My First Thoughts About France

Let's start out by saying that I have spent some time in France.  It's one of the most beautiful countries in the world.  If I were to do a television series about France I would probably call it the history of France, because everything there has a history.  The food, the art, the architecture, the land, the roads, the bridges, the fashion, the language--everything.  Each section of France has a different lifestyle, different culture, different tradition, different palate, different view.  The folks up north live in a more British background, the people of the southwest live a more Spanish lifestyle, and the people on the southern shore are completely different yet.  It's an amazing journey to travel through France, and I highly recommend the whole trip from border to border to border to border.  I hope that my off again, on again ramblings about certain places in this magnificent country can help you with your ideas and travels.





The Castle in the Pyrenees, by Rene Magritte was my beginning of fascination with that region of southeastern France.  Reality doesn't really fall that far from the surrealist's image.  The Pyrenees mountain range extends around 270 miles across southern France and the highest point is Pico de Aneto at 11,168 ft.  They are rugged rock face mountains that make for very dramatic views.  The best part is that they are full of surprises.  One of those surprises is the plethora of Cathar Towers in the area.  Cathar castles were not mighty fortresses built to show wealth or power.  They were hiding places that would help protect the Cathars.  This religious group flew in the face of Catholics during the time of Catholic domination in Europe.  The Cathar belief differed from Catholicism and they were deemed heretics for their beliefs and were sought out by the church's armies.  The Albigensian Crusades were the church's quest to destroy the Cathars during the 12th and 13th centuries.  Cathars are long gone today, but the so called Cathar Castles are some of the most amazing structures in southern France.

 Every grouping has it's ruler, and Carcassonne is the king of Cathar Castles.  This is a medieval town that really makes you think of the world of King Arthur.  Carcassonne is the largest intact medieval fortified town in Europe.  It has 52 towers and a double set of walls.  It is extremely well preserved and a must see in the area.

 Inside Carcassonne is an entire village.  In the high tourism months it can feel a bit like a tourist trap, but I assure you, the beauty and the history will more than make up for that.  It has all that you would imagine it would with shops, restaurants, chapels, and cathedrals, ramparts to walk along, and amazing views from the walls.  It is a walking environment what with the narrow streets and historic atmosphere.  You will feel like you've walked onto a movie set.  It will seem as surreal as Magritte's paintings, but it is a real part of history.  It's honestly hard to wrap you mind around the idea that his walled city has been there for more than 1,000 years.  It survives today and is one of the most treasured properties in all of France.  There was a time when the government had discussed letting it go and the people would not allow that.  I think they made a good choice, because it's one of the most amazing places I've ever seen.  Today it is a protected World Heritage Site and well taken care of.

Different parts of the city were built at different times.  It was refortified at one point with an extra outer wall.  There are bridges, remnants of a moat, tunnels entries, gates, and the towers.  This place was rarely overtaken and could outlive almost any siege with it's multiple wells and storage areas.  Hands down, a must see, along with other castles in the area.  You will never forget this though.

Traveling to Carcassonne is something to look into carefully.  There are many options, and you should find the one that's right for you.  The train is always a good deal and of course, it goes everywhere in the country.  There is a train station in nearly every town.  They are easy to navigate and pretty well priced.  There is also the option to fly to Carcassonne, but you will have to take Ryanair to the local airport.  That's not hard, because you can catch it from London for a very good price.  That's the thing I was talking about a couple of entries ago.  Just catch some transatlantic flight to Paris or London and take Ryanair from there.  Option number three is to rent a car.  I always like this idea, because the scenery in the Pyrenees is some of the most amazing you'll ever see and driving allows a lot of freedom from itineraries.  That's just me.  Most people will not want to take on southern France without some guidance on the first trip.  I have rented a car in France and I liked it, but bring some maps, because the sat nav that comes in the rental cars is a little off in my opinion.  I like to have my old fashioned back up.

Here's the second part of the Adventure for Anyone.  Option number four is to take a canal barge.  That's right, Carcassonne sits on the Canal du Midi and you can take a river barge cruise to get there.  It's something that I always love to do, because it's relaxed and the views, once again, are amazing.  You can take a cruise from Marseillan to Le Somail and stop at Carcassonne along the way.  The boats that come from the few companies that offer this amazing option are floating hotels with great food and great service on board.  They are relaxing and scenic.  The trip is part of the history here, because the canal is another part of history.

You will get to travel through ancient locks and over water bridges as part of you trip.  It's an amazing way to go, and you won't have to find your own way.  So, it's up to you on this one.  If you like to do things on your own, I still say drive.  That train is convenient, but I like the freedom of the car.  If you would like something more structured to get your feet wet in southern France, I would take the barge.  It's different and gives you a truly unique perspective on the area.  There is that plus that the people on your cruise are there to help you have a great time.  I love France, but sometimes the locals are a little harsh and not as friendly as I would like.  In that way, a cruise can really take the edge off.  For the France savvy, I say rent a car and go for it.

Hands down, Carcassonne is the coolest medieval fortress town I've ever seen.  It's not Paris, but then again, Paris is crowded and hectic.  I write these blogs so that people will discover the more amazing parts of the world, and pretty much all of France is more amazing than the hustle and bustle of Paris.  So, hit the road, waterway, airport, or train to the south of France and the Pyrenees, home of the Cathar Castles and their ruler, Carcassonne.
Enjoy!

http://www.gobarging.com/anjodi-classic-1-itinerary
http://www.francetravelguide.com/visiting-carcassonne-frances-famous-medieval-walled-city.html
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http://www.booking.com/landmark/fr/carcassonne-medieval-city.en.html?aid=318760&label=msn-lnlX48rduSa8go8Lnujl3w-6302405849&utm_campaign=Landmark+-+France&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=carcassonne%20medieval%20city%20hotel
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http://www.affordabletours.com/France/?utm_content=341673937&utm_term=%2Bfrance%20%2Btours&utm_campaign=Tours+Broad+Match&utm_source=Bing_Yahoo&utm_medium=cpc&bquery=carcassonne%20france%20tour&bmatchtype=p&borderitemid=15017433062&badid=341673937&device=c
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http://www.castlesandmanorhouses.com/types_06_cathar.htm
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http://www.discover-carcassonne.com/en/medieval-city-carcassonne
http://www.cathar.info/
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https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

The Latest in Tips For New York City

For all of you who have been reading this blog the last three years, you probably know that I love New York City.  I don't live far away, and I get a lot of chances to take the train down there for some time off.  One of my favorite places to wander is the financial district.  I love the old buildings, the old streets, the tall, close together buildings, and the waterfront.  I can't say it enough.  On the weekends, it's a great place to be.

Club Quarters is my favorite hotel and the only place that I stay when I go to Manhattan.  Let me explain.  It's a fabulous hotel with great rooms and great suites.  They have wonderful amenities, like convenient computers to use, great lounges, great service, water bottles that you can fill to take out with you on every floor, and they will even hold your bag for you after you check out while you run around the city some more.  It's a great place, and it's reasonably priced on the weekends.  It's a block from the subway with a Dwayne Reade around the corner and a bistro on the corner.

Okay, so on with my tips.  A grand old Tiffany's building is right around the corner from my favorite hotel.  I've always wanted to go in and see it, because the building is old and I had this fantasy that the inside would be old and gorgeous.  Well, let me tell you, that is not the case.  While the inside is perfectly lovely, it's very modern.  The only things that are left over from a bygone era are some moldings along the ceiling.  Was that a let down?  A little.  So, unless you really want to go shopping at Tiffany's, don't bother.

We did visit the 911 Memorial Park.  The pools are astounding.  I think that they made the perfect statement with them and they are beautiful.  The building is iconic and I can't stop looking at it, because it is so amazing.  The museum, which is now open, is a little bit frustrating.  It's too crowded to get in.  It really is.  I have a friend that did go in and she said that it felt unfinished too.  So, my tip is to wait until things are a little less harried with the museum.  There's still a lot of construction right there too.  Unless this is the only time in your life that you can get to New York, wait for the museum visit.  I don't think they're as ready as they thought they were.

Huge tip here.  O'Hara's Irish Bar.  This place has been around for 30 years.  It's seen it all, and it's a regular bar where real people hang out.  We stopped in there to grab a beer and use the facilities and found something special.  Pretty much every fire fighter, police officer, and EMT in the country and some from other parts of the world have been to this bar.  It sits right across the street from the 911 Memorial and has been there since before 911.  This place was there through the whole thing, helping the emergency workers in any way that they could, and the folks that have passed through have all dropped off patches from their local departments as a thank you.  The people who run this bar have a lot of stories to tell, and they really have a way of educating the public on just what happened at ground zero.  It was a moving experience to visit this place.  It was also a lot of fun.  We ended up meeting some people who were rooting for St. Louis in the Hockey playoffs, so we stuck around and watched the game and helped to cheer them on.

I love the waterfront, and we took a little walk on the south shore this time.  I do have to say that there are some big changes going on over by the South Street Seaport.  We found a wonderful new park there that was full of people doing their morning Tai Chi.  That was wonderful.  They do still have a couple of tall ships that they are working on.  You still can catch all of the cruises, water taxis and helicopters that you used to be able to.  But, the building that we are all used to seeing from the Brooklyn Bridge is closed.  The street across from there is really being worked on and looks pretty good.  A lot of the businesses that were in the now closed building are across the street along the cobblestones.  Things are looking good and when it's all done it will be great, but be aware that there is a lot of work going on around there.  And it's a pedestrian area for the most part, so you won't be able to just drive by.

We took the subway up to 42nd Street and walked over to the Hudson River, finding some cool stuff along the way.  We stopped in to see Holy Cross Church which is gorgeous.  I love beautiful churches, so that was fun for me.  We stopped at Kaufmann's Army Navy Surplus, which is always great, and there aren't as many of these around as there used to be.  We stopped and had some Gyros at the 42nd Street Diner, which is adorable and has really great Gyros.  I liked the owners too.  You can also go bowling over there and they have some great parks.  It's also a hop skip from the Hudson River in that neighborhood.

I finally went to the Intrepid.  Nothing gets me jazzed like a lot of planes and the biggest boat I've ever seen.  I love old military stuff and this place is great.  They do have a space shuttle now, if anyone's not already seen one.  I didn't bother to stop in and see it, because it was extra, and once you've seen one, you've seen them all.  The Intrepid does have a Harrier Aircraft though.  That was cool.  I love those.  They also had fighter jets, helicopters, spy planes and all kinds of stuff.  It's a great time, reasonably priced.  They do also have a submarine.  There were men there who served on the ship telling stories, which is always one of my favorite parts of visiting a military museum.  It's a great time for the whole family.  On board the ship they even have an interactive section and there are some simulator rides and such for entertainment.  They are doing some work on the place, so there is an alternate entrance at the moment, but it's pretty convenient.  You will have to go through security, so don't bring anything stupid.

It's spring in Chinatown, so Columbus Park was a must.  The pavilion was full of people.  The soccer fields were full.  The older folks were playing Mah Jong.  The regulars were playing music and the trees were in bloom.  It was a great day in Chinatown.  I did some shopping amongst the crowds and found a lovely new little place to have lunch in Hing Huang Restaurant.  There's always great food in Chinatown.  We even found a great Thai grocery and got some stuff to cook at home with.  I always have the same advice for this neighborhood.  Shop carefully.  It's not all a great deal.  And, don't eat along Canal Street.  The restaurants there are busy and crowded with tourists on the weekends.  Hit a side street to eat.

We found a lot of interesting places and saw a lot of things along the way this time.  We had beautiful weather, which is amazing given the winter that we've all just lived through around here.  The subway system is celebrating 110 years, with only a few closures for repair.  It only took up one giant board per station, but the good news is that they take care of them.  You who come in from Connecticut for sure will be looking at some changes for a while as they are starting to work on those train systems too.  There will be changes in services and stops, so check ahead.

The last thing that I have to tell you about is that I finally got to try Ethiopian food.  I've been on this kick for about four years, and it's never panned out until this weekend.  We went over to the East Village along 6th Street, which is a great place to find really good small little restaurants with all kinds of fare, and we tried out a little place called Awash.  There are three Awash Restaurants in New York, so trust me they are very good at what they do.  I loved the food, which is served up on a big tray and shared by all at the table.  There are no utensils.  You eat with a sour dough bread called Injera.  Now, the only problem that I had was that the bread made everything taste a little sour.  It's good, but really different.  So, should you try Ethiopian food?  Sure.  It's just different, and be aware.

Also, if you love great art, the Bowery on your way to these restaurants has something for you.  It's the latest Rob English creation.  Baby Hulk is really something, and you can't miss it.  I'm not sure how big it is, but is sure is impressive.  It's worth it to make the trip over that way just to see the painting.

So, there you have it.  My latest thoughts on the greatest city on Earth.  Next time I go to town I will have more tips.  Hope you get a chance to visit New York City.  I love it there.
Enjoy!

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https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone

It's Festival Time on Ikaria

It's spring, and that means it's getting warmer in the Greek Islands, and it also means that it's festival time on many of them.  But, there's one island that boasts more elderly people than most places on Earth.  Many of the residents there have spent their lives living and working elsewhere and then returned when they retired.  I once was told that if you are older than 103, you can no longer receive a loan at the bank.  Imagine that.  Bill Weir did and he spent some time over there wondering what it was about this tiny island that makes people forget how old they really are and live to ages that most of us only imagine.  They still have all the things that we picture on a Greek island, like pretty white villages, and ruins, and lots of tourists spend time there.  There's just something a little different about Ikaria.

You can charter a yacht to sail around the islands or just around Ikaria for a day.  You can get to the island by smaller plane or the ferry.  It's not like getting to Pitcairn Island.  This place is reachable and beautiful.  It's relaxed, which is one of the reasons I believe these people live so long.  I liked the idea of renting a boat for the day and getting some great views of the coast of Ikaria.  It's got great rocky shores and tons of beautiful beaches.  It also has all of those little cove towns that spread up the cliffs and hills making bright white landscapes that you only seem to see around the Mediterranean Sea.  It's a great way to take in the view.

You will find beautiful resort hotels in nearly every town and village on Ikaria.  There's nothing quite like sitting by a pool with an amazing view of the Mediterranean Sea from the top of a rocky cliff.  It's a great way to get away and forget that at home you're still wearing winter boots.  The one thing that you always get in the Greek Islands is the atmosphere, and it's alive and well on Ikaria.  You will feel a little bit like you stepped back in time and are part of the jet set that made the Mediterranean one of the must see places of the world.

Speaking of stepping back in time, we all know that one of the reasons that people come to Greece is to see ruins.  You will not be disappointed on Ikaria.  They have several sites including the Castle of Koskina, Drakano Fortress, the Temple of Artemis, and the Roman Baths at Therma.  There are a lot of sites to go and visit, and some of them are still in pretty good shape.  If you own a camera though, this is for you.

Then there are the beaches.  We all know how interested I am in these places, but Ikaria has a lot of them for those of you who are into the beach.  There is one that I like, however, and that is Seychelles Beach.  This rocky beach not only has a view, but it also has a lot of rocky areas to explore and a cave.  In the area of this beach there are also tunnels along the roads where you drive.  It's a very rocky, scenic area, and the beach just gives you a place to stop and enjoy the scenery.

So, why did I make this an Adventure for Anyone?  Well, for one thing, it has festivals this time of year.  Panagiria are the celebrations of the Feast Days.  In May there are four of them;  Agias Irinis, Agios Isidoros, St. Constantine & Helen, and Agiwn Pantwn.  Sometimes they also have Agiou Pnevmatos in May, but it also comes sometimes in June.  Check the information on the web to see which villages have celebrations for which feast day, but you have to go to one of these festivals.  They are amazing.  We've all heard tales about how Greek folks party, and that's somewhat true.  They love to get together with family and friends and cook, eat, visit, laugh, dance, and yes drink.  If you do go to one of the Panagiria, you will be expected to join in.  I promise it will be fun though.  You'll find yourself celebrating well into the night and sometimes to dawn, and it will be something that you will remember forever.  That's why you should come to Ikaria.  To meet the locals and see the wonderful lifestyle that they have.  Some of these people live off the land at their houses and rarely even use money.  It's a world that has nearly ceased to exist on our globe.

While on the island you will also want to visit Therma, which does not host any of the May Panagiria, but they do have hot springs, and we all know how much I love those.  These have been visited since the times of the Gods when the ruins were not yet ruins, and Odysseus was sailing the seas, and they are still a delight.  The spas at Therma are some of the most popular spots for tourists on the island.  If you have some aches and pains, this is the spot for you.

You will see things on Ikaria that you don't see on most Greek Islands.  You will meet people that have lived longer than you ever imagined and you will see them in fairly large numbers.  You will find a good number of people that speak English running around too, because some of the elderly here used to live and work in America.  They only retired back to Ikaria.  With it's unusual rock houses that date back to before Christ was born, Ikaria is an amazing place with amazing people.  It's beautiful and wild and scenic and fun.  It's one of those places that just keep you coming back.  Ask it's amazing elderly population that returned here after lifetimes lived elsewhere.  Take some time to relax, and make your way to Ikaria, an amazing little Greek Island.
Enjoy!

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