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On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

A Boy Named Seo Jan 03 2017 10:31 PM

Now that I'm a boring-ass homeowner with a dog, real vacations seem a little harder to come by. that said, I'm planning a motorcycle trip down the Baja Peninsula in Mexico in the springtime. Might have to get a little sidecar for my pooch or something. Which awesome locales are on your vacation calendar this year?

sharpie Jan 03 2017 10:40 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Mexico City and Taxco at the end of this month. Maybe the wall will be built by then. Nephew getting married in California in the beginning of May. Tagging along while my wife attends a conference in Seattle at the end of May and then on to Portland to visit our daughter. Other stuff yet to be determined later in the year.

themetfairy Jan 03 2017 10:40 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

The Caribbean Running Cruise next month. In and out of San Juan with stops in St. Croix, St. Martin, Dominica, Barbados and Grenada. Running events before we sail and in most of the ports. My kind of vacation :)

Benjamin Grimm Jan 03 2017 10:49 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I brought in the New Year in Reykjavik, Iceland. I was in that country from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day, visiting various sites in the South and West of the island.

TransMonk Jan 04 2017 12:08 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

On my way to Naples, FL to visit the in-laws tomorrow. My wife's birthday is over the weekend and we are going to head to Miami for the day.

cooby Jan 04 2017 12:20 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Now that I'm a boring-ass homeowner with a dog, real vacations seem a little harder to come by. that said, I'm planning a motorcycle trip down the Baja Peninsula in Mexico in the springtime. Might have to get a little sidecar for my pooch or something. Which awesome locales are on your vacation calendar this year? I don't think you could ever be boring :)

Chad Ochoseis Jan 04 2017 03:17 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I brought in the New Year in Reykjavik, Iceland. I was in that country from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day, visiting various sites in the South and West of the island. I'm going next month with some of my NYC area friends to try to see the Northern Lights. It will be my third time in Iceland - I was just there in July - but my first winter trip there. I like the West. It's the closest thing to a gritty underbelly that one sees in Iceland. Probably going to Cuba in late March. A friend of my girlfriend's leads Kent State's "educational" Cuba tours. Right now, the main roadblock seems to be finding a flight that will both fit in with my girlfriend's teaching schedule and get us to Miami in time for the tour.

themetfairy Jan 04 2017 03:56 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Chad Ochoseis wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: Probably going to Cuba in late March. A friend of my girlfriend's leads Kent State's "educational" Cuba tours. Right now, the main roadblock seems to be finding a flight that will both fit in with my girlfriend's teaching schedule and get us to Miami in time for the tour. Be fastidious about using bottled water for everything. I came back from Cuba in November 2015 with serious food poisoning (I think it was from food preparation at my hotel, because I didn't drink anything that didn't come directly out of a can or bottle).

Rockin' Doc Jan 04 2017 04:26 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

A few trips planned (or in the planning stages) for this year. -Still working on the specifics of a 5 day trip to NYC in the spring. Plan to take in a Broadway show (will be seeking suggestions in the future), see a Mets game at Citi Field (and hopefully meet up with some of my Crane Pool friends) and do some sight seeing around the city. -8 days in Aruba for 35th anniversary in June. Snorkeling trip, sail boat dinner cruise at sunset, and simply relaxing with the love of my life. -A long weekend (4-5 days) in Wilmington, NC during the fall. Plan on relaxing on the beaches and doing a little golfing/fishing with my son. Beyond that, we will see what the future brings.

themetfairy Jan 04 2017 04:57 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Rockin' Doc wrote: -Still working on the specifics of a 5 day trip to NYC in the spring. Plan to take in a Broadway show (will be seeking suggestions in the future) Wicked

Lefty Specialist Jan 04 2017 01:25 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

As of this Saturday, me, the missus, and Lefty Jr will be in Turks & Caicos for a week soaking up the sun and the occasional mixed drink with an umbrella in it. Really looking forward to this.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 04 2017 01:36 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Planning something loosely based on the SD-SEA-COL road trip in late July/early August. Most likely COL but maybe SEA.

A Boy Named Seo Jan 04 2017 04:12 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Who amongst us has seen the Northern Lights? My friend and I camped at this resort built around these hot springs in Chena, Alaska a few years back, and the pictures on the wall of people trudging through the snow, dunking themselves in the hot water, then staring at the lights is something I def wanna do before I'm dead, hashtag bucket list. Here's the place. I don't know why those fools are sitting on lawn chairs.

Benjamin Grimm Jan 04 2017 04:20 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We saw the lights from Reykjavik on New Year's Eve. The display that we saw wasn't nearly as spectacular as in that photo. It was a pale green smudge across the sky, but it was a big pale green smudge. I don't know if the lights of the city were the reason it looked so pale.

A Boy Named Seo Jan 04 2017 05:59 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We saw the lights from Reykjavik on New Year's Eve. The display that we saw wasn't nearly as spectacular as in that photo. It was a pale green smudge across the sky, but it was a big pale green smudge. I don't know if the lights of the city were the reason it looked so pale. Very cool. I would love to get a little wine buzzed and stare at even a pale green smudge in the sky. Now that I'm a boring-ass homeowner with a dog, real vacations seem a little harder to come by. that said, I'm planning a motorcycle trip down the Baja Peninsula in Mexico in the springtime. Might have to get a little sidecar for my pooch or something. Which awesome locales are on your vacation calendar this year? I don't think you could ever be boring :) I'll do my best to not let us both down.

cooby Jan 04 2017 06:49 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

themetfairy wrote: Chad Ochoseis wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: Probably going to Cuba in late March. A friend of my girlfriend's leads Kent State's "educational" Cuba tours. Right now, the main roadblock seems to be finding a flight that will both fit in with my girlfriend's teaching schedule and get us to Miami in time for the tour. Be fastidious about using bottled water for everything. I came back from Cuba in November 2015 with serious food poisoning (I think it was from food preparation at my hotel, because I didn't drink anything that didn't come directly out of a can or bottle). Ben you have a girlfriend now?

Benjamin Grimm Jan 04 2017 06:52 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

No. (Not that I know of anyway!) That quote about going to Cuba was incorrectly attributed to me. I have no plans to go to Cuba, though I'd like to some day. But I don't think my wife would approve of me bringing a girlfriend!

cooby Jan 04 2017 06:53 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Lol this is how rumors start...

seawolf17 Jan 04 2017 07:09 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

LOL! Scrolling back, that was Chad's post that got misattributed to Ben.

cooby Jan 04 2017 07:18 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I remember years ago when Ben was talking about some nice looking lady at his office who went to the restroom a lot; for some reason I thought of her when I read the "girlfriend" comment. It's funny how that quote somehow got his name on it, but I'm sure his wife wouldn't think so!

Benjamin Grimm Jan 04 2017 07:25 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I remember her! She's been gone a long time now. I should try to find her on Facebook and ask her how frequently she's been peeing lately. A very sexy walk. If I could walk like that, well, people would probably make fun of me.

themetfairy Jan 04 2017 07:29 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Chad's quote is embedded within my quote and Ben's. Like a turducken of quotes.

cooby Jan 04 2017 07:32 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

turducken? I had to look that up! This thread gets better and better :D BenGrimm, if you find her, tell her hi from all of us lol

Benjamin Grimm Jan 04 2017 07:36 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

"Hi! A bunch of strangers with whom I discussed your bladder ten years ago send their regards!" That wouldn't be at all creepy, would it?

cooby Jan 04 2017 07:47 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

:-D Hey it's winter. We have to come up with fun activities

seawolf17 Jan 04 2017 07:55 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

You laugh, but you know Edgy's looking her up right now.

cooby Jan 04 2017 08:06 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Edgy be sure to tell her you're the one in the red pants

Benjamin Grimm Jan 04 2017 08:57 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I looked her up on Facebook. She's about my age (fifty-something) looks much better than I do, is married to some old dude and lives in Denver. And she has a cute little white dog.

Ceetar Jan 05 2017 01:14 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I looked her up on Facebook. She's about my age (fifty-something) looks much better than I do, is married to some old dude and lives in Denver. And she has a cute little white dog. bet she has to walk that dog a ton.

TransMonk Jan 05 2017 01:25 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Planning something loosely based on the SD-SEA-COL road trip in late July/early August. Most likely COL but maybe SEA. The 7 Line is doing an outing at a game in Seattle this season (Sat. 7/29, I believe). I'm planning on joining them and probably attending the Friday game as well. If you do make the trip (and I do too), I'd love to meet up.

Rockin' Doc Jan 05 2017 02:47 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Lefty Specialist wrote: As of this Saturday, me, the missus, and Lefty Jr will be in Turks & Caicos for a week soaking up the sun and the occasional mixed drink with an umbrella in it. Really looking forward to this. Enjoy. Everyone tells me that Turks and Caicos is absolutely wonderful. It's on my list of future destinations.

Lefty Specialist Jan 08 2017 01:15 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

82 degrees and sunny today. Heard there was some snow up north that I'm paying a neighbor's kid to shovel....

Mets Guy in Michigan Jan 08 2017 03:12 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I brought in the New Year in Reykjavik, Iceland. I was in that country from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day, visiting various sites in the South and West of the island. I've been meaning to ask about this. It sounds fascinating! What made you decide to go to Iceland? Is it difficult to get there? Are there regular flights? What was it like?

Benjamin Grimm Jan 08 2017 08:12 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Okay, since you asked... I was noodling around on some of the travel sites (Expedia, Travelocity) and found that an airline called WOW had cheap flights to Iceland. It wasn't until after we had decided that we wanted to go there that I learned that WOW isn't as cheap as it seems (they have a lot of hidden charges and bad customer service) so I switched to Icelandair instead, which was only a little more expensive but a lot more reliable. It actually is pretty easy to get there. Icelandair serves a lot of U.S. cities. We flew out of Newark and it was 4.5 hours to Reykjavik, and the return flight was 6 hours. It's absolutely beautiful there, and the winter scenery was amazing. It's only about four hours from sunrise to sunset, which makes for an interesting experience, but there's a very lengthy twilight that far north, so you actually have about eight hours of usable daylight. And seeing the winter scenery during that twilight has its own kind of otherworldly beauty. There was a fierce winter storm that came through the island while we were there, which hampered our plans a little bit, but we were able to roll with it. The problem with the storm wasn't a lot of snow, but very strong winds. Temperatures ranged from 25 to 45 while we were there, but the wind chill often made it feel a lot colder. If you go in the winter, be prepared to be flexible with your plans, have good waterproof hiking boots, and bundle up! If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them!

Frayed Knot Jan 08 2017 08:33 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: What made you decide to go to Iceland? Is it difficult to get there? No, you just head towards Greenland and hang a right.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 08 2017 08:48 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We did Iceland in the summer when there was only 4 hours of darkness a day. What struck me was how alien the place was. Steam escapes from the ground everywhere, heavy sulfer odors, very few trees, much of the surface too pointy to actually walk on

Benjamin Grimm Jan 08 2017 08:58 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I'd like to make a return trip in the summertime in the next few years. It would be interesting to see how different it would be when it's warm and bright.

Mets Guy in Michigan Jan 08 2017 10:49 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Okay, since you asked... I was noodling around on some of the travel sites (Expedia, Travelocity) and found that an airline called WOW had cheap flights to Iceland. It wasn't until after we had decided that we wanted to go there that I learned that WOW isn't as cheap as it seems (they have a lot of hidden charges and bad customer service) so I switched to Icelandair instead, which was only a little more expensive but a lot more reliable. It actually is pretty easy to get there. Icelandair serves a lot of U.S. cities. We flew out of Newark and it was 4.5 hours to Reykjavik, and the return flight was 6 hours. It's absolutely beautiful there, and the winter scenery was amazing. It's only about four hours from sunrise to sunset, which makes for an interesting experience, but there's a very lengthy twilight that far north, so you actually have about eight hours of usable daylight. And seeing the winter scenery during that twilight has its own kind of otherworldly beauty. There was a fierce winter storm that came through the island while we were there, which hampered our plans a little bit, but we were able to roll with it. The problem with the storm wasn't a lot of snow, but very strong winds. Temperatures ranged from 25 to 45 while we were there, but the wind chill often made it feel a lot colder. If you go in the winter, be prepared to be flexible with your plans, have good waterproof hiking boots, and bundle up! If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them! That sounds really, really neat! What an experience.

Ashie62 Jan 08 2017 11:14 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Did Iceland have "Al Capone day" like in Documentary now?

Mets Willets Point Jan 08 2017 11:41 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Going to Walt Disney World in February. Survival strategies welcome!

cooby Jan 19 2017 08:06 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Take lots of money

Benjamin Grimm Jan 19 2017 08:12 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

The last time I was there was in 2005 when my kids were four and eight, so this info might be a bit out of date. The Magic Kingdom is noisy and chaotic, and we would often unwind by going to EPCOT in the evening. (Get a park-hopper ticket so your days can be flexible.) EPCOT is much more sedate, and there are some nice international dining options. The German beer hall was fun, they put on a rousing show and the food was good. Also had good food in the Morocco section.

cooby Jan 19 2017 08:15 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17 Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 19 2017 08:18 PM

Yes EPCOT was the best part for us too, and the water parks. The problem we had when we were there (1999) was it poured every day so some things were undoable. Have fun!

Ceetar Jan 19 2017 08:18 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

cooby wrote: Yes EPCOT was the best part for us too, and the water parks. The problem we had when we were there (1899) was it poured every day so some things were undoable. Have fun! and that was before cars were invented so probably was a pain to get from park to park.

cooby Jan 19 2017 08:20 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Haha! Fixed it! Good thing I hadn't mentioned we went to Splash Lagoon or whatever it's called for my 40th birthday Edit: Typhoon Lagoon. Splash Lagoon is in Erie

Ceetar Jan 19 2017 08:29 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I was in Disney in 2007. Mickey stole my wallet. Had a pretty good time, Disney was run pretty well in terms of lines imo. was with three small kids and we were just tagalongs, but it was fun. Kissimmee is a dump.

themetfairy Jan 19 2017 10:03 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

On a day that you're not planning on going to a theme park, plan a fun character meal in one of the resorts. If Chef Mickey's is still at the Contemporary, that was a family favorite for us. If you plan a late breakfast you'll see all of the characters and pay a lot less than if you go for dinner.

cooby Jan 24 2017 01:48 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

cooby wrote: Haha! Fixed it! Good thing I hadn't mentioned we went to Splash Lagoon or whatever it's called for my 40th birthday Edit: Typhoon Lagoon. Splash Lagoon is in Erie You do not want to know what happened on my 50th birthday :(

seawolf17 Jan 24 2017 04:50 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

cooby wrote: Take lots of money That's the only way to get through it.

Mets Willets Point Jan 24 2017 07:44 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Amazingly this is a gift from my in-laws who really want to take their grandkids to Disney. We just get to come too. My kids don't really have much interest in characters but they like rides and animals so we're going to go to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Turns out we'll also be able to go to the very first Red Sox game (against a college team) while we're in Florida as well.

DocTee Mar 05 2017 08:47 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Beginning a new job in April, so taking the family on vacation earlier than usual: Paris, March 12-18.

sharpie Mar 05 2017 11:00 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Have a great time, Doc. Love Paris. We went to Mexico City last month and had a great time. The food, the prople, yhe museums are all wonderful. Had a few conversations about Trump but nobody was unpleasant about it especially since we quickly identified ourselves as being in opposition. Going to London in a few weeks but that's a work trip. Otherwise California for my nephew's wedding and Seattle/Portland - both im May.

41Forever Mar 05 2017 11:33 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

DocTee wrote: Beginning a new job in April, so taking the family on vacation earlier than usual: Paris, March 12-18. Adopt me. I'm in Florida, visiting my folks and seeing the Mets! We're going to see them play the Marlins tomorrow in Jupiter, then the Astros at the new stadium in West Palm Beach on Wednesday then against the Tigers in St. Lucie on Friday! Air Force One was at the West Palm Beach airport when we arrived this morning. It's an amazing sight.

Lefty Specialist Mar 05 2017 11:43 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

If you can do it, visit Versailles. It's about half an hour outside Paris by train and it'll knock your socks off. We took a side trip to visit Normandy and the D-Day beaches (Lefty Jr is a huge history buff) and it was beautiful, stirring, sad and awesome all at once. And the people were wonderful.

A Boy Named Seo Mar 06 2017 01:01 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

sharpie wrote: Have a great time, Doc. Love Paris. We went to Mexico City last month and had a great time. The food, the prople, yhe museums are all wonderful. Had a few conversations about Trump but nobody was unpleasant about it especially since we quickly identified ourselves as being in opposition. Going to London in a few weeks but that's a work trip. Otherwise California for my nephew's wedding and Seattle/Portland - both im May. Funny, going to Mex next month and keep getting asked if I'm worried about traveling there, and I'm not at all. Except I wondered what it would be like to be an American in Mexico post-Trump. But I imagine most pro-Trump people have no desire to go to Mexico anyway.

sharpie Mar 06 2017 02:51 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

One person I talked to said "welcome to the rest of the world" meaning that elsewhere lunatics have taken over countries. He said that he had thought that wouldn't happen here but there it is. A cab driver who spoke almost no English said that he felt sad because the Mexicans who come to the U.S. work really hard for not much pay and that they shouldn't be made out to be bad guys. Couldn't agree more.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 30 2017 12:44 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We are making plans for 2 weeks in Colorado/Utah. Looks like we'll make base in Moab and do a few national parks from there; we're also timing this for Mets-Rockies in Denver. Any suggestions on where we wanna be in/around Denver? We needn't stay near Coors Field the whole time, in fact we may want to spend only 1-2 nights in the city proper, leaving us ~2 nights elsewhere, probably not camping tho. Any suggestions for where to stay downtown and also, what do if you have 2 days *around* Denver? Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

DocTee Mar 30 2017 01:13 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Paris was phenomenal. Everything: the food, the people, the weather, the culture. It was simply amazing. Nobody mentioned politics, everyone welcomed us as non-Francophones, and it was very easy to navigate via the Metro. Took the advice of some CPFers and toured Versailles-- an amazing experience. Highly, highly recommend. My family has now caught the "travel bug" and are scoping out our next destinations.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 30 2017 01:17 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I've never been to Denver (but it's probably inevitable) but we did stay in Moab for a couple of days during an out West trip in 2011. Arches is a beautiful national park. Canyonlands is also nice, despite it's Disney-like name. Definitely take the Delicate Arch hike at Arches. In 2011 we flew in and out of Salt Lake City and also visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton and saw a rodeo in Cody, Wyoming.

Centerfield Mar 30 2017 01:30 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

It's a bit ambitious, but we are planning a baseball-filled California excursion in August. Aug. 26-29: Los Angeles. Watch the Dodgers on Sunday, Angels on Monday. Aug. 30-31: Laguna Sept. 1-3: San Diego. Watch the Padres on Friday or Saturday. We'll also go to Disneyland, go to the beach and visit the zoo and all that stuff too.

sharpie Mar 30 2017 02:01 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

London on Saturday. It's a work trip but I will have Sunday to myself before endless meetings Monday and Tuesday. I have a nephew in Denver who I visited about 15 years ago for a day. Drove around, went to some galleries (his wife is a designer and they all knew her).

A Boy Named Seo Mar 30 2017 06:30 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: We are making plans for 2 weeks in Colorado/Utah. Looks like we'll make base in Moab and do a few national parks from there; we're also timing this for Mets-Rockies in Denver. Any suggestions on where we wanna be in/around Denver? We needn't stay near Coors Field the whole time, in fact we may want to spend only 1-2 nights in the city proper, leaving us ~2 nights elsewhere, probably not camping tho. Any suggestions for where to stay downtown and also, what do if you have 2 days *around* Denver? Thanks, I'll hang up and listen. I went up there a couple times last summer and was surprised how spread out "Denver" was, but how easy it was to get from one of the more inexpensive burbs to the much more expensive downtown city proper. I stayed in Morrison once (to go to Red Rocks, so not really a place to stay for a Denver trip), but stayed in Lakewood the next time. Saved over $100/night to stay in a boring, sterile business park and then we just took $10-12 lyft/uber downtown. I was there for camping and beer-drinking, so I'm short on kid-friendly activity suggestions. So buying pot is prolly out, too. Boulder is close by and super pretty and nice to spend a day.

Chad Ochoseis Apr 03 2017 12:40 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Rocky Mountain National Park isn't that far away. Estes Park, which has many of the trailheads, is a two hour drive. There are many motels in the area, none of which were very expensive, IIRC. Best hiking anywhere in the contiguous US, and the trails are wide and Lunchpail-friendly.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 03 2017 01:19 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Thanks fellas.

Fman99 Apr 03 2017 02:39 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Booked three days later this month at an indoor water park in central PA. Forgoing our annual Florida sojourn as our kitchen remodeling soaked up much of our vacation funds.

Ceetar Apr 03 2017 03:06 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Denver? drink. I'm not much help, tagged along on a conference once (Accepted a job while I was there, not _there_ there, by phone back home) with no car and nothing to do so I basically just hit up all the breweries there were there in 2009 and drank all day. The craft beer scene was very imperial stout heavy at that time and I had a lot of it.

Chad Ochoseis Apr 05 2017 05:17 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17 Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Apr 05 2017 10:53 PM

We just got back from Cuba on Sunday. You still need a license from the US Treasury Department to travel there which, for most of us, means that we need to have an educational purpose to visit (strictly speaking, your trip needs to fall under one of twelve categories, but the educational category is the one easiest to satisfy). This means that the only way for most of us to see Cuba is via a guided tour. I'm no fan of guided tours, but it was that or stay home. We did have some free time, though not enough. A few observations, in no particular order - - The best places to live in Cuba appear to be the medium sized cities. Havana, like big cities anywhere, is great if you're rich, not so much if you're poor. And, yes, there are rich and poor in "socialist" Cuba. The countryside is still depressed...sad looking houses, farms that don't appear to produce much of anything, and horse-and-buggy transportation. - The medium sized cities we saw - primarily Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad - appear to be doing OK by Cuba standards, with decent housing, pleasant town squares, and a generally comfortable populace. - Cuba isn't a worker's paradise, but from what I could see, it's not a police state, either. There definitely is some censorship. CNN was shown on a twelve-hour delay. I wanted to find a copy of a newspaper to take home with me, and there weren't any. I didn't have a chance to stop into a supermarket or a convenience store - the nearest one to our hotel was four miles away. This was a disappointment to me - I like going into supermarkets in other countries to get a feel for the everyday culture. And it meant no newspapers. I do think their newspapers are somewhat censored. You can read Granma online, and from what Spanish I can read, it's primarily a propaganda rag. On the other hand, my tour guide wasn't shy about pointing out problems with the Cuban government, and I don't think he was carted off to prison after the tour. - The weirdest thing about Cuba is the dual currency system. The hard Cuban Convertible currency (abbreviated CUC and pronounced "kook") is pegged to the US dollar and somewhat overvalued. Tourists get CUCs in exchange for dollars, pounds, and euros. Cuban citizens working in the state controlled economy get paid in pesos. In theory, it's possible to exchange a CUC for 25 pesos, but in practice that hardly ever happens. The upshot of all this is that luxury goods and services - which charge in CUCs - are relatively inexpensive for tourists who have hard currency, but close to inaccessible to most Cubans. Basic items - which charge in pesos - are accessible to Cubans. They would be dirt cheap for tourists, but tourists usually don't get to the places that use pesos, and even if they did, they'd stand out like Jerry Falwell in a gay bar. Also, it creates an aristocracy in Cuba, where people who work in the tourist industry are at the top of the heap. They get paid by the state in pesos, but foreigners tip them in CUCs. This is why Cuban engineers and teachers quit their jobs to become taxi drivers and tour guides. And it supports a gray market that is probably larger than the state economy, since people will always provide side services for CUCs. For example, I bought a pack of 10 cigars directly from the owner of a tobacco plantation we toured for 10 CUCs. Technically, this is illegal. Tobacco farmers are not employees of the state, but they are required to sell their harvest to the government. But it's accepted, and we were encouraged by our tour guide to buy. - I did get to do some running in the morning, which meant that I got to see the less touristy parts of Havana, though it was too early to find any open businesses. It's simultaneously beautiful and ugly, with some amazing neo-classical architecture that is slowly turning to rubble. The economy has been improving slowly since a severe depression in the mid-1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed, and they're reaching the point where buildings are being renovated.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 05 2017 05:31 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Interesting! Thanks for sharing! How long were you in Cuba?

Chad Ochoseis Apr 05 2017 05:39 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

A week. This was the tour.

Frayed Knot Apr 05 2017 06:20 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Chad Ochoseis wrote: And, yes, there are rich and poor in "socialist" Cuba. You mean I've been being lied to all this time?

Fman99 Apr 22 2017 02:48 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Just back today after three days/two nights at Aquatopia indoor water park in Tannersville, PA. We had a great time. Lots of excellent rides, slides, wave pool, all the normal indoor water park goodies, plus, the whole thing was entirely contained in our hotel. We left for dinner each night, mostly to mix things up, but had lunch at the water park and enjoyed our stay.

themetfairy May 05 2017 08:16 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We were supposed to be spending the weekend in Quebec City - sightseeing, eating a little poutine and running a 10K on Sunday. But our flight was cancelled at the last minute (actually, about an hour before flight time, but that's quibbling) and the best Delta would do for us would be to rout us through Boston and Toronto and get us there tomorrow at 6 pm. So well have to find a different weekend to run in Quebec - likely next year. It's the first time we've ever had to completely scrap a trip because of a cancelled flight, and it's not like we were stranded somewhere awaiting a connecting flight, etc. So it could have been much worse, even though it's still disappointing.

A Boy Named Seo May 09 2017 05:15 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

themetfairy wrote: We were supposed to be spending the weekend in Quebec City - sightseeing, eating a little poutine and running a 10K on Sunday. But our flight was cancelled at the last minute (actually, about an hour before flight time, but that's quibbling) and the best Delta would do for us would be to rout us through Boston and Toronto and get us there tomorrow at 6 pm. So well have to find a different weekend to run in Quebec - likely next year. It's the first time we've ever had to completely scrap a trip because of a cancelled flight, and it's not like we were stranded somewhere awaiting a connecting flight, etc. So it could have been much worse, even though it's still disappointing. That's a huge bummer, sorry!

themetfairy May 09 2017 06:46 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Thanks Seo. We made the best of the weekend, but it was disappointing. I was all primed to show off my mad French skillz....

cooby May 09 2017 07:03 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Fman99 wrote: Booked three days later this month at an indoor water park in central PA. Forgoing our annual Florida sojourn as our kitchen remodeling soaked up much of our vacation funds. Fman is this the Erie one? Metfairy if you do ever get to go to Quebec read some of the Louise Penny books first :). (Not the one about the monks; it's very remote from the city)

themetfairy May 09 2017 07:15 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Thanks cooby!

A Boy Named Seo May 11 2017 09:01 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Back recently from an incredible motorcycle trip down the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Rode to San Diego, met my homie there, then we rode for 3 days to Todos Santos on the Pacific side, about 1100 super slow, but scenic miles on the 2-lane, Mex-1 highway, a stretch of road littered with an equal amount of donkeys, goats, cows and potholes. There are no exits on this highway, so you go through every single little town and village, but motorcyclists on big twins are apparently greeted like old friends cause we got waves from the villagers in every place we rolled through. Passed through 7 military checkpoints on the way down, and the same 7 on the way back and those dudes couldn't have been nicer either. Most of em just wanted us to rev our bikes. Surfed and drank cheap, blonde beers for 4 days in Todos, then headed back up through the desert, winding between the serene Sea of Cortez side and the windier Pacific side. It's a shame we treat our neighbors to the south like criminals and not like, neighbors. If you ever had an idea to, get down to Mexico. The food's great, the people are warm, and so's the water on the Sea of Cortez side.

Rockin' Doc May 12 2017 12:28 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Sounds like an awesome trip, Seo. I really need to get down to Mexico some day. I love Mexican food and cerveza (okay I love food & beer), but I really need to make the effort to get down to Mexico some time.

themetfairy May 12 2017 02:30 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

That's a gorgeous photo!

sharpie May 12 2017 04:25 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

i went on a page back or so about how great Mexico is and how much I like the people there. It's close, easy to get to, has great food, great people a great capital city and fantabulous beaches. It's also super cheap once you're there. Stop going to the Caribbean and Florida and go to Mexico instead.

Benjamin Grimm May 12 2017 04:28 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I've been to 21 countries, and Mexico isn't one of them! Strange to think that I've been to Zambia but not to Mexico.

John Cougar Lunchbucket May 12 2017 06:58 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

sharpie wrote: i went on a page back or so about how great Mexico is and how much I like the people there. It's close, easy to get to, has great food, great people a great capital city and fantabulous beaches. It's also super cheap once you're there. Stop going to the Caribbean and Florida and go to Mexico instead. Don't bother with Cancun though, or if you go, choose the resort wisely. We went there for a "cheap" Caribbean vacay and while we had fun it wasn't such an awesome place, and too many low-rent vacationers for us snob-asses. Next time would do "real" Mexico.

sharpie May 12 2017 07:40 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Yes to the no Cancun part and probably also avoid Acapulco (tho' I've never been). As a rule, avoid resorts. Check into a hotel and go to the local beach. More fun, realer.

Benjamin Grimm May 12 2017 07:55 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

This may be why I haven't gone... Are the only "safe" places to go resorts and beaches? I have little interest in either.

sharpie May 12 2017 08:12 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Mexico City is one of the world's great cities. Oaxaca, I have heard, is well worth going to. Seo recommends Baja, which I've also heard good things about. Probably more that I'm not thinking of now.

John Cougar Lunchbucket May 13 2017 12:34 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Benjamin Grimm wrote: This may be why I haven't gone... Are the only "safe" places to go resorts and beaches? I have little interest in either. Where we stayed was like a "neighborhood of gated resorts one next to another. I went out for a run outside the compound one morning and came across drunken fools emerging from Hooters style bars after drinking and fighting and run-down roads and stuff. Depressing. Plus it was like 200 degrees.

Rockin' Doc Jun 03 2017 06:18 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Our NYC trip, which was tentatively planned for the spring has become a fall trip at the request of my wife. Unfortunately, the Mets are out of town when we are now planning to be in New York, so no Citi Field visit for me. My wife is interested in seeing Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre and/or Hello Dolly at the Shubert Theatre. Any suggestions on how to best purchase tickets for the shows? Is it best to go directly through the theatre box offices or should I purchase them at Broadway.com? Or is there another reputable site to pick up tickets?

Centerfield Jun 05 2017 05:36 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Back recently from an incredible motorcycle trip down the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Rode to San Diego, met my homie there, then we rode for 3 days to Todos Santos on the Pacific side, about 1100 super slow, but scenic miles on the 2-lane, Mex-1 highway, a stretch of road littered with an equal amount of donkeys, goats, cows and potholes. There are no exits on this highway, so you go through every single little town and village, but motorcyclists on big twins are apparently greeted like old friends cause we got waves from the villagers in every place we rolled through. Passed through 7 military checkpoints on the way down, and the same 7 on the way back and those dudes couldn't have been nicer either. Most of em just wanted us to rev our bikes. Surfed and drank cheap, blonde beers for 4 days in Todos, then headed back up through the desert, winding between the serene Sea of Cortez side and the windier Pacific side. It's a shame we treat our neighbors to the south like criminals and not like, neighbors. If you ever had an idea to, get down to Mexico. The food's great, the people are warm, and so's the water on the Sea of Cortez side. I'm married with two kids. The thought of a vacation like this is just amazing. What an incredible time this must have been. Thanks for sharing.

Vic Sage Jun 05 2017 06:44 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I just got back from 1 week in London, with Missus Sage, to celebrate our 25th anniversary (which isn't until next week, but what the hell). We honeymooned there and wanted to return to the scene of the crime. We had pretty good weather, did a lot of stuff, had some great meals, saw some great shows... even took a day trip to Paris!

Benjamin Grimm Jun 05 2017 06:56 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Hey! My wife and I honeymooned in the UK too, and we're also returning there this year! (For us, it's been 23 years.)

sharpie Jun 05 2017 07:06 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

My wife and I also honeymooned in London. Will be 30 years ago this week. I returned earlier this year for work but she hasn't been back since. Got back yesterday from a week in Seattle and Portland, the Portland part to visit my daughter. Fine time. Ate too much. Stupid Mariners were on the road so I couldn't catch a game.

TransMonk Jun 05 2017 07:30 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I'll be traveling from the Midwest to NYC for a vacation next week. My wife and I like to get out there every two or three years. We're renting an apartment in the East Village and plan on spending a day or two in Brooklyn as we have not spent much time there in the past. We'll be attending the opening game of the Nats series at Citi next Thursday.

Lefty Specialist Jun 05 2017 11:45 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Vic Sage wrote: I just got back from 1 week in London, with Missus Sage, to celebrate our 25th anniversary (which isn't until next week, but what the hell). We honeymooned there and wanted to return to the scene of the crime. We had pretty good weather, did a lot of stuff, had some great meals, saw some great shows... even took a day trip to Paris! In 2013, we took a London/Paris trip with side trip to Normandy. Going through the Chunnel was super cool. There was so much we didn't get to that we went back to London in 2015. And we might go back again as long as somebody doesn't declare war on them in the interim.

Chad Ochoseis Jun 05 2017 11:54 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Off to Vegas on Sunday to grade exams for my professional society. Probably going to see the 51s game on Tuesday night 6/13. Any advice about the ballpark?

themetfairy Jun 06 2017 12:28 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

It's a pleasant place to watch a game and it has a nice berm. At least it was pleasant when I went to the exhibition game there last March. In June you might melt....

Fman99 Jun 12 2017 01:31 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Fortunate to live close enough to make a day trip out of it, the Fman family drove 2 1/2 hours to Niagara Falls, NY yesterday to see the sights and do the "Maid of the Mists" boat tour. It was really incredible and I'd say, if you just go and see the falls but not from that view, then you're missing out on the real power of that place. We had a great time.

Ceetar Jun 12 2017 01:43 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Fman99 wrote: Fortunate to live close enough to make a day trip out of it, the Fman family drove 2 1/2 hours to Niagara Falls, NY yesterday to see the sights and do the "Maid of the Mists" boat tour. It was really incredible and I'd say, if you just go and see the falls but not from that view, then you're missing out on the real power of that place. We had a great time. yeah, definitely. I also like to stand at the very corner of the observation deck where horseshoe falls starts falling, that's powerful too. Now think about it and realize that the falls are rather significantly dammed/reduced.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 29 2017 11:53 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Off to Denver. Look for us booing Matz on Tuesday night!

cooby Aug 11 2017 10:10 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

No beach for us this year; Mr cooby used up a good deal of his vacation time recovering from hip replacement surgery in the spring. We are, however, coming to NYC next weekend and have a sweet trip planned. We are going to visit an art gallery in Queens (I will have to check for the name), the[bigpurple:3dckz2iq]Brooklyn Botanical Gardens!!!!!!![/bigpurple:3dckz2iq] (my dream since 1976), The Cloisters Museum, Circle Line tours and a Mets game with some of you and Metfairy. Do you know what I love about going to games with Metfairy? SHE WATCHES THE GAME! I hate watching games where I see two gals behind homeplate talking about anything but baseball :/

sharpie Aug 11 2017 10:40 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We live quite close to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens but we are away then ourselves for a beach weekend in Delaware. That's a shame. It is a beautiful place with the excellent Brooklyn Museum right next to it. Enjoy.

cooby Aug 11 2017 11:25 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Thank you sharpie! What is the Brooklyn museum? And have fun in Delaware!

themetfairy Aug 11 2017 11:30 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We're looking forward to watching the game with you!

sharpie Aug 12 2017 03:16 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

The Brooklyn Museum is a giant art museum with a great Egyptian collection as well as a great 19th century American art section. Plus it's a beautiful building.

cooby Aug 12 2017 04:49 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Sounds like a great possibility!

Lefty Specialist Aug 15 2017 06:29 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Not exactly a vacation, but next month I have to go to Poland and the UK for work. So I'm going to squeeze in a weekend in Dublin and take a trip to the town where my father was born, Longford, about an hour and a half away by train. The house he was born in is apparently still there. Then I'll grab a pint in a local pub and head on back. Just something to cross off on the bucket list.

metirish Aug 16 2017 01:53 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Lefty Specialist wrote: Not exactly a vacation, but next month I have to go to Poland and the UK for work. So I'm going to squeeze in a weekend in Dublin and take a trip to the town where my father was born, Longford, about an hour and a half away by train. The house he was born in is apparently still there. Then I'll grab a pint in a local pub and head on back. Just something to cross off on the bucket list. Nice , enjoy, Longford is beautiful.....Lorcan and I are flying to Shannon friday night , staying through Sept. 3rd

cooby Aug 17 2017 08:41 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Have fun in Europe, all of you! Am I safe packing shirts and tees for this weekend in NY? It seems to finally be warming up again...

Ceetar Aug 17 2017 08:51 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

cooby wrote: Have fun in Europe, all of you! Am I safe packing shirts and tees for this weekend in NY? It seems to finally be warming up again... wait, it got cold ?i missed that.

cooby Aug 17 2017 08:58 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Here where I live it seemed to range around 10 degrees cooler than NYC all summer long which is unusual. But today was back up in the high 80s finally.

cooby Aug 20 2017 10:32 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

So far in our NYC vacay we've done the Queens museum which I enjoyed because I was at the 1964 (or was it 65?) Worlds Fair as a little child and was looking for anything to pique my memory. Those space age towers did , and the dinosaurs (Sinclair pavilion) my husband suggests I look online for a souvenir coloring book I remember. Who knows? Queens museum has a coffee shop with yummy sandwiches and darling counter guys. M Last night was the game (!) and today was the amazing Brooklyn Botanical gardens , my life long dream! Loved it!!! (And by the way the cafe is awesome!) I wanted my picture taken with the fox statue but couldn't remember where it was and the info lady said they didn't have any fox statues but damn her when we got back to the room and googled and they do so...at the Japanese garden. Damn her. Grrr. Not in our original plan but we are ubering everywhere and it's awesome!!!

Ceetar Aug 21 2017 01:21 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Fox statue? I got one.

themetfairy Aug 24 2017 12:34 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

D-Dad and I are heading to Quebec City this weekend. Long story short, we were supposed to go in May, but Delta cancelled our flight and couldn't get us up there in anything resembling a reasonable time (i.e., we were supposed to arrive around 2 pm on a Friday afternoon and they couldn't get us there until 6 pm on Saturday), so we had to cancel the trip. This time we're flying Air Canada (downside - we have to change planes in Montreal, but at least Air Canada has a lot of flights if we have to reschedule anything), so the trip should be a go. I'm getting excited about my 10K race and having the chance to speak French during the weekend.

Chad Ochoseis Aug 24 2017 01:44 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I spent a semester there in 1987. I've only been back a few times since, and it's changed, but definitely get outside the old city walls. The views from the Plains of Abraham are beautiful. Maybe check out the Grande Allee, though it's full of partiers most of the time. Go north to Montmorency Falls if you have a car (or want to rent a bike and take a 20 mile or so round trip ride). The St-Roch area, particularly rue Christophe-Colombe, was a red light district in the 80s, but it had gone upscale by the time I went back in 2011. Restaurants looked good and much less touristy than anything you'll find in the old city. Limouliou, north of the St. Charles River, was on its way up in 2011 and is probably completely up now. You probably won't have time to do all this in a weekend, of course.

Ceetar Aug 24 2017 01:52 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Sesame Place this weekend.

themetfairy Aug 24 2017 03:39 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Thanks Chad. Damn Ceetar - if I was home this weekend I'd try to meet up. We used to take the kids to Sesame Place all the time!

Ceetar Aug 24 2017 03:49 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

themetfairy wrote: Thanks Chad. Damn Ceetar - if I was home this weekend I'd try to meet up. We used to take the kids to Sesame Place all the time! It's just about back to school time and we're going on Monday, so I'm hoping it's very quiet there. :-D

themetfairy Aug 24 2017 04:44 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

It should be. The Pennsylvania schools will be in session next week.

Centerfield Aug 27 2017 01:26 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We are in LA. Watched Dodgers Brewers. Cheered for Granderson and Neil Walker. Couldn't bring ourselves to cheer for Turner. Booed the fuck out of Utley. We go see the Angels Tuesday.

MFS62 Aug 27 2017 04:08 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17 Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 27 2017 09:08 PM

Centerfield wrote: We are in LA. Watched Dodgers Brewers. Cheered for Granderson and Neil Walker. Couldn't bring ourselves to cheer for Turner. Booed the fuck out of Utley. We go see the Angels Tuesday. I support each of those moves. For our anniversary, the kids gave us a stay at the Foxwoods Casino. Great place, with three hotels, nice pool, outlet mall and lots of places to eat. For lunch one day, we ate at Junior's (the first was a Brooklyn must-go) which is famous for cheesecake and other New York style food and lots of Brooklyn Dodger memorabilia on the walls. Ordered a sandwich, served on thick sliced challah bread and a side order of potato salad. When my food came, I was appalled. If Junior had known that one day potato salad would be served in one of his places made from red skinned potatoes, he would have thrown the cook off the Brooklyn Bridge. Once I recovered from that shock, we had a great time. Later

Lefty Specialist Aug 27 2017 08:28 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I once took some people from Ann Arbor, Michigan to the REAL Junior's in Brooklyn. They thought the cheesecake was 'just okay' and they were horrified by the egg creams. Some people just don't got cultural appreciation.

Mets Willets Point Aug 27 2017 10:38 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We're going to Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park for the loooong weekend. Haven't been there since before we had kids but it's one of my favorite places.

cooby Aug 28 2017 02:21 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

When we were at Brooklyn Botanical Garden last weekend there was this little boy with long blond hair (and I thought, what are the odds?) that I naively thought might be young Lunchbucket. Kinda followed him gently and told him my favorite bird call was a red winged blackbird. When I saw that his entire family was wearing Toronto Bluejay hats, I realized it was not Lunchbucket and his family. Maybe someday.

themetfairy Aug 28 2017 03:44 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

D-Dad and I traveled to Quebec City this past weekend. Air Canada was way more reliable than Delta was last May - even with having to change planes in Montreal we had very smooth travels. Quebec is a very walkable city and we logged a lot of miles, even aside from the 10K that we participated in this morning. It's a nice place, and a nice destination for a weekend trip.

cooby Aug 28 2017 02:21 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Fox statue? I got one. Just saw this :)

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 28 2017 02:31 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

cooby wrote: When we were at Brooklyn Botanical Garden last weekend there was this little boy with long blond hair (and I thought, what are the odds?) that I naively thought might be young Lunchbucket. Kinda followed him gently and told him my favorite bird call was a red winged blackbird. When I saw that his entire family was wearing Toronto Bluejay hats, I realized it was not Lunchbucket and his family. Maybe someday. Maybe! Biked to the Cloisters yesterday but didn't see you!

cooby Aug 28 2017 02:32 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17 Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 28 2017 02:34 PM

Nope, but I was there for the eclipse! Isn't it awesome there?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 28 2017 02:34 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Yes it was a great day to visit too!

cooby Aug 28 2017 02:37 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Loved the tomb room and the immense sanctuary. Also, how about those statues with people's heads and arms and so forth in them? Chilling. Really gorgeous place and I would love to go back some day. Wish I could bike there, lol...

themetfairy Aug 29 2017 06:38 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Ceetar wrote: Sesame Place this weekend. How did you guys like it?

Ceetar Aug 30 2017 02:40 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

themetfairy wrote: Ceetar wrote: Sesame Place this weekend. How did you guys like it? it was..nice? my programmer brain rails against some of the stuff places like this ignore because they've got you caught. Like, logically, put in some vending machines and more water stations and man the food stations better. Maybe it's just a factor of being used to NY carnivals/crowd management but the ride people barely seemed to care, didn't rush the line along, didn't try to fill empty seats, things like that. And they seemed understaffed. crazy bounce/net thing that had literally no oversight? Sure.. Lines weren't necessarily short even though it was a Monday before Labor Day. I can just imagine during crowded times (it took like 30-40 minutes to get food at one of the main cafes) But I mean, we had a blast. Sophie particularly, even though she was probably mentally and physically worn out by this point. We went down Saturday but went to Sesame Monday. Figured on a just relaxing low-key weekend away. First hotel, etc. she enjoyed all that, the pool, the room. We visited with some friends (few months younger and 2 years older) Sunday and had fun there too. She enjoyed the rides the most. She was petrified of the characters, though it was okay in the overpacked Elmo the Musical theater (sardines! sardines have more space!) Grover walked by us once when we were sitting on a bridge over the lazy river and she lost it. She wanted me to take pictures of the characters but not take pictures _with_ them. She loves the stuffed grover and super elmo (and abby for her sister) and has been playing with them since. I don't know if it's just because we didn't actively go looking for them, but we didn't see an Elmo, a Grover, a Big Bird, an Abby anywhere walking around. There was no schedule to say this character will be _here_ at _this_ time. Next time we'll probably stay at the hotel right next to the park and do it in two steps, water and non-water. we skipped all the water stuff just from a convenience standpoint. We technically have a 'free second day' pass somehow (i guess the same ticket? who knows) that maybe we'll use during Christmas time if it fits our schedule, that might be fun, though if she's not into the characters still maybe not as much. the hotel was a mess but that's another story.

themetfairy Aug 30 2017 04:09 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I imagine that Sesame Place lost most of its staff in the last week - most kids I know have gone back to college by now. We had season passes when the kids were young, which were a luxury. We used to go down after D-Dad got home from work, spend an hour or so at the park and then have dinner nearby (there are a ton of restaurants just outside of Sesame Place, surrounding the Oxford Valley Mall). Let me know if you do come down Christmas time - it would be nice to see you :)

Ceetar Aug 30 2017 05:35 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Yeah, I guess reduced staff could be expected, though it's still technically summer and crowded and it felt like it was below even bare bones. I don't even think some of the characters had designated photo takers and the only way to look up the photos they took of you was apparently by time. "What time did you get here exactly? Okay, let's scroll through every photo and see if we can find you!" At least I was wearing bright Orange Mr Met. The hotel was transitioning from a Crowne Plaza to a Wyndham, without telling us or giving us any warning. A list I'm tabulating for when I bitch to..either Expedia or Wyndham. probably both. Only sign was a hastily erected non-illuminated one at the street level, the building still says Crowne Plaza. Despite reserving 2 doubles, only had a 1 king w/ a couch. keycard barely worked in the door. worse and worse as the week went on. was like the lock was sticking. no booklet of information in the room. no conditioner. The TV loaded to some Crowne Plaza interactive screen, but the remote didn't interact with it. (no channel guide) Elevator was crazy slow at coming. You'd push the button and sometimes it just didn't seem to do anything. No signage directing us to the pool, which was way too warm, plus the jacuzzi/steam room were closed, and many of the chairs were broken. ice machine was broken. (fridge worked fine though) at least one of the outlets in the room didn't work. the free breakfast advertised on my reservation didn't materialize. Supposedly there were supposed to be vouchers, there weren't. needed a webcode to print at the business center but the website to print was a Crowne Plaza one and didn't work. Feel like they were exploiting us by not telling us they were in transition/renovations. By the time the word gets out we'll have funded their rebuild and they'll be able to advertise as 'newly renovated'.

metirish Aug 31 2017 09:07 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Checking in form Ireland, having a great time , Lorcan loves it here , temps in the low 60s typically , nights getting cold...makes a nice change. Back to NYC Sunday, looking forward to that too.

cooby Aug 31 2017 09:14 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Have a great trip!

Ceetar Aug 31 2017 11:41 AM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

metirish wrote: Checking in form Ireland, having a great time , Lorcan loves it here , temps in the low 60s typically , nights getting cold...makes a nice change. Back to NYC Sunday, looking forward to that too. and they have whiskey.

MFS62 Aug 31 2017 01:06 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

The FB pics look great. Have a happy rest of the vacation. Later

sharpie Sep 29 2017 07:47 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Leaving for Amsterdam next Wednesday night for 10 days - the day after our 30th wedding anniversary.

Ceetar Sep 29 2017 08:27 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

sharpie wrote: Leaving for Amsterdam next Wednesday night for 10 days - the day after our 30th wedding anniversary. May I recommend Arend's Nest?

sharpie Sep 29 2017 08:46 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I assume you mean 't Arendsnest. I like a place whose name begins with an apostrophe.

Chad Ochoseis Oct 11 2017 01:30 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Literally going on the road again next month. My mother has been in the process of moving from her home in the Phoenix area to an independent living facility across town. She'll be completely moved out next week, and I'm going out there in early November to clean out the house and maybe see a few AFL games at Surprise Stadium. My mother still has a car, but can no longer drive, so I'm driving the car back to Cleveland to give to my niece. I'll be starting on on November 13; a friend of mine in the DC area who can use a cross country road trip is flying out to help. So we have all the makings of a really bad buddy movie. Highlights will include - - Painted Desert/Petrified Forest - That left turn at Albuquerque that I should have made a long time ago - Santa Fe - A deathly dull drive through the Great Plains - Kansas City for barbecue - St. Louis, where I lived for a few years once - Tony Packo's in Toledo. Corporal Klinger's favorite restaurant. Any advice on other places to stop?

Ceetar Oct 11 2017 01:40 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

sharpie wrote: I assume you mean 't Arendsnest. I like a place whose name begins with an apostrophe. right. fun place.

A Boy Named Seo Oct 11 2017 02:29 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Chad Ochoseis wrote: Literally going on the road again next month. My mother has been in the process of moving from her home in the Phoenix area to an independent living facility across town. She'll be completely moved out next week, and I'm going out there in early November to clean out the house and maybe see a few AFL games at Surprise Stadium. My mother still has a car, but can no longer drive, so I'm driving the car back to Cleveland to give to my niece. I'll be starting on on November 13; a friend of mine in the DC area who can use a cross country road trip is flying out to help. So we have all the makings of a really bad buddy movie. Highlights will include - - Painted Desert/Petrified Forest - That left turn at Albuquerque that I should have made a long time ago - Santa Fe - A deathly dull drive through the Great Plains - Kansas City for barbecue - St. Louis, where I lived for a few years once - Tony Packo's in Toledo. Corporal Klinger's favorite restaurant. Any advice on other places to stop? If you go up the 17 to Flagstaff, I'm always tempted to just stare at the Grand Canyon for a bit (if no time to get down in the thing). It's an extra couple of hours roundtrip from Williams, but damn, the canyon is grand. I missed you in NY a few years back. If you're in ABQ for more than a gas stop, lemme know!

Chad Ochoseis Oct 11 2017 04:29 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I've been to the canyon, but not in a very very long time. I may not do it this trip, because my friend has to get back by the 20th and the canyon would probably add another 5 hours or so round trip, even if we just stare. I'll get there again on one of my other trips to AZ. A stop in ABQ is very possible - will pm you my contact info as we get closer to the trip.

41Forever Oct 11 2017 04:42 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

We just came back from celebrating our 30th anniversary in Vancouver. My wife has always wanted to go there. It was, in fact, a beautiful city surrounded by water and mountains. Very walk able. We didn't lack for things to see and do. I realized that this was our first vacation without the kids or visiting family. With our families spread out in two different states, we either visited them or visited places with them.

A Boy Named Seo Oct 11 2017 04:57 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Chad Ochoseis wrote: I've been to the canyon, but not in a very very long time. I may not do it this trip, because my friend has to get back by the 20th and the canyon would probably add another 5 hours or so round trip, even if we just stare. I'll get there again on one of my other trips to AZ. A stop in ABQ is very possible - will pm you my contact info as we get closer to the trip. Sounds good.

Farmer Ted Oct 16 2017 05:26 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Just booked a long weekend in November for the Ted Family annual pilgrimage to the white sands and turquoise waters of the Alabama coast.

sharpie Oct 16 2017 07:06 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

While 41 Forever was celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary in Vancouver, we celebrated ours in Amsterdam plus side trips to Rotterdam, the Hague and a national park outside of Arnhelm. Weather was iffy at first but otherwise loved the city and the people, the beer and the museums. Walked everywhere. Bikes everywhere, probably 2000 bikes in a bike parking lot outside of the main train station. Highly recommended.

A Boy Named Seo Nov 14 2017 03:48 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

I interrupt this vacation thread to report that I got to have a couple beers last night with the excellent Chad Ochoseis (and his friend, Randy) as they passed through Albuquerque. Though Ocho and I were not able to get Indians fan Randy to agree to a Jason Kipnis for Juan Lagares fake trade, a good time was still had by all, and I think we're both tentatively RSVP'ing "Yes" to any future Fman/Syracuse CPF get-together hoedowns. Make the thing happen, Fman!

Fman99 Nov 14 2017 05:28 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

A Boy Named Seo wrote: I interrupt this vacation thread to report that I got to have a couple beers last night with the excellent Chad Ochoseis (and his friend, Randy) as they passed through Albuquerque. Though Ocho and I were not able to get Indians fan Randy to agree to a Jason Kipnis for Juan Lagares fake trade, a good time was still had by all, and I think we're both tentatively RSVP'ing "Yes" to any future Fman/Syracuse CPF get-together hoedowns. Make the thing happen, Fman! I am still waiting to find out if the Mets' ownership will officially kick in in 2018, or 2019. Once we know that we can put together some kind of CPF day in the 'Cuse.

Lefty Specialist Nov 14 2017 06:15 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

Finally going to Atlantis Bahamas in January. My son saw commercials for it when he was like 9, begged to go, and we've finally gotten around to it 13 years later. Anyone ever been? I know everything's hugely expensive but are there places to go/avoid?

Chad Ochoseis Nov 17 2017 11:06 PM Re: On the Road Again: Vacations 2K17

A Boy Named Seo wrote: I interrupt this vacation thread to report that I got to have a couple beers last night with the excellent Chad Ochoseis (and his friend, Randy) as they passed through Albuquerque. Though Ocho and I were not able to get Indians fan Randy to agree to a Jason Kipnis for Juan Lagares fake trade, a good time was still had by all, and I think we're both tentatively RSVP'ing "Yes" to any future Fman/Syracuse CPF get-together hoedowns. Make the thing happen, Fman! I think most of youse saw this on my facebook feed, but just in case - [attachment=0]23632567_10212913914635274_6057083363836246932_o.jpg[/attachment] Note that I'm wearing my glasses on top of my head, the better to see the awesome high desert sky in the evening.