travel

The Many Wonders of Peru

Posted on by Seniye Groff

The people…

The food…

The scenery…

I did not really know what I was going to get when I booked my two week trip to Peru. But what I gained was warm, smiling, seemingly satisfied people. Food that was simple, beautifully presented, cheap and fresh and scenery that was as spectacular as it was varied and inspiring.

Whenever I head out on a solo trip, it always begins with anticipation and anxiousness…Will I be safe? What will I discover? Will it be as I had hoped? What will be the greatest thing I will learn? Will I be the very best guest I can be?

On my flight to Lima I sat next to a recent college graduate. She and some family friends were going to hike the Inca Trail for four days culminating in their visit to Machu Picchu to celebrate her father’s suicide. She had done no homework on what she was getting ready to embark on, but I have to say that now that I have visited Machu Picchu I totally understand why the family would want to honor their father this way.

I landed in Lima at 5:30 a.m. local time and once I arrived at the hotel I dropped my bags and just walked. Diving right in is the best way I have found to overcome jet lag and capitalize on the newness of my destination. I was staying in Miraflores which is a safe, upscale part of Lima. The streets are clean, teaming with walkers and fortified with singing birds and beautiful gardens. I also walked in Barranco, which is considered an artsy neighborhood, right next door to Miraflores. The weather was perfect at 70 degrees and I got to reinvigorate my Spanish!

The next morning at 4 a.m. my taxi arrived to take me to the bus station so that I could head south to Ica, Nazca, Paracas and Huacachina. It was a four hour bus ride south to take me to the desert and coast. When I arrived, I was immediately driven to a tiny airport to view the Nazca lines. 17 mysterious etchings in the ground can be viewed best by plane. It is about 30 minute plane ride with then 30 minutes viewing the various drawings. It was fascinating, although the plane ride was a nail biter in a tiny four-seater!

My Big Greek Vacation

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Greece has been on my bucket list for years and I finally made it happen this year. I spent 15 days in four islands and Athens. I was mesmerized by the beauty, the great food, the generous, hospitable people, clean streets, many cats and great shopping. I am not a shopper by nature, but I was surprised to learn how many things are made in Greece. I flew from Portland direct to LHR in 9.5 hours and then an additional 3.5 hours to Athens.

Once I landed in Athens at 2 a.m. I stayed at a hotel near the airport so that I could catch a morning flight to Naxos. Naxos boasts an airport that is literally one room, which was a great foreshadow to how small and quaint this island would be. We stayed in a wonderful hotel which was located right on the beach. The rooms were spotless and well-appointed, the staff was extremely attentive and the authentic breakfast made me never want to leave!

One day I took the bus to Naxos Town and visited the Gates of Apollo, shopped in the beautiful alleys and winding streets and had a wonderful terrace, sea-facing lunch. Naxos Town was a bustling little area that had a wonderful harbor and lots of interesting shops. I really loved Naxos!

After four nights in Naxos I took the ferry to Paros. The ferry is a bit unorganized and seemingly always late, but it is a relatively easy way to commute island to island. Paros was another great island with cute, whitewashed towns with winding alleys, interesting shops and good food. Paros Town had a walking promenade lined with mainly restaurants and shops, which was a great to stroll once the hot day moved to the cooler evening.

We ventured to the beach with a $20 taxi ride and then took a fishing boat/ferry to the town of Naoussa, which was where I had one of the best lunches of my trip! The tomato caper salad was to die for! Again this walk-worthy town was beautiful with upscale shops and alleys that allowed you to meander in the mid-day sun.

An easy daytrip from Paros is the island of Antiparos. Arriving by boat is the only way to get there and there is rumor that Tom Hanks has a house on the island. I loved this island, too. We had a leisurely lunch on the water and walked around for the afternoon. Next time, I might be tempted to stay here instead of Paros.

After three nights, we hopped on the ferry to Santorini. All the pictures you might have seen of this beautiful island are TRUE. After arriving at the ferry port, it is an uphill climb on this island. We stayed in Imerovigli and it was amazing. The view of our hotel was breathtaking and honestly the views from just about anywhere are stunning. We also did a sunset cruise and although it was a bit disorganized, it was great to get close to the caldera and be on the open water. Our best dinner of the trip was in Santorini. It was comprised of tasty food, wonderful hospitality and a dash of showmanship!

I then flew to Athens for my last three nights. I stayed in Plaka at a wonderful apartment. I did not expect to love Athens as much as I did. After all, I expected an old, dirty city with crowds and little charm. But what I found was the exact opposite! Athens is CLEAN, has beautiful gardens, great food, shopping and of course, history! I could see myself living in this city for six months and really exploring it.

Greece far exceeded my expectations. Greece is easy to navigate and English is spoken everywhere, which makes traveling easier. But by far, Greece is about great food, wonderful people and amazing scenery. I have many destinations on my travel list, but Greece might be a place I visit again, very soon!

Palm Springs in December is Perfect!

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Cold nights and semi-warm days is Palm Springs in December. This trip was the fifth December trip to Palm Springs and I was able to get out and hike, which was great. Managed four hikes including the Coachella Valley Preserve, which although in the middle of nowhere, was fascinating. It sits on the San Andreas fault line and the water that seeps through the earth creates enough water for these palm trees to grow in the middle of the sandy desert.

I’ve Got a Horn and I’m Not Afraid to Use It!

Posted on by Seniye Groff

On the complete opposite spectrum from Japan is Vietnam.  This was my second trip to Vietnam.  My first trip was ten years ago and I only visited Hanoi.  This trip I visited Hanoi, Da Nang, Hue, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City.  Covering so much of Vietnam meant a lot of plane rides as the roads make for slow travel in Vietnam.

Vietnam is chaotic, noisy and unorganized.  Although I noticed a lot more cars this time around, the motor bikes (and their honking) are ever present.  Crossing the road is an act of death-defying activity.  People use their horns as a second language.  But at the same time, their is a warmness to the country that makes the visit worthwhile.

Hanoi’s Old Quarter is vastly different from HCMC’s wide boulevards and colonial architecture.  I liked HCMC right away (if only because it was so different from Hanoi).  Hoi An was a little slower and amazingly well preserved given how old the town is.  Vietnam’s craftsmanship is evident in both Hanoi and Hoi An.  There is beautiful clothing, leather and wood items.  Life happens on the streets and a “restaurant” can be set up on pretty much any sidewalk.  It is amazing how anything and everything can be done on a motorbike, including a mid-day nap!

I felt like Vietnam is at a crossroad.  There is evidence of lots of development and the presence of more cars means wealth is being built (at least for some).  But there is still a lot of poverty and the need for infrastructure.  I do hope that Vietnam moving into modern times will not ruin the beauty of the country.

Two Weeks in Japan and Vietnam

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I just returned from a fabulous trip in Japan and Vietnam.  I am posting the two countries separately for easier reading.  The two countries could not be further apart in experiences.  Both countries are great and incredibly different.  Japan is orderly, polite, clean and very interesting.  I visited Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.  The trains are super efficient (and very reasonably priced).  They take their toilets pretty seriously (check out the photo of the control panel).  And although Japan has a reputation for being very expensive it is pretty easy to eat on a budget and most tourist attractions are no cost.  A week in Japan is certainly not enough time but was enough to whet my appetite for a return visit!

Four Amazing Days in Hong Kong

Posted on by Seniye Groff

On the way back from a work trip in Singapore, I decided to take advantage of disembarking in Hong Kong when returning home.  The ticket costs the same, so why not.  The beautiful thing about traveling, at least for me, is how much I learn and all the different people I meet.  Travel forces you to get out of your comfort zone and truly get educated; you shed your misconceptions.

I did some initial research before my trip but intentionally left it pretty open to be able to wander and explore.  I stayed in the Ovolo Hotel in Southside.  The hotel is admittedly not in the prettiest area (an up and coming -perhaps- warehouse area south on the island of Hong Kong).  The service is top notch.  The front desk is super helpful and snacks and drinks are in the room and are included.  You must book direct to get the free breakfast and nightly happy hour.  The breakfast is comprehensive and has something for everyone.  Learning #1:  I thought Hong Kong was just Hong Kong.  I learned that Hong Kong is comprised of about 250 islands.  I had no idea.

I arrived Friday early afternoon.  After dumping my suitcase at the hotel I immediately started exploring.  The MTR (mass transit) is super easy to navigate, clean and gets you everywhere you want to go.  Make sure to purchase an Octopus card when you arrive at the airport.  Also note that although you can use your credit card to load the card at the airport, you have to have cash to top it off anywhere else.  The rule of thumb is to push or be pushed.  Know that people are not being rude, it’s just that with so many people if you do not push you get left behind!

I decided to get the must-do Star Ferry out of the way.  It is easy to just walk down to the pier and pick it up and your Octopus card works there, too.    Once over in Kowloon I walked the promenade and down all the shopping streets.  When I returned to HK Island, I wandered a bit, walked through the Man Mo Temple and then headed to the hotel to enjoy the happy hour.

The next morning,  I wandered and basically found the Botanical Garden and Zoo by accident.  What a beautiful find!  All shorts of monkeys, Orangutans and birds.  There were plenty of flowers and the although very peaceful, it was cool to see the skyscrapers in the background.

I then headed to the Peak Tram.  If lines drive you crazy, this is not the place for you!  It was pure chaos and two hours of waiting and I was there at 10 a.m.  You basically are up the hill in 10 minutes.  The view was spectacular although a bit cloudy.  I decided to hike down instead of deal with the crowds.  I somehow ended on the Central Green Trail which was beautiful with plenty of greenery and glimpses of the skyscrapers below.  A word of warning, though, it is very, very steep.  It took me about 1.5 hours to walk down and when I arrived where I started, the line for the Peak Tram was even worse as it wrapped up and down the streets.  I cannot imagine what the wait was at that time!

Next to the Peak Tram is one of the entrances for the Hong Kong Park.  There are a lot of green spaces in the city which makes the craziness more tolerable, for sure.  This park was amazing.  The netted aviary was like no other I have seen.  The birds roamed “freely” and as an observer you really felt like one with nature.  There was also a pond and man made waterfall.  There is a Museum of Tea Ware that is worth a visit and is right next door to the Lock Cha Tea House.  I decided to have tea (extensive list) and dim sum.  It was excellent and service was pleasant.  I managed to walk about 12 miles on this day-my feet were sore but my soul was satisfied.

My last full day in HK was spent heading to Lantau to see the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha).  The subway ride took about 25 minutes and is on the same island that the airport sits on.  Once off the subway, a walk across the street lands you at the cable car facility for the ride up to the village where the Big Buddha sits.  My wait for the cable car was an hour and you can buy the tickets in advance.  Employees will try to sell you additional add-ons for tours while you are up on the mountain.  The add-ons are completely unnecessary as you can easily navigate all the things to see yourself.

The cable car ride up is scenic and passes over water, green hills and homes.  As you get closer you can see the Buddha off in the distance.  Once you get of the cable car, you are forced to walk through the tacky gift shop and then through a small village of trinkets.  Keep moving and get to what you came for!  Walking up the many stairs to the Buddha is pretty cool and you begin to realize just how massive it really is.  Walk up the stairs and walk around and take in the view around.  It is truly awe inspiring.  If you look up at his head, the sensation with the clouds moving almost feels like the Buddha is moving his head–it’s pretty cool.

Once down the stairs, turn right and follow the signs to the Wisdom Path.  It is a concrete path and you will pass some dilapidated buildings which will make you wonder if you are going the right way–you are, so keep going.  You land at an area that has several trails.  If you are prepared, take one of the more hearty hikes or look to the right and walk the short (and steep) Wisdom Path.  This will take about five minutes.

When you head back to the central area wander through the Po Lin Monastery.  The detail work in the ceilings, walks and statues are beyond beautiful.  You cannot take pictures in the temples so try to imprint their beauty in your brain–I had never seen anything so stunning.  This day trip was so opposite to the craziness of the city.  I felt peaceful and satiated at the end.

I returned to the city’s energy and wandered up to Soho with the mid levels travelator (as the sign called it).  I walked down through the side streets with the makeshift Chinese markets of fresh vegetables, herbs and other things I could not recognize.  The streets have lots of character with daily life happening.  I realized that China Towns smell the same no matter what city it resides in.

Hong Kong is a modern city.  Hong Kong is an old fashioned city.  It is a beach town.  It is a traditional town.  I loved the teaming energy and life and the mix of modern and old.  Learning #2: never stop learning or exploring.  It invariably makes my life more full, more open-minded and ultimately more beautiful.