Exploring Washington County, Texas

Indpendence Hall - Washington-on-the-Brazos
Barrington Farm - home of the last President of the Republic of Texas
Barrington Farm

Ranch Life Farm
John Elick - ower of Ranch Life Farm
A demonstration of cutting

Burton Cotton Gin Museum
Strolling the Historic District of Brenham
"Going for Blue Bell" means it is ice cream time

George H. W. Bush Museum
George H. W. Bush Museum
Exploring historic Chappel Hill

Chappel Hill Lavender Farm
Texas-size poinsettia at Ellison's Greenhouse
Antique Rose nursery
*****
story to follow

Prague - A City of Spires and Surprises

A beautiful skyline
Chapel in St. Vitus Church
The Astronomical Clock

St. Nicholas Church in Old Town Square
The Vltava River
One of many statues on Charles Bridge

Milos and the John Lennon Wall
Interesting state at Kafka Museum
The Golden Land

Buddha Bar Restaurant
Cooking at the Alcron Radisson
Dinner with the Matvejs whom we met in 1986
******
Prague is a magical city but along with the outstanding architecture, artwork, and food there are little side stories that add interesting twists to the sites and make them more memorable.
1. The eyes have it: On the hour tourists gather in front of the 15th century Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square when the clock’s bells ring, the cock crows, and statues perform. One legend surrounding the clock relates that the Old Town councilors were so impressed with the amazing clock that they had the eyes of the master clockmaker burnt out with a hot poker so could never build another.
2. Hands off: Located near Old Town Square, St James Church, built in 1232, is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in Prague and its great acoustics make it a wonderful venue for concerts of church music. Take note of the Virgin Mary statue on the main altar but don’t take it. It was believed to be miraculous and people donated gifts to the statue. A thief tried to steal the gifts. The statue grasped his hand and wouldn’t let go. He was found there in the morning. Nobody was able to disengage his hand, so it was cut off. Then the statue dropped the hand. The wizened, blackened hand is hanging near the entrance as a warning to would-be thieves.
3. Pet the dog: The 600-year spectacular Charles Bridge that crosses the Vltava River has 30 wonderful statues. The oldest stature is of John of Nepomuk, who was drowned in the Vltava River, at the behest of King Wenceslas because, as the confessor of the queen of Bohemia, he refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. On the bottom portion of the statue is a bronze plaque of a knight and a dog. Rubbing the dog – the spot is shiny - is suppose to bring good luck and insure one’s return to Prague.
4. Defenestration: There is actually a word to describe throwing someone out of a window, usually reserved to refer to attempts at political assassinations. Several occurred in Hradcany, including the possible assassination of Jan Masaryk, the foreign minister in 1945. Hradcany, whose history stretches back to the 9th century, is often said to be the world’s biggest castle, which is 1870 feet in length, and includes many of Prague’s most impressive buildings and the Golden Way of little shop houses.
5. The Good King: Good King Wenceslas was actually a prince. He was the second Christian ruler of the Czech lands and is the country’s patron saint. Wenceslas was murdered by his brother over a thousand years ago. His statue of him astride a steed is located in front of the National Museum and looks down the long street that has been the scene of many parades and other historic events.
6. Relief: In front of the Kafka Museum, dedicated to Franz Kafka, one of Prague’s best known authors, is a statue that would most likely appeal to Kafka’s surrealist humor. Created by Czech artist and sculptor David Cerny, two bronze sculptures are relieving themselves into a pool of water in the shape of the Czech Republic. The stream of water they create writes a message sent from a mobile phone number.
7. Before numbers: Prague houses were not given numbers until 1770. Before that houses were identifies by emblems placed on the house. Most of the places bearing such symbols are in the older parts of the city. The House of the Black Madonna is today a museum of Cubism. Some, like The Three Fiddles, indicated the occupation of the owners. In many cases the reason for the design has been lost over the years.
8. Lennonism: Not Vladimir Lenin, the Soviet leader but John Lennon, one of the founding members of the Beatles. After Lennon was assassinated in 1980 a wall on a quiet side street near the Charles Bridge was filled with Lennon-inspired graffiti including comments that annoyed the communist regime. When the authorities painted over the wall the graffiti quickly reappeared. The ever-changing wall of drawings and sayings promote love and peace.
9. Mirror Maze: Atop Petrin Hill the Mirror Labyrinth looks like a fantasy castle and is only one of several interesting places to explore in the park above the city, which can be accessed by a funicular. Next to the maze of distorting mirrors is Petrin Tower, an observation tower modeled after the Eiffel Tower, along with a rose garden and the Hunger Wall, which Charles IV ordered to be built to feed the poor during a famine.
10. Metronome: High above the Vltava and visible from most places in the city center is a giant, functional metronome. It stands on the site where the world’s largest statue of former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin once stood. The 50-foot Stalin’s statue was destroyed in 1962. The 75-foot tall metronome designed by Vratislav Novak was erected in 1991 and offers a scenic view of the city and is a favorite area for skateboarders.

Prague is an entrancing city that can be enjoyed and explored time and time again. Other not-to-miss sites are The Loreto, the Old Jewish Cemetery, St. Agnes Convent, a boat ride on the Vltava, and National Gallery. For more information check www.CzechTourism.com.

Croatia - The Mediterranean as it Once Was

The walled city of Dubrovnik
The city view while walking the wall at sunset
Street fair on the main street in Dubrovnik

View of the Radisson Blu near Dubrovnik from our room
View of the Radisson Blu near Dubrovnik from the ferry boat
Passing by Korcula on the ferry from Dubrovnik to Split

Le Meridien near Split
Sunset view from our Le Meridien room
Le Meridien cooking lesson - making Swiss Chard Pie

The main square on way to Diocletan Palace
Boat trip on the Cetina River in Omis
Ruins of Solin

Hiking in beautiful Plitvice National Park
The Regent Esplanade Hotel - once a stop on the Orient Express
Show in the city center
*******
I am often asked, "What is your favorite place?" I usually reply, "Wherever I am." Which is true because every place has its special appeal. But, I was totally entranced by Dubrovnik, the walled city in Croatia. There is something magical about entering through Pile Gate remembering that at one time the drawbridge was raised every night, the gate closed, and the key given to the prince. From the gate the view of the city’s pedestrian promenade with the Bell Tower at the end is breathtaking.

Luckily, John and I had decided to spend a couple days within the city walls. Our home, Roka Apartment A3 was perfect with a small kitchen, private bath and a pretty rooftop patio. My husband and I set out to become reacquainted with Dubrovnik, which we had visited in the 80s when it was part of Yugoslavia. During the War of the Homeland in the 1990s the city took over a hundred direct hits but other than a map showing where the destruction occurred there is little evidence of the war. We were glad that we had decided to visit in October when the weather along the Croatian Riviera is glorious – blue skies and just the right amount of tourists.

I would awaken to the muted sounds of the city coming alive. First were the flocks of birds taking flight for the day, followed by clickety-clack of the hand-pulled delivery wagons, and then people chatting on their way to work. That was the signal that I needed to get out on the streets. I loved walking the streets in the early morning before the tourists arrived. I wandered through the morning market in the large square near Pucic Palace where the scent of lavender filled the air, had coffee at a café, bought freshly-made stuffed peppers from the deli for our dinner, and people-watched from the steps of St. Blaise Church, which was built in 1715 to replace an earlier one destroyed in an earthquake. Dubrovnik is a living museum – a city where people live, work, and play and have since the seventh century - that is what makes it so special.

Our leisurely three-hour stroll atop the impressive city walls that were built between the 13th and 16th century afforded us spectacular views. One day we took the shuttle boat from Dubrovnik to Lokrum Island and wandered through the botanical garden. There are plenty of things to do in Dubrovnik both within and outside the walls including visiting museums, attending concerts, taking boat trips to various islands, and plethora of sport activities from swimming to kayaking. On our last night I enjoyed a candlelit string quartet concert in the 16th century St. Saviour Church.

We also spend several nights outside the walls in the nearby newly opened Radisson Blu Resort. The full-service resort has three swimming pools, a marina, a beautiful spa, and offers shuttle service to the walled city. It was the perfect spot for John and I for some R&R, which is a necessity on long trips. The view from the balcony of our room of the Adriatic Sea and islands was mesermizing.

I told a local resident that, "I’d love to spend a month in Dubrovnik." He warned, "Watch out. My family came here on vacation in the 1970s and we are still here." Lucky them!

Montenegro in September

View of Ulcinj from our room
The beach at Ulcinj
View from our room in Becici

Awesome pool at Queen of Montenegro
The inside of same pool
Learning to cook at the Queen

Dinner on the beach while watching the sunset
The historic part of Budva
Listening to the singers in Budva - they were making a commercial for Budva
*****
In June 2007 the people of Montenegro voted to be independent from Serbia. It was considered a bold move. They are hoping tourism will lead to prosperity. Once Montenegro was part of Yugoslavia that has since divided into several countries.

From Albania John and I took a bus across the border to Ulcinj, a pretty town on the Adriatic Sea. It was one of easiest border crossings we have ever made. All they did was to make sure we were the same people pictured in our passport. The mountains of Montenegro become hills that end at the shore so there were a lot of steps from our hotel, Hotel Mediterran, to the beach and up to the walled city, but it also meant the views from our balcony were wonderful. The walled city is high on a cliff surrounded on three sides by water. We wandered the cobblestone streets of the Old Town, which was founded in the 5th and 4th century BC. Along the coast are a lot of little coves so the area was a favorite hideaway for pirates. At one time there were as many as 400 pirates in Ulcinj. From the 14th century to the 18th century pirates would attack ships on the Adriatic Sea, steal their cargo, and then sail off to their hideaways. It is hard to believe that this peaceful, pretty bay and walled city was once filled with dangerous pirates. A city has grown beyond the walls and today people enjoy the beach and strolling through the quiet walled city. While strolling along the beachside promenade a blue Bentley bearing a New York State license plate drove by. Interesting!

Another bus took us to Becici, also on the coast, where spent a couple days at the Queen of Montenegro Hotel enjoying the infinity pool with great views of the Adriatic. The food in this part of the world is excellent with plenty of fresh fish and vegetables. Chef Jovo Medin offered to show us how to cook some traditional recipes – muckalica and Njeguski steak. Our favorite dish was the muckalica, which is a delicious stew of meat and vegetables. A shuttle bus took us to Sveti Stefan, another walled city connected to the mainland by a causeway. It is the iconic image of Montenegro but someone has purchased the entire place and is turning it into a luxury resort so it was closed off. We continued on the shuttle to Budva, where there is another walled city. It was featured in the James Bond movie, Casino Royale. Budva was founded by Phoenicians about 6th century BC. The current walls were built in the 14th century. While we were walking down the narrow streets we heard singing. We followed the sound to a garden restaurant where we listened to a group of women in costumes singing traditional Montenegro songs. From our hotel we could walk down to the beach where we enjoyed strolling along the beachside walkway, dining at a waterside restaurant, and watching the sun set.

There are many lovely beaches along the Montenegro coast so the area is popular with tourists. Someone told us, "In the middle of the summer you can’t see the sand on the beach – just tanned bodies sunbathing." Many of the signs are written in the local language, English and Russian. Montenegro is a favorite vacation spot for Russians with many building luxurious summer homes along the coast.

Albania - Open for Tourism

Tirana - Skanderbeg Square
Liberty Bell made from melted down bullets
The entrance to our hotel

Kruja - Scanderbeg Museum
Museum in a traditional house
Women's room in traditional home

Bazaar

girl in traditional dress of the area

Kruja - hill side - it is a mountainous country

Berat - church in castle

Berat - castle museum

Berat - our hotel - Castle Park

Tomi - eating good in Berat

Oaz Beach Hotel near Durres

Sunset over the Adriatic

******

First impressions are important and my first impression of Albania was great. The flight was long and included a layover in the Rome airport so it was nearly midnight when my husband and I arrived at Albania’s only airport named for Mother Teresa but commonly referred to as Rinas. The airport is new and passing through passport control was smooth, quick, and friendly. While waiting for our luggage we met up with our driver and without delay we were dispatched to our hotel – the Theranda. The hotel is new and very nice. We were happy to finally visit Albania. Until the 1990s Albania was a closed country. It was nearly impossible for people to visit or for Albanians to leave. Today it welcomes tourists.

We had arranged with OurExplorer.com to have a guide in Tirana, the capital city. At 9:30 the first morning we met our guide, Martin, on the steps of the Opera in Skanderbeg Square. We toured the main part of the city and learned that Skanderbeg, whose statue dominates the main square, was responsible for keeping the Ottoman Empire from expanding into Europe. After a break for lunch Martin picked us up in a minivan and we went to Kruja, a pretty town an hour from Tirana that clings to a mountainside as do many of the other towns in this mountainous country. Our first stop was the Ethnographic Museum located in an old house depicting how people lived 100 years ago, and some still do. It seemed like a rather comfortable life. The working area was on the bottom level where the animals were kept, olives were pressed, and other work was done. The next level had separate social areas for the men and women. The house belonged to one of the more wealthy family as evidenced by the fact that they had their own steam bath. Nearby was a beautiful new museum basically devoted to Skanderbeg, the national hero. It was surprising to learn how important he was and that we had never heard of him. People around the world are so familiar with American history and politics and Americans are really quite unfamiliar with the rest of the world. We saw signs that said “I Love Obama” and American flags on the buses and elsewhere. Many Albanians have relatives in the United States. Surprisingly, on a display of various cities in the world that have erected statues to Skanderbeg was a picture of the newest one – in Rochester Hills, Michigan, unveiled in 2006. Before heading back to Tirana we wandered through the bazaar which offered a lot of local handicrafts such as felt hats, carpets, and antiques. It was a nice change from the souvenir shops that now seem to sell items that could be purchased anywhere in the world, or often made in China.

Tirana is an easy city to like. It is safe, inexpensive, with a lot of trees, and a canal running through the center. One street, Ismail Qemali, near our hotel is blocked off to traffic and has several very nice restaurants and shady places for coffee. Having coffee with friends is the most popular way to spend time. The food in Albania is excellent mainly because it is all organic due to the fact that the average farmer can not afford the imported fertilizers and pesticides. Amazing - tomatoes taste like tomatoes. They use a lot of lamb in their recipes but the lamb has a very, very mild taste not at all like lamb we are use to.

From Tirana we took a three-hour bus ride to Berat, one of the oldest cities in Albania with layers of white houses ascending the hillsides giving it the name “The City of a Thousand Windows.” The valley has been inhabited for over 4000 years. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Sometimes it is hard to decide where to stay. We opted for Castle Park thinking it was near the castle when in reality is it across the river and about a mile away high on the hillside. However, Castle Park has a wonderful forest-like setting and great views of the mountains plus they supply free shuttle service to the center. It turned out that Martin, our guide in Tirana, was also in Berat so he hooked us up with Flatura, which means butterfly, to give us a tour of the castle. Castle does not really describe the area as it is actually a medieval city or citadel. Located at a strategic point it has wonderful views of the area. It was first fortified in the 4th century BC. Flatura guided us through the cobbled streets past houses that are still occupied to the National Omufi Museum, one of the 42 churches that at one time were within the walls. Only eight remain and only the Museum is open on a regular basis as it has the works of Onufri, Albania’s greatest icon painter. When Berat fell to the Ottomans in 1417 they built two mosques which are some of the oldest in Albania, however only the minaret of the Red Mosque remains.

We met up with Martin for lunch at Mangalemi Hotel located in the historic area below the castle. The hotel has recently added beautiful rooms in a restored house adjacent to the main hotel – all done in the local style. Lunch on the rooftop was delicious with a wide offering of local cuisine including stuffed peppers “the way grandma made them,” lamb with yogurt, and spinach casseroles.

From Berat we took a two-hour bus to Plepa, a turnabout near Durres, where we caught a cab to the Oaz Hotel. The Oaz is a lovely small hotel and since it was mid September the season was coming to a close so we were just about the only people at the hotel. The sky was blue, the sun was warm, and the pool was lovely which was great because the beach, while picturesque, did not invite close inspections. Litter is a problem in Albania. Considering how far they have come in a decade I am sure litter is an issue that they will deal with – for now they are busy building roads and improving infrastructure.

The country is very safe which is amazing because there are hundreds of thousands of bunkers built in the 70s giving testament that it wasn’t always that way. Most bunkers designed for a single person set four feet in the ground with two gun slits above the ground. They were built due to a feared invasion from western countries that never materialized. The people are very friendly and helpful. Albania has a great touristic future.

Rochester - Celebrating 175 Years

View of Rochester from the Mary Jemison
Strong Museum
Strong Museum

Rochester Museum and Science Center
Rochester Museum and Sceince Center - Planetarium
Susan B. Anthony Museum

Seabreeze
Sam Patch Erie Canal boat
Seneca Park Zoo

This year is Rochester’s 175th birthday but people were living in Rochester when it was called Rochesterville after its founder Nathaniel Rochester who established the settlement in 1811. In 1834 it obtained a city charter and became known as Rochester. Often dubbed the Flower City it was first known as the Flour City. At one point in time Rochester made more flour than any other place in the world. Even Queen Victoria is reportedly stocked her kitchen with 6,000 barrels of Rochester flour because, "…it made the best cakes."

In the mid-1800s Rochester became the Flower City due in a large part to nurserymen George Ellwanger and Patrick Barry then later Frederick Law Olmsted, called the Father of American Landscaping, who created the city’s park system. Other notables have left their mark on Rochester including George Eastman, Margaret Woodbury Strong, Susan B. Anthony, and George Long, Jr.

The Eastman House
George Eastman, a photographic pioneer and founder of the Eastman Kodak, made photography available to the average person by creating small, easy-to-use cameras. The motto for the camera he introduced in 1888 was, "You push the button, we do the rest." A visit to Eastman’s house is to learn more about the man who claimed, "I want to make Rochester the best city in which to live and work." To that end he donated more than $100 million during his life to educational and arts institutions, public parks, hospitals, and charitable organizations. At the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film see the historical development of photography in the Machines of Memory gallery, visit changing photographic exhibits, wander the gardens, and tour Eastman’s house, a National Historic Landmark. Beside docent tours the Eastman offers a variety of programs from film presentations in their Dryden Theater to classes centered on their historic gardens.

The Strong Museum
Margaret Woodbury Strong agreed with Plato who over 2000 years ago said, "Life must be lived as play." A prolific collector of dolls and toys, Strong founded her namesake museum in 1968. Today it is larger and more dynamic than ever due to a major expansion project that was completed in 2006. The carousel and diner are still by the entrance but the museum offers new adventures for young and old. The National Toy Hall of Fame is home to toys that have withstood the test of time. Visitors can visit Sesame Street, the Berenstain Bears, and Reading Adventureland before heading to the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden. In a lush, humid rainforest setting there are 800 free-flying tropical butterflies. The guide explained, "Butterflies taste with their feet. They may want to taste you. They are beautiful to see but easy to injure. So watch where you step and check your body in the mirror on the way out to make sure you don’t have any hitchhikers."

The Susan B. Anthony House
On a quiet tree-lined street the home of Susan B. Anthony tells the story of a lady who dedicated her entire life to making America a better place for everyone. She first became active in the temperance movement but, because she was a woman, she was not allowed to speak at temperance rallies. This led her to join the women's rights movement in 1852. She dedicated her life to getting "…women their rights and nothing less." Ignoring opposition and abuse, Anthony traveled and lectured across the nation for women’s suffrage feeling as she said, "Suffrage is the pivotal right." She also campaigned for the abolition of slavery, women's rights to control their own finances, and women's labor organizations. Anthony died 14 years before women got the right to vote with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. It is often referred to as the Susan B. Anthony Amendment.

Sam and Mary
Rochester is another city that owes it existence to the Erie Canal, which opened in 1825 creating an affordable western route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. Even though Sam Patch and Mary Jemison did not live in Rochester their legacy lives on in the names of two Erie Canal tour boats. The Sam Patch, a replica of an 1800s Erie Canal packet boat, leaves from Pittsford for a trip on the canal traversing Lock 32. The boat’s namesake was known as the Yankee Leaper having gained fame for jumping off waterfalls. Twice Patch successfully jumped off Niagara Falls. On his second 97-feet jump off Genesse Falls on Friday the 13th, 1829 he failed to surface. The Mary Jemison, a 1931 historic wooden boat, honors the legacy of "the white woman of the Genesee," who chose to remain with her adoptive Seneca family after being taken captive as a child. The Mary Jemison departs from the trendy Corn Hill area traveling the Genesse River and the Erie Canal. As the Mary Jemison passes under several bridges the scenery changes offering unique and different views of the Rochester area.

Family Fun
Seabreeze Park is celebrating 130 years of family fun making it one of the world’s oldest amusement parks. The park opened in 1879 where the main attraction was the shore-side picnic area but mechanical rides soon arrived. In 1904 George Long, Jr. and his family brought a merry-go-round to Seabreeze beginning a family legacy that continues to this day with his great-grandchildren working at the park. It is said that the energetic Long took a break at the park and looking out over Irondequoit Bay said, "This is the life…" The park has grown to include a water park with a wave pool and a variety of state-of-the-art thrill rides for all ages. Currently Seabreeze is North America’s 4th oldest operating amusement park with the Jack Rabbit the 3rd oldest operating roller coaster.

For information about more things to see and do in and around Rochester including the Seneca Park Zoo, the Memorial Art Gallery, self-guided walking tours, and a variety of festivals check visitrochester.com.

Go Detroit! Definitely!

Perfect location!
The Edsel Ford Estate

Sound Board at MotorCity Casino

The Woodward Dream Cruise

Diego Rivera fresco at the DIA

Go Tigers!

Touring the factory

The amazing Heidelberg Project

Pet the giraffe

Polish heritage

African America heritage

Arab heritage

Touring Greenfield Village

Meeting Thomas Edison

The Henry Ford Museum like Detroit is cars but much more!

The hum of the auto production line may be diminishing but the buzz at the tourist sites is still strong. Be surprised! Explore the Detroit’s art, architecture, history, and multiethnic heritage.

The inside story: On a Segway or on foot explore the heart of Detroit with an Insider Detroit tour. Visit the significant restored landmarks such as Fox Theater, Detroit Opera House, and the Guardian Building’s lavishly decorated interior with mosaic and Pewabic tile. See the Renaissance of Detroit with the building of Comerica Park, Cobo Center, casinos, and Renaissance Center.

More than cars: The Henry Ford Museum is not a car museum. It it’s the nation’s largest indoor-outdoor history museum that was started by Henry Ford. According to Ford, "I am collecting the history of our people as written into things their hands made and used...." See JFK’s presidental limousine, Lincoln’s rocker from Ford’s Theater, Edison’s laboratory, and the bus made famous by Rosa Parks. His idea was to document the genius of America by showing how ordinary Americans lived and worked and what they have imagined and invented.

Step into the past: Adjacent to The Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village is a collection of nearly one hundred historical buildings in a village setting. Travel through the seven historic districts by train, Model T, horse pulled omnibus or on foot. Watch costumed interpreters conduct period tasks like farming, sewing and cooking along with potters, glass-blower, and tin makers producing articles used in the village and for sale in their give shops.

Edsel Ford Estate: Completed in 1929, the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House is more than the home of a prominent American family beautifully situated on Lake St. Clair. The Cotswolds-style home tells the story of a family that contributed to the cultural growth of Detroit.

Art for everyone: The Detroit Institute of Art is one of the country’s greatest art collections including frescoes by Mexican artist Diego Rivera, "Detroit Industry." The newly expansion project includes innovative ways of displaying traditional collections to appeal to audiences without a background in the arts. Street art reaches a new level with the controversial Heidelberg Project. The artscape project attempts give new energy to a deteriorating neighborhood by creating meaningful art from discards of urban life.

African-American Heritage: At the Charles Wright Museum of African American History, "And Still We Rise" exhibit takes people on a journey that begins in prehistoric Africa, through civilizations that evolved on the continent, the Middle Passage, the horrors of bondage, and for a few freedom via the Underground Railroad. Experience the Underground Railroad Living Museum in the historic First Congregational Church on Woodward Ave.

Arab-American Heritage: Arabs have been coming to the United States for hundreds of years seeking better opportunities. In Dearborn the Arab American National Museum’s permanent exhibit "Coming to America" explores the lives of those American who come from the 22 Arab countries and practice different religions, work in a variety of fields, and have a range of educational backgrounds and political affiliations.

Polish-American Heritage: Hamtramck’s The Polish Art Center is more than a place to see and purchase Polish cultural and traditional goods. The owners have dedicated on part of the store toe an educational center featuring lectures, book signings, and folk-art demonstrations including classes on making wycinanki, delicate paper cuttings. Visit Polish market and dine at one of the many Polish restaurants.

Temptation or Supreme: At Motown Historical Museum – Hitsville USA a video about the history of Motown. Many of the stylish outfits that distinguished Motown artist are on display including the jeweled white glove and black fedora hat worn by Michael Jackson. As the guide explains Motown is "about music and hope, not color." The Motown Sound is soul music with a pop influence that leaped across racial barriers. Visit Studio A where the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and the Supremes, and many others made their recordings. Don’t be surprised if you are asked to sing "My Girl."

Vroom: Learn where America’s love for the automobile started. The Ford Piquette Avenue plant is well preserved and largely unchanged from its original 1904 appearance where the first 12,000 Tin Lizzies were built. Then tour the River Rouge Plant and Dearborn Truck Plant, a working automobile factory, where Ford has built cars since the Model A. Plan to be in Detroit on the third Saturday in August for the annual Woodward Dream Cruise that draws 40,000 classic cars each year from around the globe.

Detroit is cars and more. Watch a major league ball game, go to the zoo, or try you luck at a casino. Dine at the elegant Seldom Blues with views of the river or munch on one of American's Coney Island Hot Dogs. Detroit: so much to do, so little time! For more information check www.visitdetroit.com.

Positively Cleveland

Christmas Story House
The iconic leg lamp
Nighttown Jazz Club

John found his Fender guitar

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

More guitars

Metroparks Zoo

Going on a camel ride

The Cleveland Science Museum

Before the rainout

Hard Rock Cafe

Happy Birthday, John!

"It’s a Fender Standard Stratocaster. I have one of these. It is a perfect reproduction," exclaimed John, our grandson. Walking from Embassy Suites to Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum we stopped to examine the colorful guitars that are part of Cleveland’s street art project. That was when my husband and I knew we had picked the perfect high school graduation gift for John who will be music major at Le Moyne College in the fall.
I pointed to the plaque, which explained the artwork. It is called "Singing Legacy" and was designed by the Hungarian Community. "I know you think your ancestry is half Irish and half Italian but the your great-grandmother is half Hungarian. Did you know that?"

Before entering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, I asked, "Do you know who I. M. Pei is?" It was obvious from the look on John’s face that he had heard the name but it didn’t register. "Stop. Look at the building. I. M. Pei designed it. He is one of the world’s most famous architects. Many of his buildings incorporate a pyramid, including his famous pyramids at the Louvre Museum in Paris, which you probably saw in the movie "The DiVinci Code."
In the lobby I pointed to a large hot dog artwork hanging from the ceiling. "I wonder what that has to do with Rock and Roll."

"It is from a concert by the rock group Phish and those cars hanging over there are from a concert by the Irish rock band U2."

I knew I had a lot to learn about rock and roll. We started our tour with a cinematic journey through rock and roll history. "Mystery Train" in Theater One, follows the evolution of rock and roll.

"Oh, no," was the quiet sigh from John when he heard the narrator say, "there was a time when there was no rock and roll." At the end of the second presentation, "Kick Out the Jams," in Theater Two the musical journey from the music of the 1950s to today’s music had enlightened the three of us.

"John, look at these quotes. In 1985 a San Antonio Councilman said ‘The First Amendment should not apply to Rock and Roll’ and J. Edgar Hoover said, ‘Rock and Roll is repulsive to right-minded people and have a serious effect on our young people.’ Amazing. I find it interesting that when I. M. Pei designed the pyramids at the Louvre many people were just as outraged by his pyramid design as other people were about rock and roll. And, they are both here to stay."
Most of the artifacts on display had little or no connection to my generation but articles like Jim Morrison’s Cub Scout shirt and Mick Jagger’s American/Union Jack Flag Cape fascinated John. Given the musical generation gap we split up and agreed to meet for lunch and then go to the Hall of Fame multi-media presentation together. My husband and I took a trip through our musical memory lane that included Elvis, Buddy Holly, Les Paul but didn’t progress beyond the Beatles.

Over lunch we discussed the evolution of music which seemed to be encapsulated in the phrase: "Elvis freed the body, the Beatles freed the music, and Bob Dylan freed the mind." It was a learning experience for the three of us – bridging the generations through music. While John’s music may never be our favorite and our "old timers music" will not replace his favorites we all learned about the evolution of music and wondered what music will be like when he has grandchildren. Interestingly, I thought CDs had replaced vinyl records but based on the number I saw for sale in the gift shop vinyls are having a resurgence in popularity.

John played in his high school jazz band so dinner at Nighttown, Cleveland’s premiere jazz club, seemed appropriate. After dinner, the lights dimmed and the quintet jazzed up Nighttown. Led by keyboardist David Garfield, along with vocalist Alex Ligertwood who was the lead vocalist for Santana, Steve Ferrone on the drums; Kip Reed on the electric bass, and Tony Pulizzi, on the guitar, we listened to music that appealed to the three of us. "They are playing ‘Babylon Sister’" whispered John, "one of my favorites."

The next day at breakfast, John’s grandfather asked, "Did you ever have a B-B gun?"
"No, my mom said I’d shoot my eye out! Do you know how many kids never got a BB gun for Christmas because of that line?"
"Do you know what movie that line comes from?"
"Of course! ‘Christmas Story.’ We watch it every Christmas. It’s my mom’s favorite."
"Perfect. We are going to the ‘Christmas Story’ house today."
"Do I get to buy a Red Ryder BB Gun?"
"No, and we are not going to buy a leg lamp either!"
"Oh, f…duge! to quote Ralphie."

Even though Cleveland was not the setting for the Christmas Story it is where the house used in the classic movie based on Jean Shepard’s story was filmed. Our guide, Grace, explained, "The owner loved the movie and when he saw the house for sale on eBay he just had to have it. He bought it for about $150,000 and spent about $240,000 restoring it to look like it did in the movie." My husband and I felt right at home in the 1940s house. Truly a place that spanned three generations. My husband and I lived the era, the movie was a Christmas favorite for our children and is now a classic for our grandchildren.

We also visited the Cleveland MetroPark Zoo, the Great Lakes Science Center, and cheered for the Cleveland Indians baseball team at Progressive Field. All are great multi-generation activities.
I knew the perfect place to end our fun-packed music-laced trip to Cleveland - The Hard Rock Café. As we sat down for lunch, John looked at the video, "That's Eric Clapton playing ‘Layla,’ the same song they played at Nighttown." When the waiter announced John’s upcoming 18th birthday, he exclaimed, "Cleveland rocks!"

If you go:
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum: www.rockhall.com, 216-781-ROCK
Nighttown: http://www.nighttowncleveland.com/, 216-795-0550
Christmas Story House: http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/, 216-298-4919
Cleveland: http://www.positivelycleveland.com/, 800-321-1004

Steuben County, New York

Corning - City of Glass
Clock tower in Gaffer District
Revitalized Gaffer District

Rockwell Museum of Western Art - The End of the Trail
Rockwell Museum of Western Art - features art from all eras
The Patterson Inn Museum

Corning Museum of Glass - Evening Dress with Shawl by Karen LaMont
Corning Museum of Glass - glass blowing demonstration
Corning Museum of Glass - making a flower

Hammondsport town square
Lime Berry shop
Dining at Village Tavern Restaurant & Inn with over 130 beers

Glenn H. Curtiss Museum
Curtiss was the "fastest man on earth"
Curtiss plane

The Black Sheep Inn - an octogon house
Chef Debbie at Black Sheep Inn
Octogon ceiling detail

Pleasant Valley Wine Company - on the National Historic Register
Bully Hill Winery
Hiking in Stony Brook State Park

Steuben County, nestled at the southern end of Keuka Lake, is full of trails – trails of all kinds. Imagine trails that feature hot glass, cool wines, and decadent chocolate. They are all waiting to be explored.

Museum Trail
Corning is home to the world’s most comprehensive glass collection. Learn the story of glass making from ancient times to the present at the Corning Museum of Glass. The numerous exhibits trace the history of glass making around the world. The eclectic collection includes outstanding pieces such as one of the earliest known glass portraits. The Egyptian piece from circa 1450 BC is only two inches high and most likely the head of Amenhotep II, who ruled about 60 years before Tutankhamen. Contemporary works such as Karen LaMonte’s life size ethereal "Evening Dress with Shawl," which she describes as "…a window to the interior," is just one example of the modern glasswork on display. Family-friendly handheld audio guides offer insightful commentaries on more than 60 works of art. Visitors can watch a master glassmaker make a beautiful glass vase out of molten glass then head to the workshop to create their own personalized glass souvenir.

A free shuttle takes visitors to downtown Corning where the museum trail continues at the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. Not to be confused with Norman Rockwell, this museum has been declared "The best of the West in the East." Housed in the old City Hall, an architectural gem in its own right, with a buffalo sculpture breaking out of the upper floor, the museum is hard to miss. The collection, most of which was donated by local residents, Bob and Hertha Rockwell, includes works by the great nineteenth and early twentieth-century painters and sculptors, including Remington, Russell, Dallin, and Catlin. New acquisitions of recent works by Native Americans give a total perspective to the collection. The exhibits range from beautiful panoramic landscapes to Dallin’s sculpture, "Appeal to the Great Sprit;" to "NDN for Life," Quick-to-See Smith’s painting of a Native dress emblazoned with NDN. James Earles Fraser's provocative sculpture "The End of the Trail" featured in Legacy of the Vanishing Race Gallery is not the end of Steuben County’s museum trail.

Corning’s Benjamin Patterson Inn Museum captures a moment in time. At the turn of the 19th century travelers at the Patterson Inn could find themselves sleeping in a rope bed with someone they didn’t even know. Next to the Inn is the log cabin where the Mack family of five lived. Cooking, eating and sleeping took place in one small room. It gives new appreciation to today’s modern conveniences.

On July 4, just north of Corning in Hammondsport, the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum will celebrate the centennial of the first pre-announced flight in America of a heavier-than-air flying machine, the June Bug. The nearly one-mile flight brought fame to Curtiss and Hammondsport. His early work on seaplanes, plus his association with the U. S. Navy, earned for Curtiss the title of "Father of Naval Aviation." Curtiss first gained fame as "The Fastest Man on Earth" when, in 1907, he set the world motorcycle land speed record of 136.36 mph. While the main focus of the museum deals with aviation there are changing displays that include miniature dollhouses and local memorabilia.

Wine Trail
Hammondsport is the starting point for the Keuka Lake Wine Trail. The Pleasant Valley Wine Company is the oldest winery in the Finger Lakes region. Established in 1860, the winery was the first U.S. bonded winery. The winery’s fascinating history includes its beginnings as a family business to its survival during Prohibition relying on sales for sacramental wines to corporate takeovers, and finally becoming a family business again. Eight of the winery’s stone buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places making it of architectural interest.

Wine lovers should raise their glass in thanks to Dr. Konstantin Frank who ignited the "Vinifera Revolution," a movement that changed the course of wine growing in the United States. He discovered that a little bug in the soil, not the climate, was the cause of the area’s poor grape yield, which he solved by grafting preferred vinifera onto local bug-resistance rootstock.

Just like each wine has a distinctive flavor so does each winery. Greyton H. Taylor, whose family had been growing grapes since 1878, started Bully Hill Winery in 1958. The winery’s museum complex houses the Cooper Shop with a video on barrel making, The New York State Wine Museum of Greyton H. Taylor, and the Walter S. Taylor Art Gallery. Raise your wine IQ at Keuka Lake Vineyards, a small estate winery that produces world class wines and offers Wine Aroma and Taste classes, a hands-on experience geared towards identifying wines.

The Keuka Wine Trail is more than wine tastings it is also about dining and shopping. In the quaint village of Hammonsport check out the handcrafted items, including rugs woven by Afghan refugees, at Lime Berry. It is Christmas every day on the second floor of the Cinnamon Stick. Grab a quick lunch at the Crooked Lake Ice Cream Parlor or dine at award-winning Village Tavern Restaurant where Chef Lerman has created his own product line and it isn’t all about wine. They serve over 130 different beers.

The Chocolate Trail and more
Corning’s Gaffer District and Marriott’s Fairfield Inn have partnered to create the Chocolate Trail. Upon checking in at the Fairfield Inn participating guests receive chocolate treats and coupons for samples from merchants in the Gaffer District, the city’s historical business area. Sonya at The Tea Chest makes her own chocolates, Beyond Baskets features locally made chocolates, the School House Country Store has chocolate candles, and the ultimate chocolate lover’s delight is the decadent Chocolate Pate at Three Birds Restaurant. Steuben County is home to many nature trails including those in Pinnacle and Stony Brook State Parks along with sections of the Finger Lakes Trail.

Hit the trail and discover glass, art, handicrafts, dining, wine, and more – all in Steuben County. For more information check corningfingerlakes.com or call 866-946-3386.

Hong Kong - Revisited

Harbour Plaza Hotel
The Clock Tower where the train from London use to stop
Visiting the HK Historical Museum

Hong Kong Park
Tea Museum
Tea Appreciation

Peninsula Lobby
Our sitting room
Our Jacuzzi tub

Cooking Dim Sum - Peninsula's Chef
It's all the how you fold it
Evening in Peninsula's Salon de Ning

Hong Kong is considered an expensive destination with many high-end hotels but there are many free things to do. So my idea is to pick an awesome hotel then take the free tours offered by the Hong Kong Tourist Board. Their Kaleidoscope offerings focus on culture, history and nature. A couple years ago John, my husband, and I took the Cantonese Opera Appreciation Class. It was incredibly informative, and while it will never be our favorite music, it led to an appreciation of an art form that has lasted more than eight centuries. The tour started at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum's Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall where we learned that the high pitch of the actor’s voice allowed everyone in the very large crowds to hear and the artistic makeup made it easier to see facial expressions. We learned to identify specific characters by the color of their attire. The opera companies would travel by boat stopping at villages where they would build their own stage and put on a performance. Our tour ended with attending a performance. Amazing, once we understood what was going on it was quite enjoyable.

On this trip I wanted to take the tour to the Wing Wah Cake Shop where chefs teach visitors how to make Wife and Moon Cakes but there was no room in the tour. Some free tours fill up fast. So, we took the Tea Appreciation Class. There is so much more to tea than sipping it. I was surprised to learn that all tea comes from the same plant. The difference between green, oolong, and black teas has to do with the fermentation and temperature during drying process, with green tea not being fermented at all. We learned the proper way to drink the tea and about flower teas. Watching the dried jasmine flower opening up after pouring hot water on it was beautiful. Of course, the tea it made was delightful, too. Another day we took the subway to see one of the oldest homes on the island, the small Hakka House was an incredible contrast to the skyscrapers. There are a slew of other free programs that include tai chi, learning about Feng Shui, and nature tours.

Most museums have free admittance once a week – usually Wednesday. We visited the Hong Kong Museum of History with its permanent exhibit called The Hong Kong Story. The eight galleries detail the development and culture of Hong Kong. Right next to the History Museum is the Science Museum with a variety of displays dealing with motion, the body, and electricity.

There is always something free to do near to a hotel. The Harbour Plaza fronts on a walkway that goes all the way down to the Walk of the Stars with a Bruce Lee Statue. From the Conrad Hotel, on Hong Kong Island, it is just a short walk to beautiful Hong Kong Park where there is a bird park, waterfalls, and a tea museum that is free. The Peninsula Hotel is a near Kowloon Park and across the street from the Museum of Art where works of art are displayed outdoors. Next to the park is the best place to watch the nightly laser show that lights both sides of the water. More than any other city we have visited, Hong Kong has more free things to do.

Guam - Where America's Day Begins

The Hyatt where we crashed for five days
Enjoyed the awesome pool
Happy Hour and sunset - great combination

Tour with Cindy Hanson - Fort
Riding the caraboa at historical village
weaving at historical village

Annie and Blue visit Ezekial's school
Attended an assembly on local wildlife
The Ko'Ko' Bird

Using our free frequent flyer ticket John and I spent five idyllic days at the Hyatt Regency in Guam. Our flight left Palau at 2:35 AM! Who schedules these flights? We arrived at 5:30 AM, and after a short nap, we met Cindy Hanson who works for the tourist board and volunteered to take us on a morning tour of the island. It was her day off. How nice is that! Along with her son, Ezequiel, and Cindy’s friend, Jackie, we set out to explore the island.

Our first stop was Gef Pago Chamorro Cultural Village, a living museum of thatched huts featuring activities associated with the daily lives of the Chamorro, the native people of the Mariana archipelago. There were demonstrations on cooking, rope making, and basket weaving. Tony, the guide, explained that the coconut tree is the "tree of life" and showed us how easy it is to open a coconut. Various parts of the coconut palm were used for clothing, food, shelter, beauty aids, and as fuel. He went on to explain, "Coconut milk is so pure that it was used to sterilize surgical instruments during WW II." We even got to ride a carabao, the native water buffalo.

Plaza de Espana and Fort Nuestra senora de la Soledad, with a panoramic view, are remnants of the Spanish era. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a WW II site where there is statue of several men from Guam who performed heroic acts during WW II. One of the men preserved in bronze is Jackie’s father, Francisco Jesus Cruz, who after killing an enemy soldier and donning his uniform, was able to gain entry to the enemy camp and blow it up.

There is plenty to do in Guam but we felt drawn to the Hyatt’s three free-form lagoon pools. We had been traveling for three months and needed some R&R. We found a spot at the edge of a pool near one of the waterfalls where there were only two secluded lounge chairs and staked our claim. We read, dozed, went swimming, and were amazed at how fast the days passed. The Hyatt has a great beach where we could walk out for a long way while catching sight of colorful tropical fish as they went swimming by. In the evening we went to the club lounge and sat on the balcony watching the sun set. The hotel has everything including six restaurants, nightly shows, children’s camp and a shopping mall. There was no reason to leave – and we didn’t, except for one morning when we visited Ezequiel’s school, Tamuning Elementary School, to do a program on schools around the world. It was multi-cultural week at his school. After our presentations we were invited to the auditorium to see a nature presentation by Miss Cheryl from the Guam Department of Agriculture. The high point was seeing the flightless and endangered Ko’ Ko’ bird. There are only about 100 in captivity. The introduction of the brown tree snake to the island after WWII has decimated the native bird population.

There are many things on Guam we didn’t see and do. We felt a little guilty about spending most of our time enjoying the Hyatt but vowed to return to Guam, the place where American greets the day.

Wow! It's Palau

Pictures do not do it justice... it is beautiful

View from our room at Palau Royal Resort
View from a restaurant
The capitol... look familar?

Looking at the jellyfish
Fruit bat
Blue starfish

Relaxing on Carp Island

Free mud treament on a snorkeling trip

Kayaking in the mangrove... awesome!

Folkloric show at Palau Pacific Hotel

Sunset

Happy Birthday on Carp Island

My husband, John, and I have been to many eco-tourist destinations but no place that surpasses Palau. Fortunately we were able to use our frequent flyer miles to fly round trip from Manila to Palau and it included a stop in Guam.

The tree-covered Palauan islands are in a sea of turquoise and blue filled with brilliant tropical fish. There are only 20,000 people in the Republic of Palau so most of the islands are uninhabited. Palau is a diver’s paradise. While snorkeling I saw things I had never seen before including giant clams – over three feet wide – brilliant blue starfish, and black tipped reef sharks. The all-day trips included lunch on a sandy beach of a deserted island. One day after lunch I saw snorkelers in the shallow water obviously viewing something interesting. So I joined them and snorkeled with 18 black-tipped reef sharks. Another day we stopped at a place where the white muddy sand is so fine that people use it as a curative mud bath. The most amazing day included climbing up then down a rocky trail to a Jellyfish Lake, a secluded saltwater lake. The lake became landlocked over 7,000 years ago trapping jellyfish that had no natural enemies so they lost most of their tentacles making them virtually stingless. Snorkeling with the thousands of jellyfish was like being part of a beautiful underwater ballet. It was surreal.

One of the newest eco tours is Ann Singeo’s "Sense of Wonder." We started with some traditional native tea, which she explained would "…prevent heat stroke and loss of energy from the heat." When a coconut falls on the ground and begins to sprout the white meat inside becomes soft. Spis, one of the guides, split a sprouted coconut and we rubbed the soft coconut meat on our exposed areas to prevent sunburn and keep the mosquitoes away. Then we set out in kayaks to explore the mangroves, which serve as a nursery for sea life. We made one stop and walked a short distance into a "sacred" place where Ann pointed to large upright stones in a dry creek bed and explained the story of the Taro Goddess. It seems the goddess created taro patches on all the islands and brought back one plant from each island, planted them, and they are now the stones. The tour included lunch, which was an amazingly wonderful array of seafood and taro-based recipes.

There are two great museums on the island that detail the island’s history and its connection to the other islands of the Pacific. We have been to Easter Island, home of the giant stone statues, and were impressed with the large stone artifacts we saw in Palau including monoliths, the "taro garden," and a five-foot long stone purse of a goddess. We wondered if there was a connection with Easter Island and other huge stone carvings we had seen elsewhere.

We visited the Capitol which looks a lot like the U.S. Capitol and no wonder. After WW II and until 1994, Palau was an United Nations trusteeship administered by the U.S. From WW II, there are downed Japanese and American planes, mainly in the sea, including one called "George Bush Wreck." In fact, one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific was fought on the Palauan island of Peleliu. Today the Palau is the most beautiful and peaceful place imaginable.

Manila - Rest Stop

Sofitel Manila
View of Makati from the balcony of Executive Lounge
Awesome pool

Making and eating halo halo
Folkloric entertainment
La Vida Imelda walking tour with Carlos Celdran

My husband, John, and I travel for extended periods so we plan rest days. It is a time to pay our bills, catch up on e-mails, laundry, and writings. One of our rest stops on our recent Asian trip was in Manila. In 2008 we spent five weeks in the Philippines so this time we only scheduled four days in Manila before catching a flight to Palau. We checked into the Sofitel Hotel, which is a unique city hotel because of its prime location on the water creating a resort location at the edge of the city. Each day started with breakfast at the Spiral Restaurant, home to one of the world’s most extensive buffets with multi-cuisine open cooking stations. In fact, so vast was the buffet that there were stations we didn’t even notice until our third day. There was something to suit all nationalities.

We spent three days enjoying the large lagoon swimming pool. In the evening the hotel has a poolside barbecue of fresh seafood and marinated meats plus a colorful cultural song and dance show. It was the perfect place to recharge our batteries.

Our only touristic activity was taking a walking tour with Carlos Celdran. Celdran’s "Walk this Way" tours are as much street theater as they are informative. In 2008 we took his walking tour of the Intramuros, which was so enjoyable and entertaining that we considered taking it a second time so we could glean – and remember – some of the told and untold stories of the historic center of the city. However, we could not resist his "Living La Vida Imelda!" tour. Lucky for us the tour started a short walk from the Sofitel Hotel at the Cultural Center. All of Celdran’s tours start with the singing the Philippine national anthem.

There is more to Imelda Marcos other than being the "Lady of Sole," as in the soles of her shoe collection, one of which was a pair of plastic disco sandals with three inch high flashing battery operated heels. She is quoted as saying, "I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty." The shoes became a symbol of her excesses, which might be explained by her provincial upbringing. In 1952 she was first runner up for Miss Manila but by contesting the decision she became Miss Manila and continued on the road to fame and fortune. We came to understand Imelda Marcos and what she did for the Philippines. She not only wanted the best for herself but she wanted the best for the Philippines. Along with her husband, she wanted the Philippines to be seen as a world player in economics and culture. To that end she had the Cultural Center of the Philippines built to promote and preserve Filipino arts and culture. Manila hosted the Miss Universe contest which was held in the Folks Art Theater that was completed in a record 77 days. Just days before the pageant, a cyclone threatened to cancel the event, Mrs. Marcos deployed the Philippine air force to seed the clouds and diffuse the tropical storm. Her efforts succeeded and the pageant was held under clear blue skies. Nothing was beyond her control. Celdran’s tour gives insight into the Philippines of the 1970’s and changed the way we look at Imelda Marcos – and the Philippines.

Vietnam: HCMC, Dalat & Nha Trang

Chef John at Vietnamese Cookery School
You have to eat what you make
Graduation time

Ho Chi Minh City - City Hall
War Rememberance Museum
Rooftop Bar at Rex Hotel

Welcome basket in our room at Sofitel Palace Dalat

The classic Citroen at Sofitel for special requests

The cable car across the countryside to the hilltop temple

Thrilling coaster car to waterfalls

Dalantla Waterfalls

Crazy House

Beach at Nha Trang from our balcony at Novotel

The pool at our private villa for the day - Six Senses Hidaway

The alfresco bathroom in our private villa for the day - Six Senses Hidaway

Sofitel in Dalat, Vietnam is magnifique! When my husband, John, and I stepped off the airplane at the Dalat airport we took a deep breath of the cool fresh air. It was a wonderful relief from the heat and humidity of Ho Chi Minh City. On the 30-minute up hill drive to Dalat we passed green fields and evergreen forests before arriving at the magnifique Sofitel Palace Hotel with a view of Lake Xuan Huong. The line "We’ll all come out to meet her when she comes" from the children’s song "She’ll be coming Around the Mountain" popped into my head. Waiting on the steps of the porte-cochere was a lady in a pristine white ao dai, the elegant traditional Vietnamese dress, along with several other staff members ready to take care of our luggage and facilitate check-in. One young lady carried a long tray with a steaming selection of local artichoke, green, lotus, jasmine, and oolong teas and asked us to select a welcome drink.

Everything oozed elegance. Built in 1922 in France Colonial style there are crystal chandeliers, gold and red velvet furniture, an inlayed marble floor in the vestibule, dark highly polished wood, and paintings everywhere.

Room 205, our home for three days, was elegant with a small foyer, 12-foot ceilings, gleaming wood floors, and a crown valance above the bed. When the staff threw open the French windows the view to the lake was magnifique. Red is the color of happiness in Asia and everything on the welcome tray was red from the champagne to the cookies to the mousse. It made us very happy.

John and I love afternoon tea so we headed to Le Rabelais Restaurant stopping along the way to view the many paintings done by Vietnamese in the style of the French masters. The restaurant has a view of the expansive tree-studded lawn sloping to the water. We tried to recall where else we had enjoyed such a pleasant scene. Was it in France, or maybe Switzerland, or maybe in the Finger Lake region of New York? Possibly it was in a painting because I could envision ladies in long diaphanous white dresses playing croquette or just relaxing in one of the lawn lounge chairs.

We opted for High Tea ($15) with cucumber, egg, and smoked salmon tea sandwiches, plus waffles, pancakes, muffins, and scones with jams made from locally grown fruits along with a wide choice of teas including Dalat specialty teas. While we were relaxing I read the history of tea on the back of the menu and was surprised to find that tea was introduced into France prior to its arrival in Britain. Do the British know that? It seems that afternoon tea, called Tea Muse, appeared in the gossipy writings of Madame de Sieving in the mid-1600s prior to the arrival of tea in London with Catherine of Braganza in 1662.

There was a lot to learn about the Sofitel Dalat. It seem the Dr. Alexander Yersin, a protégé of Dr. Louis Pasteur, visited Dalat in 1893 and found the place perfect for improving ones health. A sanitarium was built which led to the growth of Dalat. In 1922 the Langbian Palace Hotel opened and much later became the Sofitel. The hotel was host to many important people and events. A gentleman’s agreement left Dalat untouched during the many wars that have occurred in Vietnam in the 20th century.

Afternoon tea left us quite sated so we decided to dine lightly at Larry’s Bar. With an outside entrance, Larry’s Bar is a wonderfully cozy hideaway with several small rooms, a low beamed ceiling, and comfy couches and chairs. While sipping our Happy Hour cocktails I was once again drawn to the story on the menu. The bar is named after Larry Hillblom, the American lawyer who co-founded DHL delivery services. In 1990, Hillblom visited Dalat, which had long been the favorite honeymoon destination for Vietnamese. He saw the tourist potential and through a joint-venture partnership spent $40 million restoring the original Langbian Palace Hotel as well as the Dalat Palace Golf Course. Other investments included the Novotel Dalat and 16 colonial villas. The hotel opened under the management of Accor in May 1995. Several days later Hillblom was killed in a private airplane crash. Hence, the name Larry’s Bar.

The last day we arranged for a city tour with the hotel car which turned out to be one wonderful adventure after another. The Dalat Cable Car gave us a panoramic view of the fields, heavily forested hillside, and a beautiful turquoise lake. At the ride’s end it was a short walk to Truc Lam Monastery. Down the hill toward Dalat we stopped at Datanla Waterfalls. And what a fun stop it was! On my personal coaster I went from one exciting curve to another until I reached the bottom of the steep hill and the beautiful Datanla Waterfalls. According to local legend it is where the fairies from heaven came to bath. Going back up on the coaster wasn’t as exciting but it was sure better than the 15-minute climb up the steps. I asked the driver to stop by The Crazy House so I could just take a couple of pictures. However, I was drawn in by its uniqueness. In a city where the French Colonial architecture has been preserved and restored Crazy House defies description. A truly phantasmagoric vision. It seems incongruous to find it in Vietnam where out-of-the-box activities are not encouraged but it becomes more understandable when one realizes that the architect’s father was the president of Vietnam in the 1980s. Our next stop was Bao Dai Palace, the summer getaway of the last emperor of Vietnam. I had expected to see a lavishly decorated house but the residence is one of simplicity and comfort. Our last request was for a drive around the lake. It was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon. People were peddling their swan boats, the Dalat Palace Golf Course, one of the finest in Asia, was busy with people knocking around a little white ball, families were strolling along the walkway, and fishermen were trying their luck.

We had saved our coupon for a complimentary Sparkling Rose Wine Cocktail for the last night. In the coziness of the L’Atelier Du Vin Room we sipped our wine wishing we never had to leave and vowed to return someday to do all the things we did not have time to do. Hotel Sofitel Palace and Dalat are truly magnifique!

For more information check http://www.vietnamtourism.com/ and http://www.sofitel.com/. Price range: $185 (USD) for a luxury double to $400 for a suite.

Melaka, Malaysia

View from our room
Manager's Reception
Cooking lesson

Cooking with Chef Alfie
A little sugar will make it less hot
Prawns with pineapple

Trishaw ride of historical district
Historical center
Dutch Church

Chinatown
Bound feet shoe makers
Portuguese ship

Independence Square
Boat ride on the river
The mall

In 1998 we took a day trip from Singapore to Melaka. In 2005 we spent a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur, commonly known as KL, before visiting Taman Negara, a remote jungle area. We have fond memories of both trips. This year we decided to revisit Melaka on our way to KL to catch an inexpensive flight to Vietnam. What a difference a decade makes. Melaka is only a four-hour comfy bus trip from Singapore. On board they showed a low-budget American film released in 2008 that probably never made it to theaters. The film was so badly made it was embarrassing.

When the bus reached the Sing-Malaysia border everyone got off with their luggage, walked through passport control, and the bus was waiting on the other side – so smooth. Bus travel is not only cheaper but it is easier and sometimes faster than the airplane, plus we get to see some of the countryside.

We checked into the Holiday Inn Melaka where we had scheduled a cooking lesson on Paranakan foods. Paranakan, or Nonya, cuisine combines Chinese, Malay and other influences. It was developed by the early Chinese settlers on the Malay Peninsula who intermarried with the local Malays. They created fusion cuisine before the term fusion was popular. Chef Toney taught us to make Chicken Capitan, which was derived from the Portuguese, and Ayam Pongteh, a Malay favorite traditionally served during Chinese New Year. That evening we attended a Manager’s Reception, which is becoming a weekly practice in many hotels. It was a chance to meet other guests and tour the hotel.

The Holiday Inn has a great view of the Straits of Melaka and yet it is only a short walk to two large modern malls where we had Annie Anne’s pretzels with our Starbucks coffee! The mall is located between the hotel and the historic center so everything is convenient however the hotel offers shuttle connections to the malls and the historic center.

The beautiful brick-red Dutch church built in 1744 is still the center of the historic city, which was recently named an UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site. Unlike ten years ago, there are many tourists with a bevy of brightly decorated trishaws waiting to transport tourists to all the sites. While a trishaw ride is a must-do, everything is within easy walking distance. There are many new attractions including a narrated boat tour on the river, a revolving sky tower, and an Eye on Malaysia, which is a smaller version of the London Eye Ferris wheel. It seems every city wants a huge viewing Ferris wheel.

There are several churches, mosques, and museums to visit. We’ve been to a lot of museums but never one called The Museum of Enduring Beauty. It is on the third floor of the People’s Museum. On display are the many ways people have beautified themselves from tattoos to lip plugs to foot binding. Beauty is what our culture teaches us is beautiful and definitely in the eye of the beholder.

From Melaka we took another four-hour bus trip to KL where we checked into the Pan Pacific Hotel at the airport. The hotel is more like a resort than an airport hotel with plenty of greenery, a pool, and several restaurants. The hotel was offering a special for upgrading to Club Level, which included the Internet, breakfast, and cocktails in the afternoon so our stay became a wonderful rest stop.

Uniquely Singapore

View from the Flyer
The Flyer
The Science Center - Great illusion area

The Merlion - the mascot of Singapore
The Sentosa beach
Fort at Sentosa

Night Safari... Fire show
Incredible fire show before the tram ride through the zoo
Native dances

Walking tour of Chinatown - Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Shop houses

herbal medicine shop

Valentine's Day at the Conrad's Club Lounge

The Fountain of Wealth - now we will be rich!

Dinner with Nella and Richard

Palate Sensation Cooking Class

Tastes just right!

Look what we prepared!

Singapore is a picture perfect country and it is due to the first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who turned a malarial island into a modern financial center making it a model for all of Asia. Singapore is the country that bans chewing gum and enforces its littering laws.

There is much to do. One day we took the cable car to Sentosa Island. During World War II it was a strategic area that saw heavy fighting. Today Fort Siloso is a museum that depicts the Japanese conquest and loss of Singapore. After the war the island was developed as a recreation area and named Sentosa, which means "peace." It is an improvement over the former name, which meant "death from behind." There is a long sandy beach, golf courses, amusement rides, nature trails, a variety of other attractions, and in 2010 Resort World, featuring Universal Studios is scheduled to open. My favorite attraction is the Images of Singapore where the story of Singapore is creatively displayed. It is a walk through the very heart of Singapore explaining their cultural diversity, unity of values, and perseverance.

The Original Singapore Walks is a wonderful way to learn about the ethnic heritage of Singapore. The "Red Clogs Down the Five-foot Way" tour of Chinatown took us pass beautifully restored shop houses. At one shop we learned about traditional medicine while sipping flower tea. At Thien Hock Kheng Temple, the oldest Chinese Temple in Singapore, the guide explained the various aspects of ancestor worship and the meaning of the temple’s ornamentation. Dragons offer protection. Every design has a special meaning. Each step was another step toward a better understanding of the culture and influence of the Chinese in Singapore.

The city’s star attraction is Night Safari, a nocturnal zoo tour. John and I arrived in time to see the impressive performance by the Thumbuakar Tribe from Borneo. The tribal dances and blowpipe demonstrations are great but the fire eating displays were unbelievable. There are trails to walk and a very quiet tram to ride. We hopped on board for the 45-minute ride with a live commentary and saw Asian Rhinos, jackals, hyenas, cats, elephants, and many other creatures. On the way out we watched another Uniquely Singapore experience – Fish Reflexology. People dangled their feet in a warm pool of water while tiny fish nibbled at the dead skin– a novel and ticklish exfoliation treatment.

The newest addition to the Singapore experience is the Singapore Flyer, currently the world's largest observation wheel. Rotating up to 541 feet from the ground each of the 28 capsules holds 28 people. Before we rode the flyer we walked around the Yakult Rainforest Gardens, put our hand in the water and made a wish. When we were at the top we also made a wish bringing together the elements of land, water, and air.

There is no better way to experience a culture than by taking a cooking lesson. John and I learn to cook Malay food at Palate Sensations. Chef Alfie and his wife, Lulu, taught us how to make Singapore chili crab. My favorite was vegetables cooked in coconut gravy. Chef Alfie explains, "This vegetable dish is always served for breakfast the first day after Ramadan, our month of fasting."

The hotels in Singapore are world class, espcially the Conrad and InterContinental. There are still many things we didn’t get to do… we will just have to visit again.

Amazing Myanmar

Pool - Governor's Residence
Along the river to Mrauk U
Sunset on the river

Temple with 80,000+ Buddhas
Princess Resort
She makes 80+fans a day

Sunrise breakfast
Sunrise
Carrying everything down the hill

Chef Nu
John and Thin Thin
Chef John cooking prawns

Chin village house
Elderly Chin lady
Chin students singing for us

Amazing Resort Ngapali

Our beach with all our friends

International School in Yangon

Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar, is just a short $50 flight from Bangkok and a fascinating tourist destination. Yangon lost many trees during the cyclone in September but it is still a city of trees. A gong announced our arrival at the Governor’s Residence, a beautiful hotel with traditional teak verandas, a pool and gardens. It is one of our favorite hotels. From Yangon we flew one hour to Sitwee on the Bay of Bengal in the Rakhine State where we boarded a classic teak boat for the 6-hour ride up the river to the new Princess Mrauk Oo Resort. The scenes along the river were mesmerizing and the sun set beautiful. Other than three boatmen, a cook and two waitstaff we were the only people on the boat so service was outstanding. The Mrauk Oo Princess Resort is new but built in typical Rakhine style. We toured the ruins of Mrauk Oo, an important Buddhist site, which had its golden days in the 16th and 17th centuries. One morning we got up before dawn, climbed a temple hill, where the hotel staff had breakfast waiting. Watching the sun come up and the mist rise up out of the hills was mystical.

Another day we hopped into a 1940s Willys Jeep, the most common motor vehicle, other than the motor bike, and bounced along to a jetty where we took a 3-hour boat ride to a Chin Village. The older village women have heavily tattooed faces. They say it was to prevent them from being kidnapped. Needless to say the practice has been discontinued. It was a neat village of thatch and bamboo houses on stilts and quiet as the men were off harvesting bamboo and the children were in school. We stopped by the one-room school where one of the subjects is English.

While much has been written about the government of Myanmar and very little of a positive nature, it is a wonderful tourist destination. The government has little to do with tourism and we organize our travel locally so the money goes directly to the people. As Western tourists who are free to travel I feel we show the positive side of an open society. Because Myanmar has remained isolated the people have retained much of their culture. Both men and women still commonly wear the longyi, the traditional wraparound skirt. A light yellow powder called thanaka is still used on their face to protect it from the sun and even as a form of makeup. Myanmar has no fast food chains. In fact they joke that they do have fast food because all Myanmar cooking is fast. There are many fascinating places to visit. Last year we visited Bagan, Mandalay, Lake Inle, Kalaw, and Ngapali Beach. The country is extremely safe and the people are very welcoming. The only problem we encountered was with the Internet. The government has blocked Yahoo, Hot Mail, and many other sites.

Last year we loved Amazing Resort Ngapali Beach located on the Bay of Bengal so we included it on this year’s trip, too. The sea is warm, the sand is soft, and the long sweeping is beach virtually deserted. Our room had a large balcony with a sea view and came with inner tubes for playing in the waves. John and I decided five days is not enough so Ngapali Beach is on next year’s schedule – for a week or more.

Dubai - Where the Future is Present

Bollywood filming near the world's most expensive hotel
The Dubai Museum
Mosque tour explaining the dress

A UNESCO nature park
Dubai by night from Dhow dinner cruise
Sharjah Islamaic Museum in a former souk

One small portion of the Sharjah Univerity City
Sharjah souk
Sandy Beach Hotel in Fujairah - Snoopy Rock

Desert bashing on Desert Safari
John camel riding on Desert Safari
Belly dancing on Desert Safari followed by BBQ

Ski Dubai
John tobogganing at Ski Dubai
The Spice Souk

Traditional cooking at Heritage Village
Young girls dancing traditional dances
Arabian horse show

I have seen the future and it is called Dubai. Dubai claims to have the tallest building but it is not finished. In fact, Dubai, is an ongoing project and quite impressive considering it has all taken place since the 1960s when oil was discovered. Dubai is an expensive destination but there are reasonable and excellent Holiday Inn and Ibis hotels plus plenty of interesting heritage sites that have very low admission prices.

For non-Moslem people the Jumeriah Mosque’s "Open Doors, Open Minds" mosque tour is a must do. It offers insight into the Islamic religion including the basic tenets. The guide explained that the clothing is more cultural than religious as the Koran only states that clothing should be modest. Interestingly, in Dubai, bling has come to the abaya, the coat-like covering, and sheyla, the headscarf.

When John and I entered the Dubai Museum we thought the courtyard was the entire museum considering the entrance was so reasonable. Then we entered the excellent air-conditioned underground exhibition with a multi-media presentation and dioramas that record Dubai’s development from the early pearl divers to the discovery of oil to the massive island-creating projects that includes one in the shape of a world map.

One day we went dune bashing in a Toyota Land Cruiser. Seat belts buckled, some air let out of the tires, and off we went, charging up one dune and careening down another arriving at the top of a dune, along with scores of other vehicles, in time for sunset. Then it was off to a desert camp for a camel ride, a belly dancing show, and a BBQ. For a completely opposite experience the next day we went to Ski Dubai located in one of Dubai’s many malls. Cold and snow do not normally excite us but Ski Dubai is really quite astounding. Winter coats and boots are provided. There are three ski runs accessed by a chair lift along with several toboggan and tubing areas.

One of my favorite evenings was also the least expensive. After a walk through the souks, we took the ferry across the Deira Creek and strolled down the corniche to the Heritage Village stopping at Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum's House, one of the oldest residences in the city and grandfather of the present ruler. Of interest were the wind towers constructed to keep their homes cool. Wet cloths were hung in the towers and the when the wind blew it caused evaporation and cooler air. At the Heritage Village there were school children performing traditional dances, Arabian horses, camels, craftspeople, and ladies cooking traditional treats. It was a popular evening out for local families. Admission was free.

Dubai has beautiful beach resorts including the world famous Burj Hotel but most are out of our price range so went to Sandy Beach Resort in Fujairah, another emirate, for a relaxing three days. We are always amazed at the pervasiveness of American culture. Just a short distance off shore from the beach is a rock formation called "Snoopy Island" because it resembles a reclining Snoopy. The resort had many cottages frequented by families on the weekend giving us an insight into the local lifestyle, which is very family-centered.

Dubai may be suffering from the same economic woes as the rest of the world but they have diversified so I wouldn’t close the book on their development.

Thailand: Cooking Thai

Meeting Chef Yingsak
Getting instructions from Hoon
Getting instructions from Mai

Chopping hot chili
Num grinding spices
Everyone helps everyone

Sajeerrat making green curry
John adding ingredients
Tasting

Green Curry with Chicken Sausage
Chef Maprang demonstrating Rice Noodle Parcel
Making Rice Noodle Parcel

Thai food is popular the world over and one of our favorites so we decided a cooking lesson was in order. Just mention the name "Chef Yingsak" and Thais break into smiles. Flamboyant Chef Yingsak is the most popular chef in Thailand with his own TV show and cooking school. My husband and I joined one of his classes for the morning. First we watched a video on how to prepare Miang Kwuay Tiao (rice noodle packets), Kaeng Keow Wan Sai Kok (green curry with sausage) and Kaeng Liang Pak Ruam (clear spicy soup with vegetables). Chef Hoon, one of Chef Yingsak’s assistants, then went over the instructions verbally. Luckily there were students with an excellent command of the English language to help us when we needed translations. Then it was off to the kitchen where we all helped to prepare various parts of the food – chopping, slicing, stir frying, and, the best part - tasting.

Thailand: River Boat Cruise

Our home for two days
Relaxing on the deck with Pacharin and Oak
Our "room"

Up with the sun
Giving food to the monks
Off to the morning market

Morning Market
Our Cook
Breakfast

A very busy river
Visiting an orpanage
Visiting a brick making family

Visiting a school
Visiting an incense making family
Tied up at dock of a Buddhist temple

Bangkok is the one of the major hubs of Southeast Asia. We have visited many times because there is so much to see and do. In Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, the Chao Phraya River flows through the city. We usually stay at a hotel on the river because we find the river mesmerizing. The Chao Phraya is a working river with small colorful tugboats pulling three to five heavily loaded barges, water taxis crisscrossing the river, and many other boats. We have often wondered where the barges come from and where they are going. On this trip we found out.
An hour from Bangkok in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya we boarded a teak rice boat turned houseboat for a two-day cruise on the Chao Phraya River. Our boat could accommodate 12 passengers; however, we were lucky because there were two other guests along with our two guides, a cook, and the boat’s pilot. Interestingly, the other couple was from St. Catherines, Ontario, not all that far from our New York State home.

Along the way we visited small handicraft villages, usually by bicycle. Most farmers still grow rice but during the growing season when they are not busy in the fields some families have created small businesses to make extra money. Everyone in the family works together. Some were making bricks, others drums, incense sticks, charcoal, or growing mushrooms. One day we visited a Buddhist orphanage with about 1000 children. Another day we visited a school where the children were on recess and they all clamored to have their picture taken.

When our houseboat was traveling down the river toward Bangkok we relaxed, waved to people on the shore, and watched the activity along the river. People were fishing, watering their crops, or just resting by the river. The barges were especially interesting because families live on the barges so they went about their daily activities: cooking meals, doing laundry, and other daily chores. I imagine it was similar to the barges on the Erie Canal 100 years ago.

Oxnard, CA - A Suite Place

Embassy Suite Pool
Mandalay Beach at Embassy Suite

Channel Island Harbor

Maritime Museum

Heritage Square

CArnegie Art Museum

Island Packers Whale Watch

Sun-lovin' seas

Sunset from our Embassy Suite room

One the joys of traveling is discovering new places. John and I are familiar with many places in California but we had never head of Oxnard and when we hear the word Mandalay we think of Myanmar. Mandalay is in Myanmar but there is a Mandalay Bay in Oxnard, CA. Located on the famed California Highway One, about 90 minutes north of LAX airport, Embassy Suites Mandalay Bay became our home for three days. Located right on the beach it was a wonderful choice. The hotel has bikes and tandem vehicles for exploring the paved paths that hug Oxnard’s seven miles of beaches. The free-form swimming pool is heated and beautiful. Each evening the hotel offers a two-hour Manager’s Reception with complimentary drinks and snacks. Many nights there is musical entertainment in lounge and often a pianist during dinner.

Embassy Suites proved to be the perfect base for exploring Oxnard. The best place to learn about a new destination is at local museums. The Ventura County Maritime Museum is home to a permanent collection of extensive marine art, featuring works by the Dutch, Flemish painters, along with modern artists. The museum also houses a collection of antique ship models that depict three thousand years of maritime history. Exhibits on whaling, sailors' artwork, the history of the Channel Islands Harbor and Port Hueneme round out the collection. See the remains of a shipwreck that took place April 13, 1970 when a northwester struck the Channel Island Harbor. The connection to the sea continues as is evidenced by the many man-made canals allowing homeowners to be just steps away from their boats.

We were in Oxnard during the time of the year when the Pacific Gray Whales pass by on their migratory path between the Alaska and Mexico. Our Island Packers tour started with information about baleen whales and their 10.000-mile migratory trip. In the Channel Islands area cold and warm currents come together creating a buffet of food for the behemoths. On the way to waters around Anacapa Island we passed seals basking in the warm sun on a buoy and a working oilrig. I didn’t realize there were so many oilrigs off the coast of California, but as the guide explained, "There has never been an accident with one of these rigs." And, then we were instructed, "Everyone keep on the lookout for water spouts. If you see one, shout ‘Thar she blows.’" It wasn’t long before the call went out, "Off the port, or left side for you land lubbers." We spent the next 45 minute watching the whales surface and dive again. On the way back we were treated to a brilliant sunset with the dolphins surfing in our wake. The fresh air created a hunger that was duly satisfied by a new restaurant located right next to the dock. The new Brazilian restaurant, Moqueca, was irresistible and so were their caprinias – the signature cocktail of Brazil.

One day might be called "Heritage Day" as we drove through the Oxnard Historical district named for the area’s founding father, Henry T. Oxnard. The beautifully maintained homes, many from the Arts and Craft era, on the tree-lined streets offer a glimpse into a more relaxed time.

In nearby Heritage Square 11 historic homes, a church, water tower, pump house and a storehouse have been moved to a single block, restored to their original condition, and now serve a variety of functions. The church, a popular place for weddings, is across from the Queen Anne Justin Petit Ranch House that is now home to an intimate theater, and between is one of the area’s popular restaurants, La Dolce Vita, in the Colonial Revival Laurent/McGrath House. We were sorry we were not there on the weekend when tour guides dressed in 19th century style give walking tours of the area.

Sitting proudly across from Plaza Park is a vision of ancient Greece, the Carnegie Art Museum. Founded in 1907 by Andrew Carnegie, the museum houses rotating exhibits from their permanent collection and from guest artists. New to their permanent collection is the thought provoking "Quiet Steps Approaching Thunder," Alexey Steele’s pastel on paper.

Oxnard is the place where Rudolph Valentino and Clark Gable played, and where so many films were shot that one area is now called Hollywood Beach. We will have to visit Oxnard again because we did not have time to see and do everything. We will visit the Herzog Wine Cellars, the largest Kosher winery on the West Coast, with tasting rooms, a visitor’s center, cooking classes, and a restaurant. We will hop aboard the Channel Islands Harbor Water Taxi for a Progressive Dining adventure and visit the Murphy Automotive Museum with its eclectic 50-car collection that includes Packard’s from 1927-1958, and the Children’s Gull Museum. There is even a small museum dedicated to the F. W. Woolworth stores.

Channel Island’s National Park, called the American Galapagos is only 11 miles off shore, and Packer Tours offers daily excursions. It is a top scuba diving area with naturalist led hikes, plus camping and wildlife viewing. The eight Channel Islands span 160 miles along the coast of California and are home to more than 2000 species of plant and animals, 145 are found nowhere else on earth.

And, of course, the Oxnard area offers golfing, ice skating, birding, biking, sailing, surfing, kayaking, diving, fishing, and shopping. It is even possible to rent a Segway and take it all the way to Ventura. So much to do, so little time. Truly an exciting time to visit would be during the California Strawberry Festival held the third weekend in May featuring their most famous produce.

The Mediterranean climate makes it a perfect destination any time of year. When Portuguese explorer discovered Oxnard in 1542, he found the area dotted with round, grass-covered huts of the Chumash Indians, and declared it "the land of endless summers."

Lake Mohave, NV - Family Fun Afloat

Forever Houseboat 413
Fishing in pjs
Carving the beast

Playing checkers
Hiking
Putting a puzzle together

End of the day
hot tubbing
Campfire

One of the best ways to enjoy the water is on a houseboat and houseboating in the desert is an especially unique adventure. John and I met up with several family members in Las Vegas, went grocery shopping, packed up the vehicles, and headed south through the Mohave Desert to Cottonwood Cove, one of the many properties of owned by Forever Resorts. When I caught a glimpse of our 70-foot houseboat from the top of the hill my first thought was, "I hope we return it in one piece!" The houseboat had four bedrooms, two baths, a hot tub, satellite TV, fully equipped kitchen, and plenty of space for the seven of us.

Happily, we opted to board the night before debarkation. After dinner we all watched the orientation video - even the grandchildren. The next morning after a hearty breakfast that included a family camping favorite – fried dough rolled in cinnamon and sugar – and, with a stuffed turkey in the oven, Mark, the marina man gave us operating instructions and piloted us out to open waters. We headed up the Colorado River toward Hoover Dam. Lake Mohave is part of the Lake Mead Recreational Area and the lake below the dam. The amazing landscape of barren rock in shades of browns and purples against the deep blue sky and the blue black of the river held our attention as we looked for the perfect cove to call home for the night.

They say driving a houseboat is not much different than driving a car. That may be the case but our car is not 70-feet long and 22-feet high, plus our car has brakes. However, the river is wider than the highway and John soon had things under control. Later in the day we found the perfect spot and tied up in Owl Point Cove. It was low season so were the only people there. We liked it that way. There are so many coves that even during the peak season it is possible to find a secluded cove.

Securely tied, the captain gave the orders of the day to the grandchildren. "Build a fire ring here in the sand then you can play Columbus and go exploring." Thus began several days of family fun and bonding. The sun was warm, the nights were cool, the variety of things to do were many. Even though the waters were too cold for swimming the grandchildren, Jenna and JJ, became member of the Polar Bear Club on New Year’s Day with a very short dip in the frigid Lake Mohave. Quickly they exited the water, rushed up the ladder to the top deck where their Uncle Jim had the hot tub ready. Each morning, still in their PJs, the grandchildren fished off the back of the boat. Drowning bait was more like it.

Each day included at least one exploration hike. Once we scrambled up the hill it was easy walking along the ridge. We even caught site of some wild burros. We put a puzzle together, played checkers, read, thoroughly relaxed and ate too much.

Each night we made a campfire and spent time in the hot tub marveling at the amazing number of stars in the black sky with no artificial lights to wash away some of the fainter stars.
An interesting side note to Forever Houseboats is that they are "green." Most of the boat is made of recyclable material. And, all the facilities have been designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible.

Lake Placid, NY

Lake Placid Lodge
Olympic Museum
Trials on the Sliding Track

View from our room at Golden Arrow
The ski jumps
Santa's House at the North Pole

The arena where the US hockey team created the miracle of the 80 Olympics

Our suite at Whiteface Lodge

Kanu dining room

Picking out ice skates

Roasting marshmallows at the campfire on the edge of the rink

W!ld Center in Tupper Lake

Lake Placid is the perfect destination in any season and for any reason. But it is the winter season that puts Lake Placid on the map. Lake Placid, in the High Peaks area of the Adirondack, is considered the birthplace of winter sports in America and hosted the 1932 and 1980 Olympics.

Regardless of the reason or the season, visitors can create the perfect getaway. Ecology-minded travelers will approve of Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, which is rated Four Leaves by Audubon International for their sustainable programs that includes a Green Roof that bursts into color during the summer. Drivers of hybrid vehicles get preferred parking and once at Golden Arrow there is little need to drive. The hotel is in the middle of Lake Placid village, with ski-in rooms, and a beach on Mirror Lake. Ironically, the village of Lake Placid is on Mirror Lake Across the street from the Golden Arrow is the Olympic Center, home of the Miracle on Ice. On February 22, 1980 the US hockey team, made up of amateur and collegiate players, defeated the Soviet Union team, which was considered the best international hockey team in the world. The U.S went on to win the gold medal by beating Finland. A tour of the complex visits the three indoor ice rinks where recreational skaters and Olympic hopefuls practice and includes a short video of the Miracle on Ice. While in the Olympic Center, experience the thrill of bobsledding from the drivers point-of-view, alpine skiing, ice hockey as the goalie, and ski jumping from the 120m tower in the Center’s all-in-one virtual reality simulated experience.

The 1932 & 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum explores the legacy of the Lake Placid Winter Games in many exhibits including video highlights, athletes' uniforms and equipment, and historical information about all of the area's Olympic sites. Along with the display on the 1980 hockey team relive the glory of Olympic favorites Sonja Henie, Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Fleming, and Erik Heiden along with other Olympic champions.

A free shuttle makes many stops within the village including the Olympic Ski Jumps, which are daunting from any angle. The 120-meter tower’s Sky Deck looks like a shoebox from the ground but can accommodate 100 people.

The Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports Complex, a short way out of the village, is a Mecca for world class athletes but it is also the perfect place for recreational athletes to enjoy an Olympic outdoor adventure including an exhilarating bobsled ride with a professional driver and brakeman. The cross country ski area offers over 32 miles of meticulously groomed world class ski trails along with two dedicated snowshoe trails.

A free shuttle from the village takes skiers, and leaf-peepers in the fall, to Whiteface Mountain, the fifth-highest mountain in New York State with the greatest vertical drop in the east at 3,430 feet. Take the gondola to the summit for a 360-degree view of the area.

Before the Olympics and the popularity of winter sports the Adirondacks were home to the Great Camps, those rustic but luxurious family compounds of the wealthy. For those looking for Great Camp solitude it is still possible to slip into the mode of the Gilded Age at Lake Placid Lodge. Even though the main lodge is new due to a disastrous 2005 fire it has been rebuilt on the same footprint as the original lodge and has all the ambiance and trademarks of a Great Camp. Guests can enjoy luxurious accommodations with rustic natural furnishings. There are cozy cabins in a deep woods setting. All accommodations have a fireplace with spectacular views of Whiteface Mountain and Lake Placid. Lake Placid Lodge is the only hotel on Lake Placid. During the summer there are boats, kayaks, and swimming but during the colder season there are 17 blazing fireplaces in the public areas including some on the sprawling porches where guests will find snuggly shawls to fend off the chill.

Guests can step out of their accommodations and explore wonders of the Adirondack Forest Preserve on the Jackrabbit Trail, one of the most popular ski/snowshoe trails in the North Country. The 25-mile long trail links the Village of Keene at its western end to Saranac Lake and passes right by the Lodge. In the late afternoon lodge guests can warm themselves and enjoy hot tea and pastries in front of a fireplace before heading to the dining room for a gourmet dinner.

Located between Lake Placid Lodge and Golden Arrow Resort is Whiteface Lodge where guests can participate in a myriad of activities and never leave the lodge. Built in 2005 in the Great Camp-style Whiteface is much like the early compounds of the wealthy. The all-suite accommodations have a state-of-the-art kitchen, washer/drier, sitting room with a fireplace, and a porch or balcony. Similar to some of the Gilded Age compounds Whiteface Lodge has a bowling alley, game room, and an ice rink with a fireplace for toasting s’mores around the evening fire. Unlike the camps of yesteryear, Whiteface lodge has an indoor/outdoor pool with several hot tubs, a workout room, a movie theater that shows three movies a day, an ice cream parlor, and full-service spa for rejuvenation and relaxation. There is no need to leave. Guests can enjoy gourmet dining by one of the four massive fireplaces under a soaring 20-foot ceiling with mounted wildlife looking down and a view of Whiteface Mountain.

Lake Placid is a beehive of activity all year-round and has been since the Games put the Adirondacks on America's recreation map. Besides all the winter fun activities there visitors enjoy shopping, great dining, and wine tastings at outlets for CNY’s Goose Watch and Swedish Hill Wineries. Summer brings hikers, bikers, and paddlers, while wintertime beckons skiers and snowboarders to the state's best mountains. The Lake Placid region offers visitors a rich variety of historic, artistic, sport, and cultural attractions making it the perfect destination for any season and any reason.

For more information check http://www.lakeplacid.com/, http://www.golden-arrow.com/, http://lakeplacidlodge.com/, and www.thewhitefacelodge.com.

Honduras - Always Surprising

Crowne Plaza in San Pedro
Herando Merano's Cooking Tapado Olanchono
Tapado Olanchano

Sambo Creek - cooking with Orel
Fish Soup with machuca
Dancing the Punta and playing drums

Traquility Bay - Cabin 5
Our property from "our" soccer field
The road in front of our property

Roatan - Infinity Bay
Roatan - Infinity Bay - the beach
Roatan - Infinity Bay

Anthony's Key Resort
Folkloric Night at AKR
Anthony's Dolphin

Two monkeys at Gumbalinda
Welcome at IC San Pedro
Antique door entrance to lounge

Roatan – The Caribbean’s Best-Kept Secret

In the western part of the Caribbean there is an island that has long been the secret of the dive crowd. But things are changing and changing fast. Roatan Island, the largest of the Honduran Bay Islands in now a stop for Carnival and Norwegian Cruise lines. The original inhabitants along with the English, French, Spanish, and AfroCaribbeans, and pirates have left their fingerprint on this little island that is only 36 miles long and three miles at its widest point. Roatan has its own unique culture where the English language is as common as Spanish.

My husband, John and I, spent eight days in two different hotels. At Infinity Bay we had a beautiful condo that had everything including a washer and dryer. It was a lazy time. We wandered the beach and lounged around the pool, and dined in our "home" by requesting that meals be delivered to our room. It was the easy life.

Our stay on Roatan became more active when we moved to Anthony’s Key, the premier dive resort on Roatan. Scuba diving is not my forte but I love snorkeling. And snorkeling on Roatan, which is located on the second largest barrier reef, is excellent. For me, swimming with the parrot fish, barracuda, eels and other colorful denizens of the coral reef is a surreal experience.
Anthony’s Key is home to a small museum, the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences, and to 20 dolphins kept in an open-sea corral. When questioned about confining the dolphins, the guide explains, "They could easily jump out if they wanted to. Taking them out for a deep sea dive is more trouble than getting them to return to their home."

One day John and I went to Gumbalinba Nature Park where there is a zip line, a cave where guides use displays to tell the history of Roatan, a tropical garden, and a mini-zoo. After the short history lesson in Coxen’s Cave that told of pirates and conquerors my husband, John, and I walked through the gardens where the guide pointed out a Monkey La La. Startled by our chatter the Monkey La La rose up on its hind feet and scurried off. A Monkey La La is a lizard with the unique ability to "walk" on water and, because of this, they have been dubbed "The Jesus Lizard." Due to webbing between their toes, they can run about 15 feet on water before sinking at which point they have to resort to swimming. We marveled at the brilliance of the scarlet macaw and kept an eye on playful Pedro, the free-roaming monkey, who tired to swipe something from the bag John was carrying.

One night the Anthony’s Key had a barbecue followed by a folkloric show. The fire dancers and the Garifuna dances mesmerized us. The Garifuna are an AfroCaribbean that live in the coastal areas of Central America. The dance enacted a story called El Yancunu. It was the same tale we heard in the cave at Gumbalimba. Masked warriors don masks and women’s clothing to avoid being murdered or captured during a 18th century battle that took place on Roatan. We have visited Roatan many times in the last 15 years. There are now many lavish homes, more hotels, and plenty of new activities for visitors.

Maryland's Wisp Resort

Rafting
Mountain coaster
Wall climbing

Ski resorts can not survive by offering only snow fun so many have added summertime activities but few resorts have embraced the multi-season concept so completely as Wisp Resort in Maryland.

Wisp is located in the westernmost county of Maryland on top of Marsh Mountain overlooking Deep Creek Lake, the largest inland lake in Maryland. It is just south of the town named Accident.

The place is an amazing one-stop destination with something for everyone in the family to do in every season. There are 132 acres of skiable terrain, a championship golf course, the Sewickley Spa, and the Adventure Sports Center.

John and I had a hard time deciding what to do first. We love river rafting and have done so in many places but nothing compares to rafting at the Adventure Sports Center (ASCI). All the things I found most daunting about river rafting have been eliminated. They have created a whitewater course that is accessed from the pond by an automatic ramp – no more carrying the awkward raft down a gravely path to the river. ASCI has eliminated all the typical river hazards such as downed trees and undercut rocks that are places for foot entrapment but left the thrills. They offer rafting from Class 1 to 4. The course is also used for kayaking. They have traditional kayaking and also one-person inflatable kayaks called duckies.

We had lunch at the top of the mountain and returned to the main part of the resort. The chair lift was an excellent way to get an overview of the resort. On the way down we had an excellent view of the resort and lake. It was panoramic and the 25-minute trip giving us plenty of time to enjoy the scenery.

John and I decided to give the mountain coaster a try. I was a bit nervous because I could hear the screams of the passengers while we were on the chair lift. "You are in complete control. Just use the brake. You can go as slow as you want," explained the attendant. At the top John just took off and was gone. I however inched my way along. In the curve I felt like I was going to fall out and was thankful for the seatbelt. Then I realized that going real slow meant I did not have centrifugal force working in my favor in the curves so I went faster, then faster. When it was over I was ready to go again once I learned a few little tricks to make the trip more fun. But John was eyeing the climbing wall.

Typical of all ASCI "adventures," wall climbing includes all the thrills and skills but with excellent safety measures. When John reached the top on the first try the attendant said, "You can climb down or just push off and the pulley will let you down slowly." John was surprised at how much trust it took to push off, but push off he did, and the lowering mechanism worked perfectly as it slowly lowered him to the ground.

Once again we learned that no matter where we go there are great adventures waiting to be experienced. For the more adventurous there is mountain biking, fishing, disc golf, mountain boarding, and hiking. Before we headed home we took one more ride on the chair lift for one last look at the beautiful scenery.