Posts Tagged With: adventure

San Fran – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Posted on August 7, 2012 by The Vagabonds

Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco is a wonderful city, that is if you stay away from the Tenderloin section. Our first bad encounter using Airbnb – although not to the fault of anyone other than the shiesty Regency INN! Note, I said INN not hotel. When looking for places to hang our hats on our trip, we aimed for reasonably priced, decent enough neighborhoods, commutable/ walkable to typical touristy attractions and livable accommodations. The Regency turned out to be a dumpy motel/inn (and not the Regency Hotel) with cigarette burn holes in the sheets and no lock on the door in one of the worse neighborhoods of San Francisco. Needless to say, we were on the phone with Airbnb nearly the whole day trying to find new accommodations. We lucked out and and stay with some awesome hosts (who also work for Airbnb) right in the heart of Little Italy and walking distance to Fisherman’s Wharf!

Riding a Cable Car

Once we were settled we took in all that San Francisco had to offer, everything from the sea lions on the docks at Fisherman’s Wharf, Gherriadeli Chocolate Factory and riding the ever so famous San Francisco cable cars! My favorite attraction and must see had to be the Golden Gate Bridge. We were told that it could be a challenge and quite a walk to see the bridge by foot but we figured it out, walking over an hour through the Golden Gate Park. The views are unbelievable!

’til next time… The Vagabonds

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Better Late Than Never

Posted on August 7, 2012 by The Vagabonds

Yes, the Vagabonds have been slacking with our blog posts. We must apologize, but too much fun is going on and not enough time in the day! Since we left over, we’ve traveled down the west coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles, jumped on a train to the Grand Canyon for a few days and than back to Los Angeles again. Currently we’re en route to San Antonio, Texas – which is allowing us ample time to catch up. I’m sure you’ve missed us so get ready for lots of posts!

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Fishmonger, the Blonde and Crabs All Walk Into a Bar…

Posted on July 25, 2012 by The Vagabonds

If you’ve been following our blog, you would know that all Mike wanted to do was go to the world famous Pike Place Fish Market, home to the fish throwers, aka fishmongers. We asked the mongers if we could grab something cool for our blog to share with you lovely people. As quickly as we asked, we were ushered in front of the fish counter for the mongers to play a game of catch with some enormous fish over our heads. They threw fish after fish, shouting out the name of each, some so big, that one fish would have nearly knocked me out if I hadn’t ducked. We would love for you to see video of said encounter, but the “blonde”* woman who was taking the video for us, turned off an already recording video, missing the first few tosses back and forth. What she did manage to capture was her nearly getting knocked out by a fish before dropping my precious iPhone! If you want a good laugh, check out the video 

Besides the fishmongers, the Pike Fish Market offered anything and everything you could possibly want to eat and all as fresh as you can get it. Since we were staying in a prime location (thanks to AirBnB I might add), we decided to food shop and cook a nice meal to have on the rooftop overlooking the waterfront. Snow crab legs, fresh garlic fettuccine, sun dried tomato basil oil and a fresh loaf of bread, complimented nicely with bottle of Pinot Grigio topped off our evening in Seattle!

View from the rooftop of “our” apartment in Seattle

’til next time… The Vagabonds!

*Disclaimer: The Vagabonds would like to acknowledge that no blondes were hurt in the making of this video.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tubing For Two, Please!

Posted on July 23, 2012 by The Vagabonds

Minnesota is home to over 10,000 lakes and we were fortunate enough to be aboard Captain Barry’s boat for a tour of Lake Minnetonka and tubing. Captain Barry knew how to show us a great time. He was so accommodating and willing to let us do what we wanted, whether it was hopping on the tube, going wake boarding or jumping in the lake for a swim. He even made sure to have an ice box full of drinks and a well stocked selection of snack foods included in the price. I never would have imagined how much fun tubing was until this trip. I was like a little kid asking for more! Mike has yet again impressed me with his wake boarding skills! He hasn’t done it in years and by the looks of these pictures, it was like riding a bike! 

If you’re ever in Minnesota, be sure to check out Tonka Tubing and give Captain Barry a shout! You’re guaranteed to have a good time.

‘til next time… The Vagabonds!

Tonka Tubing Water Sports

(952) 255-9940

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Happiest Place on Earth

Posted on July 23, 2012 by The Vagabonds

This title might have led you to believe that we got sidetracked and flew to Disney World, but believe it or not I think the happiest place on earth might just be Minneapolis. The people are so friendly and much like those hardworking dwarves, they almost seem to whistle while they work.

Don’t I look Happy to you? Thats ’cause I live in Minneapolis!

If you don’t believe me, here are the top 5 reasons minneapolis is the happiest place on earth:

5. As you walk past parking garages a recorded voice kindly says, “please beware of oncoming cars…As opposed to New York where they say, “Hey buddy, move your ass!”

4. There was a door man that was dressed like the Monopoly man, who tipped his top hat and said “Top of the morning to you” as we walked by his building.

3. We walked into a restaurant that was no longer serving breakfast. The owner apologized profusely and then recommended we go to one of his competitors.

2. At one point we must have looked lost, because a street sweeper stopped in his tracks (he was working very hard by the way) asked us if he could help, then gave us directions. He then proceeded to sweep the street 5 feet behind us the entire way. When we got where we were going he “said thats what your looking for and pointed”. I am pretty sure he was making sure we got there ok, like some sort of street sweeping guardian angel.

Finally the #1 reason why Minneapolis might be the happiest place on Earth:

Crystle and I came across a homeless man with a cup of change. As we walked past him he said “Thank you” despite the fact that we didn’t give him any money. We simply ignored him, like we would do back home, when he stated “I said, thank you” in a stern voice. Apparently, in Minneapolis the homeless don’t want your money, just courtesy. Apparently a “your welcome” means as much to them as a few pennies and our cold New York/Philly attitude wasn’t to be tolerated.

So if you are ever in the great state of Minnesota, stop by Minneapolis and witness people who are truly happy to be alive. We saw street sweepers whistling, store owners greeting the homeless with smiles, hell, even the thugs in this city were laughing and smiling. It may not have a magic kingdom, but it does have a gigantic mall! What more could you ask for?

‘til next time… The Vagabonds

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

His and Hers Attractions

Posted on July 22, 2012 by The Vagabonds

Crystle with Woody made of Legos

Although Mike likes to shop more than most women, we did in fact find a his and her attraction in the Twin Cities. Mall of America was a must for me but, little did I know Mike was just as intrigued! I mean who wouldn’t be with roller coasters, Lego Land, golf course, aquarium and endless places to eat – all under one roof! We spent a couple of hours walking around, trying our best not to get lost amidst the Gaps, Apple Store and the Windows Store (yes, there was a Microsoft Windows Store and it looked remarkably similar to the Apple Store). One of the coolest things we saw was a giant robot made entirely out of Legos that would take one man, working 40 hour weeks, 7 years to complete!

Amusement Park Inside the Mall of America

The other half of the his and her attraction was a Minnesota Twins game. We had incredible seats, courtesy of Uncle Jim, at the new Target Field. One of the coolest features of the new park is that the entrance to the ballpark literally blends the street, entrance, right field stands into one – people walking right outside of the ballpark could catch a home run ball! We found Minneapolis to be a very friendly city and it’s obvious that they wanted passerby to feel like a part of the game. The Twins lost the game – that’s 2 out of 2 games that the home team lost. We’re starting to think that the Vagabonds bring bad luck to the home team. Let’s hope this holds true in Seattle as the Mariners take on the Yankees!

‘til next time… The Vagabonds

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A Mall or City?!

Posted on May 10, 2012 by The Vagabonds

One of our stops on our 30 day tour is Minneapolis, yes because we will get to see some family but also because one of the largest malls in the United States, the Mall of America, is located in this wonderful city. Now, who do you think decided on Minneapolis – Mike or Crystle? I’ll give you one guess! I’ve spent time looking on their website and the site alone is overwhelming. I would imagine the mall itself is downright scary, especially for most men! Some quick facts – amazingly, it is over a half a mile around one level of the monstrous building, 32 boeing 747 planes could fit inside and for those NY Yankee fans, 7 stadiums could fit! The Mall of America is a one stop shop for entertainment, shopping, tourist attractions, theaters and dining. Whatever you favor, you will mostly likely find it. I dare you to look at the website and suggest what we should do and see at the mall considering the options we have and the amount of time it would take to spend in each store and attraction – 86 hours!
’til next time… The Vagabonds!

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Are We Truly “Fit” to be Vagabonds?

Posted on May 7, 2012 by The Vagabonds

Traveling is something that most people love to do and wish they could do more often.  The only problem with traveling is, believe it or not, it does disrupt your daily life a bit.  You see, humans are creatures of habit.  We have our daily routines and generally don’t like change.  Traveling for a week might not disrupt the flow of things too bad, but a month…that could mess a person up!

We can’t wait for this trip, but we have one major predicament.  You see, for the past four months we have gotten into…and I mean really into crossfit!  Just ask our friends. Its all we talk about.  I mean they MUST be getting sick of it by now.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with crossfit, let me break it down for you. It’s a military like workout, that is timed and consists of a variety of
strength based exercises.  No one workout is the same. Your body hates you for doing it, but the results are undeniable. The question is, how do we maintain our obsession (yup, I called it an obsession) over the thirty days we are separated from our  gym? Here are a few of options:

1. While in transit, we can attempt workouts that do not required equipment. Squats, push ups, burpees, lunges, etc. This might work in a hotel room, but just imagine the looks we might get if we are doing squats in the middle of the aisle of our train!

2. We can scour the internet (or iphone app) for local Crossfit gyms in the cities we’ll be visiting. Rumor has it you can visit most gyms for around $10, which won’t break the bank.

3. We will be walking around cities for miles at a time and hiking in Montana and Arizona.  I suppose this does count as exercise, but like I said, we’re addicted, so this probably doesn’t count.

Considering how great our followers are, we were wondering what ideas you might have for us? Drop us a comment and let us know how you exercise on the go.  Thanks.

’til next time… The Vagabonds

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rumor Has It?!

Posted on May 4, 2012 by The Vagabonds

Since starting the plans in motion in January, people have been offering all sorts of suggestions of which cities to visit, what sights to see and which restaurants to eat at. A couple weeks ago, a friend from work had taken her students to the school auditorium to listen to an author speak. In a daze between listening to the author of pre-teen books and planning her next lesson, she thought she overheard the author mention an underground city in Seattle. She was quick to pick up her phone and send me a text knowing that Seattle is a stop on our 30 day tour. Just as fast as she sent the text message, she realized, “Whoops, maybe this guy was talking about an underground city that he made up for his books”. So on our way home, she and I looked up Seattle and this rumored underground metropolis. And what do you know… this obscure place does exist!

So a little history of Seattle – apparently, Seattle suffered from a fire, appropriately named The Great Seattle Fire of 1889. This disaster demolished 25 square blocks of the city comprised of mostly wooden buildings.  During reconstruction, they decided to build on top of the devastated land and create the Seattle we know today. That of course is the short version of Seattle’s history, but if you want to know more by all means… It is quite an interesting story. Anyway, a guy named Bill Speidel decided to rediscover what was beneath Seattle’s streets and create tours of the forsaken city, BF (Before Fire). Apparently, Mr. Speidel offers a comedic glimpse into Seattle as it was known prior to 1889 and what the grounds had become AF (After Fire) – illegal gambling, flophouses for the homeless and speakeasies! Thus, he has made his tour a must see as we make our way through this summer!

’til next time… The Vagabonds

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Adventure In A Box

Posted on May 3, 2012 by The Vagabonds

This blog was created from a simple dream and involved traveling cross country by train.  Every single person that we have told about our plans has been intrigued and in some cases even jealous.  The problem is this type of trip can be a bit expensive and requires a lot of time.  Well, have no fear.  We have a way you can get the cross country by train experience for just over $30 and a just under an hour of your time!  How is this possible you ask?  The solution is a great game called Ticket to Ride (PS: This is where we got the name for one of our other posts) where players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn.  Additional points come to those who can fulfill their Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities, and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway.  A friend of ours is a board game buff (if your reading this you’re well aware of who you are!)and ordered it online.  We played it at his house and it is a very competitive, but fun game that allows you to sabotage your friends progress and then rub their noses in it, which is always a bonus. Now I realize that this might not be what you are looking for in a travel blog and it definitely won’t cure your need for adventure.  With that said, it will provide you with an hour of fun with friends on your weekly game night and sometimes a break in the monotony from your busy work week.  This can be just what you need to get you through the doldrums until you can get a weeks vacation or save up enough coin for your big trip!

’til next time…The Vagabonds

You can purchase “Ticket to Ride” here

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Blog at WordPress.com. Theme: Adventure Journal by Contexture International.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 34 other followers