Today was all about food and drink. We met up this morning with Ivy Chen for a market tour. Because it was just Tristan and me, we got to ask all the questions we wanted. Ivy is a fount of information. The market is filled with small stalls, each specializing in something different. At the tofu seller Ivy explained the … Read More
Taipei, Taiwan – Day 1
The flight seemed to take forever, but it will have been worth the endless hours in the air and the lengthy layover. I’m traveling with my grandnephew, Tristan. This is his high school graduation present—a trip to anywhere he chose. He’s a well-traveled kid, and he selected Taiwan because he has studied Chinese, and had heard about the excellent food. … Read More
Boulder, Colorado
By now you may have heard about the terrorist attack on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. Three of us were only a few blocks away when the attack occurred. The Pro-Israel protesters had peacefully walked past us while we were meandering. A few minutes later there were sirens, flashing lights, and a lot of commotion. Because firetrucks were on … Read More
The Potato Museum – Blackfoot, Idaho
Years ago, on a road trip through southern Idaho, I stopped in the tiny town of Blackfoot. As a lifelong fan of weird roadside attractions, I couldn’t resist visiting the Idaho Potato Museum. Right outside the entrance is a giant baked potato sculpture the size of a small car—complete with a pat of butter. Inside, the museum walks a fine … Read More
More Quirkiness — Museum of Clean – Pocatello, Idaho
If you’vr a cleanliness freak (I am not) you need to visit Pocatello, Idaho, home of the one, the only, Museum of Clean. This 75,000-square-foot shrine to cleanliness celebrates everything from vintage dustpans to early vacuum cleaners the size of a Smart Car. There’s even a horse-drawn vacuum named Puffing Billy, which sounds like a children’s book character but actually … Read More
More quirky American towns – Hell, Michigan
More quirky American towns – Hell, Michigan Just 15 miles northwest of Ann Arbor lies a little slice of the underworld on Earth—Hell, Michigan. It’s a town prone to puns, where the devil is always in the details and residents take pride in saying, “Welcome to Hell—and thanks for dropping in.” The origin of “Hell” is debated—one version says it … Read More
Quirky Canadian Towns – Vulcan, Alberta
I’ve never been to this small town, but it’s on my radar should I ever be anywhere near there. Nestled in the Canadian prairies, the town’s unique identity comes from its connection to the Star Trek universe. It is a pilgrimage site for Trekkies (Star Trek fans). It was named Vulcan long before the Star Trek TV show was developed. … Read More
Quirky American Towns – Deadwood, South Dakota
While on a car trip through the US, I drove to Deadwood, SD. Originally a lawless gold rush settlement, Deadwood now leans into that history in a big way. Wandering its streets is like stepping onto the set of a Western—except it’s real. Boardwalks line the main drag, saloon doors swing, and every other building claims some connection to Wild … Read More
Quirky American Towns – Marfa, Texas
I haven’t been to Marfa, but it is very high on the list of places I want to visit. For years, I’ve heard about this town filled with mysterious lights and minimalist art in the middle of nowhere. From all descriptions, Marfa feels like it shouldn’t exist. A high desert town with a population of about 1,800 people, it is … Read More
Quirky American Towns – Magdalena, New Mexico
Years ago, a friend from Albuquerque drove me to Magdalena to see the Very Large Array (VLA). It’s located approximately 24 miles west of Magdalena. I’d seen the movie Contact starring Jodie Foster and wanted to see where it was filmed. The 1997 science fiction film was set at the VLA, a fitting backdrop for the film’s exploration of extraterrestrial … Read More