From Here I Can See Russia!
Sarah Palin is often misquoted as saying I can see Russia from my house! - thank you, Tina Fey - but I can say I saw Russia from my rental…
Does Anyone Know What Floor This Is?
On left, elevator buttons in my hotel in Kaunus; on right, Vilnius. See any difference? Universally - until my visit to Kaunus - ground floors are Floor 0 in Europe…
Pods That Don’t Encourage Sleeping!
I'm currently at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, waiting for my connecting flight to Vilnius, Lithuania where I'll be speaking at BuildStuff 2024. Upon arrival in Vilnius, I'm driving to Kaunus,…
Highland Park Water Tower
The Highland Water Tower in St Paul, MN was completed in 1928 and is on the National Register of Historic Places (1984, Reference #84001209). The tower was designed by architect…
Duquesne Incline
The Duquesne Incline is one of two remaining funiculars that ascend Mount Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Opening in 1877, it originally carried cargo up the hill but quickly expanded to…
Allegheny County Courthouse
My wife and I made our first trip to Pittsburgh, and our hotel was just outside the Liberty area near Steel Plaza. After one of our outings, our bus didn't…
Old-School Advertising
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum displays era-appropriate advertising in their restored trolleys. Besides providing a real feel to what the passengers saw at the time, it also shows how society has…
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
My wife and I recently made out first trip to Pittsburgh, but before exploring the city we rented a car and drove through the Pennsylvania countryside: my wife's goal to…
Costa Rica Trip
Costa Rica has been a potential destination for my wife and my travels but had never pulled the trigger. My brother and sister-in-law have made multiple trips, other friends have…
The Museum of Jade
In Spanish Museo del Jade, its more formal Museo del Jade y de la Cultura Precolombina (Museum of Jade and Pre-Columbian Culture) better describes its mission. Even my Costa Rican…