China has become one of the hottest travel destinations for Americans. The upcoming Olympic games in the country have only fueled the demand. Travel to China just got easier as several U.S. airlines received approval to fly new routes to the country.
Delta Air Lines and United Airlines received the go-ahead from U.S. regulators to begin new routes to China . By the end of March 2008, Delta will fly nonstop between Atlanta and Shanghai , and United will fly nonstop between San Francisco and Beijing . Meanwhile, four other carriers have received tentative approval for new China service in 2009, pending further regulatory reviews and public comment periods: American (Chicago/O’Hare-Beijing), Continental (Newark-Shanghai), Northwest (Detroit-Shanghai), and US Airways (Philadelphia-Beijing).
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
More Portugal preparations
Thank goodness for Google maps. I spent a few minutes online today and was able to locate the airport in Lisbon and its proximity to the train station (about 2 miles). Once we land in Lisbon, we need to get to the train station for a 3-hour ride to Porto where we'll spend our first three nights.
In Porto, the station is only about 1 mile from our hotel - either very walkable or a short, inexpensive taxi ride.
When we get back to Lisbon, our hotel is about 8 miles from the train station - and it's right on the river, should be pretty. It's also only about 8 miles from the airport - good to know for the morning of our departure back to the States.
In Porto, the station is only about 1 mile from our hotel - either very walkable or a short, inexpensive taxi ride.
When we get back to Lisbon, our hotel is about 8 miles from the train station - and it's right on the river, should be pretty. It's also only about 8 miles from the airport - good to know for the morning of our departure back to the States.
Portugal preparations
I have to admit I started a travel business because I love to travel and I love to research the way to make a trip the best it can be. Of course, I also have to admit that it's a bit more fun when you're planning a trip for yourself - but that also serves as a good reminder of all of the little details that need to be taken care of for any vacation.
My wife and I are heading to Portugal in a few weeks, so the planning and preparing has started in earnest. The airline tickets were booked a few weeks ago - one for cash and one with frequent flyer miles. (BTW, Continental's website is very easy to use to check on the availability of award seats). The hotel has also been arranged.
Now onto some of the other details. First, I called my bank and credit card providers to let them know that we'll be out of the country. This way they won't be surprised when we try to charge something over there and decline it. Second, I called to inquire about the fees they charge for foreign transactions. Our bank charges $1.50 per transaction at ATM machines, so we'll plan to take some cash with us to exchange when we get there, and then we'll try to use our ATM card for more cash only once if necessary.
I also called our credit card companies. One of them charges a 3% conversion fee while the other only charges 2%. Guess which one we'll be using.
My wife and I are heading to Portugal in a few weeks, so the planning and preparing has started in earnest. The airline tickets were booked a few weeks ago - one for cash and one with frequent flyer miles. (BTW, Continental's website is very easy to use to check on the availability of award seats). The hotel has also been arranged.
Now onto some of the other details. First, I called my bank and credit card providers to let them know that we'll be out of the country. This way they won't be surprised when we try to charge something over there and decline it. Second, I called to inquire about the fees they charge for foreign transactions. Our bank charges $1.50 per transaction at ATM machines, so we'll plan to take some cash with us to exchange when we get there, and then we'll try to use our ATM card for more cash only once if necessary.
I also called our credit card companies. One of them charges a 3% conversion fee while the other only charges 2%. Guess which one we'll be using.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Brookfield Suites Hotel and Convention Center
This is a very nice hotel located about 20 minutes from downtown Milwaukee and the Milwaukee airport. It used to be an Embassy Suites and is laid out as such.
The 200 guest rooms are all two-room suites. A living room features a large TV, table with chairs, cushioned chair and a sleeper sofa. The main bedroom features a small desk and TV. The rooms also have a refrigerator, microwave and coffeemaker.
The hotel features a five-story atrium, fitness room with new equipment and a pool. There is a complimentary cocktail reception in the evenings and a cooked-to-order breakfast in the mornings.
High-speed wireless internet access is also free.
The 200 guest rooms are all two-room suites. A living room features a large TV, table with chairs, cushioned chair and a sleeper sofa. The main bedroom features a small desk and TV. The rooms also have a refrigerator, microwave and coffeemaker.
The hotel features a five-story atrium, fitness room with new equipment and a pool. There is a complimentary cocktail reception in the evenings and a cooked-to-order breakfast in the mornings.
High-speed wireless internet access is also free.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Village West (Kansas City, Kansas) - Lodging
(This entry continues a series on the Village West area in Kansas City, Kansas)
I already mentioned the Great Wolf Lodge in a recent posting. That would have to be the number one option for families in this area.
Of course, the Kansas City area has dozens of hotels within a short drive of Village West, but if you’re looking specifically at this area, there are four to choose from.
In addition to Great Wolf, there’s a Holiday Inn Express, a Hampton Inn and Chateau Avalon, featuring 62 luxury suites styled after a French chateau.
I stayed at the Hampton Inn with a large king room featuring a spacious bathroom, free internet and a complimentary breakfast.
I already mentioned the Great Wolf Lodge in a recent posting. That would have to be the number one option for families in this area.
Of course, the Kansas City area has dozens of hotels within a short drive of Village West, but if you’re looking specifically at this area, there are four to choose from.
In addition to Great Wolf, there’s a Holiday Inn Express, a Hampton Inn and Chateau Avalon, featuring 62 luxury suites styled after a French chateau.
I stayed at the Hampton Inn with a large king room featuring a spacious bathroom, free internet and a complimentary breakfast.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Village West (Kansas City, Kansas) Dining
(This entry continues a series on the Village West area in Kansas City, Kansas)
Well, I already mentioned Ted’s Montana Grill a few days ago, but when it comes to dining, this area is loaded with options.
There are some national chains – like Applebee’s, Hooters and Outback, but you’ll be much better off sampling a variety of other options.
For barbecue, there’s Famous Dave’s and Arthur Bryant’s. You can check out the Louisiana Jazz Kitchen or the Saddle Ranch Chop House. Sushi or hibachi, covered at Stix. Other options include Dave & Buster’s, Cheeseburger in Paradise, T-Rex Café, Caliente Cuban Restaurant.
Well, I already mentioned Ted’s Montana Grill a few days ago, but when it comes to dining, this area is loaded with options.
There are some national chains – like Applebee’s, Hooters and Outback, but you’ll be much better off sampling a variety of other options.
For barbecue, there’s Famous Dave’s and Arthur Bryant’s. You can check out the Louisiana Jazz Kitchen or the Saddle Ranch Chop House. Sushi or hibachi, covered at Stix. Other options include Dave & Buster’s, Cheeseburger in Paradise, T-Rex Café, Caliente Cuban Restaurant.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Village West (Kansas City, Kansas) Entertainment
(This entry continues a series on the Village West area in Kansas City, Kansas)
What do you want to do this weekend? If you’re at Village West, the options are numerous. Pick the right weekend and you can head to Kansas Speedway, home to NASCAR Truck, Busch and Cup races as well as Indy Cars and more. The track also offers several driving schools where you can take your own high-speed laps around the 1.5-mile oval.
From June-September, the Kansas City T-Bones, an independent professional baseball team, play here. Tickets are just $10 and parking is free at the 4,300-seat stadium.
The open-air mall includes a 14-screen theater, T-Rex restaurant where kids can dig for dinosaur bones, and much more.
Covering both the entertainment and lodging category is the Great Wolf Lodge, one of about a dozen around the country. In addition to upscale accommodations in a northwoods-themed retreat, the lodge features a 49,000-square foot indoor entertainment area, including a 2000,000 gallon waterpark.
What do you want to do this weekend? If you’re at Village West, the options are numerous. Pick the right weekend and you can head to Kansas Speedway, home to NASCAR Truck, Busch and Cup races as well as Indy Cars and more. The track also offers several driving schools where you can take your own high-speed laps around the 1.5-mile oval.
From June-September, the Kansas City T-Bones, an independent professional baseball team, play here. Tickets are just $10 and parking is free at the 4,300-seat stadium.
The open-air mall includes a 14-screen theater, T-Rex restaurant where kids can dig for dinosaur bones, and much more.
Covering both the entertainment and lodging category is the Great Wolf Lodge, one of about a dozen around the country. In addition to upscale accommodations in a northwoods-themed retreat, the lodge features a 49,000-square foot indoor entertainment area, including a 2000,000 gallon waterpark.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Wyandotte County, Kansas (Overview & Shopping)
(This entry continues a series on the Village West area in Kansas City, Kansas)
Visit this county that includes Kansas City, and you won’t feel like you’re in Kansas anymore.
Wyandotte County is thriving, and home to quite a few attractions. Village West, located at I-70 and I-435 encompasses 400 acres of shopping, dining and entertainment options.
In today’s blog, I’ll take a look at the shopping option with more to come on some of the other area attractions in the coming days.
The shopping at Village West entails just about anything you could imagine. The two biggest stores, attractions in their own right, are Cabela’s and Nebraska Furniture Mart. Cabela’s has 180,000 square feet of outdoor gear while Nebraska Furniture Mart sells furniture, electronics, flooring, appliances and more on an 80-acre site. The Legends at Village West, complete with fountains and open-air corridors for strolling, has 90 stores and restaurants. You’ll find Cavendar’s, a large Western store, among the many specialty shops. I did my shopping at Sports Nutz, where they have gear and memorabilia from many professional and college teams.
Visit this county that includes Kansas City, and you won’t feel like you’re in Kansas anymore.
Wyandotte County is thriving, and home to quite a few attractions. Village West, located at I-70 and I-435 encompasses 400 acres of shopping, dining and entertainment options.
In today’s blog, I’ll take a look at the shopping option with more to come on some of the other area attractions in the coming days.
The shopping at Village West entails just about anything you could imagine. The two biggest stores, attractions in their own right, are Cabela’s and Nebraska Furniture Mart. Cabela’s has 180,000 square feet of outdoor gear while Nebraska Furniture Mart sells furniture, electronics, flooring, appliances and more on an 80-acre site. The Legends at Village West, complete with fountains and open-air corridors for strolling, has 90 stores and restaurants. You’ll find Cavendar’s, a large Western store, among the many specialty shops. I did my shopping at Sports Nutz, where they have gear and memorabilia from many professional and college teams.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Ted's Montana Grill
Ted’s Montana Grill is a relatively new restaurant chain owned by Ted Turner. There are about 50 locations in 18 states. I ate at the one in Kansas City, Kansas.
Ted’s boasts about two things – fresh ingredients and eco-friendly. Our waitress informed us that there are no microwaves at Ted’s and no freezers (except for the ice cream). Everything is freshly prepared. The restaurant also uses recycled paper for its menus and no plastic – not even the straws.
There are basically three meats to choose from at Ted’s – beef, chicken and bison. They also have a couple of fish entrees. You can choose from almost 20 ways to get a burger – beef or bison – and about 15 ways to get a chicken sandwich. They also offer bison and beef steaks.
As an appetizer, I opted for the chili fries. Homemade fries covered with bison chili, cheese and dried jalapenos. They were very tasty and also very filling.
Because of the filling appetizer, I was tempted to opt for just a soup and salad for dinner, but my eyes got the better of me and convinced me to order the 7 oz. fillet. It was very tender and flavorful and came with a vegetable and potato. I opted for squash casserole, which I did not care for, and a sweet potato.
I was too stuffed for desert, although the waitress tempted me with strawberry shortcake.
My beverage of choice throughout the meal was freshly squeezed lemonade. Delicious.
Overall, pretty good food, but in my opinion nothing that really separates it from other steakhouses.
Ted’s boasts about two things – fresh ingredients and eco-friendly. Our waitress informed us that there are no microwaves at Ted’s and no freezers (except for the ice cream). Everything is freshly prepared. The restaurant also uses recycled paper for its menus and no plastic – not even the straws.
There are basically three meats to choose from at Ted’s – beef, chicken and bison. They also have a couple of fish entrees. You can choose from almost 20 ways to get a burger – beef or bison – and about 15 ways to get a chicken sandwich. They also offer bison and beef steaks.
As an appetizer, I opted for the chili fries. Homemade fries covered with bison chili, cheese and dried jalapenos. They were very tasty and also very filling.
Because of the filling appetizer, I was tempted to opt for just a soup and salad for dinner, but my eyes got the better of me and convinced me to order the 7 oz. fillet. It was very tender and flavorful and came with a vegetable and potato. I opted for squash casserole, which I did not care for, and a sweet potato.
I was too stuffed for desert, although the waitress tempted me with strawberry shortcake.
My beverage of choice throughout the meal was freshly squeezed lemonade. Delicious.
Overall, pretty good food, but in my opinion nothing that really separates it from other steakhouses.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
2007 Corvette
Taking a page from the most recent issue of Conde Nast, where they included a review of a Cadillac in conjunction with a story about a driving tour through the Alps , I’ll add my insights into the 2007 Corvette, which I had the privilege of driving for about 90 minutes recently.
Opting for a more scenic drive from the Cincinnati area to Indianapolis versus an all interstate route, gave me the opportunity to put the car through some paces on some narrow two-lane highways. The car has power. Of course it does, it’s a Corvette. What it also has is a lot of grip. I put the car through some 30-35 mph curves at 65-70 mph, and the car hardly felt bothered by it one bit. It sailed through the turns with ease. The unobtrusive heads-up display on the windshield allowed me to monitor both my speed and the number of g’s (never much above 0.2) while keeping my eye on the road.
Of course, you don’t get into a Corvette expecting to have the roominess of a sedan, but there’s really no extra room at all. If it won’t fit in the center console, it needs to go in the small trunk. My one “complaint” if you will. The Corvette seemed fairly noisy, especially on the highway – granted it was a convertible, but it still seemed a bit too loud.
All in all, it was a great drive, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Opting for a more scenic drive from the Cincinnati area to Indianapolis versus an all interstate route, gave me the opportunity to put the car through some paces on some narrow two-lane highways. The car has power. Of course it does, it’s a Corvette. What it also has is a lot of grip. I put the car through some 30-35 mph curves at 65-70 mph, and the car hardly felt bothered by it one bit. It sailed through the turns with ease. The unobtrusive heads-up display on the windshield allowed me to monitor both my speed and the number of g’s (never much above 0.2) while keeping my eye on the road.
Of course, you don’t get into a Corvette expecting to have the roominess of a sedan, but there’s really no extra room at all. If it won’t fit in the center console, it needs to go in the small trunk. My one “complaint” if you will. The Corvette seemed fairly noisy, especially on the highway – granted it was a convertible, but it still seemed a bit too loud.
All in all, it was a great drive, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Monday, April 09, 2007
St. Petersburg, Florida
I've made three trips to St. Petersburg recently on business and have decided I'm definitely going back on vacation. In late March/early April, the sun always seems to be shining in St. Pete. Temps have been in the 70s, and the humidity hasn't been as unbearable as later in the year. The St. Pete area has several of the states top-rated beaches, and it's less than two hours from Disney World.
My hotel stays have always been at the Radisson on Roosevelt Boulevard. While it's not really within walking distance of anything, it's less than a five-minute drive to several restaurants, and it's about 20 minutes from downtown St. Pete. The Radisson features large rooms with two sets of doors to increase the feeling of privacy. During my last stay, I was right next to a reception hall with a wedding reception. The front desk staff graciously helped me move to a room on a higher floor.
My hotel stays have always been at the Radisson on Roosevelt Boulevard. While it's not really within walking distance of anything, it's less than a five-minute drive to several restaurants, and it's about 20 minutes from downtown St. Pete. The Radisson features large rooms with two sets of doors to increase the feeling of privacy. During my last stay, I was right next to a reception hall with a wedding reception. The front desk staff graciously helped me move to a room on a higher floor.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Palm Beach, Florida
I've made several trips to Florida, however, this was my first trip to the Palm Beach area, one of the most expensive areas in the state. Palm Beach has its own international airport, however, due to fewer flights I opted to fly into Ft. Lauderdale and drive the 50 miles north.I had always heard good things about the Ft. Lauderdale airport - smaller, clean, quick access to luggage and rental cars - and I found all of those things to be true.
The weather, of course, was gorgeous. I drove down Okechobee past the Convention Center to City Place. City Place is an outdoor mall stretching over an area approximately 10 city blocks by 3 city blocks. It's loaded with upscale boutiques and restaurants.
From there, I continued east on Okechobee over the Intercoastal waterway with its $1 million yachts tied to their docks and out to Ocean Drive. There's plenty of metered parking along the street, so you can park and walk along the wide, sandy beach. Nearby is Worth Avenue, a half-mile or so stretch of more than 250 upscale shops that include Saks and Nieman Marcus.
Taking the A1A highway north, one passes one of the several championship golf courses in the area before arriving at Singer Island. While high-rise hotels and condos block the view of the ocean, their are many places to stay. John D MacArthur State Park is also located here. The park protects more than 400 acres of various habitats and features bike trails and hiking trails as well as water activities.
Further north on the A1A is Juno Beach. For $1, you can walk out over the Atlantic on a 300-yard pier. In addition to numerous fisherman, I encountered two pelicans perched on the rail paying no attention to the visitors studying them from just feet away.
All in all, Palm Beach County has something for everyone. Plenty of outdoor activities in the sunshine as well as upscale shopping and dining.
The weather, of course, was gorgeous. I drove down Okechobee past the Convention Center to City Place. City Place is an outdoor mall stretching over an area approximately 10 city blocks by 3 city blocks. It's loaded with upscale boutiques and restaurants.
From there, I continued east on Okechobee over the Intercoastal waterway with its $1 million yachts tied to their docks and out to Ocean Drive. There's plenty of metered parking along the street, so you can park and walk along the wide, sandy beach. Nearby is Worth Avenue, a half-mile or so stretch of more than 250 upscale shops that include Saks and Nieman Marcus.
Taking the A1A highway north, one passes one of the several championship golf courses in the area before arriving at Singer Island. While high-rise hotels and condos block the view of the ocean, their are many places to stay. John D MacArthur State Park is also located here. The park protects more than 400 acres of various habitats and features bike trails and hiking trails as well as water activities.
Further north on the A1A is Juno Beach. For $1, you can walk out over the Atlantic on a 300-yard pier. In addition to numerous fisherman, I encountered two pelicans perched on the rail paying no attention to the visitors studying them from just feet away.
All in all, Palm Beach County has something for everyone. Plenty of outdoor activities in the sunshine as well as upscale shopping and dining.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Miami Beach - Joe's Stone Crab
Talk about an upscale restaurant with atmosphere. This restaurant in the heart of Miami Beach opened as a lunch counter restaurant in 1913. Now it's well known for its stone crabs as well as many other items on the menu. My party of four got there on a Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. and was told to expect a 2 1/2 hour wait.
Lucky for us, some inside connections got us to a table within 30 minutes. Waiters and hosts were all dressed in tuxedos, and the service was first class. This is a tablecloth and fine china type of place.
I started with a hearty bowl of Manhattan Clam Chowder to go along with the basket of bread they brought out. This was followed by an order of "Jumbo" stone crabs. Wow! Were they ever big and good - served with butter and a creamy sauce for dipping. We also ordered hash browns, creamy spinach and sauteed mushrooms. We topped off the meal with some very tart Key Lime pie.
Buyer beware - the tab for this dinner of four came to more than $400.
But, the menu is extensive and there were several entrees available for less than $10.
Lucky for us, some inside connections got us to a table within 30 minutes. Waiters and hosts were all dressed in tuxedos, and the service was first class. This is a tablecloth and fine china type of place.
I started with a hearty bowl of Manhattan Clam Chowder to go along with the basket of bread they brought out. This was followed by an order of "Jumbo" stone crabs. Wow! Were they ever big and good - served with butter and a creamy sauce for dipping. We also ordered hash browns, creamy spinach and sauteed mushrooms. We topped off the meal with some very tart Key Lime pie.
Buyer beware - the tab for this dinner of four came to more than $400.
But, the menu is extensive and there were several entrees available for less than $10.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Philadelphia
I've never had a burning desire to spend much time in any of the major cities on the East coast, however, a trip a couple of years ago to Boston and a recent trip to Philadelphia have me changing my mind. The area is full of U.S. history.
I only had about an hour to kill on a recent Saturday morning in Philadelphia so I decided I would go downtown and see the Liberty Bell. As I pulled into the area, I noticed that security was very tight. There were 2-3 police officers standing on every corner and a police car parked at every traffic light.
I turned into a parking garage underneath the Independence Hall Visitor Center and ventured toward the Liberty Bell. Much to my chagrin it was cordoned off and closed.
Turns out my short visit to Philadelphia coincided with a visit from Prince Charles. All the sights were closed until after his visit. I was able to see the Liberty Bell through the large glass windows from the street corner, and I took a few minutes to walk over to the courtyard behind Independence Hall. After that I returned to the Visitor Center where I spent 30-45 minutes. The short visit whetted my appetite for a chance to come back and spend more time in the area where our country's forefathers forged our nation.
Note: Most of the attractions around Independence Hall are part of a national park, and there is no charge for admission. The only cost I had was for my parking.
I only had about an hour to kill on a recent Saturday morning in Philadelphia so I decided I would go downtown and see the Liberty Bell. As I pulled into the area, I noticed that security was very tight. There were 2-3 police officers standing on every corner and a police car parked at every traffic light.
I turned into a parking garage underneath the Independence Hall Visitor Center and ventured toward the Liberty Bell. Much to my chagrin it was cordoned off and closed.
Turns out my short visit to Philadelphia coincided with a visit from Prince Charles. All the sights were closed until after his visit. I was able to see the Liberty Bell through the large glass windows from the street corner, and I took a few minutes to walk over to the courtyard behind Independence Hall. After that I returned to the Visitor Center where I spent 30-45 minutes. The short visit whetted my appetite for a chance to come back and spend more time in the area where our country's forefathers forged our nation.
Note: Most of the attractions around Independence Hall are part of a national park, and there is no charge for admission. The only cost I had was for my parking.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Ecuador
Submitted by RW
After our week-long cruise in the Galapagos and several days of scuba diving, we returned to mainland Ecuador. Our first stop was a small organic cacao farm just outside of Puerto Quito, near the Choco rainforest. Well, I say ¨first stop¨, but getting there was an adventure in itself.
We had always planned on making some chocolate as part of our honeymoon, but when we arrived in Ecuador we discovered that the farm recommended in our guidebook was no longer operating. Going by word of mouth, we were told to take the bus to Puerto Quito, hop off at the pharmacy and ask for Yamile. What we had thought would be a 2-hour bus ride turned into 5 hours. We accidentally passed Puerto Quito, had to hop off at the next town, return on the bus in the opposite direction, get off at the correct location, find a pharmacy, ask for Yamile, find the OTHER pharmacy, ask again, be assured that every taxi in town knows Yamile, flag a taxi, flag a taxi that worked (the other one just got pushed down the street for about a quarter mile and never started), figure out that we didn´t know where we were going, return to the pharmacy for directions, drive about 20 minutes down a dirt road, and show up at a completely dark house at night. Hmm.
But the taxi driver honked and hollered until people at the house heard us, and Yamile, the owner of the cacao farm, came and gave us a warm welcome even though we had shown up with no notice. We stayed for several days and were able to toast and grind cacao beans, then press the paste into bars which we were able to take with us. While there we also ate a lot of fantastic food, went swimming in the river, and took a tour of a local shade-grown cacao farm with over 40 types of fruit trees and a tour of the local cacao cooperative´s processing plant in town. We had a fabulous time and were sorry that we had to leave so soon, but we had already booked a trip to the Amazon.
After 8 hours on an overnight bus, 2 hours by truck, and 5 hours by motorized canoe, we arrived at our camp in the Cuyabeno National Park. For the next four days we spent our time hiking, motoring, and paddling through tropical rainforest, and we were very pleased by all of the animals that we saw. Some of the highlights include two species of river dolphin (the pink dolphin, which looks like a prehistoric beast with a bump on its forehead and a keeled back, and the gray dolphin, which is just like a miniature bottlenose - cute!!!), six species of primates, a tiny juvenile poison dart frog, and best of all, two river otters (not the giant species, but a smaller species) that we were able to view for several minutes swimming around and catching fish and squeaking. We left feeling that we had seen as much as we could reasonably expect, although one always hopes for the best (We really wanted to see a sloth, which apparently we only missed by a couple of days, and the same happened with an anaconda that had been regularly sighted in the area). Now we have a lot of good memories and hopefully no malaria, despite the weight loss incurred due to our inadvertent blood donations to the mosquitoes!
The days have been flying by, and with a month of travel under our belts, we decided we better get ourselves to Peru ASAP. We flew from Quito all the way to Cuzco (overnighting in the airport in Lima).
After our week-long cruise in the Galapagos and several days of scuba diving, we returned to mainland Ecuador. Our first stop was a small organic cacao farm just outside of Puerto Quito, near the Choco rainforest. Well, I say ¨first stop¨, but getting there was an adventure in itself.
We had always planned on making some chocolate as part of our honeymoon, but when we arrived in Ecuador we discovered that the farm recommended in our guidebook was no longer operating. Going by word of mouth, we were told to take the bus to Puerto Quito, hop off at the pharmacy and ask for Yamile. What we had thought would be a 2-hour bus ride turned into 5 hours. We accidentally passed Puerto Quito, had to hop off at the next town, return on the bus in the opposite direction, get off at the correct location, find a pharmacy, ask for Yamile, find the OTHER pharmacy, ask again, be assured that every taxi in town knows Yamile, flag a taxi, flag a taxi that worked (the other one just got pushed down the street for about a quarter mile and never started), figure out that we didn´t know where we were going, return to the pharmacy for directions, drive about 20 minutes down a dirt road, and show up at a completely dark house at night. Hmm.
But the taxi driver honked and hollered until people at the house heard us, and Yamile, the owner of the cacao farm, came and gave us a warm welcome even though we had shown up with no notice. We stayed for several days and were able to toast and grind cacao beans, then press the paste into bars which we were able to take with us. While there we also ate a lot of fantastic food, went swimming in the river, and took a tour of a local shade-grown cacao farm with over 40 types of fruit trees and a tour of the local cacao cooperative´s processing plant in town. We had a fabulous time and were sorry that we had to leave so soon, but we had already booked a trip to the Amazon.
After 8 hours on an overnight bus, 2 hours by truck, and 5 hours by motorized canoe, we arrived at our camp in the Cuyabeno National Park. For the next four days we spent our time hiking, motoring, and paddling through tropical rainforest, and we were very pleased by all of the animals that we saw. Some of the highlights include two species of river dolphin (the pink dolphin, which looks like a prehistoric beast with a bump on its forehead and a keeled back, and the gray dolphin, which is just like a miniature bottlenose - cute!!!), six species of primates, a tiny juvenile poison dart frog, and best of all, two river otters (not the giant species, but a smaller species) that we were able to view for several minutes swimming around and catching fish and squeaking. We left feeling that we had seen as much as we could reasonably expect, although one always hopes for the best (We really wanted to see a sloth, which apparently we only missed by a couple of days, and the same happened with an anaconda that had been regularly sighted in the area). Now we have a lot of good memories and hopefully no malaria, despite the weight loss incurred due to our inadvertent blood donations to the mosquitoes!
The days have been flying by, and with a month of travel under our belts, we decided we better get ourselves to Peru ASAP. We flew from Quito all the way to Cuzco (overnighting in the airport in Lima).
Monday, January 08, 2007
Galapagos Islands
Submitted by RW
Galapagos - what a great place both for wildlife and scuba!We saw lots of great things, and about all of them up close and usually avoiding stepping on them including but not limited to sea lions, giant land tortoises, land and marine iguanas, magnificent frigate birds, albatrosses, masked and blue-footed boobies, a Galapagos hawk, many-a-Darwin finch and some other stuff. Scuba diving we saw green and hawk's-bill sea turtles, spotted eagle and sting rays, white-tipped reef, Galapagos and hammerhead sharks, sea horses, moray eels, scorpion fish, frog fish, tuna, pipefish, barracuda, and more!!
Galapagos - what a great place both for wildlife and scuba!We saw lots of great things, and about all of them up close and usually avoiding stepping on them including but not limited to sea lions, giant land tortoises, land and marine iguanas, magnificent frigate birds, albatrosses, masked and blue-footed boobies, a Galapagos hawk, many-a-Darwin finch and some other stuff. Scuba diving we saw green and hawk's-bill sea turtles, spotted eagle and sting rays, white-tipped reef, Galapagos and hammerhead sharks, sea horses, moray eels, scorpion fish, frog fish, tuna, pipefish, barracuda, and more!!
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Passports
If you don't already have one (and only 27% of U.S. citizens do), it's time to get a passport. Beginning January 23, passports will be required for all air travelers returning to the U.S. from Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico. Land and cruise passengers will face the same requirements within the next two years. Visit travel.state.gov for information on applying for or renewing a passport.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Ecuador
Submitted by RW
We arrived safely in Quito, Ecuador to begin our honeymoon. We did a bit of walking in Quito (9,200 ft. elevation) the first two days, then went for a bit of an acclimatization trek from the mountain village of Isinlivi to Chugchilan, to the high altitude village of Quilotoa (with a volcanic crater lake) at 13,000 ft. The villages are located in the Andes and are a mix of mestizo and indigenous (Quichua) peoples. Amazingly, even though the mountains are very steep, there are farm fields on every patch of land imaginable.
We hiked on a system of ancient trails that are still used by local people to bring produce to market and just to get around.Since the purpose of the first week was basically to acclimatize for our attempt on Cotopaxi, after our village to village hike we took the bus to the small town of El Chaupi to climb Iliniza Norte (peak) at 5,120 meters. We both had a bit of stomach bug for a day. We got some great views of the surrounding mountains in the morning while we were hiking up, and we also went through some beautiful paramo vegetation - basically high altitude boggy grasslands that have some super cool plants.
From there we traveled to a sort of retreat/resort called Tambopaxi in the Cotopaxi National Park, where we walked a bit and slept to rest from our Iliniza hike and gear up for Cotopaxi. Finally, our attempt! Our guide woke us up at 11:45 at night, we geared up, ate and departed for our assault on the world's highest active volcano Cotopaxi (5,897 m) at 1 a.m. We were lucky to have a beautiful, clear night with great views of the stars and Quito in the distance. Everyone had assured us that it was a "walk-up" mountain, and about as easy of a high peak you could ask for, although it does require crampons for glacier travel. Well, I'm here to tell you that 19,000+ feet ain't easy!!! Ever!!!
It was much steeper than we had anticipated, averaging over 45 degrees for the whole route and definitely approaching 80 degrees at some points! Nevertheless we arrived at the summit 6 hours later, in full sunshine and with amazing views of the surrounding terrain (considering we have had rain almost every day otherwise, we were very lucky with the weather). So at about 7 a.m. eastern time we stood the closest to the sun (apart from the noon hour, dead summer) as possible from earth! (accounting for the equatorial bulge and the peak being nearly on the equator). We both felt really good at the top - no headaches or nausea from the altitude - and were really glad we had spent the time to acclimatize well.
After Cotopaxi we spent a well-earned afternoon at the Papallacta hot springs north of Quito, soaking our aches away in the shadow of cloud forested mountains (no shortage of mountains down here!). The next day we wandered around the old town of Quito for a while. In the afternoon, we went to the Mitad del Mundo, a monument on the equator. Well, almost on the equator. It seems the equator has moved a bit and well, the measurements weren't quite correct, so the equator is actually quite a ways off, but still, the monument is there! We did manage to get to the real equator as well, where we happily played with our GPS unit until it produced all zeros. And yes, water really does spin the other direction in the southern hemisphere.
We arrived safely in Quito, Ecuador to begin our honeymoon. We did a bit of walking in Quito (9,200 ft. elevation) the first two days, then went for a bit of an acclimatization trek from the mountain village of Isinlivi to Chugchilan, to the high altitude village of Quilotoa (with a volcanic crater lake) at 13,000 ft. The villages are located in the Andes and are a mix of mestizo and indigenous (Quichua) peoples. Amazingly, even though the mountains are very steep, there are farm fields on every patch of land imaginable.
We hiked on a system of ancient trails that are still used by local people to bring produce to market and just to get around.Since the purpose of the first week was basically to acclimatize for our attempt on Cotopaxi, after our village to village hike we took the bus to the small town of El Chaupi to climb Iliniza Norte (peak) at 5,120 meters. We both had a bit of stomach bug for a day. We got some great views of the surrounding mountains in the morning while we were hiking up, and we also went through some beautiful paramo vegetation - basically high altitude boggy grasslands that have some super cool plants.
From there we traveled to a sort of retreat/resort called Tambopaxi in the Cotopaxi National Park, where we walked a bit and slept to rest from our Iliniza hike and gear up for Cotopaxi. Finally, our attempt! Our guide woke us up at 11:45 at night, we geared up, ate and departed for our assault on the world's highest active volcano Cotopaxi (5,897 m) at 1 a.m. We were lucky to have a beautiful, clear night with great views of the stars and Quito in the distance. Everyone had assured us that it was a "walk-up" mountain, and about as easy of a high peak you could ask for, although it does require crampons for glacier travel. Well, I'm here to tell you that 19,000+ feet ain't easy!!! Ever!!!
It was much steeper than we had anticipated, averaging over 45 degrees for the whole route and definitely approaching 80 degrees at some points! Nevertheless we arrived at the summit 6 hours later, in full sunshine and with amazing views of the surrounding terrain (considering we have had rain almost every day otherwise, we were very lucky with the weather). So at about 7 a.m. eastern time we stood the closest to the sun (apart from the noon hour, dead summer) as possible from earth! (accounting for the equatorial bulge and the peak being nearly on the equator). We both felt really good at the top - no headaches or nausea from the altitude - and were really glad we had spent the time to acclimatize well.
After Cotopaxi we spent a well-earned afternoon at the Papallacta hot springs north of Quito, soaking our aches away in the shadow of cloud forested mountains (no shortage of mountains down here!). The next day we wandered around the old town of Quito for a while. In the afternoon, we went to the Mitad del Mundo, a monument on the equator. Well, almost on the equator. It seems the equator has moved a bit and well, the measurements weren't quite correct, so the equator is actually quite a ways off, but still, the monument is there! We did manage to get to the real equator as well, where we happily played with our GPS unit until it produced all zeros. And yes, water really does spin the other direction in the southern hemisphere.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Residence Inn - Glendale, Arizona
What a fantastic hotel. This was my first stay in a Residence Inn. The one in Glendale is about 20-30 minutes from downtown Phoenix, but it's in a rapidly growing area with plenty of shopping and restaurants nearby.
I was very impressed with this facility. My room was spacious with a mini kitchen area that included a full-size refrigerator, dish washer, two burners, microwave, pots and pans and utensils along with a bar counter to serve as an eating area.
There was also a couch and a chair, giving plenty of space to relax and unwind. Free high-speed internet was also available.
My room featured a king-size bed and a whirlpool bath. The room also featured a programmable thermostat.
The hotel serves a complimentary breakfast with both hot and cold items. There was a good selection and it tasted very good. There were also appetizers available Monday-Thursday evenings.
I was very impressed with this facility. My room was spacious with a mini kitchen area that included a full-size refrigerator, dish washer, two burners, microwave, pots and pans and utensils along with a bar counter to serve as an eating area.
There was also a couch and a chair, giving plenty of space to relax and unwind. Free high-speed internet was also available.
My room featured a king-size bed and a whirlpool bath. The room also featured a programmable thermostat.
The hotel serves a complimentary breakfast with both hot and cold items. There was a good selection and it tasted very good. There were also appetizers available Monday-Thursday evenings.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Delta Airlines
More kudos to Delta Airlines. On a recent flight from Miami to Atlanta, there were TV screens at every seat. Every passenger had the opportunity to watch 24 channels of live TV, listen to a variety of music channels, play trivia games and more.
I was amazed that it wasn’t just an offering of a movie or two and some canned sitcoms. It was live TV, including several news channels, several sports channels, one major network and a variety of other channels such as the Cartoon Network, HGTV, TLC, History, etc.
I was amazed that it wasn’t just an offering of a movie or two and some canned sitcoms. It was live TV, including several news channels, several sports channels, one major network and a variety of other channels such as the Cartoon Network, HGTV, TLC, History, etc.
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