June 30, 2004

Ten Places That You Want To See Before You Die ...a travel book on blogger....

Im posting this today in honor of Thomas of Where Centuars Dare and his great tour of Italy...It's my friend Monica's dream destination and we have several friends that rave about it.

I started this post about a month ago and thanks to the new Blogger I can work on these things ad infinitum... (Thomas, help me , I know so little latin its pathetic)...it has become the monster post that ate Blogger...

Ready to go on holiday????

I saw and read this article on MSN listing 10 places the author though that we should see before we die... Well I will post her list here with my commentary

<em>By Patricia Schultz & The Staff
Updated: 7:07 p.m. ET Dec.16, 2003
Excerpted from 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, Copyright © 2003 by Patricia Schultz. Used by permission of Workman Publishing Co., Inc., New York. All Rights Reserved.
December/January 2004 Issue -

Tossing aside the obvious, we narrowed it down to the 10 that really got our motors running.


JAISALMER RAJASTHAN, INDIA

Known as the Golden City, this former caravan center on the route to the Khyber Pass rises from a sea of sand, its 30-foot crenellated walls and medieval sandstone fort sheltering carved spires and palaces. So little has changed here that its easy to imagine yourself back in the citys early days, in the thirteenth century. Jaisalmers wealth originally came from the heavy levies it placed on camel caravans passing through, and merchants and townspeople built handsome havelis mansions elaborately carved from the local golden stone. Its the only fortress city in India still functioning, with one quarter of its population living within the original walls.
Details: Six hours by car from Jodhpur. Stay in the Narayan Niwas Palace, a former caravansary built by the maharaja in 1840. Doubles from $48 (low season) or $60 (high season); 011-91/29922-52408, fax 011-91/29922-52101, www.narayanniwas.com.
Best times: October to February.

I thought that this was cool,and there is quite a lot to see in the region. Go south and visit the Taj Mahal, and the huge game preserve there that has some of the last Tigers in the wild in India...I would like to spend a month there and get into Mumbai to see the micro diamond cutting centers as well

HIGHLAND GAMES
BRAEMAR, SCOTLAND

Begun in the Middle Ages as county fairs for the exchange of goods and news, these summer sporting events gave clan chiefs the chance to check out the physical prowess of the areas most promising young lads. Of the nations 40-some annual gatherings,the ones at Braemar are the most renowned.(Queen Elizabeth usually pops in from Balmoral Castle.) A breed of gigantic men called the Heavies engage in throwing the hammer, putting the stone, and the prime event, tossing the caber in which they hurl a 20-foot tree trunk weighing over 130 pounds. Expect bagpipes, bright tartans, Highlands dancing, and a nip of whiskey to help things along. Details: Held the first Saturday in September, in Braemars Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park. Tickets are $20 to $36; 011-44/1339-755-377 (phone and fax), www.braemargathering.org.

I could spend a year in Great Britain as I think it would take that long to do and see everything I want to do. This doenst get me as charged up as just roaming the country side does. I have so many friends there that I would dearly love to visit as well

GIANTS CAUSEWAY
BUSHMILLS, ANTRIM, NORTHERN IRELAND

The grand and astonishing Giants Causeway on the northern coast of the island is made up of more than 40,000 volcanic basalt columns,each a foot or two in diameter. Most are hexagonal, but some have four or five sides, and others have as many as 10(and reach as high as 40 feet).If modern day visitors are struck with wonder at the sight, imagine the disbelief of the ancient Irish, who attributed the geological wonder to the fabled giant Finn McCool. The warrior was said to have created the Causeway as a bridge to his lady love on the Scottish island of Staffa. We now know it was formed by volcanic eruptions some 60 million years ago. Hopscotch along the columns, or marvel at the Causeway from the clifftop belvederes.
Details: 75 miles northwest of Belfast; 011-44/28-207-31855, fax 011-44/28-207-32537, www.northantrim.com.

As I said above on the Highland Games, Oh to be in Britain (and Ireland,)now that spring is here!...

MOSCOW METRO
MOSCOW, RUSSIA

Dont even think about leaving Moscow without exploring the Metro. Its the least expensive subway (about 25 cents) youre ever likely to ride, but it delivers a lot more than a safe trip. The first stop of the 150-station system was completed in 1935, and the older the station, the more elaborate the decor crystal chandeliers, gold leaf, mosaics, faux Roman statues. (The most interesting stations are Maya-kovskaya, Kievskaya, and Komsomolskaya.) Some escalators are so steep, going so deep, that youll think youre descending to the center of the earth. While rush hour isnt recommended for claustrophobes, others may find it provides the most insightful moments. And they said New Yorkers were the champions at scowling and avoiding eye contact!
Details: For information in the U.S., contact the Russian National Group, 212/575-3431, fax 212/575-3434, www.russia-travel.com.

I would do this, but it didnt make my top 10, St. Petersburg did, and I long to do that!

CHA CA LA VONG
HANOI, VIETNAM

Cha Ca La Vong serves only one dish—cha ca a succulent fried fish masterpiece, the recipe for which has been in the Doan family for generations (the name translates roughly to curried Red River fish). After more than seven decades, cha ca became so entrenched in Hanoi that the city renamed the lane out front in its honor. A rickety flight of wooden stairs leads to the unremarkable second-floor dining room, full of equally rickety chairs. Patrons cook chunks of seasoned garoupa fish on a charcoal clay brazier, stirring in chives and dill. The rich, oily stew is then spooned into bowls of vermicelli rice noodles and enlivened by the addition of shrimp sauce, fried peanuts, and pickled vegetables. The secret ingredient, if you believe the rumors, is two drops of an essence extracted from the perfume gland of the ca cuong beetle.
Details: about $5; 14 Cha Ca St., 011-84/4-825-3929.

This sounds flat out disgusting...My sense of adventure is just not that well developed. Skip Vietnam and opt for Thailand currently the hottest foreign destination for Hawaii residents, unless you love the beach, according to the Surf Dogs here in Hilo, some of the best surfing in the world is to be found off those pristine beaches near Hue, and if you can eat spam and rice you are ok food wise...

CHUUK LAGOONS
LOST FLEET CHUUK, MICRONESIA

On February 17, 1944, American Task Force 58 engaged in Operation Hailstone, dropping over 500 tons of bombs on the Japanese navy. Today, Chuuk Lagoon (also called Truk Lagoon) holds the wrecks of 60 Japanese ships, the largest concentration of sunken ships in the world. The 433-foot Fujikawa Maru is the most famous, an aircraft carrier that sits upright in 30 to 112 feet of water, a gaping torpedo hole in her side. A combination of warm water, prolific marine life, and lagoon currents has acted as an incubator, transforming the WWII hulks their guns, trucks, silverware, and sake bottles left undisturbed into artificial reefs.
Details: Most air connections to Chuuk are via Guam. Stay at the Blue Lagoon Dive Resort. Doubles from $130; 011-691/330-2727, fax 011-691/330-2439, www.bluelagoondiveresort.com. Dive operator: Blue Lagoon Dive Shop. Two-dive boat trip, $95 per person; 011-691/330-2796, fax 011-691/330-4307.
Best times: January to April.

I have seen film footage of this and it is a diver's paradise. also if you love being in a remote place with a good book and a bit of suntan lotion this is great. Quiet, with very little development. If you listen carefully you can hear the drone of Allied Bombers in the back of your mind's ear...."

EL QUESTRO WILDERNESS PARK
KIMBERLEY, AUSTRALIA

El Questro is the ultimate outback experience: a million-acre working cattle ranch in the middle of Kimberley, just a dot on the map of massive, sparsely populated Western Australia. Explore the propertys many tropical gorges or remote water holes, or go on a ranger led horse, foot, or four wheel drive trek to waterfalls, thermal springs, and Aboriginal rock art. Theres a fancy hotel, with suites, cantilevered over the Chamberlain River, but those whose wallets dictate Fosters instead of champagne can choose one of El Questros three less expensive lodging options including camping sites under the stars.
Details: One hour by air from Darwin. Suites start at $603 per person per night (with all meals and most activities), bungalows sleeping one to four people are $147, tented cabins for two run $90, and camping is $8.50 per person; 011-61/8-9169-1777, fax 011-61/8-9169-1383, www.elquestro.com.au. Closed November to April.

Here's another place I'd love to go. Give me the bungalow with a place to sit at night and watch the stars... sound like heaven?... Kimberley has another attraction for me, a few hours away is the Argylle and Rio Tinto group mines, that produce the worlds most beautiful natural colored diamonds, ever see a pink diamond? Amazing, Id love to go there...

STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY
STURGIS, SOUTH DAKOTA

For one week in early August, the town of Sturgis (population 6,400) hosts Americas largest motorcycle rally, now attracting well over a half million people. Begun in 1938 by the local Jackpine Gypsies, the Black Hills Motor Classic grew over the years into a bacchanal drawing gangs of self styled outlaws. In the late 1980s, the city partnered with the Jackpine Gypsies to civilize the event, and today law and order prevail. Baby strollers are not an uncommon sight which is not to say that the saloons and tattoo parlors dont still do a brisk business. Wannabes and diehards alike partake in the hill climbs and concerts. Downtime is spent admiring each others bikes, marveling at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame, or eating at the Road Kill Cafe favorites include Chicken That Didnt Quite Cross the Road and the daily special, Guess That Mess.
Details: Sturgis is 24 miles north of Rapid City. City of Sturgis Rally Department: 605/720-0800, fax 605/720-0801, www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com.

This, to me, sounds like hell and the forces of hell on earth, I'll pass thanks.

MERCADO DE HECHICERÍA
LA PAZ, BOLIVIA

At La Pazs Witchcraft Market, proud chola women sit among their goods like queens, unfailingly wearing two braids festooned behind them and bowler hats adapted from the British many years ago. What they sell herbal tea fusions, folk cures, coca leaves, figurines, snakeskins, slabs of llama lard to be burned in offerings to the gods, and amulets to guarantee a long and happy sex life. The market has lately begun to accommodate the growing number of gringo curiosity seekers, and booths hawking colorful alpaca sweaters and woven textiles do a brisker business than the vendors pushing dried llama fetuses.
Details: Held daily, on Calle Linares between Calle Santa Cruz and Calle Sagárnaga.
Best times: April to October.

More hell. Notice they didnt discuss the altitude. La Paz is like 12,000 ft up..? If the magic potion for a happy sex life doesnt get you oxygen depravation will, no thanks

DIVING WITH MANTA RAYS
TOBAGO, LESSER ANTILLES

Divers are flocking to the island of Tobago for the chance to swim with monster manta rays. A dozen or so giant mantas, 6 to 10 feet wide, live in the Batteaux Bay area, some year round. Divers may have to settle for a sighting of the creatures, but most will be able to interact with them. The friendly mantas encourage divers to hold on for a ride a practice that once earned them the nickname Tobago taxis. Todays more sensitive approach is to merely swim in their presence.
Details: Stay beachside at the Manta Lodge, a dive resort with a PADI facility. Doubles begin at $95 (low season) or $115 (high season); 868/660-5268, fax 868/660-5030, www.mantalodge.com.
Best times: November to April.

Tobago is stunning, and a beautiful destination, the beaches have this post card quality that just beg for an afternoons repose under a plam tree...

OK my friends my top 10 places that I want to see before I die or want to do before I die...Some I have already done on that list... and the dates are below..

1.Hawaii....Duh.....But I do want to go to Midway Island at the top of the chain. They used to have a resort there but it has been closed so we shall see...

2.Alaska. I took my Mom for an extended trip in 1998. We cruised up the Inside Passage (hat tip to Holland America Cruise Lines for the outstanding service and care we received. I could not have traveled with a disabled person without their help) We stayed for 10 days with Mom's college roomate friend in Anchorage and drove all over the area. Alaska in the fall, with a dusting of snow on the mountain tops and the golden leaves was so incredibly beautiful...I want to go back and travel through Denali Natl Park

3.Washington DC. Been twice, amazed both times by its beauty and grandure. I will never forget my time spent at Arlington National Cemetary. In 1993 ( on the tour) I spent one afternoon, When Woody and I went in 1999, we went on two visits as he was soooo enthralled by it. (We have traveled a lot and that to him was our best trip together, I think so too.)I shall include in this entry Gettysburg, PA, and the state of Virginia, and all the various sites there. If I could stand the pollen, wed might have moved there as we both loved it so.

4. New York City. I had wanted to go there for so long that I had maps memorized. Spent 4 days as a part of a packaged tour in 1993. This was one month after the first WTC bombing and did not go into those buildings... I regret that. Will forever have that skyline etched in my mind of that spring day as I sat on Liberty Island and looked at Manhattan. That night I took the elevator to the top of the Empire State Building and looked out over the city. It was so clear that you could see cities far in the distance, lights gleaming like earth bound stars. If you go there dont miss Ellis Island I was so impressed by the exhibit that was there of the personal items people broguth with them when they made the crossing to America. Most could only bring what they could carry. I found it touching.

5. The Grand Canyon. Been there many times, the last time in Sept 2001, during Woody and my "One Great Final Roadtrip" (Cause road trips get sort of circular on an island)...This area is one filled with memeories in my maternal family as a vacationing place, a place where they went hunting...Woody had never been there and we spent a day looking out over the rim as the light shifts and changes the colors on the rock below.

My best Grand Canyon story... I had an English Penpal come to the US in 1989, and he stopped in LA and we had dinner before he began his road trip. This man was a "Football" (soccer) player and a sometime soilder of fortune, He feared nothing, and was traveling around America with a back pack and a Visa card. So Mike asks me, "What should I see on the way east...?" I said "The Grand Canyon". Mike then wanted me to tell him about it. I told him that it would spoil the experience and he should see it for himself, and drew him a map. He caught a bus and managed to get there. He told me in a letter that he was totally unprepared for what he saw, because as many of you know, you can just sort of walk off the edge of the thing into this mile plus deep hole. He said that he grabbed the rail and peed his pants, and was agast. He managed to get a spot on a hike down and up and it was a high point of his trip. He was later he was killed in Gulf War I.

6.Ride the Silverton narrow Guage train from Durango to Silverton Colorado.
Also on the great Roadtrip of 2001. We had a month of time between leaving our jobs and leaving for Hawaii, so we got into my big ol car and drove east. We had a date in Angel Fire New Mexico, which I will devote a whole post to sometime, but in the aftermath of 9-11, no one was traveling so we had all the choices of hotels and attractions at our disposal. This train trip was a after thought that we were able to do as there were so many cancelations. I shot 6 rolls of film up and down the Animus Canyon, as the train climbed up to 10000 ft. The fall foliage was particularly wonderful and I can still smell the Cottonwood trees and coal smoke of the train as we chugged along.

7.Crusies-1992 Mexico aboard the RCCL Song of America
1995 Carribean aboard the RCCL Monarch of the Seas
1997 Mexico aboard the RCCL Song of America
1998 Alaska Aboard the Holland America Noordam

If you have never taken a cruise you dont know what you are missing. It doesn't have to be a fancy dress party and in fact a lot of them these days are devoted to themes, so if golf, fishing, or history is your game (or if gambling, drinking and 13 separate eating opportunites a day are for you) this is you vacation. Ladies, this is ideal vacation, they clean your room and feed you, you dont lift anything heavier than a fork if you dont want to!!! When I took my first cruise I described it to friends as summer camp for adults and it was...

8.Angel Fire, New Mexico and the "Enchanted Circle"
This was the final destination of the Great Road Trip of 2001. We originally had booking for one week and had airline tickets for the week of Sept 21 2001. Well two weeks prior to this the world changed forever, and our travel arrangements we scattered to the winds. Our airline tickes were canceled but we had longed to see this area that had been brought to life by the music of a fellow worship leader/musician/friend Fernando Ortega, so we got into the car and began to drive. For Woody and I this was the bonding time we needed prior to the Hawaii experience that you all are aware of and really our last "luxury all expense paid vacation." more on that at another time...

This area is a well kept secret. First, did you all know that there was a Vietnam Veterans Memorial other than the Wall? it was built at Angel Fire, by the father of a soilder. See it here

There is a Group of communities that call themselves the Enchanted Circle, We did take that circular drive, as well as go down into Taos several times, but it was the trip to Chimayo, Fernando's home town that was a high point. You know its one of those few places that I have been to in my life that was exactly how I had pictured it. It looked like I had stepped into a movie set of a spagetti western. It was amazing. The dominant structure was El Sanctuario The amazing church that is called the Lourdes of the America's for the healings that have taken place there. We also stopped at The Ortega's shop and the little house where his grandfather looked after him as his parents worked at the loom in the work shop...

I have seen the golden summer light
flicker in the trees
In the orchard where the long grass
sways in the breeze
In the shade accross the fence
an old man in a chair
Dreams of names and faces who've been there.

Lately I have seen you
Fading as the world is changing
as the seasons fly
Still my heart in secret
holds on to the deepest colors
of the earth and sky

In the greying of the year
when leaves and sunlight fall
Makes the shadows of the orchard
deep and tall
Then the Winter comes and covers
all that does not move
underneath the Sangre Christo stars and moon

But I will come and find you
when the Spring unbinds you
Singing of an older time
Still my heart in secret holding
to the deepest colors
of the earth and sky

"Chimayo"
by Fernando Ortega

Ever walked into a song? We did and I shall never forget it...


Ok So now I need to make up a new list. So here are the 10 places or things having to do with travel that I want to do before I die.

1. I want to go to England and spend enought time there to really see the country. See as many places as I can that I have always wanted to see. I have enough friends there that I could stay and atay and not over stay my welcome

2.Take a round the world cruise, or at least a trans oceanic, either Atlantic or Pacific. By freighter preferably.

3.Jerusalem... Where the air is so clear that you can see back 5000 years.

4.Tokyo...or Singapore maybe both...Woody was there both places during the war, he'd like to go back.

5. St. Petersburg, Russia Id need a month in the summer please!

6.Australia...Where in Down Under is still up for grabs

7.Africa, mostlikely South Africa.

8.India....

9.Cuba. I know the day is comming when I can go there freely. I want to take my mothers ashes there. She has longed for the place everyday of her life. After visiting the Dominican Republic in 1995 I know why...That, by the way is another GREAT Travel destination. If you like Mexico you will LOVE the Dominican.

10. I want to take another really long road trip and just drive across America and Canada. For months... I want to do this several times. I think it would be wonderful. Meeting people is such a great thing, learning about them...

PS we have to add another one...Woody want to go back to the land of his birth, Panama...(another story) preferably via the canal and a cruise boat, with an extention in country... We shall see.

So there you have it the longest blog post ever and thanks for reading...and as Tom Bodet says "We'll leave the light on for you."