I had been to Cabo San Lucas with Brian on a cruise about 15 years earlier, and we opted for the boat ride to see the famous "El Arco" natural archway at land's end (very beautiful - no regrets). On my second trip, I wanted to see something on land. Since most of Cabo San Lucas was built starting in the 80s, the town is focused 100% on tourism. I noted the cruise offered an excursion to a colonial mission about an hour north of the port. That appeared to be something I

In the rush to bring freeways into cities (while disconnecting and destroying neighborhoods) across the US, one such highway was approved and planned for in Milwaukee. Although cleared of property, the land was never used (thank God). The area, however, remained empty (and an eyesore) - it was literally in the center of the city. The Milwaukee Bucks (and the Marquette University Golden Eagles) were in desperate need of a new stadium. Hence, the Fiserv Forum was construc

I always wanted to take the train along the California Coast. Not that I hadn't been on coastal trains before - even the ones between New York and Boston sometimes (briefly) pass next to the sea. However, I had a goal of riding the one in California for years. Finally, I got my chance. I was taking a cruise out of San Diego and prior to that I stayed with TFR in LA. After leaving the massive Los Angeles sprawl (it takes an hour), just after San Juan Capistrano, the trai

On the mainland side of the Milwaukee River lies West Town, the other half of the city's downtown. I passed by this iconic pub on Wisconsin Avenue. Like many iconic American beers, the Miller Brewing Company was started by a German immigrant. Born November 24, 1824 in Riedlingen, Germany, Frederick J. Miller hailed from a family of politicians, scholars, and business owners. His calling as a brewmaster came in his early twenties. On his way back to Germany after seven years

January 2026 Ironically, I have only visited New Orleans in January, and of the three times I arrived (with Brian in the early 90s and pre- & post-cruise in 2026) the weather was unseasonably cold. I realize that NOLA is not balmy in January, but temperatures in the 40s in the daytime were never my expectation. After the my first cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines [see: Norwegian Escape - Central America ), I stayed a full day in the city. It reminded me how much I loved th

On walks to and from the lake, I passed through the portion of downtown Milwaukee known as Juneau Town (or Downtown East). It holds a large number of buildings from the age when large structures were constructed to impress. In fact, Milwaukee reminded me more of Cleveland (another formerly great city on a lake) because of its large number of impressive downtown buildings I passed over the Milwaukee River and immediately noted a large, restored building - the Pabst Theatre.

Having found an incredible price on a single cabin, I traveled to New Orleans to try Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) for the first time. I will also admit to experiencing my first very cold winter in four years was no fun, so "escaping" seemed a valid choice. January 2026 I departed an unusually cold Washington, DC in hopes of enjoying warmer weather. Granted New Orleans is warmer than DC in January, it was still not as warm as it usually is upon my arrival. I was reminded of

July 2021 Note : the restaurant closed in 2022, sadly. It was one of the first places to open on the newly expanded RiverWalk 25 years earlier. I was ready for lunch and found a brewpub online that was open for regular business. I was in Milwaukee - having a lunch with beer seemed appropriate. I took a seat at the bar. Eating solo at a bar is far less isolating than taking a table. I love watching bartenders and servers do their jobs as I eat. The beer was good and my

San Gervasio is an archaeological site of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization, located in the northern third of the island of Cozumel off the northeastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, in what is now the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. San Gervasio's pre-Hispanic name was Tantun Cuzamil, Mayan for Flat Rock in the place of the Swallows. The ruins were once a hub of worship of the goddess Ix Chel, an aged deity of childbirth, fertility, medicine, and weaving. Pre-Columbian Ma

July 2021 I am a huge Calatrava fan, by accident. I saw two of his major works before becoming familiar with him - the first was the airport in Bilbao and the next, the railway station in Liège, Belgium. At that point I looked him up online and learned more about his work. Later, I was duly impressed with his buildings in Valencia's City of Science. What I had overlooked was that his first project in the USA was the art museum in Milwaukee. I walked from the hotel to

January 2026 Most major cruise lines have developed one small island into a private resort. Many of them are in the Bahamas, but Norwegian Cruise Lines established one in Belize. Although excursions are available, the focus of a private island is for passengers to get off the boat and enjoy what is on offer (shopping, restaurants, activities, and beaches) literally right at the end of the pier. Only NCL guests are permitted on the island, too. Such experiences are very un

I arrived in Chicago from St Louis in the late afternoon and quickly walked to the hotel. I stayed in a hostel (at least with a private room), because all other options were way over budget. I discovered that I was in Greektown which ended up being a godsend since it meant many cheap food choices were available (and during COVID most of Chicago's restaurants had gone to take-away only). I found something to eat and then relaxed in the room. The following day I would head

January 2026 Roatan came into vogue at as a cheap alternative to Costa Rica and Mexico. As it became established, prices increased, better infrastructure was built, and cruise ships started to call. Roatan is now "known" and no longer as inexpensive (as is often the case with places that become famous destinations). If anyone travels to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, Belize, and Honduras, they will hear repeatedly that those countries hold the world's second largest barrie

Arthur Fonzarelli July 2021 I had no plan for Milwaukee. Between the limitation on available seats for the Amtrak Pass and the places I could easily travel from Chicago, traveling there was an "easy" choice. After all, I had never been and the whole point of the trip was to discover new places. I arrived to a wonderfully modern station built for the many commuters who travel to Chicago daily. In terms of user-friendliness, Milwaukee's "Intermodal Station" got very high m

January 2026 Archaeological evidence places the earliest human presence in the Chacchoben region around 1000 BC. Excavations reveal a complex history of occupation, abandonment, and resettlement. The site's structures bear the marks of multiple modifications, with the most significant alterations occurring between 300 and 360 AD, a period of notable development and change. Archaeological evidence indicates that Chacchoben continued to hold ceremonial significance long after

After visiting the cold and cloudy lake, I returned through the park to the Art Institute. I hoped to pop inside for a few photos of the lobby, but it was strictly on a time-entry ticket basis due to COVID. No worries - Brian and I had visited years before. I love the collection - especially the French Impressionists. Not far from the Art Institute I stumbled across the start of Route 66. One of my brother's long-held dreams is to travel its length. My image of that f

I discovered my travel notes of our first big trip to Flores. They don't diverge too much from my earlier post based on photos and memory, but they add more detail and depth. I forgot most of the people we met along the way with the exception of the friend we visited. Most importantly for me, my memories of Flores conveniently erased frustrating details. Re-reading the journal entry surprised me 30 years after the event. I was happy to revisit the "lowlights" of the trip

Rose Garden After crossing Michigan Avenue, I entered Grant Park on the way to the lake. I passed yet another statue of Lincoln and thought "Oh my God enough" (after my stay in Springfield among lots of Lincoln likenesses). The gardens are meticulously maintained and on a rainy day during COVID there was virtually no one around. I literally stumbled upon the Buckingham Fountain (I had forgotten about it). The place is one of the symbols of the city and has appeared in co

December 2021 Great Falls of the Potomac is one of those places whose name outsizes what actually exists. The falls are absolutely beautiful, but they are more a series of rapids than a classic waterfall. In the past, they also created a serious barrier to small boats navigating the Potomac. The name came from the difficulty in getting by them - not from being some "Niagara-like" cataract. When I lived in Washington in younger days, I rode my bicycle to the falls from th

December 2022 "Aloo, aloo" - the man called up to the high-rise apartments in my neighborhood. Someone would shout down from the window and usually send a child or servant with money to pick up a few kilos. When I took this photo the man was astonished that I wanted to photograph his shop-on-a-tricycle. For a plant that is native to South America, it certainly made vital inroads into Bengal. Potatoes are found in a wide variety of dishes and I am certain Bangladeshi chi