Category Archives: tourism

Forbes: Shanghai, Beijing as world’s top emerging business centers

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It was not surprising to see Forbes suggest that Shanghai and Beijing ranked highest in their recent survey measuring which cities are poised to become major global business capitals.

They used a neat picture from Shanghai’s World Financial Center – under construction when I was there in April and basically the opposite of my picture from below the Jin Mao tower:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeduck/2419944285/in/set-72157604613298418/

http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/23/cities-world-ten-forbeslife-cx_mw_1023cities_slide_11.html?thisSpeed=15000

Jin Mao remains one of the top ten tallest buildings in the world but is still dwarfed by the Shanghai World Trade Center with the massive square opening to stabilize the building in high winds.    The opening was originally designed as a huge circle but after initial approval of that spectacular design, Chinese officials decided it looked too much like the symbolism of the flag of Japan and insisted on a new design.

World’s Tallest Buildings from Wikipedia

Oregon’s Multnomah Falls in the Columbia Gorge

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Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Columbia-Gorge-2008 146
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Hey, I’m kind of temporarily tired of blogging about technology and politics and even blogging about the Oregon Coast, so how about an Oregon waterfall?  This shot of Oregon’s iconic falls – Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge – from our trip last month to Northern Oregon.

Multnomah Falls is under an hour east of Porland on Interstate 84 where the easy access makes this one of Oregon’s most visited attractions and a tourism destination for over 100 years.   The area is home to some wonderful hikes and great scenery along the gorge.  Portland, charming  Hood River, the Bonneville Dam, and The Dalles are all nearby.   We had a great stay at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel atop a waterfall on the cliffs above the Gorge near Hood River.

Oregon Coast

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The rumors are true.  There’s a detailed Oregon Coast website at OregonCoastTravel.net, which is the official website of the Oregon Coast Mile by Mile guide that showcases the entire Oregon Coast from California to Washington.   Highway 101 is the spectacular 363 mile National Scenic Byway and the only road along Oregon’s Coast.   Oregon Coast Travel has a feature where you can see the mileage for every point of interest along the entire Coast highway which is how the Oregon Coast Mile by Mile printed guide is designed.   You can also search the coast by city from Brookings to Astoria, including small cities as well as the tourism “hot spots” of Bandon, Lincoln City, Newport, Gold Beach, Canon Beach, and more.

Cannon Beach on Oregon’s Coast
Originally uploaded by keepitsurreal

Full Sail Brewery, Hood River

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Full Sail Brewery, Hood River
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Full Sail Ale is one of the most popular beers in the Northwest, and our Full Sail brewery tour in Hood River helped us understand why Full Sail remains so popular. We had a great guide, Gary, and thanks to his expertise and the fact we were the only two on the tour we were able to ask a lot of questions.

Gary explained that in 1985 the town of Hood River was suffering badly as the Timber Industry was in decline.    A group of friends, hard up for work, decided to start brewing beer and took over a small building which remains a small part of the huge brewery complex that now produces millions of bottles of Full Sail Ale and Henry Weinhard’s as part of the Full Sail contract with Miller Brewing.

More detailed brewing information about the tour at the Oregon Blog:  OregonEx.com

Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River Oregon

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Mini Vacation time!    Heading to the Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, Oregon.    We’ve never been there but it’s supposed to be really neat – perched next to a huge waterfall with great food and historic ambiance:

Built in 1921 by timber tycoon Simon Benson, the Columbia Gorge Hotel was known as  the “Waldorf of the West.” A magnificent villa perched on a scenic cliff, the Hotel offering sweeping views of the majestic Columbia River as well as the very finest accommodations and dining in the northwest.

The Hotel was a favored retreat for movie stars like Clara Bow and Shirley Temple, presidents like Roosevelt and Coolidge, and other social and political dignitaries. These were the days of steamers and speakeasies, of Valentino and the Model T; a time when people were dancing the Charleston and listening to jazz at The Cotton Club.

Hmmm – I hope I don’t have to dance the Charleston….

Oregon Coast Highway 101 – The Pacific Coast National Scenic Byway

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Whenever I travel out of Oregon, which is pretty often,  I can’t help but make comparisons with the geography in other states and countries.    Although I’m a big fan of California which is a lot like Oregon, and a fan of the longer detailed histories you’ll find in other countries and states, it’s very hard to find things to compare with the natural splendor of the things we’ve got right here in my very favorite state.

The most recognizable natural wonders here are the Oregon Coast and Crater Lake National Park (Crater Lake NP is featured on the official Oregon Quarter!).   Crater Lake is spectacular as are the sweeping mountains, rivers and cityscapes but I think the most unique feature of Oregon is our 363 miles of unspoiled, almost 100% gorgeous coastline.    In fairness to other states with great coasts Oregon lacks the warmth of, say, a Waikiki or even Los Angeles beach, but we make up for that with scenery that is unmatched anywhere on earth.   Over at the Oregon Coast blog I’m starting to post pictures of the coast with comments and hoping to get some guests adding their own take on our wonderful Oregon Coast.

The Oregon Coast Mile by Mile Website is from the Official Printed Guide to the Oregon Coast and covers every city along the coast as well as attractions, hotels, and more:

Astoria to Seaside
Cannon Beach to Manzanita
Manzanita to Tillamook
Tillamook to Lincoln City
Lincoln City to Newport
Newport to Yachats
Yachats to Florence
Florence to North Bend
Coos Bay to Port Orford
Port Orford to California

Cape Arago Highway
Highway 6
Three Capes Loop Highway

Vikingsholm on Emerald Bay. Lake Tahoe, California

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Vikingsholm

Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay, California

Vikingsholm, Lake Tahoe
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay is one of the most scenic areas in California – some would say this is the prettiest place in the whole state. Vikingsholm is a nordic mansion built on the lake almost 100 years ago, now managed by the state park system. Inside the mansion is fully furnished with mostly original furniture and other historic artifacts, including a Steinway Rosewood Piano commissioned especially for Vikingsholm.

Mark Twain visited Lake Tahoe long before Vikingsholm – in fact I wonder if his writing may have influenced the choice to build there.  Here is Twain on Tahoe in second of two chapters in “Roughing It” that talk about his trip from Nevada to the Lake.
(thanks to Horatiox for the tip!)

The People’s Coast

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The Oregon Coast is arguably the top “branded” destination name in the state, and one of the top destination brands nationally, so it strikes me as very odd that some very high priced marketing firms are suggesting they rebrand our beautiful Oregon Coastline as “The People’s Coast”.

In addition to suffering from geographical vagueness and ambiguity, “The People’s Coast” is unlikely to conjure up the imagery the Oregon Coast deserves – powerful crashing surf, beautiful sandy beaches, rocky sea stacks towering majestically just off the shore, a lush blue spruce and fir forest sweeping down to the shoreline, and so much more.

Sure, the Oregon Coast is a “People’s Coast”, just like Viet Nam’s where the “People’s Coast Guard”  stands watch, but I’m not feeling how this brand is going to take off, let alone bring more folks to the state.   More importantly terms like the People’s Coast diminish the current powerful theme of the Oregon Coast which not only promotes that region but associates it with the rest of Oregon.     I’m partial to my own region – Southern Oregon – which I promoted online for many years and which includes portions of the magnificent Oregon Coast. whoops, I guess I mean that Southern Oregon contains portions of the People’s Coast…

No Prohibition advertisement, Fells Point, Baltimore Harbor

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No Prohibition Ad, Fells Point, Baltimore Harbor 265

Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Fells Point is one of Baltimore’s most historic areas. Here, a “Vote Against Prohibition” advertisement has lasted long past the demise of Prohibition. Perhaps not coincidentally the Fells Point area is known for bars and nightly rowdiness.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is the perfect example of how history and travel intersect in wonderful ways. Formerly the Inner Harbor was mainly for shipping, but over the past several decades Baltimore has turned this into a convention and tourism hot spot for the entire coast.

One of the most appealing features in Baltimore are the Water Taxis which take you from place to place all day for $9, offering a cheap tour. Be sure to ask the pilots about the buildings and harbor history – most are very well informed.

Beijing Olympics Coverage basically rocks – so stop whining!

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I’m really tired of people criticizing the technology behind the Olympics coverage, which has been spectacular on almost all fronts given NBC’s unprecedented “all events online” approach.

Sure it’s unfortunate / frustrating to have some events delayed – especially here on West coast, and I’d guess NBC will change some of this for 2012, but the idea, for example, that CNN should not report results without a “spoiler” note is just asking too much.

Noted over at TechCrunch today:

People need to stop whining while the quirks of social media effects on global events get worked out. Overall the coverage by NBC has been nothing short of spectacular, with real time multiple event coverage online and off. Sure it would be nice if everything was live, but Beijing’s time is very inconvenient for most TV watchers.

People have been whining about tape delays when they could be watching online, and now this absurd idea that CNN should be *delaying the reports* to conform to the NBC delays not to mention the people who are over there *watching the events live*. You want them to shut up until you see the show? Sheesh – do you want me to use a tube TV, too?