Italia….I Came, I Saw, I Conquered Saw, Swam and Enjoyed

Italia….I Came, I Saw, I Conquered Saw, Swam and Enjoyed

As someone who has studied Latin in high school, Roman history has always fascinated me. Italy has always been on my bucket list of must-dos, and this August, I finally had a chance to do a trip. What a country. What architecture. What stunning views! What beauty!

I spent just one day in Rome, but boy did I get a lot done, The first stop was my favorite: the Colosseum. Built in AD 72, the “Flavian Amphitheater” was built by the profits of the Great Jewish Revolt, primarily on the backs of Jewish slaves. We can say that technically, Jews built this top Roman tourist attraction, which was used for gladiator and animal fights, and could hold up to 80,000 spectators! The Colosseum was badly damaged in 217, and since then has been rebuilt to show an important part of ancient Roman history. I got to walk inside the Coloseeum and see the “stage” where all of the fights took place, as well as the tunnels leading to gladiator’s locker rooms and animal enclosures. What a cool view! I’ve never seen anything like it before…it was so cool literally looking at thousands of years of history!

After the Colosseum, I saw Rome’s “other” attractions, which are all located in the “Cento Storico” area of Rome and is a must-see for anyone in the city. First up was the Roman Forum. The site, known by ancient Romans as the “Forum Magnum” (meaning Big Forum), was basically ancient Rome’s city center, the heart of Rome….a market place, where elections were held, a place for parades. It served as a court room (criminal trials were held here), a stadium (speeches and even gladiatorial fights were showcased), a bazaar (street shops), and basiacally as the meeting place for all Romans to discuss life. Forty meters above the Forum, we strolled by Palatine Hill, where, according to mythology, lies the cave where Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome were raised by the wolf Lupa. Next up was the Pantheon, which was originally built as a temple to God of War Mars, but is now a church. After walking down to look at the beautiful and majestic Supreme Court of Rome, we finished the night meditating to the serene sight of the Trevi Fountains, a fountain built in the Baroque style, and one of the most famous fountains in the world.

For the next 2 days, we rented a car and drove from Rome through the Amalfi Coast, seeing the towns of Positano, Sorrento, and Amalfi. Describing these places is impossible on paper, or even photos, as this beauty is best illustrated by going there yourself. But the Amalfi coastline is absolutely my favorite place in the world. As you drive down the narrow, winding streets, you see the Meditteranean Sea from miles high. You see boats and yachts enjoying the water, as the bright-red sunlight gently gleams along the waves, making it look like a sea filled with gold. Hugging the coast, on the cliffs, there are all kinds of colorful houses, right in the mountains. As you drive all the way down to the Amalfi Coast, get out and look around you. On one side, is the mighty Mediterranean; on the other, up on the cliffs, colorful houses all around the coast, right in the hills. It’s such a unique and awesome sight. You have not seen anything until you’ve driven along the Amalfi coastline!

One word of advice when visiting the Amalfi Coast: have a skilled, experienced driver, and make sure you have a good GPS, which you follow, without going the wrong way! Driving along Amafi is a freaking nightmare. First, you have winding, curving roads, where one wrong move will send you barreling down the cliffs to your death. Secondly, the roads are narrow, and don’t even have the line dividing the 2 directions. So slow down, enjoy the view, but make sure that you don’t hit cars travelling in the opposite direction, head-on. And hope you are not stuck behind a bus. When 2 buses travel in opposite direction in the Amalfi Coat, one must pull over, almost to the edge of the cliff, and the other must slowly, skillfully pass ahead. This causes traffic jams in both directions. Also, some of the roads are super narrow; your car will barely fit. By the way, good luck finding public parking. You are basically going up or down a mountain, so parking spaces are super limited. When we got lunch, we spent over an hour just looking for parking! Finally, do not miss your turn, because if you do, you will need to go the long way around, to get back where you were, because there are usually only one way to go to specific places. So, perhaps, at this point, you might be thinking, “why drive, I’ll just take the bus”? Good luck with that. As we were told by local Italians, the buses are notoriously unreliable. We witnessed this firsthand, as a bus just went by a bus stop, never bothering to pick up the poor people waiting there! So in sum, drive along the Amalfi Coast, but bring the best driver ever, who won’t speed, won’t drink, and won’t crash and be that idiot who ruins everyone’s business/vacation by causing a traffic jam for the entire day, with thousands of angry Italians and tourists cursing you out.

On my 4^th day in Italy, I rented a private yacht, with 3 friends, for just $90 Euros, including free lunch and beers! The yacht took us from Positano to the island of Capri, and along the way, we swam up to the caves and explored them, got a close-up view of the cliffs, and swam in the Mediterranean, while sunbathing right on the yacht! When we finally arrived in Capri, we took a bus up the hill downtown. The city itself was kind of a disappointment, but people should go to Capri for the swimming and the beautiful views more, anyways. For one day in Capri, I felt like a rich person….tanning on a yacht, drinking beers, swimming wherever I want, and seeing whatever I am interested in. The rich life is addicting…..and the private yacht was one of the best, happiest, most relaxing days of my life! More motivation to work hard, and become successful!

While my friends and I were happily enjoying Capri, without a care in the world, Italians and tourists just hundreds of miles away had probably the worst day in their lives. A devastating earthquake basically destroyed the entire town pf Amatrice, northeast of Rome, and a couple od the surrounding towns. Over 200 lives lost. Entire houses, neighborhoods, and communities destroyed. Rescuers from all over the world working 24/7 to dig out the rubble and finding survivors. It’s so heartbreaking, and a helpless feeling, knowing you can’t do anything to help, other than give money. The tragedy taught me the value of living each day to the fullest, and enjoying life every chance you get, because no one knows what will happen tomorrow.

Speaking of natural disasters and destroyed towns, on my 5^th day in Italy, we went to Pompeii. Pompeii was an ancient Roman city, today between Amalfi and Naples, that first suffered a devastating earthquake in AD 62, and then was completely destroyed by the volcano cause by Mount Vesuvias in AD 79. The volcano killed over 2,000 civilians, although some of those who ran away in the opposite direction, IMMEDIETELY after they saw the volcano erupt, had a shot of surviving those who stayed behind, or dithered to gather belongings were certainly burned by the ash). Today, Pompeii has been preserved to showcase the history of the town. Walking through thr town, you can see the city’s streets, houses  (both of the rich and poor, a Colossum arena (which held up to 20,000 spectators, but had fights banned after the citizens of 2 towns had a violent fight, inside the arena, to 20,000 spectators), preserved bodies, profane and sexual wall graffiti, and ash-covered statues. Actually, Popmpeii was more disappointing than I expected, but perhaps it was just that there was a lot of walking on a 90+ degree F day.

After Pompeii, we drove to Naples. Naples can best be described as the American equivalent of Detroit. It looks like a run-down city. The roads have potholes. The houses are rusting. The entire city looks depressed. Naples is also one of the hubs of the Italian mafia (Sicily is the other hub), with the powerful and influential Camorra family running affairs out of that city. Looking at the city, it looks like they have stopped making their payments to government officials, probably after the recent police crackdowns on them (when my parents visited in 2009, they literally saw mob-related arrests!)

My 6^th and last day in Italy was spent at the Vatican, which is the holiest site to Catholics, and the only country in the world (just over 800 citizens) not to require passports or visas. We checked out the museums, which are filled with ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artifacts. We marveled at the ceiling of the Cisitine Chapel (where I don’t have photos because they are banned), which was drawn by Michaelangelo and illustrates “The Creation”, “The Fall of Man”, and the “Promise of Salvation”. Next up was St. Peter’s Basillica. The popes give speeches from the balconies here. The pope has services here on Sundays, and blesses the crowds on Wednesday mornings, except for the summers, when he does this from his personal residence, about 20 miles away. According to Catholic doctrine, the apostle St. Peter is buried here at the Basilica. We visited the Vatican on a Friday, so saw the preparations for Sunday’s services. It was a sweet experience to marvel at the beauty of the Vatican overall, and to learn about the history and main tenants of Catholicism. With my visit to the Vatican, I have now seen Judaism’s Wailing Wall, Catholicism’s Vatican, various Hindi temples, and the mosque at Taj Mahal. The only religion whose most important sites I shall likely never have the opportunity to experience is Islam’s, as Mecca and Median bar non-Muslims form visiting, and visiting the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem will likely cause an international incident and heat up the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (screw politics, why can’t we just all live together in peace?)

So, what did I learn about Italy and its people? The locals are friendly, most of them speak English, they know how to suggest and have a good time. Talk to locals, and you find out the best deals….what to see, cheap private cruises, what transportation to take, where to party. One thing that surprised me was the drying of clothing; as in Croatia, people dry them on clotheslines, outsides. Are drying machines not used in Europe? Driving actually isn’t as bad as I imagined on the highways, but I’m not so sure I could drive on the Amalfi Coast. Finally, some random facts on Italian sex life (I plead the 5^th on how I know these): at 45%, Italian men have the third highest cheating on wives rate, behind Denmark’s 46%, and Thailand’s 56%; former Prime Minister Silvio Burkusconi clearly has sexual dreams of black men turning into women, as he has hired strippers to wear masks ans impersonate both the ex-footballer Ronaldinho and President Barack Obama; and prostitution, technically legal in Italy, is done not in hotel rooms, or even cars…..but in public parks, behind bushes. All highly ironic for a highly Catholic country which literally

Welcome to Hrovatia (Croatia): Extreme Sports, Dalmations, Crazy Views, and Morning Hibernations

The first part of my Summer Tour With Friends’ involved a boat tour in Croatia, along the Dalmatian Coast. After we found and boarded the boat, we began the sail along the Dalmatian Coast. What was our boat like? It was not a cruise ship. There were no 5,000 people, casinos, roadway musicals, gyms, mini golf courses, or even a pool. Ours had 3 decks, each guest had a room, with a roommate, bed and shower, and there was a cafeteria. The boat could hold about 35 people. On the top of the boat was the sundeck. We could work on our tans on it and exercise in the sea by jumping right off the boat (when the boat was stationary, and there was no current, of course). For food, there was always breakfast, lunch most times, and dinner sometimes. Local Croatian cuisine, such as a full bass fish (including head and tail)…decent food, though not the best I’ve had. The boat was owned by 5 Croatian brothers, who all worked on the boat, so it was really cool to help out a family-run business and get to know their story.

Who was on our boat? A couple of Englishmen, a Canadian, some New Zealanders….but mostly Aussies. I am actually mad at my mom for failing her Australia interview, and not moving there. The Aussies take multiple weeks, even MONTHS for vacation. Sometimes they don’t take vacations for 2 years straight, but accumulate months for one large trip, lasting several months! Some, like government employees, get 6 weeks off, plus another 2 of unpaid time. The Aussies are all over Europe now because it is winter in Australia. Also, since Australia is so far away from everywhere else, they save money by seeing lots of places at one time. On our boat I have realized how “exceptional” Americans truly are….exceptional at treating the working class like animals, that is. While every developed nation in the world has universal health care coverage, price ceilings for drugs and medication, paid maternity leave, and charges 20K or less for a year of college education (with no interest on college loans), here in the States, the working person gets treated like shit. No wonder so many are stressed out, driven to commit mass shootings, and vote for Donald Trump, not to mention ignorant about the world outside of their own borders. But enough about American politics…you all want to hear about my adventures in Croatia, right?

Funny story behind the name “Dalmation”. In the mid 19^th century, the local government in the city of Dubrovnik created a voluntary police force, but more as a tourist attraction. 101 Croatian women were each assigned a Dalmation puppy. They usually take photos with tourists, but can also top criminals by tazing them, then waiting for the real police to arrive (American cops, take note. Instead of killing people, why not have hot women taze them instead?) The next male politician who came to power also created male force….where each of the 101 male Dalmation was handpicked by one of the female ones (the males then also had their own Dalmatian puppies)!

On the first day, after a delicious Croatian lunch and a brief swim stop at the Peljesac Peninsula, where we could dive into the water from the top deck of the boat; we landed in Makarska. This town on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, with a population of just under 14,000, is known for its swimming holes and its cave bars. We went for a swim, and did an obstacle course, right in the water. This obstacle course is a bit like “Wipe Out”; you have to pass several challenges, without falling into the water….it’s difficult, but fun! On the shore line, there are some sweet souvenir shops, and beach bars. In the night, it’s party time! There are literally bars inside caves, and we went to one. But perhaps the party of the day belongs to the Polish wooden boat party, which, needs no caves. They blast music, right on their boat. Even kids, with parents, are on this boat! Who needs a club, when you can just make your own!

The next day, we spent the afternoon at Mljet National Park. This is a park where you can do lots of adventure related activities. You can bike. You can kayak. Or, like me, you can swim across one or both of the pristine, warm lakes! I also went in this super slow electric boat. You kind of drive it as if you are playing a video game on a console, except it is so slow, that I beat it swimming by myself! You could have tied yourself to me, and gone faster, than taking that boat! At night, we played this Canadian game called “Box”. Each player must pick up a box with his or her mouth without touching the hands or knees to the ground. After each round, the box gets cut to become shorter. As players fail to pick up the box, they are out. I was just average at this game; most of the girls beat me, then everyone else. Ladies, how are you so flexible. And where did you pick up the rare talent to pick up boxes with your mouth, right off the actual floor? The one downside of licking a box partially eaten by 30 people, of course, is also eating their germs. Which I did, and picked up a cold. Which makes a trip to Dubrovnik less fun, but…..

Dubrovnik, our next destination, was one of my favorite cities in Croatia, despite me not being a “Game of Thrones” fan, and suffering from a Box germ-induced cold. This city, under UNESCO World Heritage protection, survived an intense bombing campaign in 1992 by Yugoslavia's Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), composed mainly of Serbs, which bombed the city after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia, a former Soviet satellite state. The occupation lasted for seven month and damaged 56% of the real estate of Dubrovnik. We can still see the after-affects and the bombed-out buildings, even today. People in Croatia are of 2 minds when it comes to the conflict. The younger generation is not comfortable, and sometimes even outright refuses, to talk about it. The older generation, on the other hand, does not appreciate Croats who moved away during the conflict, often mockingly asking them “where were you in 1992”?

Back to the city tour. After lunch at a restaurant that can seat 40+ people outdoors, the group went on a “Game of Thrones” tour. It was interesting to learn how the show makers cover up electrical wires with flowers, to beautify the surroundings. Apparently, Dubrovnik is where some of the “Game of Thrones” scenes were taken, including some wedding, and some “Walk of Shame”, where men get naked or something? The tour ended with photos on the “throne”.  If you are into “Game of Thrones”, you will really enjoy this tour, I think. I enjoyed it, but was mostly confused….

But Dubrovnik is so much more than history and “Game of Thrones”. It is a city filled with beauty and fun. Climbing up to the top of the cliffs, you see spectacular views of the fort, with kayakers and jet skiers starting out their excursions. As you reach the cliffs, it’s time to cliff-dive. The cliffs look scary, and for the taller ones, you need to know what you are doing, and how to jump correctly, to avoid serious injury. I jumped from one of the lower cliffs (please don’t tell my mom or grandmas)!. Despite looking quite scary, jumping off a cliff is actually quite fun. It does not hurt at all when you land in the water; to jump, you should not think about it, or you might chicken out. Just close your eyes, count to 3, and jump off, then reopen your eyes to see yourself fly! Once you do it once, you want to do it again and again….but that first jump is always the heart-stopper.

Dubrovnik also has some of the best nightlife I have ever seen. We went to this club, “The Revelin”, which, of course, is a club inside a cave. Like in Prague, they serve entire buckets of alcoholic drinks, that, just as in Prague, really mess you up if you don’t pace yourself,(yes, I was the one messed up. Again, please don’t tell this part to my mom or grandmas)! There is live entertainment, including a guy playing the saxophone.

After a wild night out in Dubrovnik, the next afternoon called for a more relaxed, toned down walk around the city of Korcula. This is the home of Marco Polo (who was actually born in Italy, but spent most of his life in Korcula). We saw his house and the museum, then had a delicious lunch at the Lambarda Bay, but mostly it was a quiet night, where we just enjoyed the city views.

On the 5^th day we finally arrived to Hvar. The town is covered in pine forests, vineyards, and olive groves; it even has fresh-water lakes, which, unlike most of the rest of Croatia, makes it an ideal farming location. As you walk around town, be inspired by the awesome views from the fort, of islands dotting the coasts, with green hilly trees hugging the mountains. But do not let the serenity of what you see outside fool you, as Hvar is actually a wild party town! First, we had drinks at the “Hula Hula Bar”, which has spectacular views of the city, as you enjoy drinks. But good luck getting up there. You have to climb a long, winding set of stairs. Definitely not a place for people with disabilities….or anyone drunk! You can easily fall to your death off the top of the wall. I wonder if anyone had died, or been injured at this bar? In the USA, the conditions would be considered unsafe, and the bar would have never been allowed to operate. The real party (here you can get drunk) is at “Carpe Diem”, though which is a nightclub on its own island! A boat takes you there and back, and the party gets good (filled with people) at around 2 AM-4 AM. There is even a robot dancing to entertain the revelers! If you come early enough, you can reserve a table, by buying a bottle of alcohol, all under $200 Euros. Good luck getting such a deal in Boston, or in New York!

On the 6^th day, after swimming at Zlatnin Rat on Brac Island, near Bol (Golden Horn), one of the most famous beaches in Croatia, we arrived to Omis. Don’t let this sleepy town’s initial appearance fool you, as this city is full of adrenaline. Our adventure started with white-water rafting down the Cetina River…..but in between, we managed to swim down waterfalls, climb pitch-dark caves, and bathe in 50 degree F stream waters. You can only raft here during the summers, though, as the water rises to dangerous levels as winter approaches, beginning in October. At night, we went to this local pirate show, which apparently happens annually, and we were in the city that entire day. The show itself, unfortunately, was quiet underwhelming, and not as interesting as expected. Omis also offers ziplining opportunities. It is a must-do activity here. You will never regret cruising over 70 km/hour, for 400 meters, as you hang 100 feet over the Cetina River and the forests surrounding it. Bring your camera, the views are just spectacular, and it’s really not difficult, nor scary to zipline, at all!

After 7 days of Dalmatian adventures, our boat has arrived to right where it started, Split, another city under UNESCO World Heritage protection. You know right when you are downtown this large, beautiful city because one thing stands out at you….the markets. Lots of outdoor mini-shops selling all kinds of cheap, colorful stuff. I even snagged a 500 BILLION Yugaslavian currency note! You also notice the boats. So many. Sailboats, yachts, cruises, party boats….you name it. This makes sense, as shipbuilding industry is flourishing in Split, and many companies offer cruises along the Dalmatian Coast. On the last night of our boat trip, after dinner by the Bacevice Beach Promenade, I got to watch the Olympic Basketball semifinals with a bunch of Aussies. Australia supposedly is supposed to have a decent team, but don’t tell that to me. When you put up just 15 points in the entire first HALF, you just suck! Understandably, my Aussie watch mates were quiet for much of the game, and gave up after the third quarter, and went home, rather than continuing to torture themselves with the blowout.

After the boat tour was over, my friends and I stayed one more day in Split. We went to check out Diocletian's Palace, built by the ancient Roman emperor Diocletian in 305 AD, as a retirement home. After the fall of Rome, it was abandoned until the 7^th century, when local residents fled to it to escape the Croatian invasion. Today, you can still see the ancient walls of this beautiful, grand palace. On Saturday nights in the summers, the plaza outside of it hosts dancing parties. Have you seen Russians doing Brazilian samba in Croatia before? I officially have now!

Some final thoughts regarding Croatia: it is a highly underrated European summer vacation spot. A great place to enjoy the sites, party, and try new activities. However, it does get old after a few days. All of the houses, in every city look the same…gray bodies, and red rooftops. Each city has a fort and a church. Practically all of the beaches lack sand. Local Croats almost all know English, and they were friendlier than I expected. Overall, a decent vacation destination, especially if you like swimming in warm salt water and outdoor bars, but don’t stay for too long, as all of the cities look very similar.

 For those who have never been before, Kodasail is definitely a cruise I would recommend. The organizer, Chris, is friendly, and knowledgeable. You get exposure to various nationalities and get to learn about how people live in other countries, and their own countries. Go with your friends and enjoy learning the history, swimming, cliff-diving, whitewater rafting, and ziplining by day, and bar-hopping, dancing, drinking, and watching live entertainment by night, You may even make new friends for life, maybe even, literally, a boatload of diverse friends!

Mountains and Moose, Bison, Bears, and Beaches, Geysers, Lakes, and Crazy Driving.....Taming the Wild West!

First vacation of 2016! Time to leave the daily grind of work and school for a week and enjoy stunning nature. Time to exercise by walking, hiking, and jogging. Time to learn more about wildlife, geysers, and history. My vacation was perfect….even the weather cooperated and it didn’t rain a single day! What does this mean? Time for my first blog of 2016!

Utah—Mormons, Bison, and Winter Olympics Success

First, we went to Salt Lake City. The city is steeped with Mormon history, and at the city’s visitor center, there are some pretty cool exhibits on the history of Mormonsim. The religion was begun by Joseph Smith, who allegedly had God offer him instructions while he was chilling in a forest. Mormons started in New York, then moved westward to Illinois, then to Ohio and Missouri. Their neighbors usually did not treat them well and kicked them out. As a matter of fact, a century before Hitler, the governor of Missouri at the time, Lillburn Burns, issued “Executive Order 44”, also known as the “Extermination Order”, which said: “The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the state”. After the death of Joseph Smith, several sects of Mormons came about, based on which leader they chose to follow. The larges. Sect, with around 12,000 followers followed Brigham Young, and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. Other sects are around Michigan Boston, and Philadelphia (Romney family, why did you abandon Philly?) A couple of interesting facts about the Mormons: they consider themselves as one of the lost tribes of Israel (which is probably a reason why they have historically treated Jews so well), and they are not allowed to drink caffeine or alcohol, smoke, gamble, or have premarital sex. What do these people do for fun? Well, at one point, they had polygamy (multiple wives), but that then died down as it is illegal in the States. SO I guess now they just go skiing, watch the Jazz barely make the playoffs, and follow the MLS’ Real Salt Lake (the ones in Utah, at least)?

The Mormon temple is just beautiful, though. It kind of looks like a Dutch castle, with water fountains springing up right across from the entrance. The church itself is surrounded by neat little green gardens….very organized and detailed. Downtown Salt Lake City also has neat houses…modern, large, and look comfy…I would live there if it wasn’t freaking Salt Lake City!. The only other notable site is Salt Lake is the Capitol, which kind of looks like DC’s capitol, just significantly smaller. I was surprised by the lack of security…probably since not that many people live in Utah.

Another cool place to visit in Utah is the misnamed “Antelope Island”. Instead of antelopes, there are herds of bison. Bison, also known as buffalo, were once all over the US….according to some estimates, over 64 million. But then, American settlers decided that bison meat is delicious (I can personally confirm that it is), and these giant animals were hunted, until only 300 were left at the turn of the 20^th century. But buffalo are now making a comeback…there are now 7,000 in the wild, in just 3 states: Utah, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Buffalo look kind of bizarre…..furry at the top, almost naked at the bottom. They seem slow and lazy, but watch out….piss one off, and you can get tossed feet by the powerful horns, by a large animal that can run up to 35 mph. Anyways, back to Antelope Island; other than bison, there is also a giant salt lake, but good luck swimming in it, as it’s filled with goo and has a shoreline made of stones. Other than the salt lake and the bison, the area actually looks pretty bleak and depressing, just a lot of sand and empty valleys. I didn’t like it…but watching a buffalo run at full speed is funny!

Of course, the 2002 Winter Olympic games were held in Park City, which is about a 40 minute drive to Salt Lake City. Today, the Olympics site has turned into a museum. There’s Olympic history, exhibits, skiing simulations, and even an obstacle course. Every weekend, there are ski jumping shows (the skiiers jump into pools during the summer), which I was fortunate enough to witness. The most fun part is riding in a bobsled. A professional driver actually took me on the very same course as the bobsledders used during the Olympics! In the winter, these go as fast as 88 mph; the Olympics record is 98 mph. But in the summer, I only reached 71mph. A bobsled ride is thrilling! You have to sit in a specific way, hold on to rope in a certain manner…even arch your back at a certain angle. It’s fun to be a passenger, but I think I’ll stick to driving cars at those speeds, rather than bobsleds! Boston could have done the same thing with the summer Olympics….have the world’s biggest sport in a city with the most passionate fans, then make money off the museums and activities, creating hundreds of jobs. The pone thing not cool about Boston is that some of us have this provincial, isolationist attitude about anything not Boston, and we can certainly don better.

South Dakota—Hall of Fame for American Leaders

The first stop on my itinerary at this state was Independence Rock. This is basically a huge mountain, which served as the North Star on the Oregon Trail. It is close to the halfway point of migrants travelling form St. Louis to Utah, Oregon, and California. If travelers reached this destination before the 4^th of July, they had a good chance of reaching their final destination before the first snows. If they survived the journey, that is. The most common deaths were due to getting run over by wagon wheels (driven by oxen or horses), and getting yourself shot with your own gun (LOL). Another common cause was dysentery, where a perfectly healthy person could die within 24 hours form drinking poisoned water. The dead were usually hastily buried in mass graves, wherever they died. Learning about the Oregon Trail reminds me of this game I played in elementary school “The Oregon Trail”, where you could hunt food, do other fun things, and yes, die of dysentery.

Of course, anyone visiting South Dakota must view Mount Rushmore. Gutzon Borklum embarked on the project to carve the faces of 4 presidents. Originally conceived during the Coolidge Administration, the carvings of faces of 4 American iconic presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln (in that order, left to right) were finished during the FDR administration, shortly before WWII. The faces were made by blasting away parts if the mountains, and it was impossible to add anything back to the face post-blast , so the blasts required a lot of careful logistics and planning. At the entrance of Mount Rushmore, there is a flag of every American state, plus Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, as well as the year that they joined the country. Once you get past these flags, you can walk around for as long as you want, snapping pictures from various angles. I got some good ones! Also, there is a team that monitors geological changes, flagging potential threats to the faces….so far there are none, but if there were, appropriate measures would need to be taken!

After Mount Rushmore, I also saw the head of the Native American leader, “Crazy Horse”, of the Oglala Lakota tribe. This chief was one of the few leaders who refused to sign a treaty with Americans settlers, giving his land away to them, instead constantly fighting against them. His biggest victory was at the :Battle of Bighorn” (also known as Custer’s Last Stand), and yes, I’ve also visited the site! He stood up for his tribe’s interests, and for that he has my outmost respect. Apparently, he also earned the respect of, Korczak Ziolkowski, a Polish immigrant and student of, who, along with his wife, privately financed, then built a huge head dedicated to Crazy Horse, carved out of mountain stone. Today, the family is continuing its artwork, working on Crazy Horse’s horse. The monument is larger than each Egyptian Pyramid, and each of the 4 faces at Mount Rushmore, combined. It is pretty expensive to visit, though, and, unlike Mount Rushmore, you can’t walk up to the mountain top by yourself, but must pay for a bus to take you up to snap pictures, and yuu only get limited time and angles to do so. Quite a ripoff, actually. And they say that private enterprise is always more cost-effective and efficient (haha!)

Other than mountains and carvings, there is not that much to do in South Dakota. Not many people, at all. Driving is fun, though! I got to break my US driving record of 115 mph, because there are so few cars (the speed limit is technically 80 mph, but there are practically no highway cops). The scariest part of driving in South Dakota is passing cars. There is only one lane of traffic each way, but you can pass on the opposite side of the road. Just make sure to leave enough time to get back in your lane, before colliding with a car heading in the opposite direction head-on….I’ve had a couple of close calls! Along the drive, there are many beautiful red mountains; the red represent opportunities to mine copper, which people have frequently done here.  Other than thrill of driving, Custer State Park is a cool place to check out, where there is this pretty lake, Sylvan Lake, where you can go swimming. The water is warm, and I was able to successfully swim across the lake (don’t try this by yourself, unless you’re a decent swimmer, like me). Also, when I was in South Dakota, I saw a forest fire, which is apparently normal and happens naturally, although fire crews were working on putting this one out. A forest fire is an interesting, a bit scary event to witness!

Wyoming—Wildlife, Wilderness, and the Wild West

Every person in the world, let alone the USA, should visit a national park. There is this power of nature. It calms you. It makes you feel healthier, stronger, more confident, more relaxed, at peace. It’s a way to wind down, to mediate, to recover, to learn. In the words of Laurence Rockfeller, “In the midst of the complexities of modern life, with all its pressures, the spirit of man needs to refresh itself by communion with unspoiled nature. In such surroundings, occasional as our visits may be, we can achieve the kind of physical and spiritual renewal that comes alone from the wonder of the natural world." My escapes form life were the Yellowsstone National Park and Grand Teton.

Yellowstone National Park. is a couple hundred miles long, and is the home to bison, deer, moose, bighorn sheep  also known as rams), both black and brown bears, and various species of birds, including eagles, hawks, ravens, and owls. Driving in Yellowstone is scary….on a couple of occasions, a buffalo was either walking on the road I was driving on, or on the opposite side! These animals may seem slow and lazy, but piss one off, and you are dead. So imagine driving, slowly, quietly, past a buffalo, just inches from you, and making eye contact! I also saw blackhorn sheep, deer, falcons, and a vulture. Yellowstone has a wildlife rule: stay at least 100 feet away from the bears and bison, and at least 25 feet from all of the other wildlife….trust me, a wise plan! Yellowstone, of course, offers more than just a home for wildlife. There are a couple of neat waterfalls and a few lakes (one, Yellowstone, is huuugeee); if you get lucky, you can catch moose or bears fishing (unfortunately, I did not!) The lakes are freezing, though, swimming is prohibited, and you need a ranger’s permit even to boat there.. The highlight of Yellowstone are the numerous geysers, though. There are only 6 locations with active geysers: New Zealand, Chile eastern Russia, the middle of the Atlantic Ocean (random!) and Yellowstone National Park. A geyser forms when there is heat, water, and an active volcano site, as well as a “reservoir” of water. With some geysers over 200 degrees Celsius, they are scalding hot….someone dumb enough to touch one could get injured and even killed! Geysers are dangerous, but beautiful. They are like pools you can’t swim in, just more colorful…red, orange, blue and green colors all mesh together as vapor fills the air. Truly a unique site you should check out for yourself, but see my geyser photos in the meantime!

The other national park worth checking out in Wyoming is Grand Teton. This park has some spectacular views of mountain tops. At first glance, you could be forgiven if you mistake the white tips for snow; they are actually just sand. Some of the lakes offer guided scenery tours, and I even swam and boated in one (String Lake). Grand Teton is most known for its active bear population, both grizzlies and black bears. I saw a black cub! There are signs all over the park warning you to leave all food locked in “bear-proof” containers. Do you know how to survive a bear attack? First you use bear spray, if the bear notices you. At the same time, make a lot of noise, hopefully scaring the bear away. If the bear still attacks, play dead. If the bear is still on you, as a last resort fight back. Never run! This attracts the bear to you and tempts it to give chase. Me? I would carry a knife. How does one “fight back” against a bear without any weapons? Better yet, stay over 100 feet from the bear, and pray it does nto notice you!

Of course, no story on Wyoming would be complete without mentioning its 2 historic towns, Jackson, and Cody. Jackson looks like it was taken right out of a late 1800s Wild West town, with similar architecture. The restaurants have live entertainment, and the bars can get quite rowdy. So different from an East Coast city, and so fun! Cody looks like a more modern city, and it was founded by William Cody, who many know as “Buffalo Bill”. This outdoorsman and explorer colonized much of Wyoming and other parts of the “Wild West’, eventually starring in “road shows”, which took him to 47 states and 12 locations in Europe, including a private viewing by the British Royal family. Cody once killed fought, and bragged about killing, Native Americans, but later in his life, as he got to know them better as part of the cast on his road shows, he changed his views and became one of the fiercest advocates for their rights, often criticizing how they were being treated by the American government, and even supporting Native American citizenship/He built a museum in Cody, and it was pretty awesome to elarn about his life, and the history of the city!