About a third of the way down the coast of Argentina, there’s a large peninsula that juts out into the South Atlantic Ocean. From an aerial view, it looks like it should have been an island. The thin strip of land that connects it to the mainland is so narrow, that when you drive along it, you can see the sea on both sides. The desert here runs right up to the sea, giving brilliant contrasts of brown and blue. This is Peninsula Valdes, and it’s a major wildlife preserve in Argentina.

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The peninsula is home to a number of unusual and endangered species, both land-based and sea-based. On land, you’re apt to see herds of guanacos – adorable relatives of llamas, who graze on the scrubby fields and hillsides. Dusty rheas can be hard to spot unless someone points them out. These are flightless birds, that look like small ostriches.
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Maras are relatives of guinea pigs, though they look more like overgrown rabbits. There are Patagonian foxes, and the very odd hairy armadillos. Nearby Punta Tombo is home to the continent’s largest penguin rookery, where half a million magellanic penguins congregate each year during breeding season.
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The marine life is equally fascinating. About 43,000 elephant seals come here to breed every year. These are the world’s largest seals, and they dive up to 3,000 ft to feed, in the abyss off the edge of the Patagonian shelf.  Southern right whales visit the protected gulfs  to breed.  Sea lions used to be slaughtered by the thousands here for seal oil, a practice that has fortunately ended. The number of sea lions clubbed to death at Peninsula Valdes over a 40-year period, is about the same as the current worldwide population.
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Then there are the orcas, also known as killer whales. Orcas are found in all oceans of the world, but different populations have unique characteristics.  A unique trait of this group is that their hunt for baby seals and sea lions frequently brings the whales right up onto the beach.  They swim straight for the beach, then wiggle their enormous bulky bodies back off the sand, and into the water.
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An excellent book about the region is The Wild Shores of Patagonia, by Jasmine Rossi. The author spent two years here photographing the peninsula and its wildlife, and the results are fabulous. There is a wealth of fascinating information, and the photos are simply spectacular.
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We visit Peninsula Valdes on our Patagonia adventure trip, and we’ll be there in just a few weeks! I can’t say whether we’ll see any orcas swimming up onto the beach or not, but if I was a mommy seal, I’d want to keep my babies away from the water line!
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We also regularly see orca whales on our San Juan Islands trips, but the resident pods there eat only salmon, and stay well off the beaches!
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In honor of Veteran’s Day, here’s a different type of remembrance ceremony than most of us are used to.

At Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, tribal officials of the pueblo honor America’s military veterans with a procession through the pueblo. On this day, it’s good to remember our many brave military people, who came from all regions and walks of life.

If you’ve been to Taos on one of our Santa Fe trips, you’ll recognize most of the sights, though it looks a lot chillier here in November, with snow on the mountain behind!

Video is from Nov. 11, 2008 at Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, USA.
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We visit Taos Pueblo every year on our Santa Fe trip. It’s at least 800 years old, and people in the town follow traditional ways of their ancestors. It’s tranquil now, but hasn’t always been so.
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The San Juan Islands are beautiful from land and sea. Whether you’re hiking, biking, kayaking, sailing, or just riding the ferry, you can’t help but be struck by that. But what about from the air?

This video is primarily about the plane, but I like it because it gives you a real sense of what soaring over the islands in a small plane would be like.

It’s an amphibian plane called the Nardi FN.333, which first flew in 1952. Out of the 26 such aircraft built, only half a dozen are believed flyable today, and it’s a very cool looking plane!

It really makes me want to go find a small plane, and fly around the islands, landing in little harbors here or there. How incredibly cool that would be!
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We wrapped up our San Juan Islands tours for this year back in August, and I’m already looking forward to going again! And if I ever lose that feeling, I’ll just watch this video again.
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This video is from the Rio Pueblo Gorge, near Taos, New Mexico. This river comes from Taos Pueblo land and runs into the Rio Grande River. This is a deep gorge, but not as deep as the Rio Grande Gorge, which is a spectacular gash across the high desert — almost shocking when you first see it.

On our Santa Fe trip, we go rafting on the Rio Grande. Even though this is a tributary canyon, the video is nice in that it gives you the feeling of the land there. The warm, languid, relaxing feeling you’d get sitting on the side of the river, just enjoying a sunny fall day. It’s the same feeling you get floating downstream — in the calm spots, when you’re not paddling the whitewater, that is!

Lovely Taos Pueblo Flute Music from WindWalk: Music of Blackhill Albino Lujan of Taos Pueblo

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We’ll be back in Santa Fe and Taos for our women’s trip to New Mexico in September. I can hardly wait! It’s a captivating place, and each time I’m here, I wish I could stay longer.
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OK, I’ll say it right up front. We do NOT go scuba diving on our San Juan Islands trips! I’m a wimpy warm water diver (think British Virgin Islands)!

However, even though that water looks pretty chilly to me, it’s fascinating to know what lives down there! The undisputed rulers of the local seas are the orca whales, but there are a ton of other lesser-known, and much less-seen species that live on rocks, walls, and tidal areas around the islands.

When we go kayaking, you can see some underwater stuff, but only a few feet down into the water. Think starfish, mussels, clams, kelp, and seals (who visit any depth they want, and look like they’re having fun doing it!) This video takes you further down than we can see from our kayaks, to give you a deeper glimpse of “what’s down there”.

Me, I’m happy to stay above the water, peering in to see what I can see. Maybe someday global warming will warm these waters up enough for me…  But then, everything that lives here now would be dead.  OK, let’s not do that, OK?

In the meantime, have a look at some underwater video shot by other, warmer-blooded souls!
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Our San Juan Islands trips for women run every year in August. If you’re on the trip, and newly inspired to try the scuba diving, I bet we could arrange for you to join a dive with one of these groups. Just let me know!
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Friday photo:

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Bevagna is a small town in Umbria. It’s a charming and picturesque walled town, that was an important place in ancient Roman days, situated along the Via Flaminia. It’s also home to a festival called Mercato Delle Gaite. For a few days each spring, the town is time-warped back to the middle ages.

If you visit during this time, you’ll find quite a different place than normal! The townspeople are all dressed in medieval garb, and the locals are very much into the spirit of the event. As you wander through the streets, you’ll find all sorts of unusual activities underway, from falconry, to blacksmithing, to paper making.

The town is historically divided into four quarters, “Le Gaite”. These neighborhoods compete against each other in different events as part of the festival, and there’s a real rivalry between them. Archery is one of the events. Watching the contestants in their tunics engaged in this traditional endeavor, can really take you back. Just pretend that the spectators are of a different era, too!

One of the competitions is cooking, and that’s where our banquet comes in. For this, we all got to dress in character, and attend an authentic medieval feast. There were jesters and musicians, and food and drink appropriate to the time.

“Appropriate to the time” has a very specific meaning here. It must be “food as it was prepared and served between 1250 and 1350, in this region of Italy”. They’re very particular about this authenticity when it comes to judging. A dish could be eliminated from competition if it used a type of apple that wasn’t grown at that time! Somehow I expected this historical food to be bland, but I was surprised by how delicious it was. I was fortunate enough to be given a cookbook with the secret recipes from Gaita Santa Maria.

You can see photos of the town at Excursion to Bevagna, taken at a quieter time of year, without all the medieval activity!

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I’m not sure when we’ll be back in Bevagna, but looking at this makes me hope it will be soon. We’ll have to start planning another Tuscany and Umbria trip before long… That was so much fun!

PS. The guy in the middle looking like a happy Friar Tuck was our driver, Massimo. His true calling should have been opera singer — what an amazing voice!
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If your travels are affected by a disease outbreak like swine flu, what does your travel insurance cover? We don’t have any trips to Mexico now (thank goodness). However, this recent information release from Travelex (our partner for travel insurance) is great information on what would happen if YOUR trip were to be affected by something like this!

Here’s a rundown on possible situations and coverage options from Travelex.
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If a traveler gets sick with the Swine Flu:

• Current insured travelers who become ill would be eligible for coverage under the trip interruption, medical expense and evacuation benefits of their plan up to the limits of the policy and subject to its general terms and conditions.
• If you are aware of any insured passenger in Mexico with flu-like symptoms or who has been admitted to the hospital, please make sure to contact the applicable assistance company — contact information is also stated on the traveler’s Confirmation of Coverage.

If a traveler is contemplating cancellation:

• Insured customers that are considering cancellation or have canceled arrangements due to travel restrictions, warnings or general fear of traveling, whether to Mexico or elsewhere, are not eligible for cash reimbursement under the provisions of the plan.
• Insureds who purchased the Cancel for Any Reason upgrade will be eligible for Trip Cancellation coverage under the provision of the plan.
• Specific to the Travel Select and Travel Max plans: Should the destination airport close and insured customers are unable to reach their destination, the cancellation benefit for losing 50% or more of their covered trip may apply, assuming all terms and conditions of the benefit are met.

If a traveler is being quarantined:

• Quarantine coverage is included under Trip Cancellation/Interruption and Trip Delay benefits in the event a physician quarantines the traveler/insured for any illness which prevents traveling.
• Quarantine means that the person is restricted to their home or a medical facility – not restricted from one country or destination.

If a traveler transfers travel dates:

• If the insured is allowed to transfer their travel payments (trip deposits or full payments) without charge, they can also elect to transfer the protection plan monies on the booking to the new travel dates as well. Typically the protection plan monies are non-refundable inside the penalty period but Travelex is making an exception for this specific case.
• Any expenses for change fees to move airfares to the new trips would not be covered, unless such move was predicated by the travel supplier’s cancellation of the original trip.
• Transfers would only apply to trips that are booked within 12 months from the original departure date.
• If the trip cost increases as a result of the transfer, then the insured will have to make an additional insurance payment to cover the full trip cost in order to best protect themselves. Note: they would need to make the purchase within the required time to continue to receive cancel for any reason, pre-existing condition waiver and any other benefit with an advanced date purchase requirement.

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We always recommend the purchase of trip insurance, especially for trips out of the country. I sincerely hope that none of you are being affected right now, but this is a great real-life example of how it would work. Personally, that “cancel for any reason” upgrade is looking pretty good right now!
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Friday photo – Armadillo at Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

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Peninsula Valdez in Argentina is a sweeping, open space, where the dusty brown desert stretches right to the sparkling sea. Where else do you see armadillos and elephant seals all on the same walk? Not to mention guanacos and sea lions, killer whales and rheas!

I’d always heard that armadillos were shy, and that we were unlikely to see one. However, this little guy (or girl, for all I can tell!) was so intent on lapping up the drops of water that had spilled on the ground here, that his thirst overcame any fear of people, and we were able to get an excellent close-up view.

From a distance, the armadillo’s protective armor looks like a hard shell. How appropriate that the name “armadillo” means “little armored one” in Spanish. As you get closer, you see that it’s hairy. In fact, this particular animal is the species Hairy Armadillo — once again a very appropriate name! Yes, this little armored creature really is a mammal, and one of the most unusual ones anywhere. When you get even closer, it looks like he’s wearing an ornate golden headpiece!

Armadillos are omnivores, which must be a useful trait when living in such a harsh environment. They live in burrows, and in desert climates adjust their schedule day or night to take advantage of the best temperatures. Among their more surprising characteristics is an ability to swim, inflating their stomachs & intestines with air to keep themselves afloat. See more at the Wonderful World of Armadillos.

So next time you’re hanging out at Peninsula Valdez, keep an eye out for hairy little armored ones, especially around the miniature watering holes.

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We’re going back to Argentina for our women’s trip to Patagonia in February 2010. It’s an exciting trip! Peninsula Valdez is a stop half-way down the coast of Argentina, not far from Punta Tombo (with its hundreds of thousands of nesting penguins). But that’s another post!
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Wondering about the San Juan Islands? This video (first in a series) shows you what the ferry travel is like out to the islands, and around the islands.

If you’re going on our tour, you can ignore the part about which highway exits to take — we’ll handle all the driving! Just enjoy the part about being out on the water. It’s a beautiful ride, to a beautiful place.

I always think the ferry ride is very special. There’s truly a feeling of leaving the “real world” behind, and entering something different. As soon as we pull away from the dock, I start feeling it, and half an hour (max) into the trip, it’s a palpable sensation. I know I’m somewhere different. And this different place is beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing.

I know that being out on the water and breathing fresh sea air has a restorative effect. I’m a sailor, and any time on the water is good time! But it’s more than that, too. If we were taking the 3-hour cruise and heading back to Seattle, it wouldn’t be the same at all.

The ride is charming, and I love it a lot! But knowing that you arrive in the San Juan Islands is the other half of the magic.
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We’ll be doing our next women’s trip to the San Juan Islands this August. We’ve been going there for years, and I simply adore it. If you ever need a serious break from the stresses of normal life, this is an excellent place to do it. So close, and yet so far!
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Friday photo – Rock spiral on a Napa trail
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I was out hiking by myself on a trail up in the hills above Calistoga (north end of Napa Valley), when the trail took an unexpected detour.  One minute I was striding down a fairly typical trail, admiring the views of the valley.  Then next, I was going around and around and around in circles!  Then back to the normal trail — just carry on as though nothing had happened.  What an odd feeling!

Somebody had put in considerable effort, out here in the middle of nowhere, to add this rock spiral to the trail.  What you can’t tell from the photo (because I didn’t have the bird’s eye view) is that it’s a double spiral, so you go in one end, follow it into the center, then keep going and you come out the other side.

Now I know that some people would say the area should stay as natural as possible, and would want to remove this spiral.  Personally, I thought it was a lovely, unexpected addition.  After all, the other 99.99% of the area is still left as-is, and this is rearranging a few rocks that were already there, not pouring concrete.  Of course, if there were rock spirals everywhere, that would be a different matter, but it doesn’t seem to have caught on that well. 

The trail is up in Robert Louis Stevenson State Park.  On our Napa Valley tours, we visit this park and take a different trail, so that we can see the site of his famous abandoned mine honeymoon.  I still wonder what his new bride thought of that!

On the way back to the car, I found I was looking forward to finding the spiral again.   Sure enough, it was still there.  (It’s hard to find a more distinctive trail marker!)  I dutifully walked through it the other way on my way back.

Afterwards, I had a thought.  Does reversing the steps through it undo the magic from going through forward the first time?  Could I have won the lottery and found true love if only I didn’t “unwind” the spiral on the way back?  Shoot!  I might just have to go back. 

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We’ll be back in Napa Valley this Sept/Oct for our women’s trip to San Francisco and Napa.  I love going back there every year!  Both San Francisco and Napa rate way up there on my list of favorite places on earth.
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