Dale's Crazy Go Nutz World Tour 2006

North America: Stuck home in Texas

2006-10-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

[*sigh*]

Well, as some of you may know, I was scheduled to go to Eastern Europe in the beginning of October. As luck would have it, I fell ill. Not sure what I'm going do now. I had made arrangements to go on another Rick Steve's tour to see some of the countries where my grandparents came from. Now the travel season is over for that part of the world. Bummer.

Not sure where else to travel. I need a plan and I need one soon. Cabin fever has set in, so I either need to go somewhere or get a job. Unemployment is great (when its planned for), but I'm getting restless. I've been keeping my job skills current for the eventuality that I go back to work, but I fear that may happen sooner than later if I don't get off my arse and make some travel arrangements.

Anyone have any ideas for some interesting destinations? I'm considering selling my impractical sport bike in favor of a cruiser type motorcycle. Riding the twisty roads of a mountain range for a few weeks would be sweet, but I would need to do that very soon before the snow sets in. Maybe I'll go live in an Amish community for a couple of months, or join a circus. Who knows!

North America: California (part 2)

2006-09-21T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Kids!

It has been a great trip so far! I've been reconnecting with several relatives that I haven't seen in ages up here in northern Cali, and its been great. I started out in Rohnert Park to visit my cousin, Barbara, and her husband, Frank. They gave me the rock star treatment and set me up in their in their wonderful home for one night. I haven't seen Barbara since I was 6 years old! Next, I went to Hayward and Livermore and saw my Aunt Bea, Uncle Claude, and my cousins Carol, Carrie, Sue, and her husband Mike. I can't remember that last time I saw them!

Afterwards, I took a road trip from northern California to San Diego via the 101 freeway and saw the lots of scenery. I had the top down on the convertible and managed to get a nice tan in process. The trip took almost 12 hours (longer than I would've liked), but I finally made it to my hotel last night.

Today, I spent most of my day with my cousin, Tom, checking out the crazy real estate market around here (I don't think I'll be moving out here anytime soon). Then, I hung out with Tom's wife, Maureen, and my cousin Mary, and we all went out for a nice dinner. Then, tomorrow I head to Vegas! Hopefully I won't lose too much money, so I'll have too stick to my budget (which can be difficult after several drinks).

That's been my week so far. If anything cool happens in Vegas, I'll be sure to post something about...no wait...what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

So until next time...

Good times!

North America: California

2006-09-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

Howdy kids!

I know, its been a while since I rapped at ya. Well, its mainly because I haven't really *been* anywhere lately. Last week I was supposed to go the New Orleans area to visit a friend, but that fell through on account of a bad sinus infection.

Presently, I'm in Napa California visiting Michelle and Chris, whom I met on my tour in Europe. I flew into San Francisco, rented a car, and took a small rode trip through the bay area to Napa. Its beautiful country out here. Tons of vineyards and small mountains....very reminiscent of Italy. And, lots-o-places for wine drinking. Apparently wine tourism is very popular around here.

Saturday we went hiking at Chris' family's ranch up in the mountains, which had some spectacular views of the city.



On Sunday, we went to Michelle's family's vineyard for some good ol' fashioned wine bottling. They use the vineyard primarily for selling the grapes to larger commercial wineries, but they keep a small portion of the grapes for their private winery.



Every year when they bottle wine, they invite several people over for food and all they wine they can drink in exchange for free labor on the bottling assembly line.



There were about 15 people in all at the bottling party and everyone got to experience the bottling processes by being either the bottle filler, bottle level checker, corker, labeler, and cellar stocker. The best part about it is that they sent everyone home with a few vessels of wine they helped to bottle. After being here I really wanted to watch the movie Sideways again.

Well, it's now Monday and I'll be on my way to see my cousin Barbara in Rohnert Park. I can't wait because I haven't seen here in well over 20 years. I've got several other people to see here in Cali until Friday, which is when I'll be ending this trip Las Vegas.

So until next time...

Good times!!!

North America: Tennessee

2006-08-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

Howdy!

Still traveling, but this time in the states. Yeah, I started out in Texarkana Texas on August 9th, picked up my mom, headed to Illinois to visit some relatives, then to Indiana to visit my sis and bro-in-law, and now we're in Memphis Tennessee.

What's in Memphis you ask? Graceland!!! That's right, a shrine to the King himself, and in all of its glory. Ok, I got to admit that I'm not a big fan of Elvis. Anytime I think of him evokes images of black velvet paintings depicting Mr. Presley crooning in a microphone while wearing one of those hideous gem studded white jump suits.

After visiting Graceland, I now have a better appreciation for this "King" that everyone worships (because hey, 50 million Elvis fans can't be wrong). He's had a career that most people in the entertainment industry now can't even come close to compare to. And not only was he a humble philanthropist, he was civic minded enough to serve his country for two years during the height of his early singing career. How many pop stars today would join the Army to serve in Iraq? Zilch!

So, tomorrow we visit the Clinton Library in Little Rock Arkanasas. That should be interesting. I wonder if it too will be a big shrine to the former President's career. I'll keep ya posted.

So until next time...

Good times!!!

North America: Texas

2006-08-09T14:55:00.000-07:00

Howdy kids!

For those of you that don't know, I'm back in the good old United States of America! Although I had the time of my life in Europe, I'm so glad to be back on U.S. soil. Mainly, because I missed my friends, family, and meals that consist of at least 50% or more of animal protein. It's true. I've been exposed to some great cuisine, but nothing beats scrambled eggs for breakfast, fast food burger for lunch, and a Tex Mex beef burrito for dinner. Yeah, I've managed to put on a few pounds since I've been back. Also, free refills and ice cubes were a commodity and a rarity in most parts of Europe.

One thing I don't miss about being back: the heat. Humidity and 105 degree weather is not very enjoyable to me. But hey, you can't have everything. Also, finding a good cup of coffee is rather difficult, unless you make it at home. Starbucks is nice for when you want a double tall low fat decaf mocha latte or some other really complicated coffee drink, but nothing beats a fine espresso served to you by a sourly Italian for 80 cents.

As soon as I landed in Atlanta, I headed to a bar in one of the airport terminals for a good ol' American beer: Budweiser. It tasted awful, but for some reason I was glad to be drinking it. You see, beer and wine was usually cheaper than soda in most of Europe, and it tasted better. Also, it was nice to be in a public place listening to people and watching people on TV speak a language I can understand in an accent that's familiar to me.

Ok, for those of you that would like to see some pictures of this place I keep talking about, check out the link below:

View my photos.

So until next time...

Good times!

Western Europe: Netherlands (part 2)

2006-07-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

Word.

Another day in NL. Didn't make it to the beach like we planned on account of the menacing rain clouds. However, we did take a day trip (via trian) to Rotterdam to explore the city. We ended up renting a couple of bicycles because, like all Netherland towns, it really makes it easier to get around the city (it's actually better than having a car or using public transportation). Tourist wise, there's really not a whole lot to do in Rotterdam, even though it is a fairly large city. So, we mostly ended up doing some more geocaching, which took us all around the city. My legs are in hella shape, and we got to do some great sight seeing.

After we got back into Amsterdam, we had to do the obligitory trip to the world famous Sex Museum. It was farking hilarious! The highlight was an animitronic guy who says "Psssst. C'mere." Then, he flashes unsuspecting people by revealing his goods and services.

Well, gotta run. So until next time...

Good times!

Western Europe: Netherlands

2006-07-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks!

I'm back up in the good ol' Amsterdam, NL. As some of you may recall, I was here about 4 weeks ago with my tour group. However, we only stayed for one day, and that wasn't nearly long enough to really explore the city. So after London, I decided to meet up with my bro-in-law, Rod, in Amsterdam. After getting settled into our 5 star accommodations (check it out here), the city was our play ground.

First, we walked all over the "red light" district to get oriented around the neighborhood where our hotel is. My lawyer has advised me not to go into any further details about this.

Next, we decided to do some geocaching (see geocaching.com for more on this), which has taken us all over the city and has afforded us the opportunity for many activities. For instance, we took a canal boat tour that took us all over the city to find some coordinates for one of the caches. We also rented a water taxi to covertly explore under a bridge where another cache was hidden. Today, we rented bicycles and found several other caches.

A quick note about bicycles here: everybody rides 'em and its the most common form of transportation. In fact, there's bicycles lanes all over the place, and everything is within a 15 minute ride. Way to be eco-friendly, Netherlands!

Tonight, we're doing an organized bar tour. Basically for 20 euros (I think that's about 22.50 US dollars), the tour takes us to seven bars for a free drink at each, and I think there's some free shots included in there somewhere.

Well, that all the stuff I can remember that's happened in Amsterdam. I'll type at ya later if I think of some other stuff. So, until next time...

Good Times!!!

Western Europe: England

2006-07-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hey hey hey!!!

Finally got some internet time, so I thought I'd post a quick update.

I'm feeling tons better since I've gotten some proper rest, a real breakfast, and some antibiotics. Met Rachel at the airport on the 22nd, and I've been showing her around London ever since. Apparently, she's always avoided this city while living in the UK, so we've been relying on my mad travel\guide skillz for enjoying this great town.

I've seen several great sites here, but I'll just go over some of my personal faves.

Winston Churchill War Room Cabinet Bunker was excellent. Its basically a bomb proof shelter where Mr. Churchill lived during WWII while planning Britain's war strategy. After the war ended, it was immediately abandoned and everything was left exactly how it was during the war. Basically, the place was sealed up and forgotten, only to be rediscovered again in the 70's. I've seen it several times on the history channel, but seeing it in person was spectacular.

Hyde Park was another notable place. Its roughly a 1 mile by 2 mile sized park with tons of opportunities for people watching. The area I liked the most was Speaker's Corner, which is a corner of the park where people can go to stand on a soap box to practice free speech and talk about anything they like. Several crowds were there attracted to various freaks standing on step stools while speaking about religion, politics, or anything in between. I saw one speaker nearly come to blows with some guy about Israel. Another speaker was on a step stool holding a sign that read 'Don't Believe Anything People Tell You, Including Me'.

I also got a chance to hang out with some locals. Rachel's friend, George, took a train from Reading to meet us for drinks in London. Later, we met up with Rachel's cousin, Emma, to join her for an after work gathering at St. James park for a soccer and beer social. Afterwards, we all went to a local pub (which there are tons of in London) for some fine pints of Ale. Everyone was extremely nice and laid back, and nobody seemed to mind that I was an American. :)

Another thing I've enjoyed about London is that is has the biggest cross section of cultures. English speaking Brits seem to be a minority here.

Welp, that's all the time I have for now to rant about London. So until next time...

Good times!!!

Western Europe: France

2006-07-22T03:54:00.000-07:00

Howdy boys and girls!

Just finished my tour in France and said my tearful goodbyes to my fellow tour members. After spending 21 days with complete stangers, you tend to bond and form a family-like group. Thankfully, we all have each other's email addresses, and I think I've scored some free "couch time" around the States. Hopefully, these people know what they're getting into by letting an unemployed person like myself crash their homes. :)

The first night in France was spent in French Burgundy in a small town called Beaune. There I spent most of my time sampling wines and eating fine French food. It was a good introduction into the French culture and language. In fact, I started having flash-backs from high school about my not-so-great French teacher, Maddam Rankin. I did very poorly in her class as I never expected to use such a language in my life. To justify my less-than-steller performance, I committed to memory one French phrase for the remote chance I would visit a French speaking country: Je ne parle pas Français...which means "I don't speak French". My advice to you: don't slack in your foreign langauge class. You may need it someday.

The next two nights were spent in the city of Paris. I didn't expect to like Paris, or France for that matter. In my mind, I thought it would be like the bigger city's in Italy: hectic, crazy, and disorganized. Instead, Paris was everything that you here people romanticize about. Furthermore, everything was impressive: The Louvre, The Orsay, The Eiffel Tower, The Champs Elyse, The Arc de Triomphe, and The Boat Tours. There was so much to see and experience in Paris that I'm kicking myself for not spending a few extra days there. I simply have to go back.

Well, I'm now in London, and I think all this traveling has taken its toll on me. I've had to dip into my cache of antibiotics because I think I'm developing some kind of cold or sinus infection. Its not bad, but it was enough to make me sleep most of yesterday when I got into England. Between the vitams, Airborne, and Z-Pack I'm hoping to feel much better by tomorrow.

Today I'm supposed to meet Rachel at Gatwick airport as she's flying in from a family reunion in Spain. It'll be great to see a familiar face from home! I can't believe I've been gone for only 3 weeks. It feels more like a month and a half!

Anyhow, until next time...

Good times!

Western Europe: Switzerland (part 2)

2006-07-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Hey kids!

Still in Switzerland. The tour I'm on is almost over, and I'm saddened a little. Although I'll be still traveling after this tour (London and Amsterdam), I'll miss hanging out with the peeps here. I promised myself I wouldn't cry (*sniff* *sniff*), but I just get so dang sentimental when it comes to goodbyes. I'll definately miss Chris and Michelle 'cause we've been hella tight, like the Three Musketeers, but way more cooler.



Today was a banner day. We took the gondola from Stechelberg to Gimmelwald, to Murren to Birg, and then all the way up to Schiltorn. For you James Bond fans, Schiltorn is where Her Majesty's Secret Service was filmed. Anywho, when you're up at 10,000 feet in Schiltorn, the view is breath taking. Literally. Simply walking in air that thin will make you feel like a fat, out of shape, 58 year old man. While I enjoyed the view, I was glad to eventually make it down to 5,000 feet, where oxygen actually exists.



After our jaunt to Schiltorn, we went back down to Murren, where one of the tour guides, Trina, and I left the rest of the group to have a nice little picnic while waiting for our 1pm appointment to go paragliding.



Ok folks. Paragliding in the Swiss Alps.....FLIPPIN' AWESOME!!!! Its basically the closest thing you can get to feeling like a bird. Flying without any form of propulsion or engine at 4,000 feet above ground in an aircraft resembling a parachute is the most gratifying experience in the world. We flew around in the valley for 24 minutes while enjoying some of the most gorgeous mountains scenery in the world. When Trina and I landed, all we could do is smile and screem at each other. I was so high from the experience that I still couldn't believe I did it. Everyone in the group was jelous that they weren't brave enough to try it. To be honest, I was barely brave enough to do it, but once in the air all worries are set aside to enjoy this most unique flying experience.

Western Europe: Switzerland

2006-07-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Howdy kids!

Just arrived in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. I gotta say, I FRIGGIN' LOVE THIS PLACE! The mountain scenery is amazing....even better than Austria. I feel at home again here in the Alps and hearing people speak German. I was so burned out on the complexities of Italian culture (i.e. don't order bread with risotto else expect funny looks), and its nice to here people speak a Germanic language (i.e. English, German, etc.). Not that I hated Italy, but after being in Germany, Austria, and now Switzerland, Italy is anything but cozy. Plus, you can get a descent beer here too, and that does not suck.

Tomorrow, we head to a mountain peak via gondola that is 10,000 feet above sea level. Afterwards, we hike down the Northface trail to about 7,000 feet. From there, one of the assistant tour guides and I were the only ones brave enough to sign up for paragliding the rest of the way down. Basically, paragliding is like hang gliding, but the aircraft looks more like a parachute. I can't friggin' wait!

My minutes on this computer are almost up, so until next time...

Good times!

Western Europe: Italy (part 4)

2006-07-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hey kids!

My kingdom for a hamburger. The first thing I'm doing when I get home is going to Scotty P's for a great American greasy hamburger. I love the food here, but how's a brother to get some real animal protein up in this country? I'm carb'ed out.

Currently, I'm in Monterosso, which is in the area known as Cinque Terre (a.k.a. the Italian Riviera). This area is attributed to inventing pesto and foccacia bread. The restaurant we had dinner at last night gave us a demonstration on how to make pesto with a mortar and pestle. I'm totally making it when I get home.

Today has been relaxing. Our tour guide mentioned that this would be our vacation from our vacation. So far, I've slept till noon, had lunch, walked on the beach, picked up my laundry, hit a Bancomat (ATM), and took several needed naps. I feel recharged. After walking 5 to 8 miles a day, its nice not to have to do any physical activity.

Well, I'm about to head out and meet some folks at the bar down the street. So until next time...

Good times!!!

Western Europe: Italy (part 3)

2006-07-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

Ciao!

These last few days have been crazy.

Seeing Michelangelo's David in Florence was amazing! Pictures do not do this work of art justice. Seeing it in person really conveys how bold and bigger than life Michelangelo wanted the subject to appear. Its almost indescribable. Although they didn't allow pictures, I risked confinscation of my camera for a few covert snap shots. Looking back, it was probably pointless as it wouldn't be the same as viewing it in person. Still, I now have the evidence that I was there.

We arrived in the heart of Rome yesterday afternoon, and it's been non-stop stimulation ever since. This city is crazy as it evokes every emotion possible: confusion, adoration, disgust, wonder, sad, happy and list goes on. Italians are definately a different breed of people. They work on their own time frame as you cannot count on posted hours of the local shops. They are friendly with an attitude. They are both confident and laid back. When they say "ciao" (pronounced 'chow') it seems to roll off their tounge like buttah. When men wear sports jackets here, they're above having their arms through the sleeves as they just let the garmet hang off the shoulders like a cape. In fact I saw a guy doing that this morning with a neon yellow taxi vest.

Yesterday we toured the ancient ruins of the Colosseum and the Forum with our wonderful local tour guide, Franchesca. Today we spent our morning touring the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel, and our early afternoon in St. Peter's amazing cathedral, which was friggin' enormous. I was excited to see Michelangelo's Pietà in person (in aforementioned cathedral), as it is one of my favorite works by the famed artist. In case you're not familar with this one, the sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary holding the deceased Jesus Christ in her lap. It is so amazingly intricate (even in the photos), and I still wonder how he chiseled the delicate folds in Mary's robe without the marble cracking. Amazing.

On a side note, I'm almost burnt out on pizza and spaghetti and can't wait for French food later in the tour.

So until next time....

Good times!

Western Europe: Italy (part 2)

2006-07-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

Guess what....finally got pics!!!! Check it out:

The first picture is of our tour group in Bacharach Germany. The second pic in Venice Italy. I'll post more soon!

Western Europe: Italy

2006-07-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Buon giorno!!!

I made it to Italy! We arrived in Venice on the 8th and stayed for two days. Let me tell you, it's just like the pictures. There are water canals everywhere, and we rode a gondola the first night we arrived. The entire town is an island, and exploring the city is like walking through a maze. I managed to get lost on several occasions. Fortunately, the hotel was near the Academia bridge (a major landmark), so I was never lost for more than 30 minutes at a time. Last night, I watched Italy win the world cup while in Italy! How cool is that? The people here went absolutely friggin' nuts!!! As I was walking through the city during the game, I could hear the game blasting on TV's in apartments and bars everywhere. Every self respecting Italian citizen was hooting and hollering in unison throughout the city whenever a good play was made. People take soccer waaaaaay too seriously here.

Ok, just a little housekeeping before I move on. I noticed several of you have been gracious enough to leave me comments.....and I can't thank you enough for that (keeps me from getting home sick)!!! However, please sign your name to the comment at the end if you're posting comments anonymously. Ok, got that out of the way.

So today we arrived in Florence, and I'm still getting used to this city. It's not as picturesque as Venice, but there are some great sites to see here. Tomorrow, we are scheduled to visit several museums, and I'll get to finally see Michelangelo's David in person.

The hardest part about Italy is trying to refrain from using my German phrases in lieu of the newly acquired Italian phrases. The first day I was here, I said "danke" instead of "grazie" on several occasions. Fortunately, most of the Italians here knew German anyway and responded appropriately.

One of my favorite parts of Italy is being able to have a proper espresso for a mere 80 cents (and getting to speak Italian to order it). Plus, this is wine country, so a good red is usually cheaper than a soda or bottled water.

Guess what? I don't have my camera with me and this computer has a USB port. DOH! No worries. I had a shop in Venice make a backup of my camera's memory cards onto CD (in case it gets stolen here in the pick pocket country of the world), so I can use my hotel's computer later tonight to post pics, so stay tuned!!! Woohoo!!! I promise I'm not holed up in some hotel in NYC or anything....I'M ACTUALLY IN ITALY!!!! :)

So until next time...

Good times!!!

Western Europe: Austria (part 3)

2006-07-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Ok, I've ranted enough about scenery and such. Allow me to talk about the people I've encountered.

Everyone on the tour has been super cool. We've turned into one giant big 23 member family since the tour has started. One of the kids who is 11 years old organized a big foosball tournament this evening. Needless to say, I got my ass handed to me by our bus driver, Juan. I'll look forward to getting everyone's email address and sharing pictures with fellow tour members.

The hotel staff has been bad ass. I just got done sharing some locally made schnapps made by his uncle and we talked about life and traveling at great lengths. His hotel is so cozy that I forget to shut my door sometimes because I feel like I've been staying at a relative's house. I love this place!

So until next time...

Good times!

Western Europe: Austria (part 2)

2006-07-07T05:39:00.000-07:00

Hey kids!

Still in Austria. We hiked in the Bavarian Alps in the rain this morning and crossed the Austria-Germany border in the mountains. The scenery was beautiful and the rivers were this emerald colored because it comes from glacial runoff. The forests here as so majestic. We saw several salamanders as we walked the hiking path.

As I mentioned in my previous blog, we were supposed to do the luge sled thing today, but alas it is raining. owever, we still visited the castle I mentioned in the last post. Oh, as it turns out, I was wrong about it belonging to a Kaiser. The castle was built by "Mad" King Ludwig and its called the Nueschwanstien.

This afternoon and this evening should be fairly relaxing, so I'll be catching up on laundry, shopping, and meeting some friends from the tour at the bar later. The next 6 days will be super busy in Italy, so I don't know if I'll have time to answer many emails or update this blog much.

So until next time...

Good times!

Western Europe: Austria

2006-07-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Howdy kids!

Just got into Pinswang, Austria this evening, which is in the Bavarian Alps on the border of Germay and Austria. The view from my room is friggin' amazing! I have an excellent view of the mountains, and it is so green here. The hotel I'm staying in is so wholesome that it makes me want to braid my hair and climb the hills to go yoldeling. Seriously, I thought this kind of stuff only existed in movies like The Sound of Music.

Before Austria, we stopped in Munich for three hours. We got to drink beer and eat a pretzel in one of the city's largest beer gardens. Even as a major city, I wasn't expecting it to look so historic, but I was pleasantly suprized. Just looking around, you could still tell that you were in Germay. I loved it! If all goes according to plan, I will be coming back to Munich for Oktöberfest '06.

After that, our group went to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial. I've always heard that Germans do not speak of the horrors of WWII, but our tour guide quickly put this myth to rest (she grew up in Germany). The memorial is as powerful as anything I've seen or read about the halocaust.

This evening, we enjoyed a gourmet buffet of several food items I could not identify. In spite of that, this was probaby the best meal I've had in Europe so far. I'm certain that I've lost 5 pounds so far (from all the intense walking), but tonight's dinner probably changed all that. Tomorrow we go hiking into the mountains to visit a famous castle of one of the last Kaisers in Germany, and then we're supposed to go luge sledding if the weather permits. Should be fun!

Ok people, I know I keep saying this, but I promise I'll upload some pics at some point. None of the computers I've encounter so far have USB ports for connecting my camera. WTF Europe?!?!?

So until next time...

Good times!

Western Europe: Germany

2006-07-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks! I know, I know....it's been awhile since I posted. I've been crazy busy these last 3 or 4 days, so allow me to give you the Reader's Digest version of what I've been doing.

Finished my tour of the Netherlands, which included Haarlem, Amsterdam, and Anhern. Haarlem is a mini version of Amsterdam, which I think has more character than the later. Anherm is a border town that had this really cool open air museum demonstrating early Dutch culture. At any rate, the Netherlands is definitely on high on my list of 'must see places in Europe'.

On July 3rd, we arrived in Bacharach, Germany, which is a very picturesque town in the Rhine valley. Words cannot describe how beautiful this area is. I was looking forward to Germany on this trip, and this town sealed the deal. Every quaint picture you've seen of Germany is embodied by the appearance of this town. Blissful...

Today, July 5th, we arrive in Rothenburg, Germany. Still quaint, but a bit more touristy. I spent most of the day sight seeing, and the evening was spent drinking lots of libations at a local carnival. Henceforth, I'm slightly polluted as I type this.

Ok, I've promised pictures in several of my last posts, but I've yet to encounter a computer that has an accessible USB connection for my camera. So, you'll just have to wait to see what Europe looks like through the eyes of Kapernicus!

Well, it's very late here, and I've got an early morning tomorrow. So, until next time....

Good times!!!!

Second day in the Netherlands

2006-07-01T01:55:00.000-07:00

Well, after a good night's rest, food, and some fine beer (Palm, never heard of it, but it was tasty nonetheless), I'm feeling more adjusted to my new surroundings. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the culture shock (combined with sleep deprivation) was a bit overwhemling. The hardest part was trying to function in surroundings where everything is not written in English. For instance, I had the worst time trying to figure out the buses here. You pretty much have to be reliant upon the citizens here to help an old Yank like myself navigate this place. And forget trying to remember street names. Everything has strange spellings like Hjuuulkenkking and crap like that. Well, that wasn't an actual street name, but it may as well been for my ethnocentric mind. Eitherway, it's a humbling experience.

Well, my minutes are running out on this computer, so untill next time...

Good times!

Finally made it!

2006-06-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm in Europe. Netherlands specifically. It is definately a culture shock. Everyone rides bikes, speaks English fluently (Dutch is their primary language), and has blonde hair (mostly). I'm experiencing a stay in the hostel for the first time, and it's definately interesting. It's basically a room with three sets of bunk beds (6 beds total). Hopefully my roomates are English speaking, as I'm already starting to miss home (that's just the culture shock talking).

Tomorrow, I'll meet up with me tour group, so that should lift my spirits a bit being near fellow Americans. Well, I need to wrap this up soon since the hostel has only one working public computer and there's like three people hovering behind me wanting to check their email and such. I'll try to upload some pictures soon. In fact, I'd do it right now, but this computer doesn't appear to have USB ports. Bummer.

Well until my next blog....

have a good time!

Western Europe: The Begining

2006-06-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks! Today is Day 0 of my 36 day jaunt in Europe. I'll be boarding a plane around 11:30am to depart from DFW to ATL, where I'll be spending 2.5 hours waiting for my connection to the Netherlands. I'll arrive approximately 8:25am (Friday) local time in Amsterdam. Yeay! I've booked myself a dodgy hostel for the night, and I'll hook up with my tour group the following Saturday afternoon. There I'll spend the next 21 days roaming around Europe.

Here is my route:

Here's my tour itinerary so far:

Day 1: Welcome to the Netherlands
Your room should be ready by 2 p.m. at the hotel in Haarlem (30 minutes by train, bus or taxi from the Amsterdam airport). Plan on attending an informal group meeting at the hotel around 5 p.m. Join us afterward for a get-acquainted walking tour and dinner. Sleep in Haarlem (2 nights). No bus. Walking: light.

Day 2: Progressive, Artistic Amsterdam
We'll take the train into Amsterdam this morning, and begin with a walking tour of Amsterdam’s historic core, including Anne Frank's House. After lunch, we'll see masterpieces from the remarkable Rijksmuseum. You'll have free time late this afternoon to see the Van Gogh Museum or stroll along the canals. Later, we'll return to Haarlem for a free evening. Train 1 hr. Walking: strenuous.

Day 3: Dutch Treats and Rhine Views
We'll work our way down to Germany’s castle-studded Rhineland. Along the way, we'll stop in Arnhem to visit the Netherland's first and largest open-air museum. We’ll enjoy dinner together at our hotel tonight. Sleep in Bacharach on the Rhine (2 nights). Bus 7 hrs. Walking: light.

Day 4: Rhine Castles and a River Cruise
This morning we'll take a walking tour of Bacharach with a local guide. Then we'll head to St. Goar and hike up to the mighty Rheinfels castle, overlooking the Rhine. We'll tour the castle, cruise the Rhine, and have free time to do some exploring on our own before dinner. Bus ½ hr. Walking: strenuous.

Day 5: Medieval Rothenburg
After an early start, we'll arrive in Rothenburg, Germany’s cutest medieval town, just before lunchtime. The afternoon is yours to see Riemenschneider's altarpiece (the best woodcarving in Germany), walk the medieval wall, tour the Crime and Punishment Museum, or hunt down the best apple strudel in town. Sleep in Rothenburg (1 night). Bus 4 hrs. Walking: light to strenuous (your choice).

Day 6: Dachau and Austria’s Tirol
Today we'll make a 21st century pilgrimage to Dachau concentration camp near Munich. Later, depending on the day of the week, we'll have a lunch break in Munich or Andechs. We'll then drive south into Austria, toward the Alps and Reutte, our rural and tranquil Tirolean home base. Eat dinner (included) and sleep in or near Reutte (2 nights). Bus 6 hrs. Walking: light to moderate.

Day 7: Neuschwanstein Castle and the Luge
It's a short drive and a half-hour walk to "Mad King" Ludwig's Neuschwanstein Castle. After lunch, we'll look for a summer luge to barrel down (weather and season permitting), and find free time to stroll in the woods or relax at our peaceful hotel before dinner (included). Bus 1 hr. Walking: moderate to strenuous.

Day 8: Italy’s Incomparable Venice
We'll drive all day to Venice, where we'll leave the bus and board a boat to our hotel in the historic heart of this seductive city. After dinner, we'll take an orientation walk to magical, moonlit St. Mark's Square. Sleep in Venice (2 nights). Bus 8 hrs. Walking: light.

Day 9: The Art of Wandering in Venice
You are free all day to tour St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, the Accademia art gallery - or shop, explore the alleys, cruise the canals, and "crawl" the pubs. No bus (too much water). Walking: light to strenuous (your choice).

Day 10: Florence and Michelangelo’s David
After checking into our hotel, a gelato-fueled orientation walk will wind us through the historic core of Florence. In the evening we’ll get acquainted with Michelangelo's David at Florence’s Accademia. Sleep in Florence (2 nights). Bus 3 hrs. Walking: moderate.

Day 11: Wonders of Renaissance Florence
We'll begin our day with a tour of the masterpiece-packed Uffizi Gallery. Then you'll be on your own for the rest of the day to discover the wealth of historic churches, museums, street markets and cafés. No bus. Walking: light to strenuous (your choice).

Day 12: A Walk through Caesar’s Rome
This morning we'll drive straight to the heart of Rome, where we'll spend the afternoon uncovering Ancient Rome (visiting the Colosseum, Forum and Pantheon) with a local guide. Tonight let's celebrate la dolce vita, with a fountain-splashing, after-dinner stroll through the heart of the city. Sleep in Rome (2 nights). Bus 4 hrs. Walking: strenuous.

Day 13: Renaissance Rome
Today we'll focus on Renaissance (Catholic) Rome, spending our morning touring the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel, and our early afternoon in St. Peter's amazing cathedral. You'll have the rest of the day free to take a siesta or explore more of the Eternal City. No bus. Walking: strenuous.

Day 14: To Italy’s Cinque Terre
We'll drive all day to reach the sun-drenched beaches of Italy’s hidden Cinque Terre: five perfectly preserved fishing villages, surrounded by vineyards and the sea. On the way, we'll take time to visit one of Italy’s enchanting hill towns. At the coast, we'll leave the bus and take a 15-minute train ride into the Cinque Terre, where we'll sleep (2 nights). Bus 7 hrs. Walking: light to moderate.

Day 15: Free Day in the Cinque Terre
Ahh, time for a 'vacation from your vacation.' You couldn't see a museum here even if you wanted to! This is simply traditional Italy, with nothing to do but hike through the hillside vineyards that connect the five villages, take in the breathtaking scenery, hang out on the beaches, swim, and lounge around the town like a local. No bus. Walking: light to strenuous (your choice).

Day 16: To the Heart of the Swiss Alps
Today we'll catch an early train back to our bus, then head into the heart of the Swiss Alps. After a breathtaking drive, we'll arrive at our hotel located in the magnificent Lauterbrunnen Valley. Sleep in our creaky old chalet in the Lauterbrunnen Valley (2 nights). Bus 9 hrs. Walking: light.

Day 17: Free Day to Hike in the Alps
The day is all yours. If the weather is good, you may want to ride a gondola up to the Schilthorn at 10,000 feet, loiter in the thin air, and hike part way down. Or just lie low and play Heidi. For more Alpine thrills, ride trains and lifts to hikes at the foot of the majestic Eiger and Jungfrau peaks. Bad weather options include Trümmelbach Falls, valley hikes, or just relaxing in the mountain air. No bus. Walking: light to strenuous (your choice).

Day 18: A Hearty Taste of Burgundy
Today we'll say "Auf Wiedersehen" to the Alps and "Bonjour" to la belle France. We'll drive into profoundly French Burgundy for a look at small-town France. After an orientation to town and some free time, we'll gather for a sampling of this region's most famous product, Burgundian wine. Sleep in or near Beaune (1 night). Bus 5 hrs. Walking: light.

Day 19: Historic and Neighborhood Paris
After breakfast, we'll drive into Paris. Our driver will drop us off at our hotel, a croissant's toss from Paris' greatest sights. This afternoon we'll visit the stunning Nôtre Dame cathedral, the brilliant stained glass windows of Ste. Chapelle church and take a walking tour of our neighborhood. Sleep in Paris (2 nights). Bus 4 hrs. Walking: moderate.

Day 20: Parisian Masterpieces
This day provides a busy, star-studded finale for our tour. After a practical Metro subway lesson, we'll visit the Louvre with a local guide. Your Paris Museum Pass will help you pop painlessly into such legendary museums as the Orsay and Rodin. This evening we'll share a final dinner together. No bus. Walking: moderate to strenuous.

Day 21: Tour Over After Breakfast
If you're staying on in Paris, today would be a great day to hop on the train and tackle the sprawling palace and grounds at Versailles.

The Midwest: Part III

2006-06-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Wassup ya'll! I finally got around to taking a few snapshots up in tha Muncie 'hood. Hopefully these images won't be blocked from the workplace since I'm hosting them on photobucket.com (thanks Gruber!!!).

This is downtown. That building on the corner (in the first pic) is owned by my sister and bro-in-law. They just bought it and they're loving downtown living (including their dogs). Their business, Wishbone Gifts, is on the first floor, and they live on the second floor. The third floor is a giant rumpus room\pool hall\art studio\basketball court\storage\speak easy (no joke, the 3rd floor was a speak easy during prohibition).

Here's an action shot of Rod (bro-in-law) playing the part of humble shopkeep. Tons of cool stuff up in there. If you're ever in Muncie, definately stop by. Just tell him Dale sent ya!

So until next time....

Good times!

The Midwest: Part II

2006-06-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

Still in the great city of Muncie (Indiana), the home of Ball State University (which is David Letterman's alma mater). My bro-in-law got me hooked on this game\sport called geocaching. It basically involves you, a GPS receiver, and some form of transportation (car, bicycle, walking, etc.) to find these hidden caches, which usually consist of a logbook (to note that you've found the cache) and sometimes various other little souvenirs in said cache that you may take and leave. A better explanation comes from the official geocaching web site (http://www.geocaching.com/faq), which states:

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for gps users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a gps unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache.

Admittedly, I was skeptical at first. It seemed a little silly driving around on some dorky treasure hunt with a GPS. But to be honest, it was actually fun. Since the weather is spectacular here, that made it even more enjoyable. Plus, you get to see the sites of the surrounding area that you normally wouldn't otherwise pay attention to, and it's great exercise due to some of the walking involved.

As soon as I get back to Texas, I'm totally buying a GPS. Furthermore, geocaching is world wide. Hence, I'll be doing some geocaching of my own when I leave for Europe next month.

Good times!

The Midwest

2006-06-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks! This is going to be the beginning of my multi-part installment of Dale's Crazy Go Nutz World Tour 2006. As some of you may or may not know. I quit my job and have vowed to travel the world....or at least some of it. I'll try to share my adventures on this blog to hopefully entertain\bore others. So here goes....

Arrived in Muncie, Indiana on June 1st....barely. Missed my 7:10am flight so American Airlines put me on standby for a 1:27 pm flight. The cool thing was that I love reading while traveling, so I found a quiet spot in the airport to engross myself in a book for the next 6 hours. The stressful part was wondering if I was going to have a seat on the next flight since flying standby doesn't guarantee your spot. At any rate, everything worked out, and I made it.

Ok, when I left Texas, the weather was hot and humid. Here in the Midwest the weather is more akin to San Diego: mid 70's. Its like airconditioning outside. Nice.

I'm staying with my sister and the Muncie ambassador (see Rod at http://www.myspace.com/rcrossl653) at their kick-ass, newly acquired building located in the heart of this downtown city. It's conveniently located within walking distance of everything you could possibly need, except a grocery store. It's nice being able to walk to a coffee shop, bar, or restaurant.

If you're interested in learning more about Muncie, check out this friggin' hilarious video....I've had the song in my head since I've been here:

http://www.break.com/index/lazymuncie.html