Browse Category: Travel

This little lady went to market…

Hello lovelies!

More musings from my travels to the Great White North, which thankfully was not so white, but rather many shades of spring. This post has a bunch of snapshots, taken in my favorite Ontario village; read on…

Spring growth; my mother-in-law's lawn in Canada

One of my favorite things to do when I visit my relatives in Canada is to spend at least one day in St. Jacobs Country, a community in the Kitchener-Waterloo region of Ontario. This picturesque little village was originally settled by Mennonites who made their way over from Pennsylvania during the late 18th century. The area still has a fair number of Old Order Mennonites who maintain the quiet, traditional way of life of plain dress and agricultural livelihood. Many of them keep farms.

A farm in St. Jacobs Country
A Mennonite rides through St. Jacobs

There are fun shops with things for the home, crafts, quilts and local maple syrups. There are quaint little eateries with good German sausages. There are older establishments still making things the old way, like the Hamel Brooms shop which still makes gorgeous corn brooms. There’s my personal favorite gourmet shop, the Farm Pantry, which sells yummy food items.

Hamel Broom shop, St. Jacobs Village
Shelves of good stuff inside Farm Pantry

There is also an amazing market disctrict where local farmers and vendors sell their wares to the public every Thursday and Saturday: an amazing display of grown-in-the-area fruits and vegetables, food stands, fresh meats, freshly bottled maple syrups, baked goods and a little flea market area of cheap stuff. There’s usually a manure smell, since farmers also bring livestock to the market. I’ve come to pseudo-appreciate this smell for two reasons: first, it’s synonymous with Spring in a place that endures several cold months out of the year, and second, as someone who lives in a metropolitan area, this smell reminds me that some people are still doing things the good old-fashioned way. That’s what St. Jacobs is all about. And by the way…you can’t beat produce fresh from the farmers market–check out my bowl of giant strawberries that I got from there 🙂

Eff you for flying with us.

 

Hey folks!

Paying money to use the toilet on a plane; paying for a carry-on bag. They’re not just for nightmares or SNL skits anymore, they’re the reality of airline travel today.

Ryanair, a low-cost British airline, announced yesterday that passengers who wish to use the restroom onboard will have to pay for the privilege. That is, if they get a chance to even use the thing–the airline will remove most of the onboard bathrooms on the planes in their fleet and leave just one toilet on each. The 189 passengers onboard the plane will have to duke it out for a turn, I guess. Ryanair’s spokesperson Stephen McNamara had this to say about it:

By charging for the toilets we are hoping to change passenger behaviour so that they use the bathroom before or after the flight. That will enable us to remove two out of three of the toilets and make way for at least six extra seats on board.”

Mr. McNamara should have been more bluntly honest in his statement and explained that the airline is actually trying to force humans to act like lap dogs. Bathroom breaks OUTSIDE the plane? Puh-leeze. I don’t usually use airplane lavatories, but this is just demeaning. Airplane travel is uncomfortable enough–they ought to be offering you a free drink just for fitting inside that Smurf-sized bathroom. So a pregnant woman who needs to urinate more often than usual (as is common during pregnancy) is gonna shell out dough because of her condition? A guy who needs to whiz several times during his flight because he’s dealing with an enlarged prostate is gonna pay every time he has to relieve himself? At least the spokesperson stated the ugly truth that the airline will remove three-quarters of the bathrooms and stuff more passengers into that space. An extra six or seven people you’ll have to fight for the porcelain throne.

But while that’s bad, I don’t think it’s as insulting as Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza telling the public that there is a “beauty” to the airline’s new policy of charging money for carry-on bags. Apparently I’m supposed to believe there is something beautiful about paying $30 for a carry-on item placed in an overhead bin. Spirit passengers who are enrolled in the Fare Club (a $40-a-year club) will pay $20 for their carry-ons. The surcharge is just for stuff you want to put overhead though; you won’t have to pay for something that fits under the seat in front of you (you can kiss whatever little leg circulation you had goobye now that you have to keep your stuff at your feet). Baldanza’s colleague, Spirit Chief Operating Officer Ken McKenzie also talked up the new policy in a statement, explaining that the new rule will make flights more efficient and safe because reducing the number of carry-on bags will speed up the boarding process and the deplaning process. “Bring less; pay less. It’s simple.” Simple for you Mr. McKenzie; I doubt you even fly Spirit.

CEO Baldanza, however, issued the statement that broke the camel’s back for me:

The beauty of it is they will do what they think is best for them and will now have the choice.”

Paying for the damn carry-on is bad enough. Telling me that paying for the carry-on is the best thing ever since sliced bread is insulting to my intelligence. So these airlines not only want to screw you, they want you to love every second of it too.

Airlines are looking for a way to speed up the boarding and deplaning process? Here’s an idea–load the plane back rows to front during boarding, and actually stick to that rule; don’t allow front-of-the-plane passengers to wedge their way in. Makes boarding much easier. And by the way, deplaning doesn’t take that long–it’s waiting for the airplane doors to open that adds time to the process, essentially an airport/airplane issue that has little to do with the passengers. I’m not bothered by the wait anyhow; if you can’t cool your jets for five or ten minutes to make your way off the plane, go see a head doctor. Once passengers start exiting, it only takes a couple of minutes to leave anyway.

Airlines are out of control with their fees and surcharges. And it’s not like you can complain at the airport–they’ll treat you like an enemy of the state. I remember a time a few years ago when oil prices were high and cruise passengers were sometimes forced to pay a fuel surcharge on top of their fare. But when oil prices dropped, cruiseline fuel surcharges went away. For whatever reason, they never left the airlines.

I’ve never had a fear of flying. I don’t hate aiports. I always loved traveling. But it’s harder for me to love traveling when I have only one way of getting from point A to point B, and that one means is nickeling and diming the hell out of me just because it can. And don’t tell me to pack lighter. First of all, the industry standard was two suitcases for decades–they’re just taking advantage of passengers now because our options are limited: it’s not like we always have time to take a roadtrip from Miami to San Francisco. Secondly, how does packing light help my situation? I’m supposed to pack light for my three week trip and buy a whole new wardrobe when I get to Point B?

At risk of sounding like a grounded teenager on a Friday night, it’s just not fair. We need a viable alternative to air travel in this country. We need a good-quality high-speed train system here. I told my husband over breakfast this morning that I’m considering doing most of my US travel by car now, even if it means tacking on a few extra days to allow for driving. I know this won’t always be possible, but this South Florida gal has grown tired of giving the bully her lunch money.

Eff you for flying with us.

 

Hey folks!

Paying money to use the toilet on a plane; paying for a carry-on bag. They’re not just for nightmares or SNL skits anymore, they’re the reality of airline travel today.

Ryanair, a low-cost British airline, announced yesterday that passengers who wish to use the restroom onboard will have to pay for the privilege. That is, if they get a chance to even use the thing–the airline will remove most of the onboard bathrooms on the planes in their fleet and leave just one toilet on each. The 189 passengers onboard the plane will have to duke it out for a turn, I guess. Ryanair’s spokesperson Stephen McNamara had this to say about it:

By charging for the toilets we are hoping to change passenger behaviour so that they use the bathroom before or after the flight. That will enable us to remove two out of three of the toilets and make way for at least six extra seats on board.”

Mr. McNamara should have been more bluntly honest in his statement and explained that the airline is actually trying to force humans to act like lap dogs. Bathroom breaks OUTSIDE the plane? Puh-leeze. I don’t usually use airplane lavatories, but this is just demeaning. Airplane travel is uncomfortable enough–they ought to be offering you a free drink just for fitting inside that Smurf-sized bathroom. So a pregnant woman who needs to urinate more often than usual (as is common during pregnancy) is gonna shell out dough because of her condition? A guy who needs to whiz several times during his flight because he’s dealing with an enlarged prostate is gonna pay every time he has to relieve himself? At least the spokesperson stated the ugly truth that the airline will remove three-quarters of the bathrooms and stuff more passengers into that space. An extra six or seven people you’ll have to fight for the porcelain throne.

But while that’s bad, I don’t think it’s as insulting as Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza telling the public that there is a “beauty” to the airline’s new policy of charging money for carry-on bags. Apparently I’m supposed to believe there is something beautiful about paying $30 for a carry-on item placed in an overhead bin. Spirit passengers who are enrolled in the Fare Club (a $40-a-year club) will pay $20 for their carry-ons. The surcharge is just for stuff you want to put overhead though; you won’t have to pay for something that fits under the seat in front of you (you can kiss whatever little leg circulation you had goobye now that you have to keep your stuff at your feet). Baldanza’s colleague, Spirit Chief Operating Officer Ken McKenzie also talked up the new policy in a statement, explaining that the new rule will make flights more efficient and safe because reducing the number of carry-on bags will speed up the boarding process and the deplaning process. “Bring less; pay less. It’s simple.” Simple for you Mr. McKenzie; I doubt you even fly Spirit.

CEO Baldanza, however, issued the statement that broke the camel’s back for me:

The beauty of it is they will do what they think is best for them and will now have the choice.”

Paying for the damn carry-on is bad enough. Telling me that paying for the carry-on is the best thing ever since sliced bread is insulting to my intelligence. So these airlines not only want to screw you, they want you to love every second of it too.

Airlines are looking for a way to speed up the boarding and deplaning process? Here’s an idea–load the plane back rows to front during boarding, and actually stick to that rule; don’t allow front-of-the-plane passengers to wedge their way in. Makes boarding much easier. And by the way, deplaning doesn’t take that long–it’s waiting for the airplane doors to open that adds time to the process, essentially an airport/airplane issue that has little to do with the passengers. I’m not bothered by the wait anyhow; if you can’t cool your jets for five or ten minutes to make your way off the plane, go see a head doctor. Once passengers start exiting, it only takes a couple of minutes to leave anyway.

Airlines are out of control with their fees and surcharges. And it’s not like you can complain at the airport–they’ll treat you like an enemy of the state. I remember a time a few years ago when oil prices were high and cruise passengers were sometimes forced to pay a fuel surcharge on top of their fare. But when oil prices dropped, cruiseline fuel surcharges went away. For whatever reason, they never left the airlines.

I’ve never had a fear of flying. I don’t hate aiports. I always loved traveling. But it’s harder for me to love traveling when I have only one way of getting from point A to point B, and that one means is nickeling and diming the hell out of me just because it can. And don’t tell me to pack lighter. First of all, the industry standard was two suitcases for decades–they’re just taking advantage of passengers now because our options are limited: it’s not like we always have time to take a roadtrip from Miami to San Francisco. Secondly, how does packing light help my situation? I’m supposed to pack light for my three week trip and buy a whole new wardrobe when I get to Point B?

At risk of sounding like a grounded teenager on a Friday night, it’s just not fair. We need a viable alternative to air travel in this country. We need a good-quality high-speed train system here. I told my husband over breakfast this morning that I’m considering doing most of my US travel by car now, even if it means tacking on a few extra days to allow for driving. I know this won’t always be possible, but this South Florida gal has grown tired of giving the bully her lunch money.

Mud crawling…

Hello everyone!

Looking for something totally different and off the wall to do in the upcoming weeks and months? Ever heard of Muddy Buddy? Sponsored by the Columbia Sportswear company, it’s a multi-sport event that involves running, off-road biking, obstacles and mud. This event’s making people dirty one city at a time, traveling around big cities in the US during spring, summer and fall. You participate in a two-person team. When the race starts, one of you runs while the other bikes. You both get to an obstacle, go through the obstacle (successfully 😉 then switch off with each other (the biker now runs, the runner now bikes). You get to the next obstacle, then switch off again. You do this for five obstacles and eventually make it to a good old mud pit at the end of the event–the one through which you will both crawl and emerge “muddy buddies.” The whole event covers a ground distance of six or seven miles; by the end each of you will have run about three miles and cycled three miles. Apparently I shouldn’t be worried that I’m not an Olympic athlete–it’s designed with all sorts of competitors in mind. Nice. Adding to my bucket list.

If you’ve got little ones who’d like to try their hand at an obstacle and a mud crawl, sign them up for Mini Muddy-Buddy. This event is geared towards kids age 4 to 13 (the 4-, 5-, and 6-year olds must be accompanied by an adult for the crawl), and involves a short obstacle course followed by a mud bath. Fun stuff.

The entry fee for the event will run you and your partner $150 total (it’s $15 more for the Orlando event). Mini Muddy Buddy costs $15. Click here to see scheduled dates and locations. It’s mostly in bigger cities for now, but it’s in enough states that you should be able to drive to one nearby if it’s not taking place right in your town. There’s one coming up on May 8th in Orlando. I won’t be able to make it that week, but there is a South Florida Muddy Buddy coming my way in late November, so we’ll see if I muster up the courage for that one. By the way, if any of you sign up I’d be more than happy to bring my camera to document the historic occasion. You know, for posterity. And for Facebook.

This thing sounds like a blast, and it beats dinner and a movie hands down, doesn’t it?

On the (Loop) Road Again…

The car on the Loop

Hey friendly readers!

I’m still reeling from my incredibly fun weekend in the Everglades. Being from Miami, I grew up with a deep love for this unique delicate ecosystem. I’ve gone on wonderful camping trips and day trips in the Everglades. It’s a happy place for me, being that I’m generally obsessed with bodies of water and life within them; water and life–the Glades have got plenty of both.

This day trip into the ‘Glades started out as a mission to show my husband my favorite parts of this amazing place. We live in Broward County, and sometimes we like to hop in the car and cruise along I-75 North towards Naples, a stretch of highway also known as ‘Alligator Alley’. When you take this road north and west, you’ll find yourself eventually surrounded by wide open water with sawgrass. You’ll see some gators hanging out along the way too. Makes for a nice enough scenic drive.

I love the  Big Cypress National Preserve within the Everglades. So many mangroves are visible, so much wildlife, very diverse flora and fauna. So Sunday morning, my crew of 6—myself, the husband, the mother, the sisters, and the nephew—piled up in my car and off we went.

We took the Tamiami Trail directly west until South Miami suburb developments gave way to little gator-wrestling stops and small roadside food joints. It’s a different world out there. We headed to the Loop Road, a 27-mile scenic drive and managed to see plenty of good stuff out there, thanks to the sunny, cold dry weather (the best time for gator-watching in Florida).

Gator Head CloseUp
A cheeky gator flashes us some pearly whites along the road.

I love the Loop Road, but hadn’t been on it in a couple of years. Got there, and found out that a big portion of the Loop is in awful shape. In all fairness, I will admit that there was a “Local Traffic Only” sign partially blocking that portion of the Loop. I reasoned that I’m a local and drove right past it. What I got was a LONG uneven wet mess of giant potholes–much of the road is partially washed out. It’s still lovely to be surrounded on either side by all kinds of wetlands. I loved every minute of it. My fam loved the bumpiness (we’re used to bad roads in Haiti, so this brought back fond memories), especially my five-year-old nephew. It took hours to drive the road because of its condition; my back did not thank me the next day.

**After coming home, I looked up whether anything had been reported about the current state of the dirt/gravel portion of the Loop and came across this message on the government’s Big Cypress Preserve page:

the portion of Loop Road south of the Gator Hook Strand site and west of the Loop Road Education Center will be closed to vehicle traffic. This closure does not apply to landowners and their guests. The closure is warranted due to water over topping the roadbed creating the potential for unsafe driving conditions. This portion of the road is gravel, and the combination of water over the roadway, and vehicle traffic has washed away road materials, leaving deep pockets in some areas of the roadway. The paved portion of the road located west of the Preserve boundary and east of the Loop Road Education Center remains under a travelers advisory. If travel along the road is necessary, the use of a high clearance vehicle is strongly suggested.”

Oops. Well, luckily my car’s got good ground clearance; I will research beforehand next time.

We saw lots of beautiful bare trees, nice ponds and fields, pretty flowers, and a rustic human outpost or two.

Old Station Big Cypress Fields Black Bird

The pics in this post are some lovely pics that my wonderful husband snapped during our day of adventure. If you don’t spend time in the Everglades, I urge you to go. It’s a magical place, and works its way quickly into your heart. I will never miss the opportunity to remind myself and others how blessed we are to have this unique ecosystem here in our backyard. There’s no place like it in the world.

Pond with Trees

Gator in Water