Things to do, Places to go: VACATION! |
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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Need to 'broaden your horizons' during these economically-challenging times?
Need to 'make new friends', or maybe impress distant relatives?
Maybe you're simply looking to give a gift for which your loved ones will always remember was from you.
Good thing you found THIS post!
Welcome to 'PaWolf's XMAS Suggestions for the Last Minute Shopper'
(and yes...this IS the 'Vacation' thread - vacations are good to give, now aren't they?)
...if the above suggestions appear cost-prohibitive, well, there is always the 'do it yourself' method...
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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I'm actually VERY surprised neither Mooch, nor Madawee, have mentioned taken a 'day-cation', here...
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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I've pretty much decided where I'd like our FINAL vacation to be (whenever that time comes, many moons from now)...don't know why, but it kind of looks and feels like 'Home'. (see AXUM). Been looking into this for some time...I'm actually kind of excited...
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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ThreadKiller
Junior Executive Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Location: Harrisburg, PA Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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I'm with Adreme on this one. My wife and I did a driving trip through New England in the early 1980s, and our favorite stop was Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor, ME.
We saw many beautiful, isolated spots along the coast. My wife kept saying, "I'm coming back here someday just to sit and read a book." Sadly, we've never done it, but I intend to soon.
Another favorite spot of ours (kinda cheesy, I know) is Wildwood Crest, NJ in September or early October. I'd never go there in the height of the summer season but I love the beach, the town, and proximity to Cape May, as well as a short (and cool) ferry ride from the Delaware beaches.
A friend in the office has been to Sanibel Island, FL many times and loves it. That's also on my do-list. I'd actually like to drive there from PA, and do some of the driving on old U.S. Route 301, which my family drove several times in the early to mid-60s, before the interstates.
My father served in Europe during WW II, and I've always wanted to visit Europe and retrace the paths of the U.S. armies from Normandy to Germany. While doing that, I'd make sure I visited Switzerland and Austria. Another work friend lived in Germany while her husband was stationed there in the Air Force, and she highly recommends it.
My sister and her husband drove cross-country and through Alaska a few summers back, and intend to visit Alaska again.
Another must-do trip for me is to drive cross-country after I retire (soon, I hope) when I can take my time, and do a loop through the west/southwest, up the pacific coast, and come back east through the northern midwest.
Finally -- call me a homer -- I'd welcome anyone to come visit Pennsylvania. I'd recommend doing it in the fall, because of the foliage. There are some really pretty sections of PA, especially Laural Highlands in central/western part; Centre County, where you can have your picture taken by the Joe Paterno statue outside of Beaver Stadium (Go Penn State!!!), the Juniata River valley--a beautiful drive in the fall, and Lancaster county. Lots of historical and interesting cultural sites in those areas.
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Hundreds of threads killed.
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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TK, your post is QUITE thought-provoking...
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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Tiz
Revolutionary I donated! Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 15588 |
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ThreadKiller
Junior Executive Joined: 04 Oct 2008 Location: Harrisburg, PA Status: Offline Points: 1148 |
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Pa, the spring of my senior year of HS in '73, my dad bought me a used VW fastback sedan to drive to my summer job. One of my friends, Jim, was a semi-hippie who was prone to saying goofy, off the wall things now and then . One day we were running around in the VW and he said, out of the blue, "We should drive to California in this thing, go to the beach, run out and dip our toes in the water, and drive back."
Wish I had a buck for every time since then I've wished we'd done it!!!
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Hundreds of threads killed.
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Hezadancer
Junior Executive Joined: 06 May 2008 Location: Around Status: Offline Points: 3770 |
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I lived in Fort Myers for a year, my god, the entire town suffers from "entitled old fart" syndrome. I understand the retiree dream to retire to Florida, but being 20 and living in the same town just doesn't work for me. It was too hot to do anything in the summer, and in the winter the entire town became "snow bird" central, talk about 2 hour waits at most sit down restaurants because they come in groups and refuse to get up when their done. It's also a tourist hub because of Sanibel, adding to the winter clusterf*ck. Sorry, for my anger, I moved down there feeling one way and moved back up feeling completely different. Florida, at least some parts, just aren't for everyone. I loved it and hated it at the same time. As for Sanibel, it's the best place in the US for sea shelling. Don't count on finding anything on the beaches though on a normal day, you have to snorkel for good shells. Anything good on the beach comes after a storm. Any other day and the afformentioned elderly population and tourists have already combed the beach before sunrise. Everytime I went the beach was entirely covered in seaweed too, not too picturesque. This is a picture I took of the water at Sanibel last time I was there. It tended to look that way all the time. And Pa, I'd love to hear your story on why you hate the place |
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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"DayCations" seem to be more affordable, these days - so, for New Englanders...how about a nice trip and a great place, with a lot of history, to eat.
Or, if you are a cheesecake lover (yummers!), THE BEST CHEESECAKE, PERIOD.
Carry CASH AND CHANGE! Believe it or not, this place works on 'The Honor System' (at the Front Door (which is unattended), if The Gift Shop is not open. Different sized cheesecakes, different flavors.
Think they are worried about thieves? FINDING this place is an adventure within itself - BUT WORTH EVERY MINUTE! Mind you, the Monks down the road may still be training guard dogs...
(we did a photo shoot at New Skete, about five years ago. "MissyDWolf and the Nuns" (kind of a 'Where's Waldo'...No matter where we were taking pictures, the Nuns would run and hide around corners, or behind trees, so you would have to really look for them hiding, or peeking in each picture with MissyD as the subject...)
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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I'll only offer a bit about one trip (I had the bike on the car; rode all over the island all day, into the evening (and yes, got very burned), it was also one of the worst RED TIDE's of recent times (everything was dead and washed ashore)...but each trip seemed to have something odd occur; something uncalled for. I also found the locals either:
1.) VERY OLD (so, be VERY careful! You're in THEIR territory)
2.) Pretty unfriendly
3.) Possibly inbred
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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HollyRock
Moderator Group Illustrious Video Moderator Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Mass. Status: Offline Points: 2873 |
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That castle place looks cool! It makes me think of Hammond Castle, in Gloucester, MA - which isn't a restaurant at all (an actual mad scientist built it, though).
I love that the cheesecake monks also sell icons and dog beds.
I'd go to both of those places. Fun!
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Let's try not to be boring, mkay?
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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The Nuns make the cheesecakes...the Monks (they are located farther down the gravel road, more in the valley, have the dog activities and items). And YOU probably aren't all that far from them.
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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We had today off, so we took $15 and decided to have a 'Daycation'.
Earlier today I posted from the Buffalo Main Library, right after lunch, while MissyD went on a 'book hunt'. The B.M.L. is a neat place; it is where the original hand-written manuscript of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn', along with a lot of other Mark Twain memorabilia, among a bunch of other rare books.
After that, we went to the observation deck on Buffalo City Hall (about 28 floor up); clear sky, clear view. Crisp and cold. Then we had FUN. We went to the 13th floor (yup - a hi-rise with a 13th floor!) and went into the council chamber - a very beautiful and historic room...with a really neat thin dimly-lit secret passageway that winds around to other meeting rooms and staircases...reminded me a lot of 'The Shining'.... About the time one gets worried about where the heck they are, well - turn one last corner and there you are! Right at the front of the Council Chambers! Next time, I'm going through from the other end!
We finished off our little trip by having a cup of coffee and a bunch of laughs with a friend who is the spitting image of Craig T. Nelson - all the way down to the personality - and is also a City Official...we BARELY caught our bus, we were having so much fun.
A wonderful day; with the weather getting better, I'll soon de-plate the Blackillac - we'll go back to 'Summer Hoofs'. Today was the initial 'road test'; a wonderful success...
'Daycations' are great and public transportation is the way to do it.
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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regulus
Junior Executive Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Location: Nova Catacumba Status: Offline Points: 4436 |
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I went on a "Night-Cation" Last Night. I awoke at 1:30 AM and drove from my house in Daytona Beach to Port Canaveral. There, I watched the launch of the GPS 2R-20 Global Positioning Satellite. After the launch I returned home and went back to bed!
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Poiuyt Power!!!
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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THAT had to be incredibly neat, Reg!
Do they still hold you out a few miles from the launch?
I'll never forget renting a Lincoln Town Car, filling a cooler with champagne, and heading to the FIRST night shuttle launch! It was great, 'cept we couldn't find a hotel room ANYWHERE. Had to sleep in the car. Returned to Tampa just in time for some kid name Billy Ferry (I believe) who firebombed a Winn-Dixie mid-afternoon, killing a bunch of people - while we both had severe headaches...
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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Hootman
Revolutionary Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 8151 |
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Was in Daytona once when one of the shuttles was due to launch early one morning. The condo we were in was on a golf course and I went out to watch the shuttle take off.
I waited and waited. Finally a golfer walked by and said, "did you see the launch?" I said, "no, I didn't". He said, " well, no wonder, you're facing the wrong way!". |
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Big Momma
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I sang several times at Hammond Castle! One of my voice teachers was artist in resident there for a time. Wonderful acoustics and very beautiful!
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regulus
Junior Executive Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Location: Nova Catacumba Status: Offline Points: 4436 |
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I was on the Pier at Jetty Park, which is about 2 1/2 Miles from the Launch Pad. This is the CLOSEST you can get to any of the Launch Pads, needless to say you can FEEL it as well as hear it!
Sadly, I read they are going to phase out the Delta II Rockets over the next three years, which means you wont be able to get as close to any launches after that.
(The Closet you can get to the Space Shuttle is six miles, the other rockets range from 7 to 9 miles from their closest viewpoints.)
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Poiuyt Power!!!
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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...well, we're getting ready to leave on our 'road trip', tomorrow A.M...should be at the South East coastline with a few of the kids (youngest son and youngest daughter) and other friends by mid-week.
I think I'll surf a bit.
We only wish DWolf (oldest son) was going to be around...but he want to surf with the Brits, while on break in AfgyLand...
...and we wish JkWolf and JnWolf (oldest two daughters) would be there, too...but they didn't have a great experience the last time they were at the waterline...
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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meinga
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Have Fun Pa!
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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Thank You, Meinga! We appreciate that.
We WILL! (we are SO looking forward to this!).
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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Just now saw THIS! I'm thinking that when I go(within next 90 days), I will look down through the clear floor, which will immediately no longer be clear (it will take on an 'amber tone')...
MissyDWolf probably will wait at the sidewalk café - she doesn't care for this kind of adventure.
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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DirtyD79
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Went to a wrestling show in Cleveland over the weekend. Would have liked to see more of the stuff but didn't have the money. All the places I've been to though I still think Chicago is the best.
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Mind on My Money, Money on My Beer
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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YOU live in one of the United S of A's nicest areas, from MY perspective! (then again, that wouldn't be wrestling, although I also enjoy the sport). The 'Three Rivers' area has LONG been a favorite! And given MisyDWolf made me put the plates back on the Blackillac, last week...I'm looking a one of three places for a quick, cheap vacation:
1.) Pittsburgh
2.) Fallingwater
3.) Algonquin Park (Canada)
...and THAT is in order of 'populated' areas - and desire. I REALLY like the Pittsburgh area! MissyDWolf really doesn't know it except for the FANTASTIC airport (one of her very favorite art shops is THERE)
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X <sig.nature>
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, What we do for others is and remains immortal." - Albert Pike |
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specialkt
Commercial Hater Joined: 29 May 2009 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 351 |
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< going to Hawaii in September for a lil over a week. can i say excited!!
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