#huyphan8990

August 22nd, 2023

Day 7: Doing All Sorts of Things on Our Last Day in London

Met with Minh and Vi at Proud Mary's for breakfast before Minh had to leave for his flight home. Cynthia and I shared an English Breakfast with crispy onion potatoes. Delicious breakfast with great family company!

After saying our goodbyes, we split from the family and trained all the way over to the Hill Garden and Pergola. A really cool outdoor garden area that belongs to a rich property (now owned by the local government I believe) in Hampstead Heath that was a great location for fun photos and would be a great location for wedding photos and other photo shoots. 

After a brief stop in Hampstead on the way back into the city, we eventually made it to the very controversial British Museum of stolen world artifacts. A super huge museum with all sorts of artifacts and historical items from all over the world. Super crowded with tons of people. Super hot with tons of people. But lots of information from all types of world history that I never knew or learned. Very interesting to see so much history all in one place but again, very controversial. Spent about 2-3 hours there (until closing time). The coolest things I saw: The Rosetta Stone and the ancient sculptures and man-made stuff from Ancient Mesopotamia. 

We stopped by the Mercato Mayfair for dinner. A unique church-turned-food-hall. Had some dumplings at Steamy and Co while enjoying the views of the church from the inside. And had ice cream too, courtesy of Cynthia's cravings. 

Ended the day with a stroll through the Mayfair neighborhood and a walk up and down shoppy Oxford Street. 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

Handheld fans on the train are clutch. In order to survive the heat of the old subway cars, you have to have a fan. 

The Rosetta Stone was an ancient artifact that was founded by some French military people and was used to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. Supposedly, it was given to the English as a part of a peace deal/surrender deal between the English and the French back in the day. 

Cyprus sculptures look like Asian-influenced Greek sculptures. WIth a tad of Middle Eastern-ness. 

Farming arrived in Britain in 4000 B.C. and brought new technology like pottery, stoke axes, crops like corn, and the first domesticated animals in the U.K. area. 

October 14th, 2021

Day 13: A Day Full of Castles and Museum 

This morning, the only reason we woke up earlier than 10am was because we wanted to make it to the hotel breakfast. Otherwise, we would’ve just slept in to recharge our very low batteries despite all the plans we had made to wake up early to get an early start. Sometimes, waking up early when you’re weary is just not realistic. Anyhow, the hotel breakfast this morning was OK. It was a continental breakfast with a little more variety and stuff than usual. Once we were done at breakfast, we headed out for the train station to buy our Swiss Travel Flex Pass for use on 8 nonconsecutive days. 

Once we had purchased our passes, we changed the plans we had originally settled on yesterday evening. Instead of taking the Gornergratbahn today to the top of the mountains and hiking, we decided to get out of Zermatt and explore another nearby town and its museums to make the most of our train pass for the day. The original plan was to visit Sion and see all of the museums there that offered free admission with our Swiss Travel Pass. But because it was a nice day and we had unlimited free train rides today and Cynthia really wanted to check out the Chateau de Chillon (even though we had originally decided to skip Chateau de Chillon because of how far it was from the places we were planning to go), we changed our mind and took the train far past Sion to Veytaux to see Chateau de Chillon, the picturesque medieval castle sitting on the edge of Lake Geneva.

It was funny that I found myself back at Chateau de Chillon because it was actually my second time seeing this castle. The first time I saw the castle was back in 2013 when I was backpacking through Switzerland as I made my way through Europe. At the time, I didn’t have money I was willing to spend on a castle visit so I never entered and, instead, looked around the outside castle walls and took photos of the picturesque dock right outside of the castle (a photo that now hangs on my apartment wall as a canvas). So it was nice to return to Chateau de Chillon and actually enjoy the experience of exploring the castle, its architecture, and its history. And it was awesome roaming through the halls and staircases of the surprisingly large castle for a good two hours and reading all about its history, its tenants, and its importance to the area. 

We could’ve spent much more time at the castle but because we still wanted to make it to Sion in time to see some museums there, we rushed through the end of our castle tour in order to catch one of the infrequent trains back to Sion. We arrived in Sion around 4pm. With the museums that we wanted to visit set to close around 5pm, we ran from the train station through town to the nature museum first because it was the closest of the museums. Because all of the infographics and information placards were in French (and because I didn’t realize that I had been handed an English pamphlet translating all of that information), we breezed through the museum and its different animal exhibits in about 15 minutes, giving us plenty of time to hit up the art museum located right around the corner. Again, with very little time (about 30 minutes to be exact), we sped through the 8 or so different floors and exhibits of art, taking some time every now and then to enjoy and appreciate the art installations and paintings. Whew, what whirlwind museum stops today! But luckily, we saw what we needed to see and made the most of an activated travel pass day!

After the museum visits, we strolled through the streets of downtown Sion and enjoyed how different this town looked and felt compared to Zermatt. A nice addition to the day’s random itinerary. Before long, we got very hungry. We walked around looking for affordable places for dinner and ultimately stopped at La Regal’ette Creperie Bretonne. Though expensive, the crepes we ordered (the Crepe Armen (scrambled eggs, cheese, ham, and mushrooms) and Crepe Bigoudene (mozzarella, spicy salami, tomatoes, and basil)) were pretty good. 

The rest of the evening was spent taking the train back into Zermatt. Once we were home, we called it a night with plans to get up at a reasonable hour tomorrow to give ourselves enough time to enjoy some mountain adventures. 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. During the Savoyard epoch, the Chillon region was rich and populated. The local population would pay the lord at the castle taxes and dues and usually these taxes were paid in the way of food items and drinks, especially wine. Because of its great and strategic location, the castle itself served as a crossing point and trading post for many. For example, it was an important tollgate on the route between Lombardy (in northern Italy) and France. Many merchants would cross through this area and pay their tolls and taxes in order to transport their goods, which consisted of anything from wool and linens to metal and wax objects to dried herring and salt. 

2. In Chillon Castle and other medieval castles, the primary function of latrines was for the disposal of human excrement and other waste matter. At Chillon Castle, there were two types of latrines: latrines with an internal outlet and bay-window latrines. Each had its advantages and disadvantages in case of an attack on the castle. Latrines with an internal outlet had the advantage of being completely concealed within the thickness of the wall and only offered minimum weak points for assailants; however, its disadvantage came from the possibility of it being used as a means of entry for enemies who were brave enough to climb through poop and waste to get into the castle (Chillon Castle didn’t have this issue since the outlets led right into the lake waters). As for bay-window latrines, their advantages came from its usefulness in providing a firing position for those within the castle; however, it was also a weak point in the castle’s defense system because it provided enemies with a foothold for climbing the castle walls and made for an obvious target for bombardment. 

3. Different types of body protection and armor for soldiers changed with time based on what people were hit or shot at with. For example, chain mail armor and mail hauberk were helpful against arrows and sharp-edged weapons but became obsolete once people figured out how to fire stuff at you with gunpowder. Yeah, I can see how gunpowder could spark a change in fighting fashion. 

4. For the Swiss Travel Pass, in order to get free admission into the museums that allow free entry with the Swiss Travel Pass, you must go to the museums on a validated or confirmed travel day. So if you plan to use it on a day you don’t plan to travel around, you either can’t go to the museum for free or you’ll use up a travel day. Be careful with your planning so that you can maximize your dedicated travel days without wasting any opportunities. 

October 17th, 2021

Day 16: Living In The Fairy Tale That Is Switzerland

After another delicious home-cooked breakfast this morning, Cynthia and I caught a bus and regional train out to Lauterbrunnen, a fairy-tale-like town nestled in the valley between two rocky cliff faces and mountains. When we arrived in Lauterbrunnen, the cliffs were still blocking the sun’s rays from reaching town so it was bitterly cold. Even though it was cold and blue-hued this morning, the views of the sunlight creeping over the mountains and Staubbach Falls flowing over Lauterbrunnen as we walked into town were still picturesque though difficult to photograph. The town was still sleepy and quiet as we looked around but as we walked through, some shops started to open and tourists started to show up. Because most places were still closed, we didn’t make many stops and instead just kept strolling along the town’s main street until it became a walking path that slowly wound its way through the valley floor.

After walking past Staubbach Falls and deciding not to immediately hike up to the waterfall, we continued to stroll with the small crowds of people. We weren’t sure where the path would lead us but because it was early in the morning, we decided to just keep exploring the valley on foot. As we walked through, we constantly found ourselves looking up at the paragliders gliding through the sky and the sun as it slowly lit up the shady valley below. We walked past lots of farms where cows were enjoying their grassy breakfast with their cowbells ringing loudly in the crisp morning air. We also took in the views of the fall colors peeking through the mostly green valley as well as the waterfalls that cascaded down the cliffs as we walked by. 

Before we knew it, we had walked a couple of kilometers in the cold and were about halfway between towns. Because of the length of time that we spent in the shade, Cynthia was starting to feel very cold. But given how far we had walked, it made the most sense to just keep walking another couple kilometers until we reached the small town of Stechelberg. So we did that. Along the way, Cynthia ran into some nice cows who she ended up spending some time petting and conversing with. Yes, I travel with an amateur Doctor Dolittle. Eventually, as we reached Stechelberg, the valley finally started to light up from the morning sun and it got significantly warmer. Cynthia was saved. There wasn't much to see in Stechelberg so while waiting for the bus, we walked back toward Schilthorn, where we stopped and watched as paragliders landed one after another. Darn, I wish I had known and booked a paragliding adventure! It looks so fun! Maybe next time. 

Once the bus arrived in Schilthorn, we took it back to Lauterbrunnen where we spent the rest of the morning. We hiked through Lauterbrunnen to a picturesque viewpoint of town and took some photos there before walking back up. By this point, Cynthia was tired and wanted to do her own thing. So I dropped her off at Airtime Cafe so that she could rest and enjoy a cinnamon roll and matcha latte in her happy place and instead, went on my own to hike up to Staubbach Falls. 

The hike up to Staubbach Falls was actually steeper and higher than I thought so it took a little time to get to the top. But it wasn’t anything crazy and I eventually made it there, enjoyed the view of town from the falls, and hiked back down and into town to meet up with Cynthia. We chilled at the cafe for a bit after I returned so that we could rest our legs and plan the latter half of the day before we walked back to the train station to catch the train back to Interlaken. The plan once we got to Interlaken was to take the last lake cruise of the day to Brienz. 

We were lucky that we arrived in Interlaken at the perfect time to catch the last lake cruise because otherwise, we would have had to train to Brienz and miss out on being on the lake one last time (especially because our schedule for the day was shifted later due to our adventures in Lauterbrunnen). But we made it happen and made the most of our opportunity to enjoy Lake Brienz on our last full day in the area. And luckily, the afternoon weather turned beautifully, just perfect for our ride across to Brienz. 

The boat ride was nice but definitely not nearly as magical the second time around. But regardless, the scenery around the lake was still pretty to see and it was still nice to chill on a boat and expend little effort seeing things. After several stops, we finally reached Brienz. Because it was getting late, we didn’t spend much time there (because the places we wanted to see were way too far to get to in the limited time that we had) before jumping on another train to Meirengen. The whole point of our visit to Meirengen, which was located further out than we thought, was to see the Sherlock Holmes Museum before it closed for the day. We got there with plenty of time to see the entire museum and follow along with an audio guide. It was pretty cool to learn about the epic adventures of the fictional Sherlock Holmes and how his story influenced the world and captivated audiences all around it. 

After our visit to the Sherlock Holmes Museum, we strolled around the quiet and small Meirengen until it was time to catch our train back to Interlaken. Once we were back, it was another night of simple but delicious burgers at the apartment for dinner. Our night ended with us moving down to another unit in the same apartment building because of the lingering hot water issue. Moving units made us pack our stuff early which was actually a good thing since we were scheduled to leave Interlaken tomorrow. That’ll give us more time to do other things tomorrow before we leave!  

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. It is really cold in Lauterbrunnen valley early in the morning in the fall until maybe 11am or so at which time the sun finally breaches the mountains and cliffs and shines on the valley floor. 

2. Lauterbrunnen valley is a glacial valley that formed with the erosion of rocks in the area due to the movement and melting of an ancient glacier there. The wearing away of rocks at the sides of the glacier resulted in almost-vertical valley sides that in turn lead to the typical U-shaped glacial valley you see at Lauterbrunnen valley today. 

3. In regards to how the waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen valley were formed… They were formed as a result of the steep steps that formed between the hanging valleys that were carved by the flow of smaller glaciers and streams and Lauterbrunnen valley. 

4. The highest waterfall in Switzerland is Murrenbach Falls, a freefalling, non-cascading waterfall that stands at 417 meters tall. 

October 7th, 2021

Day 6: The Fairy Tale Landscapes of the Dolomites

The first stop this very early morning was Alpe di Siusi, also known as Seiser Alm, a unique UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the largest high-altitude alpine meadow in all of Europe. Getting there was a pain because there are restrictions that don’t allow private cars to drive into the area during most of the day (10:00am-5:00pm) and restrictions preventing outsiders (people not staying in hotels there) from driving in. 

So, to visit Alpe di Siusi as outsiders for sunrise, we had to wake up at the ungodly hour of 5:30am and get out by 6:00am. It took around 30 minutes to get to Parking Lot #2 in Compatsch (free access and parking before 9:00am) where we left our car and completed the trip to the meadow on foot. It was pretty cold and windy as we hiked in the dark alongside some other photographers to Alpe di Siusi. The hike to the meadow took much longer than I expected, around 45-60 minutes, likely because I was carrying my camera gear and because there was some uphill hiking involved. And because we were tired. 

By the time we arrived at the meadow viewpoint, the slightly cloudy skies had become cloudy, snowy skies. Snow flurries were flying around us and it was pretty cold. In the hour that I spent up there (with Cynthia spending a little less there because she was cold), it was heavily cloudy with a brief period of partially clearing skies. But the sun never really peeked out from the clouds. And the picturesque fog never really rolled through. As a result, I had to work with suboptimal conditions to try and make the most of the photos of the otherwise gorgeous scene in front of me. Because Cynthia was cold and because she wanted to make it back to the hotel for a hot breakfast, I didn’t spend too much time up at Alpe di Siusi. And it was a good thing I didn’t because the weather continued to worsen as I hiked back to the car. Before, of course, it started to get better. Sighs.

I got back to the car around 9:15am, at which time we started our rush back to the hotel. And we were lucky to get there in time to be the last ones seated for a delicious hot breakfast. Score! Always a treat to begin the morning with a big, free hot breakfast on any trip! The spread had everything from delicious croissants to other breads to fruits, yogurt, milk, eggs, bacon, cereal, etc. So good! And so good that we had a food coma after the meal and found ourselves napping for a good two hours before waking up, much more refreshed than we were before the nap. 

It took a while for us to finally get going again after our much-needed post-breakfast nap. While slowly getting up from our comfortably warm bed, we started making plans for the day. We also spent time making changes to the plans we had previously made for the trip to accommodate the nice weather forecasted for the next couple of days. So we mixed-and-matched parts of the itinerary we already had and moved things around to make the most of the beautiful mountain weather. And even made a last second decision to stay an extra day in the Dolomites and add on an extra rental car day. Of course, with these decisions, we had to spend more money than intended (pay extra for a new AirBnB rental, lose money on one night of a reservation in Florence, and pay for one more day of a car rental, which was actually pretty cheap at 37 Euros). But I definitely think that it will all be worth it in the end. 

Once we had figured out the extra day we would be staying in the mountains, we then figured out how we wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening today. Instead of doing Seceda this afternoon (because the weather was cloudy and suboptimal and because it was a bit late to start exploring up there), we decided to check out the gorgeous Val di Funes instead. It took a little longer than expected to drive out to Val di Funes but once we got there, parking was pretty easy and it was then a matter of hiking to the two main attractions in the area: the picturesque and lonely Chiesetta di San Giovanni and the beautiful Santa Maddalena village and church nestled beneath the epic Odle Group peaks. 

We didn’t stay long at Chiesetta di San Giovanni once we hiked there because there wasn’t much to see. It’s a neat little church in the middle of a big field with the mountains towering over it from behind. Cool to see but hard to get a unique photo from the observation platform. Once we were done, we hiked back to where we came from and toward the panoramic viewpoint of Santa Maddalena church, where I found a spot to set up for sunset. It was pretty cloudy but for a moment, all the other photographers and I had a little hope that the sun would come out from behind the clouds and create a colorful spectacle. Eventually, the sun did come out and create a beautiful sky… except it was on the wrong side of the sky, the part of the sky that wasn’t hovering over the mountain and village. Sighs. So much for that. But despite the lack of a perfectly placed sunset, the view was still really pretty. 

After sunset, we drove back to Ortisei and dropped off our stuff at our room before finding dinner nearby. We decided on trying the highly-rated Mauriz Keller Restaurant and Pizzeria located just across the way from our hotel. The restaurant was in an old cellar and was very warm and welcoming. A really neat atmosphere. It took a while to order something because we were so hungry and there were so many delicious items on the menu. We ultimately ordered the Linguine with Lobster, the Margherita Pizza with Ham, and a glass of Chardonnay white wine. My goodness, this was an amazing meal! SO SO good! The lobster pasta was excellent and so was the pizza! And adding the Chardonnay was a nice little touch. We were ABOUT to order their dessert to finish off our nice dinner experience but they had just run out of good options so we said nevermind. 

We took a short post-dinner stroll around town after dinner to work off the calories we had just ingested. Because we were tired, the walk didn’t last long before we turned back toward the hotel. What a nice day today was. The weather held up, for the most part, and the sights we saw were so pretty. Can’t wait to check out some more tomorrow now that we have an extra day in the mountains! 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. When you zoom out and really look at it, Alpe di Siusi kind of looks like a giant golf course with all of its green patches interspersed with trees and forests. Kinda cool. 

2. In the Dolomites mountain region, there are, oftentimes, two names for places. One is an Italian name and one is a German name. This all stems from the extensive history of the Dolomites and the groups of people who have lived in this region over the centuries. In some places, the primary language spoken and primary language on signs is German. 

3. The cows here in the Dolomites have large bells tied around their necks even though they are fenced in. I wonder why…

4. Everything in the Dolomites, from fields to buildings to homes, are so clean in appearance. Everything looks like something you’d see in a miniature model of a town or countryside village. Spotless. Model-like. Like everything was just recently built and painted. And not to mention the pretty and well-taken-care-of flowers that accompany many of the windows of these beautiful buildings. So pretty and so clean. 

Maui Spring 2021: Thoughts and Reflections

Well, here we are again! At the end of another fun vacation and sitting at home writing yet another final trip post reflecting on our fun time away from home. Like all the other trips, I can’t believe how fast our trip to Maui flew by!

While reflecting on our time in Maui, the first thing that comes to mind is how very fortunate we were to be able to travel during the calm period of a pandemic. With COVID cases downtrending in the U.S. prior to our departure and us being vaccinated (at least partially vaccinated, as in Cynthia’s case), we were lucky enough to feel safe getting out of pandemic-central Los Angeles and escaping for a bit to Maui. Additionally, there was a little more reassurance with required pre-travel COVID tests and the low case count on Maui. We continued to follow the rules and regulations to keep us and others safe by socially distancing as best as we could in crowded areas and keeping ourselves masked up for as much of the day as possible. By holding ourselves accountable, we were able to keep ourselves and others safe while traveling in Maui.

As for the trip logistics and itinerary itself, when we first planned our trip, we thought that seven days in Maui would be plenty of time to explore and we weren’t even sure we would have enough things to do to fill the days without spending significant time sitting by the pool and on the beach. But how very wrong we were about that! Despite all the intentions we had to just hang by the beach and be lazy for much of our time in Maui, we ended up packing in a ton of things and still didn’t have enough time to do everything we wanted to do!

Just as a lot of friends had advised us before the trip, Maui is a great first island to visit in the great state of Hawaii because it offers a lot of diverse things to see and do. If you want to hang out on beautiful beaches all day and sip cocktails while watching the sun set, you can do that on Maui. If you want to go hiking into a volcanic crater for hours and hours or if you want to do small hikes through rainforests, you can do that on Maui. If you want to do a little road trip and chase waterfalls or ocean views, you can do that on Maui. If you want to do water sports, you can do that and more on Maui too! For a relatively small island, Maui offers so much. That’s exactly the reason why we didn’t have enough time to do it all. There were just so many things to choose from on our first trip there!

Things to do aside, there were also tons of good foods to try at a ton of different restaurants in Maui! From loco moco to fish tacos to other fish dishes to shaved ice to brunch, there were so many places to enjoy delicious, not-super-expensive foods. Such good and reasonably priced seafood to enjoy from so many different places! And the best part was that lines weren’t always crazy long, which is always a blessing when you’re a big foodie! By the end of the trip, my tummy was very happy with the food experience on Maui, that’s for sure.

Lastly, when reflecting back on our trip, what I feared the most about Maui, like any other tourist-y destination, were the touristy crowds. I hate traveling to very heavily-trafficked places if I can avoid it. This dislike of traveling to mainstream areas stems from my previous travel experiences to well-traveled and well-accessed places all around the world. In those places, attractions and must-see sights are always overcrowded with people everywhere. Photography is hard to accomplish because people are always in your shot. And there are always lines to do things, whether it’s for food or for activities. Oh, and then there is always traffic on smaller roads that lead to cool places.

Because I knew that Maui was a well sought-after and popular travel destination no matter what the world is experiencing or what travel conditions are, especially when weather conditions on the mainland leave you with something to be desired, I was afraid that flying to Maui during a pandemic would lead to crazy crowds of people coming from all over the U.S. to escape the same things I wanted to escape. But surprisingly and fortunately, that wasn’t entirely the case for us. Sure, a couple parts of the trip, like the Road to Hana, were super crowded and less enjoyable. But for the most part, we were lucky enough to avoid dealing with too many overly crowded beaches and tourist destinations during our time on the island. Maybe that was just the result of us being lucky enough to travel during the pandemic while the surge was calming down (even though it was Spring Break for some when we went) and before the vaccinated (and not vaccinated) spring and summer crowds reemerge in Hawaii. Or maybe it was because we chose to do some pretty time-intensive, energy draining activities, like hiking at Haleakala Crater and driving all the way up to the Olivine Pools, activities that vacationing people might avoid because it was way easier and more relaxing to sit or chill by the pool or on the beach in the typical Hawaiian vacation fashion. Either way, I’m glad we didn’t have to feel overly claustrophobic during our time in Maui. Thank goodness.

In closing, Maui was a fun and much needed break from life. It was a beautiful destination that I had been holding off from visiting for some time given the ease of visiting there from Los Angeles and given my desire to see foreign countries first. But with the pandemic travel limitations, it ended up being the perfect place to get away and do something different for a week. Hiking. Swimming. Snorkeling. Photography. Eating. I had an opportunity to do it all in our short time on Maui. It was a fun getaway to temporarily quench our travel thirst until we quickly long for traveling again. It’ll probably be a bit before we travel to Hawaii again (because of our long running list of global destinations to hit up and the USD price tag that accompanies any Hawaii trip) but I’m sure we’ll visit Hawaii, whether Maui or another beautiful island, again sometime in the far future.

With that, aloha and mahalo, Maui! Until our next pandemic/post-pandemic escape!

Trip Superlatives

Best Breakfast/Brunch Spots:

1. Down The Hatch in Lahaina

2. The Gazebo in Napili Bay

3. Baked on Maui in Haiku

Best Lunch Spots:

1. Down The Hatch Happy Hour in Lahaina

2. Flatbread Company in Paia

3. Kihei Caffe in Kihei

Best Dinner Spots:

1. Coconut’s Fish Cafe in Kihei

2. Lahaina Fish Company in Lahaina

3. Paia Fish Market in Lahaina

Best Sweets/Desserts:

1. Mango, Orange, and Guava Ululani’s Gourmet Shaved Ice

2. Original Banana Bread at Aunty Sandy’s Famous Banana Bread

3. Apple Crumble Pie at Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie

Most Photographic Landscapes:

1. Pa’ako “Secret Cove” Beach at Sunset

2. Sunset Views from Ka’anapali Beach

3. The Afternoon Colors of Haleakala Crater

4. Sunrise and Sunset at Haleakala Crater

5. The Olivine Pools and the Surrounding Landscape

Most Fun Experiences:

1. Jumping Off a Ledge into a Waterfall Plunge Pool

2. Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Kapalua Bay

3. Viewing Sunrise and Sunset Above the Clouds at Haleakala Summit

4. Hiking the Sliding Sands Trail at Haleakala National Park

5. Chasing the Sunsets of Maui

Favorite Maui Beaches:

1. Pa’ako “Secret Cove” Beach

2. Ka’anapali Beach

3. Kapalua Bay Beach

4. Makena Beach

5. Kahekili Beach

Best Beach Sunset Views On This Trip:

1. From Ka’anapali Beach

2. From Pa’ako “Secret Cove” Beach

September 22nd, 2020

Day 9: The Rainy Road Back to Anchorage

Today was Cynthia’s day. After conquering her most difficult and strenuous hike ever, I promised her that we could do whatever she wanted to do today. So, after we cleaned up the cabin, packed the car, and checked out of our cabin, our first stop was Resurrection Art Coffee House, a cool, trendy, and cozy coffee shop located inside of an old church right off the main road in Seward. Cynthia had found this place online prior to our arrival in Seward and yesterday, while driving around looking for breakfast, we briefly stopped by before deciding on getting food at Safeway. But today, we actually dropped in and hung out in the coffee shop for a couple of hours. 

Lounging in Resurrection Art Coffee House was actually quite nice! Not only was the vibe pretty neat with its inside aesthetics, big space, and the artwork laid out all around the shop, but the pastries and drinks there were delicious too! While Cynthia ordered, I looked around for a seat and luckily found some soon-to-be-open couches next to a large window upstairs that people were about to vacate. It was the perfect place to sit and chill as we ate our super delicious and flavorful blackberry rose vanilla scone and sipped on some hot London Fog. Oh, what a nice, chill, lazy morning. I can see why Cynthia decided to do this after a long day of hiking. Much needed and highly approved.

After we lounged for an hour or two, we decided that it was finally time to move on with the day given that it was already the early afternoon. We drove through Seward and toward Lowell Point because it was an area that I had marked on my map to check out. Originally, the plan was for us to check out the tide pools there but because of how horrible the weather was, we just drove out there to see the area before driving back into Seward. We also tried to see if there was a short walk or hike we could do while there but given how far the hike started from the parking lot and the fact that the weather was crappy and we didn’t pay for parking, we decided not to go for it and just turned around. 

Before leaving Seward for good, we stopped by the downtown one last time to actually stop by and look at some stores during their operating hours instead of after they had closed. We went into a couple of stores and looked around at the different gifts and merchandise they were selling. One store that I really enjoyed going into was The Ranting Raven Gallery, not because the artwork on display and on sale was that cool or anything; rather, it was because the store owner was very nice and we had a great and very informative conversation about the current state of Alaska and everything going on in the state. I always enjoy the opportunities I get to chat with locals and learn about their world from their perspective as I know that most things they enlighten me with are topics that I never would have learned about elsewhere when traveling or when at home. 

After stopping by The Ranting Raven Gallery, we stopped in a few more stores before hitting the road back toward Anchorage. On the way back, we briefly visited Moose Pass, a very small town right off the main highway. It was pretty small and there weren’t too many things to see there. However, what I did end up doing in Moose Pass was walking to the edge of town toward the water where I had previously caught a glimpse of a parked float plane. I walked over, looked at it from a distance, and took a few photos before making my way back to the car. 

Once we left Moose Pass, we drove on toward a small town called Hope, located at the end of a highway that branched off from the main highway. My first task once we got to Hope was to watch some of the Lakers-Nuggets Game 3 since there was cell signal in the area. I watched the game until halftime or so (they were playing pretty poorly, so I got disheartened) before stepping out of the car to explore Main Street in Hope. The old-looking buildings along Main Street seemed like they were preserved from a distant era of time and looked pretty cool. So I walked along the street both looking and appreciating the historic buildings around me. Because there wasn’t much else to see in Hope besides Main Street, I went back to the car, where Cynthia ended up staying, to start the real drive back to Anchorage. 

Because there were some very dynamic cloudy scenes on the way back, I took a couple of opportunities to get out of the car again to snap some quick photos before booking it back to Anchorage because it was getting darker quickly. During this drive, the rain started to come down again and continued until we were essentially back in Anchorage. It was one of the rainier drives we’ve had this entire trip. Once we had arrived back in Anchorage, we stopped by Spenard Roadhouse for dinner before dropping off our car at Enterprise. At Spenard, we ordered their Baby Back Ribs and Korean Tofu Rice Bowl. The food was great and we really enjoyed what we ordered. And because we had some leftovers (common theme this trip), we were able to take that home to enjoy later. 

The last task of the night was to return the rental car since we didn’t need it for our last day in Alaska. We returned the car and key and then took a Lyft to The Voyager Inn in downtown Anchorage where we checked in for our last night in Alaska. Because it was getting late, we decided to take it easy and rest in our large hotel room rather than do any night explorations, instead holding that off until tomorrow because we had the entire day to explore Anchorage. . 

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. Chugach National Forest is humongous and is the second largest national forest in the country. As you drive through south-central Alaska, you repeatedly see signs for the national forest everywhere! Supposedly, it is larger than the state of New Hampshire (at around 5.4 million acres) and is the furthest north and west of the country’s national forests. Because it is so far north, about 30% of the forest is covered in ice. 

2. Resurrection Bay is a fjord. I love fjords. They look so cool! But are hard to capture on camera...

3. The town of Seward was named after Secretary of State William Seward because he helped with the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. Its population is around 3000 people as of the last census in 2010. Because of the Gulf of Alaska nearby, despite having a subarctic climate, the Seward area has more moderate temperatures than would be expected. And Seward’s economy, as you can guess based on its location, is driven mostly by commercial fishing and seasonal tourism with many businesses closing shop after the summer peak season, just as we saw and experienced.  

4. After talking to a local shop owner in Seward, here is what I learned (from her perspective): Supposedly, the Alaskan governor is a “Trump Wannabe”. Essentially, that meant he was doing a terrible job and making decisions that would likely benefit a certain group of people that didn’t need more benefits and not helping out those people that actually make up the entirety of the state’s population. In one example, the governor supposedly made a decision to dig deep into the Alaskan Permanent Fund Dividend to give too much money to people who didn’t necessarily need it, thus depleting the fund’s money that could otherwise have played a vital role in financing more important tasks and projects like strengthening Alaska’s infrastructure, fixing Alaska’s roads, and funding higher education. 

November 27th, 2019

Day 6: A Lovely, Lazy Day, With A Pinch of Magic

Our sleep last night in our monstrosity of a bed was so comfortable. It was hard to wake up this morning but again, breakfast was calling and we were starting to get hungry. So, we rolled out of bed at the latest possible hour and went down to the dining room for breakfast. This morning, I ordered a Eriska Full Scottish, with pork sausage, Stornoway black pudding, grilled plum tomato, streaky bacon, grilled field mushroom, and a fried egg. Cynthia ordered the 3 Egg Omelette with tomato, ham, and cheese. In addition, we had a basket full of pastries and croissants and a table full of fruit and juice to pick from, as well as tea and coffee to round it out. What a spread! And how delicious it all was! All while sitting next to the large window looking out onto the beautiful lawn sitting under the almost clear, sunny skies. What a great way to start the morning!!!

After a yummy, filling breakfast, we took a short nap before it was time for our next scheduled appointment: the spa. The reason I originally booked Isle of Eriska Hotel for our stay was because it offered the option of a spa treatment. And I knew how much Cynthia loved spas and massages. And the result of the decision was full bliss and happiness. Cynthia and I each had our own masseuses in our own rooms and each went through a very short, not-long-enough 30 minute massage. I ordered Cynthia the Eriska Back, Neck, and Shoulder Massage and ordered myself the Oriental Head Massage. This was my very first spa experience and it was amazingly soothing, relaxing, and amazing. I just lay there and the knots in my shoulders from carrying my backpack were slowly massaged out and my scalp underwent soothing treatment. By the time the session was done, I wasn’t quite ready to get up and get dressed again. I just wanted to stay for just a bit longer. Just a bit longer….

After our massages, with our bodies in a state of relaxation, we went back to the room and took a break before leaving the castle briefly for a walk and some photos. Next up was afternoon tea time by the hotel fireplace. Originally, I booked afternoon tea at The Deck Restaurant in another building on the property but because it was getting chilly and windy outside, we thought it was a better idea to just hang tight by the warm and cozy fireplace. We ordered the Full Afternoon Tea for two, and it came with eight small cakes and deserts (there were essentially four cakes and they gave us two of each type), two bonbons, two scones with jam, clotted cream, and butter, and two pots full of tea, one filled with Splendid Earl Grey Black Tea and the other filled with traditional English Black Tea. We sat and leisurely ate our sweets and drank our teas. Before long, we were extremely full, only finishing about half of the sweets and desserts that they had brought out to us. Knowing our limits, we packed the rest to-go and left to spend the last precious moments on the island enjoying the outdoor scenery before we had to leave for Edinburgh. 

We strolled around the estate and grounds for a little bit and explored the other buildings in the area, making our way slowly out to the waterfront nearby before turning back to the hotel. We then quickly packed up our stuff and checked out, just as the weather started to get a little windier and the skies started getting darker. And once again, we were on the road for a 2 hour and 45 minute drive back to Edinburgh. Luckily, given how rested we were from the lazy, relaxing day at the Isle of Eriska, the drive back wasn’t half bad and before we knew it, we had returned our rental car and Ubered into the city to our night’s stay at The Balmoral, an old school, fancy 5-star hotel in downtown Edinburgh. Once we were checked in, we spent about an hour in our room chilling and snacking before making moves to the last activity I had planned for our engagementmoon: a potions (cocktail brewing) class and experience at The Cauldron, a pop-up bar located less than a mile walk from our hotel. 

We walked through the rain to get to The Cauldron and once we were there, we were greeted by a very energetic witch/staff member who introduced us to the experience we had signed up for and told us the stories behind several magical wands we were to choose from for our potions class. We got acquainted with our table, our potions materials, and our tablemates, John and Lea from Northern Ireland. Then we went to test out our wands and grabbed our drinks from the Wild Beast Menagerie (I got a Vodka-infused cocktail and Cynthia started with a mocktail) before proceeding to the start of our potion making experience. All in all, we brewed two sweet, very weakly alcoholic cocktails (Transfiguration Tonic and Lost Thyme) that weren’t too bad. The experience was fun with all the gadgets we got to use, the actually activity of mixing drinks, and the robes we donned. Also fun was the opportunity to talk and learn more about John and Lea before they headed out. All in all, a fun potions class to begin our last 24 hours in Scotland. 

Before calling it a night, we ended up stopping at McDonald’s near our hotel for a quick bite to eat since all of the other restaurants in the area were closed by the time our potions class was done. Just the right thing to end the night with (Poor Cynthia would disagree with that, haha). Scheduled for tomorrow is a whirlwind tour through Edinburgh before jumping on a plane back to London. Get ready! 

5 Things I Learned Today:

1. To me, Scottish haggis tastes like corned beef hash. Maybe it was just the way that mine was prepared. Not as bad as I thought it’d be. 

2. Today, I learned how soothing and relaxing good massages can be and how good they feel when you are tense and stiff with tight muscles after long hours of traveling and hiking. I didn’t realize it would be this nice! So down for more in the future!

3. The Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa and Island’s main building was called the Big House and was built in 1884. And the island on which the castle hotel now sits was bought by Robin Buchanan-Smith and his wife Sheena in 1973 and over time, it was turned into what it is today: a nice castle-like hotel filled with fabulous experiences. 

4. Real British afternoon tea is a whole meal in and of itself. Especially if you’re choosing the full afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones, cakes, and other desserts along with the tea. How do they do it and still make it to dinner???