With the New Year just over 24 hours a way, Four Corners still has some unfinished business from 2011. Apologies for the delay, but, as you can imagine, things got quite busy around the holidays, and I was, after all, just returning from South Africa. But here I am now to fill some of the gaps.....
Unfortunately November never got its own "Next Destinations" list, and now with the end of December already here, consider the list below for both months. You will also find below a brief recap of my and Joe's few hours walking around Frankfurt, Germany, awaiting our flight to Cape Town, and a (very) short review of "Cowboys and Aliens". Look to my next blog post for the beginning of my Uncle Paul's (Correspondent Paul? Nice ring to it.....) time in Istanbul, Turkey.
November/December Next Destinations List-
1. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia- Some of you may have heard about this place. The Salar de Uyuni, located in southern Bolivia, is a massive salt flat, the largest in the world. That may not sound all that exciting, but it is actually a big draw for tourists, and I myself am pretty intrigued. There appears to be some pretty neat things to check out at the flats, including a large train graveyard containing the rusting skeletons of old trains. Train buffs (its ok...I know you are out there) might take interest in that. Take a look at the Wikitravel site for a start: http://wikitravel.org/en/Salar_de_Uyuni#b, and this website for some photos and info on the train graveyard: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/where-locomotives-come-to-die/7130
2. Rwanda- I'm sure some are probably scratching their heads over this pick. Yeah, some pretty terrible stuff went down in Rwanda in the early 1990s. Since, though, Rwanda has picked itself up, dusted itself off, and has become a model of economic development and stability in Africa. The capital, Kigali, is safe, clean, and easy to get around. Checking out the Genocide Museum there is probably worth it. The country also is one of the best places to come and see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, and looks to have some stunning natural beauty. Better yet, tourists haven't totally overrun the place yet. I recommend looking at the Lonely Planet site, they certainly talk up the country: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/rwanda
3. Yangon, Burma- At the risk of my readers thinking that I have lost the plot, I am still going to recommend visiting Burma (Myanmar officially, but the preferred name of the political opposition, whom I support). This, like Rwanda, has had some bad press in the past, but bear in mind that political reform appears underway and the country is beginning to open up. I for a long time have been curious about Myanmar, and am very interested in visiting there. Yangon, the largest city and commercial hub, has lots to offer in terms of sites and things to do. Burmese, despite being some of the poorest people on earth, are also some of the friendliest and open people as well. Don't count this country out, and injecting some tourist cash will probably be well received by the locals. http://wikitravel.org/en/Yangon
4. Koln (Cologne), Germany- I don't think I am presenting anything unique here, Koln (the German name) is already a popular place for tourists in Germany, but I think it is worth giving mention anyway. With a wealth of history, the city is filled with sites and things for a visitor to do. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/north-rhine-westphalia/cologne
5. Charleston, South Carolina- I haven't really been giving the US of A a lot of play on these lists, so I am going to try a little harder. I have it on good word that Charleston is supposed to be a really neat place, filled with southern charm, and is a lovely place to just stroll around. The New York Times and Lonely Planet both have some info for ya: http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/travel/11hours.1.html and http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/the-south/charleston
12/08-Frankfurt: For at least a few hours, at least.
Ten hour layover. Having to pass away double-digit hours in the lead up to the 11-hour flight from Frankfurt to Cape Town was a daunting prospect. When I told people about the length of our layover, they grimaced. Luckily, thanks to some of that famous German efficiency, having to hang out for 10 hours in Frankfurt can be something to look forward to. A high speed train zips passengers from the Frankfurt airport strait to the city's train station in the heart of town in just under 15 minutes. So, after passing through customs and finding Joe on the other side standing there waiting, we set out to stroll Germany's financial capital.
We emerged from the Frankfurt Hauptbanhof and headed in the direction of downtown and, ultimately, the city's old town. The city is surprisingly compact, and easily walk-able. The first thing we encountered was the Occupy Frankfurt movement, a colony of tents in front of the headquarters of the European Central Bank. Nobody seemed to be paying them any mind, and they weren't really obstructing anything or being a nuisance. Oh well, move on folks, nothing to see here. We continued on, already getting into conversation (I could tell Joe and I were gonna get along fine) and walked along the city's main shopping thoroughfare (packed with shoppers and couples out for a stroll), at the end of which there was a small square filled with stalls selling vegetables, fruits, and bratwurst. Eventually we made it to the old part of the city, where, apparently, it was Christmas. The place was absolutely jam-packed with stalls selling all kinds of stuff, crafts, toys, ornaments, but mainly food, cookies, cakes, and all kinds of holiday deserts on offer. Christmas lights were strung up, and one part of city even had a carousel set up (with some older men riding on it-which was a bit weird). Lots of people were out to partake in the fun, and I was glad we were there to bear witness.
We emerged from the festivities and crossed the Main River via bridge, which afforded us some nice shots of the city skyline. There wasn't much on offer on other side, but by this time we were freezing our asses (we only had sweatshirts on-it was still Germany's winter, mind) and stopped into a cafe for, well, mainly the warmth, but a little something to eat too. We headed back over to the other side, once again strolled through the Christmas market, where I grabbed a bratwurst (I was still hungry, and, its Germany, I mean, you gotta have a brat). By this time the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping with it. Joe and I both nodded in agreement when he mentioned that maybe it was time to head back and get ready for the long trip south. It wasn't a lot of time, I think we were in downtown Frankfurt for just a few hours, but it was an enjoyable time, I'm glad we could do it, and its now another pin on the map.
In-Flight Movie Review-Cowboys and Aliens: The name says it all.
Don't. Just don't. Yeah, its got Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, and it takes two of America's favorite movie topics and brings them together. I, for one think that is an awful idea, and I was only proven right. The acting, or, more to the point, the dialogue and lines are pretty laughable, as is the story line. Even the action is kind of bush league. I wasn't expecting much out of this one, but I was still hoping to at least be entertained. It failed even in that regard. The only good thing about this flick is Olivia Wilde features prominently in it. Ms. Wilde is gorgeous. Beyond that though, a waste of time. I'm glad I was confined to an airplane. I knew I should have just re-watched "The Debt".
Verdict: I already said it, but here it is again: Don't. Grade: D
If you liked this movie you might also like: I'm not even going to bother.......
Hope that wasn't too much for you to take in folks. Again, look here for my Uncle Paul's breakdown of he and my Aunt Elena's trip to Istanbul. Other than that, have a happy new year, and hopefully 2012 will be filled with more globe-trotting for the Four Corners. Happy travels.
Unfortunately November never got its own "Next Destinations" list, and now with the end of December already here, consider the list below for both months. You will also find below a brief recap of my and Joe's few hours walking around Frankfurt, Germany, awaiting our flight to Cape Town, and a (very) short review of "Cowboys and Aliens". Look to my next blog post for the beginning of my Uncle Paul's (Correspondent Paul? Nice ring to it.....) time in Istanbul, Turkey.
November/December Next Destinations List-
1. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia- Some of you may have heard about this place. The Salar de Uyuni, located in southern Bolivia, is a massive salt flat, the largest in the world. That may not sound all that exciting, but it is actually a big draw for tourists, and I myself am pretty intrigued. There appears to be some pretty neat things to check out at the flats, including a large train graveyard containing the rusting skeletons of old trains. Train buffs (its ok...I know you are out there) might take interest in that. Take a look at the Wikitravel site for a start: http://wikitravel.org/en/Salar_de_Uyuni#b, and this website for some photos and info on the train graveyard: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/where-locomotives-come-to-die/7130
2. Rwanda- I'm sure some are probably scratching their heads over this pick. Yeah, some pretty terrible stuff went down in Rwanda in the early 1990s. Since, though, Rwanda has picked itself up, dusted itself off, and has become a model of economic development and stability in Africa. The capital, Kigali, is safe, clean, and easy to get around. Checking out the Genocide Museum there is probably worth it. The country also is one of the best places to come and see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, and looks to have some stunning natural beauty. Better yet, tourists haven't totally overrun the place yet. I recommend looking at the Lonely Planet site, they certainly talk up the country: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/rwanda
3. Yangon, Burma- At the risk of my readers thinking that I have lost the plot, I am still going to recommend visiting Burma (Myanmar officially, but the preferred name of the political opposition, whom I support). This, like Rwanda, has had some bad press in the past, but bear in mind that political reform appears underway and the country is beginning to open up. I for a long time have been curious about Myanmar, and am very interested in visiting there. Yangon, the largest city and commercial hub, has lots to offer in terms of sites and things to do. Burmese, despite being some of the poorest people on earth, are also some of the friendliest and open people as well. Don't count this country out, and injecting some tourist cash will probably be well received by the locals. http://wikitravel.org/en/Yangon
4. Koln (Cologne), Germany- I don't think I am presenting anything unique here, Koln (the German name) is already a popular place for tourists in Germany, but I think it is worth giving mention anyway. With a wealth of history, the city is filled with sites and things for a visitor to do. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/north-rhine-westphalia/cologne
5. Charleston, South Carolina- I haven't really been giving the US of A a lot of play on these lists, so I am going to try a little harder. I have it on good word that Charleston is supposed to be a really neat place, filled with southern charm, and is a lovely place to just stroll around. The New York Times and Lonely Planet both have some info for ya: http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/travel/11hours.1.html and http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/the-south/charleston
12/08-Frankfurt: For at least a few hours, at least.
Ten hour layover. Having to pass away double-digit hours in the lead up to the 11-hour flight from Frankfurt to Cape Town was a daunting prospect. When I told people about the length of our layover, they grimaced. Luckily, thanks to some of that famous German efficiency, having to hang out for 10 hours in Frankfurt can be something to look forward to. A high speed train zips passengers from the Frankfurt airport strait to the city's train station in the heart of town in just under 15 minutes. So, after passing through customs and finding Joe on the other side standing there waiting, we set out to stroll Germany's financial capital.
We emerged from the Frankfurt Hauptbanhof and headed in the direction of downtown and, ultimately, the city's old town. The city is surprisingly compact, and easily walk-able. The first thing we encountered was the Occupy Frankfurt movement, a colony of tents in front of the headquarters of the European Central Bank. Nobody seemed to be paying them any mind, and they weren't really obstructing anything or being a nuisance. Oh well, move on folks, nothing to see here. We continued on, already getting into conversation (I could tell Joe and I were gonna get along fine) and walked along the city's main shopping thoroughfare (packed with shoppers and couples out for a stroll), at the end of which there was a small square filled with stalls selling vegetables, fruits, and bratwurst. Eventually we made it to the old part of the city, where, apparently, it was Christmas. The place was absolutely jam-packed with stalls selling all kinds of stuff, crafts, toys, ornaments, but mainly food, cookies, cakes, and all kinds of holiday deserts on offer. Christmas lights were strung up, and one part of city even had a carousel set up (with some older men riding on it-which was a bit weird). Lots of people were out to partake in the fun, and I was glad we were there to bear witness.
We emerged from the festivities and crossed the Main River via bridge, which afforded us some nice shots of the city skyline. There wasn't much on offer on other side, but by this time we were freezing our asses (we only had sweatshirts on-it was still Germany's winter, mind) and stopped into a cafe for, well, mainly the warmth, but a little something to eat too. We headed back over to the other side, once again strolled through the Christmas market, where I grabbed a bratwurst (I was still hungry, and, its Germany, I mean, you gotta have a brat). By this time the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping with it. Joe and I both nodded in agreement when he mentioned that maybe it was time to head back and get ready for the long trip south. It wasn't a lot of time, I think we were in downtown Frankfurt for just a few hours, but it was an enjoyable time, I'm glad we could do it, and its now another pin on the map.
In-Flight Movie Review-Cowboys and Aliens: The name says it all.
Don't. Just don't. Yeah, its got Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, and it takes two of America's favorite movie topics and brings them together. I, for one think that is an awful idea, and I was only proven right. The acting, or, more to the point, the dialogue and lines are pretty laughable, as is the story line. Even the action is kind of bush league. I wasn't expecting much out of this one, but I was still hoping to at least be entertained. It failed even in that regard. The only good thing about this flick is Olivia Wilde features prominently in it. Ms. Wilde is gorgeous. Beyond that though, a waste of time. I'm glad I was confined to an airplane. I knew I should have just re-watched "The Debt".
Verdict: I already said it, but here it is again: Don't. Grade: D
If you liked this movie you might also like: I'm not even going to bother.......
Hope that wasn't too much for you to take in folks. Again, look here for my Uncle Paul's breakdown of he and my Aunt Elena's trip to Istanbul. Other than that, have a happy new year, and hopefully 2012 will be filled with more globe-trotting for the Four Corners. Happy travels.
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