I knew my 16-day trip to Egypt with 3 midlife friends would be a fun, budget-friendly adventure, but it also became a test of stamina and strength for me.
We had no tour big bus providing a comfy, air-conditioned bubble. Rather, our ambitious travel schedule took us through half the country, hauling our backpacks up modest hotel staircases and navigating every natural and human-made obstacle in our path. Although we had quiet evenings, including a few days by a rooftop pool, by day our bodies were moving in lots of ways.
Our first of many tomb and temple visits, the burial chamber of Bannentiu, 26th dynasty (Roman Era) in the Baharia Oasis.
Bodies in Motion
In the desert near the Baharia Oasis we climbed up (then surfed down) sand dunes. In downtown Cairo, the honking cars, uneven pavement, and throngs of moving people in the street demanded constant physical manouvering. We toured ancient sites out in the hot sun, including Luxor’s Avenue of Sphinxes and Aswan’s Forgotten Obelisk. We also used steep ramps and narrow tunnels inside multiple tombs and pyramids, crouching under low ceilings carved over three and four thousand years ago!
Folks climbing a ramp in one of the Giza Pyramids, built for Pharoah Khufu in the 2500s BCE. Kim said the ramps were put in after her visit 16 years ago: before it was just dirt.
As well, we hiked three silent, stunning canyons in the South Sinai region that shimmered white, red, and multi-coloured in the sunshine. The next day, after a caravan of camels and their handlers got us most of the way up Mt Sinai, we used 750 steep steps to get up to its peak.
Riding Asfour (the Second), a 7-year old camel up the first 3000 steps of My Sinai was a highlight. And although Asfour did most of the work, my legs were still sore the next day!
Later, it was a relief to float face down in the salty water of the Red Sea over the most beautiful coral and schools of fish I have seen. We snorkelled twice: off the beach in Sharm El Sheik and off a glass-bottom boat in Hurghada. But even in and near the water, I had to be thinking about dehydration and sunburn.
Kimi and me snorkelling just off the beach in the Red Sea. Video by Lisa Porter.
Getting hurt could mean getting stuck. I nearly did a few times, once when I mildly rolled an ankle in the Coloured Canyon and when I jammed a finger on a tomb doorway at the Saqqara necropolis. But it felt good to keep moving. At least twice we saw a tourist who seemed unprepared or was having great difficulty getting through the tomb shafts.
Kim and Lisa going down the low-lit ramps in what I think was the Step Pyramid, built for Pharoah Djoser in the 2600s BCE. Video by Kimi Maruoka.
We covered thousands of steps per day, even on our 2- to 7-hour travel days. At the last minute I decided to leave my fitness tracker at home, and I’m glad I did. It helped me to make sense of how I was feeling in my body rather than by stats on a screen.
Rope repelling, then a rebar ladder, just to get down into the White Canyon. Our guide admitted he used this to judge hikers’ readiness for this canyon.
Caring Co-Travellers
And my body did feel many things, as I was under the weather for a good part of the trip: first menstrual cramps, a head cold that turned to cough, then mild heatstroke after the first time snorkeling, and finally a stomach bug. On my worst night, I laid awake shaking with chills, sipping tepid tablet-purified water, and waiting for dawn (or death, I had thought self-piteously).
A short video of Cairo’s downtown streets at night. Our group kept close watch on each other to avoid getting lost or run over.
But I survived. As a white, English-speaking tourist with a credit card and travel insurance on a holiday, I was never really in serious danger. I saw many Egyptians who may have been facing economic hardships and health risks I will never have to deal with as a middle-class Canadian.
Nevertheless, I am so grateful for my three travel buddies, who showed each other constant care throughout our journey. We divided snacks, each bought rounds of water, shared everything from tissues to electrolytes, and carried the mood for each other until someone sick (usually me) recovered.
A cat next to my day pack and water bottle. I stayed hydrated with old and new friends!
Kim, who had planned the travel and booked the local guides and drivers, happily made last-minute arrangements to help me join later when an early morning tour of Isis Temple in Aswan wasn’t possible for me. This caring company was the heart of my trip.
Me in a feeling-better moment, making silly Instagram poses with the backdrop of the Red Canyon behind me. Photos by Kimi Maruoka.
Proof of Life
I believe that our greater exertions paid off in greater fun. In exchange for living out of packs and in our sore, dust-covered bodies, we got to see and sleep in neat places, including under the desert stars, where we felt extremely lucky to be there, together and alive.
Our remarkable view of the white desert at night. This photo was not taken with a black/white filter.
There’s a certain idea of midlife that says to slow down, be careful, rest more. This trip refused that. It demanded and invited all kinds of motion, reminding me how much the body can still do when it must. It turns out that I was strong enough for Egypt.
Lisa and Elan racing (falling?) down a sand dune in the White Desert. Photo by either Kim or Kimi.
And by the end of the trip, I used nearly every pill I’d packed and every muscle I had. But getting over everything became part of my adventure story. I came home with a mildly sprained finger, hardwon but still overpriced souvenirs, and a feeling that my flawed and frustrating body could still bring me much, much joy.
Our fearless foursome trekking in the desert. To borrow a phrase from Kimi and her sisters: “We did it!!”
I definitely snuck down to our car last Saturday morning to get some dumbbells. The oak stairs at the bed and breakfast creaked with each step.
Out of consideration for the guests below us, Michel and I modified our workout to be low impact.
Plain 5 lb dumbbells sit in front of a blue antique glass beauty set that includes a perfume sprayer. Boxes of Chanel No. 5 sit in the background.
We washed up then took our bags and weights to the car. Other guests, decked out in cycling gear were enjoying the 7 course breakfast. We went for a walk until our seating time.
It was worth the wait.
Breakfast of oatmeal, fruit, smoothie, coffee, juice all served in crystal drinks ware and blue and white chins. There were croissants and soufflé too!
As our trip through New Brunswick continued we worked out in the kitchen of our next stay.
This open kitchen meant we easily fit two sweaty humans in there.
The best spot, bar none, has been the two workouts on the deck of my parents’ house. They overlook the St Croix River that forms the US border with Maine.
5 lb dumbbells sit on the deck railing. Beyond is the lush riverbank.
Was is a bit quirky to pack our dumbbells into the car?
Yes.
Was it awkward?
Sometimes.
Was it worth it?
Absolutely.
We had committed to doing a 4 week strength program. I wanted to figure out how to make it work on our vacation.
It felt good to keep the consistency. It was fun to figure out when & where. Our families were very supportive.
I’ll definitely keep fitness as part of my vacation planning in future.
It’s so good that summer is three whole months long. And it’s also so sad that summer is only three months long. There’s so much we all want to do, including enjoying the fruits (in the benefit way as well as the watermelon way) of the season.
I spent some of my early summer traveling for family events and conferences, and July was more local, less organized, but pretty social.
August is looking active. In a good way. Here’s what’s on my agenda:
Continuing the physical therapy I started a week or so ago for hip and glute sciatica. It’s coming along. I like the place where I get PT (except for when Doug selects the playlist), and the therapists are friendly and know what they’re doing. I trust them and am doing my exercises faithfully.
More swimming. I went to Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester with friends Nina and Norah, and we are planning another jaunt in late August (and maybe I’ll squeeze in a trip in September). I’m also joining my friend Gal again at her apartment complex pool– yes, I was invited (although I’m not above self-inviting in this case). I must confess I haven’t been to Walden this summer. This situation will be rectified in August.
A group kayak jaunt in Hingham with friends. We did this a couple of years ago and had a fabulous time. It’s flat salt water with several places to explore and also to beach the boats for lunch or a quick dip.
A possible beginner sailing outing with the MIT sailing club. This is tentative pending an ok by the physical therapist. The MIT Club of Boston is sponsoring a sailing afternoon for people of all levels. I’m at the lowest level, which means I’d go out with an experienced person, learning a bit about sailing. Will report back if it works out– fingers crossed.
Canadian vacation! I’m in Ontario for a week in August, hanging out at my friend Norah’s cottage in Goderich (with more swimming in Lake Huron), and visiting Sam and Sarah in Guelph (with more quarry swimming if schedules and weather cooperate).
There may be other activities, but this looks pretty good to me. Readers, what are your plans for the most sweet and ripe month of the summer?
Welcome, dear readers, to high summer! It’s July 13, and all the produce is out-producing itself, offering us loads of opportunities for new and perennial favorite taste experiences.
Yes, I know this is not a cooking or gardening or farmers’ market blog. But here’s the deal: I am saddled with a flare-up of sciatica (likely brought on by too much air travel and car travel, but wha’cha gonna do…). This means it’ll be a couple of weeks before I’m okay to resume summer outdoor activity. For now, I’m enrolled in physical therapy, which is good for me if not good for the season. Sigh.
But, in keeping with the brightness and warmth and availability of copious amounts of beautiful fruits, I’m, literally making lemonade out of lemons. And other cold yummy summer beverages. Here following, several recipes and beverage projects I’m engaging in these days.
First, I always make sure to have plenty of freshly-brewed iced tea on hand. This means heating water in a kettle until boiling and pouring it into a container (I use a marge metal bowl), and then dipping tea bags into it to infuse them. I leave them for 5–7 minutes, then remove them. Once the tea has cooled, I transfer it into a pitcher for the fridge. It never lasts more than a day or two, so it always tastes very fresh and looks clear.
I use Earl Grey tea, but you can use anything you like, caffeinated or non, black, green, herbal, whatever.
Just. don’t. use. instant. Ever.
Potential variations: you can add sugar to the bowl before the boiling water, or honey (as I prefer). Amounts vary according to taste. You might also add a handful of fresh mint leaves if you like, taking them out with a strainer within 15–20 minutes. You can also leave the tea unsweetened, and make simple syrup for people to add to their glasses to taste.
Earl grey iced tea in vintage glasses with cute paper straws. I don’t use straws and any glass will do for me.
Basic simple syrup recipe: combine one cup sugar (any kind) with one cup water in a small saucepan. Heat up the pan and stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Take it off the heat before it boils. Then let it sit and cool. Put it in a container with a lid in the fridge. It will last several weeks.
Variations on simple syrup recipe: you can add so many things to simple syrup, like mint leaves, lemons, lime, basil, other herbs, you name it. Make sure to strain them out before storing in the fridge. Feel free to go wild. Here’s a link to some interesting syrups you can try. One I love is this tea-infused one, which I add to beverages other than tea…
Second, it’s great to have fresh-squeezed lemonade around as well, as it can form the base of fun fruity concoctions. There are loads of recipes online, but here’s what I do:
make simple syrup with 1-1 water and sugar
squeeze maybe 6–8 lemons, enough to have at least one cup of fresh lemon juice
mix together one cup of lemon juice, one cup of cold water, and 1/2 cup simple syrup.
Then add water to the mixture until you like the taste
serve in glasses with plenty of ice, mint leaf or raspberry or lemon wheel or something else festive
tip: maybe leave the mixture a little strong, as serving with ice waters it down a bit
Variations on lemonade: you can use mint simple syrup to make minty lemonade, or add pureed strawberries to make strawberry lemonade.
Fresh lemonade in vintage glassFresh limeade in old-fashioned glass.strawberry lemonade in lowball glass.
Or, you can use my list, substituting limes for lemons, for fresh limeade. It’s more work, as it takes more limes, but it tastes dee-licious.
Another pro tip: get ahold of a very good lemon/lime juicer for the job. Flimsy ones will just irritate you and make you give up and blame me. Here are ones I recommend:
This is what I use– buy a sturdy one!Wirecutter likes this one. Meh, but YMMV.For those looking to get an extra workout while juicing.
I don’t have a view on electric juicers. Readers, anyone have expert knowledge on this?
Third, you can combine the beauty of fresh ice tea with the tart sweetness of lemonade to make a drink called The Arnold Palmer. Yes, it’s named after this guy. He was a very great golfer. And, in the 1960s, according to this wikipedia article, he ordered a drink at lunch in Palm Springs made with 3/4 unsweetened ice tea and 1/4 lemonade. As the story goes, a woman copied his ordering the drink one day at lunch saying, “I’ll have that Arnold Palmer drink, too.” And so a drink was born.
These days, the drink is very commonly served in the summer at resorts and warm-weather locales. A variation of it with half iced tea and half lemonade is more popular, but you can be your own judge.
The Arnold Palmer, half and half version, with striped paper straw and lemon slice optional.
Fourth, and general variation on any of these beverages: you can add some razzmatazz by pouring a float of seltzer (or prosecco, or ginger ale, or whatever alcoholic or non-alcoholic bubbly you like). In fact, a version of this drink has its own name: the Raspberry/Lime Rickey. Just make whatever simple syrup you want, add lemon or lime juice or ade, and then froth it up with whatever bubbly you want. I love them- they say old-fashioned New England summer to me.
Fifth and finally, there’s the wonder of the homemade agua fresca, a Mexican beverage that you can make wherever you are. If you haven’t heard of this or tried it, you’ll soon very very glad you read on. Here’s some information from this article in the Mexico News Daily, and some pictures they shared of the wide variety of aguas frescas available:
Refreshing and flavorful, aguas frescas are a treasured part of Mexico’s gastronomic heritage. Sold widely by vendors, shops and restaurants, the non-alcoholic drinks are instantly recognizable.
People have been flavoring water with fruit and flowers in Mexico since ancient times…Many of the popular aguas frescas found in Mexico today — notably, jamaica and horchata — were made possible by the trade network the Spanish established during the colonial era. However, [many] aguas frescas developed regionally [with] grains and legumes like barley and alfalfa to nuts and seeds like almonds and chia and flowers and spices like hibiscus and cinnamon. Fruits were even more frequently used, of course, thanks to a natural bounty that included introduced plants like grapefruit, mango, melon, orange, papaya, passionfruit, peach and local ones including sapote, soursop, guava, tejocote and xoconostle.
from article: you can find aguas frescas in markets and street stands across Mexico. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
My introduction to agua fresca came at La Tacqueria in the Mission District of San Francisco. You must go there if you are ever in San Francisco. The cantaloupe version is still my favorite. But I’ve made several kinds at home since then.
Unlike say, lemonade or limeade. agua frescas are made by pureeing actual fruits or vegetables (or combinations), then adding simple syrup and either lemon or lime juice. You put the whole mixture through a fine sieve (or cheesecloth, depending on your temperament– I go with the sieve), add water to taste, and there you have it– a pure, refreshing elixir of summer produce, made just for you.
A variety of agua frescas– cantaloupe, waterlmon, honeydew, and mango. But you can use all kinds of produce, as well as mix and match.
You’ll need a blender (or vitamix or food processor of something that will seriously puree your ingredients). Here’s a good recipe and guide to aguas frescas. But all comes down to this:
find some fruit or veg you want to make a beverage with (I’m trying cucumber mint next week)
peel, seed and slice it
puree it in your pureeing contraption with some water (1–2 cups?)
add some lime or lemon juice (a few tablespoons?) and puree again
adjust as needed, adding simple syrup if you want more sweetness or a different flavor
pour into container to chill for an hour in fridge
use in two days (but that really won’t be a problem)
Aguas frescas are their own world, and you can read more about them here to start if you’re interested.
Pro tip: if you have leftover sliced fruit that is maybe not as sweet or soft as you would like, puree it with some water and lime or lemon juice, and voila! instant agua fresca. Throw in whatever you want. The difference between smoothie and agua fresca is one of degree, so you are the boss of your ingredients and consistency.
Last comment: I hear from Samantha and Sarah that the muskmelons will be in season when I visit Ontario in August, so we will make muskmelon aguas frescas! Yum. Will report back.
Dear readers, what summer fruit beverages do you love and/or do you make? I’d love to hear any tips or recipes you might have to share.
Last weekend, I enjoyed some quality time swimming with and marveling at manatees in Florida. I gushed about it in not one, but two blog posts, here and here. Seeing these strange, sweet and enormous creatures underwater reminded me of how much I love aquatic environments.
Almost ten years ago, I had the most magical experience underwater, scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Exploring that quiet blue world and all its inhabitants, meeting up with sea turtles, fishes of every color, and even giant clams a meter in length gave me a deep sense of appreciation and wonder for our world.
Now, in 2025, I am in sore need of some wonder and appreciation for our world. You can relate, I’m sure.
So, I’m thinking about returning to scuba diving. I’ll need to get myself PADI certified; my last scuba course was 9 years ago and I didn’t end up finishing my open-water dives due to bad weather in Puerto Rico.
Scuba certification, for those who don’t know about this, requires three steps:
classroom or online course
pool skills course
open-water certification dives
The first two I can do here in the Boston area. The open-water part can be done off the New England coast as well, but I really want to go to a warm blue ocean environment for my open-water certification dives. I’m thinking about the Florida Keys or somewhere in the Caribbean.
So, now I get to do one of my other favorite activities: adventure travel planning! I’ll keep you posted.
I’m pretty sure I was a travel agent in a previous life.
Dear readers, if you have suggestions about lovely places to dive for a beginner, please do let me know. I’d welcome any comments about your experiences.
Hi readers– last Sunday I offered up some tidbits from my recent (I just got back home Monday at 5pm) trip to Florida to swim with and benignly interact with manatees. You can read it here if you missed it.
But, if you want more details, I am also here for you. Herewith my manatee trip narrative…
Origin story of trip: Honestly, I don’t recall either when I first found out that swimming with manatees was a thing or when I became set on this goal. But friends have told me I’ve been talking about this idea for a decade, so I’ll just go with that. I recently got refocused while listening to the podcast Field Trip last summer. I was so charmed and transported by the episode on Everglades National Park that I vowed to one and all (including you, dear readers, here) to make a pilgrimage to natural Florida in the winter of 2025.
At the time, I thought I might combine kayaking in the Everglades with swimming with manatees near Homosassa State Park. However, as time drew nearer, a shorter trip seemed more doable. So, on Travel Tuesday or Cyber Monday (I forget which), I booked myself a cheap airline ticket from Boston to Tampa. I was committed!
Trip planning: I love love love vacation planning. Poring over hotels, rental houses, novelty accommodations (e.g. treehouses,boats,shipping containers) is so interesting, both to see the various ways people like to work and play, and also to get in touch with my own preferences. For this trip, though, since I was moving around, I went with hotel accommodations (all with pools, of course).
I highly recommend the Hollander Hotel in St. Petersburg. Its prices were reasonable, its pool was lovely, its restaurant/bar had a variety of yummy food and its decoration was amusing and eclectic and friendly. Here’s the pool area.
Gorgeous refreshing pool just before I went in.Pool bar area with very nice bartender (not shown).Very Florida-y mural of sun and oranges and starfish, etc.
For our on-site manatee headquarters in Crystal River, I picked a local motel (advertised as resort, but don’t be fooled) close to our manatee trip meeting spot. It did the job, despite a sort of grim interior and moldy smell coming from the AC. No matter, we weren’t there to lollygag in the room.
I picked the tour operator– Nature’s Discovery tours— through Trip Advisor. They got great reviews. And I am adding mine to it. Our guide Brian and boat captain Jake were great. More on that in a bit.
A friend from college who lives and works in central Florida recommended the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, where we saw manatees who live there and some who are recuperating from injuries. They also have viewing areas for lots of other wildlife who were rescued after being injured or illegally taken from their habitats. It’s totally worth a stop for a half-day outing.
Side note: The Tampa-St. Pete area is pretty interesting on several fronts. There’s lots of excellent art to see in museums and galleries, good restaurants for a variety of cuisines, lovely Gulf beaches with old-timey motels and seafood shacks, and loads of natural areas for viewing flora and fauna. It’s also not hard to get out into the countryside for rail trail cycling, swimming in clear springs, kayaking, etc. It’s not all Disney all the time there.
The manatee swim: we opted for a 7am activity in the hopes that the manatee gathering spots wouldn’t be too crowded with boats and other swimmers. It turned out to be a good idea, even though there were a lot of other boats like ours and wetsuited hopeful manatee fans like us. The morning was beautiful, though.
The sun rising over Crystal River at King’s Bay.
We had been kitted out with 3-mil wetsuits and snorkeling masks. Once our guide Brian and captain Jake agreed that they spotted a manatee snout breaking the water, we headed in that direction. Then it only remained to get in the water and find that manatee.
Turns out this process is different than I expected. The water in the bay is green and murky, and the manatees like snuffling around on the bottom of the shallows, looking for yummy grasses to eat. So you have to get really close in order to see anything, even an 800-pound manatee. I mean really close. Like 8 inches/20 cm close. For illustration purposes, here are two pictures of swimmers with manatees: the one on the left is from advertising, and the one on the right is from my actual swim (taken with gopro by Brian out guide):
In this advert for a tour, everyone s crystal clear.Here’s one of my swim tour folks in the water with a manatee.
So what’s going on here? The answer is this: when the Gulf water is really cold and the river is cold-ish, manatees go to the clear springs, which are 72 degrees year-round. But the best food isn’t there, so they prefer the murky river shallows for grazing if the temperatures allow. And whither they goest, so goeth our group.
I can’t tell you how wild it is to be floating in the water, head down, and all of a sudden see what looks like an algae-covered submarine cruise just 6 inches beneath you. This actually happened, along with swimming in the slipstream of a manatee’s tail, and hanging out with one, snout down, while it was churning up sand to look for breakfast grasses. These pictures are all murky, but I hope convey how close we were and how awe-inspiring and strange the manatees were.
A shot of a manatee and front flipper from 1.5 feet away. This is how big they look close up.A great view of manatee about to take a breath.
We also headed to the Three Sisters Spring, hoping to find some not-very-hungry manatees just hanging out. And we did find one– a handsome brown and white speckled guy, along with about 15 other wetsuited folks floating and gawking. Sadly, our guide’s Gopro camera broke as soon as we got in the clear blue spring water. We could see the manatee clear as a bell, which was incredible.
But we only stayed a few minutes, because the boat tour folks limit their time in the spring. All of them work together to make sure everyone can get a glimpse at the manatees who are out and about. I really liked this about Crystal River– the tours seemed to all be run by locals who knew each other and helped each other get the best tours for their customers.
The whole tour lasted about 2.5 hours, which was plenty. We saw a total of three manatees, which isn’t a lot, but was very satisfying. If you want to see a lot more of them in one place, the locals told us that December and January are the best times, as the water in the Gulf is colder, so more manatees are inland.
Here are some photos of Three Sisters Springs (which has a boardwalk for viewing) on January 17, where you see a manatees parking lot in the spring, along with snorkelers outside the protected zone, enjoying the view.
A close-up view of manatees and the snorkelers who love them.A drone view of Three Sisters Springs on Jan 17, 2025 when the weather was colder.
Mid-February is usually a fine time to see them, but there was a warm spell, so the manatees took off for the Gulf. However, we were happy to see the manatees we saw. By March, though, most of them have returned to the ocean. So, if you want to plan a trip with an almost-guarantee of seeing them, go early in the winter.
I am definitely going back, and will go in January. Because if three manatees are good, thirty are better, and three hundred– I don’t know if I’ll be able to contain my delight…
This week has been all about the vacationing for me, a final pause before scurrying home to begin my school year 2024-2025. And it’s been a wonderful pause that refreshes, in no small part because water has played a significant supporting role.
Even before I crossed the Peace Bridge and entered Canadian jurisdiction, there was swimming and frolicking in water. Yes, it was a hotel pool, and yes, it was Saturday night in Rochester New York (which turns out to have some lovely and interesting neighborhoods and parks). My friend Norah and I shared a hotel room, a meal and then a swim in their modest but thoroughly enjoyable pool.
The pool area was friendlier than it looks here, and we got a chance to recover from our respective long drives and relax.
Once in Guelph visiting Samantha, Sarah, Kathleen, Jeff, and a slew of animals, I enjoyed a mix of relaxing outdoor activities. My favorite one was a Wednesday swim with Sam in the Elora quarry, about a half hour from Guelph. The town of Elora looked very charming, and the quarry swim was super fun. The water felt cold at first, but once we were in, it was great.
The rain held off but I think the clouds scared away a bunch of folks. We shared the water with only a few other people.
Thursday I woke up in Goderich, Ontario, having driven the very remote back roads from Guelph to get there Wednesday night. I joined Norah and her daughter and son-in-law, who are at a lovely cottage near Lake Huron. On Thursday we had multi-mode fun: we cycled the Goderich-to-Guelph rail trail, and then visited Rotary Cove beach for swimming and sunning.
Not many visitors on a bright sunny late August day. This is where we went in. The water was, uh, rather chilly. But also fun for swimming.After all that activity, a short snooze in the sun seemed in order.
Friday we’re headed to Black’s Point beach, an even quieter (and I think even colder-water) location. But I’m looking forward to it.
After a Saturday celebration at Sam’s place, Norah and I are once again headed for a hotel pool before I drive back to Boston. This one, in Guelph, has a pool, hot tub, and spiral sliding board. Oh yeah.
A hotel pool with blue water, a hot tub, and a bright green spiral sliding board. Am definitely trying it out.
Hey readers, are you taking any last-minute dips before the month of fall is finally upon us? Let me know. I also love tips on interesting hotel or public pools and beaches.
This week I’m exercising my summer right to a last hurrah before school starts: I’m in transit to Ontario, where I’ll be engaging in many fun activities with Samantha, Sarah, their families, and dogs (and cats, although I’m not sure of their commitments). Also, I’ll be dipping into life at Lake Huron with my friend Norah and her family– swimming, biking, and exploring. Yay!
At the end of this last-hurrah-week, I’ll roar back down the New York State Thruway to Boston to begin the school year Sept 3.
A full report on the week’s festivities will be arriving at your inboxes next Sunday.
During yesterday’s almost-7-hour drive, I passed the time listening to a variety of podcasts, which is super fun– I can indulge my idle curiosity about anything from Archery to Zen Buddhism, absolutely free, unfettered by anything other than the need to stay on my side of the road (that went well, by the way).
My favorite podcast of the drive was one by the Washington Post called Field Trip— a five-part series on the complicated past and present of some national parks. Reporter Lillian Cunningham gathers a variety of perspectives from rangers, indigenous residents and scientists, outdoor guides, engineers and politicians. I highly recommend the series, which focuses on five parks: Yosemite, Glacier, Everglades, White Sands, and Gates of the Arctic National Parks.
Yesterday, while driving through the farmland of western New York, passing grazing cows and barns and silos, my attention was drawn to Florida wetlands, saw grasses, and the roseate spoonbill. What’s that, you might ask? No problem– take a look:
The roseate spoonbill in the Everglades.The spoonbill showing off its wildly pink plumage. Take that, Barbie!
I won’t issue any spoilers here, but these birds are a bit squeezed for habitat these days for the obvious reasons: development, very bad decisions 70 years ago by the Army Corps of Engineers, and of course climate change. Listen for all the details and plans to fix the messes we made.
This gets me to the travel planning part. For years, I’ve been wanting to visit natural Florida– the Florida of springs, manatees, marshes, and everglades. Way back in 2005 I spent four days cycling on rail trails in Central Florida, and it was a blast. I hung out in small towns off the tourist circuit, ate at local diners, and even staying at a motel that offered secure, dedicated kayak and bike storage.
This time I want to go back for more aquatic adventures, exploring the Florida springs that host manatees in the winter and invite us to swim, snorkel, dive, and kayak in their clear water (which ranges from 66F/19C to 75F/24C). I can handle that.
Kayaking down a quiet river.The swampy lowlands of Central Florida.Manatees in one of the springs.
So I think I’m gonna do it. Early January is a great time to visit these places. The air temperatures are mild and the waters are invigorating but not super-cold. I’m now thinking about starting in Central Florida near Ocala, which isn’t far from Three Sisters Springs and also Homosassa Springs. There are so many springs (more than 100 in the state), so planning and research is a must. Unless I just want to meander and see what I encounter as I set out each day. We’ll see.
Then there’s Everglades National Park. A little more than a 4-hour drive from Ocala, it offers both biking and kayaking trails. I would love to do some of both.
So, the planning begins. Well, I’ll probably wait until I’m done with this trip to make any hotel or plane reservations. One adventure at a time…
I have to tell y’all something: I love me a good deal. And the best deal I’ve run into for quite some time has been my botanical garden member pass with its American Horticultural Society reciprocal agreement, permitting me (and a friend) entry into a whole bunch of other gardens (and some Frank Lloyd Wright houses, too) all over the US. So far I’ve taken friends to three botanical gardens and one Frank Lloyd Wright house. And the year isn’t even close to over.
On Friday, my friend Melanie and I went to Blithewold mansion and gardens in Bristol, Rhode Island. The mansion was closed for a private event (wedding, to which we weren’t invited, but that was okay– we weren’t dressed for it anyway), but our main interest was the gardens. And they didn’t disappoint. Here are some of the late-summer flowers:
A bee was interested in one of these white and yellow blooms.Peachiness and end-of-summer ripeness.Yellow flowers with stick-like petals.This orange beauty is still brilliant, even in mid-August.
The flowers and garden vegetables and all the flora were in their late summer profusion, a last hurrah before the fall.
There was also art, courtesy of artist Donna Dodson. We saw large-scale bamboo bird sculptures, one of which we could sit inside.
This very tall robin greeted us at the entrance.The peacock is bamboo with colored zip ties for plumage.Honestly, I don’t know what this bird is, but it’s cool.Owl with with seating, which Melanie and I enjoyed.
The gardens included flowers, big and small trees, vegetable and herb gardens, and of course water features (with a ceramic frog and lotus flowers).
A small water garden with a largish ceramic frog.Lotus flower and pod, enjoying the water.Pond of lily pads and other happy plants.
The gardens were right on the water.
Boats and old pier remains.A functional dock on the bay.
Of course, after all that strolling and photography and oohing and aahing, we needed some refreshment. So we went to a local seaside restaurant and found a bike path (to be explored next time).
Our table had a great view of the bar and the bay.And the East Bay bike path!
End of summer is, for academics, an often-stressful time; we’re trying to finish projects we began months ago, as well as getting materials prepped for teaching in September. But taking a break for an August outing was exactly what was ordered. The work will still be there on Monday.
Hi y’all– I’m still on my mid-summer vacation with Aunt Cathy at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York state. We’ve been here since Saturday and have walked tens of thousands of steps, seen upwards of three million blooming hydrangeas, and partaken of many musical, cultural and nature-al events. There are still three days to go, during which we plan to kayak (canceled Monday because of small craft warning and torrential rainstorm), ride bikes (delayed in part because of rain) and try English lawn bowling (details tba).
For now, I can show you a bit of what we’ve been seeing on foot here. Many of the houses have detailed lacy railings and other ornamental details.
Real gingerbread houses should be so pretty…
The gardens are very well tended. Some are neat and formal, while others let nature run wild.
I fully approve of this garden. It reminds me of my closet– all kinds of nice things everywhere.
My newest house ornamental obsession is awnings.
My aunt Cathy likes the crisp classic look of black and white awnings and shades.But give me some color! Love the creamy yellow house with blue, white and yellow awnings.
And then were the individualists in the neighborhood. One family expressed their love for Barbie and Ken for all to see.
Barbie waves hello from an upper window.The front of the house sports its name– tranquility base– and a pic of Ken in the upper window.Closeup of Ken, framed as the Victorians intended.
Others opted for classic bathtub necessities, enlarged and relocated for all to enjoy.
Every side yard should have its own gigantic rubber ducky, don’t you think?
Bottom line: how often do we have time to just stroll around, gawk at other people’s houses and gardens, take pictures and then form opinions about them? Not very often! So, if you are taking some vacation or down time or an afternoon off, I suggest you find an interesting area and walk around. You never know what you might find…
