Travel Reflections - Dartmouth, England 2002

In March of 2002, eleven years ago today in fact, friends Nicky and Paul got married in the spectacular seaside village of Dartmouth, England. Perched majestically above the village, The Britannia Royal Naval College, the site of the wedding, shimmered in the warm spring sun that Easter weekend.

I find myself thinking of this weekend often and the memories feel as fresh today as if it was last year. The ceremony was beautifully done and the reception was the perfect mix of class, elegance, and warmth.  But it was the way in which Nicky and Paul folded their friends into every aspect of the weekend that made it such an extraordinary time.  Rather than feeling like just a guest, we were made to feel like family.

Much laughter took place that long weekend and the memories have stayed close to my heart all these years and are revisited often. Being guests at the Speat house in Torquay our first night in England, where Nicky’s parents hosted about a dozen of us; taking the small ferry across to Dartmouth; playing miniature golf with the guys while the girls got ready for the big day; hours spent in the pub the night before the wedding; meandering the cobbled streets of Dartmouth popping into shops, the wedding speeches; cutting of the cake with the ceremonial sword; drinks and dancing at the reception; long lazy brunch in the pub the morning after drinking pints, reading the paper, and reminiscing about the antics from the wedding; chilly afternoon walk to the 600 year old Dartmouth Castle; warming up at Paul’s parents house to watch the wedding video; and topping off the weekend with a meal at a local Italian restaurant.

Life has changed for all of us the past eleven years, but I have a feeling that if we were to do it all over again, we would find not much time has passed at all.

Happy Anniversary to one of my favorite couples!

Picture of the Moment - Coronado Bridge, San Diego

Morning run in Coronado

Picture of the Moment - Diamond Head, HI

View from Waikiki Beach in Oahu

Travel Reflections - Hogmanay 2001

View of Edinburgh from Carlton Hill by day

It took a great amount of willpower to leave the warmth of the crackling fire behind with our empty pints at The Ensign Ewart pub. Spilling out of the pub onto the Royal Mile, we are hit at once with a chill that worms its way expertly underneath our winter coats and gloves and seeps into our bones. Pausing briefly, we take a deep breath and join the throngs of people clogging the street for the start of the “river of fire”.

It is 2001 and the first night of the 3-day Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival.  Scottish for the last day of the year, Hogmanay is also the Scottish celebration of the New Year. For over twenty years, Edinburgh has hosted one of the biggest Hogmanay festivals in Scotland attracting upwards of 100,000 people. The festival starts with the Torchlight Procession on December 29^th and ends with a concert in the park on December 31^st.

Five of us took the train up from London to experience New Year’s Eve, Scottish style. Uncertain about what to expect during the festival, we decide to partake in the Torchlight Procession that very evening. We had tucked into a pub after exploring Edinburgh Castle many hours ago and were now ready to face the dark wintry night.

Photo courtesy of bbc.co.uk

Picture of the Moment - Dog Beach in San Diego

Winter Day at Ocean Beach Dog Beach

Travel Reflections - Clone House, Ireland 2000

As we begin a fresh year full of hope and possibility, I find myself reflecting on the past twelve years and the adventures that have been had. Traveling has been such an enormous part of my life that I am hard pressed to find memories that aren’t tangled deep in the fibers of travel.  In times of celebration and in times of heartache, traveling is the one constant that has kept me afloat, rejuvenated my soul, and given me the strength to tackle the many shades of life. As with life, my relationship with traveling is fluid and ever-changing. And, for that, I am forever grateful.

The past few weeks, I have found myself silently reminiscing about various journeys and unforgettable moments in time of years gone by and thought I would put these memories to paper, so to speak.

The task of filtering through twelve years of travel memories is daunting to be sure, but I would be lying if I didn’t say it was also an immensely enjoyable assignment. Over the next several weeks, I’ll work my way through the last twelve years, starting with the year 2000. I am sure there are many gems that I have overlooked, so be sure to remind me of any that I may have missed along the way!

2000 – Clone House, Ireland

The bluish white candle flames danced seductively with the wind that seeped through the 19^th century dining room windows of the rural Irish manor house. Laughter roared across the Christmas adorned farmhouse table where we were devouring a Sicilian-influenced, locally sourced feast, with our Italian hosts and newfound friends. The scorched earthy aroma of the peat fire laced with hints of garlic cloaked the room like a smoky savory blanket.

Picture of the Moment - Portland, OR

Portland by night

Picture of the Moment - San Diego Tidepools

Cabrillo National Monument Tidepools

Picture of the Moment - Foggy San Diego

University Heights Park

Favorite Moments - Bogota, Colombia

 

Life has been a whirlwind of activities and somehow the summer and most of autumn slipped away without any blog posts. Travel and adventures have been plentiful during this time, so there is much to share!

Though I am woefully late on writing about Colombia, I have been itching to give you a taste of what the country is all about.

Oh Colombia, how you won me over with your kind and generous spirit. Each day brought a new-found appreciation for this region of the world and the friendly genuine people we encountered.  With so many memorable moments, I will attempt to do the trip justice. Here are my favorite moments from the first destination, Bogota.

Bogota By Bike

 

Perched 8,600 feet above sea level on a plateau in the Andes Mountains, the sprawling capital city of Colombia is home to approximately 7 million people. With many neighborhoods to choose from, we decided to make our home in the historic neighborhood of La Candelaria.  

Colombia Teasers

Sadly, my trip to Colombia has come and gone. I have so much to tell you about the beautiful people and sights from this trip. Here are a few teasers to tide you over while I scribble away.

Old Town - Cartagena

Las Nieves Market - Bogota

Coffee country - Manizales

Colombia or Bust!

You’re going where?  You mean as in Colombia, the country? Is it safe? Don’t they kidnap foreigners?

These are just a few of the questions that people have asked since I announced the destination of my spring trip. Yes, indeed. I am heading to Colombia…the country.

Even five years ago, the thought of traveling to Colombia wasn’t up for consideration given the extreme violence and corruption that had wrapped itself around the core of the country. But big changes have taken place in recent years making travel safe again. And it doesn’t hurt that the United States finally lifted their travel warnings last year to match what England and others had done at least two years ago.

Colombia is hard at work repairing their tarnished image. Colombia Travel Blog created this insightful poster showcasing some of the misconceptions people have of Colombia and highlighting the reality of Colombia today.

The murmurings have been getting louder and I can feel the “must visit Colombia” momentum building right before my eyes. Last month, I was excited to see my first Colombia travel advertisement in my National Geographic Traveler magazine describing the beauty of both the people and the countryside. I think it will just be a matter of time before people start flocking to Colombia to see what the fuss is all about. 

So here I am, ready to see how the country stands up to its new reputation! Stay tuned for stories when I return

Picture of the Moment - Seattle, WA

Glorious Green Lake

Dune Bashing in Dubai, UAE

Dubai certainly lives up to its ostentatious extravagant reputation.  Amidst the glittering luxurious world-class hotels, malls complete with indoor skiing, artificial islands in the shape of palm trees floating in the sparkling waters of the Persian Gulf, and towering skyscrapers that loom over the bustling city, one can easily forget that they are in fact in the desert.  And not just any desert, the Arabian Desert.

When you tire from shopping and frolicking on the beach, head out of town to explore the vast desolate beauty of the desert. A fantastic way to experience the desert is to go dune bashing. Dune bashing, essentially is riding the hills of the sand dunes in a four-wheel vehicle such as a Toyota Land Cruiser.  Tire pressure is reduced before you get started to gain more traction on the sand.

Flying up the sand dunes at what felt like ridiculous speed, with thumping Arabic music pouring out of the driver’s stereo, was without a doubt, an exhilarating ride.

Timed to perfection to absorb uninterrupted views of one of the finest sunsets I have seen, this excursion was the highlight of my Dubai adventure.

Pictures of the Moment - Temecula, CA

Temecula Valley Wine Country

Quirky Quinta da Regaleira - Sintra, Portugal

After an exhilarating day climbing mountains, to reach the fanciful Pena Palace and the ruins of the 1,000 year old Moorish castle, both perched high on the hills overlooking the town of Sintra, I stumbled upon another unexpected delight.  As I neared the bottom of the hill on my walk back into town, I noticed signage for Quinta da Regaleira, a turn of the 20^th century palace that is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The brief description in my guidebook sold me with promises of caves and other enchanted goodies scattered across its extensive grounds. So without a moment’s hesitation, I set off in that direction.

The predominately neo-Manueline mansion was built by an Italian opera-set designer and is layered with a fusion of several other architectural styles giving it a whimsical look. The mansion itself is worth touring, but it’s the grounds of the property that beg to be explored. Armed with a map written entirely in Portuguese, I did my best to decipher what sites lurked along the meandering footpaths in the nine acre parkland built into the hillside.

Picture of the Moment - Irish Dreamin'

Slea Head, Ireland

Picture of the Moment - Palm Springs

Falls Martini - Palm Springs, California

The Wonders of Portuguese Tile

Portuguese tile!

I have to tell you, I am just a little bit obsessed with Portuguese tile. I haven’t stopped talking about it since I returned from my trip. Mention of this surprising architectural detail was strangely absent from my research. So imagine my surprise when I encountered the sea of tile my first morning walking the streets of Lisbon. Tile baths the exterior walls of buildings and churches and brings the streets to life with a splash of unexpected color. Then, the tile spills into the interior of said buildings and covers the walls, floors and ceilings. I even encountered the spectacular tile work at the train station!

Origins of the Portuguese painted ceramic tile work, also known as Azulejo, which means polished stone in Arabic, date back to the 15th century and is still an art that is practiced today. The extensive use of tile in the Portuguese culture serves a functional purpose as well as one of ornamental beauty. The tiles, when used to cover large exterior surfaces, were also found to be a great way to control the temperature of the structure that they adorn.

Because the tiles really need to be seen to be appreciated, here is a rather large sample of what I encountered on my travels in December. You’re welcome!

Doors of Lisbon

Chapel of Bones - Evora, Portugal

Where are you going in such a hurry traveler?

Stop … do not proceed;

You have no greater concern,

Than this one: that on which you focus your sight.

Recall how many have passed from this world,

Reflect on your similar end,

There is good reason to reflect

If only all did the same.

Ponder, you so influenced by fate,

Among all the many concerns of the world,

So little do you reflect on death;

If by chance you glance at this place,

Stop … for the sake of your journey,

The more you pause, the further on your journey you will be.

by Father António da Ascenção (translation by Fr. Carlos A. Martins, CC)

My travels to Evora, Portugal last month were inspired by an entry in my page-a-day calendar, which highlights travel destinations. Throughout the year, I stockpile items of interest and use them as an added dose of inspiration when I am in travel planning mode. I was delighted to discover that Evora’s close proximity to Lisbon warranted a place on my agenda.

Portugal Teasers

My how quickly time passes. My fantastic excursion to Portugal was over before I knew it. I have oodles of pictures and stories to share with you. Here's a sneak peek of what's to come!

Lisbon

View from Belém Tower

City view looking towards the Alfam

Monastery of Jerónimos

Sintra

Pena Palace

Grounds of Quinta de Regaleira  

Moorish Castle

Evora

Chapel of Bones

Roman Temple

Evora street