Malaysia (Borneo!) – Day Four Starting the day with a three-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan wasn't the most exciting activity in the world, but it did, of course, mean arriving on the island of Borneo. Sandakan is the second largest city in Malaysian Borneo (in the state of Sabah), is located on the east coast, facing the Sulu Sea, and, at one time, it was the capital of British North Borneo. It's a city of about 450,000 people. Borneo itself is the third-largest island in the world (after Greenland and New Guinea), and the island is divided among three countries - Indonesia (which controls about 73% of the territory, but also is spread among many other islands), Brunei - in its entirety - which controls about 1% of the island's territory), and Malaysia, which controls the remaining 26%.

Malaysia (Borneo!) – Day Four

Starting the day with a three-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan wasn't the most exciting activity in the world, but it did, of course, mean arriving on the island of Borneo. Sandakan is the second largest city in Malaysian Borneo (in the state of Sabah), is…

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) – Day Three My third and last day in Kuala Lumpur was the first day that the group I'd be traveling with met each other - over coffee at our hotel - and we went as a troop of fourteen to three locations in the city, along with having lunch and dinner together (while the company was great at both those meals, the eating experience wasn't nearly as much fun as my prior two days). Our first stop was the observation decks of the Petronas Towers, which I'd only seen from the outside in my first two days.

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) – Day Three

My third and last day in Kuala Lumpur was the first day that the group I'd be traveling with met each other - over coffee at our hotel - and we went as a troop of fourteen to three locations in the city, along with having lunch and dinner together (while the…

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) – Day Two If my first day in KL was about galavanting around the city, getting some exercise in, and breathing some city air, day two was about trying to get outside the city for the day and seeing what I'd be able to visit without having to drive too far away. My ChatGPT queries identified the Batu Caves, the nearby Ramayana Cave, and the not-too-far-from-them Kanching Waterfalls. I found a pretty inexpensive ($38) "GetYourGuide" day-trip that covered all three sites, with a short morning walk to the pick-up site, where I stepped into a small van driven by Vijay with five other people, all of whom seemed to be Americans (though no one actually talked with anyone else).

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) – Day Two

If my first day in KL was about galavanting around the city, getting some exercise in, and breathing some city air, day two was about trying to get outside the city for the day and seeing what I'd be able to visit without having to drive too far away. My ChatGPT…

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) – Day One Upon arrival at about 8 a.m., and after about an hour wait for my luggage at the airport (exactly what I wanted after 26 hours of travel!), it was then another hour to get from the airport to my hotel by car. But it felt good to finally be someplace where I could relax, get a good breakfast, and shower before my day out in the city. Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in Malaysia, at 2m people (8.8m in the greater metropolitan area). Founded in 1857, in Malay its name means "muddy confluence" (maybe not the best marketing), and it has three of the ten largest shopping malls in the world; a local explained to me that the reason they love malls is because of the air conditioning.

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) – Day One

Upon arrival at about 8 a.m., and after about an hour wait for my luggage at the airport (exactly what I wanted after 26 hours of travel!), it was then another hour to get from the airport to my hotel by car. But it felt good to finally be someplace where I could…

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur and Borneo – Sept/Oct 2025 – Intro I REALLY thought my first trip to India would be this Fall and, in fact, I'd booked the trip. But then . . . well, I saw a different itinerary that would give me the chance to see orangutans (among other beasts, but - really - I thought it was all about the orangutans), so cancelled India and re-booked for Malaysia. India will have to wait. Depending upon who's counting, there are 11 or 12 countries in Southeast Asia - eleven if you only include the members of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) but twelve if you also include Papua New Guinea, which - really - is part of the region if not a part of the Association.

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur and Borneo – Sept/Oct 2025 – Intro

I REALLY thought my first trip to India would be this Fall and, in fact, I'd booked the trip. But then . . . well, I saw a different itinerary that would give me the chance to see orangutans (among other beasts, but - really - I thought it…

Putting a “like” on your reply doesn’t feel right. We miss your talent and insights and humor. Yeah, “management” (if you can call it that) has already heard from us on other issues, and this is yet another. In the meantime, we’ll keep rooting for you and subscribe to your “Watchlist”

@tyburr.bsky.social We miss seeing your byline in the WaPo. Is there news about your work there?

If a boxscore is supposed to help you understand a game historically, this one is lacking key info. How about adding some info to the "Batting" section - something like "HR Swing-off: NL 5, AL 4" then list the participating batters and their results?

Surprised at the 2025 #mlb all-star game boxscore. It seems to have settled after several versions, and it shows the result, but it doesn't show how it happened, other than a reference to two pitchers - "NL" and "AL"; nothing about the swing-off, what the outcome of it was, or who participated.

Finnish & Swedish Lapland, and Norway – Final Thoughts This trip was really a tale of two environments. Scandinavian capitals - Helsinki, Stockholm, and Oslo. All fun cities to visit with what you'd expect of cities - good restaurants, museums, theater, music, super streets for walking, urban culture - though in smaller settings than elsewhere I've been. Stockholm was just a wonderful spot, a place I'd love to return to as there's still so much to offer there, and its setting is just gorgeous.

Finnish & Swedish Lapland, and Norway – Final Thoughts

This trip was really a tale of two environments. Scandinavian capitals - Helsinki, Stockholm, and Oslo. All fun cities to visit with what you'd expect of cities - good restaurants, museums, theater, music, super streets for walking, urban…

Oslo – My Last Day of this Journey My overnight train from my day-trip to the Flam Railway, the fjords, and Bergen, arrived back in Oslo at about 6:30 in the morning of my last day in Norway. I'd planned to spend the day visiting a few more of the sights in Oslo, and darn if I wasn't going to try to go back to the hot dog kiosk that was closed two days ago.

Oslo – My Last Day of this Journey

My overnight train from my day-trip to the Flam Railway, the fjords, and Bergen, arrived back in Oslo at about 6:30 in the morning of my last day in Norway. I'd planned to spend the day visiting a few more of the sights in Oslo, and darn if I wasn't going to try…

A Day Trip from Oslo – the Flam Railway and Western Fjords – Day Twelve How could I visit Norway without going to see the fjords? I mean, it's almost as if the country is more well-known for these deep, narrow, glacier-carved, sea inlets overlooked by towering cliffs than it's being known for anything else! So I sought a day trip I could take from Oslo to see what I could see. Conveniently, the trip I found - while long - would allow me to see a few things; fjords, of course, but also a journey on the Flam Railway and a visit to Bergen, the second largest city in Norway and home to a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

A Day Trip from Oslo – the Flam Railway and Western Fjords – Day Twelve

How could I visit Norway without going to see the fjords? I mean, it's almost as if the country is more well-known for these deep, narrow, glacier-carved, sea inlets overlooked by towering cliffs than it's being known for…

Oslo – Days Ten and Eleven I had to start my last morning in Stockholm with some cinnamon buns (kanelbullar!) but after that, I was off to Oslo. When I'd booked the trip to Lapland, Helsinki, and Stockholm, I wanted to see if I also could fit in a trip to Norway; looking at the map, it didn't make sense to do it before Helsinki, given the proximity of Norway to Sweden; once I'd figured that out, it really was just a matter of how to get from Stockholm to Oslo.

Oslo – Days Ten and Eleven

I had to start my last morning in Stockholm with some cinnamon buns (kanelbullar!) but after that, I was off to Oslo. When I'd booked the trip to Lapland, Helsinki, and Stockholm, I wanted to see if I also could fit in a trip to Norway; looking at the map, it didn't make…

Stockholm – Days Eight and Nine If I was ever surprised by a city and how much it had to offer - by its city-scape and architecture and atmosphere and museums and food - it was Stockholm. Who knows what I was expecting - perhaps something that felt old and a bit dusty and cold - but I certainly wasn't expecting a place as inviting and warm as Stockholm.

Stockholm – Days Eight and Nine

If I was ever surprised by a city and how much it had to offer - by its city-scape and architecture and atmosphere and museums and food - it was Stockholm. Who knows what I was expecting - perhaps something that felt old and a bit dusty and cold - but I certainly…

Approaching Petra by Foot, and The Treasury is Revealed - 2022-April-30 YouTube video by Fred Weiss

Three years ago today, I had the experience of walking into Petra and seeing the Treasury for the first time. This video captures that moment.

#petra #jordan #indianajones

youtube.com/shorts/5xdQQ...

Swedish Lapland – Days Six and Seven We made the drive from Finnish Lapland into Swedish Lapland on the morning of day six. There's no immigration nor customs as you cross the border, so no passport stamp either, just a sign with the European Union symbol on it, easily missed if your guide hadn't pointed out that it was coming-up on the right. And, just as we crossed the border, there also was an Ikea.

Swedish Lapland – Days Six and Seven

We made the drive from Finnish Lapland into Swedish Lapland on the morning of day six. There's no immigration nor customs as you cross the border, so no passport stamp either, just a sign with the European Union symbol on it, easily missed if your guide hadn't…

Everest: A Chopper Visit to a Close Viewpoint - April 26, 2023 YouTube video by Fred Weiss

Two years ago today I got as close to the top of Mount Everest as I'm ever going to get. It was darn fun.

youtu.be/U3eJLUlG3ZU

Finnish Lapland – Days Four and Five We had about a 2 1/2 hour drive on the morning of day four from our hotel in Levi, Finland, down to the town of Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland which sits just below the Arctic Circle (which apparently moves a little continuously). We stopped along the way for coffee and donuts, but the real goal was to get to our outdoor activities for the next 2-3 hours.

Finnish Lapland – Days Four and Five

We had about a 2 1/2 hour drive on the morning of day four from our hotel in Levi, Finland, down to the town of Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland which sits just below the Arctic Circle (which apparently moves a little continuously). We stopped along…

Finish Lapland – Days Two and Three On the morning of day two we flew from the airport in Helsinki to the town of Kittila in Finnish Lapland, the town with a population of about 7,000.  The temperature was “feels like 19” when we landed. At the airport, we were met by a crew from “Lapland Safaris,” who took us into a private room where the leader, Vicky, explained what we’d be doing.

Finish Lapland – Days Two and Three

On the morning of day two we flew from the airport in Helsinki to the town of Kittila in Finnish Lapland, the town with a population of about 7,000.  The temperature was “feels like 19” when we landed. At the airport, we were met by a crew from “Lapland…

Fred's Travel BlogFinnish and Swedish Lapland, and Norway – March 2025 – Intro & Day One in Helsinki I’ll have to admit that these countries weren’t even really on my radar as places to visit. But whenever you travel you meet folks who also have traveled and you swap travel stories as …

fredstravelblog.com/2025/04/20/f...

#travel #travelblog #finland #sweden #lapland #aktravel

Finnish and Swedish Lapland, and Norway – March 2025 – Intro & Day One in Helsinki I'll have to admit that these countries weren't even really on my radar as places to visit. But whenever you travel you meet folks who also have traveled and you swap travel stories as well as the obligatory "what's one of your favorite destinations?" In the answer to this question, not one but two of the folks I recently traveled with named a trip they'd independently taken to Lapland in northern Finland and Sweden.

Finnish and Swedish Lapland, and Norway – March 2025 – Intro & Day One in Helsinki

I'll have to admit that these countries weren't even really on my radar as places to visit. But whenever you travel you meet folks who also have traveled and you swap travel stories as well as the obligatory "what's…

I’m leaving on a jet plane. Off to Finland, Sweden, and Norway, including going about 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle to Lapland. A chance to see reindeer, go dog-sledding, hopefully see the Northern Lights, and enjoy the food and culture and landscapes of these three countries.

My maternal grandmother Ruth, born in Fastov, Ukraine, perhaps on this day 131 years ago.

She was a wonderful, warm mother and hostess, and the family gatherings at her home on Crown Street in Brooklyn were beautiful and delicious.

Ruth is buried in Brooklyn, with her husband Joe.

#ancestry

Jimmy Carter outlived one of his obituary writers:

My mom always loved bringing my two brothers and me to see Santa at her favorite Brooklyn department store - A&S. Sometimes just one of us, sometimes two of us, sometimes all three, sometimes with friends and sometimes with other family. Photos from 1959, 1963, and two from ‘68.

#brooklyn

My first trip to Australia was in 1996. I've been lucky enough to be back a few times since; after North America and Europe, it's the continent I've visited most often. A few pics from over the years (not all great quality!), and a new blog post - link in my profile.

#australia #travelblog #travel

Back in 2012, I traveled to China - Beijing and Xian. Here are a few photos from that journey; there are more on my blog (link in my bio).
#asia #asiatravel #chinatown #beijing #xian #terracottaarmy #travel #travelblog

JFK and Jackie arrive Rice Hotel, Houston, 61 years ago this evening:

WTF

Meanwhile, the Justice Dept continues announcing Jan 6 cases

Latest is Dylan Smyth of Michigan. Prosecutors allege "Smyth and others began dismantling a fence barricade by pulling on its sections until gaps appeared"

1500+ total cases