Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Congestiomn Charge in London

So, do you think you might need a car while in London?
If you have a group of any size and plan on visiting Windsor Castle, getting a car might be your best bet - it will cost too much money for your group to travel by train from London to Windsor.

Anyway. If you are looking at a car in London, you might have to worry about congestion charges. Well, depending on where you are or what time  you leave or go back to your home base, you might not need to pay congestion charge. So check these pictures out and see how you avoid paying congestion charges:


Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Aparmtent Rents for vacation.

One thing that you might want to look at if you are traveling with family and staying for a while in the same place, or having a place as your home base for day trips, is apartment rental.
Trip adivsor is the place I have looked into so far. and they have some good prices, it will save you money if compared to some hotels, depending on how many people there are in your party.

There are apartments for all family sizes and budgets in London for instance. We could have stayed in a place right downtown, but we chose one on Abbey Road. Surprise, surprise! But, no, it is not because I am a Beatles Fan. It is just because it was a great price in a good neighborhood, and, well, yeah, it is freaking Abbey Road, and someone's house is just around the corner.

Anyway, I am just a beginner at this. That is why I went to trip advisor, and so far, I have not regretted.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

London Zones and off-peak times

So, if you are trying to buy a travel card for your time in London, you might be as confused as I was. What should I buy? I have an oyster card - pay as you go. With the pay as you go card you pay each time you ride on a bus, tube, DLR or OverGround.

The Oyster Card never expires. We still have money from our trip in 2011.
 How much are rates currently? Well, check out this chart:



Now, I am sure you noticed two things that made you confused:
One  - the Travel Cards.
Two - the Zones.

Well, as Jack the Ripper would say, "Let's do this part by part",

Part 1 - the Travel Card.

You could buy a travel card - it might end up being cheaper than paying as you go. Check how much you're planning on riding back and forth.

Here are the options for a travel card:

Day Anytime – can be used at any time on the day of validity and for any journey that starts before 04:30 the following day.
Buy this ticket
Day Off-Peak - Can be used from 09:30 Mondays to Fridays, all day Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, on the day(s) of validity and for any journey that starts before 04:30 the following day.
Buy this ticket
7 Day - Can be used for 7 days during the period of validity and for any journey that starts before 04:30 on the day following the expiry date.
Buy this ticket

source:
 http://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/travelcards/1-day/product/day-anytime-travelcard.html

 Part 2 - The Zones.

When you get to London you will want to get a map of the Tube and Rail. They will look like this:


 source http://www.southernrailway.com/tickets-and-fares/ticket-types/london-zones/

 But not every map will tell you the zones you're in.  Searching on Bing I found this:


So, This is it so far. I mean, this is how much I have figured out.
If you want to actually purchase these babes, go to this website:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
and have fun.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Boot Hill Graveyard

If you are wondering whether or not the gravestones at Boot hill are original, or if you are wondering if you've been schemed, read this post. And oh, by the way - not of the famous names in the OK Corral shooting is buried here.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

More on Tombstone

There is so much in such a little part of town. Everything is within a 2 to 6 minute walking distance.

1) So I chose to start with the Birdcage Theater - where actors used to get shot at if the outlaws didn't like their performance.
There is a parking lot across the street. The place is open from 8 to 6 and it is said to be haunted. I guess you can schedule ghost tours at night, but we won't be there that long.

2)Then stop at the Tombstone Epitaph Museum just at the time when it is opening - 9:30. Admission is free and the website is the same as the OK Corral. The Epitaph was the first paper published in Tombstone by John Clum, who also became the first city mayor in 1881.

3)Hurry to the OK Corral and purchase tickets for the gun fight. Then head to the Rose Tree Inn Museum. It has no website, so everything I get about it is comments of other people.  Fodors claims the cost is $5.00 a person. Somewhere else a reviewer says it was tree planted by a widow about 100 years ago. Who knows.

4)The Courthouse Sate Historic Park charges $5.00 a person and it is open 9-5.

5)Walk back 5 minutes to eat at the famous Crystal Place. there are plenty of other places to visit there. Crystl Palace just happened to be Dean's

6)Walk to the OK Corral and Historama. $10.00 a person
7) The Boot Hill Cemetery. It is free - but its opening hours are confusing.
Each website will say something different. Some websites say 7-5, others 7:30- 6.
It's own website says from 7:30 till dusk.

Well, it is a 15 minute walk to the cemetery, so as long as I leave the place before 4, so we have at least 1 hour at the hospital.
Of course on the way there, we shout stop at St. Pauls Episcopal Church - the first protestant church still standing and in operation in the place..


Here are the two websites that helped me build this itinerary:
state parks and tombstone web, taken out of the city hall website


 






Wednesday, April 2, 2014

More on the O.K. Corral

So, the OK Corral place replied to me with their prices. I will post the whole email below. It has some interesting information.
However, I will tell you right away the tickets cost: $10.00 with the gun show and $6.00 without the gun show.

This ticket also gives you access to the Historama and the Epitaph museum (their first news paper).

DEAR TOMBSTONE VISITOR,

Thank you for considering the O.K. Corral® in Tombstone, AZ as your destination.  We know you and your family will enjoy experiencing the Old West as it really was.  A map of the Corral is attached to this email.
The O.K. Corral Historic Complex includes the actual site where the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral involving Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday began.  The Corral is open every day of the week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  However, we are closed on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving.  Guided tours are available.  Free parking is available for O.K. Corral visitors in the nearby O.K. Corral Parking Lot behind the Corral on Fremont Street (Highway 80) between 3rd and 4th Streets. 

You can see the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral® reenacted inside the O.K. Corral every day at noon, 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.  The show lasts about 30 minutes.  If you have any questions you can call the Corral at 520-457-3456.  No weapons or pets are allowed in the O.K. Corral due to insurance requirements.

The O.K. Corral Historic Complex consists of nine displays:

(1)  The actual site of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral with realistic life-sized figures located on the very ground where the famous gunfight began.  Hear the story of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
(2)  The Streets of Tombstone reenactment theater where the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is reenacted every day at 2 p.m.
(3)  The O.K. Corral 1880s stables with a display of the buggies, saddles, and fire equipment used in the 1880s.
(4)  Our working blacksmith “Grizz” who uses only 1880s techniques.
(5)  The O.K. Corral Office Museum describing the history of the O.K. Corral and its operation.  Describes local events such as the vigilante hanging of John Heath on a telegraph pole, and local medicine as practiced by Dr. Goodfellow, famous gunshot wound surgeon. 
(6)  C.S. Fly’s Photographic Studio where you can see some of Fly’s original equipment and photographs.  Learn how Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were photographed in the 1880s. 
(7)  Mollie Fly’s Boarding House next door to the site of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral where you can see Doc Holliday’s room.  Nearly a hundred C.S. Fly photographs of 1880s Tombstone and the Apache Geronimo are on display.
(8)  The Cowboy Bunkhouse with a hearse and embalming equipment and a buggy from the 1880s.
(9)  The Prostitute’s Crib with the story of Tombstone’s Soiled Doves including the wives and girlfriends of the Earps and Doc Holliday.

The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral® is reenacted once or twice every day inside the O.K. Corral Historic Complex.  The show lasts about 30 minutes.  Tickets can only be purchased  at the O.K. Corral in person on the day of the performance.  Purchase your tickets at least 2-3 hours before the show since we often sell out.  And tour the O.K. Corral’s 4 historic museums before the gunfight since our museum displays get very crowded after the show.  After the gunfight you will be given an opportunity to take your picture standing next to the gunfighters.  You can photograph the gunfight and the O.K. Corral grounds as long as the photos are for your personal use only.  Everything is handicap accessible.
Warning!  The O.K. Corral is the only location in Tombstone where the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is reenacted every day.  Street hawkers may try and confuse you by claiming other gunfight shows in town are similar to our historic reenactment.  They aren’t.

When you arrive, first see Tombstone's Historama show (next to the O.K. Corral) to learn about the history of Tombstone in a 26-minute multimedia presentation narrated by famous actor Vincent Price.  The Historama is shown every hour from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.  The Historama is next door to the O.K. Corral. 
Visit The Tombstone Epitaph newspaper office to read the paper's original reports of the gunfight and learn how newspapers were printed in the 1880s. The museum is free and its hours are from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.  You can also buy a copy of the 1881 Tombstone Epitaph newspaper containing the original reports of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.  For more information about this famous Old West newspaper, or to subscribe online, go to www.tombstoneepitaph.com.  The Epitaph is 1½ blocks from the O.K. Corral, behind the Crystal Palace Saloon on 11 South 5th Street.  

You can purchase a Tombstone Adventure Pass at the O.K. Corral office which will allow you to do all of the above at a reduced price of $10.00 (kids under 6 free, no other discounts) and receive a free copy of the 1881 Tombstone Epitaph containing the original reports of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.  Without the reenactment admission is $6.00.

You can pay with cash, traveler check, Visa, Master Card, or Discover Card.  An ATM is available.

You can also visit Tombstone’s other historic sites including Boothill Cemetery (donation requested) where the cowboys killed in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral are buried.  Other sites that charge admission include the Tombstone Courthouse State Park, the Rose Tree Museum (World’s Largest Rosebush), and the Bird Cage Theatre.  All historic sites and stores are open seven days a week.
Tombstone is an exciting Old West small town with no stop lights.  Everything is within a 3 block historic area and is easy to find.  All the historic sites, except Boothill Cemetery, are within 5 minutes walking distance of one another and are handicap accessible.
Finally, you can tour the town on a stagecoach or trolley, buy genuine Indian jewelry at Arlene’s (show your O.K. Corral receipt to receive a 10% discount), eat a Buffalo Burger, drink a sarsaparilla, buy a custom saddle or holster or 1880s Colt .45, purchase 1880s clothing, go horseback riding, shop for antiques, see a rattlesnake exhibition, visit one of Tombstone’s underground silver mines, shoot a Colt .45 Peacemaker, have your photo taken in an 1880s costume, etc.  There are a number of restaurants in town.  It takes a minimum of 5-6 hours to see Tombstone.  Nearby you can visit ghost towns or the world famous Kartchner Caverns.  Have fun!
If you want to read about Tombstone before you visit, the best book about Tombstone, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is titled “And Die in the West – The Story of the O.K. Corral Gunfight,” by Paula Mitchell Marks.  Unbiased in its approach, it describes the years from Tombstone’s discovery in 1877 until Wyatt Earp’s death in 1929.

DIRECTIONS: From Tucson, AZ take I10 south to Benson, then take Highway 80 twenty-three miles to Tombstone.  Tombstone is 65 miles from Tucson or about a 1 hour and 15 minute drive.  Tombstone is about 180 miles from Phoenix- or about a 3 hour drive.

P.S. The guns fired during the O.K. Corral gunfight reenactment are quite loud which can upset young children.  Moreover, it can be difficult to exit the crowded stands once the show has started.  Please speak with our staff if you have any concerns.  Earplugs are available.  Pets are not allowed because of insurance regulations.
        

CALENDAR OF FREE EVENTS FOR 2014

January 30-February 27: Annual Quilt Show.  Handmade quilts at the Tombstone Art Gallery.  520-457-2380

February 9:  High Noon at the Tombstone Livery.  Cowboy Action Shooting on foot and horseback, chuck wagon dinner.  520-457-3559

March 8-9:  Tombstone Western Music Festival.  Tom Hiatt and the Sundown Riders and many more.  Friday morning children’s concert. Music on Allen Street.  Nightly concerts at Schieffelin Hall.  520-457-2295 or  buckskin1@powerc.net

March 15-16: Wild West Days.  Sunday parade, USO canteen dance, salute to Armed Forces.  520-457-3511.

March 1-31: Open Art Show at the Tombstone Art Gallery.  520-457-2380

April 11-April 13: Rose Tree Festival.  125th blooming of the World’s Largest rose tree, parade, entertainment.  520-457-3326. 

April 28-29: Shootout at the O.K. Corral.  See the world’s fastest gunfighters compete for the Fast Draw championship at the O.K. Corral.  Free.  520-457-3456

May 24-26: Wyatt Earp Days.  Gunfights and reenactments, chili cook-off, parades.  520-457-3451.

June 9-10: Salute to the Buffalo Soldiers.  Parades and reenactments. 520-266-5266.

June 17-19: 8th Annual Tombstone Rock and Gem Show.  Vendors and shoppers welcome.  Jewelry, gems, fossils, local mineral specimens.  520-457-9505.

July 4: Old-Fashioned Fourth of July.  Fireworks, parades.  520-457-3106.

August 9-11: Vigilante Days.  10K run, chili cook-off, 1880s fashion show, concerts.  520-457-3291.

September 1-3: Rendezvous of Gunfighters.  Gunfighter reenactments by  groups from all over the U.S. compete in the O.K. Corral.  Sunday street parade.  520-457-3548.

October 5-9: Corvettes and Ghost Riders.  Rally, car show, and road tour.

October 13-17: Wyatt Earp’s Vendetta Ride.  Five day historic ride follows Wyatt Earp’s trail.  Everything included.  505-286-4585.

October 18-20: 84th Helldorado Days.  Street reenactments, music, Sunday parade.  520-457-3291.

October 26:  131th Anniversary of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.  See the Earp walk down, the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the Cowboy funeral. 520-457-3456.

October 25-28: Bordertown.  Cowboy Action Shooting AZ State Championship. 520-457-3559

November 2-4: Tombstone Western Movie Festival.  Street concerts, famous musicians.     
        

PLACES TO STAY:

Motels    
Tombstone Motel  520-457-3478.   In town.  1 block from downtown. $2.99 breakfast.  Largest in-town motel.  69 rooms, 3 suites, 1 house. $55 up.

Holiday Inn Express Tombstone,  520-457-9507.  Half mile outside town.  Pool, etc. more upscale, Tombstone’s newest motel. $63-$109/night.  60 rooms.

Lookout Lodge Best Western  800-OK-CORRAL, 520-457-2223.  Half mile outside of town.  Pool, restaurant, etc., more upscale. $65-$90/night.   40 rooms.

Trail Riders Inn  800-574-0417.  3 blocks from downtown.  Coffee and donuts.  3 blocks from downtown.  $45.  14 rooms.
Adobe Lodge Motel  888-457-2241,520-457-2241.  1 block from downtown.  Under renovation, check for room availability.  21 rooms.

Lucky Cuss Cottages  520-457-3142.  Small 2 bedroom cottages w/kitchens.

The Tombstone Home  248-417-4177.  Rent a 3 bedroom home.

R.V. Parks
   
Tombstone RV Park & Resort  800-348-3829.  7 minutes’ drive outside of town.  Pool, store.  Free shuttle to town.   83 spaces, 43 pull through.

Wells Fargo  800-269-8266, 520-457-3966.  In town near O.K. Corral.  71 spaces, pull through, tents, internet.

Stampede  866-409-4778, 520-457-3738. In town.  44 spaces, 15 pull through, some cabins, cable TV, pets, showers and laundry. 

Trail Riders  800-574-0417.   A few blocks from downtown.  10 spaces and motel.

Tombstone Territories RV Park.  520-457-2584.  20 miles from Tombstone.  102 pull through sites, rural setting, heated pool, recreation room with ping pong and billiards, exercise equipment, etc.   

Bed & Breakfasts (all are in town)
  
Curly Bills 520-457-3858.  4 rooms
Crazy Annie’s Bordello 520-457-3847.  4 rooms
Silver Nugget B&B 520-457-9223. 4 rooms
Virgil’s Corner B&B 520-458-1025    4 rooms   $150  Virgilscorner.com Priscilla’s B&B 520-457-3844.
Tombstone Bordello Bed and Breakfast 520-457-2394.  8 rooms
Tombstone Boarding House 887-225-1319.  6 rooms
   
For further information contact:
The O.K. Corral
P.O. Box 1880
Tombstone, AZ 85638
(520) 457-3456
info@ok-corral.com