Archive for April, 2010

… from the Boston Public Library.
Gorgeous building inside and out!! This Lion is so stoic, so proud. I love it.

Being a native of the great city of Seattle, I feel its my duty to give my readers some insight on a perfect Seattle day. Forget the Pike Place Market and Space Needle tour and grab your fleece, your birkenstocks (socks optional), your messenger bag and enjoy your day–local style.

1. Start your day with sleeping in– to hopefully beat the early morning rain showers (common during the Spring in Seattle) and then head to the U District (University of Washington area) for some wandering on the gorgeous campus. See the noted architecture of the buildings and the blooming quad, get in some shopping on the ‘Ave (excellent thrift store The Red Light ) plus a coffee must stop at the Ugly Mug Cafe on 43rd (you thought I’d send you to a Starbucks, didn’t you?).

2. After getting your caffeine buzz on and working up an appetite shopping, hoof it up to 45th for an unforgettable lunch at a Seattle landmark: Dick’s Drive-In. (Order recommendation: Deluxe, Fry, two tarters, a ketchup and a chocolate shake). Man, I am hungry just thinking about it.

the quad on the UW Campus

Dick’s

3. After the U Dist, head south just a bit to experience a legendary Seattle store: Archie McPhee’s. Archie’s was originally located in Ballard (more on that in a second) and has recently moved to the nearby Wallingford area to bump elbows with other sweet stores like my favorite travel store Wide World Books.
At Archie’s you’ll find all of the ’80′s candy you miss (candy cigarettes, ring pops and pop rocks) as well as the necessary household items such as bacon bandages, backwards clocks, pickle soap and my personal favorite, nunzilla wind-up toys, that shoot adorable sparks from the mouth.

4. To curb the candy buzz and giddy feeling from buying things you don’t need but can’t resist, take a leisurely stroll to peaceful Ballard–just down the way from Archie’s. Ballard, once its own city, a few decades ago was enveloped into Seattle proper. Ballard has kept its individuality though boasting the largest Norwegian population in the US (outside of Minnesota that is) and a bustling main street with sweet mom and pop shops, a movie theatre and and the nearby Ballard Locks where you can easily become hypnotized by the methodological process of water rising and falling as boats pass from Lake Washington/Lake Union into the Puget Sound and vice versa. The fish ladder at the locks, where the world famous Washington Salmon swim their hearts out, is very calming and entertaining–and FREE.

5. After the tranquil visit to the locks and surrounding gardens, press on past the lure of fish and chips at nearby stands (way too pricy) and head to the Tractor Tavern just a few short blocks away. Let the Tractor serve you up a locally brewed beer while you scan the upcoming live band list. Not only does the Tractor host big name bands, but also up and coming acts in their intimate venue. My claim to fame, or not, with the Tractor is that some friends from work were heading there for a happy hour cocktail years back and I passed on the invite just to find out the next morning that the unheard of band playing that night was Pearl Jam under a cover name. (Dammit– it still hurts like it was yesterday.)

6. After a few beers at the Tractor you’re probably feeling nice and loose so grab a cab and head straight to the Virginia Inn– another Seattle Landmark.
You may recognize this bar as the one from the movie Singles, where Matt Dillon’s character brainstormed with his “band mates” (real life Pearl Jam members). Sit in “their” booth and order another local beer or something a bit more crazy ’cause now you are in the Belltown area of Seattle, officially the newest “hip” place to be. Sit here a while and take in the scene.

7. Hungry? Probably. Close out your evening by dining on a Seattle staple: Sushi.
The Wasabi Bistro is just a block away from the Virginia Inn and is famous for its fresh Japanese fusion menu. They have a long happy hour (until 6 every night) and live music Sunday through Thursday. Order some sake, feast on some of their sushi roll specials (so fresh you may have seen these fish at the locks earlier) and enjoy the fact that you are in Seattle– a very friendly, walkable, green city that will always welcome you back.

Wow-Tuesday came around fast this week!! Sorry for posting a day late, but here is this weeks Travel Tuesday photo!

While in Belize a few years ago I had the experience of witnessing this boat sail (barely) into the vicinity of population near the hotel I was staying. The boat passengers: 12 Cuban residents roaming the ocean for 16 days, with little to no navigation capabilities and minimal water.

All 12 people survived, but were severely dehydrated and weak. The makeshift sails (on what clearly was a row boat modified to try and withstand high waves) were detached and torn and the floatation devices strapped to the sides, to help keep the boat from tipping, were actually old tire inner-tubes patched with materials that looked to have come from a bike tire patch kit. Inside the small boat were only a few signs that life had existed: scattered empty water bottles, a few blue tarps and some random black dress socks.

This is not the first incident of Belize welcoming Cuban’s escaping to freedom– Belize seems to be on the path of the ocean current from Cuba. The Belize people aid the refugees that survive these trips–they do not send them back or notify Cuban authorities.

It was a very interesting moment of contemplation for me. I couldn’t imagine being in the situation of boarding a rickety boat, leaving all of my possessions, my country, my friends and family behind–risking my life hoping to survive to start a new life. Whenever I feel that my life is not going the way I want it to–I look at this photo and remember how fortunate I am.

Many people don’t realize how big of a state NY is– and how far it reaches geographically. Although New York City has the majority of the population in the state, the state does offer many more areas to explore outside of “the city”.

Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers and Syracuse are the state’s largest cities after NYC but their average population of 200-300 thousand people each (data gathered from last census in 2000), falls far below New York City’s population of over 8 million. New York is so spread out that the residents of Buffalo would have to travel just as far to visit the city as to visit Montreal, Quebec in Canada.

New York City (made up of the 5 boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) is considered, by many upstate NY’ers, a different state. More liberal and well known than the rest of the state, NYC represents cement, skyscrapers and traffic–a much different landscape than the farmlands and rural roads that make up the majority of NY state.

So when NYC’s residents want to escape to the suburbs, they have many options, but where do they usually go?

They go to New Jersey.

Really? Jersey?

When people hear “New Jersey”, thoughts of murders, smog, gangs, slums and crime usually formulate in their minds. While Newark doesn’t have the best reputation (but in its defense, the crime rate has gone down the last few years), it is not a good representation of the Garden State.

New Jersey is close to NYC. Just a 10 min ferry ride over the Hudson River from midtown Manhattan or depending on traffic, a quick drive away via the Holland or Lincoln tunnels or over the George Washington Bridge. The train is another and perhaps the most popular form of travel for the “bridge and tunnel” commuters (the nickname given to New Jersey folks that live in Jersey and work or party in the city) or for those NYC’ers who want to get away.

Sonny Werblin, the owner of the NY Jets football team during the 1970′s, was asked about the New York Giants playing in New Jersey (both the Giants and Jets to this day play in Jersey), and he explained the geography of the New York City Metro area perfectly by saying “If you pave the Hudson River it becomes 13th Avenue.”

He was right. Jersey, only separated from NYC by the narrow Hudson River, is a small state, but it is also the most densely populated of all the states. Within direct view from Manhattan are the towns of Hoboken (birthplace of Frank Sinatra) and Jersey City. Both cities had their trials and tribulations just as NYC did in the ’80′s, but as of the last 5 years have been revived into the hippest cities in New Jersey for the college grads, young families and those that work in Manhattan but don’t want to pay Manhattan rent. Jersey City and Hoboken boast some of the best views of Manhattan and with easy access by ferry from Jersey City to the Statue of Liberty (also technically in Jersey) there are many reasons to visit this “6th Borough”.

view of Manhattan from Jersey City

Just twenty six miles outside of NYC is Morristown, NJ (where I lived for a short time after first moving to the East Coast). Morristown has recently been compared to a smaller Manhattan complete with a “central” park known as “the Green”, coffee shops (Greenberrys Coffee is my favorite) and mom & pop stores that ooze with a small town feeling. In fact, nearly all of the towns in Jersey have their own “main street” small town shopping districts with strong local town pride that presents itself in the town parades and community events. Even though Morristown is one of the new cool places to visit and live, it also has a bit of a country feel when you get just outside the city limits.

just out of the Morristown city limits

Head south just a bit more and you will be in one of my favorite town in Jersey: Princeton. Yes, that Princeton. Not only is it home to the prestigious Ivy League University with a very gorgeous and walkable campus, but is also a small town with high end shops, cute restaurants and the resting place of many well known historical figures such as the President Grover Cleveland at the nearby cemetery (also very walkable and interesting in its own right).

Princeton University

Of course one of the best “suburbs” of NYC is the Jersey Shore area. While the Shore towns of Pt. Pleasant, Seaside and Long Beach Island are closer in miles to Pennsylvania than to NYC, the Shore is an easy train ride away from the city or about a 2 hr drive. While New York has coveted beach towns of its own in the Hamptons, the Jersey Shore is extremely clean (NJ is the only state that requires a fee of $7 to visit the public beaches and that fee goes directly to beach maintenance), has more affordable beach rentals than the Hamptons and is popular with all ages because of the vast stretches of clean beach (some crowded, some not), the surfing and the multiple boardwalk amusement parks.

a crowded beach at the Shore

rental homes just off the boardwalk

less crowded beach

boardwalk amusement park

These mentioned towns are just a few that make up the ‘burbs of NYC and while the Jersey residents know their state acts as a suburb (all of the news shown on tv is NYC based and many Jersey residents are employed in NYC) there is still a great deal of Jersey pride that is obvious to the visitor. Whether you want to get out of NYC for a day or make it a longer trip and visit the home state of Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi, New Jersey, in its own right, deserves a visit.

Fact: The band Iron Butterfly wrote an epic musical number called In the Garden of Eden.

Fact: the lead singer, during rehearsal, was intoxicated (shocking, I know) beyond belief and slurred the title, making it sound like In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. In their inebriated state, the band members all thought this was awesome and decided to change the name of the song to this officially.

Present day (well about a month ago): While leisurely boating our way through the British Virgin Islands, we were fortunate to hit great weather. This allowed us the ability to visit the barely touched, remote island of Anegada (see where I am going with this?)

the guys looking for places to dive

Anegada, the furthest north island in the BVI chain, is also known as the drowned island as you don’t really see it until you are nearly right up on it. The tallest point on the island is 27′ and I am pretty sure after exploring the entire island–that that measurement was obtained by one of the only 200 year round residents standing on top of a beach bar with his hands raised in the air.

The island has more goats than people

With nothing to guide an incoming boat by sight, perfect weather is required to visit the island as it is surrounded by AND made up of coral reef and navigating a boat through the coral when the water is not calm and clear can be dangerous. In fact, many charter companies actually forbid their boats to be taken to Anegada because the seas around the island can be so volatile and the reef so damaging if struck.

the boat population viewed from the beach bar

As I mentioned, we had perfect weather and anchored in the harbor for two nights. We explored the island by foot, a rented Datsun truck and by dinghy. It was on Anegada that we felt the most isolated. The beaches were empty and while there were a handful of restaurants on the island, unless you had your dinner order in by 4pm, you didn’t eat.

(note: As with many places in the BVI’s, the menu is caught shortly before it is cooked so the orders had to be in early. The menu choices didn’t vary much from lobster or prawns on any of the islands both are plentiful. The seafood was fresh and delicious for the most part–but by the end of the trip we were ready for some hamburgers).

our waiter/chef/fisherman/restaurant owner

our truck

Anegada is home to the third largest reef in the world: Horseshoe Reef. We spent our days snorkeling and diving off the shore. We swam with sting rays, swam away from barracuda and interacted with very playful turtles. The underwater coral formations were gorgeous with swim through caves and caverns and although I didn’t see as many colorful fish here as I did on the other islands, the stingrays, turtles and bathtub warm water made up for that.

Each night we’d all head back to the boat for happy hour and talk about the day (this was a regular occurrence every night in the BVI’s and I miss it so much now that we are back at home).

Nightly view

And although some may deny it–every member of our party was guilty for at least once humming/signing/doing air guitar along to the song In a gadda da vida when ever the island Anegada was mentioned by name.

When I returned home and once again had access to a steady internet connection, I learned of this Iron Butterfly story and I put two and two together. Anegada the island does have garden of eden qualities: beauty, peacefulness, desolate white sand beaches (Eden had beaches, right?) like the original name of the song that was changed to sound kinda like the island…

Did those guys in Iron Butterfly know something back then? Was their drunken slurring actually insightful musical genius beyond even their own comprehension?

Hmmmmm.

With Spring officially here and the snow finally melted, I’m ready to get outside! Lets hike!

Growing up in the Pacific North West, it was hard NOT to hike. The outdoor co-op company REI has it’s headquarters in Seattle, the mountain ranges are populated with gorgeous waterfalls, canopied by enormous evergreen trees and thick with rain forests and mountain lakes–some not yet reached by humans. The year-round moderate temperatures in the area allow for enjoyable hiking in every season (just be prepared to spend some money on the Gortex gear as it does rain; a lot.).

Seattle with Rainier in the background flickr: jim914109

University of Washington with mountains at sunset.

In Seattle, where I lived, one can look in every direction (on a clear day of course), and see snow capped mountains encircling the entire city with the gem of the state, the highest elevation point in Washington towering above all the rest: Mt Rainier–nearly 15K feet at the summit. While impossible to hike to the top of Rainier causally as much planning is required due to the conditions and elevation gain– it is not uncommon to go on a day hike in and around Rainier or in other areas just outside of Seattle and reach an elevation gain of 4000 to 5000 ft. Aside from Rainier National Park there are dozens of other hiking spots that are easily climbed in just a few hours including the still active Volcano Mt. St. Helens and one of my favorite spots, Mt. Si which tops out at 4166 ft and is 8 miles round trip.

Mt Rainier flickr: pjink11

Oregon and Vancouver BC make up the rest of the NW and also have their share of hike destinations including Mt. Hood and Crater Lake just outside of Portland, Or and endless trails in Whistler BC –a couple hours drive from Vancouver. Both Ski resorts in the Winter, Whistler and Mt Hood boast nearly as many visitors in the summer for hiking and mountain biking as they do in the Winter due to their reputation for reliably sunny skies and accommodating village environment with lodging, restaurants and nightlife .

Crater Lake

Mt Hood

Whistler

In contrast–here in my new state of New York–the highest point is Mt. Marcy in the Adirondack Mountain Range at 5134 ft. The Adirondacks, in the NE part of New York, boast many lakes and hiking trails, was the nation’s first preserved wilderness and the closest distance for Manhattanites escape the concrete forest and experience the “real” outdoors.

Lake George is one of the highlights in the Adirondacks (popular not just for hiking but also fishing and swimming) and other spots I’ve had the time to discover in the area are Lake Placid, home of the 1980 Winter Olympics and Stowe, VT.

Stowe too is a ski mecca in the winter but caters to the spring and summer crowd with Gondola rides to the tops of the peaks and well kept trails with names like Hogback Mountain and Emily’s Bridge to bring you down.

Stowe, VT

While the elevation gain of these North East locations cannot be compared to the West Coast, one benefit out East is traveling far distances is not required to find hiking opportunities in many different states. The states in the NE are much smaller in size and are in closer proximity to each other than are the states out West, so East Coast hikers generally hike different spots more often.

For example, driving from New Jersey to Vermont takes about 4 hours, but the different routes and states traveled during that drive all have varying trails and scenery (not to mention historical and cultural landmarks). The same time span traveled in the West Coast may get you to the edge of a bordering state, but likely you will still be within the same state you started in.

So which area has better hiking? West or East? Of course it is based on personal preference. If elevation gain is your thing and you don’t mind a little soggy hiking, head West. If covering more area quicker without sacrificing beauty is more appealing–come out East. Either way– go, hike!

the author, hiking Whistler, BC

For more information on any of the trails or locations mentioned, please leave a comment and I will get back to you!

All pictures by diana ellefson except where mentioned.

It is Tuesday and in Twitter land and on this site it is known as Travel Tuesday. Today’s photo was taken a few Julys ago in Alaska.

The Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau.

Today I am honored to have a fellow travel writer guest posting on Travel. Write. Repeat.

Brendan van Son is a world traveler that originated in Alberta, Canada and is currently traveling in Chile and documenting his adventures, tips and helpful information discovered while there.

Please enjoy the below post and read his other work on his website and if you Twitter, follow him: @brendanvanson

Thanks Brendan for this post and Travel. Write. Repeat. looks forward to future guest posts from you!

————-

7 Things you should to know BEFORE traveling South America

1. Mexican food is from Mexico

It amazes me every single time someone makes the comment “How come I can’t get proper Mexican food here in Peru (…or Ecuador, or whatever)?” This is basically the equivalent of someone wondering why they can’t get good Thai food in China. Only the difference between Bangkok and Beijing is shorter than Santiago and Guadalajara. The truth is that South American food isn’t anything like Mexican. You are much more likely to find a steak or a pizza than a taco. And for spicy food in general should probably look elsewhere, maybe Thailand. Other than the occasional chili or rocoto the food in South America is generally tame.

-

2. Not everyone speaks English

I know many travelers start their journeys in places that nearly everyone speaks at least a little bit of English. But South America, with the exception of the Guyanas in the North, were not colonized by the French, Dutch or England, and thus, had no reason to adopt it as a second language, very few people speak English. People in South America speak Spanish, Portuguese, and in some cases pre-European languages like Quechua. We in the travel world seem to have a little bit of an Anglo-centric view about how the world works, but the truth is that if you travel here it is in your best interest to pick up a little bit of Spanish and/or Portuguese before traveling; not only to make your life easier, but also as a means of respect towards the local culture. Most cities offer night classes for Spanish, and some also offer quick “Spanish for Travelers” courses which are great. Another good idea is to spend a week in a Spanish course in your city of embankment; Quito, Ecuador provides lots of great courses for good value.

sunset over old town

-

3. The Inca Trail doesn’t only go from Cusco to Machu Picchu

Many travelers seem to be under the illusion that the Inca trail runs solely between the Inca capital of Cusco and Machu Picchu. The reality is that this is merely a small section of a greater spider web of trails that covers basically all of South America from as far north as Colombia to as far south as northern Chile and Argentina. In fact, the link between Cusco and the lost city of Machu Picchu was probably not even a part of the main Inca Royal Highway. And as one local guide once told me, “there are thousands of Machu Picchu’s scattered around the Andes of South America, it’s up to you to discover them.” The Inca trail networks off to many of these impressive sites including Choquequirao.

Choquequirao

-

4. Carnival is not a Rio thing

Maybe drawn to the allure of the white beaches and skimpy bikinis, or the wild parties, people from all over the world flock to Rio de Janeiro for Carnival. What they often come to find is that Carnival in Rio is far from authentic, and instead is filled with drunken tourists confused by the amount of drunken tourists in Rio, and they watch the colourful parades from between six and sixty rows deep. Although this may be what some people are looking for, if you are really looking a more personal and engaged experience you can head to one of many different places. In fact, Rio probably isn’t even the best place to do Carnival in Brazil. Salvador de Recife in the north of the country provides all the partying and dancing you can ask for with a little more natural character and charm. The Caribbean Island nation of Trinidad and Tobago might provide the most colourful and authentic carnival experience anywhere. In fact, you don’t even need to be in Caribbean to enjoy Carnival. Both La Paz, Bolivia and Tena, Ecuador have unexpectedly interesting Carnival processions.

-

5. Montezuma WILL get his revenge

This next piece of advice boils down to mental preparation more than anything. When the Spanish conquistadors defeated the Aztec people in the Central Mexican valley, it is said that the Mexica leader, Montezuma, may have mistaken Hernan Cortes to be the mythical Aztec God Quetzalcoatl. The Spanish used this mistake against the Aztec to gain trust, and in turn break it. The story now goes that Montezuma has been getting his revenge on foreign intruders in Latin America ever since through the form of violent diarrhea. The truth is, for the most part, this one is unavoidable. It is just a matter of your body not being used to the bacteria in the foods in South America. Basically, your body has not yet built the anti-bodies to defend from them. Exacerbated by the fact that toilet paper cannot be flushed in Latin America, there can be some less than faltering nights spent in and around the bathroom. And nearly everyone who has traveled Latin America has a very good “poop” story.

-

6. Colombia does not have to be avoided

Of all the countries in South America, it is Colombia that may have the biggest tourism potential. Although it lacks a “wonder of the world” quality piece of architecture or nature, it provides all the beauty and adventure necessary to appeal to tourists. Colombia’s Caribbean coastline may be one of the most visually stunning places in all of South America, and small white sand beach islands of San Andres and Providencia are as good as any Caribbean Island destination. The city of Cartagena has perhaps the most appealing colonial district in the hemisphere as well. The rural highlands of the country too will leave visitors in awe. Although it is true that there is still a contingency of insurgencies and counter-insurgencies throughout the country, the majority of them are concentrated in very rural areas that you, as a tourist, are unlikely to visit anyways. Unlike Pablo Escobar’s Extraditables who made political statements by kidnappings in the early 1990s, the current insurgents are more interested in gaining legitimacy than kidnapping for political purpose. In general, travel in Colombia is actually much more safe than in places like Brazil where robberies of tourist buses are somewhat common.

-

7. The Pantanal and not the Amazon is the best spot for wildlife viewing

The mystique of the Amazon draws thousands of travelers each year. Its basin is enormous and draws water from six countries. But the truth is that the jungle is too thick and too vast to make this a wildlife sighting area. Moreover, most of the Amazon’s animals are nocturnal. So unless you spend time visiting an animal sanctuary you are unlikely to spot too much of interest. Also, the Amazon River itself is so wide that a boat cruise from Manaus to Belem will do little to allow you to spot river side wildlife. As you cruise down the Amazon you may feel more like you are in the middle of a large lake or sea than a river. On the other hand, the Panatanal which stretches itself across Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, is the most bio-diverse place on earth. And on top of it all, it is much less dense than the Amazon, which makes access to animal spotting much easier, not to mention more productive.

Pantanal

-

The author, Brendan van Son

Yes, that is a quote from yours truly when scuba diving in Panama last December– after I surfaced of course. Granted, it was a small fish–but wow–it was aggressive!

Thankfully, fish bites are rare when diving–even in the proximity of sharks believe it or not–and the beauty of what you see while underwater totally makes you forget about those tiny teeth marks in the soft flesh between your thumb and index finger.

Here are some of my favorite pictures that I snapped from recent dives (including the one of the biting fish shortly before the “incident”). Enjoy!!

parrot fish

barracuda!

sand dollar deep under the surface

This is the fish that bit me!

eagle ray

the author and a very cool turtle in Belize.

If the “laying on the beach” vacations or touring museum after museum have begun to or always bore you, perhaps its time to get to know our inner-adventurer a little better and instead of the same ol’ thing— branch out on your next trip.

Here are three tremendous adventure trips for the daredevil in you!

1. Heli-biking
Most of you have heard of Heli-skiing. You’re dropped at the top of some insanely high snowy mountain and left on your own to get down with just your skis or snowboard strapped to your feet. Heli-biking is exactly the same, except the mountain has no (or limited) snow and instead of skis– pedals connected to a bike are strapped to your feet. While visions of crashing and burning run through your head, keep in mind that many heli-bike companies around the world offer experiences for all levels, including beginners. New Zealand in my opinion seems to have a corner on the market with this adventure so if interested, look down under for a trip up high.

image from haka tours in New Zealand

2. Swim with Moby Dick
Like to snorkel but tired of seeing just small fish? Like the Caribbean? Well then you will love this adventure trip idea. Although in the last month or so there has been some bad press around swimming with whales in captivity in front of hundreds of people, there are areas in the Caribbean, like the Dominican Republic, that offer guests an opportunity to “swim with whales” in their natural environment. Don’t worry if you are not at a competition swimming level or a free-diving master– you have minimal snorkel gear and really, there isn’t much swimming involved. Tours involve a dozen or so guests who all stay together and float calmly as a group. The whales, somewhat used to this type of encounter, generally feel comfortable and do approach the group. But as I mentioned, it is their environment and since its pretty much impossible to force a natural whale encounter peacefully– sadly there is no guarantee you’ll be up close to one.

picture from ocean eyes photography

3. Fly a Fighter Jet
To make your favorite movie from the 80′s a dream come true (come on, you know you loved Top Gun) get signed up with one of the many pilot programs offered all over the US to fly in mock-combat complete with an expert pilot to act as your co-pilot (Goose), bullets (fake) and all of the daredevil maneuvers like loops, rolls and spins (real). The speed these jets normally reach–even for the beginner–200 mph and 5 g’s.

Prices can vary from the mid hundreds to the mid thousands depending on the type of jet and the time in the air. Most include a dvd to take home of you fighting those “migs”– just like Maverick did. Many of the flight schools originate near Los Angeles so its not hard to find an inexpensive ticket to get there—via commercial airline of course.

picture from incredible adventures.