Happy Camper!

Dirty finger nails, starry nights, flickering camp fire, and S’mores… camping is a summer tradition and one I look forward to each year. Once the weather warms enough to venture into the high country for a bit of peace and quiet we pack up our tent, camp stove and sleeping bags for free and filthy fun.

The 4^th of July weekend was our maiden voyage this year. We're staunch tent campers as it allows for the purest wilderness experience. The beauty of camping, for me, is connecting with nature. We set up camp at an impromptu spot in a national forest, beside a babbling brook, under quaking aspen trees and stately pines; away from the clamor of the city…it was blissful and restorative.   

Some of my favorite summer memories are from campsites- roughing it with nothing but a tent and a change of clothes…
1- Backpacking and camping in a tiny red tent throughout Europe.
My very favorite camping was while backpacking in Europe. My husband and I were there for three months with very little money. Rather than shortening our trip due to dwindling funds, we were frugal with our accommodation. We purchased a small red tent in Florence, Italy and stayed in our little casa throughout our continental travels. We scorched in Rome’s summer heat, froze amidst Amsterdam’s heavy rains and experienced everything in between.

While definitely not the most comfortable way to travel, we saw Europe and were able to stay for an entire summer. We met incredible people and had the freedom to roam without needing hotel reservations or plans of any kind.

Freezing in our tent in the Netherlands

No-frills accommodation

2- Camping Along the C&O Canal.

Several years ago we camped along the C&O Canal with a group of good friends. We hiked in a couple of miles, along a dusty trail and stayed along the banks of the canal in Maryland. We jumped in the cool waters and retreated from the muggy summer heat.  We floated carefree along with the currents for miles downriver. We hiked back to camp, made dinner together, shared stories late into the night, and made unforgettable memories.  
Camping is an activity best shared with good friends- especially hilarious, fun-loving, adventurer types. Thanks Chip and Jean!

Camp Site, C&O Canal

3- San Juan Whitewater River Rafting.

My most precious camping memory is with my husband and father-in-law while rafting the San Juan River, a tributary of the Colorado River. We started the eighty-four mile trip in Bluff and ended in Mexican Hat, Utah. Each day we rafted the meandering whitewater and lively currents along the most breathtaking scenery of the American Southwest. We paddled past rainbow colored rock and floated over glass-like polished limestone pools. A stray dog, that we affectionately named Juanita, followed us for four days as if even she knew what fun we were having. As we floated in our little yellow kayak ducky, the sound of our laughter reverberated off those high canyon walls. We laughed so hard that if you listen very closely it echoes even still, imprinted on those chasms forever. There’s a sense of permanence, unity, and everlasting happiness that I took from the time we all spent together on the San Juan. The trip was ephemeral but the memories will last my lifetime.

Aerial view of the San Juan River

As American as Apple Pie?

Barbeque is as American as Apple Pie or is it? While North Carolina, Texas, and Kansas City throw down as to whom has the juiciest, most flavorful, tender meat…we’re not the only ones who embrace cooking over smoke and fire- caveman style.

Recently I had the pleasure of travelling to the legendary Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City, considered by many to be the best barbeque in the United States. Founded in 1908, the unpretentious restaurant has, over the years, established the reputation for its full range of barbeque dishes and most specifically the burnt ends. These lovely, charred brisket tips are seasoned, sauced and served on a giant heaping sandwich.

Kansas City Burnt Ends

My experience at Arthur Bryant’s had me feeling pretty proud of us Americans. This was delicious, no-frills, real American cuisine. Every red blooded American is a BBQ aficionado- it’s in our genetic makeup. BBQ is synonymous with friends, summertime block parties, and beer.

True enough, BBQ is an important part of our national heritage and cuisine. However, Americans don’t have a monopoly on the concept.  People across the globe share a pride in their barbeque and as far as I’m concerned, the more the merrier.

Barbeque is a much disputed term. While both methods are performed over fire or smoke- experts differentiate by length of cooking time and temperature of the heat. Generally barbeque is defined as low and slow and grilling as high and fast.  For the sake of multicultural harmony let’s define barbeque as the social convention that brings carnivores together over the love of meat!

Argentina/Uruguay: BBQ in Argentina is called asado and cooked on a parilla, a grate that sits above burning coals. The legendary cuisine of once wide-ranging gauchos is just as popular today with ordinary folk. The typical asado meats include chorizos, ribs, beef, chicken, lamb, goatling.

Asado

Brazil: Churrasco is similar to the technique used in Argentina and Uruguay. A Churrascaria is a restaurant that specializes in Churrasco and offers all you can eat portions of meats such as chicken heart, sausages, flank steak, and top sirloin. While the meat is center stage don't miss pao de qeijo- cheese buns that often accompany churrasco. 

South Africa: Barbeque in South Africa, Braai, was introduced by Dutch immigrants has become a tradition that has crossed racial lines in South Africa. Like most BBQ traditions, Braai is a social event that brings people together. The types of meats barbequed demonstrate the amalgamation of cultural influences- sausages, kebabs, and steak are standard fare.

Australia: Ever heard the term ‘Barbie’? Aussies have coined the nickname and are enthusiastic about barbeque. Burgers and prawns are popular items cooked over Oz’s many grills. Burger on Bondi Beach anyone?

Shrimp on the Barbie

Korean: Unlike many of its counterparts, Korean barbeque is served almost exclusively in a restaurant setting. Guests surround a small grill that is placed atop the table and served raw meet to grill that hisses in the middle of the table. Garlic-soy marinated beef, pork and chicken is typical fare.

Korean BBQ

India: Tandori is a barbeque-like cuisine served in southern, western and central Asia but most popularly in India. A Tandoor is a cylindrical-shaped clay oven that contains charcoal or wood fire. Meat on skewers and flatbread stuck to the side is exposed to radiant heat which cooks it.

Tandoor

Caribbean: Jerk is Jamaica’s take on barbeque. Dry-rubbed pork, goat, chicken, lamb, beef, fish and shellfish are cooked in a steel drum jerk pan. The dry rub is generally very flavorful and typically contains Scotch Bonnet peppers, pimento, cayenne, cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic and salt.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

-“Beam me up Scotty. There is no good barbecue on this planet.” – James T. Kirk 

Surely Captain Kirk couldn’t have been talking about Earth because as the world turns- grills, pits, tandoors and steel drums sizzle with delectable meat.  Go forth and enjoy the international offerings of meaty goodness.

Globe Grill by Inhabitat

Have you had outstanding barbeque stateside or abroad? I’d love to hear from you! Where to go and what to eat?

Photos: iminthekitchen.com, blog.travelpod.com, wineexpedition.com, 100thingstodoinla.com, ajantaindiancuisine.com, inhabit.com

Astrid y Gaston

And the award for the best lunch I've ever eaten goes to....drum roll please...Astrid y Gaston in Lima, Peru!

In conjunction with Oscar season and the newly announced winners, I can't help but hypothetically hand out my own awards for outstanding performances. There are so many people that deserve recognition and Gaston Acurio, chef and owner of Astrid y Gaston, is one I'd like to acknowledge, praise, and thank for an unforgettable three-hour, mid-day feast and some of the best food I've experienced in the world.

My husband and I entered a taxi at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru. The car took us along a series of congested streets, past dire poverty, a labyrinth of whirling cars and motorcycles, and then through a seemingly abandoned neighborhood of narrow corridors and ominous characters. Palm trees danced to the rhythmic honking of car horns and the howl of the gusty sea breeze.

We entered the barrio (neighborhood) of Miraflores, an upper crust district of Lima famous for shopping, gardens, flower-filled parks, beaches and restaurants. After a turbulent ride, I stepped out of the car at Astrid y Gaston, ranked the 42^nd best restaurant in the world by 2011’s San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Guide, widely considered the ‘Oscars of the Restaurant World’.

It was an honor to step into Gaston Acurio’s flagship restaurant. We were seated at a table in a cozy room, reminiscent of a 1920s style French mansion. The menu is French-influenced Nuevo Andino. Acurio features seasonal Peruvian fare, with exceptional fusion specialties. We started out with Peru’s national cocktail, Pisco sour, and perused the comprehensive menu. The aperitif was potent, properly frothed, sour and sweet. After a couple refreshing swigs, we decided on the three-hour, 12 course tasting menu to try a sampling of the best on offer.

Pisco Sours

The 20-hour braised veal cheek and potato croquettes deserves an honorable mention but as the Pacific ocean is mere meters away, the seafood certainly stole the spotlight. Highlights from the 12 course meal included...

Love Ceviche- oyster, clam, sea urchin, squid, langoustine, scallop – all served raw together with tiger milk and three different aji (chili) purées. Ceviche is Peru's most famous dish and countless varieties are available throughout the coastal regions of the country. 

Love Ceviche

Peking Cuy- Crispy Guinea Pig with chifa pickles, rocoto hoisin chili sauce and purple corn crepes. Guinea pig (Cuy) is widely eaten all over Peru. I sampled it in other Andean restaurants but this preparation was hands down the most delectable.

Peking Cuy

Sea Urchins for the Soul- squid ink-colored black noodles with sea urchins, crab essence with seaweed and a sea urchin ceviche shot. This dish was truly soulful and embodied the sweet and briny taste of the sea.

Sea Urchins for the Soul

Octopus Cilindro Style- baby octopus marinated in Anticucha sauce with purple olive bubbles and yellow potato cream. Anticuchos are a common street food that date back to colonial times. This is an elevated version that was smokey, salty, creamy and delightful.

Octopus Cilindro Style

Lima is an immigration center, a vibrant melting pot of cultures and the gastronomical capital of South America. A trip to Astrid y Gaston displays the diversity of Peruvian produce, mix of culinary styles and is a not to be missed stop on the itinerary.

Acurio is a master of melange; he incorporates the old with the new, Peruvian ingredients with international flare, formality with playfulness. He creates unique, forward-thinking dishes that will turn any foodie into a fan. Acurio is a South American superstar, largely responsible for putting modern Peruvian cuisine on the map. He's a celebrity truly worthy of a 'Food Oscar'. Buen Provecho!

There's No Place Like 'Ohhhmmm', Away From Home

Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Blogaversary to Faraway Pillow! The blog is 2 today and after nearly 50 posts- hard work, passion, challenges, and ultimate commitment, Mama’s going to the spa! 

Sit back, free your mind, meditate with a choral ‘ohhhmmm’… and allow me to massage your wanderlust with a rundown of rubdowns around the world.

Going to the spa is a special, ephemeral, and meditative experience that I like to indulge in especially on vacation. Sometimes travel from point A to point B; sitting on a cramped airplane in ‘fake air’ for hours on end, hoisting massive suitcases to and fro calls for a massage, facial, or other body treatment. Holiday is a time of presumed gratification, so go on...treat yourself!

I’ve been to all sorts of spas abroad and have had a mixed bag of experiences; from fabulous to frightful, ridiculous to just plain weird. The following experiences were particularly noteworthy…

The strangest and decidedly most uncomfortable massage treatment I ever received was at a Hungarian thermal bath, the last vestige of the Turkish occupation of Budapest.  Some of the city’s 1,300 baths have been used for over 2,000 years and draw tourists and locals alike. The baths are built around naturally occurring hot springs and most offer spa services.

Hungarian Thermal Bath- Budapest

I decided to take advantage of the ancient, and very cheap, services and opted for a massage. I was taken back to a private room by a chatty masseur who was very interested in America and me being an American. He began a full body massage and as his hands grazed my hiney, I started to wander was this the standard treatment for all clientele? As he continued and interjected comments like, ‘you work out, don’t you?’ and ‘are you a cheerleader?’ I began freaking out. As he attempted to untie my bathing suit top to, ‘better access my shoulders’ I was dashing for the door. Oh so Creepy.

A stark contrast to the sleazy Hungarian was my very proper, professional masseuse at the luxury Four Seasons resort in Carmelo, Uruguay. Aside from being highly qualified and trained in various methods of massage, my therapist was a woman… a definite preference due to the aforementioned experience.  I lay down on a terry cloth-covered massage table in a darkened room that smelled of warm citrus. Soft new-age music was in harmony with a gently trickling water fountain. The massage was so calming, it took every effort for me to not fall asleep. It was blissful.

Four Seasons Spa Lobby- Carmelo, Uruguay

South America has actually been the pinnacle of my spa experiences. I enjoyed another delightful massage at the luxury Tambo del Inka resort in Urubamba, Peru. While the massage was spot-on, the aqua circuit treatment was actually more notable. Valle Sagrado Spa serves up hydrotherapy with water used as the principal agent. Clients benefit from the various health benefits of moving from different water pressures and temperatures.

Pool area at Tambo del Inka where Aqua Circuit Therapy is Performed

A trained therapist guided us through each of the steps of the aqua circuit, which she endearingly pronounced ‘cir-kwit’. We started with fifteen minutes in the smoldering sauna followed an ice cold shower. We were then directed into a dark, sweltering steam shower and under the fiber optic stars my heart was racing and my muscles were relaxing all at the same time. Next, back into the cold shower for another icy drenching and then to the hot tub to warm up again. The next step was the pool where we were guided in and out of separate compartments; there was a chilly swirling pool, a warm fizzy pool, and one with jets and submerged chaise lounges, there was a freezing bath that felt like needles, and an array of spouting and spraying fountains. Then we were taken into three separate shower cabins and lastly walked across a bed of river rocks that misted water from beneath jagged massaging stones. The aqua ‘cir-kwit’ therapy was unquestionably exciting and invigorating, albeit bizarre.

Sometimes spa treatments get you clean and sometimes it’s all about getting dirty! Near Marmaris, Turkey I visited the Dalyan Mud Baths, which are thermal sulphuric pools of mud that like the nearby hot spring contains radioactive elements that are believed to cure a host of ailments. Visitors wade around in the earthy liquid, laughing at one another covered in sludge. I submerged myself in the muck and resurfaced as ‘Swamp Thing’. The sulphur was very smelly (think rotten eggs) but worth it. After a high pressure shower to clean the caked-on mud, I left with skin like a baby.

Dalyan Mud Baths

My skin can’t always be baby-perfect and that’s when a facial comes in handy. In Lagos, Portugal my face was the target of what I deemed the ‘Zit Zapper’. As I lay in the dental chair seat, the facialist used a gun shaped tool to shoot each of my blemishes, creating the exact same sound as a bug zapper. ‘Zap’! Perhaps my face was more radiant but this facial felt like a trip to the dermatologist's office and was anything but relaxing. 

While weird can be bad, weird can also be very good. In Koh Samui, Thailand I received a traditional Thai massage from a tiny Thai therapist who used her feet to massage my weary back and legs. She got right up and walked all over me and it was strangely wonderful. The massage was given outside on the veranda of our resort, enclosed in a shaded gazebo. The swaying palm fronds rustled in the salty sea air. The taste of the coconut water that we were welcomed with lingered on my tongue. My mind drifted away to the sweet scent of jasmine.

Amari Palm Reef Resort

On the massage table sometimes your mind drifts away out of pure relaxation and sometimes it’s out of necessity. At the Feel Good Spa at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, California I shielded my eyes from the fluorescent ceiling lights and dingy, old carpet of the HoJo convert from the 1960s. My masseuse, a he-man/she-man in cropped cutoff scrubs, gyrated around me, in sync with the blaring techno pool party outside. I was naked, under a thin sheet, trapped for sixty l…o…n…g minutes in a dumpy motel room and subjected to an hour of strange African bird call music, an obvious attempt to cover the noise of the 'Meathead Convention' happening just outside my door. I laid there quietly, trying to mentally escape. While the complete experience was comical, the hemp spa robes really took the cake. The hybrid prison uniform/potato sack garments were consistent with the absurdity of the Feel Good...rather, 'Doesn't Feel Good Spa.'

Product Image of Hemp Spa Robe at the Ace Hotel, Palm Springs- Yes, They're Actually for Sale

This is a story of the Notable. Despite occasional letdowns and eyebrow-raisers, most spas around the world maintain an excellent standard. Typically, I’ve found you get what you pay for. If a massage is advertised to be $10 US…expect an amusing story out of it. Generally, a sixty-minute treatment in a reputable resort or spa should cost anywhere from $100-$200+ US.

It’s not cheap, and it isn’t always perfect, but it sure does feel good and what better way to start a vacation than to pamper yourself…or an interesting story to regale your friends and family with?

In the spirit of regaling, I begin another year of travel and writing for Faraway Pillow. My mantra for this year is to....... R-E-L-A-X... Enjoy, more than I ever have before. Let the stress of daily life melt away; truly appreciate  and feel every experience, every adventure. Live. Love. Travel. ‘Ohhmmm.’

Photos: mycontinent.co/hungary, wayfaringinfo.com, tripadvisor.com, targetpropertiesturkey.com, shop.acehotel.com, brettworks.com

Markets Around the World... You Like, You Buy!

‘Hey, Lady… you like, you buy!’ shouts a zealous marketer in Bangkok’s busy Patpong night market. It’s 11pm and an endless sea of stalls offer an assortment of wares ranging from fresh produce to dodgy knock offs, souvenirs trinkets, traditional handicrafts, used batteries and individual tissues for sale. It’s a one stop shop; purchase a unique souvenir, oddity or toiletry while loading up with the most colorful, obscene, unbelievable stories to tell when you get home.

Patpong is an entertainment district, the Red Light District of Bangkok, that largely caters to tourists and expatriates.The market is only a portion of the four acres that are also home to one hundred back-to-back bars, mostly that cater to men. Love it or hate it…few will ever forget their time in Patpong, a.k.a the 'Den of Sleaze'.

‘How much is this?’ I ask. The vendor doesn’t understand English so I try the question in my repertoire of languages. French, ‘Combien ça coûte?’ gets a reaction and she replies by typing on a calculator, 300. After several drinks imbibed during dinner, I’m uninhibited and I immediately counteroffer 100 Baht.

Prices are inflated from the start and buyers are encouraged to haggle hard to get fair prices. In fact, buyers should generally pay 50% of the asking price. The vendor woman physically stops me from walking away and types 150 into her calculator, displaying the figure, in a brash and expectant flurry. I agree to the price which converts to around $5 USD.

Minutes later, my husband is still laughing at me. ‘What is so funny?’ I ask. I finally understand the irony of what had transpired. I am a tipsy American, in a very seedy night market in Bangkok, bargaining in French for a DVD copy of The Passion of the Christ, which I later came to discover was pirated. In the shadow of a flashing neon light, advertising Go-Go girls and ‘talent shows’, I decide I’ve had enough and hail a taxi back to the land of the righteous. It’s good to be back.

While Patpong Night Market is an exceptional example of a notoriously sordid, amusing, far-fetched fantasy of what is possible; most markets offer a much more traditional, G-rated experience.

Five of my many favorite markets around the world are; the Pisac Market in Peru, the San Telmo Antique Market in Buenos Aires, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, the floating markets of Thailand, and the San Lorenzo Market in Florence.

Pisac Market- Pisac, Peru: This quiet town in the Sacred Valley of Peru hosts a famed artisan and antique market every Sunday from 9am to mid-afternoon. Hundreds of stalls crowd the central square marked by a small church- San Pedro el Apóstolo, and massive pisonay trees. Sellers come from many different villages, many of them from remote populations high in the Andes, and wear the dress typical of their village. Goods for sale include sweaters, ponchos, tapestries, rugs, carved gourds, musical instruments, etc.

Alpacas roam the ancient streets of this quiet town and on market days owners kindly offer photos for a tip. A little girl rushes to my side, wearing tattered traditional clothing, and exudes the pride of an Incan princess as she hands me her baby alpaca, a prized possession, and likely a friend. The tiny animal is white, warm, soft and adorable beyond words. The little girl’s eyes never leave her adored pet and as soon as the photo is snapped she collects and snuggles it in a pouch across her chest. It’s a tender sight and shows me how in many ways the Alpaca provides sustenance for the spirit of the Andean people.

Feria de San Telmo- Buenos Aires, Argentina: The San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires is known for its funky Bohemian vibe, tango and timelessness. It’s a fun area to visit any day of the week but San Telmo truly shines on Sundays. Centered around the Antiques Fair in Plaza Dorrego and stretching down the cobbled Calle Defensa, the Sunday market leaves shoppers and people-watchers awestruck! Artists, musicians and vendors come from near and far to share their talents and trades with the world.

We shade ourselves under a giant tree over the Plaza Dorrego and snoop around a stall selling postcards from the 1920s, a colorful collection of old glass bottles, antique baubles, and lace lovelies. If only these items could talk and tell of the lives they’ve been a part of over the decades, maybe even centuries. Was this necklace worn to a lavish party perhaps in the late 19th or early 20th century, during the zenith of Argentinean Prosperity? Did this wine bottle contain a welcome reprise from the harsh economic crash in 1999? As I ponder the past, I look toward the plaza and see an impromptu tango dance between an old man in a pinstriped smoking jacket and glamorous woman in a slitted evening gown. I watch them dance the sultry, melancholic dance as people have done here for ages. History lives.

The Grand Bazaar- Istanbul, Turkey: The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Situated over 58 covered streets and 31,000 square meters, about 250,000 visitors come each day to buy everything from jewelry, Turkish carpets, leather, glazed pottery, spices, and much, much more! The Grand Bazaar is a small town in itself, with miles of passageways, restaurants, mosques, banks, police stations, and 4,000 shops.

We’re tired and lost. We’ve loitered the aisles and alleys of this giant market for hours browsing the conglomeration of wares but I can’t leave without sumac! I smell its aroma and let my nose guide me across the maze of this ancient trading center. Its astringent lemony flavor is like nothing I’ve tried before. It's very popular in the Middle East and is sprinkled liberally on salads, rice, meat, etc. Finally, I come to a stall selling every imaginable spice- paradise for those, like me, who believe, ‘spice is the spice of life’.

Floating Markets of Thailand: Several floating markets around Bangkok offer a glimpse at the traditional Thai way of life. Small wooden boats full of fruits and produce from nearby orchards and communities make a colorful and bustling scene at market time. The boats are usually paddled by Thai women and flat-topped conical hats, which are characteristic to all parts of Thailand. The floating markets are still important commercial centers for those living along the banks with no road access. Three floating markets are within reach of Bangkok: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Tha Kha Floating Market, Bang Khu Wiang Floating Market.

A monk, dressed in an orange robe, passes in front of me. He waves over a small wooden boat and requests a sweet orange. He peels the fruit and eats it with a smile on his face. I can almost taste its sweetness by watching this peaceful man enjoy such a simple pleasure. As Buddhism teaches, by living a pure and simple life, one is able to gain extraordinary insight into the nature of things. The buzzing of Bangkok fades and I simply enjoy the charming scene.

San Lorenzo Market- Florence, Italy: There are many street markets in Florence but the liveliest is San Lorenzo that stretches over a labyrinth of medieval streets that encircle San Lorenzo Basilica. You'll find leather goods, clothes, and souvenirs. As part of this market, you'll find the fruit and vegetable market in the nearby Piazza del Mercato Centrale.

We wander the stalls of leather goods and I decide to try on a beautiful black calfskin jacket. It feels like butter. I rub my hands across it, coveting this gorgeous garment. My husband sees the look in my eyes and immediately makes it mine. To this day, whenever I wear my leather jacket I feel quite literally wrapped in the tenderness, warmth and affection of il mio vero amore!

While markets can be a vulgar exhibition of physical and material commodities like Patpong, or an endless maze of savory aromas like the Grand Bazaar, a spiritual revelation like in Thailand, a warming and heartwarming experience like in Florence, a blast from the past like in Buenos Aires, or a traditional and commercial gathering like in Pisac...you never know what you will find. Have an open mind, a fat wallet, an affirmative ‘No Thanks’, and a love of the bargain hunt!

2012 - Year of the Dragon

2011 was a terrific year! I was blessed with love, laughter, and lots of travel!

While trying to avoid a trite rundown of my travels, akin to those Christmas letters written in the third person, bragging about the year and all its splendors, I will say that I enjoyed many a'trip in 2011.

I surprised my husband with a trip to Montreal for his birthday, visited Machu Pichu and various other treasures of Peru, and finally made it back to the motherland- Scotland. Aside from my international galavanting, I ventured to Oklahoma to visit my parents, won a trip to California which I shared with my best friend, made an annual trek to Florida to visit family, and saw Kentucky for the first time for a dear friend's wedding. All and all, 2011 was journey-full!

On each and every trip I learned something about the world, about people, about myself. That's the best thing about travel- it opens your eyes and makes you realize, as much as you think you know, there's always more to learn. I love that about travel. Seeing new places opens you up, and like a sponge, you absorb the world; new experiences, new relationships, new knowledge.

In Montreal I learned it's better to give than to receive. In Peru I learned that the old adage 'don't drink the water' applies to ice as well. In Scotland I learned my heart beats with a Scottish brogue and that as long as I live, and as much as I see, Edinburgh will always be my most favorite city in the whole wide world. In Oklahoma I learned that even though I have never lived there, home is where my parents are. In California I learned that good company can mitigate even the doggiest 'hipster' hotel and, looking back, it's reconnecting over funny stories and camaraderie that breathe new life into a relationship. In Florida I learned, as I do every year, that family is the most important thing in life. In Kentucky, aside from learning to not fly United, I learned that a good friend is a treasure and I felt the joy of knowing how lucky I truly am.

With the passing of another year I have fulfilled one of my life goals, an item on my bucket list...to fill up a passport with stamps and visas from around the world. There's not a single free space in my beautiful, blue travel document. Cover to cover- it's full and I couldn't feel more blessed or proud.

With a new year, and a new passport in 2012, I hope to have many more adventures. My blank passport is analogous to the beginning of a year. Unknown. Where will I go? Who will I meet? What will see? What tastes await me? What will I learn? How will I grow and change? It's exhilarating, not knowing. Every time you step out your front door, you never know where the wind will blow you.

Cheers to 2012, the year of the dragon. May this year's travel, yours and mine, be exciting, courageous and passionate. May the wind blow us across the four corners of this world and may we continue to experience the energy, vitality and enthusiasm of the travel bug!

The World's Most Travelled Man

We are live here on Christmas Eve from the Faraway Pillow News Desk interrupting your scheduled internet browsing for a breaking report... we've received credible reports that he has packed up his sleigh, fattened up his eight tiny reindeer, and has made the final preparations for his flight around the world. Stay tuned as this story develops. Faraway Pillow News aims to keep you informed as we follow the world’s most travelled man, Santa.

Breaking News: St. Nicholas has been spotted high above the summer skies of Sydney, Australia. It’s near 100 degrees Fahrenheit and Christmas dinner is being served on Bondi beach. The feast includes turkey, ham and Christmas pudding with a gold nugget hidden inside…watch out! While a surfboard and surf shorts might be more appropriate for Santa here, he does the job in his big red suit.

Christmas is a magical time and Santa, a symbol of the season, brings joy and wonder to millions of children around the world. This time of year brings out the inner child in all of us... if we allow ourselves to believe.

We've just heard from our collaborators in Tokyo that Santa has just arrived in Japan where he is referred to as Hoteiosto, an old priest with eyes in the back of his head. Children are advised to be good when he comes around. While Santa is reported to have had a hankering for sushi and udon he ended up with turkey for dinner, an American custom adopted by the Japanese.

Some say Santa isn't real because they haven’t seen reindeer fly, can’t conceive how a man (whose belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly) could squeeze down a chimney, don’t understand how one man can travel the globe in a mere night. Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing. Have you ever seen a million dollars? Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Magic is all around us. I believe. Do you?

We’ve just received word that Santa has arrived in Sweden, where he goes by Tomte, a gnome who comes out from under the house with a sack full of gifts for good little children. He eats bowls of porridge left out for him by the family. Reindeer are originally from Scandinavia, so Rudolph feels right at home!

Now, messages from our sponsors: Milk and cookies... monopolizing Santa's Christmas Eve treat for generations!

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We're back and this story is rapidly developing! Santa has been seen gliding over the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Père Noël has left presents in the shoes of les bon enfants and has had the Christmas fare of oysters, fois gras and bouche de noel (Christmas cake). Not only is Santa the world’s most traveled man, he’s an epicurean. Paris was definitely the right place to go for dinner!

Food is an important part of noel celebrations. No matter your country, customs, or family, food is always part of the festivities. In my house we wake up to the cinnamon scent of Monkey Bread baking in the oven. Food creates memories...think back to your childhood; food no doubt has a premier spot in your yuletide traditions.

 

Folks, this just in…Santa has been seen over South Africa where children have hung their stockings for Father Christmas. The windows of houses are decorated with sparkling cotton wool and tinsel to look like snow, regardless that it is summer! Guess they were dreaming of a white Christmas.  

We've got an update for you folks! Santa has been spotted in Brazil where he is called Papa Noel. He puts presents in children’s shoes and hides other presents all around the house. When children wake up they search for the hidden gifts only after they serve their parents breakfast in bed! Reportedly, Santa almost crashed into the 275 foot Christmas tree that floats in Rio de Janeiro’s Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon!

Papa Noel, Babbo Natale, Father Christmas, Ded Moroz, Kris Kringle, Sinterklaas, Agios Vassilios...though he has many names, Santa Claus embodies the spirit of giving, kindness, and love around the world. Christmastime briefly transforms mankind, which is naturally selfish and cynical, and like a sparkling Christmas bulb, shines a ray of altruism and hope across a seemingly dark winter night.

You heard it here first… Santa has entered American airspace! Quick, boys and girls get to bed, put out milk and cookies for Old St. Nick and don’t forget carrots for the reindeer.

As travelers we can really appreciate Santa’s magic. He goes to all 192 countries and visits each and every home that celebrates Christmas. He transcends languages, cultures, and time zones. Santa, if you’re tuned in to our program… for Christmas I want one round-the-world ride in your sleigh... no customs/immigration queues, no annoying airport announcers, no long security lines, no airline meal mystery meat!

No matter your beliefs or customs, the magic of Christmas is abound. People come together to celebrate; the traditions are varied, the cuisine is diverse, but one thing unites us; the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation, generosity, and love. Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Edinburgh At A Glance

I lived in Edinburgh for two magnificent years, the best of my life. Every day I was there I experienced the grandeur of the Scottish seat in all its glory and every day since departing, I’ve conjured images in dreams. There’s no leaving Edinburgh, it always stays with you.

Many people feel the same as I do about ‘Auld Reekie’, as its affectionately called. In fact, Edinburgh is the second most visited tourist destination in Britain. Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its cultural and physical significance. It's often referred to as 'the Athens of the North' because eighteenth century Edinburgh had more impact on our ideas than any town of its size since the time of Socrates. The city was one of the historical major centers of the enlightenment, led by the University of Edinburgh, long regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

My Alma Mater

In addition to its intellectual merits, Edinburgh manages to combine both ancient and modern in a uniquely Scottish atmosphere. Watched over by the imposing castle, the symbol of the city, Edinburgh combines medieval relics, Georgian opulence and a powerful layer of modern life with contemporary avant-garde. Medieval palaces rub shoulders with the best of modern architecture, Gothic churches with remarkable museums and galleries. Edinburgh is also a feast for the mind and the senses, playing host to great restaurants, shops and an unequaled program of city festivals throughout the year. Robert Louis Stevenson said, ‘Edinburgh is everything Paris ought to be’.

I am homesick for a home I held so briefly. I yearn for the essence of the city. Most of all, I miss everyday things like the sound of cars as they swish past on a rain-soaked cobbled street, ‘thump, thump, thump, whoosh’, the tires digging into the wet grooves of a three-hundred year-old road. I miss the smell of hops in the air as the scent of the nearby Caledonian brewery wafts through town. I hunger for the taste of Scotch foods like Heather honey, Monkfish, oatcakes, and haggis. I daydream about the view from high atop the Nelson Monument, looking over the city like a bird. I ache for the feel of cold morning mist on my rosy cheeks.

My perfect day in Edinburgh starts with a ‘white coffee’ and a pastry at Patisserie Florentin in Stockbridge, a neighborhood just a five-minute walk north of city centre. I lived in Stockbridge during my time in Edinburgh and it’s one of my favorite areas. It feels like a village within a city; small and quaint but part of something larger. Charity shops, boutiques, restaurants and pubs line both sides Raeburn Street, the main thoroughfare.

Stockbridge

After a leisurely stroll through Stockbridge I walk onto the Water of Leith Walkway and walk southwest along the Water of Leith, a river that flows through Edinburgh to the Port of Leith and then to the sea, via the Firth of Forth. My favorite section of this promenade is through Dean Village. Now a part of Edinburgh, it was formerly a successful grain milling hamlet for more than eight hundred years. In 1833 the four-arched Dean Bridge, was erected and today provides one of the most scenic views in Edinburgh.

Dean Bridge

Midmorning is a perfect time to sit and enjoy the quiet serenity on a bench under the Dean Bridge. Woodland and water birds chirp as a passerby’s feet shuffle along the gravel path. Very few tourists know about the Water of Leith Walkway and those who I see here are most likely locals.

After a lovely morning repose I head up Queensferry road to Princes Street, Edinburgh’s main thoroughfare. This Street separates the city into two districts, Old Town to the south and New Town to the north. New Town was built between 1765 and 1850 and is rich in Georgian architecture, posh restaurants, and high-end shops. Old Town is the medieval part of the city built from the twelfth century on. Old Town is a bit more rowdy and there’s always something going on here! Whether it’s a parade, a boisterous display from Uni students or a kilted bagpiper playing on a street corner, Old Town leaves the impression that Scots love to party!

I stroll along Princes Street and take in the mighty view of the impressive castle. I window shop at a few British chain stores (High Street shops). Then, I walk one street north to the parallel, George Street, the city’s most celebrated shopping area. I walk east, all the way to the end of George Street to Saint Andrew Square where I enter Harvey Nichols, an upmarket department store. I head straight upstairs to the Forth Floor Brasserie.

Edinburgh Castle from Princes Street

It’s lunchtime and the Forth Floor offers modern Scottish cuisine with a spectacular view of the city from floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The Forth Floor offers three distinctly different areas; cocktails at the bar, a lunch in the brasserie or a gourmet dinner in the restaurant- all sharing impeccable views of the city and the Firth of Forth.

After lunch I cross Princes Street and head to Old Town via North Bridge. Everytime I cross North bridge I pause midway and gawk at the view of the city; the spires, the castle, the ancient buildings and the buzzing train station in one direction and stately Calton Hill in the other.

Calton Hill is a memorial hill just to the east of New Town. Views from a top the hill are often used in photographs and paintings of the city. Calton Hill is the headquarters of the Scottish Government which is based at St Andrew's House, on the steep southern slope of the hill. The hill also includes several iconic monuments and buildings.

View of the city from Calton Hill

It is early afternoon and the perfect time to visit Edinburgh Castle. Tourists and organized groups flock in the morning so the afternoon offers a better experience for the independent traveler. I’m fascinated by each room of this ancient fortress and am baffled how the English managed to conquer this stronghold…twice!

This brings me to an important point, The Scottish are more Scottish than they are British. While a part of the United Kingdom, Scotland differs greatly from England in many ways. There is a long history of conflict between the two nations and to this day, tension still exists. See it for yourself in a pub during a football (soccer) match. The Scots will cheer for Scotland or any team playing against England!

After visiting the castle I walk down the Royal Mile, an ancient mile-long road that connects the Castle and Holyrood Palace, her majesty’s residence in Edinburgh. Tours are available when HM is not there.

While in Old Town, I pop round to the University of Edinburgh. This is the historic location where many great minds transformed the future of the modern world. Alumni include former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Princess Margarita of Romania, Princess Raiyah of Jordan, Prime Minister of Canada Charles Tupper, Naturalist Charles Darwin, Economist Adam Smith, Engineer and inventor of the telephone Alexander Graham Bell, Philosopher David Hume, Writer Robert Louis Stevenson, and… me!

George IV Bridge is another main road in Old Town and where the National Museum of Scotland and the National Library are located. The museum houses relics from throughout Scottish history including possessions of the revered Robert the Bruce and William Wallace as well as Dolly the first cloned sheep!

The National Library brings back memories as I spent most my time here while writing my masters dissertation. It was always quiet and cold inside. I’d park myself in my usual corner with twenty or more books. I’d read all day and get lost in the research. It was dark when I got there and dark when I left.

In the winter sunrise is at around 9am and sunset at around 3pm. Because the nights are so long for a good portion of the year many social activities take place inside and usually in a public house (pub). People love to drink in Scotland and it’s as much a part of the culture as kilts and sarcasm. Whisky is the national drink but Scotland also produces some delicious beer like Deuchars IPA and Belhaven Best.

Some of my favorite pubs are the Bow Bar (Old Town), the Bailie Bar (New Town), the Cumberland Bar (New Town), The Last Drop pub (Old Town), and Jekyll and Hyde (New Town). There are pubs absolutely everywhere and I’d venture to say you won’t go a block without at least one option.

After a pre-dinner pint I head over to Castle Terrace Restaurant, one of two Michelin-starred restaurants in town. Chef Dominic Jack presents the finest Scottish produce and his philosophy of ‘Nature to Plate’ in a modern and innovative way. I have ravioli of Bowmont Valley partridge with seared fois gras, red cabbage, marjoram and partridge consommé followed by saddle of roe deer from Saltoun estate with quince tatin, seared pumpkin, chestnut and pepper sauce. For dessert I enjoy a selection of British and French cheeses from the trolley. The meal is refined but not pretentious, modern but rooted in tradition, beautiful but approachable and comforting.

I recently visited Edinburgh for business and had one free day to roam around the city. I realized that it is impossible to do everything that I love about this city in a mere 24 hours. Now home, I look back and reminisce. It’s about the little things, as much of life is. The intricacies of daily life are what I miss most and are what define Edinburgh, to me...

The one hundred and fifty year-old arched stone steps of the building where I used to live that have been filed down by generations of shoes walking up and down them.

Having two faucets on every sink- one for hot water and one for cold water.

The sound of ‘Scotland the Brave’ being played by bagpipers on street corners.

The taste of fifty-pent Gregg’s sausage rolls and the feeling of grease dripping down my contented chin.

The smell of the local cheese monger and the scent of its pungent dairy delicacies.

Fish and chips at 2am.

The Scottish brogue and Scots words like, blather, steamin’, lad and lassie, pasties, baps, bridie, and slainte mhath, ceilidh.

The rain.

The weight of the thick, British one pound piece in my pocket.

The musty smell of ancient buildings and the feeling of living history when I brush my hand across their stones.

Seeing the sea from the top of Hanover Street on a clear day.

The sound of seagulls outside my bedroom window.

The madness of the Fringe Festival. Edinburgh becomes the cultural center of Europe once a year. Everyone becomes an artist or performer in August.

Clotted cream, scones and the color of ‘builders tea’ with milk.

My favorite restaurants; Nargile, Kushis, and The Kitchin.

Princes Street Gardens.

The Christmas Market and the mulled wine!

The One O'Clock Gun (canon) fired everyday from the castle.

Green hills dotted with white sheep.

The sand on Portobello Beach.

My friend Jean with whom I shared my experience at the University of Edinburgh.

I miss ‘walking and gawking’, slowly taking in each breath, thinking to myself, ‘I love this place.’

If every city has a word that exemplifies it, Edinburgh’s word should be ‘magic’. All who visit are charmed by its many spells; beguiled by the shifting light, captivated by the changing skies, and enchanted by the sudden vistas. It is a city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again.

Edinburgh at dusk

Photos: University of Edinburgh, gerald-massey.org.uk, www.beautifulplacestovisit.com, www.eurocheapo.com, www.concierge.com, www.tripadvisor.com

Why Do So Few Americans Have Passports?

My thirty-eight year-old co-worker has just applied for his first passport, which got me wondering why are passports such a low priority for the majority of Americans?

I was 10 years old when I got my first passport. I was so excited to embark on my first international adventure and getting my passport felt like an initiation into a club of world travelers. I’ve grown up fortunate enough to travel widely and have always appreciated the worldly viewpoints I’ve gained along the way.

Because I value travel so much and know the merits of a multicultural upbringing, I couldn’t wait to get my children their passports. Literally, I couldn’t wait. In fact, I joked that on the way home from the hospital we’d pop round the post office with the brand new baby and get the passport process rolling. Getting my children their passports was a priority to me.

I finally had the resolve when the baby was 2 months old and my oldest was 18 months old. With their passport applications in hand, and one child each in tow, my husband and I entered into a queue at the nearest post office. Five minutes passed, then ten. Finally we reached the front of the line and were called to the counter by the available postal worker. She was a sweet, older Asian woman with compassionate eyes and a patient demeanor. We handed her our heap of paperwork, which she kindly sorted. By then both kids were howling with boredom and unrest. I was clutching onto my twenty-two pound toddler as if he was a rearing bull. Throwing himself about, he was desperate to spring from my control.

The infant had fallen asleep only to be awoken for the obligatory passport photo. There are several requirements for the photo; the subject must be against a white background with eyes fully open, mouth closed with a neutral expression, facing forward, without anything covering the face, etc. For those of you without children you’ll have to take my word for it, this was an impossible task. First, for a baby who cannot sit up or hold his head up on his own, the only conceivable position to be photographed is laying down.

The resourceful postal worker delicately laid flattened white boxes along the floor and draped the baby’s soft white blanket over them. It truly was a MacGyver move. I laid Baby on the ‘photo platform’ aka the floor. As a new mother; anxious, tired, worried and stressed, I nearly fainted at the sight of my newborn on the post office floor. We tried in vain to get a viable photo of the irritated baby. He’d grimace, close his eyes, cry, or look away. At this point I realized, ok the kids may be a bit too young for passports.

Though I now understand that not everything needs to be rushed and that my children don't necessarily need passports as babies, I still don’t identify with people who are perfectly happy to go through their whole lives without the prospect of experiencing faraway lands. In an effort to understand I’ve asked around and have come up with the conclusion that few Americans make world travel, therefore passports, a priority because of money, geography, and the passport application process itself.

Most Americans do not have passports. According to the most recent statistics issued by the Department of State in January of 2011, only 37% of Americans have passports.That means nearly 2 out of 3 Americans can’t even fly to Mexico or Canada, let alone anywhere else in the world.


Travel.state.gov

One explanation is money. According to the last census, the average American household salary is $50,233 per year. After housing (around 32.6% of annual income), other necessary expenses such as children (approximately $10,000 per child per year), gas for one midsized car (about $2,000 a year), car insurance for two drivers (about $1,500 a year), a health plan for a family of four (approximately $3,300 annually), there's not much left for travel.1 According to Orbitz.com, airfare to London is around $1,000 per person, paired with hotel accommodation for one week, the average family vacation to Europe costs well over $8,000. Most American families can't afford international trips.

Another reason is geography. The statistic that only 37% (often embellished to be more like 10%) amuses Europeans more than you could imagine. ‘Ignorant, isolated, stupid Americans’ or something to that tune is often accompanied with the figure of just how few Americans own passports. This coming from people who can literally jump on a $30 Ryan Air flight from Scotland to Stockholm and be there in one hour isn’t necessarily fair. European countries are so close together and so culturally diverse that a two hour drive or an hour flight presents opportunities for countless cross-cultural explorations.

Americans however, live on a continent that spans 2269 million acres and is isolated by two oceans. It costs much more time and money for us to travel internationally. Aside from the financial aspect, America itself is geographically and culturally diverse. The U.S. includes most climate types; semi-tropical, tropical, alpine, continental, polar, desert, semi-arid, and sub-arctic. Likewise, Americans can experience different cultures, traditions, and ways of life stateside.

America is called the ‘Melting Pot of the World’ because it is the conglomeration of many people form very different ethnic groups with their own unique traditions and values. America is also, called the ‘Salad Bowl’ of the world because these different cultures remain heterogeneous and retain distinctive cultural characteristics. You can experience a variety of heritages by staying right in the good ol' U.S. of A. Experience the native hula in the Hawaiian Islands, the time-honored tradition of horse breeding and racing in Kentucky, Lobster farming in Maine, Alligator wrangling in Florida, traditional Navajo Hogan homes in Southern Colorado, etc. etc. etc! America the Beautiful is a combo platter and presents innumerable travel opportunities.

If the above isn’t enough to put Americans off world travel, the passport application process is a deterrent to many. This explanation doesn’t really fly with me (if I can do it with two small children, you can do it too) but I do understand the hoops to jump through can be a bit off-putting. The DS-11 form is required, as well as two photos that meet specifications and $165. It can take up to 6-8 weeks to receive your passport after your application is received so make sure to plan ahead.

While I'm not defending those sans passports, I do understand why only a minority of Americans travel abroad. It simply isn’t feasible or desirable for most to travel internationally. That is why I want my children, now part of the 37% of Americans with a passport, to fully appreciate the opportunity that has been given to them and to pursue every international adventure possible...once they get just a bit older.

I'm learning to be more patient and I will take the kids abroad when the time is right. That is to say, I'll take them along when they both acknowledge that they are traveling, when they can appreciate it, and manage such a long journey. I think a good test to know when kids are ready to travel internationally is to take them to the post office to get their passports. If you come out of there needing a stiff drink, they're not ready. Trust me.

There are few pleasures akin to finding yourself lost, in a foreign land, out of your element completely. There is much to experience in America, but you can't imagine how special it is to eat a real croissant in Paris, to see the Whirling Dervish in Istanbul, to samba the night away in Rio de Janeiro, to hear the nightly drums pulsate through the Ghanaian darkness. 'The world is a book and those who don’t travel, read only a page.' My edit to the famous St. Augustine quote… 'the world is a book and those who don’t travel {internationally} read only the first couple of chapters.

Go get yourself a beautiful blue travel document and even if you never leave these enchanted shores you'll own a ticket to endless possibilities.

www.columbiamissourian.com
www.travel,state,gov