A few days ago, I was penning my thoughts down about traveling by just staying where you are – through books, documentaries, and stories. But yesterday I stumbled on Pico Iyer’s (a renowned travel writer) TED talk. He shared that he is able to get the most out of his day by sitting and just sitting. In today’s society where books titled “50 Things To Do While You Poop” gets published in major bookstores, this is quite a revelation.
As travelers and sensation seekers, sometimes, we get addicted to riding the high waves of seeing new sights, and doing new things, that we forget about ourselves. We forget that one of the most exciting places in the world is our mind. A mind which is able to start new ideas and create something out of nothing.
As humans, sometimes, we get addicted to fulfilling our desires that we forget we exist as a person. One who can be separated from the world if one chooses. We forget that we can step out of our lives for a while and examine what this is all about. We forget that we can be our own company and that we have control (to a certain degree) over what we choose to do.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us is tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Perhaps it is because we are afraid of what we can do that we choose not to acknowledge the power we have. Or perhaps we have always been shielded by this fact and never realized it. Emerson suggests that we can learn some parts of it by looking back to how far we have come and looking forward to the incredible journey we have coming. That same person who have conquered challenges so great and so painful, relished in beauty so amazing and breathtaking, shared love so life-changing, is the same person we are with right now.
“What’s so special about the sunrise or sunset moments?” I asked while watching the hoards of tourists who promptly find their perfect spot to observe the sun setting on the Pacific Coast, as if commanded to do so by a higher authority.
“Well, I guess when we are able to watch the sunrise or sunset, it is a time when we can pause to do so. A time that we can pause to appreciate and wonder in the world we inhabit. That is probably what makes it special.” My travel buddy responded.
It is true.
Greetings from the end of day!
While traveling, I often stare down the sightseers making a beeline for the perfect sunset/sunrise points. Mostly because I am a travel snob. Also because I feel that every moment in the day is worth cherishing; however, it is the sunrise or sunsets of our lives that gets the most credit – the starting of a new chapter or the closing of one. Those are the only moments we pause to celebrate.
Nobody cares about the boring stuff that makes up the middle portion. People cheer for you at the beginning of a marathon; and then go get a coffee; and get back to meet you right before the finish line. But it is the middle part which is the toughest. It is the 2 o’clock in the afternoon hours; the third year dating the same person; the fifth year in the same position but still no promotion in line. Those are the hard moments which make you wonder if you are going to see the end?
The soft tones of the sunset along the Pacific Coast. Evoking beautiful memories of the journey and feelings of gratitude towards a good day spent.
Day 16. We are cruising along the Pacific Coast Highway. Heading north from San Luis Obispo – the happiest city in America. Tonight, we are stopping at Santa Cruz, California.
It was her birthday and (as a hopeless romantic) I wanted to surprise her by taking her to a popular Swiss restaurant at Carmel. Great Swiss places are hard to find, so it was my absolute delight to have stumbled upon the find on Yelp. As we watched the sun set beyond the horizons of the Pacific Coast, we snap an endless amount of photos on our iPhones. Hoping to immortalize a beautiful moment.
Approximately 10 minutes after the sun disappeared, we had enough and continued on our journey. And so thought the hundred other drivers, parked along the Pacific Highway like ourselves. Hence, we progressed at the speed of 20 miles per hour for the next 50 minutes as there are traffic lights up front turning off to Carmel. Hence, if you are planning to enjoy the sunset along the Pacific Coast, plan to leave a little before everyone else does or schedule in extra commute time.
The restaurant we were heading towards is called Lugano Swiss Bistro.
Lugano is a city in southern Switzerland, located in the Italian-speaking region. Switzerland is divided into three language regions – Swiss-German, French and Italian. It amazes me that these three groups of people got together and decided to live under the same social contract. Because, common language is usually what brings people together. Language provides the building bricks for understanding and connections between two separate entities. In order to assist with the assimilation of ethnic minorities in Indonesia, the government mandated the use of bahasa by all citizens.
A small portion of the many ornaments hung around the restaurant. According to my friend, these are cow bells. Apparently, there are lots of cows in Switzerland.
Entering the restaurant gave you a feeling that you are entering into a small family-owned cabin tucked away at the Swiss alps. Decorated with all sorts of ornaments collected from Switzerland, you can’t help but look around in equal parts of wonder and curiosity, as if walking into a friend’s apartment for the first time. People were sitting at tables covered with red and white checkered tablecloths, holding bottles of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and wine glasses. The place is perfect for a celebration.
We ordered the regular cheese fondue, served with bread, vegetables and fruits. According to my Swiss mate, this is how it is usually done – just cheese and bread. The addition of vegetables (lightly steamed broccoli and cauliflower) and apples was probably to help people feel less guilty for finishing up a huge pot of cheese. And gosh, a delicious pot of cheese it was!
The restaurant manager came by the table to chat when we were done with our entree. He is originally from Peru and have grown up in New York. However, moved to the west coast because his spouse wanted to raise their children here. “The west coast is very different from New York.” He stated without a doubt. I nodded in agreement.
To complete our fondue adventures, we round up our meal with a chocolate fondue, served with lady fingers, strawberries, bananas and pineapples. It was scrumptious.
The meal for two came up to $70 with tips included. For fondue, it was not pricey. We spent over two hours in the lovely bistro. For me, it was akin to an afternoon spent in a small family-owned restaurant in the Alps. (Could almost hear the yodeling in the background)
The Cappuccino. It was decent. But the mocha that was ordered after this cuppa, was true perfection.
After a night in Santa Cruz’s Coastview Inn, we found caffeine delights in downtown Santa Cruz at Verve Coffee Roasters. My travels across the United States have brought me to many coffee places. There are a few which are etched in my memory. This is one of them. The mocha was one of the best I have ever had. Smooth, not overly sweet, ending with a hint of roasted beans. It was perfect. To make an amazing drink even better, we split the almond croissant. It was filled with luscious almond creme and layered with sliced almonds on the top.
Perfection.
Ever wonder why people really enjoy taking pictures of their coffees? I think it also has to do with the pause to wonder, admire and appreciate. The coffee punctuates our day when we get tired or frustrated. It yields us to stop and acknowledge how far we have traveled. And gently kicks us back into gear, letting us know that what lies ahead is possible.
“You were going over 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. I’m afraid that it is a criminal offense. You are going to have to call this court number.”
(in my head) A criminal?
And so Day 7 begins at 6:45am over our three weeks long road trip. Honestly, I had thought that we were entering the freeway since it was a long, straight road connecting Page, Arizona to the South rim of the Grand Canyon. Hence, I was going 65 miles per hour. Typically, 65 miles per hour is the posted minimum speed limit on freeways. Unfortunately, functioning on my assumptions have gotten me into bad situations, and this is one of them.
Driving through a car-less road before sunrise is one of the most beautiful experience one can capture on a road trip.
As I set the citation aside and continue along my way, I set my sights on the beautiful rock formations along the Coppermine Road. Dawn was breaking and the sunrise had gorgeously highlighted these masses of clay formations.
In my head, I am secretly calculating if we will make it in time to the Grand Canyon Airport where I had reserved a helicopter tour for the special someone sitting in the passenger seat, completely unaware of where we are heading to. Unfortunately, she is also infuriated, unable to make sense of the need to get to the Grand Canyon before the break of dawn. And, receiving a speed ticket / criminal offense citation in the process.
We had only started seeing each other for a few months now and agreed to participate in this three weeks long road trip together because we had time and wanted to see beautiful things. I was anxious at the prospect of us struggling to breathe with unending commute totaling over 2,000 miles in the Southwest region of the United States. But, she perceived travel to be the ultimate test of a relationship.
Admittedly, things were rocky. We both grew up in completely different environments and family backgrounds. I grew up in a upper middle class family in the suburb of a big city in Asia; and she grew up in a working class family in a smaller city in Europe. Meeting in our mid-twenties, we have developed (somewhat) firm opinions on how the world works and how we ought to navigate it.
She love flying. And would have her face glued to the airplane window during travels. As our travels coincided with her birthday, I thought that the GREATEST gift for her would be a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. 1. She will get the best first view of this magnificent world wonder; 2. She will soar over it for over 40 minutes and be enthralled by this natural beauty.
Unfortunately, we still have approximately two hours of commute between Page, Arizona and the Grand Canyon Airport since I received my criminal citation. Hence, I have a fuming traveling partner and little knowledge of how to calm her down.
But, when she knew, and saw this –
Contrasted with the blue skies, you can observe distinct layers in the canyon formation. Beautiful carved out by the Colorado River.It is amazing to see how we could drive on the plateau and look out into this gorgeous view that was gradually form by natural elements.This was considered to be the widest and deepest part of the canyon – the Dragon Corridor. On the right, the elongated shape of the canyon seem to look like a resting dragon – hence, the name.
All was forgiven.
The tour came with a great narration detailing the wonders of the canyon, how it was discovered and simple (non-scientific) descriptions of the canyon layers. The first view of the canyon was also paired with dramatic (and a little cheesy) classical music. The pilot was friendly and patience with the small children with us who had so many questions about the canyons. We flew over the Kaibab National Forest, across the South rim towards the North rim of the canyon. The tour was approximately 35 minutes and everything went like clockwork; from the check-in to the gate to getting unbuckled from our safety seats from the staff.
The helicopter tour was reserved with Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters. The tour cost $269 per adult, with the addition of $50 per person for the granted request of having the front seats in the chopper. The total for the tour came down to $638. (Not including fees for my Defensive Driving Lessons – but that’s a story for another day)
To top off a birthday celebration, I took her to El Tovar Hotel for lunch. The lunch menu was surprisingly affordable when compared with the prices of dinner entrees. A soup, two entrees and a delicious dessert (it was a taco shell made out of white chocolate with taco fillings of smooth chocolate mousse), came down to $40 with tips included. We arrived early by noon to avoid the lunch crowd and got seated in the back room with the large panoramic windows.
Was it worth it?
This was my fourth visit at the Grand Canyon National Park. I have drove through it with friends, drove through it with family, hiked down the Bright Angel Trail to Indian Gardens and hiked through the Rim Trail. Quite honestly, I would not be paying over $300 for a ticket to fly over the canyon if it was not for her birthday gift. While traveling, I am a doer and need to get down and dirty to appreciate something. My best experience with the Grand Canyon, frankly, was when a travel buddy and I were completely exhausted climbing back up the canyon in 90 degrees weather. Hiking the trail was free and afforded us with embarrassing stories to last a lifetime (i.e. my hiking buddy was so exhausted she sat next to piles of mule droppings and did not give a $^@$@ what anyone thought of her).
But, for this special someone, her smile while we flew over the canyon was priceless. She came off the chopper saying “This is one of the best experiences in my life!”
Traveling with Socrates 