I recently went on a hunt for some awesome, comfortable pants. I wanted something that was comfortable for long flights and something that looked nice for when we go out to dinner whether traveling or at home. What I found was the Everyday Pant from Lucy.com. Okay, so they're not blue jeans, but I'm telling you, these pants are like miracle pants. They smooth out all the unflattering stuff and pretty much just make you look the best you possibly can look. I don't know how they work; I just know they're awesome. I think I'll be wearing a pair of these on every flight from here till forever. They're just that amazing.
A few years ago, when I was traveling to London for the first time, I sought recommendations and advice from my traveler friends and from my Anglophile friends and family. And somewhere in the midst of all the suggestions was one I thought sounded a little odd: The British Library.
Now, I am a huge lover of the library. I visit our library at least once or twice a week and I'm constantly immersed in at least one novel and 4-6 nonfiction books at any given moment. But visit a library in a foreign land? Such a thing had never occurred to me.
However, my stepmother was adamant that The British Library was something special and something we'd enjoy, so I figured, heck, why not? What I discovered was the single coolest thing that one can see in London. Period. I've seen the Tate Modern. I've seen Victoria and Albert. I've seen the Tower of London and I've seen a lot of other stuff. And hands down, The British Library is the coolest thing I've ever seen in London.
So what makes The British Library so intense? Let's see...
Shakespeare's first folio.
The original Alice in Wonderland in Lewis Carroll's handwriting.
The Magna freaking Carta. The original one, the document known as the cornerstone of liberty.
Leonardo da Vinci's original notebooks with his handwriting.
The Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed on a printing press.
Illuminated manuscripts.
George Frideric Handel's Messiah, in Handel's handwriting.
The Diamond Sutra, the oldest dated printed book.
The original Canterbury Tales.
Original writings from the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen.
And that's just the start. I'm telling you, The British Library is an absolute treasure trove of moments that, quite literally, brought tears to my eyes, and if I had just one day in London, I'd spend it there. If you do go to London, do not miss it.
I have loved Airborne for the better part of two decades. Airborne is a dietary supplement that's purported to boost the immune system. It's also, by the way, an excellent entrepreneurial tale.
Airborne was developed in the early 1990s by an elementary school teacher who found herself catching cold after cold and was tired of catching all the bugs her students brought in. So she set about finding a way to boost her immune system to try to protect herself, and Airborne is the result.
Airborne contains Zinc, Ginger, Echinacea and 13 other vitamins, minerals and herbs. The ingredients have all been scientifically shown to boost the immune system.
Airborne rates quite highly in both my winter-stocked medicine cabinet as well as in my travel bags. I drink Airborne whenever I travel and several times throughout the year. Leo's adopted the same policy. We'v enoticed that we tend not to get sick when we follow this protocol, and recently when we traveled to England, I forgot the Airborne, and sure enough, Leo caught a cold and was sick for a few days when we arrived back at home.
I've been in love with Airborne for such a long time, I can't recall the last flu season I spent without it. My favorite flavors are the original orange and the newer lime. Pink grapefruit and berry were never my thing. The great thing about Airborne, though, is that it tastes good. I actually enjoy it, so it's not entirely uncommon to find me sitting in an airport Admiral's Club, reading and enjoying a glass of Airborne in between flights.
I still take my multivitamin (despite my recent post about vitamins, I do still taken them, just in case), but whenever I'm flying or planning to spend any quantity of time in a large group of people, I drop an Airborne into a little cup of water, wait for it to fiz down, and chug it like I'm at a frat party.
Last week I covered four Marriott-owned hotels in London. This week, we're heading north to take a look at a few other Marriott properties.
First, two "utilitarian" properties, one of which we've used quite a few times as "home base" when visiting the kids and one which was a recent stopover.
Newcastle Marriot Hotel Metrocentre
The Newcastle Marriott Hotel Metrocentre is not one of my favorite Marriott properties, but it's located near an IKEA and the Metrocentre, which is Europe's largest indoor shopping center, located in Gateshead, in the far northeast of England. If you want to get to the Metrocentre from the Marriott, you actually have to walk across two giant parking lots, which I don't mind on a pleasant day, but find cumbersome in the rain or snow. Unfortunately, the train station is located inside the Metrocentre, which means if you're coming straight from the airport, you have to drag your bags across these parking lots, unless you can get really lucky with the shopping center shuttle.
This property is a bit older-feeling than most. It does have a couple of rooms that are considered "fanta-suites" which was kind of a cool concept in the 80s, but I can't imagine that I'd enjoy staying in a "Wild West" or "Arabian Nights" themed room these days. At any rate, the hotel itself isn't a place I particularly enjoy staying. The service and food are good, but not great, which pretty much sums up the hotel itself. But in a pinch, if I need a place to stay in the Newcastle/Gateshead area, the Metrocentre property is pretty much the most convenient Marriott in the area, so unless I discover something better, it's the "go to" place when we're in town.
Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County
Not too far from Newcastle is the Durham MarriottHotel Royal County, where Leo took me for a birthday weekend. Situated on the banks of the River Wear, the Durham Marriott has sections dating back to the 17th century. Plus, bonus, it's located quite close to a dynamite pizza joint (LOL)! Seriously, this hotel was gorgeous and we had lovely service and food there (the dessert menu was particularly delightful). The hotel wasn't located too close to the train station, which means taking a cab (or a long walk, if you arrive late at night, as we did), but it is located close to Durham Cathedral, which is absolutely stunning. Walking around the town of Durham and investigating the castle and cathedral is a wonderful, romantic way to spend an afternoon, and finishing the day at this hotel is the perfect way to cap off a lovely day. I'm surprised that Marriott doesn't rank this hotel higher. I'm sure they have their reasons, but I think the Durham property is very nice.
Dalmahoy, a Marriott Hotel
and Country Club, Edinburgh
Hey, did you ever want to get lost in Scotland? Well, if that's what you're looking for, there's no better place than Dalmahoy, a Marriott Hotel and Country Club. Now, I can't complain much, as this particular hotel in Edinburgh is where Leo and I stayed over Valentine's Day weekend when Leo proposed to me. So I have very fond memories of this place. But I have to say, this hotel is one of the most confusing hotels I've ever seen, owing in large part to its historical architecture. There's just a lot of "you can't get there from here" to the hotel, as certain stairs lead to some corridors that don't connect to other corridors, and it's all very confusing.
The spa at the Dalmahoy is nice, but nothing particularly special, same with the restaurant, and the service is just okay. You can take a convenient bus into downtown Edinburgh, and the walk to the bus stop takes you across the hotel grounds, which are awfully pretty. I'm not a huge fan of golf courses in general, but this one is kind of nice.
Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel
Similarly confusing and maze-like (albeit not nearly as visually appealing) is the Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel. I stayed here for a night recently. The room was pleasant, the pool was gorgeous (including a steam room, sauna, and cold pool), and they had what looked like a very nice spa. However...while the room service menu offered less pricey options than the actual restaurant, room service itself was highly inconsistent. The kids and I had room service twice and they forgot a couple of side dishes the first time, and forgot completely different items the second time. Plus, we ordered the same Spaghetti Bolognese dish both times, but it was prepared with spaghetti first, and penne the second time, which made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Still, the convenient location (just a very short and inexpensive shuttle ride from the airport) was worth it, and overall, both the kids and I had a good night's sleep, which is, after all, the entire point.
What it comes down to is that across the United Kingdom, Marriott has properties ranging from fabulous and incredible luxury hotels where you want to stay indefinitely to serviceable, convenient overnighters that deliver a tolerable place to rest your head.
Stay tuned for more hotel and condo reviews down the road!
I've stayed in London several times, and every time, I've stayed in a Marriott-owned property. Why? Because I'm a member of the Marriott Rewards Points program and happen to have more than a few points to burn, and if I can spent points instead of dollars to stay in a luxury hotel, why not go for it?
Renaissance Chancery Court,
London, England
I'll start my reviews with my favorite hotel in all of England, the Renaissance London Chancery Court Hotel in (obviously) London. This place is my favorite for several reasons. First, it's a block away from the Holborn Tube station and is on the Picadilly line and the Central line, which means getting pretty much anywhere is fairly simple and cheap. Plus, you can take the Tube straight to Heathrow for just a few pounds, which is pretty rocking, considering the cost of a taxi is around 100GBP.
Second, the hotel itself is pretty fabulous. It was built in 1912 and has the most gorgeous courtyard (which often has some incredible cars parked in it) and a stunning marble staircase. Room service has the most delectable options (assuming you opt out of the myriad of culinary options in London), they have an absolutely insane spa, and the service throughout the hotel is impeccable. I've stayed here twice and I've had no complaints whatsoever. Rates start at 199GBP, but can go as high as 495GBP for a two-level suite.
London Marriott Hotel
Maida Vale
And now, my least favorite hotel in all of the UK: The London Marriott Hotel Maida Vale. I chose the Maida Vale last January because about 90% of the Marriotts in London are what's called "Category 7" in Marriott lingo, which means that spending a few nights will suck up your Rewards points pretty fast. Maida Vale is a Cat 6, which still eats up the points, but a little slower. It's well-located, close to the Maida Vale Tube station, and Maida Vale is kind of a neat, diverse neighborhood, so I figured we ought to give it a whirl.
Now, it happens that Maida Vale is where Leo was bitten an impressive 34 times by bedbugs during our very first night's stay there. So I have to confess that I'm a little bit biased against this hotel, not just because of the fact that this happened at all, but because of how they handled it. In my opinion, discovery of bedbugs are a serious problem that warrant the attention of and apology of a hotel manager, but the manager of Maida Vale apparently disagreed, though he did send his minions to relocate us to the Presidential Suite for the remainder of our stay (it sounds cooler than it actually was - sure, it was big and had a kitchen, but do you really want to cook your own dinner when you're staying in a hotel in one of the coolest cities in the world?). Even aside from the bedbug issue, I would never stay at Maida Vale again, simply because the property isn't as well-maintained and the service isn't quite as stellar as other properties in London.
London Hotel Marriott
Park Lane
Two other Marriott-owned properties in London are London Hotel Marriott Park Lane and London Hotel Marriott County Hall. Park Lane is a fairly schmancy hotel, a bit more contemporary than some of the other London Properties. I have to confess, I felt a bit...uncool...walking into Park Lane. I don't know why, exactly, just that there was something a bit snooty about Park Lane and I felt a little uncomfortable. That's saying a lot, actually, because there isn't much that can actually trigger that feeling in me.
As a side note, I think that's what I like most about Chancery Court. It's a super-schmancy hotel, but the staff are so friendly and nice to you that you never feel uncomfortable, even if you walk in wearing flip-flops. But at Park Lane, I felt uncomfortable walking in wearing my nicest clothes, and that speaks volumes. That said, the fish and chips with mushy peas from room service is absolutely delightful, and the view of Hyde Park is quite stunning, which might be enough to persuade me to set aside my discomfort to give them another shot.
London Hotel Marriot
County Hall
Now, I have to confess that I myself haven't stayed at County Hall,which is why I can't list it as a favorite, but Leo and the kids did stay there and absolutely loved it. The proximity to the London Eye and Big Ben is a pretty cool thing for anyone, plus it's located near one of our favorite fish and chips places in all of London, the Red Lion (review forthcoming).
Next week we're heading north, where I'll cover four other UK Marriott properties, in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Manchester, Durham, and Edinburgh.
I'm not 100% sure what people imagine, when they think about what Indiana is like, but I suspect it involves a lot of cornfields and rednecks. Today I'll talk about what Indiana's really like.
The Weather
In Indiana, the weather is, predictably, hot in the summer and cold in the winter. But in the summer, it's not just hot...it's really hot. And it's humid. Indiana isn't as hot as Texas or as humid as Florida, but summertime is fairly uncomfortable nevertheless. In the winter, it's cold. Again, not quite as cold as Iowa, but definitely cold, and we do get a fair bit of snow.
My favorite time of year is springtime, when the temperatures are mild, humidity is just something you anticipate in the coming months, and there's an occasional gentle breeze. It's perfect. Autumn is similarly pleasant, and that's why my favorite seasons tend to be what I call the "in between" seasons (having said that, I should mention that Leo has told me several times that the Canary Islands are like my "in between" seasons all year-round, which has filled me with a longing of epic proportions...don't be surprised if you see us summering and wintering there someday soon!)
The People
Hoosiers (natives of Indiana) are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Americans, in general, are among the friendliest in the world. And while these days, most people (even in the Midwest) are overly rushed and overly-stressed, Hoosiershave a native hospitality and small-town warmth, even in our capital city of Indianapolis.
Indianapolis
Indianapolis, also referred to as "Indy" or "Naptown," has an estimated population of just over 2 million people. Indy possesses what I refer to as an "urban-lite" vibe, meaning that we have a downtown and some cool urban areas, but we still maintain a small town sentimentality.
On occasion, I think Indianapolis gets a little too big for its britches. Sometimes as a city, we think we're a little more cosmopolitan than we are. Don't get me wrong - Indy's a great town. But we're only the 23rd biggest city in America and certainly don't have as much cultural diversity or depth as other cities might. At least, not yet.
Sports
Indianapolis has plenty of sports to keep visitors and residents busy. While we used to be referred to as the "Amateur Sports Capital of the World," I'm not sure that we're still plugging that as a plus. We have a pro football team (Colts), a pro basketball team (Pacers), and a pro women's basketball team (Fever), but baseball (Indians) and hockey (Ice) are more like farm teams in whatever the second level of those sports would be. We even have a roller derby team (Naptown Roller Girls), if you're into that.
Museums
Indianapolis is home to The Children's Museum, which I think is the largest in the world. It's an absolutely fantastic museum, if not a bit expensive to visit. We also have the Eiteljorg Museum, which houses Native American art collections, and The Indianapolis Museum of Art, which is absolutely wonderful. (BTW, you'll find links to just about everything I'm talking about in this post in the links on the right side of this web site, listed under "Cool Stuff To Do In Indy") There are other museums in Indy, as well, including the Indiana State Museum, plus we have a really awesome zoo that's totally fun to attend (even if zoos in general make me a little sad).
Music
Indianapolishas lots of great music. We have a symphony orchestra, loads of theaters, and great places for cool bands to play. We also have a nice local jazz scene and a thriving folk community, where you can watch and learn to play unique instruments like the hammered dulcimer and the autoharp, and can learn old sea shanties and folk tunes. While the pro circuit is lacking, amateur music in Indy abounds.
Events
There's no shortage of things to do in Indiana. We have tons of festivals and eventsyear-round. In fact, I can't even keep up with all of them. There are cultural and ethnic festivals, art fairs, farmer's markets, music events...there's even a covered bridge festival. I honestly can't even come up with a reasonable list, because there are so many wonderful events. You could find some sort of festival or fair every single weekend to keep you occupied throughout the year, if you wanted to.
Food
Sometimes, as in the case of Barcelona Tapas, Indy-area restaurants get it so horribly wrong. But we have absolutely tons of excellent restaurants that get it right, and many are also super-affordable for families. If you check the Restaurant Reviews link in the category cloud on the left side of this web site, you'll find that I've already reviewed quite a few Indianapolis-area restaurants, and there are more to come.
In Indianapolis, you'll find tasty restaurants of most cultures, plus restaurants devoted exclusively to breakfast, delicious dessert spots, and more. Within 5-10 minutes of my house, for example, we can choose from Mexican, Japanese, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Peruvian, Ethiopian, and an English or an Irish pub, not to mention all of the little American spots nearby.
Suffice to say, food in Indy is not lacking. I wouldn't say, however, that we're 5-star dining in Indianapolis. We do okay, but personally, I don't think we have any restaurants that really hit the highest Michelin rating.
Finally, Farming
Yes, we do have farming, and plenty of it. We have all kinds of farms in Indiana, but our biggest crops are corn and soybeans (referred to simply as "beans" by most Hoosiers). We have a pretty active 4-H community in this state, and the Indiana State Fair is a great time to see all the stuff our farmers are up to, get a sense of what 4-H is all about and how it serves the kids who participate in it, and eat a bit of fried butter or fried Pepsi while you're at it (ewwww!)
But as you've seen, Indiana is far, far more than just farming and hicksville rednecks. Indianapolis provides a welcome oasis of cultural diversity that surprises most visitors. To be fair, I haven't even scratched the surface here. Part of the reason for that is that Leo and I haven't taken the time to explore our city quite as much as we might have. As we venture out to learn more about our local resources, you'll find more reviews and discussion on what Indianapolis (in particular) is all about and what's here. And who knows? You might find yourself wanting to visit soon. :)
In my travels, I've found a few accessories that make my travel a heck of a lot easier. Today I'm going to share a few of the things I always take along when I'm on the road. Note that this isn't an all-inclusive list. I have a few more, but these are the top items.
iPod
I love, love, love my iPod. I have a 32Gig iPod that's about five years old, and I guard it with my life. One day, I'm sure I'll drop it and my heart will break (since the iPod has outlasted the backup drive I kept all my music on, and what's on the iPod isn't fully backed up), but then I'll upgrade to a bigger, better, and super-improved iPod.
My iPod rocks because it's small and can carry so much entertainment in just one little package. I've got music, TV shows, movies, and books on CD, all on this little device, and I could easily travel with just the iPod and stay fairly well entertained on a trip.
Flight charger
I love my in-flight charger. I can charge up my laptop, Bose headphones, iPod, mobile phone, all while I'm on the plane. It pretty much rocks, especially if I've got a lot of work to do and a limited battery life, or worse, haven't had time to charge up my headphones before the flight.
Bose headphones
My Bose headphones rock like nothing else. They're a little bulkier than I'd like, but they're amazing and I'm totally addicted to them. The headphones filter out all of that noise the airplane makes and reduces the annoying sounds of other passengers, making it much easier to relax, enjoy the in-flight entertainment (or your own), get work done, or just take a nap.
Subnotebook/Netbook
I admit it - I was one of the first early adopters of the Asus EEEpc. I have one of the first 200 to enter the US and as a result, it's crummy. Don't get me wrong - it's great for watching movies from my hard drive or iPod or getting some writing done while I'm flying, and it's actually really useful for Skype - the webcam's pretty decent - but overall, my particular v1 EEEpc leaves a lot to be desired. Personally, I'm dying for an operating system I understand, since Linux isn't my particular forte. I understand that in later versions of the EEE, they added Windows, which I'll be experimenting with this weekend as I play around with my stepmom's later version EEE.
I recently killed my EEE by deleting what turned out to be a pretty important file while attempting to set up a hamster-cam for Abe and Willa. I'll probably take it in for repair, but only so I can sell the thing and replace it with a subnotebook I like better. The greatest thing about a little computer is that they're so lightweight, you hardly even know they're in your backpack!
Sleep mask
I'm a big fan of a great sleep mask. Not the cheap, cheesy ones they give you when you fly business class, but a real sleep mask that actually does some good. I'm a fan of the 100% light-blocking sleep mask. I have one that's a gorgeous embroidered red Chinese dragon fabric and it is absolute heaven on a long flight. With the sleep mask and my Bose headphones, I can actually get a fairly nice rest, even in coach.
These are my top favorites and must-haves for travel, but I have a few more as well. Look for upcoming posts with more cool travel accessories as well as a post on which item speople tell you to take when you travel that you rarely need.
Maybe you're a fan of the double-decker bus tours. Maybe you like traipsing around a city with someone carrying a brightly-colored umbrella. Or maybe you just can't get enough of the amphibious Duck Boats. As for me, I'm a fan of the Secret City Tour.
You won't find it in your guidebook and it doesn't appear in Google. The Secret City Tour, in fact, is simply a tour you can take just by asking your cab driver. Most cabbies are trained to conduct these tours and though they're rarely publicly advertised, all you really have to do is ask. You'll get a private tour that you can tailor to your own interests and curiosities, and you can ask all the questions you want. Most cabbies have a standard price for their tours, so you're not paying for time or miles, but rather for the tour.
Did you know that you can travel for a week or two with just a carry-on? The biggest mistake I see travelers make is taking too much stuff along. Most people overpack, because they're terrified to leave something behind (and for a truly genius comic commentary on "stuff," check out George Carlin's "A Place for My Stuff"). But don't you know that no matter where you go, it's most likely that you can find what you need there?
Now, don't get me wrong - I'm pretty particular about a couple of things. I need my laptop on most journeys, though on many excursions, I can make do with an Eee PC. I'm dependent on my skin care and makeup regimens and my choice of shampoo and conditioner. But if I get to my destination and I don't have my toothbrush or toothpaste, it's no big deal to find replacements.
This knowledge was reinforced when Leo and I took the kids to Spain this past Christmas and British Airways lost our bags for virtually the entire trip. I quickly discovered that while I prefer my own deodorant and toothpaste (and even clothes), I can certainly make do with substitutions when the situation calls for it.
These days, my favorite way to travel is with a carry-on bag only. The Spain trip was an anomaly, and here's how that happened: Leo and I spent a lot of time during our courtship traveling back and forth across oceans and continents to see each other. But since we married in 2008, we haven't spent a whole lot of time traveling, so we got out of practice a little bit. As a result, we ended up overpacking for Spain. Still, even if we hadn't overpacked, it's likely we would've checked at least one bag, because in addition to our own stuff, we had Christmas presents for the kids.
After the lost baggage fiasco (which is still being resolved, seven months later, but there is hope on the horizon, as British Airways has just asked for my bank account information so they can wire my reimbursement finally), Leo and I agreed that whenever possible in the future, we'll travel light and stick to carry-ons when we can.
Generally speaking, carry-on only is a pretty nice way to travel and you get really good at taking only what you really need. Plus, you don't have to schlep heavy suitcases around, and that really rocks.
I've traveled around the States and to Montevideo and London using just a carry-on and it's so liberating, you can't even believe it. The trick is knowing what to take and how to pack. My first best tip is to make sure you have a great carry-on suitcase. Mine is a Briggs & Riley expandable bag, and I absolutely love it. Briggs & Riley is on the pricey side, but the quality is impeccable. OTOH, Kohl's regularly has amazing deals on Samsonite and you can pick up a really decent, durable bag for under $100.
Next, I have a little Baggallini fold-up tote bag that fits easily into my suitcase. It provides one more bag, so I can buy cool stuff in interesting places, and check a bag only when I'm going home - when I don't mind waiting a little while for my stuff.
Finally, I carry a backpack. Mine is a black and pink plaid backpack made by Roxy, which I actually bought at The Apple Store several years ago. I'm sure I could find something more sophisticated, but it's quirky and I like it. It has a side-access pocket designed with extra padding for a laptop, and it's super-easy to take the laptop out for security, though the extra padding makes the backpack a bit warm to wear sometimes. It has an outside pocket on each side, one that holds change and the other a bottle of water, and another outside pocket on the front that is good for storing stuff I need quick access to. There's a nice interior pocket with an organizer and a large interior pocket where I can fit file folders, books, notepads, and a change of clothes. Plus, it now has the "sentimental attachment" feature, acquired after I repaired one of the straps with heavy-duty nylon thread at a department store in Newcastle.
So that's what I carry on the plane with me. As for what goes inside...well, that's a subject for another day. Until then, travel light!
In my continuing series on Uruguay, I've talked about the Uruguayan cuisine, the culture, the people...today I'll share a couple of my favorite things to see in Uruguay.
Uruguay is a place that one could visit many times and still not see all the cool things there are to see there. In Montevideo, there are lots of gorgeous historical and architectural locations, but you'll do well to visit them with a Spanish-speaking guide, as the signs explaining each location's significance are all in Spanish.
Two of my favorite things to see in Uruguay are found in Punta del Este, just up the coast from Montevideo. The first is the hand sculpture on the beach (photo, right, thanks to James in Manchester). I'd seen this sculpture in National Geographic and elsewhere since I was a child, but never remembered it was in Uruguay until Leo and I were vacationing on the coast and happened upon it. The sculpture is occasionally covered in graffiti; the government has it cleaned from time to time.
Another cool thing to see in Punta del Este is the sea lions who live in the harbor. If you're from the States, then when you think of "sea lion," you probably envision the sea lions at the zoo - sleek, frisky creatures with narrow heads that end in small sniffers. But the Uruguayan sea lions are much more lion than the ones we Americans know, and have large manes and broad, feline-like noses. They're surprisingly tame and this one (photo, left) was basking in the sunlight less than 8 feet from where I stood.
The story goes...we'd spent the afternoon in the harbor, having gone there specifically to see the famed sea lions, who live in the harbor and frolic on rocks and cement alike. We'd searched for the sea lions everywhere we could think of, and struck out at every turn, so we stopped for lunch at a harborside restaurant, where we enjoyed some stunning fish, fresh from the sea.
After lunch, I was snapping what I figured would be a fairly "artsy" photo of a snail crawling up a wall, when Leo walked over and said, "I want to show you something."
In full artistic photographer mode (let's be honest here - I'm no Ansel Adams, but I sort of know my way around an SLR), I said, "I'll be right there, just one second..." and then, in fairly dramatic fashion, Leo replied, "Sue, if you don't come right now, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
Well, that got my attention, so I followed him around the corner, and there it was, mere steps away, in all its glory - a single, alpha male sea lion, with enough scars to make me believe he was not only big, but old, too. It was absolutely incredible - like nothing I'd ever seen.
He was massive, and as he sat there basking in the sun, he was so lazy and so totally relaxed, he made me a little sleepy. It was a brilliant, unparalleled moment in Uruguay, and if you ever have the chance to visit, I highly recommend that you seek out your own sea lion moment.
Stay tuned for more on Uruguay and other places around the world in the coming weeks!
Last week, in my continuing Saturday cultural series on Uruguay, I talked about what it's like in Uruguay, and ended with a note on the temperament of the Uruguayan people. Today I'll talk a bit more about what Uruguayans are like as a people.
The temperament of the Uruguayan people is much like their national anthem. I've never said that about any other country before, and I only heard the Uruguayan anthem for the first time during the World Cup. But as I listened to their song, it struck me as completely appropriate and musically descriptive of who the Uruguayans are - proud, fiercely independent, deeply and soulfully emotional, a little rebellious, and yet somehow, surprisingly light-hearted and humorous.
Uruguayans are a lot like Argentinians, but a bit more humble, as their country is so small, with a population around 3 million in the entire country - there are more Uruguayans living outside Uruguay than in the country itself. Their Latin roots often make them seem a bit too emotional and dramatic, and while that can get in the way (something easily witnessed in their soccer game), it also serves them well (also, something easily witnessed in their soccer game).
Family is vital to the Uruguayans, but rather than putting children first, they are, quite simply, a seamless part of everything. Children are to be seen and heard and they're involved, accepted, and enjoyed at virtually every social gathering. They matter - not more than everyone else, but as much as everyone else.
And if you want a simple etiquette tip...don't try to buy a drink for an Uruguayan's birthday - custom dictates that they'll be buying you a round of drinks or a meal on that day.
Next in this series, I'll cover a few cool things to see and do in Uruguay. Don't miss it!
In our continuing Saturday series on Uruguay, today I'll cover what it's like in Uruguay, focusing mostly on the capital city of Montevideo.
Despite that many people think Uruguay is "a small, obscure country in South America" (actually, that's me - I'm always teasing Leo that he comes from a "small, obscure country in South America"; it's a running joke at our house), Uruguay is much like a European country.
In the interior of the country, I'm told there are some forests, where one can find tarantulas, which should explain quite clearly why I've never ventured inland. ;) In the developed areas, however, Uruguay is a lot like any other city with a long and rich history.
In particular, Montevideo, with its multi-cultural architecture, intriguing sculpture, and monuments (several of them dedicated to important figures in education), multitude of restaurants, and copious boutiques and shopping malls, seems, in most ways, like any city you'd find in Europe. There's an older part of the city, where one can find a street market where artisans sell jewelry and handmade goods, and a newer part of the city, where one can buy the same electronics and name-brand merchandise you'd find anywhere in the States (albeit at a premium, due to import taxes).
But look a bit more closely and you'll see evidence of the country's not-too-distant dictatorial history; the Uruguayans suffered through military leadership from the early 1970s until it was overthrown in the mid-to-late 1980s. And if you look a bit beyond the mouthwatering cuisine and the stunning seaside views, even beyond the bit of political protest graffiti that remains here and there, you'll discover that the toll of the dictatorship on the Uruguayan people themselves still lingers just beneath the surface, making them fiercely independent, proud, and maybe even a little rebellious.
Which of course brings me to the next topic in this series: the beautiful temperament of the Uruguayan people. Tune in next Saturday!
People in foreign lands appreciate it if you learn a little of their language. Even if they speak English, even if you muck it up, they like that you respected their culture enough to try.
I took French in grade school, high school, and college, yet when I traveled to Paris, I realized how much I had forgotten. Still, I knew enough to try and the French seemed to really appreciate how much effort I made. Our concierge gave me a mini language lesson every morning, and I have many treasured memories of trying to make myself understood. In particular, I remember a clerk trying to help me purchase a wine tasting kit. He didn't know enough English to really help me, and I didn't know enough French to ask the questions I wanted to ask. Through a hilarious combination of broken French, broken English, and terrible mime, we muddled through.
In a similar circumstance in a Montevideo restaurant, I asked Leo to allow me to try out my Spanish. Once I successfully asked where the restroom was, I realized I didn't know enough Spanish to understand the waiter's response. Luckily, Leo came to my rescue and pointed me in the right direction. These days, I know a lot more of those key words like "right" and "left."
Those are exactly the kind of travel experiences I want to have, and they're the kind of moments that show you a ton about other people and cultures and make for interesting dinner conversation later.
Best way to learn a foreign language? Start with the basics - get a CD like Pimsleur (the library will have the more complete, expensive version) or Rosetta Stone, and start learning.
You can also check your local library. Ours has a Language Lab where you can learn all kinds of languages using their software and headsets, and you can even access the software from home. It's really cool!
There's also The Language Learning Library, where you can learn French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian.
And it's always nice to have a friend who speaks the language to help you improve your skills. There are lots of subtleties, jokes, and phrases I would never know about if Leo didn't help me from time to time.
You don't have to learn the entire language. But knowing a few key phrases can be really nice. I know passable French, some Spanish, and a tiny bit of several other languages. My husband is a native Spanish speaker, and also speaks Italian and English. It's really helpful to know other languages when you're traveling, but it's also just...nice.
This post is a part of a series on Uruguay, and today I'll be talking about the cuisine of Uruguay, a delightful and surprising multicultural mix of Spanish and Italian flavors, French baking, and general European tastiness.
The Cuisine of Uruguay
In Montevideo, you'll find a wide assortment of foods. You'll find Spanish flavors, including tapas, Italian pasta, lots of fish (Montevideo is a harbor town), Italian gelato, French pastries, and pizza by the meter. (you don't ask for a slice, you ask for a measurement!)
One dish figures prominently on virtually every dessert menu- flan con dulce de leche ("flahn con DOOL-say de LECH-eh," an egg custard with a thick goo that's like caramel, but so, so much better; pictured at right)- and it's almost always prepared entirely from scratch.
And there's a lot of meat in Uruguay. It's their chief export and they take it very seriously, with copious barbecues where meat figures prominently. An Uruguayan barbecue is usually made of brick, and has a square opening where you build the fire, with a grated shelf over that, and a square opening at the bottom for storing wood.
Generally, the food is in Uruguay is the thoughtful food of a people who love nothing more than whiling away the afternoon in a bar laughing with friends and talking about everything from football (soccer) to politics. In America, as soon as you're done eating in a restaurant, you pay and leave; this seems entirely foreign and abrupt to an Uruguayan (or for that matter, a Spaniard).
In every household and on the streets, you'll find yerba mate. Mate is absolutely everywhere, and it's not uncommon to see people in stores, holding a leather-wrapped thermos under their arm and carrying a mate (a hollowed-out, wrapped-in-leather gourd filled with yerba mate, seen in the photo at left). The gourd is filled with yerba mate leaves, then hot water is added and the tea is drunk with a bombilla (a metal straw with a wide base that has holes in it). As the tea is consumed, more hot water is added, making the bitter drink decidedly more palatable. You can see the typical mate stance modeled by my brother-in-law in the photo to the left. In the photo, he's also sporting a common Uruguayan injury: a burn to the hand sustained while pouring hot water into the mate. :D
In the next post in this series on Uruguay (next Saturday), I'll talk about what Uruguay itself is like - the city of Montevideo, Punta del Este, and more.
As many of you know, my husband, Leo (in the photo, left), is originally from Uruguay. One thing we've discovered after Leo living in America for a year and a half is that most people don't know anything about Uruguay, and most people don't know how to even say "Uruguay." So today, in honor of Leo and to celebrate Uruguay's brilliant showing at the World Cup, I'm starting a series in my blog, called About Uruguay, that will appear regularly on Saturdays (starting this coming Saturday). In this series, I'll teach you how to properly say the name of my hubby's homeland and, tell you a little more about the Uruguayan people, their cuisine, customs, and culture.
First, what's the proper way to say "Uruguay?"
Most Americans say "ER-oo-gway" or "YER-uh-gway." The proper pronunciation is "OO-roo-gwhy" so that the last syllable rhymes with "pie." And if you happen to be able to roll your R's, you'll sound even more authentic.
Okay, now that I can say it right, where the heck is Uruguay?
As you can see from the map below (again, special thanks to WorldAtlas.com always having the most rockin' maps), Uruguay is in South America, on the southeast side of the continent. It shares borders with Brazil and Argentina. Being on the other side of the Equator, their seasons are opposite those in the States and Europe, so when it's summer here, it's winter there, and vice versa, which means that Christmas is a very different kind of celebration - no snow and lots of fireworks.
Who lives in Uruguay?
The people of Uruguay are descendants from many different (mostly European) nations. The dominant cultures are Spanish and Italian (Spanish is the dominant language), but you'll also find French, Dutch, German, Portuguese, and others. What you won't find, though, are native people. It turns out that Spanish conquerors wiped out all the natives, which is why Uruguay, and in particular, its capital city, Montevideo, has such a European feel to it. Like Argentina, almost 88% of the population is descended from European settlers. That "melting pot" vibe also means the food in Uruguay rocks.
And that's what I'll be talking about next time: the Uruguayan food. And let me tell you, it's delicious. :) Stay tuned!
Last week, for the last time, I converted Marriott Rewards Points into frequent flier miles. It was a bittersweet moment. The transfer was the last, as my beloved American Airlines has severed its ties to Marriott, but what a way to go out, since this particular transfer yielded a pretty snazzy result - it put me at having achieved over 1 million frequent flier miles with American Airlines since I joined six years ago. Not only is that just kinda cool, but it also means that AA is thanking me for my loyalty by giving me Lifetime Gold status. That means that as long as I live and as long as AA is in business, I'll be able to book the exit row, get occasional upgrades, and just generally be a happy traveler. At this stage of my traveling game, I'm just spoiled enough to be bothered that it's not Lifetime Platinum status, but that's what I get if I make 2 million miles, and you can bet I'm already thinking about how I'm going to achieve that goal.
Flying is one of my greatest passions. There's something so exciting about getting on the plane- it's the potential of the place I'm going....the dream of what I'm about to see, hear, taste, smell, experience. I once read an article in a travel magazine...I wish I could remember where I read it. The author talked about how, when we plan a trip, we think about our packing process, we think about our arrival at our destination, but we never think about what's in between. For example, if you plan a trip to Hawaii, in your mind, you're packing your bags and then you're just...there. You've got a lei around your neck and a Mai Tai in your hand. But what we forget is that in between those two moments, you're getting your bags in the car, you're driving to the airport, parking and taking the shuttle, checking in, taking off your shoes for security, waiting for the flight, sitting on the plane, maybe changing planes, getting off the plane, waiting for your bag while looking at posters of people on the vacation you're waiting to go on when you leave the airport, taking a cab to the hotel, checking into the hotel, dropping off your bags...and then, finally, blessedly, you've got a lei around your neck and a Mai Tai in your hand.
You know what? I love the entire process, from start to finish. I love shopping for the tickets and planning the routing. I love choosing the hotel and learning about our destination. I love learning about the culture and some of the language of the country I'm visiting. I love the entire trip, from getting on the plane to taking the cab to the hotel. I love it all.
But...there are a few reasons why I love it so much, and the biggest one is that I've learned how to travel well. If I had to sit in the plane in a regular seat from Chicago to London, for example, I would probably hate flying. Having the seat in front of you so close to your nose that you can't even breathe properly is not the best way to travel. And sitting in the airport, with the chaos and the uncomfortable chairs and the crowds and the noise is also not the most pleasant experience.
Some might say I'm a travel snob. Perhaps that's true. But after several years and over one million miles, I'm okay with that label. The key to traveling well is cutting down on things that tire you out on the journey. Here are a few things I've learned:
On a plane, the best seat in economy class is in the exit row. You get more leg room, no seat in front of your nose, and heck, you also know that you aren't leaving your safety in the hands of someone else, in case of emergency (which is great for control freaks like me!) Unfortunately, the only way to book the exit row on most airlines is to be a member of their frequent flier program and have elite status. In most cases, the best way to do that is to get your butt in the seat and fly. But if you want to get lifetime status with an airline like I did, they usually base that on the number of miles you've accrued since you joined their program. And you can do that any way you want. I paid for a ton of my house remodeling with a debit card that earned miles. Most airlines also have an online shopping portal, dining programs where you register a card with them and get miles when you dine at participating restaurants, and you can do special offers where you get miles for getting a certain credit card. I even get miles every time I do an internet search!
Noise-canceling headphones are a brilliant investment if you fly a lot. They're priced exactly right, though frankly, they're worth their weight in gold. They cut down on the airplane noise, and make your flight so much more pleasant. I use the Bose Q2 and not only can I use them when I travel, but I also use them when I cut the grass. :D I wish they took up a little less space, but the earbud ones don't work as well for me.
In the airport, the best place to relax between flights is the airline's VIP lounge. Unfortunately, that usually costs a bundle, so it only makes sense if you fly a lot. If you don't fly frequently, you can usually get a day pass. You'll get better food, cleaner bathrooms, quieter space, and free Wifi, and probably free drinks as well.
If you want to really relax when you get to your destination, and you're not renting a car, skip the cab and hire a car. It's way more expensive to hire a car service, and I've only done it a handful of times. But what I can tell you is that you won't even touch your bag, maybe not even to get it off the conveyor belt, you'll be given a newspaper and a bottle of water, the driver will drive like a normal person, not a crazed cabbie, and the car will be clean, and probably will have leather seats. They're nice. Not the most economical choice, but certainly a pleasant one.
There are plenty more, but this is longer than I expected, so I'll hold off on the rest for now, but expect to see more travel tips on the way. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite travel web sites: FlyerTalk.com SeatGuru.com AmericanAirlines.com
I've always been a traveler, in spirit, if not in practice. My parents took us to many of the States on our childhood vacations, and by now I've been to all but seven of the United States, but amazingly, never set foot on a plane until I was 21. My mom took me on a day trip to New Orleans for my first flight and that day changed me forever. After that, I flew several times, even went out of the country to Mexico and the Cayman Islands, which were big adventures for me at the time.
But it wasn't until a full 13 years after that first trip that I took my dream trip - the one I'd waited for and planned for my entire life - and that trip changed my life one more time. It was 2006 and I went to Paris for the first time.
Everything changed after that. I don't know why, exactly. Maybe it was that suddenly, the world seemed a little smaller and more accessible. Maybe it was that being in Paris, I realized that it was less the idealistic, fantasy city I'd imagined, and more, "Hey, these people are people just like us - they just have a different accent and live in a different place." Or maybe it was just that I'd crossed that boundary, the ocean that had seemed almost insurmountable before, but now seemed like something much smaller...much more like a pond.
All I know is that after that, I started to plan my adventures with a vengeance. My domestic travel increased. I visited more cities and discovered that I had a few definite favorites that I wanted to return to again and again. San Francisco tops the list, but there are a few others that remain, not far behind: New Orleans, Las Vegas, Boston, L.A. And it wasn't long before I was traveling overseas again - to England, Scotland, and Spain - and even to South America, to visit my husband and his family in Uruguay. I'm just getting started, but I already have plans for much more overseas travel - the world is far too interesting not to see as much of it as I can.
Several years ago, I started reading the Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon. It's a pretty amazing series; it's historical fiction (not usually my cup of tea), it's science fiction, it's romance...it's a lot of things. And I have to confess, I was loathe to read it. My stepmom and my dad recommended it, and we tend to have really different taste in books. But they were persistent and finally I gave in...and I fell in love.
Diana Gabaldon books are meticulously researched and beautifully written. You believe in the characters and want to know more about their lives. Outlander takes place mostly in Scotland, but as the series progresses, the hero and heroine find themselves in colonial America. And believe it or not, this is where my interest in The American Revolution began.
It was the hero's internal conflict over the coming revolution that attracted me in the first place. Here's the thing: history books, high school classes, movies....they've all led us to believe that our Founding Fathers were 100% on-board and dedicated to their mission. Not so...at least, not exactly.
I think it was after reading A Breath of Snow and Ashesthat I became intrigued by the notion that not all of our Founding Fathers were so totally committed to the cause of liberation from England, and I wanted to know more. So I read a little about that. I read David McCullough's 1776 and Walter Isaacson's Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, and I was amazed.
Many of our Founding Fathers were human beings - normal guys who thought they saw something going wrong, but weren't quite sure if they wanted to get involved, how much they wanted to be involved, and how they wanted to approach resolving the problems they saw. Benjamin Franklin himself was a British loyalist who was very conflicted and took his time making the decision to join the Revolution.
I like knowing this stuff. Before I read any of these books, I had a hard time relating to the American Revolutionaries. When I look at the world around me, I often feel conflicted by various issues and solutions. Many issues are multi-faceted and many solutions yield positive results with negative side effects. How can anyone see the world in black and white? So whenever I thought about the people back then, I found it hard to understand them or connect with them in any way.But after I learned more, I discovered that in fact, many of the patriots of that time were just as conflicted and confused about the world as I am. Yet they still took action and made a difference to their world and ours.
One a semi-related side-note, during the time in which I was reading all this stuff, I visited Boston and took The Freedom Trail walk. It's a long walk, about 2.5 miles, and it was summertime. By the time I reached Bunker Hill, I was sweating, tired, and ready to be done. And there, near the top of the hill, was a little girl with a table and a sign that read, in patriotic red and blue markers, "Liberty Lemonade 25¢" What a brilliant little entrepreneur! She knew people would come walking up that hill at the end of their Freedom Trail tour, hot and exhausted, just like me, and she was there to solve their problem while capitalizing on their need. Absolute genius....which is exactly what I told her as I was drinking my third cup. :D
"). But don't you know that no matter where you go, it's most likely that you can find what you need there?
. I'm dependent on my skin care and makeup regimens and my choice of shampoo and conditioner. But if I get to my destination and I don't have my toothbrush or toothpaste, it's no big deal to find replacements.
, and I absolutely love it. Briggs & Riley is on the pricey side, but the quality is impeccable. OTOH, Kohl's regularly has amazing deals on Samsonite and you can pick up a really decent, durable bag for under $100.
that fits easily into my suitcase. It provides one more bag, so I can buy cool stuff in interesting places, and check a bag only when I'm going home - when I don't mind waiting a little while for my stuff.
and not only can I use them when I travel, but I also use them when I cut the grass. :D I wish they took up a little less space, but the earbud ones don't work as well for me. 
that I became intrigued by the notion that not all of our Founding Fathers were so totally committed to the cause of liberation from England, and I wanted to know more. So I read a little about that. I read David McCullough's 
and Walter Isaacson's 
, and I was amazed.