Travel Tips, Advice, and Photos.

The Chicken or the Egg Mystery Finallly Cracked

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:31:00 GMT

The Chicken or the Egg, Which Came First?

British scientists believe they have found the answer to an ages-old question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Scientists cracked the puzzle after discovering that the formation of eggs is possible only thanks to a protein found in chicken's ovaries. That means eggs have to be formed in chickens first.

The protein -- called ovocledidin-17 (OC-17)-- speeds up the development of the shell. Researchers from Sheffield and Warwick universities in England laid out their findings in the paper"Structural Control of Crystal Nuclei by an Eggshell Protein."

They used a supercomputer to zoom in on the formation of an egg and realized the protein is vital in kick-starting the crystallization process. It works by converting calcium carbon ate into the calcite crystals that make up the egg shell.

Dr Colin Freeman, from Sheffield University's Department of Engineering Materials, said "it had long been suspected that the egg came first -- but now we have the scientific proof that shows that in fact the chicken came first."

"The protein had been identified before and it was linked to egg formation, but by examining it closely we have been able to see how it controls the process," Freeman said.

"It's very interesting to find that different types of avian species seem to have a variation of the protein that does the same job."

It is hoped the discovery leads to the invention of new materials.

Glad the Brits spent their tax dollars on this and not the U.S.

Tornado April 3rd, 1974

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:45:00 GMT

Tornadoes

Probably one of the most devastating weather days in America was April 3rd,1974 when 147 tornadoes struck in 12 states.

Insoutheastern Indiana, it was turning into a stereotypical stormyspring day. The weather was extremely unsettled, one minute the sunwas shining , the next raining, and the next a hail storm would bedescending upon us.

Driving was extremely hazardous as thewind was blowing constantly, changing direction and speed every minute.From past experience and knowing the time of year, it had to berealized, something extremely bad was going to happen. About noon thestorm warnings started being posted, everything from severe storms ,hail and tornado watches were seen everywhere in the mid west. This wasnot going to be a good day.

It was about 4 PM when I heard awarning had been sounded for the area I was traveling, SwitzerlandCounty which borders the Ohio River near Madison. A large tornado hadbeen spotted in Jefferson County, southwest of us. The tornado wasreported to be in Madison and was creating wide spread destruction asit traveled in the traditional northeast direction.

Looking tothe southwest, I saw the granddaddy of them all. The whole sky seemedto be one gigantic funnel cloud. This is not good! Later I found outwhen the tornado crossed the Ohio River near Madison, the riverbottom, 30 feet below the water level could be seen.

Drivingon, looking for cover,I came to a house where two people were standingin the yard watching the funnel cloud, I drove in and asked if they hada basement.

Their answer,"No".

Damn, the only house inIndiana without a basement, and here I am. There was no basketball hoopeither, these people aren't real Hoosiers!

Looking upwards tothe sky,It seemed the tornado was dissipating, being in a hurry Idecided to go on my way, wouldn't be safe here anyway, no basement.Might as well take my chances lying in a ditch.

My mind wassoon to be changed, as I drove onto the road, and looking up, thetornado had again started to descend, it was so close I couldn't seethe edge of it above me.

As the tornado began to touch down, aneerie silence was felt, with only the distant roar of the tornadoforce winds could be heard . Where we stood,Not a leave turned, as thewind had died down completely. It was like watching a movie, with asmany as three funnel clouds touching down simultaneously, trees weresnapping off like toothpicks, a farm implement dealer was struck,tractors , combines, and other farm implements were flying through theair with the greatest of ease. A mobile home park was in the path,mobile homes would ascend about 100 feet into the air and explode.

Iwas envisioning a death toll of hundreds, possible more as the tornadohad struck several larger towns and small cities. Driving back toVersailles, I followed a fire truck , they were cutting trees from theroad as they traveled. People were standing alongside the roadway, mostwore ashen white faces and were in total shock. It was then I foundanother tornado had struck close to my home and I began to worry aboutmy family and their safety.

All in all things turned outreasonably well ,we were in pretty good shape for the mess we were in,the property destruction was major and many amazing stories of survivalwould surface over the next few weeks, however as bad as even onedeath is, very few causalities were encountered.

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Arcadia Florida

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 07:22:00 GMT

Arcadia Florida

Arcadia was originally named by Reverend James Hendry in honor and appreciation of Arcadia Albritton, a daughter of pioneer settlers who had baked him a cake in honor of his birthday.

Boasting a population of nearly 7,500, it is the country seat of DeSoto county. Up until the late 1800's Arcadia was the county seat of what would become 5 different counties. In 1921 Florida legislation resulted in DeSoto, Charlotte,Hardee,Glades, and Highlands counties being created from what had originally been DeSoto county.

As with many similar towns in Florida , a military base was nearby, Carlstrom Field, a grass airfield maintained by the U.S. Army Air Service.It was used to train pilots before and during both major wars. Suffering the fate of many other bases, it was closed at the end of WW2.

During it's history, Arcadia has suffered two disasters, on Thanksgiving Day 1905, the town was
destroyed by a fire that began in a livery stable.

Arcadia Railroad Station

Again on August 13th 2004, the city was devastated by hurricane Charley after it made a hard right turn in the Gulf of Mexico and headed straight up Charlotte Harbor. Contrary to most storms, Charley didn't slow down or lose force, it continued in land with the same devastation it had created on the coast.

Many people had evacuated coastal cities such as Sarasota for safety in Arcadia, and much to their dismay wound up in the path of a devastating storm.

IN 2006 Arcadia was featured in an episode of the "Travel Channel" show"Cash & Treasures Treasure Hunter: Kirsten Gum".

Among other featured events, the episode included locals helping Kirsten dig for fossil shark teeth in the nearby Peace River.

Arcadia's local economy is heavily reliant upon agriculture and tourism. Primary agriculture elements include citrus, cattle and watermelons. Because of the extremely high cost of real estate in surrounding areas ,Arcadia has experienced a surge in home development. It being cost effective to relocate in Arcadia and commute to jobs in the surrounding areas. During the winter months many retirees from the mid west relocate to sunny Arcadia for a winter of relaxation and relief from the cold mid-western winters.

Along with agriculture, tourism plays an important role in the economy of Arcadia. As a Florida Main Street community, the downtown antique district draws visitors from not only Florida, but across the nation as well.

Several rodeo events a year are hosted by the Arcadia Rodeo Association. The historic Peace River, A Florida State Paddling Trail, a popular river for fishing,swimming,fossil hunting, canoeing, kayaking and boating, is nearby and runs through DeSoto County.

Today Arcadia is a quaint , sleepy little town located about 40 miles inland from the west coast of Florida, in the middle of Florida's citrus and cattle ranches.

Lake Okeechobee

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:54:00 GMT

Lake Okeechobee

Lake Okeechobee locally referred to as The Big O is the 7th largest freshwater lake in the United States . Covering almost 730 square miles it is half the size of Rhode Island. In spite of it's large size, it is only 13 feet deep at it's deepest point.

Okeechobee is thought to have been formed out of the ocean about 6,000 years ago when the waters receded. At its capacity, the lake holds 1 trillion gallons of water and is the headwaters of the Everglades. Due to a high dike surrounding the lake, very little of it can be seen from the road. The dike has become part of the Florida Trail, a 1,400 mile long trail that has been classified as a Natural Scenic Trail. The 100-foot (30 m)-wide dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee has a well-maintained paved pathway along the majority of the perimeter. It is used by hikers and bicyclists, and is wide enough to accommodate authorized vehicles.

Judging from what I've seem the best views can be found on the north side of the lake, looking west and south, it is so large it almost resembles an ocean view. Some of the views I've had from other areas, only marsh lands can be seen. Of course this was at times of low water due to little rainfall in the area.

Lake Okeechobee was hit with two major hurricanes in the 1920's in which thousands of people died and much property was destroyed. This resulted in the Florida Legislature creating the Okeechobee Flood Control District. As a result many channels ,gates and levees were created, whereby the flow of water could be controlled.

As a result, recent hurricanes have had little effect on the lake, thereby no major damage or loss of life has been seen.

If one has the time there is an interesting display of some of the old pumping equipment used to transfer water out of the lake. The John Stretch Park, located near Clewiston on Hwy. 27, is an interesting half hour stop along the way.

Fishing has long been a popular sport enjoyed on Lake Okeechobee, with Largemouth Bass, crappie and blue gill being the favorite catch. There are many small villages surrounding the lake and many opportunities to drown a worm abound. Due to earth being excavated during construction of the dike, navigation can be difficult. A deep channel runs around the perimeter of the lake . In most cases the canal is part of the lake , however in some areas they are separated by grassy islands , hence making it difficult to navigate from one area to the other with out becoming stranded in the grassy marsh land.

The Wife's Snails

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:40:00 GMT

The Wife's Snails

A wife and her husband were having a dinner party for all the major status figures in Rome, Italy. The wife was very excited about this and wanted everything to be perfect. At the very last minute, she realized that she didn't have any snails for this dinner party , so she asked her husband to run down to the beach with the bucket she was handing him to gather some snails.

Very grudgingly he agreed . He took the bucket, walked out the door,down the steps, and out to the beach. As he was collecting the snails,he noticed a beautiful woman strolling alongside the water just a little further down the beach. He kept thinking to himself "Wouldn't it be great if she would even just come down and talk to me." He went back to gathering the snails. All of the sudden he looked up, and the beautiful woman was standing right over him. They got to talking, and she invited him back to her place.

They ended up spending the night together. At seven o'clock the next morning he woke up and exclaimed, "Oh no! My wife's dinner party!" He gathered all his clothes, put them on real fast, grabbed his bucket, and ran out the door. He ran down the beach all the way to his apartment.He ran up the stairs of his apartment. He was in such a hurry that when he got to the top of the stairs, he dropped the bucket of snails.

There were snails all down the stairs. The door opened just then,with his very angry wife standing in the doorway, wondering where he's been all this time . He looked at the snails all down the steps, then he looked at her, then back at the snails, and said, "Come on guys, we're almost there!"

Egypt: King Cheops,( Khufu) Boat

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Mon, 10 May 2010 07:34:00 GMT

Egypt: King Cheops Boat

Located high above Cairo sits the Giza Plain , site of the Ancient pyramids of Giza . Sitting on the highest land for miles around with an ancient dry river valley to the north of the pyramids, it is hard to envision how these ancient monuments could have been constructed. Next to the greatest pyramid of all, the ancient pyramid of Cheops, is a museum containing the personal boat of Cheops.

The boat is 143 feet long and 19 1/2 feet widewith an estimated displacement of more than 45 tons The Cheops Boat is one of the largestancient boats found to date. The Viking boats, found inEurope, are not more than 100 feet long.

Discovered in 1954 under limestone blocks and plaster, it was in amazingly good condition with both the wood preserved and also the ropes used for rigging and matting. Taking more than 10 years to reassemble, the boat is now displayed in a special building near the pyramid of Cheops(Khufu).

In later years another similar boat has been discovered, possibly belonging to one of his queens, once work is resumed and the new boat is assembled, perhaps more will be known about it. Much is still to be learned of life during this time in ancient Egypt.

Although the boat wasn';t intended for traveling long distances, it is linked to the "wia", or boat of the sun-god. The Egyptians believed the journey through creation was a boat journey, comparing a journey through the air as traveling up the Nile River.

The sunrise was very important to the Egyptians as they saw in it their own resurrection after death.Not intended for long journeys, no one knows for sure if the boat was used to convey the dead pharaoh through the various stages of embalment and purification in the actual funeral rites, or if it had been used by the pharaoh during his life time for transport to various functions within the immediate area. Being as large as it is, many supplies and personal assistants could have been carried with him.If it had been used during his lifetime, it was obviously used to carry his body to it's final resting place.

The pyramids of Giza are one of the most interesting places on the planet to visit,(be sure to bring your camera ) much is still to be discovered about this ancient land, most of which has been a fascination and mystery to mankind since the beginning of our time .

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida . He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Moore Haven Florida

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:21:00 GMT

Moore Haven Florida

Moore Haven a tiny town of about 1600 residents is located on the southwest shoreline of Lake Okeechobee.

Moore Haven , a city in Glades County Florida was established near where Seminole and earlier American Indian tribes had lived for thousands of years.

Located at he junction of the Caloosahatchee Canal and Lake Okeechobee, in it's earlier years it gained the name"Little Chicago" and was a significant boom town.

In 1926 the great Maimi hurricanne struck the town founded by James A. Moore and Anglo-African American. The hurricane devasted the town causing widespred death and destruction. In the process of recovering, the town was hit by a secnd hurricane in 1928. The Okeechobee Hurricane destroyed areas that had escaped the earlier storm.
Masonic Lodge Moore Haven Florida

As a result , today Moore Haven is a sleepy, small town with little industry. Probably the biggest attraction is the large bridge crossing the Caloosahatchee River.

These days, it's main source of income is the local officer waiting to nab you for speeding through town.

Clewiston Florida, America's Sweetest Town

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:49:00 GMT

Clewiston Florida, sweetest little town in America

Clewiston Florida,a town of only 6,500 residents and being located at the gateway to Lake Okeechobee has become known as the sweetest little town in America. Located 60 miles from both the east and west coast of Florida , it lies smack dab in the middle of nowhere, and has become a favorite rest stop of the traveler, justifiably so, as there isn't a restaurant or gas station with 50 miles of the place.

The Lake Okeechobee area, of course, is the largest attraction. With more than 730 square miles of water is the second largest freshwater lake in the United States. Along with being the premier large mouth bass fishing spot in the entire world, it is home to over 40 other species of fish, such as blue gill,catfish,and black crappie. Other activities such as hiking,camping,picnicking,boating and bird watching makes this a sportsman's paradise.

The Lake Okeechobee area, while being a sportsman's paradise, is better known as the nation's truck garden. Because of its rich black soil and tropical climate, it is the nation's winter vegetable capital. Producing sugar cane,citrus,and vegetables.Along with this, the rich soil also makes good pasture land, and thus the cattle industry has flourished.

In addition, Clewiston is in the heart of Florida's sugar industry, thus the name "Sweetest Little Town in America". The U. S. Sugar Corporation now the nation's largest producer of raw and refined cane sugar has it's headquarters in the community.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

King Tut Boy King

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:43:00 GMT

King Tut Boy King

Probably the most famous of all the Egyptian Pharaohs was King Tut or Tutankhamun. Leading to his fame is the fact that his tomb was found in almost perfect condition.

After reading about King Tut on a temple wall, Howard Carter found the tomb after five years of searching.

King Tut died in January of 1343 B.C. and it was first thought he was killed by a close associate because his skull had been bashed in, however it has been now determined he died from gangrene as a result of him breaking his leg a few days before his death.

The Pharaoh began his reign at the age of 3 and ruled until the ripe old age of 19, obviously many of the decisions made , especially during his earlier years, were made by someone else.

Many rumors circulated concerning the boy king, one of which was the tomb was cursed and anyone who disturbed the remains would reach an untimely death. After Howard Carter had discovered the tomb, him and all of his party had died within five years.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Guatemala

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:40:00 GMT

Rural Guatemala

Typical scene along the road from Belize to Tikal , the ancient Mayan Temple deep in the jungles of Guatemala.

The journey from Belize to Tikal is an adventure like no other, after waiting an hour at the Guatemalan border for permission to enter the country, the first attraction was an army base , complete with armed guards watching our every move.As the uniformed soldiers were combat ready and not a smile was to be found, It didn't take long to realize that this was not the time or place for horse play or to make any move that would arouse their suspicions.

As of now, the Guatemalan government hasn't adopted our highway system, traveling along an extremely bumpy, dirt road one has plenty of time to observe the jungle and the many different types of wildlife living there. Entering through the "back door" of Guatemala, we found the atmosphere a lot more cheerful once arriving at Tikal.

Several tiny villages dot the landscape, the people who live in thatched hut roofs are extremely poor, owning only the bare essentials and probably a horse with which to do meager substance level farming. Many scenes like this small boy on his horse are seen. Women are washing their clothes in the river, just up stream from where some one else is drawing the daily supply of drinking water from the same body of water. With all of our supposedly necessary clean water standards one wonders how they don't get sick. We Americans get sick and they probably do too, however the human body is much more capable of warding off disease then most people want to admit.

I have nothing against a clean environment and the cleaner the better, however, in my humble opinion, a lot of our clean air standards are more about selling water and air filters than they are about clean air and water.

After several hours of traveling dirt roads, taking photos , and stopping to shop a roadside markets we arrive at Tikal, where we would observe the full moon rising over the ancient Mayan temple. After the moon rise , it would be a forty-five minute journey through bandito infested areas to our hotel. The last group to try this wound up tied up along the roadside and robbed of all their worldly possessions.Hope we make it!

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Belize : Corozal Town , Adventure Inn

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:38:00 GMT

Corozal Town , Northern Belize

What a Welcome relief from the rigorous travels from the past two weeks!

Located in the northern Corozal district of Belize , we were only about thirty miles from Chetumal Mexico. These quaint little huts located on Consejo Beach at a little village called the Adventure Inn were just what the doctor ordered. Arriving late at night, after spending the day traversing Belize it was past time for a relaxing dinner and a good nights sleep.

From the southern border, just south of Puenta Gorda to the northern border with Mexico ,Belize is only about 180 miles long . However the road conditions can be best described as extremely hazardous, most are dirt and only paved in certain areas, most times a top speed of 20 MPH is all that can be expected.

Our van encountered a cracked transmission housing , so a stop in Belize City was necessary to obtain a different vehicle. Due to the fact the roads are so hazardous and slippery, breakdowns and getting stuck in the ditch are common and need to be scheduled into the travel time.

Hurriedly we checked in , dropped our bags in our room and ventured to the restaurant before it closed. A real treat awaited us,the restaurant was something out of a movie , located on the beach, complete with a thatched roof and completely exposed to the night air we dined on lobster Kebabs and all the trimmings, throw in a little calypso music,a cool drink and it just doesn't get any better than this, takes away all of one's worries, Mon!

This was to be our last night in the tropical paradise called Belize, after spending two weeks studying the ancient Maya and their culture, it was time to think of returning to the good old USA. Tomorrow it would be back to Belize City , where we would board a flight for Houston and consequently our final destination, Indianapolis.

The sleeping accommodations couldn't have been any better, the huts were modern, with screened in open air quarters and a convenient outside shower. An early morning breakfast, a short good-bye on the pier and we were on our way back to the good old USA.

It had been quite a trip, visiting the Mayan temples and pyramids, meeting Don Eligo Panti, the medicine man and learning a lot of the Mayan and Belizian culture , there was a lot to absorb. I was impressed with how the Belize people look at life and the way they want to advance their country. It was said to me many times, "We don't want money from the United States,we don't want you running our country, we just want your knowledge so we can improve our country and make a better life for everyone. "

I wish all countries had that attitude.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Cairo Museum

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:37:00 GMT

Cairo Museum

Located in the midst of Cairo, is located one of the most interesting buildings in the world, The Cairo Museum.

On display in this building is found some of the most amazing artifacts man has ever seen. Herein contained are objects from ancient Egyptian history dating back as far as 5,000 years. If you are planning on visiting Egypt , plan on spending as least three days in this incredible building.

Not being one who is normally fascinated with museums, I was blown away by what I saw here. Objects are on display from practically every dynasty and era of Egyptian history. I doubt there is a museum anywhere that has more artifacts than this one. One of the largest displays is King Tut, the boy emperor. Even with all the things displayed from his rule, only about one fourth are available for viewing, most is stored in the basement, there just isn't room for everything. It is hard to imagine how that much wealth could be accumulated in such a short period of time.

Many artifacts from the 5th dynasty are also on display, this dynasty dates back to the time of Zosar, builder of the step pyramid and Unas. The 5th dynasty seems to be one of the most prominent and influential in Egyptian history. These pyramids were built at Saquara, some of the oldest and in the case of Unas, the most beautiful inside with predominately blue walls and ceilings .

Ramses II and his queens are well represented, as well as the many temples and palaces that were constructed during Ramses's nearly 70 year reign.

Due to lax Egyptian policies, photographs are allowed to be taken in most areas, enabling one to take photos and return home with many memories. The one requirement that is often invoked being that no flash is allowed, however with today's modern digital cameras, that really isn't a problem.

Getting to the museum can be a problem. when it comes to intense traffic and having to share the streets with cars, buses,motorcycles, horses and camels, no city in the world can compete. When touring Egypt one must realize that most of your time will be spent getting from your hotel to the museum, so plan on spending a long day to lessen the number of trips required to see all you want.

As always much is to be seen while traveling the crowed Cairo streets, never a dull moment will be encountered,be sure to bring your defensive driving skills with you. All of the street signs are in Arabic, so unless one is adept in Arabic, it is best to leave the driving to some one else.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Luxor Egypt

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:35:00 GMT

Luxor Egypt, Thebes

Luxor , one of the oldest cities, not only in Egypt, but in the world provides a giant history lesson. Many of Egypt's most famous landmarks lie within the town, or a short driving distance of the metropolis.

This scene of a man walking in the early morning sun was taken just a short distance from Karnak, one of the largest temples ever built. Shortly after taking this photo, a man riding in a horse drawn cart was seen delivering tiny glasses of milk to the local homes. He would knock on the door, the lady of the house would give him a small glass which he would take to his container of milk on the small cart, dip the glass in the vat of milk and return to the house and give it to the lady of the house.

Karnak , the major attraction,was built over many years, by several different pharaohs. Not only is Karnak a must see during the day time, there is an excellent light show performed every evening.

Many other attractions abound, the Winter Palace was built during the British occupation of Egypt and is still being used today as a luxury hotel. The Temple of Luxor also within the city limits and worth a visit. For an enjoyable break in your activities, lunch can be had at several roof top restaurants over looking the Nile River.

After touring Thebes by horse drawn carriage, the only way to Cross the Nile is by a boat resembling something out of the "African Queen".

Once on the west bank,a land that time forgot, at least two days can be spent experiencing and photographing ancient history at it's finest. The ancient Egyptians spent many centuries building edifices in this area. Among them are the Valley of the Dead, including the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, Habou Temple, Colossus of Mennon and the Temple of Hatsheput.

One is never at a loss to having availability to souvenirs , as vendors swarm the tour bus as soon as it stops, as always, if you don't want to buy something, don't make eye contact. As soon as eye contact is made, you're dead meat.

The ancient underground burial tombs prevalent in the area contain the remains and possessions of many ordinary citizens as well as many of the ancient Egyptian kings and queens. King Tut probably being the most famous. King Tut's tomb as well as many others are open for viewing and provide an interesting experience.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Egypt :Ramses II

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 16:06:00 GMT

Egypt: Ramses II

Ramses II, being powerful and ambitious, was the third ruler of the 19th dynasty. Perhaps most famous for allegedly being the pharaoh during the Jewish exodus.

Ramses II, the son of Queen Tuy and Sety I was given the throne at age 20,hence he ruled for 67 years. As most pharaohs, Ramses II had a large harem of wives, his favorite and most famous being Nefertiti. Being a pharaoh, he seemed to have a lot of time on his hands, hence he fathered over 100 children .

Being the most extravagant of known rulers and a lover of power and grand architecture , he lived a life of extreme wealth and demonstrated a need for divine architecture.(Not sure how one can have extreme wealth being the parent of 100 children), Ramses II erected more temples and monuments than any other Egyptian pharaoh.

Abu Simbel, his most impressive was constructed in southern Egypt on the banks of the Nile.When the Aswan Dam was constructed to alleviate the annual flooding of the Nile River, Abu Simbel was disassembled stone by stone. The stones were consequently numbered , moved and re-constructed on higher ground , where it remains today and is one of the most visited shrines in Egypt.

Along with most pharaohs, he improved the temples at Karnak and Luxor , finished many projects his father had started as well as starting many more of his own. His lust for beauty and power drove the Egyptians heavily into debt and thus the country suffered extreme hardships because of this.

I'm thinking our current government leaders must be descendants of his.

Being a powerful ruler with an army of over 100,000 ,and in an effort to reclaim Africa and Western Asia for Egypt he attacked his neighbors, the Nubians,Syrians and Hitites many times,with the most famous campaign being the battle of Kadish.

Living to the ripe old age of 90, the last decades of his life he spent suffering from arthritis and walked with a hunched back. His teeth were continuously infected and much evidence points to his teeth as being the cause of death.

Being a redhead his family was associated with the god Seth, the slayer of Osiris. Ramses II's father , Seti I ,means "follower of Seth"

Although his tomb, located in the Valley of Kings was found empty and had been continuously looted over the years . It is now slowly being restored and in time will be completely renovated.Because of security reasons,his mummy has been moved several times and is one of the best preserved ever found.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Egypt:Giza Tea Room

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:41:00 GMT

Egypt: Giza Tea Room

Waiting for an overnight train to Luxor, we whiled away our time in this little tea room, within sight of the pyramids of Giza. Door less and window less, it was open air dining at it's finest, while still offering a welcome refuge from the chilly Egyptian evening.

In historic Giza, trains come and go every few minutes .As we prepared for our overnight journey to Luxor and a trip back in time to ancient Egypt, we found ,to our dismay that having a ticket didn't necessarily guarantee a spot on the train. With patience in hand , one waits until a train with sufficient room arrives. Being in a group of 42, it was impossible for us all to get on the same train.

Several of us, along with the in-experienced brother of our tour guide got elected to wait for another train.(That's what happens when one is the last off the bus and the youngest and supposedly the most experienced.)Being jet lagged, nuave and gullible, we didn't realize that we could have been stuck here all night.

Finding a refreshment booth, in spite of the long wait involved the logical response was to get something to drink. Iit seems the Egyptians can only do one thing at a time , so ordering a glass of hot tea can be a long ordeal. I was surprised when given a four ounce glass of tea with tea grounds in the bottom. Oh well, it only cost a nickel.( Oh yeah, it had been quite a while since the glass had seen a dishwasher).

I was finding that despite all the hardships and differences in culture, the Egyptians were as a whole a people who did everything they could to make our stay as enjoyable as possible and continuously went out of their way to please us.

It was an interesting encounter, many locals kept filtering in and out, as well as people waiting for the next available train. What stories some of these faces told, one can only imagine where they have been and what life experiences they have seen. I realized people are basically the same worldwide , the only differences come from life experiences and environment. And maybe a little thing called Karma.

I then realized, that although I came from a small town, I could drive down the small highway in front of my house and go anywhere in the world I wanted or desired. Where we live has little consequence, the whole world is open to us.

Train after train was leaving with no available space, it was getting darker and darker outside, finally, at about 8:30 the last train arrives in the station, finding room on board,we anxiously grab our luggage and get on board, we're are off to Luxor and the Valley of the Dead.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Winter Palace Luxor Egypt

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:17:00 GMT

Winter Palace, Luxor Egypt

The Winter Palace, located in Luxor Egypt was built by the British during their occupation of Egypt in 1886. Being built on the banks of the Nile River it features a tropical garden with a mystical atmosphere. With all the comforts of a five star hotel, it has hosted celebrities and royalty for years. (the ancient Egyptians would be proud of this edifice).

Arriving by an overnight train from Giza, it was a welcome sight. A breakfast on the patio was in order and from there a day of enjoying all the vast sights of Luxor and the surrounding Egyptian area. The hotel is beautiful with all the trimmings one would expect at a five star hotel, although they do have a slight problem with cleanliness. I presume living in an area where rainfall comes at a premium, it is difficult to maintain cleanliness with wind constantly blowing dust.

The original intent had been to stay the following evening at a recently constructed Sheraton , however as is so often the case with international travel, our plans changed , the Sheraton wasn't completed . Due to the fact no one had informed us of this, we had no where to stay or to leave our luggage for the day.(Where is AAA when you need them?)

Both our tour guide and hotel manager assured us they would find us a place to stay by evening and our luggage would be fine in the hotel lobby. Not having any other choice, everyone reluctantly left all our worldly goods in the lobby and fully expecting to never see it again , set out on a full day of sight seeing.

A trip to Egypt should never be taken without visiting this area, much of the world's ancient history is on display here, with Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, many ancient Egyptian temples and shrines are within driving distance,also not to be missed is King Tut's tomb. It isn't a Club Med vacation but everyone should experience this at least once in their life time.

Returning to the Winter Palace about 4 PM,we were met by one of the other members of our group who stated that we had the choice to stay the night in the hotel manager's house across the Nile River located near the Valley of the Dead.Not sure if falling asleep in the Valley of the Dead is a good idea, but it was better than plan B.(Sleeping on the couch in the Winter Palace lobby.)
Some of our friends grew quite envious, as they were staying in the hotel's abandoned butler's quarters, which had been repainted that day. Our friends had to literally pick up the pieces of their bed lying in the front yard, carry them inside and make their own bed.
Mistakenly picturing chandeliers and butlers , I immediately jumped at the chance. I was to soon find out , things aren't always as they seem on the surface, another surprise awaited me.

(At least our luggage was still in the lobby!)

Hotel Habou, here we come.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Egypt: Land of Mystery

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:14:00 GMT

Egypt, Land of Mystery

Dating back to the land before time, Egypt continues to be a land of mystery and intrigue. Egyptians are still farming and earning a living today much the same way they did in ancient Egypt almost ten thousand years ago.
Many are still seen today farming and tilling their crops, using irrigation water from the Nile River via the same irrigation canals that were used many generations ago. Not much seems to have changed in this ancient land. Viewing the ancient Egyptian pyramids and temples, it almost seems as though their civilization has digressed over time.
Observing the gigantic pyramids of Egypt and the modern day mud houses at the same time , one wonders how the same peoples could be responsible for constructing both types of edifices.
Buildings and homes built over 1500 years ago are very similar to the ones being constructed today, not much seems to have changed in this ancient land.
Standing high on the plain overlooking Cairo are the pyramids of Giza, of the nearly 70 pyramids of Egypt, these three are the most popular and well known. Reputed to be nearly 5,000 years old, but in all probability are much older than that, these three landmarks have been the topic of many books, movies, and legends over time. Nothing can prepare one for the first time they are seen "live" and in person. Rising nearly 300 feet above the plateau which is itself nearly 300 feet above the Nile River Valley, they are quite impressive.The pyramids can be seen while passing homes with no roofs, enabling fires to be built in the living rooms allowing the residents to keep warm during the cold Egyptian winter evenings.

Many legends and much speculation in Egyptian mythology surround the pyramids as to why they were built , as well as to how they were built. They have been described as being burial tombs for the pharaohs and Egyptian Gods, giant observatories, ceremonial sites where many ancient ritual were performed, as well as various other functions. Although it is my understanding that no one has ever been found buried in a pyramid, all of the other functions seem to make sense. The giant pyramid, or pyramid of Cheops(Khufu), is perfectly aligned to the four cardinal points of the earth, following and extending one line along the base, it would pass through Bethlehem, while another line would extend through Stonehenge. The various viewing points available line up perfectly with different constellations that were of importance to the ancient Egyptians.
Much has been written trying to explain how they were built, using pulleys, ramps, and thousands of workman to construct them, however not much of it makes sense. Being built on the highest ground for miles, It's hard to visualize how ramps could have been built, also, there would still be evidence of the ramps, being an extremely arid climate, structures and the evidence of structures last for thousands of years. The tremendous manpower needed to built the edifices would have been staggering, how do you move a stone, some of which weigh 40 tons and are as large as a train locomotive up a ramp 300 feet high?

Probably the most logical explanation as to how they were built, when they were built, and by whom is probably the most illogical. Many legends persist that they were built either by extraterrestrials or by refugees from Atlantis who escaped to Egypt while their land sank beneath the sea some 12,000 years ago.Theoretically either could be true, much suggests that planet earth has been visited many times by life forms from beyond our galaxy and there is also evidence of a land existing in the Atlantic before our present era.
As for now no one really knows as to where they came from, why they were built,or what information they hold that may be of use to mankind in the future, one can only speculate. Only time will tell.

The Mayan Culture

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:09:00 GMT

The Mayan Culture

With the hullabaloo being created due to the fact the Mayan calendar ends in 2012, there is much interest concerning the Mayan culture, Mayan religion, and Mayan symbols. Existing mainly in Central America, Belize, and Mexico, they have a varied and interesting history.

The 2012 Mayan Calendar does not signify the end of the world, it only signifies the beginning of a new era or age, a new level of consciousness and time.

The Maya believe the cycles are approximately 5,000 years in duration and the year 2012 only signifies the end of a particular era, as that era ends, a new cycle will begin, a change most humans won't even notice.

According to Mayan belief the Cosmos was made up by nine underworlds, this belief was expressed very powerfully in their pyramids, which were all built based on nine different stories.

The traditional Mayas believe in the existence, within each individual,of various sub souls, usually described in quasi-material terms(such as 'shadow', 'breath', 'blood', and 'bone'). The loss of one or more sub souls results in specific diseases ( such as heart disease, cancer, etc.) They were very adept at natural healing, using herbs and plants from the surrounding jungle to heal and nourish their bodies.This art is still evident today, although it is dying out as the old medicine men pass on.

The Mayas accomplished a lot of "firsts" in this era. Not only did they build a lot of pyramids and temples, they were experts on building roads and also knew how to make rubber. Thus they built the most advanced road system of their time.

They had the first advanced system of writing in the western hemisphere and had two calendars, one with 365 days.They used their system of writing, (hieroglyphics),to record information in books made from the bark of fig trees.

They developed a mathematical system based on the number 20 and were the first to use the number 0.

It wasn't a life of all work and no play. They had developed a form of the modern day game of basketball, where a gourd or other round object was attempted to pass through a hoop high on the wall. They took this game very seriously, as the losers were often sacrificed to the Gods. In some instances, the victors were sacrificed as a way of appeasing the Gods for some ill conceived misfortune that had befallen the tribe. In this circumstance it was an honor to be chosen as a sacrifice and most athletes willingly volunteered.

Astronomy was very much a part of their life as was the calendar, and mathematics.. Social class was determined by economics, religious beliefs and politics. As evidenced still today in the beautiful art work displayed throughout Central America and Mexico,there were many talented potters, sculptors and artists with abilities in carving jade and other semi precious stones. The Mayans were intelligent farmers and architects as well.

The earliest evidence of the Mayan existence was in A.D. 250.Geographers soon found that in A.D. 900 the Mayan had abandoned their cities and thus their civilization slowly vanished.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

Belize Culture: Land of the Mayan Indians

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:28:00 GMT

Belize: Land of the Mayan Indians

It doesn't take long to discover that Belize is a land of contrasts. From the poverty and disarray of the cities to the quiet countryside, many differences are soon found.
With poverty and crime running rampant in cities such as Belize City and Belmopan, the traveler has to be constantly aware of his surroundings and protect whatever is being carried. Remember ,that camera hanging around your neck is worth more than the average Belizian earns in a year. All that aside, the Mayan people are wonderfully warm people many of whom go out of their way to please visitors.
Traveling into the country side one discovers thatch roof homes with no doors or windows.With the warm climate , they can live comfortably all year with a gently breeze flowing through the open windows and doors. I was struck with the concept that although no utility lines were visible, a lot of homes had a satellite dish in the front yard. Asking my guide about this he stated that the TV's and VCR's were powered by a car battery. No wonder the video stores were the largest stores in town.
He stated that when the battery ran down , it would be taken into town and recharged at the local gas station. Jokingly , I asked why he just didn't switch batteries with the tour van we were traveling in to re-charge it? His reply, "I couldn't do that, it would be stealing from my employer."
Too bad more people don't have that attitude!

There are many things to see while visiting this tiny Central American country, including Mayan temples, many exotic animals and birds, including Jaguars, and a variety of snakes and parakeets.
The Cays, located just a short distance off shore are beautiful with white sandy beaches and clear turquoise waters. Some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving can be found along this, the second longest barrier reef in the world.
The food was surprisingly good,the first evening,dining in a bread and breakfast frequented by Earnest Hemingway I enjoyed a Red Snapper wrapped in a banana leaf , whilst sipping on a quart sized $5 margarita. Although the sandwiches we consumed for lunch were not very appetizing. I finally settled for my old favorite , a peanut butter, mayonnaise, lettuce and cheese sandwich. As a child , it took me years to perfect this masterpiece. Not sure why, but the waitress turned green when I ordered it. And she was an African American, never saw that before!
Fillet Mignon was to be enjoyed several nights, and to celebrate the complete of our expedition, the grand finale! Sweet and sour lobster kabobs were enjoyed while over looking the Caribbean Ocean from the top floor of a waterfront hotel.

With the Belize annual rainfall ranging from 80 inches to 180 inches a year, it was rather difficult to imagine a day without rainfall,due to the large amount of rainfall most of the roads are nearly impassable even in good weather. Be sure to take along a chain, after getting stuck five times, the closest thing to a chain we saw was a Texan cowboy driving a Ford Bronco 2 equipped with a winch on the front. The normal procedure is to wait along side the road until enough people come along to push the vehicle out of the ditch,with the ditches being quite deep, some times this can take a while.
Looking at a Belize map it can be realized how small the country really is, only approximately 180 miles from the southern end to the northern border with Mexico, it is hard to imagine the rainfall could vary that much in such a short distance.
If planning a Belize vacation, be sure to bring along a rain parka and boots. And a chain.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota, Florida. He maintains a website featuring some of his travel photos and markets a line of products featuring many of his photos.

The Cocoa Tree

thetravelbugg@travelnsnap.com (The Florida Hoosier) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:41:00 GMT

The Cocoa Tree

The cultivation and use of cocoa was began early in Meso-America.Studies suggest the tree was domesticated and originated in Amazonia.

Cacao or Kakaw, according to Maya belief was discovered by the gods in a mountain that also held other delectable foods that were used by the native Mayas. Mayan mythology states that after humans were created from maize the Plumed Serpent gave cacao to the Mayas. Cocoa was regularly given as a sacrifice to the many Mayan Gods , often times priests would lance their ears and cover the cacoa with their blood as a sacrifice. This ritual was only performed by the men, as cacoa was thought to be toxic to women and children.

Soon the Maya learned to flavor the cocoa by mixing it with maize,chili, vanilla, peanut butter and honey. (Cookies and Cream came later.) It is believed the Aztecs learned to grind it and mix with tobacco .

Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter cocoa after capturing a canoe at Guanaja and finding a large quantity of odd looking almonds. From this encounter cocoa naturally spread throughout Europe and became a popular drink the world over.

Cocoa trees produce the cocoa bean that is responsible for making chocolate. The trees are known to grow naturally within 15 degrees of the equator all around the world.Growing the cocoa plant is very difficult because they are so picky about the care that they need and will not survive in all conditions,but a healthy cocoa tree growing 20 or more feet tall can produce fruit for 75 to 100 years. The cocoa tree needs a well-draining and slightly acidic soil, at least 80 inches of rainfall or water a year and it needs extremely controlled sunlight, preferably covered shade from taller trees and vegetation.

Chocolate contains many chemicals, among them are , caffeine,serotonin , theobromine,and phenylethyamin are anti-depressant and anti-stress agents.

Gary is a travel writer and photographer living in Sarasota,Florida. He has a website featuring more photos and articles and also markets products featuring some of his travel photos.

Nutritional and weight loss products