World Karaoke Tour

H-Bomb’s Friday Photo, Week 18: Montreal’s Notre-Dame

Posted on February 8, 2013 by H-Bomb

As I write this, a blizzard is pounding the northeastern United States, including my home city of New York. Perfect weather to sit indoors at my computer to bring you my latest Friday photo! Today’s image comes from the cosmopolitan city of Montreal in the Canadian province of Quebec. It’s a view of that city’s Notre-Dame Basilica (Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal).

notre

This church has nothing to do with its namesake cathedral in Paris, to which it bears a slight resemblance. It is, however, a beautiful and historically significant building in its own right. Dedicated in 1829, it’s an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture.

This photo was taken during my visit to Montreal in August 2010. During that thoroughly enjoyable weekend jaunt, Canada became the 18th country on my World Karaoke Tour. But that’s ancient history, because I’m now up to 27 countries in which I’ve sung karaoke! Incidentally, my second Canadian singing appearance will come this June in Toronto; I’ll be in town for this year’s North American conference of the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX). If you’ll be at TBEX Toronto, I hope you’ll join me for a night of H-Bomb karaoke!

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H-Bomb’s Friday Photo, Week 15: a creepy abandoned house in Maryland

Posted on January 18, 2013 by H-Bomb

Another happy Friday to you! Later this weekend I’ll be headed to the great state of Maryland, to visit friends in the Baltimore area. I’ll be taking advantage of a promotion from Megabus that’s enabling me to get from New York City to White Marsh, Maryland for zero dollars round-trip (plus a fifty-cent service charge). In honour of that trip, this week’s featured photo comes from one of my many previous visits to Maryland (I did my undergraduate university studies at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, so I’ve spent quite a bit of time in that state). The image is of an abandoned house in the town of Sudlersville, on Maryland’s Eastern shore:

Chia house

As you can see, this erstwhile residence is heavily overgrown with ivy, and generally has that “life after people” look about it.

This photo was taken in September 2005. So the house is probably even more decrepit now!

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Country no. 27 on my World Karaoke Tour: a Turkish delight

Posted on January 11, 2013 by H-Bomb

Stock photo of the Turkish flag.As 2012 drew to a close, I jetted off from New York to make my first-ever visit to Istanbul. The city that was founded as Byzantium in the 7th century B.C. certainly lived up to my expectations of it as an exotic destination that can be appreciated on many levels. Of equal interest for this blog, less than 24 hours after I stepped off the plane at Atatürk Airport, Istanbul became the latest stop on my World Karaoke Tour!

Klub Karaoke: The tour rolls on

It happened at a venue called Klub Karaoke. That particular “Klub” is located just off Istikal Street, a pedestrian-only thoroughfare that’s known for its abundance of nightlife. I’d found Klub Karaoke’s website via a google search while planning my trip; and I was particularly impressed that the bar makes its songlist available for perusal online. That was a big plus for me, since it enabled me to confirm in advance that I would find my desired songs there.

Istikal Street, late on a Friday night.

Istikal Street, late on a Friday night.

Most of the bars, nightclubs, and restaurants that draw revelers to the Istikal Street area are actually found on side streets that intersect Istikal rather than on Istikal itself, and that was true of Klub Karaoke. Here’s what Klub Karaoke looks like on the outside: Continue reading →

Categories: Europe, travel, Uncategorized, World Karaoke Tour | Tags: , , , , , , | 6 Comments

H-Bomb’s Friday Photo, Week 13: Australia’s Three Sisters

Posted on January 4, 2013 by H-Bomb

Hey there. Last week I missed a Friday in this weekly photo series, on account of I was on the road in Istanbul. But now I’m back, and it’s time to once again relive a moment from my past travels!

Today’s featured image comes from the Blue Mountains in the Australian state of New South Wales. (The Blue Mountains start about 50 kilometres west of Sydney.) The photo is of a rock formation known as the Three Sisters:

The Three Sisters

Each member of the Three Sisters tops out at over 900 metres above the Jamison Valley below.

This photo was taken during my visit to Australia in January 2010.

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Santacon 2012: a photo and video essay

Posted on December 19, 2012 by H-Bomb

In the post that celebrated my first blogoversary earlier this month, I mentioned that I was looking forward to attending the latest Santacon as eagerly as I was awaiting any of my upcoming international travels. And this past Saturday, Santacon once again exceeded my expectations.

For the uninitiated, Santacon is an annual, all-day-long gathering of thousands of people dressed as Santas as well as an assortment of other characters (some of whom relate to the holiday season and some of whom have no particular connection to this time of year). The Santaconners run around throughout the city, pausing at various landmarks as well as watering holes. Santacon is held in dozens of countries around the world, but the one in New York City generally has the largest turnout. Ellen of the travel blog “The Time-Crunched Traveler” included Santacon on her list of “10 ways to celebrate Christmas in New York City”. (However, Ellen and I have a friendly disagreement about Santacon, as she doesn’t appreciate the event in the way that I do. In fact, she wrote, “[Santacon] is not really something I have a desire to actually participate in.” But as far as I’m concerned, she’s missing out! :))

My blog post about the 2011 edition of Santacon, which you can read here, provides more background on what Santacon is all about.

The 2012 Santacon in New York City got underway in Hudson River Park at Pier 84, at 10:00 a.m.

Some of the many assembled participants at the starting location: Hudson River Park at Pier 84. Of course, there were far to many Santas to fit in the frame of a single shot.

Some of the many assembled participants at the starting location: Hudson River Park at Pier 84. Of course, there were far too many Santas to fit in the frame of a single shot.

This is what happens when Santas start drinking at 10 a.m.

This is what happens when Santas start drinking at 10 a.m.

In the backdrop in these shots you can see the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, a floating museum built on an aircraft carrier. The Intrepid was where I visited a Space Shuttle in August 2012.

Here I am at Santacon 2012, with one of the best Santas I’ve ever seen:

Here I am yesterday at Santacon 2012. The guy standing next to me looked the most authentic of any of the thousands of Santas in attendance, even though he wasn't actually wearing a traditional Santa suit.

The guy standing next to me here looked the most authentic of any of the thousands of Santas in attendance, even though he wasn’t actually wearing a traditional Santa suit.

One of the things that makes Santacon so special is the boundless creativity displayed by the participants. Continue reading →

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L.A. Story, Part I: Off the beaten path in the City of Angels

Posted on December 13, 2012 by H-Bomb

This past Labor Day weekend (a holiday weekend in the United States that falls in early September), I visited Los Angeles for a few days. Prior to September 2012, I’d been to that city four times. I therefore had already experienced many of the area’s signature attractions, such as the La Brea Tar Pits, the Griffith Observatory, the Universal Studios theme park, the Getty Center museum, and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. This time around, I focused on investigating some of L.A.’s lesser-known treasures. Of course, as with just about any H-Bomb vacation, I also searched for karaoke. 🙂

Somehow, even though over three months have gone by since that trip, I haven’t yet blogged about it. It’s time to get caught up already! This will be the first of two articles recapping that weekend.

I arrived at LAX late on Friday night and headed to my hotel in Hollywood, near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue. I really like staying in that area. In contrast to much of the sprawling, freeway-centric metropolis that is Los Angeles, that section of Hollywood is easily walkable — an important consideration for me, since I refuse to drive ever. Even in California. 🙂 It did help, though, that I have friends with cars who live in the area and were nice enough to take me around town. At the same time, it was good to be able to walk around on my own in the vicinity of my hotel.

A MACABRE MUSEUM, A QUIRKY HOUSE, AND A BREATHTAKING VIEW

The Museum of Death

On Saturday I began by hoofing it to the Museum of Death, which is located on Hollywood Boulevard. Continue reading →

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8 things I’m looking forward to in the next 12 months

Posted on December 4, 2012 by H-Bomb

One year ago today, I launched this blog by sending my first post into cyberspace. Having never operated a website before, I really had no idea of what I was getting into. But it’s been an incredible year. Portugal, Egypt, and Germany became countries no. 24, 25, and 26 on my World Karaoke Tour; I enjoyed writing about my international karaoke experiences and other travel adventures; and I discovered an amazing and inspiring community of travel bloggers. Along the way, I’ve connected with some very cool people. Learning from them has already helped to make my travels more fulfilling.

There was a rough patch during the early part of 2012 when I got sick and suspended my blogging for over three months. Let us never speak of that dark period again, except to say that getting through it provided me with a renewed sense of purpose, and even a sense of urgency. The realisation that I can’t take my health for granted now motivates me to enjoy life to the best of my ability, and to prioritise seeing as much as I can of the beauty and wonder in this world — while getting to know the people who live in it.

As I commemorate the first anniversary of this website (an occasion that’s also known in the vernacular as my “blogoversary”), I’m eager to embark on the next 12 months! I’ve got some exciting plans lined up for the second year of H-Bomb’s Worldwide Karaoke. I’m especially anticipating the following events:

1. Santacon in New York City

One of the annual highlights of the holiday season for me is Santacon: a celebration held on the same day in various cities around the world, during which large numbers of people dressed as Santas and other seasonally appropriate characters cavort around town, make merriment, and (of course) consume generous quantities of alcoholic beverages. New York City’s Santacon is usually the biggest, featuring thousands of participants; and it’s just generally a really fun time. Here you can read my blog post about last year’s edition of Santacon. Santacon 2012 will be held on December 15 in at least 37 countries! It’ll be my fifth consecutive year of hanging with the Santas. (In case you’re wondering, I do not, myself, don a Santa outfit, beyond wearing the red hat with white trim. But hey, someone has to document the proceedings on the internet. So I still make a vital contribution. :))

2. Istanbul for New Year’s

I typically spend my New Year’s Eves overseas, and the dawn of 2013 will be no exception. On December 27 I’m heading to Istanbul, the only city in the world that straddles two continents; that’s where I’ll be as the world rings in yet another year! Continue reading →

Categories: Europe, South America, travel, World Karaoke Tour | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

H-Bomb’s Friday photo, week 8: decomposing neon in Las Vegas

Posted on November 23, 2012 by H-Bomb

Okay, so I’m a little late with last week’s Friday photo. 🙂 But thanks to the magic of backdating, this post will still appear in my archives as a Friday entry!

The Boneyard is a junkyard of discarded neon signs in downtown Las Vegas. The signs date as far back as the 1930s. Public tours of the Boneyard are offered by the Neon Museum, which opened a brand-new Visitors’ Center last month.

My favourite section of the Boneyard is what I call Fast Food Gulch: a grouping of signs from some of Sin City’s more healthy dining alternatives.

fast food gulch

This photo was taken during my visit to Las Vegas in March 2009. It came at a price: after I wandered away from the tour to photograph these fast food signs (which were tucked away in the back of the lot), I accidentally got locked in to the Boneyard. Luckily the Neon Museum folks hadn’t wandered too far from the gate by the time I noticed that they were gone, and they quickly unlocked the gate and let me out. 🙂

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H-Bomb’s Friday Photo, week 6: Man over New Zealand

Posted on November 9, 2012 by H-Bomb

Hello again as we get ready to kick off the weekend. Today’s featured photo is of a man doing the “Sky Jump” from atop the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand.

The Sky Jump works as follows: first, you’re suspended for about 10 seconds outside the Sky Tower’s observation deck, so that people inside, such as myself, can photograph you. Then you’re lowered to the ground, 184 metres below, in what has been described as a controlled free fall. (Your descent is regulated via the cables to which you’re harnessed; this makes it different from a bungee jump.) Needless to say, I wanted no part of the Sky Jump. It was scary enough just to watch other people doing it. 🙂

Measuring 328 metres to the top of its mast, the Sky Tower is the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere (although the Sydney Tower in Sydney, Australia has a higher observation deck).

This photo was taken during my visit to New Zealand in January 2010.

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H-Bomb’s Friday Photo, week 5: horsin’ around on Easter Island

Posted on November 2, 2012 by H-Bomb

Happy Friday everyone! Today’s featured photo comes from the South Pacific paradise of Easter Island, also known by its native name of Rapa Nui. Easter Island is universally known for its moai, the giant stone statues that were carved by a society that lacked complex tools or technology. Less heralded are the roughly 6,000 wild horses that roam the island. And just like everyone else, those equines enjoy having their picture taken in front of the moai.

This photo was taken during my visit to Easter Island in September 2010.

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H-Bomb’s Friday Photo, week 3: a very strange house in Mexico

Posted on October 19, 2012 by H-Bomb

Today’s featured photo is of a bizarre-looking home in Naucalpan, a suburb of Mexico City. The residence is called the “Nautilus house” due to its resemblance to a nautilus shell:

I saw this house, which was designed by Mexican architect Javier Senosiain, during my visit to the greater Mexico City area in May 2011. I actually toured the Nautilus house as a special guest of the owners (who can be seen entering the house in the photo above). To read more about that trip of mine to Mexico City — including the night when a taxi driver robbed me and left me in the middle of nowhere — go here.

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Country no. 26 on my World Karaoke Tour: singing at an Irish bar in Germany during Oktoberfest

Posted on October 3, 2012 by H-Bomb

On my way back home from Egypt this past weekend, I stopped in Frankfurt am Main, Germany to do some karaoke singing. While my stay in Frankfurt was brief, it was over 2 1/2 years in the making; it was as integral to the plans for my trip as singing in Egypt itself (to say nothing of visiting the pyramids). 🙂

To reach Egypt from my home city of New York, I arranged to fly via Lufthansa from New York to Cairo, connecting in Frankfurt; and for my return voyage I reversed that itinerary. I deliberately scheduled an overnight layover in Frankfurt during the return journey, in order to afford me a long-awaited opportunity to sing karaoke in Germany. The country that’s been bestowed with the sobriquet of the Land of Chocolate had hitherto been a glaring omission from my World Karaoke Tour, but that would finally change! (I’d been to Germany before, having spent several days in Berlin during my summertime romp through Europe in 1993. But although I’d sung in three countries during that same trip, Germany hadn’t been one of them. This was during the dawn of my World Karaoke Tour, and I wasn’t focused then, as I am now, on searching for karaoke in every city I passed through.)

Once those plans were in place, it took an unexpectedly long time to bring them to fruition. My Egyptian holiday was originally scheduled to happen in February 2011; but 18 days before my departure date, a revolution erupted in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, culminating in the overthrow of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak and the installation of a democratically elected government. Given the chaos and danger that attended the uprising, my Egyptian tour — which I’d begun planning nearly a year in advance — was canceled by the tour operator. So I went to Morocco instead (a trip that will be covered in one or more future articles on this blog) and had an amazing time; and Casablanca, rather than Cairo, became the first African city on my World Karaoke Tour. I rescheduled my Egyptian vacation — including the overnight stay in Frankfurt — for one year later, in February 2012; I assumed that the situation on the ground in Cairo would calm down by then. Continue reading →

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Country no. 25 on my World Karaoke Tour: I sang like an Egyptian

Posted on September 21, 2012 by H-Bomb

Greetings, readers. I’m currently in Egypt. Earlier this week, this storied Land of the Pharaohs became country no. 25 on my World Karaoke Tour! And I’m here now to tell you how it all went down. I’ve been taking plenty of photos on this 2-week trip that I’m now in the middle of; in upcoming articles I’ll post many of those pictures, and I’ll talk about the stunning historical sights that I’ve been seeing. But the focus today, in my initial dispatch from Egypt, is on my experience of the Egyptian karaoke scene. Priorities! 🙂

Night no. 1: Giza

I’ve actually sung in Egypt on two different evenings so far. My Egyptian karaoke debut occurred on Monday, September 17, 2012 at the Laguna Lounge Cafe & Restaurant in Mohandessin, a neighbourhood in Giza (Giza being internationally renowned as the city in which you’ll find the Great Pyramid and Great Sphinx). Continue reading →

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One small step for an H-Bomb: my visit to a space shuttle

Posted on August 28, 2012 by H-Bomb

Space flight is the fulfillment of mankind’s deepest aspirations and impulses. While an inveterate traveler like myself is proud of the wanderlust that pushes me to circle the globe, I’m in awe of those courageous individuals who slip the surly bonds of Earth and voyage to the outer limits of the distances that technology permits us to traverse. Just the fact that astronauts can put up with g-forces and weightlessness is impressive to me; I would never survive a single session in the “Vomit Comet” that astronauts are taken up in as part of their training, and even a ferry ride in choppy seas makes me queasy. And over a half-century after Yuri Gagarin etched his name into the history books, space travel remains a dangerous proposition (just as ocean crossings on this planet once were). I salute the men and women who place their lives on the line in service of the advancement of science — and of helping to push the human race forward.

On a Saturday afternoon in August 2012, I paid homage to the American space program, and some of the hardy individuals who’ve populated it, by visiting the original Space Shuttle. Continue reading →

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In Westchester

Posted on August 23, 2012 by H-Bomb

One increasingly popular variant of karaoke is “live band” karaoke. As its name suggests, the instrumental accompaniment in this version is supplied by actual band members rather than CD’s or MP3’s. (A scene from a typical night of live band karaoke, at some random bar in North Carolina that I’ve never been to, is shown in the photo on the left.) I’m not generally a fan of live band karaoke, for a couple of reasons. First, the song list is limited to the repertoire of the band. Typically this results in a choice from among a mere several hundred tunes, rather than the tens of thousands of song offerings at the best venues for “traditional” karaoke. Second, because the song isn’t coming from a pre-recorded medium, there’s no source of data to feed the lyrics to a video monitor. Thus, in the live-band karaoke format, you either must have the words memorized, or must supply your own copy of them. (To meet that need, you might end up referring to the lyrics in the form of a printout you made from the internet, or on the screen of your smartphone. This creates an additional drawback: reading from an elevated screen, as you would do at an ordinary karaoke venue, can be like reading a speech from a teleprompter, in that it allows you to still engage with the audience. In contrast, repeatedly staring down at a cheat-sheet that you’re holding in your hands is much more likely to get in the way of your making eye contact with the crowd.) Relatedly, you’re largely on your own for synchronizing the vocals with the instrumental backing. While the band will provide you with some cues, you can’t rely on every single word of the song changing colour at the appropriate time to prompt you throughout the song.

For some people, these disadvantages of live-band karaoke are outweighed by the benefits of an experience that simulates fronting for a rock band. I have to say, I have an enormous amount of respect for lead singers of real bands, who are required to memorize the words to dozens of songs at any given time, and who need to have perfect timing as well as superior vocal abilities.

Despite my general disdain for live-band karaoke, one night each year I participate in an activity that closely resembles it. Continue reading →

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