Final Transit » USA

Photo Friday 03.12: Detroit, reloaded

Priyank — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

↑ A building in downtown Detroit

Downtown area of Detroit is quite interesting, with well kept buildings right next to a lot that’s empty or being torn down. Back in the day, this automobile capital of USA had a bustling downtown. The city is slowly emerging from decay and I hope it regains its charm in the next decade or so.

There is enough in the downtown Detroit to keep one busy for a day. See the photo gallery to get a look.

© RSS feed from Final Transit - Priyank's notes from the road.. If you are viewing this content on a website instead of your RSS feed reader, then the website you are on is guilty of stealing my content without permission. Please visit my blog (Final Transit) and let me know so that I can take action against this spam website. Thanks!

Photo Friday 03.03: Detroit downtown

Priyank — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:00:00 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

↑ Seagulls on Belle Isle with downtown Detroit backdrop.

Detroit, the erstwhile automobile capital of USA, had a bustling downtown back in its day. The city is slowly emerging from decay and I hope it regains its charm in the next decade or so. The area contains most of the prominent skyscrapers in Detroit, second largest theatre district in USA, several parks, many of which are linked by the Detroit International Riverfront, three casinos, and many little neibourhoods like the Greek town.

Several cities, including Toronto and Chicago, fall within a 5 hour driving radius from Detroit. Detroit airport is a hub for Delta’s US operations and numerous carriers fly direct to UK and European destinations. It’s a worthwhile city to consider if you are looking for cheapest holidays in the rust belt of USA.

↑ Giganitc sculpture of Joe Louis’ fist and the iconic Renaissance Center (owned by GM).

There is enough to do in the downtown area, my favourite being the late nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings and their urban mix with newer contemporary constructions, to keep one busy for two days. Canada is just across the Detroit river. See the photo gallery.

Year 2011 in review

Priyank — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:29:49 +0000

Annual reviews: | Year 2010 | Year 2009 | Year 2008

Building on the Work-Save-Travel model

This year I travelled to two new countries: Mexico and Ecuador. Besides that, I got a full time job, a house and things like that. That made it difficult to take time off work, but I will make it happen anyway since travelling is the best way to spend money, don’t you agree?

Mexico

I backpacked in Mexico at the beginning of the year, checking out Mexico city and several surrounding areas to the north, west and southern parts of central highlands. Then I travelled to Yucatan to see some spectacular Mayan ruins, returning back with a tan to a snowy Toronto.

Mexico travelogue – Mexico photo gallery

Northern Ontario

It was late spring in Toronto but still snow season in the North. I took a bus trip to North Bay, continuing to Timmins, about 700 km away from Toronto. Later in the summer, I also visited Iron Bridge, a little community between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie on the shores of Lake Huron.

Northern Ontario photo gallery | Timmins photo gallery

Ecuador

In autumn, I travelled to Ecuador for about a month, spending majority of my time in the mountains and hiking to my heart’s content. I was quite surprised by how geographically diverse the country was and the number of activities one could indulge in.

Ecuador travelogue – Ecuador photo gallery

Life events in Toronto and travel to surrounding areas

This year I bought a house, it’s a 130-year old Victorian house, with ghosts and stuff in the attic. As you can imagine, now I am not only firmly grounded in Toronto but also fully ‘settled down’ with a partner, mortgage, job and things like that. So I was quite busy this summer putting everything together.

Besides lots of cycling to places in Toronto, I also visited Guelph area and made an annual pilgrimage-like trip to Niagara falls / Buffalo, NY.

Toronto Tuesday – Niagara Falls photo gallery

Detroit, USA

The year ends as I spend christmas holidays with my in-laws in Detroit. Detroit is a nice city but plagued by complex problems which I solely blame on the evil auto industry…haha! Nevertheless, I had a great time walking in the downtown core.

Detroit photo gallery

Travel blogging and social media

Besides writing a journal about my travels, I also ventured into social media this year by signing up for Twitter and Facebook and socialising with travel bloggers in general. Since travelling is not my fulltime activity (unfortunately) or a source of income, there is only so much time I could dedicate to social media.

But I’m glad that my twitter network has grown to 965 followers and facebook community has grown to 180. At the same time, I published 91 blog posts this year and my alexa rank has improved from 864k to 240k today. I think I am at equilibrium now, haha!

Oh yes, and I moved my travel blog to a new domain name: finaltransit.com, so please update your bookmarks!

So that’s the summary of my travels this year. How was 2011 for you?

Annual reviews: | Year 2010 | Year 2009 | Year 2008

5 free things to do during a layover in Miami airport

Priyank — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:16:30 +0000

Tips to keep yourself busy at Miami’s aeropuerto grande

Miami, located on Florida’s Atlantic coast, is the eight biggest city in USA and a hub for major airlines such as American Airlines and LAN. So if you are travelling to South America or the Caribbean, it is very likely that you would have a layover at Miami. While I cautiously avoided a stopover in USA while traveling to Mexico and Peru, the ticket prices for a flight to Ecuador were too lucrative to look over. Same applies if you have booked beach holidays to central America or Caribbean islands since several all inclusive trips depart from this port.

Staying entertained for free

35 million passengers used this airport in 2010, making it the 12th busiest in USA. Most of the traffic occurs on concourse D also called the “north terminal”, and a hub for American Airlines. Typical layovers are 3-6 hours long, leaving time for people to go through a round of US customs, if applicable. However, if you are flying from places in Canada, you don’t need to go through US customs again, so the layover time is all yours to enjoy:

1. Take the sky train


↑ Skytrain mechanism (yes I am a geek!) and interiors. The train runs on rubber tyres with guiding metal rails on the side.

Skytrain is an automated people mover train system that shuttles passengers across the 45 gates that dot the l.9km long north terminal. It is very convenient to use and you can get some great shots of parked airplanes, and the runway where the planes land or take-off. I don’t know how many back-n-forth trips I made in this train, taking pictures and hanging out.

2. Take lots of pictures

↑ American Airlines planes on terminal D

Besides the art installations in various places, a peculiar characteristic of any airport is the number of travellers, and this number is huge in Miami. Some are excited, some are exhausted, while some are restless and some are snoring away. Look out from the glass windows and you’ll find airplanes of all shapes and sizes hanging out in the field or taking off on the runway. A photographer’s paradise I’d say.

3. Eat and shop

Miami airport has tons of restaurants, most of them overpriced and serving mediocre quality food, nothing surprising. In addition, there are numerous stores selling stuff, also overpriced, something that seems to be a characteristic of airports. But since I promised to keep this list free, I’m suggesting you keep your eyes open for promotions and free samples that are often handed out. Stop by a perfume store to checkout samples of an expensive, boutique brand of celebrity endorsed perfume, which, to be honest, I don’t get.

4. Relax

This includes everything from sitting in a quiet corner reading a book to looking out of the window watching airplanes take off. Miami airport is huge, especially the north terminal, and not all gates are busy all the time. There is usually a place to take a nap, or, if you are lucky to find a power outlet that actually works, use your laptop.

5. Stay hydrated and exercise
It is very crucial, especially during long flights, to drink fluids and stay active. This helps in overcoming fatigue and jet-lag. Unlike many airports, numerous water fountains are located throughout the airport. And if you decide to ditch the skytrain, you could walk from one end of the terminal to the other, a 1.9km lap (but please don’t run.)

6. Practise Spanish, prepare for Latin America
About 68% of Miami residents speak Spanish as their first language, while only 25% speak English as their first language. So, most working class people at the airport either natively speak Spanish, or understand it extremely well. If you are the kind of person that likes to chat with people, this is the right place to get acquainted with some Español.

The city of Miami itself is a great destination and if my layover was just a bit longer, I would have ventured out to enjoy the beach. Several small towns along the gulf and atlantic coast attract vacationers to places where you can lease accommodation for a short term. For a wide selection of Florida rentals, click here for more information. At the moment Miami airport has some public transit connections but most people are forced to rely on the unsustainable modes of transport such as taxis and car rentals. This is slated to change next year with a new high speed rail line.

Did you have a layover in Miami recently? How did you keep yourself busy?

Photo Friday 02.12: Cloud gate

Priyank — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 05:05:45 +0000

Downtown Chicago’s artsy attraction

‘Photo Friday’ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

The Cloud Gate (nicknamed ‘the bean’) is a public sculpture in downtown Chicago’s Millenium Park. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its highly polished exterior has no visible seams. I absolutely loved this piece of art, it’s as good as a destination by itself!

Have you been to the Cloud gate?

September 11

Priyank — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 17:05:49 +0000

One of the most decisive events in modern human history

↑ This picture would have looked different a decade ago

While I usually steer clear of discussing political issues on this travel blog, I happened to wake up yesterday thinking “hmm… its 9/11″ tomorrow. Throughout history, there have been innumerable incidents of humans-killing-humans in an inhuman fashion, and there have been numerous other terrorist attacks since I was born. I vividly remember three of those.

March 1993 Bombay bombings

I was only 12, living in a quiet suburb of Mumbai (it had a colonial name ‘Bombay’ back then). 13 bombs exploded within a span of few hours, killing 250 and injuring over 700 in downtown Mumbai, less than 60km from my suburb Dombivli. It was so close but seemed so far. Until then, the only type of “bomb” I really knew was a fire cracker I lit for Diwali.

September 11, 2001 “9-11″ WTC attacks

I was 19, confused, depressed and the second year of univeristy had just begun. Like most of my classmates, I was planning to travel to a foreign country for a Masters degree and going to US was most people’s first choice. This incident triggered tons of debates because when the lone superpower is attacked, one begins to think about the things to come.

November 26, 2008 “26-11″ Mumbai attacks

It was approximately three years ago, and I was backpacking in Bhutan. People I met on the street mentioned about the tragedy in Mumbai and I was worrying because I didn’t have much information. Then, while hitchhiking in a van, the guy switched on his radio and I heard the news. It almost made me cry. Soon, we reached my destination and I stepped inside the massive Punakha monastery, looking straight at the statue of Buddha. He was looking at me with tranquility in his eyes and a gentle smile on his face. I lost all sense of existence and the physical surroundings until the guard nudged me. It was a perfect healing.

I wish nobody suffers from such cowardly acts in future. But who am I kidding, we are humans.

We kill.

Statue of Liberty – The cheapest way to see it

Priyank — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:00:04 +0000

Take the Staten Island Ferry – its free!

↑ Statue of Liberty.

I’ve been to New York City thrice and no matter how well I plan my budget, I always end up overspending. It’s alright, I think, because there are large number of wonderful things to do in New York City that are free, or almost free.

↑ Ferry Entrance on Manhattan

Take the Staten island ferry for example. Funded by the tax payers of New Yorkers (thank you very much!), this ferry service connects the mostly residential Staten Island with mostly commercial downtown Manhattan island. Statue of Liberty, located on the Liberty island, is just next to the ferry route. Thus, you can get a close enough view of the statue for free.

↑ Passenger waiting area

In fact, I never had the interest in visiting the actual site of the Statue of Liberty at all. If you don’t want to climb up to the crown, I don’t think its worth going – how much can one possibly see from the ground without straining our necks?

↑ Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge

Directions: New York City’s subways couldn’t be more convenient. The South Ferry terminal station on Red line 1 is the closest, although Whitehall St. (South Ferry) on Yellow line N, R might be easier. Just look towards south and the entrance will be visible.

↑ Downtown Manhattan skyline

Have you taken the ferry before? Do tell me your experience. For more pictures of downtown Manhattan, checkout my NYC photo gallery.

↑ Ferry going back to Manhattan

Photo Friday 01.21: USA

Priyank — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:30:03 +0000

Times Square, New York City, USA

Whenever I go to New York City, I make it a point to stop by the Times Square. I feel humbled when I look at a mountain peak. I feel pensive when I look at a valley. I feel fresh breathing in the forests and I feel relaxed when seeing a sunset.

But what’s so special about the Times Square? It’s essentially a showcase of capitalist pursuits – complete with dazzling lights and extravagant commercials that entice you to spend. But I still like to visit that place once in a while, to celebrate the fact that I am a human, to celebrate the fact that my species built cities and brought us together.

While I am disillusioned by humanity in general and marvel at the spectacle we’ve created, Times Square stands to remind me of all the things we humans have done – good and bad.

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful 2011, and strength to do our part in making a difference to the world.

Photo Friday 01.04: Statue of Liberty

Priyank — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:31:59 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘: Pictures from faraway lands.

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

A woman wearing a crown, trampling a broken chain, holding a torch and an eternal symbol of liberty and freedom. The statue of Liberty, gifted to US by France in 1886, stands on the Liberty Island minutes away from New York City. In an expensive city like that, its incredible that the best views of this iconic monument, from the Staten Island Ferry, are in fact, free!

Detroit: Reporting on a cold snowy day

Priyank — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:27:58 +0000

Detroit Skyline, and icy Detroit river: Viewed from Windsor, Canada on a cold February afternoon

I was in the automotive capital Detroit, Michigan, USA last weekend. There was Valentine’s day too, and one might wonder what I was doing in Detroit, a city infamous for intolerance, crime, racial segregation and an overall decay since the inevitable collapse of the automobile sector. I don’t know the extent to which any of that is true.

Well I had a lovely time, spending the gloomy snowy weekend eating, drinking, sleeping and getting pampered. Here are some not-so-glamorous pictures of the city.

There are rows of broken, unkept, dilapidated houses, just outside downtown

Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. (Note the emphasis on ‘Most’, since there are “Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament” in other cities of USA)

Downtown Detroit

Taking down a building right in the heart of the city. There are several abandoned buildings around

Streets in the business district were empty although it was the lunch time

Fist of a champion

The municipal building

I haven’t been posting for a long time for a number of reasons but I assure you that I’m well and back in action. I received several emails and comments asking me if everything was okay – yes it is! Thanks for checking in! I’ll be checking out my reader soon.