Vegas and the Grand Canyon (04/22/2011-04/24/2011 and 07/16/2011-07-17/2011)

To continue the theme of American weekend destinations, here's a post on the ultimate expression of American consumer culture - Las Vegas.  I had come here first for a close friend's bachelor party (whose privacy I'll respect) and had a chance to tour the various landmarks and see a few establishments for which Vegas is famous for.  The second time was a weekend getaway with a good friend in my industry.

You do not come to Vegas to save money - the whole place is designed to extract as much money from you as possible and for you to enjoy every step of the process. They do this very effectively. Whether it's casinos, shows, pool parties, or day trips into the surrounding desert, Vegas has something for everyone.  Be forewarned, if 'authenticity' is what you seek, be prepared for disappointment.  Aside from the impressive natural scenery (namely, the Grand Canyon), Vegas is a wholly artificial construct. The city itself shouldn't even exist given it is built right on a desert. You can even see attempts of follow-on cities hoping to replicate Vegas' success scattered and abandoned in the desert, indicating just how inhospitable this land is.

Newport, Rhode Island (05/20/2011-05/21/2011)

I didn't really feel like going home one weekend in Boston, so I figured I would rent a car and check out some of what New England has to offer.  Following the advice of a random person I met, I drove to Rhode Island, specifically Newport.  What I didn't know about Newport was that it is famous for its naval academy as well as its mansions.  Depending on who you ask, their local clam chowder is also a famous item (New England's cream vs. Rhode Island's clear style).  Amazingly enough, during World War II, a significant fraction (perhaps 1/3rd) of the Americans' torpedoes were manufactured here, and unbeknownst to the town's population, there was an underground railroad transporting tremendously volatile explosives between one of the near islands to downtown Newport. for assembly.

Overall a lovely sleepy little city whose population is outnumbered by tourists more often than not.

Misc.America I (02/2011-11/2011)

Well, it's been some time since I've posted and it's not for lack of travel. My new life has kept me very busy, and ironically, I am travelling much more than before. Much of my travels have been limited to the continental United States, and usually in the same places.  Posted here is a collection of a few memorable moments from the past few months and let's see if you can guess the cities.  I will follow up with a few posts on specific cities shortly.