Category: TRAVEL (Page 31 of 45)
I’m starting to pack my bags to Canada, along with the dog beds. These two schnauzer sisters will cross the border for the first time and on the deck of a ferry boat. It’s about a four-hour drive to Port Angeles and we’ll need to get there by 8:30 p.m. to get in line to board. It means my wife will have to leave work early so we can get “On the road again” as Willie might sing. There’s nothing like a family road trip – the stuff of Chevy Chase comedies.
I am now officially TSA-Pre-check approved, although it won’t be beneficial on this particular trip. There is no expedited means of getting to the front of the line of the boat-dock like there is with an airport. The good news is there may be some fireworks to entertain us, but hopefully far enough away as to not get the dogs in an uproar. They hate the Fourth of July noise, so a quieter Canada will be just the ticket. We’ll visit Butchart Gardens and have an “Outstanding” meal on the shore with a table laid-out for several hundred. Our five-day visit to the “Great North” should be unforgettable, as we continue to explore the sights that surround our Portland home.
In the five years we’ve lived here, we’ve been fortunate to see Crater Lake, Bend, the Gorge, and explored the Oregon Coastline from the California border to Astoria. We’ve been to Seattle by train multiple times, and floated on both the Willamette & Columbia Rivers. I’ve also gone fishing, kayaking, and whale watching off the Pacific Ocean coast. The first glimpse of our new home state was along Highway 84 driving in from Idaho on our route from Austin, Texas. We’ve covered a lot of beautiful Pacific Northwest ground as part of our move here.
As I think about travel, I once again refer to the 1000 Places To See Before You Die calendar. As I close out the month of June, they show enticing pictures of Northern Ireland, Switzerland, Sweden, Vietnam, Quebec, Guatemala, Mount Fuji, Denmark, and Northern Italy that have yet to be personally experienced. Only Paris and the Massachusetts Cape are crossed-off my list of sights seen in life. Once again, I’m reminded of how unworldly I actually am. I can’t see these unobserved sights from the comforts of home, so it’s time to get back on the road again.
I will be home for the next nineteen days, and then we’ll head to Canada for the Fourth of July. The Canadians probably won’t be putting on much of a fireworks show. Their national celebration is actually on the First, Canada Day. it celebrates the anniversary of July 1, 1867, the effective date of the Constitution Act, 1867 (then called the British North America Act, 1867), which united the three separate colonies of the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada. The real celebration, however, took place last night after the Toronto Raptors smuggled the NBA title over the border. It’s a Wrap-tor! (See Post # 971)
Butchart Gardens and an Outstanding In The Field dinner await us in Vancouver. The dogs will also probably get their first ride on a Ferry across the English Bay. They are very well-traveled pups, just back from a walk on a Pacific Ocean beach yesterday at Netarts Bay. It will be a six or seven hour drive to get to our destination, and another check-mark on my wife’s bucket list. Here are some of her travel and personal goals that include me:
- Bora Bora/Tahiti
- Cruise around the world for 8 months on a fabulous ocean liner
- Live on the Amalfi Coast, Italy for a year
- Live in Hawaii for a year in retirement
- Thailand trip
- Dalmatian Island/Croatia trip
- Greek Island trip
- Venice
- Monet’s Garden
- Bali trip
- Fiji Island trip
- Travel to ALL the countries in Europe
- Spain trip/Rock of Gibraltar & Puente Nuevo bridge
- London, England trip with London theater tickets and Stonehenge
- Ireland trip kissing the Blarney Stone
- Trip to Vancouver, Canada (coming soon)
- French Laundry dinner
- Trip to Belize
- Trip to Costa Rica
- Jungle Safari in Africa
- Philippine Island trip
- Singapore trip
- Egypt trip to see the Sphinx and the Pyramids (booked)
- Hong Kong/China trip to see the Great Wall, the Emperor’s Palace, and the Terracotta Warriors (2021)
- Japan trip to see the Palace & sites
- New Zealand trip
- Australia trip
- Hike Cinque Terra to all 5 villages
- Argentina/Chile/Rio trip
- Easter Island trip
- Be a General Manager for a top rated TV station in the US
- Seychelles’ Island trip
- Trip to Iceland
- Trip to South Africa/Cape Hope
- Trip to Venezuela
- Live in a beautiful Home in a warm lush place with ocean views on a lovely beach with low humidity in retirement.
- Billy Joel Concert
- See Pink in concert
- See Bruno Mars in concert
- See Lady Gaga in concert
- Trip to the Florida Keys
- Las Vegas trip every 5 years
- New Orleans trip every 5 years
- See Mt. Rushmore
- See the Grand Canyon
- Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland
- See the Chicago Cubs play baseball every year
- See NYC and Broadway musicals every year.
- Return trips to Bora Bora & Phuket
- Kentucky Derby
- Super Bowl with all the VIP parties
- Cruise to Alaska
- All remaining 50 US states (MT, ND, SD, NB, Delaware, Vermont, Maine, N. H. & Alaska)
- Autumn in New England
- Eat at Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami
- Take up photography as a hobby
- Have a nice vegetable/flower garden
- Helicopter Ride for fun/sightseeing
- Hot Air Balloon Ride
- iFly experience
We’ve managed to cross-off about 10 of these over the past three years. However, destinations continue to be added. As I look at some of the June dates on the 1000 Places to See Before I Die Calendar, I realize that I better live for a long time and have lots of money. They show pictures of Kangaroo Island, Australia; Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen; Cook Islands; Patagonia, Argentina; Zaandam, Netherlands; Hallstatt, Austria; Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia; Slieve League Peninsula, Ireland; South Island, New Zealand; Penang, Malysia; Petra, Jordan; Chobe National Park, Africa; and The Ring Road, Ireland. None of these places are on our radar, but certainly on somebody’s bucket list. It’s a matter of one step at a time, and our first step will be just across the border into Canada. Eh!
My heart is into home right now after a rigorous first five months of travel this year. I’m content with the relatively hassle-free enjoyment of home life. Next week, I do have an appointment with the TSA to enroll in their accelerated security program, hoping to cut down on waiting time and avoid the hassle of taking off my shoes and belt. It’s worth the $85 fee, especially for international travel. I do have a love for hitting the road, but it sometimes gets to be a bit much!
I have only two flights booked in advance at this time. One is for my August 68th birthday party in Steamboat, Colorado and in early September, and the other is for my step-daughter’s wedding at the Presidio in San Francisco. I seem to be in the midst of the first travel lull since retirement – at least a conscious break from airports and especially lengthy flights that tend to kick my butt. My wife, on the other hand, is traveling to Phoenix in two weeks. I also agreed to stay home when she travels to Los Angeles in July. While she’s gone, I did commit to drive the pups to the Oregon Coast to play on the beach with my friends’ Golden-doodles and spend the night at their Netarts home. We’ll also chauffeur them to Vancouver, B.C. in July for a long weekend. After summer comes to a close, I’ll have recovered enough to join my wife on cross-country business trips to New York City and Chicago, while we’ll continue to discuss Florida or Palm Springs.
We still don’t know yet about the Superbowl in Miami next February. Our reservations are still questionable and tickets yet to be fully secured, although we have a source. I will also soon be making airline arrangements to Egypt next October. This morning, however, I’m in downtown Portland for the American Heart Association 3-mile walk. As we wait for the start, I will get in a few miles to maintain my running streak. Tonight we’ll see “Rocketman,” the Elton John story. Tomorrow morning, I will thankfully wake up in my own bed, with a month of such comfortable home life ahead.
As I continue to write on the morning after, the dogs were perhaps a bit over-stimulated about participating in the Heart Walk. I pushed old lady Tinker, “The Poopingest Pup on the Planet,” in her stroller, while my wife led a frightened Tally on the leash. She’s the youngest of our two schnauzers, who loves to romp but was clearly afraid of the humming noises that the car tires made as they crossed the Hawthorne Bridge. As we approached the end of the course, I stopped to give Tinker a final potty break but quickly discovered it was too late. The Heart Walk suddenly became the “Poop Walk!” Typically, she barks when she has to go, but instead she quietly let loose. “Silent but Deadly,” they say, and I had the unpleasant task of cleaning up the mess that was all over her paws and butt. It was not the kind of donation that the Heart Association was expecting!
We got through this morning’s “Schnauzerthon” without another incident. Next weekend, we’ll participate in another fundraiser and hopefully our only donation will be monetary. We’ll buy some Wet Wipes to keep in the stroller just in case. My heart goes out to Tinker who now is over 15-years old (105 dog years) and slowly losing control of her aging body. The stroller allows her to still go along with us on long weekend walks that are frequently for a good cause, considering the dry weather associated with this time of year in Portland.
I’ve flipped over a few more pages on my 1000 Places to See Before I Die gift calendar, revealing many more personally undiscovered locations. I’ve been to Arlington National Cemetery, Winchester Cathedral (Bodie-Oh-Dough), and St. Lucia, but never to The Dead Sea, Kenya, East Essex, Argentina, or Mexico City. My current bucket list does not include any of these destinations, so I would have to get a bigger bucket and more money to fill it with.
In retirement, I’m beyond the earning stage of life and entirely into spending what I’ve saved or been awarded. As a result, my bucket has a slow leak, refilled slowly by social security, pension, and 401k withdrawals. Too much traveling could easily lower its contents, although thankfully it should never empty. Travel is a luxury that according to my 80%/20% rule (See Post #323) should be confined to about 73 days on the road. For this year, I’m already at 42 days after only 5 months, so more like 28% of my time away from home. Hopefully, it will be less in the next 7 months. I am, however, especially looking forward to next year’s 2-week adventure in Egypt.
I did take time out today to donate to a cancer-free friend who’s walking this weekend for the American Cancer Society cause back in Indiana. She fought and won her personal battle against a 6 cm. tumor over the uncertain duration of two years. It’s just another reason why I feel so fortunate to be enjoying retirement and seeing the world. Along a similar line, I’m walking for a different cause this weekend with the Portland chapter of the American Heart Association. Both life and good health are privileges that I’ve experienced for over 67 years with very few bumps in the road. I realize that others haven’t been as fortunate and will do my best to support these worthwhile organizations.
Good health is the biggest factor of an enjoyable retirement, regardless of how many buckets of gold are in your possession. As tough as it sometimes seems, the ability to run everyday and maintain “The Streak” gives me the ongoing strength to carry my leaky bucket. In that bucket are my travel dreams of the future, with even more places to add to it, according to the calendar.
It was a memorable Memorial weekend of scenic, twisting highways, wine tasting, dog activities, time together, family affairs, and even some comedy to cap it all off. Our first stop was in Kennewick, Washington at Farmhand, a small winery with a unique story. The owner lost a finger in a farm accident and his labels are imprinted with four fingers as a proud tribute to his personal challenge. We bought a case, enjoyed dinner at Red Lobster and settled into our dog-friendly Fairfield Inn room for the night. In the meantime, I had made contact with a DNA cousin and got directions to his home in nearby Pasco.
The next morning, the puppy dogs got their second of three “Schnauzertons” over the weekend. They deserve this after many long hours in a moving car, a strange hotel room, and waiting patiently while we dined, hoping for a tasty reward . After another of multiple breakfast stops at McDonald’s, we dropped in to see Cousin Terry, a man that I originally connected with through the 23andMe website nearly 3 years ago. The dogs got to run around in their fenced-in orchard while we talked about how our genealogical paths might have crossed. My wife and I then spent the rest of the day visiting wineries in the Walla Walla area.
From Woodward Canyon and its neighbor L’Ecole to the downtown Canoe Ridge tasting room, we sampled the reds of Walla Walla and finished the afternoon at The Marcus Whitman Hotel, along with some clothes shopping. The walls of the landmark hotel are covered with paintings that depict the slaughter of Marcus and Narcissa, missionaries who came to the area to work with the local Cayuse tribe. It had been recommended that we stay there, but it is not dog friendly, so we chose much less luxurious accommodations an hour away. I tried to buy a round of drinks at the local VFW in honor of these veterans, but the doors unfortunately were locked. Hopefully, the thought counts. (See Post #954). We got back to Kennewick in time for a Texas Roadhouse dinner and another good night’s sleep.
On our way back to Portland the next morning, we were about to stop at a McDonald’s near the Dalles but instead followed some signs to a nearby winery called Tierra De Lobos. We were charmed by the owner and added a few more bottles to the growing collection in the trunk. In fact, it would have been a reasonably priced weekend if we hadn’t spent over $1100 on wine, $1000 on food, and another $1000 on gifts, keeping in line with our excessive $1000 a day travel budget. (See Post #320). Our room was mostly free thanks to Marriott Rewards with the exception of $60 for the two dogs. Most of the food expense came from last night’s pre-show dinner at Morton’s Steakhouse with my wife’s daughter and fiance. We ended the weekend at the Keller Auditorium with the entertaining cast of Schitt’s Creek and went to bed after a good laugh. It was a great ending to a memorial Memorial weekend.
This morning I’m back in “homebody heaven,” enjoying the second season of Deadwood. I sent some thank you flowers to my cousin as a follow-up from yesterday’s visit and will slowly get ready for this afternoon’s dentist appointment. I hope to spend every night at home until our next car trip with the dogs to Vancouver, British Columbia in 38 days. It will be another long holiday getaway for my working wife, who left for the office this morning while I return to the retirement life of leisure.
Since my wife and I arrived in Portland 5 years ago, friends have suggested that we go to Walla Walla. In fact, it had turned into kind of a running joke, as we could never find a few days that worked for all of us, even in retirement. We’ve all been busy doing our own thing so the time had come to divide and conquer. Without any plans for my wife’s long Memorial weekend, the two of us made an impromptu decision over dinner last night. We’re going to Walla Walla.
It will take us about 4 hours to get there, as we discussed at Morton’s Steakhouse prior to seeing the School of Rock musical at Keller Auditorium. We’ll be back there again in a few days to see Schitt’s Creek, a performance based on the cable television comedy series starring Eugene and Daniel Levy. In between times, we’ll be staying at the fabulous Kennewick, Washington Fairfield, Inn, one of only a few hotels in the area that would accept dogs. At least it’s a Marriott and was available for points.
I referred to Wikipedia for a brief description of the historical significance of the seemingly odd sounding town, when in fact tourists to Walla Walla are often told that it is “a town so nice they named it twice.” It actually translates to “Place of many waters.” Here’s a little history lesson:
“Recorded history in this state begins with the establishment of Fort Nez Perce in 1818 by the North West Company to trade with the Walla Walla people and other local Native American groups. At the time, the term “Nez Perce” was used more broadly than today, and included the Walla Walla in its scope in English usage. Fort Nez Perce had its name shift to Fort Walla Walla. It was located significantly west of the present city.” (closer to where we’re staying in Kennewick.
“On September 1, 1836, Marcus Whitman arrived with his wife Narcissa Whitman. Here they established the Whitman Mission in an unsuccessful attempt to convert the local Walla Walla tribe to Christianity. Following a disease epidemic, both were killed in 1847 by the Cayuse who believed that the missionaries were poisoning the native peoples. Whitman College was established in their honor.” (I seriously thought it was Walt Whitman all this time, but that’s just the poet in me).
“On July 24, 1846, Pope Pius IX established the Diocese of Walla Walla and appointed Augustin-Magloire Blanchet to become the first Bishop of Walla Walla. The diocese was short-lived as Bishop Blanchet fled to St. Paul, Oregon, after the Whitman Massacre. In 1850, the Diocese of Nesqually was established in Vancouver and in 1853 the Diocese of Walla Walla was suppressed and absorbed into the Diocese of Nesqually. Today, the Diocese of Walla Walla is a titular see currently held by Witold Mroziewski, an auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn.”
“The original North West Company and later Hudson’s Bay Company Fort Nez Percés fur trading outpost, became a major stopping point for migrants moving west to Oregon Country. The fort has been restored with many of the original buildings preserved. The current Fort Walla Walla contains these buildings, albeit in a different location from the original, as well as a museum about the early settlers’ lives.”
The main appeal for our getaway is wine tasting, although the area has a rich agricultural tradition, including Walla Walla Sweet Onions. I just hope they don’t make a habit of serving onion wine. We’re not big fans of onions that perhaps brought up the subject of Walla Walla last night at Morton’s to inspire this spur-of-the-moment trip. Years ago we were served a huge loaf of their popular onion bread that neither of us wanted. When I told the waiter to take it away, he said “don’t worry sir – it’s complimentary.” I viewed it as an insult after he turned his nose up when we only ordered water (rare for us). We still joke about it every time we visit a Morton’s location, and make a point of telling our server that we don’t want bread before they have to remove it from the table. Needless to say, it’s not onions that we seek in Walla Walla but rather the more than 100 wineries that include Merlot and Cabernet grapes. “Life is a Cabernet old chum,” while onions are not “appealing” pal.
I’ve decided to forego the next two of my wife’s business trips and stay home with the dogs. I need a break from travel having already covered over 36,000 miles this year; one and a half times around the world. As I continue to monitor the 1000 Places to See Before I Die calendar on my desk, I’m humbled by the number of locations that I never even thought of visiting. Over the last 30 days, there have been only a few of these destinations that I’ve visited, and many that I have little desire to add to my bucket list. I at least made a brief stop in Japan at the airport on our way to Thailand, have passed through Macau on the route from Hong Kong to mainland China, stopped in Lexington, Kentucky for business, journeyed through the Duomo of Florence, Italy, spent a night in Cannes, and explored the El Yunque National Park in Puerto Rico. We also have plans to visit Butchart Gardens in Vancouver and reserved space on a Viking River Cruise of Egypt. I’ve yet to be to Norway, Estonia, Costa Rica, Budapest, India, Marquesas Islands, Palau, Brazil, Argentina, University of Cambridge, Morocco, Maidstone, or Ireland. I’m not sure that there will be time in this lifetime to see all these fabulous sights. Hopefully, there are other lives to come, even though I don’t remember any from the past.
My goal is to not leave the area again until Vancouver, B.C. over the 4th of July holiday and will then consider going with my wife on Chicago and New York business ventures later this year if we can secure a dog sitter. Steamboat is planned for my August 68th birthday getaway. With the loss of my wife’s 97-year old mother, we are no longer confined to four trips a year back to Indiana and can even think about staying home for Christmas. Neither my wife or I have had that pleasure since we met. I do need to see my grandkids in Florida or make plans to bring them here to Portland. We also have a daughter’s wedding in San Francisco to celebrate and another daughter’s union here in convenient Portland. I just made arrangements to send the newlyweds on a Maui honeymoon, and my son’s family will spend a long weekend at a resort near Disneyworld on us. It’s rewarding when you can treat other loved ones to a brief sample of the retirement life.
Today is a laundry day in my busy world of retirement. I will naturally continue to stay on top of my favorite cable obsessions like Ballers, Chernobyl, Fosse/Verdon, Deadwood, and Curse of Civil War Gold. Game of Thrones is now a thing of the past. A Leadership Meeting is planned for Friday and Movie Night will return as part of my wife’s much needed weekend. I also have a Happy Hour scheduled with a former boss and client next week, and a baseball card collector’s breakfast.
On the sports front, the Cubs walked-off a victory against the Nats last night just as I served my wife a delicious pork chop dinner. The Raptors tied their series against the Bucks in the battle to face the Warriors. I had to witness the Golden State comeback to sweep my Trailblazers at the Moda Center earlier this week. BIG 10 baseball starts today with hopes of an Indiana championship and maybe a trip to the College World Series. Been there…done that.
As you can see, there’s a lot going on in the wide world of Mike. There will be no trip back to Elkhart, Indiana for my 50th High School reunion. I was hoping to combine that with my mother-in-law’s 98th. Sadly, not to be! My wife and I will continue to discuss alternative travel plans as her work schedule for the rest of the year begins to unfold. In the meantime, my wife is looking forward to a three-day weekend, as she continues to heal from the loss of her mother.
Did you miss me? I’m back on the internet after a few days of technical frustration. I’m never sure who’s out there when I sit down at the keyboard – if anyone, but I certainly miss what I call my daily therapy. It’s the ability to express whatever is on my mind, with the small chance that someone else might someday be interested. However, it’s pretty hard to claim any sense of frustration when all you do all day is soak in the Maui sunshine. It’s now time to cool off in our air conditioned luxury suite. I don’t mean to rub it in, but retirement is a great blessing!
My wife has one last event to attend tonight for the Oregon Auto Dealers Association. She’s here as a media supporting sponsor with me as her plus-one. Tomorrow we will head back home to Portland to be briefly reunited with our schnauzer puppies. She’ll head back to the office for two days, while I will organize a couple of lunches with my buddies. There will also be some laundry to do before we head to New York City for more of my wife’s business. I’m glad I have the retirement freedom to tag-along on her travel schedule. We always manage to combine business and pleasure, as she continues to practice for retirement in a few years.
I’m anticipating tonight’s game 5 of the NBA Playoffs as the Trailblazers travel to Denver with hopes of regaining the series edge. In the meantime, the Cubs battery continues to struggle against the lowly Marlins, but the White Sox did win their second game in a row against the Indians. “Maui Magic” did allow for a couple of small victories after the “tragic” set-backs of the past few days. It’s the last night for the magic to reappear before we head home. We might get a chance to go to what could be the final game in Portland before we hit the road again.
In a few days, we’ll be exploring Broadway Theater with shows like Tootsie, Beetlejuice, and Pretty Woman. I will also get to see a Yankees game in support of my sense of masculinity. The Maui beaches will then be a distant memory, but I will miss the sunshine. Whether I was missed by you is the real question? Hopefully, I will have the time and technology to present more of “Retirement is not without Hassles,” as we continue our coast-to-coast-to-coast road trip. Please stay tuned.
I just printed out our boarding passes and luggage tags for tomorrow’s trip to Hawaii. It’s primarily a business trip for my wife, with me tagging along as the “Plus One” and a few extra days at a nearby Marriott resort. The anticipation of any trip to Hawaii is like Christmas Eve, regardless of some convention restraints. Last year on this trip, I finalized our flights to Thailand, an adventure that we just completed last month. I’m always the travel agent, or working with one, to assure that everything flows smoothly – without hassles.
I’m disappointed that we’re not flying TSA Pre tomorrow, but we’ve been too lazy to fill out the necessary paperwork, so we remain at the mercy of the airline. At least Alaska upgraded me to Premium Class so we’ll have some leverage to move our seats together. This typically happens when my wife’s company books her flight and I try to match it. We’ll go through the same thing next week on our New York flight. The two or us will be putting in a lot of miles these next few weeks, including those morning jaunts along the beachfront paths and then the crowded streets of Manhattan.
We are back home for a day between trips with plans to go to Game 6 of the Portland Trailblazer’s Playoff series with the Denver Nuggets. However, Damian and company had a brief set-back last night, so the odds of that game happening is in jeopardy. I’ll also be missing the Cubs vs. Mariners series in Seattle tonight and tomorrow because of our Hawaii flight plans. I’m hoping that my sport’s fortunes change on the island, along with the paleness of my skin.
I did find out today that my eyesight is very restricted by the hooding of my eyelids. My field of vision is now down to about a third of what surgery could easily correct. I will consider it once the insurance estimate comes in. I’ve always been a bit squinty, so maybe it’s time for a change? Everyone is glad that I’m not flying the plane tomorrow! Eyes first – ears next in preparation for the expected last twenty years of retirement. The savings accounts are going much faster than anticipated. All things considered, it’s time to celebrate Travel Eve and tomorrow’s arrival in Hawaii. Aloha!