I am heading down Baja next week on a Green Tortoise bus out of San Francisco. I have seen the top of Baja a couple of times with Jenifer and our then dogs at San Felipe on the Sea of Cortes (or the Gulfo de California depending on which map you choose). We have also seen the tip near Cabo San Lucas by cruise ship and plane. I have wanted to see the length of it as long as I can remember.
There is something really attractive about a joining of my two geographic loves of Desert and Ocean. My recent March birthday, a harsh winter, and the perceived safety of exploring with a bus tour that combines camping and outdoor meals plus 4 days on a private beach with a company that has done this for years has proven irresistible.
Last summer, while on my usual bike path walk with our dogs, Luna and Skye, I happened upon a Green Tortoise bus at the Goose Island campground near Moab on the Colorado River. They had had to change from their usual spot by the Lone Ranger movie's set that had the whole Gold Bar campground tied-up.
I engaged the drivers in conversation, was invited to peek into the bus and even helped them cook French Toast for breakfast. When I looked on their website and saw the options included Baja, a seed that had been planted ages ago started to germinate.
I called them with questions in late February and the man taking my call, Sully, sounded nice and said that it was a great trip and that he was going to be one of the drivers. Jenifer said "Go". Plunked down the deposit and booked airfare to San Francisco a couple of days later.
Have been reading up, sorting, ordering gear - a new sleeping bag from LLBean mainly - and readying myself, even taking to walking the two miles of the bike trail these cool mornings in shorts and Tevas.
Jenifer and I love Mexico and the Mexican people. Collecting memories and photos from Baja - a truly unique and strange land - in what I see as an exploratory trek should be just the adventure I need.
I am almost ready to begin packing my one allowed duffle. At that point Luna and Skye will begin to suspect something is up. Onward.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Returning to Puerto Vallarta
Along the Malecon Boy on a Seahorse
We love Puerto Vallarta having stopped twice on cruise ship days and also vacationed there back in 2003 for several days. Back then, we stayed south of town at the Mexican-styled Hotel Conchas Chinas, a 20 room hotel over several floors that spilled down the hill right onto a small beach. We had a lovely time. We were anxious to get back to the area and to stay in closer to PV.
View from our balcony at Conchas Chinas
Best dates all around seem to be in early March before Spring Break and its craziness take hold. A week is never quite enough so we'll be there for 9 nights, returning on my birthday on the 16th.
I have spent lots of time over several days looking at various hotel and travel options. Delta Airlines has non-stop flights from Salt Lake and we were able to use only 35,000 frequent flyer miles each to get the tickets.
After a good deal more research and factoring in the opinions of other travelers, particularly those on TripAdvisor, I found a newly rehabbed property near the iconic Puerto Vallarta Cathedral, just off the Malecon Sea Walk, a favorite area.
Now for the hard part of getting ourselves in shape, packed, and on our way to Coffee and Breakfast on the beach. We're already having fun imagining, but have yet to tell Skye and Luna, our pooches who tend to get long faces when not included in everything, of our plans. Soon enough for that.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Au revoir Paris
I now know what Bogart meant when he said "at least we'll always have Paris" in the movie Casablanca, and Hemingway described his time here as a Moveable Feast. It has been a feast in many ways and a real treat to have been here.
We have been welcomed at the Pink Hotel as family, really. The small staff insures an intimate setting and has been part of the real fun. We have met and interacted with many good folks on our bike tours and travels, laughed a lot, learned new stuff, seen things we had only read or heard about, strolled most days until my feet nearly gave out, ate new foods and learned to navigate Paris enough that we are now able to send even newer arrivals on their way.
Jenifer got a couple of scarves like the Parisiennes love to wear and a pair of Fleur de lys earrings as momentos plus some chocolates that are only found here. I bought some mustards.
Baquettes and pastry from the Boulangerie and Patisserie are daily rituals that we will sorely miss. These are literally everywhere. Seeing people line up daily for their daily bread, and now ours, will not be duplicated back home. Neither will the impossibly parked cars with literally inches from the bumpers, front and rear.
The must see sites have been mostly covered. We did not ascend the Eiffel Tower, weather, time and lines were barriers. We did not get to the Louvre - same excuses as the Tower, but we did do much of what we wanted, and the pieces of the trip that we imagined before coming, mostly did work.
And we had fun together, perhaps the most important part. And we can truly say that we do have friends in Paris. Good times were had here. Pretty fine
Ands lots of photos of the sites, good folks and nearly all of the food to help us remember
-- Post From My iPad
We have been welcomed at the Pink Hotel as family, really. The small staff insures an intimate setting and has been part of the real fun. We have met and interacted with many good folks on our bike tours and travels, laughed a lot, learned new stuff, seen things we had only read or heard about, strolled most days until my feet nearly gave out, ate new foods and learned to navigate Paris enough that we are now able to send even newer arrivals on their way.
Jenifer got a couple of scarves like the Parisiennes love to wear and a pair of Fleur de lys earrings as momentos plus some chocolates that are only found here. I bought some mustards.
Baquettes and pastry from the Boulangerie and Patisserie are daily rituals that we will sorely miss. These are literally everywhere. Seeing people line up daily for their daily bread, and now ours, will not be duplicated back home. Neither will the impossibly parked cars with literally inches from the bumpers, front and rear.
The must see sites have been mostly covered. We did not ascend the Eiffel Tower, weather, time and lines were barriers. We did not get to the Louvre - same excuses as the Tower, but we did do much of what we wanted, and the pieces of the trip that we imagined before coming, mostly did work.
And we had fun together, perhaps the most important part. And we can truly say that we do have friends in Paris. Good times were had here. Pretty fine
Ands lots of photos of the sites, good folks and nearly all of the food to help us remember
-- Post From My iPad
Monday, May 31, 2010
Lundi, Lundi. (Monday, Monday)
We started out the morning at the Place de la Concorde, an impossibly huge Rotary at the bottom of the Champs Elysee boulevard. The Musee Orangerie is there and we went for another small dose of art and artists. Picasso, Renoir, Monet, Rousseau and other notables,
plus two huge oval rooms only holding 40 foot sections of late in life murals of water lilies from a pond near Monet's house. At first I thought, so they are ok, next, please but as we sat and looked they really were quite special.
After a quick bite, we stood in a line at the church of Saint Chappelle for the entrance. Security is quite heavy at all sites and it is like entering an airport. Finally we got in to see the church that the king had had built about 1300 for 40,000 pounds to house what was thought to be the relic of Christ's Crown of Thorns that he had purchased for 100,000 pounds sterling.
The church has huge stained glass windows that line all sides and are covered with stories. Truly astonishing in detail and in effect. We sat for a long time admiring. The Crown relic is displayed once a year and is said to resemble a ring of straw.
The church also had some gargoyles that were quite interesting and used to scare away evil spirits and divert water from the church gutters and various carved critters and column dwellers.
plus two huge oval rooms only holding 40 foot sections of late in life murals of water lilies from a pond near Monet's house. At first I thought, so they are ok, next, please but as we sat and looked they really were quite special.
After a quick bite, we stood in a line at the church of Saint Chappelle for the entrance. Security is quite heavy at all sites and it is like entering an airport. Finally we got in to see the church that the king had had built about 1300 for 40,000 pounds to house what was thought to be the relic of Christ's Crown of Thorns that he had purchased for 100,000 pounds sterling.
The church has huge stained glass windows that line all sides and are covered with stories. Truly astonishing in detail and in effect. We sat for a long time admiring. The Crown relic is displayed once a year and is said to resemble a ring of straw.
The church also had some gargoyles that were quite interesting and used to scare away evil spirits and divert water from the church gutters and various carved critters and column dwellers.
Nearing the end
Yesterday, we went back to Montmatre to get some pix as my camera wasn't working on our evening walk with Chris (from Croatia) who gave a great tour. We saw where Van Gogh got his start, where Toulouse Latrec painted, where Picasso once painted for a meal, the Moulin Rouge (inventors of the Can Can) and finally ending at the Basillica of Sacre Coeur. The top has a market and village area with winding streets. Many artists, 25 at least were working around the center. Several were doing caricatures. One of these looked at me and said "hey you, let me do your nose, it's a funny one". I haven't been quite the same since then.
Because Monmatre is on a very high hill, the front steps of the Basillica command an incredible view of Paris. Only the top of the Eiffel Tower at 334 meters is higher.
After that we ate some couscous and a tagine of lamb for me and poulet for Jenifer at an Algerian restaurant, Bebert's, that served several small, delicious, dishes of olives, carrots, and other bits.
We finished the day by walking a couple of miles along the Promenade Plante. It used to be a raised railroad bed that they were going to tear down until they decided to use it as a walkway and it is planted the whole length with all sorts of flowers, trees, bamboo and other plants. You walk along at about the second story looking down on the cityscape thru gorgeous plantings. We had much good company of people, plants and pets. The Parisians seem to have small dogs and where dog poop had been an issue in the past on sidewalks, we rarely saw any or any litter. A big clean place all around
-- Post From My iPad
Because Monmatre is on a very high hill, the front steps of the Basillica command an incredible view of Paris. Only the top of the Eiffel Tower at 334 meters is higher.
After that we ate some couscous and a tagine of lamb for me and poulet for Jenifer at an Algerian restaurant, Bebert's, that served several small, delicious, dishes of olives, carrots, and other bits.
We finished the day by walking a couple of miles along the Promenade Plante. It used to be a raised railroad bed that they were going to tear down until they decided to use it as a walkway and it is planted the whole length with all sorts of flowers, trees, bamboo and other plants. You walk along at about the second story looking down on the cityscape thru gorgeous plantings. We had much good company of people, plants and pets. The Parisians seem to have small dogs and where dog poop had been an issue in the past on sidewalks, we rarely saw any or any litter. A big clean place all around
-- Post From My iPad
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Walking, walking, walking
Today was overcast and we started it at the Eiffel Tower walking thru the grounds, watching crowds of Rugby fans parading in uniform before a big match. Didn't even attempt a climb or ascent. Weather and lines were foreboding. The French Open tennis tournament also starts today.
Climbed aboard city bus 69 which wends its way past most important sites and dropped us at the Pere Lachaisse cemetery. Strolled thru the incredible funerary displays from ancient and modern times in this hilly enclave. Found the final resting spot for Jim Morrison of the Doors who died in Paris, and that of Oscar Wilde, which is covered in lipstick kisses from fans and visitors.
Then we took the metro to the Place de La Concorde where Napoleon had a huge obelisk from Luxor floated from Egypt and installed. We strolled up the Champs Elysees ( an oh my gosh huge boulevard) to the Arch de Triomphe and Tomb of the Unknown stopping midway up at Laduree, world renowned tearoom and bakery, for some nowhere but Paris pastry/ cookie/ filled thing called a Macaron, and for tea.
Finally we took a 2 hour walking tour with chris of CityFreeTour and 15 others thru the artistic area called Montmatre, and home to the famous nightclub, Moulin Rouge (Red Windmill) and quite steep streets ending at the Basillica and a grand view of Paris far below .
Then the Metro again, crammed with most of the citizens of Paris on our train. Finally stopping for a very fine bowl of Pho, Vietnamese soup, before heading home to our Pink Hotel nest. A fine day.
From My iPad
Climbed aboard city bus 69 which wends its way past most important sites and dropped us at the Pere Lachaisse cemetery. Strolled thru the incredible funerary displays from ancient and modern times in this hilly enclave. Found the final resting spot for Jim Morrison of the Doors who died in Paris, and that of Oscar Wilde, which is covered in lipstick kisses from fans and visitors.
Then we took the metro to the Place de La Concorde where Napoleon had a huge obelisk from Luxor floated from Egypt and installed. We strolled up the Champs Elysees ( an oh my gosh huge boulevard) to the Arch de Triomphe and Tomb of the Unknown stopping midway up at Laduree, world renowned tearoom and bakery, for some nowhere but Paris pastry/ cookie/ filled thing called a Macaron, and for tea.
Finally we took a 2 hour walking tour with chris of CityFreeTour and 15 others thru the artistic area called Montmatre, and home to the famous nightclub, Moulin Rouge (Red Windmill) and quite steep streets ending at the Basillica and a grand view of Paris far below .
Then the Metro again, crammed with most of the citizens of Paris on our train. Finally stopping for a very fine bowl of Pho, Vietnamese soup, before heading home to our Pink Hotel nest. A fine day.
From My iPad
Versaille by bike
Yesterday we took the metro toward the Eiffel tower and walked to Fat Tire Bike tours. At nine, We joined into a group of 25, got our bikes and headed to the train station en masse. Onto the train with our bikes, 4 to a door, and headed to Versaille, about 25 min.away. Off the train and thru the town of Versaille to the open air market. Took about 40 minutes to gather picnic supplies and beverages.
Then off to the incredible residence that the Bourbon Kings had had built for themselves. Biked by the rural village that Louie XVI had built and where his wife Marie Antoinette pretended to be a peasant. Then on to the cross shaped hand dug lake where we picnicked and shared foods.
Around the lake and up to the Chateau where we joined several thousand other folks wending their ways thru rooms. Covered in huge pictures of the various owners in heroic poses and several truly huge paintings from Napoleon's time of residence. Modesty was not in fashion apparently, or in evidence. The 90 minutes was enough. Could understand why the peasants, especially women, stormed the place and threw them out. The peasants lost their patience and the Royals lost their heads, courtesy of Monsieur Guillotine.
Back by train by 7 . Guide Andrew Golden did a great job herding and encouraging us and called all 25 by name. Quite a feat. Fine day.
-- Post From My iPad
Then off to the incredible residence that the Bourbon Kings had had built for themselves. Biked by the rural village that Louie XVI had built and where his wife Marie Antoinette pretended to be a peasant. Then on to the cross shaped hand dug lake where we picnicked and shared foods.
Around the lake and up to the Chateau where we joined several thousand other folks wending their ways thru rooms. Covered in huge pictures of the various owners in heroic poses and several truly huge paintings from Napoleon's time of residence. Modesty was not in fashion apparently, or in evidence. The 90 minutes was enough. Could understand why the peasants, especially women, stormed the place and threw them out. The peasants lost their patience and the Royals lost their heads, courtesy of Monsieur Guillotine.
Back by train by 7 . Guide Andrew Golden did a great job herding and encouraging us and called all 25 by name. Quite a feat. Fine day.
-- Post From My iPad
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