Travel On The Level

Monday, March 30, 2009

As a rule, you won't see me quote from press releases, but this one from Cate La Farge Summers at Alice Marshall Public Relations in NYC was just too good and too on-target.

She makes a point that some of the best deals around are at high-end resorts you normally would not consider. Such as...

Santa Fe, New Mexico
Deal: “Muy Sabrosa” package at the Inn on the Alameda adds not only value but culinary spice to a stay in this kooky, lovely city.

Trick roper Kevin Fitzpatrick demonstrates his skills.




Obviously, there are hills in the Hill Country but plan your trip right to travel on the level by letting horsepower - four-legged or -wheeled - do the climbing for you.

Bandera, population 967, where guest ranching began, is a great place to start traveling the Hill Country and Dixie Dude Ranch, one of the first, is the place to stay.

The ranch itself is on the level and your mount does the work in the hills. Even getting on is easy with a mounting "platform" that puts you above the horse. In our group were two adults who had never been near, much less on, a horse and while they discovered places they didn't know could hurt, loved the experience.

We headed nose to tail up into the hills and plateaued out over a lovely vista of rolling hills and native flora.

World Champion all-around trick roper Kevin Fitzpatrick entertained us with some fancy looping until it was time for the family-style dinner. That's when we realized how famous Dixie Dude is - there were guests from Spain, Germany, England, Minnesota and Florida.

Cabin accommodations are rustic but spacious, well appointed and comfortable.

Tip: Don't miss Wednesday steak night at the 11th Street Cowboy Bar in Bandera. Locals bring their meat of choice and use the bar's many outside grills and large lineup of condiments to cook and season it perfectly. You can buy beverages plus sides from salad to dessert. Then the band kicks up and everyone dances, especially the locals and eventually the visitors. Fun, fun time and just the thing to loosen up those new muscles you discovered in the saddle.
Between rides spend an hour or so in the charming Frontier Times Museum. Get Director Jane Graham to tell you all about it and you won't want to leave. Everything has a story and she knows them.

March 12, 2009

Oh, those hills, about seven too many for Leveler comfort, but don't let that stop you from traveling to and enjoying the Eternal City.

Yes, everything you want to see will be at the top of one hill and at the bottom of another, so pace yourself. Between rigorous sightseeing, take advantage of some of the world's best people watching by lingering over a beverage in an outdoor cafe.

Tip: The Coliseum is a must-see so do it the easy way. Look to the left of where you buy your tickets. There's an elevator there and it takes you up to a very good vantage point from which you can walk around to imagine what it must have been like during Roman times.

The many piazzas are blissfully level, albeit cobblestoned, each has a church worth a look-see, most have a fountain and a cafe for relaxing.

Sure, throw a coin over your shoulder into the Fontana di Trevi - if you can muscle your way through the crowds to its edge - but don't waste too much time there. After all, the myth that if you do so you will return to Rome came from the movie, Three Coins in the Fountain.

Tip: The Spanish Steps and Via Veneto are not to be missed. After shopping the windows along the Veneto, something cool at the Hassler atop the steps will bring a touch of elegant civility. As you approach the steps, veer off to the left; you'll find an elevator there.

Avid traveler and sometimes Leveler Diane Till told us about this but Leveler Joan Monsky reminded us that the elevator stops running early, around 8 p.m.

South Beach
March 9, 2009

Except for its very healthy dunes, Sapelo Island off of Georgia's southern coast, is flat. That's the good news for traveling levelers.

The less than good news is that there aren't a lot of what most travelers consider amenities - specifically restaurants and bathrooms.

Tip: Among the nicest facilities are those at South Beach, where you access one of the most beautiful beaches you'll ever see - rolling dunes, sweeping expanse of sand, undeveloped and open vistas. If you see three other people it's a crowded day.

There is a sweetness and a deep sadness overhanging this barrier island, the sweetness from its towering yet enveloping oak trees to the basic, with the earth lifestyle of its long-time inhabitants.

The sadness comes from them, too, what their ancestors endured, having been brought here as slaves, struggling to buy their land following the Civil War and being pushed off of all but a small portion to make the island a private reserve for the R. J. Reynolds family.

You can tour the Reynolds mansion on Wednesday mornings with an advance reservation and groups can stay there, but the former stables and barns now house the University of Georgia's Marine Institute.

Sapelo is reached by a 30-minute ferry ride from Meridian, GA., and a reserved tour is necessary to see it unless you're fortunate enough, as I was, to be brought over by an island property owner.

Tours of the mansion and island or lighthouse and island can be arranged at www.gastateparks.org/info/sapelo, but to get a special feel for the island and its history, I'd go with Spirit of Sapelo's wagon and bus tours or www.gacoast.com/geecheetours.html. The three-hour-long Spirit excursions are run by the Bailey family whose matriarch, Cornelia Walker Bailey, is the last of the generation born, reared and educated on Sapelo.

Tip: Her book, God, Dr. Buzzard and the Bolito Man, is a wonderful read. Order and read it before you come; wish I had. Sapelo's People by William S. McFeely will give you an insight into slavery on the island.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Canes make you look old. Hiking sticks, however, make you look athletic. Both aid balance when traveling over unfamiliar terrain, so why look old?

If you've ever tried a hiking/walking stick over uneven ground, you know how much more secure and balanced you feel with one, or two.

If your travel is by car, go wild with a unique, hand-crafted wooden job. The trick is to pick one that fits your grip and height without being too heavy or cumbersome.

Tip: Physical therapists at Brooks Rehabilitation Center and the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute recommend moving the stick simultaneously with your weaker side.

Fliers are limited to the retractable variety. Sports shops or outfitters usually stock several models in a rainbow of colors. These are adjustable, so height and grip are not an issue, but security is. Test a stick for how much weight you can put on it before the twisted-in-place-adjusters loosen. If traveling to extreme climates, ask how cold and heat affect those closures and make sure you can return it if it doesn't perform as promised.

Tip: Measure your luggage before shopping for a retractable stick. I haven't been able to find a stick that fits in anything smaller than a 26-inch suitcase, so if you find one, please let us know the brand.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach  goes to extremes.

You can almost touch the free-roaming deer at one end of the 27-mile-long strip and at the other you find hi-rise condos and a new take on shopping/entertainment centers. In between - a sampling of ocean-side tourist attractions over the past 60 years.

St. Andrews State Recreation Area, on the east end, is the gem where the deer roam. Well-managed facilities bring 21st century comfort to a day spent in this preserved paradise.

Tip: Gently sloped ramps and nearby parking make beach access here a snap for Levelers.
You'll find Margaritaville, Ron Jon Surf Shop, JC Penney, Target and a city of specialty shops and restaurants at Pier Park, a Simons project, in turn-of-the-century-style buildings painted in beachy pastels on the west end.

It has become the post sunset hot spot but for pre-sunset, don't miss Schooners, supposedly the last local beach club on the strip. In a long-standing tradition, sunset is celebrated each evening by firing off a cannon. Pours of adult beverages are generous and fairly priced at this on-the-beach spot. Tip: The marquee tells you what time sunset occurs each day.

Bayfront accommodations are a good compromise for boaters, fisherfolk, families, golfers and shellers. The condos at Reflections at Bay Point,  for example, offer the amenities of golf, dining, spa and pool available to guests at Grand Residence by Marriott at Bay Point and the convenience and economy of a well-equipped kitchen without sacrificing spectacular views.

Regularly scheduled expedition boats will take guests to the pristine Shell Island for a few hours or the whole day. Fishing charters are nearby as are all the oceanfront attractions as well as Publix and Winn-Dixie grocery stores.

Tip: This is a great travel destination for Levelers. Steps are few and when they aren't, ramps are at hand. Even excursion boats are easily accessed.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Go luxe

Sunday, February 22, 2009
Apalachicola Bay

Friday, May 22, 2009
Surfside Sunday

Ever spend a day at the beach and return home sunburned, sand burned and exhausted?

Have we got a deal for any of you lucky enough to live or be passing by near Jacksonville Beach, FL.

Cruise over to the beachfront Casa Marina Hotel and Restaurant and sit down to their Sunday Brunch. Linger over the meal and by the time you've finished, your ocean-view room should be ready.

Suit up and stretch out on the soft sandy beach. No need to be hasty, let your repast settle before taking to the ocean waves or beach combing for shells. Shower, nap or survey the surf from your room if you like then head for the Penthouse for a cocktail.

Warning: You'll have to negotiate stairs to the Penthouse but the view and ambiance are worth it.

Sleep tight then watch as the rising sun turns the ocean pearly shades you never knew existed. Enjoy a Continental breakfast and head off for home or office refreshed and glowing.

Best of all, do it for $139 - room, brunch, cocktails and breakfast for two.

Sounds like Leveler heaven to me.

Naegelin's, the oldest bakery in Texas, is in downtown New Braunfels.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Taiwan rarely makes it into most travelers' Asian bucket list, which is a shame. The country is small, a little larger than Maryland, but filled with amazing sights, natural and man-made.

In Taipei, the capital city, you'll find one of the world's finest museums with arguably the world's best collection of Chinese creativity. The National Palace Museum houses the best of China's cultural heritage which was rescued from invading Japanese by Chiang Kai-shek in 1931 and eventually transferred to Taiwan in 1948-49.

Also one of the finest bookstores, Eslite, five stories of literature that's open 24 hours a day.

Tip: Travelers from the U. S. and a number of other countries who find themselves at the Taipei airport with at least seven hours to spare between connections can take advantage of a free, visa exempt tour. Depending on the time, it might hit city highlights, nearby villages or night markets.

Gourmets will want to try the world famous dumplings turned out in steamy profusion at Din Tai Fung.

Tip: Levelers, this restaurant is four floors of invariably full tables and booths. Stairs are narrow and there is no elevator, but make the effort if you can. The steamed crabmeat and pork dumplings are to die for. Don't be deterred by the crowd standing around in front of this hole-in-the-wall; most are waiting for take-out orders.

Night markets, the CKS Memorial Hall, temples adorned with brightly-colored Chiao-Chi pottery figures and wonderful wood and stone carvings are just a few of the city's other delights you don't want to miss.

Taiwan is a mountainous country and Taroko Gorge is one of the most mountainous spots (up to 9,000 feet with 27 of the country's 100 tallest peaks) but that's no excuse for Levelers' missing it.

The scenery is phenomenal at Taiwan's Grand Canyon and its surrounding mountains. Marble lined and tree-filled with more twists than an Ocean's movie plot, Taroko will take your breath away.

A 30-minute flight from Taipei to Hualien then an unforgettable 20-minute drive along the sea-hugging Chingsui Cliff will get you there.

Tip: You can drive or take a motorized tour to many of the high-spots, the best of which is the Tunnel of Nine Turns. This engineering marvel will take you via a relatively flat, paved surface that winds through tunnels and along cliffs for a bird's-eye view of the gorgeous gorge carved over the centuries by the Liwu River. Don't miss it.
Click here for a full-length feature on Taroko Gorge and Taiwan

Sights:
National Palace Museum
Sun Moon Lake
Taiwan Aboriginal Cultural Park
Taiwan Fine Arts Museum
National Theater