Category Archives: Travel

Monument Valley

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The day started in sunshine followed by an afternoon light rain. I had seen most of Monument Valley on television programs and movies. This was one of director John Ford’s backgrounds for “The Searchers,” said to be the greatest western movie ever made. A great scenic place. Our party consisted of myself, my wife Carrie and our trusted family pet “Mini”, a small but dependable protector of our home. She will be featured in future posts. We had planned to walk off trail in search of rattlesnakes and Gila monsters. Not!

I inserted a CD with the theme song from the movie “The Magnificent Seven” as our traveling in the west theme, along with soundtracks from Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns featuring Clint Eastwood. The desert was blooming with flowers. The main entrance to the valley is on the west rim, near the “The View Hotel,” and it sure had a view. From there, you can navigate your vehicle down a “road” through the valley. It is described as a road on the map, but on close examination, it is really more like a dried up stream bed, with oil pan/axle eating boulders strewn throughout the route. There was a span of 20 feet where it was a “normal” dirt road and the driving anxiety level decreased for about 10 seconds. A good 10 seconds. A wonderful 10 seconds. This is the kind of road you drive on when you are 16 years old, not as an adult. Also, every tourist appeared to be driving a rental vehicle and charging through the landscape when not tailgating the locals or us.

monumentval0002leyThe Red Earth

The valley is amazing! Everywhere you look another iconic image. There are also Navajo jewelry stations at every turnout. They drive out, set up tables, and sell their wares. I believe my wife Carrie bought something from every one of them.

I cannot imagine those poor souls bearing the heat in the middle of summer. I bet this place really cooks. They are probably conditioned to the weather having lived there for a few years, since 1400 AD.

monumentval0003leyForrest Gump Point

In the afternoon it started to sprinkle a little rain, not enough to make the drive any more hazardous than it already was, but added great light and clouds to the scenes being photographed.

View from hotel gift shop

monumentval0004ley

The Hat

monumentval0005leyDSC_8083Life imitates art

We stayed in Mexican Hat, a little north of the Valley, in a pet-friendly motel, The San Juan Inn (which overlooked the San Juan River). It was a rustic experience that not only had the rooms, but a Trading Post and restaurant on site. Food was great, and being in Navaho country, they featured Indian fry bread. The town was named after a rock formation made from eroding sandstone, seen in many Warner Brother cartoons. I had half expected to see the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote racing down the road. We did see couple of real roadrunners near Zion, but not here. Another roadside attraction is Goosenecks State Park, just north of Mexican Hat. Yet another breathtaking view of the San Juan River.

A local told us that last year, April 1st, a local newspaper reported that the Mexican Hat rock formation had collapsed. The entire population drove out to the site to discover the April Fool’s Day prank, the rock was still standing.

We stopped for a “get out of Dodge” breakfast at the Hat Rock Cafe, in Mexican Hat. Had a great meal, featured Indian Bread, and good conversation with locals Monique and Vangeline, who were in charge at the time.Vangeline just happened to have native jewelry in her car, which Carrie had to have a look. That parking lot can get expensive, but the jewelry is beautiful.

After Our trip we viewed a VERY funny new release movie named “A Million Ways to Die in the West”. and almost all of it was shot in Monument Valley. The exact same places we were at. This was really neat to see the big valley on the big screen.

Rome

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When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We decided to pick- pocket all the tourists.
No, not really. We had been warned that professional pickpockets would be waiting in droves at any and all major tourist attractions. I found this to be totally untrue. I did once experience a couple of hands in my pants pockets, but after a few well-placed blows to the head, followed by a flying scissor-kick, my wife backed off my wallet.
Have you ever seen one of those spy movies set in Rome in which drivers chase each other at high speeds, barely missing each other, buildings and pedestrians? Well, that is the way they drive all the time. As none of the vehicles have dents in this mass demo-derby, I can only conclude that these are the best drivers in the world. I would never think of driving there. Definitely a “white knuckle” experience.

My wife, Carrie, a seasoned travel agent, booked us a tour guide for a visit to Vatican City, the papal enclave within Rome. We could have gone on this alone (with no idea what we were looking at), or with a group (with no idea what they were looking at) or a private tour guide, which we totally enjoyed. We met him at the back of Vatican City. He knew all the guards and other group tour guides by first name, and the grounds and contents top to bottom, all explained on his tour. At opening time, WE were the first to be let in, and he immediately led us to the Sistine Chapel, which is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City.

The entire ceiling is covered in frescos by Michelangelo Buonarroti and other famous artists of that period. We were in there for about 20 minutes; the first 15 minutes we were by ourselves. After a tour of the museums and grounds, we came back that way, and the chapel by then was elbow-to-elbow with tourists and no longer silent. Looking back, how smart it was for my wife to hire the private guide. That was an experience of a lifetime.
Inside St. Peter’s Basilica I overheard a tourist say, “I have
been inside a lot of churches, but this here is probably the biggest.” I thought, no kidding, you could fly an airplane inside of it without hitting anything.

One of my favorite dining experiences in Rome had to have been the small “hole in the wall” shops that sell cold drinks and pizza. There were all kinds of pizza. One of my favorites had thinly sliced potatoes and cheese on the top. You can spend 10 percent of what you would spend in a restaurant having lunch in a shop like this.
We met a young man from Russia in such a shop. He was eager for conversation, but did not know any English. However, he did speak Indian, and the shopkeeper was Indian, so we had the good fortune of having a translator. The Russian said he was on holiday, as he had broken up with his girlfriend and was heartbroken. As he told us his tale, more and more people in the shop joined in the conversation until everyone was involved. We took turns buying each other beers until we were pleasantly mellowed. A most excellent Soviet/American encounter on neutral ground!

Time Traveler

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You can time Travel back hundreds of years to the small town of Willingtown England to the late whatever during the Renaissance. YOU can be a Time Traveler!

For a small sum of coin you can enjoy an old English village complete with characters, and some are real characters, of medieval time.
This is the Northern California Renaissance Faire.
Maids washing rags (medieval clothing) and engaging in bawdy conversation greet you after entering the main gate.
People are clothed in period dress, complete with swords, helmets, and beer breath. I love this place.

One can attend the Faire in your own personal medieval garments, (most folks from San Francisco have a closet full) or purchase them onsite. I choose neither. Hawaiian shirt and shorts are my “day off uniform”. I may not blend in, but I will not be taken hostage by mistake either.
Many a shop and booth with food, drink, clothing, knick knacks, cool looking crystal balls, knives, daggers and “another thing to dust” are all for sale here.

Fairgoers all head for the mead and beer booth to quench ye thirst, and proceed to discuss anything that comes to mind about fifty decibels above normal conversation, thus making a medieval point of some sort. If you fill up on mead, a thick white like wine made from fermented honey and water, you may then choose “Ye Olde Bud Light” at said booth. You can down a few of these tasty beverages, and in no time soon find yourself in the town plaza secured to a yoke to the amusement of any and all who pass by.

The Romany Camp stage at Jazlas Coffehouse features the humor of “Broon”. This is a character not to be forgotten anytime soon. He is actually a stand up comedian who also does medieval tricks during their shows.

The shows at the faire are really funny, but do not volunteer or sit near the stage in case of sequestering. You would soon be the brunt of any and all humor in the show. I always have a better time laughing at another’s expense, not my own.

Broon will eat a stick on fire, not unlike any meal I have endured at my own home on any given day. The medieval crowd cheers for more, hoping against all hopes he will perish for their personal entertainment. Yay!

One of my favorite spectacles at the Fair is the Tournament of Champions. This would be the “joust”. The event involves breakaway lances for safety, but bones have been broken. I would not recommend doing this at home. The event starts with a couple of “Knights” talk smack for a while, then get on a very large horses, both man and steed in full armor, and on cue, charge at each other aiming a long lance with the goal of skewering his opponent like a shish kabob. The winner is last man standing. The crowd goes crazy. This is a must see, and arrive early as seating is limited.

Speaking of shish kabob, a massive area in the village is set-aside for food vendors. The variety of culinary delights boggles the mind. No Renaissance Faire worth it’s salt would be without Roasted Turkey Legs. The food “on the go” that says a lot about the consumer. Also, you have the chance to share a smoked Turkey leg with a wasp. Actually, there is a very good chance on this. I have traveled to this time for a few years, and the local wasps have too. They seem to only like the Turkey legs with attendees.
I have never had to fight over a BBQ roast beef sandwich or egg roll with a wasp.
It is well advised to bone up on medieval speak and/or broken Irish to sound local and blend in with the crowd.
Or drink 3 beers. You will fit in seamlessly.

Autumn in Yosemite

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Autumn in Yosemite

Yosemite Valley is in full fall bloom, and promises it will stay that until the leaves fall. Cool nights and warm days in the mid-70s are perfect for a fall color day trip. The oak trees are glowing yellow, with the Dogwood trees brilliant red and others variations in-between.
The water level is very low this year, with Yosemite Falls being nonexistent. There is an age-old expression, used
by age-old people, “I would prefer to view the scenery, not to join it.”
Sage words, probably first expressed by a passenger when the stagecoach or
the later automobile would dangle a wheel or two off the edge of a steep cliff adjacent to the mountain road taken. The road to Yosemite has a few “tight spots” that bring this to mind. Not a totally “white knuckle” drive, but one to be careful.
On this trip I joined the scenery, luckily not in my car. After carefully stopping the car to photograph some spectacular fall-Merced-River scene, I started my way down to the water. So intent on visualizing the “soon to be award-winning image” (yeah right), I had neglected to note that my footing on a rock was as nonexistent as Yosemite Falls. As luck would have it, a boulder field cushioned my fall. My camera
took to the air as I made final impact. As luck would have it, the only patch of sand on the rivers edge, was where it landed. Not a scratch on it, and I believe from the photos taken on this trip, it was in fine operating condition. Whew! I later found sand in my camera bag!
When a Photographer falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Hell yes it does! Something no man should hear!
As I could still walk, I soldiered on to the next “soon to be award winning image.” Not! The photos taken in that location were destined for the “cutting room floor.” All that glitters is not gold. More sage advise.
A morning of photography and falling worked up an appetite.
I had once purchased a gas filled bag containing a Spartan “sandwich” from Curry Village. After finding that the sandwich was prepared in the San Joaquin Valley, and not Yosemite Valley, and realizing that the gas was from elevation difference, not microbial action, I deemed the sandwich fit for purchase and human consumption. It also was tasty.
This time I chose to have lunch from the Village store.
Located in Yosemite Village, offering a full line of souvenirs, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, Junior Ranger accessories and nick-knacks of all kinds of more stuff to dust.
The Village Store also carries groceries, fresh meat and produce, baked
goods, clothing, camping supplies, books, magazines, film, disposable cameras, postcards, ice, wood and an ATM.
I searched for a pre-made sandwich, and a large selection was on hand. The prices were consummate with having someone hand carry the meal to the park from San Francisco. Ham and Cheese, the one I chose, was a mere $7. As it was tasty, and I picnicked under the warm fall sky, towering trees and majestic canyon walls, it was all worth it.
If you go, do not join the scenery.