Joshua Tree National Park

Above, the Cottonwood Spring entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The second part of my weekend trip to the Mojave Desert (following my visit to the Gen. Patton Memorial Museum) was to go to the Cottonwood Spring Campground in Joshua Tree National Park.

Joshua Tree National Park is only a eight miles from Interstate 10 and is not too far from the Patton Museum.

The park is unique as two distinct deserts, the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, meet at the park.

I reached Joshua Tree National Park within 15 minutes after leaving the Patton Museum. The park doesn't have a "traditional" national park gate with a ranger kiosk at the Cottonwood Spring entrance. Instead, one has to drive to the Cottonwood Spring Visitor Center to pay the $20.00 entrance fee and get the park newspaper and brochure. I was told that paying for the campground is at the
campground.

Above, The Beast at the Cottonwood Spring campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After leaving the Visitor Center, I headed to the Cottonwood Spring Campground (it is about a half mile away). At the Visitor Center, signs indicated that all other of the park's campgrounds were full and as of 10:15, there were 14 campsites available at Cottonwood Spring.

While on the way to the campground, I stopped off at the turn-off for the dump station. There was a clean (potable) water faucet there and I filled up my fresh water tank. After I filled the water tank, I headed to the campground.

Photo highlights:

Above, a view of some rock formations near the campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Cottonwood Spring Campground Amphitheater. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, rock formations near Cottonwood Spring. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Cottonwood Spring oasis. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, rock formations of the Colorado Desert. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a Colorado Desert rock formation. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the campground, I drove around a couple of campsite loops to see what was available. I selected one in Loop A (site 4), which was perfect for The Beast as it was a back-in site. Once I backed in, I took the short walk to the campground's payment and information area to pay for the site. There, visitors take a pay envelope from a dispenser and complete the site's information and their vehicle information. Camping fees at Cottonwood Spring are $20.00 per night. I was only staying one night, so I sealed a $20.00 bill in the envelope and stuck it into the payment slot and I was done. On the envelope is a tear-off tag that visitors also complete with their site and vehicle information. This is clipped onto the campsite's post to let the ranger (and others) know that the campsite is occupied and paid for. Simple!

During the rest of the day, I roamed around the area near the campground and made some coffee. The park allows generator use during certain hours of the day, and since I arrived during one of those periods, I fired up the generator and made some coffee.

There is no cell phone service in the park, except in very few areas.

After dinner (chili and beans) , I attended the Ranger Program at the campground's amphitheater. It was a very informative presentation on the constellations of the night sky. It lasted about an hour. The sky was very cooperative as it was clear out and there were plenty of stars to see. It was clear enough to see a band of the Milky Way galaxy. It was very cold out. It was so cold that it was uncomfortable sitting on the concrete benches, so I stood the whole time.

After this, I headed back to The Beast and jumped into bed. As the campground is 3,000 above sea level, it was colder than at the General Patton Memorial Museum campground the night before.  I had to have The Beast's heater on all night.

This was the fourth national park I visited this year, a record for me. The others were Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Zion National Parks. Thankfully, Joshua Tree National Park is only a few hours away from Los Angeles and easy to access.

It was very enjoyable and if you like camping and seeing nature, I recommend a visit! It would probably be best to visit Joshua Tree National Park in the spring as the desert flora will be in bloom and visitors would avoid the hot summer heat during that time.

JAL Launches English Mobile Site For Domestic Flights

For English-speaking foreign visitors to Japan, a new mobile site has been introduced by Japan Airlines to make things a little easier.

Japan Today reported:

TOKYO —Japan Airlines (JAL) has launched a mobile site in English for domestic flights, providing English-speaking customers with more convenience including the domestic flight booking and purchase, and view reservation functions found on JAL’s website for domestic flights in English (www.jal.co.jp/en/).

To read more, go here. 

Noel Neill's Birthday Media Coverage

Above, Noel with Jack Larson at her 85th birthday celebration. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is nice to see that actress Noel Neill received some well-deserved salutes on some television stations on the occasion of her 95th birthday. This is especially so since there are very few remaining stars of the golden age of television that are still with us.

Two stations in Tucson, Arizona broadcast tributes to Noel yesterday.

Here's one of them:

Amazon.com's Black Friday Deals

For the past few weeks, all I've been hearing is "Black Friday".

Now Amazon.com gotten into the act when they posted an ad on Facebook.

But I'm not complaining, as their ad involves the Kindle Store ebook edition of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

The interesting thing about it is that I haven't used this particular notebook computer for several days and just logged on with it, so I can't say it was cookie-generated.

Travel + Leisure's World's Best Airlines For Customer Service

Above, a Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 at LAX. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Travel + Leisure has posted the results of their survey of air travelers on which 25 airlines provides the best customer service.

They begin their posing with:

The business of flight is notoriously tough: airplane employees have to transport, entertain, and serve passengers—who are essentially captive in a giant tin cylinder hurtling through the sky—for sometimes more than a dozen hours straight. There are no pit-stops, no roadside attractive, and, for most travelers, no choice. When it comes to overseas transportation, options are typically limited.  

Some carriers, however, have eschewed the notion that airplanes should be little more than oversized buses in the air. Instead, they're focusing on creating memorable (even desirable) customer experiences. Take Singapore Airlines, for example, which swept all the No. 1 categories in this year's Worlds Best survey. Readers have applauded the airline for its food, value, and service: customer service and in-flight service. 

As previously posted, we flew to Japan last month aboard Singapore Airlines. While they provided generally good service (except for one aloof flight attendant) and food, I thought they were better 11 years ago when the first G-TOUR flew with them to Japan.

There is one other international air carrier who made the World's Best list that I flew with to Japan.

To see the results, go here.

A Message From Larry Ward, Noel Neill's Manager and Biographer

Above, Larry Ward at last year's Superman Celebration. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Larry Ward, Noel Neill's manager and biographer, sent Jim Nolt the following message within the last hour:

I received this e-mail from Larry Ward a few minutes ago: 

Hey, Jim - I wanted to let you know that all of Noel's impressive-looking flowers and Teddy Bear arrived yesterday. I took them - along with a ton of birthday cards - over to her this morning and she was simply thrilled. And she wouldn't let go of that bear, for crying' out loud. Well, you all sure did make her day. 

And I hear that at least two television stations here will be doing pieces on Noel's milestone birthday today. All wanted to do interviews, but you know that unfortunately that can't happen. Regardless, they're going to do those pieces anyway. I'll let you know if they're any good. 

Again, thank you for making Noel's special day a very happy one. 

Larry

It is great to hear that we made her day! 

Noel Neill Turns 95

Above, Noel Neill and Armand at the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration in 2001.

Actress Noel Neill, who originated the screen role of Lois Lane in two Columbia Pictures Sam Katzman serials, was born November 25, 1920 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

She later reclaimed the Lois Lane role in television's Adventures of Superman in 1953 when Phyllis Coates opted to do a different television show.

Over the years, before advancing age and health problems forced her quit, Noel made many convention appearances around the country. She began by giving presentations at college and universities, often having audience members come up on stage to re-enact scenes from Adventures of Superman from the show's scripts.

Above, Noel Neill and George Reeves.

I first met her in July 2001 at the Superman Week celebration at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

She will be receiving a big surprise today, as fans contributed almost $600 for flowers for her birthday and they will be delivered to her assisted living home in Arizona.

Happy Birthday, Noel!

Movies For Thanksgiving

In two more days it will be Thanksgiving Day.

If you do not plan on spending the holiday consuming turkey with family or friends, you may want to consider a couple of movies now out in release to enjoy.

Spectre, starring Daniel Craig at Ian Fleming's James Bond. The new M and Miss Moneypenny return as do Skyfall's director. We also get introduced to a new Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Unfortunately, Spectre pales in comparison to Skyfall. Sure, it was a tough act to follow, but when you figure that since director Sam Mendes did such a great job with Skyfall, Spectre should also be a great movie. It isn't. It isn't a "bad" movie (such as several of Roger Moore's and Pierce Brosnan's Bonds were), but it was a bit of a letdown to me. I actually enjoyed the much-maligned Quantum Of Solace more.

Still, it was entertaining and I would give it a B+ grade.

****

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Donald Sutherland is the forth (and, I presume, the last) in the series of "science-fiction dystopian adventure films." I missed the second and third sequels, but I kind of liked the first one. I saw this one today and even though I missed the sequels, I enjoyed it. A lot of action, explosions, creepy scenes and political intrigue were featured in this movie. I probably would have enjoyed it more had I seen the second and third installments. Sutherland is always great when he sinks his teeth into a meaty role, and he did quite well here.

Despite missing two of the movies in the series, I have to give this one an A.

Japan-Guide's Kyoto Autumn Color Report

Above, some autumn coloring at Kinkaku-ji last month. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When we visited Kyoto last month, the trees in the city were barely just starting to go into fall color mode. We toured Kinkaku-ji and Kiyomizu-dera and saw some, but little, evidence of autumn coloring.

Japan-Guide.com has posted a report on the current state of autumn colors.

Above, the foliage around Kiyomizu-dera had some hints of fall coloring in October. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

They begin their report with:

Today I headed out west to pick up the autumn color (koyo) coverage in Kyoto. The peak colors around much of western Japan appear to be slightly delayed this year, probably due to the abnormally warm, overcast weather that they have been experiencing over the last couple of weeks. As a result, the timing of this year's peak in Kyoto has shifted a week or so later than normal. That puts it more in line with the progression of the colors around Tokyo, whereas in a normal year Kyoto tends to peak ahead of Tokyo.

To read more and to see the photographs they posted, go here. 

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Condé Nast Traveler: The Airlines With The Most Legroom: A Tall Traveler's Guide

Above, the Economy section of Singapore Airlines Airbus A380. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last month, I reviewed my flight experience during our October trip to Japan aboard a Singapore Airlines Airbus A380.

Part of my review included my complaints over the meager amount of legroom. To read my review, go here.

Condé Nast Traveler has posted a guide of what airlines, foreign or domestic, who offer the most legroom and those who offer the least. It is a guide to the best & worst in legroom for the tall traveler.

Not surprisingly, Singapore Airlines was not listed as an airline offering the best legroom. But, they also weren't listed as an airline offering the worst either. It is probably safe to assume that they fall somewhere in the middle.

Condé Nast Traveler began their article with:

Newer and more efficient airplanes means airlines are offering longer and longer flights, but can you handle 13 hours with only 30 inches of space? Condé Nast Traveler reports which airlines, both domestic and international, offer the best (and the worst) legroom. 

"Pitch" isn't just a term used in baseball. The word is also thrown around quite a bit in air travel, where its definition is the measurement of the distance from a seat to the one behind it. The more popular, not to mention maligned, term is "legroom," and, yes, some airlines offer more of it than others. Condé Nast Traveler's rankings are not universally inclusive; only major, recognizable airlines were taken into account in our survey. Because airlines are constantly updating their cabins and fleets, the figures listed below are subject to change.

 To find out what airlines have the best and worst legroom available to passengers, go here.

New Article Submitted To JapanTravel

Above, Geoff Day (far left) and Armand (far right) at lunch with the JapanTravel team last year.

Now that I am getting (somewhat) comfortably settled into my retirement (although I've been told it takes about three months to really get used to it), I now have time to tend to other avenues of writing.

Finally, after several months, I submitted a new article at JapanTravel.com.

JapanTravel began two years ago as JapanTourist and has steadily grown since that time with a great stable of contributors. I've been with them pretty much from the beginning.

Last year, while I was in Tokyo, I met for lunch with operations manager Geoff Day and two other members of the JapanTravel in Roppongi Hills.

Once the new article is approved, I will post a notice on this blog.

Dollar Around ¥122-123

For those who are considering a trip to Japan, the U.S. dollar is hovering around ¥122-123 in Tokyo trading.

According to the Jiji Press:

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)--The dollar eased to around 123 yen in Tokyo trading on Friday, pressured by position-adjustment selling and sluggish performance of Tokyo stocks. 

At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at 123.00-01 yen, down from 123.36-37 yen at the same time Thursday. 

To read more, go here. 

Godzilla Wind-up Toy

This is a Godzilla wind-up toy that one of my dinner party guests gave me last month at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo:

Sierra, my new kitten, is still leery of it to chase it.

New Multilingual Megaphone Being Used At Narita Airport

Above, Narita Airport's Terminal One Arrival Lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Leave it to the Japanese to come up with new inventive devices to make life just a little bit easier.

The latest is a megaphone which automatically translates Japanese words into English, Chinese and Korean.

According to the Mainichi Shimbun:

Foreign travelers to Japan who do not speak the language need no longer worry should a disaster occur while they are passing through Narita Airport, thanks to a new translation device being launched by Panasonic Corp. to ensure that information is smoothly relayed in a number of languages. 

Dubbed "Megahonyaku" -- a play on words using a portmanteau of "megaphone" and "honyaku" (which means translation), as "phone" and "hon" have similar pronunciations in Japanese -- the devices were unveiled to the press on Nov. 13 by Narita International Airport Corp., which has begun deploying them on a trial basis.

To read more, go here. 

Travel + Leisure: 12 Mandatory Fees That Outrage Travelers

Above, a United Boeing 787 at LAX. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today's travelers, whether they are taking a vacation domestically or internationally, loathe the prospect of paying extra fees to hotels, resorts and, especially, airlines.

Travel + Leisure has posted the findings of a survey of travelers.

They begin with:

Travelers loathe fees that they have no choice but to pay, including charges to connect to the Internet, check a bag on their flight, and connect to a cellular network abroad. That's according to a new national survey of fee-paying U.S. travelers commissioned by MileCards.com.

When I travel, I confine my luggage to one checked-in suitcase and two carry-ons (a camera bag and laptop). In doing this, I can avoid those extra baggage fees the airlines tack onto the cost of flying. It is interesting that the fuel surcharge fees are still going up despite the fact that oil prices have been dropping.

I've posted before that United Airlines is the most notorious in adding fees.

To see what ticks off travelers the most, go here. 

November 18, 1992

Good ol' Jim Nolt has a way of making one feel old.

He posted a couple of days ago that it was 23 years ago (November 18, 1992) that Superman #75 hit the stands.

What's so significant about Superman #75? It was the famous "Death of Superman" issue wherein the Man of Steel is killed by the villain Doomsday.

Besides the above pictured newsstand edition, DC Comics also put out a special bagged edition with goodies inside, including a black armband.

Comic book fans lined up at comic shops, newsstands and everywhere else that sold Superman comic books. I made the excuse at work that I had to go to the bank and proceeded to Golden Apple Comics on Melrose (I worked a mile or two away at the time) and waited in line to buy one of each (that was their limit) of the bagged and newsstand editions. My dad ended up buying about a dozen more of the bagged editions, of which I have inherited.

As luck would have it, it was a slow news day, which benefited Superman and DC Comics as all the major news outlets covered the story of "The Death of Superman". I was interviewed (anonymously) by the Los Angeles Times for their story at Golden Apple. I was quoted as giving "I have to go to the bank" excuse in the article.

Those were the days where DC's comics were still worth reading. At that time, my comics buying was confined to Silver Age issues (more for investment purposes).

It is hard to believe that 23 years have passed already.