Tag: www.visitanaheim.org

America, Countries, Europe, Ireland, Music, UK

Rainy days and Songdays – Holyday favourites

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And because of the holyday season we’re in this week’s Rainy days and Songdays today celebrates Holyday favourites.

Happy clappy California

Whoopi

Oh Happy Day (Oakland/San Francisco)

Oh happy day, oh happy day, when Jesus washed, oh when He washed, When Jesus washed, He washed my sins away – The Edwin Hawkins Singers/Sister Act

They don’t need much invitation to unleash a Gospel Choir on you in California.

And Hallelujah there was one waiting for us on the first day in Anaheim for our American Travel Fair, IPW.

Elvis sings Gospel

Full of Graceland

How Great Thou Art (Memphis)

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation. And take me home what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow in humble adoration. And then proclaim, my God how great thou art – Elvis Presley

And it is worth remembering that Elvis first learned to sing in church.

And during his residencies in Las Vegas he would invite his friends up to his room for impromptu Gospel singalongs

It’s better to imagine Elvis’s heart being joyful at the moment God came to take him home that day in Graceland.

All God’s Children

Whenever God Shines His Light (Belfast)

Whenever God shines his light on me. Opens up my eyes so I can see. When I look up in the darkest night. And I know that everything is going to be all right – Van Morrison/Cliff Richard

And aren’t we all God’s children anyway even Van the Man, the grumpiest man in rock?

Religion is all around you in Belfast where Van is known to put on occasional jazz cabaret shows at the Europa Hotel.

It’s always best though with a Celtic soul twist.

Welsh worship

Bread of Heaven (Cardiff)

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer, Pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak but thou art mighty. Hold me with thy powerful hand. Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven. Feed me till I want no more. – Bryn Terfel, Cardiff

And Cwm Rhondda (The Rhondda) is the unofficial anthem of Wales.

And is a favourite of Welsh rugby fans.

It scores too as it celebrates God rather than the popular policy of God celebrating said country.

Mississippi music

Grammy loves you

This Little Light of Mine (Mississippi)

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, all the time, let it shine – Sister Rosetta Tharpe

And you’ll find a lot more about Sister Rosetta and all the wonderful Gospel and early Rock singers at the Grammy Museum Mississippi in Cleveland.

And the significance of This Little Light in a room of reflection on your Civil Rights visit to the Two Museums in Jackson.

America, Asia, Countries, Europe

Wuhoo Wuhan

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It seems like a lifetime ago when we sat down for our annual Wendy Wu Chinese New Year dinner in Dublin.

You can read what you want into this year being the Year of the Rat.

And talked about what then seemed a distant (and Asian) threat… Coronavirus in China.

The city of Wuhan had been put in lockdown and our hosts, of course, were seeing the effects long before the rest of us.

The date, January 23, seemed insignificant other than I was long looking forward to one of my highlights of the year.

When the clock started ticking

And not just because it meant meeting up with old friends and the feast in front of us at Chai Yo Teppanyaki on Baggot Street Lower https://www.chaiyo.ie

But when we chronicle these times that date of January 23, 2020 will mark the day that Wuhan locked down.

And there’s even more…. Chinese New Year

Seventy-six days later, on April 7, the region emerged from lockdown.

And from this website’s perspective Travel began its fightback.

Chinese travel

With The Guardian reporting that China Eastern was operating 30 flights from Wuhan to other cities in China.

Like Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, with more than 1,600 trips booked.

Let’s get Shanghaied in Shanghai

More than 55,000 passengers were said to have booked tickets to leave the city, according to the railway operator.

And long-distance buses had also resumed service.

All of which had passed me by somewhat until my daily trawl as to what the rest of the world was doing brought me back to Wuhan.

And talk of further travel from the city on the Yangtze.

I’ve got The Donald’s ear

Because, and taking into account that no country is the same, 73 days takes Britain from March 23 to July 4.

Now the significance of such a date would not be lost on any of us and we all come from a different starting point.

The West is watching

But it would be great if all of us in the Western World can target that date to get going again.

And while it is unlikely that Donald Trump would follow anything that China does, we can but dream.

Palm trees everywhere: Florida

I know I am… I had planned the Florida Keys https://fla-keys.co.uk San Francisco https://www.sftravel.com and Dublin https://dublin.ca.gov in the Tri-Valley outside San Fran. As well as Chicago https://www.choosechicago.com.

Alas the American Travel fair, IPW, bowed to the inevitable when the get-together, which was this year to be held in Las Vegas https://www.lvcva.com, was shelved.

Don’t Cancel Postpone

Those trade partners I visit (yes, and hug) every year are suffering just now.

Honest Abe and Honest Jim: In DC

And I can only reprise on how I found them and their venues, Washington DC, Denver and Anaheim in previous years…

At http://Easy DC, https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/culture/go-west-denver-buffalo-bill/.

And https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/08/29/the-new-pioneers/ and https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2020/03/19/my-weekend-with-marilyn-2/ and https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2020/03/23/stair-wars-4/

And say, once again, as I will. Don’t Cancel Postpone

America, Countries, Culture, Europe, Pilgrimage

Give us this Day – Sing a song of prayer to the Lord

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I’m sitting out my Sunday service today but I will sing a song of prayer to the Lord.

The advice on attending your place of worship has swung back and forth like yon botafumeiro incense holder that almost took me out in Santiago.

With the Diocese of Rome, whose boss, the Pope the ma. I defer to, ordering the closing of churches and then their reopening.

While mosques, synagogues and temples are also reacting coronavirus by closing their doors to protect their flock.

Best consult your place of worship for latest advice.

Of course there has always been an exemption from Sunday worship in my church for those who are old or infirm, if you’re sick, or at risk.

While there is no compulsion on Protestants to attend church with the emphasis very much on an individual’s personal relationship with God.

Through the Good Book and prayer.

And much like Methodists, Baptists and Gospel choirs the best way to pray is to sing.

And to Our Lady

So here are a few songs from my travels to get you going:

Ave Maria (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XpYGgtrMTYs): Well they are Marian sites…

Lourdes https://www.lourdes-infotourisme.com and The Lourdes prayer, Fatima in Portugal Centro www.visitportugal.com.

And Secret Portugal Medjugorje What’s the story, Medjugorje? Wouldn’t you like to know. And Marian Pilgrimages www.marian.ie.

Spiritual

Which is where the greats from Motown from Aretha to Whitney started out and how cruise ships https://www.celebritycruises.co.uk put on entertainment.

I’d missed the old gospel choir in Memphis after I had to get the early-morning connection back to Europe.

But we were greeted to Christmas songs in an antebellum house turned B&B (and Deep South B&Bs are actually country houses). Visit https://www.deep-south-usa.com.

I did manage to get my fix though in Anaheim. See https://visitanaheim.org and www.visitcalifornia.com…

And breaking news…

Word reaches us from Siena, Italy, where the locals have been singing to each other for moral support.

Down an empty street https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hDu_kLJ-5Mk.

The song: E mentre Siena Dorme, or While Siena Sleeps.

Italians have never been silenced and never will… http://www.italia.it/en/home.html and Small roads lead to Rome.

And remember everybody has a place in God’s choir.

Countries, Culture

This Sporting Weekend – Touchdown Vegas

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Celtic relocate to Dublin, Liverpool to London… what madness?

But not in the Oo Es of Eh http://www.visitusa.ie where sports franchises up and move across the continent at the drop of a helmet.

The Brooklyn Dodgers’ flit from New York http://www.nycvb.com and https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/08/21/old-new-york-hamilton/ to LA in the Fifties will always remain the most controversial.

But who can blame them? Not me when I visited. http://www.visitcalifornia.com and https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/06/22/my-weekend-with-marilyn/.

But sports teams have been relocating since as far back as 1902 when the Milwaukee Brewers moved to St Louis.

To become the St Lous Browns.

While American Sports’ most famous team, the New York Yankees, started life as the Baltimore Orioles, the original iteration in 1903.

High-rollers have been coming and going out of Washington DC much like politicians. https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/obama-washington-dc/

Before the Nationals took on Montreal Expos’ place in 2005… and went on last year to win the World Series.

Visit http://www.washington.org.

Although the fans didn’t feel in the mood to hail the chief Donald Trump, preferring to give him a slow handclap.

The Redskins aren’t figuring at the business end of the NFL season with the play-off games coming up.

Of course Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will win the whole thing again this year.

But next year?

There is much excitement about Vegas getting football for next season.

Because they hit the ground, or ice, running.

The puck stops here

When the Las Vegas Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup final in their inaugural season.https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/vegas-strip-the-light-fantastic/

Visit http://www.lvcva.com

Only to lose to the Washington Capitals.

And because you know that when I travel I go to where the locals play and pray then I’ve treated you to a few pics of me…

At Anaheim Angels’ ground where they like to get their Mickey out.Visit http://www.nhl.com.

With Elvis in Vegas,

Some thoroughbreds at Denver Broncos’s ground… https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/go-west-denver-buffalo-bill/ and https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/08/29/the-new-pioneers/

And http://www.denver.org.

Hitting it out of the park at the Washington Nationals’ stadium.

Icing with Wild Wing at the Anaheim Ducks’ Honda Arena,https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/07/03/stair-wars-3/

Visit http://www.visitanaheim.org

And getting ready to dunk it with the Memphis Grizzlies… https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/the-promised-land-martin-luther-king/, https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/the-story-of-the-blues/ and https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/elvispresley-the-king-of-kings/

Visit http://www.memphistravel.com.

MEET YOU AT THE GROUND

 

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The faces of 2019 – Marilyn, Natasha and Donald

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The stars aligned in 2019 and I got me the walk-on I deserve.

When Natasha Bedingfield, fresh from wowing us at the American Travel Fair http://www.ipw.com, with a particularly stirring version of Prince’s Purple Rain, introduced me.

She pointed out my purple beard from the stage in the plaza in Anaheim http://www.visitanaheim.org.

You see I got purpled up in Huntingdon Beach http://www.surfcityusa.com the previous night when we had been entertained by Snoop Dogg https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/09/18/snoop-and-me-acting-the-goat-in-california/.

Well this is Southern California where the stars come out to shine.

We starspotted from the off in West Hollywood where we dined in Lisa Vanderpump’s PUMP Restaurant Lodge http://www.pumprestaurant.com and http://www.weho.org.

And Lisa herself graced us with her presence.

Walk of Fame

Sometimes, of course, you just want to be on your own and she was good enough not to come autograph-hunting.

Greta Garbo, of course, made a name for herself for ‘vanting to be alone’.

But, alas, she has to share the Walk of Fame with hundreds of other Hollywood stars.

There’s Donald Duck too and a host of Asian picture clickers have gathered around Michael Jackson’s star.

But it is Marilyn Monroe’s tribute that I’m here to see… we’ve been inseparable the last couple of days https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/06/22/my-weekend-with-marilyn/.

In Venice Beach http://www.venicebeach.com, at her last resting place and now here in Hollywood.

This being Southern California the Beach Boys obviously wanted to turf up and surf up.

And here they are at lunch during the American Travel Fair. And I made Mike Love’s day by holding out my hand to touch him.

Jason Derulo also swayed his stuff while the best of Broadway also trod the boards for us.

So what could possibly bring down the curtain on such a show. We’d had Harry Potter and a light show at Universal http://www.universalhollywoodstudios.com.

While Jimmy Fallon on an audio gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of the sets.

And we were also enthralled at the special effects show with stunt actors setting each other on fire.

But it was the Happiest Place on Earth for the finale… with Mickey in Da House with his Disney pals… http://www.disneyland.disney.go.com.

Oh, I’m the king of swingers… I don’t want this party ever to stop.

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My Sporting Weekend – Washington Nationals

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No, I’m not trying to avoid mentioning the Rugby World Cup Final… or the British Commonwealth Cup as I prefer to call it.

There aren’t many sports, to be fair, that are truly universal and can really claim to have a ‘world’ cup.

Baseball falls into that sphere with the World Series being an all-American affair (with Toronto Blue Jays).

These past couple of weeks all American, ex-pats and Americanophile eyes were on the World Series.

Jayson Werth shows the way

Between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros.

But for the rest it was only when The Donald popped up at the stadium of his local team and was booed that they took any interest.

Shame because baseball is at the heart of American culture.

And is the nearest to a blue-collar game comparable to my favourite sport football that there is.

Home run: The Nationals’ next big star

I first got interested in baseball when I spent a summer after university working in Boston.

And spending my spare time watching Roger Clemens’ Red Sox.

I also took in the World Series-winning new franchise Toronto Blue Jays where my brother was living.

Beautiful baseball fans

And I really got into them and their rituals such as ringing a bell when star player George Bell came out to bat.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago and I fulfilled a sporting ambition when I took my stance in a batting cage.

In the Washington Nationals’ ball park.

And knocked it out of the park.

I’ll support Colorado Rockies too

We were being hosted by the American travel fair www.ipw.com and were treated to a fireworks display to bring down the curtain on the convention.

Mr Murty goes to Washington

Washington www.washington.org is a political town (obvs) and Washingtonians are a discerning crowd.

It remains my fave American city Easy DC although I have far too many still to visit.

I also visited Denver’s team, the Colorado Rockies when in town www.denver.org last year… Go West.

That caps it: The Angels

And took in an Angels game in Anaheim www.visitanaheim.org earlier this year.

When despite the best efforts of star player Michael Trout it was clear that they wouldn’t be troubling the World Series.

A new baseball ritual

Now that we’ve established that baseball is more than a game and that we love their rituals what about adding this to the seventh-inning stretch…

That every attending US President should be booed (yet to decide on which inning)!

Get me out on the field: The Angels

Aer Lingus have what they are billing Wickedly Good Deals to North America, with pre-clearance, including the American capital.

From €159 each way as part of a return trip. Travel dates through to 31 March.

Book by November 4… www.aerlingus.com.

MEET YOU IN THE BLEACHERS