How often have you had visitors and wondered what in the world you were going to do with them short of sitting staring at each other across the living room?? Fortunately in Vancouver there’s a great deal to do to keep even the most jaded visitor and host happy, especially in the summer.

Impressing Your Visitor

Show your visitors those things that are unique to BC and even to Canada if they are from other parts of the world. First impressions count! If you’ve picked them up at the airport and providing they’re not asleep, take a detour along SW Marine Dr (only 7  minutes from the airport) and continue out along Spanish Banks. Some of the highlights of this drive are the following:

• The Spanish Banks area is  particularly good at low tide when you can walk out on the sand flats for a mile.
• Some of Vancouvers best beaches are along here including Locarno Beach which is perfect for an outdoor BBQ on a warm evening. 
• The view of  Vancouver from this vantage point with the water and mountains is truly spectacular. 
• Around Point Grey is the Museum of Anthropology . The building has recently been renovated and it is here you can see totem poles and unique BC First Nations art.
• Kitsilano has a fantastic salt water outdoor pool – three times the size of an Olympic pool – with fabulous views of the mountains as a backdrop for those that just want to suntan and relax.

Downtown Vancouver

For many the skyscrapers of downtown are quite an eye-opener; for indoor days there’s plenty of shopping both at indoor malls and on Robson Street, in Gastown, or even Chinatown with it’s myriad shops to poke around in.  You could also try one of these activities.

• Kids will enjoy Science World, and the Imax Theatre is far superior in size and effect than the one at Canada Place.
• Park the car at Sunset Beach in the West End and take the ferry over to Granville Island - a great way to add to the fun.
• The HR MacMillan Space Center has indoor shows, laser and light shows and telescope viewings. Try to visit  on a clear night.
• Bard on the Beach Shakespearean plays are on in the summer months in the same area. Before the play begins try a walk around Vanier Point.
• Take a dinner cruise while enjoying the downtown skyline.
• Enjoy a scenic float plane tour. It’s not too expensive when you consider how many people you can tuck in and what can be seen in a very short space of time.

Stanley Park

You can easily spend a whole day here. The best way is to either cycle it or walk it.

• Rent bicycles at the north end of Denman Street and take a trip around the seawall; even for the less fit this is an easy and fun way to spend half a day.  Hop on and off to look at the various sights or get lunch at the many stops available. Try to choose a quieter time so you can actually take your eyes off the path and enjoy the view!
• Drive around the park  for a different view.  At the more elevated spots such as Prospect Point, the view has widened due to a huge windstorm that took out 10,000 park trees a few years ago.
• There are two lovely beaches, unprepossessingly called 2nd and 3rdbeaches, with 2nd beach having a great outdoor pool for sunny days.
• Visit the Vancouver Aquarium. As long as you are not a “Free Willy” activist then the Orca and Beluga whale exhibits are quite awesome to see.  There are many more marine animls on display as well as an Amazon exhibit. Animals are shown in’natural’ habitats and won’t be doing any tricks or acrobatics to music, and the general presentation is of education and interest - not entertainment.
• In the summer there is outdoor ethnic dancing at the Ceperley Park picnic area. While this may sound a bit odd it can be a lot of fun and was a huge hit with some of my previous visitors.
• If you’re feeling lazy there are narrated horse-drawn carriage rides around the park with general information about both Stanley Park and Vancouver.

The North Shore

• Starting at Deep Cove you can take a great walk to the lookout at Quarry Rock, about 30 minutes along the Baden Powell Trail; it’s not for those afraid of heights.
• There are some small shops and eateries in Deep Cove.
• Rent a kayak where you can explore the lovely inlet of Indian Arm or just the Cove area itself.
• Most evenings see dragonboat teams practicing. Come out and cheer them on.

Grouse Mountain

If you can afford the tram ride you can probably afford to eat at the Observatory Restaurant at the peak,  and in that case the trip up is included with your meal. If you are a fitness freak climb the 3000′ mountain on the Grouse Grind Trail, but only if you are prepared and healthy enough to do it! If neither of those methods attract you then there is a helicopter ride from Coal Harbour that will take you up to the peak and back to the harbour later in the day. Although there are things to see up there such as the lumberjack show and the raptor display the main attraction is the view so only consider going on a very clear day. There is also a free movie about Vancouver running continuously during the day.

West Vancouver

• If you want a view at no physical or monetary cost then drive up Cypress Mountain and pull off at the lookout. You get a great aerial view of the lower mainland and on a really clear day you can see Mount Baker in Washington.
• Every August  the Squamish Nation Pow-Wow is held at the foot of CapilanoRoad. It ‘s quite a sight to see and the Europeans in particular love to see it! There is  food, stalls selling native goods, and of course the dance competitions. It’s definately worth the time for a unique afternoon.
• Head to Sewell’s Marina in Horseshoe Bay. Try their sea safari.
• Take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay over to Bowen Island as a foot passenger where you can either just poke around the shops in Snug Cove and have lunch on the deck at Doc Morgans Pub. Enjoy lovely views of Howe sound. You could even try a few hours of sea kayaking, right off the ferry dock. The view of Howe Sound and the snow-capped mountains are about as quintessential BC as you can get without almost any effort on your part.
• If you’re slightly more energetic you can take the loop trail around Killarney Lake or even hike Mt Gardner for the 360 degree view at the top. The island has a little bus service that can get you around but check times.

Sea to Sky Highway through to Whistler

If you only have a day to spare you can easily take a run up to Whistler with stops along the way. Try one of the following.

• Shannon Falls at Squamish is very close to the car park if you want a closer look.
• Stop at the base of the Chief and see if you can spot the climbers on the rock face. It’s worth the one hour one way hike to the top too.
• Brandywine Falls just south of Whistler is an enjoyable 5 minute walk from the car just for sheer height!
• In Whistler there’s lots to tempt you - beaches, canoeing, hiking, golf, shopping, the peak to peak gondola and the zip line. On your way back to Vancouver stop at the lookout to see the Tantalus Range. You’ll have a full day of BC scenery under your belt.

Victoria and the Gulf Islands

Everyone wants to take their visitors to Victoria, but to the average European visitor it pales in historic terms to what they have ‘back home’. The Royal BC Museum though is worth a visit.

• Take a trip downtown at night to see the street entertainers and the lights.
• If you take the ferry from Tsawwassen make sure to get your visitors up on deck when sailing through the Gulf Islands. It’s worth getting your hair messed up with the wind and if you’re lucky you’ll spot a whale or a dolphin too.

There is so much do here and so much to appreciate about living on the West Coast. Now if only the weather will co-operate and if it does you might have a hard time getting your visitors to leave!

Blog kindly provided by Heather Priest of North Vancouver.

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I am a geologist; highly educated and trained to bang rocks with a hammer. This skill is in short supply in many places around the globe and so I am lucky. Lucky to travel to some very interesting, out of the way places. Also lucky to be married to an intrepid traveler who started a website called HikeBikeTravel who has threatened to make me sleep in the garage if I don’t write a blog. I hate that. So here is my first blog.

One of the places that I will never forget is Papua New Guinea (PNG). We were looking to acquire a gold mine in the highlands and made a couple of memorable trips to investigate. One generally arrives in Port Moresby, PNG from Australia via Brisbane or Cairns. (Don’t let those letters fool you, the locals call it Cans and its best if you go along.) Port Moresby is a mixture of third world poor and amazing bougainvillea covered razor wire fenced in villas. It has a lovely harbour and certainly an exotic feel to it but there is a lot of crime there. Probably not a place you would want to spend a whole lot of time and anyway the magic of PNG is its islands and its highlands.

We flew in a small plane in and around monstrous cumulo nimbus (thunderstorm type) clouds over terrain that if it wasn’t up, it was down. There were no roads. While it was a boisterous ride, it beat the prospect of figuring out how one would ever walk through that country. Eventually the pilot came across a landing strip and we landed in the thriving metropolis of Wau. These letters are pronounced wow (likely invented by the same group that came up with Cairns) and Wow it was at so many levels. Wow, I’m alive, wow, what are we doing here, and wow, how is this ever going to work. But the biggest wow of all is PNG itself.

 PNG is home to over 700 languages and once you fly over a bit of the country you understand why. Getting over the hill to meet your neighbours is not trivial and so languages did not mix much. So how does a place with 700 languages function; you guessed it….. start another language! So the binding language of PNG is Pidgin.

 This is a fun language and here are some samplings:

• Wanen nem bilong yu?                            What is your name?           
• Tok isi                                                             Speak slowly
• Em bilong mi                                                That’s mine

While working in the field (yes… banging rocks) I asked the young fellow who was helping me “how many Christmases bilong yu?” A perplexed look came over his face, not because he didn’t understand my excellent pidgin, but rather because they don’t really keep track of age much. So he ran over and asked the oldest person in the group so he could get back with an answer to the strange request from the bikpela.  Highlanders are stocky and vertically challenged. Turns out he was fourteen which was news to him and to me. When we were done our sampling we would have liked to have boarded a numba one mixmaster bilong em Jesus Christ (helicopter) but we had to drive a tortuous road instead.

Our host was a story teller and PNG is rich in stories to be told. Tribal wars; where you can pull up a chair and watch. Proud cannibals with a sense of humour that wore T shirts saying “We eat the boots too!”  A plane passenger who had to have the arrow sticking out of his skull trimmed back so it wouldn’t be in the way of his fellow passengers. We were only there for a short time but have always wanted to go back. If you get there first send us your stories. We would love to hear them. Maybe Leigh will post them on her blog and you won’t have to sleep in the garage.

Signed,

John McAdam

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My love of horses led me, in 1998, to seek out a ranch vacation in order to take a break after my divorce finalized. My aversion to trip planning was quickly replaced by relief when a timely article in Sunset Magazine caught my eye. They had published an article on dude ranches in the American West and this led me to Eatons’ Ranch in Wolf, Wyoming. If Sunset Magazine thinks Eatons’ is the best ranch in the country my experience with the magazine led me to believe them.  An authentic ranch experience is what I wanted, and that is what you will get at Eatons’.

Eaton’s Ranch is steeped in history. This location in Wolf, Wyoming has been the home of Eatons’ for over 100 years. It is the oldest dude ranch in the country with the fifth generation of the family still operating the ranch. Eatons’ has the distinction of having invented “dude ranching” in this country. Friends would come and visit the ranch –and not wanting to leave – offered to pay for the privilege of extending their stay.  

The accommodations at Eaton’s are cabins of all sizes and designs. All of the cabins are rustic, yet comfortable and all are quite different.  I chose a “premium” cabin for my first trip and have continued that tradition. Premium cabins are the larger cabins along the “Gold Coast” – situated on Wolf Creek. You can choose from a one-bedroom cabin for a single person or couple to a multiple room cabin. For the last two years we have travelled with three children and have stayed in the “Jenkins” cabin – a large stone cabin with a 40’ long living room and covered porch situated on Wolf Creek. It gives us plenty of room for the kids.

One of the great things about Dude Ranches is that meals are usually included, and this is no exception at Eaton’s. Three meals a day are provided in the family dining room – eight guests to a table with no shortage of anyone to visit or plan a ride with. The food is great and there’s plenty of it. The kids will love the desserts at lunch and dinner with a selection of ice creams and home-made cookies daily.  In the course of a week you could also choose from a breakfast or dinner ride- where meals are cooked over an open fire by the wranglers.

Horseback riding is the main event at Eatons’. When you arrive you will be fitted for a saddle, fill out some paperwork and get matched to a horse depending on your riding level. If you or the kids need a riding lesson- request one- they are provided free of charge and are worth their weight in gold. Last year we travelled to Eatons’ with our two foster children – four and eight – and they both benefited from a couple of lessons in the corral. There is a horse or pony available for every level of rider with over 200 to choose from.

If you sign up for a morning ride, your horse is saddled while you are having breakfast and tied to the hitching post by the time you are ready to ride and off you go. Yes, off you go.  Eatons’ is perhaps the only remaining ranch in the United States where you ride WITHOUT a guide.  You are provided with a trail map and you are on your own on 7,000 acres of ranch or you can venture into the Big Horn National Forest and enjoy miles and miles of trail riding with every sort of terrain you can imagine. Uncomfortable riding on your own? That’s o.k. too – you can request a wrangler. They are provided free of charge but be prepared to tip them.

If you enjoy bird watching you will be fascinated by the barn owls and great horned owls. Wild turkeys and grouse are common and you will probably spot a king fisher on the creek. We have even spotted curlews in the fields above the ranch along with plenty of hawks.  There are deer and antelope roaming the ranch and if you are lucky and get out for a longer ride you will probably spot a herd elk or a moose.

If you have kids, then Eaton’s should definitely be on your radar for a ranch holiday. There are organized children’s rides, bingo, swimming, hiking and fishing. A large recreation room called Howard Hall is always open and is a meeting place for all the kids staying at the ranch. This is a good place for a game of softball, horseshoes or tag. Babysitters are also available if you want to spend the day relaxing or shopping in Sheridan.

Speaking of Sheridan;this small town was voted the # 1 historical town in the American West and is full of quaint shops and history. Downtown Sheridan is a twenty-minute car ride from the ranch and is definitely a must-see. Be sure to visit the Museum at Kings Saddlery and browse the antique mall for authentic western décor. Main Street is full of interesting shops, bars and restaurant. Have a drink at the Mint Bar – this is where the locals have been throwing one back since 1907. It boasts an impressive array of taxidermy, hand made log furniture, and interesting old west artifacts.  Feel free to bring the kids in for a peek – it is a fascinating part of the history of Sheridan.

 There is a feeling at Eatons’ that will take you back to an earlier time.  This is surely a place to relax, unwind, and take a deep breath. The ranch quickly became my favorite getaway and I think you will feel that same way once you experience this part of our great American West.  Eatons’ will stay with you long after you arrive home and you will be planning your next visit before you even leave.

How to get there:  You have a couple choices. Book your flight directly into the Sheridan, Wyoming airport. This will usually take you through Denver, Colorado. From Seattle I have found it easiest to fly to Billings, Montana – rent a car – and then drive east on I-90 to Sheridan.  This drive takes us about 2 ½ hours with a stop for lunch.

Blog kindly written by Liz Sanborn of Seattle, Washington

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Swimming with the dolphins via Dolphin Quest

I have a confession to make.  I hate planning trips – the time it takes, the research and all the little details. But, when it comes to Hawaii it’s my responsibility.  My husband – let’s call him Ironman Scot – has holiday ideas that always revolve around some great physical feat – climbing a mountain, running a marathon, jumping out of a helicopter. My idea of a vacation includes doing a lot of nothing; it must include suntan lotion, a good book and a cocktail.  With that in mind, I knew if I wanted to go to Hawaii it was my job to make it happen.

Is he real?

First things first. I am a firm believer that your money likes to go on vacation.  With that said, my vacation plans were not to include a budget motel five blocks from the beach or any “all-you-can eat” buffets.   A Hawaiian vacation with the kids is no place to try and save money. This vacation needs to be packed with luxury, relaxation and fun, fun, fun. It is tough enough to try to renew your spirit while bringing the kidlets along – let’s not torture ourselves trying to save a little money.   I am not inclined to fly for 6 ½ hours to only arrive and be miserable. We can save that for climbing Kilimanjaro or some other painful pursuit disguised as a vacation.

My first task was to decide which island to go to.  This part was easy. A Google search of the best places for kids in Hawaii will take you to one Island – Oahu and Waikiki to be exact.  Waikiki has the  perfect mix of lots of things to do and beaches. Everything is in walking distance, making a rental car unnecessary  (hey- you’re saving money !) There are loads of choices for where to stay right on the beach.   

Kids Having Fun

This task is getting easier and easier – not only is Waikiki the best place to stay but the Hilton Hawaiian Village is rated the best place to stay with kids. Planning a trip is fun!  We had a four and an eight year old with us – so I decided on a King Suite with a view. This had a separate bedroom for the adults with a full bath and plenty of closet space. The kids had the entire living room to themselves with a pull-out sofa that they shared. We had an ample dining room and bar including a small fridge and sink for preparing simple breakfasts and lunches. More importantly, there was plenty of room and coffee could be enjoyed on the ocean view balcony.  Trust me, your spouse will thank you, your kids will thank you and you can pat yourself on the back for giving yourself some space too!

Some information on the  Hilton Hawaiian Village is in order. It’s a large hotel with several towers, all with ocean view options.  It has great pools- including one with plenty of slides and tubes for the kids,  a good restaurant for breakfast on the beach, ample room to roam, several ponds and open spaces and an abundance of birds. This is paradise for a bird watcher.  The hotel takes their birds seriously and does everything it can to make their hotel a destination not only for weary travelers but anything that can fly in on wings. We saw plenty - night herons, pink flamingos, egrets, ducks of all kinds and even an exhibit of tropical penguins. The penguin trainers host the exhibit every morning and the kids will love petting them.  

Pool by the restaurant at the Hilton Hawaiian Village

The Hilton also hosts a great Kids Club for those five and older – this includes half and full-day programs that keep your kids entertained while you relax.  A word of warning- it’s not free and you get what you pay for. A morning or afternoon without the kids is worth every penny.

Beach time in Hawaii

What I did do while “planning “ this trip was to book one very exciting and fun event that will make the entire family happy – including ironman Scot.  That was swimming with the dolphins at Dolphin Quest. I must confess – I had done this before and it was, and still is, one of my favorite life-time experiences.  The kids were guaranteed to love it and it fit into ironman’s criteria for something new and exciting to do.  I went on-line and booked the whole experience. Dolphin Quest is located at the Kahala Hotel – a fifteen minutes taxi ride from downtown Waikiki. This hotel alone is worth seeing even if you don’t “book” Dolphin Quest. Visit the hotel and watch the trainers work with the dolphins. It’s a beautiful place to sit and have a cocktail while the kids watch the action.

One Happy Child!!

Don’t forget to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center with the kids too – plenty of interesting things to see and lots of interactive Hawaiian culture.  Though I have not done this – I have heard over and over again to make sure to visit the Market at the Stadium. This is an open-air market and is chock full of bargains where  you will definitely save money on souvenirs.

So, take my advice – throw the budget away and give yourself a vacation to remember. Waikiki has something for everyone! Have fun.

guest blog kindly written by Liz Sanborn.

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One of Zanzibar's Beautiful Beaches

When you have been riding your bike day in and day out for about 2 months, it can become a bit tedious. While the countryside changes, the daily routine doesn’t. Wake up, change into bike shorts and shirt, pack up tent, eat breakfast, bike for several hours, stop and have lunch, bike for several hours, arrive at camp, set up tent, eat dinner, go to sleep. So when riders on the 2008 Tour D’Afrique were told that we would not be biking through Kenya (due to post-election conflict), I was secretly relieved. This meant that I had 2 weeks in the middle of Africa to do whatever I wanted. I decided that I would climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and do a safari. Kilimanjaro was probably the highlight of my time in Africa but unfortunately the safari Gods lined up against my travel partners and I; our hand was forced and we decided to hop on the next flight to Zanzibar instead!

Hotel Bed in Zanzibar

I didn’t know a thing about Zanzibar; I just thought the name was awesome so the place must be too! We had a bit of a bumpy time getting there as the plane aborted take-off due to a sandstorm. After the sandstorm passed and the plane was in the air, we were able to see the stunning scenery from above.  Stone Town, Zanzibar greeted us with a wave of heat and humidity. It was fabulous! We had made no formal arrangements so upon arrival at the tiny airport we talked to a few locals about what to do. We ended up bargaining with a taxi driver to stop at the bank and then take us to the north end of the island. We left picturesque Stone Town and for about an hour winded our way through the tropical island’s bumpy roads. Once outside of Stone Town it was apparent that much of the population of Zanzibar lived in poverty. However, like everywhere else I’d seen in Africa, the people were smiling and gracious. The taxi driver took us to an amazing hotel right on the coast. It was dark by the time we arrived so we didn’t really get a chance to see what sort of place we were staying in. But surprisingly, we were greeted by other members from the Tour D’Afrique! It was such a welcome sight to see familiar faces in such a foreign place. They all looked  well rested. I, on the other hand, was exhausted as it was just that morning that we had finished descending Kilimanjaro.

Aquamarine coloured Indian Ocean by Zanzibar

I felt as if I’d landed in paradise. The grounds of the hotel were beautiful. There were huge tropical trees and sandy paths leading to the main building. Here  we   enjoyed the warm breezes off  the Indian Ocean. Breakfast with other members of the Tour D’Afrique gave me insight on what there was to do…it turned out that the snorkeling was incredible, the walks interesting and the water perfect for swimming. But unfortunately once outside the hotel, the stark difference between how the locals lived and how the tourists lived hit home.

Beaches of Zanzibar

After several days of soaking up the sun and lying on the beach Stone Town beckoned. It’s a beautiful spot with maze like streets, busy bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses. I loved exploring so hours were spent poking in shops and seeing the sights. The food was unremarkable but ice cream in the heat was a treat.

Zanzibar was also littered with tourists. You could find most of the tourists congregated around the shops dedicated to Freddie Mercury, the lead singer from the band Queen. (Funny enough, on the Tour D’Afrique our tour leaders would sometimes wake us up with a song by Queen – “I want to ride my bicycle” – pretty fitting?). The week in Zanzibar flew by and before I knew it, it was time to hop on a plane back to the mainland and continue biking south. After a day back on the saddle, the pristine blue waters and sandy white beaches seemed like a dream. But it wasn’t. And if you are in Tanzania and have the time, make the trip to Zanzibar. You won’t regret it.

Guest blog was kindly written by Kristen McAdam, a 2008 Tour d’Afrique cyclist.

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GPS

I hesitate a bit before telling people that my wife and I are geocachers. The simple explanation of geocaching, (using a GPS to find hidden stashes of worthless trinkets), does not sound like a suitable hobby for anyone over 14. I was 14 in 1972, the year Jim Morrison died, and I can attest that geocaching is a ridiculous amount of fun at any age, especially if travel is an important part of your life.Yes it is a kind of treasure hunt, but it’s one you can take part in close to home or in Mumbai. There are now slightly over one million geocaches, all hidden in publicly accessible places. The caches themselves range in size from very small (a film canister for those of you who remember such things) to large sealable boxes. Most that we have found are sandwich box size. Some are hidden in remote places, others in urban parks, a few deep in the wilderness, but the vast majority are easily accessible. Typically they contain a log-book for finders to sign, some dollar-store trinkets for the kids, and perhaps other goodies. Newly placed goecaches usually have something special for the first person to find it.

Geocaches are created and hidden by other geocachers who, using their GPS, record the latitude and longitude of their cache and log it on the Geocache website. This website allows you to search for geocaches any number of ways, the most handy being a map view. From map view you simply connect your GPS, click on the geocaches you want to hunt for, and the details are transferred to your GPS. Then off you go. You can have many hours of fun looking for caches. Your GPS will normally get you within a dozen meters or so, but then your powers of observation and problem solving kick in. Sometimes it means poking in holes with sticks or crawling under things with flashlights. Each cache has a unique name, and many of the names are themselves clues. For those who need more help, you can often download more clues or outright spoilers.

Each geocache is rated by accessibility, family friendliness, difficulty to find, and whether your dog can come along. Trust me, your dog will want to come along. When you find a cache you return to the website, log your find, and it is customary to log a note thanking the creator of the cache. The website keeps a list of your found and unfound caches and allows you to check out how others are doing. Feel free to visit us on Geocaching.com at our spectacularly unimaginative user name ‘ridges2′

There are hundreds of thousands of Geocaches in Europe and Asia and a growing number in Africa, including one in central Tripoli. There are even half a dozen hidden on Easter Island. My wife and I found one a hundred meters from the Eiffel Tower, and another tucked in the wall of a castle on the shores of Lake Geneva. We found yet another behind a Paris tomb close to the grave of, as it happens, Jim Morrison. I’ve tracked them down near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and another in a quiet laneway shrine in Kyoto. And I’m going to Mumbai next month and will be hunting for some there. Geocaching when you travel is wonderful fun and often gets you to spots you wouldn’t otherwise see. Even if you don’t make it a formal part of a trip, just load a few dozen on your GPS and check now and then to see if you are close to one. It is wise to keep in mind that in some parts of the world poking about secretively in odd places with a flashlight might attract unwelcome attention. The map shows a number of geocaches relatively close to the North Korean border. I personally would not go poking around after dark for those. However I expect you’ll be fine on Easter Island.

Hiding geocaches can be an art. They must be sufficiently hidden that the cache won’t be found by somebody who is just passing by, but can be found by somebody who is actively looking for it. Many are simply hidden in hollow logs or other nooks and crannies. Others are cleverly hidden in plain view or camouflaged, often very cleverly. In the woods near our home in North Vancouver there is a cache hidden in a carefully converted stump. The cache owner took a small birch stump, sawed off the top, hollowed out the interior, and hinged the top back on as a lid and glued on lichen and moss. The cache is inside the stump, which sits feet from a busy trail, unnoticed by the vast majority of passersbys. It took my wife and me several minutes of standing and observing to notice the very slight saw line revealing the lid of the stump. Other caches are under (or in) fake rocks and others still are cleverly attached to the underside of park benches with magnets.

Obviously this is a hobby with great appeal to families with kids, but many of the most fanatic geocachers are adults. We recently ran into a retiree who has made geocaching his life and has found over 5,000 all over the world. Incredibly fit, he spends a portion of most days hiking about searching for new geocaches including hikes deep into the local mountains. There are certainly worse pastimes to fill one’s retirement. Golf jumps to mind.

Geocache under rock

So why not give it a try. All you need is a handheld GPS, which are now very affordable. Many have features specifically for geocaching. If you have an iPhone you can get started just by downloading a $20 app. With the iPhone app you don’t even need to connect to a computer to download the cache locations, nearby caches are pushed to your phone. Once you get hooked, and you will, you can get deeper into the hobby by finding and creating trackable items, objects moved from cache to cache with unique identifiers so you can follow their progress around the world.

We took one such trackable a small plastic skeleton called Mr. Body (look it up on Geocaching.com) and left it in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, behind that tomb. And if you go looking for that geocache….say hello to Jim.

Blog kindly written by James Ridge, the Registrar at the University of British Columbia – who has many interests and talents including travel, photography and cooking.

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One of the Three Boats we used on the Amazon

In September 2003, I took a break from Dalhousie University and packed my bag for South America. My flight landed in Lima, Peru, but after a string of bad weather I opted to start my route in Brazil. I couldn’t think of a more challenging way to get there than by cargo boat. My experience floating down the Amazon River from Iquitos, Peru to Belem, Brazil, was nothing like I had imagined. I spent three weeks in three boats, each packed to the rim with locals and livestock. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Iquitos, Peru, the mouth of the Amazon river, can only be reached by boat or plane. After safely landing from a nerve jolting flight, I instantly felt a sense of relief and excitement. I had literally been dropped in the Amazon Jungle. The air was heavy and warm, and I quickly became used to the constant wet drizzle.

Two days later, I arrived at a small port and boarded my first cargo boat. The main floor was no higher then six feet and could comfortably sleep 50 people. Despite this fact, roughly 100 extra bodies crammed into the provided space. Hammocks were hung up until there was literally no more room. They even covered the windows. This was of little concern to most as people began occupying space on the floor until there was only a small path left to the front of the boat and the bathroom at the back.

Small villages along the Amazon River

On this particular boat there was one toilet, no shower, multiple cockroaches, chickens, a turtle, a pig, and small children everywhere. I highly recommend securing a small cabin for yourself. It is the size of a closet but after about 12 hours, a little privacy is heaven. The conditions on the first leg of the trip were by far the worst and to my relief the boats were larger and cleaner as we moved east.

I soaked everything in as we set out, from the people on the boat, to the the lush green forest. As the Amazon opened up, the distinction between one village and another became blurry, as did the days. The most stimulating activity was chatting with the locals over fresh Amazon fish. I have to admit, I don’t think I will ever be able to eat fried piranha, rice, or beans again.

Life on the Amazon River

I couldn’t wait to get off the boat when we stopped for a night in Santa Rosa in Peru. To my surprise, the village only has three hours of electricity every day- I think this is where I gave up on a shower!

My second major stop and boat change was in Tabatinga, Brazil. From here I crossed the boarder into Leticia, Colombia where I got my Brazilian visa. If you’re not too concerned with staying an extra day, and you really want your land legs back, spending time in both cities can be a refreshing change.

The second part of the trip felt like the longest. At certain points, the river was so wide you couldn’t see the other side. Looking at the same view for days on end made one particular sight fascinating- where the dark water of the Rio Negro meets the brown water of Rio Solimões just below Manaus to form a distinct line. It is incredible.

The final boat left from Manaus, Brazil, which I was surprised to find is a large vibrant city. I highly recommend staying here a few days to enjoy the food, the nightlife, the sights, and the music. Most impressive was the Grand Opera House, it was so extravagant and beautiful it could have been in Paris.

I was overjoyed to arrive in Belem. The journey was mentally and physically exhausting. But, if you can remind yourself of where you are and what your experiencing it is really a once in a lifetime adventure and one I wouldn’t trade for the world.

No Privacy on these Boats

Blog kindly written by my cousin Andrea Lane who inherited the same travel genes I got.

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Great Barcelona Architecture

My husband and I often travel in September after our kids are back in college and the mayhem of our summer winds down. In 2009, in celebration of Bob’s 50th,  we decided to visit Barcelona. We spent 6 nights in Barcelona and will definitely return. From the perspective of an architect/landscape architect, which is how I view the world, Barcelona is one of the most magical and aesthetically pleasing cities I’ve visited. Like most of Europe, it is a city for walking and walking we did. There is very good public transportation (buses, subway, taxis), and bikes can be rented easily, but in order to really see the city we walked.

Barcelona Architecture

Upon arrival we spent a few hours strolling along the famous pedestrian boulevard, La Rambla, where colorful and creative costumed street performers model for money and notoriety, with a backdrop of vendors selling their varied wares. Heading in the direction of the Mediterranean Sea gives you at once an open view to the beautiful expanse of reflective water, and an eyeful of architectural history as you see buildings from the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

Parks and buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi were a big draw for us so we spent many days visiting Park Guëll - a public park containing amazing structures, sculptures and water features all tiled in mosaics of fantastical designs and patterns; Sagrada Familia – the most impressive structure in all of Barcelona, is the imposing “new” cathedral still under construction after 128 years, but open for touring – be sure to take the audio tour to learn of hidden treasures and meanings; Casa Botella – a private residence designed inside and out with curvilinear windows, arched ceilings, and decorative mosaics throughout; and La Pedrera – an apartment building turned office located on the second major artery called Passeig de Gracia – audio tour a must here, too.

Other architectural gems and museums we visited include Palau de Musica. We  toured the building and saw a show – incredible to be in this beautiful space when it’s alive with sound. I nearly had my camera confiscated as I surreptitiously (I thought) snuck some snapshots of the stained glass ceiling! You’ve never seen anything like it. The Picasso Museum houses the largest collection of his works and is arranged in a timeline. Though I studied his work in college, this was the easiest way to truly see his talent and how it grew and changed over the years. The Barcelona Cathedral was under construction when we visited, though the areas we were allowed to visit were beautiful and gothic in design with exquisite wood carvings and murals on many of the walls and ceilings. If you plan to visit many of the sites I have mentioned you may wish to purchase the Art Ticket at your first stop. It will save you money and you’ll avoid the long ticket and entrance lines.

Spanish Paella

If you’re a foodie like me, then visit Mercat de Sant Josep – La Boqueria off La Rambla – the city’s major open air food market. Really a must-see, lovely, but always crowded! And speaking of food, the touristy restaurants serve tapas, tapas, tapas – small dishes of local treats such as goat cheese stuffed figs and dried tomato with melon, along with personal pizzas and tasty vegetable dishes. Potato frittatas are also a favorite, and wash down well with local beer. Tapas 24 was a wonderfully lively restaurant located just off Passeig de Gracia and near both La Pedrera and Casa Botella. The best selections and freshest food we had anywhere, and served to us by a young woman, Marie, who we met in a bar the night before! In addition, and worth the walk, are many restaurants near the water serving the delicious local specialty of seafood - Paella.

Lastly, I highly recommend treating yourself to a morning or afternoon at the Arabic Baths . You will not regret this time of pure relaxation. We had the most magical experience in this spa designed from an ancient aqueduct that runs beneath the city. It was clean, beautiful, pampering and gorgeous. In a grotto-like setting you can have a massage or just soak your weary bodies in cold, warm and hot baths all lit by candle light. Like I said, magical!

Written by guest blogger, Sandy Clinton, my amazing landscape architect and foodie friend. Do check out her portfolio!

Amazing Barcelona Architecture

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What do Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela, Theoderic, and Al-Harawi have in common? These men each made a religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem within a twenty year period around 1173, keeping journals which survive in part to this day. All three wrote eloquently about the buildings and monuments, met with the people of their Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths, and acknowledged the Holy City as being home to many faiths.

These same impressions await the modern traveler, whether their main purpose is religious, historical, cultural, or just plain curiosity. My own journey was a Christian pilgrimage I organized for my church, as well as a chance to meet with Palestinian Christians in their churches. The “living stones” of Christ, Palestinian Christians have dwindled from 20-30% of the population from the third through the 19th centuries to barely under 1 ½ percent now.

Our itinerary was planned for a group of about twenty ranging in age from 20-somethings to active 70-somethings. I based it on my own two previous journeys plus the advice of our guide, Iyad Qumri, a warm and deeply knowledgeable Palestinian Christian from Jerusalem. I commend this trip to anyone, of any or no faith, who wants to learn more about the religious center of the world, and why it continues to have such an impact on history and politics. Here is an abbreviated version of our itinerary, followed by contacts.

The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

• DAY ONE:
  ARRIVE TEL AVIV / TRANSFER TO JERUSALEM 
  Walk to Damascus Gate
• DAY TWO
  MT. SCOPUS / MT. OF OLIVE’S / CITY OF DAVID /
  ISRAEL MUSEUM
• DAY THREE   WESTERN WALL / DOME OF THE ROCK / POOLS OF BETHESDA / TAYBEH (The only all-Christian town left and home to Taybeh beer factory, the only beer factory in the Middle East.)
• DAY FOUR   EIN KEREM / SHEPHERD’S FIELD / PEACE CENTER / BETHLEHEM
• DAY FIVE   RAMALLAH / SABEEL / CHURCH OF THE HOLY
  SEPULCHER. GUEST SPEAKER ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, AN ISRAELI PERSPECTIVE
• DAY SIX   RAMLA / NAZARETH
• DAY SEVEN  MT. OF BEATITUDES / CAPERNAUM / TABGHA/BOATRIDE ON THE SEA OF GALILEE
• DAY EIGHT  SHEFA-AMR / SEPPHORIS
• DAY NINE  MT. TABOR / NAIN / JERICHO
• DAY TEN  BETHPHAGE /MT. OF OLIVES GEHTSAMANE / STATIONS OF THE CROSS

• DAY ELEVEN STATIONS OF THE CROSS / EMMAUS 

Other Information

Food

Middle Eastern food is so savory and delicious I almost didn’t miss my home favorite, Mexican. Breakfast buffets typically include rich coffee, scrambled or hard boiled eggs, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, oranges, olives, breads, humus, a dishes of spices like za’tar. Lunch and dinner included some of the above and added a sumptuous main dish such as Ma’lube, made with various meats and vegetables. It is characterized by cooking the rice on top of the other ingredients and then serving with a flourish by tipping the deep-dished pan upside down to form a tower of rice and savory veggies.

Safety

We felt warmly welcomed by everyone in this mix of cultures. There were some difficulties traveling in an occupied country, but we felt safe the entire trip.
After the main trip, half of us took the public bus down to Egypt to spend time at St. Katherine’s Monastery by Mt. Sinai. I have included contact information for this portion.

Contacts

Iyad Qumri, Licensed Tour Guide
St. George’s College
P.O.Box 1248 Jerusalem 91000
E.Mail: isqumri@bezeqint.net
Home: 972+2+5851210
Cell : 972+505-216280
Fax : 972+2+6569047

Ali Qleibo – anthropology professor at Al Quds University, author of several books including Jerusalem in the Heart and Before the Mountains Disappear

Saint George’s College
Tel: ++972-2-6283302 Fax: ++972-2-6282253
Egypt: Dr. Rabia, Abanoub Travel ‘abanoubt@menanet.net’

Karen Telleen-Lawton graduated in engineering from Stanford University and economics and environmental policy from University of Colorado. After a few entrepreneurial ventures and teaching economics, she began writing. Telleen-Lawton publishes articles on environmental, economics and financial planning, travel, and social justice in regional and national publications including Family Fun, Westways, Santa Barbara Seasons, and alumni magazines including Stanford, UCSB, Purdue, and University of Richmond. Her first book, Canyon Voices – the Nature of Rattlesnake Canyon, is available through Amazon.

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Grand Canyon, Arizona

I love Arizona although my reason for moving to Phoenix in 1973 had nothing to do with its wonderful weather, fabulous natural beauty or then-affordable housing.  I came to Arizona when a dear Auntie became ill…and then I discovered why the rest of the country had Arizona at the top of their must-see list.

 If you are biking, hiking or touring by car, you should know that Arizona lands are controlled in different ways and, depending on the trust, fees and rules of use vary.  Only 15% of Arizona’s land is privately owned!  The remaining area is public forest (federal), park and state trust land (state) and Native American reservations. 

 At the state level, there were many parks throughout the state but things have changed dramatically.  The financial devastation of the last few years hit Arizona hard.  Besides suffering with one of the highest unemployment rates and one of the steepest drops in housing values, Arizona has a constitutional mandate for a balanced state budget and that means painful spending cuts. Budget cuts have devastated the Arizona State Parks funding which was $26 million in 2009 and is now down to $7.5 million.  I believe in fiscal responsibility but Oh My!  Initially, eight state parks were closed.  But on January 15 another 13 parks were slated to close by June 3, among them the Tombstone Courthouse, Yuma Territorial Prison and even the Lost Dutchman State Park.   We are now down to nine state parks!

So when you plan your itinerary, check the Arizona State Parks a website to be sure the park is available.  While the state hopes to reopen many of these parks, four of them will remain closed:  Jerome State Historic Park, McFarland State Historic Park, Oracle State Park and San Rafael State Natural Area.

 On the brighter side: 

Among the nine state parks to remain open is Kartchner Cavern in the southeast part of Arizona.  First discovered in 1974, this fabulous living limestone cave was kept secret to avoid contamination.  It was finally purchased as a State Park and opened to the public in 1988. As a ‘live’ cave, water continues to bubble from the surface and calcite formations continue to grow!  It’s amazing and you can read more about it online.

Whatever the financial distress of Arizona or the world at large, Arizona’s three National Parks remain:  Grand Canyon in the north and Petrified Forest and Saguaro in the south.  In addition, Arizona leads the country with sixteen National Monuments including Rainbow Bridge (northern border with Utah)  and Organ Pipe cactus forest (southern border with Mexico) . Beyond the many National Monuments, there are many, many scenic areas worthy of your visit including Apache Trail (on the way to Roosevelt Dam), Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona and Hoover Dam (also known as Boulder Dam) which is one of the seven modern engineering wonders.

Saguaros in Saguaro National Park

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There are some great online resources for planning.  Check out the Arizona guide which has links for everything from Outdoor Adventure to Spa Experiences.

 As for me, I am now a resident of Scottsdale and I know that whatever the financial storm in Arizona or throughout the country, Arizona sunshine and scenery remain.  I can always step outside my front door which borders Tonto National forest and see great saguaro cacti and sun, sun, sun.

Guest blog was kindly written by Sher Hurlburt, President and driving force behind Forob and my step mother!

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