TravelWorld International, May/June 2014

MAY/JUNE 2014
travelworld
INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
Family & Education
ISSUE
“Circle The Wagons”
In the Badlands of Alberta, Canada
D-DAY MEMORIALS in Normandy, France
TRAIL OF TEARS - A Native American Tragedy
FAMILY TRAVELS to:
Africa, Brazil, Greece, Poland,
Colorado, Hawaii and Arizona
Space
Vacations
The Magazine Written by North American Travel Journalists Association Members
1

Lopez Island • Orcas Island • San Juan Island / Friday Harbor
Photo credit: Robert Demar / aerial view, Mark Gardner / bikes, Mike Bertrand / Friday Harbor, Jim Maya / whales
InspIratIon For the senses
VisitSanJuans.com
Explore Historic Friday Harbor
Find Endless Adventure
Discover Nature’s Splendor
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MAY /JUNE 2014
travelworld
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INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
Family & Education
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Travels with My Dad in AFRICA
BY MAUREEN LITTLEJOHN
Family Wedding in Maragogi, BRAZIL
BY ELAINE J. MASTERS
“Circle the Wagons” Alberta, CANADA
BY CHRIS MC BEATH
D-Day Memorials in Normandy, FRANCE
BY GARY LEE KRAUT
YASNY! Thessaloniki & Halkidiki, GREECE
BY PETER ROSE
Ghost of Copernicus, POLAND
BY JOHN EDWARDS
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WELCOMING
OUR NEW EDITOR
Dennis A. Britton
We seem to be on a roll at TravelWorld International Magazine! Not
only is this the sixth publication within the last nine months, but
now we have a second editor. And this new one is not just any editor!
Dennis A. Britton is a Pulitzer Prize winning, life-long
experienced editor. Besides his endless credentials, among which are
editor-in-chief of both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Denver Post,
Dennis is exceptionally interesting, witty and will be a great asset to
our team! We are pleased and excited that he will be be joining us!
TravelWorld International Magazine
is the only magazine that showcases
the member talents of the
North American
Travel Journalists Association
Group Publisher:
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Editor in Chief:
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CVB Laison:
NATJA Publications
Helen Hernandez
Bennett W. Root, Jr.
Joy Bushmeyer
Dennis A. Britton
Artistic Design Services
Yanira Leon
Dawn Vivenzio
Welcome Dennis!
So happy to have you on board!
Maureen Littlejohn
Elaine J. Masters
Chris Mc Beath
Gary Lee Kraut
Peter Rose
John Edwards
Contributing Writers :
Carrie Dow
Jeffrey Lehmanns
Christine Tibbetts
Dave Houser
Lisa Sonne
Dennis A. Britton
Editor
Joy Bushmeyer
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TRAVEL TRIVIA Quiz
1. Which US state has the most lighthouses?
2. When is the rainy season in Puerta Vallarta?
3. In what sea is the Great Barrier Reef?
4. What US city claims to have held the first
Marde Gras celebration? (Not New Orleans).
5. In what country did Chess originate?
4
(Answers on Pages 71)
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MAY /JUNE 2014
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Family & Education
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ISSUE
Snow Mountain Ranch in the COLORADO ROCKIES
BY CARRIE DOW
Houseboating on LAKE POWELL with Uncle Jeffrey
BY JEFFREY LEHMANN
The “TRAIL OF TEARS”, A Native American Tragedy
BY CHRISTINE TIBBETTS
Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, HAWAII
BY DAVE HOUSER
SPACE VACATIONS, Huntsville Space Camp
BY LISA TE SONNE
DESTINATION INFORMATION
TRAVEL TRIVIA QUIZ ANSWERS
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6 6

TRAVELS WITH MY DAD:
A Father-Daughter Bonding Trip
Through Southern Africa
By Maureen Littlejohn
Bumping along the highway, strapped into my seat
aboard the tour group’s converted truck, I was marveling
at my surroundings. Flame red desert dunes rose on
the horizon and ostriches loped along in the distance as
a deep blue African sky stretched straight up to heaven.
But the scenery wasn’t the most amazing part.
What truly stunned me was that I was traveling
through southern Africa with my 87-year-old dad.
The last time we had traveled together was 40
years ago on a family camping trip to the Canadian
Maritimes. A petulant teen, I slept and snarked my
way through most of that journey.
7

More recently, I had been volunteering
in Swaziland with
an agency that dealt with
gender-based violence. I was
burned out and in need of a vacation. Dad,
based in Toronto, had never been to Africa
and since my mom had passed away 10 years
ago he had only taken small vacations in
North America. I suggested he come over
for a visit. A tad nervous – I didn’t want him
to be bored, were the hotels going to be nice,
was the food going to be OK?, would we see
enough animals? – I made sure we had a full
itinerary of destinations using travel companies
vetted by seasoned friends and Internet
reviewers.
8
We met up in Cape Town and acclimatized
by touring the wine districts of Stellenbosch
and Franschoek. Quaffing a bubbly champagne-style
wine at Villiera Wines, a classy
establishment also known for its honey-like
late harvest vintages, “This is a perfect
way,” said dad, “to get over jet lag.” Good.
It worked to calm my nerves, as well. My
favorite stop was Fairview Winery, that also
produced a fine array of cheeses. In the tasting
room we filled our glasses and snacked
on creamy samples of goat and cow’s milk
cheeses. We also stocked up in the shop for
the big trip ahead.
The tour group’s truck, which I nicknamed
Beastie Girl, seated 20 travelers from Germany,
Australia, New Zealand, Spain and
the United States. Helmed by Pilani, the jolly
driver/guide from Zimbabwe, Beastie Girl
transported us from Cape Town into Namibia,
Botswana and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe,
the end of our 20-day trip. Heading north of
Cape Town, driving by thousand-acre farms,
efficient irrigation systems and experiencing
excellent roads, we were reminded of the
prime oranges and advocados that travel so
far to stock Canadian grocery stores in the
dead of winter. But it was even better to eat
them right where they were grown.

Reaching Namibia a day later, we stayed
overnight in a guest lodge along the Gariep, or
Orange River reknown for propelling diamonds
all the way from Kimberley’s famous volcanic
pipes to Namibia’s Atlantic coast. Sitting in front
of our cabana, we gazed out over the magnificent
river dotted with egrets and herons and
indulged in nip of duty-free scotch Dad had
tucked in his bag. “I had a chance to come and
work with a mine in Namibia once,” dad said,
“But another fellow was assigned the post.
I’ve wanted to come here ever since.”
I was glad I had helped make it happen.
Bumping through the arid, mineral-rich
landscape we made our way to the Fish River
Canyon. Second only to the Grand Canyon in
size, the Fish River Canyon’s main waterway
is dry much of the year. Was it been mistakenly
named?, we asked Pilani. “Catfish nestle
deep in the mud of the dry riverbed, waiting to
come out during the rainy season.” Perched on
the rim of the canyon, we peered down at the
bone-dry looking riverbed. “They are sleeping
there right now,” he said with a chuckle. As we
departed the viewing area, Pilani stopped and
brought our attention to scattered, pointy plants
growing straight out of the black basalt. “These
are Quiver trees, they are succulents and can
live up to 200 years,” he explained. Despite it’s
stark, moon-like environment, the area was full
of life. You just had to know where to look.
Our first sightings of iconic African animals
were at a rest camp. Oscar and Wilde were
two cheetahs who had been born to a mother
captured from the wild by a local farmer. Now
12 years old, they lived at the camp and visitors
could enter their enclosure for a guided walk.
The young German guide stayed perfectly still
and Wilde came out of her hiding place, lay at
the guide’s feet and started purring. Curious,
Oscar watched us carefully from a distance.
They had never had the chance to run,
the guide told us, and my heart broke as
I saw Oscar sidle up to the edge of the
fence and stare out into the wilderness.
9

Iwas much happier when we reached the
Okavango Delta in Botswana. Flying over the
world’s largest inland delta–15,000 square
kilometers–I could see groups of elephants
standing knee deep in swampy water lazily
munching on green delta grasses. The area is
home to at least 200,000 large mammals. After
reaching our island lodge, dad and I set up on
the porch of our stilted cottage, a permanent
tent complete with bathroom and outdoor
shower. We had reserved the afternoon for
reading and napping on comfortable chairs
in the warm sunshine. But the snoozing was
not to last for long. Waking up to a racket of
crunching and crashing, we saw a huge elephant
stride by, in search of the island’s tastiest
grasses. One of the lodge’s guides was walking
after him clapping his hands loudly. “Out, out,”
he shouted and the pachyderm trotted off like
a deer caught nibbling carrots in the garden.
Lots more wildlife was to come. In a canoe
ride among water lilies we sighted crocodiles,
Cape buffalo and hippos. On a walking tour
a warthog started shadowing our group, and
curious baboons watched us from the tops of
deserted termite mounds.
10 10

Another highlight was Chobe Park. Known
as “Land of the Giants” the 11,000 sq. km
reserve was teeming with elephant families
spraying each other and playing in the river.
Pods of hippos, disguised as rocks, floated
by our jeep and monitor lizards kept
careful watch for prey along the shore.
Our last day was in Zimbabwe at
Victoria Falls. Dad and I spent most of the
day mesermized by the thundering water, or
Big Smoke, as it is known locally. Although
there was plenty to do, from bungee
jumping to river cruises to helicopter
rides, we opted to stay put. Gazing at the
rushing water from a number of lookout
points, we got soaked to the skin from
the spray. But that didn’t matter, it was
all part of our experience.
Who would have guessed that sulky teen of
40 years ago would end up travelling 5,000
km through southern Africa with her dad,
and loving it? “Great trip, eh honey?” said
dad, giving me a hug as we stared at the
falls. “Not just a great trip, dad,” I replied.
“The best one yet.”
11

12

Brazil
A
Manatees,
Mangroves
& Maragogi
Family Wedding
By Elaine J. Masters
13
13

drenaline can carry you far, especially
Aat the onset of a big, international trip.
On the way to Brazil, it bolstered our
loose-knit group when a cancelled
flight meant we nearly missed the
wedding reception that prompted our
departure. We were a family, related
mostly through ceremony and circumstance,
and determined to enjoy two weeks seeing the
country together.
Millennials, Boomers and a pair of seniors were in
the mix. Between us there were chemical and digestive
allergies, walking limitations and more than a
few bottles of prescription meds. It could’ve been a
disaster but preparations began months earlier and
our new Brazilian daughter-in-in law, Vanessa, took
the reins, organizing the journey and acting as translator
throughout.
On arrival in Sao Paolo, wheel chairs were pushed by
airline attendants, over-packed luggage was stacked
on free and abundant carts and only one bag was
temporarily lost. Grandmother Pearl had her carryon
packed with immediate medical necessities, but her
clothes didn’t arrive for 36 hours. She was undaunted,
having handled more demanding challenges over her
75+ years, and still made it to the reception looking
elegant in an outfit cobbled together from combined
efforts. The party was a treat as we stumbled through
conversations and introductions, ate delicious salads
and grilled meats, sipped Caipirinhas, the national
cocktail, and bounced along to Samba-esque, Brazilian
cover tunes.
14

ack in the States it was still winter
Bbut south of the Equator the late
summer was steamy hot. Our plan
was to spend five days in the relative
cool of the northern beach community
of Maragogi. After two days in
Presidente Prudente we said farewell
to our new Brazilian family and
flew off to the coast.
Recife is one of the sites of the World Cup and the
Olympic games, but there was no visible evidence
at the airy and sleek airport. We did discover that
the traditional, baked cheese puffs, pao de queijo,
made a great snack while waiting between planes.
They’re ubiquitous throughout the country and
for our allergy minded travelers, also gluten free.
Vanessa had negotiated a shuttle from the airport
to the Maragogi Salinas Resort for our group of
10. For two hours we sleepily listened to the tour
guide point out sights along the road as city gave
way to sugar cane fields and we spied coconut groves rising
above a bright sea. Vanessa translated as fast as she could to
keep up with the guide’s spiel. It became a pattern. We were
about to be the only Americans, the only English speakers,
for miles.
Grandmother Pearl said the area looked a lot like Cancun
did only 40 years ago with no high rises. The Maragogi resort
was spacious and comfortable. It had the usual amenities
that most all-inclusive facilities include. Our rooms were
simple, clean and comfortable with ample AC. Each morning
we woke to brilliantly colorful dawns and after dreaming
of blue water for months, could stroll across one of the river
bridges to dip our toes in the soft, warm ocean.
We’d heard about ‘natural pools’ that could be enjoyed at
low tide but soon discovered that the reef, less than a mile
offshore, was nearly devoid of sea life. On the afternoon our
group joined a boatload of snorkelers. The boat was packed
and to our dismay we soon tied up next to a line of other
stuffed snorkel boats. The few fish we saw were friendly and
poked around waiting for handouts. It wasn’t what we had in
mind but they were lovely and the water felt great.
15
15

solated by our lack of language, we
Isoon slipped into a rhythm – gathering
around breakfast, setting up loose plans
for the day and then meeting again for
drinks and dinner. For one spontaneous
escape from resort life, we hired a pair
of dune buggies to run us through town
and down the beach to walk out to the
reef. It was liberating to rush along the shore
and for the first time get a glimpse of how the
locals live.
I had heard that there was a Manatee Rescue
Operation nearby and Vanessa made plans for a
visit. On our next-to-last afternoon, we tumbled
into another van, bounced along increasingly
narrow roads through small towns and took a
ferry across the river at the Port of Rio Manguaba.
The pleasant ride was a cool refuge from the
sticky heat. Within an hour we pulled up at a
modest storefront, the entrance to the Manatee
Association (Associacao Peixe-Boi) Refuge.
Guides led us through the punishing humidity
on a long, slow walk through jungle mangroves.
We’d come to expect that the group could only
go as fast as our slowest, so there was time to
pause and enjoy the elevated boardwalk above
mudflats dotted with skittering red crabs.
A few flat-bottomed boats waited across the
Tatuamunha River and we piled in. Long poles
pushed us forward through the shallows and
close to the bulbous, shy creatures feeding in
the shoals. Our mission was to watch and not
disturb. The Manatees were there to heal and
gain their strength before being returned to the
wild. Once back onshore we revived by drinking
from fresh, cool coconuts before returning
to the resort.
16
I’d like to return to the region. We’d too quickly
passed through a small seaside village, Japaratinga,
which tempted with a handful of intriguing,
small Pousadas, a smattering of shops and a
dive center. I can imagine quietly watching the
sunset from one of the café veranda’s perched
on a cliff above the sea. As this trip was about
consensus, the family was already discussing
what to do at our next Brazilian destination.

If You Go:
Having a Portuguese speaker in our group was a huge plus and definitely saved us
money in negotiating. Consider using a Brazilian travel agent as well, who knows the
region you’re interested in – Brazil’s a big country!
Be sure to apply for a Brazilian visa 4 – 6 months before leaving and be prepared to
pay over $100 for the privilege when traveling with an American passport.
Manatees: http://www.pousadaxue.com.br/site/?page_id=343
Maragogi Salinas Resort: http://www.salinas.com.br/en
APPS:
What’s App: http://www.whatsapp.com/
Really helped those of us with smartphones
stay in touch and save on messaging costs.
Say Hi: http://www.sayhitranslate.com/
Time and again we could speak into the
smartphone and get an instantaneous
translation to speak or show to someone.
Also invaluable for conversations.
17 17

“Circle The Wagons”
In the Badlands of Alberta, Canada
Story & Photos by Chris McBeath
18

If you grew up in the 50s and 60s, TV shows
like Wagon Train, The Rifleman, Rawhide
and other Westerns were de rigueur. “Circle
the wagons” was the battle cry and the Lone
Ranger – “Hiyo, Silver!” – was our masked
crusader. Today, reruns of these noir favorites
have become so au courant they are
driving demand to relive the Wild West as it
once was, albeit with a modern twist.
Move over Billy Crystal and wannabe
cattle rustlers of City Slickers fame,
Wagon Train Vacations offer roll ‘em on
family fun and sleep-under-the-stars
romance.
19
19

20

Make no mistake, this is a drive-it-yourself
holiday, geared to those who want to take the
reins of a Clydesdale team and feel the rattling
rhythm of the wheels beneath their buttocks
as they rolled along. Surprisingly, it was
not uncomfortable although leaner glutes
might appreciate a cushion.
Wagon trips are a part of
Alberta Prairie Railway
which is better known
for its day-long excursions
out of
Stettler where
stick ’em up
train robberies
are all part of
the shtick.
Wagons,
however,
travel out of Red Willow, a tiny hamlet about a
15-minute drive north of Stettler—the central
heart of Alberta—and a 90-minute drive northeast
of Calgary. Here, wagon master Jim Long
hitches up your team, and with you in the driver’s
seat, he escorts you in a free wheelin’ jaunt
around a fairly pot-holed field. Within
minutes, you’re a teamster. Driving
horse-powered teams like these
is the origin of the term we
associate today with truck
drivers, only on this particular
route you need only
Jim’s blessing to roll
‘em on out.
21
21

22

Western Basics
Trips last between two to four days depending
on the itinerary and your wagon
becomes your castle. Accommodation is a
shade more basic than a one-star hotel but
is clean and quirkily romantic. Watching an
electric storm dance across the wide Albertan
sky is better than any pyrotechnic show
or Jackson Pollock painting, and sleeping
by the light of a silvery moon is way better
than Doris Day’s syrupy rendition of the
song. Washing facilities comprise ladling
water out of a barrel and into a metal washbowl
and warming it up with steaming hot
water from cookie’s stove. Yes, there’s
a chuck wagon driving up the rear, well
equipped with portable BBQ, iceboxes of
produce, and abundant supplies such as
chili and beans. T-Bone steaks. Eggs. Bacon.
Hot chocolate, s’mores, and trail mix
for the road. Be warned, though, wireless
coverage is almost non-existent beneath
these big-sky lands so i-games must give
way to cards, camp-fire sing-alongs, nature
walks, and charades.
Alberta Pride
The road is actually a 16 km (10-mile) trail
of a disused railway track where trains once
hauled grain from one silo to another before
technology made them obsolete and
in so doing, put many a rural community on
the endangered list. Some, however, are
reinventing themselves with a fierce prairie
pride. These include Torrington with its
Gopher Museum, Wayne with its lively Last
Chance Saloon, Vulcan that adopted a Star
Trek celebrity, and Donalda, a one-main
street, end-of-the-railway-line community
that entered the millennium by erecting the
“World’s Largest Lamp.” It stands 42 feet
tall. Donalda is where wagons put down
stakes for the night and teamsters get to
relax, explore the hiking trails of the adjacent
coulee, and poke around the town’s
art galleries, antique market and intriguing
lamp museum that houses more than 1,000
lamps from ornamental glass hurricanes to
those once used on the railway. 23
23

Time for the
Extraordinary
There’s a hypnotic quality to the rhythm and
speed of traveling on horse-drawn wheels.
The passing landscapes morph gently from
one vista to another. Sweeping grasslands
roll on in all directions and are sprinkled with
occasional farms and ranches. Unexpected
swells of alder form whispering tunnels from
which you emerge along a tranquil lake, or
a corral of inquisitive horses, or a hillside of
grazing cattle. Mostly, though, it’s a treeless
beauty that inspires the imagination as to the
courage and grit of the early pioneer homesteaders.
Travel further south and the Badlands take on
an entirely different topography – a moonscape
of multi-colored canyons, hoodoos and gullies
that early French explorers called ‘les mauvaises
terres’ (the bad lands), a term used to describe
land that was unsuitable to farming. Little did they
know that their wagons were rolling over some
of the world’s richest fossil beds of sea dragons,
three-horned triceratops, and other mammoth reptiles
of Jurassic Park proportions. So once you’ve
hitched your wagon, spend a few days along
the Dinosaur Trail to the Royal Tyrell Museum in
Drumheller, and even dig for dinos yourself at Dinosaur
Provincial Park. Both are considered the
finest dinosaur lands in the world and for kids, can
it get any more thrilling than coming up close and
personal with a T-Rex?
But these are tales for another day...
If You Go:
www.travelalberta.com
www.albertasteamtrain.com
www.traveldrumheller.com
24 24

25

As France this year commemorates
the 70th
anniversary of D-Day, the
Allied Invasion of Normandy
and the Liberation
of France from German
Occupation during
WWII, Normandy is likely
to move up a few notches
on Dad’s and Grandpa’s bucket lists. But why let
them have all the fun? Normandy is a destination
with a surprising potential to please the
entire family.
In the hundred-some visits that I’ve made to
the Normandy Landing Zone since 1991, I’ve
witnessed a notable shift toward family travel in
the region. The zone offers family travelers the
opportunity for moving, unifying and finally
joyful experiences, especially for that most
extraordinary form of family travel, three-generation
travel. Each member of the family, from
9 to 90, is now able to find and make his or her
mark in the sand where Allied troops landed
on June 6, 1944, the beginning of the end of the
Second World War.
A great array of museums, monuments, cemeteries,
remnants, landscapes and seascapes—
where European and North American heads of
state will be gathering on June 6, 2014 to commemorate
the 70th anniversary of D-Day—
have the power to fascinate travelers of all ages
and to lead them to appreciate and understand
the battles, sacrifices, logistics and significance
of the Invasion of Normandy 1944.
This isn’t a theme park; it’s the real deal, and
that gives this corner of Europe an authenticity
that prefab family destinations lack. The emotion,
the drama and the sense of discovery and
understanding are real and will be shared by
every member of the family.
There are numerous angles from which to
explore the war events themselves: with an eye
towards paratroopers at Sainte-Mere-Eglise or
Pegasus Bridge, with an interest in war materiel
at the Omaha Beach Museum, with an emphasis
on landing at a single beach at the Utah
Beach Museum, with a hike up the hill from
Omaha Beach to the American Cemetery, with
a glimpse and understanding of the artificial
harbor at the Arromanches D-Day Museum,
with in-depth study at the museum of Caen’s
Memorial Centre for History and Peace, with a
view of a German gun battery in ruins at Pointe
du Hoc or somewhat intact at Longues-sur-Mer,
with a view of German bunkers at the Merville
Battery, and so much more, all of which are
accessible to children, teens and adults, whether
war buffs or not. By car, by Jeep, by bike, by
private tour, by long walks on the beach, the
traveling family finds its own rhythm to visiting
the area. Throughout you’ll discover one of the
unplanned pleasures of visiting the Landing
Zone: meeting people from all over Europe and
North America who share a common interest in
exploring our shared history.
Beyond the specific sights associated with what
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander
of the Allied Forces in Europe, called
“a great and noble undertaking,” families traveling
to Normandy this summer can attend
celebrations throughout the former war zone as
villages, towns and cities that honor the combatants
and fete the liberation from the German
occupation of 1940-1944 with a wide arrange of
tributes, festivities, jazz concerts and ‘40s dances
where visitors can party like it’s 1944. And
even if you miss this summer’s 70th anniversary
events, a trip to Normandy still promises to be
a great, even noble, undertaking for traveling
families or for two or three families traveling
together.
Americans will often focus solely on the American
D-Day sites of Utah Beach, Sainte-Mere-Eglise,
Pointe du Hoc and the American Cemetery.
Those are great and can fill two days of precious
vacation time. Yet American visitors are
well advised to make time for a glimpse of the
British and Canadian beaches, museums and
cemeteries, too, as well as the German cemetery,
because each nation has a different approach to
examining the war, honoring its dead and relating
WWII to life today. The Juno Centre, the
Canadian museum a step off the Juno Landing
Beach, is notable in that it speaks not simply of
the specifics of the Invasion of Normandy, as all
of the others near the beaches do, but of Canada
as a whole, of the 19th- and 20th-century
immigration that preceded the war, and of the
country’s entrance into war.

The Unexpected Joys of
Family Travel to the
D-Day Beaches of
Normandy, France
By Gary Lee Kraut
Monument at Port en Bessin,
Normandy
View of Omaha Beach from Normandy American Cemetery
27
Roosevelt Grave Markers

Some in your family will want to see more military
equipment than do others, some will want to learn
about logistics, others about personal stories, and
still others about how the French lived through the
German Occupation. But travelers needn’t spend
their entire time in Normandy doing war touring.
Family travel abroad involves balancing the divergent
interests within the family. In the Landing
Zone of Normandy that’s far easier than one would
imagine. Even though the main thrust of tourism is
the immediate area is war touring, family travel to
Normandy, when properly planned, can include a
wide variety of interests, both in the Landing Zone
and on the way to or from. On the drive to or from
Paris, for example, it’s an easy detour to visiting
Monet’s House and Garden at Giverny, the stunning
old port of Honfleur, the luxury resort of Deauville
or the castle at Balleroy.
British Cemetery at Secqueville, Normandy
28
B-26G Marauder at Utah Beach Museum

And there’s plenty to whet the appetite of the hungry
a traveler in a region also known for its agriculture,
oyster farms and sea fishing. Indeed, the landscape of
this part of Normandy is no longer defined by destruction
but by cows, fields and apple orchards, while
the fleet you’ll see is that coming and going from a
fishing port. Travel in the region can therefore also include
a hearty Norman dish from the land in Bayeux,
a fresh meal from the sea at Port-en-Bessin, a visit to a
Calvados (apple brandy) producer in the countryside,
and a trip to a morning market to prepare a picnic
for the beach, even if that picnic consists of nothing
more than some good bread and a selection of Normandy’s
famous cheeses (Camembert de Normandie, Livarot,
Pont-l’Eveque and Neufchatel). And each member of the
family will find his or her pleasure among a creperie’s
selection of savory and sweet crepes, another staple of
Norman cuisine.
Visiting the war sights of Normandy will remain a more
likely item on Dad’s or Grandpa’s bucket list than on
Mom’s, Grandma’s or the kids’, but it’s an item that all
should take note of when looking for a special destination
to bring the family together.
View from Pointe du Hoc
29
29

Ceiling of the Chapel at the Normandy American Cemetery
Useful Links
For a list of events for the 70th-anniversary commemorations in 2014 see:
http://www.le70e-normandie.fr/?lang=e
Normandie Mémoire: http://www.normandiememoire.com/en
The site has a good introductory film to the Landing Zone and helpful information about specific sights and events.
Normandy Tourist Board: www.normandie-tourisme.fr
The D-Day Landing Zone represents only a portion of Normandy and its coastline.
For information about the pleasures and treasures of the region
see the official site of the Normandy Tourist Board
Calvados Tourist Board: http://www.calvados-tourisme.co.uk/en/
Normandy is divided into five administrative regions called departments (something like counties) and the
Landing Zone lies within the department of Calvados except for Utah Beach/Saint Mere Eglise and surroundings,
which are in the department of Manche.
Manche Tourism Board: http://www.manche-tourism.com/en
Bayeux Tourist Office: http://bayeux-bessin-tourisme.com/en/
Bayeux is the most central town for visiting the D-Day Beaches if planning to say for just a night or two.
Memorial de Caen: http://normandy.memorial-caen.com/
This major war museum organizes a daytrip excursion that include a visit to the museum.
Worthwhile for those with an interest in spending the morning in the museum
but less sfor those who prefer to devote their limited time to the sites close to the beaches.
The author’s article about Norman cheese and other aspects of culinary travel in the Landing Zone:
http://francerevisited.com/2010/04/must-tastes-of-the-normandy-landing-zone-4-norman-cheeses/
30
© 2014, Gary Lee Kraut
Gary Lee Kraut is Paris-based editor of the online magazine France Revisited,
http://www.francerevisited.com. He has written and lectured extensively about
Normandy and its war sights, advised countless travelers and accompanied
veterans and their children and grandchildren to Normandy. For more of his
work about Normandy and about France see www.francerevisited.com.

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31

YASNY!
You Ain’t Seen
Nothin’ Yet!
A STORY ON
THESSALONIKI
AND HALKIDIKI,
GREECE
Thessaloniki
Halkidiki
32
32
Story by Peter Rose
Photos by Hedy and Peter Rose
For those who know only
Athens and the islands, or
have never been to Greece,
I say“ Yasny!” It sounds like a very
Greek word (like Yamas, meaning
“cheers” or “to your health) but it is
really an old American acronym:
“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet!”
It is the most appropriate expression
I could think of after our first trip
to an area in Northern Greece too
often overlooked or underplayed by
travel agents – and travel writers,
too. Having been to Athens and
the islands a number of times,
I found this Central Macedonian
area a destination that is
historically, culturally, scenically,
gastronomically, and, if it is a
real word, oenologically,
a first-rate destination.
IT SHOULDN’T BE MISSED!

The center of this new find is the seaside city
of Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest. It is
today a mini-metropolis of 750,000 people, 10
percent of them university students attending
either the huge – 60,000 plus student body –Aristolio
University of Thessaloniki, the University of Macedonian
with 20,000 students, or several smaller private
institutions. Considered by many the cultural capital of
Greece, it is also known for its trade fairs, film festivals,
and homecoming events for those in the Greek diaspora.
Situated close to the home of the gods, Mt. Olympus,
its roots go back to ancient times and it has been inhabited
for 3,000 years, with archaeological but also living
evidence of layer upon layer of history from that of the
original inhabitants to those of the classical Greek and
Hellenistic period, and centuries of Roman, Christian
and Ottoman rule.
It still bears the marks of all of them as well as the
strong influences of Jews, who first settled here in the
2nd century BC, early Christians, those who lived in the
lengthy Byzantine Era (it was a co-capital along with
Konstantinoupolis or Constantinople), the 800-year
reign of the Ottoman Turks, and that of the Sephardic
Jews who began coming from Iberia in the late 15th
century and remained the largest ethnic group from the
early 16th century until the middle of World War II.
Fire devastated the city in 1917 and, with the defeat of
the Greeks in the Greco-Turkish war and the almost
simultaneous end of the Ottoman Empire by Ataturk’s
nationalists, dramatic demographic changes took
place. One part of the 1923 Peace Treaty of Lausanne
that sought to normalize relations within and between
the parties to the conflict, established new borders and
also triggered a massive exchange of populations.
Ethnic Greeks, mostly Orthodox, long resident in Turkey,
were sent to Greece. Ethnic Turks, mostly Muslim,
who had been in Greece for centuries, were sent to
their ancestral home, sharply reducing the numbers of
Turks in Thessaloniki.
Fascist rule, which failed under Italian invaders, was
then successfully carried out by German Nazis in 1941
led to the round up, deportation, and extermination of
nearly the entire Jewish community of close to 60,000
people.
While Thessaloniki was liberated by Greek partisans
in 1944, those two events left a city that was once
as pluralistic as Andalusia’s Cordoba, with a heavily
dominant Orthodox statistical majority, which it still
has. Recently there have been a number of attempts
to revive the spirit of comity and to acknowledge the
contributions of ancient Greeks and Romans, Muslims
and Jews, as well as the Christians, to the culture and
character of Central Macedonia.
33

For first-time visitors, the principal highlights of
the city are the remnants of walls from Roman
times, many beautiful churches, a synagogue
and a few mosques, along with two
world-class museums -- of archaeology and
Byzantine history – and a small museum of the Jewish
community. There are also centers celebrating both
folk and fine arts. Like many areas around the Mediterranean,
there are several open markets with innumerable
sidewalk stands, tavernas, cafés, and very
upscale restaurants, all serving local fish and other
seafood, varieties of meat, fruit, vegetables, cheese
and any number of great wines and liquors.
In many eateries, but especially the tavernas (our favorite
hangouts), traditional music played on bouzoukis
and guitars together with human voices. Standard
fare in the tavernas are retsina, souvlaki, moussaka,
octopus, fishes of all sorts, tsoureki bread, salads with
loads of feta cheese, baklava and other mouth-watering
treats.
If you are yearning for a cup of coffee, there are numerous
coffee houses that offer the traditional Greek
or Turkish coffee but also have as many variations to
be brewed as any Starbucks, which also happens to
be in Thessaloniki!
Like many big cities, Thessaloniki has hotels of all sizes
and levels of quality, including several huge ones
on or near the seafront. However, for those who like
a more boutique experience, one place really stands
out, the five-star Excelsior just across the street from
its sister property, the four-star City Hotel. Both are
very close to Aristotilous Square, a crossroads for
people from all over the world, next to the quay that
fronts the entire downtown area.
The city of Thessaloniki is very close to Halkidiki, a region
that deserves special attention not as an adjunct
place for a quick side trip but for a minimal stay of
several days to get the full flavor of its own history and
culture and to enjoy the benefits of sand and sea, piney-woods
in its highlands and great accommodations.
And there are many places of historical and religious
significance, too. In fact, there is everything to serve
both body and soul.
Like Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, with its three fingered
hand reaching southwestward into the sea, offers
pleasures for the palate, storied sites and a most welcoming
local population. To spend three, four or more
days in Halkidiki you, too, will return home saying,
“Yasny!”
The digits of the Halkidiki are known as Akanthos, Sithonia,
and Kassadra. Akanthos is the most northern
and eastern. It has its own storied past, beginning
with the birthplaces of the philosopher Aristotle and
his one-time student, the Macedonian leader, Alexander
the Great. It is also known today, as it has been for
a thousand years, for its critical role in the life of the
Orthodox Church, not least the eight monasteries that
are located on the most northern of the peninsula on
the shore or on the slopes of the 2,000 high Mt. Athos.
34
Boats take Greek and Russian Orthodox pilgrims daily to
see the monasteries from 500 meters off-shore. While
no women are allowed on the church property, it is possible
for men to apply to visits. On the northwestern end
of Athos, there are a number of charming villages to visit
and to stay. I would recommend a long lunch of Greek
specialties prepared by television cooking consultant,
Loulou Sarris, in a taverna connected to the Germany
Hotel that she operates with her brother, Dimitris. Our
friends and I, numbering six in all, enjoyed an unbelievable
26 different plates of food – fish, salad, cheese,
stuffed cabbages and zucchinis. We dined for over two
hours and enjoyed every bite.
The other two peninsulas, Sinothia and Kassadra, are
almost as rugged down their spines as Akanthos. Unlike
the off-limits slops of Mt. Athos, their openness, much of
it national parkland, offers great opportunities for hikers
and mountain bikers and, for those who would like to be
guided, the services of Stratos and his Hellas Jeep Safari.
Stratos is not only a good driver, a big plus on the
sandy, rutted and sometimes quite steep fire roads, but
a great raconteur and grass-roots field biologist, able to
discuss every bit of flora and fauna on the mountainsides
and almost anything else in perfect English.
The greatest draw for tourists is the sea, seen at every
turn in the road and accessible for swimming and diving
and fishing and boating nearly everywhere in Halkidiki.
As in the city, there are all sorts of accommodations to
be had, including several very large resorts, one of which
has not only to be seen but stayed in to be believed. It is
called Sani and is a world of its own, accommodating and
pampering up to 1,000 guests at a time. Many young
people working in other places in Halkidiki told me they
got their start as trainees at Sani and, once there, I could
understand why, whether staying and rising through the
ranks or moving on to other nearby hotels, they exude
a special spirit of hospitality. While admiring what Sani
does for its guests, but preferring upscale but low-key
resorts, we were delighted to have the chance to spend
the night at the Eagles Palace in Ouranoupolis, owned by
the same caring, hands-on and third generation hotelier,
Konstantinos Tornivourkas and his family.
Also to be mentioned are two other resorts, the Ekies All
Senses Resort, and the Sea Beach Hotel and Spa, each
offering treats -- and treatments. A somewhat smaller
but also high-quality resort is the Anthemas Sea Beech
Hotel and Spa which is especially famous for its wonderful
kitchen. For those wanting a slower paced, relaxed
vacation, highest on our list is the cliffside Blue Bay Hotel
very close to the little village of Athytos. Owned and operated
by Olga Tsapanidou, the Blue Bay Hotel is a model
of quiet elegance, service, and graciousness.
While most hotels have excellent restaurants, there are
many stand-alone places that shouldn’t be missed, especially
a local favorite called Marina. It is located next to a
tiny, colorful harbor near the mainland end of Kassandra,
in the fishing village of Nea Potidea. It doesn’t take the
tourist bureau to assure you that no ever leaves that part
of Greece hungry.

35

36

Finally, for wine lovers there is
an abundance of varieties to
choose from. For wine tasters
it is possible to visit several
of the top wineries, some like
Tsantalis on the Kassandran peninsula,
are more than 100 years old. Others,
such as the Porto Carras Winery
and Claudia Papayianni’s, both on Sithonia,
are much newer. But all offer
a wide range of familiar tasting reds,
whites, rosés, and many varietals of
their own.
In recent years, Thessaloniki and Halkidiki
have become, like the Salonika of
old, a cross-roads place of many peoples.
Not surprisingly, the majority of
outsiders are travelers and tourists,
mostly from the UK and western Europeans
but, increasingly, folks drive
in from nearby Balkan countries, especially
Bulgaria and Romania, or fly
in from Turkeyand Russia.
Once Americans learn more about
the place and its surrounds, I predict
they will start swelling the ranks
of sojourners to Central Macedonia
– and then go back home, pouring a
glass of wine, and telling their friends,
“Yasny!”
Peter and Hedy Rose divide their
times between academic pursuits
and travel journalism.
THESSALONIKI TOURIST ORGANIZATION
154 Egnatia Street, Helexpo, 54636, Thessaloniki, Greece
HALKIDIKI TOURIST ORGANIZATION
33 G. Papandreou Street, 54646, Thessaloniki, Greece
Peter’s latest books are:
With Few Reservations:
Travels at Home and Abroad (2010)
Postmonitions of a
Peripatetic Professor (2013)
They and We, 7th – and
50th anniversary – edition (2014)
37

DISPATCH: MUSEUM WATCH
STALKING THE GHOST OF COPERNICUS
John M. Edwards stalks the heretical ghost of Polish astronomer
Nicholaus Copernicus back to his hometown: Torun, Poland.
By John M. Edwards
Here’s a question nobody, not even Steven
Hawking (A Brief History of Time) nor Erich
von Daniken (Chariots of the Gods), can answer:
How large is the universe? How can it be
infinite if it is at the same time “expanding”?
I decided the only scientist worth his salt who
could posit a satisfactorily legitimate theory
of time and space would be none other than
Polish astronomer and universal translator
Nicholaus Copernicus (1473-1543). Unlike the
“alchemists” so popular in his day, attempting
(unsuccessfully) to turn base metals into gold
and unlock the secret to eternal life, Copernicus
risked heresy and hellfire to search the heavens
in order to astound the established order of his
day and figuratively bump the earth off its axis.
Proposing a “heliocentric” model of the solar
system--wherein the sun was the center of the
known universe rather than the ancient Ptolemaic
wisdom that the earth was--Copernicus
changed the Weltanshaung of the entire world.
By delaying publication until the year of his
death in 1543 of his masterwork De Revolutionibus
Orbium Coelestium (“On the Revolutions
of the Celestial Sphere”), Copernicus avoided
upsetting both Pope and populace, always ready
in a heartbeat to gleefully dump so-called heretics
in cold dungeons, dunk them in wine barrels,
gouge their eyes out in inquisitional iron
masks, and expand them on racks like “Stretch
Armstrong” (not the bold astronaut but the
stretchy action figure).
I arrived in the hometown of Copernicus,
the pleasant Polish city of Torun (formerly
“Thorn”) on the wrong day: the pale gray sky
threatened rain; the clouds were the color of
colostomy bags. Still, I ditched my “machine”
and clambered over the cobblestones (usually
a sign of an historic district) until I reached
the Hotel Kopernik in the New Town, careful to
remain a bearded stranger to the overly helpful
management.
38
Nearby in the New Town Square, I ate at what many
boldly claim is the world’s oldest restaurant, the
15th-century “Gospoda Pod Modryn Fartuchen”:
Polish kielbasa (sausages), borscht, and pivo polska
(pilsener). The magical atmosphere was further
enhanced by what is known as “The Fountain,” a
bubbling brood built in 1914 to commemorate Torun’s
version of the “Pied Piper” legend: the peasant
Janko Muzykant drove out a plague of frogs
released by an ornery witch with his rustic melodic
fiddle playing!
At last ogling the Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage
Site), I avoided the then-closed “Planetarium”
and plowed on until I stood near the Old Town
Hall, face to face with a stately stargazing statue
of Copernicus (known as “Mikolaj Kopernik” in
Polish), which seemed to move slightly as I studied
it. I asked my burning question and imagined him
smirking. But I got my revenge later by biting off
the head of a piernik, a Copernicus-shaped piece of
gingerbread popular with tourists and wildly friendly
locals alike.
I wondered what it would be like to live in the
“Hanseatic League” port town of Torun as a fabulous
knight errant on the fabled Vistula River
(travel often involves expatriation), surrounded
by “Touch Gothic” architecture and good vibes,
redbrick churches and revisionism. At least, I went
gaga over the Cathedral of SS John the Baptist and
John the Evangelist, built over time from the 12th
to 15th centuries, which featured the 7,238-kg Tuba
Dei (“God’s Trumpet”), the second-largest historic
bell after the one in Krakow’s Wawel Castle.
Finally I visited what is (conveniently) believed
to be the former residence of Copernicus (whom
I nickname “Copper”), an ancient MTV-like “crib”
now housing the Muzeum Mikolaj Kopernika (ul.
kopernika 15 + 17). Unfortunately, this was not the
highlight of my trip. Nice taste in furniture and
objects d’art, Copper, but where were your tools of
the trade: cool telescopes, fiery alembics, forbidden
books, and jarred homunculi?

Fast forwarding, I plopped down at a lively club with
apparently no name, where I began conversing with
two young Polish students who with surprising hubris
posited, “Maybe things were better during Communism?
Now there is no work for us!”
“But in a democracy you can say anything you want
without being arrested by the secret police,” I countered.
“Forget the Soviets, now you are proudly NATO
and EU!”
A terrifyingly handsome blond German tourist,
resembling a true cross between Billy Idol and Sting,
interrupted: “I could not help but overhearing. When
I lived in East Germany under Hoenicker, I was a
guard on the Berlin Wall. We had orders to shoot
anyone trying to escape.” The obvious ex-“Stasi” (secret
policeman) looked sadly into his suds, suddenly
resembling a medieval Teutonic Knight. “Things are
very very better now I think. . . .”
Obviously, the blond German was the philosophic
product of German Romanticism, a cant Kant. How
could these cats have trusted Marx in the first place,
holed up in a London flophouse, burning with revenge
for the bourgeoisie who had made fun of him?
Marx famously quipped that “Religion is the opium of
the people,” but any Import-Export expert (an international
euphemism for “chronic unemployment”)
knows that instead real opium is.
Later I discovered that I had been “scooped” by Dava
Sobel and her fairly recent book “A More Perfect
Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos.”
Like a premonition, I theorized about the secret
of international time travel—moving faster than
a photon. And so once again I boarded the relativistic
time-lapsed train out of Torun (someone
nicked my “machine”!). Safely on board, I
imagined I caught sight of that Hermés-heeled
mercurial heretic devil Copernicus in the maelstrom
of smoke and mirrors, fashionably cloaked
in a plush Renaissance robe and holding up an
antique globe evocative of my skull and (yes)
laughing at me.
This wasn’t over yet, Copper, no, not by a longshot.
BIO: John M. Edwards, an award-winning travel writer and Mayflower descendant
directly related to William Bradford, has written for such magazines
as CNN Traveler, Salon.com, Islands, and North American Review. He turned
down a job as lead bassist for STP (The Stone Temple Pilots) way back when
before they were big, plus he helped write “PLUSH” (the opening chords),
voted The Best Song of the 20th Century by Rolling Stone Magazine.
P.S. I just won 22 NATJA Awards. I also won 2 Transitions Abroad Narrative
Essay Contest Awards (2009 and 2012), as well as 3 Notable Essays nods in
The Best American Essays (2011/2012/2013).
39

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Snow Mountain
Ranch
By Carrie Dow
Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Bringing Families Closer Together
In The Great Outdoors . . .
41
41

M
y husband and I have spent the afternoon
working on a jigsaw puzzle in
our cozy wood cabin. We came to the
mountains to do some weekend hiking, but a vernal
rain dampened those plans. Since we have no TV and
only one bar showing on the smartphone, the puzzle
box on the bookshelf beckoned. This is probably the
longest period of time we have spent together doing
something other than watch TV. The puzzle’s picture
of a waterfall, while beautiful, is proving difficult. We
are determined. So determined we’re about to miss
dinner at “the Ranch.”
In 1907, the Western Conference of the Young Men’s
Christian Association (YMCA) opened a training
camp in the majestic Rocky Mountains near Estes
Park, CO, several years before the mountains themselves
became a national park. It was a place where
young men could grow, learn and enjoy the outdoors.
In the 1960s, the Western Conference went through
a period of rapid expansion and the group wanted to
find a place where they could bring their families to
share this mountain paradise.
A few of these men set out from Estes Park hiking
over the Continental Divide. On the other side they
arrived at the vast and stunning Fraser Valley. Surrounded
on all sides by soaring white-capped peaks,
the valley itself was lush and full of wild life. The men
envisioned their children playing in the fields and
watching the stars above at night. It was the perfect
place to build Snow Mountain Ranch.
Today Snow Mountain Ranch is a part of the YMCA
of the Rockies, a place where families of all faiths can
spend time in nature while building closer family
bonds. With over 5,200 acres of area to explore, the
activities at Snow Mountain Ranch are as boundless
as the Fraser Valley itself. Guests can swim, ride zip
lines, play mini-golf or disc golf, bike and horseback
ride and these are just the activities that can be found
on the Ranch. Families have the entire valley at their
disposal for white water rafting, fishing, and hiking
in the surrounding mountains. The best part? Every
night of their stay, families can return to the camaraderie
of the ranch.
4242
Schlessman Commons is a gathering place for visiting
families, mostly because it houses the Ranch’s cafeteria.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, evening
food service ends at 7:30 PM so we have 25 minutes
to get some food, although we can linger in the dining
hall for the rest of the evening. The cafeteria is buffet-style
dining with a salad station, pasta station,
soup station and two main dishes which change daily.

The dining hall is massive with a high-beamed ceiling
and windows that show off the endless sky and it is full
of large, round tables that encourage different groups to
sit together. Other cafeteria items guests can enjoy are an
automatic espresso bar and dessert station. After a filling
dinner of grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, rice and carrot
cake, we each grab a latte and consider lingering in the
hall to chat with fellow diners, but the puzzle is calling,
taunting us to return.
The accommodations at Snow Mountain Ranch are
as varied as the activities. Individual families can rent
cabins, as we did, with two to five bedrooms. The family
cabins stand on a hillside surrounded by pines providing
seclusion for those who want it, but close enough that
several families can rent neighboring cabins for group
vacations and family reunions. While the cabins appear
rustic, they contain full kitchens and grand stone fireplaces.
The largest cabins have TVs and multiple bathrooms.
The doors open with old fashioned metal keys and have
unique names like Bliss, Jamaa, and Sitzmark. Ours is
called Agape. Perhaps that’s because our jaws drop at the
view from our front deck. Guests can often find books,
games and puzzles left behind by previous guests, which is
how we came to be preoccupied by the puzzle.
My husband and I are staying in a three-bedroom cabin,
a bit bigger than we need, but it works for us. In fact our
family is a great example of why Snow Mountain Ranch
is a perfect family getaway. We brought our two dogs, a
six-year-old cattle dog and a five-year-old Siberian Husky,
both of whom love to hike and explore the outdoors.
Dogs are welcome in the family cabins for only $10 per
night per dog.
For families who prefer roughing it, 12 yurts are available
in a cluster not far from the hillside cabins. Each
yurt is one large room containing one queen bed and
two sets of bunk beds. Dogs are also welcome here. The
yurts are not heated, but available for rent in the winter
for the truly hearty. The yurt community bathhouse has
flush toilets, hair dryers, hot showers and coin-operated
washer and dryer. One yurt is handicap-accessible. Tent
and RV camping is available from Memorial Day weekend
through Labor Day weekend.
Another family option are rooms in the Ranch’s three
guest lodges. The lodge rooms, similar to hotels rooms,
sleep up to six people (dogs not allowed). The largest
lodge, Indian Peaks, has rooms with mini-fridge, microwave
and wi-fi and is closest to the horse stables. The
slightly smaller Silver Sage Lodge offers one queen bed
and two sets of bunk beds while Aspenbrook has two
queen beds and one set of bunk beds. All three lodges are
next to Schlessman Commons.
43

44
W
hen the weather doesn’t cooperate, like this weekend, the
action heads inside at the Kiva Center. The center holds a
roller skating rink and basketball court. Upstairs, families
will find foosball and ping pong tables. For more of a
challenge, the building holds an indoor archery room and two-story
climbing wall. Group lessons for both are available for a small fee.
The morning comes much too quickly after suffering with that puzzle
deep into the night. My legs could have used the Ranch’s morning yoga
session, but I didn’t get up early enough. While we are slow moving,
the dogs are anxious to hit the trails. The Ranch has over 25 miles of
trails and dogs are allowed on leashes. After the previous day’s rain, the
morning sun has the valley glistening. The dogs couldn’t be happier
as they bounce side to side on the trail sniffing the brush. Walking the
4.2k Ten Mile Creek Trail revives our sleepy spirits while the 9,695-foot
peak of Nine Mile Mountain looms over us.
That night back at the cabin, the puzzle is winning. The dogs sleep
soundly near the fire and we each brought back a hot chocolate from
the cafeteria to sip while working on this maddening, infuriating, yet
totally addictive puzzle. The hour is late when we take the dogs out for
a brief walk around the pines under some newly arrived clouds. By the
time we give up on the puzzle, rain drops softly tap the roof. We’ll wake
up to a sparkling green valley in the morning.
How do you think Snow Mountain Ranch got its name? Because of all
the snow, of course! In winter, the Fraser Valley turns into a powdery
playground where guests can have just as much fun, if not more so,
than summer. Backcountry skiing and snowboarding, cross-country
skiing and snowshoeing are available and Winter Park Ski Resort is 20
miles away. The Ranch has a full-service Nordic center complete with
rentals and repairs along with a soup, sandwich and hot chocolate cafe.
The Ranch has its own ice skating rink and tubing hill. Families can
also rent snowmobiles or enjoy dog sledding with the YMCA staff and
their friendly pack of Alaskan Huskies. No matter the season, families
can always enjoy Snow Mountain Ranch.
44
http://snowmountainranch.org/

45

46
A Family Adventure to Remember
by Jeffrey Lehmann

The car came to a stop throwing up dust on the
dirt parking lot. It had been a 10-hour drive
from San Diego and I could hear the complaining
before the doors even opened. Out of
the hot car poured my young cousins: Matt, a
typical hard-to-please 15-year-old; Charlie, a
10-year-old always buried in a book, and Katie,
a 9-year-old who doesn’t leave the house without
a fashionable change of clothes.
My aunt greeted me with, “I told you we
wouldn’t like this!” I announced over the din,
“Everyone take a deep breath and let’s get on the
water.”
Before us stood Wahweap Marina and our 75-
foot houseboat, replete with a ski boat, wave
runners, two gas grills, state-of-the-art entertainment
system, and even a hot tub.
In the distance, the shimmering waters of Lake
Powell and the spectacular red cliffs of the National
Park System’s Glen Canyon National Recreation
Area called.
We hadn’t finished burying the anchors on a
sandy beach in an idyllic inlet, before the grumbling
was replaced with squeals of joy as the
kids launched themselves into the lake via the
houseboat’s water slide. These squeals continued
uninterrupted from dawn to dusk for our
entire stay.
I had long wanted to teach the kids how to fish,
and the kids couldn’t wait. I set them up with
poles and hot dog bait before I fired-up the first
round of margaritas for my adult family members.
They had to serve themselves though as
hollering from the back of the boat signaled
Charlie’s first fish ever. I had barely finished
Charlie’s official “First Fish” pic, when Katie
complained about being “stuck on the bottom”.
I knew better and told her to keep reeling. Her
unbounded excitement of catching her first fish
was only moderated by her concern that she
might accidentally touch the fish.
47

While some adults enjoyed lounging around with a drink, the rest of us setoff
with the ski boat to go tubing. The kids just couldn’t get enough! I got a
good laugh from Katie though, who was afraid the fish she had caught and
released earlier was down there seeking revenge.
Lake Powell sits at 3,650 feet and gave us enjoyable 90 degree weather
during our visit in early July. Around midday, dark clouds would suddenly
appear. Within a half hour cooling monsoon rains commenced. This was a perfect chance
to escape to my cabin for a nap. Clear skies were signaled each day by squeals coming from
the slide.
A couple of days into the trip, I was teaching teenager Matt to waterski. Although he’s athletic,
I was having a tough time getting him up. I saw dark clouds in the distance, but Matt
kept begging for another try. I told him last chance before we had to race back to hide from
lightning. I was captaining and videoing at the same time and just as Matt got up, a lightening
bolt struck less than a half mile behind him. You are completely safe from lightning
in a houseboat. In fact, the boat is unlikely to get hit by lightning since it grounds the static
electricity in the air near them.
We enjoyed a much needed break from the sun playing cards as it rained, while Matt repeatedly
watched his ski and lightning video.
Lake Powell’s beautiful sunsets are a great time of day to relax on the top deck with the whole
family. Adults enjoy a drink, kids soak in the hot tub, while I barbeque. It’s this amazing ability
for everyone to do what they want while still together that makes house boating great for
families. The entertainment system was barely used, and, more amazing, the kids’ electronic
games never saw the light of day the whole trip.
48

My uncle, adult cousin, and I were waterskiing when I spotted a 60-foot slip-and-slide
set-up by a group of families’ house boating together. We got invited and returned with
our kids for a very fun afternoon making new friends.
We explored more of this giant lake everyday, but I was excited to show my family scenic
Padre Bay and the big walled canyons farther upstream. This was a day-long adventure
and the ski boat was completely filled. The kids enjoyed this scenery as much as the activities
of the previous days. And we had fun seeing how far we could go before a canyon
dead-ended. Every turn it seems like you can go no farther. But, as you get to what seems
like the end, a new passage of water is revealed extending into the distance.
Another great aspect of house boating are the special one-on-one opportunities with
family. One of my favorites on this trip was taking Katie on a wave runner to explore the
lake. It was just an hour or so of being away, but in the wide-open scenery at Lake Powell
it seemed much more. It’s an experience we will both remember forever.
The biggest debate when booking our trip was how many days. I suggested 7 days and
my family recoiled at being “cooped up” together that long. I negotiated up to 5 days,
and before we knew it, it was our last night. Everyone was in shock that the time had
passed so fast.
Back on the docks, I convinced my aunt to go through Zion National Park on the way
home. This didn’t stop the kids’ complaining though. Only now it’s, “When are we going
house boating on Lake Powell again?!”
49

F
apalachIcola . allIGator poInt . carrabelle eaStpoInt . St. GeorGe ISland
the north Florida coastal communities of apalachicola, alligator point, carrabelle, eastpoint and St. George
Island share a coastline of more than 500 miles of salty, white sand beaches on the gulf and bay. each area
features many unique historic, nature-based and maritime resources just waiting to be discovered.
St. GeorGe ISland, with its pet-friendly beaches
and authentic lighthouse is the premier beach destination
for those seeking a natural getaway. Accommodations
range from luxurious beachfront vacation homes to
hotel lodging right on the beach. The St. George Island
State Park is currently ranked #3 beach in the nation.
apalachIcola offers maritime history and a working
waterfront plus plenty of restaurants serving fresh seafood.
Breathe the salty air of Apalachicola Bay and walk the
canopy-shaded sidewalks of Apalachicola’s Historic
District or tour unique museums and shop in one-of-a-kind
boutiques. carrabelle is Gateway to the Gulf with its
natural deep-water harbor. With access to three rivers, it
is a salty attraction to sailors, kayakers and boaters of all
ages. The Carrabelle area
also features a world-class
golf resort and WWII
museum. allIGator
poInt offers an even
more relaxed and lowto-no
traffic approach to
enjoying great beaches,
fresh seafood, birding,
fishing, kayaking, biking
and coastal hiking.
Naturalists flock to Bald Point State Park for a glimpse at
the migrating birds and butterflies that arrive annually.
eaStpoInt is the heart of the county’s commercial
seafood industry; watch boats
unload fresh fish and oysters in
an authentic working waterfront.
Theworking waterfront here, as well
as in Apalachicola and Carrabelle,
showcase traditions that are still all
in a day’s labor for proud seafood
workers.
Salty Florida
history, seafood
and coastal charm.
saltyflorida.com/tj
866-914-2068
50

Float on to summer at VisitVirginiaBeach.com
51

Ariel Trail of Tears Quarry,
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Follow The
Chief Vann
House
52

Council House
Echota, Georgia
Original
Route sign
Photo by G.
W. Tibbetts
Cave Spring,
Georgia is
the site of
this National
Park Service
sign.
Trail Of Tears
This 175Th Anniversary Year
Nine States,
A Multitude of Options:
ALABAMA, ARIZONA, GEORGIA, ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY,
MISSOURI, NORTH CAROLINA, OKLAHOMA, TENNESSEE
By Christine Tibbetts
53

The 175th anniversary of the Trail of Tears opens new options
and incentives to trace the Trail of Tears, the forced removal of
Cherokee in 1838 and 1839 from Eastern lands to western territory.
This story is not a history but rather a concept to follow those
routes and connect with significant American history. Choctaw from
Mississippi, Muscogee Creeks from Alabama and Georgia, Chickasaw
from Tennessee, Arkansas and Illinois, and Seminoles from Florida
had already resisted, but suffered removal.
Home tour? Really? The Trail of Tears?
Truly, this is not a statement of disrespect.
Many choices exist to shape a journey embracing
all or some of the trail named for tears of families
leaving their ancestors under duress, their communities,
their honored lands and waters.
To grasp the enormity of this often-mentioned, little-understood
pain-filled part of American history
now 175 years old could require some miles. Plenty
of people along the way understand the importance.
Sounds straightforward: follow the Trail to see some
history. Figuring out which way and how to do so is
another story altogether. Nine states are involved.
The best keeper of those details is the
Trail of Tears Association in each state: ALABAMA, ARI-
ZONA, GEORGIA, ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY, MISSOURI, NORTH
CAROLINA, OKLAHOMA AND TENNESSEE.
Study the graphically pleasing map in the National Park
Service brochure and web site, then drill down with
the state associations. Discovering the stories behind each
route: Northern, Taylor, Bell, multiple water, and others,
might help decide which to follow first. The Cherokee Native
American Guide produced by the Southeast Tennessee
Tourism Association is a fine place to do so.
DRIVE IT and you’ve launched an 870-mile journey
connecting North Georgia to Oklahoma. Distinctive
brown road markers confirm you’re on the Auto
Route and sometimes near the Original Route.
PADDLE THE TRAIL OF TEARS and you’ll
hardly find any signs at all but that might be
changing.
WALK IT to connect more deeply because your
shoes and theirs will have trod some same places.
Shoes are a key concept, as is visiting homes of the
Cherokee who were forced west.
We are wrong if we think only of moccasins and
tents that fold, people with little to leave behind.
These included people who were living in fine
two-story homes, wealthy community leaders, and
established citizens. Some homes you can go in,
some you can only drive by.
54
OR PADDLE YOUR CANOE. That’s what Dale
Sanders did. Three months, by himself, from Ross’s Landing
near Chattanooga ending at Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma, 1,380
miles later. Of course, he already paddled the Amazon River
and he doesn’t recommend the Mississippi for a novice.
Some water routes he does recommend for the rest of us,
and he’s suggesting places the National Park Service and
Trail of Tears Association might put signs noting important
junctures. “All the tribes were on the water at some
point,” Sanders told me, “and the Seminoles traveled exclusively
that route.”
Sanders shares suggestions on his Facebook site:
www.facebook.com/trailoftearswaterroute2012expedition.com.

He’s also completing a book with more than words
and photographs. Look for a code at the end of each
chapter that’ll take you to a website with a link to
a three-minute video about the Trail of Tears water
route experiences. “Historic and cultural and connected
to indigenous people”. That’s how Sanders considers
the Trail of Tears, important history and people he
wants to understand more fully.
Who follows the Trail of Tears?
Lifelong Canadian Ruth Demeter chose the auto route,
starting in Rome, Georgia, heading for Tahlequah,
Oklahoma not long after becoming a U.S. citizen in
2012. “My sense is people care deeply,” she says after
the journey. “My desire is to understand world history
in a way that we can be sure we do not let anything
like this ever happen again.” Demeter traveled with intention,
seeking deep experiences and says she found
them. “Be ready for emotional connections when
going to where history happened,” she advises. It is
possible, I’ve learned, to discover those deep Trail of
Tears emotions if you pay attention to the signs along
the way. It helps to have the directional glossary
ahead of time. The National Park Service provides five
way-finding signs.
The official Trail of Tears logo on each was designed
by Cherokee Gary Allen, artist and schoolteacher in
Oklahoma. Listen to his story and his passion and then
the signs impart meaning. “I grew up Cherokee. I felt
honored to be chosen by the National Park Service
for the logo to be placed on the three original routes,”
Allen says. “In the Briggs community where I grew
up seven miles east of Tahlequah, were many Cherokee
who spoke their own language. “In my home my
mother and grandmother spoke only Cherokee between
them.” Allen suggests the major importance of the
Trail of Tears is the continued culture of the Cherokee
people, and the other tribes forced to leave their
lands in the east. “Cherokee continue to be a progressive
culture, nation or government,” Allen notes. “There
is also a surge of Cherokee art, and artisans who
carry on their culture through practice and research
into the past.”
HOW TO FIND YOUR WAY
ORIGINAL ROUTE brings tears to sentimental me. I
saw one of those official signs in Cave Spring, Georgia
where a two-story 1810 Cherokee structure was discovered
recently, long hidden with a building covering
it up from all sides.
AUTO ROUTE signs are the kind Demeter followed
between Georgia and Oklahoma---means you’re in the
general vicinity.
LOCAL TOUR ROUTE signs were influenced by the
state Trail of Tears Associations who will help scout them
out. Crossing can stir emotions for me, considering I’m in
a spot where the historic crosses the convenient.
Not easy to qualify, but meaningful to travelers are the
places with Trail of Tears Historic Site signs. THE CHIEF-
TAINS MUSEUM IN ROME, GEORGIA has earned that
designation. Major Ridge and his wife, Sehoyah, lived
here in a fine home. Historians say he led a minority faction
signing the Treaty of New Echota in 1835, relinquishing
Cherokee claims to land east of the Mississippi River.
NEW ECHOTA, also an official historic Trail of Tears site
in Georgia, was the capital of the Cherokee Nation from
1825 to 1838 and where you can tour a dozen original
and reconstructed homes, businesses and farm buildings.
Muse about the people living here and ponder America’s
history. New Echota is the site of the first Indian language
newspaper office and one of the earliest experiments
in national government by an Indian tribe.
If you prefer to imagine you’re walking where Cherokee
walked, you can follow the one-mile trail to a small beaver
pond. Here’s who you’re likely to encounter when you
go. “Visitors are going to significant developed parks all
along the Trail of Tears,” says New Echota Site Manager
David Gomez. “They’re seeking undeveloped but significant
Cherokee sites, too. Some are personal journeys,
with family ties to the land and the location. ”I’d so
like to meet people along the Trail, hearing the a counts
passed down through their families. “They come,” Gomez
says,” hoping we may have records for their genealogy
research, or they’ve come to the decision they may not
be able to trace family ties but have developed very
strong feelings of affection and admiration about the
Cherokee people, history and culture.”
WHO ELSE SHOWS UP AT HISTORIC SITES
ALONG THE TRAIL?
“Some are traveling because of the general Cherokee
history significance,” Gomez observes. “Geographic location
always adds to the strength of the experience
greatly when compared to just reading about history.”
This is a national historic trail and that’s a formal title.
There are 19 others spanning 33,002 miles crossing 47
states. They are different from scenic byways, heritage
corridors and wild and scenic river designations. Descendants
bring insight and passion. For the descendants of
those forced to relinquish their homes, valleys, mountains,
streams and lands for unknown western destinations, this
becomes a family history journey — maybe not yours or
mine, but most definitely one to be honored in a nation
that talks a lot about family values.
55
I met the great-great-great grandson of Cherokee who

The Mantle Rock, Kentucky
Winter was harsh when the Ohio River froze
and hundreds sought refuge under this rock.
Photo courtesy Dale Sanders
WHEN
YOU PLAN
YOUR ROUTE:
The National Park Service
www.nps.gov/trte
The National Trail of Tears Association
www.nationaltota.org
Alabama
www.alabamatrailoftears.org
Georgia
www.GATrailOfTears.com
Little Rock,Arkansas 501-666-9032
TOTA@arindianctr.org
Link th
National T
website for the
connections in Illino
North Carolina
56
Worchester House
New Echota, Georgia
Phoenix Printing Office Interior
New Echota, Georgia

lived well-established lives in Georgia until 1838. I telephoned
him in Oklahoma. “Following the Trail gives a tactile
link chronologically to places of history,” Jay Hannah
says. “Those of us fortunate enough to be Native American,
can stand in our past; we can be in the places where
our family lived 1,000 years ago.” Hannah cares passionately
about cultural continuity and he points to the renaissance
of language as one measure, including language
immersion school in Tahlequah. “The syllabary developed
by Sequoya in use today uses 84 or 85 characters recorded
in 1820.” Hannah’s conversation intersperses Cherokee
sentences with English, as you might expect from a
dual-nation citizen. I told him I wished I could watch him
visiting the printing office of the Phoenix in New Echota,
the first Indian language newspaper produced in America.
This too was dual language—Cherokee and English. I also
wished I could have seen his shoes, too. This banker of 31
years and weekend musician with such a solid ancestry
and vibrant sense of history brought me to a thoughtful
new place when he said, “How very white of you.” By that
point in our conversation and my research, I should have
known many Cherokee on the Trail of Tears were dressed
like the prosperous people of business they were.
Travel teaches, and I doubt I’ll sing “Home Sweet Home”
the same way ever again now that I know poet
John Howard Payne -- who wrote “be it ever so
humble, there’s no place like home” -- was a guest
in 1822 at the home of Cherokee Chief John Ross,
which was a substantial farm with 200 fruit trees.
Visit there in Cleveland, Tennessee, and spend some
time at Red Clay State Historic Park, another certified
Trail of Tears site. Shouldn’t we muse about
the forced removal of Ross and his family from
their home sweet home? Red Clay was the seat of
the Cherokee government and 11 general councils
happened here, with up to 5,000 people. This was
an organized society.
Check out Blue Hole Spring which arises from beneath
a limestone ledge to form a deep pool – and
know as you do the Cherokee drew water right
there for council meetings. Keep up with the special
events calendar here too as a way to connect
with the descendants of those forced west, and
to embrace their culture. Options offer depth of
experience, and Trail of Tears choices abound with
possibility.
Arkansas
www.artota.org
rough the
Tennessee
rail of Tears
(site under renovation at press time)
most up-to-date
www.TNTOTA.com
is, Kentucky, Missouri,
and Oklahoma.
Southeast Tennessee Tourism Association
www.southeasttennessee.com
Ross’s Landing & the Passage, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Photo courtesy Chattanooga Convention & Visitors Bureau
57

58

Volcanoes
National Park
Big Hawaii
59
by Dave G. Houser 59

It is surprisingly warm on an early spring morning as my
friend, Vicky, and I stroll along Crater Rim Trail flanking
Kilauea Volcano’s smoldering Halema’uma’u Crater on the
Big Island’s Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Viewed through a smoggy veil of sulfurous gas and steam,
Kilauea is this day living up to its reputation as the world’s
most active volcano. It has been continuously erupting
since 1983. You’ve undoubtedly witnessed its periodic
lava flows on the evening news, creeping relentlessly down
the volcano’s southern slope, or pali, engulfing everything
in sight along its 36-mile course to the sea.
A recent spate of earthquakes has rattled the
region, reactivating a surface flow of lava from
Pu’u’O’o crater in the park’s southeast corner, which
on March 5 sent molten lava crashing through
the last home standing in the one-time residential
development of Hawaiian Gardens. These seismic
tremors also have boosted the volume of gas and
steam emitting from a vent in Halema’uma’u crater.
They’ve stirred up the crater’s lava lake bottom as
well, producing a vivid orange glow clearly visible
at night from viewing areas along Crater Rim Trail
and the Jaggar Museum.
60 60

Periods of increased volcanic activity greatly enhance
the Kilauea visitor experience – but also
present some potentially serious risks. Volcanic
gas and steam can deliver dangerous levels of sulfur
dioxide, which can cause heart and respiratory problems,
especially among those diagnosed with such
deficiencies, the young, elderly and pregnant women.
An experienced corps of National Park Service
rangers and interpreters maintain a constant vigil
over geologic and weather conditions and adroitly
control access to potentially risky trails and roadways
throughout the 230,000-acre park.
During our visit, for example, Crater Rim Drive, which
under normal conditions allows visitors to drive around
the five-mile-wide Kilauea caldera, was temporarily
closed because portions of it were shrouded in gaseous
fumes because of shifting wind conditions. Our trek
along the 11.6-mile Crater Rim Trail, which began at the
trailhead near the Kilauea Visitor Center, was blocked as
well after little more than a mile (at Trail Stop 10, approaching
Waldron Ledge Overlook) by a barricade – for
the same reason as the road closure. We realized, as all
visitors should, the danger of ignoring such warnings.
Still, we were able to view quite a lot of the wondrous and
enormous caldera and its fuming Halema’uma’u Crater.
61

We hiked back to the Visitor Center – a must stop for park exhibits,
displays and up-to-the-minute trail/road access information –
and drove a short distance to Jaggar Museum which stands on the
caldera rim just above Halema’uma’u Crater. Named after scientist
Dr. Thomas Jaggar who came to Kilauea in 1912 and devoted his
life to the study of the volcano, this is where we really gained some
understanding of the geologic wonderland before us. The place
is loaded with displays, interactive exhibits and real-time feeds of
instrumented readings of volcanic activity taking place just beyond
the museum doors. Admission is free and the Jaggar is open daily
from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Our next move, a drive down the 18-mile Chain of Craters Road,
which tracks historic lava flows down Kilauea’s eastern flank to the
sea, was thwarted as well thanks to road repairs, which reduced
traffic to a single lane. Growing impatient with our stop-and-go
progress and ready for lunch, we backtracked to Volcano House,
the park’s only dining and lodging facility, located across from the
Visitor Center. But, alas, it was closed for renovation and not slated
to reopen until sometime this summer. It was becoming clear to
us that our timing for a park visit wasn’t the best. Have faith dear
reader – by the time you’re flipping these pages most scheduled
renovation and road repairs will have been completed. With luck,
the wind direction will likely have changed as well. Our situation
reminded us, however, that Mother Nature is clearly in charge here
and we humans had best take heed and pay homage.
For native Hawaiians, including my friend Vicky, homage is precisely
what is paid in these parts to the legendary (outsiders might say
mythical) goddess of the island’s volcanoes, Pele. This capricious
female deity, pictured with flowing raven-black hair, is believed to
reside somewhere within the fiery inferno of Kilauea and is viewed
by natives as responsible for all volcanic activity.
Big Island Visitors Bureau:
(800) 648-2441 www.bigislandhvcb.com
62

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64

10, 9, 8, 7…. As blast-off for family vacation gets closer,
you may want to think “out of this world.”
COSMIC FAMILY VACATION
by Lisa TE Sonne
Space travel, to earth orbit and beyond, is opening a
whole new chapter of commercial tourism, but the price
tag to experience Zero-G usually includes lots of zeros.
For memorable thrills at a lower fare, you can enjoy
some cosmic experiences here on earth.
You can touch a moon rock or meteorite, talk to an astronaut,
strap into a simulator, peruse the remarkable
vehicles that have been to space, or head out to New
Mexico’s Space Port:
http://spaceportamerica.com, ,
a home to some of the spaceships of the future. And
whether you are a child or an adult, you can immerse
yourself in Space Camp, in Huntsville, Alabama:
http://www.spacecamp.com.
The President of the Space Tourism Society ,:
(http://spacetourismsociety.org),
John Spencer, says earth-bound space travel is becoming
increasingly popular. He cites that more than 8.6 million
people visited the National Air and Space Museum
in Washington, DC last year. Rides and attractions at
Disney’s EPCOT Mission to Mars attracted 4.1 million.
Three of the US Space Centers – the Kennedy Space
Center in Florida, the Johnson Space Center in Texas,
and the Space Camp in Alabama – entertained 1.9 million
visitors curious about life beyond earth.
GOOD LUNACY:
TOUCH AND BE TOUCHED
During the six Apollo space missions back in the 60s and 70s,
842 pounds of lunar geology were brought back to earth.
Most of these celebrities of the rock world are under lock
and key in special conditions in Texas, but some have been
made available for earthlings to touch.
One of the great highlights of the Smithsonian’s Air and Space
museum in Washington, DC, is a real piece of the moon literally
at your fingertips, and not far from the Apollo 11 capsule
that carried the first people to walk the lunar surface,
At the Kennedy Space Center, you can touch a small piece
of the moon not far from a looming Saturn Five rocket, then
test your G-force mettle on a launch-simulating ride that cost
$70 million to build.
To put your paws on something much larger than a moon rock
and from further away in our galaxy, head to the Rose Center
for Earth and Space in New York, where the Willamette
Meteorite now rests. Scientists think the 15-ton space rock
may have journeyed to earth from an asteroid belt between
Jupiter and Saturn more than 10,000 years ago.
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SHUTTLE VACATIONS
Spencer says more than $300 million dollars will be
spent in the next few years developing the three “retired”
space shuttles that once orbited millions of miles
around earth and helped build the International Space
Station.
The shuttle Discovery holds the record for the most
space trips (39) and gets kudos for launching the Hubble
Telescope. Admission is free at the Steven F. Udar-Hazy
Center in Virginia:
http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center/.
The Endeavour, named by school children, is now settled
at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Space
lovers visiting LA can also tour NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Lab (JPL) :
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/tours/views/
to learn about exploring other planets, then head to the
Griffith Observatory to see stars that have been around
a lot longer than Hollywood.
The last shuttle to fly in space, Atlantis, will open to
the public June 29, 2014 as part of Florida’s Kennedy
Space Center. For a peek at the first shuttle, head to
the Hudson River in New York. The Enterprise (yes, it
was named in honor of the Star Trek starship) never
flew into space, but now sits on an aircraft carrier at the
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Temporarily closed
due to Hurricane Sandy, it should be open again by July
10, 2014.
While shuttling from coast to coast for space-blasts from
the pasts, you can land in the heartland to learn about
Russian and American launches at the Cosmosphere in
Kansas : http://www.cosmo.org.
This Smithsonian-affiliated museum boasts the largest
collection of Russian space artifacts outside of Moscow,
as well as a diverse collection of American memorabilia,
including spacecraft from the Mercury program (Liberty
Bell 7), the Gemini program (Gemini 10), and the
Apollo program (Apollo 13).
As the countdown to summer vacation begins, these are
just some of the many ways your family’s mission for fun
can include a flight plan for earth-based space travel.

NATJA Member Lisa Sonne has been covering Space Travel for
over two decades including going weightless with cosmonauts
over Star City in Russia on a LIFE magazine assignment,
helping land a space shuttle with moonwalker John Young
(in the astronaut’s simulator at Johnson Space Center,)
getting Carl Sagan to sign a tile from the Space Shuttle and
interviewing the latest host of COSMOS Neil deGrasse Tyson
for an essay she wrote to accompany a special edition of
Madeleine L’Engle’s classic Wrinkle in Time. Some of
Sonne’s space writing is available on her website:
www.WorldTouristBureau.com under Space Travel.
Sonne’s first time to the site of the NATJA 2014 Conference
(Huntsville, Alabamba, aka Rocket City) was when she and
Sally Ride dressed up in the required “bunny suits” so they
could watch part of the International Space Station be built.
They also visited the engaging Space Camp programs at the
US Space and Rocket Center as part of launching Space.com.
She received the GOLD this year for Destination Writing
so we asked her about some good family destinations for
“Space Vacations” to get fellow NATJA writers primed for
the fall conference.
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68

GREAT CITIES
THE BEST
ATTRACTIONS
SAVE MONEY. SAVE TIME.
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Houston
New York City
Philadelphia
San Francisco
Seattle
Southern California
Tampa Bay
Toronto
Learn more or
buy at citypass.com
69

DESTINATION INFORMATION
EXPLORE BRANSON, MO
ALYESKA RESORT
DISCOVER OXNARD, CA
Branson, Missouri, nestled in the lakeside beauty of
the Ozark Mountains, is America’s affordable, wholesome
family entertainment capital that emphasizes
fun, comfort and the feeling of being right at home.
Featuring an array of live theaters and attraction
venues and active recreational pursuits, the community
embodies essential American values such as
patriotism, faith, courage and generosity of spirit in a
warm inviting atmosphere that is truly genuine and
heartfelt.
www.explorebranson.com
Alyeska Resort is Alaska’s premier year-round
destination featuring the 304-room Hotel Alyeska.
Located just 40 miles from Anchorage
and Ted Stevens Anchorage International
Airport, Alyeska Resort is the perfect base
camp for visitors whether they are seeking
powder-filled slopes or a mountain retreat between
stops at national parks and sports-fishing
lodges. The resort is within close proximity
of three national parks and the Kenai
Peninsula, and is home to the northernmost
coastal temperate rainforest, part of the
Chugach Mountain Range.
Nestled along the Pacific Coast between Los
Angeles and Santa Barbara, Oxnard, California
offers everything you need for a great vacation.
Catch a boat out of our scenic marina
for a whale watching cruise or to explore the
Channel Islands National Park, “America’s
Galapagos.” Enjoy miles of uncrowded beaches
and oceanfront bike trails. Grab a kayak,
ride the ocean on a paddle board, boat, fish,
and soak up Southern California’s beautiful-year-round
weather. Play a few holes at our
world-class golf courses and taste local wines
along the Ventura County Wine Trail. Celebrate
the sunset at one of our fabulous gourmet
restaurants. It’s time to discover Oxnard!
UNITED STATES
ALABAMA
Greater Birmingham Convention
& Visitors Bureau
(205) 458-8000
www.birminghamal.org
Hunstville/Madison County Convention
& Visitors Bureau
(256) 551-2235
www.huntsville.org
ALASKA
Alyeska Resort
(907) 754-2592
www.alyeskaresort.com
Explore Fairbanks
907-459-3770
www.ExploreFairbanks.com
ARIZONA
Visit Phoenix
(602) 452-6250
www.visitphoenix.com
ARKANSAS
Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau
(479) 783-8888
www.fortsmith.org/
Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
501-370-3224
www.LittleRock.com
CALIFORNIA
Janis Flippen Public Relations
805-389-9495
www.JanisFlippenPR.com
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Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau
(562) 495-8345
http://www.visitlongbeach.com/
Visit Oxnard
(805) 385-7545
www.visitoxnard.com
Visit Palm Springs
(760) 778-8415
www.visitpalmsprings.com
Visit Pasadena
(626) 395-0211
http://www.visitpasadena.com/
San Diego Zoo Global
(619) 685-3291
http://sandiegozoo.org/
Visit West Hollywood
310-289-2525
http://www.visitwesthollywood.com
COLORADO
Glenwood Springs Chamber
Resort Association
(970) 945-5002
http://www.glenwoodchamber.com/
DELAWARE
Kensington Tours
647-880-1581
www.kensingtontours.com
FLORIDA
Franklin County Tourist
Development Council
(850) 653-8678
http://www.saltyflorida.com/
LDWWgroup
727-452-4538
www.LDWWgroup.com
Leigh Cort Publicity
(904) 806-3613
http://www.leighcortpublicity.com/
GEORGIA
Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau
678.297.2811
www.AwesomeAlpharetta.com
IDAHO
Visit Idaho
(208) 334-2470
http://www.visitidaho.org/
LOUISIANA
Visit Baton Rouge
(225) 382-3578
http://www.visitbatonrouge.com/
Shreveport-Bossier Convention
& Tourist Bureau
(318) 429-0658
http://www.shreveport-bossier.org/
Alexandria/Pineville Area
Convention & Visitors Bureau
(318) 442-9546
http://www.theheartoflouisiana.com/index.cfm
MASSACHUSETTS
Open the Door, Inc.
617-536-0590
http://www.openthedoor.biz/
MISSOURI
Branson/Lakes Area Chamber
of Commerce & CVB
(417) 243-2137
http://bransoncvb.com/
Maryland Heights Convention
& Visitors Bureau
(314) 548-6051
http://www.more2do.org/
The Beenders Walker Group
(573) 636-8282
http://www.tbwgroup.net/

TRAVEL TRIVIA ANSWERS (quiz on page 4):
1. Michigan 2. From mid-June to mid-October 3. The Coral Sea 4. Mobile, Alabama
5. India (before 6th century, A.D., then Persia, then Southern Europe
VISIT PALM SPRINGS
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO
VISIT SALTY, FLORIDA
Palm Springs, California is known for its storied Hollywood
legacy, Native American heritage and stellar
collection of mid-century modern architecture. Palm
Springs is California’s ultimate desert playground. It
truly is like no place else. Lounging by the pool and
soaking up the sun is always a favorite pastime. If you
want to explore the outdoors and enjoy the beautiful
climate, there are plenty of activities. Soar to the top of
Mount San Jacinto on the world famous Palm Springs
Aerial Tramway, hike scenic trails and stroll through the
ancient palm groves in the Indian Canyons, or take an
off-road excursion of Joshua Tree National Park or the
San Andreas Fault.
Take a ticket to your next Colorado Rocky Mountain
adventure by exploring “America’s Most Fun Town,”
Glenwood Springs, Colorado! For over a century, visitors
from around the globe have added Glenwood
Springs to their travel itineraries. Our destination is
family friendly, affordable, and blessed with a remarkable
mix of geological wonders including hot springs,
vapor caves, two rivers and a canyon, surrounded by
the glorious Rocky Mountains. Whether you crave
hiking, biking, fishing, outdoor activities or relaxing
spa time, you’ll find it all in Glenwood Springs.
We’re Salty! If you’re looking for the old Florida experience
you’ll find it in Franklin County. Tucked along Florida’s
Panhandle, the coastal communities of Alligator Point,
Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and St. George Island
offer beaches, history, adventure and fresh Apalachicola
Bay seafood served up in an authentic “salty” setting. Relax
on award-winning, pet-friendly beaches, climb historic
lighthouses, charter eco-tours and fishing trips or bring
your own gear and enjoy camping, paddling and hiking
on acres of wooded trails and miles of quiet streams. Tee
up on a championship golf course, enjoy live theatre performances
in an historic venue and browse local galleries,
museums and shops. Fresh local seafood is served at more
than 30 area restaurants and local seafood markets.
www.VisitPalmSprings.com www.glenwoodchamber.com www.saltyflorida.com
NEW YORK
Development Counsellors International
212-725-0707
www.AboutDCI.com
Dutchess County Tourism
(845) 463-5446
http://dutchesstourism.com/
M Silver – A Division of Finn Partners
212-715-1600
www.FinnPartners.com
Ulster County Tourism
845-340-3568
www.UlsterTourism.info
NEVADA
City of Henderson Department
of Cultural Arts and Tourism
(702) 267-2171
www.cityofhenderson.com
OHIO
Lake County Visitors Bureau
440-350-3720
www.LakeVisit.com
Tuscarawas County Convention
& Visitors Bureau
(330) 602-2420
http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/
––columbus-ohio.cfm?id=7778
OREGON
City Pass
(503) 292-4418
www.citypass.com/
Lincoln City Visitor &
Convention Bureau
(541) 996-1271
www.lincolncity.org/
PENNSYLVANIA
Camelback Lodge & Indoor Waterpark
608.206.5796
www.CamelbackResort.com
Camelback Mountain Resort
608.206.5796
www.SkiCamelback.com
Camelbeach Mountain Waterpark
608.206.5796
www.Camelbeach.com
RHODE ISLAND
Discover Newport
(401) 845-9117
www.gonewport.com
South County Tourism Council
(401) 489-4422
www.southcountyri.com
TENNESSEE
Cherohala Skyway National
Scenic Byway
(423) 442-9147
http://monroecounty.com/
TEXAS
Nacogdoches Convention &
Visitors Bureau
(888) 653-3788
http://visitnacogdoches.org/
VIRGINIA
Hampton Convention &
Visitor Bureau (VA)
(757) 728-5316
http://visithampton.com/
Virginia Beach CVB
(757) 385-6645
http://www.vbgov.com/Pages/home.aspx
WASHINGTON
San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau
(360) 378-6822
http://visitsanjuans.com/
WEST VIRGINIA
Pocahontas County CVB
(304) 799-4636
http://www.pocahontascountywv.com/
WISCONSIN
Savvy Owl Marketing & Public Relations
608.206.5796
www.SavvyOwlMarketing.com
INDIA
KERALA
The Travel Planners
(905) 230-2701
Www.ttpkerala.com
MEXICO
PUERTO VALLARTA
Visit Puerto Vallarta
(212) 633-2047
Www.visitpuertovallarta.com
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