Tourist Attractions – Page 5

Bridges, bites & bars

San Francisco. I absolutely love this place. Bridges connecting cities and counties, cable cars connecting districts, and old prison bars connecting the past with the present.

Back in the day, I had the pleasure of living in the Bay Area for a couple of years, and spent most of my days off getting to know—as best I could—this town. Fast forward to today, I recently rediscovered my fondness for SF by discovering something(s) new.

Bridges

Ready for a little fill-in-the-blanks? 1) The Golden Gate Bridge takes its name from:
A) the strait that passes under the bridge
B) the official name of its paint
C) the naval ship that first entered San Francisco Bay

Answer: A! The Golden Gate Strait, so named by an army captain in the mid 1800s, became the name for this famous landmark.

Golden Gate Bridge, SF

I’ve driven over the Golden Gate Bridge a handful of times, stopping at one end or the other to record photographic evidence—my “proof I was there” shot. My something-new discovery on this trip? When one of my travel companions suggested we walk it. Whoa. I love to walk—what a great idea!

Everyone was onboard. Even the weather agreed, providing ample sunshine and just a hint of a breeze. Not bad for winter. And the view! So much easier to enjoy while walking.

The Bay Bridge visible to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. And the spectacular view of The city itself. Ahhhhh… wonderful!

The Drum Bridge

Another fun bridge—albeit a much shorter one—the Drum Bridge. We found this enchanting structure in the Japanese Tea Garden, located inside Golden Gate Park.

All that walking made me feel a lot less guilty about enjoying great food, beverages and desserts. The new restaurant discoveries for me?

Bites

Staying at the Argonaut provided us with more than just an excellent location, wonderfully appointed rooms and great service, it also gave us a terrific bite to eat at its own Blue Mermaid Restaurant.

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We enjoyed the atmosphere of their patio as we nibbled on tasty appetizers and wet our whistles on custom beverages. The service was wonderful! They very kindly crafted the drinks we described to them.

The Commissary. Fresh and delicious, the food was unique, celebrating both Spanish influence and local ingredients. The menu featured so many one-of-a-kind creations, our server deserved a gold star just for patiently (and happily!) answering all our questions.

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Although not a new discovery for me, The Stinking Rose was new to our companions. Located in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, this garlic restaurant is in good company with many Italian restaurants, but has a way of standing out. Vampires beware! If you love garlic, you owe it to yourself to dine here.

After a wonderful but breezy-chilly tour through the east side of Golden Gate Park, it was time to warm up at the Japanese Tea Garden. What wonderful service and treats—and tea! And the setting couldn’t be more perfect. We scored a great table (open seating, so we put on our eagle eyes) next to the pond. We warmed up instantly.

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Later, we ventured to Chinatown to enjoy the shops and decor, and to warm up a bit (again) with more hot tea and noodles. We chose the Utopia Cafe on Waverly Place. Authentic and unpretentious, this place really hit the spot.

Bars

Our breezy-chilly wonderful tour through the east side of Golden Gate Park involved handlebars. No, not on a bike, although we did encounter several. If you’re looking for a different set of wheels to carry you around, I suggest a Segway.

Segway 101…

“On tour” with our Segways

Our merry band of Segway graduates and one proud instructor/tour guide

This was my first time on such a device, but it only took a few minutes of instruction and practice to be ready. What a blast! And what a fantastic tour too. Our expert guide, Johannes, took us through the grounds, sharing with us how it all came to be.

Ghirardelli Square neighbors the Argonaut, so picking up souvenir chocolate bars—squares—was very convenient. Talk about a lively corner of town! We quickly learned that the best time for shopping here is early in the day—right when the stores open. (Shopping here later in the day equates to loooong lines out the door.)

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In my blog post “Wave meets rock,” I shared my bucket list—just a few locations for starters—of places I’d like to visit in the near future. Enter Alcatraz, the second item on that list.

For all my curiosity about this infamously historical island, I was surprised by its beauty. And how peaceful it was, despite the groups of tourists. I was equally surprised by what quickly became my favorite part of this visit: the audio tour.

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Narrated by former prison guards and inmates, this feature really helped us understand what it was like to live and work and experience “The Rock” by those who were employed and their families—and those who were imprisoned.

As each day became evening, I was privileged to share my favorite watering hole with my companions: the Buena Vista. It soon became their favorite too.

Irish coffee at The Buena Vista, SF

The Buena Vista

Dessert and Irish Coffee–YUM!

Irish coffee at The Buena Vista, SF

Finding room at the bar or a table any time of day requires watchful eyes and quick reflexes, but once you’re seated, the service is fast. And what is everyone ordering? The Buena Vista’s signature menu item: Irish Coffee.

If you manage to secure a place at the bar, then you’re in for a show. They receive so many Irish Coffee orders at a time, the bartenders create this drink in assembly line fashion. Quickly. So delicious! I added a bread pudding to my order, which made my taste buds do backflips. Goooood stuff!

Cable car fun, San Francisco

Waiting for the cable car…

My connection to this town is a fun one, and it’s always tough to leave. But I take away the bonus of new discoveries (including a bucket list item!) balanced with the happiness of revisiting old favorites. Is San Francisco on your bucket list? I highly recommend it.

Until next time, wishing you safe and pleasant travels. J 🌉

Art of arts

What is art? To me, art is something that assembles lines, patterns and designs of colors, sounds and elements, organizing these would-be ingredients into something that captures our attention. Something that wows us, stops us in our tracks and causes us to feel. Emotions generated by our senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste—just because we experienced art.

The lobby and eclectic chandelier of McCaw Hall

Intermission bubbly…

An auditorium monitor inside McCaw Hall

Artists are those who dare to share such creations with others, hoping to evoke reactions of enjoyment, or maybe to bring about awareness and change. And oftentimes, to make a living by sharing their passion via their work.

Performing arts

Here in Seattle, we’re fortunate to have all shapes and sizes of art to enjoy. And for my family on a recent Saturday, we experienced the fine art of dance—specifically the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s mesmerizing version of Swan Lake.

Seattle Center just happens to be home to a large concentration of the arts for the city. And McCaw Hall—home to PNB and the Seattle Opera—is one of Seattle Center’s largest facilities.

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We arrived early enough to enjoy the lobby and gift shops, as well as place our drink order for one of the intermissions. Settling into our seats, anticipating the curtain’s rise, I couldn’t help but wonder what would wow me. We are big fans of PNB’s ballets, but this four-act story is one of our favorites.

I must say, this company wove all its storytelling threads together flawlessly, giving us goosebumps, and leaving us with a sense of awe. It’s tough to choose only one “wow” element, but I’ll highlight the dancers themselves. They conveyed all the essential emotions necessary to make us believe. Their performance—dancing in beautiful costumes against fascinating sets to the orchestra’s superb rendition of this Tchaikovsky classic—earns a collective wow.

Contemporary arts

After the final curtain, we had a couple of hours before dinner; this was just enough time to take in the neighboring Chihuly Garden and Glass gallery.

You’ll find Chihuly Garden and Glass at the base of the Space Needle–the 1962 World’s Fair landmark that is currently undergoing a remodel.

Aside from the breathtaking glass structures, what really captured my attention was the brilliance of color. Impressive without being too much. Equally impressive are the number of glass works in the garden that are literally exposed to the elements. Fascinating! Kudos to the caretakers of the special place for keeping all glass pieces clean and shining like new.

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Also fascinating is how life is depicted in each piece. Life–the land, the seas, evidence of animals and people–the environment of all living things and more–captured in beautiful glass. Glass placed harmoniously within industrial and natural surroundings.

Culinary arts

Earlier in the day—before the ballet—we stopped at Caffe Zingaro for a latte. What a fun coffee house! The walls featured fun paintings—pattern-focused and colorful. The staff was friendly and very helpful when it came to answering questions about their unique menu. I selected a Cubano latte (featuring cinnamon and raw sugar steamed and blended into the coffee drink). Delicious! I plan on trying the Broken Umbrella next time (featuring vanilla and honey).

Time for a latte!

To end our day, we enjoyed yummy Irish Soda Bread—and a few other Irish dinner items—at near by T.S. McHugh’s. This fun pub-style restaurant showcases Irish nostalgia, and is a favorite way for us to round out our day of events at Seattle Center.

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What is your favorite way to enjoy the arts? Is there one that stands out as your favorite? It was fun for us to enjoy familiar favs like the ballet and the restaurant, but equally fun to discover a different coffee place and the gallery showcasing Chihuly’s glass works.

Whatever you choose to do—enjoy fantastic favorites or discover something exciting, you owe it to yourself to experience the art of artists who dare to share.

J 🎨

Odd things chocolate

Are you ready for some chocolate!?! It’s February, and that means two foodie-frenzy celebration days: Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine’s Day. And while chocolate will play a minor roll on the menu of most Super Bowl parties, chocolate will enjoy center stage come February 14.

So, time to visit a market! But for me, not just any market will do. When I’m looking for something unique from the world of chocolate, I head to the market: Seattle’s Pike Place Market.

Early morning deliveries at Seattle’s Pike Place Market (main entrance(

Finding the market is easy!

Early morning at Seattle’s Pike Place Market

Piggy banks

A city icon since 1907, the Pike Place Market receives over 10 million visitors per year, and is Seattle’s number one tourist attraction. Here you can find anything from produce to baked goods, fresh cut flowers to hand-crafted leather journals, even flying fish and giant piggy banks. Oh, and odd things chocolate.

Rachel the Piggy Bank watches the delivery trucks come and go in the early morning hours.

Beautiful produce

The first visitors arriving at the market.

Rachel the Piggy Bank greets visitors to Pike Place Market.

Recently one Tuesday morning, I walked from Rachel the Piggy Bank to Billie the Piggy Bank (both located on the market’s main arcade level), then went in search of something different to enjoy at dinner time—a variation of chocolate not found on your average supermarket shelf: chocolate pasta.

Papperdelle’s Pasta of Pike Place Market was just setting up their selection of pastas for the day when I found the exact flavor I was looking for. I picked up both the gemelli and the linguine noodles—one pound each. And a friendly, helpful employee at Papperdelle’s made sure I had recipes to go with each type of noodle.

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By the way, it’s exciting to watch the market come to life. Shops and stands were preparing for the day, and the number of visitors was well under crowd level—for the moment.

Charms

Making my way to the north end of the market (near Billie), I found something else on my list: Market Charms. Specifically the panel featuring my family’s charm. (The market’s information booth employee kindly helped me with its location.)

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Very exciting! Part of the new MarketFront area, the charms face Elliott Bay, escorting visitors as they make their way through the stands of local artists and down the stairs to lower levels. It was there I discovered my next chocolate stop: Indi Chocolate.

Have you ever tried chocolate orange tea? After paying a visit to this heavenly smelling shop, I can say I have. Delicious! Perfect for a slightly chilly morning in Seattle as the weather was making up its mind, switching from rain to sunshine.

Indo Chocolate, Pike Place Market

Inside Indi Chocolate

Indo Chocolate, Pike Place Market

Alleys

If you’re done chewing your gum and wish to contribute to the artistry of the market, you owe it to yourself to swing by the Gum Wall of Post Alley.

You’ll find it just below the market’s main entrance, near Ghost Alley Espresso. While I don’t consider gum—chewed gum, no less—to be a common ingredient in works of art (especially when I step in it or grab the wrong spot on the railing for the subway stairs), this alley’s decorated brick walls are a thing of beauty. Oddly so.

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From the Gum Wall, Post Alley weaves its way along the east side of the market, cutting through streets and stands, a bit hidden, but not too difficult to find. Making my way north along the alleys, I found Gosanko Chocolate. A shop very near The Pink Door, I wandered in just to see what fun chocolate treasures I could discover.

And there it was. Chocolate on a stick, just waiting for a mug of hot milk! I picked up three flavors: peppermint, salted caramel and French truffle. (I couldn’t decide on just one…)

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As morning switched over to noon, it was time for me to make my way home. I always appreciate this special place, every time I visit. The Pike Place Market is a vibrant community with a rich history and an exciting future. Lots of oddly wonderful and yummy discoveries await.

Whatever you need for your Super Bowl or Valentine’s Day cuisine, you’ll find it here. For now, I wish you safe and pleasant travels, and all the odd chocolate you can enjoy.

J 😎🍫

Wave meets rock

The melodic notes of wind chimes, the heart pounding roar of the Blue Angels flying over head, rain tap dancing on the pavement–all sounds that are music to my ears. But the one that always tops my list? When ocean waves meet the shoreline. Pounding against sand and rocks, waves crash like symbols in an orchestra, creating an odd combination of excitement and calm as I take it all in. The sound–and the view. I will never tire of this wonder. Sooooooo many places in the world can grant this amazing experience, but one location in particular has captured our hearts: the Oregon Coast. And one town in particular has become our favorite: Yachats.

My Zen place

Pronounced “YA-hots” we trek to this small town about once a year to take it all in. Oddly enough, winter is our first choice of seasons for such a visit. The Pacific Ocean delivers storm after storm, and the storms in turn deliver spectacular wave activity. Wind is a constant, but the rain is not. The weather can change here as often as the tides. We end up wearing our sunglasses more often than our rain gear. The coastline is rugged, but the trails are very walkable. Our daughter refers to Yachats as “my Zen place.” As a family, we’ve come to think of it as our Zen place too.

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Our return trips offer us the chance to enjoy familiar places, but we always look forward to discovering something new–something we didn’t get around to doing on our last trip.

Interested? Here are some of our favorite discoveries to date.

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For accommodations, the Overleaf Lodge & Spa is woooooooooonderful. This location commands one of the best ocean views in town. And each room at Overleaf enjoys this spectacular vantage point. Breakfast is included for all guests, and when you return from your day’s adventures, the spa is waiting to pamper. Just remember to make a reservation–both the lodge and spa are very popular.

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Hungry? Thirsty? Not to worry! For a small town (and even compared to large cities), Yachats offers some of the best eateries on our best-places-to-eat-anywhere list. Allow me to highlight just a few locations.

Seafood is a must when enjoying the coast–any coast. And here, you’ve gotta try Luna Sea Fish House. Not only is the food fresh, it’s excellent! So very tasty. I love the steamers (clams) and Dungeness crab, but everything on the menu is fresh and delicious. They also feature Oregon beer and wine–just enough choices to wet your whistle.

Enjoying the town of Yachats

Still hungry, any maybe for something other than seafood? Yachats Brewing. Definitely more beer than wine options (as the name implies), but the menu! Wow–truly some of the best food we’ve had anywhere. Recently I enjoyed a butternut squash and feta cheese risotto that is at the top of my list of “best restaurant risotto ever.”

But what about coffee or tea? I would not go a day without my fix. Not willingly, anyway. Green Salmon to the rescue! The coffee, and tea, and hot cocoa/chocolate drinks are out of this world. Although their menu names call out several places in this world–places that have inspired the very tasty beverage options that take up the entire wall behind the register. Well, almost the entire wall. The menu features breakfast and lunch options too–locally sourced–that are just as tasty and wonderful as the exotic beverages.

Normally I choose a blended coffee or tea drink, but I did venture over to the cocoa side our last two days there. So glad I did–another “Wow!” rating from me. I truly enjoyed the Mayan hot chocolate. It reminded me of the hot chocolate scene in the movie, “Chocolat”. (And for the record, no, there’s no such thing as too much chocolate, even when used multiple times in one sentence…)

On the go, and in need of a very good drive-up coffee/tea/cocoa place? The Village Bean will help you out with that request.

Nighlights and the evening sky, Yachats, Oregon

We always have a tough time saying goodbye to our Zen place. Sooooo… what helps to ease the sadness? Planning our next vacation! And in the first month of this new year, it’s time for me to look ahead to upcoming trips, and to include a few bucket list items in our travels–a few places I’ve always wanted to visit, but just haven’t been. Yet.

My bucket list

New Orleans, Louisiana
Alcatraz Island (no, really!), National Park Service, San Francisco, California
Arches National Park, Utah
Carnevale, Venice Italy
The fjords of Norway

Yes, I have many more bucket list items then you see here, but I’d like to focus on these places for now.

New Orleans:

I’d like to have a drink at the Roosevelt Hotel’s Sazerac Bar, and a beignet at the Cafe Du Monde. And enjoy this historic place, a southern melting pot.

Alcatraz Island:

I lived in the Bay Area for two years, but never made it there. Time to go back, and learn a little more about this infamous former prison for the infamously notorious. Oh, and enjoy a little more of San Francisco while I’m there…

Arches National Park:

Having driven by this park not one, not two, not three but four times, it’s time to head up the hill and see–with my own eyes–the symbol that makes this national park so famous.

Carnevale, Venice:

There are many famous cities around the world that celebrate Fat Tuesday, but only one place where the masks and costumes are so elaborate–from head to toe. Add to that the lovely backdrop of canals in a fantastically walkable city, well… it’s time to officially add this one to my list.

The fjords of Norway:

By sea and by land, I would really like to take in the rugged beauty of this Scandinavian land-and-seascape.

What famous places and hidden gems are on your bucket list? Time to call out a few, and make your plans! Yes, schedules and budgets can (and do) play a somewhat limiting role, but with a little work, we can check a few of our items off the list. For now, I wish you safe and plesent travels! J 🗺

It’s winter!

Seasons greetings–happy Winter Solstice Day! Yes, today marks the first official day of winter, for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, which means

1. In terms of daylight, it’s the shortest day of the year.

Night and day

Here at latitude 47, solstice kicks off at 8:28 am Pacific Time, less than an hour after sunrise (7:54 am). Sunset happens at 4:19 pm. If you’re doing the math, then you know that means about 9.5 hours of daylight–barely enough to fit in a work day.

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At noon, the sun will be at its lowest point on the horizon–since the summer solstice–for this midday time slot, casting lengthy shadows. To be shadowless at this time, one would need to stand on the equator (a bucket list item of mine). And why is the sun so low?

Scientifically speaking, planet Earth is rotated to the point where the sun is directly facing the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. This leaves the North Pole completely–and literally–in the dark.

Of course, the opposite is true for our southern hemisphere friends. That means the people of Christchurch, New Zealand enjoyed an early sunrise–5:44 am–with sunset several hours later at 9:10 pm. Yes, that means over 15 hours of daylight!

Sun and seasons

Up for a little True False quiz? “Regarding its orbit, today (December 21) the Earth is farthest away from the sun.”

False!

2. This time of year, the Earth is closest to the sun.

Our seasons–winter, spring, summer, autumn (fall)–react to the slant of our planet in relation to the sun, not Earth’s distance from the sun.

How ‘bout one more True/False? “In the northern hemisphere, moss grows only on the north side of a tree.”

False!

3. In the northern hemisphere, moss grows mostly (not exclusively) on the north side of a tree.

Because the sun is shining from the south, shadows–and shade–occur on the north side of things, including trees. This creates cooler, more humid, conditions for surfaces, therefore allowing moss to grow without significant exposure to the sun and heat. However, these conditions can apply to surfaces that face south, west and east as well.

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Percentage-wise, during my recent walks, I found more north-facing mossy tree trunks than I did south-facing ones, but I found enough mossy surfaces with southern exposure to thwart the myth.

Daylight and night-lights

For anyone preferring daylight to the hours between sunset and sunrise, this can be a frustrating time of year. And for anyone preferring sunshine to any of the other weather-related elements, well, it can be doubly frustrating. But take heart! First of all, as of tomorrow, the days are getting longer.

Yes, day by day, sunrise will be earlier and sunset will be later, which means more daylight. And while the weather depends largely on where in the northern hemisphere you reside, your chances of sunny days increases too. Although not for a few months.

Hang in there! One great thing about darkness it that it allows for electric lights (and natural ones like the Aurora Borealis–also on my bucket list) to be not only visible, but enjoyable. The sharp contrast of the light to the dark can be mesmerizing.

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December is a month filled with holidays, traditions and festivals around the world, and notably marked with strings of lights, candle displays, and even fireworks. So, enjoy the show!

Rocks and history

And speaking of festivals, Stonehenge–one of the world’s oldest and most popular monuments–hosts quite the celebration of both winter and summer solstices. People from all over the globe trek to this remote, famous location in England to witness sunrise or sunset (or both), and to enjoy the festivities. These attendees honor the history, people and cultures of this very special place.

One last quiz question. Who built Stonehenge?

Romans
Neolithics
Vikings
Druids

Answer: B–the Neolithics! These early native people of England began construction of Stonehenge in 3000 BC. The Beaker and the Wessex peoples also contributed, completing construction in 2000 BC. The Druids often receive credit for building Stonehenge, but they did not become a part of this celebrated place until about 200 BC.

Stonehenge (England)

A Stonehenge monolith (England)

Stonehenge (England)

Our visit to Stonehenge took place one October afternoon, absent the festival goers. We enjoyed ample time (and elbow room) to walk the grounds and marvel at this amazing monument. The designated pathway creates a gentle circle around the stones that allows for excellent views from many angles. This circular structure is a beautiful combination of natural wonder and human engineering. And plain hard work. No hydraulic cranes doing the heavy lifting in the BC world.

A return visit to Stonehenge is on my bucket list, so it only makes sense for me to time it with a solstice event, and to be caught up in the celebration.

What celebrations do you have planned for this winter? What activities or hobbies do you enjoy when the days are shorter and the weather is cooler? Between now and springtime, I’m looking forward to taking a few short trips and planning several more. And along those lines, here is my new year’s resolution: to create my official bucket list. Stay tuned for that!

Whatever you choose to do over the next few months, even if it’s just to enjoy a little downtime, I wish you all the best in the new year. J 😎

Infamy and peace

Sunday, December 7, 1941. A date President Franklin D. Roosevelt would soon refer to as “…the date which will live in infamy.” With Oahu’s beautiful Pearl Harbor lying under thick smoke and fire from that morning’s surprise attack, the president penned his declaration of war. He delivered his famous infamy speech via radio to our nation the very next day.

The American flag flying over the USS Arizona Memorial — Honor. The American flag flies ever watchful over the USS Arizona Memorial.

Understanding infamy

Just in case you are wondering, Merriam-Webster.com defines infamy as “evil reputation brought about by something grossly criminal, shocking, or brutal.” War, and the events that bring about war, definitely match that definition. But when such wars are over, when we’ve accounted for our losses and begin to move past grief, we look for ways to honor our fallen. To seek closure and peace. Holidays and memorials can help us with that.

Paying our respects

The USS Arizona Memorial (located at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii), is one of the most popular tourist attractions for our 50th state, hosting approximately 2 million visitors annually. Knowing we would be on Oahu for a few days prior to the start of our cruise, I moved this bucket list item of mine to the top, and made plans to visit the memorial. It was an easy sell for my family members too.

My connection to this infamous date of attack is a small one. My grandmother’s best friend was a nurse stationed in Pearl Harbor. To my young ears, she described the event as absolute chaos. My husband had relatives in the military at the time, but no one stationed in Hawaii. Our daughter’s connection was only what she learned in school. But we all felt drawn to this place.

An active military base, the rotation of tour groups from the theater to the tour boat was smooth and punctual. The documentary was short, but very impactful. It left us with some perspective on that historic day’s horrific events; some things to ponder as we approached the actual site of the memorial. Like learning that most of the USS Arizona’s victims had “won” the opportunity to sleep in that morning. Or understanding that the oil–still leaking from the sunken ship–will continue to leak for years to come. And just how many other US military ships–and lives–were lost that day.

Bird of Paradise flower — Peace. A Bird of Paradise greets visitors to The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.

Honoring peace

The memorial itself–a white open air structure placed squarely above the sunken ship–can receive about 200 people at a time. It’s design allowed us to see parts of the ship, the leaking oil, and all around the harbor. We were in awe. As our tour boat made its way back to the visitor center, I asked my daughter what she felt. She said, “Peace.” Those who perished were now at rest.

Peace, according to Merriam-Webster.com, means, “a state of tranquility or quiet: such as a) freedom from civil disturbance, or b) a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom.” A feeling the designers, creators, builders, and financiers of such memorials are hoping to give us when we visit their structures. Structures dedicated to the those who died for our country, either in direct military service, law enforcement, civic duty, or citizens and visitors whose lives were taken simply because they were there.

On your next trip to Hawaii–even if it’s your first trip there–I recommend paying a visit, and your respects, to the USS Arizona. Spend a good chunk of your day at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. You will leave with your own sense of peace.

What are some memorials that stand out to you? What was your reason for the visit? What did you come away with? Large or small, memorials are a quiet, important tribute to events in our past. And they serve as a reminder for our future: to always work for peace. J 🗽

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My Eclipse Manners

Remember the eclipse? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back when it was still summer? The most recent solar eclipse visited North America August 21, traveling west to east, and wowing millions from coast to coast. Whether you made a point of witnessing the partial or total eclipse itself, or had something else going on that day, you probably still remember the excitement, anticipation and the outright craze leading up to that moment. Sort of like Christmas, but in August.

Eclipse viewing glasses — Eclipse viewing safety glasses

Destination: Salem

Normally I’m a planner, and would have booked a trip for such an event several months in advance. But I claim “too busy” as my excuse for not knowing. So when I finally looked up–in June–decided to go, and hunted for a place to stay, the area of sold out hotels and other assorted rentals matched up perfectly with the path of totality. From where I live, Salem, Oregon was the closest town in that path.

I found a room about 50 miles north near the Portland airport. Now that stretch of road between these two towns is busy on any given weekday, but this wasn’t going to be your average weekday. This would be your average Monday morning of commuters, plus about a million. Time to hit the road early. Like oh-dark-thirty. So we did.

Eclipse: the experience

Targeting Salem as our general destination, I narrowed the category of possible venues to wineries. After all, Oregon’s Willamette Valley is well known for its excellent pinots. And Salem—quite conveniently—finds itself in the heart of that valley. Several Salem wineries, sure enough, were hosting eclipse events, and I found one in particular that seemed delightfully different: Cubanisimo Vineyards. Having watched the movie Chef, the appeal of trying Cuban tapas was a big draw. Discovering a new winery would be fun. And having a vineyard as a backdrop for the eclipse? Perfect! So I purchased tickets via their website.

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We arrived just before breakfast, and were greeted by a friendly and helpful staff, and one of the most beautiful countryside venues I’ve ever seen. The sky was pre-dawn clear, revealing just enough light to find Mt. Hood, purple on the horizon. Watching the sunrise was the first celestial treat of the day, the mountains changing to blue, and the grapevines to their pre-harvest green. And the crisp morning air…well, you get the idea.We checked in at their tasting room terrace and received our eclipse viewing glasses, our commemorative wine glasses, and drink tickets to save for lunchtime.

Breakfast over, we grabbed our picnic blanket and made our way up the path to the lawn facing the mountains, found our spot and waited. At 9:18 am, the partial eclipse began—time for our viewing glasses! We watched the black moon drop down over the sun, changing the appearance of our star to shapes that resembled a wedged out wheel of cheese, a banana, and—ironically—a crescent moon. And then at 10:20 am, the ring: totality.

The tasting room, Cubanisimo Vineyards

Commemorative glasses

Our hillside crowd gasped in wonder as the blue color of our canopy changed from pale to midnight, complete with twinkling stars. Feeling the temperature drop as we removed our glasses for the two-minute window, the ring’s odd, almost artificial light cast interesting shadows on the ground. And it was the sharing of this rare experience that truly affected us all, uniting us in spontaneous conversations, skipping past formal introductions and other precursors to dialogue with total strangers. Everyone was happy. Excited. Moved. One.

While the eclipse slipped back into its partial stage and began heading east, our vineyard hillside crowd continued buzzing about what we all just witnessed as we made our way back to the terrace and tasting room in anticipation of the food and wine festivities. Seated at our tables, we laughed, talked and continued to marvel at the events of the sky, using our viewing glasses to steal another glance, until our moon and sun were no longer competing for visible space.

The salsa band played, we enjoyed our tapas and wine, and the vineyard’s owner made his way to each table of guests. Talking about the totality, he noted that it was one thing to see the eclipse, but quite another to feel it; feel the temperature actually drop, and experience the odd light on the ground and the suddenly starry sky. Our thoughts exactly.

Post event: the Oregon Trail

The euphoria lasted well into the afternoon, but was challenged from time to time as millions of people began making their way home together. Yes, at the same time. Traffic jams as far as the eye could see (and beyond) lasted well into the next day. Assuming you’ve experienced a rush hour or two or several, you might be able to relate to some of the common behaviors exhibited by other drivers: honking, shoulder driving, weaving, or trail blazing through someone’s property.

Cubanisimo’s beautiful gardens

Eclipse light on the garden

The sun, now unobstructed, heated the inside of our car despite the air conditioning. With our seats feeling less cushy and our playlist overplayed, a rest stop couldn’t come soon enough. What kept us from getting too crabby though was talking about the eclipse. The true wonder of it all. About how everyone was friendly toward each other, like the gas station attendant who let scores of desperate travelers use his washrooms, even though we weren’t all customers.

And then, on one of many side roads, we saw it: a covered wagon replica, marking the official end of the historic Oregon Trail. Whoa. Traveling cross country in that?! Suddenly our cluttered and toasty vehicle seemed quite luxurious. Protected from the elements (and bugs), we continued on our well paved road toward home, having all versions of GPS, highway signs and landmarks to get us there.

Sharing: My Eclipse Manners

If I learned anything from the eclipse, it was to remember my manners. To acknowledge people more, smile more, be more respectful to others and to Earth, and have a greater sense of awareness for the natural (and human made) wonders of our world. The two-minute totality was a great reminder to me that windows of appreciation can be very brief. Don’t waste them.

A close-up of wine grapes on the vine — Wine grapes nearing harvest time, Cubanisimo Vineyards

Will I seek out other wonders? You bet! Will I marvel at them? Most likely. But what will I take away from the experience? What impression will have a lasting affect on me? I look forward to letting you know.

Until then, I wish you safe and pleasant travels. And a smile. J 😊