Route 66 and Hollywood Movies & TV Shows

Above, Route 66 in Williams, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This year is the centennial of Historic Route 66.  

Fox 8 of Cleveland has posted an article on Route 66 and Hollywood focusing on movies and TV shows that captured the mystique of the road. 

It begins with:

(NEXSTAR) — It’s one of the U.S.’ most well-known roads — if not the most known — and one of few highways to capture America’s imagination across the little and big screens.

In honor of its 100th anniversary, here are some of the films and TV shows that have taken inspiration from Route 66, or even been filmed on parts of it.

To read more, go here. 

PSA Airlines Still Exists

Above, a PSA Airlines 727-200 jet. Wikipedia Photo.

Back in the 1970s, whenever I flew around California (usually for GOP state conventions) or to Las Vegas, Nevada, I often flew with PSA Airlines or Western Airlines. My first flight was with PSA Airlines from San Jose, California to LAX in 1974. 

I was using Google to read about PSA (short for Pacific Southwest Airlines) after reading about the current troubles with Spirit Airlines and found that the airline still exists.

Above, yours truly about to board a PSA Airlines plane in 1974. Photo by Max Bettman.

According to the AI-generated overviews: 

Does PSA Airlines still exist?

Yes, PSA Airlines still exists and is a major, growing regional airline operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group. It operates under the American Eagle brand, focusing on short-haul flights with a fleet of Bombardier CRJ jets, operating over 700 daily flights to nearly 100 destinations.  

PSA Airlines originally stands for Pacific Southwest Airlines, a prominent West Coast carrier founded in 1949 and known as "The World's Friendliest Airline". Today, PSA Airlines operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, using the historic name to protect the trademark. 

 

Top 10 Most Accurate Rifles Ever Made

Top 10 Most Accurate Rifles Ever Made– #2 Definitely Will Shock You! video by Gun Junkies. 

Summary:

Accuracy separates a good rifle from a truly legendary one. In this video, we break down 10 of the most accurate rifles ever made, highlighting firearms that earned their reputation through precision, consistency, and real-world performance.

We explore the features that make these rifles stand out, including barrel quality, trigger design, action smoothness, stock stability, and long-range capability. These rifles are known for delivering tight groupings and repeatable results, whether on the range, in competition, or out in the field.

If you think you already know which rifle deserves the top spot, wait until you see the unexpected #2 choice.

 

The Best 22 LR Rifles of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

Above, my Winchester 94 (top) in .30-30 and my Winchester 62A in .22 LR. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Like everything else these days, the cost of ammunition has gone up over the past few years. Some calibers cost around $1.00 per round and sometimes more. 

With that being the case, target shooting with a .22 LR rifle is looking more and more economical. I happen to have two .22 LR rifles: a Winchester 62A that I inherited from my maternal grandfather and a Ruger 10/22 that I bought around 1984.  

If one doesn't have a .22 LR rifle in their arsenal, an article by Field & Stream may be a big help in selecting one. It is on the best .22 LR rifles of 2026.

They begin with:

If you are an adult who likes to shoot or hunt, it’s hard to find completeness without a 22 LR rifle or two. Considered by many to be the most useful rifle in the world, a 22 rifle is perfect for target practice, hunting, competition shooting, and teaching others to shoot. And you can do all of that with ammunition that doesn’t cost you a dollar every time you pull the trigger.

There are many 22 rifles to choose from, and with modern manufacturing techniques, they’re getting more affordable each year. Affordability can be important when it comes to buying a 22 rifle, but other things—depending on what you want to use your 22 rifle for—matter as well. Here’s a look at seven of the best 22 LR rifles for just about any application.

To read more, go here. 

Why Some Shooters Swear By These “Outdated” Guns and Calibers

Above, yours truly with a Remington 870 Express. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

There are many varieties of firearms. Like anything else manmade, there are some great ones and there are some pretty lousy ones.

The firearms industry has been bringing out new designs. Some work well while others leave much to be desired. 

However, there are some shooters who swear by some alleged "outdated" guns and calibers. This is the crux of a slideshow article posted by MSN.  

They begin it with:

Calling a gun or caliber “outdated” usually means it’s been around long enough to get ignored. It doesn’t mean it stopped working. A lot of shooters stick with older setups for the same reason they keep an old pair of boots: they know exactly how it fits, exactly how it behaves, and exactly what it will do when the moment matters.

The modern market chases lighter, faster, smaller, higher-capacity, flatter-shooting. That’s fine. But there’s a different kind of confidence that comes from cartridges with real-world track records and guns that have been carried, hunted, and shot hard for decades. When you’ve seen a load perform on game, or you’ve watched a particular action run clean through bad weather, it’s hard to unlearn that trust.

To read more, go here. 

Gun Basics: What Is A Lever Action Rifle?

Above, my 1962 Winchester 94. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the past few months, I have posted about lever-action rifles, particularly the Winchester 94 .30-30 rifle.

There are other other manufacturers of lever-action rifles and some, even today, have joined the pack with new rifles along with new innovations. 

But, what is a lever-action rifle? 

The answer may seem obvious, but fortunately, an article in Bear Creek Arsenal explains it all.

They begin with:

What is a Lever Action Rifle? History, Mechanics, and Why Shooters Still Use Them

Lever-action rifles occupy a unique position in firearms history and modern shooting sports. They're neither the newest technology nor relics of the past. Instead, they represent a mechanical philosophy that's remained relevant for nearly 200 years, evolving continuously to solve real-world challenges that shooters face. If you're curious about what makes these rifles tick, why hunters and sport shooters still choose them, or how they've managed to stay competitive despite newer designs, here's the complete picture.

To read more, go here. 

Yen Rises To ¥155 In Tokyo Trading

We're now in a new month, commonly known as May Day.

 As such, it is time to take a peek at how the U.S. dollar is faring against the Japanese yen in Tokyo foreign exchange trading. This is especially of interest to those Americans planning to travel to Japan.

According to Japan Today:

The yen rose sharply on Friday, briefly reaching the mid-155 level from the lower 157 range, amid a cautious mood a day after an around 5 yen surge overnight on possible intervention.

At 4 p.m., the dollar fetched 155.91-92 yen, compared with 156.58-68 yen in New York and 160.13-15 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Japan's top currency diplomat, Atsushi Mimura, on Friday declined to comment on the foreign exchange market intervention, saying, "I have no intention to comment on such matters." On Thursday, the Japanese currency surged nearly 5 yen to the 155 zone against the dollar within hours.

To read more, go here. 

Ruger 10/22 Review 2021: The Cheapening…

Above, the Ruger 10/22 I bought in the early 1980s. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in the day (1980s to be exact), friends and I used to go shooting out in Texas Canyon in the Newhall/Saugus area of Southern California.

During one of our shoots, a friend brought his Ruger 10/22 .22 LR rifle. I was shooting with my maternal grandfather's Winchester 62A that I inherited at the time. 

I tried out the 10/22 and liked it. I ended up buying one around 1983-84. I still have it and shoot with it on occasion at our shooting range in New Mexico.

There is a 2021 review of the modern Ruger 10/22 rifles at The New Rifleman website and it was deemed inferior to the ones made in the 1980s by the reviewer. Ruger made a number of cost-cutting measures to the gun since the 1980s, cheapening it. I am glad that I bought mine when I did.

It starts with:

What are the central tenants of a good firearm? I think there are two *basic* tenants. 1) The rifle hits what it’s aimed at. 2) The rifle shoots when you tell it to. So basically it’s accurate and reliable. From this standpoint, a rifle accurate enough to hit your target and to do so reliably every time the trigger is pulled is all you really need. Then there are the details. The numerous details… The gravy. Gravy adds to the flavor. Turkey meat will keep you fed, but the dressing, the gravy, and the cranberries make you happy.

I recently acquired a 2020-2021 production 10/22… functionally it’s what a firearm should be, but is the turkey is missing the gravy?

To read more, go here. 

 

Made In the USA Has Sadly Become A Warning

Made in the USA has sadly become a warning video by InRangeTV.

Summary:

Taylors & Co has released the TC73, a 9mm 1873 Winchester lever action rifle which they came is entirely manufactured in the USA.   This has been one of the most requested reviews in a long time, and while I am not personally that interested in 9mm in a lever action rifle, that's not the problem with this gun...

 

The Best Lever Action Rifles, Tested and Reviewed

Above, the venerable Winchester 94. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Lever-action rifles are as popular than ever, perhaps even more so given that new designs are being introduced. 

Field & Stream has posted an article on the best lever-action rifles 2026, tested and reviewed. 

They start it with:

Most of the talk in the rifle world these days about bullets with high ballistic coefficients, high-magnification trajectory-compensating rifle scopes, and rifles guaranteed to deliver one-hole groups. But while today’s long-range practitioners argue about the best high-dollar tripod to shoot from, there are folks out there filling freezers and putting antlers on the wall with lever guns just like their grandad used to use.

The lever-action rifle has evolved a fair bit over the last century, and with refined designs and modern ammunition, it’s now more capable than ever. Maybe somewhat surprisingly, in the midst of today’s long-rage craze, manufacturers are still introducing new lever-action rifles, and hunters are buying them up as fast as they hit gun-shop racks. There’s a wider variety of lever guns to choose from now than at any other time in recent memory. So, which one should you get? To help you with that, I’ve narrowed the field to a manageable number. Below are my picks for the nine best lever guns currently on the market.

To read more, go here. 

The 7 Best Rifles Chambered for the 30-30

Above, two types of .30-30 cartridges available today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Winchester .30-30 cartridge may be old (introduced in 1895) as the first smokeless cartridge), but it is still useful and popular.

There's a lot of reasons why this is so and an article posted by Field & Stream yesterday lists the best seven .30-30 rifles.

They begin it with:

As America’s first smokeless cartridge, introduced in 1895, the 30-30 is not just old—it’s the oldest, as modern American cartridges go. And yet it remains as effective as ever. In fact, with today’s loads, the 30-30 is a better coast-to-coast big-game cartridge than at any other time in its history. I’ve even used it on African plains game. So why not get a rifle in 30-30? Its only real limitation would be reach, as the cartridge is best used inside 200 yards. But if you know how to hunt—and shoot—getting inside 200 yards is rarely a problem. The 30-30’s combination of lethality, low recoil, and the fact that it is usually chambered in fast-handling guns is what has made it one of the most popular and trusted big-game cartridges of all time.

When most people think of the 30-30 Winchester, lever-action rifles pop to mind. The cartridge did, after all, get its start with the Winchester 1894. But the 30-30 has also occasionally been offered in bolt-action and single-shot rifles. With Marlin back in business under Ruger management and with Henry and Winchester cranking them out, you’ll have no problems finding a brand-new 30-30. However, there are also thousands and thousands of great used 30-30 rifles out there. It’s almost impossible to look on the Internet or visit a gun shop and not see several for sale. But before you buy, take a close look at our list of the best of the best 30-30 rifles.

To see what they are, go here. 

Top 3 Deadliest Weapons That Terrified The Wild West

Top 3 Deadliest Weapons That Terrified The Wild West video by Brass Lore. 

Summary:

Forget what you know about how the Wild West ended. It wasn't polite civilization or expanding telegraph lines that killed the outlaw—it was a terrifying chemical and mechanical revolution. In this video, we reveal how smokeless powder and automated machine guns completely eliminated the "fog of war" and permanently altered the mathematics of survival.

Discover how the Winchester 1894 and its .30-30 smokeless cartridge allowed legendary outlaws like Harry Tracy to wage invisible sniper warfare. We break down the mechanical genius of the Savage Model 1899's rotary spool magazine, and the apocalyptic, mechanized devastation of the Colt-Browning M1895 "Potato Digger"—the gas-operated machine gun that brought industrial slaughter to the untamed frontier. 

If you want the raw, unvarnished truth of history and firearms evolution, you are in the right place.

 

Top 7 Tactical Lever-Action Rifles That Will Survive ANY Gun Ban!

Top 7 Tactical Lever-Action Rifles That Will Survive ANY Gun Ban! video by Gun Tactician.

Summary:

When the political climate shifts and semi-automatics face extreme legislative pressure, your home defense strategy needs a legally unassailable backup. In this video, we break down the Top 7 Tactical Lever-Action Rifles that are purpose-built to survive any gun ban while delivering devastating stopping power.

Unlike gas-operated platforms, these Tactical Lever-Action Rifles offer relentless mechanical reliability in the harshest survival conditions. From the suppressor-ready Henry X Model to the precision-engineered Browning BLR, we explore why Tactical Lever-Action Rifles are no longer just historical relics, but the ultimate modern loophole. If you want to keep your family safe without landing on a government registry, discover why these Tactical Lever-Action Rifles are the smartest investment you can make in 2026.

 

Drive To McGaffey

Above, McGaffey Lake today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After this morning's coffee/breakfast with the gang and watering the front yard trees, I decided to take a drive to McGaffey Recreation Area in the Cibola National Forest.

To get to McGaffey, I took Six Mile Canyon Road through Six Mile Canyon. The weather was pleasant (although a little windy) and the road was in good shape.

Once I got to McGaffey, I noticed that McGaffey Lake was pretty low. We hadn't received much precipitation this year. Hopefully the monsoon season (that starts in June) will add much more water to it.

Outside of trucks hauling dirt or gravel, I was the only one in McGaffey. I did drive around some ranch areas to the east. But turned around as the trucks were kicking up too much dirt. 

Still, I had a great time during this drive and did take a few pictures.

 

Remembering Neal Adams On The 4th Anniversary of His Passing

Above, Neal Adams and yours truly at the 2012 Comikaze Expo in Los Angeles.

Every once in a while, I will pull out an issue of Batman or one featuring Deadman to savor the artistry of Neal Adams. 

I will admit that I didn't care much for his artwork back around 1968, but reading his Batman and Deadman stories, along with his run on Green Lantern/Green Arrow, his art grew on me. I thought his compositions were quite interesting. 

I had the privilege of meeting Neal Adams at Comikaze Expo in 2012 after being on a Godzilla panel there. I found him easy to talk to and had a couple of photographs taken with him. 

Today, marks four years since the passing of Neal Adams at age 80. (I thought he was younger.) 

It would be fitting to raise a glass in a toast to his memory today.

10 Lever-Action Rifles You'll Want In Your Collection

Above, the 2026 Henry Catalog I got at the NRA convention I gave to a friend.

When I went to the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits last week in Houston, Texas, I picked up a number of catalogs. One of which was from Henry Repeating Arms. 

It was a thick catalog of lever-action rifles they have available. I gave it to a friend who loves his Henry rifle. Ever since I bought my Winchester 94, it seems that lever-action rifles have been in high demand. Sometimes I wonder if I started this trend. 

Lever-action rifles is the topic of an article that The Avid Outdoorsman posted yesterday. It spotlights 10 rifles that should be in one's collection. 

It begins with:

Lever-action rifles have been a cornerstone of firearms history, combining functionality, reliability, and timeless appeal. Once a staple of hunting and frontier life, these rifles have evolved to meet modern needs, from traditional hunting to tactical home defense. Known for their smooth cycling and versatility, lever-action rifles continue to impress both seasoned shooters and newcomers alike. Here’s an in-depth look at 12 of the top lever-action rifles, showcasing their unique features and innovations that make them as relevant and effective today as they were in the past.

To read more, go here. 

15 Surprising Facts About the Winchester 94

Above, the 1962 Winchester 94 I bought in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Regular readers of this blog know that the 1962 Winchester 94 that I bought in 2019 is my favorite rifle. It is just plain fun to shoot. 

At the time, I was on the lookout for a pre-64 Winchester 94. I happened to get lucky while browsing an Albuquerque gun store and saw it on a rack. As I was about to leave for Florida to go on a cruise the next day, I put it on layaway and picked it up when I returned. It is a good thing I bought it when I did, demand for them has risen since then as has the price.

MSN has posted a slideshow of 15 surprising facts about the Winchester 94 by The Avid Outdoorsman.

They start it with:

The Winchester 94 is one of those rifles that almost feels bigger than the gun itself. Even people who are not deep into lever guns usually know the shape, the name, or the basic idea. It has been tied to deer camps, saddle scabbards, truck racks, family gun cabinets, and the whole image of the American woods rifle for generations. Winchester says the Model 1894 became the best-selling centerfire rifle in U.S. history, which is a pretty wild title for any firearm to hold.

What makes the rifle especially interesting is that a lot of shooters know the legend without really knowing the details. The Winchester 94 was not just another lever gun with a good reputation. It was a John Browning design, it was built for the new smokeless-powder era, and it went on to become one of the most successful sporting rifles ever made. More than 7.5 million have been produced, according to RifleShooter, which helps explain why this gun seems to show up everywhere from hunting stories to family hand-me-downs.

To see the slideshow, go here. 

Evening Drive

Following dinner and the evening news, I took a little evening drive around the subdivision and the area near the shooting range.

There were people at the range and I decided to not go over there. But I still enjoyed driving on the dirt roads near it.

I finished up at my other acre (Barking Spider Acre). It is where I took this photo:

 

Old Calibers and Older Firearms That Keep Making “Better” Ideas Look Temporary

There are those who think that newer calibers and firearms are better than the old reliables.

In some cases, that may be true. But there are those who find that old calibers and firearms make "newer and better" ideas look temporary.

That is the crux of a slideshow article at MSN.

They begin with:

Gun culture gets caught up in replacement talk way too easily. Every few years, some new cartridge, platform, or factory spin gets pitched like it finally solved what older guns somehow could not. Sometimes there is real improvement there. A lot of the time, though, the old stuff keeps doing the actual work while the newer idea spends half its energy trying to explain itself. That is usually a sign the older gun or caliber never had as much wrong with it as people wanted to believe.

That is why some combinations never really fade, no matter how many “smarter” options show up. They still hit hard, still carry well, still shoot straight enough, and still make practical sense once you step outside internet arguments and into deer woods, range bays, back roads, and hunting camps. These old calibers and older firearms keep hanging around because they earned it, and because a lot of “better” ideas still feel suspiciously temporary beside them.

To see more, go here. 

WHCA Dinner Gunman Cole Allen’s Full Anti-Trump Manifesto

Above, gunman Cole Allen sent out a manifesto just before the attack.

White House Correspondents Association dinner gunman Cole Allen sent out to family members an anti-Trump manifesto ten minutes before the attack.

He planned to target Trump and members of the Administration at the dinner. 

According to the New York Post:

Accused White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman Cole Allen sent a sprawling manifesto to family members about 10 minutes before Saturday’s attack, sources told The Post.

The 1,052-word missive obtained by The Post Sunday morning — signed Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen” — outlined his “rules of engagement” for the shooting and stated he believed it was his righteous duty to target administration officials.

This guy is definitely a wack job. 

To read more, go here.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week, we have the Australian rock band INXS with their 1990 hit "Suicide Blonde" from their seventh album, X.

From Wikipedia:

INXS (a phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian rock band, formed in 1977 in Sydney. Originally called the Farriss Brothers, founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, guitarist Tim Farriss, lead singer and main lyricist Michael Hutchence, and guitarist and saxophonist Kirk Pengilly. For 20 years, INXS were fronted by Hutchence, whose stage presence made him the focal point of the band. Initially known for their new wave/ska-pop style, the band then developed a harder pub rock style that included funk and dance elements.

 

Lost DRACULA 1931 Original Ending FOUND!

Lost DRACULA 1931 Original Ending FOUND! (Full Clip + Context) video by Haunted Blowfish.

Summary:

Dracula 1931's original final scene has been presumed lost for decades and decades. 95 years later, it has unexpectedly been rediscovered and restored.

The full scene is included in this video, along with a dive into the background, context and controversy surrounding it all.

Lost footage found?! There ARE such things!

Secret Service Acted Without Pay, Thanks To Democrats

Although the U.S. Secret Service did a great job in apprehending a shooter at the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton, they are doing so without pay.

This is thanks to the Democrats led by Chuck Schumer in refusing to find the Department of Homeland Security which oversees the Secret Service along with the TSA. 

According to Fox News:

A shooting near President Donald Trump and several Cabinet members Saturday night is putting a spotlight on the Secret Service’s funding shortfall amid an ongoing standoff in Congress.

A gunman opened fire outside the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., where celebrities, members of the press and administration officials had gathered, prompting a swift security response. The suspect is in custody and has not been identified. One Secret Service agent was reportedly shot in their protective vest but is uninjured.

The incident unfolded near a security screening area, prompting a rapid response from Secret Service agents and law enforcement.

The shooting comes amid a more than 60-day funding stalemate in Congress over the Department of Homeland Security — a lapse driven by Democrats blocking funding bills and rejecting multiple GOP-backed proposals to reopen the department.

The funding standoff centers on disputes over immigration enforcement policy and has raised concerns about resources for agencies including the Secret Service, FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the president, vice president, their families and other senior U.S. officials, along with visiting heads of state, has faced growing demands in recent years.

The incident adds to a growing list of threats against Trump, including two confirmed assassination attempts and a recent incident involving an armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago.

To read more, go here. 

WHCA Shooting

The White House Correspondents Association shooting incident was weird in a lot of respects. 

Above, this is what greeted me when I turned on the television to watch the
 White House Correspondents Association dinner. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last night, around 7:10 or so, I remembered that it would be taking place. I wanted to watch it, so I headed into the living room and put on the television. I put on Live Now From Fox as they always cover such events. Immediately, the bottom of the screen indicated that there was a "security situation" at the dinner, held at the Washington Hilton. WTF?! I was totally unaware that anything happened.

Moments later, the station replayed the incident what included the ushering of President Trump from the ballroom. It reminded me a lot of the banquet scenes of the Clint Eastwood movie, In The Line of Fire (1993) in which Eastwood played a senior Secret Service agent. (Great movie, by the way!)

At first, it was unknown what exactly happened. Then, it was said that there may have been a shooting. Then it was said that there was a shooting at the security checkpoint in the hotel lobby. It was also said the shooter was killed. Then it was reported that he was apprehended. 

All kinds of rumors swirled around. Over the next two hours. I was glued to the television coverage.

I kept watching until after President Trump's press briefing at the White House and the briefing by Washington, D.C. law enforcement. 

This morning, it was reported that the shooter is a teacher from Torrance, California. Sadly, I was not surprised that this wacko was from California and a teacher, considering the left-wing politics in that state (that I left eight years ago). It was also reported that the shooter is a Democrat. Sadly, I was not surprised again. 

Interestingly, none of the broadcasts I saw mentioned that the Washington Hilton was the scene of the attempted assassination of President Reagan in 1981. I saw the site of that shooting in 1982 when I was in Washington to attend a White House reception for the 1980 California Delegation to the Republican National Convention. 

When will this madness from the Left end? 

WHCA Shooter Identified

The shooter at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last night at the Washington Hilton has been identified.

He has been identified as Cole Allen, a California (no surprise!) teacher (again, no surprise!) from Torrance. 

President Trump and Vice President Vance were escorted to safety.

In viewing a video of the incident, it is a wonder that the Secret Service and law enforcement were able to stop him. That sucker ran fast! 

It is thankful that there were no serious injuries. A uniformed officer's bullet-proof vest protected him. 

If the Washington Hilton sounds familiar, it should. It was where the assassination attempt on President Reagan took place on March 30, 1981.

Above, the site of the Reagan assassination attempt at the Washington Hilton. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Year's First Six Mile Canyon Drive

Above, at the windmill.

For the first time this year, I took a Jeep drive into Six Mile Canyon of the Cibola National Forest. 

This was my first opportunity as either the culverts along the road were too muddy or I was out-of-town. It was cloudy out with some wind. 

I saw one camper in the canyon during my drive. I made a stop at the windmill and found that a solar panel was added to it. 

Naturally, I made use of the stop for a photo opportunity. 

Osaka Castle Reigns As Top Draw To Foreigners

Above, yours truly at Osaka Castle in 2015.

Over the years, I have been to Osaka Castle twice.

The first was during the 2004 G-TOUR, a tour of Japan of Godzilla fans to sites and attractions associated with "The King of the Monsters." Osaka Castle was featured in Godzilla Raids Again (1955). The second time was during my 2015 trip to Japan.

Above, Osaka Castle in 2015. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to an article posted by Kyodo News, Osaka Castle reigns as the top draw among foreign visitors.

It begins with:

TOKYO, Japan Wire - Osaka Castle was the most popular of Japan’s castles among foreign visitors in 2025, topping rankings for both Asian and Western tourists, according to an analysis by travel app provider Navitime Japan Co. 

While the two visitor groups showed different preferences further down the rankings due to travel styles, Osaka Castle reigned as the universal favorite between January and December last year, in rankings based on an association list of 100 notable castles in Japan.

Tokyo-based firm Navitime Japan used GPS data and survey responses gathered from users of its travel service app for foreign visitors, Japan Travel by Navitime, to compare the number and length of visits to castles between Asian and Western visitors for the analysis published in April.

Among visitors from Asia (predominantly Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, and China), Nagoya Castle and Kumamoto Castle made up the top three behind Osaka. 

Nijo Castle, in Kyoto, and Himeji Castle completed the top three for Western visitors (predominantly from the United States, Australia, and France). 

To read more, go here. 

Opinion of Houston

Above, believe it or not, Space Center Houston has longhorn cattle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that we have visited Houston, Texas for the 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, here's my opinion of the host city.

After arriving in Houston, our first experience was with a car rental agency that ties to scam people into buying their insurance in order to rent a car. Not good. We ended up going with a name brand car rental agency.

Driving from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport wasn't too bad until we got onto the freeway system. The freeways (mainly Interstate 45) were clogged like those in Los Angeles. In fact, Houston reminded me of Los Angeles a lot. Small wonder, it is the nation's fourth largest city with a population of 6,971,000. It wasn't western in vibes, unlike Dallas and Fort Worth.

It seemed that every surface street had road work going on. The George R. Brown Convention Center was huge and a great place for the NRA convention.

We stayed in the Hobby Airport area at the Wyndham Hotel. I suspect it was once a Holiday Inn. The room was okay, but the hotel seemed to have seen better days. We had to shuttle to their sister hotel a block away for breakfast (at least the breakfasts were decent and free). 

Getting to the Space Center Houston and to Galveston wasn't too bad. But the traffic was terrible when heading to the downtown area for the NRA convention. Space Center Houston was great with a lot of neat stuff to see. Galveston was a nice place. 

We decided that we would avoid Houston for future trips. Fort Worth and Dallas were much nicer cities. We wouldn't mind visiting them again.