Hanoi: World class shopping at bargain prices
Story and Photos by Lee Daley. Upscale shoppers will want to travel to Vietnam’s capital city with very little in their suitcases, leaving lots of room for the distinctive range of designer clothes, handicrafts, and local fashions they’ll find there. Hanoi has long been considered the artistic center of the country and, as a bonus, it serves as a gateway to the many ethnic minorities to the north who find a much-needed market for their unique wares through some of the city’s specialty boutiques.
New Mural Exhibit at Presidio Tunnel Tops
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
New adventures await at the San Francisco Presidio Tunnel Tops Park with a recent large-scale mural installation of creatures like coyotes, monarch butterflies and colorful exotic birds.The exhibit is now on show at the Outpost Courtyard overlooking Chrissy Field. Strolling the Cliff Walk to reach the exhibit is my favorite route. Along the walk, San Francisco immodestly showcases some of her most prized glories with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, breathtaking bay views and farther along, the glistening visage of the city skyline punctuated by the dome of the Palace of Fine Arts. You will soon arrive at The Outpost, a two acre children’s play area. Just beyond it, look for the Field Station building. Here, you’ll come upon an entry area transformed by large scale botanical and wild-life themed murals. It’s a must see, a wonderful addition for children and adults. as it adds to the spectacular views.
Traveling the Road with Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
I first ran into Jimmie Dale Gilmore while on a writing assignment in Cambridge, MA, when a friend excitedly told me the singer, composer and guitarist was performing that evening at a local blues venue. That was twenty years ago and while the club is long gone, the legendary Gilmore is still rocking out blues, rock and country tunes and I’m still following him here and there to be transported by his heartfelt tenor voice and versatile guitar skills.
Indulge in a Getaway to Mendocino County.
Story and Photos By Lee Daley.
Now is the time to indulge in a getaway to Mendocino County. It’s all there, breathtaking beauty, surf, sand, a rocky coastline, world-class botanical gardens, and an oceanfront artistic village. A destination worth flying to from anywhere in the US, Mendocino County offers an idyllic interlude within a three-hour drive from San Francisco.
San Francisco’s Top of the Mark Celebrates 50 Years
Story and Photos By Lee Daley
San Francisco Top of the Mark atop the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel is now celebrating the hotel’s 50 year anniversary.. The iconic 19th-floor sky lounge has updated its live music roster to include acclaimed local musicians such as Nick Rossi and his Swing Four. Celebrate Easter Brunch with live piano music and unlimited Bellinis surrounded by spectacular views of the City and the Bay.
Celebrate Holidays in the Hills at Claremont Club & Spa
By Lee Daley
In Vermont: Catch a Covered Bridge
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
Vermont boasts more than one hundred still remaining covered bridges, the most in New England and a testament to America’s golden age of craftsmanship. Often spanning rivers and streams in mountainous regions, covered bridges are inevitably inviting and many are called “Kissing Bridges.” Photographers collect them, schoolkids picnic in them; winter sleigh rides and horse-drawn carriages traverse them. And lovers kiss in their sheltered privacy. All are still in active use.
The Redwood Room in San Francisco
Review by Lee Daley.
San Francisco’s Redwood Room at the Clift.
Welcome to the Redwood Room—an unforgettable San Francisco destination just steps away from downtown Union Square. Whether at the bar, crafted from an 800-year-old redwood tree. or seated in the extended seating area with its magnificent Klimt artwork display, you can expect superb service in an elegant and intimate setting. It’s almost a rite of passage for locals and visitors to take in the Redwood Room vibe with its soaring redwood walls, subdued art deco lighting, and welcoming servers. On a recent Thursday evening visit, my spouse and I found vocalist and pianist Josh Gelfand holding court as he fielded musical requests from fans.
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
When it comes to year-round activity, Calaveras County, a 2.5-hour drive from anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area, has it all. Truly a place for all seasons, this is where outdoor activities, wine tasting, fine dining and just plain “fun in the sun” thrive. Here in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, you’ll find more ways to unwind than you can shake your bathing suit at. And to unwind any time of day, the county’s prize-winning wineries beckon. One thriving community with the unique moniker of Murphys boasts more than two dozen wine tasting venues along its downtown promenade. Take in its art galleries. Attend live theater events. Or stroll through its green community park with its bridge-covered creek and shaded picnic tables. Add in free summertime concerts in the park. Calaveras County beckons.
Alice Neel “People Come First” Exclusive Opening at the de Young Museum
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
“For me, people come first. I have tried to assert the dignity and eternal importance of the human being.” – Alice Neel. Throughout “People Come First”, Alice Neel’s paintings reflect both her radical personal ideology and her quest to capture the dignity and importance of her subjects. Neel (1900-1984) spent most of her adult life in New York City where, beginning in the 1930s, she lived through the rise of communism, the ensuing Great Depression, and the eventual civil rights and feminist movements. Deeply immersed in the society around her, she described her artistry as a form of history painting in which she portrayed fellow activists, artists, and neighbors as fellow human beings struggling to navigate political change and unrest.
San Francisco’s Top of the Mark reopens with new tasting experiences.
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
San Francisco’s Top of the Mark is now celebrating its reopening with new tasting experiences. The iconic 19th-floor penthouse lounge atop the Mark Hopkins Hotel has added a new “Vodka Expressions” curated tasting menu. New too is the Friday evening live DJ music session from 4:30 to 9:30 PM. What hasn’t changed are the 360-degree views of the San Francisco skyline seen from every window. Returning patrons and new guests can still unwind in the elegant ambiance of the 19th-floor penthouse lounge.
Immersed in the Diverse Cultures of Vietnam
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
While traveling from Hanoi to Saigon during the month of December, a time of warm and balmy weather, I felt completely immersed in the diverse cultures of Vietnam. On show everywhere, from art galleries to design centers, from colonial architecture to ancient wooden vessels plying the Mekong, from stunning cuisine, both Haute and humble, cultural diversity reigned.
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
Find Utah fall color gold on the road less traveled. Often overlooked for New England or the Smoky Mountains, Utah’s national parks and woodlands– combined with live performances and plays– offer not only stunning colors but a rich cultural experience.The color component includes Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks and Kolob Canyon. Here Mother Nature’s paintbrush sketches a brilliant palette of orange, gold and scarlet set against a backdrop of soaring red rock towers, deep canyons and massive monoliths. The cultural gold glitters in nearby Cedar City at the annual Utah Shakespeare Festival now in its 56th season. Here are my top tips for a Utah fall color gold getaway.
Full moon and comet create kayak magic
Story by Carol Canter. Photos by Lee Daley.
I was standing in a circle of 16 kayakers on Schoonmaker Beach in Sausalito at 6:30pm on a Sunday night in March.
A full cantaloupe-colored moon peered out from behind the masts of sailboats. It was so large and low in the sky that it looked like it was surrealistically painted on a backdrop. Clad in life jackets and holding our paddles, we each introduced ourselves and shared with the group why we were there – more specifically, why we had each signed on to this full-moon paddle on Richardson Bay with Sea Trek.
A Park that is a Painting: Topiary Park in Downtown Columbus
Story and Photos by Lee Daley. If, like me, you’ve more than once viewed a painting and wished you could walk right into it, you will find Topiary Park in Downtown Columbus an art lover’s dream come true. Ensconced in the shadow of ultra-modern high rises, paths wind through this ethereal space, a sculpted shrubbery rendition of Georges Seurat’s famous post-impressionistic painting,A Sunday on the Island of la Grande Jatte. Spread out over five acres, more than seventy life-like topiary sculptures, clipped and shaped into three dimensional figures of couples, children and pets, resemble the figures in Seurat’s artwork. Five boats bob in a reedy, reflective pond that stands in for the River Seine. Intended to create the sense of being within the actual “painting,” the figures are arranged just like Seurat’s painting but created in a new medium. With the painting as inspiration, Topiary Park brings visitors full circle, back into an afternoon in the park.
Peggy Guggenheim: At Home in Venice
Story and Photos by Lee Daley. On the Grand Canal of Venice if you look carefully, you will see -–almost hidden, overshadowed as it is by the multi-storied palatial homes along that waterway – a low white stone palazzo that belies the treasures held within. This was the home of Peggy Guggenheim, an American heiress and art collector who single-handedly saved modern art. Peggy Guggenheim is known for her art collection and her outrageously unconventional life. Many have called her risqué, a term with which she would most likely agree. If Peggy Guggenheim had lived in our time, she would be the ideal candidate for a reality TV series—her expertise, her “shoot from the hip” dialogue and colorful personal lifestyle meant scandals stuck to her like paint on a canvas. Case in point: In the prim 50s, Peggy needed no beau to escort her into Harry’s Bar for an evening cocktail. At her beck and call was her own private gondola propelled by her personal gondolier. He would ferry her along the canal and wait dockside while she savored a cocktail and took in the evening sunset: “If anything can rival Venice in its beauty, it must be its reflection at sunset in the Grand Canal.” Peggy Guggenheim.
Gypsy, A Musical Fable
Reviews by Carol Canter and Lee Daley
(Review by Lee Daley) Coming out of the Alcazar Theater after the performance, the lyrics and musical score of GYPSY resonated repeatedly in my head. It was a heady performance. Drama, humor, anguish and victory all play their part in this roller-coaster ride through the metamorphosis of meek little Louise’s transformation into the legendary striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee. The musical score with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim brings the performances alive as the characters, especially Rose, embody the lyrics.
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
When I think of the perfect Maine getaway, Ogunquit immediately comes to mind. It’s all there, breathtaking Maine beauty, surf, sand, rocky coast line and a small artistic village. A destination worth flying to from anywhere in the US and an idyllic day trip from the Boston area, locals often refer to the village of Ogunquit and its beach as a beautiful place by the sea. For good reason. Living there, they appreciate how well the coastal salt air of the Atlantic gently cools the summer sunshine as it brings relief from inland heat waves.
Cuba: Updated Travel Advice from renowned Cuba author
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
Renowned Cuba travel expert and author, Christopher Baker, recently regaled a standing room only audience with numerous travel tips and Cuba updated travel advice at a book signing and slide show event in Marin County, California, hosted by Book Passage and the Bay Area Travel Writers. A great raconteur, Baker fielded questions for more than half an hour after his overview of travel to the island. The author’s travel tips to Cuba were peppered with insightful anecdotes and trivia garnered from his more than 100 trips to the island. These tips and more are contained is his best-selling Moon guidebooks. Since then, travel restrictions have been re-instituted but it is still possible to legally travel to Cuba.
In Kauai, a bumper crop of food trucks
Story and Photos by Lee Daley. The Hawaiian island of Kauai serves up cuisine that is both hot and cool. Hot as in haute and cool as in food trucks. Any stay on the Garden Isle offers a cornucopia of dining choices and so, on a recent visit, I went exploring for both haute and cool. My first priority was to find that special food truck, that secret find, where very fine island food could be had for a fair price As it turned out, I lucked into two that spoke of authenticity and distinct island flavor. For my culinary caper in paradise, I signed up for a food tour with a mom and pop outfit, Tasting Kauai, run by food writer Marta Lane and her photographer hubby, Daniel. The food loving duo host culinary tours throughout the island with an emphasis on local, natural and delicious. Here’s my take on the food truck, mom and pop eatery scene, on Kauai.
Black Mountain Valley, China’s Enchanted Oasis
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
On a recent trip to China, I visited Black Mountain Valley, a place of untamed raw beauty full of mystery, lush vegetation and silver hued waterfalls. The two-hour drive from Chongqing on a narrow two-lane road through greenery covered mountains delivered me from one world—of airports, highways and cruise ships–to another in the midst of nature’s unplanned majesty. It felt like an act of purification.
San Miguel de Allende at Hotel Matilda
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
For a soul soothing stay in San Miguel de Allende, Hotel Matilda, the “hotel different,” is an eye-opener. When you travel to a Mexican colonial city that has been designated a World Heritage Site, you might expect to stay in a well-preserved restored mansion turned hotel. And, in San Miguel, you would have your choice of some of Mexico’s finest examples of Baroque and Neoclassical architecture.The city’s historic center is filled with buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries, many lovingly restored.
Point Reyes San Francisco Escape
Story by Lee Daley.
Photos by John Williamson & Lee Daley.
We are blessed in the San Francisco Bay Area with the stunningly beautiful Point Reyes National Seashore, a mere hour drive from most locales. The atmospheric community of Point Reyes Station, described below, should be your first stop. It’s ground zero for everything you’ll need to make your getaway a true escape.
Gateway to China’s Three Gorges, Tong Jing Hot Springs Resort restores.
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
Chongqing in China is well known worldwide as the gateway to the Three Gorges, the jumping off point for a three-day cruise on the Yangtze River. Chongqing is also renowned as the nation’s hot spring capital where those in the know can recover from a lengthy flight with a day or two of immersion in the region’s healing waters. Arriving in the city, my husband and I headed to Tong Jing Hot Springs Resort for a soothing soak in the mineral-rich waters that are only part of the perks in this idyllic landscape. Set in a tranquil bamboo forest, surrounded by natural beauty and clean air, an hour away from the busy city, we soon felt one with nature. Bliss awaited.
Mexico’s Yucatan: Deep into Mayaland with Victory Cruise Line
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
Once accessible only by sea, Mexico’s Yucatán is a place steeped in history. Here, both Mayan traditions and modern life flourish peacefully in a setting of architectural and natural beauty. Some of the most wonderful ways to experience the true Yucatan are to stay at a traditional inn, spend time with a Mayan shaman, swim in a cenote, visit a hacienda, explore ancient ruins and dine on Mayan and Mexican cuisine in a candle lighted cave. My spouse and I have just returned from a eight day intensive exploration of the highlights of an upcoming land/sea voyage with Victory Cruise Lines, colloquially dubbed the “thinking person’s cruise choice.” Our Yucatán outreach safari stretched from the Caribbean coast in the east to the Gulf of Mexico in the west in this first of the cruise line’s five land and sea forays into Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.
Exploring South Africa’s Cape Winelands
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
You’ll find no better way to round out a trip to Cape Town than to ramble out to the Cape Winelands. Less than an hour’s drive away, the countryside offers a welcome counterpoint to Cape Town’s urban vibe. Three Cape Winelands villages- Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl–form the ideal triumvirate for exploration and tastings. Besides great weather and gorgeous mountains, there are spectacular examples of Cape Dutch architecture and fertile valleys ripe with scented orchards and vineyards. Each village is a world unto itself, offering a diverse network of well-marked, tree-lined wine trails. Most wine lovers know that cool weather combined with foggy conditions helps to cultivate enviable wines with character and fruitiness. South Africa’s Cape Winelands delivers this dynamic duo in spades thanks to maritime influences from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
Brac Island. Croatia: Sun, Sea and Stone
Story and Photos by Lee Daley. In Croatia, aboard the Katarina Line Futura: As we watched deckside, our small cruise ship anchored alongside the Dalmatian Coast shore of Brac Island and its Golden Horn Beach, known as one of Europe’s most beautiful. Holding just 38 passengers, the Futura’s compact size fits into ports large ships can’t handle. Our eager group of sunbathers easily disembarked and clambered aboard small boats for the short ride to the coast line’s golden sands. Once ashore, my companion and I decided to meander. Sunbathing could come later.
Story and photos by Lee Daley. For a soul soothing stay in San Miguel de Allende, Hotel Matilda, the “hotel different,” is an eye-opener. When you travel to a Mexican colonial city that has been designated a World Heritage Site, you might expect to stay in a well-preserved restored mansion turned hotel. And, in San Miguel, you would have your choice of some of Mexico’s finest examples of Baroque and Neoclassical architecture.The city’s historic center is filled with buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries, many lovingly restored.
Chardonnay & Croquet at Sonoma Cutrer Winery
Story by Lee Daley with Photos by John Sundsmo and Lee Daley
Sonoma County is known for its excellent Chardonnay wines and those produced at Sonoma Cutrer Winery are no exception. Tucked away on a lush hillside in Windsor, Sonoma Cutrer may be one of the few places in Sonoma where you can play croquet and indulge in a picnic on beautifully manicured tree-shaded grounds all in the same day
Dinner at Sea with Holland America Line
Story by Lee Daley with photos by Lee Daley and John Sundsmo. “Where are we eating next?” became the favorite game my husband and I played during our brief four-night cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Nassau aboard Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam. Breakfast, lunch and dinner at sea gave us ample opportunity to sample the offerings of the Holland America Line kitchen and the ambience of its restaurants. Our cruise included two outings on land; one on Half Moon Cay, a private island owned by Holland America and the other a stop in port at Nassau. Except for lunch in those two ports, we hopscotched from one on-board eatery to the next. And in almost a dozen meals at sea, we never met with disappointment.
Immersed in the Diverse Cultures of Vietnam
Story and Photos by Lee Daley.
While traveling from Hanoi to Saigon during the month of December, a time of warm and balmy weather, I felt completely immersed in the diverse cultures of Vietnam. On show everywhere, from art galleries to design centers, from colonial architecture to ancient wooden vessels plying the Mekong, from stunning cuisine, both Haute and humble, cultural diversity reigned.
Oaxaca: A collage of culture and cuisine
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
Oaxaca’s appeal is so fundamental it’s a wonder this southern state of Mexico and its mile-high capital, Oaxaca [pronounced wah-HA-ka] City, are not more traveled. Blessed with year-round temperate climate, nearby archeological ruins, distinctive cuisine and magnificent artisan handicrafts, the 16th century settlement nestles in a temperate highland valley and enjoys year-round abundant sunshine. Oaxaca’s zocalo, its central open-air plaza, radiates the warmth of its people. Amid a hubbub of surrounding bustle there is a friendly welcoming calm.
Casa Majani at Punta de Mita, Mexico
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
Approaching Punta de Mita on a bright fall day, the flawless sky a cerulean blue, I knew I was in for something special. The warm breeze felt like a caress; its clarity etched the curves of the Sierra Madre Mountains creating an epic backdrop to the famed Bay of Banderas and the valley below.
Mineral de Pozos: Rebirth of Mexican Ghost Town
Story and Photos by Lee Daley. While spending a week in San Miguel de Allende, a city in the Mexican highlands that I love, I heard stories of a nearby ghost town that has gained new footing as a haven for artists. My curiosity was piqued by local expats around town, mostly retired Americans now living in San Miguel, who told me that the former mining colony of Mineral de Pozos was being repopulated by a small number of Mexicans, Europeans and Americans drawn to the city’s austere beauty, reasonable housing prices and serene, small town atmosphere. I was intrigued.
Cyprus: Eco-tourism in the land of Aphrodite
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
Few places on Earth can hold a candle to Cyprus when it comes to mythic lore. It was here that the goddess of love, beauty and sexuality emerged from the sea in a surge of foam. Nature and eco-tourists traveling to the rugged Akamas Peninsula on the old road from Lemesos to Pafos are blessed with the sight of Aphrodite’s Rock rising out of the indigo waters of the Mediterranean, just off shore from the beach that curls around it.
Ghost Hunting in a Gothic Irish Castle
Story by Lee Daley
There’s a ghost in the house. At least that’s the rumor at Ireland’s Kinnitty Castle.
Although the 13th century medieval castle is now a luxury hotel, guests who spend the night often report sounds and sightings of ghosts, phantoms and banshees. Perhaps that’s because this Irish castle was built on land that was originally the home of Druids. Many believe the spirits of these ancient sorcerers remain here where they haunt their former home. If you’re adventurous enough to try ghost hunting, you may meet the castle’s most famous spirit, the Phantom Monk, who reputedly still cruises the castle’s creaky corridors and hidden staircases.
Kauai for Valentine’s Day and Beyond
Story by Lee Daley with Photos by John Sundsmo and Lee Daley
Escape to Kauai for Valentine’s Day, to an island where love reigns supreme. Caressed by warm tropical breezes, idyllic beaches, majestic canyons and cliffs and most of all, an incredibly warm Aloha spirit, Kauai embraces lovers like no other isle. One of my favorite Hawaiian myths tells us when Mother Nature swept over the Pacific Ocean in a burst of hormonal ecstasy more than 500 million years ago, she created that green pearl of love called Kauai and made it into a paradise for lovers. The island is small enough to explore over a long weekend while still leaving space for coveted cuddle time.
Hawaii: Seeing Oahu through a Photographer’s Eyes
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
If you’ve spent time on the island paradise of Oahu, you’ve most likely been to Waikiki and even Diamond Head. Beyond these classic beauties lies a world of hidden beaches, secret waterfalls and dramatic overlooks. Spending a day on Oahu with a local photographer familiar with little known native favorites affords the opportunity to capture dramatic scenes not typically seen by visitors.
Romantic Kauai, Hawaii’s garden isle
Story by Lee Daley with Photos by John Sundsmo and Lee Daley
Fiji Airways offers new non-stop flights from San Francisco to Fiji
Story by Lee Daley
San Francisco Airport (SFO) recently celebrated the inauguration of new non-stop twice weekly flights to Fiji aboard Fiji Airways A330-220 aircraft with full-service in both Economy and Business Class. Service for both classes is inclusive of checked baggage, in-flight entertainment, meals and alcoholic beverages. Voted Best Airline in the South Pacific by Global Traveler, Fiji Airways flights from San Francisco to Nadi, Fiji begin June 16th, 2016 and depart Sundays and Thursdays. The Fiji Airways seasonal service also offers travelers the opportunity to extend their journey by flying on to Australia and/or New Zealand after a sybaritic stay in Fiji.
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
In a classic “David and Goliath” epic event, the Fiji rugby team trounced Britain, its one-time colonial ruler. The stunning 43-7 rout gives Fiji the Gold Medal in the inaugural men’s rugby sevens Olympic competition. The victory is even more stunning when you consider the limited budget constraints under which this tiny island nation comported itself. If you compare the millions of dollars spent by rugby powerhouse nations like New Zealand, England, France and South Africa to Fiji’s shoestring budget and its small population of just 900,000, the victory is surely the stuff of legends.
Copenhagen: In “The Danish Girl’s” Footsteps
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
Imagine Peace: Yoko Ono’s “Wish Tree:” From Copenhagen to Iceland and beyond
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
If you should encounter a Wish Tree, this is Yoko Ono‘s suggestion: “Make a wish. Write it down on a piece of paper. Fold it and tie it around a branch of a Wish Tree. Ask your friends to do the same. Keep wishing until the branches are covered with wishes.”
Budapest’s Healing Mineral Baths mend mind, body and spirit
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
While there are many reasons to visit Hungary, including the fact that right now it is one of the best values in Europe, no visitor should leave the capital city of Budapest without indulging in an extended soak at one of its grand healing mineral bath houses.
How to Enjoy Free and Affordable Copenhagen
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
A true Epicurean knows when to save and when to splurge and it’s easy to do both in Copenhagen, one of Europe’s most elegant cities. By seeking out free and affordable opportunities without sacrificing quality you’ll be able to set aside your Danish krone for those indispensable splurges found only in Copenhagen. Based on a recent stay, here are my top suggestions for a boundary pushing visit that won’t break the budget.
Cuba: Expert Travel Advice from Renowned Cuba Author
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
Christopher Baker, renowned Cuba travel expert and author, regaled a standing room only audience with numerous travel tips and expert advice on travel to Cuba this past weekend at a book signing and slide show event in Marin County, California, hosted by Book Passage and the Bay Area Travel Writers. A great raconteur, Baker fielded questions for more than half an hour after his overview of travel to the island. The author’s travel tips to Cuba were peppered with insightful anecdotes and trivia garnered from his more than 100 trips to the island. These tips and more are contained is his best-selling Moon guidebooks.
Cuba Libre? Documentary on Cuba Travel History
Story by John Sundsmo with Photos by Lee Daley
In Cuba Libre? filmmaker Dick Jordan uses archival film footage and interviews with five travel journalists to re-introduce Cuba travel to American audiences. Presented at local venues in the San Francisco Bay Area, the film is also currently posted on You Tube and Vimeo. See links in the article.
Pacifica: the beaches are only the beginning
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
It’s early morning and I have spent the last 10 minutes admiring the light and shadows on a small brave bush somewhere alongside the road to Furnace Creek in Death Valley, a place my husband and I have come to de-stress and transition into the new year. This is a mystical place that has long inspired artists and awe. Driving through the valley’s lunar landscape, we find ourselves slowly banishing thoughts of schedules, appointments and deadlines. What seemed like an impending crisis back home now feels like a ridiculously insignificant issue in the grandness of this other-worldly moonscape. “Oh goody,” I say, as I send one more of these annoyances out into the universe.
Napa Valley’s Liana Estates Opens
Story by Lee Daley with Photos by John Sundsmo and Lee Daley
Napa Valley’s Carneros AVA adds another winery to its map with the opening of Liana Estates. The winery fulfils a long cherished dream of its founders, Lisa and Ariana Peju of the Peju Province Winery family. Liana Estates is an experience-focused winery providing visitors with immersive experiences that embrace each of the five senses. The focus will be on offering an ever-changing selection of high-quality wines and bubbly while connecting visitors to the breathtaking scenery of Napa Valley and San Pablo Bay. This fall, several immersive experiences will include wellness activities like yoga, culinary classes and chef-centric vineyard dinners paired with wine selections. While these experiences are growing in popularity in Wine Country, Liana is eager to offer guests unique all-inclusive experiences that both stimulate and soothe the senses.
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
Rangoon, Burma’s bustling metropolis is like a living museum where traditional teahouses, pagodas and temples sit side by side with grand edifices like the Strand Hotel built during the days of British colonialism. Among these treasures is the 2,500 year old Shwedagon Pagoda considered the most magnificent Buddhist shrine in all of Asia. During the Colonial Era, when Rudyard Kipling sailed up the Yangon River, he wrote of his sighting of the pagoda’s golden dome upon the horizon as his vessel neared the city. That glistening stupa still dominates today, both architecturally and symbolically.
In Burma: On the Road to Mandalay
Story and Photos by Lee Daley. In 2003, I traveled to Myanmar, formerly called Burma. We flew to the capital, Yangon, once called Rangoon, before journeying on to Mandalay where my traveling companion and I boarded the river boat, The Road to Mandalay.Thus began some of our most memorable days in the country. We talked with locals who often told us of their love for dissident Aung San Sui Kyi, whom they called “The Lady,” and of their desire to see Myanmar’s name restored back to Burma.
Rangoon Renaissance: Staying at The Strand
Story and Photos by Lee Daley. Burma is now on many world travelers’ “A” list. With the release of Nobel Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and her subsequent triumphant election campaign, tourism to the country is at an all-time high. Decades of international isolation have left the former British colony’s major city, Rangoon, with an enduring colonial charm that has pretty much disappeared elsewhere in Asia.
Photographing Antelope Canyon, Arizona, Part One
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
Arizona’s slot canyons have long held a fascination for me. Especially notable for their beauty are the Antelope Canyons, both Upper and lower, located near Page, Arizona on the land of the Navajo Nation.
Photographing Antelope Canyon, Arizona, Part Two
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
One of the important elements in any photography travel adventure, including slot canyons like Antelope Canyon in Arizona, is the preparation done at home before the trip.
Cape Town makes Forbes.com’s list of world’s most beautiful cities
Story and Photos by Lee Daley
The popular Forbes.com website named Cape Town one of the world’s most beautiful cities, ranking it favorably with Paris, London, Venice and Sydney Host city to the upcoming 2010 World Cup Soccer Games, Cape Town’s welcome mat is out. According to one of the website’s judges, Raymond Levitt of Stanford University, “Renowned English sea navigator, Sir Francis Drake, once referred to Cape Town as the fairest cape in the world. The city houses the Kirtenbosch Botanical Gardens, while the top of Table Mountain offers a breathtaking view of the city from roughly 3,500 feet above sea level.”
Zambia’s Mfuwe Lodge: Where Elephants Roam
Story by Lee Daley
The local elephants are so friendly at Zambia’s Mfuwe Lodge you may find one ambling through the front lobby on her way to a nearby grove of wild mango trees. A favorite of safari enthusiasts, Mfuwe owes its popularity to its magnificent location in South Luangwa National Park, a wildlife paradise. But its fame among many who visit comes from the informal visits of a local herd of elephants. It seems the mango grove has been a long-time favorite of the herd who see no reason to change their ways just because a lodge was built along their historical route. Camera snap. Jaws drop. Blessed by an elephant visitation, guests leave this first-class resort withan unforgettable memory. It should be added that elephants in the park are very used to human activity and this may contribute to their seemingly complete ease around guests.