TruOrleans -- 3 Stars

We love New Orleans. We especially love the cajun and creole food that goes with the music and the vibe of the city. It's been a long while since we were able to find that taste outside of Louisiana.

But halleluiah. New Orleans has now come to DC. Last week, we went to TruOrleans, a true taste of the bayou brought to us by a native cook, Marcia Johnson. We split two great appetizers -- eggplant fries and crab cake balls. Then for a main course, Paul had the Leland's jambalaya and Katy had the crawfish ettouffe and both were a perfect taste of the Big Easy. And the Sweet Potato pound cake desert? To die for. Throw in Abita beer on draft and this place could be in the French Quarter.

We especially liked the vibe of the place -- it has the feel of a traditional New Orleans down-home restaurant. The chef and the general manager are friendly and were wandering the floor making people feel at home. If it weren't for the fact that the food was amazingly tasty and guaranteed to add pounds to the waistline, we would go there almost every week! As it is, we've found a winner.

A Quiet Friday at the Museums

It was a beautiful day here in Washington yesterday and the streets on Capitol Hill were empty. So we went for a pleasant walk down onto the Mall (where the crowds were much bigger) and stopped in at the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art.

They have a couple of neat exhibits there right now. One is "Warhol's Headlines" -- a fascinating collection of Warhol paintings in which he takes newspaper headlines and turns them into art. His small changes are sometimes amusing and always interesting, but the idea of just copying a newspaper kind of makes you wonder what art really is. Still, he's iconic and it was fun to see so many of his paintings in one place.

A highlight of the visit was the Portuguese tapestries -- a recently restored set of tapestries that recount the conquest of Tangiers in the early 1400s. We'd seen the Bayeux tapestries a few years ago and these were much the same but on a much grander and finer scale (after all they are 300 years later in history!). We could have spent an hour just looking at the 4 of them -- well worth the trip.

And then, surprise! A small room with some more moderns out of the regular collection including some old friends, Monet, Manet and Cezanne. Also a new Mondarian that we hadn't seen before. Quite fun.

We topped the day off with a quick trip to the National Building Museum for their new exhibit on "Unbuilt Washington" -- a collection of drawings and concepts for parts of DC that never got built. A pyramid for the Lincoln Memorial. A Memorial Bridge with medieval towers. An East Capitol street (where we live) with a row of Federal office buildings. Moving the Supreme Court to where National Stadium is now. A real fun walk down "what might have been" lane and well worth the trip.

Add in tapas at Jaleo for dinner and a brisk walk home and what could be a better day?

Makoto -- 4 Stars

We went to Makoto Restaurant the other day with our friends Connie and David. Calling Makoto a "Japanese place" or a "sushi bar" simply doesn't do it justice. What Makoto is, is one of the finest and most enjoyable dining experiences in Washington.

Granted, Makoto is not for everyone. For one thing, the chef really has a set of "rules" that he expects everyone to abide by. They tell the story (one hopes it is apocryphal) of how he once fired a customer and kicked him out for insisting on a sushi preparation the chef was not willing to make. So be prepared -- there are no shoes allowed and no cell phones permitted. And if you order beef, the chef will ONLY make it medium rare -- so don't ask for beef if you like yours cooked all the way through.

On the other hand, if you can put up with the chef and his idiosyncrasy, be prepared for a magical experience. We all chose the 9-course tasting menu (reasonably priced at $60/person -- drinks extra) and it was worth every penny. Over the next 2+ hours we had courses ranging from a tasty mussel broth to tuna sashimi. We had beef sabu and pomegranate with tofu sauce. We had shaved ice with boysenberry, an orange roughy, and avocado with a miso-soy sauce. Each of the dishes was just a small 2-3 bite size portion so you didn't get at all full.

Perhaps the highlight was a single piece of shrimp, wrapped in a tasty black bread, and then deep fried to perfection, sprinkled with a green sea salt/crushed red pepper mix. Yum.

The menu is seasonal -- you won't see this menu ever again. But the next experience will, we expect, be just as good. Go and enjoy (and have some cold sake too!).

Manitou Springs, Colorado

We are out in Colorado for the weekend. On Monday, Paul has a conference at the Broadmoor, so we came out ahead to spend some time up in the mountains with our friends Jim and Dar. We are staying at a great little hotel called "The Cliff House" where we have found good food, fine rooms and truly wonderful service.

Yesterday, we spent the day mostly walking around Manitou Springs. It's a quaint little town with lots of little shops. It tells you everything you need to know that it boasts a Dulcimer shop and a shop specializing in hemp products. Retro-hippie, with chai and mate and crepes everywhere you would look.


In the evening wandered down to Colorado Springs (15 minutes away) to listen to a concert by a group called Gaelic Storm, the specializes in celtic rock. Great fun. The fiddler and the drummer were particularly skilled.

Today we took a slightly different tack. We went for physical activity. We started with a horse back ride through "The Garden of the Gods" (a great red rock area near the Springs) and then we went up the Cog Railway to Pike's Peak. Unfortunately, it was so windy that we couldn't get all the way to the top (80+ mph) but we did go to 12,000 feet before turning around.

Tonight we are going out to dinner with the fellow who will be producing our film. Jim and Paul have participated in the start up of a 501(c)(3) company (Esprit de Corps Productions) that will be making a moving about how communities can help veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Especially on Veterans' day weekend, it is good to remember that more soldiers and sailors and airmen will be returning from these wars than we have had in American society since WWII.

Hiking Lake Waikaremoana -- New Zealand

We spent four days/three nights hiking around Lake Waikaremoana with the NZ company Walking Legends. There were 5 of us on the hike, along with Brad (the bearded guy) who was our guide.

The hike was challenging. In New Zealand, they call them "tramps" and they rated this one as moderate, but by our standards it was pretty hard. I would call it a "scramble" with a very rough track. Lots of tree roots to negotiate and a several sections where we went up and down and up and down and .... When we first heard about it, we sort of thought about this as a "walk around a lake." But it was much more than that.

All of which is not to say that the hike wasn't well worth doing. On the contrary, the trek was through some wonderfully beautiful country, it was well-organized, and we both had a real sense of accomplishment in the doing of it. We are pleased and proud to have done the hard work on this (and we should also note that some of our companions, who were younger than us, didn't find it particularly hard at all!).

The first day was a nice slow hike in from the entry point down to the lake. Waikaremoana means (if we remember correctly) "lake of rippling waters" and on a clear day it certainly deserves the name. The breezes across the lake set up ripples and waves that reflected the sunshine delightfully. The lake itself is located in Te Urewera national park, a rugged area of large mountain ranges. Amusingly, Urewera is Maori for "Burnt Penis" and commemorates an unfortunate event involving a Maori warrior and his camp fire -- one can only imagine.

We ended the first night at a wonderful cabin in the woods, right at the lake's edge. After a robust dinner and a good hard sleep it was off for the second day -- a much harder hike of 18 kilometers (11 miles) all on the same rough track. Still, even with the ups and downs the track was essentially flat near the water and pleasant enough.

The third day's hike proved a different story. Essentially, it was 4 hours of up and nothing but up through a silver beach tree forest with wonderful ferns grown throughout. As if "up" wasn't hard enough, it was raining all day. After a 600 meter climb, we arrived at the third hut soaked to the skin and dog-tired.

But oh what a great afternoon and evening. Soon Brad had a blazing fire going in the iron stove fireplace. We climbed out of the wet clothes and into dry ones and hung the wet ones up on the line above the fire to dry. The dinner was a simple chicken, vegetable stir-fry but it tasted fantastic. The only thing missing was the promised view of the lake -- the rain clouds set in and just covered the sky.

On the next morning, we took a group photo during a brief clear moment (that's it at the top) and then headed down, down, down to the waiting bus. It was dry this time around, but as always the stress of down on the knees is almost as challenging as the stress of up is on the quads. But we made it ... and at the bottom, Rob (the owner of Walking Legends) had waiting for us grilled sausage with onions and a beer. Honestly, we both thought it was probably the best meal we'd had in a long time -- nothing tastes better than a beer to wash down a hard physical effort and success.

We really can't say enough about Brad, our guide, and the Walking Legends team. The entire trek was well organized and put together, the people were friendly, and the scenery (despite the rain) was just magical. We are glad we got to see New Zealand in this special way.

Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef

We came to Cairns (oddly enough pronounced Cans -- nobody can tell us why) for one reason -- t0 spend a day on the Great Barrier Reef. We did that yesterday and it was good fun. We took a small cruise ship out to Michaelmas Cay for the day and did some snorkeling on the reef. To prove it we even have this photo.

In some ways the Reef is alot like any other reef -- we saw plenty of coral and lots of interesting wildlife. One of the most notable things we saw was a "cleaning station" where the fish line up to have the cleaner fish remove the parasites from their gills. Along with some pretty big clams and schools of parrot and rainbow fish we were pretty impressed.

But in an odd way the Reef is hard to appreciate. Its greatest feature is its sheer size -- the reef runs more than 2000 kilometers from end to end. But you can't really see that or experience it when you swim the reef. The little piece we saw was perhaps a bit more well-populated than reefs we've seen in the Caribbean or the Indian Ocean, but it didn't scream "I'm unique." We wonder how to capture that uniqueness in size and scope in a single day.

Today, we took another side trip to Fitzroy Island, a local beach. We spent the day just lying about and swimming trying to get a short break before the long flight home. We ended the day with a superb Balinese Risttaffel -- a tasting course in Balinese food -- at a local restaurant. It was definitely worth the time and not something we're likely to experience anywhere else.

And so, the trip draws to an end. Tomorrow, we start home with a 3 hour hop to Sydney. After an overnight in Sydney on Sunday we leave for home. 14 hours to LA and then 5 hours to DC. It'll be a long day. We've had a great time, but we are looking forward to sleeping in our own bed.

Adelaide and the Yoda of Wine

We spent two days in Adelaide, which is a quiet city near some of Australia's best wine country. To start with let us commend the hotel -- the Sebel Playford. It was really a wonderful gem of a hotel to stay at. The staff were friendly and helpful, the breakfast buffet was sumptuous, it was centrally located, and they gave us a nice upgrade to a better room. Who could ask for anything more?

Adelaide itself is set out on a grid. The northernmost street is North Terrace. No points for guessing what the East, West, and South-most streets are called. Notably, however, on the outside of the 4 terraces it is all parkland -- so the city sits neatly inside a protected green space. Makes it a small, but pleasant place.

On the first day we went walking (despite the poor weather) and had some fun at a couple of the museums. We saw some good Australian art (both native and settler) at the South Australia art gallery and a fine exhibit on Aboriginal culture at the South Australia natural history museum. The day ended with a pleasant dinner in the parklands overlooking a lake, where Katy had barramundi and Paul ate kangaroo for the first time.

But the highlight of the time in Adelaide was, of course, the wine country. On the second day we went to the McLaren Vale. There are some fantastic boutique wineries there. So much so that we bought 3 bottles for suit case imports to the States from Kay Brothers, Samuel's Gorge and Perritinga.

But the highlight of the trip, sure, was our lunch at the d'Arenberg winery. Besides the fact that the food was quite good and the tasting flight of their best wines a great accompaniment, the bonus attraction was the man at the next table -- Barry d'Arenberg, third-generation wine maker. We actually had met him 8 years ago when he came to DC and hosted a wine tasting at Blackie's House of Beef, that we remember as one of the best wine tastings we've ever gone to. And there he was at the table next to us. He's retired now and his son Chester runs the business -- but he is still on site. We sort of think of him as a "Yoda" of wine making -- you can almost hear him saying "trust the grapes Luke" or something like that -- because they make really, really good wine there!

And so, we told him how much we liked his wine and asked him to take a picture with us, which he graciously did. Later, as we left, we saw him tooling around on a tractor cutting the grass -- a real "regular" guy. Since going to d'Arenberg was one of the plans for the day, meeting Barry just put a cherry on top!

Rotorua

We will double back to talk about our "tramp" around Lake Waikaremoana (which deserves a good long post) and skip over for a short post about our day in Rotorua. It was, as Katy says, "quainter than it seems." Indeed, it seemed like a small slice of yesteryear in the middle of this century.

We were able to get a better sense of the city thanks to our new friends, Paul and Jos, who picked us up at the hotel for a short tour. After a quick cup of coffee we went driving around. Down by the old bathhouse (which is now a museum) we saw people playing lawn bowling and croquet -- the croquet was actually wonderful to see with the players all wearing red jumpers and sun hats and sitting in little shaded huts while the other team played. All like a picture post card from the 1900s.

The tour continued with a trip around the lakeside (Rotorua's lake is a sulfur hot spring) where the scenery was delightful -- down to and including the lakeside Anglican church with the window looking over the lake. If you knelt in prayer, the window was precisely positioned so that the stained glass Jesus figure was walking on water. Another highlight was the local park where it was "Fairy Day" with dozens of little (and not so little) girl running around with fairy wings on.

After we left Paul and Jos (1000 thanks guys for a great visit) we went into the Polynesian Spa to sit in the sulfur hot tubs and have a much needed massage (after the long 4-day hike boy was it needed).

We finished the day with another great museum -- the new Maori wing of the Rotorua museum was a fantastic introduction to the Maori culture and well worth the time we spent. Between that one and the Te Papa in Wellington, we can definitely say that the New Zealanders have a lot of great ideas about how to make a native culture come alive -- in fact, we only wish that the American Indian museum in DC were as good!

From Rotorua, we left New Zealand behind. It was a long, three-legged hop but we are back in Australia now, in Adelaide, and looking forward to the last leg of our adventure.

Flying to Rotorua -- NSEA

Even though all pigs are created equal, some are less equal than others. So, too, with excellent adventures -- some are less excellent. And so we've created a new category for these -- the "Not-So-Excellent Adventure" or "NSEA." Today we report on our first of these, the flight to Rotorua.

We left Queenstown last Tuesday without too much trouble -- just a short delay into Wellington. That's when the "fun" started. Our flight to Rotarua was delayed on takeoff for more than an hour. When we finally left, the ride was quite bumpy, but we were content to be on the way (especially since our big hike around Lake Waikaremoana began the next morning at 8 AM).

Sadly, a prompt arrival was not in the cards. Weather in Rotorua stank. Our pilot tried TWICE to land (full flaps, gear down, etc.) but both times he couldn't see the runway and so we powered up and went around. Eventually, we were diverted to Hamilton where we landed 3 hours late at 7 PM. Of course, the airport was closed so there was no food. Dinner was two tins of tuna fish bought from a vending machine. The bus to Rotorua took about an hour to get organized and then we endured the rain-soaked 2 hour bus ride to the airport and a taxi (thank god there was a taxi there!) from the airport to our hotel.

Instead of arriving, as planned at 5 PM with a leisurely evening to pack up our bags for the hike and put the rest of our gear in storage, we got to the hotel at 10:30 PM. We hurriedly tried to repack for the hike (hoping we didn't forget anything) and had a horrid late night "dinner" from room service. We finally got to bed at 12:30 AM, with the alarm set for 6:30 AM for a wake up to begin a 4-day hike.

This truly qualifies as an NSEA -- but we just have to roll with the punches. Onward.

Milford Sound -- FAIL

Oh well. So much for the perfect vacation. We had been planning to go to Milford Sound yesterday. It is said to be a spectacular glacial fjord that you can cruise in with rocky peaks, and clear waters. [We did NOT take this picture but it should give you an idea of what we missed.]

There are two ways to get to Milford from Queenstown -- a 13 hour round trip bus ride or a 30 minute each way flight. We opted to fly but, unfortunately, the weather was not good -- too windy -- and the flight was cancelled. We might have made it on the bus, but ... we hadn't chosen that option.

There are worse things of course than being stuck in Queenstown. We went for a long walk along the lake and then went out wine tasting. Found some truly stunning wines at Peregrine Winery and actually bought some for shipment back to the States. Ask us for a taste when they arrive and you'll see what we mean. We also tried to go watch someone bungy jumping -- but unfortunately nobody was brave enough/stupid enough to do it while we were there, so all we saw was this deep, fear-inducing gorge.

And so, our trip on the South Island ends today. We fly north to Rotarua and tomorrow morning we begin a 4-day hike around Lake Waikaremoana. Should be fun, though they say it is raining up north today. In any event, we will be "off the grid" until Friday afternoon NZ time and there won't be any more blogs until then.

Spectacular!

That's really the only word to describe the west coast of New Zealand. We began in the north, in a forest with palm trees. Wandering south we have, variously: hiked to see seals playing on the rocks; watch western swells crash against the shore; seen a sunset; walked the beaches looking for jade; and kayaked on a sea-side lagoon in a double kayak looking for birds.

If that were all we had done that would be more than enough, but that was just yesterday. Today we took a helicopter ride up and around Mt. Cook (New Zealand's highest mountain) and landed on the Fox Glacier. We went to a salmon farm and had fresh caught salmon sashimi. We tried our hand at an amazingly hard maze. And we finished off watching the sun set again -- this time over amazing Lake Wanaka -- a 40 km long freshwater glacial lake that is absolutely stunning.

In many ways New Zealand is like the mountain West of the US -- but in most ways it is simply unique.

West Coast New Zealand

Today we began our drive down the west coast of New Zealand. It's amazing country -- rugged and windswept. We saw seals lazing on the rocks and watched water surge into the tidal pools creating spray and rainbows galore.

This evening we stopped at the Rocks Homestay in Punakaiki. Far and away the best place we've been -- a small eco-friendly home run by two Swiss expats, it comes with a home cooked dinner, breakfast tomorrow and a great room with the most magnificent view for miles around.

Here is a taste of sunset in Punakaiki:

Nelson -- Food, Wine, Art and .... Rugby

We've been in Nelson for 3 days now and it is a wonderful place. On the north edge of New Zealand's south island it is said to be the sunshine capital of the country-- and on our experience we would agree. The weather has been delightful during the days -- sunny and spring like -- with very cold nights.

Nelson is the type of place you want to go to if you enjoy food. We had 2 absolutely wonderful dinners at Hopgoods and the Boat Shed. Fresh fish, good wine ... yum.

On Monday we toured the wine country in Marlborough. It's a good thing they can't ship most of their wines to the US or we would have spent alot of money. As it is we bought a bottle to take with us on our travels! Today (Tuesday) we went art shopping -- the highlight was meeting Mike Ward, Green politician, Nelson mayoral candidate, artist, jewelery maker and utter character. It tells you everything you need to know about what sort of man he is that when Katy admired a small pen drawing he had done, he simply gave it to us as a gift.

There was also street craft fare with music today. Those guys up at the top of the post are the Ukes of Hazard -- and exactly like it sounds they played country music on their ukeleles! Weird but interesting.

Tonight was the US v. Italy game. The US lost 27-10, which in some sense is a strong game for us. But in the end we need to start winning those sorts of games. From here, it is onward - south down the west coast for the next 5 days ...the rugby is over and now the grand adventure really begins.

Katy's New Boyfriend

For those who are worried that our marriage might be on the rocks, new evidence emerges!

USA v. Australia and More Wellington

Well .... let's just say it was fun go to the match. The atmosphere was, really, quite different from any US sporting event we've ever been to, though it reminded us of college football -- with everyone wearing colors and painting their faces etc. It certainly was a party.

Unfortunately, the Eagles chose a second side to play mighty Australia. We understand the logic -- they were resting the first side for Tuesday's match against Italy whom we have a better chance of beating -- but it made for a lopsided match. At home we might have turned it off. Since we will go to Nelson for the next match, we only hope the plans work out!

Yesterday was a relaxing day -- we went off to the Weta Cave (where they made Lord of the Rings) to see how they do their magic and then had a wonderful dinner courtesy of Kevin Eager and his partner Val, with a couple of their Kiwi friends. Val made a wonderful lamb (of course -- it's New Zealand!) and then we watched the All Blacks v. France. It was grand to catch up with old friends from the DC area, but alas the dinner was all too short.

On to Nelson now ...

Wellington

Our second stop was Wellington. The city seems very livable. We are staying at a B&B close to downtown and the area down here is very walkable. We've put on alot of miles already this trip.

Wellington is not really a tourist city -- it is the seat of government and seems to be generally a working city (though there are alot of tourists here right now for the World Cup).

One highlight of the city is the national museum Te Papa. It's primary focus is on the maori culture but it also captures alot of natural history and the history of the English settlement. Housing, as well, the national art collection, it seems like a Smithsonian type of museum. It is extremely well done -- a new building right on the water, with very good interactive exhibits that draw you in.

Katy also saw the national portrait gallery -- a new collection. Right now, however, it contains only portraits of rugby players (in honor of the world cup) so it is hard to say what the full collection looks like.

Last night we had dinner with an old friend from the US -- Mark Binning -- who is doing well and seems happy picking grapes in his retirement. We went out to dinner with him and had a wonderful bottle of NZ pinot -- looking forward to wine country next week.

And today, we went up to the top of the nearby mountain for a view of the harbor and a walk in the NZ botanical garden. Good, interesting plant life on what was truly a beautiful day (high around 60).

On the whole we like this place though we have to say -- with apologies to our NZ friends -- that the government offices (known as the Beehive) are equal to some of Washington DC's truly modest office buildings.

Tonight we go to the rugby match -- US v. Australia. Katy is already "rugby-ed out" but like a trooper is marching on. Sadly, we aren't likely to win the match. But it should be lots of fun seeing something we haven't seen before.

Sydney

Well, we made it! After 5 hours to LA; an 8 hour layover; and then a 15 hour flight, we are in Sydney. As evidence thereof, we offer this photo, with Katy in front of the iconic Opera House. See ... we really are here.

Our day was mostly spent trying hard to get acclimated to the time zone change. We arrived at 6 AM and had our bags and were through customs by 6:30 AM. If only Dulles were that efficient! So that put us at the bed and breakfast at 7 AM -- which was, of course, way too early to get into our rooms.

So after dropping our bags at the B&B (which is in "The Rocks" the oldest part of Sydney and within steps of the harbor) we went for a walk into downtown Sydney to see the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge (yes, that's how the spell it here) and took a nice long walk in the Royal Botanical Gardens. The trees and birds and flowers etc. are all totally different in Australia. Iris, Fruit Bats, Cockatiels and Parrots ... oh my!

After a pit stop back at the B&B (where our room has a view of the Opera House) we went back out to take a ferry ride in Sydney harbor to the beach town of Manly. Its too cold still to go swimming but we were struck by how much the Australians love the beach -- a bunch of school girls were there sitting around in their school uniforms chatting and a few even went in (and came out shivering). On the way home the sun setting behind the bridge made a beautiful silhouette.

On the whole we walked many miles in an effort to stay awake -- successfully.

Then early to bed ... it was a long day.

On our Way ....

Well ... we are on our way. We left DC this morning and we are now at the LAX airport on a layover waiting for the flight to Sydney. We had 7+ hours here in LA, so instead of hanging around the airport we grabbed a cab and headed for the beach -- Manhattan Beach to be specific. It's only about 15 minutes away but, as you can see, it might as well be on a separate planet. On a beautiful clear day with a stiff breeze from the ocean, the beach was not too crowded, but the beach volleyball was in full swing.

Manhattan Beach is a pleasant beach-side town with a steep hill down to the water. After a walk along the boardwalk and out to the pier, we had a meal at Cafe Pierre where they had a great heirloom tomato salad and a nice cheese tray. It was a quiet start to the trip.

And now it is on to Sydney. For those at home following along, the itinerary looks something like this:

3 days in Sydney getting acclimated and enjoying the Opera House view

3 days in Wellington (capital of New Zealand at the south end of the northern island) meeting old friends and watching the US play Australia in the Rugby World Cup

3 days in Nelson (confusingly on the north end of the south island!), trying out the near by wine country and art, and watching the US v. Italy match

6 days driving south from Nelson to Queenstown with stops along the way down the West Coast of the south island of New Zealand. The highlight will be the helicopter ride onto Franz Josef glacier (unless we go crazy and try bungee jumping in Queenstown .... NOT!)

5 days in Rotarua (back on the north island again), including a 4 day hike up into the nearby mountains (max altitude only 3000 feet this time around)

3 days in Adelaide Australia, trying wine from the McLaren Vale

and finally, 3 days, in Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef for some sun and fun and a visit to the coral reefs.

After that its back to Sydney to get our flight home. Should be exciting and exhausting.

Off to New Zealand ....

And so, another adventure begins. This Saturday we leave for Australia and New Zealand (land of the Long White Cloud) for a month long vacation.

The core of the vacation is the Rugby World Cup -- a quadrennial event being hosted this year in New Zealand. Paul is a big rugby fan, and Katy has graciously consented to attend two games.

But since we will be gone for 29 days, there will be lots else to do. We start in Sydney for a quick visit, then over to Wellington for some culture; Nelson for rugby and wine tasting; followed by a 6 day drive down the west coast of the South Island, ending in Queenstown. After that we hop to the North Island and Rotarua, where we will spend 4 days hiking (the NZ folk call it "tramping") in Maori country, before flying back to Australia. There we will hit Adelaide (again for the wine) and make a stop in Cairns to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef. Should be exciting!

Adventures in Wisconsin

Typically, our family gathers every summer for a vacation. Usually we go to the beach -- it's a good thing we didn't this year as our normal schedule would have had us trying to go to Hatteras just around the time that Hurricane Irene hit. That would have been a wipe-out for sure.

So, to our good fortune, we didn't go to the beach this year. Instead, we took advantage of the fact that we were spending 6 months in Chicago to go up to Door County, Wisconsin -- to the little 1-street village of Fish Creek. We we joined this year by Paul & Natalia and their two girls, along with Mike & Debbie and their four boys. Brother John Blenner and his son Jeff made it up for 1/2 the week too, so it was quite a pleasant gathering.

We arrived on a Saturday and stayed in a set of condos at one end of the village (Paul & Natalia were at the other end in a hotel known as the White Gull). The rooms were pleasant with a small pool out back for everyone to swim in. The biggest flaw was that there was no flat ground -- hence our family obsession with the game of Core Hole (a/k/a "Bags") was somewhat frustrated. It is hard to throw on a hill!

That having been said, Fish Creek had much to offer. On various days we did a long 12-mile hike into the Peninsula State Park and an equally long (though somewhat less grueling) bike ride on the trail. Other grand activities included a day at the beach (where Paul, Debbie and grandson Aaron went sailing) and a day playing golf (for those who like that).

By far the highlight of the week (much of which was devoted to the arduous practice of laying about and talking) was the sunset. Fish Creek is known for its western facing beach across Lake Michigan and every evening crowds would gather to watch the sun go down into the lake. On clear days it was a beautiful sight to behold and well worth the trip.

The other highlight of the week was the food -- particularly that at the White Gull. One evening we went for a traditional Fish Boil, a cooking experience that is a pyrotechnic delight. To be honest we expected the fish served to be bland -- but it was far from that. The method of cooking created quite a firm, yet tender piece of fish meat that we just loved. Add in fresh cherry pie (Door County is known for its cherries) and the meal was great.

Equally good, if not better, was the breakfast at the white gull. Great muffins, wonderful coffee, good eggs and bacon. If breakfast is the favorite meal, this was a favorite place to have it.

Of course, the real highlights are just being together with family. Perhaps next time we can go in winter and see what it is like to do cross-country skiing.

Travels with Josh -- Venice

And so, we went on to Venice which was, surprisingly, the star of the trip. Neither Katy nor Josh had been before and the last time Paul went he founded crowded and confusing.

This time around it was all different. The crowds were still there on the Grand Canal and San Marco was filled with people (and unsightly advertising) but we went off the beaten path and wandered some of the back alleys and walks of Venice away from the maddening crowds. Far from San Marco we stopped in a small coffee shop peopled only by the locals. We successfully found a couple of restaurants off the beaten path, where the fresh fish was plentiful (Josh tried some more calamari) and the prices were not exorbitant.

To be sure, we didn't avoid "tourist Venice" altogether. But we did it in a way that was still part of the local culture. The first evening we were there we took a vaporetto bus the length of the Grand Canal to see the sights. It was crowded, but instead of tourists many of the people were working men and women on their way home. To emphasize the point, the boat-bus continued around the eastern half of Venice by the port before we got back to our hotel near San Marco.

To end the trip we did another "local" thing and too the vaporetto boat-bus to Lido, the barrier island. We went walking down the main street to the public beach where we joined mostly local Italians to enjoy a quiet day in the sun. We rented two lounges and an umbrella, while Josh built sandcastles.

And so the trip ended ... we headed home the next day, tired but happy, with memories for everyone.

Travels with Josh -- Pisa

We had never been to Pisa before. It was worth the trip.

Our adventure began at the Florence train station. For this trip we had not booked ahead, so we were on our own negotiating the purchase of tickets, finding our train, etc. It's always a small victory when you do that successfully in a foreign country where you don't know the language that well. One of the things we learned on this trip is that we prefer to go around by ourselves -- fewer guides, less planning, etc. More just "finding our way" wherever we want. That's part of why we particularly enjoyed the trip to Pisa.

Pisa is a small gem. We had a pleasant walk down to the main area where the Leaning Tower is. And, yes, it really leans alot. Frankly, when we went up the two grandparents were too afraid to finish the climb. We waited for Josh just below the top. Fortunately, there was a Danish family we climbed with and they looked after him to make sure he didn't fall off. But Josh loved it -- he came down pretty much screaming the word "awesome" to anyone who would listen.

We also enjoyed stopping in at the nearby bapistry which has perfect acoustics. We stayed around a bit until one of the guides came in and sang. It was stunning. The sounds echoed for so long and so well, that he was able to actually sing a three-part harmony with himself. Now that was something you don't see often!!

Travels with Josh -- Florence

Then it was on to Florence. That has been one of our favorite cities in Italy, indeed in Europe. We've been there three times now. Strangely, this trip was the most disappointing. Perhaps it is because in the past we've gone during the off season -- once in January and once in March -- while this time it was the height of the tourist season. There was just too much noise, too many people, too much dirt and too much graffiti to make it as much fun as it has been before.

Still, you can never be too unhappy in Florence. It remains a true gem of a city. We started our visit at the Central Market -- the type of food market that Josh had never seen before. We had lunch at the Trattoria Mario near the market -- a wonderful crowded family run restaurant This is a great place to experience typical Florentine dishes in a casual, friendly setting. Then we took a walking tour in Florence. As always the highlight of the day was to see Michaelangelo's David and to see the Duomo in all of its glory. Josh, however, probably preferred the ice cream at Vivoli's, which has always been the best gelato in the world. It was a short time -- but enough to catch the highlights. On to Pisa.

Bistro Bourdeaux -- Evanston, IL -- 3 stars

We had a revelation this evening ... a wonderful meal at Bistro Bordeaux, a French Bistro around the corner from our apartment in Evanston.

We'd been once before and the food was quite good, but tonight was really special. On Saturday's in Evanston, there is a large Farmer's Market, with fresh produce brought in from farms in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. We've been buying our fresh veggies there since it opened (we had some great sweet corn on Saturday). The Bistro does the same thing -- the executivie chef (a magician named Ben Benbow) buys fresh produce and uses it for a prix fixe three course meal with wine parings -- all for the wonderfully modest price of $35/person.

Tonight, we started with a corn mousse, over pickled squash blossoms, and scarlett corn salad. The whole thing was made just right and spice by a saffron cayenne espuma covering and the slightly sweet Dopff au Moulin pinot gris was perfect in accompaniment.

The second course was, however, the true gem! Lobster with braised baby fennel, amaranth, cucumber remoulade, quinoa all covered with a lobster sauce. Usually, lobster is overcooked and "rubbery" but this preparation was as soft as butter. A fine Macon-Charny chardonnay accompanied.

And for dessert ... a brown sugar cake with plums, black berry caviar and a cherry sauce. On a warm night, the Begerac Ch. Haut Santhers rose fit perfectly to finish the evening. All in all, the flavors were inventive and stood out without overwhelming. The ambiance was pleasant and the chef and owner (Pascal) seemed so eager to please that nobody could possibly walk away unhappy. We'll be going back.

Travels with Josh -- Rome

So our second stop was Rome, the Eternal City. Only Paul had been to Rome before and he always loves it. Rome has such passion and exuberance. Though we were there for 3 nights, it really was only two days worth of visit and boy were we overwhelmed.

We started the on Sunday with a trip to St. Peters. Josh, the altar boy, got dressed in his Sunday best for high mass in front of the throne of St. Peter. The mass was Latin, so nobody understood it But the crowd ... my word, there were people from everywhere. Right in front of us were a family wearing shirts proudly proclaiming their pilgrimage from a diocese in Senegal (I think it was). And St. Peter's itself is just magnificent -- did you know that the Statue of Liberty could stand erect under the great dome of the basilica and have room to spare?

After the mass, we went outside and stood in the blazing sun. At Noon, the Pope came to an open window on the top floor of his apartments and conducted a short prayer service. Then he read greetings to all the assembled below, using a half dozen languages. It was actually pretty cool to see him in the flesh.

A quick trip back to the hotel let us change our clothes and then go on to one of Josh's "must see" stops -- the Roman Colosseum. Wow. More than 2000 years old and built to last. Perhaps it was too hot, but we didn't enjoy the ancient Forum quite as much -- it was very much in bad shape and, unlike Pompeii, it was kind of hard to imagine what the place had been like in the ancient past.

Our whole trip was kind of a time-machine journey in a way. We started with ancient Roman culture in Pompeii and Rome and then, we moved on to Medieval and Renaissance times. Our first great experience with the later period was the next day, when we went early (7:30 AM) for a tour of the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. If you EVER are going to the Chapel go at that hour -- when we arrived it was nearly empty we were able to enjoy the view without crowds for a good 1/2 hour. By the time we left the Chapel it was packed to the gills. But oh my -- how beautiful! Paul had seen the Sistine Chapel back in the 80s before it was cleaned. What an amazing difference. What great colors. Strictly speaking we weren't supposed to take pictures, but Paul couldn't resist.

Of course, every trip has to have its moments of "oops" and today was that day. First, Katy and Josh went climbing up to the top of St. Peter's basilica, and Josh dropped his camera over the side. It's a loooooong way down. Bye-bye camera. Then Katy, in her haste, left her Blackberry sitting on the bench as we sat recovering (or so we think). Bye bye blackberry (I couldn't resist that!). So we spent part of the afternoon sitting around trying to figure out what happened. Along the way, we did have a chance to do some other wonderful sightseeing. First at the Spanish steps, and then at the Trevi Fountain -- two of the most beautiful places in the world.

The tradition is that if you throw a coin in the Trevi you will come back to Rome. We told Josh he had to do it and then come back with his wife. He told us that he would bring us with him -- so we both threw coins in as well.

After that, we had dinner the last night at the Divine Sin restaurant, about which we've already written ... and that was the whirlwind Rome tour.

Travels with Josh -- Naples

Well, we've been a little slow about writing up the trip with Josh. So many things to do and so much say that it just seemed like we never got started. But our friend, Sandy, complained when we saw her this past week, so it seems we should do it ... if only for her!

Our trip with Josh started in Naples. We went there mostly because Josh was fascinated with Mt. Vesuvius and the eruption that destroyed Pompeii. Of course, it was also our first taste of Italy generally -- with its pizza and crowded streets and fast talking people. In the end Naples seemed a bit like a place out of time -- a bit of a throwback to a bygone era. We stayed at a wonderful hotel -- the Weekend a Napoli -- where our hosts made us feel at home. Indeed, it was a former home in a quiet residential section of Naples. A bit away from the downtown city center but we recommend it highly.

Our first excursion was to the top of Mt. Vesuvius. Pretty cool place -- you could actually see steam rising from the caldera and smell the sulfur. We had seen something similar when we were in Hawaii, but for Josh this was a new experience.

All of us saw something new the next day when we toured Herculaneum and Pompeii. Herculaneum was something like a suburb town. It wasn't covered in ash, like Pompeii. Instead the people there were all killed by the pyroclastic blast 2 or 3 days after the initial eruption and the buried in a mud slide. As a result, Herculaneum is very well preserved. We saw villas and a community pool. Perhaps one of the coolest things we saw, however, was the first fast food restaurant in history (maybe). Apparently, the Romans would keep food in round pots, set to stand out on the street in a stone and marble container. Busy Romans would stop by to purchase -- soups kept hot or olives kept cold. Pretty cool stuff and amazingly well-preserved.

Pompeii was equally interesting. Far larger than Herculaneum it had a large forum and public baths. The construction of the baths showed how advanced the Romans were, bringing steam heat up through the flooring, with cold running water in the adjacent cold plunge. Pompeii was a port city as well, with the attendant commercial enterprises. We saw an ancient wood-burning stove and, to our slight surprise, the remains of a house of ill-repute. Pompeii was more damaged than Herculaneum, but still the sights were overwhelming. As Katy said, "it was almost as if you could feel the history around you."

After a busy day touring, we hoped a late afternoon train for Rome. Trains in Italy are one of the highlights (lowlights include the crowds and the graffiti) -- all of them were clean and on-time, making transit easy as pie.

Ristorante Divin Peccato -- Rome, Italy -- 3 Stars

Earlier this month we went touring in Italy with our grandson Joshua. This is the first post from that trip and it is about the best restaurant we found in Rome -- Divin Peccato, which means the Divine Sin.

Divin Peccato is a restaurant/wine bar located near the Piazza Rovere on the St. Peter's side of the Tiber, across from the main part of town. It's quieter over there (where we stayed) and less crowded. We were wandering buy during the day and stuck our heads in, and the owner/chef offered us a taste of a wine just for saying hello -- that kind of friendliness sold us, so we made a reservation and went back.

Our hearts warmed further when we walked in and found the music being played was just the kind of jazz we loved -- Miles Davis' Kind of Blue and the like, provided a great background for the dinner. We also rather enjoyed the friendliness of the staff and also their good natured reaction when the incompetent electricity company (who were doing work near by) twice briefly cut the electricity to the restaurant.

But of course the real selling point was the food. We started with a well prepared fish platter with octopus, salmon and squid on it. Not that hard, rubbery squid and octopus we are always familiar with but instead the soft, well-prepared, tasty squid that sucks up the vinegar sauce perfectly. The highlight of the fish platter was a cod with garlic preparation that was "divine." And Josh enjoyed his fresh bruschetta too.

Our main courses were also good (though Josh didn't like his lamb, sadly). Paul had a bifsteak with a sweet balsamic sauce and Katy had the pasta with swordfish -- both simply prepared and well accompanied by the Riflessi wine we were served (a great bottle at just 13 euros). Paul closed out with cheese and we all had a happy evening. It is highly recommended.

Midnight in Paris -- 3 stars

We went to see Woody Allen's movie, "Midnight in Paris" at the Evanston Century cinema last night. I don't know about you, but for myself, I've pretty much given up on Woody Allen. But we wanted a date night out, and this seemed like a plausible choice. We're glad we did -- this was an entertaining and engaging movie.

First, a quick note about the Evanston Century. Why can't more movie theaters be like this. Clean, wide open spaces, big theater seating. Food beyond candy. What's not to like?

As for the movie -- again, what's not to like? [SPOILER ALERT -- stop here if you don't want to know why we liked it.]

This is a highly amusing fantasy set in Paris. Gil (Owen Wilson -- who we thought was a bit too faux cute here) and Inez are in Paris on the eve of their marriage along with Inez's stuffy parents and another couple (including the hilariously pedantic and snooty Paul). Gil is a Hollywood writer who wants to write novels instead and move to Paris. He is unhappy with the present and dreams that he could live in Paris during the 1920s.

And so he does. One evening as the clock strikes midnight, an old car pulls up and he is invited inside. So begins his adventure in the 1920s -- each night meeting new characters. With Gil, we find ourselves seeing an imagined F. Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Ernest Hemingway and many more (including an especially over the top Salvador Dali!).

But most of all, he meets Adrianne -- a model for and lover of Picasso, and falls in love with her. His growing love for her contrasts with the decline of his relationship with Inez, back in 2010. He is increasingly distracted in the "real" world, and finds himself talking to a young woman who sells antique records.

Oddly enough, however, Adrianne doesn't like 1920s Paris -- she'd rather live in the Belle Epoque of the 1890s, which, to her, is better than her present. Sure enough, as they grow closer, Gil and Adrianne find themselves moving further backward to Maxims, where they meet Degas, Gaugain and Lautrec. Adrianne wants to stay, but when Gaugain says that he wishes he could have lived during the Renaissance, Gil realizes that everyone pines for the past, but that the present is where life truly is.

Gil returns to 2010, dumps Inez and resolves to write a novel. In the final scene, he re-meets the antique record seller on a rainy bridge in modern Paris. They walk into the distance with a great clarinet tune playing in the background.

The movie was inventive and intellectually challenging without being too preachy or self-absorbed. It will stay with us for a while and is certainly worth watching.

Ruxbin Kitchen -- 2 1/2 stars

We went to Ruxbin Kitchen last night. It was our second visit to this small, interesting venue. We went the first time earlier this year with our friend Rodger. Last night, we took another friend Lin. We got a chance to taste the new "summer menu" this time so it was a diverse experience.

Ruxbin is located in a down an out area of town just west of the Chicago river on Ashland street. From the outside it actually looks like the restaurant is part of the local architecture -- the sign looks broken and you're surprised to find that there is even a restaurant to go to.

But the trip is worth it. Inside is a very small venue -- only 32 seats -- and they take no reservations. The kitchen, upstairs, is remarkably tiny. But the food they turn out is interesting.

We started with two salads that were a bit disappointing. Lin's pork belly salad had interesting textures and tastes, but she found that the pork belly itself was a bit too fatty. Katy had an apple and plum salad that was a pretty good arugula salad, but had modestly interesting tastes. The star of the appetizers was Paul's dish -- a cured smoked salmon that was garnished with a wonderful cardomon-honey yogurt and some tasty fruit slices.

The entrees were better. Lin had a pork loin -- she thought it was interesting but not as complex as she would have liked. The garnish of chickpeas and grilled peaches was better than the meat itself. Both Paul and Katy had the mussel bake -- with fine Prince Edward mussels in a coconut style broth that included some tasty tomatoes, corn and sausage.

The highlight of the meal was dessert. Katy and Lin shared a berry and shortbread concoction that they said was "intense" and "not cloying." A perfect end to a good meal.

One note: This is a BYOB bistro. We brought along a Goosecross Cellars 2008 Cabernet Franc. It was deep and tannic with a good depth of fruit. We recommend it highly -- so much so that Katy and Paul are members of their wine club.

Qunice in Evanston -- 3 stars

We've been in Evanston for 3 months now, and we had become convinced that there were no truly fine dining experiences in town. Sure, there were some very good ones that we've enjoyed (Koi and Chef's Station come to mind) but nothing upscale with a real sense of food adventure to it. Or so we thought.

Then, we went to Quince the other night. Quince is a small, very quiet little restaurant located in the Homstead Inn. It has maybe a dozen tables at most, with a very relaxed feel to it. We were glad we went.

The food was simply outstanding. Katy started with a spicy lamb ravioli that mixed in a little Serrano ham as well. Paul had a fascinating scallop dish that included yogurt, chorizo, and, of all things, kimchi. You wouldn't have thought either combination worked, but they both did.

For entrees, Katy had a venison that was perfectly cooked and garnished with a tasty eggplant and raisin mixture. Paul had the pork with some coconut sticky rice, papaya and chilies. Yum.

And it got better -- for desert, Katy had the Rhubarb Ravioli (honest -- rhubarb in a ravioli pastry) and Paul had a simple Jelly Roll (simple? Not -- brioche and apricot with coffee ice cream).

But what made the evening most of all was the quiet, competent, thoughtful service. We wanted a glass of prosecco to start. When it turns out that the last bottle had just been bought, we got a nice glass of Gruet Brut from New Mexico (of all places) on the house. We had two nice glasses of red wine as well -- a Portal del Montsant "Brunus" from Spain and an Endiku Cabernet from California.

So ... what's not to like? Very nice food, good portions (large enough to have a good taste but not overwhelming), good service and fine wine. We'll be going back before we leave Evanston.

Grand Canyon Day 3 -- To the Top

The call it "topping out" when you reach the top of the Grand Canyon (much like they call it "summitting" when you reach the peak of a mountain). On day 3, we began our hike to the top of the Canyon from Indian Gardens.

It was hard. Very hard. Fortunately, the weather had warmed appreciably, so the snow was mostly melted on the way out. But that didn't make it easier. It was 4 1/2 miles walking and 3000 feet of elevation. As you can see, that's a pretty steep climb.

The trip is nicely divided into 3 parts, with rest stops at the 3 mile mark (that is 3 miles from the end) and at the 1 1/2 mile mark. We slogged our way up the trail. I confess that this was much harder than I had anticipated. I think I was not in as good a shape as I had been when climbing in Peru and I was carrying quite a bit of pack weight. With just a mile or so to go, I "bonked." Actually felt light headed and out of breath. I sat down for a recovery, and that helped alot, but oh my.

What made matters worse is that we were passed on the route by one of the park rangers -- the same one who had done the lecture the night before. She started 2 hours after us and passed us, like nobody's business, going up at full steam. I wish I were younger.

On the other hand, nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment at the end of a difficult adventure. We reached the top after 5 hours -- just in time for lunch and a beer. The beer had never tasted so good.

It was the adventure of a life time. The Rosenzweig Brothers Conquer the Canyon, or some such. I'll be bragging on it the rest of my life. Indeed, as I get older, the trip seems to have gotten easier -- now as I recall I ran barefoot; scaled the rock walls without ropes and caught a mountain lion with my bare hands. Or something like that.

Grand Canyon Day 2 -- The Easy Half

Having gone down to the bottom of the canyon in a single 9-mile day, our plan was to take two days to hike back out. The first day going up was going to be the easy day, and so it was. We went up only about 1500 feet and took only about 4 hours. Of course it wasn't a "piece of cake" walk -- we had to go back up the Devil's Corkscrew. And if you think going down was hard ... well, up was much more difficult. At least it was a sunnier and warmer day.

Actually, in some ways this day was the most enjoyable one of the whole trip, at least for me. When we got up to the camp at Indian Garden it was just lunch time. After another pleasant meal ... I took a nap. Jim and I went out and found a warm rock that was heated by the sun, and just lay down to relax. Jim listened to his tunes and I had a short snooze. Heaven.

Later that afternoon we went for a 3 mile walk, out to Plateau Point and back. It is amazing how easy it is to walk on flat ground (no hills) and without a 32 pound pack on your back! Plateau Point is a magnificent overlook, perched about 1500 feet above the Colorado River. Below is a short video I took from up on the plateau that gives a nice sense of the panorama.


After we got back to camp we had a pasta and pesto dinner and then we went to hear a Ranger talk on the "myths and mysteries" of the Canyon. The most notable of them was the story of a married couple that took a honeymoon ride down the Colorado River in the 1920s. They were last seen on the river just below where we were at Phantom Ranch. The boat was later found floating, but empty, down the river The wife disappeared, and the story goes that she might have killed here abusive new husband and walked out. But she was never seen again ... spooky.

That night was notable for only one thing -- how amazingly cold it was. Even though I wore 4 layers of clothing and was inside my sleeping bag (allegedly good down to 32 degrees) I actually woke myself up with my own shivering. Brrr ..... And it didn't help that the next day's climb would be much, much harder on little sleep.

Grand Canyon Day 1 -- From Blizzard to Beaches

Our first day began, as I've noted, in a blizzard at the top of the Canyon rim, after 10-15 inches of snowfall. Only some of the roads had been plowed, as we shouldered our packs and began the hike.

Our goal for the day was the Bright Angel campground, 9 miles away on the trail and roughly 4800 feet down. Down is a particularly hard direction to train for going in! You can do stair master for the uphill climb but nothing really prepares you for walking down hill, except, I guess, walking down hill. We discovered that there are two areas of the body particularly engaged when walking down hill that are a surprise for their involvement -- the hip flexors and the calves. Apparently, the calves are an important part of the downward flex of your ankle. I suppose we "knew" that in some intellectual sense, but that is very, very different from having your calves scream at you and tell you about it.

The snow on the trail went down roughly the first 2000 feet and about 3 miles into the walk. It wasn't just that the snow was bad -- it actually wasn't. But what was far worse was the oozing red mud. As the day got warmer and as we walked down toward a hotter part of the canyon, the snow started melting. And the melt mixed with the bright red dirt to form mud ... and mud puddles to go with them. You haven't truly "lived" until you've stepped in a mud puddle and felt the water ooze into your shoes and soak your socks.

After 3 hours we'd gotten half way down the canyon to a small oasis called Indian Gardens. More about that place tomorrow, as we stopped there to camp on the climb out. But after a quick and tasty lunch (it turns out that our guide, Ryan, is secretly a true cordon bleu chef -- not really, but he managed to do some pretty good things with very limited gear and food. Our first dinner -- ramen noodle stir fry with terriakyi sauce -- was really quite excellent) we resumed the downward hke

On the way down we passed through a part of the trail known as the Devil's Corkscrew. Now, you don't need to know anything at all more about this part of the trail to know that it isn't really the most fun place in the world. Its about 1 mile long and 1000 foot drop and the trail is basically plastered to a side wall of the canyon. It's 3-5 feet wide and on the open side there is .... nothing. Nothing at all but a downward drop. The pictures don't really do the trail justice, but they will have to do for a good description.

Once past the corkscrew we were almost home. Most of the way to the bottom and just a couple miles of walking to get there. But there was one more bridge to cross, so to speak. A real bridge, known as Silver Bridge. Unfortunately, the roadway on the bridge was not a solid road -- just a series of cross hatched steel ribs that you could see through. To be honest, I was more scared looking down through the steel to the raging river below than I was on the Corkscrew -- it's just the way my mind is wired I guess.

But we made it across and too the bottom, there to find ... another surprise ... sandy beaches on the banks of the Colorado River. Of course it was too cold to go swimming -- but the image of going from a blizzard to a beach in 1 day is pretty evocative.

We made camp at Bright Angel and set up the tents. After dinner, we walked over to the Cantina at Phantom Ranch -- a small bar where Jim and I drank a well-deserved lemonade and bought postcards to mail home. One "neat factoid" is that the mail is carted out from Phantom Ranch every day by mule -- one of only two postal stations in America still served by mule rather than by car or foot. When we were done, it was back to camp for a well-deserved rest.