tgecko

Learning the public transportation system will save you a lot of headache…as will using a city map! Ask at the hotel desk for one.

While in San Antonio, whether living or just visiting, don’t forget to take a walk around Hemisfair park.

The western third is beautiful mountains; great for skiing and camping. If you’re at all interested in the history of the West, Montana has some great museums.

The Lady of the Rockies is a beautifully spiritual experience.

The eastern third is for those who like unconventional beauty. It’s commonly known as the “Badlands.” I grew up just a few blocks away from Makoshika State Park and would ride my bike out there at least once a month while growing up. The area is not flat so much as less mountainous. It is more canyons and gullies than mountains and valleys. :)

The local shopkeepers all wanted to improve their English and sell more to the tourists, so they refused to speak to us in Spanish. For those who don’t have to work there, it’s easy to find a party every night. But we didn’t really find a place to visit that reflected the intense cultural history of Mexico, just a spring break-type party city. The contrast between thriving tourist areas and slums is all too sharp and heartbreaking.

PS: The golf-cart-like taxis? They’re called “pool-mon-ee-ahs” not “pool-moan-yahs”

If you’re going to drink beer, buy a ticket to the tents, the bier gardens were taken up well before we arrived for the opening! If you’re too cheap, arrive at around 8am (or earlier!) and be prepared to sit a while; the fest opens at noon. :) Even if you can’t get a seat in one of the open-entry beir gardens, Munich is still a great place to wander around. And there’s always the monastary and the Pauliner Haufbrauhaus!