USA Travel Stories

The Hoover Dam’s Human Touches

The Hoover Dam in terms of human endeavour symbolizes all the best of Depression era America

by Dr. Bonnie Devet

Tour guides itch only to inform. But their cargo of facts and figures often spurs travelers to seek out what is real, what is human in a travel experience.About thirty miles from Las Vegas’ clinking slots, mercurial dice, and neon lights (looking as if a child randomly chose their colors from a pack of Crayola crayons) lies one of American’s modern civil engineering phenomena: the Hoover Dam. In solemn contrast to glittery, glitzy Vegas — known for its oversized Egyptian sphinx hotel and a golden lion resplendently seven stories high —“The Dam” symbolizes all the best of Depression era America in a human, mortal way.

In 1931, at the height of the morale-killing Great Depression, the Colorado River was temporarily diverted, 3.5 million cubic feet of concrete were poured (enough to build a two-lane road from San Francisco to New York City), and Hoover Dam was completed by 1935, surprisingly, two full years ahead of schedule and, notably, under budget at $175 million. All these figures and facts and more, my guide (an early thirty-something with a slight resemblance to a younger, slimmer version of Roseanne Barr) does not let me forget, as she leads me proudly through the structure’s bowels. The Dam, like a giant taking a nap across a riverbed, creates Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in America, a lake so massive that an “acre-foot” of its waters covers a football field to the depth of twelve inches.

The guide piles on more mind-numbing figures. The Dam, at 726 feet high (taller than the Washington Monument), has a base of 660 feet thick (that’s two football fields measured end-to-end). And, she reminds me that 85 m.p.h. waters (no highway patrol gives tickets here.) hit the turbines to generate electricity for much of Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, and other American as well as Mexican communities. These turbines look mysteriously like the helmets worn by the guards surrounding Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West. All the while, as seems to be de rigueur to the trade of simultaneously guiding and entertaining the group, the guide jokes, “I usually take engineers through the Dam. So, I play with them a bit, asking them what p.s.f. stands for. ‘Pressure per square foot, of course,’ the engineers answer me confidently. Then I ask what p.s.i stands for. They respond ‘Pounds per square inch.’ So, finally I ask, ‘And p.e.p.s.i?’ ‘Pounds equal pressure…….?’ they say and then trail off.” The guide pauses for effect and then proclaims.“It’s a soft drink!” Jokes, though, cannot lessen the burden of her avalanche-like figures and facts. So I begin to look for something human, something mortal, something vulnerable amid the substantial marvel that is Hoover. I find it. As the guide walks me through ominously dark tunnels, a sign offers an especially human warning: “Don’t take the tour if you suffer from claustrophobia.” I suspect I do.

Throughout the tour, I keep summoning my Nikon’s preview screen displaying reassuring photos snapped outside in the wide spaces of the Nevada desert sunshine. Progressing through corridors cramped for even the width of two side-by-side tourists, within the Dam, I glimpse where, over the years, engineers have left graffiti. Not hearts with lovers’ names, but the type of number-crunching notes that engineers would carve: calculations of p.s.i. on the Dam’s walls or diminutive cracks circled for future reference. Guardedly, I place my hand on the Dam’s interior. The walls are slightly damp, like a quick drop of rain on the skin, as if the Dam, like an Arnold Schwarzenegger, is sweating under its burden. With Lake Mead exerting 45,000 p.s.i., I would sweat, too.

At the end of one tunnel sits what might be called a ‘peep-eye’ that gazes out over the Colorado below. Looking out, I begin to fantasize the Hoover as Tony Hawk’s ultimate skateboard park where this champion might be able to perform the famously elusive “1080″—three full aerial rotations—as he slips into the Colorado below.As the guide routes me through clever diversion tunnels, I travel between the Dam’s levels in brass-plated elevators graced with 1930’s Art Deco designs and tread over terrazzo floors inlaid with marble chips depicting Native American art. An all-too-human attention to detail and to the nobility of art in the center of joyless concrete.

Outside, I find another human touch, making Hoover much more than a monument to practicality. Hanging off the wall of the gift center, is a statue depicting one of the famous High Scalers. With only ropes, dynamite, pick axes, water bags, and jack hammers, the High Scalers rapelled off the canyon’s walls, sticking dynamite into excess rock to flake it off. Then, they spidermanned away from the blasts, avoiding falling rocks and dropped tools. These High Heroes were probably responsible for designing the first construction hard hats, covering their caps with tar for protection from dropped tools and falling rocks. Suddenly, Hoover Dam reveals a human perspective, knowing that these former sailors, circus acrobats, and American Indians, who were paid a paltry seventy-five cents an hour in depression America, helped to craft this monument.

Then, a time capsule to the future, a star chart set on the roadside leading to the Dam’s top catches my eye. Looking out to the galaxies, artist Oskar J. W. Hansen crafted this chart showing where the stars were located on the day that the Hoover was dedicated. Future visitors, perhaps from another world, can compare these star charts to where the stars are now to determine how long the Dam has existed. Next to the galaxy-guiding charts is more art work: two winged figures representing the Republic (figures like the Art Deco work found in New York’s Rockefeller Center). Thirty feet tall and weighing over four tons, these figures proclaim defiantly to the future that no ordinary men built Hoover. It’s rumoured you get good luck when you rub the figures’ toes. I did. The human touch continues. A plaque on the wall near the Tour Center immortalizes the Dam’s mascot dog. Born near the barracks of the workers, he inspected every job. Each day he received the specially packed sack lunch that he carried in his mouth as he boarded the transport to the worksite. One day, under a transport truck, the mascot was napping, as dogs do on blistering hot Nevada days. A driver, unaware of the dog, drove over him. To provide this touchingly loyal mascot with a fitting grave, the Dam’s workers drilled a hole in the canyon wall, overlooking Hoover. Searching for the Dam’s ominous aspect, I find a lone surviving anti-aircraft battery from World War II resting on a hill overlooking Lake Mead and Hoover. Built right after December 7, 1941, it was supposed to protect the facility from a sneak Japanese attack—one that never came. Standing on the hill, now, it is a stark reminder of an anxious time for all Americans.The tour is almost over. But the guide has one last fact to bestow. She proudly declares Hoover Dam is “The People’s Dam.” She could not be more correct. This concrete pyramid manifests its all-too-human side, mortal touches for a structure built to be immortal.

PHOTOS: By Bonnie Devet
1. Hoover Dam
2.Hoover Dam Bridge – author in driving mirror
3. Hoover Dam – Lake Mead
4. Hoover Dam as ultimate skateboard ramp
5. High Scalers
6. Hoover Dam turbines

Pampering Made Perfect at “The Point”

by Barbara Barton Sloane

We are in the Adirondack wilderness, driving a winding road with snow covered pines forming a narrow passageway. Ahead of us, an intricate gate fashioned from logs and branches and spelling out “The Point.” After punching in a code, the gate opens very slowly as if to say “Take a deep breath. Relax. Let the wonders of this very special place envelop you.”

We’ve arrived at The Point Resort in Saranac Lake, New York – the last of the Great Camps of the Adirondacks considered by many to be the premiere resort in the country and Condé Nast Traveler’s highest-rated property. From the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the great depression, Gilded-age magnets built magnificent mansions made of logs and collectively called the Great Camps. The Point was built as a private retreat for the William Avery Rockefeller family between 1930-33 by the prominent Adirondack camp architect William Distin. It is situated on a 75-acree peninsula jutting into Upper Saranac Lake and today consists of a main lodge and 11 distinctive and delightfully decorated rooms for a handful of very lucky guests. The rooms have Adirondack twig furniture, huge stone fireplaces, down beds and each strikes a balance between being grand yet intimate. Here you have the romantic notion of “roughing it” in comfort, elegance and gentility.

2. Branch Bed at The Point

Entering the grand log mansion, we were greeted b the General Manager who ushered us into the Great Hall and offered a glass of Champagne. Everything about the Great Hall was great. It evoked the Adirondack camps of old with rough luxe, animal trophies lining the walls, massive native-cut stone fireplaces, vast sink-in sofas and a view of the frozen silver lake beyond. After a brief walk-about to acquaint us with the property, we were shown to our room.

3. A room at The Point

All is Calm, the Fire is Bright
The room had been prepared for our arrival – a carafe of wine, a roaring fire in the fieldstone fireplace that reached up to the timbered ceiling, lamps softly glowing, candles flickering. We were delighted by a cloud-soft bed made entirely from branches, its tree-trunk post giving the feel of a bed growing out of the floor. It was amusing, fun, and Goldilocks, herself, would have pronounced it “just right!” Icicles four feet-long formed a grid over our leaded glass windows like to many pieces of Swarovski crystal and the snow on our roof was deep and sumptuous as vanilla icing on a wedding cake. The warm comfort of our room beckoned us to linger but the experience of dining en famille with fellow guests was too appealing to pass up.

Rustic Opulence
The Great Hall is where meals are served, and we dined by candlelight, the table laid with fine china, crystal and silver. We had individual menus at each place setting. When I turned my menu over, I saw that all of the guests’ names were listed – first names only. Discretion and privacy at The Point is, well, the point. The extraordinary meal was enriched by lively conversation and generous amounts of fine wine, making for a true house-party atmosphere. The next day dawned sunny and bight, perfect for snowshoeing. A guide led us over the frozen lake and into the woods, up hills, down dales, dazzled all the while by a silent, white, winter wonderland.

4. The Point Boathouse

Dinner at Eight
Each evening cocktails were served at seven, dinner at eight, and every Saturday, dinner is mandated black-tie, a bow to yesteryear’s Great Camp formality. After dinner, a happy surprise awaited us: a snow picnic by a bonfire in the woods. Earlier in the day, we’d mentioned an interest in seeing the bonfire before departing. Unbeknownst to us, this was arranged. We were led down a snowy path twinkling with tiny white lights to an all-out roaring bonfire. Around it, Adirondack chairs were piled high with warm woolen blankets and cushy pillows. Icing on the cake: a fully-stocked bar, long branches to spear marshmallows and the fixings for S’Mores. Who could ask for anything more?

Your Wish is Their Command
This phrase defines the level of service offered by the staff. Want breakfast in bed, lunch at a fairytale cottage in the woods, or a sumptuous dinner served by the fireplace in your room? Done. In fact, service is so amazing, it almost seems as though one has but to wish for it and –presto! As if by magic, it happens.

Visit The Point in summer and you’ll water ski, swim, and boat in one of The Point’s venerable mahogany cruisers. But oh, in winter – that’s when The Point is at its most seductive. All of the huge stone fireplaces in the 11 guest rooms in this Relais & Chateau property are blazing, and you can peek out from under your down comforter to see what has been brought, to your specific order, for your breakfast in bed. You can snowshoe, cross-country ski, skate on the lake, cover up in blankets and sip a hot toddy around a campfire barbeque, curl up with a book by your bedroom fireplace…activities limited only by one’s imagination. Christmas here recalls a golden, days-of-yore affair and there’s a festive, blow-out New Year’s Eve – with fireworks! At The Point there’s nothing that one has to do but oh so much that one can do.

5. Christmas Tree in the Great Hall, The Point

As we prepare to depart, the ever-attentive staff has prepared box lunches for our journey. Nothing left to chance, nothing forgotten. No, wait…there is one thing they’ve overlooked: tissues to dab our eyes as we bid The Point adieu.

Planning to go?

www.thepointresort.com
800.255.3530
518-891-5674

Washington DC’s International Spy Museum

Mission Impossible: Mission Revealed

by Chris McBeath

Today, it is estimated that there are 42 active counter intelligence agencies in the world, spending over US$30 billion per year. That’s about $82,191,780 per day.

We were given two minutes to accept our mission before the room darkened and shielded us from the evidence. Just two minutes to assume our legend – our cover – which was to be our only protection over the next three hours as we lied, side-stepped and tried to stay alive in the cold, unforgiving world of espionage. It’s a world few of us ever realize up close, but at Washington DC’s International Spy Museum, it’s one which is as captivating as it is imaginative, from the moment you step out of the ‘briefing’ room. Assuming, of course, that you’ve accepted your mission.

Spy People

Like an open invitation to become a legend in your own lifetime, the International Spy Museum is hard to resist. If only for an afternoon, it lets you join the ranks of celebrated spies such as John Ford, Sterling Hayden, Marlene Dietrich, Josephine Baker and yes, even the culinary queen, Julia Child.

Put together by a crack team of spy experts, this $38 million museum explores the history, practice and craftsmanship of espionage. The museum is an immersive experience, headed by Executive Director, L. Peter Earnest who himself worked for the CIA for 36 years, 20 of which were in the Agency’s Clandestine Service.

An orientation video whets your appetite, and outlines the motivations, tools and techniques of real-life spies. Thus primed, you enter a room called Covers and Legends where you are given a cover identity and two minutes to memorize specific details such as your occupation, the reason for your travel, and your birthday. From here, you move through a ‘check-point’ into a room filled with interactive games that test your ability to maintain your cover identity. In other words, a real spy game, and you’re it!

Spy Gadgets

But a spy without gadgets would surely be no match for 007 and as you move through a series of rooms, you’ll discover the world’s largest permanent collection of international spy-related artifacts as well as the wannabe variety: James Bond’s silver Aston Martin DB5 with all the bells and whistles. Real-life tools of the trade have included the ‘ultimate kiss of death’: a lipstick pistol from the 60s developed by the KGB as a 4.5mm single shot weapon, hollow coins and shaving cans used to conceal items, a shoe with heel transmitter that could monitor secret conversations, a typewriter that would emit signals of documents as they were typed, and the proverbial trench coat with a camera built into one of the buttons.

2. Lipstick Gun

One inter-active section deals exclusively with codes, from simple letter/number codes to the elaborate Enigma cipher machine of WWII, and the Vietnam prisoner’s tap-code which was the sole communication between soldiers being held in solitary confinement.

The museum quickly seduces you into its world of shadows. Before long, you find yourself learning about espionage tactics used by ancient cultures and bygone eras. Indeed, snooping around other people’s business is a time-honoured tradition. There is a replica of the ancient Rosetta Stone, which the Egyptians used as a cipher device against invaders; a history of the Japanese spy-assassins, the Ninjas; and a revealing account of Sun Tsu, the ancient Chinese military strategist and author of The Art of War, the world’s first do-it-yourself war manual written some 2,000 years ago. Sun Tzu was an active proponent of spying and his tactics were later formalized by Sir Francis Walsingham when he created a network of secret servants, intrigues and innovative codes that helped keep Queen Elizabeth I on the throne for 45 years.

3. Secret writing paraphernalia

The Cold Era

Most visitors associate the hey-day of spying with the Cold War, an era which the museum has highlighted propaganda, training films and even a replica of the Berlin Wall Tunnel. Many East Germans used this underground railroad to escape to the West and surprisingly, the tunnel even contains a washer and dryer so that people who were digging the tunnel could come out clean so as not to arouse suspicion. At that time, Berlin swarmed with the most spies in the world – over 8,000 of them – so it’s little wonder to learn that the East Germans knew of the tunnel from its inception, and allowed it to continue so as to maintain the cover of some high-placed agents.

Several of these agents emerged as some of the most notorious modern-day spies and traitors: the Cambridge Five in England, Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent who sold secrets for cash and diamonds to the Soviets for over 15 years, and the most injurious turncoat of all, Aldrich Ames. As head of the CIA’s Soviet counterintelligence, Ames sold damaging secrets to the Soviets for over a decade. Ten10 of the spies revealed by Ames were later executed by the Soviets.

4. Spy museum “walker”

Spies Tell All (almost)

One of the best parts of the museum is towards the end, where you have the opportunity of meeting with an ex-intelligence officer. During our visit, a very pregnant, 30-something woman, supposedly called Cynthia, chatted about anything you could throw at her. Standing against a backdrop of backlit murals of different countries, showing important-looking grid lines and red lights, some flashing – she answered questions on how to get into the Secret Service (if you have a 3.5 average and a college degree, it can be as simple as attending a job fair); how to maintain your cover (keep it really dull and always simple); and what training you receive (everything from basic weaponry to more sophisticated tactics depending on your assignment). The hardest thing for her, Cynthia confided, was to keep quiet. “You’re advised to tell at least one person the truth about what you do, but I was a real blabbermouth. I told my husband, my mother, father, sister and a couple of my best friends.”

Step into the 5,000 square foot store, and this spy-stuff takes on a less serious dimension, with items such as pens with invisible ink and fingerprint powder for sale alongside logo-embossed t-shirts and baseball caps. All the same, you leave the museum wondering. Today, Washington DC has the highest concentration of spies of any city in the world, and since the spy credo is to trust no-one, nothing is as it seems, you have to wonder whether your cabbie is, in fact, living a legend.

For information: www.spymuseum.org

A Texas State of Mind

Exploring a Capital City and Remembering the Alamo

by Barbara Barton Sloane

“Alright, alright, alright,” as one famous and easy-on-the-eyes Texan drawled in the classic film Dazed and Confused. In fact, those were the first words the actor Matthew McConaughey said on screen. Visiting Austin, that phrase resounded often as I visited some of its iconic marvels. I am finally in the city I’ve longed to visit. Bring it on!

Austin is a creative, constantly evolving city. Everything you’ve heard about it is true. With vibrant entertainment and culture, inspiring cuisine and stunning outdoor settings, Austin lets you create a soundtrack all your own. After all, with more than 250 music venues, it is the Live Music Capital of the World. Another reason to like Austin: this town is sunny – very sunny – like 300 days of sun and blue skies smiling at you a year-sunny. (I smiled a lot while in Austin).

Gettin’ Stronger (and Larger) Every Day

Austin takes the top spot on Forbes’ annual list of America’s fastest growing cities for the 4 th year in a row. “We’ve had 307 companies move here in the last 9 years,” says Dave Porter, Senior Vice President for Economic Development. And, not to be overlooked, the University of Texas churns out engineers and computer scientists into this five-county area at a record pace. Austin now boasts some 4,000 technology companies. Clearly, it’s hard for other cities to compete.

My first evening in Austin – play me some music! And the word on the street seemed to be The Elephant Room, one of the famous music venues in town. If cool jazz is your melody of choice, his is the place – and it happens every night of the week. By the time I arrived the joint was jumpin’, the ambiance slammin’, and the setting was intimate, not to say slightly claustrophobic. A group called The Monster Band was doing its thing – loudly – horns blasting with five hundred pounds of furious, fully-blown big band horsepower making for a total wall of sound.

An Extraordinary Edifice

That would be the state capitol, a magnificent example of 19 th century architecture and widely recognized as one of the nation’s most distinct state capitols. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, it was later designated a National Historic Landmark for its significant contribution to American history. The day I visited it was very warm but as the capitol is sited on one of Austin’s highest points, I enjoyed a refreshing breeze from a veranda as I gazed over sweeping views of the Colorado River. This regal, sunset-red granite edifice is the largest of all state capitols and second only in total size to the National Capitol in Washington. See… everything really is bigger in Texas!

Waiting in line to enter Franklin Barbecue? Of course, though even the wait lines in Texas are – you guessed it – bigger! Aaron and wife Stacy opened Franklin Barbecue in late 2009 in an East Austin parking lot. Word quickly got around that the Franklins were selling the best barbecue in town and soon the line of admirers snaked around the block – every single day. In less than two years, The Washington Post, Texas Monthly, and the Cooking Channel were among a growing chorus hailing Franklin among America’s BBQ elite. Before going there, I was told of one recent visitor to this local smokey meat mecca that jumped the line. He visited Franklin Barbecue and had the temerity to go to the front of the long line of customers waiting patiently to get in. Yes, that would be President Obama. Ending his speech at the LBJ Presidential Library, he said: “I love Austin, I love barbecue, and I will get some, right after this.” Then, arriving at Franklin he said “I know this is a long line. I feel real bad, but—I’m gonna cut.” And so he did, but not before paying for the orders of two people that he cut in front of. Awwwww….

There’s a new restaurant in Austin that’s garnering lots of attention: LaV, pronounced La Vie. An appropriate name as this recently-opened dining establishment is nothing if not full of life. When I walked in the door, I was awed by the lush French atmosphere and amazed by the animated and bubbly scene before me. I quickly understood why it’s named LaV! Chef Allison Jenkins focuses on simple yet stylish Provencal cuisine and my salad with roasted shallot and walnut vinaigrette, followed by potato and celeric soup and finally grilled durade with fennel confit was pure Provencal – pure perfection.

Seeing LBJ in a Whole New Way

Another president that would have had no problem cutting the BBQ line was LBJ himself, right? Visiting the LBJ Presidential Library was a rewarding experience. First off, the library is simply splendid, describing President Johnson’s legacy from the perspective of outstanding exhibits featuring his life and times throughout the turbulent 60s, Vietnam and Civil Rights. I found the November 22, 1963 section affecting and the replica of his Oval Office, duplicated in 7/ 8 scale, was imposing.

It was a hoot to pick up one of the exhibit phones and hear LBJ’s conversations with various personages. When he laid into the late Adam Clayton Powell about something he was supposed to do but didn’t, surprise, the pompous, arrogant politician was left speechless. The conversation ended with Powell backing down and eating crow. Another conversation was with the late Katherine Graham, owner of the Washington Post. Known to be a notorious but innocent flirt, the President began the conversation with honeyed endearments, saying how much he misses her and if only he weren’t married…hilarious and somehow very sweet. Viewing his archives of historical papers, photos, film and recordings, I left feeling informed and enlightened and with great admiration for his accomplishments yet ultimately saddened for the man who felt a profound sense of defeat owing to the absurdity and futility of Vietnam.

There’s no doubt about it, Austin is one hip city. The slogan “Keep Austin Weird” initially came about by the Austin Independent Business Alliance to promote small businesses in Austin. Today it is the proud motto of the city, reaching far beyond a marketing campaign. The notion that weirdness is the central gist of life here is at the heart of this mantra. Liberal and progressive politically, socially, in the arts and in music, Austin, a city that revels in its eccentricity, intends to keep itself weird – and wonderful. To that end, there’s a Keep Austin Weird Festival held each summer. And coming up in October, the annual Austin City Limits Music Festival, this year October 3-5 and October 10-12 with an outstanding lineup: Eminem, Pearl Jam, Outkast, Jimmy Cliff and many more.

In Austin, pride of place and pride in its people is an aura I keenly felt. It gave off a warm and happy – ok, weird – vibe that I quite liked. And to quote yet another president, George W. Bush: “Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called ‘walking’.” To that, I can only say Alright!

Deep in the Heart

An easy hop, skip and jump from Austin, this natural beauty - San Antonio – is just 75 miles and less than 90 minutes away; it’s known as one of the top tourist destinations in the U.S. Historic sites such as the Alamo abound and cultural highlights like the San Antonio River Walk flourish. A city of intriguing contrasts, this is a place where modern attractions are juxtaposed with celebrated monuments of Texas history. On my bucket list for eons, I was delighted that I was finally here. The city’s motto is “Deep. In the Heart.” and – after just a few days of gliding down the river, swooning over the exhibits at the Museum of Art, dining in this, the cradle of Tex-Mex, and getting to know some of its fine citizens – I got it. Yes, San Antonio is deeply captivating and yes, it stirs emotions that directly touch the heart.

Immense in Extent

First stop: The Alamo, of course. The most famous historic site in Texas, The Alamo played a critical role in this state’s revolution. A former mission, it was occupied and defended by a band of Texans, (including Jim Bowie and the frontiersman Davy Crockett) against an overwhelming Mexican army led by General Santa Anna. In unparalleled bravery, they held out for thirteen days and refused to surrender. Each, ultimately, met his death. The Alamo represents the heroic struggle for independence from Mexico and remains hallowed ground in the pursuit of Texas liberty. In 1835, one of the brave souls who gave his life, Daniel Cloud, soberly proclaimed:”If we succeed, the country is ours. It is immense in extent and fertile in its soil and will amply reward all our toil. If we fail, death in the cause of liberty and humanity is not reason for shuddering…” Walking through the Alamo, the heart is touched.

Lucky me – to be here just when the San Antonio Museum of Art was presenting a major exhibit of the work of Henri Matisse – a once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore what is perhaps the world’s finest collection, drawn from the renowned Cone endowment at the Baltimore Museum of Art. The exhibit featured more than eighty paintings, sculptures and works on paper spanning six decades of the artist’s career. A few years ago, I had the chance to stand in this artist’s very studio in Vence, France where some of these works were painted, so this was, for me, a particularly meaningful encounter.

Sauntering down the river I came upon an ornate bridge that I traversed via antiquated stone steps that lead me to La Villita, an historic arts village and then on to the Arneson River Theater. The steps themselves were worth noting as they were inlaid with pretty Spanish tiles. Here is where Fiesta Noche del Rio, an interactive folkloric show of talented musicians, dancers and singers is presented. The audience sits on grass-covered steps in an outdoor setting; the theater put me in mind of the great amphitheater of Ephesus – on a considerably smaller scale, of course. For me, the star of the production was one Alejandro Antonio, Flamenco guitarist extraordinaire. His powerful and commanding strumming seemed to reach up to a sky studded with stars, moving me deeply and touching my heart – the San Antonio motto relevant once again.

Epicurean Enticements

One evening, remembering that this town is the birthplace of Tex-Mex, I made my way over to the Pearl Complex, an historic brewery on the banks of the river that’s been transformed into an urban village where one can eat, shop, live, work, and play. Oh and no small thing: it’s home to The Culinary Institute of America. I dined at Cured, a newish restaurant. While the architectural details of the restaurant were worthy of note, Chef Steven McHugh’s fare was flat-out fabulous. Then, on my last night in town, I decided to stay close by and had dinner at my Hotel Contessa’s restaurant, Las Ramblas. A wise choice. Charmingly sited on a terrace in a cozy corner of River Walk, it seemed like Chef Jordan Mackey was psychic as out came many of my food faves. Dinner: delectable; the River Walk parade of people: entertaining; my evening: a resounding success.

The One, The Only

Every great city has its noteworthy river. I mean, what would Paris be without the Seine or London without the Thames? However, there’s one city-defining body of water that takes the prize. Yes, that’s San Antonio and its famed River Walk. Dating from the 1940s, River Walk’s trail of cobblestone paths lined with sheltering trees, shops, gardens and restaurants meanders through the city and connects more than 2,000 acres of parkland. In fact, it is a living example of what a reclaimed city river can be. Teddy Roosevelt camped on its banks as he recruited his Rough Riders and the battle of the Alamo happened here. Julian Castro, past mayor of the city, has called the San Antonio River “the lifeblood of this community.” No argument there. San Antonio’s charms go deep, to the heart – and that’s just where my brilliant memories will stay.

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IF YOU GO:

SAN ANTONIO: www.visitsanantonio.com

To Do:
San Antonio Museum of Art: www.samuseum.org
The Alamo: www.thealamo.org
Fiesta Noche del Rio: www.fiestanochsa.com

To Eat:
Cured: www.curedatpearl.com
Las Ramblas: www.thehotelcontessa.com/las_ramblas

To Stay:
Hotel Contessa: www.thehotelcontessa.com

AUSTIN www.austintexas.org

To Do:
Elephant Room: www.elephantroom.com
Austin Overtures Tour: www.aotoursaustin.com
Austin State Capitol: www.tspb.state.tx.us
LBJ Library: www.lbjlibrary.org

To Eat:
Max’s Wine Dive: www.maxswinedive.com/austin
LaV Restaurant: www.lavaustin.com

To Stay:
Courtyard & Residence Inn: www.marriott.com/ausrd

Pure Escapism at Arizona Inn

By Jane Cassie

It’s late Thursday afternoon and the gray ribbon of highway before us is cloaked with bumper to bumper gridlock. We inch along in our little red rental, butting up to suburbia vans, luxury Lincolns, and rust-bucket half tons, all who have the same purpose in mind. To get where they’re going, and as quickly as possible. Although we’re quite familiar with rush hour in our own bustling metropolis, the surrounding vista reminds us that we’re not at home.

The natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert embraces the cosmopolitan city of Tucson that sprawls over 495 square miles. Signature Saguaros stand at attention with their arms stretched skyward, proudly displaying their heritage. They unite with thorny cholla, spiny ocotillo, and other desert cacti that dominate the desert floor.

Our freeway artery that bisects the desert plains pulsates like percolating adrenaline, yet once off the beaten track, this spread-out city exudes more of a laid-back desert-town feel. Pueblo-style buildings with red tiled roofs depict Tucson’s Native American and Mexican heritage and several verdant parklands beautify plazas and pathways in the city’s hub.

Although stimulated by the many cultural offerings, shopping opportunities and bustling downtown core, our mission on this visit is to get away from it all, find reprieve from the busyness and enjoy a taste of pure escapism. This we find, and more, at Arizona Inn.

Tucked into a quiet residential area, this posh property looks more like a family estate than a boutique hotel. The homey feel flows beyond to refined interiors where memorabilia and photographs evoke images of yesteryear and tales from long ago. As well as exuding an aura of old world elegance and charm, the ambience is genteel, and hospitality is gracious.

This five star treasure was the original vision of Arizona’s first congresswoman, and founder, Isabella Greenway. Out of compassion and benevolence, her journey began with The Arizona Hut, a furniture factory, where disabled vets from Word War 1 were trained and paid to craft fine furniture. Following the stock market crash in 1929, however, her business fell into financial despair. With an opportunistic vision, Isabella shifted her energy in a different direction so that her furniture would still be in demand. She oversaw the construction of the Arizona Inn and opened its doors in 1930.

We arrive just in time for afternoon tea and while dining on dainties served on fine bone china, we admire the cozy library décor that mirrors the elegance of a bygone era. Exquisitely preserved antiques and family heirlooms unite with walled tapestries and original oils.

Cozy Library decor

Adjacent is the formal dining room where gastronomical magic happens three times a day. Succulent calamari, and seared sea bass topped on lobster asparagus crepes, are just a couple of the innovative dinner options in store.

Succulent Calamari

From the outdoor patio, we gaze over the palatial grounds where a crochet match is in progress. Brick and mosaic-tiled pathways border the meticulous gardens while taking us en route to two Har-Tru tennis courts, a shimmering pool, the high tech fitness centre and our intimate southwestern-style casita. Some have fireplaces, some decks, and all embrace the utmost privacy.

Pool at night

“We’ve worked at blending the new things that people expect, into the legacy that has been built over time” General Manager, Patrick Cray, reveals. “By being a small and intimate resort, we’re able to meet the needs of all our guests.”

Spacious Guest Rooms

With more than two hundred employees and fourteen luscious acres, Arizona Inn, as we discover, offers exceptional service along with the discreet privacy that we have come here to find.

As well as hosting celebrities and dignitaries who seek reprieve and relaxation, the Inn has earned a raft of accolades to be proud of. The New York Times has named it “The Jewel of the desert.” Zagat survey of top US hotels Resorts and spas has listed it as one of the top fifty small hotels. Conde Naste has it on their Gold List as “One of the world’s best places to stay.” And after our two-night Tucson stay at this historical gem, we both agree, it’s a taste of true escapism.

Palms and courtyard

IF YOU GO:

Arizona Inn http://www.arizonainn.com/

Valley Isle Venues

by Karoline Cullen

Do you like interacting with locals or are you someone who likes to retreat from the world? Perhaps you’re in between, preferring the luxury of space and modern surroundings? Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Depending on your vacationing style, one of these three Maui destinations, all doable in day trips from Honolulu, may be just the spot for you.

Culture takes on a deeper dimension at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel, an older hotel near the iconic black rock of Ka’anapali Beach. Rooms are decorated with Hawaiian quilts and that’s just the start of the cultural immersion. Employees, learning Hawaiian values in an ongoing program called Po’okela, are encouraged to “talk story” with guests. You may hear about the legend of the demi-god Maui pulling the sun with a lasso or the many uses of the native plants in the garden, or the story of the canoe they built or learn to make a lei. A housekeeping staff choir cheerfully sings during the welcome breakfast and the farewell kukui nut lei ceremony also has a chant and songs. There is no glitz here, just ample aloha, and guests are encouraged to explore and enjoy all the attractions Maui has to offer.

The luxury of space is a trademark of the Honua Kai Resort on North Ka’anaplai Beach. Whether it’s just you and your sweetie or the entire extended family, there is a suite roomy enough for all. Snazzy euro appliances and lanais big enough to comfortably use make eating in a pleasure. After a day exploring the island, playing in the pools or sunning on the golden sand beach, the elegant decor and giant bathrooms welcome you back. The croissants from the ‘Aina Market downstairs are not to be missed and if they are serving macadamia nut crusted opah at Duke’s, the on site restaurant, order it.

If you are going to weave your way over the fifty-nine one lane bridges along the twisting road to Hana, do stay there a night or two. There is much to explore in this remote, laid back corner of Maui. Pamper yourself and retreat to one of the Sea Ranch Cottages at Travaasa Hana. The dark green plantation style cottages are scattered over a grassy hillside overlooking the ocean. Watching the waves crash while the sunset paints the sky pink and purple, perhaps from the hot tub on the deck, more than makes up for the absence of TV or internet. Of the choices in wellness or cultural activities and spa treatments, the Hawaiian Lomi lomi massage is highly recommended. As a preface to your treatment, relax on a teak lounge chair in the spa’s garden overlooking the lava rock whirlpool and feel your tensions ebb. After a respite here, the drive back from Hana will be all the more enjoyable.

For more on marvelous Maui, see http://www.gohawaii.com/maui

Kaanapali Sunset Luau in Maui

About the author:
Pursuing superb travel experiences to later share in words and photographs keeps Karoline Cullen travelllng. As a freelance travel writer and photographer at Cullen Photos, Karoline regularly contributes articles and photos to a variety of newspapers and magazines.

Photo by Karoline Cullen, Cullen Photos

Afloat in Paradise on the Island of Kauai

by Chris Millikan

A day trip from our Wailua resort in central Kauai involves fluming its main irrigation ditch and tunnels. Joining this expedition gives my husband Rick and me a new perspective on sightseeing on the fourth largest and oldest island in the Hawaiian chain.

As our all-terrain truck rumbles and jostles us through rugged back country of the Old Lihue Sugar Plantation, guide Brandon entertains us with local myths and history. He points out the abandoned shack of an early irrigation specialist and notes, “His early expertise in watering cane fields earned this plantation worker big bucks!”

When the safety tips and tubing techniques talk wraps up at the launch site, everyone eagerly straps on helmets and plops into gigantic blue and yellow tubes. At first we all comically bob, bump and bunch together… until Brandon releases the rope restraint! The gentle current then propels us forward in a fanciful parade.

Twirling merrily along, laughing, bumping off rocky channel banks and bouncing off one another, we approach the first of four tunnels. Helmet lights switched on, we aqua-nuts float inside, beams bounce crazily from gouged walls and ceilings of the dark cavern. In the third tunnel, Brandon alerts us, “Ahoy! Watch out for that sharp dogleg ahead!”

Drifting dreamily through the final tunnel with lights snapped off, I feel totally disoriented in the pitch-black quietude…when suddenly we emerge under sunny blue skies! And beneath koa trees, we float onward through the canal, shallow waters gently carrying us to the landing site.

Our exhilarating three-kilometer ride aboard these bouncy ‘vehicles’ is truly memorable. And beyond this unique thrill, Hanamaulu ditch provides insight into an extraordinary engineering feat, a fitting tribute to those surveyors and pickax crews of the last century.

Walking up a dirt road, we arrive at a woodsy area overlooking a tranquil pool and little waterfall. Relaxing at rustic tables there, we munch our picnic lunches before heading back to our beach side abode.

If you go:

Kauai Visitors Bureau for activity info, including our tubing expedition with Kauai Backcountry Adventures.
Castle Resorts offers superb lodgings in Kauai’s three regions.

About the author:
Chris Millikan is a freelance writer/photographer living near Vancouver, BC. As a former teacher and elementary school principal, Chris now presents articles as an inviting ‘curriculum’ depicting the joys of travel. Many BC community newspapers, Open Road Driver Magazine and Senior Living Magazine regularly publish her articles; In-flight Magazines, the Vancouver Sun and Province have also featured her stories. As BC Association of Travel Writers Vice President, she supports colleagues’ aspirations. And traveling off the beaten track with writer/photographer partner and hubby Rick, their published tales reflect great adventures. Their 2009 Kalama Award acknowledged an array of their stories reflecting the rich culture of Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

Watch a cool tubing video from Kauai Backcountry Adventures

Three Napa Winery Tours

By Rick Millikan

Studying a Napa Valley pamphlet, my spouse Chris and I consider the specific features of 400 valley wineries. Some offer art galleries, gardens, caves, great vistas, picnic grounds, specialty wines, unique architecture, organic vineyards, cooking classes… and even bocce ball pitches.

Deciding on a few apt wineries, we take a day trip from San Francisco into Napa’s sun-drenched countryside, where vibrant red, yellow and white-blossomed rosebushes front trellised rows of gnarly vines. Complimentary tasting tickets sway us into first stopping at Cosentino Winery. Inside its ivy-covered-brick structure, four Georgian grape groupies invite us join them in their tasty quest. The cheerful sommelier pours a series of reds. Feeling like connoisseurs, we comment: “Nice color!” “Good legs!” “Great body!” Chris giggles. “Good bouquet!” “Delicately delicious!” “Terrific aftertaste…” Not ritually spitting out the wine, we guzzle… and cough up money for two bottles. Those bubbly Georgians buy two cases.

We next travel to wineries boasting awesome views at Napa’s south end. Winding up a quiet road, we soon behold futuristically designed Artesa. Parked above its terraced vineyards, we ascend a long staircase beside a cascading waterfall, stroll past sparkling fountains, reflecting pools and a commanding sculpture…and begin drinking in those promised panoramas of Napa Valley and San Francisco.

Inside, expanses of glass and skylight above the Spanish style courtyard provide natural lighting, bathing its rich wood panels. While awaiting a tour, we taste its premiere sparkling wines and several robust reds.

Showing us first a Codorníu family photo, our guide introduces the distinguished owners. “Their winemaking history began west of Barcelona in the mid-16th century. Sixteen generations later, they’re producing wines worldwide.” In Artesa’s huge cellars, we listen to Gregorian Chants melodiously mellowing mountains of kegs. The guide notes, “Not only is wine a matter of grapes, it’s about oak: choosing the most aromatic species, charring oak barrels to enhance flavors… and protecting this delectable wood from hungry beetles.”

Our last stop, Kirkland Ranch Winery lies eastward. Its three-story log and stone ranch house perches on a hilltop above vineyards and rolling pastureland. At its entrance, mariachis soulfully harmonize while strumming guitars and trumpeting joyful arpeggios.

On the main floor, stuffed elk and cougar heads gaze down on us thirsty folk around a U-shaped bar; a sweeping mural above depicts early ranch days. Exemplifying western hospitality, a lanky cowboy-sommelier pours a range of reds and tells us about their organic vineyards. “And we’ve even got Peruvian shepherds bringing flocks of sheep that graze away weeds and fertilize the vines!”

He smiles knowingly as we giddily recount touristy tales of hopping the local Vallejo ferry to San Francisco, yesterday’s visit to historic Sonoma… and best of all, drinking in wondrous Napa with memorable encounters of the wine kind.

If You Go:
Napa Valley Tourism helps you plan a sunny holiday in this valley north of San Francisco.

About the author:
A former teacher, Rick Millikan encourages healthy, mind-expanding vacations. With writer/photographer partner and wife Chris, Rick recounts snorkels over colorful reefs, rollicking rides around sensational countryside, strolls through historic cities and walks on the wild side. These local and global adventures are syndicated into several Van-Net B.C. papers, appear monthly in two community newspapers and regularly in both Open Road Magazine and Senior Living Magazine. Rick’s passion for cycling propelled past Adventure West columns, Vancouver Province Zen Cyclopath adventures, current Cycling California Magazine articles and ongoing newspaper features. Two of his fictional bicycle tales appear in the anthology Traffic Life.

Star Party: Big Island, Big Night Skies

By Chris Millikan

Signing up for a totally new eco-experience on Hawaii, the Big Island, we take an extraordinary day trip from Kona.

From Hawaii Forest and Trail headquarters, our guide drives our van load of adventurers upward across Parker ranch lands and onto distant Mauna Kea volcano.

After rolling smoothly through miles ‘n’ miles of these lush green pasturelands and ancient black lava flows, we stop at an abandoned sheep-station to wolf picnic suppers, condition lungs for the thinner air of higher altitudes…and visit the rustic ‘Kona Lua’ toilets!

Under a weathered wooden shelter, I savour my scrumptious macadamia-nut-encrusted fish and pineapple-rice while others tuck into savoury ribs or herbed chicken. As the sun sets, temperatures plummet further. In the chilled air, everyone eagerly slurps up piping-hot soups and warm their fingers around cups of exotic teas. Donning the provided thick-quilted Arctic Parkas with cozy hoods and a pair of pudgy, insulated gloves, I suddenly realize that my chic Capri pants with coordinating hoody had been a way too optimistic choice for this adventure! Fortunately, a fellow adventurer from Minnesota rescued me with her extra pair of fleecy leggings…the value of which I fully realized at our next stop.

An entirely unfamiliar Hawaii emerges at Mauna Kea’s 14000-foot-summit. Bitterly cold winds howled cruelly across layers of stark brittle snow and shrieked forcefully along a row of shiny-sleek observatories straight out of Star Wars. Frozen moonscapes emerge surreally from kaleidoscopic sunset colours.

Down below at the Visitor Center, we begin some incredible night sky observations…by first munching crispy macnut cookies and sipping steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Then, amid breath puffs floating in the frigid dark, Megan sorts the planets and stars for us in near-perfect visibility: Venus, Orion’s belt, the Plaides and outlines of the southern constellations. Using our naked eyes or binoculars, she helps us sight moon-craters, Polaris and Mars. And peering into powerful telescopes trained on other celestial treasures, I’m awestruck by superb views of Saturn’s rings, incredibly close and crystal clear.

On our return, all laughingly agree that our nighttime escapade up Mauna Kea had been a great star party…no Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, but celebrated star sightings nonetheless!

When You Go:

Hawaii Forest & Trail: www.hawaii-forest.com
Sheraton Keauhou Hotel: www.sheratonkeauhou.com

About the Author:
Chris Millikan is a freelance writer/photographer living near Vancouver, BC. As a former teacher and elementary school principal, Chris now presents articles as an inviting ‘curriculum’ depicting the joys of travel. Many BC community newspapers, Open Road Driver Magazine and Senior Living Magazine regularly publish her articles; In-flight Magazines, the Vancouver Sun and Province have also featured her stories. As BC Association of Travel Writers Vice President, she supports colleagues’ aspirations. And traveling off the beaten track with writer/photographer partner and hubby Rick, their published tales reflect great adventures. Their 2009 Kalama Award acknowledged an array of their stories reflecting the rich culture of Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

Kauai’s Downhll: Sightseeing on Wheels

By Chris Millikan

Kauai’s idyllic tropical surroundings provide for a wide variety of outdoor adventures, from the mildly energetic to wildly adventurous. On a day trip from Poipu, my husband Rick and I join six fellow enthusiasts for a unique bicycle ride from the top of a famed mountain park to an ocean side village.

Our guide drives us inland to Waimea Canyon. Here, we survey legendary grandeur from a viewpoint atop a bluff. Its rusty red, grey and black lava walls drip with brilliant green vegetation. In the distance Waipo’o Falls cascades 250-meters into the serpentine Waimea River below. Lucas explains how Mount Wai’ale’ale’s excessive torrents of rain helped carved this geologic marvel, which Mark Twain dubbed Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Through drifting early morning mists, we spot snow-white tropic birds swooping effortlessly in this spectacular expanse…

Then, with helmets firmly buckled we mount sturdy bikes and begin our own swoop down to the coast. Rolling on smooth, winding pavement past groves of feathery bamboo and towering mahogany, I quickly gain confidence, easily handling sharp corners on my favourite kind of ride… DOWNHILL!

Soon, guide Lucas waves us all off the road, quipping, “This isn’t just any bike ride… it’s a nature walk on wheels!” He points out the endemic Koa trees once used to carve outrigger canoes… and now utilized to craft fine island furniture!

Steadily snaking downward, delicate wildflowers and unusual trees flaunting pink, orange and yellow blossoms catch our eye. Another roadside stop reveals plants introduced into Hawaii after Captain Cook landed. We sniff fragrant paper-bark eucalyptus leaves, chew mint plants and savour sweet, yellow pineapple guavas.

Switch-backing onward, distant views of Kauai’s western shore and Nihau Island flash by. Coasting into arid cattle country past tall grasses, lacy acacia and spiny cacti, this breathtaking 19-kilometer ride ends with a easy leisurely pedal into Kekaha.

After browsing the local general store, we grab pungent local coffees, return to the van and travel back to our beach side base. All agree that this pedal in paradise offers an exuberant experience and great perspective on the fourth largest and oldest island in the Hawaiian chain.

If you go:
Castle Resorts offers superb lodgings in Kauai’s three regions.
Outfitters Kauai provides Waimea Canyon Downhill to Coast cycling tours and other south side adventures.

About the Author:
Chris Millikan is a freelance writer/photographer living near Vancouver, BC. As a former teacher and elementary school principal, Chris now presents articles as an inviting ‘curriculum’ depicting the joys of travel. Many BC community newspapers, Open Road Driver Magazine and Senior Living Magazine regularly publish her articles; In-flight Magazines, the Vancouver Sun and Province have also featured her stories. As BC Association of Travel Writers Vice President, she supports colleagues’ aspirations. And traveling off the beaten track with writer/photographer partner and hubby Rick, their published tales reflect great adventures. In 2009 they were honoured with the Kalama Award, acknowledging an array of their stories that reflected the rich culture of Maui, Molokai and Lanai.