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normal people do not fly to another continent to go on a date… ;)

This is the first year since 2010 I won’t be making a pilgrimage to Amsterdam.  This will need to be corrected in 2017 🙂  I need to keep my KLM points and keep yearning for Africa.  As has already been documented, my rekindled love affair with the Dutch began when I essentially flew to Amsterdam to go on a date with a Dutch guy I’d met briefly in New York.  The “dating” part of the trip was an unmitigated disaster but it did mean I was stuck in Amsterdam for ten days.  I think it ended up being the best travel story of my life but it’s hard to choose 🙂

atypical amsterdam weather :)

atypical amsterdam weather 🙂

There were many corollary benefits of that crazy trip but one of the most unexpected was discovering SAIL.  I accidentally arrived in Amsterdam just as it was beginning.

The Netherlands has a long maritime history.  It was their skill with boats that allowed a teeny country to be an imperialist power for a considerable period of time.  SAIL was created in 1975 as part of the 700th anniversary of Amsterdam.  It’s meant to honour and celebrate the impressive history of the Dutch conquering the seas.  Ships from all over the world were invited to moor in Amsterdam.  You will never see that many boats anywhere else in the world.  Everyone is invited but what is most impressive are the tall ships and historical replicas.  In addition to mooring where visitors may be able to come aboard, they sail in and out of the harbour in a naval parade on the first and last day of SAIL.

In 2010, it was something that I stumbled upon and never really figured out.  But it was a fantastic blue sky day that Friday (very rare I have learned) so I trotted down to the harbour and spent hours soaking up the sun and climbing aboard tall ships.  By accident, I then stumbled upon the parade of sailors dressed either in impressive naval uniforms or crazy costumes.

it's a pirate's life for me!

it’s a pirate’s life for me!

For SAIL 2015 I was more prepared!  They were semi-prepared…  I would definitely encourage you to attend SAIL but it isn’t Dutch organization at its finest.  I met some locals who were more scathing in their criticism than I was.  It’s strange because the Dutch are normally super competent so it’s surprising to see some chinks in the hardware.  Of course, the scale of it is vast and there is a lot of volunteer labour so I think one has to be patient and forgiving.

Each SAIL is getting more ambitious.  SAIL 2015 had 44 tall ships, five oceans and all kinds of entertainment and activities.  My big disappointment was the SAIL Music Marina.  It sounded fantastic on the website.  Music near the water and then fireworks exploding over the IJ river.  I went large and signed up for the VIP section where I would not only get a great view but a glass of champagne.

I was a bit concerned as the venue was on the other side of the water from my hotel and I wasn’t sure how I was going to get back home late at night in Amsterdam Noord but I went on-line and there was a ferry from a pier close to Centraal Station to the concert venue.  Transportation issues solved!  I bought the ticket.

While it often appears that I am a free spirit wandering the world without a plan and willing to take risks and thereby end up touring Madrid in the wee hours with a handsome escort named Javier or stealing kisses with staff members who aren’t supposed to be fraternising with the guests in remote lodges or onboard ships ;), I am actually the boring person who has three contingency plans.  Why my seemingly crazy adventures end up as charming stories…

So I knew I needed a recognisance mission to the concert venue to make sure I could get there and – more importantly – get back to my hotel!  That’s when I discovered that, while SAIL was a cool concept, it was organized and staffed by a lot of volunteers and they did not plan for contingencies like I did…

Neither the website nor the site signage was very clear on exactly how I was going to get to the concert site.  So I started asking staff.  Most people were clueless but I finally got some decent intel, which just proved to be disturbing.  Apparently the ferry service would be suspended due to the fireworks so my obvious transportation choice was likely to be disabled.

Surely there would be better info at the concert site.  I took the ferry well before the fireworks prep time and checked it out.  No one knew anything!  The concert venue info desk wouldn’t open until the ferry service to the site had already been suspended for fireworks.  It seemed there was a ferry to Centraal Station from another part of Amsterdam Noord.  Could I walk there post-fireworks?

I had lots of time and exercise is always good so I started walking in the direction suggested by the map.  It may be possible but it was definitely not easy.  Neither a short walk nor clear how to get to the other ferry terminal.  But it did provide a fascinating glimpse into Amsterdam Noord, which is where the hipsters are migrating.  It’s also where a lot of immigrants live.  You can still see the bones of Amsterdam but it is a fresh reboot and well worth checking out.

it's over...

it’s over…

There is actually a new hotel opening this year, which looks to bring even more “cool factor” to Noord.  Last summer, I had already paid for my hotel in the Oost and didn’t want to be trapped on Noord overnight so I retraced my steps back to the original ferry and jumped aboard before it was suspended for the night.

Unfortunately, my unwillingness to take big risks meant my champagne concert was not a great memory but a charitable contribution to SAIL.  While it did leave me feeling ripped off, in general SAIL is free and I would highly encourage you to check it out.  Just be leery of stuff you have to pay for…

And I am keen to see if I can get a reservation at the new hotel, Sir Adam, and hopefully explore Noord more without having to take a ferry to get back home.  First, we have to talk about Oost.  Stay tuned 🙂

And the next SAIL isn’t until 2020 so you have lots of time to get your plans in order.  I think the best way to experience it is on the water so that is my plan next time…

 

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travel stories

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prague – the original :)

beautiful even in the rain

beautiful even in the rain

I’ve now sent you to several other places to get a Prague-type experience.  I was incredibly lucky to be living in Germany as Prague began to blossom as a tourist destination so I got to see it in a very virginal state from a tourist perspective.  It has always been in my top ten travel experiences.  Service was pretty terrible and a lot of the city was full of ugly Soviet-era architecture but there was much to admire about the culture and there was also beautiful baroque architecture.  There were quirky things to do like attend a black box theatre experience or climb to the top of a hill in search of witches.

Since then, I have traveled a lot all over Europe and kept meeting people complaining about how crowded Prague is.  It kept dissuading me from a return visit but then one of my friends got invited to a conference in Prague.  We live in different cities so I don’t get to see him a lot so an opportunity to revisit Prague and hang out for a few days post-conference was too enticing to resist.

The first time I had stayed in cheap B+B type accommodation in an ugly Soviet-style apartment block.  This time I decided to go larger and stay at the Hotel Josef.  It was an excellent decision.  It is moderately priced, right in the middle of all the tourist action and there is a metro station nearby if you want to explore beyond the typical tourist sites.  Breakfast is included and it is exceptional.  Luckily, there is lots of walking to do post-breakfast to wear it off 🙂

http://www.hoteljosef.com/

I thought October might offer some respite from the tourist masses.  The weather was definitely cold but that did not stop the tour buses.  I would definitely advise visiting off-season as it is hard to imagine the main square could hold many more people!  The tourists tend to flock only in a few super famous spots so you can get away from the crowds by being intrepid.

The Old Town is small so the best way to begin is to wander aimlessly through the cobblestone

not your ordinary bridge

not your ordinary bridge

streets and get a sense for the place and imagine you are in an entirely different century.  Eventually make your way to the Charles Bridge so you can join the tourist throngs snapping photos and check out the wares of the merchants littered chock-a-block along the length of the bridge.

You will now be in Malá Strana where it is easier to escape from tourists and get plenty of exercise climbing the steep streets.

a beautiful way to tell time

a beautiful way to tell time

There are very few places in the world where you can feel like you have wandered into a real life place that would be the perfect setting for a fairy tale.  Be sure to stay for a few days and get up really early at least one morning so you can see the Old Town Square and the phenomenal Astronomical Clock while the other tourists are still sleeping.  That’s when you will feel you really are a 16th century prince or princess – with a great 21st century camera 😉

 

 

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travel stories

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who needs noma? ;)

I hope no one will get vertigo as we bounce around the world and I catch up on the stories from past travels that have been floating around in my brain for some time but have not yet made it onto a keyboard…

First, we are going back to Bucharest.  Even though it’s been months since I was actually there, it was such a fun and memorable trip, it feels sad to be typing the final posts.

It’s not that I wouldn’t love to go to noma 😉  Perhaps someday…  I only saw El Bulli in the film.  I am sure a meal at an institution of that stature would be worth all of the trouble of securing a reservation but I have managed to stumble upon places with a level of culinary artistry such that you will remember the meal for a very long time.

Home

http://www.elbulli.info/

As usual, I arrived ill-prepared but the hotel did have a copy of the in your pocket guide so I knew I would figure something out 🙂

http://www.inyourpocket.com/

Had some time to kill before it would be time for dinner so just started randomly walking the streets near the hotel.  They were filled with fin de siècle architecture, graffiti and the occasional KFC or Pizza Hut – a fascinating and unusual mix.

who needs disney to act like a princess :)

who needs disney to act like a princess 🙂

I definitely wasn`t dining at either of those options but no other restaurant screamed `pick me` so I kept wandering.  I was starting to get tired and hungry so decided to venture into the Grand Continental Hotel where I found Concerto.  There are several versions of Romania one can explore.  That night I was channeling a Habsburg princess.  It`s not my usual style but fun for a couple of hours.

http://continentalhotels.ro/Grand-Hotel-Continental-Bucuresti/en/restaurant-hotel/concerto-2/

The service was very formal and the dining room was opulent.  There were only a handful of diners so it felt like I had servants at my beck and call.  The meal was delicious and I had my first discovery of Romanian wine (it`s very good and great value).

If you like a side of history with your beverage, check out the English Bar at Athénée Palace Hotel.  It was a den of spies, political conspirators, adventurers and their assorted entourages in the years leading up to World War II.  It was then nationalized by the Communist government and filled with bugs and informants.  I just had a glass of wine while I read my guidebook and planned my next move but it would be the perfect setting to have a “martini, shaken, not stirred“…

http://www.atheneepalace-hotel.ro/en/History-News

I was on my way to Eden on the recommendation of my server in Amsterdam who loved Bucharest and was jealous of my impending journey.  Unfortunately, I was in the wrong season for the nightclub but it was still a very pleasant place to have lemonade after all my fervent trekking to see the real Bucharest.

http://www.bucharest-tips.com/places/450-nightlife-clubs-electro-clubs-gay-friendly-clubs-terraces-gardens-eden-club

I eventually got to the Old Town, which is even more spectacular with note-worthy architecture.  Since it is also a tourist zone, it`s easier to find intriguing restaurants – and also lots of spots obviously dedicated to tourists 😉  I spotted a place called Nouvelle Vague.  It looks like it belongs in Gastown so I decided I would ask for a table.  My instincts are solid.  Had an excellent main course called “sparkling fish“ and equally excellent Romanian sauvignon blanc.  The service was a wonderful treat and I found out they had only been open for three months so it was nice to support some young entrepreneurs.

http://www.nouvellevague.ro/

By the next night, I had carefully read the in your pocket guide and had zeroed in on The Artist as my dining location of choice.  But then I got more typical Eastern European service… apparently, all the tables were booked even though the restaurant was empty and I wasn`t planning to linger BUT I was able to make a reservation for the next night.

But that meant I still had to find somewhere to have dinner that night.  So I continued on my wandering and consulted the guidebook and decided to select la Bonne Bouche.  Yet again, an outstanding dinner.  Was really craving beet salad by then (just getting salad in Europe can be a dilemma) and there it was!  Accompanied by delicious moules frites and a flight of Sauvignon Blanc to expand my knowledge of Romanian wine.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g294458-d1893925-Reviews-La_Bonne_Bouche-Bucharest.html

And then it was finally time for my dinner reservation at The Artist!!!  It`s run by a Dutch chef who I gather fell in love with a Romanian woman.  Now, Dutch and chef is not a word combination that normally makes one salivate but, given my obsession with the Dutch and the amount of hours I have spent in recent years in Amsterdam, I knew that was changing and it was now possible to find a good Dutch chef.

http://theartist.ro/menu/

But The Artist is not just a good Dutch chef.  It is the kind of meal you will remember for the rest of your life.  It`s not Eleven Madison Park but it`s not something you would expect to find in Bucharest either.  The food is exceptional and creative but there is also a little theatre to make sure the meal takes you to the next level.

The meal began with a literally smoking amuse bouche.  Each course was accompanied by different bread, chosen to compliment and expand the flavours of that element.  There is also a `spoon` selection for each course so you can have a large spoonful of each option.  So I got to try ALL the appetizers.  Each was a great pop of complex flavour.

food as poetry...

food as poetry…

I stuck with sea bass for my main course and chose the cucumber sorbet for dessert as I had observed it came with a side of theatre.  First, you are presented with a mortar and pestle and a nest of herbs.  The chef then appears with a ball of sorbet.  You are encouraged to mix the herbs with the sorbet to create your own dessert.

You finish with sublimely rich chocolate truffles.  The entire experience was accompanied by champagne and an excellent Romanian white wine.  I can`t remember the exact cost but I think it was around $50 USD.

Bucharest is a total bargain.  What I hadn`t expected was the delicious modern food and Romanian wine.  You can eat even cheaper if you are into sausage, sauerkraut and offal but, if you are more a beet salad kind of person, you will be equally well-served.  Just arrive hungry! 🙂

 

Category:

eating & drinking - well, travel stories

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our girl in havana ;)

just step out of the hotel

just step out of the hotel

I am going to try and stay home for more than a couple of weeks and see if I can’t catch up on all my travels… so we will likely be bouncing around the globe as I try to tempt you to explore the world…

Thanks to the internet, globalization and the Americans’ incredible moxie at selling a glamourized version of the American lifestyle to the rest of the world, it’s tough to find places that feel truly unique, let alone part of an entirely different era.  Cuba is one of those incredibly rare and special places.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, there is a little internet in Cuba and you will see smart phones and computers but you will also see chalkboards and people lounging on the sidewalk outside fancy hotels (was guessing they might be using the hotel wi-fi).

If you don’t want to leave your overly engaged modern lifestyle at home, you can stay at the Hotel Parque Central.  Apparently it has the best internet in Cuba and the lobby was constantly full of people on smartphones, tablets and computers and it looked very 2016 despite the colonial architecture.  It’s a great hotel in an excellent setting for being a tourist in Havana and I would highly recommend it.

http://www.hotelparquecentral-cuba.com/

I would also recommend leaving your electronic devices at the hotel, making sure your shoes are comfortable and embracing the past.  It’s not every day you get to go back to 1960 without a time machine.

I tried to explain “trending” to some young guys that I met at my favourite restaurant in Havana.  There is no question Cuba is the hottest travel ticket right now and that’s how it got bumped up the list to 2016.  You don’t need to panic quite yet though.  It will not turn into Las Vegas 2.0 by next year.

There is no question change is underfoot and that something has to give.  What will be interesting is how it all unfolds.  I knew a little about Cuban history before I arrived but learned a lot more during my week in Havana.  It is a fascinating place.  I hadn’t appreciated before I arrived how old Havana was and that it was a strategically important and impressive city during colonial times.  It’s certainly a place deeply scarred by the evils of imperialism.  It’s also marked by the promise of an incredible revolution.

What they have built in Cuba is totally unique.  Not everything works and it’s not an ideal system but there is definitely merit to some of the choices they have made, which is why change will come but I hope it will come with a Cuban flavour.

I did a lot during my six days in Havana so there is much more to tell.  The one thing I wished I had done differently was research!  There are entrepreneurial green shoots in Havana but capitalism is very much in its infancy.  It’s fascinating.  There is very little advertising or marketing.  It’s hard to tell who is running an establishment and almost all the independent restaurants are on an upper level and not very obvious to the uninitiated.

I did buy a Moon guide by Christopher P. Baker, which was very helpful.  I wish I had done more advance planning.  I was a little too arrogant.  I have travelled so much and always seem to find cool stuff to do on the fly that I have stopped being well prepared for arrival.

http://moon.com/books/moon-havana/

Certainly, it’s good to be ready to be spontaneous.  Some of the best moments in Havana happened that way.  But I found the restaurant because Christopher recommended it.

I’ve read a lot of Graham Greene so I am sure I read Our Man in Havana at some point in my youth but I am going to read it again now that I have

a literary setting

a literary setting

experienced the city.  Whether you are a literary fan or not, the Hotel Sevilla is worth a visit.  It was built in 1908 and based on the Alhambra in Spain.  It was the first luxury hotel in Havana.  What makes it unique is the Moorish architecture.  There is a band playing in the lobby bar most of the time so sip a Mojito and soak in the atmosphere.

http://www.hotelsevillacuba.com/the-hotel-history

patio hotel inglaterra

patio hotel inglaterra

Another worthwhile history lesson is the Hotel Inglaterra.  It is the oldest hotel in Havana.  I tried both dinner and a drink on the outdoor patio.  I would recommend having dinner in a Paladare but drinks are cheap ($3 USD for a mojito) and the band was excellent.

http://www.hotelinglaterra-cuba.com/

Cuba isn’t going to change overnight… but it IS going to change.  The climate is great.  The people are warm and friendly.  The country is full of incredible history and architecture.  And there are gorgeous beaches if the rest is of no interest.  You don’t need to book your ticket tomorrow.  But you SHOULD go.  Don’t wait too long.  A place without a McDonalds or a Starbucks?  That is something worth seeing 😉

 

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social commentary, travel stories

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super mario :)

As already alluded to, I had organized a private day tour with Mario for my first Saturday in Santiago.  It ended up being a lot more eventful than planned and I learned another travel lesson…

Don’t panic or make decisions when you are barely awake…  I had been working every day since I had been in Santiago and it was finally Friday night so, instead of being responsible like I should have been, I kept changing venues and got home at some wee hour of Saturday morning.  I had obviously forgotten to set an alarm or ask for a wake-up call I realized when the phone rang and I scrambled for it, telling the person on the front desk that I would be down as soon as possible.

I am very polite so was going as fast as possible so Mario wouldn’t be stuck in the lobby waiting for me for long.  It’s good to be polite but I definitely learned it’s also good to not rush and really think before making a rash decision.  I looked in my evening purse and couldn’t find my passport.  This has never happened so I went into full blown panic mode in my semi-awake state.

super mario :)

super mario 🙂

You always feel more vulnerable in a foreign country, especially if English is not widely spoken.  So I thought it was brilliant to have Mario help me call the embassy to report my lost passport.  At the time I thought it had been stolen since some people had befriended me in a nightclub and you hear these stories…

In the end, it was all an embarrassing and expensive debacle!  I searched the room when I got back to the hotel at the end of the day and discovered I had just put it in an unusual place but it didn’t matter.  I had already reported it so spent about one and a half days at the Canadian Embassy in Santiago (the staff were amazing!) and freaked out myself and some of my friends… but did learn a few new things, including how to use the metro so I wouldn’t go broke taking taxis back and forth to the Embassy.

The point of this story, though, is that, if you do something really dumb like that, you want to spend the day with Mario 🙂  You want to spend the day with him even if you don’t.  But it felt like an extra gift to have a friend to talk to when you are freaking out in a foreign country.

The forgotten wake-up call and passport debacle meant my day with Mario was cut short a bit so we couldn’t see as much as I had hoped but we had a really nice day all the same.

We started the day with a visit to Emiliana Winery.  It is definitely recommended.  There are quite a few wineries close to Santiago.  I would have liked to visit more but our late start took that opportunity off the table.  Something to do on my next visit to Santiago 🙂

http://www.emiliana.cl/

We then had a great seafood lunch in Miramar at a place Mario obviously frequented regularly.

There were two highlights of the day.  One was our lively conversation about Chile, Canada and our respective lives.  I taught Mario how to pronounce entrepreneur.  He is one of my growing camp of travel industry entrepreneurs I have discovered in emerging markets.  They are the impressive young generation who will help to transform their countries, which you should visit to support them.

The other highlight was Valparaiso.  Today it is one of those cute places that attract flocks of

the streets of valparaiso

the streets of valparaiso

tourists.  Its history though fit in nicely with my Chilean odyssey.  It was focused on the Strait of Magellan and Cape Horn.  Valparaiso is a seaport and is still a major city in Chile but, before the Panama Canal disrupted the passage between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, it was a major stopover point on that journey.

street art and view

street art and view

In the 20th century it was able to reinvent itself and emerge as a center for cultural and educational endeavours.  The streets are terraced and there are many colourful houses as well as copious street art so it is a delightful place to wander and get lost. (Mario will have your back and make sure you find your way back to the car 🙂  There is also a funicular that will take you to the top of the hill for the spectacular view of the neighborhood.

Just ask at the Hotel Ismael 312 to arrange a tour with Mario.  You don’t need to follow my itinerary but I would definitely recommend considering Valparaiso.

http://www.hotelismael312.com/site/es/

Leave your passport in the hotel safe 😉

 

 

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travel stories

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Houston, we have landed :)

I still have some nice things to say about Bucharest and had some other fun travels in Europe in 2015 so we will get to them over time.  First, though, I have decided to dabble in a more recent adventure…

A really long time ago I read a very well-written travel piece about a trip to Cape Horn around New Year’s Eve on a small ship.  It sounded like an adventure and I knew that someday I wanted to complete the same voyage.

Luckily, the internet came along between the time when I read the article and now.  I may still have it somewhere in my house.  I have folders of travel dreams that I used to rip out of magazines when I was younger and had the desire – but not the funds – so folders full of dreams were all I could afford.

I figured out that the company that runs the ship he was talking about is called Australis.  They now operate two vessels custom-built to explore Tierra del Fuego where the climatic conditions are not for the timid.  It is one of those trips of a lifetime things as the price tag is steep but it’s not too often you really feel that you are at the end of the world and can see some of the same sights as Charles Darwin.

http://www.australis.com/site/en-us/

Of course, getting to the end of the world takes some planning…

First you have to get to Santiago.  From there, you likely want to fly to Punta Arenas where you will board the ship.  You can then decide if you will get off the ship in Ushuaia, Argentina or if you will stay on board and return to Chile.

The only thing I had seen of Chile was a short passage through Santiago airport on my way to Buenos Aires so I was anxious to spend some time in Santiago and Punta Arenas in addition to the journey on the ship.  Most people just use Santiago as a point to connect with flights to other parts of Chile but I wanted to spend at least a couple of days there.

I managed to find a great deal using airline points to fly business class all the way to Santiago and back.  It meant a little more time in airports most likely but the price was amazing and I rarely get to fly business class so I decided I would just spend a few extra days in Santiago to get the deal.

One of the parts of travel that I love the most is the mystery of what will happen… hopefully good things… but often the bad things make the best stories… and you need to be prepared for uncertainty as soon as you leave the confines of your own home where you have more control over what will happen.

Of course, flying on points means you are more of a second class citizen to the airlines so it’s best if nothing goes wrong.  I have been incredibly lucky and that has normally been the case.  This time my luck looked in jeopardy…  The first flight was fine.  I got to Toronto with plenty of time to clear US customs and get on the next plane without stressing out.

But then the stress began as the plane’s departure time kept getting delayed.  On the plus side, at least I would be the first person off the plane if and when we got to Houston.

I was pretty sure I would be in Houston for a night if I couldn’t make the connection.  The challenge was more that I might lose my business class status on the long, important leg of my journey and I might be paying for a hotel room in Santiago I wouldn’t be using.

I have not yet set foot in Houston but I have been through the airport a few times and have been really impressed.  Luckily, I had already cleared US customs and didn’t have to switch terminals so would just have to run fast with my bags, something I have experience with 😉  The flight attendant was especially wonderful so it was a delightful experience despite the stress.

And I got on the flight to Santiago!  And finally got proper business class service.  Booking on points can mean you don’t get the best flight or plane… Santiago airport was a total gong show.  I think Chile hasn’t quite adapted yet to its economic success.

To its credit, there are strict agricultural controls.  They just need some better procedures to enforce them.  I breezed through passport control and got my special paper that I knew I had to keep and present back when I left Chile.  Luggage wasn’t as efficient but it wasn’t until I finally discovered the end of the gigantic line to deal with customs, present my declaration and have all my bags scanned that the time really dragged.

Thank god Mario hadn’t abandoned me.  He did consider it and I couldn’t blame him as it was well over an hour from my arrival to my scrutinizing the ginormous crowd for a sign with my name on it (or at least an approximation… )  They really could do some work on scheduling flight arrivals.  It was insane.  I found Mario but then had to search for him again as we both disappeared into the crowd and I couldn’t track his movements.

a true room with a view!

a true room with a view!

I had chosen to stay in two different neighborhoods in Santiago pre and post ship so my first day in Chile would be spent in LaStarria using the Ismael Hotel 312 as a starting point.  I had found them on the internet and it was a risk but, now that you don’t have to take that risk, it is definitely where you should stay in Santiago!

http://www.hotelismael312.com/site/es/

It was one of the best hotel experiences of my life.  It’s a small boutique hotel with lots of modern design and creature comforts.  There is a park across the street.  LaStarria is a delightful neighborhood full of cafes, restaurants and bars.  It’s only a few minutes from the metro, which is a cheap and efficient way to get around.  I didn’t figure it out until my last morning but they will also make you all sorts of items for breakfast in addition to what you see on the buffet table.

gorgeous lastarria

gorgeous lastarria

They were also the ones who sent Mario to pick me up at the airport.  Since I travel alone most of the time, I normally have the hotel organize an airport transfer so I don’t have to navigate the myriad systems in foreign countries.  It’s more expensive but I am a fan of reducing my risk.  It’s also proven to occasionally be delightful.  This has been especially true in Latin countries.

If you haven’t spent time in South America, you should really correct that 🙂  It would also be really helpful to learn some Spanish… but there are enough people who speak some English that you will still have a good time.  If you’re really lucky, you will meet someone like Mario.  He had worked in California so has really good English.

There was enough time between the airport and the hotel for us to have a great conversation and I booked a private tour for Saturday so there will be more of my adventures with Mario… stay tuned…

 

 

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travel stories

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la belle époque

Marion Cotillard’s character in Midnight in Paris would love Bucharest 🙂  I first saw the film on a flight to Paris so it will always be a little extra special.  It’s about our nostalgia for the past and how we often imagine it as better – and more romantic – than the present.  I definitely think the 21st century has done a lot to kill romance but I am not a believer in trying to relive the past.  The film is brilliant as the main character, Gil, actually gets to time travel and cavort with Hemingway and Dali in the period he believes to be the most golden, Paris in the 1920s.  Marion’s character is living in the 1920s but pining for La Belle Époque.

I’m listening to Leonard Cohen as I write this, just a random choice, but the perfect accompaniment to writing about nostalgia.  When I was younger, I tried the usual things – drinking at Café de Flore in Paris pretending I was Simone de Beauvoir, drinking a wildly overpriced Bellini at Harry’s Bar in Venice imagining I was getting soused with Hemingway, enjoying a nightcap with a friend at the Algonquin Hotel in New York wishing I was as witty at Dorothy Parker.  But I always felt like a tourist trying to channel a ghost that wasn’t present.

in the zeitgeist :)

in the zeitgeist 🙂

It was in Shanghai that I had my real epiphany.    It was 2008, just as the world was melting into financial chaos, but it was National Day Golden Week in China.  Everybody in China gets the same days off and, during this week, people flood the roads and airports.  Shanghai already had over 16 million people but Golden Week meant there were a few million more!  The biggest highlight was having a five course tasting menu in a fancy French restaurant in my hotel served mostly by an enterprising young French chef who had come to China to further his career.

It’s impossible to describe what it was like to be in Shanghai at that moment.  It was like being part of a party attended by 20 million people.  The west was predicting the next great depression.  I saw it on CNN and wondered if I should do something… but then I stepped out of the hotel and the party was in full swing so I just embraced it.  The reason we are nostalgic about de Beauvoir, Hemingway and Parker is that they were living in the Zeitgeist of their time – they were at the pulse of history.  That’s also why trying to duplicate their actions feels so empty.  Paris in 2016 is nothing like Paris in the 1920s.  The Zeitgeist is constantly in motion.  If you want to feel like Hemingway did in 1920s Paris, you need to find the future, not the past.

In 2016, Shanghai looks a lot shakier than it did in 2008 and the Zeitgeist may have passed it by.  You never know if you were in a place at exactly the right moment until you are looking at it years later (unless, of course, you were in Berlin in 1989 when the wall started to come down – YOU KNEW you were in the Zeitgeist that week).  The point is – try new places, don’t copy, be original, be curious, search for the future and enjoy the contradictions that over 2,000 years of human history have imbued.

One great place to do all of that is Bucharest!  While Dracula hunting is very popular with tourists to Romania, there is lots to see in Bucharest.  Even better, you will be visiting a very interesting city at a very interesting time in its history (and, if channelling Hemingway really is your thing, you can drink cheaply pretty much 24/7 it seems… I am sure Hemingway would have moved on from Paris 😉  It seems the glory period for much of Bucharest was La Belle Époque.  As already noted, there is a magpie quality to Bucharest architecture, but there is also significant 19th century French influence.

I never even managed to see all the attractions in Bucharest but the ones I did see were very worthwhile.  I normally start my day in a new city by walking the streets and trying to suss out its character.  In that regard, Bucharest is very intriguing.  There are beautiful 19th century buildings in the same block as Pizza Hut and KFC.  Beautiful architecture is mixed with graffiti.  It’s clear this is a complicated place.  I knew a little of Romanian history before I got to Bucharest but my knowledge was very shallow.  I still have much to learn but what is most impressive about Bucharest – and Romanians – is how they have survived and thrived given all the crap thrown at them in the 20th century.

Bucharest in 2016 feels more like Prague in 1999 (my first visit).  It’s why you should go now.  I absolutely want the Romanian economy to improve and for Romanians to enjoy a better standard of living but that will mean Bucharest will start to look more like other cities.  With luck, the beautiful old buildings will be restored, rather than replaced, but there is no guarantee – so go now while they are still there.

One of the most beautiful is the Romanian Athenaeum.  It was completed in 1888, astonishingly financed almost entirely by money donated by the

easily rivals paris!

easily rivals paris!

general public.  Europeans love classical music, especially in the middle where most of the dudes were born hundreds of years ago.  I haven’t been to Greece yet but this is a little slice of Athens.  Marble, gold leaf, all that gorgeous over-the-top decoration so popular in the past.  The building is stunning and apparently the acoustics are also outstanding.  I wasn’t fortunate enough to hear an actual concert but did get to witness some musicians practicing.

http://fge.org.ro/en/romanian-atheneum.html

perfect for lovers :)

perfect for lovers 🙂

Another attraction I discovered by accident on my random walk the first morning was the Cișmigiu Gardens.  It is the oldest and largest park in Bucharest and a beautiful place to stroll, partly because it is actually a gigantic garden, rather than a park, so much thought was put into the design.

http://www.tourism-bucharest.com/bucharest-attractions/parks-and-gardens-in-bucharest/cismigiu-park.html

It would have been a perfect place for Marion Cotillard’s character in Midnight in Paris to stroll with a lover.  Bucharest evokes La Belle Époque more than Paris.  That era was the height of its 20th century glory.  A manicured garden, rather than a wild park, is very Parisian.  This is the city nicknamed “Little Paris”.  So, if your budget is tight, skip Paris and come to Bucharest 😉  Big spenders can compare and contrast…

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artsy stuff, life philosophy, travel stories

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