A wall at Planet Hollywood, Times Square. It contains a couple of hundred Gibson Guitars, mostly the Les Paul.
This is a fitting memorial to the famous Les Paul, who died on August 13 2009. He created the Gibson Les Paul guitar, which was played by almost every rock band in the world.
He also invented multi-track recording, which of course revolutionised the music industry.
Here is a picture of Paul McCartney’s bass guitar – yes the original! It was on the wall at Planet Hollywood on Times Square, New York.
On Friday we had supper with my cousin Bruce and his wife Melissa. We met at a great restaurant called John’s Pizzeria just of Time Square. I had forgotten how crazy Time Square is, with all the bright lights and TV screens. The screens seem to be getting bigger and bigger (and also better quality) – I would love to get one for home!
Although we had to wait about an hour before we got our table, the pizza’s were great, and in good American tradition, they were huge. Two were plenty enough for four of us to share. The highlight of the evening was to meet our new cousin, Emily. She was on born six weeks ago, and this was her first official outing, so it was quite a treat for all. We were also the first of the Cameron side of the family to meet her!
Emily Cameron
It was not the greatest picture, but she was being really quiet and we didn’t want to disturb her, but she is really sweet!
Here is proud dad feeding her.
We had a great evening, and it was cool to catch up with some of the family in USA, and to get to spend time with my techie cousin. It is kind of bizarre that in a family of Camerons (who are generally very quite), both Bruce and I love public speaking, and are absolute techno-junkies.
Thanks guys for dinner, hope to see you next Sunday for dinner.
Outside, it is pouring with rain, it seems like the sky is trying to empty on our heads. This is after I told Lois that I thought that we were over the worst of the rain, oh well clearly my prediction skills are not as good as I would like.
However, in less than a week we will be in the middle of summer, first in New York, and then in Connecticut, attending the Toastmasters International Convention at Foxwoods. Foxwoods is the largest stand-alone casino in the world.
I have been to the MGM in Vegas, if I am correct the casino floor was over 50000 square feet, so for this one to be larger than that is really quite something!
The next day, we will rent a car and meet the other half of our group, Rob and Keryn, and then off to Foxwoods, the largest single casino in the world. I am really looking forward to catching up with my Toastmastering friends, and meeting new people.
MGM Hotel in Las Vegas
So we are getting towards the final stages of packing for the trip. Packing for me always seems to be a little of a last-minute thing, I don’t seem to be able to plan it to far ahead. But then I think that it is because I don’t feel a need to have to plan it too far ahead, after all I seem to remember to take everything and I don’t really forget anything important.
Also, it is not like we are travelling to the middle of nowhere, it will after all be USA, and we really can get anything that we need there! We are going to hire a car, so that will also make the travelling arrangements a little easier.
Times Square
We are going to have Pizza on Time Square with my cousin Bruce when we get there, I have not seen him in a very long time, so I am looking forward to catching up with him, and to meeting his wife Melissa, and their new baby. I am dreading the long flight. 16 hours in an aeroplane is simply far too long for me, I have done it three times now, and I really don’t feel like a forth, but not too much choice there!
So, just two days left at work, and then off to USA – I am really excited about the trip.
This was our fourth trip to Club Med, but our first to Club Med Albion. It is one of the top Club Med resorts, and what a fantastic place it is.
There are two swimming pools – the main pool, and the so-called “quite pool”. Both pools have restaurants and bars right next door.
The main pool at night
The main pool during the day
The quiet pool
Drinks at the bar
All meals and drinks are included in your costs, including French Champaign, cocktails and the mini-bar in our room.
Evening cocktails
In typical Club Med tradition, the GO’s put on a show every night. The actual shows are a little “am-dram”, but nontheless, they are fun anyway.
Club Med show
We went to Club Med to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary, and the resort gave us a small suprise by decorating our room with candles and flowers. They also left a note “Happy Wedding Birthday”.
Happy Wedding Birthday
Albion Beach
Club Med is our favourite resort – a great place to sit back, relax and recharge. There is loads to do if you want to be more active, but you can also just sit on the beach and enjoy the sunshine. We did have a little rain, but it was still warm, and wonderful to walk around in shorts and tee-shirt.
If you get the opportunity, you must go.
We have just got back from spending a wonderful week at Club Med in Albion, Mauritius. It was a fantastic holiday. One of the best things about Club Med is that all your costs are included, including all your food and drinks.
The resort serves three meals per day at the main restaurant, and the smaller restaurant also serves a late breakfast and lunch. They also serve snacks in the bar throughout most of the day.
There is a massive selection of food in the restaurant, including prawns, seafood, meat, salads, pizza, sushi, pasta, desserts and cheeses. Here are just a few pictures of the food that I took on one evening. Every night is a similar selection, but always different.
Grilled Duck
Salad with balsamic dressing
King Prawn
Sushi
More King Prawns - eat as many as you like
Dessert
More dessert
I am amazed that I did not put on any weight, I really should have!
I was walking through Greenmarket Square today, and I was amazed at how in some ways it has not changed in 20 year, but in some ways it is completely different!
The most remarkable change is how European it now looks, being almost completly surrounded be Parisian Cafe’s, restaurants and coffee shops. These pictures do make me feel like I am sitting in a little corner of Provence. All I need is a glass of ”vin ordinaire”, or perhaps a ”petit cafe”.
Corner of Burg and Shortmarket street
Shortmarket Street, looking up St Georges Mall towards the square
Greenmarket Square - traditional African (tourist) market
Compare the first pic to the above, which I took in Paris about three years ago, could almost be the same place.
Enjoy Cape Town - little Paris.
Here is a quite cool map of countries that I have visited. Visit the link below, and you can create your own. When you look at it visually, it really does not look like much. I will simply have to travel more!
visited 15 states (6.66%)
Create your own visited map of The World or try another Douwe Osinga project
The braai is probably one of South Africa’s most traditional meals. It is practised by all cultures in South Africa, and as often as possible! Probably the only thing that will prevent a South African from having a braai is a rugby game, in which case they will probably simply braai before or after the game!
If you drive through any suburb in South Africa on a summer weekend, you will smell the delicious smell of grilling meat.
Braaing is a very casual and social affair, but there it is taken quite seriously by the cook. You simply NEVER interfere with somebody else’s braai without asking them very politely first (even if the meat is burning!)
So, what exactly is a braai?
Very simple really, it is a South African BBQ. However, it is almost always cooked on wood or charcoal – very seldom on gas. A braai will typically consist of one or more of the following:
Let’s get going
You will need a braai (in which to make the fire). Many public picnic sites have brick braai’s available, or a Weber will do. You will also need wood or charcoal – we often buy “brikettes”, which are small round compressed pieces of charcoal.
Blitz, which is a paraffin-based firelighter, helps to get the fire going, but if you are a boy scout, matches and an axe will do!
Put a few pieces of the blitz (firelighter) onto the grid
Light the blitz. and give the coals a few minutes to start burning. Note that with the braai, you will always use “direct heat”.
Lighting the wood fire
Some nice coals starting to burn – it should take about 40 minutes to get good coals.
While waiting for the wood to burn, cook some garlic bread on the fire.
Garlic bread ready to eat – yummy!
From top to bottom - wors (beef sausage), chicken, and chicken kebabs in the front. You can also see some ostrich kebabs at the top on the far right.
Braaing is thirsty work – you will need plenty of liquid refreshments
When you can hold your hand above the grid for three seconds, you are ready to cook. Put the meat onto the grid, turning every few minutes or so.
Looking good – almost ready to eat.
After about two beers (40 minutes or so), you are ready to eat, so dig in!
Ready to eat – looks great, doesn’t it?
After a good braai, the plates will be empty!
One more think, we often have “bring and braai’s”, in which the host supplies the fire, rolls and salads, and the guests all bring their own meat and drinks. Simple and easy.
We arrived in Calgary, Canada last night. However, we almost did not make it. We were flying out of Philadelphia airport via Toronto, but when we went to check in, it seemed that were were booked onto an earlier flight, but via Denver! There had been some miscommunication between me and the travel agent!
Thank goodness that there wa extra space available on the Toronto leg. So, 3 orchids to the very helpful lady from Air Canada that managed to sort everything out for us so that we could get onto the Toronto flight.
Calgary is a very pretty (and clean) city. Downtown has loads of great restaurants and pubs, mostly located on 8th Ave – Steven's Walk.
Calgary Downtown
We had dinner at the Unicorn which was a great pub. I was told that they do the best fish and chips in the world, and they were pretty fine. We will go back later this week.
Not to be missed is the Calgary Tower, a climb of over 540 feet, with a great panoramic view from the top. They even have a section where you can stand on glass, and look straight down – an adrenalin inducing experience.
A long way down…
View from the top of the Calgary Tower
