I have decided to be a bit more regular with my posts. I will begin posting every other Friday, beginning October 7, 2016. Occasionally I will slip in a couple of other posts because I had such a good time and want everyone to be excited.
Just to let you know, the first posts will be a seven part series. DON’T MISS IT. I think it will be interesting and definitely something that almost everyone should try once in there life.
See you soon
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the-wandering-doc.com
I knew that I would only be in Rome for about 26 hours, then I would be moving on. I wanted to make the best of my time. Some friends from NYC know a tour guide in Rome who was willing to work with me. She was very instrumental. She arranged for a driver to pick me up at the airport in Rome (FCO) delivering me to my hotel, the Courtyard Marriott at Rome Central Park on Via Giuseppe Moscati. This is not in downtown Rome.
I was able to use Marriott Reward points to pay for the room except for the V.A.T. (a tax on products and services in Italy and several other European countries). The 6 euros would have been the total cost of the room, which was actually a one-bedroom suite with a sitting room, private bathroom and bedroom with king size bed but I sprung for an additional 50 euros for a room with a balcony and a view of St. Peter’s Basilica’s dome because the picture on the website made it look like a great view. WHAT A WASTE. The basilica was so far away, though you did not need binoculars to see, it was not worth 50 euros. MAYBE it was worth 10 euros but that is mostly because of the balcony to sit outside. Otherwise, the hotel was nice. There are two restaurants. There is a shuttle service that would drop you outside the Vatican. The shuttle to downtown Rome was available hourly from 8AM to 9PM. The trips from downtown to the hotel were from 9:30AM to 9:30PM. This saved money by not getting a rental car and not paying for taxi service. It also saved on the aggravation of parking. Rome parking is worse than parking in Manhattan (NYC) or Boston by a factor of at least 10.
The most important thing about the hotel is that the staff is very helpful and patient. For at least 45 minutes, the front desk staff dealt with a customer who booked several rooms online. When she arrived, she wanted totally different rooms than she had booked and nothing was going to make her happy. They did finally get her settled without any crying, screaming or gnashing of teeth. I was impressed. When I asked about getting a taxi to the train station so that I could travel to Civitavecchia, they informed me that there was a train station behind the hotel, Gemelli Station, (actually about a 1 ½ block walk) and the trains left every 30 to 60 minutes. They were also able to tell me that I would need to transfer to a different train at San Pietro Station. The clerk knew and told me that at San Pietro, I would catch the train at platform #5.
The Sites
The Vatican
Anyway, Thursday morning, I met the tour guide for a private tour of a small part of Rome. Because the guide is a registered/certified tour guide, she was able to get me into the Vatican one hour before the general public. We started at the Vatican Museum.
The architecture and art was amazing. The museum houses a large collection of art collected by the popes over the centuries including a large number of
sculptures, tapestries and paintings. Even if you are not a museum person, this collection is a ‘must see’ if at all possible.
A little history for those who are not Catholic or just don’t know the history. The Vatican is an independent city-state in Rome. The Vatican is actually many buildings within a fortification. The outer wall fortification was reportedly started in the 9th century A.D. to protect the chapels and residences of the Pope, cardinals and all of the support staff of the Vatican. In addition to the museum, other facilities within the compound include St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Square.
We have all seen pictures of St. Peter’s Basilica with its incredibly beautiful and ornate alter area with its baldacchino designed and built by Gian Bernini in the 1600’s.
Other notable sculptures to see in the basilica are the bronze statue of St. Peter, the statues of St. Helena, St. Longinus, St. Veronica and St. Andrew. Also the Pieta by Michelangelo is near the back on the right side but behind glass after someone damaged it with a hammer. The basilica is open to the public and one can walk around and take in the beauty and even take pictures.
The Sistine Chapel is in the Apostolic Palace, which is the pope’s official residence. It is named for Pope Sixtus IV who had the chapel restored in 1477. During the papal conclaves (when a new pope is elected by the College of Cardinals), the cardinals vote inside the Sistine Chapel and a small stove is placed in the back. The stove is where the ballots are burned so that the public outside knows the results of the votes (new pope, no new pope yet). The interior is 134 feet long by 44 feet wide. The frescos that cover the walls and ceiling are astonishing. Many renaissance painters with their assistants were involved. Of course one cannot forget Michelangelo’s contribution. Between 1508 and 1512, he painted the ceiling. This is a series of nine scenes from the book of Genesis in The Bible. It includes the Creation of Adam, the painting with God about to touch Adam’s finger, giving him life. The really incredible thing about this is that because it is the ceiling, Michelangelo had to lie on his back on a scaffolding to do these paintings with the ceiling less than arm’s length away. Obviously he was not claustrophobic. Additionally, he painted the wall behind the alter in the Sistine Chapel. This painting is The Last Judgement. It is the Second Coming of Christ. Enough said.
We have also seen pictures of the crowds in St. Peter’s Square at Easter and Christmas. The wide open space of St. Peter’s Square is just amazing. Unfortunately I arrived in Rome and at St. Peter’s Square three days after Mother (Saint) Teresa’s canonization ceremony but her portrait was still hanging in front of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The obelisk at the center was brought to Rome from Heliopolis in Egypt in one piece. It is reportedly 3200 years old and was brought to Rome by Emperor Caligula in 37 A.D. This obelisk was originally erected in the Caligula Circus. It was relocated to St. Peter’s Square in
September 1586 under the direction of Pope Sixtus V. Along the perimeter of the square are the colonnades. These are two semi-circular structures of columns designed by Gian Bernini and constructed from 1656 to 1667. Atop the colonnades are a total of 140 statues depicting popes, martyrs and other religious figures. The ‘square’ is actually elliptical in shape, 196 meters long by 240 meters wide.
Castel Sant’Angelo
After the Vatican, a quick walk to the Castel Sant’Angelo. This was originally commissioned by Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself. It was built between 123 and 139 A.D. It was later used by several popes as a fortress and castle when they needed protection of life and limb beginning in the 14th century. It was also used as a prison. It is now a museum, Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo.
Piazza Navona
From the Castel Sant’Angelo, we walked to the Piazza Navona. This piazza was originally built in the first century A.D. as the Stadium of Domitian (or Circus Agonalis). At the end of the 15th century, the city market was transferred to the Piazza Navona. During the reign of Pope Innocent X, 1644 to 1655, the piazza was transformed. The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) was designed/built by Gian Bernini. The façade of the church on the piazza, Sant’Agnese in Agone, was commissioned to Francesco Borromini. Though these are the focus of the plaza, the piazza also boasts two other fountains and the family palace of Innocent X, Palazzo Pamphili.
The Pantheon
Our next stop was the Pantheon. The Pantheon’s present structure was built in 125 A.D. by Emperor Hadrian. It was built as a Roman temple for the many gods that Romans worshipped at that time. In 609, Emperor Phocas gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV who consecrated it as a Christian Church, Santa Maria ad Martyres. As of 2016, 1407 years later, it is still an active Christian church. It is also a mausoleum. The painter/artist Raphael is interred in the Pantheon.
From an architectural standpoint, the Pantheon was the largest concrete structure in the world from the time it was built until the 20th century. Bronze from the Pantheon was removed in the 16th century for Bernini to build the baldacchino, the big canopy thing, in the alter area of St. Peter’s Cathedral. The dome of the Pantheon is 142 feet in diameter and 142 feet high. This dome was the largest in the world until the dome was built at Cattredale di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, completed in 1436, 1311 years later. The oculus, the opening at the top of the dome, is 27 feet in diameter, is the only natural light and is open to the outdoors. The design of the floor of the Pantheon keeps rain water from puddling and helps it to drain away. The bronze doors of the Pantheon are original and weigh 20 tons each.
Trevi Fountain
Onward to Trevi Fountain. Trevi Fountain was designed by Nicola Salvi. Building was begun in 1732 with completion in 1762. It actually replaced a smaller fountain thought to be insufficiently dramatic by Pope Urban VIII in 1629. The pope had approached Gian Bernini about designing a replacement fountain but the pope died before the project got off the ground. In pictures, it always looks like the Trevi is in a very large and open piazza. IT IS NOT. The fountain is very large, beautiful and intricate but it is squeezed in by the building that is behind it, Palazzo Poli, and buildings across narrow streets to the left and right of it. In front of it is a little more space with a sidewalk and slightly wider street.
There were a lot of people taking pictures of the fountain, taking selfies at the fountain or having someone else take pictures of them in front of the fountain. (Is the purpose of having one’s picture taken in front of something to prove that you were there or to show others what you saw?) Of course I threw my coin into the fountain so that I can go back one day, as the legend goes. As part of the overall Rome visit, it is a must, unless you just happen to love fountains then you can go to Rome just for the fountains, of which there are many.
The Colosseum
Lastly, a short stop at the Colosseum. The Colosseum (Anfiteatro Flavio) was built for the gladiator games. Building started in 72 A.D. by Emperor Vespasian and completed in 80 A.D. by Emperor Titus Flavius, son of Emperor Vespasian. It is reported that the stadium could hold 50,000 spectators and the arena could be filled or emptied in fifteen minutes.
These contests were not always to the death. Not all contests were man against man. There were also contests of man-against-animal. Animals were brought from all over the known world for men to battle. Sometimes, the men died. Many times, the animals were killed. Massacre of early Christians was also part of the events. Time, earthquakes, a lightning strike and a fire took its toll on the arena. Repairs were made but time marched on and the Colosseum fell into disrepair with portions collapsing, leaving what we see today.
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After the Colosseum, a taxi back to the hotel to gather my things. After getting things all packed up, I headed to the Gemelli Train Station. I arrived at the station and the wait was less than 15 minutes. After a short ride, I arrived at San Pietro Station. At San Peitro Station, I arrived on platform #3. Unfortunately, I had to go to platform #1 to buy my train ticket to Civitavecchia and the train to Civitavecchia was leaving from platform #5, so I missed the first train. About 40 minutes later, the next train arrived. It was a full train but for 5 Euros, I got on. Sure enough, the desk clerk at the hotel was exactly right. This was great because I speak NO Italian but I was determined to save 150 euros by taking the train to Civitavecchia.
About one hour later, I arrived at Civitavecchia. The train ride itself was not bad. It traveled along the western coast of southern Italy for the most part, so on the left, you could see the ocean. There were places that kite boarders could be seen on that particular bright sunny day in early September. On the right, mountains could be seen at times, a highway could be seen at times and fields could be seen at other times. The countryside and the ocean could be seen at the same time so no matter which side of the train one sat on, there was beautiful scenery. At the station, I told a taxi driver that I needed to get to the Royal Caribbean ship. Within 15 minutes, I was at the port checking in for the cruise, then onto the ship. This was my first solo cruise and I was excited.
So ends my trip to Rome. In one piece. Traveling alone and knowing NO Italian. Now, would I recommend this to anyone else? Though this may sound a little sexist, I could recommend that a lone guy could make this trip. I don’t recommend it for a lone woman unless she has already traveled alone a lot and even then, I would suggest that she go with at least one friend. The friend could be female. I would also recommend letting someone at home know your itinerary and check in with someone at home every one to two days.
Rome was beautiful, if you like history, art and/or architecture. Rome is not the cleanest city. I was actually shocked by the amount of graffiti in downtown Rome. My next trip to Rome will have to be at least two to three days so that I can really see the sites in more depth and maybe check out some night life. I thoroughly recommend Rome and it is a bucket list place, especially the Vatican, the area of The Forum and the Colosseum.
For Americans, I think it is important too. Except for places like Mesa Verde, nothing in the U.S. is really that old. Even St. Augustine, Florida, supposedly the oldest, continually inhabited city in the U.S., is not that old. In Rome, new is considered stuff since the 1600’s.
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After you read this, please leave comments. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com
Today I am going to try to help you save FOR travel and WHEN you are traveling. Use a credit card.
Now you might be thinking, “How can I save money for my next trip by using a credit card”. “How can I save money with a credit card when I travel?” Now I am not trying to get you to rack up debt. I am totally against that. I believe your only debt should be your mortgage and possibly your car payment. I know that lots of people have student loan debt. Many times, this is a necessary evil but an evil no less.
First, never charge a trip UNLESS you can afford it. That means, if you cannot pay for the trip before you go or within thirty days after your return, maybe you should reconsider the timing. I think travel is important because it can be educational. Travel can be refreshing so that you can be a better employee, husband/wife, parent, son/daughter or friend. It can broaden your horizons and give you something to talk about with your friends and family. It can be helpful in business when you can talk to business colleagues, clients, and potential employers about a mutual or similar place that you have traveled to. It can be ‘bonding’. Just as important, travel is fun and can be exciting. NEVER PUT YOURSELF INTO DEBT FOR A TRIP, even if it is a “once in a lifetime” trip.
Second, one needs to be disciplined if they are going to use this method. If you are not, or cannot be disciplined, DON’T do this either.
Now, this is actually very simple. Get a cash rewards credit card if you do not have one. Unfortunately, nothing in life is really free. The interest rates that I found on several of these cards ranged from about 12% to 23%. (23% used to be considered a USARY rate and was illegal in many states but the credit card industry has a better lobby than us regular people will ever have.) If you can be disciplined, even with these interest rates, you can save money. It requires one to pay off the balance each and every billing cycle so that your actual interest charged/paid is ZERO. If you are lucky enough to find such a card with no annual fees, using it this way costs you NOTHING. This is what I do. Sometimes it means making a few payments a month to cover my “USUAL” expenses. I try my best NOT to buy stuff that I don’t need.
Now when I say I pay my usual expenses I mean my monthly phone bill, cable/internet bill, storage locker rental fees, gas, groceries. When I buy clothes, I only by what I can pay for in cash but I put it on the card. I pay my dentist and doctor co-pays with the card (I don’t have a medical savings account anymore). If I could pay my electric bill and my rent too, I would. I collect 1.5% back on EVERY purchase I make without limitations. And like I said, I pay off the balance each billing cycle so I pay NO interest.
One might ask, “Why does this idiot not just use a travel rewards card or a specific airline rewards card?” The answer is simple. With general travel rewards cards, one accumulates points that can be used for airline tickets, sometimes hotel stays and cruises. With some cards, points are converted to a cash equivalent that can be used on many different airlines. That can be good but one has to accumulate large numbers of points and keep track of the conversion rates that could change. With a specific airline rewards credit card, you are stuck to that one airline only when cashing in. With my CASH rewards card, I know exactly what I have. I book my airline reservation, my hotel reservation or my cruise reservation, charge it to my card and use the accumulated cash reward to pay that portion of the bill and get 1.5% cash back. If I have any cash left, I can charge my travel incidentals and move on, again getting 1.5% cash back.
This does not preclude one from participating in airline frequent flyer programs. In fact, I recommend it. You can accumulate points that can be used for flights on the particular airline for free or discounted flights. I also recommend trying for focus your flights to a few airlines so that you accumulate frequent flyer points that you can cash in quicker. Additionally, if you don’t travel regularly, I recommend trying to use the same few airlines when you fly because many airline frequent flyer program points now have an expiration date. THIEVES. I try to focus my flights to JetBlue and Southwest.
Unfortunately, my card charges a $39 per year annual fee. It is not good but it could be worse. There are many cards that charge $85 per year for the privilege of having their card in your pocket. There are cards with an annual fee as much as $495 per year, such as the MasterCard Black Card. (That’s just crazy but it probably has some other perks, I hope.) By the way, my cash reward card is the Capital One Quicksilver MasterCard with the $39 annual fee. (There are at least five other cash rewards cards that I found on the internet at the time of this writing.) If I had used a non-rewards card or paid for my usual expenses with cash or check, I would not have even gotten the relatively small 1.5% back. Something is better than nothing. Since I pay no interest by paying the balance each billing cycle, the cost of the card to me is total of $39 per year.
Some of the travel cards with higher annual fees have other perks such as airport lounge access, travel insurance, rental car coverage, concierge services, etc. If these services are not important to you, I would look for the card with the lowest annual fee.
So far this year, I have paid for three round trips from Boston to Kansas City and one from Boston to Chicago. Using the cash rewards card made it possible for me to take my two sons to Kansas City for vacation this year and for me to go to a conference in Chicago.
the-wandering-doc.com
If you have in questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at
DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com
Also please leave a comment in the “Comments” section
Nantucket is an island just south of Cape Cod. It is not as popular as Martha’s Vineyard but it is a great place to visit. It has great beaches, good restaurants and eateries and shopping. It can be a day trip, a weekend away or a full length vacation. It can be fun for singles looking for light partying, couples who want to get away or family vacations. It has been a getaway for the rich and famous, as well as several political and business power brokers. It also has a history that goes back to the mid-17th century.
Traveling to Nantucket
Nantucket is about 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, just south of Hyannis, Massachusetts. It is accessible by ferry and scheduled air service, private plane or private boat. During the summer, there is fast ferry service by two companies (Hy-Line on Ocean Street and Steamship Authority on South Street) out of Hyannis. These take about one hour. One of those, the Steamship Authority, also has ferry service that also accommodates cars and trucks but is a 2 ¼ hour ride. If one is not in a hurry, the ‘slow boat’ can be a very relaxing time to unwind from your travels before you arrive on the island. There is also summer ferry service from Harwich, MA, New York City and New Bedford, MA.
The air service to Nantucket from Hyannis is a fifteen to twenty minute hop that is available year round. There is also year round service from Boston and New Bedford. During the summer, there is service from New York and Washington DC (Jet Blue, Delta) and Providence (Cape Air). There is also air service between Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard (Cape Air).
Accommodations
Accommodations include many B&B’s, some small inns and some larger inns. There are none of the usual chain hotels like Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Holiday Inn or Comfort Inn. That does not mean that there are no nice or luxury accommodations. The White Elephant and The Wauwinet can meet ones need for luxury. The Cottages at the Nantucket Boat Basin are nicely appointed cottages right on the wharf (my parents actually stayed in one when they came to the island for a high school graduation). Additionally, there are many homes available for one week or longer rentals. These vary from one bedroom cottages to multi-bed/multi-bath homes, some with pools, tennis courts and/or movie theater rooms. Over the years, I have stayed at several of the smaller inns and most were very nice.
The Beaches
The beaches vary from family friendly beaches to surfing beaches to expert swimming, open ocean beaches. So far, PARKING IS FREE at the beaches. Some beaches have very limited parking though. There is bus service to Jetties and Surfside Beaches. Bus service also brings one very close to ‘Sconset and Madaket Beaches.
Jetties Beach, both harbor side and Nantucket Sound side, is very family friendly with a large sandbar about 100 yards out. At low tide, the water gets to be about six feet deep just before the sandbar and the sandbar is about ankle deep. Steps Beach, just next to Jetties Beach is also pretty family friendly. There is also Children’s Beach that is a little closer to downtown Nantucket. It is more of a ‘bathing beach’ for children than a swimming beach. Jetties, Surfside and Children’s Beaches have a restaurant or snack bar to make your day at the beach a little more convenient.
Other beaches are more amenable to swimming and even surfing. There are a few ‘surf schools’ on the island that can teach you to surf and supplies appropriate equipment. One can even rent small sail boats, windsurfing equipment, ocean kayaks and stand up paddle boards to make your beach time even better.
Eats
Restaurants vary from casual to extravagant. There is casual dining with a bar at places like the Rose & Crown and Brotherhood of Thieves. Other casual eateries are Easy Street Cantina, Stubby’s, and Steamboat Pizza (all on Broad Street, just up from the Steamship Authority terminal on Nantucket). More upscale restaurants include Straight Wharf Restaurant (just before the Hy-Line terminal), Ventuno (on Federal Street) and Brant Point Grill at the White Elephant. Of course there is seafood. Cru and Sayles Seafood (Washington Street Extension), along with many others, will satisfy your hunger for fresh seafood.
The Juice Bar (Broad Street across from the Whaling Museum) is the place to get ice cream. There is frequently a very long line but it is worth the wait. If you don’t want to wait, Stars Ice Cream at the Hy-Line Wharf is very good too. If you want to just hang out at an outdoor bar, The Gazebo at the Hy-Line Wharf is the place. There is usually a sporting event on the many television monitors.
I am a chocolate fanatic therefore I have to mention one other place. Sweet Inspirations on India Street. They have a fine selection of hand-made chocolates. It is one of two places in New England that I buy good chocolate (the other is in Connecticut). The owners and candy makers do such a good job. I often go there for special gifts for friends and family. They do offer other items that are not chocolate but chocolate is my life and why waste the calories on something that is not chocolate or ice cream.
Other Activities
If tennis is your game, there are public courts at Jetties Beach. There also courts at the Nantucket Inn, if you are staying there. There are several vacation rental homes with tennis courts. If one is looking for equipment or tennis lessons, The Tennis Loft is the place to go. The owner, Tina Hoskins-Burney, was previously a professional tennis player. She and her teaching staff will give lessons at the Jetties Beach courts, the courts at your hotel or the court at your rental vacation home. Her shop sells tennis clothing, shoes, rackets, balls, etc. She will also custom string your racket.
If golf is your game, there are two public courses—Miacomet and Siasconset. Both have rental equipment. Miacomet has a full golf shop including clothing and shoes. Miacomet also has instruction available.
As Nantucket is part of New England, sometimes there is a rainy day. That can be a time to relax with a movie, first-run stuff, at The Dreamland Theater or Starlight Restaurant and Theater. The Dreamland is a 100+ year old theater that was fully renovated and re-opened in 2012. The Starlight is a very small, intimate theater inside a restaurant in-town. If it is on the menu, you can have it while watching the movie. That includes food and drinks, even alcoholic beverages.
Getting Around on Nantucket
Most everything that one needs is ‘in’-town or near town. Many places are within walking distance. During the summer, there is a bus service that reaches many areas of the island. If you like to bike, bring one or rent one. There are bike paths to Madaket, ‘Sconset, Surfside and to the Polpis area. One can also rent scooters or cars. Jeep Wranglers are very popular but come at a premium. If you plan ahead, you can also bring your car to the island on a Steamship Authority ferry. The car ferry takes about two hours and in the summer cost about $400 round-trip. On the weekends, in the summer, reservations are a must for the car ferry and are best made in January or February for weekends in July and August. Of course, there is always a taxi. Uber is also trying to make a beach head on the island.
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For me, a good summer day on the island is an early morning bike ride, about 6AM, to ‘Sconset Beach. Sit on the beach for a bit, watching the seals and listening to the waves. A bit of lunch at Oath Pizza on Hy-Line Wharf and then the afternoon at Jetties Beach. After the beach, ice cream from The Juice Bar, followed by a movie at the Dreamland.
Though Nantucket tends to be a place for the rich, famous, want to be famous, want to be important, it is also a great place for average people like me and probably you. This is by no means a complete listing of accommodations or restaurants or beaches. I did not even touch on the shopping.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can refer you to a GREAT real estate agency if you would like to rent a cottage or vacation home on the island.
the-wandering-doc
DrJ@the-wandering-doc.com
Hey Everybody,
I am starting my own travel blog. I know that there are many travel blogs out there but this will be my experiences and another opinion. I have been, mostly, a solo traveler in the past and in the future, it will most likely be solo travel. I have traveled with my children and occasionally will travel with them during the next few years.
I am a budget traveler but I also like to stay at nice places. I will share my thoughts and experiences on saving money. (I am not a rich kid.) I don’t travel for a living and most of my travel is non-business related.
I was bitten by the travel bug at age 7. It started after seeing the original Hawaii Five-O. After watching the original Steve McGarrett fight crime in the paradise that was Honolulu of 1968, I knew that one day I would have to go there. I began to learn about the 50 states. I read about places like Morocco, Paris, Greece, Egypt, and Rome. A lot of Americans want to travel to places outside the U.S. Nothing wrong with that and that should be part of every American’s travel, if possible. The U.S. is the FOURTH largest country on earth, by area. Sadly, most Americans know little about our country. There is a lot to see and do here at home.
I have traveled some in the past but this blog will be about my travels beginning in January 2016. One of my plans is to attempt to travel to as many of the fifty U.S. states as I can within the next five years. I will try to squeeze in some foreign travel too.
Of course there will be pictures. At one time, I wanted to be a professional photographer. Now, I take a few pictures for fun, mostly for me. I will share my pics with you. Pictures can be nice. Pics can be great but I have yet to see pictures that can accurately captures some of the places that I have been to in the past. My pics will be just to entice you to go, check it out yourself.
Food is a big part of my life so occasionally I will talk about foods and places to eat. I am not an Andrew Zimmern type of eater. Being from the Midwest, I AM A MEAT-EATER.
So let’s go, a new beginning !!!!!!!!