Austin, Minnesota

March 23, 2021

Welcome to Austin, Minnesota, home of the world famous SPAM museum and the fifth-ranked “Affordable Small Towns You Actually Want to Live In” according to a 2015 article on Realtor.com (written by Yuqing Pan no less).

Back in 2018 I was making my way from California to North Carolina, stopping to visit some of the most beautiful places in the United States. Yosemite, The Badlands, Craters of the Moon, and pretty much everywhere in Montana. Then I found myself in Minnesota for the first time ever. During a conversation with my dad where I was updating him on my cross-country progress, he asked if I was stopping to visit the SPAM museum. Amazingly, I had never even heard of it. So I punched Austin, Minnesota into the GPS and the rest is history. Thanks Dad.

Austin, MN

SPAM Interior

SPAMscots

Rainbow SPAM

So is it worth it? Depends on your travel preferences. Do you like stopping at weird tourist trap places like “The World’s Most Adjectivey Noun” (“The World’s Largest Spur” in Abilene, Kansas where I stopped with my brothers on a different cross-country trip comes to mind.) Then YES! You should most definitely add Austin, Minnesota to your trip itinerary. After all, SPAM is classic Americana. Just ask this Sir-Can-A-Lot (He eats ham and jam and SPAM-a-lot):

*Sir-Can-A-Lot Statue, SPAM Museum. July, 2018.*

Dover, United Kingdom

March 22, 2021

I didn’t even realize Dover had a castle. I was only heading there for the cliffs. Imagine my surprise when I rounded a turn into the town and glanced up to see a castle atop the next rise. Since my exploring policy mandates stopping for tall and/or shiny objects, I obviously needed to find a good vantage point for pictures of the castle. As it turns out, you can turn around and see it from the cliffs themselves.

Sunset in Dover

Dover Castle

Port of Dover

There are several paths from the upper parking area along the White Cliffs of Dover. It seems I picked the skinniest of them all. With a sheer drop a few inches to my right and a steep cliff on my left, I made my way along the path to an outcropping in the failing light. The view was breath taking, so I snapped a few pictures and took in the view before making my way down to a flatter, more stable, area to set up the tripod I actually remembered to bring along on this trip.

On the way back I picked a different path that was much more inviting and provided a little more forgiveness for missteps. Because by the time I was hiking back it was dark. And because this time I forgot my flashlight.

Oh and there were donkeys. Silent, assassin donkeys that you don’t notice in the dark until an inadvertent sideways glace finds a donkey face two feet away from your own.

Stonehenge, United Kingdom

March 8, 2021

When I was a kid, I wrote several reports on Stonehenge. I read books and theories, I drew my own diagrams of the sarsen stones and the post holes and the causeways. I finally got a chance to see them in person for the first time on a beautiful March evening with clear skies and a gorgeous sunset.

The monument is closed due to Covid restrictions, but going outdoors for exercise is allowed in England and there happens to be a nice public path that leads through the surrounding fields and straight to the monument. Just head towards the end of Fargo Rd, hop out, and start walking. Or you can walk from the nearby Woodhenge.

Shoutout to the nice English gentleman and fellow photographer who’s name escapes me that had lived four miles away for fifty-plus years. He regaled me with all kinds of stories about the site and its history as we sat around snapping pictures through the setting sun. Minus the two round-the-clock security guards, there were perhaps six other people out in the field enjoying the beautiful sunset. I was absolutely in luck.

*A Glimpse of the Sun through Sarsen Stones.*

Starlit

Colours

Of course I forgot my tripod. Whoops. So these night images are brought to you by the not-nearly-as-great-as-a-full-frame-mirrorless-camera-on-a-tripod-Galaxy-S20. By the end it was also -4 degrees and my fingers were becoming useless. So with a few parting shots, I walked back in darkness on a moonless night, surrounded by stars. Only stepped in sheepshit once, but promptly stepped straight into a puddle a few paces later. Life is about balance.

Like and comment below if you have any questions about rocks or potaytoes.

Utrecht, Nederland (With Snow!)

March 5, 2021

I can’t believe I haven’t posted any pictures of Utrecht. Thank you Lia for reminding me! Hope you continue enjoying my blog! Here was our snowfall a few weeks ago, February 2021.

*The Dom and Stadhuis from the Oudegracht. February 2021.*

I think I got a lot of Dutch/Utrecht pride into that picture.

Geertekerk Remonstrantse Utreg

Snow on Stadhuisplein

The Dumb Tower

Utrecht is a fantastic place to live. The people are amazing, the city is beautiful, and once avondklok and corona are gone it will again be a wonderful place to visit (and live)! If you have any questions just send me an email of comment and smash that like button below!

*This is Rhodes. There are lots of stray cats. If you feed them they like you.*

Ródos, Greece

March 5, 2021

I’m told on various podcasts and media talking heads that vitamin D boosts your immune system. So in the midst of the Summer of Corona, a Greek vacation seemed like the perfect idea. Ródos is the almost the easternmost of the Greek Islands (the exception being Kastellórizo and a few islets) and sits within view of the Turkish mainland. As a bonus, there are direct flights from Amsterdam Schiphol. So in July of 2020 we bought some tickets, grabbed our sunscreen, and packed our bags for an ancient Mediterranean paradise.

Blue on Green

Italy Tower

A Moat without Water

Palm Tree

The major city on the island of Ródos is called Ródos. This is not all that surprising. Also, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World used to stand in the harbor. Strangely enough, it was called The Colossus of Rhodes.

The old town section of the city is still surrounded by the old city wall, and I’d be damned if we stayed anywhere else. Who doesn’t want to stay inside an ancient fortified seaside city? Since cars are mostly banned within the old town, we parked outside and our amazing host picked us up on a golf cart for a bumpy, but thrilling, ride to our accommodations within. I tried to take a video of the ride under the city gates, but we were on a golf cart, on cobbles, so it didn’t turn out well. So I’m not going to post it.

*Boats docked in Kolona Harbor in the city of Rhodes. July, 2020.*

Just walking around the old town is a fantastic experience. I mean, it is pretty much my MO at this point so nothing different should be expected. But the city is impressive. The city walls, the harbors, the absolutely beautiful water; they all blend to put you immediately into that ancient Greek beachgoer state of mind. And if you need a place to call home during your stay (and you want to live like a king) check out the Zacosta Villa Hotel. It’s an old building renovated into a few amazing rooms, with a great outdoor patio and exposed stone interiors that are just really really cool. The owner is a helpful and cheerful local who went out of his way to make us feel comfortable, and since Greece had just relaxed travel restrictions we were his first guests since March. When I go back to Ródos I’m going to stay there again, so just don’t take my spot please. Also, the nearby Mama Sofia restaurant is fantastic if you are looking for some home-style Greek cuisine. And why are you in Greece if you aren’t here for the amazing food?

Zacosta Villa Hotel

Dinner at Mama Sofia

Ródos Alley

Arches

The following day we explored the walls and harbors of the old city. Just look at the pictures. It was amazing.

Fishin'

Dolphins

Tug

Marine Gate of Rhodes

Marina

Lighthouse

*Rhodian Deer Statues, Rhodes City, Rhodes, Greece.*

City Gates on the Harbor

Garden

Magenta

Boatz

Lighthouse of the Fort of St Nicholas

Εκκλησία Ευαγγελισμός

Somewhere around this time I had a craving for pizza. In Greece. I know, I know, but good pizza is hard to come by in the Netherlands. Same with tacos. Il Borgo ended up having some fantastic pizza, the views were great, and they brought plenty of water. Five Stars for them!

*The infamous Windmills of Rhodes. July 2020*

*Did I mention stray cats earlier? Here’s another one. This is Thomas.*

Inner City Wall Gate

Παλάτι του Μεγάλου Μαγίστρου των Ιπποτών της Ρόδου

Interior of the Palace

Let’s talk about the Palace of the Grand Masters of the Knights of Rhodes. It fell into ruin, it was destroyed, and now it’s been rebuilt. And it is a must visit when you are here. They have cannons you can sit on. You can explore all of the rooms and see suits of armor and mosaic tiled floors and high wood-framed ceilings and swords!! Plus there are some great views of the city and the harbor. Plus plus you get to feel like a (the?) Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes! Who doesn’t want that?

Palace Interior Statues

Chandelier

I'd Work Remotely Here

Palace Interior From the Second Floor

To the Window....

*View of the Palace of Rhodes from the nearby community garden.*

Medieval Clock Tower Roloi

Ronda Beachside

Nightlife! Given that it was the Summer of Corona, nightlife was pretty hard to come by. But the northern beaches of the city are lined with some places that I imagine would be pretty amazing during a normal year. Beach chair service, warm water, and fun cocktails were still out in a few places, and a great time was had by all despite the lack of crowds. There is even a diving tower out in the water when you need that little extra drunken kick of adrenaline. Just head towards Elli Beach and check out places like Ronda, Baia, and the Thalassa Beach Bar. Just remember to practice safe drinking and diving, dear readers.

Ródos Recommendations:

Zacosta Villa Hotel - Each room is unique. The rooms are dope, the location is dope, the owner is dope, the service is dope, the breakfast is dope, the coffee is dope. Stay here if it happens to be available.

Mama Sofia - Amazing home-style Greek food. Cheap drinks. I’m pretty sure Mama Sofia’s whole family works here, so you know it’s good.
Palace of the Grand Something Something Lots of Words - It is hard to miss and it is worth visiting.
Il Borgo - I confess that even amidst all of this amazing Greek food, I was craving pizza at one point (several points probably, but I can only suppress so many cravings) This place has good pizza, and good pasta. The outdoor seating is also adjacent a main old town gate and several shops, so it is fun to relax and people watch from the porch.
City Walls - There are plenty of parks and trails that take you around various portions of the old city walls. Explore them.
Fort of Saint Nicolas and Windmills of Ródos - There are some really cool views along this section of the harbor, and you can see Turkey in the distance.
Elli Beach - A large area of nice sand that connects to the Mediterranean Sea. Probably one of the main reasons you came here.
Ronda Beachside Bar - Several different types of bars all woven together created a fun interesting atmosphere even during a very lowkey time. Most of the people were flocking here at night for drinks.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of the City of Ródos. Please like and email or comment below if you have questions! The potato product of the day is vodka, because I’m currently trying some silly low-carb diet and it’s the only potato product I can currently use. Plus it’s Friday night.

Campanile di San Marco and the Palazzo Ducale from San Giorgio. August, 2020.

Venezia, Italia

January 19, 2021

Welcome to Venice. As I am now a canal-loving Dutch resident, it was a dream for me to finally visit the most famous water-logged city in the world. As usual when traveling within Europe, it was a quick sub-two-hour flight from Amsterdam-Schiphol for a wonderful three-day weekend vacation. And because of limited tourism due to Covid-19, we enjoyed a relatively tourist-free experience for the trip, and lucked into beautiful weather the whole time. Hotel Firenze hosted us for the weekend, and its central location right near Piazza San Marco was great for exploring the city (top-notch guest services too, more on that below).

We arrived after nightfall, and I had read a tip somewhere about taking a water taxi from the airport into Venice proper. What an experience. Zooming across the water towards the city and navigating the empty canals at night was absolutely incredible. It is far more expensive than taking a bus, but worth every penny. And since the hotel was on the opposite side of the Venice from Marco Polo Airport, we got to see quite a lot of the city this way. If you are splurging on your trip, I cannot recommend this enough. After checking in, we grabbed some late night pizza from Pako’s (10/10 recommend) and take-away beer from Bar Al Campanile (also 10/10 recommend) we sat in a completely empty Piazza San Marco and enjoyed the warm night air before turning in.

As per usual, we spent the following day wandering:

Cracks

Piazza San Marco

Doge Palace and Campanile San Marco

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

San Giorgio Maggiore

Bridge of Sighs

That evening was also spent wandering, mostly along the water at sunset. The views were breathtaking:

*Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute at sunset. August 2020.*

San Marco Campanile

Gondola at Sunset

San Giorgio Maggiore

Chiesa di San Giorgio dei Greci

Throughout breakfast the next morning, we heard heard a Venetian local who worked at the hotel (Ricardo) going over a map with another couple and pointing out all of the best places to explore/eat/visit in Venice. He mentioned something about a really cool tower that wasn't nearly as busy as Campanile San Marco, so I asked him about it after he was done with his presentation.

Thirty-five minutes later I had a map with a hundred X's (don't go there), thirty circles (definitely go there), and the names of roughly fifty restaurants ("TripAdvisor has 1500 restaurants listed in Venezia, I've narrowed it down to 50 for you.")

"Have you ever heard of Noma? It is a restaurant in Denmark that was rated the absolute best in the world for several years in a row [Anthony Bourdain did an entire show about the restaurant/owner]. One of the chefs there was a Venice local, and eventually left Noma to open his own restaurant in Venice. That was temporarily closed due to Coronavirus, so he opened a pop-up at one of the hotels on the Grand Canal with Michelin star quality food for half the price. The Risotto di Gò is a very traditional Venetian dish, and there it is made by one of the best chefs in the world. And the beef carpaccio is maybe the best in the world."

So shout out to Ricardo at Hotel Firenze for the advice and for the best carpaccio and risotto [not pictured because I inhaled it instead of taking a picture] I've ever had.

*Santa Maria dei Carmini, 08 August 2020.*

Chiesa di San Geremia

Labirinto Borges

Brunch

Palazzo Bernardo

Ponte di Rialto

Chiesa di San Stae

The following day, looking to make the most of the perfect Sunday weather, we took a water bus to Lido, where the beaches are. Again taking Ricardo’s advice, we stopped at El Pecador, a double-decker bus converted into a food truck (with seating on the top deck!) parked right by the beach entrance (10/10 recommend)! The hotdogs covered in cheese may be the best I’ve had outside of America. The beach was an expanse of paid rentals of chairs and umbrellas common to many parts of the Mediterranean. We bought a few towels and walked out to the free section, getting some much-needed vitamin D and salt water. If you are looking to swim in Venice, this long skinny island is definitely the place to be.

As any guide book will tell you, the Palazzo Ducale (Doge Palace) is a must see. Prepare to spend hours moving from room to room looking at paintings, beautifully carved woodwork, medieval armor and weapons, and golden everything. The statue below is actually in San Giorgio across the water, but hey I needed a filler for an even number of pictures.

Statue

Inside Palazzo Ducale

Sala del Collegio

Sala del Maggior Consiglio

Chiesa di San Zaccaria

Basilica di San Marco

*Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, August 2020.*

Canal Tower

Stillness

I Gesuati

Boat

Hilton Molino Stucky

Basilica Santa Maria

Carmini Bell Tower

Boat in Front of Stucky

Placid Canal

Since we happened to be in the Piazza San Marco area already, we decided to grab a quick bite from Pako’s for the second (third?) time. That might be my favorite thing about Italy. Small, hole-in-the-wall places that have some of the best pizza/sandwiches/pasta in the world. Lekker!

Also, three seagulls dive-bombed Aus in Piazza San Marco and stole the tomato straight from the sandwich she was holding. They followed up a few minutes later by trying to grab my pizza. But I was (mostly) ready for them. So just be warned, those gulls are huge, and that’s probably because they are very good at dive-bombing in pairs to distract, while a third bird comes from another direction to snatch. We retreated to the safety of some covered steps between two small glass shops.

The tower Ricardo had mentioned turned out to be the Campanile di San Giorgio, and his advice was excellent. It is another “can’t-miss” in my book, because it is less crowded the San Marco Campanile and you can see the whole of Venice from the top. There was absolutely no line for us, but your mileage may vary in post-Covid times:

*Dome of San Giorgio Maggiore from the Campanile di San Giorgio. 10 August, 2020.*

Grand Canal Houses

Gold Inlay

Venice was amazing. Just go and wander around for the most part, because the city is truly unique. I do have a few recommendations when you find yourself there:

Hotel Firenze
Pako’s Pizza and Pasta
Bar Al Campanile
El Pecador
Lido Beach
Water Taxi from the Airport
Water Bus through the entire Grand Canal (just buy a Venice Pass for the trip and you can ride all you want)
The church/tower of San Giorgio
The Generator Venice. If you are looking for a cheap way to see Venice, this hostel is awesome. It is across the water from the city center, but if you get a Venice Pass you can boat across all you want and you can’t beat the price. There is a water bus stop just outside and it is right on the water. The bar is great too.

I love Italy, and Venice was no exception. 10/10 recommend. I hope you enjoyed my pictures, comment or like and let me know if you have any questions! Salute!

*Blarney House, Ireland. September 2020*

Blarney, Ireland

September 26, 2020

I took an afternoon trip from Cork and headed out to Blarney, a solid eight kilometer drive-slash-walk, to visit it’s eponymous castle (I hope I used that word correctly. I saw another travel blog that used it no less than twenty times in one post, so I figured I’d give it a shot.)

Walking up the claustrophobia-inducing staircase was almost as big of an adrenaline rush as leaning backwards over a 90 foot drop to kiss a rock. But the Blarney House and all of the surrounding gardens and forests were a very welcome surprise. And I think this picture of the Blarney House outshines any of the shots I took of the actual castle. In fact, I almost had the entire castle to myself due to the Covid tourism factor. The only other soul in the castle was Patrick, who was tasked with sitting beside the Blarney Stone all day and sanitizing it after each kiss. What a guy.

Blarney is absolutely worth a visit. The town is lovely, the castle is impressive, and the forested grounds are perfect for wandering. Plus they have a poison garden AND a carnivorous plant garden.

Blarney Castle

Butterfly

Church of the Resurrection

Koblenz and Castles

June 30, 2020

Welcome to Koblenz, a city in Southwest Germany:

*Schloss Stolzenfels, one of the many castles that line the river valleys around Koblenz*

Koblenz is located at the intersection of the Rhine and Moselle rivers and is surrounded by more castles than you can shake a stick at. After reading about some of the coolest castles in Western Germany, I figured Koblenz was a good place to start. Driving time was pretty short (about 2.5 hours from Utrecht) and the German borders had finally opened to Dutch tourists. After more than 3 months of quarantine, it was time for a relaxing (and responsible!) trip.

I looked for hotels with a nice view on one of the river banks and settled on the Mercure Hotel, a 4-star hotel on the Rhine River that checked all the boxes. As it turns out, they had just reopened a few days prior and had some good Coronavirus prevention strategies in place. Masks were required in the lobbies, elevators, and hallways, and rooms were left un-booked for several days between guest stays. Partly due to this and partly because of the type of room I had booked (City View ftw!) we ended up having the entire top floor to ourselves. There were beautiful views of the southern half of the city (including Schloss Stolzenfels in the distance) and the Rhine River.

Going into town that evening was an interesting experience. There were tons of people out and about, enjoying the night air. Many people had masks on, and they were required when entering any indoor area. Everything closed down around 22.30, with a pair of police officers politely going around the square and asking people to disperse. After picking out some to-go beverages, we walked on a nice boulevard that ran the length of the western bank of the Rhine and found a nice bench to people watch. A very solid evening.

Schloss Koblenz

Historiensäule

Brunch

Florinskirche

Wandering through the old town the following day, it was time to seek out some breakfast (brunch actually. Wake-up calls are unnecessary when you’re on vacation and mornings are stupid). Eventually we landed at the Altstadt Hotel & Café (above) that had great outdoor seating on a beautiful square next to the Town Hall (below). Masks were required indoors again (a regulation throughout Germany) but once you sat down outside you are free to remove them in order to drink your massive “bowl” of coffee. And I mean massive. It required both hand to pick up and drink, and boy was it delicious. The sandwiches were no less delicious. Altstadt Café bakes their bread fresh, and the cream cheese/peppers/diced pepperoni panini daily special was exactly what I needed. 100 percent recommended.

*Johannes-Müller-Denkmal, a monument from 1899 honoring Doctor Johannes Müller. It stands in front of Koblenz Town Hall and Citykirche.*

Moselle River Bank

Flowers

Moon Over Memorial

Mahnmal der Deutschen Einheit

Ludwig Museum and Basilica of St. Castor

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

The rest of the day was spent wandering the city, exploring on foot. Recommendations include:

Ludwig Museum and Basilica of St. Castor - Beautiful gardens and a beautiful church.
Memorial of German Unity/Deutsches Eck - People watching, river confluence, outdoor biergarten.
Weindorf Koblenz - Winery with an excellent traditional German menu (schnitzel AND POTATOES!)
Hauptfriedhof Koblenz - Hike into the hills surrounding Koblenz to see the main cemetery. Several WWI and WWII memorials and beautiful gardens.

*Herz-Jesu-Kirche, a Catholic Church in Koblenz c.1903*

Sunday: On to the castles! The goal was five castles in one day. Google Maps were created. The car was started. Here we go…

*Burg Thurant, Alken, Germany. Vinerads lead down to the town of Alken and the Moselle River. Castle #4!*

Marksburg, Castle #1

"Butter-churn Tower"

Climbing

Schloss Stolzenfels

Bridge

Stolzenfels Castle

Turret

Gold and Paint

Gargoyles

*Burg Lahneck, castle #2 on the whirlwind castle tour.*

Schlossklause

Family Crest

Thurant Castle over Alken

Alken on the Moselle

Burg Eltz, Castle #5

Moon over Castle Eltz

Orthographic

Wrapping up with Burg Eltz (the castle that inspired the trip in the first place), it was time for dinner at Pizzeria Vulcana in the nearby town of Münstermaifeld. The outdoor seating provided a great view of Stiftskirche St. Martin und St. Severus. Great food with a great view!

Thanks for reading! Please Like or Comment below if you have questions.