Major Sites of Paris

Posted on April 15, 2019 by David Cross

A commemorative posting from 25 years ago given the Notre Dame fires tonight.

Our memories will live on.

You have to love the gargoyles up at the top which were used to spray burning oil against attackers (zombies)!

If you love the cathedral, nearby across the Seine is one of the best museums in the world: The Louvre.

You have to enter through the Pyramid of course. A blend of modern and ancient being together.

From there, you can take the Metro to get almost anywhere in Paris.

Of course you have to check out the Eiffel Tower even if it a gloomy day.  But the lines are long and costly.  25 years ago, it was only $10 (50 francs), but now…

and the Arc de Triomphe is at the end of the Champs-Élysées where everyone shops!

 

Posted in International, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Very Large Array in New Mexico

Posted on April 14, 2019 by David Cross

Here is a previously posted retro blog for a visit I made to the Very Large Array in New Mexico.  It was an amazing place to visit based on the history and the movies.

It is famous from the movie Contact starring Jodie Foster and the exploration and contact with extraterritorial life outside of earth.  But let me take a side trip (no pun intended) on how we got to the NRAO public observatory that is in the middle of New Mexico.

When you read about New Mexico, what is the first story you read about in the news?

Roswell.

Of course, before going to the array, we had to first drive to Roswell, New Mexico to get a briefing and more evidence on aliens and UFOs to be fully informed in advance.

It was amazing to learn about Roswell and the UFO crash landing.  A large set of displays and exhibits to check out in this very charming town.  I will not comment on whether the alien autopsy video was fake news or not, but I will say, it is like Las Vegas: what happens in Roswell, stays in Roswell!

We met some interesting locals and other explorers.  As a result, we picked up a hitchhiker before proceeding west to Socorro.  They needed a way to communicate to distant stars, so we helped them find their way.

Needless to say, the site was very impressive and inspiring.  Unfortunately, it is a little restricted and you are limited on where you can go and take pictures.  You can learn much more by going inside and understanding how the array actually works.

Fortunately,  there is a least one of the dishes quite close to the observation area that enables you to capture some great shots and signals from outer space at the same time!

Summary: A highly recommended visit and scenic drive across New Mexico.  Now, why did aliens and UFOs express such interest in New Mexico?  Read on!

Before leaving the state, we went over to the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque. It is the best known museum and artifacts of nuclear science in the United States.

It has some amazing (both current and historical) weapon examples for display that are in the US arsenal.  It was amazing to see a MIRV based ICBM payload example up close.

and for the security experts, they also had some early versions of the nuclear warhead PAL controls that the United States developed and then eventually supplied the Soviet Union to protect against malicious or accidental warhead denotation.

 

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Imperial War Museum in London

Posted on April 9, 2019 by David Cross

I continued my tradition of taking a more adventurous lunch break when working and travelling for business in London.

Of course, I kicked off the foggy/soggy day In London with a run around the parks.

From the hotels in the Piccadilly Circus area, Hyde Park provides a great 10K route for everyone.

Just do not get distracted by all the fancy cars travelling to visit the royalty in the nearby palaces. For some reason, there are lots of chauffeured Rolls Royce in this area…

OK – back to main topic.  The Imperial War Museum.  Here is the most amazing thing:  it is completely FREE entrance!

I have to admit this is one of the best modern military war museums I have seen in years…maybe second only to the Russian Artillery museum in St. Petersburg.

It has an amazing collection of many different artifacts from WWII to Afghanistan including actual V1 and V2 rockets from WWII.

I found yet another complete Enigma device.  Apparently there are two in London!

Now, lets talk about the cold war.  I was really surprised to see a collection of retired nuclear missiles and bombs in the British army on display here in the museum.  This was a fascinating, now declassified submarine Polaris missile warhead wrapper that shows the various deception and evasion components in the ICBM warhead reentry vehicle.

This particular piece was captured from Berlin and I was surprised to see one of these monuments still remaining and not destroyed after the war.  The museum also had one of the best Holocaust exhibits, history and stories that I have ever seen outside of visiting museums and Auschwitz in Poland.  You cannot take pictures for good reason inside this exhibit.

 

 

Posted in International, Running, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

1992 JFK CV-67 Cruise Video

Posted on March 30, 2019 by David Cross

Memories from the past!

It was over 25 years ago when we returned on the JFK CV-67 aircraft carrier on its very last combat cruise in the first week of April!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Visiting the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau

Posted on March 27, 2019 by David Cross

This is a 2007 retro post and migrated from the previous blog platform.

We stayed at the British Colonial Hilton in Nassau from April 13th – 18th 2007. We found the experience wonderful. We stayed on Hilton Honors points – however we were treated like paying guests. We were given a partial ocean view room and even allowed to check in an hour early before the normal check in time. The hotel and our room were well kept and no maintenance issues. All staff were extremely friendly and went out of their way to help us. Everyone always asked us if there was anything they could do to help us and all the staff was always smiling. The breakfast and dinners inside the hotel were great. Don’t believe the reviews!

Yes, this is a Caribbean island and some things are not up to the same standard as the US. Outside of the hotel this is true, inside the hotel; I feel everything is on par with US based Hiltons. The local area around the Hilton is right in the down town area with shopping and restaurants. All prices inside and outside the hotel were reasonable – although you will save money by going outside the hotel. Overall, the Bahamas is the friendliest and safest island in the Caribbean we have ever visited. The taxis to the Hilton are easily found and a fixed price of $22 each way. Easy walks to many attractions and places like the local fish fry. You can ride to Paradise Island for $11 each way. Paradise Island and Atlantis are beautiful, but be prepared to spend double on everything compared to outside Paradise Island.

Families with children may not have as much to do, but as adults we certainly liked the choices around us and ability to walk across the street to the liquor store and buy cold beer if we wanted to at the end of the day at a low price.

We went diving with Stuart Cove. Great locations and diving – fairly professional crew and high quality rental equipment. Prices were fair and the operations were smooth. Best part was the wreck dives and the freedom in which divers were given to explore. They pick you right up from the hotel and it is about a 30 minute ride to the other side of the island.

if interested, I went diving again with Stuart Cove and was able to capture some great videos from the wrecks we dove.

Overall, we would definitely stay again and recommend this property.

Posted in Diving, International, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Palm Springs and Joshua Tree Park

Posted on March 16, 2019 by David Cross

Palms Springs is definitely a great weekend getaway.  It is also very different than many people may think.  It is much more than just ritzy golf clubs and celebrity events.

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton which overlooks the city and valleys.

It also has great evening entertainment, activities and host guests that will help you even star watch which is quite a delight.

Of course, I snuck in an afternoon run, but you need to be in good shape, because with the elevation and hard core trails, it is quite a workout!

The city is much larger than I ever thought, but there are tons of great stores and restaurants to check out.  The variety and diversity of all the stores, hotels and restaurants is quite large…and I am still not sure I could figure out this Hotel which was close to where we ate last night, and nobody seemed to be there, but the sign said “Open”.  I guess I digress…

Now, one of the highlights of the area is the Joshua Tree National Park which is about 1.5 hour drive east from Palm Springs.

It has some amazing hiking choices and trails available for everyone.  It is a huge park and only costs $30 per car to visit.  But warning, arrive early as the entrance lines can be a mile long if you wait too long on a weekend.

We chose to first hire the Barker Dam trail.

The views and hidden spots are quite amazing and it is hard to not stay in park and checking out more trails to explore more of the history of the area.

You can even find and closely observe Native American petroglyphs in the area which was a surprise find!

Overall, it is not too technical, the only challenge is where to stop taking pictures and selfies because there are so many memorable landscapes and foliage.

This overall area and part of California is very different, very western and very unique and not what many people would expect.

We stopped for a break and for some lunch in Yucca, which is almost a mid western US time of culture and environment.

Not what we expected only 30 minutes away from Palm Springs, but clearly a different landscape.  We even stopped by Pioneer Town for a few minutes to check out the old movie set and compliment to the overall culture and people of Yucca Valley.

Summary: Palm Springs is a wonderful place to explore, but be advised as you adventure and research the broader area, it is much more diverse and different than you would ever expect or see on television.

 

Posted in Hiking, Running, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Attending RSA Security Conference in San Francisco

Posted on March 8, 2019 by David Cross

OK – what is it really like to attend a security conference in San Francisco? The RSA Security Conference to be specific.

I usually attend every year.  I was even captured in a 2020 conference photo from a high tech cyber-security journalist Catalin Cimpanu last year in his recent posting about the 2021 RSA Conference delay to May.

The real question is when will we all be able to travel again which I try to track in this living posting on that topic.

Yes, of course, you spend a lot of time in giant dark, cold massive halls.  You get to hear and see famous people and great speakers.

People like George Takei who opened the 2020 conference.

The other cool thing that happens in San Francisco is the often film movies downtown. Guess what this movie will be?  Matrix 4!

I was able to capture a shot of the high tech motorcycle before Keanu Reeves got on it to film a stunt.

 

Now back to the Moscone expo hall:

You walk through massive expo halls and through thousands of sales trolls to do whatever it takes to scan your badge and give you swag…

Some are questionable…

Some are quite funny!

It is crowded, the hotels are expensive, it can sometimes rain in torrents and plan to do a lot of walking.  But you get to explore and see a lot of San Francisco that you would not normally ever get to do if you were just a tourist!

And it is also an amazing place to go running in the mornings

Where you take in gorgeous sites while running along the water

and famous history like Alcatraz Island (prison) that surrounds the city!

Now, what is the best part of the conference?  You get to have fun, see entertainment and meet famous people.

Do you know who that is?  Just watch the video and give it a listen 🙂

Yep, it was Paris Hilton and it was a blast.

Posted in Running, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Masada Israel and the Dead Sea

Posted on February 24, 2019 by David Cross

Based on popular demand, here is another retroactive blog posting from 2009 when I visited the Masada and Dead Sea on the way down to Eilat Israel.

I also have another retro post of our hike to Ein Gedi and Masada in 2007.

One the way, you can, of course, visit the historic site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.  I still do not see how people climbed up in those caves…see one of them in the far top left of the photo?

Masada is an amazing place to visit.  It has tons of history and is one of the most amazing hikes/climbs you can do.  Yes, I recommend the hike and not the easy tram to the top.

It is one of the popular places for Israel IDF (Army) to conduct their unit graduation exercises and you often get to see them at the top and sometimes even practicing their Krav Maga training at the top as well.

I have done the climb multiple times, but the reality is…it is always best to do the climb very very early in the morning and then you can see the sun rising above the Jordanian mountains.

Now the other great part of Masada is the fact it is only < 20 minutes drive from the Dead Sea and all the hotels/resorts there.  There are many great hotels and choices and it is an awesome place to spend the weekend.

From there, we drove down to Eilat which is more like a Hawaii or Caribbean resort down that is nestled between Egypt and Jordan.  It is full of activities, night life, restaurants and of course diving in the Red Sea!

Now here is the really cool thing that was quite a surprise.  On the way back north from the drive from Eilat, we tool the eastern route which is close to Egypt.  Is there a hard border or fence in the dessert between the two countries?  Nope.  You can actually walk right up or across the border…but did not attempt that given all the guard posts on the Egypt side.

You can also check out my other entries from Israel:

Posted in Diving, International, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Jordan Petra and Wadi Rum – 2009

Posted on February 9, 2019 by David Cross

Getting all my trips put together into the single blog site.  Here is another great trip in 2009 to Jordan!

We took a day trip from Eilat, Israel, crossed the border to visit Petra, Jordan.  It is quite famous from the Indiana Jones movie of course where he found the Holy Grail.  The reality is the tomb is only like 10 feet deep and not a massive cavern.

Crossing the border is always a challenge, but if you pay the money and get a private guide, it is all good.  Now, what is interesting in visiting Petra, is the fact it is a 1-hour hike to the site…unless you accept the tourist trap offer and pay big money to ride a donkey down the trail.  It is a really fun and scenic hike, so it is highly recommended. Lots of old homes and carvings.  The time passes by quickly.

Towards the end, you then wind through some tight canyon walls before coming out to the famous site/temple.

From there, the huge surprise and delight is the larger city and (homes) off to the right which is part of the bigger story.  Not as many people climb up, but this is the gem of the site and why you should visit.

From there, we took some old Toyota Land Cruisers to go visit Wadi Rum which was made famous in the movie Lawrence of Arabia.

It is quite an experience in taking in the famous landmarks and battle place…

and mingling with all the historical Bedouin tribes that still live and own the area.

The best part…and you have to be patient and tolerate the dropping temperatures is the sunset.  It is memorable.

Overall, very safe and worth the money to take high quality local guides.

Posted in International, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Exploring Peru

Posted on February 3, 2019 by David Cross

This is a restorative posting from 2011, but I have had some many requests for sharing some stories and pictures, I went back and put together this story from a tour I took in 2011.

Touring the best way to visit Peru since there are so many sights and things to see…but they are very long distances apart and some are a little hard to find. Lima is a very artistic city that is worth exploring and very comfortable to visit despite the claims of crime and corruption. Never ran into any issues, threats or discomfort. You can safely walk everywhere.

However, the most fun is visiting and exploring the countryside and small villages in the mountains.

It is amazing to see how farming and building occurred over thousands of years and how some people retain the culture, style and clothing.

What is the most popular (meat) dish in Peru?  Guinea pigs.  In the villages, they live in your home and when hungry…

And the culture and mysterious superstition of land carvings still exist in the modern towns.  More on the Nazca lines later…

Another highlight was visiting and paddling out onto Lake Titicaca and visiting one of the villages/communities that lives on floating islands in the middle of the lake.

Yes, they still live on these reed collections and maintain their culture, but the kids do go to school on the mainland now.

It was an amazing experience to meet some of the people, share stories and learn all the history of the floating islands.

SONY DSC

OK – time to talk about the Nazca lines.  You have to get permission to an air force base and try very hard to get a seat on one of the rare civilian airlines that can fly over the lines.

It looks easy, but the ride is rough and faces enormous g and wind forces that makes the flights difficult for the timid.

But the highlight is how you can see some of the ancient drawings from above that are impossible to see from the ground.

Very exciting to see some of the images that were created for the alien visitors that visited the people thousands of years ago.

and if yup get the time, you can drive for a few hours and find one of the hidden landing sites that was built for the giant alien spacecraft.  These things were huge!  Look at how small the people are at the bottom.  It is quite a hike down and up.

Speaking of hiking, climbing and hiking the mountains is a highlight in Peru.  You do have to be ready for the high elevations and thin air though.

Some of the routes and sites are breathtaking.  Check out this ancient path we checked out.  Any game for that narrow path with no ropes?

And what is the highlight at the end?  Machu Picchu of course.  A place everyone should visit once in their life.  It is memorable and hard to fully appreciate until you visit in person like the Taj Mahal.

Posted in International, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments