| COSTA RICA | HAWAII | VACATION HOME RENTALS | RESORTS | PACKAGES | TIMESHARES |
posted by Charles H. Russo on May 18
With Sounds for Sights you can take walking tours of New York City listening on your MP3 player. Go at your own pace with professionally narrated audio tours by local experts.
There are currently guides for Times Square, Rockfeller Center, Lower Manhattan and the South Stree Seaport. More iPod tours are on deck.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Apr 4
In the last couple days we’ve continued to see the sights of Tuscany, while inadvertently testing out as many modes of transportation as possible.
Yesterday we hopped a train to Pisa to see the ever-famous leaning tower. I know plenty of guidebooks that will tell you
it’s not worth the trip just to see this one sight, but I heartily disagree. This is my second time visiting it, and as before, I was struck by how dramatic the white tower (as well as the church and baptistery) looks against the blue sky, and how simply novel its sharp tilt is.
Upon the recommendation of our hotel owners, after going to Pisa we headed north to the cute walled town of Lucca.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Apr 1
After five months of traveling the world, I have at last arrived home. The last few days I’ve felt exhausted and disoriented, and unsure what to do with myself with wide open days and no sightseeing agenda. Over the last several months I’ve had no problem settling in as I moved from place to place, but oddly enough, I now find myself waking up during the night confused about where I am, taking several minutes to orient myself.
Home is starting to feel more normal, but at first it was like a sterile corporate apartment, what with having packed up my personal belongings before I left to clear my condo out for the tenants I rented it to. I look forward to unpacking my belongings, and personalizing my home again with the treasures I’ve acquired over course of my trip – a hand-woven tree of life rug from India, lacquerware from Vietnam, a Kashmiri patchwork wall hanging, a wool blanket from Tibet, and more.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Mar 1
GREAT BLUE HERON/PAUL BAGLOLE, TOURISM PEI AND SO BEGINS Your Guide to Familiar Birds of Prince Edward Island, a pocket-sized, colour guide to some of the most sought out birds in the province. The book was compiled and written by legendary Island naturalist, the late Geoff Hogan, and published in 1991 by Ragweed Press, 222 Grafton St., Charlottetown.
In this handy, take-along paperback, Mr. Hogan has included 90 colour photos of everything from Eastern Kingbirds to Greater Yellowlegs. Accompanying text for each of these species and about 100 others outlines such details as habitat, when to find them and unique characteristics that will aid in identification.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Nov 28
For anyone who might travel in the future to the places I’ve been on this trip, here are my recommendations for and against the hotels I’ve stayed at.
Thumbs up:
Thailand
Bangkok: Reflections Hotel – Funky hotel with lots of character. Each room is decorated differently. Great poolside restaurant. Located in a non-touristy neighborhood with lots of food stands on the streets in the evening. Easy skytrain access.Bangkok: Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel – Lacking in character, but conveniently located within sight of the Bangkok airport, with a free van shuttle to get you there. Perfect for brief stopovers in Bangkok.Ko Pha Ngan island: Cocohut – Beachfront resort with cabins of varying prices, with the most expensive ones located right on the beach. Excellent hammocks, gorgeous beach. Youngish crowd, somewhat party-oriented.