Adventures for Anyone

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Kayaking is Something New and Fun For Me, So I Thought I Would Share

It all started for me a couple of years ago. I started to go to a little town close by and rent canoes to take out with my at that time young son. I used to live in a canoe when I was a kid. Not literally, but every summer, me and my friends would continually take off in our parents' canoes and go up and down our local river. We camped out like Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn, and we probably got into more trouble than we should have. But, the long and the short of it was this. It was a great way to get away from it all and it was fun.

As an adult I tend to revert to some of my old ways that were part of my childhood, but at this point in life I enjoy them for different reasons. After a bout with breast cancer which has obviously caused a little cash flow issue as anything will these days with the state that health care is in, I find that I am not traveling far right now. I am the type of person that needs to get away from it all on a regular basis, and since surgery and cancer, I need it even more. Knowing that about myself, just after Christmas I went and bought my little Pelican kayak. This thing is barely seven feet long and weighs only 26 pounds, so I can handle it. It allows me to get away and with the variety that my travel bug requires. I can do all of this and have some serene time, good exercise and a great view; all not far from home.

The little gem you see above is Burr Pond State Park and it's right in my town. This place is a beautiful wooded mountain lake with smooth water, a beach, hiking trails, and a waterfall. It's beautiful and it was a lot of fun kayaking there. Spending an hour on the water can make you feel calm and happy. It's not travel per se, but it is an alternative during the lean times.

Also right in my town is Stillwater Pond. This is another beautiful place to get away from it all. It's right along a main thoroughfare and It's still peaceful and beautiful. You can't beat it. Especially in Connecticut there are a ton of lakes that have state boat launches on them. With a kayak, all you have to do is get your gear which should include water shoes, life jacket, paddle, and I recommend a waterproof pouch. I use my waterproof pouch to put my iPod in so I can listen to music and take pictures on the water. Kayaks are extremely portable, so you can take them to a variety of places for a little gas money. It's a great bargain travel idea.

This one is Highland Lake and it's a huge residential area in the next town over from me. One of the things that I do to have the most fun kayaking is to check out new and interesting venues for my new hobby. In my case, our state Department of Environmental Protection has a map of all the state boat ramps right on their website. You will find that most state DEEP websites have a list or a map or something. This way you can find new and interesting places around you.

Irregardless of how you enjoy your time on the water--I of course take photos and videos while listening to music--it's a great way to get away from it all. Keep in mind, I have chosen lake and still water kayaking. I have a little kayak. There are different kinds of kayaks for rivers, ocean and such. Make sure you buy the kind of kayak that affords you the experience that you are looking for. All things considered, once the bills are paid I will hit the road more. For now, I love my kayak! Whether it's Dog Pond, West Hill Pond, Lake Waramaug, or wherever, it's a lot of fun. Enjoy!

http://seakayakct.com/
http://www.visitconnecticut.com/state/paddling/
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dmf/recreational-fishing/boat-ramp-locations.html
http://www.visit-massachusetts.com/berkshiresandpioneervalley/boat-ramps/
http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325288
http://www.austinkayak.com/blog/2012/02/therapeutic-paddling/
http://www.ctfishtalk.com/kayaking-canoeing-laws-t9209.html#.WUA5f9y1u70
http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/guide/guide-to-kayaking-in-connecticut/
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7832.html
http://www.ct.gov/deep/site/default.asp
http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?A=2686&Q=381794
https://kayak-therapy.com/
https://kayak-therapy.com/about/
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/canoeing-and-kayaking-health-benefits
https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=the+ring+of+the+queen
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y17BJP8
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520990944
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06Y1C2MS7
https://www.createspace.com/7059989
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34781535-the-ring-of-the-queen
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
https://www.zazzle.com/imagings
https://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

More of the Things that I Wanted to Write About From Switzerland...Interlaken!

Interlaken. This is a very well known city in the Alpine Region of Switzerland. It's kind of the gateway to the Alps and sits in between the lakes. The lakes being Brienz and Thun. The in between is the flatland of Interlaken. The views from this city to the surrounding lakes and mountains is unmatched. It is another one of the most scenic places on Earth.

One of the best parts of Interlaken is the convenience. There are trains stopping in this burg every ten minutes or so. There are always a barrage of taxis and carriages at the train station to get the travelers where they're going. It seemed to me that everyone in that city spoke English too, which is great for us Americans. One of the important things for Americans traveling in Europe tends to be areas where people speak English. I don't subscribe to the idea that everyone should be able to speak my language, which is why I speak a few; but a lot of Americans never learn a second or third language and they need that gap bridged. Otherwise the only option that they have for travel is a guided tour. Guided tours are fine, but I like the freedom of independent travel. So, let's review. If you don't speak other languages, traveling to a beautiful area of Switzerland where most people already speak English is a good thing.

One of the amazing things about Interlaken is its variety of experiences. This is a modern city with all the shopping that you could imagine. This is a city with modern transportation and one of the most advanced train systems coming in and out of it. But, it also has turn of the century (19th into 20th century) buildings and horse and carriages on the streets. There are great modern boat tours to take on the lake as well as older sailing boat tours. There are mountain roads for you to drive to the summits in some areas and in others there are centuries old funiculars. It's an amazingly diverse atmosphere with highly contrasting experiences.

In Interlaken you will find everything that you might want to purchase on your trip to Switzerland. You can buy all kinds of modern things at Claire's Boutique or the Swatch Store. But, you can also buy traditional liederhosen. There's a wide variety. You can visit the cleverly camouflaged modern water closet underneath the street, but you can also stay in a grand old hotel. You never run out of options.

One of the things that I loved about Interlaken was the people. It was a place where you needed to go while staying in the Bernese Oberland like we were. The smaller towns don't have all the touristy shopping and restaurants that you find in Interlaken. The people of Interlaken seemed to expect to see all of us that were actually traveling to other places, but did our shopping and such there. They seemed to enjoy listening to our stories of our travels. It probably bored them to tears in reality, but they acted as though they were enthralled. The people that I met in Interlaken were friendly, helpful, and never seemed to take themselves too seriously. They wanted to help. I found that you could book one of the mountain tours of the area, and the lake tours and all kinds of tours from agencies in Interlaken. For an extra 10 ch you could book anything right there in the city and be all set when you arrived on site at your attraction. Very convenient. The Swiss know how to make tourism convenient, and that makes lots of tourists want to visit. The country is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, but you throw in major convenience and it will be a booming tourism industry.

Another thing that you will find in Interlaken is all your American fall backs. There's McDonald's, Best Western, Baskin Robbins and so forth. It's all there if you don't like to try the local things while abroad. I do advocate trying the local fare and hotels while in Switzerland, however. The food was great everywhere I went, and if you like cheese and pork; you will love this country. I also would not have traded my experience with the hotel that we stayed in in Lauterbrunnen. We stayed at the Staubbach Hotel, and it was a fabulous experience. I still keep in touch with friends that I made while I was there. So, do it your way, but try something different. Fall backs are great, but adventure is great too.

To be honest, we only spent a day once and an afternoon another day in Interlaken. What I can say is that it was a great day and a half. There are a lot of day tour type things to do, both on the lakes and in the mountains. The shopping is great from giant flea markets to stores that remind you of Walmart to antiques, to traditional Swiss items, to watches, and beyond. One of the best things that I did in Interlaken was to sit at an outside cafe and eat and watch what went on before me. It was one of the best people watching experiences I ever had. It's a stop on the train or on the road. It's the place where you do your shopping and see some sights. It's that place where you get your supplies or catch your next train. It's full of wonderful people and grand old buildings. If you need a fix of American, you can get that there too. I wouldn't have missed seeing the touristy Interlaken. Would I visit again? I visited twice the last time I was in Switzerland. Of course I would. It's a great place, and if you run into some weather, which is always a possibility in Switzerland; this is your place to see a show or a movie or go on a pub crawl. There are so many reasons to stop off in Interlaken that you should give it a try. Enjoy!

http://www.wheretogowhattosee.com/switzerland/interlaken/excursionsFromInterlaken.php
http://www.interlaken.ch/en/cruises-lake-thun-and-lake-brienz.html
https://www.yatra.com/international-tourism/activities-in-interlaken/jet-boating
http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakebrienz
http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakethun
http://www.funimag.com/suisse/beatenberg01.htm
http://www.interlaken.ch/en/excursion-interlaken-heimwehfluh.html
http://thetrustedtraveller.com/things-to-do-in-interlaken/
http://swissvacations.com/pages/en/Interlaken.html
https://www.hotels.com/ho329182/hotel-interlaken-interlaken-switzerland/
https://www.raileurope.com/europe-travel-guide/switzerland/interlaken/index.html
http://www.magicswitzerland.com/activities/interlaken.htm
https://www.smartertravel.com/2017/02/09/interlaken-things-attractions-must-see/
https://www.alpenwild.com/trip/best-of-the-swiss-alps/overview/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Best%252520of%252520the%252520Swiss%252520Alps&utm_term=Jungfrau%252520Hiking%252520Tours&utm_content=Best%252520of%252520the%252520Alps
http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/articles/interlaken2.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3JbMUUilXk
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/switzerland/berner-oberland
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/switzerland
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/switzerland/central-switzerland-and-berner-oberland/interlaken
https://www.booking.com/city/ch/interlaken.html
http://www.interlaken.ch/en/discover-interlaken.html
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/interlaken.html
http://www.visitacity.com/en/zurich/activities/all-activities?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Zurich%20Activities%20G3&utm_term=day%20trip%20to%20interlaken%20from%20zurich&utm_content=jungfrau%3FactivitiesCategoryId%3D9059&activitiesSearchByName=Jungfraujoch&activitiesSortBy=reviewersNum
https://www.swiss.com/us/EN/Book/Flight/sidkcy6?openJaw=False&WT.mc_id=SEA_US
http://www.interlakenfreetour.com/en
http://www.swissvacations.com/pages/en/Interlaken_Attractions.html
http://www.interlaken.ch/en/walking-tours-interlaken.html
http://www.pureswitzerland.com/index.php/offer/swiss-guided-tours
https://www.getyourguide.com/-n41/?partner_id=4E76E&cmp=BING&campaignid=285007258&adgroupid=1250144724737159&targetid=kwd-78134046093402&matchtype=b&network=o&device=c&creative=78134045466670&keyword=%252Bswitzerland%2520%252Btours&partner_id=CD951
https://www.duvine.com/tour/switzerland-bike-tour/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=*Europe%20(USA)&utm_term=%2BSwitzerland%20bike%20%2Btours&utm_content=Switzerland%20Bike%20Tours
https://www.toursbylocals.com/Switzerland-Tours?s=BA_02_051B_%2Btouring%20%2Bswitzerland&utm_source=MSAC&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=02_051B
https://www.goaheadtours.com/tours/europe-tours/switzerland-tours?countries=switzerland&k_clickid=1c2762f7-e1f1-45cf-8fcd-378fffb0ef05&mt=b&popup=slider&regions=europe&utm_campaign=US_GAT_Western_Europe&utm_device=c&utm_group=Switzerland_Tours&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=%2Btours+%2Bswitzerland
https://www.affordabletours.com/Switzerland/?utm_content=8672641465&utm_term=%2Bswitzerland%20%2Btours&utm_campaign=Tours&utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=cpc&bquery=tours%20interlaken%20switzerland&bmatchtype=b&borderitemid=118013975944&badid=8672641465&device=c
http://www.hoteltravel.com/switzerland/interlaken/interlaken-public-transport.htm
https://www.makemytrip.com/holidays-international/transportation-in-interlaken.html
https://www.holidayme.com/Interlaken-tourism-CT31043/transportation
http://www.hoteltravel.com/switzerland/interlaken/guides/transport.htm
http://www.interlaken.ch/en/information-and-journey-to-interlaken/nightlife-in-interlaken.html
http://www.jungfraupark.ch/en/
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/switzerland/interlaken/entertainment/
http://www.hostelworld.com/blog/city-guide-interlaken-switzerland
https://www.trivago.com/?sLanguageLocale=US&iSemThemeId=4221&iPathId=47493&sem_keyword=b%26b%20Interlaken&sem_creativeid=75522721361680&sem_matchtype=bb&sem_network=s&sem_device=c&sem_campaignid=180518736&sem_adgroupid=2530049457&sem_targetid=116205238889&cip=122004022
http://www.hoteltravel.com/switzerland/interlaken/shopping-in-interlaken.htm
http://www.interlaken.ch/en/information-and-journey-to-interlaken/shopping-and-services-interlaken-holiday-region.html
https://www.smartertravel.com/2017/02/27/interlaken-shopping-shops-stores-best-buys-inside-tips/
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/interlaken/restaurants/overview
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Restaurants/Restaurants-Interlaken-3800-Bern-Switzerland
http://www.rugenpark.ch/interlaken/en/interlaken_restaurants.htm
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y17BJP8
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520990944
https://www.createspace.com/7059989
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06Y1C2MS7
https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=the+ring+of+the+queen
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
https://www.zazzle.com/imagings
https://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://twitter.com/NinaKindred

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

A Little Hidden Gem in Litchfield, CT!

It's amazing how much time I have spent visiting all of the State Parks and State Forests around the tiny state of Connecticut. I have lived here for 25 years now. I can't believe it's been that long and I don't know where the time has gone. I have lived in the northwest hills of Connecticut for 23 years, and I can't believe that in all that time, I am just hearing about a magnificent place called Topsmead State Forest. The very first time I ever heard of this place was last year. It's right up the road from my house. Amazing.

Topsmead State Forest is the former summer estate of Miss Edith Morton Chase, daughter of Henry Sabin Chase and Alice Morton Chase. Henry Sabin Chase was the first President of Chase Brass and Copper Company in Waterbury. Chase Brass was one of the leaders in the brass industry when Waterbury was the Brass Capital of the world. -CT.gov DEEP.

That means that there is a beautiful old manor house on the 500 acre property. Don't kid yourselves, this place is a State Park, not just a forest. It has manicured lawns and great views from the hilltop. I think that it may have been a funding thing that led to it being labeled a State Forest. Connecticut does have severe budget problems.

At any rate, the place is gorgeous! Unfortunately, the house is not open. There are bathrooms provided on the grounds, and I do believe that the house is available for rental for special occasions. The house itself on a regular basis is just for view from outside. It is lovely however, and the view from the hilltop is well worth it.

There are 500 acres in this park and a lot of that space is devoted to bird watching and open space. They do have one thing that I found very cool. They have a wildlife viewing blind in the middle of one of the vast fields across the dirt road from the manor house. This blind is overlooking the butterfly garden. This is a great place to view butterflies when in season. I only saw one while I was there this time of year, but since it's still pretty early; I'm guessing that later on there will be tons of butterflies for viewing. There's a lot of information right in the blind to teach you what you are looking at and looking for. It's a great place to take the kids to learn about nature.

Topsmead State Forest is a wide open natural wonderland that is a great getaway for those of us who live in town and love to get out and see some nature. It's fields are vast, it's views are amazing, it's wildlife is accessible for viewing, and there are tons of places to take walks and have picnics. If you like to have enough room to play some football while out with the family, then this place is for you. It's free, it's gorgeous and it's close by for those of us who live in the northwestern hills of Connecticut.

It's only one of many things to do outdoors in Litchfield as well. I love to walk at the Lourdes Shrine and hike at White Memorial. Litchfield is one of the richer parts of the state, but also one of the more beautiful parts of the state. It's a great place to spend the weekend if you love the outdoors. So come, see some great estates, hike some fabulous trails, see the twelve stations of the cross in a gorgeous setting, eat some good food and spend some time at a fabulous little state forest called Topsmead in Litchfield, Connecticut. Enjoy!

http://berkshirehiking.com/hikes/white_memorial.html
http://www.whitememorialcc.org/
http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/connecticut/the-litchfield-hills
http://www.winvian.com/things/activities-winvian/
http://www.visitconnecticut.com/litchfield_northwest/50-great-things-to-do-in-connecticut/
https://www.groupon.com/deals/haight-brown-vineyard-3?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=us_dt_sea_ggl_txt_ttt_sr_cbp_ch1_nbr_k*litchfield%20ct_m*p_d*hartford-RTC-KWService_g*RTC-KWService-haight-brown-vineyard-3-PHRASE_c*178326179200_ap*1t4_t*kwd-17923833&loc_physical_ms=9003405&loc_interest_ms=9052333&template=&gclid=CIjX_IHf0dMCFctWDQodaqwDTw
https://www.informationvine.com/index?qsrc=999&qo=semQuery&ad=semD&o=36177&l=sem&askid=75a052fc-6cc9-49c4-87b7-598a4a7f463a-0-iv_gsb&q=things%20to%20do%20in%20litchfield%20ct&dqi=&am=broad&an=google_s
http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/connecticut/the-litchfield-hills
http://mylocal.countytimes.com/all/travel
https://www.go-connecticut.com/Litchfield/
https://www.booking.com/city/us/litchfield-us.en.html?aid=306742&label=msn-E29qG0XTAV6oc_lAZKmi_Q-8491433286:tikwd-17101187138:neo:mtb:dec:qslitchfield%20connecticut%20travel&utm_campaign=CT%3A%20Connecticut&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=E29qG0XTAV6oc_lAZKmi_Q
http://www.townoflitchfield.org/pages/index
http://www.ctvisit.com/visitorsguide
http://www.visitconnecticut.com/state
http://www.ctvisit.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/13/nyregion/view-topsmead-state-forest-cottage-transports-visitors-19th-century-cotswolds.html
https://www.yelp.com/biz/topsmead-state-forest-litchfield
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Topsmead/207367272607794
http://www.livingplaces.com/CT/Litchfield_County/Litchfield_Town/Topsmead.html
http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325076
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
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http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred
https://www.createspace.com/7059989
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y17BJP8
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520990944
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B06Y1C2MS7
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/721980

Thursday, April 20, 2017

I Never Really Said all That I Wanted to About Lauterbrunnen Valley Switzerland

It was a magical trip to a place that you never really get over. When the view off of your hotel balcony is too good to be true, you know you've landed in paradise. It was one odd story as to how it even happened.

I'd planned to go to the south of Spain, Gibraltar, and a side trip for the day to Morocco on the ferry. At that time, the Moroccans were having some political issues. I decided that it would be better to abandon that for the time and find somewhere else to go for my family's first big trip to Europe. I'd been to Europe before, but neither my husband or son had. My husband is a reluctant traveler and a total homebody, so it wasn't easy for me to get him that far out of his comfort zone. I certainly was not going to get him to go somewhere that was unstable.

I didn't have any ideas that I thought were suitable for them, so I appealed online to my Facebook friends and people who read my writing to see if anyone had any ideas that would be a good one for my family and I in Europe. Lo and behold, someone sent me some information about Lauterbrunnen.

I'd been to Switzerland twice, and I'd never heard of Lauterbrunnen. I'd always gone to Zurich and other cities. I'd spent my time admiring the Alps from afar or traveling through them by train. I had never gone into the middle of it all to a tiny town and experienced the Alps the way they should be experienced. I saw the train shot that you see above. It's the one that everyone who ever visits Lauterbrunnen takes. I fell in love with what I saw. It looked like the most beautiful place on Earth. Of course, this is coming from someone who loves mountains, waterfalls, and has a soft spot for the Alps already.

I couldn't resist, so I thanked the reader and started making arrangements. We stayed at the Staubbach Hotel, which is named for the beautiful falls that are the centerpiece of the entire village. The Staubbach is a grand old hotel from the days when the British used to come and spend the summer. Then they started to come and ski in the winter. Now, the summer thing is to paraglide or zipline. The valley stays up with the times, even though there are a lot of traditions around as well.

One of the great things about Lauterbrunnen was all of the different kinds of accommodations. We stayed in an old hotel. It was like a bed and breakfast with one of the most wonderful staffs I've ever encountered. Also in town were guest houses, villa rentals, apartments, hostels, resorts, and a campground. I loved the campground, because here in America our campgrounds are a little different. In Lauterbrunnen, the campground had a performance area, a store, a restaurant and so on. It was great. We went there one night to try some local cuisine recommended by our wonderful staff and discovered that every Wednesday night a local group, dedicated to preserving local traditions, came and performed for the tourists at the campground. It was great. There were polkas, alpenhorns, cheese making and more. It was a great evening out for us.

The cows were fabulous. These guys lived right outside our hotel. There was the equivalent to a Smart Car in our parking lot and the cows were sniffing at it as though they thought it was some kind of alien animal. They were so cute. Cows are ubiquitous in Switzerland. Cheese is huge in that country, and the cows roam the countryside all summer long. They still wear the big bells around their necks and you can see them halfway up the mountains and more.

And oh my the waterfalls. The cliffs here are about 800 feet high. There are towns all over the cliffs and in some cases, you have to take a gondola up to them. The waterfalls that spew off of these cliffs are amazing. Staubbach Falls is the falls in Lauterbrunnen. There is a trail up to and behind the falls which is a lot of fun. It also gives you a unique view of the valley and the town below. I've told my family that I think that might be the place I choose to have my ashes scattered.

Even the cemetery, just across from the falls, is meticulously cared for and beautiful. Families have lived here in the Bernese Oberland for generations, since before Switzerland was a country, and they honor their ancestors still today. It was one of the most gorgeous cemeteries I've ever seen, and it too, came with a great view. I guess that if you have to go, this should be your view for eternity.

If you've ever wondered if the houses you see on television are real or if someone makes up the flowered villas; I can assure you they are real. Lauterbrunnen is a whole town full of them. They are gorgeous, mostly Begonias, and it makes the whole experience feel as though you walked into a painting.

The falls are the star in the town. They went to a lot of trouble to make the stone path and tunnel to get up behind the falls and look out over the town. As you go around town there are paintings of them as well. The valley is known for it's 72 waterfalls, but Staubbach is the falls that is always visibly flowing.

Lauterbrunnen is a wonderful little town, and a great jumping off point for all the amazing activities in the valley. I will be spending some time now, talking about this amazing region. Summer is coming up and I want everyone to know what I know about the Lauterbrunnen Valley. I want them to have their busiest year ever, because I want everyone to go there and see the stunning things that I saw. There are many places to visit, some of them famous, and some of them little known. I will tell you all about it. I love this place.