Searching for Dark Purple Dot 5

When traveling in a new country you're lost. And without a sufficient map you can risk missing the whole point of the city. Well I wasn't going to let this be in Frankfurt. You see I only had just over a day to be going around Frankfurt. Not that Frankfurt is described as the centre of the world in the tourism market. In fact far from it. One of their main things in the city centre, a giant sign dedicated to the Euro. Wow!



What this meant was I was committed. Committed to buying the 50 cent tourist map all in order to not miss the main tourist sights. Fankfurt's stature in the Tourism world did not though stop them from charging for their map. Hmmm, they mustn't like the tourists. Hit them up for everything.


In the morning before finding the tourist information centre I actually achieved much more with not more than a simple colour hostel map without the dots of interest. I managed to stumble upon Country Fair in the main street. All I could think was heck Frankfurt you've outdone yourself here, Munich has Oktoberfest, and at the same time you've got a mini train for the kids, a few cows, and a bundle of barbeque stalls doing their wurst. Seriously I thought nearly every city did their own version of Oktoberfest. Apparently not. But anyway the festival, or whatever it is was quaint, and a pleasant change to the US cities I had been frequenting recently. Plus their wurst beats out the America's best hotdog stand anytime.

Near the market stalls I also managed to find the local marketplace, and the historical tourist square where they bus in the tour groups wondering what they're doing in Frankfurt. Sure the square had the neat photo but this was not where the action was.

Frankfurt is located on a river. No not the Rhine, the Main River. As I was very tired having lost several hours due to flying back through the time zones so I took the offer of a 2 hour boat cruise up and down the river. I managed to sun myself like a reptile during the tour considering it was a a mild 15 degees. All the time thinking it was barely Autumn.


I've found terror evidence for the authorities in the afternoon. This sign has left me in no doubt that the Germans are out to cause harm to America's most beloved family.

Day 2 I was more aware than anything that I had to get to the airport in the afternoon. But this left the morning to investigate more dots on my 50 cent map. But when looking to the map I found much more. Take a look below and think, if you saw this same map what are you now going to go search for?


Damn right, you're going to search out the Giant Pretzel in the bottom right. Why waste your time with numbered dots on a map when you've got a big pretzel and water urn to search out. And well the pretzel was twice the size of the 'points of interest' dots. So I was left thinking this thing must be huge. Yet there was no mention of the worlds biggest pretzel anywhere on the guide. This I thought silly. So I set out with a mission. What earns the Pretzel a big icon but no write up.

Alas my search ended in only disappointment. No Giant Pretzel to be found. I did find some little water spout fountain though. I suspect this was in reference to the water urn. The search wasn't in vain though. This district was bar central. So later when I fly out of Frankfurt if I have time I'll search out what the nightlife has to offer. Hopefully more than just pretzels.


In Frankfurt I did re-discover why I love Germany. And its not just the accent. They have the best bakery snack places around. The donuts, pastries, bread, and sandwiches. It's the last item which attracts me. For a price lower than a Subway Sub you can get a sub with a mixture of alternatives. And best of all its done on the german breadrolls. The enjoyment of this breadroll is enhanced if you've been in North America for a while. The other item of food the Germans do great cheap is the simple Ice Cream, or Eis. For just 80 euro cents you can get a scoop. Oh and they have beer too. But it doesn't mix with the Eis.

On departure from the airport Lufthansa again attempted to re-assert this dominate position as the airline I most hate. Especially when flying out from Frankfurt. I mean this partly because I missed a flight years ago out of the airport, but more so because this time they wanted to charge me 110 euros for excess baggage. What the! It seems that whereas everwhere else in the world has a 2 bag limit of 30kgs with one bag no more than 20kgs, Lufthansa has a 20kg maximum full stop. Much like when you fly a discount airline like Ryanair or Easyjet. And any excess is charged at 10 euro per kilo. Damn.... I managed to reduce the penalty down to 20 euro after splitting out a backpack, and throwing out old stuff I really was hoarding for no reason.

In retrospect I'm also wondering how much this bottle of duty free Vodka I bought and kept (for consumption in Greece) is really costing me...

Oh well bring on Greece.

Couldn't help myself

Ask yourself If I were going around an art museum and I see an empty chair at the 'Ask Me' point what would I do?

Damn right I'd take a seat and let people ask me questions. Heck it's no different to where-ever I am. People always ask me questions, and I'm always giving answers. They may not be right but they're still answers.


As I figured, if they had of asked me something I didn't know, then I would have re-directed them to ask me about something about Sports.

And if all else failed then they could of always asked another 2 questions. After all it was '3 for a dollar'.

Truth though is that the above photo is staged. Not that it's half easy to guess. Still it made for a funny moment in the Chicago Art Museum.

And there endth the USA / Canada leg of the Journey

Yes Big news.

I'm no longer in the USA.

Myself and Stumpy the Greyhound have completed our separation. And the customs officials have no more concern about letting me through just one more time. I'm gone from North America. On my way home.

Or be it via Frankfurt, Europe. So yes you can still all hate me for the fact I'm still in a place where you'd love to be.

Tomorrow, I fly to Athens for a week and a bit in Athens and the Greek Islands. Yes I needed the island holiday before I got home.

It's a tough life this traveling.

I agree with Frankie

I agree with Frank Sinatra. Chicago is my kind of town.


Or well I think its my kind of place in the summer. I don't know whether I'd hold the same view if the winds of the Windy City were ice cold.


How did I get to Chicago? I flew of course. There was just no way I was going to be able to handle a bus ride up from Miami. Flying was a benefit of having organized ahead. A cheap flight. Just how they should be.

After getting into Chicago I barely had enough time to take a walk around before it was time to take advantage of the 'free' activities. Improv Comedy night. Don't ask me where I was that night. We had guides playing a quick game of let's disorientate the tourist. In going to the comedy I did get to pass by Wrigley Field.

Next day was a free tour of the city. Not to be missed by me, the cheap lazy explorer.

Of course no trip to Chicago was not complete without the obligatory trip out to get a photo at the holy site. So yes I've had a photo at the Michael Jordan Statue outside of the United Centre.


Oh and there is this really cool statue in Chicago called 'Cloudland'. It's a shiny metallic structure. But if you're ever there asking for directions it's nic-named 'the bean'. It's not half obvious why. Chicago has a heap of this public art. I had no idea Chicago is so big on the arts. And their Art Musuem. Damn it's packed with heaps of really famous art.

Snappy and the South Beach

There is not a better way than to lay on the beach to get over a horrendous bus ride.

Miami, South Beach. Home to the rich and famous. And me too. Be it for only a few days.

I had decided upon South Beach on the basis of there being no cheap accommodation in Memphis for the weekend with some big College Football tournament on. Yes there was a long bus ride getting to Miami, but in the end it was worth it. I had found white sand again. The only thing missing was waves. There ain't gonna be no surfing contest in Miami I can confirm.


Aside from the beach Miami is well known for the Art Deco. A style to its own. This was different and enjoyable to see, but well it wasn't as profound as I thought it would be.


Find of the first day had to be at lunch. The restaurant I stopped in at had a 'Grilled Dolphin Steak Sandwich'. Yes Dolphin my jaw dropped. Here I was thinking do I order 'Flipper' or not. Heck through all my university days when I worked at the restaurant we used to joke about putting Dolphin Steaks onto the special menu board on Aprils Fools Day. We never actually considered serving it. Thankfully the news was that it was not the Bottle Nosed Dolphin we love. It was in fact Mahi-Mahi.


I took the opportunity to do another tour. A tour of the Florida Everglades. Yep the type of tour done by fan boat. And of course no tour would not be complete without the Alligator show. Alas I missed out on trying an alligator burger and settled for the photo instead.


Aside from this tour I spent all my time on the beach. I didn't get to go hang out with the elite in a Miami nightclub. Even if I could have afforded the drink prices, it was impossible to organise a group from the hostel to actually move. But still had a good time there overall. In a way it was a shame I didn't have longer in Miami.

Stumpy in a coma.

Alrightee I know I say bad things when I'm tired but heck this time its deserved. My Dog Stumpy Buslines has outdone themselves for consistently poor service.

I boarded a bus at New Orleans bound for Miami. I knew this trip to be ambitious from the start. 24hrs with 3 connections.

Well bus started on time. In fact I commend the guy in New Orleans. He had his bus station running great. We left on time. But now I find myself in Mobile, Alabama. Stuck here for 5 hours all because they over booked the bus. You see the New Orleans bus terminated in Mobile at 10:30pm so we had to fully unboard. Then the next bus came in from Atlanta at 11pm. But it did not terminate. The other people on the bus were able to stay on the bus through re-boarding. It seems that 45 seats from Atlanta were taken through this re-board leaving only 10 seats for the 20 people coming from New Orleans going east. Now I was looking sweet having lined up at number 6 in the line after we got off. But then the bus driver then goes and directs for people going to Pensacola to board. Effectively allowing 8 people to jump the queue. There is no other bus. We were now waiting until 4:30am. In fact Greyhound knew by combining their 2 ticketing groups that this bus was always going to be overloaded. They knew they were leaving people stranded.

Argh! Stumpy I truly hate you. I shalt never ever plan such a long bus ride ever again.

Chillin' to the Jazz in New Orleans

New Orleans has always been a destination I've always wanted to get to. The whole Hurricane Katrina issue did originally put a halt on the idea of completing the idea on this trip. But then I got thinking that this would probably be my best chance. And I knew that the French Quarter, the main historical centre and party area of New Orleans, wasn't affected by the floods and storm surge.


Getting to New Orleans has been an adventure. But the goal has been worth it.

The French Quarter lived upto expectation. Although as a single traveler I didn't get into the drunken debauchery of Bourbon Street as much as others did. And before anyone asks no there was no flashing for beads done by anyone in the street. Although it could of happened I didn't see it. But anyway that partying on Bourbon Street is just a part of what makes New Orleans. What I was there for was the Jazz. And the history of it which is very interesting in itself.


First day I arrived into New Orleans I checked into the Hostel and head straight for the Quarter and Jackson Square. Around Jackson Square I happened to luck upon the National Parks Service having a National Park dedicated to the history of Jazz. Cool. Not only was I again in a 'Free' National Parks tour, but it was on Jazz. The national parks Jazz History tour is unique. Usually you associate a National Parks Ranger with either hugging a tree, or hugging a monument, not being a musician dedicated to talking through the history and development of Jazz. Alas my concentration span for the Jazz history was not as long as the actual talk on the development of Jazz. That's the cost of catching those overnight buses to destinations. So I don't know the technical aspects of Jazz after their movement from work songs into the early jazz. ie Before Louis Armstrong.

Of course to protect myself from the spirits I also took the opportunity to consult the Voodoo Reader.


The second day in New Orleans I found another of the 'free' National Parks Service tours. Heck give me a chance I'll sniff them all out. This time it was a walking tour of the French Quarter. The French Quarter is the historical district of New Orleans. New Orleans for much of the early settlement period was a French colony. Until the Louisianna Purchase. Of course there were a few times that the colony came under the Spanish, the British had a crack at it, and gees I think the Dutch even had their hands in there too. Heck New Orleans was popular with its positioning right next to the Mississippi.

Other than this, I really didn't acheive much of note. Heck it was too hot and humid to do much more.

There is one more place though I really enjoyed. A simple as it was I found this cool little Pancake House near the hostel. They fed me well there the 2 days I visited, and more importantly I received great 'Southern hospitality'. They even made sure I tried the Gumbo.

Death of a Mobile

Just in case you weren't aware my mobile phone has died. I have just today replaced the handset but in the process have lost all the numbers. I do have a backup of some numbers which will allow me to manually enter most of them . But haven't been able to transfer automatically. The SIM card just isn't reading the numbers stored.

Anyone able to send me an email with their number will make it easier for me.

Give us your strongest

Atlanta is inland, so has no beach. It's not the biggest, not the richest, and not the prettiest. So why was I stopping here. For the Coca Cola apparently. Or well that's the goal when you've just done another overnight bus ride with Stumpy. How could not want a real hit of sugar and caffeine to keep you going.


Atlanta didn't start too well in my eyes. By the time I had reached the hostel I had been asked for money by not less than 5 people. And it's not like I had given them the chance to ask me for money. It was only a 50 metre walk to the train station from Greyhound, and then 1/2 a km to the hostel from the other end. If you measure poverty based on this measure then Atlanta's economy mustn't be looking too good.

The hostel people were very welcoming. I arrived at 9am and by 10:30am I was checked in for the night. This allowed me a quick shower, and nap before heading out for downtown Atlanta, and the 'World of Coca Cola'. Obviously the marketing people at Coke decided it isn't quite right to be named 'Cokeworld'. Although looking at some of the people in Atlanta I'm sure you could manage to visit your own version.

Now one has to remember I was in Atlanta on a long weekend. In fact one of the busiest long weekends of the year, Labour Day Weekend. The last weekend before school kiddies go back, and to people in the north a signal that you're coming to the end of summer. So by the time I got to Cokeworld it was a mess. Strollers, and families everywhere. It didn't matter though to me. As long as I could get in. When it comes down to it Coca Cola really do have it good. They have managed to set up a theme park museum dedicated to their company which then charges adults $15 to just get in the door. A self funding marketing exercise. Anyway the World of Coca Cola was cool. 2 different movies, one an animation with the happiness factory characters (the add where the coke comes out of a coke machine after going through a fantasy world), and a 4D film complete with glasses and moving chairs. There was the opportunity to go sit on the Coca Cola Polar Bear's lap for a photo, but something wasn't right about sitting on it's lap, and then having the electronic facial features go into a smile. So instead I settled for trying to make myself sick on endless soft drink products from the world.


The rest of the day was spent walking around the Centennial Park from the 1996 Olympics, and passing by CNN news centre. I refused to take the CNN tour out of thoughts it'd only support their very right wing talk show commentators.

The hostel in Atanta was not the best. It's seen better days but when there is no competition you really don't have to try. But unfortunately the hostel won the award for the worst experience ever in terms of a rude guest. Not only was this guy snoring like a chainsaw, but after he woke up at 6am he proceeded to just snort and cough up phlem for the next hour. All I could think was he had no respect for other people. It changed my whole sleeping habit as he was there the whole time. Found myself sleeping during the afternoons just to get some rest.

So having done the World of Coca Cola I was left with the need to find a stronger. And there is nothing stronger than visiting 'the King'. No I'm not talking about going to Memphis. Elvis is no in Atlanta. I'm talking about Martin Luther King. I knew that in traveling to Atlanta I would be going to the roots of the civil right movement. I just didn't realise how inspirational it would be, and yet how disappointing to how neglected it is. The memorial to the King is great, and the story is so important for people to hear, and yet the crowds visiting here as compared to the World of Coca Cola, and the Aquarium are minuscule.


Oh, and there was one other thing on in Atlanta I haven't mentioned. Over the long weekend there was a festival on in downtown. Some thing called Dragon-Con. Thousands of people converging on a convention dedicated to their favourite TV, and movie cults. Man I am talking the biggest geek festival I've ever seen. I'm talking seriously deluded people. Trekkies and Star Wars fans, through to Benders. And they all dressed into costume. Seriously when I made it into downtown for the first time I was like, hmmm noone told me there was a costume party on.

My Dog Stumpy

Here in the USA they have a big advertising campaign in all the Bus Stations for 'The New Greyhound'. Well my conclusion is that the new greyhound, his name is Stumpy. Or well that's what I call him. You see Stumpy can't run. There is no doubt that the person buying the greyhound was Mr Magoo cause this thing ain't gonna win seventh position even the maiden race at the Ipswich Dogs Track against a Labrador called Turtle.

My decision is based on the follow recent trip examples.

In Montreal I arrive at the bus station in time for the earlier 11:45am bus departing for New York. So just to be safe I decided to get on this bus and not go to lunch in Montreal and then catch the 4:15pm. With bags underneath the bus I got onto the bus only to find there was no seat. As per safety rule I was asked to get off the bus and wait for the next bus. Argh! Next bus, as I and the other 10 people waiting wasn't until the 4:15pm. No there wasn't no plan to add a bus. They sell too many tickets because they can. Needless to say to not experience the pain a second time I arrive for the 4:15pm bus at 2:30pm. Nearly 2 hours prior. And I wasn't the first in line.

Anyway I managed to get the next bus. It was actually on time. customs let me into USA again. Although they insisted that my last visa waiver' was still in effect. Luckily I had not gotten rid of that. So I have until mid October before my 90 days are up.

Anyway leaving New York in my brief connection from Montreal I was on a bus which was late (no I wasn't shocked). I actually barely made the bus because I had to get a new ticket in New York. Why on earth they have only 1 ticket booth open there even at 1am is beyond me. I mean it's still so busy there. About 10 minutes into the ride we hear a thud under the bus, and next we're pulling off the road into a service station on the opposite side to Manhattan at 2am in the morning. Excellent. Anyway miraculously that issue with the bus resolved itself.after the bus driver went walking around the service station for 10 minutes, and came back. Funny I don't remember him hitting anything with a hammer.

Finally at 6am I had arrived at my destination, Washington.


Just days before I had made the decision to detour to Washington from Montreal. Thanks to the US Airline industry. Their cheap fare system is very antiquated. You need to book 10 days in advance to get a decent cheap flight. Hence I had to find a destination which avoided me backtracking again via Toronto yet go south. New York and Philly I had ruled out considering last year's trip. Boston seen it before, and hostels were booked out. So Washington it was. Which reminded me as to there was a big reason to return there.


Anyway I arrived at the hostel at 7am. Of course you can't check in at 7am. But you can drop your bags off into storage and go exploring. And that was the plan. Luckily though the hostel had a walking tour departing at 9am. So for simplicity I joined this. It also allowed me to follow like a zombie because by this time that's what I was. I had barely slept for 3 hours on the bus and been going non stop since the prior morning. The walking tour covered much of the stuff I had previously visited, and then also some stuff which we had missed on the tour in 2000 due to their inclusion in the 'optional extra'. So this time I visited the Washington Monument. In fact being a part of the walking tour did enable me to pick up more than doing it myself. In fact I'm sure it was more than what the tour guide in 2000 had told us. Beauty of the walking tour, it was free. Organised by the hostel for the hostel guests. Hence part of the reason I love hostels.


Day 2 and why I was stopping in Washington. A trip to Gettysburg. Many of you would realise this is the historical site of Civil War. It was the trip on 2000 where had forever haunted me with regards to Gettysburg. You see we were but a 1/2 hour away from visiting Gettysburg. But instead the tour harassed the Amish people in Pennsylvania. Then last year I had thought about doing an overnight trip to Gettysburg, but well the wedding came first, and the side trip became too daunting. This time there was no maybe not. This would be probably my last time in the area and I wasn't going to just be left going what if again.

I hired a car in at Union Station and set forth on my journey with not much more than a hire car map. Might I just say there are a heap of highways in and around Washington. Finding the way north on Highway 270 was no easy feat. I must of crossed about 8 highway numbers off the list in just trying to get 200 miles away. Final destination was made with relative ease in the end. Even if highway 15 wasn't listed on my map.


Once in Gettysburg it was time to do the tour. A tour was the best way to ensure I understood just what I was seeing. Apparently Gettysburg holds the record for the most monuments in such a small area. In saying this the National Park actually covers some 26 square miles. To think that 80,000 Confederate troops and 90,000 Union troops fought a battle over 3 days which turned the Civil War was amazing. Seeing the park was a highlight living upto expectations.


The return to Washington however did not live upto expectations. I got into the city fine but that's where it all went bad. Getting fuel was a nightmare. I found a tiny petrol station where the drivers queuing were just rude. I ended up getting frustrated lining up, and gave up only to return as I couldn't find another. With car fueled it was time to return it. Easier said than done. You see Union station is right in the centre of Washington. And it was peak hour. I did laps up and down Massachusetts Ave and then the surrounding streets trying to find an entry into the Parking. The entrance was not to be found. I was tired, and flustered. Things weren't working for me. I may have even gotten a red light camera photo from a clogged intersection, (but I think it was the lady next to me, not me.) I'll find out. And to make things worse my mobile phone had decided to give in. It wasn't working for more than 15 seconds at a time. I did though manage one phone call to the car rental place and they insisted the entrance was on the street I was on. Finally after an hour and a half of laps I gave up. I parked 3 blocks away and walked into the car rental place, place the keys on the counter and insisted someone was going to help me get into the carpark cause I couldn't keep going. The guy behind the counter saw my eyes and just agreed to help me. Seriously I had gotten to the point where I was telling where their car was to pick it up. He saw that. Nightmare ended.

And then there was today. I was back with my dog stumpy.

So far I have encountered
- a really funny southern accent.
- a psycho about to go postal having not slept for 24 hours and itching for a smoke. Seriously this guy was sitting next to me whispering hate chants. Talking about killing someone, swearing his head off with every second word. Basically he was getting freaky. Later a group of us passengers were talking about him. Apparently they had my back if he tried anything. I wasn't the only one noticing.
- cheerleader practice in the Greyhound Station, and
- a weird wearing tracky dacks, an untucked-in oversized singlet, and a bum bag (fanny pack) right over his groin. Get that image into you and understand my distress. Especially considering he kept digging for stuff in the fanny pack. We nic-named him Mr Viagara.

The bus leaving Washington was 1/2 an hour late leaving. Late 2 hours into Richmond just 2 and 1/2 hours away. I missed my connection in Richmond. Had to wait 4hrs for the next bus. I got into Raleigh 6 hours late on a 6 hour bus ride. My couchsurfing host was no longer an option, so I had no choice but to keep going to Atlanta.

As a result I now look forward to getting the drink with the highest caffeine level available at the Coca Cola head office.