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North America

North America

Adventures in (time) travel

Vancouver, Canada, is not a particularly old city. You might see some buildings from the late 1800's, but mostly it's 1970's family homes and high-rise apartments. We were driving down the street the other day in Vancouver, and passed this hotel / motel that we hadn't seen before, the 2400 Motel. We…

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In a Galaxy, far far away

The force is strong, young one. It’s been 45 years since the first Star Wars blew us all away in theaters, and the impact and memories of that first film (and many of the others) are an embedded part of the psyches of most generations, worldwide. Classics do not pay justice to the film franchise.…

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Travel Preparedness for International Trips

By Patricia Filipovic, Senior writer So, you're going on an international vacation! You've figured out your budget and picked a place that should fall within said budget. Planned the itinerary and set a date. What else needs doing? What can you do beforehand to prepare?My travel mantra: Prepare for the unexpected. But mitigate wherever…

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Time stands still, but still…

People often gasp when they visit British Columbia (BC).  Visit places like Vancouver, and you will see a shiny new metropolis bursting with energy, diversity, world-awareness and history.  This article is about some of the history. Fishermen still ply the seas.  The amount of timber in BC is sometimes hard to fathom - it just goes on…

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Moosewood good

We're not too young here at Matouring, so we remember things. Back in the 1970's, the "earth" movement really took hold. Healthy food, lifestyle and clean thoughts were at the top of the list for most "aware" folks back then. Out of that heady period came a genuine interest in making the…

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Don’t be left flat

The future is here . . for those of us who can afford it. Electric vehicles make so much sense, and they're getting ever more affordable. Even car rental companies like Hertz now offer EV rentals with Tesla vehicles. Global cumulative sales of highway-legal light-duty plug-in electric vehicles reached 1 million units in September 2015,[3] 5 million in…

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All is well in Sanibel.

If you know Florida, USA, you'll likely know Miami Beach, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg etc.  Chances are you've been to one or more of these sunny cities. But what about the destinations that are bubbling under?  There are just as many worthy spots that aren't in the top ten. One of which is Sanibel…

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The greens of Tatouine

There were some funny conversations recently in the smart and enjoyable Facebook group "I'm Architecture Shaming."  A rather spectacular golf course clubhouse  was being applauded, but also likened to a Hutt Lord's palace on Tatooine.  But it was designed on Earth by a well-known architect -  Frank Lloyd Wright. They're discussing the King Kamehameha Golf…

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The treats of San Francisco

Every notable city has its standard "halo" locations:  those places that, for better or worse, define the city it most peoples' eyes and minds.  Paris has the Eiffel Tower, London has Big Ben, Peru has Machu Pichu and, here, the USA has San Francisco and it's Transamerica edifice.  Like it or not, they're the eye-catchers,…

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Wisconsin is not just cows

Quiz:  how much do you know about Wisconsin, USA? The honest answer is "probably not much."  It's one of those states "in the  middle" of the country that has always had a low profile, except for periodic victories in American football or baseball. It is big on dairy farming, cheesemaking, ethnic festivals, polka and the…

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Vamos a Toronto . . pronto!

Let's go to Toronto now! We think that almost everyone has a warm and fuzzy feeling about Canada.  The country is almost like the North American Sweden:  healthcare for all, low violence, a population from every corner of the world and, honestly, nice people.  You can land here and relax. Probably the best place to start…

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Why, you lousy rat gangster

When you think of old-style mobsters, you usually think of New York City, where almost all crime happens in American cinema.  But, Chicago Illinois had its run of criminals, especially in the 1930's.  People like  "Al" Capone, John Dillinger,  "Baby Face" Nelson.... the list goes on and on. There is still an element of romance with…

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