Archive for February, 2012

Text & Photos By Thomas Wilmer

The Chattanooga Choo Choo—whenever I think of the enchanting riverside city in Tennessee, Glen Miller’s classic, 1940s Big Band hit inevitably starts playing in my mind. Locals get it too—Even though the distinguished circa-1909 Chattanooga train station no longer serves as a rail depot, its been reincarnated as the historic Choo Choo Hotel. You can even book a room for the night in a railcar. Locals are frequently heard to say, “meet me at the Choo Choo”—and everyone knows they’re not talking about the Little Engine that Could.

It all makes perfect sense, as Chattanooga’s history is tightly interwoven with rail transportation. Rail service predates the Civil War with the completion of the first line to Atlanta in 1850. And it was the city’s strategic rail junction rather than river transportation that spurred the bloody Battle of Chickamauga in the fall of 1863.

Modern day Chattanooga is a trend-setting, happening destination but the legacy of the Civil War and the Battle of Chickamauga remains none-the-less palpable—especially with the legendary battlegrounds such as Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge overlooking the city (six miles from town). A visit to Chattanooga would not be complete without a visit to the nearby Chickamauga National Battlefield, just across the border in Georgia.

85th North Carolina Regiment at Chickamauga National Battlefield

Chattanooga hums with a dynamic, youthful energy that permeates the arts, culture, cuisine, and wide array of outdoor adventure activities—integral factors in the city’s recognition as one of America’s most livable cities by National Geographic Explorer Magazine.

The awesome annual Riverbend Festival draws more than 80,000 people per night throughout its nine-day run every June. The festival attracts major headliners—such as the Beach Boys and Huey Lewis and the News performing the two evenings we attended last summer. Since Riverbend’s inception in 1982 stellar performers such as Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Alabama, Ricky Scaggs, and the Pointer Sisters have rocked the house. Actually it’s not a house but a cool outdoor venue overlooking the Tennessee River.

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Listen to Ruth Thompson with Chattanooga Parks & Rec., learn about the Southern Belle riverboat and the Chattanooga Aquarium’s River Gorge Explorer catamaran:

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Skimming no more than a two feet above the water McGoo Little darts his tiny Robinson helicopter into a pocket of underbrush along the edge of the legendary, crocodile infested Mitchell River. He prods out a Brahman bull with the skid of his “heli” while simultaneously leaning out of the cockpit and firing rubber bullets at the rump of another recalcitrant bull — welcome to a typical day in Northern Queensland’s Outback.

Text and images by  Thomas Wilmer

It took a while to comprehend just how big a 1.4 million-acre cattle station is…. actually I don’t think I will ever be able to properly comprehend just how big, big is in the Land of OZ. My second day on the Wrotham Park cattle station in Northern Queensland (350 km west of Cairns), I awoke groggily to what I first thought was the sound of a gargantuan mosquito buzzing above my head. As the gnat like drone intensified, I realized it was the sound of an approaching Robinson R-22 helicopter.

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Discover the vibrant city of Belfast and Northern Ireland’s Coastal wonderland

Antrim Coast--photo courtesy Maebeth Fenton

Text & Photos by Thomas Wilmer

One hundred years ago Belfast was on a roll. The robust and vibrant city touted the world’s largest shipyard along with dynamic linen and manufacturing industries. Today, numerous elegant Victorian and Edwardian edifices remain as mute testimonials to the city’s boom-times.

During the dark days of the “Troubles” life was drab in Belfast–real estate languished, industry was stagnant and when locals partied is was typically within private homes. Rosemary, a Belfast born and bred acquaintance, explained, “when I was a teenager, there were basically three or four restaurants in the city and one was a pizza place. And my dad forbid me from driving the family car in to the city in fear it would get blown up!’

Not anymore. Belfast today is an incredibly peaceful, pulsating place that has re-established itself as a prime destination for visitors from around the world. Belfast City Center abounds with cutting-edge eateries—trendsetters in the “farm to fork” movement, serving fresh, locally sourced foods. The town’s burgeoning nightlife absolutely rocks. For example Rihanna and Britney Spears both commenced their recent European tours in the city by the River Lagan.

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Titanic-Belfast interpretive Center under construction

R.M.S. Titanic–The Legacy Lives on

By Thomas C. Wilmer

When White Star Lines’ R.M.S. Titanic was launched on May 31, 1911 the vessel was hailed as the world’s largest and most expensive ocean liner ever built. Touting every imaginable cutting-edge luxury such as electric elevators, telephones, a heated swimming pool, a Turkish bath, a squash court and two barbershops—the technological marvel was dubbed “unsinkable” by White Star’s vice president.

Financed by American industrialist, J.P. Morgan, the ship was outfitted with the finest woodwork, artwork, carpets and fabrics available at any cost. The piece de resistance was the Grand Staircase, clad in oak paneling with gilded balustrades and intricate wrought iron railings illuminated by a glass-dome above.

Titanic's propeller shaft under construction

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