The Gift of Greece

If you’re a regular to these pages, you know that traveling to Greece is how I am choosing to celebrate the July arrival of my 60th year.

In planning -- I use that term loosely --our trip we've gathered a list; a kaleidoscope of old favorite places and new discoveries that we may or may not get to, but which at least have defined the perimeters of our itinerary. In the process, I’ve decided this trip isn’t so much a celebration as it is a gift. . .

. . .because it will take us back to the Peloponnese (pel-o-pon-ih-sos), the mythical land of Greek gods where we had but an appetizer-sized visit two years ago  - enough to bring us back for a full serving this trip. The Peloponnese is the part of mainland Greece that looks somewhat like an open hand with three fingers extended. We'll be heading for the middle finger this time ~ The Mani ~ the land near and dear to the heart of 20th Century writer, Patrick Leigh Fermor.

. . .it will take us back to not only a favorite island, Poros, but to the the Manessi Hotel where we've booked ‘our room’ (the one next to the Greek flag in the photo above). Poros, about an hour by fast ferry from Pireaus (Athen's port city) is a stone's throw across a small channel from the Peloponnese.

. . .it will also give us the chance to ride Greek ferries, our preferred mode of travel in Greece.  While the more airplane-lile high speed ferry will take us to Poros, sometime along the way we’ll likely be perched at the top railing of a Greek ferry like this one, the size of a cruise ship, as we make our way south from the Peloponnese to Crete, Greece's southern-most island a few hundred miles north of the African coast.

. . .it will take us back to Crete . . . that, in itself, is a gift.  One guidebook likens the island to Picasso in his prime, ". . .a dramatic quilt of big-shouldered mountains, stunning beaches and undulating hillsides blanketed in olive groves, vineyards and wildflowers." We'll be exploring new territory on our Cretan trip but will return to favorite places that draw us back with their own special magic. Places like Loutro, accessible only on foot or by boat;  is here we will celebrate Greek Easter. We will return to Maria's pensione where for 35-euro a night we have this view from our balcony each morning. . .

. . .and we'll also visit the tiny blip on the map, Kastri, a bit further east on Crete's southern coast, where I will seek out my jeweler friend Georgios and then eat moussaka (pictured above) at this, one of our favorite restaurants on the island.

. . .and no matter where we go we will be charmed by the photogenic Greek cats.  This fellow was relaxing in Loutro . . .

. . . and this one was snoozing in Hydra during our last visit. . .their presence adds to what I consider a  simply purrr-fect gift!

We've made room reservations for only six of the 35 nights we will be gone. . .that tells you we plan to go where the winds blow us and won't really know where we are going until we get there. Please come along and help us unwrap the Gift of Greece.  And today is Travel Photo Thursday so make sure to visit Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photos!

Arizona: Take a Hike! Or a Walk in the Park . . .

Pinnacle Peak is a neighbor of our Scottsdale timeshare.  And we had only last June’s  100-degree temperatures to blame for not getting acquainted then. We finally met in December.

A Walk in the Park

Pinnacle Peak is the centerpiece and namesake of the 150-acre Scottsdale city park Pinnacle Peak Park that abuts the  Four Seasons Hotel and Residence Club Troon North.

We aren’t talking a slow stroll through an oasis of green with leafy trees and carpets of lawn. We are talking a 1.75 mile, (moderate-difficulty) trail of naturally decomposed granite that took us to an elevation of 2,570 feet.

The trail is an IN and OUT trail, not a loop – so what you walk going in will also be your route out and you’ll be walking 3.5 miles if you do it all.  And its wide, 4 – 6 feet in most places which is good as signs tell pedestrians to yield to horseback riders (as if we wouldn’t, right?)


Pinnacle Peak is a granite summit that rises 600 feet from the valley floor to a height of some mountain passes in Washington State at 3,171 feet. 

The trail elevation rises only to 2,570 feet and it takes about two hours at a leisurely pace to complete the hike in and out.

Several passed us who were jogging its length and others were sucking air within minutes of starting the climb – know your limitations!

We posed at the trail's summit, our dress, as you can tell from the photo, was for sun protection -- hats, sun glasses, sleeves  -- as well as for ‘critter and bush’ protection – long pants and closed-toed shoes.  We didn’t encounter any critters but the place is home to several varieties (rattlesnakes, Gila monsters and coyotes to name a few). I carried bottled water in that bag at my side; water and restrooms were available at the trail head.

Take a Hike! (but know your limits)

So inspired were we by Pinnacle Peak that we decided on a subsequent outing to try the newly-opened Tom’s Thumb Trail head, a few miles away in the heart of the scenic 21,400-acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

In October 2012 the new trail system opened with five miles of new multi-use trails that include the Marcus Landslide Interpretive Trail.

There is no water available here and despite being only three miles off Dynamite Blvd., a main thoroughfare in Scottsdale, the area is remote.  The view’s literally for as far as the eye can see:






That’s the roadway leading to the trail head that bisects the photo above.

 

Unlike Pinnacle Peak, this trail – as we learned after we got there – has a vertical climb of 800-feet, it is steep and the decomposing granite makes for a slip-sliding experience (bring a walking stick and hiking boots for this one.) 


The Interpretive Center has restrooms and signage but no vending machines for beverages or water – you need to bring your own.


If you Go:

Pinnacle Peak Park, 26802 N. 102nd Way (Jomax Road).

Tom’s Thumb Trail head, 23015 128th St. (three miles off Dynamite Blvd.)

Information about both at:  www.Scottsdaleaz.gov


 Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope to see you back again on Travel Photo Thursday when we head to. . . (you’ll just have to come back to see where we are off to next!)

Until then, happy travels.

WAWeekend: Anacortes ~ More than a ferry stop

“You went where?!” asked a friend, obviously thinking she’d misunderstood me.

“Anacortes. . .we spent the night in Anacortes. It’s an adorable little town. . .really!” 

Although this seafront town, with a population of just under 16,000, on Fidalgo Island got its start more than a century ago, until last month we’d been like the other two million visitors who pass through it each year en route to board a Washington State ferry headed to the San Juan islands or Victoria, B.C.

After making it our destination a couple weeks ago, we’ve put it high on our close-to-home WAWeekend  getaway recommended list because:



There’s more than 12 miles of shoreline and some 60 miles of trails to be explored.

Thanks to artist Bill Mitchell’s talents, the town sports some 100 murals. (Mural route maps can be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center). This is one of my favorites.

Pedestrian-friendly streets are lined with picture perfect 20th Century – and earlier – homes.  The homes above framed our walking route to the Guemes Island ferry terminal and were within a few blocks of the Anacortes Museum, housed in a Carnegie Library building built between 1909 and 1911.

Speaking of museums, just across town the Maritime Heritage Center proudly displays the W.T. Preston Snagboat, a sternwheeler once used for clearing debris from Puget Sound. The Snagboat and Carnegie Library are both on the National Register of Historic Places.

Public art is everywhere from statues to ‘Sidewalk Salmon Cans’ (beautifully camouflaged  garbage cans throughout the historic district), a tribute to the once flourishing local salmon and fish canning industry. Canneries have been replaced with fish processing plants in this bustling town mid-way between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia.


The first fish cannery in Anacortes was founded in 1893 and by 1915 there were 11 canneries stretched along Guemes Channel (pictured here).

In 1913 fishing boats delivered 39 million salmon that were canned into 800,000 cases of fish.

For those who require shopping therapy as a part of any trip and for those who also seek the finest in culinary offerings, we can assure you that Anacortes has plenty of both.

You’ll find some great one-of-a-kind apparel, antiques, decorator and gift stores, but one of our favorites was the independent Watermark Book Co. A sign on its door reminded us of the fragility of such businesses: “Find it here, Buy it here, Keep us here.”

We cast aside diets for a brief moment at the Gere-a-Deli, a popular breakfast and lunch spot, also on Commercial Avenue.

It’s housed in another historic building, this one once was a bank.

Another popular eatery is the A-Town Bistro, a half block away at 418 Commercial Avenue.  The place was packed on the Tuesday night we visited.



As I told you in an earlier report, we spent a night at  The Majestic Inn and Spa celebrating The Scout’s birthday during our impromptu end-of-February road trip, however there are many hotels and bed-and-breakfasts from which to choose here.

If you’ve not spent time in Anacortes, you should give it a try – we are certainly glad we did.

If You Go:

For visitor information:
Anacortes Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center,819 Commercial Ave., www.anacortes.org, 360-293-7911.

Sunday Morning In Ravenna, Italy

Our footsteps echoed across the cobbled streets as we strolled through the town on that early Sunday morning  ~


~ just the two of us touring Ravenna, Italy  on our introductory visit.  You know the kind. Strolling with no real destination in mind just content to be together, surrounded by such history and beauty.

As the late autumn sun rose higher in the sky, the streets began filling with people – travelers and locals alike – in this capital city of the Province of Ravenna in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region.

Ravenna is an inland city connected to the Adriatic Sea by the Candiano Canal (pictured above). It was one of the last ‘ports of call for the Celebrity Silhouette; the ship we’d sailed from Rome through the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas last October.  A steady stream of buses transported cruisers  like us from the ship to the city on a route that followed the canal.

From 402 – 476 Ravenna was  the seat of the Western Roman Empire. . .then the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom. . . that gave way to the Byzantine Empire. . .and then the Kingdom of the Lombards. And the list continues. . .

For those of us who love reading and writing as much as travel one of it is notable  attractions is the resting place of Italian poet and philosopher, Dante Alighieri, author of “The Inferno” (the city is mentioned in Canto V).  




What we will likely remember the longest though about our visit to this city steeped in history was the stop at the Basilica of Saint Vitale, which is considered one of the most representative examples of Byzantine architecture in the world today.

(By this point in the trip we had seen a number of mighty impressive cathedrals but this one was simply jaw-dropping both for its size and its décor.)

So many mosaics cover the walls, floors and ceilings that it would take weeks of repeated visits to absorb the story each tells; their various themes from the Hebrew Bible or what Christians call the Old Testament.  Some mosaics highlight Emperor Justinian I with his court and his Empress Theodora with her attendants.

The mosaics were commissioned by Archbishop Maximian 546/556 A.D.



The church had been closed earlier in the morning for services but when the doors opened, camera-snapping visitors filled its every nook . Yet there still remained a collective hush not unlike those moments before a church service starts as we absorbed the grand interior. If felt almost as if we, too, were attending a service.  Maybe we had been ~ each of us in his or her own way?

That’s it for this Travel Photo Thursday. Head over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photos. And we send our best wishes to all of you who are celebrating Easter this weekend!

And If You Go:



Hours and entry fees for the Basilica can be found at: www.ravennamosaici.it

Ravenna  annually hosts the  Ravenna Festival – one of Italy’s premier classical music gatherings. Opera performances are held at the city’s Teatro Alighieri and concerts take place at the Palazzo Mauro de André as well as other locations like the Basilica of San Vitale.

Europe: Packing and Pickpocket Prevention

The buzz this spring is all about what travel clothes are ‘Europe appropriate’.  And since The Scout was pick-pocketed a few years ago in Greece, I thought I'd start by telling you about our new travel clothing for our upcoming trip there.

We'll be wearing the shirts pictured below on ferries, trains and buses.  Made by Clever Travel Companion, a company that claims they are ‘100 % pickpocket proof’’, we will be trying each of their two styles: Joel in the gray tee shirt and I'll be sporting the black tank top. (I am of the age that 'tank tops' and body don't quite correlate, but with a blouse or jacket it will be okay.)


They weren’t inexpensive – $29.90 each – but we got a 20% discount when we purchased them a couple weeks ago on Amazon and an additional 3% back from Ebates because we used it as the portal to our Amazon account.

The zippers, when closed, really are camouflaged  – and on the women’s version, it's right below the breast . . .a no touchy, no feelie place. Go there ~ you lose your hand! The pockets hold our passports, credit cards and money and are far more comfortable and easily accessed than those girdle type money belts.

The tee-shirts limited color selection – black, white and gray – fit right in with Europe's neutral colors. While they aren't mandated wear, we've found that wearing muted, neutral colors helps us blend into crowds. . .not announcing by our outfits, "Here we are - vulnerable tourists!"

And lets put to rest that old wive's tale about blue jeans. Yes, they were only a few years ago considered taboo, but these days are seen throughout Europe even in Paris and Milan, the fashion-hubs across The Pond. We leave ours at home because they are heavy, take up too much suitcase space and require too much time to air dry.

Joel’s wardrobe consist of light-weight pants from Ex-Officio (they make the pants legs with the zipper so they can be converted to shorts.) Speaking of zippers, they also have zippered security pockets inside the front pockets.

And I wear Chico’s Zenergy: pants, crops, jackets. Lightweight, don’t wrinkle,  and by keeping the wardrobe black and white I can mix and match them with ease.

We take no more than three or four shirts –  thin fabric so they can be washed one day and be dry by the next. 

To dress them up I buy a scarf or two for a ridiculously low price from street vendors or at street markets after we arrive in Europe. They take up little suitcase space, weigh nothing and are great reminders of the trip after we get home.

A suitcase staple are silk 'long johns' (from Land’s End) tops and bottoms that take up little space, provide extra warmth – when needed – under those light weight pants. They also double for sleepwear!

I am a Baggallini lady. The handbags and totes were created by a couple of flight attendants who've designed a full line of bags (and suitcases) that fit under seats, in overhead bins and hold all the a traveler might need along the way. 

The tote pictured has traveled many a mile with me and when it is soiled, I just wash it and it is good to go again.






Also tucked into the 22'-suitcases we live out of for weeks at a time, are:
four plastic hangers, a few clothes pins, a flat sink stopper and several travel-sized laundry detergent are always in the suitcases.

(A wine bottle opener and purse-sided toilet paper also are handy to have as well.)

What kind of travel clothes, bags or gear do you recommend? Please leave a comment below or send an email.

Disclaimer: We’ve not been compensated for recommending any of the brands or items in this post nor were we provided any items to review. The tee-shirt photos were made available by the company for media use. The rest belong to www.travelnwrite.com

WA Weekend: State Parks’ Birthday Party

Washington’s State Parks are 100 years old this month and that calls for a celebration!



Mark your calendars for next Saturday, March 30th, 2013 when all state parks will welcome guests – for FREE – no Discover Pass needed!

In fact, mark your calendars for all these FREE days at Washington State parks in 2013:

March 30: Recognition of State Parks’ 100th birthday on March 19
April 27 - 28: Recognition of National Parks Week
June 1: National Trails Day
June 8 - 9: National Get Outdoors Day and WDFW Free Fishing weekend
Aug. 4: Peak summer season free day
Sept. 28: National Public Lands Day
Nov. 9 - 11: Veteran’s Day weekend

Celebrate the State Parks Centennial at Cama Beach and Camano Island state parks:


These two parks are just over an hour’s drive north of Seattle and and overlook Puget Sound’s Saratoga Passage. 

Cama  Beach State Park is the state’s newest state park – a once-privately-owned fishing resort -- that has been lovingly restored by the state parks department staff and a group of dedicated volunteers.

The March 30th celebration begins at 10 a.m. when you can build and fly kites at Camano Island State Park with the Friends of Camano Islands Parks. Then hike to nearby Cama Center at Cama Beach State Park for the main event activities. A shuttle is available to transport visitors back to the Lowell Point Parking lot.


 Main events at Cama Beach State Park: Activities include beach walks (2 to 3 p.m.);
* toy boat building (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.);
* marine tank display (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.);
* craft projects (noon to 4 p.m.);
* boat house tours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.);

And what’s a birthday party without cake?  The cake cutting will take place at 1:30 p.m.

For a schedule of events at all state parks, just click this link:
Washington State Parks’ Centennial Celebration and let the party begin!

Thanks for your visit today! Come back again on Travel Tip Tuesday and Travel Photo Thursday. . .and if you’ve not yet ‘liked’ our Facebook page, TravelnWrite – you are missing out on other travel tips and tidbits!

About these Photos: I took them last September during a visit to Cama Beach State Park. It is enchanting and offers overnight accommodations. There’s more information and photos about it at:  http://www.travelnwrite.com/2012/09/waweekend-cama-beach-retro-resort.html

Springtime in Washington's Wine Country

Spring officially arrived sometime around 4 a.m. PDT on Wednesday in the Pacific Northwest. It blew in on a cold, windy day, prompting us to take an armchair spring trip to Washington’s Wine Country:

In fairness, the 'wine road' leads many directions throughout our Evergreen State with 'wine country' stretching from our southern neighbor Oregon  north to Canada. We headed to Chelan, Washington; a  town that wraps itself around the base of the 55-mile long glacier-fed Lake Chelan (that's just a small section in the photo above). Those snow-covered peaks in the background are the North Cascades Mountain Range.

For decades Chelan’s hillsides were carpeted with orchards. Today the orchard is giving way to the vineyard.

In addition to being a popular part of wine country and a favorite destination for water- and outdoor-enthusiasts, this north central Washington town is also The Scout’s hometown.

Designated as an official American Viticulture Area (AVA) in 2009, this Lake Chelan area is home to more than 20 wineries.

A number of the wineries have views of the lake, but one of our favorites is the 28-acre Benson Estate Vineyards and Winery where the photos above were taken last April.

Spring -- before the summer's warm temperatures draw hordes of tourists to the hotels, condos, and timeshares that dot the shoreline, –  is our favorite time to visit this small town of 3,945 residents.

Although wine grape growing is the hot new agricultural pursuit here, there are still plenty of orchards intermixed with the vineyards – producing  apples, pears, and cherries.  Their blooms announce spring's arrival.

We are ending our armchair outing with a photo taken in the summer to show you how the vineyards will look only a few months from now. 

This photo was taken at Chelan’s Nefarious Winery. Its vineyard behind me replaced a long-time orchard; one that belonged to The Scout’s family.  For year's as we'd arrive in town, he'd point to it, noting, “I helped plant that orchard.”

We visit the 'old orchard' when we get back to Chelan, and as we've sipped wine on this patio, we've toasted The Scout's past. But, if we were there today, we'd offer a toast to spring and the promise it holds: “To Spring! May yours be filled with travel adventures!”

It is Travel Photo Thursday, so be sure to stop by Nancie’s  Budget Travelers Sandbox for more armchair travel via photos.

If You Go:

Chelan is about three and a half hours drive from Seattle. The nearest airport is in Wenatchee, about 45 minutes away.
For information on wineries, accommodations and events: www.lakechelan.com