5.06.2009

World's Best Job - Winner

Well it's over, and now we know who won the World's Best Job competition to be the caretaker of a small, tropical island on the Great Barrier Reef. You can read all about it on BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8035168.stm

Makes me think that the silly questions we ask kids in grade school need some work. When people ask you what you want to be when you grow up, they tend to prompt you with examples that are pretty limiting. I'm sure that Ben Southall didn't imagine he'd be doing this one day.

3.23.2009

Departures


Having recently upgraded my cable tiers, I now am the willing recipient of quality television broadcasting in the form of a series called 'Departures' on OLN. What an amazing program. Two men travel all over the world, experiencing an immense variety of adventures. To be sure, we all crave a little adventure travel, but I must say I don't have the balls to do half of what they do. I have a little more respect for my own mortality I think.

Sure makes for great TV!

Check out some media clips. I love the Alberta montage. Since I've discovered this program halfway through the seasons, I now know what to add to my wish list for birthdays, xmas, hint hint.

3.22.2009

March Madness - Insane Weather in Calgary

Check this video out! This was our insane drive home from Priddis to Calgary last night.
video
Myself and a bunch of pals went to the Priddis View+Brew Cafe & Bistro for dinner last night. If you don't know Priddis, you should. It's a quick 10 minutes southwest of Calgary. And that's definitely worth the drive for what I had. This is Lynne's Carrot+Ginger Soup.
And then I had the Chicken Pot Pie. Heavenly. Simple, flavourful home-cooked food made just like mama if you mama was an amazing cook.
Here's what Aaron had: Beef Tenderloin+Garlic Mashed Potatoes+Roasted Veggies. I tried some of it, it melted in my mouth.
We'll definitely be going back, so prepare yourself for more posts about her place.

3.17.2009

Calgary Bush! I mean Bush comes to Calgary!

Protesters hurled shoes at a Bush billboard. (CBC) on TwitPic

Yes it's true, former President George W. Bush from the United States of America is here in Calgary giving the first of what I'm sure he hopes is a speaking engagement career similar to Bill Clinton's.
He arrived yesterday evening and had dinner at a swanky Italian restaurant in Kensington called Osteria De Medici, which is coincidentally also where most celebs dine when in town. I've never been inside, but the outside is nothing to brag about. It's next to a bus stop and across the street from Crave which sells the best cupcakes in town.

He spoke at the Telus Convention Centre at a lunch, tickets by invitation only to local businessmen. I know one of the attendees, and I am curious to get his take on it. I tried to get there around lunch time to get pics of the protestors but was held up. By the time I made it downtown around 1:30, it was quiet as a ghost town. The only sign that something might be going on was the presence of extra cops on the street corners keeping an eye on whoever might be left outside. I'm guessing everyone who went down to throw shoes at posters of Bush had jobs to go back to.

Apparently there was a shoe canon, see here from twitter http://twitpic.com/26yjk.
I also read that 3 protesters were arrested, not sure for what. Very excited to watch the news tonight.

Calgary's a pretty sleepy town for all it's 'maverick' reputation. We're more subversive in our shit-disturbing. If Bush is really to be charged guilty for war crimes, then someone should take it to Parliament. It's not going to happen though. If he's going down, you can bet he's taking Kissinger and the whole damm gang down with him.

Anyone there today with pics? There are some good ones on twitter btw.

3.14.2009

New Travel Game

On BBC today is an article about a new form of tag using GPS and a bowler hat. What you get is an online video game, where people track the new hat wearer using GPS on their phones, and once they get the hat, upload a pic of themselves wearing the hat.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7943382.stm

Fun! Now just think of how you could use that when traveling as a way to meet new people......

3.10.2009

OMG! The Banana Club Museum!!!

In case you forgot for a moment, I am Bananor. I am the ultimate Anna-Banana. I have a banana tattoo. When I backpacked across Europe I carried an inflatable banana in my backpack which I inflated and hung in the window wherever I laid my head, and for the longest time I continued the tradition until one day it remained in its cardboard box, the victim of interior decorating and 'good taste'. (Don't worry, I still have it somewhere.)

So if you are ever in California, go to Hesperia and check them out. I will so be there. I hope they have a gift shop b/c I know I'll go nuts!

3.02.2009

Something to play with next time you buy a cheesy souvenir.


This is an awesome article called 'Replacing World Landmarks With Souvenirs' from My Modern Metropolis blog. Here's my favourite pic of the bunch.

Tips for Travel to North Korea

Thanks mental floss for some lovely tips on how to get the most out of your next vacation in North Korea. You know, it might not be such a bad idea considering the economy. Hm. Is anyone else sick of hearing about the 'global recession'? I'm a little weary of how quickly everyone jumped on the recession bandwagon with books, articles, travel tips and tv specials on how to save, save, save. What a fickle world we live in.

2.20.2009

At Long Last - just the blogger we were looking for during the Olympics!

You may remember my quest last summer to find good bloggers who were at the Olympics in Beijing. Well I found a few but none really did it for me. As luck would have it, I found one today that satisfies my need for personal stories, cultural musings and good photography: Behind the Lens at the Beijing Olympics, compiled by Zach Honig. Sigh.

OK, consider this a far-reaching heads up - IF YOU PLAN ON GOING TO THE VANCOUVER/WHISTLER OLYMPICS NEXT YEAR AND/OR YOU LIVE THERE AND PLAN ON BLOGGING ABOUT HOW THE OLYMPICS CHANGE YOUR CITY, OR WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE THERE FOR ALL THE ACTION - LET ME KNOW! I want to know all about every details as I'm sure others will too.

2.12.2009

Calling All Train Lovers!

Wow! I stumbled upon this site tonight and looking at the pictures of the beautiful trains made certain pinball centres light up in my brain....
Here they are: 9 Best Train Journeys in the World. Drool.