In and Around Udaipur

I decided to spend the day in Udaipur today, since I hadn’t seen anything in the city yet. The city is called the City of Lakes, and with good reason – there are 5 man-made lakes in and around Udaipur, which makes the city very scenic and interesting to explore. The main features of the city center around the Maharana (king) and his all his palaces. The first and most obvious is the City Palace, which is a huge structure in the middle of the city, on the edge of Lake Pichola. It’s massive and now is divided into three parts – one is still the current Marhana’s personal residence, one is a public muscum, and the third is a hotel. In historical times, this was where the king spent his winters. The second, the Lake Palace, appears to be floating in the middle of Lake Pichola, directly across from the City Palace. This palace is also known as the Summer Palace and is where the previous king used to spend the summers. It is now a luxury hotel afloat in the water (called the Lake Palace Hotel), so I took a quick tour out there – you can only access it by boat, but it really is quite nice and very exclusive. The last palace is perched high up a mountain overlooking the city and the other palaces – called Saganngargh Palace, or Monsoon Palace, and is where the Marharana spent the monsoon season. I visited all three palaces, but saved the Monsoon Palace for late in the day, just before sunset. There is a narrow winding road to the top and the palace itself is really in ruins, but it is the best view of the entire region and in the shimmering pink of the sunset, it was fantastic.

The highlight of the day was an invitation to dinner with my driver Kan and his family, who live in the working class area of Udaipur. He lives in a two room apartment, with his wife Bimla and two kids and their lifestyle really epitomize how the poor working class live in India, although by his village standards he has really come up in the world. To put it in perspective, his monthly income is about 3500 rupees, which is about $75 USD, for his family of four. His home consists of two small rooms, one is a bedroom and central sitting room for the family, with a bed as the main piece of furniture. The second room is a tiny kitchen with a small cookstove on the floor, hooked to a propane tank. I was greeted like royalty into their tiny home, which soon overflowed with all the neighbours from their street, who were all curious to visit the foreigner! It was amazing. The women go to the market every day to buy their food, because no one has a fridge, or even running water and the women squat on the floor to prepare and cook the meals. It was amazing though – people are people no matter how you slice it. I got there and amid a bit of translation, some broken Hindi (from me), a little English and lots of hand waving and sign language, we all communicated just fine. The women were anxious to play dress up with ME – and took turns pulling out all their best saris and Indian dresses and suiting me up. I tried on 4-5 gorgeous saris, complete with bangles, jewellery and even a bindi for my forehead! We had lots of laughs as I tried to maneuver my way around in the layers of clothing. I can’t believe the cook, clean and do everything in all those clothes – especially when it’s hot. I felt like I was suffocating with all those clothes on. However, it was loads of fun and they were all laughing at me trying to elegantly get in and out of all the garb! At the end of it all, as I untangled myself, Bimla insisted that I take one of her gorgeous blue and red satin saris, and wouldn't take no for an answer, so I am the proud new owner of a lovely real Indian sari!

We had an amazing meal, although it is a bit of a chaotic way to cook and eat. No one eats together – the meal is cooked and handed out as it is ready, and each person just takes their share and eats when their turn comes. Being the guest, I was first and I ate by myself, in the tiny kitchen, sitting on a mat with 4 other women and Bimla still at the cooker. We had a fantastic home-cooked meal though – fresh japatis (like a bread pancake), a spicy vegetable curry dish, rice and dal, and warm rice pudding for dessert, with chai. I was totally stuffed, and overwhelmed by their hospitality. All the women sat on the floor of the kitchen, drinking tea and taking turns eating dinner, while the kids and the neighbours wandered in and out, grabbing some food and sitting outside. It was amazing - and a real taste of how most Indians probably live.

All in all, it was a great way to finish my stay in Udaipur, and not at all the way I had expected to spend the weekend, but it was even better. Definitely a highlight!

Udaipur, Venice of the East

I arrived in Udaipur, supposedly the most romantic city in the state of Rajasthan. The city, about 500,000 people (so very small by Indian standards) lies around Lake Pichola and is nicknamed the Venice of the East. The city is an interesting mix of lovely hotels, marble palaces, lakeside gardens and temples and really is quite lovely, especially after the chaotic busy-ness of Mumbai. I arrived late so didn’t see too much, but the terrain is very mountainous, but also arid and desert-like, so very dry, and especially now, before the monsoons, it is particularly dry and barren looking. Rajasthan is considered the land of princes and palaces and is known for the colourful traditional dress of its local women, which is a dramatic contrast to the brown dry mountains of the countryside.

I hired a fantastic local driver to help me with some sightseeing today (Sat) because navigating the local country roads is definitely not something I wanted to do on such a short trip – not to mention, all the signage is in Hindi, which makes reading a map a bit challenging. My driver’s name was Kan, and he is a local Rajasthany, from a small village about 120 km away, so to him, Udaipur is the big city. He had an excellent knowledge of English, a good sense of humour and was very helpful in suggesting things to do and see. We headed out to see the Kumbhalgarh Fort, aboug 85 km away (but about a 2 hour drive) through very mountainous terrain. Along the way, we saw interesting glimpses of rural life. Remote mountain villages, with mud and plaster huts, trains of haughty camels and bejeweled women in billowing colored skirts carrying everything imaginable perched on their heads along the road. We didn’t have to get far out of Udaipur to really be in the country and there were dozens of small villages along the road where it was amazing to see the way people lived – no running water or electricity, tiny one room homes filled with 10 or more people, and such hard work to accomplish every simple task. Definitely makes you think twice about the ability to just flick on a light switch.

We zigged and zagged high up through the Aravalli mountain range on a narrow one-lane road to the foot of the ancient fort of Kumbhalgarh, also known as the Eye of Mewar. It finally appeared on the horizon, situated along the crest of a mountain ride and encircled by a series of seemingly invincible walls, battlements and ramparts stretching 36 km – apparently the second longest continuous wall in the world after the Great Wall of China. Then, high above the Fort, on the summit of the mountain, in solitary splendor – the imperial Badal Mahal – or Cloud Palace. I stopped to take a picture from the mountain before the Fort and it was stunning to see. There were steep mountains in all directions and the Fort itself seemed virtually inaccessible.
My driver stopped for a break and I climbed up the steep path to the palace. I realized as I got to the top (breathless) at 3600 ft, why it was called the Eye of Mewar. In centuries past, it had protected the rugged land from invaders from as far away as Delhi because you could see forever.

After leaving the Fort, we drove for another two hours, through the steep mountains, to an amazing Jain temple, called Ranakapur Temple. It takes a bit of an effort to get there, but it is well worth the trip. Jainism is sort of another form of Hindu-ism, except much more strict. The Jains are a passive and non-violent community of people who respect life in every form and practice rigid fasting and many strict forms of self-denial. You can’t wear or bring anything leather into the temple, for example, because of its connection to cattle.

This particular temple is the largest Jain temple in the world and is quite amazing. The entire temple is made entirely of white marble and every inch of it is ornately carved. There is so much detail in the carvings, that it’s impossible to describe without actually seeing it. There are detailed carvings of all the Jain gods and their stories, plus there are 1,444 ornately carved pillars and hundreds of small alters with the different Jain gods featured in each. While I was in the temple there was a Jain service happening, with incense burning and offerings and chanting and many Jain holy men (sadhu) in white saris. It was a very intriguing place to experience, but given that I know practically nothing about this religion, I left with a lot of questions about this unusual practice.

Nearby the temple there is a very small rural village where several of the local villagers specialize in hand weaving by loom. They have elaborate hand looms and their work is exquisite. We stopped to see the colourful carpets and talk to some of the weavers, who are all from the same family (and caste) and have done this for generations (of course I bought a rug (durry). After you see how much work it is to make one, you really can’t not buy something!

We drove back to Udaipur in the late afternoon as the sun was setting, stopping along the road at a little stall for some masala chai (which is the best tea I’ve ever had – it’s amazing and sweet with the taste of fresh ginger and a little sugar – yum!) It beats Starbucks, hands-down and a cup of steaming hot chai tea is about 10 rupees… (5 cents or so).

Welcome to Bollywood my friends!

Mumbai (or Bombay as it’s more commonly known) is home to 15 million people, all of whom are packed into 7 islands on the west coast of India. And when I say packed, that’s exactly what I mean. I arrived in Bombay, not exactly sure what to expect, but it was clear that it is worlds away from the order and organization of Singapore! The airport was an interesting experience, although I did get my luggage quite quickly, but let’s just say the overall standards for cleanliness and hygiene are not exactly the same as in the west. For some reason, no one seems to actually throw garbage into a bin, but rather wherever they feel like dumping it. I’ve never seen so much garbage on the floor of a public place – it was crazy…

Since I arrived for work, my contacts in Bombay had sent a car and driver to pick me up, which was a good thing, since sorting out a taxi would have definitely been interesting. We headed to South Bombay, which is clear across town, probably only about 20 km as the crow flies, but in Bombay traffic, it’s another story and navigating the traffic takes another skill set altogether. In addition to the assortment of goats, bulls, cows and people in the streets, there are taxis, cars, autorickshaws, motor scooters, bicycles and buses all fighting for the right of way. It’s a bit of a miracle that there aren’t more accidents, but everyone seems to be able to manage the system and come out unharmed. There is no rhyme or reason to the driving though and everyone just speeds ahead, swerving madly and honking frantically. To the visiting tourist, it seems insanely chaotic, but it doesn’t seem to phase the locals one bit, so you kind of just have to go with it and trust your driver. I did!

I didn’t have much time in Bombay as I was flying out to Udaipur, in Rajasthan later that evening, but I did manage to observe part of a wedding procession (apparently it is not unusual for these to have upwards of 2000+ people in the middle of the street), see the great stone gateway to India on the harbourfront, and tour the Queen’s Necklace, the long stretch of beachfront that runs the length of the Bombay harbour (so named b/c at night the lights twinkle in a big semi-circle resembling the Queen’s Jewels – I guess a little left over sentiment from the days of the monarchy.

Singapore - the shopping mecca

When it comes to cleanliness, friendliness, fabulous food and quality of shopping, Singapore is the clear winner. Arriving in the city, the first thing you notice is how immaculately clean the entire city is – not a scrap of garbage, no overflowing bins or strange odors from back alleys; everything is packaged, painted, polished, policed and pristinely perfect. There is a strict order of conduct for everything in Singapore, from a ban on chewing gum (which is actually enforced), to fines for every possible infraction. However, all of these rules and regulations add up to a city which is a true pleasure to visit, although at times, it does feel like one huge outdoor shopping center. I’ve truly never seen so many towering shopping centers in such a concentrated area or so many dedicated shoppers. I think that is the national pastime and primary hobby of most Singaporians. When I asked the concierge what else there was to see of Singapore, from a strictly tourist perspective, he mentioned key landmarks by their proximity to the nearest shopping center!

I did manage to find a few other interesting things to do in Singapore, besides work (which was really my primary purpose for being there) and shop. I arrived on the last day of the Chinese New Year holiday so everything was open, but it officially still a holiday so I did have a day to explore a bit.

I did the hop-on bus trip, which gives a good general tour of the city and allows you to get on and off at your convenience and is a great way to see a lot in a little time. Singapore has some interesting ethnic areas in the city, that are definitely worth seeing and really offer a glimpse into a totally different culture. I stopped first in Little India, which was a bit of a preview of what my visit to India might be like I think. The environment changed drastically – the style of buildings was distinctly Indian, the smell of spices fills the air and the narrow streets are crammed with shopkeepers selling everything from saris to CDs – it’s totally different than the organization of the rest of Singapore. The same holds true for Chinatown, where things were just returning to normal after the celebrations of the Chinese New Year, which just ended at the beginning of Feb. The streets are jammed with tons of shops, mostly selling touristy crap and a lot of Year of the Dog good luck stuff. There is a big night market with stalls selling every sort of food imaginable, most of it not looking particularly appealing when it’s 30 degrees (85) and humid out. However, it was interesting to at least see a different side of Singapore.

I also visited the famous Raffles Hotel, which is an lovely old colonial hotel downtown that looks like it belongs in a movie set. It’s massive and totally white, with marble staircases everywhere and open balconies and walkways throughout and although it looks a bit shabby chic now, sort of in need of a facelift, you can tell it was once THE place to be seen. It seemed a combination of Casablanca and Out of Africa to me..

I walked along the Esplanade next to the river and crossed over to see the famous Merlion, a historical symbol of Singpore – a tall half-mermaid, half-lion that towers over the harbour, with a fountain of water spewing from it’s mouth. Across the street on the bank of the river, interestingly enough, is the Fullerton Hotel, another massive old hotel that is obviously a luxury hotel now – it’s a funky combination of modern zen and traditional colonial, but very impressive (as is the name!)

My final stop, although it was a very short one, was to Singapore’s gorgeous Botannical Garden. I didn’t have much time there, but it was pretty apparent that this wasn’t exactly your average garden – there is an extensive specialty garden of orchids and the park is lush and tropical. It would have been nice to have been able to wander through the gardens, but I ran out of time… Guess I’ll have to save that for the next trip!

A Tranquil Oasis - Little Cayman

Since I’ve been to Grand Cayman six times now, I thought it was time to visit one of the other Cayman Islands, which include Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. I decided that I would fly over to Little Cayman, about an hour away and see what all the fuss was about. Turns out, there is no fuss in Little Cayman – there is no stress, no traffic, no noise; there aren’t nine cruise ships in the harbour, and in fact, with only about 150 permanent residents, it’s a pretty low-key destination. If you’re looking for an action packed island, this is NOT the place for you, however, if you like to dive, snorkel or just laze in the sun with a good book, Little Cayman would come highly recommended!

Our 12-seater plane landed at Little Cayman’s airport – and I use the term loosely; it is really just a grassy field with a paved strip running the length of it next to a one-room shack. I hopped off the plane and proceeded to walk into “town”, which is really one long road running along the beach, with a few small resorts and a couple of small shops. I was the only one on the road, aside from a few lone iguanas – which apparently have the right of way at all times on the island. I cut over to the beach, which was a mile or so long and lined with royal palms and the colourful pastels of the Caribbean. My friends from Cayman had sent me over to visit a friend of theirs who worked at one of the resorts, so I headed down to find it. Fifteen minutes later, I had met their friend, had been served breakfast and had committed to a dive in the afternoon! Not much arm twisting needed there…

I borrowed one of the kayaks from the resort and paddled out to a small nearby island to snorkel. It was scorching hot and the water was that amazing aquamarine blue and crystal clear – the kind you only find in the tropics. After an adequate amount of frying time, I headed back to the mainland, had a quick lunch and jumped aboard the dive boat and we headed out to the reef on the north side of Little Cayman.

There were about 15 divers aboard and as is always the case, when I dive, I’m a little anxious at first, trying to remember to check everything (always helpful to ensure the oxygen is turned on!) but the minute I get under the surface of the water, it all comes back and suddenly the stillness and silence of the deep blue are instantly calming.

We dove a site called the Mixing Bowl, where two coral reefs intersected – and it was truly a mixing bowl – many different types of coral and thousands of colourful tropical fish, from angel to parrot, and I even saw a big moray eel, with it’s fangs bared! The visibility was truly amazing, probably about 200 ft and crystal clear, so easy to see everything, almost like watching television, it was so clear. The water was about 87 degrees so a nice temperature for diving, although it’s amazing that you still get quite cold after a while.

I surfaced to a crazy rainstorm, that had suddenly descended upon us – a bit unusual and it made the trip back a bit rough, with 4-5 ft waves pouring over the boat. By the time we got to the pier, it was sunny and clear as though it had never happened.

I ended up staying overnight on the island, given the no-flying for 18 hours after diving rule, so met many of the locals, enjoyed a gorgeous sunset, a few drinks and a quick trip back to Cayman the next day. Definitely a journey worth taking, Little Cayman is the ideal place to slow down and really experience life in the tropics.

Paradise Found in Grand Cayman

What better time to flee to the tropics than at the onset of the dreary Michigan winter? I left on Dec 29 for my annual pilgrammage to Grand Cayman, to visit some good friends who have lived there for 15 years. As always, the minute you step off the plane, you realize that you've left winter far behind. Like most places in the Caribbean the temperature is shockingly constant, a fact that never seems to register when I'm packing and thinking maybe I should throw in a pair of jeans - that I never wear because it's way too hot. In any case, it was a lovely 29-30 degrees (or 85-90F) the entire trip and not too humid yet, although apparently they were having one of the hottest winters on record this year.

Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and definitely the busiest. It's an international banking center, so there are a ton of ex-pats living there and it's a very expensive place to visit and to live. However, having friends who live there certainly makes this aspect more manageable and I get to experience more of a realistic picture of what it's like to actually live on the island and not just visit it.

As far as GC goes, it's not the most interesting of the Caribbean islands - it's very flat, not that big and there isn't a lot of unique culture or history to explore like there is on many other islands. It is very commercalized and in recent years, the traffic from the cruise ships has made it even more so. On any given day there are numerous ships in the Georgetown harbour, sometimes as many as nine! Those are the days the locals totally avoid going anywhere near the capital city. I don't care whether it's a tropical island or not, what is the deal with the cruise shippers strolling around town in their bikinis and sarongs??

The island sustained severe damage from Hurricane Ivan, which ripped through it a year ago and wreaked havoc on many of the homes and lush vegetation. The coastline, which previously had been lined with massive tropical trees and bushes is completely stripped bare in many places and there is tons of construction and rebuilding going on.

We spent New Year's chilling out in the backyard with a few drinks and at midnight we were treated to a fabulous display of fireworks courtesy of a neighbour across the canal. There were nearly a half hour of fantastic fireworks and it was amazing to watch them in the dark sky, since there isn't much artificial light. On New Year's Day (also my 39th birthday), I played a round of golf at the Britannia course at the Hyatt. This would normally have been a unique first (to golf on my birthday), however it might have been a little more enjoyable had we not all been hungover and boiling hot... However, it was still a treat to get out on my birthday so I enjoyed it, regardless of the consequences! We celebrated the new year with dinner out at a great English pub that recently opened, the Triple Crown - nothing like sturdy British pub food to cure an ailing head!

Cimitière de Passy, Paris

The Eiffel Tower & the Chaillot Quarter

A trip to Paris obviously isn't complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower - although it's much more impressive from the ground looking up than it is once you're up there, which isn't suprising. We went at night, which was an excellent plan; first, it's totally amazing to see it at night all lit up, and second, there was no virtually no waiting - we just walked up, bought our tickets and next thing you know, we were at the top, so it was inadvertently a great plan. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 and was actually the world's tallest building until the Empire State Building was built in 1931. It's quite the construction too, apparently even in strong winds it nevers sways more than a couple inches. From the top, you get an amazing view (even at night) of the Tocadero Gardens and the Champs-de-Mars.

On my last day, not wanting to leave anything out, I jammed in a last minute trip to Chaillot quarter, which at one time was actually a separate city but is now a sort of suburb of Paris. The Palis de Chaillot faces the Eiffel Tour on one side and borders the Trocadero Gardens on the other, in a beautiful location. THere are tons of funky little cafes and restaurants, but even more interesting, just a few blocks away is the Cimitière de Passy, which is a small cemetery in the middle of this residential neighbourhood that is quite amazing. It is the resting ground for many famous people, including Claude Debussy and Edouard Manet and the tombs are massive and very ornate. There are rows and rows of striking crypts and huge tombs with carvings and detailed sculptures all jam packed into this tiny cemetary. It's very cool.

Anyway, I'm off to the Channel Islands, which I'm sure will pale in comparison next to the rich history (and fabulous food!) of Paris. Duty calls however... au revoir!

Painters & Poets - Montmartre

From Picasso to Apollinaire, painters and poets put the "art" in Montmartre, one of the interesting and very bohemian areas of Paris to visit. The two main attractions are the infamous Moulin Rouge, which is really pretty run down looking in real life... it's located on the boulevard de Clichy, which is the heart of the red light district (Pigalle) in Paris and that stretch of road is definitely seedy – filled with sex shops, peep shows and an interesting collection of atypical Parisians.

However, just a few streets above, in Montmartre, stands the Basilica of Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart). I'ts a spectacular and huge white basilica that was built as a memorial to the 60,000 French soldiers killed during the France-Prussian war and took 46 years to build and cost 40 million francs. It’s a bit of a climb up all the stairs to actually reach the church, but it’s definitely worth the effort. The church isn’t all that spectacular inside, but the view of the entire city once you're up there, is fantastic.

Montmartre itself is this tiny little collection of winding back streets, small squares and terraces lined with cafes and bars. There are plenty of artists around today still, painting tourist portraits in the place du Tetre, where this is an artists market with painters for sale. THere are also plenty of smaller museums and galleries up here, the most famous probably is the Salvador Dali museum, but we didn't have enough time - however, I did have an excellent bowl of French onion soup (although in France, they just call it onion soup!)

Principal 10 De Paris

Salutations, mes amis, de Paris ensoleillé.

What can I say… Paris is definitely as fabulous as everyone says it is… although I think it would be most amazing to be here in the spring when all the flowers and trees are in full bloom. It really is a gorgeous city, with the Seine meandering its way through the heart of the city, the rive gauche and all its funky shops, plus, everywhere you turn there is a little boulangerie or patisserie tucked away (I totally don't understand how all those elegant french women stay so thin, with all the amazing food in this city) - it really is an “experience”

I worked hard to see the Paris Top 10 during my short stay, which meant my feet were sore at the end of each day after miles and miles of walking… however, I am happy to report that I accomplished most of my mission… There are obviously more than 10 fabulous sites to see in Paris, but these were the recommended top 10: The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Sacré Coeur, Arc de Triomphe, Centre George Pompidou, Sainte-Chapelle, Panthéon, Museé d'Orsay and the Hotel des Invalides. I didn't see all of these, but almost!

Started with a stroll from Rue Saint Germaine on the left bank, where I stayed (in a tiny little hotel off Rue de Baci) over Le Pont Neuf (which means New Bridge and is actually a misnomer, b/c it is apparently the oldest bridge in the city) Just over the bridge very close to one another are two of the city’s most famous cathedrals – Notre Dame and Sainte Chappelle. Of course, Notre Dame is an amazing gothic masterpiece on the Ile de la Cité – with its distinctive towers at the front and rose windows. The church is famous for its Galerie des Chimeres (gargoyles) which are carved into the spaces bewteen the towers, supposedly to ward off evil. The church is massive and took 170 years to complete

Sainte Chappelle is very close by, but much different, much more subdued than Notre Dame – it was built in the 1200s by Louis IX as a shrine for his holy relics and is considered the most beautiful church in Paris, with its floor to ceiling stained glass windows and a star-covered vaulted roof. It is very small, but as you climb the narrow staircase and enter into the cathedral, the effect of light and colour is breathtaking.

Of course, a visit to Paris must include a trip to the Louvre, despite the fact that it is impossible to see even a manageable portion of it in one trip. There are over 350,000 priceless objects so you really could spend a lifetime there. We really just hit the highlights, which is not the most satisfying way to experience it, but it's enough just to get there; the building itself is amazing – the museum is housed in an renaissance style palace (although it was first built as a fortress) and is massive, with marble stairways and arches and long majestic hallways that go on forever.

I visited the Mona Lisa (La Gioconda), which was interesting in that it was so small and right out there in the open (I have obviously been reading too much of the Davinci Code)… I knew in actuality that it wasn’t a very big portrait, but it’s located in a large open gallery and is really very small compared to everthing else in the room and it seems relatively accesible (no protection other than a glass covering it, although I'm sure the room is totally wired). However, it is wonderful to see – if you can get close enough, with the throngs of people jamming to get a picture that is – it makes it difficult to actually just stand and admire it – everyone is so anxious to get a photo that half the people don’t even really look at. I managed to worm my way to the front of the pack for a brief instant and tried to take a minute to appreciate what I was looking at.

Also saw the Venus di Milo, along with many other gorgeous Italian sculptures, including Michelangelo’s “Dying Slave”, Psyche & Cupid (Canova), The Winged Victory of Samothrace plus a ton of other amazing pieces that I probably have no idea of how famous they are. It really is totally overwhelming. Another reason I should have taken an art history course in university.. Is it time for a latte and my chocolate eclair yet? My feet are sore...

Banff National Park

Nothing beats the Rockies!

I'm just back from a fantastic trip to visit family and friends in western Canada - and as usual, a trip to the mountains always reminds me of how much I miss having them right in my backyard.

Landed in Calgary and headed to Canmore/Banff and spent several days in there with my sister and my brother and his family - we totally lucked on the weather and had hot temps the entire weekend, which was a good thing given the crazy weather that southern Alberta has been having all summer. Banff was its usual bustling hub over the weekend, packed with tourists and Albertans escaping the city. It's still so weird to see Banff these days - so commercialized and trendy and busy - I remember when Banff only had about two restaurants and one good bar that everyone went to, so you always knew where to meet up with your friends b/c it was the only bar in town! Plus, we always managed to cram about 20 people into a crappy hotel room and each pay about $20 - no such luck there now, with all the big hotels and lifestyles of the rich and famous. Now there are tons of ritzy boutiques and specialty restaurants and everything costs a fortune. It's just so different. Even Canmore is growing - there is even a Starbucks there now, which generally signals the end of anything quaint and original. When we used to go to Canmore when I was in university, there was one little coffee shop (which thankfully is still there), a couple good ski stores and a couple of motels.. This time I saw a real estate listing downtown for a trailer up in one of the mountain suburbs for $400,000!!

However, the mountains stay the same, year after year - and every time I drive through the flat prairies of southern Alberta and get closer to the foothills, I always wait with anticipation to see the first mountain peeking from behind the clouds. At least I'm never disappointed..

Anyway, we spent the day in Banff and wandered around the Banff Springs hotel, which seems to get bigger every time I visit. Lots of weddings happening on the grounds, which my sister, my sister-in-law and I felt the need to provide running commentary on, much to the chagrin of my disinterested brother!

We did hit the Magpie & Stump for their famous margaritas and Mexican food however - at least one old stand-by that hasn't yet been replaced.

I got out for a great mountain bike ride around Canmore as well - although the altitude took its toll this time on me - I felt like I was having a heart attack climbing some of those hills... another reason the flatlands of central Michigan are bad news!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

I thought I'd better blog and capture all the travelling I've been doing lately before I forget all the interesting (and unusual) things I've seen and done in my past month of globetrotting (well - not really globetrotting, since I haven't crossed any borders, but close enough).

Just coincidentally, I've been to Chicago, Washington D.C., and Dallas in the past 3 weeks for both work and play. Chicago, of course, is fabulous and even more so, when a 40 mph ass-bitingly cold wind ISN'T blowing off of Lake Michigan in mid-January, which is when I usually seem to be there. It's much more enjoyable in June when the weather cooperates. Highlights of this enjoyable girlie weekend included a great Asian-fusion meal at the Red Light on RAndolph Street (complete with several big buddhas for good luck!); that funky custom handbag store on Halstead (Lill); draft beer and popcorn on the 3rd baseline at the White Sox game (in spite of the cloning fraternity boys in front of us); the particularly strong martinis (and particularly annoying bartender) at the China Grill; and the Chicago night skyline from the John Hancock building.

Washington was totally different and a big hit of American-ism at its finest - you know you've arrived in the nation's capital from the minute you're warned against moving out of your seat 30 minutes before landing or takeoff.

It was extremely hot and muggy while I was there, but fortunately, this time (unlike my first visit) I realized that the distance between the White House and the Lincoln Memorial was unwalkable in flip flops in 97 degree heat. THe highlight this trip was definitely the Holocaust Memorial Museum, in the Smithsonian - I spent about 3 hours there on the weekend and it was extremely well done, but very unsettling. When you first enter you're given an identification card of a real person who lived during the Holocaust - and their biographical profile- which really hits home. I got the ID of a girl named Flora Mendelovicz, who was 7 at the time of the Holocaust. Fortunately she was one of the survivors, hidden in a convent in Belgium and then immigrated to the US. There were many ID cards that were not so positive though. The inside of the museum is designed to look like a concentration camp yard, with brick and metal everywhere.. it's very ominous. The most impacting part of the entire museum is the final video, which concludes with eyewitness testimonies from survivors about their rescue, resistance and experiences in the camps. It's unbelievable, but very powerful.

Also got to the Kennedy Center one evening for a swanky cocktail party, the Lincoln Memorial at night, Vietnam War Memorial and Georgetown. We also had a reception at the Mansion on O street, this very eclectic group of old brownstones that line "O" Street and have been joined together - it's a dining room, restaurant, B&B, and antique store/flea market - you can buy anything in entire house, which is filled to the rafters with stuff, plus there are 25 B&B suites available. It's the most interesting and unusual spot - definitely worth a second look. More later..

Fun, Sun and Observations from the Sunshine State

Not wanting to chance the notoriously crap weather in Michigan over Memorial Day, I headed south for the long weekend, this time to Florida... I went with some friends down to Delray Beach, which is sandwiched between Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, on the lower east coast of the state - quite a scenic spot. My friends have a place overlooking Highland Beach, which is gorgeous and remarkably, still quite untouched. At this time of the year, the snowbirds have all flown home, so it's a good time to go, if you don't mind the humidity and warmer temps (which, of course, I don't!) I was surprised at how few people were ever on the beach or in the water. I loved it though - you can walk for miles without ever seeing another person - and it's especially nice first thing in the early morning calm, when the ocean's surface is like glass.. very peaceful.

Delray Beach is about 10 minutes down the road and quite a happening place - complete with it's own Elvis Impersonator, which is something to boast about, I would guess. It's a lively town with a good variety of decent bars and restaurants and pretty affordable, compared to the rest of southeastern Florida. Of course, you can't really escape your fair share of Lawng Islanders, who either live here or just like to hang out and complain here, but there are fewer at this time of the year, than during the winter months, which is a good thing. I always think that the "What not to Wear" team needs to move their show down to Florida and do a little helpful intervention on some of the fashion disasters roaming the streets down there. First of all, there is a huge trend of wearing velour or lame track suits with gold or silver visors and too much bling... then, there is the whole boob fetish, that is really unavoidable - too much boob and not enough clothing, in most cases.. particularly on the ones who paid for theirs..

We did go to this really great bar one night, featuring duelling pianos - I guess it's quite famous in this area - Hugh Jorgans is the name of the place and you can work out your own play on words, because it seems to be the theme of the place once the show starts. I guess if you donate your bra to the bar, you get a free t-shirt, so the entire ceiling of the place is covered with hundreds of bras hanging down. Interesting decor.. and more than a few willing bra donors that evening... Anyway, there are a trio of musicians, who play mainly the two pianos, but also other instruments, and they sing - everything under the sun - it's a really great time and by the end of the evening, things get pretty wild - let's just say we had seen more than we ever wanted or needed to of this out-of-control birthday girl in the front row... she apparently thought she was a stripper that night.. all 300 lbs of her!

Anyway, it was a good trip, but I always think Florida is a bit of an odd place to visit - and maybe it's just because I only ever go there for a quick vacation and really never experience "FLorida" It seems like the place you go to Walt Disney World and to golf and that no one actually lives down there, everyone is from somewhere else and just hanging out, driving Cadillacs and playing bridge.

However, I'll take the sunshine and warm weather any day... I got my yearly dose of Vitamin D - I'll just have to bottle a little for those 268 cloudy days in Michigan the rest of the year.

5 Reasons to Love Returning to Michigan After Your Vacation

1. Guaranteed snowstorms scheduled to coincide with your return from exotic hot holidays (even in April & May) ensure you really appreciate your time away and immediately start planning your next trip.

2. Michigan drivers have perfected the art of tailgating so much that they actually push your car along for you, saving you tons of money on gas (very helpful, when gas is $2.40/gallon) This is especially useful in gale force blizzards, driving winds and other treacherous driving conditions.

3. Since everyone in Michigan drives an SUV, there is always help on the highway during the above gale force blizzard, to rescue the pathetic drivers of smaller, fuel efficient cars not equipped with 4-wheel drive and hunting lights (or to drive right by..)

4. The sun only shines an avg. of 97 days a year, which is very helpful in preventing skin cancer, but perhaps outweighed by the increase in the number of cases of seasonal affective disorder

5. Better stop before I get myself into trouble..


Don't worry - I'm home safe and sound...

Nosara Sunset

Last Day in Paradise

After hearing the latest weather report for Michigan, I'm officially NOT looking forward to returning home. It's bad enough that Midland is nowhere NEAR a rainforest or a nice sunset, but going home to snow and cold temperatures in April is not my idea of a welcome back to spring. Maybe I should just stay and see where the tide takes me... the idea is very tempting...

Yesterday Hayley and I and the kiddies went to a stunning beach a little further down the coast, called Playa Ostional - it's only about a half hour drive away, but the beach is totally different than the others along this coast - the sand is mostly comprised of volcanic rock so it's very black (and very hot when it's 34 degrees out), but thick and so soft your feet disappear as soon as you step into it. THis beach is now a nature preserve because every full moon during the spring (actually it will be tonight), the big sea turtles come up to lay their eggs on the beach - they dig a hole in the sand and lay all their eggs, cover them up and a couple days later they all hatch, leaving the beach covered with the fragile white shells... it's very cool...I'd love to actually see the turtles when they come ashore.

We went to another smaller beach after that, called Playa Palada, which is a more protected beach with interesting tidal pools filled with all sorts of small sea creatures - the waves were still huge though and we got completely bowled over a few times by the force of the water. I still marvel at the fact that the sea is the temperature of a lukewarm bath.. no holding your breath to get in!

I've also been enjoying the great Costa Rica dining fare while I've been here - we've eaten at a fabulous Italian place, called La Dolce Vita, which could have been in Italy, the food was so good (owned by a jovial Italian guy named BoBo). We ate one night at a great "Tico" restaurant and tasted some local fare - arrozo con pollo (rice w/ chicken) and gallo pinto (rice & beans) - and of course, as per most tropical countries, the fruit is delicious and mouthwatering-ly sweet - papayas, mangoes, watermelon, you name it.. no chance of getting scurvy here!

I also went to an early morning yoga class one morning at the Nosara Yoga Institute it was a very unique experience - the class starts at 8 a.m. and is held in the middle of the jungle, in this outdoor studio, so you meditate on the singing birds and monkeys.. it's great.

I leave today, but will definitely be back to this spectacular spot again soon.

Adios

Hold onto your hats - the Gunacaste winds are blowin'

Apparently, I am experiencing a bit of an unusual weather anomaly this week during my stay... the famed Gunacaste winds, which usually blow during the winter months of Jan/Feb (and which draw surfers to Costa Rica) are making a rare appearance this week - just for me! So, the winds have been blowing like crazy - up to 75 km/hr at some points... and with Hayley's place at the top of the rainforest, it's great for cooling off, but at night it sounds like a jet engine roaring through the house.. However, they are very warm, temperatures are still close to 100... they make for great waves in the ocean though - Oceanna (Hayley's 5-year old) and I spent some of the day yesterday jumping through the surf and dodging jellyfish and other interesting sea creatures.

We spent most of the afternoon at a close friend of Hayley's, who just built this stunning house (I use the term loosely, more like a villa) with an infinity edge pool (those kind that look like they are falling off the side of the patio) way up in the trees - views galore. it's a good routine - morning in the ocean, afternoon lounging by the pool - it's like being on an all-inclusive (except free) vacation - without the tourists..

We went down to the beach for sunset last night, where most of the Nosara community gathers every night to watch the sunset together... it sets really early, and is completely dark by 6:00, which is actually ok, because after 12 hours of blazing sun, it's a bit of a relief for some shade. Anyway, the beach was unbelievably beautiful last night - there was this thick humid mist rolling along the shore that gave the whole thing this kind of dreamlike quality - then there were tons of surfers catching their last minute wave against the brilliant sun, lots of dogs running loose and playing in the surf, plus all the onlookers just chilling out waiting for the inevitable setting of the sun... it was amazing... there's definitely something to be said for this type of lifestyle, let me tell you - no cell phones blaring or rush hour traffic.

And, in spite of the crazy wind, I've been sleeping like a baby every night and waking up early to sometimes catch the sunrise or just listening to the parrots and monkeys sounding their morning alarm. There is a flock of parrots living in the treetops nearby so I'm starting to recognize their calls. It still seems very strange to see this flurry of colour while they all take flight right outside the window.

Anyway, another day in paradise beckons, so I'm off..

Adios

Holy Hotness Batman!

Okay - so maybe I don't need the long pants and the jean jacket I threw in at the last minute... I hate packing for warm weather destinations from cold ones, b/c you always forget how hot hot can be!

I landed at the Liberia airport in northern Costa Rica, to temperatures of 39 degrees (105F) and hot tropical winds - the airport was a one room hangar with the world's largest ceiling fan and no walls! Must be in the tropics now... It was a bit of a hot dusty drive from Liberia down the Nicoya Peninsula to Nosara - the roads leave much to be desired - most of them are not paved and are mainly washboard rock and clay so the vehicles here take a major beating... all you Michiganders would be well prepared here with your big 4 wheel drives, that are so useful in the cornfields of mid-Michigan...

My friend lives in the most gorgeous spot imaginable - her house is way up in this amazing rainforest at the top of a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the entire rainforest canopy. There are monkeys in the trees, snakes threading their way through the jungle and we even killed a scorpion last night in the house (very exciting!) The view is really to die for though - last night we watched the sunset from her balcony, and it was this huge red fireball sinking into the water, following by brilliant pink, blue and orange skies..

This is a big mecca for surfers, as well - and although it is now low season so there aren't many people around, the surfers are a constant at various times during the day. The beach here, Playa Giuones, is massive - and deserted - it's a sort of black sand beach, not sandy and white, but very flat and hard, but reminds me of the west coast of Canada - sort of like Tofino, except a thousand times hotter... all I know is the 5 year old I'm staying with can probably surf better than I can, but hopefully I'll remedy this before I leave.

Anyway, the day is calling... so I must sign off... stay tuned for more...
Nancy

Journey to the Rainforest - Ola Costa Rica!

One more week and I'm off to the jewel of Central America - Costa Rica. Sandwiched between Nicaragua to the north and by Panama in the southeast Costa Rica has both a Caribbean and a Pacific coast, so any trip there ensures plenty of beach time.

I'm headed to the Pacific coast, to a fabulous spot on the southwest coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, called Nosara, where my friend Hayley and her husband have a house high up in the rainforest. Coincidentally, I have already had the good fortune to have visited Nosara in the past. In 2000, my sister and I travelled for several weeks in CR, mainly the Nicoya Peninsula, and Nosara was our favourite spot on the entire coast - how lucky that my friends keep having the good sense to set up house in the best locations!

My plan isn't too ambitious - I feel the need for serious chill-time, I'm in winter recovery mode and Costa Rica is just the pace I'm looking for at the moment.

Stay tuned for more about my adventures with the Ticos..and visits with the monkeys.