Some people collect stamps or coins or shoes. Me, I collect people. Once I decide I like someone, it is hard to get me to let go. So what do you do when people you really like are scattered all over North America? Why, you plan a trip with that assortment of very interesting souls.
Are you curious about what happens when you put 15 friends together for 12 days on an island, coming within 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle? Me too. For all you inquiring minds out there, I have good news. One of my traveling buddies is also a blogging buddy, so for THIS trip, you will have two, yes TWO blogs to peruse–this one, and the Canadian version of our Iceland Adventure. Nancy is a fantastic photographer who always provides excellent information about the places she visits. Another plus: her blog keeps pace with the trip, while I usually lag far behind. (Translated: Nancy will likely be doing MOST of the blogging). If you sign up to follow her posts, they will be delivered automatically to your in-basket, just click on that blue link above to be transferred over.
Some demographics: Our group is composed of 5 men and 10 women: 4 from Boston, 4 from New Jersey, 2 from Ohio, 2 from California, 1 from Oregon and 2 from British Columbia. 6 have never been on a group trip before, and 8 have never been on an OAT trip before. 11 of us are retired. 2 of the husbands were foreign-born: (Argentina and Jordan). I’ve known some members of the group for decades (the longest friendship is 53 years,) but others are newer relationships, including 1 traveler who I’ll be meeting for the first time when we arrive in Iceland.
Where will we be going, you ask? After exploring Reykjavik, we will be traveling west and north to places with unpronounceable names. Akureyri, I am told, is located just 40 miles off the Arctic Circle, in case you were wondering. We then are flying back to Reykjavik, for a visit to the Golden Circle, before heading home.
For all you visual people out there, I have included a map, of sorts.
I’m excited about seeing the wonders of Iceland–the land of fire and ice. But I’m equally excited about spending time with this great group.
Several of us decided to fly in a day early, arriving at Keflavik airport around (groan) 6 AM. It takes about an hour to get luggage and emerge from customs, then roughly another hour to get to our hotel. I think it is a pretty safe bet that our rooms won’t be available at 8 AM, or for at LEAST several hours, so I have loaded up on suggestions from the OAT Forum of what to do in Reykjavik till we can crash in our hotel rooms.
Hope you join us for what we expect to be a very fun party!
Okay, so you’ve decided to visit Yellowstone and the Tetons. Now what?
Hint #1: Jackson Hole and the Tetons
If you are flying in, it’s a good idea to spend your first night (or more) in Jackson Hole. By the time you arrive and pick up your car, you will probably be tired. Jackson Hole is great place to catch your breath, rest up and enjoy the scenery. It is also much easier to get lodging, and because we were visiting outside of ski season, the hotel rates were quite reasonable.
So, what does Jackson Hole have to offer? Museums, scenery, shopping, and great restaurants! We particularly liked Gather, which was only a couple of blocks from our hotel. The food was delicious, creatively presented and reasonably priced. Chicken with pancakes and berries plus flourless chocolate cake were just two of our choices.
chicken with pancakesflourless chocolate cake
If you have a sweet tooth (and as you can tell from the photo above, I do), then you will definitely want to stop at Moo. In addition to great ice cream, they also offer truffle animals that are almost too good to eat.
Did I mention shopping? Every man needs at least one of these hanging in his closet.
Nature lovers can’t miss with a hike in the Rockefeller Preserve. Follow this linkfor trail maps, hours and rules for visiting.
Be forewarned. To get there, you have to travel on some unpaved roads. And some of the trails are a bit rocky, but the scenery is magnificent and oh so peaceful.
We spent our first two nights in Teton Village, then headed for Yellowstone early in the morning, stopping for breakfast in Jackson Hole. If you follow my advice from my last post and stay in Jackson Hole at Springhill Suites, you would be able to enjoy a free breakfast (they start serving EARLY) and would get to Yellowstone even earlier than we did. If, however, you choose to experience the Teton Village, check out the Mangy Moose for breakfast, and Osteria or Spur for lunch or dinner.
Hint #2 Take a Tour Be sure to reserve your tours WELL in advance, especially if you are visiting during peak season! If you visit Yellowstone during non-peak season, some activities might not be offered. For example, none of the boating activities were available on Yellowstone Lake, but there was still more than enough to do. The Event Plannerwill tell you what is available, when.
We booked two tours–the “Circle of Fire, and “Wake Up to Wildlife”. The Circle of Fire tour lasted all day, and was a very good value at $86 per adult. Every seat on this large tour bus is a good seat, with excellent views wherever you sit.
We paid $100 per adult for Wake Up to Wildlife. We did NOT book in advance, so we ended up taking this tour on the day we were checking out of our hotel–not ideal, but it was all that was available.
The “historic” yellow buses used for Wake Up to Wildlife can only seat 13 people, ( three rows of 4, plus 1 beside the driver.) The tour is supposed to start at 6:15 AM and last until around 11:30.
Both tours charge half price for children under the age of 11; both tours pick up and drop off at several park hotels, and for both tours, the bus driver is also your tour guide. Both of ours were retirees who thoroughly enjoyed their jobs. Their love for the park, its history, animals and lore was obvious. While driving, they kept us entertained with stories, jokes and oh so much valuable information.
Hint #3 The Wildlife You don’t need to take a tour to see wildlife. It didn’t take long for us to encounter our first of MANY bison and elk. These animals are very comfortable strutting their stuff along the roads, in the roads, pretty much where ever they want. That does have an impact on travel time and traffic, so keep that in mind, relax and enjoy the show.
The park literature does a great job reminding visitors that these are wild and potentially dangerous animals, so we kept a safe distance, but we DID observe others who got dangerously close.
We didn’t see any bears, and although we theoretically DID spot some wolves, an osprey, pronghorns, some mountain goats and a badger community, most were way too distant to see without binoculars.
Can you spot the mountain goat in this photo? Neither could I, but I was TOLD there was one to the left of that snowy patch, near the bottom.
On the Wake Up to Wildlife tour, our guide supplied the scope, and some of “wolf watchers” we encountered along the way were kind enough to share their equipment with us. But even with powerful scopes, I never was able to see the wolves.
Even with the very good zoom on my camera, this photo of badger butts was as good as I could get–so you can imagine what the deleted ones looked like!I had better luck outside of our hotel in Mammoth Hot Springs, where several of these little guys were cavorting across the street.
My opinion, based on my ONE experience, was that we would have been better served to skip “Wake Up to Wildlife” and explore on our own. (Others who have experienced the tour are encouraged to weigh in). Here’s why: on our own, we could have stopped when we wanted, for as long as we wanted. The bus was unable to stop when animals were sighted along the way, so, for example, we SAW many “red dogs” (the locals’ name for baby bison) during our tour, we weren’t able to stop and watch them, or get a good shot.
photo taken from the yellow bus on Wake Up to Wildlife
Because of its size, the bus was limited to parking in specific areas.
On our own, we could have left when we wanted and returned when we chose. Despite being in the lobby on time (at 6:15 AM!!!), the tour bus didn’t leave the parking lot till 6:40 AM. If you think that made me grumpy, you’d be right. Oh yeah, one more thing: There is no coffee making paraphernalia at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, and nothing is open at 6:15. You DO get a bottle of cranberry juice and a muffin, but that’s it until your return at around 11:30. We knew that, so stocked up at the nearby General Store the day before.
There WERE positives: The bus driver’s stories and his telescope for viewing animals.
Hint #4 Yellowstone is MUCH more than Old Faithful I was completely blown away by the incredible geological features of this amazing park. The Circle of Fire Tour takes you to the main highlights, such as Geyser Basin at West Thumb. This area, bordering Yellowstone Lake is fascinating. Check out the colors from the mineral deposits!
When the Park first opened, visitor were able to board a ferry in West Thumb that would take them across the lake to our hotel. While we were there, no boats were sailing or chugging across the lake, probably because the ice wasn’t completely gone until May 21 (according to our guide). Even though the ice was about 30 inches thick, it is hard to understand how the lake can remain frozen with all the smokin’ hot activity close by. Okay, I am going to TRY to insert a video of the boiling mud. Hope it works.
We stopped at a couple of waterfalls as we made our way to Old Faithful, arriving at the complex with about an hour and a half before the geyser was expected to erupt, just enough time to get lunch, before the show.
I decided to avoid the crowd, take a seat under the trees, and watch from the distance.
The only place where we encountered crowds during our tour was at Old Faithful.
If I had to choose a favorite spot, it would be very difficult, but I guess I’d choose the Fountain Paint Pots. I just loved the stark landscape.
The male bisons travel solo. I’m wondering how he manages to saunter over this hot area?
I could keep going with photos from the Circle of Fire Tour, but you get the idea. The geological features are jaw dropping! And it is great to have the guide explain what is going on.
Hint #6 Getting hungry? The choices pretty much boil down to amusement park quality food, fine dining or “do it yourself” from purchases at the General Stores. We tried all three and for us, it was easy to determine that fine dining was the way to go. Because we are used to New Jersey and New York restaurant prices, the food did not seem all that expensive to us.
I would NOT recommend eating in the Yellowstone cafeteria! The food resembles airplane food, except at least airplane food is not served and consumed in the midst of chaos. To be fair, it WAS fast. In retrospect, I wish we gone with the slower, but probably better, restaurant at Old Faithful Inn.
The entryway of the Old Faithful Inn
If you want to have dinner at the Lake Hotel, (and I hope you do), you will need to make reservations well in advance. I made reservations for both nights we stayed there, figuring we could cancel if we didn’t like the food. We liked it so much, we ended up having all our meal there.
At Mammoth Hot Springs, you can’t make a reservation; it is first come, so beware if you see a bus loads of tourists pulling into the parking lot.
An unexpected bonus? All of the waitstaff were knowledgeable about the park and were happy to share information with us. Their tips led us to some wonderful spots we might not have found on our own.
Our waiter told us where to go to catch the perfect sunset on the lake. We had the place all to ourselves.
Tip #7 Don’t miss theTravertine Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs The view from the top of the terraces is pretty spectacular.
Although you CAN drive and there is a parking lot at the top, it is so much more fun to walk up and down. It is roughly the equivalent of 26 flights of stairs (according to my fitbit), but there is plenty to see along the way. You can stop, gawk, and catch your breath.
We celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary at the Mural Room, Jackson Lake Lodge in the Tetons. Where else could your butter be shaped like a moose?
Although I could go on and on about the glories of Yellowstone, I think you just have to experience it for yourself.
Okay, first off, full disclosure. We have only been to Yellowstone and the Tetons once, so I don’t pretend to be an authority, but having just gone through the experience, I don’t take for granted what more experienced National Parks travelers might.
Also, I am not, and never have been, a camper, not even in an RV, and don’t get me started on tents! So, if after all that truth telling, you are still with me, here’s what we learned from OUR experience.
Tip #1 Researching your Trip I discovered this wonderful brochure late in the planning process. It has maps, showing where the various lodging options are located, plus information about restaurants, park activities, and many, many other helpful hints. Don’t be put off if you are traveling in 2019 and the 2018 brochure is the only one available. Trust me. The information doesn’t change much from year to year. Of course, the usual travel books are available at the library, but I found this brochure provided the information that I most needed in a brief and user friendly format.
And while you are at it, be sure to download the FREE Yellowstone App from whichever place you go to for your apps. For me, it is the Apple store, and on their site, the app looks like this.
Once you get the app, go to “settings” (The little gear on the bottom of the screen), and choose “Download Offline Content”. This is important because there are many areas within the park where internet access is nonexistent, but because YOU were smart enough to download, you can access the maps and important information about the sights that are nearby.
Tip #2 When to Book Your Stay It is important to plan your trip WAY in advance, particularly if you want to stay inside the park during the summer months. Reservations open in March for winter bookings; spring, summer and fall reservations are accepted starting May 1, for the following year.
We made our Yellowstone lodging reservations for May 25- 29 in early December. I had mistakenly thought that by choosing a time when the season was just starting and while the kids were still in school, the competition for rooms would not be as keen. Wrong! If we had waited much longer, we would have been out of luck. So who else was visiting Yellowstone at the start of the season? While there, we heard German, Spanish, French, Chinese and Hindi being spoken, and saw buses from Australian and Chinese tour companies in the parking lots. It was nice to see people from other parts of the world enjoying the beauty that this country has to offer. Just don’t wait too long to book your hotel or cabin.
Be sure that you book through Xanterra, the official park concessionaire. I mistakenly thought the company I found via my internet search, entitled US Park Lodging, was the vendor through which one made hotel reservations within the park. Wrong. I should have contactedXanterra, and my mistake increased the cost of our lodging by 10%. A non-refundable 10%. And if we need to make changes to our reservation, we need to do so through Xanterra–NOT US Park Lodging. So, YOU have now been warned.
Tip #3 Getting There We flew into the Jackson Hole, Wyoming (JAC) airport, but other choices include Cody, Wyoming(COD), Bozeman, Montana (BZN) or Idaho Falls, Idaho (IDA). Cody and Jackson are the closest — a little more than 50 miles from park entrances, while Bozeman and Idaho Falls are almost double that distance.
Although United airlines offered a non-stop flight to Bozeman, we opted for a connecting flight to Jackson. The distance and the fact that we had never visited Jackson Hole or the Tetons were the deciding factors.
It took some playing around on the United Airlines website, but the difference in prices ($654 versus $1037 Round Trip) was worth the effort to determine which arrival and departure dates were the most economical and convenient. (We did our airline reservations before our lodging reservations).
Of course there are some who choose to drive from home to the park, and we met a few of those adventurous souls!
Tip #4 Where to Stay For our first two nights, we stayed at the Snake River Lodge and Spa in Teton Village, because we wanted to experience as much of what the area had to offer as possible during our first visit to Jackson Hole.
If you are a skier, this is the place to be because the ski lift is a brief stroll away. If you are trying to save money, this is definitely NOT the place to stay. On top of the not inexpensive room rate, the hotels in Teton Village charge resort fees and village sales taxes, in addition to the regular taxes charged.
On the plus side: Because our son was staying with us, we opted for a suite, which was very nice, with bedroom, pull out couch and balcony.
The view from our balcony at the Snake River Lodge. Yes, we had a bit of rain during our stay.
Still, we preferred Springhill Suites by Marriott, in Jackson Hole. We stayed there for the last two nights of our trip. It is only 15-20 minutes from the airport, it offers free a great free breakfast, you can walk to lots of wonderful restaurants in the “downtown” area, it also offers rooms with a couch (our couch had a trundle bed), and it was significantly less expensive (58% of the cost of Snake River Lodge). Not only that, but it is right across the street from a FREE parking garage!
For our four days in Yellowstone, we decided to split our time between the northern and southern parts of this huge park– two nights at the Lake Hotel and two nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. That worked out really well for us, because it allowed us to easily visit everything we wanted to see.
If you look at the map below, you’ll see that the roads in Yellowstone make two big loops. As you would expect, the Lake Hotel is located across from Yellowstone Lake. This very beautiful, peaceful property, was recently renovated.
It has all the amenities you would want: coffee and tea making paraphernalia in the room, a hair dryer that is NOT attached to the wall, the bottles of goodies (shampoo, conditioner and body lotion.) It also has a gift shop, a restaurant and a snack bar.
The hotels within the park all practice “sustainability”. You can opt to forgo room service for a $5 per night credit to your room charge. We decided to do that, and donate the savings to Yellowstone Forever. I have to tell you, we really LIKED not having our room made up. It was easy to make the bed (we do that at home) and hang up our towels–and we were guaranteed that the maid would not be cleaning our room when we wanted to return to it.
But more about the wonderful Lake Hotel: The lounge is has a great view of the lake, and the piano music every night makes your before (and after) dinner drinks even more enjoyable.
The hotel has lots of interesting architectural features, like this beautiful fireplace. Be forewarned, though, this stay is not going to be a cheap. Our two nights here were the most expensive of our trip. If you are looking to conserve your vacation funds, choose a different option, but be sure to come here for dinner or lunch.
We also loved the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, but for different reasons. This hotel had NOT been recently redone. For example, the toilet seats are way lower than you might expect. Be sure to LOOK before you sit! There are no coffee or tea making supplies in the room, BUT there IS a hair dryer that is not attached to the wall. (Can you tell I HATE the “on the wall” hair dryers?) The shower is small and the shower head was located for people of below average height, but the hot water was plentiful and the beds were comfortable.
The location is fantastic. Even the elk agree–They would hang out right under the hotel windows.
The park rangers put up orange cones to remind the visitors that the elk are wild animals, and they should keep their distance. Not everyone heeds the warning, and some visitors have gotten injured because they got too close.
I also loved the photos in our room that depicted the early days of the park.
You can’t sit on these terraces any more. They are way too delicate and the ground is unstable/It used to take DAYS to get through the park. The coaches averaged 6 miles per hour and there WERE stage coach robberies, back then, just like in those Saturday morning westerns of long ago.
Tip #5 Getting Around the Camp
We rented our car from Enterprise, which was one of three vendors that are on site at the airport. Other car companies are located in Jackson Hole, about 15 minutes away. Although renting from an airport based company increased our cost slightly, because of airport taxes, we thought it was worth the convenience, especially because we had an early morning flight home. Service was good, it was easy, and they upgraded us to the BIGGEST SUV I had ever seen in my life. (Our son picked up the car, it was not chosen by this Prius driver!) Presumably the other car companies offer shuttle service, but we didn’t see any while we were at the airport, so perhaps you need to call into town for that service.
So, that’s all I’ve got for the preparation phase. Next post will be about tours, dining and the actual park experiences
As I mentioned in my opening, this was our first trip to the area, so this Yellowstone newbie welcomes comments from any and all who have different hints/experiences/observations to share. Talk to us!
It is time to start packing for another adventure. Anyone wondering whether I am now a firm believer in One Carry On (OCO) packing?
The short answer is–it depends. My one month packing experiment taught me a thing or two and I am happy to share everything I learned.
Climate matters. Big time. OCO is much easier when the weather is consistently warm because those clothes are SMALLER and lighter weight.
It gets challenging when the weather at the destination is changeable. Sometimes warm, sometimes cold, like our upcoming spring trip to Yellowstone. Yes, yes, I know. Dress in layers. Still, when the weather is expected to fluctuate between 33 and 75 degrees, with the possibility of thunderstorms and even snow, it becomes tricky. I can wear my waterproof hiking boots on the plane. My parka? I don’t think so.
Self knowledge is powerful. I learned I really hate doing laundry in hotel bathrooms. It wasn’t bad during my two weeks in Portugal, because I was in the same hotel the entire time and had my own room. So, draping my underwear from every available surface didn’t inconvenience anyone else. When I met up with my husband in Spain, however, and shared space, I was glad that I had used the laundry service in Beja, arriving with everything clean, so the need to do laundry was limited.
Another insight? At home, I wash clothes far more than I need to. Because I have access to a washer and dryer, I wear something once, then toss it into the laundry basket. Why? It isn’t as if I spend my days mud wrestling or cleaning sewage ditches. Okay, work out clothes and underwear are “one wear” items, but my black travel pants? I discovered I could easily wear them two or three times with no ill effects. Better for my clothes, and much better for the environment. I’m now doing “multiple wears” at home.
Traveling solo is different from traveling with a group. If I am on my own, as I was getting from Portugal to Spain–by bus, plane and taxi, then OCO makes sense. The hassle of doing laundry is much less than the hassle of lugging a bigger bag when moving from one mode of transportation to another. If I am on a group tour, or traveling with family, then once again, it depends. Why carry on, if you have to wait for others held up at baggage claim? On our group tours, our bags magically move from outside our hotel doors to the van or bus. So easy. On family trips, I have my personal baggage handler, who never expects a tip. Still, if we are only spending two or three nights per hotel, it is so much easier if your wardrobe choices are limited.
The airline may make the decision for you. Just because you PLAN to carry on, doesn’t mean the airline will ALLOW you to do so. If the flight is too full, the airline may force you to gate check your bag. Bonus discovery–if you gate check, your bag is one of the last ones on the plane and one of the first ones rotating around that baggage carousel. Not a bad deal. I’m not sure how it works with connecting flights. THAT could be problematic, especially on international flights, if your bag is not checked all the way through.
Planned activities are an important factor. Will I need a “dress up” outfit? If so, then I will need the appropriate footwear. Sneakers or Keens just don’t look right with a dressy outfit. Normally I limit my footwear to two pairs (one worn on the plane, the other packed-and jammed full of small “stuff”). If I need something dressy, sandals are a good option, don’t take up space and can sometimes be good for walking. And yes, I either use the hotel’s shower cap or a plastic bag from the fruits and vegetable section of the grocery store to protect my clothes from my shoes.
Will we be using a pool or going to the beach? Fortunately flip flops don’t take up much room, and bathing suit coverups can sometimes do double duty.
Packing skills can make or break OCO. There are those who swear by packing cubes. I’m not one of them. I find that zip lock bags work better for me. I can see what’s inside, the bags weigh next to nothing, and they can be smooshed to fit into odd spaces.
A combo of rolled and flat methods allow me to maximize space, with small things tucked into any available space.
For long trips, I find compression bags helpful (except I seem to keep losing the little closure thingy.) Sometimes kneeling on my zip lock bag achieves the same effect.
I LOVE my hanging toiletry bag, especially when traveling with my guy. The hanging bag allows me to let him have the space by the sink, which is usually too small for two. BUT if I am doing OCO, I will give up my beloved hanging toiletry bag, and revert to zip locks in a plastic grocery bag, which I can hang over the bathroom door knob. (Most of the time I use cloth grocery bags, but for the few occasions when I end up with plastic, I save them for this purpose.)
So, there you have it. Before each trip the pros and cons are balanced. Sometimes one carry on makes sense–and other times, my large duffle does the trick. How about you? any packing insights you want to share?
Are you considering becoming a Global Volunteer? Wondering which program is best for you? I’ve volunteered six times, in five different countries: St Lucia, Vietnam, the Cook Islands & Mexico, where I volunteered twice, and most recently Portugal. I’ve done blog posts about four of them, describing how each program was wonderful in its own way, and oh, so very rewarding.
Because I get sucked into all of the “top 10” lists, I decided to do one that will encourage you to consider spending two very worthwhile weeks in that fantastic part of the world known as Portugal.
Highly motivated, interesting students:
My assignment was English conversation at the Polytechnic Institute of Beja,My group, seven of the twenty four members of our class
where I spent evenings chatting with adults who already had an impressive grasp of English, but wanted the opportunity to practice and to improve their pronunciation.
Three of us taught together, breaking the students into smaller groups after the first forty five minutes of the two hour nightly class.
Other volunteers taught at the high school, middle schools and the prison. Some tutored restaurant owners and staff.
Interestingly, we each thought that WE had gotten the best assignment, which leads me to the next reason.
An Incredible team Leader: Joe has been leading teams to Beja, Portugal for many years, and his extensive experience really shows. He quickly sized up the 10 of us and figured out which volunteer best matched which assignment. He’d give Match.com a run for their money, if he ever decided to get into the dating business!
Joe knows all Beja’s historical sights, the most fun restaurants, the best excursions for the weekend, the cultural events, where you can get your laundry inexpensively done…everything you need to know to thoroughly enjoy your non-volunteering hours.Our leader, Joe, in the black tee shirt, left front
Interaction with the Community:
When I say that Joe knows everybody in Beja, I’m not exaggerating. One night, we enjoyed dinner with Beja’s mayor and councilwoman. And yes, those are gifts the councilwoman is holding.
What was in the bag? Lots of local goodies, including my favorite–chocolate from the shop down the street.
Lasting friendships: Laurie, Jeanne and I met when we volunteered in St. Lucia in 2012. 
Although Jeanne and I volunteered together in Mexico in 2017, this was the first time since that first meeting that I had had the pleasure of spending time with Laurie. Having her as my “partner” at the University made it even more fun!
The best part? I now have SEVEN new volunteers who I would be thrilled to see on a future assignment.
Shared Experiences:
It almost felt like I was back in college. Because we pretty much took over the first floor of the Hotel Bejense, I knew just about everyone in every room on that floor. There was always someone to play with, just like back in the dorm. Want to have a chat over a cup of tea? No problem. Just walk down the hall, to the breakfast room and along the way, you are sure to bump into a buddy or two.
The hotel also had a cozy lounge, in which we gathered every night to share our experiences, before heading off to dinner. As you can see, experiences weren’t the ONLY things we were sharing! Our fee for Global Volunteers covers our housing, food, transportation to the work site but not wine. Again, no problem. We took turns purchasing wine, cheese and other snacks to make our evening meetings more enjoyable.
Serpa Cheese Festival:
Okay, so there is no guarantee that a future program will take place during the Cheese Festival. We just happened to luck out. (That cheese in the photo above was purchased at the festival by one of the volunteers.)
There were LOTS of free samples of cheese AND wine AND chocolate! Not only that, but we got to experience “Cante Alentejano”. Okay, so I will never make my fortune as a videographer, but this 33 second clip will give you an idea of this very stylized art form.
Evora:
Global Volunteers are free to travel during the weekends. Because public transportation is reliable, comfortable and inexpensive, we took the bus on Sunday to the beautiful city of Evora, spending the day enjoying all that it had to offer, like the Roman Temple,
the Chapel of Bones.
and even more music! Beja:
There is so much to say about this lovely place that I devoted an entire blog post just to Beja. Click here if you want a closer look at this delightful town. It is so worth visiting.
Lisbon It is also impossible to list all that Lisbon has to offer as one entry in a 10 item list. So, Lisbon ALSO has its own post. But here’s the best part: It is SO easy to get from Beja to Lisbon by bus. The bus station is just a short walk from the hotel. I was surprised that it was so inexpensive–just 14 Euros to ride in comfort with access to free wifi. Notice the stop in Evora. Venture Outside of Your Comfort Zone:
Why not stretch your limits? Try something new and exciting? You may make new friends, accumulate lots of memories and experience another culture in a way that is not possible when you are just passing through, visiting the usual tourist sites.
If Lisbon isn’t on your bucket list, you need to get it on there. Right now.
Why? Great food, amazing history, beautiful sights, wonderful side trips, friendly people, affordable hotels, great public transportation, and relatively painless flights–what more could you want?
Our stay in Lisbon was just long enough to convince us that we have to return to spend more time taking in everything that it has to offer.
Although the weather wasn’t perfect during our visit, it certainly was better than what we are experiencing today, the day after Easter, here in New Jersey! But then, snow days are made for us retirees to look through our travel photos and blog about our sojourn. Am I right?
Because we were on a Grand Circle Tour (Sister company of Overseas Adventure) our time was planned for us, with a guided tour that included Lisbon’s more popular sights.
The Parque of Eduardo VII was a great vantage point, offering a panoramic view of the city and the Tagus River.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a European city tour unless you stopped at a cathedral. This one, at the Jeronimos Monastery, happens to be Vasco de Gama’s final resting spot. It is also the place where explorers and sailors went to pray before heading off on their journeys to the edge of the earth.
To honor those seamen, the cathedral roof was designed to resemble sailors ropes and knots. You can’t tell from the photo–you’ll just have to trust me on that one.
At the end of our visit, JuanJo, our tour guide, surprised us with a special treat, the custard tart for which Portugal is famous. This particular bakery is supposedly the one that does it best because it was the sole recipient of a super secret recipe, developed by monks. This recipe is as closely guarded as the coca cola formula, or so we were told. I didn’t have the heart to share that I had equally delicious custard tarts from a bakery in Beja. I was told the nuns developed THEIR recipe to use up egg yokes. Why? Because they used the egg whites to starch their colors and headgear, so had a mountain of excess yokes they didn’t want to waste. On our drive to Belem Tower, we passed this street art, made entirely of garbage. The raccoon’s eyes are discarded tires!
Sorry the photo is so pixilated–it was shot from the bus, with my iPhone. But I hope you can see that this is a beautiful and imaginative piece. The artist, Artur Bordalo, has created many murals throughout Lisbon. What I didn’t realize was that I had seen his work already, in beautiful Beja. Remember the rooster from my earlier post? Check out Bordalo’s signature at the bottom right. I loved that rooster even BEFORE I learned it was constructed out of cast off materials.
The Belem Tower was built in the early 1500’s near the mouth of the Tagus river to defend Lisbon from the bad guys. Really? THIS is what their fortress looks like? All decorative and ornate? It looks more like Cinderella’s Castle than Fort Apache!
The second landmark on this side of the Targus River is the Monument to the Discoveries, created in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator.
What is really cool is the pavement in front of the monument, a mosaic map of the world, complete with ships and mermaids.
Climbing the sides of the monument are important Portuguese historical figures, like Vasco da Gama, Magellan and of course, Prince Henry at the front. St Francis Xavier made it onto the monument, but not into my photo.
Across the Tagus you can see what looks like a cross. It is actually a statue of Christ, with arms outspread like the one in Brazil.
Also notice the bridge. Remind you of any place in the USA?
After hitting many of Lisbon’s “must see” attractions in the morning, we had the afternoon to wander. Our hotel, the Mundial, was ideally located near cafes, shops, restaurants, and beautiful squares, perfect for people watching while munching on one of those delightful pastries.
Believe it or not, this square is perfectly flat. Those “waves” are a pavement optical illusion!Loved the sand sculpturesSchool outing, maybe?
Dinner that evening was in a former Moorish palace that was briefly a casino before becoming the restaurant– La Casa Do Alentejo. We dined in the gorgeous private room on the third floor.
Okay, so I had a little wine before taking this picture, but I at least I DID get the decorative ceiling and the mirrors on the walls!The second floor was beautiful too, with tiled walls
The next day we visited the Royal Palace in Sintra. Sintra is a lovely little city an easy day trip from Lisbon.
As one would expect, the Royal Palace was filled with beautiful art and treasures of all kinds. I particularly liked this chandelier. Hard to believe, but my iPhone 7 took a better photo than my Panasonic Lumix.
The other unique item that caught my eye was this painting. That sure looks like a negligee that he’s (our guide said it was St. John the Baptist–but who knows) either wearing or holding in front of him, and is that a toy horse? If not, then what is it? This has to be one of the strangest paintings I’ve seen in a LOOOONG time!
On our way back to Lisbon, we stopped at Cascais, a lovely seaside town, which is even closer to Lisbon, and is serviced by frequent trains. We arrived just in time for the heavens to open in a colossal downpour, but no biggie. We were with 36 new friends, so several of us ducked into a restaurant where we enjoyed delicious roasted chicken, great wine and even better companionship. No photos of our bedraggled, sodden group will ever be posted. I promise!
Because I had spent two weeks with Global Volunteers before joining the tour, I was able to visit Evora, another great site about an hour by bus from Lisbon. But I’ll save that for another post.
Portugal in general and Lisbon in particular will not disappoint!
By the 8th day of our Grand Circle tour, we had visited Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Cordoba, and Torremolinos, with a side trip to the very British Gibraltar. Next on our itinerary was Malaga, but Mike and I decided to engage in an Australian tradition and “Chuck A Sickie”. For those of you that didn’t have the pleasure of spending two weeks with an Australian Global Volunteer, that term roughly translates to “Playing Hooky”.
Although the Costa del Sol averages over 300 days of sunshine per year, today was the first time I needed to wear my sun hat.
I’m sure our fellow travelers had a perfectly marvelous day enjoying the sights of Malaga, and the home hosted lunch in a nearby village as much as Mike and I enjoyed spending the morning strolling along the beach, taking in sights like this.
I would have loved to see what this tribute to Elvis looked like before the rain decapitated him.
But what about those other glorious cities? Don’t worry, I’ll do a little flashback, with visuals.
We got just enough of a taste to determine that one of these days, we will be back to those lovely cities, and next time, we will linger.
Our time in Toledo was limited to a few hours enroute to Granada. The old city sits 6 escalator rides above the new city, and let me tell you, we were all very grateful we didn’t have to climb all the way up the hill in the rain.
Even after we arrived at the “top”, we still had some hills to climb.
Our stroll through Toledo’s Jewish quarter ended at the oldest synagogue in Europe. This unique building was constructed by Moors, because at that time they were reputed to be the best builders. Of course, they were not familiar with synagogue construction, so the Jews ended up with a building that had a distinctive Muslim flavor.
Notice the cross? This building is a reminder that at one time, all three religions were able to peacefully coexist—pre Ferdinand and Isabella reign.
For anyone planning a trip to Toledo, please be aware it is much more than amazing history, great food and panoramic vistas. Thrill seekers, take a look.
Maybe next time, if it isn’t raining…
One of the many things that I love about traveling with Grand Circle and OAT is the unexpected stops along the way. We had a bathroom and refreshment break in Puerto Lápice, a little village in Castille La Mancha, where we discovered a three room Don Quixote museum.
I love that Don Quixote is sculptured out of words
Who would expect such art in a little village museum? Not me.
Because I spent so much time in the museum, I had to order my glass of wine “to go”, which I proudly did in Spanish. An important phrase: “para llevar”. But the effect was spoiled, just a bit, when the bartender started speaking to me in perfect English.
Not surprisingly, most of our time in Granada was spent at the Alhambra. Okay, so we all know that Washington Irving wrote “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, but how many know that he also was instrumental in saving the Alhambra from being destroyed? His “Tales of the Alhambra” caused the Spaniards to take a second look at what is now the most visited attraction in Spain.
Alhambra ( Al = “the” in Arabic ) is a palace, a fortress, a small city, overlooking Granada. Unfortunately, when Napoleon conquered Spain, his soldiers removed all of the furniture, rugs and tapestries, ( I believe the correct term is “looted”) but the walls, ceilings and courtyards give you a hint of the grandeur that once existed. Check out the ceiling in the women’s quarters.
The exteriors of Moorish buildings were very plain. All of the ornamentation was inside, in the private spaces, like these beautiful courtyards.
The Moors ruled Spain for almost 800 years, and their impact on the Spanish language continues today. Many places begin with “Gua”, like Guadalcanal, Guatemala, Guanajuato — all derived from the Arabic word for water.
Another city with beautiful Moslem architecture is Cordoba. The Roman temple/Church/Mosque/Cathedral is an architectural wonder. Walking through its spacious interior, you literally travel through time, starting with the preserved Roman tiles, below the existing floor—
to the former mosque, built with recycled columns, which was wisely preserved by the Catholics —
and now is in the center of the mosque.
In this photo, you can see the Mosque’s red and white arches next to the cathedral’s main altar.
Cordoba is magnificent!
The church’s bell tower was constructed around the minaret.
I guess some place has to be the least favorite, and for me, Gibraltar gets that honor. Maybe it was because the limestone WW2 tunnels were dripping water, and were dark and gloomy,
One of the few places that wasn’t too dark or wet to photograph
as was the weather.
Whatever the reason, I was not as wowed as I was by the other places we’d visited. Even the Barbary apes were a disappointment. We only saw four.
Two more days in Spain, three in Portugal, and then we are back to the USA.
It was raining when I boarded the bus in Beja for the two and a half ride to Lisbon. The weather matched my mood–I was sad to leave all the new friends I’d made in Beja: the wonderful students I’d gotten to know during our two weeks together, the great “Team of Ten” Volunteers, our fantastic team leader. There were lots and lots of goodbye hugs.
Note to future visitors to Portugal–it costs only 14 Euros for a bus ride from Lisbon to Beja, on a super comfortable bus with free Wi-Fi. If you are visiting Lisbon, why not spend a night or two in Beja? Escape the traffic and crowds, enjoy the history, archaeology and cultural treasure of this intriguing Alentejo town.
Two cab rides and a flight later, I was in Madrid, reunited with my main man.
Here’s where we will be traveling over the next two weeks. First stop is Madrid. ( I lifted the map off the Grand Circle website. THEY are the ones that cut Madrid a little too closely.) The star is my feeble attempt to show the approximate location of Beja. You now have a rough idea of where this “don’t miss” town is located. Okay, so I would never be a successful map maker, but I give myself an A for effort.
The long, unusually dry period Portugal and Spain had been going through ended during our second week in Beja. The rain is expected to continue during most of our remaining trip. Oh well. They need the water, so the rain is a blessing. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself.
We spent the morning of our first full day in Madrid on a bus tour around the city. First stop, the Egyptian temple of Denbod. No, this was not stolen during a military campaign. Had it not been moved, stone by stone, when the Aswan Dam was created, it would have been under water, just like the Temple of Dendur, in New York’s Metropolitan Museum.
Next stop– the royal palace, where we arrived just in time for the changing of the guard.
Juanjo, our guide, had warned us to be on the lookout for pick pockets. He explained they usually look like tourists, holding maps or cameras with one hand and reaching into your backpack with the other. Well, Linda, a member of our group, saw one doing just that, to a Chinese tourist. She was close enough to slap the pick pocket’s hand away.
A lot of good those guards were! A sharp eyed American woman with quick reflexes foiled the thief. Did I witness any of the excitement? No, I was my usual oblivious self.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to wander through any of the 2,800 rooms in this Versailles inspired palace. Instead, we decided to spend the afternoon in the Prado Museum, ogling the artwork by Goya, el Greco, Rubens and others.
Small part of the royal palace
My only regret: I wish I had researched the Prado more thoroughly, so I could have focused on certain pieces, and figured out the most efficient way to get to them. Talk about sensory overload! No photos were allowed inside the museum. I just have to be content with the images inside my head.
Although we could have spent our second day exploring more of Madrid, we chose the optional guided tour to El Escorial. This palace/ monastery/ school/ church was constructed by King Francis II, son of Charles V, one of the Holy Roman Emperors. The Escorial is shaped like a grill (yes, as in George Forman) to honor Spain’s own St. Lawrence. Why a grill, you ask? Well, that is how he met his end, by being roasted to death. (Yes, humans are strange and savage creatures)
Philip II had the building designed so that he could lay in his bed and see the altar in the cathedral. All he had to do was open his bedroom door and he was in church. Because his bedroom was off to the side, the rest of the congregation couldn’t see HIM in his pajamas (or whatever Kings wore back then).
Philip’s chamber, including the bed he died in, and his chamber pot, were all part of the tour, in case you’re wondering, as is a huge painting of St. Lawrence on the griddle.
We also visited the Valley of the Fallen, a memorial to those who died during the Spanish Civil War. This was a truly impressive and very moving site.
The memorial consists of the largest cross in the world, under which a Basilica has been carved — out of the hillside. It is hard to gauge the size of the memorial from this photo, but to give you an idea, the cross alone is 500 feet high.
The bones of around 40,000 people are buried In the basilica. One more example of man’s inhumanity to man.
Time to move on, to Toledo and Granada, even though there was much more to see and do in the beautiful city of Madrid.
Tired of touristy places? Want an “authentic”experience, where the locals are friendly, gracious and actually happy to see you? Yet ANOTHER advantage of serving as a Global Volunteer is the organization finds these places FOR you –places I would probably never would have discovered on my own.
I feel like I’ve been dropped into a magical spot. The lovely city of Beja just oozes charm. Its cobblestone streets haphazardly lead in many different directions, much worse than in Boston. Who would have thought that was even possible? Fortunately, in Beja, you can WALK everywhere–to work assignments, to dinner, for coffee, to the bus station, to its many attractions.
Streets are pretty quiet before 9 AM, but things liven up around 10:30, the “official” coffee break time.
Art is EVERYWHERE. Here are just a few examples. This sculpture is controversial. It reminds me of trees. What do YOU see?]
Even the tunnels are artistic.
In 1983, while excavating for a house’s foundation, Roman ruins were uncovered. The property’s owner was persuaded to build his house elsewhere, and voila, by 2004, this architecturally intriguing museum was created. Okay, so in Italy you can visit all kinds of ruins, but in Beja you can walk OVER them, atop a glass floor. For those whose eyes glaze over at the thought of another museum visit, this is the right place for you. Small, but oh so interesting.
I couldn’t figure out how to photograph the dwelling’s private bath. Here’s my poor attempt. Guess you’ll just have to go there.
Although the residents were aware of Pax Julia’s importance to the Romans, (Beja’s name back then), they didn’t know that the area had been inhabited much, much earlier. The museum contains artifacts dating back to 3000 BC. The Nucleo Muselogogico ( The name is almost as big as the museum) is free, as are the blue booties you wear to protect the glass floor.
Close by is the Regional Museum, which was originally a convent for women. Across the street is the theater, formerly the convent for men. The passageway that once ran between the two buildings (no doubt only used by the servants, to carry supplies back and forth), no longer exists.
The Regional Museum is the only one that charges a fee–just two Euros, and it is well worth it. In addition to all of the precious church items,
St John the Baptist
there is also a fine exhibit showing the process for restoring paintings. If seeing how St. Bartholomew was flayed is your thing, then you definitely need to find your way to the paintings room.
If instead, you are a literature buff, you can go upstairs to view the window through which Sr. Mariana gazed longingly, awaiting the return of her knight in shining armor. Yes, the author of the famous “Letters of a Portuguese Nun” lived in this very convent.
I mistakenly thought that being sent off to a convent was not a fate I would have desired. But that was BEFORE our guide pointed out its many advantages: unlike married women, who became their husband’s servants, rich girls got to bring THEIR servants WITH them to the convent. Freed from toil, they were educated, spending their days praying, reading and being waited on. I never thought of it quite like that. An additional bonus? You didn’t die in childbirth. Of course, there was always a chance you could be bricked into a wall, if you made a real good friend across the passageway, who got to know you in the biblical sense.
On the outskirts of town is the fortress (they refer to it as a castle) with the tallest tower on the Iberian peninsula. It has 198 steps and is 40 meters high (or 131 feet, but it is already on a hill, so it feels even higher).
Jeanne, Laurie and Heidi
Can you imagine trying to navigate these steps, wearing your armor while trying to dodge arrows and rocks, or whatever they were using back then?
I’ve been told you can see Spain from the top. But then, they could tell me I could see Russia from there, and I probably would have believed them.
The view from the top. Could that be Spain on the horizon?
The Hotel Bejense is a great choice if you are looking for the 3C’s: clean, comfortable, cheap. For about $57 a night, you get a small room, with a private bath (complete with hair dryer, and towel warmers), breakfast, great Wi-Fi, a flat screenTV with many English channels, on a pedestrian walkway. Right next door a pastry shop with incredibly delicious offerings. Good thing we walk so much, because we are visiting the pastry shop at least once a day, sometimes more.
Entrance to the Hotel Bejense.
If you want to splurge and spend almost $90 per night, (off season rate ) you can always stay at the nearby Pousada de Sao Francisco, another former convent.
Four of us opted to have lunch there and to conduct our own self guided tour. I know what my sisters are thinking, so I will answer the question. YES, we WERE allowed to wander through the convent.
Speaking of food, you won’t go hungry in Beja. You have LOTS of choices, from the rather expensive (non Global Volunteer lunch at the Pousada) to the incredibly affordable and everything in between. My favorite restaurant is Les Infantes, where we were served fantastic “Tuscan Pasta Salad”. Take my word for it, if you are in Beja, you HAVE to try it.
Les Infantes, early in the evening, before it got busy.
In my last post, I blogged about jamming a month’s worth of apparel into my carry on. But can I do better? What about just a backpack? What about just a backpack that was initially intended to accompany a carry on? Well, we shall find out, because Lufthansa lost my luggage. How could that be, you wonder? Isn’t the point of a carry on that you carry it on to the plane so that it is always close to you? Wonder no more, because I’m going to tell you.
When I learned that my connecting flight had been changed because of snow in Frankfurt, I envisioned several inches of wet slush. Jetways are not guaranteed in Frankfort. Sometimes you have to walk from the plane down steep metal stairs, to a bus that drives you to a door where you find yet more stairs, and if you are lucky, a working escalator. Carrying 26 pounds, plus backpack, through all that was not an appealing prospect. So, I checked said bag. But only to Frankfort. I’m no fool. What if the snow was so bad I was stuck overnight in Frankfort? I’d definitely want my jammies.
I was feeling pretty good about my decision as I walked down the stairs and onto the bus (yep, no jetway– but not much snow), but those feelings quickly evaporated as I watched bag after bag arrive. None of them being mine. How could you lose a bag that got on a plane in Newark, that landed in Frankfort? The list of life’s mysteries just got one item longer.
Here’s what immediately went through my jet lagged mind:
good thing I bought travel insurance
For once in my life, I have a complete record of everything my bag contained. Who knew blogging could be so very helpful?
Everything that is not easily replaced is in my backpack: my iPad, iPhone, chargers, camera, passport, money and charge cards
I’m so glad I only checked the bag through to Frankfort, because when Lufthansa changed my flight they put me on TAP Portugal. Can you imagine what a nightmare it might have been trying to figure out which airline was responsible for losing my bag? I know Lufthansa is responsible, and more importantly, so do they.
Let’s see how I do with this challenge. I only have the clothes that I am wearing and no toiletries. Snacks and a flight pillow aren’t all that helpful now, but the Motrin may come in handy.
Will my Amazon Prime work for deliveries in Portugal?
The line for customer service at Lufthansa was surprisingly short. When I asked the rep about the probability my bag would be found the same day, she said it was slim. So, since I was only going to be in Lisbon one night, I gave her the address of my hotel in Beja. She said they would call and email me with updates.
So what little pearls of wisdom can I share from my science experiment?
Lisbon has amazing malls, and the staff there actually HELP you, which was important in figuring out my size. I didn’t have the time or the energy to try things on. In Italy, I was saddened to learn only “molto grosso” fit; in Argentina, it was “muy grande”. In Lisbon, I was “medium”.
I didn’t need to know Portuguese to translate this sign. Bet you can figure it out too.
I CAN get by with one change of underwear, just not THIS one…
A tee shirt is still great for sleeping, just like in college
Next time, put an adapter in my backpack. Luckily, the mail had an electronics shop, but you can’t always count on that, plus they aren’t cheap – €20 or about $25 for a basic model.
My toiletry essentials are toothpaste (the hotel gave me a tiny tube but it tasted terrible), deodorant, a comb and brush
Shampoo works fine as laundry detergent
Although my underwear was perfectly dry by morning, my shirt was not. Wrapping it in a towel did NOT work. I tried the hair dryer, but it kept switching off after a few minutes. The front desk explained it was a “safety feature” to keep it from overheating. Good thing I kept the plastic bag from my shopping extravaganza for my damp shirt.
Not all hotels supply conditioner. It is wise to read labels so you don’t put body lotion in your hair
Conditioner DOES make a difference
In the future, avoid Frankfort airport. The gate for my flight to Lisbon changed THREE times.
Losing luggage caused my adrenaline to kick in. I was able to go without sleep for over 40 hours, then wake up completely jet lag free. Despite that happy side effect, I do NOT recommend you voluntarily replicate this experiment.
Bet you’re perched on the edge of your recliner, wondering how this saga ends? How long will our heroine have to wear the same corduroy pants and Keen sandals with socks? Are her air-cooled, memory foam Sketchers gone forever?
The good news? I got an email Saturday at 6 PM telling me the bag had arrived in Lisbon. The bad news? There was no way for me to get in touch with the courier to tell them to bring it to my Lisbon hotel. No phone number, no email address. The courier promised that EVENTUALLY it will make its way to Beja. I figure I can last a couple more days with what I have.
DRUM ROLL, PLEASE…
It’s ALL good. My bag arrived in Beja before I did. Not only that, but it was waiting for me in my room, so I didn’t have to carry it up a flight of stairs in this elevator deprived hotel.
Lufthansa has not mentioned any compensation for delayed baggage, however I have saved my receipts, and so far, they owe me €99.90, or about $125. Travel Insurance would cover up to $100, but I’m going to call Lufthansa customer service to inquire where I should send my receipts and how long before I’m reimbursed.
Although you CAN drive and there is a parking lot at the top, it is so much more fun to walk up and down. It is roughly the equivalent of 26 flights of stairs (according to my fitbit), but there is plenty to see along the way. You can stop, gawk, and catch your breath.
As you would expect, the Lake Hotel is located across from Yellowstone Lake. This very beautiful, peaceful property, was recently renovated. 
My group, seven of the twenty four members of our class
Our leader, Joe, in the black tee shirt, left front
Want to have a chat over a cup of tea? No problem. Just walk down the hall, to the breakfast room and along the way, you are sure to bump into a buddy or two.
Not only that, but we got to experience “Cante Alentejano”. Okay, so I will never make my fortune as a videographer, but 
Beja:
Venture Outside of Your Comfort Zone:
This recipe is as closely guarded as the coca cola formula, or so we were told. I didn’t have the heart to share that I had equally delicious custard tarts from a bakery in Beja. I was told the nuns developed THEIR recipe to use up egg yokes. Why? Because they used the egg whites to starch their colors and headgear, so had a mountain of excess yokes they didn’t want to waste. 
On our drive to Belem Tower, we passed this street art, made entirely of garbage. The raccoon’s eyes are discarded tires!
What is really cool is the pavement in front of the monument, a mosaic map of the world, complete with ships and mermaids.
As one would expect, the Royal Palace was filled with beautiful art and treasures of all kinds. I particularly liked this chandelier. Hard to believe, but my iPhone 7 took a better photo than my Panasonic Lumix.
Two more days in Spain, three in Portugal, and then we are back to the USA.
This sculpture is controversial. It reminds me of trees. What do YOU see?]
Destination NOW 