Musings from Jay (blog site permanently frozen 11/05/2024 morning)

Earlier in life I traveled quite a bit both on behalf of work and vacations. When travelling for work obviously I was more focused on work, and far less on sightseeing. Now travel is more complicated for us since we are senior citizens. We mostly go between Hawaiian Islands, or occasionally, after a lot of careful planning, India, East and Southeast Asia, or Oceana. I have only one remaining ambition for other regions - to go on the Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver to Banff or Calgary to see the Canadian Rockies. And of course, we can never rule out a jaunt to Las Vegas or also possibly visit niece in Boston (I think though she would far prefer to visit us here instead!!).  Here are the places I have been (I have flagged ones for work). Have had my fill of travel!! However not really gone to South America, Central America, Africa, Antartica, Middle East, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe (except for some very few spots).   Oceana: Australia, New Zealand Australia : B...

I planned a 3-week vacation to New Zealand . I spent a lot of time planning it and making sure it was a suitable plan for a senior citizen couple. We always wanted to see New Zealand, but for one reason or another it did not happen before. There were some hiccups before we started. My wife sustained a deep cut to her leg accidentally shortly before, and we were not sure she would be cleared by the doctor to travel. But she was cleared fortunately.  We flew to Sydney from Honolulu on Feb 1, and spent a couple of nights there. We stayed in Darling Harbor area in Park Royal. Nice enough place with a great location. We spent a day wandering the streets of town hall square , and some huge malls close by to that like the Pitt Street Mall . This is a lively busy area with lots of shopping opportunities. We did a lot of window-shopping but did get a few souvenir tee shirts. My wife bought a great Australian hat, and some nice shoes too. Unfortunately, my lower front incisor teeth broke...

  My niece visited Oahu for 2 weeks as a vacation. I thought her plan was extremely good and I thought I should share it. The key trick is to see all the important sights but at a relaxed pace, so it is not stressful. Also, the idea is to focus on truly wonderful sights that natives would pick instead of just tourist traps. Day 1: arrival. Unpack and relax the rest of the day. Day 2: Kailua beach park or Kalama beach park , Bellows beach park . These beaches are on the beautiful eastern windward side and really super and not crowded, but bellows is a functioning military base and only open to public on Friday and weekends. Kalama and Kailua beaches are adjacent. Day 3: Pearl Harbor National Memorial . The Bowfin WWII submarine is especially nice. You need to take a boat ride to USS Arizona but remember this is a memorial and be respectful. The exhibition display on what all transpired before and during the attack is informative. Day 4: Polynesian Cultural Center . There are many P...

To me Washington DC is a fascinating place. It is the beating heart of a powerful nation, and you feel the power and energy of this capital. To any student of US government and US history, the must-see places in the federal district there are the National Park Services’ the National Mall and Memorial Parks, the White House, Capitol Hill, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives. I will explore each, one by one, and primarily focus on its purpose, when it was built, who built it, and the historical context. Some of the memorials in the National Mall and Memorial Parks I will briefly touch on are the Lincoln Memorial, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The WWII Memorial, The Korean War Veterans Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, FDR Memorial, the Washington Monument, and Jefferson Memorial. There are many other places to see including historical houses, cabinet department buildings (the most interesting of which to visit are the bureau of engraving and p...

  In a previous essay I talked about the wonders of Washington DC from the point of view of a capital city and from the point of view of memorials, and monuments tied to American History. In this essay I will focus on the museums and art galleries that are outstanding in the city. Most of them are in or near the National Mall. The Smithsonian Institution Building houses the Smithsonian Institution’s administrative offices and information center. The building is constructed of Seneca red sandstone in the Norman Revival style and is nicknamed the Castle. It was completed in 1855. It was architected by James Renwick Jr. Around 1900, the wooden floor of the Great Hall was replaced with terrazzo and a Children's Museum was installed near the south entrance. The visitor center has interactive displays and maps. Computers electronically answer most frequent questions. The Holocaust Museum is a memorial to the Holocaust. The holocaust was one of the worst tragedies the world ...