Travel with Teri B.

Travel with Teri B.

Culture

International TravelThings You Should KnowWining/Dining

SUMMER 2015 — WHERE WILL YOU BE?

Teri B.
915
This time of year finds many of us thinking we need to get some plans together for the coming summer and beyond. Maybe it is “spring cleaning,” that certain period where you are incentivized to act.  The days are longer, brighter, warmer and full of looking forward.  
 
With the euro dropping practically daily against the dollar, Europe seems an obvious choice of where to go. Previous calculations for our trip next month have dropped dramatically.  And I have only focused on the hotels, but obviously the benefits extend to meals as well!  Who knows, maybe the hubby will be less inclined to focus on the shopping expenditures (there goes the “mystery savings”) … For fun facts and great travel recommendations, my go to is the WSJ’s Life & Culture sections.  Herewith I share some of their experts’ recommendations …

Warsaw, Poland 
Wojciech Amar, owner/head chef of Michelin-starred restaurant Atelier Amaro              

TO MARKET My favorite market is Hala Mirowska. I buy all my fruits, vegetables, seeds, wheat and nuts from there. I can also order unusual ingredients like herbs, wildflowers and berries.
Plac Mirowski 1
WINE OF THE GODS // Winosfera is a very nice place to go for a great glass of wine. You can also buy some wine to take home with you.  Chłodna 31, Winosfera 
SOUTH OF THE BORDER // At Salto, in Hotel Rialto, you can find the winner of the first Polish edition of “Top Chef” cooking. Martin Gimenez Castro creates fantastic seafood and has some great culinary skills.  Wilcza 73
Guilty Treat // We make our smalec [spreadable lard] infused with juniper, prunes, apple and marjoram, then pacotize [Pacojet] it to achieve the white snow and airy consistency that will blow you away. We serve it with burnt hay bread. Atelier Amaro, Agrykola 1
Tomek Rygalik, Designer and architect who runs Studio Rygalik
SIT DOWN // Comforty is one of the best furniture showrooms in Warsaw. It’s a loft space filled with some of the best contemporary design made in Poland.  B4 Design Corner, Burakowska 4; 
LONG HISTORY // The Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews is one of the most important cultural centers in the city. It is a stunning piece of architecture by Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamäki.
Anielewicza 6
SLEEPAWAY // Between Us is an ideal hideaway in the center of Warsaw, catering to admirers of fine design and discreet luxury. I find it a captivating blend of classic 19th-century architecture with contemporary interiors. Bracka 20
FOOD AND WINE // A great place to watch the world go by is Charlotte Chleb i Wino. The concept of the place includes an everyday ritual: The tabletop is lifted and the chairs are replaced with tall stools to change the atmosphere of the space in the evening. Great tartines on the delicious bread-we like the chèvre chaud. Plac Zbawiciela
Katarzyna (Kasia) Adamik, Filmmaker 
LOST IN FILM // My favorite cinema is Kino Muranów, where there are two theaters and they have a great film selection. Generała Władysława Andersa 5
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD// Butchery and Wine is a great meat place, with a great wine selection (Zurawia 22 ). And Papu is a Polish fusion restaurant. With a warm interior, it makes you feel a little bit like Christmas every time.
Aleje Niepodległości 132/136
ART AND SOUL // I like the Museum of Modern Art. It is in an old furniture store from the 1960s and I love the building. Panska 3
ACTING OUT // Teatr Nowy is one of the best places to go to see a play (
Madalińskiego 10/16;). The National Opera is worth going to-great productions, great performers (Plac Teatralny 1; ).
Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Curator at the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews
BLAST OF THE PAST // The Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery is the closest you can get to the historic Jewish community of Warsaw. I am responsible for this exhibition of 1,000 years of the history of Polish Jews and I walk into that cemetery and there is my 19th-century gallery, there is my interwar year gallery. For me, it is a living place.  Okopowa 49/51; +48 22 838 26 22
SECRET PARK // Jazdów, behind embassy row on Ujazdowska, is a hidden oasis, a dense idyllic village of Finnish houses…. Wandering the paths of this silent little forest is just bliss.

 

 

 

Athens, Greece

 

Argiro Barbarigou, Chef and owner of Papadakis and Homey

Treat Spot // Sweet Alchemy Parliaros. There is no better baker or pastry chef in Greece than my friend Stelios Parliaros. When I wanted to learn how to up my game with pastry, I studied with him. He makes perfect truffles, which you can taste and buy at this chic bakery and shop.
 Irodotou 24
International Accessories // Luisa. There are two locations in Athens, but my favorite boutique is in Kolonaki, where my restaurant is. It’s my go-to shop for designer handbags and shoes. I usually go once a season and stock up on a few perfect items.  Skoufa 15
Great Ingredients // Moiropoulous Dimitrios. This tiny shop is filled with treasures: dried figs, the best feta cheese in Greece, thyme honey from the Peloponnese. Hundreds of products. Emmanouil Benaki, 31, 30-210-3818846
Top Coiff // Love Is in the Hair. Christos Michailidis is the best hairdresser in the city. He cuts the hair of many of the country’s biggest celebrities. Kifissia 146
Prince Nikolaos of Greece, Son of King Constantine II
Morning Ramble // Parnitha. When I’m feeling adventurous, I wake up before sunrise and head to Parnitha, a forested mountain range north of Athens, for the stunning scenery. On the way back down, the air is filled with the smell of freshly baked bread from little bakeries that offer very tasty
koulouria pastries, which I love to have with my morning coffee.
Monumental Gallery // Acropolis Museum. It is truly impressive and one of my favorites-a sleek, modern building housing of some of the earliest examples of architecture and sculpture, which were made with one of my preferred materials: marble. Dionysiou Areopagitou 15
Historic Stroll // Plaka and Monastiraki. During warmer months I love to walk around these neighborhoods in Central Athens, with their many little shops and restaurants. The walk ends up at the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos in the ancient Agora. It is the oldest part of the city; it has an intimate feel to it.
Charismatic Cafe // Athinai Bistrot. Very close to the Acropolis Museum is this affordable restaurant, which serves excellent Greek dishes with a twist. The produce is all sourced from within the country. Makrigianni 3, 30-21-0922-9210
Movie Scene // Cine Paris. In the summer months, there’s a marvelous open-air cinema in Plaka called Cine Paris. It is unique because it’s in a rooftop garden and has a view of the Parthenon.Kydathineon 22
Plus Don’t Miss…
Odeon of Herod Atticus This open-air theater, on the south side of the Acropolis, hosts a number of performances during the annual Athens Festival.
Nixon A new hot spot in Kerameikos that’s a cocktail bar, restaurant, cinema and concert venue all in one.
Queen Calliope Greek-American photographer and stylist Calliope Karvounis just opened a boutique that sells boho-chic clothing and accessories.
Nice ‘N’ Easy This spot serves delicious salads and other dishes made with ingredients sourced from small organic farms.
Lalaounis For beautiful modern versions of ancient Greek jewelry, visit this upscale shop.

A for Athens From the terrace of this new boutique hotel, you have stunning views of the city-including the Acropolis, Plaka and Monastiraki Square.

 

Lisbon, Portugal                                                        
José Avillez, Michelin-starred chef/owner of five Lisbon restaurants, including Belcanto and Café Lisboa

 

 

Old-World Transit // Tram 28. Take this vintage yellow tram through old Lisbon. It offers hop-on, hop-off service. But be vigilant; pickpockets are known to work the line.
Authentic Finds // A Vida Portuguesa. This beautiful shop was created by journalist Catarina Portas, who had been investigating old Portuguese brands, some of which faced extinction. Don’t miss the soaps, the handmade notebooks or the Portuguese Sanjo sneakers. I come here a lot to buy gifts; I also buy a lot of things for my restaurants. Rua Anchieta 11
Romantic Digs // Memmo Alfama Hotel. A hidden treasure, and absolutely perfect for couples. The terrace has one of the best Lisbon views. I’m sure you will enjoy taking a glass of wine there. Travessa das Merceeiras 27
Glorious Vistas // Belvedere São Pedro de Alcântara. This little park is located at the top of the Elevador da Glória funicular. You have a beautiful view of the east side of Lisbon, including Graça, São Vicente de Fora and the Castle of São Jorge. Rua de São Pedro de Alcântara
Canned Delights // Conserveira de Lisboa. A traditional tinned-fish shop with amazing wrapping and the joy of a family business. I love the Ventresca tuna fish in olive oil, smoked mackerel fillets and Portuguese sardines in olive oil. Rua dos Bacalhoeiros 34
Alexandra Champalimaud, Lisbon-born interior designer of high-end hotels, homes and restaurants
Antiques Atelier // Ricardo do Espirito Santo Silva Foundation Workshop. This workshop is one of the few remaining places where you can learn the rare art of furniture carving. Discover how to hand-tool a reproduction of an 18th-century piece-or purchase one.   Largo das Portas do Sol, 2
Day Trip // Sintra. Drive to the town of Sintra and stop by the 12th-century Palacio da Vila in the center, with its extraordinary painted ceilings. Lunch on the terrace at Tivoli Palácio de Seteais, or stop by the cafe Piriquita for a queijada (a typical pastry) and a bica(espresso). Then move on to Casa Branca, where I buy fine linen and cotton embroidered sheets.
Royal Wonder // Palacio Fronteira. A private tour of this late-17th-century house and garden, en route to Sintra, cannot be missed. I have enjoyed many enchanting moments there. Rua São Domingos de Benfica 1
Gem for Jewels // Leitão & Irmão. A great destination for modern silver, elegant porcelain and jewelry at astonishingly fair prices. I buy wedding presents and special gifts here and ship them all over the world. Largo do Chiado 16 e 17
Grand Dining // Restaurante Belcanto. Have lunch next to the opera house in the Chiado district. This place is wonderfully Old World. Sit near the window and order the bacalhau with a glass of simple red wine. Largo de São Carlos 10
Plus Don’t Miss…
LX Factory. An old factory complex has been turned into a space for cafes, shops, ateliers and galleries. Don’t miss the stylish Ler Devagar Bookstore, which retains an original press from the printing shop that used to occupy the space.
Campo de Ourique. This under-the-radar neighborhood northwest of the city center brims with a sense of community. Meander tree-lined streets, checking out spots like Casa Pélys, a former photo studio turned into a vintage shop, and Hamburgueria da Parada, a craft-burger kiosk.
Júlio Pomar Museum. This tiny new museum, designed by star architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, showcases the oeuvre of Portuguese painter Julio Pomar.
Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your travels!

 

 
U.S. TravelWining/Dining

FOUR DAYS IN FLORIDA — AMAZING TIME AT DAYTONA 500

Teri B.
825

I can’t believe I went to The Daytona 500.  There — I’ve said it (dare I add “vroom, vroom??”).  Why the hell would I go given my knowledge of NASCAR (practically nothing)? Well, the obvious answer is that typically where the hubby goes, so do I.  And this is the second-to-last major American sporting event previously not attended (for him but I’m not far behind). Super Bowl/World Series/U.S. Open (Tennis & Golf)/Indy 500/Final Four/College Football Championship/NBA Finals/Stanley Cup Finals/all three legs of The Triple Crown: every one checked off the proverbial list.  The last one?  The Masters, held at a really bad time for those in the C.P.A. profession.  But a really long, loud car race? Chalk it up to good blog material!  Had there only been Spring Training, baseball would have been included in this trip as well. Alas, nothing begins prior to late Feb/early March, so save that for another time.  

We left a day or so early to visit relatives (doesn’t everyone have relatives in FL???) who moved from NY to Boynton Beach, so we flew to Ft. Lauderdale and worked our way north. We had a brief but lovely time in the Boynton and Delray Beach communities, with visits to homes both in a planned community and on the Intercoastal.  All of the Florida wisecracks notwithstanding, it is easy to see why living there is appealing to so many.  The weather, no state income taxes, the weather, the beaches … did I mention the weather? Well, summers are way too hot and humid for me but the rest of the year is very nice.  Remarkably we experienced a rare cold spell, with nighttime temps in the high 30’s!

With Shelley & Mike Stone, family in Boynton Beach

For the couple of nights’ stay in the Daytona area, we were even further north as all hotel rooms were at a premium, sold-out, and many non-refundable (typical of major sporting events). But I did manage to find two of the best restaurants in the area so our dinners at The Cellar and Spanish River Grill were both delicious and as far away from the ubiquitous chains as possible. 

Prix Fixe Menu; Smoked Salmon starter and Panna Cota dessert

 

Lunch at Hog Heaven in Daytona

As for the event itself, many folks come for “Race Week” in their enormous RV homes where the cost is roughly $500 for a week’s parking place on the Daytona grounds.  The vehicles are huge and modern, and we saw many that had roof-top decks, flat screens, enough generators to charge a small town, and elaborate bbq gear under tents affixed to the RV sides.  For people like us, that would require hiring staff just to assemble! But it certainly looked like folks were having a great time and the beer was flowing well before lunchtime.

I imagine there’s some of “mine is bigger than yours” going on here ..

 

The hubby secured press credentials by virtue of writing his weekly column on Townhall.com. That provided amazing access to seeing the cars up close and personal plus spending time in the Media center for interviews. Saturday’s Xfinity race was shorter (120 laps vs. 200 for Sunday’s race) and provided an opportunity to explore the venue with considerably fewer fans around. In fact we sat in great seats as the photos & video show; unfortunately, they weren’t our actual seats for the race.  Regrettably we had a first-hand look at Kyle Busch’s crash that took him out of Sunday’s race.  Our real seats were somewhat further away and in tighter seating. We spoke to everyone around us … this is a real slice of America, unlike the la-la land that we call home. The following photos tell the story of our experience, likely never to be repeated but thoroughly enjoyed! 
Hubby with members of the Thunderbirds, all active military who did the precision flyover pre-race shown below.

 

 

 

Grand Marshall Vince Vaughn

 

Amy Purdy drove the pace car; she was a DWTS finalist who lost her legs at
age 19 to meningitis.

 

In the garage seeing the cars up close;  the area is beyond pristine.

 

 

Typical fare offered
Talking tires. Each car is allotted 10 tire changes or
40 tires per car x 43 cars is a lot of tires!
Original seats for sale as the venue undergoes a complete makeover (badly needed!)
Kid Rock performed before the race above.  

 

In front of the winner’s trophy

 

2015 winner Joey Logano

 

Things I LoveThings You Should Know

ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND JAM PACKED WITH MUSIC AND L.A. STAYCATION

Teri B.
740
Sometimes it is better to not pay close attention to one’s calendar so there is no hesitation as to how many commitments are made in a weekend. That turned out to be the case as my anniversary weekend approached, which ended up being packed … but a whole bunch of fun! 

To be totally honest, overlooking the calendar was inadvertent. Knowing myself as I do, I probably would have said “too much” and I am so glad that didn’t happen.  The weekend started out at the Hollywood Bowl, just the perfect summertime venue.  We savored an evening of music and film clips from the great composer John Williams, creator of such diverse movie music as Lawrence of Arabia and Schindler’s List.  But it was the Stars Wars theme that brought out a slew of light sabers in the audience.  Seth MacFarlane was an added delight to this wonderful program; the audience still didn’t have enough even after four encores.

 

Saturday evening was another treat with music enjoyed at Catalina Bar & Grill, a venue written about in a previous post.  This time we heard songs from Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., husband and wife performers (married 45 years); they are two of the five who made up the 5th Dimension (“Up, Up and Away”). Little if anything has been lost from the voices of these very talented and engaging performers, who sang everything from their own hits to Beatles songs, making this just a lovely feel-good evening.

 

The actual anniversary started out  with a family brunch at trendy Brentwood Country Mart’s Farmshop. This place is totally fit for foodies, but the service left a lot to be desired.  Nevertheless, the people watching was excellent and the food was very good.  Still haven’t made it to one of LA’s best ice cream destinations — also at this locale — and that would be Sweet Rose Creamery. From what I hear, that is worth the trip in and of itself.

 

 

 

28 and counting … so far, so good. We’re gonna keep going.

I arranged an LA sleep away/stay-cation at the newish Ritz Carlton located downtown at the L.A. Live Complex (Staples Center, Nokia Theater, multiple restaurants). Marriott pretty much owns this area of Los Angeles with no less than four of their brands on adjacent streets. This blue building is downtown’s latest high rise and it is just stunning, visible from all over as one approaches this part of town. 


The Ritz itself has just over 100 rooms while the J.W. Marriott below is 900+ and is geared more toward the convention business.  The upper floors are the private residences, many of which are occupied by professional athletes. Maybe it was the Amex Platinum booking, maybe it was a slow weekend, or just maybe they were charmed by the hubby, but whatever it was resulted in an unsolicited upgrade to a 1,200 s.f. suite! Thank you to the hotel gods for arranging this is all I will add. 

Not sure anyone cares (about me being in residence), but nice touch


Photos of the gorgeous suite 

 

Our room view of L.A. Live 
Thank you! 
We went back for a another great meal at Rao’s in Hollywood, also written about in a previous post.  There’s a good reason these folks have been in business for over a century … they know their audience.   Their original intent here was to match the limited hours of their NY flagship (impossible to get into) with Monday-Friday for dinner only.  They smartly responded to repeated requests from the locals and are now open on weekends and closed Mondays.  For a Sunday night on a holiday weekend, there was a good crowd.  The food is delicious — albeit somewhat old style — and the customers are treated really well.  
 

 

All in all, a great weekend and celebration with little travel required … 

 

 

Things You Should KnowU.S. TravelWining/Dining

BAY AREA CONCERT TREK; GREAT FOOD FINDS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS

Teri B.
765
A Bruno Mars concert was the raison d’etre for a quick trip to the Bay Area and back on a recent weekend.  Yes, he performed locally (in answer to your question), but a prior commitment led us to make the third of four trips up north this year (Thanksgiving weekend to follow).
 
Considering the total time necessary to fly (door-to-door close to five hours), why not hop in the convertible and enjoy the glorious CA sunshine while stopping along the way in Paso Robles, aka the (not-so) new Napa.  And that is exactly how it went with some great tunes both during the drive and certainly at the concert. 
 

Lunch was at Buona Tavola in P.R., right on the main street.  I have to force myself to eat salmon for the health benefits, but this was just downright delicious.  Paso Robles might be inland (and hot), but fresh fish is abundant.  Since I wasn’t driving, a lovely glass of local rose’ was a perfect side note for the brief stop and off we went.

 
View from the room

The Bay Area can certainly hold its own with us So Cal folks when it comes to traffic, sad to say, particularly in the Silicon Valley corridor.  Nevertheless, we arrived at the Four Seasonsin Palo Alto with time to spare.  This is a very modern, hi-tech (natch) outpost that caters to the business crowd coming to the area.  It is literally down the street from Stanford and a great location for access to all the local environs.  Weekend rates are quite “reasonable,” at least by FS standards.   The other choice for luxury accommodations would be the Rosewood located on infamous Sand Hill Road, where all those venture capitalists looking to fund
the next Facebook or Twitter are located.

 

 

Back down the 101 to the SAP Center (formerly HP Pavilion, home to the San Jose Sharks), we arrived in search of a quick bite prior to the concert and found that the arena clearly caters to the drinking-as-opposed-to-eating patrons. There are normally tons of food options but nearly none were open, save for two.  Alcohol? Not a problem.  That was a mystery to us — not the alcohol part, but seemed like a lot of revenue lost!  
 

 

Mr. Mars puts on a fantastic concert. If you’re not familiar with him, he provided the halftime entertainment at this year’s Super Bowl and is hugely talented with major appeal to all ages. Literally, there were moms without kids there, people of every ethnicity, and few remained in their seats.  As a side-note, he lives in my Studio City neighborhood (as clearly evidenced by the non-stop tour buses) but I have yet to have the opportunity to see him.  Were 

that to happen, it would be steep praise for a show completely devoid of profanity (call me old fashioned) and proselytizing (hooray).  In other words, nearly two hours of pure entertainment.





We couldn’t fit 20 ears if we wanted to!
 
We returned to the 101 for the drive home the next day.  Stops included a farm stand (damn, I must curtail how much corn to bring home), and another wonderful meal in Paso Robles (kind of the half-way point) — this time for spectacular Mexican food at Habaneros on 12th Street.  I’m not a big Yelp user, but that was how we ended up at this 30-seat restaurant that served incredibly fresh and delicious food.  I wish them continued success and urge anyone in the P.R. area to stop by; you will be happy you did.

 

No iceberg lettuce to be found in this delicious tostada with carne asada

 

Taco/Enchilada combo plate

 

Offering compliments to the chef in the tiny kitchen

 

Getting my artistic side on during the ride home.

Finally, another note regarding Paso Robles.  I signed up for a twice-yearly mailing from Pasolivo, an artisan olive oil producer.  The shipments always have their regular EVOO, with some wonderful surprises in addition.  My fave is the basil-flavored oil which is used practically daily during the summer with tomatoes from my garden … and for the best-ever way to eat almonds, coat (unsalted) roasted almonds with their lime-flavored oil, heat on a sheet pan at around 350 degrees until brown.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Amazing.  

What else does one really need in life?

 

 

 
 
 
 
International TravelWining/Dining

COLOMBIA

Teri B.
967

What are the things that immediately come to mind when one is traveling to Colombia?  Drug cartels?  Sofia Vergara? Kidnappings?  Well, none of those were encountered in the recent stay there during the last leg of three weeks in South America.  There was a time in the recent past when this most northwest corner of the continent was not so safe for travel or, for that matter, living. Fortunately that is not the case today.  We opted to leave the traffic and elevation of Quito (see previous post) a day ahead of schedule for pure R & R in Cartagena, on the beautiful Caribbean waters, to just sit poolside for a few days and soak in all the travel.

 




For the next couple of days, it was a matter of going back and forth to the pool and planning where to eat. That was it and it was a welcome break. Cartagena is a vacation hotspot, serviced with direct flights on JetBlue out of NY and Florida. It is easy to see why the locale is so desirable. The older portion of Cartagena is surrounded by a fort-like wall, inside of which are many shops, restaurants, and street vendors, and it is completely safe for walking day and night. The weather was very warm and a bit humid with periodic rains, but so what…? And, if you’re of the male species interested in viewing women in very tiny swimsuits (not photographed!), this place is for you!   

Mateo, self-designated hotel mascot.

 

And a few words from Mateo …

 

Guilty pleasure, Colombian style … 

We had an absolutely top-rate dinner at the restaurant 1621, located at the Hotel Santa Clara (Sofitel) where we stayed. The hotel property was originally a convent founded in — you guessed it — 1621; hence the restaurant’s name.  The French-born chef did an excellent job with the menu in an absolutely beautiful setting.  It was a wonderful evening all around.

Ceviche made to order tableside

 

Perfect Fruit Tart
Communal Table

 

1621 Wine Cellar













 

Loved this Cartagena store selling frozen treats —
the flavors were endless and delicious!


After enriching the Cartagena economy a bit with some last-minute shopping, it was off to Bogota on the last “internal” flight of this trip, our final stop prior to returning home. There is no question that of the three countries visited, Colombia is the most modern, with a vibrant economy.  Bogota, with nine million inhabitants, also has a happening dining scene (three restaurants in Bogota make the list of the Top 50 in South America), as well as some very upscale malls we perused close to our hotel. Regrettably (from my perspective), the prices were very high so therefore most purchases just didn’t make sense.  I say “regrettably” because shopping is always looked forward to on these vacations. I particularly like bringing back something decorative for the house which provides memories of places visited.

 

With our new friends.
Restauranteur Daniel Kaplan (far right)

In the spirit of “it is not what you know, but who you know,” we connected with a gentleman in Bogota with whom we have a mutual friend at home and enjoyed chatting over an excellent lunch of bar-b-que. And I mean authentic “Q” — as good as anywhere you would find in the U.S.  I had read about La Fama in an issue of Travel & Leisure, brought the article with and followed up on going there. In most cases, advance research pays off in a big way once at the destination. We met one of the principals who runs this restaurant (in addition to others), and got the inside scoop on restaurants in Bogota.  We also learned that it is common practice in South America for many of the really good restaurants to be part of a larger group — maybe 15 or so under one “umbrella” brand.  It reminds us of the fantastic Chicago operation called “Lettuce Entertain You,” where you get top quality but very different dining experiences and foods provided by one operator.

Vibrant lunch scene at La Fama 

 

 

Absolutely first-rate bbq in Bogota 


And, as is typical at the tail-end of these extended vacations, the wish to go all day and see sights becomes less and the desire to just play it by ear becomes more.   The end is in sight and thoughts return to responsibilities at home.  

Our last day literally took us to the top of the city. Monseratte, at more than 3,000 meters (10,000+ feet), provides spectacular views. Remarkably,  riding up and down the very steep funicular was a fine, safe, and not-scary-at-all experience …  

 

Bogota is a large, sprawling city!
The fake bill passed to us by the seemingly nice cab driver — about $10 USD.
Times Square?  Nope, Bogota mall ..


For the final evening, a last-minute plan change (due to torrential rains) worked out really well. Not only did new restaurant Primi have a vibrant scene and excellent food, but it was across the street from the hotel.  The couple sitting next to us confirmed what we had heard before, that many Colombians who had moved to the States have since returned to this booming economy and safer environment. 

Buying great leather in So. America is a must ..!


With the final purchases made and final meal enjoyed, it was time to head back home with nothing but great memories of this wonderful trip …


 

International TravelWining/Dining

MACHU PICCHU

Teri B.
832
Devoting an entire blog post to Machu Picchu is the least I can do … it was a remarkable experience. Had I known the round-trip journey, from the time we were picked up at our Cusco hotel until we returned the same evening was 14 hours, I might have had some doubts.  But suffice to say, it was worth every second.  

 


At the appointed hour just shy of 8 a.m., our car & guide from tour company Belmond — now owners of Orient Express — drove us to the Rio Segrado (Sacred River) train station, about 75 minutes away. Beginning in May the trains depart from the closer station to Cusco, but for now we must go to this station. We boarded the Hiram Bingham train, which is often listed among the best in the world — and it is clearly deserving of that designation. Linen, china, silver, fresh flowers, bar and entertainment is the only way to travel. I won’t say the 2:20 minute journey “flew” by, but it was certainly a luxurious way to pass the time. After an elegrant, 3-course brunch, we arrived at Aguas Calientes for the 25-minute bus ride to the park entrance.  

 

 

 

 
View of the “road” up 
The fleet of buses carrying visitors up and back navigate a series of hairpin turns, with no guardrails, and a straight drop down.  It makes complete sense that the road was never paved — it would be far too slippery with the annual 77 inches of rainfall.  When it got really bad, I hung on to the hubby and closed my eyes! Remarkably the buses have a very safe record — can’t say the same for the hikers who make the trek up and down — that’s where the accidents are more prevalent.
 
 
 
 

 

Once at the top and through the gate with our required passports in hand, we were on our way to this remarkable place. While the amount of visitors allowed per day is 2,500 (and tightly controlled), at times it seemed like we were the only ones there.  I won’t go into the history of this historic site, but Professor Hiram Bingham should be annointed a saint for enabling these ancient Incan ruins to be seen by so many after basically going unnoticed from the mid-1500’s until the early 1900’s.  It is now the most visited site in all of Peru, and surely tops the list of all sites in South America.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

After our two-hour guided tour by Camila (who has been to MP more than

The hubby and guide Camila

1,000 times), we enjoyed high tea at The Sanctuary outside the entrance prior to the bus ride back down, the train ride back (with another wonderful meal and wine) and then finally the drive to Cusco.

 
 

 

Park staff actually using a toothbrush to maintain the stone!
Surprised to have an orchid “fix” here!

 

Natural habitat …
Got anything for me??!
Afternoon tea 
Exhausted, yes, but exhilarated after experiencing one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.  
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