Portugal - Lisbon, Porto, Cascais and Algarve

Portugal is fascinating—again, much antiquity is buried under the sands of time, and it's serendipity when you find construction sites in Lisbon whose work is interrupted to preserve ancient Phoenician or Roman ruins. Like Sicily, this place was an interstate for all successive empires. 

Understanding the impact of the Jewish cartographers on Portugal's ascent changed how I have viewed Portugal's empire. Like many businesses that are first - the Portuguese were later eclipsed by Spain - the fortunes built on that empire seem not as impressive as those built in Spain. That's partly due to massive earthquakes demolishing much of what was built in the pre-1754 era.

We're now in Algarve - surrounded by German tourists on beach vacations - and I am looking past this to Porto already. 

Planning - Overview

Here’s a detailed itinerary for your trip to Portugal, focusing on must-see attractions and off-the-beaten-path experiences.

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Friday, September 27: Arrival in Lisbon

Arrival: 5:45 AM

Morning:

• Breakfast: Nicolau Lisboa – Start your day with a healthy breakfast at this trendy café in the Baixa district.
• Explore Alfama: Wander through the narrow streets of Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest district. Visit the São Jorge Castle for panoramic views of the city.

Lunch:

• Off-the-beaten-path: Taberna Sal Grosso – A cozy spot with traditional Portuguese dishes in a casual setting.
• Must-see: Time Out Market – A gourmet food market offering a variety of dishes from renowned chefs.

Afternoon:

• Belém: Head to the Belém district. Visit the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower.
• Pastry Stop: Don’t miss Pastéis de Belém for the famous custard tarts.

Evening:

• Dinner: Off-the-beaten-path: Pharmacia – A quirky restaurant with a beautiful view over the river.
• Must-see: Cervejaria Ramiro – Famous for its seafood, especially the garlic prawns.

Overnight: Stay in Lisbon for the night.

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Saturday, September 28: Lisbon to Sintra and Cascais

Morning:

• Sintra: Take an early train to Sintra (30-40 mins from Lisbon). Visit the Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira.

Lunch:

• Sintra Village: Enjoy a meal at Tascantiga, offering local tapas and a cozy atmosphere.

Afternoon:

• Cascais: Take a short drive to Cascais. Stroll through the coastal town, visit the Boca do Inferno cliffs, and relax on the beach.

Evening:

• Dinner: Return to Lisbon and dine at Taberna da Rua das Flores for a mix of traditional and modern Portuguese cuisine.

Overnight: Stay in Lisbon.

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Sunday, September 29: Lisbon to Lagos

Morning:

• Explore Bairro Alto and Chiado: Visit the lively neighborhoods and the Carmo Convent ruins.
• Brunch: The Mill – A mix of Australian-Portuguese cuisine in a laid-back setting.

Afternoon:

• Travel to Lagos: Take an early afternoon train or drive to Lagos (approx. 4 hours).

Evening:

• Dinner: Off-the-beaten-path: Casinha do Petisco – A local favorite for fresh seafood.
• Must-see: O Camilo – Renowned for its stunning location and delicious food.

Overnight: Check into your lodging in Lagos.

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Monday, September 30 to Wednesday, October 2: Exploring Lagos and the Algarve

Day 1 (Monday):

• Morning: Ponta da Piedade: Explore these stunning cliffs and caves.
• Lunch: Cantinho Algarvio – Traditional Algarve cuisine in the heart of Lagos.
• Afternoon: Relax at Praia Dona Ana or take a boat tour to explore nearby grottoes.

Day 2 (Tuesday):

• Day Trip to Sagres: Visit Cabo de São Vicente, the southwesternmost point of Europe. Explore the Fortress of Sagres and relax at Mareta Beach.
• Lunch: A Sagres – A simple yet delicious local spot.
• Dinner: Adega da Marina – A casual dining experience with a variety of Portuguese dishes.

Day 3 (Wednesday):

• Off-the-beaten-path: Explore Monchique and the Foia Mountain for panoramic views.
• Must-see: Spend the day in Tavira, a charming town with a rich history.
• Dinner in Lagos: Nah Nah Bah – A fun spot known for its great burgers and lively atmosphere.

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Thursday, October 3: Travel from Lagos to Porto

Morning:

• Departure: Check out of your lodging and travel to Porto by train or rental car (approx. 5 hours).

Afternoon:

• Lunch in Porto: Cantina 32 – Modern Portuguese cuisine in a trendy setting.
• Explore Ribeira: Stroll through the historic Ribeira district and along the Douro River.

Evening:

• Dinner: Off-the-beaten-path: Taberna Santo António – A cozy, family-run spot.
• Must-see: Cervejaria Brasão Aliados – Known for its francesinha, a Porto specialty.

Overnight: Stay in Porto.

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Friday, October 4: Explore Porto

Morning:

• Livraria Lello: Visit this beautiful bookstore, one of the oldest in Portugal.
• Clerigos Tower: Climb the tower for panoramic views of Porto.

Lunch:

• Off-the-beaten-path: Apego – A small, intimate restaurant with a focus on local ingredients.
• Must-see: Cafe Santiago – Another spot for a delicious francesinha.

Afternoon:

• Port Wine Cellars: Cross the river to Vila Nova de Gaia and tour the famous Port wine cellars.

Evening:

• Dinner: Off-the-beaten-path: Antiqvvm – Fine dining with a view.
• Must-see: Ribeira Square – Dine at one of the many riverside restaurants.

Overnight: Stay in Porto.

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Saturday, October 5: Douro Valley Day Trip

• Morning to Afternoon: Enjoy your Wine Venture and Boat Trip in the Douro Valley. This experience will include visiting vineyards, tasting local wines, and exploring the scenic beauty of the valley.

Evening:

• Return to Porto: Relax after your day trip.
• Dinner: Off-the-beaten-path: VinUM Restaurant & Wine Bar – Excellent food paired with local wines.
• Must-see: Pedro Lemos – A Michelin-starred restaurant offering a memorable dining experience.

Overnight: Stay in Porto.

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Sunday, October 6: Day Trip to Aveiro

Morning:

• Travel to Aveiro: Known as the "Venice of Portugal," this charming town is famous for its canals and colorful boats.

Lunch:

• Local Specialty: Try ovos moles, a sweet treat typical of the region.

Afternoon:

• Costa Nova: Visit the nearby coastal village of Costa Nova, known for its striped houses and beautiful beaches.

Evening:

• Return to Porto: Enjoy a relaxing evening in Porto.
• Dinner: Off-the-beaten-path: Casa de Chá da Boa Nova – A stunning seaside restaurant with exquisite dishes.

Overnight: Stay in Porto.

Monday, October 7: Transfer to Lisbon

Morning:

• Travel to Lisbon: Depart Porto early in the morning by train or flight to maximize your last day in Lisbon.

Lunch:

• Off-the-beaten-path: DOP Restaurante – Modern Portuguese cuisine by a renowned chef.
• Must-see: Majestic Café – An iconic café known for its elegant Art Nouveau decor.

Afternoon:

• Explore the Serralves Foundation: Visit this contemporary art museum and its beautiful gardens.
• Relax or Shop: Stroll through the Rua de Santa Catarina for some last-minute shopping or relax at a local café.

Evening:

• Dinner:
  • Off-the-beaten-path: O Paparico – A hidden gem offering traditional Portuguese cuisine.
  • Must-see: The Yeatman Hotel Restaurant – Enjoy a luxurious dining experience with a view.

Overnight: Stay in Lisbon.

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Tuesday, October 8: Departure from Lisbon

Morning:

• Brunch: If time allows, stop by Fábrica da Nata in Lisbon for a final taste of pastéis de nata.

Departure: 11:45 AM – LIS to BOS (Flight TP 217)

Arrival: 2:10 PM EDT in Boston

Thu, Sep 26

6:10 PM

EDT

BOS - LIS

Flight Number TP 218

Confirmation K7UECM

Terminal C

Arrive 9/27/2024 5:45 AM GMT+1

Edit Plan

Mon, Sep 30

Lodging

Check in 4:00 PM GMT+1

59 Rua Conselheiro Joaquim Machado, Lagos, 8600-682, Portugal

Edit Plan

Thu, Oct 3

Lodging

Check out 10:00 AM GMT+1

59 Rua Conselheiro Joaquim Machado, Lagos, 8600-682, Portugal

Edit Plan

Sat, Oct 5

8:30 AM

GMT+1

Wine Venture and Boat Trip in Douro Valley from Porto

Edit Plan

Tue, Oct 8

11:45 AM

GMT+1

LIS - BOS

Flight Number TP 217

Confirmation K7UECM

Terminal 1

Arrive 10/8/2024 2:10 PM EDT

Porto Portugal - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/30/travel/things-to-do-porto.html

I

Paris for Taylor Swift? YES!!

With tickets for Taylor Swift going for $2000 each, we thought about how we could see her without coughing up like a lung. I found floor tickets for $600 each in Paris, so I snagged them. 

Now we're in Europe,... seems like a shame to just turn around and go home... So, revisiting our Central Europe itinerary; Budapest, Vienna, Krakow, Warsaw and Berlin with a side trip to Amsterdam to get some biking in!

PARIS

Paris - 36 hours around an event

I love Paris. I speak enough of the language to ingratiate myself to the locals, it seems. And because if been to Paris a half-dozen times I've started to figure out how to get the most out of short visits

First, it doesn't matter which arrondissement you are in. It's an easy city to trans navigate, made more so by Lime Bikes, which you can rent like an Uber. The metro is easy to use, too, and a good idea, especially during high traffic times. 

I love the less touristy areas, so though it's worth a trip to the Latin quarter and Mont Marte, walking or riding through La Mares and its pedestrian-only streets is buzzy and a good way to experience all of Paris’s food choices. 

On that, I have an American mindset on snacks and coffee that I will try hard to get over. I love fast, fresh dining in bowls assembled in front of me, but Europe isn't there yet, ESPECIALLY Paris. They want you to sit down and order, even if it's just a coffee. On a nice day, you should, too. It's part of the Paris experience. I don't smoke, and I feel like I should make it look so appealing. 

Other than the smoking, I am figuring out why they are generally more fit in appearance. It's not the gyms, which have some appeal but are not part of the landscape the way they are in the US. It's the fact that you still buy your groceries from neighborhood markets. On our street there were two butchers, two green grocers, a fish monger, a cheese vendor, two bakeries, a pasta store, flower stores too… boulangeirs with prepared meats, it means there is no processed food readily available… you have to make a special trip to the mini market for that. And you could almost figure out where you were blindfolded… the yeasty baking bread and croissant, the cheese, the roasting meat and fish mongers all with their distinctive smells.. especially the flowers.

We did two days of pretty intense walks. The second day was interspersed with rides to lighten the legs.

We landed Saturday morning and checked in. We stayed at the Le Metropolitan Tribute Hotel in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in the 16th Arrondissement. That made a great jumping-off point as gardens and museums are just down the street. You need museums because Paris can be Gray and rainy. When it's nice out, don't go to museums. WALK !! It was too nice when we were there to go to museums. So we powered through our Jet Lag and went down to the Eiffel Tower, to the Tuilliaire Gardens, Notre Dame, Champs Elysee, and to the Arc de Triomphe. 

Day two set us on a mission to pick up a friend's left-behind shopping bag in the Latin Quarter, so we rode there and walked across the bridge through La Marais, a street market, up to St George and Mont Marte before heading back to get ready to see Taylor Swift at the La Defense arena.

Getting from any arena after a concert is like another lifetime - the high is gone, and you’re just trying to get home. A cab driver wanted to charge $150 to get us back to Paris. No Ubers around. So we took the Metro. Easy. Lots of trains. We met lots of other fans. At Arc de Triomphe, we changed trains, and what ensued was a literal ant farm, walking 10 minutes underground; up, down, up again, over, turn, turn again, out into the vestibule, through another turnstile (good thing I kept the paper fare chit), down, down, over and down and up and down… I kid you not.

That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is 36 hours in Paris. Groggily, we moved on, piled our belongings into Uber, and headed to Orly.

Yellowstone - Trekking the National Park

 How to use the map

1.) Click the left Slide Out

2.) Choose which layer you want to view

Here is the map:

Accommodations 9/5 – 9/8

Sage Lodge / 55 Sage Lodge Dr. Pray, MT 59065 / 855-400-0505

https://sagelodge.com

9/5/23:

Group arrival ~1:00 p.m. (Karen & Alberto to arrive ~4:30 p.m.). I will request early check-in but it is dependent on whether the house is booked Labor Day Weekend. We can store belongings in car or hotel.

Afternoon options on property – fly fishing, hiking / mountain biking, spa (open 10-6)

Dinner – BBQ Tuesday 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. (live music / outdoor BBQ)

Evening – Chico Hot Springs (6 minutes away) or hang at the house

9/6/23:

Optional Day trip to Yellowstone – departure by 7:30 a.m. MT / 9:30 a.m. ET (order box lunches from hotel / bring snacks / water)

9-10 hour day (Park is vast - driving can be slow due to road construction, wildlife and tourists)

This tour is to see iconic sites in the upper loop of the park. It is not a hiking tour but there is walking involved.

Drive to northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park (35 minutes)

Stop 1 – Mammoth Hot Springs https://fullsuitcase.com/mammoth-hot-springs-yellowstone/

Stop 2 – Norris Geyser Basin (not as impressive as Old Faithful or Prismatic Springs)
Consists of Porcelain Basin (*) and Back Basin

Stop 3 - Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River (2-3 hours)
North Rim (afternoon best for light) – one way road to Brink of the lower falls lookout point

RECOMMENDED Hike – Grand Canyon Rim Trail

Best viewpoints:

-Brink of the Upper Falls https://fullsuitcase.com/grand-canyon-of-the-yellowstone/#brink-of-the-upper-falls

-Brink of the Lower Falls https://fullsuitcase.com/grand-canyon-of-the-yellowstone/#brink-of-the-lower-falls

-Lookout Point https://fullsuitcase.com/grand-canyon-of-the-yellowstone/#lookout-point

-Grand View https://fullsuitcase.com/grand-canyon-of-the-yellowstone/#grand-view

-Inspiration Point https://fullsuitcase.com/grand-canyon-of-the-yellowstone/#inspiration-point

South Rim (morning best for light) – ends at Artist’s Point

Best viewpoints:

-Artist Point https://fullsuitcase.com/grand-canyon-of-the-yellowstone/#artist-point

-Point Sublime Hike

-Uncle Tom’s Trail (BEST hike - short but steep) https://fullsuitcase.com/grand-canyon-of-the-yellowstone/#uncle-toms-trail

-Upper Falls Viewpoint

Stop 4 - Lamar Valley (depending on time)

Wildlife viewing

Stop 5 – Undine Falls (depending on time)

Dinner – private chef at 7:00

9/7/23

Itinerary Options (will leave it up to the 8 of you to decide)

½ day (or full day) horseback riding https://rockinhk.com/chico-barn/
Hot air balloon ride https://www.montanaballoon.com/
Hiking in Yellowstone https://57hours.com/best-of/day-hikes-yellowstone/
Relax at Resort
Fly Fishing tour

Dinner – Fireside Room at 7:00 (resort casual dining)

Accommodations 9/8 – 9/11

Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa / Blue Moose Lodge / 3385 Cody Lane, Teton Village, WY 83025 / 307-201-6066

https://www.tetonlodge.com/

9/8/23

Itinerary

Option 1: Day trip to Yellowstone (Note that the park's lower loop has the most iconic sites) – departure by 7:30 a.m. MT / 9:30 a.m. ET (order box lunches from the hotel / bring snacks/water) Option 2 is to depart at your leisure and drive 5 hours to Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa

9-10 hour day in route to Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa - Lower Loop Yellowstone

This tour is to see iconic sites in the park's lower loop

Stop 1 – Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook

 (~2 hours from Sage Lodge) Fairy Falls parking lot to Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail (1.2 miles roundtrip) https://fullsuitcase.com/grand-prismatic-spring-yellowstone/#overlook-trail

Also there – Excelsior Geyser Crater / Turquoise Pool / Opal Pool

Stop 2 – Chromatic Pool (optional)

Stop 3 – Old Faithful (check eruption schedule)

walk to Morning Glory Pool ~3 miles walk roundtrip

Stop 4 – West Thumb Geyer Basin / Yellowstone Lake

Stop 5 – Hayden Valley 

(wildlife viewing)

Dinner for Paul’s Birthday 

Spur Restaurant (resort)

9/9/23

Nothing formally scheduled – Persephone recommended for breakfast/coffee https://persephonebakery.com/pages/menu

Options – spa (highly rated), biking to town of Jackson, gondola ride, shopping/lunch in Jackson Hole, white water rafting on Snake River (class 2 / 3 rapids),

Horseback riding https://www.viator.com/tours/Jackson/Horseback-Riding-with-Heart-6-Ranch/d51006-38400P2

Sunrise hot air balloon ride https://www.getyourguide.com/-t251857/?partner_id=6N2B5KS&cmp=JacksonHole&deeplink_id=f610d7d9-e5bb-50b3-aa0e-61a6150c5599

Fly fishing tour https://www.viator.com/Jackson/d51006-ttd/p-9888P1?pid=P00072194&mcid=42383&medium=link&campaign=JacksonHole

Jackson Hole winery https://jacksonholewinery.com/ (grapes grown in Sonoma County CA and transported to Jackson Hole to make high altitude wine)

Hiking #1 Munger Mountain Hike 12.2 miles / 6.5 hours https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/munger-mountain-loop

Hiking #2 Old Pass Trail 7.3 miles / 4 hours https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/old-pass-road-to-teton-pass

Million Dollar Cowboy Bar – established 1937 / watering hole in town square

Dinner 

– Corsa at Caldera House at 7:00 / walking distance from hotel (waiting for verification) https://www.corsajh.com/menu

3275 W. Village Dr. / Teton Village, WY 83025
(307) 200-4220

9/10 Grand Teton National Park (bear country)

Mormon Row for sunrise

1. drive 10 minutes to Schwabacher Landing (also beautiful around sunrise)
2. Drive Antelope Flats Road (wildlife viewing)
3. Snake River Overlook
4. Oxbow Bend
5. Jackson Lake Dam (stunning)
6. Summit Signal Mountain to Jackson Lake Overlook (spectacular panoramic views)
7. String Lake
8. Jenny Lake – hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point (cascade canyon trail). Take shuttle bus to trail to reduce hike from 7.6 miles to 2.5 miles. 1 hour boat tour https://jennylakeboating.com/boat-trips/scenic-cruises/
9. Jackson Lake Dam (stunning)
10. Colter Bay – hike Colter Bay Lakeshore Trail / flat 2.5 mile trail
11. Church of Transfiguration (take picture through church window)

Optional Hikes in Grand Tetons:

Taggert Lake / Bradley Lake Trail (hike counterclockwise so Tetons are always in front of you / moderate / 6 miles / 2.5 hours https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/taggart-lake-and-bradley-lake

String Lake Trail / ~4 miles / 90 minutes / stunning https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/string-lake-trail--6

Jenny Lake Trail / moderate / 7.6 miles / 3 hours https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/jenny-lake-trail

Phelps Lake Trail / moderate / 7 miles / 3 hours https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/phelps-lake-trail

*Cascade Canyon Trail / moderate / 9.1 miles / 4 hours / take Jenny Lake shuttle to trailhead https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/cascade-canyon-trail


Questions: Look at Mystic Falls Trail (Mystic Falls, Fairy Creek and Little Firehole Loop) as a moderate 3.5 mile hike (per US News and World Report)

Trekking Vail and Breckenridge

What do you do in Vail and Breckenridge when you don't ski? Trek! 

As small as these areas are, there is a wonderful diversity of things to see and do when strolling around. And of course, there's great gear!

A light and WATERPROOF backpack is an absolute necessity, I found.

Cities, Big Boats, and Hurricanes

One of the biggest treats of the big boat world happens when you pull into a big city. You moor at the dock and can set off on foot. 

We did this exact thing in Tampa, St. Pete and Clearwater. Of these St. Petersburg Florida was the MOST accessible. 

See the St. Pete's Post here: 

But then IAN - Now we are repairing. Step ONE is to replace the anchor and roller so that we can go out. 

Step 2 is replacing the lights we lost - anchor light and spot light - so we can go out at night.

Anchors and Anchor Rollers

Tahoe Trekking - Could we circumnavigate the lake on foot?

In Tahoe, long a bucket list item for us, we set our base of operations away from Lake Tahoe in the Northstar Resort courtesy of 3rd Home and friends. Truckee offers nature and water, but mostly hiking.

San Carlos

To get there, first, we hung out and trekked San Carlos, a small city between San Francisco and San Jose, at the base of the San Mateo bridge. San Carlos doesn't suffer from the density and homeless issues of San Francisco but does have the explosive housing costs driven by the tech industry. So far, the exodus based on work from home has not affected San Carlos the way it affected San Francisco. Some stores are closed, but in general Main Street is vibrant. In fact, the new trend of closed streets and restaurants spilling across sidewalks and onto the streets is de rigueur.  

Tahoe and the hikes

While in Tahoe we stumbled upon what has to now be my favorite coffee - San Francisco Bay Roasting Company French Roast. It's amazingly affordable, and the French Roast is light enough to serve as sipping coffee but dark enough and full-bodied enough to use as an espresso roast. I always have some in stock, and the travel version (in K-Cups or single-cup pods) works great for a short road trip. 

Sicilian Pizza and Greek Temples - Trekking the Ancients

We've done Rome, Venice, Florence, and the north. She's done the Amalfi coast. I've done the Adriatic coast. What's left to explore? A lot, it seems. When we were looking at Greece, we wanted to visit ancient ruins, but it turns out the best place to tour these is Sicily. Some of the remaining temples, theatres, and cities are larger than their Grecian counterparts. 

Cities and Cites (sights/sites)

Palermo 

Temple of Segesta

Marsala - For some veal?

Temple of Hera

Valley of the Temples

Villa Romana for the largest collection of mosaic art and history

Syracuse! The original one

The Greek Theatre in Taormina

Mount Etna

https://goo.gl/maps/y4Xhb9NJoQ7H1gzp9

Our YouTube Video Channel - Sharing is Caring!

Our YouTube Channel needs subscribers! This is the repository for all those coming trekker videos. 

Click here: https://www.youtube.com/citytrekkers

Wouldn't it be cool to share a live trek?!?!

Cuzco - Ancient City with Modern Tastes - Safe and Easy Walks

Once you get accustomed to the altitude, at around 11,000 feet, this old Inca capital is really the heart of Peru's tourism business. More than in the Sacred Valley, all travel originates here, and it's worth spending a few days taking in the enormity of the Incan culture and saying a silent prayer for those who suffered under the conquistadors. 

Best, though, is the walking tour of the city that you do without your guide. Sure there are interesting artifacts, but the city is buzzy, fun, and filled with distractions. 

I set out to walk the tail of the jaguar one evening. This means that, from the air, if you look at the layout of ancient Cuzco, you will see the shape of a jaguar. We had toured the head, which was a ritual or parade ground earlier in the day. Historic and interesting in its own way, but touristy. 

Around the plaza 3 distinct areas have different specialties. On the map I have identified them as:

1. The Shopping District, with a street, blocked from car traffic
2. The nightclub district, with music, bars, young people, and cool street food
3. The bohemian restaurant district

Machu Picchu City Trek - What really happened to the Incas?

Our group is probably physically capable of re-tracing Hiram Bingham's 5-day hike along the Urubamba River valley to the Machu Picchu sun temple entrance. But we decided to shorten the route to the one-day hike up the mountain, through ancient terraced cities and temples, and to the Sun Gate. That's where you get the payoff selfie photo you see all the time with the city in the background.

There is nothing technical about the hike, but it's relentlessly uphill. 

Okay - so, Altitude

By the time you've spent some time in the Sacred Valley, you are relatively well acclimated. Cusco is 11,000 feet, and you crest the Andes at 12,300 feet on your way to Urubamba at 9,500 feet, so you are actually descending out of the valley as you head to Machu Picchu. But make no mistake - the air is thin. The walk is steep. The sun is hot. I don't see someone landing in Cusco from the U.S. and making this trek on the same day. There is some logic in simply acclimating with small tourist tours in the days before you go to Machu Picchu, the tip of which is only 10,000 feet. 

The Payoff Selfie!

What Happened to the Inca?

As my guide, Fredy, would tell you - no one knows why the Inca suddenly disappeared. There is little knowledge of their culture, except for what anthropologists can deduct. Why was such an evolved culture unable to repel the Spaniards? Everything everyone talks about is conjecture. There was no written language, and the conquistadors did everything they could to erase the culture. So we are left to guess and marvel at what they accomplished. But for all their advancement, the Inca evolved more slowly than the European or Asian cultures of the same vintage. Primitive weaponry, but extremely evolved architecture for a primitive culture. 

Do you remember Kontiki? That was the Peruvians, who settled the Polynesian islands, sailing there from Lima in a balsa wood ship. Crazy. 

Lima - en route to Machu Picchu

We are urban trekkers, but what exactly is "urban?" Does it naturally mean just modern cities? Or can this include ancient cities long abandoned by their citizens? Let's find out!

We flew to Lima to stage our Machu Pichhu trek. In the process, we got to check out one of western South America's largest cities.

Lima Trek

The sad fact of Spanish colonialization goes largely unnoticed here, as tourist attractions feature late 16th and early 17th century buildings. They speak to the strategy of the colonialists - set up administration and churches quickly, using granite mined by the Incas and the conquered natives as slave labor.

BEST Restaurants in the world? In Peru?? Yes.

The locals attribute it to the fact that Peru’s fertile soil and temperate climate can support almost any kind of product, often producing crops year-round, in several harvests. I do believe I had one of the best meals of my life here. Not at Michelin-rated Central or Astrid’s, but at Raphael's.

The menu was so inventive and fresh that I couldn't wait to try our next place. Unfortunately, nothing matched the meal we had there, and it's easy to see why this is consistently listed as one of the top 50 restaurants IN THE WORLD.

A Word about City Walking

For those less intrepid walkers, Raphaels is only a 7 block walk from the waterfront shopping district in Miraflores. In hindsight, I would have walked a lot of places the hotel told me I had to have a cab for. They look at Americans and, if the destination is more than a few blocks, insist that you need a cab. It's sad really because the way they lock it in is they say "it's dangerous to walk."  The truth is, it's always dangerous to walk anywhere... probably more so in American cities where guns are rampant. In Peru, guns are illegal - it's very difficult for even criminals to get them. As everywhere, keep your head on a swivel and don't draw attention to yourself, stay on lighted streets where there is a lot of activity, and you'll be safer than in many large cities in the world.  

Brace Yourself - Lots of Corn Varieties here!

... and over 4,000 varieties of potatoes!

Trekking Western Long Island

Trekking western Long Island, I feel strangely at home. Not a surprise, given my great-grandfather, had an estate nearby. Circa 1890's during the Gilded Age, he built a 660-acre estate complete with a 300-foot horse stable, a chapel, and quarters for staff. The residence was so large that, when the property was later re-developed and subdivided, four buildings were separated from the main complex and remain today.

Wheatly Estate - a fascinating article from Old Long Island 

Long Island's cities and villages are all quite accessible via Long Island Railroad. Get off at almost any stop and you'll have a history lesson. We had one at Garden City. Manhattan-sized Cathedral of the Sacrament. Built to the memory of Alexander Turney Stewart, the Cathedral of the Incarnation is the only cathedral in the United States funded by a single person, and the only one that is built in memory of a single individual 

Garden City Hotel is not as Grand as it was in 3 previous iterations. But still a beautiful setting, and a walk down any street yields lat 19th and early 20th century mansions.