First, let’s talk about the coach museum. It has an extraordinary collection of royal coaches and carriages (a la Cinderella) that were built in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
The National Coach Museum in Lisbon, Portugal. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The ornate artistry of these vehicles is enough to transport you back in time and envision yourself dressed in brocades, lace, and wigs. I had a wonderful time walking through the vast collection.
The oldest coach in the National Coach Museum. This extremely rare coach was used on the journey of Filipe II of Portugal, III of Spain, from Madrid to Lisbon in 1619. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The Maritime Museum is my other favorite in Lisbon. It contains more than 23,000 pieces that have to do with naval history, both military and commercial. There are many intricate models and maritime instruments.
A model at the Maritime Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
But what I loved the most was the building that housed the royal barges. Just like the carriages/coaches, these barges were sometimes quite ornate. There aren’t as many of these as there are coaches in the other museum, but the barges they have are beautiful and worth seeing. Plus, they also have seaplanes on display.
One of the barges at the Maritime Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Rather than describe them, I’ll let some of my photographs from both museums do the talking.
One of the barges at the Maritime Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.One of the barges at the Maritime Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Detail of a royal barge at the Maritime Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.One of the barges at the Maritime Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The National Coach Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The National Coach Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Detail of the above coach at the National Coach Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The National Coach Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The National Coach Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The National Coach Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The National Coach Museum in Lisbon. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The unprecedented affluence of the early 21st century and the newfound willingness of the American public to try the pleasures of foods and fresh products from other countries has caused both restaurant chefs and home cooks to make exotic meals that were unknown to the U.S. market twenty years before.
The problem is that many of these new products that grace America’s larders are not always what they pretend to be.
It isn’t the fault of the buyers. Many have never seen or experienced the real thing. Advertisers and marketers are mostly to blame for creating high falutin’ designations for lowly ingredients, renaming them and selling them at high prices.
Chilean sea bass. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
A case in point is what appears on restaurant menus and fish markets as Chilean Sea Bass. The fish is neither Chilean (in Britain, it’s presented as Australian Sea Bass), nor is it actually sea bass. Known to ichthyologists as Patagonian Toothfish, it’s harvested in the chill waters of the Antarctic. In the fish markets of Chile and Brazil, it’s a very inexpensive catch.
Bone-in-tomahawk steak. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
And talking about South America, many diners pay top dollar in East Coast restaurants and churrascarias for “Argentine” beef that supposedly comes from hormone-free cattle grazing in the Argentinean pampas. But a few years ago, Argentina’s populist government enacted a sweeping ban on beef exports in an effort to keep domestic prices low.
So what’s presented as “Argentinean steaks” is, in reality, probably beef imported from Australia or New Zealand or even the feedlots of Texas.
Wasabi roots. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Plenty of other ingredients are being replaced by inexpensive stand-ins. Wasabi powder, for example, is a staple in America’s 7,500+ sushi bars. It has also started showing up on non-Japanese restaurant menus in such dishes as “Wasabi Crusted Salmon” or “Grouper with Wasabi Sauce.”
But much of the wasabi sold in the U.S. is actually powdered horseradish, crushed mustard seed, and food coloring at a retail cost of about $10 per pound. Meanwhile, real grated wasabi root, which has a much subtler taste, has a U.S. retail cost of about $140 per pound.
Blue Point oysters. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Prized “Blue Point” oysters are rarely actually raised from the waters of Blue Point, New York. Otherwise, they would have become extinct long ago. And flounder is commonly sold as sole at twice the price. Rounds of shark meat cut with small cookie cutters have often masqueraded as scallops, and undersized sea scallops are frequently served as Nantucket Bay scallops – a far more expensive ingredient.
Brie cheese. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
If you are eating Camembert, Brie, or Roquefort in the USA, they are probably not an import. U.S. law prohibits the sale of soft, unpasteurized cheeses aged for less than 60 days, with a few exceptions. These exceptions permit the importation and sale of Italian fresh cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that has not been aged for more than 60 days.
Groupe Lactalis, a leading European dairy marketer, sells Roquefort under the Société Roquefort brand. If you look carefully at the Roquefort back label, you will see in small type, ”Product of France made from unpasteurized sheep’s milk.” So that Roquefort is genuine.
However, on the back label of the Joan of Arc Double Cream Brie we recently purchased, you will see (at the bottom in very small type) that the product is actually made in Lincolnshire, Illinois and is not imported from France.
Aceto Balsamico barrels. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Another product commonly faked is balsamic vinegar. Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena is aged for at least 12 years and as much as 25 years in wood casks, and it must bear an official government seal from Reggio or Modena. It can cost as much as $80 an ounce. It has a full body with rich density and a very characteristic bouquet, and it’s best used uncooked as a dressing for antipasti, first courses, desserts, and crudités.
A less expensive variation, Condimento Pregiato (100% cooked grape must), aged for only the 12 minimum years, is used in lightly cooked sauces. A good balsamic should be kept away from heat and light and at room temperature – 68F maximum.
At your local supermarket, you will probably find a product sold as “balsamic vinegar” that’s in reality a red wine vinegar treated with caramelized sugar. The Barilla company imports an excellent authentic balsamic vinegar under the Academia brand that’s very aromatic and with decreased acidity. It’s available in many supermarkets.
As usual, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) audience was buzzing with excitement and especially so because not only was it Mother’s Day, it was also a much-anticipated performance of the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater,featuring new works by guest choreographers, as well as Ailey’s dearly beloved Revelations.
Ailey’s unique approach to dance was often guided by his desire to include the underrepresented black and queer community in professional dance. This very large pool of often untapped talent had limited exposure in the mainly segregated dance companies of that time.
During his career, Ailey created 80 original ballets, many touching on the subjects dear to him. His fearless approach to visually exposing those subjects in dance form gained him a worldwide fan base. Although he died at the age of 58 in 1989 – much too young and with so much still to say – he left indelible marks on not only the dance world but the entire field of performance art.
The first number of the evening, Me, Myself and You, is a stunning pas de deux performed to music by Duke Ellington. Created in 2023 by former Ailey dancer, Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish, the short piece is a dreamlike duet of lost love.
The curtain opens on a bare stage except for what turns out to be a full-length tri-mirror. A solo female dancer, initially dressed in a flowing full-length gown, begins her dance after divesting herself of the restrictive garment.
A male dancer then joins her on stage, and they begin a series of the intricate, athletic moves that Ailey and his disciples are well-known for. The intimate positions reach a passionate intensity, all as the mirror image reflects back at the woman until the male departs the stage and she is left alone, the mirror reflecting her sadness and loss. The dance ends as she turns her back on the mirror and faces the future alone but hopeful.
The second number, Solo,takes a completely different turn. This new piece was choreographed by Hans van Manen, a prolific creator of more than 150 ballets with a very specific “minimalistic” character. Solo is a misnomer since there are three male dancers, each dancing individually, but they do come together at certain points in the ballet.
The music by Johann Sebastian Bach explodes with strident tonal repetitions to encourage the dancers to perform often humorous, frenetic moves in time to the beat. The arm flailing and comedic gestures delighted the audience, and the three dancers received multiple curtain calls to ecstatic cheering.
After a short intermission, the dramatic dance, Survivors,choreographed in 1986 by Alvin Ailey and Mary Barnett, tells the heartwrenching story of Nelson and Winnie Mandela and their struggles for their peace movement played out to dissonant music by Max Roach and Peter Phillips.
The opening, in which both Nelson and Winnie inch forward followed by their loyal followers, indicates the years of struggle and defiance that finally culminated in Nelson’s incarceration. A hanging construct representing jail bars is center stage as Mandela expresses his anguish in dance. The music builds to a high intensity until Mandela is joined by his wife, and the pounding drums slow down the movement until the bars descend and he is behind them.
Then, the wailing begins as his followers grasp the loss of their leader. The followers leave the stage, and Winnie and Nelson begin a passionate pas de deux separated by the jail bars as the vocals graduate from wailing to screaming until the now-militarized followers return to the stage, indicating changes to come.
The final ballet of the evening was Alvin Ailey’s masterwork, Revelations. Choreographed in 1960, it has received rave reviews by millions of adoring fans all over the world. Revelations is a series of individual dances set to gospel songs, holy blues, and some of the best-loved African American spirituals, taking the audience on a rollercoaster ride ranging from deep grief to ecstatic joy.
The opening number performed by the male members of the company reminds me of a huge primordial bird taking flight in anticipation of things to come … and come they do. It moves from Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel to Fix Me, Jesus to a colorful rendition of Take Me To The Water to the magnificently moving solo performance of I Wanna Be Ready to the rocking Sinner Man until finally, the full company, dressed in antibellum costumes dancing to Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham, brings the audience to its feet. The curtain closed to thunderous applause.
Editor’s Note: The program notes describe each number without naming the specific performers. All members of the company are individually listed in the program, but specific dances are not indicated. When Ailey began his company in 1958, he could never have envisioned the huge impact it, and he, would have. His incredible courage opened a world of opportunity to marginalized minorities and in so doing, has gifted all of us with the abundant fruits of their talent and creativity.
Mona Lisa News: The Louvre in Paris is considering moving the Mona Lisa to a larger room in the basement to make it easier for the crowds to get a good look.
Train between Spain and Morocco? Fingers crossed this happens! They might build a tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar to link the two countries from Madrid to Casablanca. Wouldn’t that be something?
Fast train. Photo by StockSnap.
Did you miss the Northern Lights in the U.S. recently? Princess Cruises is launching special Northern Lights cruises to Alaska called “Voyage to the Stars.”
New tallest building in the world: In 4 or 5 years, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia will be home to the world’s tallest building – the Jeddah Tower – at 3,281 feet tall. That’s almost 11 times as tall as the Statue of Liberty. (I can’t even imagine such a thing.)
Fewer vacation rentals in Hawaii? The governor of the state signed a law this month that gives individual counties the power to convert short-term rental properties into long-term ones in an effort to deal with the housing shortage.
Airplane.
AIRLINE AND AIRPORT NEWS
Airport parking made easier: Did you know you can book preflight airport parking in advance through AirportParkingReservations.com and premium valet parking through ParkSleepFly?
Don’t want to lose your luggage on a flight? Fly into Japan’s Kansai International Airport (KIX), where they haven’t lost a piece of baggage in 30 years, which is the airport’s entire history!
Travel luggage.
The world’s cleanest airports? Japan also won the top award on this list, but not Kansai. That accolade went to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Others in the top 10 (clearly dominated by Asia) include: Seoul Incheon, Singapore Changi, Doha Hamad, Centrair Nagoya, Tokyo Narita, Kansai, Hong Kong, Taiwan Taoyuan, and Zurich.
Has tipping gone mad? The Detroit Airport is reportedly asking for tips at water-filling stations. Puh-leese!
United Airlines giving you a chance to leave the middle: If you note a preference for a aisle or window in your United Airlines account, they’ll automatically move you from a middle seat if one becomes available.
JetBlue and Etihad Airlines news: Now, you can earn JetBlue miles on Etihad flights and vice versa, thanks to an expanded partnership between the two airlines.
Airlines behaving badly: Qantas Airlines just got fined $79 million for selling “ghost flights” in 2021 and 2022 – flights it had already canceled – and not refunding the money to customers. Naughty, naughty!
Risi e bisi is a traditional Italian dish from the Veneto, initially cooked as a special festive dish in Venice, Vicenza, and Verona. It was served to the Venetian Doges and the ruling families of Venice during the festival of San Marco every 25th of April.
It’s a little easier and less time-consuming to create than risotto. It’s also convenient to cook year-round because you can use high quality frozen peas if fresh ones aren’t in season.
Italian arborio rice field. Rice field photo courtesy of Azienda Agricola Luigi e Carlo Guidobono.
Local, short-grain rice is used in the recipe. I prefer Riso Buono Carnaroli rice from Azienda Agricola Luigi e Carlo Guidobono. Rice started being cultivated in the area around Venice and in Piemonte in the 15th century after Venetian merchants began to import rice from East Asia.
There are two distinct versions of the dish – the traditional classic Venetian original that has short-grain rice and fresh peas with flat-leaf parsley as an aromatic, and the festive version for the San Marco holiday that adds cubed pancetta (or chopped bacon strips if pancetta is not available) with dill as an aromatic.
The dish was traditionally served with a dusting of grated Grana Padana or Parmigiano Reggiano.
Creamy Risi e Bisi con pancetta. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The recipe below is from my friend Katie (Catarina) Cornaro, a descendant of a Venetian noble family that, in the distant past, included three Doges, many Cardinals, and the Queen of Rhodes when that Greek island was dominated by the naval forces of La Serenissima.
Ingredients (serves 4):
1½ quarts chicken stock or vegetable stock if you prefer a vegetarian version 1½ pounds fresh peas or high quality frozen peas 2 ounces salted butter 1 medium white onion, finely chopped 1½ teaspoon fennel seeds 12½ ounces short-grain rice (Carnaroli or Vialone Nano preferred) 2 ounces grated cheese (parmesan or your choice) 2 ounces cubed pancetta (omit if vegetarian or if you wish the non-festive version) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or 4 full sprigs of dill, shredded Salt and pepper to taste
Note: I found that a pinch of smoky paprika adds umami to the classic recipe, but that aromatic is not traditional. Therefore, I have not included it in the traditional ingredients list.
Method:
Heat the stock in a large saucepan. Rinse the peas under running water, and add to the pot. Simmer the peas for 4 minutes until just tender. If using frozen peas, add 2 more minutes.
Remove the peas and reserve.
Melt the butter in a cooking pot, and add the onion. Cook on low heat until the onion becomes translucent but is not browned.
Add the pancetta and fennel seeds. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the rice, stirring to make sure it’s coated with butter and the fat from the pancetta.
Slowly add the stock, one ladle-ful at a time, and bring to a boil.
Turn the temperature down to a simmer, and cook for about 16 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the reserved peas, and continue stirring for another 4 minutes until the rice is al dente. If you like the rice softer, add another 2 to 3 minutes of cooking time to your taste.
Season and sprinkle the cheese on top. Garnish with the chopped parsley or the dill sprigs just before serving. Enjoy!
“It is a new social and cultural reality in Spain” according to the Spanish Culture Ministry.
This Friday, Spain scrapped their “Annual Bullfighting Award,” prompting a backlash from national conservatives against the abolition of the centuries-old tradition that is seen as a national cultural art form.
In Spanish-style bullfighting, the animal is killed by a sword thrust.
An archival photo of famous Spanish toreador, Pedro Romero.
The matador, which in Spanish means “the killer,” uses a cape in a ritualistic manner to excite the bull and eventually tire the animal enough so that it slows down and becomes easier to kill. However, this is not a truly unequal encounter, as at the beginning of the ritual, the bull is fully capable and many times gores or even kills the matador.
Bullfighters have been considered the “All Stars” of traditional Spanish life for centuries, and the traditionalists have deified them in art, song, and performance.
A bullfight poster in Andalucia. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The Cultural Ministry decided to abolish the annual award because younger members of Spanish society are more concerned about animal cruelty, and attendance at bullfight arenas has drastically declined throughout the last 25 years.
A bull sculpture in Ronda. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
For most younger Spaniards, bullfighting has no place in modern life. Let us award to the Cultural Ministry “both ears and the tail” for finally recognizing that blood on the sand, whether it’s the bull’s or the matador’s, isn’t welcome in the 21st Century.
In a recovering country, “luxury” is a relative matter. And on those terms, the five-star Baghdad Hotel is one of Iraq’s luxury hotels.
It was the property booked for five travel specialists by Cadence Travel, which organized a trip for us to tour the antiquities of Mesopotamia. I was quite satisfied with the hotel, but the four travel agents with me said they could never book their top clients into it! (I did have trouble with the TV and the hair dryer, and the lobby decor was spare. But on the whole, I thought it was quite comfortable.)
Whether you would consider it luxury or not, the hotel’s marble floors, red velvet draperies, and shiny light sculptures called to mind tales of the Arabian Nights.
After approaching via a walkway past fountains and topiaries, our luggage passed through a scanning machine as we walked into the reception area for check-in. Carved wooden tree-trunk chairs and soft sofas furnished the entrance, lit by gleaming chandeliers that were hung down from the main lobby on the mezzanine level.
Guests are greeted at reception of the Baghdad Hotel. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
Spacious rooms with doors opening to wide balconies provided views over the mammoth outdoor swimming pool, and on higher floors offered views toward the historic River Tigris a block away. Furnished with both a storage ledge and desk area beside the king-sized bed, the generous rooms were carpeted with heavy drapes to exclude the early morning sun.
Widescreen TVs with Arabic and BBC channels, white terrycloth slippers, a hair dryer, and the bottles of water and juice in the minibar were complementary. Generous counter space and wall-length showers were convenient features of the marble bathrooms equipped with dental and shaving kits, shampoo and lotion, and other complimentary amenities.
Opulent red velvet curtains in a standard guest room at the Baghdad Hotel. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.Brightly lit at night, the Baghdad Hotel pool is surrounded by restaurants. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
A series of restaurants surrounded the outdoor pool, which stretched almost the length of the building. Meals of European and traditional foods were served outdoors or in a lounge where patrons nestled into comfy sofas while drawing on hookahs with chewing mint, lemon kiwi, mood, and bounty among the flavor choices.
Omelettes are cooked to order at the Baghdad Hotel. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
Off the mezzanine level lobby, breakfast was an extravagant buffet of sauces, cheeses, vegetables, hot dishes, pastries, breads, and fruit juices with a chef creating custom omelettes at a special station.
Diners relax with hookahs in the Baghdad Hotel lounge. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
Spare time could be spent in the “healthy” rooms. A full-sized exercise center had windows overlooking the pool courtyard. There was also an indoor pool with a sauna, jacuzzi, and hot tub.
Generous counter space in the marble bathroom of my room in the Baghdad Hotel. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
While Baghdad is fascinating and friendly, the logistics and traffic can be daunting. After a day of business or sightseeing, you can retreat for a dip in the pool, order a meal, and unlike the caliph who stayed awake to hear the tales of Sheherazade, fall asleep soundly under your puffy duvet and downy pillows.
The author of this post received a complimentary stay at his hotel, but we are always dedicated to providing our readers with an unbiased assessment in our reviews.
The day I had to leave Rapa Nui, I teared up. I so wanted more time there. While the island is part of the country of Chile, it’s actually in Polynesia and is similar to Hawaii in that it’s tropical, very green, and filled with volcanos. Read also about the resort where I stayed – Nayara Hangaroa.
Rapa Nui is one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands, is in the Pacific Ocean, and is about five hours by air from Santiago, Chile. Of course, what distinguishes it from any other on the planet is its unique statues called Moai. Much about the history of the statues and the ancient people is unknown and mysterious.
Signs around the Moai statues ask you not to touch them. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
There are about 900 Moai statues total located mostly around the coast of the island, and some are as tall as 33 feet. The belief is that each statue represents an important person from the past whose skeletons are buried underneath. The faces are called “Aringa Ora,” which means the “living faces of loved and revered ancestors.”
No one knows exactly how the Moai were made, and the statues are quite different from one location to another. Only some have pointy noses, for example, and some wear what appear to be hats made of a redder stone, although it’s believed that what looks like hats may actually represent long hair wrapped on the top of the head.
A coastal shot from Rapa Nui. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The Moai are all male, and the belief is that it would take five or six men about a year to finish carving a single statue. But then, it would need to be transported to its final location and lifted into a standing position. No one knows for sure how the people accomplished that without machinery.
The statues were made from the volcanic rocks that make up the island’s topography, but all of them were toppled over at some point during Rapa Nui’s history. At one time, the eyes of the statues were filled with white coral and a piece of black obsidian rock for the pupil. These were all destroyed, however. Only one has been reconstructed from pieces and is displayed in the island’s history museum.
A rainbow on Rapa Nui. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Some believe the statues were toppled during a civil war, although one of my native guides doesn’t buy this theory because the Rapa Nui language doesn’t even have a word for “war” or “vengeance.” He believes they were toppled by another group arriving by ship with the aim of attacking.
American anthropologist William Mulloy was responsible for raising the funds to lift some of the Moai back to standing, and the people of the island are very grateful to him for this. It’s what made tourism possible, which boosted the economy, as there is almost no industry there.
The island doesn’t have a great deal of light pollution, so it’s an excellent place for stargazing.
Experts aren’t sure when the original inhabitants first settled on the island, but the evidence suggests it was around the year 1200. While theirs was a thriving culture, they suffered from over-forestation, followed by the introduction of European diseases and kidnapping as slaves. In 1877, there were barely more than 100 native inhabitants left, but modern DNA has made it possible to confirm that the people are indeed Polynesian.
Rapa Nui became known as Easter Island because the first Europeans arrived on Easter Sunday in 1722. When the native people who had no word for war approached the visitors, they began to touch the sailors out of curiosity.
This was disconcerting to the Christian Europeans, so to try to make the people stop, they fired their rifles into the air. But since the native people had never heard a gunshot, they didn’t know to be afraid. It was then that the sailors were ordered to shoot into the crowd, which resulted in the murder of about 12 islanders. When the people saw their kinsmen killed, they ran.
Later, when the people saw that their loved ones were stolen for slavery, some of them were able to hide within caves on the island. These stories are a sad testament to the horrors of exploration and colonization.
A closeup of a Moai statue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
One of the most interesting ancient stories on the island has to do with the Orongo ceremonial village, which had a competition called the Tangata Manu. The men would compete to get the first Manutara bird (sooty tern) egg of spring. It was dangerous, as they had to climb down a cliff and swim in the strong currents among sharks to an islet where the birds nested. They would hide in caves there and wait for the birds to arrive.
The one who was lucky enough to retrieve the first egg from its nest had to then swim back to Rapa Nui without breaking the egg. The leader of his clan could then rule the island for a year until the following year’s competition.
When you visit Rapa Nui, there are many wonderful sites to see. The most famous Moai on the island are the 15 in a row near the ocean. These are the ones you usually see in photos. My favorite view of them, however, was from the Moai quarry (also one of my favorite spots), which is where they believe most, if not all, of the Moai were carved.
The spectacular view of the most famous Moai – the 15 – from the quarry. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The Moai quarry. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The Moai quarry. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Today, it’s like a Moai graveyard with some standing and many on their backs or sides. Some of the statues in this location were also left unfinished, although no one knows for sure why. The 15 Moai are in the distance from the quarry, which overlooks them, making for a particularly beautiful view.
The Moai quarry. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The visible part of the Moai statues end at the waist or top of the thighs, but there is one statue at the quarry with kneeling legs. The theory is that it was harder to transport a statue with legs, so perhaps they stopped carving them like that. Some of the Moai have nipples carved into their chests, and some also have tattoos carved on their backs or buttocks. Some statues also have hands with long fingers carved on their stomachs.
The tattoos carved on the buttocks of this Moai in a spiral are believed to represent the sun. Photo by Melanie Votaw.You can see the right nipple carved in the chest of this Moai statue. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The hands with long fingers are carved over the stomach of this Moai statute. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The other group of Moai that I loved the most was among many palm trees and sitting on a hill above a gorgeous beach. These had pointy noses, and many had the “hats” atop their heads.
The Moai statues with particularly pointy noses and “hats.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Besides the Moai, there are some remains of stone home structures that were often built in the shape of a boat. Some of the ancient people also lived in caves where they could hide from intruders and maintain a small farm just outside the cave. The main crops were bananas, sweet potatoes, and sugarcane.
We were taken to one of these caves, which had the remains of a tree trunk in its roof that has been carbon dated and found to be 300,000 years old. They believe it ended up in the cave roof after a volcanic eruption.
The beautiful volcanic crater on Rapa Nui. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
There is also a huge and stunning volcanic crater that you absolutely must visit.
Rapa Nui, of course, also has civilization with an overall population of about 8,000 people. There is a small town with restaurants and shops, and there are hotels, as well as opportunities to go boating, diving, and surfing.
A shop in town on Rapa Nui. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
You will see wild horses and stray dogs all over the island. These animals are well cared for by the current residents, but I took some dog biscuits with me to feed them, as they’re quite friendly. One of the women I met at my resort fell in love with one of the dogs and considered transporting it to her midwestern home. But then, she realized it would be taken to a life spent indoors in a cold climate, so she concluded it was better off living freely on the island.
A marina on Rapa Nui. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
One of my guides told a great story that made all of us laugh. He said that the first axes on the island were made of stone because that’s what they had available. When they were first introduced in modern times to axes made of metal with wooden handles, they wanted to come up with a word in their native language for this item.
Since the axes they were given were made in Ohio and carved with “Made in Ohio” on the handles, the mayor decided to name them “oh-hee-oh.” To this day, or so our guide claimed, an axe is called an “oh-hee-oh.”
Rapa Nui is indeed a paradise with a profound and mystical history. I can’t stop thinking about the place, so I may have to return to experience it again. If you have the opportunity to go, don’t miss your chance. There’s nowhere else on earth like it.
One of the best known Istanbul restaurants is located in the space above the main entrance of the Egyptian (Misir) Çarşisi (Bazaar), one of Istanbul’s highly respected retail venues that specializes in spices from around the world, Black Sea caviar, and local sweets and dried fruit. The venue also sells a variety of high-end consumer products from around Turkey, including silk-on-silk carpets and prayer rugs, ivory and chestnut wood antique backgammon boards, and meerschaum pipes.
Misir (Egyptian) Bazaar. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The restaurant is the Pandeli Locandasi, a culinary institution of the city and well-known business lunch hotspot. Every guidebook regarding the city of Istanbul has a paragraph about this storied eatery.
Pandeli’s Fasoulia Piyaz. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Pandelis Çobanoğlu, a Greek from Eastern Anatolia, initially began selling piyaz – a salad of boiled white (cannellini) beans, fresh skinless tomato chunks, fresh chopped parsley, and sweet onion, sprinkled with very fresh extra virgin olive oil from a street cart in the same area. That’s he would eventually open his eponymous restaurants.
Later, he opened a köfte (hamburger or large meatball) shop in Çukurhan, serving to the locals the classic Ottoman dish of köfte and piyaz.
Çobanoğlu started making a living from selling his meatball and bean salad to Eminönü merchants, but I don’t think he could ever have imagined that the same bean salad and meatballs would be eventually enjoyed by royals (Queen Elizabeth II) in his restaurant at the upper floor of the Bazaar.
The “Father of Turkey,” Mustafa Kemal, a young officer at the time serving in the Turkish military, seemed to have an open account with Pandeli’s to pay later for his meals when he received his salary at the beginning of each month.
Years later, after establishing modern Turkey from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire, Atatürk (the name means Father of Turkey) returned many times to eat at Pandeli as the president of the country.
Pandeli’s Lakerda Palamida. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
During the 1930s and 1940s, the Pandeli restaurant was frequented by the president’s affluent Greek compatriots, as well as the city’s literati. It also became a meeting place for writers, poets, journalists, politicians, and Western travelers who came in on the Orient Express.
After half a century of operating assorted eateries, Pandelis Çobanoğlu and his family opened the current restaurant on the floor above the entrance of the Spice Bazaar, a location allocated to them by order of the state. This happened after the previous restaurant was looted and destroyed during the pogrom against the Istanbul Greek community of September 1955.
His son, Hristos Çobanoğlu, a graduate of medical school, chose to stay in Istanbul in 1957 and help his father, giving up his dream of becoming a doctor. He became primarily responsible for making Pandeli a must-go place when visiting Turkey. The restaurant became a spot where West meets the Near East, with locals and foreign visitors ordering from a menu reflecting an eclectic mix of new Western-influenced dishes and numerous older Ottoman favorites.
Even now, to eat at Pandeli is like taking a step back in time. Ottoman turquoise tiles adorn the walls and floor as they did hundreds of years ago. The views of the Golden Horn, the Bosporus, and the Galata Bridge from the windows, as well as the sights and smells of the Spice Bazaar below, make the atmosphere delightful.
Istanbul Misir Bazaar. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
I had to go eat there at least once during my last visit to Istanbul, since Pandelis was a friend of my uncle George Hajioannou (Hatzioannou in Greek). Our family used to go to Pandeli for numerous plates of meze and raki that Pandelis would personally bring to our table from the kitchen and his raki stash (for family and friends only). Nowadays, no hard alcohol is served at the restaurant.
Hardship has frequently been part of the restaurant’s life, and it closed down in 2016 because of economic difficulties.
Pandeli’s fish and seafood. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
In 2018, the third generation of the Çobanoğlu family and new investors once again opened the doors of the Istanbul icon, and Pandeli is looking as good as ever. Abdullah Sevim, its chef of more than 20 years, has been back at the helm of the kitchen since that time.
The fish and seafood selections at Pandeli are exceptional, starting with the lakerda appetizer and the sea bass en papillote, which are perennially delightful dishes.
Pandeli’s Hunkar Begendi. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Of all the them, however, Pandeli’s classic hünkar Beğendi (translation: The Sultan’s delight) is my favorite. It’s a slow-cooked lamb shoulder served on a bed of eggplant purée, and it remains unparalleled in the city.
Pandeli’s Roasted Quince with Kaymak. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Round your meal with the oven-baked quince, which comes slathered with thick syrup and clotted, double-condensed cream (kaymak), and you have an outstanding lunch. (Currently, lunch is the only meal at Pandeli.)
Fortunately, there are numerous exceptional restaurants in the city, and if you wish fish or seafood for dinner, you could try the many establishments along the Bosporus on or by the Galata Bridge or the fish and seafood restaurants in and near Bebek harbor.
The 5-star resort property of Nayara Hangaroa on Easter Island, which I will call Rapa Nui for the rest of this article, is an exceptional experience that I can’t possibly recommend enough. Also read my article on visiting Rapa Nui in general.
A portion of the reception area at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We were greeted at the airport by resort personnel on foot, but because of a small protest happening that day, they weren’t allowed to drive right up to get us. Instead, we all had to drag our bags a few minutes away to a parking lot. That wasn’t fun, but once we arrived at the resort about 10 minutes later, we were greeted with a welcome local fruit drink and a flower lei.
The real flower lei given to me upon arrival at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
At reception, someone sat with each of us to give us instructions about the property. Then, someone guided us to our rooms. There are two types of rooms. I opted for a “Kainga” room (Kainga means earth), which is the least expensive of the two types of rooms.
My room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
But that least expensive room didn’t leave me feeling cheated in the least. It was an air conditioned room and made of cypress logs, clay, and volcanic stone. It was very spacious (527 square feet) with a king-sized bed, couch, table, private outdoor terrace with a table and two chairs and ocean view, a large bathtub, stand-up shower, sink, minibar, and front hallway with a shelf and a large bureau with shelves, a safe, and plenty of room for hanging clothes.
My room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.My private terrace at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A bathrobe and flip flops were provided, and maid service was available twice a day. The first drinks in the minibar were complimentary, while I paid for the refrigerator to be replenished after that.
My room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.My room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The large bureau and entry shelf in my Kainga room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The shower was constructed of local clay tiles made by an artisan from Pichilemu on the Island and manufactured in local ovens, and it had the best showerhead I have ever experienced in my life. It was a strong flow of water, but extra fine. (I luxuriated under it a bit more than I’d like to admit.)
The shower in my room at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The Maunga (mountain) rooms are built on two levels and great for families, providing 796 square feet. These also have a private outdoor terrace along with 1-1/2 baths, a king bed plus two sofa beds, and the other same amenities as my Kainga room.
One of the buildings at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The package I bought is called the “Dream Program.” It includes only breakfast, but other on-site meals and excursions leaving from the resort can be charged to the room. I found the cost of the excursions and the food to be quite reasonable. The “Discover Program” includes breakfast, as well as either lunch or dinner each day, and one free half-day excursion per night stay. The “Full Experience” includes all meals.
The pool at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The resort has an outdoor pool and a spa with reasonably priced treatments, is kid-friendly, and offers bicycle rentals. It’s also located just across a street from the coast and a short walk from the Island’s main town, which has a few restaurants and cute little shops. I bought a gift box of Moai statue-shaped soaps.
A portion of the breakfast buffet at Nayara Hangaroa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The food at Nayara was universally delicious. The breakfast buffet at Poerava restaurant was very extensive with eggs made to order, bacon, a variety of cold meats, cereals, juices, breads, and pastries. The variety was the most I’ve seen at a hotel outside of Asia, which seems to always have the best breakfast buffets in the world.
A rainbow one afternoon from the outdoor seating of Poerava restaurant. You can also see one of the many stray dogs on the Island that are cared for by the inhabitants. They seem quite healthy and happy. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Poerava also serves lunch with both indoor and outdoor seating that overlooks the ocean. Its location provided a wonderful view of the sunset and gifted us a full rainbow one late afternoon. I ate the roast beef salad there two days in a row because it was so good. Besides mixed greens and roast beef, it contained palm hearts, grilled onions, avocado, and mango slices with a honey mustard vinaigrette.
Food is also served at the Vaikoa Bar, which is located in a separate building next door to Poerava. Each night, they provided a free surprise cocktail like a Kir Royale or a Pisco Sour.
Basil ceviche amuse bouche. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The fine dining restaurant just beyond Poerava serves dinner in an elegant indoor setting, but it was fine to dress casually there. I was served a wonderful basil ceviche amuse bouche followed by a lovely salad with avocado, carrots, sweet potatoes, and grilled pineapple. I also loved the chicken curry. Of course, the restaurants serve a great deal of local fresh seafood.
Salad with grilled pineapple, carrots, sweet potatoes, and avocados at Nayara Hangaroa restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Chicken curry at Nayara Hangaroa’s restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
There are numerous excursions available leaving each day from the resort at 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Besides the various Moai statues on the island, you can visit a volcano crater site or small cave. You can do a trek in the more isolated parts of the island or a guided bicycle trip for three hours.
Other experiences include diving, surfing, a boat ride, cooking classes, and Moai carving classes. While some of the excursions are called “low difficulty,” they aren’t all on flat land. You might have to climb stairs or rocks a bit.
Our guides for the excursions were locals who were very knowledgeable about the Island’s locations and history. Two of them said they had learned much from their grandparents, who were native to Rapa Nui. Of course, there’s still plenty no one knows about the Island and its statues, which is one of the things that makes it so fascinating.
The view from Poerava restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My only complaint about Nayara was that many of us wanted to take a sunrise excursion to particular Moai statues near the resort, but they told us repeatedly that this wasn’t available to us because of the clouds. In other words, they claimed there would be no sunrise. We wondered if they just didn’t have any available staff that early in the morning.
Then, at the airport before leaving the Island, I met a couple who had stayed at the other Rapa Nui 5-star resort called Explora Lodge. They said they went on a sunrise excursion during the time of my stay that proved to be a mystical experience. I feel a bit cheated that I didn’t have that opportunity.
There was a Polynesian dance show one night at the resort. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The downside of Explora, according to them, was that they felt pressured to leave $100US in tips for the staff on a daily basis, which they thought was excessive considering the price of staying there. At Nayara, we were never pressured to tip anyone, but of course, I did. I’m happy to tip, but no one likes to feel pressured into it. Plus, when a property pressures guests, I consider it an effort to subsidize salaries that are too low.
Despite my minor complaint, my stay at Nayara Hangaroa was stellar, and I would love to experience it again. Next, I plan to visit their resort property in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Stay tuned!
