Traveling Somewhere

Since I travel quite a lot, I often get asked if I have been certain places. UP, have you been to Memphis? Tokyo? Belize? Turns out there is no simple answer to that question.

• Does it count to just be at the airport? 
• or train station? 
• or driven through without stopping?
• Do you have to stay 24 hours?
• What about having a meal?
• Can it count if I just breathe the air?
• Do I have to stay overnight?

Seems like there are almost as many rule sets as there are travelers. Here are the ones I have been using for my own travels.

• You must leave the grounds of the port of entry
• Just passing through the airport does NOT count (so no Belize City or Memphis or Yap for me)
• You must leave the airport (or train station, port, or bus depot) grounds
• Getting your passport stamped at immigration is not sufficient if you do not leave the grounds
• If you are driving, you need to stop, put your feet down, and breathe the air
• You must interact with the local economy
• Buy a meal, ride the subway, have a beer
• Exchange money into local currency and use it
• Stay overnight
• Somehow record your visit
• Take photographs 
• Find and sign a geocache
• Collect Ingress or Pokemon stops
• There is no time requirement for having visited

How does this work in reality?

I flew through Belize City once on my way to Honduras. I did not leave the grounds of the airport, did not get my passport stamped, did not count that as a visit.

I had a long layover in Seoul on my way to Hanoi. I took the train into the city, had breakfast, had some handicraft made for my brother, went ice skating at City Hall, had lunch, train back to the airport. I certainly count that as a visit. I had a similar experience at Narita in Japan on the way home on that trip--except a temple visit instead of ice skating.

I am sill undecided about Slovakia. I have twice cruised down the Danube past Bratislava and the lovely countryside. I took pictures, I drank and ate, I breathed the air, I got an Ingress stop, but I did not set foot on the ground there. Since the river is not a border river there, I am tempted to count it. On the other hand, I did not leave the port, I stayed on the boat. I have provisionally counted it; but it is still under review.

Anyone else have any other criteria to establish Being There?

Rotterdam

I keep telling people that I have been to the Netherlands. What I really should say is that I have been to Amsterdam a bunch (and a short, but fun, stay in Leiden). I have been told many times by people who know that there is much more, the Delta and Zuiderzee works, the Hague, Utrecht. My previous stops have all been short day or two layovers while in transit to somewhere else so time to get around the country has been limited.

This year for Christmas, our family is taking a cruise along the Rhine. My brother and I could each get time off before the cruise started to go to Europe early and play around a bit before joining the rest of the lot. Andy is a pretty big boat nerd, so he chose Rotterdam since for nearly 30 years it had been the busiest seaport in the world.

As I started research, it seemed that Rotterdam did not come up very high on many peoples lists. It is too industrial. It is not a real Dutch town. There is not much going on there. I have to admit that I must disagree. Andy and I really enjoyed out time there.

If you are thinking quaint little houses along canals and old architecture, Rotterdam is not your place. The city was basically flattened on 14 May 1940. After the war, the decision was made to rebuild Rotterdam not as a new old city, but as something completely fresh. This resulted in a boom of different, interesting, and some ugly buildings all over the city. It felt to me like a vision forward. A recognition of 300 years as a naval and shipping power. A desire to be the focal point for Europe in trade from overseas. To that end I think they succeeded.

Perhaps it is because of my engineering background, or because I grew up watching the shipping industry on the Great Lakes, or maybe because I have seen plenty of the traditional arts and architecture in the other hearts of Holland I have seen, but I really though Rotterdam had a very different feel and energy. I think it would be work a couple days on your itinerary.

Get a hotel along the river (we stayed at Inntel at Erasmusbrug). Watch the traffic go by. Take a night time walk and see the bridges. Ride the trams (the discount transit cards is one of the best deals I have seen). Take the harbor tour that goes to see part of the busy port. Visit the Maritime Museum. Take a walking architecture tour. Spend a little time in a slightly different type of the Netherlands.

- Uncle Phool

Location:Rotterdam, Netherlands

English Football

I am not generally a person who makes lists. Perhaps it is because writing it down somehow feels like a contract to be completed, or maybe because I more frequently misplace the list than I do forget things that are on it. One of the things on my list, either mental or scribed, has been to attend an English Premier League match.

My mate Paddy got me watching and paying attention to the EPL back in '97 with his passion for Manchester United, the Yankees of the English League. Fortunately we can get the league matches on satellite in the States and I have spent many Saturday and Sunday mornings with games on my tele. There have also been an influx of American players to the league so the ties across the pond can be a bit easier to foster.

I landed on London early Friday morning and went directly to the hotel to drop off my luggage and spend a good chunk of what turned out to be a nice sunny day securing my football needs. First stop, White Heart Lane, home of Tottenham Hotspurs. I had booked my tickets online a few weeks ago by joining their fan club and picking up a ticket off their exchange service. Since Spurs have two Americans playing for them, I found it easy to root for the home team. I then ran across town to see if the Sunday matchup between QPR and Reading had tickets--and they did! So games for me on both days.

The experiences could not have been more different. White Heart was large and cavernous. The folks I sat with we regulars who talked more with each other than at or about the game. Loftus Road on the other hand was small, quaint, middle of the neighborhood with everyone chanting and paying close attention to the action. It felt like the difference between Miller Park and County Stadium in Milwaukee. Large, comfortable, impersonal vs. cozy, family, active. There were perhaps only 2% women at the Spurs game, today I would say it was more like 1 in 6 at the Rangers. Tons of sons and daughters cheering on Queens Park Rangers at Loftus.

The games were also very different. Hotspurs played like they were entitled to win and got beat by a much less talented side. QPR and Reading played like two teams at the bottom of the table who expect to fight it out to be spared relegation. Even though both of the Americans played well for Tottenahm (especially GK Friedel), neither team showed the passion of the QPR Reading draw. I enjoyed both of the experiences, but the second match was more what I was expecting to see when I came.

A few other thoughts about the play.
1) It is astonishing how much these guys can work a soccer ball in the air. Not just on free kicks, but nearly every single time the ball comes off their foot, it does not go straight. Not even close. It is hard to see the extent of the curve on TV, a bit easier where I was seated at White Heart Lane, but amazing to watch from my seat on the end line at QPR.
2) it was interesting to hear American songs being used by the fans. Battle Hymn of the Republic, Stars and Stripes, and My Darling Clementine were used at both stadiums with different lyrics. Sorry mom, no Welsh hymns.
3) I was surprised that the field seemed to play shorter and wider than its actual dimensions. Balls and players seemed to move up and down the field very quickly, but much more slowly side to side. I have not watched enough soccer live to know if it is usually that way, but in person I got that feeling and never got that sense form the TV broadcasts.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience at QPR today against Reading. The Hotspurs game was not without some fun though. I played the dumb Yank and made friends with the Steward in my section who gave me a long history (he has been coming since '63) about the club, the field, the players, the coach, that this is a blokes event (hence few women), and on and on. Very nice fella and I think I made his day. Pretty sure he will weave me into his future yarns.

Well worth my time and money to go to both these.

- Uncle Phool

London Weekend

I needed to get away. Too many work days without a break and I had to escape. This week sort of came together during a series of conversations that all pointed at the UK for some R&R. Football, Scotch, cycling friends, a new bike.

I have been through London several times over the past ten years but only had stopped twice for a few days to sightsee. On my life list of things to do has always been to attend an English Premier League football match. I have managed to fit in two this weekend. More to come on that later.

There is also a part of me that I think was secretly trying to escape the election and all the nastiness and vitriol that has come along with it. The process is too long. I voted a couple weeks ago and just wish the calls and ads would stop. I stopped counting at one point, but there were about 19 fliers and TV spots about why the other person has failed or is somehow inadequate for every one mention of what a candidate will try to do and how. It appears however that I was not able to run away from it. One of the London papers calls it "The longest, gaudiest, silliest election." Refreshing to see how outsiders view it. Not sure I could have phrased it better. It will be over soon. Whichever way you lean, go vote. Your vote is your voice. Don't be silent.

I spent much of Friday running around securing my football needs, but did decide I needed to visit the British Museum since it is open late on Fridays. I have heard that it is big. Indeed. I am almost glad that I knew I did not have enough time so just went to one section. I made a quick run through part of the Greek section, decided I would not try and figure out who has the upper hand in the debate on ownership there, and went up to the history of the British Isles. Not sure why, but it seemed like I should. Long story short, Blah blah Druids, blah blah Pagans, then in 43 AD the Romans came and fixed it all up spiffy and the empire stole (or not) everything from the Greeks.

Actually I got completely distracted by an exhibition on clocks and one on money and before I knew it, I was being shooed out by the docents. OK, OK, I need to go back and spend more focused time there now that I know the extent of the collection they can show at once. Impressive, and well worth a stop any time you are in town.

A couple of other things have struck me on this trip. First is the food. I don't recall in my previous visits being impressed by the dining options. I always thought there were better selections than all the old jokes. It just seemed to me that there are even more interesting variety to be found this time around. Maybe it is that I was far afield of the tourist areas for much of this stay, or maybe there is more and more influence by the immigrant population. Perhaps a little of both. The pasties and pies are still good. I like that the fish and chips come with peas. There are just many more Asian and African choices. Outside one of my tube stops there was a Polish deli, next to a jerk chicken place, across from an Afghani take-out. Nice.

The second surprise has been the significant number of people who are not speaking english. Yeah, the tourists use many tongues, but in the Tottenham neighborhood, in the area outside the museum, out in Shepherd's Bush often I do not hear English. And when I do, it is a British accent on foreign speech that makes it almost impossible for me to understand. Perhaps that will get my ear in shape for Scotland. I expect that there will be challenges there too.

One last bit of culture before I leave London was to stop by Westminster Cathedral for the Sunday evening organ recitals. Impressive. Tonights was a Sonata on Psalm 93. I don't know that much organ literature, and even less Psalmisms, but the performance was exceptional and free. A very nice way to end three days in London.

- Uncle Phool

Location:Cardington St,London,United Kingdom

Day 12 -- Back in Chile

We had a rest day in San Martin de Los Andes. It came at a good time. I certainly was ready for a day off the bike. We did some laundry, walked around town a little, tried out some of the coffee shops. It was 50ish and raining all day so the views and our motivation to get out and about were both less than ideal.

 Day 12 was the day we ride back into Chile. We had a transfer to near a national park that contains Volcan Lanin. We rode 35km up hill to the pass with this giant looming on our left hand side the entire way. It was never out of our sight and provided quite a backdrop for an uphill pull into yet another headwind.

This is also the home of the monkey puzzle tree. I had never heard of it before this trip, and still know very little about it. It seems to be a very curious type of pine relative with a long stick of artichoke leaves (I know, pines don't have leaves) that leave a strong stalk when they fall off. The mass of each branch is substantial and seems to contradict the gravity we know. Look this tree up. It is very curious.

The down hill ride from the pass landed us in the town of Pucon. It is a vacation home town for people for the larger cities in Chile. This is the first town we have been in all trip that really feels like a resort tourist town that is thriving and teeming with people. It has the kind of activity that I was expecting to see in the towns on the Argentine side, but did not--either because of the volcano or because it is just different.

Day 13 is another rest day. Dave and Deniece went and climbed a volcano, looked into the depths of the earth, and slide on their butts down the snow field to get down. I hear it was wonderful and had spectacular views. Deniece has decided that the sliding down a snow field on her butt was fun and that she has found a new sport she likes. Not sure what happened to her up on the mountain, but perhaps we can find a way to indulge her new fun. I on the other hand went out to the thermal pools and soaked in the sun, the mineral baths and stretched out my weary cycling body. I think a good day by all.

Day 10 -- San Martin de Ls Andes

Day 10 -- San Martin de Los Andes It rained all night in Villa Angostura. The disco across the street played until 7am. It was raining when we packed up the van. It rained during our morning transfer. When the van stopped to let us off for the 15km of ash gravel road riding to start the day, none of us moved. We all decided that would would start on the pavement. Riding gravel roads is one thing. Riding in the rain is another. Put them together and none of us were really that interested. So we started on the pavement. And there was much rejoicing. It was mostly drizzle with a little sun poking through as we rode to lunch. Then the rain and wind picked up. Nearly all of us ate inside the van or tucked behind a tree. As we started again the headwind became quite strong. The road cut at the top of one long uphill had gusts directly in our faces that I guess were 40-50mph. I actually had to use my granny gear to go down the hill on the other side. We had a couple people in the group that were nearly blown off their bikes and took a seat at the side of the road for a while to collect themselves. I think it was as hard as I have worked for 15km on the road on a bike. The nice end to the riding for the day though was an 18km decent into the valley of San Martin de Los Andes. The route description called it grin-enducing. I smiled the whole way down. - Unclephool, Dave, and Deniece

Days 8 & 9 -- Villa Traful and the Ruta de Las Siete Lagos

These two days of riding are the favorite of our guide on the Argentine side of Patagonia. Nearly 100km of riding along and above the shores of the seven lake chain--the Ruta de Siete Lagos. This area has been and is still being covered in ash. We could see the cloud in Bariloche, but drove through it and started out our ride on the north side of the plume.

The first day was a hard 35km on ashen gravel roads through spectacular river and lake views. Lunch was along a lovely little stream that looked a bit like the Middle Fork of the Gila if you dumped ash into the water. We finished the ride at our cabanas in Villa Trufal.

Lovely suite of cabins all hand made over the past ten years with lumber recovered from the dead and down on the property. Dave and Deniece had a cute little bungalow with stairs nearly as steep as a ships ladder. I shared a family cabin with two of the other single blokes in our group. Each cottage had its own design and charm. Much better than I can ever remember seeing in the north woods lakeside cabin rentals.

Villa Traful is small, only 540 residents. Usually they are full with tourists this time of year, but, again, the Puyehue effects are being felt. So we had the place pretty much to ourselves. The cattle wander down the street back to the barn to be milked. One family gathered at the rodeo grounds to celebrate something. Kids riding around on their horses wearing gaucho hats. Very very peaceful.

The fishing here is reported to be amazing. Exploring the lakes would be a great way to spend a few days. I could certainly come back to Villa Trufal. Day 9 has us leaving Trufal and riding along the Ruta de Siete Lagos towards Villa Angostura. Again riding ash-pumice-gravel roads to meet up with more major thoroughfares as we get to the bigger towns. I took today off from riding. Dave and Deniece are doing quite well.

The weather up until today has been sunny and warm (80s), windy on occasion. Today is breezy, a bit rainy, and quite a bit cooler. The rain keeps the dust down a bit, the cool is a nice change. Villa Angastura is yet another cute little town in the mountains. This one unfortunately appears to have been impacted more greatly than Bariloche.  Perhaps 40% of the eight block downtown has either been closed or is renovation that appears to have stopped. If Puyehue does not stop soon, I think it could be hard for this little hamlet to survive. - UnclePhool, Dave, and Deniece