Bohemian to the Bone

Key West

2011-02-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

Key West is a small place in the South of Florida that seems to attract beach bums and retirees. In the last few cruises to Key West I did two Nature Kayak excursions. On these excursions we kayaked all around and learned about the environment of the Keys.

We kayaked in mangroves which are fascinating trees that live in salt water. The water here is absolutely clear because of the natural process of the mangrove filtration and the sea grass. Mangroves are fresh water trees able to live in Salt Water due to their use of a sacrificial leaf. The mangrove takes in the water and filters the salt out and puts it all into one leaf which will then turn yellow die and fall off for the sake of the whole tree. The mangroves will grow in a way that they seem to form their own little islands. They create protective areas from hurricanes and such. In high winds going into the mangroves can protect you.

On our excursion, we were able to see all sorts of birds I’ve never seen in the wild such. Especially Pelicans! So cute these birds are. Then as we kayaked more, our guide would find, capture and show us all kinds of sea creatures and pass it around so we could touch and feel. There were: spiny sea star, sea cucumbers, sea hare, conchs, tree oysters, anemone, and all kinds of sponges. She would explain the habitat their defense mechanisms and about how we need to preserve these creatures for the greater good. The conch is a protected species in the area as the numbers which were once in the tens of thousands are now in the thousands.

Another time in Key West I did a pub crawl. There are a ton of pubs in Key West. From seedy to shiny they have it all. Many have these “slushy” style drinks that are like any slushy you find in your local 7-11, but these are made with alcohol. Some with pure grain alcohol even. Restaurants abound boasting every type of fare, but the specialty being local seafood such as grouper and conch fritters. However, the thing to get here that you cannot get any other place that is truly a specialty of Key West is the Key Lime pie. YUMMY! I went to THE place for Key Lime. It was featured on the food network as having one of the ten best desserts in the nation. After my nibbles I would agree that this pie is delicious. They even have chocolate covered Key Lime Pie. In addition to perfectly prepared Key Lime Pie that is not too tart and not too sweet with a perfect texture and a divine graham cracker crust the place has a delicious ambiance. It is peaceful with a koi pond in the middle and trees to protect you from the throngs of tourists all around. All in all Key West is a nice little destination with some fascinating things to offer.

Coco Cay

2011-02-10T08:16:00.000-08:00

We sailed to Royal Caribbean’s private island, Coco Cay, in the Bahamas. This island was a trippy experience. It was as if we dropped anchor and the ship services were teleported to the island and a few more added. Much of the staff from the ship had to work the places on the island and most of the musicians played on the main stage at the island. The food was pretty much prepared on our ship and delivered early morn to the island. They had grills and everything to cook burgers and such.

The Bahamas are all low lying islands with very little landscape due to all the hurricanes. If you ask me, they all look fairly desolate, but will have these magnificent white sandy beaches. Our ship was anchored out and there were boats that transported people back and forth to the island. When you get to the small island there are all sorts of brightly colored buildings each with its own purpose. There were shops and bars and such. These shops were all run by our ships own shop keepers. Other huts provided services and gear for rent such as: snorkeling equipment, jet skis, paddle boats, kayaks, hobbie sail boats, and wet suits. There was a huge water slide and this “aqua park” with inflatable activities.

I went snorkeling. With my injured ankle I could not do much, but I still saw a great deal by simply floating around. Fish would just come around me with this incredible curiosity. It was amazing. There were so many colors of fish-yellow, blue, orange, green, red, purple, black, and every color in between. I saw a Barracuda and this gorgeous eel. There was a sunken ship to explore and further out there was a sunken plane, but with my ankle I just kept to the reef and ship wreck. It was a truly beautiful day.

In addition to snorkeling I walked around the island as it is not really that big. At one part of the island you can walk more then 100 feet out into the water whilst it remains shallow and below the knees. There were people out in the far distance that seemed as though they were walking on water. All around the island are thousands of lounge chairs and hammocks. It is a truly peaceful place especially when you get away from the central area where most people congregate. It was had a good, but trippy time.

Stingray City

2011-01-31T09:11:00.001-08:00

In Grand Cayman I had the fantastic opportunity to go snorkeling at a coral reef and then swim with Stingrays at Stingray City. The coral reef was so fun. There were so many cute fishes with so many colors. I would just float around mesmerized by all the colors of fish. I also loved the Sea Fans they were so amazing in color and grace. These purples and blues I couldn’t believe. In all Crayola would be hard pressed to find the method to making any one of these colors. I would just take picture after picture and I just loved it.

Then we went to this place called stingray city. It was just off the coral reef area known for being a great natural area for these gorgeous creatures. There were about six stingrays around us of all different sizes. It was such an amazing and different experience for me. They are so gentle and graceful and watching them transports you to simpler place. The guide actually caught one to show us up close and point out where the stinger was. Then they gave us some squid so we could feed the stingrays. They are wild and everything so it was just a very different and interesting experience. While in the water the stingrays would see you and swim towards you it was so awesome. Feeding them was awesome they would take the squid right out of your hands and move on. They are so curious too. I wouldn’t have any squid but they would swim up to me to just check me out. I began to try chase them to pet them more. I couldn’t help it, I just wanted to touch them.

Then we went to this 5.5 mile strip of beach called 7 mile beach… At the beach we received a rum punch, lunch, and lounge chair on the beach. Not sure what was in the rum punch, but it was good. It was nice to sit on the beach and just relax. Just as the tour was ended the clouds rolled in and the rain began. So I went back to the ship and just relaxed. It was another good day in the sun.

Jungle Buggy

2011-01-31T09:07:00.001-08:00

I did an excursion in Cozumel Mexico called “Jungle Buggy Adventure” and it was so much fun my face hurt from smiling so much. I drove an ATV buggy which was basically an off road souped up go kart with roll cage. We went on trails that went in and out of the Cozumel jungle to a Beach area. The Cozumel jungle which is actually very low plants because of hurricane season. The land of Cozumel is not too friendly to growing much plants making tourism the number one economy here.

On the ATV we went fast and the trail was so so bumpy and it was totally fun. Driving the buggy was a lesson in just letting lose and being free. At first I was really tense trying to prevent shock from the rugged terrain. But the more I went, the more I realized I had to not fight it and to just let it be and let go my tension. The more I did the easier it was and the more fun it was.

The views were spectacular along the trail. The water is absolutely gorgeous-so blue and reflective. When in the jungle it would get dusty and therefore hard to see, but we would get views of the beach and it was amazing. Half way we stopped a Mayan Ruin where I learned that Cozumel was basically a honeymoon retreat for the ancient Mayans. It was a place that after marriage couples went to make offerings to the fertility goddess they would stay for about a week in worship. We visited this 600 year old Mayan temple. It was not huge because they knew about hurricanes so would build it low and sturdy.

After the trek we went to a beach and had some traditional Mexican food. Of course, I had vegetarian the option of a fajita. They basically grilled a bunch of yummy vegetables and then served it with rice, beans and handmade corn tortillas. They also gave us a free drink of choice so I had a margarita. Yummy. It was a great day in Cozumel!

St. Thomas Swim with Turtles

2011-01-22T08:00:00.001-08:00

The next day we were in St. Thomas. St. Thomas is a part of the US Virgin islands so we were actually in the united states at this time. I was on an excursion to take this ship called the Doubloun to turtle cove and snorkel. The ship was this mock up pirate like ship. It was double masted at least. The waters were rocky getting out and we were under power not sail. One guy got sea sick. I don’t get sea sick, but hearing seeing or smelling someone vomiting makes me sick. I was able to block him out enough to keep me from getting sick. The sights of ST. Thomas definitely gave a sense of wealth to these vacation islands. Large hotels and vacation homes splashed across the surface. There are a few islands around St. Thomas one named Water Island. It is so named because it was the first island found to have fresh drinkable water by Christopher Columbus in this area. Another island was Hideaway island where pirates would lay in hiding to ambush ships headed to Water Island. The cove we went to swim with the endangered Sea Turtle was called Back Island, but I did not get the story behind that. There was a lighthouse on the top that our guide said during hurricane Ivan waves actually covered. That was amazing and a good example of how tall wave can get in storms.

We tied the boat to a buoy and jumped in to snorkel. This is a protected cove for the turtles. In the cove are nursing turtles who are still just growing big enough to venture out into the big sea. The closer to land we got the smaller the turtle. Being a protected area we were not allowed on the land. Being protected turtles we were also warned to not touch or get in their way at all. The fine for doing so was $50,000! I didn’t chance that. The turtles were amazing. They would be grazing on the grass at the bottom of the sea and after a long while would come to the surface to get a few breathes of air before returning to the bottom to continue feeding. This is what they do and that is that, eat, breath, and sleep somewhere. I was able to dive down to see them better as the water was not very deep. But when they would surface it was too cute. There was also a reef around there with numerous colorful fish, but I was there for turtles! Then back on the ship we set sail to return. Avast ye main sail!

Samana, Dominican Republic

2011-01-22T07:44:00.000-08:00

I went to Samana in the Dominican Republic. The ship was anchored out so we tendered in to the small pier using lift rafts. Tendering is not the most fun thing in the world because guests are always complaining and expecting it to be easier when there is no way for it to be. This was a very long tender ride, about thirty minutes. It did give a great opportunity to see the coast line, with it’s many palm trees. It was like a forest of palm trees swaying in the wind. They were of a lime green color. Not very dark green like we have in the evergreen state. In fact, a great deal of yellow came through. The palm trees went all the way to water so there was not much beach along this area of the coast. Every once in a while a house would peek through the trees. I wondered if these houses were vacation homes of rich foreigners or just normal homes of the locals. What a view they must have and a joy to wake up to everyday. It was humid a fairly hot even though overcast. Even while still not ashore I got a sense of the relaxed lifestyle I imagine the locals enjoy.

When we finally arrived to the dock we were whisked into the speedboat for the tour I was going to take, Cave and Mangrove Exploration. This was a little sad for me because it meant I could not explore the mainland area, but from the looks of it there was not much around close to where we were. From what I was told it was essentially a place where you could get a beer and be bombarded by locals. In hindsight, I also really enjoyed my tour making up for the disappointment in not exploring the mainland much. The tour I took was phenomenal. We raced across the Samana harbor to Los Haitisis National Park. As we approached the land it looked as if there were all sorts of hills and mini mountains. As we got closer I realized they were actually little islands. That dotted all around the area. Our speed boat went around various islands and it was fascinating. Each one would be full of trees. There was one section they referred to as Isle of the Birds. There were so many birds of all various kinds: frigates, vultures, pelicans, and boobies. The male frigates, when wooing the female would puff up there chest and it would be an amazing bright red color. The brown boobies had amazing contrast in colors, very striking to say the least. The birds would sore over these islands in flocks it was a stunning sight with the blue sky back drop. Some of the birds would dive into the water to catch their prey. There were nesting baby pelicans as well that were stark white and super baby cute.

Many of the islands had caves of varying sizes. The guide told us that Los Haitises actually had 34 caves, but to protect them from vandals only four are available to tour. One could see many of these caves from the water and just imagine people seeking refuge there in storms or the amount of bats that must be contained therein. We were able to tour inside two of them. The first one was modest in size. It was funny because as the guide was explaining the relationship of the Dominican Republic and Haiti we started to hear reggae music coming closer from inside the cave. Then a man in camouflage emerged with a little radio. He was a park ranger. In one of the rooms of this cave there was an opening in the top and a trees root system was growing down through the top. It was actually a fairly small shrub with a huge root system. I wanted to climb it, but that was not allowed. Apparently the flowers from this shrub would be used to make some of the ink they used in their cave drawing that we would later see. The guide told us how the ancient Taino people would use these caves for ceremonial purposes. We then walked to where the exit of the cave was and the guide pointed out a carving that they believe to be about 1500 years old of a face that was in the a stone. It was a very playful face. Makes me think that these Taino people must have been playful and fairly joyous in life. We then reboarded our boat to explore in some mangroves and another cave.

The mangroves are amazing to me. They are fresh water plant that grows in salt water. There are three kinds Red, Black, and White. This area only had red and black and you can tell the difference by how the roots grew. Red ones the roots grow downward while the black ones grow upward. As I mentioned they need fresh water to survive, yet they live in some of the saltiest water on the planet. How they are able to this is through a sacrificial leaf system where they mangrove filters the water and directs all the salt into a few leaves that eventually turn yellow and die allowing the tree as a whole to survive. The root system of the red mangroves are amazing to see how they weave around in the water creating what in some instances becomes land like. On the roots many creatures live such as what they call oysters, but these are not the kind you eat, and many crabs. On the other side of where we were was a protected manatee habitat that unfortunately we could not see, but never the less the guide said the manatees are only out in the early morn. We then stopped at another island and explored another cave. This cave had numerous petroglyphs. Many ones depicting local animals like the humpback whale, sharks, and birds. Other depicted gods such as the rain god. Many were also of Shamans. Shamans in this tradition were people who had to be born with six fingers so in these cave drawings many people had six fingers. Then there were some cave drawings that elude to the Spanish explorers that came to the area. Because these people in the drawings had crosses associated with them. The Taino people did not have crosses. Crosses were first introduced to the area by Christopher Columbus. The drawings reminded me of something I might have drawn when I was little. The ink is made of a mixture of flower, root, and whale oil.

Then we were off on the speedboat directly back to the ship. These waters are where humpback whales come in the winter to have their babies in the warm water. I was on the lookout, but we did not see any. On the ship I then went to open deck to enjoy the sunset. It was a beautiful day.

Jamaican Situation

2011-01-17T07:41:00.001-08:00

It is day three now on board and we are docked in Ocho Rios Jamaica. Ocho Rios is on the north end of the Island and is fairly small. I look forward to so many shore excursions. Some of the Shore Excursions include: River Tubing, Zip Line, Swimming with dolphins, Dunn River Falls, Horseback Riding, deep sea fishing, snorkeling and much more. Today I decided to just stroll around town.

Let me tell you Jamaica is a great place to practice saying no. Within an hour I had numerous offers for Marijuana, taxi rides, necklaces, crafts, people to braid my hair, and even a proposal for marriage. It was so annoying, but pure culture you could say. I did enjoy the vibe a great deal. Stroll is the perfect word for what people do here. There does not seem to be time line and no body seems to worry much. As the folks offer you this and that they introduce themselves with name and everything. They look you in the eye and they smile. It is charming.

Being close to Christmas there was a Jamaican Santa in the square. As well as a steel drum band with these ladies dancing with false huge bums. Music did seem to be in the air. As I strolled around I could just sway with the beat.

There was a beautiful environment around me. I saw beautiful butterflies, cranes, and I even stalked a tiny lizard for a while trying to capture a picture. I did not have much time here, but I had quality time.

The following trip to Ocho Rios I did an excursion called Jamaica Bobsled. We went up this lift into a jungle setting called Mystic Mountain and got to take ride on this roller coaster ride type thing modeled after a bobsled. There was a museum about Jamaican athletes which was interesting as well. What I enjoyed about this day was our guide. He explained that in Jamaica no body has any problems, only situations. I like that.

Return of the Century

2011-01-17T07:39:00.000-08:00

I have begun my new contract on the Century, so far so weird. It has been one year since I last left this ship and it seems like it was frozen in time and not changed one bit. As I walk around so many people who were here when I left are still here, and they recognize me! There are the people I knew would be here, but every time I go out I see another person I know from before. The Spa manager, the future crew saleswoman, captain’s club host, shore excursions manager, environmental officer, crew administrator, youth staffer, guitar player, AV techs, numerous wait staff, and room attendants. Ship life is a small small world, but it does make you feel like you have a family away from family.

My cabin is actually big compared to others I’ve had and location is everything some times. That being said I am on deck 5. On this ship, sea level is on deck 3. So I am a bit above sea level, but when we are at sea I can still hear the waves hit the hull. There are only a few other cabins near by so it is not a high traffic area which is nice. However, my cabin is right by the entrance to our area so I can hear anytime anybody enters the hall way. As to my commute, it is ideal. The entertainment main office that I do my time cards and get my schedule is on the same deck. Where the main shows are is only about 20 stairs away, and the open deck promenade is 15 steps away.

The place to go on this ship as a crew member is the crew bar. Most ships have a crew bar and a staff bar. The major difference between the two is one is smoking and the other is not. The Crew Bar is smoking and is more of a night club feel where music is loud and people end up dancing. It is far more active then the staff bar on this ship. It is bigger then the staff bar with far more seating as well. The Staff bar is small and cluttered as it also has the crew library, foosball table, and the computer room’s entrance is here. There is always hanging out in guest areas, but it more expensive in general and we have to be very careful about appearance and behavior.

Lag Time

2010-06-29T01:19:00.001-07:00

So I have been totally lag on writing my blog. It goes to show what the life en route can do. A friend on the ship said you age three times faster working on the ship. I don’t think it was that we aged faster it is just that life is so jam packed with experience it can be confused with aging faster. I kept saying I’ll write tomorrow and here it is nine months or more. I did think about writing, but then I could not decide how to catch up. I laugh now in the realization, there is no catching up to my life.

Every conversation I have I cannot help but begin my contribution with a comment such as, “When I was in…” I catch myself saying this and wonder, is it a necessary statement. It certainly sets the stage, but could it be misconstrued as elitist. It certainly comes from a placement memory, not a neener neener standpoint. I find conversation difficult not to dominate too. No matter what everyone is interested in the perfection of my life traveling the world experiencing so many wonderful things. I cannot help but glow in my reflective answers to the many questions. I get no sympathy either.

Life always in motion is difficult and life at sea does have its difficulties. Often, being human I must look for the flaw in perfection. I must try to complain in some way otherwise it’d be un-American. So I reflect on the times I thought about how nice it would be to wake up in the same city you went to sleep in. Then I think about all the truly amazing things I’ve done and I begin to list them: sightseeing in Paris, Clubbing in St. Petersburg, exploring the roof-tops of Stockholm, kayaking the fjords of Norway, eating pasta in Italy, pizza in Naples, being in my middle of the Atlantic with nothing around, river tubing in Jamaica, power snorkeling in Grand Caymen, and everyday is a new thing to do and see and life is coming at you from every which way and then you realize in the shade of cupola of Florence that that day, is just another day. *sigh*

Somehow I wonder when will I ever live in reality. Is it true that at my tender young age of 30ish that I have traveled all across 49 of 50 United States, Canada, and Mexico, that I have toured in Peru and South Africa, that I have lived in Italy on two separate occasions, and that by this time next year I will have been to 40 countries and over 200 cities.

So while I may lag in writing, I do not lag in material. I promise to tell stories and share. It would be selfish of me not to.

Repositioning (Part 1)

2009-11-26T06:50:00.001-08:00

We did our repositioning cruise a few weeks ago, where we moved our homeport from Amsterdam to Barcelona. This cruise was different then all the rest I’ve done because for the most part, each port I had only one chance to see it all. At first I was really worried that I would miss something, but then I realized it was impossible not to see anything and that seeing anything is better then seeing nothing. I took the time to appreciate each day and love each port and what I was able to see. What a wonderful thing.

Antwerp was a delight for my sense, mainly my taste senses, but the other four got a workout as well. I had three Belgium goals: Belgium waffles, Belgium chocolate, Belgium Beer. Not only did I achieve my goals I discovered that there is so much more to this place, but that enjoying life to the fullest as I had done with my waffles, chocolates, and beer is the main secret to life in Antwerp. The city of Antwerp has an amazing cathedral that dominates the skyline. Once inside the artworks of Reuben are displayed in a marvelous. Walking around the cathedral one really gets the sense of the profound worship and love of God folks in the area share. Upon exiting and entering the main town square one immediately realizes the openness and happiness of the Belgium people. There are smiles everywhere and the people genuinely own their joy. I had a delicious Belgium Waffle topped with fresh fruit and a nice coffee the locals around me shared tales and reminisced in good times. After I left there I walked down a happy little corridor to the “Best” chocolatier in Antwerp, Burie. Not only do they have fabulous, to die for chocolate, they sculpt it in ways that even gives pause to the relentless chocoholic before the jaws clench around the morsel masterpiece. In the window proudly displayed was a chocolate sculpture of Antwerp’s Cathedral. Amazing! After dropping a good chunk of my paycheck, I continued to stroll through the streets in search of The Kulminator. Fine sources told me that this was the place to go for beer. And these sources could not have been more right. Amazing selection of beer with a beer list/menu nearly two inches thick, I was in Beeradise. I had some samples draft beers that were very big for samples, but let me know the I would select was defiantly a good choice. All I can say is, Beer goodness it was delicious. The setting was perfect in this little alcove of a place. It had that dark quality, but did not even touch dingy, it was cozy and friendly, but not pompous and over reaching. The barkeep was a friendly lady in her 60’s maybe who served with a smile. There was a climate controlled room for their vintage selection of bottled beers. As I sat and sipped I took in the day I enjoyed what I had right then and right there. I was one happy traveler.

Next was Dover. The White Cliffs were great to see, but pollution and climate change has made them less white by the day. The castle was quite a sight as well. While I did not get to see the inside I could imagine all the tunnels and secret passageways that makes this one of the most effective fortification ever known. This day, I took a tour to the delightful town of Canterbury, home to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and the magnificent cathedral there. This little English town was brimming with cuteness and expensive shops. As a strolled through the street to the various town gates, I tried to imagine myself in years gone by. A mere peasant trying to acquire the necessaries for the day. But somehow I have a feeling that a mere peasant such as myself would have had just as much trouble buying the $8 tea back then as I I did that day. Very cute and quaint, but the English elite are the ones to triumph here.

The following stop was in France, Le Havre. But I went to discover Paris that day. Another amazing day! I went up the Eifel Tower and took in the amazing panorama. The city sprawl was immense and romantic. The hustle and bustle down below seemed to take an easy flow as we ascended in the elevator. The wind blew around us at the top and the excitement around us that everyone was feeling was electric. We were all at the top of Paris! After getting down I hopped on a bus tour to through the city. We stopped at the magnificent Notre Dame. This immense gothic cathedral never ceases to impress. The awesome gargoyles and buttresses, the imposing nature of the façade, the detail of the work was all so masterful. Unfortunately, when you only have 4 hours you have to move quick. A delicious French baguette for lunch and moved back onto the bus to take in the many more sights to see. We went by the Arc du Triumph, massive and bold. The Paris Opera House with its ornate and superlative décor. The Louvre on the outside demonstrated the immense nature and to only imagine the massive collection contained within. We covered so much territory and saw so much. This left me with the sense that Paris is a wonderful and exotic town, best left to at least a week, not four hours.

In La Coruna Spain I took it fairly easy. Of course this city on the northwest corner of Spain does not have too much to offer but beach. I strolled around the city along the beach promenade stopping for many photos of Torre Herculeum, which is a Roman Lighthouse. It is believed to be the oldest working lighthouse in the world. This day the sun was blazing and I was feeling so happy. One person did note that it is odd that our photos in July have us in Jeans and Jackets and now our September pictures have us in Shorts and Tank Tops.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T02:57:00.001-08:00

I have had an amazing six months. I will write more details about some of the experiences but in honor of thanksgiving and my recent reflections I thought I’d write at least a little something.

I have kayaked the fjords of Norway.
Climbed the desolate hills in the northernmost town of the world.
I have been to the the westernmost point of continental Europe and the Southernmost point of Africa.
I have crawled and climbed on the rooftops of Stockholm.
I partied the night away, vodka in hand, at a nightclub in St. Petersburg and survived a taxi ride back to the ship after sunrise.
I have stared into the eyes of wild African Elephant in South Africa.
I have seen the sun the never sets and the night that never comes.
I have wined, dined, and sat in cheer with native Fins.
I have experience th magic of Machu Pichu.
I have practice martial arts in Hong Kong.
I have enjoyed the flavors beyond compare in an Estonian chocolate.
I have walked the paths of Hans Christian Anderson and reveled in the legends that make young girls dream.
I have enjoyed the nightlife in the streets of Amsterdam in all its worldly fashion and then tasted the finest Dutch cheeses underneath a windmill.
I tasted the finest chocolate, beer, and waffles the capitol of that trio can offer in the happiest country of Belgium.
I have rode zip lines through the canopy of an indigenous South African Forests.
I have scaled the Eifel Tower, the Leaning Tower, the Vatican’s dome, and the great dome built by Brunelleschi in Florence.
I have sipped the wines of Tuscany while enjoying a heartfully prepared meal in the countryside.
I have seen the sunset in Lima whilst being serenaded.
I have reveled in the taste of the World’s Best Gelato and an authentic wood fired Pizza in Naples.
I survived crossing the street in Naples.
I have enjoyed a traditional Zulu dance by the fire.
I have walked the Path of Love in Cinque Terre and did not get lost.
I have Swam in Sea along the French Rivera.
I have Gambled everything I had in Monte Carlo.
I have lost everything I had (in my wallet at the time) in Monte Carlo.
I have kayaked the rivers of South Africa.
I have enjoyed a concert in a cave given from a boat on the world’s largest underground lake.
I have teased the monkeys on the Rock of Gibraltar.
I have crossed paths with the Baboon of the Cape of Good Hope.
I have enjoyed the scents of the Perfume capitol of France.
I have enjoyed wine tasting on 4 continents.
I have the ability to continue writing this list for many more days.
I have the wisdom not to.
I have traveled the world for no other reason then to see, hear, taste, touch and feel, but the greatest journey is one I take everyday.
I have a journey that requires nothing
I have a journey of a life lived.
I have life.

Happy Thanksgiving

Sweet Endings

2009-09-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

It over, we’re leaving the Baltic and Scandinavia, and I am sad. However, all I accomplished and saw was tremendous and this last cruise was a cruise of happy endings. At each port, I left with a sense of knowing and experiencing a tremendous amount.

Warnemunde has been very good to me as a jumping off point to explore the area of Germany known as Mecklenburg. This time I went to the ancient city of Gusterow. A town of nobility and just plain pretty. We toured a castle that had fantastic interiors with mean and evil docents. As I enter this one room I was struck in awe by the ceiling. Usually ceilings are painted with marvelous frescos this one was sculpted into incredible frescos. They were alive and in actual 3D instead of just being painted on. The edging of the wall had these fanciful deer painted on that grew out into the sculpted body and each one was adorned with actual antlers. I somehow missed the message about no pictures and as I was prepping my camera for a shot, I was actually hit by the docent as she yelled at me, “Nicht.” This was an actual hit, not a tap, or nudge. The lady hit me. Oh well, I continued seeing the marvelous castle and city of Gusterow and then we were treated to a lovely BBQ in a quaint village outside of town. We returned to Warnemunde the sun shining and I walked out to the lighthouse and sat on the infamous beach. I joined colleagues for a beer while they bitched about how miserable they are. I sat and smiled and wondered how anyone can choose misery over happiness.

In Stockholm, I woke with many things I wanted to do and see. In the end, I could not do much of it. Sometimes my work does get in the way of my vacation and this last Stockholm was one of those times. We had a drill that was required of all crew members and was meant to test our training in case of a bomb threat. By the time this was completed we were left with two hours to go out and enjoy. I went to a café in the Old Town that I had spotted a cruise or two earlier. I ordered a delicious handmade lasagna and the house specialty drink of chocolate. I sat there in the sun and watched all that was occurring around me. There were some cadets enjoying moments with friends, a street musician playing for the crowd. There were mothers with strollers passing by and toddlers merrily skipping along. At one point, a bride to be on a makeshift throne placed on a wheeled cart was whisked through the square to much fanfare rattling on the cobblestones. I looked at the bell tower that soared above my head as I sat and just enjoyed what Stockholm had to give me on this beautiful day.

Helsinki gave me a chance to get something I needed as well as truly begin the Souvenir bonanza. I started the day at a café near the Lutheran Cathedral. Had a delicious breakfast and spent time on free internet. Then I ran an errand in their big department store to get a hard drive for my computer. Afterwards, I walked along the park setting of the Esplanade. I went to the outdoor fish market and general market. I found the perfect souvenir for my sister-in-law and niece and then found a place in the sun to enjoy a Finnish tradition when the sun come out, an ice cream. Helsinki gave me a simple ending (and sweet one at that) and that was perfect.

My goal for St. Petersburg was to see Peterhof. I did it. Peterhof was meant to rival the beauty of Versailles. Not having been to Versailles, I don’t know how it rivals, but in terms of Peterhof itself, Wow! The amount of beauteous fountains were breathtaking. The scenery and the setting was serene. The palaces and houses on the properties were sights to behold themselves. The Grand Palace that was destroyed by the Nazis has been immaculately restored and is quite impressive. Each room showing off riches that no commoner could imagine. The smaller places like Catherine’s Block, where Catherine the Great spent her time, and Monplaisir where Peter spent his time were remarkably detailed and full of surprises. The Bath House made me want to spend an entire day bathing, which for those who know me is not usual. It was gorgeous and the setting so relaxing. Throughout the acreage there were numerous fountains of varying size and splendor: the twin Roman fountains made of marble, the chess board fountain, the grand cascade (containing over 75 individual fountains, the oak tree fountain, the carousel, and so one. Each fountain was not pumped via electricity, but from nature. The water was from the Gulf of Finland and was returned as such, so not a drop is wasted. Each step I took I knew that great thought was put into how to make each step great enough for the person taking that step. Outside of Peterhof I was able to see the villa of Nicholas I. He wanted a simpler place to live and his cottage was simple by the standards of the Grand Palace, Winter Palace, Catherine’s Palace and so on, but far from simple by my standards. The cottage had a grand staircase that was blue with white roses. I loved it. As we ascended to the third floor we were able to see his study and enjoy the view he would have had overlooking the Gulf. The cottage had a small concert hall, a large dining room, and several rooms where he and his 7 children lived. Each one tastefully decorated. Peterhof was a wonderful way to end St. Petersburg. A reminder that in the hustle and bustle of big city life, everyone, even the Great ones need to retreat.

Then there is Tallinn. Oh my beloved Tallinn. What better way to remember you then through my stomach. What a delicious breakfast that was! Who knew eggs could taste so good! I can’t pinpoint all the spices but the eggs were certainly not as thymeless as Tallinn is timeless. Served on bread it was nearly as good as the ambiance of the café we were in. The café was perfectly medieval. Exposed stone and brick work, hanging copper pots, iron works all around; this was truly an ambiance suited for the lovely Tallinn. After this delicious breakfast we walked around some more. In honesty, we were building an appetite for chocolate. After we accomplished that, we went to my favorite chocolate place, Chocolate De Pierre, and proceeded to buy two days salary of chocolate. Yummy! Then I met up with another friend and we walked around more of Tallinn and even ascended the medieval tower that was once used as prison. I snapped photos like is customary in such a beautiful place and then as the time to depart drew near I headed to the pier where, as planned, I drank an Estonian cider. I sat at the waterside table as I had done when I first went to Tallinn and drank the delicious drink and reveled in the beauty that surrounded me.

In Copenhagen, I was under the weather, but that would not hold me back from hitting the streets one last time. Not only was I under the weather, the city was as well. It was unbelievably windy. I decided to explore the 17th century fort or Kastelet. I snapped photos of this star shaped military complex that for so long protected the Danes. It’s park like setting was a wonderful place to explore and get great panoramic views of the harbor. I finished with a danish near the Little Mermaid and more gift shopping.

Finally, it was to be my the last time in Amsterdam, for this trip anyway. At a certain point I was hitting the pavement in my normal fashion walking everywhere. I realized that Amsterdam is a lovely place to visit and party, but I could not live here. Perhaps the lady profusely vomiting on the corner from a little to much spirit of some sort, or the completely wasted “buskers” who moaned and groaned while picking at a two stringed guitar, or the mass quantity of completely wasted young folk staggering by unaware of anything around them finally got to me on this trip. Amsterdam is a city where each and every house is a monument and landmark, yet it seems a vast majority of the people there are unaware of this fact. Anyhow I enjoyed my traditional Dutch Pancake and went along my merry way in the day light. Found a pub and decided, if I can’t beat them I might as well join them. Had some favorite beers needed and then needed food to absorb them then with. I joined with a few girls from the ship who needed help to brave the back alleys and walkways of the infamous Red Light District. The ladies in the windows were out in full force and the gaukers as well. People are people and we all have our needs, wants, and desires. At least here it is regulated. We then blissfully returned to the ship calling our last overnight at a port a great one and retired to my cabin. I was entertained when one of the older guests was asked if he enjoyed his time, and his response was, “Isn’t that a personal question?”

The following day I took a tour that completed Amsterdam or Holland for me. I went to the town of Edam, famous for its cheese. Visited a cheese factory where a lady explained the Dutch way of getting their whey. (sorry, pun had to happen). We then sampled all of the cheeses. Yes, it was the cheesiest tour ever and in the end it was gouda. Three sticks of smoked cheeses later I was happy a shopper. We then explored the charming and picturesque town. Built around canals and using the lock system this town overflowed with what I picture small Dutch towns to be. The colors, the bridges, the boats, the people were all just like the pictures of Dutch life depicted on Delft pottery images. I loved it! Then we went to Zaanse Schans, a quaint Dutch windmill village that has been recreated to resemble exactly what an 18th century Zaan community would be like. I strolled through the street watching craftsmen practicing the trades in traditional manors in traditional garb. I visited a clog factory and saw a demonstration on how they make clogs. I got to get up close to Industrial windmills that made colors, pulp, and sawdust. The rest of the day we drove around Dutch farmlands learning about the system of canals, dikes, and polars that are uniquely Dutch. We drove onto the Unesco world Heritage polar that spanned 17 acres and was about 5 meters below sea level. I learned so much about Dutch life and that was the perfect way to complete my Holland/Amsterdam experience. How truly blessed I am.

Baltic Reflection

2009-08-27T10:33:00.001-07:00

So I have been in the Baltic for 4 cruises for over a total of 50 days of spectacular fun. In my usual fashion my first days in cities were spent hitting the pavement walking around in an open manner with ideas of where I wanted to go, but more or less following where the wind took me. The following visits I took more time to read up and research specifics of what I wanted to see and signed up for tours. The third time I continued in that manner for the larger cities, but the also just tried to find a way to see the city in a different manner or go out of town. This past time and the rest of this last cruise I will spend it just enjoying and getting the feel of each port. I’ll make sure to see a few more things, but for the most part I will get my souvenirs, eat some local foods, drink some local brews, and try to just enjoy. This makes me one happy traveler.

I look back at the Baltic capitol cruise and am just amazed at what a wonderful itinerary this was. Warnemunde as a port town is small, but what a jumping off point. From there I made it to see Rostock, Berlin, Lubeck, and Wismar. Each German town or city offered me a taste of culture, history, and people I was struck in each moment with not only the beautiful architecture, but also the importance of History. This coming trip I might make it to Guestrow or go back to Rostock. Unfortunately another trip to Berlin is time wise unattainable, but five hours in Berlin would never be enough. Germany for me has been charm, beer, and learning about the former East Germany.

Stockholm’s ever present beauty has taken a special place. I have seen it from the water and from the roof tops. I have seen it in the best of weather and the rainiest of weather. I have seen it in quiet weekday to busy festival weekend. At all times Stockholm has given me a lesson in all that is beautiful. I hop in this trip to see the changing of the guards, inside the town hall, and finish with a boat ride to see the Vasa museum. I will also hop to find a nice place to eat and drink a local brew.

Helsinki is a town that I truly enjoy. It is not over the top, it simply is a great city. The churches are unique and gorgeous, the architecture is clean and well thought of. The people are humorous, down to earth, and friendly. And Helsinki has the Beer Tram or Pub Tram, what more could I ask for? I also got to see the great old town of Porvoo. This medieval city and my trip out to Haikoo Manor gave me a look at Finnish history and culture that I truly appreciate.

St. Petersburg is tremendous. The Russian border agents and rules are very rigid and difficult to deal with. In many ways each trip into town was the most memorable part of the trip itself. From the Taxi mafia driver taking us to a club late to the attempts at convincing a bus driver to take us to town. The time table that wasn’t and the Random black market DVDs being sold out of a container just outside of the immigration control, St. Petersburg was definitely a different country all together. The amount of history and tyranny was hard to fathom: Who shot who, who plotted against who, what tsar was killed here, what author fought his final dual here after having a drink there. So many palaces with so much riches made you think that Russia must have always had great wealth. A visit to a restored church. Restored back to a church from the ice rink it was during the strongest of communist years. The sailors that were always around to be seen with girlfriend in tote always added such charm. So many brides taking photo ops throughout the city. Finally the hugeness and grandeur of the Hermitage and the Palace Square. It was so easy to feel small in St. Petersburg. This time I am gunning to see Peterhof as my colleague from St. Pete’s says that if I see anything in St. Pete’s Peterhof is a must. I hop this trip to see Peterhof and Puskin as well as actually get a picture of the Marinsky theater.

Then there is the gem of the cruise. My new love--Tallinn. What a picture book town! The old town brims with medieval perfection I find it impossible to not fall in love with this place. To this day I think it impossible to actually put my camera away when walking through this absolutely gorgeous city. In addition to its fairy book character is the chocolate. I reiterate, this is very very good chocolate. Just look at my web album pics and you will see that Tallinn is just simply beautiful.

Copenhagen is just a delight. I have walked around town and am continually surprised at how comfortable this city is. I have sipped coffee and ate Danishes, taken a harbor cruise, visited the Tivoli Gardens amusement park, visited some great churches, nearly been killed by bicycles, happened upon and organ concert, and enjoyed listening to a trombone concerto written in Copenhagen while walking along the Harbor to the Little Mermaid. This next time I hope to see some more, but honestly just sitting a café and watching people seems like the ideal way to spend my last day in Copenhagen. Copenhagen to me seems to just say relax.

Finally there is Amsterdam. Amsterdam is our homeport and the cheapest of the cities we go to. This makes it the go to supermarket, post office, and get what you need port. I do try to get out and see stuff. I have walked along the canals, seen the floating flower market, saw the Anne Frank House from the outside (queue too long), had Dutch pancakes, went to the Sex Museum, strolled the Red Light district, and enjoyed the best Falafel ever, and I have taken time to relax in the Dam square. Our next time in Amsterdam is our overnight there. There is no limit to possibilities of what to do on an overnight in Amsterdam.

All in all I am sad to commence my last 12 days in the Baltic, but excited to get to some new ports and cities. I look back and have had a phenomenal two months in Scandinavia. Let me restate that I have had an unbelievable time. I look forward to each day of this cruise and will continue to make the most of it. As I sit here in my cabin after a small rehearsal and waiting for dinner time I realize that I have truly got my bearings in this Baltic Cruise and feel very comfortable with time I have had here. Yay!

Another Try at Explaining Ship Life

2009-08-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

Someone pinch me. Is this really my life? I am living a dream and each day brings so much wonder, joy, and laughter I just can’t help but smile till my cheeks hurt. Don’t get me wrong, things happen and there is a great deal of occurrences that might take away the smile. However, the more I open my eyes to see what is in front of me, the more I close my eyes to hear what is around me, the more I breath in the air that surrounds me, the more I take the time to stop and touch the life around me, and the more I simply enjoy what is around me, the more the things that one might call “bad”, or “depressing” slip away and disappear.

It is weird, this life I’m living. Everyday I wake up and am in a different country. Every other day I wake up and I am in a different time zone. Each time I go out I need to figure out what type of currency I need to have; is it the Swedish kroner, the Danish kroner, the Estonian kroner, the Norwegian kroner, the Euro, the dollar, the Russian Rupple, etc. Each day I need to remind myself how to say thank you: is it tak, taki, kippsi, spasiba, dank u wel, danke, etc. I could wake up and see these challenges and make the choice to whine and complain and not want to deal with it, but instead I revel in the wonderful joy that it is to find myself confused in this manner. Furthermore, I love the confusion when I start heading to favorite café in Copenhagen only to realize that I am actually in Stockholm.

I have a great deal of free time, and I can fill that free time in many ways. Of course we are at sea at night, except for overnights in St. Petersburg, and that means I must entertain myself onboard this floating city. Luckily it is just that. In the evening I can go have a drink at our Hemisphere lounge on one of the top decks. This bar has windows on all sides and is a great place to watch the many beautiful sunsets. The Hemisphere is the main guest disco with a DJ spinning the hits all the way to the wee hours. If I am not in the mood for this I can chill out in the Martini Ice Bar. With a fluid change of colors in the lights and some easy chill music in the background, I find this to be a favorite. Plus the drinks are quite a delight. Nothing can beat an espresso martini. Should I want a little more upbeat atmosphere I can go to the Rendezvous lounge and enjoy the Argentinean talent of the fabulous Azure Jazz Quartet. For even another atmosphere I can head to the Cova Café and enjoy the many tantalizing coffees and cocktails on offer there. Often though I do not want to be in guest areas where dress code is enforce and the crew is on constant call to be über friendly so I head to the crew areas. In the crew areas I can dress how I want and pretty much behave in my “normal” way. The crew areas give me two option for drinks on a regular basis. That is the non-smoking staff bar and the Smoking crew bar/night club. The other advantage is the drastic decrease in cost when going to crew bars. Now do not get me wrong, I have more to do then just drink.

If I don’t want to drink I can go to the gym or sit in the sauna. This is also a nice place to enjoy sunsets. Just last night as we sailed away from St. Petersburg, I ran my 20 minutes on the treadmill to one of the most gorgeous sunsets on the high seas, the brilliant hues of orange outstretched in the horizon.

Things happen everyday that remind me I live in a metal box that floats around the world. For Instance, when I wake up and want to look out my window, I turn on the tele and tune to channel 19. Sometimes I can‘t tell if I stagger due to alcohol or rough seas, and the crew food is…bad. My job is easy if I am relaxed enough to deal with the cast of strong characters that ascend to the top of the pyramid. We have numerous celebrations for the crew that celebrate the wonderful diversity of our nearly 900 strong crew. I have celebrated, Canada Day, 4th of July, Indian, Independence Day, Pakistan Independence Day, Indonesian Independence Day, Russian Navy day, and numerous others. I sit down for lunch with my two friends from the Philippians and learn about how they do not even speak the same language. I stand on stage talking to the AV manager from Trinidad, the sound guy from Japan, the lighting guy from Brazil, the Sax player from Russia, and drummer from France and that night beyond all our linguistic and cultural difference we put on two great productions nearly every night. I feel isolated from the world because I know that news and events are occurring around the world. After all, when you’re in a different country everyday the news events that seem to matter are different everyday. But on the ship, the world is all around me contained in a metal box and I think I like it.

Sweetest Day Ever

2009-08-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

I’ve said before and I’ll say it again. I love Tallinn. This town has so much charm wrapped up into the perfect little package that I could just die in the present. From the moment you see the town’s church spire you know that it is going to be wonderful, but until you actually step foot inside the gate do you really realize just how wonderful it is. When I first came here in June, I was in awe of how absolutely magnificent it was. My camera could not be put away the entire time, or turned off even. Each building was postcard perfect, each vista was a panorama not to be missed, and each bustling sidewalk was so full of the beautiful life that I was immediately taken back with the absolutely astounding beauty. Today as I returned to this city so full of memories of the last visit wondering how can it possibly get any better, it did. How you may ask. To put it in a word…Chocolate.

I awoke this morning on a mission to find chocolate. With chocolate loving companion by my side, we set off bright and early to go to town and find a specific chocolate shop we knew to be great as well as a few others. Now as I sit here in my cabin, I feel it safe to say that Tallinn has the best chocolate, especially tiramisu, that I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. WOW! It was a delight to the buds that were flooded with the joy of abundant taste, texture, feel, and experience. Today I enjoyed; chocolate bars, mocha, hot chocolate, truffle dipped in chocolate, truffles rolled it mint flakes, chocolate covered truffles rolled in wild flowers, and a tiramisu that made me believe I was in heaven. And all the while I was surrounded by sights and sounds of exquisite Estonia and it was another beautiful day in theBaltics.

One stop hailed itself as the Marzipan Museum. Being allergic to almonds I was worried I might be left out of the ability to enjoy a taste here, but thank Buddha I was not. There had three truffles without nuts: Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Peppermint, and Caramel. We made our purchase from the counter lady dressed in medieval garb and then returned to the streets walking toward the town square. At a certain point I decided I could wait no longer and opened the bag of treats so as to enjoy one of my morsels. As my teeth bit into the White Chocolate Cream Liqueur truffle, I was taken aback by the delicate texture and the silky mouth feel. But then as I began to realize that this morsel was far more then a mere truffle. I knew it needed to be savored. Many things that can’t be done while walking, savoring this truffle is one of those things. I had to stop walking. I grew dizzy in delight at the enchanting taste. It took over my whole oral sense of being. The world began to spin away from me and disappear as entered a state of absolute bliss. Right there in the middle of the street I stood, unable to do anything but give an honest heart felt moan and groan at the sheer joy of eating this chocolate. For a moment I was embarrassed to be reacting this way with people around. I thought, maybe I should “get a room” just to enjoy this breathtaking chocolate. But then as I brought myself back to the here and now. Still sensing the creamy goodness that filled my mouth I began to look around. I saw the medieval town square in front of me. I don’t know if was the sun, reality, or the chocolate but it all appear surreal in how perfect it was. I came to appreciate once again how wonderful life is. The fact that I could stand there nearly falling to my knees from the wonderful weakness caused my basking in a chocolate dreamland whilst being warmed by the summer sun, is that life is damn good. I began a full fledged happy dance right there in the middle of the street. Not just a little happy dance, but the full 360 degrees times three of happy dance with vertical leaps et al.

Later we came across the chocolate shop we really set out to find. We were like giddy girls at a sock hop, only far more ecstatic. Picture pre-teen girls at the latest boy band concert and you might get a little bit of the image of how we reacted to finding this place. We had been just walking down the street surrounded by tourists when, upon seeing the sandwich board and realized we Mecca, we jumped out for joy gave a yelp and began hopping merrily down the ivy covered walkway towards paradise. The tourists that were around us gave a giggle at our glee. As we entered the tiny courtyard filled with small tables the ambience was paradigm of perfection. I ordered a tiramisu.

The tiramisu was delivered to me on a small silver platter. There was some orange and raspberry marmalade and chocolate garnish surrounding the white chocolate covered tiramisu. My eyes grew wide a the twinkle probably blinded all around me and may have even caught the attention of authority. This was going to be good. Just starring at it gave me enough satisfaction to last a while. Of course, I had to take picture of this most beautiful of sights. Then I took my fork and made the initial slice. The chocolate coating did not crack or crumble. It simply gave way to my fork almost like it enjoyed it. Then I brought the bite to my mouth. From the moment my lips touch this bite I was transported once again to the state of absolute bliss where the rest of the world falls away and it was just me my beloved tiramisu. The cake part so fluffy and perfect, the cream so smooth and succulent, the coffee flavor so uplifting, and the white chocolate that smothered it was beyond fine, beyond good, beyond anything I knew this world could bring to taste. I knew I must have emitted sound that would make a window display in Amsterdam blush, but I simply could not help. It was just that good. Eek! I am one happy, happy, happy girl.

I will leave my Tallinn tale at that and go hop in a cold shower. I will not brush my teeth or rinse my mouth, I will simply lay down, close my eyes, perhaps nap a little while enjoying my sweet dream.

Helsinki is Sinking Into My Heart

2009-08-09T06:54:00.000-07:00

Helsinki is a wonderful little Capitol City that does not try to be anything more then it is. Like the town the people are just who they are: humorous, open, friendly, and welcoming. Helsinki itself is a sea-town with drastic scenery containing the numerous islands in their archipelago and many harbors and inlets that provide ultimate scenic drives. As a city there is a special feel that is connected between the architecture and the people that it simply just is what it is-nothing more nothing less. People seem to genuinely enjoy being where ever they are at simoment and are there. The city is one of art and culture. There is a happy division between the Finnish speakers and the Swedish speakers, and is a country that is proud to be the second country in the world to allow women to vote. Helsinki is even more proud to be home of their female president. My three visits to this beautiful sea town has given me a wonderful peace of mind that cities can still exist by and for the people that live in them, and that the people in them are happy for that.

Walking around town I got the instant sense that, while not an ancient town, it is still a town with a strong sense of history. The immense senate square is a wide open gathering space. There are always tourists snapping photos and many Finns there just there to enjoy the company of some friends and taking in the sun. Atop a grand staircase is the Lutheran Cathedral. Its sheer white color with gold and copper domes have a striking contrast to the blue skies we’ve been having. It is a very large cathedral that, much like Helsinki, is gorgeous and beautiful, but not overstated, overdone, or anything more then what it needs to be. On the other sides of the square are the parliament house, a university, and shops.

Heading towards the water from the square you meet up with the fish market. Being a Seattle girl I do have a hard time finding a fish market that is any where near the greatness of Pike Place, but this market is certainly lively. From the market heading towards the town center you come across the icon of Helsinki the statue of mermaid Havis Amanda and the wonderfully lively Esplanade. On a sunny day the Esplanade is teamed with people enjoying company and the obligatory Finnish Ice Cream. There are gorgeous flowers and a large path in the Esplanade. Flanked on each side by stores selling many Finnish wares--from clothes, to dishware, to furniture. From the market and Esplanade it is impossible to miss the captivating thirteen onion domes of the Orthodox Uspensky Cathedral.

Up a ways from the Senate Square is another unique Helsinki attraction of the Temppeliaukio Church, or the church of the rock. This fascinating church was blasted from rock and features a 78 foot diameter roof that is a spiral of over thirteen miles of copper wiring. Unfortunately, I have not been able to catch a concert here, but from what I hear, concert here are must do.

Another feature of Helsinki are the many parks. One of the best parks is Sibelius Park, featuring a magnificent monument to the great Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius. The monument is a cluster of steel pipes that are very reminiscent of an organ, but are said to also represent the forest that inspired much of Sibelius’ works.

I went on a tour to Seusaari Island and was blessed with a gorgeous day. Seusaari Island is an open air museum, much like one I visited in Molde Norway, that displays 18th and 19th century houses, manors, churches, and other such structure from around Finland. Even here I could find something that all Finnish folk seem to absolutely just love, the Sauna. An integral part of their culture it is said that when designing a house it is designed around the sauna first and foremost.

Another tour I took was out of the city to a town called Porvoo. Porvoo is the second oldest town in Finland found in 1346 ad. It was an important trading center and today remains one still. A stroll through the medieval city is truly relaxing and certainly memorable. Heading up to the main church I was transported to another world as I carefully navigated the rocky cobblestone road. I had to check out the tires on some of the vehicles to see the brand of choice to withstand this far from ideal road. The church had a fantastic shingle roof. I wandered around town for some time enjoying a browse through some of the shops, especially the chocolate shop and then met up with my tour again to catch our boat for a cruise to Haikko manor where we would be enjoying the best meal I’ve had since leaving.

PS This is unedited so excuse any typos etcetera.

There is no rushin’ through Russia

2009-08-01T11:56:00.001-07:00

It is not that Russia moves slow, in fact they move in a quick efficient manner, but as a traveler there is no way to see the beautiful city of St. Petersburg in quick rushed manner and truly get a sense of it. I have spent a total of four days in this beautiful city and feel the surface has only been scratched. I have so much more research to do and sights to see, but as of yet my experiences have given a fine introduction and magnificent experience.

I spent a day walking around with my National Geographic Traveler book in seemingly random fashion the first time I was here. It was not the prettiest weather. Cloud bursts made taking photos quite difficult and reading my book and map difficult as well. But I always know that if you encounter miserable weather and city is still captivatingly beautiful, then that city is simply intermittently beautiful. Of course I learned later that the varied colored facades were designed for that exact purpose. The shuttle dropped me off at St. Isaacs cathedral and it was obvious from the start, I was not in Kansas anymore, I was in Russia!

St. Isaacs dome dominates the skyline on the river Neva. I was told the 333 foot gilded dome can be seen from the Baltic Sea--I’ve looked, but have not seen it. Completed in 1858 this cathedral is massive and can hold up to 12,000 worshipers in the Russian Orthodox standing room only style. Laid out in a Greek cross the cathedral has four bell towers with bronze sculptures looming massively atop them and is surrounded by 48 red granite Corinthian columns. It took forty years to build the shrine to St. Isaac simply because its namesake shared the same day of birth (different year) St. Petersburg’s namesake, tsar Peter. Over 400,000 workers labored here and it cost more to build then the winter palace include the lives hundreds of the laborers. The dome has a beautiful mural painted by Karl Bryullov. This mural covers 8,611 square feet and has a central figure of a dove. As I wandered inside this massive cathedral, now museum, I could find beauty in every corner, it was obvious that great thought was put into every nook and cranny. As my neck began to ache from looking up so much I began to look at eye level at the massive bronze doors and the fantastic murals scattered throughout. When the time to leave drew near I exited to look at the massive columns mentioned earlier. Chucks were missing from these granite monoliths. These chunks were caused by shrapnel from the many wars that St. Petersburg has seen.

Just outside of the back of the Cathedral I took a stroll through the beautiful wooded Alexander Garden, containing numerous paths, statues and fountains. A favorite place for wedding photos, I saw numerous happy brides in gorgeous gowns flanked by a handsome groom with a huge smile. One of the paths led me to the infamous statue of the Bronze Horseman. This monument to Peter the Great is located where the garden meets Decembrists’ Square. With a horse reared back on two legs trampling a snake that represents treason the statue is full of symbolism. The bronze statue is on a gigantic rock known as Thunder Rock. This rock is believed to be the very rock upon which Peter stood when he surveyed the scene of what was to become St. Petersburg. It seems classic St. Petersburg that a place so romantic and noble is named for such tragic events as the Decembrist uprising of 1825 where more then 80 people were killed.

I then left the Square along the palace embankment and came across the towering needle spire of the Admiralty. Soon thereafter I came across the Hermitage and Winter Palace. The Hermitage is gargantuan and contains some of the world’s greatest art collected by generations of tsars. Besides the sheer magnitude of the rich art collection the building of the Hermitage and Winter Palace itself is outstanding. With more then 1000 rooms, it is said that if one were to spend a mere minute looking at each piece of art contained in the Hermitage it would take over 9 years to see the whole thing. From the moment you see the outside façade of the Hermitage and Winter Palace you are immediately drawn to it. In fact my first day in St. Petersburg I saw it, but knew I did not have the time to even scratch the surface and that a whole day needed to be dedicated to it. As I walked away that day I could not put out of my mind that which is the Hermitage and Winter Palace. Upon my return to St. Petersburg I did, in fact, dedicate an entire day to this place.

From the moment I entered the Hermitage and Winter Palace I knew I had done the right thing. From the entrance and first sight of Rasterelli’s ornate Jordan Staircase my jaw had dropped and it was useless to pick it up as it continued to fall after each step. On the tour we covered nearly 5 miles and each mile was worth it. I can not even begin to describe all that I saw. Art from Picasso to Monet and architecture that was simply, or complexly, stunning, the Hermitage and Winter Palace delivered all that was to be expected.

After the 5 hours spent in the Hermitage and Winter Palace a good meal was in order. I had the fortune to enjoy a traditional Russian meal. The meal was a spectacular ordeal. On arrival I enjoyed a simple salad with fresh vegetable and herbs. Then we served pancakes with a type of sour cream and caviar (which due to moral objections I declined) the pancake was simple yet delicious. After that we served a delicious summer squash soup that was perfectly seasoned and just a delight to eat. The main course was rice with vegetables (chicken for meat eaters) and desert was a peach cake. Not only did we have a glass of champagne we were served a true Russian Vodka that went down smooth and was the perfect punctuation to the feat. As an added bonus we were treated to Russian folk ensemble’s music.

In addition to these many sights I have seen the gorgeous Church of our Saviors spilled blood with magnificent onion domes in brilliant swirls of blue and gold. I have yet to enter, but know I will. I have seen the battleship Aurora where the canon sounded to start the revolution. The Kazan cathedral, the Mariinsky Theater, the Stroganov Palace, numerous cathedrals, the Field of Mars, Peter the Great’s cottage, strolled on the Nevsky Prospekt, and countless other awesome sites. I will be back to St. Petersburg shortly and look forward to seeing Pushkin, Peterhof, and other awesome sites that await me. Until then I relish in my last night in St. Petersburg of this cruise that I spent on the ship. The cruise brought in some excellent entertainment that evening of some traditional folk dancers and musician. They gave a stunning and graceful performance of the deep knee bending, jumping, spinning nature. They sang in boastful pride glorious folk melodies. After the show there was a crew party of wine and cheese on the bow of the ship. There was a spectacular sunset and the weather was perfect. We could see the fireworks of the Navy Day celebration. We reveled in the experience of a lifetime we were all having together. What a wonderful thing.

Dear Old Stockholm

2009-07-30T09:46:00.001-07:00

The past ten days we have been on the great cruise of the Baltic capitols. Our stops have included: Berlin (Warnemunde), Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, and Copenhagen. Every one of these ports has so much to offer that it can be daunting. However, bit by bit and step by step I make my must see and do lists and go about checking things off. Then I come back to ship excited to share stories via my blog and I look at my computer and am lost at the thought of, “Where do I start?” Then just like I conquer the cities I take my first step and enjoy the journey. Let me begin with the exquisite capitol city of Sweden, Stockholm.

Stockholm is a city where even the crows are gorgeous. Walking through this city one gets the sense of how everything contains beauty and all that is left is to let it show. Throughout the streets I would come across photo shoots with gorgeous models sticking a pose with various backdrops enhancing their lines and a photographer would going around his/her subject. These photo shoots just seemed to be an everyday thing for Stockholm. Shops would beckon the beautiful passerby to enter with an enticing window display and working to capture the beauty of the storefronts architecture and ornament with their wares. One store, that sold baskets and floral accessories of some sort, had a bicycle out front that they tastefully filled its basket with flowers. The bike was set against the store giving a sense that someone had just pedaled up and went into the store for the simple reason that the store was a place in which to arrive.

As I further explored Stockholm I found myself in awe at what appeared to be a crow, but this was Swedish crow and therefore more beautiful. I am sure it is some other species then the regular black crow, but the behaviors and mannerisms were exactly like those of the crows in the States. Theses “crows” have a blue hue to their wing feathers and necks of a fluffy grayish down. They are extraordinarily clean. I remember a conversation I once had about how you can judge a city’s cleanliness by the condition of their pigeons. Well the pigeons of Stockholm are gorgeous, clean, and not pestilent. One other bird I have seen much of in the Stockholm is the Swan. White and majestic they float in the canals and lakes, head held high so as to see everything or maybe just because they know this action makes them more beautiful. During the cruise approach through the gorgeous archipelago, I saw numerous trumpeter swans with feathers out reached and captured numerous pictures.

Stockholm’s old town is on the island of Gamla Stan. The old town is home to the royal palace, Nobel Peace Prize Museum, Stockholm Cathedral, Tessin Palace, numerous churches and many other historic and cultural sites. . Crossing a small bridge to the Island of Riddar Holmen there is the House of Nobility, an awesome view of Lake Malmo, and a view of City hall where the Noble banquet is held. With such a varied history and peaceful people a stroll through Old Town and Riddar Holmen one can truly get a true feeling nobility that is so prevalent in Stockholm. The slender cobble stone streets tailored for the pedestrian invite tourist, traveler, and bohemian alike to explore and discover the very essence of the serene Stockholm. The blend big commerce, striking history, and a curious culture one can easily slip into a feeling of belonging and create a want to return. Dear sweet Stockholm I look forward to meeting you again.

Outstanding Olden

2009-07-24T04:21:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it is the places you least that make the biggest impressions. Olden is one of those places. I went to this town twice and each time I thought it would be another quaint, charming, and beautiful Norwegian town. With a population of only 800, our ship was the biggest thing to be seen for miles. My books of Norway tell little of this town other then that it is a jumping off point to see the Jostedal Glacier and its various fingers such as the Bricksdal Glacier. However this town has stole the marker of quite possibly being possibly my favorite port stop in Norway.

I have never seen such vivid colors in such a serene and peaceful setting. Nestled in a valley the town only has a block or two and a main street. There are not many stores or restaurants. The main industry in the town apart from the tourist industry has campgrounds dotting the valley and river shores. There are two churches in the town, both built with wood. As it is a small Norwegian town, these are small Norwegian churches. However, the feel inside is quite peaceful and humble. A far cry from the Cathedrals of Rome, Florence, or even Seattle, these two churches feel like a meeting place to get together as one and become more then the individual. The town of Olden is humble by nature and a walk through it really enables one to capture that sense. From the small conversation with a farm owner, to a small town grocery purchase Olden epitomizes the understated beauty of Norway.

On the previous visit here, I had the opportunity to take a magnificent boat ride on Lake Olden. Lake Olden is glacial lake that stretches throughout the valley and is dotted by farms and campgrounds. The color of the water is fabulous turquoisesish, greenish, bluish color that I have never seen before. It is very still and reflective. Reflecting the mountain backdrop as if it knows that reflection demonstrates beyond adjective the symbiotic nature of the two and that their coexistence is meant only to be enjoyed. Fellow boat trippers stood or sat on the bow just amazed at each waterfall, house, and element that surrounded us. We truly were surrounded because once I felt that I was looking at the most beautiful sight I would turn around and be struck by another. The sound of the engine was the only sound beside the gasps at this glorious beauty around us. After getting off the boat we all just sorta looked around taking photo after photo knowing that we had just been bestowed and experience that we would never forget.

This most recent visit I had the opportunity to go to Brickdal Glacier, and arm of the mammoth Jostedal Ice Plateau that spreads across the Nordfjord district for 783 sq. miles and can be over 1,300 feet thick. To get to the Bricksdal Glacier I hiked an easy mile that was quite gorgeous in and of itself. The hike took me past a thundering waterfall that sprayed the trail with a delightfully refreshing mist. As I got further up the hill and look back into the mist the sun and water treated me with a rainbow. Further along the trail the river of glacial runoff stormed past me begging for the attention of my camera. Then upon arrival at the glacier I was struck by the wide array of colors contained therein. The greens, blues, whites, browns, and purples were strikingly beautiful and almost made me forget about the throngs of tourists all around. At one point the glacier calved in a sort of avalanche creating an excited buzz and flurry of camera snaps. I ran to waters edge to touch a piece of glacier for myself. It can be quite a striking moment to touch ice that is over 6000 years old.

As I enjoyed this pristine environment aware that my days in Norway were coming to an end I was reminded of a line from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around you may miss something.” So true. I have been away about five weeks now and time has flown. But when I stop and look around to take in the beauty that surrounds me, envelopes me, and drives me life becomes timeless.

Last Year, Summer Was on a Tuesday

2009-07-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

My second visit to the northernmost village in the world left a far better impression then the first. I should note that last time it took a great deal of time to find a way to get off ship due to safety protocols, but none and the weather was not amiable to much exploration by foot. However, today was the hottest day of the year thus far for the village of Honningsvag. I took full advantage of the summer day going on a shore excursion to two small fishing villages, a Christmas house, and then hiked/climbed up a mountain of the fjord. Afterwards, I treated myself to a treat at Artico Ice bar and finished the day out with a fine Norwegian beer. According to the local tour guide, days such as the previous visit were the norm and the sunny weather we had was not. In fact she said, “Last year, summer was on a Tuesday.”

The first village we visited was Svarsvag. It is a village of about 100 inhabitants. It has the northernmost campground in the world, a Christmas House shop, and souvenir shop with a tank of King crabs from the Barents sea. At the crab tank, the owner’s kids would hold the huge crabs up for us to take picture of and as one boy, who was maybe 3 or 4 years old, bravely held a crab I got to see how big these water insects are as it was as big as he was. He then would set it down and play with it as if it were his pet dog or cat. At the Christmas house we were treated with some delicious Norwegian cake and grog that was an absolutely delightful treat. I am sure on a cold day the grog would have warmed anyone.

The Artic surroundings of the area were stark and treeless. Lakes were spattered about creating a picture for the imagination of reindeer catching a drink. Unfortunately, this unlucky traveler did not see a single one of the area’s 6000 reindeer. Honingsvag is actually on the island of Magerøy and as our tour bus drove us between the villages we would see sweeping cliffs dramatically raising out of the sea and numerous small islands enhanced the beautiful view. One island was privately owned and the owner had built a summer vacation cabin and I could easily imagine taking an opportunity to escape to this remote point of Norway and crossing the singular footbridge to the tiny island and enjoying the ultimate peace quite here.

Soon we found ourselves in the quaint village of Aarn with a population of 70. Once again a fishing village, the town was set between two gorgeous harbors with water so clear and pristine you felt as if pollution did not exist. There were boats anchored out as well as moored at the docks. The only shop in town was an art gallery with stunning works that captured surreal light of the midnight sun that we‘ve been experiencing as well as the aurora borealis of the winter. The neighbor cat would come visit the gallery to enjoy the many free pets of the tourists as well as a bunch from me. I sat at waters edge and just closed my eyes. I meditated while taking in the air and listen to all the sounds around. Birds calling out and waves lapping. I was instantly at peace.

Back at the pier I went in for lunch and met up with a band mate. We decided to head out and see if we could find the brewery to sample the local brew. Upon leaving the ship, we both looked up the to the fjords mountainous edge and said, “Let’s go there!” and off we went. Deceiving this hike was. After a short while the hike became a climb over and up rocks and boulders. There was no trail, but we knew where were going…up. As we ascended we were stunned at the view and felt we could be satisfied, but knew we were not quite to the top. We had numerous false peaks teasing us along the way. At one point we saw a small pole and thought that must be it. Upon arrival to this small pole we quickly knew that in fact we were not yet at the summit. However, there was a metal box with a log in it to sign and so we did. Then after some debate we carried on to the top or summit of the fjord where a much bigger pole awaited us and a sweeping 360° view awaited us. Though we were 500 miles south of the actual North Pole we deemed the pole the Northern Pole as it is the northernmost pole we will see. We took some pictures enjoyed some moments looking at the gorgeous land and seascape, then began the perilous decent down.

After arriving at the bottom we now felt we truly deserved a drink and set off looking for the brewery, but the Artico Ice Bar beckoned us in from the street. This is an ice bar, meaning it is a bar with an interior made completely of ice: a bar of ice, seating of ice, walls of ice, glasses of ice, and tables of ice. It was brilliant to find ourselves here on such a beautiful day after a wonderful hike, able to sit in the warm winter clothing we were provided, sipping some sort of fruit drink in a bar made completely of ice. Then the power went out and the day was even better for the memory and laughter of the notion this is were my day would take me. Not wanting to get back on board, but having left the ice bar we headed to a pub just outside the ship, we sat and enjoyed a Mack beer, good beer out of Tromso.

All in all the day was a great mixture of good times that made the frustrating work waiting for us on our day off the second we got back to ship all the worthwhile. My second day above the 71° latitude was genuinely a great day to be so high.

Gorgeous Geiranger Fjord

2009-07-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Geiranger Fjord is once again one of those places on this great earth that is just so gorgeous no words can describe. I woke up this morning after a night in the crew bar and knew that outside was going to be beautiful. From everything I have read or heard of the Geiranger Fjord, even in foul weather it is a sight. Fortunately, there was no foul weather anywhere near Geiranger Fjord today. The sun was shining and not a cloud was to be seen in the sky. As I emerged onto the promenade for my first sight of the day I had to gasp for realization of all the truths I had been told. Wow!

I stood there camera in hand looking at the cliffs and mountains jutting hundreds of feet straight up from the clear bluish green water that reaches depths of nearly 1000 feet below the ship. I was struck with overwhelming calm and peace at this serene view and eager to explore. Absolute bliss in my wandering soul was felt from the promenade of the ship, and the burning desire to hit the trails and take in the surroundings could not be quelled. But first things first I had to eat a hearty breakfast to get my day started right from the outside in.

My band’s French drummer, Serge, headed to the lido to grab what would be one of the most memorable breakfasts of my life. It was not necessarily the food or the quality thereof, but the experience of this breakfast that created this memorable meal. I had huevos rancheros, Mexican potatoes, grilled asparagus, cottage cheese and fresh fruit, a croissant, and topped it off with a nice glass of Orange/Guava/ Passion Fruit juice. We headed to the open deck in the stern of the ship that looked onto the village of Geiranger. The sun beat down on us and a nice breeze cooled us. We could hear all the waterfalls in the area as the rushing waters created a serene, soothing, symphony. As we sat there and exchanged a few words about the cons of the work we’re doing, we would then stop and look around at the beauties surrounding us and the cons were easily buried by the pros. The fact that we sat there enjoying a well prepared breakfast in what is known as one of Norway’s most beautiful fjords that is recognized by UNESCO as World Natural Heritage Site was a reminder that we do what we do for moments such as this. It was only ten in the morning and the world was before us displaying her grandeur. I finished my breakfast bid Serge adieu and hopped on a tender boat for shore.

After reaching shore I knew only one thing about where I wanted to go…up. Up meant views, up meant waterfalls, up meant beauty and furthermore up meant adventure. Why not? As I started up the road I noticed my shoe choice was far less then ideal and pain began. I had the choice to stop or keep going. I made my choice and continued my ascent. With each step the view grew more varied and more intense. I had been told I could get basically on top of a waterfall so that was where I was headed. I made a stop at a church and marveled at it’s simplicity and envied the resting place of those buried in it’s yard. Afterall, he view was to die for.

Later on the road I reached a path leading to where you could step into a pool of the waterfall (it was safe) and stand on a ledge to see the fast moving water plunges off the steep cliffs. After a long moment enjoying this spectacular place I trekked on. Then, I noticed the trailhead to Vesterås and as I glanced up to the peak that was where the trail ended. I looked at my clock dismayed at how work gets in the way of my vacation, and then continued onward. I’d go as far as could given the time and the beauty of the experience made the pain from the poor footwear choice dissipated.

Along the way there were certainly excellent views. There were not too many other hikers, but there was family I took note of. I knew they were from the United States from their accent. It was a husband and wife and their teenage daughter who kept complaining and saying, “I wanna go back, there are bugs here, and there is poop too!” It shocked me that someone could complain when surrounded by such tremendous beauty about some tiny insects and dung of what could be some exciting creature or cute farm animal. As she complained further I told that Norwegian bugs are especially attracted to whine, she didn’t find it entertaining, but her parents did. In any case, I had little time so I passed them up pressed on. Along the trail I crossed creeks and caught sips of the best glacial water in the world from small waterfalls. I was making great time on the very steep assent. Soon I was shocked to find myself at the top! I made it with enough time to snap some photos take it all in and run back down the 4km I had just hiked up. The hike was through a farm so to my surprise on the way back I heard a cow bells. Then I noticed sheep grazing in the thickets. I tried to communicate with a. “Bah, Ram, Ewe!“ but they didn’t seem to understand and just looked at me quizzically.

Soon I arrived back on board in just enough time to clean my now wounded feet (need new shoes) to sit and contemplate the wonderful marvels I had just seen. As we sailed away through the fjord passing the “Seven Sisters,” “Bridal Veil Falls,” and the “Suitor” my cheeks hurts from my smile. Today was truly magnificent and such a reminder of the wonders of this world we live in. I reiterate

North of Beautiful

2009-07-02T10:08:00.001-07:00

The past few days we have been cruising in the Arctic Circle and visiting the ports of Tromsø and Honnigsvåg. I suppose I did not really know what to expect of the Arctic Circle. I guess I thought uninhabited snow laden and glacial ice. Well I got none of that. Upon crossing the Artic Circle there is a monument perched on one of the many islands. The monument is reminiscent of a globe and made to be seen from a distance. The surrounding area is an amazing archipelago with islands with a surprising amount of homes and civilization. The captain took time to visit a beautiful harbor so we could visit a glacier. On this particular day the sun was out and no coat was needed. The most you need was a camera with a large memory card. It was simply fantastic to see the fishing villages’ dotting the coast line and imagine life for these residents. This time of year residents have twenty-four hour sun and in the winter entire months will go by with no sun whatsoever. Sleep patterns must be erratic at best. The archipelago of islands was quite diverse. Tremendous peaks that shot directly up from the ocean with waterfalls and crystal clear water these cliffs plunged into. The sailboats only ornamented the beauty as they caught the clear breeze and sailed along the coastlines. The glacier itself stood as a reminder of earths great power. The glacial ability to carve massive land formations is truly amazing and to see one so close knowing that tomorrow it will be different was brilliant. The town of Tromsø was a great contrast to Åleshund. Mainly wooden architecture it had a very frontier feel. I visited the Polar Museum here. This museum depicts life in the Arctic region and shows an history of explorers of the region. Part of the past in the Artic region if the now restricted practice of Polar Bear and Seal hunting. This museum had exhibits that showed great detail about how hunters did their job. It is for this reason that lonely planet rates this as one of the 10 worst museums. I’d have to say that as a animal lover it was very difficult, but survival was their aim and unfortunately that was how they had done it. The museum itself was in a fantastic building from the late 1800’s. It was an old warehouse and it’s character was completely intact. As I ventured onto the connected pier there were schooners galore and a fantastic view of the mountain peaks and the intriguing Arctic Cathedral. Then my tour took us out into the wilderness. On the way we captured sights of a Sami Reindeer herd on the shore. So cute! We were headed for the wilderness Centre where they house and train sled dogs that they race around the world including the Iditarod. Over 300 huskies were anxious for attention and seemed ready to run a sled if only given the chance. I learned the roles of certain dogs on the team and how one would handle the sled. Then I was able to hold and adorable husky pup that eagerly licked my face and chewed on my pack. Once again…so cute! Unfortunately I was reminded that I am allergic. , The midnight sun was quite amazing. To stand out on deck at one in the morning and have it look as if it were noon is a surreal experience. In the distance I could see the mountain ranges of Norway and took a great many pictures. It was simply beautiful to experience a wonder of the world. Honnigsvåg is the northernmost town in the world and is the gateway to the North Cape. This fishing harbor is nestled by forests and little mountains. We had a very cold and misty day here that made exploring a little difficult. I also was required to stay near the boat so I only got to wander the town for a short while. It was enough to capture some grat images and experience life on top of the world. All in all my first journey into the Norwegian arctic Circle (I’ve bee to Alaska’s) was truly magnificent. From charming seaside towns, soaring cliffs that bounced from up from the water, happy barking huskies, majestic reindeer, sparking glacial lakes, Norway is truly north of beautiful.

Finshed with an Ale in Åleshund

2009-07-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for the panorama option of my camera, otherwise sharing my first experience of Norway in Åleshund would be pictorially impossible. Like the grand canyon, African Bushveld, Peruvian Andes, and so many other places a picture just cannot capture the beauty when it engulfs you in so many ways as it does here in Norway.

Åleshund is at the top of Norway’s fjord country and has the stunning backdrop of the Sunmøre Alps that traditionally is a fishing town. The town itself is a picture book Art Nouveau town with colorful architecture romantic facades and beautiful Nordic implements to top it all off. After getting off the ship and walking one block you are immediately struck with an, “Oh Goodness, this is so cute!” jaw drop. After stopping for some time to pick my jaw up and get it back into position I immediately had to begin pounding the pavement to start seeing the town. Walking through the streets I had to keep an active eye because of sheer quantity of beauty. Each house, each building, and each corner was worth a picture. As I crested a hill a view beyond compare was revealed of artic waters with an incredible blue color and mountain peaks shooting immediately up from the crisp waters. Thankfully a bench had been placed perfectly there for people to sit and enjoy the sights.

From town I could see Mt. Aksla and it beckoned me saying, “climb me, climb me” and so I did. 418 stairs ascend the mountain to Kniven (knife). As I climbed each resting point begged a picture. When finally arriving at the peak every extra heartbeat was worth it because the view in 360 degree was simply breathtaking. Fjords, Alps, a cute town, birds flying, and boat activity all contributed to a view that literally took my breath away. Many people were around me speaking numerous languages and while their words were not know to me I knew exactly what they said. We all agreed that this was truly a fantastic view and what an awesome opportunity to see it.

I ended my day in Åleshund sitting at a fresco dining place on the harbor drinking a fine Norwegian beer, Kaska in the company of French Canadians. We etched out every minute we could of our shore leave before returning to the ship. After getting back to the ship a fair bit loquacious from the beer I headed to the ship’s fitness center where I could workout looking out onto the view from the 11th deck, as we sailed away.

Aleshund Norway...So Pretty

2009-06-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

Some Things Never Change

2009-06-27T05:42:00.001-07:00

Some things never change. I went out for a jaunt in Amsterdam and was shocked how much I remembered from my trip here in 1998. Even down to the guide books for sale at shops much of what I saw was the same.

While there was construction and renovations going on the building were as I recalled. However, there was a Hooters when I went back then and while the entire façade was the same it was no longer Hooters but rather another restaurant of the exact same principle. I stood in the middle of the Dam square I knew exactly where to go to find the infamous red Light District. I knew where to find the Cat Boat, Anne Frank’s house, the hemp museum, the sex museum, and so on. Over a decade and I still knew where Ursula’s guest house where I stayed was, even though I did not know if she was still there calling out the Yanks.

Since I was not feeling especially well and had little time I thought I’d just take a walk around. Walking through town it felt dirtier then I remember it and garbage was everywhere. That was saddening to after having seen such beautiful towns like Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, and Copenhagen, but these cities were immaculate in comparison to Amsterdam.

Indeed I felt obligated to walk through the Red Light district due to its convenience to the port. Sure enough the infamous window shopping was in full swing. Walking by a window with a lady in lingerie smoking a cigarette in one hand and talking on the phone in the other smiling at the male shoppers as they walked by. Women were arriving for work and men were waiting for them.

The other thing I noticed far more of this trip in comparison to 1998 was the quantity of coffee shops offering cannabis. There seemed to be two or three on every block. Walking by each one was enough to make me worry about the random drug tests on board. This to me explained the lofty, slow , and unfocused tourists throughout town. People seem to meander around with a glazed look as they wander through this historical town.

I also observed an unusual eagerness in which young folks headed to a church service. Nearly knocking me over as they hurriedly ran up the church steps minutes before the service was to start was intriguing to me. Of course I felt I had to look into the church and the service was full of people. I have looked into at least ten church services during this trip as well as attending a musical service myself. The difference between those church services was this one in Amsterdam, the city of questionable behavior, and the other cities was this church service was full and the others practically empty. Hmm.

Diversity

2009-06-27T05:41:00.001-07:00

With over 800 employees on a vessel of this size it is easy to feel a little lost. When you take a good look at the employees it is even easy to be found. When I look at the incredible diversity of the 800 employees and the differences between us I am able to further realize how alike we all are. We all share the common purpose of surviving life at sea while trying to make money at the same time we all wish to see the world. When I was in South Africa and visited the Cradle of Humankind, where it is believed the human race began, the main point that I felt exhibits tried to impress is that while we all live in different places, experience vastly different climates, and speak hundreds (if not thousands) of different languages, we all have being human in common. Now as I work in an environment with over 62 different nationalities working together as team in a efficient and effective manor, I see that human kindness binds us together and it through this we find a peaceful coexistence.

1800 guests surround us at any given moment in this community. Our community works twenty four hours a day seven days a week to provide the best service on the seas. We have mechanics, engineers, chefs, waiters, room stewards, dish washers, laundry workers, tailors, casino dealers, print shop workers, photographers, bartenders, baristas, computer techs, security personnel, environmental officers, tour guides, garbage/ recycling workers, entertainers, video producers, AV techs, stage managers, a captain, and the list goes on. Each and every crew member plays in integral role to the safety, well being, and enjoyment of those 1800 guests. We all know that if we work together and give it our best that the guests will return and therefore we can be ensured a job and a place in the community. It is in all of our best interest to positively contribute for the greater good.

For over 90% of the workers English is not their first language. Yet, as we work as a team we continually turn out an experience that our guests will remember and relish for the rest of their lives. Certainly our community is not ideal. There is a decided hierarchy here that at times seems unfair. The people who put in the longest and most tiresome hours are often not given the privileges of people such as myself who may only work 30 minutes out of the day. A crew member can expect to work up to 14 hours a day all seven days of the week. This leaves barely enough time to get enough sleep let alone relax. Many of the crew who, day in day out, serve people on the lido deck are not even allowed to enjoy lido privileges on their rare moments off. In numerous ports some crew members have to stand on the ship providing a squirt of hand disinfectant for folks as they return, yet that crew member will not even be given more then 20 minutes to venture into the port. However, through all this hard work our crew continually smiles an honest smile and provides the utmost service to each and every guest and crew member they encounter.

When I go to one of the crew bars and get a moment to speak with fellow crew, everyone speaks of how fortunate they are to have a job like this. They can see the world, even if it is from the window of the ship’s café, and at the same time be able to provide a living for themselves and their family. Each person is excited about the opportunity to get to know people from another part of the world. Each person appreciates the diversity around them, and each person is excited when a guest acknowledges a job well done.

This ship holds a first for Celebrity cruises, we have welcomed a crew member from Kosovo. This is the first employee from Kosovo ever to work for this company. I speak with her knowing only what I know from American media of this war torn country. I am amazed with her gleaming smile and her genuine kindness. It is a truly spectacular opportunity to speak with her. Later I head to stage to prepare for the show and enjoy a friendly chat with the AV manager from Trinidad. The next day I sit in safety training stressing over our quiz with a engine room attendant from Croatia. My own bandmaster is from St. Petersburg Russia and his Russian passion often seems to clash with French passion of our French drummer who now calls Thailand his home., but really they are trying to agree on how long the grand pause will be.

While we all have our differences there is no war on board. On board there is a community that perfectly demonstrates how, if we all work for a common goal and appreciate each individuals role in the big picture, peace and happiness will prevail. We realize that each one of us is the change we want to see. We realize that it is what I contribute, what you contribute, what we contribute that make the community not only function, but thrive. We make the world a better place. This is beautiful world we are in and one of the things that make it so beautiful is the human race. Our potential is endless. If we choose to see our potential, embrace it, and be it there is no limit to what can be accomplished.

Experiences

2009-06-25T02:55:00.000-07:00

Some days are all about the experiences. On these days you need to stop and do more then smell the roses, or at least enjoy the fact that you have the opportunity to stop and smell the roses. Today I slept in. But when I finally rolled out of my bunk, crawled into some clothes, threw my cap on my head and got off the ship for sights of splendid city of Copenhagen. I had a very bad map, but a keen sense of direction. I had no list of things to see, but a strong desire to explore. I had delicious snack (care of my beloved mother) in my pack and a hunger to see something new. Above me were clear blue skies, around me was crisp clean air, and below me was the ground in which to pound. It was to be a beautiful day.

My first stop was the charming statue of the Little Mermaid. Considered an obligatory stop for the visitor to Copenhagen this site was flooded with tourists--not my cup of tea. However as I stood there and listened I realized there were at least 20 different languages being spoken, yet we all were there peacefully enjoying a piece of bronze. Somehow this piece of bronze sculpted into the shape of a young lady that is half fish half human brought us all together. As one lady took off her shoes to jump in the water and have her picture taken others quickly followed suit. I watched this all occur whilst enjoying the sparkling of the harbor that the Little Mermaid called home. Beyond the water were about two down wind turbines that added such immense character and also reminded me of the potential we have to harness our intelligence to produce green energy. A man from whom I made light conversation with in Tallinn noticed me there and asked if I wanted him to take my picture as he had done in Tallinn. Eagerly and thankfully I accepted his offer and soon was off following my intuition to discover more. As I wandered the streets I came across other magnificent sights that Copenhagen has to offer, and will certainly see more in detail upon my return on one of the next cruises.

After a short while I discover the Nyberg canal. Lined with colorful architecture tons of al fresco dining, and a bazillion tourists. Suddenly I heard my name and turned. It was some folks that I shared a beer with in Tallinn. They were perched on the bank of the canal beers in hand. I gladly stopped my wandering and sat with them. We shared a Danish beer and light conversation. We watched as women in high heels walked on the rickety cobblestone sidewalks. We marveled at this seeming impossible task and the ease and willingness in which so many women accomplished this. After a while someone walked up recognizing my comrades in people watching and gave them a map which they in turn gave to me. Shortly thereafter it was time for me to move on in discovery. After all, I now had a good map. I continued along the canal a while discover a brilliant sand castle in a kids play land that required a picture.

I continued wandering the streets of Copenhagen slipping into some building that were open, free, and pretty. There are many churches in Copenhagen. I knew it was noon as the church carillons and bells tolled twelve. I slipped into one and found my self attending a musical service. I took a seat in a pew and enjoyed the service as an incredibly ornate and magnificent organ sound glorious notes at the capable hand of its master. A choir sang out tones of worship weaving through the triumphant harmonies and melancholic melodies. The pastor read a few verses. I guess that he recited verses as it was all in Dutch. When fellow worshipers stood I stood. When they sat I sat. I knew not what was going on, but the music was amazing and I was so happy to experience this.

Later when I returned to the ship I prepared for the shows I had. I marveled at Lindsey Hamilton’s voice as she sang songs of Andrew Lloyd Weber, and other similar music. I was able to sit back as she sang I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables a capella. The final show of the evening is what we call “Starring You” which is awards ceremony/ talent show for guests on board. There was a photo contest, comedy contest, karaoke and more. But the experience that stole the show for me and will forever be a highlight in my very highlighted life is the dance one guest gave for the entire audience.

At 97 year’s young a guest came to stage on her own two feet without any mobility assistance apparatus. She wore about one inch heels and a smile from ear to ear. Her dress was purple and sequenced with an open back. She looked gorgeous as she glowed in the spotlight. The audience was already poised for standing ovation as it was announce that she would be dancing the Waltz. Soon she floated across the stage with her partner and danced the waltz with grace, dignity, and a love that was evident as she enjoyed each and every moment in the spotlight (literally). As the music faded and she took her bow the audience erupted into applause and jumped to their feet. We all had experienced and witnessed what it means to be alive, and we all understood that it is wonderful. This day of experience with a fabulous rendering my the cruise director of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. All I can say is, I could not agree more.

Rushing in Russia

2009-06-23T06:02:00.005-07:00

My first journey into Russia’s St. Petersburg was impressive and wet, and therefore cut short. When I go to a new place I try to leave expectations behind so my mind has more room to expand. St. Petersburg is a perfect example of why this is important. The charm and friendly nature of the city was quite evident even in pouring rain and chilly winds.

Full of gardens, museums, palaces, canals, parks, cathedrals, governmental offices, shops, and restaurants St. Petersburg has so much to offer. My jaunt into to the city to grasp its layout too me from the Neva river embankment that is adorned my magnificent palaces to Cathedral with onion domes that are just jaw dropping spectacular. I realized as I walked through the pedestrian full streets that this is a city where you want eyes on all four sides of your head and perhaps even two sets of eyes on each side. This way you can enjoy the full 360 degrees and if one set blinks you know you won’t miss a thing.

I would be standing in marvel at the Strogonov palace or the St. Petersburg Chief of police mansion and not realize the gorgeous simplicity of the Kotomin House or Dutch Church just behind me. I could be looking sky ward at the golden dome of St. Isaacs and miss the magnificent Astoria Hotel in unassuming St. Isaacs Square. I was following my guide books walking tour around Nevsky Prospekt and missed the turn after the charming Finnish Church, but then turned the corner and ran smack dab into the Church of the Savior’s Spilled Blood. My intention was to walk around and get a feel for the town and better know what to explore the couple times we return and that mission was fully accomplished.

The Hermitage’s treasures, the innards of the Church of the Savior’s Spilled Blood, the dome of St. Isaacs, the ballet or opera in Mariinsky Theater, a canal cruise, various palace tours, and the Russian Museum, are just a few items on my list. St. Petersburg will surely take time to enjoy. When all is said and done, and the vodka is enjoyed, I will have come to know this once feared country with an affection of firsthand experience—which is far better than any view from an Alaskan front porch will ever provide. (take that Governor Pallin)

Tantilizing Tallinn

2009-06-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

Tallinn is gorgeous. I do not want to mince words or confuse anyone with flowery adjectives, but rather come straight out and say Tallinn Estonia is absolutely gorgeous. From the moment I took my first step in the medieval old town, to the moment I started getting back on board my camera did not get put away and was barely even set to the off position.

The grand entrance via the Great Coast Bastion truly set the tone. Dating back to the 13^th century the architecture was of stone and brick and each street of cobblestone. Various colored house, hotels, and businesses in stone with red tile roof tops transported me to a time I’ve read so much about in history books, fantasized about through movies, and imagined in my wildest dreams. Knights, peasants and royalty once roamed these very streets in a time well before electricity let alone internet blogs.

An UNESCO world heritage site, Tallinn has had many rulers, from Danes, to Swedes, to Russians. It has been ravaged by plague, destroyed by bombs, ruined in fire, and ruled my communist Russia yet through reconstruction and Estonian pride it remains one of northern Europe’s best preserved medieval towns. Its charm leaves an impression that will last an eternity. Vendors adorn themselves in traditional garments artisans such as the coin maker pound and press demonstrating their skill while wearing garbs from year’s gone by and the bar lady offers nuts and beer from a lathe or spoon that could easily have been used for the same purpose over 600 years ago. Another delicatessen on offer was smoked piglet ears; thankfully this vegetarian could easily pass without fear of retribution. However, Estonian beer is quite simple and pleasant and could not be so easily passed.

As I made my way through narrow roads and steep staircases, I caught glimpses of various church spires throughout town and walked hugging the ancient stone walls that were meant to protect the city from predators of times past. Music buskers were in key places sounding notes of tradition Estonian tunes. The melodies reverberated against the stone walls calling to tourists saying look at me--a clarinet, a dulcimer, a fiddle.

I found an old well where I imagined the townsfolk of years gone by gathering ‘round to fetch water for their meals, baths, or what have you. As I entered the palace square with restaurants flanked on all sides, I watched the numerous tourists enjoying pizza, beer, Indian food, Mexican food, and such I knew that Tallinn was a treasure that deserved much more of a look then my three hours provided.

I look forward to the next time I stop here. I will take the time to enter and climb the stairs of the towers of each church. I look forward to sitting in the various squares and enjoy a beer whilst imagining myself in medieval times. I look forward to returning to this quiet, simple, and divine town of Tallinn Estonia.

I ended my journey near the cruise pier (a 15 minute walk from Old Town) where more vendors are eager to show and sell their wares. Sweaters, trinkets, and postcards galore. I bought myself a traditional Estonian beer and sat down to enjoy the day I was given. Beautiful sun shining on my face, a sea breeze keeping me cool on the outside a refreshing beer keeping me cool on the inside. I sat on the bench of good wishes where one sits with closed eyes to make wishes. As I sat I realized. My life is grand and the fact that I can sit here and come up with no wish I want for myself but only wishes for the health and welfare of my beloveds, I felt truly blessed. Any time one can feel this sensation one needs to relish it, so I did.

I now sit in my cabin as the ship’s engine begins to roar and the thrusters push away from the pier. I know that I am fortunate to be here and even more fortunate to have the opportunity to return to Tallinn. I look forward to my next day at sea and another day of discovery in Copenhagen. Life is good.

Ship Life

2009-06-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Life on board ship is simply complex. Essentially, I live on a floating resort. This resort has about 900 employees and hosts over 1800 guests. At 815 feet long, 115 feet wide with a tonnage of 70,606 this resort feels more like a city. Think about it. It is about the size of two football fields with end zones kissing. On my first day I was just sort of thrown in and told, “Good Luck finding things.”

As a ship musician my life can be pretty cushy as far as crew life goes. My cabin is the forward most cabin on deck four starboard side. It is small, but sufficient with a 21inch screen TV, desk, wardrobe, bathroom (or head to the navy folk), and bunk beds. The crew area of the ship has narrow hall ways that are made to cramp as many cabins in as possible. The crew cabins go from deck 3 to 8. In addition to cabins the crew area has a dance club, bar, gym, and two dining halls. Plus there is a print shop, tailor shop, dry cleaner, laundry mat, internet café, and smoking room. The problem with this seemingly well supplied crew area is the lack of windows, but venturing to guest areas provides all the outside views one can take. Do to my status I am privileged enough to be able to go in guest areas fairly freely.

The guest areas of the ship are quite remarkable. I have not even discovered it all and I have been aboard a week now. It is no wonder that I have not discovered it all when I put it into perspective. There are 14 plus one decks to explore. I head out to check out the piano bar known as Michael’s Club and end up sipping a coffee martini in the martini lounge. Needless to say, after my second martini, a chocolate martini, I still have not been to the piano club. On board we have a cinema/conference room, fully functioning theater, a grand dining room, 5 star spa offering services from hair cuts to acupuncture, fitness center, basketball court, running track, golf simulator, arcade, restaurant, coffee bar, two swimming pools (in addition to the crew pool), three hot tubs, Island café buffet (with sushi bar, pasta bar, pizzeria, and ice cream parlor) casino, ball room lounge, jazz lounge, 4 story atrium, and about 8 shops to browse. There are numerous more things on offer, but isn’t that enough. Essentially at any time of day I can find somewhere to eat, drink, or play.

Only one day we had fairly rough seas that made many sick, but I quite liked it. I would sit in my cabin as the waves slapped the haul. It was a meditative sound that lulled me quickly to sleep. Earlier that day, new crew was allowed the privilege of going to the bridge for a toast by the captain. The bridge was a large command center whose command of the boat was only challenged by the commanding view it provided.

The first spa service I believe I really need is a good pinching, because I still don’t believe that I will live on this ship for six months exploring the most beautiful ports in Europe, while playing music and twice a month I will be handed a large wad of cash. I wonder how much a good pinch runs and what the crew price will be.

Baltic Sea

2009-06-17T06:04:00.001-07:00

Being at sea is be a very calming, exciting, beautiful, and serene experience. Being at training to be a crew member of an extremely large vessel can be a little overwhelming. However, you take a look out from deck 6 of 14 and see the water with no land at sight and a sunset highlighting the solitude and all those overwhelming feelings float away with the swells.

I am on day two of a six month cruise around Scandinavia, Mediterranean, and the Canaries before I cross the Atlantic bound for Miami. I am playing trombone in the ship’s orchestra. This is a near perfect situation as it combines two of my biggest passions playing trombone and traveling the world.

Even though I’m a musician, I still must learn the ropes of safety. This is a good thing as there can be upwards of 2700 people on my ship, and in case of emergency, the safety team will need as much trained help they can muster. This being said, I am in no way a fan of three and an half hours of training with a Greek safety officer whose accent is thicker then pea soup and thirst for showing his authority is greater then the stranded desert vagabond. I have the utmost compassion for those whose, mother tongue is not English, because for all the years I’ve spoken English, I feel as if I am taking a foreign language class where the teacher believes in immersion instead of safety. All said in done, in the next couple weeks I will be certified in crowd management, maritime safety, security, Save the Waves environmental concerns, and more.

Departure from Amsterdam was quite spectacular. Cruising through a canal we passed; windmills as they rotate providing power to the people, motorcycles that speed along the road, small boats on a day cruise with people waving at the city cruising by, and small yurts set up for the fisherman catching dinner. The saying, ”The grass is always greener on the other side” seems to hold true in this land. Bunnies hop through the greenest grass fields and all the people seem to smile.

We are in the Baltic Sea heading for Stockholm, Sweden. These days sunset is around 10:00 pm, which is great as I am usually done with my last show by then and able to go out on deck and enjoy the sky’s colors. It is especially lovely when you see another ship out in the sea. It makes you feel akin to that other ship even though it is more then likely you will never meet another soul from that ship. At times there are sights of land, but I have no clue what land it is. But is no less spectacular when the light from the lighthouse reaches us beckoning, “hey! Notice me.”

Tomorrow we will reach the Swedish Archipelago by morning. The cruise director makes it sound absolutely gorgeous and of course it will be.. I am so ecstatic! I will have the chance, opportunity, and fortune to go out on the deck, perhaps with an espresso or cocktail, and enjoy the sights, sound and smells as we pilot to port. As I write this, my first port awaits me and will try to harbor this excitement a one more nigh, but the excitement of what is to come may cause my reality to visit in dreams.

P.S. There are at least two great puns in this blog…sorry/you’re welcome.

San Juan Islands

2009-06-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

It was hard to imagine how we could ever add to this Washington State vacation, we had seen tulips galore, took a drive around the shores that looked into the San Juan’s, we explored Deception Pass by foot and boat, we experienced life’s splendor on the North Cascades Highway, and even sampled local cheese, microbrews, and olives. How could one possibly improve on this? Hopping on a ferry bound for the San Juans sounded like a fine idea, and indeed it was.

The San Juan’s are a peaceful archipelago that is pure Northwest. It is home to the endangered Pacific Northwest Orcas, it is a place of culture, beauty, peace, and so much more. The ferry leaves from the city of Anacortes, an industry town that has all the charm of an industry town. Walking on the ferry is easy and for a only $11 you get very affordable island cruise. Lasting just over an hour there is plenty of time to sit back and enjoy the view. The weather was with us as the sun shone down on us without a single cloud to filter its power. The ferry left the dock and headed toward Friday Harbor while passing Lopez Island, the tranquil Shaw Island, and the large Orcas Island with Mt. Constitution. San Juan island is home to Friday Harbor, the largest city in the San Juan’s. As we cruise through the islands exceptional views of Mt. Baker take our breath away. Sailboats and power boats sail or speed along creating a longing in me to set sail and enjoy the solitude, stillness, and pure beauty of the Northwest waters. Alas, I sit on my temporary throne that is perfectly front and center of the Washington State ferry looking out on the water, skies, and shores. I take the time to enjoy each moment of bliss I’m being given. I have the freedom to get up and walk around the deck of the ferry and I take that freedom to attempt capturing an image of the beauty that surrounds me. A futile attempt. Then the ferry horn sounds and the announcement tells me to get ready to disembark as we are approaching Friday Harbor.

As we disembark in Friday harbor we are instantly struck by the sights , smells, and wonders of this Island life. We decide ice cream is first and foremost on our agenda and quickly head to the “Homemade Ice Cream” sign. Delicious free homemade cookies are offered as these wonders happened to escape the attention of their baker and ended up over baked. I didn’t mind as it was a perfect compliment to the coffee ice cream delicious flavor. I indulge as we walk along the waterfront bound for the Whale Museum. When we arrive at the museum I quickly adopt an orca, Slick (J-16), and enthusiastically enter the museum to learn about the plight of greatest Northwest mammal. Industry, fishing, and pollution is downright depressing and killing our treasured Puget Sound at an alarming rate. We continue to meander through the city and find a waterfront place to sip a cocktail and enjoy a nibble. As we await our sunset sailing back to Anacortes, friendly island folk begin to emerge and are set apart from the tourists that seem to overtake the waterfront by day. The ferry arrives and we walk on as the sun begins to descend below the islands’ hills. The perfect coda.

This was another great trip exploring the spectacular Pacific Northwest and unfortunately it had come to an end. I grasp on to these moments for the happiness they bring and the experience of pure joy. The colors in the sky are as abundant as the life that surrounds us.

The few clouds reflect hues of purple, pink, orange, and red that no camera can adequately capture. The peaceful islands are beginning to call it a night and quietly begin their slumber. The ferry cruises through these waters no where near alone, but yet the solitude is felt as we round various buoys. As we see the lights of Fidalgo Island, the gateway to the San Juan’s, we are reminded once again that we live in land with such wonderful metropolitan cities such as Seattle, Tacoma, and even Bellingham that within hours and sometimes even minutes we can escape to a unique beauty that is beyond true comparison. We live in a land where water meets mountains, and rain forest meets desert. We live in land that grows some of the world’s finest wines, brews the countries best beers, grows, delicious fruits and vegetable, and where fresh seafood and meats can satisfy even the pickiest of gourmands. No matter how much I travel this vast world, trips such as I had in the past week remind me that whenever I can come home, I will never be lacking in beauty here at home.

The American Alps

2009-06-09T11:53:00.001-07:00

The North Cascades Highway is simply put a magnificent drive. Known as the American Alps the cascades shone their true beauty on this drive. I’ve been on many drives in this world from Swartberg Pass of South Africa to Machu Picchu in Peru as well as into the Italian Alps. I can say without hesitation that that this is one of the most gorgeous drives out there. From sight, to sound, to smell, to feel this is an experience for all of your senses to indulge.

In being named, “the American Alps” they have a quite a name to live up to. From waterfalls of glacial run off to soaring snow capped peaks, this drive has gorgeous around every curve. The large river damns controlling mother natures force providing energy to thousands remind us of out human triumphs. Rapture birds on the hunt effortlessly soar at tremendous heights. Each glimpse as you round the corner could easily stall your car as you eagerly pull over to take in the moment. When you finally arrive at a viewpoint it is impossible to resist a stop to get out. You stand there dwarfed by the absolute grandness. I The feeling of the crisp mountain winds twirling around your body makes you alive with wonder as you stand as far out on the cliff as tourist laws allow. I think if only I had all the time in the world to just trek out and explore these vast tracks of land. This territory transports you to the reality of the greatness constantly surrounding us.

Deception Pass

2009-06-07T21:42:00.001-07:00

By week's end, the sun was finally winning the battle with the clouds and had eventually emerged victorious in La Conner. Deception pass was on the itinerary and with this weather it beakened with avengence.

When we arrived I realized that we couldn’t have asked for a better day. Walking across the 1930’s bridge we could look down at the swirling tides that move at a pace one can easily understand how it was once mistaken for a river. The cars zip by at alarming rates and yet nothing could distract us from the beauty that was a full 360 degrees around us. Surround above and below.

We took a hike to Goose Rock Summit and enjoyed the view of San Juans. The fragrance of the forest transported me to sheer happiness as I laid perched above the meadows. A mere glimpse of the many colors that sprang forth with life and light to brighten the darkest of Northwest winter sufferers. As we sat up at the summit we could see forest, island, sound, naval base, and numerous power lines. Nature and civilisation collide in abundant distorted beauty.

A steep hike down one side took us to a cove where we could observe great blue herons fishing for lunch in a fierce competition. The heron stood so still in the water looking for a fish to swim by. This heron was patient and calm knowing that he will get his dinner. Then a heron flies in to take his fishing spot and he spreads his wings rising above and taking of with his snack. As we rounded the perimeter towards the solitude of the wilderness begins to sink in.

The hike ends in mossy fungal fashion, such a difference from the meadows and woods of the summit. We decide to cross the bridge one more time and enjoy the view. It is at this point that I notice how fantastic the zoom on my camera as I begin to zoom in on the beach strollers below. Then a boat passes under with waving pasengers and we are reminded, "A three-hour tour." We race to the bottom of the hill to catch a boat tour of Deception Pass.

Our tour guide is a young man who appears to be in his early 20s and truly in love with this area. He knows his material and actually presents it in a way that any tourist can enjoy. We see bald eagle nests, pirate islands, peregrine falcons, great blue herons, harbor seals, harbor porpoise, and numerous shore birds. We speed into Rosario Straight the liquid highway to Canada. The strait’s air has a tangible crispness and free quality that no land can give. There was a sense of peace as we sat watched a bald eagle perched high on a tree being reminded that through care, initiative, and cooperation we have brought these birds back from near extinction. As I took picture after picture I captured this majestic bald eagle and I zoomed in as far I felt I was peering directly into the bald eagle‘s eye. I couldn’t help but notice he was keeping a close eye us.

At one point on this boat tour we approached the rocky high cliffed shore to take a gander at the remnants of a mining cave, turned jail, that is now protected peregrine falcon breeding habitat. As we floated around and tried to take in the life around us, we soon were reminded of the depth of life in our surround far exceeded the depth of our perception. A great blue heron stood still scanning the water looking for a snack, an otter chowed down on the high protein sea weed, and a peregrine falcon soared above calling it warning call. Small shore birds hopped from the crustiest of crustacean treat. The bridge above us bustled with homespun technical feats. Tree grew from stumps which grew from stones.

The only deception at Deception Pass is that one thinks a day is enough. But alas I think I could wonder around these shores, hills, trails, and waters for quite a while. Ahh… splendid life.

Scenic Sunday Drive

2009-06-05T13:01:00.001-07:00

To the north of La Conner there are many places to discover. Taking a nice scenic drive around here can easily provide very pleasurable day. In the morning, we started off with a walk along the Padilla Bay estuary. It was low tide so timing wasn’t best for bird watching, but a nice 3 mile walk none the less. Views of Mt. constitution accompanied us along the way and I could not help but notice that while it was low tide, the smell that usually accompanies low tide was not present. We did see a few small birds, but for the most part the quiet stillness was the most enchanting element.

Around this area is a the quaint community of Samish Island. Samish is a place of many gorgeous and huge houses that are a flanked on either side by the sound and views into the San Juans. You can look out and feel surrounded by water. Scenic vistas were of no shortage and a small section of public beach allowed us an up-close look at the treasures and riches of Marine life just on the shore. Riches of land, sea, and life.

There is a very old-fashioned and very delightful and very little town near La Conner called Edison. Journalist Edward R. Murrow grew up here, but one would never expect such exceptional cuteness from one block in the middle of fields. We made a stop at an organic cheese factory where happy cows make happy cheese and a stop for a personal tour of a local creamery. The highlight of this tour was being able to pet a calf that was born just hours earlier.

Further up the road we began our scenic drive on Chuckanut Road. Curvy roads adorn steep cliff sides that, if given blue skies, give a spectacular drive. We stopped for a vista and photos of the of the passageway to the San Juans. Some sights can never get old and each turn provides a new beautiful view. The San Juan islands offer exactly this scenic experience. At the end of cuckanut Road you enter a charming historical town known as Fairhaven. Old-fashioned business meets college town sheek. Further down the road we ran into Bellingham.

Bellingham answered the call for food and beer via the Chuckanut Brewery and Pub. I had a great sampling of brews to along with scrumptious sweet potato fries. We finished our day’s trip with a small driving tour of the campus of Western Washington University. Where in environment and learning coexist.

Scenic drives require non-stop stunning scenery and great pit-stops along the way. This day of scenery throughout the area between La Conner and Bellingham provides exactly that. A perfect Sunday Drive.

Spring Blossom in La Conner

2009-06-05T10:17:00.001-07:00

Sometimes before a trip off to some exotic place one needs to take a moment to be were they are. Most of the time I try to see what a truly beautiful place I live in, but every once in while I take a closer look and discover that truth which I always knew, that Washington State is beyond gorgeous. The juxtaposition of our numerous mountain ranges, the depths of the magnificent Puget Sound, the bounty of the Olympic Peninsula‘s beaches, vineyards of eastern Washington, the rolling Columbia River, the majestic San Juans, and so much more that is out there waiting to be seen. I went “camping” in good ol’ La Conner Washington and once again I was reminded of just how great the State of Washington really is.

We are staying in a quaint beach side cabin off of Snee Oosh near La Conner. Seven days of peaceful bliss ahead of us and the cozy cabin quickly became home, or at least home base. From this location we have the Cascades to the east, San Juans to the Northwest, Chuckanut, Bellingham and Padilla Bay to the North, and tons of charm oozing in between. We enjoy the campground that our cabin is in by playing mini golf and turning over rocks on the beach revealing all the tiny creatures below. Then as we call it a night, the bunnies come out and begin their bunny games. Life is good.

The town of La Conner itself is quite charming. There are antique shops to suit even the most avid avoider of antique shops. Built off of the Swinomish Channel La Conner provides a wonderful getaway from the hustle and bustle of big cities. Stroll down the street and have some tasty treats. Find everything, from ice cream to salmon, and olives galore. Little eateries and coffee spots adorn the channel front. there is even the quintessential bookstore with classic bookstore charm. One can indulge in some fashions that only a town such as La Conner can offer and don’t forget about that good ol’ microbrew. Yes, it seems La Conner has enough for us all. No less, and certainly no more.

We went to a garden to see some of the last blooms of the tulip season. All the tulip fields had been harvested so the acres upon acres of colors were not out to be seen. However, merely looking at the empty fields one’s imagination can not help but go wild thinking about the bold fields of color and how spectacular that must look. One garden still had about 70 varieties of tulips on display in an amazing array of color. The tranquil setting was one that transported you away. I never really knew tulips had so many wide varieties. They can have different shapes, sizes, colors, and even great variety in their petal accoutrements. The wind was blowing and cherry blossom petals floated through the air as if they were snowflakes from a drift. We would lay on their blanket and feel spring envelope us. The rhododendrons kept popping up throughout the garden saying, “Look at me, I’m pretty too.” The grass was soft to walk in and everywhere we looked the glory of Spring was around. Well as long as we did not look into the sky with the idea that spring somehow equates with the blue and sun sightings. Welcome spring, let life begin.