Motorcycles on Display in Memphis

by Adrienne Wilson on

“The Art of the
Motorcycle” is a great collection of bikes past and present showcased as an art, an
icon of style, and teaching many about some great advancements in motorcycle
history. From the 1884 Copeland steam motorcycle which Lucius Copeland took off on at 12 mph to the 1956 Aermacchi
Chimera from Italy there are bikes for days and from around the world. Playing off the imagination, seeing the bikes as
a means to rebel, be a little dangerous, edgy or free on the open road, the exhibit will also delve into important
moments in history. The display located at the Memphis Pyramid runs through October 30, 2005. 

CNN has more details on
the show and if you’re in the area, definitely go check it out. Vvvaarrmm!!!

The Danube Delta

by Adrienne Wilson on

Here’s one for those infatuated with almost everything Eastern Europe and for those who aren’t take it as a mere suggestion. Don’t know how I found the site, but finding your way to the Danube Delta in Romania shouldn’t be hard. When I found myself staying in a boatel on the Danube river in Budapest, Hungary I thought I had died and gone to heaven and when I reached my destination in Romania, a sleepy Transylvanian town named Cluj-Napoca, I felt it happen all over again. It’s hard to imagine what the two together might be. Incredible maybe?

So, why might YOU want to hoof it down to the river anyway? For starters, it’s a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site not to mention one of the best preserved deltas in all of Europe, where the waters of the Danube make their way into the Black Sea. Residing in the delta is several bird species, fish and 800 plant species. Traditional fisherman villages are also to be found along the delta. Sounds fairly impressive, but if hanging out, exploring and being one with the river isn’t your idea of fun activities I do ask that you consider some other great things to do in the country.

Romania is amazing, having both excellent, inexpensive food (least while I was there four years back) and several interesting places to bounce in and around. The site for the delta supplies a great deal on the country, accommodations, and of course more useful information on making the delta apart of your travel plans.

Green Chile and Surfing

by Erik Olsen on

Chile rules.

Sorry, it is one of the best countries in the world. The people are cool, the country is (now at least) stable and
relatively prosperous, and from top to bottom, it is one of the most diverse places geographically you will ever
see.

In the North, there are the driest deserts in the world, in the south miles of glaciers and one of the most
magnificent parks on the globe. It also has some of the best surfing on the planet, a fact in evidence
in this video from
Surfer Magazine which is short, but downright cheerful.

On the River With Huck and Tom

by Erik Olsen on

Mark Twain
ranks among the top among American authors. No question about it. I remember reading Innocents Abroad way back
when I did my first solo trip to Europe, and I laughed so hard strudel came out of my nose. He has such a knack
for words, and a keen understanding of human nature that I’d place him up there among all great geniuses. Of
course, this is revealed best through his famous novel Huckleberry Finn, which Hemingway called the greatest of
American novels.

Well, with all that Mark Twain adulation aside, you might be interested to read
this article
in the LA Times about Twain’s home town of Hannibal, and riding the riverboats of the Mississippi. I love the idea of
these literary trips. In fact I recently blogged about
some similar trips in Maine, following in the literary footsteps (pen steps?) of folks like Faulkner. But in the end,
I’d probably be more interested in a trip like this one, just because I am such a devoted Twain fan.

Tutmania!

by Erik Olsen on

It’s sweeping the nation like a biblical swarm of locusts…he’s big, he’s dead, but he’s
baaack! In fact, Tut is doing Hollywood, hanging for the moment in LA’s County Museum of Art (LACTATE, or, I mean,
LACMA).  

So yes, it’s showtime for the boy king once again, as King Tut, Mr. “born in Arizona moved to Babylonia” tours the
nation once again. National Geographic is going all out
with Tut factoids and Web sites that deal in everything Tut. You know, when I was a kid, and Tut made his first
appearance on US soil, we were lucky to see some pictures in a magazine. But today, man, you’ve got full on
Web interactives and all sorts of cool
stuff. It must be very cool to be a kid today when it comes to this kind of stuff.