Some photos from South Africa. These were taken at a beach called Boulders, on the way south from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope. Boulders hosts a colony of wild penguins. The bottom picture is of a rock hyrax. Cute, but not as cute as the penguins.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 28 2012 08:08 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

We also saw this ostrich at the Cape of Good Hope:

Ceetar Aug 28 2012 08:21 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

cool. lots of cute animals. African penguins are fun. I saw some in Vegas once (they're since gone. They used to be with the Flamingo's at the Flamingo) it still sorta messes with me that there are warm weather penguins.

Frayed Knot Aug 28 2012 09:24 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The bottom picture is of a rock hyrax. Cute, but not as cute as the penguins. Hyrax - great SCRABBLE word that I never before was aware of. Plural = Hyraxes Now there's an example of words you never expected to be put together is that order.

metirish Aug 28 2012 09:47 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Vacation until the 6th after today......not going anywhere as such. My brother and nephew are here , that's my niece's dad who has been here all summer . Tomorrow I got tickets to take them into the 9/11 memorial....never actually been inside, not something I would normally do but these are things tourists like to see. Lorcan starts kindergarten next week and of course the first two days are half days so I am using time for that too.

Mets – Willets Point Aug 28 2012 09:49 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I'm on a staycation as we speak. Heading up to NH's White Mountains for the week of Labor Day.

themetfairy Aug 28 2012 10:44 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Kindergarten? Already?

metirish Aug 28 2012 10:45 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

themetfairy wrote: Kindergarten? Already? I know, he's not even five.....

Mets – Willets Point Aug 28 2012 02:58 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

My son is also starting Kindergarten (Kindergarten 1 to be precise) in two weeks.

Benjamin Grimm Aug 30 2012 10:40 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Some images from Cape Town, South Africa: She's burning and scraping the wool off of sheep's heads, for human consumption. (A few days later we ate a sheep's face in a Cape Town restaurant.) These kids wanted me to take their picture.

Ceetar Aug 30 2012 11:42 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

great pics. that's not a weeping angel is it?

Benjamin Grimm Aug 30 2012 11:54 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I think it's just a statue.

A Boy Named Seo Aug 30 2012 11:30 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Great pics, BG. The one with the woman scraping the sheep is especially stark and beautiful, too. So how's a sheep's face taste? You put Sriracha on that or what?

Benjamin Grimm Aug 31 2012 04:13 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

It was just boiled and lightly salted. It was greasy, like duck, but less flavorful.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 31 2012 06:22 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

So, not baad? (Wonderful pics.)

Benjamin Grimm Aug 31 2012 07:00 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

This is Walker Bay, seen from the town of Hermanus, a couple of hours drive from Cape Town. You can whale watch right from the shore. There's a man on duty somewhere who blows a horn every time a right whale surfaces. We were able to see the whales pretty well with the naked eye, even better with binoculars. I didn't even attempt to photograph them; they were too far away for my camera. Not as impressive as a whale, but I made several attempts to get a photo of a seagull in flight. This is the best of them. Items for sale at a curio shop in Hermanus. We saw a lot of beautiful local art throughout our time in Africa. If I had the money and the luggage space I could easily have bought enough stuff to fill my house. I did buy the orange painting that's visible on the lower left, as well as one of the wooden bowls displayed on the ground.

Swan Swan H Aug 31 2012 07:10 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Great shots, very evocative of the locale. The seagull image is really nice.

Edgy MD Aug 31 2012 07:39 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Great stuff.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 31 2012 08:35 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

incredible pics, Grimmy. Returned yesterday from camping at Cape Henlopen with the fam. Set up camp last Saturday just in time for 12 hours of heavy rain, the kind that soaks your clothes through in 3 seconds, and thunder and lightning all night long. Must have gotten 3 inches at least (that's what she said). Wifey & Lunchpail slept in the car while I put our 15 year old tent to the test: It was very damp and drippy in places where the fly soaked through and was indifferently tied (always tie your tent, you just never know), otherwise survived a harrowing opening night and went onto 5 straight great beach days, lots of swimming, running, biking, beer, jiffy pop, frisbee golf, sunburn, etc. For fun we took the Lewes-Cape May ferry home and avoided all that Jersey Turnpike booshit. Great trip.

sharpie Aug 31 2012 10:06 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Yes, great shots, Grimm. Coincidentally a friend of mine was in S. Africa at the same time and last weekend at her house we saw a little slideshow of her SA pix. No real overlap, however. Sorry about the rain, Lunch, but overall that sounds like a swell time. Off to Sardinia in two weeks. Been here all summer, can't wait.

Fman99 Aug 31 2012 12:44 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Took a vacation day from work today to attend the great New York State Fair. Drank wine slushies and now I'm taking photos of women eating corn dogs and pondering a nap, on the grass, in the shade, while listening to a free concert by Christopher Cross.

Ceetar Aug 31 2012 12:57 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Fman99 wrote: Took a vacation day from work today to attend the great New York State Fair. Drank wine slushies and now I'm taking photos of women eating corn dogs and pondering a nap, on the grass, in the shade, while listening to a free concert by Christopher Cross. ahh yes, the great fair that randomly puts a red light on an interstate highway. Used to drive by it this time of year every year going up to Buffalo.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 31 2012 01:51 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Passed-out drunk in the afternoon is the way Christopher Cross songs were meant to be listened to.

Fman99 Aug 31 2012 07:55 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Passed-out drunk in the afternoon is the way Christopher Cross songs were meant to be listened to. I thought almost exactly that. I felt like Arthur.

Ashie62 Aug 31 2012 08:03 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Fman99 wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Passed-out drunk in the afternoon is the way Christopher Cross songs were meant to be listened to. I thought almost exactly that. I felt like Arthur. oye, your liver crapping out.

Mets – Willets Point Aug 31 2012 08:38 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

You wouldn't want anything less smooth lest you risk hangovers.

Ceetar Sep 01 2012 06:33 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

what did you guys do overseas about phones? Or are you just not as crazy addicted as I am? my phone has a GSM radio and a sim card, but Verizon for some reason didn't enable it and the software update to do so hasn't been released yet. Rent a phone? have Verizon ship me a Global Phone to carry around for emergencies? or just say screw it, i'm completely unreachable, drop me an email and maybe I'll have a sober moment where I'll see it when I stumble upon WiFi? I'm traveling with in-laws for part of the trip, meeting up in the middle, and then getting home the same day hours earlier and turning around and picking them up, so might be smart to stay in contact in some way in case things change.. Or I could follow the semi-complicated directions to root my phone and toggle all the settings and crap I need to do to manually update the phone myself.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 01 2012 07:29 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

We could have rented a phone in South Africa, or bought a cheap one, or, maybe, bought a SIM card for our existing phones, but we did none of that. We just got by for two and a half weeks without a phone. There were a couple of times when we could have used it, but for the most part we were fine.

sharpie Sep 01 2012 09:52 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

For me one of the great pleasures of overseas vacations is not having a phone. I keep internet use at all to a bare minimum, often not using it at all. Disconnect.

Ceetar Sep 01 2012 11:00 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie wrote: For me one of the great pleasures of overseas vacations is not having a phone. I keep internet use at all to a bare minimum, often not using it at all. Disconnect. fair enough. I'm sure I can survive (okay, 95% sure) without checking into every beer and tweeting/facebooking photos of where I am (And there will be enough WiFi for that) honestly the crutch I was most concerned about was being able to google directions, reviews, and suggestions for things, and then Google Translate so I could snap pictures of confusing signs or something. That and being able to coordinate with the elderly in-laws coming to Europe with us for the entire two weeks but only together for 4. Guess we're just going to go the old fashioned way and make sure we have land line numbers and hotel/room info.

sharpie Sep 01 2012 11:37 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Buy a map to get around and a guidebook for suggestions of where to eat or whatever. Lots of good books out there and more reliable, IMO, than Yelp or Trip Advisor which I find are filled with shill reviews.

Ceetar Sep 01 2012 12:16 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie wrote: Buy a map to get around and a guidebook for suggestions of where to eat or whatever. Lots of good books out there and more reliable, IMO, than Yelp or Trip Advisor which I find are filled with shill reviews. I find just the opposite generally. the guidebooks, even the 'newest' are usually woefully out of date on things like closures and menus. I also usually find the main guidebooks tend towards a certain type of restaurant/eatery that's not always our style. preferring 'french' cuisine, or fancier places. granted, I could do all the research before hand on both accounts, but we usually mix in a fair amount of randomness. Not really afraid of getting bad food though, sometimes the off the rocker places are fun and unheard of by guidebooks, and we're not on a culinary food so if we get a clunker, maybe it leads to us trying out something else randomly for snack that's delicious. From a "well, lunch was nice, what else is around here?" I just find the internet a little easier to navigate with than maps and guidebooks. Nevermind the "What does that Dutch sign say? which word is the verb? do I conjugate?" I know I'll find WiFi enough and i'm just being a tech-addict here, then again, I'm paying quite a bit of money per month for cell plans(and paid $200 per phone) for this state of the art smartphone that's supposed to have cell service over there. But then I'd digress into a global currency/Internet/info argument anyway.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Sep 01 2012 04:16 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

My phone ran out of battery power pretty quick and I just left it that way. Was nice not to be carrying it around everywhere for a few days.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 02 2012 04:35 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

One last photo from Cape Town, before we head into the wilderness. This is a view of Table Mountain from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

themetfairy Sep 02 2012 06:23 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Very nice shot!

Mets – Willets Point Sep 02 2012 06:35 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Leaving for NH tomorrow!

Ceetar Sep 02 2012 06:47 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Mets – Willets Point wrote: Leaving for NH tomorrow! I'm sometimes embarrassed that I've never been to NH or Vermont. one of these days.

Mets – Willets Point Sep 02 2012 07:48 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: Mets – Willets Point wrote: Leaving for NH tomorrow! I'm sometimes embarrassed that I've never been to NH or Vermont. one of these days. I lived in Connecticut for 15 years as a child without ever visiting half of the New England states (VT, NH, & ME). My first visit to northern New England occurred while I was living in Virginia. I've visited those three states more often now that I live in Massachusetts.

metirish Sep 06 2012 06:59 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Back to work after the stay-cation(to use Willets excellent term) , my niece had a great time staying in NYC for the summer and really didn't want to go back to Ireland, but she needs to finish her last year of high school. Lorcan started kindergarten yesterday but here is what kills me......it was from 8am to 11am, and the same today and tomorrow....crazy. His teacher Mrs. Albino is hot ......damn...

Ceetar Sep 06 2012 07:06 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

metirish wrote: Back to work after the stay-cation(to use Willets excellent term) , my niece had a great time staying in NYC for the summer and really didn't want to go back to Ireland, but she needs to finish her last year of high school. Lorcan started kindergarten yesterday but here is what kills me......it was from 8am to 11am, and the same today and tomorrow....crazy. His teacher Mrs. Albino is hot ......damn... I thought Kindergarten was all day these days? I approve of hot teachers. Probably not good parenting to tell him to be bad so you have to have a parent-teacher conference though.

metirish Sep 06 2012 07:12 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Yes, full days start Monday....I'm just complaining because it is really inconvenient for us , as I am sure it is for other parents...full day Monday and then after school program at the same school , I'm there by 4:30 to pick him up...... A lot of city after school programs were cut last year, it really sucks for working parents.....

Benjamin Grimm Sep 06 2012 07:16 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Mrs. Albino? Strange but true fact: When I rented a car a little over a month ago, the girl behind the desk at Hertz introduced me to her albino sister!

Ceetar Sep 06 2012 07:19 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

metirish wrote: Yes, full days start Monday....I'm just complaining because it is really inconvenient for us , as I am sure it is for other parents...full day Monday and then after school program at the same school , I'm there by 4:30 to pick him up...... A lot of city after school programs were cut last year, it really sucks for working parents..... ahh, so they ease them into it then? that's probably a good thing (from the Kids point of view obviously) that sucks, I hate when education stuff gets cut.

Mets – Willets Point Sep 07 2012 01:51 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Back home from New Hampshire - spent a day at Canobie Lake Park, did some short hikes, saw lots of waterfalls, rode an aerial tram to the top of a mountain, heard a lot of whining from our eldest and contended with sibling rivalry.

Ceetar Sep 12 2012 07:53 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

less than 48 hours from now I'll probably be sitting in a rooftop bar in Amsterdam overlooking the city. ....I'm not sure how I'm supposed to accomplish anything between now and then.

Mets – Willets Point Sep 12 2012 08:30 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: less than 48 hours from now I'll probably be sitting in a rooftop bar in Amsterdam overlooking the city. ....I'm not sure how I'm supposed to accomplish anything between now and then. Envious. Amsterdam is a great city. Hoist a Hertog Jan for me.

The Second Spitter Sep 12 2012 08:32 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: less than 48 hours from now I'll probably be sitting in a rooftop bar in Amsterdam overlooking the city. ....I'm not sure how I'm supposed to accomplish anything between now and then. Just work on your tolerance to stout....it'll come in useful.

Ceetar Sep 12 2012 08:50 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

The Second Spitter wrote: Ceetar wrote: less than 48 hours from now I'll probably be sitting in a rooftop bar in Amsterdam overlooking the city. ....I'm not sure how I'm supposed to accomplish anything between now and then. Just work on your tolerance to stout....it'll come in useful. oh, I've got a good tolerance and love stout. Liters of 6.5% Oktoberfest may do me in though.

The Second Spitter Sep 12 2012 09:07 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

In that case I recommend anything from De Molen Hel, the 666 being my personal fave.

sharpie Sep 12 2012 09:10 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

In 72 hours I'll be in Sardinia for two weeks.

Ceetar Sep 12 2012 09:11 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

The Second Spitter wrote: In that case I recommend anything from De Molen Hel, the 666 being my personal fave. Noted. (only three days in Amsterdam before departing for Germany unfortunately.) Don't see a 666 listed but there are lots of beers there. De Molen Kopi Loewak Kopi Luwak or Civet coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world. The high price is not because of the rareness of the coffee berries themselves but because of the special production process. The coffee berries are eaten by the Luwak - a civet cat. The beans however can not be digested by the Luwak and therefor can be found in their pooh. The beans are washed and slightly roasted. This whole process of eating, pooh, find the pooh and treat the berries is very time consuming. This is of course reflected in the price of the coffee. Real coffee connaisseurs highly appreciate this coffee. And what does Brouwerij de Molen do with it? We use it in our own production process of brewing beer. Our KopiLoewak is an Imperial Stout with incredible coffee flavours. Roasted and bitter like an expresso. Style Imperial Stout ABV 9,5%

The Second Spitter Sep 12 2012 09:14 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Ceetar wrote: In that case I recommend anything from De Molen Hel, the 666 being my personal fave. Noted. (only three days in Amsterdam before departing for Germany unfortunately.) Don't see a 666 listed but there are lots of beers there. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/11031/56700

Ceetar Sep 12 2012 09:53 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

The Second Spitter wrote: The Second Spitter wrote: In that case I recommend anything from De Molen Hel, the 666 being my personal fave. Noted. (only three days in Amsterdam before departing for Germany unfortunately.) Don't see a 666 listed but there are lots of beers there. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/11031/56700 All those sound amazing. Shame the brewery itself is in Bodegraven. I haven't even been there yet and I'm convinced I need another week in the city and am contemplating a Belgian trip with friends with the first couple days in Amsterdam.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 05 2012 11:17 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

My son and I are going spend Columbus Day weekend sightseeing in our nation's capital.

sharpie Oct 05 2012 01:38 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

I spend next weekend in Baltimore. Hope there's some playoff atmosphere going on. Sardinia was swell. Most people, if they go, go to the northwest of the island where the glitzy yacht-owners go. We were based in the southwest. We did, however, take about 4-5 days and journey further north and east of where we were stationed and it was only when we got further northeasterly that we ran into other Americans, otherwise vacationers were either mainland Italians or Germans or Swiss. Place is stunning. Every day some jaw-dropping sites from aquamarine beaches to great hiking to their really nice capital city, Cagliari. Also, the food and wine is fantastic. For that last reason I would take it any day over the Caribbean (although the plane ride is way longer and way more expensive). Saw some Yankee hats but no other baseball references. I left my Met hat (grabbed at the last moment - it was a Verizon black hat era version) at a restaurant and was going to go back to get it and then I thought maybe some Sardinian kid would get it and spread the Metliness.

metirish Oct 05 2012 01:43 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Mets – Willets Point wrote: My son and I are going spend Columbus Day weekend sightseeing in our nation's capital. nice, train down from Boston?

Ceetar Oct 05 2012 01:45 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie wrote: I spend next weekend in Baltimore. Hope there's some playoff atmosphere going on. Sardinia was swell. Most people, if they go, go to the northwest of the island where the glitzy yacht-owners go. We were based in the southwest. We did, however, take about 4-5 days and journey further north and east of where we were stationed and it was only when we got further northeasterly that we ran into other Americans, otherwise vacationers were either mainland Italians or Germans or Swiss. Place is stunning. Every day some jaw-dropping sites from aquamarine beaches to great hiking to their really nice capital city, Cagliari. Also, the food and wine is fantastic. For that last reason I would take it any day over the Caribbean (although the plane ride is way longer and way more expensive). Saw some Yankee hats but no other baseball references. I left my Met hat (grabbed at the last moment - it was a Verizon black hat era version) at a restaurant and was going to go back to get it and then I thought maybe some Sardinian kid would get it and spread the Metliness. Thats brilliant. I should take all the extra/free Mets caps I have and donate them overseas or something. Sounds like a cool place. Small sample size, but between Amsterdam, Munich and Prague, found a ton more Americans in Prague.

metirish Oct 05 2012 01:46 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Parts of Africa are full of Mets 2006 World Champion hats...

Mets – Willets Point Oct 05 2012 01:48 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

metirish wrote: Mets – Willets Point wrote: My son and I are going spend Columbus Day weekend sightseeing in our nation's capital. nice, train down from Boston? No, we're going to fly. Staying with friends in Arlington.

Chad Ochoseis Oct 05 2012 01:52 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

We were in Sardinia a couple of years ago - some friends who knew a licensed captain rented a 50' boat and we sailed around the northeastern part of the island and to Corsica. Also - briefly - checked out the glitzy harbor for about an hour. Loved the trip, but since it was a sailing trip, we didn't get to see much of the island itself, though no shortage of aquamarine beaches. Didn't see a single American. Not a one. How did you get there? We flew to Rome and then took Meridiana Air across to Olbia...nice flight, neat little town, but every couple of days before we left, I'd get some e-mail from them (in Italian) explaining that they'd cancelled my scheduled flight, we'd have to take a different flight at some weird hour, and if we didn't like it, we were more than welcome to swim there from Rome. I don't speak Italian, so I may not have gotten the translation exactly right, but I think that was the gist.

sharpie Oct 05 2012 02:05 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Flew to Rome and then to Cagliari. Rented a SmartCar. When I wrote that most people go to the Northwest, I meant to write the Northeast. We were on the opposite side of the island from where anybody I know went.

Edgy MD Oct 13 2012 04:50 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Take off for Niger and Burkina this morning. Scared stiff. Take care of the place here. Fman, you're in charge.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 13 2012 05:15 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

You're in for a great experience. Good luck and travel safely!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 13 2012 06:08 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Bless the rains down there, wouldya? And try to avoid lion attacks.

Ceetar Oct 13 2012 06:22 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Bless the rains down there, wouldya? And try to avoid lion attacks. and the Tigers. and look out for bears. have fun!

Edgy MD Oct 13 2012 06:47 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Packing List: [list:ou89557l][*:ou89557l]A toothbrush[/*:m:ou89557l] [*:ou89557l]Some toothpaste[/*:m:ou89557l] [*:ou89557l]A flannel for my face[/*:m:ou89557l] [*:ou89557l]Pajamas[/*:m:ou89557l] [*:ou89557l]A hairbrush[/*:m:ou89557l] [*:ou89557l]New shoes[/*:m:ou89557l] [*:ou89557l]A case[/*:m:ou89557l][/list:u:ou89557l]

metirish Oct 13 2012 09:49 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Wow, what an adventure, enjoy, be safe and please bring me back a Mets 2006 world series champion shirt.

Swan Swan H Oct 13 2012 09:58 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Have a great trip. Do you want me to argue with Ceetar for you while you're gone?

themetfairy Oct 13 2012 10:27 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

Have fun, and take lots of pictures!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 13 2012 11:10 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

metirish wrote: Wow, what an adventure, enjoy, be safe and please bring me back a Mets 2006 world series champion shirt. lollll

Edgy MD Oct 18 2012 05:29 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Turns out, there's more than little goofiness going on with the losers-as-winners tee shirts. World Vision ships those shirts over here and has bragged in their lit about their partnerships with big time sports leagues, and lets the leagues brag in theirs, but it's brought them a lot of eyerolling from the aid community. Goodwill Industries also ships the majority of their donations over here, selling them by the pound --- these count as actual exports in US economic statistics. But the truth is that, as much as the people on this continent need, they don't really need clothes. And these imports, in fact, hurt Africans by flooding the marketplace and lowering the price on local garments, hurting important commerce. Saw a Roger Staubach shirt today in good repair. The ugly blue top that the Staubach-era Cowboys did everything they could to avoid wearing, also. The guy retired over a generation ago and here was this shirt in good condition on the back of a guy in northwest Afrique in 105-degee weather.. Two Obama shirts so far. No Romneys.

Ceetar Nov 13 2012 09:26 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Anyone been to Costa Rica? sorta planning a 3-couple trip for President's week (based on the schedule of a teacher) but it's damn expensive. Secret gems? better/cheaper location than Guanacaste?

sharpie Nov 14 2012 10:26 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

I went there about 10 years ago. Went to Tortuguera, Corcovado and Monteverde. Loved Corcovado: life totally off of the grid in the middle of the rain forest. Howler monkeys and white-faced capuchins on the grounds, a toucan would be flying around and land in nearby trees. Also had really good guides through the rain forest and spent a day on an uninhabited island. Monteverde is also a pretty cool place: difficult to get to but the cloud forest aspect of it was pretty spectacular. Other than being on the aforementioned island we didn't avail ourselves of the beaches as it wasn't a beach vacation for us (and because I basically hate beach resorts). There's a travel agent in Costa Rica that we hooked up with (name: Christian Valenzuela) who took care of the trip and was super-attentive: we had a few in-country flights and needed cars to pick us up in various places and everything worked out. As I remember, it wasn't super expensive, but again it was ten years ago.

Ceetar Nov 14 2012 11:50 AM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie wrote: I went there about 10 years ago. Went to Tortuguera, Corcovado and Monteverde. Loved Corcovado: life totally off of the grid in the middle of the rain forest. Howler monkeys and white-faced capuchins on the grounds, a toucan would be flying around and land in nearby trees. Also had really good guides through the rain forest and spent a day on an uninhabited island. Monteverde is also a pretty cool place: difficult to get to but the cloud forest aspect of it was pretty spectacular. Other than being on the aforementioned island we didn't avail ourselves of the beaches as it wasn't a beach vacation for us (and because I basically hate beach resorts). There's a travel agent in Costa Rica that we hooked up with (name: Christian Valenzuela) who took care of the trip and was super-attentive: we had a few in-country flights and needed cars to pick us up in various places and everything worked out. As I remember, it wasn't super expensive, but again it was ten years ago. thanks, yeah I imagine 10 years, air fuel prices, and presidents weekend have a lot to do with my problems.

DocTee Nov 14 2012 02:28 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Was in Costa Rica a few years back...Golfito and surrounding Pacific Coast towns...even a day trip out to the Cocos Islands, which is usually verbotten. Check out the Organization for Tropical Studies, run out of Duke University, for a pretty cool botanical gardens deal, including the chance to spend the night at the facility (Wilson Botanical Garden, I think-- the OTS has three facilities in the nation). A colleague spent 15 days there with students last summer and I can get you loads of info about ziplining, etc. PM if interested.

sharpie Nov 14 2012 02:42 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

Yes, the ziplining there is swell if you like ziplining.

Ceetar Nov 14 2012 02:44 PM Re: Vacations in 2012

sharpie wrote: Yes, the ziplining there is swell if you like ziplining. did it once in Hawaii and had a blast. looks like I might only be there for five days, but hell, ziplining is fun.