CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY

Will be in the Bay Area for the next few days. San Francisco and the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. (Burning off tons of frequent traveler points.)

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One of our global favorite destinations. Wine Country, here we come!

MONDAY PLANNING

In two weeks we venture to the wilds of Northern California for a stop at Safari West, as well as swings by the Napa Valley and San Francisco.

Excited to get back on the road.

Welcome to Monday! Here are some giraffes to make you smile.

WINE REGIONS - NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

Easily the pre-eminent American wine region, the Napa Valley is indeed a world-class producer of fine wines. It has a well-deserved reputation for serving up some of the best vintages in both red and white varietals, and is famous for besting France's most impressive producers in the notorious Judgment of Paris in 1976.

Although the western side of the Valley, along Highway 29, is the most popular, populated and therefore heavily trafficked by tourists, the eastern side, known as the Silverado Trail, boasts many excellent vineyards without as much in the way of traveling crowds. 

When we visit, it is the Silverado Trail which provides the greatest pleasure and relaxation, but for a full experience I would spend a minimum of two days traversing both sides of the valley floor.

NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA -- ENJOYING THE VIEW

I have mentioned a few times that California's Napa Valley 

is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. 

I don't believe there are many better things than a short repast with the valley floor at your feet.

And a glass of wine, of course.

Terrace seating at Silverado Vineyards.

The Wine Trip

“it's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine ... it's summertime!” 

                                ― Kenny Chesney

Although much of my online cocktail reputation is owed to martinis — the pursuit and consumption of them — I am also very much a fan of wine.

I understand wine is a topic which has been approached tens of thousands of times by people much more qualified than I when it comes to tasting and evaluating them. There is not a lot intellectually or authoritatively I could offer that would scoop writers such as Jancis Robinson or Hugh Johnson, but I tend to follow the advice given a novice wine drinker: “Drink what you like, not what someone else says is good.”

And I know what I like. 

As does anyone who has ever sipped a glass. My wife doesn't drink a whole lot of wine...primarily because the only wines she likes seem to cost hundreds of dollars a bottle. (Nobody has ever accused my wife of having any less than discriminating tastes -- excepting her choice of spouses, that is.)

And so we have to recognize that everyone’s taste is different, and while the vast majority of us can differentiate between, say, a dark and chewy Cabernet Sauvignon and a much lighter and gentler Merlot — a nod to the film Sideways here — the vast majority of us would be pretty wine-blind to maybe 17 different brands of oaked midrange Chardonnays. Particularly after the first dozen tastings.

As an authority, I will note the number of Master Sommeliers in the world numbers in the dozens, not millions.

Wine and fun

As such, the activity of wine tasting for the studied professional and the rank amateur alike has become, in the last thirty years, a fun and well established Traveler pastime. Even my wife, who eschews alcohol of every sort (doesn’t like the taste), enjoys wine country outings and the many tastings we’ve attended around the world. As one of my major NO OPPORTUNITY WASTED endeavors*, it’s something we do whenever the opportunity presents itself.

(* A “long game” N.O.W. goal of mine is to have a glass of wine in all of the major wine districts/countries around the world. The definition of “major” is debatable, of course, but more about that later.)

The Napa Valley

On our first trip to the Napa Valley we had decided an important destination had to be the Robert Mondavi winery. At the time Mondavi was the essential “face” of the Napa Valley, and considered to be not only one of its best wine producers, but one of the industry’s strongest advocates. At the time the vineyard also offered a small tour of the wine operations, including a tasting. But our arrival time was a bit off, meaning we would need to kill nearly 40 minutes before it would start.

Napa Cabernet grapes

Off to one side was a wine tasting bar — this was before the very large and ubiquitous tasting rooms sprung up throughout the valley. My wife, herself maybe 28 at the time, apparently made quite the impression on the young-ish (21?) man behind the counter. She told him she really didn’t want a taste, but that I would, and she explained that she tended (at the time) to favor sweeter wines. I got a couple of glasses of wine and we found a small nook to sip, enjoy the view of the vineyard and sit down to wait for the tour to begin.

Sparkling wine pour

A few minutes later the man from the counter found us and proffered a glass to my wife, explaining she might like this better. She smiled, accepted and as soon as he disappeared around the corner she handed the glass to me. I swallowed what was now my third little glass — they were more generous in those days, too — and again we sat back.

A few moments later the young man appeared again, this time with two things for her to try. And as soon as he was around the corner I enjoyed them both. And a third round. For some reason it didn’t bother me in the least that this young guy was evidently smitten with my wife, I was enjoying the fruits of her smile.

Food and wine pairing

By the time the tour started I had a nice little buzz going. To this day I don’t believe I’ve ever enjoyed a winery tour more.

Fortunately for Travelers, the vast majority of established wine districts are also excellent culinary centers — the pairing of wine and food being a fundamental aspect of wine consumption and lifestyle. Cheese, fruits and fresh foods are often found in the accompaniment of a winery. And in many an area, full restaurant service may be on the property or nearby. Wine tends to be more of a “lifestyle” thing, as opposed to, say, beer or whisky tasting areas. 

The Loire Valley

And who among us doesn’t enjoy a nice afternoon in a vineyard, at a table laden with a glass of wine and a cheese plate?

My first real pass-through of a wine district of any heft was in my early twenties. Some friends and I were in northern San Diego county when we saw a few signs indicating the presence of a couple of wineries. Being in our early twenties, this sounded like a perfect location to spend time. Our palates didn’t really match our enthusiasm, but we had a good time.

A few years later my wife and I made our way up to California's famed Napa Valley — an area I had wanted to visit since childhood, having been raised in a wine-conscious family where a heavily watered-down glass of wine was an occasional treat for us kids. It made us feel grown up, and in my case served to create a nascent interest in viniculture (a word I wouldn’t learn for decades…).

Margaret River, Australia

Two of our closest traveling companions are a couple we met on a cruise. They live in Perth, Australia and after that first meeting we’ve remained in touch and have, in fact, toured a good sized portion of the world together. They were the witnesses for our 30th Anniversary recommitment ceremony in London last year.

Wine has always been a mutual interest for us, and our meals together routinely involved a bottle or two as we explored the world. But it wasn’t until a handful of years ago, as we were plying our way through the Mediterranean on Windstar’s MSY Wind Surf, a four masted sailing ship, that I discovered our friends had a small gap in their wine educations.

We were at dinner when our friend, Ray, growled a bit and slapped the wine list down on the table. “Why don’t these people have a legitimate wine list?” I was a a little startled and asked to see the list. It looked pretty good to me and I said so.

The wine pour

He looked a bit abashed and in a kind of embarrassed tone said that he was disappointed that the list had so many American wines on it. There were also French, Italian and one or two Aussie wines, so I couldn’t figure out what the fuss was.

“Look, mate, I don’t mean to be rude, but you’d think they could do better than American wines. I’m sure American wines are decent, but you would expect something a bit more World Class on a trip like this."

Well. I laughed. Probably not the best idea, but I genuinely thought he was kidding. He was not.

Montepulciano, Italy

The evening went along okay, but at a later date I asked him what he’d meant and assured him American wines were quite good, in fact. He didn’t agree, saying that the only ones he’d ever had were adequate at best. In his — completely unbiased — opinion, the French wines and the Australian wines were the standard bearers — and he assured me that even the French were consulting with the Australians.

At this point I got annoyed. “I’m sure that’s all well and good, since they lost to American wines in 1976.”

Turns out that Australians don’t import much American wine, and that the 1976 “Judgment in Paris” wasn’t something terribly well known Down Under.

Australia's Swan Valley

The gauntlet was thrown and we agreed that we would show him around Napa, and he and his wife would show us around the Margaret River area of Australia. (This later increased to include California’s Santa Ynez and Australia’s Hunter Valley districts.)

And by the fourth winery in Napa, he genuinely conceded that, yes, The Americans knew what they were doing…and a couple years later I made the same admission about the locals in his neck of the woods.

Fortunately for wine drinkers worldwide, wine districts have seeded themselves almost everywhere. All fifty U.S. states claim some sort of wine production, as well as dozens of countries in addition to the customary French, German, Italian, South African, Chilean, Australian and California masters of the art. 

In The Veneto

Even if you are not specifically a wine connoisseur…or even drinker (preferring beer, liquor or “none of the above”), wine regions can be a lot of fun. Oftentimes tours are available to learn the wine production process, itself a fascinating topic.

If your interests are more in the range of a Foodie, I am always pleased to discover a close connection between foods and wines. They are, after all, closely connected and mutually complimentary. Wine and chocolate. Wine and cheese. Wine and a thick, juicy steak; or a crisp and delicate fish.

So, for now I continue my pursuit of a glass of wine in every major district. I promised to define that much earlier in this essay, and it is this: a wine region which has had an impact upon other wine regions. A recognized true production center who’s very name indicates a quality product.

In France we have, of course, Burgundy. Bordeaux. Champagne. The Loire Valley.

Napa Valley vines

In Italy it’s Tuscany. Piedmont. Lombardi. The Veneto.

California has its famed Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

And many others. My ambition is to get through them all at some point in the distant future. I’m about halfway there.

Until then, Cheers!

Last note: My sister-in-law and her husband are also fond of both travel and wine consumption. They are part of a group which always does one or two annual get-togethers for the express purpose of conducting what they call the Wine DM…or Death March.

For two days they traipse through a chosen wine district, tasting until their palates fail. Some members of the troop, my sister-in-law, for instance, are more controlled and genuinely trying to find something they like. Others seem along for the ride and more into the imbibing of it all.

To each their own, I guess — as long as no one gets any more hurt than a painful headache the next day. But in general a word to the wise is to know your limit and make the sojourn about the wine, not the drunk.

After all, your hometown bar is considerably closer and likely a whole lot cheaper. Wine tours ought to be memorable events…not memory-challenged ones.

And again: Cheers!

Yeah...no.

Pic of the Day: I Miss Napa

The Napa Valley, particularly the northern end around Calistoga, is my favorite area on Earth.

The lifestyle, the natural beauty and the people. Nothing better.

Haven't been there for a while.

I love Napa...wish I were there.

Pic of the Day: The World at Its Best

I love the wine countries of the world. One of my favorite places on this green Earth is the Napa Valley in northern California.

This is a vineyard along the Silverado Trail, a more rural and rustic setting than are found on the vastly more trafficked Highway 29 which runs through towns along the western side of the valley. 

It's where the world is at its best.

Pic of the Day: Wine in Its Natural State

Up close: Grapes from the Grgich Hills winery, Napa Valley. Wine...before its time.

2012 - A Year in Review

"Travel takes more than money. It takes the most precious commodity: time. Anyone can buy a car, handbag or shoes, but travel requires energy, bravery, curiosity, and a degree of adventurousness." - Andre Balazs, noted hotelier

I include this particular quote for the end-of-the-year entry not because I want to convey anything romantic or special about the ability and drive to travel, but because I happen to agree with this statement wholeheartedly. Owning nice things is good, but having the opportunity to travel and see new things, to escape your comfort zone and go somewhere special -- for everywhere is, in its own way, special -- is both a luxury and a requirement for a wholly grounded person.

In that regard, 2012 was a good year for travel. At least for me.

It wasn't so much the distance covered (from a mileage-only standpoint it was far from the record) as it was the number of sights seen across a beautiful spectrum of landscapes. At first glance there would seem to be a lot of repetition from previous years -- only two completely new destinations -- but 2012 was an opportunity to dig a little deeper under the skin of some spots, expanding both our knowledge of the places, as well as getting a chance to do some things which we hadn't pursued on previous visits.

I mentioned, in the preceding column on Joshua Tree, that maturity has brought me the understanding that the desert possesses all the intrinsic beauty of a lush forest or a vast seascape -- and this year allowed me the opportunity to see and photograph all three of these environments (plus!). In fact, simply from a standpoint of a variety of topographical destinations, 2012 has got to be considered one of the most diverse of my adulthood.

LAS VEGAS

The year began, as it often does, with a weekender trip up to Las Vegas for my birthday. Believe me when I tell you it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be -- again,  not in the expense, but in the experience. And it's nobody's fault but my own.

Heading up the very familiar Interstate 15 -- the highway which connects Vegas to the LA metro area (though not LA proper) -- I began feeling very drained and not at all myself. To the point where I asked my wife to do most of the driving. (You should know, by now, that I love to drive, so this tells you how low I was that particular day.) Our reservations were at the Palazzo Hotel, one of the grandest properties on The Strip, and part of the stunning Venetian complex. That evening we were set for dinner at SushiSamba, a terrific little place in the hotel that serves a fabulous fusion menu of Brazilian and Japanese specialities in mostly tapas-sized portions. It can be quite a bit of fun, and the food is spectacular. During dinner I indulged with a couple of martinis, and despite my earlier exhaustion, my wife and I had a terrific time.

As we left the restaurant, I excused myself to make a quick run into the Men's room, where (as I was washing my hands) I felt the need to sneeze. Bad move. Suddenly all Hell broke loose in the form of a crimson fountain from my nose. I tried for a couple of minutes, but no luck in getting it to stop, so I clamped my nose shut with a paper towel and went out, where my now shocked wife looked at me and suggested we immediately go to the room. To make a long and unpleasant story shorter, five hours later I was in the Emergency Room being discharged with a pair of packing stents, one each nostril, looking as if I were a raccoon on the bottom end of a fight with Mike Tyson. Who knew you could overdose on blood thinners, a diagnosis my doctor made a day later when I saw her to have the stents removed -- and who knew doctors could go pale and recoil when they saw a patient with a bloody nose?

So the year didn't get off to the best of starts (though I did have a much better business trip to Las Vegas in October) but it was soon to get much better. Just a few months later -- and me securely off of anything resembling blood thinners and feeling substantially more human for it -- we got ourselves over to the Hawaiian Islands for a weeklong dive into our NO OPPORTUNITY WASTED agendas. 

In that single week we managed to accomplish four separate items in various places on our lists, several of which have already been mentioned and discussed here on the blog.

THE BIG ISLAND

Southern tip of the U.S.

Manta Rays rock!

The first few days found us on the Big Island of Hawaii. Our primary purpose was to spend an evening swimming with manta rays off the coast of the island adjacent to the town of Keauhou. This was accomplished with stunning results, and is a memory we will keep and cherish for the rest of our lives. I detailed this in my blog entry from May of this year entitled NIGHT OF THE MANTAS. The evening was surreal and exhilarating -- there is simply nothing like floating on the surface of the ocean as these immense and somewhat intimidating angels of the deep perform an extraordinary ballet at times mere inches from your facemask. As a click off our NOW lists, this one rates among the best adventures we've had so far.

http://thumbnailtraveler.blogspot.com/2012/05/night-of-mantas.html

The Big Island has been a source of several NOW items, in fact. From the major to the minor. A few years ago we stood overlooking the primary Kilauea caldera, just a month before a significant eruption took place. (On the minor check-mark side, we've visited the black sand beach at Punalu'u, watching sea turtles come ashore to bask in the warm sun. This time around we journeyed to the southernmost point in the United States, then on the way back indulged in a cup of Kona coffee on one of the many private plantations which dot the western slopes of Mauna Loa. 

MAUI

The second half of this year's Hawaiian voyage was to the island of Maui. After a harrowing flight between islands aboard a single-engine plane through blustery skies, we settled into our hotel on the western side of the island and prepared for a few more adventures. The resort -- the Westin Ka'anapali -- is beautiful, and has an excellent location virtually centered on the island's west facing coast. This gave us plenty of accessibility to our favorite town of Lahaina, a place we love to visit whenever the opportunity arises. From an artistic and historic standpoint, the town is full of things to do and see.

House of the Rising Sun

Maui is home to the ten thousand foot dormant volcano, Mount Haleakala. The sunrise from atop the mountain is commonly included in most lists of the most beautiful natural sights in the world, and I have no reason to disagree. I awoke early our first morning for a 3am rendezvous with a small tour group for the two hour drive to the summit to view the dawn. My experience was recounted in my blog entry of April 29th entitled THE VIEW FROM ABOVE. There is nothing I have ever experienced quite like standing on the edge of an immense valley, facing east to watch the sun rise over the clouds. Utterly astounding.

http://thumbnailtraveler.blogspot.com/2012/04/this-is-first-of-three-entries.html 

The time on Maui yielded a few more special events which will live in our memories for years, if not the rest of our lives. We braved the waters of a perfectly safe inlet to finally learn how to SNUBA. (SNUBA is a combination scuba tank and snorkel which doesn't require a series of classes to learn. The primary difference between SCUBA and SNUBA is that the tank is not strapped to your back. It floats on the surface with a long tube connecting to your regulator.) For the forty minutes we spent below the surface was wonderful and educational -- I can see why people take up SCUBA diving, though I'm not yet sure I'm ready to make that particular leap.

Mother and child

Later on that same trip, the captain of the tour boat caught sight of a pair of whales swimming not too far from our location, and as we pulled as close as is legal he noted that it appeared to be a mother and calf. The calf, undoubtedly to the consternation of its parent, was enthralled with the boat, playfully swimming around us and letting everyone on board get their fill of "glimpses" of a young whale. Mom was patient with all of us, but after five minutes she decided that junior was done and led him under. But for those five minutes we all enjoyed the interaction -- and someday I promise to use the video footage, in addition to the still shots shown here.

NAPA VALLEY

Calistoga in the early morning

August found us on the road again, this time with our friends from Perth, Australia. We have begun a tradition of spending a few weeks together in some exotic part of the world -- in the past this has included Mexico, Las Vegas, Italy and Croatia. On one of the days the subject of wine came up -- a natural enough occurrence, given our proximity to Italy's famous winegrowing regions -- and our friend noted how significant Australia had become in the wine world. I agreed, but when I mentioned California's own claims to fame I was met by, essentially, a vacant expression. Australians, as we have come to find out, are not at all familiar with California's wine growing prowess. This stands to reason, if you stop to think about it. California is the prime winegrowing region in a nation of some 330 million people. Not a huge need to export the product when we have a constantly parched American palate to entertain. 

So the gauntlet was thrown: come back to America and we will give you a tour of the Napa Valley that will rock your senses. Gauntlet thrown, and gauntlet accepted.

Satisfied that were going to have a wonderful time, we bundled ourselves up in the car and headed, as a foursome, to Northern California for a few days in the wine country. 

We stayed in the northern Valley town of Calistoga, one of my favorite places in the world. It's not stuffy. It's not pretentious. There's only one main road through the middle of town, and I trull believe that it's not significantly different a place than it was ten, fifteen, maybe even thirty years ago. I wrote extensively about that visit on my blog entry THE GOOD LIFE, below.

http://thumbnailtraveler.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-good-life.html

The Napa Valley is a tremendous experience, provided, of course, you like wine and can appreciate the finer things in life. Good restaurants, excellent wines, spas, luxurious hotels (and a few not so much for us budget-minded folks) -- but generally an enjoyable time for adults who want something fun and delicious. If you're more into scenery and the sights, the Valley will keep you occupied for days. There's a significant difference, visually, between the south end and the north end. The west is significantly more populated and touristy than is the Silverado Trail on the eastern side. Driving is a major pleasure in this part of the world, though if you plan on visiting a few of the wineries make sure someone is the designated driver. No point in ruining a trip with an accident (or worse).

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY

It's pretty much universally agreed -- among those who tend to agree and pontificate on such things -- that the drive along the Pacific Ocean between Monterey and Cambria is one of the most beautiful and unique drives in the world. The hundred miles or so of stunning seascapes, cliffs, forests and artsy little towns make for a spectacular few hours as you transit from one "ohmigod!" vista to another through areas well-known to connoisseurs of automotive commercials (your choice of sporty car of the month winding along the seacoast across serene and photogenic bridges). This section of the state deserves its reputation and is worthy of a trip in and of itself.

Our own visit came as we headed south again from the Napa Valley with friends, knowing that this would prove to be one of the more memorable experiences of their visit.

Monterey Bay at low tide

The city of Monterey, at the north end of the drive, is a rich, beautiful seaside resort spot with a tourist-driven economy. Shops filled with tchotchkes dot its streets, and overly-priced restaurants offer beautiful views of the ocean. If you arrive with this as your expectation, the town can be a wonderful spot for a side trip -- a lot of fun, in fact. But if you arrive expecting to find the rustic and roughneck "Cannery Row" of John Steinbeck's novels you will be greatly disappointed.

At the other end is the far more charming community of Cambria, which still enjoys a bit of rustic rough edging though Moonstone Beach, the main hotel and seaside section of town, is greatly grown up. Fortunately the ocean side of the strip is protected from development, and thus maintains the beautiful views and largely unpolluted beaches the town is known for.

Heading south from Monterey where we found rolling hills that eventually spill off onto the edge of the ocean-hugging cliffs seen in the shots to the left. There are plenty of viewpoints, and we stopped at a number of them. There are a number of good places to eat, though we had already had lunch in Monterey before heading south. (If you're going to drive this section of the coast, be forewarned that gasoline is at a premium. Filling up in Monterey or Cambria will save you from getting royally gouged by the station operators who enjoy something of a monopoly in their section of the coast -- we payed roughly a dollar a gallon premium by forgetting to gas up.)

PORTLAND

It must be regarded as a singular state of failure (pun intended) for us never to have been to Portland -- or even Oregon -- before. Yes, there are still a handful of states I've never set foot in (outside the airport...this being a personal element to counting whether or not I can claim a state as "visited"). But Oregon is a relatively close one, and certainly has a fair share of things on my "to see" lists that it should have merited a visit long before now. Gladly, this is rectified.

The second half of our voyage with our friends from down under took us to downtown Portland for a few days to explore the city, as well as the surrounding areas (most explicitly the Willamette Valley and the Columbia River Gorge).

Downtown, we discovered, deserves all of the decades long tributes as being one of the truly fine cities in America. A vibrant downtown district that has a cosmopolitan and urban flair, while being just short distances from historic neighborhoods and dense forests. Oregon in general seems to have created a sometimes uneasy truce between urbanization and nature. Between technology and beauty.

The first thing that strikes you about Portland is that it's clean. Secondly, it's got a lot of trees. Thirdly, the people are friendly. (All three of these are surprises for anybody used to, say, Los Angeles. Or New York. Cities I love, but I have to recognize the difference in overall impact to the visitor.) Essentially, Portland is a smaller, more cohesive Seattle.

After a day in the city -- sufficient for a short bus tour of the highlights, followed by a walk along Water Front Park. (Okay, maybe they could use a little more imagination with the naming of things, but I digress.) We did a fair amount of shopping -- a.k.a. "Contributing to the local economy" -- and followed this up with a drive out of town down to the Willamette Valley for a couple of wine-tastings.

(Our friends from Australia are also wine lovers, and since one of my stated goals on my NOW list is to take a drink of wine in every major wine district in the world, Willamette needed to fit in somewhere on this stopover.)

The following day we bundled ourselves into the car and set off for a drive through the Columbia River Gorge, commonly described as one of the most beautiful natural settings in the northwest.

And I'm not going to dispute that the area is one of a great deal of natural wonder -- but the hand of Man has been unusually heavy in this otherwise pristine region. Maybe I'm just too used to going to area where humanity's impact on nature is not quite as profound, but while I had been expecting pristine vistas, I was often met with large reminders of the shipping which uses the river, and the Bonneville Dam which is a large gray scar in the middle of the gorge.

To their credit, however, Northwesterners do know how to overcome such things, and several of the feature did an excellent job of blending in with, and even enhancing, the natural wonders. Of particular note is the footbridge which leaps across your view directly in front of Multnomah Falls, a two-leap cascade off the high plateau on the south side of the river. As you can see on the photograph to the left, the bridge designer did a brilliant job of creating a structure which quite literally enhances the view of the falls, giving it both perspective and a sense of grandeur which might be missing if the bridge were not present. Likewise, Vista House, set high on a promontory surveying the central part of the Gorge, accents the views rather than distracting from them.


But there's a strong line between structures which add to an environment and those which do not -- and as you can see in the shot to the right, there are large scars of highways and constructions which detract from the view of the Gorge.

(Don't get my criticism wrong, however, the Gorge is certainly worth the day trip, and the wonders outweigh the distractions -- my only issue were preset expectations, and for that it's entirely my error. I noted above the mistake of presetting expectation, but even now I still can do it upon occasion.)

MOUNT ST HELENS

A side trip during our drive from Portland to Seattle was a revisit (for us) to Mt St Helens, the volcanic mountain which exploded in 1980, destroying a good portion of the land surrounding the mountain. In the nearly eight years since our previous visit there has been some regrowth, but the area immediately surrounding the cone is still a ruined wasteland.

I've detailed my love of volcanoes, as well as previous visits to St helens elsewhere, but it was, and is, certainly a highlight of any trip in the area, and worthy of the hours-long detour to anyone who is simply passing by.

SEATTLE

With this visit, Seattle has moved up into what I would call our "middle group" of destinations. This is, by my count, the fifth time I've been to the Emerald City. Meaning that I am familiar enough with the layout to get around with no problem, and have a solid understanding of the activities and opportunities available.

On this particular trip we were still with our friends from Australia on our "Grand Tour" up the West Coast. Seattle was to be our final destination as a foursome -- ending with our delivery of our friends to a cruise ship so that they could continue up the coast to Alaska, the final leg of their years-long effort to tour the western edge of North America. (We first met them on a cruise to Mexico.)

Good place to eat after lurking Down Under

Seattle, of course, offers quite a bit from cultural and historic standpoint, and we were determined to take advantage of this during our stay. This made for a rather hectic schedule, but we worked in a number of tours (the Seattle Underground and the Boeing plant in Redmond), as well as some classic Seattle touchstones such as the Experience Music Project and the recently opened Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibition at Seattle Center.

In my blog entry of September 9th, entitled "Lurking Around, Down Under" (get it? We were there with Australians, Get it?), I described the Bill Speidel's Seattle Underground Tour, a genuine way to really see and feel history from a hands-on perspective. As I noted in that column, it's a terrific, well run and well told tour that is worth the time and money to attend. Far from being a dusty old recitation of facts and figures, the tour operators have done a terrific job of detailing the achievements and failures of Seattle's early European settlers.

http://thumbnailtraveler.blogspot.com/2012/09/lurking-around-down-under.html 

No visit to Seattle is complete without a walk through the Pike's Place Market. A literal hive of activity, it's an environment which is fun and entertaining -- though can be quite expensive if you're the shopping or cooking kind of person. Both sorts will find ample things to keep them occupied. The place, however, is worth a visit for just about anybody who enjoys the street scene -- and should not be missed by coffee lovers as it is the site of the original Starbuck's store (well, technically second location for the first shop). Or energetic busking amidst flying fish -- but...that's a story for another time.

Seattle Center continues to grow as a cultural destination. The site of the famous Seattle Space Needle is also home to a variety of museums and theaters, including Paul Allen's Experience Music Project. The EMP (and its relatively recent addition The Science Fiction Hall of Fame) is an interactive museum featuring exhibits and features from the history of rock and roll. Instruments from famous bands and legendary musicians are shown alongside performance videos, while in the more interactive rooms allow visitors to learn to play an instrument, or explore the thoughts and visions of people who have had a profound impact on popular culture. 

Just across the plaza from the EMP is the new Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit, which is one of the very best displays of its kind, anywhere.

Dale Chihuly is one of the premier glass sculptors in the world, and this exhibit shows the power of his vision in often spectacular fashion. An indoor and outdoor exhibition, the display ranges from a history of Chihuly's efforts through a whimsical undersea reef and out into a garden of glass-and-nature sculptures of a fantasy-like nature. The visuals are simply stunning, with each room opening to yet another "oh my God" moment. Highly recommended.

So, Seattle was the last of our stops on the Grand Tour, and the last of our big trips for the year. In December my buddy Jim and I raced up for a weekend to...

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

I include a few shots from the park here, but seeing as my last entry focussed on the highlights of Joshua Tree, anything I could write would merely be redundant to what is below. Enjoy the pics on the just-below blog entry.

So I offer a little toast to 2012. A year that was reputed to end in Apocalyptic catastrophe, but is satisfied instead settling for a fast run full of vivid memories.

See you in 2013.