I think at some point everyone just wants to get away from it all. For those living in an urban area, an escape from the city noise, computers, and hustle & bustle is all that one could want for a few days.
Keep a close eye for the “Rushford” sign on the road. It’s very small, and you can easily drive right by the driveway if you’re not paying attention.
For my friends and I, we decided to take a recent “escape” trip to Burlington, VT. Now I know what you’re thinking, and yes it was kind of random. The reasoning was that A) Memorial Day was a good time for all of us to reunite, and B) a friend of ours was running the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington so we figured – why don’t we all just go up? So we rented a house on Lake Champlain, about 20 minutes outside of Burlington, VT.
If you’re looking for a really nice getaway place, I’d recommend checking this house out. It’s got three bedrooms with queen beds, one bedroom with two full sized beds, and one bedroom with a full size bed and two bunk beds. There is also a random bedroom with a queen bed out in the driveway on its own, sort of like an annex (to this day, I’m still not totally sure how and/or why there’s a single bedroom/hut out there…).
The canoe ride on the lake is really pleasant on a nice day
The house is fully furnished with a kitchen, porch, gas grill, and two bathrooms. There is only one shower (and a shower outside), and although we thought that would be a problem for the 8-10 of us, it ended up not really being an issue. The hot water for the shower stayed good and heated for several back to back showers as well. DirecTV and wireless internet are available as well.
The one thing to keep in mind, the house doesn’t have heating. There’s a nice gas fireplace on the first floor, but for the nights upstairs it can get chilly. That being said, there were A LOT of blankets available so you can bundle up.
Plenty of yard space for all sorts of games
Easily the best amenity of the house is its rock dock with fire pit. Out there you can cook up some s’mores, take out the available canoe or motorboat, or try and get lucky with the fishing equipment. Along with that there are available bikes to take out, as well as plenty of yard space for bocce or cornhole. The yard also includes a volleyball net and a horseshoe court.
The house is perfect for any group bigger than 5-6 or for a family vacation. As for the pricing, for the long Memorial Day weekend we had the place for $1,200 pre-tax, $1,308 post-tax for the Friday through Thursday (these prices do probably fluctuate based on the season).
Family dinnerLate night s’mores at the fire pit
Here’s the contact information if you’re interested in renting out the house:
Marcia Rushford
dmrushford@aol.com 263 W Shore Rd
South Hero, VT 05486
Back to the highlights from Israel. As I mentioned before, the advantage of staying at the Eldan Hotel is its proximity to the Old City. Arguably the biggest religious center in the entire world, the highlights of the Old City can be done in a day – but it would be very, very exhausting. My suggestion would be to give it a day and a half.
***I’ll try and limit the amount of historical background I get into (because quite frankly it would require pages and pages)
Before you go into the craziness of the Old City, I would actually recommend checking out the Tower of David Museum at the Jaffa Gate. We visited the museum at the end of our trip through the Old City, but in hindsight doing it beforehand probably would have been more beneficial. This museum will give you a great history of the city before you go and see the actual sights and can be realistically be done in a couple of hours.
You’ll also notice as you begin your journey into the Old City how remarkably international the environment is. Jerusalem, and in particular the Old City, really is the most international city that I’ve ever been immersed in with every sort of ethnicity represented. It just shows you how widespread Christianity, Judaism and Islam are practiced throughout the world.
Christian Section
We started our journey through the Old City at the Jaffa Gate, and made our way into the market to try and find the start of the Via Dolorosa. For those of you unfamiliar with the Via Dolorosa, it’s the path that Jesus Christ took on his way to his crucifixion. On the Via Delarosa, there are several checkpoint stations that mark where different miracles/events allegedly occurred during Christ’s walk. Be prepared to get lost. Although there are maps and a few signs to attempt to help visitors guide their way through, the Via Dolorosa runs through a very busy and crowded bazaar (much like the one in Fez, but with far fewer shop owners in your face). While some of the locals will actually try and help you, I’m afraid their kindness gets tainted by the locals who try and take advantage of you and get you in their stores. What you will find helpful is that there will be tour groups surrounding each of the landmarks, so use that to your advantage. I really need to find a way to create a perfect map of the Old City, with all the weird little roads and alleys marked. I’d be a millionaire from the sales off of the tourists.
Expect to see A LOT of religious zealots. As we were walking up and down the Via Dolorosa, there were several religious groups carrying crosses and chanting. At the final stop of the Via Dolorosa, the Holy Sepulchre (the site where Christ was allegedly crucified), there were hundreds of worshipers praying and weeping at the locations of the actual execution, where Christ was laid to rest, and his resurrection. I for one greatly appreciate the historical significance of all these landmarks, but I’ll be the first to admit that I was unsettled by the amount of crying and just 100% pure worship around me. I did feel in a way like an intruder invading people’s private moments. And I don’t mean to be insulting, but if I’m going to be honest – I really did think some of the people around me may have been slightly crazy.
Jewish Section
Towards the end of the Via Dolorosa, you’ll approach the Jewish section and the Western Wall (a.k.a. Wailing Wall). Needless to say, you have to go through tight security to get to the Western Wall courtyard. My first reaction to seeing the wall was surprise at the size of what was actually left. I imagined that there was only small portion, but the ruins of the western side of the ancient Jewish temple was much larger than I thought. There are separate men’s and women’s prayer sections of the wall, so make sure to find a place to regroup after you’re done looking and/or praying (though I heard recently they are considering making the prayer areas mixed). There is also a dress code: men should have their heads covered and women should be pretty much covered to the knees and over the shoulders. Shawls and skullcaps are available to borrow.
You’ll notice when you approach the wall that there are thousands, if not millions, or pieces of paper shoved into the cracks of the wall. These are prayers or letters that have been placed in the wall as messages to God by pilgrims and anyone is welcome to contribute. Although I don’t practice the Hebrew faith, I still partook in writing a personal note and placing it in one of the cracks in the wall. God is God, no matter what your faith right?
Muslim Section
Part three of this world religion tour (seriously it was like a straight-up, real-life Epcot Center World Showcase going from religion to religion) was to head to the Muslim section of the city. Because both Muslims and Hebrews share the Temple Mount, you will literally see a ramp along the Western Wall that will take you to the Dome of the Rock, the site where the prophet Mohammad is said to have ascended to heaven.
There aren’t many signs telling you that the ramp is the way to get to the Dome of the Rock, that’s why I’m telling you now. Also, there is a long wait – at least 30 minutes – so be prepared for that. Finally, be sure to figure out what hours the area is open for non-Muslims and plan accordingly.
Once you make it to the top of ramp, you’ll notice how serene the scene is and how impressive the gold dome of the Dome of the Rock stands out. Compared to the rather crowded Western Wall, there’s much more room to leisurely walk around. Although non-Muslims aren’t allowed inside, the Dome of the Rock is very impressive on the outside to see and one can imagine how much more impressive the building was centuries ago to the visiting pilgrims.
All in all, seeing this melting pot of religions and nationalities is easily one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had. It is hard to put into words how fascinating it was to see thousands of people from these three major world religions crash into this one area no bigger than the size of a small town. It amazes me to think about how much conflict has occurred over the years over this one region and, quite honestly, how much of a shame it is that there hasn’t ever been a way to find a resolution between what are essentially “distant relative” religions.
Hello friends. Sorry I was silent for a little while there. As much as I would love to be traveling around the world 365 days a year, I’ve still got that little issue of vacation time to worry about. That being said – this is a good time to remind all my readers – I ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS TO POST ON MY BLOG. Obviously, I can’t go everywhere in the world, but with your help we can try and cover each corner of the globe together. So, if you have any sort of reviews, pictures, stories, tips (especially tips) about any places, restaurants or sights in the world, please feel free to forward them on to me and I’ll load them up.
Moving on now. The one bit of traveling I did do was going home to Boston for Thanksgiving. And while I generally hate dealing with the craziness of traveling during that time of the year, one thing made it far more managable: flying on JetBlue.
I absolutely love JetBlue, especially now that it flies in and out of the much more convenient Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. (as opposed to Dulles and Baltimore/Washington airports). But aside from the convenience, JetBlue in my opinion gets everything right. Because it’s a smaller airline, and generally flies mainly on the east coast, a lot of people haven’t had the chance to give them a try. Here’s a rundown of why I think they’re the best.
– Price. Airline tickets are ridiculously expensive, but JetBlue has managed to keep their prices consistently reasonable. Like Southwest, the first bag you check is free of charge – without the 100 commercials you DVR fast-forward through. Though admittedly JetBlue’s ticket prices aren’t gonna be as cheap as Southwest’s in some cases, it’s worth paying the few extra dollars for all of the following…
– Customer Service. Great customer service on every flight I’ve been on. The flight attendants are always friendly, and on one occasion I saw the flight attendant help every single female with a carry-on put their bags in the overhead – every single one. They also provide bottles of Dasani water, Dunkin Donuts coffee along with blue Terra chips and/or cookies, nuts in the gate area as well as on the plane ride.
– 32 channels of DirecTV and SiriusXM satellite radio for free. I cannot tell you how many times I was so happy to have a chance to watch the end of football games on my flights home on Sundays. And going back to the customer service thing – my co-worker told me that on her shortly delayed JetBlue flight, they gave all the passengers free access to all the movies as an apology.
– Legroom. Unlike on the larger carriers, JetBlue’s regular seats have more than enough room to cross your legs without the “can I do this without awkwardly banging my dirty-ass foot into the seat in front of me or the passenger next to me” hesitation. And those are just the regular seats. The “Even More Space” seats have so much room, they’re good for parents with little toddlers who want to stand/waddle in front of them.
– The Red Sox. It’s the official airline of the Boston Red Sox. That one’s just for me.
JetBlue is essentially that perfect blend of budget airline and big carrier without the annoyingness of the getting loaded onto a plane like a bus, or dealing with such a big airline that you get treated as poorly as your luggage. I would go as far to say that if I had the choice of a direct flight on something like United or having to have to deal with a layover with JetBlue – I would actually take the layover.
Twice a year my company holds a sales meeting out near the headquarters in Thousand Oaks, CA. In meetings past, the location has been in places like Santa Monica or San Diego, but it’s always around the southern California area giving many of us remote East Coasters and Midwesterners a chance to see the sunny West Coast on our company’s dime.
Obviously, this is a work trip so much of the time is spent in conference rooms, but my company does do its best to treat their employees well and take us out for group activities. And usually after the meetings, most of us take the weekend to enjoy being on the west coast for a little vacation. Here’s a recap of a few of the highlights during that trip.
Westlake Village Inn – Our meetings were held at the hotel where we all stayed. Located in Westlake Village, this resort isn’t really located in any sort of “going out” type area, but is ideal for those looking to get away and enjoy the southern California weather in peace. Because of the size of the resort and the picturesque pond it surrounds, the hotel is a great location for meetings or weddings (my co-worker’s aunt being one such bride). The rooms are extremely comfy, each with a little deck to sit out on and they make you feel like you’re crashing at a rich friend’s summer home. FYI – my deck light was really bright which flooded into the room at night – keep that in mind for you light sleepers.
The resort is also adjacent to a golf course for those looking to play a few holes (and was right outside the meeting room window for all of us to jealously look out onto). Also, Bogie’s bar in the resort apparently is the hot place to be on weekend nights, but since our meeting was during the week I can’t confirm whether or not that’s actually true. The bar itself though was pretty fun when we were there and has a lot of outdoor seating. And finally, the pool and gym are both a little small, which is surprising considering how much nicer the rest of the resort is.
View from my balcony at Westlake Village Inn
While the food was actually quite good at the resort, there are a slew of restaurants within a few miles of the resort. A couple that I’d recommend are :
Cisco’s, a local mexican chain with fantastic Samuel Adams Beer Battered fish tacos and massive margaritas. Boccacio’s, which is situated on Westlake lake and has a tremedous view of the Santa Monica mountains. I would highly recommend the Chilean Sea Bass.
Sunstone Winery – Located in Santa Ynez, CA, this was the first of many wineries I would visit in the days to come (stay tuned). Fans of the movie Sideways will recognize this area as the setting of Paul Giamatti and Thomas Hayden Church’s escapades. And while the vineyard at Sunstone was beautiful and the wine tasty, the 2 hour drive from L.A. only makes the venue worth a visit if you’re in L.A. for an extended period of time and if it’s a nice enough day to enjoy the coastal drive up. If you do decide to visit, the tour is very informative and the tasting room at the end allows you to sample several of their vintages and olive oils – be sure to try the garlic olive oil.
The Beverly Hilton Hotel – Renown for hosting the Golden Globe Awards and more recently, the site of the death of singer Whitney Houston, the Beverly Hilton Hotel has a long history of hosting the rich and famous (myself included). Located at the heart of Beverly Hills, the hotel itself surprisingly seems rather old in some ways, but also new in others. The resort is the type that has a weird Rat Pack feel to it, but also is the type that has TVs in the bathroom. Our room was located very conveniently by the pool (literally, we could walk out of our room and the pool was four yards in front of us), and we took advantage of this by going for late night swims at 2-3 in the morning that the staff didn’t seem to mind.
TMZ Hollywood Tour– I’m not a TMZ fan, I’ve only seen parts of it on parodies such as The Soup. But when our friend suggested we go on TMZ’s bus tour (he’s a big TMZ fan), I decided to roll with the punches and go with it. In actuality, the 2 hour bus tour starting at Mann’s Chinese Theater was quite entertaining and gives you a pretty good “paparazzi’s” eye of Hollywood.
Don’t go on this thinking you’ll see huge celebrity houses in Beverly Hills. Rather, you’ll go down Rodeo Drive to see million dollar cars and stores, drive by Beverly Hills Police HQ and the comedy club where Kramer famously dropped the “N” word over and over again. You’ll also see notorious hotels (where Cher and Elton John own the top floors), sidewalks where naughtiness occured (the curb where Hugh Grant got caught), and restaurants where celebrities frequent (we apparently just missed Halle Barry at one of her favorites). It’s a trashy tour at best, but I can’t say that I wasn’t throughly amused throughout the ride.
Recognize the hotel? It’s the one from Pretty Woman.
Jimmy Kimmel Live – Probably one of the top experiences of the summer was being able to sit in the audience during the taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live. One of my co-workers was able to get a few of us tickets through an old college friend of hers who works at the show. We definitely let the feeling sink in as we walked past the crowds waiting in line outside for tickets and into the backdoor “Green Room” entrance. We were all hoping that we might get a glimpse of the evening’s guests, Jennifer Garner (Alias) or Paul Scheer (The League) back there, but we weren’t that lucky. After downing a couple free beers, they escorted us into the studio where we were entertained by a comedian who gave away t-shirts for various different reasons. The studio itself was shockingly smaller than how it looks on television and when Kimmel came out to do his stand up routine at the beginning, he’s practically in the front row. Obviously, his TV personality isn’t going to be the same as his off camera personality, but Kimmel was certainly friendly enough to the crowd in-between the recordings and entertained us with back and forth banter between him, the band, and Guillermo (his famous Latino sidekick).
No pictures allowed inside, so this is us outside getting into the Green Room. No Guillermo at the door unfortunately.
We were lucky enough to have crowd pleasing guests in Jennifer Garner (who is as hot in person as on TV by the way) and Paul Scheer, so the crowd’s laughter didn’t need to be forced. The musical guest was The Fixx, who before that night I had not heard of and my guess is most of the crowd hadn’t either, so we were strongly told to cheer louder (and we even had to re-tape on of the songs because the audience wasn’t into it enough). Funny part was that when we watched it later that night, they only showed one of three songs that they sung, and not the one that they re-sang. It was a great experience overall and certainly made the Los Angeles experience that much more authentic.
On a final side note: I was surprised at how much seedier Hollywood was than I thought. Yes, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is pretty cool to see, but the sidewalks were packed with the homeless, drunks and solicitors. Definitely not a place where I’d spend a lot of time, but glad I saw it to say I did.
Up next: We jumped in a car and headed our way to Las Vegas.
Before I begin I need to say that this blog post is being done because I have no interest in going outside into the ridiculously hot, muggy weather we’ve got here in D.C. This really is the nastiest I have ever felt it being outside in my life.
This weather is just a continuation of the heat wave that has hit the U.S. which started the day my friends and I went whitewater rafting/tubing and camping. It’s a funny story about our experience that weekend. We decided to go whitewater rafting in the morning and tubing in the afternoon with River & Trail Outfitters near Harpers Ferry on the Shenandoah/Potomac Rivers ($83 a person). The ride from Washington, D.C. is about an hour. Little did we know that the oppressive heat during that day would be the cause of a ridiculously violent storm that night. More on that later.
The River & Trail organization is top notch with knowledgable raft guides and they did a really nice job helping us plan the day. For the whitewater rafting in the morning, they served us lunch on an island partway through the trip consisting of some remarkably good fried chicken, potato salad and watermelon (vegetarian options are available as well on request). The rafting itself however was a little disappointing. The water level was too low, so we ended up doing much more getting our raft off of rocks than actually paddling through rapids. So here’s a tip: Try to find a weekend when the dams are opening. The water level is higher and the rapids are continuous on the river throughout.Also, in the event that you do like your raft guide, have a few dollars in your pocket (even if they get wet), because by the time we got on the bus back to the car and all that – getting money to your guide might slip your mind as it did our group (Sorry, Nate).
For the tubing in the afternoon, we drove our car down to the tubing launch point after the whitewater rafting trip was done. Keep this in mind – by the time we got to the tubing, it was already around 3 so if you want to do both, know that the whitewater rafting will probably cut into the afternoon tubing time. Most of the companies around Harpers Ferry that run tubing trips launch from the same point on the Shenandoah River, so be sure to compare prices first between River & Trail Outfitters, Adventure Center (formerly known as Butts Tubes, I guess they wanted to be taken more seriously), and River Riders to see where you can get the best deal.
The float down can take anywhere from an hour to two depending on how fast the current is and it is most definitely a relaxing time. Don’t forget to put on your sunscreen even while you’re on the water! Also, don’t worry about the rules saying no alcohol – you can bring whatever you want in coolers and most of those companies provide cooler tubes for $10 or so (River Riders have really nice yellow, large life raft looking tubes that fit a large coolers FYI). Also, here’s another tip: don’t forget rope. It’s more fun to float when you’re able to stay near your friends without needing to paddle constantly, and if you want to anchor yourselves to the middle of the river.
So after our little water baking/napping/drinking float we headed our way to Greenbrier State Park. Greenbrier is about 30 minutes away from Harpers Ferry and for $25 a night you can book a tent spot, each with a picnic table and firepit/grill. Note: the summer weekends and holidays will require you to book a least 2 nights. The campground is really nice, with a beach and lake for swimming and some pretty decent hiking trails all around. Also, there are several bathrooms/showers in the area that are remarkably very clean, as well as several drinking water fountains and convenient dumpsters located on the driveway out of the park. The park also does host activities such as bingo, outdoor movies, and things of that nature on the summer weekends.
The one drawback is that some of the campsites are really close to each other, so when you choose your site to reserve online, try and find one that “looks” like its a little bit apart from the rest or else your tent could easily be a few yards away from your neighbor (who could be a loud 10 year-old kid or something).
So we get to the campsite and because we were on the water all day, we had no idea that a massive, historically bad thunderstorm was on its way to the area (apparently known as a “derecho” – http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/derecho-behind-washington-dcs-destructive-thunderstorm-outbreak-june-29-2012/2012/06/30/gJQA22O7DW_blog.html). The ranger told us we need to “batten down” as we were in the direct line of where the storm was heading. Obviously we took this as, “Oh it’s gonna rain, that sucks”. So we set up our tents, and started grilling our dinner (dum-dee-dum). Tip: bring more coal than you think you’ll need.Those fire pits don’t hold the heat in as well as a Weber grill so you need to keep pouring on the charcoal to keep the heat going.
Luckily for us, our grilling was just wrapping up when the rain came down – and boy did it come down. We took shelter in one of the tents that, while water resistant, still was leaking all over us as we tried to play cards. The thunder and lightning were pretty much continuous for most of the night. I ended up sleeping in my car because the tent I was maybe planning on sleeping in with my buddy had flooded because the window in that tent was accidently left open (Tip: Don’t leave your tent window open in the middle of a thunderstorm…stupid).
In the end we survived the experience and despite the heat and rain, it certainly was better than being in the office. I would recommend both River & Trail and Greenbrier if you ever do want to plan a trip such as ours in the Harpers Ferry region. And here’s to good weather when you go.
Hello friends and people, I’m back. Sorry I’ve been off the grid for a while, it’s been a busy season at work and things have just started to wind down. Of course my sales season wouldn’t have been complete without a little work travel and I’m here to give you a quick recap of where I’ve been over the past few months. I won’t get too detailed because in all honesty many of the work trips required a lot of actual working so there’s not a whole lot to write about when you’re spending most of your time at Hampton Inns. But I can give you a few highlights.
San Diego, CA U.S.S. Midway Museum Price of Admission: $18 Adults, $15 Senior Citizens, $10 Retired Military and Children (online rates are a dollar cheaper)
San Diego, CA probably gets the prize for best weather all year long in the U.S. When I was there in January, it was a nice and warm low-80 degrees with clear skies – and from what I understand it’s always like that. Most of my time in CA was spent at a conference so I didn’t get to the beach, but we were in the Gaslight District which is a vibrant bar and nightlife scene. Aside, from all the great bars and restaurants one can try out in San Diego (several of which my company treated us to), it’s worth a walk down to the shore and going on board the U.S.S. Midway. Yes, I’ve mentioned the ship before, but I think it’s worth getting more in-depth. It’s much more than just a walk around the deck and seeing a few of the planes. The museum gives you a look inside all the intricate parts of the aircraft carrier and gives you not just a lesson about the ship’s role in U.S. Navy history, but a real sense of what it was like for the common sailor on-board (you can walk through the bunks, laundry room, mess hall, everywhere). Don’t miss a chance to also sit in several of the fighters jets and helicopters that they have on display or participate in a flight simulator dogfight with your friends. If you have time, go and chat with one of the several veterans on board who volunteer to tell you their stories – they’re fascinating and many of them are pretty funny guys.
When I asked around about places to go to eat while in Rochester, NY, I heard from three separate people to check out Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. Now, admittedly I thought the place was some local hot spot (with a really random name), but when I showed up I realized that it was a chain. So while I was a little disappointed, it’s not a huge chain mind you (the other locations are in New York City, Syracuse, New Jersey, and Troy, NY). Still, I had no other leads of places to try so I gave it a go. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere had a Applebee’s made over by a biker gang, but the crowd was a mix of all types. The beer list was impressive, with several local northern NY brews. The food and service was top notch as well. My waitress was friendly, fast, and knew to be available but not be overbearing. I gave the “Tres Hombres” combination a try and that consisted of pork, brisket and 1/4 rack of ribs, cornbread and two sides – I went with mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. There was a LOT of food – but it was well worth the calories (you can try the smaller “Tres Ninos” combo if you’re not as hungry). The different BBQ sauces that were on the table really hit the spot, but my two favorites were there Slathering Sauce and the Wango Tango Habenero (this stuff was sweet and super spicy). The meats all melted in your mouth, but I’ll say that the ribs were probably the best of the three. The mac and cheese was also a stand out and I would tell anyone that one of the sides must be that (though one could argue that the gravy that came with the potatoes made that side dish better). I could certainly see how this place, with his comfort food and warm, friendly atmosphere is popular spot on cold winter days in Rochester. Grade: B
Chattanooga, TN Ruby Falls
Price of Admission: $17.95 for adults, $9.95 for children under 12 (babies free, but I probably wouldn’t bring a baby)
On my flight into Chattanooga, TN, I sat next to a local lawyer who gave me some leads on how to spend a few free hours in the city. He, like most of the people that I met from Chattanooga, had a sort of “really, this place is much nicer that you might think” way of talking. I’ll say this much – I probably wouldn’t target Chattanooga as a place to go out of my way to visit. BUT I will also say that it is a quaint little town with some pretty interesting things to see if you’re there for a couple days. And from what I understand and saw for myself, it’s a great place for the outdoorsy types. I didn’t try it myself, but apparently hang gliding is one of the big hobbies for the folks in Chattanooga. But don’t bother with going to the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, unless you happen to be down that way. But if you do happen to be down that way and see the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, stop into The Terminal Brewhouse. They had some great drafts and one of the better BBQ Chicken pizzas I’ve ever had.
One of the highlights for me was a side trip to Ruby Falls. It’s clearly one of the main tourist attractions (the other being Rock City) and the city lets you know it with the 247 or something billboards I saw on the highways directing visitors to see check it out (that was an exaggeration, but it was a s**tload). The drive to Ruby Falls is quick from downtown Chattanooga and when I arrived, I had no idea that Ruby Falls wasn’t really outdoors! Apparently, the waterfall that’s advertised is actually the country’s tallest underground waterfall. Now I’m not claustrophobic, but for you folks that are keep this in mind. To see the Ruby Falls, you have to take an elevator ride 1120 feet underground into a very tight, winding cave. If you’re okay with that, then you’re good to go. So a group of us took the elevator down to the dark cavern and in order to get to the waterfall, the guide takes you through some really neat tunnels with extraordinary rock formations. Our guide, Andy, gave us a little history and while his smart-ass humor was annoying at first, after a while it became more tolerable and by the end you couldn’t help but be amused by his personality. When we got to the cave with the waterfall, it’s pitch black and pretty creepy. There’s a little dramatic audio presentation to get you pumped up, and then the lights come on and Voila! I’ll say, I was pretty awe-struck by the waterfall when I saw it. They did a really good job with the lighting and making the water look like falling crystals. It was quite…majestic (for some reason I really can’t think of a better word that isn’t as cheesy). As you walk around and underneath the waterfall itself, you have to take a look up at the water coming down. You’ll get a little wet, but it’s worth the sight. It’s almost like you’re looking at the stars while traveling at warp speed, Star Trek style. So if you’re ever in Chattanooga for any weird reason, give the Ruby Falls a few hours of your time.
The Eiffel Tower is open every single day of the year
from 9 a.m. to midnight from 17 June to 28 August,
from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the rest of the year,
At Easter weekend and during the Spring holidays : extended opening hours to midnight.
Obviously when one goes to Paris for the first time, a visit to the Eiffel Tower is a must-do activity. You can’t not go and see it. It’d be like going to New York City for the first time and not going to the Empire State Building. Of course because it was holiday week when we were there, pretty much everyone in the world was thinking the same thing. The base of the Eiffel Tower was packed with hundreds of people and the lines were long, like Disney World’s Space Mountain long.
Here’s a tip for any monument or museum visits in Paris (including the Eiffel Tower): Get tickets in advance online. You’ll save yourself a ton of time and from a ton of hassle. The first thing we had to figure out was which of the winding lines to stand in (and also try to find the end of each one). It was like navigating through serpents of people. Once we got into a line, we asked the people around us if we were in the right line. If they spoke English – which was like a one in three chance – most of the time they shrugged and were clearly just as lost as we were. At the same time other people were asking us the same question in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese – you name it. And each time, we gave the same answer we were given – we just shrugged and said we didn’t know for sure. It was kind of a hilarious scene – all these different races coming together in confusion despite the language barrier, and all sort of politely making the best of the scenario standing in mysterious lines that led to who knows where.
My sister was our recon soldier and when she came back to the line she let us know we had waited half an hour in the wrong one (figures right?). Turns out there were four total lines – two go to the elevator that takes you to the 2nd floor (not the top) and two that let you walk to the 2nd floor. So once we made our way over to the new line, we waited about an hour and a half. If you’re going to visit the Eiffel Tower during the cold season – dress warmly. It was very cold, and very windy. Also, make sure to bring some reading material, Ipod, and a snack (croissant was my snack of choice) because you’ll probably want to do something to make the time standing out there go by a little faster.
Once we got to the front, there was a sign that said, “Due to congestion we will not sell lift tickets to the top, only to the second floor.” A few curses were tossed around by everyone in line, but at that point because we made it to the front we figured we may as well go up to at least the midsection of the Eiffel Tower. The price for the lift ride to the 2nd floor is 8 Euros, the price for the ride to the top is 13 Euros (the price to walk to the 2nd floor is 4 Euros – you can’t walk all the way to the top).
The midsection of the Eiffel Tower is actually quite large and includes a cafe, bathrooms, gift shop, and the lift to the very shi-shi Le Jules Verne restaurant (we tried to get reservations, but the place gets booked months in advance). We learned that we would be able to buy tickets to the top from the 2nd floor (for the additional 5 Euros) once the top cleared out a bit. So we waited on the 2nd floor for another hour or so with some hot chocolate and snacks we bought at the cafe. We waited in another line for about half an hour to get the tickets to the top and then an additional half hour for the elevator to the top.
Now if you’re queasy about heights, I should warn you. The ride in the glass elevator to the top is a little unsettling. I’m not that bothered by heights (see previous post about Skydiving), but even this ride is unnerving. You can view some videos of the ride up and down on the Here and There Facebook page. Once you get through the ride and to the top, the view is magnificent. The 2nd floor view is good, but the extra height at the top really makes the birds-eye view of Paris spectacular. There’s an outside patio that you can walk around on and a champagne bar for the romantic couples (or just tourists who are celebrating actually finally making it to the top). But it is quite windy, and you should be prepared for the fact that if you’re unlucky, the visibility can be bad depending on weather conditions (we met some poor guy who had been up there the previous day and said he couldn’t see a thing).
Finally, if you’re able to get to the Eiffel Tower at night make sure to check it out at the top of the hour. For six minutes the tower shimmers in magnificent fashion. We didn’t know this until we took a night time bus tour that happened to go by the tower during this time (hence the not so great pictures of it from the bus below), so don’t miss a chance to see it.
So in summary, make sure to allot plenty of time in your day when you see the Eiffel Tower, especially if you don’t get tickets in advance (there really was like no line for people who had bought tickets in advance. It’s amazing how many people around the world didn’t think to do that beforehand). But it is worth the wait to say that you’ve been to the top of one of the most recognizable monuments in the world.
During a dinner in Paris, we noticed a kid ride by on his skateboard wearing a Franklin & Marshall College sweatshirt and baseball cap. He definitely stood out as super American in the Parisian streets and was doing what all the guidebooks told men not to do – dress like that. A few hours later I noticed another kid with a Franklin & Marshall shirt. My thought was “Wow, Franklin & Marshall’s got a pretty good study abroad contingent here.”
Then throughout the trip I saw multiple F&M students and then in London saw even more of them. I literally was thinking “Man, for a small school they are just taking over Europe!” the entire time. It wasn’t until I walked through London’s Nordstrom-style department store Selfridges that I noticed next to Calvin Klein, Polo, and all the high end clothing lines a Franklin & Marshall section.
Apparently, some Italian kids a few years ago started a clothing line using a used Franklin & Marshall College t-shirt they found in a second hand store in London. The “American College Style” look is apparently hip and you can buy a Franklin & Marshall t-shirt for 50 Euros (that translates to about $64). Why those kids just don’t buy a Franklin & Marshall shirt from the school website for half the cost is beyond me. The funny part is according to the site, the actual college didn’t know this was going on for a few years and were just as confused as to why there were so many F&M kids in Europe. They eventually licensed their name to the clothing company.
So if you’re curious as to why there are so many Franklin & Marshall youths in Europe – they’re probably not from Lancaster, PA.
As our Portugal trek sadly came to a close, we decided to have one last blow out dinner. We took the train from Lagos back to Lisbon (3 or so hours) and had one night left to celebrate the time we had spent in the beautiful country. We chose Restaurante Olivier, and this place was arguably the best restaurant we went to on the entire trip (which is saying a lot considering No Patio and San Bento were also great).
Located just up that main road along the water, and south of the Bairro Alto, Olivier is a classy, French bistro meets Victorian lounge. As we were seated in our large, cushy white booth we could hear an odd, yet amusing array of classic rock songs in the form of lounge music (you haven’t heard Nirvana until you hear it in the sound of a clarinet). The service was excellent, with the owner of the establishment coming by our table to introduce herself.
Although expensive, you have to try the appetizer platter. Only one of us ordered it and we all shared the plates, but it was some of the most amazing food. The appetizer plate comes with THE BEST Foie Gras that I’ve ever tasted (and I don’t even like pate). The duck liver melted in your mouth and was strong, but not overwhelming never leaving any nasty after taste like some others do. The crab dip with guacamole was also a fantastic addition, making us all wonder how none of us had thought about trying to make it before. The beef tartar w/ arugula was the right combination of meaty and light, while the sweet apple-cinnamon, walnut, goat cheese, filo dough pastry was an odd combination but worked and was my buddy’s favorite. The fifth part of the appetizer was a salmon nigiri sushi which was just good – compared to the other four plates that is.
For the main course I had the tenderloin with Olivier sauce, which our waitress said was to die for. The meat itself was excellent – not as good as San Bento’s steak – but most definitely up there in quality. What made the dish really amazing however was the Olivier sauce that they drizzled onto it. I have no idea what was in it and the waitress wouldn’t give up the recipe ingredients, but if you go there I would highly recommend it. My one friend also got the tenderloin, but our third buddy ordered the scallops which, honest to god, melted in your mouth.
We opted out of the desert, but if you do want to do desert it’d be best to go with the three course meal option. It’s a better deal as the place will cost you a pretty penny. Grade: A-
Our week and a half long trip to Portugal was amazing. Great food, friendly people, and we got to see a lot in that time. Beaches, bars, museums, castles, port wine cellars – it was a busy trek. I most likely won’t go back any time soon because as wonderful as Portugal is, it’s a one and done type of place to me – kinda like the Grand Canyon. Once you’ve seen it and experienced the great things Portugal has to offer, you can check it off your list. But I would highly recommend checking Portugal out and a week and a half is a pretty good amount of time to see the country, though two weeks is probably the best.
Recap
Where I ate:
Restaurante Olivier Rua do Alecrim, 23 1200-014 Lisboa
Lagos is a fantastic place to unwind for a few days, especially after a week of hiking around Lisbon and Porto. Although there are a few historic sights (such as the town museum and the first slave market), the beaches and bars are pretty much the main reason to go to Lagos. No need to worry about language issues, everyone there speaks English because it’s such a huge U.K. tourist spot. In fact, most of the owners of the bars and restaurants are English-born. Here’s a summary of the places we went to:
– The types of beaches around Lagos range from expansive and sandy to rocky and secluded. First thing I’ll note about the beaches is that they are free, and they are also topless, so if you have kids that you don’t want to get exposed to that – probably best not to even bother with Lagos. That isn’t to say that they aren’t family friendly – there were several families at all the beaches in Lagos.
If you’re looking for the family friendly (less topless women), large beach head to Praia do Portode Mos. It’s at the far end of town, so it’s a little bit of a hike, but once you get there the sand is the finest and whitest and the beach stretches for probably around a mile. While there are a few restaurants along the beach for you to eat at, they’re not very good. The service is slow because they’re always packed and understaffed and the food is the equivalent to cheap diner food. This beach is also the windiest because there’s nothing blocking the breeze coming in from the Mediterranean.
For two more secluded beaches check out Praia Dona Ana and Praia do Camillo. Dona Ana has practically no wind because its in it’s own little alcove. The same goes for Praia do Camillo, however this beach’s sand is a little bit rockier. Both are at the bottom of pretty steep cliffs, especially the Praia do Camillo as you’ll have to hike up 90 steps when you’re done for the day. But in my opinion these are the two nicest beaches. They’re smaller than Praia do Portode Mos, but they’re far more beautiful with the cliffs hugging the blue water.
– If you’re looking for a little adventure, head out to Ponte de Piedad which is just a half mile past Praia do Camillo. There you get to go out on the farthest tip of Lagos and get a great panoramic view of the coast. If you climb down the cliff, you can take a 30 minute Grotto Boat Ride which costs 10 Euros. The wait is a little long as each boat only holds 4-5 people, but it’s a great way to cool off and see some pretty spectacular grottoes.
– The bar scene is hopping in Lagos, and on weekend nights the crowd can get pretty rowdy. There’s a bar scene for everyone with cheap drinks and various forms of entertainment. The Three Monkeys bar is what you’d expect on any college campus – lots of booze, loud music, 20-somethings doing funnels on the bar, and other things of that nature. Stevie Ray’s Jazz Room has an older crowd, with live music, and a more refined group of drinkers. The live band playing there that night played a good mix of crowd pleasers from Lynard Skynard to Bon Jovi. Stones is your typical English pub, with darts in the back, beers in the front, and a lot of Sex Pistols playing. Zanzibar falls under the category of your New York dive bar and next door Shaker Bar has a bit of that Jamaican-stoner edge (with some damn good tropical cocktails). DC’s is where you’ll find your hipsters playing Foosball. All these bars are within a couple of blocks of each other in the Old Town section of Lagos.
– There are several restaurants in Old Town Lagos, but the very best one we went to was Restaurante No Patio. Now don’t take this literally in English like we did – there is a beautiful patio out back were you can eat (No Patio means “on the patio” in Portuguese. Yes, I felt like a complete dumbass when I asked and the waitress gave me that answer that she’s probably given hundreds of times). Not only was the atmosphere of the restaurant great, the food lived up to the hype we had heard. A must try for the appetizer portion is the Salmon with mango and strawberry, on top of lettuce. The other app that is good, but not as good as the salmon, is the Prawns with garlic. The duck I had was perfectly cooked and covered in almonds and peaches. My friends ordered the lamb roast and pork with potatoes and they both give their two thumbs way up for those dishes. Don’t bother with the desert though – they were just okay (we tried the chocolate cake and fried bananas) and by the time you get to them you’re already so full and won’t need to add the calories. The price of the meal is a little expensive, so make it your special dinner when you’re out in Lagos. And make reservations! Grade: A-
Recap
What I saw:
Beaches: Praia Dona Ana, Praia do Camillo, Praia do Portode Mos
Grotto boat ride from the Ponte de Piedad
The bars we went to in Old Town: Three Monkey’s Stevie Ray’s Jazz Room Stone’s DC’s
Shaker Bar
Zanzibar
Where I ate:
Restaurante No Patio Rua Lancarote de Freitas 46 8600-605 Lagos
Here and There 