Category: Americas

Three-Morning Walk

Completed a three-morning walk along University Avenue (connecting Minneapolis and St. Paul) with a friend, pausing at architecturally interesting buildings. Today, our walk along “Asian Main Street” included wonderful Vietnamese pastries.

Hiking above Palm Springs

In early December we spent a week in Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley in California’s desert southwest. It was still low season, but temperatures were pleasant (60’s and 70’s Fahrenheit). In January, the population of the valley is about 800,000. By June, the population drops to around 200,000 as temperatures soar into the low…… Continue reading Hiking above Palm Springs

The Best Croissants

Continued exploring University Avenue with a friend. Visited a modest Vietnamese bakery for one of the best almond croissants ever. I was experiencing a consequence of a convoluted path from French colonialism to skilled Vietnamese refugees and their offspring.

Chilly Heights

Rode the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to 8,500 feet. With one foot of snow on the ground, we abandoned our hiking plan. 7,000 feet lower, in Indian Canyons, we enjoyed an arduous, warm (75°F) hike up the Maynard Mine Trail, carefully avoiding cacti.

Nightlife

After hiking Palm Canyon for several hours, it was back to our hotel for a nap. Night fell, dinner enjoyed, then, just tonight, the nightlife. After one beer in a piano bar for “friends of Dorothy” it was time (6:20 p.m.) to walk back for a cup of tea, birthday cake, then sleep.