Europe and the United Kingdom, Historical sites, history, Museums, Travel, Uncategorized, writing

The Anne Frank House

thecrankycamper

On a cloudy Sunday in Amsterdam, we paid a visit to the Anne Frank House. From the summer of 1942 through 1944, the Frank family and four companions his in the secret annex as the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. They were discovered in 1944 and sent to concentration camps in Germany. Only Otto Frank survived. To honor Anne's dreams of becoming a writer, Otto published his daughter's diaries, now translated into 75 languages and read by millions. The house was dedicated a museum in 1960 and can be visited today with timed entry tickets.

Europe and the United Kingdom, history, Museums, outdoors, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, writing

Kasteel de Haar

thecrankycamper

In this short post, the Cranky Camper family travel take a day trip to the largest castle in the Netherlands: Kasteel de Haar. This restored castle features many opulent rooms, extensive grounds, with moats and water features.

american west, Brunch, california, Family, Food, Hiking, Historical sites, outdoors, safety, Travel, Uncategorized, writing

Devils Gate Dam

thecrankycamper

On a sunny Southern California winter's Saturday, we hiked the Flint Canyon Trail, a Los Angeles County-maintained trail, to the famed, possibly haunted Devils Gate Dam. This post contains hiking safety and a nice brunch suggestion in neighboring Montrose.

american west, california, Deserts, Dessert, Food, Hiking, outdoors, safety, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, writing

East Indio Hills Badlands

thecrankycamper

On a winter visit to Indio, we explored the East Indio Hills Badlands. The rocky formations were created by millennia of deposition, geologic uplift, and erosion, and today make a fun low-key adventure not far from desert resorts. In this post, I share our morning adventure, along with some safety considerations for desert hikes.

american west, california, Hiking, Historical sites, history, Opinion, outdoors, safety, Travel, Uncategorized, writing

Shoemaker Canyon: Tunnels to Nowhere

thecrankycamper

We return to Shoemaker Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains to explore the spooky Cold War-era escape tunnels. The project was abandoned, but the tunnels remain a testament to a time gone by marked by fear and hysteria. In this post are trail conditions at time of writing and safety considerations.