Never Go Caving with a Bun in the Oven
Never go caving with a bun in the oven,
It’s just not the safe thing to do.
Since you can’t see your feet,
You might slip on some peat,
and at the very least, blow out a shoe.
The view from the upper Makau Cave.
Never go caving with a bun in the oven,
You really shouldn’t even wander that far.
You might get lost along the way,
which would ruin your day,
’cause you left all your snacks in the car. (more…)
Posted in Scattered Thoughts, Adventurous Places, North America, Travel Tips and tagged Hawaii, Oahu, upper Makau cave by Big John with no comments yet.
Scenes from Haleiwa and the North Shore
Located on Oahu‘s North Shore, in beautiful Waiaula Bay, lies the “malahia” (laid-back) surfing community of Haleiwa. This small town, full of unique shops and eateries, is the first thing visitors will encounter right before reaching the North Shore. Since pregnancy and surfing aren’t recommended by most physicians, Rebecca and I spent the day staying out of the water and exploring the chill scenes on dry land.
The Aloha General Store was voted as having some of Oahu’s best shave ice! (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, North America and tagged Haleiwa, Hawaii, North Shore, Oahu by Big John with 1 comment.
Into Innsbruck’s Old Town
Neatly tucked away inside the North Chain of the Karwendal Alps lies the city of Innsbruck, Austria. The city is well-known for its winter sports and there is even an Olympic ski jump on the south side of town. Because Olympic ski jumps are highly frowned upon when one is pregnant, Rebecca and I decided to skip this particular attraction and head straight into Innsbruck’s Old Town.
Inside the Old Town of Innsbruck
To step into the Old Town of Innsbruck is to step back in time some 800 years ago. Inside the heart of Tyrol, this Austrian city is a place of both sophistication and old-world charm. Rebecca and I had an amazing time admiring its Gothic and Baroque architecture, set against the backdrop the majestic Alps. (more…)
Posted in Europe, Adventurous Places and tagged Austria, Innsbruck by Big John with no comments yet.
The Alps by Automobile
In January of 2019, Rebecca and I decided to embark on the ultimate road trip and explore the Alps by automobile. We began our crazy adventure in northern Italy, but before it was all over we had traveled through the snowy passes of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria. This post serves as a photographic diary of our scenic journey along the way.
We entrusted this little French 5-speeder, a Citroën, to carry us safely through the Alps. (more…)
Posted in Europe, Adventurous Places and tagged Alps, Austria, Italy, Switzerland by Big John with no comments yet.
Big John Storms the Castle of Montebello
Lying east of the Ticino River at the foot of the Alps is the Swiss village of Bellinzona. There are many things that make this city a fantastic place to visit. There’s its abundance of orchards and vineyards, its thick forested hills, and sprawling green alpine pastures. There’s Bellinzona’s fascinating Roman history, as well as its undeniable Italian influence and its proud Swiss heritage. Yet, out of all the things that make Bellinzona a must-see place, there is still something else that really makes this place stand out on a map. The thing that makes Bellinzona such a fascinating place is it has, not one, but three magnificent castles all within the boundaries of its city! The Castelgrande, the Montebello, and the Sasso Corbaro have been a part of the UNESCO world heritage sites since 2000.
The Swiss city of Bellinzona shares much of that old world charm with its Italian neighbor. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe and tagged castle, Montebello, Switzerland by Big John with no comments yet.