this adventurous life

Paris - Part 3 (The Louvre and New Years in Paris)

2012-02-13T11:42:00.000-06:00

We may have drawn out the blogging of our week in Paris a little too long. The city is just such an alive and electric place that each day seems like 3 when we look back. It is been hard to cut anything out when retelling the story. We really did save the best of Paris for the end of our trip. The best museum(The Louvre), the best meal(Le Grapillon on NYE) and best experience(running around the city drinking champagne at midnight).

The Louvre has two entrances(that I know of), the main outdoor entrance at the famous(infamous?) glass pyramid and this back entrance at the inverted but equally impressive glass pyramid. I recommend this one because of the dramatically shorter line and protection from the rain.

Some of the art at the Louvre is more impressive than I could have imagined(e.g. "Winged Victory", "Liberty Leading the People" ) Others like the Mona Lisa above, are a bit disappointing. As if being tiny, far away and behind bullet proof glass wasn't bad enough, there is a constant crowd of people straining to get the same bad photograph.

In complete contrast, "The Astronomer" one of Vermeer's 34 known paintings in the world was unprotected and ignored in the corner of a side room.

The aforementioned "pyramid entrance" with ever-present long and winding line.

Outside of Restaurant le Grappillon. Site of one of the best meals of my life. For new years eve we ate there with our friends EF and MF sharing a fabulous and very french meal of foie gras, scallops, escargot, oysters, lobster and more.

Walking through the courtyard of the Louvre at night on our way to celebrate new years was a beautiful and unexpected experience.

The Louvre and its pyramids in all their surreal, city of light glory.

A little early in the night to be our official new years eve kiss but the dramatic setting will live on in our memories.

Walking through Parisian crowds on NYE towards the Eiffel Tower for midnight champagne. The energy of Paris at night was infectious.

This moment has inspired us to try to celebrate New Years Eve on every continent(So far we have N America, Africa and now Europe)

The next morning we woke up and flew on to Rome to continue our whirlwind tour of some Europe's most famous sites. Blog posts of this, our more recent trip to Jamaica and upcoming road trip/dogsledding in Scandinavia are on their way soon!

Paris - Part 2(Bicycles, Eiffel and Montmartre)

2012-01-21T15:44:00.000-06:00

Trying to see two of the worlds great cities in 9 days is a Herculean task, but we gave it our best shot last month travelling to Paris and Rome. During the middle few days in Paris we dragged our friends EF and MF on a whirlwind tour. Ignoring dreary rain and chilly temperatures, we biked, walked, ate and drank our way around town at breakneck speed.

We probably were not supposed to be taking our rental bikes on this stone walk along the banks of the Seine, but it made for a memorable if a bit bumpy morning.

A view from the windows of the Musee D'Orsay looking out onto the Louvre. It really is worth getting up early to get to these museums before the crowds, the people of Paris are not early risers which may be related to Parisian restaurants not even opening their doors until 8pm.

Arc de Triomphe. This arch sits at the end of the "times-squarified" Champs-Elysees and got me wondering why Europeans seem to think is a good idea to turn great historical monuments into traffic circles.

We loved the Montmartre neihborhood, it is everything Champs-Elysees is not...mostly, it still feels culturally Parisian.

Montmartre is dominated by the Sacre-Coeur Basilica at the top of the hill.

Sacre-Coeur holds a commanding view over Paris.

French wine (which is definitely better in France) combined with decadent French food and the Paris cafe culture makes for relaxing days filled with little luxuries...not a bad way to live.

The Eiffel Tower: Iconic enough to draw a massive crowd even on a cold and rainy Wednesday in the middle of winter.

I have heard it said that since pictures of every square inch of the planet are available in a few mouse clicks, that we have lost some of the purpose and thrill of travel. However, in my mind there is nothing that can take the place of standing in the fog looking up at this beautiful tower. If you have ever really traveled, to places far away, and seen things of unimaginable magnitude and stunning beauty, then you know it doesn't matter how large your LCD screen is, there is no substitute for the experience of travel.

Bonjour!

2011-12-27T16:53:00.002-06:00

Paris-Day 1

After an overnight flight with minimal sleep, on our foggy first morning, it was determined that against our better judgement and the advice of our driver we will be riding these tomorrow on the crazy streets of Paris.

Le Marais, location of our rental flat. Older of the neighborhoods of Paris.

First time in Paris!

Notre Dame looming in the fog.

Two coffee stops later, our food consumption included the longest hot dog and cheese baguette we had ever seen. Our friend is a great sport!

Our lack of sleep left us delirious and made the day seem very dream-like.
Notre Dame

Stained glass viewed from the interior of the cathedral.

French Cuisine
I'm in love!
Our table experienced steak tar tar, duck confit, roasted duck breast, and pan seared pork with mustard seed seasoning (above plate). Throw in a great bottle of Bordeaux and chocolate cake to call it a successful night.

Le Marais in the evening. "Our Home in Paris" (rental company) has really impressed us with our flat, driver, and concierge. We didn't plan anything on our travel day, yet found Paris to be very walkable and easy to navigate making it easy to accomplish so much on our first day.

Photography

2011-12-06T21:30:00.000-06:00

It is camera upgrade season in our household. With multiple new contraptions arriving, I am inspired to think about some of my most favorite captured moments. Some of the photographs I take carry sentimental meaning, some are (frankly) tough shots I'm proud of, and some are great surprises. Since there are too many to include in one post, I will stick to a gallery posting of "strength in subjects." You will get my drift, I hope. Here are some of my favorites (minus a few I snapped in Cuzco, Peru that may or may not be included in Cayle's upcoming post).

Try shooting out of the window of a moving matatu while also attempting to hide your camera. It's not easy, but not as hard as pulling all of that produce. I like that the trailer has a vibrating look to it, appropriate for the location and the action taking place.

The camera is held down at my side as if it isn't on, my thumb resting the button. They are looking up at our faces. Beautiful, enduring children.

A solitary Acacia, winding and well trodden path, ray of light casting onto a Sub-Saharan plain and vast horizon... interpretations and representations are all too many to list. I cherish moments while traveling where at an exact moment in time you know you are right where you should be. There is unparalleled strength in such a feeling.

An icon of Mayan civilization, Temple of Kukulkan, Chichen Itza circa 2008. On the spring and summer equinox, shadows are casted revealing a serpent's body down the staircase. If visited now, the pyramid is fenced off and the land is quite barren.

Whatever camera I had in 2007 (Kodak maybe?), I can't fault it much because it gave me this.

On one very hot, very sunny day I fought to ignore the chorus of "Jump Around" repeating in my mind while trying to absorb the cultural significance of a tribe's deep tradition.

A great blue heron looking dignified. What I like most about this photo is the trifecta of landscapes ranging from the foreground and into the farthest distance with the green vegetation contrasting the detail of the bird.

If only this llama new it was so hip! The "greenest" way to mow your lawn. And the Andes, oh the Andes. Is there a better mountain range? P.S. it really was that green.

A moss covered Buddha surrounded by the tallest and brightest colored bamboo I have ever seen. Allerton Garden, Kauai, Hawaii.

What I love about this photo (other than the man in it), was a complete accident. A raindrop hit the lens of our waterproof digital right before I took this photo creating a motion effect at the rear of the kayak. How speedy Cayle looks!

A director's chair. How many amazing people have sat in it taking in a view of the Ugandan hillside? Or, should the emptiness of this director's chair be a metaphor for the political leadership of a country?

Some detail is lost in the highlights of the petals, but I still love the reflection of the waterlilly.

Another iPhone shot, which is forever the lock screen on my phone. We can't get enough of our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and are very lucky he is so welcomed and loved by his grandparents while we travel.

Can't wait for our new cameras to come in! We have some major photography candy coming up finishing 2011 in Paris and starting 2012 off in Rome.

What about a photograph of yours qualifies it as one of your favorites?

A Walk in the Gorge - Eagle Creek Trail, Oregon

2011-11-12T17:31:00.000-06:00

Some places just feel comfortable, like home, even if you've just arrived. We recently returned from a week in Portland and the Willamette Valley. This being our first trip to the Pacific Northwest, we were not quite sure what to expect; we imagined constant rain, coffee snobs and hipsters sporting their skinny jeans and ironic t-shirts. While some of that does make an appearance here, the impression we were left with was that of nature at its most beautiful and people at there most unique and creative...pretty impressive.

We spent one morning escaping the city for a hike in the Columbia River Gorge, only 45 minutes from downtown Portland. We walked the Eagle Creek trail up to the high bridge and back(about 8 miles round trip).

The Columbia River Gorge has all the charm of moss, ferns and lichen...which is to say, a lot of charm.

Morning light through the tree's flowing off the north slope of Mount Hood

What is a hike without a beautiful spot where you could potentially fall off the mountain. Tracy is posing next to just such a treacherous drop-off.

The beautiful and semi-famous Punchbowl Falls. I am pretty sure that some people jump in from the top of this 75 foot cliff...I am not one of those people.

Little green ferns, lots and lots of little green ferns!

Thanks to impressive engineering and aggressive use of dynamite by Italian engineers in 1910, this hike maintains a gentle grade through the jagged valley making it a world class walking trail.

The view looking up Eagle Creek, taken from the bridge shown above.

Loowit Falls(I think) makes me wonder how much more impressive these falls are in the rainy season.

We passed many friendly people and their many friendly dogs while walking Eagle Creek Trail. It was such a pleasant surprise to see dogs welcome in a state park, the Midwest is such a pet un-friendly place!

In just 45 minutes we made it from downtown Portland(a city with over 2 million people in the metro area) to a gorgeous trail in a famous wilderness area...and if we had driven 90 minutes in the other direction we would have been on the Pacific coast. Not a bad little corner of the country.

Boston baby!

2011-11-01T08:16:00.001-05:00

I'm a pretty lucky lady, especially when the hubs gives me packing instructions for a surprise 4 day vacation. Have you ever packed according to someone else's instructions without knowing where you are going or what you are doing? How about when the instructions say the weather will be between 55 and 80 degrees? It was a little crazy. The surprise continued until I reached security at the airport...so fun. Neither of us had ever been to Boston before. Cayle had a great time being responsible for my wonderment and planning an entire trip with daily itineraries written out on cards, which I received each morning. Surprise!

Boston is saturated with American history and significance. We spent a day taking it in. First stop (after spending time reading the news over coffee), the Freedom Trail. We followed the red line through the city experiencing amazing historical landmarks and taking in this fabulous New England city. We even had our first Lobster Rolls. Yum!

HEAT wave in Boston anyone? It was 90-95 degrees and stunningly beautiful.

Granary Burying Ground was one of the stops. This picture says it all. Celebration of life and everything that comes with it including the end. Beautiful and serene.

Granary is the resting place of some of American history's most notable figures including Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, Robert Treat Paine and James Otis.

The Old Corner Bookstore from 1828 and victim of modernization.

We spent a day strolling around Harvard Square having a splendid time shopping, eating, and reading. We also had the opportunity to visit an exhibit at Harvard's Museum of Natural History. These flowers were hand crafted out of glass by a father and son duo in the 19th century. Glass! The detail is phenomenal.

We spent another day touring through the Museum of Fine Art with an impressive efficiency. "Rembrandt, van Gogh, Gauguin, Monet, Renoir, ok moving on to the next wing." Cayle was really thoughtful planning out the trip knowing how much I would enjoy all of the items on our itinerary...

Including an evening of live music at the Middle East Club. Caroline Smith and The Good Night Sleeps were great! Caroline is a sweet Midwestern lady with such a unique vocal melody.

We loved Boston with its red brick infrastructure, great public transportation, and European feel. Such a wonderful mini vacation and romantic gesture by Cayle. So many tokens of happiness!

Deep in the Heart of Kenya

2011-10-26T16:39:00.000-05:00

Very few of us make the Journey to East Africa and fewer still leave the well worn tourist trails of Serengeti Safari's and Mt. Kilimanjaro. The majority of Africans still live well outside the view of the worlds eyes and sadly, unless great tragedy befalls the people of Africa, few of us think much about what life is like there. A couple of years ago I traveled to a remote area of western Kenya to work in a mobile medical clinic trying to give what little help I could to people who are all too used to fending entirely for themselves. I was fascinated by the world I found in this little corner of Modern African countryside. Here is my attempt to show a little from this trip and a small glimpse into these ordinary and extraordinary peoples lives.

Some of what I found was beautifully rural, and African, and everything I had hoped it would be.

Although still mostly a very rural, farming culture; Kenya is dotted with small cities rarely seen by western eyes. Downtown Bungoma is a place to behold. Dirty and hot; crowded with bikes, cars, buses and people. Overwhelming the senses and leaving me wanting to at once sit down and watch the city go by and also to quickly get as far away as possible.

As is the case with many little corners of the world, the markets are center of everyday life here. Very small, very smelly, dried fish...in case you were wondering what that is being sold on the tables.

Homes here are simple but often achingly beautiful. Behind this house you can see the friendly woman who cares so meticulously for this one room house. It is not easy to care for a property like this, I saw people both sweeping dirt lawns and cutting grass by hand.

Childhood in Africa is one of play and school balanced soundly by the hard work required of everyone for a family to survive here.

I found myself amazed at every turn by the ingenuity and hard work of the Kenyan people. I challenge any of you to find a better way to transport seven unstackable wooden chairs on a bicycle.

The children were infectiously happy and resilient.

The food is simple and bland(and entirely without protein). Seen here is the staple food of the region, Ugali(cornmeal) and Sakuma wiki(boiled greens). Occasionally a chicken or goat is slaughtered, however this constitutes something like the loss of a pet and daily food provider so is only for special occasions.

Is there a place in the world you can't buy a coke?

I was endlessly fascinated by the combination of old Africa and the modern west that was often combined, usually in awkwardly comical ways.

This boy, who I met while on a walk with one of my translators, was earning a living by paddling people across a river that had no bridge for miles in either direction. He seemed to be doing a brisk business on the day I visited. In case you are curious the fare was about 10 cents, making this one of the more profitable business models I saw(at least until the government builds a bridge).

Scenes like this reminded me that Africa is still a beautiful place, but often left me wondering if the western culture and technology that is being so rapidly adopted is actually improving any aspect of the peoples lives here.

Modern Kenya is wonderful and confusing. It's amazing people are struggling daily with extreme poverty, corrupt leaders, malnutrition and illness. They are living on the fringes of the modern world, living equally off of the land and off of the excess of the west. Spending time in Africa is an important step to understanding life in what is frequently called the third world and helps to remind us that in reality we all share the same world.

Outer Banks eco tour with Capt. Jess

2011-10-17T07:40:00.001-05:00

So, we are really behind. Hopefully we will have some time to post about three trips yet to appear on this site.

This summer we ventured over to the Outer Banks and Emerald Isle, NC. We took a full day tour with Capt. Jess and Crystal Coast Eco-Tours. He is an incredibly experienced Marine Biologist and choreographed our day with fun for everyone. We kind of felt like we were on a science field trip. It was fantastic! Our first stop was the Rachel Carson Reserve to visit with wild horses and for bird watching. We have now seen wild horses in two different countries this summer.

The natural beauty is just how I imagined the Outer Banks.

Capt. Jess led us on little explorations including shelling on this beach. Due to Hurricane Irene, the shelling was apparently the best Capt. Jess had ever seen. Incredibly large shells were everywhere.

Here is the Lucky Dog. This is the smooth riding tour boat, large enough for our crowd of six.

One of the islands we visited had jellyfish floating in masses near the beach. Capt. Jess assured us they wouldn't sting (even though their 1.5' diameter size was quite intimidating) and had us pick them up. This unfortunate one lost to the waves.

Next on the agenda, casting for fish! We learned how to cast out nets timed perfectly to intersect with schools of fish. This act takes some grace. Cayle almost fell over while getting tangled in his net on the first try. He really entertained our nephew! In the distance Capt. Jess is carrying a bucket of jellyfish to release them on the other side of the sandbar in an attempt to prevent their fates from mimicking that of the one above.

Last on the agenda was clamming, which means lightly raking the sand until you feel a clink (likely a clam) and digging for the clam. While the act of clamming for us as beginners took a bit of time, it was very rewarding to scavenge for our own food. What a blast! We ended up with a ton of clams, which made for a delightful dinner that evening.

We were very happy customers and feel like we have a new friend in Capt. Jess. Thank you, sir!
Crystal Coast Eco-Tours- a must if you are in this area.

Wine via bike Part I

2011-09-01T12:20:00.003-05:00

After being inspired by our friend's self-guided bike trip through Tuscany, we booked one closer to home. We toured with Wine Country Bikes, and THEY ARE AWESOME. Andy, our contact and a fellow Madison native, had us pegged from the beginning. Everyday was flawlessly planned thanks to him. We flew into SFO, spent a few nights in Napa, then met up at Wine Country bikes to start our adventure.

Our 4 day Sonoma Adventure Bike Tour was a blast. Our trip is broken down in this map starting and ending in Healdsburg. (Map from Wine Country Bikes) Highly recommend this tour and bicycling through wine country. Cyclists are very common in the area, and when you roll up to a fancy winery for a tasting in sweaty spandex clothing they will think nothing of it!

We like wine. A lot. What a fantastic way to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary.

We biked a total of 107-116 miles in four days averaging around 27 miles per day with optional side trips to wineries and up into the redwoods. All of our maps, guidance, and rented equipment was fantastic.

The end of Day 1 and beginning of Day 2 were pretty tough and reminded us that we don't really have "hills" in the midwest. We biked DOWN this road to the Pacific Ocean and Hwy 1, acutely aware of unmarked cattle guards. Right as we came out, there was a gentleman who turned in to go UP it. Crazy man!

Did I mention the hills? Three chevrons on the map and I'm-a-walkin'. Beautiful scenery ranged from rows of planted vines, redwoods, and misty ocean to a winding river.

What a guy! He clinked around carefully with as much wine as we could fit in that little bag (most of our wine is getting shipped when the weather cools down). Wine Country Bikes will pick up your wine purchases for you and move them to your next Inn along with your luggage. We didn't want to ask them to only pick up a few bottles, but you can when you tour with them. They are very willing to accommodate.

Sorry this is blurry (what happens when we give our camera to someone else). We stopped up at Armstrong Redwood Park. Why would anyone ever want to cut these beautiful trees down!

A nice hike through redwoods on day three to loosen up the legs.

Everything about this trip was different from our other trips. Truly a unique adventure to be had. We met so many sincerely nice people-locals and tourists. One bachelorette party even put their glasses down to cheer us on when they saw us chugging up a hill to the tasting room. How sweet it was. Everyone commented on how fun it would be to bike instead of drive their rental car. We agree!
Just don't get a CUI, cycling under the influence. 8-)

The Dingle Way - Walking Coastal Ireland in the Rain

2011-08-29T14:41:00.000-05:00

During my quick trip to Ireland last fall, there were a few things that I just had to see. At the top of the list was the Dingle Peninsula. With its picturesque coast line, ancient stone walls, quaint villages and sheep fields sloping towards the sea, it is the Ireland I imagined Ireland to be. Rarely do the quintessential landscapes of a country survive its modernization or westernization as well as the Dingle Peninsula has, making it one of the most special places in all the British Isles. Unfortunately but predictably it rained the entire time I was there, but that did not prevent me from walking one of the best sections of the Dingle Way trail with my camera. The resulting pictures are gray and green and very Irish.

My walk started in Ventry, one of many little villages seemingly transported from the past. No particular time in the past that I could tell, but certainly not the present.

As you can see, thanks to the rain, I was pretty much the only person walking one of the great walks of Europe that day.

In the fall, the famous green of Ireland is augmented by rich reds and browns.

Here I am after the trail meandered up from the ocean for a couple of miles.

A very wet and unique section of trail. I believe there are ancient stone walls in there that have been covered by a thousand years of peat and shrubbery.

Finally, I arrived back to the coastline and the beach had turned into cliffs and a storm was starting to push in from the Atlantic.

Here is one of those unmistakable Irish scenes on the Dingle Peninsula. Unless you mistake it for Scotland, I suppose that could be forgiven.

The newest structure in this photo is probably as old as the oldest structure in the United States.

Walking in this beautiful corner of Ireland, on a trail walked for literally thousands of years next to stone walls and stone buildings as old as the pyramids in Egypt was more than enough to make me forget about and even enjoy the torrential rain and cold Atlantic wind. We should all be so lucky.

Quilatoa Crater, Ecuador - Taking the Long Walk Around

2011-08-21T08:00:00.003-05:00

Tracy and I spent two weeks earlier this summer in Ecuador and after a relaxing week in the Galapagos Islands we headed for the Andes Mountains with our friends NI and BB. Before our big Cotopaxi peak climb(subject of a previous post), we needed to acclimate to the altitude. We spent a few days in the high sierra hiking to progressively higher elevations and our first big hike in this process was a circuit of the Quilatoa Crater(elevation 12841ft). This crater and lake is the top of a huge volcano and was formed when is last erupted around 1280 AD.

The trail travels along the crater ridge including the many ascents and descents of the peaks along the rim.

This 6 hour hike was great for training but certainly harder on the legs and lungs than anticipated.

Throughout the day the fog would occasionally pour in and fill the crater, creating an eerie but beautiful landscape.

For me at least, beautiful spots are always made a little more special if they are very hard to get to.

This fellow seemed to be rather enjoying his time by the lake despite the awkward contraption he was left holding.

When the sun peaked through a couple of times throughout the day we were able to get a few glimpses of the true stunning colors of the lake.

Here are the four of us at the highest point of the trail. Happy to have made the climb up and momentarily forgetting how painful a 2000ft descent can be.

We had to debate after the trip which of our three Andes Mountain hikes was the most strenuous. Each had their own unique challenge. Cotopaxi had a lot of ice and very little air(my vote for most strenuous). This Quilatoa hike had so many small, steep, quadriceps burning climbs that our legs never fully recovered the rest of the week. Our third hike was up the the peak of Volcán Rumiñahui...this terrifying adventure will be the subject of a future post.

Women Entrepreneurs and Socially responsible businesses in Kenya

2011-08-10T11:00:00.002-05:00

While we are celebrating our lovely anniversary adventure bicycling through vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties, we scheduled a unique type of adventure for you to read about from travels in Kenya. We'll be back soon with massive quads and good wine. Hope you enjoy this post!

One of the many great aspects about studying international public service management is traveling to places like Kenya, a land of extremes, and seeing the world through different lenses. I truly hold onto organizations and some of the people I have met that leave me hopeful of the goodness in the world. In this post, you will see a few organizations that should definitely be visited if you happen to be stopping in Nairobi. Such great products and opportunity are being created.

Kazuri is a ceramic goods factory and store that practices socially responsible business and advocates for different worthy causes in Africa. The factory employs hundreds of women providing a secure and enjoyable environment for producing beautiful jewelry and household goods sold around the world. The women employees are provided transportation from the informal communities where they reside to the Karen suburb, free childcare, health insurance, and fair wages for their work. I toured the factory in 2009 and have since encouraged a few friends to visit also.

Here are some of the women at work creating ceramic dish sets. Having a grandmother that is a ceramics artist still teaching classes at 84 years young, this experience really meant a lot to me. I wish she could have been there!

Here are hundreds of beads glazed and ready to be fired at very high temperatures, soon to be turned into beautiful jewelry.

Such as this necklace. You can purchase Kazuri pieces in the U.S. by visiting this website: Kazuri USA (Photo Credit: Kazuri Beads, LTD.)

I also highly recommend a trip to Kibera Paper. This is a small organization of women who pair up to turn recycled paper into beautiful, handmade greeting cards. They collect bags of shredded paper from businesses in Nairobi, turn it into pulp, and design unique images to display on the fronts of cards. This work helps them to earn a more sustainable living independent of other household incomes. Some of the women I talked with support their entire family including the costs of school for their children.

Based in Kibera, one of the largest slums in the world, Kibera Paper is easily accessible to the women from Kibera who work there. They were very informative teaching us their process and showing us a day in their life at work, which of course included tea time with cookies. Cayle used these cards as thank you notes sent to places he interviewed with.

Here are a few of us turning the paper into pulp. I could have spent weeks with these women!

Once the paper is pulped and dyed it is blocked and dried. All of the materials they use are recycled. Considering Kenya doesn't have a formal refuse system, there is much opportunity to "upcycle" materials.

Look at this pile of rubber and plastic trash! Most of this washed up on the shores of Kenya's beautiful Indian Ocean beaches. Unique-Eco collects this trash and turns it into amazing art, house ware, and jewelry. If you are in Karen, definitely stop by for a tour of the grounds and to talk with the women artists who consider their workplace a refuge from life in Kibera, where most of them reside.

Flip-flop, I was. Now I am a beautiful curtain. Definitely check out the items they have for sale here: Unique-Eco Shop. The Champali Mirror has my name on it!

Instead of cubicles or small shops, these women get to work on picnic blankets while watching their babies roll playfully in the grass. (In the foreground of the photo are pieces of material that for whatever reasons can't be used without degrading quality of product.)

This was soon to be a fun trivet made out of small pieces of flip flop strung on wire.

Before you travel somewhere, I recommend doing a thorough search of efforts to promote women entrepreneurs and socially responsible businesses. You will gain a different appreciation for culture, society, and the affects of globalization. Not to mention, you get a chance to support the handmade creations of artists right at the source.

A day in Galapagos life

2011-08-05T09:27:00.001-05:00

This was our ride. It transported us between the islands and bays and served its purpose. (We kept looking for all of the mini fridges stocked with beer, wine, and Pellegrino...but... we weren't on the Monte Carlo, sigh ; )
In the mornings we would hike and snorkel followed by afternoons of whatever we felt like. Apparently I fancy jumping from heights into water. This was quite the rush! You don't want to botch the landing from this height, just ask the jumper after me who should have gotten a trophy for most impressive bruising.

And, welcome to the circle of life. I always have a hard time with this concept. Here is a great blue heron snacking on an adorable baby sea turtle, one of our first island experiences.

Marine iguana, the world's only aquatic reptile. Salt crystalizes on the top of their heads. I believe they have nasal openings that excrete salt after they have been hunting and dining under water.

Charles Darwin said, "The black Lava rocks on the beach are frequented by large (2-3 ft), disgusting clumsy Lizards. They are as black as the porous rocks over which they crawl & seek their prey from the Sea. I call them 'imps of darkness'. They assuredly well become the land they inhabit."

A male frigate bird and his woman. We couldn't decide if this guy was cute for snuggling or a slime ball for distending his red gular sac known to attract females during mating season right in front of his lady.

Galapagos sea lions are quite photogenic. Being greatly playful and inquisitive they often sought out entertainment from us!

Where's Tracy?

Waved Albatross! Such large birds. Like I said in an earlier post, blue footed boobies were everywhere. It was hard to take photos of other wild life without having little blue feet sneak into the camera frame.

Sally lightfoot crabs were everywhere, and I felt the need to take a million photos of them. How could you not??

Galapagos penguins swam by our dinghy! We were so elated to see them because we knew there were only small populations dispersed amongst the islands. They are the only penguins in the wild which can be found north of the equator.

Lonesome George was quite the sight. He is the last surviving Pinta Tortoise. Here is a short article on him and his desire for a proper mate. Click here for article.

The Galapagos experience is one we will treasure. When we are 60 years old we will still be telling stories about how mom pulled dad away from swimming around baby sea lions when papa sea lion snuck up to defend his territory and about one of the many beach walks where dad was forced into playing "catch me if you can" with a baby sea lion who really wanted to chase him.
A great reward for living life to its fullest is banking outstanding memories, and luckily our's are spanning the world.

Cotopaxi - Climbing One of the Worlds Tallest Active Volcanoes

2011-07-30T08:00:00.008-05:00

Cotopaxi is the second tallest peak in Ecuador and one of the tallest active volcanoes anywhere at 19,344ft. This makes it 3 feet taller than Kilimanjaro in Africa(I hope you read our blog Sam, Dave and Marty - the ball's in your court now). After spending a fun and somewhat treacherous week doing smaller peak climbs around Ecuador's high sierra to acclimate to the elevation; Tracy, myself and our friends NI and BB were ready to tackle this iconic South American mountain:

2 days before the climb, Tracy and I are confidently standing on the high plateau already at almost 13,000ft. Although part of a major mountain range, Cotopaxi stands quite solitary as a perfect cone shaped volcano behind us.

This seriously must be the worlds toughest walk from the parking lot! The day before the summit attempt we hiked from the parking lot to the high camp to prepare, rest and acclimate to the elevation. It was straight up the mountain in loose volcanic sand, gaining over a thousand vertical feet of elevation and we were told that if we planned on climbing Cotopaxi than this hike should take us less than an hour. (the parking lot can be seen far below, straight behind us)

After arriving at the high camp, we immediately hiked even higher to the start of the glacier for our training session in ice climbing and self arrest. We learned to use crampons(the metal spikes strapped to our boots) and our ice axes. But most importantly we practiced self arrest which consists of stopping yourself from sliding down the glacier and off the mountain by using your ice axe.

Did I mention that our summit attempt started at 1am? Using headlamps for the first few hours we had the surreal experience of climbing a glacier in the black night. To answer your next question: The mountain is almost always climbed at night because of safer ice conditions in the cold morning air.

With the extreme elevation, it was hard to breath, hard think, and it took all of our strength and focus just to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Remembering to take photos was hard enough, but I barely had the energy to even get the camera out of my pocket. (most of the pictures were taken with down mittens on and some were over my shoulder without looking)

Sunrise created a perfect triangular shadow of Cotopaxi on the clouds far below.

Don't fall backwards! The self-arrest training was to prevent us from ending up in a crevasse or on the plateau 5000ft below.

I should learn to take panoramic pictures with our camera. Until then, you will just have to try to imagine this view on all sides as we struggled in the thinning mountain air.

Here is a short video of our actual climbing. The directing and cinematography is pretty poor but I think it gives a good feel for how grueling this 8 hour ascent was(Tracy says it was like 8 hours on a stairmaster while breathing into a paper bag)...the wind is a little too loud for you to hear my exhausted panting.

Although not considered a very technical glacier climb, there were several sections on Cotopaxi like this that required full on axe wielding, ice wall climbing

Bad-ass Dr. I and BB nearing the top. Just another surreal, amazing, breathtaking moment on their world adventure.

Happy, exhausted and thrilled that we all made it to the top. The crater of Cotopaxi is behind us...but don't worry there have been no major eruptions since 1904(or as our guide put it "it's due")

I have always wanted to climb a mountain like this and now Tracy and I proved we could do it...and that it is just as difficult and wonderful as I had always imagined.

Galapagos Islands- Blue Footed Boobies

2011-07-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

On a whim we decided to head over to the Galapagos Islands as a part of our Ecuador trip, and we are SO happy we did. We joined up on a tour that went to Baltra, Floreana, North Seymore, Santa Fe,Santa Cruz, and Espanola islands as well as Punta Suarez-Gardner Bay. I really had my heart set on watching blue footed boobies waddle around and wasn't disappointed. Some of the many highlights of this trip included experiencing the vibrant blue feet of these long-winged seabirds and the efforts put into their mating rituals.

Here is the first of many Galapagos posts for your viewing pleasure now that we are back on the blogging wagon.

First, the obligatory start picture where we are tired and unkept yet filled to the brim with excitement and anticipation. We were getting ready to board the dinghy and cruise over to our group's yacht.

It was mating season for blue footed boobies. There were "look at my sexy feet" dances going on everywhere. Queue Marvin Gaye and picture male birds tilting their heads back and up to the sky while lifting and stomping their feet in front of their women in hopes of mating persuasion. Oh wait, no need to exhaust your imagination. Check out our video:

This gentleman was really putting the moves on her.
Notice the difference in the birds' pupil sizes. Males have smaller pin-like pupils, and females have larger pupils.

Thank goodness for technological advances like photography because I can't imagine having to describe these birds and this color in a way that represents proximate reality. Darwin would have benefited from a digital SLR.

What quirky, unique beings. We hiked along maintained trails and often times had to step to the side to let a few waddling turquoise feet pass by. They are completely indifferent about humans. The only predators boobies have ever experienced are Galapagos hawks who hunt for their eggs.

Let's vote. Who thinks this should be Cayle's profile picture? It is a male after all.

We love making new friends while traveling and forcing them to pose for photos.

It was really amazing to experience these birds in all sorts of ways including: surfacing from snorkeling with sea lions only to see a huge flock of blue feet fly over head, gazing at cliffs while on the boat at the moment a blue footed booby dive bombs into the water for a fish, and cruising along between islands and catching them drafting behind our ride. Oh yes, they would have been disqualified last weekend for that move.

More Galapagos coming your way...

P.S. The good ole URL was just renewed, which confirms our lives will continue to go on adventurously. (Do you hear my "laugh at my own jokes" chuckle in the background?)

Why do I always take pictures of outdoor chairs?

2011-05-21T12:06:00.003-05:00

There is something about an empty outdoor chair. Like doors, dogs, sunsets, textures, quirky individuals... I'm always wanting to look at them more deeply, decipher their existence, and take a million photos of them. Especially in the traveling mindset, I wonder about all of the interesting and unique people who have sat in them before me. What is their story? Where are they now? So many rapid fire questions from an empty chair. These chairs are at the Sirena Ranger Station in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica. 2010

Specifically Adirondack chairs catch my attention. Popular in rural outdoor settings, it is easy to appreciate the use of local resources to make a natural yet graphic piece of furniture that you can sink into. Often times I want to remember the view from a comfy chair that made my accommodation a home away from home. This lovely chair is from our most recent stay at Shambala Petit Hotel in Tulum, Mexico. 2011

Sometimes I spend so much time in a specific outdoor seating area that it is necessary to capture it. For instance, sitting at these tables in Nairobi working on a research paper for school (and procrastinating with a good book...). 2009

I especially like the variation of wood work and designs. However, I don't recommend this design...somehow someone managed to make an Adirondack chair uncomfortable. I think it was the thin slats for the seat. Maybe why they threw cushions on two of the three?

Sitting on a back patio in Wisconsin can be so similar to the many other outdoor chairs we have sat in around the world.

A nice director's chair overlooking a valley in Uganda. 2010
You not only wonder about the people who share part of the chair's history with you but also about the surrounding environment, evolution (or in most cases devolution) of life, and discovery. There is just so much to think about, but I always circle back to the simple visual beauty. Now if only I could collect chairs from places I have been to sit around the fire pit at home. Come to think of it, I guess that would ruin the whole linked existence idea in the end...so the chairs live on!

If I were a chair I think I would resemble an Adirondack chair. Not painted, natural. Slightly worn around the edges but only because so many people are drawn to enjoy its comfort. I may add a twist though. If I really like the inhabiter I could magically produce their favorite drink for them to enjoy while they sit in it or on me. I'll stop here...

Sian Ka'an Bio-Reserve - A secret spot on the Riviera Maya

2011-05-05T07:54:00.009-05:00

Thousands(maybe millions?) of tourists travel to the Riviera Maya(the coast south of Cancun, Mexico) each year. It is an area with near perfect beaches and turquoise water which is clearly shown in our previous post. There are also a few very popular attractions such as the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza and Tulum along with some eco-themed attractions like Xel-Ha and Xcaret that offer snorkeling etc. All of this combined with all-inclusive resorts and the standard 1 week vacation means rarely do people venture to any of the lesser known and harder to get to areas such as Sian Ka'an. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a Bio-Reserve that includes Caribbean coral reefs, brackish lagoons, mangrove forests and more. Proving my point, it took us until our 5th trip to the Riviera Maya until we finally made it to Sian Ka'an.

The view looking into the Park from the top of the hotel/tour company we used for our kayaking tour. To the left is the Caribbean, beaches and reefs. To the right is the lagoons and mangrove forests that were the focus of this part of our trip.

The birds in Sian Ka'an were wonderful, by far the most omnipresent wildlife of the park.

The view from Tracy's kayak. I am immediately ahead and in front is Jorge our guide, who is affectionately known as Pirate. Unfortunately we failed to capture his impressive piercings in a photo.

The tour required kayaking for 7km often against the current, wind or both. Even so, we opted to each take our own kayak and were happy we did even though it was quite an upper body(and somehow lower body) workout.

The Great White Egret(Great White Heron), one of the largest and most impressive birds of the day.

A Frigatebird keeping an eye on me while drying in the Sun.

The picturesque little dock where we started and ended our kayaking. Sometimes, in the right setting, taking a good picture is as easy as walking up and clicking the shutter button.

Amazingly not sunburned after hours on the water in the direct sun. Thank you SPF 85 sunscreen!

Another gorgeous sunset, this one looking out over Sian Ka'an and the dock seen in the photo just above.

Tranquility in Tulum

2011-05-02T12:46:00.001-05:00

We have recently returned from our annual trip to the Riviera Maya, coast line on the Yucatan peninsula that extends south of Cancun to Belize. In 2005 we were married on a stunning beach in Playa del Carmen, and every year since we have ventured further south down the coast for peaceful vacationing. This year, we spent a few wonderful days on the south beach of Tulum at this gem. Allow me to introduce you to Shambala Petit Hotel. A small home away from home with simple decor, wonderful staff, prime real estate on a perfect beach between Tulum ruins and Si'an Kaan bio-reserve. Did I mention it is a yoga retreat? And that my husband loved staying at a yoga retreat? (Score 1 for Tracy!)

We stayed in the Krishna Casita. It was open air with a fan, king sized bed and cute little feet cleaning basin as a welcome mat. We shared a bathroom to save on cost, but I didn't see anyone else use it except for us. The sound of the ocean sings you sleep and believe it or not air conditioning wasn't necessary. The winds off of the ocean are quite strong in this area especially when the moon is fuller-creating a perfect sleeping environment under the thatched roofs of the casitas.

It was quite charming. This property is themed as eco-friendly with modern decor. The rooms are smaller and simple, but who spends a ton of time in their rooms anyways? Electrical outlets (as with electricity in general) are scarce. We found one in the corner of the yoga studio and felt it safe to charge our iPhones and camera batteries there. The entire resort is on sand-powdery, fine, cool sand. Here, you are to get away from it all and relax in nature. If you want over development then don't stay in Tulum (my advice to those who had negative reviews on tripadvisor).

Roberto, the owner, is very charming. He runs the hotel with a few assistants. It is a small operation. Roberto responded to my reservation emails promptly and was accommodating to our preferences. He usually requires payment in advance via bank transfer (I should have helped set him up with PayPal while I was there!), but I objected because of the $60 bank fee for international transfers from our credit union. "No problem! Can't wait to see you," he said. Upon arrival we were handed a little cooler filled with 2 water bottles and 2 beers.

I laid in one of these hammocks playing fetch with Goa, Roberto's yellow lab, while Cayle finished reading The Disappearing Spoon.

Private vinyasa yoga lesson. It's amazing what you learn and how different the positions feel when someone is watching and correcting you at all times. I could live in this single room yoga studio over looking the beach-yoga studio perfection!

The style and decor of the hotel is very balanced, even the color scheme. If you have ever wondered why orange is such a popular and well chosen color to add to the decor palette of turquoise water front properties, it is mainly because of orange's opposite position on the color wheel from that of the water color. Balance, indeed.

The sole flag flying victoriously on the beach. As I was describing the presence of this flag on our first night under the moonlight, Cayle thought I was saying "soul" flag. This led to some really nice discussions and laughs. It will forever be our "soul flag."

This landmark helps you know how much closer you are to the resort when you are running in the sand, sun, and heat and not sure if you can keep running all the way.

It might be the most picturesque flag we have ever seen. This photo embodies Tulum style at it's best. Now, let's just hope the boutique owners don't sell out to big resort chains- ever, and Tulum stays stuck in time just as it is.

Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica - Part II

2011-04-17T13:54:00.000-05:00

We spent a full day with our guide walking the trails around the Sirena ranger station looking for wildlife, learning about tropical plants and avoiding the many dangers of the tropical rainforest. One piece of advise, if you are ever on a trip where you hope to see animals, spend the money for a guide as they are invaluable. We were able to just relax and walk knowing that our guide would find and show us the interesting sights whether plant or animal. Some of the other travelers staying at the ranger station did not have a guide and spent a frustrating day trying to find much of anything in the thick jungle landscape.

A jungle stream...home of birds, crocodiles, monkeys and...

...tapirs! One of natures weirdest and ugliest creatures.

In Corcovado, even the trees can hurt you.

This little guy had a striking resemblance to a stuffed Woody the Woodpecker.

If you look hard you can see that this beautiful moth disguises itself as a snakes head.

So, while I was out for a little hike by myself that day, I walked over to the edge of a clearing to "relieve myself" and looked down to discover this fellow looking right back up at me...I quickly decided I could probably just hold it until I made it back to the ranger station.

The Tree Frog...the cutest of the frogs.

As exciting as it was to wander around and discover the hidden creatures of the rainforest, it was not always the most pleasant hiking environment.

After tiring of the ankle deep mud trails and relentless rain, Tracy retired to this veranda and spent the rest of the day watching animals and talking to friends protected from the sloppy mess of the jungle.

If you are thinking about Costa Rica and are up for an adventure, consider Corcovado National Park instead of(or in addition to) the usual Costa Rica tourist spots. This last little corner of primeval rainforest is well worth the trip. With all the rain we had during our hike in Corcovado, the River(shown in Part I) had become impassible by the time we were scheduled to hike out of the park. Because of this, we were forced to find an emergency exit out of the rainforest. This little adventure I will describe in a future post titled: "Escape from Corcovado"

Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica - Part I

2011-04-12T08:00:00.003-05:00

Corcovado is a national park on the Osa Peninsula in southwest Costa Rica. It is the largest and one of the last areas of primary growth rainforest remaining on the entire pacific coast of the America's. National Geographic has famously called it "the most biologically intense place on earth." On a traveler's first trip to Costa Rica, most choose the well warn tourist route to the north to see the cloud forest's and volcanoes. Tracy and I, although hoping to visit the north of Costa Rica someday, could not resist the allure of the less traveled, more demanding and biologically more diverse hike through Corcovado. Backpacking 9 miles through rain, mud, rivers and jungle made for a memorable if difficult first day.

The Hike begins with a couple miles of beach hiking. Corcovado National Park lies straight ahead in this picture. Shrouded in rain and mist it can only be described as foreboding.

It rained...a lot.

The rain was not Corcovado's only way of getting you very very wet. The river crossing's had no bridges, ropes or help of any kind, you just braced yourself against the current and hoped to not fall in and soak your pack full of clothes, tent, sleeping bag etc.

Even in the rain, along the main trail while hiking in to our camp, there was an astonishing array of animals to distract you from the 5 inches of mud you were hiking through. Pictured: A White-faced Capuchin.

Being a primary growth rain-forest means there were beautiful, giant and ancient tree's unlike any I have every seen.

Looking up at the tropical canopy above us.

Crossing the dangerous Rio Claro to get to Sirena ranger station. This is low tide, however with all the rain it was waist deep and fast. Some of the hikers who tried to cross later in the day were washed out to sea but thankfully survived. Our guide carried Tracy's pack across, which was fortunate because...well, she fell in. Unlike our French friends hiking with us, our packs miraculously were mostly dry when we arrived at camp.

Finally we arrived at the Sirena ranger station, our home for the next few days. We were ecstatic to see that we would have a roof to camp under and veranda to relax on. This was my kind of luxury camping.

We would spend the next couple of days hiking around the park taking pictures, spotting wildlife, and learning that plant's can be just as amazing as animals. All of this and more in Part II.

grassroots travel hit list

2011-04-09T01:43:00.005-05:00

New experiences and far away places are probably on most people's travel hit lists (a.k.a. bucket lists). I know I have a few stored away in the back of my mind. I was reading a really cute article in Verge magazine challenging its readers to create a list of meaningful travel experiences they'd like to have "before it is too late." The article had me contemplating my own grassroots travel hit list. It also led to a long moment of reflection allowing me to proudly and happily review all of the things I have already done and places I am lucky to have already seen, however incomplete the list actually is. As I am flipping through the pages of the article, I realize I have accomplished Verge's proposed grassroots travel bucket list! Here it is:

1. Volunteer to make a difference.

While the goal may be to make a difference in the lives of others, the biggest difference is made in the person doing the volunteering, who will forever be changed by the things they learn and people they meet. Nyeri, Kenya 2007- Here I am with a super great group of boys, who attended the school where I volunteered. My first trip to Kenya is still the biggest learning experience of my life.

2. Eat something your parents wouldn't.

Mbuzi nasty bits anyone? (goat, that is) I tried the liver, blood stuffed stomach lining, and sweet goat meat. All followed by very large swigs of an alcoholic beverage. Anthony Bourdain would be proud.

3. Sleep in a strange spot.

Being seat belted into the top bunk of a train riding from Nairobi to Mombasa.

Why is this strange you ask? It's not exactly a highly reputable mode of transportation. As seen here and in this list of common derailments. Apparently it is nicknamed the Lunatic Express. I've just learned this. My father-in-law has notably pointed out how many of the world's most dangerous modes of transportation I have travelled on.......and slept on.

4. Learn a new skill.

Surfing on the North Shore of Oahu. We were pretty good at it and even ended the afternoon doing tricks on our boards while riding the waves.

5. Get up close and personal with nature.

Akumal Bay, Mexico. This organization is doing preservation and development work to sustain the ecosystems marine life depend on. It is quite peaceful swimming around with these beautiful creatures. (Heading back in 10 days!)

6. Immerse yourself in another culture.

Swim.

Bike.

Run.
The world of endurance athletes is deserving of its own culture. I am immersing myself into it slowly by doing my first triathlon this summer in Door County, Wisconsin. So, you could say this is a combination of one part reflection and one part future challenge. I could have posted about the many tribes I have spent time with in Africa or the Incan descendants I have met in Peru, but the triathlon culture has been the toughest immersion challenge thus far. Brick workouts are rough!

7. Explore your spiritual side.

In the vastness and strength of the natural world is where I find my spirituality, my peace and sense of being.

Also, wine country = my Mecca? It truly felt like it! Photo taken in Napa Valley.

8. Visit a piece of history.

Machu Pichu, Peru
This 15th century Incan archeological site is the most well known icon of Incan heritage. The quality of craftsmanship and masonry work is unbelievable. Stones are so well carved and fitted together using a technique called ashlar that mortar isn't needed. One of the sayings is not even a strand of hair can fit between the stones. We hiked for 4 days on the Inca trail to reach Machu Pichu in 2008.

9. Speak another tongue.

My broken Swahili (and Spanish) need a lot of work, but I keep trying. Maybe French will stick?

My version of grassroots travel is when you study the guide books and then valiantly throw them out. Travel off the beaten path to places more authentic and/or under rated. Also, help to preserve history, culture, and ecosystems and if needed use a tour company that pays locals fair wages. Whatever your motivation, be sure to put value on the experience rather than the amount of stars something is rated.

Wild Wild West Part II

2011-04-02T13:19:00.000-05:00

On the second half of our trip out west we made sure to drive up to Utah and get another unique hike off of our queue. We drove into Springdale, a quintessential resort town filled with outfitters, great restaurants, shopping, and picturesque views from most accommodations. Our intention was to hike as much of the Narrows as we could given our limited time. Hiking the Narrows at Zion is ranked #5 in National Geographic's list of America's best 100 adventures. This section of the Colorado Plateau is a wondrous ode to nature. We started at the Riverside Walk Trail and made it up to "Wall Street". I must add, the only Wall Street for me will be seen below.

I highly recommend the following for this hike: walking stick, waterproof and close toed shoes, merino wool layers for quick dry and temperature controlling properties, and a sense of humor for when you slip and fall in front of a large group of "serious backpackers".

I couldn't tell you if hiking up or down river was better because you zig and zag across either way. Down river did seem faster, and by then you have your bearings moving more swiftly. This is a wider section of the Narrows still easily traversed and close in proximity to the section more traveled.

At this point you can get an idea of how "narrow" it is on average. It was quite tough to get the whole vertical panorama in one shot, especially on my waterproof cam (a.k.a. Spongebob due to it's little kids toy look).

There is something about our country's western landscape that breaths spirit into a person. This was truly one of our favorite vacations, and we didn't even have to use our passports.

For a sense of scale, that is me standing on a log hanging over the river. Walking through Zion's Wall Street you are uplifted by the fresh, crisp air and natural beauty. Unlike this Wall Street's bullying step-brother in New York that paints you with a thin layer of grime literally and metaphorically as soon as you step foot near it's presence.

Under the Eaves Bed and Breakfast

This is the other reason you come to Springdale and Zion, simply to experience the hospitality of this wonderfully ran establishment. The owners will make you feel like an old friend and better yet- the guests all felt like old friends as well! On our stay, we met a few truly kind hearted individuals from New Zealand who humored us with their interesting travel stories from around the world and love of New Zealand wine (Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is my all time favorite-Cloudy Bay is the way to my heart). The owners have a plethora of knowledge about the area, all of the trails, what to do when, etc. It's obvious their home isn't just this beautiful cottage but also the entire natural surrounding paradise.

When can we go back?

Why do I always take pictures of...Sunsets

2011-03-31T15:33:00.000-05:00

With the exception of recent man-made monstrosities such as times square, we live in a world of a few fairly ordinary colors and tones. In nature, the pallet is limited even further on most occasions. The biggest exception that I can think of is sunsets. A few minutes each evening if the atmosphere, sun and landscape combine just right, those missing vivid colors appear, lighting up the sky. On our travels Tracy and I have witnessed some truly unbelievable sunsets. The following are a few of my favorites, at least of the ones we managed to captured on camera. I tried not to enhance the photos or colors in the editing process, for the most part this is how each sunset really looked.

The inspiration for this post. Kalalau Beach, Kauai, Hawaii. The sunset after a major storm passed near by on our last night there.

Stone town, Zanzibar. Boys swimming off the coast of downtown.

French West Indies, Caribbean. This was before I bought a telephoto lens for my camera.

Our friend P did have a telephoto and captured this amazing moment during the above sunset.

Masai Mara, Kenya. Not your average sunset picture. Tracy captured this bizarre moment when the clouds seemed to catch fire from the bottom.

Bungoma, Kenya. This little city in Kenya is lacking just about any reason to visit but if you had to pick one, the sunsets would be near the top of the list. As for me, my other reason was to help run a mobile medical clinic.

Jinja, Uganda. Sunset over the White Nile the evening before white water rafting.

Back to Kalalau Beach where Tracy is seen staring into the sun.(not recommended)

I would probably be just as excited about sunrises, but to be honest...I rarely see one.

A different kind of adventure

2011-03-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

The kind where we get our house ready for the market in between traveling, work for Cayle, and graduate school for me. This seems more daunting then climbing any mountain. So, I'm going to try turning it into a fun adventure, an opportunity. Maybe tackling the basement will be like excavating an undiscovered cave in the Andes?? Hmmm....my imagination is quite superb but this might just be pushing it. Hopefully, time spent taking inventory of our belongings and slimming them down will be clarifying and freeing. That feeling one gets after finishing a race or arriving at camp, that sense of physical accomplishment will be had after every floor of our house is completed. And, hey, I've wanted to reorganize all of our luggage, sports and traveling gear for a long time. Opportunity, it is.

With the help of some house staging research, I have broken the whole process into four stages:

De-cluttering

Repairing

Cleaning

Revitalizing

(Wow, this process could be applicable to so many different areas of our lives!)

Each stage will have an organized and ordered list of what should be accomplished and a time frame for doing so. We are not the cluttered, stuff hoarding types. I'm guessing it won't be as daunting as it seems. That being said, I recall boxes of baseball bobble heads and back copies of years of Martha Stewart Living magazines sitting in our basement. Why do we have those things still, I wonder. Flashbacks of the TLC show "Clean Sweep" come into mind. I loved watching that show! Remember the keep, toss, and sell piles? How fun.

So, what kind of advice do you all have for us? Please do share!

Raise your glass (I see you drinking coffee or wine while reading this.)...a different kind of adventure is starting!

My love of safari

2011-03-15T18:26:00.003-05:00

Location: Kenya (Nyeri, Nairobi, Masai Mara)

When I was 26 I travelled solo to Kenya for a few months to volunteer. It was scary to travel so far away from home by myself, yet also very exhilarating. I was very fortunate to spend time at St. Mary's Boys School and Children's Rescue Program in Nyeri. The headmaster of the school is one of my ultimate heroes. I have visited since in both 2009 and 2010.

If anyone is looking for an organization to volunteer with, I highly recommend contacting St. Mary's directly to see if they have a project that would meet reciprocal needs. There are opportunities to work with children in academic settings. The school has special housing for volunteers and visitors. It's a pretty luxe set up comparatively.

Unbeknownst to me, I scheduled a safari in the Masai Mara during the Great Migration of Wildebeest across the Mara River. Ever since this weekend...African safaris are one of my favorite experiences.

Unfortunately, a road is planned to be built through the Serengeti heavily disrupting the natural migration paths of these beautiful animals. Global Day planned to halt Serengeti project Halting Serengeti Project

Many friends have asked about going to Kenya and on safari expressing concern about safety and price. This is understandable. However, this is one adventure that should not be missed. Your safety will hardly be threatened, and I have an amazing friend named Dan who will make sure your safari is one of the best, most affordable experiences of your life. Send us an email if you are interested in the hook up!

The Kalalau Trail: Part II - The Dangerous Trail

2011-03-11T08:00:00.002-06:00

The focus of the last post was on the sheer beauty of the Kalalau trail, but there is another feature of this famous trail that warrants a post all to itself. This was without question the most dangerous hike we have been on. The trail has many hazards but the one that stands out is a section I have heard referred to as the "cliff section", "sketchy segment" or even the "cliffy part". Scroll down a little and you will find the video I recorded while navigating the cliff, complete with soundtrack.

I have never seen so many warning signs to start a trail. They were well deserved.

Just another casual stroll along a narrow trail hanging 300 feet over the rocky pacific shore.

If you look closely you can see the trail snaking along the cliffs edge.

Tracy carefully maneuvering the cliffs. Hiking poles were our new purchase for this trip...for obvious reasons.

We were very impressed with how SI handled this "edgiest" of trails overcoming a severe fear of heights.

Not only was the trail only a foot wide in some places but the footing was awful and at one point I was almost taken out by a falling rock. Still smiling though!

Here it is! Our first video on This Adventurous Life! If you listen carefully over the Aerosmith you may be able to hear Tracy scolding me for recording while hiking the sketchiest section of the trail:

A classic Kalalau sign. We were thankful not to have to add to the tally at the end of our hike.

The Kalalau Trail is truly an adventure. It is beautiful, dangerous, remote and attracts some wonderful and interesting people. If it was not for the near perfect Inca Trail in Peru, this would be the best hike of our lives...so far.

The Kalalau Trail: Part I - The Beautiful Trail

2011-03-09T08:25:00.008-06:00

We spent our second week in Hawaii on Kauai mostly so that we could hike one of the best trails in the world according to just about any criteria. The Kalalau trail is visually stunning but requires hiking up and down countless valleys for 11 grueling miles each way. It ends at a secluded and gorgeous beach tucked into the cliffs and only accessible by foot or kayak. So, although dangerous and scary in parts, the views were worth every step and because of its remoteness and beauty, it always felt like we were in a very special place.

The cliffs and pacific; equally stunning.

Still feeling pretty happy, energized...and clean, early on the first day.

The Na Pali coast is the second fastest eroding coastline in the world which creates these unique jagged valleys.

Our trail occasionally did some multitasking as both trail and stream.

We were incredibly lucky to unexpectedly run in to our friends AI and SI on our first day of the trail, seen here hiking up ahead with Tracy. It truly is a small world.

The infamous "red hill". The picture hardly does justice to this immense mound of red dirt steep enough to be painful both going up and coming down.

One of the most beautiful coasts in the world.

Coming up in my next Kalalau post: The "cliff" section of the trail, our parents may want to skip that one.

Aloha

2011-03-04T10:03:00.003-06:00

We have returned from the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Kauai and can't wait to share our experiences, photos, tips, and reviews. We took it all in from warm weather runs, spicy ahi, massive amounts of sushi, surfing, camping, backpacking, snorkeling, running into dolphins and whales, catamaran trips, garden tours, beach bumming, ancient cultural sites, and randomly running into people we know. Our Hawaii trip was a perfect mix of both of our interests and gave us a lot of time for romance, adventure, and relaxation. (Can you tell i miss it already??) We hope all of our readers are having a great weekend so far!

Kalalau Beach sunset.
Here we are dirty, sweaty, sore, surrounded by new friends, and at our happiest!

Cayle, the crazy lens and his manbag (a.k.a. LowePro Camera satchel).

Victory after 10 miles and only 1 more mile to go. Destination: "the most beautiful dead end on earth."

Surfing! My new favorite water sport. Not for those with weak upper bodies or a lack of balance.

Wild Wild West Part I

2011-03-02T17:30:00.002-06:00

Grand Canyon National Park Hike

Last fall we took a trip out west for some fabulous National Park exploration. Our trip method worked quite well: fly into Vegas, rent a car, escape Vegas as quickly as possible, drive over to Arizona, up through Utah, and back to catch the flight home.

We chose the south rim of the Grand Canyon for our canyon experience driving past the Hoover Dam. We made sure to remember to get a speeding ticket on Route 66 while heading to the Village, quite funny actually. Feel free to ask Cayle all about Arizona driving school.

Here is our route: Starting over on the right of the map and heading down South Kaibob trail to the Colorado River. Then climbing up Bright Angel Trail to the finish, which is the end of the red line over on the left.

Here we are before we took the plunge down South Kaibab. What a fun and beautiful hike! Neither of us had been to the Grand Canyon before, and we knew the only way we wanted to experience it was by hiking down and through it.

So, our packs started out looking like this.

And our packs slowly progressed to this state. My pack is practically sinking into itself, and Cayle's is about to burst! Hiking a mile straight up the Bright Angel Trail switch backs is tough, guys! My goal was to not be passed by anyone who looked older than me (pack or no pack). I did reach my goal, thanks to Cayle and extra REI straps.

This is a look off from the trail. The natural color saturation of canyon land is breath taking.

I am quite happy to have found the campsite for night #1. We had to hike about two miles extra off Kaibob to the alternate campsite area i.e. camping in the middle of a large plateau with no water or shade. Best galaxy viewing ever, though.

We were so happy to get to water after rationing off through out the first night.

Oh yes, I found wine half way through day #2! You should have been there to share in my excitement. Thank you, President Teddy Roosevelt, for putting in Phantom Ranch.

The hike was broken into three segments spanning further distances while descending and shorter distances on ascension days (only a six mile up day at the end). Our second night of camping at Indian Garden was relaxing and less eventful. No tornado like gusting winds helping us envision a flying tent ride heading east through the canyon. Instead, we had a cooler night along a stream that was pleasantly relaxing.

We had such a great time! This is a truly amazing part of our country. Coming up as the second portion of our Wild Wild West experience will be Zion National Park and our hike through the Narrows.

The Burren: An Irish Moonscape

2011-02-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

The Burren is a national park in western Ireland near Galway. It is nothing like the rolling green coastal hills we all associate with Ireland(those will be a subject of a later post). Instead, when I traveled there as part of my Irish road trip last year, I found a stark landscape paved with cracked limestone and dominated by ancient stone walls and naturally terraced limestone hills. It is a uniquely beautiful place.

This is a land both barren and lush. As Edmund Ludlow stated while fighting there in 1651, "(The Burren) is a country where there is not enough water to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him...... and yet their cattle are very fat; for the grass growing in turfs of earth, of two or three foot square, that lie between the rocks, which are of limestone, is very sweet and nourishing."

Despite the harsh landscape, The Burren has been inhabited for 6000 years and many of the existing walls and structures are 1500 to even 5000 years old.

There are still local farmers that use The Burren for cattle grazing.

Beautiful stone walls built simply by picking up and stacking the abundant limestone slabs.

Cow!

A section of The Burren not picked clean of its natural cracked limestone paving.

I imagine this view would have looked much the same 400 years ago.

Thank you to the many guidebooks that recommended this UNESCO world heritage nominated site in Ireland. Without researching ahead these are the parts of a country easily missed.

Nungwi, Zanzibar's Million Dollar Baby

2011-02-19T02:10:00.040-06:00

There is this ad on Honolulu radio for "Zanzibar Night Club". Very strange considering we are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and I just posted about Zanzibar. Of course, I asked Cayle if we could go. Eventually the conversation jokingly resulted in a rule that will keep us out of clubs named after far away locations we have actually been to. We have lots to share with you from Hawaii when we return. Until then...

After spending a wonderful few days in Stone Town, we took a taxi to the north coast of Zanzibar. Nungwi is a little town with breath taking beaches, endless amounts of sunshine, and our favorite resort manager named Sele. We stayed at Langi Langi. This required booking ahead of time because the resort is in high demand, rightfully so. After reading Tripadvisor reviews, I determined this was the place to stay based on what everyone exclaimed about the amazing food. We arrived to a bit of a late check in due to guests leaving their things unpacked in the room we were supposed to have. The resort took care of it very professionally, and even gave us a free dinner for use that night to make up for any inconvenience. Sele, the manager and top chef came to our table that evening and said he was creating a new dish, which he wanted us to try. He was sure we would love it for our free meal. This meal was the start of our love affair with Sele's cooking. I would label it as East African/Middle Eastern fusion cuisine. His way with spices is incredible!

The entryway to Langi Langi's restaurant, ocean front, and lounge chair area. Beauty is in the details sometimes.

Due to currency differences, it looked as if we payed $1,000,000 for our stay...really it was in Tanzanian shillings. This resulted in lots of joking around with Sele and staff. I left Langi Langi being called their "Million Dollar Baby"... and we will never forget our Morgan Freeman. Sele, thank you for your hospitality and friendship.

Sele goes out in Rasta Baby (his boat) and catches some of the fresh seafood served for dinner.

High tide nearly brings the water up to the deck! Great camera setting configuration, Mr. Cayle!

Langi Langi is the white, thatched roofed building.

My favorite photo of Cayle from this trip. You can see below the deck the tide is starting to retreat. The resort is fantastically perched over the ocean, complete with pool and beautiful gardens behind the main building.

Low tide brings a dramatic 100 yards of white sand beach.

We spent one nausea inducing but unforgettable day on a dhow sailing around Zanzibar, snorkeling and trying out my new canon waterproof camera.

Happiness is a great beach, great food and great people. Thanks Langi Langi!

Asheville, NC: Hippies in the shadow of Cold Mountain

2011-02-16T08:00:00.008-06:00

On my search for the perfect medical residency program a few years ago I traveled all over the country for interviews and city exploring. One of highlights was Asheville, North Carolina. It is idyllically situated in western NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Smoky Mountain National Park. It has a fantastic progressive, alternative, coffee shop, vegetarian, hippy culture...fantastic I guess only if that sounds like your type of city.

Thank you to KP and her wonderful parents for letting us stay at their beautiful Asheville cabin complete with picturesque porch swing.

Ok right...so that's why they are called the smoky mountains.

We also stayed one night at this charming bed and breakfast thanks to the residency program. Is there another word to describe a B&B besides charming? I guess some I'd call quaint.

A very pretty little Asheville mall. But in the end...still just a mall.

Its not often that a city of such an ordinary appearance has such a unique cultural scene.

It's at night that Asheville comes alive. The place is full of bluegrass street musicians and enough hipsters to keep you people watching all evening.

Asheville, NC is one of those places that is hard to leave. In fact many people don't, the most common story from Ashevillians is how they came once on a whim or for a job and then 20 years later they can't imagine ever moving. I think it's just the sort of city that feels like home.

Welcome to our blog!

2011-02-13T12:14:00.003-06:00

It is about time Cayle and I officially welcome our readers. Really, we have better manners than this.

First, be sure to click on the "FOLLOW" button down and over to the right. Then you will be updated automatically when posts are published. Have you traveled to the same places? Had similar experiences? Need to ask us for hotel recommendations or reviews of activities? Then, don't be afraid to comment by clicking the comment buttons at the end of posts.

Most of our readers personally know us, but for those of you who might not, let us give you some context. Cayle and I met in undergraduate school, fell in love, and were married on a Caribbean beach when we were twenty five years old. When we were nineteen, I made Cayle promise to sail around the world with me one day. I am still holding him to it, except a catamaran is now preferred. We do not have any human kids, but we have a great canine kid named Bailey. Together, we have succeeded through a long haul of medical school and residency for Cayle. Now, I am focused on finishing up my masters degree studying public service and non-profit management. We are incredibly thankful for the lives we have and the adventures we get to live. This blog is already encouraging us to be more adventurous. We hope it encourages you too.

So, enjoy thisadventurouslife.com. Introduce yourselves to us and feel free to give feedback. Thanks!

Strolling the streets of Stone Town

2011-02-13T11:00:00.001-06:00

Zanzibar archipelago. If you are unfamiliar of where this island may be, click here. It is known for being the cornerstone of the spice trade and slave trade in the early 19th century.

I couldn't get enough of Stone Town's charm. I hope you enjoy seeing the streets through our lens.

A labyrinth of alley ways mostly only fit for people and bikes. Stone and intricate carvings are everywhere.

One of the views from the balcony of our Inn.

The Old Fort. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Fishermen's dows retired after a days work.

Stone Town's cultural charm and artistic lure greet you around every corner, if you let it.

We purchased a metal Rift Valley Coffee sign from this gem of an antique shop. I personally love President Obama's portrait hanging over the door.

Be sure to hop over to Zanzibar as a wrap up after your East African safari! We'll show you more of the island later on, and we promise it won't disappoint you.

Sipi Falls, Uganda: Part II

2011-02-10T11:54:00.002-06:00

On Christmas morning Tracy and I rappelled(abseiled to our British readers) down the 300ft lower Sipi Falls, which hopefully explains the Santa hats in the following pictures. Later, we hiked for a couple of hours to reach the upper two falls which turned out to be equally breathtaking. Not your typical day of Christmas trees, presents and opening stockings by the fire.

My favorite picture! That speck is Tracy which I think gives a sense of scale missing in most of our Sipi Falls photos.

My wife...smiling while dangling from a rope 300 feet in the air(a rope which was clearly well worn and belayed by an amateurish 19 year old Ugandan boy). FYI: the red dot on the trail below is me.

My turn to try rappelling and conquering my fear of "falling from height" which I swear is different and less wimpy than the standard fear of heights.

The middle falls is definitely the most Jurassic appearing of the 3 major drops of Sipi Falls.

Looking up to discover why we were suddenly getting so wet.

Behind the middle falls...which sounds kind of like the title of a sad movie.

Upper Sipi Falls. Yet another stunning view.

So, the next time you find yourselves near the Uganda-Kenya border don't miss Sipi Falls. It is pretty much how you'd imagine the heart of Africa in your dreams.

Sipi Falls, Uganda: Part I

2011-02-08T14:37:00.001-06:00

Sipi Falls is quite possibly the most spectacular place Tracy and I have ever stayed. It sits here on the edge of Mt Elgon in eastern Uganda. It is far from easy to get to, even from where I was working in western Kenya it took us 2 hours in a matatu(a 14 passenger taxi-van usually with about 22 passengers and 2 live chickens) and 2 hours in a taxi plus the always exciting African border crossing. We spent Christmas 2009 here making for our most memorable holiday getaway(and our christmas card photo this year).

Our hotel, Lacam Lodge, is visible on the cliff to the right of the falls. Our room is the thatched roof banda on the cliff's edge closest to the falls.

Tracy in our banda, complete with bucket style toilet, wood stove heated hot showers, kerosene lanterns and a view of what seemed like all of Uganda.

The aforementioned view from the hotel.

I expect that this picture could make anyone want to travel.

What is it about water falling that we find so appealing?

Dusk view from the lodge.

The beautiful bottom of Sipi Falls, which we saw up close on Christmas day while rappelling: see my upcoming Part II post for pictures of rappelling and our hike to the upper falls.

Is it common to fly off without the pilot?

2011-02-06T06:00:00.018-06:00

On a recent trip to the Osa Peninsula on the southwest coast of Costa Rica, we had to jump from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez in a twin otter plane. Of course we joked about the riskiness of this transportation method, but we knew it would be a safe way to save time on our trip. We flew with Nature Air, the self claimed first carbon neutral airline.

Tons of fun! You feel like you're in a toy plane, and some one is pulling you up into the sky by a string. Scenic Costa Rica fails to disappoint. Waterfalls glisten in mountain crevices. Roads zig zag through the jungle to small rural communities. Obvious environmental friendliness opens its arms.

Anyways, we always travel with a humorous attitude, and so follows...

Does Nature Air have a witty sense of humor or is there reason for worry?

Leaving San Jose, a cosmopolitan, developing city just as many others we have been lucky enough to see. Every city has a charm (even Detroit). So far, we have only experienced San Jose's charm from modes of transportation. (Although, modes of transportation have lots to tell about a place.)

Quite the cramped little plane. Cozy, felt like sitting at a dinner table.

Costa Rica is entirely lush! Possibly the most eco-friendly country I've ever experienced. It's incredibly obvious in their culture and surroundings.

Notice the new $29 million dollar football (American: soccer) stadium being built by China just near San Jose. Why, might one ask? Oh, you know why...gaining another "diplomatic" partner, one that happens to not have an army at all...finding a dual purpose market system-Costa Rica, a place that needs China's goods and can give access to natural resources needed for China's massively growing population...especially after having a strong courtship with Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Chile- Costa Rica wanted some Chinese loving as well...AND...it came in the form of one of the largest football stadiums in Latin America.

We love little hopper planes. In this case, it was actually more cost effective to add the additional flight than rent a car, purchase auto insurance, and risk sinking the car in the most massive pot holes we have ever seen in our lives on so called roads. I'm not kidding. Grandma and Grandpa's nice in-ground pool is like a puddle compared to these babies. We will save Costa Rica's notable roads for another post. (Kenya has nothing on Costa Rica when it comes to pot holes!)

The guide we used for our Osa Peninsula adventure (and will use again when we go back- because we definitely will be going back):

Flashback Friday: When I Travel I...Run

2011-02-04T06:00:00.006-06:00

I try to run in the most interesting places possible. Dirt roads of Kenya, hills of Ireland or in this case the shoreline of Mexico. In summer of 2010 Tracy and I went back to one of our favorite areas, the Mayan Riviera coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. I planned this run along a deserted section of coast well before the trip but waited until our last day to try it and as luck would have it, I ended up running in a torrential rain...which explains the blurry lens photos that follow.

I found the footing to be a bit of an issue in this section.

This run wins the award for most varied terrain in a single 5 mile run ever.

Finally the trail appears complete with abandoned flip flop.

It was hard not to stop and take pictures every 2 minutes...although still photos miss the intensity of storm waves crashing in.

I don't think I want to know what this road was used for, but I appreciated its existence.

Thank you to Tracy for letting me borrow her waterproof digital camera.

I don't know why but this picture seemed entirely necessary after a Mexican run in the rain.

Click here to see a map of my run. Zoom out for a sense of where in the world I was getting wet and trying to avoid sprained ankles.

Why do I always take pictures of...

2011-01-31T16:49:00.005-06:00

Cayle often has to deal with the magnetic pull between myself and dogs, wherever our travels take us. This magnetic pull may lead me to turn a corner unannounced and follow a cute pack of small, fuzzy, sweater clad dogs down a small street in Cuzco. Cayle, after a few panicked moments and quick steps dodging back through the crowd, eventually realizes his wife wasn't hurt or lost- just pulled by the dogs. This pull may cause me to stop in my tracks for photo opportunities leading to many sorry's and excuse me's commonly followed by quizzical looks. Also, Cayle may find out later one afternoon the protein bar he would have liked to snack on is missing. It couldn't have been broken up and given to dogs on the verge of starving. That would never happen!

Curiously, I find myself taken photos of certain subjects wherever I travel to. Dogs would be one of them. So, the theme leading to this post...

Why do I always take pictures of __dogs__ ?

Let's see if we can determine any conclusions based on some of the photos I was able to round up.

Well, clearly emotion drove me to take this photo, one of around 900 photos from my first trip to Kenya. While I understand the cultural differences, dogs in Africa (among many other things) make me really quite sad. I ran into this sweet one in Masai Mara. I threw her a few crackers because that was all I had.
REASON #1: EMOTIONAL SENSITIVITY.

Many points to be made here. First point: Isn't it amazing how dog owners and dogs often resemble each other?
Second point: At first, this gentleman seemed like a super cute dog owner. He wants to capture moments with his companion and makes sure to bring water along on a hot summer day. But... upon closer inspection, Fido is precariously balanced on the railing with only a strangle tactic as a safety measure! Well, I was happy Fido could handle the circus act, and my photo didn't come out blurry due to my laughter. Oh, the things you see in NYC.
REASON #2: PRECARIOUS THINGS PET OWNERS ARE NOT AFRAID TO DO IN PUBLIC.

We, at this adventurous life, are dog lovers. We have yet to understand the appeal of cats other than they don't require much work or attention (cat lovers explain this to me). This is one of the less than thrilling moments of Bailey's life. You see, he despises the rampant snowball attacks that occur in this arctic winter weather. He also despises having to wait around uncomfortably while mom takes a few photos, says the look on his face.
REASON #3: BAILEY MONTGOMERY

Dogs have this knack for being at peace with the world around them, unlike many humans. Maybe this photo subject repetition is derived from my own search for peacefulness? Or am I stretching this too far?
Photo taken in Plaza del Armas, Cuzco, Peru 2008
REASON #4: "BUT HE IS SO CUTE AND PEACEFUL!" (followed by, "Don't delete that picture!")

Being in the right place at the right time, you realize all of the previous photos led you to this specific moment. One of the holy grails of dog photography. Capturing the unique bond between dog and owner. Even with horrid lighting, Mr. Schnauzer joining the family at the bar for a night cap was one of those trophy moments where you scramble for the camera trying not to make too much of a ruckus. Victory was claimed while sitting on a worn wooden bar stool and sipping bourbon at a corner bar in Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica.
REASON #5: ALL OF THE WAYS DOGS LOOK FOR OUR APPROVAL, EVEN JOINING US AT THE BAR.

(Please disregard my rusty prose. A blogging hiatus has taken a toll on my casual writing capabilities.)

Flashback Friday: Bahamas

2011-01-28T10:47:00.000-06:00

I first ventured to the Bahamas when I was thirteen years old. When I returned at twenty-two, pleasantly, nothing much had changed. Grand Bahama Island has been my island of exploration thus far and, might I add, it seems to be a bit sleepier and more rustic than the popular Nassau. First things first, the islands performed a marketing face lift in the last few years, and they were completely out to impress. Artists, enjoy this candy...

Isn't this one of the best territory logos you have ever feasted your eyes on??!!

Now on to our first "Flashback Friday." Grand Bahama is quiet with a splash of something for everyone. Luxury resort, beach cabanas, land and reef protection, hidden beaches, underground caves or a casino. We have enjoyed smaller resorts on or by beaches with snorkeling excursions, garden walks, deserted beaches, and fantastic cuisine. Here I am with my then boyfriend (now husband).

You will be hard pressed to find more pleasant beaches with powdery, pinkish white sand and sand bars that extend as far as the eye can see. Our stroll above was at a deserted beach we hiked to from Garden of the Groves. Link: Garden of the Groves

What I have the most fond memories of is a particular restaurant my family has taken me to on each trip. Since our last Bahamas vacation was Thanksgiving 2002, we gave our thanks to the turkey gods while gnawing on shark. Pier One is a restaurant an old friend tells you about, which looks just rough enough to keep the piles of obnoxious tourists at bay. Jump in a taxi and say "the shark restaurant" to the driver, and he or she will know right where to take you. Pier One is perched on a cliff (fantastic real estate but I think storms have forced a remodel recently). It is recommended to have a reservation because they are that busy, all of the time. Locals and travelers alike mingle along the decks and gawk at the size of sharks swimming around just below waiting for the feeding bell. You make a mental note of how far away from the restaurant the reef you were just snorkeling along is - maybe 2 Km ...but wait these sharks are spanning at least seven feet in length. Note the strategic order of events: snorkel at Paradise Cove and THEN eat at Pier One. Most importantly, the food is amazing. Fresh. Local. Simple. Yet you wonder how they might get the flavors to combine in such a unique way. We ate shark and sea scallops while watching the giants swim below. The ambiance is perfect- dockside tables, sea breezes, festive lights strung around the ceiling, and live acoustics. One of the best Thanksgivings ever.

Link: Pier One

The next time I return to the Bahamas archipelago will be on a boat, hopping around to all of the other gems and finding more places like Pier One to grab a great meal and a few refreshing drinks.