We had our first Christmas as a married couple today. It was nice and we both love all our gifts. The stand out for me has to be the Sig Sauer .45 that Sarah got me. I think Sarah really likes the Kitchenaid appliance that I got her. She is excited to use it right away. My parents also sent some nice gifts. Thanks for the knives, Atlas Shrugged shirt, bamboo utensils, and the defrosting sheet.
Later today we will be going to Sarah's parents' home to have some brunch and Christmas out there. On the way I am going to drop off some gifts for the Cochran's.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Bread Fruit and Kayaks
I am not sure when I am going to be able to make another post until we get back to the states, so I thought I would make the rare second post in one day. Today we slept in until 8a and pretty much had our day planned out. After some breakfast and my first post, we were on our way.
We started by heading up to Belvedere lookout because it looked a little clearer than yesterday. I was able to get a better shot of both Opunohu and Cook's Bays as well as the mountain separating them. There were also some other picturesque mountainous views that I got some photos of.
After our return to the hotel we promptly checked the kayak out to take take around the northeast corner of the island to the pearl shop and the friends we made yesterday. The trip, about a mile and a half long, took about and hour and a half as we faced strong headwinds the entire trip. Once there we were shown around their property and then treated to a meal of bread fruit, coconut, and canned beef.
The bread fruit was barbecued over an open flame for about an hour. While that was cooking we husked a couple of coconuts, cracked them open, and then grated the inside. The result was a pile of coconut shavings on a plate made from coconut palms (which we helped to weave). Once the bread fruit was cooked it was peeled and plated on another leaf plate. The canned beef was quickly heated in the fire that the bread fruit was cooked in.
With the food plated we began our meal. The bread fruit is pinched off the core of the fruit and then used to pick up coconut, beef, or both. The fruit is very doughy (hence the name) and quite good. At one point our host had me pick up a handful of coconut shavings and squeeze them over the beef and bread fruit. The result was coconut milk and the taste on both the beef and bread was tasty. It was reminiscent of a dish I had last night (tuna marinated in coconut milk or poisson cru).
After our meal we talked with our gracious hosted for about 30 minutes before climbing back into our kayak for the ride back to the resort. The return trip was about 1/2 as long, only about 45 minutes because we had the wind at our backs most of the trip. After a quick dip in the pool, a shower, and a Hinano or two, we are both refreshed.
Tonight we are going to stay in an eat some leftovers and cook up some of the food that we have in our cupboard. We will probably shoot the breeze with Muk (the proprietor) and some of the other guests. In the morning we have to check out by 10:30a, but we are supposed to return our rental car by 9:30a. I am hoping to be able to keep the car until 2 or 3p so that we can spend more time on Moorea.
Tomorrow we have to catch the ferry across to Papeete and then catch a taxi to our hotel near the airport. We stay the night in Papeete and fly back on Sunday the 19th (my parent's anniversary). We get into LA Sunday evening and then fly to Seattle. We have about a 6 hour layover in Seattle before flying home on the 20th.
Our timing is apparently pretty good. Moorea has very few tourists over the time that we have been visiting, but there are a lot more on the way. The weeks in and around Christmas are very busy. I am very glad we were here during a slow period.
Anyway, hopefully we will be able to make a post tomorrow, but if not, then probably once we land in LA, or at the latest, in Seattle. TTFN.
We started by heading up to Belvedere lookout because it looked a little clearer than yesterday. I was able to get a better shot of both Opunohu and Cook's Bays as well as the mountain separating them. There were also some other picturesque mountainous views that I got some photos of.
After our return to the hotel we promptly checked the kayak out to take take around the northeast corner of the island to the pearl shop and the friends we made yesterday. The trip, about a mile and a half long, took about and hour and a half as we faced strong headwinds the entire trip. Once there we were shown around their property and then treated to a meal of bread fruit, coconut, and canned beef.
The bread fruit was barbecued over an open flame for about an hour. While that was cooking we husked a couple of coconuts, cracked them open, and then grated the inside. The result was a pile of coconut shavings on a plate made from coconut palms (which we helped to weave). Once the bread fruit was cooked it was peeled and plated on another leaf plate. The canned beef was quickly heated in the fire that the bread fruit was cooked in.
With the food plated we began our meal. The bread fruit is pinched off the core of the fruit and then used to pick up coconut, beef, or both. The fruit is very doughy (hence the name) and quite good. At one point our host had me pick up a handful of coconut shavings and squeeze them over the beef and bread fruit. The result was coconut milk and the taste on both the beef and bread was tasty. It was reminiscent of a dish I had last night (tuna marinated in coconut milk or poisson cru).
After our meal we talked with our gracious hosted for about 30 minutes before climbing back into our kayak for the ride back to the resort. The return trip was about 1/2 as long, only about 45 minutes because we had the wind at our backs most of the trip. After a quick dip in the pool, a shower, and a Hinano or two, we are both refreshed.
Tonight we are going to stay in an eat some leftovers and cook up some of the food that we have in our cupboard. We will probably shoot the breeze with Muk (the proprietor) and some of the other guests. In the morning we have to check out by 10:30a, but we are supposed to return our rental car by 9:30a. I am hoping to be able to keep the car until 2 or 3p so that we can spend more time on Moorea.
Tomorrow we have to catch the ferry across to Papeete and then catch a taxi to our hotel near the airport. We stay the night in Papeete and fly back on Sunday the 19th (my parent's anniversary). We get into LA Sunday evening and then fly to Seattle. We have about a 6 hour layover in Seattle before flying home on the 20th.
Our timing is apparently pretty good. Moorea has very few tourists over the time that we have been visiting, but there are a lot more on the way. The weeks in and around Christmas are very busy. I am very glad we were here during a slow period.
Anyway, hopefully we will be able to make a post tomorrow, but if not, then probably once we land in LA, or at the latest, in Seattle. TTFN.
Bon Voyage to Richard, Hello Black Pearls
Since my last post we have managed to slow things down a little bit. No diving, no snorkeling, no wave runners. We have seen polynesian dancers, had great food, and circumnavigated the island.
Wednesday night the hotel had a polynesian dancing troupe give us half-hour show and it was fun. I wasn't too excited to attend because I have seen some pretty extravagant shows (from when I was a kid in Hawaii) and they were long, and after the first 30 minutes or so, boring. This was just the right length and it included some audience participation. Both Sarah and I were selected, among about a dozen, to participate. It was cute and not too embarrassing.
After the show we went to the resort restaurant and had some very nice food. Just right. Again, we were all tired from the day and hit the hay early, excited to sleep in today. Of course we were all up early, around 7a, and trying to figure out what to do for the day.
Thursday was Richard's last day with us and we wanted to see the rest of the island, so we rented a small car and took off around the island around 9:30a. We took a little road up the Opunohu Valley toward a lookout called Belvedere. From it you could look down both the Opunohu Valley and the Opunohu Bay and the Paopao Valley and Cook's Bay. Kind of cool to see both in the same view.
We saw a couple of archaeological sights dating back to the 13th century. One of the sights was an ancient archery platform from which the inhabitants had contests. The other was an ancient dwelling. Brian Davis would be loving it.
From Belvedere we headed back down to the bay and drove around the island. We made one stop to check out a large waterfall. It was about a 15 minute hike up a moderate to easy trail to the falls and it was worth it. I even stripped down to my skivvies and took a waterfall shower. It was fun.
We stopped and bought some cuban cigars, had some pizza for lunch, and then came back to the resort to relax on the patio until Richard's departure. It is about a 15 minute drive to the ferry from our resort, so at four o'clock we took Richard to the ferry and dropped him off. Once he gets home, back in Chicago, he will have 23 hours before he heads to Nevada to see his parents. He is literally going from one vacation to another.
Sarah and stopped at a small black pearl store on the way back to the resort. Muk, the owner of our resort, told us it was the only place on the island that would not rip us off, and that the owners were very nice. He was right. We spent a little over an hour there looking at pearls and talking to the gal who runs the shop and her brother who is the jeweler.
We got to learn a lot about how the Mooreans feel about the French (they don't like them much) and a little about life in paradise. They are probably a lot like most Alaskans; they don't really see the splendor in which they live. I think that talking with them reminded them to take a look around. I think it did because they really seemed to like us and they invited us back today to harvest some bread fruit in their yard and eat some with them.
I think Sarah and I are going to take the resort kayak down to the pearl place to visit with them, an then....we will will see what the day brings.
Today I will be posting some photos of local flowers, the resort cats, and the waterfall. The yellow cat we call MC (mangy cat) and the other is call VC (vacation cat). Sarah wants to take care of them, but they seem fine to me, and I don't think they need any food from us, since there are chickens literally everywhere on the island. In fact there are homeless dogs, cats, and chickens running around everywhere. It seems like the cats would keep the chicken population in check, but I think there is so much fresh fruit to eat, that none of the animals are in need.
Check out Facebook for the full spread of photos.
Wednesday night the hotel had a polynesian dancing troupe give us half-hour show and it was fun. I wasn't too excited to attend because I have seen some pretty extravagant shows (from when I was a kid in Hawaii) and they were long, and after the first 30 minutes or so, boring. This was just the right length and it included some audience participation. Both Sarah and I were selected, among about a dozen, to participate. It was cute and not too embarrassing.
After the show we went to the resort restaurant and had some very nice food. Just right. Again, we were all tired from the day and hit the hay early, excited to sleep in today. Of course we were all up early, around 7a, and trying to figure out what to do for the day.
Thursday was Richard's last day with us and we wanted to see the rest of the island, so we rented a small car and took off around the island around 9:30a. We took a little road up the Opunohu Valley toward a lookout called Belvedere. From it you could look down both the Opunohu Valley and the Opunohu Bay and the Paopao Valley and Cook's Bay. Kind of cool to see both in the same view.
We saw a couple of archaeological sights dating back to the 13th century. One of the sights was an ancient archery platform from which the inhabitants had contests. The other was an ancient dwelling. Brian Davis would be loving it.
From Belvedere we headed back down to the bay and drove around the island. We made one stop to check out a large waterfall. It was about a 15 minute hike up a moderate to easy trail to the falls and it was worth it. I even stripped down to my skivvies and took a waterfall shower. It was fun.
We stopped and bought some cuban cigars, had some pizza for lunch, and then came back to the resort to relax on the patio until Richard's departure. It is about a 15 minute drive to the ferry from our resort, so at four o'clock we took Richard to the ferry and dropped him off. Once he gets home, back in Chicago, he will have 23 hours before he heads to Nevada to see his parents. He is literally going from one vacation to another.
Sarah and stopped at a small black pearl store on the way back to the resort. Muk, the owner of our resort, told us it was the only place on the island that would not rip us off, and that the owners were very nice. He was right. We spent a little over an hour there looking at pearls and talking to the gal who runs the shop and her brother who is the jeweler.
We got to learn a lot about how the Mooreans feel about the French (they don't like them much) and a little about life in paradise. They are probably a lot like most Alaskans; they don't really see the splendor in which they live. I think that talking with them reminded them to take a look around. I think it did because they really seemed to like us and they invited us back today to harvest some bread fruit in their yard and eat some with them.
I think Sarah and I are going to take the resort kayak down to the pearl place to visit with them, an then....we will will see what the day brings.
Today I will be posting some photos of local flowers, the resort cats, and the waterfall. The yellow cat we call MC (mangy cat) and the other is call VC (vacation cat). Sarah wants to take care of them, but they seem fine to me, and I don't think they need any food from us, since there are chickens literally everywhere on the island. In fact there are homeless dogs, cats, and chickens running around everywhere. It seems like the cats would keep the chicken population in check, but I think there is so much fresh fruit to eat, that none of the animals are in need.
Check out Facebook for the full spread of photos.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Wave Runners and Stingrays
It has been a good time since my last posting. Last night we had dinner with an older couple from the LA area and it was marvelous. Great food and great company....there was even a pretty good father-daughter music act who did a pretty nice cover of Simon & Garfunkel. After some cribbage we were all sacked out by 9:30p.
It is a good thing we got to bed early because today has been a whirlwind of island activity. Sarah, Richard, and I have been at it since 7:30a. We started with a couple of dives (our last two) and just finished with a wave runner tour and stingray encounter.
The dives were fairly straight forward between 40-80ft with plenty of tropical fish, black tip sharks, a turtle, and a moray eel to name a few things we saw. Richard is not a certified diver, but after doing an introductory dive yesterday afternoon he was invited to come back and dive with us today! I think he really got a kick out of it. Check out the photos on Facebook! It really was very relaxing. Sarah and I are getting very good a conserving our air, and I think we have really improved our diving skills overall on this trip.
We were returned back to our hotel and had just enough time to grab a hearty lunch before heading out on some wave runners. We went on a tour of Cook's Bay an Opunohu Bay before heading out toward the island that Sarah and I dove off of yesterday. This time, however, we rode on the inside, or the lagoon side, of the island. There we were able to visit with some Stingrays. The were so peaceful and gentle, coming to us to be pet and fed. We spent 15-20 minutes hanging out with them before heading back. What a trip!
Tonight we are going to a special dinner with a Polynesian dance, etc. It should be fun to watch, although I don't think there will be too many folks in attendance. There just aren't many tourists on the island right now. But that should pick up just about the time we leave....perfect.
I don't know what we are going to do tomorrow, but it should be relaxing and fun. TTFN.
It is a good thing we got to bed early because today has been a whirlwind of island activity. Sarah, Richard, and I have been at it since 7:30a. We started with a couple of dives (our last two) and just finished with a wave runner tour and stingray encounter.
The dives were fairly straight forward between 40-80ft with plenty of tropical fish, black tip sharks, a turtle, and a moray eel to name a few things we saw. Richard is not a certified diver, but after doing an introductory dive yesterday afternoon he was invited to come back and dive with us today! I think he really got a kick out of it. Check out the photos on Facebook! It really was very relaxing. Sarah and I are getting very good a conserving our air, and I think we have really improved our diving skills overall on this trip.
We were returned back to our hotel and had just enough time to grab a hearty lunch before heading out on some wave runners. We went on a tour of Cook's Bay an Opunohu Bay before heading out toward the island that Sarah and I dove off of yesterday. This time, however, we rode on the inside, or the lagoon side, of the island. There we were able to visit with some Stingrays. The were so peaceful and gentle, coming to us to be pet and fed. We spent 15-20 minutes hanging out with them before heading back. What a trip!
Tonight we are going to a special dinner with a Polynesian dance, etc. It should be fun to watch, although I don't think there will be too many folks in attendance. There just aren't many tourists on the island right now. But that should pick up just about the time we leave....perfect.
I don't know what we are going to do tomorrow, but it should be relaxing and fun. TTFN.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
R&R in the South Pacific
We are having another fantastic day in paradise. Last night we relaxed at the resort and met the owner, an ex-patriot named Muk. He is a very interesting guy who came here in the 50's and has lived here ever since. He is one of those guys who has the gift of gab and the stories to use it.
He recommended a very nice restaurant that we all thoroughly enjoyed. I love having fresh shrimp, oysters, mussels, etc. The mahi-mahi is excellent here. Served with a nice garlic butter sauce....mmmmmm. For desert we had an open faced pear pie. All Very good. Richard and I played some cribbage before hitting the sack. Sarah was pretty tired and hit bed pretty soon after we got back.
Moorea is a beautiful island, and scuba diving from a boat has allowed us to see a fair amount of it. Yesterday we dove out of a shop located at the Hilton Mooread Lagoon resort. It is located on a peninsula between Cook's Bay (where our hotel is located) and Opunohu Bay. Today we dove out of a resort on the west side of Opunohu Bay called the Intercontinental Beachcomber.
Our first dive was off a little atoll just on the edge of the lagoon and northwest of the resort. The site, called the Tiki, is near a shark cleaning station. At this particular spot Grey Sharks come to have their teeth cleaned by small fish. These fish voluntarily swim into the sharks open mouth in order to get a few morsels that may be lodged in between the shark's teeth. It was was fascinating to have that view, and although we where a good distance away, I managed to get a couple of hazy photos (check out Facebook).
Our second dive was across Opunohu Bay to the east, not to far from where we dove yesterday. We descended on a small volcanic crater and then proceeded to take a tour of some coral canyons. We saw countless tropical fish during the dive, but on our return to the crater we stopped about ten minutes to check out some Clown Fish who viciously protect their patches of anemone. They are incredibly tough little guys for being so small. I was also able to get some nice photos of some Tiger Fish. Very cool.
Richard is off doing a dive inside the lagoon (a place where they take enthusiasts who do not yet have their certification) and Sarah and I are relaxing back the Bali Hai. Later we are going to catch some dinner at a nearby restaurant, and then probably hit the sack early again. I think the latest we have been up is 9:30p. It is just so relaxing.
Tomorrow Sarah and I have two more dives, and then in the afternoon we are all renting wave runners and taking a 2 hour lagoon tour.
He recommended a very nice restaurant that we all thoroughly enjoyed. I love having fresh shrimp, oysters, mussels, etc. The mahi-mahi is excellent here. Served with a nice garlic butter sauce....mmmmmm. For desert we had an open faced pear pie. All Very good. Richard and I played some cribbage before hitting the sack. Sarah was pretty tired and hit bed pretty soon after we got back.
Moorea is a beautiful island, and scuba diving from a boat has allowed us to see a fair amount of it. Yesterday we dove out of a shop located at the Hilton Mooread Lagoon resort. It is located on a peninsula between Cook's Bay (where our hotel is located) and Opunohu Bay. Today we dove out of a resort on the west side of Opunohu Bay called the Intercontinental Beachcomber.
Our first dive was off a little atoll just on the edge of the lagoon and northwest of the resort. The site, called the Tiki, is near a shark cleaning station. At this particular spot Grey Sharks come to have their teeth cleaned by small fish. These fish voluntarily swim into the sharks open mouth in order to get a few morsels that may be lodged in between the shark's teeth. It was was fascinating to have that view, and although we where a good distance away, I managed to get a couple of hazy photos (check out Facebook).
Our second dive was across Opunohu Bay to the east, not to far from where we dove yesterday. We descended on a small volcanic crater and then proceeded to take a tour of some coral canyons. We saw countless tropical fish during the dive, but on our return to the crater we stopped about ten minutes to check out some Clown Fish who viciously protect their patches of anemone. They are incredibly tough little guys for being so small. I was also able to get some nice photos of some Tiger Fish. Very cool.
Richard is off doing a dive inside the lagoon (a place where they take enthusiasts who do not yet have their certification) and Sarah and I are relaxing back the Bali Hai. Later we are going to catch some dinner at a nearby restaurant, and then probably hit the sack early again. I think the latest we have been up is 9:30p. It is just so relaxing.
Tomorrow Sarah and I have two more dives, and then in the afternoon we are all renting wave runners and taking a 2 hour lagoon tour.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Diving & Adventure
Since my last entry we have had a lot of fun and adventure. We all ate in last night and made some pasta and generally relaxed. This morning Sarah and I got up and had a quick breakfast before being picked up by the dive center van and whisked away to our first warm water diving.
On the first of two dives we saw Black Tip Sharks, Lemon Sharks, and Grey Sharks, as well as hundreds of tropical fish. The sharks were very docile and not at all aggressive. I don't think a shark came within 30 feet of us. On the other hand I had a Beaked Sea Turtle swim right up to me. I have couple of photos of the it right in front of me. The dive master had Sarah feed it and I have a picture of that as well. All photos can be seen on Facebook.
On our second dive we went to a different part of the reef and saw more Black Tip and Grey sharks and more tropical fish. They are so colorful and amazing to swim with. It really was worth all of those cold dives in Seward and Whittier.
The best part about diving in warm water is the fact that we have much less gear on and much less weight to deal with. Sarah and I are literally carrying 1/4 the weight needed when in a dry suit. All in all we were in the water about an hour.
After diving we came back to the room and rented some scooters, but after taking a small spill, I made everyone nervous and we are returning them. I have a small scratch on my right arm but I am non the worse for wear. The scooter is now missing the plastic on the right tail light. Whoops.
I think we are going to go out for dinner tonight, but either way, it has been a fantastic day. Back at you tomorrow.
On the first of two dives we saw Black Tip Sharks, Lemon Sharks, and Grey Sharks, as well as hundreds of tropical fish. The sharks were very docile and not at all aggressive. I don't think a shark came within 30 feet of us. On the other hand I had a Beaked Sea Turtle swim right up to me. I have couple of photos of the it right in front of me. The dive master had Sarah feed it and I have a picture of that as well. All photos can be seen on Facebook.
On our second dive we went to a different part of the reef and saw more Black Tip and Grey sharks and more tropical fish. They are so colorful and amazing to swim with. It really was worth all of those cold dives in Seward and Whittier.
The best part about diving in warm water is the fact that we have much less gear on and much less weight to deal with. Sarah and I are literally carrying 1/4 the weight needed when in a dry suit. All in all we were in the water about an hour.
After diving we came back to the room and rented some scooters, but after taking a small spill, I made everyone nervous and we are returning them. I have a small scratch on my right arm but I am non the worse for wear. The scooter is now missing the plastic on the right tail light. Whoops.
I think we are going to go out for dinner tonight, but either way, it has been a fantastic day. Back at you tomorrow.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Paradise
After a long flight from LA we made it to Tahiti. The flight itself was only about 8 hours, but we had to sit on the tarmac at the airport in LA for an extra 1.5 hours while they fiddled with baggage.
Once we landed, Sarah and made our way to Richard's hotel in Papeete. From there the three of us walked over to the ferry terminal and caught our ride to Moorea. We took a taxi to our hotel here at Club Bali Hai. The rooms are far from extravagant, but the view is to die for. I got a nice photo of the view from our patio.
We have mostly been hanging out, although we did make a trek to the local grocery to get some food for dinner & breakfast. After the walk to the store I took a nap, but Sarah woke me up to catch a photo of Coconut Crab coming up from it's beachfront hole.
We relaxed a bit around the pool and then made some dinner. We went to bed around 9:30p and then got up today around 8a. I went to find some wi-fi. Which was a struggle, but I think I am hooked up for a few days.
Today, after lunch we all went for a swim and some snorkeling right in front of our hotel. I got a couple of photos.
It is a little hard to take photographs from above the fish. Tomorrow we go scuba diving, I am pumped. Hopefully some more photos tomorrow. All photos are on Facebook. I am having a hard time getting them on this blog.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Once we landed, Sarah and made our way to Richard's hotel in Papeete. From there the three of us walked over to the ferry terminal and caught our ride to Moorea. We took a taxi to our hotel here at Club Bali Hai. The rooms are far from extravagant, but the view is to die for. I got a nice photo of the view from our patio.
We have mostly been hanging out, although we did make a trek to the local grocery to get some food for dinner & breakfast. After the walk to the store I took a nap, but Sarah woke me up to catch a photo of Coconut Crab coming up from it's beachfront hole.
We relaxed a bit around the pool and then made some dinner. We went to bed around 9:30p and then got up today around 8a. I went to find some wi-fi. Which was a struggle, but I think I am hooked up for a few days.
Today, after lunch we all went for a swim and some snorkeling right in front of our hotel. I got a couple of photos.
It is a little hard to take photographs from above the fish. Tomorrow we go scuba diving, I am pumped. Hopefully some more photos tomorrow. All photos are on Facebook. I am having a hard time getting them on this blog.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, December 10, 2010
Vacation Part Deux
Well, Sarah and I are in LAX and waiting to get on our Air France flight to Papeete, Tahiti. It has been a nice day with some wine tasting, some beautiful stretched of highway, etc.
We visited the Andrew Murray vineyards tasting room (he was mentioned in Sideways and we share a last name, what can I say). He wines were very nice.
From there we stopped into an Olive Oil tasting room. I had never done an olive oil tasting, so we gave it a spin. We tried 4 different kinds of extra virgin olive oil and 5 kinds of flavor infused olive oil. There were some really nice ones, and Sarah bought a six pack to send back home via her parents.
Next we visited the Rideau Vineyard/Winery just down the road. It was recommended in the Lonely Planet California guide book. It was ok, but they were all a little busy getting ready for a Christmas party that they are having tomorrow. There were a couple that we really liked despite the distracted pourers.
We then hit the road to get back to LA and our flight to Tahiti. We had enough time that I drove us back via the Pacific Coast Hwy. It is a very scenic stretch of highway that takes you along a vast stretch of beautiful beaches, including the Malibu area. We stopped along the way to watch some kite surfers. These guys were really moving fast! They used their huge chute/wing to catch the wind and rip across the ocean and surf at break neck speeds. We watched them for around 15 minutes and saw one guy who managed to really get a lot of air on more than one occasion. Very cool to watch.
By then it was time to start thinking about getting to the airport. We were really early, but the traffic was very heavy and we thought it best to not chance it. Anyway, we checked in and are sitting at the gate waiting for our flight.
I will attempt to make entries as wifi allows while we are in Tahiti. Hope to write again soon.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We visited the Andrew Murray vineyards tasting room (he was mentioned in Sideways and we share a last name, what can I say). He wines were very nice.
From there we stopped into an Olive Oil tasting room. I had never done an olive oil tasting, so we gave it a spin. We tried 4 different kinds of extra virgin olive oil and 5 kinds of flavor infused olive oil. There were some really nice ones, and Sarah bought a six pack to send back home via her parents.
Next we visited the Rideau Vineyard/Winery just down the road. It was recommended in the Lonely Planet California guide book. It was ok, but they were all a little busy getting ready for a Christmas party that they are having tomorrow. There were a couple that we really liked despite the distracted pourers.
We then hit the road to get back to LA and our flight to Tahiti. We had enough time that I drove us back via the Pacific Coast Hwy. It is a very scenic stretch of highway that takes you along a vast stretch of beautiful beaches, including the Malibu area. We stopped along the way to watch some kite surfers. These guys were really moving fast! They used their huge chute/wing to catch the wind and rip across the ocean and surf at break neck speeds. We watched them for around 15 minutes and saw one guy who managed to really get a lot of air on more than one occasion. Very cool to watch.
By then it was time to start thinking about getting to the airport. We were really early, but the traffic was very heavy and we thought it best to not chance it. Anyway, we checked in and are sitting at the gate waiting for our flight.
I will attempt to make entries as wifi allows while we are in Tahiti. Hope to write again soon.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:World Way,Los Angeles,United States
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Sideways - Day 2
Well we got up around 9a and took our time getting ready for a late breakfast at Pea Soup Andersen's in Buelton. I did have some split pea soup with my breakfast. It was very good. I recommend it with your next breakfast :)
From there we began our 2nd day of wine tasting through Sideways wine country. We started at the north end of Ballard Canyon Road and worked our way south toward Los Olivos and Solvang.
Ballard Canyon Road is incredibly picturesque with beautiful rolling hills in a smooth rolling valley just east of Los Olivos. Our 1st stop was at Rusack Winery and I think both Sarah and I were stunned at the flavors and the views. Not a bad wine in the entire flight of those that we tasted. I am definitely considering a membership in their wine club.
We then went east and stopped at Beckmen Vineyard. Another very nice tasting. A very modest tasting room and very nice pourer. He recommended Bridlewood which is just down the road from Beckmen. The wines were ok, but the grounds were amazing, so we stopped and had lunch and soaked in the view and sun.
From there we stopped at Blackjack, which was featured in the movie sideways. It was a nice tasting and a very good conversation with the pourer who was very knowledgable about everything from the horticulture to the crush to the art in creating the wines themselves.
Our final stop was at Kalyra just southeast of Solvang. This is the tasting room that Jack and Miles met up with Sandra Oh's character in Sideways. The wine was good, but at that point we were ready to rest up before dinner at the Hitching Post in Buelton.
After about 2 hours of resting up, we went to the Hitching Post and had an amazing meal. Sarah had quail and I had a filet mignon. We had a ridiculously delicious appetizer of chanterelle mushrooms in some sort of wine reduction. It was amazing.
That meal made me need a good 15 minute walk before settling in for the evening. Check out today's photos at Facebook. Tomorrow we head back to LA to catch our flight to Tahiti, so we may not have a posting. See you the next day for sure.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
From there we began our 2nd day of wine tasting through Sideways wine country. We started at the north end of Ballard Canyon Road and worked our way south toward Los Olivos and Solvang.
Ballard Canyon Road is incredibly picturesque with beautiful rolling hills in a smooth rolling valley just east of Los Olivos. Our 1st stop was at Rusack Winery and I think both Sarah and I were stunned at the flavors and the views. Not a bad wine in the entire flight of those that we tasted. I am definitely considering a membership in their wine club.
We then went east and stopped at Beckmen Vineyard. Another very nice tasting. A very modest tasting room and very nice pourer. He recommended Bridlewood which is just down the road from Beckmen. The wines were ok, but the grounds were amazing, so we stopped and had lunch and soaked in the view and sun.
From there we stopped at Blackjack, which was featured in the movie sideways. It was a nice tasting and a very good conversation with the pourer who was very knowledgable about everything from the horticulture to the crush to the art in creating the wines themselves.
Our final stop was at Kalyra just southeast of Solvang. This is the tasting room that Jack and Miles met up with Sandra Oh's character in Sideways. The wine was good, but at that point we were ready to rest up before dinner at the Hitching Post in Buelton.
After about 2 hours of resting up, we went to the Hitching Post and had an amazing meal. Sarah had quail and I had a filet mignon. We had a ridiculously delicious appetizer of chanterelle mushrooms in some sort of wine reduction. It was amazing.
That meal made me need a good 15 minute walk before settling in for the evening. Check out today's photos at Facebook. Tomorrow we head back to LA to catch our flight to Tahiti, so we may not have a posting. See you the next day for sure.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Copenhagen Dr,Solvang,United States
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Sideways - Day 1
We began our day eating at the Solvang Restaurant. This is the same restaurant that Miles and Jack ate at their first morning in the movie. From their we made our way to a grocery store to pick up some picnic items for later. On the way to the store we stopped and took a gander at some Ostriches at the local farm. They look delicious.
We started at the Sanford winery and then drove over to Foxen Canyon Road. On Foxen Canyon Road we stopped at Rancho Sisquoc Winery, Foxen Winery, and Fess Parker Winery. They were all nice, but Sarah and I really liked Foxen. The tasting room is literally a shack on the side of the road. The wine was excellent. Foxen just built a new tasting room about 500 feet further down the road from the original shack, but they are keeping the shack open....it has too much character to get rid of, which makes me happy.
After Foxen, but before Fess Parker, we stopped on the side of the road and ate hummus, olives, cheese, pita bread, and salami....it was delicious after tasting wine for a couple of hours.
Fess Parker was the actor who played Davey Crocket in the Disney movies. He parlayed his fame into a nice winery. In the movie Sideways it was the scene where Miles had his melt down and drank from the wine "spittoons". The wine was fine, but there was a neighbor Jack Russel Terrior who is kind of the tasting room mascot. He found us and pretty much hung out with us during our tasting. It was all I could do to keep Sarah from buying a coon skin cap (just kidding).
We came back to the hotel and relaxed for a couple of hours before heading to dinner at the very nice Los Olivos Cafe'. The food was very nice. I had the pan seared duck and Sarah had the ravioli. We are both stuffed.
We are already looking forward to Sideways - day 2. Check out Facebook for photos of the Ostrich farm.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We started at the Sanford winery and then drove over to Foxen Canyon Road. On Foxen Canyon Road we stopped at Rancho Sisquoc Winery, Foxen Winery, and Fess Parker Winery. They were all nice, but Sarah and I really liked Foxen. The tasting room is literally a shack on the side of the road. The wine was excellent. Foxen just built a new tasting room about 500 feet further down the road from the original shack, but they are keeping the shack open....it has too much character to get rid of, which makes me happy.
After Foxen, but before Fess Parker, we stopped on the side of the road and ate hummus, olives, cheese, pita bread, and salami....it was delicious after tasting wine for a couple of hours.
Fess Parker was the actor who played Davey Crocket in the Disney movies. He parlayed his fame into a nice winery. In the movie Sideways it was the scene where Miles had his melt down and drank from the wine "spittoons". The wine was fine, but there was a neighbor Jack Russel Terrior who is kind of the tasting room mascot. He found us and pretty much hung out with us during our tasting. It was all I could do to keep Sarah from buying a coon skin cap (just kidding).
We came back to the hotel and relaxed for a couple of hours before heading to dinner at the very nice Los Olivos Cafe'. The food was very nice. I had the pan seared duck and Sarah had the ravioli. We are both stuffed.
We are already looking forward to Sideways - day 2. Check out Facebook for photos of the Ostrich farm.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Copenhagen Dr,Solvang,United States
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Presidential Library and Danish Country
We are both tired from traveling, but are feeling great about being on our vacation. Using Dollar Rent-a-car out of LAX is a bit of a hassle, but once we got on the road, we have had pretty smooth sailing.
We drove from LA to Simi Valley and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. We saw a portion of the Berlin Wall, Marine 1, and Air Force 1. It is the actual Air Force 1 used by all of the presidents from Ford through Bush 2. We were able to tour the inside which was quite an experience.
We toured an exact replica of the Oval Office as it was during Reagan's presidency. We also saw a miniature of the White House that is precisely scaled and is constantly updated to include the changes made during each presidency. It was fascinating looking through the window of the White House and seeing scaled versions of paintings and photographs that are on the wall of the actual White House.
From the Reagan Library we drove to Solvang and our hotel. We are both bushed, but got a dinner at a local cafe. Tomorrow we plan on packing a picnic lunch and heading out on the local wine trail. We have reservations at the Los Olivos Cafe (as seen in Sideways).
Check out our photos from today at Facebook. Below is our photo taken at the door of Air Force 1.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We drove from LA to Simi Valley and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. We saw a portion of the Berlin Wall, Marine 1, and Air Force 1. It is the actual Air Force 1 used by all of the presidents from Ford through Bush 2. We were able to tour the inside which was quite an experience.
We toured an exact replica of the Oval Office as it was during Reagan's presidency. We also saw a miniature of the White House that is precisely scaled and is constantly updated to include the changes made during each presidency. It was fascinating looking through the window of the White House and seeing scaled versions of paintings and photographs that are on the wall of the actual White House.
From the Reagan Library we drove to Solvang and our hotel. We are both bushed, but got a dinner at a local cafe. Tomorrow we plan on packing a picnic lunch and heading out on the local wine trail. We have reservations at the Los Olivos Cafe (as seen in Sideways).
Check out our photos from today at Facebook. Below is our photo taken at the door of Air Force 1.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Copenhagen Dr,Solvang,United States
Vacation Bound
Sarah and I are on our 2nd great journey together. My last post concluded our wedding trip in the great American Southwest. This vacation will see us in Tahiti by way of Santa Barbara wine country.
From Anchorage we fly to LA (through Seattle). Once in LA we will be driving strait to Sideways country and a hotel in Solvang, CA. If you have seen the movie you know that we are going to have a great time.
This Friday we head back to LA and our plane to Tahiti. We will meet up with our friend Richard and spend a little over a week on the island of Mo'orea scuba diving, sunning ourselves, and generally relaxing.
Stay tuned! I will attempt to post daily and this time I should be able to include some photos.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
From Anchorage we fly to LA (through Seattle). Once in LA we will be driving strait to Sideways country and a hotel in Solvang, CA. If you have seen the movie you know that we are going to have a great time.
This Friday we head back to LA and our plane to Tahiti. We will meet up with our friend Richard and spend a little over a week on the island of Mo'orea scuba diving, sunning ourselves, and generally relaxing.
Stay tuned! I will attempt to post daily and this time I should be able to include some photos.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Tower Rd,Anchorage,United States
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Bidding a Fond Farewell
Sarah and I are in the Sonny Bono terminal at the Palm Springs airport, and our flight is delayed about 40 minutes. More than enough time to make a final wedding trip update, especially since I failed to male a post yesterday.
We started yesterday with a walk over London Bridge. A little weird, and obviously the touristy thing to do, but when in Lake Havasu City....
From there we turned south toward the Parker Dam. It seemed pretty petite and cute compared to the Hoover Dam. The road from the dam was a "scenic byway", so we stayed on it and were quickly rewarded with a wild animal sighting. That's right, we saw wild Burros. Including a very cute burrito.
The family of three was grazing about 50 yards off the road on a hillside. We stopped and took several photos. Very exciting!
From there we crossed into California on CA62. It was an 80+ mile trip through some foresaken desert landscape. We passes by several old military desert training area that were marked with monuments. I don't know if they are still used, but I could imagine our soldiers toiling away in the heat preparing for Iraq or Afghanistan.
We drove straight through to our hotel in Rancho Mirage just outside of Palm Springs. We were both happy to be done with any more major driving for a while.
Today we checked out of out hotel and caught an early showing of "Up in the Air", starring George Clooney. It was a pretty entertaining movie about a guy who travels around the country a a guy who fires people for a living. His life's goal is to earn 10 million air miles. He, of course, finds out this is not really what will make him happy....blah, blah, blah. I won't spoil it for you, but definitely check it out when it comes out on video.
After that we caught some lunch and killed some time by wandering around a mall and then an outlet mall. Yawn! Sarah did find herself some items at Victoria's Secret, but that was about it.
Now we are on our way home! We are both ready to stop living out of suitcases for a while. We are also ready to see the pets and get back to our normal schedule. I'll have to come back and read this the next time I feel burned out.
Anyway, thanks for reading during our great wedding adventure through the great Southwest.
Mobile Blogging from here.
We started yesterday with a walk over London Bridge. A little weird, and obviously the touristy thing to do, but when in Lake Havasu City....
From there we turned south toward the Parker Dam. It seemed pretty petite and cute compared to the Hoover Dam. The road from the dam was a "scenic byway", so we stayed on it and were quickly rewarded with a wild animal sighting. That's right, we saw wild Burros. Including a very cute burrito.
The family of three was grazing about 50 yards off the road on a hillside. We stopped and took several photos. Very exciting!
From there we crossed into California on CA62. It was an 80+ mile trip through some foresaken desert landscape. We passes by several old military desert training area that were marked with monuments. I don't know if they are still used, but I could imagine our soldiers toiling away in the heat preparing for Iraq or Afghanistan.
We drove straight through to our hotel in Rancho Mirage just outside of Palm Springs. We were both happy to be done with any more major driving for a while.
Today we checked out of out hotel and caught an early showing of "Up in the Air", starring George Clooney. It was a pretty entertaining movie about a guy who travels around the country a a guy who fires people for a living. His life's goal is to earn 10 million air miles. He, of course, finds out this is not really what will make him happy....blah, blah, blah. I won't spoil it for you, but definitely check it out when it comes out on video.
After that we caught some lunch and killed some time by wandering around a mall and then an outlet mall. Yawn! Sarah did find herself some items at Victoria's Secret, but that was about it.
Now we are on our way home! We are both ready to stop living out of suitcases for a while. We are also ready to see the pets and get back to our normal schedule. I'll have to come back and read this the next time I feel burned out.
Anyway, thanks for reading during our great wedding adventure through the great Southwest.
Mobile Blogging from here.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Not as Petrifying as we thought
Well, I didn't think there would be much to see o. The ride from Holbrook to Lake Havasu City. I was pleasantly suprised.
We started with with the complete drive through the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Park. We saw plenty of petrified wood, but there was also some interesting landscape which includes the Painted Desert. There is red, yellow, and blue mounds of rock and sand that are actually pretty cool to see.
We also saw a Pronghorn Antelope just taking a break in the side of the road. I would have gone right by it, but Sarah was paying attention and saw it. He blended right into the landscape. I think we got some good pictures of it and the landscape within the park.
From there we began our trek on I-40, along the old Route 66. On our way, we realized we were passing the Meteor Crater just outside if Winslow, AZ. On a lark we took a look.
It was incredibly windy, but sunny. I am glad we stopped by, because it was cool to see. I remember reading about it in high school. There were lots of displays and exhibits in an adjacent building.
From there we drove to Flagstaff for lunch at the Cracker Barrel restaurant. Then we pushed hard for about 2.5 hours to Lake Havasu City.
The weather in Lake Havasu is very nice at 70+ degrees. We had an awesome dinner at a place called Mudshark's and now we are going to hit the sack early. Tomorrow we are going to check out London Bridge, which is in Lake Havasu, before heading out to Palm Springs for our last night on the honeymoon.
Mobile Blogging from here.
We started with with the complete drive through the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Park. We saw plenty of petrified wood, but there was also some interesting landscape which includes the Painted Desert. There is red, yellow, and blue mounds of rock and sand that are actually pretty cool to see.
We also saw a Pronghorn Antelope just taking a break in the side of the road. I would have gone right by it, but Sarah was paying attention and saw it. He blended right into the landscape. I think we got some good pictures of it and the landscape within the park.
From there we began our trek on I-40, along the old Route 66. On our way, we realized we were passing the Meteor Crater just outside if Winslow, AZ. On a lark we took a look.
It was incredibly windy, but sunny. I am glad we stopped by, because it was cool to see. I remember reading about it in high school. There were lots of displays and exhibits in an adjacent building.
From there we drove to Flagstaff for lunch at the Cracker Barrel restaurant. Then we pushed hard for about 2.5 hours to Lake Havasu City.
The weather in Lake Havasu is very nice at 70+ degrees. We had an awesome dinner at a place called Mudshark's and now we are going to hit the sack early. Tomorrow we are going to check out London Bridge, which is in Lake Havasu, before heading out to Palm Springs for our last night on the honeymoon.
Mobile Blogging from here.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Painting the way home
Well, I am not sure the rest of out trip will be as visually stunning as the last several days. I say that from our hotel room in Holbrook, AZ....the beginning of our Route 66 return home.
We departed Monument Valley around 11a and drove along the eastern edge of Arizona through to Holbrook. We did see some very beautiful country on the way, but the highlight was the Painted Desert just outside of Holbrook, toward New Mexico.
The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park are adjacent to each other and today we arrived in time to see the sunset on the Painted Desert. On the recommendation of the park ranger we drove straight to Pintado Point. It was very nice with various red shades contrasting with the striking blue sky with scattered clouds.
We did not spend much time in the park this evening because the park was closing. Tomorrow we may spend some time driving the 25 miles through the Petrified Forest. As soon as we finish that we will follow Route 66 to Kingman and the push on to Lake Havasu.
Mobile Blogging from here.
We departed Monument Valley around 11a and drove along the eastern edge of Arizona through to Holbrook. We did see some very beautiful country on the way, but the highlight was the Painted Desert just outside of Holbrook, toward New Mexico.
The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park are adjacent to each other and today we arrived in time to see the sunset on the Painted Desert. On the recommendation of the park ranger we drove straight to Pintado Point. It was very nice with various red shades contrasting with the striking blue sky with scattered clouds.
We did not spend much time in the park this evening because the park was closing. Tomorrow we may spend some time driving the 25 miles through the Petrified Forest. As soon as we finish that we will follow Route 66 to Kingman and the push on to Lake Havasu.
Mobile Blogging from here.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Big Red...Everything
Today Sarah and I set out on the red dirt road loop that tours a small portion of Monument Valley. We saw formations with names like "The Totem", "The Thumb", and "Thunderbird Rock".
We were driving around the middle of the day, and everything was stunning. The formations, in some cases, seem to defy gravity. In other cases the sheer size of them is...well monumental.
The flora and fauna is perfectly stark to match the giant red rocks. The Scrub Oak and Juniper trees really stand out in the alien landscape. We didn't see much wildlife, but we did see some white tailed antelope ground squirrels. We saw a little family of them and got some very cute close-ups.
At several of the scenic viewpoints there were Navajo vendors selling jewelry and other native art. At one of these stops I struck up a conversation with a man who mentioned that he gave guided tours off of the main road. My spidey sense did not go off, so I took him up on his offer to take us on a late afternoon tour.
At 4:30p we took off and saw some of the more scenic spots in the valley. We saw some arches, ancient homes, and got much closer to some of the formations than we would otherwise be able to.
By the end of our guided tour I had taken over 100 photos. I am excited to see them when we get home. Other than that we did not do much to write home about.
Tomorrow we make our way to Holbrook, AZ to begin our small tour along a portion of Route 66. We may detour through a national monument on the way. Either way, we will be traveling through the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest.
Mobile Blogging from here.
We were driving around the middle of the day, and everything was stunning. The formations, in some cases, seem to defy gravity. In other cases the sheer size of them is...well monumental.
The flora and fauna is perfectly stark to match the giant red rocks. The Scrub Oak and Juniper trees really stand out in the alien landscape. We didn't see much wildlife, but we did see some white tailed antelope ground squirrels. We saw a little family of them and got some very cute close-ups.
At several of the scenic viewpoints there were Navajo vendors selling jewelry and other native art. At one of these stops I struck up a conversation with a man who mentioned that he gave guided tours off of the main road. My spidey sense did not go off, so I took him up on his offer to take us on a late afternoon tour.
At 4:30p we took off and saw some of the more scenic spots in the valley. We saw some arches, ancient homes, and got much closer to some of the formations than we would otherwise be able to.
By the end of our guided tour I had taken over 100 photos. I am excited to see them when we get home. Other than that we did not do much to write home about.
Tomorrow we make our way to Holbrook, AZ to begin our small tour along a portion of Route 66. We may detour through a national monument on the way. Either way, we will be traveling through the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest.
Mobile Blogging from here.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Tweener Day
Today was primarily a travel day from the Gran Canyon to Monument Valley. We had a little taste of everything in between the two.
We got a couple last glimpses from the eastern part of the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It is a great way to view the canyon in the morning.
Just past the national park we were able to see the Little Colorado in what appeared to be the beginnings of that end of the Grand Canyon. We stopped in Cameron, AZ and then crossed over the Little Colorado on our way to the northeast part of the state and the town of Kayenta.
As we approached Kayenta Sarah was napping. We were passing through red rock mountains and start rolling red rock landscape. It was great to see green trees growing in spot and strips along the contours of the slopes.
Just about 20 miles from Kayenta we were across the state line into Utah and in Monument Valley. We saw many of the giant rock formations rising through the high desert. We were early in passing through, so we decided to head to the Natural Bridges National Monument and make our way back to the hotel in Monument Valley.
On our way to the bridges we turned on a scenic byway and to the long way. We saw amazing vistas. The view was of The Valley of the Gods. Very appropriately named I must say.
The Natural Bridges were a little disappointing. The was too much ice and snow on the trails to get to the bridges. We were able to see all three, but only at a distance. After a short tour, we left and went back Monument Valley....the short way.
We got back just before sunset, which allowed us a brief glimpse of the stunning red rock formations. We are looking forward to seeing more of them tomorrow.
The View Hotel is brand spanking new and very nice. Each room has a great view of "The Mittens" which are three high rising rock formations just inside the park on the Navajo reservation. The will be quite a sight tomorrow.
We are planning a drive into the park and doing some sight seeing. Tomorrow will be a more restful day.
Mobile Blogging from here.
We got a couple last glimpses from the eastern part of the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It is a great way to view the canyon in the morning.
Just past the national park we were able to see the Little Colorado in what appeared to be the beginnings of that end of the Grand Canyon. We stopped in Cameron, AZ and then crossed over the Little Colorado on our way to the northeast part of the state and the town of Kayenta.
As we approached Kayenta Sarah was napping. We were passing through red rock mountains and start rolling red rock landscape. It was great to see green trees growing in spot and strips along the contours of the slopes.
Just about 20 miles from Kayenta we were across the state line into Utah and in Monument Valley. We saw many of the giant rock formations rising through the high desert. We were early in passing through, so we decided to head to the Natural Bridges National Monument and make our way back to the hotel in Monument Valley.
On our way to the bridges we turned on a scenic byway and to the long way. We saw amazing vistas. The view was of The Valley of the Gods. Very appropriately named I must say.
The Natural Bridges were a little disappointing. The was too much ice and snow on the trails to get to the bridges. We were able to see all three, but only at a distance. After a short tour, we left and went back Monument Valley....the short way.
We got back just before sunset, which allowed us a brief glimpse of the stunning red rock formations. We are looking forward to seeing more of them tomorrow.
The View Hotel is brand spanking new and very nice. Each room has a great view of "The Mittens" which are three high rising rock formations just inside the park on the Navajo reservation. The will be quite a sight tomorrow.
We are planning a drive into the park and doing some sight seeing. Tomorrow will be a more restful day.
Mobile Blogging from here.
