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Bandon, Oregon

by Alan K. Lee

Bandon-by-the-sea

Bandon, Oregon, on the southern Oregon coast, happens to have been my home for the first seven years of my life. Although I did most of my growing up in Salem, I consider Bandon my home town as much or more than I do Salem. I go back to Bandon often, most recently in late August this year (2022).

History

Bandon was founded almost 150 years ago by George Bennett (often referred to as Lord Bennett), an Irish peer from Bandon, Ireland. In its early days, the economy of Bandon, Oregon was primarily agricultural. Bandon has been known for both its cheese and cranberries since the 1880s. The first jetty was also constructed in the 1880s, and Bandon was soon home to a fishing fleet and a robust shipping industry.

One of the things Lord Bennett brought to Bandon from Ireland was gorse, a thorny, thick growing plant with bright yellow flowers. In Ireland it was used for privacy hedges and property boundaries because it is almost impenetrable. In Oregon it went wild and was one of the state’s first invasive plants. Besides being thick and thorny, it is also a very oily plant and burns readily. In 1936 a small forest fire started from a slash burn that got out of hand, spread to the gorse near the town, and then to the town itself, destroying all but 16 of the 500 structures in the town. The fire decimated the community and all but ended shipping to and from the harbor.

In my youth, Bandon was primarily a mill town, with fishing and agriculture secondary industries. Today, the lumber and plywood mills are long gone. There is still a small fishing fleet that operates out of the harbor, Bandon is still one of the leading cranberry producing areas of the country, and dairy farming is still an important component of the economy. But it is tourism that drives the economy today. The three main tourist draws are the beaches, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, and the old town section of Bandon.

The Beaches

The beaches on either side of the Coquille River are dramatically different. To the north, a wide flat beach stretches for ten miles to the Cape Arago headland, interrupted only by Fivemile Point. The north beach can be accessed from Bullards Beach State Park, Whisky Run, located just north of Bandon Dunes, and Seven Devils State Park, another mile or so to the north.

The beach to the south of the Coquille River is a spectacular collection of sea stacks and offshore islands, including Face Rock and Table Rock, that are part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. This is rightly regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches on the Oregon Coast.

Access can be had from the south jetty area, from the wayside at the end of 11th Street, and from Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint on the Beach Loop Road. Farther south on the Beach Loop Road are other beach access points at Devils Kitchen and Bandon State Natural Area.

Coquille River Lighthouse

The Coquille River Lighthouse is located at the mouth of the Coquille River on the north jetty, across the river from the old town section of Bandon. It was constructed in 1895-96 and began operating on February 29, 1896. In addition to the lighthouse itself, there was a foghorn, a lighthouse keeper’s residence, and a barn. Various improvements were made in the following years, including a boathouse for the lighthouse tender. None of the other structures remain.

In 1939 the Coast Guard took over the lighthouse and deemed it unnecessary. The lighthouse was replaced by an automated light on the south jetty. The lighthouse sat abandoned for 24 years until it became part of the new Bullards Beach State Park in 1963. It was another 13 years before renovation of the lighthouse began, but it finally opened to the public in 1979. In 1991, during Bandon’s centennial celebration, a solar powered light was installed, ending the Coquille River Lighthouse’s 52 years of darkness. Further renovation of the lighthouse was done in 2007. The lighthouse closed to the public due to the Covid-19 pandemic and has yet to re-open, so you can’t go inside, but the road to it and the parking area are open.

Circles in the Sand

Denny Dyke began creating labyrinths on the Bandon beach in 2011 as part of his ministry, Sacred Journeys. The labyrinths are intended as a form of walking meditation. Over the next few years Dyke created hundreds of labyrinths, and he and a team of volunteers continue to create dozens of labyrinths every year, each unique and lasting only until the next high tide.

The Circles in the Sand labyrinths have become true works of art in the decade that Dyke and his team have been creating them. They have also become very popular events, as have other walking labyrinths in other locations.

Golf

If you’re a golfer, you have likely heard a lot about Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. There are now five full length courses: Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, Old MacDonald, and Sheep Ranch.

All of the Bandon Dunes courses are consistently rated in the top 100 courses in the United States, and the 13 hole par three course, Bandon Preserve, is a challenge in itself. A few miles south of town, Bandon Crossings offers a lesser known, much less expensive, and equally challenging course that should be on every golfer’s radar.

Old Town

Bandon’s Old Town area is loaded with restaurants, galleries, gift shops, and outdoor art exhibits. Art lovers will want to visit Second Street Gallery, and everyone should take in the Washed Ashore exhibit, which displays sculptures and other artworks created entirely from marine debris picked up from the beach. Washed Ashore is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about plastic pollution of the oceans and waterways, and to making positive changes in consumer habits.

Good eats abound in Old Town. Start your day at Bandon Coffee Cafe, Jenn’s Joint Coffee Shop, Bandon Baking Company, or Shoestring Cafe. Stop at Face Rock Creamery to sample locally made cheeses and ice cream. Seafood lovers will want to sample the fare at Tony’s Crab Shack and Bandon Fish Market. Pub fare and quality draft beer are both to be had at Foley’s Irish Pub and Bandon Brewing Company. Decent and very affordable Mexican food can be had at La Fiesta. And if more upscale dining is what you’re looking for, try The Loft Restaurant and Bar or Alloro Wine Bar and Restaurant.

Accommodations

There are many hotels, motels, vacation rentals, and other accommodations in Bandon. Useful websites include: Visit the Oregon Coast, Bandon Chamber of Commerce, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Trip Advisor, Airbnb, and Vacasa.

There is a campground at Bullards Beach State Park with 103 full-hookup sites and 82 sites with water and electricity. And there are a number of commercial RV parks in the immediate area.

Getting There

Bandon isn’t exactly easy to get to. It’s about a 2½ hour drive from Eugene, three hours from Medford, and 4½-5 hours from Portland. There are no commercial flights to Bandon Airport. United Express does have daily flights from San Francisco and twice weekly flights from Denver to the Southwest Regional Airport in North Bend, but there are no direct flights between North Bend and Portland or other cities. There is no railroad serving Bandon, and there does not appear to be any bus service to Bandon. But Bandon’s remoteness means that it is less crowded than the northern or central Oregon coast, and the spectacularly beautiful beaches and interesting old town make it worth the trip. And, of course, there is Bandon Dunes, if you’re a golf fanatic.

Consider combining a visit to Bandon with a drive south along the spectacular Southern Oregon Coast and through the Redwoods of the northern California coast, one of the most beautiful and least visited sections of the Pacific coast. My wife and I did just that on our last visit. Give yourself a week or more for that trip because there is just so much to see and do.

Best Times To Visit

For my money, September and October are the best months to visit Bandon and the rest of the Oregon coast. The summer crowds are gone, the high winds that frequently makes the beaches uncomfortable on summer afternoons are less frequent and the weather is often better in the fall than any other time of the year. But there is really no bad time to visit.

Originally posted July 24, 2018. Updated on August 20, 2021 and October 13, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Bratislava

by Alan K. Lee

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, but it is less known and less visited than its neighboring country’s capitals, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. You won’t find many guide books devoted solely to Bratislava. Prague, Vienna, and Budapest are all great cities and there are a multitude of reasons to visit them. But Bratislava has its own charms, and anyone traveling to the region should consider adding it to their itinerary.

Bratislava lies on the Danube River, between Budapest and Vienna. It’s a mere 35 miles from Vienna, and about 100 from Budapest – a short hop by train or car (or in our case, by boat) from either. My wife and I were fortunate to have visited all three cities on a Danube River cruise last spring.

We spent less than 24 hours in Bratislava, so we didn’t get to know the city well, but saw enough of it to think that another day or two (or more) wouldn’t have been wasted.

Our day in Bratislava began with a bus tour that took us through parts of the city and up to Bratislava Castle, 290 feet above the river. The first castle on the site was built around 1000 AD and was remodeled, expanded, and rebuilt a number of times. In 1811 the castle burned and lay in ruins for 150 years. The present castle dates only to the 1960s, but looks and feels much older. The ruins of Devin Castle, another important historic site, lie about seven miles west of the city center..

After the castle tour, we did a guided walking tour of the old town area along the river. Among the highlights of the old town are St. Martin’s Cathedral, the old Slovak National Theater building, Michael’s Gate, and the historic Hlavne namestie (town square).

Roland Fountain (aka Maximilian’s Fountain)

The Bratislava area has a long and varied history, like many central European cities. The region was part of the Roman Empire from the first to the fourth century AD. After Roman rule ended, what is now Bratislava became part of the first Slavic nation. In the 10th century, it became part of the Hungarian Empire, then became part of the Hapsburg Empire in the 16th century. During the reign of Queen Maria Theresa in the 18th century Bratislava flourished, and was the capital and largest city in Hungary.

In the 19th and 20th centuries Bratislava’s influence waned, becoming a sleepy regional center of no great significance during the Soviet era. But Bratislava today is a vibrant, modern city with a diverse population and a surprisingly Western European vibe.

Neighboring Vienna is internationally recognized as a center of classical music and culture, but Bratislava has its own deeply rooted history of arts and culture. Mozart gave a concert in Bratislava at the age of six, and Franz Liszt’s career began (at nine years of age) with a concert in Bratislava. And Hayden, Beethoven, and many other prominent composers performed or conducted concerts in Bratislava in the 19th century. Today, there are a number of music festivals in Bratislava throughout the year, and the Slovak National Theater has been staging performances for more than a century. (The old Slovak National Theater building is the featured photo at the top of this article).

As with most ancient European cities, religion has played a central role in both Bratislava’s history and culture. Every major city that we’ve visited in Europe has a central cathedral and Bratislava is no different. St. Martin’s Cathedral may not be as large or grand as some others, but it has a significant place in the history of the region, politically and culturally as well as spiritually. The cathedral was completed in 1452, and from 1563 to 1830 it was the coronation site for the crowning of eleven kings of Hungary. It was also the site of the first performance of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in 1830 and Franz Liszt conducted his Coronation Mass in St. Martin’s in 1883.

There is much for the visitor to see and do in Bratislava, the vast majority of which we did not have time to take in. But I’m glad that we were able to see at least a portion of this small but interesting and historic city.

Posted September 14, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Salzburg, Austria

by Alan K. Lee

Salzburg, Austria is a beautiful, charming, and historic city on the turquoise blue Salzach River. Salzburg’s old town (the Altstadt) is wonderfully preserved and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It would be easy to imagine yourself time traveling back to medieval days while walking its streets were it not for the hordes of (other) tourists who are drawn to Salzburg in all seasons.

Salzach River, Mulln Church (left), and Slazburg Christ Church tower (right)

Salzburg was Mozart’s birthplace and boyhood home, and that draws many classical music fans to the city. And much of The Sound of Music was filmed in and around Salzburg. That draws many of fans of the movie (and there are millions of them).

Many visitors come for the summer Salzburg Festival with its classical music concerts, opera, and theater performances. Others come in January for the Mozart Festival. And just the beauty and charm of the city draws many more. But despite the crowds, Salzburg was one of the highlights of our recent trip.

Even if you have only one day to explore Salzburg, the Altstadt is compact, easily walkable, and full of historic sites, wonderful baroque architecture, palaces, gardens, churches, museums, restaurants, and much more. You can pack a lot into one day. My wife and I did just that.

We arrived in Salzburg on a Sunday afternoon. Our first stop was the Hellbrunn Palace (Schloss Hellbrunn) on the south edge of the city. This was actually the last stop on a bus tour of Sound of Music filming locations in the rural area east of Salzburg. We didn’t tour the palace, but the large surrounding park provides plenty of shade on sunny days, and the palace’s garden is beautiful and renowned for its trick fountains (you might get wet) and whimsical sculptures. You’ll also find the pavillion where “Sixteen Going On Seventeen” in the The Sound of Music was filmed, although it has been moved from its original location.

Our only full day in Salzburg started with a guided walking tour of the Altstadt that took us first to the Mirabell Gardens where parts of The Sound of Music were filmed. Fans of the movie will recognize the Pegasus Fountain, the Dwarf Garden, and the Vine Tunnel. We didn’t tour Mirabell Palace (Schloss Mirabell), but entrance is free, and you can attend evening chamber music performances in the Marble Hall, where some of the young Mozart’s earliest performances took place.

Our tour then took us to Mozart’s residence (Mozart-Wohnhaus) where he lived from age 17-25, and across the Salzach River to his birthplace (Mozarts Geburtshaus), now a museum. In the Altstadt you’ll also find the Salzburg Cathedral (Salzburger Dom), the Mozart Plaza (Mozartplatz) with its large statue of Mozart, the Residenzplatz, a large plaza with a 15 meter (50 foot) tall fountain, the Salzburg Museum, and many other historic and interesting sites. Guided walking tours of the Salzburg Altstadt are available for as little as $10 per person, and Lonely Planet has a guide to free things to do in Salzburg that includes a self-guided walking tour.

Although you can have a great time and see a lot of interesting sites without spending much (or any) money, purchasing a Salzburg Card can save you a good deal of money if you want to visit the Fortress, tour Mozart’s birthplace or residence, and visit any of the city’s many museums. A Salzburg Card also gives you free rides on the city’s public transit system. Cards can be purchased that are valid for 24, 48, or 72 hours. Twenty-four hour cards cost €30 for adults. Forty-eight hour cards are €39, and seventy-two hour cards are €45. Children 6-12 are half price. Cards are about 10% less in winter.

Model of the Altstadt and Fortress made entirely of salt, Fortress Museum

The Salzburg Fortress (Festung Hohensalzburg) looms over the Altstadt and can be seen from most of the city. It’s one of Salzburg’s must see attractions. Our tour didn’t include the Fortress, but we had all afternoon on our own, and it was our first stop. We took the funicular, but you can also walk up. Either way, I’d recommend getting “all inclusive” tickets that get you into the museum, arsenal, princely chambers, and the Magic Theatre. The current price for an all inclusive funicular adult ticket is €16.60 (about $17). Walk-up all inclusive adult tickets are €12.60 (about $13).. Admission is free with a Salzburg Card. Even if you don’t have a Salzburg Card, the Fortress is well worth the price of admission, even if just for the amazing views of the city and surrounding mountains. Climb the observation tower for the best views.

View of Salzburg from the Salzburg Fortress

After touring the Fortress, we returned to the Cathedral and toured the interior. The exterior of the cathedral is not as grand as cathedrals in many European cities, but the interior is stunning.

There has been a cathedral on the site for more than 1200 years. The original cathedral was built in 774 AD and burned down in 842. The second was severely damaged in the 16th century and was demolished. The current cathedral dates to 1628. The cathedral was damaged in World War II by an Allied bombing raid, but was rebuilt after the war, and reopened in 1959. It is by any account spectacularly beautiful. Entrance to the cathedral is free.

Our final stop that afternoon was the Augustiner Braustubl beer garden. Most of the seating is outside, under a canopy of trees. It happened to be a holiday, though, and the place was packed (but maybe it always is). We had to settle for a table in the smoking section under a second story patio, but that was fine. It was open to the main garden area and only a couple of people were smoking. And the beer was good, and cheap. There are other beer gardens, of course, but the Augustiner Brewery is ancient and iconic. The Munich brewery dates to 1328. The Salzburg brewery is a little younger. It’s only been there for 400 years. It opened in 1621.

That evening, we dined at a local restaurant not far from our hotel. It wasn’t listed in our guide book, but the food and the service were both very good, the prices reasonable, and by the look of things, the locals vastly outnumbered our fellow tourists. The moral here is don’t be afraid to ignore the guide book recommendations. You can find good, authentic Austrian cuisine at a restaurant that doesn’t cater to tourists, and you can dine like a real Salzburger.

Residence Fountain and Salzburg Cathedral

The next morning we were off to Munich, but our brief time in Salzburg left a lasting impression on us. We definitely recommend visiting Salzburg at some point in your life, if you can. It certainly gets two thumbs up from us.

Our tour of Salzburg was an extension of our recent Danube River cruise. A river cruise can be a good way to get at least an introduction to European history and culture. And the cruises themselves have their own charm and have several advantages over both other types of organized tours and independent travel. Rhine and Danube River cruises, in particular, are popular with Americans making their first trip to Europe. But we also found that many of the passengers on our ship had done at least one prior river cruise or had made other visits to Europe, or both.

Our cruise began in Budapest and ended in Passau, Germany eight days later. In between we visited Bratislava, Slovakia, Vienna and Krems, Austria, and Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. And we spent an afternoon cruising the beautiful Wachau Gorge. If you think you might enjoy a European river cruise, check out our river cruising post here for more information and a few tips.

Posted August 6, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Leavenworth, Washington

by Alan K. Lee

In the 1960s Leavenworth, Washington reinvented itself as a Bavarian-themed tourist town, modeled on the Danish-themed town of Solvang, California.

In the early part of the 20th century, Leavenworth was a thriving community, its economy fueled by the railroad and the timber industry. But by the 1950s the timber industry was in decline and the Great Northern Railroad regional office was long gone (to nearby Wenatchee). Even the railroad tracks had been relocated. By then Leavenworth had been losing jobs and population for decades. Leavenworth’s leaders looked for ways to revitalize the town, and tourism seemed to offer the best chance of boost the economy. So, they set about renovating the whole town.

The entire downtown area now resembles a Bavarian village, but the transition went beyond just the architecture of the town. Leavenworth has also adopted Bavarian culture in a variety of ways. Leavenworth’s Mai Fest and Oktoberfest were modeled on their Bavarian counterparts, German cuisine is featured at many of the town’s restaurants, such as Munchen Haus, and Bavarian-style pubs like Gustav’s are scattered throughout the town.

Even if not authentic and a bit kitschy, Leavenworth is still a beautiful, unique (at least in the Northwest), and charming small town that many people adore. Its mimicry of Bavarian culture has been very successful in attracting tourists, and today the town is again thriving. The town is crowded with tourists on summer and fall weekends, and accommodations are often booked up months in advance.

The immensely popular Oktoberfest has been tremendously successful in bringing tourists (and their money) to the town every fall. Its popularity, though, has brought with it alcohol-related and other problems that led the town to consider making changes to the festival. The 2021 festival was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the town leaders rejected the proposal of the festival’s organizers for the 2022 festival. That led the festival organizers to move the 2022 Leavenworth Oktoberfest to nearby Wenatchee. However, the City of Leavenworth decided to retain a smaller, more spread out and more family friendly celebration (being called Oktoberfest 2022) on the same three weekends as the festival in Wenatchee. Confusingly, the two concurrent festivals are being run by different organizations, the Leavenworth Oktoberfest is not taking place in Leavenworth, and the Oktoberfest that is taking place in Leavenworth is not called the Leavenworth Oktoberfest. But that just means we now have a two for one opportunity to experience something akin to an authentic Bavarian festival.

There’s more to Leavenworth than Oktoberfest and all the faux Bavarian trappings, too. Leavenworth is located in a spectacular natural setting, and that by itself is reason enough to visit. Leavenworth has become a year round outdoor recreational mecca. Spring, summer, and fall offer abundant hiking, camping, fishing, rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Winter brings Nordic and alpine skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, sleigh riding, tubing and sledding, snowmobiling, dog sledding and even ice climbing opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast.

To really experience what Leavenworth is all about, you need to spend more than just a day there. Leavenworth is a little off the beaten path, about 130 miles east of Seattle on US Hwy 2, but it is worth an extended visit, at least once. Many people, though, find themselves returning again and again, my wife and I among them. And if you choose to visit Leavenworth, consider also visiting the fjord-like 50 mile long Lake Chelan about 50 miles north of Leavenworth.

For much more information on Leavenworth, Washington, the Two Wandering Soles Leavenworth blog post has a ton of info on the town and the area’s recreational opportunities. (The site doesn’t appear to have been updated recently, so some of the information may be out of date, but there’s so much there that it’s well worth checking out.)

Originally posted February 18, 2020. Updated and re-posted July 25, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Budapest, Hungary

by Alan K. Lee

Budapest, Hungary was one of the highlights of the Danube River cruise that my wife and I took in 2022. I knew very little about Budapest or any of that part of Europe before our visit, and it had never been very high on my bucket list of travel destinations. But some friends had visited Budapest a few years ago and liked the city, and for a variety of reasons my wife and I decided a river cruise would be a good way to ease back into international travel. So, we took the plunge and booked the cruise when Europe was reopening to foreign visitors and it looked like the pandemic was waning. (For more on river cruising in general, see the link at the end of this post).

Among the many things that I found out on our visit is that Budapest is a truly ancient city. The area was originally settled by Celtic tribes more than 2000 years ago. The Romans established the city of Aquincum near the site of present day Budapest around 100 AD, and the area has been home to many different peoples over the past two milleniums, including Bulgarians, Magyars, and Ottoman Turks, who ruled the area for 150 years. After the Turks were driven out of Budapest in 1686, it became part of the Hapsburg Empire.

What is now Budapest was originally three cities, Buda and Obuda (Old Buda) on the west side of the Danube River, and Pest (pronounced “pesht”) on the east side. In 1849 the first bridge (the Chain Bridge) across the Danube was completed linking Buda and Pest. The three cities merged in 1873, creating the city of Budapest as we know it today.

One of the other things that I discovered is that the city’s long history and the many, diverse cultures that have contributed to the city’s growth over the centuries gives Budapest a unique character, unlike any of the other European cities that we’ve visited. And while it has a long history rooted in Eastern Europe, Budapest today has as much of a modern Western European vibe as it does an ancient Eastern European one.

View of the Hungarian Parliament from Castle Hill

Another thing that I discovered is that Budapest is much bigger than I anticipated. The metropolitan area has a population of over three million, making it the second largest city on the Danube River. Only Vienna is larger. There is simply no way to experience all that Budapest has to offer in one short visit. We had only one evening and the following day to explore the city.

On our first evening there, we walked across the Liberty Bridge and did some exploring along the waterfront of the Buda side of the river. After crossing back to the Pest side, we briefly explored that side of the river before returning to the Viking “longship” that we would call home for the next week. We were pretty significantly jet lagged by that time, and called it a night after having dinner on the ship.

We were up early the next morning. Before breakfast we did some more exploring on the Pest side, including the huge Central Market. We were there early, though, and most of the market stalls were not yet open. That was followed by a guided tour that took us through Pest on a motor coach, then to Castle Hill on the Buda side of the river.

After a guided walking tour of Castle Hill we had some time to explore on our own. We didn’t have time to visit the Hungarian National Gallery, the Royal Palace, or the Castle Museum. But we were able to take in the magnificent architecture of the Matthias Church and the sweeping views of the city from the Fisherman’s Bastion, as well as the many splendid statues and other structures that adorn Castle Hill. It wouldn’t be hard to spend most or all of a day on Castle Hill. It is definitely one of the top attractions in Budapest.

That afternoon we crossed the Liberty Bridge again and climbed to the Citadella and Liberty Monument on the summit of Gellert Hill (Gellert-Hegy). Unfortunately, both the Citadella and the Liberty Monument were undergoing renovations and were fenced off. But there were good views of the city and climbing the hill was a nice workout. Afterwards we took a different trail down to the river and crossed the Elizabeth Bridge to Pest where we had a couple of very refreshing beers at a local pub. (The prices listed were in Hungary’s official currency, the Forint, so I had no idea what those beers cost until I got my credit card statement. The two pints came to about $3.50 each.)

One of the advantages of a river cruise is that you get to see a lot of places and get at least a taste of the local history and culture. But the down side is that you don’t stay long enough in any one place to even begin to see everything worth seeing. That was certainly the case with our time in Budapest. It’s a magnificent city and I would love to come back when we have more time to explore its sights and dive into the culture a little more.

Visiting one of the city’s famous thermal baths is one of the many things that we didn’t have time to do. There are over a hundred thermal and mineral springs in Budapest and dozens of bath houses. I also wish we could have visited the Roman ruins of Aquincum. And I’d like to have spent more time on Castle Hill and explored more of the Pest side – City Park, Parliament, the Basilica of St. Steven, the Great Synagogue, and more. The list goes on. Unfortunately, we had to move on.

Our ship departed after sunset. Many of the buildings along the river front, the bridges, the Royal Palace, the Parliament Buildings, and Castle Hill were all lit up. It was a striking and very beautiful sight. Quite a nice way to leave the city. Hopefully, we will be back some day.

Viking Longship “Kadlin” docked on the Pest side of the Danube

If you’ve never done a river cruise, but think you might like to, click here for more information on river cruising in general, and during the pandemic in particular. And look for future posts on this site about other places we visited on our cruise.

Posted July 15, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

River Cruising

by Alan K. Lee

My first experience with river cruising came on a Rhine River cruise that my wife and I did in 2015. That was one of the most stress-free, relaxing vacations we’ve ever taken, and we fell in love with Europe on that trip. In 2018 we did an independent tour of Tuscany and Cinque Terra in Italy, and we were in the beginning stage of planning another independent trip, this time to Portugal and Spain, when the Covid-19 pandemic put all our travel plans on hold. We did no traveling at all in 2020, except for one trip to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, and very little in 2021. But toward the end of 2021 it looked like the pandemic was waning, and countries in Europe were reopening, so we began thinking about another trip across the Atlantic.

There were still a lot of different and seemingly ever-changing travel restrictions from one country to the next, though. Planning a trip seemed like a pretty daunting task. So, we started thinking about an organized tour of one kind or another. I wasn’t completely sold on another river cruise at first, despite the entirely positive experience we had on our Rhine River cruise. But a river cruise does offer a good middle ground between an organized tour and independent travel, and allows you to get a taste of a variety of cities, other destinations, and often multiple countries, in a short period of time. There are down sides, of course, but since our first river cruise was such an easy and enjoyable experience, we decided maybe another river cruise would be a good way to ease back into international travel.

We ultimately decided to take the plunge and booked a Danube River cruise, despite the risks. And there were significant risks, both health-wise and financial. The risk of catching Covid-19 was still there, of course, but the cruise line’s testing and vaccination requirements (more on those later) were more strict than any of the country’s that we would be visiting. That helped ease the fear of catching Covid. The financial risk came from having to pay for the trip upfront with no guarantee that the trip would not be cancelled or that we would not be able to go because one or both of us tested positive for Covid, or some other circumstance beyond our control. And cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance is expensive, so much so that we decided to forego it.

I was considerably more concerned with the financial risk than the health risk. The cruise line promised to provide a voucher for a future trip if the trip was cancelled on their part due to Covid or other reasons. But I had read stories about cruise lines not fully living up to those promises. And if we had to cancel the trip, or failed to pass the required pre-trip Covid testing, we might lose the entire cost of the trip.

Since we had to provide proof of a negative test taken no more than 72 hours before our flight, we didn’t know until less than 48 hours before boarding our flight that the trip would actually happen. But we both tested negative, and the trip came off as planned. The photos here are from that trip.

Once on board, we were tested again for Covid, and then three more times during the voyage. Fortunately, we tested negative each time, as did all of the people we got to know on the cruise. At least four couples did test positive during the cruise, though, and were removed from the ship. And then we had to pass a sixth test before we could return the U.S. That all added a bit of stress to this trip that didn’t exist on our Rhine River cruise, but we still had a very enjoyable trip.

If you’re contemplating a river cruise, start planning well in advance of your intended departure. Cruises often sell out early, and the more desirable staterooms go quickly. Early booking also usually gets you a better price. We booked our Danube cruise six months in advance, but we still had to settle for a basic stateroom on the lowest deck (our window near the ceiling was just barely above the waterline). The better staterooms on the deck above ours were already fully booked, as were most of the more expensive suites on the top deck.

Both of our cruises were on Viking River Cruises, and both were very enjoyable and problem free. Viking is the largest river cruise line, but there are many other river cruise lines operating in Europe and elsewhere. Uniworld, Tauck, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, and others all offer a variety of river cruises.

Viking caters to middle aged or older couples (children under 18 are not allowed on Viking cruises), and river cruise lines haven’t typically catered to families or single travelers in the past, but that is changing as cruise lines look to expand their clientele.

Itineraries, cruise length, amenities, number and type of shore excursions, and river boats sizes and number of passengers vary, both between cruise lines, and often between different cruises offered by the same line. Prices also vary between cruise lines and by seasons.

The more research you do, the more likely you will find that cruise that perfectly matches your needs and desires. The Affordable Tours website is a good place to start. It gives a good overview of the benefits of river cruising, river cruise destinations, information about most of the cruise lines, and suggestions for which lines to check out based on your preferences. Check out the cruise lines’ web sites, also. And there are other websites that provide information on river cruises, as well.

Before our 2015 Rhine River cruise, I was not sure that river cruising would be to my liking. But by the second day of that voyage I knew we had made a good decision. That cruise is easily the most relaxing trip I’ve ever taken. We simply had nothing to do except sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery. Everything was taken care of for us. Most meals were provided, and the food was superb. That was a pleasant surprise.

Another surprise was the quality and variety of the shore tours. The Heidelberg tour, for example, was conducted by a grad student at Heidelberg University working on his doctorate in history. We got a college course worth of local history packed into a two hour tour. And the pub crawl in Cologne was almost worth the price of the whole cruise. Most of the actual cruising was done at night, so on most days we spent the majority of our time on shore. There was at least one free tour each day, and usually one or two optional, extra cost tours. And there was always time to explore on our own at each port of call.

Viking lost a lot of their staff during the pandemic downtime, and many of the crew members on our Danube cruise were new and still learning their jobs. The level of service and the quality of the meals was a notch below that of our Rhine River cruise, but still nothing to complain about. And without exception the crew members on our ship were friendly and eager to please.

Viking “longships” carry about 190 passengers. Some of the ships on other lines carry as few as 125 passengers. With relatively few other passengers and a small ship, you have plenty of opportunities and ample time to get to know your fellow travelers on a week long cruise. Meeting and getting to know people from other places and other walks of life that share your wanderlust is one of the benefits of a river cruise. Most of the people on the cruise were Americans, but the crew members came from all over Europe, and there was a surprising amount of interaction between the crew and the passengers.

River cruising is not for everyone, but my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed both of our cruises. If you think you might enjoy a river cruise, check out the various cruise lines and search out other peoples opinions. You might find a reason that will stop you from going, but if not, give it a try. You might love it.

Look for more on our Danube River cruise in future posts on this site. And if you’re interested in learning more about our Rhine River cruise, click on any of the links below.

Amsterdam and Kinderdijk

Cologne and the Middle Rhine

Heidelberg to Strasbourg

Freiberg, Colmar, and Basel

Posted July 5, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Circles in the Sand 2022

by Alan K. Lee

The Circles in the Sand labyrinths began appearing on the beach at Bandon, Oregon in 2011. Created by Denny Dyke part of his ministry, Sacred Journeys, the labyrinths are intended as a form of walking meditation. Over the next few years Dyke created hundreds of labyrinths.

In 2014 Dyke’s efforts evolved into the Dreamfields labyrinths, larger and more elaborate than his original creations. The labyrinths are not mazes – there is one path and there are no dead ends or wrong turns.

The labyrinths are true works of art, each unique, each washed away by the next high tide. The sand is carefully groomed by a group of volunteers to a design by Dyke. Driftwood, kelp, shells, and other things left behind by the retreating tide are incorporated into the designs. Other shells and rocks are brought in and purposely incorporated into the design by the labyrinth builders, and the sand is raked into intricate and beautiful geometric designs.

The Circles in the Sand labyrinths are created on the beach below the Face Rock Wayside in Bandon. The beach there is a mix of flat sand and soaring sea stacks and off shore islands that is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Oregon coast.

Together with the rock formations at Coquille Point, a short distance north of the Face Rock Wayside, this stretch of beach is truly spectacular, well worth a visit at any time of the year. Combining a visit with the opportunity to experience Circles in the Sand makes for a unique and memorable experience.

Thousands of people walk the labyrinths each year. The labyrinths can be walked by anyone, free of charge. Circles in the Sand is funded entirely by donations. The 2022 schedule runs through August 15. For more information, click here.

Originally posted July 24, 2019. Updated and re-posted June 18, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

The Oregon Garden

by Alan K. Lee

The Oregon Garden, located in Silverton, Oregon, consists of more than 20 specialty gardens covering 80 acres. While it was created about 20 years ago primarily to promote the Oregon nursery industry, the Garden has grown into one of the premier botanical gardens of the Northwest.

The Oregon Garden is spectacularly beautiful in the spring, but it has plenty to offer in other seasons. The photos shown here were taken in September, for example, and there were a lot of plants still in bloom, as you can see. Even in winter, the garden is worth a visit.

Flowers take center stage here, but there’s much more to the Oregon Garden than just flowers. Wetlands that are the final stage of Silverton’s wastewater treatment process and a formal water garden are also part of the larger Garden. As are a conifer garden, oak grove, and a 15 acre working demonstration forest. You can also find many agricultural products, such as berries, hops, and grapes, growing in the garden in artful settings.

Stained glass window by Judy Kunkle, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Copper and glass sculpture by Lauren Wingert, Albany, Oregon

Throughout the Garden you will find art works by local artists.

The Gordon House. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

The Gordon House, Oregon’s only surviving Frank Lloyd Wright designed house (and the only one in the Northwest open to the public) is located immediately adjacent to the Garden.

Oregon Garden Resort. Photo from the Oregon Garden Resort website.

The Oregon Garden Resort, featuring 103 guest rooms, restaurant, and spa, is also located adjacent to the Garden.

Start your tour of the gardens at the Visitor Center, where you purchase your tickets. Pick up a free map of the gardens and check out the gift shop. The Visitor Center also houses the Little Leaf Cafe (soups, sandwiches, and other lunch items). And there is a retail nursery located adjacent to the Visitor Center where you can purchase plants grown by the garden staff and volunteers.

The Oregon Garden is open daily, except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. Hours are 10-4 (10-3 in winter). Adult admission prices are $8 Nov-Feb and $12 Mar-Oct. There are discounts for seniors (60+), students (12-17), children (5-11), and veterans. Children under five are free. Go to the garden website for a schedule of events and other information.

The Garden is ADA compliant and all mobility devices are allowed in the Garden. There is a 1.4 mile paved path that runs through most of the 20+ specialty gardens. There is also a tram that takes guests on a 25 minute narrated tour of the Garden. Tickets are $3, sold on a first-come first-served basis.

Take your time and enjoy the beauty of the Garden. There are plenty of benches in the gardens to sit and relax. There’s enough here that it wouldn’t be hard to make a full day of it. And you can bring your dog. There’s even a pet friendly garden.

If you are making a day of it, dining options include the Little Leaf Cafe and the Garden View Restaurant and the Fireside Lounge at the Oregon Garden Resort. Or you can bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it in one of the designated picnic areas. A variety of dining options are also available in downtown Silverton.

And if you’re visiting from outside the area, a trip to nearby Silver Falls State Park should also be on your itinerary. There aren’t many other places where you can see ten waterfalls on a single hike, and the trail will actually take you behind four of them. It’s one of Oregon’s premier attractions.

Originally posted October 6, 2019. Updated May 12, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee, except as noted.

Leach Botanical Garden

by Alan K. Lee

Leach Botanical Garden in southeast Portland may not leap to mind when you think of Portland area gardens, but pay it a visit and you will find that it truly belongs in the top tier of Portland botanical gardens. The beautiful and serene set of gardens feature more than 2000 varieties of plants, including 125 species of ferns.

What is now Leach Botanical Garden was once the home of John and Lilla Leach. They purchased the property in the early 1930s and built a cottage on the south shore of Johnson Creek in 1932. Four years later they built a larger house on the north shore.

Both the Stone Cabin and the Manor House still stand. The Manor House now houses the garden’s gift shop and is a popular wedding venue and event space. (The part of the garden south of Johnson Creek, including the Stone Cabin, is currently closed to the public).

Lilla Leach was an amateur botanist and discovered five plants previously unknown to science. One, Kalmiopsis leachiana, is named after her, and the southwest Oregon wilderness where she discovered it is now known as the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Over the years she planted many native plant species, some of them rare, on the estate they called Sleepy Hollow.

John and Lilla lived in Sleepy Hollow until John’s death in 1972. The Leaches willed the property to the City of Portland, and the city created Leach Botanical Garden after Lilla’s death in 1980 to preserve her botanical garden.

Originally four acres in size, the botanical garden has been expanded, most recently in 2021, and now covers some 17 acres and includes an aerial tree walk (part of the 2021 expansion) that extends out over the slope leading down to Johnson Creek and the Manor House.

The garden is located at 6704 SE 122nd Avenue and is open to the public Tue-Fri 10am-5pm and Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. The garden is closed on Monday. Reservations are not required, but are recommended. Walk up tickets are available, but may be limited during busy periods. Reserved tickets can be obtained on the garden’s website.

There is currently no admission charge, but donations are encouraged and go to support operation of the garden and the garden’s educational programs. You can also register for a garden tour on the website, which is currently the only way to visit the Stone Cabin and the historic Outdoor Kitchen on the south side of Johnson Creek..

If you’re visiting Portland, consider paying Leach Botanical Garden a visit. Pair it with a visit to Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in inner southeast Portland, and to the International Rose Test Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, and the Portland Japanese Garden, all in Washington Park in Portland’s West Hills, for an immersive experience in the Rose City’s garden culture. If you enjoy the peace and beauty of botanical gardens, you won’t regret it.

Posted April 25, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Lan Su Chinese Garden

by Alan K. Lee

The Lan Su Chinese Garden, an urban oasis in the middle of downtown Portland, Oregon, is regarded as one of the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China itself. It is also one of the most beautiful places in the city, and one of my favorite places in the city.

The garden came about through Portland’s sister city relationship with Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province, China. Suzhuo is noted for its Ming Dynasty gardens, and Lan Su Garden was created by artisans from Suzhou following a 2000 year old tradition that melds art, architecture, and nature into a harmonious and serene whole.

Entering the garden, you come first to the Courtyard of Tranquility. The courtyard (and the whole garden, for that matter) is designed to be a peaceful and soothing place to escape the problems of everyday life, and it succeeds in that remarkably well. It’s surprisingly quiet, and once inside it’s easy to forget that you are in the middle of a busy city.

From the courtyard, you pass through the Hall of Brocade Clouds, traditionally the place where a family entertains guests, and then onto the Terrace. This is a great place to just sit and take in the view. Most of the garden can be seen from the Terrace. The various pavilions and the Tea House (the “Tower of Cosmic Reflections”) are beautifully reflected in the central pond known as Lake Zither.

From the Terrace, wander at will through the Painted Boat In Misty Rain pavilion, past the Rock Mountain and Waterfall, across the boardwalk to the Moon Locking Pavilion, Scholar’s Study and Scholar’s Courtyard, and the Knowing the Fish Pavilion. Take some time to visit the Tower of Cosmic Reflections teahouse where you can enjoy a cup of tea and learn a little about the Chinese social art and culture of tea.

Throughout the garden you will see Lake Tai Rocks. These large, fantastically shaped rocks were imported from China – 600 tons of them. The rocks were formed underwater through the erosive action of Lake Tai’s acidic waters, and are highly prized by landscape architects.

The garden exhibits more than 100 species of trees, shrubs, and plants native to China, including the Pacific Northwest’s largest collection of lotus. The plants found in the garden were not imported from China due to import restrictions, but were found in botanical gardens and nurseries in the United States and transplanted to the garden.

Part of the mission of the Lan Su Chinese Garden is to promote better understanding of Chinese art, history, tradition, and culture. Classes and demonstrations of Chinese calligraphy, brush painting, paper folding, poetry, music, horticulture, wood carving, and other arts such as kite making, are held throughout the year at the garden. And public tours of the garden led by trained docents are held several times a day.

The Lan Su Garden is small, taking up only one city block, but it is one of Portland’s premier gardens (along with the Portland Japanese Garden, the International Rose Test Garden, and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, among others). You can tour the garden in an hour, but the longer you linger, and the more times you visit, the more you come to appreciate the beauty, tranquility, and harmony of the garden, and understand the philosophy and outlook on life that led to its creation.

Lan Su Chinese Garden is open from 10:00 to 4:00 daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $12.95 for adults, $11.95 for seniors (62+), and $9.95 for children 6-18 and college students. Children five and under are free. There are currently no Covid-19 restrictions. You can find more information about the garden at the Lan Su website.

Posted March 12, 2020. Updated April 8, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Portland Japanese Garden

by Alan K. Lee

The serenity and transcendent beauty of the Portland Japanese Garden make it one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest. Located in Washington Park in Portland’s West Hills, the garden overlooks downtown Portland, but it is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The tranquility that the garden aspires to is somewhat compromised by the 450,000 annual visitors that it attracts, but the beauty of the gardens make it more than worth visiting despite any crowds.

Former Japanese Ambassador to the United States Nobuo Matsunaga has called the Portland Japanese Garden “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.”

The Portland Japanese Garden came out of the sister city relationship between Portland and Sapporo, Japan, which was created at least in part as an effort to heal the wounds of World War II. The garden website says it best: “Born out of a hope that the experience of peace can contribute to a long lasting peace. Born out of a belief in the power of cultural exchange. Born out of a belief in the excellence of craft, evidence in the Garden itself and the activities that come from it. Born out of a realization that all of these things are made more real and possible if we honor our connection to nature.”

The site, once the location of the Washington Park Zoo, was dedicated in 1961. Construction of the garden began in 1963, and the garden opened to the public in the summer of 1967. Designed by Professor Takuma Tono of Tokyo Agricultural University, the garden originally consisted of five different garden styles spread over 5.5 acres.

Over its more than half a century of existence, the garden has evolved and more than doubled in size. The Kashintei Tea House was built in Japan in 1968, dismantled, and shipped to Portland. But it wasn’t until 1980 that it was reconstructed on its present site. It was dedicated on May 18, 1980, the same day that Mount St. Helens erupted.

The most recent expansion, completed in 2017, added a new entrance and entry garden, a courtyard garden, a bonsai terrace, and a Cultural Village consisting of three new buildings designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma: the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center; the Garden House; and the Umami Cafe. Today, the Portland Japanese Garden consists of eight gardens covering 12 acres.

Each year the garden presents Art in the Garden, a series of works by a variety of Japanese artists (or works inspired by Japanese design or tradition) “to explore the ideas and aesthetics integral to the fabric of life in Japan.”

The garden is located within Washington Park, but is operated by a non-profit organization. In addition to maintaining the garden, the organization operates the International Japanese Garden Training Center, which teaches the traditional skills and techniques for creating Japanese gardens (the only program of its kind outside of Japan), offers tours and teaching materials for schools, offers a variety of classes and workshops for the public, and conducts public tours of the garden. The organization also operates the Bill de Weese Chabana Research Garden, the only garden of its type in North America.

The garden is open Wednesday through Monday. Summer hour are 10:00 to 5:30. Admission is $18.95 for adults, $16.25 for seniors (65+), $15.25 for students (with ID), and $13.50 for youths (6-17). Children under six are free. Group tickets (for 15 or more people) are offered at a discount. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the garden’s website. Individual garden memberships are available for $60. Dual memberships (two people) are $85 and household memberships are $110.

Covid-19 update (April 2022): The garden is open to everyone, and masks are required only on the garden shuttle that runs from the parking area up the hill to the old garden entrance. (You do not have to take the shuttle and masks are not required if you walk). Some of the paths are one way only, and entrance to the Umami Cafe requires proof of vaccination. all garden staff are fully vaccinated.

The Portland Japanese Garden is, in my opinion, a must see for anyone visiting Portland. And you’ll probably also want to visit the International Rose Test Garden, located across the street from the Japanese Garden entrance.

Other gardens featured on this site include Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, Butchart Gardens, Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, Lan Su Chinese Garden, and the Connie Hansen Garden. Those and other Northwest gardens have been or will soon be featured on this site. Check the Recent Posts list or click on the Upcoming Posts tab at the top of this post for gardens to be featured this spring.

Originally posted August 13, 2018. Updated December 20, 2020 and April 4, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona

by Alan K. Lee

Canyon de Chelly is a strikingly beautiful canyon located on the Navajo Nation in the northeast corner of Arizona. The canyon walls rise vertically from the flat bottom of the canyon as much as 1000 feet to the canyon rim, and everywhere you look there are spectacular rock formations, like the 750 foot spire known as Spider Rock (pictured below).

The name Chelly comes from the Spanish spelling of the Navajo name for canyon, tseyi, which translates literally as “within the rock.” Over time the Spanish pronunciation, “chay-ee”, has evolved into the current pronunciation, “shay”.

Located a couple of miles east of Chinle, Arizona, the monument’s Welcome Center is a good place to start your visit. Pick up a free map of the monument and watch a short film about the monument to orient yourself. The park rangers can answer any questions you have about tours of the canyon, accommodations, the canyon’s history or geology, what plants and animals you’ll find in the park, or any other questions you might have. There is also a gift shop where souvenirs of your visit can be purchased.

Canyon de Chelly is worth a visit just for the spectacular scenery it affords, but it is also an important cultural and historic site. The canyon is one of the longest continuously inhabited places in North America. The Ancestral Puebloans (also known as the Anasazi) first settled in the area some 4,000 years ago. The canyon was later occupied by the Hopi, descendents of the Ancestral Puebloans, and more recently by the Navaho.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is actually owned by the Navaho Tribal Trust, not the federal government. It is jointly managed by the tribe and the National Park Service. Two main canyons, Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto, along with several smaller side canyons, make up the majority of the monument’s 83,000 acres.

About forty Navaho families live within the monument, some of whom still farm the canyon floor and raise livestock as their ancestors did. Access to the floor of the canyon is restricted to tours led by tribal guides or NPS rangers, except for the White House Ruin Trail, which descends more than 500 feet from south rim of Canyon de Chelly to the bottom of the canyon and across the floor of the canyon to the ruins.

Unless you take one of the guided trips through the canyon, hiking the White House Ruins Trail is the only way to get a close up view of any of Ancestral Puebloan ruins in the canyon. And walking the same ground that the ancestral people walked thousands of years ago and seeing where and how they lived can bring a profound feeling of connection to those people across all those centuries. It is really well worth the effort if you can make the hike.

(February 2022 update: The White House Overlook and Trail are currently closed because of safety and law enforcement concerns. Check the park website Alerts page for current information.)

Although access to the canyon floor is restricted, the South Rim Drive along Canyon de Chelly and the North Rim Drive along Canyon del Muerto provide a total of ten overlooks into the canyons. Plan to spend at least half a day touring the rim drives. Add another two hours or more if you plan to hike to the White House Ruins. And if you want to tour the canyon floor, there are half and full day jeep, horseback, and hiking options available. A list of tour operators can be found here. There are also free ranger led hikes. Ask at the Welcome Center about availability and schedules.

My wife and I have taken many trips to Arizona over the years. We have been fortunate enough to have visited many of the parks and other natural and culturally significant sites in the state. Canyon de Chelly stands out as one of the best, both scenically and culturally. The photos here are from a trip we took that also included a visit to Chiricahua National Monument. That was a number of years ago, but the memories remain fresh in mind. And once the corona virus pandemic ends and we can all travel safely again, I hope to go back and revisit the canyon.

Pandemic update: As of February 2022, the park is open. Masks are required in all indoor areas and outdoors where social distancing is not possible. There are no other requirements.

Originally posted May 14, 2020. Updated and re-posted February 14, 2022.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Santa Fe and Taos

by Alan K. Lee

Santa Fe bills itself as “The City Different,” and the Santa Fe Tourism website calls it “a city unlike any other.” A few years ago my wife and I stopped in Santa Fe for a few days on a trip through the Southwest, and I found that Santa Fe largely lives up to those descriptions. The unique blend of Spanish, American, and Puebloan history, culture, and arts make Santa Fe and Taos interesting and unique destinations for the traveler.

Santa Fe’s history dates back more than 1000 years, to when a Tanoan Pueblo village was established on the Santa Fe River at a location that is now downtown Santa Fe. Descendants of those early settlers continue to live in six Tewa-speaking Pueblos in the Santa Fe area.

Spanish colonization of the area dates to 1598, when the first European settlements were built in what became the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico, part of New Spain. What is now New Mexico became part of the U.S. in 1848 as a result of the peace treaty that ended the Mexican-American War. New Mexico became the 47th state in 1912, with Santa Fe as its capital.

Native American culture and arts have survived in the Southwest to a degree not found elsewhere in the United States. Evidence of that is everywhere in modern day Santa Fe, Taos, and the Pueblo settlements remaining in the area. Native influenced art works can be found in the many art galleries and the numerous public art installations that are found throughout Santa Fe and Taos. The Puebloan culture is also represented in the architecture of the city, and the local cuisine.

Santa Fe’s Spanish roots also remain a significant influence on Santa Fe’s modern culture. You can explore the city’s history at the many museums that dot downtown Santa Fe, such as the New Mexico History Museum and the Palace of the Governors, both adjacent to the Santa Fe Plaza, the cultural and social heart of the city.

The Plaza is an ideal place to begin your exploration of Santa Fe, particularly if you are an art lover, as my wife and I are. The New Mexico Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Native American Arts are both within a block of the Plaza. For fans of Georgia O’Keefe, the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and Museum Annex are both within a few blocks of the Plaza. The Gib Singleton Museum of Fine Art is also only a couple of blocks off the Plaza. Pop art fans should check out the Pop Gallery Santa Fe, two blocks north of the Plaza.

Southeast of the Plaza, within easy walking distance, the Canyon Road Arts District is a must see destination for the art lover. More than fifty galleries and studios line what had once been a residential street. It was impossible for us to visit more than just a fraction of the galleries in the district in the short time we had, but just walking the street and viewing the outdoor art installations was memorable, one of the highlights of our visit.

Of course there are plenty of things to see and do in Santa Fe beyond just the visual arts and local history. The Tourism Santa Fe website offers dozens of suggestions including outdoor recreation, dining, shopping, performing arts, activities for kids, and other attractions. The site also has tips on visiting, information on accommodations, and a calendar of events.

There are also a lot of places outside of Santa Fe itself that are worth visiting. Taos, about 65 miles north of Santa Fe, is another arts oriented community. The Taos Society of Artists has been in existence for more than a century. Many of the early artists’ galleries have been preserved and are open to visitors.

Puebloan history and culture is an even more pronounced component of modern day Taos than it is in Santa Fe. The nearby Taos Pueblo is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark. The Pueblo has been occupied continuously for over 1000 years and continues to be an active Native American community. Unfortunately, Taos Pueblo is currently (as of February 2, 2022) closed to the public due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Check their website for current information. There are also a number of other pueblos in the Santa Fe and Taos area that may be open to visitors. Each pueblo is independent and makes its own decisions concerning rules for public visitation, so check the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center website for more information.

Another site near Santa Fe that is well worth visiting is Bandelier National Monument. While it is not as well known as many of the other Native American historical sites, the park features impressive ruins of cliff dwellings that can be easily explored, plus one high up the cliff that can only be reached by climbing several long ladders. Bandelier is about 30 mile northwest of Santa Fe, near the town White Rock.

While some sites may be closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, New Mexico is largely open at present. There is a statewide mask mandate in force, but no other restrictions.

Santa Fe and Taos are high on our list of places to revisit and we’re looking forward to another, and hopefully longer, visit. And I’d encourage everyone to visit Santa Fe at least once. It truly is The City Different.

Originally posted June 29, 2020. Updated and re-posted February 2, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Tacoma Museum District

by Alan K. Lee

The Tacoma Museum District consists of four museums within easy walking distance of each other: the Museum of Glass, the Washington State History Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Children’s Museum of Tacoma. In addition, two other museums, Foss Waterway Seaport, and LeMay – America’s Car Museum, are less than a mile form the four central museums.

“Penumbra In Grey and Amber” by Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson, Museum of Glass

“Aurora Orange Basket with Night Black Lip Wrap” by Dale Chihuly, Museum of Glass

On a recent trip to Tacoma, my wife and I had an opportunity to visit the Museum District. Our first stop was the Museum of Glass. I love sculpture, be it stone, wood, metal, ceramic, or glass. And I’ve long been a fan of Dale Chihuly’s glass artistry, so I was eager to see the museum’s display of his work, as well as the works of other the artists featured.

Chihuly is a native of Tacoma, and the city is rightfully proud of its most famous son. He is one of the world’s foremost glass artists. His works can be found in museums and galleries around the world. I was a little disappointed that the collection of his work at The Museum of Glass, at least what is on display, is modest. You can see much more of his work at Seattle’s Chihuly Garden and Glass. And the Tacoma Art Museum has a large collection of his works. More on that below.

Outside the Museum of Glass there is much more of Chihuly’s work displayed on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a pedestrian bridge that spans I-705 and connects the Museum of Glass to the Washington State History Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Children’s Museum of Tacoma.

“White Raven” by Preston Singletary, Museum of Glass

“Feather Pulled Through Water” by Preston Singletary, Museum of Glass

The Museum of Glass is not as much about Chihuly as it is about the diversity of Northwest glass artists. There was a large exhibit of works by Native American artist Preston Singletary when we visited. The museum also has a large collection of works by many other glass artists. There was also an interesting display of works designed by children and made at the museum by the Hot Shop Team.

“Untitled” by Clare Belfrage, Museum of Glass

“Untitled” by Michael Fox, Museum of Glass

“Mr. Popcicle” (left), designed by Emily Cooper (age 9) and “Hamburger Cowboy” (right), designed by James Barr (age 7), Museum of Glass

“The Square Shark,” designed by Adelle R. Patton (age 11), Museum of Glass

Hot Shop Team in the Cone, Museum of Glass

Inside the distinctive and massive Cone, you can watch members of the Hot Shop Team at work as they create glass art works. There are also workshops at the museum where you can actually work with the Hot Shop Team to create your own glass art pieces.

After taking in the Museum of Glass, we crossed the Bridge of Glass and made our way to the Tacoma Art Museum. TAM has developed a national reputation in recent years as an outstanding regional mid-sized museum. Its focus is on Northwest artists and Western American art.

“Old Santa Fe” by Tom Lovell (1909-1997), oil on board, Tacoma Art Museum

“Pinons With Cedar” by Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986), oil on canvas, Tacoma Art Museum

The majority of TAM’s collection of more than 5000 works of art are by Northwest artists, and the recently added Haub Family Collection makes TAM the premier museum in the Northwest for Western American art.

“Mad Wolf, Blackfeet” by Bi Wei Liang, oil on linen, Tacoma Art Museum

“Georgia On My Mind” by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, oil on canvas, Tacoma Art Museum

The In the Footsteps of My Ancestors exhibit of contemporary works by Native American artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith was a nice compliment to the more traditional depictions of Native Americans in many of the Haub Family Collection works.

Debora Moore, Arboria exhibit, Tacoma Art Museum

TAM also has a large collection of glass art by Dale Chihuly and other glass artists, much of it donated by the Benaroya family. I particularly liked the Arboria exhibit of works by Debora Moore.

“Raven With Salmonberry” by Marvin Oliver, cast bronze, Tacoma Art Museum

We didn’t have time to visit either the Washington State History Museum or Foss Waterway Seaport on our last trip. We’ll save those for another time. I would have enjoyed the LeMay car museum, but my wife had little or no interest, so we skipped that. And we didn’t have any of the grandkids with us on this trip, so we skipped the Children’s Museum, also. The information below was gathered from the websites of the other museums in the Tacoma Museum District and various other websites.

The Washington State History Museum is owned and operated by the Washington State Historical Society. The Society was founded in 1891, the original museum was dedicated in 1911, and the current museum opened its doors in 1996. In addition to the museum, the society also operates the State History Research Center, and publishes Columbia magazine.

The Children’s Museum of Tacoma is unique in that it does not charge an admission fee. A donation is requested, but not required. Everyone is welcome regardless of their ability to pay. The museum is dedicated to the idea that play is central to children’s learning, and the museum has six “playscapes” that let children explore, play, build, and learn. In addition, the museum sponsors Play To Learn programs for children under six and their adults at more than twenty locations around Pierce County.

Foss Waterway Seaport houses historic maritime exhibits, an education center, the Heritage Boat Shop, and event spaces in the Balfour Dock Building on the Thea Foss Waterway. The Seaport also has docks and floats on the waterway for educational and recreational use. Foss Waterway Seaport is located on Dock Street, a little less than a mile north of the Museum of Glass.

1954 Dodge Carrera Panamerica, LeMay – America’s Car Museum

LeMay – America’s Car Museum is located south of the main group of museums, just west of the Tacoma Dome. During his lifetime, Harold LeMay (1919-2000) of Spanaway, Washington collected more than 3000 cars. At its peak, the LeMay collection was the largest privately owned automotive collection in the world. America’s Car Museum houses some 300 cars from his collection. In addition to the museum, the LeMay Car Show, held on the last Saturday in August each year, offers the public a chance to view more than 1000 vintage cars from the LeMay collection.

If you’re planning to visit more than two of the museums, purchasing a Museum District Pass can save you some money. The pass is available for purchase at any of the six museums and can also be purchased online from the Travel Tacoma website. The pass is good for one visit to each of the six museums and is valid for one year from the date it is first used.

Originally posted June 30, 2019. Most recently updated June 26, 2023.

Photo Notes:

The featured image at the top of this post is a work by Shayna Lieb titled “Dawn” displayed at the Museum of Glass (photo by the author)

The photo of the Washington State History Museum was taken from Wikimedia Commons (credited to “Visitor 7”)

The photo of the the car at LeMay – America’s Car Museum is also from Wikimedia Commons (photo credit to John Lloyd, Concrete, Washington)

The photos of The Children’s Museum and Foss Waterway Seaport are taken from their respective websites (photos not credited)

All other photos © Alan K. Lee

Exploring Southwest Idaho, Part 4: Boise

By Alan K. Lee

During our exploration of southwest Idaho, my wife and I used Boise as our base and did day trips to Thousand Springs, Balanced Rock, Bruneau Dunes, and the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, as I’ve documented in the past few posts.

Boise is Idaho’s capital and largest city, with a metropolitan area population of around 750,000. It’s large enough to have many of the amenities of a big city, but small enough to still retain something of a small town feel. And it’s a surprisingly modern and cosmopolitan city, blending elements of both West Coast and Rocky Mountain cultures.

My wife and I are both art lovers, and Boise has a vibrant arts community featuring both visual and performing arts. The Velma V. Morrison Performing Arts Center on the Boise State University campus is home to the Boise Philharmonic, Ballet Idaho, the Trey McIntyre Project (modern dance company), and the Boise Shakespeare Festival. The Gene Harris Jazz Festival is held each spring, also on the Boise State campus.

The Boise Art Museum in Julia Davis Park, just south of the downtown center, features permanent American, Northwest, Native American, and Asian Art collections, and rotating temporary exhibits. In addition to the Boise Art Museum, there are a number of notable art galleries in the downtown area, including the Art Source Gallery, Capitol Contemporary Gallery, the Delia Dante Gallery and FireFusion Studio, and MING Studios.

There is also an interesting street art scene in Boise, featured prominently in the building murals of the outdoor gallery known as Freak Alley in the downtown center.

Many fine Victorian houses and architecturally interesting buildings can also be found in the downtown area.

Other points of interest in the downtown area include the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial and the Wassmuth Center For Human Rights, the Idaho Black History Museum, the Idaho State Museum, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, and the Idaho Discovery Center, a hands-on, interactive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational center.

If you want to take a break, grab a bite to eat, and have a glass of wine or a pint of beer, there are plenty of places in downtown Boise to do just that. Moon’s Kitchen Cafe, Wild Root Cafe, and the vegan High Note Cafe are all within a few blocks of the capitol building. Goldy’s Corner is a small cafe and bakery that features a take-a-book/leave-a-book free library. Also near the capitol are Ten Barrel Brewing Boise, Prost German Pub, Edge Brewing, and Bavarian Brewing. Near Julia Davis Park you’ll find Boise Brewing, White Dog Brewing, and the Double Tap Pub. Downtown wine bars include Coiled Wine Bar and Bodovino. I’m sure Boise has an interesting night life scene, but we didn’t explore that aspect of the city on this trip.

We did explore a number of Boise’s many parks and natural areas. The nearly 25-mile long Boise River Greenbelt has many miles of trails along both banks of the river.

Anne Morrison Memorial Park on the south bank of the river, and the Julia Davis Park, just south of the downtown area on the north bank, are large urban parks with a variety of open spaces and tree lined paths along the river.

Julia Davis Park is also home to the Boise Rose Garden and Zoo Boise. Idaho Botanical Garden, a mile or so southeast of downtown, is also definitely worth a visit.

Kathryn Albertson Park , across Americana Blvd from Anne Morrison Park, is a nature park with several large ponds that is home to a variety of wildlife and provides the visitor with more intimate natural areas to explore.

I hadn’t been in Boise for quite a few years. The last time had been for an environmental conference and I didn’t see much of the city on that trip. And, honestly, we didn’t come to Idaho to explore Boise on this trip. But I found it surprisingly beautiful and interesting on a number of different levels. It’s definitely not the cowboy town I remember visiting in my younger days. Boise has grown up a lot (and maybe it was never as much of a cow town as I remember it being).

We had a great time exploring Boise, but there is far too much there to experience it all in in the short time we had on this trip. We’ll almost certainly be visiting Idaho again in the near future, and I’m sure we’ll spend another few days exploring more of what Boise has to offer. We may even see what Boise nightlife is like on our next visit.

Boise is definitely worth visiting, and southwest Idaho has many truly unique, beautiful, and enjoyable places to visit, all within a short drive of each other. For more on those, check out my other Exploring Southwest Idaho posts:

Thousand Springs

Balanced Rock and Bruneau Dunes

The Snake River Canyon and Birds of Prey

Posted January 17, 2022

Juneau, Alaska

by Alan K. Lee

I’ve been to Juneau a couple of times, the latest being a few years ago. While it’s not my favorite destination in Alaska (that would be Sitka) or the culturally richest (Anchorage), it is a unique and very interesting place, and a well worth a visit.

Looking north across Auke Bay from Mount Roberts

Getting to Juneau can be a bit difficult. No roads lead to Juneau, so it’s either fly in or come by boat. On both of my trips to southeast Alaska I traveled to Juneau by way of Sitka. On the first trip, my wife and I traveled via the Alaska Ferry system from Ketchikan to Skagway and back, except for the segment from Sitka to Juneau. The ferry schedule and our itinerary didn’t match up, so we flew from Sitka to Juneau and resumed our journey by ferry from there. The ferry schedule didn’t work for us on our more recent visit, either, so we made the short flight from Sitka this time, also.

The Juneau airport is about 10 miles north of the city. You can get to the city by taxi, the municipal bus system, or rental car. Once downtown, you don’t really need a car to explore the city. The downtown is compact and easily walkable. The bus system is also free in the downtown area. But having a car makes getting to Mendenhall Glacier and other outlying areas much easier.

Mendenhall Glacier is a must see when visiting Juneau. It’s located near the airport and the ferry terminal dock. The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is a good place to start, but if you’re getting around by bus, the closest stop is a mile and a half away. You also have to buy a five dollar (per person) pass to enter. The pass is also required to access some of the area hiking trails. Check the visitor center website for more information. You can park and hike some of the trails, including the popular Nugget Falls Trail that takes you close to the glacier, without buying the pass, so many people skip the visitor center.

Nugget Falls is a short walk (less than a mile) from the parking area and visitor center. It’s more of a cascade down the steep slope of the mountain than a free fall, but the sheer volume and velocity of water crashing down into Mendenhall Lake is awesome. It’s one of my favorite waterfalls anywhere. It would be a great destination in itself, but being so close to the face of Mendenhall Glacier actually draws your attention away from the falls. There are a couple of other short interpretive trails starting from or near the visitor center, and the East Glacier Trail (3.5 mile loop rated moderate) offers great views of the glacier. Across the lake, the West Glacier Trail gets you closer to the glacier than the trails around the visitor center. It’s a four mile out and back hike rated moderate.

Another must see in the Juneau area is the view from Mount Roberts, just southeast of downtown Juneau. You can hike to the 3819 foot summit via a 4.5 mile trail, but a more practical alternative is to take the Mount Roberts Tramway to the 1800 foot level. The tram only takes you halfway to the summit, but the view from the top of the tram is still pretty spectacular. You’re looking down on the city directly below, the town of Douglas across Gastineau Channel, and across to the mountains of Douglas Island. You can also see for miles up and down Gastineau Channel.

But if that’s not good enough for you, you can access the Mount Roberts Trail from the top of the tram to get higher up the mountain. The top of the tramway is at about timberline, so the views from above are unimpeded. The tram is operated by a Native American corporation, and The Mountain House at the top of the tram features a 120 seat theater that shows a free 18 minute film depicting Tlingit history and culture. There is also a restaurant and gift store in the Mountain House. And Gastineau Guiding operates the Nature Store at the top of the tram where you can get information on area hiking trails and the mountain ecosystem. The tram costs $45 per person ($25 for kids), but it’s money well spent.

View across Fritz Cove from Douglas Island

Whale watching is another popular tourist activity in Juneau. A number of companies offer half and full day cruises in the waters around Juneau. Half day (3-4 hour) cruises run about $125 per person. Full day (6 hour) cruises with a salmon bake afterwards can be had for around $175. Humpback Whales are common and sightings are generally guaranteed. Orcas also frequent the area. Sea kayaking tours are also popular. Half day tours in Auke Bay run a little over $100 per person. Experienced kayakers can rent single kayaks for about $60 per day. Double kayaks run slightly higher. Canoe and kayak tours of Mendenhall Lake are also available and are a great way to see both the glacier and Nugget Falls.

On our first trip to southeast Alaska back in 1995 we took a day-long small boat cruise up Tracy Arm, a glacial fjord about 45 miles south of Juneau. It’s stunningly beautiful, with dozens of waterfalls, some as high as 1000 feet, cascading down the sometimes vertical walls of the fjord. You’ll almost certainly see seals, porpoises, bald eagles, and many other marine birds. Orcas and humpback whales frequent the area. You may see black bears along the shore and mountain goats on the cliffs. You’ll navigate between small icebergs.

Seals often haul out on the bergs to rest and sleep. At the head of the inlet you’ll get a close up view of South Sawyer Glacier. How close you get will depend on the boat that you’re on and the amount of ice in the water, but you will get a spectacular look at the face of the glacier and there’s a chance that you’ll witness large blocks of ice calving off the face and crashing into the water below. The cruise was one of the highlights of our trip. We didn’t have time to repeat the cruise on latest visit, but if you can fit it into your itinerary, I highly recommend that you do so. You won’t regret it, and the cost is reasonable (less than $200 per person) for what you get.

Another highly rated outing is a helicopter tour of the Juneau Icefield. I haven’t done this one, but several of the reviews I read called it “the adventure of a lifetime,” and the photos I’ve seen are pretty awesome. A 2-3 hour tour of the 1500 square mile icefield that lands and lets you set foot on the ice starts at around $325 per person. Salmon and halibut fishing charters are another popular activity in Juneau (although Ketchikan is probably a more popular fishing destination). Costs vary by operator, but figure roughly $175-$300 per person for a four hour trip and $250-$450 for an eight hour trip.

The area around Juneau is so wild, unspoiled, and spectacularly beautiful that it is the main draw, but the city has plenty of appeal in itself. The downtown area is compact and easily walkable, and most attractions are close by each other.

If you’re interested in local history, you’ll find the Alaska State Museum of interest. It houses an extensive collection of Native Alaskan artifacts, including fragments of three baskets that are more than 5000 years old. The museum also has a collection of artifacts from the Russian colonial period and early American presence, as well as works by contemporary Native artists. The Juneau-Douglas City Museum, might also be of interest. It’s located across the street from the State Capitol, in the Veteran’s Memorial Building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Sealaska Heritage Institute, dedicated to the “study and sharing of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures” is another place that you can learn more about the history and culture of the area. The St. Nicholas Orthodox Church will also be of interest. All four are within easy walking distance of each other in downtown Juneau.

Juneau also has a number of outstanding art galleries, including the Juneau Artists Gallery, the Louise Miller Fine Art Studio, and Annie Kaill’s Fine Crafts Gallery.

Juneau has no shortage of places to get top notch seafood. You won’t find fresher fish anywhere. Try Tracy’s King Crab Shack, Twisted Fish Company, The Hangar On the Wharf, or Deckhand Dave’s Fish Tacos. There are other good places to eat (and drink), as well. We found a cool local hangout, The Island Pub, in Douglas where our B&B was located, that had both good food and good beer. We also stumbled onto a little hole-in-the-wall brewery (more like a home brew operation than a commercial brewery) in downtown Juneau, and visited the Alaskan Brewing Company brewery tasting room (definitely not a hobby scale brewery) in Lemon Creek, near the airport.

There are a number of quality hotels in the downtown area. The Juneau Hotel has 72 suites, all with full kitchens and a washer and dryer. Summer rates start at around $200 per night. Off season rates begin at around $130/night. Silverbow Hotel and Suites and Four Points by Sheraton Juneau both get good reviews, but are significantly more expensive (north of $400/night on summer weekends). There are also many B&Bs and vacation rentals that are much more affordable. Our Airbnb rental in Douglas was more than adequate and was reasonably priced.

A note on the weather. Be prepared for rain and cold any time of the year. We were in Juneau the first week in June and saw the sun only briefly in the four days we spent there. High temperatures were in the mid 50s with some light rain. After leaving Juneau we spent three days in Ketchikan and it rained sideways for a good two days straight. Prior to arriving in Juneau, though, our stay in Sitka had been sunny and beautiful. On our 1995 trip, it was sunny in Ketchikan both on our arrival and our departure two weeks later, but those were the only times we saw the sun. The moral of the story is the weather you get is the weather you get. But regardless, Juneau and all of southeast Alaska is such an incredible place that experiencing bad weather there is almost inconsequential. Come prepared, but don’t worry about the weather. It’ll be worth it.

Posted Nov. 6, 2021

High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon

By Alan K. Lee

The High Desert Museum, located about five miles south of Bend, Oregon, offers visitors a chance to see native wildlife up close and learn about both the pioneering history of the area and the culture and lifestyles of the Native American tribes that lived in the area for thousands of years prior to the arrival of white settlers. All told, the museum has 100,000 square feet of exhibit space on its 135 acre campus.

The High Desert Museum consistently rates as one of the top attractions of the Bend area, and it recently won the 2021 National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. My most recent trip to the museum came as part of a family vacation to the nearby Sunriver Resort, and everyone, especially the kids, thoroughly enjoyed the visit. It’s one of the most interesting museums that I’ve ever visited. There is something for everyone there.

“High desert” can be a bit of a misnomer, as the term is often generically applied to all of central and eastern Oregon. The Bend area actually straddles the boundary between the ponderosa and lodgepole pine forest of the eastern slope of the Cascade Range and the sagerush and juniper lands to the east that are more typical of true desert habitat. The High Desert Museum is located in an area of pine forest, so the museum has no true desert habitat. But that does not detract from its appeal.

There is a small stream that runs through the museum grounds and several small ponds, giving the museum riparian as well as forest habitats. You can explore the pine forest and riparian areas on the trails that wander through the 135 acres of the museum grounds.

The Miller Family Ranch, one of the museum’s permanent outdoor exhibits, is a historically accurate recreation of an early 20th century homestead. The exhibit includes a cabin, barn, bunkhouse, root cellar, woodshop, and sawmill. Volunteers give visitors hands-on experience of what life on the homestead was like. Mrs. Miller and her son James will put your kids to work doing chores – and the kids will like it! The kids can also play some of the games that the children of the pioneers played.

The Lazinka Sawmill is a working mill, originally located in Pilot Rock, Oregon. Originally driven by steam power, the mill is now powered by electricity. The lumber used to build the barn at the Miller homestead exhibit was cut at the Lazinka Mill. Museum staff fire up the mill once a month during the summer months, so check the museum’s schedule if you are interested in seeing it in operation.

Get an up close look at some of the raptors of the high desert and learn about desert carnivores, otters, and other desert dwellers at the Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center. Check the museum website for current programs and schedule.

Three river otters live at the Autzen Otter Exhibit, although all three were apparently napping when we were there. I have seen them in the past visits, though, and when they’re out and about they are playful, funny, and very entertaining to watch. The exhibit includes both outdoor and indoor viewing areas, including viewing windows below the water level of their pool where you can watch them in their underwater habitat.

Tumbleweed (photo from the museum website)

The museum also is home to two porcupines, siblings Tumbleweed and Juniper. Tumbleweed stars in the museum’s summer Desert Dwellers program. Both were born in captivity, and like all of the animals at the High Desert Museum, cannot live in the wild. The museum also recently added a resident gray fox, Gert, to their family.

Throughout the grounds, you will find sculptures and other works of art. I particularly like the wire sculptured mare and foal, the bronze beavers, and the frozen-in-time bronze of a salmon in mid-leap.

Other features of the museum include a Forest Service ranger office built in 1933, vintage logging equipment, a forest service fire truck from the 1930s, and a WWII army motorcycle made by Harley-Davidson.

Inside the main building, the Desertarium Exhibit showcases some of the animals that make the High Desert home, including snakes, lizards, and desert tortoises. Other permanent indoor exhibits include Spirit of the West, which documents the history of the people of the region, and By Hand Through Memory, a look at the history and culture of the Plateau Indian Nations.

The museum also hosts changing exhibits. Current exhibits are Art in the West (ending October 16, 2021), Rethinking Fire (October 16, 2021 through January 9, 2022), and X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out (through May 8, 2022). And the museum offers a variety of virtual experiences, including Stories From the Desert, depicting an early 20th century Chinese mercantile, and Virtual Field Trip: Spring in the High Desert, a virtual trip to Fort Rock and the surrounding desert in southeastern Oregon.

In addition to enjoying all the museum’s exhibits, you can get made-to-order sandwiches and wraps, and a variety of beverages at the newly remodeled Rimrock Cafe inside the main building. The cafe features locally made food and drink from Big Ed’s Artisan Bread, Humm Kombucha, and Strictly Organic Coffee. And souvenirs of your visit and books and other educational materials are available at Silver Sage Trading, the museum store.

Plan on spending at least several hours at the museum, especially if you have kids in tow. There’s too much worth seeing to experience it all in less time. Check the museum website for hours and admission fees. Tickets are available for purchase on the website, but advance purchase is not required. Face masks are currently required both indoors and outdoors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and some hands-on experiences may not be available.

Originally posted Sept. 9, 2019. Updated and re-posted October 6, 2021

Seattle Center and the Space Needle

by Alan K. Lee

I remember going to the Seattle World’s Fair as a ten year old kid and seeing the Space Needle for the first time. That was pretty cool. At that age I wanted to be a scientist when I grew up (never happened), so the U.S. Science Pavilion was also a highlight for me. I remember seeing the Mercury space capsule that Alan Shepherd rode into space. That was pretty cool, too. So was riding the Monorail. But what I remember most vividly was putting a few coins into a vending machine and having a ready to eat hamburger pop out. A hamburger vending machine. That was the coolest thing ever.

Today, the Seattle Center occupies the site of the 1962 World’s Fair. While most of the buildings constructed for the Fair were torn down after it closed, some of the buildings were re-purposed and remain today. The United States Science Pavilion became the Pacific Science Center, and the Washington State Coliseum that housed the World of Century 21 exhibit became Key Arena, one-time home of the Seattle Super Sonics NBA team. The Monorail and the International Fountain are still in operation, and, of course, the Space Needle remains Seattle’s most iconic landmark and draws people from all over the world to the Seattle Center.

The 605 foot tall Space Needle underwent a major renovation a few years ago. There is now an open air, glass walled observation deck, and a revolving glass floored interior space (The Loupe) where you can look straight down to the ground more than 500 feet below your feet. If those are too vertigo inducing for your pleasure, the 360 degree view from inside is still offers an awesome view of Seattle, Elliott Bay, and Puget Sound.

There’s also much more to the Seattle Center than just the Space Needle. The Pacific Science Center has two IMAX theaters, a laser planetarium (the Laser Dome), and a variety of permanent and traveling exhibits for kids, families, and school groups. Chihuly Garden and Glass features hundreds of glass art sculptures by Tacoma native Dale Chihuly. The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly the EMP Museum and, before that, the Experience Music Project) has a variety of exhibits featuring music, film and video, gaming, and science fiction and fantasy themes. The Seattle Opera and the Seattle Repertory Theater are also located at the Seattle Center, as are the Seattle Children’s Museum and the Seattle Children’s Theater.

Space Needle viewed from the International Fountain Gallery

The Space Needle is open daily from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm. Adult ticket prices are $37.50, with discounts for early entry (before 11:00 am), seniors, and children.

Chihuly Garden and Glass is is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Sunday through Thursday and 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Friday and Saturday. Adult admission is $35, with discounts for seniors, children, King County residents, and early entry (before 11:00 am).

The Museum of Pop Culture is open daily (10:00-6:00 weekdays and 9:00-6:00 weekends). Adult admission ranges from $27.00 to $32.50 depending on day of week and time of day.

A combination ticket for both the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass is available for $62.50 (adult admission). And the Seattle CityPass Card includes admission to the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, the Museum of Pop Culture, and Chihuly Garden and Glass, as well as several other attractions ($109 adults, $85 youths).

Unfortunately, the Pacific Science Center is currently closed for renovation, and the Seattle Children’s Museum is closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Both are scheduled to reopen in 2022.

When it’s time to grab something to eat, you have your choice of any number of restaurants and cafes in the area surrounding the Center. My wife and I usually gravitate to McMennamin’s Queen Anne Pub just to the north, but there are many other options. Toulouse Petit, just northwest of the Center at the corner of Queen Anne and Mercer, brings a bit of the Big Easy to Seattle with their Cajun and Creole menu. A block south on Queen Anne, Dick’s Drive-In is a classic 1950s style drive-in (currently open for take out or delivery only). Just southeast of the Center on Cedar St, the 5 Point Cafe and Bar is a classic American diner that has been in operation since 1929. Across the street, Wa’z Seattle serves modern Japanese cuisine. And next door, Tillicum Place Cafe is a popular and highly rated Euro-style bistro. They’re currently (as of August 2021) operating on limited hours for dine in, so check their website. Many more restaurants, cafes, and pubs dot the areas around the Center. You can probably find whatever cuisine you’re looking for somewhere not too far away.

Downtown Seattle viewed from the Space Needle

If you’re planning to stay in the area, the Maxwell Hotel, Mediterranean Inn, and Hotel Five all get very good reviews. Kimpton Palladian Hotel, Ace Hotel Seattle, Pan Pacific Seattle, and Fairfield Inn and Suites also get good reviews.

Museum of History and Industry and Lake Union

It would not be hard to spend a whole day at the Seattle Center. Or you can make a weekend of it and spend another day at other downtown Seattle attractions. The Olympic Sculpture Garden and Myrtle Edwards Park on Elliott Bay are a short walk to the west of the Center. It’s not much farther to the Museum of History and Industry and Lake Union Park to the east. (Timed entry tickets are available online and are recommended, but not required). And Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Seattle Great Wheel are all about a mile to the south, along the Elliot Bay waterfront.

There’s far more to do in downtown Seattle than I can list here, so go explore. Seattle’s a great place to visit and you’ll have a great time. Or ride the ferry across the Sound and explore Bainbridge Island. Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Bainbridge Island Historical Museum, the Kids Discovery Museum, Steven Fey Photography Gallery, Mora Iced Creamery, Eleven Winery, Blackbird Bakery, Doc’s Marina Grill, and the Harbour Public House are all within walking distance of the ferry terminal.

Gallery Without Walls 2021

The following is an edited and updated version of a post originally published May 20, 2019. Most of the photos shown here are from the spring of 2019. The rest are from another visit that I made in October 2020. Some of the Gallery Without Walls sculptures shown here were part of the 2019 and 2020 rotating collection and are no longer on display, and “Clackamas” has been moved to George Rogers Park. But there are plenty of new additions for 2021. The featured image shown above is a detail of “Fortress” by Vicki Lynn Wilson.

‘Frog On Fruit” by Heather Soderberg-Greene, bronze

The Gallery Without Walls outdoor sculpture exhibit is a program of the Arts Council of Lake Oswego, Oregon. I’m a fan of all forms of art, but I particularly like sculpture. I like the 3D aspect of it, being able to walk around it, see it from different angles. Sculptures often invoke different emotions or convey different ideas when viewed from different angles. And I really like that these sculptures are displayed outdoors. The changing light as the day progresses can lead to the sculptures looking very different from hour to hour. I’ve revisited some of these sculptures and seen things on a second visit that I completely missed on the first, just because the light was different.

“First Footsteps” by Jim Demetro, cast bronze, 2005 People’s Choice Award winner

Currently, there are eighty sculptures on display in public spaces throughout the city. More than 40 of the sculptures are part of the Arts Council’s permanent collection. The remainder, the rotating collection, are on loan from the artists and are on display for a two year period. Each year, one sculpture from the rotating collection is added to the permanent collection by a vote of the public.

“Wormy Apple #2” by Ed Humphreys, cast aluminum

“Angle of Response” by Lee Hunt, modified alpha gypsum

Forty-six of the sculptures are in the downtown area, making for an easy walking tour. Others are scattered across the city in parks and other public spaces. Click here to view the 2021 tour brochure.

“Sunflower” by Patricia Vader, stainless steel and aluminum

A couple of years ago, my wife and I spent a nice spring day checking out the sculptures on display. We didn’t come to downtown Lake Oswego that day with the intention of doing the walking tour, but we while we were there we stopped at Lower Millennium Park where some of the sculptures are displayed. Then we took a short walk on the trail along the lake shore where there are a couple of more sculptures on display. We ended up spending most of the afternoon wandering around the downtown area, admiring and taking photos of the sculptures and the many flowers that were in full bloom at the time.

“Pouffe” by Hilary Pfeifer, stained cedar

A week later I came back one morning to take photos of some of the sculptures we had seen the previous week that I hadn’t been able to get good pics of because the sun had been at the wrong angle or they had been in deep shade (or I just wasn’t satisfied with the photos I had taken). I wound up spending a couple of hours wandering around downtown, taking photos and admiring a lot of the sculptures that we had missed the previous week. And I still didn’t see all of them.

“Anillos” by Maria Wickwire, high fired ceramic clay, 2007 People’s Choice Award winner

Downtown Lake Oswego is a great place to spend a lazy summer afternoon. Even if you’re not interested in the sculptures, the downtown area has many coffee shops, cafes, pubs, galleries and interesting shops. And Millenium Plaza and George Rogers Park are nice spots to relax and just soak up the sunshine.

“Sprout” by Mike Suri, People’s Choice winner 2010

I’ve got to give a plug here to one of my favorite pubs, Stickmen Brewing. It’s a great place to spend an hour or two on a sunny day – good beer and a nice outdoor deck right on the shore of Oswego Lake with a great view of Lakewood Bay. It’s also a great place to begin or end a walking tour of the Gallery Without Walls.

“Amyas and Soleil” by Amyas Maestas, bronze

“Clackamas” by Mike Suri, Cor-Ten steel, People’s Choice winner 2016

If you’re an art lover and find yourself in the Portland area, make your way to Lake Oswego and check out the sculptures in the Gallery Without Walls. I think you’ll find it worth your while.

“Zephyr” by Devin Laurence Field, stainless steel

“Bread Upon the Water” by Jerry Joslin (1942-2005), bronze

Posted January 22, 2021 by Alan K. Lee

All photos by and the property of the author

Building Murals

My wife, Joan, and I are both art lovers as well as enthusiastic travelers. Finding local artworks is always on our agenda. We tour local museums, of course, but we also seek out street art wherever we go. Street art is alive, connected to the community, always interesting, and often surprising. The photos below are a sampling of the building murals that we’ve found on some of our more recent trips around the Pacific Northwest (and beyond), starting with Freak Alley in Boise, Idaho.

Another large collection of building murals can be found in the small town of Nelson, British Columbia, home of the Nelson International Mural Festival.

The town of Leavenworth, Washington offers a more traditional, sponsored set of building murals that highlight the Bavarian village theme of the town.

Other Northwest towns with significant collections of building murals include Chemainus, British Columbia (aka Muraltown), and Estacada, Oregon.

Farther afield, we recently traveled to Arizona where we spent an afternoon exploring the back streets and alleys of the former copper mining town of Bisbee.

Downtown Phoenix also offered up a large collection of building murals and other street art, as well as abundant sunshine and 85 degree October afternoons.

Art enriches everyone’s life. And public art does so in a much more direct and immediate way than art that is hidden away in a museum. And yes, art saves lives.

Posted by Alan K. Lee, November 11, 2019

All photos by the author