WE HAVE MOVED OUR BLOG TO WWW.NEVERLEFTHOME.COM

We have moved our blog to our new site: www.neverlefthome.com. All the posts from this site have been transferred over to the new site.

We hope you enjoy our new site. It should be easier to access and more enjoyable.  Thanks.

Jay & Tanya

Coming Home: The Joy of Jazz

Last night we were in Frankfurt to see and hear our friend, Anat Cohen, playing with the hrBigBand. It was a wonderful evening and reminded us that no matter where we are in the world, jazz is a constant. The beauty and joy of the music, played by passionate, talented musicians grounds us and creates a sense of homeness. I think that could be a word. Sort of the opposite of homelessness. Anyway, we were home last night.

South American Trip Recap (4)

Armacao dos Buzios, Brazil: On March 2, we spent a very pleasant day in the resort town of Buzios, a place usually frequented by folks from Rio who just want to get away for a few days. We took a little drive around the peninsula, stopping a little beach for a cold one. One of the highlights of Buzios is its fame as the placed where Brigitte Bardot used to visit in the 1960s with her Brazilian boyfriend, Bob Zagoury. Later, Mick Jagger and Madonna used to come to Buzios but the real star continues to be Bardot. A bronze statue of Brigitte adorns the waterfront and is a perfect spot for visitors to pose with the French star.

Crowds and Travel, Now and Future

A friend of mine is currently touring Europe and recently visited Florence. He was lamenting the current state of tourism, specifically the unrelenting crowds in those attractions that are on the "must see" list of every traveler. He correctly pointed out that for many there is no longer any appreciation for what is really being seen. No quiet contemplation of art or enjoyment of simply being there, in the moment, in the presence of something beautiful and timeless. Instead, he noted, the focus of the traveler is simply on taking a picture of something famous, preferably with themselves in it, and many times, with the now ubiquitous selfie-stick. The main objective has become documenting to the world that, "look where I am!" and "here I am in front of the statue of David" "here I am in front of the Duomo", etc. My friend also correctly pointed out that with the explosive growth of the cruise industry and package tours, hundreds of thousands of visitors now clog the streets of Venice, Prague and, of course, Florence.

I started thinking about the points my friend was making and I believe the situation he describes will likely only increase. We have only started seeing the beginning of the emerging Asian middle-class tourist and just wait until cruise ships start catering solely to that market, as package tour operators have done already. Despite what some in the media would have us believe, the world is getting richer and those who now have the means to travel want to do so. They want to exhibit the status of being world-travelers, just as we in the West have always done. And why shouldn't they? There is no turning back.

While the over-crowded tourist hubs of today may distress us, as we long for a more simpler time, there is a positive side. There are still hundreds, if not thousands, of out-of-the-way places where the package tourist or cruiser is not likely to go. These are the places where the traveler can still have a cup of coffee on a quiet street, wander undisturbed through neighborhoods, and perhaps even engage with the local residents on a level beyond just being considered a "walking wallet." And, the great thing is that these out-of-the-way places are just the ones that often need the extra infusion of visitor cash and are the most welcoming to the traveler. Places where the primary industry left long ago and the people there are just trying to maintain their traditional way of life. We've seen several villages like this in Germany, where young people have left for bigger cities but where the charm of the village remains. And these places can be found everywhere. We may be destined to appreciate the beauty of an art work by finding a picture of it in a book. But we can appreciate real live people, their culture, their language and their ideas by getting off the beaten path. I think that's where the richness of future travel lies.

South American Trip Recap (3)

So, during the latter part of February/early March we set off on our luxury cruise up the coast of Brazil culminating with a 1,000 mile trip up the Amazon to Manaus. After two days sailing north we stopped at Ilhabela, Brazil. It was here that Tanya and I got our first taste of the rain forest. In fact, the rain was coming down so hard that the road we took was partially washed out and we all had to get off our school bus while the driver negotiated his way up through the mud. While we didn't see any animals or birds, we certainly got a flavor of what the weather is like in this part of Brazil.

Before the rain really came down

South American Trip Recap (2)

February 25 we were docked in Montevideo, Uruguay for the day. Tanya and I took a sight-seeing excursion around town and checked out the preparations for the upcoming presidential inauguration. Here's a photo of the "Village People" working on scaffolding for the event. It looks more like they're posing than working but what the heck.

Montevideo itself would probably not make the world's top ten great cities to visit but it does have a certain charm. Uruguayans seem to be much more down-to-earth than their flashy Argentine neighbors. It's the kind of place one would need to spend a bit more time in to get to know. And Uruguay itself would be a fascinating destination to give an idea of a South American laid-back lifestyle. Unfortunately, we were only in the capital city for a few hours so our visit necessarily was just a tasting.

The following are photos taken in Montevideo, mostly of my favorite model.

Kind of like Gotham City

Tanya is so "fashion forward" with matching purse and car

Stick it in your ear

It's Spargelzeit!

Ah yes, it's spring and that can only mean one thing in Germany, especially South/Central Germany, it's Spargelzeit (Asparagus Time). This is the time of the year, April to June, when white asparagus or Bleichspargel (bleached asparagus) puts Germans into a culinary frenzy. This delectable little tuber, which is 95% water, is a virtual cult favorite in Deutschland and Germans consume a lot of it. One figure I read was that 127,000 tons of the stuff were consumed last year, more than any other country in the world, with the possible exception of Switzerland. It is typically served with hollandaise sauce or with a light topping of melted cheese, for example parmesan as shown here.

You might think, "asparagus, no big deal". But the asparagus popular with Deutschers is not just your ordinary green asparagus, sometimes bitter and tough and found in bunches at your local Safeway. No, the production of white asparagus is an expensive and time consuming process and Germans appreciate its mild taste and tenderness. It takes at least three years for a white asparagus crop to be harvested and the process involves piling sand and compost over the root stocks to create the blanching effect so loved here. The stalks can grow two to three inches a day during the growing season and the grower must be sure to keep the stalks covered as they begin to sprout up to maintain the desired bleaching effect.

I started to wonder what is it with white asparagus that makes Germans go crazy over the stuff? No one really knows for sure but there are a couple of prime theories. The first is that Spargel's arrival is associated with that of spring. And after a dark, cold and sometimes dreary winter, what could make one happier than a plate of white asparagus?

The other theory for Spargel's popularity is rooted in history. The Romans introduced it to Germany 2,000 years ago as a delicacy and Louis XIV grew it in hot houses, reserving its consumption for nobles only. In the 16th century, it began being cultivated in earnest in the Stuttgart area and was nicknamed "the royal vegetable". The 17th century prince-elector in the Schwetzingen area, near Mannheim, ordered it to be grown on his palatial grounds. And today, the town of Schwetzingen is the self-proclaimed "asparagus capital" of the world. 

Tanya and I were in Schwetzingen last weekend and enjoyed this wonderful vegetable in one of the town's many popular Spargel venues.

South American Trip Recap (1)

OK, by popular demand (from one of our three or four readers) I've finally gotten off my duff and will begin recapping last month's South American adventure. In our last post Tanya and I had landed in Buenos Aires and were about to start exploring the area for a couple of days before heading off on our trip to Brazil and the Amazon. It had been several years since our last trip here and we wanted to see what we had missed last time. Conscientious researcher that I am, I brushed up my knowledge of the area from a Frommers guide. But, as usual, our experiences are much better when they occur serendipitously than when we follow what some guidebook writer thinks is something we should see. For example, while walking through the Recoleta neighborhood we just happened to be part of a small group of onlookers watching an outdoor cooking show being broadcast on Buenos Aires TV. The stars of the show were whipping up some tasty variations of Argentine cuisine at a couple of cooking stations set up on the grounds of one the city's large broadcasting complexes. Unfortunately, we weren't asked to appear on camera to sample the results but just taking part in the sights and smells of the show was worth the stop.

Then, continuing on through the very high-class Recoleta district we walked by several embassies, luxury car dealerships and high-end apartment buildings. And of course, we saw several professional dog-walkers, with as many as 15 dogs on separate leashes. Apparently these guys are pretty well paid and according to one Porteno we talked to, make more money than teachers in Buenos Aires. But then again, most people make more than teachers.

Three days in BA and three different steak houses, all in the Palermo area. You can read my reviews of them on TripAdvisor under my name, "Thunderbird 12." The best one we experienced was a very local kind of place, "Calden del Soho" which served one of the best steak dinners we've ever had. I think we consumed more meat in our three days in Buenos Aires than we've had in a year, and we loved every carnivorous minute of it.

Weekend at the Bo-Bo in BA

This is more of a newsy post than anything else for the benefit of at least the two readers of our blog that we know we have. You know who you are.

Tanya and I took a direct 14-hour evening flight from Frankfurt to Buenos Aires on the 20th, arriving in BA at 8am on Saturday the 21st. For three nights we're staying at the Bo-Bo Hotel in the Palermo neighborhood. The name, Bo-Bo, stands for Bohemian/Bourgeoise which apparently characterized its customers; those who want to get away from the usual and appreciate the avant garde, while maintaining their bourgeoise attitudes of hard work and drive for success. I don't get it completely but  that's what the owners are striving for. Anyway, it's a nice little boutique hotel in a fun neighborhood.

After checking in and taking a short nap and shower, we headed out to explore the neighborhood and do a little shopping for essentials: water, wine, sunscreen. Walked through BA's botanical garden, past the zoo and then later had dinner at Don Julio, a steak restaurant in the neighborhood whose hype exceeds its reality. A bit overpriced, over-touristed and really nothing terribly special except for the sweetbreads I ordered which I hadn't had since I was a kid.

After a good night's sleep we're looking forward to more exploring and checking out some of the places where the Bo-Bo's may not necessarily be found.

Flying to South America Tonight

We're about to board Lufthansa in a few hours for a 14-hour flight to Buenos Aires. Seventy-seven degree weather, spring breezes and the smell of Argentine beef grilling over the coals is calling to us. We have been so fortunate to avoid the bitter cold of the northeastern US so we really can't complain about this German winter. But, it will be so nice to feel the warmth. Keep checking in periodically to enjoy it with us.

Tübingen

This past week, while Tanya was working, I visited the beautiful university town of Tübingen, about 35 km south of Stuttgart. The place is absolutely delightful. They say that one of every three residents here is a university student and that's easy to believe. There's also a well-restored Schloss, dating from 1050 that now houses university offices.

Porsche Lust

Tanya and I have been in the Stuttgart area this week and while she has been on work assignments I have been playing tourist. Two days ago, I crossed an item off my bucket list, a visit to the Porsche Museum. This temple to automotive engineering and excellence is located at, appropriately enough, Porscheplatz 1 and is adjacent to their manufacturing and design complex just outside Stuttgart. Here is a sample of my experience:

The Museum

The First Volkswagen

The "one of a kind" police Porsche