Located in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, with coasts fronting both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, lies the second largest autonomous region in Spain: Andalucía. It is best known for gifting to the world Flamenco, Bullfighting, and its own adaptation of Moorish architecture and arts that were developed through nearly 800 years of occupation by North African Muslim tribes. Andalucía’s gastronomy is internationally renowned for its distinctive wines, olives and olive oil, Iberico ham and cured pork products.
In the center of the area between the capital city of Seville to the west, Malaga to the south, Córdoba to the north and Granada to the east, lays the very heart of Andalucía. Here are towns that cling to steep hillsides and take fierce pride in their history and traditions.
My love affair with Andalucía started in the late 1950s, when I heard, for the first time, Andrés Segovia play Enrique Granados’ Danzas Españolas on the guitar and then Arthur Rubinstein playing Manuel de Falla’s Noches en los Jardines de España, a symphonic piece for piano and orchestra.
Ever since, my dream has been to spend some time in Andalucía and visit the gardens referred to in the de Falla work: Palacio de Generalife in Alhambra; an unidentified distant garden in which there is an exotic dance; and Los Jardines de la Sierra de Córdoba.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Andalucía, the land of tapas and wine…
Unfortunately, the days of free tapas are almost completely over in Andalucia. Nowadays, the free bread-based tapas I remember from my earlier Spanish forays have been mostly replaced by charcuterie slices or small cooked plates; and the vast majority now costs money.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Tapas may be cold (such as mixed olives, tortilla Española, cheese wedges and quince paste or jamón and sausage slices or canned fish) or hot (such as ‘albóndigas’ small meatballs in sauce or ‘gambas al ajillo’, prawns in sizzling olive oil with garlic and chili peppers). In most bars of the larger towns in Spain, tapas have evolved into a very sophisticated regional cuisine.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…bullfighting and dancing horses…
Flamenco has become a beloved dance form world-wide. In the west we are familiar with flamenco as a dance that includes heel stomping, hand clapping, finger snapping and lots and lots of Attitude… with a capital A.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…flamenco…
But what do we really know about Andalucía? September is the annual flamenco festival in the home of flamenco, and we were fortunate enough to be touring around the area courtesy of Spain’s Tourism Office and visiting small towns in the region.
For the flamenco aficionado, Seville is the heart of the action. We began with a visit to the Museum of Flamenco www.museoflamenco.com where we learned about the 7 principal styles. Alegria: happiness. Seguirilla: death, deep hurt. Soleá: loneliness. Tango: passion. Guajira: sensuality. Farruca: elegance. Buleria: seduction. We also saw films of famous dancers and some of the original outfits they performed in. At the theatre on the museum’s lower level we attended a live performance with singer, guitarist and dancers.
The author (right) raises a glass in Andalucia. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Andalucia is a land of warm, welcoming, people.
Iberia is positioned like a juicy piece of fruit hanging off the continent of Europe, falling toward the land mass of North Africa. It was a perfect plum for major ethnic groups along the Mediterranean to take a bite out of and leave their imprint upon. Phoenicians, Celts, Greeks, Romans, all left their tooth-marks and their influence.
Under the Romans, the Iberian Peninsula flourished but after the fall of the Empire successive barbarian tribes invaded and devastated the area until, in 711 CE, the Moors attacked across the Strait of Gibraltar from North Africa.
When the Moors invaded the Iberian Peninsula, as often happens between conquerors and conquered, the best of both worlds came together in a cultural mélange. The Moors named the conquered land the “Kingdom of Al-Andaluz” with Córdoba as its capital. Córdoba was the most opulent of cities known throughout the then known world for its culture and riches. At the time in Christian Europe when 99% of the population was illiterate, in Al-Andaluz the Moors had seventeen great universities. During this time the rest of Europe was going through the so-called Dark Ages; a time when ignorance, fear, superstition, and disease thrived under a system of despotic feudal rule. In fabled Al-Andaluz, where the Moors held sway for some 800 years, east melded with west. Around 822 A.D. one of the most famous Moorish singers, Ziryab (the blackbird) introduced the guitar and other string instruments to Iberia.
In fabled Andalucía, east melded with west in perfect synchronicity; here an exotic stew of Gypsy, Jewish, Moorish and Christian peoples became one integrated culture that existed in peaceful coalition for eight centuries and achieved extraordinary heights in the arts and sciences.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…Alcázar, interior garden…
The Moors contributed stunning architectural monuments such as the Alcázar in Seville, originally constructed in the 10th century. Their ardor for interior courtyards filled with verdant gardens, fountains and colorful tiles with geometric designs lining the walls and floors is nowhere more breathtaking than in the Reales Alcázares i.e. the Royal Fortress.
Throughout Al-Andaluz palaces were sumptuous, while at the same time in Christian Europe the monarchs lived in big windowless, smoky structures of stone, with only a hole in the roof for a chimney to expel smoke. The creative heritage of Andalucía derives in good part from the 800 years under the control of the Moors but they were expelled by the Christian Kings after the “Reconquista” that is the Reconquest, along with the Jews in 1492. Gypsies were not expelled but were barely tolerated.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…Cult of the Bulls…
Bull veneration has a long history dating back 15,000 years to Neolithic cave drawings with Mesopotamia, Samaria, Anatolia, Greece and Egypt all having traditions relating to bull worship and/or sacrifice. In Egypt the Apis Bull was associated with the moon and worshiped as a God. Slaying of the bull by stabbing it in the neck was an integral part of the sacrificial rite in many ancient civilizations.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Bull dancing was developed into an art form by the Minoan civilization of Crete, with acrobats leaping over the bull’s horns and using them to propel them safely to the ground. Young men and women chosen for their grace and dexterity would flip over the fierce animals and perform other feats of gymnastics. Scenes depicting this dangerous sport are found on frescos at Knossos in Crete and the Heraklion Museum. The cult of the bull permeated the Mediterranean basin with each area developing its own traditions. Andalucía took bull sacrifice one step further with bull fighting; a form of death and rebirth where man fights and hopefully overcomes brute nature.
…Plaza de Toros, Ronda…
For information on one of the oldest and most picturesque bullrings, its museum and chapel — where prayers for victory were offered before and, hopefully, thanks for success were offered after — visit The Plaza de Toros in Ronda www.rmcr.org
Ronda is a small typical Andaluz town with a fascinating history; it is only a short distance from Seville and well worth the visit. While there, stop for lunch at Pedro Romero, a restaurant honoring the legendary bullfighter. Romero is credited with inventing the “classic style” turning bullfighting from a killing sport into an art form.www.rpedroromero.com
Photo by Manos Angelakis
…Dancing Horses…
Bulls represented a form of man’s mastery over animals; horses embody cooperation with another species.
The Royal Andalucían School of Equestrian Art Foundation or Real Escuela Andaluza Del Arte Ecuestre was founded in 1973 in honor of the equestrian heritage of Andalucía. The Andalucían pure bred has existed in the area for 20,000 to 30,000 years and cave paintings of the animals attest to their history in the peninsula. Here the horse and rider are as one. They train together and form a bond of trust that allows the horse to accomplish artistic moves that would not normally be possible.
The riders are adorned in 18th century costumes and the horses are dressed with classically braided mane and tail; together they perform a ballet to Spanish music in sync with other horses. Not all the horses are white, they range in color from grey to black although white is preferred as they deflect the bright Andalucían sun and tend to be cooler in the summer. The foundation is located in Jerez, a small town between Sevilla and Cádiz, and the horse show is a well-deserved very popular attraction requiring advance reservations.
Some of the experiences mentioned in this article are based on complimentary stays, meals, or goods.But as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
Dining in Québec is a delight but for those that dine it is also very serious business!
Modern gastronomy has arrived in Québec and has been influencing in a molecular-gastronomy manner a number of the younger chefs, with kitchens that can rival in inventiveness and quality the dishes of top European and Asian restaurants offering a style of cooking well worth exploring.
There are many traditional Québécoise restaurants in the city and, during past visits, we ate in a number of them offering fare based on classic French recipes and seasonal, local ingredients.
Three particular restaurants had us salivating over the innovative dishes of their kitchens at diner.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The first was Chez Rioux & Pettigrew (160, Rue Saint-Paul Québec, QC G1K 3W1), a restaurant in the old city where we had eaten in the past; I think it was a year after they had first opened. The restaurant is at present open for brunch and dinner.
Chef Mathieu Jans’s creations were exceptional.
To get to our table we had to pass through the open kitchen where we saw the cooks at work designing dishes — that is the proper way of describing the activity; the dishes were not only properly cooked, they were designed to look great on the plate as well. As chefs are fond to say “You eat with your eyes first!”
Photo by Manos Angelakis
We started with a dish called Tik-Tak-Tok. A Salmon Tataki dish with témari, honey mayonnaise, lemon-marinated armillaires (honey fungi) and herbs.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The meat course, called “Le bouc des montagnes” was roasted Québec lamb with cumin jus, corn salsa, fried polenta and fresh butter. A pure delight!
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The dessert was “Symphonie des Douceurs.”
The second dinner at the new Melba Restaurant that opened in October of 2022 was also delightful and inventive.
In the kitchen, Alexandra Roy and Charles Provencher Proulx have created sweet and savory seasonal menus in collaboration with two other equally inventive cooks.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Dining there was “family style” with a variety of hors d’œuvres, main courses and desserts brought to the table.
For our dinner there were 6 appetizers, 6 main courses and 3 desserts in that menu.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Remarkable appetizers were the Deviled Egg, Snow Crab, Avocado Paste and Sorrel; the Fiddlehead Fritters with Béarnaise Mayo; and the Grilled Whelk Skewers with cucumber and confit garlic. The other 3 were very nice but not as remarkable, I’ve had similar dishes in other restaurants in the past.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
From the main courses, I loved the Bison Tartare with the Andaluz Sauce; the Steak with Black Garlic, Spinach and Blue Cheese; and the Salmon with Vichy Carrots, Fennel and Smoked Mussels. Again, I’ve had before dishes similar to the other dishes in different restaurants.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
And I loved the finishing dessert, a Pavlova with marinated strawberries and strawberry ice cream on the side.
Both the above restaurants served delicious dinners.
But the pièce de résistance was the farewell dinner we had at Tanière3 in an unmarked building in the heart of Old Québec town: 36 1/2, Rue Saint-Pierre, Quebec, QC, G1K 3Z6; the restaurant’s phone number is (418) 872-4386.
The previous day we had lunch prepared at another venue owned by the same company at a rural property in Ste-Brigitte de Laval at Bora Boréal, so we knew to expect exceptional cooking.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
It was a 6 hour extravaganza, featuring 16 spectacular dishes. These chefs push the boundaries of cuisine Québécoise with a kitchen that is inventive, very seasonal and delicious, using petite delicacies with sometimes, rather obscure ingredients. It is a dining experience, as good as at any three Michelin-starred restaurant I’ve ever been fortunate to dine in.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The restaurant is located in an unmarked building. The street entrance is not hard to find; it is a yellow wooden door on the side of a stone wall, but there is no signage indicating it is the entrance to a restaurant.
You are given a code when your reservation is accepted to input to an electronic pad on the side of the entrance; once you are inside the adventure begins. If you decide to reserve please remember that the restaurant fills nightly to capacity and at this point it takes a month to a month plus, for a reservation to be accepted. The restaurant operates Thursday to Sunday from 5:15 pm on.
There is a chef’s table in the kitchen so you can observe how these remarkable dishes are created and the rest of the seating is in the dining room and the dining room’s cellar.
The staff is attentive but not intrusive; the dining is in the very capable hands of Chef-owner François-Emmanuel Nicol and dining room director and owner Roxan Bourdelais. Hubert Garneau is the Maître d’Hotel and General Manager. Each dish is delivered to the table with élan and the kitchen’s creativity and culinary expertise is immediately evident.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Individually addressed and wax-sealed menus were delivered to each one of us.
We started with a glass of sparkling wine and once the dishes started to be delivered to the table, a number of mocktails and wines to pair with the food were also served.
As I said there were 16 different dishes, so I’ll talk about the ones that really impressed me.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
First and foremost was the salmon caviar on emulsion pillows with a “flower” made from meringue.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The Pork Belly dish and the Duck Breast were to die for.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
And the assorted fish plates were not shabby either!
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Also remarkable were the Bone Marrow with Nettle Condiment, the Lobster with Prickly Ash Pepper, the Quail with Preserved Lemon and Grilled Cucumber and the Foie Gras with Wild Strawberries. As I said in a previous article: The motto of Québec City should be “On mange bien ici” that is “We eat well here!”
Some of the meals mentioned in this article were complimentary, but as always, we are dedicated to giving you unbiased accounts of our experiences. See our Disclosures page for more information.
I recently received 2 cookbooks that made me revise my thinking about Irish cookery.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
I have to admit that my idea of “Irish cuisine” was formed in the early 1960s when I lived in London with my first wife who was Irish and who was a lovely girl but a dreadful cook!
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Her idea of a good supper was a “mixed grill”, But to her a mixed grill meant steamed lamb chops and bangers, with mash made from packaged potato flakes moistened with hot tap water, all washed down with a large glass of Guinness. During trips to a farm outside Dublin to visit with her family, their food was not much better either. They ate lots of steamed mutton.
So, when I received 2 cook books about Irish cuisine, I decided I should try some of the recipes, before I donated the books to my local library.
And I’m very glad I did!
Yes… Irish cooking has savory recipes that would grace the kitchen of a modern restaurant or a modern home, even though many of the recipes are based on traditional Irish or Scottish dishes. Both books have a number of the classics and some newer, more contemporary ones.
The first book I received is by Chef Kevin Dundon and is titled “Modern Irish Food.” The second is by Judith McLoughlin, titled “A return to Ireland.”
The McLoughlin book is a compendium of stories and recipes with images of many of the featured dishes and of the Irish countryside. Many of the recipes are for classics of regional cuisine plus a number of modernized versions of the classic recipes.
For example, there is a recipe for a slow braised chopped shoulder of lamb that could easily pass as a Bolognese sauce when served over tagliatelle. In the book it is indicated as a Lamb Cassoulet but that is a misnomer since no beans exist; beans being a prime ingredient for a cassoulet. I tried it and the recipe produces a traditional meat sauce, like a Neapolitan ragout, that uses diluted tomato paste instead of the grated fresh tomatoes the Italian classic uses. The final result was quite good.
Another classic dish with roots in Scotland I believe is Cullen Skink, a Celtic potato/smoked fish thick stew I’m very fond of. This newer version adds peeled prawns to the smoked haddock of the original to make it a “seafood stew”. I made some in my kitchen and I like this version a lot.
Another recipe features what initially looks like a Parisian Onion Soup. This version uses sweet onions and an Irish stout mixed into the beef stock with blue cheese on top of a piece of toasted baguette, instead of the melted Gruyere. I’ll be modifying the version I usually cook to include the stout or a good porter, but I’ll keep the Gruyere topping the French original has.
There are many more recipes to try, and many are versions I find intriguing. So I’ll add this particular book to my cookbook collection.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
The Dundon book has recipes closer to classic Irish dishes, most are fairly straight forward, a few have twists to the classic recipes that have appeared in the last 20 years.
The Colcannon Mash recipe is definitely a nod to the classics. Using Ireland’s two favorite vegetables, green cabbage and potatoes, it is a simple and uncomplicated way to create a flavorful side dish. The variants, Chive Mash and Panchetta and Cheddar Mash on the next page, also give the creative cook a pathway to more modern and more indulgent versions. I made the Panchetta and Cheddar Mash at home and added wilted leek green, and I’m adding it to my side dish repertory.
Photo by Manos Angelakis
Spinach and Goat Cheese Filo Pastry Pie is a nod to the Greek “spanakopita” using a local goat cheese instead of the traditional feta and adding another traditional Irish vegetable, leek, to the spinach in the recipe. Makes for a great pass-around at a party. There are many “potato” recipes in this book including one for Boxty, the potato pancake I like to have for lunch every so often, and that should not be surprising as potatoes have been a staple of Irish cooking since the introduction of the tubers to Ireland in the late 16th century.
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City is a playground for lovers of aviation, space exploration, and naval history. Besides World War II history, you’ll find the Space Shuttle Enterprise, a submarine, drones, and an array of aircraft, including a British Airways Concorde.
For kids, there’s an Exploreum with interactive exhibits. The day I was there, families were having a great time climbing into vessels and trying on gloves like the astronauts wear. There are even a couple of “rides” – one a drone, and the other a spacecraft.
Take a look at my photos for a taste of this museum. You won’t run across it, however, if you stick to the usual tourist areas in Manhattan. You’ll have to take a taxi or bus all the way west to the Hudson River at West 46th Street. It’s well worth the special trip off the beaten path, however, especially since you also get to see the river. Don’t miss it when you’re in NYC.
British Airways Concorde. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Space Shuttle. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Mercury Capsule Replica. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Intrepid Museum. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Intrepid Museum. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Gemini capsule. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Drone ride. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Highline chair for transfer between two ships at sea. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The Intrepid ship. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Having been warned of the heat, the dirt, the poverty, the “strange” practices by western standards, and most of all, the crushing crowds, India had not been high on my list of luxury destinations to visit. But if you have been put off by these negative impressions like I was, please continue reading and rethinking your desire to visit the country. Hopefully, like me, you will find India exotic and addictive.
The Mysore Palace gate in Karnataka. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
On my first trip, I visited Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, just two of the current 34 and counting states that comprise the subcontinent of India, which is home to one of the oldest civilizations on our planet. But lest you think it has been a homogeneous march through the centuries, au contraire.
The beautiful woman at welcome reception at the Taj Hotel. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Without boring you with names and dates of conquerors and conquered, suffice it to say that India has been a player on the world scene since 2,500 B.C., suffering invasion after invasion from within and without until after a period of non-violent protests led by Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi, India gained independence from the British Empire in 1947.
Karnataka’s Mysore Palace at night. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
All of those invasions have created a country rich in social variety and brimming with cultural diversity in religion, language, customs, dress, and attitude. There are about nine practicing religions – although Hinduism is the largest – and 18 major languages with more than 1,000 dialects spoken.
A guide in India. Photos by Barbara Angelakis.
Manners in dress for both men and women are dictated by the region in which they reside. So, too, is the method of draping the sari, the traditional costume for women, and the length of a man’s trousers. But ornate jewelry is favored throughout the country with the style and manner determined solely by financial constraints.
A friendly fish-seller in India. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
The things I found in common were the easy smiles and warm, friendly greetings from everyone I encountered. The universal love of color, music, and art, and the joyful participation in festivals and celebrations was a nice surprise and a real eye-opener.
Indian weddings are famous for their three to five-day affairs of dancing, singing, eating, and socializing. Many overlapping weddings put partygoers in the difficult position of choosing whose affair to attend on any given day.
A Holy Man at the Full Moon Festival. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
There is an unhurried momentum in the south, even in the cities, that puts you at ease even in the crush of humanity. This makes it easy to view the passing scenes and note the variety of features, sizes, shades, and manners of the surrounding multitudes.
If you go to India and see nothing of its many historical artifacts (which would be tragic) or its modern accomplishments (another shame), you will still find the possibilities for photographs or painted images to be limitless and enthralling.
An adorable child at Halebid Temple. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Methods of air-conditioned travel can be arranged to get around, but to experience the real India, take the time to stroll the streets and markets with your camera at the ready. It’s a photographer’s dream and presents a photo opportunity at every turn. I could not take my camera away from my eye for fear I would lose the shot of a lifetime.
A man decorated for the Full Moon Festival. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
There are numerous luxury and ultra-luxury properties to be pampered in. I stayed in the fabled royal residence of the Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan, purported to be the richest and most powerful man in recorded history, and now an ultra-luxe hotel of the Taj Group.
A henna tattoo in India. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Contact Our Personal Guest, the ultimate in individualized luxury travel to provide hands-on service at every step of your trip. OPG takes the concerns and guesswork out of even the most exotic trips. They can assure you will receive the finest accommodations, the most knowledgeable guides, and accurate up-to-date information on your destination. I recommend them highly.
Women at the Full Moon Festival. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Here is a sampling of my impressions of India … close-up and personal.
Faces and places of India. Photos by Barbara Angelakis.
Koh Samui, Thailand is an island off the east coast of the long, narrow peninsula the country shares with Malaysia and Myanmar. Nestled in the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand, Samui is a beautiful example of Thailand’s tropical allure and has much to offer the adventurous tourist, from ubiquitous Buddhist temples to jungle tours and waterfall hikes as well as a colorful nightlife.
Guests pet the elephants at The Samui Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand. Photo by Layne Winklebleck.
White sand beaches and turquoise waters beckon with endless sport choices from swimming to snorkeling to jet skis to fishing. And the food, of course! All those spicy curries, zesty sauces, fresh spring rolls, satays, fried prawns or whole fish make for a mouthwatering banquet.
On my first trip to Thailand this winter with my husband Layne, we chose Samui largely because we have a good friend living there, an Aussie named Graeme, who was our gracious host and tour guide. And while I was certainly interested in all those touristy attractions, my primar desire was to make the acquaintance of a real live elephant.
Who doesn’t love these magnificent animals? Their massive bulk of some 3 to 6 tons holds a highly intelligent being with a brain weighing between 9 and 13 pounds. Slightly smaller than the African elephant, the Asian version is actually endangered, so sanctuaries are very important in preserving this unique creature.
Unlike the wild African pachyderm, the Asian model usually only has short tusks called tushes that protrude just a few inches from the lip. Also unlike the African, the Asian elephant can be domesticated and trained. As a result, they have been used for centuries to do arduous work for humans.
The girls line up at the fence for bananas. Photo by Layne Winklebleck.
Layne and I had read of the abusive treatment required to train Asian elephants for trekking or carrying tourists on their backs, so we didn’t want to support that activity. Using hooks, ropes, hunger, and other painful tools and techniques, wild elephants have been taught to do tricks, to paint, to stand on their hind legs, and to engage in other unnatural behaviors.
My online research before the trip had alerted me to the Samui Elephant Sanctuary (SES) in Bophut, which offers a different way to enjoy these beautiful beasts other than in zoos or on trekking tours. It’s set on seven acres of tropical woodlands where six (so far) resident elephants, all females, live a more natural existence.
All of these animals were used in logging until it was banned by the government in 1989. They were then put into trekking, where hour after hour, day after day, they carried heavy loads of tourists in tropical heat and humidity. Of the six elephants currently at SES, two of them are blind in one eye, one has a chunk missing from one ear, and another has foot injuries from mahout mistreatment.
Even a small child can do it. Photo by Layne Winklebleck.
The oldest is Khum Phean, aged 62, and fondly referred to as Grandma. After years of logging, she spent about 30 years giving rides to tourists, and was rescued and taken to SES in June of 2018. Although elephants are social animals, Grandma tends to stay to herself.
Like all Asian elephants, she’s decorated with freckles on her forehead and ears, whereas the African species are uniformly gray. The tour started with an introduction and video, including a number of cautions about being around such large and powerful animals: Don’t stand directly in front of them; don’t stand behind them or touch other parts of their bodies; don’t feed them in the mouth, only let them take the food with their trunks; and other warnings of undesirable human behaviors.
A handler gives gentle signals. Photo by Layne Winklebleck.
Properly prepared, our first experience with the elephants was feeding them through the pipe fence that encloses their territory. Since the sanctuary isn’t large enough for them to forage for their food, these elephants are fed more than 250 pounds of food per day and many gallons of water.
They have learned that when we tourists arrive, they can count on yummy treats, so they gladly came up to the fence where we handed them bananas. Their calm acceptance of such delicacies was simply magical. Even a small girl of perhaps four years was able to hand-feed these gentle giants. After years of harsh treatment and heavy work, it can take a few months of working with one handler for the elephants to trust humans again, but the girls at SES seemed happy to be hand-fed.
Next, we were separated into groups of about ten people, given heavy bags of cut watermelon, and allowed into the enclosure. The elephants were spaced out at feeding platforms and kept in place with quiet voice and soft hand commands from their handlers. As we approached each one, our tour guide introduced her and gave some details of her life history, including injuries she may have suffered. As we fed them chunks of watermelon, the girls patiently allowed us to pet their trunks and take photos.
When each group had visited all of the elephants, we walked down to the specially built pool where the resident elephants enjoy a bath or a swim. Next to the pond is a mud hole where they relish spraying their backs and bellies with the cooling mud. Looking back up the hill, we were wide-eyed to see these giant girls plodding down to the water, raising dust and pounding the earth. An elephant enthusiastically on the move is an awesome sight!
Grandma led the way into the pond and washed off a bit before lifting herself out at the other corner. After a proper mud bath, several others got in and splashed around, providing us with a wonderful sight.
The $100 cost of this tour may seem steep, but when you consider how important such a sanctuary is, how much money and staff it takes to maintain it, and the additional aspects of the tour (including free transportation to and from your hotel and a delightful vegetarian buffet lunch), you realize it’s actually a bargain. Plus, SES has been awarded Best Animal Welfare by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, a notable achievement.
My visit to the Samui Elephant Sanctuary was a dream come true for me and is a memory that will stay with me forever.
Update: In early April, I received an email from SES describing the strain the coronavirus pandemic has had on the sanctuary, the fact they have had to close, and asking for donations. They depend on ecotourism for their funding and receive no support from the Thai government. If you would like to donate, they accept PayPal contributions here: http://paypal.me/SamuiElephants.
Quebec City’s annual Winter Carnival is what they mean when they use the phrase “winter wonderland.” I experienced it this January, and while the temperatures were frigid, the hospitality was anything but.
I attended the Carnival’s opening night ceremony, which included the crowning of the Carnival’s Queen by the spiral-shaped ice palace at the Carnival’s central site. After sunset, the palace became interactive with a colored light show reflected on the ice walls. Nearby, there was an ice bar, food stands, ice skating and sledding, live music, graffiti artists, ice sculptors, and more. The Carnival lasts almost three weeks, so there are a wide variety of festivities to check out.
The ice and snow sculptors work throughout the Carnival on their art, and they’re judged in a contest toward the end of the celebration. You can take an ice sculpture workshop, too, to learn how it’s done. If that doesn’t interest you, there’s axe throwing and a mechanical moose. At different locations, there are opportunities to play camp games like giant foosball or pet caribou and other animals.
Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Other activities this year included a videotron music box, storytellers, floor hockey, ice slides, lumberjack challenges, and logger demonstrations. The kids (including the grown-up kids) can even help chop the logs. Speaking of the kids, I was amused to see parents transporting their little ones around the Carnival in sleds. In the snow, this was a much smarter option than strollers.
Ice fishing in Quebec City. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Not far away at Village Nordik, you can try ice fishing. White inflatable igloos are set up on the Louise Basin at the Port of Quebec. You can sit inside an igloo, and they’ll drill a hole for you to fish. Then, they’ll cook the fish for you, and you can have a full meal on site.
Of course, for true snow bunnies, skiing isn’t far away, and don’t miss the ice hotel (Hotel de Glace) and the adjacent Valcartier Vacation Village. They’re a bit outside the city but well worth the drive. I had always wanted to see an ice hotel, and this one did not disappoint. I didn’t have the courage to try the ice slide within the snowy hotel walls, but I did try the cranberry and vodka drink at the ice bar, drinking out of a glass made of … you guessed it – ice.
Quebec City’s ice hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you’re adventurous, you can spend a night at the hotel in an ice bed on top of what we were assured was a warm mattress under a heavy comforter. Or you can just tour the hotel and then take advantage of the shops and restaurants at the village. There are plenty of winter activities at the village as well, including slides with inner tubes, skating paths, snow rafting, and mechanical lifts.
Quebec City’s ice hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Overseeing the Carnival is always Bonhomme, a snowman character in a red cap. You’ll see his likeness all over the city, where you can take selfies with him. Your ticket for the festivities is a “Carnival Effigy” that you wear around your neck, and the arrowhead sash that comes from Amerindian folklore is a must. It’s what you see around Bonhomme’s waist.
Photo by Melanie Votaw.
For places to stay during the Carnival, see my review of Le Chateau Frontenac, which is having its 125th anniversary this year. Just outside the old town is the Hilton, which has a fantastic executive lounge on the top floor with panoramic views of the city.
Le Chateau Frontenac Hotel in the ice and snow in Quebec City. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
When you get hungry, I highly recommend La Buche restaurant (on rue St.-Louis near the main Winter Carnival site) for traditional Quebec cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere with live musicians. It serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. My favorites at our dinner were the maple bread pudding with foie-gras and bacon, and the Quebec shepherd’s pie with fruit ketchup. (I now require all shepherd’s pie to have fruit ketchup.) For dessert, try the maple fudge or maple taffy on snow.
I met some people from the U.S. who were attending the Winter Carnival for the third year in a row, but this isn’t an event for everyone. You need to truly enjoy winter. Quebec City has considerable snow and ice throughout the season, and the city is hilly. So you need toe warmers and excellent snow boots, as well as a snuggly coat. It was seven degrees Fahrenheit when I arrived but rose to just below freezing by the time I left a couple of days later. Earlier this year, the temperatures in the city were double digits below zero.
Beautiful Quebec City. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you don’t mind the cold and snow, however, there are few, if any, places as beautiful in winter as Quebec. The French architecture covered in snow with the horse-drawn carriages throughout the historic part of town will keep your camera busy, as the friendliness of the locals helps you stay warm.
The author of this article was part of a subsidized press trip during the Winter Carnival but is dedicated to providing a non-biased assessment of her experience.
This is my story of my TWO DAYS OF CONDOR, i.e. Condor Airlines – not to be confused with the well known 1975 movie, Three Days of the Condor.
Coming and going from Europe in 2021, as well as in 2022, during the height of the Pandemic, actually makes this review the “FOUR Days of Condor.” But seriously, I’m looking forward to my next flight on the “All New Condor” starting in the spring of 2023.
Before Condor and I take off in the future, let’s go back to the past – and another well known movie title from 1985, Back to the Future – on my first travel-changing Condor flight of late 2021. The round trip to Paris from New York was a last-minute decision in which I did not qualify for lower fares bought in advance.
As most travelers and travel agents know – last-minute airfares can be exorbitant. However, there are ways to travel at very reasonable fares, even at the last minute, which I discovered on my first Condor Airlines flight.
Much to my surprise and delight, the quoted Condor fare was much less than any of the online discount airline sites I researched. Okay, I forgot to mention that my flight to Paris was via Frankfurt which turned out to be a lucky break. I got to do pre-Christmas shopping at two of Europe’s largest airports – Frankfurt and Charles de Gaulle – and benefit from the world’s best Duty-Free Shops.
Back to Condor Airlines and their in-flight service. I was lucky to experience all classes offered by Condor: Business, Premium Economy and Economy. Not all budget airlines have three categories of service to choose from. And each category of service, to this experienced traveler, was at least as good as the national carriers – if not better.
Photo courtesy of Condor Airlines
Since I’ve been a travel journalist for many years, I’ve flown Business Class on all the major airlines, so I’ve got high standards – 40,000 feet high.
If you fly Business Class on Condor, the minute you step on board, you’re greeted with an amenities kit which is not like those found in other business classes I have experienced. All the usual goodies came packed – not in the ubiquitous pouch – but in a biodegradable, reusable and beautiful mug that I proudly use every day.
As a long time collector of Starbucks mugs from around the world, the Condor cup was a welcome and original addition to my collection. Not since my Concorde briefcase days was there such a memorable business class airline gift. And good news for collectors – Condor changes its business class amenities kits every year – which I can toast to with my 2021 Condor mug! So your in-flight ear plugs come in new surroundings every year.
Everything about business class was just about perfect. At first glance the seats looked too thin and elegant to offer much comfort. But in this case, looks were deceiving – they fully reclined into comfortable flat beds and due to the adjustable entertainment screen provided a relaxing way to see a movie or TV show. This was the first time I recall that business class entertainment offered entire TV series. Since I missed “The Americans” the first time – I was lucky to catch it in-flight.
As for the cuisine — notice I used the word, “cuisine” and not “food” — since I found it to be on par with cuisine found in upscale restaurants – with one notable exception, the servings were generous which is something you don’t necessarily find in the best restaurants’ dishes. Additionally, Condor offered three meal options in business class – including vegetarian – pleasing this picky vegan.
And as a bread lover I was delighted that during my 2022 Condor flight I had more bread options than most first-class services offer, including pretzel rolls and croissants, which constantly made the rounds. Yes, my October 2022 Condor flights did something that I didn’t think was possible – improve on my 2021 first- time Condor experience.
Photo courtesy of Condor Airlines
And just as I thought the Condor story couldn’t get any better, 2023 began with good news by introducing the totally new Condor Airlines with its revolutionary intercontinental fleet comprised of the Airbus 330, the most fuel efficient, ecologically friendly and fastest (non-supersonic) aircraft to Europe and beyond. Aircraft noise has been reduced by a whopping 60% – so if Condor’s 2023 amenity kits don’t contain ear plugs – you’ll know why!
And if that’s not flying in a totally new package – you’ve got to see what it comes wrapped in. This is where Condor Airlines really shows off its stripes – literally. A new design of white and five different-colored stripes envelop the exterior of every Condor plane from the new A330 down.
Photo courtesy of Condor Airlines
Also in 2023, Condor added many more gateway cities from the U.S. to Frankfurt and then on to the rest of Europe and the world, from Los Angeles, Boston, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Fairbanks, and Anchorage. And Condor covers most of the rest of the U.S. with its partner Jet Blue.
My closest U.S. Gateway, JFK, just got better when Condor recently opened its large and luxurious new Terminal — with a magnificent new lounge offering delectable cuisine.
When it comes to great fares and “bill of fares” (food) I see “Many Days of Condor” in my future and, hopefully, in yours, too.
There is much talk and fear about AI and the use of robotics and robots in everyday work, such as in restaurants, in retail, in warehousing, in manufacturing etc.
There is the fear that robots will replace workers and take over their jobs and the perennial, that intelligent machines will start considering people as a planetary plague that has to be eliminated. Does anyone remember “I Robot” of Isaac Asimov’s and the “Three Laws of Robotics”? I’m old enough to remember it.
In my teens and early twenties, I was an avid reader of Science Fiction and I still have many of the Asimov, Heinlein, Bradbury, Orwell, L. Sprague de Campetc. books. My dog-eared copies of Nineteen Eighty Four, The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451, Childhood’s End, A Canticle for Leibowitz, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and many more, still rest in the bookshelf next to my bed. To many of my generation they were terrifying probabilities of a possible future to come.
In 2014, a non-fiction book by Nick Bostrom called “Superintelligence; Paths, Dangers, Strategies” became a Times best seller. The thesis was that AI might pose a danger that exceeds every previous threat from technology — even the threat of nuclear weapons — and that if its development is not managed carefully, humanity risks engineering its own extinction.
I’m happy none of these “predictions” has come to pass. Yet.
Though, unfortunately, we came close to a fulfillment of Nineteen Eighty Four’s “Newspeak” with the “alternate facts” pronouncements from a White House press secretary a few years back. And not to mention the current book banning from libraries that could easily become a book burning exercise as predicted in Fahrenheit 451.
Actually, in 2018 I met R1-B1 “Robbie” a robotic bartender at a restaurant in Canada. He was quite charming, could answer questions intelligently and would “flirt” with female customers sitting at his bar.
Robbie was a great mixologist, creating some outstanding cocktails. He made for me a good martini and he executed perfectly the order “vodka martini; shaken not stirred and hold the fruit” as I gave it to him. And when he served it, he held the olive speared on a toothpick in his “hand” and showed it to me… I guess that was his fulfillment of “hold the fruit”!
Since that was way before the advent of modern AI, I believe there was an operator working Robbie wirelessly and by CCTV could see and hear what was going on at the bar so that he could react and chat accordingly. And, obviously, he had a good sense of humor!
Initially, Robbie was a great promotion for the restaurant and brought in many curious customers. The place was jammed. However, once the novelty wore off, the restaurant’s clientele thinned considerably because, at that point, the kitchen was not particularly great. And in Eastern Canada, if the dishes are not outstanding the restaurant doesn’t survive for long. When the restaurant first opened, it had a terrific female chef de cuisine; but once she was gone, her replacement was a mediocre chef who was better at promoting his “abilities” than actually creating great dishes in the kitchen. Eventually, after a couple years, the place closed.
So, I don’t think AI will replace humanity… yet!
Some myopic businesses will try to replace workers with AI but I just don’t see it happening at a grand scale soon. Perhaps I’m mistaken, perhaps I’m not. I don’t have a crystal ball and I’m not a prophet. But I have great trust in humanity’s adaptability and strength in overcoming its fears.
After an absence of a few years because of COVID, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux had its yearly tasting at the converted bank hall that is now New York’s Cipriani restaurant on 42nd Street, across from the Grand Central Station. The tasting was organized by Balzac Communications from California.
Most of the wine producing communities of Bordeaux were represented and a large number of the Premier Cru, the Deuxieme Cru etc. wineries were there; 117 altogether, though most of the Grand Cru vintners, I guess, felt they did not have to have a presence. Only 2 Grand Cru wineries were there and a third, even though they were registered as participating, was not actually there.
Be that as it may, the event was mobbed and practically every sommelier, wine buyer and wine writer from the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area was present. Hundreds ot people tasting the 2020 vintage, which was the vintage featured.
It was a cold, rainy day and the long line of waiting individuals that showed up at the show’s opening went practically around the corner of Lexington and 42nd Street, before the doors opened!
In Bordeaux, a mild but rather wet winter in 2019 and 2020 resulted in an early bud burst. The spring had unusually warm days in March and April, as well as some torrential rains, while the summer included two heat waves at the end of July and early August. These climatic extremes made for interesting wines, but many are in need of long aging. The Merlot grapes did exceptionally well while the Cabernet Sauvignon had smaller than usual berries with high acidity.
After sampling the wines present from Saint-Émilion, Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Julien, Pomerol, Puilac, Pessac-Léognan, the Médoc villages, Margaux, Graves and Sauturnes and Barsac, the top wine regions of southwestern France, my overall impression on the 2020 vintage is: now, many of these wines are too acidic but with silky tannins. Give them a few more years to age in bottle in a well controlled cellar and they could be stellar!
The only ones that I felt were ready or almost ready to drink now were the sweet wines from Sauternes showcasing honey and rich tropical fruits. A few days ago I had just opened my last bottle of 1982 Château Suduiraut, and 40 years later it was a pure delight! If you have any of that vintage still left, open it and have it with a grilled or pan fried slab of foie gras and it would be an unforgettable experience!
But I digress!
The following were, as far as I’m concerned, impressive bottles even now, in their very youth.
From Pessac-Léognan: The château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Latour-Martillac, Malartic- Lagravière and Pape Clément.
From Saint-Émilion: Château Cheval Blanc, Beau-Séjour Bécot, La Tour Figeac, and Soutard.
From Pomerol: Le Bon Pasteur, La Conseillante, L’Évangile and Gazin.
From Moulis-en-Médoc: Château Chasse-Spleen and Maucaillou.
From Haut Médoc: Château Belgrave, Cantemerle and Coufran.
From Margaux: Château Angludet, Brane-Cantenac, Desmiral, Giscours, Malescot Saint-Exupéry, Prieuré-Lichine and du Tertre.
Most of the Puillac samples.
From Saint-Estèphe: Château Ormes de Pez and de Pez.
From Sauternes and Barsac: most were outstanding, with the exception of La Tour Blanche, Coutet, and de Fargues that I would classify as just above average. I loved the Doisy-Daëne and the Suduiraut.
I found out that a few of the more adventurous Bordeaux vintners are actually starting to age wines in terra cotta jars (amphorae). German, Italian and Spanish wineries started using amphorae about 25 to 30 years ago resulting in better, more concentrated wines without the heavy oaky taste that barriques, barrels and tonneau usually impart to ageing wines. I’m happy that this very traditional and resistant to change industry is finally joining the 21st Century! But, if you buy any of the 2020 vintage wines, cellar… cellar… cellar!
