Jetlag Express from Shanghai to Casablanca VIA Tripoli

36 hours from China to Morocco. I’m on a train from the airport to Casablanca and it’s only been  an hour but feels like it took 20 hours.  We are arriving to Morocco after a 36 hour-long Qatar flight 550 from Shanghai where we each racked up almost 8000 miles of distance along with a dose of mind-boggling jet

Air Terminal @ Tripoli

lag.  I’m Traveltired to say the least.  The flight itself felt like we were tagging along a Chinese missionaries sponsored by the People’s Republic peace corp (if there is such a group is doubtful) because we were just about the only passengers not equipped with a yellow safety helmet and military issued backpack.  The flight dropped all of those workmen losing their flying virginity in lovely Tripoli.  Unfortunately we weren’t able to get off to check out the airport but the graveyard they call their runway was enough of a visual souvenir.  The plane is now 90% empty. This was a Boeing 777 which can seat up to 550 people. The flight attendant still refused to give us an upgrade to first class.  Too tired to care.

 

 

Libya Air Fleet or spare parts?

The 3 hour trip to Casablanca from Tripoli got us landed in the middle of the afternoon Western Europe Time .  There was just enough day light to get to the hotel, find something edible nearby and to find ways to keep our eyes open since it would be a bad long-term move if we turned in before 8pm. It was our only time to see Casablanca. We just wanted to see a little bit of the city while overcoming the harshest jet lag I had ever experienced.  The hours from the airport to the pillow was surprisingly hassle-free, my head didn’t burst and the little pill had no problem helping me get to sleep later.  A good night’s sleep was imperative tonight since this adventure wasn’t close to being over. We had booked a morning Marrakesh Express.  Don’t worry I’m not going to reference the song as tempting as it may be.

 

The train, like in most places, is the best way to go from Casablanca to Marrakesh May Day weekend 2008.  Taking a plane was just ridiculous since it’s expensive, we didn’t need to get anywhere fast and besides, we would miss the opportunity to witness inside and outside scenery of the humid train.

One of the pitfalls of planning a RTW trip is the things which can’t be avoided.  We had traveling in this part of the world before the severe heat, Ramadan and here we had May Day.  Being in Morocco during that particular weekend isn’t ideal since it’s Europe’s equivalent to the US Memorial Day long weekend holiday.    Like us, they usually hit the road and descend in the thousands near by attractions like Marrakesh.  The euro was strong and still is years later. For many, its great place to spend a few Euro on rugs and other bric-a-brac found in cute shops inside the Media and on a spa treatment back at the luxurious Riad.  The USD just wasn’t allowing us to go crazy and proposed a challenge to our planned budget.  We were just about half way through our year-long sojourn and had already had some unplanned budget overrides.  We just had to just roll with the Euro backed punches like we had done from the start.

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Why waste more time and money on worrying about forces that were out of our reach.  We were determined to enjoy Europe Morocco since we had just spent 2 days getting there . Our fiscal pains temporarily were forgotten in the steam of our Tagine and help of a few bottles of local beer. The common theme on such a trip is to manage with what we had and we did.  We found beautiful yet reasonably priced Riad called Riad al Faras for $85 USD, and enjoyed a few days of walking around the Medina, enjoying the company of those also staying at the Riad.  At the end, it only took a medium size chunk out of the budget but it was one of minor indulgences we treated to ourselves that year away.

The Great RTW Trip: Where to end it!

Beach in the Seychelles – La Digue

Planning a RTW trip for a year is something that one can never spend enough time doing.  No matter how long you plan and how much research is done, there’s always unplanned incidents which that can throw a huge wrench into any well thought out itinerary.  My only advise is to have two things.  A really good optimistic sense of humor and strong will to forge ahead after something didn’t go as plan because it will happen.  Unplanned events and Force-majeure, aka acts outside of human control, may include those pesky local holidays that your trusty LP guide never seems to give the heads up about, forces of nature or just the weather,  locals or people dressed in military gear (official, unofficial or somewhere in-between) taking over the government, protests which turn bloody mad, and a let dramatic and continuing  tanking of the USD greenback.  Let’s just say things got expensive real fast and we won’t even talk about the rise in food prices.  Well, may I just say a few words because it’s happening again.  The NYTimes featured an article about the U.N. addressing the rise of food costs.  This is a big heads up to people traveling overseas.  Developing nations will be hit the hardest.  The Philippines seem to be fine for now since corruption took care of that according to Bloomberg.com.

One of the things that can be planned which will hopefully offset some of the unfortunate incidents along the way is where the end of the line will be. How can you make a nice ending to a long journey? This is where the Seychelles comes in.  It’s an expensive destination compared to most but it’s a once in a lifetime experience given it’s locale and limited access.  Flying from JFK in NYC to Mahe International in a single trip cost about $2000/person and the shortest trip is 20 hours.  Flights also don’t go everyday.  The added advantage of going here on a RTW trip is that you can include it on one of the many RTW package deals if you are a savvy traveler.  I would also consider transiting through Madagascar and as well as Mauritius while you are in the neighborhood.  It’s much less expensive now, both amazing islands full of good food and natural wonders,  and very safe despite what the media reports, but I do recommend checking out the U.S. and the U.K.‘s excellent travel advisory reports before booking.  in Madagascar and do yourself a favor and look into a private car to take you around when you get there since public transport, as adventurous as it seems, just takes time away from buying vanilla beans ( to freshen up the backpack) and spending time checking out the lemurs and baobab ave.

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The one thing shortcoming about the Seychelles is the currency situation.  There are plenty of illegal money changers in the center of Mahe but the Seychellois Rupee can only be used by locals.  The Seychellois rupee which is right now .083 to the USD but it doesn’t matter because everything from postcards to the crappy vegetarian pizza is priced in euro.  The Seychelles are amazing and worth every Euro just need to use them wisely.  The bus is 5 rupees to get anywhere like the big supermarket in town which has a good assortment of goods available for reasonable prices.  The bus will also take you to the airport so you don’t have to pay NYC prices for a cab.

The Seychelles is a place where everything is just right.  It’s relaxed, people are genuinely friendly and enjoy life.  We also didn’t know when we would be in this neck of the world again so why not blow the rest of our budget.  The family run hotel called Daniella’s Bungalow’s we stayed in was a bargain (100 Euro/night including breakfast) It’s located down the street from most of the nicest properties on Mahe like  the oceanfront Le Meridian which was going for $300+ Euro.  It wasn’t oceanfront but it was good enough for Keanu who jogged past my husband and I as we lugged out backpacks from the bus stop to Daniella’s after a bumpy flight from Mauritius.  Daniella’s didn’t have an oceanfront location but it was a 2 minute walk from a deserted beautiful local stretch of beach.

Where ever the RTW world trail ends make sure it ends on the best note possibly because it will be the last taste you will have of absolute freedom.  Being somewhere like the Seychelles makes all of those missed destinations, unfortunate encounters with dubious others, injuries and other unpleasant events disappear with the ocean tides of the sapphire blue lagoon.  For the last days of the sojourn it will be only you and the guy that runs the unofficial shuttle boat Keanu probably used going back and forth from the Le Meridian.

Hoi An..better part of the Banana Pancake Trail

It’s no wonder Hoi An is on most travelers itineraries while visiting Vietnam and South East Asia. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, a place to do some serious shopping and learn how to cook authentic Vietnamese food by a trained chef.

Hoi An represents everything Vietnam is and more.  French, japanese and chinese influences in the architecture, food and layout of the city.  The city once was the center of Vietnamese merchant trade, but in the mid 1800’s Da Nang became the trade center with its larger and deeper port.

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Hoi An was left virtually unharmed after it’s country experienced military conflict in the mid to later part of the 20th century.  The city is best at night when the tour buses have left and the winding streets are closed off to traffic.  The city becomes dark and quiet and the streets are only lit up by silk lanterns and an occasional street light.  The Old Town center does not have the internet cafes, karaoke bars and snarled dirty scooter traffic that have taken over the night in other major Vietnamese cities.

My favorite thing to do in town is eat at one of the many restaurants (my favorite is Cafe des Amis) along the river and wander the Old Town streets afterwards.  There many things to see and do before heading back to the hotel.   Visitors can indulge in a french pastry and coffee, grab a Tiger Beer and/or shop.  This is also a good time to visit a Hoi An tailors since most are open later in the evening and will be more relaxed after working it all day.  I suggest bringing pictures,  allow enough time for alterations (usually need 2-4 days) and keeping it simple for the most desirable results.

Hoi An may be in the center of this Banana Pancake Trail that backpackers have come to call it, but it can’t be missed.  I would almost suggest going here instead of Da Nang, Hue or even Saigon if there was a choice to be made between them, but then again that is up to you the traveler.

Let’s go Junk Boating in Vietnam

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Let’s go Junk Boating in Vietnam

Looking back at trip pictures of Halong Bay makes me want to skip the holidays and find a cheap ticket back.  Most Vietnam vacations include the not so traditional overnight stay on the famous Junk boats found in northern Vietnam.  Most trips can be arranged by a tour company in Hanoi and usually don’t require more than a few days notice.  The company who arranged this trip was the “real” Kangaroo Cafe in Hanoi.  The tour was just ok, but I signed up after being so taken with my tasty veggie burger and fries in Hanoi.  Pho is great but sometimes a good burger and fries is needed.  I recommend using the internet to find a tour company that gives back to the local villagers whose livelihood depends on only the bay.  There are plenty of them out there and a little goes a long way.

The Bay itself is beautiful and taking great pictures requires little effort no matter what time of year.  Overall,  it’s best to double-check on the weather before booking.  In May, when I was there, it’s usually on the chilly damp side.  There was little temptation to swim and/or kayak chilly, dark and gloomy water.  Many tour and fishing boats with diesel engines tread those waters on a daily basis and it’s a good time to become vegetarian unless you want to be like Andrew Zimmern and eat the toxic catch of the day and chase it down with some local moonshine.  Cheers!

Travelers can never go wrong doing some online researching to sites like Trip Advisors LP Thorntree and other online forums which offer up to date tour information like ones to Halong Bay. Ownership chances or just getting into a hard copy guidebook like the LP guide can change places for the better or worse.   In Halong Bay, particularly look out for things like the condition of the boat, kayaks and quality of the food and staff.  I also may add that being a vegetarian or just a picky eater is always tricky on these group tours, so don’t go hungry and bring plenty of snacks and whatever else provides a more comfortable experience.

Time to trim the tree…let the Holiday Season Games begin!

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The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the many traditions I have missed while living in NYC just short of 11 years.  My family decided to travel in this year for the holiday, so it just seemed wrong not to go and take a look.  The weather on thursday was mild but it was nothing more was needed than a warm winter coat and accessories to go with.   There are crowds and all sorts of barriers to get around but it is a once in a lifetime thing to see live.

The parade began last night with the blowing up of the enormous balloon characters in and around Central park.  I attempted to get a look but the streets and sidewalks uptown were overflowing with traffic, so I just settled for a nice walk in the Park and a view from afar and stopped to get a pre-holiday cocktail with my mom on the way home.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade has a wonderful history.  It began as a promotional event for Macy’s  which featured first generation emigrant employees who wanted to celebrate this holiday and at the same time encourage people to come and do their Christmas shopping at Macy’s.  The parade in 1924 was much longer then the present day.  The procession of singers, dancers, musicians, and animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo made their way down from Harlem (145th St.) to the flagship store at Herald Square.  In recent years, there has been a few mishaps and tragedy’s due to unpredictable winter weather trapping balloons in street light posts and pushing them into groups of spectators.  Macy’s itself has faced some financial difficulties which has led them close to stopping the expensive event all together.

The holidays for 2010-11 have officially begun.  Let the christmas caroling, holiday shopping and wrapping begin.

Happy Holidays!

Great Skate Escapes of NYC Black Friday Holiday Weekend

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For those frugal travelers coming into NYC for some deals on Black Friday there is some hope of having a good time even after the wallet is empty.   NYC is, like many other cities is much more fun without a budget but there’s still so much to do.  It just requires a little more thinking, planning and possible a little more walking or time on the subway.    One of the best ways to spend an afternoon after exercising the wallet here in NYC is spending some time at a local ice rink.  It doesn’t have to be crazy over the top expensive.  Here are some choices which can keep the budget in check while visiting NYC this weekend.

Skating in the Park

There a number of places around Manhattan to skate.  If you can bring your own skates it’s less expensive and even free in some locations.  The first one that comes to mind to most is Rockefeller Center.  Some people just dream about coming here to skate and there’s nothing wrong with making a dream come true.  It’s good to know what you are getting into beforehand.  Well…it maybe an icon but it’s small (the Ice Rink website even says no more than 150 skaters at a time), usually packed (line at peak times is 1-2 hours long), and expensive (you can skate as long as you want but it’s $10-14 for admission and $8 for the rental if they have your size).  If you have to go it’s a good idea to go first thing, during the week and way before the holiday season.  This year that means in the next couple days.

If you really want to skate but $18-22 per person exceeds the budget I suggest a couple of very nice, larger and more affordable places.  The first one that comes to mind is the Ice Rink that is just a few blocks away from the Rock and it’s located inside of the historic Bryant Park. There is 17,000 square feet of open ice for skaters to twirl around in.  They do not charge admission so if you bring your own skates it’s FREE, but the skate rental is $13 (rumor has it is that they are clean and comfortable if that makes you feel better).  Bring your own lock and your shoes can be safely stashed away for free. (the Rock’s lockers are for members only…sorry)  Just keep any bags and larger items back at the room because they charge $7-10 for bag check at Bryant Park.  I didn’t say it was all free.  It just can be if you are frugal and think ahead.

On the northern end of Central Park sites the Lasker Rink and Pool that was built in the 1960’s.  The park as two rinks.  One for  the hip checking high school hockey players and another for all ages.  The park charges $6.50 for adults, $3.50 for youths, and $2.25 for seniors.  The skate rentals for all are $5.50 for all and a lock costs $7.50 but you get back $4 of it when the lock is returned.  That’s fair.  If you have your own skates then it’s a bargain at $2.50-6.50 per person.

photo credit: SETH WERKHEISER of BatteryParkCity.com

There are some unfortunate rinks that didn’t make it out this season.  One of the tops on my list in the rink located in Battery Park downtown.  They didn’t seem to find the right contractor to take over the job.  The site also had some problems due to extremely cold temperatures, larger amounts of snow fall and incidence of fallen debris from nearby construction sites.  Skating is not fun when windows and plywood are in the way.   The skating was $10 with or without rentals which was the best deal around.  I can only hope it maybe makes a late season debut or comes back next year.  I have a feeling the price may go up as it usually does in NYC.

For more info on other area rinks check out  the New York Led which has put together a great guide to these and other NYC metro area rinks.

Get out and enjoy the kind weather we have been enjoying this mild fall here in NYC.  Black Friday can be a fun day if you include some outdoor activities like skating. Happy Skating..and shopping as well!!

Off the Grid Food in San Francisco vs the Red Hook Ball Fields

San Francisco has always been a great food city.  The Bay Area is a locavores paradise.  Food sold here is locally produced and grown within 100 miles of the city year round. The Bay Area is experiencing a food cart trend has peaked and is very similar to the food cart culture of  NYC.  This was until the  Off the Grid SF was created in June 2010.

photo by official Off the Grid Facebook page M. Cohen

The Off the GridSF website describes it as “a roaming mobile food extravaganza that travels to different locations daily to serve delicious food, with a free side of amazing music, craft and soul. We’re bringing all your favorite gourmet food vendors together to create a market like you’ve never seen before.”  Vendors include the Creme Brulee Cart,  TaKorea,    The is only one venue worth mentioning that even comes close to it here in NYC/Brooklyn and it is the Red Hood Ball Field Food Vendors.

"Rain is Not an Obstacle" at the Red Hook Ball Fields by Yelper Marcos A.

 

For about the past 40 years vendors have set up their grills and blenders during the July and August sports season along the fringes of this remote Brooklyn 59 acre facility.   There were no places when the field was build near the low income housing in Red Hook to get food or drink, so logically picnic goers brought their own.  As the years passed artists and the like escaping the rent increases in Manhattan were naturally attracted to this area.   They, like Columbus, soon “discovered” what was going on at the park. Local mags/blogs began  spreading the word about the cheap sports and eating event that took place each summer in their hood.  Word spread and the Red Hook Food Vendors eventually got a shout out by the NYTimes food section.   And, you guessed it, The New York City Board of health soon paid a visit as well.  They weren’t too happy with the open fires, improper cooking facilities and vendors not following proper food sanitation practices that other licensed vendors did throughout the city.   Threats were soon made by the Parks Department but due to huge public uproar which included a plea from Senator Chuck Schumer .

The Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain with his show No Reservations stopped by and filmed right before the possible closing was announced.   Big names in the New York food scene along with the hard work of executive director of the Food Vendors Committee Cesar Fuentes and his community support, the vendors were back to work.  Some had to throw in the towel because the list of regulations to follow and proper procedures to abide by was just too long.  They had to readjust in many ways and of course many say it’s just not the same.

Food bloggers voices were heard as well as many blogged in support of the food vendors.  One particular blogger J. Slab of The Porkchop-Express did an extensive entry on the history of the field.  This mercado seems to be showing signs of having a bright future as seen in this article in the NYTimes this past April.  It may not be the same as 40 years ago but it still gives those who have stuck around an income and local spectators good food to eat while watching Brooklyn’s own Cabinet Soccer Club vs. Beşiktaş Football Club, league champions of Turkey.

The Off the Grid SF is and inspiration for NYC since it’s a well organized and food community driven event that happens year round and many times during the week.   It has brought new life to Fort Mason that has had it’s ups and downs financially since it was designated as a national park in 1976.  The mobile food market sponsored here by SF Food carts which is run and was started by Mark Cohen has been proven to be a way to revitalize communities as others have been welcomed into the Mission, Haight/Ashbury and the Civic Center/Tenderloin neighborhoods of SF.

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New York City has no shortage of food and street vendors who offer up just about anything these days.  What is missing is a venue where a number of vendors can get together like at Off the Grid in SF and the Mobile Pods in Portland OR.  Why not and make a night or day of good eating and live entertainment instead of just getting lunch or a small bite during the work day?  I got an idea…how about putting one by the old wharfs below Brooklyn Heights?  Do you out there know of an empty parking lot or other open space for such an event?  Where would you put one…?

Get somewhat off the beaten path in San Francisco

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After a few days of celebrating the Giants win it is time to see the city they call home.  There are the usual attractions that people flock to which include the cablecars, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate bridge to name a few, but if you have been before or just want to learn more about the city why not find an off beat way of doing it. One of the big highlights of visiting any city is exploring it by way of public art.  San Francisco has plenty of it to share and a visitor needs to do is head out, slow down a few feet per minute and look closer to your surroundings which includes what’s above you.

Many artists have made a living by making large sculptures that can only fit inside a large space like the Tate Modern and other galleries around the world or just outdoors.  The lucky ones are able to find sponsors who will provide the funds to transport, create and/or maintain great works for just the purpose of allowing the public to view their works.

There are five particular pieces that are currently on view outdoors in the city of San Francisco.  The first one is entitled Cupids Span by Claes Oldenburg and his wife Coosje van Bruggen in 2002.  The couple have been making these colossal pieces since the late 1970’s and they have been placed all over Europe, the US, England and parts of Asia.  Cupids Span in Rincon Park in the Embarcadero area of downtown San Francisco is a 60 ft. tall 140 ft. wide piece was commissioned by Donald and Doris Fisher, founders of Gap Inc., who donated it to the City of San Francisco and was installed in November 2002.  More information about the sculpture is found here.

A neighbor of the Cupid Span is a tall silver spaceship docked near the newly renovated Ferry Building on the Embarcadero.  The ship is called the Raygun Gothic Rocketship and was created by a collaboration of artists who were sponsored by the BRAF or Black Rock Arts Foundation.  This 40ft tall ship first landed on the Burning Man festival in nearby Nevada in 2009 and will be hanging around here until September 2011 thanks to money raised by the San Francisco Port Commission and varies private donors.  Another work sponsored by BRAF which made her debut at the 2008 Burning Man Festival entitled Ecstasy is currently standing in Patricia’s Green in Hayes Valley (Hayes/Octavia)

Visitors who walk west to the Moscone Center and Yerba Buena Gardens don’t have to go in to SFMOMA and other area museums to see great pieces.  The park itself is filled with beautiful landscape and performing arts space such as the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and the Sony Metreon Theater to name a couple. It is such a work of art in itself that a most visitors can find enjoyment just walking around the grounds.  It’s a great place to picnic, catch up on the guidebook or check email if you must.

There are two large public art pieces that stand out among the rest. The first one is Three Dancing Figures by Keith Haring which is located on the southwest corner of 3rd and Howard.  Kids but not adults are allowed to climb on the sculpture which was displayed in 1989 about a year before the artists’ early death.  The sculpture was one of many brought to the city by the San Francisco Arts Commission.

If you walk east from the Three Dancing Figures you will see the fancy W hotel on the southeastern corner of 3rd and Howard.  If you are standing across the street you will get a good view of the large metal wire sculpture of a woman reclining at the edge of the first few floors.  This sculpture entitled Pneumatic Dreamer by Michael Stutz can be easily missed if you were just walking by.  This particular work was installed in 2001 and was commissioned by the SF Redevelopment Agency.

Next, continue walking a little over a mile or grabbing the MUNI up Market to the Civic Center.  This is home to San Francisco’s Symphony Hall, Main Library and Asian Art Museum.  Across from the museum is a sculpture Three Heads Six Arms by artist Zhang Huan was brought to the city also by the San Francisco Arts Foundation in part of the marking of the San Francisco-Shanghai sister city 30th Anniversary.  This colossal bronze sculpture will be guarding the Civic Center and Asian Art Museum through 2011.  I unfortunately was visiting after the Giants had won the world series, during election season and after it had been victim of graffiti and climbed on.  So it was surrounded by a tall ugly wire fence.

I couldn’t find one guide online to all free public art projects but the best thing to do is just do an online search to the city you are visiting next and you will more than likely find some.  Many times you won’t even realize that something was actually commissioned like I did while researching for this article.  I also came across something online called the San Francisco Art Hunt PDF that was quite interesting and provides a start to exploring SF’s public art.  Looking for Public Art while visiting a new city is a great way to get the lay of the land and do something a little of the beaten path.  Highly recommended.

Get out of the Rain in San Francisco

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Many artists and admirers would agree that art should be free to view by the public.  Many museums, local governments, artists and their philanthropic admirers believe this as well.  Thanks to their generosity, we the public are able to view pieces for free or at a low-cost to us the viewer.

Art galleries, museums and public outdoor art is a great way to get to know a destination especially when you are on a budget.  Most cities around the U.S. these days have sponsored free or discounted nights, days and evenings at many major galleries and museums.

In San Francisco there are many opportunities to see art for free in museums or just on the Street.  I started with a visit to SFMOMA on Tuesday where they have AT&T Free First Tuesdays.  Visitors to the Bay Area are able to see its great displays of works thanks to AT&T generous $10 Million gift to the museum in late 2008.  The museum is located in the SOMA or South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco and right across from Yerba Buena Gardens.  This fall and early winter is a great time to visit SFMOMA since the 75th Anniversary is being celebrated by a showing 400 pieces of works that represent what SFMOMA has been throughout those years.  Highlights include masterpieces by Jackson Pollock, Jeff Koons and Barry McKee.  If you don’t happen to be there during a free Tuesday the museum is well worth the full ticket price and it’s a great way to spend a not so uncommon rainy day in the Bay Area.

Another wonderful opportunity to see art for free is at the Asian Art Museum‘s  during their Target First Free Sunday’s.  The 29,000 square foot museum was relocated in March 2003 into the former main Library Building in the gritty Tenderloin/Civic Center area of San Francisco. It’s new location is much more accessible then it’s previous location in Golden Gate Park and is not too far from the SOMA section of town.  It is now a 5-10 minute walk from the MUNI or BART Civic Center Station.  The area has cleaned up in the past 10 years since I lived there, but I wouldn’t suggest being there too late in the evening.  The current exhibit is a show entitled Beyond Golden Clouds:  Five Centuries of Japanese Screens is on view until January 16, 2011.  The Target First Free Sunday’s is free to for the general museum but is $5 for special exhibits like the Golden Clouds.  The next exhibit to the museum is Bali: Art, Ritual and Performance doesn’t begin until February 25, 2011 but I’m going to try to make it to it if I can get a cheap ticket from JFK next year.  Looks amazing.

Being from New York I also expected both museums to be jammed but I was wrong.  There was plenty of room and it wasn’t hard to get a good view of the works without bored and restless children and obstructed views.  Free days to museums and similar attractions can be found in many other cities.   It’s more common then you think.  If anything,  it’s a good way to save money and maybe try something new if you don’t usually find interest in museums.