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Dogfish Head Brewery

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I first read about Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE in Smithsonian Magazine. So when we arrived in Delaware and discovered that it was just an hours drive away, or course we had to go for a visit.

The first thing you notice when you arrive is the strange treehouse outside the main doors. This  8 ton  treehouse was originally created for the Burning Man festival, and apparently was bought by the brewery for $1, and it cost a few thousand dollars to move it (at least according to the tour guide).

The brewery is home to some unusual but yummy beers (but at 12%, be careful. Some of these beers will knock you down). My favourite was  Midas Touch, which according to their website is made to a recipe which

“…is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! It is an ancient Turkish recipe using the original ingredients from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Somewhere between wine & mead”

 

At 9%, Midas touch is quite a light beer (by their standards). Smooth with a lovely honey taste (but not sweet), a very refreshing drink. The brewery offer a free short guided tour, followed by a tasting of four of their beers (it is best to book for the tour well in advance – we were lucky to get on the tour at the last minute).

Some of the beer is fermented in these huge wooden tanks, made from a really heavy and hard wood (you need diamond blades to cut it), and the tanks last for 10 years.

About 20 minutes drive from the brewery is their restaurant, where you can (again) drink their beers along with a selection of pub meals. A very civilised way to spend the day. If I could get their beer in South Africa, I would be stocking up.

Finally, thanks to much to the waitress that gave me a free pack of beer coasters for my braai room, much appreciated and they are safe in their new home.

To find out more or to contact them, call 1-888-8dogfish.

 

 

Venetian, Las Vegas

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Of all the hotels in Las Vegas, the Venetian is one of the most realistic. You can visit St Mark’s Square, walk over Rialto Bridge, and even stop in a sidewalk café for drink before dinner.

To do something a little different, I am going to post pictures of the real Venice, and the Venetian in Vegas.

Gondola’s in Vegas

Gondola’s in Venice

Just like the real Venice, you can go for a ride on a gondola,and just like in Venice, they are going to charge you for that!

Rialto Brodge, Vegas

There are however a few differences. The Rialto Bridge is a road bridge, and you can ride moving sidewalk up the bridge. And while I can’t confirm it, I suspect that the bridge in Las Vegas is much longer than in Venice.

Rialto Bridge, Venice

The water in Vegas is chlorinated, and it does not stink at low tide (ok, there are no tides in Vegas). And in Vegas St Mark’s Square is indoors, so no getting wet in the pouring rain we experienced last year in Venice.

St Mark’s Square, Vegas. This square is indoors.

St Mark’s Square, Venice

Like most places in Vegas, you probably want to walk through the hotel and perhaps have a drink at one of the café’, and get a break from the chaos and noise of the strip.

Fremont Street

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Fremont Street contains the world second biggest TV screen, reaching over 450m long over your heads, which shows a short show every hour at night. We saw a Queen show, showing live footage and music videos from Freddy Mercury and Queen. Quite fitting seeing as Freddy would be 65 today. When they do the shows, which are only about 10 minutes long, all of the surrounding lights are turned off.

The street contains the old Vegas signage which is featured in the old Vegas movies, TV series and music videos (think Elvis, James Bond and U2).

I am sure that you recognise this Cowgirl. And yes I know, in Vegas sex is everywhere.

In the past cars drive down Fremont street, but now it has been pedestrianized.

There are three stages, each paying different music, and they are all free, so grab a Margarita and head on down for some live music and entertainment.This was one of the 80′s pop band.

And here is a 80′s rock band (the theme for the month was 80′s). Situated about 5 miles from the main strip, it is just as busy, but far cheaper, even cheaper than a meal in Cape Town.

There are plenty of celebraties there, including stormtoopers and a suite of Disney characters. I doubt that any are official, but they all will swap a photo for some cash.  2-3 hours is probably long enough to take in the street, but a different experience to the main strip and worth a visit!

 

Things to so when in Vegas…

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What to do when in Vegas? Well, basically anything. Here is a small selection of the more unusual distractions; all taken in a shopping mall within about 100m of each other.

Buy a chicken suit

Eat hot chilli sauce

Get tattoos done in a shopping mall

Goto a strip club. Ok, I suppose this one is not that unusual in Vegas, but in a shopping mall?

Bo-Kaap

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I had a meeting in Bo-Kaap today, an old suburb just on the outside of the city bowl. The lovely sunshine was perfect weather to shoot a few pictures and play with my new 10/22mm lens before my next meeting.

The whole neighbourhood is colourfully painted, and being a traditional Muslim area, they are lots of beautifully build Mosques to photograph.

You can find out more on the Bo-Kaap website: http://www.bokaap.co.za/

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