Category: Uncategorized

Skol! Our Trip to Scandinavia Day #12 “Bergen”

by reissmd, posted in Bergen, Norway, Norway, Uncategorized

Our trip is almost over.  We left the fjords this morning and the beautiful scenario that every way we turned looked like a picture used in a jigsaw puzzle.  Yes, beauty that you would think only existed in someone’s imagination. If you think this is just my imagination, come to Norway, experience the fjords, and see for yourself.  Here is one last fjord for the road.

Fjord with a salmon farm.

There has been some downtime during the trip during which I have read my book group selection for the month. It is a non-fiction tale about about Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the Diesel engine.  At first glance it might sound like a boring story.  In reality it’s quite interesting and what’s more, it is very pertinent to the trip. 

Diesel was a peer of Alfred Nobel from Nobel prize fame.  As you might recall we visited Stockholm where the majority of the prizes are awarded and Oslo where the peace prize is given. This tidbit was a footnote in the book and was very illuminating: 

[When Ludwig Nobel (Alfred’s brother) died in April 1888, French newspapers incorrectly reported the death of Alfred, who was in fact alive and well. Alfred then read his own obituary, which was a scathing critique of his life and work. The obituary named Alfred a “merchant of death” and declared that his invention, dynamite, “killed more people faster than ever before.” Alfred was so disturbed at this potential posthumous reputation that he later changed his last will and testament to bequeath his entire fortune to a new foundation that would award a series of prizes to “those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.”]

I’m sure this was horrifying for Nobel but I’ve often mused that funerals are a waste because the one person who would really enjoy hearing what was being said is dead and can’t enjoy it.  That’s why I’m planning to have my funeral long before I die.  

We left the Fjord country and headed to our last stop, Bergen (of course not before stopping for bathroom breaks which just happened to be in gift shops). Bergen is Norway’s second largest city, with a population of about 292,000 with about 20,000 of those people being students at the University of Bergen.

We arrived late and only had a chance to use the funicular to see a panoramic view of the city.

A view from the top.

I also was excited to to see someone with a nose bigger than mine. See below.

Handsome chap, isn’t he?

In addition we saw one of my favorite travel sights. See below.

Oh yes, another bird on a statue’s head.

After returning from the furnicular we found an excellent Spanish restaurant for dinner and then on to home.

Tomorrow is our last full day of the trip. Until then adjø (goodbye).

Skol! Our Trip to Scandinavia Day #11 “W.T.F. Waterfalls, Trolls, and Fjords”

by reissmd, posted in Norway, Uncategorized

Travel can sometimes make me confused.  Yesterday I said TGIF but it was only Thursday.  Well today was (is) Friday and we had a another great day of looking at the fjords.  We had an early start, lots of great food, and transportation to lots of great sights.  In other words we are on a Tauck tour.

Our coach driver (by that I mean our bus driver, not someone who is telling our driver what to do) did a great job transporting us from location to location.   Our coach is large and comfy, but the roads are at times a bit narrow. 

This is a two lane highway. Luckily traffic coming the opposite direction was light and drivers were very considerate (in other words they weren’t from Los Angeles or New York).

Our first stop was Dalsnibba where supposedly the view is breathtaking unfortunately for us, all we could see were clouds and snow flakes. 

Except for the coach, is there much you can see?

But then we had a series of stops where we saw lovely waterfalls.

Patrice posing with me in ‎⁨Oppstryn⁩, ⁨Norway⁩.
Together in front of a fjord. ‎⁨Geirangerfjord⁩, ⁨Norway⁩
In front of a run off from another waterfall. Also in ‎⁨Geirangerfjord⁩, ⁨Norway⁩
And another. Also in ‎⁨Geirangerfjord⁩, ⁨Norway⁩

Finally Patrice had enough and told me to go take the picture by myself. I asked our guide if Tauck would give me a substitute for me to use in my picture. I was told, they would send a young thing to pose with me instead. YES, I LOVE YOU TAUCK.

Tauck, that was not exactly what I had in mind. With travel buddy, Matt, in ‎⁨Hellesylt⁩, ⁨Norway⁩

Back in the hotel now and getting ready for a lecture on the history of Norway (just the first 10,000 years) followed by…….. DINNER!

Talk to you soon. But since this was entitled Waterfalls, Trolls, and Fjords, I feel obligated to give you at least one Troll (other than me). See below.

See you tomorrow as our trip rapidly nears its end.

Skol! Our Trip to Scandinavia Day #7 “Happy Birthday King Frederik X, Good Bye Copenhagen and Hello Oslo”

by reissmd, posted in Uncategorized

Today is May 26, 2025 and it’s the birthday of King Frederik X, the King of Denmark.  Prior to this trip I didn’t know we would be in Copenhagen on his birthday.  Actually before this trip I didn’t know that Denmark had a king let alone, who he was or that today is his birthday.  Apparently he is a very emotional guy.  We saw a video of when he was being introduced as the King following the abdication of his mother Queen Margrethe II. In the video you can see he gets teary eyed.  Obviously my kind of guy. 

Patrice here: For those of you who don’t know Robert, he cries at Disney movies. All you have to do is have him watch Kevin Costner’s character in Field of Dreams playing catch with his dad, and Robert will lose  it.  You don’t even need to include the dialogue.  

Enough about the King.  After breakfast this morning we had some free time to do some more sightseeing then it was off to the airport for our flight to Oslo.  Everything went smoothly at the airport once I realized that I was trying to use my boarding pass for my flight to Stockholm rather than the one for today’s flight.  How embarrassing.  But at least I gave the security guard a good story to share with his wife when he gets home.  

We had a quick bite to eat at the airport.  It was surprisingly good and looked very appealing.  See what you think?  See below. 

Airport food? Really? Shrimp and eggs on the left and Plaice on the right

The flight to Oslo was short and sweet.  Our bags were driven to Oslo early this morning so we didn’t need to wait for them at the airport and they were in our room when we arrived.  Nice going Tauck 

The hotel looks fantastic.  Well if you think Murano Glass chandeliers are nice (I DO!).  Check it out.

Murano glass chandelier in the dining room.

We then had a brief walking tour of the downtown area.  For some reason I really liked this tour.  Our guide told us some very interesting information rather than filling us with details that I didn’t care about.  One thing she told us that was both interesting and sad was they have these very large planters on the city’s main walkway.  The reason for the planters is only partly for decoration.  The main reason they are there is to prevent some nut driving into the many people who walk there. 

This planters are placed so as to impede a car driven by someone attempting to do harm.

We saw a bunch of other things of interest. Here are some.

Statue honoring women who have had breast cancer and telling them they still look beautiful with only one or no breasts.
The Nobel Peace Center. This is the site of the offices of the Nobel Peace prize. It houses lots of information about the various past winners. The prize ceremony is at city hall in Oslo and the prize laureate stays at the Grand Hotel while awaiting festivities.
Pay toilets given by France in 2005 to honor Norway’s 100th anniversary of independence from Sweden.

Wouldn’t you have loved to have been in on that discussion? “So what should we give Norway to honor their 100th anniversary of independence?” “Well we gave the USA the Statue of Liberty.” “Yes, but we were a little late on that (given 1886) so had to make it special, we don’t have to go that big.” “What do you say about giving them some Red, White, and Blue toilets? And let’s make them pay toilets so they can make a few bucks.” “Great idea, let’s make sure we are on time with this one”

Sorry, but can I add just one more photo?

I have no idea who either of these people are but I just love seeing a bird atop a statue’s head.

After the tour, we then went to dinner at the hotel restaurant.  They were not very busy but they took forever to get us our food. Our meal was spectacular but I think their strategy was to take so long to bring us the food we would think a Big Mac was fine dining.  It took about 90 minutes to bring out the main course.  Is that acceptable?  Our 7 pm meal didn’t finish until 10 pm.  Don’t these people realize I have a blog to write?

Tomorrow is our main day of touring Oslo.  Good news, they were wrong when they predicted 100% chance of rain tomorrow.  The most recent forecast states the chance for rain tomorrow is only 95%.  

Hopefully we will have good news for you tomorrow.  

ACP in NOLA Day#7 “Going Home: Travel Tips, Funny Photos, and One More Dessert for Eric”

by reissmd, posted in New Orleans, New Orleans (NOLA), Uncategorized

We head home today but our flight scheduled for 6:40 pm has been delayed twice (current departure time is 8:53 pm) so we have time to do some more sightseeing. Last night we had an incredible dinner at the Pelican Club (312 Exchange Pl, New Orleans, LA 70130). It was recommended by her friend, Ellen. Patrice had the Cioppino and I had the Red Fish. This trip I learned that I love Red Fish (aka Drum).

This morning we trekked to the French Quarter to have Beignets and Cafe Au Lait at Cafe Du Monde, a New Orleans tradition. We could have gone to their satelite outlet at a nearby mall but that would not have been the same.

How can you go to a recent add-on when there is so much tradition with this place.

After that we walked back to the hotel during a light mist of rain. Before I forget here are some travel tips for NOLA that might help you in other areas.

As previously stated don’t trust the taxi drivers in NOLA except for trips to and from the airport. Walking is a great option but bring an umbrella and jacket no matter how warm it is. It can get very cold very quick here. Next is a great tip from my son, David. Pack this incredible backpack. It has tons of pockets for all sorts of goodies (I used it in the conference to bring my laptop, phone charger, ear phones, glasses, etc.) Also as you can see it folds up to a very. tiny size that is very easy to stuff in your luggage.

Backpack ready to be filled.
This is what it looked like when I slipped it into my luggage.

Also, don’t look like a tourist. See below.

What? Does wearing a hat that says Portofino, holding a city map, and a cup from Cafe Du Monde look suspicious?

Now for some photos that I found interesting. Some need no explanation, some need a few words, and some are beyond my comprehension.

Southwest now has these huge overhead compartments which are very convenient for storage but very hard on the head. I banged mine getting into my seat and on my way out. Hopefully I will remember and not do it on the return flight.
I saw this sign upon arriving in New Orleans. I had to investigate the Pet Relief area.
I found this room, equipped with fire hydrant. It also had a sink in case your pet wanted to wash its hands. I mean paws.
This speaks for itself.
Love this slide of a doctor counseling a patient about colon cancer screening. Check out the doctor’s left hand.
Patrice and me posing at the ACP sign.
For those of you who didn’t believe my story of the song “Father and Daughter” here is a list of the final songs slated to be played. By the way, I am not crying now. [Patrice here: Yes he is.]
Even the police sell souvenirs.
Of course I had to buy Patrice something as a souvenir of the trip.

But she opted for this instead.

And finally in honor of Eric.

Carrot Sticky Toffee Cake with Cream Cheese Ice Cream from Peche (where we had lunch today).

That’s all for this trip. Speak to you in May when we go to ………………

ACP Meeting in NOLA Day #1 “On the Road Again”

by reissmd, posted in New Orleans, New Orleans (NOLA), Uncategorized

We are off.  After a relatively long hiatus we are traveling again.  I must admit it has been quite gratifying to hear from numerous people “When will you be traveling?  I miss your blog.”   Well that day has come.  At my previous job, I was only working 1 day per week and had 8 weeks of vacation.  My current job with UCLA is a bit more restrictive so other than a couple of weekend trips to visit the grandsons we have stayed at home a fair amount of the time. I recently found out that I’m allotted educational leave that doesn’t count against vacation.  When I realized that the American College of Physicians meeting was in New Orleans this year I had to go.  Patrice agreed without hesitation since some of our best meals on trips have been in NOLA.  Some of our friends heard about our plans and said they look forward to hearing about the trip when we get back.  I told them, I’d send them an email everyday instead.  Just check out REISSTRAVELBLOG.COM 

As usual the trip to the airport was a breeze. We use the Ride Yellow app for trips to LAX. The Yellow cab drivers almost always arrive early (as opposed to Uber drivers who seem to have trouble finding our house).  They don’t charge you extra for reserving the taxi in advance. They also know how to get to the airport.  The charge is quite reasonable so I suggest you use them. 

The flight to NOLA was uneventful except for some occasional mild turbulence.  I have to admit I was a little unnerved when I saw this. 

737 MAX? Yikes!!!

In spite of being on one of the most dangerous planes in the sky at least we weren’t going to one of the most dangerous airports. That being Reagan in DC. And I am not talking about the air traffic issues in DC. Oh well, we landed safely in NOLA, got our bags and headed to the hotel. 

People have expressed concern about my blogging.  “Aren’t you worried that someone will rob your house knowing that you are out of town?”   Not at all, I tell them.  The reason is that we have Bruce and his pet dog, “Daisy”, house sitting for us. 

Here is a picture of Bruce.

And here is a picture of his sweet dog, Daisy.

Isn’t Daisy a dear?

Tonight’s dinner was at Muriel’s (801 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70116).  We’ve eaten there twice before and tonight was just as wonderful as we remembered.  They had a wonderful offer that we took advantage of. You could choose an appetizer, main course and dessert for $55. The meal was amazing. I don’t think we could recreate the food we had for twice that cost in Los Angeles. Just take a look at our choices.

My appetizer was the wedge salad. It was perfect.
Patrice had the Tasso Carbonara. She thought it was great.
My main course was Shrimp and Grits.

I have a rule never have Shrimp and Grits north of the Mason Dixon line. Well we are south right now, and this meal did not disappoint me. The only thing I thought was odd was that there were only 5 shrimp. Don’t they usually serve 6 shrimp with an entree?

[Patrice here. Don’t say anything but as you can see in the picture there were 6 shrimp. Someone grabbed one when Robert was busy using his phone. Serves him right.]

Patrice’s entree was the Pecan Crusted Drum.

I never had heard of a fish called a Drum. I Googled it and found out that Drum are members of the Sciaenidae family. Sorry but that did not help me at all.

Bread pudding for dessert. Patrice’s favorite. Almost as good as Massa in Los Angeles.
I had the Crème brûlée 

The crème brûlée was delicious. It was just as good as the crème brûlée that I make and a lot better than my friend, Gary’s. By the way, as a doctor I am a bit embarrassed to promote and make crème brûlée. After all it has to be one of the most unhealthy desserts ever made. It has sugar, heavy cream, vanilla (that’s not bad), and egg yolks. The healthiest part of the egg (the white, which has all the protein) is discarded. Very unhealthy but oooohhhhh soooo good.

After all that food, I am exhausted. Talk to you tomorrow. 

Baseball Road Trip Day#5 “Home Sweet Home”

by reissmd, posted in Philadelphia, Uncategorized

Last night we made it to the game on time in spite of having to deal with a lot of fan traffic. The Phillies have been playing well and thus the crowds have been large. Philadelphia fans have a reputation of being very loyal but when their teams don’t perform to expectations they can be ruthless.  They had a happy night because the home team scored 4 runs in the third inning and that was all she wrote with the Phillies winning 5-0

It was a well played game and my assessment is that the Phillies have an excellent team. I am sure the Astros would love to play them again this October. I think that is a real possibility. The only recommendation I have for the Phillies is that outfielder, Brandon Marsh, shaves and gets a haircut. See below.

 

As you can tell from this picture he previously played for the Angels. Both the beard and hair are much longer now.

To sum up this trip I have to say it has been a fun birthday getaway. I got a call last night from my daughter in Madrid because it was 1:00 AM and already my birthday in Spain. How wonderful it was to hear her voice. Actually I couldn’t hear her because we were at the baseball game but she followed up the call with a text message.

By the time you read this I should have landed at LAX and be on my way to the office. Yes, after getting home from the game we packed to prepare for an early flight.  Kudos to Patrice for agreeing to get up early so we could get home early enough for me to get to work to see a 1:00 pm patient. I don’t know for sure but I suspect I’m UCLA’s oldest primary care physician and at least today the one with the longest commute. 

We don’t have any other plans for trips until November.  So you don’t have to worry about hearing any more of my ramblings until then. 

Ciao

Halloween Away From Home 10/31/23

by reissmd, posted in Uncategorized

At our house halloween is very quiet. We live on a very dark street not far from the local bars. in the 21 years I have lived in this place I have not see one trick or treater. That does not include the drunk who tried to get into our place at about 2:00 AM on a November 1st. As our local police officer said to me (after the guy was in handcuffs), “Someone just really wanted to see our jail tonight”.

Although things are quiet at our place on Halloween it has been rumored that my son and his wife have a little more action at their place. So this year we decided to check it out.

Our daughter-in-law, Robyn, is a very smart, creative, and talented woman. When she decides on doing a project she becomes committed. Halloween at her place is not an exception. She has decided to make it an experience at their house and to this end she is committed. Although some might phrase it differently. They might say not only is she committed, she should BE COMMITTED. Yes the happenings here are truly off the grid.

First check out some of the surroundings.

I think the woman in the chair is someone I dated in college.
Local greeter at the event.
Another welcomer to the house.
Hearse in the front yard.
Aunt Annette in charge of giving out candy. One per child. There were 1,000 pieces to start and grandma Patrice was sent out on an emergency refill mission at 7:30!!!!!

Check out this video of a local witch.

A little outside greeter.
A quick tour of the haunted house before the hoards of kids arrived.

Finally the culprits responsible for this extravaganza, Ken and Barbie

Ken and Barbie aka David and Robyn

During all this mayhem I was assigned to take Charlie and a couple of his friends around the neighborhood so they could do some trick or treating. At one point we met up with another one of Charlie’s friends whose father asked me, “Have you been to the haunted house yet?” To which I replied, “We live in the haunted house”.

¡Chile Sí! ¡Eclipse No! Day #2 “Time for a Nap” 12/8/2022

by reissmd, posted in Uncategorized

We left Los Angeles at 1:10 pm flying to Miami then on to Santiago arriving shortly after 8 AM local time which translates to 3 AM back home.  Arrival at the Santiago airport (SCL) went quite smoothly. The immigration area had a tremendous number of people but things went very smoothly. I think the rapidity of turnover had to do with their excellent system. See below.

Numerous agents, each identified with large numbers. You can see the sign (between the 14 and 15) that informs you of the next available agent.
If you don’t go to your assigned agent fast enough this woman shoots you. Lucky for some of the passengers she was more interested in using her phone rather than doing her job.
It was our turn and number 22 was available.
Annie Oakley sent us to 14 and I was not about to argue thinking we might have been interrupting a game of “Mortal Kombat” on her phone.

Outside immigration we were greeted by our guide, Mauricio, and driver, Pablo. They escorted us to the car and then it was off to the hotel where I was looking forward to a nice nap. We arrived at the hotel at about 8 AM, and our room was not ready. So instead of a nap, we went on a city tour.  Mauricio and Pablo were terrific. We drove and walked all over the city.  Mauricio was very kind and attentive, realizing that this old body was sleep deprived.  He also had lots of fun facts about Chile and more specifically Santiago. We went to a lovely Neptune fountain (see below). Mauricio told us about the fountain but all I remember is that young people come here at night for romantic interludes

Here were are in front of the fountain as I try to convince Patrice to come back after dinner.

Mauricio also pointed out a bar where Bill Clinton had his driver pull over so he could relieve himself. Apparently, it was such a monumental event they renamed the bar. See below.

Mauricio said that La Pica is slang for a place that is little known but very good.

After touring for about 4 hours we returned to our hotel (Singular Hotel: Merced 294, Santiago, Región Metropolitana).  The staff, as has been our experience on all our recent trips, was wonderful. 

While we waited to register a bellman handed us some treats. They won me over with chocolate.

The room is very nicely sized with a beautiful bathroom.  We won’t be here long since we leave at 6 AM to head to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) so not much time to enjoy the accommodations.  

Tonight it will be all about getting rested, cleaned up, and of course dinner.  See you tomorrow at Easter Island.

Europe 2022 day #2 “You Did What?”  Milán 10/7/2022

by reissmd, posted in Italy, Milan, Uncategorized

Today was supposed to be a leisurely day but thanks to my friend, Michael, it wasn’t.  When I told him we were going to Milan he said you’ll love Lake Como.  When I told him we weren’t going there he was horrified.  So Lake Como was added and we are glad it was. Due to oversleeping this morning, our exit was a bit harried but mission accomplished.  We made it to the lake, had a lovely lunch and a brief tour that was long enough to convince us we have to come back.  If it’s good enough for George Clooney, it’s good enough for me. Then it was back to the city. 

The view of Lake Como from our table at Gatto Nero.
Patrice’s pasta from Gatto Nero and her phone.
My veal from Gatto Nero without my phone.

After the lake we returned to Milan for the main reason I wanted to come to this city, Leonardo DaVinci’s “The Last Supper”.   I’ve been told that Milan is a city of people who live to work as opposed to Rome where people work to live.  So other than the masterpiece, what I had been told about the city didn’t have much appeal to me.  But the Last Supper was always something I have wanted to see. Since it’s a mural I had to go to it because it wasn’t coming to me.  It too didn’t disappoint.  I’m not a religious person but seeing the painting that I’ve seen numerous times in books, television, and even recreated on stage (at the Laguna Beach Pageant of the Masters) was a surreal moment. Painted from 1495-1498 it is 181 x 346 inches of awe-inspiring beauty.  Simply put, I’m so glad we came.  

The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci. Need I say more?

Patrice had to drag me away from the painting because her highlight of the trip was on the agenda for the night (actually you are only allowed to stay for 15 minutes in the viewing room).  After leaving the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie (home of “The Last Supper”) we headed to the historic theater, La Scala. Teatro alla Scala (its real name) was completed in 1778 taking 2 years to construct. The inside is incredibly impressive with an orchestral seating area surrounded by numerous booths.

La Scala.

If you would like to see a video of the seating area check out this short video: https://youtube.com/shorts/0QmJwkTvBuE

At this incredible venue, we heard pieces by Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky.  The theater was magnificent and the acoustics were beyond description.  I’d like to tell you about the conductor’s witty comments but he said NOTHING. Not that I would have understood anything since I don’t speak Italian but as I said, he didn’t say a word.  

I need to call it quits for now because we are scheduled to leave at 7 am tomorrow morning (What sadist planned this trip?). Breakfast starts at 7 am so I talked to the front desk about getting something to eat before we leave. He looked at me and said, “We will take care of you, this is Italy”. He left me with a smile.  I hope I did the same for you.  

Ciao

Denver: Mile High on Baseball Day #4. A Little Beer and Home Sweet Home?

by reissmd, posted in Denver, Uncategorized

Yesterday was our final day of touring and after breakfast, we headed to Golden, Colorado for the Coors Brewery tour. We arrived early and heard a lot about the town so decided to do some exploring first. Patrice saw a sign showing us the directions to Lookout Mountain. She was excited about the opportunity to see the area from up high but what got my blood boiling was the sign indicating that nearby was the final resting place of Buffalo Bill Cody. How could I miss out on the opportunity to pay my respects to an American legend? (See below)

Final resting place of Buffalo Bill and his wife, Louisa.

After paying our respects it was off to the brewery tour. It was very interesting and full of all sorts of fun facts. They also gave us the choice of 3 beers during the tour. Luckily I only took a sip of each, otherwise, Patrice would have needed to call paramedics to come to get me. It seems as if I am not the only one who can’t handle his beer. Check out this sign that needs to be posted at the brewery. (See below)

After the tour, we had a wonderful lunch/dinner in Golden at a restaurant called Indulge [1299 Washington Ave, Golden, CO 80401]. The food and service were excellent. Sorry, no pictures.

We then headed back to Denver for more exploring and some leisure time. During our adventure, I did see some interesting sights.

This was at the airport. To my surprise, Denver averages 53 tornados per year.
Except for Patrice, I saw maybe 2 or 3 people wearing a mask. But please stay 6 feet apart!
I thought this was a good take-home message.

The one message I didn’t like seeing was that our flight was delayed. We took the 7:40 AM flight because it was non-stop and the least likely to be affected by the various problems that can cause a flight cancellation. It seems I might have been wrong. Patrice told me a friend of hers was heading from LA to Denver and her morning flight has been canceled. Let’s hope the next time I surface I will be in LA.