Travel Possibility

Cape Town is a spectacular place to visit, offering many new opportunities to get in tune with the world.  For arts and culture, there is always something exciting going on.  Cape Town has a fabulously complicated history in terms of performance and music, and there are hundred of groups here making new works that speak to the extreme moment, and are also variously influenced by the legacies of the artists who worked here during the last generation’s time on the world stage.  Of course, generations overlap, and there’s room for the very young as well as the very old, in the complex social structures that make up the art community in South Africa.  When it comes to speaking and creating new work simultaneously, the spirit of improvisation can fill the air, and suddenly everything that was known and solid become open for new questions again.

There are plenty of things to do in an evening in Cape Town.  Fine dining should always be on the agenda, because there is so much fantastic food here.  The unique mix of cultures and traditions bring their own sensibilities for taste and style, and the easiest access into another world is through the cuisine.  There are also plenty of world-class chefs working here, trained locally or elsewhere, who have a host of traditions in their arsenal, and are ready and able to compete in the world marketplace of culinary delights.  A sensational evening here can begin with local flavors, and then go deeper into the local flavors in the night life.  The visual art scene here is also particularly spectacular, with amazingly creative people coming here all the time.  You may have the chance to see work by South Africa’s own Strijdom van der Merwe.

He’s worked and shown all over the world, but has a very particular attachment to this place.  To say that Cape Town specifically, and South Africa in general, has an influence on his work is a bit of an understatement.  He describes himself as a land artist, and there’s probably no other way to describe his enormously beautiful and astonishing works.  He works with the land, using the materials that are here, and creating large sculptures that spread out before your feet, like a visual reminder of the presence of ancestors in all things.  Some of the work is more ethereal than others, with forms made at the edges of a beach, where the next wave is on its way to take it all away, and some are more permanent, lending themselves to installation work, but all speak of a temporal beauty that registers a knowledge of the memory in the soil.

David decided to go with is wife Dolly on her weeklong business trip to Duluth, Minnesota. He didn’t usually go with her on these trips and she was required to travel quite a bit for her job, but David had an Aunt that lived in Duluth and he hadn’t seen her in years. He thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. His Aunt Edna thought it was great idea too and was thrilled that he wanted to visit. She also loved the idea of seeing Dolly again, whom she had only met once. And Dolly enjoyed the idea of David coming along because she would enjoy his company and would also like to see Aunt Edna, who had invited the couple to stay with her in her home. However, the grouping of Duluth hotels that her company members were staying in were extremely close to where many of the buildings would be so she preferred that they stay there. Aunt Edna understood and David agreed as he did not want to be a burden to his aunt. He also liked the idea of spending his mornings alone in the city and maybe so some exploring by himself.

Aunt Edna was fine letting David enjoy some time alone in the morning, however each afternoon she took him somewhere and showed him all around the city. They even crossed the John Blatnik Bridge that led into Superior, Wisconsin. They also went to the Tweed Museum of Art, which was located on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth and David was impressed with the permanent collection. He thought it was particularly impressive for a college museum. Aunt Edna told him that she loved to visit it. David and his aunt had a great time together and were able to spend plenty of quality time with each other. The only afternoon that Dolly was able to spend time with them was the second to last day of their trip. The three of them took a drive out to Lake Superior and had a beautiful picnic. And even though Dolly worked most of the time they were there, both of them enjoyed their stay and decided they should visit more often.

As a travel destination, the Balearic Islands is well known for its night clubs and beaches, but also for its cuisine, and Mediterranean recipes which the capital city of Mallorca, has in large numbers.  If you’ve gone to all the trouble to get to Mallorca and to book a few days in one of the luxury hotels Palma has in abundance, then you might want to know a little about this land and the food it offers:

Just outside Palma, there’s a land filled with windmills.  Here, olive trees are numerous and ancient, some thought to be over a thousand years old!  There’s a range of mountains, the Tramuntana running north east to the south west, which stops most of the northern winds.  It’s broken up by valleys and gorges.  North of here, you’ll find villages much quieter than those to the south, and a coast of rugged cliffs.  From the many olive trees, it’s pretty obvious that Mallorca is known for its olive oil.  Even in the first century, people knew where to go for olive oil and wines.  In the 16th Century, production of olive oil became one of the island’s main sources of revenue — only oats and wheat made more money, and most farms have mills for olive oil.

Palma, and all the islands, are known for ensaimadas, a coil of pastry.  Other varieties are cocarrois and empanadas, savory turnovers filled with meat or vegetables.  The sweet version of these are known as robiols and crespelles Many of these feature the famous olive oil.  Try pa amb oli, which will be on almost every table: It’s a toasted bread that is either a) rubbed with tomatoes and then sprinkled with the olive oil, or its the reverse — that is, the tomatoes are sprinkled with the olive oil, and then rubbed with bread.

Note, too, that Mallorca is known for its fish and shell fish, as well as sobrasada, known also as porc negre, or black pig, one of the island’s signature sausage dishes.

Our trip to Brisbane was pretty uneventful, which is just how I like it, since our car was broken into the other day. We arrived around 2pm. The place we were staying, one of the five star Brisbane hotels, was right in the city. We’ve stayed there before and the hotel very accommodating and very nice. It was perfect for relaxing.

With the break-in to our car, we had some organising to to. That took me phone call after phone call, and each time I thought I had it all sorted out, but mistakes had taken place, which left me wondering what I had to do to get things done correctly. At one point, my insurance company helped arrange for my car to be repaired, but that was back in Sydney, 1000 kilometers away! By the time our week was over, everything was finally approved and my car will be fixed here in Brisbane.  All I had to do was wait for my insurance company to send over the money. I did my darnedest to make sure everything was all finalized, considering our circumstances, I thought it was quite acceptable for them to rush my paperwork through, but it didn’t work out that way.

My faith in insurance companies diminished and my patience was being tested. Being here in Brisbane was becoming stressful and busy instead of fun and relaxing. But, I did manage to enjoy a little bit of the city. We decided we wanted to eat Japanese, so we walked into the section of the city and found a place where they cook the food right in-front of you. That was really very enjoyable. My daughter ended up wearing more than she ate.

A couple of days later, my Aunt and Uncle, plus my two cousins were in town and they dropped by for a quick visit. I told them about my car issue and my Uncle told me he’d sell it for me. What a relief! Yay, for Uncles! Because, the next day, we were due to leave Brisbane. I had only reserved our room through tomorrow. So, I was very grateful to see my Uncle take over the dealing with my car.

He even took us to the airport so we would catch our flight to Kuala Lumpur on time. My mom’s brother is a keeper!

Before history was even written down, early man had been finding the benefits of a warm water soak in the natural hot springs.  Native Americans understood the healing benefits, as did the ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures. The king of Persia was said to have built his own hot tub in 600 BC.  The Greek philosophers, Hippocrates and Plato, make mention often in their writings of the therapeutic benefits to one’s health provided by soaking in water, and the Greeks built shrines and structures around the natural hot springs.  In Rome as well, stone structures were built around the natural hot springs, with various rooms and temples.  Queen Elizabeth frequented the baths in the 1500’s as did as many other royal figures.  These date back to the 2nd Century and to this day the Roman hot tubs in Bath, England are still being used on a regular basis.

Across Asia from China to Japan, the healing powers of water were also so revered.  To have a mind like water is a mantra for many Japanese, referring to the peaceful state we can bring ourselves to by considering the calm pools and ponds, a way of passive resistance and finding harmony with all living beings.  Before the technological advances that we are so familiar with today had been made, people used whatever they could find, old olive and wine tanks, troughs for animals…they filled them up with hot water and took in a soak.  Now there are so many choices, whether you wish to have a hot tub or spa installed into your back yard, or inside your home, there are many options.  Hydrotherapy is now available in the comfort of your own home.  Many illnesses that cause pain such as back and spinal problems, arthritis, and stress will be relieved with a nightly soak before bed, and with a hot tub in your home, you will not need to go far to get that great night’s sleep you will be ready for.

What happens the moment someone in your neighborhood lights up their grill?  You begin to notice your other neighbors coming out to their front porch, their heads held high in the air…they are smelling that smell that brings back memories of childhood family cookouts.  They too suddenly get the urge to pull their grill out from the garage.  One of the most intoxicating scents is that of a long barbecue, that of slow cooking ribs. It is these backyard recipes that have stoked the fire so to speak, of the entire country.

In all cities now, there are gourmet BBQ restaurants, which take these age old recipes and place them on fine china plates.  But there is not need to spend restaurant prices, when these recipes can be prepared at home on one of the many models of fire magic grills. What you will need is a grill with a cover, either propane for your gas grill or a bag of charcoal for your regular grill, a bit of vegetable oil, your own signature spices and sauce, some apple juice and some baby back ribs or beef cut ribs (fresh, not frozen).  The baby back’s will need about three hours of cooking time, while the beef ribs will take a few hours more.

Rinse the ribs then trim the fat.  Coat the ribs with a bit of vegetable oil as the spices and the flavors are oil soluble, and the flavors will soak into the meat and form a better and more flavorful crust.  Set up the grill, the perfect temperature for slow-cooking is 225 degrees Fahrenheit, keep a thermometer close at hand and try to keep this temperature consistent throughout the grilling.  If you are using a gas grill, place an aluminum tray with water on one of the grill racks as the steam will react with the combustion of the propane which will ensure the most tasty results.

For the charcoal grills, keep some wood chips on hand, you will add them periodically throughout the grilling for the smoky effects and flavors.  Place the ribs on the cooler sides of the grills, and sit back and relax.  After a few hours it is time to add the sauce to the top of the ribs, periodically brushing them for the rest of the cooking time.  This is a process that takes dedication and patience, but after your first experience of making BBQ ribs at home, this may turn into to a weekly event.

Carrie and William were both part of a small theatre company from Kansas. Their ambitious ensemble was known locally and also throughout the state for producing some of the best new cutting edge work. One summer they had the opportunity to travel to New York and stage one of their original productions there. This was in part funded through a small grant the theatre had received and the company members couldn’t have been more excited. They worked hard for six months on their latest play, titled How and Why, which dealt with an objective comparison of psychotropic medications to substance abuse. They also worked over time trying to save a little money to provide for their stay in one of the NY hotels, which the grant didn’t provide for.

Finally, in the middle of July of that year, the company, then known as Kansas Live, was landing in New York City and was ready to show their stuff. Meanwhile, neither William nor Carrie had ever been there before and were immediately captivated by what they saw and the general atmosphere of the city. They loved getting up early and walking along the streets in the morning. That energy in the air had a certain expectant buzz. And the feeling seemed to be duo oriented. It was as though the vibrancy in the people had an expectant quality, but in return the feeling from the city itself seemed to expect something too. This was difficult for Carrie to express but it gave her a thrill that went well with her first coffee of the morning.

The company members found their theatre and assemble the small set piece they were able to bring with them. They rehearsed in the space for two days before their opening night. They had a fair amount of audience members their first night and on general seemed to average about half of the house being full. This in itself was thrilling for William, Carrie and the rest of Kansas Live, however some of the theatre they saw will they were in the city was equally or more exciting. They went to a production of Billy Elliot: The Musical on their first night in New York and knew they were positioned in an atmosphere of great theatre. The company was also able to catch one of the final performances of Twelfth Night in Central Park. They were all incredibly inspired by this production of Shakespeare in the Park by the Public Theatre and decided they should do something similar back in Kansas.

I met a friend of a friend of mine in Los Angeles, who lived in Washington D.C., but her husband worked in Dubai.  At the time, I never thought I’d have a chance to see the place, but last summer I actually found an opportunity to stay for a couple of days in one of the 4 star hotel Dubai offers, and now I have to join in on the conversation with others who have had a love-it, hate-it feeling.  I’ll let you know right away that I’m on the love-it side of things.  It’s an astonishing place…

First, even as you fly in, you can see this wild city out in the desert, in the middle of nothing.  You see the desert, then wham, there’s the city.
Beautiful, shiny new, gleaming.  When I was there, the temperature was around a hundred and five or so.  I’ve lived through summers in Phoenix, Arizona, where it can be much hotter, but, as everyone says, it’s a dry heat.  There’s really very little humidity, just be sure to drink lots of water and carry sunscreen with you.

Once you get accustomed to the heat, you can discover how beautiful this city really is — the Arabian Gulf is wonderful.  Mamzar Beach has got to be one of the prettiest spots I’ve ever seen.  Absolutely lovely.  Clear green-blue water and white, soft sand.

Buildings in Dubai are an attraction all by themselves.  I really wanted to see the world’s wealthiest city, Abu Dhabi, as well as the Emirates Palace Hotel, which is the costliest hotel in the world.  At a price tag of three billion U.S. dollars, I was expecting the hotel to be over-the-top, but surprisingly the place was clean and quiet.  Very interesting.  Abu Dhabi, in fact, is building itself up as the center of culture in the UAE, arranging to bring the first branch of the Louvre.  That costs 520 million in U.S. dollars!

On the last day, I grabbed a drink at one of Dubai’s most famous buildings, The Burj, the one resembling a sail boat in the ocean.  It was great, but you might be surprised at the price.  For two drinks and some canapes, my business partner and I paid $75 each.

I absolutely loved the wild exchange of cultures in Dubai, there were so many different people from so many different places.  With only a couple of days, I’m not going to say how well I might know Dubai, but if ever I have the chance to come back again, I’ll be back.

The Jackson family were finally able to take their dream vacation to Spain. It was January when they made the decision and the actually trip would occur that July, which gave them plenty of time to plan it out. Sal and his wife Jamie had been wanting to visit Spain since they first met eleven years ago though somehow life’s circumstances continued to collide with their desire and before they knew it eleven years had passed and they had two children but had never been to Spain.

Their first child Henry was now seven and Tilda was five so that meant that Sal and Jamie would have to either leave their children with their parents to have a more carefree nightlife oriented trip, or they would have to broaden their scope of attractions to make it a family oriented vacation. They chose the second option and included their children in making their destination decisions. There was a point in their early relationship that they questioned whether or not they may ever have children. However, since Henry and then Jamie’s arrival the two parents could not imagine a life any different and cherish their family.

Ultimately, after a great deal of investigation, they decided that they would prefer to spend the majority of their time on one of the Balearic Islands. They considered each of the main four islands and ultimately decided on the quiet beautiful island of Menorca. When they made their reservations in one of the best Menorca hotels they asked about the summer music festival that occurred there every year. They thought this would be a great event to take their children to and also hoped some of the summer fiestas would also be passing through town. They were sure that the great beaches would be fun for everyone and anticipated spending a great deal of their time on one these white sandy coastlines. Ultimately they were extremely glad they chose the island of Menorca for their family vacation and each of the Jacksons had a great time.

The capital city of Australia, Canberra was literally built by design.  In 1911 the Government held a completion for city planners in which one hundred and thirty-seven proposals were submitted, and in 1912 the Chicago architects Marion Mahony Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin were chosen.  They stated that they wanted to plan the ideal city.  And they did.  For those traveling in current times to the city, there are many museums and historical sites of interest that illustrate the development and the growth of Canberra, Australia.  Hotel accommodations are reasonable, the restaurants are plentiful, and the sights to see are never ending.

One venue perfect for learning about this city is the National Capital Exhibition.  This gives the full story of just how this city came to be.  It is a perfect place to take the kids, in fact on any given day there is likely to be field trips and educational seminars going on for school age children.  The seminars tell of just why it was Canberra that chosen to be the capital.  The museum houses a collection of the incredible architectural drawings of the Griffin’s and the small theater regularly shows a short film about the time called ” The Story of Canberra”.  The pre-history of the city is illustrated as well, such as the life of the indigenous tribes of the area, and their spiritual connection to the Bogong Moth.

The National Capital Exhibition sits on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin, named in honor of the architects of the city, and of the lake itself.  As with their layout of the city, the Griffin’s used geometry in the creation of the lake, and sits exactly in the center of the city.  And if there is still time in the day for more exploration, many other options are available within walking distance, such as the National Museum of Australia, Telstra Tower, the Parliament House and The National Science and Technology Center.