Travel For Two

Maldives: Swimming With The Fishes

Posted on December 16th, 2009 by k.
Categories: Asia, Travel.

“It is a hell of a lot better than going to London Bridge on a Monday morning.” Indeed, this Monday morning was not typical. For one, I can’t recall any time I’ve been awakened by K screaming at six in the morning.

“Dolphins!”

Half dressed in our pajamas, we clung to the edge of the sun deck on our over-water bungalow watching a half dozen pointed fins bob and dance through the water. They followed the edge of the reef, where the water turns from paradise aqua to a majestic blue. It is the same path we snorkeled daily. Ah, if only we were swimming there right now…

But wait. Why can’t we? Quickly trying to think of the cons, all we got were pros. Beautiful morning light. No sunburn. No other snorklers to dodge. Breakfast wasn’t for a couple hours. No waiting for food to digest after breakfast.

Perhaps K found one, “But isn’t it feeding time? What if we run into a shark and it eats us?”

“That’s silly,” I replied. “And that’s better than being eaten by an eel.” K doesn’t like eels–they’re creepy.

With nothing standing in our way, we jumped in our suits, pulled on our masks and fins and descended the stairs from our bungalow down into the cool morning water. As quick as we were, the dolphins were quicker and had passed out of sight. We wouldn’t be swimming with Flipper and his friends this morning. Perhaps tomorrow we should sleep in our swimsuits?

That first snorkel was charmed. We could have been visiting an aquarium with the laundry list of wildlfie we saw during our stay–sea turtle, a ray, varied trigger and banner fish, pipe fish, varied parrot fish, anemones, clown fish, lion fish, barracuda, puffer fish, box fish, tuna, eels (ick!), surgeon fish, manta rays, unicorn fish, almost every fish imaginable for the region. And it was seen just outside our bungalow.  Though, luckily, no shark, yet. Though, in the end, we saw three.

Stepping back in time, the highlight of our magical first day was arriving by sea plane. At this point, we have traveled enough that truly unique and novel experiences are getting harder to find. We often draw parallels to previous trips or a combination of other experiences. The sea plane, however, was definitely new.

Out of an endless expanse of sea, we recognized our island through the small porthole of a window. The barefoot piloting duo pointed the nose down at the water. There was no runway or buoys. Only water. I could see it through the front window rapidly getting closer. “Don’t planes usually point the nose up when landing?” I thought to myself. If I hadn’t known better I’d be reaching for the life jacket under my seat.

Our sunsets were so vivid that they rippled like ribbons of brighly coloured sorbet through the sky. And just when we thought we had reached the nirvana of heaven on earth, two shooting stars appeared over our bungalow’s sundeck at night. They literally landed in the sea so close that we could hear the sound of their last moments being snuffed…bringing our most wonderful holiday to a close. Magical.

To see more photos from the Maldives, click here.

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One Sea, Red Sea, Two Sea, Dead Sea

Posted on May 17th, 2009 by g.
Categories: Asia, Travel.

We crossed the border back into Israel and took a quick detour into Eilat to dip our toes into the Red Sea. While standing on the beach, looking to our left we saw Jordan. Looking to our right we saw Egypt.

Then we headed north to the Dead Sea and one of the highlights of our Israel trip. The Dead Sea is the saltiest sea on Earth with over 33% salinity and the lowest point on Earth at 400 meters below sea level. The high oxygen levels and minerals in the water make it popular spas. And bobbing like a cork is fun!

I was afraid that it would be novel rather than enjoyable, but in fact we loved floating and relaxing in the calm salty waters our first day. We stayed all afternoon bobbing in the water and soaking up some sun. While we received loads of warnings about the salty water causing small cuts to sting, it wasn’t that bad. However, the bottom of the sea is coated with sharp pointy salt crystal that really hurt to walk on. Top tip for dead sea visitors — bring some type of shoe to wear in the water.

The windy second day stirred up some waves that made it a bit tougher to relax in the water. You do not want to get the water on your face as it stings your eyes and lips. So we took our photos and then opted for the mud masks — from head to toe. The mud is supposed to have properties that make it attractive for spa treatments. It certainly did something — it is incredible how soft out skin felt. The hype about the dead sea treatments can’t be just hype.

While at the Dead Sea, we stayed at the Ein Gedi Kibbutz. A kibbutz is a commune and is a popular way of life in Israel. People have freedom to choose to live in the commune, unlike in communist nations, but as a part of the commune, they share in the work and belongings of the community. The kibbutz has morphed over the years, and many now cater to tourism.

Ein Gedi is actually an oasis. In the middle of the desert, there is a patch of lush green with waterfalls and pools. We hiked up in the afternoon for a dip.

We spent a night in Tel Aviv in between Nazareth and Petra and finished our trip with another night in Tel Aviv. Heading back from the Dead Sea, we took the highway through the West Bank. We didn’t venture to any Palestinian towns, but saw the fences and roadblocks imposed on the borders. It really left me with mixed feelings. We also some great signs while driving through the desert warning us of camels!

Back in Tel Aviv, this time we headed into town first. We visited the art museum where we saw pieces by Piccaso, Monet and Van Gogh and others. We ate frozen yoghurt Israeli style with fresh fruit toppings, wandered through the market and found an nice sidewalk restaurant for lunch. Then it was too the beach to catch our last rays, dip our toes in the Mediterranean one last time and watch the sunset on our Israel trip.

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Petra Jordan

Posted on May 14th, 2009 by g.
Categories: Asia, Travel.

Crossing the border from Israel to Jordan was a real experience. It is the first time that we crossed an international border that felt like a real border. Each side had the armed guards at the gate with watch towers, barbed wire and a strip of no-mans land in the middle. We couldn’t take our car with us, so we parked it and carried our bags over to the other side. From there we grabbed a Taxi to drive us the 2 hours to Petra.

Living in a big city and a wealthy nation, it seems foreign to us to take a Taxi long distances. But in some parts of the world, it is very affordable (by our standards) and the most efficient way to travel. For the same cost of catching a taxi across town in London, we were able to travel the 120km.

We arrived in Petra in the evening just in time for the Petra by night tour. Our first views of the ancient city came walking down the luminary lined canyon to the Treasury — the most famous of the stone carved building facades. It is also featured in one of the Indiana Jones movies (can anybody name which one? and which scene?).

This magical introduction was followed by a full day hiking through the ancient sites. Out cab driver’s advice was perfect — we stared early and hiked to the opposite end first to see the Monastery — the second most famous building. The early start kept us fresh for the 800 stairs at the end and we beat the crowds to have the place to ourselves. We enjoyed an early box lunch provided by our hotel while taking in the view.

While eating lunch, we met the local goats. They were looking for food and weren’t shy. A big one approached us and headed straight for our bag. I moved the bag and gave him a ’shoo’ as usually works with a dog. This goat was more persistent. He continued for the bag and didn’t have a problem going through me. K and I looked at each other and realized this was going to require more effort. I stood up and blocked the goat with my back to him while K quickly gathered up our things. The goat wasn’t happy about this and gave me a bit of a buck on the backside. With all but K’s sweater in our hands, we thought we were clear. But you know that saying about goats eating anything? He went after the sweater! Fortunately we beat him to it and made our get-away. It was quite comical. And even more comical watching the goats approach the next group of hiker’s arrive. We managed to catch one goat on video struggling with a bag.

That night we learned to cook some traditional dishes at The Petra Kitchen.

After two days in Petra, it was back to Israel for a dip in the Dead Sea. I’ll wrap our trip with that and Tel Aviv in the next post.

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Jerusalem to Galilee

Posted on May 13th, 2009 by g.
Categories: Asia, Travel.

Since returning from Israel, we have been busy with a marathon and a trip to Champagne that we got a bit behind on our posts. We’ll catch up this week to fill you in on our trip to Israel.

The trip had its ups and downs, but finished on a high. We also ventured over to Jordan which we really enjoyed and prompted us to joke that the highlight of our trip to Israel — was Jordan. During our trip we dipped our toes in the Red Sea, the Dead Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee.

It all started in Jerusalem. And that’s where we started as well hitting the holy sites first thing. We watched Jews pray at the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) bobbing their head up and down. We walked around the Dome of the Rock, the mosque built over the rock that is the cornerstone of the world — where Adam and Eve were formed, Issac was commanded to sacrifice his son, and Muhammad ascended to Heaven. And we saw the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus died on the cross. We thought it odd that every holy site has a church or mosque built on top of it — but I suppose that helps to protect (or claim) it. The highlight though was the sunrise service Easter morning at The Garden Tomb.

Israel has a perplexing mix of old and new. Wandering through the souks and stalls in the narrow winding streets of the Old City reminded us of Marrakech and Stonetown. Yet only a half mile away and we strolled down a wide modern pedestrian street lined with global brands that reminded me of the Streets at Southpoint.

While the guide book says you could spend a week in Jerusalem alone, we found two days to be plenty and headed up north on the third. Unfortunately, this is where we hit a few bumps in the road with our GPS and bank card. We spent the afternoon in Akko and enjoyed a nice seafood lunch overlooking the Mediterranean from the city’s ancient walls. Billed as the best of Israel in the guide book, we expected more Cinque Terre charm than it could muster and were glad to head inland in hopes of catching the sun set over the Sea of Galilee.

It was here that we witnessed first hand the air pollution challenges of a small industrialized nation as the sun disappeared long before it hit the horizon. We did dipped our toes in and chatted with some of the locals camping out for their holiday weekend. Still battling to find some place that would take our bank card, we escaped the stress on the Jordan river. Renting kayaks we half floated, half paddled down the river. The river banks were lush and green and we felt we escaped the pollution as well. A small rapid provided a bit of a thrill to contrast with the real-life version of the amusement park’s ‘Lazy River’.

Wrapping up our time in the north after two days, we stopped off at Tel Aviv on our way to Jordan — which I’ll tell you about tomorrow.

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Surrealism

Posted on May 16th, 2008 by k.
Categories: Asia, Europe, Travel.

Have you ever so abruptly arrived someplace that it takes a little while to believe you’re there? As we’ve been travelling so much for work and pleasure recently, we’ve had limited time to prepare ourselves—in some cases, places we would never have dreamed possible just a few years ago. To be fair, it often doesn’t hit us until after we leave the destination.

Moscow was one of those places for me. As a kid, Russia was always in the news. Sometimes for good things…often times not. To me, it was a place of fun, Disney colored domes and churches, strong hardy people and if describing as a color I’d have to say steel gray to London’s blue green. Granted, that impression has changed a bit since I began working with our brilliant and accomplished Russian client—through her stories and optimism, my impression has gradually adjusted.

After being in Moscow for nearly a week, I now realize that Moscow is more similar than different to the major US cities. Here’s why:

• Most of the city’s colonial and historic development was levelled during duelling administrations. As a result, most building are new (ala 1900’s).
• The people are optimistic and kind. While they aren’t of the American pro-active ‘ how can I help you’ variety, anyone will help you however possible when asked—going out of their way to assist.
• Products. They have many of the same brands that we love in the US. There are certainly new, local players that they will select, but the brand landscape isn’t nearly as dramatically different as I initially dreamed.

If I had failed to notice the written and spoken language differences, I could easily think that I had time travelled to Minneapolis or Detroit in the 1990s.

Click here to see more photos from Moscow

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Welcome to Moscow

Posted on May 15th, 2008 by g.
Categories: Asia, Europe, Travel.

It was shortly past 10 o’clock when we arrived in the Red Square. The dark sky had a blue luster from the sun just below the horizon. As we passed through the Resurrection Gate, the square unfolded in front of us. The majestic old state department store “GUM” on the left. The imposing wall of the Kremlin to the right. And straight ahead the brightly colored illuminated onion domes of St. Basil’s cathedral. We were really in Moscow.

Following a stroll around the square to take it all in, we tried our first sample of Moscow’s cuisine. Expecting it to be similar to the plain Polish cuisine we were pleasantly surprised with a pair of tasty dishes. I had a home roast which consisted of beef, potatoes, onions covered in a creamy sauce served in a small ceramic pot.

Sunday we hit the tourist circuit starting with St. Basil’s cathedral and then the Kremlin. We found it odd that a place representing such political power was dominated by churches and chapels — especially since religion has been illegal for most of the last 100 years. I pondered if that was by design to “distract” the tourist what really goes on there. K suggested that it is by calling on religion that leaders often justify they power. Or perhaps it is just that the churches are the only parts that aren’t “classified”.

Just outside the Kremlin is Alexander Gardens a refreshing and well-enjoyed patch of green among the urban jungle. In the middle of the park an army band played and locals from 7 to 70 gathered around to listen and dance. Observing monuments for World War II reminded us that many of Russia’s brave young men met the same fate as ours defending their country from Nazi Germany. In fact it must have been frightening with the Germans made it to the edge of Moscow before being.

Oddly enough we discovered that sushi and Japanese food are wildly popular in Moscow. Any restaurant worth anything serves sushi. We tried a place near Alexander Gardens for a good dinner. Just as Americans have their own version of Chinese food Muscovites have their own take on sushi — such as dessert sushi. You would never see chocolate sushi in Japan!

While this was a holiday trip for me, it was a business trip for K. So Monday morning we split up as K headed to work and I flew solo as a tourist which was a first. But we both had our own unique experiences getting to know the locals. In our next two posts we’ll each bring you our experience and perspective.

(Also stay tuned for the post on the second half of our trip to Istanbul)

Click here to see additional photos from Moscow.

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Turkish Delights

Posted on May 9th, 2008 by k.
Categories: Asia, Europe, Travel.

An early morning rise and a 3 hour flight, Istanbul greeted us by noon. In most of the cities we visit, taxi drivers speak English. Unfortunately for us, our Turkish cabbie did not. So, our first few miles from the airport will be remembered as our cabbie tried to look in his phrase book to answer a question while jockeying about on the highway. Luckily, we survived and things got better and better from there.

Upon arrival in the Old Town, our friendly cabbie expertly navigated the city’s maze-like streets. Tight turns and seeming deadends turned into bright lanes. Our hotel was quaint. With typical Turkish hospitatlity, we were greeted upon arrival with lemonade and yummy cookies. And the first call to prayer. A voice came over a loud speaker at a nearby mosque announcing it was time to pray. Welcome to Istanbul.

Istanbul’s a beautiful, friendly cultural mecca. It’s home to countless age-old structures that date back to early AD. To them, something from the 1700’s is new. Upon arrival, Hagia Sophia was one of our first stops. This Christian Church turn Mosque is HUGE. It rivals the size of modern sports arenas….the ENTIRE Notre Dame Cathedral could fit inside., and the Statue of Liberty could easily do jumping jacks. Impressive. Especially considering its age. It’s ~1500 years old. Unlike modern sports arenas, it’s constructed of exquisite materials and showcases expert craftsmanship. Especially notable are the many tile mosaics within.

Across the way, the newer Blue Mosque is similiarly awesome. As its name would hint, the interior of the structure is dominated by beautiful blue tile. And, as typical of their distinctive religious architecture, the mosques are surrounded by stone minarettes—originally used as stair wells for the prayer leaders to climb to announce the five daily calls to prayer. Though strikingly beautiful, the structure is built from moder modern materials as its only 400 years old.

Wandering the streets of the Old Town, we also lingered in the spice and household markets, sampled heavenly Baklava and apple tea (though only tourists have the apple tea J) and had an incredible seafood dinner in the City’s cistern (where they used to store the city’s water eons ago). The candlelight cistern was a pleasant treat.

With a short walk down the hill from the old town, we arrived at Gallata Bridge which connects the new and the old towns. Fishermen keep one another company on the bridge as they fish for their dinner. The city’s bright blue Bosphorous is home to countless fish species. And also ferry boats galore J

While one might think that the new town is in stark contrast to the old, it all felt pretty old to us by comparison…beautiful, but cultured and historic. We enjoyed walking the streets of the new district to take in the views, the shops and the busy bustle of locals doing their weekly jaunt. As we explored, we happened upon a cute little café tucked behind a row of businesses. This garden café was the perfect spot for a bit of lunch with a nice view…and aromas as its garden was overwhelmed by the scent of its many lemon blossoms.

While in Istanbul we tried many new culinary delights. Baklava is a specialty and while certainly crave it again. It’s mouth watering good. And the Turkish like their ice cream to have a bit of bounce…they add orchid extract to give it a bit of elasticity. It still melts and tastes the same, it’s just a bit firmer than usual. And quite good over a bit of fresh, warm baklava. And, of course, we tried the local favorite Turkish Delight, a nut paste called Havlas, mezes (Turkish tapas) and bagel rings. All good things.

The Turkish really know how to get the most of life. They appear to have a good work/home balance and value their rest time. Part of the full experience is having a Turkish bath. G and I decided to treat ourselves to this experience…I wish bathing were so much fun everyday! Look for more on the Turkish Bath experience and other Turkish surprises to come…

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