My Day At The Natural History Museum

     Greetings audience! Today we are going to explore the fascinating land of the dinosaurs and deep roots of the natural history of Los Angeles by discussing the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. Our journey begins on an exciting journey from the Orange Line from Canoga Station to the USC/Expo Station on the Expo Line. I would strongly recommend that one take public transportation to the Natural History Museum, rather than suffer traffic and parking fees. Not to mention you would benefit the environment. In addition, I strongly recommend that people visit the museum on the first Tuesday of the month, because it's free.

     Before we get into the fun stuff about my fascinating journey through the Natural History Museum, let's talk about some of the history of the museum. This museum is associated with two others, The Page Museum and William S. Hart Ranch. Their goal is "to inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds." This museum opened in Exposition Park in 1913 and was known as the Museum of History, Science, and Art. In 1965 the Los Angeles County Museum of Art moved and the museum became the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. Tourists from around the world are continually attracted by the addition of exhibits, including the Dinosaur Hall in 2011 and the Becoming Los Angeles exhibit in 2013, where visitors can learn the history of the city.

                                                   NORTH AMERICAN MAMMAL HALL

     If one wants to take a journey to see creatures from North America, one should check out the North American Mammal Hall. Our wonderful continent has many different creatures that seem out of this world, and this exhibit houses them for your awesome viewing adventure. Some of the creatures that are found in the woods of North America as well as featured in this exhibit include the American black bear, bison, moose, polar bear, and walrus. It feels like a collector brought these animals together on this quest for us to view. I enjoy seeing all the animals and learning some history about each one. One of the mammals I am going to discuss is the bison, which looks like a buffalo roaming in the west. Did you know that at one point there were 90 million roaming the continent? Now there are about 500,000 located in North America.

                                                         DINOSAUR HALL

     What would a trip to the Natural History Museum be without a trip to the see the dinosaurs? One of the new exhibits is the Dinosaur Hall. This exhibit host many of the dinosaur skeletons from the prehistoric ages. This would be a great place if one wants to be an archaeologist like Indiana Jones to discover interesting facts and history about the dinosaurs. Some of the dinosaurs that can be found include the t-rex, stegosaurus, and triceratops.  My favorite dinosaur is the t-rex because its what I grew up with and associate it with movies. I hope that if one likes dinosaur bones and wants to be reminded of the prehistoric times that one will check out this exhibit.

                                              BECOMING LOS ANGELES

     In our final part of this blog, we will be discussing another fairly new exhibit: Becoming Los Angeles. There is a lot of history that one can learn from exploring this exhibit. One can learn about how the city of Los Angeles was made and how it has grown throughout the years. Sadly I wasn't able to check out the exhibit this time because it was closed. However, I still feel like I learned a lot of history about Los Angeles by being there, such as how the city once had many cowboys.

     One should definitely take an epic quest to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. There are many exhibits one can take a look at, such as dinosaurs, mammals from North America and Africa, minerals, and the history of Los Angeles. One should start their journey by leaving their car at home and take the metro, where one can also explore more than just the museum, such as USC and the California Science Center. If you liked my blog, please check out my video about my day at the Natural History Museum at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4HbuBhePrw&t=2s.

Anthony Bourdain And Depression

     Good day audience! As most of you know, CNN and Parts Unknown Star Anthony Bourdain passed away on June 8, 2018. As someone hoping to make a career out of the travel industry, I hadn't personally watched the show until I decided to binge watch it on Netflix after his death. He did a lot of interesting things, such as visit many different countries and try different types of food, but probably the most notable thing he did was have a meal with former President Obama at a Vietnamese restaurant. Another subject we're going to talk about is depression and suicide, topics that are particularly important to discuss for the autism community. Let's dive into the life of the late Anthony Bourdain.

                                                    Life Of Anthony Bourdain

     Anthony Bourdain had quite an exceptional life. His resume includes celebrity chef, author, travel documentarian, and TV host. He was born on June 25, 1956 in New York. He got his culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America in 1978 and ran a bunch of restaurants in New York. His media career started on the Travel Channel and Food Network, including A Cook's Tour from 2002 to 2003, No Reservations from 2005 to 2012, and The Layover from 2011 to 2013. All these shows relate to food in different parts of the world. In 2012, he left The Travel Channel and went to CNN for Parts Unknown. He also has won many awards, such as Food Writer of the Year in 2001 by Bon Appetit, as well as every year from 2013 to 2016 an Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

     One could learn a lot from Anthony Bourdain about how to become a travel host. I am hoping to achieve the success of Anthony Bourdain by combining my passions for entertainment and travel. I could give people of all abilities unique recommendations and inspire them to travel and be independent. I am not into food as much as Anthony, and I like to hang around touristy areas because that's where there is the most to do. I do believe in living life to the fullest and combining all passions of life, which is what Bourdain did with his passions for food and travel.

                                      ANTHONY BOURDAIN: PARTS UNKNOWN

     Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown was his most recent travel and cooking show on CNN. It premiered on April 14, 2013, and its main purpose was to uncover lesser-known parts of the world, as well as to explore culture and cuisine. I've only watched a handful of episodes, such as about Myanmar, Koreatown, Las Vegas, and Thailand. He gave a very unique perspective about parts of culture that one wouldn't necessarily know about. I personally am not overly invested in the show because I am not a food person. For example, I mostly ate McDonald's when I was in Thailand because I like to keep it simple. I like to explore countries so that I can see different parts of the world.

                                                  AUTISM AND DEPRESSION

     Let's discuss the elephant in the room. The reason Anthony Bourdain took his life was he was battling depression. Let me tell you, depression is not a pretty sight. The world has lost many celebrities because of suicide, such as The Genie AKA Robin Williams, Tony Scott, and Chester Bennington. Depression is a very powerful force -- no matter how rich or powerful you are, it can afflict you.

     For adults with autism, especially Asperger Syndrome, depression is common to come across. Among the reasons is the fact that they face many different challenges. These challenges include a lack of social communication, social understanding, and imagination. The person can have trouble with appropriate social interaction, making friends, and being able to anticipate what might happen. Depression is a reaction for those with autism dealing with employment difficulties, relationship issues, and a non-autistic world.

     I have had my fair share of battles with depression, and I realize that life is hard. Some of these times have occurred in high school, college, and years at work. The way I got through it was to confide in the right people. The problem is that one can't be sure who to trust and that life can sometimes just suck. If anyone would ever like to talk to me about depression, I can be a shoulder to cry on. Anthony Bourdain and I have had a lot in common, including travel and depression. Rest In Peace Anthony and thanks for being an inspiration.

Chicago

      Greetings, everyone! I’m now going to take you on a tour of one of my favorite cities of all time…The Windy City…Chicago!!! Chicago is famous for a LOT including the buildings, museums, deep dish pizza and sports teams. I love this city because of its richness in the arts and the amazing night life! 

                                                     HISTORY OF CHICAGO

     Chicago has an amazing history! Its economic, cultural and political histories have all helped the city grow and become diverse over the years. Even when a fire destroyed most the city including the central business district in 1871, the city grew because of its railroads, finance, higher education, broadcasting, jazz, and high culture. A display of Chicago’s rise to stardom can be found in the Chicago History Museum still standing and thriving today!

                                                      GO CHICAGO CARD

     If you’re interested in saving money and visiting places such as museums and skyscrapers, I highly recommend the “Go Chicago Card.” This card is an all-inclusive pass which provides access to famous sites including the Shed Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, 360 Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, Chicago History Museum, and many more. You can buy a pass that lasts anywhere from one to five days. Getting a Go Chicago Card rather than tickets to the individual attractions will save you money AND time! For more information on the Go Chicago card check out https://www.smartdestinations.com/chicago-attractions-and-tours/_d_Chi-p1.html?pass=Chi_Prod_Go.

                                                    Field Museum of Natural History

     One of my favorite museums in Chicago was the Field Museum of Natural History. It's a HUGE museum and maintains its status of a premier natural history museum with the help of a state-of-the-art education and scientific program. There are exhibits for the whole family whether you wish to explore Asia or Hawaii or Africa, just to name a few!  Be sure to look for the most noticeable creature in the entire museum…SUE THE T-REX! 

                                                                 Art Institute Of Chicago

     If you’re ever in Chicago, I also highly recommend visiting The Art Institute. It was founded in 1879 in Grant Park and is the second largest art museum in the United States (after the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York)! Some of its collections include African art, Indian art, American art, Asian art, European paintings, and Modern and Contemporary Art. I highly recommend you check out the Asian art while you’re there...it is gorgeous! Before you leave, seize the rare opportunity to get close to the famous painting, American Gothic (the painting of the older couple with the man holding a pitchfork).

     With a lot to offer and a city full of memories, Chicago is a spectacular place to visit! This is one of my favorite cities in the world and I hope you’ll get the chance to explore Chicago and save yourself some money while you’re at it!

                                                 

Berlin

     Last April, I went on a trip to Berlin, Germany. I was amazed by this city because of the captivating tourist attractions including many museums, the Berlin Zoo and Charlottenburg Palace. I was fascinated by all these sites in Berlin because of what I learned and how interesting and lively the exhibits are in the city.

     Berlin is the biggest city in Germany and the second most populated city in the European Union behind London. Berlin is a world class city full of politics, culture, media, and science. Berlin was founded in the 13th century and was the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia grew in the 18th and 19th centuries, forming the German Empire in 1871. Berlin has since become a major world city for its leadership role in science, humanities, music, museums, higher education, government, and the military. When much of Berlin was destroyed after World War II, the city was separated by The Berlin Wall from 1961 to 1989. 

                                                              BERLIN PASS

     Are you ready to hear about an awesome way to SAVE MONEY on activities and transportation in Berlin? I highly recommend buying the Berlin Pass. Included in the Berlin Pass are free entries to over 50 attractions, the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Pass, an optional travel card, and discounted exclusive offers. Some of the attractions include museums such as The Berlin Dome, Madame Tussauds, Berlin Dungeon, Aquadom and Sealife Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie, Bode Museum, Alte National Gallery, The Jewish Museum, Berlin Film Museum, German Technology Museum, and many others. A 3-day pass costs about 145 Euros (about $175) and is definitely worth it!

                                                              BERLIN WALL

     One major highlight of my trip was getting to see the ruins of The Berlin Wall. The art and graffiti on the wall symbolized how people felt about Berlin being a divided city. This wall caused a lot of problems for the city because East Germans couldn't travel or migrate to West Germany. In addition, families were being split up and people were being cut off from their jobs. Many people died attempting to get over The Wall and there’s even a memorial to remember those that lost their lives. The fall of The Berlin Wall started when the Hungarian government dismantled the fence with Austria causing many in East Berlin to escape through Hungary and Austria. The Wall was officially torn down in 1989 resulting in the reunification of Germany. 

                                                                    BERLIN ZOO

     Last, but certainly not least, I’m going to talk about my favorite part of the trip: The Berlin Zoo. This zoo opened in 1844 and is one of the oldest and most well-known zoos in Germany. It features over 1,380 different species and 20,200 animals! It’s the most visited zoo in all of Europe, and one of the most visited zoos worldwide bringing in over 3.5 million visitors in 2017! It felt more like being in an animal sanctuary because the animals aren't locked in cages and could run around and explore their territory like it was their natural habitat. I especially loved seeing the elephants up close! If you’re a fish lover, there’s also an aquarium in the zoo! 

     In summary, Berlin has a lot to offer and it feels extremely underrated compared to other cities in Europe because not enough people seem to talk about it. This city has a lot to offer from world class museums to historical monuments to history about the city and a world-class zoo. I encourage you to take a trip to Berlin and see how it can amaze you. I'm Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler and I look forward to showing YOU A Whole New World.

Dallas Zoo

     Greetings, everyone! Today I am going to talk to you about my adventures at the Dallas Zoo, located three miles south of Downtown Dallas.

     The zoo was established in 1888 and the first purchase consisted of two deer and two mountain lions for $60. Today, the zoo has 106 acres with over 2,000 different types of animals! Some of the biggest expansions of the zoo were the Wilds of Africa exhibit, the Giants of the Savanna exhibit and the main part of the zoo known as Zoonorth.

                                                            WILDS OF AFRICA

     

     A part of the zoo that I really enjoyed was the Wilds of Africa exhibit. This exhibit opened up in 1990 and was the first exhibit to feature all of the major habitats of Africa. In this exhibit, you can visit rain forests, mountains, woodlands, rivers, deserts, and the brush of Africa! My favorite part was the nature trail that takes visitors through the rain forest, where I saw gorillas, chimpanzees, crocodiles and cranes. 

                                                       GIANTS OF THE SAVANNA

       I then went to an exhibit called the Giants of the Savanna. This exhibit provides an interactive experience for different types of animals that call the Savanna home. Some of the animals include elephants, giraffes, and zebras. This exhibit has won many awards such as the “Top 10 Zoo Exhibits” in 2015 by USA Today, as well as a 2011 Exhibit Award by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for significant achievement. It also has received much praise from researchers, zoo industry professionals and zoo guests.

     One of the most impressive parts of this exhibit is the Elephants on the Savanna. If you go there, look for a herd of female elephants called “The Golden Girls.” The design of the Giants of the Savanna allows the elephants to run wild because they are looking for food, water, and companionship. Treats are occasionally hidden in trees or niches around the habitat for the elephants to find and to get exercise. 

     Another interesting part of the exhibit is feeding giraffes at the Diane and Hal Brierley Giraffe Ridge. For $5, you can come face-to-face with the tallest creatures on the planet! Giraffes eat a variety of fruits and vegetables with male giraffes eating around 75 pounds of food a day! Make sure to only feed them food provided by the zookeepers and watch your personal belongings as giraffes tend to lick or grab things they haven’t seen before with their long, black tongues!

                                                                  ZooNorth

     Other exhibits in the zoo house otters, Galapagos tortoises and monkeys. Be sure to check out the Pierre A. Fontaine Bird and Reptile Building where you will learn about amphibians as well as endangered species. I was fascinated by the Endangered Tiger Habitat where I saw some very rare Sumatran and Malaysian tigers!  

     Overall, the Dallas Zoo has something to offer for every member of the family! Be sure to watch this video of me at the Dallas Zoo to see more of what I saw! I'm Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler. 

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ncTHyKq0s&t=1s

Houston Space Center

     Greetings, everyone! I just got back from Texas and can’t wait to tell you all about my trip to the Houston Space Center!

     If you’re not familiar with it, the Houston Space Center is a leading science and space center in which human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are performed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It is one of Houston's top destinations and holds the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence. Featuring more than 400 space artifacts, permanent and traveling exhibits, and attractions, there’s plenty to see for the whole family.

                                                     SPACE CENTER EXHIBITS

        I was blown away by the Center’s Astronaut Gallery! On the walls are portraits and pictures of every astronaut that has flown into space along with several spacesuits that I got to see up close! I was fascinated by the spacesuit worn by Commander Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr., who made history for going on the second mission to the moon on Apollo 12 with Alan Beam and Richard Gordon. (You can even see some moon dust on it if you look at it closely!) I also got to see the Shuttle Launch Entry Suit, which is a partial-pressure suit worn by astronauts to protect themselves against cabin pressure loss during ascent from and descent to Earth. Finally, I saw the famous Orlan (“sea eagle” in Russian), which is the only Russian spacesuit on display in the entire Center. The suit was designed after the Kretchet Spacesuit and was originally used for the Russians on the moon. The suit’s life support and temperature are monitored by a control panel on the arm and there is a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel to provide information and supply levels.

                                      Tour Tram Of NASA Johnson Space Center

    If you get the chance to take the Tour Tram at Houston Space Center, I highly recommend it! It is a 90-minute tour and explores three major highlights: Mission Operations Control Room, Building 9, and Rocket Park.

    The Mission Operations Control Room was a major part of Apollo 11 where the world watched the historic moon landing. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong said, "Houston, the Eagle has landed" and “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  In this center, NASA monitored nine Gemini, and all Apollo Lunar Missions. The final lunar Apollo 17 trip to the same lunar body was also watched by this control center.

    The next part of the tour is the famous Building 9. Since 1980, every NASA astronaut has had their astronaut training there. This training facility has become the central hub for resolving issues during missions. There is a LOT of preparation for space training for the astronauts in this building housing over 200 training courses to help astronauts become familiar with the spacecraft, as well as being prepared for a number of emergency situations.

    The last part of the tour is Rocket Park, where only one of the three remaining Saturn V rockets is displayed. Mighty and massive, the Saturn V rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket flown. The Saturn was used to send astronauts to the moon and was flown from 1967 to 1973, which launched 27 astronauts as well as six successful missions landing on the moon. This was the highlight for me because of how I saw a real rocket.

                                                      INDEPENDENCE PLAZA

     Finally, I visited the last exhibit, Independence Plaza. The main parts of the exhibit include the famous NASA 905, which looks like Air Force One and a space replica of the Independence. The Independence used to be on display at the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, but was moved to Houston and opened to the public in January 2016. In this landmark attraction, the public can enter both the NASA 905 and the Independence. While on the Independence, guests can see how astronauts piloted the orbiter during missions as well as the living conditions on the spacecraft. The NASA 905, which is the largest artifact from the Space Shuttle Program, gives guests an exciting history of the shuttle program and how brilliant minds had to overcome challenges working on the program!

     All in all, Houston Space Center is definitely something you should check out in Houston and make a day trip out of it! It has tons of history from replicas, tour trams, and actual rockets that were used on missions. This is an excellent educational opportunity for families, field trips, and anyone who wants to know more about space. If you visit next July 2019, the Center will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing!

     I'm Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler and if you enjoyed this blog, please check out my YouTube video on the Space Center. 

Hong Kong

   Greetings, Readers! This is Stephen Gaiber, The Autistic Traveler! If you enjoyed my recent blog about China, then you’re going to love this blog about...(drum roll)…Hong Kong! The vibrant lights and skyscrapers as well as the harbors and boat rides in Hong Kong are to die for and make for a very memorable trip! There are two parts of Hong Kong: Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. For tourism purposes, we will be focusing on Hong Kong Island in this blog.



                                                                HISTORY OF HONG KONG

   Let’s first talk about the history of Hong Kong. It was formerly a British colony and under British rule from 1841 to 1997. It was ceded from the Quin Dynasty after the Opium War when Hong Kong was ceded to the British from 1839 to 1842, while the Kowloon peninsula got added to the colony during the Second Opium War in 1856 to 1860. The New Territories were added in 1898 on a 99-year lease. After the lease ended in 1997, Britain agreed to transfer sovereignty to China.

               
                                                                  VICTORIA PEAK

   One of the best parts of my trip to Hong Kong was the view from Victoria Peak. It is a peak above Hong Kong Island with spectacular views of the buildings and city. With seven million visitors annually, this is one of the highlights of tourism in Hong Kong! There are two leisure and shopping centers above The Peak Tower and The Peak Galleria. The way to get up to the peak is by taking a tram up the mountain. Check it out if you want an excellent photo opportunity! While in Victoria Peak, I explored Madame Tussad’s Wax Museum, the first of its kind in Asia. Some of the wax figures at the museum include former president Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Adolf Hitler, Pierce Brosnan, Johnny Depp, Eddie Murphy, Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie.

                                                          TIAN TAN BUDDHA

   It wouldn't be a trip to Hong Kong without seeing a big Buddha! The Tian Tan Buddha a large bronze Buddha completed in 1993 also known as “The Big Buddah.” It's located on Lantau Island and is one of the most popular tourism attractions as well as a major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong. It's located near the Po Lin Monastery and symbolizes the peaceful relationship between man and nature. It is about 34 meters tall, weighs 250 tons, and is constructed from 202 bronze pieces. The best way to get there is via the Ngong Ping 360 gondola lift. It’s an aerial tramway that provides a breathtaking view of the city!

                                                         HONG KONG DISNEYLAND

   One of the major disappointments about the trip was going to Hong Kong Disneyland. Let me tell you it most certainly is no Disneyworld or even Disneyland California. This theme park opened up in 2005 and four and a half years later after opening, one could tell its a smaller version of the park. The park consists of the four main Disney lands: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Since I have gone more lands have been added such as Toy Story Land in 2011, Grizzly Gulch in 2012, Mystic Point in 2013. Opening soon will be Frozen Land in 2020 and Marvel area in 2023. Maybe if I had gone now I would have had a better opinion about Hong Kong Disneyland, but it was just too small and not enough to do when I went there. I am hoping when I go to Disneyland in Asia to see major improvements.

                                                                 MACAU
                  
   One excellent day trip would be to take a ferry to Macau, the Las Vegas of Hong Kong! It has a lot of the same resorts that Las Vegas has such as the MGM Grand and the Wynn. There are many casinos and resorts that make it feel like The Strip and the resort city in Southern China. This was a former Portuguese colony that got returned back to the Chinese in 1999. There are many tall buildings and great views for photo opportunities. As a friendly reminder, please be sure to bring your passport if you go here as Macau and Hong Kong are two separate countries! 

                                                   AVENUE OF STARS

   As mentioned throughout the blog, Hong Kong is notoriously known for its tall buildings and outstanding views. My favorite photo opportunity was the Avenue of Stars. Similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it honors the celebrities of Hong Kong’s film industry. It opened on April 28, 2004 and is located along the Victoria Harbor in Kowloon. Some of the Hong Kong celebrities honored include Bruce Lee, John Woo, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Stephen Chow. This is an excellent tourist spot for those who want to see statues of actors and get a Hollywood-style experience!

   Overall, I really loved Hong Kong. I felt that with the breathtaking views, waterfront, buildings and tourist spots, there's a LOT to check out and it’s a vibrant and lively city! This is Stephen Gaiber, The Autistic Traveler…stayed tuned in the coming weeks for my Texas blog!