Only a few decades ago, sleepy Ballard was the butt of all Scandinavian jokes. A neighborhood of working class families descended from working class immigrants, Ballard was solid, if a bit rough around the edges. Times have changed and It’s Time to Rediscover Ballard Washington.
Sleepy No More
I sure wish I had bought a house in Ballard back then. I’d be a millionaire today. Today, Ballard is hip. A cool place to be for young singles and families….without losing that solid working class vibe. Still home to much of the Seattle area fishing fleet, the history of fishing and shipbuilding runs deep in this community.
View from Sunset Park
What a difference a few decades make. Ballard is blooming and is now not only home to the magnificent Nordic Heritage Museum (opened in 2018), it is also a culinary Mecca – home to dozens of highly rated restaurants, some difficult to get a reservation for. Ballard, sleepy no more. I love a lot of my home state, and Ballard is one of my favorite places among those.
It’s Time to Rediscover Ballard, Washington
A day in Ballard is a pleasant idea….but even better why not a weekend or several days? There is so much to do here, without ever actually going into downtown Seattle. Beautiful Ballard. We want you to give it the time it deserves, so we share with you a wide variety of our favorite Ballard finds…everything from beer to parks, coffee to fish, and hiking to vintage. Yah sure yabetcha – it’s time to rediscover Ballard, Washington.
One of the friendly locals
Our Recommendations to Get You Started
It’s a long, long list but we hope these recommendations will give you a variety of reasons to visit Ballard and it’s surrounding neighborhoods. If you can make your visit more than a day, we recommend the beautiful boutique hotel in the heart of Ballard, The Hotel Ballard. It’s exceptional and will make your visit to Ballard exceptional. And here are more recommendations for you;
Let’s Eat!
Stoneburner is my fav
It’s impossible to list all the delicious and innovative dining options in Ballard…so I am offering up here my favs. These are all restaurants I have eaten at and would not hesitate to go back to.
Oysters at The Walrus and the Carpenter
Stoneburner – amazing food. Probably my favorite restaurant in Ballard
Shiku Japanese – excellent sushi and Japanese specialties
Salmon Burger from Lil Woody’s
Get Outside
For such a compact neighborhood of Seattle, Ballard is blessed with an abundance of parks, and a visit to beautiful Ballard wouldn’t be complete without a visit to at least one of Ballard’s parks. This is a list of our favorites.
Discovery Park
Discovery Park – the granddaddy of them all, this 534 acre park is a hidden natural gem.
Golden Gardens – where the sunbathers, stand up paddle boarders, wind surfers, sailors and beachcombers will be found high tide, low tide and everything
Burke Gilman Trail – ride or walk on this trail that will take you for miles and miles
Sunset Hill – this little pocket park is the definitive place for a Seattle Sunset
Shilshole Marina – enjoy a boardwalk stroll through this beautiful waterfront area and try to count the masts. Be sure and stop at the Leif Erickson statue for a taste of Scandinavian heritage.
Leif Erickson
So Many Things To Do
Don’t miss any of these awesome things to do in Beautiful Ballard
Nordic Heritage Museum
Going through the locks on my son’s sailboat
The National Nordic Museum – allow yourself a few hours to explore this amazing museum that chronicles the history of the Nordic people both locally and throughout the world. The cafe and gift shop are great too.
Ballard Locks – officially the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks but known locally as the Ballard Locks is a fun and educational working locks that provides boat traffic to navigate between Lake Union and the Puget Sound. Don’t miss the information on the salmon ladder.
Fisherman’s Terminal – a working fishing terminal for local fishing vessels, you can walk amongst the vessels in port and also purchase fresh seafood.
Ballard Farmer’s Market – every Sunday from 9am to 2pm visit the Ballard Farmers Market for a colorful selection of fresh and locally made
The Cycle Saloon Tours – Fun and crazy way to drink beer, get your exercise and see the sites
Ballard Kayak Rentals – get out on Shilshole Bay and see the beautiful sites from the waterside
The Ballard Farmer’s Market on Sundays
Do You Brew?
Beer? Coffee? Even a distillery is waiting for you in Ballard. Ya Sure YaBetcha, there is something for everyone. This is a tiny sample:
To be honest, I’m not much of a shopper, preferring to spend my time outdoors, eating, learning history…all that stuff. BUT, you might like a few funky or vintage places and don’t miss a Scandinavian shop
Scandinavian Specialties – one of the few shops left that focuses on delicious Scandinavian delicacies as well as, art, sweaters, ceramic and more.
Gold Dog – for someone who doesn’t really shop….I spent some fun time in here. Cowboy boots and so much more.
As Long As You Are Here…
Ya sure yabetcha, as long as you are here definitely spend as much time as possible at any or all of these wonderful attractions near Ballard.
Woodland Park Zoo
Woodland Park Zoo – not the zoo of yesteryear, today’s award winning Woodland Park Zoo is focused on conservation, preservation and immersion exhibits that provide animals a healthy and authentic living environment. Woodland Park Zoo also offers a variety of events and activities through out the year on it’s 92 acre urban site.
Fremont – Ballard’s neighbor Fremont is Seattle’s answer to funky and fun claiming to be “the center of the universe”. Be sure to visit the Fremont Troll, JP Patches and Gertrude statue, Waiting for the Bus Sculpture and many other fun and quirky Fremont finds.
Green Lake, just over the hill from Ballard is Seattle’s beloved Green Lake. A perfect place for a stroll or bike ride anytime of the year. Seattle gathers here.
Gas Works Park – The idea to turn this huge former and simply ugly former gas works on Lake Union into a park was brilliant. Today the rusted “gas works” create an urban sculpture unique and beautiful in a strange and Seattle kind of way.
Funky Fremont
Are You Convinced?
Have I convinced you that it’s time to rediscover Ballard Washington? I have spent a lot of time there over the last five years, because my adult sons call it home. If they had never moved there, I would never have rediscovered Ballard myself…and I’m so glad I did. I still have a lot to see in Beautiful Ballard…so I’ll see you there.
We’ve visited many of the lovely cities of the south over the years, from Charleston to New Orleans, Williamsburg to Memphis. But for some reason we have spent almost no time at all in the state of Georgia. So on our return to the USA this time, we decided to start in Georgia. I’m so glad we did. Five fabulous days in Atlanta and four fabulous days in Savannah. Both cities are full of amazing history, great food, friendly people, and lots to see and do. Georgia on My Mind – Southern Charm and So Much More. Here are our recommendations.
Jasmine in Bloom all over! So Lovely.
Atlanta
One of the only major American cities we had never visited, we arrived wanting to see as much as possible in this historic place.
Centennial Park Atlanta
Martin Luther King and Civil Rights
MLK National Historic Park is Atlanta’s top tourist attraction and it’s free! We visited this moving and inspiring site on two different days. The first day we visited Ebenezer Church where King preached as did his father. We also visited the beautiful memorial area where both Martin and his wife Coretta’s tombs are.
Ebenezer Baptist Chuch
Tombs for Martin and Coretta
On the second day we walked back to the site along Auburn Street because we wanted to take in all the historic markers. The markers are really well done and informative as you walk through the formerly segregated neighborhood of Sweet Auburn.
The carriage MLK’s coffin was carried in
After the walk we visited the MLK museum which was so good, and actually made me cry. We walked by the home where he was born and lived until he was twelve. We did not tour the home, you need to reserve that in advance.
Bus Tour
There are many options for a bus tour, which for us was a good way to get a feel for the lay of the city on our first day. Our tour took us to the Ebenezer Church, through multiple interesting and beautiful neighborhoods, to Beltway Park and to the Ponce City Market. We had lunch at Ponce, which is a really cool food court and gathering place inside the former historic location of the Sears and Roebuck Company.
The Ponce Center, former Sears and Roebuck
Centennial Park
Very close to our hotel, The Hyatt Place, is Centennial Park. Centennial Park is home to the giant Ferris Wheel, The Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca Cola and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Centennial Park is also part of the Olympic Grounds from 1996 and the location where the bombing took place. We highly recommend the the National Center for Civil and Human Rights which takes the MLK story farther and covers civil and human rights around the world. Don’t miss it. On the other hand we felt the World of Coca Cola was not worth the $25 entrance fee. Parts of it were interesting, but, meh.
National Center for Civil and Human Rights
The World of Coca Cola
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Of course I loved this because as you know I love to visit botanical gardens around the world. The Atlanta Botanical Gardens are pretty compact, have a lot of natural areas as well as manicured gardens and include a children’s garden and a vegetable garden. Currently it is also home to a temporary exhibit of Thomas Dambo troll sculptures which we absolutely love his work.
Thomas Dambo at Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Atlanta Braves
We are on a quest to visit MLB Ballparks around the USA, so we made time to take in an Atlanta Braves game at the beautiful Truist Park. Truist Park is surrounded by The Battery, an area of restaurants, shops, bars and condos. We enjoyed dinner before the game.
Atlanta Braves
The Carter Center
Another quest in our USA travels is to visit as many Presidential Libraries as possible. The really amazing Carter Center, home to the Jimmy Carter Library, was our 8th Presidential Library. I learned a lot about the work the Carter Center does around the world as well as great history about our 39th President.
The Carter Center
The Carter Center
Famous Foods
Well, Atlanta is all about the Southern Comfort food – not always the healthiest, but definitely delicious. Our best meal was at Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen. You must eat here when in Atlanta. We had one fine dining meal at Lure, really delicious seafood and local southern service. On one of our long walk days we stopped in for Chicken and Waffles at the Atlanta Breakfast Club. We also enjoyed BBQ at Fox Brothers BBQ. Very greasy but an Atlanta institution (since 1928) is the Varsity Drive In…the largest drive-in in the world.
Clams at Lure
Chicken and Waffles at The Atlanta Breakfast Club
BBQ at Fox’s
The Varsity Drive In
Shrimp & Grits at Virgils
And Also Don’t Miss
We visited two amazing hotels that we learned about from our Bus Tour Guide; The Marriott Marquis has the most astonishing lobby…definitely worth stopping in to see. We also took the elevator to the 73rd floor observation deck of The Westin Peach Tree Plaza. What a view!
The view from the top of the Westin
lobby at the Marriott Marquis
Savannah
Not sure why we had never made it to Savannah before, but I knew it was a beautiful and very walkable city.
Savannah River Walk
Walking Tour
Our friends from Charleston drove over to spend a couple days with us in Savannah. We started our visit with a self guided walking tour. Using GPSmyCity we walked all over the beautiful historic area learning about historic sites, mansions, people and parks. Savannah is home to 22 parks or “squares”, as well as hundreds of monuments, statues and historic markers. The architecture of the city is wonderful and almost like walking through a movie set (which it has been many times, notably for Forrest Gump). I loved it.
So many parks and monuments
So many churches
Owens Thomas Mansion and Slave Quarters
Well worth seeing is the Owens Thomas House and Slave Quarters. Built in 1819, the tours look at the life of the enslaved during this 1800’s. Their website says;
Our tours focus on the art, architecture, and history of the home through the lens of slavery. Visitors will experience an inclusive interpretation of not only the wealthy families that inhabited this home for a span of over 100 years, but of also the enslaved people who lived and labored here.
Owen Thomas House
Slave Quarters at Owen Thomas House
Telfair Museums
The Telfair Museums run the Owens Thomas House (above) and also run two other museums that we visited. The Telfair Academy houses houses nineteenth- and twentieth-century American and European art in an neoclassical historic home built in 1819.
Telfair Academy
The Jepson Center is a modern architectural building and home to a collection of modern art and changing exhibits.
“The stunning live oak lined avenue beckons visitors to Wormsloe State Historic Site, whose abundant cultural and natural resources have been, and continue to be, shaped by the influences of the many inhabitants of the Isle of Hope through the centuries including those of Native American, African, and European descent.“
Live Oak Entrance at Wormsloe
Wormsloe
We enjoyed several hours in this parking, hiking through the quiet forests, bird watching and enjoying the beautiful weather.
Savannah Riverboat Cruises
On our final day in Savannah we enjoyed a sunny tour aboard the Georgia Queen with Savannah Riverboat Cruises. Thankful for the perfect weather, we sat on the open air top level and enjoyed the narrated one and half hour tour along the Savannah River. I highly recommend this when in Savannah.
Georgia Queen Riverboat
Riverboat Tour
Where to Eat
I didn’t realize what a popular destination Savannah is, and so missed the opportunity to get reservations at some of the more well known restaurants. That said we had some outstanding meals (and one mediocre, at Common) during our visit. We enjoyed The Ordinary Pub, located “under” the city and popular for local southern specialties and pub fare. We had a fantastic meal at Fleeting, located in a newly developed river front location a short walk from the historic area. And our final meal was at The Pirates House, operating as an inn since 1753 and serving up low country fare and great service.
Fleeting
The Ordinary Pub
The Pirates House
Since I had to have some Pecan Pie before we left Savannah we also visited the Pie Society. Don’t miss it. Leopold’s Ice Cream is really popular…but I was unwilling to stand in an hour long line for ice cream…but it must be good because lots of people do every day.
Pie Society
Leopold’s line for ice cream
Georgia On My Mind – Southern Charm and So Much More
We loved our time in this beautiful state and highly recommend a visit to Georgia. You will find friendly people, excellent food, astonishing history and gorgeous scenery, Georgia On My Mind – Southern Charm and So Much More.
At the end of this seven month travel itinerary, we found ourselves on board a cruise ship for the first time in five years. Over the past thirty years we have cruised about a dozen times. There are some really great things about cruising….and some not so great things. But overall our one week aboard Rhapsody of the Seas Southern Caribbean (Royal Caribbean) was a good experience, and a relaxing week after our whirlwind in Bolivia.
Rhapsody of the Seas
Let Me Be Honest
So I’m going to be brutally honest about the things I enjoy about cruising and the things I don’t. So if you are a big fan of cruising fair warning…you might get defensive. But this is my opinion and you can take or leave it, so here we go.
Rhapsody of the Seas
Not Like It Used to Be
Alas, cruising is just not like it used to be. Our very first cruise, in 1992, still to this day remains one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. The service was impeccable. The food was unforgettable. The ship, though small (we were on Norwegian Cruise Line) was spotless.
In port in Grenada
Today service and food both are not near up to the standards of that first cruise. Unfortunately I would say the food on this cruise on the Rhapsody of the Seas was the weakest I’ve had. And although our nightly wait staff ( Emily and Princess) were lovely…the dining room seemed understaffed and a bit harried. Our room steward on this cruise was Roxanne and she was great.
I loved our balcony
Today the cruise lines nickle and dime you for everything. Years ago a cappuccino was part of breakfast…not anymore. Pay extra. Years ago yoga or cycling class was free in the fitness center…not anymore. Pay extra. Years ago room service was included if you wanted it. Not anymore…pay extra (except for continental breakfast). Back in the day everyone dined in the dining room and a buffet was a special event…now its a cafeteria style all day long feast where people over indulge to excess. But at least you don’t pay extra.
We had a great room steward
Relax and Enjoy
Today we cruise from time to time (last one was pre-pandamit in 2018) and when we cruise we approach it with low expectations. We enjoy the pool and always get a room with a balcony if possible. We love sitting on our private balcony. We enjoy the dining room, but are not fans of the buffet. We enjoy the Broadway style shows, but aren’t big fans of comedians or magicians.
There were a couple of good shows on board
Itinerary
This seven day cruise on board Rhapsody of the Seas Southern Caribbean departed from Barbados where we had spent a relaxing week in an Airbnb. We docked in five island ports over the seven days; Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba, Curacao and Trinidad & Tobago. Three of these were new to us, bringing our country total to 125.
Grenada
We chose to do only two excursions during the week. We did a bicycle tour in Bonaire, which was really beautiful but difficult due to the high winds. And we did a kayak bird watching tour in Trinidad & Tobago which we loved. On the kayaking tour we saw an astonishing array of birds and wildlife in Caroni Wildlife Sanctuary on the island of Trinidad. In the other ports of call we enjoyed just strolling around the colorful Caribbean ports.
Cycling on Bonaire
Kayaking in Caroni Wildlife Preserve
My favorite cruise itinerary was eight years ago when I took my mom on a cruise for her 75th birthday. My sister came too and we visited St Petersburg Russia, Copenhagen, Sweden, Estonia and Finland. It was great.
The longest cruise I’ve ever done was 28 days! This was when my husband and I used a cruise ship that was repositioning to get from Australia to Seattle. Even though it was LONG, it still was one of the funnest, most relaxing and most interesting cruises we have done. We made stops in Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Hawaii. I would consider a repositioning cruise again.
My Favorite Things on Rhapsody of the Seas
This ship is one of the smallest in the RCL line. For a short cruise like this one I like a smaller ship. I loved our dinner wait staff, but like I said before the food was unfortunately just mediocre.
Some pool time
Our room was very spacious and surprisingly had a lot of storage. I am always amazed how they squeeze storage into every nook and cranny in these rooms. We were very comfortable; thebed was great and the balcony was awesome. Our room steward was fantastic, and the room was very quiet.
We only went to a couple of the shows, but the ones we saw were just okay. I think the larger ships tend to have better entertainment. On our one day at sea the cruise staff had so many different things to do and that gave us lot of choices. I enjoyed the cake competition and the parade of flags the most.
Cake Competition
Over sixty countries represented in the crew Parade of Flags
Everyday we played trivia at least once, it’s one of our favorite things to do on board any cruise.
Trivia
I love formal night in the dining room, although most people don’t dress to the nines like back in the day. But since I don’t really have much of a reason to get dressed up very often, I like to have fun in a pretty dress. On this seven day cruise we actually had two formal nights on board Rhapsody of the Seas Southern Caribbean.
Formal Night
My Least Favorite Things
The buffet is annoying to me…people get so worked up over food. I only ever had the salad bar in the buffet during this cruise because fighting for food is not my idea of a good time. There was never a line for salad bar…hmmm. I must point out though, this buffet on this smaller ship was extremely small compared to some ships, so that played into my annoyance.
I’m not a big fan of dining with strangers, so we always try to get a table for two in the main dining room on our cruises.
Great sunsets
Anytime you throw a couple of thousand people together there are going to be people who are entitled. This is a big issue for me in any group situations…loud, pushy, or just plain rude. I do my best to take a deep breath and move along.
The ship seemed understaffed, particularly in the dining room during breakfast. One morning we waited 45 min for our food. Not acceptable.
On the final day disembarking was the most disorganized I have ever seen. What a cluster! No signage and no helpful personnel as we tried to find the right bus to the airport.
Royal Caribbean
I’ve cruised enough times on RCL to have Platinum status. It’s a low ranking frequent cruiser status that comes with a couple of minor perks. But the really big time cruisers are Diamonds and they get some awesome perks. Because cruising is not something I want to do very often, I have no plans to reach Diamond. But for those who do love cruising, all cruise lines have great loyalty programs including Royal Caribbean. I suspect we would choose Royal Caribbean again, although we usually choose based on itinerary not cruise line.
Platinum status perk
For the price, cruising is an economical way to explore multiple destinations and is particularly good for families, singles or the elderly. It has a lot of advantages, and despite some of the disadvantages you can’t beat the price per day for what you get. It’s also really nice to wake up in a new place each day without having to pack your bags. However, a short port of call will never give you the opportunity to really get to know a country deeply – which is something we value highly. So we will only cruise occasionally.
Caribbean sunsets
Thanks for reading my post Rhapsody of the Sea Southern Caribbean. However you like to travel, it’s time to get back out there people…start making some travel memories today.
Our next stop is the USA. We begin with a three week tour from Atlanta to Boston before returning to our home state of Washington for the entire summer. Looking forward to being home in the USA for four and half months before heading international again mid September. Blog posts coming about our Eastern USA stops.
When I was in grade school, one of my favorite subjects was Social Studies. I loved learning about cultures from faraway lands, the history, costumes, traditions, and way of life. Although I didn’t know it at the time, this interest at a young impressionable age would become a lifelong obsession – to learn and understand the meaning of life for peoples of the world. And this is how it came about for A Very Big Bolivian Adventure.
Llama – for wool, for food, for transport
In fifth grade, one of my favorite teachers, Mrs. Guerske, introduced our class to a Social Studies unit on Bolivia. I was beyond fascinated as I spent hours reading and looking at the photos of the hard-scrabble life of the Andean people. For decades after, Bolivia was filed away in my mind as a destination I needed to see.
Bollivian woman with baby llama
A Very Big Bolivian Adventure
And so it was in year seven of The Grand Adventure we made our way to Bolivia and A Very Big Bolivian Adventure. You might be surprised to learn that Bolivia is one of the world’s fastest emerging tourism destinations. However, the Covid period took a toll on tourism in the fragile country. As tourism rebuilds, Bolivia is currently experiencing serious economic problems and political unrest due to low pay and political dissension. During our visit we witnessed countless protests and strikes and a lack of access to US dollars available in the banks. For the most part these things did not affect our visit, except in one serious case which I will elaborate on below.
Vicuna are like llama and alpaca, but are the only ones of the three that have not been domesticated, making their wool very valuable.
Intrepid Travel
We wanted to cover a lot of territory in Bolivia, and didn’t feel confident to handle those logistics as independent travelers in this country. So we took a recommendation from a fellow full-time traveler and booked our tour with the highly regarded Intrepid Travel. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Intrepid, and particularly our guide Wendy, who made this tour the once in a life time experience it was. She is amazing.
With Wonder Woman Wendy from Intrepid Travel
The Group Day One
Our ten day tour began in La Paz (see our post Living in the Sky – La Paz Bolivia), where we met the 10 other guests who would be traveling with us. The weirdest coincidence though, eight of the twelve guests are from the greater Seattle area. What are the chances?
Perfect Travel Companions
It’s rare we travel in a group, or even with a guide, but as I said before, this country warrants it. In the past we have had some group tours where there is always that one difficult person…the complainer or the whiner. Not this group. These people were outstanding, adventurous, educated, fun and well-traveled. I now consider each and every one a friend.
Variety is one of the main attractions for visitors to Bolivia
Highlighting the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
We covered 1800 km (1100 miles) during our ten day tour. It was a lot of driving. And we saw some incredible things. I can’t possibly talk about it all, so I am choosing to give you the highlights – the good, the bad and the ugly. So here we go;
Day Two La Paz to Uyuni
We took a private and comfortable bus for what should have been an eight hour drive to Uyuni. Our guide Wendy had told us there was a possible teacher strike that may block the road, but we were proceeding anyway. After a pleasant and uneventful six and a half hours we came to a roadblock. Not teachers however. It was a protest regarding the lithium miners demands for more of the profit from lithium extraction in the salt flats. Learn more about it here.
While we waited at the road block, we saw how quinoa is grown. I was fascinated by this. Quinoa is an important crop for Bolivia.
The road block was actually two – one where we came to a stop and another 20 mile ahead. There was no getting through. We waited for two hours and when it became clear the protestors had no intention of opening the road, Wonder Woman Wendy went to work. She contacted the 4-wheel drive operators in Uyuni on the other side of the two road blocks. Using their vehicles they came to us off-road through the desert. It took them two and half hours to reach us. When they were close we unloaded our bags from the bus, walked solemnly and quietly through the strikers per instructions from Wendy. There was some concern they might harass us but they did not.
Once we got through the strikers, suddenly the 4-wheel drive vehicles appeared, the drivers threw our bags on top, we jumped in and were off, no headlights into the bush. It was another two hours through the desert to reach Uyuni. I was never so grateful to see a bed. Wendy ordered pizza for everyone but it was midnight and I was beat. No pizza for me.
I snapped a quick photo as we crossed the strikers after dark
A side note – this road block continued through the next day. Anyone traveling on their own or in the larger regular express busses that make their way between La Paz and Uyuni had to sit there for two days.
Day Three Happy to be Here
As a result of most people still being stuck on the road, on this day we saw few tourists. Today was the Bolivian Salt Flat day, the raisin de ‘etra of our tour. And after last night, we were looking forward to some fun.
This day was warmer than I expected, in fact hot, so all of our cold weather clothes we have been hauling around the world just for this experience went back into the suitcase.
Gorgeous.
The massive Bolivian Salt Flats are the largest salt flats in the world. I had to keep reminding myself it was not snow. Everything about it confuses your brain. It’s bright and white and stretches as far as you can see. Google says ;
Salt for as far as the eye can see; this pedestal is made of salt blocks
Salar de Uyuni, amid the Andes in southwest Bolivia, is the world’s largest salt flat. It’s the legacy of a prehistoric lake that went dry, leaving behind a desert like, nearly 11,000-sq.-km. landscape of bright-white salt, rock formations and cacti-studded islands. Its otherworldly expanse can be observed from central Incahuasi Island. Though wildlife is rare in this unique ecosystem, it harbors many pink flamingos. ― Google
And some fun….
All the local guides have learned to have fun with the photo opportunities the flat and endless salt plain provides and we had a fascinating day.
Incahuasi Island
Despite how incredible the endless salt flats were, the unexpected outcrop known as Incahuasi Island was beyond anything I could have imagined. Absolutely stunning to find this cactus-covered rock protruding from the miles and miles of white.
Incahuasi Island
Incahuasi Island
Salt Hotel
We ended this remarkable day at one of several salt hotels. These structures are made from salt blocks cut from the flats. People have been known to lick the walls just to be sure…I declined but it was a fascinating and also very rustic place to sleep for one night.
Salt Hotel
Day Four Pretty in Pink
We traveled away from the salt flats and into the Altiplano and enjoyed views of volcanoes in every direction we looked. The road was long as we rose higher and higher but we stopped often for photos and potty breaks. But the most scenic part of this day were several stops we made to see the flamingoes. Bolivia is home to several kinds of flamingoes who do not migrate but live permanently in this region feasting on the red-hued algae abundant in the volcanic lakes. Who doesn’t love seeing a pink flamingo in the wild?
Pink Algae and Pink Flamingoes
Pretty in Pink
As we finished this day we reached our highest altitude for the trip, and also the highest altitude I have ever been at on earth… 16,100 feet above sea level. And we felt it with every step we took.
Our accommodations on this night were rustic dorm style but the view from the dining area was other-worldly.
That view. Wow.
Day Five – The Ugly
Was it something I ate or the altitude? I doubt I will ever know. But the ugly reared its head in the middle of the night and I was very sick; diarrhea, bloating, chills, headache and unable to breath. Unfortunately this was a ten-hour-drive day in the 4×4. My car mates and my husband and of course Wonder Woman Wendy did everything possible to see to my comfort as I slept and moaned through the day. Arne did manage to take a few photos of some of this day’s scenery. I was so relieved to arrive back to our hotel in Uyuni. Please note – Wendy was monitoring my oxegen level and if necesary, would have evacuated me if I was in danger.
Grand Canyon of the Altiplano
Day Six – Potosi
We took a bus to Potosi, a silver mining town in the hills of Bolivia. Although I still felt sick I was at least upright. I attempted to go on the silver mine tour with group but bailed at the last minute and went back to the hotel. The next day however I did enjoy the really well done National Mint, a museum of mining and silver known as the Casa Nacional de Moneda.
The National Mint Museum
The National Mint Museum
Day Seven to Nine – Sucre
Another bus; this day to Sucre. Both Sucre and La Paz are considered capitals of Bolivia, it’s a strange system. Wikipedia says;
“La Paz was established as the seat of government for the legislative and executive branches, while Sucre retained the seat of the judicial branch of the Bolivian government. To this day, Sucre remains the only official capital of Bolivia, but La Paz is considered by many as the de facto capital.“
Hiking
Sucre is a more modern, colonial city compared to La Paz. It is flatter and very beautiful. We enjoyed a fantastic hike outside the city on a portion of the Inca Trail. I was so glad I was up to doing that, even though I still wasn’t 100% myself. One of my favorite things we did.
Our group on the Inca Trail
Inca Trail and great views
Wonderful day
Mercado
Sucre has a large and colorful mercado which we toured and learned from Wendy a lot about the products of Bolivia and the way of life for the people of the mercado.
Such colorful fruit
Bread and other carbs is a big part of the diet
History
The Textile Museum Museo de Arte Indigena, was a fascinating story of the indigenous textiles of Bolivia. I am always interested in textiles and I am so glad we took time to do that on our own. I also was able to purchase a small and beautiful item made by a local women to take home as a souvenir.
The little beauty I bought
Local women creating another masterpiece
We visited the dinosaur footprint park, Parque Cretacico, which was honestly far more interesting than I expected. A cement manufacturing company scouring the mountain for raw material stumbled upon the dinosaur footprints estimated to be 68 million years old. This is the largest collection of dinosaur footprints in South America with over 5000 prints of at least ten different species. The tectonic uplift of the former lake bed creates this strange and eerie phenomenon, so it appears as if the dinosaurs walked up the side of the mountain like a gecko might today. The limestone face of the wall secures the footprints for eternity. Fascinating.
Walking where dinosaurs once roamed
On our final night in Sucre – our Very Big Bolivian Adventure was coming to an end. We celebrated together as one of our group was leaving in the morning, while the rest of us boarded a flight in the morning back to La Paz.
The best travel partners…and Wonder Woman too
Farewell
Over the ten days we have grown close with our new friends as we all endured the joys and hardships of a ten-day overland tour of Bolivia. Back in La Paz we said our farewells, enjoyed one final dinner together, and thanked our amazing guide Wendy for her incredible guidance during A Very Big Bolivian Adventure. Then it was time to reorganize our bags once again for our next destination.
Volcanoes everywhere
Bolivia is truly a remarkable, beautiful and culturally rich place, despite some issues it is dealing with. I want the best for the wonderful people we met, and all those we didn’t. I hope for better relations between the USA and Bolivia, and I hope more visitors will come to experience the color, culture and geology of this extraordinary country.
I wish I could tell Mrs. Guerske how I have fulfilled this lifelong dream. Viva Bollivia! Gracias.
A repost today from 2021. Next week we will have an all new post about amazing Mexico City. Watch for it!
A little more than two years ago we were in an Airbnb on the island of Langkawi, Malaysia. It’s unusual for us to watch television, but this Airbnb had a great variety of international programs, and I watched a series about Mexico City street food. Oh my god. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I needed to go experience Mexico City street food. And that is how I came to be eating my way through Mexico City.
I Apologize Mexico
First, an apology to Mexico. As we have traveled all over the world these past five years on the Grand Adventure, we never added Mexico to our itinerary. As Americans, Mexico seems so easy to get to…and I had visited a couple times. So we kept skipping it. I’m sorry Mexico…I was wrong. The touristy places I had visited (Mazatlan, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco and Zihuatinejo) did not show me the real Mexico. Until Mexico City.
Grapefruit and Tequila
The PanDamit gave us the opportunity to reconsider Mexico given the easy access from the USA. So I began a correspondence with a Mexico City food tour company called Eat Like a Local Mexico. Eat Like a Local Mexico offers multiple food tours, but does not usually work with clients looking for a multi-day eating tour. But owner Rocio was amazing and over a period of several months we corresponded and created four days of eating my way through Mexico City during our six day visit to Mexico City.
Red Tree House Bed & Breakfast
We landed at Benito Juarez International Airport on a Monday night in November. We took a cab to the Mexico City neighborhood of Roma Sur and the bed and breakfast that had been one of a few recommendations from Eat Like a Local. The Red Tree House Bed and Breakfast turned out to be one of the best inns I have ever stayed in. Again, my apologies Mexico…it was so much better than I was expecting. The service, staff, accommodations, location and breakfast were all five star.
Breakfast at The Red Tree House
The Red Tree House
Eat Like A Local Mexico 101
On our first full day we met Rocio and guide Astrid from Eat Like a Local Mexico at a lovely little coffee shop a block from our hotel. Our tour, which was supposed to be a group tour, ended up being a private tour because the other group had canceled at the last minute. So off we went with Astrid, a tiny, energetic local who intricately knows the traditional Mexico City food scene.
Brisket Tacos
Amazing Corn
We spent the next six hours with Astrid showing us local street food as well as visiting two of the most famous markets, the Merced Mercado and the Jamaica Mercado. Such a colorful wonderland. We ate so much I can’t even tell you! But see the video below for more.
Habanera
That night we made our way without a guide to the Frida Kahlo Museum. I highly recommend this when in Mexico City. The museum is in her home, the same home she was born and died in. I learned so much about her remarkable life. Don’t miss it.
Frida Kahlo
Eat Like a Local Night Street Food
Next day, we took a “free” historic walking tour starting in the historic center of Mexico City. We always try to take a free walking tour wherever we are. Such a great way to learn local history, learn about culture and politics and all from a local. Our tour was with Estacion Mexico.
Tongue Tacos
Pork Sandwich
After a quick rest back at the hotel we met up with Astrid again at another coffee shop within walking distance of our hotel to start a Night Food Tour as I continued eating my way through Mexico City. We were joined by another American couple from our home state of Washington. Small world. Using Uber, the metrobus (clean and efficient and cheap) and walking, we crossed the city with Astrid to visit the hidden joints only the locals know about. It was incredible. We ate street tacos, mole,and flautas, drank pulque, and much much more.
Gringas Quesidilla
Pulque Agave Sap
Eat Like a Hipster Local
Day three we slept in a bit then Rocio picked us up at our hotel for a private tour she designed just for us. The food this day was unforgettable as we focused on more of the nouveau foods coming out of Mexico City. We had chocolate, cheese and craft beer. We tasted mezcal and had the freshest and most delicious hipster tacos. I am in love.
Hipster Ahi Taco
Hipster Chinese Taco
Cactus Ceviche
Mezcal
Casa Jacaranda Cooking School
Our final day of our foodie tour was spent with Casa Jacaranda Cooking School. Starting at 10am and going all the way to 6pm we explored the Medellin Mercado, then at the Casa Jacaranda kitchen we cooked mole, fresh tamales, corn tortillas, salsa and more. This was such a marvelous experience all around – I would not hesitate to do this cooking school again.
The best tamale I have ever had
Slow cooked Mole
Tasty Tuesday YouTube Video
Check out our Tasty Tuesday YouTube video here about eating my way through Mexico City.
We Will Be Back
There are several other excellent things to do in Mexico City, other than eating, so next time we will stay longer. And there will definitely be a next time. I fell in love with this clean and beautiful city, so much more than I expected. Eating my way through Mexico City opened my eyes to a culture and cuisine I had been missing.
The reviews are all over the place on this very long saga of a book about a female pilot in the early days of pilots and airplanes. Yes it is long…but I loved it. At first I thought it was about a real person, but the character is fictional but comes to life under Shipstead’s genius. Here is my book review Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.
Aeroplanes
Marian and Jamie Graves are twin infants when they narrowly escape from a sinking ocean liner in 1914. They find themselves growing up with their uncle in Missoula Montana…never knowing their parents. A simple life they lead until one day Marian sees her first airplane when ‘barnstormers” come to town. She will never be the same.
Her obsession with planes will lead her into a violent marriage and a bootlegging world. Marian goes into hiding to allude her husband, and gets thousands of hours of flying in in Alaska, until war provides her opportunities never before available.
Surprising Information
Meanwhile the novel simultaneously follows Hadley Baxter, a childhood actor gone a bit astray with wild behavior as an adult. Eerily similar life circumstances between Hadley and Marian is even more coincidental when Hadley is cast to play Marian in a movie about the story of Marian’s life, and eventual death while circumnavigating the world.
As Hadley researches her character she learns some hidden information about Marian’s life that will surprise her and could change history. Should she keep it a secret or share with the director of the film?
These two strong female characters carry the novel, but I preferred Marian’s story the most. I also really enjoyed the character of Jamie, Marian’s twin brother, and his conviction to animal rights. The novel also explores gay and lesbian issues of the period, women’s rights (or lack there of), and how world wars changed everything about society and life in the first half of the 20th century.
*****Five stars for Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.
Thank you for reading my book review Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.
I absolutely love writing this blog post each year, even though it takes me weeks to put it together. It is fun for me to reminisce about another amazing travel year! I hope it’s fun for you to read and enjoy the awards we bestow on our favorites and the best of the best from our year of travel; the Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022.
Bayeux France
Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022
I’m surprised that I am already talking about the “sixth annual” travel awards 2022! We are now well into our seventh year of travel as part of The Grand Adventure and still no end in sight. What a remarkable ride it has been. As I write this post, I’m in the country of Honduras – our 123rd country.
Malta was such a pleasant surprise. Beautiful, ancient and surprisingly inexpensive. We had planned to visit Malta in 2020…so that didn’t happen of course. We were very happy to get it back on our itinerary. Malta has a very interesting and ancient history. Valletta where we stayed was a fascinating walled city and we just loved everything about it. We highly recommend our favorite country of 2022 – Malta!
Favorite City – Jerusalem, Israel
Old Jerusalem Israel
Returning to Israel, after fleeing in March of 2020 when the Pandamit was closing everything, was a high priority. So it was a true blessing to get back to this fascinating country. This time we based ourselves in the astonishing city of Jerusalem and I am so glad we did. What an incredible place to visit and we absolutely loved everything about beautiful and fascinating Jerusalem.
Cutest Town – Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, USA
Cute Sturgeon Bay, Door County Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay in Door County Wisconsin was such an unexpected surprise as I visited with two good friends for a long weekend. We lucked out by choosing Sturgeon Bay as our home base. Colorful, centrally located and lots of wonderful things to do, July in Sturgeon Bay was a real treat.
Favorite Island – Moorea, French Polynesia
Sofitel Hotel Moorea French Polynesia
High on our list for a return visit, the small French Polynesian island is a short ferry crossing from the larger and more populated island of Tahiti. We loved our cute Airbnb bungalow in Moorea, and found the island a wonderful and relaxing destination. We really hope to return in 2024.
Most Expensive Country – USA
Little Italy New York City
The United States continues to be an expensive destination for us, compared to so many places we travel around the world. Especially given our long visit to the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii which really ratchets up our daily average. We also had a long visit to New York City which is also very expensive, so all in all, this year the award for most expensive has to go to the United States on our list for the Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022.
Least Expensive Country – French Polynesia
Coco Beach, Moorea French Polynesia
Our two months on the island of Moorea in French Polynesia was really inexpensive. Granted we were there in the off-season, but if you compare to other tropical places we have visited, French Polynesia can be downright cheap. Our choice of simple accommodations and living frugally really puts Moorea on our wishlist to return for great price, friendly atmosphere, and natural beauty.
Accommodations – 10 Airbnbs, 22 hotels and one desert camp
Favorite Airbnb – A Tie between Moorea and Valletta Malta
Our bungalow in Teavaro, Moorea
Our authentic stone house in Valletta Malta
We have really been so lucky in our travels to rarely, rarely have a bad experience with any of our lodgings. And this year once again we had some first rate accommodations. Two of our favorites were our lovely bungalow on the island in Moorea and our tiny authentic stone house in Valletta Malta. We highly recommend both!
Favorite Airbnb for service – Moorea
With our beautiful and amazing host Maea in Moorea French Polynesia
We have had several experiences over the years where we have become friends with our Airbnb hosts and our host Maea in Moorea was one of the best hosts we have ever had.
Most Expensive Airbnb – New York City.
New York is expensive – but we loved the Upper East Side and will stay in that neighborhood again
Everything in New York City is expensive. Trying to find a place to stay for our two week visit was difficult, with prices in every neighborhood outrageous. Our very teeny Airbnb space in the Upper East Side was more like a closet than an apartment, but we loved the location so it certainly had that going for it. $230 a night.
Best Value Airbnb – Moorea French Polynesia
The tiny beach at our Moorea Airbnb
With a kitchen, two bedrooms, parking, beach access with great snorkeling and the best host, we have nothing to complain about with our Airbnb on the island of Moorea. $75 a night – which was a substantial discount for our extended two-month stay.
This very unique, but slightly expensive, lodging in the teeny French village of Giverny was a wonderful pit stop on our September whirlwind tour. Walking distance to Monet’s Gardens, we loved this rural little farm hotel and the breakfast was fantastic. Highly recommend O’ Plum ‘Art.
Most Expensive Hotel – Hilton Logan Boston
Logan Airport Boston
Ridiculously expensive relative to our normal hotels, the Hilton at Logan International Airport in Boston is certainly convenient but expensive. $390 a night.
With my whole family at Dar Abdesalaam, Fez Morocco
With the kindest proprietor, the Riad we stayed in for the wedding of our friends in Fez was both inexpensive and very authentic. Beautiful five story old house with central courtyard and roof top area, located in the beautiful old city of Fez. $45 per night with breakfast! When in Fez stay at Dar Abdesalaam.
This was our second time doing an overnight camel trip in the Moroccan Sahara. Without realizing it, we booked a very different camp this time…with more amenities. This time we had electricity!! It was warmer too, being May instead of November so we were very comfortable. A two hour camel ride (gorgeous) a full queen bed, delicious dinner, music around the campfire and a fantastic breakfast. We loved every minute of it.
Best View Accommodations – Kihei Surfside Maui
Kihei Surfside Maui
Not a hotel or an Airbnb, the Kihei Surfside in Maui is one of our most favorite destinations in the world, precisely for the view. There really is nothing like it.
Honorable Mention – Cyprus
Lemon Grove Villas Argaka Cyprus
Returning to one of our all time favorite Airbnbs was a special treat – the ONLY Airbnb we have every returned to so far. We returned to thank our Cyprus Airbnb hosts and see the sights we were not able to see when we were locked down on the island of Cyprus early during the PanDamit. The view, the neighborhood, the hosts, the pool….we love this place so much. We just might visit again!
Food and Drink
Favorite Country Cuisine – Israel
Falafel and hummus are so amazing in Israel!
Mediterranean style food is always my favorite, and the amazing combination of Mediterranean, middle eastern and everything fresh and local makes the foods of Israel the best. Israel has the best hummus in the world and I could (and did) eat it everyday.
With our guide Yahya on our incredible Marrakesh Food Tour
We try to do food tours in as many countries as we can, so we definitely have some experience in this category. And our food tour, and our guide in Marrakesh was one of the absolute best we have ever had in any country. At $50 per person we more than ate our weight in every Moroccan delicacy learning so much about food, culture and history. We loved our guide Yahya who made the tour so much fun!
Prepping the Taro to be cooked inside the banana leaf
I’m so glad I stumbled on to Food Cook Lab Tahiti, a local, organically focused cooking school. Arne and I took a Tahitian cooking class, which was so phenomenal, I signed up for a second class about fish. Everything I learned was amazing, delicious and so much fun. I loved the flavors of French Polynesia.
Our lovely boutique hotel in Giverny was associated with this restaurant Le Jardin de Plumes and though more expensive than we would usually choose…it was worth every penny. A very unique tasting menu of the chefs choice. The best way to describe it is food as art. Beautiful and delicious.
Best Beer – Bend Oregon
Bend is all about the beer
Our third visit to Bend Oregon, we always make time to try new breweries when we visit this lovely town. One of the best beer towns in the Pacific Northwest and that is surely saying something.
Last year we visited a different Maui distillery, Ocean, but this time we discovered Hali’mail’e Distillery in Upcountry where they use local pineapple juice for their products. We enjoyed it and recommend it.
Best Coffee – Morocco
Happy girl with her coffee in Marrakesh
As you know I love my coffee, and real Moroccan coffee is right up there with some of the best in the world…deep, dark, rich Arabic coffee often lightly spiced.
Culture
Best Overall Cultural Experience – Shabat dinner Jerusalem
Shabat dinner (Canva)
This experience, having Shabat dinner with a local Jerusalem family, is not only our fondest memory of Israel, but one of fondest memories of all our travels. I am not Jewish but always hope to understand all faiths, particularly when in a country. Warmly welcomed by Osnat and Shaul into their beautiful home with a handful of other visitors as well as students from the local university. This lovely, authentic, delicious and religious experience will live forever in our hearts. I highly recommend it to everyone.
Most Authentic Cultural Experience – Kayar Fishing Village Senegal
Kayar at dawn
As we drove several hours to this unknown destination in terrible Senegalese traffic I began to regret this tour. But in hindsight, it was the most amazing thing we did in the country of Senegal. The thousands of locals processing millions of fish on the beach…men, women and children…was colorful and almost like a festival. Our guide Oumar from Senegal Odyssey Tours was excellent and took exceptional care of us during our two days with him.
A couple years ago, one of my favorite books of the year was The Dove Keepers by Alice Hoffman , a fictional book about the factual siege of Masada in Israel. So visiting Masada was a top priority for me, and it did not disappoint. We visited on a scorching hot day but the Masada National Park is truly remarkable, a UNESCO World Heritage site with astonishing history.
Most Unexpected Ancient Ruins – Cyprus
Cyprus is so full of surprises…so much ancient history that rivals some of the best known historic ruins around the world. We really found the UNESCO Paphos Archeological site beautiful and staggering.
Long on my bucket list, and one of the things we canceled due to the PanDamit, to finally see this astonishing gardens was a dream for me. I loved the raucous and riotous collection of flowers, and of course, the ponds so famously depicted in Monet’s work. This was an easy choice for the Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022, Monet’s Giverny and a Wee Bit More.
We could have done this walking tour self-guided, but I am so glad we decided to have a guide. Our guide was in the city on September 11th and had so much amazing insight for us to understand about Ground Zero prior to us going into the 911 Museum.
Even after seeing the photos all my life, seeing something as iconic, reverent and symbolic as the Wailing Wall (Western Wall) in Jerusalem was a wonder.
Most Amazing Church – tie The Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine and St. John’s Co-Cathedral Valetta in Malta
I felt like I was the last person on the planet to see this phenomenal play. Seeing it on Broadway was unforgettable. I was so enthralled I saw it again in Seattle with my son. See it if you can.
There are many, many options for group tours that take you across the disputed border from Jerusalem to Palestine. But I thought a private tour, for such an important event would be better. I wanted a local who could really guide us expertly through the eyes of a Palestinian. It was a fascinating day. I highly recommend Michael of Michael Tours.
If you are ever in Morocco, absolutely hire Lhoucine with Marrakesh Camel Tours. Doing this four day tour with our two adult sons was as memorable as it could be, and our tour guide was one of the best we have ever had anywhere in the world.
The UN Border crossing between Cyprus and the occupied north on our Segway
We were recommended to this tour by another tour guide who we met two years before in Cyprus. It sounded like a fun way to see the interesting capital of Cyprus, Nicosia. And we had a blast. I highly recommend Nicosia Segway Tours.
Nature
Best Sunrise – Moorea
Sunrise – each morning unique, Moorea
Every morning I had my solitary moment with The Mug and the sunrise.
Best Sunset – Maui
A changing show every night
Every night we watched the sun go to bed and it was always an amazing performance.
Best Beach – Moorea
Ta’ahiamanu Public Beach Moorea
Yes the beaches of Hawaii are amazing, but Moorea really was something special. Our favorite beach was a crystal clear white sand park called Ta’ahiamanu Public Beach.
Best Hike – tie; Washington State, Jersey
Mount St. Helens Washington State USA
Jersey Channel Islands
Hiking is a big part of our life, and we try to hike once a week no matter where we are. Our home state of Washington is one of the best places in the world to hike and we have half a dozen favorites we go back to over and over. Our time on the tiny island of Jersey in the English Channel also offered us one of our most memorable day hikes in September.
Low tide hike to the tiny island of Lihou off the coast of Guernsey, Channel Islands
We spent several days on the island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands off the coast of France. Though the weather was wet, we did the low-tide crossing hike from Guernsey to the tiny island of Lihou. This was a very unique experience and worth getting drenched for.
Best Natural Sight – Sahara Desert
That’s me with my camel buddies just taking it all in
Not our first venture into the Sahara, but it still is a mind-boggling sight to see and the overnight camel tour is something everyone should do at least once in their life time.
Again, gratitude to the beauty of my home state and all its national sites, including the National Monument of Mount Saint Helens. We hadn’t visited Mt. St. Helens in many years and thoroughly enjoyed our day hiking in this national monument. Fascinating.
Best Wildlife Viewing – Maui
Humpback Whale (Canva)
From whales to sharks, turtles to wild pigs, tropical fish to deer and the omnipresent chickens, Maui is a surprising place for wildlife viewing.
Best Bird-Watching – Antigua
Bird Watching Antigua
As we travel we have become amateur birdwatchers and really enjoy it. We were very surprised by the variety of beautiful birds we found on the island of Antigua.
Best City Park – Central Park NYC
My morning run in NYC’s amazing Central Park
We plan to return to NYC next spring, and staying near Central Park is a high priority. New Yorkers cherish this park and it really is the heart of the city. I love it too for morning runs, afternoon strolls, people (and dog) watching, live entertainment and bird watching just to name a few reasons.
Athletic Pursuits
Best Snorkeling – Moorea
Snorkeling at the public beach in Moorea
We LOVED our little bungalow on the island of Moorea in French Polynesia for many reasons…including access to snorkeling. Stepping right outside our door we could swim out about 60 yards to a remarkable reef with some of the most astonishing coral I have seen anywhere in the world.
Best Golf – Maui
Great golf and views at Maui Nui
Our home course of Maui Nui in Kihei is where we golf every time we visit this island and I had my best score ever this year!
Best Place to Run – Maui
Almost every morning I ran during our two months in Maui
I trained for and ran a half marathon (again) while on the island of Maui. Sidewalks, street lights, safe and beautiful, Kihei is my favorite place in the world to be a runner.
Weather
Hottest Day – Palestine
Our day trip from Jerusalem to Palestine was one of the hottest days of our year with temperatures well over 100F. The desert was still and treeless and we swooned.
Coldest Day – Maine and Washington
Bundled up against the September chill in Maine
December snow in Washington State
Just days before departing for two months in tropical French Polynesia we had a giant snowstorm at our home in Washington State. And when we arrived in Maine in September for a college reunion/camping trip, Hurricane Fiona off the coast pounded Maine with rain, wind and very chilly temperatures. My body responded with one of the worst colds I’d had in years – made a pilgrimage to Walmart to get some warm clothes!
Wettest Day – Moorea
Wet and rainy birthday on our first full day in Moorea
Arriving in Moorea mid January to monsoon conditions our first week created a lake in our front yard, massive mosquitos and cool temperatures. Luckily it cleared and we loved our time in Moorea.
Windiest Day – Maui
The photo really doesn’t show how windy it was….we barely could hold still.
Thanksgiving Day was one of the windiest Maui had seen in a long time with gusts blowing everything around including people. The only time in our two months on the island we ate our meal indoors with the doors closed.
Travel
Longest Travel Day – Cyprus to Seattle
Heathrow (Canva)
Returning to Seattle from Larnaca Cyprus involved two flights and a stop in London for a total of 6840 miles.
Shortest Flight – Guernsey to Jersey
It was over before it started!
Originally we were going to take a 3 hour ferry from Guernsey to Jersey, but when we realized the flight was only slightly more expensive we booked it. Total flight time take off to touch down: 10 minutes 30 seconds.
Craziest Travel Day – Morocco
With my son Dane as we waited five hours for the storm to pass so we could take off from Dulles to Casablanca
We flew to Dulles Airport from Turks and Caicos where we met up with our two sons who flew in from Seattle. We should have only had a three hour layover but due to a terrible storm we ended up being delayed for another 5 hours. Amazingly when we finally arrived in Casablanca our driver was still waiting for us. What a sight for sore eyes that was.
Miscellaneous
Weirdest Event – Shark Attack
Shark (Canva)
A very sad and scary event while we were on the island of Maui was the death of a snorkeler who was attacked by a Tiger Shark. We felt so bad for her husband and family.
Strangest Experience – Disputed Border Crossings
Palestinian side of the wall between Palestine and Jerusalem
UN Border crossing between Cyprus and occupied Northern Cyprus
This year we crossed two disputed borders; Israel to Palestine where Israelis soldiers were heavily armed and a bit rude as they guarded a 40 foot wall; and Cyprus to Northern Cyprus where UN forces keep the peace between Greek Cyprus and the disputed occupied Turkish Northern Cyprus.
Bucket list – Palestine and Israel
Banksy Art Palestine
Old Town Jerusalem
Since I was 12 years old I had wanted to go to Israel and Palestine. I feel very blessed to have visited.
Best Celebration – 40th Anniversary
With dear friends at Mama’s Fish House
Just the two of us at Merriman’s Kapalua celebrating 40 years of marriage
While in Maui we had a wonderful 40th wedding anniversary celebration, in fact two. The first with our friends from home who were on the island as well as our friends from Molokai who came to join us at Mama’s Fish House. The second, just Arne and I, at the incomparable Merriman’s at Kapalua. I hope to do that again on our 80th anniversary.
Favorite Photo – Senegal
Hauling in the catch, all hands on deck, in Kayar Senegal. This happens every morning.
I take thousands of photos…I mean it – thousands. So choosing a favorite is hard. This year I choose this one. The color. The culture. The authentic feel of hard work and community. And that baby.
Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022
There you have it. The best of the best of My Fab Fifties Life travel of 2022. Amazing, memorable and unique experiences with new cultures and experiences around the world. What a grand adventure it is. We sure hope you will consider visiting some of these places and enjoying some of these unique experiences too.
That’s my guy…and those bags…oh the stories they could tell.
As I post this annual awards I am in the country of Honduras…my 123rd country. Our travels in 2023 currently are planned for us to visit at least a dozen and maybe more as we explore and find the rich and rewarding destinations, people, experiences, foods and beauty of this amazing planet we call home.
I hope you have enjoyed the Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022. We hope you will continue to follow us around the globe, comment, pin and share this post so others can follow as well. Thank you and be fabulous. Our blog is nearly ten years old…it wouldn’t be possible without all of you.
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