Souvenirs...Memories

Souvenir is one of my favorite French words. It literally means "remember" or "memory". And it means something different and personal to everyone. For me, the Christmas season is a great time of memories. My husband and I (continuous travelers- for work and for joy) collect an ornament for every destination we visit. It is the most fun thing for us to unpack our memories each year as we hang them on the tree. We laugh for hours and hours as we retell stories of that huge heavy parrot ornament from Barbados, the Santa in a canoe from Maui, the Virgin Mary emblem from her home in Ephesus, Turkey, and all of the cruises, towns and people we have experienced along the way. Then the entire holiday season we can reflect on the meaning of the season, the importance of our time together, and our bond in life and with travel. We love our global adventures. I hope you all have some great memories of your own. Always bring yourself a souvenir to accompany the memories of you travel. Peace!

Bacar: a Tapas Enclave in the Heart of Hong Kong

Tucked neatly along the elevated pedestrian walkways and escalators of Hong Kong's SoHo district is Bacar wine and tapas bar. I was delighted to stop in here for a leisurely Saturday brunch. 

I sat at this table right on the edge of the restaurant so that I could have a good view of the people walking along outside and still be in the restaurant atmosphere inside. It was a sunny cool day, just right for an open-air brunch. Here's the view inside and outside, right from my table:

Inside, the cafe has an elegant feel with a good selection of wine and tapas. But the brunch menu was too good to pass up, so I stayed on that menu. Brunch begins with your choice of bloody mary or prosecco. The prosecco was a soft bubbly start to the meal. The glass was tall and very thin, making the delicate flavors swirl perfectly as you drank. I ordered the artichoke and pancetta quiche with side salad. I loved the crispy, flaky crust surrounding the spiced egg and artichoke center. And when you least expected it, a piece of pancetta would pop with flavor in your mouth. Tropical fruit salad was rich and decadent in comparison to the balsamic dressing on the salad. This was definitely a meal to savor slowly, watching the pedestrians hurry by with their holiday shopping bags. 

A Trip Around The World (Part 4)

In the distance we could already see the skyscrapers of Dubai, Palm Island and The World. We made our descent north of the city, made two right turns and landed to the northwest. This viewpoint put the Burj Khalifa to the front of the aircraft on my side, and it was a sight to see the entire way down final. Later that night we sat outside the Dubai Mall admiring the view of the Burj Khalifa and the dancing water fountains. There were lots of people out to celebrate the 40^th National Day, the anniversary of the UAE’s collaborative government. To celebrate, we took a trip up to the viewing platform of the Burj Khalifa. We waited for our elevator in an interactive room where you could touch the displays and learn about the construction of the building and compare tall buildings from around the world. A group of men and boys danced to traditional music as we waited. We boarded the elevator to the 124^th floor and ascended at 10 m/s. I stepped out into the night air and saw the city lit down below me. It was quiet, and the multitudes of lights made the city stand out in high definition. Viewing devices let you compare daylight, night and historical views of the city. Above, you could see the rest of the tower stretching high above us. Interestingly, the lights let you peer into some of the windows above us, and it looked like there were several floors still unfinished, as occupancy has to be tough in this economic environment.

The next day I took the metro to the Mall of the Emirates. Watching people ski was fun, and a meal of lamb kebobs and lentil soup completed the shopping trip. Of course I was looking for chocolate from UAE. I’m a big chocoholic and it’s fun to experience the local hunt for chocolate. I found a few things to buy for myself and send to some friends. In the evening, we went to Barasti Bar on the Dubai marina. The waiter told us that earlier that day there were 6000 people on the beach there to celebrate National Day. Fortunately, we missed the crowds! After dinner we walked past the Fendi Racing Team’s powerboats. Still trailered, these magnificent, shiny vehicles looked like amazing machines. I just stood there and admired the engineering. They were beautiful.

 I left the next morning after a stop at a little pastry shop. I had an excellent latte and muffin- the perfect comfort food to start me off for another day of travel adventure. There’s nothing better than a smooth (hot!) soy latte and dry oat bran muffin in the morning. Yum. 

Back to Germany! The trip went fast, as we were occupied watching the 747 slowly overtake us, 2000 feet above and .02 mach faster. He slowly joined our airway from the left and then passed us slowly overhead. Contrails from the numbers 1 and 4 engines spun up and inboard between the contrails for numbers 2 and 3 engines. Between that sight above and the beautiful landscape of Iran, Turkey, and Eastern Europe below us, we set down for approach to Cologne in no time.

It was lightly raining, getting cold, and the cloudy darkness hid any view of sunset. Security at the airport was heavier than normal. I couldn’t believe how many police cars I saw patrolling the ramps and entry points. I didn’t know that we were landing in Cologne Bonn the same time that Chancellor Merkel, President Karzai, Secretary of State Clinton and delegates from 80 countries were gathering in Bonn for an Afghanistan conference. What an interesting coincidence of global action happening all around me.

Between all of that action, the several business meetings happening in our hotel, and the packed Christmas markets happening in the squares surrounding our hotel, I needed to spend some alone time. Early the last morning, I set out for a run. I bundled up in my warm clothes (…ok, I put on anything that was still clean in my bag) and headed out into the crisp morning. Down the stairs to the Rhine River, headed north, a turn westward toward the train station, then through the shop-lined streets. I navigated from church steeple on the horizon to church steeple on the next horizon. And then suddenly…I was lost. Ugh. I’m usually pretty good with navigation, but I had gotten so swept into my own thoughts and the freedom of my music and the running. At first, this was liberating, to have no ties and lots of time to figure it out. But then the cold started to set in and I needed to ask for directions to get back to the hotel. And because of the extra time, I missed lunch. Fortunately, the agenda called for a walk through the Christmas markets, a spin through the Cologne Cathedral and a piece of Apfelstrudel at Café Richard overlooking the Cathedral façade. The Apfelstrudel was amazing- crispy layers of cinnamon pastry between layers of warm apples, swimming in hot vanilla sauce and topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar. It was the ultimate comfort food. I finished with a dry cappuccino. It was a decadent snack.

After nearly circumnavigating the globe, I had one last exciting tour before the final leg home. Right in the middle of Cologne, on the banks of the Rhine River… The Chocolate Museum. (!!!cheer!!!) I couldn’t wait to see this chateau. It was an overwhelming 3-story space of the history of cacao harvesting, global logistics, craftsmanship, sustainability, marketing and culture. It was worthy of its own review and I’ll write about that soon. To remember the event, I made a few purchases at the gift store. Of course!

Late that night, I boarded the flight home. We flew westward on a northerly route over Greenland. We landed in the states at the same place I departed from nearly two weeks earlier. And then I was home. I love coming home. It balances me as much as traveling does. Being a Libra, I need this beautiful balance. So I’m enjoying a week at home, and then, I’m headed to Asia again next week. There’s always something to look forward to.

A Trip Around The World (Part 3)

I spent the next day resting. The hotel has a huge buffet breakfast, complete with a hanging honeycomb for fresh honey. I’ve written about it before, but it’s so memorable that I wanted to mention it again. I intended to go to the gym, but the hotel had lost power four or five times that day so I didn’t want to go flinging off the treadmill when I least expected it. So I worked out in my room and enjoyed watching the international news on the BBC, CNN international, and RT. I have to say how informative and interesting the international news stations are. It’s such a contrast to the US, where we seem to focus on repetitive stories (mostly about political entertainment, as I like to call it). Internationally, English news stations have a much broader reporting on global weather, major sports (especially rugby and soccer), Asian business, the Euro zone financial issues, African issues, conservation, music, art and global politics. It’s fascinating and I always have one of those channels on in the background. RT is definitely my favorite.

Upon checkout, I perused the art display in the hotel lobby. Several vibrant pieces were on display from local artists. They were colorful paintings of women working, leading and serving. There wasn’t any information about the theme or focus of the exhibit, so I was left to fabricate my own story about each picture. I’ll let you do the same- they were beautiful. I would love to give credit to the artists, but I simply don’t know who they are.

We rode to the airport in the afternoon rush hour traffic, and when we finally arrived, we found that there was extra security in place. We had to navigate an extra screening point and packed arrival areas filled with confused and frustrated passengers. THIS part is the same all over the world! After a preflight, we lifted off from Almaty and ascended to the north in order to avoid the Tian Shan Mountains immediately south of the airfield. It’s a wonderful sight- just another thing to have respect for as a fragile human being. 

Next stop:  Warsaw. We continued west around the back side of the world. Daylight flying makes the trip go quickly. There’s a lot to look at and talk about with the landscape and country borders going by underneath us. Poland was just a quick stop this time and we pressed on immediately for Germany. We landed right as the sun was going down. It’s always great to land just in time for dinner. The Christmas markets are in full swing in Cologne, and they were closing up for the night. The next day before we left, I had time to walk through one of the markets for a quick peek. I knew we’d be back in a couple of days, so I took a few pictures and just enjoyed the atmosphere. People casually stroll through the wonderland, stopping to chat with vendors, enjoying bratwurst, waffles and Gluhwein outside despite the chilly evening air.   

Headed east to Dubai, I watched the morning sun rise over Hungary. By the time we were overhead Bulgaria, the horizon was fully neon orange. In the wintertime, the crisp atmosphere supports such vibrant colors. I watched the blackness overhead give way to deep blue as we traversed Eastern Europe. We flew southeast and I had my first sights of Iran from above. The landscape was more mountainous than I had envisioned. I’m fascinated that Iran is one of the world’s most mountainous countries in the world. The terrain topped 14,000 feet in some areas that we overflew and it was truly spectacular. I could see erosion lines across the vast ridges and pictured glaciers emerging and receding for thousands of years until the climate finally gave way to today’s landscape.

And then finally the mountains and deserts gave way to the Straight of Hormuz. Small islands dotted the water, and I found out later that Kish is a tourist destination and one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world. Abu Musa is an island entangled in a territorial dispute between Iran and UAE. Sirri is basically an oil platform island that’s rebuilding after being a target in Operation Praying Mantis in 1988.

A Trip Around The World (Part 2)

Early the next morning we set off to the airport for a flight to Seoul then Almaty. I wish we had more time in Seoul, but we don’t even leave the plane. They bring us fuel and cargo, meals and flight paperwork. We can get everything done without even leaving the seat, thanks to a little technology and a great ground support crew. It was a dreary day in Korea with low ceilings and grey skies. I’ll have to come back someday as a tourist when I can really spend some time enjoying the culture and researching the history. Knowing a country is always easier when you can talk to residents, walk around, eat, shop and take pictures.

After the groundwork is done, we taxi out for takeoff. The takeoff is my favorite. A miracle happens here- the fusion of aerodynamics creates the ability to fly heavier-than-air craft, and this awes me every time. The flight westward from Seoul, across China to Almaty, is beautiful. I can hardly peel my face from the window. The desolate landscape looks like the surface of the moon. Different colors of brown and grey are populated by mountains and craters. At times the mountains top 20,000 feet and tips peek out from the scattered clouds below. We fly a route that I imagine mirrors the Silk Road. Indeed, our airways are aerial trade routes carrying passenger and cargo planes high above the ancient routes of similar commerce.

The ceilings are low in Kazakhstan that day. The Almaty Tower (at 1219 feet tall) sits on top of the Kok Tobe Mountain and is the only structure visible down below. We descended carefully and on course through the cloud layer and emerge below right on final. It was cold in Almaty, and when we drove into town, it felt like the holiday season. Almaty was decorated with sparkly trees along the roads and tons of banners welcoming in the year 2012. The Christmas and holiday decorations were everywhere, and they were particularly beautiful because they were heavy with ice fog and snow. The Christmas lights gave a warm glow to snow capped trees. The run-down town is not modern, but it was certainly shiny that night.

We braved the frosty weather for a 10-minute walk to Entrecote Restaurant. Entrecote’s European atmosphere and Western/Kazakh meals make it a good choice for a weary global traveler. It looks a little out of place in the dull winter landscape. You walk through a large brick archway walking the red carpet like a movie star and enter a courtyard filled with fir trees and picnic benches. Then you walk up a set of stairs towards the massively oversized double wooden doors and enter another world that looks like a German brewpub. The waiters and waitresses are friendly and speak English, and the menu is in both Kazakh and English. Warning:  the vodka selection is only Russian- and these are brands you’ve never heard of. Since vodka is deceivingly inexpensive, you don’t know whether you’re getting “good” vodka or lead. I chose to skip it altogether and stick to the small selection of wines (one from Chile and one “house brand”- neither very good). Entrecote has a large menu, but the typical fare is “shashlik”- skewers of meat from the animal of your choice (chicken, lamb, cow or horse). Yes horse. There are a lot of horsemeat dishes in Kazakhstan. The waitress brought garlic bread to the table. It was rich. Slices of bread were coated in a garlic and herb mixture and then deep-fried. They were greasy and rich. It was like eating a huge, fresh, hot crouton. It was great to walk back to the hotel after that meal. By now it was entirely dark and the air was frosty. You could see the ice crystals floating in the air- just hovering and we felt like we were in an ice cloud. This made the snow-coated trees seem like 3-D images. Most of the trees were illuminated with Christmas lights and oversized ornaments. They glowed in the ice fog. There were holiday decorations everywhere. It was a beautiful contrast to the daytime bland grey weary buildings. 

A Trip Around The World (Part 1)

I am traveling around the world. This is a journey that most people who do it for a living take for granted, but fills me with wonder and awe. Aviators lovingly referred to as “a Magellan trip” after the explorer, and I have done this global circumnavigation once before. The last time I went east, and this time I’m headed west.

My trip starts, as do many travels, in the middle of the night. Of course, being an optimist and a morning person, I like to refer to it as “really early in the morning”. I slept half way to Alaska and conquered a good chunk of the book I’m currently reading, The Geography of Bliss. The author and narrator, Eric Weiner, is on a journey to different parts of the world to find out where and why people are happy. It’s the male version of Eat, Pray, Love in a sociological rather than psychological focus. I’m not quite finished with it, but I suspect that he will find that happiness is in the journey if he’s at all as sharp at journalism and global experiences as he appears to be. Regardless, it’s a perfect exposition to absorb during a travel adventure.

I lay over in Alaska for only a few hours. It’s dark much later in the morning here in Anchorage. The snow crunches under my feet as I walk out on the ramp, and I take my first breath of chilled air this winter season. Fortunately, the sun comes up before we take off. The mountain ranges in the background set a spectacular landscape, and I was glad to take a few pictures. I even caught the silhouette of our jet as we lifted off to become airborne en route to Asia.

For late November, Shanghai feels like spring. In fact, it’s positively warm after my morning stop in Alaska. From the Shanghai airport, it’s about 30-45 minutes to the hotel. The air was clear and I was excited to catch views of the Shanghai World Financial Center, Jin Mao Tower and the financial district as we got closer to the city. The Pearl Tower particularly fascinates me, so it was great to see it in person. Great architecture is artistic, and Shanghai has some buildings worthy of pictures and appreciation. It was only mid-afternoon, but we were hungry so we walked to a nearby restaurant. Then I stopped for a reflexology massage to get my traveling feet in shape for the journey, but afterwards could only think of getting to bed. The time zones and date line crossing are starting to get to me and I need a good night’s sleep (in a bed as opposed to an airline seat or bunk).

It’s 4am when I wake up- a long time to sleep considering the time zone. Since our scheduled “breakfast” wasn’t until about 9:30, I ordered an egg white omelet from room service. It was an interesting and colorful dish- a row of fluffy folded egg whites next to rows of cooked mushrooms, broiled cherry tomatoes, and sautéed spinach. After that, I waited for the gym to open and had a good workout. It was awesome to jog, bike, and stretch out after sitting down for so long. And to accentuate the worldliness of this trip, I’ll tell you that the television shows I watched while working out were internationally focused as well. The first segment was about a German artist/designer Luigi Colani, who has conceptualized aerodynamic designs for vehicles. My favorite was the shark-inspired airplane design of the future. It’s genius. Sharks are streamlined, fast and suited for the fluid dynamic atmosphere in which they live. Likewise, aircraft designers struggle to reduce drag and navigate the fluid atmospheric. The natural universe, Galileo’s work, and a lifetime of aerodynamics and design studies inspire Colani’s innovative designs. His engineering concepts are progressive. He pushes the limits and believes that one day traditional engineers will value more artistic and fluid concepts. The other show was a travel and history program about Bhutan. It was in French. The Bhutanese are very concerned with keeping their history and culture fresh for visitors and young people. They’re aware that these cultural markers are far too easily lost in a world that tries to be progressive and inventive and is quick to forget its past, its ancestry, its history and everything that made it a valuable culture in the first place. So the two shows were a thoughtful contrast and both rich with value for the future and for the past.

Refreshed for the day, I set out to meet some friends. We only had a short time in Shanghai so we didn’t wander far. But I just really enjoy the walking around. In Shanghai, the streets are crowded with people and there’s interesting architecture everywhere you look. We did some shopping at a marketplace and practiced our bargaining skills. Fortunately, my friends had been there many times and knew some of the shopkeepers so there was friendly bantering rather than frustrating negotiations. I came away with a few gifts and a couple of souvenirs for myself. Vivid memories of my travel destinations come to me whenever I wear a scarf or a bracelet that I’ve brought home from a trip. 

Lift Off from Anchorage

 Taxi out for the takeoff sequence.....

 Runway alignment...

 Takeoff roll...

 Rotation...

 Wheels up...

 What the angels see...

And that is the beauty of flight.