One Hundred

This is the One Hundreth posting. I know many of you haven’t been with us all the way through. However since around the 40th post we have seen a number of your regularly return to see the lastest offering.

It took us awhile but we got into the habit of introducing each destination with a musical link. Some were very direct, others a bit tenuous. We hope that these songs have introduced you to new artists and genres as well as reaquainting you with old favourites. You might enjoy this video of a 100 travel hacks. We did say some links were tenuous.

One artist that particularly caught our attention was the Belgian born Wendy Nazaré who was singing about Lisbon. The video accompanying the song was filmed in Lisbon and provides a opportunity to see and hear the sights and sounds you can expect on your visit.

Wendy Nazaré – Lisbon

The artist who has featured most, is David Bowie, with his songs about Berlin, Warsaw and Cyprus. We could have included more David Bowie tracks as he has covered other songs that we have used like Jacques Brel’s “Amsterdam”.

In terms of destinations, we have visited California more often than anywhere else. Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Pasadena and Death Valley.

David Bowie – Berlin

We have more destinations to visit in the next 100 postings and we look forward to having you along for the ride.

Remember that Maggie is always available to give you the best advice possible on destinations, modes of travel, where to stay and what to do.

Last Train to London

Last Train to London was released by ELO in 1979. One of the lines in the lyrics goes “The sun is going down”. When discussing London as a travel destintion its so difficult to know where to start. However going back to 1979 I remember going on a walk round the centre of London in the early hours of the morning and for the first time in many cases fully appreciating the beauty of the city of my birth.

Last Train to London – Electric Light Orchestra

Where better to start than alongside side the Thames at the one of the most famous landmarks in London – Tower Bridge.

Tower Bridge – London – England – UK

The bridge was completed in 1894 and is unique in terms of bridges across the Thames in that the central section of the bridge opens to allow the passage of taller vessels. Today you can cross the bridge via a glass floored walkway 42 metres above the river and if you are lucky the bridge might even be raised beneath you. The bridge or to be more technical the bascules are raised around a thousand times a year. The times of the raising are listed on the tower’s website so you can plan you trip to coincide with such an event.

If we move downriver from the City of London to the City of Westminster, then the Palace of Westminster dominates the views from the south side of the river.

Westminster Palace – London – England – UK

In the view above we can see the 300 metre long facade of the Palace. This part of the building was built of land claimed from the river in the period from 1840 to 1870. Most of us are more familar with the land or Westminster Abbey side of the builing. This night view helps to highlight the beauty of the architechure in a way that sunlight cannot. There has been a palace on this site since the 11th century and was the primary residence of the Kings of England until the 16th century. The building is still technically owned by the Crown and is still a designated Royal Palace. Today the building houses by the House of Commons and the House of Lords or as they are more commonly called the Houses of Parliament.

Eros Sculpture – Piccadilly Circus – London – England – UK

The Eros Sculpture or to give it, its correct title the “Shaftsbury Memorial Fountain” stands in Piccadilly Circus and was erected to commemorate the work of the Earl of Shaftsbury in helping to replace child labour with school education. Although know as Eros the sculpture is based on a previous work by the sculptor Alfred Gilbert of Eros’ brother Anteros. Strangly most people take a selfie from the other side of the sculpture than the one in the image above. But is it only from this side we can see it full on. Maybe because to get this view you have to cross the busy road or stand in it, which is much easier to do in the middle of the night!

Leadenhall Market – London – England – UK

Leadenhall Market is one of London’s oldest markets and is located in the City of London. It is a busy market selling mainly food in the week, though like many markets there is an increasing emphasis on other goods and services. Its position is probably in the centre of Roman London. Some of you might recognise the resemblence to Diagon Alley in the film “Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone”. You might have also recognised in the Erasure video of “Love to Hate You”.

Love to Hate You – Erasure

Opened in 2000, the Millenium or “Wobbly” Bridge as it soon became known was opened to connect the south bank of the Thames, near the Globe Theatre with the north side near St Paul’s Cathedral.

Millenium Bridge and St Pauls Cathedral – London – England – UK

The alignment of the bridge is such that a clear view of St Paul’s south facade is presented as you cross the river, framed by the bridge supports. The bridge also features in a Harry Potter film, this time in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, where the bridge collapses following an attack by Death Eaters. By contrast there has been a place of worship on the site of St Paul’s Cathedral since 604 AD. The present building dates from the late 17th century after much of the previous cathedral was destroyed by the Great Fire of London of 1666. It was officially declared open on 25th December 1711 though additional works continued after this date. Until 1963 St Paul’s was the tallest building in London. As you may have guessed the cathedral also appears in another Harry Potter film, this time “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” which shows the Geometric Staircase in the south west bell tower, representing the staircase towards the Divination classroom.

Contact Maggie today to book your city break to London. She can advise you on the best places to stay and pre-book your tickets where necessary.

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Ventura Highway

This post is inspired by another song by the band America. The song “Ventura Highway” was from their second album homecoming. Dewey Bunnell who wrote the song stated “I remember vividly having this mental picture of the stretch of the coastline traveling with my family when I was younger. Ventura Highway itself, there is no such beast, what I was really trying to depict was the Pacific Coast Highway, Highway 1, which goes up to the town of Ventura.”

Many people confuse the highway in the song which is fictious with the Ventura Freeway which is real. The Freeway runs from the Santa Barbara/Ventura county line to Pasadena in Los Angeles County. It is the principal east-west route (designated north-south) through Ventura County and in the southern San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County.

Ventura Highway – America

We do like a roadtip on Travellogs and give a stretch of road a special sounding name we will be there. Check out our other recent road trip posts: North 500 and Route 66.

Santa Barbara is sometimes referred to as the American Riviera. It has beautiful beaches against a backdrop of magnificient mountains and hotels and restaurants to match. Santa Barbara is a 2-hour drive north from Los Angeles or it can be reached by connecting flights from Las Vegas, San Francisco, Phoenix, Dallas and Chicago amongst others.

Santa Barbara Harbour – CA – USA

Santa Barbara’s harbour is where you will find the historic “Stearns Wharf”. It is California’s oldest working wharf dating back to 1872. It is the most visited attraction in the city. The wharf was built to save boats having to transfer their cargoes into smaller vessels to bring them ashore. It has a colourful history being hit by a number of disasters over the years.

For the oenophiles amongst you, Santa Barbara wine country is minutes away. The Santa Ynez Valley is home to over 120 wineries, from tiny tasting rooms with low-scale production wineries to mass-producing operations and a regular shuttle bus will allow you make the most of your day without the worry of driving.

Santa Ynez Valley – CA – USA

Wine making dates back to 1782. By the late 1800’s, there were 45 vineyards in the area. Today Santa Barbara’s Wine Country contains over 77,000 acres of grapes with 60 plus varieties grown.

Pasedena is closer to Los Angeles and is literally 10 miles away. Known as the “Crown of the Valley” is has a rich history.

City Hall – Pasadena – CA – USA

The City Hall exhibits Italian Renaissance and Spanish influences with its red tile roof, ornate fountain, and lush garden courtyard. It is included in the National Register of Historical Places. A very costly rennovation has made the building as earthquake proof as is possible. The building has appreared in a number of films and TV programmes including Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” and more recently in “Parks and Recreation”.

Rose Bowl Stadium – Pasadena – CA – USA

Pasadena is also home to the Rose Bowl, which is at the time of writing the 16th largest stadium in the world. Opened in 1922 it is synonymous with US College Football, being the venue for the annual Rose Bowl game which is traditionally held on New Year’s Day. On a week by week basis it is home to the UCLA Bruins but hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final.

Contact Maggie today to build you personalised self-drive tour in California or even further afield.

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There is no other place like Split

Nima Splita do Splita (There is no other place like Split) is the title of a song by the Croatian singer Tereza Kesovija. The lyrics talk about the beauty of the town and how it’s the most beautiful place in the world, if fact the lyrics specifically mention that Split is more beautiful than Athens!

Nima Splita do Splita – Tereza Kesovija.

Split is located between the mountains and the sea. As Croatia’s second largest city, it is probably the most attractive tourist destination in the country. It has Roman ruins, museums, a world famous cathedral as well as beaches and water activities. In fact since 1979 the old part of the town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Split – Croatia

The ruins of the Roman Emperor Diocletian’s Palace (more like a fortress), built between the late 3rd and the early 4th centuries A.D., can be found throughout the city. For most visits this will be the focal point of their stay in the city. Its not like a palace as we would know it today.

Diocletian’s Palace – Split -Croatia

The cathedral of Saint Dominus was built in the Middle Ages, reusing materials from the ancient mausoleum. In addition Twelfth- and 13th-century Romanesque churches, medieval fortifications, 15th-century Gothic palaces and other palaces in Renaissance and Baroque style make up the rest of the heritage list.

Saint Dominus (Sveti Duje) – Split – Croatia

Croatia is famous for its beaches and coves, and Split has a number of them. The main city beach Bacvice is a short walk from Diocletian’s Palace. Like the palace itself, it has two sides to its life, whilst the palace is a historical monument and a place to eat, drink and do business, the beach is family friendly in the day and a party destination at night. For a quieter experience head south to the beach at Trstenik. There are many more beaches a short drive or bus ride away.

Swimming in the Adriatic – Croatia

Split being a transport hub in the region allows you easy access not only to a wider choice of beaches along the coast, but provides the opportunity to island hop. On our list would be Hvar, Vis and Brac. Hvar is a party island with a selection of up market hotels and luxury yachts berth in the marina.

Brac, which is nearest to the mainland, has a little bit of everything, a something for everyone destination, from cocktail bars to nature walks.

Vis is a remote island that was closed to tourism until the 1990s. It is much quieter than the other two.

Vis Island – Croatia

Contact Maggie today to get to get island hopping in the Adriatic.

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Autumn In Rome

“Autumn in Rome. My heart remembers fountains where children played” so sang Patti Page in the film with the same title. The film is generally forgotten by the song itself became famous over the years, being sung by stars such as Peggy Lee and Tony Bennett.

Autumn in Rome – Patti Page

The Autumn is a good time to visit many of the major cities in Europe. In the summer months can be draining and the throngs of tourists exhausting. Autumn brings cooler weather and shorter crowds. The fountain referred to in the song could easily refer to the most famous fountain in the world, the Trevi Fountain.

Trevi Fountain – Rome -Italy

Built between 1732 and 1762 the fountain has a magnificent height of 26 meters and a width of 50 meters. Over time the fountain the been renovated a number of time, most recently in 2015 and as a result you can benefit from the lights that illuminate the fountain at night.

The fountain represents a landscape with rocks featuring figures with a sea theme. The central figure is the Greek god of the sea Oceanus, surrounded by tritons and mythical creatures.

Of course if you have travelled all the way to Rome and the Trevi Fountain you will want to get home safely. In this case then toss one coin over your shoulder into the water. To fall in love toss two coins and three coins will bring about a wedding. Approximately one million euros and tossed in the fountain each year, providing a welcome source of income to a number charities.

Spanish Steps – Rome – Italy

Not far from the Trevi Fountain, a 5 minute walk away, you will find the Scalinata di Trinita dei Monti or as they are know in English, the Spanish Steps. The 135 steps were built between 1723 and 1725 to connect the town area with the around the “Piazza di Spagna” with the church “Santa Trinita dei Monti” above. As you can see in the photo above the Piazza di Spagna contains its own fountain, the Fontana della Barcaccia (Fountain of the Long Boat). John Keats the English poet lived and died in a house in the piazza on the right as you begin to climb the steps. The house now houses a museum (Keates-Shelly Memorial House) dedicated to his memory and the English Romantic generation. For many people their introduction to the Spanish Steps was through the film “Roman Holiday” starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

Roman Holiday – Look out for the Steps at 1:05

More selfies are posted online taken on the Spanish Steps than anywhere else in Rome.

In out trio of places to visit in Rome today, we will visit the Pantheon. Its 400 meters from the Trevi Fountain and 700 meters from the Spanish Steps.

Pantheon – Rome -Italy

The Pantheon is one of the top five places to visit in Rome, it is an impressive building. Completed in 128 AD, the bulding was originally constructed as a temple to the gods. After the advent of Christianity it became a church and although a tourist attraction, it is still fulfills its functions as a church today and so please dress appropriately if the Pantheon is on your list of places to visit. It is one of the best preserved buildings from the Roman era in the city.

The circular part of the building has a diameter of 44 meters and the dome has an oculous of 9 meters which is completely open so if it rains you can get wet inside the building. There are no windowns so the oculous provides the only source of natural light.

The Oculous of the Pantheon – Rome -Italy

Contact Maggie today to book your “Roman Holiday”. What will you wish for in the Trevi Fountain>

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Te Dejo Madrid

“I am leaving Madrid” sings the Columbian Singer Shakira. The video below has a bullfighting theme to it. The Spanish “El Juli” sued Shakira for $5 million for using scenes of one of his performances without his permission.

Shakira – Te Dejo Madrid

As a visitor to Spain, it is sometimes difficult to understand how even in modern times, that bullfighting holds such a strong position in Spanish culture. A guided tour to the Las Ventas bullring might help to give you an appreciation, whether you are for or against the tradition.

Bullfight – Madrid – Spain

Our reason to visit Madrid in this post is that the tree-lined Paseo del Prado and the Retiro Park in the city have been added to the UNESCO list of heritage sites in recognition of the key roles both had played in the city’s history.

Paseo del Prado is a densely tree-lined avenue and the location of many important cultural and tourist spots int the city. It includes what is known as the “Golden Triangle of Art”, which encompasses three museums: The Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum.

The Prado museum is home to Diego Velazquez’s Las Meninas and Francisco de Goya’s La maja vestida and La maja desnuda.

Prado Museum – Madrid – Spain

The Thyssen-Bornemisza houses eight centuries of European painting. The Reing Sofa Museum houses a collection of 20th century art including Pablo Picasso’s Guernica.

In the area you will also find the National Congress Building and the city’s Stock Exchange (Bolsa de Madrid). The Paseo del Prado includes several monuments and other notable buildings that if you were extremely time restricted on your visit to Madrid you could do worse than spend it along the Paseo de Prado.

Retiro Park – Madrid – Spain

The Retiro Park comprises of 125 hectares of gardens, including 15,000 trees and numerous monuments. The park is home to a large artificial lake, where those of you with a nautical bent can rent a rowing boat, and notably to the Velazquez Palance and the Glass Palace which currently are used to exhibit works from the Reina Sofia Museum. The Glass Palace was built in in 1887 to house exotic plants for an exhibition on the Philippines. It is one the finest examples of cast-iron architecture in Spain.

Glass (Crystal Palace) – Retiro Park – Madrid -Spain

Take a view from the towers or Bruges and Ghent

For you cultural visit to Madrid contact Maggie.

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A Horse With No Name

Hearing the track below by America on the radio last week, made me think that it was time for a road trip to the deserts of California. The song had the working title of “The Desert Song” and writer and original band member Dewey Bunnell once said “I had spent a good deal of time poking around in the high desert with my brother when we lived at Vandenberg Air Force Base [in California]. … I loved the cactus and the heat. I was trying to capture the sights and sounds of the desert.” Incidently although as the name suggests the band was American based band. They actually formed in London, all their fathers were US Air Force Personnel stationed at RAF South Ruislip. We hope you enjoy this video from the hit TV series “Breaking Bad“.

https://youtu.be/Ncep-gQ-vcU
Horse with No Name – America – From Breaking Bad

If California were a nation in its own right, as of 2020 it would have the 5th largest economy in the world. North to south the state is 770 miles long and the east to west its 250 miles across. That means there are plenty of roads to travel during a fly-drive holiday to California. California offers the visitor a multitude of destinations from cities to National Parks, from beaches to mountains.

Golden Gate Bridge – California – USA

Planning your road trip as a loop up means that you can start wherever you can find the best deal on flights and car rental. For example at the time of writing flights to San Francisco are being offered at half the price of that to Los Angeles from the UK.

These are a few suggestions of what to include on your road trip. The Pacific Coast Highway. The Highway is not a distinct road as such but part of the SR 1 route, which is just over 650 miles long. It has several portions designated as either Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), Cabrillo Highway, Shoreline Highway, or Coast Highway.

Bixby Bridge – California -USA

We have or will cover the major cities in other posts. So today we will focus on three National Parks: Joshua Tree, Death Valley and Yosemite.

Joshua Tree National Park is located in south-east California. It contains parts of two deserts, the Mojave and the Colorado and this is what makes the park so attractive to visitors. Its not like a visit to the Yorkshire Moors. Desert weather can change very quickly, prepare for your trip. The park gets its name from the trees found in the Mojave desert. Its possible to see a wide variety of deserts animals but its actually at night that the majority of them are active. For the active ones amongst you, there are opportunities for hiking and climbing.

Joshua Tree – California – USA

Death Valley National Park straddles the California/Nevada border to the east of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is the largest national park in the contiguous United States as well as the hottest, driest and lowest of all the national parks in the USA. On July 10, 1913, the US Weather Bureau recorded a high temperature of 56.7 °C in Death Valley. This temperature still stands today as the highest ambient air temperature ever recorded at the surface of the Earth (This reading is subject to some controversy, the “record” readings in July will take some time to validate, however whatever the record it’s a really hot place).

SR 190, the Badwater Road, the Scotty’s Castle Road, and paved roads to Dante’s View and Wildrose provide access to the major scenic viewpoints and historic points of interest. In addtion there is an additional 350 miles of unpaved roads that can be accessed by a 4×4.

Dante’s View – Death Valley National Park – California – USA

Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984 the Yosemite National Park can be found in northern California. Yosemite is characterised by Yosemite is by its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia trees, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. The park contains 20% of all the species found in Calfornia, inclduing 160 rare plants species. The park can get very busy in the summer and traffic congestion can be a problem. However once parked there are over 800 miles of trails to walk and see all the wonderfall sites.

Cathredral Rocks – Yosemite National Park – California -USA

Contact Maggie today to book your ride on a horse with a name, maybe a Mustang or Camaro. Let her take the reins and allow you more time to enjoy your holiday.

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Cavalcata Sarda

Cavalcata Sarda, the festival of beauty is held in the Sardinia city of Sassari, on the second last Sunday in May. Communities from all over the island come together and demonstrate their talents and skills.


Il Gruppo Folk “Tiscali” di Dorgali alla Cavalcata Sarda 2019

Sassari is the second largest city on the island of Sardinia and has its origins in the 12th century. In addition to culture, the city is rich in art and history. It is well know for its palace, the Fountain of the Rosello (considered to to be the symbol of the city and its neo-classical architecture.

Cathredral of San Nicola – Sassari – Sardinia – Italy

The cathedral is named after St Nicholas of Bari. Very little is known about him in reality but many miracles were attributed to his praying. His supposed habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus (Saint Nick). There has been a church on this site since at least the 12th century, but it was given cathredral status in 1441. Over the years there have been additions both inside and out and its splendidly preserved.

Sassari is a beautiful city on a beautiful which doesn’t get too close to the top of British tourists holiday destinations. A few years back there were no direct flights to the island, the usual option was to transfer in Rome but when the airlines are back on their full schedules there are a number of direct flights to the island’s 3 airports.

Bosa – West Coast of Sardinia – Italy

When you arrive you will be greeted by some stunning scenery and some of the most beautiful beaches on the Mediterrean. Even if you are mainly visiting for a beach holiday, I recommend that you hire a car and travel round the island. Driving is a leisurely affair outside the main towns and you will get to see some fantastic views.

Mediterrean Coastline – Sardinia – Italy

With 2000km of coastline you are bound to find a beach to relax on. Whilst most travel guides talk about the best 10 beaches, CharmingSardinia.com list the best 50 beaches. One of the beaches there regularly appears at the top of people’s lists is “La Pelosa Beach”. It has shallow water for tens of meters out to sea. The tower which is the symbol of the beach dates back to 1578. Another beach with a distintive tower is the one at Ogliastra beach, on the centre-eastern coast of Sardinia. It is split in two by a 16th-century Spanish built tower: the golden sand of the “men’s sea” and the fine sand with small pebbles, the “women’s sea”. Where will you lay your towel?

Ogliastra Beach – Torre di Bari – Sardinia – Italy

To book your flights, hotel and Sardinian car hire contact Maggie today.

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In Amsterdam’s Port, there are Sailors ….

The title for this post comes from the English translation of the first line of each verse of Jacques Brel’s “Amsterdam” that was released in 1964 in French. When the song was written it was supposed to be based on the port of Antwerp, but “Dans le port D’Anvers” did not fit the meter. We will visit Antwerp on another occasion. The song has been recorded by a number of other artists, David Bowie included amongst them.

Jacques Brel – Amsterdam

Although Amsterdam has a port you won’t find many sailors wandering around the port. The increase in the size of the vessels and a decrease in the number of crew have contributed to this. However many of the canal boat trips will take you out into the harbour so that you can see the scale of the port.

Canal View – Amsterdam – The Netherlands

An organised canal boat cruise is actually a very good way to get your bearings in the city. A bit like a hop-on hop-off bus excursion that you will find in most European cities today. The fact you are lower down on the surface of the water will give you a different perspective. Life seems more sedate on the water. You might well enjoy yourself so much you will want to book a night cruise and see the city in a whole new light.

Amsterdam at Night – The Netherlands

A visit to Amsterdam would not be complete without a visit to the Rijksmuseum. It is the principal national museum in the Netherlands. There are 8000 objects including paintings and books, in 80 rooms that illustrate the art and history of the country over the past 800 years until the present day. On display are paintings by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Fran Hals, Jan Steen and Johannes Vermeer whose “The Milkmaid” is shown below.

The Milkmaid – Johannes Vermeer – c. 1657–1661

The most famous picture on display is Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”, it its time it has been attacked with a shoemaker’s knife, a bread knife and sprayed with acid. One thing that will strike you is the sheer size of the painting. What you probably didn’t realise is that the painting was cut down in size when it was moved to the town hall. Operation Night Watch is a project by the museum to reconstruct the missing pieces based on a copy and you can now see these on your visit.

Night Watch Restoration

After a day of culture, then turn your attention to the Amsterdam’s markets. There are over thirty of them and some have been going for over 100 years. You will find everything and anything at these markets. According to Time Out if you are only going to visit one market then it should be the “Albert Cuyp Market” otherwise known as the “the Cuyp”. Since 1905, it’s a one-stop shop for fresh meat, fish, fruit and veg. Today you can buy clothes, jewellery and just about everything else.

Dappermarkt – Amsterdam – The Netherlands

Another highly regarded market is the Dappermarkt. National Geographic Traveler judged it to be one of the Top 10 Shopping Streets in the world. Why don’t you visit it and judge for yourself. With 250 stalls you are bound to find something of interest.

One thing to do in advance when visiting Amsterdam is to make sure that you pre-book your tickets to the Anne Frank House which can be found at Prinsengracht 263. On 6 July 1942, the Frank family went into hiding in the building. The building consisted of two parts: the main house and the annex. The eight people hid on the top floors of the annex. Anne’s father Otto, who was the only member of the family to survive the Holocaust published her diaries in 1947 .In 1960, the Anne Frank House opened its doors as a museum, but at his the annex stayed empty.

Anne Frank’s House / Museum – Amsterdam – The Netherlands

Contact Maggie today to book your city break to Amsterdam. She can advise you on the best places to stay and pre-book your tickets where necessary.

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Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa

When people hear the 1963 hit song “Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa” by Gene Pitney, they generally fall into two camps. Those who are wondering where was he, if he was 24 hours from Tulsa or those who wonder what Tulsa is like. Of course in the song he never makes it to Tulsa. Listen to the lyrics.

https://youtu.be/6GLAjhzf3wI
Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa – Gene Pitney

According to the website TravelMath.com, Tulsa is about 21 hours driving time from Los Angeles, 20 hours from New York and Miami is somewhere in between. So in theory he could have been just about anywhere in the continental USA.

The Golden Driller, this 76 foot tall monument stands at the entrance to the County Fairgrounds.

Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma and was once known as the “Oil Capital of the World”. Today Tulsa is known for a bit more than oil and is considered to be desirable place to live. Tulsa is home to two art museums, supports full-time professional opera and ballet companies, and one of the nation’s largest concentrations of art deco architecture.

In part Tulsa’s development as we know it today stems from Route 66. It was a Tulsa business, Cyrus Avery who in 1925 established the U.S. Highway 66 Association, hence the city also took on the name of the “Birthplace of Route 66”. Tulsa became a popular rest stop for travellers which brought money into the city. Route 66 icons such as the Meadow Gold Sign and the Blue Whale of Catoosa greeted visitors on their journey.

Tulsa – Paper Boy

The Philbrook Museum of Art is located in the former villa of oil pioneer Waite Phillips. It is considered to be one of the top 50 art museums in the USA and has works by Picasso and Rodin amongst others. The Gilcrease Museum holds the world’s largest collection of art and artifacts of the American West. It includes the collection of the Native American oilman and art collector Thomas Gilcreaese with works by Remington, Moran, Bierstadt and John James Audubon.

Tulsa Hostility Sculpture

Fans of the singer-songwriter Woodie Guthrie (1912-1967) might like to visit the “Woodie Guthrie Center” which houses thousands of his personal items, sheet music, books, manuscripts etc. Guthrie was one of America’smost influential songwriters and the space we have here cannot do justice to his impact on American society. The Bob Dylan Archive which is currently not open to the general public but can be visited by appointment is due to open on May 10th 2022.

Tulsa – Humiliation Sculpture

From the UK you can get to Tulsa in less than 24 hours, flight times with a connection are between 13 and 16 hours depending on the carrier. Why not fly to Chicago or LA and make Tulsa one of your stops on Route 66.

Since 1969 Tulsa has used 1% of its budget to fund public art and those are the images that we have used to illustrate our trip to Tulsa today.

Contact Maggie today to get to Tulsa in less than 24 hours.

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