Miami Summer

Weekends in Miami

June 27, 2015

For two weekends, I had the privilege of experiencing South Florida as a tourist. Early Saturday morning, we packed sandwiches, fruit salad, chips and water into a cooler and headed 1 hour south to John Pennekamp State Park for a glass bottom boat tour to a nearby coral reef. After a slow cruise out to the ocean, the speed picked up enhancing the excitement with wind blowing in through the hair. We hovered over the reef for a sneak peek at the sea plants and crazy cool fish. About 45 minutes later, we returned back to shore eager to jump in the water.

From my experience, the beach at John Pennikamp is far from the best beach in South Florida. Instead of sand, the shore and water bottoms are completely covered in rocks. Additionally, even though this is a place known for snorkeling, the waters near the beach were completely dark making any snorkel sights difficult. The one up-side of this beach was that we saw a group of tarpon swimming periodically flashing their fins out of the water!

Next, we went to the well-known Tiki Bar in Islamorada—a restaurant/bar right on the water with iguanas running around, cool swinging tables, and the perfect view for a sunset.

The following day, we drove 20 minutes north to Hallendale Beach. This turned into a well-kept secret with free parking, people-ready beaches, white sand, and blue water. Unfortunately, the day was cut short once we heard sirens and saw the black clouds approaching with only a five minute warning. This was my first thunder storm of the season!!

July 3

I love holiday weekends—no work and something to celebrate. This weekend was different than my other Independence Day celebrations. (In 2011, I was in France for July 4^th, so celebrations were non-existent. The French national holiday is the week after the American national holiday, but my experience wasn’t filled with national colors, red/white/blue foods, or unusual cheer—just wine, cheese, and a walk in the woods. Still pretty cool, looking back, but that was the year I realized that 4^th of July is a cherished holiday! ) Last year, my brother and I went on an awesome road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway. This year, I was with a group of Peruvians who somehow are very patriotic even though the USA is not their motherland.

Friday morning started out with one of my favorite Florida activities—snorkeling!! We rode a catamaran out from Key Largo to Mosquito Reef for one hour of snorkeling. The day had a blue sky, few clouds, brilliant sun, and calm waters! I got to see some pretty cool underwater life, but I was sad when we got back to land. (If anybody wants to go snorkeling, let me know!!)

After snorkeling, we drove 5 minutes down the road to Hobo’s Café.  I remember coming to this restaurant as a kid when we visited the Keys. As expected, the fish sandwich was great, but a looming storm hurried the meal.

 

Refreshed and satisfied (but still salty and sweaty), we packed into the car en route to Coral Castle. Built in Florida City in 1920 by Edward Leedskalnin, this small castle is made completely of coral using simple tools. The tour was great! The creator was 5 feet tall and weighed 100 pounds, so his carved reading chair fit me perfectly! Since the thermometer read 97-degrees, it made sense for my deep craving to jump in a swimming pool. Luckily, Tony has a little oasis in his back yard to feel like a secret lagoon. J

Saturday, we took a boat ride through the back waterways of extremely wealthy people’s homes. We passed the houses of Marc Anthony, J. Lo, P Diddy, and some others. In the evening, we laid out blankets on the lawn of Peacock Park and ate sandwiches and chips until the night time fireworks show.

Sunday, we attempted another beach day back at Hallendale Beach. This time, we were blessed with a beautiful day and awesome waves but challenged with massive amounts of seaweed. By the end of the weekend, my skin was bronzed and satisfied from the sunshine. 

Denver Spartan Beast Race

Denver, Colorado

June 13, 2015

After staying in Jeff’s cozy basement, Denver started out on a rainy and chilly June morning with the comfort of free coffee in a packed breakfast house. After a full belly from a breakfast burrito, we drove the car past parks and fancy shopping centers to a highway with mountains on the horizon. 

Hike in White River Nat'l Forest

By noon, we reached Silverthorne, Colorado—a town of outlet stores designed in an earthy way that makes you feel good about consumerism and shopping :-p. Here, we purchased last minute items in preparation for Saturday’s race AND we browsed the Perl Izumi store (a big treat for two lovers of cycling & sports)!

After shopping, we checked into the hotel and brought a small pack for a little outdoor adventure in order to prepare our bodies for the high altitude. I’m not sure how long it takes to adjust the body to running in 10,000 feet altitude, but I assume that it requires more than 24 hours!

Breckenridge, CO

Post-hike, Pedro made sure to find the “Spartan Race” sign in Breckenridge. During the downtown exploration, we found the highest running store in the USA, windows full of real-estate opportunities, and a neat downtown next to a flowing river. Back in Frisco, we went to Whole Foods for a late-night snack of fresh juice. Even the Whole Foods was super cool with tulip decorations outside, a cooler full of local kombucha, and a ski lift car available to dine in.

Up until the morning of the race, we drank water beyond our personal abilities to drink water (advice from a local wooden statue salesman). The race started at 60 degrees at the bottom of a ski lodge, with a wicked one mile up-hill climb followed by crossing waist-deep through two heavy-flow almost-freezing creeks. (Thank goodness for my well-draining shoes and dry fit, thermal pants!) About 5 miles into the race, we crawled up a snow-covered mountain. The next 5 miles was a series of inclines and declines (more up-hills than down-hills) with a nice pause at the summit of 11,000 feet. Needless to say, we were pretty pooped by the end of the 12.5 mile race!

Post-race resulted in a rewarding hot tub soak followed by awesome burritos. Sadly, my body had no energy or desire to continue to explore the amazing nature outside for the remainder of the day.

Sunday, we visited downtown Vail and then drove back to Denver. At City Park, energy was in the air—a live jazz show was about to start for everybody on the lawn, food trucks lined the nearby street, and about 10 soccer/volleyball/Frisbee/other random sports were playing around on the other lawn. Everybody walked by with either a bicycle, a dog, and/or a picnic basket…. Talk about my dream park!!

Sunday night was one of the most memorable food experiences I’ve had. We visited one of the best vegan restaurants in downtown Denver—City o City. I had the special of the day—a burrito turned into a fluffy waffle with black beans, vegan meat, some creamy stuff…!! Without a doubt, I was one happy camper on the flight home. :)

We ran into snow!

Hippies, Hills, and Hugs

May 29, 2015

Ohio, USA 

Cleveland started out on the wrong beat with (1) a lady in the plane accusing somebody's 4 year old son for touching her butt and being a pervert (2) a lady in the car rental line continuously answering her excessively ringing phone and yelling at the person on the other end and (3) two women conversing in detail about their cats’ diets. What is in the water here?!?

Friday evening, we went to dinner with the Krause family to Tree Hugger's Cafe. The experience lived up to the summary of what we should expect-- extremely slow service, fresh ingredients, tasty food, and casual hippies. Besides the lengthy wait, I was satisfied! My 8-hour hibernation in the wonderfully chilly and cozy basement was preceded with drinks made by JFK’s famous grape kombucha. (Even Pedro was a fan!!)

Saturday morning, we stopped by Nanny & Grandpa Basford's house for a quick visit before driving 2 hours south to the Spartan race in Cumberland, Ohio. On the way to the race, we passed a place called "The Wilds" where rhinos, bison, and other animals roamed the vast farm land.

After driving down long, endless roads we arrived to the race site. At the 12:45 starting wave, my shoes were tied and my muscles were forced to prepare quickly. Within 30 seconds of starting the race, we got completely muddy and were faced with never-ending hills—neither the incline nor the decline were easy. This race wasn’t a bloody one (compared to Las Vegas); however, Pedro suffocated the entire time from allergies and I had a small crisis that I twisted my ankle (the ankle is fine!). We finished the race together to put the third piece of the puzzle together.

 

After the race, we drove for 2 hours through winding, curvy roads through the countryside past historic churches, old European style farm houses, and farm equipment billboards. By nightfall, we arrived to Wooster for a nice (but short) visit with Aunt Beaulah and Uncle Dick.

The trip was short but, nevertheless, a dreamy one. I hope to return for a visit to all of the llama farms we passed on the side of the road, a barefoot walk in the grass, and a glass of iced tea in the back yard. 

A dam, a desert, and a drink

18 April, 2015

Las Vegas, Nevada

The trip to Vegas has been planned for a while with the focused activity of racing in the desert. The trip had a brief detour to Chicago for some late night sandwiches and an overnight visit with some friends. 

Friday afternoon, we arrived to Vegas and were greeted by friendly people, a clear blue sky, and absolutely zero humidity. Packed into the little rental car, we maneuvered through the highway and down the scarce, brown roads to a small airport in order to squeeze in a helicopter for the one hour ride over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Grand Canyon. The views were incredible. We saw Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah all at the same time because of the clear day. 

Hoover Dam/ Grand Canyon

Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early for the Spartan race, applied sun screen, and filled ice water in the camel pack. The 45 minute drive south to Jean, Nevada revealed the true images and feeling of a desert. The air was so dry and sandy that I couldn't control my coughing and my skin tensed up like a lizard preparing to die. Luckily, the temperature was a nice 75 degrees at the moment, so I didn't fear for the worst (but still didn't know what to expect). The 10 mile course started with at least a mile up a small, rocky mountain. By mile two, my knee was bleeding. By mile four, I realized the high value of the water packed on my back. At mile seven, I had tripped from a cramped leg (adding more cuts and bruises). At mile nine, I was wet with mud. The last obstacle of the race ended poorly for me (but successfully for Pedro) with a rope swing across a mud pit. Two bananas and a beer later, we were back in the car to return to the hotel. 

The final hours of the trip were spent by the hotel pool drinking excessively large cups of mojito and cucumber soda while people watching the stereotypical guests enjoy their afternoon.  

The Amazing Amazon

23 April, 2015

Iquitos, Peru 

The adventure started Wednesday afternoon with Pedro and Kelly. We caught a 5 hr flight to Lima, Peru-- which started off with a picnic of freshly (self-)made gourmet sandwiches, fried plantains, and mixed drinks. After a brief night in Lima, we jumped on a morning flight to Iquitos. Within minutes of landing in the jungle, Pedro found a guide with a plan for the weekend.

Thursday, we visited an animal refuge (Amazon Rescue Center), where we got to play with spider monkeys, manatees, and parrots. The second stop was a zoo with hundreds of different animals-- varying from monkeys, hogs, pink Dolphins, electric eels, ants, etc.

 

The third stop was Belen. We took a boat ride to see the flooded neighborhood (it is completely flooded about half of the year) and walked through the market learning about all the medicinal herbs, and new fruits and spices they had to offer.   

Belen (Iquitos, Peru)

The last stop of the day was dinner. Multiple restaurants recommended this restaurant on the water, "Al Frío y Al Fuego." . This was an amazing experience! The 5-star experience match the 3-star prices in Miami. 

Al Frio y Al Fuego

Friday started at 9am with a mototaxi ride through the busy streets to the port. Near the port, the streets were lined on both sides with blue tents made of tarp about 70 squared-feet large. The government has helped out the people who were affected by the flood. Families were hanging out in the hammocks, grilling food, or just people watching. Once at the port, we walked on makeshift bridges made of logs and table tops to the boats. The guide had a man waiting with his boat to drive us to the various destinations. The first stop was Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm. The place started as a butterfly garden but has expanded to an animal refuge and orphanage. When waiting for the tour to start, we were innocently sitting on a bench watching the monkeys play. Unfortunately, one monkey was too hormonal and pounced on me from behind. Once the excitement calmed, the tour started and we saw a variety of cool animals. 

Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm

The second stop was a native tribe that lives two hours up the river. Upon entering, the painted our faces and performed a song and dance. Immediately after, we were swarmed by all the tribe members to buy their crafts.

 

Stop number three was an animal center with cages built on a platform over the water. We got to hold Toucans, monkeys, a tortoise, an alligator, a sloth, and an anaconda. Talk about fear and thrill! 

Stop number four was lunch on the boat in the middle of the river. Stop number five had a tall look out over the enclosed pond with lily pads about two feet in diameter. We fed the fierce pirañas, strategic alligator, and massive paiche. After learning about all the scary things that live in the Amazon river, we all declined the opportunity to jump in. 

Happiness in Hawaii

Here's a summary of my trip to Hawaii:

Location: The Big Island of Hawaii
Length: 5 days
Lodging: tent
Transportation: car
Activities: hiking, waterfalls, swimming, snorkeling, photography, camp-style cooking

Travel buddy: Subho (A friend who I met on a camping trip while at UF. He is the guy often-times behind the camera)

The general trip plan

1/8/2015
Day One, I arrived into Kona at 5:30am on Thursday morning (Day One). After a 2-hr nap to recover from the past 29 hours of traveling, we jumped in the car and headed north along the coast to see all of the beaches that The Big Island has to offer. One was calm and had sleepy turtles napping on the sand. One was quiet but full of evidence from rock sculptures and sand engravings that many people had visited the beach. And the last one was "the beach" of the area-- filled with families and boogie-boarders.

 

After we had our fill of beaches and lava-"paved" roads, we continued to the north-western corner of the island to a famous spot called "Polou Valley". After passing a coconut man and friendly horses, at the end of the road, you hike down the valley and meet the Black Sand Beach after a 30 minute trek.

Waipio Valley

Day Two, we woke up after sunrise and drove about 90 Minutes to the other side of the lookout, called "Waipio Valley". This was the original campsite for day two, but a large storm last week caused so much damage that many of the nature trails on the big island were closed. Instead, we just visited for the day-- saw the beautiful scene from above and then descended 1.5 miles down a 25% grade hill (at least a 45-min journey) before meeting the beach with black sand, enormous pebbles, and pounding waves. This beach makes the average beach look like child's play. We crossed a small river that leads into the ocean (with a ridiculously strong current) in order to get to the northern side of the beach.

Back in the car, we continued further south, near Hilo, to visit the waterfalls in the area. The last waterfall of the day guided us through back-roads, up steep hills, and past cow pastures to a patch of grass. This wasn't any ordinary spot. On the grass sat a picnic table, the overlook to the ocean to the east, the overlook to a waterfall to the west, and the "mooing" of cows to the north. It was 

 a “shoes off” kind of moment.

Camp-stove breakfast!

Hawai'i Botanical Garden

Day Three, I woke up to the sounds of pounding waves. After failed attempts to set up my hammock for the sunrise spectacle, I settled for the cushiony chair of hard rocks. An hour later and the view was still as entertaining as the first sight. But my curiosity led me to set up my hammock under the tree that warned of falling coconuts. (In result, the morning sunshine revealed that there were no remaining coconuts this season.) With a delicious breakfast burrito in my belly (thank you Mexican Mole sauce!), we hit the road...

...And stumbled upon the Hawai'i Botanical Garden! The garden told a story of a retired, 57-year-old man who discovered Onomea Valley in 1977 with his new wife while on a vacation in Hawaii. Here, they ended up buying a lot of property and spent 8 years transforming the land into a botanical garden.

 The day ended in Volcano National Park, watching the glow of the lava burn from the crater. Incredible!

 

Day Four, we woke up bright and early, walked around Black Sand Beach, and drove back to the volcano in order to walk across the Pauahi crater. 

Black Sand Beach

Walking across the volcano crater

South Point

Feeling amazing and tired, we jumped back in the car and drove south to the most southern point on the island-- which also ends up being the most southern point in the USA. To my surprise, there is a plank readily available for the brave souls to jump off of into the water. Well, in order to avoid any drama (a panic attack), I avoided the 40 ft jump and resorted to the ladder.




With refreshed skin (and with a little too much salt in my throat), we drove down the road to the parking lot of the Green Sand Beach. You can pay a local "business" $15/person for a round trip ride through the sand dunes (I don't think these were sand dunes 50 years ago, but so much 4WD traffic has paved the roads up to 6 ft deep into the dirt.) but we resorted to take the 4.5mile roundtrip hike to the green sand beach. This trip was strenuous but completely worth it. Once the final destination revealed itself, it was as if I had stepped into another world. The cliff was delicately carved forming a cove with a beach, a green sand beach, below. I have seen beauty in the world, but this was a whole new type of beauty.

Green Sand Beach

Green Sand Beach

 Day Five, we wake up with sandy feet, a growing soreness from sleeping in a tent, the crashing waves on the shore, and a cup of hot chocolate. Word on the street is that dolphins can be spotted from a certain beach down the road. So, we squeezed into the messiest car on the earth and continued on the journey west/north. Our car stopped at a place called "Two Steps" near Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park. Swim suit on, sun screen sprayed, and goggles in hand-- the water was crystal clear, crispy cold, and decorated with coral and fish. **Note: this spot is a great snorkeling spot. It costs no more than $5 and has the right number of visitors to feel like a private beach. **Warning, enter/exit the water via the two lava steps in order to avoid cuts/scrapes/sea urchins.** By mid-day, dolphins decided to entertain us. About 30 spinner dolphins swam around the little bay for at least a half hour-- swimming, jumping, spinning!
The day ended with an unexpected stop at a fish joint off the road. Here, we tasted "poke"-- raw fish, Hawaiian style... And lunched on mahi mahi. Tasty!