Monthly Archive: September 2015

Nine Reasons Reykavik Rocks

I’m a city person; I always have been. When I plan my travels, it’s almost always the lure of exploring a new city that draws me in first: Cafes! Museums! Restaurants! Architecture! What can I say, I’m like that.

Although I was excited to explore the natural wonders (and of course the Blue Lagoon) on my recent trip to Iceland, I was also eagerly anticipating the two days I’d spend in Reykavik. I’d heard great things about this little city in the middle of the North Atlantic, and I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself.

Reykavik, happily, did not disappoint. It’s one of the most enjoyable smaller cities I’ve ever spent time in. Here’s a list of the things I liked most about Reykavik (aka Nine Reasons Reykavik Rocks):

Hot dogs! This seems an odd thing to mention, but anyone who visits Reykavik will inevitably try a hot dog or two. Or more. I can attest that they’re indeed delicious; deeply flavorful, with unusual Iceland-style toppings including remoulade sauce (YUM) and crunchy onions. Oh, how I wish I were eating one right now! Iceland has succeeded in raising the humble hot dog to another level entirely.

Art galleries: Reykavik is full of art. I love this in a city. But in Reykavik, the art isn’t confined solely to museums; it’s also on the streets and in the galleries, which anyone can pop into on a whim to discover some of the outstanding talent this country has produced. The fact that a lot of the art features the beautiful Icelandic countryside doesn’t hurt either. I spent hours wandering into one gallery after another, and I was consistently impressed with the quality of the art, as well as the friendliness and helpfulness of the gallery owners. My one souvenir from my trip was a photograph of the countryside I bought from a gallery I visited a few times. Artwork, in my opinion, often makes the best mementos, and Reykavik provides tons of great options to see and to buy it.

Laugavegur street shopping: This is, quite possibly, my new favorite street in the world. It’s seemingly endless (in a good way) and lined with shops, cafes, galleries and restaurants. The best part is there are no big chains here, just lots of unique boutiques and cute, quirky stores selling clothes, artwork, crafts, food, and touristy items that don’t feel too touristy. Unfortunately it comes at a price (as with much in Iceland): after admiring a lovely wool sweater and discovering it cost approximately $200, I realized I was not going to be making any substantial purchases in Reykavik. But for browsing, which I love to do, this street is unsurpassed.

Colorful houses: Having spent childhood summers (parts of them anyway) in Bermuda, I’ve always had a strong appreciation for beautiful pastel-colored houses. Reykavik has loads of these, and they brighten up the city even on gloomy fog-filled days. The houses reminded me of a colorful string of gumdrops. Cue childhood nostalgia.

Tiu Dropar: I can’t believe I almost missed this place. It was listed in my guidebook but I hadn’t paid it any particular notice, until I flipped through the in-flight magazine to learn more about the city’s cafes and restaurants and heard that Tiu Droppar’s hot chocolate was considered by many the best in the city. Challenge accepted. I have something of a hot chocolate obsession so my standards are really high, but I LOVED the hot chocolate at Tiu Droppar, rich and beautifully smothered in whipped cream. Oh, and it’s also a charming, basement café perfect for reading a book or chatting with friends over hot drinks during the day, which transforms itself into a wine bar with live music at night. Of course I went back for that, and had a great time. Why can’t more cities have cool places like this?

The Laundromat: On the opposite end of the spectrum from Tiu Dropar, which was a happy surprise to me, The Laundromat was one place I was really determined to visit (and specifically, brunch at). It’s a café/restaurant lined with books (is a better combination possible?) and was the absolute perfect stop on a rainy day for brunch at a not-totally-outrageous price (hard to find in Reykavik, I must say). I had eggs, bacon, and toast, forsaking the enormous Dirty Brunch (which includes that and just about every other breakfast food you can think of) as I feared I wouldn’t be able to eat for the rest of the day if I went with that. Next time! (Oh, and apparently you can actually do laundry here, though I didn’t try this out).

Sea views: You can see water from plenty of places in Iceland, and Reykavik is no exception. As I walked around, one of my favorite things to do was turn down a random street so I could gaze in awe at the view of the sea just down the hill. It was a lovely counterpoint to the city’s chic urban-ness.

Vegamot: Another restaurant hyped to the sky by guidebooks and bloggers, which I decided I just had to try for myself. And yes, it’s really good! I ordered an enormous plate of chicken nachos that could have fed three people, and was sorry I wasn’t able to finish it off. Meanwhile, other patrons around me were tucking into an assortment of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers and the like which looked equally delicious, and made me a bit sad that I’d decided to dine there on my last night in town so I wouldn’t be able to return…at least for a while. But next time I’m in Iceland, I’ll definitely be back!

The people: The Icelanders I met were uniformly friendly, courteous, and helpful. It can be hard to be a tourist finding your way around a new city on your own, and while I didn’t get to have many in-depth chats with local folks during my brief stay, I was nothing but delighted with every single interaction I had with Reykavik residents. Another reason Iceland is a great spot for first-time travelers, as I’ve written before: welcoming people always helps make a new city feel a bit more like home.

Have you visited Reykavik? Any places or items to add to this list? Share!

Iceland

Sep

2015

Iceland: The Perfect Country for First-Time Travelers

Melissa Kaplan0

When it comes to traveling, many of my friends fall at two different ends of the spectrum. I have some friends who are incessant globe-trotters with passport stamp counts that far exceed mine. On the other hand, I have friends who don’t own passports at all, and have never traveled outside of the U.S.

From the latter camp, several have told me lately that they really want to travel overseas. I know that this can be a rather intimidating prospect when you’re doing it for the first time, especially if you decide to go solo. So for travelers planning a first foreign trip, the choice of destination can be very important.

All of this got me thinking, on my recent trip to Iceland, that this country would be an absolute perfect locale for someone taking their first overseas trip, and hopefully kick off a lifetime of exotic adventures (or at least a few more down the road).

Why is Iceland such a great choice for a first trip outside of the U.S.? Plenty of reasons!

It’s easy. I’m not one to say that every trip needs to be to an “easy” country…there are loads of fascinating destinations off the beaten track which are hugely rewarding and worth seeing, despite some bumps and discomfort along the way. But that’s not the ideal way to begin with your first overseas trip. It’s fine—even desirable—to go someplace easy and slowly adjust to the rhythm of travel and life outside your usual comfort zone. Iceland fits the bill here. Its capital city, Reykavik, is easy to navigate; the people are friendly and helpful; and everyone (or just about everyone) speaks English (at least in Reykavik and the surrounding area). All this ease can help smooth the way for first-timers, and let them focus less on logistics and making themselves understood and more on enjoying their trip to the fullest.

Quick flight, minimal jet lag. Flights to Reykavik from Washington, DC are about five hours (slightly longer coming back). There are cheap direct flights on WOW air, and Icelandair also offers reasonable fares, as well as their famous offer of a seven-day stopover on the way to or from another destination. Additionally, the time difference is four hours—not nothing, but roughly comparable to the experience of flying from the East to West coasts in America. For a first trip overseas, this can help minimize the painful aspects of adjusting to a new time zone after a sleepless night on a plane (or maybe that’s just me). Iceland is very doable, even for those who aren’t used to long-haul flights. If you can handle a flight to California, you can manage a trip to Iceland.

Reykavik. I fell hard for Reykavik (blog post coming on this soon). It’s one of the most enjoyable cities I’ve ever spent time in, and as one who loves cities and has visited plenty, I don’t say that lightly. Reykavik has just about everything a first-time overseas traveler (or anyone, really) could want: ease of navigation, friendly English-speaking locals, lots of great restaurants, good (if expensive) shopping, and even some fantastic sea views to remind you that yes, you are in Iceland. I really loved it and can’t wait to go back. I suspect many newer travelers would be enchanted by Reykavik too.

The countryside. Of course, Iceland isn’t all about its (medium-sized) city. Once you leave Reykavik behind, whether in a rental car or on a tour bus, you’ll discover an amazingly diverse landscape of geysers, parks, and my favorite, waterfalls. It’s easy to get out of the city to explore these natural wonders, which provide a great counterpoint to Reykavik’s urban delights. And of course, before you head to the airport for your return flight, you can spend a few hours basking in the Blue Lagoon, which may just be my new happy place. So much natural beauty and unique attractions within striking distance of the city limits? It’s just another plus for travelers who want to see as much as possible before heading home. Any first overseas trip should be filled with a multitude of special memories; Iceland makes that incredibly easy.

A sample of Europe, without going all the way. Iceland—particularly Reykavik—reminded me quite a bit of Europe (which technically, it is, but situated conveniently in the Atlantic halfway between the Old and New world landmasses). But Reykavik often felt like a very Central European city to me: streets lined with fascinating architecture, plenty of unique shops and restaurants, loads of charming cafes, some great museums…pretty much all the things I love and miss about Europe were right here. While I would strongly encourage all travelers to visit Europe at least once in their lives (and hopefully more!), Iceland is a really great place to get a feel for Europe without having to go all the way over there. It’s a great “European sampler” before taking the plunge to explore the continent.

Of course, Iceland has some drawbacks, the main one being that it’s really rather expensive—though cheap flights help balance things out and it CAN be done on a budget. But no country is perfect. And when I think about possible destinations to recommend to my friends who are about to dive into the exciting world of foreign travel, I can think of no better place than Iceland for them to start.

Happy travels!

Iceland, Travel Musings

Sep

2015

Why People Don’t Travel

Melissa Kaplan3

Lately, I’ve been immersed in the excited flush of planning several different trips, both imminent and long-term. I’ve been riding the high that comes from knowing that soon, I’ll be somewhere new, exotic, and exciting, on the verge discovering a new country and corner of the globe. This feeling thrills me like no other.

As I’ve been making my plans, I’ve also been talking with friends about theirs. Some of my traveler friends are off on extraordinary journeys of their own soon, inspiring me to consider adding new locales to my ever-expanding bucket list.

But not all my friends or family members are avid travelers. Some barely travel at all. And when I take a moment to pull myself away from the whirl of travel planning, writing, and reading the latest stories from the travel blogging community, I’m reminded that, in fact, this is life for the vast majority of people in the world. Limited travel, if any at all.

Why is that?

I have a few thoughts on this, which have been crystalizing in my mind as I’ve considered this question. Of course, we can start by eliminating the very obvious reasons people don’t travel: they’re flat broke, they’re ill or incapacitated, or they’ve recently landed in jail. Not everyone can travel all the time, as much as they may want to do so. I get that. And some people just have zero desire to explore the world. I absolutely don’t get that, but everyone is different, and that’s okay. Not everyone needs to be a travel junkie.

But I know a lot of other people who fit into a different category. They’re young, healthy, have time and enough money to get out and see the world…but they don’t. Why not?

Here are a few of my thoughts on why people who can travel, and say they want to, end up never following through:

They Want to Travel, But Only if They Can Do it in Luxury: I’ve written before about how many people seem to conflate travel and vacations, assuming that if they’re traveling they will be staying in luxurious surroundings, and if they can’t afford to do that, they should just stay home. Travel CAN be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be as expensive as people think. You could probably spend a month in rural Vietnam for what a few days in a fancy Parisian hotel would cost you. But a lot of people I know aren’t interested in leaving their house if they can’t go someplace nicer. Their desire to travel and see the world seems to be inextricably linked to being able to partake in fancy meals and hotel suites. Nothing wrong with that, if you can afford it. But I think that’s where a lot of people get stuck: they have visions of themselves ensconced in luxury and when they are told they could have a great trip in a budget hotel or a hostel while taking buses, they’re suddenly not that excited about seeing the world anymore. It’s a mismatch between the kind of travel they want and the kind they can actually afford, which causes them to throw in the towel on travel entirely.

They Only Want to Go to Certain Places (Which Probably Cost A Lot): Who doesn’t dream of going to Italy? I love Italy. I completely understand why people who haven’t traveled a lot have it, or Paris or London, at the top of their wish lists. Those are amazing places with tons of history, culture, beauty, and amazing food. Everyone should see them if at all possible. But none of those places are all that cheap—they can be done on a budget, of course, but they’re not really ideal budget travel locations. For the type of trip most people want to have (see above), Italy, France, and England require shelling out quite a bit of cash. There are plenty of destinations to be seen for much, much less money—Southeast Asia and Central America, for example, could be seen over a few months in what many people would pay for a week or two in London. But most people who aren’t die-hard travelers wouldn’t think of going to those places, and aren’t really that interested in seeing them. They want London, Paris, or Italy. And when they can’t find a way to finance that in the style they like, rather than checking out another much cheaper (and fascinating!) corner of the planet, they instead choose to stay home. What a shame.

They Want to Travel, But Only if It’s Easy: Travel requires a certain amount of work, especially when one is on a budget. I can recall flying eight hours to get to Copenhagen (not even all that challenging a destination), then having to find my way to the train station before dragging my suitcase to my hotel. At the train station, all the signs were in Danish, no one I met spoke any English (my guidebook led me astray here, and my two memorized words of Danish weren’t any help). Everything worked out fine, but it wasn’t an ideal start to my trip, and I can imagine it would have frazzled a lot of people who aren’t used to navigating foreign cities on their own. It’s not always easy to travel. You have to be willing to put up with annoyances and inconveniences, and step out of your (English-speaking) comfort zone. Not everyone is prepared to do that.

They’re Waiting for the Stars to Align: I know a lot of people with travel dreams. They always have some place in mind they’d like to visit someday: Greece, Africa, Russia, France, Australia. Some big, larger-than-life travel dream they’ve packed away for the day they’ll be able to do it because everything they need will magically come together. They’ll win the lottery; their spouse or friend will finally be ready to go; they’ll be through with this enormous project at work that keeps dragging on; the value of the dollar will rise; they’ll finally get around to taking that language class. Someday, all the stars will align and then, and only then, will this trip happen. I’m sorry, but this is no way to live. I’ve traveled to almost thirty countries on five continents and I did not manage this by waiting for the stars to align. Just do it! Save some money, buy a flight, secure the needed vacation time, buy a guidebook, and go. Yes, even if you have to travel solo (which I think is another major reason people don’t travel—they only want to embark on a voyage if they have a travel companion). Life is short. If you have the time and the money, or can find a way to get either, just go on your dream trip this year. Waiting for the stars to align is rarely a successful strategy, in travel or in life.

They Don’t Prioritize Travel: “I want to travel, but it’s expensive/I’m so busy/I’ll get to it once I buy a house/get a promotion/finish this chapter of the book I’m reading.” I’ve heard these statements a lot. In other words, people say they want to travel, but for one reason or another they’re just not making it a priority in their lives. The money that could have purchased a plane ticket to Istanbul instead gets spent on a new Ipad or a shopping spree at the mall or dinners out with friends. This ties in closely with the stars aligning: people often wait for travel to happen to them, as if it were a gift that was going to be given out at Christmas instead of something you need to work towards and keep as a goal in your life. The world isn’t going to come to you, and you’ll never get to it if you don’t put travel at or near the top of your priority list.

They Think They Will Always Have Time to Travel “Someday”: Something that has always baffled me is people who say they want to travel, so they’ll do it after they retire. Really? If you’re in your twenties or thirties, why would you postpone something you really want to do for another four decades or so? Most jobs do provide vacation days—use them! That’s what they’re for! And how do you know you’ll still be physically able to travel, or still have the desire to do so, when you’re in your seventies? Personally I think it’s insane to delay your travel dreams that way, and it dims the likelihood that they will ever actually come true. Maybe you can’t travel this month or next year, but please, if you want to travel, get out there and do it as soon as you can make it happen. There are no guarantees in life, and we can’t always count on an endless stretch of time in the future to see the world. So don’t wait around. Take control. Do it now.

Any other thoughts on why people don’t travel, despite saying they want to? Share!

Travel Musings

Sep

2015

Return Trips

Melissa Kaplan0

When it comes to travel, I’m not a sentimentalist. I don’t generally look backwards, reflecting on the beauty and majesty of places I’ve been to and vowing to go back to see them again. Rather, I am always looking forward—to the next city, the next country, the next adventure.

This trait can obviously be seen as either good or bad, and there are compelling arguments either way. But one thing it means is that when I am enthralled enough by a place I’ve visited to seriously think about returning there, rather than seeking out some new exciting corner of the globe I haven’t made it to yet, it must really be something special.

So, here they are—a list of places I not only loved, but was captivated enough by to want to return to, whether to explore more, to delve deeper, or—in some cases—in hopes of a do-over.

The “I Want to Go Back Because I’m So In Love With It” List

South Africa—I spent nearly a week last year in Cape Town, and I fell in love with the city and its surroundings. And by extension, I fell in love with the rest of South Africa, even though I didn’t get to see it (yet). I absolutely want to go back to Cape Town itself, have more time to wander the streets, explore its neighborhoods further, and make another trip into wine country. I’d also like to see more of the surrounding areas I didn’t get to, such as the Cape of Good Hope. And definitely want to see more of South Africa—I have a deep fondness for it after my time there and I really want to explore further. Maybe on the luxurious Blue Train?
Paris—“There is never any end to Paris,” as Ernest Hemingway said. And there’s never any end to my longing for it either. Paris is a city I just want to go back to and experience over and over—not to see new things, but to rediscover the ones I already love. Café Angelina, Les Deux Magots, wandering through the Latin Quarter and the Left Bank, and just soaking up the magical feeling of being in a city and country I love and getting a rare opportunity to exercise my pitiful French vocabulary…none of it ever gets old. I always, always wish for more time in Paris, and one return trip after another.
Bermuda—I’m one of the luckiest people in the world, because I spent my childhood summers in Bermuda. At least part of them. My parents bought a timeshare there and from the age of 9 well into my 20s, I was in Bermuda almost every year for the last week of July. The backstory: my parents met while working in Bermuda years ago, and they took a trip back when I was young and decided to buy some property so they would have a place to return each year. I spent idyllic childhood days at the St. George’s club, frolicking in the pools, swimming in the beautiful blue ocean and playing on the pink sand beaches that surround them. I loved walking around St. George’s harbor, seeing the old-fashioned stocks in the town square and imagining the day when they were still in use, and taking boat rides out to other parts of the island and the bus into Hamilton, the charming pastel colored capital city, for day trips. Bermuda was my first experience with international travel, aside from a brief trip to England and France with my parents when I was seven (I know, spoiled rotten!), and the beauty, relaxation, and sense of being in a place so different from home was something I looked forward to every year. Maybe it even helped inspire my love of travel! If I have kids of my own one day, I am determined to bring them to Bermuda at least once, to see the magical island where their grandparents met and their mother spent so many happy summer days.

The “I Want to Go Back Because There’s Still So Much Else To See” List

Croatia—Croatia! How I love you. This country could easily have fit on the “so in love with it” list, but I’ve put it here because as much as I loved my first visit and my time in Dubrovnik especially, my main reason for going back is because of all the other parts of the country I still want to see. As I plan my long-anticipated Slovenia trip, I’m also trying to squeeze in a little nearby Croatia exploration, specifically Zagreb and the Plitvice National Park waterfalls. But I’m not stopping there—I also want to visit Hvar, which looks like pretty much the definition of island paradise, and perhaps some of the towns on the borders with Slovenia and Italy. So much more to delve into in such a relatively small country! If you haven’t seen Croatia yet, bump it up to the top of your list.
Italy—I’ve been to Italy twice and seen most of the major cities and the Amalfi Coast, but I’m still not done. I need at least one more trip to see the Cinque Terre seaside villages, Lake Como and Milan, Sardinia and Sicily. And I may need an entire trip to devote just to Tuscany, the food, wine, and glorious panoramic views. Although I spent two days in Florence, I had to move on before I could explore any of the surrounding Tuscan villages, which has me kicking myself retroactively. Next time I go, I’ll be sure to spend time in Siena and San Gimignano, at a bare minimum. And I’m sure I’ll just return with a longer list of places to see on my next visit. I think Italy will be a lifelong recurring travel theme for me….
Argentina—I’ve only been to Buenos Aires (in fact, it’s the only place I’ve been to so far in all of South America—I need to fix that!) and I really enjoyed it. An elegant, historic yet fun city with great food, majestic cafes and lots of Evita memorabilia everywhere—pretty much perfect for me. But I really want to return and see more of this enormous country—Iguaza Falls (I seem to be developing a bit of an obsession with waterfalls lately) and the wine country of Mendoza top my list. I think at least a few weeks’ return trip is in order….
Thailand—I loved my recent trip to Thailand and the places I got to see, especially Phuket. But what excited me most when I left was the knowledge that there was still so much more of this fascinating country to come back and explore! I’m already mentally planning my next trip, which will hopefully include more time in Bangkok (in the modern, rooftop bar section of the city, away from the tourists and temples, though I’m very glad I saw them this time), Chiang Mai in the north, and Koh Samui for a different island experience. I also want to spend some time in Koh Tao, and hopefully learn how to scuba dive there! From what I’ve heard, there’s no place better to do it.

The “I Want to Go Back for a Do-Over” List

Turkey—I wanted to love Istanbul. Oh, how I wanted to love it. And while I saw a lot of amazing things during my trip there—Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and a luxurious old-world hamaam being among them—the trip itself was marred because, as a single blond woman traveling alone, I felt singled out and targeted for unwanted attention, even harassment, a lot. Most people I met were kind and friendly, but a few bad apples put a pall on my experience. I really want to change that. I want to go back to Turkey and explore different regions—especially some smaller villages along the Mediterranean coastline, and maybe Cappadocia—to see another side of the country and enjoy the beauty and tranquility I didn’t get on my first visit there. Turkey is at the top of my travel re-do list.
Mexico—Technically, I’ve been to Mexico, but does spring break in Cancun during college plus an afternoon hopping off a cruise ship really count? I don’t think so. I want to go somewhere far less touristy, settle in for a week or so, visit Mayan ruins, snorkel, relax on quiet beaches and eat delicious local food. And I want to explore the Pacific coast, as so far I’ve only seen the Yucatan. Mexico is such a vast and fascinating country; I need to return and create a memorable trip that gives me time to relax and get to know it without the touristy hustle-and-bustle. And no more Senor Frog’s!

Are there places you want to go back to, whether because you loved them so much, want to see more, or want a do-over? Share!

Croatia, Eastern/Central Europe, France, Thailand, Travel Musings

Sep

2015

Seattle, And the Pleasure of Staying in the Moment

Melissa Kaplan0

I visited Seattle a few months ago, after spending Memorial Day weekend there. It’s fair to say the city met and perhaps even exceeded my expectations, mostly because I didn’t have that many going in. I just wanted to do a few things: relax after a hectic work month and busy Thailand trip by walking around the city, shopping at Pike’s Place Market, and eating a lot of delicious food; and catch up with my good friend who was making the trip with me, finally getting a chance to have long, in-depth conversations in person for the first time in way too long.

I was excited to see Seattle, a city I’d long wanted to visit, but I was determined not to fall into the trap of “box-check syndrome” and run around trying to see and do everything possible during my brief stay. I didn’t want to be a tourist; I just wanted to be a connoisseur of the best Seattle had to offer, to enjoy it on its own terms without a strict regimen of must-sees.

By that standard, the trip was a resounding success. And I came away from Seattle with a few realizations—perhaps not exactly new, but more finely tuned—about what makes for a good travel experience, and indeed, a good life. But more on that shortly….

Seattle itself, despite the grey clouds that hung over us 90 percent of the time and temperatures that refused to budge out of the mid-sixties (come on, it’s nearly June!) is a delightful city. It has pretty much everything in it that I love for a relaxing weekend getaway: farmers’ markets, water views, cozy cafes, and great brunch spots. How could life be better?

My friend and I began our Saturday by heading over to Pike’s Place Market, which, along with the original Starbucks pilgrimage, was the one touristy thing I really wanted to do. It did not disappoint; in fact, it exceeded my expectations. I love outdoor markets (one of my favorite parts of traveling in Europe), and I could have spent hours wandering through the stalls sampling cheeses, olive oils, piping hot apple cider, and other delights, as well as taking in the lively street life and the rows upon rows of beautiful flowers for sale, which I absolutely would have bought had I had a place to take them back to aside from my hotel. Afterwards, we headed over to the Olympic Sculpture Park, which was a bit light on sculpture but made up for it with beautiful, peaceful green spaces complete with sweeping views of the blue water of the harbor and rows of wildflowers ringing it. We sat on a park bench, where I proceeded to enjoy the homemade chocolate peanut butter cup with Mediterranean sea salt (!) I had purchased that morning in a tiny chocolate shop near the market. Delicious.

That afternoon, we headed over to the Space Needle so my friend could ascend to the top. I declined as paying money to ride to the top of tall buildings is not really something I’m enthusiastic about (she said it was great and well worth doing, however). On our way over, we stumbled across an outdoor festival, and donated a few dollars to get inside. We spent time sitting on the grass, people watching and listening to live music being performed on stage while we devoured the most enormous heaping serving of curly fries I have ever encountered. Literally, they fried an entire batch of potatoes in front of us, divided the fryer portion into two halves, and gave us one. It cost $8 and was probably worth more, but neither one of us could finish it and frankly I never felt much like eating again for the rest of the day. Still, the whole thing made for a memorable Seattle experience!

Sunday morning we woke up with food once again on our minds, and took our rental car over to the Capitol Hill district for brunch at Oddfellows Café. This restaurant had been highly recommended as a brunch spot in my Lonely Planet, and I always like to check out at least a few guidebook-recommended places in any city I visit, so this fit the bill. Happily, it did not disappoint. We began with an order of piping hot beignets, little donuts covered in white confectioners’ sugar, washed down with the daily brunch punch special—I can’t recall exactly what this included, but I think there was lavender and lots of hard liquor involved. Pretty interesting. Then, the main event arrived: I ordered a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit, which thoughtfully was served with a side of healthy, likely organic greens to make me feel marginally less guilty about my brunch choices. Conscience assuaged.

And wow, what a breakfast sandwich—I am not normally a huge fan of biscuits but this one was ENORMOUS, piping hot and buttery, crumbling a bit as I ate it but still sturdy enough to stand up to the crispy bacon—I love when restaurants actually follow my bacon-cooking instructions!—and eggs stuffed inside it. I almost managed to finish it, which was no small accomplishment, and it kept me full for most of the rest of the day. On my way out I snagged a chocolate chip cookie at the counter which I ate for dessert that night and which also had sea salt on top of it. I heartily approve of Seattle-ites apparent desire to add this ingredient to every chocolate product.

After brunch, I wanted to check out another guidebook spot, Victrola’s Coffee Roasters, a famous little café just a few blocks down the street. Neither my friend nor I are big coffee drinkers (Seattle sacrilege, no doubt) so we opted for non-coffee alternatives; in my case, a hot chocolate. I tend to be wary about ordering hot chocolate in unknown coffee shops, because often times even great coffee baristas don’t make this drink in quite the way I’d like—I need LOTS of chocolate and minimal sweetness. I was thrilled to find that Victrola had it covered. They used a rich chocolate syrup melted into hot water and a swirl of heart-shaped froth on top to make a visually stunning and scrumptious treat. Plus, the relaxed vibe, exposed wood decor and great people-watching view from our window seat made it a really charming place to hang out for an hour or so. If I lived in Seattle, I have no doubt I’d be a Victrola regular.

After our coffee shop detour, it was on to the Puget Sound ferry to ride out to Bainbridge Island. I didn’t know a whole lot about Bainbridge except that it was a popular day-trip from Seattle, easy to reach in less than an hour, and made for a great excuse to get out on the water. Any chance for a boat ride is one I’ll quickly seize, so I enjoyed the windy but picturesque ride over to Bainbridge, and getting to see a different view of Seattle’s landmarks as we drifted away. Many photos were taken—yes, embarrassingly, even including a few selfies. Sorry.

Bainbridge itself proved an unexpected delight, and a great example of how having no expectations and keeping an open mind about a place can pay off in spades. When we got to the island, we were given a map and quickly figured out that Bainbridge was best known for its shopping, cafes, and a multitude of wine tasting locales. Yes please! I’m not a huge wine drinker, but I really have come to enjoy wine tasting—the fun, relaxed ambiance, learning about different wines, the ceremony of the pouring, and of course, the accompanying cheese. My friend and I did a tasting—or rather, she did the full tasting and I stuck to a single serving of Riesling, which was excellent and complemented our cheese plate perfectly. The winery’s owner was a really fun and engaging women who clearly loved her job (I would too!) and the afternoon was complete once she put on “Midnight Train to Georgia,” and got most of the wine drinkers singing along.

At that point, we decamped for some ice cream at one of the shops lining the Bainbridge streets, and then it was time to hop back on the ferry for dinner at a barbecue place in Ballard with one of my old roommates from Praha days, who, as luck would have it, lives in Seattle now. After we finished our meal, she invited us back to her house and we got a glimpse of her neighborhood, a residential, leafy area outside the maelstrom of the city, which offered a great peak into a side of Seattle most tourists never get to see. Food, wine, ferry, and friends: the day was a resounding success.

As lovely as Seattle was, I think the thing I will take away from it most isn’t a single sight or experience, but rather, how nice it is to visit a city without a long planned agenda of items to check off but rather, with the intention of simply enjoying it. I think often, we hard-core travelers tend to lose sight of the fact that above all, travel should be fun! We want to get inside places, to experience them on a deep level, immerse ourselves in the cities and towns we visit, and that’s great. But when you only have a few days to see a city, it’s actually quite freeing to just decide on a few things you want to do—see a market, have brunch, and hit a famous café, for instance—and just let the rest unfold as it will.

I realized on the ferry trip back to Seattle from Bainbridge, as I relaxed and tried to take in the beautiful view of the city panorama growing closer and closer on the shoreline horizon, just how fleeting the ride really was, and how fleeting my two-day trip had been. I wanted to try to hold onto every moment, record the memories of all I was seeing in some inviolable place in my brain where they would remain forever. But I’m not sure that’s really possible. I may not always remember the exact way the Seattle skyline looked to me as our ferry pulled up, or the exact colors of the wildflowers in Olympic Sculpture Park, or the distinct flavor of the cheese I sampled in Pike’s Place Market. But what I will (hopefully) always remember about Seattle is that I got a chance to experience a lovely city for a weekend, see at least a little of what makes it special, and relax and have a wonderful time. I hope the memory of how much I enjoyed Seattle will linger long after the specific details I tried so hard to record begin to fade.

And of course, I’ll remember the brunch. And the chocolate. J

Travel Musings, US travel

Sep

2015