farflungistan

Green is the new grey in Central Park this Spring

In Central Park the new spring season makes green the new grey of the season past. Rain showers are in the forecast today but they don’t prevent me from visiting. It’s hard to stay away and not see the park when the landscape is at it’s best. Central Park is in full bloom. TheContinue reading “Green is the new grey in Central Park this Spring”

Even More Highline Coming this Spring in NYC

The west-side High Line has new things to come this spring as it will soon be extending its green paths uptown to 30th Street. There’s no official date announced but it’s sometime this spring. The High Line is open to the public until 10pm and this summer there will be food services offered by High LineContinue reading “Even More Highline Coming this Spring in NYC”

Off Season on the Cape

It’s chilly, a bit windy but the sky is clear and the sun is brighter than it has been in months on Mayflower Beach. This time of year, the beaches lining the peninsula of Cape Cod are really not much different then they are in mid summer – minus the crowds and hot temps.Continue reading “Off Season on the Cape”

Ancient Eastern Crossroads of Apamea Syria

Driving up to Apamea after visiting the ruins of the other great cities of the area Al Basa and Sejilla while I was staying in Hama, Syria. This city was the center of it all at one point in time. The former village of Pharnake was renamed Apamea by the newly appointed and former Roman general to Alexander I kingContinue reading “Ancient Eastern Crossroads of Apamea Syria”

Need a break from the long winter..why not go to Tulum?

Why Tulum and not an all-inclusive resort with more food and drink then you can handle? Tulum is nothing like its spring break neighbor Cancun and its mega resort filled beaches of Playa del Carmen who lie just north in the Mayan Riviera coast of Mexico. Mexico is getting it’s butt kicked tourism wise byContinue reading “Need a break from the long winter..why not go to Tulum?”

A visit to Chac the Rain God @ Chichen Itza

Don’t go to Chichen Itza…you can’t walk up the Pyramid anymore…it’s crowded with locals selling junk…it’s hot and there’s no cover…blah blah blah. Of course I ignored all of that and joined the masses in a pilgrimage to the ruins of this member of both UNESCO and new member of the 2007 New Seven WondersContinue reading “A visit to Chac the Rain God @ Chichen Itza”

Flowers are out along Park Ave NYC

38 rose blossoms crawling with insects bring an early spring to Park Ave NYC thanks to the Public Art fund and artist Will Ryman. The towering pink and red roses adored with crawling bug sculptures stand 3′-22 feet tall along the wintry grey portion of Park Ave. between 57th and 67th Streets. The roses buds themselves weigh up to 2500Continue reading “Flowers are out along Park Ave NYC”

Egypt’s baksheesh industry..will it survive?

The people who are benefiting the least Mubarak leaving office sooner than later are his police forces and political allies. They are the ones who ask for the baksheesh even if they don’t do anything helpful or even help someone cross the street safely in Downtown Cairo. Some took to the streets and were takingContinue reading “Egypt’s baksheesh industry..will it survive?”

The Howls of the Rebel River in Hama Syria

The highlight of the city of Hama is by no doubt the norias or “wheels of pots”. Seventeen now remain standing and occasionally running above the Nahr al-Assi, aka Rebel River. Many know it as being the Orontes River. It’s presently the job of the office of Antiquities in Hama to make sure that theseContinue reading “The Howls of the Rebel River in Hama Syria”