WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE WINTER 2014

WINE DINE& 

TRAVEL 

WINTER EDITION JAN-MARCH 2014 

GREAT! BRITAIN 

FLAT BROKE IN LONDON 

CHURCHILL’S WAR ROOMS 

THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY 

WESTMINSTER ABBEY 

THE “TOY “ RAILROAD OF WALES 

THE OXFORD EXPERIENCE 

ANTARCTICA ADVENTURE 

RETREAT TO SAWTOOTH 

KAUAI ADVENTURE 

SAVOR NORWAY 

Winter 2014 winedineandtravel.com 1

Wine, Dine & Travel 

with Authors 

Connect with authors and their books on an intimate basis 

through unique, interesting & adventurous travels & events 

Join Us On Our Next Great Adventure. 

www.AdventuresBytheBook.com 

“Adventure Under the Tuscan Sun” 

with authors Frances Mayes & Dario Castagno 

2 Wine Dine & Travel Winter 2014

COVER PHOTO: One of the joys of travel is the serendipity. While walking in London’s St. James ‘s Park one morning we spotted the mounted Royal 

Horse Guard on their way to Whitehall Parade Grounds. We followed them and watched them perform a changing of the guard and an unexpected 

concert. I took this shot with a FUJI Finepix HS30 exr . ~ Ron James 

NEXT EDITION | SPRING 2014 

INDIA 

Cruising the Panama Canal 

Normandy: A Visit to Omaha Beach 

A Photographer’s Guide to Bruges, Belguim 

Meeting Henry VIII at Hampton Court 

NYC Dinner and a Broadway Show 

NEPAL 

New next issue: Susan McBeth’s 

TRAVEL BY THE BOOK 

Planning a vacation to an exotic destination, or perhaps just dreaming of one? Let 

a good book transport you to places you’ve often only dared to imagine. Don’t miss 

Susan McBeth’s “Travel by the Book“ for good reads that will whisk you away. 


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RON JAMES 

publisher/executive editor 

Ron James is the "wine and food guy." He is a 

nationaly award-winning journalist., television 

producer and radio personality. He is a pioneer 

in online journalism with the first major online 

city publication, San Diego Magazine. He helped 

implement Time Warner's Road Runner network 

and led the San Diego Union-Tribune's online 

editorial efforts for nearly a decade. The native 

Californian's nationally syndicated wine and 

food columns have appeared in newspapers and 

magazines around the world. He is passionate 

about great wine and food and enthusiastically 

enjoys them every day! 

MARY JAMES 

publisher/editor 

Mary Hellman James is an award-winning San 

Diego journalist and editor. After a 29-yearcareer 

with the San Diego Union-Tribune, including 

13 years as Home and Garden editor, James 

currently is a freelance garden writer and a 

columnist for San Diego Home-Garden/Lifestyles 

magazine. She also is executive editor of California 

Garden, the award-winning 102-year-old 

magazine published by the San Diego Floral 

Association. She and her husband, Ron James, 

travel extensively. Upcoming this year is a an 

Asian cruise and a first visit to the Black Sea and 

the Holy Land. 

CHEERS 

Much has happened since Wine Dine & Travel Magazine 

premiered three months ago. We have traveled 

extensively – from the great ports of the Saint Lawrence 

Seaway and New England to India and Nepal, and our 

adventures in all those places will be chronicled in 

future issues. As exciting as our travels have been, the 

reception of our first issue featuring Amsterdam was perhaps just as rewarding. 

We were thrilled by the hundreds of enthusiastic comments we received about 

the magazine. Also gratifying 

was fact that more than 100,000 

travel enthusiasts from almost every 

country on the planet enjoyed 

it from their homes and work. We 

thank those of you who loved the 

magazine and passed the link to 

friends and colleagues. 

Despite the travel schedule, we 

managed to birth a new edition 

of the magazine which is 16 pages 

thicker and we think even better. 

In it we welcome three newcomers 

to our family of contributors 

Maribeth Mellin, Priscilla Lister 

and Nancy Carol Carter. All of our 

contributors have three things in common: They love travel, they are veteran 

journalists and they are our friends. We hope you appreciate them as much as 

we do. 

We also hope you enjoy our in-depth foray into Great Britain. This exciting 

destination rich with history and beauty is a favorite of most travel writers, 

especially our friends and fellow travelers Sharon and Carl Larsen. They contributed 

four stories including visits to the historic Churchill War Rooms and the 

real Downton Abbey. 

Other features travel the globe to explore Idaho’s Sawtooth wilderness, share 

adventures in Kauai, sample great eats in Norway and view the stunning landscape 

of Antarctica. 

While you’re enjoying this issue’s entertaining trip around the world, we’ll be 

working on the next issue. In it we’ll share adventures in India and Nepal as 

well as a transit the Panama Canal as it celebrates its centenary. In between our 

editorial work, we’ll squeeze in an Asian cruise with stops in Hong Kong, Viet 

Nam, Thailand and Singapore. 

Enjoy the magazine and Bon Voyage wherever you may travel. 

Ron & Mary James 


CONTRIBUTORS 

Alison DaRosa 

Alison DaRosa is a six-time winner of the Lowell Thomas Gold Award for travel writing, the most prestigious prize in 

travel journalism. She served 15 years as Travel Editor of the San Diego Union-Tribune. She was the award-winning 

editor of the San Diego News Network Travel Page. She produces and edits the San Diego Essential Guide, a highly 

rated and continually updated travel app for mobile devices. Alison is a regular freelance contributor to the travel 

sections of U-T San Diego, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. 

Sharon Whitley Larsen 

Sharon Whitley Larsen’s work has appeared in numerous publications, including Los Angeles Times Magazine, U-T 

San Diego, Reader’s Digest (and 19 international editions), Creators Syndicate, and several “Chicken Soup for the 

Soul” editions. Although she enjoys writing essays, op-ed, and people features, her favorite topic is travel (favorite 

destination London). She’s been lucky to attend a private evening champagne reception in Buckingham Palace 

to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, to dine with best-selling author Diana Gabaldon in the Scottish 

Highlands, and hike with a barefoot Aborigine in the Australian Outback. Exploring sites from exotic travels in the 

Arctic Circle to ritzy Rio, with passport in hand, she’s always ready for the next adventure! 

Carl H. Larsen 

Carl H. Larsen is a veteran journalist based in San Diego. He now focuses on travel writing, and is summoned to pull 

out his notebook whenever there’s the plaintive cry of a steam locomotive nearby. His hike along Hadrian’s Wall 

was a bit off character, but allowed for an exploration of remote pubs and welcoming B&Bs. In San Diego, he is a 

college-extension instructor who has led courses on the Titanic and the popular TV series “Downton Abbey.” 

John Alongé 

Popularly known as the Wine Heretic, John Alongé is a well-respected “educational entertainer” on food and wine 

topics. He has written a variety of articles for international wine publications and is oft-quoted in food and wine 

industry trade journals. Alongé began his career working in the vineyards of the Loire Valley in France. He has studied 

at both the Ecole d’Oenologie in Bordeaux as well as UC Davis Extension in viticulture and viniculture. “The Wine 

Heretic’s Bible”, Alongé’s latest book, offers “Plain English Advice for the Casual Wino”. 

Maribeth Mellin 

Maribeth Mellin is an award-winning journalist whose travel articles have appeared in Endless Vacation Magazine, 

U-T San Diego and Dallas Morning News among others. She also travels and writes for several websites including 

CNN Travel, Concierge.com and Zagat, and has authored travel books on Peru, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, 

Hawaii and California. Though known as a Mexico pro, Maribeth has written about every continent and was 

especially thrilled by the ice, air and penguins in Antarctica. 

Priscilla Lister 

Priscilla Lister is a longtime journalist in her native San Diego. She has covered a many subjects over the years, 

but travel is her favorite. Her work, including photography, has appeared in the U-T San Diego, Los Angeles Times, 

Alaska Airlines magazine and numerous other publications throughout the U.S. and Canada. She currently writes 

a weekly hiking column for the U-T, photographing every trail and its many wonders. But when the distant road 

beckons, she can’t wait to pack her bags. 

Nancy Carol Carter 

Nancy Carol Carter writes and lectures on horticulture and landscape history, nurserywoman Kate O. Sessions, San 

Diego’s Balboa Park, and related topics. In addition to annual visits to England, her itching feet have taken her to 

50 other countries across the globe. She is an Associate Editor of California Garden magazine and has published in 

the Journal of San Diego History, Eden--Journal of the California Garden and Landscape History Society and Pacific 

Horticulture. 

Robert Whitley 

Robert Whitley writes the syndicated “Wine Talk” column for Creators Syndicate and is publisher of the online wine 

magazine, Wine Review Online. Whitley frequently serves as a judge at wine competitions around the world, including 

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Sunset Magazine International and the Dallas Morning News TexSom wine 

competitions. Robert also operates four major international wine competitions in San Diego: Critics Challenge, 

Winemaker Challenge, Sommelier Challenge and the San Diego International. 


WINE DINE& 

PUBLISHERS 

Ron & Mary James 

EXECUTIVE EDITOR /ART DIRECTOR 

Ron James 

EDITOR 

Mary James 

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS 

Sharon Whitley Larsen 

Carl Larsen 

Alison DaRosa 

John Alongé 

Robert Whitley 

Maribeth Mellin 

Priscilla Lister 

Nancy Carol Carter 

Julia Weiler 

John Muncie 

Jody Jaffe 

Susan McBeth 

WINEDINEANDTRAVEL.COM 

CONTACT 

editor@winedineandtravel.com 

WDT respects the intellectual property rights of others, and we ask that our readers do the same. We have 

adopted a policy in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) and other applicable laws. 

Wine Dine & Travel Magazine is a Wine Country Interactive Inc. company @ 2014 

Our old friend Ringo at the Chelsea Flower Show in London 

where he just found out about Wine Dine & Travel Magazine 

and ordered two copies on the spot. 

Photo by Ron James 


CONTENTS 

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LONDON 

10 

A dozen must-visit 

destinations in London. 

Whether you’re 

a London regular or 

a first-timer, this list 

is most essential. 


16 

The plan was to 

live like a local in 

London Town. But 

the best laid plans 

sometimes have a 

mind of their own. 

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS & MUSEUM 

26 

Prime Minister 

Winston Churchill, 

successfully conducted 

World War 

II operations here. 

Many of the rooms 

are eerily left—or at 

least reconstructed- 

-just as they were 

during those dark 

days from 1939- 

1945. 

WESTMINSTER 

30 36 

The royals are married 

here and more 

than 3,000 people 

are buried here 

including 17 English 

monarchs. 

THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY 

“Downton Abbey” 

fans are drawn here 

by the TV series, 

but the unexpected 

story they find at 

Highclere is even 

more compelling 

than the romantic, 

political and financial 

exploits of the 

fictional Crawleys 

and their cadre of 

servants. 



42 50 

This summer school 

program invites 

the world to spend 

one to six weeks in 

residence at Christ 

Church, studying 

with a tutor, living 

in college rooms 

and eating three 

meals a day under 

the vaulted ceiling 

of the great hall 

(think Harry Potter 

and Hogwarts). 

STEAM DREAMS 

Visitors can ride 

behind the most 

powerful narrowgauge 

steam 

locomotives in the 

world, visit an iconic 

castle dating to the 

13th century and 

enjoy the wild and 

spectacular scenery 

of north Wales. 

SAVOR NORWAY 

60 

Dine in postcardperfect 

island 

villages frozen in 

time, feasting on 

delectable seafood 

dishes worth their 

high prices. Norway 

will cost you, but 

your memories will 

be worth it. 

KAUAI HAS IT ALL 

66 

It is the oldest and 

northernmost of 

the four major Hawaiian 

Islands – and 

its 64,000 residents 

aim to preserve its 

rugged, relaxed 

individuality as well 

as its wild natural 

beauty. 

VOYAGE TO ANTARCTICA 

76 

More than 90 

percent of earth’s 

ice covers Antarctica, 

rippling across 

plateaus, slithering 

into mountain 

creases. The deepest 

ice, smashed 

until all air has 

escaped, is the purest 

blue you’ll ever 

see. 


WDT ESSENTIAL GUIDES 

LONDON 

12 ESSENTIAL THINGS TO DO 

There are so many facinating and fun things to do and see in 

London that it is almost unfair to try to distill a list to a dozen. 

When we broached the idea to some of our contributors they all 

had favorites that fit their interests and expertise. The following 

list represents the places most agreed upon for first-time vistors 

and they are not in any particular order. 

1 

The 

Photos by Ron James unless otherwise marked 

TOWER OF LONDON 

historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London is a must for visitors to get a feel of early English 

history and culture. Despite the Tower of London’s grim reputation as a place of torture and death, within these walls you will 

also discover the history of a royal palace, an armoury and a powerful fortress. Discover the Crown Jewels, the awe-inspiring 

symbols of monarchy that are still in use today. Don’t miss the royal ravens and learn about the wild and wondrous animals 

that have inhabited the Tower, making it the first London Zoo. - www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/ 

photo courtesy Visit Britain 

photo courtesy Visit Britain 


2 

WALK IN ST. JAMES’S PARK 

Actually take a walk in any of the gorgeous 5,000 acres of royal parks in the city 

of London. All are wondrous but there’s magic as you stroll through historic St . 

.James’s Park with its lake, fountains and bird life. Every year millions of Londoners 

and tourists visit St. James’s Park, the oldest of the capital’s eight Royal Parks. 

The park includes The Mall and Horse Guards Parade and is at the heart of ceremonial 

London, providing the setting for spectacular pageants including the 

annual Trooping the Color. - www.royalparks.org.uk/ 

photo from WIKI photos 

photo coutesy Matilda 

3&4 

GO TO A DINNER AND A PLAY 

Blame it on Shakespeare, but you can’t see better 

live theater than in London... especially for 

the value compared to NYC where a second 

mortgage is necessary to see a hit show like 

the amazing musical “Matilda.” To make a really 

special day, dine at one of the city’s world-class 

restaurants before or after the show. 


WDT ESSENTIAL GUIDES 

5 

The Millennium Wheel now called the EDF 

Energy London Eye has become an iconic 

landmark and a symbol of modern Britain. 

The London Eye is the UK’s most popular paid 

for visitor attraction. A breathtaking feat of 

design and engineering completed in 2000. 

Passengers in the London Eye’s capsules can 

see up to 25 miles in all directions. Each rotation 

takes about 30 minutes, meaning a 

capsule travels at a stately 0.6 miles per hour 

- twice as fast as a tortoise sprinting. This allows 

passengers to step on and off without 

stopping the wheel. 

THE LONDON EYE 

photo by Ron James 

Photo courtesy of Visit Britain 

6WESTMINSTER ABBEY 

The landmark Westminster Abbey is steeped in more than 

a thousand years of history. Benedictine monks first came 

to this site in the middle of the tenth century, establishing 

a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day. 

The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 

and is the final resting place of 17 monarchs. The present 

church was begun by Henry III in 1245. 

7BUCKINGHAM PALACE 

Buckingham Palace has served as the official 

London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 

1837 and today is the administrative headquarters 

of the Monarch. 

Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 

19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 

188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 

bathrooms. . 

The Palace is very much a working building 

and the centerpiece of Britain’s constitutional 

monarchy. Thousands of visitors throng to the 

site each day to see the changing of the guard. 


8THE ROYAL HORSE GUARDS IN CONCERT AND SADDLE 

Experience one of the most unusual concerts anywhere as the Royal Horse Guards mounted band plays hits from Souza to Adele. 

They perform at the Whitehall Parade Grounds on a somewhat irregular basis depending upon the weather and other commitments. 

The parade grounds was formerly the site of the Palace of Whitehall’s tiltyard, where tournaments (including jousting) were 

held in the time of Henry VIII. www.army.mod.uk/music/24857.aspx 


photo by Ron James 

9 

HARROD’S DEPARTMENT STORE 

Shop in the famous five-acre department store just as Oscar Wilde, Lillie Langtry, Ellen Terry, Charlie Chaplin, Noël Coward, and 

many members of the British Royal Family did. Founded in 1824 the ultra-upscale store has 330 departments,and 32 restaurants, 

serving everything from high tea to tapas to pub food to haute cuisine. Harrod’s isn’t the only game in town when it comes to 

shopping. London is world-famous for its boutiques and high-end stores. Among major specialty stores is Fortnum & Mason. 

Quintessential English, Fortnum & Mason has been selling food, and goods to London’s finest since 1707. Other significant department 

stores include Harvey Nichols, Selfridges or Liberty. 

10 HAMPTON COURT PALACE 

Definitely one of the most interesting destinations 

in England, Hampton Court is a royal palace in the 

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It was 

originally built for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and was 

passed to the King Henry VIII, who enlarged it. The 

palace tours and exhibits are facinating and you can 

engage in small talk with many of the royals (actors) 

who made the place home. Visitors can experience 

the dark side by taking a ghost tour and find out 

what spooked some of Hampton Court Palace’s past 

residents as you are guided around the palace courtyards 

at night. www.hrp.org.uk 


pphoto courtesy British Museum 

11 

THE BRITISH MUSEUM 

There are museums and then there is the British Museum. Jaw-droppingly awesome, it’s home to the Rosetta stone and 

countless other rare artifacts and works collected during the expansion of the empire. Its permanent collection, numbering 

some 8 million works, is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents, illustrating 

and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. The museum offers a broad range of 

exciting shows and exhibits throughout the year. www.britishmuseum.org/ 

12 KEW GARDENS & PALACE 

Enjoy the seasonal colors, explore glasshouses, 

galleries and landscapes and discover 250 years of 

history at the world’s most famous gardens. Climb 

among the treetops, discover tropical plants or learn 

more about Kew on a guided tour. The Royal Botanic 

Gardens boast the world’s largest collection of living 

plants and employ more than 650 scientists and other 

staff. The collections include more than 30,000 

different plants and have over 7 million preserved 

plant specimens. In July 2003, the gardens were put 

on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. www. 

kew.org/ 



Story & Photos By Ron James 

Most travelers follow 

a standard 

routine on vacation. They arrive, check 

into a hotel or B&B, visit local tourist 

attractions, eat and drink at recommended 

restaurants and watering holes, 

checkout and go home. However many 

travelers want a richer experience at 

their favorite destinations; they want to 

live like a native – even if it’s only for a 

week. 

That was our goal when we decided 

to rent a flat for a 10-day stay in London, 

following a cruise from San Diego 

through the Panama Canal and across 

the Atlantic to England. We hoped to 

get to know our neighbors, shop at local 

farmers markets, cook some meals 

and become regulars at the local pub. By 

the end of the stay, we would feel like 

Londoners and have new British friends 

who would stay in touch for years to 

come. That was the plan. 

A well-located flat was key to the plan. 

Finding one should be easy, I told my 

wife Mary, because there is a Craigslist 

in London. And indeed, my first foray 

into vacation rentals found a goldmine 

of wonderful sounding offerings at a 


fraction of the cost of London hotels. I 

was excited … until I noticed something 

troubling. Very few of the ads included 

agents or phone numbers. Could all of 

these be scams? Probably I quickly discovered. 

As a test, I sent an email inquiry about a 

1,600-square-foot place in central London 

listed for £60 daily on Craigslist. 

“Mark” replied within minutes (even 

though it was the middle of the night 

in London), letting me know a £430 deposit 

would reserve the flat and advising 

me to right away “before someone else 

does.” 

Now, pretty much smelling a rat, I asked 

how to send the deposit. Wire the money 

to a bank was the quick response. I 

replied that a London friend would deliver 

a cashier’s check only after inspecting 

the property to be sure it was as represented. 

Sorry, Mark replied. The place 

is always rented and the tenants can’t be 

disturbed. A bank transfer was the only 

option. Nice try – but no way, Bozo. 

Such scams are common around the 

world, I discovered. But I also learned 

there are numerous legitimate vacation 

rental brokers who could make my 

vision come true. I turned to One Fine 

Stay, a company with a good track record 

and high praise on Trip Advisor. In 

their listings, I spotted the perfect flat. 

Here’s the description: “This is the art of 

small at its very best. There is something 

undeniably satisfying about the clever 

pithiness of this light filled studio apartment. 

Like a self-contained pod in the 

heart of Westminster, this is the perfect 

hideout from which to explore the city’s 

heritage, architecture and culture, both 

ancient and modern. Within minutes 

you can be loitering outside the ornate 

wrought iron gates of Buckingham Palace, 

gazing up at the gothic stone spires of 

Westminster Abbey, or enjoying the grand 

formalities of Big Ben and the Houses of 

Parliament.” 

Unlike the to-good-to-be-true rates offered 

by the scam artists, our legitimate 

flat rental wasn’t a bargain at $226 per day. 

There were lots of hotel deals in that price 

range. And the large damage deposits required 

on vacation rentals will take a good 

dent out of your cash flow. 

The fine print on the One Fine Stay website 

did warn that the flat was small, but also 

said it was perfect for two people. After almost 

a month in a tiny cruise-ship cabin, 

we thought that small would be fine. Plus 

it didn’t look small in the website pictures. 

We applied and paid the deposit, certain 

our dreamed about live-like-a-Londoner 

vacation would be a reality. 

Left top: In our London flat Ron James is not 

in another room as it appears in his photo. 

It’s all done with mirrors. Left bottom: A 

photo of a flat for rent on Craigslist that 

was too good to be true. Right top: A photo 

from the online brocure of our flat with a 

large mirror giving the illusion of another 

room with a large kitchen. Bottom right: 

The representative from One Fine Stay 

demonstrates the courtesy iPhone. 


photo courtesy Celebrity Cruises 

Our cruise ended in Harwich, England, and we travelled by van 

to our London digs with three other couples. First stop was the 

rented flat of two fellow passengers, an apartment in a sea of drab 

row-houses miles away from central London. We waved goodbye 

to our fellow adventurers as they hauled their luggage down the 

cracked sidewalk. I was so glad I had done my homework on the 

location of our flat as the van headed toward its next stop – our 

home-away-from-home. As we got close, one fellow passenger 

who had been to London many times told us it was a terrific area 

– in the heart of everything, he said. I smugly agreed. 


The van dropped us a non-descript, brick 

building, less than three blocks away 

Buckingham Palace. Gazing at the unimpressive 

entrance, I felt anxiety rising. A 

pint and a bite at the pub a half a block 

away filled the time while we waited 

for the One Fine Stay representative 

and somewhat restored my confidence. 

Though the pub was cold and the food 

disappointing, the welcome was warm 

and I could see myself here laughing and 

chatting with locals in the days ahead. 

A young man was waiting for us when 

we returned and helped us lug suitcases 

into the nondescript lobby. Our flat was 

located on the third floor, said the fellow 

as he summoned the lift. When the door 

opened, I was stunned; I’d seen telephone 

booths larger than this elevator. 

Three trips later, we wheeled all the bags 

down the gloomy hallway, through the 

unlocked door and into our flat. 

It was tiny. Our balcony cabin on the 

ship was a royal suite by comparison. 

Large mirrors on the walls, though, created 

the impression of several rooms 

and explained why the web photos made 

it look big enough. The all-white décor 

was stylish – and also helped created an 

illusion of space. But in reality there was 

only about 7 feet between the couch and 

the wall opposite; the kitchenette was 

less than 3-feet away from couch arm- 

Left top: Mary James checking e-mails on 

a make shift desk. Left bottom: Our cabin 

on the Celebrity Infinity. Right top: The St. 

James Hotel, just a block away from the flat 

on Buckingham Gate Road. Bottom right: The 

iconic red British phone booth is about the 

same size as the elevator to our flat. 


est. The room, including the kitchen, 

bed and built-in storage was about 120 

square feet, considerably smaller than 

the ship’s cabin we had just abandoned 

that morning. 

The agent ignored our remarks about 

the size as he cheerfully presented 

us with the One Fine Stay gift basket 

and went over guidelines for our stay. 

The company supplies guests with an 

iPhone with maps of the area, the flat 

owner’s restaurant recommendations 

and important contact numbers. 

After he left we carefully explored 

the entire suite which took all of 30 

seconds. A modern bathroom with a 

glassed-in shower made us feel better. 

Until Mary asked, “Where’s the sink?” 

We looked behind some louvered doors 

at the entrance, but they only concealed 

a small closet and a few empty 

drawers. (The remaining drawers were 

taped shut to protect the owner’s possessions.) 

Then it dawned on me – that 

impressive round soap dish in the 

shower wasn’t a soap dish, it was the 

bathroom sink! At least there was one, 

we sighed. 

When the promised cleaning team arrived, 

we had no choice but to leave – 

there wasn’t room for four us. So we 

headed out to explore our new ‘hood 

– with mixed results. Yes we were close 

to Buckingham Palace and adjacent 

gardens and parks. But we were also 

in a maze of quiet government buildings 

and the shops, hotels, pubs and 

restaurants that served them. Maybe 

the area would come to life at the end 

of the work day, we hoped. 

Broke and Down 

When we returned to our flat, we 

couldn’t believe our eyes. Our tiny domain 

was even tinier. The white couch 

was now a white double bed. Around it 

was a narrow corridor, our passage to 

the bath and the kitchenette. “Where 

are we going to put the luggage?” asked 

Mary. I shrugged, still in a bit of shock, 

as she disappeared into the bathroom 

with the sink in the shower. 

I sank onto the bed to assess our plight. 

I noticed it was a bit short for my 6-foot 

frame and that there was no headboard, 

as pillows tumbled to the floor. I slowly 

rolled across the five-inch foam mattress 

when suddenly our flat was filled 

with the sound of snapping metal. I was 

lodged in a crevice, afraid to move and 

cause the entire bed to collapse. 


Mary rushed in to see what the racket 

was all about. She looked at me and the 

bed, and then shook her head. “The toilet 

doesn’t work,” she said. 

We both started to laugh. No doubt - our 

flat was broke. 

Gingerly I got out of bed and put the 

iPhone to work to contact One Fine 

Stay. Within an hour, an engineer 

(maintenance man) appeared at the 

door. Two hours later, he had the bed 

level and the toilet flushing. The owners, 

it seems, had turned the water off 

in the bathroom because of an irritating 

noise. We crowded into the loo, 

flushed and listened. Thankfully all was 

quiet. We left shortly after he did, in 

search of dinner. There was no way we 

would be cooking at home tonight 

When we returned, it was lights out. We 

both nodded off quickly, but in about 

three hours I was awake. There was 

a noise, like a muted jack hammer. It 

would go for a while and then stop. It 

was just loud enough to be irritating. 

I’d dozed off for a while and then jerk 

awake as the rubber jackhammer rattled 

to life. By now, I was trying to solve the 

problem, knowing full well it was the 

noise the owners had heard. It was, of 

course, the toilet. 

I began to count the seconds between 

jackhammer events. The interval was 

the same three times in a row. Then my 

experience with home repair came into 

play and I deduced the cause. The toilet 

Left: Mary James in front of Buckingham 

Palace, just a couple of blocks from her tiny 

flat. Right top: Ron and Mary ate out -- many 

times. A tasty sandwich from one of several 

delis in the neighborhood was convenient for 

breakfast and lunch. Bottom right: A teapot 

for sale at a Buckingham Palace gift shop; 

Keep Calm and Carry On became our mantra. 


was leaking a steady amount of water 

and when the level dropped to a certain 

point, the valve and water pump (jackhammer) 

would kick in to replenish the 

reservoir. Exhausted, but mentally satisfied, 

I slept like a baby for the rest of 

the night. 

The engineer was back in the morning. 

He was skeptical about my theory, but 

when a test proved I was correct, he 

spent the rest of the morning replacing 

all the valves and seals. Life was good 

– the bed was still standing and the jackhammer 

was silenced. 

Small is Kind of Beautiful 

After a day or two, we adjusted to life in 

our tiny flat. It was a welcome cocoon, especially 

after damp cold days of touring 

and on evenings when the rain rattled 

against the windows. 

Did we enjoy ourselves? Yes. London was 

as diverting as ever. The one outstanding 

plus about out little abode was location. 

We strolled several times through the 

John Nash designed green spaces of historic 

St. James’s Park. And we discovered 

the city’s exclusive high-end boutiques, 

and upscale cafes in Belgravia, and nearby 

Knightsbridge and Kensington. 

There was art in abundance at dozens of 

galleries and museums within walking 

distance. And we experienced our share 

of traveler’s luck, by chance hearing a 

concert by the Royal Horse Guards, for 

example, the included a melancholy rendition 

of “Skyfall.” A friend took us on a 

gallery walk that ended with dinner at 

a fun wine bar; we enjoyed a matinee of 

“Matilda” and traveled outside of the city 

to visit Hampton Court Palace for the 

first time. 

But our live-like-a-native dream faded 

away quickly. We never saw, much less 

met, anyone in our building. The nearby 

pubs catered mostly to office workers and 

generally were all but empty during the 

day and many evenings, except Thursdays 

and Fridays when they were too crowded 

to get a seat. All were busy talking to each 

other, much too involved with each other 

to adopt a stray couple of Yanks. 

Instead of the money we planned to save 

making many of our own meals we ended 

up eating out or grabbing some take-out 

because there was no room to do anything 

in the kitchen except heat the kettle for 

coffee in the morning. And in the end, the 

isolation of the tiny flat located in an area 

with few permanent households did more 

to diminish the dream than to facilitate it. 

Would we rent a flat again in London? 

Probably not. But given the right circumstance 

we would give it another shot… 

especially if were traveling with a larger 

group of friends or family– maybe in Tuscany 

or in the French wine country. 

On our last day, we had dinner with 

our cruise buddies who had opted for a 

hotel. We could only envy their tales of 

their free upgrade to a spacious suite, 

the comforts of room service and free 

booze and the friends made in the complimentary 

club lounge. But I couldn’t 

help myself to ask, with a grin and just 

a bit of smugness: “That’s nice, but did 

you have an adventure?” 

Left: Ron and Mary’s flat was located on Buckingham 

Gate road which was populated with 

architecturally significant non-residential 

buildings like this one. Right: The Westminster 

neighborhood is home to a great many 

historic pubs like this one on Victoria Street a 

few blocks away from the flat. 



How to Avoid Vacation Rental 

By Tom Gilmore 

The height 

of summer 

vacation planning 

is here, 

and families are 

on the hunt for 

affordable travel 

options to destinations 

where they can 

relax and enjoy a reprieve 

with their kids, 

perhaps their parents, 

and other friends and 

family members. With 

over 47 percent of travelers 

interested in staying in 

a vacation home rental, it 

has become a popular alternative 

to staying at a hotel. And 

while websites like Craigslist or 

Backpage.com can offer fantastic 

bargains -- they've also made the 

headlines for scams in recent years. 

“ 

Travelers need to be 

cautious of the properties 

they’re looking at. If 

the property seems too 

good to be true... 

“ 

SCAMS 

During Easter weekend last month, for 

example, Fox 4 in Fort Myers, FL reported 

yet another vacation home rental 

scam. A family traveled all the way from 

New York to Fort Myers and thought they 

had rented the ideal place, but ended up 

being victims of a scam. Their vacation 

quickly turned from relaxing to highs 

t r e s s 

as they tried 

to find answers and 

to search for a hotel during 

a busy weekend. As these fraudulent 

listings have become more and more 

popular, scammers have also mastered 

new levels of sophistication like hacking 

into legitimate real estate databases and 

even putting together a real lease agreement. 

Luckily, PayPal refunded the family 

in Ft. Myers all of their money, but 

does Craigslist do enough to flag these 

scams? 

The last thing any family wants to happen 

is to have their rental property and 

efforts to plan an enjoyable family 

vacation result in a scam -- 

and their hard-earned vacation 

dollars go down the drain. I 

don't think websites are doing 

enough to prevent this 

from happening, and travelers 

need to be cautious 

of the properties they're 

looking at. If the property 

seems "too good 

to be true" -- make 

sure to do some 

extra research before 

sending any 

money. 

In addition to 

using trustw 

o r t h y 

w e b s i t e s 

for booking 

your rentals, 

which is perhaps the 

best way to avoid a scam, I also 

want to share some additional precautions 

you should take to help avoid the 

stress of a rental scam when planning 

your vacation this year. I'd suggest the 

following: 

1. Use Search Engines - If you're 

worried about a property, simply check 

it out yourself. With tools like Google 

Maps, it's easy to find photos of a property 

and check out the neighborhood. 

You can also try to locate the registry 

of deeds for the county where the property 

is located and look up the address 

to double check that the person does indeed 

own the home they are advertising. 


2. Don't Send Money - Don't pay 

by money transfer systems like Western 

Union, or wire money to someone's bank 

account. Be sure to pay by credit card or 

PayPal, which enable you to dispute fraudulent 

charges. 

3. Make Some Calls - Before you 

officially decide to book, give the owner or 

property manager a call and have a simple 

conversation with them. Be sure to ask 

them for references and contact those 

previous renters to make sure they were 

pleased with the property or check out 

reviews linked to Facebook, so a prospective 

renter is capable checking out reviews 

from a past renter. 

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? 

“It is a beautiful publication!” 

Kerry Walsh ~ Communications Manager at Boston Partners in Education 

“This is really great, I will be sharing it with family 

and friends.” 

Christian Gray ~ Partner at Atlas Consulting 

“Congratulations! Love the title and can just taste 

the content!” 

Ann Jarmusch ~ Nationally published art, architecture and historic preservation writer, researcher and critic 

4. Book Direct - To completely 

avoid scams, it's best to shy away from 

Craigslist and check out properties from 

vacation home rental sites like Vacation- 

HomeRentals.com, which has over 50,000 

reviews written by real guests. Also, the 

company's Happy Rental Guarantee protects 

you for up to $10,000 if the home 

has been foreclosed or is in bankruptcy, if 

the owner double-books the property, or 

the property is misrepresented. 

5.Suspicious Behavior - Take 

notice of bad grammar in emails, foreign 

phone numbers, or if the owner/property 

manager is not responding to emails. 

These can all be warning signs 

Tom Gilmore is the founder and CEO of 

VacationHomeRentals.com. (WD&T has 

no affilition with WDT) 

PRINT EDITIONS AVAILABLE! 

Download it today 

visit us at www.winedineandtravel.com 


The Churchill Museum 

& War Rooms 

A Powerful Exhibit of Winston Churchill’s Life and Leadership 

By Sharon Whitley Larsen 


When friends ask us where they should go in London—after 

visiting the usual touristy sites such as 

Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Changing 

of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and surveying 

the city atop The London Eye—my husband Carl 

and I have just the answer. We frequently visit this popular, historic 

city and always recommend the Churchill Museum and War Rooms, 

which have been open to the public nearly 30 years. 

It was here, in these secret underground rooms not far from Buckingham 

Palace, where Prime Minister Winston Churchill, a former army 

reporter hailing from a distinguished family, safely and successfully 

conducted World War II operations. And much of the rooms are eerily 

left—or at least reconstructed--just as they were during those dark 

days from 1939-1945. The same desks, wall clocks, telephones, chairs, 

typewriters, gas masks, cots, maps. 

The only thing missing is the stuffy cigar and cigarette smoke 

and the occasional putrid smells from the primitive toilet facilities 

in these cramped quarters. It’s hard to imagine that 

Churchill and his staff—and, at times, his family—worked, 

lived, ate, and slept here. In fact, Churchill had relocated from 

the Prime Minister’s nearby official home at 10 Downing Street 

to the safer headquarters here dubbed “Number 10 Annexe.” 

Known as a tough task master, he often endured 18-hour days, keeping 

his exhausted staff working late hours. Employing no speech 

writers, Churchill dictated his own, which inspired not only his fellow 

British citizens but worldwide allies. He delivered four impassioned 

wartime speeches from these Cabinet War Rooms. 

Elizabeth Nel, one of his secretaries, remembered not completing a 

dictation until 4:30 one morning. 

Her boss, she recalls on an audiotape, would pace the room while dictating, 

always with a cigar in his mouth--and always requested two 

carbon copies. “You must be prepared to go fast and for heavens sake 

don’t make any errors,” she remembered of those stressful days. Not 

seeing much light of day, she and other secretaries were known to use 

sun lamps to avoid vitamin D deficiency. 

"He could be charming and generous,” one secretary recalled, “but 

also exasperating, rude, and bad tempered.” Yet he inspired devotion 

among his staff. 

One displayed sign sums up the work routine: “There is to be no whistling 

or unnecessary noise in this passage.” 

photo courtesy OF Heather Cowper 


» 

It was in 1938, with the ominous war 

clouds approaching, that a central 

emergency working area was selected 

for the War Cabinet and Chiefs 

of Staff—an emergency refuge safe from 

surprise bomb attacks. Basement 

storage rooms under the Office of 

Works and the Board of Trade were 

chosen for their ideal, central location 

and because of the fortified 

structure. With a staff of civil servants, 

military personnel, and government 

ministers, it opened on 

August 27, 1939—just one week 

before the outbreak of World War II. 

As Churchill stood in the Cabinet 

Room, he proclaimed, “This is the 

room from which I will lead the 

war.” And that he successfully did. 

Some 115 war cabinet meetings 

were conducted here over the next 

six years, with Churchill seated in 

the larger chair in the center of the 

table, a massive world map on the 

wall behind him. 

The Map Room, where the war was plotted, 

was staffed by various officers, including one 

each from the Royal Air Force, Army, and 

Royal Navy, 24 hours a day. Each morning at 

8:00 a daily summary was prepared for King 

George VI, Prime Minister Churchill, and 

the Chiefs of Staff. In 1941 the Cabinet War 

Rooms were expanded to include bedrooms 

for the staff—and a bedroom, kitchen, and 

dining room for the Churchills. The lights 

were finally turned off on August 16, 1945, 

and books, documents, and furniture were 

placed in storage. The Transatlantic Telephone 

Room—via a complicated system 

where Churchill conducted strategic phone 

calls with President Franklin Roosevelt— 

had been left intact. In 1948 the government 

formally preserved the rooms, with guided 

tours beginning in 1984. 

"It’s hard to imagine an entire 

country managing a war from 

such a relatively small space, yet 

that space is filled with so much 

history,” observed Michael 

Canepa of San Diego, Calif., 

when he toured the rooms during 

his first trip to London. 

In 2005 Queen Elizabeth II 

opened the adjoining Churchill 

Museum, which encompasses 

a high-tech, multimedia display 

of lights, sounds, photos, 

news clips, and black and white 

news reels—some 1100 documents, 

1150 images, and ten 

films--sharing important moments 

of his life, his distinctive voice blaring 

in some of his famous speeches. It’s here in 

the museum that visitors can see the books 

Churchill wrote, the artwork he painted, and 

other personal items, such as his hairbrush, 


museum photos courtesy Martin Roznowski LLC 

Opposite page: Entrance 

to the Churchill museum. 

Opposite lower: 

Churchill’s bedroom in 

the war room complex. 

He seldom slept here 

except for freqent naps. 

Left: One of the many 

interactive exhibits . 

wooden breakfast tray, silk bow tie—even 

his baby rattle and childhood toy soldiers. 

There are his school poetry, notebooks and 

letters, including one begging his rather distant 

parents to come visit him more often 

at the boarding school where he was sent at 

age 7, and was unhappy and lonely. There’s 

even an entry dated May 5, 1891, from the 

Harrow School punishment book that the 

future prime minister, then 16, received 

seven cane strokes for “breaking into premises 

and doing damage.” 

“I was what grown-up people in their offhand 

way called a ‘troublesome boy,’” he later said. 

It’s ironic that the creative, gifted, yet lonely 

youngster who received poor report cards, 

got into trouble now and then, and had a 

stammer—trouble saying his “s’s,” which was 

a challenge later for his secretaries taking dictation—became 

known as a world leader for 

his electrifying speeches: “I have nothing to 

offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat,” he proclaimed 

in his first speech as Prime Minister 

on May 13, 1940. 

Special moments of his life are displayed here, 

allowing visitors to learn even more details 

from family photo albums, intimate letters, 

recordings, reminisces from his friends and 

staff—and even from Churchill himself, with 

his writings and radio broadcasts. 

One black and white photo on display is of 

his beloved nanny, Elizabeth Everest, who 

died when he was 20. There’s even a June 27, 

1940, letter from his wife of 56 years, Clementine: 

“My Darling—I hope you will forgive 

me if I tell you something that I feel you need 

to know”—then she sweetly admonishes 

him about the “deterioration” in the manner 

he treats his colleagues. The couple exchanged 

hundreds of letters, of which some 

1700 survive. There are also letters from 

King George VI on Buckingham Palace letterhead, 

including one dated May 31, 1944, 

urging Churchill to reconsider his plan of 

having both of them participate in the D- 

Day landing: “I don’t think I need emphasize 

what it would mean to me personally and to 

the whole Allied cause, if at this juncture a 

chance bomb, torpedo, or even a mini should 

remove you from the scene. . . .” 

The popular Prime Minister, who loved Havana 

cigars, smoked about eight each day, 

having the first after breakfast. (He was said 

to re-light and never inhale.) He also enjoyed 

fine wines--and French Pol Roger champagne 

with lunch. No matter how busy he was, he 

took a daily nap and two daily baths. 

Not only was he a popular leader in wartime, 

known for his energy, ambition, and intelligence, 

but he was awarded the Nobel Prize 

in 1953 and numerous other honors, including 

honorary U.S. citizenship (his mother was 

American-born). 

It was an eerie irony that Churchill predicted 

that he would die on the anniversary of his 

father’s death—and he did, on January 24, 

1965, aged 90. In one area of the museum 

is a BBC clip of his state funeral, the British 

royal family and other world leaders in attendance, 

held at St. Paul’s Cathedral on January 

30, 1965. He was the first commoner to be 

honored with a state funeral since 1898, and 

his was the first commoner funeral attended 

by a reigning monarch. 

If You Go 

The Churchill Museum and War Rooms 

For information on visiting hours, lectures, 

the gift shop, restaurant, and special 

exhibits: cwr.iwm.org.uk/ -- www.visitbritain.com 

-- www.visitengland.com 


w 

Westminster’s 

ROYAL WEDDINGS 

The History of Fairy Tale Nuptials in Westminster Abbey 

By Sharon Whitley Larsen 

Many of us vividly recall the excitement of 

Prince William and Kate Middleton's lavish 

wedding in April 2011. 

Who doesn't enjoy watching the magical ceremony of a royal 

wedding? Especially in famed, historic Westminster Abbey, 

where many of Britain’s monarchs have been married, 

crowned, and buried. Always tops on a London tourist list, 

over one million visit it annually. It’s open for tours, church 

services, Evensongs, and organ concerts. 

But it’s actually been the scene of relatively few royal weddings. 

The 2011 marriage of William and Catherine, now the Duke 

and Duchess of Cambridge, was only the 16th royal wedding to 

take place in the Abbey, which was founded in 960. Formally 

titled the Collegiate Church of St. Peter in Westminster, Benedictine 

monks were established here in the mid-10th century. 

Edward the Confessor dedicated the Abbey to St. Peter, and 

its consecration was held on Dec. 28, 1065. William the Conqueror 

was crowned King William I in the Abbey on Christmas 

Day 1066—the first of 38 royal coronations. Queen Elizabeth 

II’s was the first coronation televised, on June 2, 1953. 


This painting of Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s 

wedding is part of an exhibition by Kent artist 

Peter Kuhfeld. He was commissioned by the Prince 

of Wales to paint the royal wedding and sat up in the 

eaves of Westminster Abbey to catch the moments 

with a sketch book and pencil. 

Since the coronation of Edward II in 1308, monarchs 

have been crowned on St. Edward’s Chair—known as the 

Coronation Chair. The Abbey's present Gothic-style architecture 

is attributed to King Henry III, who had much of 

it rebuilt during the mid-13th century. 

The first royal wedding in Westminster Abbey was held on 

Nov. 11, 1100, when William the Conqueror’s fourth son, 

later King Henry I, married Princess Matilda of Scotland--for 

love, they say! Despite the Abbey’s rich history, the majority 

of the royal weddings have taken place here just during 

the past century. (Prior to that the ceremonies generally 

were held privately in palace or castle chapels.) Queen Victoria’s 

granddaughter, Princess Patricia of Connaught, married 

in the Abbey in 1919—the first royal wedding to be held 

here in over 500 years! 

Four years later, in 1923, Prince William’s great-grandmother, 

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (then Lady Bowes-Lyon) 

started the tradition of royal brides leaving their bridal bouquets 

atop the engraved black Belgian marble of The Grave 

of the Unknown Warrior. In memory of her brother, killed 


photos 32 courtesy Wine of Dine Visit & Britain Travel Winter 2014 

pphoto courtesy WIKI commons

Left: The main entrance of Westminster 

Abbey on a clear day. Right: The Abbey 

with Big Ben in the foreground. 

in World War I, she spontaneously placed her bouquet there 

following her wedding ceremony to Prince Albert (later King 

George VI—of “The King’s Speech” fame). 

Since then royal weddings have included televised broadcasts 

of Princess Elizabeth’s (now the queen) to Lt. Philip Mountbatten 

(later Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh) in 1947; Princess 

Margaret’s to Antony Armstrong-Jones (later Earl of 

Snowdon) in 1960; Princess Anne’s to Capt. Mark Phillips in 

1973, and Prince Andrew’s to Sarah Ferguson in 1986. 

I never tire of touring Westminster Abbey—seeing the gorgeous 

stained glass windows, magnificent marble statues and 

art, or the Waterford crystal chandeliers, which were a gift 

from the Guinness family for the Abbey's 900th anniversary 

in 1965. Over 3,000 people are buried here, and there are 

over 600 tombs and marble monuments—including burial 

vaults of Edward the Confessor, Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, 

Queen of Scots. King George II was the last of 17 monarchs 

to be buried here—in 1760. Due to lack of space in the Abbey, 

royals now are buried at Windsor. 

Several times I’ve attended church services and organ concerts 

in the Abbey, sometimes sitting in the Nave—or in the Poets’ 

Corner in the South Transept, gazing at the famous names of 

those buried here, including Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, 

Rudyard Kipling. Once during a Sunday service I luckily sat 

close to the famed Choir of Westminster Abbey, comprised of 

pphoto by Tebbits 

12 adults and some 30 charming young boys who are in residence 

here, attending the Westminster Abbey Choir School. For those 

able to attend a church service or organ concert, it’s well worth 

it—and free. 

I often wonder, what is it about the British monarchy—especially 

the royal weddings--that causes Americans to go nuts with 

excitement? Our history lessons—rather brief in comparison- 

-remind us that just over 200 years ago we fought England so 

we wouldn’t have to be ruled by monarchy; we chose to elect 

our presidents instead. 

Nevertheless, there’s still a certain mystique and intrigue that we 

have with the British royal family—and their 1,000-year history. 

I have faithfully followed the British monarchy since third grade, 

when, following a fairy tale bedtime story, I had asked my mom 

if there were any real kings or queens or princesses living in the 

world today. 

She told me about Queen Elizabeth II, who had a daughter named 

Princess Anne, about my age. 

So I excitedly wrote the princess a letter, telling her how much I 

thought we had in common—that I, too, was a Girl Scout and also 

had a baby brother! 

Not long after I had a reply on Windsor Castle letterhead from 

the queen’s lady-in-waiting, stating that she was writing “at the 

Queen’s command” to thank me for writing to her daughter. 


34 Wine Dine & Travel Winter 2014 

Photo courtesy of Westminster Abbey

Left: The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior 

lined with red flowers. Right: A painting 

of Edward VII being married to Alexandra 

of Denmark in Westminster Abbey in 1863 

» 

Well, that did it! That 

same year, when Princess 

Margaret, the 

queen’s younger sister, married at 

Westminster Abbey, I watched the 

ceremony on a small black-andwhite 

TV. I was mesmerized by the 

pageantry and the beautiful bride— 

just as I was when William and 

Kate's royal wedding was held some 

50 years later. Throughout the years 

I’ve watched the other televised 

royal weddings in Westminster Abbey—and, 

of course, stayed up all 

night to watch Charles and Diana’s 

lavish 1981 wedding in London’s St. 

Paul’s Cathedral. 

I was lucky to make a pilgrimage to 

be in London on the actual day of 

William and Kate’s wedding—joining 

the million spectators in the city 

centre. I was struck by the minute 

precision of the timetable to get the 

royal family—including the bride 

and groom--to the church on time. 

Hand it to the Brits—their plumbing 

sometimes doesn’t work, but 

they certainly know how to throw a 

royal wedding! 

I stood in front of Westminster Abbey 

as the 10 bells began gloriously 

and powerfully ringing from the 

bell tower. The Westminster Abbey 

Company of Ringers, an amazing 

volunteer group, did the ringing of 

the full peal by hand, which continued 

over three hours. Later I stood 

among the masses in front of Buckingham 

Palace for the balcony scene 

and fly-over. 

I was struck by the festive crowd 

of all ages, from all over the world. 

Some creative ones wore tiaras, royal 

family masks, wedding dresses, 

Union Jack face paint. Young children, 

teens, parents, grandparents— 

various cultures and languages—all 

celebrating the joyous event. 

With all the problems there are in 

the world, all the sad things that go 

on so often, we all still like to have 

a bit of fairy tale and fantasy left from 

our childhood. We like to believe in the 

prince and princess, and the hope that 

they live happily ever after. 

And Britain’s royal family gives us some 

of that. 

IF YOU GO 

For information on worship times, concerts, touring 

(self-guided with audiotapes for about $25, 

or guided), the Choir School—even purchasing 

souvenirs—please visit: 

www.westminster-abbey.org 

The official website of the British Monarchy: 

www.royal.gov.uk/Home.aspx 

VisitBritain: www.visitbritain.com 

VisitEngland: www.visitengland.com 

VisitWales: www.visitwales.com 

Rubens at the Palace Hotel (The “royal” rooms overlook 

The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace): www. 

rubenshotel.com 


WALKING THE HALLS OF 

Downton Abbey 

Surely, something was wrong. Carson the butler wasn’t 

there to greet me. Maybe it was because I had arrived 

at the castle the cheap way — on foot from a nearby 

country inn, not by Rolls-Royce or carriage. 

By Carl H. Larsen 

» 

» 


Winter 2014 winedineandtravel.com 37 

Photos courtesy of ITV

From the empty gravel forecourt, 

where normally a rank of servants 

greets distinguished guests, 

I was left to open the massive 

wooden door myself. Stepping inside, 

past the two winged dragons at my feet, 

I immediately entered a privileged domain 

lived in by few but known to millions. 

I was in the real "Downton Abbey." 

For a minute of two, I was the actor 

Hugh Bonneville playing Lord Grantham, 

gazing toward the overpowering Gothic 

Revival great hall and saloon, with its 

50-foot-high vaulted ceiling and adjacent 

broad oak staircase. Beyond were 

the magnificent dining room with its 

nearly life-size painting by Anthony Van 

Dyck of a mounted Charles I and the 

massive, clublike library containing volumes 

hundreds of years old. 

"Downton Abbey" is television's wildly 

popular period drama, following the 

fictional Crawley family and their 

servants from the Titanic disaster 

through World War I and into the uncertain 

1920s. With an ensemble cast 

that includes Bonneville, Dame Maggie 

Smith and Elizabeth McGovern, 

"Downton Abbey's" one constant is the 

spectacular estate and home in which 

the drama is filmed. For American audiences, 

the fourth season of the series 

debuted in January 2014 on PBS. 

The TV drama exists beyond the 

imagination of screenwriter Julian 

Fellowes as Highclere Castle, a 5,000- 

acre working estate a little over an 

hour from London. If the architecture 

of the manor house looks familiar, it's 

because Highclere was redesigned and 

enlarged in 1842 by Sir Charles Barry, 

the architect of Britain's Houses of Parliament. 

The program, aired around the world, 

has made Highclere Castle England's 

best-known country home, attracting 


Photos courtesy of Highclere Castle 

60,000 visitors annually, many of whom come 

on bus tours. The house and its fabulous gardens, 

refined by the great British landscape 

architect Lancelot "Capability" Brown, are 

open on a seasonal basis. 

Visitors are drawn here by the TV series, but 

the unexpected story they find at Highclere 

is even more compelling than the romantic, 

political and financial exploits of the fictional 

Crawleys and their cadre of servants. 

This house has its own "bones": a fascinating 

history that includes a mummy's curse, love 

triangles, pressing financial burdens and periods 

when successive lords and ladies converted 

their home into a military hospital 

and a wartime refuge for young children. 

Dating to the late 1600s, Highclere is the 

ancestral home of the Carnarvon family. The 

present Earl of Carnarvon and his second wife, 

the Countess Carnarvon, live in the castle as 

Photos courtesy of ITV 

Above: Scenes of Downton Abbey in 

past seasons. Opposite top: Highclere 

Castle known to millions of TV viewers 

as Downton Abbey. 

Top right: Highclere gardens, refined 

by the great British landscape 

architect Lancelot “Capability” Brown. 


Photos courtesy of Highclere Castle 

Top: The Saloon is physically and socially the heart of the house. 

Above: Current owners of the castle -- Geordie, the eighth Earl of 

Carnarvon and Lady Fiona, Countess of Carnarvon -- relax with their 

lab. Opposite page: Egyptian boy-Pharoah Tutankhamun. Opposite 

left: The great oak staircase in the saloon. Opposite right: Elements 

of Highclere Castle architecture can be seen in Britain’s House of 

Parliament because they had the same architect Sir Charles Barry. 

well as a nearby residence. Unlike 

with other open-to-the-public estates 

where the occupants have 

long since departed, visitors to 

Highclere are treated to constant 

reminders that this is a working 

home. On a recent tour, the master 

bedroom revealed a bottle of Sinex 

at bedside and reading material 

that included books by Ian Rankin 

and John Grisham. 

"I don't want to present a museum," 

said the present countess, Fiona, 

as we sipped tea at the outdoor 

cafe set up for visitors. "I want 

people to know that we reside here. 

It's a living history." 

These days, the countess has been 

consumed with making sure TV 

crews don't light candles under the 

Van Dyck painting and that their 

electrical cables don't topple marble 

statues. 

Parallel to the plot that has unfolded 

on TV, the countess recently 

published a book on an earlier 

Countess Carnarvon, Lady Almina, 

who turned the estate into a convalescent 

hospital for British officers 

during World War I. Almina's generous 

dowry, and later inheritance 

from her father, banking tycoon 

Alfred de Rothschild, allowed her 

husband, the fifth earl, to pursue 

his interest in Egyptian archeology. 

That's where the name Carnarvon 

strikes home. It was the fifth earl, 

along with Howard Carter, who in 

1922 opened the treasure-filled 

tomb of Egyptian boy-Pharoah 

Tutankhamun, which had been 

sealed for centuries. 

"Can you see anything?" Lord Carnarvon 

is said to have asked as 

Carter peered through an opening 

in the tomb. "Yes, wonderful 

things!" came the reply. 

Carnarvon's instant celebrity status 

was to be short-lived, however. 

Shortly after the discovery he died 

in Cairo of blood poisoning from 

an infected mosquito bite. His son, 

"Porchey," who would become the 

next earl, related in his memoirs, 

"No Regrets," what happened next. 


At the time of Carnarvon's death, all of Cairo 

was thrown into darkness by a mysterious 

blackout. And far away at Highclere 

the lord's favorite dog, a fox terrier named 

Susie, started howling and dropped over 

dead at the same time his master died. 

This has led to stories that the discovery 

of the Tut relics brings a "mummy's curse" 

to those who deal with them. 

Today the basement of Highclere Castle is 

devoted to an exhibition on the fifth Lord 

Carnarvon's Egyptian expeditions. 

As the present countess is first to admit, 

maintaining an estate such as Highclere is 

an expensive proposition. That is why the 

house has been thrown open for filming, 

weddings and catered events, while the 

estate also hosts paying hunting parties. 

So it's possible for those with the money 

to enjoy a five-course meal in the famous 

dining room, attired in formal wear, of 

course, but minus the quick wit of Maggie 

Smith. 

Long gone are the 24 household servants 

listed in a 1924 record book. Today there 

are far fewer, but the job of butler remains. 

It's a job not so far removed from the role 

played by "Downton's" Carson. But the 

overall divisions of labor are gone. 

"We're all good at multitasking," the countess 

told me. 

Before I left, there was one nagging question 

I had to ask as we walked past the 

downstairs bell board, which was used to 

summon servants to the upper rooms. 

I had seen the footmen performing an unusual 

practice on "Downton Abbey." 

"Did they really iron the daily newspapers?" 

I asked. 

"Oh, yes, it was quite common," the countess 

replied. 

As I left Highclere I walked past grazing 

sheep and under stately Cedars of Lebanon 

planted hundreds of years ago. One 

last look at the grandeur of the castle, and 

the words of "Downton's" Lord Grantham 

rushed into my mind. 

"You see a million bricks that may crumble, 

a thousand gutters and pipes that may 

block and leak, and stone that will crack in 

the frost. ... I see my life's work." 

MAKING THE TRIP 

Highclere Castle is open to the public during summer and 

on selected holidays, but the popularity of "Downton Abbey" 

has made getting tickets difficult. Those wanting to 

visit should check with private coach-tour operators, who 

offer day trips from London. For more information, see 

www.highclerecastle.co.uk 

By train, a visit to Highclere Castle is an easily done day trip 

from London's Paddington Station. Getting off at Newbury, 

visitors take an eight-mile taxicab ride to the estate. Be 

sure to arrange a pickup time for the return to the station 

with your driver. For information on schedules and rail 

passes, see www.britrail.com. 

Newbury, the closest large town to the estate, offers several 

lodging possibilities: 

Carnarvon Arms hotel (a country inn close to the estate): 

www.thecarnarvonarmshotel.com 

Hilton Newbury Centre (UK): www.hilton.com 

Travelodge Newbury Tot Hill Hotel: www.travelodge.co.uk 

For general information: www.visitbritain.com and www. 

visitingengland.com 

Photos courtesy WIKI commons 


Classy ladies of the Abbey 


They’re an upstairs-downstairs 

pair who easily cast aside their 

presumed class differences while 

on the road pitching “Downton 

Abbey,” the British tele-drama that has 

made them international stars. 

Laura Carmichael, cast as the show’s 

snarky and ambitious Lady Edith Crawley, 

and Lesley Nicol, the tyrannical yet 

loveable Mrs. Patmore, ruler of Downton 

Abbey’s kitchen, appear to be best of 

friends in off-camera life. 

That was demonstrated by the hug they 

gave each other at the end of an interview 

in a San Diego hotel suite before 

making an appearance at a public-television 

fund-raiser. In person, you’d recognize 

Nicol in an instant as Mrs. Patmore, 

with her red hair and sharp, direct voice 

that is quick with a story or laugh. In 

fairness, Nicol is bulked up for the role 

by costumers, and made to look chiseled 

by time and hard work. Carmichael still 

can leave Edith behind after shooting. 

Tall and demure, her long hair gives no 

hint of the short, curled styles required 

of her role. You probably wouldn’t recognize 

her on the street – but all that is 

changing for the talented actress. 

With so many episodes of “Downton Abbey” 

(now in Season 4) under their belts, 

the difference between real life and manor-house 

decorum must be hard for the 

two and others in the cast to sort out. 

Nicol for years has been well known as 

a character actor to TV viewers in Britain, 

and to West End theater-goers as 

Rosie in the London stage production of 

“Mama Mia.” 

In “Downton Abbey,” she is a key member 

of the ensemble cast, even though 

the only part of upper crust manorhouse 

life she encounters is when a loaf 

of bread rises in her oven. 

Photos courtesy of ITV 

“No one is above her in the kitchen,” said 

Nicol of her character. But there is a bit of 

tension between Mrs. Patmore and Mrs. 

Hughes, the housekeeper, who is keeper 

of the keys of the household stores. Between 

soufflés, Mrs. Patmore struggles 

to keep various youthful footmen and 

kitchen maids focused on their work and 

not on their love lives. 

But to many of the women on “Downton,” 

enduring romance has been an elusive 

dream. Nicol said she cajoled Downton 

creator and writer Julian Fellowes 

to give her a love interest. His response: 

“Do you want to leave the cast?” Instead, 

Mrs. Patmore was wooed by a philandering 

merchant in Season 3. He was plainly 

smitten by her cooking skills. That’s an 

asset that in real life, Nicol confesses she 

does not possess. 

Carmichael said that of all the three 

Crawley sisters portrayed in the series 

(one of whom, Lady Sybil, died suddenly), 

she is the most conventional – the one 


who ironically could be called the most 

middle class today. Her older sister, Lady 

Mary, grieving for her late husband Matthew, 

has created an opening for Edith to 

push into the forefront of the series. 

In Season 4, Lady Edith is leading the 

charge into the world of the Moderne, 

breaking shibboleths about what should 

be a gentrified woman’s place in the 

world. Indeed, Time magazine says Lady 

Edith this season “makes a run for feminist-icon 

status.” 

That’s a lot of heavy lifting for Carmichael, 

who came out of the background 

as the forgotten daughter of the series. 

But she has proved herself up to the challenge. 

Pretty good for a newcomer who a 

few years ago was an office receptionist 

trying to land acting roles. 

“She’s had a lot of hard knocks,” said Carmichael 

of Lady Edith, who is scoffed 

at by her father (Hugh Bonneville) and 

dismissed by her older sister (Lady Mary, 

played by Michelle Dockery). “She’s ambitious 

and she’s a fighter.” 

How low does Edith start out? 

Consider this conversation between her 

father (Lord Grantham) and mother 

(Lady Cora). Lord Grantham: "Poor old 

Edith. We never seem to talk about her.” 

Lady Cora: "I'm afraid Edith will be the 

one taking care of us in our old age." 

Lord Grantham: "Oh, what a ghastly 

prospect!" 

This season, Carmichael said, Lady Edith 

has been allowed by Fellowes to spread 

her wing. She finds a job - of all things 

- as a newspaper columnist, and a new 

love interest emerges after she was left at 

the altar. Carmichael said this new turn 

of events for Edith comes from leaving 

the manor and dashing down to London. 

There, she can wear the latest in fashion 

while sipping cocktails at the Criterion 

and return home at 6 a.m. to a disapproving 

aunt. But is she somehow putting her 

family’s centuries-old good name at peril 

by exploring these new avenues? 

While Carmichael, 27, pulls the plot into 

the Roaring Twenties, her good friend, a 

60ish Nicol, is risk averse, worrying about 

the intrusion of new technology, such as 

an electric mixer, into her decades-old 

kitchen routine. The next thing, she fears, 

is that her job will be taken over by some 

“lady from the village.” 

The series has opened many doors for 

both actresses. New scripts to consider, 

the A list of celebrities clamoring for face 

time and repeated pilgrimages made to 

awards shows are all part of the mystique. 

“We call it the Downton Effect,” said Nicol. 

“These doors weren’t open before.” There’s 

also a chance to give back. Carmichael 

last year visited Haiti to support a charity 

hospital she helps support. 

And a slew of Downton products is now 

on the market, ranging from wines to 

costume jewelry. 

Still, said Carmichael, “It is slightly 

alarming to see your face on a bag.” 

Above: Lady Edith Crawley played by Laura Carmichael. 

Opposite: Mrs. Patmore played by Leslie Nicol. 


At the Oldest University in the English-Speaking World 


By Nancy Carol Carter 

It was a cold and uncommonly quiet 

night in Oxford as I hurried along 

High Street, looking for the landmark 

Carfax Tower where I would turn left onto 

St. Aldates Street. My destination was Tom 

Tower and I had to be there before 9:05. 

This was back in the summer of 2000. I was 

in England for the first time in many years, 

directing a study-abroad program based in 

Oxford. I spent the entire six weeks wondering 

why I had not been visiting more 

regularly. I enjoyed everything about England: 

the historical sites, manicured gardens, 

churches and green countryside. The 

BBC was my local radio station and Oxford 

a cultural cafeteria. But now I was down to 

my last hours in town and on a mission. 

I had just that day learned about one of 

those quirky British traditions that bemuse 

most visitors, but entrance the true 

Anglophile. In a practice dating to the 

early history of Oxford, Great Tom, the 

bell hanging in the entrance tower of 

Christ Church college, tolls 101 times 

each night at five minutes after nine 

o’clock. Once a signal of curfew, the 


number represents the original 100 scholars at the 

college’s 1525 founding, plus one added in 1684. 

This I had to hear. 

Arriving in time for the first toll of the bell, I soon 

drifted from the automatic count of every clang, 

thinking instead about the secret life behind the 

heavy oak doors at the base of Christopher Wren’s 

gothic revival bell tower. How many hundreds of 

students had passed through that gate? I was awed 

by so many years of history and tradition and felt 

a touch of envy—did those generations of young 

Christ Church scholars have sufficient appreciation 

of their privilege and good fortune? Everything 

about an Oxford education seemed mystically distant 

and wonderful that night as I stood in the cool 

air and felt the vibrato of the 101st peal of Great 

Tom. 

An Oxford Experience for All 

I remembered my night outside the doors of Tom 

Tower when I learned about “The Oxford Experience.” 

This summer school program invites the 

world to spend one to six weeks in residence at 

Christ Church, studying with a tutor, living in college 

rooms and eating three meals a day under the 

vaulted ceiling of the great hall (think Harry Potter 

and Hogwarts). 

There are week-long courses for every interest. In 

the summer of 2013, I passed up “The Black Death” 

to enroll in a landscape history course taught by a 

well-known scholar and romantically entitled “Paradise 

in an English Garden.” Course content and 

instruction were first-rate. 

Photos courtesy WIKI commons 

Classes are small and informal and each includes a 

Thursday field trip. Suggested readings are sent out 

in advance, but no one spends their week at Christ 

Church hitting the books. Neither does the experience 

include a final examination. During the week, 

tours of the college and the town of Oxford are offered, 

along with various evening events. 

One of the biggest surprises for me was the quality 

and quantity of food served in the college hall. 

Every meal offered a variety of choices and the fruit 

and vegetables were wonderfully fresh. Latin grace 

is spoken before dinner and once during the week, 

there is an invitation to sit at the high table with 

college officials and a selection of tutors. 

With a communal morning coffee break and three 

meals a day in the college hall, it is easy to meet 

other students. There are many Americans, but also 

Left: The Great Hall at Christ Church was used as a model for the dining Hall in Harry 

Potter movies. Top: Christ Church steeple. Bottom: An engraving of Christ Church, Oxford, 

1742. 


British locals and people from all over 

the world. While middle aged and older 

people predominate, younger enrollees 

are part of the mix. 

Students move into the college on Sunday 

and attend classes Monday through 

Friday. Unless enrolled for a subsequent 

week’s course, college rooms must be vacated 

on Saturday. In a 500-year old college, 

room sizes and furniture vary greatly. 

As an early enrollee, my own room was 

choice: very large and comfortable, with 

a bed, dresser, huge desk, two lounge 

chairs and a fireplace. A limited number 

of ensuite rooms with a private bath are 

available. They cost more and sell out 

quickly. Other rooms have a wash basin, 

but shared toilets and showers. Expect 

to climb many stairways and handle your 

own luggage. The college does not try to 

emulate a hotel and its medieval buildings 

do not have ramps or elevators. 

Christ Church is known as one of Oxford 

University’s most distinguished and 

beautiful colleges. It has produced 13 

British prime ministers. Lewis Carroll 

wrote his Alice tales while in residence as 

a mathematics don. The College chapel 

is also Oxford’s Cathedral, offering services 

and hosting music performances. 

Unlike campuses in the United States, 

all the Oxford colleges are closed to the 

public except for limited areas on certain 

days. The exterior areas at Christ Church 

are beautifully landscaped and its large 

meadow is publically accessible. Only 

students in the Oxford Experience have 

the privilege of roaming inside Christ 

Church’s high walls and strolling in the 

private Masters’ Garden (and playing 

croquet there during the week). 

Oxford Experience 2014 

Six one-week sessions of the Oxford Experience 

will run from July 6 to August 

16, 2014. All details are available at the 

website, www.oxfordexperience.info. 

Click “Programme” on the left-hand 

menu to see dates and course offerings. 

Classes, meals and adjunct activities 

make for a jam-packed week. If you 

want to explore the Oxford area in more 

depth, build in some extra days at other 


Photo Nancy Carol Carter 

accommodations. Be prepared for crowds 

outside the college walls. Oxford is full of 

international students in the summer. 

Going to school is not everyone’s idea of a 

vacation, but at the Oxford Experience, it 

is possible to enter a completely new environment 

and spend a relaxed but stimulating 

week with the vikings, Jane Austen, 

art history, British scientists, political 

thought, architecture, creative writing, 

or spies. Inspector Morse will make an 

appearance in the Oxford Murder course 

and the Black Death is back. 

Left: Gardens of Christ Church. Top: Christ 

Church at night. Mid-right: Students in the 

dining hall Bottom: Oxford in the late 1800s. 

Photos courtesy of Oxford University 


Petersham nurserIES Café 

WHERE DINING IS DOWN TO EARTH & MICHELIN STARRED 

Photos and Story by Ron James 

It’s rare in our journalistic family 

when we venture out together 

to cover a story focused 

on both of our areas of interest 

– wine and food in my case and gardening 

for Mary. Granted, gardening and 

food and wine are very much related; 

but how often do you visit a wonderful 

nursery that also happens to sport a Michelin 

star? 

Our journey to Petersham Nurseries 

Café would be nearly as rewarding as 

the destination. And the number of calories 

burned to get there boded well for 

a good appetite and little worry about 

what or how much we’d consume. 

We caught a train at London Waterloo for 

a scenic trip southwest 15 miles though 

the suburbs to Richmond upon Thames 

- a place the locals tag as London’s most 

attractive borough. It is indeed attractive, 

and in places downright bucolic. No wonder 

it’s been a magnate for royalty and the 

rich and famous for centuries. We weren’t 

either, but we did have a credit card – and 

as it turned out, that was a good thing. 


Richmond sparkled under blue skies 

when we arrived. The River Thames runs 

through Richmond, linking it with Kew 

Gardens and Hampton Court Palace and 

central London 21 miles up river. The 

town center was bustling and prosperous 

looking as customers scurried in and out 

of shops and restaurants. The architecture 

was a mixed bag, but in aggregate seemed 

to work together. 

Leaving the train station, it took us a 

bit to get our bearings. After wandering 

down several city blocks and making a few 

wrong turns, we spied what look like parkland 

that seemed to signal we were leaving 

the town center. When we finally reached 

the Thames, we set off along a walkway 

that paralleled the meandering banks of 

the river. 

It was a warm, very pleasant day, perfect 

for enjoying the giant trees and grand 

hotels and mansions lining the path. We 

passed a couple of stylish restaurants set 

next to the river and a ferry dock which 

serviced passenger boats plying the river, 

including to London proper. The ferry 

would be a very pleasant option to the 

train trip if we were to head this way again. 

After a mile or so, we passed through 

a gate to enter an immense field studded 

with trees and cows. A prominent 

sign warned pedestrians: “If a cow 

chases you and your dog, it is safer to 

let your dog off the lead – don’t risk 

getting hurt by trying to protect it.” Did 

the cows only chase people with dogs? 

Did they chase hungry journalists too? 

Left: A vintage cart at the Petersham nursery 

is used as a platform to sell plants. Right: The 

path along the Thames river heading directly 

to Petersham Nursery and Cafe. 



Left: The path to Petersham Nurseries runs 

right through a large pasture full of potentially 

angry cows. Right top: The rustic dining 

room at Petersham features dirt floors, potted 

ferns and great food. Bottom right: Lucy Boyd 

is director of culinary operations and gardening 

at Petersham.

As we cautiously proceeded, the path 

made me think of the yellow brick road 

with mad cows instead of wicked witches. 

I knew there would be no great Oz at 

the end of this road, but hopefully a culinary 

wizard would be there to perform 

some magic in the kitchen for us. 

A half-mile later, we exited another 

gate and finally spied our destination. 

It certainly looked like a garden 

center - an upscale Martha Stewart 

rustic one at that, given the expensive 

luxury cars huddled together in 

the dusty parking area at the entrance. 

We wandered through the nursery and 

the Petersham Teahouse, which serves 

a seasonally and Italian-inspired sweet 

lunch menu of cakes and other baked 

goods, before we spied our destination. 

My first impression of the café was that 

a bunch of clever kids decided to play 

restaurant in their backyard. They setup 

used tables and chairs on the bare 

dirt, made shade canopies from bamboo 

mats and metal poles, decorated 

with ferns and bougainvillea, and hung 

out the open sign. Rustic – indeed, but 

somehow it worked and in fact was very 

cool. But could they cook? 

We were warmly greeted and seated 

at a table next to a large potted palm. 

The shabby chic chairs were actually 

quite comfortable, but it was still a bit 

of novelty to look down at a dirt floor. 

We turned our attention to the short 

lunch menu created by head chef Cat 

Ashton and supervised by culinary director 

Lucy Boyd who is the head gardener 

and former chef. Boyd has a new 


Left top: Veal chop with beans and squash. 

Left bottom: Rabbit with wilted spinach 

and zucchini Right top: Lemon tart with 

strawberries. Right bottom: Cat Ashton and 

her crew preparing memorable meals. 


the table, and the feta was first rate. 

For our main course we ordered rabbit 

and a veal chop, both beautifully presented 

and perfectly prepared. Both 

were wonderfully flavorful with a perfectly 

caramelized golden sear on the 

outside and moist and tender inside – 

not an easy task with either dish. 

The rabbit was served in a bowl with 

a pool of very tasty broth with wilted 

spinach leaves and zucchini spears. 

The chop was topped with white beans, 

spinach and cubes of orange squash. 

Both included a lovely piece of garlic 

toast drenched in olive oil. Every bite 

was amazing; we were sad to scrape the 

last morsels out of our dishes with the 

delicious bread. 

But our sadness turned to delight as our 

server slipped a dessert plate between 

us. It was a plate full of sweet sunshine 

- a perfect slice of lemon tart crowned 

with sweet sliced strawberries and a 

generous dollop of crème fraîche. The 

plate was soon clean and crumb-less. 

If you look at Trip Advisor, there’s a lot 

of grumbling about the restaurant’s 

prices, especially from locals. Our tab 

including the bottle of wine came to a 

hefty $189.00 with tip and tax. Not our 

everyday lunch tab, but not our everyday 

lunch. 

cookbook “Kitchen Memories” and is 

the daughter of Rose Gray, who cofounded 

the phenomenally successful 

River Cafe in London. 

It is amazing that the restaurant has 

maintained its quality and Michelin star 

while going through a number of executive 

chefs including noted Australian 

chefs Skye Gyngell and Greg Malouf in 

recent years. 

The restaurant is known for its seasonally 

inspired dishes created using locally 

sourced ingredients from small farmers 

and artisan producers. Edible flowers, 

herbs and heritage vegetable varieties 

were harvested on site from the Petersham 

House Walled Kitchen Garden. 

Thirsty after our morning exercise, we 

ordered a refreshing Corbieres rose 

from the Languedoc-Roussillon region 

of southern France, an area known for 

its roses and red wines. At $36 it was a 

good value. 

To start, we shared a tomato and feta 

salad with fresh herbs and olive oil. It 

was a great choice; the bright red tomatoes 

tasted as if they had been plucked 

off the vine by the server on the way to 

Full and extremely satisfied, we backed 

our chairs away from the table, engraving 

trails in the dirt floor, and began our 

leisurely trip back, hoping not to run 

into an ornery cow along the way. 

IF YOU GO 

Petersham Nurseries Café 

Church Lane, Off Petersham Lane, Richmond, 

Surrey 

The restaurant is open for lunch: 

Tuesday - Sunday 12.00pm - 3.00pm 

Nursery closes at 5.00pm 

www. petershamnurseries.com 

T: 020 8940 5230 


Steam Dreams 

THEY’RE A REALITY FOR RAILWAY FANS IN WALES 


Photos courtesy Ffestiniog Railways 

Progress has taken a few steps back to yesteryear 

in Porthmadog, the Welsh town that has become 

one of the world’s top steam-railway centers. Each 

year about 300,000 steam-locomotive enthusiasts 

and day-trippers from around the globe make their way 

to this town of 4,000 on the Welsh coast. They come to travel 

on the oldest operating railway in the world — the 15-milelong 

Ffestiniog Railway — or its newly opened companion, 

the 25-mile-long Welsh Highland Railway. 

Visitors can ride behind the most powerful narrow-gauge 

steam locomotives in the world, visit an iconic castle dating 

to the 13th century, enjoy the wild and spectacular scenery 

of north Wales, or “train hop” from station to station, stopping 

at a track-side pub or taking a short hike before climbing 

aboard again. 

Both railways operate on 2-foot-wide narrow-gauge tracks. 

The narrow cars and engines pull up cheek to jowl at Porthmadog’s 

Harbour Station, departure point for the two lines. 

The Welsh Highland route was completed with much fanfare 

in the spring of 2011. Founded in 1832, the Ffestiniog Railway 

originally carried slate from the mountains near the tonguetwisting 

town of Blaenau Ffestiniog to the Porthmadog docks. 

In Britain, such lines are called heritage railways — abandoned 

routes that have been brought back to life as tourist 

railroads. But there’s a difference here. Unlike many of these 


Opposite top: The Ffestiniog Railway runs through the Welsh countryside. 

Above: Merddin Emrys, built in the Ffestiniog’s own workshops 

in 1879 and Prince, the world’s oldest working narrow gauge 

steam loco, built in 1863. Below: Station masters get passengers on 

the right track. Right: Vintage Ffestiniog Railroad poster. 

isolated rural railways, both the Ffestiniog 

and Welsh Highland offer connections to Britain’s 

mainline rail network at Porthmadog and 

Blaenau Ffestiniog, allowing easy access for 

travelers without cars. 

Closed to passenger trains in 1936, the Welsh 

Highland Railway cost $45.3 million to rebuild 

with financing coming from the Welsh government, 

lottery proceeds and private fundraising 

efforts. It was a job well done, bringing 

modern improvements to a right-of-way that 

had languished for many years. 

Today, the trains carry passengers on a coastto-coast 

run from Porthmadog to the imposing 

walls of Caernarfon Castle, a World 

Heritage Site that was the setting for Prince 



THE MEN WHO RUN THE TRAINS


Charles’ investiture on July 1, 1969, as the Prince of Wales. 

For passengers making the approximately $52 round-trip 

from Porthmadog, there’s enough time to tour the Normanstyle 

castle, which dates to 1283, and the nearby town before 

heading back. Some outings can be done in reverse, starting 

at Caernarfon and heading south. 

Full of switchbacks and horseshoe curves, the route puts the 

60-ton steam engines through their paces as they make their 

way from sea level to the line’s highest point at 650 feet. I 

saw this first-hand from the footplate of Engine 138, a 62-ton 

NG/G16 Beyer Garratt, in technical terms, which formerly 

worked for South African Railways. 

Inside, both the engineer and fireman were kept busy minding 

a confusing array of dials, valves and a throttle as well as 

a whistle cord. A tiny window on each side looks out over the 

engine’s boiler, giving an obstructed view that required crew 

members to alert the other as to what they were seeing down 

the line. 

“Clear,” shouted the fireman as he surveyed an approaching 

grade-level crossing. The same dialogue came with every 

trackside signal, as each shouted to the other above the throbbing 

steam engine that the way ahead was clear. Top speed is 

25 mph. 


At one station, the thirsty engine was serviced with 

a long fill-up of water from an overhead pipe. Engine 

138 had been converted to an oil-burner, saving the 

fireman the strain of shoveling a ton and a half of 

coal into the firebox during the run. However, coal 

has returned to power some of these steam mammoths 

as oil prices soar. 

The tracks run through the heart of Britain’s Snowdonia 

National Park. One of the stops, Snowdon 

Ranger Halt, is next to a youth hostel and a path 

leading to the summit of 3,560-foot Mount Snowdon, 

the highest peak in Wales and England. (A separate 

narrow-gauge line, the Snowdon Mountain Railway, 

runs to the summit from the town of Llanberis, 

Wales.) 

Along the way, the trains run across the tidal flatlands 

next to the River Glaslyn and then along the 

rapids of the river through the Aberglaslyn Pass. 

There are tunnels and villages springing out of nowhere, 

the most pretty of which is Beddgelert, which 

offers cafes, shops and paths along the river. 

“It’s the only way to go,” my wife, Sharon, said as she 

rode in the Glaslyn, an extra-fare observation car 

with stuffed armchairs and a large curved glass window 

at one end. Indeed, she was sitting on the very 


Top: Earl of Merioneth passes Pen Cob with the 14.15 Santa Train from Porthmadog in December. Bottom: Dalmatian and friend enjoy the ride. Opposite right: 

The original schematic drawing of a early model engine. 

seat that Queen Elizabeth II had sat on when she rode 

the line in 2010 with Prince Philip. Aboard the train 

there is a buffet trolley service and a restroom. 

“This railway is quite different from any other railway 

in the country,” said Paul Lewin, general manager of 

the parent Ffestiniog company. “We wanted to make 

it a very different experience. And with the observation 

car with the big glass end, the idea was that you 

could get as close as possible to the scenery of Snowdonia.” 

As we pulled into each station, I caught a sight not 

often seen along Amtrak routes in the United States. 

Squadrons of men and women were tending to immaculately 

kept platforms and shelters. Some were 

sweeping, others were watering flowers. Bridges, culverts, 

signals and platforms all appeared new. In fact, 

the only thing showing any hints of age were the wellmaintained 

engines and cars. 

There’s a secret to this army of caretakers, I found. 

Many are volunteers who are members of the Welsh 

Highland Railway Society, formed to support the 

railway. The two railways have 8,000 such members, 



60 Wine Dine & Travel Winter 2014 Photos courtesy Ffestiniog Railways Roger Dimmick


Opposite page: Garratt locomotives climb past Glanrafon Quarry below the snow-capped summit of Snowdon. Above: A sunny day on a Welsh Highland train. Below: 

A train called Taliesin pulls out of Porthmadog Station. 

Photos courtesy Ffestiniog Railways Andrew Thomas 

of whom 1,000 regularly come to work on jobs ranging from 

crossing guards to on-board staff. Some stay for a week or two 

in a railroad-owned bunkhouse. 

“I can’t get him to take out the garbage at home,” said one 

woman of her husband, a long-time volunteer who was dutifully 

polishing a brass plate on the side of one of the engines. 

Well, he can be forgiven. After all, he’s in the enviable position 

of keeping the past alive on a railway that has brought travel 

by steam up to date. 

If You Go 

Located in North Wales, Porthmadog is on the British mainline railway 

network, requiring one change of trains for travelers from London. The 

full journey, coursing through scenic central Wales and along the coast of 

the Irish Sea and past Harlech Castle, takes about six hours. The mainline 

rail station in Porthmadog is a 15-minute walk from the Welsh Highland 

Railway’s Harbour Station. Holders of BritRail passes are entitled to a discount 

on both the Welsh Highland and Ffestiniog railways: www.britrail. 

com 

The Welsh Highland Railway and its older line, the Ffestiniog Railway, 

operate year-round from Porthmadog’s Harbour Station, with limited service 

in the winter months. In summer, it’s possible on a well-planned trip 

to travel on both lines in a single day. Diesel engines occasionally replace 

steam service, depending on maintenance needs. Check the schedule. A 

gift shop and Spooner’s Cafe and Bar are located in the station: www.festrail.co.uk 

In Porthmadog, we stayed at Yr Hen Fecws, 16 Lombard St. This highly rated 

guest house in a Welsh slate building offers seven en-suite bedrooms 

and a small cafe-bistro. A pub is nearby. Harbour railway station is a fiveminute 

walk: www.henfecws.com 

For information on events, travel and lodging in Wales: www.visitwales.com 

For information on planning a journey to the United Kingdom: www.visitbritain.com 


Touring Bordeaux 

by ROBERT WHITLEY 

Photos courtesy Bourdeaux Office of Tourism 

Bordeaux, arguably the epicenter 

of the modern wine universe, 

wasn't always a hot destination 

for wine tourism. Unlike the 

Napa Valley, with its two major 

roadways that run parallel 

past most of the important wineries, the 

Bordeaux region is a vast area 

surrounding the port city of Bordeaux 

along the Gironde, the largest 

estuary in Europe. 

The city itself is a challenge to navigate 

and until recently was fairly 

drab and uninviting. 

In recent years, however, the city 

of Bordeaux has experienced a 

renaissance of sorts, with a new 

tram system that makes getting around 

a breeze, and a stretch of pedestrian-only 

streets in the city center that has become 

a magnet for tourists drawn to the area's 

trendy restaurants and shops. 

I was reminded of this by a recent query 

from a reader concerning travel to Bordeaux. 

Harvest is already underway in many sections 

of the Bordeaux district, the heavy 

scent of fermenting grapes in the air being 

an attraction in and of itself. 

When I visit Bordeaux, I have my own approach, 

which I am happy to share. 

First, a visitor must decide whether to stay 

in the city and visit the chateaux of Bordeaux 

on day trips or take to the countryside 

and bunk at a cozy inn. There are advantages 

to staying in the city. There is nightlife, 

for one thing, and no shortage of excellent 

restaurants. 

The finest hotel in the city is The Grand, 

smack in the center of the city with a tram 

stop right in front. If money is no object, 

this is the place to stay. On the other hand, 

if you are on a budget, as I am when I travel, 

the nearby Hotel de Normandie is an upscale 

three-star (out of five) property that is 

charming and convenient. 

The Normandie is a mere two blocks from 

The Grand and it's just across the street from 

a tram stop. When I feel the need to connect 

with the opulence of The Grand, I simply 

walk across the plaza and visit over a glass of 

wine at The Grand bar. 

Both hotels are relatively close to the rustic La 

Tupina, one of the most famous restaurants in 

southwest France. La Tupina has no Michelin 

stars, but it is renowned for its traditional cuisine, 

typically hearty meat dishes roasted or 

grilled over a wood fire. The wine list at La Tupina 

is superb. If you only have one night for 

dinner in the city of Bordeaux, La 

Tupina is the place to go. 

Staying in the city is a good idea 

when the itinerary calls for flexibility, 

as in going south and east of 

the city one day to visit Graves or 

Saint-Emilion and north and west 

another day to take in Pauillac or 

Margaux. 

Staying in the countryside has 

its own set of advantages, though it cuts down 

on the flexibility of your itinerary. Wine lovers 

interested in the chateaux of the Medoc region 

would do well to book a room at Chateau Cordeillan-Bages, 

a Relais & Chateaux property in 

Pauillac. For one thing, the kitchen, under the 

direction of Chef Jean-Luc Rocha, has two Michelin 

stars. 

And the location positions you for visits to 

most of the top first-growth and super secondgrowth 

chateaux of Bordeaux. 

Fans of white Bordeaux, or Bordeaux blanc and 

Sauternes, might prefer to take up temporary 

residence in the opposite direction, 


Photos courtesy Bourdeaux Office of Tourism 

booking a room at Les Sources de Caudalie, 

a luxurious spa across the street from Chateau 

Smith Haut Lafitte in Pessac-Leognan. 

The restaurant at Caudalie, La Grand Vigne, 

has one Michelin star. 

From there a thirsty wine tourist can easily 

reach many of the finest producers of 

Saturernes and Barsac, the sweet dessert 

wine of Bordeaux, as well some of the 

legendary red-and-white wine producers 

of the region, such as Chateau Haut Brion, 

Domaine de Chevalier and Pape Clement. 

Last but not least, whenever my schedule 

permits, I try to squeeze in a visit to the 

"right bank" village of Saint-Emilion, perhaps 

the most picturesque wine hamlet to 

be found anywhere in the world. 

This district of Bordeaux borders the commune 

of Pomerol, and together the two 

wine districts produce some of the world's 

most expensive and sought-after wines 

(Chateau Petrus, Chateau Cheval Blanc and 

Chateau Ausone, for example). 

There is no restaurant in Saint-Emilion 

that I am aware of with a Michelin 

star, but the village is not lacking for 

excellent casual bistros and wine bars. 

When visiting Saint-Emilion, the relais at 

Chateau Franc Mayne is a charming and 

convenient location, right on the edge of the 

village, for an overnight stay. Best of all, the 

wines of Franc Mayne are modestly priced 

for Bordeaux and downright delicious. 

Opposite top: Bordeaux at night. Opposite center: The 

Grand is considered the ultimate hotel in the city of 

Bordeaux. Right top: The charming village of Saint-Emilion. 

Bottom: The relais at Chateau Franc in Saint-Emilion. 


SAVOR NORWAY 

DINE ON WONDERFUL SEAFOOD IN BREATHTAKING SETTINGS 

Story and Photos By Priscilla Lister 

Norway seems more like a waterscape 

than a landscape. 

The northern country is literally a 

glacial wonderland, where ancient ice 

masses carved out deep valleys with 

steep rock walls, then melted and left 

them to fill with the sea. The result is 

a land of fjords, one of the most spectacularly 

picturesque places on Earth. 

Indeed, two of Norway’s fjords, 

Naeroyfjord and Geirangerfjord, are 

listed as UNESCO World Heritage 

Sites because they are so beautiful. 

Those two fjords, among many in 

Norway, “are considered to be among 

the most scenically outstanding fjord 

areas on the planet,” says UNESCO. 

“Their exceptional natural beauty is derived 

from their narrow and steep-sided 

crystalline rock walls,” rising some 

5,500 feet above the sea, punctuated 

by countless waterfalls. 

Norway’s miles of seashore are actually 

57 times greater than its northto-south 

mileage. 

Recalculating the length of their coastline, 

Norwegian geographers in 2011 

measured Norway’s seashore to be 

about 63,000 miles of fjords, bays and 

island shores compared to the country’s 

north-to-south distance of some 

1,100 miles, according to National 

Geographic magazine. 

With all that water -- cold water, no 

less -- Norway is also a seafood lovers’ 

destination. It is one of the world’s 

biggest exporters of fish. More important, 

it is one of the biggest exporters 

of very high-quality seafood. Its colder 

waters, especially in the north, allow 

fish, mussels and shellfish to grow 

more slowly, developing a firmer structure 

with more flavor than fish from 


Left: The picturesque island village of Alesund 

boasts one of the world’s greatest concentrations 

of Art Nouveau architecture. 

Above: A pile of shrimp, boiled with garlic and 

served with white toast, lemon and mayonnaise, 

is a locals’ favorite at Lyst restaurant in 

Alesund. 

warmer waters. Norwegian salmon is 

prized all over the world, but there are 

plenty of other fish in that cold northern 

sea, too. 

When two of my best friends and I 

visited that gorgeous destination in 

August, we feasted on fjords, postcardperfect 

island villages frozen in time, 

and delectable seafood dishes worth 

their high prices. Norway will cost you, 

but your memories will be worth it. 

Like almost everywhere today, Norway 

chefs concentrate on ingredients 

close to home. They prepare them 

simply perfectly, without heavy adornment. 

We called it minimalist but by no 

means spartan fresh fare. 

We landed in Oslo, the country’s capital 

where we walked almost everywhere 

from our fabulous hotel, The 

Thief, in the city’s hottest new neighborhood, 

Tjuvholmen (Thieves’ Island). 

Opened just in January 2013, The Thief 

is currently the only hotel in Tjuvholmen, 

an area adjacent to the city center 

that was once a dicey working waterfront. 

Today it’s an international model 

of revitalization with the new Astrup 

Fearnley Museum of Modern Art 

designed by Renzo Piano, and upscale 

condos, restaurants and galleries that 

have turned Tjuvholmen into nightlife 

central. 

The Thief is a bespoke beauty of cuttingedge 

Norwegian design that in its short 

life has already attracted Rihanna, Diana 

Krall and Elvis Costello. We enjoyed 

the first of our fine seafood meals at 

The Thief’s own Fru K restaurant, which 

literally means Mrs. K, named for Mrs. 

Krogh who owned Tjuvholmen at the 

end of the 1700s when she grazed cows 

on this land. This cosmopolitan restaurant 

has a glowing, warm atmosphere. 


Chef Johan Laursen, who greeted us 

during our meal, prepared a supremely 

succulent filet of saithe, a white fish, 

floating in a light shore crab broth and 

adorned with perfectly poached peas 

and carrots. On the side were delightful 

small oblong brown rolls made with 

barley, the first grain ever cultivated in 

Norway, and flavored with fennel and 

caraway seeds. 

“We only eat cod in the months with ‘R’ 

in them,” Chef Laursen told us. “Eighty 

percent of my time is just finding nice 

stuff to produce really nice food.” He 

knows the origins of his ingredients 

personally and aims to take “the best 

of traditional Norwegian and Scandinavian 

cuisine and give it a contemporary 

twist -- keeping in pace with the times 

and world around us.” 

We walked to Oslo’s famed City Hall, the 

classic building constructed between 

1930 and 1950 where every element is 

Norwegian, from the marble and wood 

to the wooden carvings of Norwegian 

legends outside and the monumental 

oil murals depicting Norwegian history 

inside, where the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony 

is held every year on Dec. 10. 

We wandered over to the National Gallery 

which has a fine collection of paintings 

by Edvard Munch (“The Scream”) as 

well as Monet and Cezanne. We walked 

up tony Karl Johan avenue, Oslo’s main 

street filled with shops and grand historic 

hotels, like The Grand, where playwright 

Henrik Ibsen lunched everyday. 

The Royal Palace sits at the end of Karl 

Johan. We explored the extraordinary 

new Opera House designed by Snohetta, 

the firm that also designed Ground Zero 

in New York City. Covered in Carrara 

marble with a roof that is also a slanted 

walking platform, the architects wanted 

the building to look like an iceberg. 

We were ready for dinner. We dined at 

the reborn historic Ekeberg Restaurant 

high above the city where views take 

in Oslo’s seacoast glory. Its charming 

maitre’d Robert Berggren told us, “everything 

you need lies within 20 minutes 

of Oslo: beaches for bathing, small 

islands for camping, Olympic ski resorts.” 

Outside on the sunny patio, we dined on 

Ekeberg’s trout with chanterelle mushrooms, 

salsify and shellfish vinaigrette. 

One other night in Oslo we raved about 

our three-course seafood extravaganza 

just a block from The Thief at Tjuvholmen 

Sjomagasin. Running into a very welltraveled 

couple from South Africa whom 

we’d met at the hotel, they told us this 

was one of the best meals they’d ever had. 

Tjuvholmen Sjomagasin is all about seafood. 

It’s a canal-side restaurant as well 

as a fantastic fish market, so everything 

here is as fresh as can be, including the 

lobsters and king crabs that live in the entry’s 

aquarium. 

“Most of our dishes are made on our charcoal 

grill, which is why they taste so heavenly,” 

says the restaurant. Its excellent wine 

selection pairs perfectly with every dish. 

We started with a few morsels of briny- 


Left: The historic buildings of the Bryggen 

(Wharf) area in Bergen draw lots of visitors 

and locals for dining and shopping. Above: Just 

above Bryggen is the city’s famous funicular 

that climbs to the top of Mount Floyen in just 

seven minutes where panoramic views reveal 

the entire city. 


fresh oysters sparingly sauced with 

a few ingredients that even included 

chocolate. It was much better than it 

sounds. We followed that with grilled 

coalfish (another white fish) garnished 

with caviar and mussels in a lemon 

beurre blanc. Dessert was decadent hazelnut 

and chocolate and coconut and 

raspberry ice creams. 

Then we traveled to Alesund via railway 

and bus, taking us through some of that 

striking mountain scenery before we 

landed at one of the most photogenic 

coastal villages I’ve ever seen. 

Alesund sits on a huge harbor, and has 

consistently been one of Norway’s biggest 

fishing ports. A huge tragedy there 

actually transformed this town into one 

of the world’s loveliest. A devastating 

fire in 1904 destroyed almost the entire 

town -- 850 wooden buildings -- in 

15 hours. “Alesund’s great fortune was 

the fire coincided with a depression in 

Norway so costs for labor and materials 

were low,” Bente Saxon, our guide from 

Destination Alesund, told us. Norway’s 

finest architects and master craftsmen 

descended on the town and recreated 

it in that era’s new style, Art Nouveau. 

Today Alesund is considered the world’s 

most concentrated collection of Art 

Nouveau architecture, and it is simply 

a jewel. 

We found Sjobua, one of Norway’s 

best fish restaurants, on the water in 

Alesund in a former boathouse. Ove 

Fjortfoft started the place in 1987, despite 

naysayers who thought his idea 

to open a seafood-only restaurant was 

crazy. But he restored the old fish warehouse 

into a charming place with low 

wooden-beamed ceilings, white tablecloths 

and candlelight, and today it’s a 

locals’ favorite. He strives to serve the 

best ingredients the sea has to offer, 

depending on the season and the local 

fishermen’s catch of the day. His baked 

lobster soup is beloved, while the fish 

platter with at least four selections is a 

gastronomic delight. Wines are wonderfully 

matched. 

For lunch in Alesund, we went to another 

locals’ favorite, Lyst restaurant, 

on Kongens Gate (Kings Road), where 

those simply adorned Art Nouveau 

buildings sit on cobblestoned streets 

that are mostly closed to traffic. Here 

we were treated to enormous plates of 

fresh boiled shrimp in garlic and butter 

with white bread and mayonnaise, just 

like Alesunders like them. Finger bowls 

with lemon slices were necessary after 

peeling all that shrimp. 

From Alesund, we ventured into Geirangerfjord, 

one of those gorgeous 

UNESCO winners, where sunny August 

skies allowed the tiny green-pastured 


villages to reflect in the bright blue waters 

of that narrow fjord. The rock walls 

sometimes appeared virtually vertical, 

rising nearly 5,000 feet; the boat captain 

said that in the old days when crops 

were cultivated during summer here, 

farmers had to tether their children to 

keep them from falling into the sea. 

We landed at Geiranger, another one of 

those exquisite coastal villages where 

tiny old wooden buildings featured 

roofs covered in green-grass sod, complete 

with wildflowers. 

Left, top: Fiskeboller, aka fish balls, are a classic Norwegian dish, 

served here at one of Bergen’s oldest restaurants, Wesselstuen. 

Left, bottom: The cozy interior of Sjobua in Alesund, one of Norway’s 

finest seafood restaurants. Above: The Thief’s Fru K’s Chef 

Johan Laursen’s seafood preparations, like this filet of saithe, are 

exquisitely simple and fresh. Below: Bengt Dahlberg serves homemade 

chocolates at the charming chocolate shop in Geiranger that 

resides in one of those fairy-tale sod-roofed wooden buildings. 

One of our favorite meals was at the 

Brasserie Posten, in the small town’s 

old post office, right on the harbor in 

view of those fairytale buildings. Chef 

Kenneth Loken opened it just a couple 

of years ago and has been a success ever 

since. He strives to serve the freshest 

seasonal Norwegian ingredients he can 

find -- and he carries over 50 varieties 

of Norwegian beer from 15 different 

microbreweries. 

We had a scrumptious shrimp salad and 

a smorgasbord plate of smoked salmon 

and meats as we sat on that charming 

harbor, washing it down with Slogen light 

ale from Troll Brewery, which started production 

only in 2009. 

In Bergen, a major port where the colorful 

harborside wooden buildings of Bryggen, 

a World Heritage Site, house the Fish 

Market, the Bryggens Museum and lots of 

outdoor cafes and indoor shops, we went 

old-school. Wesselstuen, one of Bergen’s 

oldest restaurants since 1957, serves authentic, 

traditional Norwegian fare in an 

18th century wine cellar. Here we lunched 

on “fiskeboller,” fish balls, deep fried nuggets 

of dried salt cod served with greens 

and a tomato sauce for dipping. 

Norway is as breathtakingly beautiful as 

everything you’ve ever read. 

And its seafood is as worthy of superlatives, 

too, especially by today’s lighthanded 

chefs who never mask but only 

enhance their superb ingredients. 

Savor that wondrous waterscape yourself. 

IF YOU GO: For more information on all 

these destinations and restaurants. 

http://wwwvisitnorway.com/us/ 

http://www.visitolslo/com/en/ 

http://www.thethief.com/en 

http://www.visitalesund-geiranger.com/en 

http://www.visitbergen.com/en 

http://www.fru-k.com/ 

http://www.ekebergrestauranten.com/no/ 

http://tupalo.com/en/rd/3n5k5e 

http://www.sjoebua.no/en-US/default.aspx 

http://brasserieposten.no/ 

http://www.lystmeny.no/ 

http://www.wesselstuen.no/ 



Kauai 

It has it all - but not too 

much of anything 

Story & Photos 

By Alison DaRosa 

T 

here are plenty of reasons to 

love this island. Few places offer 

the visual splendor and natural 

diversity of this Pacific oasis. But 

it’s the island’s laid-back culture 

that keeps luring me back. 

The blow hole at Kauai’s Spouting Horn Park. 


Kauai is the oldest and northernmost 

of the four major Hawaiian 

Islands – and its 64,000 

residents aim to preserve its 

rugged, relaxed individuality as well as its 

wild natural beauty: Only 5 percent of the 

island’s 552 square miles are designated 

for urban development – and building 

guidelines prohibit structures higher than 

a mature coconut palm. The island’s major 

highway is a two-lane road that stops 

short of the impenetrable Napali Coast and 

leaves much of the island’s interior inaccessible 

by car. Locals take pride in maintaining 

narrow single-lane bridges that don’t 

accommodate tour buses. 

There’s little hustle-bustle here; it’s easy to 

feel you’re a part of old Hawaii. 

Still, the island has every comfort and convenience 

a visitor might crave – from fivestar 

hotels to plate-lunch trucks and campgrounds. 

Kauai even has Costco. 

For fun and games, there are, of course, the 

beaches and all they offer: surfing, snorkeling, 

swimming, scuba diving, sunbathing. 

Beyond that, there are rivers to kayak, 

mountains and valleys to hike, forests and 

waterfalls for ziplining over. There are leis 

to wear, hulas to learn, lilikoi (passion fruit) 

lemonades to drink – straight or infused 

with locally made Koloa rum. 

With a San Diego friend, I spent a week 

based on Kauai’s sunny southern Poipu 

Coast. At Ko’a Kea, one of the newer 

(opened in spring 2009) luxe hotels on 

the island, we sat on our oceanfront balcony, 

sipping morning espresso (from the 

in-room espresso maker) as we watched 

kama’aina (longtime locals) use traditional 

lei nets to fish the reefs out front. Later that 

afternoon we snorkeled those same reefs. 

We strolled the wooden sidewalks of Koloa, 

a town that sugar plantations built nearly 

two centuries ago. At the neighborhood 

market, we shopped for Kauai–grown 

coffee, local honey and Portuguese sweet 

bread – fixings suitable for a picnic during 

a bike ride along the Koloa Heritage Trial – 

a mostly flat ramble past 14 markers that 

point out sites important to local history 

and culture. We shared the road with clucking 

chickens; they roam free everywhere. 

Another day, we toured the Allerton National 

Tropical Botanical Garden, once the 

mid-19th -century retreat for Hawaii’s 

Queen Emma. Today the garden is a masterpiece 

of landscape design, merging 

stunning natural beauty with man-made 

art presented in outdoor “rooms”. Like 

little kids, we posed for photos, tucked 

between the massive roots of the garden’s 

Moreton Bay fig trees, near the 

spot where director Steven Spielberg hid 

raptor eggs in “Jurassic Park”. 

After we moved mid-week to an oceanfront 

condo at Whalers Cove, we began 


to feel even more like locals. We shopped 

for dinner at the tiny family owned Koloa 

Fish Market (fishers deliver their daily 

catches around 4 p.m.) and stocked our 

freezer with Lappert’s Kauai Pie ice cream, 

a super-sinful addictive mix of Kona coffee 

ice cream swirled with fudge, macadamia 

nuts and coconut flakes. 

“It feels like it’s our island,” said Cindi 

Lambert, my San Diego friend. “It’s so 

easy to fit into the small-town neighborly 

ambiance. You don’t feel like a tourist 

– unless you want to.” 

Exploring Napali 

Cindi is an experienced hiker and once tackled 

the Napali Coast’s Kalalau Trail, a treacherous 

22-mile roundtrip. “You’re on slick 

red clay on a trail that might be onlyw as 

wide as your pack,” she recalled. “The wind’s 

blowing – and then it starts to rain – and 

you’re cautiously tip-toeing along. You’re 

on the edge of cliff that’s 1,000 or more feet 

above the raging sea. You’re lucky to do a 

mile an hour. It’s absolutely fantastic.” 

This time we opted to check out Napali’s 

staggering emerald-meets-sapphire beauty, 

its razor-edge cliffs and isolated beaches, 

from the air (in a helicopter) and from the 

sea (in a catamaran). 

In 2010, AOL Travel labeled Kauai helicopter 

tours one of the 10 most dangerous 

tourist attractions in the world. Scary? 

Darn right – from the moment we booked 

our reservations when an agent asked how 

much each of us weighs, to the harrowing 

truth-or-flee scene at base when we were 

ordered on to a scale. 

“It’s an FAA rule,” Shanda Gallagher at Blue 

Hawaiian Helicopters explained. There 

were seven of us – and loading the copter 

was orderly, according to weight, so that the 

big bird’s load was evenly distributed. 

Once airborne, we skimmed the Waimea 

Canyon, a two-mile-wide, 3,500-foot-deep, 

cloud-frosted gorge dubbed the Grand Canyon 

of the Pacific. 

Opposite top: Bird’s eye view of Kauai from a helicopter 

tour. Top: A local inspecting a tropical flower at Allerton 

Garden. Right: The Kauai shoreline. 


Top: Kuhio Shores Beach, one of many intimate little 

beaches on the Poipu Coast. Opposite top: A group of bike 

riders on the Koloa Heritage Trail bike ride. Bottom: The 

Kauai beaches and shoreline. 

» 

“We’re flying at about 90 miles an hour 

now,” our pilot announced as we closed 

in on the walls of the island’s largest caldera. 

“That gives you some perspective on 

how large this is.” (At 10-12 miles across, 

the caldera is the largest on the Hawaiian 

Islands.) 

When the copter hit air pockets, its dance 

caused stomachs to lurch, hearts to race. 

But seconds later, we were mesmerized 

by long iridescent ribbons of silvery waterfalls 

cascading down the faces of verdant 

peaks, lush folds of emerald walls 

that dropped to the bottoms of twisted 

canyons. And finally, soaring along the 

coastline, we glimpsed segments of the 

Kalalau Trail – and were very, very happy 

we were viewing it from above. 

The next day, our view was from sea level. 

We let the crew at Capt. Andy’s Sailing Adventures 

do all the work. Our five-hour 

catamaran sail included a tasty buffet 

lunch and was to include a stop for swimming 

and snorkeling. Unfortunately, nature 

didn’t cooperate. 

“Ninety-nine percent of the time we go 

snorkeling and swimming,” said Capt. 

Trent Conlon. But it was too rough this 

time. No one complained. We photographed 

a school of spinner dolphins cavorting 

alongside the cat, spotted humpback 

whales – and ogled the scenery. 

“We love it,” said Stephanie Fitzgerald, who 

lives on Kauai. She leaned back on the 

deck of sailboat, cradling her 7-year-old 

son, Kawai, between her legs. “I lost my 

heart to Napali years ago,” she said. “It’s 

always changing – the wind, the colors, 

the sunlight. I work taking people to see 

the coast in a zodiac. It’s my day off and 

I’m here with my son – all blissed out on 

Napali.” 

Her words rang true for us, too. Only we’d 

been blissed out all week long. 


IF YOU GO 

Staying there: Ko’a Kea offers 121 rooms starting at $349 a 

night. Learn more at www.koakea.com. 

Whalers Cove offers 39 onwe- and two-bedroom oceanfront 

condos starting at $275 a night. Learn more at www.whalerscoveresort.com. 

Check online for deals/packages at both 

resorts. 

Check Kauai Vacation Rentals (www.kauaivacationrentals. 

com) and Poipu Vacation Rentals (www.gopoipu.com) for accommodations 

starting at about $100 per night. 

Camping permits for non-residents cost $25. Phone (808) 

241-4463. 

Playing there: Hour-long Blue Hawaiian helicopter tours 

cost $210.65. www.bluehawaiian.com . 

Five-hour Napali catamaran excursions with Capt. Andy’s 

Sailing Adventures, including lunch and a snorkel/swim stop, 

cost $149 for adults, $109 for kids 2-12 years old. Save $10 

per person by buying online. www.napali.com . 

Outfitters Kauai offers bike rentals starting at $25 per day. 

This is also the place to rent kayaks ($40 per day) and sign up 

for zipline tours (from $154). www.outfitterskauai.com . 

Tours of the Allerton National Tropical Botanical Garden cost 

$35 per person. Reservations are required: www.ntbg.org/ 

gardens/allerton.php . 

More info: Learn more about Kauai at www.gohawaii.com/ 

kauai. Get more details on Poipu at www.poipubeach.org/. 


Sawtooth 

MOUNTAINS 

Idaho’s Scenic Sawtooth Mountains 

Offer Majestic Rugged Beauty and 

Dude Ranch Luxury 


One 

of the most engaging aspects of the 

great American West is the sheer magnitude 

of it all. Somehow, there’s just a 

grander scale out there, born of endless 

mountain vistas, mighty rushing 

rivers, lingering sunsets and vast herds 

of cattle pushed across the golden 

plains by the cowboys in the films of 

our youth. Best of all, it’s still all there, 

all true, in some elemental way. 

» 

By John Alongé 

Photo by Roxanne Overton 


» 

Nowhere is it truer than in the 

jagged Sawtooth Mountains 

of Central Idaho. There, the 

778,000-acre Sawtooth National 

Recreation Area teams up with the adjacent 

2.3 million-acre Franck Church-River of 

No Return Wilderness to 

form one of the largest wilderness 

areas in the lower 

forty-eight states, second 

in size only to the barren 

expanse of Death Valley. 

Entering the spectacular 

Sawtooth Valley from the 

south over the Galena summit 

near the headwaters of 

the Salmon River, it’s hard 

to imagine that one is only 

an hour removed from the 

glittering celebrity urban 

cowboy oases of Ketchum 

and Sun Valley. The entire 

30-mile length of the valley 

is traversed by Idaho State Highway 75, also 

known as the Sawtooth Scenic Byway. Incidentally, 

the word highway, in this case, is a 

misnomer. Idaho 75 is an incredibly scenic 

2-lane road, following close by the Salmon 

River as it threads a north-south route on the 

valley floor. The Sawtooth Mountains line 

the west side of the road and the White Cloud 

Mountains tower immediately to the east. 

What is perhaps most amazing about this 

alpine wonderland is the virtual absence of 

people. There is only one town in the entire 

Sawtooth National Recreation Area, diminutive 

Stanley. As of the census of 2010, Stanley 

claimed 63 full-time residents. The town, 

which is a summer center of activity for hikers, 

bicyclers, climbers, river rafters, fly fishers 

and horseback riding enthusiasts, has 

Photos courtesy Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch 

a number of lodging options, bars, restaurants, 

2 gas stations and a Mercantile, a kind 

of all-purpose supermarket and general store. 

Outside of town, habitations are sparse, this 

thanks to the protected status of virtually all 

the land in and around the Stanley Basin. Hiking 

even the most popular trails 

during the peak of summer, one 

is continually amazed at how 

few people there are. This is an 

incredible luxury compared to 

most mountain destinations. 

Try visiting the Grand Tetons 

anytime in summer to put this 

into perspective. 

The area boasts a substantial 

number of alpine lakes. The 

most popular ones, all easily 

accessible by road, are Redfish, 

Alturas, Pettit and Stanley lakes. 

These are great places for family 

camping, swimming and hiking. 

Redfish, the largest of them 

all, has complete facilities, including a lodge, 

marina, restaurant, general store and gas station. 

Throughout the summer, live music is 

booked on the lawn overlooking the lake, a 

great place to while away a warm afternoon or 

evening. Back country lakes are favorite hiking 


destinations and some of them, like Sawtooth 

Lake and Alice Lake, are among the most beautiful 

to be found anywhere. 

Another compelling feature of the area is an 

abundance of hot springs. Soaking is a way of 

life in the Stanley Basin for both locals and visitors. 

While some hot springs are quite remote 

and require substantial effort to find and enjoy, 

others empty directly into the Salmon River 

and are easily accessible. 

There’s something particularly magical about 

soaking in a combination of warm spring water 

and cold, rushing river water. There are spots 

along the river where generations of soakers 

have built up small pools by piling up stones. 

Moving the stones around a bit allows you to 

adjust the water temperature for your ultimate 

comfort. All that with a backdrop of majestic 

mountains! 

While there are a number of hotels, lodges and 

cabins to rent in the area, the ultimate Stanley 

Basin retreat is the 1,000-acre Idaho Rocky 

Mountain Ranch. This spectacularly beautiful 

property, just nine miles south of Stanley, 

accommodates guests from mid-June till 

mid-September. The main lodge building was 

built in 1930 by New York Frigidaire executive 

Winston Paul. Cabins were soon added and the 

property remained private under several successive 

owners until 1977, when it was opened 

to outside guests. 

This is truly one of the great destinations in the 

American West. The setting is unequalled, with 

the enormous porch of the main lodge building 

directly facing the Sawtooth range. Wildlife 

abounds: Elk, deer, antelope, wolves, bald 

eagles and trout are in abundance. Along with 

the obvious array of outdoor activities, Ranch 

guests are treated to readings by local authors, 

wine tastings, fly fishing clinics, photography 

workshops, live Western music and a worldclass 

fine dining program with breakfast lunch 

and dinner. The Ranch also has its own hot 

spring-fed pool. A nighttime soak there with 

the Milky Way above is not to be missed. 

If you’re really looking to get away and experience 

the best of the Old West with all of 

today’s comforts thrown in, there’s no finer 

destination than the Sawtooth Mountains. 

While folks are sitting in a line of automobiles 

at better-known mountain destinations, 

you’ll be assured of enjoying the great 

outdoors with plenty of room to breathe the 

fresh alpine air. It just doesn’t get any better 

than that, cowboy. 

Opposite page: Horse drawn wagon with the Sawtooth range in the background. 

Opposite lower: Author John Alongé talks wine with ranch guests. 

Top: Cowgirl riding the Sawtooth range. 

Bottom: The main house at the 1,000-acre Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch. 


A VOYAGE TO 

ANTARCTICA 

ANTARCTICA 

STORY & PHOTOS BY MARIBETH MELLIN 

A 

curious obsession took hold the moment 

I set forth for Antarctica. During 

the long journey to the fin del 

mundo, the end of the world at the tip 

of South America, all non-essential information 

evaporated from my mind. 

I never even got past the first sentence 

in Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel “Antarctica.” 

“First you fall in love with Antarctica, and then it 

breaks your heart.” 

I decided right then I needed a blank slate to face 

the loneliest, coldest, windiest, iciest continent, a 

place astronauts call the white lantern. I’m not a 

history or science buff and knew little about Ernest 

Shackleton, Roald Amundson, Robert Scott or torturous 


Above: Shiny as aluminum, the sea reflects dazzling snow and sky. 

South Pole expeditions. I hadn’t even seen “March of the 

Penguins.” 

My obsession was all about extremes and a lifelong yearning 

to be alone in remote natural settings. Surely Antarctica 

would provide the ultimate opportunity for solitude 

amid mind-blowing natural environs. Little did I know just 

how much I would fall in love with icebergs and the many 

shades of white. 

My magical moments came unexpectedly, in sudden 

bursts like the streams of dazzling sunlight in Earth’s 

cleanest skies. Icebergs so blue they made me shiver. 

Winds and waves so frighteningly fierce it felt as though 

the planet were spinning into space. Eerie desolation. 

Again, Robinson’s words are best: “Your heart breaks then 

simply because it is squeezed so hard, because the 

world is so spacious and pure and beautiful…” 


“Your heart breaks then simply because it is squeezed so hard, 

because the world is so spacious and pure and beautiful…” 

~ Kim Stanley Robinson 

The Journey 

“The Worst Journey in the 

World,” is how explorer Apsley 

Cherry-Garrard entitled his 

classic book on the 1912 Scott expedition 

to the South Pole. My fellow 

passengers, all swaddled in the 

warm red parkas provided in each 

cabin, might well have agreed as we 

steamed through the fierce Drake 

Passage on the mv Discovery. 

Captain Michael Cavaghan, who said 

he gets seasick even in a yacht, announced 

we were battling 40 milean-hour 

winds in 32-foot swells. 

Drawers flew from nightstands, 

doors slammed unceasingly, plates 

and silverware spun in the air is if 

“Fantasia”. 

As we sailed the churning sea, the 

captain and Ice Master scanned 

the water for growlers (pieces of ice 

hidden by waves) and chose not to 

tempt the Titanic sirens by stopping 

at Deception Island or sailing into 

Lemaire Channel, described as “exhilarating” 

and “thrilling” in our information 

booklet. Other ships have 

been trapped in “iceberg alley,” and 

Cavaghan didn’t like all the bergy 

bits floating about. 

“Flexibility is what this cruise is all 

about, apart from enjoying the scenery,” 

he declared in a tone that obliterated 

protest. 

We sailed on through roiling, nauseating 

seas for about 36 hours, which 

felt like 36 days, naturally. The 

Shore Expedition crew, led by a pale 

and woozy Dr. Peter Carey, filled the 

hours with lectures on penguins, 

seabirds and sea spiders the size 

of dinner plates. Gigantism is common 

in southern waters, apparently. 

Something about excessive oxygen 

and lack of pollution. 

We learned that the Southern Ocean 

links the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian 

oceans and swirls around the white 

continent at the very tip of the planet. 

More than 90 percent of earth’s 

ice covers Antarctica, rippling across 

plateaus, slithering into mountain 


Left: Chinstrap penguins are accustomed 

to ignoring cruise ships Above: Penguins 

have the right of way everywhere 

creases, rising layer upon jagged layer 

in a frilly skirt of ice shelves that 

harden and break apart with the seasons. 

The deepest ice, smashed until 

all air has escaped, is the purest blue 

you’ll ever see. Mountains are whiter 

than snow with nothing, not even 

bird droppings, to sully their crystalline 

sheen. Bergy bits glide like 

lacy origami swans on glassy water. 

“Antarctica is a frozen desert in a frozen 

sea,” Captain Cavaghan said during 

a lecture. “Why do we go there? 

Because it’s the last pristine place in 

the world.” 

It was all quite fascinating, though I 

have few notes from the many hours 

in the dark lecture hall. My seasickness 

patch made my brain worthless. 

My body felt as if it were constantly 

rotating 360 degrees on a rotisserie. 

I did, however, scribble one statement 

coherently. 

“I didn’t know what to say or write 

until I left Antarctica behind,” artist 

Noel Miller said during a dream-like 

slideshow on Antarctic art. “I could 

not really fathom what I was seeing 

or find words to describe it.” 

Penguin Sightings 

Our voyage’s shore excursions took 

place only twice during the weeklong 

cruise. We spent maybe three 

hours total on land, and considered 

ourselves lucky. Weather, ice, and 

winds could have kept us constantly 

at sea. 

We encountered just two of the five 

penguin species found in Antarctica, 

missing the stately Emperors 

and Kings. Lindblad Expeditions, 

Abercrombie & Kent and Quark 

Expeditions offer longer cruises 

that include more wildlife. Holland 

America and other lines offer cruises 

that include penguin colonies in the 

Falkland Islands and Argentina. Our 

cruise on the mv Discovery was the 

shortest I could find that included 

shore excursions within Antarctica. 

Though our stops were brief, we did 

encounter two-foot-tall gentoos 

with bright orange beaks and comi- 



Left: Stalwart penguins sleep while others 

bleat. 

Right: A mother and son share warmth 

onboard the mv Discovery. 

cal chinstraps with black feathers collaring their 

necks. 

We rode in zodiacs to shore, wearing rubber 

boots, waterproof pants, parkas, gloves, hats 

and annoyingly confining lifejackets--the penguins 

were far more graceful. On Half Moon 

Island, chinstrap penguins dotted hilltops and 

beaches as if guarding the continent. Newborn 

chicks sprawled on the rocks like sleeping cats 

while adults lifted their beaks and let forth with 

a chorus of bleats. 

The ammonia smell of poop and pee was quite 

breathtaking. Small price to pay for watching 

hungry chicks chase their mothers. Parents fed 

their young by regurgitating krill into the babies’ 

mouths--looked like they were swallowing the 

kids’ heads. The penguins posed, preened and 

stole rocks from each other’s nests as we wandered 

through puddles and a gooey compound 

one lecturer called orthinogenic soil (penguin 

and seabird manure). The excursion staff, wearing 

bright yellow Penguin Patrol vests, kept 

watch on us at all times. Penguins had the right 

of way, waddling, hopping and tobogganing 

on their bellies between hills and the sea. They 

seemed fearless, though guides told us penguins 

are worried by humans and can get downright 

stressed with all the red jackets around. 

Most of us would have been sorely disappointed 

had we not spent time with the penguins, but 

they weren’t the trip’s only highlight. We had 

several calm days with air temperatures into the 

60s and views of mountain peaks 70 miles off on 

the horizon. 


“The Expedition Team will be talking 

about this weather for years,” 

Cavaghan said as we stood in shirtsleeves 

(thermal shirts, mind you) 

under the warming sun. 

A group of like-minded nature 

lovers commandeered 

the teak lounge chairs on 

deck and idly watched the 

scenery, champagne flutes 

in hand. A cream-colored 

seal snoozing atop an iceberg 

brought a crowd to 

the rails at one point. Cameras 

clicked with paparazzi 

frenzy as the berg cracked 

and the thousand-pound 

seal tumbled into spray 

and foam, then swiftly slid 

up the largest chunk of ice. 

Within moments, seal and 

humans were back in dreamland. 

Shiny as aluminum, the ocean mirrored 

glaciers and frothy clouds. 

Tabular icebergs flat as plateaus rose 

above the sea, dwarfing the 20,000- 

ton Discovery. Dozens of chinstrap 

penguins porpoised beside the boat, 

diving and surfacing like mini dolphins. 

The occasional Orca set off a 

spout; giant petrels and wandering 

albatrosses swooped in air currents. 

Katabatic winds (the Aussies called 

them “willy willies”) swooshed down 

gray mountains streaked shimmering 

white. 

The sunset on one of those stunning 

bright days went on for at least six 

hours. The sun alternately 

shaded the sea gold, turquoise, 

sapphire and lavender 

as it descended on the 

horizon. Pale coral streaks 

in the sky deepened to a 

rosy glow settling over pink 

ice. During his talk on art, 

Noel Miller had emphasized 

the colors of Antarctica and 

the fact that it isn’t all blue 

and white. I’m not sure any 

painter or photographer 

could ever capture the colors 

we saw that night. I thought 

of physiologist Craig Franklin’s 

talk on Antarctica’s web of life. 

“It really gets you in your heart and 

in your soul.” 

Above: Golden sunsets last many hours. Center: 

Expedition team explores in the small boats. 


READER PHOTOS 

We’ve select three scenic travel shots for this issue’s reader photos. 

Clay Chapman’s excellent shot of the London Eye at dusk with 

Westminster lighted up in the background works very well with 

this issue’s theme. His friend and business partner Marco Simoni has 

a passion for travel and nature photography and it shows with a panoramic 

mountain and bay in New Zealand (top) and the beautiful Yasawa 

Islands in Fiji (bottom right). 


J O I N U S F O R T H E 2 0 1 4 

SeptemBer 

5 - 14, 

2014 

An Eastern European Adventure. Be a Part of Literary History. Help Solve a Literary Mystery. 

A K A F K A P R O J E c T T O U R 

Led by the author of Kafka’s Last Love 

And Kafka Project Director, Kathi Diamant 

10-DAY TOUR 

P R A G U E • K R A K O W • B E R L I N 


http://tour.kafkaproject.com

WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE WINTER 2014

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