RKS Travel: Beauty and Death in the Desert: Palm Springs Air Museum

The Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California has 70 vintage aircraft from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and a Stealth Bomber used in Iraq. My visit sparked a resurgence of memories. There is a certain beauty to most of the aircraft particularly the B-17 bomber where for a small fee you can enter the interior.Continue reading “RKS Travel: Beauty and Death in the Desert: Palm Springs Air Museum”

RKS Travel: The Botanical Beauty of the Desert: Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage, California

Many know of Rancho Mirage’s plethora of spectacular golf courses, country clubs, glam hotels and restaurants set amid palm trees and the brown towering and sometimes snowcapped mountains of the Coachella Valley in Southern California but one should not overlook the Sunnylands Centre & Gardens located at 37977 Bob Hope Drive. Sunnylands is a 200-acreContinue reading “RKS Travel: The Botanical Beauty of the Desert: Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage, California”

Press Release: Trans Canada Air to Charge Passengers for Bathroom Use

Toronto: 4December2024: Spoof Wire Services Canada’s greediest and most detested air carrier announced yet another extra fee payable by all passengers except for those in its Big Wig Class which will kick in beginning 1January2025. All non-Big Wig Class passengers will be required to pay a $10 “Privilege Fee” to access all WC’s onboard. ForContinue reading “Press Release: Trans Canada Air to Charge Passengers for Bathroom Use”

RKS Travel: WC Blues on Long Airplane Flights

I have taken transatlantic flights with Air Canada, Air Transat, TAP Air Portugal, Lufthansa, SATA, EVA Air and most recently with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on Economy and Enhanced Economy fares. Their WC bathrooms start clean enough and in all instances, other than with EVA Air, the WC is after a few in-flight hours inContinue reading “RKS Travel: WC Blues on Long Airplane Flights”

RKS Travel: The Snotty Nosed and Wheezing Passengers and Mega Selfishness

On my second flight to Toronto from Thessaloniki on KLM to JFK Airport in New York I had to listen to that gurgling cough, pulling up snots in the nose and sneezing from two nearby passengers the whole flight. The selfish prigs (a polite term) were not wearing a mask and they hacked, gurgled andContinue reading “RKS Travel: The Snotty Nosed and Wheezing Passengers and Mega Selfishness”

RKS Travel: Greek, Dutch and United States Air Travel Disaster

Ten days in Thessaloniki, Greece attending the 65th Annual Thessaloniki Film Festival had me beat watching and reviewing two movies daily. Attending opening ceremonies and press conferences and yes experiencing an earthquake tremor and even cooking up almost all my meals with the most basic ingredients. What was my masterpiece?  Norwegian salmon filets gently poachedContinue reading “RKS Travel: Greek, Dutch and United States Air Travel Disaster”

RKS Travel: Thessaloniki’s Best Coffee?

Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, is a rich city culturally and gastronomically. Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Italian and French architecture. The proliferation of coffeeshops is nothing short of stunning. As I look out my back and front window there is a coffee shop called “Coffee Island” and out back a Gregory’s. Then 20 steps away thereContinue reading “RKS Travel: Thessaloniki’s Best Coffee?”

RKS Travel: Checked Baggage Fees and Passenger Snickers

When the worst of COVID was over I took an Air Canada flight from Toronto’s Pearson Airport to Athens. While waiting at the gate an Air Canada passenger agent made an announcement that due to so much unchecked luggage on this sold out flight please volunteer to have your bags checked in. A roar ofContinue reading “RKS Travel: Checked Baggage Fees and Passenger Snickers”

RKS TRAVEL: The Barbarity of Basic Economy Class Air Travel

Can you remember the days of yore when two simple classes of air travel existed? First class and economy class which have evolved to a confusing array of classes and subclasses and for what reason? Most likely the unrelenting drive for airline company profits masked with some confusing moniker related to customer convenience. You mightContinue reading “RKS TRAVEL: The Barbarity of Basic Economy Class Air Travel”

RKS 2024 Travel: Canada Day Cake Parade at Niagara-on-the-Lake

On 1July2024 I had the surreal pleasure of marching in the annual Niagara-on-the-Lake Cake Parade. It has been a Canada Day fixture for some two decades now. Queen Street is cordoned off and several thousand line it. Yes the drums of the 41st Fife and Drum Corps Regiment can be heard way down Queen StreetContinue reading “RKS 2024 Travel: Canada Day Cake Parade at Niagara-on-the-Lake”