Let's mix it up and fill in some experience gaps: RTW 2015

[mrs.dr.ron]

...............
I figure I was over N Arizona and pretty sure over Monument Valley.

Pics follow.

We have driven thru Monument Valley and your picture look about right

 

[JohnM]

We have driven thru Monument Valley and your picture look about right

Likewise - that's what had me figuring it was - the landforms and the position of the road.

 

[JohnM]

Gorgeous! If I may intrude on your TR:

"The earth is a geologist's paradise."

And what about the biologists?

 

[RooFlyer]

And what about the biologists?

The fossils?
<ducks >

 

[JohnM]

The fossils?
<ducks >

You'll keep.

 

[JohnM]

OK, just to show that I'm really in SFO.

Fog rolling up the bay - at10am.



There's a bridge in there.


Alcatraz going in and out of view.



Kickball - a new game based on baseball using a large, soft, bouncy ball. It looked quite cool fun.

 

[JohnM]

OK, like (get that, hipsters ), where does one have dinner when in SFO? Why, at a vegetarian restaurant of course!

But not any ol' vego joint. Gotta (gaahh! :evil head to hip Greens in the Fort Mason Center.

My first ever time at a vegetarian restaurant :shock: - and I hit SFO every year (great positioning spot for getting in the one allowable LOTFAP trans-con on an xONEx .)

The verdict? Pretty damn good .

Pics and edited comment follow.

 

[JohnM]

Dang! For some bizarre reason my pic of the menu fails to upload after several attempts. So here's what I drank and ate.

Wine: a Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Yes, I know, the Chardonnays from there can be nuts, but bear with me. I chose based on my guesstimate of matching with the food I had decided on. Also, I was interested in seeing what sort of style the SB was.

Certainly no NZ fruit bomb (praise be!) but less flavoured and acidic than good Aus examples. Nearest comparison I coudl put it to would be like a slightly sweet and a little less textural Shaw + Smith. A good food wine for what was to follow (ahem, as planned .)




Grilled figs with ambrosia melon, watercress, goat cheese, balsamic and EVO.



This pic does not do justice to the main. Fire roasted Pobliano Chili (aka a green capsicum) with quinoa (yeh, man - I'll live forever...), white corn, grilled onions, cilantro, goat cheese, fire roasted salsa, avocado and creme fraiche, with tomatillo sauce and Rancho Gordo beans.

Now there's a mouthful! It looks a bit of a lump but, man (get that, groovers!), it was goooood! I have never had such nice, subtle chilli. Was it the quantity or was it the quality? I suspect both. It didn't kill the taste buds but it had a nice kick. The wine worked a treat with it!


I broke my no dessert rule again for the coconut, strawberry and raspberry sorbets.

 

[TomVexille]

Kickball - a new game based on baseball using a large, soft, bouncy ball. It looked quite cool fun.
View attachment 55679

That's not new. Well, maybe in Australia it might be...

 

[Milboo]

If you are there longer then I recommend Gary Danko for a good meal, and a great concept of a fixed price for 3,4 or 5 courses. When we were then they told us you can order 2 mains and 3 desserts if you wanted!

Add amuse bouche and petit fours (and take home gift), $99 for 4 courses is excellent value.

 

[JohnM]

If you are there longer then I recommend Gary Danko for a good meal, and a great concept of a fixed price for 3,4 or 5 courses. When we were then they told us you can order 2 mains and 3 desserts if you wanted!

Add amuse bouche and petit fours (and take home gift), $99 for 4 courses is excellent value.

Know it well - I have eaten there twice before . It's difficult to get into without booking two months ahead - or it was.

 

[JohnM]

That's not new. Well, maybe in Australia it might be...

OK. I hadn't seen it before. My comment was based on what US-accented guy cycling past said when he stopped and commented that it was new. Must have been a Canadian .

 

[JohnM]

There was a bridge in there.

 

[JohnM]

A few pics out of the window SFO-MIA today for RF to interpret. Our track took us over Bryce Canyon but that's not obvious in any of these pics - geotag says somewhere near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Some big weather systems over the US meant three periods of heavy chop and not much clear viewing.











Overnight near airport in MIA and down to BOG tomorrow afternoon.

 

[juddles]

Gorgeous! If I may intrude on your TR:

"The earth is a geologist's paradise."

Bloody geos

Fancy photos and maps - all I want from them is a simple "X" marks the spot, but they all insist on using fancy big words and lots of colours. Actually, I think biologists do that too....

 

[juddles]

.....Overnight near airport in MIA and down to BOG tomorrow afternoon.

John, as you land in BOG, you will no doubt see extensive huge glasshouses - just know that they grow FLOWERS there, not wicked stuff! Same when you fly into Medellin.

I fly back into Medellin late Thursday, then up to Barranquilla and back Friday, so will see you Saturday. Some ex-pat friends are probably doing a day tour of Medellin on Friday, so if you have no fixed plans, I can hook you up with them - good people!

 

[JohnM]

John, as you land in BOG, you will no doubt see extensive huge glasshouses - just know that they grow FLOWERS there, not wicked stuff! Same when you fly into Medellin.

I fly back into Medellin late Thursday, then up to Barranquilla and back Friday, so will see you Saturday. Some ex-pat friends are probably doing a day tour of Medellin on Friday, so if you have no fixed plans, I can hook you up with them - good people!

I do know about the importance of the the hothouse flower industry in Colombia!

Day tour on Friday sounds good - it's what I'd be looking at doing anyway .

 

[JohnM]

MIA-BOG on LA this afternoon. 1A (natch). Only about a 3h flight.

Louis Roederer in a rather nice stemless glass before takeoff. Very good gnocchi with porcini sauce and some 2010 Triple C Chilean red (without Googling, I'd say it was Carmenere/Cab Sav/Cab Franc). It was excellent.

Back to the Champagne with the raspberry mousse and chocolate dessert.

New airport at BOG makes all Australian airports look decidedly Mickey Mouse.



S Beach MIA.

 

[juddles]

....New airport at BOG makes all Australian airports look decidedly Mickey Mouse...

Yep. BOG used to be very sub-par, but now it is absolutely spectacular - my longest time exiting customs, etc has been about 5 minutes. I do not know any airport so good.

 

[Rugby]

Just caught up JohnM - enjoying the ride.