Blog

TallyHo Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 — Day Two

Posted on by carol_tallyho

Having landed at LHR a few minutes ahead of schedule on Monday, April 2nd, at noon (UK time), due to constant tail winds, all passengers were offloaded and transported to Terminal 5 by bus. The weather was in the low 60s and mostly sunny – no expected British rainshowers for once! Once inside the Terminal we followed the purple Flight Connections signs to Security and quickly went through that process. It’s amazing how much faster the Security process went with not having to take shoes off! Once belts and jackets were back on, two of us decided to window shop some of the Heathrow Terminal 5 shops – Harrods, Dior, Prada, Gucci, Burberry, Tiffany and the Caviar House (free smoked salmon samples there) – before meeting up with the others. Since we still had a 3 ½ hour layover before the next BA flight, it was time to eat lunch (or was it an early dinner?) at Terminal 5’s Crown Pub bar and restaurant. What a great decision for reasonably priced airport pub grub this choice was! I waxed poetic over a British mini-pie selection consisting of a steak and ale pie (my absolute favorite), a chicken and root veggie pie (much better than anticipated) and a shepherd’s pie (still good, but the least liked of the 3). The mini-pies were accompanied by a huge serving of mashers (mashed potatoes as we Yanks would say) and steamed mixed veggies. Add a half pint of Guinness as the perfect beverage and a perfectly memorable lunch was slowly savored. Chili and smoked salmon baguette sandwiches ordered by other members of the traveling party were equally consumed with great satifaction while we waited for a gate assignment to be posted on the Departure board for the final segment of our trip to Berlin, Germany.

After a couple of hours we decided to walk off some of our d mouth-watering lunch and try to find information regarding our rapidly approaching departure gate. Stopping at the British Airways Customer Service desk we were given the information we needed. A short walk from that desk and we were at the correct gate. Soon our fellow passengers began descending on the area and a general boarding call was made soon after. Let the cattle call begin! After going through another Customs check with passports at the ready we actually boarded the plane via a walkway and not stairs and a bus. An improvement to be sure!

A short, efficient hour flight later we landed at Berlin’s Tegel airport. After a few minutes waiting for a gate (due to being early yet again) we finally disembarked the plane. Getting through German Customs was quick and efficient and our luggage was waiting for us at Baggage Claim when we got there. Upon exiting the Baggage Claim area our daughter, Kaitlin, met us and directed us to the bus transportation area. We took Bus 109 from the airport to the Kurfurstendamm/Uhlandstrasse stop. After deciding which direction our first hotel might be, we took a guess and headed south on Uhlandstrasse. Two blocks later and there it was, the Hotel-Pension Kassandra, located on the corner of Uhlandstrasse and Lietzenburger Strasse.

A buzz of the door button opened the wooden security door and we walked up a flight of gorgeous older white marble steps to Reception. Anna, our evening hostess, was a very efficient and friendly older German matron who took us to our room and described, Auf Deutsch, how the room’s door lock and light switches worked as well as cautioned about the step up to the bathroom. Our requested room of a quad consisted of 1 double and 2 single beds, 2 writing desks with chairs, a small TV with multiple channels and a large wardrobe for luggage and clothes. The double bed mattress was new and very comfy (NO bedbugs here!) and the feather comforter kept me VERY warm at night.

The Hotel-Pension Kassandra was a clean, but older, building in need of some TLC (in particular the threadbare carpets) but considering the price of the room, which included a wonderfully extensive breakfast buffet and the central Berlin location, our 2 night stay here was a great start to our Berlin holiday. After dumping our luggage in our room we walked and window shopped the Ku’damm down to the Europa Center and ate a late dinner at the Irish Pub bar and grill. One tasty toasted ham and cheese sandwich washed down with Irish Mist made for a satisfying end to a very exciting travel day.

TallyHo Traveller’s Springtime Gallop Through Northern and Central Europe 2012 — Day One

Posted on by carol_tallyho

A typical April Fool’s Day this was not! After months of planning (with a few revisions), our 12 day European adventure began with summer-like temperatures in the mid-80s during the 1 hour trip to Denver International Airport. After parking offsite at our favorite Tower Road facility, USAirport Parking, we arrived at the British Airways check in desk around 6:15 PM. Patiently waiting in the queue for about 20 minutes our travelling party finally completed an efficient, as well as pleasant, check in. After a short delay at the Concourse A Security we made our way to Concourse A’s food court and the last Micky Ds Filet-O-Fish, the best of American fast food fish sandwiches that I would eat for the next 12 days. Watching the sun set over the Rocky Mountains while the outside cargo crew loaded luggage and cargo onto the British Airways (BA) 777 which would take us over the Atlantic to London Heathrow was a fantastic start to our adventure. Finally it was time to go through the UK Customs procedure (passports available, everyone!), walk down the long walkway and board the plane.

The boarding process was relatively smooth considering it was definitely a full flight. Soon the plane pushed back from the gate. Within a half hour of takeoff, the flight attendants served the evening meal. By the time we were served the only meal option available was chicken and rice, which wasn’t horrible, but not up to the standards of a previous BA transatlantic flight. When enquiries were made it was discovered that the requested Gluten Free (GF) meal entrée for one of our traveling party did not get loaded onto the plane. The flight attendant was profusely apologetic and did locate and serve some other GF food items to keep starvation at bay (glad we thought to bring GF snacks for a contingency!) Having eagerly anticipated watching the movie “The Iron Lady” which was listed in the current selections at BA’s website for this flight, I was extremely disappointed to discover that it was not listed in the on board choices. (Major Bummer!) “The Debt” was not as exciting as the movie trailer previewed but “The Descendants” proved to be an unanticipated, pleasant surprise (George, you should have won that Oscar)! The overnight flight was a little bumpy at times and the service by the attendants was not as stellar as on a previous trans-Atlantic flight but eventually we did arrive at London’s Heathrow airport.

Wearin O’ the Green in the Emerald Isle 2010 – The Short and Sweet Version

Posted on by carol_tallyho

PM Saturday – Departed wintery Denver, CO, for London Heathrow on British Airways
March 14, Sunday – Arrived at London Heathrow; Transferred from Terminal 5 to Terminal 1; Arrived in Dublin, Ireland mid morning; Finally found the hotel location; Late lunch/early dinner at the Jameson Distillery restaurant (Happy Irish Mother’s Day!!)
March 15, Monday – Toured Christchurch; Located the Essex Street Tourism office; Cruised Grafton Street; Rode the Luas to tour the Guinness Brewery
March 16, Tuesday – Visited the Irish National Museum of Decorative Arts at Collins Barracks; Leisurely walk to the Temple Bar area for lunch; Brief walk to Dublin Castle; Brisk walk back in late afternoon for the Jameson Distillery tour and tasting<
March 17, Wednesday – Happy St Patrick’s Day!!  Parade viewing on Dame Street; High afternoon tea at the Westbury Hotel; Wandering the festive streets of Dublin; Dinner at O’Shea’s on the banks of the River Liffey
March 18, Thursday – Day tour to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren; Lunchtime at a Doolin carvery; Drive around Galway Bay and back again to Dublin; Supper at Dirty Grace’s Bar
March 19, Friday – Ah, the full Irish breakfast at O’Shea’s; Bus trip to Dun Laoghaire and a walk on the pier; Sighting of a seal at the harbor; Lunch in the harbor town; Back to Dublin for last minute souvenirs
March 20 , Saturday – Off to London Heathrow…Will our British Airways flight back to the States take off on schedule or will the strike delay our homecoming?
To find out more about the above adventure, check out the Extended edition of “Wearin O’ the Green in the Emerald Isle 2010” coming to a blog on www.TallyHo-Traveller.com soon (as soon as my editor approves the final draft…)!!

10 of the Best Winter Holiday Activities To Do in Prague

Posted on by carol_tallyho

1. An evening walking tour of Christmas lights —

To shake off your jet lag take a relaxing walk through Wenceslas Square (known in Czech as Vaclev Namesti)to gaze in awe at the brilliantly lit and decorated gigantic Christmas tree located at the southern end of the Square. Be sure to look closely at all the different beautiful tree ornaments and lights. Try to decide which is the prettiest if you can! Afterward walk toward Republiky Namesti via Na Prikope Avenue. Make sure to pause and view the fantastic blue and gold themed holiday display at the entrance of Moser’s glassworks on Na Prikope (definitely save viewing the interior of Moser’s for another day). Continue walking on the newly falling snow until you arrive at Republiky Namesti and gaze on the splendor and elaborate Art Deco designs of the Municipal building facade.

2. Experience a traditional Christmas Eve dinner —

Since most Czechs celebrate the main holiday meal on the evening of Christmas Eve, a reservation at La Republica, just 2 blocks off Republicky Namesti, is a must. Groats and mushrooms being the 5 course feast. Groats are a barley based grain that have a distinctive mushy taste when eaten – definitely an acquired taste! The second course, a fish soup offering, reveals a buttery, slightly salty taste of broth in which cooked vegetables and crispy brown croutons swim. The main course is a flavorful fried carp served with a mouthwateringly tasty potato salad. As usual, with carp, there are many small bones to crunch so do be forewarned. The fourth course (as if you weren’t stuffed enough already), as announced by the English version of the menu, consists of pear dumplings with gingerbread and cottage cheese. As unlikely a pairing (no pun intended) of foods as this sounds, the blending of savory, sweet and tangy flavors is absolute gastronomic delight! (Yes, it is THAT good…) The grand finale of this festive feast are the elaborate Christmas butter cookies for which the Czechs are famously proud,served with coffee or tea. Candied fruits, sprinkled sugars and/or flavored icings crowned the homemade shortbread or sugar cookies as per the culinary whims of the baker. All are equally delicious.

After surviving this very filling feast it is time to once again immerse yourself in Prague’s holiday atmosphere, taking time to stroll the Namesti while watching the glow of the numerous colorful holiday lights and listening to the lively toe-tapping local holiday music around every street corner.

3. Attend a Christmas concert —

One thing that Prague is known for — MUSIC!! There are almost as many venues presenting concerts during the winter holiday as there are types of music to play. Catch a classical concert near the Prague Castle complex at lunchtime if time permits. Energize with jazz in the evening at one of Prague’s many jazz clubs. Feel the Latin rhythms pulsating at a late night salsa dance club! Whatever type of music you enjoy, Prague is sure to please.

4. Winter tour of Prague Castle —

This isn’t just your ordinary castle but a complex that houses one of the most awe inspiring cathedrals in all of Europe, the impressive St. Vitus cathedral. Other historic venues within the walls of the Prazsky Hrad complex include the Old Royal Palace, St George’s Basilica, the Powder Tower, Rosenberg Palace, the Palace gardens and Golden Lane. Golden Lane, created as housing for the complex craftspeople and servants, shows a well preserved glimpse of how these workers lived within the castle walls. There is an extensive collection of armor, fighting helmets, weapons and other metalworks along the entire length of the Golden Lane’s second floor (WOW gamers rejoice!).

Adult admission for a regular castle tour ticket costs 250 Kc (Czech crowns) which at the time of this posting is approximately $13 USD.

5. Cobblestone walk over Charles Bridge —

Late afternoon or evening in winter is the most magical time to wander the length of this magnificent bridge, It’s difficult to view everything this bridge has to offer in just one walk. Between the vendors hawking everything from tourist caricatures to watercolor paintings of Prague to jewelry and other handicrafts to the buskers playing their upbeat and lively music that can be danced to, it’s difficult to concentrate on the craftsmanship of the 15+ statues lining the sides of the pedestrian walkway. Don’t forget to rub the dog located at the base of one of the statues for luck! You can’t miss it — it’s the only bright, shiny piece of the statue.

6. Shopping at the Open Air Christmas Markets —

The two largest open air holiday markets in Prague, located on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, are an easy 10 minute walk from each other. Both markets have cabin-like booths featuring everything from delicate handmade Christmas ornaments to amber jewelry to miniature medieval metal masks and everything in between. Food offerings at the holiday markets range from chocolates, a variety of wursts, roasted pig on a spit, roasted chestnuts and, my personal favorite, fried camembert cheese with lingonberry jam. Remember to wash the food down with a good Czech beer or very warm medovina (honey wine). HINT: Try to time your Old Town holiday market visit with a viewing of the top-of-the-hour activities of the famous Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Hall tower.

7. Vltava River viewing from Vysehrad Castle —

Take tram #22 along the Vltava River and wind your way along over to Vratislavova Street to begin the trek up the steep road, follow the turn and climb upward some more. Just when you think you can’t climb anymore, enter the grounds of Vysehrad Castle, the birthplace of the city of Prague. Even in winter the red tiled roof views of the city are spellbinding, standing along the top of the castle walls. Look through the mist to the northwest for an amazing view of Prague Castle. How regal it appears, perched majestically on the hilltop, towering over all the wonders of Prague — the city itself, Charles Bridge and the Vysehrad! Walk over the well worn, moss edged cobblestone walkway, past the row of chestnut trees and snow lined dormant gardens to the western wall of the castle complex. Gaze in wonder at the activity on the River Vltava and her many bridges. Stroll north past the castle vineyards to the mosaic encrusted doors of St Peter and Paul church. Marvel at the brilliant, vibrant stained glass windows inside. Visit the cemetery next to the church if you dare. Complete your visit descending back down the road with lunch at El Paisa, the best Mexican restaurant in Prague (Really!). Don’t forget to say “Hi” to American ex-pat owner Elliott.

8. Shopping and Chocolate —

Wintertime in Prague demands the occasional cup of hot chocolate. After intensive power shopping in Old Town, at Blue Praha for reasonably priced, authentic, elegantly hand crafted Czech crystal ware and the Swarovsky store for the chance to purchase the latest in Czech crystal jewelry designs, make a stop at either Choco Cafe on Liliova (if you don’t mind the 20 minute wait and sometimes lackluster service) or meander over to Cafe Louvre on Narodni (for a relaxed, refined pace evoking the times that Einstein frequented the place). Both have great options for those wintertime chocoholic cravings!

9. New Year’s Eve along the Vltava —

The Czechs REALLY love their NYE celebrations! There are spur of the moment firework displays on many street corners the week between Christmas and New Years. Official fireworks are presented at 6 pm on New Year’s Eve and at the same time on New Year’s Day with the largest fireworks display presented on a small island on the Vltava River late in the evening on December 31st. This massive display is a sensory overload of sound and color for a good 30 minutes and it’s also accompanied by live music! A fantastic way to ring in the New Year, Czech-style!

10. Lunchtime Cruise on the River —

Combine two activities into one outing — Toast your riverboat boarding with a pre-lunch drink. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the city while relaxing on board a riverboat and listening about the history of Prague with insights from your tour guide. Delight in the local and regional culinary choices of food offered at the extensive all-you-ca-eat buffet featured on board. Feel the boat gently rise and fall with the level of the water when traversing the river locks. 2 hours of entertainment that passed by in the blink of an eye. Time well spent!

New Year’s Eve Zaniness in the Heart of Berlin

Posted on by carol_tallyho

11:55 pm, December 31st – New Year’s Eve. Standing on Unter den Linden just a few blocks away from the Brandenburg Tor; in the midst of a few thousand of my fellow revellers it’s apparent that for 355 days of the year Berliners are sane humans but New Year’s Eve brings out the “pyro” in both Berliners and visitors alike.

One day every year, December 31st to be exact, anyone in the city of Berlin, or any German city, can legally buy the most amazingly high powered fireworks made (by US standards) just about anywhere. In fact we bought our fireworks pack in a stationery store of all places! The entire day is spent in anticipation of sunlight leaving so the day’s purchase of skyrockets can be unleashed into the darkening sky without repercussion from the police or other authorities.

Dinners are planned with almost military-like precision so that meals are completed prior to midnight when most of the noise and lights of the fireworks erupt. Then the party moves outside to let the real festivities begin… fireworks that look like mortar boxes are set off in the street just a few feet away…fireworks of gold, green, red, orange and even a purplish blue scream overhead, launched from the building rooftops lining the street… sometimes ducking around a building corner for temporary cover is required in this free-for-all madcap frenzy of pyro-activity. But oh, the adrenaline rush and excitement of watching the sounds and colors associated with the exploding all around you is so utterly contagious!

After the fireworks are finally done and the last lone flash and scream in the air is over the crowd slowly disperses, with most wandering toward the closest well-known Ubahn stop. Tag along with a local and catch a less crowed subway line just around the corner to get back home within a reasonable length of time. Beware tho, even on the Ubahn and the Ubahn station you can encounter firecracker activity so stay alert! If one lands next to your foot you can either move away really fast or (if you are lucky) stomp on it really hard with your shoe to put it out!

Venturing outside the next morning, New Year’s Day, brings a shock to those who are new to the Berlin style of NYE partying. On the streets and along the sidewalks sit massive amounts of spent fireworks papers, bottle rocket sticks and finished fuses — it looks like a war zone! By the next morning though (January 2nd) the masses of debris are neatly swept up into piles 2 to 3 feet deep alongside the streets awaiting pickup by the trash collectors!

My advice—if you EVER get the chance to travel to Berlin for New Year’s Eve, GO! You will never forget the experience!

Top 3 Restaurants of Berlin’s Schöneberg District

Posted on by carol_tallyho

Die Feinbackerei features a pub in the front of the building and a restaurant in the back. This establishment,located in Schöneberg, is a fantastic local find with authentic German food, drinks and fantastic Berliner Weisse (in either red or green), the un-official drink of Berlin. Try the lentil soup and weinerschnitzel for a meal to dream about long after the fact (sooo good!!). The food portions are huge so come hungry! Remember to bring euro/cash because Die Feinbackerei does not accept credit cards. Dinner and drinks and the tip for 3 people set us back about $50 USD.”

Located just inside the division between Kreuzberg and Schöneberg lies Tomasa, a very popular dining option for Sunday and holiday brunch. The second floor event dining room is a converted hall of an older building sitting on the northern edge of lovely Viktoria Park. The brunch menu selections range from various pates, cheeses and smoked salmon starters to breakfast items such as pancakes, bacon and eggs benedict to numerous hot and cold entree items and finally desserts, all equally delicious! Afterwards, walk off some of those calories over to the highest point at Viktoria Park and enjoy a panoramic view of the city for free. Credit cards are accepted and weekend brunch reservations are advised. Tomasa is located at Berlinerstrasse 8a, Berlin, 14169, phone: 030.859.66.397 or you can view online @ www.tomasa.de.”

For the best breakfast experience any time of the day in Schöneberg make reservations in advance for Cafe BilderBuch, located at Akazienstrasse 28 Berlin. The Cafe’s extensive weekend brunch is held in a large, beautifully decorated second floor dining area, complete with a baby grand and pianist. Choose from four juices, tea, coffee, mimosas to start your dining experience. Then decide which of the buffet areas to start with — will it be the hot breakfast eggs, bacon, benedicts or the cold buffet area with a yogurt bar –fresh plain and flavored yogurts with your choice of toppings? Or perhaps the cold appetizer buffet area with smoked salmon, various olives, marinated veggies and various cheese selections is the proper place to start? Wherever you choose to start make sure to save room for more — eat as much as you want! The service is unhurried and friendly but unobtrusive. So sit back, relax and enjoy a lovely brunch while listening to the expert sounds of the jazz pianist. FYI — during the week the downstairs breakfast options, although not in as opulent surroundings, were equally as amazing in a more cosy atmosphere. Credit cars are accepted. A party of four,the weekend brunch is $145USD and $30 USD,two people, for a weekday breakfast.Cafe BilderBuch phone: 030.7870.6057

Feel the Electric Buzz Of Berlin

Posted on by carol_tallyho

Have you ever just been somewhere, not doing anything of note, and instantly felt an unexpected burst of energy zipping through your body? For most, it’s a rare and unanticipated happening. But it happened to me, creeping up and enveloping me while waiting at a Berlin S-Bahn stop after returning from 4 days in Munich. And “No”, I wasn’t in danger of being electrocuted nor had I been drinking (too early in the day)! What I did catch was the Berlin Buzz!

That energy carried though the air is exactly what makes Berlin so very distinctly and uniquely Berlin. Is this almost tangible energy a by-product of the neverending process of reinvention currently sweeping over this entire city? OR is it due to the influx of millennials yearning to flex their creativity to add to the re-invigoration of this European capital city that doesn’t really feel like a typical “big capital city” like London or Rome? Maybe the “buzz” is merely a result of Berlin’s integration of the city’s preserved pieces of history standing along side its more recently created modern areas. Possibly all of the above mentioned ideas are working in unison to create this buzz of energy that currently exists as Berlin.

To experience the Berlin Buzz firsthand travel by U-Bahn (the Berlin underground subway) or overground by S-Bahn to Prenzlauer Berg and Neukölln districts for the current, most hip places to visit. The southern district of Berlin, Kreuzberg, is historically known for its large Turkish population, and Schöneberg, synonymous with the homosexual community, are both slowly changing their population demographics due to re-gentrification and have lower housing costs when compared to other areas of Berlin.For a change of pace enjoy a quiet walk in the western areas of Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf which are more suburban in feel with residential streets lined with tall stately trees. Or enjoy the city center sights and activities in the Old Town districts of Mitte and Friedrichshain. And last, but not least, are the outer districts that comprise Berlin’s hinterland (outskirts) — Lichtenberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf and Pankow to the north and east, Treptow-Köpenick and Steglitz-Zehlendorf to the southeast and south west, respectively and Spandau and Reinickendorf to the west and northwest of city center. Each region has it’s own delights and surprises alike for visitors to discover. So come with me, the TallyHo Traveller, and together we will visit the best of Berlin!

Horsin’ Around on Weekends in Aiken SC

Posted on by carol_tallyho

Charmed by Southern hospitality? Impressed by a strong sense of history and community? Enthralled by all things of nature? Like horses? If you answered “Yes” to any or all of these questions, then take a long weekend (or even a full week) trip to Aiken, South Carolina. You will be seduced by all this small town of about 29,000 has to offer.

Historic Downtown Aiken — Drive down Richland Avenue and marvel at the trees, shrubs and flowers all in full spring bloom in the wide medians between both directions of traffic. Park on Laurens Street SW and window shop along both sides of the street. There’s something for every interest included among the locally owned shops on just this street- bakeries (one just for pets), restaurants, cafes, a brewpub, a candy store, furniture design stores, unique clothing stores, antique shops, a quilt shop, an all-things-equine store, gift stores and an awesome T-shirt shop. For lunch stop in at Betsy’s On the Corner (corner of Laurens and Barnwell). Don’t forget to order from one of the 20+ flavors of ice cream for dessert (yum!).

Aiken Center for the Arts — After lunch at Betsy’s, burn off a few of those calories by crossing to the other side of Laurens and walking down the block to this impressive local museum and it’s shop. Relax and enjoy the art, created by local and regional artists, in the various museum galleries both upstairs and down. Stop at the museum’s shop on your way out and select a reasonably priced souvenir from among the varied selection of photographs, multicolored glass ornaments, original paintings, jewelry and cards created by the local Aiken area talent.

Aiken Polo Match — Check out Aiken’s Polo Club website at www.aikenpolo.org for their weekend practice and competitive game schedules and go watch a polo match. To reach either the Whitney or Powderhouse polo fields (off SC Hwy 19/Whiskey Road) take care and travel slowly over the moderately rutted red clay roads. Keep an eye out for horses being ridden on these clay roads during your travels. If meeting a rider, common courtesy dictates to (please) slow down and stay as far to the right as possible.

Aiken Thoroughbred (TB) Racing Hall of Fame and Museum — Located in a former carriage house and stables on the grounds of Hopelands Gardens (also off SC Hwy 19/Whiskey Road) since 1977, this museum highlights the lives and racing accomplishments of 39 champion horses that trained at the local Aiken Training track. Ever heard of the racing champion Seabiscuit? He’s represented here since his trainer, Tom Smith, trained at Aiken. Some of the 39 champions of the Aiken Hall of Fame include Tom Fool, Stage Door Johnny, Pleasant Colony and his daughter Pleasant Stage as well as the legendary Swale. Ask Aiken native Museum Curator Lisa Hall about the legend of War Admiral’s son Blue Peter and the tree associated with him at the nearby Aiken Training Track. A horse enthusiast’s heavenly afternoon of TB racing nirvana!

Hopelands Gardens — Behind the tall serpentine red brick wall along Whiskey Road to the east and Dupree Place to the north hides the 20+ acres of Aiken’s premier location for serene, natural beauty. Delicate floral aromas of roses, camellias and magnolias tickle the nose. Listen to the songbirds signing their melodies against a backdrop of water splashing among the fountains. Gaze in awe at the majestic splendor of the huge old oak trees spreading their limbs as if reaching for the sky. Take a lunchtime picnic and sit along one of the many benches and indulge both body and soul with the sights and sounds of Hopelands!

Hitchcock Woods — Bring your best pair of walking shoes or riding boots and helmet to explore the largest privately owned forest situated within a US city (yes, it’s an even bigger area than NYC Central Park!). This 2100 acre wooded preserve boasts 70 miles of trails for horseback riding, walking(with or without dogs) or jogging — however no bicycles allowed!!

On the Trail of Painted Ponies — Find as many of the life sized painted horses, created as part of a 2003 Aiken public art project, as you can. Some are easily spotted within the historic downtown area. Did you find Magnolia Mare, Stonerside or Have Sum Fun out at Hopelands Gardens? Keep looking…

South Boundary Street Oak Canopy — Take a short detour off Whiskey Road and leisurely (not too fast) drive down South Boundary Street. Marvel at the mile long stretch where the Southern live oak trees, lining both sides of the road, have grown into intertwined limbs overhanging above to create a green leafy canopy. No wonder the locals call this street “The Avenue of Oaks”. It’s definitely worth stopping for a photo op!

Early morning at Aiken Training Track — Thrill to the commanding sound of equine power as you feel the horses hooves pounding around the sandy track in the early morning mist! Revel in their fluid, graceful strength as you watch the horses quickly cover ground, increasing the length of each stride, as they bound further around the white wooden railed track and pass you by in the blink of an eye. After such a glorious start to the day if you need yet more to prod you into motion visit the Track Kitchen for breakfast,just a few short blocks from the track on Mead Avenue, and listen as the local horse people get their day started too!

TSA Fashion Enemy #1 – Which Clothing Item is It?

Posted on by carol_tallyho

Which clothing item do you think would cause the most grief during a TSA full body scan? Underwire bra? Apparently not. Platform heels? Only if breaking your ankle (or neck) sprinting down the airport escalator to catch the last shuttle train counts. No, fellow air travelers, based on personal experience, the #1 fashion nemesis of the TSA’s screening process is…(drumroll, please!)…an ordinary sweater woven with metallic threads (sad, but true!).

“Ma’am, can you come with me and wait here?” is not what I expected to hear from the Denver airport TSA screener upon completion of a full body scan this past March. Caught off guard by the request, I glanced over my shoulder to view 4 to 5 orange target area alerts on the scanner’s scan of my upper body image. Initial thoughts ranged from “OMG, I broke the bloody scanner” to “Wow, I didn’t think a few metallic threads would freak out a scanner that way!” At that point I was handed off to another TSA screener who kept muttering something about her information screen not updating properly. A few minutes and complete body wanding later, this same screener took me over to another station. At that point a thorough hand swabbing test was administered (obviously looking for metallic thread residue at that point).Thankfully the hand swabbing results tested negative and I soon was walking toward my A Concourse gate.

While reading in the gate seating area, a pesky thought crossed my mind. Could this recent screening experience be repeated going through security when transferring flights at London Heathrow? Determined not to put my concerns to the actual test at LHR (and risk upsetting the airport screeners and possibly London airport security), a short wardrobe change at the nearest Denver airport restroom solved the problem. The remaining security screenings for my journey were, fortunately, uneventful.

So, dear fellow travelers, a major life lesson learned from this trip will stay with me forever as well as serve as a warning to others. DON”T wear clothing with metallic threads through TSA scanners unless you don’t mind some extra unwanted attention!