Wow Place #191: Te Mata Peak, Hastings, New Zealand
“Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.” –The Buddha Quite an upbeat fellow, that Buddha guy. Not that he’s wrong, mind you. As Donica and I are climbing ardently up Te Mata peak on the North Island of New Zealand, death is definitely on my mind—and not just tomorrow. I’m […]
Wow Place #190: Waiariki Spa, Rotorua, New Zealand
I like Godzilla movies and 49ers football. Donica likes massages and spas. What can I say? We’re very different people. As you can imagine, when my wife asks me if I want to visit this high-end spa facility with her while in Rotorua, New Zealand, I’m a wee bit skeptical. “It seems kind of expensive, […]
Wow Place #189: Zorbing, Rotorua, New Zealand
Zorbing looked SO fun when we booked it online from the safe confines of our living room couch. My wife and I figured, while traveling in New Zealand, the land that invented adventure sports, what could be more audacious, more “Kiwi” than climbing into a giant, inflatable, plastic ball and rolling down a hillside! Weeks […]
Wow Place #188: Hobbiton, Matamata, New Zealand
Hey everyone. Well, I’m back from 3 fantastic weeks on the North Island of New Zealand, with lots of stories to tell. Given the demands of work and life in general, I suspect I won’t be able to keep up with my daily posts, but I’ll definitely be writing as much as I can, up […]
Auckland New Zealand Downtown
A fun place to hold a team building activity in Auckland, NZ Event Description: During this fun treasure hunt adventure, you’ll roam the streets of Downtown Auckland enjoying public art and historical signage around nearly every turn. Location History: On March 20, 1840, the paramount chief of the Ngati Whatua Maori iwi (tribe) signed the […]
Wow Place 187: Wimbledon, England
[This is my last daily post for a little bit as I wing off to New Zealand tomorrow in search of fresh new Wow Places. 187 posts down…178 more to go to reach my goal of 365! 😊 I’ll be back writing again in the new year. See ya in 2024 folks, and thanks for […]
Wow Place #186: Denver Soundwalk
City planners are very good at installing serious monuments. Go to any European capital, for example, and you will undoubtedly encounter a sober equestrian statue dedicated to some valiant general seated triumphantly upon his noble steed. Somber statues and sculptures abound in cities big and small, sending the message that serious, important people lived here, […]
Wow Place #185: Plaza Mayor, Madrid
There is an art to hanging out. I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I certainly know my way around an outdoor café on a lazy summer day, a steaming cup of strong coffee in one hand, a long, juicy novel in the other. In a world where everyone is rushing around, stressed, multi-tasking, trying […]
Wow Place #184: Mickey Coffee Pot, Old Salem, North Carolina
For time immemorial, kids have asked the question, “Why?” Most of the time, it’s about rules and limitations. “Why—do I have to eat these peas? Why—do I have to go to bed now? Why—can’t I throw mud at my sister?” The rest of the time, the why question seems to be about how things work, […]
Wow Place #183: Jolly Green Giant Statue, Blue Earth, Minnesota
As mentioned in my last post, I was definitely a TV kid. Especially on Saturday mornings, between cartoons there was this one commercial that got stuck in my mind from repeated viewing: “In the valley of the giant, ho, ho, ho…” If you’re “of a certain age,” you’ll recognize this as the jingle of the […]