A Travel Story
Dan Bell Joined: April 14th 2007
Logged in: February 1st 2012
Logged in: February 1st 2012
I am a US patent attorney and I teach patent law and process often to engineers in India (outsourcing). I teach engineers how to perform patent litigation and patent prosecution services for US and European patent lawyers (i.e., (in)validity claim charts, specification maps, (non)infringement claim charts, patent offensive and defensive reviews, prosecution history reviews, draft office action responses, Rule 56 fraud, the MPEP, and 35 U.S.C. 101, 112, 102, 103, and 271, etc). I teach, test, and certify patent engineers and scientists to be subject matter experts (SMEs) on these various topics so they may perform services for lawyers. To learn more about my teaching and consulting services please watch this video, visit Bell Certified, or view the course summaries. You can also view my linked-in work profile, my Facebook page, or send me a message here. I am teaching law now and not offering to act as your attorney so please do not send any confidential information to me.
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Click any of the below places to read the blog or see the pictures from there, or just keep scrolling down the page until you start seeing pictures:
India:
New Delhi, India; Vadodara, Gujarat; Haryana, India; New Delhi, India, Again; Punjab, India; Taj Mahal; Living in Delhi; Goa, India; Kashmir, India; Humayun's Tomb, India; Udaipur 1, India; Qutab Minar; Mysore; Tiger Safari; Goa Team Building; Mandawa, Rajasthan; Mumbai, India; Holi at Saif's; Orissa, India; Jaipur; Shimla Team Building; Dharamshala; Udaipur 2; Ranakpur (Jain) Temple; Udaipur 3; Kochi; Munnar; Varkala; Periyar National Park; Kerala Backwaters; Holi 2010; Neemrana Palace; Rishikesh; Nanital for Diwali; Varanasi;
Asia:
Kathmandu, Nepal; Phi Phi, Thailand; Singapore; Boracay, Phillippines; Bali, Indonesia; Moalboal, Philippines; Nara, Japan; Tokyo; Haikou, China; Mt. Fuji, Japan; Bhaktapur, Nepal; Kyoto, Japan; Monkey Temple, Nepal; Mt. Everest; Kathmandu, Nepal; Hong Kong; Pattaya, Thailand; Koh Samui, Thailand; Bangkok, Thailand;
Europe, UK, Russia: London 1, 2, 3; Prague; Highlands, Scotland; Perge, Aspendos and Side, Turkey; Salzburg, Austria; Santorini, Greece; Antalya, Turkey; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Cannes, France; Saint Petersburg, Russia; French Riviera; Moscow, Russia; Edinburgh, Scotland; People of Russia; Florence, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Siena, Pisa, San Gimignano, Italy; Rome, Italy; Budapest, Hungry; Isle of Sky, Scotland; Rijeka, Croatia; Venice, Italy; Milan, Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; Paris, France; Rovinj, Croatia; Hermitage Museum, Russia; In Ireland with Mom; Vienna; Athens; Munich, Germany 1, 2;
North America (including Mexico): Portland, Oregon-2007, 2009; San Jose, California; Manhattan, NYC; Fort Worth, Texas; Park City, Utah; California Family Christmas; Playa Del Carmen, Mexico-1, 2, 3, 4; Chichen-Itza; Vegas 1-Wolfpack; Vegas 2-NASCAR vehicles; Vegas 3-NASCAR Fans; Cancun, Mexico; San Francisco 1 , 2, 3; Santa Cruz, California; U2 in Oakland; Cannon Beach, Oregon;Napa Valley and Alcatraz; Lake Tahoe;
Central America and Caribbean: Turks and Caicos, Caribbean; Bahamas; Jamaica; San Jose and Escuza, Costa Rica; Beaches of Costa Rica; Mount Arenal, Costa Rica; Granada, Nicaragua; Leon, Nicaragua;
South America: Buenos Aires; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Amazon, Brazil; Machu Picchu, Peru; Salvador, Brazil; Iguazu Falls, Brazil; Lima, Peru;
Down Under: Sydney, Australia; Auckland, New Zealand;
Africa: Diving with Great White Sharks; South African Safari; Cape Town, South Africa; Luxor, Egypt; Pyramids of Giza, Cairo, Egypt;
Over 40,000 visits to this Travelblog so far!!! Thanks for stopping by!
Travel Blog Posts
Photo 23
My 3 hour journey from Granada to Leon, Nicaragua cost me $3.00. It was a 13 seater bus with 24 people in it. Everyone but the driver and I had a baby in their lap. I have never seen happier people. If you thought money brings happiness, visit Nicaragua. More smiles here than any "first" world country. Love can and does exist over decades and some don’t fully appreciate the significance until it has historical context. A very good friend of mine’s lover passed away over the holidays. It was a passionate on and off love affair that lasted decades. They found love letters he never sent her that expressed his true feelings. Life is too short friends, speak your mind. ... read more
Photo 2
I just landed in Managua, Nicaragua. I flew in this morning from San Jose, Costa Rica. Now I am on a dirt road in the taxi to Granada, Nicaragua. The windows are down because the taxi doesn’t have air conditioning, but the temperature is pleasantly warm. The wind is blowing in my hair. The driver has a cassette player that is playing Rod Stewart at full volume. The driver is singing along at the top of his lungs, “If you want my body and you think I’m sexy, come on baby let me know.” It is a good thing I like the song, and his voice isn’t all bad. I don’t know all the words, but I am helping him with the chorus. From the looks I am getting in the rear view mirror, I may ... read more
Photo 23
I headed north from San Jose, Costa Rica on the Panamerican Highway. At Liberia I headed west to Playa De Coco. I then headed south along the pacific ocean visiting other beaches such as Tamarinda. I then headed south into the Nicoya peninsula and visited the beaches around Montezuma. I headed east from there and took a ferry from Pasquero to the mainland. I then began driving south where I visited Jaco and then Manuel Antonio. The pictures I took at those beaches are in the blog below. These pictures are along the road between beaches and on the ferry to the mainland.... read more
Manuel Antonio (32)
After 2 weeks near San Jose in a burb called Escazu, I decided it was time to head to the beach to pick a possible base to travel from while I explore Central America. Here are the major choices I found along the way: Playa de Coco: Gorgeous countryside and beaches. Medium in terms of human development; small in size, walkable, quaint. A few people going late into the night, but more relaxed in general. Playa de Tamarinda: Gorgeous countryside and beaches. More developed, more restaurant choices, more first world visitors. Suitable for people who want to dance all night, and maybe skinny dip to cool off after. Jaco: Eww. Big rocky, littered beaches. Major human development. Some obvious prostitution, major foreign influences, higher crime, less quaint. The crowd approaches what we would call “trailer park” ... read more
Photo 72
One of the many nice things about living in India for 4 years was all the people I met along the way. Like most capital cities, Delhi is home to people from all over the world. Each country sends people from home to staff and provide services at their respective embassies, and you get to meet many of these people along the way. People that are willing and able to take assignments in foreign lands often end up to be some of the most interesting, educated, world-aware, and well-traveled people. Matt and Brina are two such people. I met Mat and Brina while living in Delhi and we have stayed in touch since on Facebook. Since leaving India in 2010, they have been stationed in Washington, DC and now Vancouver, Canada. Matt works for the Foreign ... read more
San Jose (4)
Okay, so a good friend of mine, not on facebook, just pointed out the obvious to me … I have been in Costa Rica for 3 weeks, and I haven’t posted anything on my travel blog. I am going to play the “one sentence” game since I don’t have time to write much right now. San Jose: More beautiful and livable than I expected. Escazu: Less Costa Rican, more Americanized? High prices. Cleaner and more organized than other suburbs of San Jose? More likely to encounter English speakers, and less likely to experience how locals live. Comfort living for travel phobes?... read more
1
My father, grandpa Doc Dave turned 77 years old this week so we decided to celebrate his birthday. The furthest distance award goes to my sister Kathleen who flew in from London. My father’s sister Sue flew in from Florida, and my father’s sister Nancy flew in from Chicago. My father grew up in Chicago and is the oldest of eight siblings. He brought us to California where he practiced medicine for 50 odd years. As usual, we all sat around for hours and enjoyed great food and wine and talked about old times, new times, politics, religion, and travel. We danced a little, we sang a little, and we told a joke or two. We stayed up late and played Apples to Apples. My mom made her world famous potato salad. All is good in ... read more
Photo 6
I moved to Arizona in 1990 to buy real estate. I moved there with my wife and kids from Southern California. I bought and sold about 70 or 80 homes in Arizona over about a 4 year period. I made enough money that I was finally able to start college. I finished my computer science degree and law degree and then we moved to Portland, Oregon in 2000. On some of those homes, I joint ventured with my good friend Will. He has remained in Arizona all this time, but travels all over the world. He has visited about 52 countries and lived in four. Will married Lori in about 1999 and they live together in Scottsdale, though they also have a home in Prescott and in Mexico. They both love to travel. I stayed with ... read more
Photo 21
My good friend Will and I headed south into Mexico this week. We were about 40 miles south of Puerto Penasco on the Sea of Cortez. Will and I met in the 90s in a series of real estate transactions. We fast became friends and have remained friends since. I also met a few of Will's new friends: Bob, Paul, and Terry. ... read more
Photo 11
Stuttgart is the home of Porsche. On my way back to London, I dropped in on Stuttgart to see the Porsche Museum and then went for a walk in old town. It is a very charming place. You can see why Germany is leading the pack economy wise in Europe. I bought my first Porsche in high school, at age 16. It was a 914. I bought my first 911 Targa at age 19, and have missed it ever since. I bought it for my 19th birthday. I have owned about 5 different Porsches along the way. My sisters had thrown a surprise birthday party for me but I didn’t know. So I was out buying myself a Targa for my birthday present and almost missed my birthday party. But I made it home around midnight, ... read more
