“The way you get a better world is you don’t put up with substandard anything.“ (Joe Strummer)

My last blog posting demonstrated how a seemingly enticing airboat ride in the Florida Everglades could easily be delivered to tourists from a substandard selling perspective, Thus, for this latest entry, I continue this theme below by analyzing ten (10) places we’ve visited on past road trips that similarly do not measure up to the desired tourist quality that I expected to enjoy. I then place my trust in some comparable sites below that seem to be better suited for me from a self guided travel perspective.

1. Bourbon Street, New Orleans 

I’ve learned to avoid the raucous party reputation of this thirteen block corridor when seeking lively entertainment options in New Orleans on our road trips. For does one really need to tangle with this often crowded tourist frenzy seeking  overindulgence in sinful pleasures. You might instead look elsewhere for a decent place to dine at affordable prices and perhaps a jazz performance of musical quality to follow.

Better Choice: Frenchman Street Corridor

2. St. Augustine, Florida

There are some decent tourist options to visit of authentic historical attention like the Castillo De San Marcos District along the Intercoastal Waterway and the Flagler College annex west of downtown. But beyond these likely first time visit options, St. Augustine seems burdened by a “tourist trap” reputation filled with a hodgepodge of tacky souvenir shops, and uneconomical  family tourist options that tend to “stretch the truth” like Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and the Fountain of Youth Museums.

Better Choice: Charleston, South Carolina

3. South Beach Strip , Florida

Many young tourists come to South Beach to experience its famous club scene offering one’s choice of all night hedonistic pleasures. But for those who venture beyond this beachfront mecca of Art Deco structural pleasure, a more unglamorous picture of Miami Beach appears. For like so many aging cities across our country , one finds a noticeably “rundown” reality there with plenty of homelessness , poverty, and street crime to concern the visiting tourist today.

Better Choice: The Florida Keys

4. Gatlinburg, Tennessee

The “Smokies” would be an ideal place for an exciting summer vacation with over 800 square miles of mountains, streams, and forests. Yet while Gatlinburg serves as the northern gateway to to Smoky Mountain National each year during “high season”, the town seems too small to accommodate the huge throngs of tourists who visit there each year.

Better Choice: Asheville, North Carolina

5. Park City, Utah

Winter skiing can be an expensive proposition especially when it caters to the “jet set” in this“upscale” town of Park City. For the frugal traveler, you thus might face the inconvenience of staying outside of Park City and risk missing out on local ski resort fun.The state of Utah’s Mormon dominant politics might also give one second thoughts about indulging in alcohol, pornography and other so called sinful actions.

Better Choice: Steamboat Springs, Colorado

6. Hollywood, California.

Once considered as the tourist center for movie star glamour in the early days of motion pictures, downtown Hollywood, California offers today merely a casual glimpse of its past film glories. Yes, the Chinese Theater and Star Walk of Fame still survive but the movie stars have moved on to exclusive places of suburban privacy like Malibu Beach, Bel- Air and Laurel Canyon. Of course you will still find hordes of Hollywood curiosity seekers who seem determined to chance a rare encounter with the latest celebrity while overlooking the increasingly blighted look of this historic neighborhood.

Better Choice: Visit a Famed Movie Studio

7. Flagstaff, Arizona

The “Mother Road” of Route 66 began in 1926 as one of the first highways to cross east – west to California. So in what locations across America can you best view historic remnants of old gas stations, motor hotels, and iconic cafes from Route 66’s iconic past? Not in Route 66 Flagstaff it seems as the road’s  spreading urban sprawl look provides merely an unglamorous weigh station for those moving on to the famed Grand Canyon to the north. You might even easily bypass Route 66 altogether if you transport your vehicle conveniently from I-17 north to I-40 west.

Better Choice: Williams, Arizona

8. Tunica, Mississippi

Tunica’s rise to resort status in the mid 1990s coincided with the popular appeal of casino gambling along the Mississippi River in a desperately poor region of “Deep South” America.  While a few of these “grand” hotels still remain to provide a comfortable weekend of gambling fun for commuters from Memphis and other nearby urban areas, there’s not much left to see of the Mississippi Blues Trail culture there. The views of America’s longest river are challenging to find at best as many of these hotels have chosen to restrict public access to Mississippi River scenic vantage points on their private lands. 

Better Choice: Vicksburg, Mississippi

9. Amish Country , Ohio

At this more mature time of my life, I like to reminisce about those countryside camping trips, rural farm visits, and YMCA sports outings I’d experienced as a “kid” in Midwest America. Yet it would not be wise to encroach upon the private Amish people in this region to obtain such a nostalgic dose of one’s outdoor frolicking  spirit? For I’ve learned not to infringe upon their ultra conservative ways on my previous visits to small towns like Berlin and Millersburg and would never recommend one try to mimic their horse and buggy lifestyle in their country towns to obtain some childlike fun.

Better Choice: Indiana Dunes National Park

10. Pagosa Springs, Colorado

In visiting Colorado, accessibility to the Rocky Mountains for active hiking and camping opportunities should be a major reason for an extended tourist stay.Yet Pagosa Springs as observed from a previous visit lies remotely surrounded by thick National Forest and is therefore somewhat inaccessible to the Southern Rockies region. With the landscape of Pagosa Springs being situated so remotely amid quiet suburbia, there’s not much to do from the tourist point of view.The renowned Springs Hot Springs Resort in Pagosa would no doubt provide an enticing place to relax yet it’s much too sedentary an experience for those who wish to indulge in a more active Colorado time.

Better Choice: Durango, Colorado

“Travel makes a wise man better, and a fool worse.” (Thomas Fuller)

There seemed no better place for Mike to get away from the urban madness of South Florida than this Sunday morning spent alone at his favorite Everglades rest stop quietly munching his sandwich. For he felt such undisturbed environmental conditions here would help him unwind from his stressful commitments as a high school biology teacher that often piled up at the end of the school year.. He also envisioned that some idle study observing this thriving eco-system during the cooler hours before noon would yield some interesting photo shots of migratory birds and reptilian wildlife. After lunch, he might even take some time to slowly reposition myself in yoga mantra position along the adjacent canal to meditate in silence amid this “River of Grass” oasis for awhile.

But then Mike’s uplifting anticipation of nature’s solitude suddenly disappeared when he smelled boat oil followed by the noise piercing engines of a tourist-packed airboat moving quickly near. With no surprise then, this precious eco-system now suddenly became radically disturbed as the resident alligators along the bank now dove into the depths of the now “wake” disturbed canal while feeding herons, anhingas, and egrets scattered nervously into the sky. How unfortunate it seemed to him that this young airboat driver intended to dock his airboat at this location in spite of this disturbing mechanical encroachment upon these pristine yet vulnerable lands. Upon further observations of this ominous environmental scene, the driver in Mike’s view did not seem to care about spreading the word concerning responsible eco- tourism and instead engaged in some extended small talk with the disembarking passengers about about cheap souvenir sales and Indian Joe’s alligator wrestling exhibition

Mike noticed then that some of the tourists complained to each other about practical concerns on this ride such as a lack of restroom facilities and insufficient instructions about how to properly wear their noise deadening headphones. Yet the driver seemed oblivious to their concerns in Mike’s view as he went off to the parking lot on his own to “yak” on his cellphone for the duration of this short stopover. Most importantly, it puzzled Mike that the tourists seemed to be wasting their precious sightseeing time on a high speed ride through these federally protected surroundings while remaining ignorant about the abundance of vegetative  and wild life diversity  that existed here. So when he heard the loud blare of the airboat engine revving up again, he felt relief that this misguided tour would soon depart. For in a few minutes, Mike’s blissful spot in the Everglades would renew itself as the canal again flowed smoothly and this vast tropical swampland settled back into stillness once more. Mike took comfort then in knowing that the alligators would also return with eagerness to their favorite sand clearing along the canal bank and share their sinister smiles at him once again.

Does the the word “tourist trap” cross your mind in this example? Bingo! These tourists had been scammed of hundreds of dollars for an inferior waste of their airboat time. For it seems logical that the proprietors of this airboat company obviously planned a fast “ripoff” of these clueless tourists knowing full well that the quality of their Florida Everglades experience would be shoddy at best. So as a veteran road tripper of cross country road trips in the past ten years, I urge my blog readers to be beware of such scams of substandard services provided in your future summer travels.

“ These gardens give us the hope and serenity that emanate from the beauty of the earth.” (Eleanor and Eugene Goldberg)

As I eagerly await our next road trip to California later this month, perhaps you’ve noticed that I’m spending more time investigating local tourist spots in my own home territory of South Florida. For in paraphrasing from the introduction to my blog home page, any place near or far will do if your senses are open to the peaceful energy that surrounds you. So I headed north on busy I-95 on Saturday morning last week, then veered west through swanky Boca Raton to spend an amazing two hours meandering around the sixteen acre environs of Morikami Gardens.

So what exactly made the timing of my visit to “Garden Of The Drops of Dew” as Morikami is commonly called so special? Know that upon arrival, I seemed to have “caught a break” as throngs of tourists at Morikami were rushing for cover to escape one of those typical South Florida rain showers that pass through during the approaching summer season. Yet I knew that these deluges did not usually last very long. Thus I felt free to conduct my self guided tour of Morikami’s unique landscape designs at a time when it’s paths were relatively clear of competing pedestrian traffic.

So I invite you to join with me amid the cooler aftermath of summer rain at Morikami in the photo set below. For I hope to recapture for you some highlights of this visit that best capture nature’s solitude there amid its flowering trees, shrubs, rocks ,and gravel in Japanese artistic tradition.

“ Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” (Betty Friedan)

When it comes to music, it’s a fair statement to say that originality can be a rare commodity to find as each age generation passes. For as the iconic bands of the past rapidly disappear from existence, their old songs become reborn in the burgeoning trend of Tribute bands today. Witness for example those wildly popular musical impersonators of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson or Liberace along the famed strip in Las Vegas. Or venture into any wine bar, country hall or dinner theater establishment on a Saturday night and you can often hear American legends of pop music past like Willie Nelson, The Eagles or Tom Petty magically reappear for your enjoyment. Surprisingly, I’ve even observed directly that those memorable songs that I grew up with during the Vietnam War era inspire me to find common ground with today’s youth as well. Thus upon retirement from teaching a few years back, I took out my old trombone and tediously practiced my horn in order to ultimately play with a volunteer gathering  of gifted high school students in such a classic rock branded band.          

 Perhaps you’ve noticed then that Tribute bands seem to pay homage to the idea that while we cannot stop aging of our body, the musical vibe we’ve enjoyed most can remain youthfully alive. So in this spirit of timeless optimism, I ask you to observe then the following song excerpts from four, retro minded, Tribute bands I’ve been paying great attention to lately. Do the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms of any particular tunes resonate for you as they once did in the past? Does any performance feature a charismatic lead vocalist who inspires attention to one of your previous musical idols on stage? Do the personalities of other band members stand out for you for any group as they often did before? Are you induced to dance or sing along in youthful vigor to the lyrics of a familiar song? Does the lighting or other special effects accentuate the stage “backdrop” appearance of one or more of these venues in a nostalgic way for you then? Would you be willing to remain for the traditional encore to hear that Tribute Band play on in lieu of exiting early to escape the crowd?

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Leonid and Friends     

Bee Gees Now

Solid Brass

 Ticket To The Moon

 

“More wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world.” ( New York Herald description of Flagler’s Palm Beach Estate, 1902)

Imagine what life might have been like to join the filthy rich during the late 19th century, “Gilded Age” in America. It seems likely that one became inspired at that time by Rockefeller, Carnegie, or Vanderbilt to undertake great individual risk in order to obtain vast wealth from the rapid growth of business, technology, and industry. Yet I’m also intrigued about what kind of lifestyle might have best suited an aspiring entrepreneur then with such substantial profits looming at their future disposal? I assume then that one important strategy for solidifying one’s rank in this elite society could take place for one of these magnates by building a magnificent mansion to enjoy the fruits of their lifelong leisure passions.

Know then that such pervasive Gilded era displays of opulence still exist today on the exclusive, fourteen mile long island called Palm Beach, Florida. No I am not thinking of the tempestuous tycoon presence there of Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago now. For on a recent visit to Palm Beach last week, I would instead experience the proud legacy of Henry D. Flagler, a man who more reasonably handled his sudden fame with both sound heart and mind at his Whitehall mansion during the early years of the 20th century.

So imagine this great captain of American transportation and commerce during the Gilded era eagerly celebrating his second marriage on August 24, 1901 to a sweet Southern lady, Mary Lily Kenyan. For a marriage gift, Mr. Flagler had decided to construct for his younger wife an elegantly designed mansion named Whitehall along the tranquil shoes of Lake Worth Bay He would thus spare no expense in constructing this new home with marble floors, painted ceilings, crystal chandeliers and and an indoor courtyard. A wrought iron fence around the the perimeter of the property would also secure maximum privacy for the Flagler family.

With such a grand wedding event taking place by Mr. and Mrs. Flagler at Whitehall on that momentous day, I’d been enthused that my actual visit to Whitehall last week might somehow offer me a rare opportunity to imagine traveling back in time as a guest of this festive wedding gala. So take a look at the following photos from our visit. For they might help you understand how that memorable wedding atmosphere that happened over hundred and twenty two years ago, seemed so real for me in 2022.

“ He that would have the perfection of pleasure must be moderate in the use of it.” (Benjamin Whichcote)

When Marjorie retired from New Jersey to a three story condominium facility in balmy Delray Beach, Florida, this elderly widow seemed determined to overcome her sudden loneliness from losing the company of her husband Bill. But in her wildest dreams, Marjorie could never imagine her upcoming “rock star” status as “Momma Munch” as she became commonly known for her masterful bread baking efforts within a year of her move to this tightly knit, new community home.

Imagine then then the pleasing smells of Marjorie’s freshly kneeded dough on weekday mornings permeating the outside air from the open kitchen window of her condo. Fidgety squirrels and wild blue jays would then be her first guests to gain Momma Munch’s attention as she placed timely samples of these tasty bread treats on the railing outside her door. Neighbors would soon pop in to her unit as well for a brief chat while hoping to get some quick bites of her latest rye, wheat, or multigrain bread concoction. With all loaves now cooled as lunchtime approached , Momma Munch would now spring into extra action hoping to spread kindness toward others by peddling her wares. For one might might discover her popular bread baskets in popular spots like elevator entrances, swimming pool lounges, and picnic tables throughout the day,

So on Memorial Day weekend, Momma Munch sensed good reason to take some time off from her bread routine for a healthy change. For her son. Darren, a biology professor, would be coming in from out of town to pay tribute to his late father Bill, for his heroic army infantry service during World War II. So on Friday night, Darren would suggest to his mother that they share some fond memories of Bill with a quiet picnic outing in the Florida Everglades on Memorial Day. But of course, Momma Munch would feel compelled to bring along next Monday several loaves of her legendary bread to share with anyone she encountered during their outing.

Now who would have thought that a featured customer on that day of rest for Momma Munch would be a hungry alligator? For as Marjorie and Darren enjoyed their shaded comfort at their picnic table that morning with the breadbaskets stacked high for all to see, a ravenous gator lie lurking within striking distance of them nearby. Slowly, the reptile would then slowly emerge from the murky canal and crawl up the sloping boat ramp. For it had sensed the aromatic loaves of their human food. Suddenly, as Mother Munch gained first awareness of the gator’s ominous presence nearby, she reverted back to her bread giveaway ways and began tossing bread tidbits toward the gator’s eagerly awaiting snout.

How untimely then it seemed when crowd of a curious tourists would arrive from a noisy airboat tour docking nearby amid this odd feeding spectacle. Yet in spite of their exciting shouts and screams upon seeing the reptile at close range, the gator seemed insensitive to the human danger and did not move away. So in the “heat” of that moment, Momma Munch undoubtedly took great satisfaction in realizing that she had again done her volunteer duties well. For there would be plenty of her tasty bread for the gator and hordes of tourists to feast on along the park that day. Yet our more mindful Darren would recognize right away his mother’s error of thought. For if humans continued to indulge in their personal pleasures by encroaching on the alligator’s natural habitat, how then would this species with their instinctive defenses confused in the future continue to survive?

Note: The cover photo to begin this blog marks the exact location in the Florida Everglades where my mother and I actually witnessed an alligator approaching our picnic table on a recent picnic outing.

Hi Friends: I’m in the process of making some changes to my Word Press website. I would appreciate if you would complete the brief survey. If you don’t see the survey, click once on the blog title or picture to access it. Thanks. USFMAN

Hello Readers: I’m experiencing some storage space limitations with the thousands of photos I’ve compiled on Word Press over the last five years. So I decided to do some spring cleaning now and purge a manageable collection of my past blogs. Please let me know if there’s a particular blog erased that you would like me to repost. Thank you. USFMAN

 

“We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.” (Anais Nin)

The concept of perfect does not exist as a viable concept in my life. Thus it’s totally wrong to expect my reality in travel to unfold in a perfectly idealized manner. Yet during those curious wanderings that sometimes seem mistake-prone at the time, I strongly envision ways to change my world for the better.

Let’s take the obvious flawed appearance of the historic Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. For how might its legendary angled position influence my future life in a more positive way as I reflect back to our past tour of these hallowed grounds? Perhaps I could now realize the greater needs to stand up straight to gain greater confidence in oneself and avoid back ailments caused by such excessive slouching. Or closer to home, why would I become consistently repelled by the monotonous blight of high rise condos when visiting the beaches of South Florida? It seems that I’m just perceiving them as ugly wall barriers of tourist driven profit that fuel my desire for actively protesting at local zoning meetings to preserve more public beachfront land.

So take a long look at the following photos. I challenge you to consider how you could transform each of these travel scenes depicting signs of negative imperfection into more dazzling deeds of importance in your own life.

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. ” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Imagine a vast Everglades of primitive swamp wilderness transformed in a little over one hundred years into a dense urban megalopolis called South Florida. Nowadays, close to ten million people reside along this narrow strip of land stretching north to south in Palm Beach , Broward, and Dade County along the southeast coast of Florida. Envision further a heavy infiltration of visitors and part time residents from northeastern U.S. states, French Canadian Quebec and various other Latin American countries each winter-spring times in south Florida during what’s commonly called “The Season.” Thus begins the mad scramble of human competition to enjoy our coastal sun, sea, and air amenities for these four to six months of the year. So for this longtime Fort Lauderdale resident, you might understand why I diligently search during “The Season” to find accessible spots for peace and quiet along this congested beachfront coastline.

Consider as well my reasoning for making a first time visit last week to the “Bonnet House Estate and Museum, a historic landmark of notable interest within the popular Fort Lauderdale beach district of Fort Lauderdale. In one sense, Bonnet House estate’s thirty five acre “protected” expanse of lush tropical vegetation and gently rising sand dune formations functions most prominently as as one of the few remaining coastal “protected” areas in Broward County to buffer urbanized areas westward from feeling the destructive effects of our annual hurricane season. Yet this so named barrier island encounter on my day trip felt so much much more to me than a dividing juncture to block wind or rain disaster inland. For as I casually strolled this unique oasis showcasing so many artistic, architectural, and ecological gems along this self guided trail, I’d realized that I’d also stumbled upon a special place to relax amid nature away from the “maddening crowd.” Some upcoming nature events to be held in 2022 at the Bonnet Complex that “caught my attention” included the Orchid & Garden Festival, a “forest bathing” walk” and various birdwatching classes.