… If you know whether a state was part of the Confederacy, it is possible to make a reasonably accurate guess about where it stands on a range of seemingly unconnected matters, from party politics to gay marriage. …
Today, only five states have no minimum-wage laws; all were Confederate 150 years ago. Of the ten states that lock up the highest proportion of their citizens, seven were Confederate. …
The 11 states of the Confederacy were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.
I was in Alabama last year. Very nice. I saw no visible signs of the legacy of slavery. I’m headed for Texas next week.
… Barbecue Secrets Podcast returns, better than ever. In this episode I connect with tech and barbecue geek Richard Campbell, who shares his recipe for Spanish-style Paella on the Grill and recounts his experience of regional barbecue in Romania, and I have an in-depth conversation with one of the leading lights in Canadian barbecue, Angie Quaale.
Beautiful Boricay manages to meet, exceed or defy expectations. It rarely disappoints.
That’s surprising since this is likely the single most touristy destination on all of Philippines 7100 tropical islands.
A beach holiday is low on my personal priority list. But the 5 nights flew by. Very relaxing.
Once or twice a day I ran the beach. Mid-day I went exploring. It’s a small island. I covered most of it.
I recommend Boracay if ever you get the chance to visit. Solo, no go. Bring a date or come with a group.
It’s definitely good for kids. A safe beach.
Considerations:
• you still need barter for everything on the beach
• touts and hawkers are annoying
• quality of most goods/services is low
• there’s no reliable tourist information
• there are no hostels here — a shame since it was first “discovered” by backpackers
• motorized roadways are Hellish
Recommendations:
• 99% of tourists stick to White Beach. If you leave that strip, even to either end of the Beach, life improves.
north end of the main beachsouth end of main beach
• if you are looking to save Pesos, the best value White Beach accommodation is in a quiet dead end alley near Station 3. The top pick is Dave’s Straw Hat Inn. Recommended by Lonely Planet, it’s usually full. Prices are now up to $35 / night or more. Others nearby are almost as good and half the price.
• I stayed in the ($19 including breakfast) fan rooms at Orchid Inn. If you come with 2-3 people, better are the upscale Orchid Inn Private Villas (3ys old). Compare others against that option. Prices vary wildly. Barter.
• I did finally see dormitory beds for about $8.
• Hundreds of restaurants on the beach did not impress me. The only one I can recommend is the German hangout, Kurts.
Be careful with the famed buffets. Food often sits long, under-heated. The famed Mongolian barbecues are better.
