Wisconsin: Madison – The Great Dane Pub (Review)
The area around the State Capitol building in Madison is a great place to visit. After a bit of research on vegan options I settled upon Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company.
The area around the State Capitol building in Madison is a great place to visit. After a bit of research on vegan options I settled upon Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company.
On our way through Stanton the previous night we had noticed the Knife River Indian Villages National Monument – so we decided to stop by and see the exhibits. The Knife River joins the Missouri close to Stanton and is the spot where the main Hidatsa and Mandan villages were sited – and was the home of Sakakawea. As with all the National Park Service the center is fantastic and we first of all get our bearings by watching an orientation film on the history of the Indian villages.
A 2 day itinerary for visiting Atlanta, Georgia, including historical sights relating to the American Civil War and Civil Rights Movement and other tourist sights, including the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca Cola.
We decided to take a small detour on our journey from Birmingham to Montgomery, Alabama to visit the Mercedes Benz visitor centre in Tuscaloosa.
We had planned to spend the day wandering around Montgomery, the State capital of Alabama. One of the things we were most interested in was the role Montgomery played in the 1950s and 60s in the Civil Rights movement.
There are a few ways to reach the top of Pikes Peak including walking and driving but we decided to take the more sedate journey to the 14,110 ft peak on the cog railway.
On our journey through Alabama we called into Birmingham. One thing that had captured our imagination was the Vulcan Park, which is based around a large cast iron statue of the Roman God Vulcan (god of fire and forge). At 56 feet this is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and was built for the 1904 World’s Fair in St Louis to demonstrate Birmingham’s iron industry.
The U.S. Space and Rocket Center at Huntsville, Alabama is somewhere I had long wanted to visit. The area was once primarily famed as the watercress capital of the world but today it ranks as the 2nd largest technology center in the United States.
I am a bit too young to clearly remember the first moon landing but I do have memories of the excitement of watching the space shuttle launches and wishing I have been their in person. So, when we got the chance to visit the Kennedy Space Center I jumped at the opportunity. Sadly, there were no launches planned but it still was exciting to be visiting the site of these amazing demonstrations of man’s imagination and desire to explore.
Naval Aviation Museum on the Naval Airbase in Pensacola is free to enter, which should not deter you from visiting if you like museums and military aircraft. There is also a great restaurant diner with loads of memorabilia from the past endeavors of the Naval Airman.
We spent two days at the campgrounds at Hillsborough State Park. This involved close encounters with armadillos and alligators. We also got the opportunity to get up and close to the beautiful and gentle manatees.
A day trip to the Southern most point of the contiguous United States. Key West is a historic and often wild town. We visited after New Years Eve so the they were still nursing their hangover.
An opportunistic visit to the Oregon Jewish Museum & Center for Holocaust Education turned out to be an inspiring visit and was a sobering reminder of the dangerous times we live in.
The Turtle Hospital, Marathon, Florida. A rehabilitation center for sea turtles with illness or injuries from coming in to contact with humans.
Restaurant Review: Creative faux-meat vegetarian fare & vegan desserts served in a cozy, rustic venue with a patio. (cafe / restaurant / dining)
Established in 1963, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was the first undersea park in the United States. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, cover approximately 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps. We had the chance to spend a couple of days exploring this wonderful place in winter (a good time to go!)
Book Review: Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver. A passionate expression of how a simple life can improve your health, relationship and reduce stress.
We have seen Beacon Rock a number of times across the Colombia River from Oregon, but we have never visited until now.
Accommodation: The Hood River Hotel is located on the main street running through the center of this small, but vibrant community.
A wonderful vegan bakery with some very tempting pastries and cakes. They also have a menu of snacks and light meals to chose from – all vegan. (cafe / dining / restaurant)
Enjoy some tasty vegan BBQ dishes and comfort food at this down to earth restaurant in North Portland, Oregon. (cafe / dining / restaurant)