http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/DrakeSmart/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from DrakeSmart en-us Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:44:34 +0000 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:44:34 +0000 While the globe is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and Sesame Streetrsquos 40th birthday I will be paying tribute to the millions of men and women who have servedserving in the United States Armed Forces on Veterans Day November 11 2009. I shared this summer of how I ended up in America. Whatrsquos more interesting is that four of five of my siblings served http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/District-of-Columbia/Washington/blog-452339.html Check this off my bucket list going home to Wheaton Maryland. One of our local radio personalities Van Harden shared how he visited his elementary and high school a couple of years ago. So on my last trip to Washington DC I did just that. A little back story might help. We came to the US from Trinidad in 1968. We settled in Wheaton MD. I started school in third grade skipped the 11th gr http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Maryland/Silver-Spring/blog-442175.html TGAIO Thank Goodness August is OverAugust has been a busy travel month. It started with Caribana FestivalParade in Toronto Canada then the Iowa State Fair WW II Honor Flights and ending the month with the American Idol concert in Kansas City. More later on the State Fair and Honor Flights. Some background I must confess that Irsquom a TV junkie with news and reality competing for my atte http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Kansas-City/blog-433397.html Today itrsquos all about family traditions and witnessing the largest Caribbean festival in North America. Itrsquos called Caribana and itrsquos a three week festival held every July celebrating Caribbean culture. It ends with a humongous a million plus masqueraders dancing down Lakeshore Blvd. Read more about the history of Cariabana here .Some background about me will be helpful. I was http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Toronto/blog-426860.html Closing out July 2009 by road tripping with my ldquosweet riderdquo to Toronto Canada with Dad to see my Trinidad family experience Caribana 2009 and see a bit of London and Toronto. Let me break down my trip15 hours or 840 miles from Ankeny to Toronto 13 hours of actual driving 3 hours will be saved by driving to Davenport and working there on Wednesday2 hours will be saved with an over http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Toronto/blog-426828.html This weekend was all about ldquofunrdquo and letting my hair down with my friends Judy Molly and their extended friends. I had no set agenda other than taking my sweet ride on her maiden voyage and having some fun. So here goes with the cast of characters for the weekend Judy and Greg Des Moines Irsquove known them since 2005 Drake trip to EuropeMolly Louisburg Longtime friend of Jud http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Kansas-City/blog-421286.html While in Kansas City MO over Flag Day weekend visiting my friends Greg and Judy I wanted to do something special for Flag Day. One of the things on my todo list is to visit the Harry Truman Library in Independence just outside the city. So on Flag Day June 14th I planned to check this off my bucket list. It's also my brother Tony's birthday Happy Birthday Tony. So what about The Nationa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Kansas-City/blog-413539.html My theme for my latest travel journey revolves around patriotism and remembering those who fought for our freedom near and far. After a busy spring my European adventure and side trips in May I wasnrsquot ready for any big travel adventures over Memorial Day and Flag Day weekend. To be honest I was looking forward to staying home catching up on work around my house gardening and just sitti http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/Des-Moines/blog-412042.html Iowa Trivia Must Love Tulips In IowaLast week I wrote that traveling can be done in your backyard so this weekend I traveled to a potpourri of events within 45 miles of my home in Ankeny Pella for the Tulip Festival Des Moines for the Farmers Market and to see Cloris Leachmanrsquos ldquoOne Woman Showrdquo. I asked myself ldquohow do I make this trip interesting as compared to my trip http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/Des-Moines/blog-398179.html Saturday May 2 2009 What a day I had on my short journey to Omaha Nebraska. My goals for today are to Get up at 4 amMeet my travel buddies Brent and Felicia at 515 amBe in the Qwest Center by 8 amLearn something from Warren Buffett WBSee the BYD electric carFind some goodiesBe back home by 9 pm Today will be a 16 hour travel day. Reminds me of EuropeIrsquove got good news goal http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nebraska/Omaha/blog-396059.html Happy May Day EveryoneIrsquom ready for my next travel trip. Heading out west and before you get excited for me my travel is not to an exotic location however I will be traveling to a mind stimulating location on Saturday May 2 2009.Irsquom traveling to see and hear Mr. Warren Buffett at the annual Berkshire Hathaway meeting at the Qwest Center in beautiful Omaha Nebraska. Let me set the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/Des-Moines/blog-395503.html Post Script Entry April 20 2009Twenty days back from Europe and I finally take time to clean up my travel blog. That is after cleaning up the drakesmart travel blog journals and pictures. Reflections of my travels1. Going green was a lot of hard work. I mean blogging on two blogs. Timely blogging is dependent on internet access. While internet access was plentiful the cost was not what I e http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/Des-Moines/blog-392279.html Day 19Monday day Monday how does that song go Leah and I went to bed around 1 am. We had a fun night packing she more than me. Leah got to see how I pack throw everything in a pile and work out of it. And after pile 1 pile 2 and pile 3. How did I accumulate so much stuff I only bought a few things I vow to pack less next year. I say that laughing.Up at 6 am and we have to leave at 10 am. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Nice/blog-392277.html Day 18 SundayIt's Sunday and onehalf of the group is now on the way back to Iowa. It's raining and we are not about to stay put in the hotel. Susan Leah Donna and I set out at 930 for Old Town to find the farmer's market flea market see castle hill and be back at the hotel by 1 pm for the trip to the perfume factory.We made it to the farmer's market and marveled at the vibrant colors of th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Nice/blog-392267.html Day 16 FridayWe ended day 15 in Venice with a group dinner. Today we head off to Nice via Milan. The day was long but thank goodness for Milan. So what if it is only a two hour stop. As Dr. Meyer would say better 2 hours than no stop at all. Luggi parked the green machine in front of the Milan castle. We have two hours to explore the city. We walked as a group to the Galleria in search of a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Lombardy/Milan/blog-392194.html Day 13 TuesdayToday I took the day off from the group. They are on their way to Fussen to see the Neuschwanstein Disney Castle by way of Dachu Concentration Camp. I've been there three times so today I plan on spending the day in Munich with Marlene Rich and Bill.We left at 9 am by foot to the tram station to find our way to Nymphenburg Palace home of mad King Ludwig his parents. Read http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Bavaria/Munich/blog-384878.html Day 8 Thursday in Berlin Goodbye to Amsterdam and Hello Berlin. We left on time at 8 am. Yes after a last fun night we were all up and ready for our 10 plus hours on the bus. The ride long and broken up by three stops. Dr. Meyer and Luggi had sausages and potatoes as usual. And no peeing on the bus. Drinking on the bus not like the road trips in the past but enjoyable. I slept most of the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/District-of-Berlin/Berlin/blog-383306.html Day 1617 SaturdaySundayMy final series of entries. Hooray Irsquom going to rewrite this disclaimer. ldquoDammit Jim Irsquom a nurse not a writereditor.rdquoFor those who are reading the travel journal I hope my notes and short stories have been amusing. I told everyone this year itrsquos all about technology and no more paper. How appropriate as this class is about sustaining ou http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d--Azur/Nice/blog-386018.html Day 15 Thursday This is what Irsquove been waiting for Venice. And if you do not know by now this is the reason why I came on this trip this year. Thanks Dr. Meyer for making my dream come true. I have today with me Rick Steeves guidebook and his audio podcast of Venice. I plan to explore Venice with Rick soak up the sun buy some treasures. The next two days is all about me. We arrived W http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice/blog-385169.html Day 14 Wednesday The days are ticking down and I have to prepare myself to come back to reality. Wednesday we left Germany for Venice. The snow on Tuesday left the Alps of Austria and Germany picturesque. It reminded me of Christmas snow then I thought of driving in it and the pleasure of the snow quickly vanished. We did our usual stop at the Auto Plaza and had some great food. We also took a tw http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Salzburg-State/Salzburg/blog-385084.html