Writes of Passage

253 5th Ave N,
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

… more pix on Reddit

St. Pete opera at Palladium Theater, which is at the above address.

This opera was by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), premiered in 1926.

The background is set in Beijing. Turandot is a princess, any prince wants to marry her, must answer three riddles, or face death.

Calaf is played by Simon K. Lee from Busan, South Korea; Turandot by Kelly Slawson of St. Louis, MO. Liu by Chelsea Lehnea who is the most attractive of the cast. … I know it’s an opera where and when the casting is limited, and I for one, visualize a love story with younger and attractive couple … so, it’s hard to see two middle aged persons playing the parts… Oh well. What do I know.

Movie director Zhang Yimou had staged it live in the Forbidden City in 1998, Zubin Mehta conducts. I remembered watching a clip, the young Chinese soldiers are warned not to interact with the ballerinas or the operas singers.

There is a young lady outside of the theater who is a fire inspector, to guard our safety per city/local regulation, “making sure the doors are open …” She agreed to the photo, that I can post on social medial.

We’ve lunch at Terra Gaucha and light dinner @ Allelo.

We parked at the garage by the James Museum. There is a small commotion when we go to retrieve our car: a white Nissan Rogue is in front of us and isn’t moving for a long time. When we lightly beeped it, it got upset. A young woman in a slimy out fit – low top and high front side cut of a long skirt came out … She claimed that they’re trying to pay but unable.

1. didn’t we all pay at entrance? We did.
2. maybe they came in early and at that time, the garage didn’t require payment up front?

As we’re out of the garage and on the street, it veneered to the right and waited for us to catch up, then throw something hard at our car. Talking about being rogue, or road rage?

2456 Gulf to Bay Blvd,
Clearwater, FL 33765

… more pix on Google Maps, Yelp and TA

Will return – my friend and I are up since 5:30 and done 1.2 miles open water swimming by 9:30 at Sand Key park. After the medal ceremony at 10:30, we’re hungry 😋 … thanks to my friend who picked this place!

They have a main hall where the foods are. There is a smaller one at the back.

The food is decent. I particularly enjoyed the green string beans! I think their cheese cream spinach – the spinach is bit sweet – my friend tried and said NO.

Most serving staff are Chinese. They’re cheerful and quick on their feet. They take Apple Pay – yup, forgot my wallet. Thank you!

The waterfall by the entrance is nice.

13000 Bruce B Downs Blvd,
Tampa, FL 33612

… more pix videos on Google Maps

Thanks to the men and women in the military.

I came here with a friend who is a vet. My review is for the look and feel of the place – it’s my first time visiting a veterans’ hospital, and very impressed, with the new building (??) where imaging / mammogram is located.

James A. Haley (1899-1981) was a WWI vet and served as FL Representative for many terms.

It’s early Saturday afternoon. The hospital is quiet. Simple decor, shiny floor, even men’s bathroom has a diaper changing table.

My friend got appointment done in less then 10 min, which also cut my exploration short too.

Parking, however is another story. Our driver was being harassed for pulling in there: you need a permit, I think. Oh well.

This Samsonite carry on luggage set was purchased in 2003 at Costco. I still use it on all my trips. Heavy? Yes but they’re durable and rather handy: 21 years and counting, in 2024.

I often walked from Frankfurt Hbf to Renate’s home in Bockenheim, in which many paths are pebble stoned, or I chose to.

A few more pix of my long lasting carry on:

This Amex Centurion Lounge at Atlanta ATL Terminal E by Gate 11, has just opened this morning, I think at 6am, when we flew in from Buenos Aires, to change flight home.

… more pix videos on Google Maps, Yelp & TA

As we flew into Atlanta to change flight, we’re treated to their newest Centurion Lounge that just opened that moment.

Opening hours: 6am to 11pm daily.

The place is huge, easily double the space to other centurion lounges. A gentleman in suit showed me around – thank you. They’ve two outdoor terraces, one whisky bar with 34 (?) American whiskeys. Chef Deborah Vantrece curates nice layouts, from fruits to bakery to sausage … my most favorite is the pinkish cheese grit with a hint of spicy – the most delicious grit I’ve had 😘 salty and spicy

The decor is modern. With green-wall at the entrance, to books and luggage to enclosed meeting spaces.

Staff are fresh, friendly and energetic – do keep it up.

The only speck is the lacking of tea spoons – love their utensils by the way. “No worry,” I told the gentleman: the cruise ships use regular spoons for their desserts – is this the trend or what?
The shower has 15 minutes limit.
It’s a sunny day and I got a few sunrise videos and pix, before they put down the shades.

We used Uber to get around in Rio de Janeiro. They’re not always cheaper. Once we took the taxi at the half cost of Uber, which was also a long wait. Waiting around for a Uber is the downside of it. But it’s convenient: just open the app and you don’t need to stick out your credit card.

~ The Rise and Fall of Uber 2021.4.08

Bloomberg News reports Uber has a banner quarter, up 30%, while Lyft is down 80%, which has very limited worldwide presence. My last encounter with Lyft was horrible, from both the driver and the company.

The location service is spotty in Rio. Many times, the drivers couldn’t find us. One time at the beach, the driver of a Black Fiat (lic ending I33) drove away from us, that was a terrible experience. We would spend next 30 minutes waiting for another car. It drained my battery as well. If I were to cancel it, Uber charges me a cancelation fee. It doesn’t seem fair.

On our trip to the GIG airport, the driver has a yellow tank in his truck. What is it?

One interesting thing to note: many Uber cars in the airport are mini, without a truck! We put our two carry on in the front passenger seat.

As of now, I still haven’t figure it out how to tell Uber the number of passengers, other than myself.

Above my pay grade topic. Uber 的季度业绩表现出色, 增长了 30%; 而 Lyft 则下降了 80%, 在全球范围内的业务非常有限.
几年前在旧金山Lyft 的司机无缘无故说我的狗在他车里💩了 加收$80. Lyft不调查 (照片的meta data was striped …) 说收的对… 当然我赢了. 这么烂的公司 简直了.

今天Uber 小哥看俺在照相 好心提醒俺 “… 小心 不要被人抢手机…”
这是来后第一个提醒. 俺觉得Rio 挺安全, 虽然最好的酒店都有些惨不忍睹 周围环境本应该高大上 但也就是New York 23 街的感觉.
满大街卖冰/水的小贩们 人手一个收银机. 在这个背后 不知道信用卡公司的努力
相比之下 德国🇩🇪小商店都还是现金…

😜高于我的薪资等级的主题

.
Av. Augusto Severo, 342 – Glória
Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20021-040, Brazil

… more pix on Google Maps

Paris Square is in the Glória neighborhood, south of Centro, and east of Santa Teresa. It modeled a typical Parisian garden, designed by French urban planner Alfred Agache (1875-1959) in 1926, under Mayor Antônio Prado Júnior. It has a few pieces of sculptures.

We passed by it a few times, the last time was Sunday, the near by market is huge, sells produces, foods, goods, art works, second hands stuff …

^{Amex Centurion @ eze: Terminal B by Gate 19
Buenos Aires}

… more pix on Google Maps
… refusal at eze

There are many airport lounge networks, most of them run by airlines itself, like Delta, while others run by credit card, such as Amex Centurion, and lounge access program such as Priority Pass.

• Amex Centurion lounges has 40+ locations
• Priority Pass has 1,500
• Delta Sky Club has 50+
• CapitalOne 1,300 (till 12.31.2024)
• Escape Lounge 15 in US, 7 in UK

Many credit cards give you free access to PriorityPass locations. During my younger days, I won’t leave a minute early than necessarily. Now, I’m early by the hour (ok, not the hour, but just leave early, to not have to deal with the stress of running late.) So airport lounges seem a good place to check it out.

… more lounges I’ve used:

1. ICN, Lounge. L
2. LAX, Amex Centurion lax
3. ATL @ Atlanta – Centurion
4. GIG @ Rio de Janeiro – Plaza Premium Lounge
5. EZE @ Buenos Aire ↓

Amex Centurion Lounge at Buenos Aires‘s eze is my first, when we’re waiting to take our flight up to Rio de Janeiro.

What has gotten to me today? Little Irene wants a burger 🍔 are u kidding me?

Guess not.

At Burger King, I don’t know how to order with the machine. A little frustrated, I said, what the hell, why don’t I go to the Centurion Amex Lounge instead?

The Centurion Lounge is, as usual, decent with all the drinks (soft and hard) and cold food, with a couple of hots. The two tv monitors are showing soccer games. Their policy for Amex users are 3 hours prior to departure.

BUT I’m on connecting flight, which doesn’t fell under this 3-hr rule. The young man repeated his verdict: 3 hour rule, even it doesn’t apply. Poor training, is all I can say.

We’ve a long layover @ eze, so I checked out the other lounges:

1. Latam @ eze, $45 pp, stay as long as you want (can go in and out)
2. Aerolineas Argentinas $60 for four hours

一根筋 想吃汉堡
机器下单 自己搞不定 发愁
…
突然想起 不如去运通休息室吧

以前赶飞机 都是掐着时间 早一分钟都不肯
现在老太婆了 早的以小时计 (没有了 不过差不多…)
以前不会用运通的福利. 现在变常客
可惜现在没什么网球比赛 都是⚽️
吃了喝了 汉堡点了

就等着俺的✈️了

国内应该已经吃或者吃完团年饭了
多吃点了吗？想想俺轮流天涯海角的靠汉堡充饥 😜😹

Thursday, arrives at Point Wilde at 10am, it’s on the north coast of Elephant Island.

Type: Diana the ship spelt it Wild and Wilde; one staff insisted that it has an e.

The name is in honor of Frank Wild (1873-1939), the #2 man to Shackleton’s Endurance and after shipwreck, was left behind with 28 crew while Shackleton went to South Georgia, looking for help. Wild and his men camped here for more than four months until Chilean Navy Captain Luis Alberto Pardo (1882-1935) came to the rescue, on 30 August 1916.

We cruise around Point Wild, for a while, get to see some creatures big and small.

More cruising in the early afternoon … doesn’t it look like a Chinese painting?

Late afternoon, we land on Elephant Island. The mountainous island so named because of its shape that resembles an elephant’s head, and elephant seals.

Shackleton sailed to South Georgia to get help, which is 800 miles away, with five men on a lifeboat.

Before we reach Elephant Island, we passed by Rowett Island. More pix & videos on Google Maps, TA

Elephant seals can weight more than 8,000 lb.

Paraguay 938, C1057 AAN,
Buenos Aires

… more pix on Google Maps, Yelp, TA

Won’t return: although the meat is good but the atmosphere is like an Irish pub, suitable for an after game meal. And the a/c is weak, if they’ve it at all.

We arrived at 3:44 on a Friday. Two couples were waiting ahead of us. We were seated 13 minutes later.

The restaurant is pretty small, with a small second floor. When I went, one of servers took my name (ok … she asked for my name, ‘nombre’ and I thought it sounds like number, and gave her my phone number – hope this makes your day … lol). After taking my ‘name’, she closed the door and told/pointed me (I thought) to wait outside.

Our table is close to the door. Some of the subsequent dinners have come in and waisted by the door – so you know how uncomfortable it is for us.

The menu is in Spanish. Google translates does a fine job. Our lunch at Cafe Proa hadn’t disappear completely, so we just ordered two steaks: filet mignon beak and rib eye. All steak comes with one side (I think).

1. the sauce for bread: looks better than the taste
2. the bread: pretty good
3. the filet is tender but tasteless (as usual)
4. rib eye is more flavorful (as usual)

… nothing is new.

The bill is inexpensive ($32) compare to US but I can’t see myself returning.

The bathroom is downstairs – it’s a trip.