The Travel Tweeter

Why Are Some International Carriers Charging a Low Fare and Tacking on a High Fuel Charge -- Frequent Fliers Beware

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:02:29 PST

True at the end of the day the price is the same.... whether a carrier accurately and fairly charges you an airfare plus tax versus charging you a lower bogus base fare and tacking on a fuel surcharge. Here are some reasons it matters.

Travelers who think that they have socked away enough for "free" frequent flier awards and companion tickets will be surprised that after using their hard earned points they are still charged more than half of what the flight would have costed had they paid cash. You might have bought into a frequent flier program thinking you were going to have enough mileage for two tickets to Europe say as advertised by their program .... only to find out that the surcharges make using the points cost prohibitive.

In countries other than the US which has laws against this deceptive practice (such surcharges have to be bundled into the base fare though airlines are US airlines are trying to get this changed), airlines can make their fares look much lower than they really are, at least in countries where they're allowed to post fares that way.

Airlines may be able to lower the commissions they pay by paying commissions only on the "fare" portion of the total cost to the passenger.

Airlines may be doing this so they can raise the true fares on routes where fare increases still need some sort of outside approval— if this is true it may be a legitimate reason.

It is fortunate that the U.S. government won't let airlines feature fares that exclude fuel surcharges; the only way to find them is to click on separate "explanation" boxes. But some third-party sites—still post fares that exclude the surcharge.

Personally I think these surcharges are a scam simple as that. A scam that those of us who accumulate frequent flier mileage on business trips so that we can take our families on vacations for reasonable prices need to be aware of. You can get ripped off in particular if you transfer points to use on a foreign carrier who has such charges.

If you try to get around a carrier's bogus upcharge on their frequent flier tickets by trying to buy tickets through them on one of their partner airlines, they will still charge you the outrageous surcharge. Why would they charge a fuel surcharge on another carrier? Could it be because in fact what is really happening is they are not giving you an equal deal for your points. While they are advertising that you can buy a ticket to Europe on their airline with say 60,000 frequent flier points (this is the typical amount charged for airlines like American, Iberia who do not charge a fuel surcharge), they are in fact charging you the points plus $400 or more some dollars not including the typical taxes ( other airlines do, of course, charge taxes on such tickets). This means that your points have been depreciated some 50% on a typical $800 ticket versus what you would have paid on an airline that does not have the surcharge. Sure somewhere in the fine print they tell you all this. Nonetheless, I find it hard to believe that some of these companies have reduced themselves to participate in such obviously deceptive practices, but it appears they do, and as the old adage taunts -- let the buyer beware.

How some Jack Daniels and Ducks Made a Hotel Famous -- The Peabody Ducks

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:09:34 PDT

About 80 years ago, the then General Manager of The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, and a friend, had just returned from a hunting trip. They had a little too much Jack Daniel's, and thought it would be funny to place some of their live duck decoys in the foutain of the Peabody. Three small ducks were selected and the rest was history.

Then in 1940, Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, began guiding the ducks to the fountain each day and taught them the now-famous Peabody Duck March. Mr. Pembroke became the Peabody Duckmaster and served in that capacity for 50 years until his retirement in 1991.

The Peabody ducks have been a long-time attraction -- drawing visitors to the Memphis hotel.

And since opening in 1986, The Peabody Orlando has continued, the tradition of The Peabody Ducks March. Each morning, promptly at 11 a.m., the Duckmaster of the Peabody Orlando leads the ducks usually with a young helper down a special elevator, and they march towards the fountain and up a red carpeted staircase.

On a recent morning, as guests at the Orlando Peabody, we watched the Duckmaster lay the red carpet and waited as other hotel guests gathered near the spectacular marble fountain for the daily ritual. Sure enough, on cue, the Duckmaster and helper led the mallards down the red carpet and into the fountain where a sumptuous meal was waiting for them in the pool. It's an event to see -- at least once.

A Place in Another Time and Space -- A Night in a Real Castle -- The Schloss Bensberg overlooking Cologne, Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:27:45 PDT

During our stay in Germany I wanted to spend one night in a real castle. Not one of those cold and drafty kind -- a castle that had been brought up to date so that you really could feel like royalty. Possibly you should save such experiences for mid-trip, but I knew we would be arriving fairly early in Dusseldorf and would be very tired from the over night flight, so having a comfortable place to stay even if we could not immediately check in was paramount.

Schloss Bensberg in Bergishch Gladbach is a baroque structure that looms over Bensberg and Cologne pronouncing its importance to the surrounding region. It was built for a prince who never got to live there. Versailles and Windsor Castle served as models for Prince-Elector Johann Wilhem II (Jan Wellem) in building his private retreat on a hillside with magnificent views of Cologne with the help of the Italian architect count Matteo d'Alberti over 300 years ago (between 1700-1716). When Wellem died in 1716, his widow left the building unfinished. Over the years it was used as a military hospital, boarding school and refugee camp ultimately falling into disrepair until in 1997, an insurance company financed a magnificent renovation to turn Schloss Bensberg into a modern day Versailles for guests from around the world.

From the winding streets below, we first caught sight of the castle, overlooking the town and city below. The white and silver structure glistened in the early rays of the sun as we rolled our rental car through the imposing gate and up the paved driveway past stone entry buildings, a regiment of carefully aligned trees, gardens burning with color and a verdant lawn that ran straight up to the colonnade at the front of the castle. With its multiple turrets, endless rows of huge ornate windows and elaborate entrance, the castle in front of us was much grander than any picture could have led us to expect.

We were dead tired on arrival and therefore overwhelmed with gratefulness when we were quickly ushered into the elegant lobby with our car and luggage whisked away with silent grace. More thrilled was I when the receptionist promised to have our room ready as soon as possible, and in the mean time thought we might like some breakfast and guided us through the hotel under arched white ceilings, past gorgeous marble and plaster statuary, huge paintings, salons with Renaissance-style murals and other signals that we were indeed in a palatial space.

The breakfast buffet heaped with smoked meat and fish selections, eggs, a wide variety of local and imported cheese, breakfast meats, pastries, fruit and more flowed into the corridor in front of a high-ceiling dining room with additional buffet items, breads, teas and coffee. We were led to a window table overlooking the grand courtyard and lawn below and promptly served coffee in delicate white cups over white linen. Ahh!

After a relaxing hour or so, we were escorted to our room overlooking the Castle lawn, the small town with its grand church and in the distance below Cologne and the spires of its magnificent Cathedral. Cologne was only a short car ride away -- about 20 minutes or so, easy to visit from the Schloss. After a rest we did a quick tour of Cologne and came back to the Schoss for dinner.

Vendome, the 3-star chef Joachim Wissler's Restauant, was fully reserved and I hadn't booked in advance. I had thought when booking the trip that as we would be overtired from the overnight flight, our first night in Germany might not be the best choice for a splurge dinner. Especially one that might involve up to six hours and many, many courses (Check out Andy Hayler's review) Nonetheless, we did peak in the dining room and roam through the beautiful gardens in front the restaurant, which is situated in a stone building on the grounds of the Schloss.

The meal we did have at the Italian restaurant, Trattoria Enoteca, while not a Michelin Three Star like Vendome, was spectacular in its own right. Following an argula and dandelion salad topped with pine nuts and Parmiggiano Reggiano, I chose the fried sturgeon with a lemon caper sauce arranged on a plate with aspargus and tiny potatoes. I saw wonderful pasta dishes float by as well as desserts and cheese plates. If this was second choice for a restaurant at the Castle, I can only imagine how extraterrestrial Vendome is.

Schloss Bensberg also has a world-class spa known for its lighted ceilings (it was closed the day we were there unfortunately), a cozy lobby bar and elegant, club-style bar, but, moreover, staying here is experential -- a night out of time and place -- in an historic yet comfortably modern space that gives you that feeling of specialness that you want to get at least once in awhile in your travels.

St Nicholas Church in Bensberg

Resources:

Germany (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

Lonely Planet Germany (Country Travel Guide)

Rick Steves' Germany 2011 with map

Frommer's Germany 2011 (Frommer's Complete Guides)

Disney For Grown Ups -- Food and Wine Festival Comes to Epcot September 30

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:31:02 PDT

We recently returned from a visit to the Magic Kingdom plus with child in tow... and, sorry for the overuse, but it was magical! While there I was reminded as we dashed in and out of Epcot to do Soarin, the Triple AAA attraction which takes you on a virtual flight over the USA, that Disney World is fun for adults too. And next month I can use the excuse of an adult experience -- the upcoming food and wine festival --to do an adult thing and sneak about and have some kid fun as well.

The Food and Wine Festival, which starts September 30, is a 45-day Disneyesque experience that gives "guests" a taste of a wide variety of international cuisine, culture and entertainment from six continents, with more than 25 international marketplaces featuring tapas-sized portions of dishes paired with beer, wine and cocktails.

The Marketplaces are positioned around the 40-acre Epcot World Showcase Lagoon. This year, they include the festival’s first Hawaii marketplace, which will cook up Kalua pork sliders and tuna poke with seaweed salad and lotus root chips to team with a refreshing Seven Tiki Mai Tai or a Kona Longboard or Pipeline beer. A new Caribbean Islands marketplace will serve ropa vieja with rice and jerk-spiced chicken with mango salsa. A beverage menu featuring a frozen Dragon Berry Colada and frozen Rock Coconut Mojito is sure to conjure steel-drum fantasies.

Another new addition is the Portugal marketplace, where the Portugal Wine Bar will offer best sips to pair with calamari salad with olives and smoked paprika. The Scandinavia marketplace will return after a hiatus with a fresh new Xante Sunshine cocktail made from Xante pear and cognac liquer. And the Canada marketplace will introduce a sweet treat: apple ice wine.

The festival will also feature:

Celebrity chef appearances starring top culinarians like Jeff Henderson, Cat Cora, Alan Wong, Gale Gand, Suvir Saran, Jamie Deen, Rock Harper, Celina Tio, Robert Irvine, Andrew Zimmern, Buddy Valastro, Warren Brown, Art Smith, Keegan Gerhard and more.
First-ever HGTV home entertaining seminars each Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Cranberry Bog display by Craisins telling the story behind the venerable cranberry’s rich agricultural heritage.
Daily wine seminars, bottle signings, author events and culinary demonstrations at the Festival Welcome Center.
Eat to the Beat! concerts three times nightly at America Gardens Theatre.
Plus, many other special events

I am thinking when I go in early October I might just want another spin on Soarin again....but perhaps I ought to do that before the tasting begins for many reasons.

Resources:

150th Civil War Commemorations Expected to Spark Tourism for the more than 350 Sites Impacted by America's Bloodiest War

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 11:40:02 PDT

The war which touched hundreds of American towns, consisted of more than 50 major battles and 5000 minor ones, saw over 700,000 people killed (360,000 Union soldiers, 260,000 Confederate soldiers, and as many as 100,000 civilians died) with just about every family experiencing personal tragedy (death, disability, homes destroyed) started on April 12 100 years ago -- the American Civil War.

And starting this week, the many towns across the country whose histories were touched, molded, or greatly altered by the war are initiating events to commemorate this war that has continued to fascinate and engage generations long since the first and last gunshots were fired.

As a sampling:

In Charleston, S.C., on April 12, mortar fire will once again light up the skies above Fort Sumter. In Manassas, Va., as many as 10,000 re-enactors will don uniforms of blue and gray to re-create the major battle there. Near Cape Hatteras lighthouse on North Carolina's Outer Banks, uniformed troops will replicate an amphibious assault. Monmouth County, New Jersey sounds the bugle on two dozen "edutainment" programs this week. In Pennsylvania "The Invasion of Pennsylvania" will begin in Greencastle, Pa. and Chambersburg will burn again on the weekend of April 15-16. (List of events in and around Gettysburg)

This week and throughout the next four years, travel to the more than 300 places where small and large battles occurred will be more compelling than ever. The tourism industry around these sites has been gearing up with programs, reenactments and more, and awaits the influx of visitors to start now.

Among World's Oldest Travelers -- The Sandhill Cranes and their over 2-Millionth Stopover in Nebraska

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:53:37 PDT

The sky is suddenly blanketed with a massive cloud of flapping prehistoric-looking wings. Eerie ghostly sounds echo across the Platte river as an ancient song formed by the almost in unison trills of an enormous avian choir is heard once more.

Heralding the beginning of Spring on the Nebraska prairie, channelling into the age-old 50-mile stretch of the Platte River Valley, the same valley that pioneers clung to on their long journey west, over a half-million sandhill cranes home in on their ancestral roosts. It's an annual event that draws bird watchers and other tourists to the Nebraska towns of Kearney and Grand Island, which bracket the nesting grounds of these birds that have been arriving here for over 2 million years.

For the cranes it's a pit stop on the journey north to their breeding grounds. They stop here for the safety and access to food and water that the sand bars of the Platte and the harvested Nebraska corn fields provide. Every sunrise during their late February to early April stay along the Platte, they ride the thermals in groups seeking grounds to feed. Then in a frenzy they gorge themselves until dusk when they fill the sky once more heading back to the river. (During the day, tourists drive the back roads near the Platte observing this natural wonder.)

In addition to tourists, the cranes bear up with the arbitrary Nebraska March weather and its struggle between Winter and Spring, a warm 60 degrees one day, a plunge into the 20s the next. They blend into the warm yellow and brown corn husks one day, only to be blanketed in snow the next.

Alarmed by sightseers and photographers, the leader bird will rise up tall both protesting the intrusion and alerting his followers to ready for flight.

Along the byways near the Platte, the cranes can be observed often in pairs, usually mating for life, and not pairing again unless an initial choice is lost.

While you can watch these magnificent birds in the corn fields and see them in the air, the best viewing is at the sanctuaries along the Platte. The Rowe Sanctuary near Kearney provides tours and opportunities for sleepovers in blinds. Another popular viewing area is at Alda Bridge Crane Viewing Site southwest of Grand Island. More information on viewing and etiquette for watching the sandhills can be found at Nebraska Travels.

The sandhill's stay in Nebraska each year is brief and startlingly beautiful, one I feel privileged to have witnessed before their flight onward on a journey that takes them to their breeding grounds in Canada and the Artic.

80 Days Around the World -- How About 80 Seconds?

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:51:36 PDT

Years ago I was entranced by a film that took the main characters around the world by hot-air balloon,* steamship and train. In the film and novel Around the World in 80 Days, Jules Verne characters, Phileas Fogg of London and French valet Passepartout, attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a £20,000 wager (equal to £1,324,289 (approximately $2.2 million )) in today's terms. The Verne book and imaginary trip marked the start of an age of global tourism. It suggested that anyone could sit down, draw up a schedule, buy tickets and travel around the world. Prior to this, the experience of this kind of travel had been the exclusive territory of explorers and adventurers.

Of course, today Phileas could have done it much faster. The average radius of the Earth is 3,959 miles; the fastest time traveled around the world by flight is 23.4 hours. But around the world in 80 seconds? Filmmakers Romain Pergeaux & Alex Profit have done it in a Youtube video project completed in only 3 weeks. Created as a tribute to the Jules Verne's book "Le tour du monde en 80 jours" is a quick motion slide show taking the viewer to London, Cairo, Mumbay, Hong Kong, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York and back to London . If you can't travel around the world physically, this virtual 80 second one is worth the watch.

The making of the video, pictures of the trip and an interview of Alex Profit can be viewed at http://www.tourdumonde80.fr

*the air-balloon was added for the movie, was not part of the original novels

Turn Your Camera into a Travel Lifesaver -- 10 Tips for Making Your Camera Your Travel Assistant

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:52:06 PDT

A camera is a camera right? You bring it to take those beautiful travel memories. Yes, but today's powerful digital devices are more than snapshot takers. Here's some suggestions for augmenting their value and turning a camera into an important travel aid.

Scan Documents

You need to carry separate copies of your passport with you or other important documents, e.g. insurance policies, etc. Easier than copying or scanning, take photos and store the jpegs in your lap top or tablet. (You may also want along to take copies of valuables in your home -- just in case.) You can also photo documents, information en route that you might need later in your trip or at home.

Capture Important Visitor Information

While walking around you discover a location you want to visit, but it isn't opened. Take a photo of the sign to remind yourself of the location and when it is opened. This is also useful if you are doing a travel blog or article and want to store key facts.

Mark Where You've Been with Sign Photos

I can't emphasize enough the usefulness in taking sign photos. Take a photo of an informative sign while your visiting a location so you will remember where you were and important facts you may want to recall later. Take photos of intersection signs, building signs etc. near where you have taken a number of memory photos. This is particularly useful because the sign will show up near the memory photos you have taken and will be time dated so you can easily place where you were when you took the photos.

Find Your Rental Car

Avoid spending time looking for a car that you left in a large parking lot or place you might forget. Take a picture of the car and its surroundings, especially street signs, buildings and other landmarks. .

Record your rental car, ticket or other information

Take a photo of your rental car and documents and other important paper information just in case. You may want the photo as a memory as well -- good or bad.

Remember a Restaurant

Want to remember what you had to eat at a restaurant or maybe what you want to have there in the future, take a picture of the menu. This is another memory device if you took other photos there and later may have trouble remembering where the photos were taken. The day and time of the photo will place the menu near the photos you took when you upload them. Make sure to get the name of the restaurant in the photo -- take a sign picture here as well.

In Worst Case -- Have Help to Find a Lost Child

Take photos every day of your children before you start on the day's journeys. If you're in a crowed place and child wanders away you will have photos of them with the clothes they are wearing.

Capture Details of an Event You Want to Attend

Take a photo of the fliers for events that you may want to attend: a concert, theatrical performance, art show. This way you will have all the information you need to buy tickets and attend the event without writing it down.

Remember a Dish You May Want to Recreate at Home

Take lots of photos of food. It's fund to remember meals you have had, and also there may actually be one you want to try to recreate yourself at home. Frequently you will find that in other countries, the presentation or combination of foods are different and interesting. Having a photo of unique meals will be useful when you are entertaining and want to do something a little different yourself.

Keep Track of Items You Want to or Have Purchased

You can't always buy a book or other item when you see it. If not, take a photo to remember it. You can also take pictures of items you have purchased and the receipts (especially ones of value that you haven't yet insured). If they are lost or stolen, you have a record.

Wanderings in Dublin, Ireland -- 5 Must Visit Places

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:50:23 PDT

If I am not traveling, I am thinking about it. Certain smells, the look of a vista, the taste of a food, the lyrics of a song, a TV program or just an occasion like St. Patrick's Day will bring back a travel memory and I yearn to return to a place. Many times I do actually go back, but even if I can't visit physically, the mind is a wonder when you have travelled with intention. It let's you go back and enjoy the travel experience again and again, especially when you decide to write about it, find pictures, and do some auxiliary memory searching. Today my mind is wandering to Ireland. It's flipping through the streets of Dublin.

Here's some of the places it has taken me to:

1. Temple Bar Area -- for it's bohemian art feel, Irish eateries, and nightlife.

Americans especially of Irish descent have a romantic sense of what Ireland should be, and the Irish have catered to that expectation, amplifying the Temple Bar area with numerous pubs mimicking the older pubs of the area . Regardless, old or new, touristy whatever, it's fun crawling listening to music and having a pint or two. And several of those older pubs do have histories connected to them that date back centuries, for instance:

The Brazen Head (20 Bridge Street Lower) is touted as Ireland's oldest pub, with a history dating back to 1198. While there is probably little there now of what was there in the 12th century, the pub retains within its walls the feel that those of us seeking our notion of an old Irish pub are looking for. Moreover, it has something else, a virtual red carpet of historical patrons including such literaries as James Joyce, Brendan Behan and Jonathan Swift as well as revolutionaries including Robert Emmet, Wolfe Tone, Daniel O'Connell and Michael Collins. And today the place claims patrons still include some famous faces, including Van Morrison, Hothouse Flowers, Mary Black and Garth Brooks. Pictures of all those folks line the walls. With live music every night, this pub fits the bill for the Irish experience.

Here you can find a complete list of pubs in the area: Temple Bar Pubs

2. St. Patrick's Cathedral -- Come on no explanation needed

Built in honor of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral looms over the famous well where tradition says Saint Patrick baptized converts on his visit to Dublin.

The church of Saint Patrick on this site was granted collegiate status in 1191, and raised to cathedral status in 1224. The present building dates from 1220. The Cathedral is today an Anglican church and the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland.

Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels was Dean of the cathedral from 1713 to 1745. Many of his famous sermons were given there during his stay. His grave and epitaph can be viewed in the Cathedral.

Visitor Information

3. Irish Eateries

Somewhat redundant with visiting pubs because this is where I would go for some traditional Irish grub, but there are also some other haunts to taste some Irish cuisine (still somewhat of an oxymoron despite the arrival of some fine Irish chefs).

I dream of this decadent Irish salad with the big slab of fabulous Irish bacon at Bewley's on Grafton Street. Bewley's on Grafton Cafe opened in 1927 and is a Dublin landmark and Ireland’s longest established and largest café with over one million customers annually. Bewley's, the company, by the way, is Ireland's oldest and largest coffee and tea distributor. The cafe is also known for it's art, and worth a stop to see the stained glass alone.

And, of course, there's the ham and cabbage. The dish served at the Oliver St. John Gogarty (a pub and restaurant) is called bacon and cabbage. They also deliver up of a full menu of other Irish favorites including Irish stew and smoked salmon with brown bread. More American in style (but hey it's in an historic Dublin townhouse) than Irish, for that one gourmet experience , I recall Shannahan's on St. Stephen's Green for their top-notch steaks.

And speaking of the green:

4. St. Stephen's Green

Wandering through the Green you can reflect on nature where poets of Dublin did. The Yeats memorial above is one spot for contemplation. And right off the green on Merrion Sq., you can come face to face with another poet, author, and playwright. The statue is right across the street from Oscar Wilde's childhood home.

5. Trinity College and the Book of Kells

The Book of Kells is one of the finest of a group of illuminated manuscripts produced from the late 6th through the early 9th centuries in monasteries in Ireland, Scotland and England. In addition to seeing this famous work at Trinity College, wandering about this four-plus-century-old institution founded by Elizabeth I of England and graduating the likes of Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, and Samuel Beckett is nothing to miss while in Dublin.

And of course, there is the beer.... and Guinness is the granddaddy, and a must on this Dublin tour.

(Photos courtesy of S. Bates)

Christmas Time is Definitely More Kitschy in Key West

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:13:53 PDT

To begin with as soon as you add palm trees to Christmas, you have an oxymoron.

And then there's Key West, and you can add some extraordinarily different Christmas ornaments. You could choose one of these for your Christmas tree from Fast Buck Freddies on Duval Street.

And then of course there are the bespeckled coconuts that make for a unique holiday ornamentation.

In tropical climates, you can decorate your outdoor tree as you might your indoor evergreen as in this gorgeous display.

Beautiful Victorian residences and inns may be subtly enhanced for the season.

Or some conch homes may go to the extreme for all the glitz they can deliver.

The classic Key West bars like the Green Parrot get even greener during the holidays.

Palm trees along the waterfront and throughout the town are wrapped in light.

Poinsettias are everywhere. Here they accent this classic entrance.

And it wouldn't be Key West without a parade.

There is no doubt that Santa is here and undoubtedly loving the weather.

Rediscovering America -- On the Tamiami Trail to the Keys

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:14:28 PDT

It was unusually cold for Florida even in December as we started our journey to Key West. While we could have taken I75 - Alligator Alley (puzzles me why it's called this since it is very rare to see alligators along this fast lane through the Everglades), the adventure would have been lost. Instead we took the old route, Tamiami (to Miami) Trail, which allowed for stops along one of the most exotic roads in the U.S.

From Naples we enter Big Cypress Preserve, where hammocks of immense bald cypress trees rise up from the swampy land teaming with life. I'm just in the middle of reading a wonderful book called "the Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean and as we pass by the thick jungle-like places (the Fakahatchee, e.g.) where she wandered with her quixotic guide, places where snakes and alligators thrive, I have to shutter and admit that I am not that much of an adventurer -- and that there are places where I do fear to tread, although I love reading about them and gazing at them at a relatively safe distance.

We made a brief stop at the visitor center which is located where Route 29 crosses Tamiami Trail. From there, you can pick up lots of maps, pamphlets about the area and such. Had time permitted we would have visited Everglades City further down 29 -- its a unique piece of old Florida, with some historic buildings, a museum and opportunities for Everglade tours. Further along the trail, we passed the Wooten Swamp Buggy Tours -- been there done that -- another Florida tourist thing that you should do at least once in your life. In the little town of Ochopee, we also stopped by the smallest post office in the U.S., where I mailed a postcard of the small little post office. We did also stop at Clyde Butcher's, a wilderness photographer, who for years lived in a small cottage behind the gallery in Big Cypress -- he only recently moved to Venice, Florida.

Further along Tamiami Trail into the Everglades runs a shallow waterway with a narrow bank just on the side of a endless stretch of sawgrass march dotted here and there in the backdrop by dense hammocks of palms, gumbo-limbos and other sub-tropical trees.

Today almost every 30 feet or so, we spotted an alligator, so many of them that we decided to stop an the Oasis Visitor Center in Big Cypress to get a closer view. The Center has a boardwalk raised above the shallow stream that parallels the highway. Amazingly herons, anahinga and other birds perch over the waters gazing at the pristine crystal stream teaming with fish along with many, many alligators who swim and sun themselves along the bank.

1 According to Wikipedia "The 165 mile north–south section (hidden SR 45) extends to Naples, whereupon it becomes an east–west road (hidden SR 90) crossing the Everglades (and forming part of the northern border of Everglades National Park) before becoming Southwest Eighth Street in Miami-Dade "

Freezing in Florida -- Experiencing "Ice" at the Gaylord Palms Orlando

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:15:15 PDT

I'd often heard about "ICE," the annual display of hand-carved frozen sculptures that takes place at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida near all the Orlando Disney World attractions. (There are also similar shows at other Gaylord hotels.) Last year towards the end of the season there, I decided to experience it first hand.

From the Jungle of Gaylord's Everglades to the Artic "ICE"

It was an early somewhat crisp Sunday morning -- 60 degrees outside when we embarked with some trepidation into the frozen wilderness of "ICE" at 9 degrees -- remember I am a Floridian, anything under 50 is freezing. The Gaylord Palms Hotel is a somewhat daunting place to begin with -- a theme park inside a hotel with all kinds of funky Florida themes that take you through the swamps of the Everglades to Key West, to the walled Spanish look of St. Augustine. But even the dragon pool can't come close to the main attraction here come every November --- "ICE."

Once we had bought our tickets, we were escorted into a room where all sizes of very padded winter coats were provided. (We had come somewhat prepared for this -- and didn't wear sandals for instance and wore long pants.) But as we were to soon find out, we would need those ugly winter parkas.

We heeded all the warnings and I covered my camera lens up with my parka so that my camera wouldn't give out between photos. Then we trudged into the gallery with about 50 or so others... who had been ticketed for the same entry time as we had.

The exhibition itself is about 18,000 square-feet of frosty characters and settings, that are carved each year by a team of artisans from Harbin, China. Harbin is world-famous for its annual Ice and Snow Festival where more than 2,000 sculptors annually care a 100-acre walk through an ice park. Ice Lantern Festivals can be traced back as far as the late Ming and early Qing dynasties of Imperial China where 500 years ago hunters created ice lanterns to help guide themselves home.

We walked through a huge ice tunnel into a vast frozen world. And I have to admit I was truly awed by the intricate carvings of bears, sheep, angels, reindeer and more. Most impressive were the huge ice-carved manger and carousel. And, of course, I had to try the ice slide -- hey I had the parka to protect me.

This year's "ICE" at the Gaylord Palms opens tomorrow. The Theme for 2010 is "Twas the Night Before Christmas" And if you decide to go, even if you don't stay at the Gaylord, check out the hotel, it is unique! And be sure to bring hats, gloves and dress warm--it's cold even in Florida. For more information, or to purchase your tickets by phone, call (407) 586-4423.

Marveling at the history, geology and music of Red Rocks Amphitheatre

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:15:47 PDT

Wandering up the winding road from Denver, you first catch a glimpse of the deep red sandstone rock formations in the distance. This is an awesome sight in its own right, but when you drive under a sandstone arch and arrive at the geologically formed amphitheatre, unique in all the world, you are spellbound by the grandeur of it.

The amphitheatre, now known as Red Rocks and originally called the Garden of Angels, and no wonder, consists of two, three hundred-foot monoliths (Ship Rock and Creation Rock) and man-made seating that extends between them swooping down to the stage with a drop-dead gorgeous view of the City of Denver below.

It was in the early 1900's, that “Renaissance Man,” John Brisben Walker(1), journalist, owner/editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine, automobile manufacturer, land developer, hotelier, and owner of property that included what is now Red Rocks, dreamed of having a performing venue at the natural amphitheatre with such perfect acoustics. He arranged for a famous opera singer(2) of the day to perform there, and when she pronounced it the best concert hall she had ever sang in, attention was drawn to what Walker labeled “The Garden of Titans.”

Walker went on to produce a number of concerts between 1906 and 1910(3) on a temporary platform, but it wasn’t until much later than plans for a formal concert venue took hold. The City of Denver purchased the area of Red Rocks from Walker for the price of $54,133 in 1927 during the depression. Timing was right. Work programs created to get the economy back on its feet at the time provided the labor for the project. The federally sponsored Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Work Projects Administration (WPA), were engaged to construct the amphitheatre based on Denver architect Burnham Hoyt’s design, maintaining the beauty of the original natural theatre. It was finally dedicated in 1941.

Since then outstanding performers from every era of music have performed here. The earliest notable rock and roll performance at Red Rocks was by The Beatles in August, 1964 (some clips). During a five-year ban of rock music from the venue after 1000 unticketed fans, many unruly, showed up at a Jethro Tull concert, Red Rocks focussed on easier listening from John Denver, Sonny & Cher, The Carpenters, Pat Boone, Seals & Crofts, and Carole King. But over the years since Sting, Santana, Joe Cocker, U2 among other have had concerts at Red Rocks. More recently Barenaked Ladies, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Zac Brown's Band and John Mayer have performed there.

The thought of going to a concert or an Easter morning service(4) here is mind-blowing. (Twitter friend Jason talks about this in one of his blogs: http://www.jasons-travels.com/my-colorado/red-rocks-amphitheatre.) But there’s more to Red Rocks than its concerts making it worth going there even in the off-season – for the gorgeous setting, to hike around and enjoy the magnificent vistas, to marvel at the incredible human engineering feat, to consider the geologic, entrepreneurial and musical history of the place. The Visitor Center features interactive educational displays, a short film documentary on the geologic and musical history, and a Performer's Hall of Fame.

(1) Ironically after years of investing in countless ventures, many of which earned him millions, Walker died penniless in 1931 at the age of 83.The ruins of Walker’s magnificent house are still visible along Walker’s Dream Trail on Mount Falcon. More on Walker.
(2) Mary Garden was known as the Sarah Bernhardt of Opera. She was a household name in the US in the early 1900s. More information and photos.
(3) The earliest documented performance at the amphitheater was the Grand Opening of the Garden of the Titans, on May 31, 1906. featuring Pietro Satriano and his 25-piece brass band.
(4) The first event at Red Rocks Amphitheatre was the Easter sunrise service in 1947. The Easter Sunrise service is now the opening event every year.

Tips for the Road Warrior: Going Back and Forth from Warm to Cold Climates

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:09:48 PST

One of the difficulties in traveling frequently is the transitions from cold to warm climates and vice versa -- what to pack, what to wear etc. I live in Florida and travel all over so I am frequently faced with this dilemma especially in these days of high security at airports -- shoe removal, coat removal etc., and extra charges for baggage etc. What we globe trotters will do for the love of travel.

First off, when there is time and you don't have to cross oceans, you can drive. Which I do, when I can, so I can bring whatever I need, and don't have to deal with the airport, airline hassles. But in most cases, I don't have and you won't either the luxury of using personal transportation. So here are some tips, I have found useful:

What to pack and not pack:

1. Try and stick with one or two colors and some accent pieces.

2. Limit shoes -- one pair for each type of weather/activity encounter -- boots, sneaks, dress shoes, sandals. Wear the sandals to the hot place, boot type shoe to the cold place-- the kind that are easier to get out of. See caveat on boots below.

3. If you live in a warm climate, and you will be at your cold destination for a longer stay, consider buying some cheap heavier clothing at a Walmart-type place when you get to your destination so you don't have to lug as much -- I can usually get what I need to supplement what I have carted along for under $50. (This goes for underwear too -- get rid of it when you leave). This also holds true if you coming and going to the same cold destination for short stays. Many hotels will hold some luggage for you if you return frequently. Once you don't need the stuff you bought -- give it to the hotel maid or Goodwill. Or if you really must keep it, ship it home.

4. Again If you know you will be coming and going from the same destination a number of times, find some way to leave things behind... at the dry cleaners for instance. Pick it up when you return. And/or leave a bag with climate-related clothes at the hotel where you stay, many places will let frequent guests do this. (I buy a cheap piece of luggage under $20 for this purpose.)

5. Use space saver vacuum bags to compress the bulkier items you have to bring -- like a heavy coat and sweater.

6. If you are heading to a colder climate, be sure you pack gloves, socks, scarf, hat and boots that will keep you warm enough for winter conditions. (If I know I am going to a place where there is likely to be snow I will bring a heavier boot in addition to wearing shoe-boots despite the added weight.)

7. Don't forget moisturizers -- especially if you are heading from a more humid climate to a dryer one -- you'll use more than you typically do. Of course, you can always buy more at a local store so don't over do it.

What to Wear:

1. Dress for the climate your heading for, just layer and dual purpose appropriately -- see below.

2. Layer and dual purpose -- Wear a couple of layers, e.g. going north: thinner weight tee with long sleeves under a shirt, then another sweater, sweatshirt or jacket; going south: a tank top or short sleeved tee, with warmer light weight clothes on top. You can then remove these and stuff them in your carry-on before getting off the flight.

3. Try if at all possible to pack the bulkier, buttoned and zippered stuff, and if you have to wear a jacket or coat make it one that is lighter weight, easy to get off and on. Dragging bulky coats through a plane when you also have carry-ons to deal with is a real nuisance, not to speak of getting yourself through security. (If I have to wear a coat to the airport, I take it off when I get there and stuff it in a bag to be checked -- I leave room in that suitcase for this purpose)

4. Again wear shoes that are easy to remove. (I wear slip on boots with a side zipper going to a cold climate, and sandals to the warmer. I make the footwear change at the airport, if need be.)

The People of France -- Who Ever Said the French Were Unfriendly?

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:34:32 PDT

A Charming Small Park in Paris

When discussing our recent stay in France, people have too often said to me "but the French are so rude, unfriendly." This is an unfortunate perception that has clung to the French for many Americans like those horrible adhesive labels you can't remove from a recent purchase. Too frequently those who have held this opinion in their minds and hearts have never been to France or visited only briefly on one of those tourists' jolts through Europe.

French Lady feeds birds near Notre Dame

As an example of their "rudeness" one fellow American related a story of how he was looking for the Opera in Paris, and asked someone on the street how to find it and he refused to answer. I wondered. First, I noted how this fellow pronounced it "OP ER AH" with a strong midwestern accent. Also, did he as many Americans tend to do, stand too close without any introduction in some basic "travel" French, and shout out his question. Did it occur that the French person might have been frightened or rightfully perturbed by this approach? Wouldn't the same American be equally taken back if someone approached him on the street in the U.S. in an equally baffling way shouting in a foreign language?

I know it happened to me -- in France. A large American woman not knowing who I was, or what language I spoke -- I don't tend to carry any clues with me and dress very inconspicuously -- came up to me, tapped me roughly on the shoulder, and shouted a question at me in poor French. I was so shaken by her approach that by the time I composed myself she had walked away to trouble someone else. Undoubtedly, I became part of the "rude" French.

Rene Hotel Sainte-Pierre Saumur, France

Contrary to this, what we found, more so than ever on this trip, was that the French people are incredibly friendly and gracious. I think there are a couple reasons for our experience. One, we did take the time to think about our approach first in French..."bonjour, parlez-vous anglais" and no touching.... and softer voice. The other has to do with a real change we have noticed from years ago.... more French people especially in Paris speak at least some English and many younger French speak it very well. This has gone along way to help improve communications and dissolve misunderstanding.

Kind Shopkeeper in Boulangerie in Paris

Bottom line, I can relate that we were greeted enthusiastically and treated very courteously by hoteliers like Rene above and the lovely young woman, Veronique below. Rene, who I had exchanged emails with, exuberantly welcomed us outside the hotel and carried all our luggage personally into the hotel. Several French women took time to carefully redirect us when we were lost in one area of Paris or another. Shopkeepers went out of their way to attempt conversations with me in my very awkward French. Taxi drivers were polite and went over-the-top to point out attractions. While there was the occasional gruffness or misunderstanding, where anywhere in the US doesn't that happen. Overall, we felt welcomed and longed to linger and certainly return again and hopefully again.

Veronique Hotel L'Addresse Paris

Please share your comments below.

Send Yourself a Postcard -- A Travel Tip

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 11:24:42 PDT

Years ago on a jaunt to Maui we took a snorkling trip with an activity group called Trilogy -- one of my favorite travel memories by the way. Not only was the day's adventure well-organized and a total blast, the group extended the enjoyment of the day by capturing excellent video footage and selling this as an add-on, and something small but equally clever, they had each of the passengers write themselves a Trilogy postcard from Maui which the group later mailed to their homes.

I won't go into all the marketing benefits of this -- not my purpose here. The point is the postcard was waiting for us when we returned home -- encoring instantly that incredible travel memory. It was this postcard and my own mom's collection of postcards that I'd sent her from my many travels that comprised the beginnings of my own collection.

Now where ever I go, I try to write myself a postcard from that place with the date. Not only do I have a flush of memories hit me to distract me from bills and other less enjoyable mail, but I have a cheap souvenir which I add to my collection. I keep the collection in a series of binders, which reside on a shelf under the TV in our family room for quick access -- along with photos, these postcards provide a quick review of all the places we've been.

Savannah --- A Hint of Paris in the American South

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:18:07 PST

Maybe it's that everywhere I go I look for Paris. Recently on a breeze through one of my favorite Southern cities, I was reminded of Paris by the charming squares, historic monuments and beautiful old buildings, embellished with wrought-iron gates and balustrades.

Savannah was established in 1733 and designed by General James E. Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia, around 24 squares (22 which still exist) providing shady respites from a hot, humid climate. I've visited here many times, and each time discover something unique and special in this City of lovely parks, history and wonderful southern cuisine.

Strolling around Savannah last week, under majestic old oaks, dodging the dangling Spanish moss, I gazed through wrought iron gates back through centuries at 18th and 19th century houses and churches.

I stopped by a favorite piece of history, the Owens-Thomas house, built in the early 19th century in the Georgian style with massive columns so associated with the American South. It's said that Lafayette stayed here when it was lodging house in 1825.

I peaked in the windows of Juliette Gordon Lowe House, birth place of the founder of the American Girl Scouts.

Later my companion and I had dinner within one of the oldest buildings in Savannah. Built in 1771 as a wealthy banker's home and later a bank, the Olde Pink House has witnessed centuries of Southern history. Early colonists held secret meetings on securing Independence from Britain. During the Civil War after Sherman captured Savannah, General York set up headquarters here. Then after years acting as various venues and ultimately falling into decay, it was bought and restored as a restaurant in 1992.

And it is a beautiful restaurant -- flowing over with history and elegance with its large but comfortably-sized rooms, wide plank wooden floors, high ceilings with crown and chair-rail moldings, and historic paintings and fixtures. And of course, marvelous southern food....

We also chose to stay in one of Savannah's historic hotels -- the Planter's Inn which stands on the former site of the first parsonage of John Wesley, who came to Savannah in 1736. The original hotel was constructed from the remains of two 1812 residents, which was refurbished and reopened as the Planters Inn in 1984.)

After dinner, we again walked Savannah's streets, buildings and trees now ablaze in the glow of the gaslights.

In the early morning, the riverside, bustling in the evening, is eerily deserted and quiet. We cross a lovely iron bridge and pass the Old Cotton Exchange Building to get there. (In it's peak as a cotton port, over two million bales a year moved through Savannah.)

Steamboats line up waiting early arriving tourists.

Much like Paris, Savannah is an intriguing city, drawing you in, creating impressions and memories more intense than present life. Savannah, though has a personality of its own that wraps you in history and mystery.... and beckons you back again and again.

Savoring the Beaune Market -- A Gastronomic Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:34:11 PDT

There is no doubt when I breeze through the many photos that I took while in France recently that "food" was definitely one of the major themes of my trip. And no wonder. Not only does the food in France taste better than in the U.S., and I truly believe it does, it looks so alluring. Whether it's the richness of colors and texture, the presentation or arrangement in a food stand or on a plate or just the food itself, the food in France is as dazzling to the eyes as it is to the tastebuds.

Perhaps this is why the French Market is such a attraction for tourists, even if timing doesn't permit a single purchase. While in recent years local markets are becoming more omnipresent in the US, the French market is still unique. Americans see shopping at a local market as more of a novelty, the French (at least in the smaller towns) rely more on the markets for the weekly produce despite the growing presence of the supermarche. And the Beaune market is a gem... with stand after stand of cheeses, sausages, fruits, vegetables, crafts, clothes and more.

We went in the rain.. a pleasant soft rain which helped carry the wonderful smells of roasting chicken, cheeses, and flowers. The stalls melded together through the shower in an impressionistic blur of color.

It was Saturday, Beaune's main market day. Visitors come from all around to taste and see the harvests of local farms, local aromatic Burgundian cheeses, tantalizing dried sausage, sweet freshly-picked lopes, and, of course, breads, wonderful, wonderful breads. The market on this rainy day bounced with umbrellas. And I suspect it was less congested than on a sunnier morning. However, we started our venture through the long winding cavalcade of delights under cover in the indoor part of the market -- the Halles.

Most French towns and large villages have a stationary covered market (marche couvert) frequently called "les Halles." The Halles in Beaune houses mostly the fresh meat, cheese, eggs..but some candies and fruits as well.

From here, you wander down a main artery of Beaune toward's the town's primary tourist attraction, the Hospices de Beaune, the medieval building which housed a hospital for the poor. (Definitely worth a visit while in Beaune.) Vendors anxious for you to notice and perhaps buy their wares offer tastes of incredible cheeses, fruits and other savories as you meander past their stalls.

It only takes a few visits to these traditional local markets with their abundance of fresh, local meats and produce to appreciate the heritage of this slower way of life. It also explains in many ways why food is France is so darn good.

Wanderings in France ...in one word delicious "diversity"

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:34:11 PDT

Just a brief post on coming home again after a month of travel... I've been remiss in not posting during my trip, but in trying to pack in as much as possible during the day, I found it difficult to miss a moment of wandering to sit and write..

France is a feast for the senses.... the sights, the smells, the tastes, the sounds.... For weeks we wandered -- walking, climbing, walking, climbing absorbing these sensations. We..

Ascended the steps in Montmartre to Sacre Coeur...

Waited in line at Berthillon for ice cream on Ile St. Louis....

Watched tourists taking photos of giant bubbles near the Beaubourg...

Watched tourists taking photos everywhere..

Peered through the golden gate at Versailles ...

Marveled at a medieval buildings.... (this one Medieval Hospital in Beaune):

Roamed through miles of underground wine caves:

Rambled aimlessly through the rooms of many, many chateaux...

Visited a piece of America on French soil...

My lasting impression from a month in France is in one word...diversity. On any given evening we would be mingled in a Paris cafe with Ghanians, Italians, New Yorkers, Chinese, Germans, Algerians and, of course, some Parisians. On the block where we stayed in Paris, there were Indian, Chinese, Italian, Moroccan, Japanese, and two French restaurants, for one of which, a steak and frites joint, people queued every night down the street to get a table.

And on just about every block in Paris and in the small French towns we visited, patisserie windows bedazzled with tormentingly diverse selections of delicacies luring you like the Sirens did another traveler.

We roamed the neighborhoods of Paris through centuries of architecture, art, music and culture -- from the ancient alleys of the left bank and isles in the Seine to the ultra-modern towers of La Defense, from the small wine towns of Burgundy through the Loire Valley to Normandy. Every day we tried to see and taste and hear all we could. And along the way the genuine joy of living cascaded over us like an immense waterfall.

New APP helps Travelers Navigate Medical Needs Abroad

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 11:25:19 PDT

I remember a scary time in Rome when I experienced an Asthma attack and had to seek local medical attention..another when my spouse caught a horrible cold in Amsterdam that needed attention. Not to speak of the times I've wandered into a pharmacy in Italy or France, trying to find a medication or particular healthcare product.

A new APP for the Iphone and IPod may help with such medical needs when travelling. The first app to help travelers in need of medical services when they are abroad, mPassport is now available in the iTunes App Store for downloading onto n iPhones and iPads around the world.

Just announced mPassport enables you to:

-- Use your smart phone or laptop to find a conveniently located, carefully-selected, English-speaking doctor or dentist and request an appointment

-- Use mapping and GPS functionality to find the shortest route to convenient care

-- Translate brand names for medications and key medical terms and phrases

-- Understand health risks and access the right emergency services

"About half of all travelers who spend more than two weeks abroad get sick or injured, and we're there to help them when they need assistance," says Angelo Masciantonio, Chief Executive of HTH Worldwide. "Travelers typically do not prepare for illness or injury when traveling abroad and when they need healthcare, they often don't know where to turn. mPassport apps make it simple to get quality care when it's needed far away from home."

HTH Worldwide has created mPassport apps for these popular business and leisure destinations:
-- Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Florence, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Rome, Vienna -- Cape Town, Nairobi -- Buenos Aires, Lima, Mexico City, Quito -- Bermuda, Nassau -- Beijing, Hong Kong

Category: ..Travel Issue

Mark Twain's Bermuda -- "You go to heaven... I'd druther stay here."

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:51:22 PDT

Among the many places where Mark Twain wandered penning articles and books along the way was a place that continued to lure him back again and again.....Bermuda. Having spent almost as many days in Bermuda as Twain did in his life time (between 1867 and 1910 Mark Twain spent a total of 187 days in Bermuda), I can well understand the magnetic force that caused him to visit these enchanted isles over and over.

He arrived for the first time in Bermuda as many travelers do today by cruise ship. In November of 1867, Twain walked from the deck of the SS Quaker City into the sub-tropical paradise towards the end of a long cruise that took him from New York to the Mediterranean, the "Holy Land" (Israel) and back to New York with a group of religious pilgrims. It was during this trip that Twain wrote "Innocents Abroad," the best selling of his works during his life time.

On his first brief visit, Twain is said to have visited many of the places where passengers wander whose cruise ships pull into Hamilton's harbor. He joked about the enormous rubber tree (still there) on the grounds of Par-la-Ville Park. The park which I passed through many times myself is just beyond one of the main streets in Hamilton (Queen Street) near the post office. It was the Postmaster William B. Perot, who laid out the gardens of the park in the mid-1800s. A classic stone Bermudian moon gate bedecked with blooms and vines probably was likely the entrance Twain used.

Fairmont Hamilton Princess today

Over time Twain became one of Bermuda's most famous visitors and advocates. In recognition of this role, busts of him are still to be found ...one, as was pointed out to me by twitterer fairmontham (official tweep for the Fairmont Hamilton Princess), is located in the lobby of the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. Shame on me for not remembering this statue that I passed many times on my visits there.

It was Twain who helped bring Americans back to Bermuda after the American Civil War. Few Americans wanted to visit the island paradise in the post-war years still angered by the blockades run from there supporting the South during the conflict. Twain reminded Americans of Bermuda's seductiveness promoting the isles not just for short summer vacations but for longer sojourns during cold and bitter US winters. In a 15,000-word sketch "Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion" published in four installments in the Atlantic Monthly from October 1877 through January 1878 he devotes two chapters to his second trip to Bermuda in 1877. It was these articles that helped attract many affluent Americans there starting in the 1880s... and on January 1, 1885 the Hamilton Princess opened to accommodate many of these new travelers. Mark Twain was a frequent guest.

A view of Hamilton Harbor from hilltop overlooking Hamilton, Bermuda

Twain returned for many longer sojourns in the "Bermudas" often making back to back trips in his later years. He resided most of the time at Bay House, at 4 Old Slip Lane, at the end of a private access road off Pitt's Bay Road in Pembroke Parish only a short distance from Hamilton. The house, still there, is on the coast facing the waterfront of Hamilton Harbor with views of nearby small islands.

While on Bermuda, Twain would frequently meet up with other prominent guests of the isles. He chatted on one visit, for instance, with Upton Sinclair, the author of The Jungle (1906), which had just caused a national sensation in the US at the time. And on another, he played minature golf and lunched with President Woodrow Wilson.

While I am sure Twain's Bermuda, the Bermuda of 100 plus years ago was much more tranquil than today -- no cars (he was instrumental in keeping them out of Bermuda for 30 years) or mopeds, fewer tourists, no industry to speak of. But no matter, many of the qualities that drew him there continue to bring me to Bermuda again and again, if not always in person, in spirit, to it's subtle suggestion of Britain, it's unparalleled serenity, it's breathtaking vistas, it's many hidden, enchanting little nooks, it's warmth not only in climate but in it's only-to-be-found-on-Bermuda people with their amazing polite manner and lovely clipped version of English. Twain encountered something very special from his first visit and went back to seek it there to the very end of his life. “You go to heaven if you want to,” Mark Twain wrote from Bermuda in 1910 during his long last visit, one hundred years ago, “I’d druther stay here.”

More information on Mark Twain in Bermuda:

Books:

Mark Twain and the Happy Island. Wallace, Elizabeth. 1913. Chicago, McClug. 139 pages. Illustrated.

Mark Twain In Paradise – His Voyages to Bermuda. American writer Donald Hoffmann. The special relationship that Mark Twain had with turn of the century Bermuda. University of Missouri Press, 2006.

Websites:

http://www.bermuda-online.org/twain.htm

2010 is the Year of Mark Twain -- Great time to visit Twain Places

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:38:26 PDT

The year 2010 marks the 175th anniversary of the birth of Samuel Langhorne Clemens known to us as Mark Twain. It is also the 125th anniversary of the publication of Twain’s seminal work, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the 100th anniversary of his death which falls on April 21. Nationwide, places where the author lived or spent significant time or had other major connection to Twain and his works including Berkeley, CA Elmira, NY, Hannibal, MO and Hartford, CT will be celebrating this vibrant author - and perhaps one of the first pre-internet travel bloggers - with special events.

Since the red carpets are being rolled out, it's a great to visit some of the Twain's sites. There are two major museums dedicated to this quintessential American author....not surprisingly one is in the Northeast in Connecticut, the other right on the Mississippi in the Midwest, which is the one more associated with the author -- in Hannibal, Missouri. In addition, other sites dedicated to Twain are a major bookstore and museum in Virginia City, Nevada, his former study and final resting place in Elmira, New York, and the Archive of Twain's Papers and Works at the University of California, Berkeley. There is also the site of his birthplace in Florida, MO, but this is temporarily closed.

Here's some information on the major sites:

The Hartford Connecticut Museum

Courtesy of Mark Twain House website

The Mark Twain House and Museum (Hartford, Connecticut) was the home of Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) from 1874 to 1891. The Victorian-style house is a 19-room gothic mansion. It was the place where Twain wrote most of his major works including The Gilded Age, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper, Life on the Mississippi, Huckleberry Finn, A Tramp Abroad, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The Twain House, which is open year–round for guided tours, attracts more than 60,000 visitors annually from every state in the U.S. as well as from more than 70 countries around the world. The Mark Twain House and Museum is located at 351 Farmington Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut. For more information on visiting call (860) 247-0998 or visit the website at www.marktwainhouse.org.

Hannibal, MO

Hannibal, MO is a pleasant little town to visit in its own right. Situated (not surprisingly) on the Mississippi, there are lots of activities within Hannibal dedicated to Mr. Clemens, including their own resident actor who brings Twain alive for visitors. But the main reason to visit is the properties of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum which include: the frame house known as the Mark Twain Boyhood Home constructed around 1843 or 1844, where the John Marshall Clemens family lived until leaving town in 1853, the John M. Clemens Justice of the Peace Office, the Becky Thatcher, Pilaster House/Grant's Drug Store, the Huck Finn House, the Museum Gallery and Gardens. The museum is well worth the time with its interactive exhibits from five of Mark Twain's books and memorabilia from Mark Twain's life,. The gallery includes 15 original Norman Rockwell paintings created in 1935 for special editions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Elmira, New York

In Elmira, New York, which lays claim to being "Mark Twain Country," you can visit the Mark Twain Study and roam the beautiful area where Twain spent his summers.

Mark Twain Study

Twain and his wife spent summers in Elmira with his wife's family. The family built him a study in their home to give him space to work, which was later moved to the campus of Elmira College and is open to the public. You can see the study during the summer months and admission is free for everyone. The address for the study is 1 Park Pl., Elmira College, Elmira, NY 14901 (607-735-1941).

A fun Twain tweep to follow is twaintoday.
There is also MarkTwain and TwainHouse.

Traveling Solo in London

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:18:19 PDT

Recently reading a blog from Isabelle's Travels (@isabellestravel on Twitter) on traveling alone in Paris caused me to reflect on some solo travel of my own. Perhaps the city I have spent more time alone in than any other in the world outside the US is London. Having had several jobs that took me solo to London and then later accompanying a spouse who had business there..... I have wandered and discovered much of the city on my own on travel there.

True having a companion to share discoveries with is part of what I love about traveling. But I also love the undistracted and totally self-directed momentum that touring and exploring a destination unescorted gives me. Decisions on whether to stop at a cafe or take the tube here or there are totally mine. Time spent in a museum or not totally up to me. Taking photos with abandon without disrupting a companion's experience is ok.

For that reason while I had objectives for my touring days of London, i.e. some target destinations, I generally was loose about it leaving room for discovery or lingering where particularly intrigued. One of my favorite things to do would be to have an early breakfast..... I loved a cafe...which now has many locations throughout London.. Patisserie Valerie. They serve the most incredible scrambled eggs with toast or croissant and coffee. There I could linger over my travel books and plan the day.... in the quiet ambiance of the place. Or, if I were staying at a B&B which I frequently did, I would take the typical English breakfast and perhaps chat with another guest.

I took my notebook and made my plan...carrying it with me during the day to jot down observations. As a aside, no matter where I am, I always have a notebook and a camera. Even if you're not a writer or blogger carrying a notebook especially when alone gives you the opportunity to jot down impressions that you can relate to friends and family later on. It also acts in a way as a substitute companion.... gives you a sense of being on purpose... and not as self-conscious about being alone.

My solo journeys through London in addition to all the obvious places took me to spend time observing a session of Parliament, to sip afternoon tea and munch on delicate sandwiches especially at Browns, to wander through the Tate Museum for hours and gaze at the Turners, to visit the Courtauld, an exquisite gem of a museum with an excellent impressionist collection, through Covent Garden and to Portobello Road for antique shops and much more.

But the solo experience that stands out for me above the rest is that of going to the theatre by myself. The first play I saw in a theatre on my own was in London. The theatre was packed... I had a seat way up in the highest section of the balcony and was cramped in amongst other Americans who had gotten terrible, last minute seating. It didn't matter. For the first time here was this incredible cast singing their hearts out "Can you hear the people sing..." and the rest of the audience, the humid air of the old building, the uncomfortable seat, even the distance from the stage were shut out. I could only hear the singing and see the colorful staging and costumes. This magnificent performance was just for me..... and I loved it!

Exploring Lake Como - Varenna - A Less Trodden Gem Glimmering on the Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:35:30 PDT

Best explored by the boats which skim atop the glistening blue-green water, Lake Como offers a cornucopia of vistas including 17th and 18th century villas poking up here and there on the various promontories about the lake, backdrops of frequently snow-topped craggy mountains, gardens which roll down the hillsides in carpets of color, and many enchanting villages. The boats are easy to navigate and allow you to visit many of the lake's tiny ancient hamlets whose hilly streets and byways can be roamed for hours visiting shops, beautiful old churches and chapels, terrace restaurants, and much more.

If you have to choose among the towns, make one of your choices a stop at Varenna. It's fairly easy to get to and is less touristy than Bellagio (although I wouldn't pass this up either.) There are ferries with frequent stops there from Bellagio, Menaggio, Lenno and Tremezzo. On our last trip, we stayed near Tremezzo and took the ferry boat from there to Bellagio, then Varenna and from Varenna back to Tremezzo with a stop at Villa Carlotta.

Varenna's origins date back to Roman times. Built in the 5th century at the foot of a mountain which rises precipitously almost vertical behind it, Varenna is a picturesque old fishing village with a lovely little harbor featuring views of Bellagio in the distance.

Once disembarqing from the ferry, make sure you stop at the Information Booth at the Harbor for a map and ask where it's best to climb to the upper town. You can first walk around the island partially on a platform which has been built into the side of the mountain passing under a percola bursting with flowers. A large terrace sprawls under the hillside at one juncture, where you can stop for delightful crepes or Italian sandwich or bruschetta. (Interestingly enough bruschetta in this area is different than in Tuscany. It comes on larger slices of toasted bread...quite good but not the bite-sized crostini you might be used to.)

We climbed to the upper town up flat stone steps near the terrace restaurant. Here we visited the parish church San Giorgio, consecrated in 1313 but enriched several times in later centuries once to include large fresco portraying Saint Christopher. Nearby we were attracted to one of Varenna's hotels and wandered into the Hotel Royal Victoria with its panoramic views of the lake from a restaurant terrace. This lovely villa hotel was named after Queen Victoria who visited there in 1838.

In addition to a stopover on a lake journey, Varenna would be a good place to locate during a stay on Lake Como. For more hotel information: http://italianlakesholidays.net/varenna-hotels-guide/

Another place to visit (if time permits) in Varenna is generally known as Villa dei Cipressi (Villa of Cypresses) with its garden of trees that terraces towards the lake.

Unconditional Surrender -- A Sarasota Florida Statue is all in "The Kiss" of a moment

noreply@blogger.com (Theresa ) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:39:45 PDT

A well-know photo shows an American sailer kissing a young woman in white, presumably a nurse, on V-J Day in Times Square. The photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt and originally published later in Life magazine was among many of those taken during celebrations across the US on the end to a long, costly war. A war during which many loved ones had been lost. A war which separated husbands and wives, lovers, family for almost four years.

Pictures were being snapped quickly then to capture reactions as the anticipated news of the US victory over Japan was announced. But this particular shot caught something that symbolically stuck ...not only as a moment of sheer, spontaneous joy at the end of a war but as a foreshadowing of the promise ahead .... the return of the soldiers too long gone and of the many, many long-awaited kisses to come. It's probably one of the most romantic photos ever taken even though that particular kiss was between strangers.

More recently, a gigantic, pop-art likeness of "The Kiss," entitled more appropriately that anyone thought "Unconditional Surrender," was raised along the main artery in Sarasota, Florida by the bay. Ever since the sculpted couple's very presence has been consumed with controversy...somewhat akin to the battle caused when the Rocky statue was originally placed on the steps in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. ( There is something about pop-art that requires ripening before it's ultimately accepted for what it is.)

"Unconditional Surrender" was created by eminent artist, J. Seward Johnson, known primarily for his iconic man-in-the-street series...yes one of the looks-real bronzes that on one of those late nights out you might have a chat with . The first rendering of "Unconditional Surrender" was a life-sized version that appeared in Times Square in 2005 to commemorate the announcement at 7:03 PM sixty-years before of the end of WWII. Later the 26-foot version was sited at Snug Harbor in New York for a month before being moved to Sarasota where many of the more patriotic residents wanted it to remain. And so far it has, after a brief visit to San Diego a few years back.

After a combative public hearing, city commissioners agreed to accept a donation of a $500,000 from a WWII Vet and to embrace the huge artwork for ten years. Still arguments regarding the kissing duo -- appropriateness for "artsy" Sarasota, legal issues (i.e. derivative work licensing) -- drag on. But in the meantime, the huge sailor and nurse continue to smooch behind the palm trees with Sarasota's gleaming buildings as a backdrop.

And on any given day, in particular one to do with love (and frequently reuniting) -- an anniversary, Valentine's Day, a day marriage is proposed, a wedding day, a celebration of a soldier's return from a current war, or just a day to be in love, you can see a couple strike the pose in the shadow of a moment that captured the promise of hope, renewal and commitment... and everything love is all about.....