Page 4 of golfkat Travel Blog Posts


Asia » Japan » Tokyo » Ginza April 1st 2024

At the end of WW2, Japan had a lower per capita rate of income than Malay. Within 45 years, Japan would have the highest standard of living in the world. The rise was nonetheless meteoric, moving from a ravaged nation in defeat and destruction to one of the most successful economic forces in the world. How did the people and country find the resources and strength to rise from a GNP of $14.2 billion in 1951? By 1970, Japan had overtaken every economy in Europe, rising to 20% of the US's GNP. By 1975, it was double the GNP of the UK. And in 1980, reached 40% of our GNP. Japan is still the third largest economy in the world, after the US and China. It was an extraordinarily rapid change in daily life, culture, materialism, ... read more
Very long life expectancy
Traffic jam?

Asia » Japan » Tokyo » Shinjuku April 1st 2024

As you are probably aware by now, I have so much information to share about my upcoming trip to Japan. My travel buddy, Mike and I will hit Tokyo, Nagoya (my grandparents' hometown), Kyoto, and back to Tokyo. We also hope to see a dear friend of ours, who studied in the US for many years, and has returned to corporate life in Tokyo. She will provide the "insider's" view and experience, I am certain. (Ironically, she will visit us here in the US next week, just before we leave for Tokyo!) I have researched much of the background information, covering a wide range of subjects, mostly food, but some history, culture, and perhaps unknown aspects of Japanese life. I have done the museum and temple tours, so that will be at a minimum here. But ... read more
Ginza
Art hotel in Tokyo

North America » United States » Wisconsin » Kohler March 23rd 2024

A few years ago, we (Mr. Mike and I) decided to fly into Milwaukee, drive up to Sheboygan, and golf up in Kohler. While the golf was okay, the food was better. I think I had only one birdie in three days of golf. I really did not care for the "fake" bunkers. But enough about golf. Travel and Leisure: When you hear the name Kohler, you might think of the kitchen and bath brand or the host of the 43rd Ryder Cup, but those in the know may recognize it for the five-star resort destination tucked away near Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Kohler — one of the nation’s first planned communities — was designed by the Olmsted brothers as a factory town and garden community for the Kohler Company in the early 1900s. Located within a few ... read more
Whistling Straits
Golf Club at Whistling Straits

North America » United States » Illinois » Chicago March 18th 2024

I am stopping in Chicago, on my way back from Annapolis/Baltimore and my visit with Dirty Pat, and Mrs. Pat. I am here to complete the last part of my journey to document and discover the places where my parents spent time during World War 2, including their incarceration in Gila, AZ (I visited in March 2023). After my parents eloped to Phoenix, while incarcerated at Gila, they left Arizona on a work furlough. Internees were allowed to leave the camps, provided they had a job in the interior part of the country, to help in the war effort due to a severe shortage of manpower. I plan to visit two locations, the apartment where they lived, and the famous Nisei Lounge. The Nisei Lounge: From their website: Nisei Lounge (at 3439 N. Sheffield) is proudly ... read more
Nisei Lounge notice
Store front
Inside the Lounge

North America » United States » Illinois » Chicago March 18th 2024

Some Chicago events for March: 3/16 Wizards vs Bulls (the Wiz are awful, we plan to skip it!) Pretty Woman (Broadway in Chicago) I prefer My Fair Lady, so we are going on Friday night. Portillo's (a must stop for me) Eataly (always an adventure) Yolk (breakfast in a nice clean, and quiet place) Second City Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey and more honed their wit at this slick venue with nightly shows. The Mainstage and ETC stage host sketch revues (with an improv scene thrown in); they're similar in price and quality. If you turn up around 10pm Monday through Thursday (or 1am Saturday or 9pm Sunday) you can watch a free improv set. Steppenwolf is Chicago’s top stage for quality, provocative theater productions. The Hollywood-heavy ensemble includes Gary Sinise, John Malkovich, Martha Plimpton, ... read more
Belushi
Mafia?
Eataly

North America » United States » Illinois » Chicago March 16th 2024

After a dozen trips to Chicago, I must admit I am not a deep-dish pizza fan. I love a thin crust pizza, like Serious Pie in Seattle. Serious Eats describes the differences: Chicago deep dish is remarkably distinct from pizza as it’s known elsewhere. Baked in a tall, circular pan, it features a thick crust filled with cheese on the bottom, toppings (optional) in the middle, and sauce ladled on top. But here’s the tricky thing: Not all thick-crusted pizza in Chicago is deep dish. In fact, deep dish is just one of at least three different kinds of thick-crusted pizza you'll find in the Windy City, which is to say nothing of the numerous styles of thin-crust pizza. Though real differences exist, there’s confusion because these styles look so similar. Each is thick and features ... read more
Famous Gino's East
Thinner crust for me!

North America » United States » Illinois » Chicago March 16th 2024

For some reason I have always wanted to do this. Perhaps due to my Dad's birthday, St. Patrick's Day, we must be part Irish?? From Only Illinois: If you visit Chicago during St. Patrick’s Day, you will undoubtedly witness one of the strangest traditions in the country: the river dyeing. For five decades, Chicago has transformed the waterway into a shade of bright emerald green by dumping 100 pounds of environmentally friendly dye right into the Chicago River. This year will mark the 61st anniversary of this unique event. According to url=https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchicagoist.com%2F2016%2F03%2F16%2Fst_patricks_day_history.php&data=05%7C01%7C%7C642b22acf1294e103bda08dbee197842%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638365565398023001%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7... read more
And a green river
Color me green!


In the late 1980s, url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Memorial-service-set-for-Pi-Day-creator-Larry-Shaw-12206726.php#photo-12531763Larry Shaw, a staff physicist, tinkerer and media specialist at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, came up with what may be the world’s nerdiest holiday: Pi Day. Now celebrated globally each March 14, Pi Day salutes the popular mathematical constant pi, an endless decimal representation used in the measurement of a circle whose first three digits are 3.14. What makes pi so intriguing? Divide any circle’s circumference by its diameter and the answer is always pi, no matter the size of the circle. Oh, and to sweeten up the holiday a little more, March 14 is also the birthday of Albert Einstein. Competing for bragging rights on who can recite the most digits is a popular Pi Day activity in many schools. How many digits of p... read more
How many can you do?

North America » United States » Illinois » Chicago March 14th 2024

Illustrious url=https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alinearestaurant.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7C5b80405382664132672108dbed0bf451%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638364407827473449%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rGTbjg0dZGLpophQFGxxOnmRsiLmXumlYKdiO3%2FlMA4%3D&reserved=0Alinea takes the art of cookery and dissects it to a molecular level, turning raw ingredients into amazing dishes using physics and chemistry. Everything on the menu is carefully planned by Grant Achatz, the restaurant's chef and co-owner, and a master of molecular gastronomy. Meals here are an assault on the senses, with each dish presenting a different thrill. Expect to see things like spherified dips, distilled liquids made from green chilis, and marzipan frozen with liquid nitrogen. Don'... read more
Famous deep dish pizza
Love Manny's

North America » United States » Illinois » Chicago March 13th 2024

What makes a Chicago dog different from any other dog? Hot Dog is another American classic that became popular outside of America pretty much worldwide. A grilled or steamed sausage served in a sliced bun and traditionally adorned with mustard, ketchup, onions, relish, and other condiments. It is a flavorful and portable delight often enjoyed at ball games, picnics, and summer cookouts. The marriage of juicy sausage and a soft bun, along with the tangy and savory flavors from the toppings, makes the hot dog one of the most famous American street foods. A Chicago-style hotdog starts with a steamed poppy seed bun and an all-beef frankfurter. It is then topped with yellow mustard, bright green relish, chopped onions, tomato, a kosher-style pickle spear, and a few spicy sports peppers, all topped with celery salt. Its ... read more
Here dog!
Chicago skyline




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