ONE FANTASTIC CAMPING VACATION

 Loafing on an Uninhabited Island-----No Way

In case you think we sunned on the beach all day, think again. We did new and fun things every day. Our homeport was the island of Espiritu Santo, in the Sea of Cortez. About  25 miles off the coast of La Paz, Mexico, it was a two and half hour boat ride from the mainland. We camped on a lovely large sandy beach.

Los Islotes is a large barren rock island that is actually a bird rookery and a roosting area for pelicans, blue footed boobies, frigate birds, and terns. A large colony of California sea lions also inhabit the island. The sea lions were so curious—they had a great time circling around, over, and under us. They often got close enough to touch if one’s reflexes were quick enough. They were all sizes and ages ranging in color from a light tan to almost black. And all the while it was like  swimming in an aquarium full of beautiful tropical fish including large schools of sergeant majors and king angle fish. We also saw several varieties of starfish, sea urchins, other sea animals and coral.  While we dried off in the boat we watched sally light-foot crabs scampering across the rocks entertaining us.

            We watched a huge school of dolphins playing at sea. We walked and studied tidal pools. The islands exhibit a typical southern Sonoran desert ecosystem, but the region is surprisingly rich in plant and animal abundance and diversity.

We hiked and had botany lessons on local plants. The Cardon cactus grew everywhere. A relative to the Saguaro cactus, it has many more arms (up to 40) which are more clustered at the base. Jojoba grew wild and has an interesting history. The long nose bat pollinates it.

Evidence of prehistoric Indian occupation is abundant throughout the larger islands. We swam in a salt pond. Another day we made an excursion a couple of gorges over and hiked inland about a quarter of a mile to a fresh-water well fully equipped with bucket and rope. What a treat to be able to shampoo our hair!

At dawn one morning a couple of fellows went fishing. Lucky for us they returned with a 25 pound Dorado, known as Mahi Mahi in other parts of the world. It was fascinating to watch the men fillet the fish. It was so quick! Sea gulls circled waiting for the fellow to finish. Sure enough, as soon as the guide walked up to the kitchen with the filets the gulls swooped in and in no time there was nothing left on the beach but bones. They too were fast!

We flew in and out of La Paz for a night on each end of the time spent on the island. Even though we had had a wonderful time in the middle of nowhere, on return it was wonderful to have a long  hot fresh water shower!

CANADIAN SURPRISES

                 Montreal

We noticed on our first meal in Montreal that fries were on everyone’s plate, no matter what the entre was, and we learned later in the week that mashed, baked or scalloped potatoes just are not served in this area. It’s French fries, and how they love ‘em!

Poutine, French fries with cheese curds and gravy, is a typical dish unique to Montreal. 

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After visiting a museum we walked back to Jacques Cartier (square) and down to the waterfront. We leisurely strolled along the street. A couple of gals, sitting at the sidewalk café of Pier Gabriel were enjoying a pitcher of a green drink.

Slowing down, I remarked, “That sure looks refreshing.”

“Let’s stop and find out what it is.”

Inside, the bartender said it was green sangria and explained all the ingredients, starting with white wine. We decided to give it a try. It was really good, but we agreed that sangria is red.

It’s like the blue and yellow candy canes. No. Candy canes are red and white! Sangria is red.

The drinks were tall, rather costly, so it took us awhile to drink them. But we enjoyed people watching and the respite before starting back to the hotel via Chinatown.

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                                        Quebec City

Wandering around the narrow alleyways of Quebec City we quite by accident came across the old stone house, Maison Chevalier. Built in 1752 by a ship owner, the classic French-style is typical of architecture of New France. The firewalls, chimneys, vaulted cellars, original wood beams and stone fireplaces were noteworthy. What a jewel this museum was and it was free. We chit chatted with a docent. The self-guided tour of life in the 17-18^th centuries was well displayed with simple explanations and labels. It was a pleasant find and delightful surprise.

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The staircases are ubiquitous to Quebec City--a reminder of the city’s past,. Upper Town was the home of dignitaries, religious and political leaders, where Lower Town contains the oldest neighborhood in North America. Once crowded with traders, workers and the disenfranchised, now it is a delightful restored smart shopping and historical area.

The Escalier Casse-Cou, also known as the Breakneck staircase, is the first staircase, built in 1893. The 170 steps are built on the site of the original 17^th century stairway that linked Upper with Lower Towns. Today shops and cafés can be found at various levels of the staircase..

ME AND MY DRINKS

                                         Tales on Me

One day in St Petersburg, Russia I had a really nasty cold and bronchitis so passed on a city event and stayed on the boat.

I hadn’t had a Coke in nearly three weeks and it just sounded good to me. The people at reception were busy with keys and so forth as people were getting ready to leave the boat, so my buddy couldn’t request that they send a Coke to my cabin. I tried to figure out how to call reception, but managed to bungle it and gave up in frustration.

Since the library was directly across the hall from our cabin I wondered if anyone might be there. Still in my nightgown, unshowered, and  hair tousled I opened the door about 12 inches and spied a fellow, I’d not remembered seeing before, sitting reading a magazine. With my head and one shoulder out the door I said, “Would you do me a favor?”

He answered, “If I can.”

“Would you please go down to reception and ask them to send a glass of ice and a Coke Light to my cabin?”

Bless his heart he did, and about 15 minutes later there was a knock on my door. That Coke tasted soooo good.

It wasn’t until later in the day when I related the story to my travel companion that it occurred to me, “I wonder what that poor fellow thought my favor might be?”

      

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After a full day of sightseeing near Arenal in Costa Rica, it started to rain just as we were returning to our lovely tropical hotel. We headed up to the bar and pool before dinner. The girls were attracted to the pool, but my daughter and I headed to the bar/lounge area. It was my daughter’s 46^th birthday and I told her I’d buy her a drink. 

Not being much of a drinker I had a difficult time deciding what to drink. After some time mulling over the menu the bartender approached me asking, “Can I help you chose a cocktail?”

“I guess I do need some help deciding.” He sounded convincing when he suggested a fruit drink called Sex on the Beach in Manoa.

It was refreshing and I enjoyed it while visiting with a young couple from the trip  as well as keeping an eye on the girls in the pool.

When home I got a lot of mileage out of that little experience when I answered the question, “How was your trip?” with, “Oh it was fun. I had sex on the beach on this trip to Costa Rica!”

ANIMAL PARADES FOR CHARITY

Cow Parade

The popular and fairly common charity fund-raiser of displaying various animals, putting them on display and later auctioning them off has taken place in many cities. But the first cow parade took place in Zurich, Switzerland in 1998 and I was fortunate to be there.

          When the city walking tour of Zurich ended we strolled down the famous Bahnhofstrasse, a wide boulevard that runs from the train station for about 1½  kilometers to the edge of Lake Zurich. The wide sidewalks allow for lots of window shopping in the many high priced specialty shops. Sidewalk cafes are nestled between the shops and dining tables spill outside onto the sidewalk.

          Suddenly I spotted my first cow and alerted my friend to stop and wait. I needed to take a picture. By the time we reached the lake I had used a whole roll of film on the silly life-size cows.  For those who don’t know each animal has a sponsor, and each is decorated by a different artist.  Animals are often displayed for three months before being auctioned off.

          I have since run into many such events. I spotted my next cow exiting the Portland, Oregon airport in 2002. I saw horses in Vienna and many other animals including flamingos, hippos, and guitars in other places. It is always fun!

ST ISAAC'S CATHEDRAL

            St. Petersberg's Glorious Church

            The present St. Isaac’s Cathedral, austerely regal by day and ominously imposing by night is the fourth largest domed cathedral in the world. The dome of the largest church in St. Petersberg, covered with 100 kg of pure gold, dominates the city’s skyline. A Frenchman spent his entire life, 40 years (1818-1858),on the project and  died one month after its completion. Finnish granite pillars, a 30,000-ton edifice, gray marble exterior, red granite colonnades, gold covered domes, and bronze statues make for a stunning structure that can accommodate 14,000 people. The cost to build the cathedral was ten times that of the winter palace.

            The first wooden church burned. The second church, also wooden, was built at the present site of the Peter the Great statue. Water undermined that church and it fell to ruins. Catherine the great commissioned the third and present church to be built on its present site. However, she died when the church was only half finished, and her son, in revenge, never finished the church. A total of 24.000 pillars support the church.

            The church was an active one until 1932 when it became a museum. In contradiction to Russian Orthodoxy St Isaac’s contains 600 golden sculptures. Built with three aisles, the golden chandeliers hold many, probably hundreds, candle lights. The large main columns are joined with an arch. The icons on the iconostasis are actually mosaics as weather destroyed the painted icons before they were even completed.

            The marble columns are not covered with frescoes, as seen in some churches. A large mosaic is in the center of the marble floor while the rest of the floor is done in marble stripes. Immediately on each side of the iconostasis alter door is a lapis column, then three large malachite columns extend out on each side of the lapis ones.

            Acoustics are perfect in the church. All outside doors are large and heavy with the heavily carved relief door weighing ten ton. The church is so named because Peter the Great was born on May 30 which is the day of St. Isaac. The interior with its 14 varieties of marble, generous touches of jasper, malachite, gilded stucco and many frescoes and murals is the main attraction. The lovely stain glass windows and carved white marble iconostasis are also worthy of special note.

            One can almost say that if you’ve seen one Russian Orthodox Church you’ve seen them all as they follow a definite décor theme. St Isaac’s is an exception and was truly mind boggling and exceptionally beautiful---a definite must-see for any visitor to this fascinating city.