Original post by Glen and software by Elliott Back

Today I said farewell to my Easy Rider guide Sinh after five days and 500 miles on the back of his motorbike, travelling from Dalat in the central highlands of Vietnam up to Hoi An, on the coast.



It was a great experience and the 58-year old father of six was a pretty cool guy to hang out with.



Having spent the best part of a week away from the backpacker trail I am now firmly back on it and already missing Sinh’s easy company.



While the whole experience is fresh in my mind, here’s a list of things (in reverse order of course) that I’ll miss about cruising around on a motorbike with Nguyen Xuan Sinh:

Top Five Things I’ll Miss About “Easy Rider” Sinh



5.
The grimace and little shiver he gave whenever VCs or Viet Cong (basically the communist
government people) were mentioned. Sinh really doesn’t like the reds, although to be fair they did try to blow him up several times during the Vietnam (or American) war.



4.
His initially rather disturbing, but seemingly completely socially acceptable, practice of playfully trying grab the genitals of young boys, usually when we’re eating in some local restaurant.



3.
His constant urging for me to tell random Vietnamese girls, in Vietnamese, that I love them – and often doing it on my behalf if I declined too many times in one day.



2.
His one-time use of the expression “boom-boom” to mean the physical act of love. He told me one morning that a girl in the (seemingly above board) massage parlour at the bottom of the hotel we were staying in had offered him a massage and “boom-boom”. When he told her he only had 10,000 dong (less than dollar), she apparently shrugged and said “okay”. I’m glad to say he declined, which I’m sure his wife and numerous children will be pleased to learn.



And at the top of the chart:



1.
His habit, on seeing a slightly larger than usual Vietnamese girl (i.e. small rather than tiny), of pointing her out, and saying “Look, big one”. He’d then puff out his cheeks, stand up, and do an elaborate mime I can best describe as a fat man in a large rubber ring waddling down to the sea for a paddle.

Original post by Glen and software by Elliott Back

The idea of the Easy Rider concept is that you get to see a few places that not many people visit – “The Real Vietnam” as my driver Sinh is keen on repeating.



On the way between places that tourists rarely visit, you pass through a whole bunch of places that tourists almost never, if ever, visit. We stopped for a short while in one of those places today. Sinh sat and had a turbo-charged Vietnamese coffee, while I wandered around a small market.



Now it’s probably an exaggeration to say that the people in this town had never seen a Westerner up close before, but by the reaction I got it certainly felt like it.



As I walked through the market, I created a wave of people stopping what they were doing and just staring at me. When I smiled I got big smiles in return but all in all it was a very strange experience. Like being a celebrity without actually having earned it.



There were some fairly choice items for sale in the market, like this freshly-skinned pig’s head:

I walked through the market and out the back where there were a few houses running alongside a dirt road. Just as I was about to head back to the market, a man appeared in an open doorway and beckoned me frantically to come inside.



Once inside he sat me down in a tiny plastic chair poured me a large beer and tipped a plateful of peanuts into my hand. He was suitably impressed with my Vietnamese drinking toast (basically “One Two Three Drink!”) and as soon as I drained any beer from the glass, he immediately topped it back up again.



Then a small child of about three years old wandered in (the man’s son I think). As soon as he saw me, his eyes widened in terror, he screamed, then he ran out of the house crying, which the man thought was hilarious.



After about five minutes the child ventured back in, edged slowly up to me, prodded me with his finger, then ran away again half-shrieking, half-giggling. It was like the opening scene in 2001: A Space Oddessy with him as an ape and me as the mysterious monolith. He did this several more times, becoming bolder each time, until he was relatively comfortable being in the same room as me.

In the twenty minutes or so I was there, I had two beers, and about 6 glasses of dubious rice wine. Not a huge amount of alcohol but enough for 11am, particularly when you’ve got another four hours on the back of a motorbike ahead of you. Throughout this time, as news of my arrival spread, various faces appeared at the door to gawp.



Although the man clearly wanted to me to stay for lunch, I thought Sinh might start to get worried about my absence, so I made my excuses (well, a bunch of slightly lame gestures including some watch-pointing, shrugging, and revving of an imaginary motorbike) and got up to leave. I left some money to cover the alcohol I’d consumed, which was either much appreciated, or hugely offensive. It was difficult to tell which.



When I got back to Sinh – who hadn’t been in the least bit concerned – I could feel the alcohol kicking in. I looked at my rucksack, strapped tightly to the back of the bike with bungee cords, and couldn’t help wondering if there was a way that I could be secured in a similar fashion.

Original post by Glen and software by Elliott Back

Distinct Italian flair with the colourful costumes, horses in fancy dress and the detail to protocol makes this a true call back to yesteryear - there is nothing like listening to the drums and trumpets in the narrow city streets as they echo off of the medieval buildings, watching the colourful pageant of nobility, flag throwers and military men march down the stone paved roads.

Though one must admit the tourist attraction in Tuscany that these events draw - the origins of the modern day re enactments in Tuscany are more closely tied to local pride then anything else. Tuscan cat calls, cheers, chants and a wild display of colour in favour of their local Tuscan champion, they parade into the grand square and proceed to re enact a game of strength and skill, one can almost hear the calls and yells of the public…well almost is an understatement. The Italians take these competitions as serious as they do their soccer matches!

Perhaps one of the more famous - but not the only one for sure - is the re-enactment takes place in the famous square in Siena, Tuscany. Held twice during the year in Siena, once in May and the second in July, you will find a one of a kind horse race. The entire square in Siena is covered in sand and the route is well marked. Make a note on your Tuscan calendar of the main phases of the Palio, there are four days of celebration.

It’s important to know that only ten of seventeen contrade run each time and that their participation is decided by a draw, which takes place at least twenty days prior to each Palio. The contrade is the way Siena has divided its town up into competing factions. Each with their own flag, colors and church - where most of them take the horse itself in for the blessing.

At the end of the Parade, a burst of canon fire announces the jockey’s exit from the Entrone. Each jockey is given a whip made of ox tendon with which he may incite the horse and block his opponents during the race. They then draw close to the starting point, where two hemp ropes have been stretched across to allow the jockeys to line up between them. The entrance order is decided by luck: in fact, there is a special bottle-type mechanism, with a neck-piece grafted into an oval container, once the bottle is turned over, the balls randomly line up along the neck-piece, in this way deciding on the order of the start. This procedure is carried out three times so that the starter is able to use the two reserve starts if the first one is not possible.

Nine contrade are called to line up between the ropes according to the order of the draw, while the tenth take a run-up (only when he decides on the right moment) in the way deciding the moment of the start. At that point, the starter lowers the front rope and opens the race.

If the start is invalid, a cracker is let off to stop the horses which will then have to return to the starting point. The horses have to circle the track three times, for around 1000 metres and the first one to finish is the glorious victor, approved by the three winning’s judges.

Even a horse, without its jockey, can carry its contrada to victory.

Original post by Mao tze tuscany and software by Elliott Back

Valentine’s Day comes on February 14th as a traditional day on which lovers express their feelings for each other and give them candy, flowers and others as a gift. Valentine’s day was originated in 5th century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine and the day became famous with romantic love in the high middle ages.

Its very difficult to know when, where, and by whom the very first valentine was written but we do know that the first one was written by Margrey Brew and the another first was written by Charles, Duke of Orleans in 1415 A.D. when he was in London at that time poems was sent by him to his wife in France.

“Wilt thou be mine? Dear love, reply
Sweetly consent, or else deny;
Whisper softly, none shall know,
Wilt thou be mine, love? Aye or no?”

Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is celebrating by every one in all over the world because this is not only to pass message someone you love even you can also enjoy with your dear ones.

But let’s not forget that Valentine’s day in our time is one of the best reasons to travel! What could be better than traveling with your beloved one to a romantic hotel or island and have a great time with the people you love.

The following destinations are surely going to make the perfect romantic holiday:

BANGKOK

Bangkok has a lot to offer for the Valentine’s day. During the day, Bangkok might be overwhelming for some but when the sun sets almost all people would agree that the city changes its face completely. There are a lot of ways how to spend a romantic night in the City of Angels.
One of the best ways could be to take a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River where you can enjoy a candle light dinner under a sky full of stars while listening to the soothing sounds of the river.

In Bangkok we recommend staying at the following romantic hotels:

Royal River Hotel Bangkok $44.50
Marriott Resort and Spa Hotel Bangkok $151

Other romantic Thailand Hotels include:

Bo Phut Resort and Spa $171.50
Baan Samui Resort $115
Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket $122.50
Central Kata Resort Phuket $85

[Source from: Excelloz.com]

Original post by Michael Comglas and software by Elliott Back

Original post by Larry and software by Elliott Back

American Airlines are to fly to Rome all year round. The airline currently operates a daily service to Rome Fiumicino Airport from Chicago O’Hare and New York JFK during the summer months. However, from October 28, 2007, American Airlines will continue their service through the winter with four flights a week from Chicago and three weekly flights from New York. For more information visit www.aa.com.

Original post by Andy Pettefer and software by Elliott Back

By: Raynor James

If you’re tired of living in close quarters, Wyoming may be the answer for you. Wyoming real estate is also appreciating at a nice pace.

Wyoming

Wyoming is the least populated state in the United States, but also one of the most beautiful if getting back to nature is your thing. While the cattle industry dominates the state, you also find bears, moose and a variety of large beasts roaming freely in the state. This is particularly true in the two major national parks located in Wyoming, Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

Jackson Hole

Located in the foothills of Grand Teton lies the valley of Jackson Hole and the town of Jackson. The town has a suedo Wild West feel to it, but is heavily populated with the nuevo rich. Historic facades front trendy boutiques, but the area somehow manages to maintain a local feel.
If you’re an avid skier, Jackson just may be the place for you. The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is not for the faint of heart. There aren’t really any bunny slopes at this place. Instead, you have to have a passion for more or less throwing yourself off a cliff with no parachute!

Laramie

At first, Laramie appears to be a typical cowboy town, but first appearances are deceiving. Home to the University of Wyoming, Laramie has a definite college feel with the stereotypical college lifestyle. The town is located in a prairie setting.

Wyoming Real Estate

Wyoming real estate prices vary wildly depending on the specific location. Homes in Jackson Hole are going to be pricey with average prices in the $600,000 range. In contrast, the average home price in Laramie is roughly $150,000. For the last 12 months, Wyoming real estate has appreciated at a rate of a little over 11 percent.

If elbow room is critical to your lifestyle, Wyoming definitely offers plenty of it.

About the Author:
Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org/ - FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our “sell my home” page at http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to list homes for sale by owner.

By: Raynor James

If you’re tired of living in close quarters, Wyoming may be the answer for you. Wyoming real estate is also appreciating at a nice pace.

Wyoming

Wyoming is the least populated state in the United States, but also one of the most beautiful if getting back to nature is your thing. While the cattle industry dominates the state, you also find bears, moose and a variety of large beasts roaming freely in the state. This is particularly true in the two major national parks located in Wyoming, Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

Jackson Hole

Located in the foothills of Grand Teton lies the valley of Jackson Hole and the town of Jackson. The town has a suedo Wild West feel to it, but is heavily populated with the nuevo rich. Historic facades front trendy boutiques, but the area somehow manages to maintain a local feel.
If you’re an avid skier, Jackson just may be the place for you. The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is not for the faint of heart. There aren’t really any bunny slopes at this place. Instead, you have to have a passion for more or less throwing yourself off a cliff with no parachute!

Laramie

At first, Laramie appears to be a typical cowboy town, but first appearances are deceiving. Home to the University of Wyoming, Laramie has a definite college feel with the stereotypical college lifestyle. The town is located in a prairie setting.

Wyoming Real Estate

Wyoming real estate prices vary wildly depending on the specific location. Homes in Jackson Hole are going to be pricey with average prices in the $600,000 range. In contrast, the average home price in Laramie is roughly $150,000. For the last 12 months, Wyoming real estate has appreciated at a rate of a little over 11 percent.

If elbow room is critical to your lifestyle, Wyoming definitely offers plenty of it.

About the Author:
Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org/ - FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our “sell my home” page at http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to list homes for sale by owner.

Original post by Larry and software by Elliott Back

Many thanks to a loyal blog reader for sending over this information on Virgin America. I, for one, would be thrilled to see VA in the skies!

Original post by spectrvlr and software by Elliott Back