Well, the hotel bar closed early tonight so I went for a wander in search of food, up Columbus St, past the outskirts of China town and into Little Italy… Finally stumbled into a strange looking place filled with odd memorabilia and posters saying Vampires stay away,but seemed to have lots of signed photos of famouse Vampire actors !! it was called the “Stinking Rose”…’A Garlic Resturant’… “Table for one” I asked, looking around at the long line of people Waiting for tables…They seated me imediatly(the 1 and only advantage of eating alone) 🙂 I then had the best chicken lasagna ever!!! It was full of garlic and black olives!! Yum!!! I tasted some local beer, soaked in the atmosphere then asked for my bill and wanderd all the way home again.
I reckon I must have covered over 20km on foot today! no wonder I’m tired…
Night all, plane to catch in the morning.
Stinking Rose
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In San Fran!!
Well, I made it !
I jumped on a train from the Airport and ended up about 3 blocks from where I was staying, I reached my Hotel at about Mid-day, they let me check in early so I was able to have a quick shower then I was out the door.
I headed off in the general direction of Fishermans wharf and then onwards to the Exploratorium, I figured it wouldn’t be that far.. only about 20 blocks to Fishermans wharf and another 30 blocks to the Exploratorium.. along the way I saw heaps of .. piers.. from Pier 1 to pier 47 to be excact, I took photos of random stuff on the way and did the obligatory stop at the famouse pier 39! to take photos of Alcatraz (figured that would be the best spot) and took a few photos of the resident Seal/sea lion colony.
Just Past Fishermans wharf and about 2pm I found a guy on the footpath next to a 40′ Boat selling tickets for a 1 hr Scenic boat trip under the famouse Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz.. only $10.. sweet!!! so I jumped on (with the other 25 or so passengers) and we headed off.. it was windy and cold (somtimes wet from sea spray and a bit of light rain) but great all the same, we went right under the bridge and then circled Alcatraz.. I took Countless photos.. a few of which are in my Gallery now.
After I got back onto Solid Ground @ about 3pm I was feeling a wee bit famished, (I had only eaten a small amount on the plane earlier) I didn’t feel like crab.. (which it seemed was about all on offer at Fishermans Wharf) time was getting on and the Exploratorium museum closed at 5pm I figured it was at least another Hrs walk to the Exploratorium, so I sucked it in and carried on (hoping to find some sort of cafe there) It was starting to Drizzle a little harder by the time I finally got to the Exploratorium just befor 4pm, I went inside and made a B line to the cafe on the other side of the Huge building like an Aircraft hanger that was the Museum, (the Exploratoium is one of the biggest Childrens Science Museums in the world.. lots of cool stuff to play with) I found a Bleak lookingCoffee, Hot Dog and a Ham and Brie Sandwich which i downed in about 3 min, feeling much better I had a good look around and played with “Stuff”
By the time the Museum closed the light Drizzle had turned into a Torrential downpoar! I didn’t have my brollie on me and so didn’t feel like a 2hr walk in a Mid winter Downpoar, I called a cab and waited.. and Waited.. and waited.. Typical USA ! after about 30-40min (it was now very dark outside) the rain calmed down a bit and I decided to walk back to the hotel.
the path home took me through a Small park up a hill through some trees.. no one else around.. it was really peacefull, and then somthing ran out across the path in front of me.. it looked like a large domestic cat.. it ran up a tree just a couple of meters from me.. on closer inspection I saw it was a Racoon!! sooo cute ….. I imediately grabbed my camera set it to manual focus(no way it was going to focus in the dim light) opened the flash and poped a couple of rounds in the Racoons General direction.. (as you can imagine the results were far from perfect and it spooked the poor little guy, he ran out of sight further up the tree) yay anyway, my first Racoon sighting !!
So I made it back to my hotel in one piece.. wish I had more time here to look around.. didn’t get the chance to head up any of those amazing steep streets you see in G.T.A, pretty much just did the waterfront… if only I had more time….
Oh well thats it for now, next stop Indianapolis (Again.. )
Until next time.
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Off Again.
Hey all,Happy New Year!!!
Well I’m off again…. back to The good old USA, Land of the free and home to the Red Socks.. the greatest Baseball team in the world!!
Well, As I sit in Aucland International airport I comtemplate what the next 7 weeks have in store for me.. First stop Gay old San Fran!! Then off to Indianapolis again (hopefully getting out of there every weekend and exploring Chicago and other more interesting places) Then After all the Work is done in Indy I wash my hands of the LOTR Show and head off to L.A to meet up with the lovely Mia (who after just sitting through many hours in cattle class on United Air might not be quite so Lovely.. 😉
We will do all that Jazz in L.A… Hollywood, Disney Land etc, then Fly our way across the great continent to New York.. New York!! not sure what we are going to do there yet but we should be able to keep busy for a few days befor heading off to Canada!! YAy!!!!! Toronto for a couple of weeks.. heading up on a big road trip into Quebec.. and then right down to Niagra falls! then we fly back across the Northen part of America to Vancouver and Skiing in Whistler for a week!! yay for snow.. heart snow!!
Then its back to L.A (where Mia and I part ways again 🙁 she JUmps across to Melbourne then Wellington on United, while I Pop straight to Auckland then Wellington on Air NZ.. we should arrive back in Wellington at about the same time on the 22nd? Feb..
Thats about it really.. well thats the plan anyway.. lets hope there are not too many un forseen changes 😉
… Next Stop San Francisco !!
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Sink F69
Well, I missed the big sinking because I had to work 🙁 I was rather unhappy about that, oh well… The lovely Mia grabbed my camera and took Litteraly hundreds of photos of the big event so i could re-live it later… and here they are (well 2 of them anyway) for you all to look at in wonderment and amazement!!
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Lazy Bugger!
Sorry, I have been real lazy since i got back into the country… Here are the last few photos from my Trip….
I had a bit of a wait in L.A on the way home like about 6 hrs, so I Jumped on a bus to Santa monica beach (cost 75c each way) just walked around for a bit and sat on the beach.. nothing special about the beach, I much prefere Northland beaches 😉
Oh BTW Just had 3 amazing days up the mountain Skiing … freash powder today mmmm yummy powder!!!! will post some photos soon! (no broken bones yet!)
Anyway enuf babbling … here are the last photos of USA (for now .. until the next time in a couple of months)
Here we go!!
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Indianapolis Zoo
Today we all went did the obligatory trip to the Zoo (and the fact that its 5min walk from the hotel helped) Saw some cute little critters and a few nice big Critters.. Got to pet a couple of different snakes which was neat.
Once again took far to many photos, so here are just a couple 😉
Enjoy!
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Indianapolis 500
Well, I made it! awsome.. Even tho I only got to go around the track once in a tour bus, it was still awsome! the Museum at the Track with hundreds of old Indi cars and other amazing old cars in their collection was incredible.. We were all drooling over so many stunning cars! I have only posted a small handfull of phots from the trip.. just a wee taste! Should be eneough tho !
enjoy!
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Chipmunks!!
Hey all, last night I saw a chipmunk!! sooo cute, I think they are even cooler than squirrels!
well, gettin into the last days of the Install and its all looking good. the show opens on Wed night @midnight (thurs 5pm NZ time) and we should be all finished with a day or 2 to spare 🙂 Its going to look great !
so work is good, but I have been pretty crook for a few days, just recovering from a flu or cold or somthing, and also had such bad back pains that I could barely walk .. or sit.. or anything.. but its all alot better now and I am off to the Indi 500 track today, yay!! Its going to be cool.. will hopefully have some more photos up tonight !
Anyhow, hope everyone is well in NewZealand .. oh , hows the election going? is Labor in yet? whats the guff?
Catch yall later !!
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Another week down :)
Well, another week under the belt! Just having a quiet weekend this weekend, spent the day looking around different shopping districts.
went to the only ski shop in Indianapolis and they are under renovation and have no stock at all !! 🙁
Sorry Caleb, no hoodie this trip 🙁
Anyway, not alot happened during the week.. went to an Imax film (for free) work work and more work.. might head down to Louiville tomorrow for a bit of a drive.. Only 2 weeks to go.
Still need to…
1) go to the Indianapolis 500 speedway.
2)go to the Zoo 😉
3) finish the install .. (not so important on my list)
.. Thats about it.. oh vist San Fransisco for a night 🙂 Still, always next time in Janurary !
Hope all are well back home 🙂
See yoos fullas later !
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Chicago!
Hey all, Just got back from a weekend in Chicago! It was very nice…
No seriously there was just too much to take in for only 1 weekend! I took litterally hundreds of photos, which I now have to sort out a small handfull to stick in my gallery.
Just a quick summary, on Sat Morning (about 10am) we hired a Chevy Malibu car (V6) and headed North on Interstate 65 out of Indianapolis we got up to Chicago in the afternoon and after Checking into our Hotel went out on the town to check out the place! we found this great Restraunt that had a Stage truck parked out the back and a loud mexican band playing with Salsa Dancers !! we had a great meal, more of a wander around then Went back to the hotel to crash.
Sunday morning we headed back into town strolling thru the Irish Festival in the middle of the city, looking at the amazing Architecture and scuptures around the downtown area, we wandered along the shores of Lake Michigan (which stretches all the way up into Canada) and to the Chicago Aquarium and the famouse Chicago Feild Museum of Natural History.
So much to see, so little time!
We then drove up to an older part of the city filled with funky Cafes and Shops, Greg and I had lunch while Az and Liv went off for a bit of retail Therapy 😉 At about 5pm we all met up and headed back down Interstate 65 to our temporary home of Indianapolis.
All in all a fantastic weekend, love Chicago!!.. must go back again..
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