We're Doing A Did You Know For This Week's Fast Five!

 Sometimes I just want to see if y'all are paying attention to some of the stranger little things around the world!

1.    Did you know about Seborga, Italy?  It's a town that thinks it should be a country.  What?  Well, it's all about a technicality.  apparently, the village of now 300 people was sold in 1729, but the sale to then royalty was never officially recorded.  Somehow, that led a local resident named Giorgio Carbone to campaign for the village's independence in 1963.  

The little village is only 35 km from Monaco along that southern coast along the Mediterranean Sea, and is a great little stop along the way.  They've printed and minted their own money and they have their own flag.  They are not recognized as a country, but they are determined.  Is it a vacation spot?  No.  Just a stop along the way.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g2052406-d4420640-Reviews-Seborga-Seborga_Province_of_Imperia_Liguria.html   

https://instantlyitaly.com/discover-seborga-an-old-village-in-liguria-unique-character/   

https://www.italia.it/en/liguria/seborga   

https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherinesabino/2023/09/06/what-to-know-about-visiting-seborga-a-destination-unlike-any-other-in-italy/   

https://www.principatodiseborga.com/history   

2.   Did you know that there's an island called Pheasant Island, in France or Spain?  Actually, it's both.  This strange island which is uninhabited, needed a home.  France is on one side of the Bidasoa River and Spain is on the other.  Ironically, no one ever included this little island in any treaties or anything, so it's not clear whom it belongs to.

How to sort that out?  Well, the two countries decided to be fair.  Or what seems fair to Spain and France, which was to each claim responsibility for the island for half the year every year.  And, it's not like they set up the schedule using new year's which most people would do.  No.  That would be too easy.

From February 1st to July 31st each year, France is responsible for the island.  From August 1st to the next year's January 31st, it is governed by Spain.  Does this make any difference to the island?  No.  But rules are rules.  My favorite part is that it's not even open the public, so you couldn't visit other than to look at it if you tried.

https://www.fascinatingspain.com/articulo/what-to-see-in-basque-country/pheasant-island-nationality-spanish-half-year-french-other/20240710150541067216.html

https://www.basquecountry-tourism.com/directory/pheasant-island/   

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pheasant-island

https://www.defactoborders.org/places/pheasant-island   

https://airial.travel/attractions/%C3%AEle-des-faisans-pheasant-island-bidasoa-river-france-spain-5vHz6X_m   

3.    Did you know that the time zone in Newfoundland is weird?  We've probably all heard of Newfoundland.  Although it sits on the east coast of Canada, it's very remote.  St. John's, Newfoundland is the first place the sunrise is visible in all the Americas every day.  It's an interesting country with very few people living in it for its size.  There are two islands just off its southern shore that are a province of France.  You can sit on the beach in Newfoundland and watch icebergs float by.

There's not doubt that it's an interesting country, famous for Vikings having lived there and their fishing industry, and very cold winters.  My father was stationed there with the Navy in the 1950's and he told some crazy stories about the winters there.

However, did you know that they have one of the strangest time zones on Earth?  In a world where times zones are separated by an hour, Newfoundland decided that none of that suited them.  Here's the story.

When the world decided to standardize time zones, Newfoundland was a British Dominion and not a part of Canada.  They fall precisely in the middle of two of the time zones that were established back then.  So, they split the difference.  They became part of Canada in 1949, and at that point it was assumed that they'd adopt a time zone.  However, it's been a cantankerous political topic to this very day.  The Newfoundlanders like their unusual time zone.  They feel it's part of their history and they aim to preserve it.  There have been votes, campaigns, referendums and on and on, but as of right now, they are still 3.5 hours west of Greenwich Mean Time.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/newfoundland-half-hour-time-zone-1.7001193   

 https://www.britannica.com/story/why-are-some-time-zones-30-minutes-off-instead-of-an-hour   

https://www.productofnewfoundland.ca/articles/5-facts-about-the-newfoundland-time-zone   

https://www.citymonitor.ai/analysis/the-worlds-weirdest-time-zones/   

https://www.canadainfolink.ca/time-zones-canada/   

4.    Did you know that the Giant Ferris Wheel at Der Prater, Vienna is special?  Why?  Well, it's the oldest Ferris Wheel in the world.  I wondered about this.  I was always told that the Ferris Wheel was created in Chicago, Illinois, USA for the Columbian Exhibition in 1893.  Turns out that also is true.

The things are named after the creator; George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.  That's a mouthful; pretty happy they shortened it to Ferris.  But, alas, that first wheel went away.  It was refurbished a few times for events in Chicago but was officially demolished in 1906.

The Giant Ferris Wheel in Der Prater in Vienna came along in 1897 to celebrate the 50th Jubilee of Franz Joseph I.  Unlike Chicago, Vienna has preserved that very wheel to this day.  It's 65 meters high and takes about 15 minutes to make a revolution.  It does give a great view of the city and comes with its own museum.  It costs 13.5 Euros for a ride and is well  worth it!

https://www.wien.info/en/see-do/prater/giant-ferris-wheel-346994   

https://wienerriesenrad.com/en/home/   

https://www.praterwien.com/en/attractions/details/platform-9-giant-wheel   

https://www.austria.info/nl-nl/bestemmingen/giant-ferris-wheel/   

https://viennawelcomecard.at/attraction/giant-ferris-wheel   

5.    Did you know that Napoleon blew up Devin Castle, Slovakia?  I had no idea.  But, this medieval behemoth, which sits on top of a fantastic hill overlooking the Danube and also the Morava Rivers was just a bit much for Napoleon to deal with back in 1809.

This castle was originally an area inhabited in prehistoric times.  It was a piece of land used by Romans, Celts, Hungarians and many others over the years.  Fast forward to the years of Napoleon.  He put a siege on Pressburg (modern day capital, Bratislava).  While that was kind of working out, the castle was being used as a stronghold station against him.  When the whole thing was over, Napoleon simply decided, in his paranoid mind, that he should blow it up so no one could use it as a stronghold against him in the future.  Now, we all visit the ruins.

The castle is a deeply embedded piece of Slovak history.  It holds deep meaning for the people there.  The castle is a popular site to visit and it only costs 8 Euros to enter.  You can reach it by boat or bus and it's open daily until 6 pm.

https://www.visitbratislava.com/places/devin-castle/   

https://muzeumbratislava.sk/en/devin-castle   

https://hraddevin.mmb.sk/en/   

https://slovakia.travel/en/devin-castle   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIx80SMa3qI   

I do cover a lot of these topics on my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon."  You can learn more there about several of the topics here.

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026  

There you have it.  Just a few little things that I didn't know if y'all knew about.  There are a lot of little tidbits around the world.  I've mentioned just a few.  If you're curious about what goes on out in the world, go out and check it out.  You only live once and there's a whole world to see!  Enjoy!

New York City Has Some New Secrets To Me That Everyone Should Check Out On This Week's Fast Five!

 I love to find new things to investigate in New York, and I recently found some great stuff that I will be covering on my YouTube Channel, Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon in the near future.  If you like Central Europe, I'm doing a series on my visit to Slovakia right now.  https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026   

1.    The Dyckman Farmhouse and Park, The Bronx, New York.  Gotta love this one!  It's an 18th century farmhouse turned park and museum right in the city!  Is it a thrill a minute?  No.  However, this is a gem.  It's at the end of the blue A line on the subway and it's one of the oldest houses in the entire city.  Besides, it's a farmhouse.  It was built in 1784 and rebuilt in 1793.  The family used to farm there on a couple hundred acres.  Over the years, things changed and eventually the house was gifted to the city and made into a museum and park.  It's only open Wednesday through Saturday 12 to 4, but it also only costs $3.  There's a little half acre park around it as well.  If you want a little side trip to the Bronx before or after your Yankees game; this could be for you.

I like it because it's unique.  What makes me visit some of the places I go to?  Just that.  Have I ever heard of an existing farmhouse in the Bronx?  No.  Now I want to go.

https://dyckmanfarmhouse.org/   

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/dyckman-house-museum   

https://dyckmanfarmhouse.org/visit/tickets-tours/   

https://historichousetrust.org/houses/dyckman-farmhouse-museum/   

https://www.nyctourism.com/museums-galleries/dyckman-farmhouse-museum/   

2.    Far Rockaway, Queens, New York City.  What exactly is Rockaway, or Far Rockaway?  Interesting question.  I've been spending some time out there lately and when I figure it all out, there will be a video and maybe a whole other blog post.

It's a peninsula in Queens.  You can get there by Long Island Railroad (LIRR).  You can get there across the water in Jamaica Bay by the blue A Line on the Subway.  Yes, this is the other end.  The Bronx end is close to the Dyckman Farmhouse.  There's also another shuttle out there that separates from the A Line to go to the west part of the peninsula and the rest of the beaches.

There are beaches out there.  Miles of them on the ocean side of the peninsula.  You can walk for miles along the Atlantic shore.  It's beautiful.  It's also beach land for beach people.  It's also the only place in the city where it's legal to surf.  In the summer, you can even take surfing classes.

If you don't want to spend an hour and a half coming from the train station on the subway, you can go to Pier 11 and catch a ferry that will get you there in an hour.  It's a bit out there.  You can see JFK Airport from Far Rockaway.  There are bridges.  They are connected to Queens.  You can drive there if you like.  I don't drive in the city and certainly wouldn't drive out there.

There are 85,000 residents in Rockaway/Far Rockaway.  There are high rise apartments.  There are schools.  There are industrial businesses, and a complete city out there.  It is truly unique.  It's busy, bustling, with people running to get where they're going.  Then, you can hop off the train in another area and just walk along a boardwalk right on the ocean and feel like the city part is a million miles away instead of a block.

This place needs to be investigated and I'm going to do that.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/rockaway-beach-and-boardwalk/   

https://www.cityneighborhoods.nyc/far-rockaway   

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g47702-Far_Rockaway_Queens_New_York-Vacations.html   

https://www.ferry.nyc/routes-and-schedules/rockaway-soundview/   

https://www.mta.info/stations/far-rockaway   

3.    The Frying Pan Restaurant and Cafe, Pier 66a, Chelsea, Manhattan in Hudson River Park.  What on Earth is this?  Well, once I figured out what a historic lighthouse boat was, I had a better clue.  They used to use them in the Carolinas as they needed them to be movable; why I don't know.  I stumbled right onto this one and plan to have a meal there soon, just to check this out.

It was built in 1929 and was used as a floating lighthouse in Cape Fear.  It's name was the Frying Pan Shoals.  When it was retired in 1965, it warranted a second chapter.  It was eventually brought to NYC in the 1980's and was docked at Pier 63 and turned into a restaurant.  It was declared a historic site in 1991, moved to Pier 66a in 2007 and the rest is history.  They serve pub fare and some seafood.  They also have another site in Brooklyn.

However, this is not the only vessel used at this site.  There's also a floating bridge from the B & O Railroad to enter the property on, a Lackawanna RR Barge, and a retired fire boat.  This looks to be a venue that would be as much fun as a party boat, but it's just a scenic Hudson River restaurant in Chelsea with what appears to be really good food.  

They're open seasonally, weather permitting, from 11:30 am to 10 pm daily.  To get there, I would take the purple 7 Line to Hudson Yards and enjoy the walk along the river.

https://www.fryingpan.com/   

https://hudsonriverpark.org/activities/pier-66-bar-grill/   

https://www.nyctourism.com/restaurants/the-frying-pan/   

https://loving-newyork.com/frying-pan-restaurant/?ltad=gads_LNYus_newyork_PMAX&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23737172802&gbraid=0AAAAADNqAdE3nqAX7HFjNwOnOapvG6_Hr&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrs7RBhDuARIsAIVfBD39Sxnr0nCy1SN8KhshnKh8vWdoLqNU_hA6vkiRTIjajZH1_0m9uvgaAhgREALw_wcB   

https://www.fryingpanbrooklyn.com/   

4.    Bowling at Chelsea Piers, Chelsea, Manhattan.  Chelsea Piers is one of those locations.  There's so much to do there, it's crazy.  This is where a lot of people get their sports on.  They have golf; figure that out.  They have health clubs, various sports groups for kids in particular, ice skating, swimming, and all kinds of stuff.  I went to Arte Museum there a bit ago for immersive art.  They have cool restaurants.  This is where you'll catch a lot of local cruises in Manhattan.  There's a lot going on.

It sits on the Hudson River at Piers 59, 60, and 61.  The complex is huge.  It's part of the Hudson River Park and there's a walkway right through it.  Therefore, I was walking along after I went to Arte Museum and discovered that there's also a bowling alley and arcade.

Lucky Strike Arcade and Bowling.  They're a chain of entertainment venues.  They also have laser tag.  It's a truly cool looking venue and face it; how many bowling alleys do you find in Manhattan?  I know, there's one in Port Authority Bus Terminal, but how many others?

This is the kind of place where you can game, tag, bowl, eat and drink.  On those rainy days, this is a winner.  Their hours vary throughout the week, so check before you go.  You can also book ahead online and make sure you have a spot.  They have all kinds of specials and special events, so make sure you check their website.

Just to put it out there, I went to Arte Museum, and it was a great time.  It's worth the $50 price tag any day.

To visit Chelsea Piers I would just take the blue A Line to 14th Street and walk from there toward the Hudson River.  Yes, there is an A Line theme today.

https://www.luckystrikeent.com/?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A23087449821%3A189957319107%3A779030195660&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23087449821&gbraid=0AAAAADPFdQSOJ_VNA3aEjU35jgT67nBdy&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrs7RBhDuARIsAIVfBD23HW_RyL3A2xSCMU2bZuzAoMQOpC51AGuQy6WGqjI8Bxa1LFQsDkoaAjF6EALw_wcB   

https://www.luckystrikeent.com/location/lucky-strike-chelsea-piers   

https://hudsonriverpark.org/activities/bowling/   

https://www.chelseapiers.com/   

https://www.nyctourism.com/attractions-tours/chelsea-piers-sports-entertainment-complex/   

5.    Centre 360 or the observation deck on top of City Hall, Manhattan.  This is a 100 year in the making experience.  The original 36 story high deck was closed about 100 years ago and just opened for the first time since then this month.  It delivers its promised 360 degree views over the city and does it for free.

What's the catch?  Well, there are a lot of them.  It's only open Monday Through Friday 9 to 5.  Office hours baby.  You also can only go up in groups of five.  It's a small elevator, and its a cupola on top.  Those are the catches.  It is free and it is a great view.  You have to book in advance on their website to get a spot and they aren't easy to get as this is new for this generation, free and popular.  The best time to try and make a reservation is first thing on the first of the month.  Spots will fill up quick.  First come, first serve.  There's a limited number available.

I'll let you know when I manage to get a spot.  To get there, take the green 4, 5, 6, the brown J, Z, or the yellow R, W.  This is also the station that is at the end of the Brooklyn Bridge, so you can walk that.  It's also the station where you can ride the green 6 on its turnaround and see the abandoned subway station.  It's a really cool neighborhood, close to South Street Seaport and Pier 17.  It has great views along the East River.  So plan a day of it when you get your ticket.  There's a lot in a confined space worth seeing.

https://a856-centre360.nyc.gov/   

https://newyorkyimby.com/2026/06/centre-360-public-observatory-opens-atop-david-n-dinkins-municipal-building-at-1-centre-street-in-lower-manhattan.html   

https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcas/news/015-26/dcas-officially-opens-centre-360-the-public-city-s-new-only-municipal-observation   

https://medium.com/compoundclassroom/why-this-neighborhood-is-an-undiscovered-manhattan-gem-21d063e0e070   

https://www.mta.info/   

There are some of my latest finds.  Will I be looking into it personally?  Absolutely! You'll be able to check it all out on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026   

There are many hidden gems in the city.  I find new ones all the time. There's always something new and different in New York.  Most of the time I don't even have to look for it; I just stumble across it.  Just remember, when you visit a city; check ahead and see if you can find some hidden gems where you're visiting.  They are always some of the most memorable activities you'll have.  I like the hidden gems because they aren't normally overrun with tourists.  It gives me unique stories to tell and memories that not everyone has.

Check back here for more travel information on New York City, the world, and the do's and don'ts of travel.  Enjoy!