I am posting this from New Zealand, in the midst of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to this far, far away country. It’s a luscious, green land – very much like Scotland – with beautiful scenery, pleasant people, and rain, even in the summer.
The Wanaka Tree
My picture of the Wanaka Tree is as good a snapshot of the scenery as any. (Do be careful how you pronounce it! For more information, see here.)
I might do a longer post about the trip after my return. For now, I offer the following selection of standout memories beyond the scenery, the people, and the weather. These may not be the ones the New Zealand Tourist Authority would promote…
Red traffic cones. We’ve been doing a lot of driving. The journeys have been pleasant, but I have never seen so many damn roadworks in as short a space of time as I have on this trip. Even now, in tiny Franz Josef, there are roadworks and a community of red traffic cones at either end of the place!
Roadkill! Along with the driving came lots of dead animals littering the roads. (And I do mean lots.) Somebody really needs to give the poor things a primer in road safety.
No safes. So far, not one of the places we have stayed at has had a safe for valuables in the room. This may be due to the low level of crime, but this is untested. Certainly people were happily reassuring us that nothing would happen to our luggage if we temporarily left it unattended.
No tipping culture. Only in a small minority of places have we been prompted to add a tip to our bill. I cannot imagine that state of affairs will endure too long.
So, it’s a nice country and we’re having a nice time. And we’re very grateful that we’re getting the opportunity to experience and enjoy this trip. We are blessed.
[I am going to keep this post politics-free. That content will probably feature in a later post.]
After the Compass Games Expo, I travelled to New York for a few days to do a bit of shopping and incidental sightseeing. My immediate impressions, apart from the biting cold, were that the city looked a little more seedy and there were more homeless people and beggars on the street than on my last visit in 2019. I lost count of the times I was directly approached by people asking for money. Given how little cash is used today, I wonder how they survive.
One of the aspects of visiting places like Hong Kong and Shanghai that I did not like was the ‘in-your-face’ display of opulence and unimaginable wealth alongside terrible poverty, homelessness, and deprivation. For some unknown reason, previously I did not have that sensation in New York, but this time around it was very much in evidence. In such circumstances, maybe it’s more understandable from this perspective why the locals would vote in a mayor whose focus and slogans are firmly directed towards these and other social issues, regardless of his views about Zionism (and America?) and his inexperience.
My main shopping was done in Target (good value clothes for the grandchildren), Macy’s (good time browsing, but high prices), The Lego Store (one kit bought for a grandchild), Compleat Strategist (one game bought – such restraint!), Barnes & Noble (half-a-dozen books bought), and B&H Photo (the world’s largest independent electronics store, where I traded in and upgraded a lens for my camera).
Most of my time was spent walking around, soaking in the city, then retiring to my hotel to recover before the next outing. Apart from the shopping destinations, there was no plan to the walks; I just headed in whatever direction I fancied. The weather wasn’t great for photography, but I managed to get some decent shots. Like Berlin, the architecture is interesting.
During the day, I never felt unsafe, but as night fell and the streets emptied, I holed up in my room and watched sports on the TV. I’ve come to appreciate basketball and ice hockey a bit more. I still don’t enjoy the constant commercialization where each chunk of the program is “brought to you by our sponsor…” Also, there was a near constant stream of adverts for medicines. On the screen, alongside the product name, there would habitually be some happy, beautiful people doing all kinds of wonderful activities despite their medical condition. Simultaneously, in small text and rushed narrative you would be told that “side effects may include blindness, heart attacks, or sudden death.” Oh joy.
New York remains one of my favorite cities to visit – I could never live there, though – and I’m sure I’ll be back. It will be interesting to see how it changes between now and then.
This year I was able to attend the Compass Games Expo in Meriden Connecticut which ran from 5-9 November. Based in the Comfort Inn and Suites, the playing facilities were good with plentiful tables and space, and lots of different games to sample. In addition, Compass ran a pop-up store offering its games at a substantial discount. In such a situation, it’s a bummer having restricted luggage capacity, but I did buy some of the games I wanted.
The convention noticeboard showing the available game demonstration and teaching sessions.
I invested my playing time mostly in MMP’s Great Campaigns of the American Civil War (GCACW) because it’s one of my favorite systems and I’ve only ever played it solitaire. The con was an opportunity to play, watch, and learn.
First up, along with Bruno, Jeff, and Marshall, I played scenario 7, the Virginia Campaign (the 1861 Bull Run campaign game) from All Green Alike, part of the Stonewall Jackson’s Way II game. At a fairly leisurely pace, we finished the 14-turn game inside two days, resulting in a CSA victory. (You should be able to guess which side I was on…) I don’t have any way of properly assessing how balanced the scenario is, but it truly didn’t matter to me as the focus was on playing the game and learning. Certainly the others seemed to know what they were doing! And it was good fun.
Before my next GCACW game, I played several turns of American Tank Ace – a solitaire game – because the game I had arranged never happened due to my opponent ghosting me, and I didn’t fancy any of the other open slots. American Tank Ace, a solitaire game about being a USA tank commander in Western Europe in 1944-45, was one of my Compass purchases and although the rules have several loose and stray ends, I persevered and the end result was worth the effort. I plan on spending some more time with this game.
Second of my GCACW games, I played scenario 3, McLellan’s Opportunity (the time between South Mountain and Antietam) from Roads to Gettysburg II with Rob. This is a short 3-turn action-packied scenario. My CSA forces failed to hold back the swarms of Union soldiers. Rob’s analysis, which I think is correct, is that the CSA player has the harder task in the scenario as his forces are limited and any one mistake or bad luck in the initiative rolls can make a significant difference. The Union player, however, has plentiful forces and if one division is fought to a standstill, there are plenty more to get the job done. The CSA side can win, but it’s a tougher challenge. Regardless, I enjoyed playing the game and learned a lot.
It was a long way to travel to play games, but that comes with living in Israel. It was definitely worthwhile, despite the jet-lag. The gamers I played with were all courteous, patient, and willing to share their knowledge and I had a ball. It was wonderful being able to see all the other games being played in the flesh – from fifty-year-old classics to brand new unpublished designs – and chat to people about the games and the hobby. The experience has cemented my love affair with GCACW and I’m now going to make a concerted effort to play more of the series.
I stayed in the convention hotel. Let’s just say it’s basic, and if I ever get the chance to go to this convention again, I’ll probably stay elsewhere. It was clean and the staff tried hard, but the shower was less than brilliant and the breakfast uninspiring, and that’s being kind. The food options in the immediate area are typical USA main street fare and not fantastic. Thankfully GrubHub solved that challenge.
The main street in Meriden, where the action took place, isn’t especially picturesque, but beyond the town, Connecticut was beautiful. The autumn foliage colors were glorious. I didn’t do any touring there, but that’s definitely on the agenda if I return.
The Compass Expo is a good convention. I do hope I get the chance to go again. Thanks to Bruno, Jeff, Marshall, and Rob for helping make it such a good time.
Click on the following images to enlarge them.
You only had one job…The convention hotelMaps for the campaign game I playedArdennes ’44Air and ArmorThe Emperor ReturnsNear the end of the McLellan’s Opportunity scenarioJohnston’s at start forces in the Bull Run campaignCrusade and Revolution – Spanish Civil WarCrown of RosesUnidentified wargame – possibly WW2 global?Closeup of counters from that worldwide game.Forlorn Hope – WW1 trench warfareCombat – WW2 solitaireA (forthcoming Wes Crawford?) game about the St. Albans raid during the ACWGrant – The Western Campaign of 1862
At the beginning of September 2025, Susan and I had the opportunity for a first-time visit to Berlin. I’ve been to Germany several times before, so there was none of the hesitation that some Jews have about going to the birthplace of the Holocaust. It was Susan’s first trip there, and she felt differently.
Before the journey, my thoughts were focused on how to get the most out of the time we were there, without overdoing it. Looking back, I think we did pretty well.
After the world’s worst passport control experience – 90 minutes to complete it! – we dumped our luggage at the hotel, and headed out.
Day 1
First off, we did a wee scout around the Brandenburg Gate. Then, to get it over and done with, we visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, what is colloquially called the Holocaust Memorial. The upper part is an array of 2,711 blocks (one for each page in the Talmud) in a grid formation. Each block is unique in size. The arrangement encourages you to walk through. It’s unsettling. There are no hints as to what you are supposed to think, so everyone has their own experience to relay.
There’s an excellent information center underneath the stones. It does a magnificent job of describing the horrors in a steady, neutral language, but makes it personal and shocking by telling the stories of several families from throughout Europe and how the Holocaust tore through their world.
There’s one thread that runs through all the WW2 stuff in Berlin and it started here: the Germans are not hiding their dark past. It’s there, bare and exposed for all to see. No excuses. No equivocation.
After that, we felt pretty drained. A light supper and early to bed.
Day 2
The next day started with a veritable highlight: a multi-hour bike tour of Berlin. This gave us a quick introduction to some of the key sites: Rotes Rathaus, St. Mary’s Church, Humboldt University, Cathedral of St. Hedwig, Unter den Linden, the book-burning memorial at Bebelplatz, Altes Museum, the French Embassy, the Reichstag, the TV tower, and the Fuhrerbunker. Whew! I’m sure I missed stuff.
In the afternoon we visited some of the museums on Museum Island. (A theme that runs through German name places is that they are straightforward.) If you like ancient history, you will have a great time here. The bust of Nefertiti – in the New Museum – is a must. Go see it. You will not be disappointed. To add some detail to the bit about German naming protocols, the New Museum is beside the Old Museum. Ahem.
In the evening, we went to an icebar to enjoy – I’m sure that’s what the blurb said – a few shots consumed at sub zero temperatures drinking out of glasses made of ice. Cool!
Day 3
This time we started the day with a multi-hour walking tour of Berlin. We covered some of the same sites as the bike tour, inevitably, but there was also time spent at new locations such as Checkpoint Charlie with more emphasis on the Cold War.
After a short break, we went off to Kurfürstendamm to do some browsing and shopping. Sold as Oxford Street done right, or the German version of the Champs-Élysées, this was underwhelming compared to my expectations. We did spend a long time there, mostly browsing. There’s plenty fine shopping and prices to match, but it’s not quite the top site it’s made out to be.
After our efforts so far, we were tired enough to be happy to head for the hotel and a few drinks in the bar before bed.
Interlude – Ampelmann
The following image is one of the historical curiosities of Berlin. How did the city end up with different types of ‘little green men’ on their traffic lights. Check out the story here.
Day 4
By now, we were slowing down. The day’s main activity was a lengthy stop at the Topography of Terror Museum, This soberly tells about the SS and police in the Third Reich and the crimes they committed across Europe. It starts with showing how the Nazis took power and then describes what these evil institutions did with the power they had seized.
In addition to this, there was an external exhibition about Berlin from 1933-1945.
To repeat what I said upstream: the Germans are not hiding their dark past.
We finished our footslogging with a visit to the Berlin TV tower, riding up the lift to the viewing gallery on what we were told is Europe’s highest building. The view is superb.
Time to head back to the hotel bar…
Day 5
Before our flight home, we were able to squeeze in a visit to the Jewish Museum. It was an interesting experience to see how somebody – or a group of somebodies – is trying to explain to non-Jews what Judaism means, what being Jewish means. There’s a lot of stuff here that isn’t what I would put in a Jewish museum, but that just goes to show how little I know, because the material does work. It tells a story, or rather several stories. The views of German Jews and the Jews who went to Berlin after the fall of the USSR I found particularly poignant. I was impressed by the museum, but I’m curious as to who the intentional audience is. There seemed to be a few youth (school?) groups doing the rounds of Berlin and there were a couple in this museum. Do they need to go to a museum in Berlin to find out about Jews? I’m not criticizing; I’m curious.
Back Home
I’m ready to go back tomorrow. The place oozes history, the architecture is stunning, and the public transport is first class. It’s also a good city to walk (or ride) about and you can easily get your daily 10,000 steps in. Highly recommended.
