I had a long weekend, so I took a four-hour drive down the coast from Lima through the small town of Ica, and arrived at the grounds of Intipalka Winery where they have places to stay among their vineyards. They provide you with everything you need to enjoy yourself during your stay, but one of the things that they schedule you for is a tour of the winery where they produce not only fine reds, and whites, but also the drink of Peru, pisco. It is not required for you to go on this tour, but considering that it comes with a wine-tasting, a sunset viewing, and a stroll through the vines, it is worth considering.
Like most things in Peru, the tour was delivered in Spanish, and since I am still in the process of picking up the language, there were a lot of the details that went over my head during the tour. I did get that the pisco is the main drink that they produce on the grounds, and there are three different types of pisco. I also learned that pisco is a strong drink sitting at about 42 percent alcohol, though the sweet taste does not make it seem like you are drinking something that strong.
I also learned that the grounds of the vineyards extended much further than it looks like from inside the compound. All of the vines are regularly maintained and the water is supplied from the runoff from the Andes Mountains that loom over the grounds. The grapes do produce nice red and white wines which you can buy at cost in the restaurants, but I would stay away from the rose that they make. It was really sweet, even more so than the pisco, but the other wines are great, and would rival anything that you could find over the border in Chili. And of course, if you do not wish to have a bottle of wine to share, there are always pisco sours or chilcanos.
They do load up cars at the end of the tour and take everybody up to a lookout that looks over the expanse of land they use to create their wine, piscos, and brute champagne. It is here that they allow you to try the sparkling wine while watching the sun set over the fields. The day I went was a little hazy, but I know that this is not always the case. We had much better sunsets the first night we stayed here, and I am looking forward to seeing what the other nights have to offer. Still, it was a pretty location, and the wine added nicely to the atmosphere.
Out of the many things that the place has to offer, it is the one must do thing that you should do. It really highlights the beauty of the region and gives you the insight of what it means to run a winery. Even if your Spanish is not great, you can still get a lot out of the experience.
When you live in a valley in the mountains of the Andes, there are going to be times when you come across some volcanic activity. When you come across volcanic activity, there are going to be springs that are naturally warmed by the volcanic activity. When you have these hot springs, hotels are going to pop up that will take advantage of this fact to make hot water pools that allow you to soak in them while enjoying the natural surroundings of the environment. This was the place that I ended up at during my recent travels through Peru, and it was not only an immaculate setting, but a great experience as well.
The Colca Lodge sits a twenty-minute drive outside the small town of Yanque in the Colca Canyon region, and its main attraction are the natural hot springs that are found there. But there is so much more to this lodge than just the nice warm pools that are in the area where you can relax after a long day of exploring the high Andes mountains. There is a spa, a nice big pit for late-night campfires, and of course, what every high Andes complex needs, an alpaca farm.
Don’t worry, they have llamas too. Basically, you are given free reign to walk around the grounds and check out these animals as they run, play, and graze. It is also connected to a small museum that talks about the history of these animals in the region as well as the other major draw out to Colca Canyon, the condor. It is a nice way to spend an hour or two, and the animals are completely friendly, even though I never got close enough to one to pet it.
There is really only one place to eat at the Colca Lodge, but they do have enough variety that you will never get bored with the food. The kitchen staff is also well-versed in bringing together many dishes, mainly from Peru, but you can also find some great dishes from Italy, Mexico, and bar fare. They also have a full bar with a great selection of wine, and beer from the region.
Each room has an outdoor entrance that has a small patio that is perfect for sitting out on most of the time. There was a moment when things got a little too hot in the morning, but then the shade took over and it was nice to sit out there and enjoy the scenery. It was the perfect place to sit back to read a book or play a card game, and made the lodge a very comfortable place to stay at.
There are many exciting things to do and see in the area as well. There are some hikes close by that can take you to waterfalls, up ancient terraces where people still farm today, and even the Oyu Oyu ruins. If that is not your cup of tea, a longer drive will take you out to Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world and the sight where many condors can be spotted hunting for carrion. It makes this spot the perfect location for a break from the day to day monotony. I enjoyed a three night stay there and am already thinking about when I could go back and enjoy it again.
Until next time, try to find those special places in your part of the world that allow for relaxation and little bit of culture at the same time.
It has been a strange year. I have not done as much traveling as I have in the past, and when I had time off from my work, I would spend that time coming home to be their with my family during some rough times. I have had the opportunity to take short weekend trips but it has almost been a year since I have gone on a vacation that lasted for a week, but life has a way of shifting perspective, and I have been given the opportunity to go explore a different part of the world, Latin America, as I have made the move to Lima, Peru. As my first trip in this part of the world, I took a quick flight into the Andes to the second biggest city of Peru, Arequipa.
Arequipa is a colonial city that has been around since the sixteenth century. The old part of the city has some of the oldest buildings in the Americas, and it has the feeling of walking around the heart of a Spanish city. There are many impressive sights to go and see, but for my first day in the city, I decided it would be best to just wander around the older part of the city and see what it had to offer. It was fun looking at the facade of these buildings, and peeking my head into the various places where I could eventually learn more about what this city had to offer.
Of course, Arequipa being in Peru, one of the things that it boasts is the food that this country is known for. There are so many fusion restaurants to choose from and it is hard to pick just one. I found a udon place called Yama Wok for lunch that was the perfect start to what will be a bounty of great eating. It was a tiny place with only five seats available but the noodles were made fresh and they cooked the meal right in front of you. It wasn’t only a fun experience, but it was also delicious.
It gave me the energy I needed to explore more of the old city. No matter where I went, I kept roaming back to the center of the city where a beautiful plaza is. The garden in the center of this square is an inviting place where you can find a shady spot underneath a tree to enjoy some cheese ice-cream, play a card game, or just relax with a good book. It is where most of the people come to meet up with each other, and I have also witnessed moments where it explodes with life as parades walk through or people who have gotten married or received the first communion get the perfect picture to capture the moment.
And of course there are many a roof top bar where you can look out over the city and watch the sunset. They serve the great drinks that you come to expect from Peru such as good wine, or pisco sours, but they also have a surprising beer culture that they can boast about. We went to our favorite brew-pub, Sierra Andina which has great IPAs, stouts, and a really good porter.
Even though the day was not filled by learning about the culture from this part of the world, it was still a fun day of traveling again. It was the perfect way to ease into a great traveling experience, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of this week has to offer for me.
Until next time, enjoy getting out there and experiencing the world.
The holidays are always a great time to get back to the people that you love. There are millions of people that believe the same, and if you do not believe me, just visit an airport an see how packed they become as people travel back and forth to those spots where they can make the magic of the holidays happen. At times, it can be a pain in the butt to be one of those people who are trying to make their flights, and move across the world, but in the end it is worth the time that was spent making the effort.
Despite all of the rewards that come with travels, there comes a time when you have to pack things up and return to the life that you are living. The holidays cannot last forever, and we all need to pack up the packages and decorations. If we left them up all year long, then the moments that we create during this time of the year would be meaningless. We need to have the drudgery of a regular routine to make those moments matter.
I am in the process of moving back to that life. I am not sadden by the prospect of going back to my classroom, my alarm, and my responsibilities. Yes, they can bring us down some times, but at the same time, they give us the life that we wish to live. It is when we get those breaks from the routine that we can find those treasured moments in our lives.
I have just come from a three week respite from the daily routine. It was a great couple of weeks being able to spend time with family and catch up with their lives while sharing what was going on in mine. The meals, the laughter and the hugs will stay with me during the cold and dark beginning of the year, and it will take me through the time until I can come back to see these people again. It is probably the greatest gift that can be given over the holiday season.
I want to thank all of the people in the United States that I was able to spend time with over this break. You have made the beginning of my year great, probably without even knowing that you have done that. I hope that the start of 2025 has been just as memorable for you as well. It may be discouraging that it is time to pack up the season, but keep in mind that it is only a short time until those glittering lights and thoughts of family will return. Until then, have a great 2025, and I look forward to sharing with you the highlights I have along the way.
It was a chilly October day, and there was a constant drizzle coming from the sky all day long. Every once in a while, the rain would pick up for a bit, but it was never for very long. As long as I planned the day well, I could stay relatively dry as I ventured out for my first full day of Fall Break. There was no way that I was going to let a little water falling from the sky from keeping me from enjoying the day. The city of Brasov was waiting and I wanted to get out there to enjoy what it had to offer.
It was early in the season for fall colors, but they were just starting to peek through, and there were plenty of parks where the leaves were falling from the trees and covering the ground. Walking around the old part of town was a pleasure because we would run into one of these parks and would have to walk under the canopy to get the full flavor of what the season had to offer.
The main streets had a lot to offer as well, and the rain kept the crowds at bay, especially on a Saturday when even the locals would come out and enjoy this part of town. Despite the cold and wetness, there were still plenty of people having a beer and some food underneath the umbrellas in the middle of the street, so it still had that European feel. The walking market area also had a lot to offer but my favorites had to be the book stores and the restaurants. I went into a couple of the book stores, and they had a lot of options available including many English options. There was a beautiful one on the main drag that even sold records and board games. If I lived out here, it would be a place that I would visit often.
There are also a couple of great sights that are located in the old part of Brasov. They are pretty close to each other and it makes for a great day to make it around to them to see how many of them you can find. My favorites were the Catherine’s Gate and the park that surrounds it, and the Black Church that sits in the middle of the old town.
The Black Church is an impressive sight, and it looks even more gloomy when the rain streaks down its facade. It is the easiest building to spot because it looms over the rest of the town, and its gothic architecture begs for a visit. It survived a fire in 1689 which adds to its appeal, but unfortunately many of the treasure that it once held did not survive. It is cool to look at fro the outside, and if you are really into architecture, it is worth a visit inside. Otherwise, it is best to look at from the outside, and you can skip going in.
If it gets a little cold wandering around the town, there are plenty of good restaurants to pop into for traditional Romanian food. They boast some hardy cuisine of soups, and roasted meats. I went in to La Ceaun for some food, and had a bean and ham soup served in a bread bowl. It warmed me right up, and gave me a little rest from all of the rain that was coming down.
It was the perfect way to spend a drizzly October day. The was cool, and rainy, but also had the perfect feel of a fall day. I enjoyed the start of the trip, and look forward to the other adventures that await me while I travel around Transylvania.
I know that I usually do not talk about hotels on my voyages. That is because I usually do not spend a lot of time in the hotel, so I generally do not stay in the fanciest of places, so I do not think that you would be interested in what I have to say about them. This was not the case when I stayed at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, Oregon. The hotel might not be as luxurious as some of the more modern hotels out there, but considering it was built in 1904 and is still considered one of the more luxurious hotels in Oregon, it is worth talking about.
The most impressive aspect of the hotel is that it sits on a tree filled cliff overlooking the Columbia River with many places to settle down and enjoy the views. Hood River is known as the world’s windsurfing capitol, so while sitting out and enjoying the views, you can watch people on the river participating in this activity. It does get hot there during the summertime, but there is a constant breeze blowing down the gorge that makes sitting in the shade pleasant during most times during the day.
The grounds have their own particular charm. On the back side of the hotel there are forested grounds that feature a waterfall; whereas, the front of the hotel has more well-maintained grounds that could be used for weddings. These include things such as a dance floor, a stone structure that would be perfect for pictures, and even a bocci ball pit and a horseshoe lawn.
The rooms are not as modern as you might find in other hotels, but they are still very comfortable with amazing views of the Columbia Gorge. It also offers all of the modern conveniences that you expected from a hotel with a huge closet, a big bathroom, and a refrigerator. You won’t even have to leave the hotel for dinner and breakfast because the hotel has a great restaurant. Many people who do not even stay at the hotel come to the place just to eat the great food and enjoy the views at the restaurant.
It is not often that I talk about a hotel. Most of the time, for me, a hotel is just a place to drop my stuff off while I am exploring the world. Every once in a while there is a hotel that is a destination in itself, and the Columbia Gorge Hotel is such a place. I am glad that I spent a day there hanging out.
Until next time, continue to find those special places for yourself.
The first thing that Americans think of when you tell them that you are going to visit Georgia is Atlanta. I don’t blame them for thinking this way. Before I spent a lot of my time traveling around the world, it would be the first place that I would think about as well. But there is an older Georgia out there with a greater history, and is worth traveling more than the one that people automatically think of.
This part of the world has been inhabited since before prehistoric times. It has some of the oldest recorded culture of anywhere in the world, and the thing they are most famous for is their wine. They have been producing this drink for over 8,000 years, and they have not changed the process of how they do this either. Instead of letting the wine sit in oak barrels for a couple of years, Georgians make their wine in big clay vessels that they bury into the ground to let the grapes they have crushed to ferment there. It creates a completely unique wine that you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
But is not just the wine that should bring you to this small country on the Black Sea. They have also not shied away from the craft beer revolution that the world is experiencing right now. There are many tasty beers that can be found all over the country that compliment the amazing food that you can find there as well. There is no other food in the world that I have found that is like Georgian food. They have unique salads inspired from the Greek islands, rich meat dishes with amazing sauces that would rival anything created in France, a bread and cheese dish that is cooked with an egg that might be one of the most amazing things I’ve ever had, and khinkali, a type of meat dumpling that has a very specific way of eating it. If you don’t come out here for the wine or beer, the food is another great draw to this charming country.
There are also all of the puppies. Georgia is a dog-loving country. They take very good care of their dogs, and it does not matter where you roam in the country, you will find them hanging out, and enjoying the country as much as the tourists and citizens. The government does a great job of taking care of the dogs as well. They bring them in and tag them and then return them to their neighborhood so they can live a happy and content life with the people they share the neighborhood with.
It is hard to travel around the country, and not notice the Soviet influence when this place used to belong to the Soviet Union. There are some buildings that were designed for practical purposes and not for an aesthetic design. They are interesting to see, but are also easily avoidable as they reside in the more modern parts of the bigger cities. These cities still have enough of the old character and charm that you can avoid the modern parts altogether if you wish.
But it is the statues, and the strange monuments along the way that really highlight the Soviet occupation and how much of an influence that is on Georgia. There are leftover monuments to that era all over the place, and it is interesting to see how they were used to bring Georgia into harmony with the Soviet world view. Though these are still around the current feeling towards Russia and its move to take back those lands that it lost during the fall of their communistic ideals is completely different.
There is no love for Russia among the common people in Georgia. They are not happy with the way Putin has tried to annex Ukraine with the on-going war. They do not appreciate the way how Russia has planted people sympathetic to its goals into the Georgian government. They hate the way that Russia has control of over twenty percent of the country. They fear that they will be next after Putin has completed his campaign over Ukraine. It is interesting to see the anti-Russian graffiti all over Tbilisi, or the signs walking into establishments clearly explaining their viewpoints and your expected compliance to those viewpoints.
Despite this sentiment expressed often within the country, it does not end up being the focus of the people who live there all the time. Most of the Georgian I was lucky enough to meet and interact with were friendly, proud of their nation, and willing to tell me more about it. For the most part, the younger generation was fluent in English, and communication was never a serious problem with them. It was a little different story with the older generation who grew up under the rule of the Soviet Union, but this has to be expected. Even with this language barrier, we were still able to communicate well enough to understand one another.
Georgia is definitely ready to be a worldwide tourist destination. The people are friendly. The infrastructure is in place. The food and wine are amazing. Their is a deep and rich history that is fun to explore. Most of the tourists that I encountered either came from Eastern Europe, or India, so there are a lot of people that do not seem to know about this little jewel on the Black Sea. It was a fun place to explore and I want to come back and explore more of it.
It is a quirky place that is unique in its place on the tourist circuit, but at the same time, it is an easy choice. From certain places in the world, it is not an easy trip to get to, but it is worth the voyage to make it there. The beauty and charm of this small country is one of the best travel experiences I have ever had, and part of the reason for that might be because I have made it out here before the rest of the world finds out about it. But with more people going out there, and more posts like this, it will only be a short matter of time before it is discovered. I would recommend making the voyage out there before that changes because it could be your little treasured experience as well.
Until next time, keep on going out and seeking those adventures.
When I turned old enough to travel on my own, it became Prague.
I have heard talk of Ljubljana, but that still has not happened yet.
I am probably not the first to say this, but I think the next big hot spot might be Tbilisi, Georgia.
You might be asking yourself, what makes a hot spot for a travel destination? It is a combination of things, and I do believe that Tbilisi has brought all of these elements together, at the right time, to be that destination spot.
First, it needs to have an interesting history and culture that would make people want to go there. Tbilisi has this. It sits on the edge of the Caucasus Mountain range, and most recently has had close ties with Russia, and the Soviet Union. They have since broken off to forge their own identity by looking back into its history to a time when they ruled a large part of the region just off the Black Sea. They are taking all elements of this history to make an enticing place to visit in this historic city.
Next, the place needs to have a good infrastructure to make it easy to travel around in while also offering inviting places to go and visit. Tbilisi has built this infrastructure to a point where they are now ready to welcome guests. They have great roads, and if you download the Bolt app on your phone, getting around town is inexpensive and relatively fast. Avoid taking a taxi because they are not always honest, especially at the airport. There is also busses, and a subway system that supplements the app and is a great way to great way to get the bigger locations around town. Despite these conveniences, there are also numerous parks that make walking around town a delight as well. It surprised me how much green there was in the city, and finding a nice spot to sit and enjoy the day was easy to do when I found the perfect place in one of these parks.
Tbilisi also has its own distinct character and history which makes it a great place to visit. There are many historic churches that have their own distinct style and feel, and date back to much further than some of the more visited ones in Europe. There are also walking mall stretches that offer Georgian architecture with their beautiful patios that just invite people to sit on them. There is a old wall that is fun to find pieces of a clock that looks old and falling apart but is actually relatively new and houses a marionette theatre that is a must see if you make it out here.
There are also many examples of modern art as well. If you go across the Aragvi River to the newer part of town, there are many examples of graffiti and murals, some of which are not very good; whereas, others are really amazing. It is a place that still has some work to do, but it is being gentrified right now, and is also the place where all of the great restaurants are. And let’s talk about Georgian food. It is amazingly good, and might be one of the best kept secrets out there. It is very meat heavy, but they do have some of the best salads I have ever eaten, and they do enough creative stuff with vegetables to keep you interested for a long time. Their most famous dish is khinkali, a dumpling filled with a meatball and great sauce. There is a specific way that you eat them, but just ask a waitress and they will tell you how. The best part about their food and drink is that it is very affordable right now. This is the reason a lot of the previous mentioned places became the hot place for a bit. Younger tourists could afford all of the cool things that the place offered while also enjoying the nightlife that can be found because of these prices. It won’t always be this way as more people find out about Tbilisi, so now is the time to go.
Add in a couple of iconic landmarks and you have the perfect recipe for the next hot spot in Europe. I have been told about Georgia by a couple of my friends on numerous occasions, and we had tried to make it there a couple of times, but something always came up that delayed our trip. I am glad though that I made it out here before the word about it got out. I hope that you take the opportunity to check it out as well before it becomes overrun with tourists. I highly recommend putting it on your list as soon as you possibly can.
The scenery might distract you, and it is easy to do because everywhere you look in the small mountain town of Kazbegi, Georgia is stunning. It sits next to the Terek River in the Caucasus Mountains about seven kilometers from the border of Russia, and it is easily one of the biggest draws for tourists in this country. Many of them will splurge a little extra money to spend a night or two at the Rooms Hotel, a converged day spa that has a great view over the valley. From there, if you look closely to the left of the tallest peak, on a smaller mountain in front of it, there sits on top of the peak a monastery, the Gergeti Trinity Church.
During the summer months, this monastery is one of the biggest attractions in the region. It is filled with visitors all the time, and offers many amazing views just like the hotel across the valley. There are two ways to get there. The way that most people take is the road on the side of the mountain that takes people to a parking lot just a short walk to the monastery. It is the easier choice, but the road is not always maintained and after a good rainstorm, it can be covered in run off. It is also on a series of switchbacks that take you up the mountain, and some Georgian drivers take the corners rather fast, but if you take your time, and slowly navigate through the debris, it is not that hard to get to.
The other way is to hike up the hill. The trailhead for the path is on the opposite side of the mountain from the parking lot, on the side facing the town. The road up to the trailhead is also difficult. It is really rugged and covered with many potholes, but the traffic on it is a lot less, and people generally take it slower. When heading to the mountain, you will cross a bridge over a river, and you would take your first left after it that will wind its way through a small part of town, and deposit you at a small cafe. Signs indicate that parking here is 5 Lori, but there was no one there, and no place to put the payment, so we got away without playing. The parking lot is also kind of small, so I would recommend getting there early to find a place. The path follows a stream on the left-hand side and goes by the ruins of an old tower on the right-hand side. It has many offshoots, but all of them tend to lead to the same place, Gergeti Trinity Church.
The path offers more amazing views then just driving up, and it is the one that I would recommend taking. It is not a hike for everybody though. There are many difficult and rocky parts to the path, so good hiking shoes are required, and I would also bring hiking poles to help you through some of the more treacherous moments. It does not require ropes, and most skilled hikers should not have a difficult time with it, but just know that it is not always a stroll. There are two basic paths on it, and I would aim for the upper path as the lower path just follows the stream. It looks easy to begin with, but once you get to the end, the path veers sharply up. It took me only an hour to complete the trek, and this was after a day of heavy rain, so there was a little more runoff than usual.
Either way, this is a must see if you are in Kazbegi. There will be tourists up there no matter when you head up, but if you take the trail earlier in the morning, you can have it to yourself and feel like the Caucasus Mountains are all your own. There is also the added pleasure of seeing horses grazing in the pasture, and having some of the most amazing views that the world has to offer. The monastery is really cool as well, holding some great iconic paintings that have recently been done and some that are frescos from centuries past that are worth seeing.
The best part is that you get the rest of the day to enjoy the views. Each day in Kazbegi offers something new with nature as the clouds come and go in this isolated valley. It creates some very dramatic moments that are worth sitting on a deck and watch unfold.
Until next time, get out there and continue to explore the world.
Many people who visit Georgia spend most of their time in Tbilisi. Though there is a lot to see in the biggest city in the country, the real heart of Georgia lies in its wine region. It is not very far from Tbilisi, and there are tour companies that will take people on day trips for wine tastings and checking out the many monasteries, it is not the best way to get the most out of the region.
Sighnaghi is one of the towns that the tour companies will go to, but why spend the day on a bus and rush in and out of places, when you could just stay there and enjoy what the area has to offer at a more leisurely pace. First of all, Sighnaghi is a cute little town with a bunch of wineries in it. Some of them are big operations; whereas, a couple of them are just a family that has been making their wine in clay pots for generations. You can easily have a great bottle of wine at some of the local establishments, and the owner will be so proud of their wine that they will give you a tour of their operation.
This happened to me. We had gone to Traveler’s Inn for dinner on our first night there. When we were looking for a glass of wine, we chose from the family wine list thinking that it would give us a half liter. The price indicated that it should not have been for much more. We ended up with a bottle instead, and our waiter was so excited that we went with the family option that he motioned for me to go in the back room so I could see how it was being made.
Another advantage to staying in the town as opposed to doing a day trip is that you can get an earlier start to touring the other wineries in the region. We were able to hire a driver for the day from the home stay that we were staying at. He did not speak English very well, but he knew many of the people at the places we stopped at. It helped to give us a more personal experience at each of the wineries that we visited. It also got us out earlier than the tour groups that were coming from Tbilisi.
Winery Khareba is one of the more popular wineries in the region because its operation was built into the hillside in 1966 during the Soviet era. It is a long tunnel seven kilometers long, and the place is as much of a draw as the award winning wine is. When we were there, it was only us and another couple from South Africa. Our tour guide was very knowledgable and we got to know him a little bit because he did not have to keep track of a larger group. We were also the only ones in the long tunnel even though it could easily accommodate more people. When we were leaving, two large tour buses showed up from Tbilisi which packed the place, and changed the whole environment. If we were not able to sneak in there earlier than these crowds, it would have been a completely different experience.
It is not possible to escape the crowds that come to this region. We ran into them in Sighnaghi itself, and when we made it out to the monasteries. They were some of the biggest crowds I have seen since coming out to Georgia, but being able to avoid them during some of the sights made staying here worth the experience. Also, while they were getting on a bus to head back to Tbilisi, I was able to stay and enjoy the area while they were gone. It made for a better experience out here, and it is the way that I would recommend to come out here.
John Collings 