Venice goes digital

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In October I sent 515 images to ScanCafe. I have two three-ring binders of very organized negatives and slide film, mostly of travel from nearly a decade ago that I want to save forever. Honestly? Most of the pictures are complete garbage, and that’s being nice. I can’t believe I took 13 pictures of a cliff side. Come on! Crashing waves aren’t that interesting. But I saved them all, fearful of deleting some sort of memory or place in time that I will never see again.

Of the 515 scans that now sit on my hard drive, the people of Venice, Italy are a favorite when looking back at what I had captured so long ago. The pictures made me realize that I’m not as adventurous with my camera as I used to be because I have developed an adult conscience. I’m too concerned about being nice and not offending and being respectful and not acting like someone who just points their camera at anything.

I have altered my photography because of limitations. Yes, I used to center everything instead of putting a picture into thirds, but I caught a few elements of life of Venice by not knowing the rules. Maybe in 2011 I need to remember to throw the rules out once in awhile.

Winds of New York

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The beauty and the bane of living or working in Manhattan is walking from point A to point B. It  could be a glorious spring day or a frightful winter wasteland. Even on a 50 degree December day, it can feel cold. A Minnesotan who now lives in The Big Apple summed it up best. “In Minneapolis you leave your heated office and take the heated skyway to your heated parking garage. In New York you leave your heated office and go out into the elements.”

The first weekend in December was actually quite nice by New York standards – perfect for roaming if well dressed. Husband and I decided to make a day of walking to Ground Zero. But as we strolled, the temperature (and sun) began to dip.

There is a Starbucks every 50 yards in Midtown. As you move toward more residential areas of lower Manhattan, the coffee shops begin to thin. By the time we reached Washington Square Park we weren’t cold as much as in severe need of a bathroom. Pointing ourselves toward Bleecker Street, we had to find a warm coffee house with a loud espresso machine waiting to greet us. But after passing night clubs and standing-only restaurants, we were desperate and dashed into a white linen cafe.

Two cups of coffee and nearly $10 later, we emerged. It was one of the most expensive pit stops on record.

We pushed forward with our camera backpacks through Soho and TriBeCa to Ground Zero. We viewed the construction site, walked through St. Paul’s Chapel Cemetery across the street, bought a $5 scarf for husband on the street, and turned back toward Midtown.

My face was numb by TriBeCa. But we trudged on, determined to get to Soho. There had to be a Starbucks in Soho.

In the center of Soho we didn’t see a Starbucks or anything that resembled a coffee shop. With no legitimate option for warmth in the middle of the afternoon, we opted for the best option within a few feet of us.

Toad Hall, a bar on a sleepy street in Soho, was dark with rustic English decor and a pool table in back. It was also warm and full of people chatting or reading alone while drinking coffee. Of course! They don’t drink coffee at Starbucks. Too tourist. Too ordinary. The residents of New York were in the bar for their cup o’ Joe.

After thawing in Toad Hall we agreed to keep the walking more tempered. In TriBeCa we tried our luck again, this time at Broome Street Bar, which also had piping hot clear glasses of coffee and cappuccinos. Again, conversation and book reading at the tables. It was never a scene I expected to find there, in the bars off West Broadway, but it feels like a graduation of sorts. After many trips to New York, I know where the locals find the best cheap coffee.

New York iReport

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My goal of live blogging from the streets of New York was abandoned by a patchy 3G signal and less than stellar battery life. I have a future blog in mind from the trip, but until then, here is a delayed report told by my iPhone Hipstamatic app.

NY Luncheonette

The Plaza Hotel

Central Park artists

Central Park Ice Skating Rink

LOVE from NYC

Bill’s Gay Nineties in Midtown East

Brooklyn Bridge and New York skyline

New York Times Square

Hello Kitty!

The lobby of The Pod Hotel

A day of Thanksgiving

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I have many things to be thankful for this year. There has been travel near and far, the love of my dear husband, the gift of learning new things, a load of new friends, and this blog. I have posted stories and pictures, and the response has been humbling. Every comment, every visit, means the world.

Thank you. I am grateful. Now – pass the Jello!

A Hmong Village in Minnesota

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I’m always excited to see a business opened by a community, for a community. Last weekend Hmong Village celebrated its grand opening in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it felt like the Hmong (pronounced “mung”) had finally found home.

If you are not familiar with the Hmong people, here’s a quick history. The Hmong are from southeast Asia. Many were once concentrated in Laos, but they also resided in Vietnam and Thailand. Some are still refugees in their own land, not able to escape the circumstances of war and poverty that exist today.

The Ho Chi Minh trail passed through Laos from North to South Vietnam. The CIA recognized in the early 1960’s that to stop supplies, communications and military from moving south on the trail, they needed gorilla forces in Laos to help American soldiers fight the North Vietnamese. A “secret” army of Laos soldiers fighting on the U.S. side was born. It’s estimated that more than 18,000 Hmong died during the Vietnam conflict.

In December 1975, the United States recognized the Hmong’s contribution to its efforts in Vietnam, and opened its doors to Hmong refugees. Today over 250,000 Hmong live in the U.S., the largest concentration in California, then Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Knowing a tiny faction of this history, I was eager to see what had come of the culture, and what businesses were sprouting inside Hmong Village. Parking on a residential street, I walked one block to an overflowing parking lot outside of the shopping center, and dodged my way between cars to the entrance.

Joyous sensory overload.

Hmong Village is a former warehouse, and still feels like one. What you don’t expect are the types of vendors that provide the sensory overload. There is traditional clothing, shoes, dollar stores, pots, pans and jewelry stalls. There’s a farmers market, a grocery. You can get your hair cut at one of the small stall businesses. One stall offers eyebrow waxing. There’s even an arcade. The most surprising item for sale were DVDs. There are about a dozen DVD movie stalls. It quickly became apparent that the Hmong love Asian movies. Most movie stalls had several TV screens, all playing different films. Families wandering the Village would stop and watch a movie for a few minutes, then move on to the next DVD stall, and start the stop-and-watch process all over again.

What really makes Hmong Village a destination spot is the food. There are 17 restaurants serving piping hot bowls of Pho, curry noodles, roasted chicken leg, sausage and sticky rice and barbecue ribs just to name a few. There are individual tea houses in certain stalls, and bubble tea vendors. There is a bakery as well, serving croissants and miscellaneous French pastries. I believe I saw a vendor with pizza by the slice, but it was untouched.

If you have the opportunity to visit Hmong Village, save the farmers market for last. As you stand among the fruits and vegetables, look at the walls. Hand-painted murals of Laos transport you to the old country. It’s when I really took a moment to look at these murals I realized the Hmong have known America longer than we have known them, and they might just be home in this place. Finally.

This is a terribly brief summary of the Hmong’s historic plight, so I encourage you to read more about the community on Jeff Lindsay’s site. You can also read the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s review of Hmong Village and the Pioneer Press article about the family businesses in Hmong Village.


One of a dozen DVD stores!

Grocery store with a little of everything.

Food made fresh.

The Portland alternative to a Holiday Inn

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When you travel, there always seems to be one experience that brings the entire trip together. Not necessarily an “ah ha” moment when the planets align, but that experience which makes you think, ‘I understand this place.’

There are 100 things I could list about Portland to explain why it’s one of my favorite cities in America,  but it’s a hotel that made me think, I understand this place.

Located just 15 minutes from downtown Portland in Troutdale, Oregon stands McMenamins – Edgefield, a whimsical hotel/resort unlike any lodging facility I’ve ever stayed at.

The McMenamin family has seven hotels throughout Oregon and one in Washington. The concept? Restore old buildings and make them thematically cool. There’s the Kennedy School, a restored elementary school where the guest rooms retain their original chalkboard. There’s the White Eagle, a restored 1905 pub with lodging on the upper level and live music on the main floor every night of the week. But if you are looking for the most unique of the McMenamin hotel concept, McMenamin’s – Edgefield is the grand lady.

Edgefield was originally built as a poor farm and provided food and shelter to the residents for over 70 years. In its next life, Edgefield served as a nursing home and rehabilitation facility until it was abandoned in 1982. The main house and farm buildings began to rot and were vandalized. But thanks to the McMenamin brothers, Portland pub owners who had a vision for an artistic community with lodging rooms, the Edgefield property was saved and began to take shape in the 1990s.

When I arrived at Edgefield, grapevines in the front of the main lodge were the first thing I noticed. Then the playful signs, the 1930s farm houses and gently restored sheds. The guest room husband and I had was located in one of the farm houses, and we shared the house with about six other couples, each having their own private room. Never one to mind a shared bathroom, it was quaint and clean.

So what do you do at a typical resort? Hit the spa? Edgefield has one but I did not partake. Play golf? Yup, there are two par-3 courses. But what most resorts don’t have, Edgefield does. Live concert venue? Check. Movie theater? Check. Brewery? Check. Winery? Check. Restaurants and bars abound like any resort, but only Edgefield has converted the original ice house into psychedelic Grateful Dead bar.

McMenamin’s – Edgefield is a great stopping point for couples or a place to gather friends and hang out for the weekend. You never need to leave the grounds if you don’t want to. But if you stay at Edgefield, I do recommend you try several of Portland’s restaurants, see the sights, visit a few breweries and and check out night scene. When you come back to Edgefield to see a concert, listen to the Irish fiddle player on the lawn or catch a independent movie in the theater you might think, ‘I understand this place.’

The countryside of Ireland

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Fishing boats in Howth

Baaaaaa.

On the road to Trim.

Abandoned cottage.

Roadside Jesus.

Conor Pass, outside of Dingle.

At the bottom of Conor Pass, these horses were leisurely grazing.

 

 

 

Day tripping through Puget Sound

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Thirty-five miles north of Seattle is Mukilteo, a classic coastal town where you can get a latte and buy fish bait in the same cafe. Add a small lighthouse, a decent seafood restaurant called Arnies and the ability to ferry over to Whidbey Island, and you realize you’re at the golden crossroads of Washington State and Puget Sound.

After getting a look at the lighthouse, walking the rocky beach and stopping at Mukilteo Landing for fish and chips, prawns and chips or halibut and chips, go back up the hill to wait in line for the ferry. The line will feel like it’s 10 miles long, but be patient. The line goes quickly and you usually sit in your car no more than 15 minutes.

Once aboard the ferry, go up top for a view of Clinton, the town just three miles across the harbor where you will set foot on Whidbey Island from the ship. You can even grab another latte in the coffee shop onboard if you need a pick-me-up for the drive north. Just don’t expect to linger long. The mother whale ship moves faster than you would think, putting you on land in less than 10 minutes.

When we hit Whidbey Island we cruised through several towns with the destination of Greenbank Farm on our radar. The brochure promised dark red fields of loganberrys and old barns from 1904. What we found were fields out of season and a parking lot full of tourists visiting the wine and cheese shop, and having a piece of pie at the on site cafe. If you need a place to tire your children out, Greenbank has acres of open paths where kids can run. If you are looking for the quiet, natural side of the Pacific Northwest, keep moving.

Driving past yellow hay fields and only-one-stoplight towns, Whidbey Island suddenly felt familiar. While not exact, the landscape had the look and feel of Prince Edward Island, especially from a peak when you could spot the sea in the distance. I wanted to see more.

Past the halfway point of the island we came upon Fort Casey or Camp Casey as it is commonly known today, a restored Army camp built in 1890 to protect the entrance to Puget Sound. Each year Camp Casey hosts a kite flying festival on its expansive grounds, which is now part of Fort Casey State park. In addition to World War II canons and bunkers, Admiralty Head Lighthouse is a sparkling white structure that graces the grounds, guiding ships nearly 20 years prior to Fort Casey’s development.

While Camp Casey and the lighthouse grounds were perfectly lovely on the warm 72 degree day we were there, I couldn’t wait for the Big Kahuna – the place that I wanted to visit the most during this day trip. And we had to get moving because the sun was starting to dip. Car packed back up, windows down, we drove toward Deception Pass.

If you are driving north from Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island and want to see the Deception Pass Bridge, I’ll save you a little pain. Take a left into Deception Pass State Park. We weren’t sure where we would have the best view and got lucky by guessing. Drive down to the beach parking lot, grab your camera and anything else you want to take because once you see this, you won’t want to return for awhile.

Kind of takes your breath away, doesn’t it? I just stood on the beach for about 30 minutes, watching children play and old men fish. The photograph at the top of this post is also from Deception Pass, snapped as the sun was setting. More than a quarter of a mile long, the bridge is even more thrilling once you are driving over it.

Our day was ending and we wound up blowing through Fidalgo Island much too quickly. I can actually see this being a better day trip entrance, driving from Seattle to Fidalgo Island first, and then passing south into Whidbey, strictly for the views of Fidalgo alone.

But this was our day trip, and there were definite missteps. You have to take it as it comes. I’m always looking for the “untouched” in my travels, but I’ve come to realize that is hard to find. There is a gift shop attached to pretty much anything remotely interesting along the way. I have to remind myself of the old adage that it’s about the journey, not the destination. Do I think travelers should see Puget Sound if they have the chance? You betcha. Even with the gift shops and tourists, it’s still a beautiful place, with raw and wonderful views. Make it your own journey.

 

 

The enchantment of Prince Edward Island

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North of Nova Scotia is the enchanted land of Prince Edward Island (PEI), a maritime province of eastern Canada.

I consider PEI enchanting because it’s 114,000 residents are 85 percent Scottish and Irish, most of which still have a distinct brogue. In fact, the sea-kissed hills are almost as green as Ireland. And the undisturbed fishing villages take you back more than 50 years in time.

The inspiration of Lucy Montgomery’s novel series, Anne of Green Gables, is found here on the island. While Anne was a part of Montgomery’s imagination, the house Anne lived in was actually the home of Montgomery’s cousins who lived in Cavendish. Today the home is part of Prince Edward Island National Park, and you can tour the grounds seasonally.

PEI is so narrow, you are never more than 10 minutes from the ocean, even from the center of the island. However, if you are driving to the sea, do not expect signs to help map your route. PEI has the worst road signage I’ve ever encountered, and a co-pilot to navigate the roadways is a must. Review a map to determine which towns you will travel through and even make a checklist, if you can. Road signs only designate what town is ahead. Your map might state you’re on Hwy. 2, but you’ll never see a sign indicating the roadway.

Some other observations of PEI:

  • Do not panic if you come upon a full-service gas station. PEI does not have self-service stations.
  • Expect people to smile the first time they hear you speak. I was told I had an accent – a “TV voice.”
  • Do not expect to find a Starbucks or any coffee shop on the island. If you do find a cafe that serves coffee, skip it. These people are known for their tea, so enjoy as the locals do.

You can cover PEI in a few days, then ferry over to Nova Scotia or drive to New Brunswick. But the enchantment of the land, the sea and the people of PEI stays with you.

Making the old, new

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I’m in the process of having some 35 mm film negatives transferred to digital images. Over the last few days I went through all of my travel images to see what I really wanted to preserve and what could be left for a later day.

The greatest thing about looking at old travel photos is the reality check it provides. In your hands you have proof that 1)  the hairstyle you had was not ‘da bomb’; 2) your Euro fashion attempt was just an American in a scarf; and 3) your travel pictures look just like everyone else’s.

I was mortified at my photos. Boring! I have stood in the center of some majestic, ancient cities, and my pictures make me want to take a nap.

You probably know the remedy – take a look at your subject from a different angle. That theory is harder than you think when you’re standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. You want to take a picture of the whole darn thing. And you should. But then it’s good to play around with angles to see what other lines, shapes and dimensions you can get from your subject.

I’ve pulled a few examples of when I did break the norm just a little bit. As a disclaimer I do realize that at least 1.7 million people also have these “alternative” angles.

First, let’s look at the Louvre Museum in Paris. We know the glass pyramid at the Louvre mixes contemporary in a traditional setting. But how does that feel? I took this picture inside the pyramid to put the modern age in the foreground while blending France’s history in the background. It felt like momma was looking in on what had become of her children over the years.

Next, the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. It’s the most recognized bridge in the city. While this angle isn’t really different (it’s not hard to get this angle, you just have to climb some stairs) it’s still different than the straight on shot that every tourist takes from the bridge opposite of the Ponte Vecchio.

This next picture was taken one early morning in Amsterdam. My photos were starting tolook the same again. Bicycles, coffee shops and canals were filling up my memory card. I needed something a little different – stat. Again, this isn’t the most intriguing picture, but it sums up the quiet Amsterdam neighborhood of Jordaan to me. The reflection has Dutch buildings, a canal and bicycles, just from another point of view.

Finally, this photo was taken in Brussels at night with my point-and-shoot. I had put the digital SLR away for the day and was just enjoying the scene. It was a holiday weekend in Brussels when I was there, so everyone was out. I took this angle for two reasons. The main reason is that I was literally sitting on the ground. People gather in the Grand Place square and just hang out on the cobblestones with a picnic basket or a beer. I also wanted to get the grand spectrum of the buildings, but they are so tall you cannot capture them unless you turn your camera sideways. This is probably one of my favorite things to do now – turn the camera on it’s ear. The scene is kind of interesting, but a different angle and black and white treatment make the lovers walking by more intriguing to my eye.

The moral of the story is sometimes you just need to get up and move around or sit on the ground with a beer. The one thing I do know is that I have a lot of places to revisit so I can get better pictures next time.