Wisetrips Travel Blog

How was 2020 in Sports? With COVID-19 raging, it turned out quite different, with much more surfing and mountain biking than in previous years. 77 days of playing tennis (Sunnyvale Tennis Center) before Covid-19 closed it. I really miss playing tennis! 14 days of working out in the gym (City Sports) before COVID-19 locked it down 46 days of surfing (Capitola, Rockpile Beach, Trestles) 12 d…

Which are the best restaurants, spas, and travel destinations?  At the end of 2020, I am rating the following (from best to worst) based on my personal experience. Restaurants Even though Michelin has not rated it, Mama's Fish House on Maui is our favorite restaurant worldwide. Mama's Fish House combines an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere with exceptional cooking and a magnificent tropical setting (overlooking Maui's North …

This year, unlike most previous years, our neighbors spent lavishly decorating for Christmas and the upcoming New Year, and the results speak for themselves. As we strolled through the Almaden Winery neighborhood along our usual walking path, we enjoyed the fancy decorations and beautiful illuminations. After wrapping all our presents and putting them under the Christmas tree, we went to bed, knowing that tomorrow we would…

Is human knowledge only to be found in books? As wonderful as books represent, document, and express human thoughts, they are not a substitute for direct, personal contact that comes from seeing, hearing, feeling, and experiencing things for oneself. Can any book truly capture the exhilaration of  windsurfing on Maui ,  snowboarding on freshly fallen powder at Whistler ,  piloting a Cessna single-engine aircraft ,  swimming with sharks…

Since my current desktop tower is getting quite old, I decided to upgrade it soon to speed it up. The older parts in my current PC can be used to create a separate NAS server (to replace the old Synology DS1815+ ).   My current desktop/server tower has the following components: HP ZR30w 30" S-IPS LCD Monitor Fractal Design Define R5 Black Silent ATX Midtower Computer Case Fractal Design Silent Series R2 Blac…

For Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's, we purchased a Christmas Tree and decorated it with all our favorite decorations. Inna and Alex helped to decorate the tree with our favorite lights. Inna also arranged our favorite stuffed animals, including Olaf (from Frozen), snowmen, and moose. She even hung the sloth on the Goof balance board. Here is a photo of the newly decorated tree. Note the giant gnome on the …

On Saturday morning, we decided to enjoy one of our last COVID-19 days (before another lockdown) by visiting Point Lobos State Park and hiking to the famous Allan Memorial Grove , which overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The drive to Point Lobos was easy, with little traffic on Highway 101 heading south. We arrived around 11:20 am, parked inside the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, and started our hike. It was a beautiful De…