We spent a week in Central Oregon last month with my husband’s family, enjoying the beautiful city of Bend and the resort of Sunriver. It was our first time in Sunriver, but we had visited Bend several times. Bend and Sunriver are about 20 miles apart. The high desert area of Central Oregon is one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest. I wish we had more time, but here are some of the things we recommend on a visit to Bend and Sunriver Oregon.
Where are Bend and Sunriver
Located about three hours from Portland Oregon and six hours from my summer home in Port Orchard Washington, Bend and Sunriver are in the high desert of Central Oregon, offering a lovely dry climate with warm days and cool nights in the summer. Winter brings snow and cold but still dry compared to the area we live near Seattle. Bend and Sunriver are year-round playgrounds for hiking, cycling, water sports, downhill skiing, cross country skiing and snowshoeing as well as many other activities.
Bend Oregon
The Deschutes River runs through Bend
Incorporated in 1905 Bend historically was a quiet logging town on the Deschutes River. Today however, Bend’s population has grown to just under 100,000 with many newer residents moving to the region for its outdoor recreation and beauty amongst the ponderosa pines. The city has a historic downtown, with shops and restaurants, many parks and is known for its many microbrewery options.
Golf in Bend
Rivers Edge Golf in Bend
Bend has many golf courses, but we only have visited a few with our favorite being the Rivers Edge Course right near town.
Restaurants in Bend
A huge variety of restaurants are available in historic downtown Bend as well in the surrounding area. We have not been to as many as we would like, but our favorites currently are Wild Rose for its amazing northern Thai Cuisine, Longboard Louies for a quick Mexican lunch, McMenamins for burgers and beer, El Sancho Taco for the best Mexican in Oregon, Sintra for breakfast and Pine Tree Tavern for the history.
Wild Rose
Longboard Louies
Beer in Bend
Because we love beer, we always make an effort to try some different breweries when in Bend, as we work our way through the more than 25 breweries in the greater Bend area. During this visit we enjoyed checking out Good Life with its great outdoor beer garden, Sunriver Brewing with some delicious looking food although we didn’t eat there, and The Yard located in the courtyard of the Bunk and Brew Hostel.
Good Life Brewing
Sunriver Oregon
Swans on the pond, Sunriver
The first explorers filtered through the area in the early 19th Century and homesteaders started farming the region in the late 1800s. Sunriver is located on the grounds of the former Camp Abbot, a World War II training facility. The U.S. Army camp opened in 1942, but by June 1944 the camp was abandoned and most of the settlement was razed.
In 1954, state highway 97 was completed in its current location and four years later, the Mt. Bachelor ski area opened. Both served to make Central Oregon a prime vacation and recreation area. Portland land developer John Gray acquired what would become Sunriver in 1965 and transformed the landscape into a residential and resort community.
Today about 1700 people are full-time residents of Sunriver, but the population expands on weekends, holidays and in the summer.
Family dinner on the deck
Raft the Deschutes
Since we were on a family vacation with a total of seven people, renting a raft at the Sunriver Marina seemed like a perfect activity for the family. Our raft for seven was meant for as many as ten, but I think ten people would have been uncomfortably crowded. We enjoyed the leisurely drift down the Deschutes on a beautiful day. Ten person raft was $330 (about three hours and includes transportation back to the Marina) but many options are available including kayaks and tubes.
Family goes rafting
Old guys pretending to be teenagers
Cycle and Run or Walk the Paths
Our giant Airbnb (five bedrooms and six bathrooms) was located right on one of the main paths that meander through the Sunriver resort. So every morning at sunrise I was the first one up and after the obligatory coffee, I was out onto the path for a run. Flat, paved and absolutely beautiful, I loved having that available. The rest of the family enjoyed it for running and long walks as well.
Several of us brought our bikes and a few rented bikes, and we enjoyed a couple leisurely rides through the forest and along the river on the safe and well maintained trails.
Family goes cycling
My morning run
Golf and Activities in Sunriver
We did not golf while in Sunriver but there are four courses available as well as several swimming pools, a Nature Center and Observatory, horse stables and a shopping and restaurant center with events, concerts, markets and art fairs.
About seven miles away back towards Bend on Hwy 97 you’ll find the High Desert Museum. Fun and interesting especially for families.
High Desert Museum
MIL with horse art
Nearby Hiking
On our final day we did two easy hikes that were perfect even for my 88 year old mother-in-law. Both these hikes would be good for kids and families too. I recommend the Benham Falls hike and the Lava Lands State area hike.
If you are interested in more strenuous hiking there are many options near Mount Bachelor.
Benham Falls
Lava Lands
A Visit to Bend and Sunriver Oregon
We had such an enjoyable time in both Bend and Sunriver – a perfect place for a family vacation. I certainly would love to go again. You should consider a visit to Bend and Sunriver Oregon for your family or for couples too. There is so much to do.
On the river
With the hubs
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In case you are new to this blog, or in a Covid fog, let me tell you our story about Israel. March 2020 we had a 17 day itinerary to explore a bucket list country for me – Israel. Our itinerary had us seeing north, south, east and west and taking our time to enjoy. But, of course March 2020 turned the entire world upside down and after only four days in Israel we had to skedaddle or go into lockdown. So we abandoned our itinerary and flew to Cyprus. It took 26 months but here we are – visiting Israel – We Finally Made it Back.
Jerusalem Old Town
Visiting Israel – We Finally Made it Back
Unfortunately our return trip to Israel in June 2022 was significantly shorter than our originally planned itinerary. Before we left Israel so hurriedly in 2020, we had spent two days in Tel Aviv, one day seeing the sights on a leisurely drive to Haifa and another day seeing ancient ruins on our way to Nazareth. But we didn’t see Nazareth or any of the rest of our itinerary. We packed up and got out with only a couple hours notice.
For the purposes of this blog post, I am only going to talk about what we did on this recent visit in June 2022. Even though we only had one week, we made the most of it and had an amazing visit.
Jerusalem
Not making it to Jerusalem on our first visit was devastating to me. I cried on the way to the airport the day we realized we had to get out. Jerusalem….how could I come to Israel and NOT see Jerusalem? It was heartbreaking. So planning for visiting Israel we knew we had to base ourselves this time in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is this remarkable, fragile, diverse, ancient, disputed, beautiful city. It also is controversial and home to Muslims, Christians and Jews. But more than anything, it is fascinating. Sometimes violent but we saw only peace. And it is very expensive. You’ll find a place where families and friends stroll outdoors in the evenings. Musicians play and people seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s company and their beautiful city.
Israel
Day One Arrival and Old Town
Our flight landed at the ridiculous hour of 3:30am in Tel Aviv. We took a Gett cab (like Uber) to Jerusalem and the 45 minute drive cost $140. Get ready because this country is expensive.
Because of our early arrival we had rented our Airbnb for the night before, to be able to check in on our arrival. We self checked in by 5:15 am and after a very long red-eye we needed some shut eye, so went straight to bed.
Around 10am we stumbled for the coffee pot, a shower and then went right across the street to one of the highest rated bagel shops in all of Jerusalem. So convenient. It was great and I recommend a visit to Sam’s Bagels on Ben Yehuda Street. I should mention, it was also my husband’s birthday so a little bagel birthday breakfast was a special treat.
Sam’s Bagels
Next we made the 12 minute walk to the Old City. We entered through the beautiful Jaffa Gate and here we were. Visiting Jerusalem – visiting Israel – we finally made it back. Over the next several hours we explored the old city on our own, using the GPS My City App. Although we got lost a few times, it was helpful to get our bearings. We saw the Wailing Wall and part of the Temple Mount, although we couldn’t figure out how to get up to the Dome of the Rock (more later). Along the way we found the Via Dolorosa and just enjoyed people watching and taking it all in.
Jaffa Gate
Still feeling pretty jet lagged we wandered back out of the old city to a hummus restaurant I had read about for a simple birthday dinner for the hubs. Hummus Ben-Sira is highly rated for its hummus and it was fantastic and not too expensive. I loved the falafel too! Afterwards we dashed into a tiny market to pick up a few items for breakfast and then back to our Airbnb and crashed.
Falafal
Day Two Such an Amazing Day
We woke early to walk two blocks to a pick up location for a half day group tour we had signed up to do of the Old Town. It was a surprisingly large group and I was a little worried it would be difficult with such a big group (about 40) but it worked out well and our guide was great. The tour began at Mount of Olives to have a spectacular view back looking at Jerusalem old and new.
Mount of Olives looking back to all of Jerusalem Old and New
We proceeded back to the Old Town where we left the bus and continued on foot. This time entering through the Dung Gate and went directly to the Wailing Wall. It was helpful to have some interpretation from the guide about the rituals we were watching and also to get a better understanding of the Temple Mount. Jews use the western wall for prayers because it is the closest they can get to the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount is where the Jewish Temple used to stand but today is home to the Dome of the Rock Mosque. It is not open to non-Muslims. This iconic gold domed Mosque is built over the “Foundation Stone”, one of the most sacred places in the world to both Jews and Muslims, revered as the place where the earth began. We did not visit the Dome of the Rock on this day but would later.
Western Wall (Wailing Wall)
Our tour continued through the maze of streets of the old town with some stops to taste treats and also discuss the Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus took carrying the cross. Each station of the cross is marked along the route which runs through old Jerusalem.
Via Dolorosa
Finally we ended at the remarkable Church of the Holy Sepulcher, for Christians the most sacred place in the world. It is said this is where the crucifixion took place, on a hill before the church was here. This is also the place where the body of Jesus was lain on a stone. Today the stone remains and Christians pray at the stone. And finally and most importantly, it is the place where according to the Christian faith, Jesus’ body is laid in a tomb. The tomb of Jesus, though fairly ornate on the exterior was rather small and simple on the inside.
Site of the Crucifixion
The tomb of Jesus
It had been a great tour and I am glad we did it, learning a lot. We headed back to the Airbnb for a rest because the day had more in store.
Shabat
It’s Friday night in Jerusalem and the streets are quiet. The sun is down and Shabat has begun. All will be quiet through out the city until sun down on Saturday. We were intrigued to learn more about Shabat so we signed up through Eat With to share a spirtual Shabat dinner with a local Jewish family, Osnat and Shaul, in their home. What a great decision that was.
Shabat meal (Canva)
I don’t have any photos from our Shabat dinner, because by Jewish law there is no modern conveniences during Shabat…including cameras and cell phones. No cooking or working. From sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. So all the food that was served to us and the other guests had been prepared prior to sundown. Technically you can’t even turn on a light switch…but they have ways around some of these things by putting things on timers. The dinner included our host family of seven, us and five more tourists and 15 young men from the Hebrew University. We shared in their prayers, their songs, their traditions and their foods. It was one of the most remarkable things I have ever done. I recommend it highly.
It was nearly 1:00am before we hit the pillow that night.
Day Three Shabat Silence
Saturday we wake up to an eerily quiet city. This bustling metropolis has become essentially a ghost town. Shops closed. Restaurants closed. Transit not running. You can literally walk down the middle of the street for lack of cars. Shabat is the Jewish weekly day of worship and thanks when families gather together at home and nowhere is it so faithfully observed as in Jerusalem.
Running in the park and we were all alone
We took advantage and did a long walk/run in a quiet and deserted (and beautiful) park near our apartment, enjoyed a room picnic in our apartment, did laundry and worked on the laptop. As the sun set the city slowly came back to life with shops and restaurants opening around 9pm and people returning to the streets.
Day Four Crossing the Border to the West Bank (Palestine)
I did a lot of research on making the border crossing between Jerusalem and Bethlehem that marks the disputed border of the West Bank (Palestine). I did not want to do this tour with a large group, and so instead we decided to spend a little more money and hire a private guide. I am so glad we did. Michael Tours was who we chose.
Border
The border that separates Jerusalem and Bethlehem is an unsightly 18 meter high concrete monstrosity guarded by Israeli military. We took a city bus direct to the border. The bus leaves every fifteen minutes and costs about two dollars. Many people cross the border back and forth to work but a permit is required to do so. As a tourist coming from Jerusalem you cross over on foot and no one even looks at you. Returning to the Jerusalem side there is passport control and security scanners. Once across to the West Bank taxi drivers are abundant. When we explained we were meeting a guide, the drivers were still very pleasant and very helpful and kind. We always seem to meet people who want to tell us their brother lives in Miami, my son is in the Bay Area, my nephew is at Michigan State.
On the Palestine side the wall is covered in messages of peace
Michael Tours
Michael from Michael Tours met us promptly and escorted us to his comfortable vehicle. His fiancee Georgette joined us. She is studying to also be a tour guide. We spent the next eight hours with Michael and Georgette. First we explored the barren countryside to visit two beautiful monasteries of the Orthodox Church. We enjoyed mountaintop views looking back to Jerusalem and out towards Jordan. The landscape is stark and dry and mostly brown with green interspersed here and there. In it’s simplicity it is beautiful. As we drove Michael and Georgette talked about life in Palestine, what it’s like to live with this disputed border, and the hardships Palestinians endure as an unrecognized country. It was fascinating and also astonishing to hear some of their stories.
One of the beautiful monasteries we visited of the Orthodox Church
Bethlehem
Next we made the drive back to the city of Bethlehem. Our first stop was Shepherds’ Field where Christians believe Gabriel spoke to the shepherds and told them of the birth of Jesus. A small church marks this spot today. At this same site is an underground Chapel in a cave. Here Michael explained how this is what the space would have looked like where Jesus was born. A manger in those times was always a cave and not a wooden structure so often depicted in Christmas Nativity scenes.
Sheperd’s Field
We made a quick stop to see one of two Banksy graffiti art pieces in this city. Banksy’s work is always focused on peace and both these subtly hidden masterpieces were a special treat to see.
Banksy message of Peace
Next we stopped at a very traditional and family owned restaurant for lunch. We enjoyed our favorites; amazing hummus, falafel and beer.
Hummus
Our final stop was the Church of the Nativity. Simple on the outside, the inside of this church and the underground area which is believed to be where the manger was, are beautiful. The church was preparing for a wedding but we had lots of time to enjoy the artwork and ancient mosaics. We went down the steps to the lower area. This is the cave where, long before a church stood here, a baby was born who would be named Jesus.
Manger
In two different lands, we saw one day where Christ was crucified and then another day where he was born.
We are incredibly grateful to Michael Tours for our fantastic day, and highly recommend Michael and hope you will use him when you visit Palestine.
Palestine in 1948
The area that is now Israel with the West Bank (Palestine)
Day Five Mountains and Tunnels
We got up early again, having finally gotten the lay of the land and understood that to visit Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock we had to do it in the morning.
On Top of the Mount
The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism, believed to be where God’s divine presence was manifested. Jews believe the rock is where Adam was created from dust and Abraham nearly sacrificed his son Isaac. The first temple built here was in 1000 BC and destroyed 400 years later by the Babylonians. A second temple was built and King Herod expanded it. In 70 AD the second temple was destroyed by the Romans. Today Jews are not allowed to pray on Temple Mount, and this is why they pray at the Western Wall, the base of the Mount.
Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock
In the Islamic faith it is believed this is the site where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to the divine presence on a winged horse. Only Muslims are allowed inside the Dome of the Rock Mosque. Inside this beautiful gold topped mosque is the “Foundation Stone”, believed by Jews and Muslims to be where it all began.
This is also the place Christians believe Jesus lashed out at the money changers (Gospel of John) and was later crucified only 500 meters away.
Deep Below
When we arrived in Jerusalem we didn’t know about the tunnel tours. We learned about them from the guide we had on Day 2. The Western Wall Tunnel Tours are operated by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. There are several tours, each giving the visitor a fantastic history with a local guide while walking deep below the Western Wall and seeing first hand the 2000 plus year history here. Our guide was outstanding and I learned so much not just about Jerusalem but religion, architecture, and ancient history. A must when in Jerusalem.
Western Wall Tunnel Tour
Day Six Masada and Traffic
Day Six we rented a car first thing in the morning. We walked to the pick up site about 15 minutes. Then we drove about two hours to the amazing holy site of Masada. Along the route you pass through the West Bank on an Israeli constructed highway with walls on both sides. Then you drive for an hour along the beautiful blue Dead Sea. We swam in the Dead Sea when we visited Jordan a few years ago, so that was not something we were taking time to do this trip.
Masada
Masada is an ancient fortress on a cliff overlooking the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert. The fortress was the final holdout for Jews during the Roman siege.
The fortress was built by King Herod between 37 and 31 BCE. This National Park includes ruins from this fortress including bath houses, great hall and two palaces. In 73 and 74 CE Jewish rebels secured the site while fleeing the Roman-Jewish War. Those rebels held the fort until the Roman siege penetrated the great walls at which time it is speculated all the Jews committed suicide rather than be taken as slaves. Although many scholars dispute this idea.
Masada
It was a wonderful visit and an absolutely must see when in Israel. By the way one of my all time favorite books from the last few years The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman tells the remarkable story of Masada. I highly recommend it.
Unfortunately our drive back to the rental car agency in Jerusalem took nearly four hours due to horrible traffic and we did not get there before they closed. We ended up paying $50 to park the car overnight. Oi! If you don’t want to deal with a car, you can take a tour to Masada or even a city bus.
Day Seven Laundry and Pack and Wander
Our last day in Jerusalem was spent doing laundry, packing, working on the laptop and wandering around the Ben Yehuda pedestrian area as well as visiting the Machaneh Yehuda Market near our Airbnb. This market is one of the nicest I have ever been in. We bought some gifts, some fruit for breakfast, had some beers and people watched. Don’t miss this market.
Machaneh Yehuda Market
Day Eight Tel Aviv Airport Chaos
We pre-ordered a Gett car for the 40 minute ride back to the Tel Aviv airport. Our car picked us up at 4:00am. Which should have been plenty of time for our 8:00am flight. But the Ben Gurion Tel Aviv Airport was one of the most disorganized I have ever seen and we spent more than 2 and a half hours in various lines. It was very stressful. But we made our flight…barely.
Grateful for a Remarkable Week
This country had long been on my bucket list. There are a few places we still didn’t see, like Nazareth and Eilat, but we saw the highlights and I am grateful. It is a really remarkable place, unlike anywhere else in the world. If you can, you should visit.
Thanks for reading my post Visiting Israel – We Finally Made it Back. See our post about Marvelous Malta here. See this week’s top performing pin Senegal What I Experienced in My Short Visit. Next week be sure to check out our post about Cyprus.
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We were supposed to visit Malta in May 2020…well you know why we didn’t. So it was exciting to be able to add Malta back into our travel itinerary. In 2020 our plans were to spend 10 days on the island of Malta and an additional six on the island of Gozo. Our rescheduled trip however needed to be shorter, so we spent our time on the main island of Malta with a quick day trip to Gozo. I fell hard for this beautiful and ancient place. Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite.
Valletta
Two Years Later
This itinerary was pretty tight, as we attempted to resurrect our original trip we were on when the Pandamit made its nasty entrance. At that time, you might remember, we fled Israel to Cyprus but were locked down in Cyprus for two months. Eventually abandoning the remaining itinerary, which included Malta, and making our way back to the USA to wait it out. Wait it out we did, with the rest of the world, and two years later we are out here again…Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite.
Enjoying Valletta from the water
Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite
From the moment we arrived in Valletta, the fortress city on a peninsula, I knew this was my kind of place. So much history as well as pre-historic history, yet alive and so incredibly beautiful. The most surprising thing we found was it is CHEAP. By far the cheapest country we have visited in the European Union. Gotta love that!
Malta is also friendly, clean, delicious and just about everyone speaks English. English is an official language, but the local Maltese language prevails. It is an interesting mix of Arabic and Italian.
Art Installation Valletta
Where We Stayed
We stuck pretty close to Valletta, opting for an Airbnb in the historic area rather than a resort in the more cosmopolitan areas of St. Julian or Sliema. In hindsight I think with more time I would have also enjoyed a night or two inside the walled village of Mdina, and a longer more leisurely visit to Gozo Island.
There is no shortage of accommodations all over the island, which is only 17 miles long and 9 miles wide. Depending on what is important to you (history, nightlife, beaches) you will find something to match your desires.
Valletta
Nutshell History
Malta can trace it’s history back to 5200BC. I mean wow. That is crazy right? I love this kinda stuff so much and it is one of the astonishing things about Malta that caused me to fall in love with it. In recent years some incredible pre-historic ruins have been found, known as the Hypogeum. The Smithsonian Foundation claims this site to be the most significant pre-history site in the world. (Tip – only 80 people a day are allowed to visit the Hypogeum. Plan ahead for this. Unfortunately we did not get to see it.)
From the arrival of man Malta became a place everyone wanted to get their hands on, due to it’s central location in the Mediterranean. Over the centuries the island was controlled by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and the Byzantines. Then came the Arabs, followed by the Normans and then the Knights of St. John before the Ottomans arrived. Napoleon gave it a try, but the British secured the island for 170 years. In 1974 Malta became independent.
This vast and diverse history is evident in the architecture, language, people and food. Absolutely fascinating to a history geek like me.
Daily firing of the cannon, a throwback to British occupation
Recommended Things To Do
First of all Malta is surprisingly affordable compared to most of Europe. We were astonished at how cheaply we could eat, drink, shop and be entertained. Malta uses the Euro and credit cards are accepted everywhere. A dinner with wine or beer for two could be had for around 45 Euros.
Some of our favorite things we did were;
Food Tour
As you likely know I love to take a food tour whenever I visit a new destination. I usually try to do it early in my itinerary because it is always both a history lesson and yummy. We booked our tour through Viator with Best Tours Malta and our guide Chris was not only knowledgeable about food but we learned a great deal about the history of Valletta.
We rented a car for two days to get out of Valletta and see some sites. Seeing some significant archeology sites made us thankful we made the effort. Hagar Qim is a significant pre-historic site on the island of Malta dating to 3200 BC. It is one of several UNESCO sites in the country and it is fascinating. A very well done interpretive self-guided tour is included with your admission. At the Hagar Qim site you will also see another pre-historic temple site called Mnajdra. Both sites worth your time.
There are multiple other ruins on the island of Malta and on Gozo as well. I wish we had the time to see more. We briefly visited Dingli Cliffs, not known for ruins although there are some, but known more for the spectacular views of the cliffs and the beautiful sea.
Hagar Qim
Mnajdra
Dingli Cliffs
Gozo Island
Because we were short on time, we only did a day trip to Gozo. Our original itinerary had us spending six days there with a car. I sure wish we could have done that, because a day trip did not do it justice. Partly because we were with way too many people and it just was not enough time. IF YOU ONLY HAVE A DAY, here is what I recommend. Take an ECab (Malta’s version of Uber and highly recommended over a regular taxi) to the ferry, walk on the ferry, and prearrange a PRIVATE GUIDE to meet you on the other side. This way you can gear your day to the things that are important to you; architecture, pre-history, churches and cathedrals, agriculture, salt pans and more. I’m still glad we went but if I did it again I would definitely spend the money for a private tour.
Salt Pans Gozo
Gozo
Blue Grotto and Sea Caves
On Malta’s south coast you will find the most beautiful blue water. The Blue Grotto viewpoint is definitely worth a stop (it’s on the way to Hager Qim) and with more time you can also take a boat to the Blue Grotto and the Sea Caves. We did not go in the boat but it looked really fun. It is a beautiful spot.
St. Peter’s Pool
St. Peter’s Pool is a popular swimming and sunning site of St. Peter’s Pool. Although we were the oldest people there (easily by 30 years), we had a blast!! Stunning location. Parking is tight, but there is overflow parking for busy days. On the day we visited it wasn’t terribly crowded but I understand it can get very crowded. Try to go on a weekday. So much fun and worth the effort to get there.
After our swim we continued on to the beautiful fishing village of Marsaxlok. We had a delicious lunch on the seaside.
St Peter’s Pool
St. Peter’s Pool
Marsaxlok
Mdina & Rabat
With our rental car we went to the inland walled city of Mdina, which is surrounded by the newer city of Rabat. We were really glad we arrived an hour before our 11am guided walking tour because the village was abandoned and so quiet. And boom, at 11am all the tour buses from the cruise ships arrived. Wow, suddenly it was like Disneyland! We learned a lot from our walking tour and our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable in the history of the two cities. I am so glad we did this and recommend it definitely if you visit Malta. In hindsight it would have been fun to spend a night or two inside the ancient town.
Mdina and Rabat
Mdina and Rabat
Dance Performance
On a whim we looked up what our options were to attend a live performance in Valletta. This is something we have come to enjoy in places we visit around the world. The only thing on during our short visit was a dance performance at the remarkable and historic Teatru Manoel right in old town Valletta. The performance, an interpretive dance about the life of Frida Kahlo, was incredible, but the historic theater was astonishing. We would not of visited the theater if we hadn’t decided to go to the performance so I am so glad we did.
Teatru Manoel
Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite
Sometimes I am flabbergasted at the wealth of history and beauty we discover in our travels. It never ceases to amaze me and Malta was all that and more. I am so very glad we finally made it to this fascinating island nation. I hope you can visit too. Marvelous Malta – a New Favorite.
When we went to Iceland in June 2021 I thought travel was back. But then the Greek alphabet started to wreak havoc on our travel life. First Delta hit in the summer and then Omicron almost shut us down when we were in Mexico. That Pandamit refused to loose it’s grip. Now, more than two years since it started, we once again are cautiously dipping our toes into travel with a ten week tour. We are ready and The Grand Adventure Continues.
And the Grand Adventure Continues (Canva)
My word of the year for 2022 is caution. And although we always travel with caution, navigating a travel life today requires a great deal more preparation and caution than in the past. Changing rules for testing and entry requirements require constant monitoring. It requires patience. It requires time. And it also requires being a bit of a gambler.
Off We Go
So with all that in mind, we have spent the past several months planning, studying the CDC information and reading the US State Department guidelines. We have put hundreds of hours into our preparation to embark on this tour. The destinations listed below each are chosen for a specific reason – personal and cautionary…and the Grand Adventure continues.
New York City
New York City (Canva)
Twice we have canceled a week long winter visit to NYC due to the Pandamit. When we decided to try again for a spring visit, it was because we were headed to Boston for a college reunion. But alas, the college reunion was canceled (sigh). So we added the days we were going to be in Boston to the days we had already booked for New York…giving us a nice long stay of eleven days.
We have been to New York at least a half a dozen times, but each time has always been only 2-3 days. Having eleven days gives us time to slowly see the city and all it’s fabulous museums, restaurants, neighborhoods and history. We have a full itinerary and are really looking forward to it. April 21-May 2.
Caribbean
Antigua (Canva)
When we first decided to head to the Caribbean after New York the other countries on our itinerary (see below) hadn’t totally opened up. So we decided to head to the turquoise waters of two islands we had never been to before. It’s been a long time since we spent time in the Caribbean and we are looking forward to ten days in Antigua (in an Airbnb with a car) and ten days in Turks & Caicos (a resort with no car). For us it’s incredibly rare that we stay in a resort, so this should be interesting. It’s not a super fancy all-inclusive, but it is nice and we expect it to be very relaxing and within our budget. May 2-May 21
Morocco
Morocco (Canva)
From the Caribbean we fly to Washington DC for a one night stay, where we will also do a Covid test for entry into Morocco. This is also where we will rendezvous with our two adult sons, who are joining us for the Morocco portion of this itinerary. We are off to Morocco to attend a wedding reception of a friend of our family…a party that has been canceled three previous times since the Pandamit hit. Before the wedding in Fes, our family will spend a week touring Morocco. This is my second visit to Morocco and I am really looking forward to seeing this beautiful country again, sharing it with my two adult children and attending a traditional Moroccan wedding. It should be an incredible experience. May 23-May 31.
Senegal
Senegal (Canva)
The West Africa nation of Senegal has been on my list for a long time due to it’s fascinating history, but we have never been able to squeeze it in. But it’s a short flight from Casablanca to Dakar so we will check Senegal off the bucket list. We have a brief visit (five days) and have hired a tour guide for two days to take us to some of the major sites. May 31 – June 5.
Paris
Paris (Canva)
From Senegal we are headed to the island of Malta, but to get to Malta requires a flight and an overnight in Paris. Well Paris is always a good idea, right? Fingers crossed for good weather to spend one full day strolling around my favorite arrondissements of the city of lights and eating everything I can. June 5-6
Malta
Malta (Canva)
The next three stops on this tour are three places Covid shut us down in, and we have been counting the days until we could return. So we begin with Malta.
We were supposed to spend three weeks on Malta in May of 2020…of course that didn’t happen. It’s a destination I have wanted to visit for years. Full of beauty and history and fascinating geography…if you don’t know much about Malta you would probably recognize it from the role it plays in many movies and TV shows including Game of Thrones. We are staying in the historic town of Valletta in an Airbnb and we will not have a car except for one day when we have a car to see the ancient city of M’dina. I’ve booked a food tour and a one day tour to the island of Gozo. The rest of the time we will explore on foot. June 6-15th
Israel
Israel (Canva)
In March of 2020 after only five days of our 17 day itinerary in Israel we fled the country to avoid being put into a two week quarantine. We fled to Cyprus (more on that below) and I cried in the car as we drove to the airport. We had seen some amazing sites in Israel, but no where near all, including Jerusalem and Masada. I had waited to visit Israel since I was a child and learned about it from a Girl Scout leader. My heart was broken.
So let’s try it again. This time we will spend our entire 7 day visit in Jerusalem in an Airbnb. We have a Jerusalem tour one day, another tour to Bethlehem in Palestine one day, and we will rent a car and drive to Masada one day. We also have booked a Shabat dinner with a local family. These are all high on my wishlist. I love the food of this region too, and I can’t wait to eat all of it! June 15 – 22
Cyprus
Cyprus (Canva)
Dear sweet Cyprus. It holds such a special place in my heart, after we spent two months in lockdown on this gorgeous island. But during that two months we did not see any of the amazing historic sites, enjoy any of it’s stunning beaches or eat in any of it’s amazing restaurants. Covid had everything shut down. We have vowed to return and now we will.
Unfortunately we only have seven days, but we know exactly what we want to see and do, and we can make it happen. Looking forward to staying in the same Airbnb we were trapped in for two months and we can’t wait to see our hosts who were so kind to us. We also hope to see our friend Leza who we met and spent a day with in a cooking class – the only thing we got to do before we went into lockdown.
Cyprus is a fascinating tiny country with a disputed border, fantastic food, ancient history (supposedly the birthplace of Aphrodite), mountains and beaches and so much more. Dear sweet Cyprus. We are coming. June 23-30
Ten Weeks and The Grand Adventure Continues
This itinerary is busy…much busier than we usually pursue. But we are taking a deep breath and tackling it, because life is short and due to the Pandamit we have some catching up to do! We will arrive back in the USA June 30th for the summer months before we go again.
We hope you will follow along on this blog and all of our social media sites (Facebook Group, Facebook Page, Twitter and Instagram) and of course here on the blog where I hope to have a post almost every Friday.
Be brave and get out there! Travel is back! And the Grand Adventure continues. Away we go.
For those of you who have been following My Fab Fifties Life for awhile, you probably remember we were trapped for two months on the island of Cyprus when the world shut down in March 2020. Although we were on lockdown and didn’t get to see any of the sites, it remains one of the most amazing experiences of our life. Since 2020 we have counted the days until we could return to this beautiful island, which we will do on June 23rd. So, in preparation for that return visit, we read this beautiful book. Here is my book review The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.
Cyprus
Even if you never intend to visit Cyprus, you should read this book. Isn’t that what is so great about reading anyway…it transports you to somewhere new? The tiny island of Cyprus is one of the most remarkable places I have been…and I don’t think many people know anything about it. The supposed birthplace of Aphrodite this island has seen so much violence and Civil War. Once a British Colony, it became war torn in 1974 when the island was split between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots. Today the border conflict remains and this is the story behind The Island of Missing Trees.
1970’s -2010
The story spans forty years but begins in London in 2010 when we meet Ada, a 15 year old troubled young girl who has recently lost her mother. At first I’m not sure where this young lady fits in, but slowly the story unfolds of her parents love. Her father Kostas, a Greek Cypriot and her mother Defne a Turkish Cypriot are caught up in a forbidden love, just as Cyprus falls deep into Civil War. But how the story gets to London in 2010 is a sad and deep yarn.
The Honorable Fig Tree
Some people might find this part of the book strange, but I absolutely loved that this story is narrated by an old Fig Tree. This tree has stood for generations and has been witness to so much joy, love, grief, war and loss. And still it lives. Although it took me awhile to understand the narrator was a tree, it really added a depth to the story.
Book Review The Island of Missing Trees
Shafka builds a beautiful story, with so much reminiscent of today’s horrifying political unrest in Eastern Europe. The Island of Missing Trees at it’s core is about how politics (and politicians), civil unrest, war and strife cause untenable pain and damage for generations of human beings. So timely for today’s violent world. I hope you enjoyed my book review The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.
Damn the PanDamit. We are traveling. We have our vaccine and our booster and we are working to safely and conscientiously get back out there, the way we intended our retirement to go. We want to live our life and so we plan to do it – carefully. It’s time. So after two months in Hawaii, and a brief stop back in Washington State for family issues, off we go again. Here is what’s next for My Fab Fifties Life.
This Month
We have one week in Utah and Arizona doing some hiking, including a visit to Antelope Canyon, a bucket list item for me. We then fly to Mexico City for six days where we will eat our way through the city (not kidding – blog coming) followed by two and a half weeks at the beach in Puerto Escondido.
Winter
Back to Washington State for Christmas with our family and then mid January we fly to French Polynesia. We have two months in French Polynesia on the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora.
Spring
We will return to Washington State again in March, regroup and say Hi, then depart in April for New York City and Boston. May 1st we plan to begin a guided tour of the “Stans” (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,Turkmenistan) to be confirmed shortly. Followed by attending a wedding in Morocco.
Summer
If all goes well we will spend June back in Israel and Cyprus, the two countries we had to abandon on our itinerary when the world shut down in 2020. We also hope to include time in Malta before returning to Washington State for the summer, and returning to Hawaii for the Fall.
Living the Gamble
Not all of this is 100% booked yet, but we are deep into the planning and it feels good to be back into travel planning mode. Travel is never going to be as easy and carefree as it was when we began our Grand Adventure world tour in 2016. And we also recognize it’s going to be a bit of gamble, knowing how quickly things can change in the world. But we have coined a new phrase lately to add to our PanDamit phrase collection…”living the gamble”. And so we continue…
Continuing to Write
This itinerary above may not allow me to have a fresh new travel blog EVERY Friday. But I will do my best and I am grateful for all the continued support you give this blog. I also plan to step back from Tasty Tuesday, our weekly YouTube cooking show. I will do a Tasty Tuesday when I can but not every week. Tasty Tuesday was created as a way to travel internationally from my kitchen during lockdown. It has been fun and well-received during the PanDamit and I also thank you for that. Reading Wednesday will continue each week.
Living the Dream
So this is what’s next for My Fab Fifties Life. Living the dream, dreaming the life, finding the silver lining every day in this wild and wacky world. If we can encourage you to think outside the box, choose to be happy despite the world’s troubles and act positively and conscientiously in your Fabulous Life, our work here is done. Be Brave. Be Smart. Be Healthy. Be Happy. Be Fabulous.
See last week’s blog My Favorite Maui Restaurants here
Not everyone is ready yet to travel….and not every country is ready to accept international travelers. But after 13 and a half months stuck in the USA, we are ready to go. So many of you have been asking about our plans, so today I thought I would share with you how we are restarting the Grand Adventure.
The Grand Adventure which began in 2016 has evolved over time and will continue to evolve as we mitigate a new world. We may never again be able to flit from country to country the way we did before, but with planning, caution and ingenuity we think we can have a travel life full of adventure and intrigue.
Restarting The Grand Adventure
After abandoning our travels mid-itinerary in spring 2020, this week we embark on our first international trip. During our time in the USA we have done a lot of travel to eight different states. But this will be our first trip out of the USA since April 30, 2020.
We fly this week to Iceland for a two-week adventure. No tour, just on our own, using the Rick Steves Iceland Guide. Our visit includes three days in Reykjavik, then nine days in a camper van exploring the island. We have visited Iceland before, but only for two short days so we have always wanted to go back. Iceland seems like a safe place for restarting the Grand Adventure.
Summer and Fall
After two weeks in Iceland we will return to Washington State for the rest of the summer, as summer is the best time of year to be here in the Pacific Northwest. We have a couple of short excursions planned within the state as well as a trip to Maine in early September.
On September 20th we fly back to Maui where we will stay in the apartment of a friend who will be off island for six weeks and then two additional weeks in an Airbnb. Then we fly to Los Angeles before heading on to Arizona and the Grand Canyon. Next we have a trip to Mexico City for a Taco Tour (no joke, a whole week of eating tacos with a guide) and on to Oaxaca before returning to Washington to spend Christmas with our family.
2022 Away We Go
January and February will be spent in French Polynesia. OMG yes it will. First time there so I’m really excited. We will spend two months on the island of Moorea as a big step towards restarting the Grand Adventure.
March is still unplanned but we tentatively hope to fly back to Washington, say hi to the fam, repack and reorganize and then, embark to Israel and restart the itinerary we abandoned, almost two years to the day in March 2020. We have not booked that yet…we will wait and watch and keep our fingers crossed that the world will find its way and we can find our way back to the retirement life we were living and had always dreamed of.
Follow Along
I plan to continue to blog until its not fun anymore so keep following and we will tell you what we are doing. Finding us on Instagram is a great way to get daily updates and beautiful and fun photos and videos. We love your interest and are grateful. Cheers to all of you for your continued support!
Cheers!
I’ve learned a lot of things from living in the PanDamit, mostly to be more patient and flexible. Additionally I’ve learned there are a lot of crazy people and I just need to keep my head down and do the things I believe in, without judging even when I am being judged. Like I’ve said before, I absolutely refuse to be a victim in all of this. Instead I am searching for the learning opportunities and growing each and everyday from this life we are handed. It is still a fabulous life. And if our adventures help others make the step forward cautiously into the brave new world, then our work here is done.
Join us on Instagram here.
Iceland here we come! Learn about Iceland’s Covid restrictions here.
It’s been one year today since we arrived in the USA after two months locked down on the island of Cyprus. One freaking crazy year. Even now, after all this time, I sometimes have trouble believing this has all been real. That Pandamit (oops I did it again…Pandemic), really changed absolutely everything, didn’t it?
My family
We hope to travel internationally again soon. However we also know that our international travels of the future will never be as carefree and easy as they were during our four years of the Grand Adventure. But we definitely plan to get back out there.
One year ago today in a deserted Heathrow Airport
Meanwhile, 365 days in the USA has given us time to appreciate this beautiful country and all it offers.
Prior to the Pandamit, we had already visited all fifty states. But that doesn’t mean we had seen all the amazing beauty of this nation….not even close. So slow travel in the USA became our new mission. And so far it’s been an amazing journey.
At home
So for today’s blog post I thought I would share A Year in the USA in Pictures – some of my favorite images from our year stuck in the USA. I have no regrets.
In my neighborhood, Washington State
Spring in my yard, Washington State
Time with my mom
Sailing on our son’s boat
New patio
Learning to golf
hiking
hiking
hiking
and more hiking!
Whidbey Island
Fall City
Zillah
Time with our boys
Road Trip Idaho
Road Trip Colorado
Road Trip Oregon
Learning to make sourdough
I made four quilts in four months
Remodeled bathroom
Nine weeks in Maui
Nine weeks in Maui
Nine weeks in Maui
Nine weeks in Maui
Holidays with the fam
Holidays with the fam
Holidays with the fam
Road trip to Southwest USA
Seven weeks in Palm Desert California
Seven weeks in Palm Desert
Seven weeks in Palm Desert
Seven weeks in Palm Desert
So much golf
So much golf
So much golf
Despite it all, it’s been a year of unexpected adventures. We visited Idaho, Colorado and Oregon. Maui was awesome and we enjoyed our time in the Coachella Valley,California and Arizona. Of course our home state of Washington in the summer is a wealth of beauty and adventures. Learning new things, getting healthy,loosing weight, time with family and staying positive have kept us in a good frame of mind. I just absolutely refuse to be a victim in all of this.
We fell in love with Arizona
Arizona
Arizona
Arizona
People keep asking us what we plan to do next? But, if the Pandamit has taught us anything, it’s don’t make plans! But planning we are, in spite of it all. We will spend 12 days in Iceland in June (fingers crossed). We will return to Maui again in the fall. And we hope to visit Colorado and Arizona again. Mexico is a possibility. We have now been vaccinated and I got my dreaded surgery out of the way, so there does seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel – but that could be a freight train barreling down…cause these days, you never know!
Meanwhile, we are here and that’s just fine – USA you are just fine and we are grateful for all you offer.
I hope you enjoyed our review A Year in the USA in Pictures.
Enjoy this post, Skin Care at Sixty, from 2020 again or for the very first time.
Being in lockdown, and returning so abruptly from our world travels back to the USA, put me in a position with free time to step back and take a look at myself. Everything that had fully occupied my time over the last four years had come to a complete and unexpected stop.
But this provided an unexpected blessing – an opportunity for me to focus on self care. Something I have been wholly unable to do most of my life; to no one’s fault but my own.
Me last week no makeup.
When we arrived in the USA I found I had a lot of free time on my hands. I began to realize I could use this stay-at-home time to accomplish some self-care things I had so often put on the back burner before. I immediately started a running training program, joined NOOM weight loss (to date have dropped 20 pounds and will be blogging on this later) and set out to focus on revitalizing my aging and neglected skin and focusing on skin care at sixty.
I’ve never been someone to spend a lot of money on beauty. I get my hair and nails done, but shop for myself infrequently and never too extravagantly. Most of my skincare products and makeup generally come from Target. When we travel I go months without wearing makeup and most days only use cleanser and moisturizer with SPF 15.
But here I am with all this free time…free time to get healthy both inside and out. Free time to finally focus on skin care at sixty. Better late than never? Well, you be the judge.
On arriving back home I contacted my friend Susi who is a Mary Kay consultant, because I had heard some good reviews about the MK line called TimeWise Repair. This line of skincare products is specifically designed for women like me, who are looking to repair damage from sun and sea, age and neglect.
I began using these products in early May. I did a video on YouTube at that time, to share the start of my journey. You can see that first video below. In the video I share all the products I began using; 1) TimeWise Repair Foaming Cleanser 2) Indulge Soothing Eye Gel 3) Eye Renewal Cream 4) Vitamin C 5) Lifting Serum 6) TimeWise Repair Retinol Night Cream and TimeWise Repair SPF 30 Day Cream 7) Deep Wrinkle Filler
Here is the first video…and by the way you will notice the 20 pounds heavier in this first video as compared to today…that alone makes my face look healthier.
May 8th video
I spent the next three weeks religiously following the night and day program for Mary Kay’s TimeWise Repair products and I immediately began to feel my skin was moister and generally all-around healthier. Once a week I used two more products in the evening; 8) TimeWise Repair Facial Peel and 9) TimeWise Repair Moisture Renewing Gel Mask.
Here is the second video I did at week three. I REALLY notice in this video the bags under my eyes. At the time of this video I had not yet been diagnosed with a sinus infection…but clearly it was raging and causing me trouble. I kept hoping the Mary Kay eye cream would take care of the bags, not realizing it was something more. Here is the second video.
May 30
So today at week six I am pretty happy about how my skin FEELS as much as how it looks. I also feel like by focusing on this for six weeks I have developed good skin care habits for both morning and night, something I never had before. I would say that the products I feel have been the best for me would be the TimeWise Repair Foaming Cleanser, the Indulge Soothing Eye Gel, the Day Cream, the Night Cream, the Facial Peel and the Gel Mask.
My consultant Susi feels strongly that the serum is one of the best things I can do for my skin. And I feel like the night cream with retinal has contributed greatly to the diminished wrinkles. It’s been nice having Susi at my fingertips for questions…something I can’t get from sales people at Target or the mall. Worth it for me in my busy life.
It’s not pretty, but I’m sharing with you my before shot that was done on the Mary Kay Skin Analyzer App the first week of May, and my After Shot taken this week. Note I’m purposefully not smiling…to really be able to see my problem areas. The skin analyzer is the tool we used to both determine the products that would be best for my skin issues, and to see the results. Here it is. Oi. Embarrassing.
Week one early May
Week Six Mid June
However, I see much improvement in the wrinkles, and am hopeful with continued use it will get better still. Although some of my most prominent wrinkles, like the “11” between my brows haven’t really improved at all, I’m happy to accept those as part of my sixty year journey. I think those are just here to stay.
My final video, posted yesterday, shares a fun time lapse look at my routine to finish off the experiment. Here it is.
So, again realizing I have dropped 20 lbs in six weeks, and started running every day combined with this skin care routine I feel really healthy overall. I see a difference in my skin, especially how it feels and even how my makeup feels on my skin. Here is another before and after shot with my make up on.
BEFORE this is me early March in Israel, make up on
AFTER Me mid June with makeup at home
AND since I am making all this effort, I bought a new hat with a wider brim to protect my skin more than any hat I’ve owned before. Sassy. I am feeling so much healthier over all, I hope all these new habits will stick, and I can continue to improve my skin, weight and activity level in the months and years ahead. Because, you know, I’m fabulous!
Protecting my skin with my new hat
I would love to hear about your self care journey. Comment below or message me anytime.
Yep it was one for the record books, and yet, we managed some remarkable and inspiring travel moments despite it all. So in keeping with the past four years, we want to bestow our 2020 World Travel Awards. This year we have fewer countries, lodgings, and experiences to consider…but we believe they deserve our 2020 World Travel Awards recognition nonetheless.
Victoria Falls, Zambia
By the way, I’ve been asked many times whether we lost a lot of money on travel when we had to abandon our trip in 2020. It took some work and persistence but most airlines, all Airbnb’s and all but one hotel gave us refunds or vouchers for future use. With about $10,000 at stake, we feel blessed to have only ended up losing about $1500. One silver lining in the Covid nightmare.
For reference we visited Mauritius, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Uganda, Rwanda, Israel, Cyprus, England and the United States.
Favorite Overall Country – Cyprus
Cyprus
Despite the fact we hardly saw any of Cyprus, we still bestow it the 2020 World Travel Awards favorite overall country. Cyprus is where we went into lockdown and where we were stuck for seven weeks, housebound and unable to see any sites. We never ate in a single restaurant, went to the beach or saw any historic ruins or sites. Luckily the one thing we were able to do before we were forced into house arrest, was a wonderful cooking class. More about that below.
When we can travel again, we will return to Cyprus, to see the sights and to see the wonderful people we met during our time there.
Favorite City – Tel Aviv, Israel
Tel Aviv
We had four days in the beautiful city of Tel Aviv, a little jewel of a modern city in this incredibly ancient country. On day five as we began to explore more of Israel is when we, with only a few hours notice, were forced to leave as Israel went into lockdown. So the rest of Israel remains on our list, but thank you Tel Aviv for a wonderful visit.
Cutest Town – Bend Oregon USA
Mexican food in Bend
On our road trip in August we spent three quick days in Bend and I was reminded once again how much I love this part of the USA. It’s just beautiful and the food and beer are excellent too. I will definitely go again and spend more time eating and playing in this beautiful area.
Favorite Island – Maui Hawaii USA
Maui
It’s no secret how much I love the island of Maui…one of the most beautiful islands of the world. I have been blessed to visit many, many MANY islands, and still Maui remains at the top of my list. This past year in an effort to hide from Covid, we spent nine lovely weeks in Maui.
Most Expensive Country – Israel
Israel
Even though we did not spend even an entire week in Israel, it was clearly one of the most expensive countries we have been to. Still it remains at the top of our list we want to return to and enjoy.
Least Expensive Country – Mauritius
Considered an African country but feeling more like India, Mauritius is a unique place for culture, food and weather. Six weeks here was inexpensive for us and we enjoyed it very much.
Accommodation
Ten Airbnb/VRBO, Eleven Hotels, One Tree House, One Kibbutz
Favorite Airbnb – Cyprus
Lemon Grove Villa, Cyprus
Our Airbnb in Cyprus, called Lemon Grove Ena was an absolute blessing – and we will forever be grateful that it is where we were when we got locked down. For seven weeks our hosts Maria and Fritos, as well as their property manager Sofronios, all of whom spoke minimal English, made heroic efforts to keep us safe and comfortable. We could not have been in better hands.
Favorite Airbnb Hosts – Cyprus
As above, our Cyprus hosts were so special. We hope to see them again soon.
Most Unique Accommodation – Tie for this category; Tree House Fall City Washington and Glamping in Carbondale Colorado
Tree House Point Fall City Washington
Back in the USA we were looking for ways to stay sane so we took a couple much needed Sanity Staycations. In doing so we discovered some unique places to stay. The first one was a beautiful Tree House about an hour from our home. The second was an awesome Glamping Safari Tent just outside of Aspen Colorado in Carbondale.
Best Hotel – Uganda
Hotel Uganda
We were on a tour in Uganda, four days to see the Mountain Gorillas. And for two of those nights we stayed in a mountainside hotel called Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge. It was a tiny place with each room a separate cabin perched in the hills just outside of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Of all the places I have stayed around the world, the service here was one of the best. It also included a delicious small restaurant and bar. Each night they provided a turn down service as well as a hot water bottle tucked into the sheets. When we returned from our very wet and muddy trek in the jungle, they did our laundry too. Lovely.
Most Unique Hotel – Zambia
Ngoma Zanga Hotel
During our time at Victoria Falls we spent a week in a tiny African hotel called Ngoma Zanga. We ate all our meals here, enjoyed our comfortable room and the amazing staff that helped us have the best experience possible at Victoria Falls.
Best View Accommodations – Maui
View from Kihei Surfside
We love to visit Maui and when there we always try to stay at the Kihei Surfside with it’s impeccable view
Strangest Hotel Experience – London
Teeny Heathrow Hotel
When we finally were allowed to leave Cyprus we headed back to the USA via London and those two days of travel were unlike anything we have ever experienced. See below for details. But we had to find a room at Heathrow, when everything was shut down. And so we stayed in what was essentially a closet for one night at Aerotel Hotel. There was no food available anywhere in or near the hotel so we ate day old sandwiches we had brought from Cyprus, slept fitfully and then boarded a USA bound flight in the morning. See more about that below.
Food
Favorite Cuisine – Israel
Food of Israel
Mediterranean food and middle eastern food collides in Israel and we enjoyed every bite and every morsel we could in our short visit. Even in the short time we had, this country easily is the tops in food for the 2020 World Travel Awards.
Best Cooking Class – Cyprus
Cyprus Cooking Class with Mrs. Sofia
So grateful to have had this experience just hours before going into full lockdown on Cyprus. It was our one opportunity to learn some culture and history and to meet some amazing locals. I cherish this day and all we learned and continue to make Cypriot dishes here at home. Our tour was organized by Cyprus Taste Tours.
Best Beer – Maui
Maui Brewing Company
Maui has a great microbrew culture and we visited three different microbreweries (and one distillery) on the island.
Best Coffee – Cyprus
Learning to make Cypriot Coffee
Much like Greek or Turkish coffee, Cypriot Coffee is rich and dark and cooked in an Cezva and we loved it.
Best Meal – Maui
Ono at Mala Tavern Grill, Maui
Nine weeks in Maui was amazing, but in an effort to social distance we did not eat in very many restaurants. But, when we did we had no complaints. Two incredible fish meals stand out for me; Mala Ocean Tavern and The Sea House Restaurant.
Best Cultural & Natural Experiences
Best Sunset – Maui
Maui Sunset
There it is again, my favorite island, which for 2020 also presented me my favorite sunsets…night after night.
Best Cultural Experience – Soweto South Africa
Childen in Soweto coming ot great us
While in Johannesburg we took a cultural tour that included time in Soweto – the infamous township just outside of Johannesburg. We were thrilled by our reception, visiting a home, meeting lots of kids and learning so much about all that has happened to the people of Soweto. We booked this tour through Get Your Guide.
Best Beach – Maui and Honorable Mention Tel Aviv
Maui Beaches
Our favorite beaches are all in Maui, and while there we went to dozens. But we also thought the public beach in Tel Aviv was astonishingly beautiful. The beaches of Tel Aviv are another reason we can’t wait to return to Israel.
Best Tour and Best Tour Guide – Uganda
Best Bucket List Experience – Uganda
Uganda Mountain Silverback Gorilla
Seeing Mountain Gorillas in the wild was a lifelong dream for me, and celebrating this bucket list adventure for my 60th birthday could not have been better. Working with a tour operator called Achieve Global Safaris we were greeted at the airport by our guide John, who spent the next four days making sure we had an experience of a lifetime. I loved our time in beautiful Uganda and seeing the gorillas.
Best Natural Site – Victoria Falls with Honorable Mention to Mount Rainier
Victoria Falls
I am a bit of a waterfall junkie…can’t get enough! Our world travels have included seeing some of the most majestic and beautiful waterfalls around the world! In February we were blessed to visit the spectacular Victoria Falls, which straddles the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Beyond breathtaking. Magnificent.
Mount Rainier
And right in our home region of Washington State is another breathtaking and magnificent Natural Site – Mount Rainier. We did a lot of hiking this summer in and around Mount Rainier National Park. A place I do not take for granted and know how lucky I am to have this so close to home.
Best Manmade Site – Caesarea Israel
Caesarea, Israel
Although we were very disappointed to unexpectedly end our time in Israel due to the lockdown, we did get to see a few amazing things, including several remarkable ancient sites. We particularly enjoyed the ancient city of Caesarea with it’s fabulous chariot race track, remarkably intact amphitheater and many other interesting sites, all with a view of the ocean.
Best History Tour – Johannesburg South Africa
Hector Pieterson Memorial
Our full day tour of Johannesburg not only gave us the opportunity to visit Soweto (see above) and the Apartheid Museum (see below) it also covered many significant historical events that have occurred in Johannesburg. It was fascinating and I highly recommend it.
Best Day Hike – Rwanda
School children greeting us on our Rwanda hike
Our week in Rwanda gave us a chance to learn more about the genocide that happened there in 1994, but it also gave us a chance to get out into the rural areas and see some of the beauty of this often overlooked destination. From the lakeside town of Kivu, we hiked with a guide over a mountain to a small village (about 8 miles) on the Rwanda Congo Nile Trail, and then took a tiny boat back. We learned so much about the history, culture, industry, agriculture, flora and fauna of this tiny little nation. It was a remarkable day – one of those rare and memorable experiences that was delightfully authentic – a top prize for the 2020 Travel Awards.
Expensive but Worth It – Mountain Gorillas Uganda
At nearly $4000 for a five day visit, this tour was far and away more expensive than anything we have ever spent our travel dollars on. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Speaking of heartbeat…mine nearly stopped when we finally found the family of eight gorillas we had spent three hours tromping through the jungle looking for. One of the most unforgettable days of my life. Enjoy this little video (which is by far my most watched YouTube video ever! ) Achieve Global Safaris was amazing.
Best Gardens – Mauritius
Botanical Gardens in Mauritiius
We spent one day at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens near the town of Port Louise on the island of Mauritius. We were really surprised to find such a vast and well maintained Botanical Gardens in this tiny island nation.
Best Conservation/Environmental Protection Site – Mauritius
Isla Aigrettes, Mauritius
Definitely my favorite thing we did on the island of Mauritius was the boat tour to Ile aux Aigrettes, a protected atoll only 100 yards off shore. Here we took a remarkable guided walking tour to learn about the work being done by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to preserve and protect numerous endangered species of animals, birds and plants. Mauritius can’t bring back the extinct Dodo bird, but they are working very hard to preserve the other unique and beautiful animals and flora of this special island.
Best Museum – Apartheid Museum Johannesburg South Africa
Entrance ticket, Apartheid Museum
This museum is one of the best I’ve been to in the entire world. Amazingly organized to enjoy and learn chronologically it includes many interactive, video, audio aspects as well as an outdoor art exhibit. We were there for two hours and I wish we had two more. The Apartheid Museum is worth a trip to Johannesburg to see.
Craziest Thing We Did – Angels Pool Victoria Falls Zimbabwe
Angels Pool, Victoria Falls
Whenever I look at these photos, I wonder what was I thinking? To be honest I did not really understand what I was signing up to do and it was only in the moment that I thought “oh shit.” But with caution we proceeded and it was actually fun, but also pretty freaking crazy. One of those things you do in a foreign country and afterwards you think “this would never be allowed in the USA.” I survived Angels Pool, Victoria Falls.
Least English Spoken – Cyprus
To be fair, we only dealt with a handful of people in Cyprus since we were mostly in house arrest, but the few friends we made we needed to do a lot of hand signals and pointing and laughing trying to get our message across
Friendliest People – Rwanda
A new friend in Rwanda
Every person we met in Rwanda was a delight. From hotel people to just people on the street we found Rwandans sincere, kind and very interested in us. Like in some other countries, I still hear from a few people we connected with and I love knowing they are well and still remembering meeting us.
Weather
Hottest Day – Mauritius
Mauritius Beach
I swooned in Mauritius. The humidity was oppressive on a few days. Hottest day was 101F. We also lived through our third cyclone while on the island.
Coldest Day – Haleakala Maui
Haleakala Hike
At 10,000 feet Haleakala, particularly on a windy day, can be downright frigid. It was 37F in the morning with a nasty wind chill as we started our hike there.
Exercise
Best Place to Run – Maui
Hands down of all the places we traveled this year running in Maui was the best. I always run in the morning before it got too warm, and the view, well, you can’t beat it.
Best Game of Golf – Sun Valley Idaho USA
Golfing in Sun Valley
We golfed a lot this year, it being one of the few things we could get out and do safely. I made a commitment to really improve my game and I did. My favorite golf day was at Elk Horn in Sun Valley Idaho
Best Yoga Spot – Maui
Yoga in Maui
Yoga continues to be part of our daily routine, and Maui wins again, offering us the best yoga spot we found.
Travel
Craziest Travel Day Ever – Heathrow, London England
The day we finally left Cyprus after seven weeks we flew to Heathrow and spent the night. The following morning we headed to our gate for our 12 hour flight back to the USA. This experience in Heathrow, one of the busiest airports in the world, will remain with me for the rest of my life. Walking through Heathrow without another person anywhere to be seen was eerie, surreal and the most defining moment for me of what Covid-19 had done to our world. It was frightening. But I’m glad I had the experience of it, I certainly will never forget it.
All alone in Heathrow Airport
Craziest Experience Overall – Cyprus
If you have read this far, you know we were locked down in Cyprus, basically under house arrest for seven weeks. To leave our Airbnb we had to ask permission via text. We could only leave our house once a day. So if we needed groceries, that was all we could do that day. No groceries needed? Then we could ask permission to exercise, which we did most days, running in our little neighborhood around the village of Argaka. It was a surreal experience, definitely unlike anything else we have encountered in our world travels. And despite it all, we wouldn’t change it…it certainly is something we will never ever forget. Thank you Cyprus for taking such good care of us. And no question it needs to make the list for our 2020 World Travel Awards.
I will add, that in all our travels, our time in Cyprus was the first time we needed to be in direct contact with the US Embassy. We were grateful for the guidance they provided even though their hands were tied. If you travel international, we highly recommend signing up with each Embassy you visit through the State Department Step program…apparently you never known when you are going to need it. See how to do that here.
Maui
That’s a Wrap
It was not the travel year we imagined in January 2020, and yet, we added some of the most remarkable experiences of our life to a life of extensive remarkable experiences. I am very grateful for that. And, I am beyond grateful to all the kind and wonderful people we met this year while traveling. So many just trying to save their businesses, stay safe and healthy, and do the right thing. What a blessing to have met them all.
Our friend Job who helped us make Rwanda clothes for our family
Next week I will share a blog about our near term travel plans. But as far as long term or international travel, we have none. My guess would be we might not leave the USA until 2022. But I can’t know that so early. If that happens, next years Travel Awards will look very different, or perhaps I will need to decide if the blog has run its course. But I can’t know that yet either. All I know is the 2020 World Travel Awards have a special place in my heart.
Glamping in Colorado
Meanwhile we continue to be grateful for all the travel we have enjoyed, our current state of health and wellness, and our upcoming USA travel plans where we can lockdown in the sun. I have no regrets, no complaints and just a wee bit of sadness for all that has happened, or not happened.
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Please be sure to read next Friday’s blog to see what happens next for My Fab Fifties Life.
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