Pot Pourri: Bargains Hotels & Lodging Telluride The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Great Travel Deals for Public Radio
Magnificent Mountain Lodge in Telluride
Thank you to all that supported community radio in our recent KOTO fundraising drive! I still need to do my part, however, to raise money for our unique radio station here in Telluride, Colorado. Some of my favorite establishments have made some generous donations to help our cause. In exchange for the pledge amounts listed below, you can snatch up stays in outstanding properties as well as the opportunity to take an exciting train excursion, all at fantastic value.
$250. pledge: Two nights in a one-bedroom condo at the handsome Mountain Lodge in Telluride. Approximate value: $500.-750.
$250. pledge: Two nights in a hotel guestroom at the luxurious Capella in Telluride. Approximate value: $400.-900.
$150. pledge: Two nights at the Rochester Hotel, Durango’s must-see tribute to Western movie making in the Rockies. Approximate value: $320.
$50. pledge: A train ride for two on the Cascade Canyon Winter Train operated by the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Approximate value: $100.
Note that some blackout dates may apply.
I’ll be accepting pledges on a first-come basis through this Web site only. You may write me a note on my Contact Page.
Thank you in advance for supporting my fundraising efforts for KOTO, an NPR station and one of only about a half dozen entirely community sponsored radio stations in the country. KOTO is a Telluride treasure and we now boast an increasing number of listeners on the web at www.koto.org. I’m happy to host Travel Fun, my bimonthly talk radio show on travel there, a chatty program that features interviews with all kinds of exciting guests from the worlds of travel, beauty, fashion and more.
Choo-Chooing Through the Rockies in a Winter Wonderland
Riding the Bus with Greyhound
Greyhound: An American Tradition
Sometimes Amtrak just doesn’t cut it. And since I’ll do just about anything to avoid driving—especially in an area unfamiliar to me—I decided to give good ‘ole Greyhound a whirl. They typically serve more destinations than Amtrak within corridors where plane travel doesn’t make much sense.
I used to take the Greyhound somewhat regularly during my college days and came to tolerate the Boston/Albany route fairly well. That was some time ago needless-to-say but although I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m an intrepid traveler, I am a good sport. So I thought what the heck, Greyhound is a good way to go. At least for this trip that was to take me from downtown D.C. to Virginia Beach, a distance of just over two hundred miles. I didn’t need a car in VB and my return trip was arranged, so I thought I’d heed that famous slogan that says “leave the driving to us.”
Four Corners Podcasts Telluride The Rockies Travel: Four Corners Ken Burns Podcasts Telluride Telluride Festivals The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Ken Burns on America’s National Parks and Telluride
Ken Burns and “National Parks” Producer Dayton Duncan
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been moved to tears every night this week watching Ken Burns’s six-part series, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” on PBS. This work was a labor of love for this master documentarian for some ten years and I think most of America is grateful for it finally being available for all to see. “It is the history of the ideas and the individuals that made this uniquely American thing happen,” Ken told me in a Travel Fun interview I conducted with him early September. “For the first time in history, land was set aside for the people,” he continued.
You may listen to the entire forty-minute interview I conducted with Ken by clicking on the play button here:
Ken also chats about his twenty-year relationship with Telluride. “It’s my lover,” he says. Listen to the podcast to find out why. You’ll also learn more about Ken’s two-decade long relationship with the Telluride Film Festival and why he calls it “the best festival on the planet.”
I was lucky enough to see one of Ken’s films on our National Parks on the big screen at Telluride’s Mountain Film Festival last May. Read about that experience here.
Book Picks
“Ken Burns: The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” at www.shoppbs.org/home. You can buy this must-have tome and the DVD and receive the CD soundtrack for free.
Podcast (bonjour): Play in new window | Download
Art & Culture Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Shopping Spas Travel: Art & Culture Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Shopping Spas Travel
by maribeth
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Mid-Atlantic Discoveries: Baltimore
Historic Fell’s Point
When my boyfriend, Steve, asked me to accompany him to his brother’s wedding on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I didn’t expect that the trip would grow into such a big travel week (actually more like ten days). But I should have known that that would be the case since the travel writer in me itched for new experiences and, of course, it takes more doing than one flight to reach the Outer Banks from Telluride. It’s rare that I can go to a place and just BE; instead I seek to live it fully, gathering all kinds of information along the way, jotting down notes, doing what I can to find the story.
We flew from Denver to Baltimore and since I had never visited this major hub, I decided it was a must-see. It did not disappoint me in the slightest. We stayed our first night together on the east coast at The Admiral Fell Inn, a historic property on Fell’s Point, Baltimore’s original port and Maryland’s first National Historic District. (The area was spared destruction in the late sixties after a grassroots effort prevented construction of a highway plumb through this now happening neighborhood. Can you imagine?)
Once dominated by ship building and commerce, today Fell’s Point is a charming harbor side district characterized by centuries-old buildings, eclectic shops, lively taverns and cobbled streets made from bricks of granite used for ship ballast. Goods once flowed through the wharves and warehouses of Fell’s Point with as many as eighteen shipyards operating in the area, building hundreds of vessels. Many of these structures have recently been converted into fun spaces for people to live and play; others, such as the taverns, have existed for ages.
Hotels & Lodging Travel: Hotels & Lodging The Beach Travel
by maribeth
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Golfing and Much More in Puerto Rican Paradise
Gran Melia Puerto Rican Paradise
How about zipping off to an island Shangri-La where you can enjoy great food and golf? Of course such a trip would involve lots of other activities including relaxing by the pool or beneath a flower-draped pergola, spa going, tennis playing or even participating in a Salsa or Merengue dance class. A good friend, who also happens to be a very discriminating traveler, recently discovered Gran Melia Golf Resort Puerto Rico, a breathtaking and luxurious enclave in Puerto Rico that embraces one of the most gorgeous sites of the Caribbean. The resort’s two 18-hole golf courses are so picturesque that you might find it hard to keep your eye on the ball! Both have been designed by PGA-legend Tom Kite and are located at the hotels’s Trump International Golf Club (Click on that link to see some awesome photos of the courses!) Be sure to ask about their terrific offers valid now through December 22nd (must book by November 30th). The hotel also opens to PR’s largest-lagoon-style pool, a heavenly kingdom lush with flora, perfect for swimmers, golfers and loungers alike.
Gran Melia Golf Resort Puerto Rico, 200 Coco Beach, 787-809-1770, www.gran-melia-puerto-rico.com
One of Many Delightful Bars and Lounges to Enjoy After a Round of Golf
Telluride Travel: Telluride Telluride Festivals Travel
by maribeth
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Sound and Travel
Alanna in Sync with the Sounds of Times Square
Sometimes you just have to turn it off. I had CNN blaring for an hour and a half last night; talking heads and replays of Michael Jackson’s riveting rehearsal at the Staples Center inundated my little apartment for perhaps more than I should have allowed. Then I heard only the quiet sounds of dusk in the mountains: birds tweeting, the din of a trickling mountain ravine, the occasional distant muffled cries of folks enjoying the last moments of a glorious holiday weekend and finally as dark settled in, the fizzy crackling and whistling of a few leftover fireworks.
I love Michael Jackson’s music and am deeply saddened by his passing, but that quiet moment came as a welcome relief. Noise—in all its forms—can be numbing.
I became more tuned in to this reality last week when I interviewed Alanna Kaivalya on Travel Fun. Alanna, a yoga expert, readily admits a life-long obsession with sound and vibrations. When I asked her how she maintains her serenity while traveling, she, of course, focused on the relationship one typically has with noise while away from home. Alanna travels about fifty percent of the time, participating in various yoga workshops and programs around the world, so I figured she was a good person to ask about establishing a calm on the road.
Alanna Striking a Pose in Bali
“The airplane provides a challenging auditory experience,” Alanna stressed right off. She finds the noise of jet engines deafening and the often intrusive in-flight announcements—combined with the comings and goings of other passengers—to be disruptive. I couldn’t agree with her more. For this in particular, she travels with noise-blocking earphones available at Shure.
“If you’re able to choose what you listen to, you can have that be the determinant of your attitude,” Alanna says. She put this belief into practice big-time on a recent trip to India where it was hard to get away from incessant traffic noise and other commotion from the streets. Travel speakers remedied these annoyances greatly and when she tuned into her choice of music from her iPod, the rest seemed to just fade away.
On other occasions, Alanna taps into the natural ambient sound of her environs in an effort to feel more of a connection to the place she’s visiting. On the Big Island of Hawaii, for example, she enjoys sleeping outside so that she can fully embrace the sound and vibration of the magical little frogs native to this destination.
“Be mindful of sounds,” Alanna emphasized. “Take in what you like and block out the rest.” I remembered this as I switched off the rhythmic beat of Michael Jackson’s last performance last night. Balance in everything you do and take in is after all key in life both at home and away.
More Travel Tips from Alanna Kaivalya
-Try to do yoga while traveling. “Studies show that yoga helps combat jet lag,” Alanna adds.
-Create some kind of routine in your place of lodging, something that makes you feel like you’re coming back home even when you’re not.
-Bring along favorite snacks to serve as some kind of touchpoint. A special brand of chocolate is hers.
Alanna will be in Telluride this weekend to participate in the second annual Telluride Yoga Festival. The festival is a great place to get in touch with your inner spirit for novices and advanced yogis alike. There are also many levels of participation from attending guided meditations to yoga dance performances.
“The vibe in Telluride is really sweet and communal and it’s felt throughout the festival,” Alanna says. “The quality of the teachers is excellent. The festival provides a wonderful opportunity to learn from very masterful teachers.”
French Life Paris Podcasts Travel: French Life Paris Podcasts Travel
by maribeth
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Paris and Marrakech in the Springtime
La Tour Eiffel Bien Sur!
Anyone that possesses even a vague interest in France, can’t help thinking about Paris in the springtime. I’ve made it a tradition on Travel Fun to do an April (or Springtime, if I’m a little behind schedule) in Paris program every year.
This year I whisked my listeners off to the French capital with the help of author, Diane Johnson. I’ll confess right off that I’m a huge fan of Diane’s novels, particularly “Le Divorce,” “Le Mariage” and “L’Affaire,” all intricately woven works that explore the cultural differences between Americans and the French with keen insight. A two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and a three-time finalist for the National Book Award, Diane is the best-selling author of fifteen books including her newly released “Lulu in Marrakech.” She divides her time between San Francisco and Paris, a city that has taken center stage in her most recent books.
“Many wonderful books have been written about France,” Diane explained in our interview. “My publisher is always sending me books about France and the French,” she continues. “I’ve noticed a constant theme that involves people dreaming about France as the ideal place.” I’ve found that to be true with so many people over the years as well. Most seem to embrace a romantic vision of France, especially when it comes to Paris. And it seems as though that image is rarely shattered.
To understand this more, I suggest you read Diane’s above mentioned books!
As for “Lulu,” Diane once again shines at spinning a tale that holds you in rapt attention with its people, place and story. She delightfully captures the sights, sounds and smells of this exotic Moroccan land in this novel about a California blond that finds herself living all kinds of adventures—romantic and otherwise—as a spy in an Islamic country. Diane beautifully describes all the subtleties of ex-pats abroad set against a colorful backdrop painted with vivid images of mosques, minarets, souks and the call to prayer.
L’Exotisme du Maroc
Diane lived within this culture for quite some time with her husband, a prominent doctor specializing in tuberculosis research, many years ago. She wrote about many of these experiences in her book, “Natural Opium,” a compilation of travel stores. Diane’s current project delves into even more adventures she had while traveling the world with her husband to faraway lands including Japan and China. Can’t wait to see what that will bring!
When asked about her thoughts on Americans abroad, Diane sounded insightful about her compatriots behavior outside of the U.S. “Americans are more polished and culturally sensitive than they once were,” she said.
I’m sure Diane is partly responsible for this—at least when it comes to France and now in terms of Islam, I thought. She is extraordinarily gifted at helping us understand other cultures, especially the French. And, of course, there’s always that je ne sais quoi, that inexplicable something, that makes many Americans so charmed by France. Especially Paris in the springtime.
Diane Johnson’s Advice to the Traveler to France
“Read a few good books on how to negotiate the trains and other necessary matters in France.”
“Don’t be the loud American. Don’t try to speak French by speaking English louder.”
Click Here to Listen to the Podcast of My Spring 2009 Interview with Diane.
Last Words from Diane
“The mood is good in Paris these days. The restaurants are still full.” We both agreed that food is an essential part of life in Paris.
Book Picks
“Le Divorce”
“Le Mariage”
“L’Affaire”
“Into a Paris Quartier”
“Natural Opium”
and many more by Diane Johnson!
Podcast (bonjourcolorado): Play in new window | Download
Art & Culture Telluride Travel: Art & Culture Ken Burns Nature Telluride Telluride Festivals Travel
by maribeth
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America the Beautiful
Upper Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California
I had been in Aspen most of off-season and didn’t return to Telluride until the tail end of Memorial Day Weekend which also marked the closing of Mountain Film. Fortunately I arrived in time to catch the last film in the six-part series of “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” by renowned documentarian Ken Burns. I was truly captivated.
I knew I’d see magnificent landscapes (which was part of the reason I wanted to see at least one segment on the big screen even though all will be aired on PBS this fall). I didn’t imagine, however, that I’d feel so emotionally connected to this work. Sure spectacular scenery and great vistas can be stirring, but it is largely the people that recount the many stories behind our national parks that moved me to tears. Most of our more than fifty national parks were born out of the efforts of extremely perseverant individuals and small groups of people, hearty, committed souls determined to preserve some of the most extraordinary corners of our country. Few of the parcels came easily and opposition arose from many factions including big business and government.
But as Ken Burns illustrates, our national parks (and national monuments and national forests) embody the spirit of our country. These sites are also where some of our most significant family memories have been forged. There’s a sense of nostalgia and familiarity evoked in both the old and new footage that makes up “The National Parks” and one can’t help considering many of the places featured like old friends even without having actually visited the location.
National parks are an American invention—it’s no wonder this concept of preserving a place has been exported to almost every country on earth. After eight years of considerable neglect and with interest that will surely be spurred by this fascinating documentary, we can only hope that our national parks will experience a surge of renewed interest. “We’re fast approaching the centennial in 2016, “ Ken Burns said at the Tellluride premiere of this great work. “This is a grand opportunity to reach people that haven’t been reached before.”
Biscayne National Park, Florida
The above photos were taken by Quang-Tuan Luong, a passionate photographer that has photographed all fifty-eight of America’s national parks. Quang was also present at Mountain Film with Ken. Be sure to visit his site to appreciate the full breadth of his work—it’s like taking a quick tour through our national parks! You can also purchase his prints online. And guess what? Quang grew up in France. I’ve found that it sometimes takes foreigners—often the French, in fact—to fully appreciate what we have in our own backyard.
