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Kelly is crying because the empty house that her friend is letting her stay at, is in final escrow and will have to move out soon. She has no where to go, because Lyme treatment has depleted all of her savings.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
When, towards late 1945, the Einheits-Chassis for the German combat tanks (the "E" series of medium and heavy tanks) reached the front lines, several heavily armed anti-aircraft turrets had been developed, including the 30mm Kugelblitz, based on the outdated Panzer IV, the "Coelian" turret with various armament options for the Panzer V Panther hull, and there were twin 55 mm as well as single and even 88mm cannon systems for the new E-50, E-75 and E-100 chassis'.
With these new weapons for medium- and high-altitude targets, Firepower was considerably increased, but the tank crews still had to rely on traditional visual tracking and aiming of targets. One potential solution in which the German Heeresleitung was highly interested from the start was the use of the Luftwaffe’s new radar technology for early target identification and as an aiming aid in poor weather conditions or even at night. The German Luftwaffe first introduced an airborne interception radar in 1942, but these systems were bulky and relied upon large bipolar antenna arrays. These were not suitable for any use in a ground vehicle, lest to say in a tank that would also carry weapons and ammunition.
A potential solution appeared in late 1944 with the development of the FuG 240 "Berlin". It was an airborne interception radar, too, but it was the first German radar to be based on the cavity magnetron, which eliminated the need for the large multiple dipole-based antenna arrays seen on earlier radars, thereby greatly increasing the performance of the night fighters. The FuG 240 with a rotating dish antenna was introduced by Telefunken in April 1945, primarily in Junkers Ju 88G-6 night-fighters, behind a plywood radome which considerably improved aerodynamics. This so greatly reduced drag compared to the late-model Lichtenstein and Neptun systems that the fighters regained their pre-radar speeds and made them competitive again. The FuG 240 was effective against bomber-sized targets at distances of up to 9 kilometers (5.5 mi), or down to 0.5 kilometer, which eliminated the need for a second, short-range radar system.
Right before the FuG 240's roll-out with the Luftwaffe, the Heer insisted on a ground-based derivative for its anti-aircraft units. Political pressure from Berlin convinced the RLM to share the new technology, and Telefunken was ushered to adapt the radar system to an armored ground vehicle in February 1945.
It soon became clear that the FuG 240 had several drawbacks for this task. On one side, ground clutter and the natural horizon limited the system's range and low-level effectiveness, but its 9 km range in free space made high altitude surveillance possible – just enough for the effective interception of Allied bombers that attacked important point targets. Furthermore, the whole system, together with its power supply and a dirigible dish antenna, took up a lot of space, so that its integration into a tank-based anti-aircraft vehicle like an SPAAG as an autonomous, stand-alone solution was ruled out.
A workable solution eventually came as a technical and tactical compromise: the army’s anti-aircraft tanks were to be grouped together in so-called Panzer-Fla-Züge, which consisted of several (typically four) SPAAGs and an additional, dedicated radar surveillance and command unit, so that the radar could guide the tank crews towards incoming targets – even though the gun crews still had to rely on visual targeting.
Two respective guidance vehicles developed, a light and a heavy one. The light one, intended against low-flying targets like the Ilyushin Il-2 on the Eastern front, became the 8x8 Funkmess-/Flak-Kommandowagen Sd.Kfz. 234/6. The heavy variant, with a bigger antenna and a more powerful emitter, became the Mittlerer Funkmess-/Flak-Kommandopanzer Sd.Kfz. 282. In contrast to the light and compact Sd.Kfz. 234/6, the Sd.Kfz. 282’s complete radar and observation system was installed in a new turret, so that it could be simply mounted onto the new E-50 Einheitspanzer battle tank hull.
This new, box-shaped turret had been developed by Rheinmetall, together with Telefunken, and was based on the turret design for the new 55 mm twin anti-aircraft cannon. It had a maximum armor of 60mm at the front and held all of the radar equipment, christened "Basilisk", after the monster from medieval mythology with a petrifying sight. The turret held a crew of three: a commander, a radar operator, and an observer for the optical rangefinder. The rest of the crew, the driver and a radio operator, sat in the hull. No armament was fitted, even though a light machine gun could be mounted on the roof for self-defense, even though it could not be operated from the inside. A heavier armament was not deemed necessary since the vehicle would stay close to the heavily armed tanks/SPAAGs it would typically accompany.
The Basilisk radar’s rotating dish antenna had a diameter of 90 cm (35 ½ inches) and was installed at the turret's front under a hard vinyl cover. Power of the modified FuG 240 was 25kW, with a search angle of +80/− 5° and a frequency range: 3,250–3,330MHz (~10 cm). Range was, due the bigger antenna and a higher emitter output, increased to 0.5–11.0 kilometer, even though only under ideal conditions. Power came from a dedicated generator that was connected to the E-50’s V-12 Maybach HL 234 gasoline engine.
Beyond the radar system, the vehicle was furthermore equipped with a powerful visual coincidence range finder in the turret, combined with an analogue computer, the Kommandogerät (KDO) 40 Telemeter. This system had been introduced in 1941 as a guidance tool for stationary anti-aircraft units equipped with the 88 mm and the 105 mm Flak, but it had so far – due to its size and bulk – only been deployed on an unarmored trailer
The KDO 40 and similar sights worked as follows: Light from the target entered the range finder through two windows located at either end of the instrument. At either side, the incident beam was reflected to the center of the optical bar by a pentaprism, and this optical bar was ideally made from a material with a low coefficient of thermal expansion so that optical path lengths would not change significantly with temperature. The reflected beam first passed through an objective lens and was then merged with the beam of the opposing side with an ocular prism sub-assembly to form two images of the target which were viewed by the observer through the eyepiece. Since either beam entered the instrument at a slightly different angle the resulting image, if unaltered, would appear blurry. Therefore, in one arm of the instrument, a compensator was integrated which could be adjusted by the operator to tilt the beam until the two images matched. At this point, the images were said to be in coincidence. The degree of rotation of the compensator determined the range to the target by simple triangulation, allowing the calculation of the distance to the observed object.
Fixed target reading with the device mounted in the Sd.Kfz. 282 turret was possible on targets from 3,000 to 20,000 m. Aerial courses could be recorded at all levels of flight and at a slant range between 4,000 and 18,000 m - enough for visual identification beyond an anti-aircraft group's effective gun ranges and perfectly suitable for long range observation, so that the Sd.Kfz. 282 also had excellent reconnaissance and observation capabilities. The rangefinder’s optical bar had a massive span of 400 cm (157.5 in) and went right through the turret, just above the radar device installation. The whole device, together with its armored fairing, was 4,60 m (15 ft 1 in) wide, so that it protruded from the turret on both sides over the lower hull. The odd and unwieldy installation quickly earned the vehicle nicknames like "Hirsch (stag)", "Zwo-Ender" (a young stag with just two antlers) or “Ameise” (ant). None of these were official, though. In order to protect the Telemeter on the way, the turret was normally turned by 90° and hidden under a tarpaulin, in order not to give away any details of the highly classified equipment.
However, development of the Einheitspanzer family lagged behind schedule, and in early 1945 no E-50 chassis was available for the highly specialized Sd.Kfz. 282 – battle tanks and SPGs were in higher demand. As an alternative, the turret was quickly adapted for different tank hulls, namely the Sd.Kfz. 171, the Panzer V ‘Panther’ medium tank and the heavy Sd.Kfz. 181 ‘Tiger I’. Tests with both hulls in spring 1945 were successful, but only the lighter ‘Panther’ hull was chosen because it was lighter overall, more mobile and available in sufficient numbers for a quick roll-out. In this configuration, the system received the designation Sd.Kfz. 282/1, while the original Sd.Kfz. 282 designation was reserved for the originally planned E-50 chassis variant.
The first vehicles reached, together with the new FlaK tanks, the front units in September 1945. Operating independently, they were primarily allocated to the defense of important production sites and the city of Berlin, and they supported tank divisions through early warning duties and visual long-range reconnaissance. Operationally, the Sd.Kfz. 282’s sensor setup with its combined visual and radar input turned out to be surprisingly successful. The combination of the Basilisk radar with the KDO 40 rangefinder allowed a time from initial target acquisition to the first AA shot of less than 20 seconds, which was impressive for the time – typically, simple visual target acquisition took 30 seconds or more. First shot hit probability was appreciably improved, too, and even quick passes of aircraft at low altitudes could be precalculated, if the radar was not obstructed.
However, the radar remained capricious, its performance rather limited and the unarmored antenna fairing at the turret’s front was easily damaged in combat, even by heavy machinegun fire. But the Sd.Kfz. 282 offered, when the vehicle was placed in a location with a relatively free field of view (e. g. on a wide forest clearance or in an open field), a sufficient early warning performance against incoming bombers at medium to high altitudes, and it also appreciably mobilized the bulky but valuable KDO 40 device. It now could easily be moved around and keep up with the pace of motorized battle groups that the Panzer-Fla-Züge units were supposed to protect.
Until the end of hostilities, probably thirty Sd.Kfz. 282/1s were completed from newly built (Ausf. F, recognizable through the simpler all-metal wheels) or from refurbished earlier Panzer V chassis of various types before production switched in early 1946 to the E-50 chassis which had eventually become available in sufficient numbers.
Specifications:
Crew: Five (commander, radar operator, observer, driver, radio-operator/hull machine gunner)
Weight: 41.2 tonnes (40.4 long tons; 45.3 short tons)
Length (hull only): 6.87 m (22 ft 6 in)
Width: 3.42 m (11 ft 3 in) hull only
4,60 m (15 ft 1 in) overall
Height: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Suspension: Double torsion bar, interleaved road wheels
Fuel capacity: 720 litres (160 imp gal; 190 US gal)
Armor:
15–80 mm (0.6 – 3.15 in)
Performance:
Maximum road speed: 48 km/h (30 mph)
Operational range: 250 km (160 mi)
Power/weight: 15.39 PS (11.5 kW)/tonne (13.77 hp/ton)
Engine:
Maybach HL230 P30 V-12 petrol engine with 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW)
ZF AK 7-200 gear; 7 forward 1 reverse
Armament:
1× 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun in the front glacis plate with 2.500 rounds
Optional MG 34 or 42 machine gun with 1.500 rounds on the turret
The kit and its assembly:
Another submission to the “Recce & Surveillance” group build at whatifmodellers.com in July 2021, and actually a good occasion to tackle a project that I had on my list for some years. A long while ago I bought a resin conversion set with a (purely fictional) Heer ‘46 anti-aircraft surveillance radar system, based on an E-50 chassis. Unfortunately, I cannot identify the manufacturer, but this 1:72 conversion set was/is nicely molded, with delicate details, no bubbles or flash and it even came with a commander figure for an optional open hatch on top as well as a pair of delicate brass antennae.
Even though I could have mounted this replacement turret onto a Trumpeter or Modelcollect E-50/75 chassis, I rather decided to create an earlier (1945 time frame) interim vehicle on a late Panzer V ‘Panther’ basis, mostly because it would be more compact and I doubt that brand new E-50/75s would have been “wasted” on second line/support vehicles like this mobile surveillance/commando post for anti-aircraft units?
The Panther chassis is the old Hasegawa kit for an Ausf. G tank from 1973, chosen because of its good fit, simplicity and the vinyl tracks, which I prefer. However, the kit clearly shows its age and some weak/soft details (e. g. the gratings on the engine deck), but it was enough for my plans and easy to handle.
Both turret and hull were built separately and basically OOB, combined with an adjusted turret ring. The Kdo 40’s “antlers” are to be glued directly to the turret’s flanks, but I reinforced the connections with wire. I also replaced the set’s brass antennae with heated sprue material and used a surplus PE detail set from a Modelcollect E-50/75 to hide the crude engine openings and change the overall look of the Panther a little. Some storage boxes as well as spare track links were added to the flanks, stuff collected from the scrap box.
To emphasize the refurbished character of the vehicle I left away the Panther’s side skirts – these were easily lost in battle, anyway, and probably have rather been allocated to battle tanks than to 2nd line support vehicles, despite leaving the Panther’s lower hull under the mudguards vulnerable.
Painting and markings:
Even though the paint scheme on this model is based on German standard colors, it is a little special. Late in real-world WWII some Panzer Vs received a unique, uniform RAL 6003 (Olivgrün) factory finish instead of the usual all-over RAL 7028 (Dunkelgelb) or the bare oxide red primer finish, onto which the frontline units would add individual camouflage, depending on the theatre of operations and whatever paint or application tool was at hand. This special green livery was adopted for the model, including the new turret. The individual camouflage consists of diagonal stripes in Dunkelgelb and Rotbraun (RAL 8017), added on top of the green basis with rather sharp and straight edges and only to the vertical surfaces. The practice to leave out the horizontal surfaces was called “Sparanstrich” (literally “economy paintwork”), an attempt to save the more and more scarce paint.
This rather odd style was actually applied to several late war Panther tanks – even though I am personally not certain about this pattern’s effectiveness? Maybe a kind of dazzle effect was sought for?
The basic green became a modern-day RAL 6003 from the rattle can (which is very close to FS 34102, just a tad lighter), applied in a rather cloudy fashion on top of an initial coat of Oxide Red primer (RAL 3009) overall, also from the rattle can. On top of that the stripes were painted with a brush, partly masked but mostly free-handedly. For some variation I used this time Tamiya XF-60 (a rather pale interpretation of Dunkelgelb which IMHO lacks a greenish hue and rather looks like a desert sand tone) and XF-64 (a rich whole milk chocolate tone) to create the additional camouflage, not fully opaque so that the impression of thinly/hastily applied paint was reinforced.
Once dry, the whole surface received a very dark brown washing with thinned acrylic paint and surface details were emphasized through dry-brushing with earth brown and beige.
For a different look (and to break up the tank’s bulky outlines) I applied camouflage nets to the model, realized with gauze bandages drenched in Tamyia XF-62 (Olive Drab) and mounted into place around the turret and at the front of the hull while still slightly wet.
Decals were puzzled together from various German tank sheets. The kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish, what also fixed the cammo nets in place. The originally shiny black vinyl tracks were also painted/weathered, with a wet-in-wet mix of grey, iron, black and red brown (all acrylics). Once mounted into place, mud and dust were simulated around the running gear and the lower hull with a greyish-brown mix of artist mineral pigments.
Not a spectacular build, but I am happy that I eventually had the opportunity and motivation to tackle this project that had been lingering for years in the The Stash™. The result looks really good – the anonymous resin set is/was excellent, and combined with the Panther hull, the whole thing looks very credible. I am only a bit sad that the odd, almost artistic camouflage got a little lost under the cammo nets and the equipment on the hull, and the dust/dirt on the lower areas blurs the three basic colors even more. Well, you cannot have everything at once, and I might re-use this scheme on a “cleaner” future build.
What do you think partner? Maybe with a little piecing in the bottom section with the Collage? Gold zipper okay?
Programmo i miei prossimi errori. Primo non considerare l'idea di esser nel giusto. Secondo sottovalutare i miei stessi consigli. Terzo, quarto, quinto, sesto dimenticare, dimenticare, dimenticare... dimenticare.
All I really want to do is spend my life travelling the world, reading books that take my breathe away, drinking all kinds of tea, meeting new people, taking photos,and write. I mean...is that too much to ask for?
Rental bikes and scooters plus a PTSA hybrid-electric bus. Gillig BRT bus from the 2019 delivery is one of two carrying this livery. It was all-silver when new. Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority appeared all-set to take a delivery of BYD all-electric vehicles, but only two have entered service so far.
more of the same wave
its quite fascinating how much the light changes just from the angle I shot this wave from as twiggy came past me
Soom Ender. I went for the body blushing option. It turned out pretty neat! My camera picks up every little bit of light and dark, and contrasts the heck out of anything I shoot, so he's really not this darkly blushed.
I've named him Jawed (pronounced Jah-wayed)
dear partner, now something different... let me know what you think... Should I continue sewing? I don't mind keeping this one
:-)
The supported neighborhood near Harlandale Independent School District (HISD) Armando Leal Jr. Middle School, in San Antonio, TX, on April 9, 2020. Leal MS is one of the four initial sites providing curbside summer meal distribution. HISD will have 16 sites available on April 20.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option's (SSO) alternative to traditional congregant feeding; this affords safe distancing with curbside distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic in the neighborhoods supported by HISD
SSO has less paperwork, making it easier for schools to feed children during the traditional summer vacation periods and, for year-round schools, long school vacation periods, and during unanticipated school closures (i.e.the current coronavirus emergency). For more information about Seamless Summer and Other Options for Schools, please go to fns.usda.gov/sfsp/seamless-summer-and-other-options-schools.
Here, a greeter welcomes drivers and ask how many children are being fed. The amount is called out to teammates who then place the bagged meals of hot lunches and cold breakfasts, on a table, then steps back. Drivers lower their windows and pick-up the meals from the table. This alternate workflow with a 6-person team of child nutrition staffers delivers more than 500 meals in 90 minutes. The school has received many thank-you messages from parents and students for providing this service. The staff are highly motivated, happy to see, wave to, and serve the children they have seen grow up.
Because this site is closed tomorrow, children are given two days' worth of breakfast and lunch meals.
The meals fulfill USDA standards and include USDA commodities of turkey sandwiches and apple sauce/strawberry cups. Because of the portable needs of the meals, a bag of multigrain chips replaced hummus for today's grains. The hot meal includes a corndog made from a USDA recipe. Because of the portable needs of the meals, a bag of multigrain chips replaced hummus for today's grains. For more information about HISD Child Nutrition Program, please go to harlandale.net/cms/one.aspx?portalId=829982&pageId=1745444.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost, or free lunches to children each school day—the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946. For more information about NSLP, please go to fns.usda.gov/nslp/nslp-fact-sheet.
Children need good nutrition all year long. The Summer Food Service Program, National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, and the Seamless Summer Option make it possible for schools to provide nutritious meals after the regular school year ends.
For more information about FNS, please go to fns.usda.gov
USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
On Thursday of last week, my hiking friend Kelsie gave me a call around lunch time and mentioned that she would be available for an overnight hike. We both wanted to head to the ocean since the weather looked promising. I mentioned Kalaloch and Kelsie thought that Cape Alava near Lake Ozette might be fun. I thought about her option for about two seconds and agreed with her. Then she mentioned that a night hike in might be fun.
Hmmmmmmm, a night hike........it is a four hour drive to get to the trailhead, has been cold lately and it will be in the middle of the night. Five seconds of thought later, I said "okay, I'm in".
On Friday Kelsie arrived at my house to pick me up and the time was around 6:50 PM. We headed north through Port Angeles and past Lake Crescent and the roads were a bit icy at times. We arrived to the Ozette parking lot (we were the only car) at 11:30 PM and gathered our 45 pound packs and put on our head lamps and began our mini journey through the forest.
Night hiking is totally new to me and something that I have always wanted to try. I have hiked to Cape Alava on two occasions (and Kelsie many times) prior to this hike, thus I felt as if I knew the trail pretty well. After all, I slipped and flew off the boardwalk on one trip much to the amusement of all of my hiking companions. I must admit, it was probably pretty darn funny to see me flying into the shrubs. I was wondering to myself, if I might fall again......
As we began our hike, I was taken aback at the deafening silence that enveloped us both. In a way, it felt comforting and I am not sure why. I have always enjoyed this forest, so perhaps it has enjoyed me too. I felt welcomed here and at ease as we moved slowly on. Kelsie is such a prudent, safe and wise hiker. Her years on the trails have given her an alertness that only seasoned hikers have. Much of the hike to the ocean is on a boardwalk, constructed largely of cedar planking and a 480' stretch of a composite grey plastic material that I do not favor in the least. It seems out of place. Very out of place. In between long boardwalk stretches, one will walk on newly laid gravel. The rangers have done some fine work repairing worn and damaged areas along the trail. We both marveled at the quality construction of a new footbridge!
As we moved along the trail, we hit pockets of really nippy cold areas. When we started the hike it was around freezing and these other areas were three of four degrees colder. Naturally, the cedar planks beneath our feet decided that it was cold too and they glistened with frost. Kelsie's lead steps shortened and we used some caution while proceeding in these areas. Both of us had hiking sticks which came in handy on several occasions.
It was cool seeing the moon as it was beginning its decent to the horizon, thus calling it a night. It was bright and setting in the west, in the same direction we were walking in. We knew that we were about an hour late to see it set, but there were plenty of stars out, was the moon left us.
As we got closer to the coastline, the waves were loud and inviting. I felt a great sense of anticipation and accomplishment as we began descending down the high bluff to the camping areas. It was 1:45 AM when we finally decided on our camp site for the weekend. Remarkably, I was not tired yet! We surveyed the layout and settled on to flat areas and began putting our tents up. It was really not the big chore I thought it might be.
Once we had our tents up, we moved a few yards out of the trees to the sandy beach and the ocean. It was so beautiful out. The air was biting cold, but all in all it was okay because of the tremendous views in the heavens above. I have never witnessed more stars than on this night. It was truly a moment that I will always treasure. I saw six shooting stars, two of which were very bright! I have no idea of the constellations that were all around us, but we saw Orion's Belt, the Milky Way, the Big Dipper and so many others. Kelsie has more knowledge than I in this matter.......!
Kelsie took her camera out and played around with some long exposures as I just hung out and watched. With only one battery with me, I did not want to wipe out my only power supply, even though the notion sounded fun at the time. I ended up hitting the sack at 3:20 AM and Kelsie stayed twenty five minutes longer before calling it a night. I had been up for 23:20 straight hours and as soon as my head hit the ground I was sleeping.
We both awoke at 7:30 AM with some hopes of seeing a great sunrise, but it was a dud. We nevertheless had the beach to ourselves and we made good use of the day while looking for old glass fisherman's floats (none to be found), beach glass (a fair amount) and of course photography. Each of us sees our subject matter differently than the other, so I am eager to see some of Kelsie's work!
Around 4:10 PM, we decided to begin a fire on the beach. Earlier in the day, we had gathered wood along the beach, but the pickings were slim and a lot of the wood was still very wet. With Kelsie's fire starter, we managed to get a small blaze going, when I noticed that there might be a decent sunset. Being the pig that I am, I ran to my camera and bolted off down the beach like a madman trying to get a peek of the setting sun on the other side of Ozette Island. I managed to get quickly set up and capture a few images, which I was pleased about. Meanwhile Kelsie was being a good host and had a decent little fire going. We added more fuel and soon had a toasty fire to sit near.
Much to my surprise, Kelsie then popped out four cans of Blue Moon beer and we toasted to a good trip thus far! Man, she packed a lot of extra wait and I am so grateful for this kindness. There is nothing better than sharing a brew with a friend amid so much calmness and serenity such as the northern Washington coast.
Now, I might add that just ten days prior to our trip, the Washington coast was hammered by several storms that produced very high winds and high tides. A ranger mentioned to Kelsie that the combination of a nine foot tide and twenty foot tidal surge with the high winds caused considerable damage to the shoreline and even several campsites.
The photograph you see above it part of this damage.
I love the coast for these looks. The ocean is very powerful and although it is beautiful on some days, always be mindful of its other face.......its Mr. Destruction face.
My interesting find of the day on Sunday morning, was that of black bear tracks in the sand. It climbed over a series of logs to the beach and walked for about sixty feet, before heading back across more logs to the grasses above. Our camp site was a hundred yards north of this spot. Hmmmmmm, maybe a bit too close.
All in all an incredible trip.....one that I will never forget!
Thanks Kelsie :)
*******
For those that want to read a shorter trip report;
Kelsie and I.......
Hiked in the Olympics along the Washington coast.
Cape Alava Trail.
Cold.
Icy trail, because of night hike in.
Arrived at 1:45 AM!
Stars and even shooting stars!!!
Stayed two nights.
Photography for two days.
My usual stuff.....oh well.
Had a fire on the beach.
A couple beers.
Sleep.
Hike out.
Long drives to and from, but worth it.
McDonald's in Port Angeles......priceless!
:)
ANRKY Wheels
Lamborghini Countach
X|Series 2-piece
Model: S2-X0
20x9.5
21x13.5
Mirror Polished Gold Center
Mirror Polished Gold Inner
Hidden Hardware
Centerlock Option
Via: Bond Tokyo / Lager Corp
From the autumn 2016 trip to Vietnam:
Touchdown brings me ‘round again to find…solid ground. Though I sometimes do feel like a rocket man. Including layovers, this trip to Vietnam consisted of 8 separate flights. The third one brought me to tiny Phu Quoc Island, a tropical island 40 kilometers west of the southern tip of Vietnam (and less than 5 kilometers from Cambodia on the mainland). The island, then, is actually west of the southern tip of Vietnam, and less than an hour flight from Saigon. The flight goes something like this: “Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated as it’s time for take…and now we’re landing.”
There are actually two tropical islands off the southern coast of Vietnam that I would have liked visiting, Phu Quoc being the more appealing of the two. (The other, for those curious, are the Con Dao Islands which actually are south of the mainland…but there doesn’t seem to be daily flights to/from there, which took it out of this trip’s consideration.)
Compared with Thailand, you would probably never think of coming to Vietnam for a tropical island experience – mainly because it’s not developed – and you’d be correct. I can easily name a handful of islands in Thailand (or Malaysia) that I would prefer to visit from an island standpoint.
However, that’s not to say that I was disappointed by Phu Quoc. On the contrary, I love the island. I found myself thinking, many times, “If I were an investor interested in developing a tourist resort, this would almost be at the top of my list.” (So, any investors reading this…feel free to take a slightly closer look at this island.)
It’s an easily accessible island with many daily flights to Saigon, and also flights to Hanoi. It claims to be an international airport, so I assume there are flights from Cambodia, as well, though I can’t say for certain. I can only say…it’s easy to get here.
Once you get here, you’ll find Vietnam’s largest island (though not large in comparison with many others). It’s 50 kilometers from north to south and 25 kilometers at its widest. It’s triangular in shape and, poetically speaking, can be said to look like a tear drop. Located in the Gulf of Thailand, the island also includes smaller neighboring islands as well.
Phu Quoc has slightly over 100,000 full-time residents, mostly living in Duong Dong, the island’s main town on the midpoint of the west coast of the island. Other than tourism, the economy here is driven, obviously, by the sea. Fishing, seafood, and so on are the staple here. Phu Quoc is the producer of the most famous fish sauce coming out of Vietnam. (Phu Quoc’s fish sauce can be found on grocery store shelves around the world.)
It’s also an island of hills. Our tour guide claimed that Phu Quoc has 99 mountains and, while I can’t (or won’t) dispute that, it struck me as a curious claim. There are hilly parts, though, and they include two waterfalls, one of which we visited on a day trip.
I mention that Phu Quoc struck me as being somewhat underdeveloped. I’ll elaborate by saying that they have a solid foundation – lots of restaurants (catered to foreigners; western food, pizza joints, etc., in addition to local/Vietnamese cuisine) – and hotels ranging from budget to top end. The basic utilities on the island (electricity, internet, etc.) are also completely stable and reliable. Where they could develop more is in the following: infrastructure and the actual amenities of tourism.
The roads weren’t shoddy, by many standards, though there’s still a lot of room for development. Once this is improved, it’ll make getting around more comfortable for anyone who wants to be completely insulated from “natural.”
The other thing that struck us as a little odd is that there doesn’t seem to be much going on at night (unless you’re a fisherman). It’s still a very quiet island and there weren’t many options for bars, clubs, live music, for example. (This is a huge difference between here and, say, Koh Chang in Thailand; the only other nearby island I have for comparison.) There aren’t convenience stores here that are open 24 hours a day and they don’t have much to offer after dark…besides the Night Market. Perhaps that’s the way they want to keep it, but there’s certainly potential here.
During the daytime, though, there’s plenty for tourists. As a photographer not equipped with waterproof gear, I was much more limited, but for the typical tourist you have options of fishing, diving, snorkeling, and swimming. The beaches were, in my opinion, a little dirty, but there are others on the island that are better, I think. (All in all, it would be nice to see things cleaned up a bit…)
In addition to water pursuits, there’s Phu Quoc National Park (that we didn’t visit; apparently better other times of the year) and – though the crux of the economy is tied to the sea – there are also other aspects of the economy that they represent well: pearl farms, pepper farms, cashew plantations, fish sauce factories, and local wine (wine aficionados, don’t get your hopes up).
For the land-loving folks, this is far from a crowded island. There are a number of beaches, the national park in the northern part of the island, and a few small waterfalls (one a classic, the other more of a rapids where you can swim). In short, there’s not a lack of things to do during the day.
With the long-winded generalities about the island out of the way, time to carry on with our experience. We took an early flight out of Saigon, around 9 or 10 o’clock. Flying into the airport, in the heart of the island (on the south side), my first impressions were “green” and “hilly.”
Naturally, it’s a small airport – everything here is small – which made it easy to get our things and be on our way to the hotel. I paid about $5 for the ride into Duong Dong. Our hotel, the Sea Breeze, had very friendly staff. (I can actually say that about every hotel we stayed at, with the New Moon in Danang being the least friendly…and they weren’t bad by any means at all.)
Anyway, the Sea Breeze was a fine place to sleep, though the Cat Huy was slightly nicer. But, for three nights, this hotel was perfect. Comfortable bed…and they did same day laundry service. I don’t remember the cost, but it was probably between $20-30 USD/night.
The hotel wasn’t one that had a restaurant or breakfast included (Saigon, Hoi An, Hue, and Hanoi all did), but there was a restaurant attached and a few feet away. I had breakfast there two of the three mornings and, while not the best western breakfast I’ve had, the staff were exceptionally friendly. I think that’s a Vietnamese quality…be really cordial to folks.
We had most of Friday on the island, plus the entire weekend, with a Monday morning flight to Danang (via Saigon) around 10:00 in the morning. Friday, then, was a completely unplanned day. So we spent Friday toddling around Duong Dong.
The first place we went (besides the hotel, obviously), was to find something to eat. We ended up going with was a decidedly non-Vietnamese restaurant named Buddy’s, walking there via the Night Market street. For me, I loved ‘em because they had milkshakes with real ice cream. Didn’t matter what else they had. That was enough to get me to go back 2-3 times.
After lunch and sitting around Buddy’s for a while, we walked across the street and followed the river out to its mouth in the Gulf of Thailand. (The river is why the main town was built at this spot.)
At the river’s head is a curiously named spot called Dinh Cau Castle. There is nothing about this place that shouts out “castle” if you were to just chance upon it. It’s actually a combination lighthouse-temple. The temple aspect is just a small room with a statue dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. The lighthouse, obviously, has its practical purposes. It’s more a light station, though; there’s no house for a keeper.
However, this was a very enjoyable spot (much nicer than the Thien Hau “Pagoda” in Saigon) and would end up being the spot where we watched the sunset on Friday and Saturday. The lighthouse-station-temple was built in 1937. There are a few tables benches on an upper platform to sit and enjoy the view of the sea (or the river mouth with its fishing fleet behind you) and there’s also a jetty going out into the sea that gives some nice perspectives. I can only say that I was surprisingly pleased with both Friday and Saturday’s sunsets.
Staying at Dinh Cau well past sunset, we strolled back towards the Sea Breeze via the Night Market, which is rather clean as far as Asian markets go. (I mention this to contrast it with Phu Quoc’s Day Market, mentioned below.)
Before getting back to the hotel, we stopped at the recently (2015) established Crab House (Nha Ghe Phu Quoc) on the main road at the south end of the market. The owner was – as all seem to be – very friendly and talkative. I was curious to know why the interior had banners from a handful of SEC schools (US folks will know what this is) along with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Turns out, the guy used to live in Muskegon, Michigan, which isn’t terribly far from where I was born (and a town I’ll be passing near in about 3-4 weeks’ time).
Junebug & I split the Crab House battered garlic pepper fries (65,000 VND); miniature crab cakes with sweet mango coulis (175,000 VND); and com ghe: hot, steamy jasmine rice with fresh, sweet crab meat, julienne cucumber, and nuoc mam cay (Phu Quoc fish sauce) for 175,000 VND. Add in two cans of Sprite at 20,000 VND a pop and that’s a happy stomach. (The exchange rate, while we were there, was around 21,000-22,000 VND to the US dollar, so we’re looking at…$20-25 for a fresh seafood dinner for two.) With a thoroughly happy stomach, it was time to call it a night, even though it was barely 8:00.
Saturday brought with it another day trip with a small group. This was similar to the Saigon trip with Bao in terms of time and what we did, though I think Bao was a better guide than the girl here. She seemed disinterested half the time, though was never rude or mean, per se. Anyway, at $11/person, it wasn’t a bad way to spend the day.
Since the one part of this tour I was looking forward to most was a waterfall, I was grateful that it was overcast almost the entire day. For parts of it, rain was pretty heavy. (It even made me mildly – albeit very mildly concerned about the flight out on Monday as it was the first of two for the day.)
First up, though, was a pearl farm where I found it interesting to see them pulling pearls out of oysters. That thrill lasted for about a minute or two. However, we were scheduled to be here for close to an hour. (They were hoping that people would buy pearl jewelry.) Given that we were in a fairly heavy rain, I was surprised that there were so many people here. It made me think the entire day would be like this with overcrowded spots. (Forunately, that didn’t come to pass.)
With no interest in buying jewelry, I spent the hour on the back patio looking out at the very rough and stormy sea, and a few of these shots are from there. Finally ready to go, we were waiting on two Vietnamese women from the group (a recurring theme for the day) before we headed off to the next stop: a pepper farm.
To call it a pepper farm would be to stretch one’s imagination to its utmost. It was about 5 rows of pepper trees with each row being no more than 10 meters long. (I’d like to hope this is just the “sample” section they show us dopey tourists.) Much more attractive was the attached shop where they hoped you’d buy pepper. This time around, I pulled out my wallet. There’s one of us born every minute, you know. I bought four separate jars of pepper, one of which wasn’t a powder (and was subsequently confiscated in Guangzhou as I rarely check luggage and this trip was no exception). At about a dollar a jar, it wasn’t a bad deal.
From the pepper farm we were off to the wine shop. This tour was beginning to feel like just going from one spot to another to buy local goods. This wasn’t grape wine, but was a berry wine and was, for the most part very sweet. Don’t think port or sherry, though. It wasn’t quite that sweet, but it was close. Certainly not bad, but also something I could’ve done without. However, they seemed proud of their wine, and I don’t blame them. (It’s better than most of what I had in Korea.) Once again being held up by the Vietnamese ladies, we finally all settled back into the van and went off to Suoi Tranh.
The waterfall was actually much nicer than I expected. Apparently, half the year, it’s dry, so it worked out well that we came at the end of the rainy season. The fall is a classic cascade in a very nice, wooded setting. (Even if it were sunny, it probably would’ve photographed rather well because it had enough cover to give it shade.) We were given 45 minutes to walk the 600 meters up to the falls and back, which meant a bit of a rush for me, but…fortunately, the Vietnamese ladies were even slower than I was.
The creek leading up to the falls had some nice rapids, too, but it also had some unfortunate eyesores: a manmade fall at the entrance (why would you need that when you have the real thing a few minutes away?) and, worse, some fake animal statuary. Count my lucky stars, but these all disappeared after the first 100-200 meters, and you were left with a tasteful and well-made natural path leading up to the falls.
After this – it was around 12:00 or 12:30 by this point – we hopped in the van and headed to Sao Beach at the southern tip of the island. To get here required driving down a very bumpy road for a few minutes at the end. (As I said…they can still do a little infrastructure work here unless one of the unstated tourist goals is to make people feel like they’re bouncing around in a bag of popcorn.)
The beach was…pleasant, I guess I can say. It wasn’t a large beach. In length, it covered a small cove, so it had a nice setting. It also isn’t a wide beach; only about 30 meters from the restaurant to the water, and maybe even less than 20 meters. I saw a little too much trash around which disheartened me, though we aren’t talking dirty to levels that I’m accustomed to seeing in China. I didn’t go swimming, and the lunch at the restaurant here – though Vietnamese – was among the most unimpressive meals we had in the entire two weeks here. The best part of the time at the beach is that the weather cleared up from overcast and rainy to mostly cloudy. So it wasn’t crowded here, nor was it raining.
We left the beach at 2:00 and drove to a nearby fish sauce factory. This was a lot like the pearl farm, pepper farm, and wine shop. “We make this here. Please buy it.” Of the four of these places, the pearl farm is the only one who actually had some kind of “demonstration,” and that lasted about a minute.
If it seems I’m being critical of the roped in commercialism of these types of tours, perhaps I am a little jaded. The spots in and of themselves are actually quite interesting and I just accept this as an unnecessary evil. They need to survive somehow, and for that, I guess I’m grateful that they do this. Back to the actual tour, the fish sauce factory was quick and interesting. (Though I don’t like seafood that much, I do like fish sauce to add flavor.)
The last “scheduled” stop was Nha Tu Phu Quoc – Coconut Tree Prison – right across the street. This isn’t a place that I would otherwise go out of my way to visit, though in conjunction with the beach and the fish sauce factory, it was perfect. (Individually, none of the three spots amazed me, but as a whole, they were quite pleasing.)
The prison was built by the French in the 1940s and this was one of the ARVN’s POW camps during the Vietnam War. Apparently, prisoner treatment here was quite inhumane, as detailed by the signs around the barracks. The recreations of people, though, aren’t the most lifelike I’ve ever seen and seem kind of cheap. There aren’t any period photographs, so there’s a little “oomph” missing here, but it’s still a good effort all around.
Our last stop before being dropped off back in Duong Dong was at Ham Ninh, a small fishing village on the east coast of the island (almost directly across the island from Duong Dong. We didn’t do anything here except have 15-20 minutes to walk to the end of the pier and come back. As uneventful as that may sound, I enjoyed it a lot because the surrounding scenery and seeing the fishing fleet up close (along with a lot of small floating restaurants) made it unique and worthwhile to me.
When we got dropped off, we went right back to Buddy’s and repeated the same thing from Friday night (minus eating at the Crab House). I can’t recall what we ate for dinner on Saturday night and perhaps we didn’t. Lunch at Buddy’s was late enough that I doubt we were terribly hungry by evening except for some snacks.
The only difference between Friday & Saturday was my positioning to photograph the sunset. Friday night was from up near the lighthouse, and Saturday was a little ways out on the jetty. Skies were equally moody both nights.
I’m easy like Sunday morning. No rush to wake up since there was absolutely nothing whatsoever on the agenda. Brunch, around 9:00 or 10:00, after stopping by the post office to send off some postcards, was at Buddy’s. From there, we crossed the river to the day market and spent about an hour or so wandering up and down the street photographing a variety of things.
Going back to the west side of the river, we spent a little while at Dinh Cau, but decided not to watch the sunset there for the third night in a row. We had a late (and small) lunch of a wood-fired pizza, which was surprisingly delicious – so much so that I considered going back for dinner.
Instead, we went to one of the few access points for Long Beach (the beach nearest the hotel) to watch the least spectacular of the three sunsets in my opinion. Sunday night’s was cloudier than Friday and Saturday’s. However, there are still some interesting pictures. It’s just the most muted of the three, by far, and there’s simply less to work with.
After sundown, we walked the few hundred meters north up the main road, passing the Sea Breeze, and stopped at a local restaurant. (I suggested it not because it was local, but because they proudly talked of the ice cream that they have.) The food was not terribly great. I had fish and chips that didn’t have enough tartar and was a bit bland. I also ordered some smoked cheese that, when they brought it, they didn’t say what it was and, since it looked more like noodles than cheese, didn’t eat it. The ice cream, however, was sorbet, and it was wonderful.
All in all, Phu Quoc was about as good as I wished it would be, and I was lucky enough to have three reasonably good sunsets and decent weather for the weekend. Also, the waterfall was actually nicer than I had expected, we ate well (for the most part), and it was a relaxing weekend. Not a bad way to spend life.
After breakfast Monday morning, we grabbed our bags and headed to the airport at 9:00 for the first of two flights on the day.
As always, thanks for dropping by and viewing these pictures. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments and I’ll answer as I have time.
2019 is a big year for health insurance developments affecting consumers and coverage options.
For over 30 years, Short term health insurance has provided coverage for a defined period of time and generally includes a much lower premium than other types of major medical coverage.
Until April of 2017, the coverage period was determined by state law, with the majority of states permitting terms of 364 days or less. Now, the final rule extends the duration of short term coverage from 3 months to 12 months (364 days) depending on state availability and limitations.
Specifically, the language in the plan must inform insureds that the plans do not comply with the Minimum Essential Coverage requirements of the Affordable Care Act. This is important because the ACA currently issues an individual mandate penalty, which equates to 2.5% of one’s yearly household income, or $695 per adult plus $347.50 per child with a $2,085 household maximum - whichever amount is greater.
This penalty will, however, be phased out as of January 1, 2019, meaning you could find and even apply for the best short term health insurance policy for you today without the financial burden of paying the individual mandate penalty.
The outgoing Obama administration made a significant change, issuing a regulatory final rule which cut the maximum duration term limit of short term health insurance from 12 to less than 3 months. This limit was changed on August 1, 2018 by another regulation designed to expand access to short term health coverage. The rule reinstates the 364 day maximum term limit and allows carriers to offer reapply options for up to 36 months. The changes officially took effect on October 2, 2018.
One of the most attractive aspects of short term health insurance is the cost, but many people shy away from short term plans because they are so limited. Why is that? When a plan is limited to three months, it may not address insurance needs fully. Now, however, the legislative change allows individuals to take advantage of more affordable health care for up to three years.
When you apply for a short term plan, you will need to go through medical underwriting. Applications can be rejected. Short term plans often do not cover many of the same things that ACA-compliant plans will address.
The Trump Regulation specifically states that the expansion will “expand more affordable coverage options to consumers who desire and need them, to help individuals avoid paying for benefits provided in individual health insurance coverage that they believe are not worth the cost, to reduce the number of uninsured individuals, and to make available more coverage options with broader access to providers than certain individual health insurance coverage has.”
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4. Health Reimbursement Arrangements: As an alternative to group plans, employers can offer reimbursements for employees who buy their own health insurance.
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LOCATION
Anvaya Cove is an easy and comfortable drive 2 ½ hours from Metro Manila. The travel to the north has improved greatly due to the rehabilitation on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). It is expected to improve further once the Clark Subic Tollway is completed in 2007.
MORONG, BATAAN
Anvaya Cove’s location takes advantage of the pristine beaches and verdant forests of Morong, Bataan. The shores of Morong, Bataan serve as nesting habitats for the endangered pawikan.
SUBIC BAY
Anvaya Cove is a convenient 20-minute drive from favorite vacation hotspot, Subic Bay Freeport. Subic’s offerings complete the variety of recreation options your family is looking for.
Teenage Thrills
* Kart racing at Le Mans Go-kart track
* Car races at the Subic International Raceway
* JEST (Jungle Environment & Survival Training) Camp
* Wreck-diving at Subic Bay
Adult Activities
* A round or two of golf at the SBMA Golf Course
* Yachting at the Subic Bay Yacht Club
* Shopping at the duty free stores and Nike outlet
PROJECT FACT SHEET
Anvaya Cove is Ayala Land, Inc.’s (ALI) first leisure community. It is strategically located in an area which boasts of natural surroundings and yet is close enough to the varied range of leisure offerings of Subic.
Overview of the Site
* Approximately 320 hectares of land area
* 3.5-km coastline with 2 private coves
* Peak elevation of 130 meters above sea level
* Rolling hills of mango and narra trees and bamboo groves
* Natural stream with fresh running water
Low Impact Development
Anvaya Cove strives to preserve the natural beauty of the site. Guidelines adapt to the natural beauty of the land, which ensures the preservation of wide open spaces.
* Safeguarding of natural features like trees, wetlands and other scenic qualities.
* Rolling asphalt roads
* Low impact pedestrian, bicycle and cart paths
Envisioned to be a place where families will be brought closer through unique natural experiences.
Exclusive Amenities
* • Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club
* • Chapel
* • View Pavillions
* • Nature’s camp
Families will be able to interact with nature in interesting ways. Anvaya Cove will endeavor to retain ecologically valuable areas where migratory birds, wildlife thrive and occasionally visit within and around the area, such as the pawikan and the Philippine Mallard.
Resort-quality Service
The needs of families and their guests will be attended to with great detail.
* Activity coordinators to assist families or planning and customizing their activities.
* Marine and Forest Rangers to guide and assist families on outdoor activities.
Product Offerings
Taking advantage of the sites best qualities, homeowners will have breathtaking views and scenic surroundings. Initial product offerings include:
* Membership shares in the Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club
* Choice of residential lots at The Cliffside at Anvaya Cove
Membership and Ownership
Membership in the Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club is a prerequisite to acquiring a residential lot or seaside villa.
Anvaya Cove is a joint development of Ayala Land Inc. and SUDECO, a privately owned real estate holding company.
BEACH AND NATURE CLUB PROJECT FACT SHEET
The only exclusive club of its kind in the country, Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club redefines leisure by providing varied activities for all members of the family in a setting where the amenities are integrated into the natural landscape. It is at the center of the community, offering multiple alternatives for respite and recreation, pleasure and pampering.
Adding to its uniqueness is its architecture which carries a unified Tropical-Asian theme that blends with its natural surroundings.
Targeted club opening is on the summer of 2007.
Facilities and Amenities:
RECREATIONAL BEACH AREA
The Recreational Beach area will have an active area for fun in the sun, as well as a passive area for quiet relaxation.
* Water Sports Pavilion
Water sports equipment rental such as jet skis and kayaks and arrangements for diving and fishing expeditions.
* Beach Cabanas
Charming open air huts for lounging that can accommodate whole families.
* Lookout Tower
Landmark where people can look far out into the sea from an elevated view check. At its best will be the Tower Bar, a lively hangout for party goers.
* Pawikan Bar and Grill
All fresco restaurant that will serve grilled seafood, cocktails and other tropical food favorites.
NATURE CAMP*
Will be nestled in the forested area east of the Club. Amenities and provisions for classic outdoor activities such as:
* Ziplines
An exciting ride through the forest harnessed on lofted cables
* Ropes Course
Obstacle course involving ropes and heights that will challenge the mind, body and team spirit
* Camping & Picnic Grounds
* Ecological Trails with varying degrees of difficulty which can be enjoyed by walking, hiking or biking
• Other Nature Camp facilities include the Nature Playground, the Nature Discovery Classroom and the Kiddie Obstacle Course.
*The Nature camp facilities will be separately owned and developed by Ayala Land but will be available for the benefit and enjoyment of Anvaya Cove Beach & Nature Club Members
SPA AREA
The Spa Area will be set within a tropical garden that overlooks the beach.
* Veda Spa
Offers various health and beauty treatments in individual and group rooms.
* Beach Massage Salas
Provides a blissful outdoor massage experience.
RECREATIONAL LAGOON AREA
For fishing, paddling boats and remote controlled boats. With a wide open expanse for field games such as kite flying and Frisbee throwing. This will also serve as a venue for large outdoor functions.
MAIN PAVILLION
* Welcome Pavilion
Members and guests will be treated to a vacation resort arrival. Here, visitors can make arrangements for lodging and can plan their schedule of activities with the help of activity coordinators.
* Bamboo Café
Main dining facility which serves buffet and ala carte meals in both elegant and casual dining settings.
* Wine Room
For a sophisticated dining and drinking experience. Enjoy the Club’s collection of fine wine, cheeses and cold cuts.
* Sambali Lounge
For relaxing, easy-listening music after an activity-filled day.
* Narra Room and Molave Room
Private function rooms for corporate meetings, family parties and special gatherings.
* Other facilities in the Main Pavilion are the Game Room, Library Lounge, Convenience Shop and Clinic.
RECREATIONAL POOL AREA
* Infinity-edged Swimming Pool with a lapping area
* Pool Deck with lounging areas
* Seashore Kiddie Village, a gated children’s activity area with Pool, Arts & Crafts Center and Indoor & Outdoor Play Zones.
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