Welcome to Miami

North America - Ross French - July 23, 2012

I’ve flown over and into Miami more times that I can remember. Honestly, anytime someone even utters the name of this destination, the freshest of the fresh princes in the world echos in my mind, “Welcome to Miami…”

The second thing that my brain associated with Miami is Pitbull and Carnival celebrations. It has to be a pretty rad place with the amount of artists that sing about it. Thirdly, all the sexy people with smoking hot bods, palm trees and aqua blue beaches. I have had some of the best holidays in Florida visiting my parents though, which I associate with relaxing by the pool.

Miami Coast from My Plane

I even met LL Cool J on a flight from Miami. Although I’ve hit up Miami airport and taken pictures of it’s beautiful coastline from a plane, I’ve never actually explored the destination. Infact, I associate it with a few odd end pop culture aspects, but I really know nothing about Miami. So I decided to do a little bit of research and found out some funtastic facts about this place. The following can give me more of a reason to travel to Miami rather than being able to play a Will Smith song while I’m in the destination he’s singing about…

1. Miami used to be a hang out for pirates at sea (sexy, right?)
The would visit and bury their treasure. Gold and silver have been uncovered off land in the Miami area. Not just any pirates have hit up Miami, famous ones such as Blackbeard and Lafitte who made regular calls to the area. (I can’t help but make another pop culture reference… errr Pirates of The Caribbean anyone?).

What’s Up Blackbeard

2. Suntan lotion was invented by a Miami Beach pharmacist
Word up, Miami. In 1944 this dude made suntan lotion in a pot on the stove that belonged to his wife. My skin thanks him on a daily basis.

3. Far back, it was law that Miami citizens were not allowed to mimic animals
This could or could not be true, I was unable to confirm it, but I couldn’t help but include it in this list. Imagine that? Getting arrested because you barked like a dog. HA!

5. Miami is known for its wicked diving
This lovely destination has more than fifty wreck sites. This includes ships, army tanks, oil platforms and the Miami Boeing 727 jet which was sunk to create reefs for marine life. Although I have an abnormal fear of sharks, I have been diving before and seeing some of these wrecks would be super cool.

6. The first automated bank machine installed in Miami was made especially for rollerbladers
Fer serious, friends. This is the 100% truth, I did my research. People want to get cash and exercise at the same time! What could be better?

Well there you have it. My reasoning for going to Miami is no longer Will Smith, but to find me a sexy pirate husband, some homemade suntan lotion and rollerblade which cachinging some bills from a bank machine.

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Why Chicago Has Better Mexican Food Than Mexico in 2023

Destinations, North America, Travel Blog - Ross French - July 19, 2012

Taquitos Barbaditos from Nuevo Leon

Unknown to most, Chicago is home to the best Mexican food in the world – even better than Mexico. This may be a tough concept to swallow for many, but it is true. How does Chicago have the best Mexican food in the world? There are several reasons. The city of Chicago alone has over 3 million residents. Of those, 750,000 of them are of Mexican decent. That’s not even counting the additional 1 million Mexicans in the suburbs.

With such a high Mexican population, Chicago has no need for those all-inclusive shitty Tex-Mex restaurants claiming to be “authentic Mexican food” like all the other cities in the world. While there are still plenty of shitty Tex-Mex restaurants, most only concentrate on a specific region of Mexico while still having a few Americanized classics like nachos and burritos. Aside from regional concentration, Chicago also has the 2^nd largest availability of fresh, high-quality ingredients from all over the world next to New York City. Fuck New York! Chicago’s Mexican food scene also reaches outside of the box with non-traditional food and other regional takes on their cuisine from other places in the US. Continue Reading

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Dear Las Vegas, We Can’t Be Friends

North America, Travel Blog - Ross French - July 9, 2012

By: Hogga

Sometimes there’s a place you only need to visit once. That is Las Vegas for me. For most, this may come as a surprise to you, since majority of my travels revolve around parties and hungover tours and hiking, but Vegas was different than my beer filled beach time and sweaty South American disco dancing.

I had an amazing time in Las Vegas because of the sexy bachelorette party of 8 females I was with. We had adventurous nights, delicious dinners and very successful shopping, but Vegas was not the place for me.

Call me an old man, but it was gaudi and loud with annoying drunk people falling all over the place.

The bloody mary’s were awful, to the point that I couldn’t even get one down. (You know it has to be bad if I wouldn’t drink it)

It took over an hour for us to check in at The Cosmopolitan. We had about two hours of sleep the night before and it was fucking annoying how slow the service was.

I would complain that drinks were very expensive, but they were also very strong, which makes this point a tie breaker.

Everyone wants to show off how much money they have and I can’t believe how much is spent on stupid shit. I had a guy invite me to his VIP booth. The booth itself cost $10,000 (so he said)!!! Each bottle of booze that was brought to the booth was another $900. I left to travel the world for a year with just over $10,000 a few years back.

I wanted to meet up with DTravelsRound and TheJunglePrincess but I’ve never felt so busy on a trip. Maybe it was the atmosphere, because it wasn’t like we were constantly on the go (although it does take a while to round up 8 females to do anything). I spent my only extra hours trying to sleep in preparation for another night.

On a funnier note, my drunk roommie came home earlier than I did and locked me out. As I arrived home at 7am, my key card wouldn’t work on the door because the deadbolt was on (Jessica you’re stupid). I don’t know how she couldn’t hear me banging on the door or calling the room, but security finally broke me in. We weren’t friends for the first hour of being awake the next day.

I can see why so many people love Las Vegas and maybe I didn’t spend enough time there to be able to say already that it’s not for me, but I will stick to my beaches and discos next time I decide to party abroad.

Our Vegas Welcome Mat

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Traveling to the Top Tourist Spots in Northeastern United States

Destinations, North America - Ross French - June 2, 2012

Are you ready to tour the country from north to south and east to west? Traveling through the Northeastern part of the United States is a wonderful experience for a family who wants to escape from their regular busy schedules. Just make sure that you search for online coupon codes that will enable you to obtain a huge discount from these tours. There are various scenic spots that you can visit in Northern US. Cruising itineraries include the following: Hudson River, Chesapeake Bay, Mississippi River, Historic South and Golden Isles, Maine, Florida, Pacific Northwest, and New England Islands. Continue Reading

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The Culture of Port Aransas

Destinations, North America - Ross French - April 12, 2012

Guest Post

You have landed in Texas feeling hot and sticky as you head to one of the Port Aransas vacation rentals. You think the only thing this beautiful city can offer you is rodeo and the gourmet of Tex-Mex. Well, frankly, you are wrong. This enormous metropolis can offer so much more. American history begins here and there is not a great deal of it compared to European countries but be patient… there is so much to learn about the USA in this city that you may even need a notebook. The Port Aransas Museum will take you on a journey through the times of the Pioneers to the present.

Fishing plays a big part in the enjoyment of this city. Charter a boat if your budget allow and cook the catches you make. There is nothing like tasting fish you have caught yourself. The fishermen will even fillet the fish for you.
Golfing widows can send the men off to play whilst they go shopping. Golf and shopping are big deals here o do not take it lightly. The golf courses are some of the best in the USA and as for shopping… ‘Till you drop’ is the polite euphemism – just do it. If you are not from the USA, prices are much cheaper than Western Europe so buy as much as you can. Handbags that cost £100 will cost £40 here so snap up those bargains. Have you even seen the golf courses here? If you are not a golf person, they are still a sight to be seen – lush green hills and mounds rise and dip for miles – sit in the bar at the eighteenth hole if you are not convinced by this sporting beauty.

If you have a creative streak, take a trip to the Port Aransas Arts Centre, which incorporate the artwork of several local celebrities. You will learn a thing or two about the local culture and that of the United States-which is beneficial in any culture.

If you have ‘sea legs’ try dolphin watching – one of the best activities in this place. Couples, families and individuals can take part in this and maybe even get the chance to swim with these fantastic, magical creatures It is one of the most wonderful experiences a human being can have so do it if you can. The water is warm here with a cooler undercurrent, so you need the correct gear – do not go in a bikini or shorts unless you do not mind losing them. The dolphins are friendly, but remember they are wild animals and do not care for expensive clothing!

The Port Aransas Museum is worth a visit. It is a modern building, at lest it looks so but it is on the endangered list. Do not stand under the tree out front if you do not like the sound of bees and the smell of pine. What the place needs is more donations to keep it going, so please be generous. If this building closes, a piece of American history will be lost.

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Posts for North America Category

Welcome to Miami

Why Chicago Has Better Mexican Food Than Mexico in 2023

Dear Las Vegas, We Can’t Be Friends

Traveling to the Top Tourist Spots in Northeastern United States

The Culture of Port Aransas