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How to “Mind the Gap!” Our Hints for Getting Around London

By on August 6, 2011 in General, Slideshowable

 

How to “Mind the Gap”

For those of us from the “former colonies” getting around London can be a bit formidable.   With the Olympic Games just around the corner, we figured we could offer a few tips to help those first timers.  We are ashamed to say, our first visit to the “Island”, we were a little naive.  We though, we will just rent a car and drive around the city and see all the sites.  Everything will be fine.  Wrong!  We learned a few things that we want to pass along to you.

1)      Weather-Lets start with the basics.  London has crumby weather.  It rains a ton.  It is cold. It can be miserable.  Likewise, it can be beautiful.  The key is, the weather can be extremely unpredictable.  What does that have to do with getting around?  It is key.  Whatever mode of transport you chose, that you consider this variable.  Taking the double decker bus around to see the town?  Not ever bus top has a nice little heated shelter to wait in.  intervals between buses can be sporadic.  Be prepared.

2)      The Tube—The London Underground is quite extensive, and extremely easy to use.  Step one is getting a good map.  Good maps are available at the airports, and in most of the tube terminals as well.  Each line has its own color, each stop is clearly signed and marked.

Step 2 is buying an Oyster card.  London Oyster cards can be used on all buses, trams, Tube, and nearly all British National Rail services.   You can buy one in advance from the British Tourist office on the interwebs.

Oyster is an electronic smartcard ticket. Simply touch your card on the yellow reader to get through the Tube gates or board other London public transport services. It doesn’t even need to be removed from your purse or wallet to work.  Cool huh?

So why do they call them Oysters?  We were wondering that too.   According to Andrew McCrum, now of Appella brand name consultants, who was brought in to find a name by high priced consultant Saatchi and Saatchi Design, Oyster was selected because of the metaphorical implications of security and value. There is also the connection with the hard bivalve shell and the concealed pearl; the association of London and the River Thames with oysters and the well-known travel-related idiom “the world is your oyster”.  Now you know.  We hear the transit card in Hong Kong is called the Octopus card.  Not sure why.  Ok…moving right along.

Mind the Gap–  Yah…you really need to!  When boarding Tube trains, you should be aware that there is generally a step of up to 8 inches (20cm), either up or down, between the platform and the train.   Our advice?  Mind the Gap.

A word about safety.  Just like anywhere else in the world, exercise caution in using public transit.  Avoid pulling a wad of cash out and begin to count it in front of a car load of passengers.  After dark stick to well lighted areas and if possible stay in areas where there are other people. Common sense stuff huh?  Again, purchasing an Oyster card will prevent you from having to pull out your wallet or purse each time your buy a ticket.  A really good idea that Oyster thing.

Crowds—Be warnded.  During rush hours there are going to be loads of people on the trains.  As a prepared traveler, use these hours to visit museums and to eat.

 

3)      Taxi—The London Taxi Scheme is the very, very best in the world.  Cabs in London are all Black with a for hire light on top.  They are very professional, highly trained drivers.  There know exactly were everything is.  With this perfection comes a cost.  London Taxi’s are also some of the world’s most expensive.  Be smart about your taxi use.  If you are going to see one of the museums, take the underground.  If you are looking for a obscure restaurant in an unfamiliar part of town.  Always take a taxi.

A word about taxi prices.  Fares are metered with a minimum charge of  £2.  Fares to and from London’s airports also have a surcharge.  Most cabs take credit and debit cards, ask your driver before you to too far down the road if the plastic is going to work.  Most have a minimum charge for credit cards and/or a small surcharge of a pound or less.  Tips are not expected, but most folks round up to the nearest pound.  If the driver is helpful with your luggage, it is typicall to add a pound per bag.

Are the taxi drivers really that good?  Yes.  “Before a taxi driver gets his Hackney Cab License he or she must pass a test called ‘The Knowledge’. This is a difficult test and requires the cabbie to know the streets of central London like the palm of their hand.

Taxi drivers in London undergo a demanding and arduous testing of their knowledge of the city, its daily traffic patterns and the fastest routes between locations. Estimates suggest that gathering the basic understanding needed to acquire The Knowledge involves a full-time year of study, absorbing the information provided by street maps and travelling around the city itself.”  http://london-taxi.taxiblog.co.uk/

Have a great trip to London Town!  Have another other really good tips for getting around?  Please leave a comment below and let us know.

 

 

This Post was sponsored by our friends at www.londonnights.com.   London nights can help you find a London Hotels or even tickets for a west end play.  Looking for areas covered by LondonNights?  Give them a try.

 

Adventures in Chinatown

By on July 28, 2011 in General, Slideshowable

 

I love Chinatowns.  I really do.  I am an egg:  white on the outside and yellow on the inside. Some of the best places to discover in our major American cities are their Chinatowns.  Chinatowns offer an affordable visit to another culture and country.  Taking a stroll down the busy streets offers the sights, sounds, tastes and flavors of the orient.  It is not to be missed!

Some of our favorite Chinatowns: Washington DC, Seattle, Vancouver, BC, San Francisco, LA, and Lima, Peru?!

To really enjoy Chinatowns we put together a few helpful hints:

1) Learn some Lingo

2) Check out the Art & Music Scene

3) Bings! (Chinese Dessert)

4) Hang out with the old guys!

5) Gwa-lious! (Our secrets to navigate a Chinese Fruit market)

Learn some lingo:

How to say hello in Chinese
Hello!

Learn some Chinese!  I can’t tell you how many times, flashing a little of my mandarin skills has gotten me some great authentic grub.  At one establishment in DC, I engaged the waiter on the quality of koi fish in the tank at the entry in Mandarin.  After seating us in a preferred section of the establishments, I attempted to order a fish dish. My selection was promptly rejected. “Something better for you”. That little clue to what I was presented to eat was an understatement.  So good!  A little preparation can result in a huge surprise. After engaging waiters and owners of establishments, bills have discreetly disappeared.  It is a Chinese tradition.

Some key words to help:

Hello- Ni Hao

Goodbye–sye gian

Tastes very good- Hen Hao Chur

Thank you– xia,xia

Art and Music

One of the greatest attractions in Chinatown is the art and music scene.  The Asian genre of art is 1000s of years in the making.  Chinatown festivals include “double ten” day (Oct. 10th), Chinese New Year (early spring), and many, many other regional celebrations.  These are great chances to expose yourself to Chinese Music and Art.

Wall art

Chinese pastorals of falling water, green steeps, and animals are amazing:

Ever wonder what those little square red things are on Chinese paintings?  They are the artist signature, as well as his teachers, as well as his teacher’s-teacher.  You get the idea.  Paintings with many red marks is a really good sign.

Pottery

Don’t know who Ming was or how he was awarded a dynasty, but they apparently made some really amazing pottery.

Music

Chinese Music started at the dawn of Chinese civilization with documents and artifacts providing evidence of a well-developed musical culture as early as the Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC – 256 BC). Today, the music continues a rich traditional heritage in one aspect, while emerging into a more contemporary form at the same time.  (Wikipedia)

Take a quick listen to some of the most haunting Chinese Folk music:

Bings

Chinatown is a delight to all of the senses!  Not just sight and sounds, taste too!  We could delve into the many delicant dishs that you only find in  Chinatowns…but desserts are rare. With that said, there is one really good exception, “the bing.” Bings are pretty simple: shaved ice, condensed sweetened milk, and some fruit flavors syrups. In the more authentic dojos, you can get real fruit! A passion fruit bing on a hot day is nectar of the gods!

Have your ever tried one?

YUM!

 

Chinese Chat

I really love to talk to old people. I love to chat with stringy bearded, glassy eyed gentlemen. They typically hang out in parks, around a board game, or they surround a small table with an elaborate tea set. Some of most meaningful conversations I have had in my life have been with these wise stewards. Conversation topics have ranged from expected topics: Sino-American relations, contrasting the traditional Chinese method of education.  We also covered some remote topics including the healing power of green tea, the long term harm that comes from drink beverages with ice(?????) and a particularly long and involved discussions of the virtues of breast milk.  Travel slow. Take a hot afternoon to sit in the shade of a with one of these fellows and the world will be opened to you.

The fruit

Asian fruit is so good! Some of my faves: yellow watermelon, yu longs, mega grapefruits, passion fruit. Some of these are available at different parts of the world, but there is nothing like an Asian fruit market. While living in Southern Taiwan, every morning we headed to the fruit markets for breakfast. These farmers markets offer fleshy fruits that are difficult to describe. We must offer a warning…fruit markets are usually adjacent to meat markets. These stands are not intended for the faint in heart. If seeing various family pets, snakes, and rodents displayed for purchase in non-living status, this is not the place for you.

 

Chinatown on Twitter:

 @sfchinatown  (SFO)

@312Chinatown (Chicago)

@scidpda (Seattle)

@OurChinatown (New York)

@LondonChinatown (London)

What is your favorite Chinatown?  What makes it special to you?

Leave us a comment and let us know.

 

 

Why I Didn’t Want to Go to TBEX and Why I am Glad I Did.

By on June 17, 2011 in General, Slideshowable

Why I didn’t want to go to TBEX and why I am glad I did.

1000 fights, the female half has a confession; I didn’t want to go to TBEX. We had just gotten home from two week trip to Slovenia and Croatia, the house was a disaster, our children were complaining about being orphans, I was overloaded at work, and most importantly I was exhausted. Mike kept telling me how awesome it was going to be and I just rolled my eyes. I didn’t want to go. (Fight #1)

Why would I want to go to a giant conference of self important bloggers? I had a mental picture of debate tournaments from high school where nerds haul in their boxes of “evidence” just to show how smart they are but instead of evidence it was lexile numbers, tweets, twitter friends, and Facebook followers. Ick-it was going to be my worst nightmare. I pictured cocktail parties where people look past you to see who is better to talk too (like the ones I attend for my job). No thanks.

I just wanted to stay home, watch chick flicks, eat cookie dough, and complain about how I exercise and never lose weight. Mike wouldn’t have it. (Fight #2)

“You have to go,” Mike begged. “We are the fighters. I can’t fight by myself. Plus, you are the fun one.”
The fun one, eh. Okay, you got me. I’ll go. So after work on Friday, I caught a flight (Mike was on a different one of course) and caught up with Mike in Seattle.

On Saturday morning, we walked into the giant Vancouver Convention Center and I felt like the new kid at school. I didn’t know anyone. It was going to be a long weekend. And then I met Journeywoman. I’d followed Journeywoman and as a suffragette, I thought. She was literally the first person we met. She walked up to us and said, “Hi I’m Journeywoman.” Wow. Then she was the key note speaker. It set the tone for the conference. This wasn’t a competition. This was about finding your voice, your mandate, your passion and living it.

The weekend only got better. What I found was every conception I had was wrong. These bloggers were friendly, helpful, and most of all insightful! They introduced themselves, looked you in the eye when they spoke to you and didn’t look past you to find a better option. I had found my peeps. During the short weekend, Mike and I connected with people from all over the globe. I made new friends. I was inspired. I left Vancouver full of ideas, contacts and most of all purpose. I don’t think the cookie dough at home would have done the same thing.

Cant wait until next year!

7 Questions with The Cloud People

By on April 25, 2011 in General, Slideshowable

The Cloud People

Blog:  http://www.cloudpeopleadventures.com/

Twitter:  @thecloud_people

Ready to read a fun couple travel blog?  Search no further.  Jess and Jaime are wanderers that know how to travel!  The best part of their blog are their pics!  Check out their Mayan Ruin pics, they are spectacular!

To get to know these travelers a little better, Luci and I asked them a few questions:

1) How many counties have you been to between the both of you?

17

2) If you had to travel with someone else besides your travel partner, who would it be?  (this person can be living, historical or mythical?.)

He Said: Marty McFly from Back to the Future as long as I get a hover-board as well.

She Said: Anthony Bourdain, just as long as he promised not to slaughter any animals on our trip.

3)What has been your favorite destination in your wanderings?

He said: Apart from Antigua and Guatemala in general, I definitely have a soft spot for Honduras having lived there for a while. I hope it can see some more prosperous times in the not too distant future. The people sure deserve them!

She said: I love so many different places, all for different reasons. My favorite beaches are those of Tulum and the cenotes there are breathtaking.  I also love Antigua, Guatemala because that is where Jamie and I met and both lived. It’s nice to visit a place where you already have a ton of amazing friends.

4)  If you had to eat one last meal, what/ where would you eat?

He said: Mum’s lasagna is pretty off the chain. But I’d probably have to say some Tasmanian oysters, freshly shucked, on the top of a mountain over-looking the ocean in the midday sun with a six-pack on ice.

She said: If it was my very last meal I would have to eat some sort of seafood and go against my vegetarianism. In saying that, spicy Tapado and many, many cold beers.

5)How do you pick the places you visit?  Spontaneous vs. planned?

He said: We kind of pick an arrival city and a departure city and then fill in the gaps as we go, with only a very basic outline. We rely a lot on chatting to other travellers along the way, as well as getting some hot-tips from locals. We always like to throw in some volunteer work somewhere along the line and it is probably the most researched part of the trip. We want to make sure our efforts are going to the right causes.

She said: Of course we have to plan out the general location.  Although a lot of our eventual travel path is altered by what we hear along the road. Sometimes recommendations from fellow like-minded travelers are the best way to go.

6) If you could solve one problem in the world what would it be?

He said: I agree with Jess on this one and would say education, and apply it not necessarily just to those living under poverty conditions but people all over the world. So many people in first-world countries have no idea about the conditions faced. Kids working in rubbish dumps, slave labour, etc. If people knew about things like this, they might be more inclined to take action, or even just more receptive and respectful of different cultures in their own homelands. I think its our job as travellers to try and educate people back home who choose not to travel.

She said: That’s a tough question. Unfortunately, humankind has so many problems that need to be resolved. A lack of quality education worldwide is something that desperately needs to be addressed. Education is the key to resolving many of our issues.   Violence, hunger, poverty, hate and destruction are often rooted in ignorance and inaccurate knowledge.

7)You knew it was coming….What has been your greatest travel fight/disagreement?

She said: We never have really serious fights.  I think every fight we’ve ever had has been over food.  There was the great “Sushi Fiasco” in Argentina 2009.  My side of the story: I had basically felt like shit ever since we had gotten into Argentina because while Jamie stuffed himself on everything steak related, I ate pizza or pasta.  Basically a diet of cheese and bread.  While said diet was delicious, it did nothing for me nutritiously and my breaking point was in Mendoza over eating carbs for the millionth time or switching it up for a nice Japanese treat.  Jamie was adamantly against eating Japanese food because they had white table cloths and instead of voicing his opinion he grumbled and stormed off like a large Baby-Man.  I blame my carb filled body for not dealing with the situation well and I’m still not sure what his excuse was :)

Ironically, we found an amazing veggie buffet in town the next day and had a romantic picnic at nearby park. Our lives really do revolve around food. Thank god we agree on where and what to eat 99.9% of the time.

He said: I agree it was definitely over the sushi. Other than that, I’m going to refuse comment after reading what Jess just wrote.

Thanks again to Jess and Jaime.  Check out  http://www.cloudpeopleadventures.com

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Fighting the urge to Fight

By on April 12, 2011 in General, Slideshowable

A timely and insightful guest post from our friend Scott:

How to Avoid Fighting Abroad

It sounds funny, doesn’t it? A website dedicated to fighting with your spouse on holiday, and we go and commission a blog that’s all about trying to keep the peace between each other abroad. While going on holiday with your partner can be great fun, but it can also be very stressful, especially if things don’t go exactly according to plan, but there are ways that you can stay on good terms with each other whilst you’re on holiday.

Talk

“But we talk to each other all the time!” We hear you cry. Well, tough, you’re just going to have to talk some more to each other, and this doesn’t have to a chore, it can be surprisingly difficult to tell the person you love how you really feel, but it can also be very easy to spill your guts out to one another and tell them everything, but please, we all need everything in moderation; so quite simply, if you encounter a problem on holiday, such as losing belongings, talk or scream it out then and there.

Listen

Talking is half the battle, and we all know that if you’re talking but not being listened to, then you can feel like you’re speaking to a brick wall. Talking is no good if your significant other isn’t paying attention, so you’ll need to find a way to make them listen, the method is of course, up to you, but if you find a method that works for the pair of you, then use it, as long as neither of you have resorted to violence.

Have Fun

Travelling isn’t a right, it’s a privilege and no matter where you go, what you do or how long you’re going to be there for, it’s vital that you have some fun whilst you’re there. Look at what you both want to do and see if it’s possible to incorporate both your ideas into it, that’s right, it’s time to compromise. It’s also good to spend some time apart, so whether you’re on your dream Spain Holiday then do what you want to do for a few hours one day – you’ll be amazed at how much this works.

1000fights:  great ideas Scott!  You are so right, the key is communication.  So many misunderstanding come from couples not communicating effectively.  Cheers!

How to Become a Gelato Snob

By on March 10, 2011 in General

One thing that Luci and I never fight over is our love of really good Gelato.  I always feel a little unprepared when I we visit the upscale gelato establishments…so we have done some research on the finer points of the decadent nector!  Thanks in advance to our friends at Why Go Italy for the help.

 

First question:  What is gelato?  And How is it different than Ice cream?  Find out here (World of Ice Cream)

Chocolates

“Cioccolato” (chok-oh-LAH-toh) is basic chocolate, but the variations on this theme are nearly infinite. It’s all the rage to pair chocolate with other complimentary flavors, like hot pepper or orange, and there are also different kinds of chocolate even when it’s all by itself. Here are a few to look for:

  • cioccolato fondente (cho-koh-LAH-toh fawn-DEN-teh) – Dark chocolate lovers, this is the label to look for. And if you see cioccolato fondente extra noir, I think you’ll understand that we’re talking about the darkest of the dark chocolates here. Dark chocolate haters (what’s wrong with you?!?), look for cioccolato al latte (cho-koh-LAH-toh ahl LAH-tay), or milk chocolate.
  • bacio (BAH-cho) – Named for the famous chocolate candies that come from Perugia, this is a chocolate hazelnut combination not unlike Nutella (which is another common gelato flavor), often with bits of hazelnuts in the mix.
  • gianduja or gianduia (jahn-DOO-yah) – Either way it’s spelled, it means the same thing – a creamy combination of milk chocolate and hazelnut. This flavor comes primarily from the Piedmont region, but it can be found throughout Italy.
  • cioccolato all’arancia (cho-koh-LAH-toh ahl-ah-RAHN-cha) – This is chocolate orange. It’s most often a dark chocolate, not a milk chocolate, and may have either just an orange flavor or may also include candied bits of orange peel.
  • cioccolato con peperoncini (cho-koh-LAH-toh kohn pep-pehr-ohn-CHEE-nee) – Another trendy chocolate addition, besides orange, is pepper – and this is often how you’ll see it on the flavor placards. It’s basically a hot pepper infused chocolate (usually dark chocolate), and can vary in terms of heat.

The Nuts

Nuts are a popular ingredient in many of the chocolate and cream flavors, but they’re also stand-alone flavors as well.

  • pistacchio (pee-STAHK-yoh) – A classic flavor!
  • mandorla (mahn-DOOR-lah) – Almond
  • nocciola (noh-CHO-lah) – This is hazelnut all by itself (not combined with chocolate, as listed above).
  • castagna (kahs-TAHN-yah) – This is chestnut, and isn’t nearly as common as some of the other nut flavors.

The Creams

  • fior di latte (FYOR dee LAH-tay) – Perhaps the base flavor for all cream (or even chocolate) flavors, this is literally “flower of milk” and it’s a wonderfully subtle sweet cream flavor.
  • crema (KREH-mah) – This is a kind of egg custard flavor, and shouldn’t be confused with vanilla.
  • zabaione (zah-bah-YOH-nay) – This is based on a dessert of the same name, made from (among other things) egg yolks and sweet Marsala wine. So it’s an eggy and custardy flavor, with an overtone of Marsala.
  • cocco (KOH-koh) – Coconut
  • caffè (kah-FAY) – Just in case you aren’t getting enough coffee flavor in your daily morning espresso, here’s the gelato version.

The Fruits

Technically, these aren’t really considered gelati – instead, they’re sorbetti (sorbetto in the singular) because they’re made without milk. The fruit flavors are some of my favorites – they’re so intense, you’ll be amazed at how like the real thing they taste.

  • fragola (FRAH-go-lah) – Strawberry (and here’s the easiest strawberry gelato recipe ever!)
  • lampone (lahm-POH-nay) – Raspberry (oh-so good with a dark chocolate flavor)
  • limone (lee-MOH-nay) – Lemon (lime is really rare, but it’s lime, or LEE-may)
  • mandarino (mahn-dah-REE-noh) – Mandarin orange
  • melone (meh-LOH-nay) – Melon (usually cantaloupe)
  • albicocca (al-bee-KOH-kah) – Apricot (sounds yucky…anyone tried it??)
  • fico (FEE-koh) – Fig
  • frutti di bosco (FROO-tee dee BOHS-koh) – These aren’t fruits belonging to some guy named Bosco, this means “fruits of the forest,” generally things like blueberries and blackberries.
  • mela (MEH-lah) – Apple (also look for mela verde (MEH-lah VEHR-day), or green apple)
  • pera (PEH-rah) – This is pear, and one of my favorite fruit flavors. It’s a really subtle flavor, but one of the best features of well-made pear gelato is the texture. You really feel like you’re eating a pear.
  • pesca (PEHS-kah) – Peach

The Wildcards

You’ll find regional and seasonal gelato specialties wherever you go, and some that are based on popular Italian candy bars or other desserts. There are so many to odd creations and tastes…here are a few interesting ones:

  • zuppa inglese (TSOO-pah een-GLAY-zay) – Literally this is “English soup,” but it’s referring to that popular English dessert called “trifle.” It’s a custardy flavored base with bits of cookies (instead of sponge cake) and often a sweet wine like madeira or sherry.
  • riso (REE-zoh) – This is literally rice, but is more akin to the gelato version of rice pudding. And yes, there are bits of rice in it.
  • malaga (mah-LAH-gah) – Rum raisin
  • stracciatella (strah-cha-TEL-lah) – If you think of this kind of like the Italian gelato equivalent of chocolate chip ice cream, you’re in the ballpark. It’s a fior di latte base with chocolate bits in it. The chocolate has usually been drizzled over the top of the just-made gelato and then mixed in after it’s hardened.  This is a very common flavor.
  • liquirizia (lee-kwee-REE-tzee-ah) – You may have been able to guess this one (it’s licorice), but the pronunciation can be a bit tricky if you’re caught unawares. .
  • cannella (kah-NEL-lah) – This is cinnamon, and although it’s not that common it’s really a delight. It’s not like a super-hot cinnamon, but just a nice representation of the spice. Consider pairing this with fruit flavors like pear or apple, or with chocolate.

Ok…did we miss any?  What is your fav?  Just leave a comment below.

So how do your order Gelato?  Here is a great how to video:



7 Questions with Kali & Christy of Technosyncratic

By on February 11, 2011 in General

 

We are continuing our series of 7 questions with some of the coolest couples out there traveling.  This installment we highlight Christy and Kali of Technosycratic.com.  They are currently driving around the us in an RV!  We will look for some more great fights from them!
Blog:  Technosycratic.com
Twitter:  @Technosyncratic
Follow’em!
1) How many countries visited between the two of you?

Only six countries thus far (Mexico, Spain, Italy, France, Canada, India), because most of our traveling has been around the United States in our motorhome.  There are just so many cool places to explore in our home country!  In another six months we’ll be moving abroad and traveling more extensively through other countries, though, so I imagine our number will increase quite a bit over the next two years.
2) If you had to travel with someone else besides your travel partner, who would it be?

Kali:  Any reasonably non-annoying person with an English and/or Australian accent.  I love accents, so listening to someone whine like a Brit would probably make whatever they were whining about infinitely easier to tolerate.

Christy:  I would totally travel with Wes from Johnny Vagabond for a bit; he’s hysterical and always manages to get himself into the most random situations.  I’ve never met him, though, so he’d probably be like “who the heck is this random person following me around?”

3) What has been your favorite destination in your wanderings?

Kali:  India.  That’s a large “destination”, but we find the whole country captivating.  We visited Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra on an academic trip, and it was fascinating to meet with community leaders and develop a deeper understanding of the societal conditions we would have otherwise just seen in passing.

Christy:  I really loved Cinque Terre in Italy.  We visited with a friend of ours and the three of us hiked the entire way between the five villages.  I have never seen so many stairs in my life; for weeks after that I would have a panic attack whenever we came to stairs!  But aside from that little downside the area was beautiful and the gelato was abundant.

4) If you had to eat one last meal, what/ where would you eat?

Christy:  While wandering around the super sketchy part of Naples on our first backpacking expedition, we stumbled on a tiny little pizzeria where we had our first Italian margherita pizza and limoncello.  I thought the limoncello was lemonade, silly me, so I gulped it down and almost died.  But eating that pizza was like tasting the divine!  We vowed to return, but didn’t write down the name and then got lost on our way home.  For days afterwards we for searched and searched for that little Napolian pizzeria, to no avail.  I refuse to die before I’ve tasted that pizza again, so I’ll find it eventually.

Kali:  On that same backpacking trip we also went to Marseille, where we found this little Tunisian restaurant that had phenomenal mediterannean stew and couscous.  We couldn’t finish it all, so we combined the couscous and stew and asked if they had a container for us to bring it home…. and they yelled at us!  We don’t speak any French so we couldn’t figure out why he was so angry… maybe because we mixed the dishes? He thought we hated it?  I don’t know, but he was really, really upset and he wouldn’t let us take our leftovers.  We left the restaurant empty-handed and traumatized, but (while it lasted) the food was spectacular!

We love cheap, hole-in-the-walls with authentic ethnic food, and hunting down the best local joints is an important part of our travel routine.  Other favorites include Il Vegeteranio in Florence, Dottie’s in San Francisco, and a little Ethiopian joint we never caught the name of near the train station in Rome.

5) How do you pick the places you visit?  Spontaneous vs. planned?

Kali:  Spontaneous

Christy:  Planned.  Wait a minute….

6) If you could solve one problem in the world what would it be?

Kali:  People need to queue the eff up!  Seriously, people, lines are a brilliant invention, and they make everything go smoother (I’m looking particularly at you, over-the-hill French matriarchs who look down your noses at young backpackers’ naive attempts to form an orderly line when you waltz into train stations at the last minute and push your way aboard before those of us who’ve been waiting for hours, but who don’t speak enough French to dare question the goings-on around us, realize what’s happening!).  Ahem.  And world peace, of course.

Christy:  On a serious note, one of the most horrific things happening in the world right now is the ongoing trend violent gang rapes in the Congo.  The extent to which sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war is devastating, so I would use my theoretical powers to address this issue (and its underlying systemic roots).  But until that happens, you can make a difference now by donating to Doctors Without Borders, a great organization offering medical assistance and support to the women being affected.

7) You knew it was coming… what has been your greatest travel fight?

Kali:  It has to be our infamous brawl in the Paris subway.  We’re usually pretty tame when we argue, but this fight was fueled by exhaustion and frustration and mean Parisians who kept giving us the wrong directions while we lugged our heavy backpacks all over the city on our first day in Europe (combined with growing terror as time wore on and we realized there was NOWHERE to spend the night for under 300 euros).  We took all that out on each other in the subway while trying to figure out which line to take.  There was much screaming involved on our parts, and much disgusted eye-rolling involved by the people walking past us.

Christy:  It certainly wasn’t our finest moment!  We try to be nice to each other even when we’re fighting, but every civilized thing we’ve ever been taught just flew out the window.  At one point we were so angry we just sputtered and glared.  We find it quite entertaining to think about now, but at the time it was a hot mess.  We were pretty ridiculous.

7 Questions with Vagabond Quest

By on January 15, 2011 in General

Vagabond Quest

http://www.vagabondquest.com/

Twitter:  @VagabondQuest

Facebook:  VagabondQuest

Ready to read a really great travel adventure and love story?  Welcome to Vagabond Quest!  Dina and Ryan have been traveling around the world since April 2009 and are still going. They’ve hit 29 countries together. It’s their dream to be permanent travelers.  Their well put together travel blog is simply one of the very best.  One of the many fun features on thier site is the “Top Things” section.  They welcomed reviews from fellow adventurers on everything from fav travel gear to the best exotic food.    We posed our 7 Questions to Dina and Ryan.  Visit their Site!

1) How many countries visited between the two of you?

Together, we’ve been in 29 countries. Separately, we’ve each only got one country that we didn’t visit together.

2) If you had to travel with someone else besides your travel partner, who would

it be? (this person can be living, historical or mythical?.)

He Said: Marco Polo

She Said: Can it be a wallaby?

3)What has been your favorite destination in your wanderings?

He said: Milford Sound, New Zealand

She said: New Zealand, the beauty of nature there is magical. The Milford Sound in the South Island of New Zealand brought me to tears.

4) If you had to eat one last meal, what/ where would you eat?

He said: Dina’s Indonesian fried fish, wherever we happened to be.

She said: Difficult to pick, but I think it will be “nasi timbel” from Indonesia. It has delicious fried beef that had been marinated in deliciousness, served with  aromatic rice, a traditional kind of chili sauce, Indonesian sweet and sour soup, and bunch of other little stuff.  Very difficult to describe, but since I moved out from Indonesia 8 years ago, this is my biggest craving. Ryan even likes to mention “nasi timbel” just to tease me – he knows it drives me nuts to be reminded of it since I miss it so much.

(Dina is touched by Ryan’s response.)

5)How do you pick the places you visit? Spontaneous vs. planned?

He said: We wait for opportunities and take them, usually meaning we grab last-minute deals. Very little advance planning.

She said: Spontaneous more often, because of the last minute deals Ryan mentioned above. But once we pin point to a particular location, I like to read up about the highlights of the location, which we follow really loosely. We like to ramble and explore what we happen to find along the way.

6) If you could solve one problem in the world what would it be?

He said: Scarcity

She said:  For everybody to have a fair chance to live comfortably, at least in the beginning of their life.  It’s sad to think that many people just by chance were born in places that way under the poverty line or places that are very dangerous to live in. It could have been me. But if then in the future they mess it up themselves, it’s their own fault.

7)You knew it was coming….What has been your greatest travel fight/disagreement?

She said: To eat or not to eat! Ryan could eat only once a day or even less, no kidding. At one point of his life, he got all his nutrition from Coca Cola! For me, food is one of the main sources of enjoyment in my life. I’m so attached to deliciousness, and I can’t think clearly when I’m hungry. It angers me when Ryan decides that it will be a no-meal day.

Ryan replies: I sort of suspect she’s trying to fatten me up for some nefarious purpose. Seriously, though, I just don’t need to eat that often.

He said: Laundry. When/how to do it, how to dry the clothes, whether things are sufficiently clean, etc etc. I don’t have a lot of  enthusiasm for the topic and it drives Dina crazy that I don’t care. It’s an ongoing bone of contention.

Dina replies: Hey, I do all the laundry, hand-washed in the sinks! You don’t even have to do anything, and there’s nothing wrong  with inviting you to sniff at the clothes to ensure they smell fresh!

1000fights: Now that’s a fight!!!!   Well done you two!  You make us so proud!  Happy Travels.

The Wolf House-A gem in the heart of wine country

By on January 14, 2011 in General

“The grapes on a score of rolling hills are red with autumn flame. Across Sonoma Mountain wisps of sea fog are stealing. The afternoon sun smoulders in the drowsy sky. I have everything to make me glad I am alive. I am filled with dreams and mysteries. I am all sun and air and sparkle. I am vitalized, organic.”

– Jack London


The Call of the Wild

One of the hidden gems of the Napa/Sonoma wine county in Northern California is the Wolf House.  Surrounded by walnut and Eucalyptus groves, is one of the most remarkable modern ruins, that of Jack London’s home.  Visiting the home is a great side trip from visiting the wineries of the Napa valley.   I grew up in Northern California.  Visiting the Wolf House was kind of an annual pilgrimage for me.

Jack London was one of the great American authors, his work includes: Call of the Wild, White Fang, as well as the short stories “To Build a Fire“, “An Odyssey of the North”, and “Love of Life”.  He told of the rugged individual against the impossible.   One of my favorite of his works is the little known “The People of the Abyss” (1903) which highlights the deplorable working conditions of turn of the century London.

The Wolf House

“Jack and his second wife Charmian’s dream home was planned even before their marriage. Actual work on it began April 1911. Albert Farr of San Francisco was the architect who transferred Jack’s ideas into blueprints. For earthquake protection, the building was put on a huge floating slab large enough to support a forty-story building. Redwood trees, fully clothed in their own bark, deep chocolate-maroon volcanic rocks, blue slate, boulders and cement were chosen for primary building materials. The roof was of Spanish tile and came from the N. Clark and Sons Pottery, built on the old Davenport place in Alameda. Large redwood trees, with the bark still intact, formed the carriage entrance, the pergolas, and porches. The rafters were of rough-hewn, natural logs. Tree trunks in the gables and balconies were interlaced with fruit twigs for a beautiful effect.”

“Wolf House was not a castle in any sense of the term, though Jack and others referred to it as that. It was big, unpretentious, open, natural, and inviting, just like its builder. It was designed as a busy author’s workshop, and as a home big enough for the many needs of the Londons, and for the entertainment of their friends.

Jack’s workshop was to be 19 by 40 feet with a library of the same size directly under it on the second floor, connected by a spiral staircase. Here he would have room to work and house his huge library. At the time his books were stored inaccessibly in every building on the ranch. The work area was completely secluded from the rest of the house. High on the fourth floor and directly above Charmian’s apartment Jack’s sleeping quarters perched like an eagle’s nest.

The 18 by 58 foot living room was two stories high with rough redwood balconies extending three-fourths of the way around. A huge stone fireplace and open ceiling rafters made a cozy nook of the huge room. One large alcove in the room was designed for Charmian’s beautiful Steinway grand.

Wolf House had its own hot water, laundry, heating, electric lighting, vacuum and refrigerating plants, a milk room, storeroom, root cellar, and wine cellar.”   http://www.jacklondons.net/house.html

In the Area

Once you finish exploring the ruins and the visitor center, take a short hike…roughly a half a mile on the Wolf House Trail leading from the parking lot.  Along the trail is a tall pine tree enclosed by a picket fence.  It is here you will find two wood hewn markers-marking two pioneer children’s graves:  “little Lilly and Little David”.  London’s ashes were spread over the small knoll in the distance.

“It should be thought of, that house, in relation to Jack, not a mansion, but a big cabin, a lofty lodge, a hospitable teepee, where he…could stretch and beam upon you and me and all the world that gathered by his log fires.”

– Charmian Kittredge London

Getting There:

From the south, take Highway 101 or Interstate 80 to Highway 37, toward Sonoma; go north on Highway 12/121 to Sonoma. From there, take Highway 12 north eight miles to Madrone Road; turn left. After a mile, turn right on Arnold Drive; after two miles, turn left on London Ranch Road, which ends at the park. From the north, from Highway 101 in Santa Rosa, go east 15 miles on Highway 12 to the Glen Ellen turnoff onto Arnold Drive. After one mile on Arnold Drive turn right onto London Ranch Road.

The Traveling Diva of 2010!

By on January 5, 2011 in General

Congrats to Lillie our 2010 Traveling Diva!

http://www.aroundtheworldl.com/

Twitter: @WorldLillie

Have you ever met one of those people that have done more in just a few years than some folks do in a lifetime?  Meet Lillie.  A teacher by trade and a world traveler too.  Besides Lillie’s travel blog, she also finds time to encourage other teachers to travel with her “other” blog:  www.TeachingTraveling.com . She also coordinates the Boston chapter of Meet, Plan, Go.

Surfing around Lillie’s website, you are going to see tons of pics of smiling kids from all around the globe posing next to a tall (6 foot!) American.  You really get the impression that everywhere that Lillie goes, she leaves a wake of smiles.  No doubt that Lillie is a great choice for our Traveling Diva of 2010.

Lillie’s Blog is well put together with helpful travel hints and ideas.  One of the best sections is the Women and Travel section.  She profiles some courageous and creative women from all across the globe.  Check it out!

Congrats Lillie!