Artist: Nick Walker Location: 17th Street and 6th Ave, Flatiron District

We recently had the pleasure of a day off in old stomping grounds, New York City.  As we ambled aimlessly through the Lower East Side and Alphabet City, enjoying some snacks and adult beverages, we couldn’t help but snap some photos of some great NYC street art. Everything from stickers and wheatpaste pieces to full-building painted murals and legal walls, NYC street art runs the full spectrum. To brush up on some basic street art terminology, read this article on Mental Floss!

Where in the World to Find Great Street Art

As street art has become more mainstream, there are different methods to seeking it out. Some cities have designated street art areas, like the Wynwood Walls in Miami. Other cities, like Cartagena, Colombia, seem to have whole neighborhoods, like Getsemani, dedicated to street art. Philadelphia as a 2-mile self-guided walk of its impressive murals. It’s right downtown with explanatory info available via your cell phone. Believe it or not, it’s now as easy as a quick Google of “street art x-city” to put you on the right path to finding some major pieces. From there, the best advice is to just wander. NYC street art seems to be sprinkled liberally around in many different neighborhoods. Mulberry Street in Little Italy is home to The Lisa Project, another spot we’d like to check out soon.

NYC Street Art, Lower East Side

The lower east side was a great place to start, with a number of interesting pieces concentrated in a relatively small, very walk-able are. Just keep your eyes peeled, you never know when or where you might stumble upon some amazing NYC Street Art! For a head start on places to look, or to get some background on artists and techniques, Street Art NYC has a very informative blog on the topic!

Artist: Nina Pandolfo Location: Rivington St. between Bowey and Chrystie (across from Morgenstern’s ice cream shop!)

Enjoy this gallery and let us know which piece speaks to you!

Click on thumbnails below for a larger image.

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Cape Cod in the winter?!?

It’s always fun and interesting to see destinations from a different perspective.  Those of you who have visited Cape Cod know all too well the hustle and bustle of summers on the Cape.  Tamara grew up here and has seen the range of all the seasons many times.  For me, sure I’ve spent more time on the Cape than most, but I’ve spent most of my time here during Cape Cod winter.  There is a truly different vibe than in “season” when the temperatures are warmer and most people are here for just a short time.  There’s the great unending debate whether to take the only “highway,” a mostly 2 lane in each direction with median road that narrows to one lane each direction as you make your way further out, or whether Route 28 will be faster at a particular time of day.  In winter you don’t have to think about these sorts of questions, you only have to decide on which road you’d prefer to drive on because there won’t be any extra traffic or some out of state car that has no idea where they are going.  I could go on for much longer but….. I won’t.

This winter we’ve been fortunate enough to have a month to spend on the Cape and we’ve taken full advantage of the serenity that provides.  We’ve done a bit of dog and cat sitting too, of course at separate times.  Walks on the beach without anyone else in sight are truly cherished moments.  There has even been a fairly decent snow storm which dropped 15 inches of snow in about 48 hours.  Snow on the beach is such a novelty for me.  I hope you enjoy these photos from our Cape Cod winter, we’ve certainly enjoyed being able to take and share them.

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Meet Andrzej and Jolene

Wanderlust Storytellers is a family travel blog …. a little dream we have always had.  To be able to write about our travel stories and to share our experiences with others is the best job we have ever had!

We travel and we venture out to see not only touristic destinations, but also the hidden gems.  We simply crave to immerse ourselves in the real culture of the place, learn and connect as much as we can with the people and of course to taste all the yummy cuisine of those countries!  And there are so many to taste still!  Well, that only gives us a purpose to see and taste more! Are you with us?  YES!!

Food for Thought

The underlying idea of the “Food for Thought” series is that to truly experience a culture you must taste it. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

As soon as you said: “to truly experience a culture you must taste it!” it is like I had a déjà vu. That is exactly how I think!

Food is the key to the heart and soul of the culture, and to be able to taste the delicacies that have been perfected by generations before, is an unbelievable experience!

Do I agree?  YES, I DO!

Eating a traditional Khmer lunch in a small local village outside of Siem Reap in Cambodia! Just look at their kitchen!

A local Vietnamese lady cooking up a storm right on the sidewalk of a busy street in Hanoi!

What food do you identify with “home?” Does it reflect something about your own culture or upbringing?  Do you crave it while you’re away?

Well, I have been living in Australia for the past 20 years, which is 2 years longer than I have lived in my home country, Poland.  There is no comparison to the memories of flavours and tastes from my birth country to any other place.  These are the dishes that Mum and Grandma have fed us since we were born.

I crave the polish food immensely and every time I have an opportunity I do not hesitate to try someone else’s version of the real dishes.  There are so many dishes I can’t list them all here!

I’ll give you three:

• Polish Smoked Pork and Sausage – The flavours and texture of the meat is to die for! If it is a cold smoked or hot smoked meat on a fresh bun or if it is a wood-fire grilled pork sausage on a fresh slice of polish rye bread; you will be in heaven my friend!
• Blood Pudding – My grandma’s version; crispy fried on the frypan with small chunks of liver. YUM!  All I can say is “you must eat more!” Haha… That is the Polish way.  If there is food on the table, and there always is food on the table, then you are not going anywhere!
• Pork Schnitzel and Smashed Potatoes – well, this one is more popular across Europe and even further, but…  Polish-way pork needs to be well tenderized and lightly seasoned with Salt and Pepper, dipped repeatedly in egg-wash and plain flour and fried till golden.  Now, place two of those next to a generous amount of smashed potatoes sprinkled with dill and you just do not need anything else!

Hahaha…  Talk about thoughts taking you home!  I can write you a whole recipe book if your next question asks for it!  We would be here a while!

How has travel affected the way you think about food?

Well, I have actually written a post about how challenging the tasting of new food is for me.  I have this thing called ‘Fear of food’, haha… No joke!  It’s food neophobia.

Travel and of course my beautiful wife have helped me to face my fears and in 95% of cases I try everything that I have at my table.  Now this is something that I used to never do.  Mr Meat and meat and potatoes, that used to be my name.  Haha…

Do you have a technique to try and understand local cuisine? (ie: Attending cooking classes or food tours? Hunting the best street food?)

I think that all of the examples mentioned are excellent ways of trying the local cuisine!  We have attended cooking classes as well, both in Vietnam and in Indonesia, and I have got to say that I think we did pretty good!  We did learn a lot about spices and the preparation methods.

Having some family fun at a cooking class in Bali! Food was delicious!

Although we definitely recommend cooking classes as a great way to broaden your culinary skills, our favourite way of exploring the flavours of the countries is just by eating the food!

We tend to have a taste of dishes across the board.  It is always fun to dine in fancy restaurants, local markets or small food stalls, as well as on the street.  This way we can get a broader understanding of the flavours and we can judge for ourselves what is yummier and which dishes to recommend for our readers.

Tell us about a memorable meal that was so special it is forever ingrained in your memory. Where was it and what set it apart? What was served, and who shared it with you?

Well, hands down the one extraordinary food memory was in Italy!  Positano on the Amalfi Coast to be exact!  There is this gorgeous restaurant right on the main beach and my wife and I absolutely loved the food there!

Have you ever tried fresh mozzarella grilled on lemon leaf?  If the answer is YES, then you know exactly why!  This is a sensory overload to your taste buds and to your brain.  I swear once you try this simple yet extraordinary dish; you will put it right to the top of your culinary experiences.  YUM, YUM and YUM!

Both dishes were delicious, but you can see the mozzarella lemon leaf dish in front of Jolene! So warm, stringy and chewy and fresh!

What food have you tried in your travels that some might find shocking or surprising? Would you eat it again?

I have tried quite a lot, but I think my wife beats me in this area!  Jolene, my gorgeous life partner and fellow wanderluster is crazy!  Haha…  Whilst on her China trip, she ate bees!  Yup, bees… Flower pollinating, delicious honey-making, tiny little stripy creatures – bees.  Haha… Well, in China you will find truly interesting and sometimes odd things to eat and you have to try things that you would normally ninja roll-out from.

Jolene said: “Fried bees are crunchy and a little bit nutty in flavour.  I wouldn’t say that they are super yummy, but I had to try it!”

Needless to say, in situations like that I stand manly in front of the table and with one swift move, ninja roll-out of there!  Haha…

And just for fun, if you had to choose one country’s cuisine to eat for the rest of your life what would it be?

Hmm, that is actually a huge toss-up between Italian cuisine and Vietnamese for sure.  Hmm, ok… (several minutes later)

Vietnamese!  Why? – We travelled all the way from the North to the South of Vietnam and we did not have one single meal that was unsatisfactory.  All was delicious, amazing and unforgettable.

Fabulous food in a pretty popular little café in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam!

The depth of flavours in all the dishes is insanely fantastic.  You could literally eat nothing else then Vietnamese food for the rest of your life and still discover new flavours within the same bowl of soup.

Take Pho Ga for example!  One evening in Hoi An, we had an amazing dinner.  We staffed ourselves to the brim with excellent food, as we knew that in two hours we needed to catch a plane from Danang to Ho Chi Minh.  Well, at the airport 30 minutes after we finished dinner, we were sitting and eating a massive bowl of Pho Ga each.  Yup!  This soup is so good, that you will eat it, even if you have no more space in your stomach!  Guarantee it!

Eating Vietnamese food on the tiny little plastic stools! This one is their popular Vietnamese BBQ! So insanely delicious … but maybe not the healthiest ever!

All photos generously provided by Andrzej and Jolene from Wanderlust Storytellers. You can connect with them on their site, or via Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or YouTube!

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Confession: I Want to Be a Farmer…Colorado Concord Grapes Were a Perfect Reminder

There’s nothing like eating straight from the garden. Even if you weren’t there for the planting and subsequent care, who doesn’t rejoice in eating something you’ve picked yourself?

The end of our marketing contract this year has left us in Colorado. We are lucky enough to have family here, so we took the opportunity to visit and enjoy the late fall. If you’ve never been to Colorado this time of year, you will not be disappointed! The weather is amazing and the foliage colors are superb. Those quaking yellow aspens with babbling brooks and high-mountain backdrops are a uniquely Colorado experience. My mom’s cousin Steve and his wife, Ann have a lovely home in the Fort Collins area and have been blessed both with green thumbs and lots of great sunlight to have a garden. Their skills and the perfect climate have provided apple, peach and cherry trees, tomatoes, corn, beans, pumpkins and squash, countless herbs and a perfectly amazing grapevine. On Steve’s side of the fence, and the other side, belonging to his neighbor, a local restaurant owner, the crop of Colorado Concord grapes is an absolute marvel. They had already harvested as many as they could handle, and there are still and equal amount hanging on the vine ready to be creatively utilized.

Use Those Colorado Concord Grapes Before It’s Too Late!

We’ve been foraging and helping to make use of the plethora of fruit and vegetables since we’ve been here. We made a Colorado Concord Grape Pie (yes, you can make grape pie) and an Apple Crumble/Pandowdy. We sauteed squash and Swiss chard and green beans, and collected seeds for next year’s oregano and shallots. That time, however, is quickly coming to a close. The cold weather has started to creep in, and yesterday we made one final, huge, harvest from the garden. Cousin Steve is an expect canner and preserver, and he gave us both our first lesson in making Colorado Concord grapes into jam today!

Harvesting the Grapes

We started out by clipping 8-10 pounds of Colorado Concord grapes from his vines. They are as good as any grape I’ve ever had, and put any store bought grape to shame. After hauling the grapes inside to the utility sink we rinsed them in a water and vinegar bath for about 10 minutes to get rid of any unwanted clingers-on. After that came the most tedious process of the lesson, removing the grapes from the stems and separating the hulls from the fruit. The hulls and the fruit are reunited but later in the process. With the fruit and hulls in separate pots, both go on the stove to simmer separately. Once they were sufficiently cooked, we removed them from heat and set to remove the seeds from the fruit.

Sieve and Pestle

For this, we used a sieve and a pestle to squeeze the fruit through while leaving the seeds behind in the sieve. Once the seeds were successfully removed from the fruit, the thick juice and hull mash are reunited. Now come the measurement and calculation part of the lesson. The process resulted in 14 cups of fruit, so we needed to calculate our sweetener and thickener accordingly. Steve has found a great pectin, used as the thickener, called Pomonas Universal Pectin Fruit & Vegetable Concentrate. The pectin is all-natural, and gels with a calcium-water mix. It’s high-flavor and low-sweetener. In other words, much less sugar/brown sugar/honey, or whatever sweetener you choose is required . . . about 1/8 to 1/4 the amount of sweetener as traditional recipes. We added the calcium water to the fruit mix, then we combined our sweetener (local Colorado honey!) with the pectin powder which was also added to the fruit mix. That concluded our mixology session!

The Cook

Our Colorado Concord grape mix was then brought to boil for just a few minutes to encourage the ingredients to play nice. Next up, jarring! Using a funnel and ladle we divided the finished product into jars. Steve had to dip into some reserve jars since our batch was so huge! With the jars filled, we were careful to wipe the lip of each before putting the lids on and tightening the bands. The final step involved submerging the filled jars in boiling water to properly seal them to ensure a long shelf life. The altitude in Colorado requires some modifications while cooking. In this case, we needed to boil the jars for about 20 minutes to produce the desired effect. After the allotted time, we set the jars on the counter and waited for them to “pop,” a signal that you did your job to preserve the preserves!

I can tell you that from now on when I’m offered some homemade jam, jelly or preserves I will certainly have a greater appreciation of the effort the producer put forth to make such a tasty treat! We branded our 18-jar Colorado Concord grape jam batch as D&T’s Purple Gold, and let us tell you . . . it’s delicious!

D&T’s Purple Gold

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Crowders Mountain Panorama: View from the Pinnacle

Sometimes you just need a dose of nature to get yourself back on track. We’ve been on the road as part of our latest mobile marketing tour for about three months now. The current tour’s client is Dole (the fresh fruits and vegetables divisions), and they have a worthy goal: getting people to live healthier, eating more fruits and veggies. After a year of overindulgence on our European Game of Thrones tour, it was time to reset and get our healthy eating back on track. This tour was a good fit! We have been able to bring our diet back to a more moderate range, but our busy schedule doesn’t always allow as much exercise as we’d like. Crowders Mountain State Park offered the perfect day-trip’s hike from Charlotte, our current location.

Crowders Mountain

Even though the temperatures have been scorching, we wanted to get out and take advantage of a day off. We decided on a hike in Crowders Mountain State Park. The park features 11 trails, ranging from easy and family-oriented to strenuous. You can also try canoeing with rentals available, though water levels were so low that rentals were suspended until further notice when we visited. Backcountry camping is also possible, as is rock climbing and bouldering in designated areas and with a permit.

We read that the forest itself is relatively new growth. The park was just established in the early 1970s, a local response to the threat of mining coming into the area. The area between Crowder Mountain and King’s Mountain has a modern history including institutions of higher learning, a WWI artillery range and a mineral springs resort. Most of the land surrounding the park was traditionally used for tobacco, corn, soybeans and livestock. Earlier, it served as a major trade route for the local Catawba and Cherokee. It’s an interesting history, one worth reading up on, especially if you’re visiting the area.

The Trails

We began our hike from the Visitor’s Center at the Sparrow’s Springs Access point. The Turnback Trail is designated as “moderate,” but we worked up quite a sweat and a heartrate by the time we reached the Pinnacle Trail after 1.2 miles. The Pinnacle Trail continues another mile or so, before terminating at Pinnacle Peak. This is also the beginning of the Ridgeline Trail. The views from Pinnacle Peak are stunning. The valley below spreads as far as the eye can see. The peak is the highest point in Gaston County, at 1,705 feet. This was the perfect place for a picnic, and with a nod to northern Spain, where we first learned the joys of Pan con Tomate (fresh tomato and chopped garlic, olive oil and salt), we enjoyed a snack while reminiscing. Squirrels eyed us from high in the trees, hoping for scraps. A trio of turkey vultures swooped overhead, bringing back memories of being menaced by birds on a much different hike in Argentina. A blue-tailed skink scurried away as we made our way back to the trail to head back down from the Pinnacle.

The Ridgeline Trail continues another 6 miles or so, across the border into South Carolina!  From here in Crowders Mountain State Park (Gaston County, North Carolina), it links to Kings Mountain State Park and Kings Mountain National Military Park in South Carolina. We hiked only a short way in, before returning to the alternate route down, the Pinnacle Trail. Being much rockier, it required a bit more scrambling than the way up. The website labels it as “strenuous,” which it certainly may have been on the climb up, but we found it to be more in the moderate range for the descent.

After returning to the parking at the Visitor’s Center, we drove over to a lovely lake just down the road. There is an easy, gravelled ring trail, just under a mile, around the circumference, as well as choice spots for fishing. This is also where the canoe rentals are ordinarily located.

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Sunrise over Amber Cove: Ready for a day of Impact Activities

Recently we were lucky enough to cruise with Fathom Travel aboard the Adonia on their second trip to the Dominican Republic.  The basic idea is that travelers participate in “Impact Activities” to empower and give back to the local community while enjoying the beautiful surroundings and learning about the island’s culture. We’ve written up an overview of the Fathom Travel experience, and what makes it different from the typical “volunteering” trip.  During our time on the ground in the Dominican Republic, we both participated in several of Fathom’s Impact Activities. You can choose up to three included in the cruise. It may be possible to squeeze in an additional one, but we found ourselves plenty busy with the three. Of those, the one that I enjoyed the most was called “Concrete Floors in Community Homes.”

Concrete Work

Having never worked with concrete before I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I hoped that I would still be able to pull my weight on the team. I’ve seen crews mixing and pouring concrete more than a few times at home, so I had a vague idea what was involved.  I suppose I chose this activity for a few reasons but there were two that stand out: one, I would be using my back (and hands and arms and legs as it turns out) to do some real labor; and two, there would be something tangible at the end of the day’s work.  Both of these were certainly true as I would soon learn.

The family home in El Javillar.

Arriving to the Work Site

In order for travelers to get to their respective activities, there is a shuttle bus and number system Fathom has implemented.  You must be sure to check the “Soundings,” daily schedule you receive nightly, to see when your activity meets in the Curzon Lounge.  Once you’ve checked in there you are assigned a group number that corresponds to the bus you will ride in for the day.  Everyone funnels out of the ship, past the retail pad, to the parking lot boarding their bus.  After leaving Amber Cove you meet your facilitator on the bus who works for IDDI (Dominican Institute for Integral Development), a local NGO, who is there to explain the day’s activity and guide you through the process.  My facilitator was Orlando, who said his last name was “Bloom” (theme here), and who taught us tons including everything from details about the neighborhood we’d be working in to how IDDI chooses which homes to floor.  He also informed us that in the area where we would be working, about 80% of the homes currently have dirt floors.

El Javillar

This is the neighborhood near Puerto Plata that Fathom is now focusing on for the flooring project.  The hope is that all the homes in El Javillar will have concrete floors by the end of the year, and then Fathom can move on to another neighborhood. The previous day, the family we were to work with was told that they had been chosen to receive the floor the next day and would need to move their furniture out before the travelers arrived.  I can just imagine the butterflies of excitement and anticipation they must have felt.  As we approached, it was clear that the area was in need. The street hadn’t been paved in quite some time and the houses were becoming more and more basic.

Juan and family with IDDI workers

Meeting Juan, his family and the rest of the crew

The proud home owner’s name was Juan. He lived in the simple home with his wife and their young daughter.  They introduced themselves, through an IDDI facilitator acting as a translator. In doing so Juan thanked us for taking our time to help his family and attributed this blessing to his faith.  Next, the other IDDI facilitators introduced themselves.  Keeping with the theme above they had some fun names like Chocolate and Stone, I’d work closely with Stone for the day and I later found out his real name was Lorenzo.  Lorenzo, aka Stone, shared his story with me during one of our breaks. His grandmother’s house had received a new floor on Fathom’s inaugural cruise visit the previous week.  Stone had been there helping out since he didn’t have a job at the time and it was his grandmother’s house after all.  During the day, one of the IDDI employees noticed his grasp on English and of course his work ethic and offered him a job on the spot.  You can’t make this stuff up!  After hearing his story I did notice that in fact there were four other younger men there helping with Juan’s house who didn’t have IDDI shirts on as the rest of the facilitators did.  All at once I realized that not everyone there “working” was there because it was their job. Some of the locals were there because of the strong sense of family and by extension community. They were just plain there to help! This epiphany probably made a bigger impact on me personally than any other moment of the entire Fathom experience.  Not only was the home owner there working just as hard as, most likely harder than, the travelers but also his community had rallied behind him to ensure this opportunity came true!

Construction Details

After introductions, we split up into groups, which were formed according to skills and expertise.  There were 21 travelers and we needed three groups so naturally we divided into groups of seven.  One group, the one I was a part of, was tasked with shoveling sand, cement and water together to make the concrete.  We then shoveled the mix into buckets, where the second group formed a “water line” in order to move the material into the house by passing the buckets to one another.  The buckets were then passed to the third group who spread the concrete and smoothed it using planks of wood.

Mixing Concrete

As for what I actually did, as I mentioned, making concrete what pretty labor intensive.  To create the concrete mix we literally mixed the materials on the street, which was make of dirt.  We would fill a wheelbarrow six times with sand, pouring it on the ground and spreading it evenly to make a flat circle of sand.  Then we opened two bags of cement (I think they were 80 pound bags) and spread it evenly across the sand.  We then used the shovels to churn the sand and cement together by scooping and flipping the mix with the shovels.  When this was complete there was more or less a volcano shape of the mixture.  The next step was to add water.  In order to do this we would spread the mix around to make a “pool” and pour the water into the middle, being careful not to let it run out from the edges.  Next, we started by pushing the sand cement mix into the water and repeating until we hand mixed all the water in.  At this point, the concrete was ready to be shoveled into the buckets.  We repeated this until we were able to cover the inside of the house, and we even had a bit left over to pave a path from the front door to the street!

Completed home on the same street.

More Community

After sweating, laughing with each other, and congratulating everyone for a job well done, the entire group walked down the road to the local church.  It was a small building, but certainly the best-looking one in the neighborhood.  The pastor was kind enough to let Fathom and IDDI use the building to serve a buffet lunch. This was another chance for the group to bond and share stories about the day, another example of the “alongsidedness” that is a big theme with Fathom. This theme is present not only during Impact Activities, but on board and behind the scenes as well.

Stone and I.

Impact Activities: The Verdict

This was my favorite Impact Activity I participated in during my week with Fathom.  There is a $20 surcharge to participate in this activity, but if budget is a factor, it’s certainly money well spent.  You will definitely sweat and be tired when the day is through; have no doubt about that.  The activity level Fathom rates the activity is “considerable” and the terrain is “rough.”  The terrain wasn’t exactly rough in my opinion but the footing was uneven for sure.  As for the activity level, I completely agree, although you can take a break at anytime as needed.

Current Fathom Travel Booking Specials

If you’re ready to get on board, there are some fantastic specials going on. We are excited to offer our readers a special Insiders’ Code which means a $50, $100 or $150 off your trip, per person, depending on your booking/sailing date. Use this code, and we’ll get credit for friends and family who join in the fun as well. Here’s how it works: click the link above, and you’ll be taken to a special Fathom Insiders page. The code Insider1524 should be already visible in the “Insider Code” section. If not, you can also manually enter this code into the “Insider Code” field. Once you have added the rest of your details and completed the registration you will be emailed a discount code you can use when booking a trip. Be sure to use your Insider Code when calling 855-932-8466 to book your trip.

You can score even more savings if you’re planning to cruise before the end of August! Fathom is currently running a BOGO deal for 7-day sailings to the Dominican Republic booked by June 30. To take advantage of this additional deal, mention the code FA after telling them your Insider Code. THESE TWO SPECIALS CAN BE COMBINED! The BOGO rate applies only applies to sailings May 8 or 22, June 5 or 19, July 3, 17, 31 or August 14 or 20. The Insiders Code will work for sailings at least through the end of the November. If you use both codes, you can end up paying as little as $478 per person (for an inside cabin in the May shoulder season)!

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A Social Impact Cruise for Non-Cruisers

I have to be honest. We have never been drawn to cruising. We had this unappealing image of being stuck on a boat for days on end with nothing to do but eat and drink and sit by the pool. For us, travel is about the journey, but also about the destination. We feared that a cruise meant missing out on key elements of both. The journey would be stagnant, predictable. The destination would be limited by time and the difficulties of being a captive audience for vendors of overpriced, quickie tours from an isolated port. Enter Fathom Travel. Fathom is travel with a purpose, based on the belief that “person-to-person connection is among the strongest catalysts for transformation.” What we read about their philosophy and goals was right in line with what we believe about having a positive effect on the places we visit. Fathom’s Impact Travel trips aim to combine fun and adventure with sustainable social impact. In addition, the boat is smaller than the typical mega-ship, carrying just 704 passengers maximum. Fellow-travelers would be like-minded folks, interested in making a difference. When we were given the opportunity to travel with Fathom on their second-ever sailing to the Dominican Republic, we couldn’t wait to get on board!

Our Stateroom on D Deck

What is Impact Travel?

It’s human nature to want to give back. Who doesn’t want to have a positive influence and do their part to make the world a little better? But how can we achieve both personal growth and benefit the communities we visit? You can read about voluntourism for days; it’s kind of a buzzword. Combining travel with volunteer opportunities sounds like a great idea. On the surface it is, but there are some aspects that lend themselves to programs becoming more about the self-satisfaction on the tourist, or the profits of the company than actual benefit to the local community served. Uncornered Market has an excellent overview of the topic, and ideas of the right questions to ask when researching a project. It can be hard to strike the right balance, but Fathom Travel manages to do just that. Removing that typical voluntourism label, Fathom Travel differentiates its program from many others in a number of key areas.

Alongsidedness

Fathom has developed a relationship with several established, local NGOs on the ground in Puerto Plata, the area where they dock in the Dominican Republic. They asked about the real needs of the community in Puerto Plata, and how travelers might be able to help reach those goals. The education-focused Impact Activity partners are the folks from Entrena, while Concrete Floors and Reforestation projects are facilitated by IDDI (Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral/Dominican Institute for Integral Development). Partnering with these community development organizations, Fathom’s on-the-ground impact activities are designed to empower the local community in a long-term, sustainable way.

The jobs done by travelers are not things that could be easily done by community members alone. Sometimes it’s a financial matter: no means for local workers to be paid to do jobs that need to be done, while sometimes it’s hands that are needed. Other needs are as simple as hearing a native English speaker pronounce words with a group of students. Travelers work alongside representatives of the local, partner organizations, but also together with members of the local community. Everyone is there with a common goal.

Sustainability

The goal of Fathom Travel’s programs is for travelers to no longer be needed. Fathom wants to empower community members to run programs for themselves, being able to hire and train local community members. In time, Fathom Travel will no longer be needed, and they will be able to move on to other destinations in need of a boost.

Community

One of the first things we noticed when we boarded the Adonia was that Fathom Travel’s efforts at building community and forming connections were always present. There were fun, team-building activities like the Super-Hero Party (discover your unique super-power), scavenger hunt and karaoke. All passengers become part of a “cohort” group, led by an Impact Guide to facilitate and lead participants on their journeys.  These groups provide a sense of belonging and act as a forum to discuss ideas and feelings before, during and after the experience in the Dominican Republic. At the end of the trip, the larger community comes together to share stories and plans for how to continue having an impact once back home. From the beginning, spending time with like-minded individuals has a way of setting you at ease and putting you in the right state of mind to begin sharing openly and making connections with those around you.

Empowering English Tutoring with Tatiana

Preparedness

Impact Guides are the core of the Fathom Travel program. They come from unique backgrounds and all have fascinating stories. One thing is clear, though: they share a common purpose and a passion for Fathom’s mission. They have a genuine desire to learn your story too. In doing so, they can better understand both what you hope to discover through the experience, as well as how to best use your unique talents to contribute to the Impact Activities. On-board Workshops prepare travelers for Impact Activities ashore. Some are practical, like “Empowering English Tutoring,” and “Spanish Phrases.” Others, like dance classes and dominoes use pure fun to gain insight into local culture.

The amazing Library aboard the Adonia.

Integration

From Fair Trade shampoo in bathrooms to the products carried in the shops, Fathom Travel’s mission is present. Bajalia sells fair-trade jewelry, and has a goal of alleviating poverty and empowering women through creating jobs. Krochet Kids intl. shares a common mission, working with communities in Uganda and Peru. Organic, Dominican coffee is available in the café. Biodynamic, organic wines are featured at the wine bar. On-board programming ties it all together under topics like Social Innovation, Health & Wellness, Storytelling and Discovery. Then there’s the library . . . Oh, the library! Impact Guides have helped select the books that stock Adonia with an excellent and eclectic collection. There are sections on the Dominican Republic and Cuba, the rest of Latin America, self-discovery, reference books and dictionaries, among more typical light cruise reading options. I could stay on board for years making my way through the shelves, which already included many from my ever-growing “must-read” list. The library also contains an array of board games!

Paper Production at Repapel

Impact Activities

There are a number of Impact Activities offered on Fathom Travel cruises to the Dominican Republic. There is enough time to comfortably participate in three or possibly four. Activities are generally scheduled in a morning or afternoon session. Potentially, there is time to combine an activity with a shore excursion (from historical tours to deep-sea fishing or a catamaran adventure) on a single day, but remember that some of the activities may be physically intense, so know your capacities/ limits and don’t spread yourself too thin. We’ll discuss more details about individual activities in a follow-up post.

• Concrete Floors in Community Homes
• Recycled Paper and Crafts Entrepreneurship
• Cacao and Women’s Chocolate Cooperative
• Water Filter Production
• Reforestation and Nursery
• Student English Conversation and Learning
• Community English Conversation and Learning

Know Before You Go

First, you need to board the ship with an open heart and mind. The more actively you participate in the available workshops and community-building activities, the more fulfilling your journey will be. Being better prepared also means you will be able to make more of a contribution once on the ground in the Dominican Republic. Choose Impact Activities that strike a chord with goals that you feel passionate about. Different activities require different levels of fitness, so check out those guidelines as well. Fathom’s trips are a great opportunity to share, serve and grow as a family, but kids must be 8 or older by the time of sailing.

Our trip was only the second week’s sailing, so programming and other systems and details are still being tweaked. The impact that shore activities have on individuals and within the community is easy to see. There is joy on the kids’ faces as they learn new words in English, a skill that will help them find jobs and build confidence to interact with others from different backgrounds in the future. With the Concrete Floors project, a local family can go from a home with dirt floors in the morning, to one with safe, permanent concrete by late afternoon. While these things may seem small, each interaction, each connection is powerful, and taken together they add up to something big. As Tara Russell, President of Fathom Travel said in a sit-down with the blogger group on board, “We’re all a tiny drop in an ocean of impact.” Taking part in a Fathom trip is a unique experience. It’s one that will not only have a lasting effect on the community in Puerto Plata, but it just may lead you to leading a more intentional life yourself back home.

Route and Itinerary for Dominican Republic Sailing

Learn More

We’ll be posting more specific details on Fathom’s on the ground Impact Activities soon. If you want to learn more in the meantime, check out Fathom Travel on the web and follow their social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You’ll be seeing more of Fathom in the news as they launch immersive, cultural cruises to Cuba, which began on May 1, the day we returned to Miami!

Current Fathom Travel Booking Specials

If you’re ready to get on board, there are some fantastic specials going on. We are excited to offer our readers a special Insiders’ Code which means a $50, $100 or $150 off your trip, per person, depending on your booking/sailing date. Use this code, and we’ll get credit for friends and family who join in the fun as well. Here’s how it works: click the link above, and you’ll be taken to a special Fathom Insiders page. The code Insider1524 should be already visible in the “Insider Code” section. If not, you can also manually enter this code into the “Insider Code” field. Once you have added the rest of your details and completed the registration you will be emailed a discount code you can use when booking a trip. Be sure to use your Insider Code when calling 855-932-8466 to book your trip.

You can score even more savings if you’re planning to cruise before the end of August! Fathom is currently running a BOGO deal for 7-day sailings to the Dominican Republic booked by June 30. To take advantage of this additional deal, mention the code FA after telling them your Insider Code. THESE TWO SPECIALS CAN BE COMBINED! The BOGO rate applies only applies to sailings May 8 or 22, June 5 or 19, July 3, 17, 31 or August 14 or 20. The Insiders Code will work for sailings at least through the end of the November. If you use both codes, you can end up paying as little as $478 per person (for an inside cabin in the May shoulder season)!

The post Fathom Travel: Cruising for a Change appeared first on TurtlesTravel.

The Hayabusa Shinkansen, free to you with the JR East Pass

For those who have been, or even planned to visit Japan I’m sure you’ve heard of the Japan Rail Pass. For those of you who are thinking of visiting Japan but haven’t yet heard of this cost-effective, money-saving travel tool, this post is for you. We’ve just returned from Japan, and wanted to share our experience using the new JR East pass, which became available starting April 1st.

Japan Rail Pass

This was actually the second time we’ve purchased one of the passes Japan Railways Group offers. The traditional, nationwide Japan Rail Pass covers the whole country for one, two and three week periods. These are priced at roughly $266, $424 and $538 respectively.  Our previous JR pass purchase was the three week pass back in 2011.

All passes are only available to visitors of Japan (on a 90-day tourist visa). You can only get it if you hold a non-Japanese passport. An Exchange Order for the nationwide Japan Rail Pass must be purchased outside Japan. You then take the Exchange Order to an office in a major train station or the airport and receive the rail pass after you arrive. This time we made use of one of the new passes JR offers, a very economical choice if you plan to spend most of your time in a single region. These passes may be purchased even if you’ve already arrived in Japan. Of course, you can order the pass in advance as well.

The New JR East Pass

As of April 1, 2016, they’ve replaced the previously available JR East pass with two new passes: the JR East Pass Tohoku Area and the JR East Pass Nagano/Niigata Area. Both passes cover any 5 days within a two week period. The difference between the two is geography. The Tohoku area pass covers an area of the main island of Honshu north of Tokyo all the way up to the very top. The Niigata pass is only 2000 yen less, but the area covered is much smaller. There is quite a bit of overlap on the two passes, and both include popular tourist destinations like metropolitan Tokyo all the way down to the Atami peninsula and the UNESCO World Heritage Nikko area, a couple of hours north of Tokyo.

Since the price difference was minimal, and we wanted to explore some areas further north, we decided the JR East Pass – Tohoku Area would work best for us. It includes 5 days of open rail travel within any 14 day period for 19000 yen (about $172). The first time you pass through the ticket gates on a chosen day, the JR ticket attendant will stamp the pass, and then it’s good until midnight. Passes cover most trains operated on the nationwide network of JR (Japan Railways). This includes shinkansen high-speed trains, limited express, express, rapid and of course local trains. There are a few non-JR routes covered under special circumstances as well. (Like Nikko)

Another big benefit to the passes is the option to make a seat reservation for any of the train services that have reserved seats. Reservations are for regular, reserved cars, not the Green Car class, which requires either a different pass or a supplementary fee. Having a reserved seat is key during busy seasons and times of day. Of course, we’ve been known to fly by the sear of our pants and jump into a “Free Seating” car at the last minute, but reserved seats are highly recommended when you have the time to arrange for one.

Enjoying a chūhai while riding the shinkansen.

Estimated Savings

If you are undecided whether purchasing a JR East Pass is a good decision, below is a break-down of our most recent usage.  All the fares are a best-guess using Google after the fact, since when using the pass none of the tickets have prices on them. Reserving a seat may have added an additional few hundred yen to the ticket prices. If you have any questions on using the JR East Pass, or the Japan Rail Pass, don’t hesitate to reach out.

• April 12th

  Yokohama -> Tokyo   ¥470
  Shinkansen Yamabiko 131 from Tokyo -> Sendai   ¥11,200
  Senseki Line from Sendai -> Matsushima-kaigan Roundtrip    ¥820

  Daily Total- ¥12,490

• April 13th

  Senzan Line from Sendai -> Yamadera -> Yamagata    ¥840, ¥240
  Shinkansen Tsubasa 137 from Yamagata -> Oishida    ¥1,940

  Daily Total- ¥3,020

• April 14th

  Shinkansen Tsubasa 136 from Oishida -> Fukushima  ¥4,620
  Shinkansen Yamabiko 47 from Fukushima -> Ichinoseki   ¥6,130
  Ichinoseki -> Hiriazumi Roundtrip   ¥400
  Shinkansen Yamabiko 55 from Ichinoseki -> Morioka  ¥4,120
  Shinkansen Hayabusa 34 from Morioka -> Tokyo  ¥14,740
  Tokyo -> Yokohama   ¥470

  Daily Total- 30,480 ¥

• April 15th

  Yokohama -> Tokyo    ¥470
  Shinkansen Yamabiko 137 from Tokyo -> Utsunomiya   ¥4,930
  Utsunomiya  -> Nikko Roundtrip    ¥1,520
  Shinkansen Yamabiko 150 from Utsunomiya -> Tokyo   ¥ 4,930
  Tokyo -> Yokohama    ¥470

  Daily Total-  ¥12,320

• April 16th

  Yokohama -> Fujisawa    ¥410
  Kamkura -> Yokohama    ¥340

  Daily Total- ¥750

  Grand Total   –     ¥59,060  or about $539
  Purchase Price – ¥19,000  or about $172
  Estimated Savings – ¥40,060  or about  $367*

*Confession: We’d run out of time at the end of our trip, and on Day 5 we used it thinking we wouldn’t be going anywhere else, even though the cost of our train travel that day was minimal. In doing so, we missed an opportunity to use the pass to get to the airport via Narita Express. Here’s the key. If you are in Japan for 14 days or less, JR offers a round-trip on Narita Express for only  ¥4000. That’s a HUGE savings over buying one-way fares at  ¥4290 to Yokohama or  ¥3020 to Tokyo. (Yes, the special round-trip fare is LESS than one-way to Yokohama.) The caveat here though is that the special round-trip fare is only valid for use within 14 days. Donny was able to take advantage of this. Tamara was staying for longer than that, so she had to buy the regular Narita Express tickets. SO, if we’d bought regular tickets on April 16 for her and saved her pass for the day we returned to the airport, we would have saved ¥4290 instead of ¥750 for Day 5 (about a $35 difference!) Dumb, just dumb.

The Narita Express is included on the JR East pass.

For more ideas on travel to Japan, check out our destination archives, and look for new posts on our recent trip coming soon!

The post Making the Most of your JR East Pass appeared first on TurtlesTravel.

Northern Spain Road Trip

Like many tourists, our first taste of Spain was Madrid.  We spent about two weeks there in the spring, but since we were mostly working, we were left with a desire to return.  Our first impression was lasting, so when we had free time in Europe later last year we head directly back, landing first in Barcelona.  Donny’s mother and aunt (her first international trip ever!) met us in the capital of Catalonia where we embarked on a family-style, northern Spain road trip.  Our route took us from Barcelona through Girona, Zaragoza, Logroño and finally back to Madrid. Since time was limited, but we also didn’t want to move too quickly, we chose those three cities as bases, and made shorter day-trips from each. We made this trip in mid-October, and the fall season certainly influenced our visit: leaves were changing color, crowds were sparse, and our days were sunny with comfortable temperatures. Read on for the low-down on our route, highlights and lodging.

The family!

[mappress mapid=”36″]

Barcelona Highlights

We spent a few days in Barcelona before our guests arrived, and a few more together with them. Seeing even a small part of what Barcelona has to offer requires at least four or five days. It’s a city that we found grew on us the more time we spent. There are many excellent destination posts covering Barcelona. If you’re a food lover, Spanish Sabores has recently published an amazing Barcelona Gastro Guide. Also check out Ben Holbrook’s thorough exploration of Barcelona on and off the beaten path on his blog, Driftwood Journals. Of course we enjoyed the major tourist spots like Sagrada Familia, Parque Guell, the Gothic Quarter and La Boqueria. We also loved just wandering the diverse neighborhoods and getting a feel for the city.

Sagrada Familia Ceiling

TIP: It’s well-worth seeking out La Xampañería (Can Paixano) on Carrer de la Reina Cristina. This cava bar is well-established (since 1969) and well-known, making it also always crowded. Make time for a bottle of champagne and some delicious plates of ham, olives and cheese or any combo in a bocadillo. The bar is a short walk from the Barceloneta area.

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Our trusty steed, a Seat Leon ST.

Lloret de Mar

Barcelona to Girona (120k via N-11)

Reluctantly leaving a great Airbnb in the neighborhood of Baix Guinardo, we picked up our rental car and hit the road. One tip for navigation while trying to save data is saving the section of Google Maps containing your day’s route for “offline” use. As far as I can tell this is an Android only feature but if anyone with an iPhone does this please let us know. Navigating using our cell phone worked like a charm getting out of the city and on our way to our destination, Girona. Our northern Spain road trip had begun! Choosing the scenic route, of course, we head north out of Barcelona, joining the N-11 just north of Badalona. This route hugs the coast, and is often within sight of the sea. We stopped to stretch our legs a couple of times, including a beachside lunch at Soltici in Caldes d’Estrac.  The Mediterranean coastal town of Lloret de Mar was another particularly lovely pit stop. Be sure to catch the views back toward the beach from the beautiful coastal footpath. This is another good spot if you’re looking for a snack, with a number of restaurants and vendors along the beach.

Historic Girona

Girona, Figueres and Cadaqués

Arriving after dark to our hotel in Girona, we tucked in for the night after discussing our next few days plans. We would use Girona as a home base to explore Figueres and Cadaqués.  From Girona, we were back on the N-11 heading north straight up to Figueres. This continued our money-saving trend of favoring smaller roads over the Autopistas. These bigger highways have tolls, and they can add up quickly. Generally, we steered clear of roads starting with the letters, AP. Those are the ones with tolls, where the “A” roads, the Autovias, had no tolls. The roads seemed just as fast, were usually more scenic, and, of course, free.

The Dali Theatre and Musuem in Figueres was thought-provoking, and very educational.  We were surprised at how interactive some of the exhibits were: very fun! We were also fascinated by the jewelry pieces designed by Dali. Who knew?  After spending a good part of the morning in the museum it was time for lunch. Just down the alley we spied a charcuterie plate and decided this would be a great time to introduce our travel companions to the joys of Spanish cheese and meat. This would become a common theme on our northern Spain road trip.

Mmmmm, charcuterie!

Once we got a second wind after our light lunch it was time to continue our Dali-themed day. We set out for Cadaqués, where Dali spent time during his childhood, and where he kept a home later in life. Follow the C-260 out of Figueres heading east to just before the town of Roses, where you connect to the GI-614 *Note- if you have people in your party that get motion sickness you may want to have them take a nap, the road to Cadaqués is CURVY!*  Well-worth the driving, this picturesque seaside village feels like you are seeing a real slice of Spain. With the Cap de Creus Lighthouse on our game plan, we decided to skirt town and head straight there, as it would be getting dark soon.  If you thought the road to Cadaqués was hairy then maybe have someone else drive out to the lighthouse: this road is a whole different beast! Regularly stopping and letting oncoming cars pass (as the two way road is too skinny to pass each other at certain points) is absolutely normal. (For those who have visited Hawaii, think ‘Road to Hana’.”  We were once again rewarded for gutting out the drive.  The views of the jagged, rocky shoreline with the Mediterranean blue backdrop were spectacular.  Concerned about the sun going down and the scary roadway, not to mention the hunger pains, we head back into the center of town to hunt for dinner.  After exploring town a bit, dipping our toes in the sea, and gorging on seafood, we drove off into the darkness back to Girona.

View from Cap de Creus Lighthouse.

An additional day was spent exploring the old town of Girona. This ancient city was founded in 79 BC!!! The old cobbled streets set alongside the Onyar River lend themselves perfectly to just plain wandering. In classic ancient style, La Catedral de Girona is built on a high point looking down on the town. Only after the fact we learned that the town, and the cathedral specifically, were used as a filming location for season 6 of Game of Thrones!  Eating churros while ambling around the old town, we thoroughly enjoyed taking in the historic vibe.

Calle de Alfonso I, Zaragoza

Girona to Zaragoza (420k via C-25, A-22 and E-07)

Next destination on this northern Spain road trip was Zaragoza.  We head west on C-25 toward Lleida before heading north. Looking at the map, this may seem counter-intuitive, but our idea was to check out the town of Huesca, not too far out of the way. Huesca was founded in the 1st Century BC. Its 800-year old cathedral is impressive, and there are some cool Roman and Moorish historical sites nearby. Unfortunately, it was pouring rain in Huesca, so we only stopped for a picnic in the car for lunch and carried on.  Arriving to our city center accommodation, Hotel Sauce, we parked our car for the next couple of days in their garage.  If you plan on doing the same I hope you have a small car and are a confident driver!  We absolutely loved this family-run hotel, which is a great value and in a perfect location for exploring.  Zaragoza boasts ancient Roman ruins, and you get a brilliant history lesson by following the Roman Route. This includes ruins of Roman Walls, Public Baths, Caesaraugusta Forum, the Roman Theatre, and the River Port. Zaragoza also boasts an absolutely amazing church, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, and a great bar and tapas scene. We were lucky to read about Taberna Doña Casta and even luckier to sample her croquetas. These are hands down the best I have had anywhere.  The ingredients they are filled with are very interesting combinations, so make sure to order a variety.  Plus a vermouth, aka vermut, of course!

Taberna Doña Casta’s amazing croquetas.

Olite Castle

Zaragoza to Logroño via Olite (217k via A-68, N-121 and A-12)

It was then off to wine country. From Zaragoza, we followed the A-68. Just past Tudela, we veered right onto N-121 for an exciting detour to the Palacio de los Reyes de Navarra de Olite (aka Olite Castle).  The castle has undergone several permutations since its first mention in documents from the 13th century. Views from the many turrets are breathtaking, and the palace is filled with history. This is truly a fairytale castle, complete with one tower built specifically as a playground for a king’s children. Being able to walk through nearly the entire space at our own pace was a big bonus. Well off the beaten tourist track, we shared the castle with only a handful of other people. We highly recommend stopping here if you find yourselves in the Navarra region.

Calle Laurel Tapas: Champinon a la plancha at Angel

Wanting to explore a bit of the Rioja region, we decided to base ourselves in Logroño. Besides being a good jumping-off point, Logroño is a great place to eat! As it happened, Calle Laurel, already famous in Logroño for pinchos, tapas and drinking, was having a festival. The Saturday we were there was “Dia de la Cata,” which entitles us to wine samples (a very generous pour in a keepsake glass) from four wineries for 5 euros. Score! One of our favorites was from Bodegas Marqués del Puerto, from nearby Fuenmayor. Most eateries along Calle Laurel specialize in just one dish, and do that one thing VERY well. Some of our favorites were Champinon a la plancha from Angel, Matrimonio (Bocatita de anchoas con pimiento verde), El Muro’s Cojonudo (picadillo de chorizo con huevo de codorniz y pimiento), Spicy pig ears from El Percha, and Tio Agus, which was a little sandwich of chorizo with grandma’s secret green sauce, which we thought might have a hint of curry. Calle Laurel has a mouth-watering guide to all these dishes and where to find them.

Bodega Ysios

Our side trip was 20k up N-232, just past the small town of La Guardia to Bodegas Ysios. Our tour was very educational, and the wine was excellent. The drive was spectacular, passing through rolling hills covered with vineyards as far as the eye can see. There are many other bodegas within close reach. Some are noteworthy for their architecture as well as their wine (like Ysios). Plan ahead and make a reservation at the winery of  your choice, as hours vary and spaces are limited. On the way back, we took the scenic route, visiting the Romanesque bridge near the beautiful Riojan village of San Vicente de Sonsierra. It provided beautiful views of fall foliage over the Ebro River (which we’d been following since Zaragoza!)

Bridge over the Ebro, San Vicente de la Sonsierra

Logroño to Madrid (232k via N-111 and A-2)

Our northern Spain road trip was coming to an end. The landscape along the N-111 changed drastically as we wound our way along the Iregua River through the Sierra de Cebollera natural park, surrounded by mountains and forests of pine, beech and oak. Emerging on the other side of the reserve, the landscape becomes progressively more flat, and then more and more urban, before giving itself over entirely to sprawling Madrid.

Do you have a favorite northern Spain road trip we should know about? We’d love to hear recommendations for next time, since we’re sure to return!

The post Northern Spain Road Trip: 2 Week Itinerary appeared first on TurtlesTravel.

Four generations! Mary Rose (Dietrich) Sias as the matriarch, and the baby is me!

What is Genealogy Travel?

If you’re a regular visitor to this site, you probably love travel. Have you ever heard of genealogy travel? Ever thought of traveling with the goal of seeing where your ancestors were born or to learn more about your family history? We seem to have been practicing genealogy travel long before we knew it was a “thing,” but our trip to the Alsace region of France had ancestry research as a main goal. I had a few family stories and just one piece of paper to start from, my great grandmother’s birth registry in Anjoutey, a tiny town in Franche-Comté, just next to Alsace, in northeastern France. I was determined to learn more about this lady, Mary Rose Dietrich, who ran into the street in her nightgown (a veritable scandal, apparently) to announce to her neighbors that her great granddaughter (ME!) had been born on her birthday.

Half-timbered houses in bright colors, Colmar

Searching for Family

Families. They come in all shapes and sizes. Most people’s first thoughts are of Mom, Dad, sisters and brothers, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. Some of us include our closest friends, those we’ve “collected” as family along the way. They belong right there too. We’re all made up of our experiences and the unique story we’ve created in life, but nature has its influence as well. The balance between nature and nurture has been debated throughout history: which has the stronger influence, and whether one can overcome the other.

Overlooking Hunawihr, Alsace

Regardless of where we stand on those issues, we all come with a particular genetic package. It’s accepted science that our family history affects our chances of having certain health issues and physical characteristics, so it’s easy to believe we can inherit things that aren’t so visible too: personality traits, or affection for cinnamon. (I always remember reading the case of the “cinnamon girls,” twins raised apart who maintained a predisposed love of cinnamon despite totally different attitudes about it by their parents.)

“Despite different parental reactions, however, the twins maintained their craving. It could not be taught away . . .”  –from Nature’s Thumbprint: The New Genetics of Personality, By Peter B. Neubauer, Alexander Neubauer

Stories like that are fascinating to me. Whether we know our relatives and ancestors well, or not at all, if they hadn’t existed, neither would we. I wonder what I’ve inherited from them, and I want to know their story. In fact, learning people’s stories is one of the joys we get from travel. We have learned that genealogy travel, or travel with family ancestry research as a goal can be especially rewarding.

Colmar Archives

Zeroing in on Alsace

I grew up hearing stories of “Alsace Lorraine.” I was always told it was a little strip of land that had sometimes belonged to Germany, and sometimes to France. They were known for great wines. Everyone said that my grandfather’s parents spoke German (I’m now convinced it was the Alsatian dialect they spoke.), but they identified themselves as French. My grandfather always made stollen, a braided bread with nuts and candied fruits for Christmas. His mother taught my grandmother how to make Knepfle, an Alsatian flour-based pasta. Their family name was Dietrich. The birth registry I had for my great-grandmother said that she was born Marie Rosalie Dietrich on February 20, 1887 to Joseph Dietrich and Rosalie Henrissat, who were living in Anjoutey, a tiny commune of the Territoire de Belfort.

For this trip, we decided to stay in an Airbnb (Friends who click this link get a $20 credit, and we get a referral bonus as well).  It was our very first Airbnb experience, and we were extremely happy with how it worked out. We chose the location based on proximity to the area I thought we’d find clues to my great grandparent’s story. Rougegotte is just 5 miles or so down the road from Anjoutey. Cottage Le Ginkgo is run by Géraldine and François. The apartment is open and bright, with a soothing, zen-like decor, incorporating the ginkgo theme. It’s a great jumping off point for discovering this beautiful area. Books and maps of the region got us oriented at first, but the assistance of our hosts in digging for information and translating documents was an invaluable part of or genealogy travel experience. Geraldine is an experienced researcher, and the couple’s local knowledge gave them access to key pieces of information I never would have found myself.

WWI Memorial at Anjoutey Church

The Dietrich/Henrissat Families

The Dietrich name is quite well-known in the region, and we began to see it pop up everywhere from the time we arrived in Strasbourg, the capital: from a car dealership to an antique shop to a winery. (I’m still trying to find a connection there!)  Starting in Anjoutey, though, my first discoveries were about Mary Rose’s maternal line, the Henrissat family. Fro the birth registry, we knew that Mary Rose (Marie Rosalie) was born in 1860 in Anjoutey. When we went to visit the church of Anjoutey, we found that a newly-discovered uncle of Mary Rose, Andre, was listed on the World War I Memorial in front. His headstone, listing his wife and son was just up the road in the town’s small cemetery. He and his family must have stayed behind when Mary Rose and her family set off for the US. From Anjoutey, we visited another town a few miles away, Rougemont le Chateau. This is the place where Mary Rose’s sister, Lucie was born. All the churches in the region were open no matter the time of day. We rarely saw a soul, but all of them were lovely. As a side trip from town, a nice hike in Rougemont led us to the ruins of a 12^th century castle, Château de Rougemont. There’s so much history everywhere you look.

Andre Henrissat and Family

Mary Rose’s mother, Rosalie Henrissat, was born nearby in Carspach, as were all of her siblings. Her family seems to have been there, within 20 miles or so, for as many generations as I could find. I was able to go back to my 6^th great-grandfather on her side of the family, born in the 1750s! With the help of our Airbnb hosts, we discovered that Mary Rose’s father, Joseph Dietrich was actually from nearby Colmar. This fact came up after we had booked a few days there before we moved on. Colmar is a great destination on its own, but one of my favorite afternoons was spent in the Archives of the City Hall poring over old books and registries. It was thrilling to see the actual signatures of my ancestors, and hold the books in my hands. The writing was hard to read, and my French is very limited, but with the help of the head archivist, I got some wonderful details. Joseph was the youngest of eight children born to a shoemaker named Martin, who was also born in Colmar. I can imagine that opportunities for Joseph were limited and it must have been tough with all those kids in the house. He became a weaver. We learned that there was a big  textile operation near Rougegotte. Rosalie also worked in textiles, as a “smoother” of the fabrics, and they must have met somehow through their work.

Anjoutey Cemetery

A Bit of History

Alsace lies on the west side of the Rhine River, nestled between it and the Vosges Mountains. To the north and east is Germany. To the west is the rest of France, and to the south German-speaking Switzerland. The regions of Alsace Lorraine and the Territoire of Belfort have been shaped by politics, war and geography. In 1860, when Rosalie and Joseph were born, the areas they lived in would both have been part of France, though the region has always maintained its distinctive Alsatian culture. The two would have been about 10 years old during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). After the war, from 1871 to 1918, Alsace-Lorraine (which included Colmar) became a German possession. From one year to the next, the records in the Archives change from being in French to being in the German language. The population living in the region was given the choice of choosing to remain French or to be German. Residents of the newly German region had to make their choice by 1872. If they wanted to be citizens of France, they were to move to France (since their home was no longer IN France). If they stayed, their citizenship would become German.  Over 100,000 people left their homes to “opt” for French citizenship. There are some great reads out there about the region, its people and its history.

Rosalie’s family lived very, very close to the border of Alsace with a tiny region called Territoire de Belfort. Belfort’s history is unique in that it was not annexed to Germany, but was retained by the French in the Treaty of Frankfurt of 1871. It makes total sense that Joseph and Rosalie ended up in this sort of neutral territory (which included the aforementioned Anjoutey and Rougemont where their daughters were born) before they emigrated to the US.

Research in the Colmar Archive.

The Search Continues

I still have more research to do on the details of how the couple and their daughters arrived to the US in the 1890s, but they ended up in western Massachusetts in a town known for its connection to the textile industry. Joseph and Rosalie, and their daughters all worked in the mill. The couple had one more daughter, born in the US. Mary Rose went on to marry my great-grandfather, Chester Sias in 1907. He worked at the mill as well, and was known to be a master dyer, able to match any color brought to him. They had four children, including my grandfather, and passed away the year after I was born, 1971. I’d love to learn more about life in Alsace today and during the time my ancestors lived there. I learned so much in just two weeks, I can only imagine what more time could uncover. Maybe I could even find and meet some living relatives. Maybe they make wine!

The house where Joseph Dietrich was born in Colmar!

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