14 hours in Abu Dhabi

We left South Africa on November 9th. We drove five hours to Johannesburg airport and then flew from there to Abu Dhabi. We flew on Etihad Airlines and it was the nicest airline either of us had ever been on. The seats were really comfortable and even in coach they almost fully recline.

They had the most delicious airline food we'd ever tasted and they even gave us real silverware. There were over 85 movies to choose from on our personal television screen plus TV shows, music, and games to play. You could also watch the plane flying in real-time from the perspective of the cockpit. We got to watch the plane taxi down the runway and take off! You can also choose to watch an above-ground view and see the plane flying over the mountains below.

We arrived in Abu Dhabi around mid-night and our next flight wasn't leaving until 2pm so we had 14 hours to spare. We went to the airport hotel so we could sleep but they were already full. An airport official told us it would be easy to find a hotel close by so we went through customs, got our visas, and entered Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi is pristine. All of the men are dressed in traditional white Kandura's and Ghutrah's (robe and headscarves are also known as dishdasha or keffiyeh). The longer the robe, the more wealth a man possesses. We watched the cars driving up to the terminal. Mercedes, Mercedes, Mercedes.

They are all about luxury here. We wished we had more time to see more but what we found out was that since they were currently hosting the Grand Prix, all of the hotels in the area were fully booked (or at least the hotels we could afford!). We had no choice but to go back into the airport and sleep there for the night.

That was basically our entire crazy adventure in Abu Dhabi. We didn't get to see or do much but I did get to ride a camel!

Away We Go!

Ireland was the first of what will be many trips in the coming months. Darren and I have been planning an adventure that will take us to 10 countries in roughly 4 or 5 months. I'm really happy that I finally have a traveling companion and after my tour of the Dunbrody on our trip to Ireland last month, I will never again complain about being stuck in the middle seat on a flight. The Dunbrody passengers were piled 10 to a bed and it took them over a month to get from Ireland to North America. It has given me a whole new perspective on traveling.

We leave October 21st for Turkey. We'll be there for about a week and then we will fly to South Africa for 2 weeks. Then we'll fly to Nepal (with a 14 hour stop in Abu Dhabi) and take a guided trek for 6 days from Pokhara to Kathmandu. From Kathmandu, we will travel overland via several buses to India. From India, we will fly to Vietnam and travel overland from Vietnam through Cambodia and into Thailand. Then we will fly from Thailand to Australia and from Australia to New Zealand and then to Fiji.

Finally, sometime in February, we'll come back to the United States through Hawaii. I've received many requests to keep up with the blog posts while I'm away. I will try my best in the midst of all this crazy country hopping. We're only bringing what we can fit in our backpacks and we're not bringing phones or laptops so we'll see how I do with typing posts on an iPad and limited internet access! So please keep checking back in to see where we are or click "Follow" at the top left side of this page or "Subscribe To" in the right-hand sidebar.

Pompeii comes to Times Square

Earlier this month a friend and I visited the Pompeii Exhibit at the Discovery Museum in Times Square.
First, we were brought into a room where we watched a short movie that gave an overview of what Pompeii was like before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. When the movie concluded the doors swung open and we were led into the exhibit which had displays of artifacts that have since been unearthed. Many of the artifacts were still in pristine condition. Because they had been encased in volcanic ash for over 2000 years, they had been protected from damage by the elements and remained virtually unchanged. This part of the exhibit introduced visitors to the history, culture, and lifestyle of the people of Pompeii, giving a glimpse into their everyday lives.

Once we had worked our way through the entire room, a docent announced that there was another movie to watch which would be played every five minutes. She said that visitors should make sure they took their time to see everything in the exhibit before viewing the movie because once you went into the theater there was no coming back. At this point, my friend asked me if I thought this was the mid-way point or if the movie was the end of the exhibit. I said that it would be very unusual to put another movie right at the mid-way point of the exhibit but I later found out why.

We stepped into the movie theater and the doors closed behind us. The lights went out and the screen lit up showing a view of Pompeii as if we were standing in the middle of the city looking out onto Vesuvius. The ground began to rumble and smoke started to come out of the volcano. The movie continued to depict what the eruption would have been like, revealing a sped-up time-lapse of the eruption and increasing temperature reading. Then smoke began to fill the room and the screen went dark. Suddenly, the doors swung open to the next room. This room, which was hidden from the first half of the exhibit, was dark and somber and had casts of human bodies that had been encased in the volcanic ash. At this moment I realized why they chose to put the movie at the mid-way point. Pompeii before Vesuvius erupted and Pompeii after Vesuvius erupted. Well done.

This part of the exhibit was extremely moving and powerful. The casts showed so much detail that you could see the folds in their clothing and the fear on their faces. While conducting excavations of the site, occasional voids in the ash layer had been found that contained human remains. These were spaces left by the decomposed bodies and so a technique of injecting plaster into them (today resin is used) was developed to perfectly recreate the forms of the victims in the moments just before Vesuvius took their lives.

The room was black with just spotlights on each cast and there were curtains with colored lights dancing around on them. I'm not sure what they were trying to do with this effect. Maybe something to do with the afterlife? The lights were a bit cheesy and it would have been much better off without them. Whatever effect they were going for really didn't work on me or my friend. But overall this was the best part of the exhibit.

That room then led out to another room. At this point, the exhibit got a little too long. The room had even more artifacts and a timeline of Pompeii's history. There was a ton of reading to do and it became exhausting but I really did enjoy seeing all of the artifacts. My friend was amazed at all of the glass bottles that were left completely intact. It was most fascinating to me to see the everyday objects like the hairbrushes and mirrors and cooking pots. It reminded me that these were people living everyday lives just like myself and they and their entire civilization were frozen in time the moment that volcano erupted. Their whole city became a giant time capsule that has now allowed us to learn so much about what life was like 2,000 years ago. After seeing the technology they created such as medical instruments, pots that filtered water, and an aqueduct that provided water for more than 25 street fountains, at least four public baths, and a large number of private houses and businesses, I imagine how much more they could have invented and how advanced they would have become had they not been wiped out.

It's unfortunate that more people haven't chosen to visit this exhibit but it seems that Pompeii is doomed with misfortune and has found itself competing with the Discovery Museum's extremely popular Harry Potter Exhibit next door. I personally think it's a wonderful thing that this exhibit was developed so that we can learn about this once forgotten civilization. In a way, this exhibit has brought Pompeii back to life.

I love the Library!

Not all exhibits are located in museums. In addition to being fabulous resources for all ages, libraries often have some great exhibits as well as many other enriching activities and programs. My favorite library is the New York Public Library located between 40th and 42nd Street on 5th Avenue. The library sits adjacent to Bryant Park which also happens to be my subway stop so I'm literally underneath, above, inside or outside the library every single day.

On Monday nights in the summertime, you can watch a free film on the lawn. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can attend a free yoga class-- even the mats are provided. If yoga is not your speed they even offer knitting classes!

You can also get food and drinks at the outdoor bar and restaurant behind the library while listening to live piano music, knitting and watching a film. Or you can listen to an outdoor book reading while knitting and watching 600 people do yoga. You can do all that without ever even stepping foot inside the library but inside there's even more exciting and stimulating things to see and do.

They offer free guided tours every day but you can also explore the exhibits on your own. The Wachenheim Gallery focuses on the history of the library and has clips of movies and TV shows that have been filmed at the New York Public Library over the years.

The Celebrating 100 Years exhibit is best known for featuring the Gutenberg Bible but it contains so much more than that. You will also find Sumerian Cuneiforms, a Tale of Genji scroll, a handwritten manuscript by Jorge Luis Borges, one of Malcolm X’s journals, costume designs for the Ballets Russes, and even dance cards and board games.

Those two exhibits are ongoing but they also have several other temporary exhibits throughout the year. Currently, Children's Book Illustrators and Authors Come Alive and Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends: The Original Toys. You should also explore their special collections which include The Manuscripts and Archives Division which houses over 29,000 linear feet of archival material in over 3,000 collections. The George Arents Collection on Tobacco is a comprehensive collection of the history, literature, and lore of tobacco. Additional collections are The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The Carl H. Pforzheimer Collection of Shelley and His Circle is one of the world's leading repositories for the study of English Romanticism. The Photography collection comprises approximately 500,000 photographs, including examples of almost every photographic process from the earliest daguerreotypes to contemporary digital images, The Print Collection has over 200,000 prints, and The Rare Book Division has approximately 130,000 titles. The Spencer Collection surveys the illustrated word and book bindings of all periods and all countries and cultures.

If that's not enough to keep you occupied, they also offer many programs and films for adults as well as children. The Children’s Center at 42nd Street features on-going public programs for kids and their parents. From intimate readings to large-scale events, programming includes storytelling, musical and theatrical performances, spoken word performances, and guest appearances by authors and illustrators.

The New York Public library also has a General Research Division, Art and Architecture Collections, Jewish Division, Periodicals Room, Map Division, Microforms as well as U.S. History, Local History & Geneology.

Lastly, you can also get your hands on some free music, e-books, audiobooks and believe it or not, the library still carries those old fashioned books printed on paper.

The New and Improved Kim Wagner Designs

 
If you're wondering why my blog posts have subsided over the past few months, it's because I've been working on giving my website a face lift. I'm pleased to report that I've finally finished and after many hours of hard work Kim Wagner Designs has a whole new look! Please take a few minutes to check out the new and improved www.kimwagnerdesigns.com

Star Gazing in Los Angeles

I was working out in Los Angeles a couple days ago and although I did spot some stars here and there, (Yes, that is Mario Lopez, a.k.a. A.C. Slater from "Saved by the Bell, in case you were wondering) I found the star gazing at the Griffith Observatory to be much more fascinating.

The observatory is located in Griffith Park which sits on top of Mount Hollywood. Walk around the exterior and behold a panoramic view of Los Angeles. You can get an even closer look with one of the many telescopes surrounding the building but whatever you do, don't forget your camera.

You could easily spend your entire time outside and be satisfied with your visit but once inside, I'd recommend seeing a show at the planetarium. It's hypnotic, beautiful, educational, and very dramatic. I'm sure the narrator was an aspiring actor!

After that, make sure to view all of the exhibits. They have several exhibit halls: Wilder Hall of the Eye, Ahmanson Hall of the Sky, W. M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda, Cosmic Connection, Gunther Depths of Space, and Edge of Space Mezzanine. Also, you don't want to miss the demonstration of the Tesla Coil in the Wilder Hall of the Eye. But if you do, you can always come back another day because another great thing about the Griffith Observatory is that it's FREE!

NOT on the road in Canada

Canada

You might have noticed that the "On the Road" blogs came to an unexpected end. After the Massachusetts trip, I was scheduled to go to Ottawa. I had a difficult time finding a plane ticket costing less than $1,500 and discovered that there are no direct flights from New York to Ottawa. The shortest trip would have involved not one but two layovers.

The best I could do was postpone the trip for a week so that I could secure a ticket that would get me to Canada with just one layover and at a comparably reasonable price of $875. Since the ticket was so pricey I tried to save money by booking a hotel and car for just one day. The total cost of this one day adventure to Ottawa was $1000.

On the morning of my trip, I left my house at 7am. I flew from New York Laguardia Airport to Washington, D.C. where I had a two-hour layover. From there I took a flight from D.C. to Ottawa.

Those of you who read my post in 2008, "On the Road in Montreal", will know that I had a little trouble getting through customs due to some confusion over business permits (which it turned out I didn't need) and after being questioned and held by immigration for an hour or so, I was allowed to enter the country.

This time I wasn't so lucky.

Because of the trouble I had on the previous trip, I was advised to say that I was there for pleasure rather than business so that I would be allowed in with no problems. What I didn't know was that there had been a flag on my passport from the previous trip. I simply checked the box on the form that said "pleasure" and when I went through Customs they told me to go to the Immigration Office and then I'd be "on my way." Only they didn't specify where I'd be on my way to.

The Immigration officer I encountered was not a very pleasant or friendly man. I was interrogated and accused of outlandish things such as "trying to steal Canadian jobs" and "trying to Emigrate to Canada." He told me he wanted to "teach me a lesson" and that my entry to Canada would be denied or else I could sit in jail for a few days and await a hearing. I chose to be "on my way" back to New York. Except I found out that they were only obligated to send me back to my last point of origin which was Washington, D.C. So I spent the next 5 hours watching people board direct flights back to Laguardia while I waited for my flight to D.C. but not before I was escorted by two very large armed men in bullet-proof vests and paraded through the airport like a terrorist. When I asked if the reason for my being deported was because I checked off "personal," the Immigration Officer told me he would've sent me home even if I checked off "business". The reason being that I didn't have the proper permits--but if you read "On the Road in Montreal" you already know that it was discovered I did NOT, in fact, need a permit to do my job! In this situation, I felt the only thing I could do was surrender to this man's insanity and go home without seeing any new museums (or even stepping foot in Canada) resulting in the disappointment of my many loyal readers.

My last On the Road adventure took me on 17 hour door to door journey involving 4 flights and two trips to Washington Dulles Airport all in one day. For the rest of my life I will not be allowed into Canada (not that I have any vacations planned!) without being questioned by Immigration and the only thing I have to show for my exciting journey is this picture.

Walkin' in Memphis

This week I visited Tallahassee, Florida and Memphis, Tennessee. I spent less than 36 hours in Tallahassee and was hoping to get to see at least one cool attraction while I was there but unfortunately the "Sunshine State" did not live up to its name. Severe thunderstorms left me confined to my hotel room and by the time the rain stopped at 4 am I was on my way to the airport again and off to Memphis. 

Memphis was another quick trip but thankfully the weather was great and I was able to walk around all day. The first thing I did was follow the Mighty Mississippi along Downtown Memphis and over to Beale Street for Barbecue, Blues, and great people watching. 


The picture below is of an interesting museum housed in A. Schwab's Five and Dime store on Beale Street. This is the first museum I've ever visited where I could also buy homemade jams and underwear all under the same roof.

Although A. Schwab's Museum was truly fascinating, it just wouldn't have been a satisfying trip to Memphis if I didn't get to see Graceland. Luckily, I had a couple hours to spare the next morning on my way to the airport. 

I have to admit was well worth the extra hustle. I absolutely loved it! 

There are 3 tours you can choose from. 

1. Graceland Elvis Entourage VIP Tour

• an audio-guided tour of Graceland Mansion and grounds
• a self-guided tour of Elvis' two custom airplanes
• a self-guided tour of Elvis' Automobile Museum
• a self-guided tour of Elvis in Hollywood Exhibit
• a self-guided tour of Elvis Lives: The King and Pop Culture Exhibit
• a self-guided tour of Elvis Presley: Fashion King Exhibit
• a self-guided tour of '68 Special Exhibit
• a special VIP Only exhibit at Graceland Mansion
• Front of the Line Mansion Access
• Special All Day Ticket
• Keepsake Backstage Pass

2. Graceland Platinum Tour

• an audio-guided tour of Graceland Mansion and grounds
• a self-guided tour of Elvis' two custom airplanes
• a self-guided tour of Elvis' Automobile Museum
• a self-guided tour of Elvis in Hollywood Exhibit
• a self-guided tour of Elvis Lives: The King and Pop Culture Exhibit
• a self-guided tour of Elvis Presley: Fashion King Exhibit
• a self-guided tour of '68 Special Exhibit

3. Graceland Mansion Tour

• an audio presentation and tour of Graceland Mansion and grounds only
• a self-guided tour of '68 Special Exhibit

If you only have an hour you can do tour #3 and just see the Mansion and still get the full experience. I had about 2 hours to spare so I took tour #2. The Graceland Platinum Tour. 

I usually prefer to have a live guide conducting the tour because I find audio tours to be dull but this audio tour was fantastic. It had Elvis' music playing in-between clips of information which really set the mood. Some parts were also narrated by Lisa Marie Presley. She spoke about memories she had of certain rooms in the mansion as you were walking through them which really brought them to life.

After touring the inside of the house, you're led to the backyard where you can tour the grounds, the office, and some of the other buildings which used to be the trophy room and racquetball court but are now showcasing exhibits of Elvis' gold records and other awards. The exhibit also showed a side of Elvis that many people don't know about. Rather than just displaying his trophy's, they also displayed an entire wall of checks that Elvis wrote to various charities. The display of gold records showed how many people he touched with his music but the display of checks showed how many people he touched with his charitable heart. 

In the backyard, are also the graves of Elvis and his family members. Everyone slowly walks through the meditation garden, pays their respects and this is where the mansion tour ends.

                                                             

The rest of the exhibits were also self-guided tours so you can choose which order you see them and how long you spend in each one. My favorites were the Elvis Automobile Museum and the Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II Jets.

The Elvis Automobile Museum displays all of Elvis' cars, motorcycles, Go-carts, and even his John Deere tractor.  The tour of the airplanes was definitely worth paying the extra money for the Platinum tour. You're allowed to board both airplanes and even walk through the Lisa Marie. 

Just like the Mansion, the planes have been left exactly as they were when Elvis was alive. I think I was expecting Graceland to be something like a Disney Land adventure but the whole tour was done very tastefully and with a lot of respect. 

On the road again in Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Much like my trip, this blog will be short. With only a few hours to see the sights of San Antonio, I headed over to its main attraction, The Alamo. Admission is free and contrary to popular belief it is not open 24 hours a day. You can visit the Alamo 9:00 am-5:30 pm Monday-Saturday and 10:00 am-5:30 pm on Sunday. There are guided tours about every half hour. No need to sign up or wait on line. Just follow the crowd. In addition to the "Shrine" as it's called, there's a beautiful courtyard, the Long Barrack Museum, the Sales Museum (which is really a gift shop with some artifacts on display), and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library. It's pretty small and depending on how long you linger around the grounds, it should only take about an hour to see everything.

I learned on the tour that the Alamo is a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. It is considered hallowed ground and the Shrine of Texas Liberty. Unfortunately, just right across the street from the hallowed ground is San Antonio's equivalent of the Vegas Strip. Neon lights, Ripley's Believe it or Not Haunted Adventure, Museum of oddities, and the Tomb Raider 3D ride aren't exactly the first things that come to mind when I think of a Shrine. I wonder what Colonel William Travis and Davy Crockett would think if they could see what it looks like now.

After my visit to the Alamo, I headed over to the Riverwalk. Winding around downtown San Antonio with shops and restaurants along the way, the Riverwalk was even prettier than I expected. It's a beautiful feature that sets San Antonio apart from other cities. There are boat tours that you can take but I opted to wander around on foot. My self-guided tour took me to Old San Antonio or "La Villita." Maybe it was because I visited on a weekday but it was kind of like a ghost town. There were a few artsy shops but mostly just stores selling the same touristy junk that every other store sells. It seemed deserted and there wasn't really anything to do so I went back to the Riverwalk and had lunch outside at a Mexican cafe and watched the ducks and pigeons fight for tortilla chips.

                                           

Had the weather been nicer, I really could have amused myself in San Antonio all day but the rain cut my visit short. I'm glad I got to see the Alamo and the Riverwalk because they are as crucial to the San Antonio experience as eating Tex-Mex and Barbeque.

I'm not sure where my next trip will be so check back in next week to find out!

Design for all

Here are some examples of things I like to see when I go to a museum. 

This is an intimate little space designed just for toddlers. I took this picture at the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut. I love it when I see exhibits that have something for all ages and abilities. The aquarium had lots of these little viewing areas at "kid height" throughout every exhibit so that children don't have to be picked up by a parent every time they want to see an animal.

This is another photo taken at the Mystic Aquarium. It's an exhibit that shows how Flounder protect themselves from predators by blending into their environment. It's hard to tell from this photo because they are camouflaged so well, but there is a Flounder on the black gravel and a Flounder on the white gravel. What I like about this simple display is that it clearly conveys the message without the need for lengthy text panels or diagrams. A child who can't read yet or someone who doesn't speak the language will understand without having someone explain it to them. The exhibit teaches the lesson without the need for interpretive graphics.

AND just for fun, here are some images of things I think every good aquarium should have...

Sea Lions

Penguins

Octopus

Beluga Whales!

Museums of the Future

Happy New Year! It is 2010. Welcome to the future! If you asked me twenty years ago what I thought the world would be like in 2010 I probably would have imagined we'd be living in outer space and driving around in flying cars like the Jetsons. 



Now that we're actually living in the "future" I would expect that new museums would be producing new and inventive exhibits but a recent visit to the newly opened Children's Museum of the Treasure Coast in Stuart, Florida did not meet my expectations. I had really been looking forward to visiting this museum because it was a long time in the making. I'd read a lot of articles about its construction over the past few years but lack of funding put the opening on hold. 

So after much anticipation and excitement, I prepared myself to take my niece and nephew the day after Christmas. I did a lot of deep breathing exercises and stretches to get myself both mentally and physically prepared for the massive crowds but when we walked in, the place was completely empty. There was only one other family there. It was a huge space but only half of it was being used. The rest was blocked off. Was it unfinished? Was this some sort of event space or theater in the making? I'm not sure. My expectation from this new museum was to find some fresh and new exhibits but what we got was a rip-off of every other children's museum exhibit in the country. Perhaps if the museum had something the others don't they might have more visitors. "Our Town Wellness Center" had the exact same exhibit that I worked on at a children's museum ten years ago! It was like I traveled back in time. Hmmm...Now that would be a cool exhibit! 

"Toddler Beach" was cute. It was your typical cushiony vinyl toddler play area and the beach theme was fitting for the community but I think toddlers would be more interested in playing and exploring the REAL beach right outside the doors of the museum.

The worst offense was the "Our Town Market" which scored a big fat ZERO for creativity, inventiveness, and originality. It was very clear that the exhibits were based on sponsor money and this one was sponsored by Publix Super Market. I know this because the sponsor signs were bigger than any of the signs with educational content. I'm not even sure what the educational value of a mini-market exhibit is anyway. My 5-year-old niece got into a fight with a toddler who stole her fake plastic groceries out of her cart. On our way home I asked her if she learned anything new from her trip to the museum. She replied, "Yeah, it's not nice to steal someone else's groceries!" Maybe that's the message behind these grocery store exhibits?? 

Here's an original idea! How about we get a sponsor to fund a new task force called the Exhibit Police. Any museum that builds another child-sized market will get a fine. I think if I were to find out exactly how many Children's Museums in this country have these markets and issue them a fine, I would have enough money to build a new museum with some inspired fresh new and innovative exhibits! 

Actually, there was one exhibit in the museum that I liked a lot. It's also the gallery that my niece and nephew spent the most time in. It was called the Florida Cracker House sponsored by RE/MAX of course. This was a truly unique exhibit because it was exclusive to the region. Children learn about traditional cracker houses and the significance their architecture played in early Floridian life. It also teaches about different types of houses all over the world and how the region and climate affect architecture. This exhibit reignited the waning hope the other exhibits left me with for the future of museums.

We might not be driving around in flying cars but the world is constantly changing so why are we still making the same exhibits that we were making more than a decade ago?! 

With a new year comes new resolutions. For 2010 let us resolve to stop copying what other museums are doing and come up with some really inspired and radical ideas...
AND
Stop stealing groceries from other people's carts!

The Blog is Back

I'd like to welcome back my loyal readers and also welcome all of my new ones.
I apologize as my blog has been floating around out in cyberspace for a few weeks while I've been trying to relocate. Moving is so stressful! Thankfully I am now settled in here at www.kimwagnerdesigns.blogspot.com which is now the permanent address of my museum blog. I've also given this blog a makeover as it was looking kind of worn out from the move so I hope you enjoy the new look!
Please be sure to also visit www.kimwagnerdesigns.com which is the new home of my website.
Thanks for visiting and be sure to subscribe or come back soon!

On the Road in Mexico!

After 8 days in Ohio, I made a pit-stop in New York for less than 48 hours before heading off to Mexico. This gave me just enough time to pay my rent (for the apartment I never see) and other bills (for utilities I don't use) and change the water in the bucket that my plant is sitting in. I came home with one less shoe and a brand new suitcase. After 9 flights in 3 weeks, my old suitcase couldn't go on any longer and is resting in peace in the dumpster behind the Columbus Best Western.

So I packed my new suitcase and was off to Mexico. The first stop was Mexico City. The climate was a moderate and comfortable low-70's. Everyone there seemed to think it was cold because they were all bundled up in winter coats and scarves unless they were protesting something, in which case they were standing in the street naked. The city was crowded with people and traffic (about 10 times more than NYC) but really colorful with beautiful views of mountains and volcanoes. I especially liked that all of the streets were lined with benches that were each a unique sculpture. I was only in Mexico City for a few days before flying off to Veracruz so I didn't get to see any museums but I did take a tour of the Pyramids. The tour stops at several churches and archaeological sites on the way but the most interesting stop was the Maguey shop. We got to watch how the artisans make things out of obsidian which comes from the volcanic lava and how the silversmith turns the silver into jewelry but the most intriguing demonstration was where they showed us all the ways they use the agave plant. First, they peeled the skin of one of the leaves to create paper. You can write on it with a pen and the ink won't smudge. Then if you rub the leaf it will create a film that is used for antiseptic. Break off the tip of the leaf and the sharp point is used for a needle. Attached to it are long strands that are used as thread. Lastly, inside the plant itself, they stir the pulp to create the liquid that is fermented to make tequila. This part of the demonstration involved getting us drunk off of pure agave juice, mescal, and tequila. This was great but probably would have been better after the climb to the top of two pyramids!

After that, we went to the Pyramids of the Teotihuacan. I climbed to the top of both the Pyramid of the Sun and the Moon. The climb up was pretty treacherous and steep. It's helpful to have really long legs (which I don't) because the stairs are very high but once you get to the top the view is worth the effort. There were butterflies flying all around me. I felt like they followed me on my journey across the U.S. and we all migrated together from North America to get to this place! They only added to the surreal feeling of being someplace so ancient that so many others throughout history have climbed before me. If you've never climbed to the top of a pyramid then I highly recommend putting it on your to-do list because it was an absolutely amazing experience.

The next day I flew to Veracruz. I don't have much to report about this trip because I was advised by my local site contact to stay close to my hotel due to the unsafe conditions in the area. This

part of Mexico was not a tourist destination but this was the real Mexico that most tourists never see. People were living in extreme poverty (mostly Third-world conditions) and scavenging what was supposed to be a beach but looked more like a garbage dump.

It was about 20 degrees warmer than Mexico City... approximately 90 sticky degrees every day.

Now I'm in Montreal, Canada and it feels like it's been a year rather than a week since I was in Mexico. Probably because I flew out Summer and straight into Winter! The leaves here have already changed to yellow and orange and from what I've seen of Montreal so far it looks like a beautiful city. My brain is having a bit of a meltdown though. I'm finally remembering my room number and floor but now have to remember to speak in French rather than Spanish. It also would have been useful information to know that there are 5 Marriott hotels here. Two are on the same street. Luckily, I found mine on the second try.

It's been almost 9 weeks and I've been in about 15 different cities and on 15 flights with one more flight to go (back home to New York!). This will be my last trip for a while and I'm hoping to see some great museums while I'm here so check back next week for the last of the "On the Road" blogs.

On the Road in Wisconsin (part 2)

Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame

I went to check out Lambeau Field before I left Wisconsin because I felt that it was something I needed to do in order to get the real Green Bay experience. I wanted to take the stadium tour because I heard that they actually let you go on the field. I arrived at 9:15 but unfortunately the first tour started at 11 am and I had to leave for the airport at 11:30 so I opted for the ticket to the Packers Hall of Fame which is located on the lower level of the stadium.


The museum was surprisingly nice. It had beautiful displays, sculptures, and really nice graphics. The labels were clear and well placed and there was also video footage to supplement the text. It had a good balance of technology and hands-on interactives plus lots of cool photo-ops with lifelike sculptures. They had tons of interesting artifacts and an exact replica of Vince Lombardi's office that you could walk through. There was also a separate area for kids to play in where they could put on football jerseys and throw footballs or slide down a giant hunk of cheese.


The exhibit was clean and well maintained, the content was well organized and I didn't find anything out of order or broken. The staff was also very friendly and helpful and even gave me the senior citizen discount when I told them I work in museums.

Even though I'm not a Packers fan I thought this was a great museum. I was really very impressed. I would recommend buying the Stadium Tour and Hall of Fame package. If you do take the stadium tour please let me know how it was since I never got to see it myself!