walking | Travel By Jury

Mt. Lushan, China

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Admin of TBJ

A UNESCO heritage site well hidden in Jinagxi province, Mt. Lushan is a major local attraction that includes hiking trails, religious iconography, and evidence of British history in China. Check out Mao and Chang-kai Shek’s former mountain retreat home, Meilu, or wander around the beautiful lakes that line your path toward the top of Mt. Lu, where you can take the gondolas up to different vista points – or simply walk. There are many different restaurants and food shops all along the Guling’s (the town at the base of the park) main drag, but getting off the well-trod tourist path and into the mountains themselves is a real treat. The White Deer Grotto Academy is a serene area of the greater park area, and you can lose yourself a bit while contemplating Li Bo’s nature poetry (a calligraphy museum devoted to him is on site) among the lily pad-laden ponds, or you can make an offering to the spirit of the mountain at the Celestial Cave. View the Donglin Temple, a Buddhist monastery that adds to the relative peace of the place, before walking back down to the town of Guling, whose main street features many local artists hawking their sparse paintings of the area’s natural beauty. Mt. Lushan is one of the many naturally beautiful areas of China and is well-worth a visit.

Filed under: Asia | Tagged: Asia, British in China, Buddhist monastery, calligraphy, Celestial Cave, Chang-kai Shek, China, Donglin Temple, Guling, hiking, Jiangxi Province, lakes, Li Bo, Mao, Meilu, Mt. Lu, Mt. Lushan, museums, pagodas, UNESCO, walking, White Deer Grotto Academy | Leave a Comment »

Beijing, China

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Admin of TBJ

Beijing is a huge city. Repeat that in your head several times before you get there to prepare yourself. The travel guides say that the Metro has “peak hours” to avoid, but be warned: the Metro is always crowded. And it closes early. And sometimes your ticket won’t work, but it’s only about $1 to get another one. Insist that the taxis use the meters (but they run inexplicably faster at night – you might pay NYC taxi prices unless you bargain hard, but either way, nighttime and rain make taxi prices jump), and generally get ready to be knocked senseless by the overwhelming capital of China. Beijing has everything western you could want, from Pizza Hut to high-end clothing stores, but that’s not what you’re here for. Of course, you should check out Tiannamen Square (mind the security cameras and guards, they mean business) and the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven (and its fabulous surrounding park) is a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Beijing as a whole. The Xicheng District (all the way out on Ring Three of the city – the further out you ripple, the more you need to be aware of the time if you’re using public transport) has Beihai Park, and the Beijing Zoo, where five RMB will get you in to see the famous (sleeping) pandas and allow you to skip the rest of the zoo (this writer hates zoos, but a fellow traveler passed this advice on; kids apparently like the pandas). Massage places are often reputable and can be a good idea after you’ve hiked around hot (and hazy) Beijing; you’ll wear pajamas during your massage, so those worried about decorum should be relaxed. Grabbing a bike and riding around the hutongs (residential neighborhood alleyways) and snacking on street food might be a more authentic way to see the city, and at night these are particularly fascinating places to be. Dashanzi has up-and-coming art, Sanlitun in Chaoyang District has expat bars and, bizarrely, head shops and some delicious street food (it’s where all the embassies are as well, just in case you get into any trouble) and the Haidan has the the Summer Palace, which you can get to by boat if you’re feeling like an emperor (that’s how he used to get there). Beijing is far too exciting to squeeze into a bite-size travel review, but get started nibbling – there’s so much this fascinating, fast-paced city has to offer.

Filed under: Asia | Tagged: Asia, Beihai park, Beijing, Beijing massage, Beijing Zoo, biking, China, Dashanzi art, embassies, expat areas, Forbidden City, Haidan, hutongs, massage, pandas, peak hours of the metro in Beijing, Pizza hut, public transport in Beijing, Sanlitun in Chaoyang District, Summer Palace, taxi meters in Beijing, Temple of Heaven, Tiannamen Square, walking, Xicheng district | Leave a Comment »

Montserrat, Spain

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

While it was overcast and rainy during the majority of my visit to Barcelona (to see mi hermana, who is studying abroad there this semester), I couldn’t let the weather stop my necessary pilgrimage to the sky-high village and monastery of Montserrat, Spain, and I’d recommend *anyone* traveling near Barcelona to get out of town and get up to this awesome destination. For €16.50, you can get a round-trip ticket from the Plaça d’Espanya metro station (platform 4 – downstairs – on the R5 line), and the trip takes about an hour or so via train, and you can pick up a pamphlet from the main ticketing area that’ll tell you the train time-tables for your return journey. You can check out la Moreneta (the Black Madonna) that calls many visitors to the Santa Maria de Montserrat Benedictine Abbey (which also boasts a cushy museum, gift shop, the oldest printing press in the world – Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat – and, of course, hear the L’Escolania boys choir), but the best thing to do around Montserrat is to walk around. You can get to the high point of Sant Jeroni (St. Joan) via footpath and funicular, and taking the cable car up to Montserrat is not for the faint of heart (height-fearing folks can spend approximately €22 to take the rack railway into town, but the cable car was really enjoyable, if for no other reason than the animated and friendly guy running it and that you felt as if you were floating above the Llobregat River) From St. Joan’s point, almost all of fabulous and colorful Catalonia is visible, and, while signs up there point out that “on a clear day” one could see the island of Majorca, I was surrounded by fog and mist, which actually gave the area a more relaxed and serene vibe. There are so many different beautiful little footpaths, but wear sturdy shoes, as the rock-paved paths are slippery when wet. On the paths there are several markers and statues dedicated to saints and Catalan luminaries, but the views and the crisp mountain air make for fantastic wandering and solitary contemplation in a lush and jaw-dropping setting.

Filed under: Europe | Tagged: art, Barcelona, Benedictine Abbey, boys choir, cable car, Catalonia, Catalunya, food, friendly folk, funicular, gifts, hiking, L'Escolania, la Moreneta, Llobregat River, Majorica, Monastery, Montserrat, mountains, museum, Plaça d'Espanya, Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, Santa Maria de Montserrat, Spain, St.Joan, train, views, walking | Leave a Comment »

Anderson, SC

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

Located across part of Lake Hartwell and off of I-85 south, Anderson, SC is a cute little town that might be worth your stopping by before a trip further south (say, to Atlanta) or a trip further north (say, Spartanburg or Asheville). Anderson’s got a great, authentic Irish pub (McGee’s) which hosts everything from live Irish music to local bands to local art shows for Clemson University and Anderson College students. Also check out The Fox Pub for good food. The re-vamped downtown area of Anderson has several cool spots to eat as well as some boutique shops; you can go all out and get yourself something Palmetto themed, as the state pride in South Carolina is rivaled only by Texas. Anderson’s Farmer’s Market is HUGE and is made up almost entirely of local vendors; go here during peach season and gorge, check out fresh corn and the like as well. If you’re traveling into Anderson via Clemson on Highway 76, check out roadside vendors – there’s a few that even display their fresh veggies and then leave, promoting faith in the honor system of your donations:) Timms Mill and the Old Stone Church are worth a visit for those interested in historical sites, and Broadway Lake and Sadlers Creek State Recreation Area offer great places to go explore outdoor sports, or maybe just for a quick dip in the cool Upstate waters. Of course, Anderson is often noted by Clemson alumni like me as “the place to go to get stuff,” as Anderson has a small mall and big chain stores and restaurants that wee Clemson doesn’t, and it’s also known to have more hotels available if you’re in town to see the Clemson Tigers play. Check out Anderson, SC, next time you’re passing through – you won’t have a bad time, it’s certain.

Filed under: North America | Tagged: Anderson, Anderson College, Anderson Farmer's Market, Broadway Lake, Clemson, Clemson Tigers, Clemson University, downtown, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, hiking, honor system, hotels, I-85, Lake Hartwell, McGee's Irish Pub, Old Stone Church, Palmetto, roadside vendors, Sadlers Creek State Recreation Area, SC, shopping, South Carolina, swimming, The Fox Pub, Timms Mill, walking | Leave a Comment »

Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

The whole time I was in Stratford Upon Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace (among other things), it rained. The weather added to the quaint charm of this beautiful little city. Everywhere you go there are flowers – boxed in windows, in mini-gardens, on the tables of the pubs (check out some of the pubs near the Stratford-Upon-Avon clock tower and seek the “original Crapper,” aka one of the first pull-chain toilets, which are still in use in some of the older pubs) – and the thatched, gentrified buildings make even the Boot’s chemist chain look positively fairy-tale-esque. Besides ambling through the town (Sheep Street is particularly enjoyable) and checking out the riverside area (the town is situated “upon” the River Avon), you can get your British Lit fix easily; there are five different homes/tourist spots dedicated to Shakespeare. I went to all of them, but I have to vote in Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (Shakespeare’s wife’s home) as the best; the home is kept hidden amid beautiful wildflower gardens, and the gardens themselves allow for a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of travel. Stratford-Upon-Avon is also near Warwick Castle, which is SO worth a visit (you’re also near the industrial city of Birmingham). There are tons of theaters in Stratford-Upon-Avon, as the town is proud of it’s Shakespearean landmarks and influence, but don’t let that be the only reason you go – make sure to soak up the vibes of this happy city, lapping up your hot toddy while daydreaming in the rain.

Filed under: Europe | Tagged: Anne Hathaway's Cottage, Boot's the chemist, British Literature, crapper, England, fresh flowers, friendly folk, history, lit, market, pubs, pull chain toilet, River Avon, riverside, Shakespeare, Sheep Street, shops, Stratford-Upon-Avon, theater, UK, United Kingdom, walking, Warwick Castle | Leave a Comment »

JR: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

Vancouver, B.C. is a progressive and metropolitan city. As a part of the Pacific Northwest, this jewel is one of the largest cities in the area, and the largest in B.C. It’s easy to get around this city by foot, bus, or light rail (exact coin needed for buses). The downtown area, where I stayed, had a great big city feel with loads of high-end shopping. Good food also abounds in this area. Other areas not to be missed include historic Gastown, Stanley Park, Chinatown and Granville Island. Gastown boasts boutique shopping (Don’t miss Vancouver-based John Fluevog shoes), trendy locals, Canadian souvenir shops and the unique Steam Clock. Walk a few blocks south and you’ll get to W. Hastings which features a slightly Amsterdam-ish vibe with two head shops and a smoke-friendly cafe. But the best part of W. Hastings is great fabric shops, especially Dressew. Another must-see place is Stanley Park, which houses the Vancouver Aquarium. Go early because the crowds get heavy, especially on the weekends. You can pack a picnic to eat on the park grounds, or you can eat at the historic Stanley Park Grill, which is expensive but they serve local microbrews and delicious fries. Finally, do not miss the Granville Island Public Market. This indoor market serves the best baked goods, cheeses, meats, produce and prepared foods. It’s a great place to wander, snack, pick out souvenirs, and even picnic supplies. Hang out on the Island to visit the arts and crafts stores and good meals at restaurants, like Cat’s Social House. And with Vancouver’s bustling film industry, you might even get to catch a filming and spot a star. Vancouver is a wonderful place to visit and don’t let the talk of bad weather deter you.

Juror #2/Andalee

Vancouver Fun Facts Quiz

1. Vancouver has earned along its many nicknames, the name of :
A.Vanstock
B.Hong-couver
C.New Beijing

2. One of these opinions is definitely false. But the question is, which one?
A. Vancouver is probably the only place in the world where it is possible to ski, play golf
and go sailing, all in the same day
B. Canada owns the North Pole
C. Canada is the world’s second largest country by total area

3. Canada is believed to be the home of:
A. The Tooth-Fairy
B. Cindarella
C. Santa Claus

4. These tourists will have a hard time in Vancouver. Simply because there are bans in most
places, which prohibit:
A. Dinning with your pet
B. Smoking cigars
C. Flirting with waitresses

5. Vancouverites (people who live in Vancouver) “eat out” more than any other North
American city. Related or not, that makes them notorious for:
A.tipping well
B.consumming most wine glasses over a meal
C.skipping lunch

6. In the 1960′s in Vancouver was founded one of the world’s biggest and most active
organizations:
A.Earth Liberation Front
B.Greenpeace
C.PETA

7. Vancouver is one of the few North American cities with no:
A.old people
B.street gangs
C.downtown freeways

8. A certain iconic American musician would spend summers in Vancouver, where his granny
lived. Can you guess who?
A. Jimmi Hendrix
B. Bob Dylan
c. Elvis Presley

9. Injecting more than $1 billion dollars into the local economy, Vancouver has the largest

(in all Canada):
A. Film Industry
B. Airport
C. Fishing Industry

10. Which one of the following fine things listed below, simply cannnot be purchased from a
grocery store in Canada:
A. Alcohol
B. Condoms
C. Medicine

Filed under: North America | Tagged: Amsterdam, Andalee, British Columbia, buses, Canada, Cat's Social House, China Town, crowds, downtown, Dressew, exact change, film, fresh fish, fresh fruit, fresh market, fresh vegetables, fries, Gastown, Granville Island, Granville Island Public Market, indoor market, John Fluvog, juror #2, local food, microbrews, picnic, Stanley Park, Stanley Park Grill, Steam Clock, Vancouver, Vancouver Aquarium, W. Hastings, walking | 1 Comment »

Grasmere, England

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

“Through primrose tufts, in that green bower, the periwinkle trailed its wreaths; And ’tis my faith that every flower enjoys the air it breathes.” – “Lines Written in Early Spring”

William Wordsworth was able to write lines like this because he lived in the southern part of England’s Lake District, which is a place that tells you why the word “pastoral” was invented; this beautiful, quiet, sleepy area is still wild and gorgeous and simply beautiful. Sheep are grazing under intermittent rays of sun that slip through the trees over hills of verdant green… It’ll make you poetic, this area; you can really get into the beauty of nature with a nice stroll up to Helm’s Crag, where you can pretend you are Samuel Taylor Coleridge (or Bob Ross) as you revel in the natural world. Or you can take a sleepy walk from Dove Cottage, William Wordsworth’s home in the hills, through the village to St. Oswald’s Church, where Wordsworth is buried. Contemplate life’s journey on this short one, then stop in at Reekie’s for some of Grasmere’s famous gingerbread, or, if you’re in the mood for pub atmosphere, check out the Lamb Inn. If you still have energy and don’t long to sit by the fireplace contemplating Wordsworth’s “spontaneous overflow of emotion” theory, take a trip up to Rydal Falls, just shy of Wordsworth’s other home at Rydal Mount. There’s not much flashy fun to be had in Grasmere, but it’s a charming village whose quiet roads are perfect for walking yourself through your own thoughts while wrapped in a one of the most peaceful atmospheres on Earth.

Filed under: Europe | Tagged: Bob Ross, Coleridge, Dove Cottage, England, friendly folk, gingerbread, Grasmere, Helm's Crag, hiking, hills, Lake District, Lamb Inn, Lamb's Inn, Lines Composed in Early Spring, natural world, nature, pastoral, peaceful, pub, Reekie's, Rydal Falls, Rydal Mount, sheep, St. Oswald's Church, sun, tress, walking, William Wordsworth, Wordsworth | Leave a Comment »

JR: Charleston, SC

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

Once upon a time there was a land near the Cooper River in South Carolina, where people wore seersucker and said hello to everyone as they walked down the street…. Wait, that’s Charleston, SC today; what it used to be was a trade area, a port, a Civil War battle area, and a cultural epicenter of the southeast. Chucktown (don’t buy the t-shirt) is still that today, and it’s history, beaches, architecture, food, and local art draw many tourists and visitors to it every year. As for history, the Morris Island lighthouse (and nature sanctuary), Ft. Sumpter, the Hunley submarine and the USS Yorktown can fill up a historic tour itinerary, but it’s worth taking in King Street and Meeting Street for more historical sites, like the Slave Market and Customs House, along with good restaurants, souvenier-type stuff and the kitschy old market; check out Tommy Condon’s watermark that shows the height of the flooding of Hurricane Hugo. As for other bars, the Blind Tiger and the Silver Dollar are great bets for a good time. Get all old South and visit the Citadel or the Confederate Museum, if you’re in the mood, but the Charles Towne Landing Historical Park works for every visitor. If you’re heading to the beach, Folly Beach on James Island is low-key and favored by the younger crowd, including class-cutting College of Charleston (CofC) and Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) students – check out Melvin’s Burgers. More expensive lodgings (and thus a quieter area of town) can be found at the Isle of Palms. Strolling aimlessly through Charleston results in checking out its beautiful architecture – Rainbow Row is a popular spot due to the multi-colored antebellum homes, and the Battery area shows how gorgeous million dollar beach-front property can be – check out the house with the stone pigs guarding the gate; that’d be the founder of supermarket chain Piggly Wiggly’s home. Nature-seekers can enjoy a leisurely promenade along the Charleston Waterfront Park, which affords great views of the Ravenell Bridge (or the Cooper River Bridge, but everyone in Charleston knows that name refers to the old rickety bridge that the Ravenell replaced in 2005). As for eats, Kickin’ Chicken and the renowned Cosmic Dog are surefire bets for fun, and locals go to Bowen’s Island for good seafood. There’s a great deal of art museums and antique stores in Charleston, but the Piccolo Spoleto festival is unmissable for art lovers. Enjoy the plough mud, friendly people, and un-ending array of live oaks with hanging moss – just avoid going during the peak of summer, unless you really like your summer heat level to be over 95 and humid; ya’ll have a good time!

Dual-written by Juror #14 (who once lived in Charleston) & Admin of TBJ:: Click here to see juror photos

Filed under: North America | Tagged: Battery, Blind Tiger, Charles Towne Landing, Charleston, Citadel, Civil War, College of Charleston, Confederate Museum, Cooper River, Cooper River Bridge, Cosmic Dowg, croakies, Customs House, Folly Beach, Folly Island, fresh fish, friendly folk, Ft. Sumpter, hanging moss, historic, Hunley, Hurricane Hugo, Isle of Palms, juror #14, Kickin Chicken, King Street, live oak, market, Meeting Street, Melvin's Burgers, Morris Island, Morris Island lighthouse, MUSC, National Park, park, Piccolo Spoleto, Piggly Wiggly, plough mud, Rainbow Row, Ravenell Bridge, SC, seersucker, Silver Dollar, Slave Market, South Carolina, Tommy Condon's, USS Yorktown, walking | Leave a Comment »

JR: Bled, Slovenia

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

There is something almost incomprehensible about sitting on a park bench, looking out over a green lake pebbled by a slight breeze at a castle twice as old as your country. As the morning sun echoes off mossy stones, you see into the past and realize the great Hapsburg ruling dynasty of Europe vacationed here. Yes, Hapsburgs drank, cried, laughed, and ruled their way into oblivion while your ancestors carved a raw wilderness into The New World. As the bass swirl in the lake and Slovene citizens walk to work around you, pine trees like you’ve never seen before climb up the Julian Alps to reach the snow that never exists in May where you live. You notice the houses made of tile and stone on the opposite shore of glacial Lake Bled, beyond the castle, and you wonder what the people behind the yellow, green, beige, and pearl colored walls might think if they noticed you on this bench wearing a shirt that reads “I’m an American.” Everywhere the smell of expresso brewing, the taste of vanilla-and-cream pastry called kremna rezina, the roar of motor bikes, the playfulness of gaudy fishing boats and old men mending nets, the laughter of small children tied to their parents wrists and bouncing like helium balloons along the crowded sidewalk around the lake remind you that these good people, who have exercised a Jobian patience and resilience in the face of Nazi occupation and the internecine savagery that inflamed the Balkans when Yugoslavia split apart, are happy you came to visit. If you’re so inclined you may go horseback riding, hiking, or take a rowboat to the small island in the middle of the lake and ring the bell at Assumption of Mary Church for good luck. A more laid back idea might be to enter the town of Bled proper and gamble at one of the small casinos or enjoy a fine lunch lakeside at the five-star Grand Toplice Hotel and afterward take a horse and buggy ride or relax in the thermal-spring heated pool. The lake is situated in the northwestern corner of Slovenia forty-five kilometres from both the Italian and the Austrian borders. There are regular bus routes from most central European cities and English is spoken everywhere. Currency in Slovenia has been the Euro since 2007 and prices are very reasonable in comparsion to other European resort areas.

Juror #3/Jim McGarrah :: Click here to view juror photos

Filed under: Eastern Europe, Europe | Tagged: Assumption of Mary Church, Austrian, Balkans, bass, bench, Bled, castle, children, drinking, espresso, Europe, fishing boats, gambling, good luck, Grand Toplice Hotel, Hapsburgs, hiking, Italian, Jim McGarrah, Julian Alps, juror #3, kremna rezina, lake, Lake Bled, mossy stones, motorbikes, New World, pine trees, Slovenia, The New World, thermal springs, tile and stone houses, walking, Yugoslavia | Leave a Comment »

Brussels, Belgium

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

My Aunt Rosa was from Belgium, and I remember as a child loving to listen to her talk and being fascinated with her preoccupation for giving, at some point or another, the gift of wooden shoes. During my stint at the University of London, one of my professors, Roger, a self-proclaimed life-long bachelor/barrister/sexagenarian with a black leather jacket, and who taught us media law, mentioned that he made almost weekly trips to Brussels for European Union duties. Wooden shoes and the seat of the “kingdom of Europe” (Roger’s joke, not mine)? I had to go!

My trip to Bruxelles (the French spelling; otherwise “Brussel” in Dutch – Brussels is 80% French-speaking… and it’d be good to know some French here) unfolded as the EuroStar pulled into the main train station, and instead of walking straight for the Manneken Pis or Grand Place-Grot Markt, I went the other way. I didn’t go to Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts de Belgique – Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België or any other museum. True, I accidentally found myself at the Galeries Saint Hubert-Sint Hubertusgalerijen, billed as “the world’s first shopping mall” but I only stopped there to use the bathroom (one Euro, by the way). Instead, my trip to Brussels involved a great deal of roaming around one of the most charming and quintessential “European” cities I’ve ever been to; I loved that road signs were often in three languages (Flemmish, Dutch, and French – which language should be the “national one” is still a hot topic in Belgium) and that there were flowers everywhere. Great pedestrianized walkways allowed me to stop and people-watch, along with the random conversation and street-side waffle. I met a friendly butcher on Rue des Bouchers-Beenhouwerstraat, who I believe showed me how to properly handle the neck of a deer, or he might have just been telling me to go away. I met a man from Africa who pointed me toward a (closed) Irish pub, but I generally just stared at Bruxsellls’ beautiful architecture. Brussels might not be your first pick for a European retreat, but it’s calm, austere nature makes it a lovely stop along your journey.

Filed under: Europe | Tagged: architecture, Brussels, Bruxelles, Dutch, European Union, Flemmish, flowers, French, Galeries Saint Hubert-Sint Hubertusgalerijen, Grand Place-Grot MarktBelgium, Manneken Pis, Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts de Belgique - Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België, Rue des Bouchers-Beenhouwerstraat, waffle, walking, wooden shoes | Leave a Comment »

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