Category: Travel Bob

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Monster cars in Mexico City

Monster Cars in Mexico CityAt first I thought it was my imagination. Too much Day of the Dead. A car swirling around El Ángel on Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma had a distinctly dead look.

Then another one. A VW Bug this time.

And another.

As a guide explained the significance of this angel erected to commemorate Mexico’s War of Independence, a pack of Monster Cars roared through the roundabout with reckless abandon. And they were gone.

I was still pondering the odd vision of those ghostly autos later as we walked up Paseo de la Reforma. After walking several blocks, we came upon them, idling at the curb, honking, hooting, bringing traffic to a rubbernecking standstill. What an amazing, random Mexico City moment.

Sadly, the photos just don’t do it justice.

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Assorted Bob Books Travel Bob

Following Steinbeck and Charley

Fifty years ago, John Steinbeck and his poodle, Charlie, set off on a trip across America. The journey resulted in “Travels with Charley,” one of my favorite road trip books.

Pittsburgh-based writer Bill Steigerwald is about to retrace Steinbeck’s journey in a project that could be dubbed Travels without Charley. Ultimately, he’ll use Steinbeck’s trip “as the frame for a book that compares simple, poor, square 1960 America with 2010 America.”

Great idea. And I look forward to the book. But it would be so much better if Steigerwald would start by conceding that one of the biggest changes in the past 50 years has been in media technology. Why not give us a website so we can ride along? Perhaps a newsletter? An RSS feed? There will be none of that, best I can tell.

I guess we’ll have to wait for the book.

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Assorted Bob Travel Bob

Tipping the quaich


jim_tom_quaich.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

Tom sips Scotch from a quaich while he, Jim (right) and Jenny regale us with tales from their recent trip to Scotland.

I’ve always been fascinated by Scotland and it’s high on my list of places to see. Apparently, Tom and Co. got to spent time with Phil Cunningham while they were there. Tom and Phil are buddies from way back. Phil’s an incredible musician, so we listened to his music while looking at photos of the trip and dining on a perfectly cooked pork loin.

Another great evening with great friends …