2007-2008 Holidays In France

December 21-22, 2007
By the time 2007 came around, flying to France and traveling within the country was becoming routine. And that’s good. So for the holidays in 2007 including the 2008 New Year, I decided to do some very advanced planning. We drove from Portsmouth to DC Dulles and parked in row 29C. We had a direct flight from there to Paris. That was one thing that made it easy, limiting the flight time to only seven hours. The other thing was that I had actually booked the flight 11 months prior in February 2007. So there was no searching for weeks on end for the best flight and the best deal. On the flight itself we had marginal food and were actually saved by the chocolate bars I bought at World Market the previous week. Baggage was the normal one hour ordeal at Charles de Gaulle. We had to change from terminal 1 to terminal 2D to find an open Budget rental car counter because we arrived so early. We ended up with a Nissan Note with only 5 km on it! It was very nice. We drove into Paris and found a sweet free parking spot right beside Karine’s building. The rest of the day we explored Montparnasse shops and the Luxembourg Gardens. Things kept getting more crowded as the day progressed. By the time we found our way to the Paris Opera area to see some lights and window displays, Paris had exploded into a summer like pedestrian condition. That means chaos, rudeness, smelly people... just crazy. After a few minutes of swimming through people and getting separated again and again we realized that our play for the evening was over and took the Metro back toward Karine’s apartment and bought evening provisions at a nearby Monoprix. Sev and I polished off the Moulis-Medoc Bordeaux with dinner and we all slept well. 

Daylight is about 8 AM or later this time of year, so we got up after that on 23 December. We ate and loaded up for Orleans only about one hour south of Paris. It was nice... not crowded, and pretty so we made a fine choice. The bad part was the traffic out of Paris. Once again everyone seemed to be leaving Paris. The highway was an endless jam. We were lucky to have a national route option and we bailed off the autoroute toll road and took it instead. After touring the old town on foot the ladies ate food from a market while I had to get the requisite regional French salad. As usual, it was perfect. Dressing on the side this time. Two lettuces. Ripe tomato. Roasted potato. Cured ham. Lardons (pork belly cubes). A poached egg. Homemade croutons. Cucumber. Dry cured sausage. This type of salad is mostly lost in America. Restaurants apparently do not know this simple rule – if an ingredient can’t stand alone it has no place in a salad. Superior ingredients equal superior salads. Later that day, the drive to Saint Paul de Lubressac just south or Cahors was long. We arrived with no gas left in the tank, both the car's tank and our own energy levels, at 7:30 PM we settled in to some dinner of warmed potatoes, cheeses, and cured meats with salad. Tomorrow would be Christmas Eve and we had been moving hard and fast for 2 1/2 days.

On December 24, 2007 we woke up close to 9 AM. We were sleeping downstairs where there are very small windows so it was very dark and quiet. After the sound sleep the day was the usual chaos of socializing and eating. All day long. Actually, Christmas Eve is a gastronomic blowout. Breakfast is as usual. That means croissants or brioche and jam with coffee. Lunch is usually normal as well... a sandwich and a vegetable. But, on this day Michelle prepared green beans and pork loin with onions and prunes in the pressure cooker. I could eat this dish every day for the rest of my life. But the real action started at 8 PM and we ate from that hour until after midnight. Oysters, shrimp, snails, salmon... it was a seafood feast. The hors d’oeuvres included prunes wrapped in bacon and then baked. Christ! Just kill me now! I loved the bacon and prunes! There will be a tray on the way to heaven and most certainly an endless supply once there. Before all this gluttony, we ran about 10 km to Fountain La Boeff. The land in the Tarn-Et-Garonne  and the Lot regions is pretty. It is rolling and pastoral. France is the land of moss. Any organic object facing the sky with a good amount of shade will succumb to a green sheet of the stuff in time.

On Christmas day we just recovered. Of course, and this is a good thing, we had a two hour blowout lunch with a round of foie gras from both duck and goose. The livers were served with homemade fig preserves and wine from the region that was slightly sweet call Jurancon. It’s just not possible to describe how good this food was. Oh, there were more bacon wrapped prunes, too!

On December 26 we left before 9 AM to take a side trip away from the family to the Languedoc and Roussillon regions along the Mediterranean. This would be our first venture there. The Tarn region gives way to the Haut Garonne. It is much less pretty there. The large city of Toulouse comes and goes. Soon enough we arrived in Carcassonne. The Cite is in an old fort/castle, built to mythological proportions. It has more than 48 towers and turrets. It was never taken by force. After visiting it is easy to see why. Only a fools fool would attempt to penetrate it. We had crepes for lunch and listened to a happy man talk of the never-satisfied French worker for about 20 minutes or so. This old guy had been around, so he knew things from experience! We drove around town by accident as we got lost trying to leave. They are modernizing the plaza there and we drove around the construction and up a lively shopping street. Heading out of town, the Roussillon vineyards started right away. Gnarly old head pruned vines and strong winds were with us through the rolling hills and wind power farms as we approached the Mediterranean. With the Mediterranean in sight, we descended to Perpignan and arrived in Collioure before dark. We parked and strolled along the sea in this pretty city. There was a port in the cove and pebble beach. They were also several castles and ramparts within the city. It is quite beautiful and reminded us of the Cinque Terre in Italy without the crowds. We found a hotel with the help of a friendly tourist information desk employee. One thing to keep in mind is the small letter”i” in blue can be your savior. The Hotel Teapliers Was a decent place and only cost €62. We walked to the local shops and bought cheeses, bread, yogurt, cured meats, and wine. We feasted on this food and drink and the local red Cote de Coulliore wine before watching some TV and going to bed.

On December 27, 2007 we woke up to our grocery provisions for breakfast, that being breads and apricot jam that was of local origin and a regional specialty. Then we walked up to the old windmill to the south of town. This mill actually was used to drive a stone press for olive oil and is still functional. Beyond that we walked on up to a  ridge line panorama adjacent to a very imposing monastery. After returning down into town we had coffee and some great chocolate pastries delivered to us by a really happy lady on the beach/cove area. We drove out through Seret and over a pass on the D618 road through the town of Oms. The pass was pretty and impossibly long. We took a national route to Villafrance de Conflents. There is a beautiful castle and a fortified old city there. From there, we headed up into the Pyrenees where the ski areas started to appear. Lots of traffic on two lane roads with no passing available. Then we connected to the national route number 20 through a tunnel and took 30 additional minutes to clear Ax de Thermes. I know I’m repetitive here but the traffic was really pretty bad. Slow drivers were having a hard time realizing that they should use the pullouts and let all of the backed up traffic behind them pass. It was just a slog that seem to go on forever. As we cleared another tunnel at Foix, the fog followed us all the way back to the Lot region. What a drive! We had a Cepe mushroom omelette, salad, and fruit for dinner back at Michele’s that evening. 

On December 28, 2007 we were up at 9 AM, again! After some breakfast and talking we said our goodbyes and drove the two hours and 15 minutes back to Bort. On the way we left and joined the fog over and over again. It’s seem to be sucked in to the valley from the Atlantic ocean some one hundred kilometers or so away. Then the valley somehow compresses and gathers it. It becomes palatable, spoonable, impenetrable. We finally left the fog for good around Brive en Gallard. Bort was actually sunny, thank God, as there are not many sunny days in the winter there. We had sausages and veggies for lunch. I did a hike to the cross of the Bastides across the valley and above town. The ladies hiked on the other side at the Orgues. In the evening we had another mushroom omelette. No complaints here! Cepe mushrooms are very special. They are similar to shiitake mushrooms and grow on and around oak trees. 2007 was not a good year for these types of mushrooms but 2006 was a banner year. Since mushrooms freeze well we were actually eating mushrooms from the previous year! 

On December 29, 2007 we had a simple day. We ate breakfast, went to the market, ate lunch, hiked, ate dinner, and went to sleep! More specifically we ate pork fillet at lunch with prunes and onions. We hiked the Orgues in the rain in the afternoon. Then we ate Pot Au Feux in the evening, which is a traditional dish of beef parts boiled with potato carrot and rutabaga. It’s seasoned with the green parts of a bunch of leaks tied together as a garni. As usual, Severine’s mother Elise never stops. Always chopping, shopping, cooking, cleaning. That is why I bought flowers today for her at the market. 

On December 30 and 31st 2007, we had two more glorious days of eating and walking and reading. I forgot to mention that I usually go through at least two books on these trips. Thanks to my mother gifting me a Kindle a few years ago, reading has become a new passion for me. On both of these days there was fog in the morning that cleared by afternoon. The days have been cool at about 7°C, but not bad for this time of year.

On January 1, 2008 the sky was blue in the morning for a change! We packed everything into our luggage and ate our New Year’s dinner early. Then we drove to Paris. On the way we went through about four different climate zones. We actually had sun in the Dordogne valley, ice in the high Massif, fog on the Cher plains, and clouds in the Loire valley. We had dinner back at Karine’s apartment before going to our hotel near the airport. The Holiday Inn Express we stayed at was actually very nice. Returning the car was not so easy. Bad signing, rude people, and freezing cold made it a little bit of an ordeal. At least we wouldn’t have to deal with it on our departure day.

On January 2, 2008, our trip back started at 8 AM with a wake up call. We were in the check in line by 9:30 AM. Our plane was supposed to depart at 12:30 PM. By the time we cleared security, our plane was boarding! It took three hours! There were four separate passport checks, long queues at each... just awful. The flight was fine. We landed back in DC at 2:30 PM and we’re home by 8:30 PM. Traffic exiting the DC area was OK that evening. So our travel time back home that day was 18 1/2 hours total.

2006 Summer Trip To France

July 8, 2006 We made another trip to Cancun prior to this summer trip. So we stacked up international trips fairly close this year. It was a business trip that took us to Cancun, and we had a great time at Moon Palace. It’s a huge place but it’s first class and we would probably stay there again if the opportunity ever presented itself. We took a side trip on that visit to Isla Mujeres. There’s a little bit to see there but not too much. It’s always a nice little getaway from Cancun though. Now we are in Bort-Les-Orgues France and with family. We are four days away from heading back to the US so I need to go back and recap the first eight days here and catch up!

On July 1 and second, our departure took us from Norfolk to Dallas to Paris. That is a long way to do the journey! I think I have learned to travel these distances well mentally. My back, however, has issues and some of these airline seats! We were on time with our arrival into Paris with reasonable weather. Terminal 2B at Charles de Gaulle was under siege from construction, so finding Karine‘s silver Peugeot 206 diesel among the many silver Peugeot 206s was not easy. After loading up at the arrivals ramp, we took a different way out of Paris to get down into the center of France. We still hit traffic once we circumnavigated the south east of Paris and hit the toll auto routes. We probably had an hour and a half of traffic delays. I know that sounds like a lot but that’s actually pretty mild when leaving Paris. It’s just ridiculous traffic leaving there. The seven hours did include a nice picnic at a rest area along the way.

On July 3 and fourth we just hung out and ate good food at home. We hiked up to the organ pipes (Les Orgues) and took a longer way back jogging on the fourth. Strange not to hear any fireworks on July 4! On the fifth we actually drove down to Michelle’s place in Saint Paul de Loubressac for the drive on into Bayonne the next day. We swam in their swimming pool and ate in the country setting. Very nice.

July 5 and 6 were spent in the Pays Basque region. The first stop was Bayonne. The town is bisected by the rivers Nive and Adour. It’s encompassed by ramparts of many centuries past. Exiled Jews have brought chocolate, while the Basque people have their cured hams and sheep’s milk cheeses to mingle with seafood from the coast. It is a nice little town, and it is a bit like a coastal version of Arles for me. The gardens are lovely and the winds are calm here, which means I may have liked it better. Remembering back to the first time I’ve visited Arles, the Mistral winds were unbelievable.

Biarritz was our next stop down the coast, and it was pretty nice. The town was covered with hydrangea of all different colors blooms. A rock formation called Rocher de la Vierge to the south and the lighthouse to the north frame the town nicely. All the tourist traps in the city are a quick stroll away! We stayed back in the Bayonne are... north of town by about 10 roundabouts in a country home called a Chambre d’Hote. It cost €65 for the three of us and included a very nice breakfast of homemade bread’s and jams and coffee. 

The next day we drove to St. Jean de Luz and things became very Basque. Lots of Xs and As in the words. I liked the town, but there were more chic and snobby people there in my view. Most of them older and with an unfortunate air of entitlement. The fishing industry is the only real work that is left there outside of tourism. We visited a couple of sites that were nice... Maison de L’Infante and the Eglise. We then drove a little south to Hendaye and took the ferry across the harbor to the Spanish side and the Basque town of Hondarribia. Both of these towns were quiet and clean little yachting communities.

So today, July 8, the weather is superb. The girls are peeling rhubarb for a tart while Elise organizes her medications. Daniel is working odd jobs all over the place around the house, as is his custom. I have only seen him wear a shirt at dinner time for this entire trip! I spend most of my idol time journaling and reading novels.

On July 10 and 11th we headed back into Paris. Paris is a true dichotomy! Yesterday we did a bike tour in the city during the day and saw quite a few sites from the Louvre westward. Champs du Mars/Tour Eiffel & Monument Deportacion among them. We also went to the Notre Dame. This is my first summer visit here and the crush of people is amazing compared to the offseason. Today is the 11th as I write this entry, and here is the dichotomy. I am in a metro train one minute face-to-face with all kinds of people from around the globe... a cultural melting pot. I exit the Metro train to a string octet strumming Bach in the subway tunnel that sounds so beautiful people crowd around to listen. The music drifts for hundreds of meters as you exit the tunnel. As I continue to hear the music I walked by a beggar sobbing on the hot black, painted, concrete floor. Now I'm about to exit the tunnel at street level at the Arc de Triomphe, a true work of art. All of this happened in just a few hundred steps. Earlier I walked into a beautiful garden near Saint Michele. While just a moment ago I walked into a shit hole melange of ethnic eateries in a neighborhood called Belleville. It was filthy. Paris has a way of inspiring you just before it bludgeons you senseless.

2005-2006 Holidays in France

Tuesday, December 27, 2005 After much fear of booking either too early or too late we ended up waiting until November to book flights this year. This was about the same time we booked our holiday flights last year. We paid $920 US each, or about double the previous trip. Here are some notes looking back in time to the beginning of this trip.

Friday, December 23 Although our flights were on time, we were not. Too much to do the morning of departure, I was stressed about being late to the airport. In the end we were not extremely late and we lifted off from Norfolk (ORF) to begin the marathon first day of any transatlantic trip. 

Welcome to Miami! We flew into the B concourse to change to the H concourse for our day excursion/break in Miami, as we had quite a long layover. It was a long walk and while doing it we did not remember hearing one person speaking English. Keeping in mind that Severine speaks four different languages, not hearing any English at an American airport in a major metropolitan area for a 20 minute period was peculiar and slightly disturbing to both of us. We were directed to the metro bus to get to Dolphin Mall. We were on time, but the bus was actually early and left without us. It took 20 minutes for us to figure this out. Then we tried a shuttle, which never showed up. That took another 30 minutes. Then we finally broke down and took a taxi for $35. We complained and got a free pass back to the airport. So all in all we were happy. The mall was laid out in a Mills style development. It was full of normal guys and girls wearing next-to-nothing. Gomorrah, hear we come! So after shopping for a while and buying some provisions for our trip, we headed back to the airport and checked in without delay, gladly leaving the scene that is Miami behind.

Christmas Eve 2005 Our flight on Air France was on a 747–400. It was great to finally fly on the Queen of the Skies. The service was superb, even in coach. We were toward the back of the plane where it starts to narrow slightly. Landing softly at Charles de Gaulle (CDG-Paris), we taxied forever, reminding me of a similarly long taxiing experience in Amsterdam two years ago. Clearing immigration was lightning fast, baggage was not. I reserved our rental car in euro instead of dollars and that made for a fast retrieval and got us on the road quickly. Amounts are much easier to double check when you don’t have to do monetary exchange rates for every line item. Our diesel Citroen C3 was almost new, so we began our drive in style and comfort. There was much traffic, and after about four hours I was starting to lose consciousness! Severine took over and  we made it to Michele and Jean-Francois’ and arrived at the exact same time as Karine and Elise arrived! 

It was not long before the feast began. A cacophony of aromas confused me as we sat down at about 8 PM. We started with hors d’oeuvres. We had Cremont Languedoc (sparkling white from that region) with a splash of Creme Currant (currant fruit liqueur) to drink with so many different foods! We had ham and cheese, dried sausage, prunes wrapped with ham, apricots wrapped with ham, bread with figs, stuffed mussels, escargot, smoked salmon, dates stuffed with almonds frangipane, prunes stuffed with almonds frangipane, and... well, you get the picture. And that was just the hors d’oeuvres! The main dishes included shrimp, roasted stuffed duck, chestnuts roasted in duck fat, foie gras on toast, foie gras pate, salmon terrine, three vegetable terrine, whole poached/steamed salmon, and salad. For dessert we had several cheeses and a cake, along with Eau De Vie (homemade distilled fruit liquor). Of course, everything was accompanied by more wine that included a white burgundy, a red burgundy and Jurancon to go with the foie gras. Of course, I failed to mention that a Mirabelle plum tart and a apple tart were served as we arrived to hold us over to the 8 o’clock dinner time! It was definitely the best night of eating in my life. Gifts were exchanged late in the evening, and sleep came quickly after that!

Christmas day 2005 we woke up at 11 AM! That’s what happens when you have all of that travel followed by all of that eating and drinking. Not long after eating some bread for breakfast the meals begin again! There was an endless fog in the region that day. It was with all of us as we ventured out to walk off some food. I ran late in the day and darkness almost consumed me on the road to and from the town of St. Paul de Loubressac. We stayed an extra night due to the fog as driving in it would’ve been extremely dangerous. It's hard to convey how thick and relentless it was for three days. And cold. Everything was coated with ice crystals. It seemed like it was either dark or dusk... never daylight. Thank God for the food and work cleaning up and for those walk/run excursions. I also did a quick drive into the neighboring town to pick up the roast duck we had on Christmas Eve. A little meat shop was doing quite the business as everything else was closed. That duck was fabulous... I wish I had gone back and told the proprietor. 

December 26 We departed Saint Paul after lunch. They live in an ideal place. Large parcels of land prevent neighbor incursion. The views are very nice. And the quiet is enviable. Southwest of France is very nice, and I will enjoy coming back. The drive to Bort was nice and fog free, so we had made a good decision. The city of Brive must have experience some localized bad weather because the town was frozen and covered in ice! Elise made us a hearty egg and potato dish before a plate of cheeses was served. Typical cheeses here are of the region. Ste Nectaire and Chantal are the most common. Chantal may be the finest cheddar type cheese I’ve ever eaten. It has a haughty, more expensive relative from higher up in the volcanic hills called Salers.  

December 27 Everyone was sick. So a lazy day of laundry and a doctor house call was the order of things. We went out to get the meds he prescribed after that visit. Lunch was a wonderful mix of stuffed and roasted chicken with prunes, sautéed potatoes, sautéed Cepe mushrooms, chestnuts roasted in the fat of the chicken, and a plate of cheeses.

December 28 The cold really settled in on almost all of France. In fact the pervasive cold-weather was big news on the French TV stations. Froid!!! It has flurried here on and off all day. I went for a walk up toward the pipes (les Orgues) and cleared junk from my email at a local Internet salon. Severine did about 90 minutes of biking. Karine and Elise made a apple tart. I made crème brûlée as it is Elise's favorite. We are all just trying to feel better, too.

On 29 December Despite warnings to the contrary saying everyone should stay home, we took off for Lyon at about 830 in the morning. It was sunny after all! Road conditions were fine through most of the morning. We passed through Clermond Ferrand and were well east of there with roads still okay. We were a little bit over an hour away from Lyon before things started to get a little tough on the roads. We had to go over several large sections of hills and it had started snowing and accumulating quickly. We got locked in behind three snow plow trucks and the wiper fluid in the brand new car ran out! The little Citroen C3 was cool, but we found it’s weaknesses. As we tried to figure out what was going with the fluid on the hood cable got stuck so we couldn’t open up the hood to see anything! We were finally able to work things out and crawled into Lyon behind a jam of cars. We had done a little research and knew where to park, and we drove right to the lot we had planned on using. As a bonus that was underground and out of the weather, and only cost €24 per day. This is actually reasonable for a large city. The central part of this city is bound by two rivers. It is essentially a peninsula running some 30 blocks between the Rhône and the Saone rivers.The width  is only about 10 blocks. So it’s easy to walk almost every street worth seeing in one day... if you are in shape. Out and about to stroll and shop, the cold was mind numbing. Air temperatures or -8°C (17F) and were brutal when combined with any breeze at all. I finally went into a Tabac shop, which are a lot like little general stores here in France, and bought a calling card. I checked us into the Citadines Apart hotel, which I booked for an additional 10% fee using the tourist information desk in Place Bellcour. It’s so worth it when all of your guidebook options run out and the weather sucks. It sure beats walking around from hotel to hotel trying to find a room. After calling my relieved mother and talking to her for a while, we all met for a stroll through Vieux (Old) Lyon, just across the Saone. It was romantic, quiet, and freezing cold! There are little tunnels or passage ways that go under the street in the area similar to a few places in Paris called Traboule. We found a couple of them and used them. We went back to the city center in search of good food at a reasonable price. We ended up having lunch at a place called Maison Perroudon. Our €8 lunch included a small salad, a slice of quiche, and a petite tart or cake. It was very modern inside and very tasty. We all ordered something different and shared. Later on our dinner goal was to stay close to our warm hotel on Rue Merciere. North of Place de Jacobins, which is dominated by huge fountain, this street is called "Bistro Row." Plenty of choices from affordable to extortionate. We settled on Le Bistro de Lyon very near the hotel for its plate of the day of sausage and green lentils for €11.20. Of course, I had other ideas and ordered a €15.50 plate of seared duck and braised cabbage. Service was good but a little bit slow in this very lavishly decorated place. I did some investigative work and found out the place is run by the same chef who runs Leon de Lyon, a very famous and touted restaurant known all over France. That place would have cost us €300+ to eat. Severine and I had a tough night sleeping as we were both sick and noisy.

December 30 Our breakfast was included at our hotel, and a super automatic espresso machine helped us get our moneys worth! Severine and I had at least €20 in coffee alone... each! It was brutal cold again, and we went back to old Lyon and caught the Funicular train up to the Notre Dame Fourviere. This church and it’s mosaics were the most lavish I have ever seen. Of course, my camera died just as I started taking pictures of it. The damn cold had completely ruined the battery life. We strolled down to the Theater Romain and took in the Roman "ruins" that were built so well that they’re still in good enough condition to be used for some events. The funicular took us back down to old Lyon and we visited Place Edouard Commette. From there we went straight to the car and drove over to the river-left part of town to visit Gare de la Part Dieu. This commercial center has a nice mall and we needed some items for dinner back and Bort later that evening. Before long we had finished grocery shopping at Carrefour and munching on Fougasse for lunch, which is like a Provençal pizza sandwich concoction. Back on the road, the good weather quickly turned bad at the low passes of hills again. The snow then turned to ice, and then to rain. It was just turning to ice again as we arrived back home in Bort. The microclimates in France are insane.

New Year’s Eve It has rained continuously all night and into the day and was miserably cold. Basically shit weather. We will eat well to bring in the new year before finishing our trip and flying home. Traditional foods included Bordeaux wines, shrimp with homemade mayo (Daniel makes it out in the garage with an immersion blender... colder temps help the emulsification), yule log cake, currant tart, braised Belgian endive, potatoes, and duck confit.

2004-2005 Holidays in France and Italy - Quick Recap

January 3, 2005. I have a few thoughts on Central France and this little town that is Bort-Les-Orgues. The clouds have come to die here. The winter weather is really something else. It can snow or be fairly warm and sunny, all in the same day. Bort seems to be at the bottom of a pit, but actually it’s on the northeast end of a gorge created by the Dordogne River. There is a dam at one end and the river flows out the other end of the gorge. There are the organ pipes (Orgues) featured on the north west ridge of the gorge and a cross on the south east ridge. Green moss covers almost everything that faces upward. You can hear your own foot steps here. It’s not a place for someone who is lonely. That being said I like it a lot! 

On this trip, we drove to Italy and back for the new year. We visited the Ligurian coastal towns of Recco and Sestri Levante on December 31.

The Cinque Terre was explored on New Years Day via train. From our hotel in Sestri, it was nine stops to Vernazza and took 40 minutes, costing 5.40€ each. The guy I had rented a house from on my last visit in 2003 remembered me. I saw Giuliano as we started to hike to the village of Corniglia and passed his property along the trail. He was working in the garden. We enjoyed a nice coffee and some focaccia bread in Corniglia. However, as we relaxed we missed the train down below town and endured the 370+ steps back up into town to kill some time. Later, back in Sestri, we ate dinner at Polpo Mario. I had their signature terrine of octopus. We also enjoyed some spaghetti with clams, a serving of Seabass, some Langostino, gnocchi, gelato, and coffee. We brought our own wine that we had sourced in town for €14. A very nice Vino Nobile Di  Montalpuciano. 

The next day we drove up into the town Acqui Terme to visit my friends Rita and Andrea. Acqui is perhaps the cleanest and nicest small town I may have ever seen. It has thermal springs, a few nice churches, and a few piazzas to explore. Then we went up to the town of Strevi, where Rita and Andrea, live which is in the middle of a hill and very quiet. Rita really went all out with food for us. She prepared different olives and cheeses on a huge anti-pasta plate. We also had a small beef dish with some of the stew sauce coating noodles in a separate dish. We had cookies and gelato for dessert. Of course, all of this was enjoyed with a couple of different Italian wines... Barbara and Moscato... both from Asti. 

Yesterday we drove from the Ligurian coast up into Piedmont for a brief stop in Asti. We soon learned that Italy road signs are like directions to a CIA meeting. Arrows pointing everywhere to every destination and no distances provided. Many of the same destinations appear as different directions out of the same intersection or roundabout! Getting back into France was made benign for only €30 by crossing the Alps via the Frejus tunnel.

2005 Winter Trip to Cancun

Sunday, May 22, 2005 was the start of a well-deserved vacation beginning with a day-drive that turned in to night on the Eastern shore of Virginia and Maryland. We ended up in Annapolis. It rained on and off the entire drive, and the signs near Salisbury were confusing as hell. The Holiday Inn Express made us smarter. Ha ha. And we slept in the next morning before touring a little bit of Annapolis. We visited the old capital, the city dock, and walked around. We had a nice lunch at Griffin’s down at the dock area. Having two of us to do the work/navigation, we made an easy drive into BWI for our flight and parked in the A lot for long-term parking. We flew through Miami to change planes for Cancun. In Miami, incorrect info had us walking from one end of the airport to the other... about 2 miles in  total. Actually, we needed the exercise and we weren’t late… so it was all good. We got to the newly finished terminal in Cancun and there was a huge back up at immigration. 45 minutes later we cleared customs and shuttled to our hotel which was actually pretty close. The Royal Islander is part of a multiple of time share/hotel properties in the area. Unlike some timeshare locations they actually made non-member check-in easy. We bought some cheese and meat at the shop across the street and snacked with some beer in our room.

The next morning we attended a very well presented welcome orientation in a meeting room to start the day. After that we just did some beach time in the 90° weather and sweat out some of our work toxins.
May 27, 2005 finds me sitting on the beach again. Six days into a nice vacation! We went to the center city of Cancun on Sunday. Then we went by bus to Playa Del Carmen for $3.20 each way per person on Monday. We visited Tulum and Bahia Soliman by rental on Tuesday. We hung out locally near our hotel on Wednesday. And then we visited Chitchen Itza ruins and the interior town of Valladolid by rental on Thursday. Back at the resort on Friday, I suppose it is time to reflect on a few details.

Sunday in the center of Cancun we ate brunch at La Parilla. It was incredible, with everything from ceviche to eight different types of mole sauces. Downtown was deserted except for this busy place. We also stopped at 100% Natural for juice and whole wheat pastries. My kind of place.

Monday we took the first class ADO bus to Playa Del Carmen. Incredibly cheap! Once there we walked the entire northern part of the main commercial street, Calle 5, and over to the beach. We swam and walked back into town to the south. We found another 100% Natural... with a great tropical ambience this time. We had two huge smoothies there. We bargained a very disappointed vendor down in price on a couple of belts. Then we actually had some solid food, beef and suckling pork tacos at a true local dive a few blocks off of the main area. We grabbed some beer at a general store and some bread at a panaderia before catching the bus back to Cancun.

On Tuesday our trip to Tulum started with an easy car rental, at least by Mexican standards. We went directly to the ruins. It’s paradise every day there. It would have been the place to live if you were Mayan. Then we drove up to Bahia Soliman to eat at Oscar y Lalos on the beach. It’s back a gravel road off the main highway. The restaurant is really the only thing on the bay except for a company that leads mini adventure tours on quad runners. Their coming and going was the only noise we heard besides the breeze through the palm trees. We made friends with a dog named Balloo and kayaked in the bay. 
(2018- I’m adding an edit to this, because sadly things have changed in this area. A couple of years after this visit a hurricane wiped out the restaurant here. It also wiped out the little adventure touring business. The restaurant relocated out onto the highway. The food is probably still fine, but the beach ambience is gone and access for kayaking and swimming on that little bay is no longer an option. It’s a shame because that area is really a true paradise. Because the Mexican authorities have limited further development along the coast, at least that that will not be exploited any time soon. At least I hope not. To the south and around a small point is an almost equal sized bay that is lined with rental homes and small boutique hotels. It used to be cheap to stay there at the time of this trip, sadly that is no longer the case. It’s not out of reach but it’s some serious coin to stay there now. For my money, I would stay there if I really wanted to get away. You can just kayak around the point to the now deserted Bahia Soliman, and snorkel among the rocks and reef structures. There wouldn’t be another person around. You would also have the small beaches all to yourself.)

Wednesday was a quiet day of beach time, pool time, and finally dinner. Breakfast was courtesy of Hector at the Royal Sands. We went up there to tour that sister property and were comp’d our meal. We shopped in the afternoon where I bought an incredible Tissot T-touch watch for only $440 (usually $800+)! We decided to play tennis back at the resort in the evening. We had fun and were soaked with sweat within an hour. We ate later on at the JW Marriott property just north of us. They had an incredible restaurant there called Gustino at the time of our visit.

Thursday we rented a car to go to the ruins of Chichen Itza, the town of Vallodolid, and a cenote called Dzitnup. The ruins our big, bold, and hot hot hot! It’s a very formal layout there, and everything seems to be sculpted in relief. Very ornamental and elaborate. It’s a magnificent place.
(2018, as an edit now, the ruins are no longer magnificent, as they are so much more crowded than they used to be. There are hundreds upon hundreds of people there every hour now (thousands per day), and vendors lien all the once-deserted connecting trails and roads. It used to be that your visit was reflective and peaceful. That is no longer the case. It’s for that reason that I cannot recommend visiting here anymore. There are other ruins in Mexico that are much more authentic in terms of the experience) The cenote, as with almost all of them, was is mysterious, refreshing, and beautiful.

Some observations from this trip:

The worst things about Cancun are the relentless touristy things. It’s not real Mexico unless you visit the town center. It is like Las Vegas has been relocated to Mexico. College party goers and loud and obnoxious people are also very negative.

The best things about Cancun are the hotel properties that are top notch. The beach strand that is absolutely beautiful. Transportation on the bus system is extremely cheap and fun. And if you want to experience a more authentic Mexico you only need to go into the town center via bus and you can find true Mexico and a middle class Mexicans living their lives.

Other things that I’ve learned over time and many trips to Mexico:
Only rent a car if you absolutely have to. Use the bus systems to get from town to town, and around in town. They are cheap and easy to use. Also, don’t be afraid to try using collectivo vans to get from town to town that are located along a common highway.

Always have pesos and pay in pesos for the best deal. Or use a credit card and DECLINE THE CURRENCY TRANSFER OPTIONS TO PAY IN DOLLARS. Using dollars is for lazy American idiots.

If you are Staying in Cancun and have to arrange your own transportation to and from the airport, it’s best to take a pre-arranged shuttle to the property and make your arrival easy... unless you pack light and want to visit the center of town right away... In that case you can take the ADO bus. This is what I do. Interestingly, taxis are about half as expensive going back to the airport from your hotel property. So DO NOT BUY A ROUND TRIP SHUTTLE PASS… Since taxis can be arranged at a moment’s notice, you can maximize your vacation time the last day of your trip by taking a taxi back to the airport if that’s what you prefer.

A good guide book for the area is always a good idea. Read it before you go and make copies of the relevant pages leaving the heavy guide book at home if you can.

2004 Summer Trip To Cabo

Cabo 2004 Sept 10-14

As most trips go, this one started off as a dream a few years ago. Then, by the grace of God, friends, jobs, and love, it happened! I always have loved Mexico. It’s diversity is incredible. The weather is ideal in many places. People are friendly. Cabo is a tourist town. This means it’s very expensive, at least compared to other ports. The entire local economy is tourism-based. I had never even heard of Cabo before the Van Halen song made it famous to mainstream America. So, I always wanted to go to this part of Mexico, and friends Ron and Eileen offered to share a room in their two bedroom timeshare that they traded into there for a week. They have been a special couple to me since Peggy and I split. They took to Severine very quickly, and have loved her and accepted her from the first meeting. They are generous to their friends, and often like to share time on vacation with other couples. I booked using frequent flyer miles to get us there. It is low season in Los Cabos in September. And, as one would expect there is a hurricane off the west coast of Mexico currently heading that way now as I write this a few weeks later. But we took the limited risk and went. Cabo is for golfing, fishing, partying, and total getaways. We went for the getaway. Golf and fishing require too much time and money. Partying is not safe for the body or the soul, especially in Mexico. I do party a little, but prefer to do it only among people I know.

We left at 9 AM on Friday, September 4. We were supposed to have an evening flight, but American was not fond of it and it eliminated it along with another day of vacation for both of us! We were a little later than I would’ve preferred at the airport. That makes me bitchy, and the fact that the St. Louis airport had no decent coffee in C terminal did not help at all! I have been less and less enamored about living in St. Louis over time and the airport situation was starting to seal the deal for me. I know I will move at some point. It’s time for me to grow, And a new place will make you learn and do just that. Arrival in Cabo was on time and well nourished. We enjoyed sandwiches from Au Bon Pain, as meals on flights in the coach cabin or not common these days, even on international flights. Transfers to the Hilton were in Gray Line vans. Very easy. As usual when arriving in Mexico, you have to run the gauntlet of promotional people and timeshare tricksters on the way out of the airport. The best thing you can do is pre-arrange your travel plans and know what you’re doing when you land. As soon as you clear customs just get the hell outside of the terminal and everything is good. 

The Hilton was a marvelous place. The property was only two years old at the time. Facing a beach about halfway between San Jose Del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas at the 20 km marker, it was laid out in a U-shape. The pool was breathtaking. It was an infinity pool and was the first I’ve ever experienced of its kind. The beach was pretty... Cabo sand is coarse, but still OK. And coarse sand always cleans off easier. The surf looked mean, thanks to a short shallow shelf and then a steep drop off. The waves would break hard and then sweep backwards into the ocean very quickly. But the bark was worse than the bite. You had to get the hang of getting in and out of the water safely, but once in it was pretty nice. We were told that the water temperature in the Sea of Cortez was almost 85°F! We had tacos and beer at the pool after our check in and complementary margaritas as a Hilton Honors member. A little time on the beach and we were off to town on the bus. A bus ride from our hotel was one dollar versus $25 in a taxi. An easy choice! Taxis are actually very expensive in Cabo compared other areas of Mexico. We ate at El Paiso Taqueria, But we actually meant to go to Los Paisos just down the street! It didn’t matter, it was still good. We split five tacos and a beer for a total of $13 after tip. We took a bus up to the Soriano store for groceries before we ate. It was a nice store. There is also a CCC, Sams Club, and Costco in Cabo. In short, you can really save some money if you have a kitchen and are willing to make a couple of bus trips into the stores for provisions. Round-trip taxi could cost you $50, so that’s not worth it. But if you grab a bag at a time and use the bus, it’s more than worth it. After dinner we had no luck looking for ice cream. So we bused back to the Hilton. 

The next morning we got up at 7 AM intending to run 10 miles. 85° and humidity and exhaust fumes along the tourist Corredor took care of that notion! We ran about 5 1/2 miles and then finished working out in the hotel fitness club. After a nice shower we ate eggs with chipotle hollandaise sauce and pastries overlooking the ocean. It was so hot on Saturday I can’t even describe it. We finished our time at the Hilton with a dip in the pool and lounging in the chairs. At about 3 PM we needed to leave for the town of Cabo.

We had packed light and took our luggage on the bus. That became an issue when about 70 Mexicans got on the 45 person bus! Shift workers were leaving their jobs and taking the bus back into town. We could not see out of the bus to know where our stop was. It was a zoo! We finally were able to see where we were and noted our stop. We had to shout at the bus driver in Spanish “Alto Aqui!” The little bells that you ring for them to stop at the next available stand were not working. Then we had to shove our way through about 25 Mexican grounds keepers and construction workers that had filled the aisle-way. It was wild! We then walked about a mile in the 100° heat up a very long private road with our backpacks and carry-ons. Very hot! No sooner did we walk into the Villa Del Palmar than the Ron and Eileen pulled up in a shuttle! We were soon checked into a nice two room suite and on the beach for a quick look around. We went to La Dolce for what I would consider as okay Italian food. We had a coffee at Cabo Roasting. Then we bused to Soriano again for supplies. It was evening by this time and an adventure for Ron and Eileen. They were real troopers as tired as they were. We did it the night before so we knew the lay of the land. They, however, were very concerned when people boarded the bus and had live chickens tucked under their arms with them. Back at the Villa, we had a celebratory drink and slept in well the next morning.

Sunday was purely a beach day. I started us off by preparing some fresh papaya and mango that we had bought the night before. Severine and Eileen had picked out pastries, and of course there was coffee. The beach was fun and we enjoyed many laughs, dips in the water, crashing waves, and an endless stream of vendors trying to sell us all kinds of crafts. Sunday evening we had decided on Mi Casa for dinner. It was a good choice. I had a red snapper Tikin Xic (with achiote paste steamed in banana leaf... Yucatán style). I shared it with Severine who did not care for her first ceviche, so I ate it. Ron and Eileen had tamales plates which we sampled a little bit from. They were also very good. We again searched for ice cream without success before the taxi ride back to the condo.

A couple of things I have left out. First we almost stayed in Dallas Fort Worth for an offer of $500 each, business class seats on the next flight out, and free lodging and meals! They were asking for volunteers to be bumped but ended up not needing us to volunteer right as we walked up to the counter. Damn! Second, we watched a hilarious Tim Robbins flick called Human Nature about a dysfunctional scientist and ape people the first night at the condo. It was silly and we laughed a lot. 

Monday started with the time share orientation presentation and a breakfast. Although I do not in anyway endorse timeshares, I will reveal that I bought a week at this presentation (I eventually GAVE it away. NEVER EVER EVER buy a timeshare. NEVER!). I will also tell you it is the worst financial decision you could possibly make. Never ever ever ever fall for one of these timeshares. It’s a financial nightmare and you can’t sell them. You have to pay companies to get you out of them. Trading to a different location is a hassle. The maintenance fees go up regularly every few years. And if you do trade out to go different places through one of the organizations like RCI or Interval, the fees are extremely high. Just don’t. Ever!

Anyway, a little beach time after I gave them $14,000 and a mile walk later in the scorching sun down the beach we did a glass bottom boat ride to Lands End. This is the famous rock arch you see in all the pictures where the Pacific ocean and Sea of Cortez meet. Now, these boat rides are supposed to be calm and relaxing. However, high seas and a stalling outboard motor on our particular boat had us close to death and crashing against the rocks several times. The arch was beautiful, and I took some stunning pictures as I simultaneously shit my pants because of our predicament! We actually decided to get off the boat at the marina at the last minute instead of taking it on up the beach and back towards our condo. We walked to Cabo Wabo Cantina for some margaritas and tacos. We later struck out on our search for ice cream for a third time! Back at the condo that evening we had some snacks and yogurt before going to the fiesta night at the condo main stage. Once there, the tequila and food were plentiful and the entertainment was very well done. Sleep and hangovers were easy to come by that evening!

Spending $14,000 got us a free breakfast with the timeshare sales person on Tuesday morning followed by 30 minutes massages each. The most expensive massages ever! We packed quickly that morning and sat at the pool until it was time to go. We settled up with our portion of fees for the four days with Ron and Eileen. I think he was a little emotional as we left in our shuttle. We had an excellent driver who was very smooth and very fast.

As I finish with some final thoughts on our flight to DFW, I’m still thinking of the great time that we had on this trip. The Ron and Eileen were not as adventurous as us but very fun people. We are often transformed by love and experiences together. I come back from Cabo with a lot less money, but a little bit richer soul. And I have gratitude for the grace of friends. Wading through the mysterious waters of life and love while traveling can be difficult, but you have to stick to it and be patient.

2004 Florida and Bahamas Trip Report

May 6, 2003. 
Well, I guess it takes all kinds. I am on deck 12 of Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas watching for Severine and Karine to arrive from our day at port in Key West. Today has been the freakshow I have been looking for. Breast implants on middle-age women, guys with pierced nipples, packs of lesbians and flamboyantly gay men, euro travelers from seemingly everywhere in Western Europe, Asian tourists constantly on the wrong side of the sidewalk and clogging up things to take pictures, impatient people, cold and unfriendly people, tired people, indifferent people, lost souls, sun worshipers i.e. wrinkled people, RV owners on hiatus, sex kittens, stud muffins, typical brothers, free range chickens, hotties , snotties, and those who will remain unnamed. One thing Key West certainly has is variety! 

Our trip started seven days ago in St. Louis on April 30. That Friday it had rained most of the day. Karine‘s flight out of O’Hare was delayed. What else is new? We left St. Louis just before 10 PM toward Nashville and arrived whipped around 2 AM. I drove the entire way and did well for most of it. A brief five hour stay at the Homewood suites ended with a good breakfast and me spilling coffee!

On May 1, we drove to Orlando, playing hide and seek with rain showers all day. It was a 10 hour drive, and we arrived at the holiday in express at about 6 PM. It was at 8:15 PM or so that my friends Larry and Michele arrived to take us to Seasons 52. As we drove there thunderstorm warnings were out for the area. We just missed the teeth of the storms and we arrived at the restaurant after passing through the unabated commercial glitz and blitz that is Orlando. The place was utterly jammed with pretty people. It was loud and over the top. Food was excellent, but it was not a place to relax. It was like a chainsaw in the Carnegie Hall! The dinner was too late, albeit very good, and did not give us a chance to wind down.

On May 2 we visited Walt Disney’s MGM studios. Severine was very hurried in the morning, and we made our way to MGM just a little behind schedule. But there were no lines and we quickly conquered all that we set out to do. Karine agreed to both Rockin Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror, and she became a little queasy after riding them.
That evening we drove to Miami. Through the Kissimmee tourist trap to the Florida turnpike. We stopped for food outside of Fort Meyers. We got zero service at Steak ‘n Shake and actually walked out before ordering. The girls said KFC was too dirty, so they saved me from myself and eating fried chicken. We finally pulled into a Red Lobster. Clam chowder and tortilla soup did not work for Karine. Luckily I ordered some plain scallops for her and she loved them. 

We proceeded on the road again and the girls slept a little. On I 95 we hit the urban sprawl at least one hour before Miami. Orlando is very spread out and hard to get around in my opinion. Miami is an absolute joke. From West Palm Beach into South Beach it was all sprawl. That is depressing to me. We arrived at South Beach and checked into the Fairwind hotel. South Beach is as advertised. An art deco freakshow with a nice, wide beach and high prices. It was late on Sunday and the party scene was just beginning to blossom. I hated it. A waste of money, time, and brain cells. We went to bed at 1 AM after walking for hours.

On May 3, 2004 we woke up and ate at our hotel restaurant. As we walked around South Beach, I was not impressed once again. Streets were often dirty. The place had a lot going for it: weather, architecture, the beach, food. But it was still not for me. Our walk around was fun nonetheless. I had a drink at the hotel as I waited for the girls to come back as we had split up during our walk. Two women sat across from me at the bar. One looked like a movie star. I ending up seeing her on the cruise and she did not even remember being at the Fairwind hotel. Proof positive that beauty and brains are not available in the same package more often than not. Speaking of the cruise, we loaded up and made a short drive to the port, where boarding the ship was trouble free. Sev had to explain her expired visa, vis a vis her permanent residence card, after we were on board, which was very odd. But there was no drama (they were just not used to seeing both of those things presenting at the same time) and we ate and napped after walking around to explore the ship. 

We decided to work out as we embarked at 5 PM. It was raining like hell! Our first dinner was an “experience. “ Our service staff was really cool, but we had a family from Florida with two prima donna daughters that were completely bitchy. The rest of the table was occupied by a reclusive Irish couple. They were visibly appalled at the daughters’ behavior, and we never saw them again. They obviously requested a table change. So, we were stuck at that table with those stuck up people the rest of the cruise. We should’ve requested a table change ourselves, or just gone to the open seating option instead of the set dinner time we had. Alas, I employed the “kill them with kindness” philosophy for the duration of the cruise and the food was very good. We had a lot of fun ordering and sharing different things. And we learned on a cruise ship that everything is optional, so Karine was able to piece together meals by ordering things that she found acceptable to eat.

On May 4, 2003 I figured out the cool thing about cruising is waking up in a new port every morning. The vessel is like a magic carpet ride on the ocean, silently transporting you. Very nice. Having been to Nassau before, I was ready to hit the historic stuff I missed the first time around. The Government Plaza, water tower, Queens Staircase, embattlements, and the old town we’re all pretty cool. We walked all of it and across the bridge to Paradise Island where it began to rain. We ate at a café and walked to the Atlantis, where we saw what we could for free and had some coffee for $14! Upon leaving there, the rain subsided, and we walked up to the beautiful Versailles Gardens. We made our way north through the gardens where they ended at the Ocean Club. The club is a $750++ per night posh establishment that is very exclusive, but I said something to the lifeguard at the pool he apparently liked. He gave us access through the resort to Cabbage Beach. (Those who read this might remember the Ocean Club later being featured in the James Bond movie Casino Royale where all the gambling was taking place and the flow of exotic cars was endless). We swam on the near empty 1 mile stretch of perfect sand while an island couple were apparently having sex in the water to our west! We looked toward the Atlantis beach area and it’s crowded scene and just shook our heads. A $10 taxi back to port and we had made quite a day of it. Formal dinner that evening was great. I actually had escargot for the first time that night!

On May 5, 2004 we woke up at Coco Caye, which is Royal Caribbean‘s private island. It was a small paradise! We beached. I snorkeled in choppy water and got beat up quite a bit by the waves. I also swam through a whole field of thimble jellyfish. Luckily I did not get a reaction to them. We walked and ate and just soaked up the beauty and near perfect weather that day. Later I ran 6 miles on the ship deck. I was beat!

On May 6 we woke up in Key West and cleared the ship at 9:30 AM. Key West was quaint and nice… very colonial and beachy at the same time. The winds had picked up again, and the water was not the usual turquoise perfect. But we toured the island by trolley and then walked around. I had a mission and split away from the girls. I went to have some local food specialties. Conch stew. Stone crab at the Half Shell Raw Bar restaurant. Chocolate dipped Key Lime pie! And then I made my way to Margaritaville to have the requisite margarita in Jimmy Buffett’s tourist trap. I would have loved to stay longer. Even though I described Key West as a freak show earlier, the people watching there is just amazing! We sailed away that evening through 15 foot seas and 40+ foot sprays into the air off our ship. I stood on deck and watched nature's drama unfold. Thank God for meclizine! Our last dinner was bittersweet. We loved our staff and would miss their fine service.