Prepping for the Manhattan Bridge

The 76-Second Travel Show is taking today off, but is gearing up for the SSSTS 100th birthday celebration of the Manhattan Bridge at 11am Thursday. It's a fascinating bridge -- not too beautiful, not too controversial and completely overshadowed by its neighbor, the Brooklyn. That sort of thing appeals to me. I've asked Beau Jennings of the rock band Cheyenne to write and perform a song about the Manhattan Bridge for the occasion, and there will be homemade cake (my first) and plastic forks. (There's still a chance of a magician too.) Come if you can.

Meanwhile, I take a stab at the 'decade of travel highlights and lowlights' for Lonely Planet today -- and justify why Kansas beat out New York City, Siberia, Sardinia, Thai beaches or a Bogotá hat shop for my favorite place visited.