Destination - Venice, Italy

"I will never forget experiencing Venice for the first time. It feels like you are transported to another time - the art, music, food and pure romance in the air is like no other place."

Elizabeth Berkley

 

 "Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go."

Truman Capote

 

Venice

Today is my husband and my 46th wedding anniversary.  Seems like just yesterday, sometimes.  The reason I mention our anniversary, is because we visited Italy to celebrate our 25th anniversary and plan to go back to Italy in 2017 to celebrate our 50th.  One of my favorite places when we visited on that trip, was Venice.  There was just something about the atmosphere of the city that I loved.  Maybe it is all that water, since I am definitely a water person.  Or maybe it was all the colorful crumbling palazzos that line the Grand Canal, which I found to be charming and added such character to the place.  Or maybe it was St. Mark's Square or Harry's Bar, which I loved.  Whatever the reason, I plan to make it a definite stop on our return trip.



Some of the crumbling walls of Venice
I loved the textures and the atmosphere.

Venice is a city in northern Italy, the capital of the region Veneto and is world famous for its canals.  It is made up of 118 islands formed by approximately 150 canals in a shallow lagoon.  The islands are connect by around 400 bridges.  Transportation within the city is by foot or by water.  It is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  The classical Venetian boat is the gondola, although now it is mostly used by tourists.  Most Venetians now travel by motorized waterbuses known as vaporetti.

If you go to Venice you will arrive on the mainland and will probably take a water bus over to the old city.  You will cross the Grand Canal, which is the main waterway of the city, to do this.  There are many things to see and do while visiting this city.  Below is my list of things.

Gondola on the Grand Canal

The Grand Canal is an ancient waterway, lined with buildings that were mostly built from the 13th to the 18th centuries.  It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city.  The two mile trip from the railway station on the mainland to St. Marks Square provides a suberb introduction to the city.  Public transport is provided by water buses (vaporetto) and private water taxis, and many tourists explore the canal by gondola.  Whatever form of public transportation you decide on, make sure you tour the Grand Canal.

The glorious past of Venice returns once a year to the Grand Canal during the Regata Storica (historical regatta) on the first Sunday of September. The first of these regattas - boat races - were held in the 14th century. The races are proceeded by a spectacular boat parade, led by the Serenissima, a sumptuously decorated boat.

St. Mark's Square and the famous pigeons

Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark's Square), is the principal public square of Venice, where it is generally known just as "the Piazza".  A remark usually attributed to  Napoleon calls the Piazza San Marco "the drawing room of Europe."  It is one of the few remaining great urban spaces in Europe where human voices prevail over the sounds or motorized traffic. The Piazza is dominated at its eastern end by the Basilica of Saint Mark.  Towering over the square is the Campanile, which is the bell tower for the church.  It is famous for it massive amounts of pigeons.  At night there are cafes where you can eat or just have a drink and listen to the music.  The piazza is a great place to stroll around and do some people-watching.

Basilica St. Mark

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice.  It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture.   It lies at the eastern end of  Saint Mark's Square, adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. The church is beautiful and well worth a visit, but make sure you dress appropriately, no shorts or bare shoulders even for children - you will be turned away if you ignore the rules. 

The Doge's Palace is a palace built in Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city of Venice.  The palace was the residence of the Doges of Venice. A Doge is the elected-for-life Duke, the supreme authority of the Republic of Venice.  This was the most powerful half-acre in Europe for 400 years.  It was built to show off the power and wealth of Venice, and to remind all visitors that Venice was number one. It opened as a museum in 1923.  You can now tour the palace and see how the Doge's lived.  The tour includes the Bridge of Sighs and the prison.

The Campanile is St. Mark's Square

The Campanile is the bell tower of Saint Mark's Basilica.  It stands separate from the church in St. Mark's Square.  It is the highest structure in the city, offering a pigeon's-eye view that includes the lagoon, its neighboring islands, and the red rooftops and church domes and bell towers of Venice -- and, oddly, not a single canal. On a clear day, you may even see the outline of the distant snowcapped Dolomite Mountains. You can ride the elevator 318 feet to the top for the best view in Venice. For an ear-shattering experience, be on top when the bells ring.

Rialto Bridge at night

The Rialto Bridge is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo. 
The Rialto Bridge is an elegant, arched stone bridge lined with arcades on each side. The central archway at its pinnacle, accessed via the wide stairs that rise from either side of the bridge, serves as a lookout perch. Under the arcades are numerous shops, many of which cater to the tourists who flock here to see this famous bridge and its views of the gondola-filled waterway of the Grand Canal.

Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs is a bridge located in which is actually part of the Doge Palace. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars.   It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. It was built in 1602, and was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment.  The bridge name, given by the poet Lord Byron in the 19th century, comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. In reality, the days of inquisitions and summary executions were over by the time the bridge was built and the cells under the palace roof were occupied mostly by small-time criminals. In addition, little could be seen from inside the Bridge due to the stone grills covering the windows.
A local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the bridge as the bells of  St. Mark's Campanile toll.

Murano

Murano is a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon. It lies about north of Venice and has a population of just over 5,000. It is famous for its glassmaking. This Venetian island has been world-renowned for centuries for its blown glass creations, from jewelry to tableware to sculptures. Visits here often include a tour of one of its fascinating glass factories, demonstrations of how it’s done—and of course, a visit to at least one of the affiliated showrooms and shops.  You can get to the island on your own by taking a water taxi, or you can sign up for a tour which will take you to the glass factory for a demonstration.  Be prepared to also be taken to a showroom, for purchases.  We came home with some beautiful Venetian glass, which was expensive, but will become a family heirloom.


Lido de Venezia - The Lido is an island located in Venice, home to about 20,000 residents. The Venice Film Festival takes place at the Lido every September.  The Lido di Venezia is one of the Venetians’ favorite destinations during summer time. Its beaches are extremely charming and elegant, the seabed forms a gentle slope that allows even the smallest children to bathe safely.  There are many establishments that will rent you a hut for the day, or a chaise lounge to enjoy your day of relaxing by the water.



Picture I took while wandering across bridges and down alleyways

So those are the main sights to see while in Venice.  But don't get to hung up on the sights.  Yes, you should see those things, but the main thing about Venice is the atmosphere of the place.  Take time to wander aimlessly about the alleys and across bridges, into the side-streets.  See where the people live.  Get lost.  We did our second day there, and it was the best part of our visit.  We wandered through little courtyards, watched people hanging their clothes on the lines, and had some gelato. We got a feel for what it would be like to live there. 

Gondola

And take a gondola ride.  Yes, its touristy, but its worth it.  Go under the Bridge of Sighs and if you are with someone you love, than kiss under the bridge - why not!  Take a tour of the Grand Canal, either by gondola, or by water taxi. 

Enjoy the local cuisine, have a glass of wine.  Enjoy the atmosphere of dining in Saint Mark's Square and listening to the orchestras play.  Watch the people, other tourists like yourself and the locals.  And you just have to try the gelato while anywhere in Italy.  I have been told that the best gelato in Venice is at the Boutique del Gelato, a tiny outlet on busy salizzada San Lio.  Be prepared to be patient though, I'm also told there is usually a line.          

Shop for a few souvenirs to take home, or gifts for those loved ones.  Venice is famous tor its Venetian glass, for wonderful Carnivale masks, and for its lace and its jewelery.  When we were there I bought our daughter a wonderful Carnivale mask which was made of plaster and had lace on it.  It is beautiful, and she has it mounted on a wall in her home.

My last suggestion may not be valid anymore.  I would have said to go and have a Bellini (a drink made of white peach juice and Prosecco) at Harry's Bar.  I would have also suggested dinner there.  However, I understand that Harry's Bar in Venice is having financial troubles and it undergoing some management changes.  The ratings on it have dropped, and it may even close, which would be a shame.  It is an institution in Venice and has such an interesting story.  I loved the bar when we were there before, and if it is still around when we return, I will certainly visit it.  I do remember that we had a horrible time finding it.  It is just off St. Mark's Square, but it does not have signs above its door.  The only signage is a side window.  We probably walked past it several times before a local pointed it out to us.  I have posted the story of Harry's Bar below.

History of Harry's Bar
^{Giuseppe Cipriani may never have had his own bar if he had not met a 'sad' young American, Harry Pickering.  And even if he had somehow got the money, it certainly would have been called something else.  While working as a barman at Hotel Europa in Venice, Cipriani struck up a friendship with Pickering, a student who was staying in Europe with his aunt.  After she left him alone in a foreign country with no money, Cipriani offered to lend his new friend, who he called 'such a fine young man', 10,000 lira so that he could return home.  He was not at all sure he would ever see the money again.  Two years later, after he had given up hope, Pickering walked in and said thanks for the money and gave him back his original 10,000 lira plus 40,000 lira so he could open his own bar. Cipriani recalled his friend saying: 'I think they'll call it Harry's Bar. Not a bad name.'  He rented a nearby warehouse and transformed it into one of the most chic bars in town.  He had many famous patrons, including Charlie Chaplin,  Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Orson Wells, Barbara Hutton and many more.}  

Photography Class

"Each time you take a picture you are defining reality in your particular individual way"

David Brooks

 

"The decision-making processes we make when taking a photograph starts first with being able to see possibilities." 

R. Bearden

Picture I took for my class
The assignment was light and shadow

I am taking a photography class.  The class teaches composition in photography.  I love to take pictures wherever I go, and I think I have taken a lot of really good photos over the years, but I know I also take some not so good ones.  I can use improvement.  And this class teaches me to think about how I am looking at a scene when I take the picture.  I'm learning to look around more before taking the shot, to make sure there are no signs or traffic cones, electrical lines, or garbage cans, that are going to show up in the shot.  Those things can spoil the shot.  Also, I'm thinking more about where my subject is positioned in the shot.  There is the 1/3 rule, which means that the horizon of the picture should not be in the middle of the picture, it should be either in the top 1/3 or the bottom 1/3, and your subject should be to the side of the picture, also not in the middle.  There are of course exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking that makes a more interesting picture.

The teacher has also talked about deciding on choice of format, either horizontal or vertical.  Horizontal pictures are more relaxing.  The vertical pictures are more dynamic and show action.  She also wants us to be aware of something in the picture that would draw our eye away from our main subject.  Sometimes that is just something off to the side which attracts your attention.  It can be something simple like a row of flowers, a stream or a tree trunk.

A picture I took in Africa
My teacher said it was a good example of the 1/3 rule
because the main subject was in the bottom third
and I kept the horizon straight

Also important is keeping your horizon straight.  Otherwise you feel you are sliding out of the shot.  I have a problem with that sometimes, but I have discovered I can fix that by editing the pictures in a program I have, which allows you to push a button and straighten it.  Even when it just straightens it a little it makes such a difference.  But for the class she does not want us to do any editing of the picture, she wants us to get it right to begin with.

And she wants us to think about where we are when we take a picture.  You can change the whole perspective of a shot by changing where you are in relation to the subject.  You can get down low and look upward toward your shot, or sometimes it is better to climb up higher to get the shot looking down.  She says we should always be aware that we are making a choice by our position and the position of the camera.  She wants us to look at shadows and reflections and make choices about those when taking the shot.  It is a lot to think about, but I am finding that it works.

I took this class in the spring, just before going on our trip to Africa, but I was only able to take half the class because of the trip.  So I signed up again and started the class over.  The good thing is that we have a different teacher this time.  She is much better and there is a lot more discussion.  So I already feel I have learned more from her.  I think it will help me take better photos when we take our next trip.

para-glider

Each week she assigns us a subject, and we are suppose to take pictures of that and bring in 3 pictures. She shows the pictures on a large screen in class and critiques them.  In fact the whole class can critique the pictures, we learn from doing that.  And we discuss the rules and how they apply to that photo.  It can be enlightening.  This next week our assignment was transportation.  Any kind.  I decided I didn't want pictures of just cars, trains or airplanes, but unusual forms of transportation.  So we went looking.  Our first stop was the glider-port in La Jolla, which is about an hour north of us.  They do glider planes and para-gliding from there.  There were no gliders up that day, but I was able to get a picture of a para-glider.  

I had to have 3 samples of transportation, so I was also able to find horses with riders at the beach, and a really different type of bicycle, where he was not pedaling, but walking his feet on a special type of pedal to make the bike move.  So I think I found some interesting transportation, and was able to get good composition shots as well, which is the main goal. 

I'm enjoying the class and I think it will help me in the future.  Photography is kind of a hobby with me, I love taking pictures.  If you also enjoy taking pictures, there are many classes available.  I am taking this one through an adult education program provided by the city, and it is very inexpensive.  And of course now with digital, there is no cost for film, and you can take lots of pictures until you get just the right one.

Travel Photos and What To Do With Them

"A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed."

-Ansel Adams

My African Book on my Coffee Table
I have a display of some African Souvenirs in the table

We recently took a trip to Africa.  While there I was talking to a fellow traveler about the photos that we were taking.  She told me that when she got home that she would go online and have her favorite photos from the trip put into a book, which when printed, would look like a coffee table photo book.  I thought that sounded like an excellent idea.

For the past few years I have just stored my pictures on my computer.  I always made a backup DVD of the pictures to have just in case, but I don't print them up and put them into scrapbooks like I used to do when I used actual film.  Remember those days, when you had maybe 6 rolls of film with you, so you only took pictures of really important things, and you only took one picture of it, because film and developing was expensive?  And then when you got home and spent a fortune developing your pictures you would always be disappointed because some of the shots just weren't any good.  We are really spoiled today with digital cameras.  Not only can we see immediately how they are going to turn out, we can take a dozen shots of one subject, just to make sure we get it from the best angle.

My African Picture Book

I do tend to overdo it sometimes.  On the African trip I shot over 2000 pictures.  Mostly of the animals when we were on safari.  So when I came home and went through all the pictures, it took me awhile to sort out and pick my favorites.  But I did manage to narrow it down to a few hundred pictures.  I decided to take the suggestion of putting them in a book.  I went online to the company she had recommend - My Publisher.  I found that it was really easy to navigate their website and set up the book.  I took the pictures that I had selected and pulled them into the program, and from there I went page to page, decided how many pictures I wanted on each page and pulling them in.  Once I had all the pictures in, I went back and wrote some narratives to go with the pictures.  It was really quite easy, and fun to do.  At the end you simply purchase the book and pay for it with your credit card.  Less than 10 days later I had my book.  And I love it.

So now that I had completed one book, I decided to go back and do some past trips.  I took a trip to China in 2010, and decided that those pictures should also go into a book.  That book also turned out great, and I am now thinking about doing a couple more. 

My China Book

The books are not cheap, but actually they are probably less expensive than the film we used to always develop at the end of our trips, and these are already put into a book and published, so I do feel it was a good deal.  And now I realize that they also have sales, if you watch for them, where you can get the books for less, if you wait until the sale is in progress.  My China book actually cost quite a bit less than the African book, because I saw a sale that had 60% off the price of the book.

I am also intrigued with the idea of putting together a calendar with my pictures on it.  The same company prints calendars.  It might be fun next year to be looking at my own travel pictures each month on my own calendar.  Or maybe a calendar of my dog pictures?

There are many companies besides My Publisher who do the same type of books and calendars.  I have not tried any of the other companies, but did a search online and came up with quite a few.  They seem to all be similar, and I'm sure they would all be quite good.  So If you are thinking about putting your photos into a book, but don't want to actually do a scrapbook, then consider doing it online.  You will have a professional looking finished project that you can enjoy for years, and display on your coffee table.

Here are the companies I found when researching this, including the company I used:   http://www.mypublisher.com  
http://www.shutterfly.com        http://www.cvsphoto.com
http://www.mixbook.com          http://www1.snapfish.com
http://picaboo.com                     http://www.blurb.com  


The nice thing about putting together the book is that you can choose your theme - I chose travel as my theme and all the pages had a travel look to them.  Some pages had stamps that looked like passport stamps, some had a background of a map, and some had the backs of postcards where you could write about what was on the page.  You could choose to have lots of pictures on one page or do two or three pictures to the page, or just do a full page picture.  You chose the format for each page as you go.  Here are a few pictures of the inside of my book:

One World, One People

"Make a decision that on any trip you take, you'll make a point to be open to new experiences, seek options that get you out of your comfort zone, and be a cultural chameleon - trying on new ways of looking at things and striving to become a temporary local"

Rick Steves - Travel as a Political Act

"I like to say (naively, I know) that if every American were required to travel abroad before voting, the US would fit more comfortably into this ever-smaller planet"

Rick Steves - Travel as a Political Act

Women in Africa often spend much of their
day hauling water from wells for their families
Masai Women in the Masai Mara, Kenya

I recently read the book "Travel as a Political Act" by Rick Steves.  I have always enjoyed Rick's travel books which gives me information on destinations that I can use while traveling.  This book is a little different.  He wrote it shortly after 9/11, when travel changed for most of us.  Some people were scared to travel after this, for most of us though, it just made getting through the airport more of a challenge, and it made us more aware of things going on around us.  It made us realize that we needed to pay more attention to the world and what was happening.

For those of us who were actually traveling when 9/11 happened, we became aware fairly quickly that things had changed.  My husband and I were in Spain when it happened, and getting home became an issue.  When we were allowed to fly, security was immediately different than it had been when we departed our country.  We spent 4 hours going through security at the Madrid airport, and everything was checked.  There were armed guards everywhere, and dogs sniffing everything.  We knew our lives had changed, and not for the better.

This family in Bejing is more like us than different
They love their child and want what is best for him
China trip 2010

But this book was interesting in that Rick feels that when we travel we should travel differently now.  We should all be ambassadors, so to speak.  The more we travel, and meet people from other countries, the more other people realize that down deep we are all the same.  We all have the same needs, we love our families, we may have a love/hate relationship with our governments but we love our countries, we get tired, and we get hungry.  We are all just people, trying to live our lives the best that we can and we are more alike than not.  And when we realize that, then we can all get along better.  There are extremists in every society, but we shouldn't let extremists define how we feel about other people.

But that means that when we travel, we should try to connect with people in those countries.  Instead of the big bus experience where you go from city to city seeing just the sights, we should go and actually see a place, and mingle and get to know the people on a one to one basis, and become part of the place, at least for a little while.  He says that rather then accentuate the difference between "us" and "them," travel should bring us together.  Now I know that not everyone is comfortable doing that.  But I do think that if we all got to know other people and other races, with other points of view, then the world might be a better place.

We met our Scottish friends, Myra and Malcolm in Spain the day after 9/11
We connected with them partly because of the tragedy and became friends
Here we are traveling with them in Scotland in 2012

"I fondly remember the confusion I felt when I first met someone who wouldn't trade passports with me.  I thought "I've got more wealth, more freedom, more opportunity than you'll ever

have - why wouldn't you want what I've got?"  I assumed anyone with half a brain would aspire to the American Dream.  But the vast majority of non-Americans don't.  They have the Bulgarian Dream, or the Sri Lankan Dream, or the Moroccan Dream.  Thanks to travel, this no longer surprises me.  In fact, I celebrate it." 

Rick Steves - Travel as a Political Act

 

A little girl with her mother from my trip to China in 2010

America is a great country, and I am proud to be an American.  But just as we are proud of our country, we have to realize that people of other nations are also proud of their countries and proud to be citizens of that country.  Most of them have no aspirations to be American.  And when we travel we need to be less arrogant about our country, as if it is the only place worth living, and realize that these other countries are wonderful places with proud citizens.  I still cringe to remember a fellow travel agent who said she never bothered to learn even one sentence in the foreign language of the country she was visiting, because everyone should just speak English.  As if she thought we were so much better than everyone else and they should just cater to us Americans.  I certainly hope she has given up traveling to other countries, she would be a horrible ambassador.  And so would any of her clients that she has given advice to.

An illustration of a roundabout and how
you should proceed through them
Taken from the internet

If you have traveled much then you know that other countries, though different from us, have some wonderful ideas.  Look at the trains that run all over Europe, and on time.  Wouldn't it be nice if we had a system like that?  Our county is so big, that I suppose it is not likely that will ever happen, but it would be nice.  And I love their roundabouts on the highways.  Instead of a stop light or sign on every corner, you simply enter the round-about and exit where you want.  Traffic keeps moving.  However, they put a round-about in a small town in Washington state that I visit regularly, and I noticed the locals were having a hard time trying to figure out how to navigate it.  Also, Europe may have higher taxes, but they also have healthcare for everyone.  People here would call that socialism, but the people there love that they are being taken care of.  Ask them, and they will tell you they love it.  And most Europeans work far less hours than Americans.  They make slightly less money, because they don't want to work as much as us, but they enjoy their holidays.  Maybe we need to be less driven, and enjoy life a little more.

This picture was taken in Tangiers,
Morocco on 9/13/2001 by me.
This is 2 days after 9/11 happened

Recently I ran into a cousin that I had not seen for at least 30 years.  He did not even recognize me to begin with, although I thought he looked much the same, just much older.  He must be in his 70's now, as he is quite a bit older than me.  He asked what I had been doing over the years.  I told him I had been a travel agent, now retired, and that I still loved to travel.  We started talking about travel and some of the places I had been, and some places he had been.  I told him I had been in Spain on 9/11 and all of a sudden his face changed.  As soon as he heard 9/11 he became angry.  He spat out "as far as I'm concerned, the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim."  I said "excuse me, but that seems like you are lumping everyone together, I happened to know a few Muslim's and there are some very nice people, who just happen to practice that religion."  He said that he was a Christian, and that they didn't believe in God, so therefore he stood by what he said.  My thought, which I expressed to him was, that first of all that didn't seem like too Christian of an attitude, and secondly, they do believe in God, just not his God.  With that I decided that he was a person I didn't have a lot in common with, regardless that he is my cousin.  We parted ways.  I sincerely hope he does not travel and spout that hatred to others in other countries.  He would not be a good ambassador.

Muslim Women in Stone Town
Zanzibar - 2013 trip to Africa

When we were in Africa recently we spent 3 days on the island of Zanzibar.  It is a beautiful little island off the coast of Tanzania, and it happens to be mostly Muslim.  We were provided a guide to take us out to a spice farm, and also to show us around Stone Town.  He was a very nice man who happened to be Muslim.  We talked while walking around town.  I found out something I didn't know about Muslims, they do not like dogs.  I had mentioned my dogs at home and how I missed them.  He told me that dogs were considered unclean in the Muslim religion, and that no Muslim would go near a dog.  If one came near them, they would throw rocks at them.  I don't know if that is true of Muslims in this country, it may be something more in that area of the world.  He told me that was just the way they were raised to believe and that he understood that I loved my dogs.  I told him my dogs were part of my family.  He was willing to understand that we are different and he said that he knew that most people (non-Muslims) did love their pets  We had an interesting conversation and he gave me a wonderful tour of the city, telling me stories about places and people.  Because we disagreed about dogs, didn't stop us from getting to know each other.  What we need to do is recognize that we are raised with different ideas.  We don't have to agree with other peoples ideas, and we don't need to change what we believe in, but we can still get along.  And even if we have different ideas, for the most part we are still very much alike.  Our guide has a family that he loves, just like I do, it is just that my dogs are part of my family.




Masai women in Tanzania, Africa trip 2013
Jambo, means hello in Masai, and everywhere
we went we were greeted with friendly greetings of Jambo

So what should we do when we travel, so that we can connect with other people and get to know them?  I think the most basic things are:  Learn some basic sentences of the language of the country you are traveling to; never assume someone speaks English, always say hello to them in their language and then ask them if they speak English; learn the customs of the place you are going, and what is considered polite; don't assume anything, ask first; connect with people, and get to know them; stow your pre-conceptions and be open to new experiences; overcome fear, traveling is as safe today as it was before 9/11, there was always some danger because life is full of danger, but you can't dwell on it and let it rule your life; go beyond your comfort zone and challenge yourself to try new things and meet new people and really learn about the place where you are traveling.

The more you travel the more you see how different, but yet, how alike we really are.  I have traveled in areas that have extreme poverty, such as the Philippines and Africa.  I have traveled to places, like Croatia, that are just now recovering from war.  I have been in countries that are mostly Muslim, such as Turkey and Morocco and just recently the island of Zanzibar.   But the people in these places are still proud of who they are and what they believe in.  We need to have them see us as people just like them, with dreams and hopes and families.  And if they do see us that way, and we see them as being like us, that will promote peace and understanding, hopefully.

George and I in front of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul in 2010

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

"Volcanoes are monuments to Earth's origin, evidence that its primordial forces are still at work. During a volcanic eruption, we are reminded that our planet is an ever-changing environment whose basic processes are beyond human control. As much as we have altered the face of the Earth to suit our needs, we can only stand in awe before the power of an eruption."

Taken from the National Park page

Kilauea Overlook in Volcanoes NP

For almost one hundred years, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has offered its visitors a window into the past through the many and varied cultural sites contained within its boundaries. Established as Hawaii National Park in 1916, the landscape of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes has been shaped by the people who have been a part of its history. Over five centuries before the establishment of the park, Native Hawaiians lived, worked and worshiped on this sacred ground.

I visited Volcanoes National Park about 5 years ago.  As a travel agent we are sometimes sent on what is known as a FAM trip.  The trip is to familiarize us with what there is to see and do, and places to stay in the area they have sent us.  I was sent on a FAM trip to the big island of Hawaii.  It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it.  It was a week of seeing the sights of the island, spending time touring the different hotels there, and even relaxing and enjoying ourselves, all at company expense.  Not a bad way to go.  One of our days on the island we drove over to the other side of the island and toured Volcanoes National Park.  It was a very informative day, and one I very much enjoyed.  Now, my husband and I along with another couple, are planning a trip to the big island in January, so I decided to take another look at what there is to see and do at the park, which we are sure to visit again.


Steam vents at Steaming Bluff in Volcanoes NP

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is open 24 hours a day year-round, including all holidays.  The Kilauea Visitor Center is open daily from 7:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The Jaggar Museum is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.  And the Kahuku Unit is only open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kahuku is closed on the first Saturday of each month, week days and federal holidays.

The Kiluea Visitor Center should be your first stop when entering the park.  The center features informative displays and has the movie "Born of Fire..Born of the Sea", which is shown on the hour throughout the day, starting at 9:00 a.m. and showing the last film at 4:00 p.m. One thing to remember when you go is that the park is located at 4000' elevation and the weather can change very quickly. You should be prepared for hot or cold and sunny or rainy. A warm, sunny day can change to cold and rain in a matter of minutes.  So make sure you take along some warmer clothes to slip into if you need them.

View from Jaggar Museum Overlook

Another place you should stop is the Jaggar Museum.  This museum is on volcanology with seismographs and other equipment used by scientists to monitor volcanoes. The overlook offers spectacular views into the summit caldera and it is also the best and closest place to observe a volcanic eruption at present.  During the daylight hours the robust plume of volcanic gas is a reminder of the molten rock churning in a lava lake beneath the crater floor.  After sunset, Halema'uma'u continues to thrill visitors with a vivid glow that illuminates the clouds.

The following is a recommendation from the National Park Page on things to do in the park:


Holei Sea Arch at
end of Chain of Craters Rd.

One to 3 Hour Visit?
If you have only one to three hours, explore the summit of Kīlauea volcano via the Crater Rim Drive; an 11-mile road that encircles the summit caldera, passes through desert, lush tropical rain forest, traverses the caldera floor, and provides access to well-marked scenic stops and short walks. (Note: Crater Rim Drive is closed between Jaggar Museum and the Chain of Craters Road junction due to volcanic activity in Halema'uma'u.)

Four to 5 Hour Visit?
If you have four to five hours, you may also explore the East Rift and coastal area of the Park via Chain of Craters Road. This road descends 3,700 feet in 20 miles and ends where lava flowed across the road in 2003.  At the end of the road you will find the ocean and the Holei Sea Arch.

  

Thurston Lava Tube, Volcanoes NP

One of the stops on the Crater Rim Drive is a stop at the Thurston Lava Tube.  I particularly remember walking through this tube when we visited.  Just before you arrive at the tube the forest becomes increasingly lush. From the parking area it is a 20 minute, 1/3 mile walk through a tree fern forest.  This is an excellent place to stop and listen to the birds. This lava tube was discovered in 1913 by Lorrin Thurston, a local newspaper publisher. At that time the roof of the tube was covered with lava stalactites, but those soon disappeared to souvenir collectors.  As you walk through the tube consider that several hundred years ago a river of red lava rushed through. And that lava currently travels from Pu'u O'o to the ocean in a labyrinth of lava tubes much like the tube you are walking through. Watch your head in the tube - there are some spots with a low ceiling!

There are so many things you can do when visiting the park.  There are hiking trails, including hiking out to where the active lava is flowing, but do so with caution and make sure you have good hiking shoes to protect your feet, and take water to drink.  You can also bicycle the roads of the park.  There are also many ranger led programs.  If you want to spend more than a day in the park then there are campgrounds and lodging in the park, as well as in nearby Hilo.

Volcano House provides
Lodging and a restaurant

Lodging - There is lodging available at the Volcano House.  Perched on the rim of Kīlauea caldera with a view toward Halema'uma'u crater, and just a short walk across Crater Rim Drive from park headquarters and the Kilauea Visitor Centrer, the historic Volcano House is known for its Hawaiian hospitality, and its location within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.  The restored Volcano House offers 33 historic guest rooms, a dining room, snack bar, lounge, and gift shop, along with cultural events and demonstrations.

Namakanipaio Campground

There are two campgrounds in the park, Namakanipaio and Kulanaokuaiki.   Namakanipaio Campground is located at 4,000' elevation.  It is a large open grassy area with tall eucalyptus and ohi'a trees.  The campground has restrooms, water, picnic tables and barbecue pits.  Maximum stay is 7 days.  There is a fee of $15 per night for the drive-in sites and $10 per day for the walk in sites. There are also 10 newly refurbished camper cabins and campsites nearby Nāmakanipaio Campground.  At Kulanaokuaiki camping is free and is available on a first-come basis.  No reservations and no permits are necessary.  Stays are also limited to 7 days in a month.  It is at an elevation of 2700'.  There is no water at this location, and only 8 campsites.  There is a vault-type toilet and picnic tables.  Fires are not permitted.   

 

Cabins at the Namakanipaio Campground.

For more information about the park, including fees and hours of operation, and other things to see and do, go to:  http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm



Detours on the Road to Where Ever

"Establishing goals is all right if you don't let them deprive you of interesting detours".

Doug Larson

"So many roads. So many detours. So many choices. So many mistakes."

Sarah Jessica Parker

When you are taking a road trip, you usually have a destination in mind. Quite often you have time limitations and schedules, so you need to just hit the road and get to where you are going.  We seldom seem to have all the time in the world to just meander and see all the sights along the way. But even when you are on a schedule you can take a few little detours and still get to your destination, and you will be rewarded for doing so.  You will have had an experience, or learned something new, or just seen something entertaining that you will remember long after the trip is over

My husband and I take a road trip to Washington every year.  Now that we are retired, we do have the time to do a little wandering off the beaten track.  But the trip this year was going to be shorter than the past years, and when we left home we did have a schedule, as I had made reservations at a cottage on the Washington coast, which was our first destination.  It is a 2 day trip from San Diego to the Washington coast.  We made it to Redding the first day, and that was pushing it.  We got stuck in terrible traffic through Los Angeles, which really slowed us down by several hours.  Also, we have the 2 dogs with us, so we do have to stop every few hours for them to stretch their legs and take a potty break, and for that matter, us too. 

Rogue River Creamery

So the second day we are headed for our destination, and I see a sign along the side of the road which advertises The Rogue River Creamery.  They are located in Central Point, Oregon and we were approaching that area.  They said they had samples.  Now I have to say that I LOVE cheese and have actually read about this place.  I had seen an article that talked about how good their cheeses are.  So when I saw the sign I said to my husband, "we have to stop."  The good thing about traveling with George is that he is pretty easy going and willing to stop most of the time.

Since we had the dogs with us and it was a hot day, George said he'd stay in the car and I could go check it out.  I went in and had a few of their samples, and fell in love with several of the cheeses.  Their blue cheese was so creamy, and probably the best blue I had ever had.  A couple of the cheeses in their display case caught my eye, especially one that had the word raspberry attached to it.  I found out that you could ask to taste anything, and they would gladly oblige.  The raspberry cheese had been soaked in a raspberry ale, and it was my favorite cheese of the day.  I ended up purchasing 3 packages of cheese, the raspberry, the Rogue River Blue and the Mt. Mazama cheddar.  I told them I would be putting them in the cooler of my car and not actually eating them for about 5 days, when we would be at our cabin, so they wrapped them special for me, so that they would stay fresh. 

Then I noticed that there was a chocolate factory next door.  Convenient, since besides cheese my favorite thing is chocolate.  So I just had to go check it out and get a few samples there.  They had a chocolate that was very spicy, which I quite enjoyed.  The stop took just over an hour, including the driving time to the shop and back to the freeway, and I thought it was definitely worth the detour.

On the way home we also made a detour.  We had heard about VooDoo Doughnuts from several people in the area.  They are quite popular in Portland, so much so that they always have a line around the block waiting to get in.  I guess the draw is that they are different from the usual doughnut shop, in that they have unusual toppings and also, I was told, unusual shapes.  We decided to skip the one in Portland and instead stop at their shop in Eugene, which would be a quick hop off the freeway on our way south.  Their signature doughnut seems to be their maple bar which is topped with bacon.  I thought, what the heck, might as well try it.  I do require my bacon to be cooked well done and crispy and this seemed like it was.  Sometimes you just have to try the unusual.  However, I have to say that I don't really see the draw.  The doughnuts were good, but you can get good doughnuts lots of places.  The shop was a little unusual, you have the weird name going for it, and some of the doughnuts were different, but I wouldn't necessarily go back.  But still, I was glad we made the detour and checked them out, or I would have always wondered what they were like.

VooDoo Doughnuts

The maple bar with bacon

I will tell you that if you are anywhere near the Portland area, and you are at all into literature and books, then one detour you should definitely make is a stop at Powell's Book Store.  It is different from the ordinary book store.  Powell's City of Books is a book lover's paradise, the largest used and new bookstore in the world. Located in downtown Portland, Oregon, and occupying an entire city block, the store stocks more than a million new and used books. Nine color coded rooms house over 3,500 different sections, offering something for every interest, including an incredible selection of out-of-print and hard-to-find titles.



The Travel Section at Powell's

 A few facts about Powell's:   
• It has 68,000 square feet packed with books.
• They buy 3,000 used books over the counter every day.
• Approximately 3,000 people walk in and buy something every day.
• Another 3,000 people just browse and drink coffee.
• They stock 122 major subject areas and more than 3,500 subsections.
• You'll find more than 1,000,000 volumes on their shelves.
• Approximately 80,000 book lovers browse the City's shelves every day in Portland and via the Internet

It is one of my favorite places in Portland, and I make a point of stopping there whenever we are in the area.  They have a great travel section, and I bought several new travel books there this year.

A fun little detour we did on this trip actually took us by complete surprise.  We had left Lassen National Park and were heading south on the 395.  I was dozing, I admit it. So I didn't see it.  My husband said he had just seen a shoe tree.  I was a little puzzled.  He found a place to turn around and we went back, and sure enough, there was a tree beside the road, covered in shoes.  It was worth going back for, just for the amusement factor. 

The Shoe Tree on Hwy 395

So whenever you are driving down the highways on your way to wherever, make sure you take time to occasionally take a detour and check out what is around you.  You may discover a cute little town, or a new kind of cheese, or just see something amusing.  Or you may find dinosaur tracks in the dessert, which we did when we made a detour in Arizona last year.  Those detours can be fun, and certainly a lot more exciting than spending more time in the car.

Dinosaur Tracks in the dessert in Arizona



Lassen Volcanic National Park

"It is fine wherever my feet take me
As long as there are sights to see"

Unknown

Lassen Volcanic National Park which is located in northeastern California, is home to smoking fumaroles, meadows of wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to mold the land.  All four types of volcanoes found in the entire world are represented in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Volcanoes found in the park include shield (Prospect Peak), plug dome (Lassen Peak), Cinder Cone (Cinder Cone), and Composite (Brokeoff Volcano) volcanoes.

Manzanita Lake with Lassen Peak in the background

Lassen Volcanic National Park started as two separate national monuments designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907: Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument.  It became a National Park on August 9. 1916.

The greater Lassen area has been volcanically active for about three million years. Recently the region has seen eruptions from Cinder Cone (~350 years ago) and Lassen Peak (~100 years ago). While the area sleeps now, steam vents, boiling springs, and bubbling mudpots remain active--direct evidence that the volcanic center still smolders. No one can say when or where the next eruption will occur. We can only say that it will.

Inside Lassen Volcanic NP

We visited Lassen NP for the first time on our way home from our annual trip to Washington just a few weeks ago.  It was a short detour off our route home, and since we hadn't visited it before, we decided to take the detour.  It is a smaller park than many of our National Parks, but well worth the stop.  We had our dogs with us, so we were limited to what we could do there, so we just took the road through the park.  Dogs are permitted in the park, but only in the paved areas, they are not permitted on any of the trails.  If you want to hike any of the trails, or participate in any of the ranger programs, then you should definitely plan to spend a couple of days here.

Lassen Volcanic National Park is open all year long, 24 hours a day, but during the winter months road access is limited due to the snow.  Many facilities are open for the summer season only; however the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center at the southwest entrance is open year-round. If going in the winter months it is advisable to check road conditions prior to going to the park.

This is the trail that leads to the top of Lassen Peak. 

There are plenty of activities to participate in.   There is of course, hiking, with lots of trails to explore.  Lassen Volcanic National Park offers over 150 miles of hiking trails for visitors of all levels of ability. Discover the devastation of Lassen Peak's last eruption on the accessible trail at the Devastated Area, explore Lassen's largest hydrothermal area on the Bumpass Hell trail, or spend the day climbing Brokeoff Mountain and enjoy its spectacular panoramic views.  There is also boating on the lakes, swimming, fishing, stargazing, bird watching, camping and in the winter you can go snowshoeing, or just play in the snow.

Lassen receives over 30 feet of snow on average each winter! The season often begins in October and persists through June or July.  Snow playing, skiing and snowshoeing are great ways to enjoy Lassen's winter wonderland.  You can join the rangers for a ranger-led snowshoe program offered January through April.


Creek at Sulphur Works

There are many ranger-led programs throughout the year.  There are guided hikes of the Mill Creek Falls trail to learn about our solar system.  There are constellation tours and stargazing.  There are tours that will teach you about black bears or cougars.  There are bird watching programs, and programs that will teach you about volcanos or the mudpots, fumaroles and boiling pools at the Sulphar Works.  There are quite a few programs designed just for kids.  They can become junior rangers or junior firefighters.

Because of the hydrothermal areas it is important to always stay on the established trails and boardwalks. Ground in hydrothermal areas can look solid but may actually be a thin crust hiding pools of acidic boiling water or mud. Traveling off-trail in these areas may result in severe injury. You can view one of these bubbling hot hydrothermal areas at a viewing spot along the road at the Sulphur Works.  It is one of the first stops on the main road shortly after entering at the Southwest entrance.

Camping in Lassen NP

If you want to stay in the park there are cabins at Manzanita Lake that you can rent through the park services.  They are rustic and they are the only cabins in the park, so book early.  There are eight campgrounds in the park.  Approximately half of the park's campsites are reservable.   Four campgrounds are first-come, first-served.  All group sites and stock corrals require reservations. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring equipped with grill, and a metal bear box for food storage. There are no hookups in the park. A dump station is located near Manzanita Lake.


For more information about Lassen Volcanic National Park, including fees, pet policy, making reservations for the cabins and camping information, things to do, ranger programs or special events - go to: http://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm

View from Bumpass Hell

Lake Helen



Me at Bumpass Hell



Diamond Peak