trinacriabob

@David That's sad to hear. Sedan choices are dwindling further. The post says they will probably keep the Camry. I don't know why the Corolla doesn't stay on as well. Do they not sell enough of them?

EXTERIOR PHOTOS Side view - close to 110" of wheelbase Angled front view Angled rear view SEAT has its historical roots in Spain, so as you hit the key fob, it sends out this "hello" greeting from under the outside driver's side mirror. It does the same for the passenger side. I was at a laundromat doing a wash and dry and the this is how the Tarraco, at the right, compares in size with most of the cars I was sharing the road with. I'd say the car at the very left was about the norm. - - - - - INTERIOR PHOTOS An overall look at the dashboard, the console, and the front seat space. This navigation system is front and center on the IP cluster. The tach is at the left and the speedo (km) is at the right. Very readable gauges for temperature at the left and fuel at the right are vertical. There is also info on time, weather, the gear you're in (including D1 through D7, a digital speed readout, and both the trip and regular odometer. It was easy to live with. The navigation function is operated from the infotainment screen. Here are the different toggles and switches on the leather wrapped steering wheel. They took a little more getting used to than the IP. This is the infotainment center, which is mostly engaged on the dash. As for its graphics, I wasn't going to disappoint anyone. Climate controls are easy to use and, next to the lever, there is the new style parking brake, a hill hold button, and a button that turns off the auto stop-auto on feature, which annoys me. The seats focus more on being roomy than ergonomic, but they worked well. This is what the rear seat looks like. This shows the boxy and utilitarian shape of the rear seats, the rear legroom, and some convenient functions for rear seat passengers at the back of the console box. The bulky front headrest was a little bit of a chore to contend with for visibility. I just slid the seat forward to improve the view. The rear pillar wasn't that bad, like it would be on a Buick Envision, for example, and that last "opera window" was somewhat helpful. The rear cargo cover remained and hides contents from sight. Trunk capacity is fairly generous with the third row seats folded down. Here, you can see the top of the retractable cargo cover. I had stepped into a multi brand dealership: Mercedes - Smart - Opel - Subaru. This outfit was more professional than most I've seen in the states. I didn't think sharing any Subaru jokes would have been appropriate, so I just took photos ... and these brochures. - - - - - MECHANICAL PHOTOS It's a 2.0 liter (2,000 cc) turbo diesel engine. Even as you go up in price point, the Europeans often keep the prop rod over hood struts. I don't like that. - - - - - "BONUS PHOTOS" Here is the town of Sulmona, Italy. It might have some medieval aspects. Behind the archway is the town square, and there was plenty of parking around it. The sign means "slow down, speed kills," A few months ago, a brown bear that is rare and specific to this region was killed one night while crossing the highway. It wasn't just any bear, but one that had become an area mascot. They'd relocate him and he'd keep coming back. He just wanted food. He didn't bother the people and didn't get into fights with the local dogs. He even had a name - Juan Carrito. (1) (2) The cars in the ski town of Roccaraso tend to be nicer, so such an accessory for this ugly car is to be expected. (1) article Italian bear famous for bakery break-in dies after being hit by car | Italy | The Guardian (2) video - - - - - END OF PHOTOS

I had rented a car in an Italian city on the Adriatic side - a small vehicle with an automatic - and once again, got upgraded. This was a substantial upgrade into a larger crossover SUV - a Seat Tarraco. The car is named after the Spanish city of Tarragona. I did not know what this model was, except that it was a SEAT product. Upon getting into the vehicle, one sees the typical graphics and appointments shared by the VW family of brands, which include SEAT and Skoda. It shares a lot of components with the VW Tiguan and is built at the same plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. I set up the car right away and learned the controls. It’s better to do this up front than learn it on the fly when the going gets rough. One of the most interesting things about this SUV was the main instrument pod. The navigation system, and it’s a fairly clear one, is smack in the middle of the pod. Gauges surround it and are readable. I was able to set it to also give me the km/h readout. The infotainment center “laptop left open” screen isn’t too bad because it’s partially engaged. It’s fairly easy to operate. The climate control panel below it is even easier to operate. It’s such a large vehicle that you know it will ride smoothly. And, as you pull out of the rental lot, it’s apparent that the maneuvering will be nimble. The ride is always controlled and road imperfections rarely come through, and neither does much road noise. With the size of the car, especially in a medium sized Italian city and the region around it, its being nimble was important. Where I didn’t push it was in cloverleaf ramps and mountain switchbacks. The higher center of gravity and its curb weight of a little over 4,000 pounds (~1,816 kg) discouraged that. The Tarraco was powered by a diesel. I’ve rarely driven diesels except maybe in moving vans. It, too, was quiet, almost like an ICE 4 cylinder we’d have in America or from Asia. Standing outside of it with the engine running, its being a diesel was more apparent. The displacement was 2.0 liters, or 2,000 cc to Europeans. A turbocharger was included in the package, and that’s what inspired more confidence in getting around in the Tarraco. When it’s the diesel and DSG combination, the horsepower produced could either be 187hp or 197 hp. The transmission was the VW family’s 7 speed DSGs, which operate in automatic mode. It behaved like most of the recent automatics I’ve been rented in Europe, a far cry from the automatics in early Smart cars and Opel Corsas that took long pauses as they changed gears under normal throttle. Shifts were almost seamless, with little rpm noise to convey that and best shown by the tachometer. There was one notable and impressive feature with this vehicle. When the accelerator is pushed to downshift, the uptick in rpms seemed almost “restricted” and not that pronounced like it can be in some automatics and in CVTs, but it’s enough to get the job done – pick up speed, pass, etc. That was probably programmed into the car’s electronics. Given that it was heavy and a diesel, I still didn’t take any chances with tight passes on 2 many lane roads and in the mountainous areas inland from the coast. The car’s seats were firm, and finish was good, but not something one would remember. The seats were flatter and the minimal bolstering gave a lot of latitude to drivers and passengers. The seating surfaces were also fairly flat and didn’t have much sculpting. The car had a lot of legroom up front and in the second row of seats, and there was even a third row that was pushed down and which the retractable cover concealed. The third row would obviously reduce the generosity of the trunk space. The Tarraco reminded me a lot of the Toyota RAV4 more so than something like a Chevy Traverse or other vehicles of this type that I’ve driven. The RAV 4 has a larger 4 cylinder engine (in the U.S.) sending power through Toyota’s slick shifting 8 speed automatic while this unit has 7 gears. The RAV4’s basic shape is probably what reminded me of the Tarraco. Someone at a service area, all of which seem to have an Autogrill (sort of a Denny’s with a mini-market), saw me taking some photos of it and commented that it was a nice car. It’s obviously a matter of context, given the typically smaller vehicles over there. I had it for a week and, frankly, I found it too big for what I needed and for the conditions, even though I managed. Finally, the Tarraco’s shining star was its fuel economy. I drove it for about 1,000 km, so about 600 miles, and, when I was ready to return it, there was a little less than 1/8 of a tank and the low fuel light had just come on. The week long rental included city driving, autostrada driving, and driving into the lower altitudes of the Apennine range. I’m sure that, since VW, Skoda, and Seat are producing increasingly popular and reliable products, it can be recommended, assuming you can deal with its size and want its capacity. It isn’t that thirsty, but with a bigger vehicle and more features, repairs and maintenance will likely be more costly than in smaller cars like VW Golfs and SEAT Ibizas. If this car, or the related VW Tiguan, have good reliability ratings, I believe I’d be inclined to choose it over the Toyota RAV4. - - - - - Photos forthcoming

Again, I need to slot in one into its proper month. I couldn't resist this one. It looked like an old Ford Falcon in fantastic condition, but its badging says it's a Futura. I think it's sort of a LaCrosse/Allure thing. It would be interesting to know who its owner is and if that person is a character.

Maybe it's just like it worked for your dad. I do fine with scallops, shrimp, and lobster. Lobster isn't an everyday thing! As for scallops, I can slam dunk them down the hatch. I'm wondering if it was the batter. I've repeatedly gotten sick on certain chain restaurants' fried chicken and chicken usually works out well. So, with the one on-one off situation, I also will not go near calamari and the fried chicken from certain places to be on the safe side. Say what you may, but I will not eat squid or octopus, just like I would not eat alligator or rattlesnake! Kalinixta.

I ate calamari once. They looked like onion rings. They tasted pretty good. About 3 hours later, it felt like a vice grip had been put to my stomach. Extreme pain. About 5 other people ate from that same platter and did not get sick. I wonder what that was all about. Lamb can be a deal breaker. It can often be prepared poorly. The flavor is definitely different. If it's a place that knows what they're doing, I will eat it. No problem. Especially in a gyro or on souvlaki skewers. - - - - - My real random thought: Has anybody flown on Spirit or Frontier? I never have ... or, not yet. So you see the low price, but everything else has a separate cost (1) carry on, (2) checked bag, and (3) seat selection, right? Are they competent and do they get the job done without too much drama?

About 85% of what is on this list works for me. I like all of the those desserts. Squid and octopus? Absolutely not.

Thanks. Weird and not weird. Weird that they're on the same line. Not weird if you consider they are probably rolling off the line to be parked or whatever they do with them once assembly is finished. It would be nice if the Americans could at least design EVs that have 3 volumes instead of forcing us into boxes.

Ok, just out of curiosity, in that first photo, I see a white car (a Bolt?) coming down the line followed by something that looks like a small sedan. What is it? Is that one going to be electric? I'm guessing the Orion Township MI plant makes cars for North America and don't know if that some of that plant's output is destined overseas markets. I was wondering about that small sedan that looks sort of Sonic/Cruze sized.

I looked it up. Those red "things" are eggs ... Easter eggs. That's funny. Their being painted red symbolizes that blood was shed while the egg itself symbolizes rebirth. Two people, most likely Greek adherents, will exchange a traditional Easter greeting by each cracking an egg with each other. I'm sure that there's a lot more theological depth involved beyond this basic explanation.

I found this one I had taken as I was archiving. In the SoCal desert, there are some unusual structures that people have as Airbnb. Or people might live in them. I saw this place several times over the course of a few days. I was not seeing double. I still found this "vista," particularly with the matched vehicles, sort of laughable.

What is a typical meal or what are typical foods, including desserts, that Greek Easter is celebrated with?

@oldshurst442 KALO PASCHA! I wish you and your family a happy Greek Easter. (We're a week apart this year.)

I recall that you like fueling at Costco. I have tended to use Shell and Marathon. You can hook up Shell Fuel Rewards for miles on American Airlines. Marathon hooked up with Southwest but dropped that partner, so I don't use them much or at all now. I'm now open to other brands, such as Sunoco and BP, These brands cost a little more, but I use the GasBuddy app to find cheaper stations. I also like earning air miles. Every little bit helps.

yawn

Just a consumer oriented FYI: Sunoco, in the U.S., fell out of the Top Tier fuel list at some point during the pandemic. They are now back on the Top Tier fuel list.

Thank you for making these memories even LESS painful. It could only be the work of @oldshurst442 !

I didn't see this until now. Belated Happy "National Pet Day" (April 11) ... certainly more important to most people than Thomas Jefferson's birthday.

Happy Thomas Jefferson's birthday. No holiday, but ... ... he was our third President, an architect (concurrently, before, after, I don't know), and the founder and designer (initial core campus) of the University of Virginia. Here's their famed emblematic Rotunda and that's a statue of Jefferson in front. This place didn't let me in for a grad program I applied to! I wasn't even pissed like I normally would be. I guess it wasn't meant to be. I still like them, want them to win their games against "most" of their opponents, and if driving north-south along the Atlantic Seaboard, I might even detour to visit this historic place, to which Monticello, Jefferson's home and grounds, is also nearby. It's a stunning campus, as seen from this nighttime aerial view, picking up a little more of Charlottesville, VA. A coworker was expecting to have his kid, a boy, arrive on this day and I told him to consider the name Thomas and the reasoning behind it. This isn't the kind of advice people expect when a newborn is about to arrive.

Okay, those trip photos were from last year (outbound and return). - - - - - Earlier this year, I checked another aircraft off the bucket list. I had to check the free mileage ticket calendar, find the segment with an Airbus 340(-300) that Swiss (partner of United) uses, and book it by just paying about $75 in taxes. The folks at Swiss and the plane were great! The 340-300 (better proportions than the larger 600) parked at the gate. The smaller engines on this smaller version of the 340 are cool. The girl in the aisle probably wondered what I'm doing. (It's mostly males that photograph airplanes, so she probably can't relate.) This is the economy cabin: 2-4-2 seating If you see an engine that far out on a wing from your seat, you know you're on a "quad." Clean and green Switzerland, and the landing in Zurich (to transfer) will be happening in about a minute or two. - - - - - The return was on a domestic 787. Remaining on the bucket list - let's see if I can do it all in a year - are the rare 767-400, the biggest 777 (the 300ER) and the newer Airbus 350. Part of the fun for me is also how you get there.

Some recent enough real life experiences - - - - - A-330 The eastbound crossing aboard Finnair (partner of AA) and changing planes in Helsinki of all places ... great airline The 2-4-2 seating of the A-330 cabin The plane seen after getting off in Helsinki and inside the terminal Here's their newish A-350, with the curved winglets and raccoon paint around the front window - - - - - A-380! The westbound crossing aboard British Airways (partner of AA) and changing planes in LHR, which is a crazy place ... mixed opinion of this airline I think this one was leaving LHR before us for Miami International "Land of the Giants:" If I'm higher than the pilot on that other A-380, that means I'm upstairs, but in economy at the very back This is 2-4-2 economy because of the domed shape on the upper level; sitting upstairs at a window is not that great because the separation between the window at the inside and the exterior has a huge angled gap, so the views aren't that great ... I prefer the 747 With the sloped sides where they couldn't fit another seat, you get this extra bin beside you upstairs I snuck down the stairs to main level economy before they put up the dog and toddler gate Then, they put up the gate to curb any childlike enthusiasm for exploring A nice way to deplane to remember the flight and the majesty of this super-jumbo

This is now on my list of things to do. I find it hard to believe that, on an impact like that, a big 777(-200) didn't throw out pieces of metal and parts that could have been found and traced. Or is it possible for it to slice through the ocean surface without much breakage? I don't remember how that one played out, but when the Air France jet (an A-330) bound from Rio de Janeiro to Paris several years ago went down in the ocean, I believe it left visible wreckage.

The technology is changing so fast that I'm holding off on auto decisions. I want to wait until the dust settles, if that even happens.

That is the line of demarcation - those who plan to turn the car around and those who plan to keep it a long time. A friend who had an early '90s Thunderbird coupe with the bar chart graphics on the instrument cluster had it fail and it was $500 to drop the new one - a solid state piece - into the dash, and this was in the early 2000s. Now, just like there is planned obsolescence, there seems to be "planned service life." And, yes, it would penalize the person who is in it to keep a vehicle for a long time.

I don't hate all of it ... just some of it. I ask myself, "How much will that cost to repair?" I have watched how the dash changed from the one on the last Envision to the new Envision. I'll take the dash on the last Envision, for example. Is the current Envision dash one big R&R job, or are there segments of it that are salvageable? I'm afraid to ask. I don't plan on using my GM points on one to begin with. I don't mind the TV screen, as long as it's well done and integrated into the design of the dash. I do wish they could leave the climate controls in a separate pod that doesn't rely on touch controls. Because of connectivity to Bluetooth et. al., I could see the audio features remaining up on the TV screen. When technology changes again and something different from those big TV screens comes along, they sure will look crappy. We're currently making fun of stuff on cars from the '80s and '90s. I see them having their day, too. Recent changes in cars are making them more expensive to buy and more expensive to repair. It's no wonder some people are "frozen" with regard to this type of purchase.