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The Alpaca Visits Penguins in Hawaii!

Where else would you expect to see penguins than near the beach in Waikiki, right?! Alpaca took a pictures of some penguins, just chilling in the Hawaiian heat. Awesome.

The Alpaca Visits Hilton Hawaiian Village

Husband is off to hula-land for work. Here is the resort where he "has" to stay, poor thing. Thank goodness *someone* is still willing to take one for the team.

Babymoon in Hawaii!

The newest rage is the babymoon. Basically, it is a new name for an old concept -- the last trip you take before the baby arrives. Since the Alpaca has already been to so many places in the world, the only ones left are somewhat exotic. Not exotic in the traditional sense, mind you, but exotic in the sense that these places are generally off limits for the pregnant folks.

There are several reasons for this. First, if shots are required or suggested for a visit to a country, that place is off limits while pregnant. If the food would pose a challenge during pregnancy, it is less than advisable to visit while pregnant. If the flight is too far, doctors recommend you make the trip some other time. There are a lot of rules.

Aloha, Maui! Thank goodness you're always there, always safe and always beautiful.

Alpaca Makes a Beeline From Mormon Town to Sin City.

Having had enough of propriety, decency and religion, Alpaca decided to head to Las Vegas next. After settling in, the first thing on Alpaca’s list was to head to the famed and acclaimed L’Atelier Joel Robuchon (http://www.mgmgrand.com/dining/atelier-joel-robuchon-french-restaurant.aspx) in the MGM Grand (http://www.mgmgrand.com/) for dinner. It did not disappoint. We each had the set menu, and enjoyed a multi-course meal starting with a cucumber gelatin amuse bouche and some small baguettes made onsite (husband commented that he thought they were the best baguettes he’d ever tasted), followed by delicious Mediterranean vegetables layered with buffalo mozzarella, a crispy langoustine fritter with basil pesto, then a rib eye steak with truffled mashed potatoes that husband thought were amazing, a choice of their proprietary ice creams or tarts (we had one of each and shared – much to the delight of our mouths), and ending with a strawberry smoothie and a piece of Robuchon’s own proprietary chocolate. Simply divine, all of it. Despite the number of courses, the portions were quite small and husband was very concerned that he would leave a very expensive dinner still hungry. Still, even he agreed that even if he left hungry, he would still have had a magnificent dining experience.

Scenic Viewpoints of Kolob Canyons of Zion National Park.

Kolob Canyons (http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/zion/kolob_canyons.html) of Zion National Park (http://www.nps.gov/archive/zion/home.htm) constitutes the northernmost portion of Zion. The rock formations that constitute the canyon make for some very pretty vistas.

Mormon Town: Salt Lake City.

Anyone who knows the Alpaca knows that he loves his Mormons. He was, therefore, particularly excited to go to Salt Lake City and visit the famed Temple Square (http://www.visittemplesquare.com/), where you can find, among other things, the ornate Mormon Temple (http://www.utah.com/mormon/salt_lake_temple.htm), massive Mormon headquarters (http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1866-1-1-1,00.html), the Museum of Mormonism where Mormons can check their family history and map out their lineage (http://www.familysearch.org/), the Mormon Tabernacle (home of the famous Tabernacle Choir, http://www.utah.com/mormon/tabernacle.htm).

Jackson Hole: Also Lovely During Summer!

In desperate need of gas after driving through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, we were thrilled to reach Jackson Hole (http://www.jacksonhole.com/) several miles outside of Grand Teton National Park. The locations of the ski runs were plainly visible even during summer and without an inch of snow – and the little village at the bottom of the hill that is Jackson Hole was just adorable. We also enjoyed ogling the monstrous cabins on the outskirts of Jackson Hole.

Alpaca Teems at the Towering Tetons.

The famed Grand Tetons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Teton) to the south of Yellowstone feature beautiful vistas, reflections off the lake and hints of glaciers which were once much larger. As we drove through the one-lane highway, we managed to snap a number of pictures, one more beautiful than the last.

Yellowstone, Part VI: Lake Country

Finally, we enjoyed a very scenic drive through Lake Country (http://www.utahtravelcenter.com/nationalparks/yellowstone/lakecountry.htm), and particularly enjoyed the drive along a very large Yellowstone Lake (http://people.uwec.edu/ERICKSKM/yellowstone.html), and eventually, exit out of Yellowstone and into the adjacent Grand Teton National Park.

Yellowstone, Part V: Roosevelt Country

After lunch, we drove through Roosevelt Country (http://www.americanparknetwork.com/parkinfo/ye/sights/index.html), named for the former President and known for its vast wildlife. It certainly did not disappoint. We saw deer, elk, buffalo and even a bear!

Yellowstone, Part IV: Mammoth Country

Heading north from the Lower and Upper Geyser Basin (http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/tours/oldfaithful/index.htm), we drove through the section of Yellowstone called Mammoth Country (http://russell.visitmt.com/categories/moreinfo.asp?IDRRecordID=9645&siteid=10). Mammoth Springs was also spectacular, although it was much more impressive on the postcard depicting it. We stopped for lunch at the Mammoth Dining Room (http://www.travelyellowstone.com/mammoth-hotel-dining-room-terrace-grill-175.html), where we enjoyed some delicious (albeit overpriced) sandwiches and salads.

Yellowstone, Part III: Lower Geyser Basin

We next headed to the Lower Geyser Basin (http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/lowergeyser.htm), which was quite a sight to see – the color of the water was amazing, and you could really feel the heat emanating from the water at the larger spring.

Yellowstone, Part II: Old Faithful

First, we visited Old Faithful Geyser (http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/oldfaithfulcam.htm), since it was less than 30 feet from our cabin. As luck would have it, it went off less than two minutes after we walked over for breakfast. We managed to get in plenty of pictures before the camera battery died (oops, forgot to recharge it), then we rushed back to the room to leave the camera on the charger in preparation for the pictures we intended to take the remainder of the day.

Jimminy Cricket, Yellowstone Is the Most Amazing Place on Earth!

Seriously, Yellowstone is gorgeous (http://www.nps.gov/yell/). Probably among the top five most beautiful place I have visited. And I’ve been all over Europe and the Caribbean, through the South Pacific and to Central and South America, so that’s really saying something. Thank goodness Teddy Roosevelt set aside this parcel of land for a national park so we could all enjoy it (http://www.yellowstone-natl-park.com/arch.htm).

Yellowstone is divided into “countries” with are so divided based on their shared characteristics (http://home.nps.gov/applications/hafe/hfc/carto-detail.cfm?Alpha=YELL#). We stayed in a cabin in Geyser Country (see below), so we started there.

We Stayed in a Cabin Without a Bathroom!

For someone who’s idea of camping is staying at a Holiday Inn, I was feeling both optimistic and adventurous. But alas, we booked a little too late and the only cabins in Yellowstone that were available for the very popular 4th of July weekend were two cabins without bathrooms (http://www.travelyellowstone.com/old-faithful-lodge-cabins-97.html). The cabins did have sinks, so at least we didn’t have to leave to brush our teeth. That said, next time I would book on the day the cabins become available so I can be assured a private bathroom.

Oh Beautiful For Spacious Skies, Indeed!

Lovely drive.

And driving through Wyoming at sunset is a sight I won’t soon forget.

Alpaca Takes a Heavenly Drive to Devil’s Tower.

Driving toward Yellowstone National Park, Alpaca opted for a frolic and detour to see Devil’s Tower (http://www.nps.gov/deto/), a big rock protruding out of the otherwise flat (or at best, rolling) landscape. What a sight! For miles and miles and miles, the landscape is fairly consistent… then, seemingly out of nowhere, the protrusion rumored by Native Americans who once lived in the area (before we beat them up and stole their country) to be the result of a giant bear clawing at a rock, appears.

Alpaca Finds Waterfalls in Middle America!

After a disappointing stop in Deadwood, Alpaca felt an urge to redeem himself with a scenic drive (backtracking part of the way) to two falls commonly referred to jointly as “Spearfish Falls,” Roughlock Falls (http://blackhillsphoto.com/roughlock-falls/) and Bridal Veil Falls. Lovely! Alpaca was duly impressed, having seen American waterfalls only in Hawaii and Niagara Falls.

Alpaca Takes a Gamble on Deadwood.

On the way back to the highway from Crazy Horse, Alpaca opted to stop for lunch in former Wild West town, now gambling stop, Deadwood (http://www.deadwood.org/). After failing in his attempt to find a piece of jewelry from the famous Black Hills to take back home with him, Alpaca stopped in an old fashioned saloon (which he later learned was a former house of ill repute). Lunch was mediocre at best, and Deadwood was somewhat forgettable.

Crazy Horse? Crazy Lame.

Seriously. Get it done already. After nearly 60 years, it’s still just a head and a part of a horse (http://www.crazyhorse.org/).

Alpaca Finds Mount Rushmore Monumentally Impressive!

Alpaca had yet to visit a single national park, so Mount Rushmore (http://www.nps.gov/moru/), the most famous of all, seemed to be an appropriate first. Driving to Rushmore was most of the thrill, as we would see the famous heads poking out from the mountainside through the winding roads of Highway 16. It did not disappoint.

Alpaca Is At Home in Bear Country USA!

After a long drive from Atkinson, Alpaca excitedly drove Highway 16 from Rapid City to Mount Rushmore. En route to Rushmore, we stumbled upon Bear Country USA (http://www.bearcountryusa.com/). Not one to pass up an opportunity to visit bears, Alpaca excitedly hurried in. Alpaca was first forced to suffer through other animals, some of which were shedding (including the deer that stood in the middle of the street, preventing cars from crossing, with a huge chunk of fur missing). But the bears were worth the wait – some were playing in the water, others were lounging in the shade. One bear was sleeping on his back, legs propped up against a tree. Another was sleeping on his tummy, with the bottoms of his little feet facing up (bear foot pads are hilarious, http://www.alaskasbest.com/4images/data/media/7/PolarBearB012Paw.jpg). We saw another bear rolling in the grass and scratching his back on a nearby tree (just like Yogi, http://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com/cartoon/images/Hanna/yogi-takesvacation.JPG). At the end, we even saw a bunch of bear cubs – cute as heck. Bear Country USA was definitely worth the stop!

Alpaca the City Slicker, Part II

The Dickau Ranch is beautiful – rolling hills, valleys, tall grass and roaming cows – and incredibly peaceful. Sunset was particularly spectacular. Uncle Edwin was nice enough to show us how hay is “baled” with these huge machines. Neat process!

Alpaca the City Slicker

While in Atkinson, Nebraska, we took a side trip with husband’s cousins to “The Ranch.” I somehow got suckered into trampling through cow poop to bottle-feed a calf. Husband’s cousins mocked my flip flops (but hey, what do you want – I’m from California). Back to the calves, those suckers mean business when they’re sucking away on bottles – it darn near wrestled the bottle away from me. Calf number 444 took a fancy to us and would periodically approach, until he decided we weren’t that interesting after all and go back to his friends.

We had a great time driving all over The Ranch in search for the buffalo brought by a new, wealthy neighbor from Pennsylvania. Apparently the buffalo wreak all kinds of havoc on their property as well as adjoining properties. We didn’t end up seeing the buffalo, but we did see wild horses, lots of wildflowers and a kid panning for gold in a lake.

The Alpaca Goes Inner-Tubing at Xel-Ha

Xel-Ha (pronounced Shell-Ha) is touted as a "natural aquarium" and one of the most important ecological sites in Mexico (http://www.xel-ha.com/). Really, it's a lovely little river that you probably shouldn't get in if you are adverse to getting out of the water and feeling... slimy.

Of course, we didn't know this at the time. We walked for what seemed like an eternity to get to the mouth of the river, where we were able to use inner-tubes made for two to float (so they said, although truth be told we had to paddle and kick to get down the river), passing cliffs, mangroves and rocks along the way.

It was fun once, but I wouldn't go back. And I certainly wouldn't try to snorkel in that disgusting water.

Tulum: The Mayan Temple by the Ocean

If I were Mayan, I'm almost positive that I'd prefer to live in Tulum (http://tulum.com/ArticleSite.cfm/PageID/66952533) than the dusty, dry, sweltering inland hell that is Chichen-Itza. If you get overheated, it's just a few hundred feet to the ocean. Nice way to cool off. Plus, who could beat that view?!

What's That? Itza Chichen-Itza!

Ever since the Nike commercials of the 1980s featuring the athlete who ran up the stairs of the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Traveling Alpaca wanted to visit Chichen-Itza (http://www.internet-at-work.com/hos_mcgrane/chichen/chichen_index.html). Sadly, the stairs have been closed to the public since 2001 due to the enormous wear, but the grounds surrounding the former Mayan temple are still open to the public.

Alpaca Falls in Love with the J.W. Marriott Cancun Resort

During the day:

And at night:

...so who could blame him. It's just beautiful. This was the view from our balcony.

For reservations: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cunjw-jw-marriott-cancun-resort-and-spa/.

Alpaca Loves California Sunsets

Alpaca loves the view of Santa Monica from my office.

Aloha, Oahu! (Waikiki from the Plane)

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Alpaca's Hawaiian Favorites: Daylight and Diamond Head

Diamond Head (http://www.hawaiiweb.com/html/diamond_head.html) and world-famous Waikiki beach, from the Outrigger Reef on the Beach (http://outrigger.com/hotels_detail.aspx?hotel=2).

Turtle Alert!

Not too small, not too big - just right. And slow enough for the Alpaca to keep up while treading water and trying to focus the camera.

Alpaca Snorkels at Kahaluu

And boy did he get a snorkel-mask full!

Waterfalls, Get Your Waterfalls Here

Waterfalls must be a dime a dozen on the Big Island. Alpaca pointed this out on the side of the road.

Traveling Alpaca Falls - Twice in One Place

While on the beautiful island of Hawaii, Alpaca headed to the twin falls of Akaka and Kahuna (http://www.hawaiiweb.com/Hawaii/html/sites/akaka_falls_state_park.html). Independent of the falls themselves, the walk to the falls was breathtaking, lined with lush flora and fauna, natural ponds and smaller waterfalls.

That said, the falls were also lovely. The smaller Kahuna Fall was first, followed by the much taller Akaka a 10-minute walk later. Pictured here is Akaka Falls, a 442 ft. tall waterfall. Local folklore describes a stone located here called Pohaku a Pele that, when struck by a branch of lehua apane (a tree with red blossoms), will call the sky to darken and rain to fall. It's a nicer story than the scientific explanation that water caused a rift in the rock, resulting in a waterfall. Boooooring.

Enjoying Paradise at Paradise Cove Beach Cafe

My very dear friend Grace flew from DC to LA to celebrate her birthday with me and the Alpaca! So naturally, this called for a special celebration.

Alpaca promptly made reservations at Paradise Cove Beach Cafe in Malibu (http://www.paradisecovemalibu.com/beachcafe/), a beautiful little cafe on a private beach in Malibu. The food was delicious, the company was superb and view... oh, the view. We sat in a very comfortable booth near the window, and this was our view. It's hard to complain. We sat outside on those very chairs to enjoy the ocean sights and sounds for more than an hour afterward. It was very relaxing. We were so relaxed, in fact, that we even blew off appointments we had for massage. Who needs a massage when you have Paradise Cove?!

Just another beautiful day in Paradise.

Alpaca Coasts Along the Na Pali Coast

The jagged hilltops, the steep cliffs, the crystal blue water and the sporadic, rock-engulfed, white-sand beaches - what an island. Kauai's inaccessible side (except by water or air) is truly a sight for sore eyes.

Waimea: The Grand Canyon of the Pacific

Hawaiians call Waimea Canyon "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific" (http://kauai.aloha-hawaii.com/tours/waimea+canyon/). Lazy Alpaca hasn't been to the Grand Canyon yet so he has no basis for comparison, but he did enjoy renting a bright yellow Jeep and four-wheeling it to and around the red clay formations that line Waimea Canyon.

The jagged edges and peaks of the canyon were particularly impressive, and the areas in which you can see the different layers of the naturally-shaped canyon are impressive indeed.

Alpaca Makes a Splash at Kilauea Point

Traveling Alpaca, ever the naturalist, insisted on visiting Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, a 200-acre habitat for Hawaii's ocean birds (http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/wnwr/kkilaueanwr.html). Thankfully, the birds spared Alpaca's head of flying poop.

Traveling Alpaca Goes in Search of Puff the Magic Dragon

Ah, Hanalei, land of that rascal Puff (http://www.travelnotes.de/hawaii/kauai/movies.htm). Sadly, Puff was hiding from Alpaca. But in the meantime, the Traveling Alpaca did enjoy the lush landscape and soft sand beaches of Puff's homeland.

Alpaca is in the Mood to Hula!

Alpaca spent the holidays cruising through the warm waters of Hawaii on NCL's Pride of Aloha (for cruise information, schedules and itineraries, see www.ncl.com), visiting each of the Hawaiian islands. While Alpaca had a delightful time at shore in Hawaii, he was not impressed by NCL or by Pride of Aloha. In the Alpaca's mind, the ship has nothing to be proud of.

Unlike other ships, the Pride of Aloha is staffed entirely by Americans. While it is nice that everyone speaks the same language, it was abundantly clear that nobody had prior cruise ship experience. As a consequence, service was slow and usually deficient, with mediocre dinners taking 2-3 hours, much of the time spent waiting - and waiting - and waiting for service, problems were not immediately or satisfactorily resolved and, frankly, nobody seemed like they were working very hard at all. The ship experienced some serious plumbing issues, which resulted in the Alpaca's exceptionally small stateroom smelling like sewage for four of the seven days of the cruise. The Alpaca actually wanted to vomit at the smell. The crew did little to correct the plumbing problems or the stench in our stateroom. The stateroom itself was unusually small, even for a cruise ship cabin, and the condition was not impressive. Things had obviously been done in the cheapest manner possible. The stateroom did not even have real soap - just the crap dispensed in public restrooms across the country. The beds were hard - we joked that if there were enough room on the ground, we would have been more comfortable there. The pillows were like bricks, and the two coupled together ensured that we would need daily massages. The stateroom attendant was equally deficient, as we failed to receive our Latitudes brochures, turndown service was not done on a regular basis, we often did not have a daily schedule, our belongings were routinely moved and examined and three items that were in a sealed clear bag (with other items) went missing from our stateroom. To NCL's credit, security took a report and stated that they would reimburse us for the missing items, but it was nonetheless disconcerting to have an experience like this.

Pride of Aloha did very little right. Alpaca recommends Hawaii, but does not recommend this cruise.

College Street, Spiffed Up

It's trying to impress the Alpaca. It doesn't need to try that hard. It's pretty cute.

Bright Lights, Big Tree!

It's that time of year again - time for everyone to gather on the New Haven Green for the lighting of the big, beautiful tree! Alpaca was very impressed.

Holiday Lanterns on the New Haven Green!

Let the tidings begin.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!

Traveling Alpaca told us we're dorks. We stood in line for 3 hours (much better than camping out, but still pretty dorky) to get a Nintendo Wii (http://wii.nintendo.com/). Actually, he said we're Wii-tarded. Wii can't disagree.

Pookie was so excited about our Wii that she came over to play. She went home with a Wiinjury.

The Trojans Defeat the Huskies

Having missed the season opener, we had to settle for attending the Washington game as the first game of the home season. Lucky for us, it ended up being a good game and we enjoyed rooting for the very young (but very eager!) Trojan team.

Ketchikan Can!

The residents of Ketchikan (http://www.visit-ketchikan.com/) call it Alaska's "First City" - not because it was the first to be settled, but because it's often the first stop cruise ships make heading northbound to Alaska. It is also very proud of its heritage as the salmon capitol of the world. Fishing is big business here. Even the bears do it.

Juneau Icefields and Mendenhall Glacier

This is what Mendenhall Glacier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendenhall_Glacier) looks like during the summer. It's a vast sea of ice that appears to be flowing from the Mendenhall Valley into the water. To the right, just out of the frame of this picture, there is also a waterfall. So pretty.

So cold. I thought my nose was going to freeze and fall off. Brrr.

I Know Juneau...

Juneau is the only state capital that is only accessible by water (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneau,_Alaska). Its 65 miles of road lead to water, ice and wilderness. Neat little factoid.

Sunset for Skagway

Leaving Skagway, I just had to take this picture. This sunset was the embodiment of peaceful.

Small, Small Skagway

Skagway is small, really small (http://www.skagway.com/), with a population of approximately 800. This is Broadway, the main street. You can see all of the buildings from here. Despite its tiny size, though, it hosts more than 700,000 visitors per year (mostly on cruise ships), and one shopkeeper told another couple on the cruise with us that, last year, the jewelry stores alone took in $30 million, and the shops in the town combined took in $96 million during the five-month tourist season. ::gasp!::