Miles to Go----and Stops Along the Way: A Travel Blog

First 72 Hours in Buenos Aires

2011-02-16T05:12:00.000-08:00

We arrived in BsAs late Saturday afternoon, changed funds at Banco de la Nacion, took a remise car with driver into town, and got settled in. Then we walked around, a bit zombie-like, after about 20 hours of flying: New Brunswick-Toronto-Santiago-EZE. We like the barrio where our apartment is located (Palermo Botanico). It is a quiet, green neighborhood near lots of parks and gardens. We had dinner at the very nice Bella Italia Cafe and Bar on LaFinur and followed up the meal with delicious helado at the "new" Jauja at the corner of Cervino and Lafinur. They are the "new kid in town" having originated in Bariloche and the staff are eager to serve and to explain the different flavors to the uninitiated.

Obelisco, Plaza de la Republica

Sunday, we walked a bit in the morning and then spent the afternoon with Norma, a Cicerone (volunteer guide for visitors)--she was wonderful and gave us a great overview of the important landmarks in the city---we drove around in her car. We walked a bit in Recoleta with her and then had a bite at La Biela---overpriced, okay food, but a real traditional, old school place in the tony Recoleta barrio.

Peg and Norma at La Biela

Sunday night we were invited by our new friends, Jill and Ken from Collingwood ON, to go to Puerto Madero where there is a restaurant featuring terrific opera singers, al fresco, on Sunday evenings. You get a table and a drink for 45 pesos. It was great. Joining us were Gonza, a U of Buenos Aires medical student and a few of his young friends.

Jill and Peg enjoying opera al fresco

Later in the evening we all went to the true hotspot for street food, where the yellow parrillas wagons line up along the Costanera Sur, located on the far side of Puerto Madero Este, running its entire length along the canal and ecological reserve. We enjoyed a late night snack of choripan, bandiola al limon and beverages, then said our goodnights and all ventured home by taxi. Second day here, and we just broke our vow that there would be no late nights for us!

A big night at the grill

Jill and Gonza placing our order

Monday morning, I had some dental work done. Peg was mortified that I would even consider such a thing, but Dr. Pelcman has a very solid reputation so I was not concerned about the care, and the cost is about 1/3, compared to at home so you could make the case that the savings in dental care paid for the trip!.

On the way home we got some groceries at the Disco and then had lunch at the Museo Evita Cafe. Very nice.

Evita chicken wrap

Evita jamon y queso crepe

It started to rain in the afternoon, so we returned to Bella Italia, since it so close by and we again had a nice dinner, with that neighbor hood bistro feel. On the way home we stopped at Tatu Empanadas Salteñas and picked up a mixed dozen of empanadas (carne picante, jamon y queso, tomate queso y albahca, and pollo picante) to have on hand in the fridge for lunches and snacks. They specialize in the Salta regional dishes and they are situated directly across the street from our place.

A Dozen Tatu Empanadas Salteñas

Today we wandered around in the Jardin Botanico Carlos Thays designed by the French Argentine landscape architect. Thays was a French immigrant (1849-1934) who designed many of the famous parks and plazas throughout the city and in other areas of the country too. The botanical gardens is just a wonderful, well cared for space, and most of the specimens are identified.

Feral Cats abound at Jardin Botanico

Carlos Thays

Allee at Jardin Botanico

We headed west from the gardens into Palermo Soho, one of the developing barrios with lots of shops and great restaurants. We carried on into Villa Crespo to Sarkis, an Armenian restaurant that serves wonderful food. We had some of their special dishes, as recommended by the waiter and various reviewers. We started with kepke and stuffed zuchinni and then on to cheese bourek and a kafta brochette. We finished with probably the best baklava we've ever had, topped with vanilla ice cream and accompanied by thick, rich cafe orientale.

Fortunately, we had a long walk home!

Family vaction, North Conway, New Hampshire

2010-03-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

Morgan & Jody at the condo on the first night of vaction
Charlie and Adrienne at the fountain.

Robert FrostPlace in Franconia, NH

http://www.frostplace.org/index.html

Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center Lodge at Crawford Notch

http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/whitemountains/highland/index.cfm

The one-time rail station is now a tourist information kiosk.

Strating up the Craford Path

A beautiful trail

Looking down on the Mt.Washington Valley

Along the ridge, approaching Lake of the Clouds Hut which, fittingly, was in the clouds.

Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine

2010-03-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

We planned a few days in Bar Harbor to ride the trails in beautiful Acadeia National Park. The Rockefellers and friends assembled the land and preserved the area back in the early 20th C.
Forty-five miles of rustic carriage roads, the gift of philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. and family, weave around the mountains and valleys of Acadia National Park.

Kids have a chance to be certified as "junior rangers."

Wedding pictures at the harbor.

Sunset from Cadillac mountain

George, our innkeeper

George's breakfast creation

Carriageway entrance

rustic stream

View to the sea

One of the many sturdy bridges commissioned by Rockefeller

Gatehouse near Jordan Pond

Carriage rides are an option

Lobster at the wharf is always a treat!

Crab rolls too!

Tea and popovers: a Jordan Pondhouse tradition

Carving workshop in Northeast Harbor

Imaginative works!

Fresh froom the sea dinners at Cafe This Way

Montreal, final night of the trip

2010-03-05T16:03:00.001-08:00

Our room in downtown Montreal

Montreal Chinatown

Last supper of the trip

Take out treats for the drive home.

Oakville, Ontario

2010-03-05T15:58:00.001-08:00

We left Chacago and crossed into Canada at Sarnia and stopped in Oakville to visit friends

Downtown Oakville borders Lake Ontario, and sailing is a popular pastime.

Lakeshore Drive

chicago

2010-03-05T12:37:00.001-08:00

Our first night in Chicago, we walked the streets and by-ways along the river, amid the great architectural variety. Here is the Chicago Merchandise Mart.

The Kimpton Hotel Allegro was comfortable and well located. They had a wine hour for guests each evening, which was a nice touch.

The First Lady is one of the many boats cruising the river, and out into the lake. We took the famous architecture cruise, which was fascinating.

We dined one night at Avec, a trendy spot with small plates, large plates, and a creative chef. The food was stellar!

Picasso sculpture and flag.

Tulips at Wrigley Square

Creative fountain near the Pritzker Pavillion.

The pavillion, designed by Frank Gehry, serves as a band shell in Millennium Park.

We were fortunate to be in town during the opening of the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago which featured free admission and lots of special activities and entertainment.

Designed by Renzo Piano, it is a remarkable architectural accomplishment. http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/exhibitions/modernwing/overview

The opening, of course, drew large crowds.

Frank Lloyd Wright triptych.

Inspired, spontaneous dance.

Blooms of spring and skyline.

Segways in the park.

Playful pup.

Fountains galore.

Nun with a stretch limo and an entourage.

Alexander Calder sculpture

Winged Victory, a gilded Chicago lady

Picasso again

Kimpton staircase

Chicago deep dish pizza

American Gothic, ready to travel

Wrigley Building

Lunch at Tiffany's

Looking up the miracle mile.

Politics as theater

May 11-13: On to the Cornhusker state, Valparaiso and Lincoln Nebraska

2010-01-15T13:34:00.000-08:00

Heading north from Colorado Springs to Denver, we enjoyed seeing the US Air Force Academy off to our left and the Rockies in the distance. We turned east near Denver and crossed Nebraska to Lincoln and then on to Valparaiso to visit our friends Jack and Harriet. Jack and his brother Don ran a successful cattle ranch operation for many years, but have now leased out the ranch land and are operating the lovely Pine Crest Farms B&B in two colonial style homes on the property.

The beautiful and aptly named Philadelphia Room

Curious cattle ranging nearby

Pennsylvania colonial style sitting room

Don, Kevin & Jack

Nebraska's Memorial Stadium, "Home of the Greatest Fans in College Football"

A special trophy

The spectacular Nebraska State Capitol

Red Cloud, of the Lakota Sioux, born near what is now North Platte

Irish-born Father Flanagan, founder of the famous orphanage, Boys Town

The original legislative chamber

Nebraska Steak at Magnolia's in the Historic Haymarket district

Harriet & Jack

Peg & Kevin

street view of Magnolia's at dusk

water tank by the tracks in the Haymarket

We hated to say "goodbye" to Bosun, bidding us farewell here, as we hit the road for Chicago.

On to Colorado Springs, May 10, 2009

2009-12-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

We headed north on I-25 from Santa Fe to Colorado Springs, where we were staying for the night at the Doubletree, near the Broadmoor. It was a bit of a long drive but the spectacular scenery more than made up for it. I spent 2 years in Colorado Springs in the mid-sixites, courtesy of Uncle Sam, serving with the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, so this was a bit of a nostalgia trip for me. My stay back in those days pre-dates the Interstate highway system, and of course things have changed. The city has grown and changed, but many of the old landmarks remain.

The bed looked inviting but we had places to see and things to do. We toured the downtown and then made our way to the Garden of the Gods, a beautiful park maintained by the city. www.gardenofgods.com

That's Cheyenne Mountain in the distance, where the NORAD Operations Center is located

A couple of views of Pike's Peak looming in the distance

For a change of pace after all the great soutwest cuisine, we opted for Vietnamese, and had a delicious meal at the Saigon Springs.

The Trail leads to Santa Fe & Taos, NM: May 8-11, 2009

2009-09-14T09:08:00.001-07:00

We drove east from Winslow and back into New Mexico through Gallup and Albuquerque and followed the scenic Turquoise Road up to Santa Fe. We checked in to our lodging on Cerillos Road, south of old Santa Fe and went to Adelita's for some authentic Mexican food. The food was great, and the traditional soapapillas with honey were a tasty treat.

soapapillas
Next day, we struck off on the High Road to Taos and took in this vista at a roadside turnoff, looking back towards Santa Fe.
Mona and Connie, two charming women from Ohio, were spending the weekend in Santa Fe. We met them along the High Road, and ran in to them repeatedly during our stay. We stopped in Chimayo, about halfway between Santa Fe and Taos. Chimayo is noted for its weaving, its heirloom chile, and most especially its church, the Sanctuario de Chimayo. The Sanctuario is an important pilgrimage destination, and pilgrims were celebrating a mass on the grounds when we arrived. The site is believed to offer certain curative powers, and is sometimes referred to as the Lourdes of the west. The church is a beautiful adobe structure. Many pilgrims seek the healing powers of the "Holy Dirt" which is picked up by pilgrims from an opening in the floor where a crucifix was once buried.
Many saints are honored at Chimayo, as these boys observed. An appropriate warning is posted at this little shrine to St. James, who is honored with special celebrations each July 25. A view from the High Road, nearing Taos. The chapel at the famous Taos Pueblo. The site is designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO
and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe building have been continuously occupied for over 1000 years. This is the most striking cluster of buildings at the Taos Pueblo. Taos Pueblo cemetery The courtyard at the Cafe Tazza, where we had lunch and then visited a craft show in the park.
High country vista
Interior and exterior of San Francisco de Asis church at Rancho de Taos, a beautiful 18th C. adobe structure that was painted by Georgia O'Keefe and photographed by Ansel Adams. We finished off the day with a great meal at La Choza in Santa Fe. Kateri Tekakwitha, a 17th C. Mohawk-Algonquian woman from New York, depicted in this bronze staute outside the Santa Fe Cathedral Basillica. The Miraculous Staircase at the Loretto Chapel, which legend says was constructed, or inspired by, St.Joseph the Carpenter. It was built in the 1870's and has two 360 degree turns, with no visible means of support. Santa Fe MuseumInterior courtyard We tried the blue corn tortilla enchiladas at the Guadalupe Cafe: charming bustling, and the food was great.On our final afternoon in Snta Fe, we paid a visit to the Bandelier National Monument. The site is comprised of ancestral pueblo dwellings built into the soft tufa cliffs. Access to the dwellings is by ladder These dwelling date from the 12th C., and by the 16th C. the ancestral pueblo people had moved from their homes here to pueblos along the Rio Grande. Traces of petroglyphs and wall painting.

Winslow, AZ: May 7 & 8

2009-09-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

We parted ways with our friends and made the 3 hour drive to Winslow, AZ. Following the rigors of our hike, we were looking forward to spending some time recuperating and relaxing at the lovingly restored La Posada, a 1929 railway hotel that exudes historical charm.

Winslow has faded from its glory days as a rail and agriculture center and is now mostly famous for the "standin' on the corner in Winslow Arizona" lyric from Take it Easy, the classic Glenn Frey/Jackson Browne song popularized by the Eagles.

Hotel Entry

http://www.laposada.org/

Wrought iron gates in the courtyard

We arrived around 5 pm, showered, stretched and prepared for dinner.

The Turqouise Room restaurant at the hotel is renowned for its innovative southwestern cuisine. We were hungrily anticipating enjoying a meal at the table we had booked for 7 pm and we were not disappointed!

http://www.theturquoiseroom.net/

Sweet corn & black bean soup

Local greens with chioggia beets and endive salad

Crispy Pork Carnitas
Large pieces of crispy pork Carnitas, served on a bed of black beans in a red chile pool, papaya salsa served with creamy polenta and fresh vegetables.

The killer vegetable platter: Steamed fresh vegetables, grilled tofu, sweet corn tamale, red caboose mashed potatoes, grilled fresh corn, Grilled Anaheim chile stuffed with three cheeses, and wild mushroom corn custard.

At the conclusion of a lovely meal, we attempted to rise graciously from our seats, only to discover that our legs were refusing to cooperate. With considerable effort, we did finally mange to shuffle off to the lobby, stopping to stretch our calves on the staricase!

The hotel is a popular stop for railway buffs, as the Amtrak passenger trains make frequent stops in front of the hotel. We enjoyed morning coffee on our patio.

Then we toured the grounds and chatted with a couple that was staying at the hotel in transit between homes in Santa Fe and Joshua Tree, CA.

Beautiful gardens.

We enjoyed dinner son much that we decided to stay for a leisurely breakfast.
French toast with mixed berry compote.

A final tour of the lobby and salons, before departing for Santa Fe.

May 5-7: Grand Canyon

2009-09-13T06:15:00.000-07:00

Buzz and Alice rode with us from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. Packing was tight, but it was comfortable and Buzz played his I-Pod collection of country tunes all the way so we were definitely in in a country frame of mind by the time we got to Flagstaff and stopped for lunch at the Beaver St. Brewery. The burgers were great!

A bit cramped in the back seat.

We arrived at the south rim early in the afternoon, checked in at the Yavapai Lodge and had a look around. The mule deer were quite tame and well adjusted to life in the Park.

The first views of the canyon were spectacular.
We were happy to be there, and looking forward to beginning our hike the following day.

There are many stunning viewpoints along the south rim.

We were excited to be celebrating our 36th anniversary with dinner at the historic El Tovar dining room in the company of Vicki and John from Minnesota who would be joining us on the hike. Buzz and Alice were a bit concerned about the challenge awaiting us over the next 2 days, but after a glass or two of wine they loosened up to the prospect!

The salads were nice, and the setting was beautiful.

Next morning, we were refreshed and eager to start out as we gathered at the South Kaibab trailhead. Due to some initial confusion, we were a bit later starting out than we had intended.
We pitched over the edge and were on our way! The trail is one of the few in the park that follows a ridge rather than side canyons.
It is steep, however, dropping close to 5,000 feet in 6.3 miles.

Peg was enthusiastic at the start, and remained determined in spite of the increasing heat.

Vicki and John enjoyed our first brief rest stop.

The vistas were beautiful, and changed at every switchback.

We took a longer break at Cedar Ridge, which is about a mile and a half from the trailhead. Buzz had had the foresight to prepare beautiful, thick ham & cheese sandwiches on rye for all of us. They were really tasty!

Buzz made friends with Alvin, who seemed to be looking for food and was not shy about begging, or even digging into backpacks, given the chance.

John found a great perch to relax and put his feet up.

Vicki contemplated nature while playing a soothing tune on her flute.

We saddled up and headed down the trail.

Looking back towards the rim, it was a bit surprising to see how far we had descended.

The Grand Canyon hike is a trip back in time, offering views of up to six million years of erosion through four geologic eras.

Peg, following Alice down the trail.

Switchbacks in the distance.

We were a bit startled to see this bright flower alone in the dust!

We crossed a plateau

And then the trail steepened as we saw the switchbacks ahead and the river far below.

Great views at every turn.

This was more or less the halfway point, and it was getting really hot!

The rare shady spots were looking inviting.

Much of the trail was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 30's.

More improbable flowers, and cactus.

Amid the barren rock formations.

Tell me- tell me, I implore! Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

First glimpse of the Silver bridge on the Colorado river, leading to the Bright Angel Trail on the south side where we would begin our ascent the following day.

And then the black bridge came in to view, on the South Kaibab.

But the sight of the switchbacks showed that it was not quite as close as we thought!

A final break in the shade before our final push to the river.

And then we were there!

Peg crossing the river.

Rafters on a break.

It was still about half a mile up Canyon Creek to the Phantom Ranch.

Four in the afternoon, and shadows were already darkening the recesses of the canyon.

We had the two cabins shown here in the center.

Air conditioned, and very comfortable after a long hike.

A serene evening at Phantom Ranch

Happy campers enjoying a hearty meal, all-you-can-eat, served family style.

The beef stew was a winner!

Don't stop till you get enough.

Fresh salad.

We started our ascent at 6 am, as the mules rested in the paddock,

awaiting the long trek back to the rim.

We crossed the Colorado, heading for Bright Angel Trail.

It was peaceful and cool at the start.

Exotic plant material (for us).

And beautiful patterns of light and shadow on the canyon walls.

We wound our way up the trail through side canyons.

The trail leveled out as we approached Indian Garden, where there is a campground, a rest area, and intersecting trails.

A blue lizard greeted us, in search of insects

A mule train passed by. The thermometer on the left registered 100 degrees at 8 am.

Mules resting in the corral.

This is the turnaround spot for some of the mule excursions from the rim.

We turned back to see that we had covered quite a distance.

And moved to the side of the trail to let the mules pass by.

And finally, we gathered at the rim for a farewell photo. Mission accomplished!

Peg and Kevin were off to Winslow, while our companions returned to Phoenix.

By the time we get to Phoenix.... May 3

2009-07-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

This is the first roadside service area

when entering AZ from NM on I-10.
The sharp blue sky was especially enticing.

We arrived in Phoenix and stopped first at the REI store in Tempe http://www.rei.com/ to take advantage of their annual sale and pick up some useful hiking paraphernalia.

From there we continued on to Fountain Hills to meet Buzz and Alice and get ready for our Grand Canyon adventure.

Alice was at the door to greet us when we arrived

The balcony provides a great view over the valley and back towards Phoenix to the southwest.

This is saguaro country

Buzz prepared a delicious dinner featuring pan fried fillets from his fishing trip to Naples. We were impressed with his inventive apparatus for disabling the smoke detector!

Nightfall in Scottsdale

One little, two little, three little Indians...

four little, five little, six little Indians....

(waiting for their wives at the jewelry store)

Scottsdale sculpture gallery

Quatrz of the Amethyst variety at the Arizona Mining and Minerals Museum

http://www.admmr.state.az.us/General/museum.html

Quartz (l), Malachite (r)

Assorted mineral specimens

Calcite from Brazil

This is a view skyward in the rotunda of the Arizona Capitol Museumhttp://www.lib.az.us/museum/

Rare 19th C. Navaho baskets

The colorful first governor of Arizona was George W. P. Hunt, shown here in a recreation of his office. He served seven terms during his career, earning him the sobriquet "George VII."
His hometown newspaper, the Globe Silver Bell, supported his opponent and frequently ran such comments as the following: "Two circuses are in town today, Ringling Brothers and G.W.P. Hunt. Both are complete with side shows."

Bola Tie & Turquoise

The Arizona Capitol Museum is home to the silver service that was donated to the USS Arizona by the citizens of this state in 1919. This service is comprised of 59 distinct pieces on display at the Museum. Sadly, the USS Arizona now lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor, a memorial to the servicemen who perished aboard her during the war.

The "Great Seal of the State of Arizona" in the central hall of the Capitol with the Latin motto Ditat Deus, God Enriches. (One can hope!)

Landing in Las Cruces: April 30

2009-07-26T05:24:00.000-07:00

From Austin to Las Cruces, we struck out west on 290 through Texas Hill Country and passed the LBJ Ranch along the banks of the Pedernales River. Continuing on I-10 through west Texas and the city of El Paso (just across the Rio Grande from the drug-war riddled Mexican town of Juarez), we ended up in Las Cruces, NM. late in the afternoon.

Peg was impressed with the wrought iron entry door to our hotel.

The historic village of Old Mesilla is close by, and we went there for a couple of meals, and for the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. Many of the Fiesta dancers were outfitted in striking costumes.

Mesilla was a lively social center in the 1880s. People came from as far as Chihuahua and Tucson to attend bailes (dances), bullfights, cockfights and theatrical presentations. The town attracted more than its share of violence, and differences were often settled in the streets with guns. Outlaws such as Dutch Hubert, Nicolas Provencio and Billy the Kid frequented many of the bars and dances in town.

In April of 1881, Billy the Kid was tried at the Mesilla courthouse and sentenced to hang. He soon escaped from jail, but was shot to death by Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett on July 14.

More Cinco de Mayo dancers

Typical fiesta fare.
These lovely girls were eager to be photographed!

Exquisite costume details
Mariachi con gusto!

The famous chile rellenos at Chopes in La Mesa

It is a pleasant drive from Mesilla to La Mesa past farms and Pecan plantations, most of them owned by Stahmanns http://www.stahmanns.com/

Our primary purpose in visiting La Mesa was to visit Chopes, a quasi-ramshackle diner serving up incredible food. We both opted for the chile rellenos. They were delicious.

The Chopes bar and dining room are in separate buildings. Tip: If you prefer smoke free and quiet dining, try the dining room, shown in the background at the far side of the parking lot.

Diners enjoy cold beer with hot chile, in large or small bottles.

Colorful ristras at the Las Cruces market

Las Cruces Colonnade

Lively quartet at the market

A monk plays solo

Hotel breakfast area

Nachos at Si Senor, with four dips!

http://www.sisenorpdx.com/index.shtml

Just north of Las Cruces is Hatch, NM, home to the world's best chile peppers. We stopped here at the Chile Fanatic to stock up on dried chiles, ristras, and salsa. Their pecans were good too!

http://www.hatchchilefest.com/

Ristras as wreaths and crosses

View towards Alamogordo from Cloudcroft.

School kids sledding at White Sands National Monument

Peg in the dunes

The visitors center

Center & Museum

Looking down the White Sands missile range

http://www.wsmr.army.mil/wsmr.asp

San Augustin pass in the Organ Mountains, east of Las Cruces

Authentic Mexican dinner at El Comedor in Mesilla with the "Christmas" treatment
(red AND green chile)

Buck Wagon in Old Mesilla

Austin, Capital of Texas (and still weird)

2009-06-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

We made it to Austin late in the afternoon and checked in to the Holiday Inn Austin Town Lake. The lake itself is right downtown and is a beehive of activity for outdoor enthusiasts who row, run, bike and walk around the lake at all hours.

Keep Austin Weird is a slogan adopted by the Austin Small Business Alliance. They say that in a mostly conservative Texas, Austin is “Weird” because it continues to be progressive in the arts and music. Many people feel that the “Keep Austin Weird” slogan reflects a desire to retain the city's distinct character in the face of increasing pressures to homogenize.

This is the Iron Works barbeque, right downtown, where we enjoyed a decent meal that, of course, was no match for the Salt Lick!

Here is one of two Austin locations for Hey Cupcake! http://www.heycupcake.com/story.html

Weird, but good.

In case you can't read it, the napkin holder message says "Wipe that icing off your face, you big disgrace."

The next day we ate at Chuy's a Tex-Mex favorite with locations throughout the state. We had the Chicken Taquitos, pictured below. Very tasty!

Decor at Chuys Barton Springs location

Chuy's entrance

That afternoon we visited the Lady Bird Johnson Wildfower Center, a delightful spot founded by Lady Bird and actress Helen Hayes to protect and preserve North America's native plants and natural landscapes---a worthy mission. It is now affiliated with the University of Texas.

http://www.wildflower.org/

This work is a cross between origami and watercolor.

A giant scorpion, the centerpiece of one of the gardens.

A formal setting.

And a more natural one.

We had to try Blue Bell ice cream, a Texas favorite. We liked it.

This is the flagship store and headquarters for Whole Foods.

The Blanton Art Museum at the U of T, funded in large part by a generous grant from the prolific James Michener who was born in Doylestown PA and lived in Austin for many years.

http://blantonmuseum.org/

A young New York artist ( I didn't record his name) rendered this young dude, after the style of the Dutch Masters

African tapestry created from metal liquor bottle strips

Detail of lobby wall

Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design & Culture at Mid-Century

Custom Fender guitar with image of Dave Brubeck and friends

We had a great lunch at the Magnolia Cafe, joining Travelzine friends Diana Ball and Lou Matthews, who were so generous to us in helping with information about Austin and Texas.

At the LBJ Museum and Library on the U of T campus, there was an interesting exhibition about the space program in the 60's

LBJ automaton, mouthing folksy words of wisdom

White House watercolor, signed by all living presidents at the time (2004)

Lady Bird's office at the museum, preserved as she had left it

Presidential limo

April 27: San Antonio to Austin

2009-05-26T05:54:00.001-07:00

On our way from San Antonio to Austin, we made several stops. The first, and perhaps the most interesting, at Gruene, a well preserved little town that characterizes itself as "gently resisting change since 1872." This is certainly a town that has managed to retain the old Texas small-town feel.Gruene has been designated a Historic Town by the State of Texas. The name of the town is pronounced like the color "Green."

Henry D. Gruene, the town's founder, originally bought land for a cotton farm in 1872 with his father and brothers. He built his first home in 1872 and modified it over the years. It still stands proudly with its Victoria galleries today as the Gruene Mansion Inn. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated Texas Historic Landmark. Here it is today!

Town Map

The jewel in Gruene's crown has got to be the Gruene Hall, the oldest Dance Hall in Texas. It is small in scale, but mighty in its reputation for hosting the greatest country music acts around including Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dixie Chicks, Jerry Jeff Walker and many others.

http://www.gruenehall.com/

John Travolta as Michael, the "bad angel," filmed at Gruene Hall

Inside the Hall

The bar area

Special parking for the king

The Grist Mill restaurant in Gruene

Fishing, tubing, and other water recreation activities are available on the Guadalupe River, just down the hill from the Gruene Hall: http://www.gruenerivercompany.com/index.html

From Gruene, we made our way to San Marcos, the largest outlet shopping destination in Texas, and the third largest in the world. It's kind of like a strip mall on steroids there, quite spread out. Each store has it's own entrance. There is lots of parking of course and the site is so big that they have mini buses to move the shoppers around.

Sadly, heavy rain storms were moving in and conditions became so inclement that we decided to cut our visit short and move on. Peggy did find a couple of items at Banana Republic, so she was pleased about that.

From San Marcos, we left I-35 and made our way via the back roads to Driftwood where we were looking forward to lunch at that mecca of Texas Hill Country barbeque, the Salt Lick.
http://www.saltlickbbq.com/

We arrived in the midst of a teeming downpour, and the parking lot was running rivers of waters. We danced around as best we could in a futile effort to stay dry and entered the shrine to German influenced, beautifully barbequed ribs, brisket and sausage with sides of potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, pickles and onions.

BBQ Pit

The main dining room evokes the feeling of an old ranch mess hall

High anticipation: ready to savor the flavor

Clever merchandising: Must-have tee shirts and other stuff

The "real deal."

Our meals are pictured here, just before we tied in. Peggy opted for the "seniors plate," which include a generous serving of all the dishes mentioned above. Kevin chose the "family plate," a never-ending delivery of all of the items, until you holler "I quit."

We finished up with a delicious peach cobbler a la mode, but here were also other cobblers on offer, as well as very attractive pecan pies

The pit master was busy keeping up with orders, as customer continued to arrive to eat-in and to take-out too.

Our window-side table

Remember the Alamo! and Riverwalk too

2009-05-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

We made the trek across I-10 from New Orleans to San Antonio in good time, noting that a visit to Lafayette, LA would be worthwhile on another trip.

San Antonio was busy with the last weekend of Fiesta, an 11 day celebration that began as a way to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the battle of San Jacinto, the decisive contest in the Texas Revolution where General Sam Houston's army defeated that of General Santa Ana. The crowds were substantial and still in a festive mood, though they seemed a bit weary from the extensive celebration!

Our room at the Cambria Suites was comfortable and modern, in a good location near the airport with easy access to downtown. We arrived on Saturday and then spent Sunday visiting the Alamo, downtown areas and the Riverwalk.

Here is the plaza in front of the Alamo. The inside of the old mission/fort was festooned with wreaths from many military organizations and historical societies to commemorate the fallen who defended the Alamo to the end.

Alamo courtyard.

Detail of the facade.

We had a table reserved at Boudro's on the Riverwalk and enjoyed a tasty lunch there midway through our explorations. Peg began with a prickly pear margarita.

http://www.boudros.com/boudros/

The famous, and delicious guacamole for two, made tableside by our waiter.

The Black & White soup ( Black bean soup with sherry and white cheddar soup with peppers)

Blue crab Tostado, Gulf Coast seafood in a corn tortilla shell with tomato, avocado
and melted jack cheese.

The county courthouse in San Antonio

Path along the riverwalk

Tower of the Americas is a 750-foot observation tower with a restaurant, built as the theme structure of the 1968 World's Fair, HemisFair.

St. Anthony, patron saint of San Antonio. Both the city and the river are named for him.

An historic lenticular truss bridge, one of only a few remaining in the US. This one was built in 1890.

Riverwalk vista.

View of Bethany Congregational Church, where a service is conducted in German each Sunday. There is a considerable German population in the area, and throughout central Texas.

Touring the riverwalk by boat.

Boatload of tourist refugees

architectural detail.

One of many bridges crossing riverwalk.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, April 24

2009-04-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

We were on the scene for the first day of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 24). The festival runs for two consecutive weekends each year. This year it was April 24,24, 26 and April 30, May 1,2,3. You can see the whole festival line-up here:
http://www.nojazzfest.com/

music fans making their way to the fairgrounds, site of the festival

Tab Benoit Band in the Blues Tent

Joe Cocker's sax player

We couldn't get close enough to the stage for a decent picture, but the music was great

The crowds: mellow for the most part

Austin Texas Indie group: Spoon

Spoon lead singer Britt Daniel

Tommy McLain performing at the Fais Do-Do Stage

Many local crafts were on display

Wynton Marsalis with Yacub Addy & Odadaa!

Custom Iron work

Drive-By Truckers with Booker T.

Dancers at the Fais Do-Do Stage, which featured Cajun and Zydeco music

Those Cajuns love to party!

Hadley Castille Family & the Sharecroppers Cajun Band

The amazing Louisiana Fiddler, 18 year old Amanda Shaw and her band, The Cute Guys.

Go to her site, scroll down to the bottom, and watch the video:

http://www.amandashaw.com/

Amanda solo

Costumes from the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club

See more here:

http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/zulu/photos/displayimage.php?album=13&pos=4

We had lots to eat

Pheasant, quail and andouille gumbo from Prejean's

eggplant with crawfish sauce
booths in the food area

Crawfish Monica

Cochon de lait Po-Boy from Love at First Bite

Props for "ritual celebrations" in Louisiana

New Orleans Night Crawlers Brass Band

Folk Art

Semolian Warriors Mardi Gras Indians parade

Arts & Crafts

Como Now, gospel Group

The Big Easy: April 22

2009-04-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

We were excited to approach New Orleans across the bayous and the eastern reaches of Lake Pontchartrain. We eventually dropped down off I-10 and entered the French Quarter along Decatur St. to arrive at our hotel, the New Orleans Marriott on Canal St.

We had a comfortable corner room on the 33rd floor with great views up and down the river, and a view of Harrah's Casino on the up-river side. Here are some views, both day and night:

Once we were settled, we struck off for a stroll through the French Quarter to take in the sights and sounds. The architecture is striking as a background canvas for the clash of the refined and the tawdry. Very interesting!

Plaza behind Jackson Square

St. Louis Cathedral, at the back of Jackson Square

Char-grilled Oysters at the Acme Oyster House

Seafood gumbo at the Acme Oyster House.

Cafe au lait and beignets at the Cafe du Monde

The perfect finish to our first day in NOLA

Next morning, we hopped on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar up into the Garden District. We eventually went all the way to the end of the line and back, but first we disembarked at Napoleon Ave. and walked down to Magazine St. to look at some of the shops, and to have lunch at the famous Casamento's which is noted for its oysters and other seafood delicacies.

Here are some views of the Garden District and Magazine St.:

Signs of wildlife: beads from earlier celebrations are evident in the trees and on the phone and power lines, especially in the French Quarter

promotional sign at a cobbler shop

window display on Magazine St.

Casamento's facade

Peg tried soft shelled crab for the first time, and really liked it!
Our shucker was happy, and the oysters were fresh, juicy and briny.

Magazine St. scene

Along St. Charles

library on St. Charles

Ticket kiosk on the St. Charles line

Loyola University campus, Uptown

Hot cars and a buzz at Lucy's bar in the Warehouse district

Thursday night, we had a table at the famous Cochon http://www.cochonrestaurant.com/

For starters, Peg had the paneed pork cheeks with goat cheese arugula & beet rösti, while Kevin chose the fried alligator with chili garlic aioli.

Peg then had the smoked beef brisket with horseradish potato salad. Having never seen an oyster he didn't like, Kevin opted for the oyster & bacon sandwich.

We capped off a wonderful meal by sharing pineapple upside down cake with coconut-lime sorbet & dulce de leche.

We made it an early night, as the next day we would be taking in the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!

Orange Park, FL

2009-04-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

Our trip through the south would have been incomplete without a stop at cousin Fran's in Orange Park. I last saw Fran in early 2002 when we traveled together from DC to Philly for our Aunt Bea's funeral. At the time, I was working on a project at the World Bank and Fran was visiting her son, Ray and his family in Northern Virginia.

We were overdue for a rendez-vous. Though I haven't yet been able to convince Fran to visit us in Canada, I think she may now be ready!

Fran has a big family of her own, and it was fun to hear of all the developments with her clan.
It was good to see Jim and Tim and to meet their wonderful families.

We drove to St. Augustine to see some of the sights. We had lunch at the Conch House Restaurant, with views of the bay.

Following lunch, I tried to find Pete Wills, a schoolmate of mine from Philly. I had a bad phone number for Pete, but I found an address for him at the White Pages on-line. It wasn't too far from the restaurant so we drove over there to find an RV park at that address. I enquired at the office and the receptionist told me that Pete lived there but that he was out on the road. She gave me a cell phone number so I called and talked to Pete and he turned out to be in Palatka---about 45 miles inland---and would be there overnight.

As Peg and I were departing for New Orleans the next morning, we didn't have a chance to see Pete, but it was nice to talk to him. After a career in sales, he is now a minister and chaplain, and tends to those who need help. Good move, Pete.

Fran was amazed that I was able to track Pete down!

Peg and Fran by the pool

Site of the ancient shrine to the first spanish colony in the "new world"

Kevin and Fran at church

view from Conch House deck
marina by Conch House

Fran with Tim, her youngest son

Sunday in Charleston

2009-04-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

We never tire on wandering the streets of Charleston and taking in the sights and sounds of the old city market, the shops and restaurants, and the other tourists (there are always lots of them!).

The architecture is marvelous. The walls ooze with history, and the locals have a dignity and a sense of place that is rarely found elsewhere in these days of homogenization and sameness.

Sea Grass Baskets of the South Carolina Low Country, in the Gullah Tradition

St. Philips Episcopal Church

Charles's friend John Kerr kindly invited us to attend a Concert Programme presented by the world famous Choir of Canterbury Cathedral at the Charleston Cathedral Church of St. Luke and Saint Paul. The concert was a musical treat, and the setting and the acoustics were perfect.

The choir is made up of men (lay clerks)and boys and sings at the Cathedral each day, when it is not touring. The boys live in the Cathedral Choir House and attend St. Edmund's School. They practice twice each day, and each chorister learns to play at least two instruments.

Cathedral Church of St. Luke & St. Paul, Charleston

David Flood, Master of Choristers and the Choir of Canterbury Cathedral

Getting back to Charleston

2009-04-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

We were happy to return to Charleston, and to see my brother Charles and his wife Sally once again. They are well and content with their lifestyle here in the low country. We had a great time catching up on family news, current events, and community developments.

Kevin and Charles

Peggy and the brothers

Charles prepared delicious crab cakes and Sally put together a lovely fresh salad for our evening meal, as we made plans for the next day.

We were up early and stopped to see my old schoolmate Joe Eddleman who, as fate would have it, operates his real estate office less than six blocks from where Charles and Sally live. Joe was in great spirits, though he is a bit impatient in recovering from recent heart surgery. It was good to see him again!

Joe & Kevin

We left Joe's and headed for downtown Charleston for a quick look-around, across the new cable-stayed Arthur Ravenel Jr. bridge. The bridge opened in 2005 to replace the obsolete cantilever truss bridge that was the previous link between Mt. Pleasant and Charleston. The new bridge is a vast improvement and a pleasure to drive on. There is a popular 12 foot wide pedestrian/bike path on the ocean side of the bridge which serves as the course for the annual Cooper River Bridge Run.

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

Charleston Visitors Center

Peg in the Urban Outfitters

Following a quick look around at the shops on King St., we headed back to Mt. Pleasant and on to nearby Daniel Island.

Sally has been an avid, lifelong successful tennis player and is a member of the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island. She was so gracious as to provide us with tickets to attend the semi-finals of the Family Circle Cup.

We saw an impressive match-up between Number 1 seed Elena Dementieva and Number 5 seed Caroline Wozniacki. Wozniacki won in 3 sets. Man, those girls can really hit the ball! It was an exciting match and we were glad we got a chance to see it.

2008 Champ Serena Williams

Wozniacki serves

Dementieva returns

Following tennis, we returned home to prepare for dinner, and Peg had a visit with the Kerr's cat, Enoch the Ewok. Enoch spends a lot of time with Charles and Sally these days to get a break from Charlie, the King Charles Spaniel puppy.

We wrapped up the day with a lovely meal at the always excellent Old Village Post House Restaurant in Mt. Pleasant. http://www.mavericksouthernkitchens.com/ovph/index.html

Peg and Sal at the Old Village Post House

Peg and Kevin too!

We feasted on fried oysters, salmon, soft shelled crab and crab cakes and a delicious dessert of strawberry shortcake with vanilla bean ice cream. (Sorry, no pictures! We were distracted by the food)

April 17: Lynchburg to Charleston

2009-04-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

After checking in at the Kirkley Hotel in Lynchburg, we had a nice dinner at Thai 99, sharing some spring rolls, Pad Woon-Sen and Pad Thai. http://thai99.net/

In the morning, we continued down scenic route 29 to Greensboro, NC where we made a side trip to the furniture mecca of High Point.

Peggy enjoyed looking around Furnitureland South and its vast array of products from all the big name furniture manufacturers.

I was relieved that we came away empty-handed, and headed south on Route 220, joining I-95 just acrosss the South Carolina border. Around 5 PM, we were happy to arrive at the home of Charles and Sally in Mt. Pleasant, to catch up with them, and to settle in.

The highs and lows of the Shenandoah Valley

2009-04-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

We left the Fairfield Inn in Strasburg on Thursday morning and headed down route 11, a Virginia Scenic Byway also referred to as the Old Valley Pike.

We drove as far as New Market, the site of a significant Civil War Battle before heading over route 211 to the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.

http://www.shenandoahtravel.org/

Our first stop was at the Shenandoah County Court House on Main Street, designed by Thomas Jefferson and in use since 1795. We took a picture of the statue of Peter Muhlenberg (born an died at Trappe, PA) who lived in Woodstock and was a clergyman and a general in the Revolutionary Army, leading a brigade at the Battle of Yorktown.

Just south of Mount Jackson, we stopped to see the Meems Bottom covered bridge.

Beyond the bridge, there was a lovely B & B shrouded in the early morning mist. We stopped to talk to a woman at the farm across the road who was tending to her 6 horses. One was a beautiful foal (colt), born 4 days earlier.

We drove as far as New Market, the site of a significant Civil War Battle before heading over route 211 to Shenandoah National Park. We followed the Skyline Drive through the park for about 30 miles, enjoying the vistas along the way.

On leaving the National Park, we headed south on route 29 to Charlottesville, where we strolled the downtown mall and had a tasty bite of pizza at Vita Nova.

We then headed for the University of Virginia campus to visit the "Academical Village" and the Rotunda designed by Jefferson. The Rotunda echoes the design of the Pantheon in Rome.

Above is a sitting room inside the Rotunda.

This is one of the many brick serpentine walls around campus.

Rocky Hill to Strasburg, VA

2009-04-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

After a quick bite and a very large coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, we headed west on I-84 all the way to Scranton PA. It was a beautiful morning, but by the time we got to Wilkes Barre the rain had started and the driving was a bit tense with lots of trucks on I-81.

We had lunch in Frackville PA, and sailed on through Harrisburg. We noticed an accident in the northbound lane, and the traffic was backed up for miles and miles. When we got to Shippensburg, it was our turn on the southbound side---gridlock. We were fortunate enough to get off the Interstate and on to PA highway 11 running parallel to the highway and winding through the towns of Shippensburg and Chambersburg.

Here are a couple of the beautiful homes in Chambersburg. We passed through the lovely campus of Wilson College, a small Presbyterian women's college.

Of course, most travellers had the same idea about skirting the accident, so we crept along, covering about 11 miles in about an hour before returning to the interstate.

The Fairfield Inn in Strasburg Va is a comfortable, new hotel which opened last fall and is decorated with their "green tea" theme. Here's how it looks:

Here's one for the "small world" file. We were checking in at the Fairfield when a woman asked if we were from New Brunswick. (I think they saw our license plate when we were getting out of the car.) We introduced ourselves, and it turns out that they are Barb and Marg Gass from Fredericton. They were headed home after spending the winter in Sebring, FL

We were looking forward to a meal at the historic Hotel Strasburg, and we were not disappointed. The building dates from the 1820's, and the bar and dining room are inviting and comfortable in a Victorian way. The staff were great and the food was good. Reasonable too. What more could we ask for? http://www.hotelstrasburg.com/

2009-04-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

The countdown is over! We left town on the morning of April 14 for the first leg of our road trip. That's our car ready for the road, with remnants of snow in the background. It was a beautiful travel day, sunny bright and cool. We crossed the border into the US at about 9 AM, passing the mighty Mt. Katahdin on the way, as seen here, and stopped at the Panera in Augusta for a quick lunch.

On entering Massachusetts, we stopped for a break at Welcome Center and ran in to Bob Grant from Fredericton, a buddy from the gym. Bob is driving to FL to meet some of the guys for a few days of golf, and then meeting up with his family to partake in the ultimate Disney experience (They are flying down from NB).

Since Saucony closed their outlet store in Bangor, we decided to stop at the New Balance outlet in Lawrence, MA. It's a large store located on the ground floor of one of the old riverside mills. They have a great selection of clothing and shoes at really good prices so we each picked up new running shoes. We're ready to make some tracks now!

We arrived at the Marriott in Rocky Hill, CT around 5 PM and after a quiet dinner at the nearby MichelAngelo's called it a day. We abandoned our plans to go to the gym, as we were just too beat.

Getting ready for the road

2009-03-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

Road trip!

Since last fall, we've been working on plans for a spring '09 road trip that will cover roughly 22 states and 3 provinces. We have a long and growing list of places we want to see "some day,"----fascinating cities, natural wonders, popular tourist attractions and World Heritage Sites.

Well, that "some day" is now! We are taking 5 weeks in April and May to try to put a dent in our travel bucket list, and also revisit some of our favorite haunts along the way. We are not staying in any one place longer than 3 nights. We hope to get the flavor of most spots, and return some day to the ones we really like.