WINE DINE &
TRAVEL SUMMER - FALL 2014
LEAF PEEPER CRUISE
EVOLUTION OF THE RIVIERA MAYA QUEBEC CITY: France without the jetlag DISCOVERING ANNE OF GREEN GABLES CHAING MAI ESCAPE HAPPY IN PUERTO RICO INSPIRED BY IRELAND
Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 1
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AND THE WINNER IS!
WDT WINS EIGHT MAJOR AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING PRINT MAGAZINE FROM THE SD SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS 2014 AWARDS
BEST MAGAZINE DESIGN BEST PHOTOGRAPHY BEST FEATURE DESIGN BEST FOOD STORY
AWARD-WINNING PRINT EDITIONS AVAILABLE!
Download it today visit us at www.winedineandtravel.com Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 3
COVER PHOTO: As we cruised out of the harbor in Halifax we were following another cruise ship with passengers most likely looking for a pot of gold. I took this with an Olympus EPL 5. All of my photos in this issue were taken with this camera. ~ Ron James
NEXT EDITION | FALL 2015
SOUTHEAST ASIA HONG KONG HOLIDAY Sensational Singapore A Photographer’s Guide to Bruges, Belgium NYC Dinner and a Broadway Show
COMING IN WINTER 2015
THE LEFT COAST SAN DIEGO TO VANCOUVER
Wine Dine & Travel will explore one of the most beautiful and exciting coasts in the world. We’ll visit the fascinating cities of North America’s West Coast, discovering new destinations and enjoying world-class wine, dining and resorts. 4 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
RON JAMES
publisher/executive editor
Ron James is the "wine, food and travel guy." He is a nationally award-winning print and online journalist, designer., television producer and radio personality. The native Californian's nationally syndicated wine and food columns have appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world. He is passionate about great wine and food and enthusiastically enjoys them every day!
MARY JAMES publisher/editor
Mary Hellman James is an award-winning San Diego journalist and editor. After a 29-year-career with the San Diego Union-Tribune, she currently is a freelance garden writer and a columnist for San Diego Home-Garden/Lifestyles magazine. Mary and her husband, Ron James, travel extensively. Upcoming this year is a visit to the Holy Land, Istanbul, Morocco and a transatlantic cruise from Rome to Florida.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK...
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his issue will mark the first full year of publication of Wine Dine & Travel Magazine. Little did we imagine when we decided to venture into travel publishing that we would come so far so quickly. The overwhelming response from our readers and our contributors all confirmed that we were moving in the right direction. Their accolades have been justified as The Society of Professional Journalist announced an unprecedented eight major awards in the print magazine category, including Best Food Story, Best Magazine Design, Best Photography and Best Feature Design. Wow, that about covers the bases of what a good magazine can do. It’s a tough act to follow, but we think you’ll agree that this issue meets the mark in all of those categories. This month we focused on Canada and Mexico with stories that show that you don’t have to travel to Asia or Europe to have a great adventure. Our trip to Quebec City and our leaf peep cruise opened our eyes to exciting destinations that were right under our noses. And Mexico, despite its lawless reputation still can be a safe and enchanting place to recharge the batteries. Over the last year we have pointed out the outstanding work of our writers and how a quality magazine attracts quality talent. Joining our line-up of world-class writers are our old friends, Jody Jaffe and John Muncie. Both are veteran authors and travel writers, whose work has been published in the major newspapers on both coasts. We are honored to have then as part of our family. We are also happy to welcome Marine Room Chef Ron Oliver who loves travel almost as much as he does cooking and offers us a delightful look at his trip to Ireland. We hope you enjoy our eclectic offerings as our magazine explores the world in a way few publications do nowadays – full-length stories reflecting our professional travel writers’ thoughts and feelings. It’s nice to be recognized for our hard work this last year, but it’s even more gratifying to be working with great writers and receiving accolades from you the reader.
We wish you safe and memorable travels.
Ron and Mary James
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THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS
Alison DaRosa Alison DaRosa is a six-time winner of the Lowell Thomas Gold Award for travel writing, the most prestigious prize in travel journalism. She served 15 years as Travel Editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune. She was the award-winning editor of the San Diego News Network Travel Page. She produces and edits the San Diego Essential Guide, a highly rated and continually updated travel app for mobile devices. Alison is a regular freelance contributor to the travel sections of U-T San Diego, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today.
Sharon Whitley Larsen
Sharon Whitley Larsen’s work has appeared in numerous publications, including Los Angeles Times Magazine, U-T San Diego, Reader’s Digest (and 19 international editions), Creators Syndicate, and several “Chicken Soup for the Soul” editions. Although she enjoys writing essays, op-ed, and people features, her favorite topic is travel (favorite destination London). She’s been lucky to attend a private evening champagne reception in Buckingham Palace to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, to dine with best-selling author Diana Gabaldon in the Scottish Highlands, and hike with a barefoot Aborigine in the Australian Outback. Exploring sites from exotic travels in the Arctic Circle to ritzy Rio, with passport in hand, she’s always ready for the next adventure!
Carl H. Larsen Carl H. Larsen is a veteran journalist based in San Diego. He now focuses on travel writing, and is summoned to pull out his notebook whenever there’s the plaintive cry of a steam locomotive nearby. In San Diego, he is a collegeextension instructor who has led courses on the Titanic and the popular TV series “Downton Abbey.”
Maribeth Mellin Maribeth Mellin is an award-winning journalist whose travel articles have appeared in Endless Vacation Magazine, U-T San Diego and Dallas Morning News among others. She also travels and writes for several websites including CNN Travel, Concierge.com and Zagat, and has authored travel books on Peru, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Hawaii and California. Though known as a Mexico pro, Maribeth has written about every continent and was especially thrilled by the ice, air and penguins in Antarctica.
Susan McBeth
Susan McBeth is the founder and owner of Adventures by the Book ( www.adventuresbythebook.com ) which brings literature to life for readers through events and travels with authors. She is the founder of the SoCal Author Academy, providing workshops and training to help authors better connect with readers. She is a current member of the One Book One San Diego committee, and a former board member with the Southern California Booksellers Association.
Priscilla Lister Priscilla Lister is a longtime journalist in her native San Diego. She has covered a many subjects over the years, but travel is her favorite. Her work, including photography, has appeared in the U-T San Diego, Los Angeles Times, Alaska Airlines magazine and numerous other publications throughout the U.S. and Canada. She currently writes a weekly hiking column for the U-T, photographing every trail and its many wonders. But when the distant road beckons, she can’t wait to pack her bags.
Robert Whitley Robert Whitley writes the syndicated “Wine Talk” column for Creators Syndicate and is publisher of the online wine magazine, Wine Review Online. Whitley frequently serves as a judge at wine competitions around the world, including Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Sunset Magazine International and the Dallas Morning News TexSom wine competitions. Robert also operates four major international wine competitions in San Diego: Critics Challenge, Winemaker Challenge, Sommelier Challenge and the San Diego International.
Jody Jaffe & John Muncie Jody and John are the co-authors of the novels, “Thief of Words,” and “Shenandoah Summer,” published by Warner Books. John was feature editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune, arts editor of The Baltimore Sun and writer-editor-columnist for the travel department of The Los Angeles Times. His travel articles have been published in many major newspapers; he's a Lowell Thomas award-winner. Jody is the author of "Horse of a Different Killer,"'Chestnut Mare, Beware," and "In Colt Blood,” As a journalist at the Charlotte Observer, she was on a team that won the Pulitzer Prize. Her articles have been published in many newspapers and magazines including The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. They live on a farm in Lexington, Va., with eleven horses, three cats and an explosion of stink bugs.
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WINE DINE &
PUBLISHERS Ron & Mary James EXECUTIVE EDITOR /LAYOUT & DESIGN Ron James EDITOR Mary James STAFF WRITERS Alison DaRosa Priscilla Lister John Muncie Jody Jaffe
COLUMNISTS Amy Laughinghouse Robert Whitley Susan Mcbeth
FEATURE WRITERS Sharon Whitley Larsen Carl Larsen Maribeth Mellin Photo by Ron James
Nancy Carol Carter Kathi Diamant Lynn Barnett Mark Moxon Ron Oliver
WINEDINEANDTRAVEL.COM CONTACT
During our shore excursion to the Isle of Nova Scotia I just happened to run into Captain James Cook who is a big fan of Wine Dine and Travel Magazine ~ Ron James.
editor@winedineandtravel.com WDT respects the intellectual property rights of others, and we ask that our readers do the same. We have adopted a policy in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) and other applicable laws.
Wine Dine & Travel Magazine is a Wine Country Interactive Inc. @ 2014
Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 7
INSIDE WDT
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QUEBEC CITY: FRANCE WITHOUT THE JET LAG
Are we in Paris, Lyon or Marseilles? No mon ami, we are just a bit north of the U.S. in Quebec City, a lively Canadian City that puts the accent on friendliness.
WHERE HISTORY MEETS HOSPITALITY
Auberge Saint-Antoine proudly displays its heritage while offering contemporary comforts and farm-to-table fine dining.
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LEAF PEEPER CRUISE A sailing from Quebec City to New York City visits quaint towns, a literary landmark, Titanic memorial and iconic lighthouses.
A VISIT TO THE BELOVED GREEN GABLES Fans of L. M. Montgomery’s best-selling novel “Anne of Green Gables” are enchanted by the setting for the plucky heroine’s many adventures.
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WHERE LEGENDS SOUGHT INSPIRATION | PAGE 52 We weren’t really tourists in the magnificent lake country of Ontario, we were more like pilgrims seeking the same inspiration that drew Canada’s legendary painters, the Group of Seven.
ON THE ROCKIES | PAGE 58 “Welcome aboard the beautiful Rocky Mountaineer!” announced staff member Angelina as we began our romantic train trip from Banff to Vancouver through the beautiful Canadian Rockies.
EVOLUTION OF THE RIVIERA MAYA | PAGE 62 Visiting the Mexican fishing village of Punta Allen is a journey back in time to the Riviera Maya of yesteryear.
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COMFORT ZONE AT THE RANCH | PAGE 70 For a week, guests at Rancho La Puerta thrive on a powerful cocktail concocted with equal parts exhaustion, exhilaration, pain and pampering.
INSPIRED BY IRELAND | PAGE 74 When you’re asking the bartender for “a pint ‘o Guinness please,” your Irish adventure is underway.
CHAING MAI ESCAPE | PAGE 80 This exotic Thai city exhilarates and challenges visitors with everything from foot massage to fiery food.
AMERICANS IN LONDON | PAGE 86 Many American luminaries - from Benjamin Franklin to John F. Kennedy - lived just off the main thoroughfares of central London.
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HAPPY IN PUERTO RICO | PAGE 92 Happiness keeps on coming during a weeklong visit to this Caribbean island’s three main cities.
WINE FOR THE AGES | PAGE 99 You may have heard that wine improves with age. That’s not always the case.
POSTCARD FROM YAO NOI | PAGE 100
In this first in a series, veteran journalists Jody Jaffe and John Muncie share their “idle time” on an amenity-free Thai island.
LOST IN TRANSLATION | PAGE 104 Speaking the local language while on the road can be a foot-in-the-mouth experience.
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FEATURED DESTINATION
Quebec City FRANCE WITHOUT THE JET LAG
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idewalk cafes filled with happy patrons sipping wine and chatting in French, bakery shops showcasing tantalizing pastries and bins of fresh baked baguettes, families strolling down narrow cobblestone streets lined with ancient looking stone and wooden buildings with an eclectic mix of exotic shops and eateries. Are we in Paris, Lyon or Marseilles? No mon ami, we are just a bit north of the U.S. in one of the North America’s great destinations; Quebec City.
| STORY & PHOTOS BY RON & MARY JAMES |
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his historic city on the St Lawrence River was our departure port for a 14-day “leaf peeper” cruise on the RCCL Explorer of the Seas cruise ship that would take us to exciting eastern Canadian ports, down the New England coast, and winding up in the city of Bayonne, New Jersey – the antithesis of Quebec. This was our first experience in this Tres French City,
which offers a savory taste of Europe without the jet lag and expense. Think of it as France without the attitude. Friendly locals convey that sense of romance and Old World charm found across the Atlantic, making Quebec City a wonderfully distinctive port of call on Canada/ New England cruises.
ence in the area. In the 17th and 18th centuries, several historic battles were fought there among the French, British, Americans and native peoples. Rusted cannon balls still can be seen lodged in trees and buildings in the Old City.
Although we timed our trip for the legendary delight of the area’s colorful fall The city is framed to the north by the foliage, cruise ships come to town spring, summer and fall. In majestic Laurenspring and summer, tian Mountains Quebec City impresses and to the south visitors with boughs by the Appalachian of green, remarkable foothills and mounlight and a pleasant tains leading to climate (summer temNew England. The peratures average in St. Lawrence Rivthe 70s). In the spring er, flowing beneath and autumn, jackets the cliffs of Upper are necessary and winTown dominated by ter can be extremely the regal Fairmont frosty ... well, this is Chateau Frontenac, Canada. flows on into the Atlantic. To control Our French is reduced the area of Quebec to merci, bon jour and City meant control a few other phrases of the St. Lawrence that can get me a glass River and navigaof wine or beer and dition to the Great rections to the restrooms. But we didn’t Lakes. have any issues at all here because, The effort to control this strategic lo- whereas French is the official language, cation has led to many battles and was English is spoken at almost all visitor key to the colonization, or settlement, destinations including restaurants and of Native Amerindians, the French, the shops. The same goes for money: While British and finally, the Canadian Confed- Canadian dollar is the currency of the eration in 1867. It remains the home of the only walled city in North America. Above: The old post office and the ticket booth for Quebec's name comes from an Algonquin word for “where the river narrows.” In 1608, explorer Samuel de Champlain founded a trading post here marking the beginning of a continual French pres-
the Old Quebec Funicular to get between the upper and lower sections of the core of the city. Bottom: A street view of our ship, The Explorer of the Seas, docked in the lower city. Opposite: Busy street-side dining on a beautiful day.
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country, but, shopkeepers here love American dollars, but may return Canadian bills and coins in change. ATMs and banks are located throughout the city. So, with cash in hand and no language barrier to hinder us, we were ready to shop, spend, eat and drink. Quebec City is one of the easiest cities to negotiate. There is much within walking distance of the Port and most hotels but, unless you really want a workout, use the Old Quebec Funicular to get between the upper and lower sections of the core of the city. There are areas that were not in my particular walking range, and there were a number of affordable solutions. A “green” way to get around the city is via Ecolobus, a small, non-polluting electric bus that stops every 20 minutes at or near almost all Old City attractions and neighborhoods. The cost is $2 each time you board. It’s a great way to get an overview of the city by hopping on at the port and traveling 12 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
the entire route, a 35 minute ride. Then return to the places of most interest : By hopping on one of the buses at the Port and traveling the entire route (a 35-minute ride), you get a great overview of the city and, then, you can return to the places that most interest you. The cabs have reasonable fares and it’s best to negotiate with drivers for tours around the area -- rates will vary depending on the number of passengers. Major car rental agencies can be found in the city and some (including Enterprise) will pick up and drop off at the Port and at some major hotels. Things to do and see Next to wining and dining, and sightseeing our favorite travel sport is shopping; and Quebec will dazzle even the most jaded shopper. If you’re just looking for souvenirs, there’s a wide selection of artisan hand-crafted gifts showcased in the gift store inside the Musee de la Civilization, located in the historic dis-
trict at 85 Rue Dalhousie across from the port. No entrance fee is needed to shop for jewelry, Inuit art, posters and books. At Quebec City Farmer’s Market on the shoreline of the river and a half-mile walk from the main cruise terminal, shop for all things made with maple sugar - biscuits, syrup, candies - and Quebec's famous ice wines. In fall, don’t leave without a crisp local apple to munch on. Among souvenir shops on charming Petit-Champlain is Sorerie Hoa where artist Dominique Huot often can be found painting the colorful abstract and floral silk scarves she sells there. Just a few blocks away is Place Royale - the 400 year-old plaza regarded as the birthplace of French civilization in Canada where Samuel de Champlain chose to build his Habitation when he arrived in the New World in 1608. The replica buildings are now housing restaurants, galleries, shops and museums.
Above: Monument to Samuel de Champlain, founder of Quebec City. Right: A musical duo entertains visitors with Canadian folk standards. Opposite top: Lower town bustling with guests from all over the world. Opposite middle: Maple syrup in all forms are for sale in the city gift shops.
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Dominique Huot often can be found painting the colorful abstract and floral silk scarves in her shop Soierie Huo located on rue du Petit-Champlain in the lower city. Right: Parc de la Chute-Montmorency where the cascading falls are one and-a-half times higher than Niagara.
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ead North on Rue Notre Dame to find bustling Rue du Petit-Champlain, considered the oldest commercial street in North America. Art galleries, clothing stores, souvenir shops and quite a few cafes line the pedestrian street.
tasting beckoned. It’s a rustic and beautiful island where time almost seems to stand still. Its wondrous farms, churches, produce stands and quaint shops offer a wonderful respite from the urban port.
In spring, sample strawberries; in fall, pick apples off For a touch of culture, head to the Musee de la Civili- heavily laden trees in the orchards of apple cider makers. zation just across the street from the port. Here you'll (Remember cider here, as in Europe, is an alcoholic bevfind a mixed bag of exhibits including a model of Samuel erage.) Many of the growing number of wineries offer Champlain's early dwelling on the shores of the St. Law- samples in tasting rooms overlooking vineyards. Comrence; a longboat, the transportation of choice by the bine a gourmet lunch with wine tasting at Vignoble de early Amerindians; and the Olympic Torch. If you want Sainte-Pétronille vineyard, permanent home to a “food to rest your tired legs go right next door to Le Cafe du truck” run by Auberge Saint-Antoine’s top-rated restaurant Panache. Monde for mussels. Dufferin Terrace above the Old Town and the River of- We drove to the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency where fers a one-stop experience blending history, show biz the cascading falls are one and-a-half times higher than and commerce: It's close to great restaurants, charming Niagara. Stunning mountain and river views accompany shops, the Old Town and street performers -- mimes, a cable car ride up to the top of the cliff where walking trails and a suspension bridge take you to lookout points. jugglers and the like. Before heading back, we stopped in the elegant Manoir History buffs will love to stroll through the Plains of Montmorency where you’ll find view restaurants, a gift Abraham - also called Battlefields Park - where the Brit- shop and interpretation center. ish and French fought in 1759. Today it’s Quebec City’s equivalent of Manhattan’s Central Park, home to concerts in summer and cross-country skiing and sledding in winter. Enjoy the tranquil gardens and river vistas while envisioning the hard-fought battles there. There's a multimedia show and more than 30 regimental uniforms in the Discover Pavilion.
At Musee du Fort, conveniently located near Chateau Frontenac, visitors can learn more about the battles at the Plains of Abraham and Benedict Arnold's march to Quebec a historic recreation of the six sieges of Quebec. On day two we left the city to visit the Ile d'Orleans, just 25 minutes from the Le Vieux Port where wine and cider
If you’re interested in local history travel just 15 minutes from Quebec City to enter the fascinating world of the Huron-Wendat Indians, the first peoples to live in this part of Canada. The Huron traditional site, located on the reservation, features guided tours that visit long houses and a museum to explain tribal life in the 17th century. Interactive activities, native food sampling and dance presentations provide a glimpse into nation's culture and traditional know-how. A short walk through scenic natural surroundings leads to Kabir Kouba Falls by Rivière Saint-Charles. The center includes a hotel, gift shop and restaurant that’s open all year, with hours and shows vary depending on the season.
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Duck and foi gras pate surrounded by flaky pastry. Opposite: Lobster roll from Panache restaurant food truck. Opposite middle: Cheese ship at the riverside Farmer’s Market. Opposite bottom: Diners enjoying the fare at Lapin Sauté.
QUEBEC WINE & FOOD
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f course, if you’re reading this, great food and wine is at the top of your to-do travel list. Quebec City is a fine destination for foodies who can enjoy culinary experiences ranging from simple bistro fare to sublime fine dining. The narrow streets of the Old City are lined with charming outdoor cafes with menus and prices to suit every cruiser’s taste and budget. Although this is a French-speaking province, almost all servers speak excellent English. Don’t be surprised if you taste a bit maple syrup during your meals; it’s used to flavor everything from cocktails to stews and desserts. Try a Caribou cocktail -- a sweet Québécois alcoholic beverage quaffed fall and winter to take the chill off. Served hot, it’s made of red wine, hard liquor (usually whiskey), and, of course, maple syrup.
There are a host of great eateries in Quebec City; here are some that we enjoyed: Celebrating 50 years in business, Restaurant La Crémaillère is a fine dining restaurant in Old Quebec that doesn’t take itself too seriously. International cuisine is served in the two spacious dining rooms, where many dishes, ranging from Caesar salad to Crepes Suzette, are prepared table-side. The service is expert but unpretentious. Don’t be surprised if the owner’s son picks up a guitar to serenade guests with popular ballads and a few French folk songs. Lunch: Tuesday–Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner nightly 5-10 p.m.; Rue SainteAnne; (418) 692-2216; www.cremaillere.qc.ca Award-winning Le Pain Beni offers innovative French-Canadian cuisine featuring regional products in a relaxed bistro setting. The comfortable main dining room is inside an old stone house while street-side outdoor seating is ideal for people watching. The three-course lunch is seasonal and a good value. It’s located near the famed Fairmont Le Château Frontenac and art-lined Rue du Tresor in the heart of Upper Old Quebec City. 24 Ste-Anne, Quebec City, Quebec; www.painbeni.com French farm-house-charming Lapin Sauté is right in the middle of the busiest tourist area in lower Old Quebec, yet it offers a wonderful affordable dining experience with consistently great French bistro food. As the name suggests, rabbit dishes including sausages and a lasagna are specialties. End your meal with a signature maple-syrup crème brûlée. On a sunny day, opt for the flowery patio with its view of tiny Félix Leclerc Park. Mon-Thurs 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sat 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sun 9 a.m. 10 p.m. 52 Rue Du Petit-Champlain; 418 692-5325; www.lapinsaute.com Le Petit Cochon Dingue is a charming family dining spot in the heart of lower old city. Reasonable prices, rave reviews for its food and indoor and outdoor seating make it an ideal breakfast, lunch or dinner stop. The extensive menu features bakery goods, crepes, sandwiches, quiche, soup, salads and pizza. Its staff has a reputation for be very friendly and helpful. Mon-Wed, Sat-Sun 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Thu-Fri 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. 24 Bd Champlain; 418-694-0303; www. lepetitcochondingue.com After staying three days, our ship sailed out onto the Saint Lawrence Seaway, Quebec City’s skyline faded in the distance, but the memories that rivaled those of our European journeys have stayed with us. We looked forward to returning to this marvelous city, so for now it’s just adieu until next time. On the Web: www.quebecregion.com, www.bonjourquebec.com, www.iledorleans.com
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Auberge Saint-Antoine: where history meets hospitality
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his hotel made us feel good! Located in the heart of the Old Port in Quebec City, Auberge Saint-Antoine offers guests a historic decor and atmosphere, coupled with outstanding hotel facilities and friendly, professional service. The Relais & Chateaux hotel is built on a major archaeological site.
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It's not that the hotel is grand like so within a historical architectural framemany over-sized, gilded showcases work is captivating. staffed with too-cool-for-school bellman and desk clerks. Auberge Saint-An- The owners show their passion for the toine is large enough to be impressive fascinating history of Quebec City by and small enough to give it a comfort- showcasing artifacts found around and able scale; it feels like it was designed under the site during excavation. They for humans, not conventions. The delayed construction for years while juxtaposition of contemporary design archaeologists unearthed thousands of
The trendy Artefact cafe bar with window displays featuring artifacts found at the hotel site. Opposite : The French-styled stone building facade of the Auberge Saint-Antoine.
large and small items many hundreds of Ours had a balcony with wonderful fireplace took the chill off quickly. And years old. Everything from cannon balls views of the upper city and was just it was very quiet. to belt buckles tells the story of the down the hall from the suite used by people of this great city founded in the Paul McCartney when he performed in The staff was efficient and friendly, 1600s. The hotel proudly displays these Quebec City. The beds were comfortable pro-actively helping us whenever they finds from the French and British colo- and the bedding was smooth and just thought we might need a hand. The nial regimes in artful ways throughout the right weight for sleeping. The bath- guest reception was exceptional with the hotel, including the guest rooms. room was contemporary with a roomy fine wine and hot appetizers with many The rooms are large and comfortable. bathtub and great shower. An electric of the senior staff available to chat. One
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of the owners actually attends these gatherings every Wednesday to make sure her guests are content. As we got to know our fellow guests, we were delighted to meet a former astronaut, Joe Allen, and his wife who were staying there. The location also was perfect from our perspective because the cruise ship we would board the next day was docked a few hundred feet away across the street from the hotel. And all of the old town shops, museums and restaurants were within easy walking distance.
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Evening view from one of the guest rooms. Opposite top: Guest room decorated in one of the many styles you can find at the hotel. Opposite left: Artefact bar showing display window and artifacts found at the site.
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A savory foie gras dish served up at the Panache restaurant. Opposite top: Talented chef Louis Pacquelin samples one of his creations. Opposite bottom: The chef and his exceptional culinary team.
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panache says it all
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anache describes the dining experience at Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel’s primary restaurant that goes by that name. It’s housed in a wonderfully light and airy old stone and beam 19th century riverside warehouse that is tastefully incorporated into part of the hotel.
They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with excellence and style, all under the watchful eye of their very talented young French chef Louis Pacquelin. Unusual for a hotel dining room, Panache
often is touted by locals and visitors as the best fine dining spot in town It’s a great place for a special occasion meal featuring creative, seasonal French Canadian cuisine with a master chef’s twist. Much of the produce is grown at the restaurant’s organic garden on Ile d’Orleans and the extensive wine cellar showcases a wide variety of French and local wines, including the mildly maple flavored aperitif Val Ambre. 10 Rue St-Antoine; (418) 692-2211; www.restaurantpanache.com Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 23
FEATURED DESTINATIONS
LEAF PEEPER CRUISE FINDING FUN, FOOD & BRIGHT COLORED FOLIAGE ON THE EXPLORER OF THE SEAS | STORY & PHOTOS BY RON & MARY JAMES |
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or some reason we had lowered our expectations for our upcoming cruise from Quebec City to New York. We had recently experienced three very enjoyable cruises to the Baltic, San Diego to England through the Panama Canal and a transatlantic sail from Rome to Rio. What could a leaf peeper cruise in our own continent offer – I mean contrary to popular belief, California has pretty good peeper material in good years. But our cruise buddy friends had already booked The RCCL Explorer of the Seas and we decided to tag along. Boy, were we wrong. This cruise was fabulous, full of fun, adventure and most of all great food and drink. We saw a side of Canada we didn’t know existed, and reveled in casual sophistication that defined the cities and the natural beauty that marked the rugged coastlines of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic Ocean. In Canada we felt a comfortable familiarity with the people and the land, but, there was also a definite uniqueness in culture and scenery here that made for more of an exotic adventure. The biggest surprise was our embarkation port Quebec City. In retrospect, I can’t figure out why all of my travel friends aren’t raving about this wonderful city. It is without a doubt one of the most interesting, friendly and fun metropolitan cities in the world. It’s like being in France without the expense, jet lag and attitude (although I’ve become fond of French attitudes as I get older.) Top: Mary James poses under a leaf peeper’s dream tree. Middle: An ancient cannonball lodged in a tree in Quebec City. Bottom: The Square in the lower city. Opposite: The RCCL’s Explorer of the Seas as seen from the upper city in Quebec City.
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While the official language is French, Although Quebec City can be expensive The Explorer of the Seas everyone associated with tourism here like all modern metros, but it also offers speaks English and the dollar is certain- a wide range of accommodations and Our check-in experience in the modern ly welcome. eateries that will fit any pocket book. cruise port building was a breeze. Our There’s so much to do here that we did hotel, the Auberge Saint Antoine, was This is a city that has character and his- a special feature that details what to do located just across the street and we tory that intertwines with ours in good and where to eat and stay. rolled our bags from the lobby to the times and bad. It’s strategic position on cruise baggage drop-off in less than 15 the river invited wars, battles and also Quebec City was a perfect place to start minutes. This would be our first cruise great wealth and culture. The people our cruise and made our leaf peeper ad- on Royal Caribbean, although we are here are in love with its past and em- venture a great success before we even regulars on their sister line Celebrity. braces the future: it rejoices in its archi- stepped on the ship. Unlike our hotel, the Explorer of the Seas tecture, cuisine, art, music and even its was more like a floating city than a reextreme winter weather. 26 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
Top: Old lighthouse on one of the many beaches of Prince Edward Island. Bottom: Scenic fishing village and farmland on PEI. Opposite: View of Quebec City as we cruise out the Saint Lawrence Seaway.
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sort hotel, with a main street, sports facilities, restaurants, shopping centers, spas and ,of course, pools. We had booked early and managed to get a premium corner cabin at the stern with a huge balcony. The cabin was modern and comfortable throughout the cruise.
why cruise ships can’t offer some more affordable and palatable wine selections for everyday dining.
The service was good to excellent, and the shows were professional and entertaining. The views from our balcony were stunning and well worth the few bucks extra we paid. Our Great food and drink is the measure of any cruise for us and room attendants were very friendly and helpful – and creatthe ship’s chef didn’t disappoint. We had a broad range of eat- ed amazing and delightful towel animals. The highlight of the ing choices including the Windcruise was sitting at the Capjammer Café, Jade Sushi and tains table enjoying, spirited Asian-fusion cuisine, Café Promconversation, lobster and free enade for coffee and pastries/ flowing fine wine. snacks, and room service. Cruising in style was the very The specialty Portofino Italian best way to experience leaf restaurant was a favorite haunt peeping in such a large, diverse for us when we wanted to splurge and breathtaking geographic a little and when we craved the area. occasional burger or a sweet tooth we had Johnny Rockets Prince Edward Island and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream as options. The wine program was When we first looked at the good, especially at the high end, port schedule we thought; although I just can’t understand “Where the hell is Charlotte28 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
The historic beauty of St. Mary’s Church, in Indian River, PEI. Opposite: top: Bucolic seaport in PEI. Opposite bottom: The home of Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of “Anne of Green Gables:”
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View of the port of Corner Brook from the Cook Memorial site. Below: Duo plays folk songs for the arriving cruise ship passengers. Bottom middle and opposite left: The quirky Newfoundland Emporium. Opposite top: Two Newfoundland dogs greet passengers in the rain. Opposite right: Captain Cook Memorial plaque.
town PEI.” PEI, we quickly found, ple the seafood specialties at one of The excellent visitor’s center offers a stands for Prince Edward Island, a place several local eateries, you’ve got to tour candid look at Montgomery’s life and I thought was off the coast of England. the countryside to really experience this work and sets the stage for a visit to The saying goes that PEI is easy on the wonderful place. We took a cab to the the adjoining farm and home that she eyes and even easier on the spirit. That’s airport where we rented a car for our modeled her stories after. It’s a fun and an understatement. This is a magical exploration. educational experience that is told in a place with bucolic tiny fishing and farm separate feature in this magazine. villages along miles of lush rolling land- Prince Edward Island was made famous scape dotted with ancient farm houses, by author L.M. Montgomery and her There are lots of scenic beaches where red sandstone cliffs plunging down to much-loved novel, Anne of Green Ga- you see ocean kayakers, fisherman and the roiling Atlantic waters. bles, which explains why I didn’t know sun worshipers enjoying the uncrowdanything about the island. The Green ed but spectacular coastal settings. For We docked at the port of Charlottetown, Gables house, Haunted Wood and Bal- those who have a bit more time, there’s the island’s biggest “city.” Charlotte- sam Hollow is the one must-visit desti- the 200 miles of Confederation Trail, which covers most of the island. town is easy to explore on foot. While nation. it’s fun to shop for souvenirs and sam-
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For us the thrill was just enjoying the easy drive though some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet. We’ll come back someday, and then we’ll stay a couple of weeks.
in the rain greeting and offering umbrella totting cruisers, free souvenirs, while a duo played happy local ditties from a makeshift stage.
and lumber mills, but now is a major regional retail, medical and educational hub on the Island.
The community offers free school busThis friendly leaf peeper port located es for rides to the most scenic areas of Corner Brook 22 miles from the Gulf of St. Lawrence town including the monument and staton the west coast of Newfoundland, ue of Captain Cook, which is perched on If PEI has a wealth of natural beauty has its own share of beauty; surround- the city’s highest mountain. The buses charm, Corner Brook, Newfoundland, ed by a wooded wilderness and rugged drop off in the town center that offers can rightfully boast that is one of the coastline. It was charted and named by free WIFI at most retail shops, restaumost welcoming ports on the planet. In Captain James Cook in 1767. The city of rants and City Hall. The Newfoundland the pouring rain, passengers we’re wel- 20,000 has had it’s share of economic Emporium is a fun visit for all kinds of eclectic nautical oddities and souvenirs. comed by volunteers as they walked off ups and downs. the gangway. Even two of the town’s giant Newfoundland dog’s waited happily Corner Brook was once a hub of fishing The local museum dedicated to local his-
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Perfect fish and chips served at a fishing village in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Bottom: Happy cruisers enjoying a seafood feast in Halifax. Opposite: Chips and a large lobster roll.
tory, geology and natural habitat is well worth a visit. This port offers a real slice of Newfoundland life and probably won’t go into your top ten lists of most exciting places, but the memory of genuine hospitality will remain for a very long time. Halifax, Nova Scotia The sound of a bagpiper welcomed us to Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia. They call this large port the “City of Trees,” but it has plenty more to offer its visitors. We organized a small tour group through Cruise Critic boards and hired Paul McNeil’s Halifax Titanic Historical Tours to escort us around the region. We visited Citadel Hill and firing of the “Noon Gun” and the changing of the 78th Highlanders
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guards, and the Historic 19th houses ay-Bennett, the cable ship that recovered along the waterfront with stories of the his body pitched in for a grave stone. The great explosion of the SS Mont-Blanc that marker says ‘Erected to the memory of an killed over 2,000 in 1917, before heading unknown child whose remains were reout to a small working fishing village at covered after the disaster of the “Titanic” Fisherman’s Cove with a wonderful sea- April 15th 1912’. Recently forensic testing, food restaurant. The fish and chips were found that the remains were 19-monthamazing and the lobster rolls featuring a old Sidney Leslie Goodwin from England chopped whole lobster got raves from the who perished with his entire family. hungry group.
Fairview Cemetery where 121 passengers of the Titanic are buried in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Right: Changing of the guard at Citadel Hill.
The highlight of the shore excursion was Bar Harbor Main the emotional visit to the Fairview Cemetery where 121 passengers of the RMS Like most ports, one day is not enough Titanic are interred. Respectful visitors time explore Bar Harbor and Maine’s wandered the area where rows of gray DownEast and Acadia region. The town granite markers indentified the unfortu- itself is welcoming and touristy cute with nate cruisers. lots of souvenir shops, bars and restaurants mostly catering to visitors. One of the grave stones is for an unidentified child victim, called The Unknown But it’s the beauty of the area that is the Child. When the body of the child went real attraction. It’s a visual feast with unclaimed the crew of the CS Mack- sights like the historic lighthouses set in
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their rugged costal perches or the 120 miles of nature trails and 55 miles of roads that wind through Cadillac Mountain and Acadia National Park where on a clear day you’ll be able to see nearly 100 miles. This is leaf peeping at its very best – although we were just a week or two early for prime peeping. You’ll also find the sea faring communities of Passamaquoddy and Cobscook with a vibrant arts scene and America’s only remaining mill producing stone-ground mustard. And, if you had time, the area offers unparalleled fishing and hunting opportunities. It’s another port that we would want to visit for a longer stay. Top: Scene of Bar Harbor Maine. Right: One of the many local bars and restaurants in Bar Harbor. Left: Lobster roll sign with special prices for tourists. Opposite top: A sea-faring town designed for visitors. Opposite left: The Island Explorer bus is free and takes riders on several scenic routes into the mountains and along the coast.
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Portland Maine
Most cruisers just wander the streets lined with historic brick buildings that Without a doubt Portland, Maine, is my house restaurants, gift shops and gallerfavorite East Coast city. If it wasn’t for Like our hometown of San Diego, Port- ies. Many like us opted for a trolley or the cold winters and mosquitoes I would land is a beer lover’s heaven with 39 fire engine tour offering the highlights probably move here. It’s a place that has breweries offering hundreds of craft beer. of Portland. Our guide was amazingly a great vibe, a real city with folks who re- If you’re into brew then consider taking funny and informative. He wheeled us spect and love their coastal environment, a ride on the Maine Brew Bus where you around the city with drive bys of Henhistory and culture. As a card carrying will get to visit many of the local brewer- ry Wadsworth Longfellow’s childhood home where he wrote “Into each life foodie this is a place that get me excited ies and sample some of their finest.
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with renowned eateries, too numerous to list.
PORTLAND, MAINE some rain must fall.” and the historic Munjoy Hill to see the landmark Port- Head Light and its museum was not Stroudwater residential district with land Observatory, built in 1807. It was only fascinating from a historical West End’s impressive Victoria Man- the last wooden signal tower in North perspective, but is a photographer’s sion and Colonial-era Tate House. America. The imposing tower can be dream location and said to be the most seen from the ship and was used to sig- photographed lighthouse in the world. Other highlights included a visit to the nal the town’s merchant and marine Commissioned by President George Arts District along Congress Street, community when sailing ships were Washington, in 1791, the imposing and the galleries surround the Maine coming into port. white tower stands on cliff that plungCollege of Art displaying the work of es into the roiling ocean. There was many local living artists. We drove to Our stop at the picturesque Portland plenty of time for us to take a cliff walk
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that winds along the edge of Fort Williams Park leading to markers of Longfellow’s visits and sight of the shipwreck of the Annie C. Maguire. After our tour we had a pleasant seafood lunch on a pier just outside the trolley stop and near the ship and watched locals and visitors alike inhale lobster rolls and fried fish, calamari, clams and oysters. After washing our tasty meal down with a local craft brew we reluctantly got up and made the short walk to the ship and one more evening with our fellow passengers and a brief journey down the coast where we would wake up in New Jersey.
Portland Head Light and its museum said to be the most photographed lighthouse in the world. Left: Trolley stop at Portland Head Lighthouse and world’s most entertaining driver. Opposite top: Vintage sailing ship cruises past Ram Island Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Portland, Maine. Opposite left: Coastline as the ship pulls into Portland.
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Bayonne, New Jersey We woke up to a glorious day as we docked at Cape Liberty cruise port at Bayonne; the view of the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty was inspiring. No one will confuse this working container port with the scenic coastal stops that we had experienced the last 12 days. The cruise terminal itself is pretty sketchy with little in way of cruiser comfort. The pick-up area for transport was chaotic with long lines of folks waiting for their prearranged transport and taxis. Despite the clumsy exit, the cruise was a memorable one and left us wanting more. We didn’t find a lot of dazzling leaves to peep at, but we did find wonderful hosts, breathtaking scenery, new friends, a fun-filled cruise, and of course, great food and wine. Once our driver finally showed up, we were off to New York City for three more days of adventure … and that we did, but that’s another story.
Mary and Ron after three weeks of leaf peeping and ready to go home. Opposite: Cape Liberty cruise port at Bayonne; the view of the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty from our veranda.
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DISCOVERING ANNe’S HOUSE
A VISIT TO THE BELOVED GREEN GABLES | SHARON WHITLEY LARSEN | PHOTOS BY RON JAMES |
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“Y
ou're in for a treat!” our guide Mike exclaimed as our tour bus unloaded in the parking lot to join a mass of others parked on this crisp, sunny fall day — a few trees were already starting to turn golden orange. “You might want to check out the gift shop first—it gets crowded after the tour!” I was on a 3.5-hour Royal Caribbean shore excursion on Canada's gorgeous, green and peaceful Prince Edward Island (PEI), population 145,000. “Everyone knows everybody, it's a quaint little spot,” noted Mike. And here we were in rural Cavendish, founded in 1790, population about 270. It's been a popular literary tour destination since the 1908 publication of L. M. Montgomery's best-selling novel “Anne of Green Gables,” which is set in her scenic, magical eastern Canadian hometown. (Her name was Lucy Maud, but she preferred Maud).
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T
he story—which is set at Green Gables (in real life it was Maud's cousins' home)--involves a plucky, sharp, creative orphan named Anne, who's adopted at age 11 by a 60-year-old bachelor named Matthew and his spinster sister, Marilla. The problem was that they had requested a boy to help them out on their farm—and instead got Anne, a talkative, irresistible, freckle-faced red-head with a wildly colorful imagination, who arrived at the train station carrying a small, shabby bag holding “all my worldly goods.” And the adventures start there.
Of course, I had heard of the book (and planned to buy it in the gift shop to read on the ship)—the first in the series. “Anne of Green Gables is one of the most popular books ever written,” said Mike. “It's had great impact; it put us on the map!” To date, it has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 20 languages in more than 30 countries. It's also been featured in films, television, plays, and musicals--"the longest-running musical in Canadian history,” exclaimed Mike--”50 years! It's a beautiful, feel-good story.” According to Mike, each year 1-1.5 million tourists visit PEI (with several hundred thousand visiting Green Gables), mostly in July and August. Testifying to its global appeal, Anne of Green Gables is especially popular with the Japanese. It’s been part of their school curriculum since its publication there in 1952. Thousands make pilgrimages to this tiny area to see Anne's world for themselves. “Since April 2014, interest in the book has been revived with the new 15-minute morning 'TV novel' called 'Hanako and Anne,' the story of the woman who translated Anne of Green Gables into Japanese,” says Karen Smith Takizawa, a university English professor in Tokyo who is originally from San Diego, Calif. “Hanako Muraoka came from a poor family in a rural area, but was given the chance to study at a school run by Canadian missionaries. She worked on her translation of Anne of Green Gables under duress during World War II, when she was in her 50s and the study of English was banned.” Takizawa recalls, as a child in Southern California, observing a sixth grade classmate “so totally focused on Anne of Green Gables it was like she was miles away.” But Takizawa didn't read it herself until she was a young adult, when an enthusiastic Japanese student in one of her classes gave a presentation about her favorite character in literature: “Red-haired Anne from Anne of Green Gables.” Takizawa bought the famous story—and has since read every book in the series. And now here I was at Green Gables to learn more about charming Anne (whom Mark Twain described to Maud in a fan letter as “the sweetest creation of child life since the immortal Alice”). Prior to touring the house, we browsed items in the small visTop: The visitor center entrance to Green Gables farm and museum. Middle: Visitors look at displays of old photos and documents in the museum. Right: Maud Montgomery’s scrap book. Opposite: Illustration from Green Gable’s museum depicting Maud writing and thinking about Anne.
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itors centre, including Maud's typewrit- about the PEI life of Maud, who was born er, which she bought in 1906 (her old and raised here when Cavendish had second-hand one had problems, such as a smattering of farmhouses, a general the “w” key not working), her photos, an store, school, community hall, and two 1898 scrapbook, newspaper clippings of churches. her early published stories and poems, and handwritten letters. There was a “We're about to walk back in history— board for visitors to post notes of their about 100 years!” said Mike as we headed memories reading the beloved books (in- outside. terestingly, Maud had intended Anne of Green Gables for a general audience, not We strolled past the red barn to the cozy as a children's story). two-story farmhouse, where excited fans posed for photos in front. Furnished in In a small theater we watched a video typical 1880s style, off the downstairs 48 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
entry is a wall-papered parlor with a settee, armchair, rocker, small pump organ, and fireplace. There's also the dining/sitting room, and Matthew's small, simple room by the kitchen. Upstairs are Marilla's room, and Anne's—which has a single iron and brass bed and looks out over the brook, “Haunted Wood,” and “Orchard Slope” with a view of spruce trees. Guides are happy to answer questions. Afterwards we strolled into the woods along “Lover's Lane,” which Maud loved. It was easy to envision a young girl's
childhood fantasies playing out on this farmstead caressed by ocean breezes. “I belong here, it is in my blood,” Maud once said.
post office, chatting and gossiping with neighbors who dropped by to pick up their mail. On July 5, 1911, Maud was married in the parlor of “Silver Bush” at nearby Park Corner, the home of other cousins.
Maud was born on November 30, 1874 During her childhood, she was an astute (the same day as Winston Churchill), in observer of human interaction, foibles, a house at nearby Clifton Corner, one of dreams, and challenges. And she had a several relatives' homes open for tours huge appreciation of fashion, nature, and (some family members still reside in the the scenic landscape of PEI—the trees, area). Reared in her maternal grandpar- flowers, birds, plants, bubbling brooks, ents' home, as a teen and young adult she rivers, seashore, farm fields--all reflected helped out in the kitchen home-based in her books.
Top: The farmhouse with green gables. Bottom: Anne’s room -- which has a single iron and brass bed and looks out over the brook, “Haunted Wood,” and “Orchard Slope.” Opposite: The barn and outbuildings on the farm.
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Maud was also an orphan, in a way. Her moth- Chester became an attorney, their younger er died when she was not yet two, and she re- son Stuart a successful gymnast and physician. called later, even at that young age, the dress Maud died at age 67 in 1942, and is buried in she wore as she was held in her father's arms, the local cemetery near Green Gables. viewing her mother's open coffin in the parlour. “Why was Mother so still?” she remem- “She's certainly our favorite daughter,” Mike bered thinking, writing at age 23 in a detailed commented. journal entry about that sad day. Two great books about Maud's life are Lucy Little Maud moved in with her grandparents, Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings, by who loved her but were somewhat stiff and Mary Henley Rubio, and The Lucy Maud Montemotionally distant. (Her father moved to gomery Album, edited by Alexandra Heilbron. western Canada when Maud was six, and remarried). “To write has always been my central purpose,” Maud once said. “Were it not for those CavenMaud—who had a sparkling, out-going per- dish years, I do not think that Anne of Green sonality, sense of humor, and a story-telling Gables would ever have been written.” gift--loved to read and write, and spent carefree days in the heavenly outdoors when she And that would have been most “tragical!”-- as wasn't at the one-room country school, earn- Anne would say. ing excellent grades. She was active in the Presbyterian Sunday School and later played IF YOU GO the church organ. After high school she attended college, became a popular school teach- The Green Gables House is open May to October. Closed December to mid-April. Open er, and worked at a newspaper. a bit in November, especially for cruise ship Maud sold her first short story in 1895, when tours. she was 21, and was paid $5—launching her career as a freelance writer. Ten years later For more information: www.pc.gc.ca/eng/ she penned Anne of Green Gables, inspired lhn-nhs/pe/greengables/visit.aspx by her idyllic life in Cavendish with family and friends. It was rejected by five publishers and, www.gov.pe.ca/greengables/ discouraged, Maud stored the manuscript in a hatbox for nearly a year before re-reading it www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/pe/greengables/ visit/visit3.aspx and sending it out again. A Boston publisher offered her a contract. Published in June 1908, it sold some 19,000 copies in the first six months. Two huge fans were British Prime Ministers Stanley Baldwin and Ramsay MacDonald. In 1935, Maud was awarded the OBE honor—Office of the Order of the British Empire--in Canada.
Right: Views of the haunted woods and the setting of several scenes in Montgomery’s Anne books. Bottom: Memorial plaque commemorating the house and farm of Anne of Green Gables.
An ambitious, multi-talented visionary and prolific letter writer (corresponding with a couple of pen pals for decades!), Maud wrote 20 novels, over 500 poems, and over 500 short stories, as well as hundreds of letters to fans. She also kept journals, which were published after her death. Maud was also a gifted cook, photographer and gardener—and she loved cats. She didn't marry until age 36, following the death of her widowed grandmother, whom she had cared for. She and her husband, Ewan Macdonald, a Presbyterian minister, had three children (the middle was stillborn)--born when Maud was 37, 39, and 41. Her writing sales provided them a comfortable life, usually with a live-in housekeeper. Their older son
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FEATURED DESTINATION
TEMAGAMI
WHERE LEGENDS SOUGHT INSPIRATION
We weren’t really tourists in the magnificent lake country of Ontario, we were more like pilgrims seeking the same inspiration that drew Canada’s legendary painters, the Group of Seven.
| STORY & PHOTOS BY PRISCILLA LISTER | 52 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
Canoeing in Temagami. Bottom: The Group of Seven.
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We found it. We painted it. We loved it. “It” is nature, and few places are as unspoiled. e began our journey just outside Toronto by visiting the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in the former home of Robert and Signe McMichael, who were avid collectors of works by the Group of Seven. The Group of Seven -- Lawren Harris, J.E.H. MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Frederick Varley, Frank Johnston, Franklin Johnston, Franklin Carmichael and A.Y. Jackson -- were originally influenced by Tom Thomson whose artwork celebrated the pristine nature of Ontario’s wilderness. Thomson’s untimely death in 1917, still a national mystery, prodded the artists to join together; their first Group of Seven exhibition was in 1920. “In Thomson’s artwork, the land is the thing,” noted Stephen Weir, who led us on a tour of the McMichael galleries. “He captures the spirit of the north; a Canadianness no one had done before.” Thomson and the Group of Seven are still Canada’s most famous artists. Their gorgeous canvases depict wind-
W
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swept trees against Ontario’s ever-present lakes, or monumental landscapes where light becomes a spiritual beacon, or mountain scenes that reveal vast, rugged wilderness. Their art was revolutionary at the time and many say it contributed to the Canadian identity. It certainly inspired us, a group of six dear friends from all over the United States who were traveling to the Temagami region of Ontario to take part in a watercolor workshop led by Caryn Colman of Smoothwater of Temagami. We were simply astounded to learn that Ontario boasts more than 250,000 lakes -- one-third of this inland province is freshwater. Temagami is one of the province’s most beloved wilderness areas. Lake Temagami, the biggest lake in the region, has more than 1,200 islands. It is said that Canada’s famed conservationist of the 1920s, Grey Owl, began his odyssey in Temagami when he
married a local woman, Angele, whose First Nations people still live on Bear Island in Lake Temagami. The Temagami region covers approximately 1.5 million acres and is home to the world’s largest old-growth red- and white-pine forests. Besides the red and white pines, there are spruce, birch, aspen, maple and oak trees, many turning the landscape red, orange and yellow in fall, which the Group of Seven frequently captured beautifully. About a 4-1/2-hour drive from Toronto, Smoothwater sits next to James Lake, a part of the ancient canoe trails that define Temagami, which means “deepwater” in the local Ojibway language. There are more than 1,500 miles of canoe trails in Temagami, where some portages date back 6,000 years. We went canoeing one afternoon at Smoothwater, whose name befits the placid waters we glided upon. But we had come mostly to paint. “You’ll get plugged into a really strong force here -nature,” Caryn told us during our first meeting in the lodge’s wonderful window-walled Gathering Hall overlooking James Lake. “I want you to feel the mystical draw of this place. Temagami is a power spot in the world where the Earth’s magnetic field holds a lot of precious metals. I want you to take pleasure in the land as inspiration.” Caryn gave us lots of instruction in watercolor, but her greatest gift was simple encouragement. “Don’t be too reined in by the end result,” she advised. “We just want to enjoy the creative experience of it.” We took our painting supplies on some splendid field trips. One afternoon we barged across Lake Temagami to High Rock, an important site for First Nations people here, since it affords a 360-degree lookout and its 300-foot height brings them closer to the heavens. We hiked up a trail carved through roots and rocks, winding through jack pines and peeling birch trees, until we could see the enormous lake dotted with Opposite : Canoeing is a big pastime throughout Temagami, and Smoothwater is one of its best outfitters. Opposite bottom: Train service to the historic 1907 train station in Temagami was stopped in 2012, but it is still a local focal point. Travelers can take a bus here from Toronto now. Top: Caryn Colman, a gifted artist and cook, leads watercolor workshops at Smoothwater Temagami. Middle: An amateur artist, Patti Nickell sketches the scene from High Rock in Lake Temagami. Bottom: The front porch of Smoothwater’s ecolodge sits on the shores of James Lake.
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uninhabited pine-covered islands, all perfectly misty like a watercolor painting. Another day we wandered over to Cobalt, the silver mining capital of North America in its heyday, where ruins of old mines and character-filled buildings of an Old West town offered a different kind of landscape. We would gather back at the lodge (also the home of Caryn, her husband, Francis Boyes, and their daughter, Emily) to enjoy one amazing meal after another. We quickly dubbed Caryn the Alice Waters of Temagami. Like the famed Chez Panisse chef who revolutionized U.S. restaurants 40+ years ago when she championed using local ingredients, Caryn has led the way in Temagami by using local producers of vegetables, fruits, honey, maple syrup, cheeses, meat and fish. She even grows a lot of her own organic produce and leads culinary workshops in foraging for and cooking local wild edibles. Breakfast, lunch and dinner at Smoothwater were invariably as splendid as the surroundings. Some of our favorite dishes were Caryn’s Temagami Wild Blueberry Kuchen, her fritters of carrots in chickpea flour served with homemade spruce jelly, Lake Temiskaming whitefish encrusted
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with fresh herbs, her homemade beer biscuits with local raw milk cheddar, and her hearty homemade breads. Our last night’s feast featured Caryn’s Poutine, which isn’t really the classic poutine known throughout Ontario that consists of French fries covered with gravy and cheese, but instead is a healthier version combining caramelized Jerusalem artichokes and wild mushrooms with homemade chicken gravy and local Swiss cheese curds. Caryn and Francis created a labyrinth on their property that she calls a meditative walk to help one focus. As we meandered through its maze of a trail, we understood the greatest lesson we learned from Caryn: “It’s the process that’s important, not the finished product,” she told us. “At the end of the week, you’ll have something you want to frame just because you’ll enjoy it.”
GETTING TO TEMAGAMI: There are short flights from Toronto to North Bay via Air Jazz; Temagami is 1 hour north of North Bay and ground transportation to Smoothwater can be arranged. Ontario Northland offers two daily buses to and from Toronto to Temagami; Smoothwater will pick you up in Temagami. It is a 4.5-hour drive to Temagami/Smoothwater from Toronto, 2.5 hours from Sudbury, 3 hours from Cochrane and 6 hours from Ottawa. Smoothwater of Temagami, Box 40, Temagami, ON P0H 2H0, Canada; 1-705-569-3539; 888-569-4539; www. smoothwater.com. Visitors come from all over the world in summer and winter for canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, cross-country ski and snowshoe adventures and group trips, as well as art, photography, music and writing retreats. Smoothwater is a complete outfitter for your adventures.
She was right. I, for one, have never This wilderness lodge has five private painted before. I am not good at it. But rooms and two bunkhouses. It also has I really enjoyed trying to paint the beau- two backcountry cabins each about ties of what I saw in Temagami. And I 3.7 miles from the main lodge, tucked discovered that I want to keep pursuing away on the 25 miles of trails that take it. off from the lodge. You may also pitch a tent. Rates range from $15 a night to IF YOU GO pitch a tent to $1,460 per couple for five nights and 15 meals. McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Above: The rural surroundings of Ontario’s northern 10365 Islington Ave, Vaughan, ON L0J lake region seen from the air near Deerhurst Resort, 1C0, Canada; 1-905-893-1121; www. another classic and historic lakefront Canadian mcmichael.com. getaway offering boating, canoeing, golf, tennis, horseback riding, hiking and live entertainment.
Susan McBeth’s TRAVEL BY THE BOOK
“The Day the Falls Stood Still” by Cathy Marie Buchanan
I
t’s difficult to imagine a Canada without Niagara Falls, yet Having inherited a gift for reading the forces and whims of the some scientists have predicted that in perhaps 50,000 river from his legendary grandfather, Fergus Cole, Tom is conyears, this iconic natural wonder will fall victim to ero- nected to, and concerned by, its “awful grandeur” and “frightsion, global warming, and the ever-increasing need for ful beauty.” Bess is intrigued, and confused, by his religious-like hydroelectric power. Gone would be the American Falls, worship of the river. the Horseshoe Falls, and the Bridal Veil Falls, all of which contribute to making Niagara Falls one of the most popular tourist When the pair eventually unite forces in marriage, their two destinations in the world. Gone would be the thousands of tons worlds are destined to collide, especially when they start a of water that continuously flow over Niagara Falls and the mil- family and find they are unable to support their new family lions of kilowatts of electricity they are capable of producing. unless Tom takes a job at the hydroelectric power plant that And certainly gone would be the lure he is convinced is slowly destroying of outrageous stunts that have drawn his beloved river. As he secretly docrecord-seekers and daredevils for as uments the domino effect of destruclong as we can remember. tion it plays on the natural world, he explains to Bess how that “kind of What would remain, however, are the complexity doesn’t happen by chance,” stories, the history, and yes, the legand he becomes increasingly morose ends, much like those incorporated and conflicted. into Cathy Marie Buchanan’s debut novel, “The Day the Falls Stood Still“ Bess eventually comes to realize the (Voice Publishing 2009). Setting the toll the job is taking on her husband’s romance of young lovers Bess Heath conscience and sets in motion a and Tom Cole amidst the developscheme that will cost him his job, but ment of hydroelectric power in the salvage his principles. What they have early 1900’s, Buchanan skillfully delearned collectively is that it is posvelops a dialogue of specific interest sible to accept the role of the hydroto travelers--the challenges inherelectric power industry in the human ent in balancing exploitation of our desire for progress, so long as it is balnatural resources for the benefit of anced with a mechanism designed to humans versus preservation and proprotect nature’s gifts for future genertection of these pristine wonders for ations to enjoy and admire. future generations. The confluence of Buchanan’s underBorn and raised in Niagara Falls, Ongraduate degree in biochemistry, an tario, Buchanan is uniquely qualified MBA, and a distinct talent for writing to represent both interests, which she does through Bess, who has allowed her to create a novel that flows much like the Niaglives a life of privilege as the younger daughter of a successful ara River itself—naturally and beautifully. But when it reaches Niagara Power Company executive who believes the bounties the brink of the falls and its destiny, it is incumbent upon the of nature ought to be utilized for progress, and working class reader to decide where is “that thin line that separates eternity Tom, who subsists on the river and is driven by an intense de- from time.” (James K. Liston, “Niagara Falls: A Poem”) sire to preserve and protect the same river that is being exploited by the emerging hydroelectric power industry. So if Niagara Falls is on your bucket list, there is no need to rush your visit, as it will not be disappearing anytime soon. But in At age seventeen, Bess’s affluent lifestyle comes to an abrupt preparation for your travels, or just for an engaging book selecend when her father loses his job and the family suffers a hor- tion in the meantime, The Day the Falls Stood Still will provide rendous loss. When she meets Tom through a chance encoun- some historical context and fodder for stimulating discussion, ter at this precise moment, the undercurrent of attraction is preferably over dinner: fresh catch of the day and a good bottle as strong as the flow of the river which is so integral to both. of Canadian wine of course. ~By Susan McBeth
Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 57
| SHARON WHITLEY LARSEN |
on the Rockies RIDING THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER’S ROMANTIC RAILS
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“W
elcome aboard the beautiful Rocky Mountaineer!” announced staff member Angelina as we settled into our comfy leather seats in an upper dome car. “I’ve ordered the sunny weather just for you! All you need to do now is sit down and relax.”
Just moments earlier my husband Carl and I had waited with many other passengers, including some from Britain and Australia--at the tiny Banff depot for the approaching train. Holding cups of steaming coffee to ward off the chilly morning air, we craned our necks in anticipation. With the train’s headlight finally spotted, nearly everyone whipped out their cameras. There’s always something exciting about a train adventure, no matter where you’re going. We’ve always loved train travel, and this would be our first trip on the Rocky Mountaineer, heading west from Banff to Vancouver. For two full days we would ride the romantic rails through the gorgeous Canadian Rockies, making an overnight stop halfway at a hotel in Kamloops. The journey from Banff to Kamloops would cover 309 miles; from Kamloops to Vancouver 285 miles. Following other passengers (there would be 553 on this trip in 21 coaches), we found our bi-level dome car and were welcomed by smiling attendants as we boarded via a red carpet. We were greeted by the aroma of the delicious breakfast being prepared by chef Jean Michel and his small staff in a tiny galley on the first level, where the dining section was located. As Gold-leaf passengers, we rode on the top level with curved, panoramic windows—a great place to take in the spectacular 180-degree views.
Attendants passed around trays of drinks (champagne or orange juice), fresh fruit, and the Calgary Herald newspaper. We could follow our route via the train’s newspaper, The Rocky Mountaineer Mile Post. At 8:55 a.m. the train departed as folks along the way excitedly waved to us—and then we were in the wilderness. We toasted our journey with fellow passengers (“Cheers to friendship and adventure,”) as our attendant Alanna called out, “Oh, look. There’s elk there out in the field!” Many stood up and quickly moved to the right side, cameras clicking away. This would be typical--spotting bald eagles, deer, looking for bears. Throughout the trip the attendants would alert us to upcoming photo ops and take turns on the mike, telling us about the history, wildlife, and local legends. We learned about the Chinese workers who had built the challenging railway during the 1880s, and about the area’s colorful characters, including Billy Miner, who was captured with fellow culprits in 1906 for several train robberies. The last one netted a mere $15 and a handful of liver pills! Some of “Dr. Zhivago” was filmed on part of the route. As we rolled through nature’s paradise we passed by majestic mountains, thick forests, rushing turquoise rivers, and through the unique Spiral Tunnels at Cathedral Mountain and Mount Ogden. “In the spring people like to see the snowcapped mountains and the wild flowers,” observed attendant Holiday. Passengers would alternate dining—first seating for breakfast one day, second seating the next; same with lunch. Dinner would be on our own at our overnight stay in Kamloops (pop. 85,000).
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Fork tender Alberta pork loin with farm fresh vegetables. Lower left: Mountaineer crossing white water river. Lower right: Dinner is served with a view. Opposite: Mimosas are raised to toast the trip.
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This morning we were in the first breakfast seating. We hun- for the first lunch seating. (When it was our turn I had the grily headed downstairs to the dining section, set up with sev- Wild British Columbia Sockeye Salmon). eral tables of four, and sat with Barb and Sam Kovalak from Later that day, as we headed toward the sunset, some passenAda, Mich. gers were snoozing. Around 8 p.m. we arrived at the station in “We’ve never been on a train like this,” said Sam, gazing out the Kamloops, where a bus picked us up to take us to our nearby window at the breathtaking scenery. “This is very luxurious.” hotel. (Our luggage was already in our room when we arrived.) “I think there’s a whole ambiance of being on a train,” added Barb. “One thing I like about a trip like this is that you get to meet people.”
Early the next morning re-boarded our dome coach.
“Ready for another beautiful day together?” asked attendant Holiday. “Look for some Bighorn sheep!”
As we chatted about our various travels, we dug into our delightful breakfasts. (I chose the Sir Sanford Fleming Benedict: poached egg served over Montreal Smoked Meat, with tarragon hollandaise). After breakfast we headed back upstairs to our seats. As passengers raved about the scenery and snapped photos, attendant Alanna gave us good advice: “There are equally good views behind us as well—don’t just look forward!” Photographers in particular enjoyed close-up views by standing on an outside observation platform downstairs at the end of the car. The journey was so relaxing that at times it was hard to stay awake—especially after a full meal. I took a book to read but didn’t even open it. Soon the attendants served our group British Columbia wines--with local cheeses--while others trouped downstairs
we
We passed by farmland, lakes, and followed the roaring Fraser River, the longest in British Columbia, to Vancouver. As the train slowly pulled in and we reluctantly departed, we chatted with Mary and Trevor Brotherton, from Stratford Upon Avon, England, who were on their first visit to North America. They summed up the trip in one word: “Stunning!” If You Go: The Rocky Mountaineer runs every April to October. There are various excursions, prices, and routes, including a recently added one with service to and from Seattle: www.rockymountaineer.com Photos: courtesy Rocky Mountaineer.
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Evolution of the Riviera Maya Mayakoba's vast natural spaces abut pristine water. Photo: Mayakoba 62 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
T
| STORY & PHOTOS BY MARIBETH MELLIN |
repidation took hold as I pointed my rental Chevy down the dirt road to Punta Allen. Last time I attempted the journey, I gave up midway, defeated by tire-swallowing potholes and ruts. This time, I was determined to cover all 40 miles from busy Tulum to the peaceful village at the end of this skinny peninsula. Overwhelmed by the rapid development along the Riviera Maya south of Cancun, I needed an escape to the Mexican Caribbean of my memories. Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 63
Welcome to Punta Allen
M
exico’s Caribbean coast from Cancun to Tulum was nearly deserted when I started traveling there in the 1980s, researching Fodor’s first guide to the Yucatán Peninsula. Tires and Coke bottles perched on sticks marked sandy roads to simple campgrounds and tiny hotels. A friend and I camped at the foot of the Tulum ruins, slept in hammocks beneath shaggy umbrella-style palapas and steered our Volkswagen bug down the main highway alongside men whacking vines with machetes to widen the lanes. Today, Highway 307 has four lanes, several swooping overpasses, and a constant stream of trucks, buses, cars and speeding cabs. Nearly 400 hotels from ultra-exclusive hideaways to 1,000-room all-inclusive resorts have gobbled up 80 miles of white sand beaches from Cancun to Tulum. The moment the region gained the marketing moniker Riviera Maya in 1999, I
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knew its backpacker era was over.
One night at Serenidad Shardon in a cabana on the beach brought back the good I’ve grown to accept the changes and have and bad of earlier journeys. The good— enjoyed many nights in luxurious resorts fresh, tangy ceviche, empty beaches, and many meals in gourmet restaurants hammocks under palms and the entire as the area becomes ever more sophis- populace at the main plaza celebrating ticated. But I always miss the good old Día de los Niños (Children’s Day). days. So there I went, slipping away to yesterday. The bad—vicious mosquitos and unbearable heat sans A/C. Neither keeps Protecting the Past fly fisherman from arriving by the hundreds from during prime fishing seaA limestone arch marks the road to Punta son in March through June to catch Allen and the entrance to Sian Ka’an Bio- trophy-sized when permit, tarpon and sphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Her- snook. itage Site covering 1.3 million acres of mangroves, lagoons, sand, sea and coral Local lobstermen serve as guides for the reefs along the Punta Allen Peninsula. fishing trips, supplementing their meager earnings with cash and tips. With only More iguanas than potholes appeared, 600 residents and a few small restaurants along with one tiny yapping dog that and shops along sandy streets, Punta Alcame out of nowhere and raced back and len truly is a small fishing village--the last forth in front of my car -- guess he was of its kind in the Riviera Maya. lonely. Even at my pokey crawl I caught sight of the town’s welcome sign in just Next night, sea breezes beat the heat as over two hours. I slept soundly in a tent atop a rickety platform at Cesiak, a small eco-tour-
Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 65 The Riviera Maya at its best.
Small boats ferry guests to the beach at Mayakobá. Below: Sleeping in a hammock beats the heat at Cesiak. ism center in the heart of Sian Ka’an. The morning’s glorious sunrise confirmed the reserve’s Mayan name, “Where the Sky was Born.” The coast’s finest natural attributes are on constant display here. Glassy green lagoons reflect white clouds billowing in blue skies and small Maya ruins buried in mangroves mark canals used by traveling salesmen 2,000 years past. Nature guides lead boat tours from Cesiak through the lagoons, pointing out a few of the 336 species of birds and 103 species of mammals finding refuge here. The two British botanists on my morning tour barely noticed the sky or the frog snake devouring its breakfast 66 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
floated with the current in cool freshwater beneath dense mangroves. Wishing I had at least one more night, I headed back to civilization Pockets of Serenity
as they examined every vine and flower edging the water. Their fascination continued as we left the boat to check out a small Mayan temple, then jumped into a canal and
While I was backpacking around Mexico in the 1980s, wealthier folks enamored with the Caribbean coast’s beauty and seclusion enjoyed far more luxurious vacations. The Duchess of Ferrari, for example, built a vacation villa on a 50-acre estate beside a pristine Xpu-Ha beach in 1988 (Pablo Escobar supposedly had a home near Tulum around the same time). After entertaining a cadre of stylish
friends for a few years, the Duchess decided to make her villa the centerpiece of Esencia, my absolute favorite Riviera Maya hotel. As befits the region’s past, the hotel’s entrance was impossible to find when I visited shortly after the opening. On a recent visit, a highway sign clearly signaled the exit and I braced for disappointment. My fears were unfounded, however. The peaceful retreat of the past remains elegant and serene. The Duchess wisely chose one of Mexico’s finest architects, Gabriel Nuñez, to design a home to complement the jungle and sea setting. Dense palms shade the path to a simple white building topped with a red tile roof. Within, sparse furnishings, pieces of driftwood, bowls of fruit and a few photographs give a sense of sophisticated simplicity. Right angles are nonexistent as walls, ceilings and floors curve into each other. In the rooms, simple remote-controlled shades cover windows over large desks facing the sea. Beds are dressed in white linens and a few pillows add a touch of color. The organic spa is equally sparse, but the therapists are among the best I’ve ever met. Ditto the restaurant, where the Guatemalan chef prepares endless combinations of seafood, fruits, chilies and veggies in an incomparable array of ceviches. Everything I’ve tasted there has been divine. A few other equally luxurious spots have held on to their immaculate beaches and swaths of unspoiled jungle. The Belmond Maroma resort opened as simply Maroma in 1995 and quickly became the darling of travel magazines and fashion photo spreads. Like Esencia, Maroma’s style is fashionably simple, relying on pure while buildings, natural wood shutters and lots of windows open to sea views. The Viceroy Riviera Maya, which opened as Ikal del Mar in 2005, was the first Riviera Maya hotel to embrace the jungle, burying spacious villas with private plunge pools with dense palms and vines filled with birdsong.
Sunrise at Sian2014 Ka'an67 Wine Dine & Travel Summer
"I can only hope that future developers learn to respect and care for the natural side of the Riviera Maya." ~ Maribeth Mellin
Sian Ka'an coastline.
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Future Possibilities
to their habitats, I had to admit Linares might have been on to a great idea. In Change and growth are inevitable any- 2011, I applauded as the United Nations where as beautiful as the Riviera Maya, World Tourism Organization presentbut rapid development has damaged ed Mayakobá’s developers the Ulysses fragile ecosystems, altered the coastline Award for tourism projects that take a and driven away the birds and mam- leading role in responsible, sustainable mals who long found refuge here. and universally accessible tourism. Once again, prescient investors staked out prime parcels of jungle and sand in the 1980s, eventually purchasing more than 1,500 acres of jungle, mangroves and beach. The Spanish owners left the land alone for years, until Salvador Linares, an impassioned Spaniard with wild white hair and a prodigious imagination, envisioned an environmentally sensitive tourism community built around a series of canals leading to just one mile of beach. “People said this man is crazy,” Linares said with a laugh after the Fairmont Mayakobá, the resort’s first hotel, opened in 2005.
At the same time, the Rainforest Alliance honored Mayakobá with the Sustainable Standard-Setter Award as the first resort in Latin America to be recognized as a Rainforest Alliance Verified Destination. Mayakobá is now one of my favorite Riviera Maya destinations. I spent a couple of nights at the Fairmont Mayakobá after my Sian Ka’an adventure, thrilled to soak my sweat-stained clothes (and sunburned, bug-bit body) in a huge bathtub filled with fragrant bubbles. I loved sitting on a deck outside my comfy air-conditioned suite with my morning coffee as anhinga, coots and egrets swooped about an Amazon-like canal capturing bugs that might otherwise seek out my blood.
I watched the whole process evolve over many visits as the Fairmont, Rosewood and Banyan Tree hotels rose amid mangroves, underground rivers, sinkholes called cenotes, and murky canals. Riding through the canals in an electric gondola while spotting osprey, boatTo say I was dubious is a gross under- billed herons and kiskadees reminded statement. At the time, I thought the me a bit of Sian Ka’an. Sure, I’d rather whole thing was a massive boondoggle the whole coast remained as pure and that would destroy the coastline I loved. undisturbed as the biosphere reserve, but that dream is long gone. Instead, I Over several years, as I toured the ca- can only hope that future developers nals with naturalists and biologists and learn to respect and care for the natural watched herons and crocodiles return side of the Riviera Maya.
IF YOU GO Belmond Maroma www.maromahotel. com Cesiak www.cesiak.org/ Esencia www.hotelesencia.com/ Serenidad Shardon www.shardon. com/ Viceroy Riviera Maya http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/en/rivieramaya/overview
The Maya Side of the Riviera One of the most promising developments in the Riviera Maya doesn’t involve bulldozers and construction. Instead, the Mayan communities of the area, with help from government and private investment, have created a program called Maya Ka’an. Emphasizing culture, eco-tourism and sustainable projects in Mayan communities, Maya Ka’an encompasses tours to small villages, colonial towns and untrammeled archeological sites where local guides provide insight into daily life. Punta Allen and Sian Ka’an are included in project, and tours include birdwatching, kayaking, traditional medicine, history and a creepy cave where snakes hang from crevices to hunt bats. Until now, most cultural Riviera Maya tours have involved visits to Mayan communities that have been groomed and amplified to provide entertainment for groups. The companies running Maya Ka’an’s tours include small cooperativas where some members are trained as licensed guides while others are learning how to interact with foreign visitors and share their knowledge about everything from the use of indigenous plants to cooking in pibs (wood burning ovens and raising stingless bees to produce honey. Natural products are sometimes sold to guests— the honey shampoo is amazing. For more information go to www. mayakaan.travel
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COMFORT ZONE AT
THE RANCH | STORY & PHOTOS BY ALISON DAROSA |
I
t might have been mistaken for a teen girlfriends’ slumber party. Equipped with plastic cups of white wine, the gaggle giggled nonstop as each eased into a frothing moonlit hot tub. Their late-night chatter was interrupted only by an occasional round of raucous laughter.
Three of the hot tubbers were sisters, ages 41-44. The fourth was their 72-year-old mother. Dorie Smith and her daughters are among hundreds of mother/daughter sets who pilgrimage each year to Rancho La Puerta, the renowned fitness spa just across the U.S./Mexico border in Tecate, about 90 minutes from San Diego. The women have discovered something mind-altering about “the Ranch.” For a week, they thrive on a powerful cocktail concocted with equal parts exhaustion, exhilaration, pain and pampering. It’s a recipe that erodes emotional barriers, encourages communication and vulnerability, nourishes intimacy. Put simply, the Ranch fosters mother/daughter escapes – without family baggage. It's a comfort zone where relationships blossom – a place to sweat and to soothe, a place to dream.
“I haven’t been with my mom this much and not argued, ever in my life,” said Abby Laporte, 20, who visited with her mother, Jennifer Laporte, from Petaluma. “All you have to do here is take care of yourself,” Abby added. “It’s so restorative. You come back to that self that you really dig.” Ranch guests exercise, eat healthy meals, indulge in sybaritic spa treatments and dabble in enrichment courses that often focus on relationships – but can range from using hypnosis to improve your golf swing to a discussion of the G spot. Except for spa treatments and cooking classes, the week’s stay is basically all inclusive. There’s no debating which museum to visit, what to wear, which play
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“Put simply, the Ranch fosters mother/daughter escapes – without family baggage.”
Colorful Spanish-style guest rooms decorated with Mexican arts and crafts. Above: Guests enjoy communal dining and leisure time.
to see, where you’ll eat, who will pick up the check.
phone use is restricted to a pair of booths in the guests’ lounge.
“Your hardest decisions here are which class to attend and which “If you share a room with no internet access and no TV, you end treatment to get,” said Ranch fitness director Barry Shingle. “We up with real quality time together,” said Deborah Szekely, who offer enough activities that there’s something that will appeal to founded the Ranch in 1940 with her late husband, Hungarian everyone and every fitness level. You can plan certain activities professor Edmond Szekely. together – but plan separate things, too. Things you do separately you can talk about later.” Szekely, who turned 92 this year, and is far from slowing down, And there’s plenty of opportunity for talk. meets with Ranch guests most Monday evenings. Her daughter, Guests stay in handsome Mexican colonial-style villas that are Sarah Livia Brightwood Szekely, is Ranch president and handles unplugged from the outside world – with no TVs or WiFi. Cell day-to-day operations.
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“The beautiful thing about the place is that there’s nothing to do when you go back to your room, but read and talk and sit together on your totally serene patio,” said Jan Percival, a San Diegan who first visited the Ranch with her mother, Camilla Percival, in 1983. “From then on, we went every year on her birthday,” Jan said. “It became a huge highlight of our lives and our relationship – a full week together with no distractions. It was an amazing gift – a retreat that could never happen in the real world.” When Camilla Percival’s eyesight faded, she stopped visiting the Ranch; Jan’s most recent visit was with her 14-year-old daughter, Shaney Lipscomb. “She did her thing and I did mine. We were together at meals and in the evenings,” Jan said. “We never heard a phone, a TV. We could really focus on the moment, the beauty, who we were with. It was just like with my mom.” Charlotte Sorenson, 74, first visited the Ranch with her mother 28 years ago. Now she visits with her daughter, Kristin Sorenson, who’s 51. Their first visit together was five years ago – when each thought she was riding to the rescue of the other. “Kristen had just taken a stressful new job,” said Mom. “She had two young kids, was living in Manhattan, commuting to work two hours each way. She had no balance in her life; she desperately needed this.” Kristen’s view: “The reason I felt justified in coming was my mother was recovering from cancer. It was a very poignant time for her. This would be therapeutic. She needed it.”
Walking the landscaped grounds is a favorite pastime at the ranch.
Mother, who lives in Boulder, Colo., and her New York daughter met at the Ranch, each to take care of the other. They did just that – and by osmosis, took care of themselves. They’ve been doing it every year since. “I don’t want to come back with anyone else,” said Kristin. “She’s my closest friend. We are so simpatico. We just enjoy it so much.” Guests typically start their days with a hike. Like classes, treks are offered for a range of fitness levels.
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“We each do our own thing,” said Kristin, who enjoys hiking out front, alone, savoring the serenity of the early morning. But during the day, it was easy to spot mother and daughter Sorenson together – laughing at themselves in a strip tease dance class, sunbathing at the women’s health center, sitting together on a weathered wooden swing, deep in conversation “In my mind’s eye during the year, I’ll revisit these things,” Kristin said. “I’ll feel the serenity of the morning hikes – and the laughter we shared in some of our classes: pilates, dance, circuit training. I’ll be able to call up the memories we’re making now.” Some mother/daughter pairs admit they began their Rancho La Puerta week with a bit of trepidation.
Said Kelley Daly, the youngest daugh- My heart brimmed with love and pride ter: “Last night, when we snuck over as I watched Kim interact with other to the hot tub with our wine, it was so ranch guests. So vibrant, smart, happy much fun. We talked and talked – the – and always empathetic, understanding, longest talks we’ve had in years. It’s been eager to nurture. Finally Kim had time to like that every night – the slumber party nurture herself. effect kicks in.” “Being here brings back so many warm memories of childhood – when it was just the two of us: no husbands, no kids, no work deadlines, no juggling responsibilities – just the two of us off playing together,” my daughter said. “It’s been 30 years since we’ve had that.” All week long, we delighted in having the time and space to play – and loved that the only thing we had to do was be good to ourselves, pamper our bodies with healthy food, lots of exercise, massages and aromatherapy wraps. At sundown, we loved sitting on our patio, listening to the last breath of day as it rustled through the branches of eucalyptus and sycamores. We loved that we had time to talk – really talk.
Of course, it’s not just about talking. It’s about listening, too. It’s about seeing “For the past six weeks, Julia’s been shak- each other in a different light, about ing in her boots, worrying about spend- shedding roles to really appreciate the ing a week with her mother,” said Jill extraordinary individual who just hapWeinberg, 57. pens to be your mother – or your daugh- “If I could change one thing about this ter. place,” Kim said. “I’d make it so there are Julia Weinberg Kramer, 26, shrugged, 30 hours in a day, 10 days in the week. ” then read a copy of an email she’d sent to My daughter, Kim DaRosa, lives in San her Chicago-area siblings: “First, let me Francisco. It’s an easy commute and we We cherished the time we had in assuage your fears – everything is going visit often – but for whatever reason, our our “stress-free cocoon,” as Kim called visits are often harried. There are always it – and in the end, both loved that we great…” things to do, places to go, people to see. could confirm something we’d probably Julia added: “We’re having a wonderful known all along, but hadn’t taken much time; our whole family is shocked. “ Not long ago we spent our first week time to think about: that each of us is together at the Ranch. It was different the kind of woman we’d have chosen for Dorie Smith, from Lafayette, Calif., ac- there; we had time to breathe, to fill our a best friend, even if we weren’t mother knowledged she had to do some slick ne- lungs with the scents of sage, rosemary and daughter. gotiating to get her daughters to join her and lavender that hugged the curving at the Ranch. The sisters said finding time brick path that led to our hacienda. Nei- IF YOU GO in their hectic schedules for the getaway ther of us wanted the week to end. was monumental – but added they were Getting there: Because The Ranch is in leery of pushing the bonding envelope We started most of our days before dawn, Mexico, just across the border, you’ll need too far. Instead of the usual weeklong stay, joining sunrise hikes – but were giddy a passport to visit. Roundtrip bus transthey agreed to join mom for four days. and guilt-free on the morning we slept in portation is provided from San Diego’s and had breakfast delivered to our villa. Lindbergh Field. “I thought we’d be bored,” confessed Sierra We sweat a lot – and rewarded ourselves Higgens, Dorie’s oldest daughter. “I stand with transcendent treatments at the spa. Staying there: Weekly rates range from corrected. It’s been great. I wish we were We took a cooking class at the ranch’s La $3,150 to $4,800 per person, depending going to be here for the week.” Cocina que Canta, where we learned to on season, room type and number of ocmake guacamole with peas – and made a cupants in the room. Get 20 percent off by Added middle daughter, Tracey Millham: chocolate cake, so that we could lick the booking 9-12 months in advance, 15 per“Would I do this again? In a heartbeat – if bowl. cent off by booking 6-8 months in advance. mom will take us.” Learn more: www.rancholapuerta.com.
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Inspired By Ireland Craic – a Gaelic word (pronounced “crack”) loosely translated as “fun and music” or “good times” -- Ireland may be the only place in the world where being in search of some good craic doesn’t get you in trouble with the local authorities.
| STORY & PHOTOS BY RON OLIVER |
W
hen winter turns the corner and settles into spring, it’s the perfect time to visit Ireland. The crisp nippy air makes your tea-with-whiskey a nightly anticipation. The narrow roadways have not yet begun to anticipate summer tour bus jams. The locals are as friendly as they always are.
And the sun peaks out long enough to 74 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
ensure the pastures and trees retain their emerald shade of green. And if the weather turns melancholy, wet and grey, you can duck into a pub where a wood-burning fire will warm your body while a fiddler warms your soul. And the cares of tomorrow will wait until the day is done.
tered a bit of each in everything we did and saw. Finding Craic In Doolin
The village of Doolin, on the rugged and scarcely populated Central West coast of Ireland, has one main intersection, five pubs, a few shops and a famous underIreland is rich in history, tradition, ge- ground cave -- enough to keep you busy ography, hospitality, music and magic. for a couple days. Craic culture brings On a 3,000-kilometer trek through the a spirited energy to the village. While Western half of the country, we encoun- many of Ireland’s establishments ca-
ter to the summer tourist season, Doolin’s pubs are buzzing 365 days a year.
The village of Doolin, on the rugged and scarcely populated Central West coast of Ireland. Right: Local Irish cheese. Below: The author’s favorite pub for a cold pint and a warm fire.
Cliffs of Moher 8 kilometers south of Doolin, the cliffs that line much of Ireland’s coast reach their most dramatic height and geography. Trails allow you to walk along their jagged edge, inches away from a perilous free fall. Fortunately, the strong gusty winds blow inland. The cliff’s façades are ridged, like a piecrust plunging straight down to the sea. Curious sightseers are tempted to get as close as possible to the edge without falling over. Even though the scenery remains the same for miles, every step is breathtaking.
Melodies of live trad (slang for traditional Irish folk music) invite locals and visitors to huddle together around the tables and fireplace, to tap their feet and clap their hands into the wee hours. Stews of beef braised in stout, and fish from the nearby sea battered to a crisp, are served piping hot from the kitchen. This is the perfect setting to do what you’ve longed to do ever since you booked your ticket – walk up to the bartender and say, unavoidably with a bit of an Irish accent, “a pint o’ Guinness please.” Galway
That is when you know you’ve fi- Galway city, located on both sides nally arrived. Doolin is the small- of the River Corrib where it spills est town with the biggest heart in into the Atlantic Ocean, is most Ireland. Stop here for a night or famous for its Latin Quarter - sevtwo of Irish Craic. If you miss the eral narrow pedestrian streets that stop sign, you’ll be in the middle attract activity around the clock. of nowhere, beneath a sky full of The youthful spirit, brought on by stars with the sounds of waves trendy restaurants, lively pubs and crashing against the rocky coast hip shops reminded me of a teeny just over yonder. tiny version of Barcelona - A bit Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 75
of a party scene, but still rich in culture and history. At the farmer’s market, behind the church every Saturday morning, you can find gluten-free baked goods, artisan cheese from around the country, fairy statuettes, and root vegetables still clinging to the moist dirt that was once their home. In the song “Galway Girl,” American musician Steve Earle sings about “taking a whirl down the Salthill Prom” with a beautiful local girl. He then loses his heart to her simply because “her hair was black and her eyes were blue”. Fans of the song who visit Galway may be inspired to walk, or whirl, in the couple’s make-believe footsteps.
the tea-sipping state of mind. Tea was introduced to Irish royalty in the early 1800’s then gradually trickled down to the middle and lower classes. Despite tea’s noble presence, the tea-brewing process in Ireland is generally not very sophisticated. In the old days tea would brew over an open fire for the better part of a day, so that it was always at hand. This resulted in very strong tea whose harsh tannins had to be tamed with milk. Today, in most households, that approach is still alive and well. As one friend described to me “I just boil some water, chuck some tea bags in and forget about it. I guess the brew time for Irish tea can be defined as “indefinite. ” Of course in teahouses, higher-end cafes and afternoon tea service, more focus is placed on precise brewing. East African tea, particularly Kenyan, is the most prevalent every-day-drinking tea.
And so we did. The Salthill Prom (slang for promenade) is an ocean-front walkway in the Salthill district of Galway, just over the river from the town cen- Afternoon Tea ter. Lovers, runners, dog walkers and sightseers go up and down the café and Ireland is one of the largest tea consumshop-lined prom morning till night. It ing countries in the world. It is said that The flavor profile is strong – more tois also one of the most romantic spots the Irish drink at least 6 cups of tea per wards what Americans associate with person per day. For a true immersion coffee. But it is very fragrant and has in Ireland to watch a sunset. into Irish culture, one must get into desirable floral notes. The brewed tea
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has an orange tint, which turns a pleasant creamy rust color when milk is added. The allure of doing as the Irish do, and sipping hot tea on a cold day is one of the simple pleasures to be had on a visit to Ireland. In Ballyseede Castle near the town of Tralee, a pot of tea brews all afternoon near the fireplace in the Victorian room for castle guests to enjoy as they wish. Relaxing inside by the fire, my daughters and I drank 4 cups of tea each – just two shy of the daily average in one sitting!! Now that’s a real Irish afternoon. Ring of Skellig The Ring of Skellig is a 60 kilometer motor loop that detours from the world famous Ring of Kerry, which is a bigger loop of three times that length that circles around the entire county of Kerry. Skellig ring is more secluded and rugged with some of the narrowest, windiest roads in the country. This is good because it makes for a more secluded and off the beaten path adventure. Much of the Skellig ring road traverses coastal mountains whose green slopes sweep gradually downward to the sea. The road is sometimes high on the hill and sometimes dips right down to the water’s edge. In between panoramic views of the Atlantic coast, you can stop in at quaint villages like Port Magee, for, (yes another) pint of Guinness or hot whiskey and chat with the local townspeople who always are glad to make your acquaintance. The Burren If Ireland is the Emerald Isle, then The Burren is her birthmark. For 250 square kilometers the landscape turns limestone grey and barren. Trees are suddenly non-existent and all the green shades of the Irish spring can only be seen in your rear view memory. The vast naked land is composed of large silvery grey and off-white limestone rocks situated like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that are laid out and ready to be snapped in place. Tranquility on the grounds of Muckross Castle near Killarney. Opposite top: “Galway Girls” shopping in the Latin Quarter. Opposite center: Root veggies in Galway’s Farmer’s Market.
Photos courtesy ofWine The Inn Dine at Ranchos & Travel Santa Summer Fe 2014 77
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n summer, colorful flowers peak up from between the rocks like those that grow in the cracks of pavement. It’s hard to imagine that this area was once inhabited but it was (and actually still is). An ancient megalithic tomb reminds visitors that The Burren was a place that someone deemed fit for a burial monument many thousands of years ago. As intriguing as it is to look over the rolling rock-paved vastness, it seems that given the choice one would opt for life (and death) on the coast. But this is truly a fascinating place to visit. Animal Encounters It is rare to pass a day in Ireland without some kind of animal interaction. Whether it’s by chance, like being stopped in your tracks by a herd of cows on the country roads, or by design, such as reserving a falcon walk at Ashford castle, animals are a part of every day. One early grey morning we took a walk down to a deserted cove on the Atlantic Coast of Skellig. Out of nowhere, a dog appeared, and quickly engaged us in a game of fetch the stick. We thought he would cling to us and whine when we tried to leave. But instead, when we said goodbye, he escorted us back to the car, then just turned and wandered slowly back down the road and out of sight. It shows that travel brings all sorts of wonderful encounters and you never know who or what you’ll find around the next bend. Horseback riding is another favorite Irish pastime. Touring the forests of Killarney in county Kerry from high up in the saddle is one of the best ways to admire Ireland’s Emerald surroundings. Nestled in the forest surrounding Ashford Castle, the Ireland school of falconry is one of the most exciting animal interactions available by reservation. For one hour, your personal falcon keeper guides you through the forest as you literally feed and fly your feathered pet through the castle’s centuries old grounds. Ashford Castle Spending the night in an 800 year old castle ranks at the top of the list of cool things to do in Ireland. We sipped tea beneath chandeliers of Waterford crystals, sitting side by side with the ghosts of royal families past, overlooking the ever-spouting garden fountain which overlooks the fishing lake and distant trees. Established in 1228, Ashford castle passed through many noble hands, including those of the infamous Guinness family, before being converted to a hotel in 1939. The castle was recently renovated to upgrade the infrastructure, but it still retains its Old World charm. The lobby’s second floor is a library full of classic books, all waiting to be read using the light of the sun that shines through the banquet window coves. Downstairs you can play chess under the watchful eye of the knight in shining armor. The entire lobby resembles an art museum with floor to ceiling paintings that leave one staring in awe and wondering about their origin. At night the house singer always finishes her set with “Danny Boy” as if subliminally beckoning us to come back when summer is in the meadow. We would be happy to oblige. In Ireland everyone is friendly, even a stray dog on the beach. Opposite top: Ashford Castle, from the 13th century, is now a luxury hotel. Opposite left: Knight in Shining Armor welcomes visitor’s to Ashford’s lobby. Opposite right: Touring Killarney’s emerald forest on horseback.
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Chiang Mai Escape | STORY & PHOTOS BY JODY JAFFE & JOHN MUNCIE |
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e were caught in the middle of the Chiang Mai Flower Festival parade. And by middle, we mean literally in the middle of the street with a tsunami of flower-adorned floats, marching bands and waving beauty queens swelling our way.
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Fantastical neon snake in Chiang Mai's Nong Buak Hard Park. Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 81
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Young girl from the village of the Kayan people, in traditional dress. Opposite top: Seated Buddha near the Wat Palad temple outside Chiang Mai. Opposite right: A bystander photographs the Chiang Mai Flower Festival Parade with his tablet.
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ur escape routes, both right and left, were walled off by swarms of amateur photographers holding up iPads, cell phones and every Nikon in the catalog. We could envision the YouTube video that would go viral — “American travel writers trampled by frenzied flower festivalites.”
ang, Wat Phan Tao, Wat Ched Lin, and Wat Chiang Taem. Statues of the Buddha, with his enigmatic smile, were everywhere, along with the smell of incense, the sound of prayer and the chatter of young (age seven for some) shaven-headed monks, who walk the streets in early morning collecting alms.
And we were having the time of our lives. Chiang Mai is like that: exciting, exotic, thrilling and unpredictable.
Each wat brought discoveries. Behind one we found monks’ laundry draped over racks of bamboo -great cascades of red-orange robes drying in the mid-day heat. Below the steps of another was a 3-foot tall concrete Donald Duck.
We spent five days there last winter, exploring the walled city and its labyrinthine alleyways, walking its vibrant markets, trying to identify plants and meats we’d never seen, eating some of the most delicious street food we’d ever tasted and touring rural villages to see how tribal people live. Between us we got six massages, two foot rubs and a facial, ate barbequed animal parts that tasted better than they looked, and learned to make chili paste.
Every wat is decorated with carved dragons and warrior kings, fanged serpents, ornate stone peacocks, grinning tigers, and innumerable fantastical deities. It’s overpoweringly ornate, even otherworldly. And maybe that’s the idea.
Chiang Mai is the largest city of Thailand’s northern provinces, but it’s nothing like the behemoth of Bangkok, some 400 miles south. While nearly 1 million people live in the area, only 200,000 inhabit the old city, the focus of most tourist activity. Founded in 1296, the old city is still surrounded by the original moat, vestiges of ancient city walls and its original four city gates, one for each main compass point. It is little more than half a square mile and easily walkable, but also serviced by hundreds of tuk-tuks – motorized rickshaw taxis.
After a few hours, we reached wat overload and were ready for the top tourist concern: Thai food. We’d arrived from Hong Kong the evening before and 10 minutes after dumping our gear at our B&B, we were in the night food market along Bamrung Buri Road, which parallels the southern edge of the rectangular old city.
ples, armed with a camera, an iPhone, a reporter’s notepad and a single Thai phrase -- “khob khun krab” (“thank you”). It was a sunny day, headed to a high of 88. Every day was sunny with a high of 88.
More than 1.5 million tourists visit Chiang Mai every year, so navigating the city’s night markets can seem like There are some 30,000 active temples playing rugby in the aisles of an exotic – known as “wats” -- in Thailand and at Walmart. But it’s a cheerful game, with least 30 are inside the Chiang Mai moat. smiles the common language. In the space of fewer than 20 blocks we visited Wat Jet Lin, Wat Chedi LuWe started our first day visiting tem-
In a moat-side park dotted with brightly lit food carts we had our first Thai meal: spicy chicken, spicy pork salad (called “larb moo”) and green papaya salad. “Spicy” is the key word. If the 80-degree days don’t make you sweat the food will. And it was better than our best Thai meal in the United States. The difference between Thai food here and Thai food in the United States is like the difference between canned and fresh peaches and green papaya salad — all for $5.
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Except for the B at our B&B, we ate every meal on the street or in streetside cafes. Our favorite food experience was a night of gorging at the market in Nong Buak Hard Park. In honor of the Flower Festival, the park exhibited dozens of flower arrangements while women in elaborate costumes danced to the music of traditional Thai pipes and lutes. But the real action was at the food booths, where much of the animal kingdom was being sizzled, steamed and barbequed.
-- who claimed to make the best croissants in Chiang Mai -- as well as a parttime tour guide. Chai was a character; his favorite expression of surprise was “Oh, my Buddha!” When asked how he learned English, “Rock and roll songs. Eric Clapton, John Denver, the Beatles.”
Our first stop was Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, on a mountain that overlooks the city. Built around 1383, it’s one of Chiang Mai’s most famous wats. Just a couple miles away, on the same mountain road, we visited Wat Palad -- Wat By the end of the evening we sampled Phra That’s opposite. Set in the forest chicken and chicken livers on skewers, by a cascading stream, Wat Palad has fried fish balls with basil hot sauce and no tourist shops selling mini gongs, no greens, fried intestines of some small market stalls, and no crowds. Stone creature that we hoped wasn’t dog paths lead us through the trees to adja(we’d heard stories about dog-knap- cent shrines and overlooks that invited ping) and coconut balls. Topping it all contemplation. off was a chocolate-banana-brownie ice cream flattened on an anti-griddle and topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. When we could eat no more we sat by a pond guarded by an enormous illuminated snaky-dragon creature that looked like it had slithered over from a nearby temple. By contrast our cooking school experience was tame. Our group of 12 learned to make Tom Yum soup, papaya salad, spring roll, Pad Thai, hot basil stir fry, and a red or green curry. Class began with a tour of a local market where our teacher, Prawd, gave us lessons in coconuts, noodles and rice. Her theory on spices was simple: “If you eat more chili, it’s more sexy.” When we’d finished our lesson and sat down to eat our creations, our fingers were the colors of a monk’s robe Our most memorable stop of the day from grinding a curry paste of lemon was at a village of the Kayan people, grass, turmeric, coriander seeds, shal- many of whom are refugees from a lots, galangal root, chilies and peanuts. civil war in Burma. These are the longThe verdict? Not bad – the deep-fried necked women, so called because at age spring rolls were crunchy and fresh three or four the girls start wearing – but nothing like Chiang Mai street heavy brass coils around their necks, food. Not sexy enough. adding a new coil each year in an attempt to stretch their necks. They nevOne popular Chiang Mai attraction er take the coils off. we avoided was the elephant ride and show. We’ve each ridden elephants in The Kayan sell a number of crafts inour pasts and what we read about their cluding hand-woven scarves of flamtraining in Thailand was troubling. So boyant color combinations. We bought we spent the day exploring the coun- six. They were gracious to visitors and tryside beyond the city moat. Our driv- seem unperturbed by gawkers. They er, 40-year-old Chai, a full-time baker even let “farangs” (foreign white peo84 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
ple) try on a sample neck coil. Ouch. Our other excursion outside the old city was to explore the markets just east of the moat. Crossing the Ping River, we came across crews sticking chrysanthemums on flowered floats and Chiang Mai beauty queens touching up their costumes, coiffures and makeup. Which brings us back to the Flower Festival Parade. A cross between the Rose Parade and a high-school homecoming show, the Festival parade featured 40 floats, high school and college marching bands (one band was decked out in cowboy hats), troupes of drummers, costumed Hmong and other ethnic groups, and lovely young women dressed in kaleidoscopic colors riding serenely above the crowds on fabulously flamboyant floats (think Liberace of Thailand). There were some 3,000-4,000 participants -- including us, it seemed for a moment. But just before we were run over by a float full of beauty queens, a young girl and her mom ran out from the crowd and stood in front of it. The float obligingly stopped while the two had their picture taken and we pushed our way back safely into the crowd. Turns out photo ops are as much a part of the Flower Fest Parade as lilies and marigolds. An estimated 50,000 lined the parade route and somewhere out in The Cloud there are at least 50,000 digital photos of spectators posing with floats, beauty queens, and drum majorettes. The next night we found ourselves in another throng. The Sunday Market, which extends for a half-mile along Ratchadamnoen Road, the city’s main drag, and spills over into numerous side streets. We bought five hand-made paper lanterns, one batik backpack, a pair of tribal cloth shoes, an animal print shirt, a pair of pants and one turquoise purse — all for under $100. We sampled more sexy food and listened to a kid karaoke show. Sometime around 11 o’clock our feet were hurting. Was it time for a tuk-tuk ride back to the B&B or a foot massage? The answer: both. We were in Chiang Mai, after all.
Parade participant gets a last-minute costume check. Opposite : Drummer in one of the Flower Festival Parade’s marching bands.
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AMERICANS IN LONDON Famous Americans Have Left Their Mark
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| CARL H. LARSEN | ust for a minute, I felt the excitement of American writer John Steinbeck as he settled in at 116 Piccadilly in 1943 to become a war correspondent for The New York Herald Tribune.
Today the address belongs to the fivestar Athenaeum Hotel, a modern and convenient lodging a few minutes from Piccadilly Circus where my wife and I stayed on a recent trip.
One afternoon, I timidly asked the hotel concierge: “May I peek into the penthouse, if it is not occupied?” “Certainly,” came the reply. And a 86 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
few minutes later while looking out a window from the spacious suite, I immediately sensed the emotion of what Steinbeck wrote when he took up residence here. He told his wife, Gwyn, that from his quarters, “all of London I have ever read about is there.” And so it still is. The prospect looks out on St. James’s Park just across the street and, to the left in the distance, is St. Paul’s Cathedral, the government complex of Whitehall, while “a little farther to the right is Big Ben, so close I could set my watch by it,” Steinbeck wrote. And even closer were St. James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace through the trees.
While the view from Steinbeck’s window certainly is stunning, I had already visited these places. On this trip, I wanted to pursue a different tourist excursion, one that followed in the footsteps of fellow Americans — including Benjamin Franklin, Joseph P. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Wallis Warfield Simpson — who had resided in London for key periods of their lives. That’s a pretty big task. So where to start on my quest? My ace card was an invaluable reference, published in 1986, “Americans in London,” by Brian N. Morton. The book offers enlightening vignettes on a variety of American Londoners. A series of maps show where they once had lived. As backup, I had a purchased a more detailed London street guide. Many American luminaries lived just off the main thoroughfares of central London that are tourist meccas, and the homes of the more prominent figures have been marked with the historically designated blue plaques on their facades. And so it was with Benjamin Franklin, whose London home is a brief walk from Trafalgar Square. The townhouse at 36 Craven St. today is the Benjamin Franklin House museum, with interesting presentations on the American statesman’s life in London. When he arrived in 1757 with his son William on Craven Street, according to author Morton, little did he realize that he would live on this street in two periods for nearly 16 years, in two different houses run by the same landlady, the widow Margaret Stevenson. All the time, Franklin’s wife and other children remained in Philadelphia. In London, Franklin lived a comfortable life among scientists, politicians and philosophers, and was known for his eccentricities. Each day, he’d throw open the windows to take his tonic bath — exposing himself to the cold air in the nude for up to an hour while reading or writing. Franklin at first represented the British colony of Pennsylvania, but became a de facto ambassador or representative for all the American colonies. As a statesman, his eloquent opposition in Parliament to the Stamp Act, an oner-
ous tax levied on the colonies, is seen as one of his finest moments. With the prospect of revolution, and growing hostility in Britain toward him and the colonies, Franklin returned to Philadelphia in 1775, when he was appointed a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. Several generations later, perhaps no one captured the mood of London during World War II better than Edward R. Murrow, the veteran CBS News broadcaster. For most of the war, Murrow and his wife, Janet, lived in a five-room flat on the second floor of Weymouth House, 84 Hallam St. Today, a blue plaque marks the building. Murrow remarked that his home was “500 paces” from the nearby BBC headquarters on Portland Place, from which he broadcast his famous radio reports that opened with the dramatic phrase, “This (pause) is London.” He covered 57 consecutive nights of Luftwaffe attacks on the city from Sept. 7 to Nov. 3, 1940. It was from here that Murrow made one of his most famous broadcasts, standing on the rooftop describing a bombing raid on the city. After his broadcasts, he’d make his way through the blacked-out city back home — the 500 paces — where he’d often be joined by other correspondents. “With a fire burning, coffee on the stove, sandwiches in the kitchen and a bottle of scotch, as London awakened to another gray morning, a poker game would usually be ending,” Morton writes. Among those Murrow entertained at this flat were American ambassador John Winant, Eleanor Roosevelt, Clark Gable, and prominent British political figures. I didn’t have far to go on the second day of my adventure. Leaving the Athenaeum Hotel, I headed a few blocks north to Grosvenor Square. No place in London has more apparent ties to Americans than the immediate area around this leafy refuge in posh Mayfair. The square at one time was called Eisenhowerplatz or Little America because it was from buildings facing the square Many famous American’s have made their mark on that much of the American and Allied London including Ben Franklin, Glenn Miller, Edward planning during World War II took place under Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhow- R. Murrow and John Steinbeck as shown clockwise. Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 87
Dwight D. Eisenhower statue in front of the American Embassy in London. Right: President John F. Kennedy.
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er’s command. Today at the west end American ambassador to Great Britain. stands the fortified American Embassy, The wealthy Kennedy was a man completed in 1960, with a statue of untrained in diplomacy and had few Eisenhower in uniform at one side. In of the other skills required for the job. the center of the square stands a statMorton, in his book, notes “when he ue of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, received the press in his office ... he a memorial from Britain unveiled in chewed gum, sat with his feet on the 1948. A newer memorial, at the east desk and called the queen of England end, built by the British government, ‘a cute trick.’” remembers those killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. While in London, Kennedy lived with his large family at 14 Princes Gate, a From 1785 to 1788, John and Abigail six-story residence overlooking KensAdams resided at No.9 Grosvenor ington Gardens. The building was givSquare at the corner of Brook and en to the U.S. government by financier Duke streets, one of the few homes J.P. Morgan as an embassy residence from the era still standing. John and served eight U.S. ambassadors. Adams was the first U.S. minister plenipotentiary to Britain, conducting On May 4, 1939, the Kennedys played strained negotiations with the British dinner hosts here to King George VI government after the American and Queen Elizabeth (later known as Revolution on issues such as trade the Queen Mother). Today, a plaque and maritime law. Across from their on the outside notes that John Fitzhome lived Lord North, British prime gerald Kennedy, later to become presiminister during the Revolution. Notdent, once lived here, as did Teddy and ing that their former enemy was now Bobby Kennedy. a neighbor across the square, Abigail remarked, “We have not taken a side The patriarch Kennedy was seen as with Lord North but are still opposite a publicity seeker with presidential to him.” ambitions, but still the British press viewed him as “wonderfully American.” Much later, Eisenhower had two But Kennedy lacked the political skills offices here. At No. 20, he established needed at a critical time when war was himself as the new American commander in the summer of 1942. Much of his early work was to build the alliance with the Brits and to mend bruised egos. Here, he debated with other military leaders whether to invade France immediately or to wait. The result was a compromise: Operation Torch, the Anglo-American invasion of North Africa. During this period, he lived nearby at London’s posh Claridge’s Hotel on Brook Street. At No. 47, Eisenhower set up offices after being named Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in January 1944. It was here that Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy in June 1944, was planned. And just a few years earlier, in 1938, Joseph Kennedy, the family patriarch, had arrived at Grosvenor Square as
looming in Europe. His speeches carried an isolationist tone, and he soon found himself at loggerheads with Secretary of State Cordell Hull. At one time, he was quoted as saying, “The democracies and the dictators should
cooperate for the common good, rather than emphasize self-apparent differences.” Soon, Roosevelt lost faith in Kennedy and started to go around him, sending special emissaries to observe the situation in Britain after the outbreak of war in 1939. Kennedy complained that he had not been briefed on conversations between Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. That was the final straw. Kennedy left for home in October 1940. Just a few blocks north of Grosvenor Square is the shopping mecca of Oxford Street. On the second floor of the Thistle Marble Arch Hotel is Glenn Miller’s bar, a tribute to the famed American band-leader who was an Army major charged with building morale and entertaining troops. Memorabilia and recordings line the walls. Miller was killed when his small plane crashed in 1944 while heading for Paris. In an eerie twist, Miller and his entourage of 62 had arrived in London on June 29, 1944 — just after D-Day and during a buzz-bomb attack by the Germans. They settled at 25 Sloane Court
West. But because Miller complained of sleepless nights in an underground shelter, the band was moved north to Bedford, about 60 miles away. The week after their move, 25 Sloane Court suffered a direct bomb hit.
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Wallis Warfield Simpson, the twice-divorced American for whom the king of England, Edward VIII, would renounce his throne.
Twenty-six people were killed and 78 were dug out of the rubble. A few steps east along Oxford Street from the Thistle Marble Arch hotel is Selfridges -- the monumental department store built by American Harry Gordon Selfridge, whose riches to rags story is the subject of a popular PBS-TV mini-series. After serving as a senior executive at Chicago’s Marshall Field & Co. department store, Selfridge came to London “to teach Britons to shop.” Nearly forgotten after he squandered his fortune on gambling and other vices, Selfridge today is remembered within the sprawling store in a cozy lower-level bar called Harry Gordon’s. One of the most intriguing Americans to have lived in London is Wallis Warfield Simpson, the twice-divorced American for whom the king of England, Edward VIII, would renounce his throne. Memories of her can be found a few blocks north of Oxford Street. Their love affair began in 1933 when the king, then the Prince of Wales, would drop in for drinks or dinner at the Bryanston Court apartment 90 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014
she shared with her second husband, Ernest, at 5 George St., not far from Selfridges. A mutual friend had introduced them. While the affair with the divorced American was common knowledge to those in high society, the general British public was kept in the dark for years, even though newspapers abroad reported on the romance. Eventually, Simpson filed for divorce in Britain. She had moved to a four-story furnished house at Cumberland Terrace near Regent’s Park. The liaison was on its way to producing a government crisis, with the king told by government leaders that marriage was out of the question. By now, the newspapers were all over the story. Simpson was reviled in the press, received threatening letters and witnessed angry crowds outside her home. In December 1936, she left England for France. Days later, with no government support for his position, the king abdicated, leaving the throne for the woman he loved. He was given the title Duke of Windsor and was ordered
never to set foot in Britain again without the permission of his brother, the new king. After their marriage, the couple lived their lives in exile, mostly in France. Americans clearly have had a major role in shaping London. And one wonders, if the American Wallis Warfield Simpson had not won the heart of King Edward VIII, what direction would the British monarchy have taken? IF YOU GO Benjamin Franklin House museum, the only remaining house occupied by Franklin: www.benjaminfranklinhouse. org Grosvenor Square: london.usembassy. gov/rcgrsvnr.html Athenaeum Hotel: www.athenaeumhotel.com VisitBritain: Britain’s national tourism agency with information on all areas: www.visitbritain.com
BEER
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| DAVID ADELMAN |
drink beer to supplement my bones with vitamin D and prevent bone degeneration. Saying that makes me feel I’m making a healthy lifestyle choice every time I pop a bottle. I could be, at least according to the International Journal of Endocrinology that had published a study on the health promise of beer (you can also check our previous infographic that matched beer against wine for health benefits). But here’s the better news—beer can be dirt cheap in some corners of the planet. If you’re traveling and you enjoy a couple bottles of beer (and some more) after a day’s tour, our infographic will help you find the country where you can get really cheap “vitamin D shots”. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to Central/Eastern Europe or Southeast Asia; both regions can get you drunk really cheap. Vietnam and Ukraine are the hands-down winners with beer at fifty-nine cents per bottle. Other beer-friendly countries include: Cambodia, Czech Republic, China, Serbia, and Panama. On the other hand, if you’re a heavy drinker, better avoid the Middle East. Not because alcohol is officially banned in many countries there (you can drink in designated places), but they have the priciest beers in the world. In Iran one beer is equivalent to 13 bottles in Ukraine! The infographic also calculated which countries pay most and least for beer every year based on consumption and beer price. If you drink much you pay much, right? Germans are the third heaviest beer drinkers in the world. As expected they’re one of the biggest spenders, too, shelling out $235 per year on the alcohol. But just southeast of Germany, in Romania, things are different in Romania. Talk about enjoying both worlds–Romanians are one of the heaviest beer drinkers; they’re also one of the least spenders on the alcohol. But we encourage you to drink moderately… and pay moderately, too. Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 91
Happy in Puerto Rico “I’ve got a bunch of plantains and a bottle of rum; they keep the hunger out and then the happiness come.” | LYNN BARNETT | PHOTOS BY BOB GREISER |
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nstead of looking both ways as I crossed the road, I was gazing up at a cloudless, baby-blue sky, watching the amazing ability of a pelican to just hang in “no” motion, suspended in the air above the Palmas Del Mar Yacht Club & Marina like some sort of weird, hovering peace sign. I stepped down off the sidewalk onto the street and walked directly into the path of a four-person golf cart — the main mode of transportation at the Palmas resort in this southeastern beach town of Humacao in Puerto Rico.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said to the young, darkhaired guy behind the wheel. “Don’t be sorry,” he replied as he swerved around to avoid hitting me. “Be happy.” That’s the kind of attitude to which I grew accustomed while I was visiting this island, known as the Caribbean’s gateway. Although the pace here is relaxed, the one-week trip with friends was a tad more accelerated: around two days each for San Juan (north), Ponce (south) and Humacao (southeast). Top: Papier-mâché carnival mask. Opposite: Pine Grove Beach, San Juan
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San Juan
Arriving late evening, we didn’t veer too far from the airport to find rooms at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino. Here we were greeted by a modern, high-ceilinged lobby and an intriguing wall-mounted mural display that at first glance seemed to be an aquarium filled with oddly colored swimming fish. To our left, neon lights at the entrance to the casino morphed from blue to green to pink to orange in hypnotic rhythm. To our right, elevators took us to our 10th-floor rooms facing the city, bay and incoming cruise ships (the same view we got later that evening lolling around the fourth-floor’s outdoor bar and disappearing-edge pool). Nearby the Sheraton is not-to-bemissed Old San Juan, which was an easy five-minute ride as we toodled off in our rental car the next morning.
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Above: Ornate iron and carved wooden balconies, gaslamp-style lights and colorful buildings add to the charm of Old San Juan’s narrow, hilly streets. Below: La Bombonera. Opposite: Colorful homes, like this one near a delightful plaza in Old San Juan, abound in Puerto Rico.
Our first stop was breakfast. We found a sidestreet diner that we would have mistaken for a five-and-dime if it wasn’t for the bakery goods in the window and the sign that said “La Bombonera Restaurant.” Didn’t see too many tourists, but the locals were slurping milky coffee and munching on mallorca con jamon y queso: powder-sugar coated, ham-and-cheese sandwiches on a sweet brioche-type bread from Spain. Although the combo sounded odd, I figured the locals must be on to something. They were. After breakfast, I found out fairly quickly that, unless you’re going downhill toward the ocean, you probably don’t want to gorge on a heavy breakfast before you decide to stroll up the steep, cobbled streets of Old San Juan. This historical colonial section of San Juan is chock-filled charm from the tiled Spanish street signs (some with artist renderings of saints) to the
ornate iron balconies, from the happily painted apartment doors to the rounded-arch windows. Even graffitti scrawled on walls and telephone wires haphazardly stretching across the sky look more like quaint touches than they do blots on the city. Thankfully, there were plenty of tree-shaded plazas with benches to accommodate us when we got a little tired from walking uphill. Of course, we couldn’t resist the flavored shaved ice (piraguas) sold by the street vendor before exploring some more — this time, downhill toward the water, to Castillo San Felipe del Morro. This centuries-old, stone-walled fort, filled with tunnels and staircases, was named in honor of King Philip II of Spain, and guards the entrance to San Juan Bay. Steven Spielberg deemed it the perfect setting to represent a fort in Sierra Leone in the film Amistad. El Morro, as it is commonly known, also has plenty of perfect settings for tourist photo opportunities (although I don’t recommend staying too long to snap your pics in one of the peek-hole towers as the “eau de urine” smell is overpowering). The day we self-toured the fort, bus loads of carefree school children were trying their hand at kite flying. We got an extra treat as we watched colorful kites in dragon, diamond and box shapes dance their way across the sky above the expansive grassy slope in front of the fort’s entrance. Since we planned to leave the next day for Ponce, I thought this would be my one opportunity to dig up perfect gifts for my son and daughter (my husband, I knew, would love the sailing regatta t-shirt I planned to purchase in Humacao). Although shopping is not my favorite thing to do, I managed to make my way through Calle Fortaleza, Calle San Francisco and Calle del Cristo, the major streets for buy, buy, buying. I slogged through handicrafts galore — papier-mâché fruit wasn’t going to work, handmade ceramics might break, artists renderings were too big — and finally saw a handmade straw purse that my daughter would appreciate and, ideal for my son, a custom papier-mâché carnival mask of a vejigante, a mischevious character who wards off evil spirits at Puerto Rico’s carnival parades. I scrounged around long enough (okay, so maybe I don’t hate shopping as much as I think I do) to make a great gift discovery for my co-workers — tiny matchboxes with meticulous renderings of Old San Juan street scenes. Ta-dah! Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 95
Ponce
It’s an easy 60-plus mile drive on Highway 52 from San Juan to Ponce where, with my friends’ fabulous connections, we got to stay, gratis, at Ponce’s top-notch luxury hotel, the Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort. The connection, Michael Serrallés, a member of the famous Serrallés clan, graciously provided us with spacious oceanfront guest rooms. With tennis courts, a golf course, two pools, three restaurants and two bars — both serving drinks made with the DonQ rums that helped make the Serrallés family famous — there was hardly any reason to ever leave the hotel.
Top: The Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort. Opposite top: Sailing regatta, Humacao. Opposite bottom: The view from our Club Calla condo balcony.
rooms and lavish terraced gardens, this mansk overflows with style. You don’t have to take my word for it — you can view it for yourself, because now it’s a museum. Take a tour and you’ll also learn all about the history of the sugar industry. There’s lots more to do in this city known as “The Pearl of the South.” We could have toured the art museum, visited a coffee plantation, climbed an observation tower, viewed historical instruments at the Museum of Puerto Rico Music or investigated the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center but the next day we had to be in Humacao to cover a sailing event.
Humacao
During a luncheon at the Ponce yacht club with Michael, his son and grandchildren, I learned a few things about the Serrallés family. The family’s Puerto Rican rum history began in 1865 when Don Juan Serrallés produced his first cask of rum on his sugarcane plantation. That one cask turned into To reach Humacao, we decided to travel route 52 through the Destileria Serralles, Inc., a company that now produces and mountain pass to Caguas and on to road 30. This was supdistributes practically all of the rum sold in Puerto Rico (and posed to be an easy hour and a half drive but, because of an owns the Ponce Hilton resort). ambiguous sign that insisted west and east lay in the same direction, we ended up traveling in circles. Over and over Just like in a fairy tale, Michael grew up in a castle on a hill. again, we wended our way past that same, unintelligible sign, Known as the Serrrallés Castle, this palace, overlooking the while also passing by a sun-wrinkled, toothless Puerto Rican entire city of Ponce, was built in the 1930s in the era’s pop- señor sitting on his dilapidated stoop. Each time we drove by ular Spanish Revival style. Beginning with the breathtaking his house, he waved and smiled at the silly touristas. We just waved and smiled back as though nothing was amiss. entrance, and on to the massive dining room, spacious bed
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From looking at the map now, my guess is that we ended up on route 32, a winding, narrow road where we got stuck behind what we thought was a political-announcement vehicle. (Later we found out that we were following a funeral-announcement vehicle. The driver wasn’t espousing his merits as a candidate through his megaphone. He was letting people in the village know who had just died and where and when the funeral would be held.) It took us twice the amount of time to get to Humacao, but we finally arrived at Club Calla, a gated community where our one-bedroom/one bath condo awaited us. It wasn’t fancy but it included a kitchen stocked with pots, pans, dishes and silverware; a countertop eating area; and a small living room with a pullout couch, which was a perfect fit for 5-foot-2 me. The best part of the condo was a little balcony with entrances off the living room and bedroom where we could watch the sun setting over the canal. Across from the veranda, our view also included narrow, attached houses that looked like those vacation-poster homes advertising Curaçao:
A bubblegum-pink house holding hands with a banana-yellow house, which is standing next to a lilac-purple house that’s hugging a lime-green house… and so on. To complete this picture postcard perfection, rows of boats, docked directly below each home, bobbed with the waves. Since we were there to cover a sailing event, most of our time in Humacao was spent on or near the water, but we did visit another acquaintance who lived in a gated community a few miles away. Here I learned that the bird I heard singing from dusk until dawn actually was a teenie, greenish-brown frog with warty legs and two round-balled toes. This slimy but cute creature is called a Coqui, after the repeating tune it sings that sounds like “ko-kee, ko-kee.” Our host told us that there’s a saying, “Soy de aqui como el coqui” (I’m as Puerto Rican as a coqui), which illustrates that this little guy has been a cultural symbol of Puerto Rican history for centuries.
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Top: The graveyard site at Castillo San Felipe del Morro. Bottom: Plantains are a Puerto Rican mainstay.
also discovered my favorite Puerto Rican dish: pas- If You Go telon. By this time, I felt like I had eaten every plantain-based dish in existence including tostones (plain, Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort, 1150 Caribe Ave., Ponce, fried plantain slices), mofongo (stuffed fried plantain 00716, Puerto Rico, 787-259-7676, hiltonponceresort.com that’s mashed together to look like that mountain of potatoes in Close Encounters of the Third Kind), plátanos en al- Palmas Del Mar Oceano Beach Resort, 787-850-0042, palmibar (a plantain dessert), platanutres (plantain chips, which masdelmar.com hotels could probably sell in a vending machine) and boiled amarillos (a breakfast cereal of boiled plantains mashed with Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino, 200 Convention Blvd., milk, which tastes way better than it sounds). But there was San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907, 787-993-3500, sheratonpuerone more plantain dish — pastelon (a sort of lasagna made toricohotelcasino.com with plantains).
When our host mentioned he was going to make a special treat for us that was a traditional Puerto Rican recipe containing plantains, I almost screamed, “Please, no more plantains!” Thank goodness I didn’t. The pastelon he baked was one plantain recipe I wish I had. That dish, and the DonQ Rum served alongside, made our last dinner in Puerto Rico a delicious, happy celebration of the traditional. (In Puerto Rico, I guess the Bunch of Bananas song lyrics could be changed from “I’ve got a bunch of bananas and a bottle of gin; they keep the hunger out and the happiness in” to “I’ve got a bunch of plantains and a bottle of rum; they keep the hunger out and, then, the happiness come.
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WHITLEY ON WINE | ROBERT WHITLEY |
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WINE FOR THE AGES
was invited on a recent Saturday night to join my friend and colleague Jeremy Parzen for dinner at a wine savvy local restaurant. Jeremy, a native Californian who is fluent in Italian, writes the closely watched Do Bianchi wine blog. The focus, as you might imagine, is on the wines of Italy.
We would be joined on this evening by winemaker Paolo Cantele, one of the young lions of the wine industry in the Puglia region of southern Italy. Everyone would bring some wine to share, as is the custom. And our small group grew as the evening wore on and the wine flowed. I confess I was a bit nervous about my contribution, apologizing in advance should the wine I chose be over the hill. You may have heard that wine improves with age. That’s not always the case, and even when it is, there comes a time when any wine is completely shot, devoid of flavor and past the point of redemption. I hoped for the best but feared the worst as we pulled the cork on my bottle of 1971 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino. When this wine was made, the producer was barely known outside the boundaries of Tuscany. The only Brunello producer of world renown was Biondi Santi. And there was serious doubt that many of the rustic wines of the era would improve over time. As the cork came out intact (at 42 years on, it would not have been a surprise if the cork had crumbled) there was a sigh of relief around the table. The cork was in excellent condition, always a good sign after four decades in the cellar. The first glass was poured and all around we marveled at the bright color, for red wines tend to lose color and brown around the edges with significant age. Based upon the visual inspection, the wine appeared to be very much alive. After a few quick swirls for aeration came the smell test. There
were no off aromas. With a bit of air and a little time, it began to exhibit aromas of tart cherry and nuances such as leather and spice. So far so good. Finally, the taste test. Despite its age, the Brunello had structure and tannic grip, with complex savory elements on the palate and ever more intense fruit as it got more air. I did a little fist pump. The wine was that good. Not to be outdone, someone produced a bottle of 2001 R. Lopez Heredia “Vina Tondonia” Rioja Reserva; only 12 years old but a wine of legendary longevity. At my favorite wine shop, this is the vintage of Vina Tondonia Reserva that is currently available. You would think this Rioja would show some signs of age: loss of color, taming of its fruit profile, soft tannins. Instead, the color was brilliant. On the palate the wine was remarkably fresh. The structure was bold and firm. It took me back to a recent time when I ordered a 1970 Vina Tondonia Reserva from the wine list at another restaurant. It was decanted and brought to the table, and my guests at dinner were convinced it was a “young” wine. Older wines are not for everyone, and they may not be for you. They evolve over the years and the flavors change. Most wines sold today are consumed within days, if not hours, of purchase. You get a blast of fruit and a blast of alcohol and that’s just fine for most people. Nothing wrong with that. But if you are at all curious about profound wines for the ages and can’t afford the high price of Bordeaux or Burgundy, you could do worse than explore the possibilities presented by top-notch Brunello di Montalcino and Rioja Reserva. Then you, too, might be inclined to add a little fist pump to your wine-tasting experience. Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 99
POSTCARDS FROM JOHN & JODY | JODY JAFFE & JOHN MUNCIE |
m o r f s d r a c t s o P
i o N o Ya
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of “postcards” sent to WDT Magazine publisher, Ron James, from veteran journalists and friends Jody Jaffe and John Muncie as they travel the globe. We hope you find them as informative and enjoyable as he does.
Dear Ron, You know how “amazing” is the most overused travel word around? Well, our boat ride to the Thai island of Yao Noi was. . . . We hopped a “long-tail” from Phuket’s Bang Rong pier in late afternoon for the one-hour ride to the island. “Long-tails” are skinny wooden boats with a monster outboard in back and a tiny cabin for the captain/steward/crewman. We were the only passengers. We sat on deck, the wind in our hair and the tangy smell of warm Phang Nga Bay (mixed with diesel fumes) in our noses. The sun set behind us and silhouetted the famous limestone islets that jut dramatically out of the Bay. A “National Geographic” moment come to life. (Make that a “Wine, Dine and Travel” moment.) When we reached the island, the sky had turned from bright Caroline blue to deep lilac, the western horizon from yellow to red-orange. The captain ran the long-tail right up on the rocky beach. He grabbed our bags and we scampered over the side. A jeep awaited us, nothing else. No McDonalds, no shops selling snow-globes. Just palm trees and a mild sea breeze. Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai (“koh” is the Thai word for “island”) are the biggest islands in the Bay and are roughly equidistant
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from the tourist destinations of Phuket to the west and Krabi to the east. Yao Yai is bigger but Yao Noi has more amenities. And by “amenities” we mean a few miles of paved road, some restaurants, the obligatory coffee shop, a small strip of produce booths and beachwear shops and one ATM. Yao Noi is the antidote to Phuket and Krabi. It’s a great place to idle. And after the crowds and craziness of Hong Kong and Bangkok, we need idle time. Love, John and Jody
Dear Ron, We’re staying at the Villaguna Residence, a collection of upscale cottages nestled by a big pool with a view of the ocean. We walked into our cottage to find flower petals scattered across the bed, with white towels on top folded to look like kissing swans. Welcome to idle time. The front of our cottage is all glass. From our windows those travel-poster islands look like distant remains of a lost civilization. The beach, bordered by groves and jungle, sweeps left and right. The tide moves in an out, leaving amorphous pools of water to catch the reflections of sunset and sunrise. We are less than 100 steps to the beach
and right by the road. We wondered at first if our idle time might be marred by traffic noise. But this is Ya Noi, traffic is a half-dozen vehicles per hour; far fewer past sunset. Villaguna is a few miles from town but walkable to a kayak rental place, a dive shop and restaurants. Olivier Masson, the resident manager, is a young Frenchman, who works in shorts, flip-flops and an ever-present smile. Great guy, always helpful. A few years ago he ditched a boring IT job in Europe and journeyed here. One day he saw a lovely local girl at a restaurant and decided “this is the place.” He and Joy Wichakoon have been together for three years now (English is their common language). He’s no longer bored. “Every day there’s something different. Different
guests, different problems,” he says. But we met Joy and think she is the real reason. Across the street is a raised beach-side wooden platform. Couldn’t figure out what it was for. Tiny bandstand? Late yesterday afternoon we got it. Two Villaguna residents, wearing white bathrobes, walked to the platform, lay down on mats and got his-and-her massages as the sun sank down, turning the blue water into gold. We’d write more but there’s an empty hammock hanging by a tree near the platform and it’s calling to us to idle time. Love, John and Jody
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Dear Ron, We drove around the island today. Most people rent motorbikes, we rented a car. Well, not exactly a car. More like an overgrown golf cart. No sides, aluminum roof. Thank god it’s not rainy season. Of course there’s the problem of driving on the wrong side of the road. And the steering wheel’s on the wrong side, too. The central part of the island is mountainous and wooded. So the paved roads mostly hug the coast. We drove past banana groves and rubber tree plantations -- little cups stuck on the trunks catching rubber sap. Mangrove swamps fringe much of the island as do the villages of fisherfolk, who’ve built their tin-roofed homes on stilts out over the water. Aground in tidal flats, long-tails wait for high tide, their bows draped with brightly colored scarves. Every so often we pass a sign pointing out the tsunami evacuation route. In the afternoon we trekked to Had Yao Beach. We say “trekked” because there’s no paved road. There’s hardly a road at all. More like a mountain bike trail. After winding through the jungle for a half hour we reached a steep, rutted stretch that disappeared over a rise ahead of us. We looked at the ruts. We looked at the big golf cart. We parked and started walking. Amazingly, Had Yao Beach was just over the rise. In 10 minutes we were swimming in the crystalline water. Behind us, amid palm trees,
a guy was selling bottled water and soft drinks. Two hundred yards up the beach, a young couple was sunbathing nude. There wasn’t anybody else Love John and Jody
Hong island we spotted a guy camped out in an island cave about 30 feet above the water. Don said that he’s harvesting the nests of the Swiftlet, a bird that roosts in caves and makes a home from its own saliva. The dried bird spit is the key ingredient in “Bird’s Nest Soup.” We hung out in Lah Ding for an hour, snorkeling with schools of brightly striped Siamese Tiger Fish. We were trying to keep ahead of sightseeing crowds so when a long-tail load of Chinese tourists arrived Don took us to Nok Island for lunch and a surprise. Nok Island is just a tiny bump in the Bay. But hidden on a be-jungled slope is a trail to the top. “Steep” doesn’t do the trail justice. For most of the way we pulled ourselves up on ropes. We reached the top sweating and shaking 30 minutes later. Don walked up the rocky trail barefoot, smiling. By himself, he can climb it in 10 minutes. Dear Ron, We spent the day exploring those magical islands we’d zipped past on our first boat ride. Our captain-guide was a Thai local with one of those mile-long unpronounceable Thai names. “Just call me Don,” he said We got on his long-tail at 8:00 in the morning and didn’t get back until 4:00. In between we visited Hong, Lah Ding and Nok islands and circled Pah Bea Yai and Pah Bea Noi, two massive chunks of rock that jut up out of the water like tree-covered skyscrapers. These limestone formations hollow out easily and on the way to
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Our last stop was Yao Noi’s big-sister island of Yao Yai. The long white-sand beach at Hua Lam Haad is less than 2 miles from Yao Noi but there’s even less development here. For nearly an hour we had the place to ourselves until another gang of Chinese arrived and it was time to go. In 20 minutes Don motored us up to Villaguna. It was high tide; he ran right up to the beach not 30 yards from our front porch. Just in time to idle by the pool. Love John and Jody
Dear Ron, This is our last night. We will be sad to leave our idle time behind. Earlier in the day we were walking down the Lamsai peninsula and discovered a Muay Thai training facility. Muay Thai is a martial art combining kick-boxing and plain-old boxing. We got to chatting with Kerry Matthews, a 41-year-old legal secretary from England who’s here for two weeks to train. “I love Thailand,” she said as she unlaced her red boxing gloves. “Everyone is so friendly and helpful.” “Friendly and helpful” should be the island’s motto. Our trip was as much about people as palm trees and beaches. Olivier’s girlfriend, Joy, was a joy. She runs the toniest shop on the island and gave Jody a lesson in sarong-wearing. Afterwards she walked us around the town’s market stalls pointing
out the local foods and treated us to a fruit smoothie. The French family staying at Villaguna gave us restaurant advice. So did the town mayor, who we met because of horses. (Too long a story for this postcard.) We became regular customers of the fruit cart lady who came by on her scooter every day to sell us kilos of mangosteens. Seth Bogart, who runs a flooring store in San Diego, told us that he’d tried the Phuket beach-party scene for a while then bailed out to Yao Noi because he need relaxation and quiet. “There are no guys walking around in jock straps here,” he said.
came to the table, leaned down conspiratorially, and looking at Jody said, “Are you keeping her safe?” Robbers on Ya Noi? Kidnappers? For a second we panicked until the waiter gestured toward a pirate flag hanging from the restaurant’s faux rigging. Turns out the waiter was in fact Ya, the owner, who invited us to his kitchen the next day for a lesson in Thai grilling. That lesson will have to wait for our return trip. We had one last morning in Ya Noi and that hammock by the sea was calling us again. One last dose of amazing idle time. Love
We had dinner with Seth one night at a nautical-themed restaurant -- tables right on the beach – that specialized in grilled seafood. As we were deciding between grilled shrimp, lobster or grouper a waiter
John and Jody
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AMY LAUGHINGHOUSE
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Lost in Translation --On the Road with Foot in Mouth
s a traveller with a love of foreign lands, I’ve often wished for a Babel fish. This ingenious invention, proposed by Douglas Adams in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” would enable anyone to understand anything being said around them, no matter what the language.
While I’m waiting for reality to catch up with Adams’ imagination, I’ve turned to Duolingo. Named Apple’s App of the Year in December 2013, this free tool offers instruction in French, Italian, Spanish, German, Portuguese and English. With cartoon-like graphics, cheerful trumpets and a stockpile of hearts rewarding every minor triumph, it exudes all the fanfare of a video game, albeit with considerably less violence than most…unless you count the broken hearts that crumble when you fail a lesson. I signed up for Duolingo’s French tutorial in early January, and so far, très bien. I don’t expect to find myself waxing poetic, Parisian-style, over the collected works of Victor Hugo and Gustave Flaubert anytime soon. But I do think that when traveling in another country, it’s only polite to learn the most basic phrases.
If you happen to be in a country where reply, I might have, in fact, implied that most tourists don't bother with even he was descended from an unholy couthe most rudimentary words, attempt- pling between his beloved mother and ing just a few syllables of the local lingo a goat. As he continued to question me may win you a friend for life. I learned (in Czech), I tried to explain (in English) about five words of Croatian when I vis- that I had just exhausted my trusty supited last spring, and I’m still receiving ply of tour book phrases, as asking for e-mails from some of the lovely folks I "another beer please" didn't seem appromet there, inviting me back and sending priate in this situation. me “sweet kisses.” For my troubles, I was rewarded with “The best part of our visit to Brac? a thorough "security check" and nearly Lunch at Kanoba Toni, where we missed my flight. There were one or two were greeted by this fellow at international gestures I could have sumthe bar. Don’t mind if I DO join moned in reply, but it's probably for the you for a tipple of…er…whatev- best that my hands were too full to allow me to indulge that particular impulse.
er that is you’re pouring, Pavao.”
Invariably, however, I've found myself in the most danger of committing a philological faux-pas when in France. This is because I spent years learning (i.e. bludgeoning) this beautiful language, first in high school and then at university, and have long labored under the mistaken impression that I have some idea what I’m saying.
Once, as an 18-year-old in New Orleans, I overheard a Parisian couple chatting in a shop and boldly engaged them in conversation. When they asked me if I was Swiss, I was positively elated. Only later Of course, your efforts at grammatical did I learn what Parisians think of Swiss goodwill may occasionally backfire. I French. (Suffice it to say, this was probawas once going through airport securi"Hello," "thank you," "good-bye," and "an- ty in Prague, where I greeted the stern- bly NOT a compliment). other beer, please" (which quickly neces- faced, rubber-gloved official manning sitates the question, "Where is the bath- the metal detector with a friendly "Do- As proof of how my language skills have deteriorated, I recently endured the huroom?") will go a long way, baby. And brý den!" ("Hello.) miliation of reading a children’s book to no, speaking English loudly and slowly a French friend’s 7-year-old daughter. doesn't count. At least, I THOUGHT that's what I said, The child’s English was already far better but considering the guard's unsmiling
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than my French, and she regarded me heroic father a thief. with a mixture of pity and dismay as I stumbled through the pamphlet-thin On that same trip (as on every trip, actuillustrated adventures of Hans Chris- ally), I found myself regularly bellying up tian Andersen’s little Eliza. Fortunately, to various local bars, chatting with the it had a happy ending, and I don’t just bartenders. “Je voudrais du vin,” I’d say, mean for Eliza. I nearly wept with relief ordering a glass of wine. when it was over. “Parlez-vous francais?” they would usualI’m even worse when it comes to convers- ly reply as they poured. “J’essaie de praing with adults. A few years ago, I was tiquer la langue,” I’d tell them. “I’m trying traveling around the French countryside to practice the language.” Only “langue,” with a driver named Bernard who spoke someone finally explained to me…on the very little English, but I eagerly soaked very last day of my tour…doesn’t mean up every word as best I could as he re- “language.” It means tongue. galed me with tales in his native tongue. I had essentially been propositioning One day, Bernard told me with great every bartender I met across central pride about his father, who had helped France, telling them I wanted to practice escort World War II Allied troops to safe- my tongue. No wonder they were all so ty in occupied France. “He must have friendly. Although, in retrospect, I’m a been full of valor,” I respectfully replied. bit insulted that none of them offered me a free drink. Whey, then, did Bernard turn to look at me with the wounded eyes of a puppy? So, lest I accidentally start a world war Well, as it transpires, the word “valeur” (or an affair) with an ill-chosen word on is very close to “voleur,” which means my next visit, I’ve turned to Duolingo. It robber. I had essentially just called his works by suggesting what it considers
useful phrases, asking me to translate them from English to French or vice-versa. What invaluable nuggets has it taught me so far? How about this little gem? “Ton cochon es laid.” “Your pig is ugly.” Handy if you’re visiting a barnyard and want to insult the farmer. Also, “L’homme est nu.” “The man is naked.” Okay, so that could potentially be useful, especially given my penchant for making inadvertently lewd remarks. Then there’s the “udderly” unforgettable “C’est ma premiere vache.” “It’s my first cow.” I can only hope the judge will take this into account and advise leniency when I’m hauled into court, accused of crimes against nature. Finally, let’s not forget the classic “Je suis facile.” “I am easy.” Really, Duolingo? I guess that’s what I get for trying to “pratiquer la langue.”
You can find Amy at WWW.AMYLAUGHINGHOUSE. COM and on Twitter @A_LAUGHINGHOUSE.
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