Sacre bleu! I let a whole week go by without comment here. Has Twitter killed my blog?
Yesterday I threw together some 'World Capital Tales' over at my @reidontravel account. I wanted to take a stab at doing more self-contained travel 'stories' within 140 characters -- no links, no RTs.
I'm fond with artificial distinctions in travel -- like fictional destinations (Delacticut -- the combination of Delaware and Connecticut), arbitrary statistics (eg 'a guidebook to BEAR ATTACKS of the Western Hemisphere from 2002 to 2004'), faulty flag designs, and admin buildings.
A few years ago I tried to collect illustrations of state capitols by asking a staff member if they'd sketch it. In Carson City, Nevada -- my first (of three stops -- before losing interest) -- I asked two security guards if they'd oblige. The elder one, uniform top fiercely tucked into his taut wool pants, sternly refused. S0 I turned to his flunky, a 26-year-old guard-in-training. 'Could you do it?' He paused. 'I'll take a stab, sure.' He went to get a ruler, and a brochure that showed a photo of the unremarkable building as a guide, then let the capitol go 50% less secure for a full 15 minutes while he drew it up. It's boxed up somewhere. Hope I didn't lose it.
Yesterday I threw together some 'World Capital Tales' over at my @reidontravel account. I wanted to take a stab at doing more self-contained travel 'stories' within 140 characters -- no links, no RTs.
I'm fond with artificial distinctions in travel -- like fictional destinations (Delacticut -- the combination of Delaware and Connecticut), arbitrary statistics (eg 'a guidebook to BEAR ATTACKS of the Western Hemisphere from 2002 to 2004'), faulty flag designs, and admin buildings.
A few years ago I tried to collect illustrations of state capitols by asking a staff member if they'd sketch it. In Carson City, Nevada -- my first (of three stops -- before losing interest) -- I asked two security guards if they'd oblige. The elder one, uniform top fiercely tucked into his taut wool pants, sternly refused. S0 I turned to his flunky, a 26-year-old guard-in-training. 'Could you do it?' He paused. 'I'll take a stab, sure.' He went to get a ruler, and a brochure that showed a photo of the unremarkable building as a guide, then let the capitol go 50% less secure for a full 15 minutes while he drew it up. It's boxed up somewhere. Hope I didn't lose it.
I know this is lame, but here's what I had to say about WORLD CAPITALS yesterday:
- In Moscow in '92, I spent $20 to parachute from a WWII Russian plane. Slept in barracks, vodka, 2-minute 'lesson.'
- Friend of friend is ex-Bulgarian PM. In Sofia, called to say 'hi' and invited me for coffee at Dunkin' Donuts.
- Few locals in Hanoi, which turns 1000 next yr, ever see its magic turtle. In 2007, I did: http://tinyurl.com/r6e3w6
- Best 8-hour trip of my life? Tokyo 10pm-6am layover. Met pals, saw sites after hours, drank, passed out at Denny's.
- I've been fined once in Europe: for getting on Paris' RER w/the wrong ticket. That my initials are RER didn't help.
- I saw a man kiss a pigeon, rather obscenely, in Ottawa once. I've not been back.
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