Lu Ann Sidney Explores Mantorville Minnesota

For those who would like to take a day trip to southern Minnesota, I would highly recommend heading to Mantorville.  I recently spent an enjoyable Sunday afternoon at the Mantorville Theatre Company production of "Love, Sex, and the IRS" at the historic Mantorville Opera House.  Following the play, we ate at one of our favorite restaurants, the Hubbell House, located a block away.  Try the steak!  You won't be disappointed with either the quality or the price!

Lu Ann Sidney Finds Kauai's Junglefowl

There are an astonishing number of chickens (junglefowl) roaming around on the island of Kauai.  For first time visitors, this can be somewhat of a shock.  Ever since Hurricane Iniki let loose the chickens in September 1992, they have seemingly increased in numbers.  They can be found along the highway, in shopping center parking lots, at tourist attractions, and on hotel grounds.  I found the best ones for photgraphing at the Kokee Lodge up the Waimea Canyon road. 

Kauai's Garden Preserves

I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of plants and birds we encountered at both the Limahuli and McBryde Gardens on Kauai.  The most interesting of the plants was the alula.  These plants look like small cabbages on top of a small palm tree trunk.  Once thought to be extinct in the wild, botanists were able to save seeds by climbing down the cliffs on the Na Pali Coast.  Successful propagation has led to alulas now being available at Lowes and Home Depot!

Both gardens had alulas.  We happened to snap a photo of a very vocal shama thrush at the McBryde Garden.

Lu Ann Sidney Explores Chicago North of Michigan Avenue

Chicago is one of my favorite cities.  Since I have visited Chicago so many times, each new visit means I need to find new things to do. 

I had never visited Lincoln Park or the Lincoln Park Conservatory and Zoo.  What a great diversion from Michigan Avenue!  I stayed at the PUBLIC Chicago and found it to be an easy walk north to Lincoln Park.  The zoo is surprisingly nice, housing a wide variety of animals.  All of the animals were fun to view, expect the naked mole-rats!

The Lincoln Park Conservatory was a fun side trip and a warm place to stop.  The Fernery has a large variety of plants and a cool fish pond.

Lu Ann Sidney Saves a Penguin in Tokyo

A small crowd was gathering around a display promoting Hokkaido tourism.  When I got closer, I could see why.  There were two live penguins waddling around on top of a pile of snow.  Everyone in the crowd was laughing and enjoying the funny penguins.  All of a sudden, one of the penguins fell off the display right at my feet.  The crowd gasped.  I immediately grabbed the penguin and put him back on the snow.  The crowd cheered.  When I recounted our trip to Japan when we returned home, this was the first thing I said:  "I saved a penguin in Tokyo."

Just Past the Caravelle Hotel

Not too far from the Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, walking past the street vendors shouting, "Madame, Madame," is the colorful and vibrant Ben Thanh Market.  It very much has the feel, just as was supposed to, of Les Halles in Paris, but with a vastly different assortment of shops and merchandise. I could have spent hours and hours winding through the market, viewing the colorful displays of exotic (to me) produce, spices, meat and fish.  Surprisingly, to this day, I can still remember the pleasantly spicy and fishy odor of the market.

Eating Eggs in Hakone Japan

Not too far from Mount Fuji is the town of Hakone.  We took the Tozan switchback train up the hillside in order to catch the Hakone Ropeway overlooking the hot springs of the Owaku-dani valley.  Plumes of sulfurous steam dot the valley creating an other-worldly view as you travel overhead.  We were treated to a clear view of glorious Mount Fuji at the end of the trip.  Walking a bit father led us to a surprising and truly Japanese experience - eating eggs cooked in the hot springs.  The egg shells turn black because of the sulfur in the water.  It is said you will have good luck from eating these special eggs!

Hakone Ropeway above the Owaku-dani valley 

Lu Ann Sidney eating an egg

 

Special hot spring-cooked eggs