Lima ~~ Cusco ~~ Aguas Calientes ~~ Machu Picchu

There are good and bad things about traveling with a tour group. For instance, traveling with a tour group eliminates the hassle of planning, offers a chance to meet new friends, and provides a good way to visit many places at once without emptying all your pockets, just to name a few. I, however, like to arrange my time and day by doing the things that I want, whenever I want. The convenience of the Internet nowadays enables me to do my own research on places to visit, to stay, and to eat. Moreover, I can choose which entrusted airline to fly with. However, when my friend forwarded me a Travelzoo deal on a 'Sunrise in Machu Picchu' package offered by Latinamerica4Less.com, I too, couldn't resist. The package included visits to Lima, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, and Machu Picchu. Airfare, local transportation, hotels, and breakfast are inclusive and everything came out to be less than $1200pp for 6 days! Despite all the grievances linked to traveling with a tour, and the fact that we have to purchase bottled water to drink AND brush our teeth on this trip, I purchased the ticket. Finally, I can check Machu Picchu off my top destination list. Note: only bottled or treated (disinfected) water should be used for drinking in Peru.

I went with two friends in mid-May. Traveling around this time is actually the best. Weather is neither too cold or too hot, and right before people begin their summer vacation planning. We flew on Taca International Air departing from JFK to Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport with a stopover at San Salvador. It took us 10hrs to arrive to Lima. (If you were to travel direct from JFK to Lima, it would be about 7.5hrs flight). Prior to this trip, I have never heard of Taca Airlines. Admittedly, I was jittery. We landed, hence, I can say the airline is safe. But, on our flight there, I somehow managed to get sick. The ventilation system suffered compared to other airlines I've been on. Perhaps, it was just the plane that day. Nevertheless, I love Latin America and was really looking forward to this trip! Note: take some airborne tablets before your flight, especially when traveling to a third world country.

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Statue in the Love Park

Plaza Mayor

Alpaca socks

 










Lima, the capital of Peru, reminded me to some extent of a cleaner version of Buenos Aires. However, Lima has its own distinguished architectural elegance. Our package included only one day in Lima but we managed to cover a lot of the touristy spots. One of the first stop we visited was the historic city center, which UNESCO had declared a World Heritage Site in 1988. We visited the Basilica Cathedral, where the Spanish Conquistador, Francisco Pizarro's tomb lies. The cathedral building coated in bright yellow, displays the style of the viceroyal time. This cathedral is far more magnificent than the Convent of San Francisco church that we also visited. But, the catacombs underneath the convent is a sight you won't believe. Real human skulls piled up like mountainous French profiterole cake, a scene you could only imagine in horror films. I wanted to take pictures, but refrained out of respect for the dead. We also walked around the Plaza Mayor, which is surrounded by the Presidential and Municipal Palaces, the Archbishop's Palace, and the Cathedral. The Plaza Mayor is supposedly the exact location where Francisco Pizarro founded Lima. Finally, we made a short stop at the Love Park "Parque del Amor", from where we had a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. In the afternoon, we were given some time to go shopping. There are plenty of nice souvenirs, from scarves, clothes, hat, and gloves made from Alpaca, to wooden crafts with Peruvian art carvings. The good thing is you can bargain with the sellers in Lima. If you bargain, you can get great discounts, and at times, purchase items cheaper than those sold in Cusco.

Cusco

The sun blazed away my poor fine hair in Cusco. Sure, I exaggerated slightly, but I had a bizarre yet titillating moment when I stepped out of the airport. The sun was the closest I had ever seen! I thought I landed on another planet where the sun is as close as our moon to earth. I instantly became enamored.
           Cusco, a World Heritage Site, is a city situated about 11,000ft above sea level near the Andes Mountain range. Because we were so high up, altitude sickness or soroche, is quite common on the first day. It takes one to three days for our bodies to acclimatize to the high altitude. Note: you might want to ask your doctor to prescribe you acetazolamide or dexamethasone pills. Or take ibuprofen to alleviate the high altitude sickness. Our hotel, Royal Inca II, welcomed us with cups of coca tea, which is said to help digestive processes and reduce fatigue or altitude sickness. Though it helped me a bit, one friend suffered with headaches and body aches, and the other with a lost of appetite. Note: you should take it slow the first day. I tested it by running two blocks and found myself gasping for air! 

An Inca woman outside the Koricancha

Stone wall at Hatun Rumiyoc Street  

Due to the rise in tourism in Cusco, the city has been constructing more buildings, paving adequate roads, and developing better services to cater foreigners. Royal Inca II, resembling a Peruvian stylized Quality Inn, turned out to be habitable. Rooms were surprisingly endurable and had toilets, the lobby was spacious, and we had free coca tea every day. The best feature is the proximity of the hotel to the Plaza de Armas, or Awqaypata (warriors place), where Fransciso Pizarro declared Cusco under Spanish occupation. Across from the Awqaypata, or the main square, are the Cathedral of Cusco and La Compania Church, which we visited. Inside the Cathedral are beautiful engraved woodwork and colonial paintings containing extensive Inca iconography. We also visited the Koricancha, or the Temple of the Sun, on which Santo Domingo Convent was built on. Legend says this temple used to be completely laminated with gold. We walked to Hatun Rumiyoc Street where the Palace of Inca Roca is located. Perhaps the best known street in the city, one of its cut-stone walls features the famous stone with 12 angles - an excellent image of the Inca architectural perfection. We also visited the neighborhood of San Blas, also known as the craftsman's district, located on the top of the city, which offered the city's finest views. Finally, we ended the day at San Camilo Market, where we acquired many wonderful hand-made souvenirs.  http://www.royalinkahotel.com/hcusco1.html

  

A newstand

The next day we ascended to the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman (sounds like Sexy Woman), the former capital of the Inca empire. This fortress used to be a fighting a ground and a place for worshipping the Sun God. The massive stones used in the construction of the terraces here is quite incredible. The stones are very closely spaced to a point that even a paper won't fit through. Moreover, how the Inca moved these large boulders with the technology that they had still astounds me today. This place is definitely worth visiting. We continued our visit to Q'enqo, the old temple of the Puma, where we saw a sacrifice altar inside a huge stone. We drove pass Tambomachay, and Puca Pucara, "atalaya" (watchtower) that safeguards the city gates and the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Note: to reach Sacsayhuaman, Q'enqo, or Tambomachay would require a car.  



Local family spending time at Sacsayhuaman



From Lima to Cusco, you can choose to travel either by bus (18-27hrs) or by plane (~1hr). Our package included a flight to Cusco. (We learned that we had to wake up 3am in the morning in Lima to catch our flight!) If you want to travel by bus, recommended to adventure travellers, then make sure to choose a top-end company to minimize discomfort and breakdowns. In brief, I really like Cusco. If you are a traveler who enjoys learning about history, immersing yourself in a different culture, or delving into spectacular architectural constructions, then Cusco is definitely a good choice. Furthermore, we had the best soup ever here, no exaggeration! If you are in Cusco and want to try Andean comfort food, I highly recommend Pucara located near the Plaza de Armas.




Aguas Calientes

Urubamba River

Aguas Calientes is the closest access point to Machu Picchu. Most travelers would book rooms here because rates for the only lodge in Machu Picchu, Santuary Lodge, are expensive. There are a few good comfortable hotels to select from. We stayed at El Santuario Hotel located on Av. Hermanos Ayar, which is only 5 minutes away from the train station. If you get lucky, like we did, you can get a dainty snug room. Some tour mates didn't get so lucky and had to request for a room change. If you can afford a little bit more, I would suggest booking instead at the neighboring hotel, Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel. It's quite lovely from the outside and appears to be the most contemporary hotel there. On the other hand, those who want to go the rugged way can do so by setting up in a camp ground nearby. http://www.sumaqhotelperu.com/

Home in Ollantaytambo

El Santuario Hotel

        Aguas Calientes also serves as a terminal for train service from Cusco. From Cusco, you can take a train from Estacion Poroy or Estacion San Pedro, the latter being the most regularly used, with daily services arriving and departing to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, via Poroy and Ollantaytambo. You can choose to continue the train ride from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes following a scenic river view of the Urubamba Gorge or, for the adventurous travelers, go on a 4 day hike from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. For our tour group, we left at 2am to take a bus from Cusco to catch the train at Ollantaytambo. That's 2am in the morning!?! In addition, there are no paved roads to Ollantaytambo. Most of us just recovered from our high altitude sickness so it was dreadful that we had to wake up again slightly past midnight and roller-coastered along bumpy paths for 2hrs to get to the train. Needless to say, I screeched hysterically and asked myself "why did I bother joining a tour?!" Finally, at Ollantaytambo, we took the backpacker train ($48 one way), which is less expensive than the Vistadom train ($71 one way) to Aguas Calientes. The one hour and a half ride turned out to be comfortable and a great time to catch up on some sleep. More importantly, everyone is seated without standing. My suggestion: save money and just take the backpacker. Note: you should make your train reservation in advance because tickets get sold out days or even months in advance. http://www.perurail.com/

         One further note, be wary of getting scammed at Aguas Calientes. Restaurants will sneak in additional cost not listed in menus. Several of us encountered this and had unpleasant altercation with the waiters. And if you can, purchase snacks and water from Cusco instead. Prices are doubled and food are not as good at Aguas Calientes.



Machu Picchu

We've traveled hundreds of miles and foregone hours of sleep to finally reach our targeted destination, Machu Picchu. It was all worth it in the end! Close to 8,000ft above sea level, Machu Picchu sits on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley. According to our tour guy, Machu Picchu was a summer estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti. The area was abandoned just over 100 years as a result of the Spanish Conquest. This Sacred City in the Andean Mountains had been untouched until Hiram Bingham discovered and promoted news about it in 1931; that is almost 400 years later. Many of the original construction is still nicely intact today, making Machu Picchu one of the world's best preservations. 

 

The Temple of the Sun

The straightest wall section at Machu Picchu

There is an entrance fee to Machu Picchu and it is currently around $45USD. There are two options to get to Machu Picchu: by foot or by bus ($7 each way). Bus rides up the narrow zigzagged road takes only about 20mins. In the morning, our guide gave us a descriptive tour inside the complex. We visited the Inihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, the Room of the Three Windows, the Guardhouse, and the royalty zone areas. After the tour, we had lunch at the Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant ($33pp) located inside the Sanctuary Lodge. 3.5hrs of walking in the morning, and perhaps lack of sleep for others, created ravenous monsters during lunch time. People were exhausted, irritated, and hungry from the morning adventure; it was quite an amusing sight. After lunch, we had the option to head back down to our hotel or continue on our own. 85% of our group decided to head back to the hotel, including my two friends. I decided to stay. I didn't travel this far to only spend 4-5hrs here! Despite my cold, I made sure I trekked as much as I could! Note: don't forget your sunblock and wear comfortable shoes.

Wayna Picchu and lawn huts

To truly enjoy this magnificent place, I highly recommend that you stay until the closing time at 5pm. Crowds are fewer and a nice reprieve from the beating sun. With the surrounding picturesque mountains, free-roaming alpacas, complete isolation, and a river snaking down below, Machu Picchu exerts supreme fengshui. It is truly majestic and harmonious. Since I only had a few hours left, I decided to hike up to the Sun Gate. It took me ~ 2hrs round trip. If you were doing the 4 day Inca trail, the Sun Gate is where you would get the first glimpse of the Inca city. And if you catch the first bus in the morning, you may be able to catch the sun peaking over the mountain and through this gate. (You must have an official guide to trek along with you on the Inca trail). Machu Picchu offers other trails as well. Many travelers would wake up early in the morning to access Wayna Picchu, in which a limit of 400 people are allowed per day. Other sights to visit are the Moon Temple, the Great Cave, Dead Woman's Pass, to name a few.

An alpaca relaxing on the luscious green

Near the closing minutes, I still wanted to walk so I decided to hike back down to the hotel instead of taking the last returning bus. I managed to find a tour mate that was interested in hiking back to Aguas Calientes with me. The locals told us it would only take 30mins. so we thought it was enough time for us to get back to our hotel before twilight. The locals must be super athletic because it took us 1.5hrs and we ended up hiking in the dark, which in hindsight could have been dangerous. We were unfamiliar with the area and had no food or water but only our wallets. It got so dark that we couldn't even see where or what we were stepping on. Fortunately, two Brazilian guys happened to make the same decision as us to hike back down and one of the them had a mini flashlight. We were a bit nervous at first. Two petite girls and two broad guys, you get the gist. But because it got so black to a point where we blended in with the shadows, we tried to catch up with them risking the possibility of getting rape. Luckily, those two Brazilian hotties were good samaritans. Note: don't hike in the dark. And if you must, make sure you are well equipped to do so and that somebody knows.

Lessons learned on this trip:

1) only bottled or treated (disinfected) water should be used for drinking in Peru.

2) take some airborne tablets before your flight, especially when traveling to a third world country.

3) bargain, bargain, bargain in Peru.

4) you might want to ask your doctor to prescribe you acetazolamide or dexamethasone pills to relieve altitude sickness. 

5) you should take it slow the first day in Cusco. don't try to be superman.

6) to reach other interest sights in Cusco might require a car if you are not with a tour group.

7) make your train reservation for Machu Picchu in advance because tickets get sold out days or even months in advance

8) don't forget your sunblock and wear comfortable shoes.

9) don't hike in the dark. And if you must, make sure you are well equipped to do so and that somebody knows. 

10) you must have an offical guide with you to trek the Inca trail. 





My East to West Roadtrip

I am sure that we all have said at one point in our lives that we want to go on a road trip. Despite the long hours steering the wheels and the soring of our behinds, something about the idea of driving cross country is appealing and fun. At last this year in April, my chance to go on a road trip came when my relatives from California decided to visit my family and their daughter on the east coast by car. Heading to the east coast, my relatives decided to drive along the southern states. So when I joined them in NYC, we bounded north and then drove for the most part along the northern part of the US back to California.

(If you plan on doing a road trip, please feel free to use my itinerary and make adjustments).

Frank Pepe's Pizzeria, Connecticut

From NYC, we headed to our first destination, Dartmouth College, to visit my cousin. Before we went on route 91 heading north, we made a quick detour to grab some famous pizza pies in Connecticut. That is the good thing about traveling by vehicle - the flexibility. My cousin read outstanding reviews on Frank Pepe's Pizzeria located on 157 Wooster Street and wanted to give it a try. I live in NYC and we have some of the best pizzerias in the world and so I was not as excited. However, I love sightseeing and relished in the scenes that Connecticut, the picturesque southern gateway to the New England states, had to offer. Besides, I had to go along with the plan since it's their trip and their car. Though it was in June that we went, the summer scene is just as pleasant to see as is in autumn, quiet neighborhoods, dainty homes, lots of trees, and not many pedestrians around. Connecticut, like the northern New England states, is a great place for a weekend getaway to do some outdoor activities. Back to the pizza, as it turned out, the pizza was amazing. Thinly crusted and straight out of the fired ovens, the pizza was doughy and deliriously yummy! But as I had expected, nothing that I can't find in NYC. Nevertheless, it became a good omen to a great start for this road trip! http://www.pepespizzeria.com/

Hanover, New Hampshire

After leaving Connecticut with a full and happy belly, we headed straight to New Hampshire. I have never been to New Hampshire but it is quite similar to its neighboring New England states: the foliage, the watercolor nature scene, the farms, the mills, the lakes and the hills. New Hampshire, needless to say, is a great place for outdoor activities also. Our highlight in New Hampshire, however, was not hiking in the woods, or visiting a local farm market, or fishing in the lakes. We were there to meet up with my cousin. Hence, we had to take a tour of Dartmouth's campus, her dorm, and neighboring happening spots, which was not as exciting. However, she took us around to visit local farm markets, which I love, and gave us a tour around Hampshire's neighboring state, Vermont.

Vermont

Quechee covered bridge

I like Vermont. Similar to its New England states, Vermont provides endless recreational opportunities and up close and personal connection to mother nature. Vermont would be the ideal place to go on the east coast if you like winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding. This was my relatives' first time in Vermont, but not mine. I went snowboarding with a group of friends in Vermont many years ago. Being in Vermont again years later, I surprisingly found myself to be slightly emotional. Vermont brought back a lot of memories of my college years, when life had fewer expectations and responsibilities, and all I had to worry about was getting good grades in school. That is another beautiful aspect about traveling, especially to places you have been to in the past, a replaying of a part of your history. So when we drove along the streets in Vermont, images of my past resurfaced and I am reminded again of how time does not wait and sadly flies by quietly. Needless to say, I never thought driving along the streets of Vermont would touch my sensitive spot and teach me about a life's lesson on cherishing every moment. As I gradually shifted in and out of my philosophic reverie during the ride, I began noticing a distinct construction in Vermont, the covered bridges. I have seen photos of covered bridges and have always wanted to visit one. So when I noticed that the car had stopped and we were in front of the Quechee covered bridge, a curiosity of mine had been fulfilled. Though this bridge had no historical significance, it's size and wooden built was worth the glance. Another good thing about this bridge was its proximity to Simon Pearce's Restaurant located at 1760 Quechee Main Street, where we had dinner. Beside the restaurant is Simon Pearce's store where you can see artisans crafting their creation of hand blown glasses and pottery, as well as shop for tableware and home decor. http://www.simonpearce.com/

Albany, New York

Center for Performing Arts

After leaving Vermont, we did another detour and drove south back into New York state along US Route 4 toward Albany. What is there to do in Albany you might ask. Nothing much, I bluntly must respond. I have been to Albany before, and personally, one visit is enough. My uncle, however, wanted to stop for a few hours in Albany to visit the capital of one of the best cities in the world. With the much exalted NYC, I can understand why my uncle wanted to visit the state's capital. The area worth mentioning is near city hall called The Empire State Plaza Convention Center. At the northeast corner sits the Center for Performing Arts, an unique building in the shape of an egg. Wallace Harrison designed the "egg", icon of New York's Capital district. If you happen to be in Albany, I would suggest doing a brown bag lunch in the Empire State Plaza area because it is quite nice.

Niagara Falls, New York

The distance between Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls is only about 17 miles. After the stopover in Albany we drove along I-90 to Buffalo to our hotel for that night and visited Niagara Falls the next morning. Hotels are cheaper the further you are away from a touristy spot. Niagara Falls straddles between Ontario, Canada and NY state. I have been to Niagara Falls many times, but this time was my first to see the voluminous waterfalls from NY side. Though the view from the NY side is not as spectacular as is from the Canadian side, seeing the massive tumbling of the Niagara River can be just as amazing. We did not carry our passports on this trip so we could not cross the border over to the Canadian side. Canada's illumination festival during the winter holidays is said to be spectacular, creating a magical winter wonderland. Also there are casinos and tons of entertainment on the Canadian side. http://www.niagara-usa.com/

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Ohio

Finally, after getting much dosage of maple syrups, jams, and local farm markets of the New England states, we were finally heading to states that I have never been before. My cousin wanted to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The museum is dedicated to archiving the history of influential artists, producers, and those people who had influenced the rock music industry. If you are a music fanatic and is interested in learning the history of music, especially those of rock, then this is worth checking it out. Otherwise, you will be bored and find this visit not worth the money. http://rockhall.com/

Chicago's Pizza
I can talk about my visit to the Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, or the steel bean at Millennium Park, which are both a Chicago attraction and worth seeing. However, I must talk about food instead. We arrived to Chicago, and I am from NY! NY and Chicago have been dueling for years on pizza supremacy, but it is still debatable on which is better: flat thin NY slices or thick Chicago pies. Staying in Chicago, I had to taste Chicago's pizza to decide for myself. We opted to go to one of the most famous pizzeria, Lou Malnati's located at 805 S. State Street, to get a taste of a good Chicago slice. Luckily, we had an early dinner and grabbed a table without any wait. But when 6:30pm came around, the tables filled up like lightning speed; a good indication that this restaurant is popular and good. What is the final verdict then? Well, what can I say. A New Yorker will always be a New Yorker. http://www.loumalnatis.com/


View from the Willis Tower



Waiter serving the Chicago pie



The "Bean"



Badlands National Park, S. Dakota

Look at the colorful layers!

We arrived to the Badlands National Park in South Dakota after a long scenic ride from Chicago and Minnesota along Route 90. Badlands, a miniature version of the Grand Canyons in Arizona, is a spectacular colorful landscape worth visiting just as well. Many fossilized bones and seashells are found here, demonstrating the significant history of this area. This natural wonder offers many hiking trails and camping grounds and 64,000 acres of the park designated as wilderness for the adventurous to explore. We explored this park by car traveling along the scenic loop and it felt like I landed on a different planet staring in awe at its eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires. I enjoyed this visit very much! http://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, S. Dakota

Not far off from Badlands erect an epic sculpture featuring four presidential heads: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The sculpture symbolizes the pride of our nation and our democracy, and a memorial to our country's ideals, leadership, and achievements. Gutzon Borglum initially designed the monument to incorporate the heads to waists of the presidents'. However, due to lack of funding only the heads were completed. The mountain is 5,725 feet with the granite faces towering 5,500 feet above sea level. The heads are as tall as a six-story building. Before entering the Grandview Terrace to see the sculpture, is the Avenue of flags as seen in my enclosed picture. There is also a Presidential Trail, a half-mile walking trail that offers great views of the carvings. If you are lucky, like us, you can see mountain goats here as well. Personally, I think two hours of visit is enough to enjoy this place and to snap a few good mementoes. http://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm

Glacier mountain landscape in the background

Beartooth Pass Highway, Wyoming

Heralded as one of the most scenic drives, the Beartooth All American Road provides best sight for 2.7 billion year old rocks and easy access to the Yellowstone National Park at its northeast entrance. From Mt. Rushmore near Rapid City, we headed west from route 90 to US 14 to Cody to the western summit of the Beartooth Pass. Along the way, the scene of the Northern Rockies was absolutely stunning! From Cody to the western summit of the Beartooth Pass, we saw breathtaking views of pristine alpines, lush forest ecosystems, and glacier mountain landscapes. The road is one of the highest highways in Wyoming reaching at its top elevation along the Beartooth Pass at 10,947 feet. Within a few miles driving along the pass, you could also experience the four seasons, something that we have experienced ourselves for the first time and was quite speechless. We watched the thermometer as temperature fluctuated between 30's and 70's degrees fahrenheit within a short time frame, and saw the sky turned from warm sunny blue to sudden flurry winter grey. It felt like Armageddon but it was quite a cool experience.



Snow scenery up in the mountains

Billion year old rocks!

     

Yellowstone Park



Bear on the lower left

If you love nature like how I fanatically am, then I highly recommend visiting this national park. Yellowstone Park, one of the major national parks, covers 2,219,789 acres of land showcasing great wildlife scenery and activities. The park offers thousands of miles of trails for hikers and backcountry explorers, and if you want to enjoy the views from the comfort of your vehicle, you can drive along the grand loop road like what we've done and make stops along the way. Besides animal life, in the park you can also see over 10,000 thermal features and more than 300 geysers. There are also waterfalls, forests, lakes, and plants, a plethora of natural wonders.

Blue Star Spring

                 I was very pleased with this visit. My soul had hunger for some time to be a part of an untouched world surrounded by serenity and gorgeousness. At Yellowstone, the fresh air, the tranquility, the harmony of nature, utterly rejuvenated me. When a herd of bison decided to stop and caused a traffic jam right in front of our car, I felt so fortunate. The chance allowed me to see the bison up close and take some amazing pictures. I wanted to get out of the car and touch the animal, but given the size of the beast, I thought perhaps it would be safer that I stayed inside. My enthusiasm almost made me forget that these animals are not domestic pets. In addition, it is rare to see bears in the park, but we got so lucky that we sighted not one but two bears that day! What was I thinking? I wanted to run closer toward the huggable teddy bears! But yes, that would not be wise for they are not stuffed toys. (Therefore, please be careful and not forget that you are dealing with the wildlife when outdoors). We also made several stops to see geysers, one being the most popular called Old Faithful. This wonderful phenomenon can project immense volume of boiling water into the air as high as 185 feet lasting from 1.5 to 5 minutes. Intervals between eruptions can range from 45 to 125 minutes. Our show lasted for 3 minutes. Ah, Yellowstone, a gift from mother nature! My only regret is that I wish I had more time to do some hiking and camping here. http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

Bison near my window

Thermal feature

 

 


 

 

  



  
Mormons, Salt Lake City

Facade of the Mormon Temple

From Yellowstone we headed south to Salt Lake City along route 15. Personally, there is really not much to do in this city. But the city is beautiful, surrounded by glacier mountain landscape and happens to be astoundingly clean. And absolutely one of the most predominantly white cities I have ever been to. According to the 2010 census, 79% of the population is white. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aka The Mormons, is headquartered here. On this side trip, I learned a bit about Mormonism. Mormonism is the fourth largest religion in the US. Mormons believe that living in a certain way will help them grow closer to God. They comply with certain traditions such as abstaining from drinking alcohol, going out on Sundays, and practicing polygamy. Since we were passing by, my uncle and cousin wanted to visit the Mormon Temple Square. At the center of the square stands the 6-spired granite temple, which members only are allowed to enter. Inside the gated area, we saw a botanical paradise with variety of flower beds. Early in the morning, workers begin by washing the pavements, gardeners pruning and transplanting flowers and plants. I have never seen such discipline and dedication to a temple. Literally, I can probably lick its floor and not be afraid of dirt or germs. In sum, it was worth checking out if you are in town.   



Zion National Park, Utah

Me climbing up the sandstone layers

Continuing along route 15 from Salt Lake City, we headed south toward Zion National Park. We didn't spend too much time in this park because we were planning to head to the Grand Canyon before nightfall. However, if you are in Utah, this park is definitely worth visiting. In fact, the sandstone cliffs with its range of cream, pink, and red-orange colors enraptured us that we had to step out of our car.  A natural masterpiece, the layers over layers of sandstone formation resembles that of a wafer cookie on a grand scale. To my surprise, the sandstones were slightly frangible; so soft that I easily broke a piece off, which I took home as a souvenir. It flabbergasts me that the area hasn't fall apart after being exposed to various environments over these millions of years. I guess the sand sized minerals just kept piling up. Personally, simply driving through the park, like how we did, is not enough and does not do justice to this magnificent area. The Zion Park provides views of mountains, canyons, buttes, rivers, monoliths, and natural arches that we didn't really get to explore. And the park offers plenty of outdoor recreational activities that I wish we had more time to partake.  http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Route 89A, Arizona

If you must drive from Utah to Arizona, I highly recommend driving along route 89A. This road is absolutely one of the most breath-taking paths I've ever driven. Moreover, at one point, you can get a great and extremely close view of the Colorado River below at a bridge that you would cross. From our entire roadtrip, the drive along this road became my most memorable. On a beautiful day, especially close to sunset before twilight falls, the colors of the sky blended with the canyons is orgasmic. Rainbow colors splattered from sky to ground. I have never seen purple or pink skies but I had that day. Furthermore, the road was dead silent. We had the entire landscape, or this world that I was staring at, all to ourselves. I felt free, alive, and unfettered by society's pressures, politics, and obligations. For a first time, in a very long time, I saw innocence and happiness.   

How beautiful life would be if it was this free...

   

Close view of the Colorado River

The Grand Canyon, Arizona

One of the main reasons I became excited about this roadtrip was because of the Grand Canyon. I have heard about the Grand Canyon multiple times and got a vicarious thrill whenever a friend describes its beauty. But as they say, nothing beats seeing it with your own eyes. And my chance had finally arrived!

Mother nature really knows how to create wonderous things. The colorful layers of the rock sendiments are not only fascinating to look at, but they display a geological story of our planet over the past billion years. For those who didn't know, the Grand Canyon we see today is a result of the uplifting of the Colorado Plateau and the eroding and carving of the Colorado River. There are three main areas to visit: the North Rim, the South Rim, and the West Rim. My uncle decided on the South Rim because it is the most popular, easiest to access, and best for visitor services. Moreover, there are shuttle buses that drop you off at different scenic spots for those who rather hitch a ride. But for the true outdoorsman or those who do not like crowds, then North Rim would be the better choice. From what I have read, the North Rim is less accessible and more primitive, a perfect getaway for solitude. I must explore this rim in the future myself!

Since we visited the South Rim, I can only mention lodging on this side of the canyon. You can choose the Phantom Ranch, which is the only lodge in the Canyon, or hotels in the Grand Canyon Village area located on the Canyon South Rim. If you plan on staying at the Phantom Ranch, you would need to book in advance. And if the weather turns bad, expect to remain in the lodge until weather permits for you to hike back up. You can also choose to stay at hotels in the town of Tusayan, which we did at the Holiday Inn Express. The town is only 7 miles outside the park, quite convenient, and the hotels there are much cheaper than those at the village. Holiday Inn had decent rooms so there were no complaints.  

Me hiking along the South Kaibab Trail

When we arrived to the Canyon, the landscape utterly overwhelmed me. The expansivenss, vastness and deepness humbled me and only ignited my curiousity and eagerness to explore the chasm and whatever else hidden below. I wanted to hike all the way down to the Phantom Ranch, but given the constraint in time, we couldn't. Besides, hiking from the rim to the bottom of the canyon in one day is not advisable. Even the most advanced hikers usually arrange an overnight stay at the ranch or camp out. There are plenty of trails to choose from depending on your level or how much you want to challenge yourself. (I advise that you to do some research before you pick a route). I got my cousin to go with me on the South Kaibab Trail, which is steep. This trail begins south of Yaki Point on Yaki Road. No private vehicles can get here so you would need to hop on a shuttle bus to access the trailhead. It is 12.6 miles roundtrip, but we hiked only 1/3 of the route, a mile after Skeleton Point, in a total of 5 hours. Hiking down was easy for me, but the return trip turned out to be quite strenuous. I am fairly in a good shape but I had to stop a few times to take a break. Not only that, I was running out of water and started to dehydrate. (Lesson learned: No matter how heavy it may be, you should bring two bottles of water. It is better to be safe then sorry. Also, bring a jacket in case it gets cold). For those who have leg problems or are less of a hiker, then you should go on the Rim Trail. My uncle and aunt went along the Rim Trail, which follows the rim from Pipe Creek Vista to Hermits Rest. However, they only walked along the section of the Rim Trail between Pipe Creek Vista and Maricopa Point. This part of the road is paved and wheelchair accessible.

Hoover Dam, Arizona-Nevada

I am not an engineer or am I interested in checking out dams on a trip. Although, the Three Gorges Dam in China is another story. But the idea of standing one foot in Arizona and one foot in Nevada sounds extremely cool! Morever, Hoover Dam aka Boulder Dam, is one of our top construction achievements in the 20th century and so deserves mentioning. Besides, we were heading to Vegas and Hoover Dam was an interest point along the way. When the dam was built, during the Great Depression, the project was huge and such large concrete structure like this had never been built before. Well, I am glad Americans had taken the risk because I wouldn't have had the opportunity to stand and drive across the dam admiring the ingenuity of mankind. When I went, we were able to drive and walk across the top of the dam. However, after September 11, 2001, a four-lane Hoover Dam Bypass plan started and opened this past October. Vehicles are now no longer allowed across the Hoover Dam. At least I can say I've driven across the Hoover Dam. Bless those souls who had sacrificed their lives working on this project.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Night view outside our hotel window

Need to say more? Everyone knows about Las Vegas. I can, however, share my opinions on the hotels that I've stayed in. In the past, I have stayed in Circus Circus, which is not recommended unless you are extremely on a tight budget. Rooms can run as low as $39 per night. In the past, it may have been a fabulous hotel and casino, but now it is rundown and has lost it's charm and cleaniness. I would pay a little bit extra to stay in Tropicana or Paris, which had decent rooms. (I usually use travelzoo, kayak, or booking for good hotel rates). On this road trip, thanks to my generous uncle, I stayed at the Venetian, which is by far the best hotel I've stayed in this part of town. Obviously, if you have the money or happened to hit jackpot, there are plenty of other grand and luxurious hotels to choose from also. Besides the shows, the sumptuous buffets, and spellbinding money-making (or for the most part money-losing) machines, I like Vegas because it's definitely a continuous galore of fun and entertainment! And it's close to the Canyons! And if you don't like gambling like me, there are plenty of nice shops and free shows to check out. I enjoy window shopping inside Caesars and watching the water show outside Bellagio.

I wanted to touch Pacific Ocean to say I traveled, literally, from east coast to west coast. But after Vegas, I had to fly back to NYC. My road trip lasted 2 weeks. Now, I can check off 'roadtrip' on my to-do list. For you guys out there who haven't done a road trip yet, I urge you to try it some day! It's worth the experience and you can learn so much about a country this way.

What luck at Martha's Vineyard!

I visited Martha's Vineyard (MV) in May 2010 for the first time. My friend had invited me to stay with her at her parent's new home in Boston. We took a bus from NYC and brought our bikes along. That trip turned out to be one of our best biking adventures ever! Call it coincidental or amazing luck, that day we had experienced multitude of fortuity! So much so that it was consistent throughout the day. Talking about flow, we were astounded by all the surrendipities.

We parked our car at Woodholes, MA. From there you can follow the signs and bike along a bike trail that heads toward the ferry to MV. When we got there, we had to bike fast because we were about to miss our ferry. If we missed it, we would need to wait another hour for the next ferry. Thank goodness for us because we barely made it. By the time we got there, all the passenger vehicles were already on the boat. Bikers had also entered the ferry. Good thing I didn't travel alone because we decided to split up the task; I went to purchase the tickets while she blocked the men from closing the gate. That was our first luck of the day!

By the time we arrived to Martha's Vineyard, it was already lunchtime. My friend had been to MV before and recalled of a great brunch place. However, she didn't remember the location of this particular restaurant. Looking at the map, I suggested to her that we bike northwest and simply go with the flow. Within 5 minutes, by chance and random choice of path taken, we passed upon the restaurant that she was looking for! Art Cliff Diner located on 39 Beach Rd at Vineyard Haven had a cozy vintage feel. Brunch was absolutely delicious and reasonably priced. I highly recommend it! At the restaurant, we also met a nice couple who told us about one of the best seafood places at MV located at Menemsha. One of the things that my friend and I wanted to eat were raw oysters. So after hearing of Larsen's Fish Market, we had to check it out. Finding the diner and learning about Larsen's was our second luck of the day! 

After brunch and hearing of the seafood shack at Menemsha, I suggested that we bike south to Edgartown and then west along Edgartown West Tisbury Road toward Menemsha. I've biked in Nantucket before and thought the distance would be the same at MV. Boy, my foolhardy assumption was way off! So we left Vineyard Haven and proceeded south along C. Beach Road at Oak Bluffs. The bike ride along this path was beautiful with the Atlantic Ocean on our left. The area felt somewhat like the Jersey Shore except it was filled with Bostonites. After reaching Edgartown and seeing that there was not much to see there, we went west along Edgartown West Tisbury Road. This bike path is absolutely beautiful and peaceful if you like to be surrounded by trees and woods. The path is isolated with an occasional walkers. We had a great time here riding leisurely and gossiping about life and men. Ha! Along this bike trail, you will pass the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest and the airport. After biking for about an hour or so, we realized that we were running out of time because we wanted to make sure we would get back to catch the last ferry. We changed plans and decided to catch a bus to Aquinnah. We checked our watches and again learned that we had to bike fast to catch the next bus. In my mind, I really thought we weren't going to catch that bus. My thighs felt like they were burning with rage! But our luck kept rolling! When we arrived to the bus stop, the bus was there and was just about to leave. How lucky were we? We were so lucky because no other passengers had bikes. Each bus are allowed to only carry three bikes! So if you have four bikers, one person wouldn't be able to get on the bus with the bike. That was our third & fourth luck of the day!

Aquinnah is a town located at the west of MV. After getting of the bus stop, you're a walking distance from a breath taking view of the Atlantic Ocean. Seeing the sunset here would be amazing! But we were on a tight schedule. We wanted to eat oysters! Looking at our maps, we've decided to bike along the Lighthouse Rd -> Lobsterville Rd -> W. Basin Rd. But we did not realize that at the end of the W. Basin Rd was a body of water separating us from reaching Menemsha. For some absurd reason, I subconsciously assumed that there had to be some bridge, right? It just never occurred to the both of us. We were just consumed with the thought of running out of time! But if we didn't get to eat our oysters, we both agreed that this bike path from Aquinnah along the W. Basin Rd was the most beautiful of them all. The path was practically empty and on your left is just miles and miles of views of the ocean. We were like two little girls reminiscing what bliss felt like during childhood; no worries, no stress, pure freedom. You must try this bike route someday!

When we got to the end of the W. Basin Rd., however, we were shocked and literally disappointed. Across from us is Menemsha but separating us is water. Distance was even closer here than it was the Hudson River between Manhattan and NJ. We thought we weren't going catch our ferry if we wanted those oysters that we were fancying for if we had to bike back and around the big Menemsha pond. But just as we turned our bikes around, we saw a vehicle heading toward us. I wanted to ask, perhaps, there was an alternative route that we didn't see on our maps. And I was right! There is a small boat within distance from us that can bring us across the water but the last boat departed in 5 minutes! Guess what we did again?! That's right, we biked our butt off to that location. The boat didn't even look like a boat! It was a flat vessel

motored by one man. When we got there, he was already ~15ft away drifting off the other way. I yelled for him to come back. Thank goodness he did. There were no one on his vessel and just cost us $5 each. The ride was like 2 minutes! That was our fifth luck of the day!

In the end, we managed to eat our oysters (I highly recommend Larsen's Fish Market), catch our final buses and got back on time for the last ferry. I don't believe I have ever had before such multiple lucks in one day. We definitely had angels watching over us that day. It was definitely one of our most memorable trips ever!

         

A Local in the Big Apple

If you are a first time visitor to the Big Apple, New York City, then I might be able to offer you a few local's insight. New York City is perhaps one of the most diverse cities in the world. This reason alone is why I still consider NYC the best place in the world; a place of cultural learning and of equal opportunities. Beside the multicultural scene of this city, everything is conveniently located steps away: restaurant, pharmacy, deli, bus stop, or subway.

Of the five boroughs in NYC, Manhattan is the best known. Manhattan is the center of the city and the New York metropolitan area. This borough alone is enough for a traveler to get a glimpse of what this city offers. Whether you are planning to travel luxuriously or on a budget, Manhattan offers various options harboring plenty of restaurants, shopping areas, shows, and attractions for all types of travelers.

Obviously there are tons of things to see in NYC, but if you have only a few days, I would recommend checking out the following:

Main attractions

Statue of Liberty:

No visit to NYC is complete without a visit to one of New York's most famous historical landmarks. There are ferries and cruises offering departures throughout the day from New York and New Jersey to Liberty Island. But for those who would be satisfied by simply getting a glimpse of the national monument from afar, I suggest you to take a stroll along the Battery Park City area located in lower Manhattan or take a free round trip ferry to Staten Island. (You can take the downtown #1 subway line to South Ferry or #4 or #5 subway lines to Bowling Green). If you choose to take the ferry, simply take the ferry to Staten Island and back because there is nothing to do in Staten Island. The 25 minutes one-way ferry ride is worthwhile offering you views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Governor's Island, and both New York and New Jersey's Harbor.   

Rockefeller Center Observation Deck:

Known as the Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Center Observation Deck would be the best place to check out an unobstructed view of NYC. Most visitors would probably visit the Empire State Building's Observatory, however, I think the Top of the Rock would be a better choice. Though the ticket price at Rockefeller ($21 per adult) might be ~$1 more than ESB's, you can actually see Empire State Building from the RCO deck and get a closer view of Central Park. If you visit during Christmas, you can also see one of the largest tree lights. It is definitely worth checking if you never seen a giant Christmas tree before. (Take the subway lines B, D, F, V to 47-50th Street Station).

Around this neighborhood:

After visiting the observation deck, you can take a walk along 5th ave and do some shopping. However, shopping along 5th avenue can be very expensive. Most famous brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany & Co., Henri Bendel, Bottega Veneta, Prada, and the likes are located here. For the budget travelers, you can walk south toward 34th Street/6th Ave to visit Macy's or for some less expensive shops. Otherwise, take a nice stroll in neighboring Central Park 

Chinatown/Little Italy:

If you never been to Asia or visited San Francisco's Chinatown, then you cannot miss NYC's Chinatown located in lower Manhattan. There is another Chinatown in Flushing, Queens worth mentioning, but should be visited by those who have the extra time or desire Taiwanese cuisine. (You can take the #7 subway line to Main St. Station in Queens - 50mins one way). Chinatown is worth visiting if you never experienced the Chinese culture and is the best gastronomical place for Cantonese food. There are also some great Vietnamese and Malaysian restaurants here. For budget travelers, Chinatown is also one of the places where you can purchase the cheapest food and groceries in Manhattan. Two reputable streets that I recommend to walk along are on Mott St. and Canal St. You can experience what Chinese culture is like by simply walking along those streets. There are plenty of Chinese stores for you to buy souvenirs and tons of Asian restaurants to choose from. One hidden mall is located inside 15 Elizabeth Street, a good place to buy cute Asian trinkets. And if steam shrimp dumplings with shark fin, roasted pork buns, egg tarts, beef rice noodle rolls or soy sauced chicken feet sounds intriguing to you, then one of the things you must do while you are in Chinatown is try the dim sums, Chinese tapas, which usually serves between 8am - 3pm in some restaurants.

Along the borders of Chinatown walking west along Canal Street or Grand Street, you can stop by Little Italy. Besides eating Italian food or getting a gelato, Little Italy is worth stopping by since it is close to Chinatown, and Soho, which is one of the best shopping areas in the city.

by subway to Chinatown:
Grand Street Station: B, D 
East Broadway Station: F

by subway to Chinatown/Little Italy:
Canal Street Station: 6, J, M, N, Q, R, W, Z

Soho/Noho Village:
The areas known as soho and noho, the famous fashion playgrounds, are my favorite destination to go shopping. This long section of shopping area stretches from Chinatown to 14th Street. If you are near Chinatown/Little Italy, you can walk toward Canal St. until you reach Broadway and head north. If you are near Union Square 14th Street, you can walk south on Broadway. Along Broadway and West Broadway, which is a parallel street from Broadway, harbor tons of low and high end boutique shops, department stores, and art stands. You can seriously spend the whole day doing some serious shopping here, as well as checking out the younger trendier crowd in town.   

Time Square on 42nd Street:
A city does not feel like a city if you do not visit Time Square. Though it can be viewed as a tourist trap and an extremely crowded place, Time Square is a must see if you never been to a city before. I suggest visiting this area during the night time. The scene is astonishing, huge animated neon lights and television screens screams out at you. The Broadway theater district is also located here if you want to check out a show. (Unless it is popular, cheaper same-day shows can be purchased at the TKTS Discount Booth on 47th. However, the one located at South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan is a lot less crowded). Despite the crowd, I would visit this area because here you can experience how it feels to be in a city that never sleeps.  

Museums/Galleries:

If you like the arts or prefer to stay indoors during a rainy or cold day, then visiting museums is a good way to fill up the time. I would recommend The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) on 53rd Street or The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art on 82nd Street and 5th Ave.

If visiting galleries is more of your thing, then visit the Chelsea area around 9th-11th Ave between 20th Street and 23rd Street. Galleries filled with pieces of unique and upcoming talents occupy this area, as well as standing constructions of modern architecture resembling those of Copenhagen. Whitney Museum is scheduled to build a new museum around the area as well, but it would not be done until 2015. After visiting the galleries, you should visit the Chelsea Market, a gourmand's mecca, on 9th Ave between 15th-16th Street. The Thai restaurant inside is one of the best ones I have eaten in the city. It is reasonably priced and delicious. If you can splurge, Morimoto, Buddhakan, Pastis, and Macelleria is within walking distance. Food Channel is also located there. Two blocks away is also the Meat Packing District, which has become one of the trendiest places to go for brunch and a night out in the city. 


Bleeker Street:
Besides 5th avenue and Soho/Noho village, I also like to walk along Bleeker Street because it is less crowded and a great stroll by the West Village. Walking along Bleeker Street you will see plenty of boutique shops and great eateries. Marc Jacobs, Juicy, Coach, Ralph Lauren, and Intermix to name a few of the shops. John's Pizzeria at Bleeker and Keste Pizza and Wine are two of my favorite places to grab a pie of pizza. If you have a sweet tooth, the famous Magnolia Bakery is also located along Bleeker Street. The best thing is: from Bank Street you can walk along Bleeker Street toward Broadway to continue with more shopping.