The Silent "I"

Carnival of Cities Blog Carnival: November 4, 2009 Edition

We have great group of travel bloggers providing their expert tips and advice on traveling in this week's Carnival of Cities! Join our intrepid travelers as they scour the globe for interesting, fun, and just plain cool places to go and things to see.  I'll be your tour guide this week.

USA

Starting out on the East Coast, for all you baseball fans, Christian Carollo presents Back to Back: Philadelphia Phillies posted at Christian Carollo Photography. Christian documents last year's World Series winners and hopes for a repeat performance.  Will they or won't they? Yankee fans might beg to diffah (as we used to say when I lived in the Bronx), but the Phillies fans in Christian's photos look like they are ready to bring it home again.

Moving down to Maryland, Jennifer takes us down on the farm with Homestead Farm – Poolesville, MD – You Capture Autumn posted at Two Kids and a Map. You can feel the fall nip in the air with her photos of a lovely pumpkin patch and cute kids.

Traveling on south to Florida, Amy at The Q Family takes us on a tour of one of her family's favorite destinations with Disney's Animal Kingdom: The Condense Version posted at The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog. Amy also has some great tips for families traveling to Disney parks at the end of her post that you won't want to miss.

Moving on to the midwest, and my former home in Chicago, Illinois, Dominique King takes us Inside the Chicago Cultural Center at Midwest Guest. I never got to see this when I lived in Chicago in the 1980's, and it's definitely a must-see next time I visit.

Jack Norell reminded me of one of my favorite Chicago haunts in his post, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago over at Eyeflare Travel Articles and Tips. He has a gorgeous shot of kids meeting a polar bear that you just have to see to believe.  I'd love to take my son there.

Family-Friendly Airport Report: Pittsburgh (PGH)

Last weekend, I traveled to Pittsburgh for a conference, and noticed that the Pittsburgh Airport (PGH) had several family-friendly features that would make travel a bit easier for families traveling with small children. 

First, at the security entrance, there is a separate line marked "family friendly" specifically for families traveling with youngsters.  For anyone traveling with an infant and toddler, getting all the gear through security can be a daunting task.  If you have a stroller or car seat, getting everything up on the security belt to go through screening can take additional time and be met with anything from glares to outright tantrums from other passengers (not to mention your own kids).  Having a family-friendly line allows those with little gear who want to get to the gate faster a chance to avoid avoid the Baby on Board set.

Inside security, I discovered a play area called "Kidsport" at the entrance to Terminal C.  This was a large, open play area, equipped with a TV.  The play area was surrounded by a low wall, so the kids are contained, but have some freedom to run around. It seemed to be geared for the 5 and under set, with a few small rocking airplanes facing out the windows so that kids could watch the real airplanes take off and land.  One feature of this play area that I thought was terrific were two adjacent bathrooms marked "boys" and "girls", so you didn't have to traipse off in search of a bathroom in case of an emergency.  Next to the play area was a family restroom that could be used for anyone needing assistance, regardless of age.

Not Your Daddy's Pittsburgh

Last week, I spent four days with 1500 other progressive bloggers at the Netroots Nation Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At first, I was a little perplexed by why they chose Pittsburgh of all places to hold the convention, but after a day there, I realized that any preconceived notion I might have had about the place flew out the window.  Pittsburgh, in many ways, seems to be a city reborn, and not at all what I was expecting.

The image I had of Pittsburgh was that of the quintessential midwestern city, fully of smokestacks rising up over a flat, gray landscape and a gritty urban environment.  What I found was clean air, friendly people, and a thriving downtown cultural scene.  I could see why the Netroots organizers chose it, for its affordability, centrality, and hospitality.