The Caps on the Fence

I've been to Highway #22 several times and by that I mean the south part of it where it takes you to Crowsnest Pass and the US border and I realized, every time that on one of the ranches on the right side of the highway, the west side, baseball caps are placed on the top of almost every and each fence post. I never knew what that meant and there was never anyone to ask.

I did a little search and I found out what this means, today! I was supposed to go to north, this weekend for some hike but the weather has been cloudy and rainy in almost every part of the Province of Alberta, from south in Coutts to north in Edmonton. So I'm writing this now with the hope that I can get out around noon to get a few things done, not that anyone cares.

The story is about a 90-year-old rancher near Longview who had been to Yukon Territory and had seen caps on the fences and decided to do the same thing in his ranch. He nailed, perhaps, nearly hundred caps to his fence posts. There's a full interview with the gentleman who originally is from Calgary and according to him was born in 1930 in CBC back in 2020. Now 6 years later I hope he is sound and well despite the fact that these caps mean nothing but a way of spare the time and create curiosity within the travelers who drive by! 

(Photo: Property fence on Highway #22 in Alberta, south of Longview)

Cancelled the NY Trip

I just cancelled my trip to The State of New York. This was booked back in Dec. for this Sep.! How insane is that. I also cancelled the hotels (there were three of them) and have to do the last.
Why? To much uncertainty, too costly and not most likely very pleasant for my taste. Why the hell did you consider that in the first place, one might ask. The first thing is I had not yet seen so much violence and disorder in N. Y. City. There're thousands of clips. This new guy, Mamdani which has created so much division within the city had not been yet elected the mayor. The US and Israel had not started their endless and devastating attacks in my country of origin and ICE had not yet been so tough on people. I thought to myself: The purpose of a trip is to stay safe and enjoy. What's the point of going somewhere that I might be questioned simply because I was born in a country that I left 25 years ago and now is in a head-to-toe war with the US? What's the point of going somewhere that you cannot comfortably take a public transit and have to grow eyes on your back to make sure you're not mugged!
These are all excuses! The fact is I'm tired of travelling alone and driving from JFK to Albany which was supposed to be the first part of the trip does not seem to be easy. Lack of confidence has recently gotten the better of me. Based on this poor analysis, I cancelled my Marriot hotel which was about US $1200 and the Lake Placid lodge. I will cancel the last hotel and the rental and my focus will be shifted to the upcoming IT-SW trip although I have a lot to do complete that plan which will be a separate post if needed. I hope I can make this trip some another time and with a better itinenary) 

(Photo: WestJet flies to JFK directly without any damn stop in between)

The Worst Olives

I like Olives very much, not that anyone care and not that many people like it here. If it's not Chips, Cookies, Candy Bar, Licorice or so, it's not considered snack. I used to be Olives from The Real Canadians Superasshole but then realized that these thieves have increased the price so much that it's not even worse going to the store. I tried the Kalamata Grocery in Downtown Calgary, a few time. It's not bad. There're so many varieties and that's what makes the selection very difficult. 
Lina's, based on my experience, is the best source for Olives. I'm not saying they have the best, I'm just saying that they're the best to go. Limited variety, reasonable price. Available both in bulk and jar and of course the bulk is from a big jar! 
The Olives don't last long, when I buy. I add them to my salad, to my sandwich or just eat them as snack. I bought a pack of 1 Kg Moroccan Olives from kalamata Grocery nearly three months ago. More than half of it still sitting in the refrigerator! I had added Morocco to my travel list a few years ago. I was hoping to do a hike and see a couple of places. I considered that to be a good trip and attractive price-wise. I have moved it to the bottom of the list now with the possibility of completely removing it but that's not why the Olives have not been eaten! The damn Olives are too salty and dry and no flavour. Perhaps that's normal in Morocco but comparing it with all sorts of other olives I've tried from different sources, this has been the least appealing and has had the worst taste. 
I have a plan to visit an Olive growing country before the end of the year and despite the fact that most of my time will be spent in the non or less Olive growing regions(!) I will try to buy and try as much as I can. I believe based on what CBSA says I can bring as much as 20 Kg or 20 L. for personal use. We will see.

(Picture: The Moroccan Olives as they are seen in a container in the refrigerator. I tried one and they're not rotten or anything. I think olives last long but this one's story is different. Just not good!)

Out After 10 Year (26): Prostitution in Japan

I met a young fella a few years ago when I worked for a branch of Refrigerator Supply Limited. He later was kicked out just before he was scheduled to be sent on the 2-day company training trip to another province! He was really pissed off! He even came back to talk to the branch manager about that! I'm sure it would have not resulted in any difference. I wondered why he did not know that.

He was not a bad guy. Just lazy and a little bit slow. I became more familiarized with Japan and Far East Asian Martial Arts during the short time I worked with him. He also told me about the Red District in Tokyo, a little bit. When I went to that city I had forgotten about him and his stories but I saw girls on the streets, I think it was in Shinjuku and read a little bit about the so-called Soapy Massage and other similar services, when I was there. I never dared try any of them! Who knows what would have happened! Lack of communication especially in a country like Japan cannot result in a good outcome.

Japan, despite being an industrialized country, has the same issues as other countries. Not to that extent, of course and not that obvious. Streets all clean, no homelessness, no crazy behaviours that you see from people in the US and Canada but people come to big cities for better life and trying new opportunities. I once met a Japanese young woman in an RBC branch. She was (and still should be) married to a Black guy, she told me. Below average look but very kind and slim! Not the attributes coming together very often! I asked her questions about my trip and she answered them all patiently, in writing! She told me she was from a small town and she had never had a Driver's License before coming to Canada! This is one example but other examples are the girls who go to the major cities there, mostly Tokyo and work as Masseuses and Escorts. This one girl I remember reading about had come to Tokyo from a small town and she was mute. In her profile, they were saying that despite her disadvantage, she has a high satisfaction rate. I wonder what else the poor girl could do and what the situation of her family was. 

I have written about Hotel Sagano, north of Osaka (which I'm hoping to go again). That hotel also provides services for men who need companions but here is the thing: The prostitution law is Japan is similar to Canada if I may say: Loopholes are there! So here's the final word for the one's heading to Japan and have sex on their mind: Be careful! It's not as dangerous as Thailand, not that I've been there, but language barrier and strict law could get you in trouble.

(Photo: Hotel Sagano in north of Osaka in a very beautiful suburban place which I intend to go in 2027, hopefully, again, if my plans go right!)

The Alley of the Losers

The travelling season is close but between swinging weather, jumping cost of gasoline and diesel, as a result of the stupid attack by the US and Israeli forces on Iran and generally high cost of living, it is clear that the hospitality industry which had just come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, will have a tough summer. 

It's also clear that there're many differences between the Western culture and the culture of many non-Caucasian immigrants and refugees, but one thing is for certain is the great attention of the Caucasians to entertainment or in other words, Having Fun(!), as they repeatedly indicate. 

Many people are seen on a daily basis driving with a big crack on their windshield but they buy their wine and six pack regularly, they take their weekly trip to a Cannabis store and pay $80 or more for their phone plans. These are the very same people who post complaints about the cost of living in their social media profiles! 

Spend less to zero for legal contraband(!) and you will travel comfortably. 

(Photo: RVs stay on designated lots with some services available to them such as shower and toilet for a fee. Some losers park on big parking lots of major retailers such as Hideous Mart and The Home Depot to escape that fee and make regular trips to their public bathroom to save a few bucks! What do they spend that so-called money on?! Weed, alcohol, cheap food, healthy(!) snack and phone plans to post the pictures of their great 5-star experience trip to their social media profile! I call these line of motorhomes the alley of losers!)

The Sudden Jump

I went to get some gasoline on my way home from work yesterday and I got shocked! I knew the prices had gone up but I didn't expect $1.66 for a damn litter! It's in the news that the Strait of Hormuz in Persian Gulf where most of the oil and some other commodities have to pass through is chocked and that has resulted in this spike.

This picture taken from the south of the Persian Gulf, not the Iranian coast shows an UAE small warship escorting a commercial container ship at the Strait of Hormuz. This waterway has a width of 33 to 39 km.

Trump, as part of his confusion and the fact that now he doesn't know his right hand from left(!) has asked the European allies to help him to once again make the shipping possible through that waterway but the so-called NATO allies have said it was not their war! He's pissed now and has threatened to leave NATO!

I went to the port city of Mahshahr on the shores of the Persian Gulf just a few years before my immigration but have never traveled as far as that. I hope one day one the area is peaceful I can go and see this part of Iran.

(Photo, top: The picture taken yesterday shows what CAN $30 will get you. Not even 18 liters of gasoline in a PetroCanada Gas Station)

Stuck in Toilet

What would you do if you ever got stuck in a toilet? There're different ways to deal with this issue but not all lead to freedom and even if they do, you will smell like shit for a very long time. Some will be careful and stay away from unsafe toilets. Some are not wise enough and step in the same shithole again and again. The smartest one is who never steps in a stinking and smelling toilet full of cockroaches and at times, sewer rats. 

I'm not a very smart person but I always stay away from dangerous toilets. This Nov. will be the end of my 25th years of living in Canada and I've never set foot on one of the nastiest and filthiest toilets in the world: Mexico! The closest I've been to the toilet was when and Alphonso went to El Paso, in southern United States and we didn't even try to cross into that country after we were given a warning although we just wanted to see the city of Juarez for a few hours and go back to the other side.

Driving south on 375 or Purple Hurt Memorial Highway and getting close to the City of El Paso on a Sep. evening of 2019

Thousands of Canadians travel to Mexico every year and there always has been a problem but these guys never learn their lesson! Kidnapping, scams, explosions, you name it. Now the problem is bigger. What the hell is the point of locking yourselves in a gated community and only have access to sand and kitchen?! That's what these people do. Lie down on the dirt and get drunk while looking over your shoulder to make sure no one is jumping over the fence to rob you or having an eye on your phone to see if half of the country now is in chaos! Enjoy, you cheap idiots!

(Photo: Sometimes the only way to clear a stuck toilet is flushing. At times flushing doesn't work or if you keep flushing it break. It seems that's the situation in Mexico this time)  

Sanctions and Boycotts don't Work

The recent tensions between the US and Canada has led to many decisions both by the authorities and public, including for example boycotting the American products. The harshest of all have been the premier of Ontario, Doug Ford although he seems to backed of from some of his initials positions but people still keep holding their positions. Not all of them, perhaps. I was sitting next to a couple from British Columbia on my way to Harry Reid who said they were going there for gambling as they usually do. Many spots of the US are feeling the absence of Canadian tourists though and many American imports are replaced by the Canadian and other nations' versions. Citrus, vegetables, fruits are the last ones. I have seen oranges from Australia and some other fruits from South Africa but the question is are these boycotts effective? 

These only pains people and has no affect on the administration. I like travelling and seeing new places and I'd like to go where I feel safe. The US is the closest for me and I have a long list of places which I still haven't seen, I of course, avoid some urban notorious places but I will go to parks, towns and museums I like. I don't believe boycotting changes anything. It only hurts American people and the idea behind that which expect these people to pressure their government to change the way they treat Canada will, unfortunately work. Let's look at some of the most infamous sanctions in the world which has intended to pressure the governments to change their policies but in fact hurt the people and made room for other businesses to benefit from the opportunity, sometimes:

1) Cuba: An island in the Caribbean which basically has nothing but a couple of towns, a mine or two and some agriculture. You add to that some tourism although I can't think of anyone in the right mind going to an island which basically offers nothing but a smelly beach and some cheap food! This country has been under the US sanctions and been on its knees for decades. Poverty is the word. I haven't been there and will never set foot an island like that, even if it's another Australia but the decades of sanctions have done nothing to the government! They still insist on their policies and their beliefs. It's the people who have been suffering. 

The US embassy in Tehran, the capital of Iran, a few days before being stormed by the so-called students. The banners in Persian read slogans such as Death to America, the world predator! Some consider this as the starting point of the long hostility between the two governments. Most of the people who participated in the raid are now living outside the country or have a secure position in the government!

2) Iran: The conflict between Iran and the US and some other Western countries started in the 80's when some stupid, so-called students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran and held some of the people there for 444 days. The US imposed sanctions which stay even today and although there have been easements, now they have choked the economy really bad. The exchange rate is ridiculously low and people struggle for their daily needs such as food, fuel, electricity, clean and safe drinking water and heat in winter months. Has this resulted in any changes to the government's way of looking at things? Absolutely not. It might have had some affects on the support of the proxy groups, particularly Asaad was toppled and ran to Russia but the Islamic Republic  government still follows his domestic and foreign policies. 

3) Russia: Sanction on Russia were started after the country's forces started their Special Operation on Ukraine back in Feb. 2022. Many western companies pulled out of the country. To name McDonald's, Ford and Visa. What has happened. Has Russia stopped its so-called operation?! No! It actually intensified it! Are the Russian people dying to have McDonald's every day?! No! It has been replaced by a Russian company and everything is fine. The Russian automobile industry now is a good target for the Korean and Chinese auto makers! The American car companies are at loss like anywhere else in the world now.

Let's look at everything realistically and rationally, rather than emotionally! 

(Photo: A fruit and vegetable section in a typical Western style supermarket. Most of the items in this section comes from the US and Mexico. Replacing some with what is grown in south America, South Africa and Australia is nothing but stupidity. I personally, would never pay for a piece of fruit which has travelled half the world. I try to enjoy the most local and nearby produce)

Tokyo Story

Tokyo Story, unlike many might think, is not about the capital of Japan and although it could be a great movie, it is not because it would not be finished within 136 minutes that the movie is rolling. After all why would someone make a movie about a great city with millions? You need to go and see it for yourself, just like I did back in 2024 and most likely going again in 2027 if not earlier. I, myself, a big fan of the Japanese culture and movies, first thought this was another Akira Kurosawa's movies but soon I realized I was wrong. Despite being one of the greatest in movie history, Kurosawa is not the only one who has made phenomenal films. Tokyo Story is directed by Yasujiro Ozu, who was unknown to me before this great movie. The movie has a slow pace and might seem boring at the beginning and the middle but then take you with it and you want to see what happens at the end. It might be hard to find and there's no doubt that you need subtitles for that or it would be meaningless. 

A view of part of Tokyo city center from the Imperial Palace. I took it during a tour last year.

I'm not going to spoil the movie by telling anything about the story but this is a post-war area movie and I will patiently watch it again, when I'm looking for a relaxed time to enjoy a good meaningful story.

(Photo: A great scene from a great movie. This scene actually tells a lot but you need to see the film to understand what I mean by that)

Swastika is not a Racism Symbol

When I moved to Canada after waiting 5 years for my visa, in contrast to all the fraud and liars who simply make up a story and pour into the country to benefit from the tax payers, I had a different mindset. I thought I was going to an understanding and civilized society. Although a good portion of Canadian people fall within that category, I believe, after living in this country for almost 24 years, there's a good portion of society who easily fall within the definition of d8ckhead. There're a lot of drunkards, child abusers, wife beaters, drug-addicts, Weed smokers, you name it. Basically having manner and being polite is considered a weakness in almost everywhere in this society. If you haven't tried any type of drugs, don't drink regularly or dislike fast food, you're not accepted in the society. 

The fact if you're not Caucasian and was not born here in Canada, generally, you're not accepted within the society. Sure they hire you and even give you a title and, at times, reasonable salary but you would never mingle with them even after more than 20 years because your looks always reveal you aren't one of them. This Inclusion and Multi-Culturalism that the stupid Government of Canada has been yelling for years will never materialize. They only say that to have people of all background in one work-place so they can work without conflicts so the Government can tax them! If multi-culturalism and inclusion worked, there would be no Chinatown! I've written about the stupidity and ridiculousness of Multi-Culturalism already. What I need to add here and educate the stupid Justice Minister is that if he believes in Multi-Culturalism, perhaps he should study other cultures a little more to, for example, that what is called Swastika, here in Canada and other Western countries is an old religious symbol in many Asian cultures, including India and Japan and in no way has nothing to do with Racism, something that many Westerners have great adherence to it!

 The fact that Germans used it as their symbol from 1930s to late 1940s has nothing to do with the origin of this sign. People who use that as a sign of hatred are nothing but stupid and ignorant individuals and no one is responsible for this shit but the stupid Government of Canada because they brought these people in despite the opposition from Canadian people. Did you see what happened in Toronto last week? There will be more and more of that across Canada. People are sick of overpopulation, unemployment, high cost of living and crime and the Government is responsible for this by dumping truckloads of foreigners, many uneducated and from war torn countries, on Canadian soil. There's no democracy because democracy means to do what the people want, not what the Government want's which is taxing more people! 

I still think Canada could get itself away from the hole that Europe is already in. Whether they do that or not is another question. 

(Photo: I took this picture near a park in Tokyo which shows the top of a Shinto temple. Signs like that could be seen all over eastern Asia and people are not offended by that. I once saw an Indian young girl in an Esso gas station in Skyview neighbourhood of Calgary wearing a necklace with a pendent of the same symbol. The stupid Canadian education system needs to provide knowledge to the public that this sign has nothing to do with racism, while, I insist, banning it to be misused for such purpose and get tough on the d8ckheads to draw it here and there. Put them behind the bars. Ban them from doing certain things which would affect their lives such as applying for certain jobs. Punish them harshly so they learn their lesson. Don't slap them on the wrist!)

Trip to NV at Trump's Time (8): Las Vegas is Safe

The United States has changed a lot in the past decade or so. Homelessness and drug addiction is a problem in everywhere and not just the major cities, although some of the main cities are considered dangerous in a way that led the President to deploy the National Guard despite the fact the city authorities didn't like it. The last city that I traveled to before this recent Nevada trip was Austin and it seemed peaceful and clean but perhaps the areas that I had been to and I didn't spend much time driving around. 
Las Vegas, like most American cities, has homeless, drug-addict and criminals but they're pushed back from the main entertainment area to the other neighbourhoods. I watched a clip a few months ago which was referring to them living in a sort of underground area of the city. I guess what the authorities wanted to do is to make the city safe so the people can come and spend their money. The presence of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police was quite obvious on the boulevard and I've already written about their reaction to what seemed to be a threat to the public safety.  

I've read, several times, the Government of Canada Travel Advisory about different cities and countries around the world but never felt they could be applicable to Las Vegas at least until now. The other thing is since there are not many restrictions in the city, the police would not intervene, until something serious happens. For example you can have alcoholic beverages in public, something which is considered unlawful in other jurisdictions. For that, a homeless man who is sitting on the side of a sidewalk and drinking beer would not be a target for the police. With that said while I'm sure I will have trips to the US in the near future, there will not be many major cities that I will visit. My goal would mostly be national parks and mountains but for that I need to use the major airports of course. 

The only time I felt a little uncomfortable was the time that I wanted to gas up the rental before returning it. I drove to a Chevron outside the boulevard area. Before going in to pay, as I was using cash, I saw a Black fella coming out of the building, talking to a couple who were sitting on the curb. When I got closer, I realized the poor homeless couple were about to leave, simply listening to the Black fella. I was confident that there would be no issue inside considering the way that the gas station attendant has dealt with those two. I handed him a $50 bill and told him I needed $30 worth of gasoline. He seemed to hesitate to give me my $20. He took two $10 bills and put them back in and then said that he had made a mistake. Did something on his machine and it got opened and he handed me the bills. That was when I realized that I had made a mistake which had not ended badly: If you use a card, there's barely anything they can do. If you use cash, they can always deny the amount you have handed them. For example he could've simply said I had given him $40 and would return me a $10. In that case there would be no easy solution to that but I narrowly skipped an issue.

In the end, Las Vegas is a safe place and the fact that less visitors have been coming to the city in the past few years, has nothing to do with public safety. It has other reasons which are not the subject of this post. I'm sure I will visit Nevada again but I'm not sure I will be in Vegas again. I have seen enough! 

(Photo: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police had a heavy presence in the boulevard during the Labour Day long weekend)

Trip to NV at Trump's Time (7): I Love Nevada Desert!

 A vast majority of the State of Nevada is desert but this area is not a barren land. There is so much into it. First of all the state has used portions of the land to generate electricity using solar panels. The new area that I saw on a recent trip was the road to Valley of Fire State Park. A good portion of the land is covered with panels and the area is fenced. Why miles and miles of the area is not used for the same reason, I can't answer. Secondly there are lots of mines across the state. In fact the company I work for just received an order of a sort of piece of machinery, that we are expert on, for a mining project in that state. Driving across the desert is such a relaxing experience! I didn't have a very good vehicle and it was quite hot at the time but still enjoyed my drive and might do that again, to reach other destinations, perhaps Reno and Carson City or any other major town. For someone who is into brothels, you can drive to one in a small town and stay there. 

The White Sand Dune or Amargosa Valley Sand Dunes is what I would like to see in my next trip to Nevada, if I'm going again. The dunes are seen almost in the middle of the picture with the mountains in the background

The desert also gives good opportunities for photography, if you know how to use a camera. There are also lots of opportunities for hiking. You just need to know where to go and when to go it. Not to mention to have proper gear, food and water. I have had other road trips across the US and I enjoyed them all. I have driven around the State of Arizona and I have crossed the State of Texas from east to west and back. I'm looking for another opportunity to do something similar in the US again and also hopefully Europe, also the latter would be a nit more difficult because many European countries do not have the great highway system the US has. Even Canada does not. There are still places in Canada which I would like to drive to but I have to be careful with the damn trucks. 

(Photo: A shot showing part of the desert close to the city of Las Vegas when flying out of Harry Reid. This is looking west with US 95 visibly seen)

Trip to NV at Trump's Time (6): Caesars Palace Hotel

I would like to clarify here that I'm neither a gambler nor a drinker or smoker and the only reason I selected Las Vegas for my recent trip was that I needed to use that as a hob to do my hike. The plan was a total failure with lost of waste which was due to lack of confidence and poor planning but still have to tell the story of staying at Caesars Palace hotel where people think is the ultimate hotel experience. It is not! 
After my miserable attempt to hike Boundary Peak, I drove nearly 5 hours to get to Vegas but I had to plan carefully because the hotel does not let you in before 16:00! I parked the rental in their lot which later was known to be a mistake(!) and went in to register. The process was fast as the hotel had not yet reached the crazy Labour Day peak! I was given a room on level 14 with a view of the pools which are located in the back of the property. It was a very large and nice room and clean too. However it had issues. 
I realized that when I was going to sleep. The bed was awful. The side of the bed was completely damaged. It was like that the side because of being used repeatedly has used its firmness and I felt like I was sleeping on a steep cliff! I don't know if hotels can fix mattresses or not bad that was very inconvenient. 
The other issue, which is not as important but you see in most or perhaps or perhaps I shall say I have seen in most Vegas hotels is their snack/drink trap program! They put a collection of snacks and drinks in a box and you are charged if you use them. It's fine but I've heard that the prices are extraordinarily high. I didn't even bother scanning the QR code to find out but I know how it is. You will be penalized if you replace the items, as well, meaning if you, for instance, use a chocolate bar and then purchase one and put it where the original one was, you would be charged on the card you have provided at the time of registration. They claim they have a motion sensor which I believe is bologna but I didn't risk the US$ 75 penalty! 

View from my room on the 14th floor shows the back of the property and one of the other towers of the hotel. 

The lighting in the room was not sufficient either. I don't think anyone goes to Vegas to stay in a hotel at night but still you need proper lighting when you get in. The bathroom is awesome with shower, hot tub and double faucets but I didn't use the tub, of course. Elevators are old and one was out-of-service at the time without any sign. The door had just been left open! I don't think any of these hotels would want to replace their elevators. I didn't eat at the hotel but there were lines at some restaurants and some others You could be seated shortly after arrival. It is not a 5-star or even a 4-star hotel and it gets very crowded, unless you go during the week. The pools are nice. I think there are as many as three but they're, of course, not for swimming. They're for wading and sun bathing. Overall Caesars Palace is not my kind of hotel but it doesn't mean that I hate it. It's located at a very busy spot and there're lots of lowlife miserable people who try to show off(!) but that's me. You could stay there as long as you want and you might even enjoy it. For me the bed issue was the biggest one. 

(Photo, top: The main entrance to the hotel where you have one of the main restaurants/bars on your left and the registration desk in front of you. This is a very rare glimpse! I think I took it around 07:30 or something otherwise you'd see all sorts of losers with their phones taking pictures for their social media profiles!)

Trip to NV at Trump's Time (5): What happened in Vegas on Sun. Night?

Labour Day long weekend is a crazy time in Las Vegas. There are so many people that some services would not be available unless you have booked them much earlier. However most of the action is in the boulevard. You go two blocks away, everything is normal. I was not aware of this much crowd. However, I had booked everything in advance. The crowd was overwhelming at points but again, it was only on the boulevard, I would imagine. People were out in heat and talking pictures or going to business such as bars and restaurants. I was not much far away from my hotel. I had done a small purchase from a CSV and I was at the corner of the boulevard and Flamingo Road, on the overpass pedestrian going back to the hotel when I heard sirens blaring and all of a sudden saw people are running toward me! I stopped and saw that security forces has somebody on the ground and are pointing their service guns at him! I stopped. More police vehicles were coming to the scene and access to the hotel was blocked. 

I had to go north and turn to Caesars Palace Dr. to get to the hotel but everything was normal later. I read on the news that there were acts of violence and brawls but I personally didn't see anything. The only thing I saw was the guy on the ground, surrounded by the cops. After all I'm not surprised if there were assholes beating on each other because who else goes to Las Vegas anyways?! Rather than a bunch of families who want to take pictures with water fountains and statues(!), cheapskates, drunkards, gambling addicts, the other people who go there are young couples who tend to enjoy their youth and of course there always be fights between this group! For me, I'm sure I will go to Nevada again but I won't go to Las Vegas unless my brother wants to and I will take him. He told me he wanted to see Madame Tussaud's, the main one in London, a few years ago and I haven't had time to take him. Besides no one is comfortable sitting on a plane for 10 hours. So I thought I might take him to this one nearby in Las Vegas and then take him to other places and perhaps have a nice meal in Hell's Kitchen as well but I will have to talk to him about it, first to see if he likes that. I personally have no issue going to London. Nevertheless that would be the only reason for me for going back to Las Vegas and that would definitely not be during a major holiday!

(Photo: Multiple police vehicles are seen on Flamingo Road. It seems they have responded to something. I took this from the pedestrian overpass on the northeastern corner of the intersection. A suspect was on the ground just less than 50 m. from me with the officers pointing their guns at him)

Trip to NV at Trump's Time (4): Drinking Water in Las Vegas

Most of the things you need during a Las Vegas Trip are expensive and people try to cut all the possible corners during such a trip. Something that I never understood, at first: If you can't afford a trip why the hell start in the first place?! The answer came to me quickly: Where do you think all these photos people take with their phones are going? Social media profiles! I saw people who were taking pictures from the hotel lobby's ceiling!
For me the only issue, at first was water. Not many people drink water when they go to Las Vegas. They go to Las Vegas because they don't drink water! There're so many different alcoholic beverages! I never bought $7 or $20 bottles of water but I paid nearly $4 for one until I checked the net and realized that the water in the city of Las Vegas is totally safe to drink. So if you're at a hotel all you need to do is turn a tap on and fill up your glass and if you need ice, every hotel provides that for free. 

A Pack six water bottle is sold for US$ 8.99 in a local store on Las Vegas Boulevard and it's not drinkable yet. You need to keep it in the fridge for quite a while and I don't know if many hotels have refrigerators or not. I don't think mine had

I'm not being a cheapskate. I'm saying the hotels hike the price of everything to compensate for the slow season and selling a bottle of water for an unjustified price pushed me and many more toward the local businesses within walking distance. I paid US $35 for parking my rental in Caesar Palace parking! Am I allowed to walk for 10 min. to a CVS Pharmacy to get a bottle of water or a chocolate bar for a reasonable price?! I will mention about the hotel in a separate post. 

(Photo: Disgusting cheapskate in Wal-Mart and Salvation Army attire carrying a case of Soda Pops in Caesar Palace Hotel. His daily lunch would not cost more than McDonald's and supermarket frozen meals. I really hope he sees this picture so later he has something to discuss with the ugly animal who is with him!)

Trip to NV at Trump's Time (3): Boundary Peak Attempt

Sleeping in Mizpah Hotel was not too bad but I didn't have enough stimulation the morning I woke up! I made myself a cup of coffee in the room before checking out and headed west. I took US 95, a major highway in Nevada which although goes from south (Las Vegas and before) to north (Reno and beyond), runs from east to west when you exit Tonopah and aim for Boundary Peak. 

It was a bit scary but not a kind of fear that a coward feels. A fear that someone who is alone and suspects they will be in a hole, feels. I continued on US 95 until I reached US 6 which continues to the west and then turns south. This time the number of vehicles on the road decreased even more! 

I drove until I reached Queen Canyon Road, a gravel narrow pass which takes you to an abandoned mine. It took painfully long. Both because I was by myself and it was hot. I started going up. Nissan Kicks is a sort of small SUV which does not have much clearance and it was then where I realized that I had made a mistake! I had selected the wrong time of the year and going there alone was a very hick risk especially when you drive a tiny little car. If the vehicle breaks down or you get injured the chances you come out alive are next to zero! One might ask why there's a road there? The answer can be seen at the end of the very same road: There used to be an active mine there. We saw the mine the last time I was there with Alphonse a few years ago. This time, though, I didn't even make it to the mine entrance! I was terrified that something might happen to the damn car and that would be the start of a very miserable day!

I don't know how far I was from the sort of parking area in front of one of the entrances to the mine but I found somewhere that I could turn and headed back. 

I know this is so stupid and idiotic but there was a huge risk involved and that would not have been even because of the climb! I felt very bad but while I was going back to Las Vegas, I planned for another trip, hopefully next year, to do the hike but this time from the California side. Here's one plan:

1) Fly to Sacramento.

2) Drive to Hawthorne, NV. It's longer than driving from Las Vegas to Tonopah but the drive will be a new one for me and I won't get bored.

3) Drive to Queen Canyon Road.

4) Do the hike.

5) Buy a reliable Satellite Phone, obviously before the trip starts! In case something happens you can contact an emergency, unless the incident is so bad that you can't use the phone! 

This hike would be perfect, if combined with a trip to Japan because there're flights from San Francisco but I think my next year long trip plan is set for Europe, not Japan. So unless there's another opportunity to make the trip to northern California happen, the hike cannot be done.

(Photo: Boundary Peak, the third one from right, not seen the tallest, from the intersection of US 6 and Queen Canyon Road)

Trip to NV at Trump's Time (2): Valley of Fire State Park

I walked to an Enterprise location in Flamingo from MGM Grand and rented a small SUV, if I can call that vehicle. A Nissan Kicks. I drove it back. Went up. Got my stuff, checked out and drove north. My destination was Valley of Fire State Park.

You need to understand when the term park is used, it does not necessarily mean a place with lots of trees, shrubs and grass, especially in NV. The other thing is visiting NV in early Sep. is not such a good idea for outdoor enthusiasts! I'm sitting in a hotel room (I'll write what hotel it is later) and turned the AC off and it's not too bad while outside is 100 ℉ (38 ℃). Roaming around a park in such a temperature would not be very pleasant after a night of complete awaken! Admission to the park is $15 and surprisingly there were people there in the heat but while the park offers good hikes, not in extreme heat of course, most of people get out of their vehicle, take a few pictures, go back in and that would repeat until they cover every corner. 

What you should not do is combining it with another plan of the day. Something I did and I realized later that it was a mistake! The park is located northeast of Las Vegas and Tonopah, my next destination is located at the almost northwestern side of the city. So I had to basically drive back to the Las Vegas area and then take a highway to the north and drive 3 freaking hours in heat! That became very tiring.

A Small herd of goats got the attention of the park's visitors. Here you see two of them going on the top of this big rock. I don't know how these poor animals survive in this hot and dry condition.

The interesting thing about this state park (remember it's not a national park so the related pass would not be helpful here) is its visitor center. I got a big bottle of water for only $2, even cheaper than most stores in the city. If you're there, make sure you make a purchase. 

I have to say that for someone who has been to several parks and areas in the States with the same geology nature, I was not so impressed but still enjoyed it and would have injured, had I made it part of a one day trip and a had done a full hike. I believe the entire State of Nevada is the valley of file in late Aug./early Sep. but the park would be such a great place to visit in cooler months. I also didn't go to the end of a road which starts from the visitor center and leads to sand dunes. That shall be considered.

(Photo: The terrain and geology of the park reminds me of other places I've visited including the ones in Arizona and Utah) 

Trip to NV at Trump's Time (1): MGM Grand

I had another miserable failure! I'm sure there're people who like to laugh. Make sure you read this to the end! Here you go: I had to cancel my second consecutive year's trip to Japan and since the airlines do not refund, I got some penalty for cancellation and some refund. I used part of the refund and booked a flight to Harry Reid with the hope that I can do the Boundary Peak hike. 

Bad Idea! 
Everything went well as far as the flight and passing the US Custom and Border Protection in YYC, as I wrote, earlier. I got a cab to MGM Grand and checked in easily. The hotel's check-in was easy and the price was what I had thought and read. The room: Not too satisfactory. These hotels in Las Vegas charge excessively and have ridiculous rules. No wonder why the visits are dropping every year, in the fast few years. They have a section in the room like a snack bar where they stock some snacks and drinks. They are very overpriced and according to a sign, touching and switching would result in a fine! I heard bottles of water would go as high as $20! I had no intention to even check the prices but down in the lobby a small bottle of water goes as much as $7! The same bottle could be purchased from a local shop for as low as $3! 

This kind of service is not new to me. You'd be surprised to say that I saw this first almost 30 years ago when I and A. J. traveled to Damascus. We stayed at a 2 or maximum 3-star hotel and they had a fridge full of snacks and beverages. We were hungry or thirsty at night and instead of going out, we'd simply get everything we wanted and then the next day on our way back to the hotel we would restock! 

Then also when we were staying at Conrad with Alphonse a few years ago, we saw the same thing. I really don't know why the hotels do that. I think people are mostly able to resist them but I could be wrong.
I think these hotels try to charge as much as they can, for everything, as their season is limited. Nothing, basically, nothing, is included. You only pay for the room, which in this case was not too impressive. The hotel is old and there's noise from the gamblers and drunkard all night long! I know I was at the wrong place at the wrong time but the hotel, obviously, does as little as possible. What do they do? They offer you ear plugs! 😄😄. 

As someone who has to use ear plugs for almost half of the time at work, every day, I'm not going to wear them when I'm on vacation too! So I barely slept that night! Probably half an hour! Unless you're a night owl who goes to bed at 04:00, I wouldn't recommend MGM Grand. Someone who prepares to hit the sack at that time is either dead tired or too drunk to understand what's happening. They would be okay with the hotel and their features! That's probably the whole Las Vegas business work! 

(Photo: The view from my MGM Grand hotel window. You can see the Strat Tower)

The Future of the Travel Industry

They say do not say the details of your daily lives as criminals monitor people's actions to find an opportunity to benefit from them but I'm writing from YVR after clearing from US Customs and Border Protection. The whole section has been changed, physically, from the last time I was flying to the US from YVR which I don't know when it was. The entire process took a little more than 1 minute. No issues at all. What was very annoying and frustrating was the online check-in with Air Canada, when I got home, after work, yesterday. I had not slept well the night before and the work was as tiring as almost every day is. I was very hungry too. I made a sandwich and after the first bite I realized the check-in process has become lengthier and they need more information and I made a mistake that cost me more than $36! I have a big backpack which I have taken to the cabin as a carry-on. I've taken it to Germany, the US, you name it. I thought they would not allow that in. So I check that in for the amount mentioned above! I was tired the entire afternoon and finally finished the process. I set up the alarm clock for 04:30 to be able to get everything done before leaving. Time was spent to get some gasoline and then fetch something from home. Then I drove to the airport and parked and walked to the gate. That was when I realized I was late! I thought I'd not be able to make it on time, just like last year that I missed my WestJet flight but luckily everything went well and I was able to reach the gate shortly, perhaps 5 minute, prior to the boarding for my zone. I then realized that I had baggage check-in. The funny thing is the lady told me she would check it in for me because I had a small briefcase of laptop and technically I'm not allowed to have two. She said she would do it for free and ignored that I told her that I had already paid!

The other thing I realized is I have nearly 5 hours of layover! It's insane! Right? I don't know if they changed the flight because I can't remember the time indicated when I booked. On the way to YVR they didn't even have coffee onboard! So I thought I shall have one as soon as I pass the security booths. Here we have the same issue that you see in almost every airport and YVR could be the worst: A large cup of coffee and not a great quality for $4.20, not that I'm excessively surprised! I, however, will ask this question: What would happen to the future of the travel industry with all the prices going up with no cap! There were small sandwiches for $16 and by the look of them you could say that they have been made at least the day before, if not before that. What does the business do? They will donate it to the food banks or toss them. It's just the amount of money that the airports charge for allowing businesses to operate. Add to that the increasing cost of labour. I have another 3 hours to spend before boarding. Perhaps I shall take a break and then do some studies since I have time. Unlike what they were saying there was nothing concerning at the time of the trip from American authorities. We will see what happens when I land there and spend a little time.

(Photo: The control tower and Air Canada hanger shortly before the taxi starts)

Out After 10 Year (25): The Chinese-Filipino Couple

One short story is left from my last year's trip to Japan. It has a lesson for the people who travel alone, so if you're one, you might want to read this. 

I had my layover in YVR and I think it was around 2 hours or so. That is how Air Canada operates. It was not a bad service but the next time I'm going which I hope will be 2027, I'm going to fly JAL. It's a bit more expensive but I think it has a better service. It was at YVR where I met an Eastern Asian couple while waiting. Nice people: A Chinese man and Filipina lady. I had a little chat with the lather and she was a very smart lady. I was quite surprised how she talked and about the thing she told me. I don't think they live in Canada because she was telling me stories about their road trip and I guess they were returning to China or the Philippines. She had advice for me which I recalled when it was too late when I was in Tokyo! She told me to find a company to enjoy the trip better. She didn't directly say a Filipina girl but when I was in a supermarket next to Tokyo Skytree, and was ready to pay for a few things that I had purchased, I realized that the cashier,  the girl was able to speak in a way that was easy to understand. Something you rarely see in Japan. She had a mask on and of course many East Asians look alike. When I asked her how she spoke very well, she said she was Filipina. I thanked her for her help and left but that was just after leaving when I realized what the Lady meant! It was too late but I know many men would go back to ask the girl out. I'm both shy and hesitant when it comes to women. That's why I'm lonely! 

I don't know what's with the Japanese meal size which are all small! Does it have to do anything with the average size of people?! Perhaps! This sort of Pizza bite for nearly CAN $3 looks very good but since wheat flour has never been a staple in Japanese cuisine I don't think they know how to bake it. I had difficulty sinking my teeth in and take it apart! 

I was once in a Korean store on the other side of the city and this time it was a Japanese girl, or at least that is what she said she was. I missed that too.  Nevertheless I think it's very good advice and it's very helpful to have a more enjoyable trip. I don't think I will be able to pull that off during my next trip. I will be too old! 

(Photo: The entrance to Life Supermarket just adjacent to Tokyo Skytree a tourist destination in the city. I think they want to make it somehow modern and Westernised although everyone I saw there was Japanese! It's a good shopping place for all sorts of food as long as you don't buy Western-style Japanese meal! This is where I met the young Filipina cashier and unfortunately blew it!)