Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown is an American travel and food show on CNN which premiered on April 14, 2013.
episode 8 – “Congo”
Tony visits Congo, the setting of one of his favorite books, Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, and the basis for one of his favorite movies, the classic Apocalypse Now.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.
A beautiful setting. Much history.
The United States Military Academy at West Point (USMA), also known as West Point, Army, The Academy, or simply, The Point, is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City.
The campus is a popular tourist destination complete with a large visitor center and the oldest museum in the United States Army.
Cadets are required to adhere to the Cadet Honor Code, which states that “a cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.” The academy bases a cadet’s leadership experience as a development of all three pillars of performance: academics, physical, and military. …
All cadets reside on campus and dine together en masse on weekdays for breakfast and lunch. The academy fields fifteen men’s and nine women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports teams. … (including Gymnastics)
Colloquially, freshmen are plebes, sophomores are yearlings or yuks, juniors are cows, and seniors are firsties. …
In the past, I’ve found Budget as good as anyone.
But my recent rental out of JFK airport in NY revealed problems.
The vehicle was fine, a Kia Rio.
I rented and (oddly) prepaid online for 3 days. That was $30 / day plus a bewildering slew of add-on charges and taxes.
$136.23
Calling in to ADD an extra day was a hassle. It took 5-6 phone calls. I kept getting cut off near the end of the transaction.
For the extra day I was told the charge would be $69.76.
But on return of the vehicle, I was billed an extra $111.62. (More confusing taxes and charges.)
Deceptive and confusing pricing.
On a vehicle advertised to me for “$30 / day” I paid $111.62 for one day.
Budget rent-a-car SUCKS. 😦
I’ll boycott the company for life.
If you’re still not convinced, here’s Budget JFK when I returned the car.
None of the other agencies looked crowded.
I speculate that Budget offers low, appealing rates online. Then overcharges for every possible other thing.
Poor service, too. At least it was for me.
I recommend you ask for the total, TOTAL cost when renting a vehicle. And avoid Budget if you can.
We wandered dark streets from the Brooklyn Bridge, looking for the greatest local restaurant in greater New York.
And found it. 🙂
Bare-bones and fluorescent-lit, this place looks like a hundred other storefront steam-table soul-food joints. But something extraordinary must be going on back in the kitchen.
“Supersavory” chicken and dumplings tread a delicious murky brown gravy.
… Nicely seasoned collards actually show signs of life—a refreshing departure from the norm—while sweet, juicy yams pack a cinnamon-sugar punch. …
Rockin’ agrees.
Urban Spoon – The Soul Spot 94%
Yelp – The Soul Spot
Logistics were challenging — did you know New York is crowded, unfriendly, expensive and impossible to drive? — but I managed to rendezvous with the Shewchuks on their family holiday to NY City.
Riverside wine bar.
We wandered the bridges at dusk. Lovely weather. Lovely light.
Happy holidays. 🙂
Stone gate Danxia Landform in Chishui S.W. China Guizhou Province, China.
What an incredible landscape.
see more photos
Fidyks are on a holiday to Spain and Portugal.
I LOVE this photo.
That’s Gibraltar, I’m told.
I hate loyalty programs and make no effort at all to collect points.
Despite my bad attitude, British Airlines awarded me Bronze membership. Until Feb 2015. 🙂
SWEET … I can use those lounges.
GAk. Nope. You must be a Silver member to get into the lounges.
Not much I need in the Bronze program. 😦
Me and Clooney.
Expert travelers.
Warren recommended a travel blog called Uncornered Market.
Check a sample – South Africa: From in the Books to on the Ground
Daniel Noll & Audrey Scott are the husband-and-wife storytelling and photography team behind Uncornered Market. They travel deep and off-beat, aiming to connect the world through people, food and adventure. Six years and 75 countries later, they are still going…and still married …
I’m looking at a couple of future Round The World trips right now.
Diana and Doug Davis hosted me (again) in beautiful Port Townsend, Washington. THANKS. 🙂
You know the town from the film An Officer and a Gentleman.
Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.
Port Townsend still looks the same as that, released 1982. It’s historically preserved.
The Gymnastics club operates out of the old Post Office.
Port Townsend attracts plenty of tourists.
Rick McCharles 