Doing a Fast Five This Week! May, 29th!

 

Responsibilities got in the way this week, so my mass transit travels will be along soon.  This week I have a fast five for you with some juicy ideas and knowledge!

1.  What on Earth is the Schengen Zone?  Well, we've been through a few of such incarnations in Europe.  What happens in this area, region or continent is that there are a lot of tiny countries and that's a lot of borders to keep track of.  The latest grouping of countries that have agreed on discontinuing border controls is called the Schengen Zone.  This group of 29 countries; and it may be growing, has agreed to allow travelers to wander throughout their countries while not having to go through border control between.  The European Union was that way the last time I actually went on the mainland, and it was nice.  Hopefully this version will last.

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/schengen-area_en

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/US_Travelers_in_Europes_Schengen_Area.html

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/schengen-area

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/

https://www.udi.no/en/word-definitions/schengen--the-schengen-area/

2.    The friendly whales of San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California.  That's right; friendly.  During March and April, Grey Whales come to this lagoon and they interact with the travelers.  You can take any number of tours during that time, and you'll be amazed.  The whales come and check you out.  They come right up to the boats and you can even pet them.  It's a rare experience and is only possible for a couple of months a year.  

https://bajadiscovery.com/whale-watching/whale-watching/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpNuyBhCuARIsANJqL9N4F41RbfJaGJYoc3EBmDWrv0RpEgyl7u3vrXPqU3kw0wlFfM0EJCQaAhEjEALw_wcB

https://www.bajaecotours.com/friendly-gray-whales/

https://bajawildencounters.com/blog/touching-gray-whales-in-baja-callifornia-mexico

https://www.seakayakadventures.com/blog/top-10-things-you-need-know-about-baja-gray-whale-season

https://eatseerv.com/grey-whales-in-baja-ultimate-guide/

3.    Take a cruise to and a plunge at the North Pole!  Back in the 1980's there was a new thing; cruising to Antarctica.  Nowadays, you can even get a bargain on some of those cruises.  Now, the Arctic is trending with cruises to the geographic North Pole.  You get luxury accommodations and the trip takes roughly two weeks.  Once the captain locates the exact point of the geographic North Pole, you get to go out and enjoy standing on the ice.  If you want, most trips offer the polar plunge as well!

https://www.polaradventure.com/northpole?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Display&utm_campaign=Spring-Display&utm_content=video&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpNuyBhCuARIsANJqL9NMzXTiLhdNC7Qu_NnoQ87F5fZbqu2FXwHCo6o0OCA3axLOXkJz2UsaAubQEALw_wcB

https://us.ponant.com/destinations/north-pole

https://www.swoop-arctic.com/cruises/north-pole

https://www.quarkexpeditions.com/arctic/the-north-pole

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/north-pole-cruise-ponant/

4.    The Frank Lloyd Wright Trail.  If you haven't heard of him, you should have.  He's one of the 20th century's most iconic American architects.  He has famous properties all over the country.  I've even been to some in Arizona.  However, what's known as the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail is in Wisconsin.  There are several stops on the trail and the properties are amazing, from specifically designed low cost housing to convention centers and of course; Taliesin.  It's a great road trip, and Wisconsin is so on my bucketlist anyways.

https://franklloydwrighttrail.org/

https://www.travelwisconsin.com/article/architecture/wisconsins-frank-lloyd-wright-trail

https://wrightinwisconsin.org/frank-lloyd-wright-trail

https://www.taliesinpreservation.org/news-posts/introducing-the-new-frank-lloyd-wright-trail-website-trail-tracker-and-updated-app/

https://franklloydwright.org/

5.    The Lingotto Test Track, Turin, Italy.  Fiat, like every other car company in the world needed a place to test their cars in the 1920's, so they built a test track on top of their factory.  Was it ingenious or crazy?  Well, they weren't the only ones to do it over time, but the Lingotto track is the only rooftop track left anywhere.  It is functional.  There is also a garden up there, but it does still exist.  Do they still make Fiats at Lingotto?  No.  The building has been turned into a mall, but there is a museum area dedicated to the factory and the track.  I don't believe anyone drives on it anymore, but you can walk on it if you like.  Turin is a historic and fantastic city to visit.  This is just another great sight to see.

https://www.motion-mag.com/exhibit/the-lingotto-building-and-its-iconic-fiat-rooftop-test-track

https://www.dezeen.com/2021/10/22/benedetto-camerana-lingotto-building-fiat-turin/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-15/fiat-factory-roof-gets-new-life-as-public-space-in-turin

http://www.turinitalyguide.com/fiat-lingotto-factory-turin/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fiat-lingotto-factory

https://www.getyourguide.com/s?cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=6656467877&cq_con=104844327494&cq_term=&cq_med=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&campaign_id=6656467877&adgroup_id=104844327494&target_id=aud-1393039795340%3Adsa-888479013240&loc_physical_ms=9003419&match_type=&ad_id=454622368960&keyword=&ad_position=&feed_item_id=&placement=&device=c&partner_id=CD951&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpNuyBhCuARIsANJqL9OuY2F7eAWhjupZTt-YMJameedijV7CRTJgZ2xspnMzkCp3-7tZQScaAjyQEALw_wcB&visitor-id=540405DC75B74E85998515E0A75FBD8B&locale_autoredirect_optout=true&q=Turin&et=440580

So there you have it.  Some great side trips or trip trips or whatever you wish to call them.  Whether you happen to be visiting one of the 29 countries in the Schengen Zone, want to pet a whale, or just want to see a race track on a rooftop; there are always more things to see around the world, so keep checking back here for ideas!  Enjoy!

Riding Public Transit in New England Chapter 2, New Haven CT!

 

New Haven, Connecticut is somewhere I've been a hundred times.  But, this time I tried something a bit different.  I took the train and took buses around town.  This park, once again is a city park and comes with parking fees.  This one's fee is only $25 for out of town residents.  But why pay when you can have an adventure?  

The park has a lighthouse and an antique carousel, and beaches.  There're pavilions, banquet venues and so much more.  Along the shore you find things like viewfinders, a boat launch, and a lot of green.  One thing you can see through the viewfinder is another light house along the breakwater.  There's a dolphin statue on the beach, and it's a positively peaceful and beautiful place to spend some time.

 

But I didn't start my day in New Haven.  I started my day with the Waterbury train again.  This time I took it to Bridgeport and transferred to the New Haven Line, landing at State Street Station in New Haven.  I had a lovely walk to the green where I caught the 206 bus and went to Lighthouse Point Park.  It was all a lovely ride. The bus driver's in New Haven were all very nice.

What I like about riding trains and buses is that I don't have to deal with as much stuff.  I don't have to drive.  That's a wonderful thing.  When I was a kid and I was coming into being 16, I wanted to get a driver's license.  Now, I just don't care.  I like to look at the scenery while I ride.  I like to people watch.  I relax on the ride.  Then I relax on the walk.  It's a great way to get away from it all.  

Now, it's not all perfect.  There are layovers.  I waited for nearly an hour at Stratford on my train change home, but it was a nice day and I just hung out.  What this does is gives me a new perspective.  I get a chance to think, take photos and get some exercise.  I even took the 274 bus to IKEA to do some shopping while I was in town.

The bus hub in New Haven is the town green.  From there you can catch literally any bus to anywhere.  They have city to city buses, local buses and they all stop at the city green.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of homeless people on the green, but don't let that bother you.  It didn't bother me, and I was alone.

New Haven is not only the home of Yale, but of so many fun things.  They have parks, theater, great food, and so much more.  It's worth spending some time.  And if you go to Long Wharf, you can have some of the best food truck food around.  It's all worth it.

On my way home, I went to Union Station.  I'd never been to New Haven's Union Station before.  It's awesome.  It's a historic train station and is still beautiful inside.  But that's not all.  They have 14 tracks, and you can go anywhere.  Not only can you go there on the New Haven line of Metro North, but also you can catch CT Rail, CT Shoreline East, Amtrak, and specifically the Acela.  The Vermonter and many other trains come through New Haven.  It's a great hub.

So, once again I say; get out of your comfort zone.  Gas costs a fortune.  I rode the train for a total of $13.50 and spent $3.50 on a day bus pass.  I had a great time.  I saw something new and spent the day relaxing and exercising.  The sun came out and everything was perfect.  I love a new adventure, and there will be more of this kind of adventure here over the summer.  I will be trying all kinds of New England public transit.  It's here, and most parts of the country don't have the intricate system that we do, so I hope people use it to get out more.

Be aware that unfortunately, a lot of the services I use aren't available on weekends.  I wish they were, but there doesn't seem to be a demand for them on weekends, because people here drive their cars everywhere they go.  If you're headed into NYC you can find transport, but in other places it can be sparse.  Hopefully that will change in the future.

So, summer is here.  There're a lot of places to go, and there's public transport to get there.  It's an adventure.  You meet people.  You get to relax.  It's a great way to spend the day, and it doesn't cost a lot of money.  So, take some time and have an adventure, take a train; take a bus and enjoy!

https://www.newhavenct.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/16/664

https://ctvisit.com/listings/lighthouse-point-park

https://visitnewhaven.com/places/lighthouse-point-park-carousel/

https://portal.ct.gov/ctrail

https://new.mta.info/agency/metro-north-railroad

https://portal.ct.gov/services/driving-and-transportation/getting-around/trains

https://www.cttransit.com/schedules

https://portal.ct.gov/dot/publictrans/bureau-of-public-transportation/local-bus-service

https://portal.ct.gov/dot/ctdot-press-releases/2024/ctdot-announces-massive-bus-service-expansion-beginning-march-10

https://www.amtrak.com/home?cmp=pdsrch-NAT%20|%20Non-Core%20DMA%20|%20Brand%20|%20Google%20|%20Exact-google&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0ruyBhDuARIsANSZ3wok9ajoDDsnNlOm0eiI38-jgU6VO0JzDT00Kfz4uoFnO0KbUlAi-BYaAil9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

First Post of the Summer Experiment! Day Trips!

 

The Northeastern United States is a special place, and I've spent the last 32 years calling it home.  It's a unique environment with some good things and some bad things, but isn't that the way anywhere you call home?

I live in Connecticut, and summer is upon us very soon.  Needless to say, that's important around here, because during the off seasons, there's only so much to do.  But, in the summer, most people get out and they go to parks, woods, mountains, camping, hiking, ATV riding, and lots of other activities.  One of the big ones is finding a place to go to the beach.

Connecticut has 618 miles of coastline along Long Island Sound.  It's our version of an ocean, and it's beautiful.  About 87 miles of that is beach.  How fabulous is that?  Now, I don't have an exact count of how many beaches there are in Connecticut, but I do know that there are 14 of them that are public.  87 miles and only 14 beaches open to the public.  There's a lot of beaches that aren't open to the public.

In Connecticut there are several cities along the shore that have city beaches.  These beaches charge a fee for an annual permit to park your car there and therefore visit.  Most cities will charge well over $200 to people who don't live in their city for said permit.  Each and every beach will charge for a separate permit.  If you think that's a lot of money to go to a beach, you should see the tickets you get if you park your car there without a permit.  It's twice as bad or more.  It's hard when you don't live along the shore, so you don't have a beach to go to in your own town.  It's hard to fight for space on a nice day when you go to the few public beaches.  No matter where you go, you're probably paying a separate parking fee as well.  It's a lot, and a lot of people don't have a lot of money.

So, what's a way to have that little adventure and spend some time along the shore?  

My answer was to take the train and the bus.  Let me explain.  I've been wanting to try out the public transportation in my region.  I've taken Metro North Railroad to New York City and taken the subway around the city for years.  But, there are public transportation systems all over Connecticut and Massachusetts, that I've never tried.  Stamford was my first trip doing this.

I boarded the Metro North Train in Waterbury.  This is a train station that's basic, but recently, they've redone the parking lot and it's much nicer than it used to be.  I took that train to Bridgeport, one of the large hubs on the train system.  I waited a few minutes and boarded the train that's route runs from New Haven, Connecticut to Grand Central Station in NYC.  I took that train to Stamford and got off there for the first time ever.

When I got to Stewart B. McKinney Transportation Center in Stamford, I found a great place to continue my journey, because that's also where the main bus terminal is.  In Connecticut, we not only have local buses, but buses that take you from town to town all over the State.  It's quite convenient.  However, that day I was looking to ride the local bus system in Stamford.  A day ticket for local buses in any city in the state costs $3.50.  You can ride all day long in any single city.  

After my $7 train ride, I boarded the bus that the sign said would take me to Cove Island Park; the beach by the shore park I'd come to check out.  The bus came as promised and it was comfortable and took me straight to the entrance to the park.  No permits for my car.  No fines for not having one for my car.  No fees to park my car.  Best experience ever.  

I walked two miles around this park, enjoyed the wildlife, the view, and the beach.  That's how big the park is.  I didn't even go everywhere in the park.  The East Coast Greenway runs through that park.  In the park there are three beaches, with a beach house to change in and even a snack bar.  There're kayak and canoe rentals during the rental agency's operating hours.  There's an education center that teaches children about the area's wildlife and ecosystem.  There's tidal flats, ball fields, trails for different activities; clearly marked.  There're playgrounds, picnic areas, pavilions, a marina and so much more.  It's a great place to spend some time.

During weekend and summer hours, there's even a tram to drive you from section to section or from parking lot to beach.  This place has it all.  And the hack?  Take the bus.  The 328 bus goes directly to the park entrance.  I had a great time, I didn't ruin anyone's beach, the people were lovely, and it was relaxing and beautiful.

And, how was the rest of my trip?  I stopped at a place called The Cove Restaurant on my way back to downtown.  They had great food and the service was fabulous.  There was also a burger joint that looked delicious, and a smoothie stand at the same area.  It was all a great experience.

I did take a walk downtown before I left, but I was only on a short day trip, so I didn't get to see all of Stamford.  I will go back.  I found so many things I wanted to see that this definitely won't be my only trip.

I was intrigued by Stamford over all, and I need to investigate more.  Fortunately, it only costs $7 each way to go there and $3.50 for a day pass for the bus.  I had a lot of fun for $17.50 round trip.  I probably would have paid as much for gas and more if you add parking.  Parking in Waterbury and some other stations is free and patrolled by the police for security.  I didn't have to drive, which was a godsend, because you have to drive on I-95 to get to Stamford, and I can tell you it's not worth it.  The traffic is the worst.  So, I relaxed and enjoyed the ride all day.  I enjoyed the places I visited.  I didn't worry about anything.  I didn't pay exorbitant fees.  I met nice people, ate good food and had a great time doing almost nothing.  

What this did do was get me started investigating the public transportation system that runs in New England and I will be having more trips to talk about.  So, if you live in the Northeast, try this out.  It's cheaper than gasoline.  It's far less frustrating than traffic.  You won't have to find parking spaces everywhere you go.  Do a little research before you go, get the apps you'll need for your trip and enjoy!

https://soundwaters.org/sails-rentals/rentals/

https://www.stamfordct.gov/

http://stamford-downtown.com/

https://www.stamfordct.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/120/507

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g33936-d4306582-Reviews-Cove_Island_Park-Stamford_Connecticut.html

https://ctvisit.com/listings/cove-island-park

https://stantonhouseinn.com/cove-island-park-stamford-ct

https://new.mta.info/schedules

https://tokentransit.com/

https://www.cttransit.com/

https://www.amtrak.com/home.html?cmp=afl-sem-AMNY-connecticut-hartford&gad_source=1

https://hartfordline.com/

Always remember; it's best to use apps to pay fares for public transit.  You can get the apps you need in your regular app store.