Canyon Colours

Utah is, in my view, the State that just keeps on giving.  For thousands of years, it was home to the Ancestral Pueblo and Fremont people who built their homes in the mountains and on top of the multitude of mesa in the area.  Then the Navajo arrived and have pretty much called Utah home since then, along with the Shoshone and Ute people.

Of course the Europeans came along and poked around for a while before the Mormon people wandered on through.  They were looking for land in the Americas that no one else wanted, and they decided that Utah was it.  And to be honest, I can see why the land that makes up Utah was the final stop.

Its actually hard to choose which of Utah's magnificent National Parks is the best to visit in order to get a sense of this remarkable State.  Driving through the landscape is just one 'ahhh' moment after another and as the driver, its difficult to take it all in.  I drove from Monument Valley in the south, to the Mesa Verde, through Arches, to Capital Reef and was in awe of the place the whole way.  

And then you arrive in Bryce Canyon National Park.  Wow.  The colours are just amazing.  The geological features called hoodoos, rise up from the floor of the canyon and point to the sky in all their glory.  Its hard not to be impressed.  

I was lucky to be part of a group that had a visiting geologist present to provide some history and science to what we were seeing and that made a huge difference to my experience.

I only had a day to explore and that now seems like such an injustice to Bryce.  It is worth so much more time and energy.

Majestic

So I know that I have dragged you with me over to Europe with the intention of sharing my journeys there.  However, if you don't mind travelling back with me to the USA just for a little while, I have some fabulous experiences that I think you would enjoy!

I recently made the flight back in order to celebrate a birthday road trip with an Australian friend.  I joined up with her in Los Angeles and from there, we took 6 weeks to drive across the USA to New York following the old Route 66.  We did plenty of detouring along the way, thus the duration, but saw some amazing country that I had not seen while living there.  So if you bear with me, I would like to share just a couple of the stand out highlights with you over the next couple of posts.

So how to describe Monument Valley in southern Utah?  Majestic is probably the closest English world I can find but I have no doubt there are far better words somewhere out there.  In Navajo, Tse' Bii' Ndzisgalii, means valley of the rocks and this amazing place is situated in a valley that lies within the Navajo Nation Reservation.

I think have been blessed to see some incredible landscapes in my life, but Monument Valley would have to be the most spectacular.  From the moment you drive over the rise down into the valley, your breathe truly escapes you.  Its not possible to take a bad photo here.  It is a stunningly beautiful and peaceful place and I can certainly appreciate why filmmakers have practically set up camp here over the years.  More importantly, I understand entirely why the Navajo people are passionate about this place.

We spent a couple of days in the valley, staying at the Monument Valley Tipi Village.  The village promises that you will have "...a Navajo experience that will linger with you a lifetime" and that was certainly true for me.  We bunked down in a tipi and enjoyed an amazing welcome and night under the stars.  A few glasses of wine just topped off the night perfectly!

The village organised a Navajo guided tour for us through the valley and amongst the incredible red rock formations.  Our guide, who's name unfortunately escapes me, explained the history of the valley, the people and the significance of the valley to the Navajo people.

Our tour, which was at sunset, was just perfect.  I couldn't have asked for a better way of enjoying this place.  The Navajo people we met were wonderful and very proud of their land and rightly so.  I could wake up to that sunrise and sip wine to that sunset every day and never tie of the magnificence of the landscape and the massive sky that surrounds you.

In my opinion, The Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is one of those places that should be on your bucket list and perhaps...just perhaps, you should see this place before the big ditch, the Grand Canyon.

Rambling Away

At some point in history, the UK public succeeded in getting the support of someone in the government for a law of wonderful genius.  Someone had the foresight to think long term and put in place a 'public right of access' and 'right to roam' law.  Its brilliant.  England is such a beautiful country and it just begs you to get out and wander and explore.  This 'right to roam' law essentially grants walkers permission to meander at will using the many walkways that crisscross the landscape over mountains, moors, heaths, downs and commons as well as many private lands.   These pathways are well marked and are easy to follow and there truly is very few places that you can not wander.  In our own little village, you will see the markers leading off downs little lane ways and out into forests and paddocks or along the river ways.  I just love it.

So I took the opportunity while visiting Dorset to walk a stretch of the South West Coast Path from West Bay to Seatown.  A total of 32kms return up and over some of the most spectacular coastal cliffs I've ever seen.  The path skirts along the top of the cliff line through farmland, cow and sheep paddocks, from one pub to the next through the little village of Eype!  Perfect.  We headed off just after a morning tea of Dorset Apple Cake in the historic market town of Bridport, and then lunched at the Anchor Inn in Seatown before building the strength to walk back over the cliffs via Downhouse Farm for cream tea, to West Bay and then finishing with a pint of local beer at the West Bay Hotel.

Despite the distance and the burning thighs, time passed quickly walking through the gorgeous countryside, chatting to other walkers along the way and getting distracted by the sheep, birds, and para gliders!

The Algarve, Portugal

After what seems like a never ending winter, I went chasing some sun.  The only catch with living in Europe is 'option paralysis'!  With early summer on my UK doorstep, I decided that I needed to get some sunshine into my Australian blood but I was just overwhelmed with the options of where I could go.  In the end, I just grabbed a package deal and found myself in Portugal on the Algarve coastline.

Beach holidays are usually not my thing.  I was incredibly blessed in my youth not only living within koo-wee's distance of some of the best beaches in the world, but I have also worked in the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef.  So to say 'other' beaches don't hold intrigue for me is probably fair.  I generally seek out culture, environment and culinary delights!!  However, there are times when the body screams for some R&R and sun and that, this week, was me.

Now, let me be clear, my comments are not to say that The Algarve doesn't have culture, environment and culinary delights to sample!  It is however a very touristy place and popular for Brits and Northern Europeans.   The odd bachelor and bachelorette parties are not an unusual sight.  It does however seem to have a disconnect with that true sense of Portugal's amazing history.  Given that Portugal has been continually fought over and settled since prehistoric times, its hard to find even remnants of that in this area.

I'm told that the Algarve's history is seeded in fishing villages and trading ports which is not surprising given its location.  The Phoenicians were among the first to establish trading ports in around 1000BC.  They were followed by the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Visigoths and then the Muslim conquest in 711.  So there is history and there are even some ruins around the coastline to be found.  But it is very much a beach resort area today....and a lovely one to be sure.

What I did enjoy though was the wonderful white washed buildings, the Moorish/Portuguese architecture, the marble tessellated footpaths and the relaxed laid back nature of the local community.  There is no rushing around here!

The Algarve is also famous for its pottery and ceramics and particularly the hand-painted tiles.  I love how many a street sign is simply painted tiles on the side of building.  And the mosaic tiles skirting the base of many buildings just adds a flare to the otherwise bright whites of the simple homes.

Seafood is the other enormous attraction....the Algarve people live on the stuff and I have to say for this Australian girl, getting access to some fabulous seafood was a joy.  I particularly loved the grilled  octopus, sea bass and the sardines!  The food culture is very simple here but good quality produce doesn't require artistic devices!!  Portugal also makes some wonderful wines and I would encourage anyone visiting to forget the wines from elsewhere in the world and do yourself a favour - try the local stuff!!!

Dublin

The Spire

Dublin is strangely quite difficult to describe.  Its an ancient city with a long history of turmoil and triumph, and stories of riches and poverty.  And that can be felt in the air everywhere you walk.  It was originally established as a Viking settlement before becoming Ireland's main centre following the arrival of the Normans.  After that, it was the centre of the British Empire's Irish lands before achieving its current status as the capital of the Irish Free State, or Ireland as we know it today.

Its full of history, a morning spent in the Ancient History Museum demonstrates that, yet its architecture doesn't really reflect that.  Don't get me wrong, there are some wonderful old buildings such as the Post Office, the old House of Parliament, and Trinity College.  But there are equally so many periods of development and then decline reflected in the built environment that I always find myself trying to identify a true sense of what makes Dublin tick. Funnily enough, an old Dublin-born fella in a pub put it simply "if you want the Disney version of Dublin, go to Temple Bar.  But if you want to really feel Dublin, walk further afield and stop and chat".  And that is about right too.

As is always my want, I did wander aimlessly along the Lifey zigging and zagging into the side streets for coffee, lunch and just general sticky beaking.  And consequently, I had some great experiences.  On one side street, I came across a group of pyjama clad half toothless children who had clearly just had chocolate cake for afternoon tea.  For the tiny sum of 50p each, I got a Capella version of a U2 song.  Interesting and musically challenging but with gales of laughter and excitement over their 50p, it was a moment to cherish.  Another fabulous experience was The Brazen Head which is Ireland's oldest pub, dating back to 1198.  Wonderfully cramped and a mish mash of buildings, it does have what is possibly the best Sunday session you'll come across.  I love the fact that the 'band' just sit around on stools wherever they can find them and then just play what comes to mind.  What I especially liked was the folk songs they sang - not the ones I grew up hearing, but songs about revolution and independence.  And the spoon player.....wow!

But Dublin today is such a multicultural city such that along with all those wonderful lilting Irish accents, you will also hear French, Italian, Polish, Arabic etc and you will also be able to enjoy foods from all corners of the planet with a dash of Ireland thrown in.  My advice, enjoy Dublin with an open mind and you won't be disappointed.

A weekend in Paris

It wouldn't matter when you visited Paris.  Its always alluring and elegant and outrageous and so many other adjectives.  I never tire of it or walking the streets exploring old and new places. I have had short and long stays there over the years and there is always something to see and do and activities for any itinerary or capability.

This time, the feet and body weren't terribly kind to me but I still managed to explore and soak up everything that makes Paris unique.  What I can say, having been entertained by Paris before, is that now when I visit, the pressure to be a tourist has lifted.  I don't  have to rush around seeing 'stuff' because I may only visit once.  Having been on a few occasions before, I've visited all the iconic 'must sees' such that now, I can sit in one of the many fabulous bistros and cafes and watch Paris walk on by or I can meander amongst all the wonderful nooks and crannies that are just full of surprises.  Or, as I did on this trip, attempt to converse in my hideous French and mingle with the locals.

No matter the inclination, Paris is such an amazing and beautiful place.

From the heart Texas to the centre of London

It was almost five years ago that I left London, returning to Australia for three years before then heading to Houston, Texas for two and half years.  So it has been with a great deal of excitement to now return again, a little older, heaps wiser and more travelled.  You can't help but make comparisons from the moment you step off the plane.  Rightly or wrongly, even jet lagged, I found myself staring our the window as we made our way through the traffic and along winding roads to our temporary digs, fondly comparing and pondering the differences between London and Houston.

The first and most obvious thing you notice is the roads and the cars on those roads.  Houston is big and flat, sprawling with freeways crisscrossing the landscape.  Loaded with trucks, or pick ups, semi trailers, all manor of big American car and all.....speeding and zigzagging through the traffic, rushing to their next destination.  It can be frightening even for this country girl who doesn't mind planting the foot!

London....yep, it has highways but no where near the size and breadth of Houston.  And certainly the cars are small, and I mean small.  There are some fancy European sports cars, lorries, and buses, and generally all sticking to the speed limit which is 50 or 60mph!

But then you get into the heart of things.

The streets in London were, in the main, laid down hundreds of years ago and intended for horse and carriage!  So the closer into Central London you get, the more courteous manoeuvring needed and the slower the pace.  The streets are lined with all manor of architecture but whats lovely are the terraced houses and old shops fronts.

But to be honest, what stands out most obviously is the people on the street.  London is pedestrian and cycling friendly, Houston isn't really.  While there are pockets of roadways marked for cycling, Texas is truly a place built for cars.  In London, anytime night or day, there are people out on the street walking or cycling to their destination.  Often the surge of people on the footpath is such that they spill out onto the road and the cars are restricted to a single lane.  That would only happen in Houston on days when some event is on.  But London has footpaths and well maintained ones too, wide and inviting to walk on.  In fact, within an hour of finishing unpacking, the lure of London's streets and the Thames was such that we were out pounding the footpath and enjoying walking and being car free!!

I enjoyed Houston but I did miss being able to get to where I wanted to go, simply by foot.  Both Perth and London invite you to go for a walk and challenge you to see how far you might wander before realising it.  I can easily spend 3 hours walking without even noticing!  And of course, when the feet, knees and lets face it, the whole body just says "enough", there is the Tube which will speed you back to where you need to be.

I am looking forward now to sharing everything, from my perspective, that makes London one of the greatest cities to experience!