Daydream Nations

The Isle of Champions

2008-07-07T22:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, one of the greatest tennis matches of all time happened on Centre Court at Wimbledon. It had everything you could ever expect a sport to give you: high drama, extreme skill, natural talent, tenacity, heart and incredible humanity. Both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer had much glory to be gained by winning...and neither was willing to give it less than their all for nearly five hours. It was hard to cheer for either because choosing a winner would result in also selecting a loser.

In the end, Rafael Nadal walked away with his first ever Wimbledon title - tears of great emotion in the eyes of both the victor and the defeated (mine too, while we're at it.) So this post is dedicated to Rafa's home of Majorca, the beautiful island in the Mediterranean less than 125 miles off the coast of mainland Spain.

I'm certain that the beaches and the bars are great places to start (especially now in sangria-soaked celebration of Rafa's victory.) But one of the nicest ways to see the island is via the Tren de Soller that leaves from the capital of Palma. Originally built in 1912, the open wooden cars roll through the mountainous countryside close enough for those with long arms to pluck lemons & oranges from the trees.

Maybe this kind of idyllic lifestyle would bring out the champion in anybody. Congratulations Rafa!

The Great Blue from Heron

2008-06-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big fan of gear. I think most gear gets in the way when you're trying to immerse yourself in nature so I tend to gravitate toward activities where gear is minimal, but essential. The best example, and my favorite, is snorkeling -- a surf shirt, bikini bottoms, a mask & a snorkel. Simple tools that open a whole new world to you.

I've been fortunate enough to hit some good snorkel spots over the years (the Caribbean, Florida and a few Hawaiian islands -- all fantastic even under the threats reefs face.) But I dream of the big kahuna -- The Great Barrier Reef. There are many places to choose from as the reef is, well...Great. But I've always had my eye on Heron Island.

Located 50 miles off the Eastern coast of Australia, Heron Island is a true coral cay so Heron's beauty lies in that you can walk off the beach at any point and be amongst your sea friends. The resort on the island seems serviceable, and to be honest, who really cares how nice it is? It's all about the fish...and the turtles...and the rays...and the sharks. Give me a hammock and a beach towel (and my minimal snorkel gear) and I can't imagine being happier.

Except for the bonus...you can get to and from the island by helicopter. OK...I'm happier.

Liszten to the Music

2008-05-31T19:47:00.001-07:00

Last August, I was lucky enough to visit Budapest, a city rich with architecture, history and phenomenal food. But my timing was off. To be able to visit during Budapest's zenith at the turn of the last century would have been grand. I think it's a common desire to be in the "right" city at the "right" time, but I wonder if you only truly know how right it is once it's over? Once it's too late?

Although I had no regrets about my trip, my timing was also off for opera. The Hungarian State Opera House is dark during the month of August so I had to visit this magnificent place as part of a tour group (English-speaking although they also had Italian, German, Hungarian, French and Spanish at the same time.) I found it hard to envision the grandeur of an opening night or appreciate the acoustics of Franz (or Ferenc as he's known here) Liszt's Don Sanche. But the architecture is undeniable and probably benefits from the light of day to appreciate its details.

I hope to return again someday to catch a performance or even a grander daydream would be to attend the annual Budapest Opera Ball. One of the social events of the European season, I'm certain that one night at this event would be a time-traveler's transport back to an era of class and tradition unparalleled today.

Wanna come?

Alesund...My Aim is True

2008-05-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

The fjords of Norway are professed to offer some of the most majestic natural scenery in the world. Alesund, the lovely town at the water's edge pictured above, makes a marvelous starting point. With first rate Art Nouveau architecture and right-off-the-boat seafood, a few days here will be a lovely reminder of life a full century ago.

Just a few hours away via express boat is the famous Geirangerfjord, one of the most photographed fjords in the region. It's hard to imagine a more geologically dramatic sight than surrounding yourself with towering cliff faces -- many with tumbling waterfalls plunging downward into the deep blue waters below.

Cruising along these waters certainly seems the best way to truly experience the fjords as well as the famously precarious "shelf farms" -- slivers of farmland carved right into the cliffs. Showpieces of human ingenuity to eek out an existence wherever possible, these farms carry with them persistent rumors of parents roping their children to keep them tethered as they worked the fragile land.

Maybe they tied them to Norwegian Wood?

Slots Jackpot

2008-04-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to take a quick trip to southern Utah last week. While I was able to revisit some old favorites (Zion National Park and Red Canyon)......I also got a quick, albeit impressive introduction to the massive Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Spanning nearly 1.9 million acres (3% of the state of Utah), the monument is the second largest in the lower 48 states (Death Valley being the largest.)

The half day hike through Lower Calf Creek to the falls was just about everything you could ask for in a hike. Perfect weather, geological wonders, cool wildlife (red-tail hawks, many canyon-country unique lizards & insects), petroglyphs and a big payoff with thundering falls that you can hear for a bit but don't see until the end. But since this blog is about what I dream of doing, I would love to go back & do a hike through Escalante's famous slot canyons (lead photo above.) Because of the dangers of flash floods rolling through (sometimes resulting from storms many, many miles away), those who aren't familiar with the landscape should go with a local guide. With no more than eight people at a time, Utah Canyons seems like a good and reasonably priced choice.

About a six hour drive from Las Vegas, this slots jackpot brings a natural and far more rewarding cha-ching.

photo credits: photo 1 is americansouthwest.net, other two are wen360

In Bruges

2008-04-22T14:13:00.000-07:00

I recently caught "In Bruges" at the local multiplex -- not because Colin Farrell has ever done much for me, but because I'm a sucker for the postcard film. Being a born travel daydreamer, I will more often than not go to any movie that showcases a foreign locale on the big screen. I was pleasantly surprised about not only the gorgeous, well-preserved medieval European town of Bruges, but also that the film itself was quite good.

Bruges, located in the northwest corner of Belgium, is thought to be Europe's best remaining example of a medieval town. Complete with canals and stunning architecture, it seems to be a wonderfully interesting cultural stop even without the chocolate (but what a bonus!)

Postcard films are not a new idea. The Bond films (and now also the Bourne films) do a great job of totting you around the globe in a couple of hours -- giving you postcard snapshots of places to add to your daydreaming list. Out of Africa, arguably my favorite film of all time, is a fantastic film for many reasons, but not the least of which is the cinematography of a land I hope to visit one day. And the hope that the landscape still resembles that same breathtaking natural vastness once I arrive.

Mean and Green

2008-03-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I am sick to death of seeing the word "green" inserted into nearly every single sentence of company lingo these days. "How to green your home, green your car, green your pets, green your job, green your life." Is Ford Motor Company really going to teach me how to be more green?? Doubtful. Green has become almost completely meaningless as an eco-adjective anymore when the claims made are so disparate, so unregulated.

So with mild trepidation, I read National Geographic's Adventure cover story on "Best Green Adventures on Earth." Many make the argument that travel in and of itself can never be a truly green endeavor. But thanks to carbon offsets (the confessionals of the 21st century) we can pay a small fee to absolve our guilt and go on our merry traveling way. Or for those of us like you and me, dear reader, our guilt absolves itself naturally since our journeys take place solely in our minds.

Thank goodness because there is a winner of trip featured in this story (actually, there are many.) But my favorite is a rafting trip offered up by veteran adventure travel company Mountain Travel Sobek. Starting in Haines, Alaska, travelers raft their way down the Tatshenshini River through Canada amidst a glorious 2.5-million-acre protected area that the rafters themselves poked back at copper mine developers and successfully preserved.

With exciting whitewater (Class II/III so mean fun not mean terror), glacier hiking and nightly campsites fresh with moose, bear and wolf tracks, this trip promises a graceful glimpse at a relatively untouched part of the world. Add a scenic bush plane flight to Yakutat to round out your trip once the river reaches Dry Bay and your dream adventure is complete.

And I think these rafters might have a lot more to teach me about being green than Ford.

Under the Seafood

2008-03-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

Last April, the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa (now the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island) opened the first combination aquarium & dining experience -- the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant. Nice construction photos can be seen here.

To access the restaurant, diners cross a wooden walkway to a specially constructed deck and descend a spiral staircase into the curved dome dining area. Serving only 14 diners at a time, it offers up a pretty personalized experience. But how does it feel to order the fish of the day when his relatives could be watching you eat it? Is there a strange moral tug? Is it a little brazen? Could you chew your burger in a cattle field while Bessie chewed her cud?

Spring Awakening

2008-03-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

From many of us (though luckily not for me this year), the winter has been harsh. The winter has been long. We are ready to say goodbye to it for another year. We're ready to believe in the promises and the hope that a new season brings.

Spring officially begins today and what better place to celebrate rebirth and renewal than the timeless favorite of springtime in Paris. Although I've never been much of a Francophile, I've always wanted to spend the first day of spring in Paris -- particularly lolling along in the gardens.

The Jardin Du Luxembourg has been the subject of countless works of art over the years -- including Henri Matisse's aptly titled, "Luxembourg Gardens" which was stolen in 2006 from a museum in Rio. Originally constructed in 1617 for Marie de Medicis and subsequently rather formal in layout, this garden to me epitomizes my vision of historical, sumptuous French gardens. I imagine a quiet reflective stroll which leads to a romantic tryst in a remote corner of the gardens -- far away from the children who come here based on the Madeleine books.

To a happy, passionate Spring!

Emerald Aisle

2008-03-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

Nature affords many glorious green visions (rolling hills, majestic cliffs, grassy meadows), but today in celebration of all things green we veer from the greens of Ireland and instead venture to the magical depths of a bamboo forest.

Bamboo forests can be found in many places throughout the world, but the above photo is from one in Japan - Arashiyama, west of Kyoto to be exact. Walking through a bamboo forest offers one of nature's great reminders that we are but a small part in the bigger picture. With reeds towering more than 100 feet in some cases, bamboo forests surround their visitors with every green in the spectrum. From a brilliant lime at the tops to an inky greenish black in the densest areas with interesting dappled light throughout, bamboo forests are a peaceful, pleasant way to get your greens.

I'll close with a blessing from the real Emerald Isle: May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and the road downhill all the way to your door.

Gee Haw!

2008-03-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

In honor of yesterday's finish of the 35th annual Iditarod, my thoughts turn to mushing with my own pack in the arctic wilds of Greenland. Wintergreen (based out of Ely, Minnesota) offers up a serious call of the wild each spring with a 14 day odyssey through Northwest Greenland. Not for the faint of heart or the cold of toes, this is a true arctic trek via dog sled by day and winter camping by night.

But for those who can brave the cold, they will be richly rewarded with spectacular fjords and coastal scenery, daylight round the clock and wonderful wildlife including caribou, polar bears, seabirds and arctic fox. You'll observe the native Polar Inuit in their hunting and fishing and share meals with them in the evening for a unique cultural understanding presumably so very different from your own.

Now you, dear reader, may take issue with dog sledding -- many animal lovers do. But as a lifelong lover of animals myself, I feel that sled dogs were born to race, born to love the snow and cold. And yes, unfortunate accidents and injuries sometimes befall them. But I feel no different about them than I do about mountain climbers, deep sea divers, heliskiiers or any other adventurers who tackle difficult journeys and climates -- they are equally born to love what they do and fate ultimately plays the tune we all dance to (thank you, Al Swearengen.)

Mush on!

No Cars Go

2008-03-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

The band Arcade Fire's "No Cars Go" teases that they know a place where no cars go -- a place where almost nothing goes. I instantly conjure up an image of a place untouched, unaltered by humans and all the mess we tend to bring. A place as close to its natural state as possible.

These places are nearly impossible to find anymore. Some say the only true wild places are under the sea or out in space. But there are a few locations that cling to their remoteness as their selling point for people who crave that sense of exploration.

And nothing says remote like a float plane! I came across King Pacific Lodge more than ten years ago and bookmarked it in my head as a must-see if for no other reason than it's only accessible by float plane. It has since been bought by a resort chain (it's nearly as impossible for hotels to remain independent as it is for any business these days.) But I still think it's worth a visit.

Located on the shores of Princess Royal Island in northern British Columbia, the lodge's biggest draw is fishing. I would opt for paddling around in a kayak or hiking through the woods of the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest intact temperate rainforest left on Earth. With the elusive white Spirit Bear, rainforest wolves, bald eagles and virgin wilderness as far as the eye can see, I think it's as close to "No Cars Go" as you maybe can get.

Plus...did I mention the float plane??!

Welcome to Daydream Nations

2008-03-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

This blog was born out of collecting many places I've wanted to visit over the years. With scraps of articles here and notebook scribbles there, I've finally decided a blog would be a good repository for me and a nice way to share it with others who dream of being in far off locales as they slug through the daily grind at home.

So I'll start with the holy grail...the Tui Tai. Located in the glorious South Pacific islands of Fiji, Tui Tai Adventure Cruises takes a small group of travelers to remote beaches, snorkeling/diving choice spots, kayaking jaunts up lush rivers -- all while providing a rather luxe journey on their boat with good food and, no doubt, good cheer without being remotely cruise-like. It's hard to imagine a better way to experience the dream of isolated, untouched island life than by boat and I can't imagine a better boat than this. Five days would be great, but if you make it to this remote corner of the world, I would definitely do seven.

In one of my many plane trips of the past, I struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger (no...I'm not one of "those." In fact, I hate plane chat so much that I always board the plane with headphones on & reading material firmly in hand to bury my nose in once I'm settled.) But I have had a few memorable conversations over the years -- all of which have been with people over 60 and mostly men.

This particular salty dog had logged journeys to many daydream nations over the years (he was a certified member of the travelers' century club.) After many stories about the South Pacific, Africa, Europe and his lovely wife who doesn't share his enthusiasm for the road, I asked him his favorite. He said, without a doubt, it would be Fiji. He had been traveling there for more than 30 years and, while it gets more expensive all the time, it's still rather affordable and "un-stuffy." And while the fishing is great (he was an enthusiastic angler -- even wrangling catfish by hand, but that's another story), he said for him it was really all about the people. He felt Fijians are the most friendly, welcoming people on earth and a genuine pleasure to be around.

Well, who doesn't look for exactly that when you're traveling? The sites and natural wonders are the draw, but isn't it always the people that truly bring them to life?

So here's to the dream of Fiji, the Tui Tai and meeting my old salty dog again on the beach to share more stories. I hope to see you there, too.