48 Hours in Aptos

Posted on December 29, 2021 by shivam04

When driving from the Peninsula, right after the Monterey exit, take the left to the beaches and get yourself a cup of coffee and some delicious pastries at the Buttery, on Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz. We enjoyed a slice of tiramisu, an apricot pastry, coconut macaroons and drip coffee, on a chilled winter afternoon with bright sunshine stealing the moments from an unrelenting rain storm. Me, and my companions enjoyed sugar, butter, flour and some coffee, not to forget the sunshine at The Buttery. Side note, it has ample outdoor space, that is perfect for social distancing.

Post our break, we drove to the Seascape Beach Resort in Aptos. We frequent this property a lot, and it has become our pandemic favorite for a day spend at the beach, or just a quick getaway. You can get good rates if you book in advance.

A nice evening stroll around the property, with panoramic views of the Monterey bay, and we had built an appetite for a light diner.

Cafe Sparrow, in historic Aptos Village was our find for the evening. A delightful little French cafe with steep prices, excellent service and delicious food. We enjoyed Lamb Chops, Smoked chicken fettuccine pasta, bread pudding, crème brûlée and some great Cabernet and Pinot with our meal. This place gets busy, so come early around 5-5:30pm and enjoy a relaxing meal.

All we needed was a peaceful night of sleep with no chores to do in the morning. I think I just sleep better knowing that.

Next morning started with two rounds of sub standard drip coffee in the room, and we were off for our gourmet adventure to Carmel. Basil Seasonal Italian has become our favorite there. You can always (famous last words) find a reservation and they have gluten free pasta and a delicious menu to binge on. Not to forget the brioche bread pudding that is to die for.

Our next adventure was Point Lobos. Now this place has become a favorite with our little family as well. It is dawning on me that we were off to the coast checking off our favorites list.

Pt Lobos has plenty of trails to get lost on, while walking along cliffs that are hugging the ocean tight. The weather was kind, and it didn’t rain. The trails were muddy but so what! We criss crossed across North Shore Trail, Pine Ridge, and Granite Trail. A total of 3 miles and 1.5 hours of adventure. Just enough for the tiny feet to get some action, and yet not whine as much.

Breathing the forest air feels magical. And the spirit of finding our way, feels so inspiring. We are fortunate to have so many options around where we live.

On our way back to Aptos, we stopped by at The Hideout for Cucumber Mule, Spicy Hibiscus Margarita, and fried chicken sandwich. Pretty cool place, good service, and cool vibes. The little one was not so impressed by their creme brûlée. She has fine taste, ahem like the mother.

On our last day at the resort, we chillaxed in the morning and did some coloring, reading, and planning. And then we headed to Henry Cowell State Park for a short walk amongst the mighty redwoods. The rain did not support our plans and so we re routed back to Hwy 17 that was extremely foggy and scenic.

On our way back home we stopped by Desi, in Campbell for a quick desi bite. It was umm..disappointing. The flavors weren’t balanced. Between the lack of freshness in the ingredients, and the shallow flavors, the meal failed to deliver. We ordered the Delhi Belly which is a combination of kalmi kebab, tandoori chicken and galouti kebab. I’d give 3/5 to the galouti kebab. Which is as good (or bad) as I rate the ones I make at home. I honestly think this place has potential and some good ideas. They need a flavor and ingredient refresh and they can be a hot spot in town. That’s just my 2 cents anyways. And I have several 2 cents in my pockets 😇

And that’s how spent our 48 hours by the coast. Lots of together time, walks, ocean, some rain, and lots of yummy food (except for the last bit at Desi)

With that, we wrapped up our last trip of the year! Now we kick back, relax, and with gratitude, joy, and hope, look forward to 2022!

72hours in Seattle

Posted on October 22, 2018 by shivam04

We are back after a quick 72 hour trip to Seattle. There was just one agenda – meet our friends. And we over achieved on that front. It was so nice to meet all of them, and plan our days around them.

Somehow every year, we end up having one such trip. Agam and I were reminded of our trip to NY in 2016 when all we did was meet friends, and eat delicious NY food. We need to go back to NY. Perhaps next year. Last year, it was Singapore, and this year, Seattle.

There was also a side agenda for this trip – for Agam to see the Twin Peaks sites – the lodge, the diner and the falls. So we checked that box too. Saturday itinerary was crowd sourced from my ex-team. I don’t even recall why we ended up on a day long Hangout channel, but it was a riot. They recommended Rattlesnake Ridge and Lake, which was fun, and a tacos place called Taco Chuki’s which was quite awesome. We could not fit Vivaces on the itinerary 😦

On Friday, Tara met her first friend, M, whom she met at the day care when she was 4 months old. M and Tara grew up together, learning from each other, and running around each other. He has grown taller, and has turned out to be a fine young boy who runs around the field looking for wild flowers for his Mom. And then brings them to her, and then runs back in the field. Tara also got a wild flower from him. M has lost touch with English since he goes to a Russian day care. But these two did not need a common language to communicate. They hit off, as if they had never parted. It was such a joy to watch them play, and also to meet M’s Mum and Dad. I wish they still lived in Bay Area.

Then we drove to D’s lovely house in North Seattle, and met her cat and a handsome dog, Winston. Over wine, and Ethiopian food, we talked about a broad range of topics. Such are conversations with D. We can talk about a wide variety of topics, with equal passion and plenty of dry humor sprinkled all over them. D was my first buddy at Google. She interviewed me and I finally ended up taking on her role. I was very sad for myself when she decided to move to Seattle. But I was super happy for her. She was doing the right thing. And within two years of moving to Seattle, she is a proud owner of a beautiful house 🙂 Well done D! You are the wise one.

And then we met N, Agam’s friend from IITD. We had such an amazing time in the company of his wife, whom we were meeting for the first time, and an adorable six month old daughter. I met N almost six years back when he and Agam put together our bed, in ours first house. He is a small town guy. Like me. We small town people are very similar – simple, joyful, content, and affectionate. Over Pav Bhaji and Chai, we enjoyed the gorgeous views of the lake, and spent an afternoon in their warm company. I wish we stayed closer to this lovely family.

And finally, after an AWESOME trip to Elliott Bay Book company, we met M for dinner at Soi, a pretty cool Thai place in Capitol Hill. I had only met M once before. But we know a lot about each other through a common friend. Dinner was delicious, and the company even better. M trumped me at paying the bill. Now that’s a first. I’ve never had that happen to me before 🙂

Now about the “Awesome” trip to the book shop. There are usual book shops, and there is Elliott Bay. I felt like the entire shop was curated to my taste. In every section, every aisle, I found an interesting book. Something that I was not expecting. Like a book on East Indian recipes in the cooking section, and most surprisingly, Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto in the staff recommendations sections. Who on earth reads Banana Yoshimoto in the US? The staff at Elliott Bay, and me 😀 I bought a copy. And I am half way done. I am sorry Murakami, Killing Commendatore is just tooooo fat of a book for me to take on a flight, or even hold and read in bed. I need to buy the kindle version for this one 😦

Moshi Moshi on the other hand, is written for me. What’s with these Japanese writers and me. I think I have some shape or form of a Japanese soul. Or a better explanation is that I share a certain value system with the Japanese. For example this phrase from the book is how I felt, walking on a road in Hari Nagar, less than five days after I lost my father.

Elliott Bay Book company reminded me of my dream of Books by the bay. A dream that will most likely never come true. But if it did. I will definitely try to make it as warm and personal as EBB was.

Of course Rupi Kaur was also there, to rub salt on my wounds. I have no idea what I have against her. Just that what she publishes is not poetry. You may ask, who am I to judge? But I am a reader and thus a critic, and I don’t approve of her genre. I don’t think anyone should pay $18 for her books. And no I will not keep that opinion just to myself. Because I want to understand where she gets the courage from, to publish her raw scribbles. And, where the hell do I fetch that courage from?! Enough said.

I also ran into a book that seemed cliched enough for me to pick it up. How to love by Thicht Nhat Hanh is a short book, with very short snippets on different forms of love. I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. And there was this chapter that resonated with me a lot. Here’s a snippet –

M recommended Storyville Coffee last night and we went there for breakfast this morning. I fell in love with the store at first sight. Something about drinking a cup of single origin coffee, and watching fall leaves dance their way to the ground. I bought some beans and I am looking forward to grinding them on the weekend.

Seattle is beautiful in fall. I fell in love with the city, all over again, for so many reasons. But then the weather this morning with 8 degrees celsius just put me off. I was delighted to land in 19 degrees celsius San Jose this afternoon. And although those houses on Magnolia Bluff looked beautiful and right in the Mountain View price range. I don’t think I am willing to wear a parka and gloves in October.

I love you Bay Area. You are as close to home as it can ever get. I just wish you were not this expensive, and we had not lost our friends to Seattle.

Travelogue – Tokyo and Kyoto

Posted on April 10, 2017 by shivam04

Japan had been on my list of must-visit countries for a very long time. I am so happy to have hit this item on my bucket list.

Sakura

There are really two seasons to visit Japan – Spring, and Autumn. Summers are too hot and humid and winters are cold. If you visit in Spring, you should try to plan your trip around the cherry blossom season (aka Sakura). Sakura dates vary every year but usually range from late March to early April. Sakura is the busiest season for Japan in terms of tourism. You should try to book air tickets and hotels a few months in advance. In our case, I booked this trip in September 2016.

How to get there?

Bay area offers quite a few direct flight options into Narita and Haneda airports. ANA flies into Narita, and American/JAL flies into Haneda. I preferred to fly into Haneda since it is much closer to downtown Tokyo. The commute from Narita to Tokyo can take up to two hours. I was able to get our tickets for under $1000 per person on JAL. But again, I booked a lot in advance. I recommend Haneda airport to anyone considering a trip to Japan. I also recommend JAL for its on-time departures, arrivals, comfortable seats, in-flight entertainment and staff courtesy. I am not a fan of their meal options. But they offer a choice between Japanese and Western meals.

Where to stay?

We started off with Airbnb bookings but I had a panic attack on the weekend before our flight and I ended up getting slick deals at four-star hotels, at some of the best locations in the city. It worked out well for us. But I don’t recommend doing it. If you are traveling with a kid, book a hotel. If you are traveling solo, go with AirBnB.

We stayed in Shinjuku and Ginza, two very different neighborhoods, but very well connected to different parts of the city. Both hotels in Tokyo were under $200.

It was fairly easy to book hotels in Tokyo, but Kyoto was a different story. Hotels in Kyoto were sold out back in September, in anticipation of Sakura. I booked a relatively new boutique hotel at quite an exuberant price of little under $300. Book early if you want a good location and good hotel. For Kyoto, I recommend staying close to Kyoto Station, something I overlooked for our trip. The station is in close proximity to the heart of the city and offers all-day dining options and the best transportation options.

How long of a trip?

It really depends. If you want to cover Tokyo in depth, I’d say 5 days in Tokyo will be great. If you want to cover more ground, 3 days in Tokyo and 3 in Kyoto can be sufficient to cover the major attractions in these areas. We had 5 days in Tokyo and 4 days in Kyoto, including the travel days to Kyoto. It was a leisurely trip where we did not feel rushed, and we saw and did way more than we had originally expected. (Note: we travel with a 2 yr old).

Food?

Tokyo is a metropolis and Kyoto exists to serve its tourists. So food is not a problem in either of these cities. We did not want to eat Indian and hence I don’t have many recommendations for that category. But I will (try to) list all the restaurants we enjoyed. 7Eleven chain is BIG in Japan. And even though I have not sampled enough of them in the US, I was very impressed by them in Japan. There is also Family Mart and Lawson that serve similar needs as 7Eleven.

Packaged food in Japan is relatively cheap but fresh and reliable. The sandwiches at 7Eleven were my staple breakfast when we did not have better options. My daughter loved their pancakes filled with custard, and strawberry and cream sandwiches. They also have hot food options.

It is relatively difficult to use Yelp or Tabelog in Japan. Yelp is not used much by the locals, and Tabelog app does not work there if you have downloaded it from the US Appstore. I used TripAdvisor for the most part and they were quite spot on.

Vending machines are awesome and everywhere. They also spit out hot packaged coffee cans that are AWESOME! We tried to stay away from Starbucks, but Tully’s was hard to skip.

Beware of all the confectionery, baked goods that Japan has to offer. But I like their taste in sweets: mildly sweet, but boldly buttery 😉

There are a lot of styles of Japanese food, and if you are into food, you will love this cuisine for its diversity. There is Yakitori – meat on a stick, Kobe beef, Teppanyaki, Ramen, Udon, Soba, Okonomiyaki, Yakitori, Izakaya and on and on. Don’t come back without trying the conveyor belt sushi!

Eat as much sushi as you can on your trip. Most of our sushi meals in Tokyo were under $50 and we ate large quantities. A similar meal in the US will easily cost upwards of $80.

If you are traveling with kids a few call outs. My daughter has still not developed a taste for raw fish, so at most restaurants, we asked for a bowl of rice with cooked sunny side egg on top. I added some salt, pepper and soy sauce or ketchup on it, and my daughter loved it. Japanese omelets are very delicious and fluffy. So they are a good meal for kids. I kept packed sandwiches from 7Eleven with me all the time so she has snacks readily available. They do have string cheese in Japan, so don’t carry with you. 7Eleven sells Meiji 100% cream milk which tastes exactly like Clovers, so there you go. When traveling with kids it is easier if they are stuffed before you leave the room for the day. I always fed Milk and a banana to my daughter before we left the room. She ate a bit of whatever we ordered at restaurants, but egg and rice were her primary meals.

Language

Not an issue. Train stations have English signage and announcements, and mostly everyone except cab drivers and restaurant staff at authentic restaurants can understand key English phrases. All policemen and train conductors spoke and understood English.

Getting Around

Trains, Trains, Trains!!! So many of them and they are so awesome. Buy a PASMO/SUICA IC Card when you arrive at the airport. Load it with 10000 Yen and get going. These cards are also used at stores, restaurants, train stations, and vending machines. Tokyo is 100% accessible by trains. In fact, we took a train from Haneda to Ginza on an express train, just a few hours after arriving into Tokyo. It was a smooth ride without any hiccups.

If you don’t want to use an international data plan, a cheaper option is to buy a pocket wifi device that keeps you connected.You will need it to access apps like Google Translate, Google Maps, Hyperdia, and TripAdvisor. (Download the offline maps for the cities you are visiting). You can rent one from the airport itself.

There are also limousine buses that run to and from the airport that has pick up/drop off points across the city, and at various hotels as well. Look them up here.

Kyoto’s transportation system is a bit incoherent. There is a little bit of everything and hence getting around the city is a little challenging. Keep an open mind and get used to the crowds.The IC cards work in Kyoto as well.

Hyperdia is a good app to use when in Japan to find best commute options.

Tokyo – Major Attractions

Here’s what I love about Tokyo – it has something for everyone, just like any other metropolis. And here’s what I don’t like about Tokyo – it has a LOT OF PEOPLE, just like any other metropolis. It is very crowded for its size.

Be prepared to walk a lot. And to be a part of a large crowd, no matter where you go, especially if you go to see Sakura. Japanese people are as obsessed about this season as the tourists, and selfie sticks and posers are all around you, all the time.

I divided Tokyo into a few sections that made it easier to plan our days there.

Ginza/Tsukiji/Imperial Gardens (0.5 days)

Imperial Garden

Ginza is like the 5th Ave of Tokyo. High-end stores and lots of shopping. Nestled in this area is a fabulous store that must be visited – Itoya. It is like an Ikea of Tokyo, but so much better. They have a whole floor dedicated to just pens. Imagine that!

Tsukiji is the centuries-old fish market. You don’t have to go at 5 am to see the first auction with thousands of other tourists. Just go around 9 am and enjoy fresh sushi.

Imperial Gardens made a nice walk. I particularly enjoyed how this area was well preserved in the middle of a very urban neighborhood.

Roppongi/Minato (0.5 Days)

I wanted to go to Roppongi because Google has an office there. But it was a cool mid-town type neighborhood where there were great food and a certain Western vibe. It is the area where the expats hang out. Lots of amazing food, drinking and clubbing options in Roppongi.

Roppongi

Roppongi Hills

Snoopy Museum

The Snoopy Museum of Tokyo is also in Roppongi and only a short walk from the station. I particularly enjoyed it since it offered me insights into the evolution of the character and how it has kept up with the times. If you take your kid there, order the Snoopy pancake meal.

Asakusa/Sumida Park/Kappabashi/Tokyo Skytree (1 Day)

Lots to see here. Get there early and enjoy breakfast at Denny’s, right at the entrance of Senso-ji. Enjoy the temple, and then walk towards Kappabashi. It is the biggest kitchenware market in Tokyo. Walk to Soi Cafe and enjoy their delicious coffees with delectable pastries. When finished, walk over to the store behind the cafe and spend a fortune on pretty dainty Japanese pottery and earthenware.

Seno-Ji

View from Tokyo SkyTree

Sakura

Sumida Park is right across the bridge from Asakusa and also famous for Sakura. We spotted our first Hanami parties there. People sat in groups under Sakura and enjoyed snacks and Sake. We ate sandwiches and drank apple juice.

Tokyo Skytree is the second tallest tower in the world, standing tall at 450m. The observatory deck offers panoramic views of Tokyo that allow you to see this dense metropolis from above. Great for architects and urban planners. There is a separate (and shorter) line for International tourists that is highly recommended.

Ueno Park/Akihabara (1 Day)

This is like Balboa Park of Tokyo. All major museums are housed in this complex. Ueno is very beautiful during Sakura. And hence it is also very crowded. My favorite Sakura shots are from Ueno.

Ueno Park

Hanami Parties

Ueno Park

Sakura

Yoyogi Park/Meiji Shrine/Shinjuku(Golden Gai)/Shibuya(1 Day)

Take the train to Harajuku station to enjoy Meiji Shrine. Harajuku is the fashion street of Tokyo. Just observe all the women here, you will notice their unique dressing styles. Even more Sakura spotting can be enjoyed at Yoyogi Park.

I personally found the Meiji Shrine to be over-hyped. But the walk to the shrine compound is beautiful and lush green. Also, Harajuku is great for fashion, but not food. I ended up eating a mediocre katsu sandwich since I could not find a better place.

Shibuya crossing is a traffic circus that is a must see.

Wedding at Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine

Shibuya Crossing

Kyoto in detail

There are a lot of temples and shrines in Kyoto. And they all are very beautiful. But to me, they are all the same. So for me, temples were not a big focus. I liked walking the streets and markets of Kyoto.

We took the Shinkansen in the morning and arrived in Kyoto right around noon. It is a 2hr ride from Tokyo station. You can also take the Shinkansen (Hikari bound) from Shinagawa and Yokohama stations. Shinkansen tickets can be purchased from Tokyo Station and you have a choice of a reserved ticket or unreserved. Reserved guarantees you a seat and unreserved means that you will have to find a seat for yourself in the few unreserved coaches on the train you are riding. We did unreserved on the way in and reserved on the way back. It really did not matter. If a train is too crowded, just take the next one. This is Japan. There are trains every 15 minutes.
You can see Fuji-san on your way to, and back from Kyoto. But it is a rare sight in winter and spring. We got lucky and the majestic volcano was shining brightly under the sun on our way back to Kyoto.

Kiyomizu Dera Temple/Chion In/Maruyama Park/Yasaka Shrine (1 Day)

This temple is a bit of a hike through the crowds but offers beautiful views of Kyoto. You can walk from Kiyomizu Dera to Chion In and see Maruyama Park on the way. When returning from Chion-In, walk through the park and see the Yasaka shrine.

Most of the temples are surrounded by rows of street food vendors. Street food is good in Japan. Definitely worth a try. It won’t trouble your tummies. It did not trouble ours for sure.

Kiyomizu-Dera

Chion-In

Chion-In

Arashiyama (0.5 Day)

We covered Arashiyama on the day we arrived in Kyoto. It is a cute little area which has some temples and garden that lead to the Bamboo forest/grove. The walk is beautiful, and something you cannot erase from your memory. On your walk back to the town you can walk a little further and cross the Katsura river and enjoy the scenery.

Bamboo Forest

Street Food

Arashiyama

Gion-Shijo Dori/Pontocho Alley (0.25 Day)

We did not spot any Geishas during our trip, but if you want to, you must visit Gion in the evening or late at night. Right at the side entrance of Yasaka Shrine, a short walk from Maruyama Park is my favorite cafe in this big world – Gion Cafe. Go there and get lost in its simplicity.

Pontocho Alley is a street full of Japanese restaurants. Most of them open only in the evening, so you should time it around dinner. It is a beautiful street lined with traditional Japanese buildings and tea houses. Nishiki Market is only a short walk from here.

Nishiki Market/Nijo Castle/Kyoto Manga Museum (0.5 Day)

From Pontocho Alley, make your way towards Gion-Shijo Dori and walk to Nishiki Market. It is a lively marketplace selling all sorts of Japanese delicacies, fermented vegetables, boiled octopus on a stick, and kitchenware. It is also home to Aritsugu, a famous knife shop.

Nishiki Market

From Nishiki to Kyoto Manga Museum is a 30min walk, but it takes you through the heart of Kyoto. I love street walking and I really enjoyed people-watching on this route. Kyoto Manga Museum is a one-of-its-kind with a minimal entry fee and a large reading area for kids and adults. I was shocked to see so many people from different age groups reading Manga together under one roof. It is quite a national obsession. I still don’t get the charm.

Nijo Castle is another 15min walk from the museum and is quite majestic. We did not go inside because the line to enter it was very long. But if you want to cover all Sakura laden areas in Kyoto, Nijo is high up on the list. There is a nice family owned Sushi place right around the corner from the castle. Kikyo Sushi is run by a lovely family that has been in the trade for a long time. The son speaks English and is a fun guy to chat with. He made a special egg and rice dish for my daughter, she loved it 🙂

Fushimi Inari (0.5 Day)

Fushimi Inari is a bit out of the way, and we could not find a direct train/bus/tram that could get us there, so we chickened out and took a cab. Fushimi Inari is known for its thousands and thousands of vermillion colored Torii gates. The hike up Mt Inari is quite doable but without a toddler. We went almost half way up there and then returned since it was not possible to do it without a baby carrier. There are plenty of resting stops along the way, so take your time and do it at your own pace. On your way back, stop by at Vermillion Cafe overlooking the lake and enjoy a nice cup of coffee.

Fushimi Inari

Summary

In short, Japan is a dream. I can move there in a heartbeat. I love it for its clean streets, efficient railways, warm yet disciplined people, kid-friendly attractions, delicious street food, Shinkansen, and varied cuisine. But Japan is crowded. I am Indian, and crowds are OK with me, but I am not sure how comfortable Westerners are with that many people.

This was definitely not our last trip to Japan. We plan to go back, hike Fuji-san, and complete our trek to Mt Inari. We also want to learn a little bit of Japanese before we go back. I am still dreaming about the soft and fresh fish I ate there every day. Can’t wait to pile up plates of Sushi again.As a side note, since the taste of fresh Japanese sushi was fresh in our minds, we ate sushi the weekend we arrived back in the US. We had one reaction – WTF!

Go visit Japan. It is all that a country should be, in terms of infrastructure, and planning. And that makes it very tourist friendly.

Sakura

(Mini) Travelogue – Alaska

Posted on July 23, 2014 by shivam04

Alaska – the Great Land. No that is not my compliment to Alaska. It is the literal translation of the word itself. And very seldom does one find the name of state as befitting as this one. Alaska is a great land of wonderful people, breathtaking landscapes, awe-inspiring peaks and of course amazing wild life.

My interest in Alaska spiked way back in 2009 when I moved to California. I was an avid Kayak.com user and the website had come up with a brand new way to explore travel destinations. They even called it Explore. The feature prompts you to set a base airport and then shows you travel fares to destinations across the United States. It was then that I realized that I was now much closer to the northernmost frontier of the US — both in miles and the $$ required to get there.

I don’t like long flights. And hence I like my vacations to be at most five hours away. Anything longer than that is not worth it, unless I plan to spend over a week there. Yeah I am much older now and hence my travel tastes have changed. It was only in 2009 that Agam and I did a 21 day trip to 6 countries in Europe. I don’t think I can do that type of travel anymore. In fact it was during our Paris trip that we realized that to really enjoy and dive deep into a city you need at least four days there, and that is excluding the travel days. And ever since Paris we have reduced the number of vacations, but increased the duration of our stay. But there are exceptions. London was too big to cover in the six days we were there. So there will always be some place that won’t fit the pattern. But in general we are now older and need some time to settle in. We like to go deeper than just touching the surface and we like at least one day when each of us just does our own thing. With all these criteria in mind I planned our Alaskan trip in 2013. It was a twenty day itinerary that was going to take us to Anchorage, Denali, Seward and Homer. All tickets were booked by February and we were all set for our adventure. But, in April my Mum’s travel plans to the US got finalized and we decided to drop our Alaskan odyssey. Instead, we decided to go to Maui with her.

But when I set my mind to something, I just have to make it happen (just like everyone else), and hence I decided that we again plan Alaska for 2014. This time around I changed the itinerary a bit, something was telling me that it would be a while before I would be able to come back and do a similar trip again, and so I charted the following itinerary. Note that this is a shorter version of a longer travelogue that I do intend to write very soon.

On Friday night we flew into Anchorage, rented a car and spent a night close to the airport. The next day we drove to Denali with frequent stops and made it there by early evening. It is a four hour drive. You can stop by at the Denali State Park and you must stop at Talkeetna and enjoy the cute little town. That night we walked in the area, settled in, enjoyed our cabin and explored local eateries. We stayed at Denali Cabins that were nine miles from the park entrance. There are a lot of options even close to the park, but we were on a budget and hence picked these cabins. For the next day, I had booked the National Park shuttle bus that took us to the Eielson Visitor Center with ample stops in between to enjoy wildlife and the landscapes of Denali National Park. There are multiple options to choose from for this tour. I picked this one because I did not want to sit on a rickety bus for an entire day and have my daughter yell at me later.

Oh this is a good time for a disclaimer. When we booked the itinerary we had no clue about our missy’s plans. And hence we had to tweak our agenda just a lil bit to make sure we don’t exhaust her.

..And so we spent the entire day in the Denali National Park and then the next day we started early for Seward, a good six hour drive from Denali. We stopped in Anchorage for lunch on the way and continued the beautiful Seward Highway drive along the water, to our cute little lodge in a town called Moose Pass. Moose Pass is midway between Seward and Anchorage. After enjoying quiet walks along the Summit Lake and a nearby State Park, we retired for the night. You can always choose to stay in Seward. I just like being far away from crowds when I am on a vacation. I deal with them enough in my professional life.

The next morning we drove another thirty miles south to get to Seward where our boat tour awaited us. Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjord National Park. We took the boat tour to the glaciers and enjoyed the day aboard a beautiful catamaran. Again, there are many tours to pick from, but definitely go with KFT since they had the most modern boats and their crew was excellent. The next day on our drive back to Anchorage we took a 17-mile detour to a small town called Hope. If you like small towns, you will enjoy this one too. When I say small town I literally mean one coffee shop and one restaurant with a library and a church. That evening we flew to Juneau.

Our primary point of interest near Juneau was the Glacier Bay National Park. You can fly directly into Gustavus, or you can fly into Juneau and then take a four hour ferry to Gustavus. We chose the ferry. I love ferries and I did not want to spend $150 for a flight from Juneau to Gustavus. The legend is that some airlines do fly to Gustavus at a little extra cost. I discovered the legend a little late. Be careful with the ferry though. It does not run every day of the week, so plan in advance.

In Gustavus we spent two nights and enjoyed the National Park and the little town itself. We skipped the boat tour to FairPass Glacier since we decided it was too similar in nature to the Kenai Fjord Tour and we figured that our daughter would not like to spend another day on a boat. We were just cautious. And so we simply enjoyed the small town and the hospitality of our Bed and Breakfast hosts.

The next day we returned to Juneau and stayed two nights at the Westmark Baranof before heading back to San Jose. While in Juneau you can drive over to Douglas Island for nice hikes or go to Mendenhall Glacier.

So in short that was our itinerary for those who want to book their Alaskan adventure and are looking for a sample. Of course more details and pictures to follow in the real travelogue 🙂

In a nutshell I highly recommend that you explore Alaska on your own and avoid the cruises. I understand that cruises work great for some demographics, but if you have the will and you really want to enjoy Alaska, then rent a car and enjoy your drive along the foothills of some of the tallest peaks you will ever witness. Don’t be afraid. The roads are well-maintained and as an added perk, they bring you in close proximity to the natural wonders of Alaska.

Alaska is more than just glaciers and if you want to connect with the natives, enjoy the local cuisines (including reindeer meat) and soak in the spirit of this great land – then accept the challenge and put on your planner hat today!

Trace Back – San Juan Islands

Posted on June 1, 2013 by shivam04

I have often been asked, “How do you pick your vacation destinations?” My first reaction to the question is that if I tell you, you will crowd those places too. And hence there is a conflict of interest here. But since I cannot really say that to someone, I tell them that I look for places where fewer people go. Places that offer more than just an opportunity to take a hundred or so pictures. And most importantly, I like going to places that challenge me. I don’t go for vacations to relax as the urban myth goes. I travel to explore new challenges. It does not bother me if my travels exhaust me, as long as they are stimulating.

One of the most challenging trips I have ever planned was a ten day, action packed trip to Alaska. A trip I will no longer be taking this year. It was the toughest itinerary to build and included a dozen or so reservations all over Anchorage, Homer, Seward, Sitka and Denali. It was also very challenging to cancel this trip. But now that I have done it once, I can reuse my recipe whenever the time is right.

The second most challenging trip to plan was San Juan Islands. I got to know about San Juan Islands from the NY Times 41 places to go in 2011 list. Eversince I read about it, this trip was on my radar. I just did not know where to start. This travelogue is my attempt to simplify San Juans for the uninitiated. Are you up for the challenge?

Some quick facts before we get started. San Juan Islands is a name given to an archipelago of 700 + Islands in the state of Washington. Three of these islands have recently emerged on the tourist scene and are attracting a lot of tourists year after year. These islands are – Orcas Island, Lopez Island and San Juan Island. There is no road that connects these islands to the mainland and your only option is to take the ferries run by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

To get to these islands, you fly into Seattle, rent a car from SeaTac and drive to Anacortes Ferry terminal. From Anacortes you can take ferries to different parts of Washington and Canada. The drive from SeaTac to Anacortes is ninety minutes at its best. You can board ferries to any of the three San Juan Islands from Anacortes ferry terminal. Note that you only pay for trips that are eastbound. Westbound trips are free. As an example you will buy a ticket from Anacortes to Orcas Island. But the trip from Orcas back to Anacortes is free. These rules apply to the inter island ferries too. So be careful when you buy tickets. It is possible you don’t really need one for the trip you are about to take. The ferry schedules are published here.

Orcas Island is the biggest of the Islands and Lopez is the smallest. San Juan is between Orcas and Lopez, but is most inhabited (in other words crowded). There are several bed and breakfasts serving these islands. You will not find a Marriott or Sheraton here (thank god). Follow my advice and book a B&B or an inn. Most of the attractions on these islands are along the coastline. So you don’t really need a map. But if you insist on getting one, you can find one at all the ferry terminals. It is advisable to take your car along with you to the Orcas and Lopez Island, unless you are planning to bike. San Juan Island has shuttle tours that take you to all the major attractions, but that is only available in summers, so plan accordingly and look up their schedule in the internet before you go.

But before you board that ferry, you have a few decisions to make. You need to pick an Island where you will begin your journey. Also you need to pick which island you want to stay on. You can also do some island hopping and come up with an itinerary based on your flight times. I can tell you what I did. But find your own.. explore your options. On the day of arrival into Seattle, we took out first ferry from Anacortes to Lopez Island. We spent a day in Lopez and took a late evening ferry to Orcas Island. The second day we explored Orcas, and the third day we took a ferry from Orcas to San Juan. After spending a gorgeous day in Friday Harbor, we took a ferry back to Orcas. The next day took a ferry from Orcas, back to Anacortes. So we stayed at Orcas for the three nights we were on these islands.

Now let us focus on each of the Islands. Beginning with Lopez since it is the smallest of them all. Lopez Island is a forty minute ride from Anacortes. Once you board the ferry, look for the tables with the big jigsaw puzzles. It is a great way to spend your time. As you leave Seattle behind, on a clear day you start seeing Mt Baker, Mt Rainier and other snow peaked glaciers in the backdrop. The gorgeous water way that takes you to these islands is a national scenic byway, and a great opportunity for photographers to capture the waters and the beautiful islands from up close.

You can cover the entire Lopez island within hours. That’s how small it is. But the beauty of the island is not to be measured by its size. The rolling fields in Lopez Island and the secluded beaches contribute to its charm and appeal. There are a couple of state and county parks that you can visit or plan a picnic at : Odlin County Park is a good place to just sit and relax and watch sun’s shadows play games with the ocean. Spencer Spit Park was another very interesting park where a short trail led us to a vast marsh that has been clogged with chips of wood over the years. There is a lot of open space to explore and hike around. There is a narrow stretch of land jutting out of this park that will one day connect this island to its neighboring island. It is quite a sight. There is also the Otis Perkins Day Park that fell on our way and was a cute stretch of land that separated the ocean from a small lake. You can walk this stretch or drive over it. The views are beautiful on both the sides.

After speaking to some locals we were directed to the Iceberg point. It is the tip of this Island and offers beautiful views of the archipelago. At this point, our cell phones alerted us to the fact that we were in Canadian territories and were to be charged roaming charges. That actually made us realize how close to Canada we were at that point.

After some sightseeing, we yelped the best place to eat on the island and locked in The Bay Cafe. We had an hour before our reservation time and we loitered around the small streets and grabbed a delicious cup of espresso from Isabella’s cafe. There is a book shop right next to Bay Cafe called the Lopez Bookshop. It was good to see some locals ruminating over books and authors. We finally arrived at the restaurant and picked the fresh fish of the day. The fish was good, but the sides were just ok. Overall I was not very impressed by this place. In the same area as the Bay Cafe, you will find a string of other restaurants by the road, so look around and take a pick.

Lopez Island also hosts the Tour de Lopez every year in spring. It is a small and content island with some beautiful vistas and very warm and affectionate people. I won’t mind visiting this Island again and bike the green paths and alleys.

Orcas Island is the biggest island amongst the three and has a little bit of everything. it has lakes, mountains, oceans views, bays, good food and lovely people. The major attraction of this island is Moran State Park, that also has an observation tower perched upon Mt Constitution, that looks down upon all the tiny islands in the area. The state park is quite big and you can do a couple of different hikes. We did a 4 mile mountain lake trail. It was a great way to start our morning. There is also the Cascade Lake trail and Summit Lake in this state park.

After our hike, we drove to eastsound for a meal. There are plenty of food options in this area. To name a few, there is Madrona Bar and Grill, that serves a good variety of beer, and fresh fish and chips and burgers and grilled sandwiches, Their sweet potato fries are just awesome. There is also the New Leaf Cafe, which is my favorite place to eat on the island. Beautiful views and delicious food. I would keep this one for an evening meal, simply because it makes a very cozy date place. There is also the Rosario resort if you fancy a little splurge. For coffee, there is Darville’s books store. Yup, these guys get it. Books and coffee together make a great evening.

Whenever I am close the water, I get a little bit (ok thats an

understatement) excited about sunsets. I chase them like that dog who runs behind a car. Just that in my case I catch them, and capture them in my camera and never let them go from my memory. There are a couple of places you can catch a beautiful sunset on the Orcas Island. We found one by chance and one by choice. West Beach Resort, at the West Beach is a good place to grab some coffees and watch the sun drop and splash a gamut of colors in the sky upon its descent. Since this was the “west” beach, it made sense that we would find a good spot to enjoy sunset. But with our next spot, we got lucky. YMCA has Camp Orkila on the north western tip of the island. The hostel was not in session and we had the entire beachfront property to trespass. There was not another soul on a mile long stretch of the beach, except for us. I loved how chance played its cards on us and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset sitting on the benches of an open air amphitheater overlooking the ocean. It will be hard to erase that evening from my memories. You can also enjoy the drive to Doe Bay, Deer Bay and Obstruction Pass State Park while you are on the island.

We stayed at Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast. This warm and cozy B&B is huddled right next to the Moran State Park and a short distance from Eastsound. Orcas Island was like the Big Island in Hawaii. It has something for everyone. It is impossible to not enjoy the charm of this Island.

The last of the trinity is San Juan Island. As the ferry approaches Friday Harbor, you can distinctly notice the swarms of tourists and activity on the island. Given its proximity to the mainland and the number of food options available, this island attracts a lot of day trip visitors. There is lots to enjoy on this island. Including the English and American camps. History of the islands lists to its credit an almost war caused by a pig on the island. The camps are now deserted, but there are reenactments and other ceremonies still carried out in remembrance. There are also a couple of lighthouses, namely Lime Kiln Point and Cattle Point. Both of them are situated across from Canada and offer a great picnic spot. On your way to the Cattle Point Lighthouse, you can stop by Blue Lagoon area and enjoy a short and shaded hike to the blue lagoon and enjoy the backwaters.

If you drive to the northern tip of the island, you reach Roche Harbor area. The marina is a great place to enjoy watching the boats come in and out of the island. There is also a Sculpture Park close to the harbor that has some interesting art forms that can be enjoyed alongside a leisurely walk to the harbor. Food options on this island are plenty. But believe me just directly go to Cask and Schooner. Their food was the best I have had in a very long time. Their lamb burger and the Stout Spiked Chicken Sandwich were mouth watering. We enjoyed our meal and a few beers and some dessert and were almost tempted to pack more for the ferry ride. This meal was simply the best meal of our entire trip.

While you wait for the ferry, there are a lot of small nooks and corners to enjoy on the Friday Harbor. One of them being the Serendipity Book Store. A cozy bookstore with a unique collection of books. Right across the street from the bookstore I saw a lot of people enjoy clam chowder and crab cakes at a hole in the wall shop. And right at the ferry banks is the San Juan Coffee Roaster Co. where you can grab your joe for the ride. Overall San Juan is a perfect tourist destination that attracts a lot of crowds and charms them with its small town feel.

After visiting all the three islands, I was quite inspired by nature’s creation and the ways of the world. Ideally if I could take Cask and Schooner’s food and vibrant energy from San Juan and blend it with the serene rolling fields of Lopez and add to that a dash of the Moran State Park and the french onion soup from the New Leaf Cafe in Orcas Island, that would be the most perfect destination for any tourist. But the world has its ways. And just like – not all of us are created equal and each of us have to play to our strengths, these islands that are all but a stretch of land in the ocean, are still not the same. They too offer their distinct flavors to their patrons and play to their strengths.

Trace Back – Kauai.. the garden island

Posted on May 28, 2013 by shivam04

How do you take three days and pack enough of Kauai in them? Well you begin with a little chat with the concierge.

After years of planning for vacations and coming up with the best itineraries, I finally enjoyed a vacation that I did not plan much in advance for. And even though we did not cover even a third of Kauai in our four day itinerary, we definitely explored it enough to fall in love with it and look forward to going back and exploring the rest of the island sometime soon.

Kauai is one of the oldest and the furthest island amongst the inhabited Hawaiian islands. We landed at Lihue Airport (a direct flight from San Jose) at around ten in the morning and headed straight to our hotel on the Coconut coast, along the east shore of Kauai. After enjoying our Mai Tais and soaking some sun on the beach right in front of this fine Marriott resort, we decided to ask the concierge for some help with our planning. Realistically we had four days on the Island, including the day we had arrived. But the concierge helped us plan our short trip and packed it with the best of the highlights in Kauai. So here is a summary if you need a quickie –

Day 1 – South Shore up until Spouting Horn, and Poipu

Day 2 – Na Pali Coast Tour, Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park
Day 3 – North Shore – Along Hwy 50 towards Hanalei Valley up till Ke’ee Beach

Day 4 – Kick back, enjoy a light breakfast in Kapaa, write, sip Mai Tais and pack for your trip back home.

Kauai is a much smaller island, as compared to Big Island. From the south shore to the north shore is a two hour drive at best. This makes it easier to cover more attractions in a few days. As we are becoming older and more busy in our professional lives, we have started looking out for vacations that are more quiet and away from the crowds. Initially I was skeptical about visiting Kauai during the Memorial Day weekend, but I was pleasantly surprised. Most of the main roads and highways in Hawaii are single lane and that adds to the traffic, but the attractions and the vistas were lacking crowds with cameras clicking away.

For the sake of convenience let us cover Kauai in four segments: North shore, East shore, West shore and South shore. After experiencing all the shores, I can confidently say that you will very easily be able to classify yourself as one of the two. You are either a north shore person or a south shore person. The east connects the two and the west is almost inaccessible.

Each of the shores lends its own color to your Kauai experience. The south shore is more lively and high in energy and spirit. Excellent food options and proximity to the locals makes south shore quite charming. Poipu is definitely the heart of the south shore and offers a wide variety of cuisines. The north shore on the other hand is more tranquil. It is more beautiful, has more beaches and is a little upscale. Most of the high end resorts are on the north shore. I am not sure about the food options on the north shore. Hanalei has some food options but definitely not enough. I can easily say that if I was staying on the north shore, I’d drive south for better food choices. What can I say, I am a foodie after all.

East shore primarily includes Wailua and Kapaa, both of which are pretty upbeat. You drive by this stretch to get from the north to south shore and vice versa. So you can enjoy it regardless of where you stay. The west shore of Kauai is pretty much inaccessible by road and can be enjoyed by either boat tours, long and tiresome hikes across the Waimea Canyon, or helicopter tours.

Let us begin with my favorite attraction in Kauai – the Na Pali coast. This beautiful stretch of coastline between Polihale Beach on the south and Ke’ee Beach on the north, has attracted visitors on foot, by boat and by air over several years. If I had to pick one word to describe Na Pali’s beauty, it would be ‘untouched’. The long stretches of white and golden sand leave you breathless. To summarize my thoughts on Na Pali can take a few pages, so I will spare you the pain. But I felt it was almost unfair for so much beauty to be present all in one place.

The cascades and valleys of Na Pali are untouched. They say there are still tribals living in these valleys. The steep cliffs and temple-like peaks are a sight to watch and capture in your memories forever. There are some corals along the way too. The best sight while you are exploring Na Pali are the dolphins that come along and swim adjacent to your boat. These attention-hogging mammals also perform some impromptu spins in the air. You can also spot several sea turtles along the way.

We explored the Na Pali coast in a Catamaran tour by Holo Holo Charters. The tour starts from Port Allen at eight in the morning. Our tour was five hours long and came with breakfast, lunch, unlimited alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages, an hour of snorkeling at the Nu’alolo Kai Beach and some fond conversations with the other passengers on board. It was a perfect way to start our first morning on the Island. Usually the first morning on the Island is always early since you are still jet lagged and hence such tours are a perfect way to use that as an advantage.

A few notes about this tour. You cannot get into the water if you don’t know swimming. They claim to have a lot of flotation devices on board, but if you don’t know swimming, you cannot snorkel. You can stay by the boat, hold the ladder, put on your snorkeling gear and look down into the ocean and a few fish or may be some sea turtles will come by and say a hello. The water is extremely clear and you can see schools of fish swimming with a naked eye. It is quite a sight. If you can swim, you are free to roam the waters and enjoy your swim up to the reef close to the shore. It is an exhilarating experience to say the least.

The catamaran tour is one of the many options of cruising through the Na Pali coast. For the brave hearted, you can rent kayaks from Ke’ee beach and explore the tunnels of the Na Pali coast. You can also take Zodiac tours that are a little better than Kayaks but still pretty adventurous. For the faint hearted there are catamarans, like the one we took. And for the weaker souls, old or pregnant – Sorry no Na Pali for you. At least not by water. The catamaran we were on was quite smooth but you cannot leave the railing for a single second. You have to keep holding on to something on the boat to ensure safety. Also make sure you are dressed for water when going for these tours. You are guaranteed to be soaked wet with the water splashes, especially on your way back to Port Allen.

Once we docked back at Port Allen, we needed a fresh water shower and a change. The boat crew recommended the Salt Pond Beach right next to the Port which has enough showers and restrooms to change. This beach is also a great spot to catch sunsets. After our fresh water bath, we drove to Waimea Canyon. A short forty-five minute drive leads to the Waimea Canyon lookout. Commonly referred to as the Grand Canyon of the West, Waimea Canyon is quite a sight. There are several look outs along the way that you can stop at and enjoy the views. Most of these lookouts also offer a distant view of Ni’ihau, the forbidden island.

When you come out of the canyon, head towards the Kokee State Park. The Kokee road takes you all the way to the tip of the Na Pali State Park. Two of the most amazing and breathtaking view points in Kokee State Park are the Kalalau Lookout and Pu’u O kila . The Kalalau valley is quite an attraction when exploring Na Pali Coast. From the Kalalau lookout, you can look down into the valley. It is the most beautiful place on earth. Nothing more needs to be said. You can drive further up on Kokee road, where it finally ends into Pu’u O kila lookout. Once back in Waimea, if you have some time left, visit the Kalaheo Coffee Company.

The Na Pali boat tour and Waimea Canyon can take up almost an entire day. Enjoy them at your pace but make sure you take out the time to absorb the beauty of the island along the way; Kauai cannot be rushed. On the South shore, you must also visit Poipu. The Poipu beach is very crowded but you can always drive along the coast and find a nook that suits you best. Shipwreck beach, also famous for its sunsets is also in the area. Some of the famous restaurants and resorts in Poipu can be found around the Poipu Village Shopping area. There is Merrimans with its usual American fair on the first floor and high end sea food dining on the second floor. We picked Josselins for dinner one night and absolutely loved our meal. The Lychee sangria was delicious and so were the Ahi and Rock Shrimp poke, lamb meatballs and Asparagus with apple wood smoked bacon and egg, sunny-side up. Their duck and shrimp tacos were mouth watering. It was a perfect place to enjoy the local Hawaiian flavors of hibiscus and lilikois. The ambiance was very soothing and the service was impeccable. I would rate this meal as my best on the trip. There is also the famous Puka Dog in the same shopping center.

While in the Poipu area, you can also drive up south to Spouting Horn. The lava rock formations in this area result in a fountain of water that erupts like a spout and makes a loud noise, as a strong wave hits the shore. What makes it even more thrilling is that there are several such spouting horns across the shore and the timing and sequence of them is quite a marvel. It is like the fountains at Bellagios in Vegas, minus the lights, with a dash of nature’s awe.

Since we were staying on the east shore, we got an opportunity to explore the food scene there more deeply. In my opinion, the east shore is the mecca for some authentic Hawaiian food options. I recommend the Kountry Kitchen for a sumptuous Hawaiian breakfast and Java Kai for an excellent selection of coffee and breakfast sandwiches (try the Surfer Girl’s Sandwich!). There is also Shrimp Station on Hwy 50 and Fish Hut in the Coconut Marketplace, for conventional Hawaiian fried seafood. Some other restaurants I wanted to try but could not make it to are the Art Cafe of Hemingway for good Italian coffee and Ono Family Restaurant for a Hawaiian breakfast with fresh local fish. A few other restaurants in Kapaa, close the coconut plantations are Tiki Takos, Eastside and Mermaids Cafe.

We kept aside a full day to enjoy the north shore. After an early breakfast in Kapaa we drove north on Hwy 50 with Ke’ee beach as our final destination in mind. The terrain and landscape on the north shore is drastically different from the other parts of the island. You will see a lot of green meadows, streams, taro farms and lush green mountains in the background. Out first stop on this drive was the Kilaleau Point National Wildlife Refuge and Light house. Apart from an old light house, this place is home to several species of birds that are only found in this area. We saw a plenty of Nenes and Laysan Albatross and enjoyed the sounds of the humpback whales that were nesting not so far away. The population of pelicans on a hill diagonally across from the lighthouse was quite shocking. Use your zoom lens or the binoculars available on-site to see the birds enjoying their natural habitat. The lighthouse offered beautiful views of Kauai’s shoreline. It was a refreshing, short, thirty minute detour on our drive to Hanalei. On the way keep an eye out for some beautiful valley views, especially the Hanalei Valley lookout.

As you drive to Hanalei, you come across several one lane bridges where the traffic movement is controlled by one simple thing – human trust. If you see some cars coming from the opposite direction, stop. Five to seven cars at a time can make it across the bridges. The system works flawlessly and you are left to wonder if it is the same human species that runs red lights that comes to enjoy Kauai on its terms. Hanalei town is small and spread over just a few blocks. As you drive further north, the hustle bustle of the town of Hanalei fades away and you approach a string of beaches. There is the Hanalei Beach park which offers the horseshoe view of the Hanalei bay. It is a beautiful beach with a pier that extends into the bay. Along this route you will see some wet and dry caves along the highway, Tunnels beach and Haena beach. These two are pretty popular amongst surfers and the turquoise colored water makes them a great place for a picnic or for day camping.

Our final destination, just a few miles from Haena Beach, was Ke’ee beach. We originally planned the 2 mile stretch of the Kalalau trail that offers breathtaking views of the Na Pali coast, but the shallow and turquoise waters of Ke’ee beach tempted us and we quickly changed and took a plunge in the beautiful, warm and shallow waters of the Ke’ee beach. Minutes became hours and we enjoyed floating in the waters of the most beautiful beach in Kauai. Walk south on the Ke’ee beach for five minutes and look back … and you see the Na Pali Coastline. Ke’ee beach can be very crowded. But once we were in water, it was just us, the green palm trees looking down upon us from the hovering cliffs, and the waves. Although I can barely swim, the beach was safe enough for me to float and practice backstrokes. Ke’ee beach also offers good snorkeling sites if you want to get your own gear and enjoy the ocean underwater.

After a good swim, we wanted to explore north shore food options. There are a few gems in the small town of Hanalei. The first is the old and famous Postcards Cafe, where people line up an hour before it opens at six pm every day. It is a small cafe and cannot seat more than 25 people at a time. The cute courtyard leads to a beautiful little room. There are also some tables on the deck and some in the courtyard. This is quite a cute little nook to spend a romantic evening. Their fish is fresh and delicious. It comes with an option of herb citrus, pineapple sage or macadamia butter sauce. The appetizer platter (serves two) is quite good. Unfortunately it only comes with one crab cake. And that is to fight for 🙂 The second mention is reserved for Hanalei Coffee Roasters. The Ice Thai Coffee and Coco Mocha there is amazing. Pick between a home baked blueberry or apple pie to pair with your coffee.

Kauai also has some beautiful waterfalls that have featured in movies over the years. Unfortunately we could only take out time for the Opaekaa Falls in the Wailua River State Park. We missed the Wailua Falls and some others famous waterfalls, but in hindsight, those are the things that will motivate us to plan our next Kauai trip soon!

Over all we had a lovely trip. The highlight will be the views of Na Pali coast, both from the boat and Kokee State Park. I wonder if one day in our lifetime, there will be roads built across the Kalalau valley to get to Na Pali’s hidden and unexplored beaches. Part of me wishes that day does not come in this lifetime. Some thing are better left untouched, unexplored, uninhabited.

Mahalo Kauai! Until next time.. stay pure

B&B – a charming retreat

Posted on April 23, 2013 by shivam04

Ever since I quit my ‘glamorous’ job as a management consultant, I have had to downsize on my vacation budget and double my efforts in finding places to stay. My strenuous travel job came with the joys of free airline miles and hotel reward points. Up until 2011 I had never looked up places to stay for my vacations. I pretty much used my reward points to book stays at Marriott’s and Sheraton’s based on what was available. But those joys are long gone and I have exhausted all my airline miles and seventy percent of my hotel reward points already. Just like the most of you, I also look up “the best deal” for my vacations on the various travel sites that have bloomed in the last few years.

This brings me to the topic I have been craving to write about for so long: the endless joys of bed & breakfasts. Before I proceed, let me mention a few disclaimers. B&Bs are only suitable for adults. I have not yet met a family staying at a bed and breakfast, in the dozen or so stays that we have enjoyed in the last couple of years. Also most B&Bs are not located in the heart of the city. If you are a city dweller, then look up Airbnb. So be prepared to stay a good 15-30 minute drive outside the city, tucked inside a forest or nestled next to a beach. And lastly, you must love people to enjoy this experience. If your idea of a vacation is to stay away from people, then make that Marriott reservation now and sip your Mai Tai by the pool, by yourself. There is nothing wrong with that. I am heading for one of those in about a month from now.

Disclaimers set aside, let us now learn a little bit about B&Bs. Typically, B&Bs are private homes with 4-8 rooms, each decorated aesthetically, along a certain theme and usually come with an attached bath. The highlight of these homes, away from home, is their warmth and welcoming environment. The B&Bs are generally run by elderly couples, who are delighted to serve their customers and attend to their needs and sometimes even their desires. The nightly rate includes a delicious multi course breakfast, hors d’oeuvres in the evening, occasional glass of wine or sherry, along with assorted chocolates, fresh fruits, coffee and tea during the day. The B&B owners are almost always quite knowledgeable about the local scene and offer helpful suggestions on how to best plan your stay in the area. They also have coupons for local activities in the area, which may include wine passes, kayak tours, whale watching tours, restaurant dining discounts and more, depending on the area.

My favorite part about staying at a bed and breakfast is the breakfast. Well of course I am a foodie at heart, and breakfast is actually my favorite meal of the day. But there is something more that makes these breakfasts special. It is the people. Usually breakfast is served at 9:00 and all the guests convene in the dining area and take their seats around the dining table(s). The hosts serve breakfast and along with that stir up some light-hearted conversations to get the guests comfortable and acquainted with each other. These conversations chart their own course eventually and lead to some healthy debates, interesting learning and exchange of contrasting viewpoints. I love B&Bs because of this very reason. I live in Mountain View, CA, a bubble in the Silicon Valley. All the people I meet, work with and dine with are like me. There is diversity in color, race and sex, but no diversity in viewpoints. I work in a tech firm and my friends do too. We all have similar viewpoints, issues and ideas of the world. And I love to step out of the bubble to see other flavors more ideas, thoughts, opinions, lifestyles and choices. That is the joy in travel that I seek, and I find that at these breakfasts, at B&Bs.

The richness of these conversations has to be experienced firsthand. At a B&B in Mt Shasta area, one of the guests we met were foster parents, who had adopted seven children along with having a few of their own. They run a catering business in Redding, CA, and the family lives on a farm that is enough to house that many people. I was left to imagine the patience and grit of the lady sitting across the table from me, as she narrated the stories of her adopted children. Last weekend in Orcas Island, four out of the six people seated at the dining table were government employees. It is through them that I learnt about the true impact of the sequester and furloughs on these employees. At another B&B in Sonoma last fall, I met a couple who had a seven month old daughter, and their parents had offered to baby sit their daughter and let the couple get some quiet time to themselves. I ended up giving the husband a sales pitch on one of my company’s products that we offer to non profits. He loved the idea and followed up with my suggestion the very next week. The sheer presence of people from different walks of life, makes these breakfasts a delight.

If you stay longer than one night, you also end up sharing your plans for the next day, and what you did the previous day with your new found friends. Restaurants, pubs, cafes, bookshops and state parks are evaluated and pros and cons are listed out for everyone’s consumption. Since we have people from all age groups represented on the table, there is always a lot of reflection on how things used to be in the past and how things have changed now. There is also some free advice to be gathered. One of the most interesting one I picked up was how to drive in snow, especially when it snows in Portland. So there is this and much more that gets discussed and shared over breakfasts. And with that everyone leaves for their respective plans for the day. If you are in a small town, you also end up running into your inn mates at local cafes and on trails, and that is always a delight.

Let us move on to some of the cons of staying at a bed and breakfast. The first in my opinion is that you cannot stay there with kids. While there may not be strict rules for this, unlike a hotel where you can ask for extra bedding and towels, it is difficult to accommodate them in a B&B type setting. Secondly, you have to keep your noise levels down to a minimum to be courteous to guests staying next door. Since the rooms are all located close by, you cannot really listen to Led Zeppelin at 3:00 am at a loud volume. I don’t see that as an issue, but I can imagine that being a vacation feature that some folks want to enjoy. Thirdly, the B&B only serve breakfast. So you have to step out to get your remaining meals. Usually you have to drive a little further to get a meal, and that could be a little inconvenient for some. And finally, not all B&Bs are the same. They all follow the same format, but each set of B&B owner lends their own character to your experience. Some owners are very engaged and love to chat with you over a glass of wine. While some might not be as engaged and seem a little distant. So be prepared for the extremes. You can always read up reviews on Yelp. Trip Advisor and Google reviews and get to know your B&B hosts before you get there. But just a word of caution is probably helpful.

In addition to the above mentioned cautions, keep in mind that a B&B is a private home, and hence you have to be careful of not misusing and tampering with the hosts’ belongings. Most of the B&Bs are very tastefully done and you don’t want to dirty the property unnecessarily. Also the sheets are not changed every day, neither are they changed in hotels these days at that frequency. Towels are refreshed daily and all the basic toiletries are provided for. Do make sure you mention your dietary requirement to your hosts before you arrive so they can plan their breakfasts accordingly.

By now you know what to expect from a typical B&B. Now let’s talk about how to find these B&Bs. As much as Yelp and Google reviews can help in finding out more about these places, they are not as helpful when you are searching for one. Your best bets in that case are Trip Advisor, visitor information sites for the destination you are going to and finally, bedandbreakfast.com. These sites provide a list and map view of the B&Bs in the area you are visiting and can help you pick your best bet. Also, if you are a planner like me, then start looking for deals on Groupon and LivingSocial before your trip, so you can get some good deals. Make sure you read the fine print on these coupons and assume that the best rate is only available during weekdays. From a budget perspective, B&Bs are not necessarily cheaper than a hotel stay. But they do come with great breakfasts; ones that hotel cannot compete with. Also what you pay for is the experience and not just a king size bed. You know what I mean.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed telling you about Bed and Breakfasts and hope that you will pick one for your next vacation and enjoy the experience as much as I do! Bon Voyage!

Some of the B&Bs that I recommend in the greater Northwest US are listed below. You can start your foray into B&B experience with any one of these.

Tiffany House Bed and Breakfast, Redding, California

The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek, Mendocino, California

Mt Hood Bed and Breakfast, Mt Hood, Oregon

Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast, San Juan Islands, Washington

Brannan Cottage Inn, Napa, California

Santa Nella House, Sonoma, California

Trace Back : London

Posted on March 25, 2013 by shivam04

London … a city of many possibilities..

I am a person of whims and wishes. And in 2012 I wished to celebrate Christmas in London. There are many that will shiver at the thought of winter in Europe. I am not one of them. I rather enjoy Europe in winter, especially during the holiday season. The glitter and glamor of Christmas markets allured me to Europe in winter of 2009. Agam and I traveled through Germany, Italy and Austria, and experienced a magical winter vacation that left us wanting more of Europe. We visited Paris in 2011 and finally landed in London for Christmas in 2012.

I grew up in India where the British rule cast a rather permanent shadow on the country’s culture. Several of the glorious architectural splendors were built during the British Raj and were inevitably inspired by the British style of architecture. Also, the British royal family has always been of much interest to people around the world. My mother, for example, grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, which was also a British colony at the time, and distinctly remembers the day when she wore a yellow dress and welcomed the Queen to her primary school. And she actually got to shake hands with the Queen herself! The Cambridge and Oxford universities, home to several Nobel laureates, have also been a reason for my interest in Britain. Furthermore, ever since I moved to the United States, I have fancied the idea of living in London for a few years, just to taste the difference between the two countries. My fancies are far from being true at this point, but that’s besides the point. What I am really trying to say is that I have always been very curious about Great Britain and was very excited about my trip. To serve my above mentioned interests and satisfy my ever ignited curiosities, we booked a five day trip to London.

What I love about London is that it is a city for everyone. Whether you are a foodie or a history buff, a lover of art or architecture, London has lots to offer you. The compulsive planner that I am, I made a list of key attractions prior to our trip. But once we were in London, we let chance play its cards. If you still insist on planning, buy the Frommers guide for London. But this article should give you just enough information to mix and match serendipity with a little bit of planning.

We knew from the onset that five days were not going to be enough for this mecca of art, science, fashion, culture and architecture. One of the best decisions we made to make sure we get to enjoy London and the beyond, was to book a full day tour of Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge with Evan Evans Tour upon our arrival. For the remaining four days we decided to visit the museums, the churches, do some shopping and some leisurely galavanting.

The all-day tour starts early in the morning from Victoria Coach terminal and heads to Windsor Castle, the official residence of Her Majesty. We had four hours to explore the main attractions at the castle including the magnificent State Apartments (all 21 of them), St George’s Chapel, the burial place of ten monarchs of England and Queen Mary’s dolls house, a miniature masterpiece. After Windsor, the tour travels to Stonehenge. It is a bit of a drive to Stonehenge, but a rather beautiful one. Stonehenge happens to have its own micro climate, so be prepared. You might wonder what is so puzzling about a few rocks standing in the middle of a large green field. But I suggest you take the trip and stand close to these structures and see if the question beckons you again. I could not stop my mind from racing in all directions as I stood in front of these rocks, trying to find a reason or a purpose for their existence. Of course I could not come up with a substantive answer, and neither has anyone else been able to.

After a rather mystical trip to Stonehenge the tour then proceeds to the beautiful city of Bath. Bath attracts millions of visitors every year who come from all over the world to witness the site of the original Roman Baths. The site is also home to the first temple of Sulis, the Roman goddess often identified with Minerva. You can tour the ruins and admire the plumbing infrastructure that existed ages ago. After Bath, the tour returns to London at around 8:00pm.

There are 240 museums in London. So if you are a museum buff, please set aside an entire day and may be even more to visit at least a few of these. Some of the most visited museums in London are the British Museum, Imperial War Museum, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Natural History Museum and Tate Modern. There is a lot of information about these museums on their websites, so I will spare you the details. But two things I highly recommend while you are out exploring the museums are: the Portrait Restaurant at the National Portrait Gallery, that offers beautiful views of the Trafalgar Square area and the British Library. This library has no parallels. The most intriguing highlight of this library is the “Treasures of the British Library,” exhibit, where some of the library’s most precious possessions are displayed, including a copy of Magna Carta (1215), a Gutenberg Bible, and manuscripts and journals of several authors including Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, Jane Austen, Robert Browning and Oscar Wilde, to name a few. As you exit this exhibition, turn left and you can explore the Philatelic exhibition. Continue left and look up. You will see yourself standing under a tall glass tower full of books. The glass tower holds over 65,000 books that formed the collection of George III. The cafe under this mammoth tower is a great place to grab a quick espresso before moving on to your next destination. If you have some time on hand and are fond of Shakespeare, I recommend that you also add the Shakespeare Globe Theater tour to your list. The Globe Theater is a replica of the original Globe Theater from the shakespearean era. There are open air plays staged here all through the year and tickets are available ahead of time.

The Tower of London is another historic landmark that must be seen when you are visiting London. This castle was built in 1078 and has been well preserved over the years of British rule. There is lots to see and enjoy here so plan your time wisely. You can take the audio tour guide that walks you through the attractions at the Tower. Some of the main attractions are the White Tower (an iconic symbol of London), an exhibition of the King’s armour over the years, the Crown Jewels — including the Kohinoor diamond, Yeoman Warder tours and Prisoner’s exhibition. The site of the Tower also offers views of Tower Bridge.

After you have spent a day indoors marvelling at the exhibits at the museums, you might want to spend a day outside enjoying the fresh air in London. You can begin by renting a bike by the hour. Renting bikes is really convenient and on a clear day can be a great way to explore London along the Thames. You can start your day at St Paul’s Cathedral. A beautiful and iconic church that attracts a lot of visitors and locals. You can climb up to the dome of the cathedral and capture some great views of London from its observatory. Bike along the Thames to enjoy the views of this beautiful city. On your way you can take a detour to visit Temple Church. As you reach the Embankment Tube station, take a right and walk towards Trafalgar Square. You can park your bikes by St Martin at the Fields and enjoy the square on foot. There are some nice restaurants in this area if you are up for lunch.

Come back to the Thames and bike along the Victoria Embankment Gardens, towards Parliament Square. It can be tricky to find bike parking in this area. Park a little further away to avoid the crowds. Parliament Square is home to some key landmarks in London. Westminster Abbey is located in this square, and so are the Houses of Parliament. Not to forget the over looming Big Ben. Take enough time to explore this area. Sit in the park in the middle of the square and marvel at the fine architectural splendors, that were each built at different points of time in history. As the sun begins to set, bike towards Lambeth Bridge and cross the Thames to go on to the other side. This side of the river offers beautiful views of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament that light up as the sun goes down. Bike along the Thames and soon you will see the London Eye glittering in blue, right after Westminster Bridge. The London Eye experience is much talked about but it takes up quite a lot of time due to the long queues of people. You can skip it if you are in a hurry. Bike along the river until you see the Millenium Bridge. This is a steel suspension bridge that offers a beautiful view of St Paul’s Cathedral on the other end. After crossing the bridge, you would have arrived to where you started from, St Paul’s Cathedral.

After a day of biking in London, perhaps it’s time for some shopping. There are several mega stores in London that offer the latest in fashion. Of course there is Harrods and Harvey Nichols in Kensington, House of Frasier, John Lewis and Selfridges on Oxford Street. Another interesting place to shop at is Covent Garden. The Apple Market, East Colonnade and Jubilee Markets in Covent Garden offer unique and distinct shopping experiences. There are also some entertainment shows in the evening when the markets close down. There are a lot of restaurants in the area if you are looking for a fancy place for date night. Another interesting place to shop in London is the Portobello Market in Notting Hill. I loved the movie and hence made it a point that I visit the house with the blue door and the book shop that features in the movie, Notting Hill. The market here is basically full of street vendors selling fresh produce, junk jewelry and old books. I enjoyed galavanting through these streets and will definitely go back there when I visit London. If you want a focussed shopping experience, go to Oxford Street and you will find everything under the sun there. Oxford Street actually ends in Hyde Park. A lovely destination to rest your legs and soak in some London charm.

London is home to some fancy boutique hotels and charming restaurants. The pub culture in London is one to be envied. The bar food has evolved with time and includes Indian items like chicken tikka masala on the menu. I could not have asked for more — good beer and spicy indian curry were readily available in every restaurant. I cannot point to one particular cuisine that is delectable but I do have a recommendation for some authentic Indian fare. Dishoom is a fusion restaurant located in Shoreditch that has a nostalgic menu. Nostalgic you might ask? Yes, this restaurant has recreated the old bombay cafe scene with Pav Bhaji’s, Chilli Cheese Toast and Frankies. You have to try this place to believe it. Delicious food and a charming ambience make this place my London favorite.

As I mentioned before, London has something for everyone. It is a charming melting pot of people with diverse ethnicities, interests and vocations. To be in London was like being in a Delhi that could have been, if we had kept up with the trends and needs of the times. The architecture, food, markets, and energy in London was much like that I experience in India, just a little bit better. In a city of many possibilities, London, I experienced some amazing moments that included biking in rain, getting lost in the city, drinking beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner and last but not the least, standing under Big Ben and saying, “Yay! I finally made it! Merry Christmas!”

More pictures posted here

Trace Back : Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Posted on March 21, 2013 by shivam04

Why do we travel? Many writers have tried to answer this question over the years, and this is my take on it. For me travel is an act of acknowledging the diversity and expanse of this beautiful world. We travel to meet people, explore nature, go back in time, taste cuisines, get lost, find ourselves, and to rest our weary soul.

This weekend Agam and I took a three day trip to Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge area. We flew into Portland, rented a car and drove down I-84 E criss-crossing our way across the bridges connecting Oregon and Washington. We had no agenda and no itinerary. We only wanted to relax and enjoy the views down the gorge along the various vista points on the way. Parallel to I-84 E runs Historic Route 30 that goes up and down the hills offering close views of some beautiful waterfalls and panoramic views of the gorge. I recommend that you take this route. It is like one long nature trail. I won’t go into the details of the points of interest. Follow Frommer’s driving route and you won’t be disappointed. Just add a hatchery visit in Washington to the list and you will be all set. Also avoid the restaurant at Multnomah Falls Lodge. I was quite disappointed by it. If you have time on hand, hike to the origin of Multnomah Falls. It is beautiful up there.

There were many moments on this trip when I was reminded of Prague. The whole place has an old world feel to it. There were times when I looked across the river and imagined a lonely yet colorful Kafka-ish house across the Charles bridge. Maybe it was there, maybe it wasn’t. Perhaps that’s also #whywetravel. To imagine.

And so, after a day of leisurely driving, we reached our bed and breakfast which is located in a place called Parkdale in Oregon. This small town is very rural and is situated in the foothills of the picturesque Mt Hood volcano. There are only a couple of places to eat in this town. We tried the Apple Valley BBQ place and loved their homemade BBQ sauce (spicy) based on our inn owner’s recommendation. The place was small and not at all crowded for a Friday night. That surprised us a bit. But the food was good.

Our waitress was really nice and I enjoyed speaking to her. There was a sense of calm about her that reminded me of my small town days. Things are much simpler in small towns. And the pace of life is much slower. Speaking to her made me realize how much I miss that simplicity every day in my big city interactions. People have masks, alternate personalities and different versions of themselves that they carry around. You can never tell whom you are talking to. Everyone is just so busy managing their ‘selves’ that they have no time for each other. (There we go … I also just let my old soul take over). Regardless, the meal was satisfying and the conversations were refreshing.

Next day at breakfast we met a couple who was also staying at the same b&b. A young duo, quite like us. Just a few years younger perhaps. The girl was from a small town 100 miles from Portland that is decaying over time. Her father is a farmer and she is one of those who flee the nest early since they know that there is more to be done and seen than what the small town has to offer. Her experience of living in LA resonated well with me. We shared similar views on a lot of things and I wondered why I don’t find people like her up where I live.

We enjoyed the sumptuous breakfast and drove to the Mosier Twin Tunnels for a hike. It was a moderate hike that offered beautiful views of the gorge. We then drove further east and explored Mayer State Park and then decided to turn back west a little before the exit for the Dalles. We returned to Hood River downtown and enjoyed a stroll along the boutique shops. After building enough appetite we enjoyed a long and savory lunch at Trillium Cafe. I loved this place. Awesome music, food and (again) people. Post lunch we picked up coffee at Doppio Cafe and explored a local bookshop. I was surprised at how the collections of books in the store seemed very female centric to me. We drove back to the b&b along the fruit loop. The orchards were all barren at this time of the year.

It snowed that night and we counted our blessings to have arrived back at the b&b before the mess hit the road. We spent the evening reading and enjoyed seeing the snow fall over the entire ranch. In a few hours I could see no patch of the green grass. We were in a vast field of snow. It continued to snow until the wee hours of the morning and so by the time we woke up there was over 4 inches of snow around us.

Sunday morning we had one more couple at the b&b join us for breakfast. This new couple was in their 60s and were a fascinating duo. The gentleman was a very soft spoken, well mannered and humble man. His wife on the other hand was an outspoken, pragmatic and bold woman. They made a cute pair, I thought. They complemented each other’s stories with quirky remarks and I enjoyed their ‘when it snows in Portland’ stories. I am unable to recall the context, but I will always remember this couple for how proud they were of their daughter’s accomplishments. I just sat there and smiled and wondered if that was how my father talked to people about me. I fought some tears and brought myself back to the conversation. The group gave us some lessons on how to drive in snow and with that Agam and I drove back to Portland on Sunday afternoon.

I love the energy in Portland. It is young and dynamic. The place has good potential. And given its proximity to the Bay area, it is only a matter of time that we will see more tech startups gravitate towards that area due to cheaper real estate and labor. We enjoyed coffee at Stumptown Coffee Roasters and walked to the Saturday Market (yep they call it Saturday market even on a Sunday). I bought some trinkets and then we grabbed lunch at a nearby Thai place.

Our last attraction was Powell’s Bookshop and we spent over two hours in the alleys of the store. It was like a huge library where everything is on sale. We enjoyed exploring their well categorized sections and eventually got tired of walking around the store. Our flight back home was awesome because of the free beer that Alaska Airlines served. I might just pick them for another trip for this gesture.

So that was our little getaway trip to Oregon. Short, sweet and refreshing.

We travel for various reasons but for me this trip was all about people. The naive, reflective, smart, honest and wonderful people that we met in the small town of Parkdale,Oregon.

Trace Back : Pismo Beach

Posted on February 19, 2013 by shivam04

Looking for a quick getaway to kill some stress and revive your spirits? Well you won’t have to go far if you live in California. Within 200 miles of bay area, there are several weekend getaway destinations that can give you just the right amount of relaxation and also hurt your pocket just a slight bit. This long weekend Agam and I visited the Pismo Beach area. We did not plan anything except for the fact that we would drive down CA-1 and stop at Pismo Beach. And so we bid on Priceline a month in advance and got ourselves a great deal at the Hilton Garden Inn at Pismo Beach.

We started from Mountain View at around 10:00am on Saturday morning and headed down CA-1. Our first checkpoint was Big Sur River Inn. A cute and comfy inn that allows you to stretch your legs and sip some mimosas as you watch little kids enjoy their easy access to a nearby shallow river. You can actually sit in the middle of the river and enjoy nature’s orchestra at leisure. The water tends to be a little cold, so be prepared for that. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at the Inn and drove down CA-1 south. There are a lot of vista points you can park at and enjoy the scenery. We took a few of those and enjoyed the 75 degree weather that blessed the area on Saturday.

It was close to 3:00 pm and we decided to make a short term goal to find a perfect spot to enjoy the sunset. But before that we needed another cup of coffee to rest our weary souls. And we found Sebastian’s store a little off Hwy 1. A cute little nook that served everything under the sun. We grabbed two coffees and walked to the nearby Hearst Memorial Beach. This beach was in the San Simeone area that seemed to be close to a lot of wineries and looked like a perfect little town on the central coast. You get the picture I guess … small, green, laid back, with a few churches in the vicinity and of course, right by the ocean. On this trip we basically ditched Hearst Castle and wrote it off our list as “too touristy to try”.

We then drove further to Morro Bay State Park to enjoy the sunset. We made it a few minutes before sunset and satisfied the child in us by climbing a few rocks and enjoying a cozy sunset by a quiet bay. I was surprised by how few people were in the park at that time. We got lucky 🙂

I love clicking sunsets. And sunsets are my “thing”. Just like coffee. And so I clicked to my heart’s delight. And finally I came to the conclusion that I click to capture my emotion, and not to capture a moment that I can share with others. And hence I click a lot. I click every dimension. It is my attempt to give shape and form to every feeling I experience as I am witnessing a phenomenon, a moment or a monument. And then I wondered whether people can see those feeling when they see my pictures. I secretly wished that they cannot.

Moving on…The sun finally set, splashing vibrant colors across the sky and leaving us behind laughing and giggling at the circle of life. Tomorrow was going to be another day, another sunrise and another sunset. We resolved to catch the sunset on Sunday as well. For now we were tired and headed straight to our final destination – Hilton Garden Inn at Pismo Beach. A decent hotel in a decent neighborhood. Nope, it did not have ocean views, but you might catch a glimpse, if you stretched a little in the parking lot 🙂 We checked in and picked a Thai place in the neighborhood for a quick spicy dinner.
The food was OK. We retired for the night and started Sunday with a new and renewed spirit. We found out that there are some sand dunes nearby and ATV rides in the dunes is THE thing in Pismo Beach. And so we rushed to grab a quick bite at Lil’ Bits and drove to Oceano to rent our ATV. Angello’s had a decent inventory and we rented a two seater bike. After a small training session and a few videos we were ready to conquer the dunes. If you have been on a motorbike before, the experience is quite similar. But the thrill factor is that there are no rules, no lanes and a lot of dunes that you can ride and dash into. We started slow and then caught up. Agam was the primary driver, but I tried my hand on the beast for a little while. It is quite easy to get lost since all you see for miles and miles is SAND.

We got back to the base and after a few attempts to clean the sand off us we drove to Monarch Butterfly Grove on CA1. It was a WOW experience to see SO many butterflies clustered around a few trees. There are so many of them that from afar they give a perception of fall leaves on the trees. We enjoyed the butterflies and then drove on to Avila beach to get some sun and some rest after the tiring ATV rides. After some sun soaking and ice cream binging we decided to head towards our next sunset destination: Montano de Oro State Park.

After a short drive through the countryside we were again by the bluffs and the ocean. This time we decided to take a short trail. The Bluff Trail is a short 2.1 mile hike to the most amazing vistas in this state park. The hike is pretty easy and offers grand views of the Pacific. Formations and vistas like I have never seen before, unfolded after every few steps. We found a nook that we picked for enjoying the sunset and after a few hops and leaps we were by the shore, waiting for the sun to dip. It was beautiful down there and we counted the seconds to the sun set. As soon as the sun dipped we took quick steps back to the trail to avoid the dark skies as we walked back to the car. A few rushed steps and we were down the hill, now planning a good dinner in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Downtown SLO is a nothing short of Pearl Street in Boulder or B Street in San Mateo. Just a little more charming if I may add, with the creek running along it and several restaurants offering creekside dining. We picked Big Sky Cafe based on the Yelp reviews and it was very satisfying. We drove back to Pismo Beach and enjoyed a night in front of the TV. The next morning we packed our bags, grabbed a quick coffee at the hotel and drove back to Mountain View.

A short sweet and adventurous getaway – just what we needed, after a month of sickness and some rather hectic times at work.

On to more interesting things in life … like getting back to the rat race tomorrow.

Trace Back – Sonoma

Posted on November 2, 2012 by shivam04

Ever wondered why we travel? I cannot speak for you, but I travel to learn something new — to meet new people and have conversations with them that I can cherish forever. I cannot have this sitting in my house, no matter how much I love it here. I travel to see the world I should be seeing, and not the one that I choose to see. I travel to capture moments of joy and splendor and pack them in my camera lens and share them with the rest of the world. I travel to forget who I am, and where I work, and imagine who I can be and what I can do. I travel to fall out of the rut of “work, home, play” and take a dip in the wonders of unplanned and untimed pleasure.

My definition of travel is not exotic. I used to stay in Marriotts in my past life and that was only because I had the points and miles. I don’t like resorts that keep you in all day long and you don’t even step out to enjoy the local scene. I also don’t like travelling with a lot of people. I like it simple and I like it deep. I like it quiet and fulfilling, rather than rushed. There are some magical ingredients that make my travel special — serendipity is one of them. Be it finding a song that I had been looking for or finding a book that I always wanted to read.

So, last weekend, Agam and I drove to Sonoma County. The Russian River Valley area is a cute nook in this large county. As cliched as that sounds, our primary reason to step out of the house was to enjoy some fall colors. I miss NY fall more than anything else. There is something pretty amazing about seeing a leaf fall. And you can argue that you can see it sitting in your backyard. But I would counter-argue that it is the backdrop that matters. When you are at home, there are so many things on your mind that dilute your experience. (I know I know, you have to master your mind and all that, but seriously, how many of us have done that so far?)

There is something overly romantic about fall. Something so calming. Of the 48 hours we were away, I spent a big chunk of my time romancing the fallen leaves. This weekend I reconnected with my photo-lover self. I feel that each scene is picturesque if seen from the right lens. And a good camera is just a bonus. I was not always like this. But somehow photography has helped me look at every view as a scene from a movie, crafted perfectly to bring out the best in its subjects. It does not matter what you are clicking. As long as you can appreciate the subject and let light play its games, you can turn every apple into a model and every landscape into a painting.

We left on Friday evening. US-101 was a breeze, but it got a little nasty after Sausalito. I am always appreciative of the variety of options the Bay Area offers for getaways. You can drive for an hour and get to some place perfect for a small and laid back getaway. Thank you CA. You are beautiful. We reached our cozy little B&B Inn at 8:15pm and met with our hosts. This B&B is tucked in the woods right on Hwy116 in Guerneville. Santa Nella House was a perfect place for us to park our tired souls for the weekend. The owners Bob and Betsy were very gracious hosts. They suggested some restaurants in the town nearby and we picked Boon for our friday night meal. They have a collection of tapas and main entrees. Their ingredients are fresh and locally grown. After a light meal and a quick walk in the neighborhood, we retired for the night.

The next morning I woke up early around dawn. I was curious to see the colors outside our window. Sinced we reached late in the night, we missed the daylight. Beautiful golden yellow leaves were a perfect way to start the day. Agam and I explored the property and I captured its cute little nooks to my heart’s content. The best thing about B&B’s is that you get to meet people from different places and vocations. We had some elderly couples celebrating their anniversaries, some Sonoma lovers from Boston and Austin and a young chirpy couple like us. It was a great mix and the conversations were rich and diverse.

We asked our hosts what we should do with our day and Bob gave us a perfect itinerary. We started the day with a short walk in the Amrstrong Wood State National Reserve, home to some really old and really tall redwood trees. We had a great morning walk. I got some great shots and even though there weren’t many fall colors, there was a lot of refreshing green. After our walk we drove down the Westside Road and made some stops at the wineries. Since our objective was not wine tasting, we avoided the usual suspects and reached for the ones with grand landscape views and which were tucked in a corner, away from the crowds. We stopped by Korbel Vineyards and decided against taking a tour. The tour we took at Sterling Vineyards in Napa was good enough and not that long ago, so we avoided it.

Sonoma is beautiful in fall. There is a bed of wineries on both sides of the road. Almost like a yellow blanket covering the fields, with an occasional red patch. Our first major stop was Copain Vineyards. A beautiful winery perched upon a hill with grand fields of wines unfolding below you. The view from Copain is breathtaking. They have a decent wine tasting offering and their Chardonnay was amazing and quite decently priced. We hung out in the area to sober down before we started driving down to Healdsburg. This was a perfect opportunity for me to slip away and capture some grape moments. What I love about macros is how I bond with the object. Again a cliched way to put it. But I really mean it. I try to capture it from different angles, proximity and dof. What joy it is to focus on just one thing. Just one object. Wish we could apply this to our daily lives.

After Copain, we drove to the charming town of Healdsburg. It has a pretty big downtown for its size. We were hungry and picked Costeaux French Bakery based on its reviews on Yelp. It was an awesome quaint bakery with a homely feel and it smelled of yummy butter baked goods. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and took a stroll in downtown that was glowing with fall-struck trees.

As I window shopped at Limestone, a home store in Healdsburg, I heard a really nice song playing in the store and could not resist walking up to the cashier and asked for the song. I could have shazamed it. But I was lazy. The girl did not know about the song either and so she shazamed it for me and I finally got hold of the song. This is the serendipity I was talking about. And it only got better when I heard another song at dinner, at Chef Patrick’s in downtown Guerneville, that I fell in love with too. It was a known melody, but I liked this version more than others. This time I shazamed it and within seconds I had the song with me. We listened to it on our drive back to the B&B and marveled at the power of technology.

The next day we enjoyed Bob’s delicious french toast and then I spent some time reading Sophie’s World on the porch. It was magical to see leaves fall as I turned pages of my book. I could have lived that moment forever. It was time now to bid adieu to our hosts. Bob’s french toast recipe was a must have, and he convinced me into getting a cook book that featured recipes from the B&Bs in Sonoma area and also some from the wineries. I packed my book and we left for our days’ adventure.

Our first stop was Iron Horse Winery on Eastside Road. Another beautiful location with a sun drenched patio and gorgeous views of the valley. They also have a picnic area in the back that was right by the vines and was a perfect place for morning banter. We further drove to the quaint town of Occidental and took a little walk. Something so charming about these small Californian towns. Our next destination was Sonoma State Beach. We took the Coleman Valley Road from Occidental all the way to Bodega Bay. It is a beautiful drive and the road attracts a lot of cycling enthusiasts, mostly professional ones.

We drove along the Bay and decided to take a stop at Spud Point Marina. Bob had recommended Chowder at Spud Point Crab Company and we were shocked to see the lines at this tiny little hole-in-the-wall place. They serve clam chowder — red and white, and crab cakes on weekends that are to die for. We savored the chowder and the crab cakes and after a small stroll along the marina, decided to head back towards Mountain View. That was our little getaway to Sonoma county. Full of yummy food, falling leaves, grape moments, just enough wine, serendipitous musical encounters and some relaxing moments spent in each other’s company.

Have a Happy Fall!

Trace Back – Bryce & Zion National Parks, Utah

Posted on July 5, 2012 by shivam04

Utah, home to some of the worlds most famous and awe inspiring national parks, is a hidden gem of the mid-west. It is a pleasurable retreat for those who seek comfort in wilderness. To witness this spectacle of nature left to its own terms, we decided to spend a long weekend in Utah, exploring two of its most famous national parks – Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

In order to avoid the long weekend rush, we picked the week right after Memorial Day for our adventures. The airports nearby are Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and St George. We chose St George because of its proximity to the parks. If you do not want to spend a lot of time driving, pick St George. Just make sure you book in advance, since there aren’t many airlines that fly there.

I would recommend staying inside the park, since it saves a lot of time and the experience is so much better. You can camp inside the park or make reservation at the lodge. The lodges usually sell out very soon, so book at least three to six months in advance.

From St George to Bryce Canyon is a three hour drive (including some rest breaks). I was awed by the landscape around me as we started driving from the airport towards I-5 North. Vast open spaces reveal themselves as you drive up the highway. As you approach Bryce Canyon, you will come across the bright red hoodoos of Red Rock Canyon that give a slight taste of what you will see and experience in Bryce later on.

If you stay at Bryce Lodge, the famous “amphitheater” is just two hundred steps from your room. The vastness and beauty of this amphitheater can leave you spellbound. I was left dazed for quite a while, to see miles and miles of strange, yet beautiful formations unfolding before me. The fact that these formations have been there for several years was even more astonishing. The first question that came to my mind was: how have these things been standing, maintaining their balance, unshaken by rains and storms over several million years? And the answer was simple – if nature is left to its own terms, it reaches balance.

You can walk the rim of this amphitheater or take the shuttle that goes around the park, making stops at major tourist attractions like Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point and more.

If you are up for a short but steep hike going deep into the canyon, Navajo Loop trail is a good one. There is also a short hike that starts from Sunrise Point, goes around The Queen’s Garden and Thor’s Hammer and brings you to the originating point of Navajo Loop. You must hike Inspiration point as well. It is a very short hike, but steep climbs take you to one of the highest points looking out into the amphitheater. You can feel the air getting thinner as you climb up to the point. The name justifies itself — you will leave inspired by the variety and scale of the formations.

The Rainbow Tour is another attraction that is offered free to park visitors. You need to book it in advance at the Visitor Center, usually a day prior to your trip. It is a short three-hour trip that takes you to the highest elevation points in the park – Rainbow Point and Yovimpa Point. The bus also makes several stops on the way and gives you ample time to explore some notable hoodoos. The tour guide also shares some interesting trivia about the local fauna, history and origins of the park. Some interesting attractions on this tour are Natural Bridge, Aqua Canyon and Ponderosa Point.

If you are short on time then the attractions covered above are pretty much what you can cover in a day and a half at Bryce. If you are staying the park, the lodge offers a very comfortable stay and is walking distance to the shuttle bus. Dining options are limited in the area, but the lodge dining hall has an impressive menu and an even more impressive wine list. The dining hall takes reservations for all meals, but walk-ins are also welcome.

Zion National Park is a ninety-minute drive from Bryce, and an hour’s drive from St George. There are several entrances to the park but the one from the east side is the most scenic and gives you an opportunity to drive through the Zion-Mt Carmel tunnel. Some of the sites to look out for are Checkerboard Mesa and Zion Arch.

Zion receives thousands of visitors every day, and to avoid the traffic on what is mostly a single lane road, the park provides a shuttle that covers all major points of interest. The quickest and simplest way to see the park is to ride the shuttle and get off at stops that are of interest to you. Simply leave your car in the parking lot and enjoy the recorded narration in the shuttle that tells you about the significance and history of each of the major attractions as drive past them. Zion is an eco-friendly park, where bottled mineral water is not sold in stores or restaurants. The gift shops sells reusable water bottles made with recyclable plastic that can be refilled at each shuttle stop.

The Temple of Sinawawa is the last stop of the park shuttle, and also the originating point of the famous river water hike, the Narrows. It is a 16-mile hike through the narrow rock formations on the Virgin River. The water is not cold, and you can always do a part of this hike, instead of going all the way. It is quite an awesome feeling to paddle your way through water, as you balance yourself on the bed of rocks. Make sure you pick up walking sticks from the gift shop to help you on your way.

Like Yosemite, Zion is heaven for hikers. Some of the noteworthy hikes are Angel’s Landing and Observation Point, which are both quite strenuous. There are several small to medium hikes in the area and some of them are also wheelchair accessible. Make sure you get a daily park newsletter (or check with a ranger) to know which hikes are currently open. The Emerald Pools trail is a small but interesting hike that starts right opposite Zion Lodge and can be completed in less than 2 hours.

Some other major attractions of the park are – Weeping Rock, The Great White Throne, (which can be best viewed from Angel’s Landing) and The Organ. You can also enjoy quick photo shoot opportunities at the Court of Patriarchs and Canyon Junction. There is a short scenic trail that runs from Canyon junction to the Human History Museum, called the Pa’rus trail. Don’t miss a short break at a small waterfall, halfway through this trail. The museum is a great place to catch the sunset and also offers great views of the West Temple, the Sundial and the Altar of Sacrifice. There is also a movie that is screened every hour about the origin and development of Zion National Park and the people who inhabited this region long time ago. If you have additional time on hand, Kolob Canyon is a great area to explore and hike.

Unlike Bryce, Zion has plenty of food options in the vicinity and you don’t have to depend on the food available in the lodge and the cafe. The town of Springdale is eight miles from Zion lodge and offers plenty of options to satisfy your appetite.

Our three day tryst with nature at its own terms left us wanting more of it. The silence and grandeur of these parks is imprinted in my memory and there is no doubt in my mind that I will be back to explore more of Utah in the coming months and years.

One of the pleasures of living in the US and especially on the west coast is the proximity to natural wilderness that is well maintained and regulated by the National Park Services. We take the best things in life for granted and NPS is one such organization that has been undervalued and is currently operating under severe budget cuts. Let’s do our bit, and helps NPS maintain these splendors for us, so we can keep coming back.

Trace Back – Napa Valley

Posted on December 25, 2011 by shivam04

A couple of Fridays ago, I felt like life on earth was coming to an end. There was just too much going on at work. And I had committed myself to way too many events.

After 8 hours of work and a few holiday parties, I met Agam in SF and we started off from downtown at about 7:00pm. I was sure that traffic was going to be bad and we wouldn’t be able to make our reservations at 8:30pm. I was proved wrong and we reached Uva around 8:00pm, almost thirty minutes early.

My obsession for food resulted in a short list of must visit restaurants. Perhaps you can use it on your next trip (also see note below). For Friday I had made reservations at Uva (http://www.uvatrattoria.com/) — An Italian restaurant at the very end of Main Street, in downtown Napa. The live jazz was a big highlight here and the service was commendable. Their seafood pasta and veal were amazing. We also relished their bread pudding with freshly brewed Lavazza coffee. With full stomachs and heightened senses, we drove to our bed and breakfast in Calistoga – Brannan Cottage Inn

Brannan Cottage Inn is a cute little cottage with only six rooms, and is walking distance to downtown Calistoga. Since we were arriving late we had a key waiting for us at the porch, and we found our way to our room in complete darkness. The room was a complete surprise. A Victorian style well decorated studio with flowery upholstery, tiny Victorian lamp shades and creaky wicker furniture. I felt like I was in a fairy land. The pinkness of the room was initially annoying, but it slowly rendered itself to the theme and we slept well in our creaky wicker bed.

I had researched before that the Old Faithful Geyser of California was only a few miles away from our hotel and so we made it the first stop on our way to explore the wine country next morning. The Old Faithful Geyser is quite a sight. Every 10 minutes you get to see a natural fountain of steam and water. Nature couldn’t be more impressive in any other form.

Now we had to make a decision that would determine the course of this trip – Are we here to get drunk or are we here to enjoy good wine and learn about something that we both enjoy. We picked the latter and decided to visit only one vineyard. We followed the Silverado trail and drove amidst the vines — the dried vines to be precise. Fields of brown vines all around you is enough to get you high.

We picked Sterling Vineyards for this trip. There is a trolley that takes you atop a hill where this winery is perched. The views of the valley are fabulous from the top. You can take a self-guided wine tour and can pay a little extra to experience some wine tasting in a tasting room, usually open to members of the club. We chose to do so.

The self-guided tour was quite interesting. We learnt about the wine making process and how it differs for white vs. red wine. Red wines need a warmer temperature as opposed to the white wines. We also learnt that red wine gets color, not only from the grape but also the skin of the grape that is added to the fermentation vessel. There were many other trivial things that one can probably pick up on Wikipedia but when learnt in context, they register better in one’s memory.

At the end of the self-guided tour we were escorted to the tasting room, where we met Jean Pierre Huser. A grey-haired gentleman with over 52 years of wine tasting experience. He asked us to pick three wines each, that we would like to taste from Sterling’s reserved collection. Agam and I made our picks. I picked the flowery, fruity ones and Agam picked the ones with cinnamon and oak flavors.

As we tasted wine, Jean Pierre explained to us why Napa is so famous for its wines. I wish I could record all that he was saying or perhaps I should have written this article a little bit earlier in the week so that I could have recollected his words better. But it went something like this – Napa has the variety of climate that most wine regions in France put together cannot compete with. Hence we have a variety of wines that come from a very small valley. It is a combination of weather, soil and geography of Napa that makes it unique. The only thing that Napa lacks is rain.

Jean also went on to tell us the story of how he got involved in wine tasting and took pride in telling us that he thinks his son is even better than him when it comes to recommending wines. The shine in his eyes while he spoke about his son triggered a tear in my eye and I thought of Papa. One additional trivia that he shared with us was about wine bottles. I for one have never even noticed how the shapes differ. He told us about the shapes of the German, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne bottles. Each of them thus defining the shape of the glass in which the wine should be served. (Hence the vast variety of wine glasses available in the market.)

Agam thoroughly enjoyed talking to Jean. I felt as if he suddenly started seeing the rationality behind the different types of wine and how one can be better than the other. I thanked Jean for that and he posed for us with his signature bottles.

The tour ended with us purchasing some bottles of Malvasia Bianca, a sweet specialty of Sterling Vineyards. He told us it pairs well with Indian food. He might have made that one up though 😛

Super happy with our wine tasting experience we drove to downtown Calistoga for coffee and a light snack. Then we ventured into a local bookstore called Copperfield. I picked up a couple of books, including the one I am reading right now, Eat, Memoryby Amanda Hesser. We then decided to hit Domain Chandon to buy some champagne (originally intended for the wedding in India, but PapaG convinced us that it will add to the luggage unnecessarily. Oh well – perhaps we can open it when the bride and groom come to visit us in bay area). After some champagne shopping we hit the outlet malls and then on our way back stopped at Tra Vigne (http://travignerestaurant.com/tv.html) for a delicious and romantic meal in an old château like setting.

The next morning we stuffed ourselves with a heavy breakfast at Calistoga Inn and drove back to Mountain View. A super relaxing and indulging weekend came to an end.

Cheers!

Note – Some of the other restaurants worth considering are – Angele (http://www.angelerestaurant.com/) and Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntunapa.com/). Unfortunately we could not keep our reservations at Angele on Sunday since we had to rush back home a little earlier than planned. But I will most definitely try to make it to this one in the summers.

Trace Back – Big Island, Hawaii

Posted on November 29, 2011 by shivam04

The right frame of mind is what you need to enjoy anything and everything around you. Be it a book or a conversation, a cup of coffee or a vacation in Hawaii. If you are in the right frame of mind, you will enjoy the experience and feel enriched. If you are not, then you will be exhausted. We did not do anything special to create this frame of mind. It was just perfect timing. I had wrapped up a project, finished some exams.

The vacation kicked off when Alaska Air started serving free Mai Tai in flight. Now Agam and I had been off alcohol for over a month and a free kick to our Hawaii vacation was very refreshing. Alaska flies directly to Kona International Airport. The flight leaves SJC at 7:00am and gets into Kona at about 10:45am Hawaii Time. The weather was perfect, 25 Degrees Celsius with light winds. At the Thrifty counter, I requested an upgrade on our rental and we got a convertible for $19 a day! Now that was a good start for sure.

It is no surprise that I am a planner and I like to know about the place before I head there. I enjoy the virtual exploration and keep a list of must do and must see handy, just in case, we fall short of things to do. So here is what I did for my homework http://g.co/maps/76z3f. Kind of elaborate, but the objective is not to visit all these places. It is just to be cognizant of the highlights in each neighborhood. For us vacations are most fun when we are exploring on our own – finding routes to places, yelping for best food bets and figuring out the geography of the new place in the few days that we are there. We stayed at a Sheraton this time. I know – I am a snob when it comes to staying at non Marriott properties. But our stay at Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort was comfortable. It was not as splendid as a Marriott stay, but it is definitely a key property on the bay and offered some unique vistas. Alright SPG, I give you some credit this time.

Our day one on the Island was meant to be an easy one. So we freshened up and starting driving North on Highway 11. We were starving and took a lunch stop at Paparoni’s. Food was fresh and location was convenient. I really like the Island trivia cards on their tables. After that we drove up the highway and came to a coffee shop that is raved in the NYTimes – The Coffee Shack. This place is a jewel. It is perched upon a hill, offering gorgeous views of the bay and the Island’s coastline. We enjoyed our coffee and then drove to the Pu’uhonuao Hōnaunau National Historical Park .This was a unique experience. I felt as if I was transported to an old ancient village with wooden structures, neat little huts and handmade wooden boats. It was definitely very picturesque here and we spent a few hours exploring the grounds. It was our first experience walking on lava fields. The silhouette of the palm trees against the Pacific waves was just perfect.

I had made reservations at Kenichi Pacific for 8:00pm and although we had a couple of hours, we decided to head back to the hotel. I headed to the gym, while Agam took a short nap and then we were ready for Kenichi. I had heard about this place from some colleagues and it was also recommended on Frommers. We were not disappointed. It is tucked inside a shopping complex and has amazing sushi. Our favorite was Yellow Tail with lime and Jalapeno rings. I also loved the Black Miso cod. It is usually on the sweet side, so if you don’t have a flare for sweet fish, you may give it a pass. We called it a night after Kenichi and were excited about the next day

For the next day we had made bookings for the Mauna Kea Summit tour. Read about Mauna Kea here – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauna_Kea. The tour includes a drive up to the summit, talks on the geology of Big Island, the types of lava flows, the number of volcanoes on the Island, the observatories, Sunset views and then star gazing after dinner. The package was appealing and we booked a tour with this company . The tour starts at 2:00pm from Kona, and so we decided to drive south on Highway 19, and enjoy the chain of beaches and drive up to Highway 11 and head to Hapuna State Beach Park. We enjoyed the drive in our red mustang and soaked in the sun. Remember to pack your audio connector for iPhone and phone car charger. We enjoyed Pandora and Saavn and music on our phones all through this trip and found these two cables really helpful in enabling the experience.

The drive to Hapuna is marked with ever changing landscape. From industrial belt of Big Island to black lava fields to vast expanse of clear skies and at times the sight of volcanoes dipped in clouds. No words can do justice to these vistas. They are breathtaking and you are left to wonder how beautiful Hawaii is. We took a lunch stop at Paradise Grill at the Hapuna Beach and turned around to go to Kona for out Mauna Kea tour.

We started ascending the summit, and enjoyed the running commentary of our guide, Chris. Chris was a jack of all trades and his stories were as colorful as his humor. We enjoyed watching the cinder cones and their shadows in the sun. The drive up is quite a bit of a ride. The summit is at 13,792 feet. The visitor center is at about 9000 feet and is a good place for restroom stop. After a light dinner, we headed up to the summit, where the temperature is usually below freezing point. The good thing is that the tour company provides jackets and gloves, since no one packs for -10degrees in Hawaii. The observatories are all perched upon the summit, capturing the skies in the northern and southern hemisphere. It is the best place in the world for astronomers. We also learnt about the history of the telescopes there and finally soaked in the sunset from 13000 feet. It was the best sunset and the best thanksgiving ever!

The skies did not cooperate with us for the star gazing, but it was clearly evident how MANY stars there were in the sky, once the clouds became thin and started receding. I clicked endlessly on the summit and was exhausted with the views by the time we decided to descend the summit. Even now it feels like a dream that we were up there, under the bed of stars, with thick clouds beneath us. That was a wrap for day two

And now it was time for Volcanoes. The Volcanoes National Park is approx. 95 miles from Kona. We started our day early and decided to go around the circumference of the entire Island. We were being ambitious. But we did it and it was one heck of a day. At the National Park we spent around 3-4 hours covering the highlights that included a drive down to the ocean along the chain of craters road down to the Holei Sea Arch. It is at the end of the drive that you come to the road that is now blocked by lava that was heading to the ocean. It is a beautiful drive through very diverse and fast changing landscape. You will encounter rain forests, craters, lava fields and steep hills, with fascinating views of the ocean. The contrast of blue and black is beautiful and you surrender to the grandeur of the volcanoes around you. It is intimidating to be a speck of life a midst the largest of the nature’s creations.

We also covered the Jaggar Museum, Thurston Lava Tubes and Steam vents on the way. There is an ongoing eruption right outside Jaggar Museum that can be seen from very close. But the Crater Rim drive is closed due to sulphur emissions from the eruption.

Our next destination was Hilo. Hilo is the wet part of Big Island because of the rain it gets throughout the year. It is rather old and more commercial than Kona. I personally did not like Hilo as much. We explored some restaurants in Hilo and then drove to Hamaku bay. It is a beautiful drive along the bay. At this point we made an impromptu decision to drive to Bamboo’s Restaurant and Gallery near the Kohala coast. And so from Hamaku we drove through the Waimea area, across another volcano and approached Kohala. It was a rather intimidating drive through the mountains with no street lights. But we finally reached Bamboo’s and enjoyed our meal. They serve lilikoi margheritas that are out of this world. The drive back from there was simple and we took little over an hour to get back to Kona. A long and adventurous day finally came to an end.

After a hectic day, we decided to take it easy the next day. We slept in and decided to head to Kailua Kona area for shopping, mimosas and breakfast on the beach. Highlights of shopping include two of my very firsts – Crocs and Black Tahitian Pearl. The Crocs were long due and the pearl came in as a Christmas gift. The lady at the Pacific Gold Jewelry shop was very nice and helped me pick my perfect piece. I loved it how she referred to pearls are life creations that need to be attended to. The breakfast this morning was at Bongo Ben’s Island Café . Oh what a lovely meal with Mimosas and fresh Mahi Mahi with biscuit and fruits. We loved the location, food and service here.

After some Hawaii shopping at ABC Stores we headed back to the hotel to get ready for Lua’u at the Fairmont Orchid. Lua’u is a must when visiting Hawaii. It is a feast from four different cultures – Samoa, New Zealand, Hawaii and Tahiti. There is a buffet spread from the best dishes from these cultures, some fire shows, lots of free alcohol and a cultural extravaganza with dances and performances portraying the culture from these four Polynesian regions. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at the exquisite Fairmont Orchid. I would love to stay there sometime. And that is how spent our last evening on the Island. The drive back was full of nostalgia and included some star gazing. I think I saw nebulas with my naked eye – I am not kidding. The sky is simply perfect in Hawaii.

For our last day we decided to head to Hapuna State Beach Park for an afternoon of sun bathing and beach time. We loved the white sands at the beach and walked up and down the beach, soaking in the sun. Out of all the beaches, we found this one to be least crowded and the largest as well. There was a lot of wind that day and we were wrapped in sand from head to toe. There are open air showers at the beach park that did come to our rescue. So we showered with clothes on and enjoyed the experience. It was a little awkward at first, but it was so refreshing. Now it was time to grab a quick bite at the Queen’s Market Place in Waikoloa Village and then drive back to the airport.

We loved Big Island and are looking forward to our next trip to another one of Hawaii’s beautiful Islands. Mahalo Big Island, we will be back very soon.

Tour De Paris – Just Landed..

Posted on July 17, 2011 by shivam04

It is not possible to capture Paris in a single blog post. Don’t get me wrong, it is not that big a city, but its dense neighborhoods, and varied charm is impossible to summarize in one post. If someone was to ask me, “We are heading to Paris for a few days. Any suggestions?” my simple response will be – go buy the Frommer’s guide to Paris and follow it to the T. But if you are going to be in Paris for a week, like we were, then you might find something interesting here.

Our flight landed in Paris at 3:00pm on a Saturday. Do NOT reserve one of those airport shuttles ahead of time. No one showed up at our gate at the expected time and so we ended up taking a cab to Marriott Champs Elysees. The cab ride was quite uneventful, given that the driver was not too interested in speaking to us. And Agam made it worse by trying to speak some French with him. The French are prudish. Simply avoid trying to speak their language if you are not certain of the pronunciation. I was a tad bit disappointed to begin with since we lost an hour or so waiting for the shuttle at the airport, but little did I know that in summers, the sun sets at 11:00pm in Paris. We checked in, showered and walked out of the hotel to merge into a sea of tourists.

Staying in Champs Elysees was like living at Times Square in NY. It is always crowded and always buzzing with energy. Even at 2:00 am in the morning, you can hear live bands playing on the streets, young Parisians drinking in the open and restaurants packed with tourists. Do I recommend staying there? Well, if you have hotel points – Yes, if you are spending your dime – No. It is very expensive and I’d rather live in the heart of the commons, than in the alleys of Cartier and Swarovski.

So our first evening in Paris was spent walking up and down the most famous street in the world Avenue des Champs-Élysées. To be honest, it was no different than walking down Fifth Avenue in NY. The Cartier’s, Louis Vuitton’s, Swarovski’s, Gucci’s and Chanel’s all lined up in a row. The only difference is that this historic street is wrapped at one end by the Arc de Triomphe and at the other end is the Place de la Concorde, that further leads into the Jardin des Tuileries and further up to the Louvre. It is quite a grand view, if one was to stand in the middle of the street. Beware of the traffic though!

Unlike NY, Paris is not at all intimidating. After exploring the Arc de Triomphe from every possible angle, we wondered off in one of the streets around the Arc called Ave de Victor Hugo. A fine street with a fine canopy of trees, fancy cars, designer boutiques and up-scale dining options. We traced our steps back and started heading back towards the hotel.

To end the night we landed at a restaurant that seemed a bit reasonable in terms of prices. Combo offers are very common in Paris. Dinner at 17 Euros per person was the lowest we could find it included an entrée and small dessert – not bad. Just like the rest of Europe, service is poor in Paris. So be prepared for long waits and rude waiters. They really do test your patience with their relaxed pace of service. I don’t blame them. Dining is a leisurely activity in most of Europe. I remember how team dinners in Amsterdam lasted over five hours sometimes. If you need a quick bite – go eat at McDonalds or Pomme de Pain.

That was a wrap for Day 1! Paris impressed me with its energy… I was already in love with this City. More in the upcoming posts..

Tour de Paris

Posted on July 11, 2011 by shivam04

I feel like a drifter; floating in space, time and memories. Perhaps it is the result of a strange jet lag, or may be the hangover from an awesome vacation. Vacations are such a great idea. And the time and energy spent in planning them is all so worth it.

While walking on the cobbled streets of Paris, you will brush across high end fashion stores, quaint old book shops, charming churches, architectural splendors, lush green gardens, cafes full of patrons, and brasseries oozing with class and style. The French are an interesting crowd. They spend their weekends lounging in the gardens by the fountains, or partying in open on quays of Seine. Something that does not come naturally to us Indians. The free spirit of the Parisians is something to envy. I wish I was born French 🙂

I loved Paris just like I loved NY, at first sight. We were in Paris for six days and left saying, we will be back, and next time, we will stay a month.On the top of my action items is to complete a travelogue on Paris, before I forget the details. It is turning out to be quite long and hence shall take some time to hit the press. In fact I am playing around with some formats. It is boring to read it by Day 1 and Day 2 and so on.. So I am trying to summarize the experiences in a short posts, and the collection shall be called – Tour de Paris.

Trace Back – Mendocino

Posted on May 9, 2011 by shivam04

And we are back.. from another awesome weekend getaway !

It began with a LivingSocial coupon that came out a few months ago. I pounced on what seemed like a great deal for a bed-and-breakfast on Highway 1 in Mendocino. But I soon found out that I had been tricked, since the deal required a minimum two-night stay for the coupon to be valid. D’oh ! Did that mean staying an additional night in a cozy bed-and-breakfast with my husband? Such ideas are always welcome in the rather spoilt Brahma-Khullar household!

On Friday I was in SF for a All-Hands meeting and Agam joined me around 4:30. We had packed our backpacks Thursday night and stuffed Basanti’s trunk with our stuff. We escaped San Francisco traffic, and hit the highway by around 5:30. Remember the Subway here is the only decent place to eat before you hit the highway. We decided to take Hwy 1 on our way in.

The drive was long, but with Basanti, life is good. I almost felt like I was playing a symphony and not driving a car. We stopped on the way, just to see the sun go down. It was so cold outside that we decided to enjoy it from behind the windshield. Soon after sunset, the night started to fall upon us and we got anxious to reach the Inn as fast as we could. We reached the Inn at 9:30pm. It did take us long – perhaps the symphony delayed us a bit 😉

We checked in and were mesmerized with the peace around us. The restaurant at the Inn had already closed down. Upon asking, we were advised to look for food 2 miles north in the town of Mendocino. We unloaded the car and headed straight to the place that was suggested. Patterson’s was quite an experience. I felt like an alien in a place full of drunken hippies and enthusiastic nineteen-year-olds. We finally ordered some fish-and-chips and a chicken sandwich to go, grabbed a couple of cold Coronas and headed back to our cottage. The food was yummy and the beer was chilled. Our fancy cottage came with a Jacuzzi for two. It was a perfect way to unwind and wrap-up the day.

A good sleep led on to a fabulous morning. I was up at 7:00 am and decided to stay in bed just so I could listen to some of the birds in the area. When I woke up and opened the door to the back porch, my eyes gleamed with the joy of seeing green all around me. The little wooden deck with a rocking bench was a perfect setting for the first cup of morning coffee. After soaking some sun and reflecting on the night’s unhealthy food, I walked to open the front door, and there it was – shimmering blue – the Pacific in all its might, portraying its calm. It was a splendid view.

Breakfast was scheduled for 9:45am (lazy) and we indulged in the pastries and the omelets and the pancakes. After stuffing ourselves with food we headed to explore the trail to the Schoolhouse creek. It was a small and easy hike down to the creek. The best part of the hike was the gushing sound of water. A little walk away, a hammock under a tall tree was a perfect break to sit back and relax.

The Buckhorn Cove, close to the Inn is an overrated sight. If you enjoyed the coves in La Jolla, you will turn your nose up at this one. But it was a short hike from the Inn and offered some nice views of the Pacific, not to forget an opportunity to click the wild flowers on the way.Beware of the allergies though..

Our next destination was the Mendocino Headlands State Park. Not too much of a regular state park, but it offered spectacular views and a good hike amidst the rocks. A steep staircase took us down to the beach, and we enjoyed the weather and the water. After amusing ourselves with the sand and the waves, we hiked up the headlands and enjoyed our solitary walk along the rocky terrain.

The hike left me starving and we ate at the Mendocino Hotel. Their French onion soup was delicious. We explored the little town of Mendocino and enjoyed our time in the Gallery book shop, Ocean Quilt shop, Moody’s Organic Coffee Bar, Sallie Mac’s home store and finally grabbed a bottle of Old Vine Zinfandel from the Harvest Market. I got us an upgrade and bought some cheese and crackers to pair with the wine.

The evening was spent in wine and books and we enjoyed the evening by the fireplace. The wine was good and the company even better. Dinner was at the Pacific Tapas. I wish this place was closer to us ! The food there was splendid and the sangria paired well with it. We picked a few movies on our way back, from the Inn – Four weddings and a funeral and the Matrix. They were both in VHS ! When was the last time any of us used a VHS tape ? Sigh. Well what followed is quite embarrassing. Both Agam and I missed to notice that the movie abruptly started when we played the tape. What we thought was the beginning, was unfortunately the end and the movie finished in ten minutes. The look on our faces when we realized what had just happened – was priceless. None of us had the patience to rewind the tape and so we let it go.

The next morning was again splendid. It had rained the night before and the backyard was lush green. I heard more birds today. Perhaps my mind was now tuned into the right frequency. Coffee in the sun was followed with a sumptuous breakfast at the restaurant. That’s when I started exploring Agam’s 55-250mm lens. And needless to mention I fell in love with it. I clicked the whole morning and got some fantastic shots.

We decided to head back home around 11:30am. The feeling that the weekend was coming to an end, was creepy. So I decided that we should explore Tiburon on our way back. We had lunch at the famous Avatar’s Punjabi Burrito and drove to Point Tiburon. It was the perfect weather to be outdoors. I loved the quaint little square, bustling with energy and the aromas of cafés and ice cream parlors. After a little stroll along the water and some minor shopping, we headed back home.

It was perfect weekend getaway …

… and now on to planning the next one. Seems like Tahoe is on the cards !

For more pictures see here

Trace Back – Yosemite National Park

Posted on April 19, 2011 by shivam04

It all started Monday evening, when I started thinking about what to do for the coming weekend. I started looking up cheap places to stay in Yosemite. I vetted the idea with Agam and he was obviously in. Luck favored us and we found a room at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. This place is worth every dime that you spend, since it maximizes your stay in the park, and makes you feel at home all the time.

Visiting Yosemite was a dream that I had harbored for a while. But our lack of interest in driving to destinations, always kept us away from it. What you will read below is my experience in the park. If you think parks are boring and are for romantics, you’d rather not read any further. It is a few that connect with nature and I am blessed to be married to one.

We left Mountain View at 8:00am and soon we realized that Agam had fed the wrong destination point in the GPS! We were heading to Yosemite Lodge and the GPS was taking us to Yosemite View Lodge. We had planned to take 120E and ended up taking the 140E Route instead because of this glitch. In the end, I think it was blessing in disguise, since the 140 route is simple and scenic. I strongly recommend that route to whoever is planning to hit the valley anytime soon. We drove through the valley, along the Merced River, and arrived at the El Portal at around 11:00am. From El Portal to the Lodge was another 20 miles, and we immediately got absorbed in the beauty around us. The interesting rock formations capture your attention as you drive through the park. I remember myself awed at some of the rock formations that in hindsight were just an introduction to the real wonders of Yosemite.

We drove through the park, and the first sight was that of the Bridal Veil Falls. The falls are truly representative of a bride’s veil and are notoriously messy. I have never been to Niagara, and hence I was in for a surprise when I stood at the bottom of this messy bride’s veil. We were drenched vet and it was time to keep the cameras away and enjoy the mist of the Falls.

We took some ad-hoc stops to enjoy the snow in the meadows and enjoy the beauty of Yosemite and finally arrived to our GPS final destination at 11:30am. I was Ecstatic to see my luck shine so bright. Not only did we manage a reservation at the Lodge, we also got a corner room and a view of both the Yosemite Falls and the Half Dome. It was simply perfect.

That day, we decided to check in and head over for a guided tour. I highly recommend this tour. It introduces you to the history of the national park and helps you become familiar with it, enough to roam around in the park without getting lost. The tour primarily covers the valley floor. Let us go one by one. The first destination was the El Capitan. It is huge and very commanding. I will probably faint if asked to even stand under it. Some of the stories that the Ranger shared were hair rising. To cite a few, a blind man, a nine year old and a woman who just had a heart transplant, have all hiked up this mammoth. Phew!

The second destination was something called the Tunnel View. It is a view that captures the El Capitan, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls – all from one place. And the icing on the cake is that if you catch the tunnel view right when the sun is on the top, you will see a rainbow in the falls. We were lucky to see it and it was SPLENDID! We also covered a different view of the Bridal Veil Falls and moved on to cover the remaining valley floor. After we came back from the guided tour, we headed to the Lower Yosemite Falls. It was a short walk from the lodge and we enjoyed the sight of the falls along our way. At the end of the trail we ended up right in time for sunset at the meadows in front of the Half Dome. The Ranger had mentioned that the valley is beautiful around that time of the day, and especially Half Dome.

No words can do justice to how beautiful the dome looked when the final rays of the sun hit against it. The clouds scattered the light around and it almost felt like a wild fire had set ablaze in the forest. It was a joy to be in the meadows that time of the day. After a long and fun walk back, we enjoyed our cozy meal at the Mountain Room restaurant. I could not help but sit there and thank my stars, for a lovely husband and the lovely view of the Yosemite falls behind him. That was a wrap.

The morning was bright and crisp. As the sun’s rays woke me up, I started planning the day ahead of me. Agam suggested we do a moderate and a easy hike and I agreed. So then we checked out of the lodge, packed our luggage back in the car, and took the Visitor Shuttle to the Mirror Lake bus stop. The trail to Mirror Lake was short and sweet and the views were breathtaking. From Mirror Lake we started our trek backwards towards the Vernal Falls. This one was a little bit of a climb, 400ft to be precise. We made it to the foot bridge in an hour and enjoyed the views from the bridge. After the hike, we had built an appetite for something sinfully good and we stopped on our way back at the Village Center for a quick lunch at the Grill. After lunch we took the shuttle back to the visitor center, and started getting ready for our drive back to Mountain View. I admit, my eyes filled up to brim, while I said goodbye to the cliffs of Yosemite. Only thing I could say was – I will be back – very soon!

At times we all just bow down to Mother Nature and surrender ourselves in its laps. I feel relaxed!

back from Yosemite…

Posted on April 18, 2011 by shivam04

Back from the most beautiful and peaceful place I have ever been to – Yosemite National Park. I am in the process of writing my travelogue. The fact that tomorrow is MONDAY! just hit me like a storm and there can be nothing as depressing as PACKING! So I won’t make it today – but I promise to write all details of our mini vacation in God’s own valley, very very soon. In the meantime, check out the pics here

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=10100221108773143&id=10229562&aid=2702460&l=d221ee8c0d

Happy Monday everyone ! Hoping for a smooth and quick week 😛

Trace Back – Santa Barbara

Posted on November 28, 2010 by shivam04

Trains are always a lot of fun and always a little late – no matter what part of the world you are in. Two aspects of this getaway are notable – one, the experience of traveling long distance on a train in US – and the other, of course, the beach town of Santa Barbara. I was contented with both and what follows is an itinerary and some stories from our trip. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

The Amtrak Coastal Starlight is a very comfortable and joyous way to travel since you don’t have to drive, and what’s more – you don’t have to leave three hours early to get humiliated by the TSA agents at the airport. We reached the SJC Amtrak station quite early, and that gave us enough time to print our tickets at the kiosk, and get our parking permit for the two nights at the park-n-ride.
We were very excited to board the train and found it to be at par with the services on the Euro Rail. The seats can be compared to a business class seat in United Airlines – almost as wide (may be a little less), with a footrest, leg rest – and they lean back. Making it quite comfortable to sleep if one wants to. The fun part was a sightseer car -a cafe like environment that looked like a melting pot of people from all parts of the country with different backgrounds.

My most memorable part of the train journey were our intense yet refreshing conversations with a fellow traveler from Sacramento. The dining car in this train is community seating, so if you do not have four members in your group, chances are that you will be asked to sit next to your companion and not across. That also means that any random traveler can come and sit opposite to you. This did make me a little uncomfortable, but we struck gold. We had the pleasure of the company of an interesting editor from a Sacramento daily. He and Agam shared reading interests, and we jumped from one topic to another – spending over two hours chatting with him about things around us.

The remainder of the journey into Santa Barbara was spent appreciating the sun set. It was beautiful. The route from Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara is along the Pacific, with plenty of breathtaking views. We reached SB at 7:00 pm and headed out to grab some views of the Pacific. We walked to Stearns Wharf (It is quite long!) and decided to go up to the tip of the pier looking for food. Since we found nothing to match our appetite and budget ($35 Salmon at Harbor Restaurant!!) – we headed up State Street, where we checked in to our hotel. It being thanksgiving that day, we were informed that our food options were limited for the night. And so we loitered around and decided to enjoy our thanksgiving at Harry’s Bar. A fine place, with a lot of people, and good food. The highlight was Harry’s Hurricane – a cocktail made of all sins possible. You will only need one of those to let your spirit free. We enjoyed our drink and a Turkey meal and turned in for the night. Of course the drink stirred a lot of conversations and some emotional releases.

SB is quite small. It is like a shrunk down version of San Diego in many ways. So we decided against renting a car, and explored it on foot. Our first destination the next morning was Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. The road we took was windy and narrow and not so great for a hike – but the saving grace was a Belgian waffle at a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf that we ran into before our uphill climb. The museum was good (and Agam may have more speak about this). I enjoyed the Coffee exhibit and also some of the birds on display. But after scanning through some of the other sections I headed out for a tryst with nature. I clicked flower stills and macros, and surveyed the backyards of the museum.

Finally I ended up dragging Agam out of this place, so we could head to the Mission of Santa Barbara. It is majestic and peaceful, and – not to forget – offers stunning views of the city and the Pacific. Without doubt, God chose the best location in this city to dwell. After absorbing the views and offering our prayers, we walked down the Laguna street, towards the ocean.

Our next destination was Randall’s Rare Book House. Now this book house really did justice to its name. It is a house of Robert Randall, where in his library, he has kept a collection of rare books, collected over many decades, that he sells at a small profit. We got this recommendation from the “36 hours in Santa Barbara” that was published in the NYT over a year ago. The place was a gem. I envy Robert, for getting to sit amidst this lovely collection of books. Amongst the known and famous was the Gutenberg Bible – the first edition. The same morning I was reading David Brook’s essay on Tolstoy. And I was thrilled to find a 1887 copy of Tolstoy’s “What to do?” What attracted me in the book was an essay on the Importance of Science and Art. Luckily, the book fit our budget and we were simply smiling ear to ear to have bought something at the store. Something tells me we will go back to that book house again some time.

Our next accidental venture was a meal at Paseo Nuevo, an upscale shopping arcade in SB. The environment was that of a carnival, with plenty of sunshine. After a heavy meal in the area we decided to walk to Marina followed by the West Beach. It was a nice and quiet walk, spent clicking some gorgeous shots of the yachts in the marina. We enjoyed the boardwalk by the Pacific as we absorbed the sunset and saw the ocean change colors a plenty of times before giving in to the darkness. Our next halt was Happy hour at Endless Summer Cafe. After Mojito, a lemon drop martini and popcorn shrimp (that Agam actually confused with Popcorn and Shrimp) we bid adieu to the West beach. Our drive home was uneventful. But we really enjoyed the evening sitting in our hotel room playing Go, a game Agam has wanted to play for last few months. And he found it in SB of all the places in the world. Between you and me – the game was one of the high points of this trip. Well that’s what we are – homely crabs.

The game helped us build an appetite, and we walked to a Thai place close to the hotel called Your Choice. There we gorged on some fresh coconut water, Tom Kha Kai, some super spicy fried rice and lychees. Content and full we walked back to the hotel and watched Barbara Walter’s Thanksgiving special on TV- an interview at the White House with the Obamas.

The next morning, we only had a few hours in the city before we boarded the Coastal Starlight back to San Jose. So we took a cab to the East Beach and enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast by the ocean at the East Beach Grill. You have to eat breakfast here, if you ever go to SB. It was a splendid experience. Reminded me of the Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans – the delicious beignet with cafe au lait! Post breakfast, we decided to walk on the beach on our way back to the Stearns Wharf area. It was a lovely walk – with our backpacks on our shoulders, and our cameras ready to capture the other side of the Pacific. It was therapeutic walk for me. Walking by the ocean makes me feel so powerless – and it is very relaxing to feel that way sometimes.

And that brought us to the end of our trip to SB, but we still had the train journey remaining. The train was again 25 min late, but who cared. I was looking forward to be onboard and closing my eyes and falling asleep to the sounds of the train and the swaying motion, that brings back so many memories from college days, The weather was perfect and we caught some amazing views of the valleys we passed by. Thick black clouds, steams of fog and the country side – reminded me of Europe and the numerous train journeys we enjoyed last winter. This trip will probably be the last one this year. It was very relaxing and laid back – just the way we had wanted.

In short – trains are charming and very relaxing. And Santa Barbara is like a blend of Boulder, CO on the beach and a shrunk down San Diego – so there is beach, energy, food and drinks. It is perfect for a less ambitious vacation.

Enjoy the pictures. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2655887&id=10229562&l=5d09d920a4

Shivi

An astute business and technology enabler, an opinionated writer, an avid reader, a creative cook, a hopeless coffee lover, a light traveler, a loving wife, and a silly mother

Category Archives: travel

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Travelogue – Tokyo and Kyoto

(Mini) Travelogue – Alaska

Trace Back – San Juan Islands

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Trace Back : Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Trace Back : Pismo Beach

Trace Back – Sonoma

Trace Back – Bryce & Zion National Parks, Utah

Trace Back – Napa Valley

Trace Back – Big Island, Hawaii

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Trace Back – Mendocino

Trace Back – Yosemite National Park

back from Yosemite…

Trace Back – Santa Barbara