Wine Dine & Travel Magazine Winter Spring 2015

Wine Dine & Travel Winter 2015 1

CRUISING SOUTHEAST ASIAHOW TO BECOME A WINE ENTHUSIASTA WALK AROUNDLAKE LUCERNEPOSTCARDS FROM TUSCANY PORTMEIRION, WALES

TRAVELSPRING | 2015

WINE DINE&

2 Wine Dine & Travel Winter 2015


NEXT EDITION | SUMMER 2015

HEALDSBURG HOLIDAYWASHINGTON STATE WINE COUNTRY

A WEEKEND IN PALM SPRINGSISTANBUL FOOD TOUR

COMING IN FALL 2015 EXPEDITION TO ASIA

TOURING THE DMZ IN KOREA

COVER PHOTO: I shot just a small segment of the amazing Ramayana mural found inside the Wat Phra Kaew temple within the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, is the world’s longest painting and mural. -- Ron James

HOLY LAND ADVENTURE

THE AMALFI COASTTHE MAGIC OF TUSCANY


CELEBRATE WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT!For a party as bright, bold, and colorful as you’ve ever seen, come to Tri-Cities and celebrate at a multitude of vibrant festivals and events. Revel in the brilliant colors of our world and the bold colors of our lives. Thrill your senses with exceptional entertainment and world-class food and wine. We don’t do anything halfway. Add an exclamation point to your life’s biography. To learn more, visit www.VisitTRI-CITIES.com. www.VisitTRI-CITIES.com


CELEBRATE WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT!For a party as bright, bold, and colorful as you’ve ever seen, come to Tri-Cities and celebrate at a multitude of vibrant festivals and events. Revel in the brilliant colors of our world and the bold colors of our lives. Thrill your senses with exceptional entertainment and world-class food and wine. We don’t do anything halfway. Add an exclamation point to your life’s biography. To learn more, visit www.VisitTRI-CITIES.com. www.VisitTRI-CITIES.com

A MOVING EXPERIENCE

W ’ve had an exhausting series of adventures since the last issue. One was a planned trip to Istanbul and then a fabulous voyage that took us to Israel, Malta, Sicily, Italy, Spain, Morocco, the Canary Islands and across the

Atlantic to Florida. The unplanned part was the fast sale of our house - much sooner than we expected - which set in motion a three-month marathon of cleaning, packing, storing, and temporary addresses until our new house was available. When we finally moved-in in January, the marathon continued as we unpacked countless boxes marked fragile and spruced up the new house with new flooring, furniture and fresh paint. It is a true miracle that this issue is a reality.

It took us a while to figure out where to stay until our new home was available. But we ultimately opted for a travel adventure and rented a small bungalow in the uber wine country town of Healdsburg in the heart

of Sonoma. It rained contin-uously for the first two weeks we were there, causing wide-spread flooding. It was amaz-ing to watch kayakers paddle around the town’s Safeway parking lot.

Even in the rain we enjoyed

visiting wineries and tasting rooms, dined at world-class eateries and sampling some of the best wines in the world. When the sun came out, we explored redwood forests, stunning coastlines and charming towns from Calistoga to Bodega Bay. Our unexpected challenge turned into a charming travel adventure we’ll describe in depth in an upcoming issue.

Meanwhile, enjoy the many adventures packed into this issue with its stories that cover the globe, from Asia to Palm Springs. Take a hike around Lake Lucerne, explore the glories of Whidbey Island, cruise exotic Southeast Asia and take an African safari. Wine lovers also have a treat with Ron’s tongue-in-cheek wine enthusiast’s guide and a primer on rose wine by our resident wine expert Robert Whitley.

Our domestic moving adventure is coming to a close as we pack our bags for our six-week travel expedition to Asia beginning in April. It’s a wel-come break from home improvement.

We hope you like Ron’s above selfie he took in Halong Bay, Vietnam -- we wish you safe, but exciting travels.

Ron and Mary James

Mary Hellman James is an award-winning San Diego journalist and editor. After a 29-year-ca-reer with the San Diego Union-Tribune, she currently is a freelance garden writer and a columnist for San Diego Home-Garden/Lifestyles magazine. Mary and her husband, Ron James, travel extensively. Upcoming this year is a six-week visit to Asia.

MARY JAMES

RON JAMES

Ron James is the "wine, food and travel guy." He is a nationally award-winning print and online journalist, designer., television producer and radio personality. The native Californian's nationally syndicated wine and food columns have ap-peared in newspapers and magazines around the world. He is passionate about great wine and food and enthusiastically enjoys them every day!

publisher/executive editor

publisher/editor


REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

Carl H. LarsenCarl H. Larsen is a veteran journalist based in San Diego. He now focuses on travel writing, and is summoned to pull out his notebook whenever there’s the plaintive cry of a steam locomotive nearby. In San Diego, he is a college-extension instructor who has led courses on the Titanic and the popular TV series “Downton Abbey.”

Sharon Whitley LarsenSharon Whitley Larsen’s work has appeared in numerous publications, including Los Angeles Times Magazine, U-T San Diego, Reader’s Digest (and 19 international editions), Creators Syndicate, and several “Chicken Soup for the Soul” editions. Although she enjoys writing essays, op-ed, and people features, her favorite topic is travel (favorite destination London). She’s been lucky to attend a private evening champagne reception in Buckingham Palace to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, to dine with best-selling author Diana Gabaldon in the Scottish Highlands, and hike with a barefoot Aborigine in the Australian Outback. Exploring sites from exotic travels in the Arctic Circle to ritzy Rio, with passport in hand, she’s always ready for the next adventure!

Alison DaRosaAlison DaRosa is a six-time winner of the Lowell Thomas Gold Award for travel writing, the most prestigious prize in travel journalism. She served 15 years as Travel Editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune. She was the award-winning editor of the San Diego News Network Travel Page. She produces and edits the San Diego Essential Guide, a highly rated and continually updated travel app for mobile devices. Alison is a regular freelance contributor to the travel sections of U-T San Diego, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today.

Susan McBethSusan McBeth is the founder and owner of Adventures by the Book ( www.adventuresbythebook.com ) which brings literature to life for readers through events and travels with authors. She is the founder of the SoCal Author Academy, providing workshops and training to help authors better connect with readers. She is a current member of the One Book One San Diego committee, and a former board member with the Southern California Booksellers Association.

Priscilla ListerPriscilla Lister is a longtime journalist in her native San Diego. She has covered a many subjects over the years, but travel is her favorite. Her work, including photography, has appeared in the U-T San Diego, Los Angeles Times, Alaska Airlines magazine and numerous other publications throughout the U.S. and Canada. She currently writes a weekly hiking column for the U-T, photographing every trail and its many wonders. But when the distant road beckons, she can’t wait to pack her bags.

Robert WhitleyRobert Whitley writes the syndicated “Wine Talk” column for Creators Syndicate and is publisher of the online wine magazine, Wine Review Online. Whitley frequently serves as a judge at wine competitions around the world, in-cluding Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Sunset Magazine International and the Dallas Morning News TexSom wine competitions. Robert also operates four major international wine competitions in San Diego: Critics Challenge, Winemaker Challenge, Sommelier Challenge and the San Diego International.

Maribeth MellinMaribeth Mellin is an award-winning journalist whose travel articles have appeared in Endless Vacation Magazine, U-T San Diego and Dallas Morning News among others. She also travels and writes for several websites including CNN Travel, Concierge.com and Zagat, and has authored travel books on Peru, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Hawaii and California. Though known as a Mexico pro, Maribeth has written about every continent and was espe-cially thrilled by the ice, air and penguins in Antarctica.

Jody and John are the co-authors of the novels, “Thief of Words,” and “Shenandoah Summer,” published by Warner Books. John was feature editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune, arts editor of The Baltimore Sun and writer-editor-col-umnist for the travel department of The Los Angeles Times. His travel articles have been published in many major news-papers; he's a Lowell Thomas award-winner. Jody is the author of "Horse of a Different Killer,"'Chestnut Mare, Beware," and "In Colt Blood,” As a journalist at the Charlotte Observer, she was on a team that won the Pulitzer Prize. Her articles have been published in many newspapers and magazines including The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. They live on a farm in Lexington, Va., with eleven horses, three cats and an explosion of stink bugs.

Jody Jaffe & John Muncie


PUBLISHERS

Ron & Mary James

EXECUTIVE EDITOR /LAYOUT & DESIGN

Ron James

EDITOR

Mary James

STAFF WRITERS

Alison DaRosa

Priscilla Lister

John Muncie

Jody Jaffe

COLUMNISTS

Amy Laughinghouse

Robert Whitley

Susan McBeth

FEATURE WRITERS

Sharon Whitley Larsen

Carl Larsen

Maribeth Mellin

Lynn Barnett

Tom Leech

WINEDINEANDTRAVEL.COM

CONTACT

[email protected] respects the intellectual property rights of others, and we ask that our readers do the same. We have adopted a policy in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) and other applicable laws.

Wine Dine & Travel Magazine is a Wine Country Interactive Inc. publication @ 2015

WINE DINE&

Traditional Hong Kong laundry owner is ecstatic to find out he’ll be featured in Wine Dine and Travel Magazine

Phot

o by

Ron

Jam

es


INSIDE WDT

12We found that Southeast Asia is a traveler’s nirvana offering natural wonders like the mystical limestone islands of Halong Bay, timeless treasures like the storybook temples of Thailand and booming cities like Hong Kong and Singapore.

CRUISING ASIA 101

40Once staffed by 60 servants, including an Irish butler, this-private domain in Palm Springs, including a golf course, has recently been opened for all to see.

SUNNYLANDS

12

32

40

32When I arrived in Zurich and met Swiss Trails founder Ruedi Jaisli for my one-on-one pre-hike briefing, he did his best to reassure me: “This is one of the most spectacular tours you can do in Switzerland,” he said. “It’s a hike, not a climb. It’s self-guided; go at your own rhythm.”

A WALK ON THE “WILD SIDE”


Imagine paying only one dollar per year in rent! That’s what some 150 residents are charged to live at the Fuggerei in Augsburg, Germany, the world’s oldest charitable social housing complex.

AUGSBURG’S FUGGEREI | PAGE 62

If you’ve ever wondered what you might do in the event of an emergency, I can only tell you this. If you’re me (which I am), and you’re in the loo...

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY | PAGE 68

Susan McBeth reviews Lisa Lee’s “China Dolls” The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, and Ruby is sent to an internment camp.

TRAVEL BY THE BOOK | PAGE 67

A half-hour into the preserve, we arrived at our abode, the Keekorok Lodge, for the next several nights. This was not exactly a tent slung across some post, but a first-rate lodge.

AMONG THE CRITTERS | PAGE 78

Robert makes the case for refreshing dry roses and then picks a winner from J Winery.

WHITLEY ON WINE | PAGE 76

John and Jody continue their entertaining and informative “post cards” to the publisher.

POSTCARDS FROM TUSCANY | PAGE 77

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In a land of lots of scenic wonders, there is one I return to again and again, despite my sweaty palms, accelerated heart rate and shaky limbs.

46If you practice diligently tasting and learn-ing about new wines, you’ll find that your preferences in wines will evolve. It’s called educating your palate. A wine that makes you gag today may well become a favorite next year and vice versa.

HOW TO BECOME A WINE ENTHUSIAST

50This is no doubt one of the most unique villages in Britain. No one has ever lived here - yet there’s an admission fee to stroll around, and some 250,000 visit each year.

PORTMEIRION, WALES

56WHIDBEY ISLANDIn a land of lots of scenic wonders, there is one I return to again and again, despite my sweaty palms, accelerated heart rate and shaky limbs.




Many of our traveling friends shun Asia as a destination; they prefer the safer, “more refined,” climes of Europe -- or maybe even push their comfort level with a cruise

to the Baltic. They worry about the weird food, tropical climate, bugs, exotic peoples and wars a half-century-old.

CRUIS ING 101SOUTHEAST ASIA

FEATURED DESTINATIONS

Left to right: Golden statue in Bangkok. Hong Kong street scene in old city. Bartender churning out Singapore Slings at the Long Bar in Singapore.


| STORY BY RON & MARY JAMES | PHOTOS BY RON JAMES |

And I must admit, we were also a bit anxious about our first visit to Southeast Asia, probably partially fueled to our mixed experience trying to decipher the formidable menus at an authentic Asian restau-rants in the States. We were concerned with crowds,

pollution, weird food and the reception we would get from the locals.

What we found was that Southeast Asia is a traveler’s nirvana, offering natural wonders like the mystical limestone islands of Halong Bay, timeless treasures like the storybook temples of Thailand and energetic booming cities like Hong Kong and

Singapore. The people we met were courteous and welcoming, and proud of their rich culture. We found distinctive arts and crafts, magical architecture and unforgettable cuisine. It all made for an unforgettable experience.

Each of the countries we visited were distinctly different, al-though their were some common threads. Wars, conquests, colonization, migration and trade have impacted the area for centuries, changing boundaries and political systems and spreading religions and customs. Today, Southeast Asian countries and culture reflect thousands of years of interac-tion with empires in the Middle East, Tibet and, especially

SOUTHEAST ASIA


China. More recently, the Europeans and Americans made their marks in the major cities in the region, influ-encing architecture, fashion and social trends.

In some countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, cruise tourism is a relative-ly new phenomenon, and it shows in the primitive cruise port facilities and

transportation systems. But tourism is vital to these growing economies and new hotels, roads and other infra-structure are being developed at a rap-id pace. On the other hand, cities like Singapore and Hong Kong have long been international tourist destina-tions which is reflected in world-class port facilities, sophisticated public transportation systems, upscale ac-

commodations and fine dining. It’s this blend of old and new that makes Southeast Asia such a facinat-ing place to visit.

We decided the best way to explore Southeast Asia the first time was to take a cruise on the Celebrity Millen-nium, which combined the comforts and security of a first class ship with a


Young women makes an offering in a Vietnamese temple. Right top: The Celebrity Millennium docked in Vietnam.

broad sampling of ports and experienc-es. The region is a growing market for cruise companies and they offer their customers a wide range of itineraries to fit different budgets and travel inter-ests. Almost every cruise line has two or more ships active in this exotic part of the world with most cruises originating

in Australia, Singapore or Hong Kong. Given the number of cruise ships plying Southeast Asian waters, cruisers can choose from a wide variety of itinerar-ies with ports-of-call in Vietnam, Thai-land, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong.


Picking the best time to cruise in South-east Asia is complicated because of the diversity of weather conditions. Viet-nam, for example, has more than 2,000 miles of coastline, with varying weather patterns north to south. In coastal areas, a sweater and long pants may be needed to ward off the chill on cool nights, while a few kilometers in-land, temperatures are considerably warmer. Ports close to the equa-tor, on the other hand, are always steamy, with occasional afternoon showers.

Cruise lines, for the most part, avoid the hottest, most humid and rainy months by scheduling most Southeast Asia cruises November through March. Not surprisingly, these months also attract the most tourists from inside and outside the region, resulting in large crowds at popular attractions. Holidays, like Tet in late January or early Febru-ary, can be days long and noisy. Pric-

es spike, public transport is jammed and shops may be closed.

Each port destination we experienced offered distinctly unique experiences and adventures for almost every taste

and interest. We visited five unique des-tinations, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thai-land and Singapore on our cruise.

Bangkok, Thailand Eclectic Bangkok offers travel-ers a mix of modern skyscrap-ers, lux Royal Palaces, ancient temples and giant gilt Buddhas. Highlights include Chinatown, Bangkok’s two century-old com-mercial center where you can wander through the giant flow-er and wholesale marketplace. Travel via a tuk-tuk, a 3-wheeled motorized taxi, to Wat Po, or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, the oldest temple in Bangkok, to find Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha, 150 feet long, 49 feet tall, aglow in gold plate. Anoth-er Buddha well worth visiting is the solid gold, 10-foot tall stat-ue at the lavishly decorated Wat Traimit Temple. Great restau-


Clockwise from opposite: Exotic architecture is every-where in Bangkok. The reclining Buddhas is massive and very golden. Tree roots surround the face of an ancient Buddha. The face of the reclining Buddha. A group from the cruise ship pose in front of the golden doors in the presidential palace.

“Each port destination we experienced offered distinctly unique experiences and adventures for almost every taste and interest. “


rants abound, where you can sample refreshing Thai classics including fresh seafood, tangy soups and sa-vory and sweet curries. Shopping is delightful at the new riverfront Asi-atique with its mix of small vendors, antique shops, restaurants and street entertainers.

Halong Bay, VietnamThe highlight of many cruisers to Southeast Asia is sailing through magical Halong Bay. Located on Viet-

nam’s northeast coast, Halong Bay is home to nearly 2,000 limestone islands that rise hundreds of feet high above emerald-green water. Their exotic shapes, often shrouded in mist, are a UNESCO World Heri-tage site. Half-day and full-day junk cruises are fine, but if your ship is in port for two days, an overnight lux-ury junk cruise is an unforgettably immersive experience.

Striking rock formations provides dramatic settings for the tourist junks in Halong Bay. Bottom: Mary James in one of the many exotic caves located in the islands in Halong Bay. Right top: Little girl play on one of the homes in the floating village. Right bottom: Groups of visitors are taken for tours of the floating village in Halong Bay..



Hanoi, VietnamHanoi is a hectic collage of sights, sounds and smells. Masses of motor-bikes roar down roadways, and bike and car horns are constantly honking. Wom-en wearing traditional conical straw hats carry poles with baskets on each end, small shops overflow with color-ful embroidery and signs literally cover

buildings. The most visited attractions are Vietnam War-related including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Hanoi’s crazy, hectic Old Quarter is a must-do stop for sou-venir shopping and to view the market scene.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, is a vibrant,

chaotic and culturally diverse city and the gateway to the Mekong Delta region. Visitors usually begin tours here at the historic Rex Hotel where most of the city’s sights are within walking distance. Among the most popular are the Muse-um of Ho Chi Minh City, the Presiden-tial Palace, and the War Remnants Mu-seum, sure to bring back bad memories for baby boomers. The huge Ben Thanh Market is packed with tourists and in-


spired hawkers with row after row of stalls that sell familiar and exotic foods, and tourist items like lacquer ware, paintings, porcelain, jewelry and wood carvings, as well as clothing, and knock-off designer bags and watches.

The people in Saigon are extremely friend-ly to American as shown in the two top photos. Right: The streets buzz with mo-torcycles and scooters. Right bottom: Mary James enjoying a bicyclette rickshaw ride through the bustling streets of Saigon.



The streets of Saigon are alive in a kind of chaotic and colorful dance of motocycles, shoppers, store keepers and food vendors.


Hoi An, Vietnam Just outside of the city of Hue is Hoi An, a charming village with a picturesque patchwork of cobblestone streets and al-leys lined with historic buildings, filled with quality souvenirs and lovely restau-rants offering authentic Vietnamese cui-sine and its chocolaty coffee. Many of the restaurants offer cooking classes. Basi-cally untouched during the Vietnam War, the village is a 45-minute drive from Da Nang and 2 hours from the port at Chan May. While Hue and Da Nang are inter-esting, Ho An is the shore excursion to take at this port. The Last Great Food Tour of Hoi An, was undoubtedly the most enjoyable food tour we’ve experi-enced. www.tasteofhoian.com.


Clockwise from top left: Madam Khanh “The Bánh Mì Queen” shows off her famous cart. Ron James and his new friend, Neville, the food tour operator of “The Original Food Tour of Hoi An, The entrance to the Chinese temple in Hoi An. Colorful boats and shop line the riverside in Hoi An. The Chinese bridge in Hoi An.


Hong Kong, ChinaHong Kong is the world’s most verti-cal city where Chinese traditions meet modern international capitalism. It is famous for banking, custom-made suits and luxury-brand shopping. On a quick

tour of the city, it seems there are Guc-ci, Prada and Chanel boutiques around every corner. There also are countless stores selling aquatic and land animal and plant parts for the table and med-icine chest. More commerce thrives in the huge industrial port where rows of containers stretch as far as the eye can

see. Highlights are shopping, a meal of dim sum in a café packed with hungry locals, touring on HOHO buses, cross-ing the bay to Kowloon on the historic Star Ferry, riding the world’s longest es-calator through bustling neighborhoods, and taking the tram to the top of Victo-ria Peak for spectacular city views.


Hong Kong fish monger enjoys a little snack in his small shop. Top and opposite left: Scenes of Hong Kong street life.


Singapore.

Singapore is a model, modern city. The island is clean with modern roads and public transport; and drivers, unlike in some Asian cities, obey traffic laws. Like Hong Kong it is a me-tropolis of high-rises and skyscrapers, only with green parks everywhere, including on top of buildings. This city also cares about its history, evidenced by the many one, and two-story districts and buildings scattered

throughout the urban center. A great variety of restaurants, food courts and shops suit almost every taste and pocketbook, many housed in or adjacent air-conditioned shopping malls. The almost nightly laser show viewable around the city for free is not to be missed, along with Chinatown and the nearby Arab neighborhood.


The amazing man-made trees in Singapore’s vast city garden. Bottom: the air-conditioned botanical gardens. Opposite top: Visitors and locals wait for the nightly sound and light show at the Marina Bay Sands hotel complex. Opposite lower rt. to left: Outdoor dining along the rivers and bays are a way of life. One of many food shops in the shopping centers. Sarah Hellman plays with the misters.


Clockwise from top: Food stand displays their tempting dishes in Saigon. Vietnamese girl kindly offers a flower in the temple. Watch salesman offers the typical salute of Southeast Asia. Star server pours wine to guests on the Celebrity Constellation. Pho and a beer in Saigon. Two fisherman in a Vietnamese round boat.


CRUISE TIPSPolitical and civil strife afflicts countries this re-gion on an ongoing basis. Check with the U.S. State Department for warnings for visitors. (www.travel.state.gov/) Cruise lines are well aware of these situations and for the safety of passengers, may bypass or change ports-of-call as needed.

One unavoidable issue on large-ship cruises to Southeast Asia is the long distance between the port and destination city and attractions. For ex-ample, it can take over three hours to travel from the cruise port to Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City. Some cruises mitigate this inconvenience by dock-ing for two or more days in a port, allowing pas-sengers to remain overnight in the destination cities. When this isn’t possible, make the best of the extra travel by savoring the journey, especially if it’s in the company of an informative guide. Re-member to look out the window! The countryside reveals much about a nation, its people and their culture. Your observations in transit can be just as exciting and revealing as walking city streets.

Bathroom facilities vary greatly even in large cit-ies, at tourist stops and along major roadways. Sometimes only “squat” toilets are available. Be prepared for this possibility by timing bathroom breaks when you’re near major hotels or tour-ist friendly restaurants. Sometimes, handicap facilities will have Western-style toilets. Travel with sani wipes in case toilet issue isn’t provided. Above all, keep hands clean to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses.

Pickpockets roam the markets and more crowd-ed streets in many Asian cities, but violent crime against tourists is unusual. Traffic, though, can be daunting to pedestrians. Crossing streets filled with speeding motorbikes and tuk-tuks is not for the faint of heart. Drivers are aware of pedestrian traffic and adjust their driving accordingly. Stay close together, and step out when the traffic is minimal. Walk at a slow, steady pace while watch-ing the oncoming traffic that hopefully will flow around you. Follow locals as they cross to get the hang of it.

The vast majority of Asians are very courteous and friendly and they expect similar behavior from visitors. Being publicly angry, arrogant and loud is much frowned upon and will not help solve prob-lems or get a better price. Be cautious, respectful and friendly and you will have a great time in this wonderful part of the world.


A WALK ON THE “WILD” SIDEMY SIX-DAY LAKE LUCERNE CIRCLE HIKE IN SWITZERLAND


| STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISON DAROSA |

L ike so many who read the bestseller or have seen the movie, “Wild,” I imagined my-self in Cheryl Strayed’s boots. I envisioned hiking alone in exquisite wilderness, savor-

ing silence, solitude. I saw myself conquer-ing the ups and downs of a renowned trail all on my own.

However, the “Wild” I envisioned was uniquely my own. It didn’t include Strayed’s horribly blistered feet or “Mon-ster,” her impossibly heavy and overstuffed backpack. It didn’t include sleeping in a tent – especially one I had to carry and set up myself. And forget freeze-dried food.

What I wanted was “Wild” for wusses.

I decided that a weeklong solo hike would be “Wild” enough for me. I’d do it in Swit-zerland, a hikers’ Mecca.

I signed up for a solo hike with SwissTrails, a company that arranges hiking and biking trips throughout the country. I asked for what the Swiss call “soft” hiking on a rela-tively flat route. We agreed I’d do the 6-day Lake Lucerne Circle Hike. The company arranges nightly lodging and transfers lug-gage each day.

When I received my itinerary, I was excited – and more than a bit intimidated.

Could I really do this alone? Hike 10-plus miles a day, with daily elevation gains of up to 4,500 feet? In addition to hiking, my itinerary had me taking trains, boats, cable cars and buses.

When I arrived in Zurich and met Swiss Trails founder Ruedi Jaisli for my one-on-one pre-hike briefing, he did his best to reassure me: “This is one of the most spec-tacular tours you can do in Switzerland,” he said. “It’s a hike, not a climb. It’s self-guid-ed; go at your own rhythm.”

“When I got lost, as I knew I would, could I surmount the Swiss/German lan-guage barrier to ask for help getting back on track? Would somebody send out

a search party if I failed to show up at the night’s hotel?”

Swiss hiking trails wander through bucolic lakeside villages such as Bauen.


Trails, always well marked, meander across lush rolling farmland. The Chapel Bridge, right, is covered wooden footbridge across the Reuss River in Lucerne.


“Easy is a relative term,” he shrugged when I asked about the steep elevation gains and drops. So, final-ly I understood: Hiking 4,000 feet up, then 4,000 feet down meant my route was “relatively” flat.

As Jaisli reminded me to place my luggage in the hotel lobby by 9 each morning and to carry that night’s hotel voucher in my daypack each day, I scanned the trail maps he provided. The print was microscopic.

When I got lost, as I knew I would, could I surmount the Swiss/Ger-man language barrier to ask for help getting back on track? Would somebody send out a search party if I failed to show up at the night’s hotel?

“From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., you can call the help line,” Jaisli said. “We’re here seven days a week.

“And don’t worry about the weath-er,” he continued. “They’re pre-dicting rain, but in Switzerland it’s always better than it’s forecast. Besides, bad weather also has its charm. Just go, go, go.”

I decided to hire a guide – just for the first day.

A guiding light

Jaisli recommended Rene Welti, a Swiss-born hik-ing maestro who was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and lived most of his life in the U.S. In 2010 he moved to Lucerne and two years later started ECHO Trails, leading guided hikes in the area. Lonely Planet named him their local outdoor expert.

Welti agreed to meet me early the next morning near the Lucerne dock where we hopped a ferry to my kick-off point. Our day together encompassed so much more than hiking. It’s true that Swiss trails are well marked – but Welti taught me how to read the marks. I learned that squat yellow rhom-buses were my friend: They lead to generally easy, flat trails. When a red-on-white stripe is added to the mix, I’m headed for a “mountain trail,” a great-er challenge – steeper, narrower, often uneven. I learned to avoid blue-on-white signposts that lead to what the Swiss call “Alpine routes” – trails that might have been mapped for mountain goats.

When we stopped for a mid-morning snack at a mountain chalet, Welti taught me how to game my itinerary – how to customize my hikes with alternate routes using public transport (including boats, aerial trams and even a cogwheel railway). It gave me confidence knowing I could take my time on the trail – be distracted by village bakers,

mountainside cheesemakers, drop-dead gorgeous scenery – and still easily make it to my destination before dark, or in time to shower on the afternoon I’d booked a massage. Before our day was over, Welti had me lead the way on the trail – and after steering us wrong twice, I began to get things right. Could I have managed the week without his expertise? Probably. But it wouldn’t have been so easy – or half the fun.

Lingering images

When I reflect on my week on the Circle Trail, a whirlwind of sensory images fills my mind.

I see a narrow, worn track that undulates across lush rolling farmlands, meanders across trickling mountain streams and beside the crystal waters of Lake Lucerne. I inhale the scent of cut grass, rotting wood, sodden peat, the perfume of towering pines that appeared like ghosts on fog-shrouded Mount Rigi. I hear the clang of cowbells – a sound that came

to mean security for me; it meant civilization was nearby. But mostly I hear the silence, interrupted only by the crunch of my own boots on the trail.

My hours of solitude were a unique gift. Being alone allowed my mind’s eye to see in ways I oth-erwise wouldn’t have. In open meadows, I saw myself as a child on a wide porch swing, snuggled beside my beloved aunt; I heard the birds that once twittered in her garden. Along sunny ridges, I felt the warm embrace and unconditional love of my long-gone grandmother. I could see both shaking their heads, warning of the dangers of hiking alone. Then I saw their smiles. They shared my joy as I nes-tled into now as if I were climbing into their soft inviting laps.

Step by step

My days started with breakfast, which was includ-ed at each hotel along my route. I gathered my lunches on the trail.

In Seelisburg, I stopped at Aschwanden Kaserie, where I watched the cheese-making process begin a few hours after cows had been milked. The way Californians taste wine, I learned to taste cheeses – sampling a half-dozen varieties to pick my favorite: Klewa, from the mountain where I’d hiked the day before. “It’s a distinct taste because the cows there graze on flowers that are different,” explained cheesemaker Urs Aschwanden.

To simplify matters, I booked dinner reservations at each of the hotels where I stayed. At Hotel Stern-


en in Fluelen, where my postage-stamp-size room had a twin bed and a parking meter, the chef helped me master the hotel’s wifi – and explained that he used his grandmother’s recipe to prepare my traditional German meal. At City Hotel in Brunnen, where I landed a spacious room with a deep bathtub, I was trail-sore and sorely tempted to skip dinner. I’d have missed a scrumptious platter of lake perch sautéed in almond butter. My dessert was a long soak in that delicious tub.

Day 4 was dedicated to Mount Rigi – at almost 6,000 feet elevation. But instead of hiking up an 8-mile trail, I hopped a cogwheel train from Arth Goldau to Rigi Kulm, the mountain’s peak. This was the first mountain railway in Europe, transporting riders since the 1870s to the panoramic view up top. I rode with an Indian family; we had a common pas-sion: Swiss chocolate.

Atop Rigi Kulm, we disembarked into a cloud. Fog was so thick I could see only

a few feet of trail in front of me. Snow was expected. I zipped my jacket, put on woolen gloves and set out on a 5-mile up-and-down hike to Rigi Kaltbad – where I had a hot date.

Wild and wonderful

By mid-afternoon, I was sinking into the warm healing waters of Rigi Kaltbad. The mineral springs here have drawn visitors for six centuries – and as fans around the world attest, the place is rea-son enough to visit Switzerland.

The spa is housed in a sleek, contempo-rary temple designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta. Bathers luxuriate in an in-door/outdoor pool equipped with an ex-travaganza of feel-good massaging jets that make magic from head to toe. Like a child at an amusement park, I played at every station – leaning in to intensify the pressure of jets on my calves, mov-

Clockwise from top: Hikers often overnight in Brunnen, a small resort town on Lake Lucerne. Cheesemaker Urs Aschwanden offers samples at his family owned dairy farm in Seelisberg. The trail wanders through a forest near Rutli, said to be the site where Switzerland was founded in 1291. Stop for a cheese break at Rigi-Alpkase, a family operation on the slope of Mount Rigi.


ing away when I’d had enough. Outdoors, where steam merged with fog, I lingered on jetted underwater lounge platforms, delighting in the sensation of every sin-gle bubble. I was the last person to leave when the spa closed at 7.

In zoned-out bliss, I dined on Raclette at Hotel Alpina that night. It seemed odd-ly fitting that the melted cheese bubbled on my plate.

The next morning, fog remained thicker than the previous night’s Raclette. I de-posited my bag in the lobby for pickup, then headed back upstairs and fell into bed. I ignored the clock and settled into sleep soothed by the sound of not-so-distant cowbells.

Playing hooky meant I missed a second chance to see the view from Rigi Kulm

– but by taking the cable car to the lake-side town of Weggis, I got to walk in the footsteps of Mark Twain who once lived there.

For me, it was a perfectly “Wild” day.

IF YOU GO Hiking in Switzerland

SwissTrails’ 5-night self-guided Lake Lucerne Circle Trail hike, with lodging in standard hotels, daily breakfasts and daily luggage transfers, starts at about $850 per person. E-mail [email protected]. Learn more at www.swis-strails.ch.

ECHO-Trails founder Rene Welti offers a 5-night Lake Lucerne Circle hike – with a guide on day one. Rates start at about $1,650, including lodging in standard hotels, daily breakfasts and daily lug-gage transfers, a 2-hour walking tour of Lucerne, plus a mobile phone with pre-loaded emergency numbers and 10 minutes of free time. E-mail [email protected]. Learn more at www.echo-trails.com.

Get a Swiss Pass for unlimited travel by rail, road and waterway throughout Switzerland. Prices start at about $416 for an 8-day pass. Learn more at www.swisstravelsystem.com.

Learn more about travel throughout Switzerland at www.myswitzerland.com.




“When you’re down, you find out who your real friends

are,” a disgraced Richard Nixon wrote in the guest book at Sunnylands, the spectacular enclave Walter and Leon-ore (Lee) Annenberg built out of the desert in Rancho Mirage. His message of gratitude was written on Sept. 8, 1974, a month after he had resigned the presidency -- and on the day he was pardoned by his successor, Gerald Ford.

| STORY BY CARL H. LARSEN |

SUNNYLANDSA PALM SPRINGS REFUGE FOR THE RICH AND FAMOUS


SUNNYLANDS

Lasting friendships and generous hos-pitality is what the Annenbergs were all about, as well as an unparalleled legacy of philanthropy.

The wealthy couple used their Mayan-in-fluenced home as the centerpiece of an opulent lifestyle more attuned to a British earl and countess in the tradi-tion of “Downton Abbey” than that of a successful American publisher and his charming and equally astute wife, who served as chief of protocol for the U.S. State Department.

Once staffed by 60 servants, including an Irish butler, their private domain, in-cluding a golf course, has recently been opened for all to see. It now joins the San Simeon estate of William Randolph Hearst as being two of California’s best-known homes that are open to the pub-lic. Like Hearst, Annenberg was a news-paper publisher, and was the creator of TV Guide and Seventeen magazines. As a Philadelphia TV station owner, he promoted a young man named Dick Clark, who gave the world “American Bandstand.”

But don’t take the Hearst-Annenberg analogy too far. There are no ketchup bottles to be found on the dining room tables at Sunnylands as there are at San Simeon. As a hostess, Leonore Annen-berg was unmatched. Instead of one for-mal banquet table, she typically seated her dinner guests around several small, more intimate tables.

With a golf course just out the door, and a home designed for entertaining, Sun-nylands was a place where the high and mighty could kick back far away from

The 25,000 square foot Mid-Century Modern residence was designed by the late Los Angeles architect A. Quincy Jones.


the eyes of the probing media or gawk-ers.

“There’s no other place like it, anywhere,” said Nancy Reagan of Sunnylands.

Indeed, no single residence in the Unit-ed States – except the White House -- is so steeped in the history of the late 20th century. The Annenbergs entertained seven U.S. presidents, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Marga-ret Thatcher, Monaco’s Princess Grace

The west windows of Sunnylands Center present a magnificent vista of the 10,000-foot-plus San Jacinto Mountains looming above palo verde trees. Landscape architect James Burnett used Vincent van Gogh’s Olive Trees of 1889 as inspiration for this masterpiece view of the Center’s unique gardens.


and an A-list of celebrities and sports heroes. Frequent guests for dinner or golf included neighbors Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, who was married to Barbara Marx (his last wife) in 1976 in the home’s huge atrium in front of the fireplace.

Annenberg biographer Christopher Ogden described the house in its heyday: “The large double doors are open. Either Lee or Walter usually waits to greet guests near the large pots of cymbidium orchids grown on the es-tate and which line the entrance hall. Inside,

first-time visitors tend to stare wide-eyed at the 6,500 square foot living room with its pale pink marble floors and soft green sofas

…. and walls of cinder-brown lava rock, back-drop for their collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings. In the vault-ed center of the room, light pours in from a raised cupola on the dark green bronze of Ro-din’s 'Eve.' Nearly six feet tall, the sculpture stands by a reflecting pool surrounded by hundreds of bromeliad plants.”

Cast in 1881, the Rodin is still there in all

Left: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visit Walter and Leonore Annenberg at Sunnylands, February 1983.


Sunnylands offers visitors 1.25 miles of walking paths that meander through more than 53,000 individual plants and 50 arid-landcape species.


If You Go If you wish to tour the historic house and grounds, plan well ahead. Be certain to check first with the Web site for opening hours, which can change. Tours of the grounds and residence are available for a fee and tickets are limit-ed. The estate is closed July and August and can be closed to visitors during conferences and other events.

The 15-acre Sunnylands Center & Gardens is free to visitors during opening hours. On exhibit are gifts the Annenbergs received over their lifetimes from family, presidents and first ladies, celebrities and business leaders. The center also features an interactive computer bank with informa-tion about the estate, its distinguished visitors, the An-nenberg art collection and the home's architecture. There is an introductory video, a café and a shop.

Web site: www.sunnylands.org

Location: 37977 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, Calif.photos: © The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunny-lands

its glory, but the heart of the Annenbergs’ art collection--some $1 billion worth, includ-ing works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne--was donated in 1991 to the Metro-politan Museum of Art in New York City. Dig-ital reproductions of the paintings now hang where the originals once were placed.

A $61.5 million structural renovation of the home and new construction that includes a visitors’ center and nine-acre garden designed by the firm of landscape architect James Bur-nett of Solana Beach, Calif., has shaped the estate toward a new vision set by the Annen-bergs before their deaths.

Now called the Annenberg Retreat at Sunny-lands, the 200-acre compound has become a global center for high-level conferences fo-cused on promoting peace. The couple's vision has held true and the estate continues to be popular as a sort of West Coast Camp David. President Obama has visited Sunnylands four times, staying overnight on two of those oc-casions, during meetings with President Xi of China and with King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Arriving at the new Sunnylands Center and Gardens, visitors learn of power politics played far from the halls of Washington, D.C. It was at the estate where Nixon crafted his last State of the Union Address and where President George H. W. Bush hosted a state dinner for the Prime Minister of Japan. Pres-ident Ronald Reagan, a frequent visitor, ex-changed televised New Year’s greetings in 1986 from the home with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev.

There remains a superb collection of fine and decorative arts to see as well as the Midcentu-ry Modern architecture of the late A. Quincy Jones, the Los Angeles architect hired by the Annenbergs to create their desert oasis. Com-pleted in 1966, the 25,000 square foot house is furnished in what is called a Hollywood Re-gency style, imagined by the team of William Haines and Ted Graber.

One of the most interesting stops on a tour of the home is the Room of Memories, filled with personal mementoes. Here, there’s a portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale

and a portrait of Walter Annenberg, dressed in a choir robe, by Andrew Wyeth. There’s a framed, handwritten personal letter from Queen Elizabeth II to Walter Annenberg, who served as U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James’s. Another wall displays framed, signed Christmas cards to the Annenbergs from the late Queen Mother.

Walter Annenberg's wealth and devotion to philanthropy was legendary. Upon becoming ambassador to the United Kingdom, he took it upon himself to pay for the renovation of the antiquated Winfield House, the mansion in Regent's Park that is the U.S. ambassador's official residence in London.

Among the visitors entertained by the An-nenbergs at Sunnylands were Queen Eliza-beth II and Prince Philip. One of the photos taken during the royal visit is rather interest-ing. Pictured with the Annenbergs at the front door, the queen is holding an umbrella, on what must have been a rare rain-threatened day in the normally sun-filled desert.

Now that the public can view the estate, it’s easy to see how Sunnylands left a succession of kings, queens, presidents and celebrities impressed, as was Britain’s Prince Charles.

When he visited in 1974, he asked the couple: “You left all this to go to England?”


Mary James at diiner in Palm Springs enyoying a nice bottle of cab with the photographer.


,

America is the top dog in the pantheon of countries that quaff a lot of wine – Americans drink over 890 million gallons a year which works out to about 2.8 gal-lons per persons of drinking age. Amer-ica doesn’t fare quite as well in the per capita wine consumption category; well below thirstier countries like Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia whose citizens drink over 11 gallons each in a year. Sur-prisingly, the most serious wine enthusi-asts reside in the city state in Rome, in a place called the Vatican – they drink a whopping 20 gallons! Holy Bacchus, it must be thirsty work being celibate.

As wine loving as some countries are, there are a few unfortunate countries that haven’t joined in the fun. Afghani-stan brings up the rear with the average person drinking zero wine anytime. But that’s understandable considering most are Muslim. Fifth from the bottom is In-dia which is no surprise to this traveler. If you’ve ever had the misfortune of tasting the combination of very expensive, and extremely bad wines that are available there, you’ll understand why many In-dians who do drink alcoholic beverages seem to be boycotting the grape – can’t afford it, can’t stand it. Their beer, on the other hand, is quite alright.

Even in the wine-loving regions of the world, including America, there are those reluctant to join the ranks of wine lovers for reasons other than religion or incarceration. Some prefer other meth-ods of taking the edge off of daily life – others (not in the Vatican) don’t drink or have fun -- and many may be put off by the perceived voodoo and pretentious-ness surrounding the sport. The latter group may be intimidated by French labels or can’t pronounce pinot noir or Sangiovese or can’t spell sommelier or even know what one does. (Continued)

HOW TO BECOME A WINE ENTHUSIAST | BY RON JAMES |


If you’re in that category, don’t fret — almost any upright and relatively cogent adult has the potential to become a decent wine enthusiast. It’s not that hard, like anything else in life it takes a little dedication and practice, practice,

practice.

So how do you begin your path to wine enthusiasm you ask? Here’s a few things that may help make your wine education a de-vine one.

Be comfortable liking the wines that taste good to you.

You are the expert when it comes to wines you enjoy, and that’s the way it should be. Everyone’s palate is different and evolving. A wine that tastes good to you is a right wine for you at that period in your wine journey. Even if the wine smarty next to you gags on it and spits out. And its OK to gag on the wine smarty’s favorite over-the-top, acid-bomb New Zealand

sauvignon blanc that exudes aromas of cat pee or his fancy French Bordeaux that tastes like the floor of a barnyard.

If you practice diligently tasting and learning about new wines, you’ll find that your preferences in wines will evolve. It’s called educating your palate. A wine that makes you gag today may well become a favorite next year and vice versa. You and your palate have moved on. It’s like when you were a kid and hated asparagus or Brussels sprouts. As you grew up and became more experienced with foods, you began to love asparagus. Although Brussels sprouts still suck.

As you taste and learn about new wines, you will discover the distinctive flavors and characteristics of different varietals (kinds of grapes). And you’ll find that the characteristics of wine made from the same varietals may differ from country to country, vineyard to vineyard and wine maker to wine mak-er. You’ll experience wines that have complex layers of flavors

Clockwise from top: Happy vendors pour their wares to even happier tasters at the San Diego Wine & Food Festival. Right: Tasters belly up to the bar at Miner Winery in Napa. Ron and Mary James enjoy a glass of bubbly at Iron Horse Winery in Sonoma . Bottom: A private tasting in Healdsburg.


and other characteristics. And you’ll find that wines are alive and change with age — for better or worse.

So how do you get started?

There are a number of ways to educate your palate, and the great thing is that they’re all fun! For the most part wine tast-ing isn’t a solo sport. However, there are times when a fine glass of wine and a bit of reflective time with yourself can be quite satisfying. That said, a great deal of enjoyment in ed-ucating your palate is doing so with family, friends or per-haps strangers who want to be friends.

Start your education by read-ing about wine just as you’re doing right now — the fact that you made it this far is a good sign. The Internet is a good place to start. There are more wine blogs and sites on the Internet than anyone can imagine. A Google search for wine information produced 807,000,000 results.

There are many online wine affinity groups that provide a network of like-minded folk and a wealth of information. For a good start go to the website of our wine columnist Robert Whitley. He has a ton of wine reviews and columns, as well as several links to oth-er great wine sites: www.whit-leyonwine.com.

Reading is great, but nothing beats the real thing. So head down to one of those wine bars we talked about. Find one that makes you feel comfortable. Tell the server or bartender that you’re kind of new to the game and want to learn about wines. If they are pros, they’ll take the time to help you get start-ed. Ask them for wines that are true examples of the varietals or blends and pick their brain about the characteristics.

Many wine bars offer flights of wine. Flights are usually small glasses of four to eight wines grouped for one reason or an-other. They could be wines of

the same year, brand, varietal, color or family. Wine-tasting notes are usually provided for each wine. This gives you op-portunity to compare the characteristics of several wines side-by-side.

Try tasting each wine before reading the tasting notes, to see if you can discern flavors, viscosity, color, acidity and how your palate reacts to them. Then read the notes to see if you agree with them, and try each wine again to try to find the characteristics mentioned in the tasting notes.

Many wine bars, wine retail-ers, and restaurants frequently have wine education and tasting events. This is not only a wonder-ful way to learn about wines, but away to make new wine enthusi-ast friends as well. Most of these establishments have mailing and e-mail lists that will keep you up-to-date about upcoming events.

Perhaps one of the most fun ways to learn about wines is to go to wine and food events featur-ing dozens, if not thousands, of wines to taste. There are obvious hazards to these kinds of events, so spitting and dumping is en-couraged. Wear a hat and have plenty of sunscreen if its out-doors. Have a designated driver if you just can’t spit. And perhaps most important, do not bid on silent auctions after you’ve been educating your palate for four hours.

These tips should get you started and once you do, you’ll realize there’s a lot more to learn. That’s the great thing about being a wine lover — it’s a fascinating, life-long learning process — and you get the benefits of a nice buzz now and then. So remem-ber, don’t ever worry or feel em-barrassed about the wines you like. Your palate’s opinion of your favorite wines is as valid as anyone’s — including wine blow hards and snobs. So, If that wine snob next to you smirks and rolls his eyes next time you order your favorite, tell him to stick his barnyard-tinged Bordeaux where the sun don’t shine. It’s OK to do that — you’re a wine enthusiast.


AN ARCHITECT’S LIFE STORYPORTMEIRION, WALES

| STORY BY SHARON WHITLEY LARSEN |


“... the perfect place to fulfill his boyhood dream - to build a utopia, an ideal village on a romantic coastal site...”


This is no doubt one of the most unique villages in Britain. No one has ever lived here - yet there’s an admission fee to stroll around, and

some 250,000 visit each year. And it’s definitely worth it!

When Frank Lloyd Wright toured here in 1956, he turned to Amabel Wil-liams-Ellis, the wife of the visionary who had designed this charming and whimsical place. Not one to hand out compliments, the egotistical Wright ex-claimed to her, “Why, I do believe you married an architect!”

And Wright, by then a world-renowned building designer, knew what he was talking about: Comprised of colorful and fun buildings, statues, fountains and 70 acres of gorgeous gardens and forest in a unique, seaside setting in north Wales, Portmeirion was designed by the creative architect Clough Wil-liams-Ellis (1883-1978). He purchased the property - described by him as “a neglected wilderness” - in 1925 for less than 5,000 pounds. He then spent the next 15 years working on it, then - after more than 10 years of disruption due to

World War II - fine-tuned details in the second phase from 1954-1976. The last building, the Tollgate, was built during his 93rd year.

Believing it to be the perfect place to ful-fill his boyhood dream - to build a uto-pia, an ideal village on a romantic coast-al site - he changed the name from Aber Ia, meaning glacial estuary in Welsh, to Portmeirion: Port because of its coastal location, and meirion, which is Welsh for merioneth, the county.

Williams-Ellis and his family (he had two daughters--and a son who was killed during World War II) lived near-by in Plas Brondanw, an estate he in-herited. Much of it was destroyed by fire in 1951, causing him to lose many valuable architectural papers and fam-ily documents. Fortunately some had been copied by a historian, and several major architectural drawings were safe in London, but the loss was devastating. The house was rebuilt in two years and that’s where he died in 1978, a month shy of his 95th birthday.

Popular Portmeirion pottery, decorated with flora and fruits, launched in 1960 by Williams-Ellis’ artist daughter Su-san Williams-Ellis, continues to be sold worldwide.


One of the first things Williams-El-lis did in Portmeirion was to restore and expand an old beach house, built around 1850, converting it into the 14-room Hotel Portmeirion, which official-ly opened in 1926. After a fire destroyed it in 1981, it was reopened in 1988. Fa-mous guests have included George Ber-nard Shaw and H.G. Wells. The Prince of Wales (Edward VIII, later known as the Duke of Windsor), stayed in The Pea-cock Suite when he visited Wales for his investiture in 1936.

Other notable visitors to the town have included Noel Coward, who wrote

“Blithe Spirit” during six days in 1941; Ernest Hemingway, Beatles’ manag-er Brian Epstein (a regular guest) and George Harrison, who celebrated his 50th birthday here.

For his Portmeirion project, Wil-liams-Ellis, an environmentalist who was knighted in 1971 in recognition for his contributions to architecture and the environment, salvaged some buildings from demolition sites. He de-scribed the village as “a home for fallen buildings” and an “architectural mon-grel.” It is a mixture of styles, including Italianate, arts and crafts, and Georgian. His motto was, “Cherish the past, adorn the present, construct for the future.”

And the creative genius, the preach-er’s kid who had attended Cambridge, seemed a bit eccentric in his endeavor to salvage old architectural items.

For example, in 1965, when he decid-ed to tear down an unsightly, 35-year-old tennis court and build in its place a central piazza, he could not remember where, 30 years earlier, he had stored the large Ionic columns that he want-ed to use in the design. Eventually his tenant farmer located them under a pile of manure, and they were dug up and used. But reportedly for several months, no one got very close to admire them due to the awful aroma!

Then there’s the Angel cottage - one of the first built, in 1926 - so-named because Williams-Ellis had an angel

Top: The quayside at dawn. Right: Map of Wales and site of Portmeirion. Opposite top: Arial view of Portmeirion. Opposite bottom: Williams-Ellis pic-tured on the cover of his book, “Around the World in Ninety Years.”

(c) Tim Richmond Photography

WALES

Portmeirion



carving that he wanted to utilize. And the crown atop the town hall is an up-side-down copper cauldron, used for boiling pigs!

There’s even a dog cemetery on the property, estab-lished by the ec-centric Mrs. Ad-elaide Haig, who resided from 1870 until 1917 in the mansion that later became the Hotel Portmeirion. Said to prefer dogs instead of human friends, she would take in strays and read ser-mons to her cherished canine creatures in the elegant Mirror Room. (Rumor has it that one cat is buried in the cemetery, snuck in during the dead of night.)

Today, off-the-beaten-path Portmeirion - which appears to be a magical Mediter-ranean village - is a popular tourist at-traction and site of numerous weddings, including those of celebrities. The estate is owned by the Ymddiriedolaeth Clough Williams-Ellis Foundation, a registered charity.

And many of the uniquely designed, pas-tel-colored buildings, built or relocated here during the mid- and late 1920s, include the Italianate style (Bell Tower, Watch House, Government House) and the arts and crafts (Angel, Neptune, Toll House), as well as Georgian (Gate House, Bridge House, Belvedere, Chantry Row, Unicorn, Round House, Telford’s Tower), built or moved here during the 1950s and 1960s. Some have been converted to self-catering cottages, ideal for vacation-ing families.

There’s also the 11-room Castell Deudra-eth, which Williams-Ellis bought from a relative in 1931, where we stayed, a 10-minute stroll from the village. Opened in May 2001, it was originally an 18th century cottage, later enlarged into a 19th century mansion. Its histo-

ry includes housing a prep school and apartments. Awarded by several major travel magazines as one of Britain’s most unique hotels, it’s named for the original

Castell Deudraeth built nearby circa 1175 by Gruffydd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd, king of North Wales. It was razed circa 1869 by Sir William Fo-thergill Cook, “lest the ruins should become known and attract visitors to

the place.”

Several popular films and British televi-sion shows have been filmed in Portmei-rion, among them the series “Cold Feet”

-- and “The Prisoner,” which has retained a cult following. Some 12 million view-ers tuned in each episode, putting this village on the map.

We drove here by rental car, and the day we visited it rained. But, with the cheer-ful pastel buildings (including shops and restaurants) reflected in the wet pave-ment, and with visitors strolling along the cobblestone paths holding opened, colorful umbrellas, it gave it even more of a charming, magical feel.

IF YOU GO

For information: www.portmeirion-village.com

The Clough Williams-Ellis estate Plas Brondanw: www.brondanw.org

VisitWales: www.visitwales.com

www.americas.visitwales.com

VisitBritain: www.visitbritain.com

BritRail: www.britrail.com

Photos from WIKI Commons, Tim Richmond Pho-tography, and Portmeirion Ltd

Photos (c) Tim Richmond Photography

The lush gardens of Portmeirion piazza.


In a land of lots of scenic wonders, there is one I return to again and again, despite my sweaty palms, ac-celerated heart rate and shaky limbs.

It’s the Deception Pass Bridge, a national historic landmark at the northern end of Washington’s Puget Sound that is a truly breathtaking span.

I force myself to walk across this 1935 bridge on its narrow 3-foot-wide out-

er-edge walkways, secured only inches away from the 20,000 cars that travel across this engineering achievement ev-ery day. Standing some 180 feet above the swirling waters below, the experience is both scary and spectacular.

The bridge lies within the most visited state park in Washington, Deception Pass State Park, where old-growth forests of cedar, fir, hemlock, spruce, alder and ma-ple trees stand tall along miles of bright-

blue shoreline, complete with sandy and rocky beaches. There are some 38 miles of hiking trails in this park that invite explo-ration of gorgeous spots like North Beach, Goose Rock and Cranberry Lake.

Those swirling waters of Deception Pass really roil, since it is the second-largest connection of the entire Puget Sound to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean to the west, the largest being Ad-miralty Inlet.

NATURAL WONDERS AND CULINARY STARS ALIGN ON WHIDBEY ISLAND | STORY & PHOTOS BY PRISCILLA LISTER |


NATURAL WONDERS AND CULINARY STARS ALIGN ON WHIDBEY ISLAND

The charming town of Langley boasts several really fine restaurants, making it a favorite weekend getaway for Seattleites.

Opposite: The view from the top of Mount Erie where views of the island-dotted Puget Sound are literally panoramic.


Those two marine passages lie at the northern and southern ends, respec-tively, of Whidbey Island, the largest island in Washington and one of my longtime favorite destinations.

Whidbey Island has long been a favorite escape for Seattleites, who live less than an hour’s drive south and a 20-minute ferry ride away. They catch the Mukil-teo to Clinton ferry, which leaves every half-hour, bringing them to another world that’s quieter, quirky and quint-essentially Northwest.

Whidbey Island today is home to count-less artists, actors and musicians as well as farmers and vintners and outdoor explorers. Its towns and villages offer small, walkable, historic main streets filled with galleries, distinctive shops and farm-to-table restaurants. Its inns and B&Bs are tranquil, inviting and ro-mantic. I always find its slower pace re-markably calming, wrapping me in the green and blue glory of a Pacific North-west forested island.

My most recent foray on Whidbey start-

ed this time in Port Townsend, where I had visited longtime friends. Port Townsend sits on the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula on that Admi-ralty Inlet. It is a splendidly preserved Victorian seaport, whose historic brick

buildings from the late 1800s hail from its thriving maritime past when it was planning to be “the New York of the West,” until the railroad changed plans and bypassed it.

Today, Port Townsend is an artists’ com-munity, too, so galleries, special shops and sophisticated restaurants have tak-en over those beautiful brick buildings on Main Street.

I’ve always thought the Washington State Ferry System offers one of the best cruising bargains anywhere in one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the world. You may not be able to afford a yacht, but you can ply those Puget Sound waters on the extensive ferry system that connects Seattle to several islands as well as the mainland to the San Juan Islands and all these other points in between.I caught the ferry from Port Townsend to Keystone/Coupeville on Whidbey Is-land, a mere 35-minute crossing for just about $10 with your car.

I drove straight to Coupeville, another


charming 19th-century seaport village that sits in the middle of Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve, established in 1978 “to preserve and protect a rural community which provides an unbroken historic record from the 19th century ex-ploration and settlement in Puget Sound to the present time,” says the National Park Service. This 17,400-acre preserve features miles of hiking trails to forests, prairies, lagoons and beaches. It’s also a bird watchers paradise, a biker’s destina-tion and even a favorite of scuba divers.

You can tour some of Ebey’s Landing’s 17 working farms or just sample their har-vests at the Coupeville Farmers Market, now in its 35th year making it one of the longest running markets in one of the oldest towns in Washington, held every Saturday from April to mid-October. I stopped by the wonderful Island County Historical Society & Museum in Coupe-ville to learn about the Native Americans, including the Snohomish, Suquamish, Swinomish and Lower Skagit tribes; the sea captains of the 1800s; the pioneer settlers including Colonel Isaac Neff Ebey who settled here in 1851; and the long military history that’s integral to Whidbey Island still today -- its Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor is the premier na-val aviation installation in all the Pacific Northwest.

I indulged in the splendid homemade bread for a huge sandwich at Knead & Feed bakery/cafe, right on Coupeville’s Front Street. This is a locals’ hangout, and when I was settling my bill, a woman engaged me in friendly conversation.

I told her I was headed to Deception Pass. “You must go to Mount Erie,” she advised me. “It’s just beyond Deception Pass on Fidalgo Island, and the views from the top are just amazing.” She told me exactly how to get there, and I was mighty glad she directed me to that awesome place. I hiked a low-er trail first through thick forests of fra-grant cedars and spruces and hemlocks, some of which were literally oozing pools of sticky sap onto the trail.

Then I simply drove to the top of Mount Erie, the highest point on Fidalgo Island which connects Whidbey Island to the mainland via Deception Pass. The views from this lookout are vast, spreading across the Puget Sound and several of its smaller islands. On very clear days, you can see Mount Baker 43 miles to the

Top: The views from the 1935 Deception Pass Bridge, a historic landmark at the northern end of Whidbey Island. Opposite top: Knead & Feed is a locals’ favorite on the waterfront in Coupeville for oversized sandwiches on homemade bread. Opposite bottom: A trail through the woods on Mount Erie, the highest point on Fidalgo Island, which lies immediately north of Whidbey Island and connects Whidbey to the mainland.



northeast and even Mount Rainier, 117 miles southeast.

I settled in Langley, one of the loveli-est small seafront villages on the Puget Sound, where one-of-a-kind shops and galleries encourage a leisurely stroll in search of gifts, clothing, antiques, books and even homemade chocolates, cupcakes and ice creams.

I wouldn’t miss Useless Bay Coffee Com-pany to mingle with the locals. Cafe Langley and Prima Bistro, both on First Street, are much-loved restaurants that feature Pacific Northwest cuisine. Vil-lage Pizzeria makes a fine East-Coast crisp Neopolitan pie.

But if you’re really a foodie, then make a reservation for Chef Matt Costello’s six-course tasting menus -- weekends only -- that feature seasonal, local in-gredients. Costello used to head Seattle chef Tom Douglas’ Dahlia Lounge and Palace Kitchen and now cooks at the Inn at Langley’s restaurant, which has received an “extraordinary” rating from Zagat guides every year since 2004 af-ter Costello arrived.

I retired to my cozy cedar-decked, wa-terfront room with huge jetted tub and complementary DVD movies at that award-winning Inn at Langley. Over the sumptuous continental breakfast the next morning, I recognized the inn’s

owner, Paul Schell, who was mayor of Se-attle when I lived there many years ago.

“I voted for you,” I told him honestly. He was clearly delighted and came up to me later to confirm, “You really recog-nized me? It’s been a long time.”

“Yes,” I told him. “You haven’t changed a bit,” I grinned.

Just like that awesome Deception Pass.

IF YOU GO:

For more information about Whidbey Island, including how to get there, where to stay, where to eat and what to do, go to http://www.whidbeyca-manoislands.com/, the main visitors web site for both Whidbey and Cama-no islands.

Washington State Ferry System, www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/.

The Inn at Langley, www.innatlangley.com.

Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, www.nps.gov/ebla/.

Deception Pass State Park, www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=decep-tion%20pass&subject=all.

Top: The views from on top of Mt. Erie on Fidalgo Island, immediately across the Deception Pass Bridge from Whidbey Island, are truly jaw-drop-pingly beautiful.


Imagine paying only one dollar per year in rent!

That's what some 150 residents are charged to live at the Fuggerei in Augs-burg, Germany, the world's oldest char-itable social housing complex. It was established in 1520 by visionary Ja-kob Fugger “The Rich” as low-income housing for needy Roman Catholics who were required to be upstanding citizens--and Augsburg residents for at least two years. Nearly 500 years ago they were charged one Rhenish gulden,

today converted to .88 euro cents, or about $1! The rent has stayed the same over five centuries! And Fuggerei residents can live here (in this city of 260,000) indefinitely—with no rent increase! One of the city’s most popular tour-ist destinations, the charming, carm-el-colored Fuggerei is a living museum, managed by the Fugger Family Council trust. Some 200,000 annual visitors (who—with the exception of school children--each pay 4 euros, more than

four times the annual rent!) tour the bucolic grounds of this interesting, his-toric, walled complex. The Fuggerei, built between 1514 and 1523, originally had 52 cottages with 106 apartments—“a city within a city.” At one time it also had a school. Today the complex has been expanded to 67 two-story buildings with 140 apart-ments, each with private entrances, ranging from 500 to 700 square feet, with a modest sitting room, bedroom, kitchen,and bathroom. The downstairs

| STORY BY SHARON WHITLEY LARSEN |TOURING THE WORLD'S OLDEST SOCIAL HOUSING COMPLEX STILL IN USE

Augsburg's Fuggerei


Portrait of Jakob Fugger by Albrecht Dürer, 1518 Bottom: Illus-tration of Augsburg in 1493.

units have gardens, the upstairs have attics. The Fuggerei was expanded in 1880, then again in 1938. During World War II—on the night of February 25-26, 1944--it was heavily damaged; 200 residents escaped into the underground bunker (today a museum) that had been built the year before. The attractive gar-den complex was rebuilt in the original style, completed in 1955. In early years residents were poor families of day laborers and candlemakers or other artisans. Today many are elderly widows. Two furnished, vacant flats are open for viewing. One at 13 Mit-tlere Gasse shows how it looked circa 16th century—and a muse-um in one room displays historic photos, films, and artifacts. The other flat at Ochsengasse 51 is contemporary, with a television in the living room running a doc-umentary film about the Fugger family (in German).

“All the flats allow for the priva-cy of the families or individuals who live here,” pointed out my guide, Kristen Gast. “It is not a 'poor' house with less than ade-quate facilities. This is why I be-lieve it can still function as it was conceived almost 500 years ago.” And the man who conceived this successful compound was Augsburg native Jakob Fugger (known as “Jakob Fugger the Rich”), born into a wealthy weav-ing-merchant Roman Catholic family on March 6, 1459, the 10th of eleven children. An astute, savvy businessman, Fug-ger (with two of his brothers and nephews) expanded the fam-ily fortunes by investing in silver and copper mining, banking, the lucrative international spice trade, real estate, weaving

mills. The former theology student, a controversial wheel-er-dealer (who was criticized by Martin Luther) became one of the wealthiest financiers in history, rubbing shoulders with powerful politicians, royalty, and even the pope.

Fugger was financier to the Papal See, minted coins for the Vatican, helped bankroll the Swiss Guards, was the chief financial backer of the Hapsburg family, made loans to the Medicis from Florence, and had a special relationship with Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor. His “most dramatic act was the financing of the election of the Em-peror Charles V,” notes the book “Jacob Fugger the Rich” by Jacob Strieder. He “was one of the links between the Italian Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation.” Clemens Sender, a Benedictine monk and chronicler, wrote about the ener-getic, entrepreneur Fugger: “The pope greeted him like a dear son. The Car-dinals stood up in his presence—and even the non-Christians admired him greatly.” Music composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's great-grandfather, Franz, a master builder, resided at number 14 Mittlere Gasse, upstairs, for 13 years, until his death in 1694; a plaque com-memorates this. Number 13 down-stairs houses the Fuggerei Museum.

One of the more infamous residents was Dorothea Braun, who lived at Ochsengasse 52, the upper level. The first victim of early 17th-century witch-hunting in Augsburg, she was ac-cused of sorcery by her daughter, 11, and, at age 48, was be-headed and burned.

Augsburg's Fuggerei


Above: Damenhof in the Fuggerei: The Damenhof is the most important of the artistic courtyards in the Fugger houses. It is currently used as a restaurant.


On the crisp weekday that I strolled around—after drizzly rain--noting the beautiful fountains and the well-kept gardens, there were few visitors and it was eerily quiet. An elderly lady, wear-ing a head scarf that framed her heav-ily-lined face—testament to a long, weary life--leaned out of a ground floor apartment window, eying me with curi-osity. On the grounds is also a small shop and beer garden—and the green-shuttered apartments boast unique iron bell pulls in different shapes—a holdover from earlier days when there wasn't good lighting and residents had to feel them to be sure they were at the right flat! Fugger's investments dwindled over the next century (although today his de-scendants still own real estate, includ-ing several castles and businesses)—but the charitable trust that he set up in 1520 still is doing well enough to keep the Fuggerei afloat, helping out low-in-come renters who became impoverished through no fault of their own. There are seven gates at the walled Fug-gerei—yet only one has a doorbell and a night watchman. And, as in medieval times, the gates are locked at night—un-til 5 a.m.

“At 10 p.m. all the gates are closed, just like in 1523,” notes guide Gast. “If Fug-gerei residents need to come in after 10 p.m., they must ring the bell and the gate is opened by a doorman. It costs .50 euro cents. Or if they come in after midnight it costs 1 euro—more than the yearly rent of .88 euro cents! This regu-lation was probably enforced in order to protect the residents' security as well as preventing carousing.”

Jakob Fugger's motto, written on the church in the Fuggerei, was 'Carpe diem' or 'use the time.' He wanted to encour-age discipline. Just as they still enforce this detail in Jakob Fugger's endow-ment letter, all of his other conditions and wishes are followed as well. For me, the Fuggerei is Jakob Fugger the Rich's greatest legacy.” A bronze bust of Fugger, cast in 2007, is in the small Fuggerei park near the bun-

ker—a relaxing place to sit on a bench and people-watch. Fugger didn't marry until 1498, nearly age 40; his wife, Sibylla Arzt, was 18 and the couple, wed 26 years and thought to be unhappy (money doesn't give you ev-erything), remained childless. Toward the end of his life (he died in Decem-ber 1525 at age 66; his widow quickly remarried), Fugger contemplated what would happen upon his death and, fear-ing purgatory, was concerned for his soul. Hence he came up with the idea of having the Fuggerei residents pray daily not only for his soul, but for the souls of his family as well, to ensure that they all would get inside the Pearly Gates. So, to this day, besides paying for utili-ties, such as heat—and volunteering in the gardens, as the night watchman or gatekeeper--the residents are also re-quired to say three daily prayers for the souls of the Fuggers' dynasty and de-scendants: the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed.

“Sometimes I forget to pray,” one long-time elderly resident confessed to the Wall Street Journal. “But some days I pray extra if there's nothing good on television.” WHEN YOU GO The Fuggerei: www.fugger.de/en/home.html Augsburg information: www.augs-burg-tourismus.de/home-english.html Germany Tourism information: www.germany.travel Historic Highlights of Germany: www.historicgermany.com German Rail Pass: www.raileurope.com

Photos and images Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.



The promise of instant, unimaginable wealth lured hundreds of thousands of Forty-Niners to California in the mid-nineteenth century. While most arrived in covered wagons, cross-

ing plains and hills, moun-tains and deserts, many also traveled by ship across per-ilous and unforgiving seas in search of what Chinese immigrants called the “Gold Mountain.” A few lucky souls did indeed strike it rich, but for most, disap-pointment and despair were the only payoff earned in

“them thar hills.”

And what of those Chinese immigrants and their Gold Mountain? Perhaps you should turn to New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, whose great-great grandfather was integral in the founding of Chinatown Los Angeles, and who has branded herself as an au-thoritative storyteller of the Chinese immigrant with her deeply-layered characters who reward readers with a rich historicity of fiction.

In her most recent novel, China Dolls (Random House, 2014), written in alternating first-person voices by three friends--traditional Helen who comes from a successful merchant family in San Francisco, dreamer Grace who escaped from an abusive home in the Mid-west, and fierce Ruby, who is actually Japanese but posing as Chinese--See recreates the Chinese immi-grant world of 1938 San Francisco.

Initially bonded over their common stigma as outsid-ers, and exacerbated by the physical attributes that do not allow them to hide their heritage in a biased land, the girls vow to remain steadfast and loyal. They join the “Chop Suey Circuit,” becoming entertainers in forbidden nightclubs in an effort to not only fulfill

their dreams, but also to keep hidden secrets they have learned to bury in a world of distrust.By portraying the girls as the serious artists they con-sider themselves to be in a debauched environment

that does not hesitate to take advantage of their wont for suc-cess,

See successfully renders an au-thentic historical narrative of pre-WWII “Orientals.” The nar-rative is peppered with ancillary characters, both historical and fictive, who strengthen that rendering, including the brief-est of appearances by Ronald Reagan and Errol Flynn.

When the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, the fear and paranoia it generates invades their in-ner circle, as Ruby is sent to an internment camp, and ru-mors and innuendos abound as to who may have betrayed her. This is where See is at her best, weaving the intricacies of strained friendships, unravel-ing secrets, and impending war that generate a strong under-current of suspicion. Are the

girls truly friends, or have they merely been using each other to pursue their own respective ambitions?

Yet for all their tribulations, the remuneration these early Chinese immigrants bequeathed is a veritable cornucopia of Chinese food and culture, perhaps not the Gold Mountain they originally sought out, but a treasure indeed. So if you are planning a trip along the Left Coast, stop and enjoy the multi-sensorial explo-sion of food, culture, history, art, architecture, and shopping that is now Chinatown Los Angeles and Chi-natown San Francisco. And take a moment to bow in gratitude to the China Dolls whose sacrifices, challeng-es, and determination helped make it all possible.

~By Susan McBeth

Susan McBeth’s TRAVEL BY THE BOOK

“China Dolls” by Lisa See


There are a few things that you really, REAL-LY hope you will never experience on an air-plane—and recently, one of them happened

to me.

I’m not talking about the usual colicky infant (at least one guar-anteed on every flight, or your money back), nor the chatty, close-talking seat mate whose entire diet, from the time he was first able to digest solid food, has consisted solely of raw on-ions and three-day old fish. I’m not even refer-ring to the incon-siderate oaf who reclines his seat so far into your lap that you’re forced to eat your dinner off a tray on his forehead.

No. This was one of the biggies, one of those life-f lashing-before-your-eyes moments that makes you wish you had put down that copy of OK! magazine, wrenched the ear phones blasting LMFAO’s

“Sorry for Party Rocking” from your waxy canals, and listened to the safety announcements featuring cartoon characters demonstrat-ing the technological complexities and mind-boggling intricacies of the aircraft, such as how a seat belt is not only fastened, but…whoa, duuuuuude!…unfastened. (One

can only imagine that if Charles “Survival of the Fittest” Darwin had been called upon to compose those scripts, they would be con-siderably more concise).

In short (or rather, in long-winded, round-the-houses-on-a-rusty-bi-cycle-with-a-slowly-deflating-tire

essence), the oxygen masks de-ployed…about three hours into a trans-Atlantic flight to London, over the dark, fathomless depths of the ocean.

Now, if you’ve ever wondered what you might do in the event of an emergency, I can only tell you this. If you’re me (which I am), and you’re in the loo (which I was), you freeze with your hands under the tap as the words “Don’t

Panic” flash in big friendly letters through your mind.

At least, that was one of the thoughts bumbling around my brain like the Three Stooges in bumper cars. The others, in rough-ly chronological order, were:

1. “Well, the plane doesn’t seem to be plummeting. That’s a bonus.”

2. “Um…did I do that?”

You see, I’m not exactly known for good toilet karma. I have, on more than one occasion, accidentally pulled the red emergen-cy cord in various public and hotel bathrooms, when I actually meant to flush the toi-let or turn off the light. (To date, this has never resulted in the arrival of the fire brigade…or anyone else, for that matter…which is both a huge relief and

also vaguely worrying).

Furthermore, when confronted with those high-tech Japanese toilets, the kind that look like La-Z-Boy recliners replete with seat warmers, spray nozzles and more buttons, bells and whistles than it ever took to operate the space shuttle, I’m generally reduced to tears. Give me a nice leafy bush or an oversized Solo cup over Ro-bo-Loo any day.

Friday’s Friendly Funny by Dave Blazek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License. Based on a work at blog.

friendlyplanet.com. - See more at: http://blog.friendlyplanet.com/

Ever Wondered How You Would React in an Airline Emergency? Now I Know

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY

AMY LAUGHINGHOUSE


3. “Huh. There are two oxygen masks in the bathroom.”

That’s right, my friends. If you’d opted to join the Mile High club with an airborne buddy, this transatlantic flight ensured your needs would be catered for “in the unlikely event of a change in cabin pressure.” Unless, of course, you got greedy and decided to make it a threesome.

(Don’t expect to al-ways get so lucky in the loo, however, as the FAA has report-edly removed all oxygen masks from toilets on US flights to prevent anyone from tampering with them. So what-ever you do in there, you better make it a quickie).

With those consid-erations out of the way, the realiza-tion that perhaps I should actually put on a mask myself fi-nally leapfrogged to the forefront of my cortex.

Just as I was reach-ing for it, a voice boomed over the tannoy. It was the captain himself, sounding decidedly abashed.

“Er….sorry folks. I pushed the wrong button.” Yep. Apparently, he meant to provide oxygen for one passenger but inadvertently released them all.At this point, I emerged from the loo and stepped into a scene out of Airplane. Bemused passengers

were standing around in the aisles, snapping pictures of oxygen masks that dangled like jellyfish from the overhead compartments. (I, for one, was certainly not going to pass up this epic opportunity for a new Facebook profile photo).

Please ensure your own mask is securely fastened before taking photos of other people in their masks.But the oxygen-dispensing feed-

bags weren’t the only things the captain accidentally deployed. He also set off a chain reaction of gen-eral camaraderie. Strangers who wouldn’t look one another in the eye before were now smiling and chatting, laughing nervously in the way that you do when you’ve bonded over being scared witless at 30,000 feet.

It certainly put all my petty con-cerns into perspective.

Sure, the masks hung like used IV drips for the rest of the flight, but at least we knew they were there if we needed them.

And yes, the in-flight entertain-ment system went dark for about an hour just as some of the films were reaching their climax.

But when, mo-ments before, you faced down what might, in the mild-est of terms, be described as a real c h e e k- c l e n c h e r, the last ten min-utes of Maleficent isn’t the happy ending that con-cerns you most.

Maybe next time, when someone leans their chair back into my birth canal, I’ll take a kinder view. May-be, just maybe, I’ll even give them a head massage. Or at least I won’t knee their seat back with quite the same ven-geance.

Amy’s new profile picture

You can find Amy at WWW.AM-YLAUGHINGHOUSE.COM and on Twitter @A_LAUGHINGHOUSE.


POSTCARDS FROM JOHN & JODY

| JODY JAFFE & JOHN MUNCIE |

This is the second in a series of “postcards” sent to WDT Magazine publisher, Ron James, from veteran journalists and friends Jody Jaffe and John Muncie as they travel the globe. We hope you find them as informative and enjoyable as he does.

Postcards from

Tuscany

Dear Ron,

Who would have thought karaoke would be the highlight — so far — of our trip to Tuscany?

Yes, the food’s been fabulous, this is It-aly after all. And the countryside puts even the best postcards to shame with those voluptuous green hills punctuat-ed by giant green exclamation marks of the Mediterranean cypresses. But it was a kitschy songfest, led by an exu-berant young Italian man, we remember most vividly as we write you our first postcard from Italy.

We were in the stone-walled base-ment of an old olive and grain mill for a very large communal Easter week-end meal (there were nearly 70 of us). Since this is Italy, where the unofficial motto is “Mangiare,” we’re not talking a simple Easter ham with some marsh-mallow-topped sweet potatoes. This meal started with roast chicken then continued with sausage, rabbit, pork ribs, lamb, pasta, potatoes, risotto, pizza and a cheese platter, plus all the Chianti you could drink.

And because this is Italy there was still more to come: a sweet pizza-like dessert confection with pine nuts. That’s when the karaoke started. Beginning with — because this is Italy -- “Vo-lare.” By the time the after-dinner aperitifs appeared, the song list turned to classic rock-and-roll and at the first four notes of

“Twist and Shout” we were up on our feet dancing. It was after midnight when we finally staggered back to our villa.

We’re staying at Montestigliano, a tiny village in central Tus-

cany about 10 miles southwest of Siena. In its heyday of the 1700s, Montestigliano supported more than 60 families. To-day the surrounding countryside and remaining buildings are owned by the Donati family who, since the 1950s, have slowly turned it into a combination farm and destination B&B.

Most of the Easter dinner dancers were guests at the six farm houses that the Donati’s have remodeled into villas. Our vil-la is “Pipestrelli” -- the Italian word for “bats,” because that’s what filled the place when they resuscitated the 200-year-old farmhouse a few years back.

Like so many Tuscan villages, Montestigliano sits atop a hill-side. Surrounding it like a long, flowing skirt are fields of wheat


Postcards from

Tuscany

and sunflowers, olive orchards and country lanes lined with those dark, spiraling cypress trees.

Once when they were installing new gas lines at the Mon-testigliano, workers dug into several Etruscan tombs. Pipes-trelli has Wi-Fi and a heated pool, but when we wake up each morning the view from our second-story window is little changed from Etruscan days. In the distance is a landscape lost in time. Hills, fields, villages, farm buildings built of stone and topped by roofs of terra-cotta tile. Close your eyes and imagine an elegantly rustic villa where Cary Grant might have romanced Audrey Hepburn -- and that’s Pipestrelli.

Love, J & J

Dear Ron,

Yesterday was olive day at Montestigliano. First we got a tour of the grove just down slope from our hamlet of B&B farm-houses. It was a bright, cool spring morning; the ground was freshly green and sprinkled with pink, white and blue wild-flowers. Co-owner Massimo Donati, who runs the farm op-erations, gave us a mini-lecture on the art of olive husbandry.

Massimo spoke Italian while his sister, Luisa, translated.

People no longer pick olives, according to Massimo, they use electric-powered gizmos that shake the olives off the trees. The harvest is in October and November; the key is an olive that’s not too green, not too black. No more than three days from shaking to the mill or the resulting olive oil can’t be considered “extra virgin.”

There are some 2,000 trees in the Montestigliano groves, which produce about 2,000 liters of olive oil each harvest. In 1985 Tuscany was hit by a monster freeze that destroyed or damaged many of the trees. Massimo managed to save some and salvage others by cutting them back severely, allowing the roots to regenerate new growth. He walked over to one of his gnarled old-timers and patted a trunk with his old-timer hands. “This one’s more than 100 years old,” he said.

After the grove tour, came an olive oil tasting. Nine of us staying at Pipestrelli sat at a table in the mill’s upper floor. We each had four oil-filled shot glasses, slices of green apples, bottles of “frizzanti” water, and a scorecard.

Massimo explained the drill: Drink a shot of olive oil, take note of its virtues or vices on the scorecard, then eat a pal-

This is the villa called “Pipestrelli” that we stayed at in the village/estate of Montestigliano. Opposite: This the Tuscan countryside as seen from the hilltop village/estate of Montestigliano.


ate-clearing slice of apple, take a swig of soda water and go on to the next shot. Over on a side table stood four olive oil bottles in anonymous paper bags.

By the end, everybody agreed: olive oil “B” was best. It was spicier, richer, more olivey. We also agreed that “A” was good,

“D” so-so, and “C” was ewwwwww. Then came the moment of truth. Massimo lifted bottle “B” out of its paper bag. “Ecco!” It was the oil from Montestigliano! We give Massimo (and ourselves) a round of applause.

After the tasting, we were ushered to Montestigliano’s pi-azza-like stone courtyard where a long table dotted with bottles of 2013 Chianti and Montestigliano olive oil was set against the commanding countryside of Tuscany. It doesn’t get much better than sitting under the warm Italian sun eating artichokes, leeks, zucchini, pasta, pizza, pecorino fresco, fava beans, and an assortment of cheeses. And of course, since this was Italy, dessert.

“What we have learned so far. . .” said Dave Sartwell, a fellow Villa Pipestrelli guest. He paused and his wife, Mary Gayle, finished, “Is to eat small amounts because you know more is coming.”

Love,J&J

Dear Ron,

Yesterday olives, today pigs. But to paraphrase E.B. White, not just any pigs. These are fancy pigs with ancient bloodlines. We visited a 1,100-acre organic farm just a few miles from Montestigliano. The farm, owned by an American family, the Cinellis, is trying to be self-sustaining and organic. Interns

Olive production demonstration at Montestigliano. Below One of the “Cinta Senese” pigs on our pig outing. Opposite: View outside the city walls of Siena.


come from all over the world to work here and learn the arts of making wine, honey, olive oil, and raising cows, chickens and, most important, pigs.

The farm specializes in a “heritage” pig called the Cinta Se-nese, a cross between local wild boar and domesticated pigs from Asia. They look like they’ve been painted for the Vene-tian Carnavale. They’re all black with a collar of white around their shoulders and front legs. We were told they date back to Roman times. Perhaps. But we know for sure they date back to at least the 1200s because we saw one in the background of a 13th century painting in Siena.

The farm itself has a heritage; one of its buildings is a stone tower from the 11th century. The Cinta Senses live an organic, free-range life in pastures divided by electric fence so they can be rotated to preserve the land.

Of course this visit involved a meal. A big meal at a nearby trattoria which began with a tasting of the Cinelli pork prod-ucts. We tried prosciutto, capocolo, salami, soppressata, ri-gatino, lardo, and something called “rosamarina” a delicious concotion of lard and rosemary. The tasting was followed by impruneta (a kind of stew), bean soup, and quiche they call

“sformato.” Then we had lunch.

At lunch, one of Luisa Donati’s friends, Nicoletta Amicieia, confirmed what we’d already suspected, “In Italy life revolves around food,” she said. “In the morning my boyfriend wakes up and organizes dinner for that night. My mother starts or-ganizing Sunday lunch on Friday. Everything’s based on food.”

Love,J&J Dear Ron,

Yesterday we visited Siena. The whole town -- founded some-time in the BC’s -- is a UNESCO world heritage site. It has a huge cathedral (begun in the 12th century), a serious art museum and reknown frescos. But its real claim to fame? A horse race.

Right in the center of Siena is the Piazza del Campo, an open square ringed by medieval buildings that looks like a movie set. It’s around this square — the size of a couple of football fields — that the horses gallop madly, with bareback jock-eys atop, crashing into walls and other riders as the crowd goes wild. It’s called the “Palio,” so named after the holy grail banner that’s at stake (along with the millions of Euros in side-betting). It is a twice-a-year nationally televised race that the Siennese seem to take as seriously as going to war.

We’d heard about the Palio, which has been run since the mid-1600s. But we had no idea about the “Contrades,” the 17 neighborhood-clubs behind the race. There's no Olympic Committee overseeing the Palio, just 400 years of neigh-borhood rivalry between these Contrades. Think Seabiscuit

meets The Godfather. Each year the Palio is a chess match of skullduggery. There are payoffs (gasp!), collusion (horrors!), fights (no!). Everybody knows it. Everybody loves it. (Except one half of this writing duo, the horse nut who thinks it’s cru-el because horses can wipe out and crash against the stone walls.)

We learned all this during a tour of the Contrade Bruco headquarters. (Each Contrade has a mascot; Bruco means Caterpiller.) Behind an unassuming door facing a narrow medieval street, we were ushered into a multi-story hideaway complete with sleek new Palio museum – featuring racing banners the Caterpillers have won over the centuries -- a hid-den backyard for everything from cook-outs to weddings, and a chapel where the Caterpiller’s horse is brought to be blessed before the race. “The Palio is life,” our host tells us.

Afterwards, we strolled the cobbled streets. It wasn’t racing season, but the city was vibrating -- crowded with shoppers and students from the University of Siena. We checked out boot shops and galleries; looked for bargains in belts and purses. It was enough to work up an appetite.

Five o’clock? Must be time for gelato.

LoveJ&J


Dear Ron,

Tomorrow we leave this land where eating is an art. And we’re tak-ing some pieces of Italy with us. We’ve wrapped and rewrapped our bottles of Montestigliano olive oil so we can remember that resplendent day in the Tuscan olive grove. They will be buried deep in our luggage, near the bottles of 18-year-old Modena bal-samic vinegar, so sweet you could drink it as an aperitif, and we did. The wedges of Parmesan cheese, we’re taking on board with us. We’ve checked with customs about bringing all this back to the United States. Aged cheese is OK; soft cheese is not. And it’s not a problem if the bottles are checked through in luggage.

But we couldn’t leave without telling you about the single best bite of our trip. After 10 days of eating our way through Italy -- sampling a delicious waist-expanding amount of food from the country’s farms and restaurants -- this is a very high bar. Kind of like picking the best picture at the Louvre.

So here goes. Here is our Mona Lisa of eating in Italy: fresh pasta with the simplest of tomato sauces. And the truth is, the pasta would have won even if there had been no sauce. We have eaten in some of America’s best Italian restaurants and nowhere have we tasted a pasta as delicate as what Lina Mazzanti made for us at the Palazzo Donati, a 17th century stone mansion on the main square of Mercatello sul Metauro.

The Plazzo is the Donati’s ancestral home on their mother’s side. We caravanned here to the Le Marche region from Montestigliano to get a more complete taste of Italy. Luisa Donati holds one-week tours at the Palazzo that often start with a bowl of Lina’s pasta.

Lina, a tiny woman with powerful forearms, has been cooking for the Donati family for the past 40 years and is well known for her pasta prowess. According to Luisa, she beat the renowned chef Jamie Oliver in a pasta cook-off when he came to Le Marche a couple of years ago.

The key to Lina's ethereal pasta is in the rolling and the rolling and the rolling. And then more rolling of the dough. We watched Lina wield a rolling pin half her height back and forth over the yellow dough for more than 20 minutes, periodically hanging the ever-thinning pasta over the pin to see if she’d achieved the necessary translucency. Finally when she was satisfied, she rolled the dough into a long tube and cut it in slices which would later unfurl into fettucine. We wish we could have taken some of that home. Or Lina. (We asked her, but she said she had a family to feed.)

Our final meal in Le Marche featured almost-as-good pasta and about a hundred other courses cooked by the Accademia del Pad-lot. This is a fancy title for a jovial group of nine local guys who get together to cook, eat, drink wine and sing. On our last night they took over the Donati kitchen and created a monumental feast that made all the other monumental feasts seem miserly.

This time “Volare” was replaced by the Accademia’s boisterous and wine-infused chef-singers, who serenaded Louisa’s guests with songs and jokes. By evening’s end most of us were tipsy, and all of us were full. Once again.

Love,J&J

Lina Mazzanti making pasta at the Plazzo Donati.


TRAVEL TIPS

JET-ETIQUETTE Etiquette Expert and Former Flight Attendant Shares Tips On How To Handle The Most Annoying Airline Passengers

With spring and summer just around the corner, many of us will be traveling by plane to reach our des-tinations. But what happens when the stressful state of air travel leaves some people too frazzled to mind their manners? Jacqueline Whitmore, an internationally-recognized etiquette expert, author and founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach, who is also a former flight attendant, offers these

tips on how to deal with some of the most annoying airline passengers. The Armrest Hogger: If the person next to you commandeers your armrest, simply inch your way in by placing just your elbow next to theirs. This should leave plenty of space for your greedy neighbor’s elbow. Armrest rules: When you have three seats next to each other, the person in the middle seat gets to claim the armrests.

The Chatterbox: If your neighbor strikes up a conversation, be polite and exchange a few pleasantries. Then say something like,

“It was nice speaking with you, but if you don’t mind, I have to get some work done (or some much-needed rest).” Closing your eyes generally does the trick. Note: Always travel with earphones and eyeshades.

The Space Invader: If this person invades your personal space with his newspaper or car-ry-on bag, say something like, “It seems that these planes are getting smaller and smaller. Would you mind moving your arm (or bag) over just a touch?”

The Seat Recliner: If someone reclines too far while you’re trying to eat, work on your laptop, or watch a movie, you have two options. 1. You can recline your seat for more space or 2. Say something like, “Would you mind pulling your seat forward a little bit.” The person in front of you most likely doesn’t know she’s inconveniencing you. Note: When you recline your seat, always glance back and make sure the person behind you isn’t using his tray table to eat or work.

The Snorer: It’s best to always travel with a good pair of noise-cancelling earphones. Otherwise, you can ask the flight attendant if you can relocate to another seat.

The Sleeper: If you need to use the lavatory but your aisle seatmate is sleeping, gently tap him on his shoulder and say, “Excuse me.” No other explanation is necessary. Never attempt to crawl over him.

The Unruly Child: Never discipline someone else’s child. Your best bet is to move to another seat, if available, or alert a flight attendant. Never try to intervene yourself.

The Seat Kicker: If a child is kicking the back of your seat, simply turn around and glance at the child and the parent. The parent will oftentimes get the hint and ask the child to stop. If this doesn’t work, kindly speak up and ask the child to stop kicking your seat.

The Surly Flight Attendant: It’s best not to challenge a flight attendant unless you want to be thrown off the plane. If you encounter a rude flight attendant, jot down his name, your flight number, and email a letter to the company as soon as possible. Better yet, share your grievance on Twitter for faster results.

www.EtiquetteExpert.comwww.JacquelineWhitmore.com

A guy tweeted a complaint about a "rude" gate agent before boarding his Southwest Airlines flight, and was asked to disembark for being "a safety threat." Here, Adam Sandler stars in that famous airplane scene in Anger Management.


WHITLEY ON WINE

DRINKING PINK | ROBERT WHITLEY |

It was a warm summer day in the south of France. The en-tire village of Grasse, it seemed, had turned out for lunch this Monday afternoon on the terrace at La Bastide Saint Antoine, where the Michelin-starred chef Jacques Chibois oversees the kitchen.

Everything about the day was impeccable. The sunlight, the fresh air, the glint of the Mediter-ranean in the distance all served as the perfect backdrop to Chibois’ legendary cuisine.

And on every table, under every umbrella, there was a bottle of pink wine. Chilled, crisp, refresh-ing, dry rose wine from Provence. The parade of pink wine was nearly unanimous except for the occa-sional bottle of Champagne.

The message from the huddled masses was not lost on this for-eign visitor. When you are hot and parched, with a mighty thirst and a craving for an adult beverage, there are worse ways to idle away a summer afternoon than sipping on a well-made dry rose wine as you gaze in the direction of the sea.

I’ve been hooked on dry rose ever since, but until recently my rose thirst has been quenched for the most part by wines produced in France, Spain and Italy. Domestic production of rose has general-ly trended toward sweeter wines, particularly white Zinfandel.

White Zin, as it is known, was im-portant to the wine industry in the 1980s because it saved many old Zinfandel vineyards from ex-tinction. Zinfandel, the bold red wine many believe is native to California, had fallen out of favor at the time, but the invention and instant popularity of “white Zin” kept many of the old Zinfandel vineyards in production.

That was a good thing, and now old-fashioned red Zinfandel is once again a consumer favorite,

with a nod toward “white Zin” for keeping the vineyards alive.

White Zin, on the other hand, created a backlash against rose because of its significantly high levels of residual sugar. Emerging wine consumers, especially those new to the plea-sures of the grape, assumed – wrongly – that all rose wine was sweet.

Sensing the public mood, many domestic wine producers either ig-nored rose altogether or made it in such limited quantities that good, dry domestic rose similar to rose made in France, Spain and Italy was difficult to find.

I am happy to report that domestic producers are becoming bolder in their embrace of rose, and as an ex-ample I commend to you the beauti-ful J Vineyards 2013 Vin Gris, made from Pinot Noir grapes, that was published last week in the WRO Re-views section.

I confess I had a moment of nostal-gia as I took a sip. It was suddenly a sunny summer day in the south of France, rubbing elbows with the townfolk of Grasse as they idled away a lazy summer day.

J Vineyards 2013 Vin Gris, Rus-sian River Valley ($20) – My sense is that demand for rosé wine is up significantly, although I haven't seen any statistics to support that view. What I do know is that more do-mestic producers are making a rosé and making it better than ever. This rosé from J is made from Pinot Noir grapes using the saignee method of bleeding the Pinot Noir fermen-tation tanks early on, before too much contact between the juice and the skins, which can impart bitter tannins. The J Vin Gris is fresh and clean, with mouth-watering acidity and beautiful aromas of strawberry and tart cherry. And it has arrived just in time for those warm Indian Summer afternoons. 92 points


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O ccasionally, as you’re taking a leisurely drive, you’ll see a mother elephant strolling across the road in front of you, accompanied by her recent-ly-arrived tyke. Or might you look over as you’re enjoying your lunch out on the deck to see a wart-hog nosing its way

among the shrubs only 20 feet away. Or, you’re sipping a brew on the terrace watching hippos splash around. This isn’t the San Diego Safari Park we’re talking about – this is the real thing -- the Masai Mara Game Preserve locat-ed below the equator at the huge Great Rift Valley in Kenya.

We recently headed to Kenya on the Eastern side of Africa off of the Indian Ocean, for a journey organized by Gate 1 Tours called the Affordable (that descriptive adjective lured us in) Safari. After a long couple of flights on British Airways via London, we arrived at the capital city, Nairobi, where we took a quick flight for a week’s stay in Mombasa before we began our safari.

Heading to our hotel we soon were made aware that this was

a very different world from San Diego or Chicago. The road-way over to our hotel was hectic, with lots of shops off to the roadside, trucks galore, and intriguing styles of wardrobe and activities.

The resort hotel, Royal Reserve, was first-rate, located on the beach north of the main Mombasa community. As Kenya has some definite security is-sues, the hotel had a guarded front entrance gate, staffed with multiple se-curity guards, with guns. This was the same entry style at several other hotels and major structures, such as a mall.

Leaving the hotel on our own for a stroll down the street for a coffee, lunch or shopping was not permitted, so our explorations were done with a security driver and vehicle. When we

did engage in activities with locals, we found them to be uni-formly friendly, courteous, and conversational. (The Brits had Kenya as part of their empire. so many people spoke decent English.)

We took an overnight safari to the nearby Sarova Salt Lick

AMONG THE CRITTERS | STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM LEECH & LESLIE JOHNSON-LEECH |


Game Preserve. The ground floor of our hotel was about ten feet above the ground, above a large watering hole where we watched hundreds of water buffaloes, and monkeys drink and splash around.

After a short flight back to Nairo-bi (aboard Kenya Airways which impressed us with their hospita-ble style), we headed to our meet-ing place at the upscale Jacaranda Hotel. We were greeted by the Gate 1 host, Marcie, who took care of the check-in requirements. The next morning, she gathered our tour group of nine together to orient us about our upcoming days out in the bush, where those wild critters called home.

Waiting for us at the hotel entrance were our two hands-on tour drivers (ours was Daniel), ready to load us into their special vans. These were typical modern vans, with one dif-ference: the roofs rose when we were out on safari so we could stand up and shoot lots of pictures while protected from being gobbled up for a lion’s lunch.

So off we headed out through the Nairobi city world, onto a road as busy as we’ve ever seen, with multi-trucks parked in groups and rolling in both directions along the highway. We

were told the reason so many trucks were on the road is that the ancient railroad from Mombasa, and across Kenya, was among the slowest to be found. Hauling cargo across Kenya was much faster by trucks.

Finally, we got away from all that has-sle and onto the road heading out into the Great Rift Valley. Many modest villages were just off the roads, and lo-cals were hustling herds of goats and cows. Not a lot of big markets (Costcos or Starbucks) but people were making life work in their own manner. Finally we arrived at the Masai Mara. This is

the Kenya extension of the Serengeti and a game preserve of massive size as we realized when very soon we were driving past herds of gazelles, occasional giraffes, and frequent troops (true) of monkeys playing beside the road.

A half-hour into the preserve, we arrived at our abode, the Keekorok Lodge, for the next several nights. This was not ex-


actly a tent slung across some post, but a first-rate lodge with all the usual resort attributes. A large dining room and bar, individual air-conditioned guest rooms, and well-trimmed strolling grounds (though with strict rules about where and when you might stroll on your own) betrayed the movies’ roughing it in the bush style.

After a pleasant dinner, comfortable sleep and breakfast, it was time for our first safa-ri. We loaded into our vans, with cameras at the ready, and our driver Daniel headed us out to locate some wildlife for us to see, ad-mire, and photograph. We had been alerted to bring along cameras with high-telephoto lenses. My past experiences with 35 mm cameras was with long lenses, but today=s digital cameras can come with 18-20 times telephoto power at about the size of an IP-hone, at a cost of about $100. Very soon we saw the wildlife, most of which ignored us as they just went about their regular lives. They’re used to seeing a couple dozen tourist vans driving by and stopping to peruse them, so might as well just do what comes with outdoors living. And, yes, there was that pack of a dozen elephants lounging beside and crossing the road.

Click...click. Look at those ostriches trotting by right over there. Monkeys were ample, in groups or solo. It took awhile but yes that was a family of cheetahs with mama tending to

junior. Click...click.

Sometimes it took a bit of driving to spot a set (tower, pride, cackle) of animals, and the various drivers were in frequent radio communication alerting each other as to where a particular bunch was to be seen. Sometimes a dozen vans would be gathered in the vicinity of a couple of lions lounging twenty feet off the road, or a set of gazelles prancing in the field. Always cameras were busy. Over the next several days, these van trips headed out twice a day, early morn-ing and late afternoons when the wildlife would be more active.

By now we were learning a few useful Ken-yan Swahili phrases. Often spouted by us and locals was “Hakuna matata” meaning

“no problem.” We were greeted with “Karibu” (welcome), and we picked up that always-important phrase “Asante sama” or “thank you.” When we had seen enough and were ready to move on, we would say “Sawa sawa” to the driver. (These are phonetic spellings, and may not hold up in language class.)


We were often reminded about the need for care, not from banditos but from critters such as the occasional elephant or hippo checking out our hotel, maybe for goodies, such as human visitors. We were warned to keep our room doors locked to keep local monkeys from slip-ping inside our rooms (maybe to take a shower?).

One entertaining stroll was out on a boardwalk to the Hippo Bar. Now this was a major change from the typical resort remote bar. Here we could order up a cold brew or a glass of wine and watch about 30 hippos as they flopped, splashed and cavorted in a pond about 50 feet away.

One troubling aspect of our journey was the long drives, roughly five tedious hours, getting out to and back from the on-site safari lodges. Long sections of the drives were dusty and bouncy, plus we joined lots of traffic once back onto a highway. One option you might look into, for an added cost, would be to fly out to and from the safari lodges. An air-strip was only a few miles from our lodge, and we saw several small aircraft ferret-ing tourists in and out.

All in all, our Kenya safari was a memora-ble experience, a journey we recommend adding to your personal bucket lists.

Author bios. Tom Leech is author of sev-eral books, including On the Road in ‘68: a year of turmoil, a journey of friendship, and, with Jack Farnan, Outdoors San Diego: Hiking, Biking & Camping. Les-lie Johnson-Leech teaches fitness for seniors, Tai Chi and history of musical theater and film.




INCREDIBLE INDIAFOR THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME

GO BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATION

ICONI N D I A

I would totally recommend Sabu and his Icon India tour company. We had the experience of a lifetime. ~ Ron James, publisher WDT.

CONTACT: SABU RAMwww.iconindiatours.com+91 855 984 54 40www.iconindiatours.com

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Wine Dine & Travel Magazine Winter Spring 2015