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Thursday, July 9, 2026

Wanna See Some Crazy Stuff? Here's This Week's Fast Five!

 Once in a while I just love crazy stuff.  Here's some towns, homes, and temples around the world that are just insane!  The best part is that most of them you can go and visit!
























1.    Vardzia, Erusheti Mountain, Southern Georgia.  That's a mouthful, but this amazing cave monastery has been there since the later 1100's.  It's 500 feet up and has 19 stories of caves that have been carved into every imaginable building.



They lived there, worked there and worshipped there.  This was a completely isolated and completely self supporting monastery with 15 or so places of worship and over 100 dwellings.  It's had a bit of a wild history being taken over by Mongols, Ottomans, and Soviets and others over the years.  Later excavations revealed that the location has been inhabited off and on since the Bronze Age.  Today, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  



If you would like to visit this place, It's open daily from 10 am to 7 pm most of the time.  It costs the equivalent of $5.50 to get in.  They have a visitor center and audio guides for you if necessary.  There are buses and taxis to go out there or you can drive it yourself in a rental.  If you'd rather not put in that much work, you can book a tour through TripAdvisor, Viator, and GetYourGuide.



https://www.getyourguide.com/vardzia-l90039/   



https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g7092359-d1598757-r391347834-Vardzia-Aspindza_Samtskhe_Javakheti_Region.html   



https://www.viator.com/tours/Kutaisi/Vardzia-cave-city-and-Rabati-castle-Tour/d50207-45676P5   



https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5236/   



https://georgia.travel/vardzia


























 




















2.    Jingyin Temple, Gujian Mountain, Chongqing, China.  Another mouthful, but an interesting temple complex on quite a cliff.  This place dates back to 960 or so and it was a Buddhist Complex mostly.  It sits 3,760 feet up from the ground below the cliff and has views you can't imagine.




It's built so that it blends in with the stone around and there are several parts to it.  It was a sanctuary for centuries and is now a place to go and visit.  It's about a 2 hour drive from Chongqing.  You can take a bullet train and then a taxi if you like.  Tours are available and the property is open all the time.  There are some accommodations in the area if you'd like.  Tours are very affordable.  Allow a couple of hours for exploration.  The one kicker is you have to walk and it's got over 700 steps to get up there.





This one is for the slightly adventurous, or you can just visit to get a look at it.













































































3.    The Volcano House, Newberry Springs, California.  This wild one was built in the late 1960's by architect Harold James Bissner Jr.  Why?  Creativity I suppose.  It drives a lot of people in California.  It's built atop an ancient volcano cone.  It's in the middle of nowhere in the Mojave Desert and has 360 degree views from its perch.





This is a private home and not open to the public, but if you drive out there you can at least get a look at it.  It's a functioning house and its design reportedly reflects the heat of the desert.  Thought it was an interesting one.























































































4.    Linshi Town, on a bridge, Chongqing, China.  A lot of interesting stuff goes on in the province of Chongqing, apparently.  This is a village on a bridge.  Can't say much more about that.





People live on this bridge.  People have businesses on this bridge.  There are restaurants on this bridge.  It is a town, so you can visit this bridge.  One of the strangest things I've ever seen, but it was built that way.  It was built in the 1980's and it's on a viaduct 400 feet above the river below.  Simple as that.  It's a completely functioning town.




You can take a bullet train to Fuling and visit from there.  Catch a ride share or taxi.  There's an elevator up to the village.  You can also book a tour.  There's a small fee to visit.  















































































5.    Bonifacio, Corsica, France.    This is a village, on a cliff that's not in Asia.  It's on the island of Corsica off the coast of France.  You may have heard of Corsica.  It's where Napoleon was born.  It has a rather interesting history, mostly because of that.





This place is perched on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean.  It's medieval.  It's not accessible and you climb 189 steps to get up to the village and bastion.  It's a great day trip on a lovely island in the Mediterranean Sea.  What more do you really need to know?  If you come to Corsica in early May, you might also get to celebrate Napoleon's Birthday.  It's a local holiday in Corsica.



Bonifacio is also the city around the hilltop village.  You can fly in, drive in, come by boat or take a tour.  There are many accommodations, just check the listings.  


































There you have it!  Some odd and unusual things to take a look at and experience.  The world is full of wonder, and if you'd like to know what I'm up to right now, check out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon."  That's me!  






Remember, the world is full of amazing things, so never stop Adventuring!  Enjoy!!!!!
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Thursday, July 2, 2026

You Should Know, You Need to Know, and Do You Want to Know on This Week's Fast Five!

 I decided to do a few more Did You Knows for this week's fast five, so hope you get something out of this one!
























1.    Did you know that there was a park called Morningside in Manhattan and that they are supposed to have a waterfall?



The park is located on a cliff, so this makes a waterfall entirely possible.  There is a lake, so that makes a waterfall even more possible.  The powers that be actually made a man made waterfall in this park.  It's roughly 20 feet high and is embedded in the cliff next to the lake.  Pretty cool right?



I went to visit the waterfall the other day, however, and it was dry.  I don't know if it's the season, if there was something wrong with the pumps or what.  I'd heard that they'd recently done some work on the pumps to make sure it was flowing and I saw a lot of pictures and videos online, but when I got there it was dry.  Just a heads up!



You can reach Morningside Park best by taking the B, A, or C, lines to 116th St. and walking west.  If you take the 1 line to 116th St. you'll have to walk across Columbia University Campus and that isn't as easy as it sounds.



https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/morningside-park   



https://www.morningsidepark.org/   



https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/attractions/morningside-park/   



https://news.columbia.edu/news/morningside-park-restored-waterfall-renewed-pond-and-blueprint-climate-resilient-public-space   



https://foresyteapp.com/morningside-waterfall-new-york/   
























2.    Did you know that the Waterbury Line on Metro North is shutting down for 10 months?  That's right.  10 months, starting July 20th, 2026.  They expect to reopen on June 1st, 2027.



There have been many changes to the Waterbury line over the years, although I suspect they're still using the same trains, and this is just the latest.  The state of Connecticut decided that in order to fix all the platforms at all of the 6 stations that are exclusively on that line; they'll get it done fast and better if the trains aren't in the way.  Fair assessment.  



Don't worry, you can still take advantage of the free parking and the lack of dealing with Bridgeport's transportation hub traffic.  There will be buses throughout the duration of the upgrades and you'll still be able to use your traintime app for tickets.



https://www.mta.info/   



https://portal.ct.gov/governor/news/press-releases/2026/05-2026/governor-lamont-announces-construction-underway-on-four-waterbury-branch-line-station-upgrades?language=en_US   



https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/mta-buses-to-replace-waterbury-branch-trains-starting-july-20/3750825/   



https://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2026-05-01/ct-metro-north-train-stations-upgrades   



https://valley.newhavenindependent.org/2026/07/01/waterbury-branch-to-use-buses/   
























3.   Did you know that if you take an American Cruise on an American Cruise Ship, you'll only be dealing with Americans?



Let me explain this one.  In the United States, there are cruise lines that only travel places in the country.  There are some exclusively Alaskan cruises, Mississippi River cruises, Puget Sound area, Chesapeake Bay, coastlines, great lakes and the likes.  This particular area of cruise travel has some unique laws in our country.



If your cruise company only travels in the United States of America with no other ports, your company needs to be owned and operated by Americans.  The ship must be made by an American company and staffed by Americans, while being an American run cruise company.  I'm not joking.  I didn't know that, but there it is.



What do I think about this?  I'm not sure.  It's called the Jones Act and it's not new.  It comes from around 1920.  I'm all for supporting American products and companies.  The government has made no such restrictions on international cruise ships operating within American based companies.  It's a point of conversation.  Just found out and thought I'd share.



https://www.tipsfortravellers.com/legal-restriction-on-usa-cruise-ships-shorts/



https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1004?language=en_US   



https://www.barneslawfirm.com/how-the-jones-act-affects-cruise-ships/   



https://naylorlaw.com/blog/how-does-the-jones-act-affect-cruise-ships/   



https://www.sutliffstout.com/jones-act-cruise-ships/   
























4.    Did you know that tipping is more prevalent in several South African locations than it is in the United States?



Bet that one never occurred to you.  I've been bombarded in recent years with tipping situations.  I buy a bottle of water at a stand and they want a tip.  Sorry, you don't see the cashiers at Walmart doing that.  It seems as though we have the most intrusive and constant tipping society in the world.  When I visit Europe, tipping is mostly not done, and if it is, it's by choice.  So, how on Earth could there be anywhere that's crazier on tipping than here?



My friends, that place is South Africa.  From what I understand, Apartheid is over, but some of the issues linger on.  Apparently, and I don't know for sure, because I've never actually been there; segregation and the wealth gap larger than the Grand Canyon are still alive and well.  I heard a story just last week that some restaurants still seat certain people in the back and others in the front.  True story.



At any rate, to make some extra cash, the people doing various unskilled and menial jobs are reliant on tips.  They need to get by.  So, remember when you're tooling around South Africa; tip.



Tip your bartender, housekeeping, servers and waitstaff, valets, guides, gas station attendants, and more.  It's customary there.



https://www.capetownmagazine.com/tipping-south-africa   



https://www.expertafrica.com/south-africa/info/tipping-in-south-africa   



https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293740-i9186-k14701257-Tipping-South_Africa.html   



https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/108672/tipping-in-south-africa   



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=318aSmggvdg   

























5.    Did you know that there's a cat boat in Amsterdam?



There are a lot of things that we all hear about Amsterdam.  Getting around by bike and boat, all the canals, the red light district, hash bars, Anne Frank.  We hear a lot of that stuff.  What I'd never heard about was the cat boat.



I find this fascinating, because we all know that there are a lot of homeless cats in the world and they need a place to live and someone to care for them.  shelters are not uncommon.  However, I was intrigued to hear about a bunch of homeless cats being cared for and living on a boat.  I've had cats and they were never a fan of water.  This is something I never would have thought of.



At any rate, they are cared for and comfortable and a little bit spoiled.  They are available for adoption and if you want a kitty; there are plenty there to choose from.



https://depoezenboot.nl/en   



https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/de-poezenboot-the-cat-boat   



https://all.accor.com/a/en/limitless/thematics/off-the-beaten-track/cat-boat-amsterdam.html   



https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1384?language=en_US   



https://www.state.gov/transition-center/returning-to-the-u-s-with-pets   



That's all I have to say about that.  I hope you found these items a bit interesting and somewhat helpful.  Sorry to say that the waterfall in Morningside Park is dry.  But, it is.  I'm rummaging around New York City on my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone With Terri Dixon" that's me!  If you'd like to check out what I'm up to right now, here you go;  https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026   



Thanks for joining me! Never stop adventuring!  Enjoy!

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