Steves Comment 11
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AS FOR DRIVING IN EUROPE === Among the problems of driving on the wrong side of the road in England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, is that each morning we must figure how to do it all over again. In one area there were high hedgerows (10 to 15 ft. high) and high stone fences right at the left edge of the road, and the road was very narrow. In our vehicle with left hand drive, I was inches from those hedgerows and stone walls, so had no chance to see far enough around a sharp curve to see what was happening down the road, ahead of me. The passenger just can’t remember it’s her job to see what is around the next curve, but she does serve other very useful, and really delightfully curvy functions. === If we watch the drivers in Paris, Berlin, or Rome, we can see how their Army acted and reacted during WW II. === The German drives as if the street is his, and the law says this lane goes here, and that stop-sign means they will always stop, so he pays little attention to the needs of others, he just follows orders and plows ahead. === Most countries have traffic “Laws and Regulations.” Italy has traffic “Hints and Suggestions.” The Italian drives as if there are no rules, and when there is a traffic jam or some other problem, he just gives up, throws his arms in the air, smiles as if to say, “No big deal, I wasn’t going anywhere anyway.” === We have seen traffic jams in Paris, where, if one driver backed up a little, and the other driver turned a little, the jam would disappear. But when the Paris driver arrives at, or causes a traffic blockage, he will not employ any initiative to solve the gridlock, he just sits there with a pained expression on his face, waiting for someone to help him out of the mess. === When you near the top of a mountain in Yugoslavia, you can be sure that just around the next curve there will be a little old lady in the middle of the road herding two goats. Drive as if you expect that, and neither of you will be surprised.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Aug 14, 2008 9:01 AM
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Rick wrote, "English drivers monitor their driving record carefully to maintain their favorable insurance rating. Moving violations are given various points (e.g., 3 points for speeding). When they get 12 points, Brits loose their license." If you drove there, or elsewhere in Europe, you would know it is so very different from driving in the USA. As the lady we talked to at the Swiss Air office in Zurich who had just returned from a vacation in the US, said, "The people are genuinely friendly and polite, and American drivers, especially in Southern California, were a pleasant improvement over drivers in Europe." Well, I thought it would be of interest.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Aug 14, 2008 5:41 PM
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In 1919, some people had much the same idea about alcohol as some people have about marijuana today. That problem was easily solved by passing Amendment XVIII. As we know, from that day on, no one consumed a drop of alcohol, and everything was just fine. === However, in 1933 a bunch of drunks were able to sneak Amendment XXI into the constitution, and we know what has happened since. These days, in the world there are bottles and cans with at least 1,000,000 different labels, and no one has the slightest idea what is in each and every one of them. People still complain about Mary Jane, when many people say it helps them with health issues. Did you ever hear of anyone who said, “I feel so much better after drinking … … …” I wonder, how many of the anti-Mary Jane people, have had a drop of alcohol in their life, or in the past 5 minutes? Now here again, I am the expert with absolutely no experience in either substance, but I am allowed an opinion.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Aug 17, 2008 10:01 AM
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Rick said:===In Brussels, Belgium I found a monument to “Au Pigeon Soldat WWI” honoring the men who cared for the pigeons that delivered messages in WW I. === It would be nicer if the Belgium's honored the American soldiers who died for their country in WW II. === In 1985 I found there was a large protest “riot” one Sunday morning, so when we went to the tourist office, I asked what was going on. The girl said they were protesting about the missiles, and I said that must mean they were protesting against the Soviets. She very nastily said, “The US also, we don't like your military position.” I said, “Did you like our Military position in 1944 when our soldiers fought and died to liberate Belgium? My brother was one of them (he lived).” She said she wasn't alive then, so I don’t know about that. I said you better study your history. === Ardennes America Cemetery is at Neuville-en-Condroz. This World War II cemetery covers 90 acres and contains the graves of 5,328 American servicemen, many of whom died in the Battle of the Bulge. === I consider that more important than even pigeons, and especially more important than Beer. === We visited Oradour sur Glane, France (twice); the Nazi Concentration Camps at Buckenwald, and Dachau (twice) in Germany; Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland; and the prison at Breendonk, Belgium. There is nothing but horror at any of these dreadful places, but if a tourist is near, he must visit one of these monuments to the revulsion of WW II.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Aug 21, 2008 9:54 AM
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One Granddaughter is spending a year in China teaching school. She has already spent a year teaching in Indonesia, and another year in China. The other Granddaughter, who has been to Europe several times with her parents (her first spoken word was “Ciao” in Italy), will be attending college in London for a year, and that includes a visit to Ephesus, Istanbul, and other places in the part of the world. When I was their age, Europe was still filled with W.W.II damages, and China was not a place for an American to visit, or work.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Aug 25, 2008 11:38 AM
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Rome's Colosseum was built from 69 to 80 AD; St. Mark's Basilica was completed in 1073; da Vinci finished the “Last Supper” in 1497; Michelangelo's Statue of David was commissioned in 1501; it took 634 years to complete the cathedral in Köln, Germany. By the time of our last visit to Europe in 1995, about the only thing of interest to us that had changed since our first visit in 1970, was the removal of the Berlin Wall, and the Iron Curtain.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Aug 25, 2008 10:14 PM
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We have visited 12 (Albertville, Calgary, Chamonix, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck, Oslo, Salt Lake City, Sarajevo, Squaw Valley, St. Moritz, Turin) of the 19 cities where the 20 modern Winter Olympics have been held. Add St. Moritz, and Innsbruck, that held Olympics twice, Vancouver, scheduled to hold the 2010 Olympics, we have visited the locations of 15 of the first 21 winter Olympics. ==== We visited 15 (Amsterdam, Antwerp, Athens, Atlanta, Barcelona, Berlin, Helsinki, London, Los Angeles, Montreal, Munich, Paris, Rome, St. Louis, Stockholm) of the 21 cities where the 25 modern Olympic Games have been held. Count Athens, London, Los Angeles, and Paris, that held the Olympics twice, and we have visited 19 of the cities of 25 modern Olympics. In 1989 we visited Olympia, the site of the original Olympic Games, 3,000 years ago. ==== The campground located next to the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands, had a tall vertical sign that said “CAMPING,” so we spent a night. One year we drove into Wroclaw, Poland, and found the campground was right next to the Stadium built in 1926. The 40,000 seat Stadium held several events of the 1936 Olympic Games, it’s now called the Olympic Stadium. We did spend a night or more at about 27 of the cities where Olympics had been held. Guess who in our RV won the Gold Medal for outstanding performance, next to an Olympic stadium? ==== We were not there because of the Olympics, and we did not see many of the Stadiums, it just happens that where we visited on our extensive travels.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Aug 28, 2008 8:48 AM
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I would not for the moment suggest that Rick’s way of travel is not the best for him, and most other people. I will list a few of what I call Travel Gems, that show another way of life, but with several suggestions for all of you. === Just remember, It's amazing how many ridiculous, stupid, ignorant, inefficient, obnoxious people you will meet, when you are in a bad mood. === Just make allowances for what you don't know, and look for a place to sleep before it gets too late in the afternoon. After a good night's sleep you can put up with most anything the next day. === When you travel have your purpose, budget, and overall schedule well in mind. Once you decide what it is you want to see and do and what your schedule and budget will permit, don't make changes without a good reason and then come home disappointed that your initial purpose was forgotten. === Our Travel concept includes: If we have no schedule, we aren't late. If we don't care where we are, we aren't lost. If we can't see IT this trip, we'll see IT next time. If we have no itinerary, we're just where we ought to be. === We certainly don't “rough it,” in our RV, we couldn't be more comfortable in our 1200 nights in a RV or trailer. During our private travels we have spent 200 to 300 nights in maybe 130 hotels, in perhaps 40 states, in Canada, and from Prague, Czech Republic, to Saipan in the South Pacific. === During business travel, I spent maybe another 900 nights in 70 cities in 37 States, in maybe 150 to 200 different hotels. Those numbers of nights and hotels are estimates, but close enough, you get the idea. === In the past 60 years I have spent 2500 nights in someplace other than my home address, and my Sweetie was with me for 1500 of those nights. === The only long journey I will ever make again, is to join my Beautiful Sweetie in her gorgeous new home, for eternity.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Aug 31, 2008 9:47 AM
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The first trip I remember, was when the family moved from Michigan to Penna., about 77 years ago. Since then I have spent at least 2,500 nights somewhere other than my home address. I will not use my passport again, it is not needed as I travel from the bed to the bathroom. (Well I do walk a few blocks each day.) This is what the years of intensive travel meant to my Beautiful Sweetie and I. Name and picture catching are the everlasting joys of travel, an added reward for years of exploration. === As an example, during our visit to St. David, Wales, we saw the magnificent Cathedral; the exquisite wooden ceiling; the beautiful little town; and green rolling hills to the horizon. A few years later, TV news showed a picture of Prince Charles standing at the entrance to this beautiful old cathedral. That's all most people saw, but not us. Our ear “caught” the name, our eye “caught” the picture, and in addition to the TV picture of Prince Charles at a Cathedral door, in our “Travel Minds Eye” we “saw” the three dimensional wooden cathedral ceiling; we “saw” the cemetery that extends down the hill; we “saw” the ruins of the abbey next door; we “saw” a row of houses, almost hidden behind hydrangea of various colors; we “saw” an elderly lady polishing the brass mail slot in the front door of her old stone house. === A picture is worth a thousand words. A visit is worth a thousand pictures.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 04, 2008 8:27 PM
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Paul S and alfran, thanks for your compliments. I want you all to know that I am not in competition with Rick in any way. I have written and had printed (not published) several books, but just for fun, and just for friends. Three I had printed 8 or 10 years go, just a week or two before my Sweetie had a stroke, so selling books was the least of my interest. As a matter of fact, I am about to take 6 manuscripts to the printer, but they are not for sale, but I guess if anyone really wants one bad enough, something can be figured out. My web site has a couple of thousand pages of stories, photos, and book information (and all of the posts I have smashed on poor Ricks Blog). There are 80 pages about early computer days. I was making my living in the computer industry long before Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates were even born. Send me an E-mail and I can give you some hints how to find stuff on my Web Site. A screen or two down on the home page, will show the address of some of my favorite photos, and http://www.travel-tidbits.com/tidbits/cat_snippet_book_writing_gems.shtml has samples of my writing, and http://www.travel-tidbits.com/ is the Home Page. Thanks again.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 06, 2008 7:33 PM
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Oh my, I should have mentioned that several months ago, I met Rick at a Travel meeting in Long Beach, and I gave him one of my Snippet Books. I know he is a busy man, and has been working very hard as he traveled, so I haven't heard if he got the chance, or the "push," to read any of it yet. What about it Rick?
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 07, 2008 1:37 PM
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Just to show how travel effects people, the Hero of this story had never been more than 300 miles from the home where he was born, when I convinced him to visit San Francisco. ===== Many years ago it was my job to entertain computer customers, so I arranged a flight in the upper floor of a 747, to impress a bunch of school administrators from the Kentucky and Tennessee, with a visit to computer installations in San Francisco. There were no suitable computer installations in that part of the country yet. It was many years ago. As I drove on the crowded freeway, pointing out the sights, the row-houses climbing hill after hill, exclaiming over the rolling hill beauty of San Francisco, I saw one of my Hero’s was crying. I thought this may be exotic and inspiring, but is it that overwhelming? Then came his comment, “Just think, these poor people have to live in these crowded conditions!” ===== Can you imagine what a little travel would do for him? A couple of years earlier he had won a paid trip to Europe, but turned it down, because what could be better than Tennessee.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 09, 2008 7:39 PM
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That lady has a job, to sell the car. When I judge a person and their ability to do a job, I make sure I use the same criteria and method for both men and women. Then, since I am convinced that a Beautiful Lady can do anything better than any man, I apply one last test. I judge the beauty of the lady, then add that as the exponential. I used that method to judge my Sweetie for 55 years and 13 days, and no one else ever came close to her "number." There is one additional criteria. === There's nothing more beautiful than a beautiful lady. And the less the clothes, the more the beauty.”
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 08, 2008 10:33 AM
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Alfran, you and I may agree on Travel, but certainly nothing else. My definition of “beautiful” is easy. If I say “she” is beautiful, she is beautiful, whatever else she may be. And I like the Alaskan Sweetie very much. ==== The duty of the President and VP are overrated. A President does two things. He appoints 30,000 people to do the work, then when the Press arrives, he must remember and point to the appointee who solved a particular problem. Do you remember FDR riding in a tank, going to attack the Germans? Do you remember Truman building the balcony on the White House? Do you remember JFK landing on the beach at Cuba? Do you remember Clinton paying attention to the lady under the desk? Well maybe that one doesn’t count. Well, FDR pointed to General Marshall, Truman pointed to the carpenter, JFK ignored Marilyn Monroe for a few minutes and pointed to a General Taylor, and Clinton was already pointing. The President is the point man. He sees which direction the crowd is moving, then gets in front of them. ==== That is also true of Presidents of companies. Do you remember how good Henry Ford was at putting tires on a car, and Tom Watson could not count all his money on his fingers, so he built an IBM computer. And on and on, you get the idea.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 08, 2008 9:11 PM
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Oh, this is over the limit, but I forgot this one. Did you hear the Demorat on CNN the other night, saying he liked the Demo candidates, Obiden and Bamma.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 08, 2008 9:15 PM
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I am not a Journal writer at all, but I was very lucky to have the Most Beautiful Travel Companion, who would each and every night at least record the name of the town, and the odometer reading, during our nearly 1,000 European nights a RV. We would mail home boxes of paper work. We still have receipt No. 14687, dated Aug. 25, 1970, that shows we paid 2850 lire ($2) for the RV and four people, two nights in Rome, 25¢ per person, per night. This started long before the Internet, so I was surprised when I created a 1,500 page Daily Journal of those trips, plus many hundreds of pages of Travel in Other than Europe. My Dad was a minister, and was in demand to speak all over the country. My Mom traveled with him, and from 1947 until 1965, she kept a Daily Travel Journal, that I typed as a 1,000 page document. My Dad’s Diary starts in High School, in 1920. He wrote almost daily, but very little. His entry for July 6, 1915 “Married in the evening.“ Except for a half-dozen years that are missing, it ends with my Mother’s note, “Went to be with the Lord, 6:30 AM, May 5, 1965.” While I can’t remember what I had for breakfast this morning, I can still draw a map of the town where I was born, and we moved from there when I was three. Recently while in the hospital, I was able to draw a map of Manila (where I was for two nights in 1946) for the nurse who was born there. We were both shocked. We were in Zagreb, Yugoslavia one night in 1985, and one night in 1989, and not long ago I drew a map of Zagreb for a lady who was born there. She couldn’t imagine my Travel Memory. At http://www.travel-tidbits.com/ you will find a couple thousand pages of stories and photos of our Travels. I have been accused of Name Dropping, but even more I like “Name and picture catching. The everlasting joys of travel, an added reward for years of exploration.” Oh now I remember, I didn’t have breakfast yet this morning.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 12, 2008 10:17 AM
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++I’ve never had the slightest urge to climb any mountain in any country. Years ago when I often flew from Los Angeles to Seattle, the plane would fly far east of Yosemite, so we had an unusual view into Yosemite Valley, we could see the “other side” of Half-Dome. We also flew over Lake Tahoe, could see Mt. Lassen on the right, Mt. Shasta on the left, then Crater Lake, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Rainier. Perhaps the most scenic airplane flight in the world, especially in winter-time, and especially Crater Lake, with snow covered Wizard Island “floating” in the lake. One time I did experience the next best thing to climbing Mt. Rainier. As we left SeaTac on a beautiful day (from my experience, and what I have been told, that day was very unusual for Seattle) the Pilot came on the speaker and said, “I know this is against the law, but we are going sight seeing.” He then circled Mt. Rainier, round and round several times, and it seemed close enough to reach out and get a handful of snow. A wonderful flight. Whoops, now I remember, we did climb one famous mountain. We drove as far up Mt. Vesuvius as we could, then since the Chair Lift was not working that day, we did walk to the top. The weather was not nice, so we could not see the beautiful scenery of the Isle of Capri, and the Bay of Naples. We picked up a large piece of lava and wanted to take it home with us. The guard let us know it was OK with him. Another unusual item in the Humberd Museum.
Posted by: Jim Humberd - Sep 12, 2008 6:22 PM
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