In the center of old Savannah sits the city’s largest park with its centerpiece a nineteenth century fountain. The city planners worked to emulate Parisian elements when designing this city. According to some historical accounts, the fountain is an exact replica of the Fontaine des Mers in Paris but that is only a legend. It is actually a design first shown in 1851 at the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London, England that was ordered from the ironworks catalog of the company that created it named Janes & Kirtland. Regardless, it is one of America’s most famous fountains and the most visited attraction in Savannah.
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If you have indoor houseplants, they require care when you are away and extended trips can take a toll on your houseplants. Unlike cats and dogs, there is no kennel where you can take your houseplants and pay for someone to make sure they get the light and water they need. If you have good neighbors, you may be able to make arrangements for them to come in and do some watering once or twice while you are away. If you are going to be gone several weeks or a month or more, this may not be the best solution and experience has proved that over watering is common when others take care of your plants.
There are lots of gizmos on the market that claim they will keep your plants hydrated and some work and some are a waste of money and effort.
We’ve tried the spike tip for a liter bottle, the slow drip method and even a timer released watering (expensive if you have a number of plants).
The best solution we’ve found is a self watering pot with a bottom reservoir. Manufacturers claim these pots will keep your plants watered for up to two weeks but, the truth is, they may not work that long if you have the air conditioner running (more evaporation) or the pot is small.
Misco Self-Watering Flower Pot
The best solution is to fill the reservoir and then stand the plant in a plastic container, the larger the better. We use a plastic storage tub. Put enough water in the plastic container to go several inches above the top of the reservoir opening. This will keep the plant happy for a number of weeks and, if it is kept in a well lit environment, the plant will be alive, happy and maybe thriving when you get home.
There are lots of self watering planters on the market but one of the better choices is Misco (available at Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot and other stores). They offer several different sizes and colors so you can mix and match for all your plant needs.
Bondi Beach is one of the world’s most famous beaches, known for its stunning coastline, golden sands, and vibrant atmosphere. It is a popular spot for surfing, swimming, sunbathing, and people-watching. The beach is also known for its laid-back lifestyle and international surf culture.
The name Bondi Beach has become synonymous with the Australian beach lifestyle and the pursuit of outdoor adventure and leisure. It represents the carefree spirit and love for the ocean that many people associate with Bondi Beach. This beach has been featured in numerous films, TV shows, and advertisements. It has also been used as a symbol of Australian tourism and the country’s natural beauty.
Bondi Beach And Sculptures By The Sea
On a recent trip to Australia we spent a day at Bondi Beach very near Sydney. It turns out that besides being a nearby beach resort and a great surfing venue, Bondi is famous for the largest free sculpture exhibition in the world. A sculpture event known as Sculptures By The Sea is featured each year in October-November.
Bondi Beach, in addition to surfing, is famous for the Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk. The walk is an iconic 3-km. paved trail along the coast between two well-known Sydney beaches. The walk offers sweeping ocean vistas of the coastline and sea from a paved trail beautifully fit into the cliffs between the two beaches. From mid October into early November the walk becomes an outdoor sculpture exhibit featuring works of art from all over Australia and beyond.
Anyone visiting Sydney, especially during this time of year, should really try to fit in a visit to Bondi Beach. The town is easy to reach via a Sydney T4 train from central station to Bondi Junction where you switch to a Beach bus. It’s highly recommended to get an Opal card to make the best use of the area transportation (See our post on the Opal Card).
The beach itself is a sweeping two kilometer crescent of sand and the bars and eating venues across the street from the beach have a resort boardwalk vibe. The real draw though is the surf and in the world of surfers the waves at Bondi are legendary. Even without the art it is one of Sydney’s “must see” destinations and don’t forget to pick up a “Surf Bondi” Tee shirt before you leave.
International Travel And Finding Refuge In McDonalds
Love it or hate it, McDonalds has a huge international presence. There are few places internationally where you cannot find the “Golden Arches” and regionally some McDonalds have improved on the brand beyond what you find in the United States.
As you travel there are a number of good reasons to search out McDonalds near you:
Amsterdam
Easy access to clean restrooms is one important reason. In many places around the globe finding public restrooms can be a challenge and often there is a fee involved in gaining entrance. After visiting hundreds of the Golden Arches all around the world we’ve never found one without public restrooms. At times you might need to pay a small fee but often they are still free.
Cusco’s historic center, Peru
Finding decaf coffee internationally is often nearly impossible. In my case, for medical reasons, I’m supposed to avoid caffein and there are many countries and cities where there just isn’t any, except at McDonalds and Starbucks.
A place where you can expect a good value and a familiar menu. While there are regional and ethnic food differences on the menu, usually you know what to expect when you walk into a McDonalds. While you probably shouldn’t get in the habit of eating mostly fast food hamburgers there are times when a quarter pounder with cheese just feels like comfort food.
Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City
At times you’ll find some really pleasant surprises. While it never seemed to catch on in the United States there are places where McCafe is a huge success. Image walking into a McDonalds and discovering overstuffed chairs, sofas and out-of-the-way seating areas next to a fancy coffee counter and pastry cases that would rival any bakery. From the Azores to Germany to Hungary you’ll find MacCafe is an amazing experience and none in America even come close.
Left- The Azores, Center- Germany, Right- Budapest
The Worlds Most Beautiful McDonalds (Click photo to read the story)
If you frequently travel internationally in addition to McDonalds you’ll find a number of locations of American food and culture dotted around the world with names like Starbucks, Burger King, Five Guys, KFC and even Krispy Creme. Also there are brands emerging outside of America that are learning from the American franchises like Jollibee. This is a fast-food chain that was founded in the Philippines. Today Jollibee has expanded globally that now has 39 restaurants in the United States along with outlets in Canada, Saudi Arabia, Europe (Spain, Italy, UK) with about 1,500 outlets worldwide and still growing. Its menu typically features a variety of items such as fried chicken, burgers, spaghetti, and depending on location Filipino dishes.
Ísafjörður is a small town in the north of Iceland that has received a lot of press for its innovative 3D pedestrian crossing.
Recently there has been controversy in our small Central Florida town over the installation of a speed bump that has created a noise problem as mainly trucks start crossing the speed bump before dawn.
My wife was talking about it to her sister who sent us an article about a unique 3D pedestrian crossing in Iceland. If you search for it you’ll discover that it was painted in 2017 and oddly enough we were in Ísafjörður, Iceland just a few months ago (August 2023) and didn’t see it.
Most of the articles praised this unique crossing that uses optical illusions to create what seems like large floating blocks. It not only adds a visually striking element to the town but also serves as an effective way to grab the attention of drivers causing them to slow down and increasing pedestrian safety. This 3D pedestrian crossing in Ísafjörður has gained international attention.
I went back through my photos of Ísafjörður and actually found the street where the 3D crosswalk was supposed to be and it just wasn’t there. It’s not something you wouldn’t have noticed and I believe I know what happened. You see Ísafjörður is a small town in an isolated area in Iceland. I’m sure that in less than a week almost 99% of the towns residents would have either driven over the illusion or walked on it. How long would it have remained an effective way to slow drivers? Maybe it would have had the ability to help in say an area of Atlanta Georgia but in a town of less than 3,000 people not so much.
Recognize the street?
Above is an August 2023 photo of the street where the 3D crosswalk was installed. The only change is the advertisement on the building is now for a coffee house instead of a bakery but since it appears that I was standing on the 3D crosswalk it just wasn’t there…
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Ísafjörður is a small town in the north of Iceland that has received a lot of press for its innovative 3D pedestrian crossing.
Recently there has been controversy in our small Central Florida town over the installation of a speed bump that has created a noise problem as mainly trucks start crossing the speed bump before dawn.
My wife was talking about it to her sister who sent us an article about a unique 3D pedestrian crossing in Iceland. If you search for it you’ll discover that it was painted in 2017 and oddly enough we were in Ísafjörður, Iceland just a few months ago (August 2023) and didn’t see it.
Most of the articles praised this unique crossing that uses optical illusions to create what seems like large floating blocks. It not only adds a visually striking element to the town but also serves as an effective way to grab the attention of drivers causing them to slow down and increasing pedestrian safety. This 3D pedestrian crossing in Ísafjörður has gained international attention.
I went back through my photos of Ísafjörður and actually found the street where the 3D crosswalk was supposed to be and it just wasn’t there. It’s not something you wouldn’t have noticed and I believe I know what happened. You see Ísafjörður is a small town in an isolated area in Iceland. I’m sure that in less than a week almost 99% of the towns residents would have either driven over the illusion or walked on it. How long would it have remained an effective way to slow drivers? Maybe it would have had the ability to help in say an area of Atlanta Georgia but in a town of less than 3,000 people not so much.
Recognize the street?
Above is an August 2023 photo of the street where the 3D crosswalk was installed. The only change is the advertisement on the building is now for a coffee house instead of a bakery but since it appears that I was standing on the 3D crosswalk it just wasn’t there…
The Intentional Travelers 