Walking. Gossip. Travel.

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New Orleans – Holocaust Memorial

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a visit in January 2018, but I’ve reposted it to fix the broken image links]

The New Orleans Holocaust Memorial is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in a prominent location along the riverwalk.

The memorial was designed by Yaacov Agam, an Israeli sculptor and artist who has designed some large structures, including the Hanukkah Menorah in New York.

The memorial was unveiled in June 2003 and was part-funded by the Goldring Family Foundation. It’s located in a place that visitors to the city might not expect to find a memorial to the Holocaust, but that does perhaps make it rather more thought provoking.

Visiting at night doesn’t really do the memorial justice, as these panels have themes relating to the Jewish community. The location was cause of some local upset in 2017 when a fried chicken festival used the memorial as a staff rest area. They promptly made it worse by saying that this was deliberately planned, although they’ve pledged to make changes for the 2018 event.

August 13, 2025
El Paso – Quality Inns and Suites

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a visit in January 2018, but I’ve reposted it to fix the broken image links]

This is the side of the Quality Inns Hotel, which does rather look like a prison. However, that wasn’t the reason I took the photo, it was to show the lovely mountainous background.

The room was dark, as so many motels in the US are, but clean and well presented. Cleanliness in rooms in budget priced motels across the US does seem to be variable to say the least, but this location had one of the cleanest rooms that I can recall.

The room was also large, as so many motels in the US are, although was still the smallest room type that the hotel offered. The hotel had a range of facilities which included a swimming pool, which I studiously avoided.

The staff at reception were helpful, although they didn’t mention that the wi-fi would stop working on the second day of my visit as it was the day of the password change. For a few terrifying minutes I thought that the wi-fi was broken…..

This is very much a typical breakfast from the hotels which are part of Choice Hotels. It’s very American, and entirely acceptable to me.

Overall, I stayed here for two days (not non-stop as that would have left El Paso rather unexplored….) and thought that it represented reasonable value for money, costing around £42 per night including breakfast. It didn’t bother me particularly on this occasion, but the construction of the hotel isn’t ideal, as there is some considerable noise leakage from the floors above. So, if I returned I’d try and get a room on the first floor (their second floor).

August 13, 2025
Tucson – Ugly but Honest

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a visit in January 2018, I’ve reposted it to fix the broken image link]

I couldn’t work this sign out when I walked by it in Tucson. Having checked, it’s a long-standing sign which advertises Clyde Wanslee Auto Sales in the city. The sign is actually located opposite the business, so it isn’t immediately obvious what the sign relates to.

Strangely though, the sign succeeds in making me trust the company. If I ever wanted a car (unlikely to be fair) in Tucson then I’ll be there…..

August 13, 2025
Tucson – Kettle Restaurant

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a visit in January 2018, but I’ve reposted it to fix the broken image links]

As I had arrived in Tucson early in the morning, and it was getting quite hot, I decided to start walking to the hotel to drop my bag off. I thought I’d get lunch opposite the hotel, at a buffet restaurant called Kettle. The reviews were a little mixed, but the prices were low and it was a convenient location. It’s quite a large restaurant, although it was relatively empty when I visited.

The restaurant has picked up some complaints about these paper placemats. I didn’t personally feel they were out of place in an independent type of restaurant such as this.

A rather blurry photo, but the seating was mostly in booths and there was a choice between the buffet selection and the standard items on the menu. I went for the buffet option and I liked how the friendly staff member suggested I went to look at it first before deciding.

Chicken wings, chips, olives and cucumber. With some green beans as they seemed to have a lot of them. It was perfectly adequate, although obviously not of the high standard that I experience at Greggs.

I’m not usually a huge fan of ribs, but this tasted fine, although was ridiculously messy.

This photo is blurred because I had managed to get sauce (see last photo) all over my phone, smearing the back. Chicken legs, chicken nuggets and tomatoes. With more green beans. Again, it was filling and acceptable.

Dessert, a selection of fruit and pre-made cakes. The cakes were a little dry, and had probably been on display the previous evening, but tasted OK. The entire buffet and a soft drink cost around £7.50, which was a reasonable price for lunch.

The staff at the restaurant were friendly and keen to help, with the atmosphere being relaxed. The diner type environment was clean, although in need of some modernisation, and it’s a restaurant which is open 24 hours a day. I wouldn’t say that the restaurant was exceptional, but it felt like the reliable sort of dining option that locals and visitors would be confident in visiting.

August 13, 2025
Los Angeles – Amtrak Train to Tucson

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a trip in January 2018, but I’ve reposted it to fix the broken image links]

My initial plan for this trip was to explore the United States for a month, being reliant on Amtrak to transport me around. I intended on going to around eight cities and would spend a couple of days in each of them. That partly happened, although there were some problems with closed routes.

So, I settled on going from Los Angeles to Tucson, from Tucson to El Paso, from El Paso to San Antonio and then flying from San Antonio to New Orleans. I then had another series of cities after that to visit, but I used plane and bus to get to them. This masterful plan was dented when Amtrak mailed me two weeks before my trip to tell me the train from El Paso to San Antonio was cancelled and they were providing no alternatives. Fortunately, Greyhound buses filled in the gap….

So, the first part of my journey was from Union Station in Los Angeles, California to Tucson Station in Arizona.

I’d been to Union Station on numerous previous occasions and taken many photographs. So this time, I limited myself to just taking a photograph of the tower since it was a warm and pleasant evening.

The departures screen in the main departures hall.

On my previous Amtrak trips I’ve just waited in the departures hall until the train is called. I felt that something seemed different about this trip though, and so I went to the customer services desk to ask if there was anything else that I needed to do. It turned out that this was a good decision of mine.

The man at the customer services desk was particularly helpful and explained that I needed to go and queue up to get a ticket. Instead of giving me directions, he decided to close the desk and escort me to where I needed to be, another helpful touch.

I then spent around thirty minutes in a queue to get a ticket, but that meant I could choose whether I got a window or aisle seat. The Americans (or at least they all seemed American) in the queue was conversational which made for a more entertaining wait. I went for a window seat so that I could look out of the window at California and Arizona, although I forgot it got dark at night and this was primarily a night train….

This was my view for most of the journey…. (not the same hill obviously, but different ones).

Around twenty minutes before departure time there was a call for passengers, so I went to wait on the platform. I hope Dylan and Leon get to see these trains soon, as they are large and slightly clunky, but I think they’re rather beautiful.

Moving the train towards the end of the track is apparently a more complex procedure than it might at first appear.

Ready to board. It looks a bit of a crowd, but the boarding was organised so that individuals could wait outside their carriage. A staff member then welcomed us individually and guided us towards our seat.

It’s hard to give an indication of seat size, but the leg space is substantial and far in excess of that I’ve experienced in any other country. Even if the person in front reclines, it makes absolutely no difference to the comfort of the person behind them.

When I was in the departures hall at Union Station a young guy came up to me and asked if he could borrow my charger. The railway station has a reputation for hawkers and people begging, and I was a little suspicious. I told him that I didn’t have the right adaptor for the plugs there, but I could charge it on my laptop, which I did. This didn’t seem risky as I currently had his phone and he had nothing of mine. All was well, he thanked me and that was that.

Anyway, it transpired that I was seated next to him on the train, which seemed rather a coincidence (the seating was allocated, so he didn’t just sit there). He was a pleasant and helpful guy, and he asked again on the train if I could charge his phone. Which I did, and that’s what is in the photo above.

The guy gave me a can of Pepsi for my help, and so I then agreed to charge his e-cigarette thing. Which promptly leaked. But he was happy 🙂

Getting nearer to Tucson in the early morning.

The train didn’t go that quickly if I’m being honest, but it was relaxing and comfortable. There were cabins on board for those who wanted them, although they’ve quite a bit more money.

Safely arrived in Tucson. The ticket cost around £28 and I thought that this was perfectly good value for money. I was slightly disappointed that there was no wi-fi on the train, but I understand that they’re actively trying to work on this across the network.

Overall, this was a very acceptable way of being transported from one city to another. The train was quiet on boards, there were plenty of toilets and numerous guards were available for any passenger who needed help. I was marginally disappointed I couldn’t get the train from Tucson to El Paso as it had been cancelled, but we arrived into Tucson on time. One final thing, I like that the guards go down the train waking any customer up who is still asleep before their stop, it’s a reassuring service….

August 13, 2025
Los Angeles – McDonald’s (Pasadena)

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a visit in January 2018 and I’ve reposted it to fix the broken image links]

The photo above isn’t mine, I took it from Google Maps. This McDonald’s intrigued me though as it the first walk-thru outlet of theirs that I’ve been to. That is they have a drive-thru counter and also a walk-thru counter where customers have to order outside. There are no inside counters at all, which struck me as novel.

The actual reason I went in McDonald’s wasn’t to get food, it was to escape the rain. Pasadena decided to flood when I visited and I had another fifteen minutes walk to get to the hotel.

Although all of the orders were taken outside, there was a relatively small inside dining area.

There’s the sum total of my purchases, a 99 cent unlimited soft drinks cup. Bargain. I stayed quite a while but the rain didn’t really dissipate.

August 13, 2025
Los Angeles – Stout Burgers and Beers (Santa Monica)

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a visit in January 2018, but I reposted it to fix the broken image links]

This combination of a beer and burger microbrewery sounded intriguing, and since it was too hot in the sun of Santa Monica, it seemed a rather good idea. Stout have five restaurants throughout the country, of which three are in the wider Los Angeles area.

Feeling rather brave, I also decided to dine outside in what felt a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. The interior was though quite minimalist, with lots of brick and wood being visible.

The extensive drinks menu which was well balanced between the different types of beer.

There was a choice of six different stouts and I’d have been disappointed with anything less given the restaurant’s name. This is the Vanilla Cash stout, with tastes of vanilla and coffee. It’s a nitro beer, so it has a smooth texture and a beautifully smooth flavour. The taste of vanilla lingered and it complemented the burger well.

The Mr. America burger, with aged cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion and relish. The burger was served well done but it was still juicy and full of flavour.

Overall, this was a relatively expensive dining option, but the service was friendly, efficient and personable. The quality of the food was high and I liked how the menu gave pairing suggestions between the burgers and the beer that was available.

August 13, 2025
Los Angeles – Blaze Pizza (Pasadena)

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a visit in January 2018, I’ve reposted it to fix some broken image links]

Just after I arrived in Pasadena it started to rain. The roads started flooding with the quantity of rain, so it seemed that an early lunch would be a rather good idea. This pizza restaurant, which is part of a national chain, seemed well reviewed and was on the way to my hotel. This restaurant is their outlet on East Colorado Boulevard, which is also on the historic route 66.

Firstly, the service was quite ridiculous insomuch as it was near perfect. There’s often talk from restaurants in the UK how they want their staff to engage with customers, to build up a rapport, to be conversational and welcoming. It rarely happens. Here, they had it down to a fine art.

I took a leaflet by the door to get an understanding of the different pizza options available. The process is similar to Subway, that you walk down a line and select the pizza and other items that you want, before paying at the end. I mentioned to the first staff member that it was my first visit, and she proceeded to offer a comprehensive introduction to how the process worked.

Then, after she had introduced herself and the concept, she then introduced me to the other staff members along the line. She was conversational and friendly, it is hard to imagine a friendlier introduction to a restaurant, but it never felt over the top or forced.

There’s an open and slightly industrial feel to the whole restaurant, which soon got much busier. The pizzas are cooked in just a few minutes and customers go and collect them from the counter.

Unlimited Dr. Pepper, a side salad and a pizza, all of which were at the temperature I expected, were neatly presented and tasted of an excellent quality. The pizza base was thin and crispy, the toppings were evenly spread and there was a depth of taste to both the pizza and the salad.

I think that covers most eventualities.

This was my first visit to a Blaze Pizza outlet and I discovered later on that Pasadena was the home of the chain, which might explain the near perfect customer service. It’s a shame that I don’t live closer (it’s hard to justify popping over to Pasadena for lunch) as I’d have this as my go to fast service restaurant….

August 13, 2025
Flights – London Heathrow to Los Angeles (American Airlines)

[I originally posted this in July 2018 about a flight in January 2018, but I’ve reposted it to fix the broken image links]

For a little bit of variety in January 2018, I decided to use American Airlines to get to the United States from London rather than British Airways. They’re still part of Oneworld and I think that there’s some sort of revenue share on the flights, so it wasn’t total disloyalty to British Airways….

American Airlines depart from Terminal 3 at Heathrow and the transfer process from Terminal 5 was easy with numerous airport staff available to help. The welcome desk at American Airlines was exactly that, enormously welcoming and friendly. The staff member asked if I was taking an ex-EU flight (meaning Europe rather than European Union, it’s often a cheaper way to travel, my ticket was from Ireland) which I said I was, before she added that it was becoming increasingly common.

The aircraft felt modern with the economy cabin being clean and well presented. The IFE screen was of a reasonable size given the cabin and I particularly liked the easy to access power to ensure my devices were kept nice and charged. The selection of films and television seemed quite wide ranging with some modern films being available.

It’s not rare now on airlines, but this was the first time that I’ve encountered this on my flights. It was news being fed to the aircraft whilst we were in the air, so I heard about the resignation of a Cabinet Minister.

I was going to America, so I had to have a Dr. Pepper. By “had to have”, I meant that I consider it to be a national drink of the United States, although I suspect most Americans would pick something else.

The main meal of mashed potato on minced meat (that’s not its official name) didn’t look very pretty, but it tasted better than it looked. There was some salad, which seemed superfluous to me, as well as a pleasant cherry crumble cake. The roll tasted American, so it was rather sweet.

There was ice cream handed out during the flight.

I liked the packaging, it looked exciting 🙂

Inside the box was a fajita pepper wrap on one side, and a lemon sponge cake on the other side. Served alongside another Dr. Pepper, it was a perfectly acceptable breakfast.

I liked the entire flight, indeed more than I expected. The service was polite, efficient and fast throughout. I had an aisle seat in a bank of only two seats, which although at the back of the cabin didn’t cause me any problems with noise or disturbances.

There were sufficient washrooms for the number of customers and the environment seemed clean and comfortable. British Airways seem to have had real problems recently keeping their aircraft clean, and American seemed to be more on top of that issue. It all adds to making the flight a little more pleasant.

August 13, 2025
Wisbech – High Street Urban Renewal

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]

It’s the first time that I’ve visited Wisbech for very many years, and some of the High Street is perhaps in need of some attention. Indeed, without that attention, there’s a risk bits of it might fall down.

There has been some funding provided to the town to develop a strategy to restore some of the buildings on the High Street and also to appoint a Townscape Heritage Officer. The above signage notes that they’re not trying to do too much, primarily limited by the level of funding that they have.

For buildings so close to the town’s central market, I was surprised to see these in such a poor state of repair. If the project to restore the High Street is successful, hopefully these can be restored and brought back into use for housing or retail.

The ideal has to be that Wisbech becomes a town that is wealthy enough to support two Greggs. Then they’ll know that they’ve made it.

August 13, 2025