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DerekRay's avatar

Derek Ray

Derek Ray is a Reader contributor. See staff page for published articles.

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A Walk on the White House Lawn

I should add that the cherry blossoms were in bloom during this trip adding a wonderful aura of color, beauty and seasonal regeneration. They are particularly striking in the area around the Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial. 3,000 cherry trees were a gift from the Japanese in 1912 and the National Cherry Blossom is celebrated each year when they emerge. Their soft, pink and white petals come into bloom for about two weeks in early spring, although the exact dates vary from year to year depending on the weather. You can research the predicted dates online but the average date is April 4th. This makes early April, in my opinion, the best time of year to visit the nation's capital. -Derek
— July 8, 2011 11:32 a.m.

Grayton Beach State Park, Florida

We used to go take summer week- long trips to Grayton Beach when I was a kid. We'd rent a cottage right on the beautiful white, sandy beach. I had a fun time but the sunburns were awful.
— June 26, 2011 4:54 a.m.

(Mis)Adventures in Colombia and Peru

There’s no question that long term travel is more difficult for most people in this lousy economy. But for many it just comes down to choices. I’ve chosen travel over accumulating more things in my life. I really don’t care about keeping up with the Joneses. I have very few material things, drive a Toyota Echo instead of a Lexus, etc. I’m very happy to have made this choice because travel has made my life so much richer -and I’m not talking about money. Also, travel to other countries doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think. Our dollar goes much further in certain parts of the world, particularly Asia and Latin America. You can accumulate flight points on your credit card and couch surf when you get there. I encourage people to make wise decisions with their lives. If you can swing it, I agree that you should travel as much as you can. A gap year trip or volunteer experience overseas can change a life. But this may entail a bit of research, planning, saving and sacrificing. Just dream about that llama you may get to kiss!
— June 2, 2011 12:25 a.m.

Spring Break in New Orleans

I would like to add that the roots of jazz can be traced to Congo Square. It is truly a culturally significant location in this country, particularly for African-Americans. But few people have heard about it. It was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other forms of music can be said to have their roots here too. As New Orleans R&B singer Ernie K Doe remarked, “I’m not sure, but I think all music comes from New Orleans.” Perhaps an exaggeration- or perhaps some truth to this? One typo to note: "lifestyles of Cajun fisherman" should read "lifestyles of Cajun fishermen" (or "lifestyle of the Cajun fisherman" if you prefer. Either way, they're hurting). -Derek
— April 30, 2011 1:16 p.m.

Bergen, Norway: Gateway to the Fjords

Author's note: I did not mean to suggest in the article that I was considering ordering whale(although I was curious about it). Whaling is an inhumane practice which continues to occur in Norway despite diplomatic pressure. It has a deep history in that country. According to the WWF, commercial whalers in Norway and Japan are provided government subsidies. It is not even considered a profitable practice (without taxpayer support).
— April 11, 2011 5:04 a.m.

Cambridge, England – Brilliant

I neglected to mention that those of you who wish to experience what it's like to be a student at Cambridge can enroll in a one, two, or three week stay in Cambridge's International Summer School program from July 10 to Aug. 20. There are 157 different courses open and available to anyone willing to pay the 900 pound fee for one week, 1,620 pounds for two weeks.This includes accommodations in a Cambridge student apartment and breakfast and dinner in a Cambridge dining hall. Go to www.cont-ed.cam.ac.uk/ for further details. This "learning vacation" was recommended by Arthur Frommer himself in a talk at the LA Times travel show. -Derek
— March 26, 2011 11:57 p.m.

Teotihuacan: City of the Gods

Don't worry, I'll shed a bit more blood in my upcoming story on the Templo Mayor, site of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. -Derek Ray
— December 19, 2010 9:17 p.m.

Doing Europe: Pompeii, Italy

Sounds like fun times! Pompeii's a great place. Your story brings back good memories. Is that you in the photo?
— December 2, 2010 6 p.m.

World Cup Fever in Mexico City

I stand corrected. Cool video. -Derek
— August 25, 2010 8:38 p.m.

Doing Europe: Prague, Czech Republic

Sorry, typo alert. ¨Kakaesque¨should of course be Kafkaesque ¨experienced¨ (third paragraph) should be experience I wanted to correct the record on this, because I know Fred never makes typos.
— June 27, 2010 4:11 p.m.

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