Stargazing Travel Destinations

Image: http://www.pragueguided.com/component/joomgallery/astronomical-clock-prague-guided-walking-tour.html

Yeah it’s a reblog…

In the midst of a travel daydream…

When I was a kid, in the summertime, one of the favorite past-times was watching the stars. It allowed me to stay up much past dark with my grandparents. We had no telescope but loved it just the same. Occasionally I suggested counting the stars, to no avail.

As an adult, I am still fascinated with the night sky and I still don’t own a telescope (one of these days). If I were to combine the night sky with travel (a couple of my favorite things) I might wind up in a few of these locations:

Prague: To see the Astronomical Clock. This clock fascinates me it’s not specifically the night sky (hope to have more to say about the astronomical clock other than I want one).

http://www.prague.cz/astronomical-clock/

Chile: Apparently is the place to go for observatories and astro-tourism

http://www.ctio.noao.edu/noao/content/Astro-Tourism-Chile

Alaska: The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis

http://www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html

AND

7 Places for top notch stargazing

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/eco-tourism/photos/7-places-for-top-notch-stargazing/eyes-on-the-sky

The 10 best observatories in the world

http://10mosttoday.com/10-best-observatories-in-the-world/

Next Adventures?

I ask myself periodically what will be my next adventure, mini adventure, international travel, 3 day weekend, a long commute in a slightly different location- anything that I can at least pretend is travel.
Then I saw this: http://gothamist.com/2014/03/08/amtrak_now_accepting_applications_f.php

How cool would that be? Having your travel expenses paid for so you can write. That sounds amazing!!

I will write on a plane, I will write on a train, I will write when it rains. I will write here or there I will write anywhere. I write everyday, I write anyway. As Dr. Seuss might say.

Who out there has slept on a train?

Would you do this? (Silly question)  Where would you want to go?

Which writing should I submit? (Yeah that kinda sounds like a favor) I appreciate the feedback if you have it.

Dropping the Ball (my belated race review)

This is a repost from my running blog with the added benefit of some pictures. Since I have also dropped the ball, hopefully soon to be retrieved, on my travel and photo blog it seems appropriate to share it here too.

It would appear that I have dropped the ball on writing about running and now, or at least since September, have also dropped the ball on running. Rather it has been more like a winter time break. Apparently my right hip takes issue with being made to run in the cold so after 2.5 months some chiropractic, some acupuncture, some rest and avoidance of looking my Runner’s World magazine squarely in the eye. I want to pick the ball back up and at least walk with it.

When I started this blog it was going to be all about my training for a Napa 2 Sonoma half marathon. So I did that. Left out all the glamour of flying into Sacramento. My long time childhood friend and long distance training buddy (meaning she lives in a different city not that we run distances together) piled with all our stuff and food into her car and started our drive from Portland Oregon to Napa Valley California with an overnight stop in Grants Pass. Our itinerary was scheduled as follows:

A. Drive down to Grants Pass and stay the night
B. Drive from Grants Pass to get our bibs for the race and check into our hotel
C. Make it to the starting line
D. Run Race and finish
E. Decide anything and everything else on an as needed basis

Now, there are a number of problems and freedoms associated with this style of planning. The freedom with it, is that we are on the same page with what needs to get done. For all you planners out there your hair would have stood on end.

Shortly before arriving in Grants Pass it started to get hot. (At least hot for my Northwest disposition). When I say hot we will call it about 98 degrees and for some reason the AC in the car was on strike, broken, not functioning.

Upon further inspection we discovered that the car was in no immediate danger of stopping so we continued to point B of our itinerary. Little did I know… Just outside of Redding, CA the temperature went up it was like 101. We thought that was warm. The farther south we drove the hotter it became. As it was my turn to drive I watched the temperature increase. 103…104….106… you know how the rest goes finally at 109. I put a piece of paper in front of the car thermometer. Watching the persistent increase in temperature was starting to give me anxiety and we stopped in an air conditioned store for some ice and washcloths. After some time we returned to the inferno with some ice cubes in our headbands we persisted in our icy sponge bath. I named her car Horse with no name because it felt like the desert. And we discussed nearly every topic known to us, particularly focusing on what do people do for money in these places, except the weather and running and furthermore our ability to run the next morning after nearly incinerating ourselves in a car through Northern California. Eventually Redding turned in to Sacramento which allowed us some cooler temperatures (like 102). Like clockwork entering the Napa/Sonoma region the temperature dropped into the 80’s and then the 70’s resting steadily in the upper 60’s which felt luxuriously frigid at that point.

Upon arrival to pick up our bibs. We were sweat soaked. The right side of my head felt like a dread lock and we judged ourselves harshly as we saw many clean and pressed people go to pick up their bibs before their evening dinner plans.

Picking up our bibs and checking in for the race went without a hitch. We even got one hearty gasp from one of the vendors when we asked if he sold earbuds. He replied that he unfortunately didn’t and was apologetic thinking that they wouldn’t be allowed. No problem, my own fault for not remembering them. Could be worse like driving 500 miles without AC.

Hotel check in was simple our next goal try to go to bed and wake up at 4 something to make it to the 5:45 bus to the starting line.

The next morning we made it to the last bus, decaffeinated. I remembered something I had read about not eating any new foods but I wondered about not drinking coffee. We will see where this goes…

The race was great. About 8 miles at a conversational pace through the beautiful Napa Valley. The weather overcast in the upper 50’s when we started and the upper 60’s when we finished and we both finished.

What followed was refueling and rehydration and at some point, after a nap wearing our new technical running shirts and medal, a half bag of doritos and an extra salty margarita (I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that part).

With that, I have least remind myself of how much I enjoy running and hope that all my hips, ankles and knees will cooperate from here on out.

So how do you stay motivated to run in the winter? How do you come back from a running break? Particularly after you’ve been injured?

My first half marathon.

To the starting line

A look into the vineyard and all that wonderful cloud cover.

Happily sipping vinegar the day after the race.

Secret Agent Travel Itinerary

As if I need a reason to think about pictures and talk about travel.  Next month, November 9th, premieres the new James Bond movie Skyfall. If you want to see the preview for the first time, or again, go ahead I’ll wait. 😉

Bond movies all have the same ability to get my travel bug to jump and chirp.  It would appear that I’m not the only one.  Last week,  How to Travel like a Secret Agent, 50 Years of James Bond: a dream 007 travel itinerary, showed up in my inbox and I found 10 Bond Locales Every Man Must Visit. (I don’t think you have to be a man to enjoy some of these locations for all the ladies out there who are Bond fans too).

This led to my next mission of to see if I have any Bond worthy photos or locales in my photo collection.

What are your favorite Bond worthy locations?

What to Bring (or how to be a hero)

Recently I was talking to one of the soon-to-be-recent-graduates-heading-to-China and they asked what to bring for their trip to China.  Instantly I thought of this post, that has been sitting in the draft section of my WordPress dashboard since May, and that now is the time to post such a blog!

Stuff I wish I had brought to China

– liquid hand soap in a spill proof container and a small washcloth sized hand towel
– a phrase book
– some Chinese language podcasts
– more hand wipes

Stuff that I was glad to have brought
– tissues you can buy them in China but it’s good to have some until you can   attempt your way to the grocery store.

-hand sanitizer
– hand wipes
– snacks:  nuts, dried fruit, oatmeal for the days that you just can’t bear another Chinese buffet breakfast or your stomach just won’t tolerate it.
– my laptop
– stuff to read on the plane and on long drives there are a few of them
– instant coffee -it is very familiar and it also makes a great gift if you don’t want to take it  back home with you
– shampoo and conditioner that you enjoy using -5 weeks of using hotel shampoo and conditioner does bad things to your hair.

Stuff you should bring

– anything on the above lists
– anything you absolutely can’t live without be it medication, or supplement, or teddy bear

– stuff that is small that you will miss terribly ipod,  journal, camera, plug adapters for your computer etc.

– activated charcoal

– Over the counter first aid type stuff

– benadryl can be used for allergies and doubles as a mild sleep aid for all those late night Chinese wedding fireworks displays , anti-diarrheals, mild laxatives, band aids (even if you never need any of this stuff, you will be the hero of the day if someone you are traveling with needs it and you have it).  It’s not that some of this stuff can’t be found but, if you need it you don’t want to have to look for it.

Stuff that will give you hero of the day status. If you have any item from the first aid list.  Trading a book that you have finished reading, sharing your instant oatmeal or instant coffee helps make friends and influence people.

The Sky is Still Blue

I recently was able to get away for a long weekend to Sacramento?  Feeling particularly joyous about leaving the the Northwest and the June-uary conditions and the prospect of hiking around South Tahoe (a place I had only seen in pictures) only improved things.

When I left it was raining (no surprise) marching to the bus in shorts with a rolling suitcase I felt a little out of place, but at the airport everyone was wearing shorts too.  Nothing could upset my mood. I was a happiness sandwich between a seat-kicker behind me and a VERY upset infant a few rows in front of me.  As a nearby 6 year old reminded his mother (repeatedly)  it’s only an hour, has it been an hour, it’s only an hour, has it been an hour, YAY we are in California, are we in California?  You get the picture.

Upon arrival the weather was a lovely 75-80 degrees.  Apparently it was in the 90’s and above the weekend before and the weekend following.

The first serious consideration to be made was about dinner.  What to eat? Something seasonal, something local.  Grilled peaches seemed to be a menu favorite, grilled peaches with salad, with pork-belly, and with goat cheese.

Continuing the pursuit of local food we went to the farmers market  the next day where there was an abundance of peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums and even some plucots (otherwise called Dinosaur Eggs). Meanwhile, the sky was still blue.

We headed out to the South Tahoe area for what turned out to be a short hike with our farmer’s market finds in hand.  It was a wonderful mix of warm sun, cool breezes and unmelted snow. I think I used the word delightful fifteen times over a period of 2 hours and I meant it.  In all my joy of blue sky, blue waters and stone fruit I happily agreed to begin training to run a half marathon next summer.  Yikes!

I slept and woke up, and slept and woke up, and the sky was still blue.  At one point I commented the weather is the same out all the windows, which got a laugh (but is frequently not the case at home).  It’s amazing what blue sky and grilled peaches can do for a girl.

Might Not Know What You’re Missing

Without getting into a huge political discourse of  haves and have nots, as an observer not a politician, I’m enormously grateful for the the things I have but, sometimes still (desperately) want to leave the country.  When I came back from China a number of people asked me if it was good to be home,  and if the trip made me realize how fortunate we are etc. Yes and yes but, that isn’t what this is about.

In China I observed freedoms that I just hadn’t seen at home or at least not in my very secluded corner of the Northwest.  Not sure if I want some of these freedoms but I did notice them.

1. The ability to do what you want on your moped.  By saying do what you want, I mean endanger your own life.  At home we have extreme sports in China there are mopeds and no helmet laws.  Not only do you not have to wear a helmet you can ride with your wife behind you and 2 children.  One child standing in front of you, usually the older one and one in between you (usually the younger one). If your moped has a basket your small brown dog might ride in it as well. (Oh and to complete the picture everyone in the family are probably wearing face masks).

In the same theme, when hiking on treacherous rocks and hills (with 1 billion other people) there are signs for you to proceed with caution lest you may fall.  However, there are no chain link fences and nobody to stop you if you are feeling adventurous and get too close to the edge.  The interpreters warned us that every year people fall off Yellow Mountain.

2. Freedom from diapers.  It is custom in some places for people to dress their children in buttless pants. They are kind of like chaps for infants.  With these pants the child can relieve themselves as needed be it on the street or in the subway.  Not sure if there is a scoop law for parents of small children.  I never asked.  Sometimes on the subway, a stream of mysterious liquid would run down the center aisle. People would just move their bags and groceries out of the way and let the stream take its natural course.  Not sure if this same freedom applies to adults, again I didn’t ask.

3. Freedom from leashes.  Dogs don’t need them.  They seem well fed, well mannered, non-aggressive and self governing. Thus, they don’t require leashes. I did on one occasion notice a dog sitting on a table in a bar.  Thinking back on my restaurant days I would have had a fit.  So would the health department.  Not the case here no leash no problem.  Or maybe the other way around no problem no leash.

4. Freedom to talk on your cell phone anywhere at any volume. Including but not limited to subways, elevators, grocery stores and doctor’s offices.   My Chinese ranges anywhere from non-existent to abominable at best. I must have missed out on some great eavesdropping.

5. The ability to buy eggs in bulk at the grocery store and not just the whitest of white eggs and brown all different hues of eggs.  I’m not really sure if this is a right or a freedom but, I thought it was kind of cool.  One isn’t limited to the standard 6, 12 and 18 count egg containers.

6. The freedom to burn stuff on the sidewalk.  In Beijing it was common to see people draw a circle (maybe 1.5 feet across), on the sidewalk, and burn small amounts of paper in the center of the circle.  This happened too often, every other block, to be coincidental and we weren’t quite sure of the significance this ritual holds.  One thing I’m fairly about is, if I tried this at home, I would get a ticket or worse.

Maybe I am just missing out living in a secluded corner of the Northwest.

What are some freedoms or privileges you have observed while traveling abroad? You don’t have to want or like them but, I do want to hear about them.

Travel Envy

I was eating breakfast with some friends recently listening to a recount of a trip to Mexico, rice, beans and learning Spanish.  Not paying close enough attention to directions given in a foreign language.  Nodding yes in understanding when you really don’t.  Chatting with well traveled strangers while waiting for the customs line to move even an inch. Then it hits… travel envy.  Something about the stamps, stickers and language barriers of foreign travel gets me every time.

You know you have it bad when listening to a friend’s airport woes and you’re kinda envious.  No I don’t want to be trapped in a security line, only to hear my name over the loud speaker for final boarding call, and have to run to the last gate to barely catch my plane where the air conditioning is promptly shut off and everyone starts coughing.  That sounds terrible, but in some part of my mind still desirable, as far as travel sicknesses go travel envy can range from pretty benign to debilitating.  As far as mine goes it somewhere between a lingering ache and a painful jab.

This fire was fueled even further by a singular moment this week in the office where a client was perusing my travel photo album and asked to purchase one of the photos.  The photo album is more of a conversation piece, but who am I to refuse such a request.  Especially the request of someone who wants to travel vicariously via a photo I took.

At which point I go home to flip through the photo albums on the Lonely Planet or  National Geographic and sigh…

Where to go when you aren’t going anywhere… try the language

February passed without a post now I am looking at the calendar and March has almost passed too.  It’s not that I wasn’t thinking about posting it’s just that, you know, life came up, I didn’t travel anywhere and I didn’t post anything.  Was that just three excuses in one sentence. It wasn’t until I got an email that my China trip coordinator was giving a talk to the new batch of potential China trip students that I realized my blog is linked to the school’s study abroad webpage.  Pretty cool.

This got me thinking about China and some other parts of Asia, and how when I got  back home the first thing I wanted to to was get myself a job, apartment, and a life in Hong Kong or Tokyo.  A decent amount of time went into thinking about how to facilitate this goal much to the detriment of just about everything else in my life.  Some time went into checking out Chinese language shows, podcasts, and food shows.  If I was going to go back to China I wanted learn more Chinese.  I didn’t know how life after graduate school was suppose to function and I wanted to be back in Asia.  Here are a few of my favorite Chinese language findings.

BBC Languages
Sexy Beijing
Pop up Chinese (a Chinese language podcast)- these are hilarious I sure wish I had them before I left.
One minute Mandarin- also a Chinese language podcast.

Then I spent more time than I care to admit watching food shows mostly Bizarre Foods and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations.  After the I don’t want to be home yet finally wore off and I settled into my life these thoughts and behaviors subsided, but my cravings for lamb hot pot and Korean barbecue did not.

The beloved lamb hot pot. It can be spicy or mild.

Happy New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year or Happy Lunar New Year!  Whatever you want to call it good-bye last year.  1012 is the year of the Black Water Dragon and generally considered favorable. While in China we were instructed that those who are born in the year of the Dragon should wear red.  In fact, when it is your animal year (12,24,36 multiples of 12) you should wear red.  Why?  We were told that wearing red can protect you from the strength of the year.  (Think something along the lines that, not all positive changes are easy or “smooth seas do not make for skillful sailors”).  Since I have been home I have told all my friends born in the year of the Dragon about wearing red and informally surveyed some of my other friends about 12, 24, 36, 48 etc. and it was generally agreed that those were challenging  years (if they had known about wearing red they would have).

So, Happy New Year, wear red if it suits you. These pictures are from a New Year’s celebration I attended in Vancouver, BC in 2008 (not the year of the Dragon).  A quick google search tell me that the parade for this year will be on the January 29, 2012.