Not to mention boats, cruise ships, ferries, taxis, buses – including Gray Line, City and Greyhound and of course feet, not to mention every one of those dry and in the rain…
The possibilities are almost exponential.
We have been trying to exploit every possible means of travel possible.
Do you really want to hear every one of them – especially after I just rolled them off above? Okay. I’ll not bore you with that. Just trust me.
Needless to say we have had an eventful and fun excursion so far. Friday through Tuesday (7 a.m.) we spent in Seattle – exploring Pikes Fish Market, taking a Locks Tour and going to the Huskies-Ducks game on Saturday.
Tuesday we took the Victoria Clipper to Victoria (imagine that) – a 2 ½ hour ride through the San Juan Islands – and spent the rest of the day roaming the Downtown and Wharf area of Victoria.
Wednesday, oops that would be today, we took the Pacific Coast bus from Victoria to Vancouver via the Swartz Bay Ferry. Great adjustment here as we were originally thinking we needed a car to get from Victoria to Vancouver, but then a guy I had met at BP that had recently moved to Houston from Seattle told me to avoid a car on the ferry. Gawd, was he correct. There was a 2-hour wait for cars but the bus had a ‘reservation’ and so we popped right on the ferry.
As it turned out, the reason there were so many cars going to Vancouver? U2 Concert, no less. These females on our bus were all abuzz because U2 was happening tonight. They’d seen them 4 years ago in Vancouver, and last year had seen a Tribute Band. At any rate, it was like better than Christmas for all of them not to mention the excitement brought to Vancouver. I could definitely relate given the recent excitement brought to Kristin/Nathan, their friends and their Norman cousins.
And the other buzz is the 2010 Winter Olympics. Very exciting. We’re renting a car tomorrow (Thursday) and going to Whistlers Mountain. Should be a scenic drive up, plus going to the mountain where the Winter Olympics will be held.
Saturday we’ll be taking the Amtrak back to Seattle where we will fly home on Sunday. This should complete all of our modes of transporation.
In the meantime – the rest of our travel exploits would not be complete without our rankings of our favorite restaurants to date (in no particular order):
1. Metropolitan Grill – Seattle – Excellent steak – both US version and Kobe.
2. Il Terrazzo – Victoria – Great Italian, or Eye-talian – Best Halibut EVER
3. Carderos – Vancouver – Really good seafood overlooking the bay
But, stay tuned, these could be changed at any time. As well as adding some new form of transportation - though, the only thing missing could be the 2-wheeled variety and I don't think that'll be happening, unless it's a rickshaw. Adios and Goodbye.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Horns Shine Brightly in Seattle
Nevermind that I'm two posts behind - 1) initial Seattle reaction and 2) trip to UW-UO football game - they'll come later.
Nevermind that the Texas game would start 90 minutes after the completion of the UW game.
Nevermind that I was told there's no way you'll see the Texas-Mizzou game since the USC game will be all that's on on the West Coast.
Nevermind ALL OF THAT NEGATIVITY...
Within 2 blocks of our bus stop downtown were two Sports Bars. The first one we tried had a whopping total of 6 42" tv's. As the Hostess explained, 3 were on USC, 2 were on Florida (really? wasn't their game over?) and 1 on TCU. Thank you very much, we'll see what the other place has.
So we hustle over to the Fox Sports Grill - and when you walk in you know immediately this is the place to watch football, regardless of whether the Texas game is on. Big Screens and tv's abound. The place felt as warm as your mama's womb.
So, I ask the Hostess, "by any chance do you have...?" Expecting the obligatory deer-in-the-headlights stare she informs that over in the corner they have one tv with the Texas game, but at 8 pm all TV's in the joint would be switched over to the UFC fight. Yuk, but who cares, as long as we get a couple of hours of UT football.
NIRVANA! Sure enough over in that corner. The game had just started. And there were several UT fans over there huddled like Russian Jewish Immigrants soaking up the rays from the small tv.
And the best was yet to come - and not just the fact that the Horns put up their most impressive performance of the season. There were lots of people in this place and a long waiting list for tables. At some point in the middle of the 2nd quarter somebody in Fox Sports Grill Management made a TERRIFIC decision.
They had one of their Private Rooms open, and they decided they clear a bunch of parties from their Waiting List by moving the Texas fans to the private room. Bear in mind we had been standing (and drinking) (sorta like a Tx/Ou game come to think of it)for the entire game. So off we go to this private room.
NIRVANA SQUARED. Cushy chairs, ottomans, couches, 3 tvs and our own wait staff. WOWZER! There were probably 14-16 Longhorn Fans in there. And while the rest of the Fox Sports Grill in Downtown Seattle were enjoying, I guess, the UFC Fight(s), there was a group of Texas Ex-Pats who had a lovely evening.
Nevermind that the Texas game would start 90 minutes after the completion of the UW game.
Nevermind that I was told there's no way you'll see the Texas-Mizzou game since the USC game will be all that's on on the West Coast.
Nevermind ALL OF THAT NEGATIVITY...
Within 2 blocks of our bus stop downtown were two Sports Bars. The first one we tried had a whopping total of 6 42" tv's. As the Hostess explained, 3 were on USC, 2 were on Florida (really? wasn't their game over?) and 1 on TCU. Thank you very much, we'll see what the other place has.
So we hustle over to the Fox Sports Grill - and when you walk in you know immediately this is the place to watch football, regardless of whether the Texas game is on. Big Screens and tv's abound. The place felt as warm as your mama's womb.
So, I ask the Hostess, "by any chance do you have...?" Expecting the obligatory deer-in-the-headlights stare she informs that over in the corner they have one tv with the Texas game, but at 8 pm all TV's in the joint would be switched over to the UFC fight. Yuk, but who cares, as long as we get a couple of hours of UT football.
NIRVANA! Sure enough over in that corner. The game had just started. And there were several UT fans over there huddled like Russian Jewish Immigrants soaking up the rays from the small tv.
And the best was yet to come - and not just the fact that the Horns put up their most impressive performance of the season. There were lots of people in this place and a long waiting list for tables. At some point in the middle of the 2nd quarter somebody in Fox Sports Grill Management made a TERRIFIC decision.
They had one of their Private Rooms open, and they decided they clear a bunch of parties from their Waiting List by moving the Texas fans to the private room. Bear in mind we had been standing (and drinking) (sorta like a Tx/Ou game come to think of it)for the entire game. So off we go to this private room.
NIRVANA SQUARED. Cushy chairs, ottomans, couches, 3 tvs and our own wait staff. WOWZER! There were probably 14-16 Longhorn Fans in there. And while the rest of the Fox Sports Grill in Downtown Seattle were enjoying, I guess, the UFC Fight(s), there was a group of Texas Ex-Pats who had a lovely evening.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Friday Night in Gaylord
Since I haven't been anywhere exciting in a week - some would say for at least a month - I stumbled across something I wrote in November 2003. Enjoy.
Went to Timothy’s Pub and sat next to this guy that looked like he’s my age. Obviously a regular, just like everybody else in there. Though everybody else had beards and/or flannel shirts and smoked like chimneys he looked like a clean-shaven, short hair, successful businessman. Turned out he worked for the State of Michigan Highway Dept. – mostly outdoors. Guess he dresses up on Friday Night.
Of course it’s blowing snow outside (19 degrees, 9 degrees windchill), and I’ve already wondered how anybody works outside during the winter much less this beautiful fall weather – yep, the locals are saying it’s still fall – guess because the ground’s not covered with snow and all the cars at the car dealers are still visible, though I’m thinking in the morning that theory will be over. Anyway, when he found out I was in town working for an oil company, he started talking about what the roads are made out of in Michigan. Bituminous, not concrete. Much better to handle the weather conditions. I just nodded my head, like that was a good thing. For all I know those roads are made of marble, though I figure if this guy says bituminous, it must be bituminous.
Later, a much older man comes in and sits on the other side of the highway man. He’s wearing a red jacket with U.S. flag emblem on it, with a red cap with a cross and some kind of church logo on it. The Highway Man proudly introduced him as “the guy who worked on the Mackinaw Bridge when it was built – an iron worker.” I asked when the bridge was built and was informed the mid-50’s, or approximately the same time I played my first baseball game for the Bums vs. the Boogers in the Salvation Army Summer League.
So, the iron worker proceeds to tell me he is the ONLY guy to work on both constructions of the Mackinaw Bridge. Seems his son is the president of the local hall (that’s union talk) and he invited him to work on the “workover” of the bridge two years ago. Kind of an honorary position. Though he wanted to do more while working on the bridge, the young guys kept telling him to get out of the way. He complained about OSHA and how they now have to wear safety belts and harnesses and have nets underneath them. Of course this slows them down, and besides “we didn’t have any more accidents in the 50’s than they have now.”
In the mean time the Highway Man tells me about his trip to Dallas around 1980, or approximately the time that we were shoving chocolate cake down Kristin on her first birthday. He says he was in some bar on Regal Row and that when people found out his name was Hagman women started flocking around him and buying him beers. Sounded like one of his personal highlights. Of course it was at that time I had to tell him he had the Hagman and I had the Larry.
By now, I knew it was time to go. Back out in to the frigid air and blowing snow. But more in tune with my roads and bridges.
Went to Timothy’s Pub and sat next to this guy that looked like he’s my age. Obviously a regular, just like everybody else in there. Though everybody else had beards and/or flannel shirts and smoked like chimneys he looked like a clean-shaven, short hair, successful businessman. Turned out he worked for the State of Michigan Highway Dept. – mostly outdoors. Guess he dresses up on Friday Night.
Of course it’s blowing snow outside (19 degrees, 9 degrees windchill), and I’ve already wondered how anybody works outside during the winter much less this beautiful fall weather – yep, the locals are saying it’s still fall – guess because the ground’s not covered with snow and all the cars at the car dealers are still visible, though I’m thinking in the morning that theory will be over. Anyway, when he found out I was in town working for an oil company, he started talking about what the roads are made out of in Michigan. Bituminous, not concrete. Much better to handle the weather conditions. I just nodded my head, like that was a good thing. For all I know those roads are made of marble, though I figure if this guy says bituminous, it must be bituminous.
Later, a much older man comes in and sits on the other side of the highway man. He’s wearing a red jacket with U.S. flag emblem on it, with a red cap with a cross and some kind of church logo on it. The Highway Man proudly introduced him as “the guy who worked on the Mackinaw Bridge when it was built – an iron worker.” I asked when the bridge was built and was informed the mid-50’s, or approximately the same time I played my first baseball game for the Bums vs. the Boogers in the Salvation Army Summer League.
So, the iron worker proceeds to tell me he is the ONLY guy to work on both constructions of the Mackinaw Bridge. Seems his son is the president of the local hall (that’s union talk) and he invited him to work on the “workover” of the bridge two years ago. Kind of an honorary position. Though he wanted to do more while working on the bridge, the young guys kept telling him to get out of the way. He complained about OSHA and how they now have to wear safety belts and harnesses and have nets underneath them. Of course this slows them down, and besides “we didn’t have any more accidents in the 50’s than they have now.”
In the mean time the Highway Man tells me about his trip to Dallas around 1980, or approximately the time that we were shoving chocolate cake down Kristin on her first birthday. He says he was in some bar on Regal Row and that when people found out his name was Hagman women started flocking around him and buying him beers. Sounded like one of his personal highlights. Of course it was at that time I had to tell him he had the Hagman and I had the Larry.
By now, I knew it was time to go. Back out in to the frigid air and blowing snow. But more in tune with my roads and bridges.
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