September 30, 2015

Ayutthaya, Thailand: Ayutthaya Historical Park; things to do

Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand

Ayutthaya--pronounced “a-you-tat-ya”--was named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama.  Once the capital of Siam, it was one of the world's largest and most sophisticated cities before being ransacked in 1756 by the Burmese. Today Ayutthaya Historical Park is a historical treasure and UNESCO World Heritage Site.  More than 300 historic temples dot the city and encircling rivers.

Wat Rajburana  

Daily 8:30am-5pm.  50 Baht/US$1.39.  This beautiful stupa dates to 1424, when King Boromaraja II built it to hold the ashes of his elder brothers, who killed each other in a battle for the throne.

Wat Rajburana stupa at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Wat Rajburana stupa at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


Wat Rajburana stupa at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Wat Rajburana stupa at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


damaged Buddha statue at Wat Rajburana at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
damaged Buddha statue at Wat Rajburana at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


Wat Phra Mahathat 

(Temple of the Great Relics)  Museum 8am-4:30pm.  To enter courtyard of giant chedi, 30 Baht/US$0.83; museum, 20 Baht/US$0.55.  Located almost right in the center of the park, this important temple is believed to date from the 14th century.   Don’t miss the Strangled Buddha--a Buddha statue head embraced by the roots of a banyan (bodhi, pho) tree.  In addition to holding Buddha's enshrined relics, this temple was also the residence of the leader of the Thai Buddhist monks. 

Wat Phra Mahathat at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Wat Phra Mahathat at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


Buddha statue at Wat Phra Mahathat at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Buddha statue at Wat Phra Mahathat at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


Strangled Buddha at Wat Phra Mahathat at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Strangled Buddha at Wat Phra Mahathat at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand

Wat Phra Sri Sanphet  

Ayutthaya’s most important site was established as a center for important religious rituals and ceremonies.  It served as a model for the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok.  Three Sri Lankan-style chedis built in the 15th century hold the ashes of three Ayutthaya kings.  In 1767, invading Burmese attempted melting the gold off a Buddha statue and started a fire that destroyed both the statue and the temple.  The Buddha seen today is a replica.  A large covered market holds stalls selling souvenirs and street food.

Wat Phra Sri Sanphet at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Wat Phra Sri Sanphet at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


Golden Buddha at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Golden Buddha at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


worshippers at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
worshippers at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


chedis at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
chedis at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand





Wat Chaiwatthanaram  

Daily 7:30am-6pm.  50 Baht/US$1.39.  Located scenically on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, this large, peaceful compound is southwest of the old city and can be reached by road or boat.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Modeled on Angor Wat, it has a central high prang (tower), four smaller prangs, and eight chedi-shaped chapels.  Most of the 120 Buddha statues are, unfortunately, missing their heads through looting. 

Wat Chaiwatthanaram at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Wat Chaiwatthanaram at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand


Buddha statues at Wat Chaiwatthanaram at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand
Buddha statues at Wat Chaiwatthanaram at Ayutthaya Historical Park in Thailand




More things to see and do in Ayutthaya.

More ideas for exploring Asia and the South Pacific.


images and video ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

September 28, 2015

Palm Springs, California: Palm Springs Air Museum; things to do

Palm Springs Air Museum 

745 N. Gene Autry Trail/Vista Chino, (760) 778-6262.

Located near the airport, this collection of flyable World War II aircraft is one of the world’s largest.  Displays at the Palm Springs Air Museum include art, photos, sounds from the past, and continuous movies and videos chronicling the war’s European and Pacific Theaters.  The primo exhibit is a tour of a B-17 Flying Fortress.  Many of the docents are veterans who actually once flew the planes.  They are happy to share their personal experiences, offing insight into what you are viewing.  One of the most famous “warbirds” here is a P-40 that starred in the Disney film, Pearl Harbor.  Children’s programs and activities are scheduled regularly, and “A Wild Goose Hunt” activity sheet appropriate for grade-schoolers encourages kids to open their eyes and use their imaginations to find the answers.  Freedom Fighters Cafe serves up simple sandwiches and salads, plus quesadillas.  Flying demonstrations are scheduled October through June, and events related to the Young Eagles program are scheduled.  Usually in May, the Annual Memorial Day Flower Drop and Air Fair includes a ceremony honoring fallen heroes as well as live music and a beer garden.

entry to Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California
entry to Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California


greeter Don Short at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California
greeter Don Short at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California


historic airplane at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California
historic airplane at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California

 
historic airplane at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California
historic airplane at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California


China Clipper display at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California
China Clipper display at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California


More things to do in Palm Springs.

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan trips.

images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
updated August 15, 2017

September 23, 2015

Guilin and Yangshou, China; sights to see

Guilin and Yangshou, China



Though I have not had the pleasure of visiting either Guilin or Yangshuo in China, the beauty of these two UNESCO World Heritage Sites is obvious via this drone-captured video. Both are convenient to Hong Kong.  





September 21, 2015

Palm Springs, California: Casa Cody Inn; hotel review

Casa Cody Inn  

175 S. Cahuilla Rd., 2 blocks to downtown, (800) 231-2639, (760) 320-9346.  27 units, including 5 cottages.  Some fireplaces and private patios. 1 solar-heated pool; 1 unheated pool; tree-shaded hot tub.  Continental breakfast.  Pets ok. 

Opened in 1920 by Harold Cody, who is believed to be a nephew of Buffalo Bill, this small inn is the town’s oldest lodging.  Located in the desirable area known as the historic Tennis Club district, which was once upon a time the playground of the stars, the Casa Cody Inn snuggles up against the San Jacinto Mountains and sprawls out over almost an entire block. 

After passing through decorative black-iron gates into a quiet courtyard, my husband and I stepped into the lobby inside one of the property’s single-story, adobe-style structures painted pinkish with a deep-turquoise trim.  To help pass the short wait, I nibbled from a bowl of tiny jelly beans and contentedly petted one of the property’s three friendly cats. 

Our very spacious room had a rustic décor featuring lovely Mexican saltillo paver-tile floors and hand-painted accent stencils above doorways as well as some funky faux plastic and ceramic cacti.  We preferred the cooling ceiling fan to air conditioning and did not light the wood-burning fireplace.  We made use of the full kitchen for cutting up fruit we harvested from the property’s various citrus trees, and gorged on the sweetest grapefruit imaginable.  The bed was made simply but adequately with cotton sheets and a quilted down blanket.  Though the bathroom was dated--with vintage tiles in a yellow and orange combination of times gone by, it was clean and functional and had an extra vanity conveniently outside near a large walk-in closet.  Nights were quiet, and we awoke to birdsong.  Should I be so fortunate as to return, I would book Casa Cody’s best--the two-bedroom, authentic adobe home where long ago Charlie Chaplin slept and frolicked.  It is a surprisingly well-priced option and boasts a formal raised dining room that doubled as a stage for Chaplin plus a large stone-tiled bathtub. 

For the bountiful continental breakfast served outside in the garden, I positioned us so that we could gaze at the adjacent mountains.  Our afternoons were spent sunning by the pool, where we enjoyed being amid the property’s garden of colorful flowering plants and shady mature palm trees.  At dusk, tiny lights strung across bushes turned the premises into a fairy land.  We liked leaving then to walk the two easy blocks to downtown and dinner (some guests ordered out and enjoyed dinner by the pool).  


pool at Casa Cody Inn in Palm Springs, California
pool at Casa Cody Inn in Palm Springs, California


pool at Casa Cody Inn in Palm Springs, California
pool at Casa Cody Inn in Palm Springs, California


interior of guest room at Casa Cody Inn in Palm Springs, California
interior of guest room at Casa Cody Inn in Palm Springs, California


More things to do in Palm Springs.

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan trips.

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

September 18, 2015

Palm Springs, California: The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens; things to do

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens  

47-900 Portola Ave., (760) 346-5694. 

This spectacular, beautifully landscaped zoo exhibits animals from the deserts of North America and Africa, and you’ll get a close-up view of bighorn sheep, which are native to this area but rarely spotted by visitors.  The noteworthy Indian Ethno-Botanic Garden displays and explains how various plants were used in the daily lives of the local Indians, and Village Wa TuTu is an authentic reproduction of a trading village in Northern Kenya that includes two dromedary camels and a petting “kraal.”  The premier exhibit at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Eagle Canyon, displays mountain lions and a golden eagle in a state-of-the-art habitat designed with the actual desert as a backdrop.  Personally, I was most impressed by the opportunity to walk out of the searing dry desert heat into the dramatic, cooling shade of a real oasis.  Note that in the hot, hot summer this zoo opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 1:30 p.m.

zebra at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Springs, California
zebra at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Springs, California


More things to do in Palm Springs.

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan trips.

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

September 16, 2015

Palm Springs, California: Indian Canyons and Tahquitz Canyon; things to do

Indian Canyons  

Located at end of South Palm Canyon Dr., 5 miles from Palm Springs, (800) 790-3398, (760) 416-7044.

You can take a hike through the lush, scenic Indian Canyons that shelter the world’s two largest palm oases and are also the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.  The birthplace of Palm Springs, its waterfall-fed streams quench the thirst of more than 5,000 Washingtonia filifera palms--the only palms native to this continent.  Pack a backpack picnic and plenty of water.  Palm Canyon has a museum and well-stocked gift shop with some snacks—it is a modern oasis, with air conditioning and cold drinking water--plus an easy 1-mile round-trip hike.  Some of the palms here reach more than 100 feet high.  Easily accessible--you can drive right up to the stream and picnic tables--Andreas Canyon is popular with picnickers and artists (many painters set up here).  It features stunning rock structures and also has an easy 1-mile round-trip hike.  Murray Canyon has a 4-mile round-trip trail to the Seven Sisters Waterfall.

road leading to Indian Canyons in Palm Springs, California
road leading to Indian Canyons in Palm Springs, California


Indian Canyons in Palm Springs, California
Indian Canyons in Palm Springs, California



Tahquitz Canyon in Palm Springs, California
Tahquitz Canyon in Palm Springs, California

Tahquitz Canyon  

500 W., (760) 416-7044.  A sacred place to the Cahuilla Indians, this beautiful desert spot starred as Shangri-La in the 1937 film “Lost Horizons.”  The interpretive center has a sweeping view of Palm Springs.  A 2-mile ranger-led hike from here follows a creek-side trail that winds through red rock canyons and leads to a 60-foot waterfall.  One weathered ranger warns that “everything in the desert sticks, stinks, bites, or stings,” so take extra care.


More things to do in Palm Springs.

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan trips.

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

September 14, 2015

near Cuzco, Peru: Bridge at Q’eswachaka; things to do

The Bridge at Q’eswachaka 

near Cuzco, Peru is made out of grass.  Every year since the time of the Incas, it has been rebuilt across a canyon high above the Apurimac River  This annual job takes three days. 







September 11, 2015

York, England: Castle Howard; things to do

Castle Howard


One of the great historic houses of England, the Baroque masterpiece Castle Howard broke ground in 1699 and took more than 100 years to build.  The Howard family has lived here almost continuously since it was built.  During visiting hours, they have their own private area, but after hours it becomes all theirs to roam at will once again.

It might look familiar because it has been a setting for many movies, including Lady L with Sophia Loren in 1965, Barry Lyndon directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1975, Brideshead Revisited in 1981 and 2008, the Garfield movie A Tale of Two Kitties in 2006, and BBC's Death Comes to Pemberley in 2013.  You must take a guided tour of the house, but you can meander as you like through the surrounding 1,000 acres of gardens.  In addition to spectacular groomed areas, it features extensive woodland walks, temples, lakes, and fountains.  Especially dramatic annual displays include daffodils, rhododendrons, bluebells, and roses.

exterior of Castle Howard in York, England
exterior of Castle Howard in York, England


china cabinet at Castle Howard in York, England
china cabinet at Castle Howard in York, England


interior art at Castle Howard in York, England
interior art at Castle Howard in York, England


exterior fountain at Castle Howard in York, England
exterior fountain at Castle Howard in York, England


garden at Castle Howard in York, England
garden at Castle Howard in York, England


garden at Castle Howard in York, England
garden at Castle Howard in York, England


mushrooms in garden at Castle Howard in York, England
mushrooms in garden at Castle Howard in York, England



More things to do in England.

More ideas for exploring Europe.


images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 


September 9, 2015

My Five Favorite Fun Things to Do in Iceland

My Five Favorite Fun Things to Do in Iceland

It’s been almost a year since I visited Iceland, and I still so enjoy reminiscing about the exciting things I did there.  When people ask me about the best of it, I answer that these five things are my favorites--the don’t-misses.  I could easily turn this into a Top Ten list by adding in a drive around the island with stays along the way.  And then there is doing a cave tour, seeing the Northern Lights, and eating some pristinely fresh Iceland fish.  As much time as you have, there is that much more to do that is worth doing. 

1.  Soak in the Blue Lagoon 

This was the number one thing I most wanted to experience in Iceland.  I love hot springs, and this one, described as large and hot and manmade, did intrigue me.  In advance I was concerned about privacy in the changing rooms, which turned out to be a breeze to maneuver and to secure a private spot in a restroom for a quick change.  I also was able to go in the shower in my bathing suit, though I had heard you couldn’t.  I certainly didn’t want to be there in my birthday suit among the many giggling 20 year olds!  The lagoon itself was heaven.  I loved sipping a cocktail while I steamed, and I know that the free goo from the silica pots made me look several years younger, at least while it was on my face.

Blue Lagoon in Iceland
Blue Lagoon in Iceland

2.  Ride an Icelandic horse

Although I didn’t exactly ride my horse, I did mount it and pet it and get my picture taken with it, and I enjoyed watching the rest of the people in my group experience the unique tolt gait trot the horse is famous for.  On the farm visit that was included with this horsey experience, we also were introduced to a charming “sunshine tea” in the farmer’s own home.  It consists of crepes served with blueberry preserves and whipped cream, plus and round donut-hole-like “love balls.”  This tea celebrates the return of the sun after the sunless few months that occur here every winter. 

two Icelandic horses
two Icelandic horses


3.  Take the Iceland Golden Circle tour 

I took a basic group bus tour from Reykjavik that stopped at the major sites along this route:  Þingvellir national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where we walked through the separation caused by the slow drifting apart of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates that meet here; Gullfoss waterfall, where we were almost blown away by the strength of the roaring falls’ mist; and the Geysir geothermal area, where we walked among bubbling mud pools and watched the predictable eruptions of Strokkur geyser, and where I think my camera met pending doom from the resulting steam (be careful here and cover your camera!).  Lunch was included.  I liked that this expedition was guided because I didn’t have to do any planning—just go.  Some tours add on extras, such as riding an Icelandic horse or soaking in the natural geothermal baths at a wellness center, or visiting one of the farms to meet locals, pet animals, and sample some Icelandic delicacies.  Do a little research and then settle on the tour that adds in what you personally don’t want to miss.

walking between tectonic plates in Þingvellir national park on Iceland Golden Circle tour
walking between tectonic plates in Þingvellir national park
on Iceland Golden Circle tour


4.  Stroll Reykjavik and select a souvenir  

Reykjavik--pronounced “Ray-kah-vik”--is Iceland’s biggest city but it is small enough to stroll through in a day.  Downtown, you’ll walk along winding cobblestone streets see colorful architecture and street art graffiti.  Try to fit in a visit to the Hafnarhus art museum located in a refurbished 1930s fish warehouse and the architecturally interesting Hallgrimskirkja Church, which  can be seen from almost everywhere in town.  In between, you’ll come across some of the unusual shops where you are bound to find the perfect locally made souvenir.  The Handknitting Association of Iceland is the place to find a well-priced knit sweater or a red knitted Santa (which I still regret not buying).  Visit the Kraum Centre for Icelandic Craft inside the city’s oldest wood house to select from an intriguing collection of Icelandic pottery, jewelry, household utensils, and clothes, plus whimsy in the form of a fuzzy sheep-fleece topped stool (I also regret not buying this!).

Reykjavik scenic in Iceland
Reykjavik scenic in Iceland


5.  Eat an Icelandic hot dog 

Bæjarins Bestu Pylsur is located downtown by the bus station and is probably the most famous spot to eat the famous Icelandic “pylsur,” or hot dog.  Usually made with free-range, grass-fed, organic, hormone-free Icelandic lamb, locals like them with “everything”--ketchup, sweet brown mustard, remoulade sauce (a mix of mayo, capers, mustard, and herbs), raw onions, and crispy fried onions.  When I walked by here, I wasn’t hungry, so I finally ate my dog at the last minute at the airport and it wasn’t bad.

Bæjarins Bestu Pylsur hot dog stand in Reykjavik, Iceland
Bæjarins Bestu Pylsur hot dog stand in Reykjavik, Iceland


Note:  Guide to Iceland asked me to share my Iceland experience in this blog post.  All opinions and comments are my own.


September 4, 2015

Twentynine Palms, California: Joshua Tree National Park; things to do

Joshua Tree National Park  

On Highway 62, 1-hour east of Palm Springs, Headquarters and Visitors Center at 74485 National Park Dr. in Twentynine Palms, (760) 367-5500.  Daily 8-5.  $20/car.

Note that it is usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler at Joshua Tree National Park than in Palm Springs.  Stop in at the Visitors Center to get oriented.  The namesake trees—which, by the way, are technically not trees, but instead a shrub--begin growing at 2,500 to 3,000 feet and continue up to 5,000 feet.  Featuring a beautiful desert landscape, this park covers 794,000 acres and encompasses two diverse desert ecosystems:  the Colorado and Mojave deserts.  Be on the lookout for bighorn sheep, golden eagles, and snakes.  The Hidden Valley trail is an easy 1-mile, self-guided loop (off Route 12), and the Wall Street Mill trail is an easy 1½-mile trail leading to an old mine and stamp mill (1¾-miles east of Hidden Valley Campground, off Barker Dam Rd.).  Some of this park’s fame is directly related to its attraction to the world’s rock elite--including U2, Keith Richards, Gram Parsons (who died of a drug overdose at the Joshua Tree Inn).

world’s largest living Joshua tree, 45 ½-inches tall with an 8-foot circumference
travel writer Carole Terwilliger Meyers in front of world’s largest living
Joshua tree,
45½-feet tall with an 8-foot circumference. 


Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park


desert view from Joshua Tree National Park
desert view from Joshua Tree National Park


Things to do in nearby Palm Springs.

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan trips.

images c2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
photographer of first image unknown

September 2, 2015

Amsterdam, Holland: Canal House; hotel review

Canal House  

Keizersgracht 148, 20-6229987.  26 rooms.  Breakfast included. 

Located on a canal in a quiet neighborhood, the atmospheric 17th-century Canal House is furnished with period antiques and is just a 5-minute walk from the Anne Frank House and West Church.  A great big breakfast is included and served in a wonderful back room facing the garden.  I stayed here many years ago when it looked like it does in the first image.  The rest of the images depict it as it looks today, with a more contemporary style.

grandma and granddaughter writing in trip diaries at Canal House in Amsterdam
grandma and granddaughter writing in trip diaries at Canal House
in Amsterdam


exterior of Canal House in Amsterdam
grandma and granddaughter writing in trip diaries at Canal House
in Amsterdam


guest room in Canal House in Amsterdam
guest room in Canal House in Amsterdam


breakfast room at Canal House in Amsterdam
breakfast room at Canal House in Amsterdam




More ideas for exploring Europe.

first image ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers; other images courtesy of venue

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