Category Archives: Destinations

Rick Steves – one of many sources for navigating Europe

By Chris Meyer

The Orange County Register Travel section published (Dec. 8, 2013)a good compilation of articles by European travel guru Rick Steves, along with an introduction by travel editor Gary Warner. I have long used Steve’s guidebooks and public television programs to help me navigate Europe – in fact, Gary recommended him to me years ago.

In Dubrovnik, Croatia, we sought out picturesque Buza because of a mention in a Steves’ guidebook. This little bar clings “like a barnacle to the outside of the city walls,” as Steves puts it. Although Old Town is compact, this is a place you are unlikely to stumble upon. With tables on uneven surfaces amidst jagged rocks, we enjoyed cold drinks in this most spectacular setting and even slipped into the Adriatic on a hot and humid summer day. Buza, by the way, means “hole in the wall” in Croatian, not slang for the result of adult beverage consumption.

Buza, which means “hole in the wall,” is perched on just outside of Dubrovnik’s ancient rampart.

On the Spanish island of Mallorca, we sought out the Caves of Drach on Steves’ recommendation, which I have since passed on the clients. Here, amid dramatically lighted stalactites and stalagmites is a huge subterranean lake, across which a candlelit floating classical concert emerges from a dark tunnel and passes by a small stand of benches. A very European blend of nature and civilization!

Of course it doesn’t always work out so idyllically. A Steves’ recommended hotel in Barcelona, Spain will forever be immortalized in Meyer family lore as the worst place we ever stayed. The location was right, just off the Las Ramblas main drag and near near the central Placa Catalan. And the price was mild in a very expensive city. But even I could not not put lipstick on this pig. The stinky reception area polluted by the chain-smoking attendant can be written off as just the way it still is in Europe. But the “hazard” signs along the dingy corridor to careworn rooms with ancient mattresses sent this one over the top or, more accurately, under the bottom. To be fair to Steves, I could have picked a pricier option among his multiple recommendations in the spirit of “you get what you pay for.” But I wonder why he even had this one as a selection. Still, when the good-natured ribbing comes, I take the blame and deflect Steves, whom I still uses as a resource – but with more critical analysis.

MANY SOURCES LEADS TO MORE RELIABILITY

Emphasis is on the “a”. Guidebooks are good tools for navigating spectacular vacation experiences – our corporate mission. But they have their limitations – See my post on the methods of Lonely Planet, another good, imperfect resource.

As for Steves, I like his off-the-beaten-path style of travel. But it’s not for everyone because of preferences and/or physical limitations. Some people prefer guided luxury. Or they may want a little of Steves’ “Back Door” style along with other modes.

So in our travel practice such guidebooks are in toolboxes also stocked with personal experience, user reviews, the media (newspapers, magazines, books, television) and materials from travel suppliers themselves. Together, these resources help us to craft experiences tailored to individuals. We strive to use multiple sources and control for biases in a creative customer-centric approach that is agnostic about mode, hotel chain, cruise line and tour operator. Priority is given to delivering an enriching experience at great value.

When in Rome….at the Rome Museum.

I employed these principles on a personal visit to Rome in July 2013. Upon our arrival, after little sleep in our overnight flight in economy seats, my wife, Susan, and I used our “power through” strategy to the first-day acclimatization. After quickly unpacking and freshening up at our hotel, we ventured out quasi-sleepily and rambled through the nearby area around the Spanish Steps and Piazza de Popolo until we crashed hard for a serious sleep.

First, our hotel. A deal on our Expedia booking engine offered Hotel Majestic on Via Veneto for just about $100 a night when packaged with our Al Italia flight. Reviews on TripAdvisor and Expedia Verified Reviews averaged to above four stars. It turned out to be very nice and in a great part of town, steps away from a Metro stop and near the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. And a good deal that partially offset high airfares.

RECOMMENDATIONS: BOOKS, CONSUMER REVIEWS, PERSONAL

During our power-through exercise we employed both personal recommendations and guidebooks. Our daughter, Megan, had spent a college semester abroad in Rome. Her local knowledge of the city and familiarity with the kinds of things we like added up to many plot points on our map. This day they included some favorite churches around Piazza de Popolo. On later days Megan’s recommendations included a terrific outdoor market and a climb to the top of St. Peter’s dome.

We beat the dinner crowd because we were between time zones.

For food, we turned to Steves for recommendations in the vicinity of the Spanish Steps. Problem was, we were not in sync with the time zone – hungry for dinner around 5 p.m. when those restaurants would not open until 7. After striking out a few times, we fell back on the stumble upon tactic because in life the plan just doesn’t always work perfectly. Plus, while I like to have a plan, I also know that surprises in travel, as in life in general, can be as delightful as a mysterious gift under the Christmas tree.

So, in our hunger and fatigue, we took a chance on a Osteria della Vite, a nice looking sidewalk cafe with huge cooling fans and cold beer. I know that seems odd for our first beverage in Italy, but we had walked a couple of miles in the heat and we had another nine days to indulge in the county’s wines. Turns out, this was a pretty good stumble. The focaccia bread pizza was unique and satisfying. And the cold beer hit the spot. On a later stumble-upon near the Trevi Fountain, we would not be so fortunate in a place with a menu whose Hollywood Rat Pack references were cheesier than the bland, rubbery pizza. But on the Vatican’s main drag we came across a lunch place patronized by locals with fresh sandwiches, fresh fruit and the most reasonable prices we found in Rome.

THE WISDOM OF THE CROWD

Our best meals in Rome came courtesy of TripAdvisor and a tour we booked. My wife, Susan, found that one of the consumer review site’s top rated restaurants was near our hotel. Osteria Barberini has a non-descript door on an alley-like street and you walk down a flight of stairs to a diminutive dining room. The gregarious owner tells us in English that his son, the chef, has some truffle-infused lasagna and ravioli as the day’s specials, and he highly recommends them. The couple at the next table nod and smile so we order a plate of each. The couple, who were from New England, tell us they’ve returned multiple times because they found the food so delicious. We were similarly impressed. Magnifico!

Our other great Roman meal was the climax of a night walking tour of Rome we had selected through Expedia because of solid consumer reviews and an Expedia discount. We were the only people on the tour this night, so we had a proud and vivacious Roman woman to ourselves. We got to ask all the questions and we like to ask questions. We got her take on the Forum, the fall of the empire, Italian reunification and other historical issues. We walked by well-known sights like the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon. Plus, we went a bit off the most beaten path to the historic Jewish Ghetto and across the Tiber River to the trendy Trastevere district. There we came across a local political protest and Ristorante Spirito DiVino, another restaurant with a gregarious English-speaking owner, who told us the building and a special dish go back to the days of Julius Caesar. We toured the ancient cellar and I ordered the pork dish purportedly prepared for the emperor, which was earthy and unlike typical Italian food. Both superb experiences.

The Pantheon's occulus is just one piece of evidence of amazing ancient engineering, given the tools of the day.

The Pantheon’s oculus is just one piece of evidence of amazing ancient engineering, given the tools of the day.

Our own experiences, of course, are added to the resource mix, and often become our strongest recommendations because we are not relying on others. Ratings and recommendations always carry a degree of subjectivity, of course. A conversation with a friend or client adds perspective.

A POWERFUL NETWORK ADDS DEPTH AND BREADTH

I should mention one more powerful recommendation tool in the box – our people. In addition to our local team of 40 consultants, we are part of a network of 4,000 Expedia colleagues from Canada’s Yukon Territory to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Judging from the conversations on our Facebook page, there is hardly a travel question so obscure that one of these experts can not answer – usually in minutes. And, like us, they thrive on mutually beneficial relationships with clients and colleagues.

So we have the likes of Rick Steves’ writings to let us know about Dubrovnik’s Buza; Jorge from San Juan, who has taken his kids on that Disney cruise; Allison from Vancouver, who has explored the Mekong; Marilyn from Brooklyn, who can provide a complete rundown of Jamaican resorts from personal experience; and Jane, transplanted from England to Laguna Hills, who knows exactly what to see and what to skip in her birthplace.

Personal referrals, TripAdvisor and, yes, guidebooks and maps all are part of good preparation for travel.

Together, that’s a powerful set of resources.

LEVERAGING ALL THE RESOURCES

There’s no better time than now to contact an Expedia travel consultant to take advantage of all the resources available for a fantastic exploration of Europe – or anywhere else. All the travel suppliers have discounts tee’d up for the heavy booking season that starts right after Christmas, and our consultants have the knowledge, connections and tools to sculpt a travel experience you will be talking about for years.

Call: (800) 745-4015 or (949) 201-4246

Click: ocglobetrotter.com

Email: cmeyer@ocglobetrotter.com

Come in: 24321 Avenida de la Carlota, Suite H-3, Laguna Hills, CA 92653. In Oakbrook Village center between Trader Joe’s and Woody’s Diner

Check out our reviews on Yelp.

The delights of a small ship lie in what’s ashore

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By Chris Meyer

The Azamara Journey doesn’t have a rock-climbing wall. There are no Broadway shows, surf simulators or other mega-ship trappings.

What this “small” cruise ship lacks in razzle-dazzle is more than compensated by its access to off-the-beaten-track ports that allowed us to immerse ourselves in a more intimate side of Italy.

We were able to traipse through Cinque Terre, the five diminutive villages clinging to steep cliffs along the Ligurian Sea, and cool off in a perfect swimming hole in the rocky shoreline.

The Azamara Journey docked in the center of Portoferraio on the Italian island of Elba, giving passengers easy access to the town, the sights and the beach.

We briefly stepped into the lifestyles of the rich and famous in Portofino, an idyllic burgh that could be the model should Disney ever create Italyland. So what if the mediocre pizza was overpriced? The vintage fishing boats bobbing feet away and pastel buildings below green hills in the background was a feast for the eyes. Interestingly, our 20-something waiter was infatuated with TV’s “The OC.” Go figure. In a small-world moment, we shared a shuttle with a very tall Russian who plays basketball for the Los Angeles Clippers.

We were treated to tasty local food and wine at a historic estate overlooking Santa Margarita de Liguria while a tenor and soprano crooned opera and other Italian melodies.

The Cinque Terre village of Riomaggiore.

We toured Lucca, a walled town with the aura of Florence on a smaller scale, and visited a Tuscan winery to learn its processes and taste its wine and exceptional olive oil.

There were other ports less traveled, such as the Italian island of Elba and the French island of Corsica, but you get the picture.

The excellent swimming hole at Cinque Terre’s Manorola.

The understated ship made an ideal home base for these excursions. After a long day in the heat, we could gete respite in an air conditioned environment or take a dip in the salt water pool on those days when we didn’t get into the sea while ashore. Whether by dock or tender, shore access was easy and time in port was extended.

And Azamara delivered the convenience and cost effectiveness of cruising. We moved from place to place as we consumed the included food, enjoyed the company of fellow passengers, occasionally took in the entertainment offerings, and slept to rest up for another day of exploration. There was a nighty show, dancing in a night club atmosphere and a diminutive casino – all backdrop to the destination focus. One night the deck exploded with a fun party that featured a wide array of regional cuisine and fresh seafood, some of it grilled on Weber kettles.

The staff and service were over-the-top-excellent and the ship well designed as a floating boutique hotel. Mostly the food reminded us of Celebrity, a sister cruise line with larger ships, the best we have experienced at sea, even if it falls short of Zagat’s 5-Star. What are you going to do when you are serving several hundred people three squares a day? The wonderful exception was our dinner in Prime C, the specialty restaurant with a smaller kitchen, its own menu of made-to-order dishes and a $25 surcharge. Definitely worth it for an above-and-beyond experience! Friends raved about their dinner at the Chef’s Table, an ultra-over-the-top, multi-course affair with high-end wine pairings, but we shied away from the $95 price tag.

Wine and olive oil tasting at the Monte Carlo winery in Tuscany. We brought home some excellent balsamic vinegar. This was part of our Azamara Land Discovery, which also included a tour of Lucca.

Fellow passengers told us they liked being in the real world, rather than the traditional cruise world. With Azamara’s “country club casual” style, this means you don’t have to pack your dress clothes and you can dine when and with whom you want. For us, this often meant later than usual, as we tended to maximize our long days ashore.

The largest contingent of guests were Brits, followed by Americans and then Canadians, with a smattering from other countries.

A number were doing back-to-backs, either starting with the Barcelona-to-Monaco French Riviera leg that preceded our’s or continuing on from Rome to Amalfi, Sicily, the Greek Isles and Athens. Unlike some ships, Azamara’s do not repeat the same itinerary for a season, so you can experience fresh ports for as long as you are willing and able to travel. And Azamara offers significant discounts when you extend your voyage. That leads us to pricing.

Azamara commands a higher price point than the mainstream lines. But, since much more is included, you have to do the math to compare apples with apples, and the price gap shrinks significantly. For example, on Azamara “well” alcoholic beverages and gratuities are included rather than being a la carte additions to the base price. If you buy your flight through the company’s Choice Air program you get a credit (read discount) of $500 or $1,000 per person plus a guarantee that you will not miss your ship’s departure. And on select (read slower selling) cruises, you can get a killer deal like my mother-in-law got on this 7-day cruise: less than $4,000 per person including the luxury cruise, flight, transfers and travel insurance. When you consider that flights to Europe in the high season go for more than $1,500, you understand the value here for a truly premium experience.

The Journey is designed as a floating boutique hotel. Entertainment includes a piano player in the lounge.

At the end of the day, there still is a premium for access to destinations the big ships can not fit into and the high-end nature of the ship and service. It’s a premium that is much smaller than at first blush. And one repeat Azamara passengers find to be a good value, particularly when they get one of deals and pile on the loyalty benefits.

Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club members’ benefits apply, as well as Azamara’s. This has to do with Azamara being part of the company that also operates Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises. That included 85 internet minutes per person in our case, a great value for keeping in touch with the office, even though we passed on the captain’s cocktail party. Some passengers told us they have sort of graduated through the system – Royal’s action-packed mega-ships when the kids were at home, Celebrity’s W-Hotel style as empty nesters and Azamara when they sought to delve deeper into cultures.

Lucca’s broad walls once offered military protection. Today they serve as a picturesque promenade, with the Medieval city on one side and the Tuscan countryside on the other.

That brings up another small-ship attribute we discovered. The captain, cruise director and other ship leaders are very accessible and take feedback themselves.

In summary, we found what other passengers told us brought them back to Azamara. The cruise line delivered on its key promises: destination immersion in smaller ports, longer stays and outstanding, unpretentious service. Would some of our customers enjoy that? Absolutely! And we ourselves definitely will be among those who repeat with Azamara. Let’s see? The Baltic? Asia? The possibilities reach beyond the horizon.

But we won’t restrict ourselves. I’ll be going on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, the Azamara Journey’ really, really, really big cousin, in November. I expect a very different, but equally fantastic experience. I might even be persuaded to try the Chef’s table.

Click here for more information about Azamara Club Cruises.

In future posts I will drill down into some other aspects of our excellent Italian interlude including:

Taking in the wonders of Rome on foot in 90-degree heat.
Successes and challenges in finding great restaurants in foreign lands.
The pros on cons of guidebook and internet reserach.
Those small world and other moments that that add to the wonder of travel.

Sunflowers under the Tuscan sun.

It’s almost “Ciao Italia”

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Passports – check.

Euros and no-foreign-transaction-fee credit cards – check.

Flight, transfer, cruise and excursion reservations confirmed – check.

Rome plans and recommendations plotted on map and spreadsheet – check.

Camera with charged battery and spare memory cards – check.

Now it’s just a matter of finishing some office work, throwing some clothes in the suitcase and heading over to LAX on Wednesday.

Much planning has gone into what promises to be an epic trip … for us and for clients. I’m sure we will thoroughly enjoy living the dolce vita. But I’ll be on the clock, too – absorbing the vibe of small coastal towns and Rome itself, testing restaurant recommendations, trying out tours, and evaluating how small ship immersive cruising compares and contrasts with its larger cousin. First-hand experience that will help me better help our clients make choices fitting their preferences.

Soon it will be showtime as we emerge from a long flight into the Eternal City. I’d like to think that when in Rome we will do as the Romans do. But I know that would not be accurate. I know I will again be smitten by the magic of the place. But maybe we can insert a little more native perspective than the typical tourist.

Oh, we’ll again visit the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps, but this time we will linger longer and settle in for dinner at a local enoteca a bit off the beaten path. On Friday, we’ll hit the Pantheon early in the morning when it is quieter and the rising sun puts on a show through its ancient skylight. At St. Peter’s, we’ll climb the dome for an amazing sight from what is by law Rome’s tallest structure. We also will try to fade into the scene as much as our few words of guidebook Italian will allow.

Equally exciting will be our cruise along the northwest Italian coast aboard the Azamara Journey. We visit picturesque Portofino, Cinque Terre, Lucca and Elba – alternating between packaged excursions and do-it-yourself roaming as we evaluate the difference ways to experience the local culture and stunning natural beauty.

Of course I will report the findings on this blog and other materials for our clients, but not until I return. Italy is sure to keep us very busy trying to absorb all she has to offer.

Rushmore and Crazy Horse: Presidents, Indians, Networking

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Presidents immortalized in granite.

Even though I’m a bit of a geography geek, I have to admit no recollection of Rapid City before preparing for our Tauck tour from Mount Rushmore through Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. The town in the southwest corner of South Dakota is the gateway to the memorial to four presidents, so it was our starting point. But it does not rank in state capital contests because Pierre holds that position. And I guess my awareness of South Dakota in general was lacking.

A stroll through downtown revealed a city that in its heyday might have been a model for Walt Disney’s iconic Midwestern Main Street and had later fallen on tough times. Some sort of urban renewal has been at work, symbolized by statues of 35 (so far) American presidents on street corners, clearly meant to capitalize on the proximity to Mount Rushmore

The sprawling Indian “trading post” store made it clear we were not in California anymore. Susan picked up some coyote teeth and other small artifacts for her students, but we passed on the full-sized buffalo pelt robe, which was priced at $1,230.

The Mount Rushmore monument itself is one of those things that seem so much bigger (physically and symbolically) when standing before it and considering the enormity of such an undertaking. For sculptor Gutzan Borglum, this enormity was not only in skillfully designing, dynamiting and sculpting noses and brows – imagine an ill-placed TNT blast blowing away what was to be an ear. He had to get government permission and money – lots of it – over many years to make it happen. In order to employ his artistic skills, he had to employ his persuasive skills. He apparently was tireless and masterful at both.

Borglum’s friendship with President Theodore Roosevelt appears to be an object lesson to the power of what we now call networking.

Three of the four presidents depicted are slam dunks, right? The father of our country, the author of the Declaration on Independence, and the savior of the union. So how you pick a fourth to include with that crowd? Do you even need a fourth?

Officially, Washington represents independence, Jefferson expansion (through the Louisiana Purchase that doubled the size of the country), Lincoln liberty (through the Emancipation Proclamation), and Roosevelt conservation (for his love and promotion of wild lands and expansion of the national parks system).

“The purpose of the memorial is to communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States with colossal statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.” -Gutzon Borglum. Official Mount Rushmore website

I’ve nothing against Teddy. I admire his rough-riding, Panama Canal-building, trust-busting and nature-loving ways. And who wouldn’t love a guy who called his third party Bull Moose? Still, he seems a bit out of place with the Big Three. If it was really conservation you could argue for Grant, whose signature created the world’s first national park, Yellowstone. And that was after he commanded the Union army’s Civil War victory.

Roosevelt, however, is more connected to the outdoors movement, his pose repeatedly captured admiring natural wonders and bagging big game. But his friendship with Borglum (the sculptor had crafted a bust of Lincoln that Roosevelt displayed in the White House and campaigned for TR) might just have been the clincher to getting the Rough Rider’s gigantic likeness immortalized on the mountain. For Borglum, it might have been a calling card with the powers that be in D.C. He obviously knew what he wanted to do. But he could never have got it done without knowing who could provide the necessary permission and significant funding.

And I figure he needed as powerful a calling card as possible. I’ve been conditioned my whole life to know that this monument exists. But imagine when Borglum first described his grand vision. Can you see a few eyes rolling? And the price tag -which grew significantly over the two-decade quest like California’s bullet train projections. Excuse me!

Actually, the sculptor is not credited with the original brainstorm of turning Black Hills granite into an uber-larger-than-life monument. A superintendent of South Dakota’s Historical Society thought oversized carvings of western icons (Lewis and Clark, Buffalo Bill, Sioux warriors, General George Armstrong Custer) might bring tourists to a beautiful but unknown region. Borglum contended it would be grander (and apparently more attractive of federal funding in competition with sites in, say, Virginia or Oregon) to celebrate icons of the entire United States.

ICONIC INDIAN: The model shows what the Crazy Horse monument is designed to look like.

To some Native Americans, the placement of this monument to American leadership in the Black Hills seemed like more salt in the American wounds. The lovely place that derives its name from the contrast dark ponderosa pines and the clouds the mountains attract strike against the white badlands to the east and had long been for Indians a spiritual place of reflection and renewal. Disrupting such country was bad enough – it was being scarred with homage to the government that had fought Indians, broken treaties with them, destroyed their way of life and subjected them to reservations. (How interesting to hear this described on site by our Tauck tour director whose ethnicity combines native and Euro-descended.)

Politics were different in the 1920s. Any Native American protest would not have derailed the grand endeavor. And not much noise was apparently made by a wing of the conservation movement that might object to the very blasting of a mountain or Roosevelt’s brand of “taming” the West, big game hunting.

So in one of the West’s delicious ironies, Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear approached a Borglum apprentice to create a giant granite monument to Indian icon Crazy Horse in the Black Hills, just down the road from Rushmore. Korczak Ziolkowski, a Polish immigrant from Boston didn’t just take the job, he made it a life’s devotion that outlasted him and now rests with his widow, 10 children and their progeny.

The warrior’s head has been shaped and the blasting goes on to carve his entire body and horse.

Crazy Horse dwarfs Rushmore and is pitched as the largest of its kind. It has already taken much longer to create and relies entirely on private donations. Ziolkowski was as strong in his belief in the free market as in his devotion to “honor the culture, heritage and living heritage of North American Indians.”

Is this work in progress an accurate depiction of the legendary leader, warrior and strategist? Hard to know since no photographs or paintings exist; only oral descriptions were passed down. Seems to me it doesn’t matter. It’s more than about a man, or even a tribe, or even a culture (for there are many distinct Native American cultures). Just as Rushmore’s greater meaning is about the ideals of America and the struggle to live them, Crazy Horse symbolizes dignity, struggles and renewal of native peoples. Its campus has become a magnet for Indians from around the country to gather, display and sell their wares, and celebrate and renew a culture interrupted.

And perhaps even brings the Black Hills back to spiritual balance.

Next: Cowboys, Buffalo and Lots of Hot Water.

A National Park Milestone For Me

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In 2009, I backpacked through Yosemite National Park. In 2013, I will explore Yellowstone National Park on a Tauck tour.

A big National Park milestone is approaching for me.

You see, I’m a big fan and participant in the National Parks. I’ve been to Yosemite repeatedly. And Grand Canyon, Sequoia, King’s Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Rocky Mountain.

But soon I get to make my first visit to the mother of them all, Yellowstone National Park.

The mode of this excursion will be as fresh for me as the location. My previous National Park encounters have been largely on the rustic, do-it-yourself side. A 50-mile backpack from Mammoth to Yosemite Valley. A rim-to-rim Grand Canyon trek. Family camps with Coleman stoves and S’mores. Priceless experiences and memories.

In late June 2013, I will roam Yellowstone – plus Grand Teton NP, Mount Rushmore and Wyoming cowboy country – with the professional guidance of Tauck.

Tauck is a touring company renown for digging deep and providing authentic experiences in style. Everyone I know who has experienced Tauck raves about the quality.

Backpacking Yosemite with the Reeds in 2012.

My good friend Mike Reed – with whom I have shared dirty, sweaty, exhausting and wonderful backpacking adventures – is a huge Tauck fan. A retired professor, Mike loves Tauck’s educational bent as well as the first class service.

“Yellowstone is a national treasure,” Mike enthused after I told him about the trip. “And to see it with Tauck will be exceptional.”

On this itinerary Tauck has partnered with PBS documentarian Ken Burns for narratives about the grand lands we will survey. Among Burns’ credits is his series about the National Parks. That tells me how serious this company is about delivering rich historical content.

Another partner is the National Park Service itself. Sure, the half-day volunteer project in which we will participate is a token, but it’s a way to involve us in the protection of these wonderful public resources.

Atop Half Dome in 2009. Hoping for another mountaintop experience in Yellowstone.

In addition to my personal excitement about this trip, it will give me a broader range of experience to help our travel business clients think through the best way for them to see wild lands and National Parks. I will be able to draw on personal experience to discuss the pros and cons of virtually all of the different modes. Plus, personal experience with Tauck will equip me to clearly discuss how Tauck compares with other tour companies and independent travel.

Comparing and Contrasting Cruising’s Variations

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Aboard the Celebrity Century with the Hubbard Glacier in the background.

In a couple of weeks I will embark on a quest to experience and report on some different sides of cruising. I will only have time to hit a few this year; over time I will try to discuss and photograph the many sides of this hugely popular form of vacation, which is growing more customized over time.

My evaluations will not be so much about declaring one style as good or bad, but trying to describe which expression might appeal to which type of person. After all, on a single day recently, I talked with someone who said, shaking his head, that he can’t ever see himself on one of those floating cities, and another who told me he would like live his entire life on a cruise ship. In between those two extremes are plenty of people who would enjoy one type of cruising, but not necessarily others. Beyond that, there are people for whom a big ship might facilitate a multi-generational family renunion, but would truly love a slower, culturally immersive river cruise.

I try to savor a variety of experiences, from a 50-mile packpack to a luxury cruise. I have to admit I will not be a very good critic of shipboard casinos, as I can only tolerate $20-buy-in poker with some friends a few times a year. But I try to control for my own biases, as I am well aware of Las Vegas’ testament to lovers of gambling.

As far as my role in the booking of travel, it is strictly to provide the most accurate information possible to help people design the perfect vacation for their individual preferences. I will never shill for a particular product because I know that all of the products are good for some and not good for others. My role is to help people make decisions that will make them happy.

My 2013 experiences start in a couple of weeks with a two-day “inaugural cruise” on the new Norwegian Breakaway, a colossus with something for everyone – and something for some to roll their eyes at. The Breakaway’s Swedish-style ice bar – 17-degrees Farenheit with loner parkas – was declared as “gimmicky” by one associate and “cool’ (sorry) by another. I’m keeping an open mind about that, the ship’s faux boardwalk, the Broadway-style entertainment, and the celebrity chef restaurants. I’ll let you know what I think, what others say, and what type of traveler might enjoy them.

In July, Susan and I will embark on a completely different kind of cruise, riding the 694-passenger Azamara Journey from Monte Carlo to Rome. Along the way we will visit smaller ports inaccessible to the giant ships, such as Portofino, Santa Marguerita and the villages of Cinque Terra. The Journey eschews glitzy entertainment and water parks, instead playing the role of a floating boutique hotel while the destinations take center stage. We will experience these destinations in different ways – using Azamara’s excursions, recommendations from guidebooks such as Europe expert Rick Steves, and simply winging it. This way I can offer some pros and cons of the different approaches.

In November, I embark on the world’s largest cruise ship, the 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas, with its rock-climbing walls, surf simulators and zip lines. Both the Allure and the Journey are owned by Royal Caribbean International, occupying far ends of a spectrum of choices, so my compare-contrast will have an additional dimension.

Please submit your comments and questions, which I will take into account as I go about this effort.

Tubing and zipping through Kauai’s upcountry and history

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Tubing through the irrigation ditches and tunnels of an old sugar plantation is a fun and informative way to experience Kauai’s hidden upcountry scenery.

It’s not a thrill ride. More of a lazy river. “Watch out for the class 3 ripples,” guide Randal warns with a wry grin.

19th Century ingenuity, expertise and hard work is on display. Manual labor and pickaxes carved canals to divert fresh water from the wettest place on earth onto sugar cane fields that had to be alternately flooded and dried.

Then there is the history/economics lesson of the rise and fall of the Hawaiian sugar industry. The rise started with the Civil War and the North’s boycott of the South. Hawaiians filled the gap for the Confederacy and the industry grew for about a century.

Until statehood in 1959. This brought the kind of workers’ rights that ultimately made growing sugar in Hawaii unprofitable in a global economy. The last mill closed around 2000.

Americans continue to consume sugar, of course. So much so that it feeds our obesity problem. But it is raised in low-cost countries, like Nikes and Aloha shirts. Or derived from corn grown and subsidized in the Midwest U.S. So Hawaii, once a major producer of sugar and pineapples, is more and more dependent on tourism.

By the way, similar dynamics help make Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America costly compared with other cruise ships not registered in the United States and not subject to Hawaii’s high prices.

Today, the former ranch hosting the canal tubing is owned by Steve Case, the America Online founder whose economic timing is impeccable in getting into and out of AOL, once a juggernaut and now mostly a tech hasbeen from the dial-up era, and buying the Kauai ranch land for $75 an acre. Case, who grew up in Hawaii and is a descendant of missionaries who brought Christianity to the islands in the 1800s, decided to invest some of his tech fortune in his home state as a way to preserve land from development.

You can get a bird’s-eye view of the terrain on Kauai Backcountry’s zip-line adventure. Our first zip experience was less scary and revealing than anticipated. It took a bit of nerve to step off the first platform and glide above a deep ravine, but once we experienced the security of the system subsequent runs were just plain rather effortless fun. This particular course zig-zags over the same ravine several times until we arrive at stream level for lunch and an optional dip in a waterhole.

We would have preferred a course that covered more ground, but we can seek that on future zip-line experiences. This one made zipping in, say, a Costa Rica rainforest canopy even more attractive.

In addition to Kauai Backcountry’s tubing and ziplining adventures, there are some happy cows grazing about as well as a few crops.

Harnessed and ready to zip.

Dustin, Randal and Aston presented the tours and a lessons with great humor. So we laughed, learned, bumped, splashed and zipped our way through beautiful Kauai in a pleasant “infotainment” balance.

Definitely worthwhile — if not highly stimulating — adventures.

Stepping back in time to Yosemite’s High Sierra Camps

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Yosemite’s High Sierra camps offer the opportunity to step back in time. Actually, it takes many steps to reach the remote high-country sites.

The camps, established in the 1930s, allow hikers to lighten the backpacking load in exchange for a fee comparable to a very nice hotel room. Here, your accommodation is a semi-permanent tent outfitted with four single beds, a card table, folding chairs, two candles for light and a wood stove for heat.

The waterfall next to the Glen Aulin camp.

Camp staff also prepare excellent meals. The response to this statement usually goes something like, “The food always taste better when you’re tired, dirty and hungry.” But these meals are excellent beyond that measure. Freshly made soups, fresh baked bread and a steak prepared as well as at a fine steakhouse. Really!

And the provisions are packed in along the same trails we hiked to the remote camps — on mules!

The scenery along the Tuolumne River is similar to that found in Yosemite Valley.

That means we did not have to carry food, tents or sleeping bags. And we did not have to sleep on the ground or cook dehydrated food on tiny backpacker stoves. It was just enough to coax my wife, Susan, onto the trail after “retiring” from backpacking 25 years ago when my friend, Mike Reed, scored four elusive beds in the High Sierra Camp lottery. Susan and Cathy Reed we able to carry day packs while Mike and I lugged our full-size packs below capacity. (We would learn weeks after our wonderful August 2012 visit that several of the camps we did not visit and Curry Village in Yosemite Valley experienced exposure to hantavirus with tragic results for a few unfortunate campers).

The tents are not luxurious, but you don't have to carry them and they come with a mattress.

We stayed two nights each at two of the five camps. Many people do the complete circuit, getting up every morning to trudge to another camp. I found our pace a nice alternative to my 50-mile traditional backpack from Mammoth Lakes to Yosemite Valley.

Our first day was a 6.2-mile trek from Tuolumne Meadows, where we left our car near the Tioga Pass Road, to Glen Aulin (beautiful place). Here our tents were set near a picturesque Tuolumne River waterfall. The area is marked by lush forests, huge granite edifices and flowing water — similar to world-famous Yosemite Valley, but without crowds and cars. (Note: several of the High Sierra Camps we did not visit as well as Curry Village in Yosemite Valley experienced exposure to the hantavirus in summer 2012, with some tragic results).

The food, brought in by mules, was really good -- and not just because we were tired and dirty.

A day of hanging out in this peaceful place, walking along the river and taking a bracing and cleansing swim turned to be a perfect respite before the challenging 8.2-mile uphill climb to May Lake. Mike tried his hand at fishing and caught a small trout that he released. Catch a fish big enough and the staff will cook it for you. We even spied some rock climbers high on a remote granite dome.

The water is still at May Lake, which strikingly reflects the granite peaks above. This camp’s motto: “Defining utopia since 1938.” The same chef has been at it for more than a decade. Everything we ate was fresh and delicious. And two 20-something staff members equipped with guitars and harmonicas belted out Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash standards before dinner.

Picturesque May Lake.

Many of our fellow campers were from the Bay Area, but there also was a strong Southern California contingent. In fact, one night everyone around the campfire was from south Orange County. The drive up U.S. 395 to Tuolumne Meadows is an easy one.

If you love nature but not a heavy pack, the High Sierra Camps are definitely and option to consider. But know that you will face price that seems high and limited capacity. The camps are only open from about July 4 through mid-September and there is high demand. So go to XXX, enter the lottery, keep your fingers crossed, and save up some cash.

Great places to stay in Kauai

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Over the years, Kauai has become our favorite Hawaiian island. The others have their allure, but the Garden Isle just edges them out.

It starts at the Lihue Airport — as laid back and retro (in a good way) as you are likely to find in a place of this high demand. And then the drive to Poipu is so pleasurable. A quick stop at Costco, a couple of traffic signals and on through the tree tunnel. We emerge fully transported to a place where the pace is slower, the environment is cleaner and the vibe is nonstop aloha.

We stayed at our usual base, Marriott’s Waohai Beach Club, which we consider the piece de la resistance of timeshares because of its cozy feeling and oceanfront location right on Popul Beach. I also made a point to check out its neighbors so I could have fresh information for offering excellent alternatives to clients with various interests and budgets.

Here are my findings:

Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort

This is the top of the line in southern Kauai. Like its sibling on Maui’s Ka’anapali Beach, the Grand Hyatt Kauai Reort and Spa is a sprawling resort with a raft of amenities including high-end dining, elaborate swimming pools and a luxurious spa.

The Pacific framed in the Hyatt’s lobby

Ann Takechi, who showed us around the Hyatt, said celebrities who stay here like the way they can “get lost” in its nooks and crannies. The resort makes an immediate statement in its open-air lobby, greeting with the blue Pacific in a sort of picture frame. It’s one of those inviting, breezy lobbies that signals that you’re not in Kansas or anywhere else anymore. Here, the air is sweet and colors vibrant — down to the tropical birds in the lobby. The 602 rooms have private lanais with ocean or mountain views.

Birds add to color in the Hyatt lobby.

The Hyatt is also at the top of the food chain, price-wise. Still, there is special pricing for families sharing a room with a mini fridge. The downside is the lack of a swim-able beach. It has the sweeping views of an oceanfront property, to be sure, but the combination of rocks and chop make the water, beautiful as it is, unwieldy except to experienced watermen and women.

Protective parents can use this to their advantage. Labyrinth swimming pools with waterfalls and slides plus the sand-ringed lagoon offer mild adventure for youngsters without waves and currents. Camp Hyatt provides organized children’s activities so Mom can escape to the spa or Dad can get in a round at the nearby Robert Trent Jones golf course.

For honeymooners, this is a class setting to relax and focus on each other in highly polished Hawaii surroundings. (One time I did not surf in Hawaii was on my honeymoon.) Here, after the stress of the big day, newlyweds can take it easy sipping Mai Tais, taking leisurely pool dips and sampling treatments in the extensive spa. Packages expressly for honeymooners customize the experience.

The placid lagoon is a calm spot for a swim.

Daily activities include fitness walks, tennis and golf clinics, and, of course, Hawaiian music.

Several restaurants are headlined by Tidepools, an award-winning open-air thatched hut set among waterfalls and koi-filled lagoons. The menu pays homage to the classic fare of Hawaii with an emphasis on local and natural ingredients. All Hawaiian Hyatts are emphasizing local and natural ingredients.

The Hyatt offers packages for families and couples that bundle air, rental car and hotel stay for discounts.

A water slide amid the tropical landscape.

The Sheraton PoipuThis newly refurbished resort is all about the beach, a beautiful sandy crescent with relatively tame waves to teach surfing to beginners.

The Sheraton’s pool and waves beyond.

The refreshed resort lacks the gloss of the price point of the Hyatt. This is a great choice for people who prefer a crust of salt on their skin. It’s a good option when the kids are older and able to deal with the ocean. There also is some good reintroduction pricing on packages that combine multiple nights, car and flight.

Koloa Landing

This Wydman property is definitely the polished way to do a condo at Poipu. These new “million-dollar condos” are individually owned by investors and rented through Wyndam’s management arm. And during construction of the next phase, “pardon our dust” pricing provides the opportunity to occupy one of these beauties for less than they are eventually intended to cost.

These are truly beautiful units with top-of-the line appliances, beautiful furniture and sweeping views of the Kauai coastline. But this is not a beachfront resort and the layout of the grounds, at least at this point in the development lacks the pizazz of properties like the Hyatt or Waohai.

The pool at the Koala Landing.

Still, condos and timeshares are options for groups and families that prefer to avoid restaurant pricing for at least some meals.

We picked up fresh fruit for breakfast at the farmers market, steaks for the barbecue at Costco and some fresh ahi for searing at the Koloa Big Save market. The barbecues at timeshares make for a nice communal experience in a fantastic setting with a cold Longboard beer in hand.

At Poipu, you can have your pick, depending on your preferences.

Return to Waikiki

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A rainbow appeared as we sipped beers at the Royal Hawaiian.

It had been awhile since we last visited Waikiki. I enjoy Manhattan’s urban rumble. Gotham should be loud and bustling. But my Hawaii is peaceful hidden beaches, two-lane country roads and tropical vegetation. Still, the Islands’ big city flashed its appeal as a rainbow appeared while we sipped cold beers at the Royal Hawaiian’s classic Mai Tai Bar. The Waikiki skyline, Diamond Head and a rainbow. Fit for the Hawaii Five-0 opening or a Hawaiian Airlines magazine ad. Fortunately, my iPhone was handy so I could capture it before it vaporized.

Broken surfboards make an intriguing display in the lobby of The Modern Hotel.

Our urban interlude included a stay at The Modern Hotel, an older structure at Waikiki’s Ala Moana gateway that has been remodeled in a sleek W kind of way. Situated next to the Illikai and overlooking the Ala Moana yacht harbor, The Modern is convenient to access because it is outside the Waikiki traffic gauntlet. Of course, that also means there is a short walk to the beach. The hotel tries hard with it’s uber white decor, a stark contrast to the koa wood, wicker and tiki so prevalent in the islands. A collage of broken surfboards provides an uncoventional lobby centerpiece. This is fitting, since just beyond the harbor is an excellent surf spot where I spent many an hour on my first Hawaiian summer in 1975.

The view from our room included the Modern’s pool desk, the harbor and beach beyond.

The Modern’s room prices are less than the beachfront resorts in the thick of Waikiki, making it a good alternative for the budget conscious as well as business travelers who want to be near the beach, boat owners whose vessels are docked nearby and surfers who want easy access to Ala Moana. We saw some of them with their boards in the lobby. Iron Chef Morimoto’s Waikiki restaurant is on site for those desiring a gourmet and pricey meal. A Chart House sits across the street.

One of The Modern’s pools.

We considered dining at Morimoto, but ended up walking through the resort area and having dinner at Duke’s after our Royal Hawaiian beers. We always get a solid meal at Duke’s and its T.S. Restaurants siblings whether in the islands or at the Huntington Beach Pier. The macademia-crusted fish is a favorite and the Waikiki Duke’s has a terrific salad bar and stunning oceanfront location next to the Royal Hawaiian. Waikiki’s high-end shopping scene has gone to a new level in recent years. Rodeo Drive or South Coast Plaza meet the beach. If “shoppertainment” is your thing, Waikiki has upped its game. It certainly gives the designer boutiques access to Hawaii’s many Asian tourists, who appeared to be happily partaking. For traditionalists, the venerable International Marketplace continues to thrive in the midst of the Guccis and Armanis. All told, our Waikiki interlude was enjoyable and updated my knowledge of the destination. But then it was on to our favorite slice of paradise: Kauai. Stay tuned.

Globetrotter Chris

FACILITATING JOYFUL TRAVEL SINCE 2012

Category Archives: Destinations

Rick Steves – one of many sources for navigating Europe

The delights of a small ship lie in what’s ashore

It’s almost “Ciao Italia”

Rushmore and Crazy Horse: Presidents, Indians, Networking

A National Park Milestone For Me

Comparing and Contrasting Cruising’s Variations

Tubing and zipping through Kauai’s upcountry and history

Stepping back in time to Yosemite’s High Sierra Camps

Great places to stay in Kauai

Return to Waikiki