Tag Archives: bang-up people watching
Fear Conquering & Roller Derby
“Mom. You are going to get owned.”
My, how the tables have turned. I’m not going to lie, I was getting a bit of pleasure out of worrying The Spawn.
The reason for their concern was not without merit — I was about to attend Roller Derby Camp. Or as the Killamazoo Derby Darlins call it, a “Fresh Meat Event”.
In our never-ending quest to find quirky things to do… CONTINUE READING >>
Veronica (aka Helln Hotflash) Does Roller Derby
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Veronica becomes “Helln Hotflash” and embeds herself with the Killamazoo Derby Darlins — not quite the brightest move for a “woman of a certain age”! She survived – barely – and it wasn’t until… CONTINUE READING >>
Making (and eating!) Octopus Balls in Japan!
No food says Osaka, Japan more than these hot octopus-stuffed balls of… CONTINUE READING >>
It’s Cherry Blossom Time in Japan!
In another of what seem to be unbelievable bits of good timing we have encountered in our travels, we hit Japan right at the peak of the cherry blossoms blooming.At our first stop, Nagasaki, we were enthralled by the flowering trees all around The Atomic Bomb Museum. They helped add a quiet touch to the somber site advocating peace near the epicenter of… CONTINUE READING >>
12 Must-See Festivals in the US
We LOVE a festival! Tag the word “fest” on the end of anything and we’re there!Here are 12 of the wildest, wackiest, over-the-top or just plain fabulous celebrations that we’ve seen! CONTINUE READING >>
A Great Deal on the Brooklyn Bridge
New Year’s Eve in The Big Apple and your GypsyNesters were seriously contemplating a Times Square, ball-dropping extravaganza. After a bit of research and chatting up of locals, we felt that wading into a crowd of a million people, getting frisked and herded into little fenced-in safety areas, then standing for hours with no restrooms, food or libation is no way to ring in a new year.
Even an article entitled “Fear Conquering & Ball Dropping,” as hilarious as that would be, could not entice us to spend that much time needing to pee.
So, what to do?… CONTINUE READING >>
New Year’s Eve on Brooklyn Bridge!
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Forget Times Square! Fireworks for days! Countdown with the Watchtower Clock! Sights and sounds and parties on the… CONTINUE READING >>
Dynamic Districts of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, like most large urban areas, is actually a collection of varied communities, and as we explored many of them we found each offered unique backgrounds and qualities.Perhaps no two barrios of the city capture quintessential Buenos Aires better than… CONTINUE READING >>
Cowboyin’ Up in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is a city fueled by meat, and Mataderos is the barrio, or neighborhood, that traditionally supplied that fuel.To celebrate that tradition and preserve many of the customs of the gauchos, who we would call cowboys, a huge event known as the Feria de Mataderos is held.
Thousands of people come from miles around to enjoy the food, music, crafts, and particularly the feats of skill demonstrated by the gauchos… CONTINUE READING >>
Swept off Our Feet at the Broom Corn Festival
Driving through the middle of America in early autumn meant we were bound to stumble upon some sort of fair or festival.But we never expected to find one dedicated to something that we had never heard of… CONTINUE READING >>
Navel Gazing in Cusco, Peru
Dubbed the Navel of the World, Cusco is an amazing blend of the very-old and the not-as-old.Join your GypsyNesters as we see the sights (and sights) – see ancient ruins, a street festival with an ornery llama, crossing guards that threaten you with whips and the weirdest rendition of The Last Supper you’ll ever experience.
At over 11,000 feet above sea level, flying in takes steely reserve and handling the altitude takes native remedies… CONTINUE READING >>
Dreaming in a Tango Hotel in Buenos Aires
Late at night, when I’m in a particularly active R.E.M. cycle you can almost guarantee that you will find me dancing the tango in my soul, behind my eyelids. I must have a connection to the sultry dance from a past life. In these dreams I am as fluid as hot coffee and as alluring as the sweetest chocolate. Tango speaks to me.I’d also never attempted it in real life. David, who calls himself a “circus bear attempting to balance on a ball” when it comes to dancing, was surely not going to indulge me in my fantasy of learning to tango during our stay in Buenos Aires. At least not as my partner.
But my circus bear can be full of surprises. He not only… CONTINUE READING >>
Livingston (Guatemala), I Presume
When we heard about Livingston, a tiny outpost on the Guatemalan coast with an intriguing history and only accessible by boat, we knew we had to go. So from the busy port of Puerto Barrios we sought passage north.After some difficulty trying to decipher the… CONTINUE READING >>
A Day in Livingston, Guatemala
When we heard about Livingston, a tiny outpost on the Guatemalan coast with an intriguing history and only accessible by boat, we knew… CONTINUE READING >>
It’s Un-Belize-able!
While Belize is certainly geographically very Central American, its long history as a British colony gives it a feel that we found more similar to some Caribbean islands than its Latin neighbors.The Creole tinged… CONTINUE READING >>
The Ancient Mayan Ruins at Tulum, Mexico
Tulum is not the kind of place that even the most wandering GypsyNesting-type will stumble upon by accident. It’s not on the way to anywhere. But since we found ourselves on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, what’s known as the Riviera Maya, we hopped on a bus to the ancient Mayan site.Our itinerary was set up to capture both… CONTINUE READING >>
Getting Key-ed Up in Florida
One of the greatest drives in America has to be the trip down U.S. Highway 1 through the Florida Keys.We made a stop at the incredible Coral Castle, ate enormous amounts of seafood at the Marathon Seafood Fest and, when we ran out of road, landed in Key West… CONTINUE READING >>
Boy, Are We Everglade We Came Here!
Your GypsyNesters take on the Everglades – all good fun until a very uncomfortable Veronica gets her hands on an alligator!
We encountered gator wrestling, did some (really fast!) airboat riding and visited the smallest post office in the US.
And that’s just the beginning… CONTINUE READING >>
Mardi Gras Chicken Chasing
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Chicken chasing, colorful costumes and dancing on horseback? It’s Courir de Mardi Gras in Church Point! You’ve gotta watch the video to believe it…it’s, well, just watch… CONTINUE READING >>
Going Goth in Barcelona
Join your GypsyNesters as we explore the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona!From the Human Statues of La Rambla to the deep dark interior of the Quarter to the sea, we find everything the Barri Gòtic has to offer. Music, ruins, street performers and protesters…this place has it all! CONTINUE READING >>
Rockin’ Out in Castelletto d’Orba, Italy
We’re pretty sure that rock & roll concerts on the steps of a cathedral housing the relics of a martyred saint is a uniquely Italian experience. With the exception of a few old ladies exiting Mass, and us, everyone seemed to think it was… CONTINUE READING >>Festival Day in Small Town Italy!
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We came to Castelletto d’Orba for Rassegna Dei Vini e Dei Sapori Dell’Alto Monferrato, which is the “Review of wines and… CONTINUE READING >>
Driving in Italy, A GypsyNester Guide
We must admit, we were certainly apprehensive the first time we took off across Italy in a rented vehicle. So we decided to offer a few GypsyNester tips that might quell some of the anxiety.Many of the trans-European rules… CONTINUE READING >>
Genoa’s Ancient City in Pictures
It’s a beautiful thing to be entranced. When I was a child I would watch my father, an award-winning photographer, practically leave the planet when he found a subject that captured his interest. It wasn’t until I found myself wandering alone within the ancient walls of the old city in Genoa, Italy did I fully understand.It was as if… CONTINUE READING >>
A Boat Ride in Monaco
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Riding through Port Hercule in Monaco, the richest country in the world! Check out the megayachts! Just below the casino … CONTINUE READING >>
Monaco Pit Stop
Monaco. The richest country in the world – and the second smallest. Home of the Grand Prix and megayachts. So what could we possibly afford to do there?
Well, first off, we drove the route… CONTINUE READING >>
