This was my second appearance on “Around The World” on ABC Overnights, broadcast on May 24. I chat to Rod Quinn about Portland breweries, train travel and Canadian football.
Category Archives: Travel
Some snaps from Vancouver
View from the Seabus
Vancouver is the loveliest of cities. Framed by the mountains and the sea; diverse, energetic and friendly even in the seedier streets. As usual I decided to explore a bit on a bike and I rode around the Stanley Park peninsula, beginning and ending at English Bay.
Then in the afternoon I crossed over to the south side and saw a bit of Kitsilano.
Totem poles tell a story if read from the bottom up.
Aside from gazing into the distance, there are plenty of nice things to do, like eating magnificent sushi.
When you’re not being a glutton, though, you can visit some national parks, Lynn Canyon being one example.
It’s in the north-west and easily reachable with public transport.
Here are some cute photos from the Vancouver Aquarium, for good measure.
Go By Train: The Amtrak Cascades
My second train ride of my trip was one that I nearly missed. By “nearly” I mean that Amtrak staff had locked up the train and were ready to go, and I practically had to beg to be allowed on.
The Cascades goes from Seattle to Vancouver, so it brought me into Canada. It must have been a newer train than the Coast Starlight because the seats were even more comfortable and the wifi was functional. It was only a four-hour trip – my next one will be 30. More to write about then perhaps.
One I had calmed down I was able to enjoy the view.
And then I was in Canada.
The Emerald City
That’s what “they” call it.
After a rainy hiccup in Portland, my run of sunny days picked up again in Seattle. 
These are photos that I took from the ferry to Bainbridge. The sky was so blue and clear that I could see the mountain ranges clearly, and even get a surreal glimpse of Mount Rainier.
It was really stunning, and shortly after I came back to shore I was able to see a pink sunset over the horizon – unfortunately my camera had died at that point. Considering I had expected nothing but drizzle, I felt very blessed.
While less colourful and diverse than California, the Pacific Northwest definitely has its charms. Seattle was a real delight. Bike-friendly, an important business centre (a lot of suits), a beautiful waterfront and plenty of cultural history to explore.
The EMP Museum was one of the more quirky museums I have been to. Instead of having a whole lot of objects on display, it seemed to have mastered the art of the “experience”. What was on display, though, were a lot of smashed guitars, mostly from Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain.
remnants of guitar smashed by Jimi Hendrix, a Seattle native
There were many guitars that were not smashed, too.
Somebody recreated tall buildings of the world with Lego, and they were on display too.
Along the waterfront is the Olympic Sculpture Park.
Jaume Plensa’s ‘Echo’, just getting installed
Because the weather stayed fine, and because I could, I went on a bike tour organised by my hostel.
from Green Tortoise Hostel’s facebook page
We rode around the coastline to the little haven of Alki Beach, where there were more blue skies and more views of the mountains.
And so I learned to love the Pacific Northwest.
Six days in Portlandia
For much of my stay in Portland, Oregon, the city looked like this.
View from the aerial tram station
And I felt like this.
This was supposed to be super awesome but instead I was freezing and miserable and the only thing to do was to drink about it (in one of the squillions of breweries or McMenamins bars).
But when the sun was out, Portland was lush and lovely.
Every residential street looks like this
View from Mt Tabor
Reservoir at Mt Tabor
Trees and sunshine at Mt Tabor
I took this on a bike ride through the city
In a way, it was exactly what I expected. All the young people were good-looking and inked and had matching glasses to me. They were all eating organic food and drinking craft beers. And they can all go to food trucks.
But I just couldn’t love it. I spent a lot of time wishing I was back in sparkling California, and since I had planned a whole week to relax and gather my thoughts, I had a lot of time to dwell on it. But as much as we all rave about travel, some places are just cities that people live in and visit. Not every stop along the way has to change your life.
Some more things about Portland:
– people are calm and have a good sense of humour – it’s “where young people go to retire”
– the beers are strong and tasty
– there is usually an early AND late Happy Hour at bars (and this includes food)
– unsurprisingly, drinking beer is a top activity – apparently it’s a brewing capital of the world
– there is a strong commitment to sustainability: my hostel was largely made of recycled materials; it’s a bike-friendly city; if you can’t finish your food at a restaurant they will automatically give you a box to take it home in
– Uber/Lyft/Sidecar – none of these things exist in Portland!
– they are proud of the TV show Portlandia and you can go to organised screenings in pubs around the place
Go By Train: The Amtrak Coast Starlight
Portland Union Station
I’m a lifelong fan of train travel. I love most things about it – the steady pace (ideal for relaxing and sleeping), passing through small towns that a freeway driver would miss, and looking out the windows for hours on end. I was especially excited to take the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Oakland all the way up to Portland.
The Amtrak stations, the visual merchandise (see these posters) and even the slogan “Go By Train” all have an old-worldy feel to them, as if travelling by train in America is a way to reconnect with some kind of Golden Age. I like the idea that long-distance train travel is genteel and kind of a novelty in an age of cheap flights.
The trip took 20 hours. It was meant to take 18 but I had heard rumours of the “Starlate” being delayed so I wasn’t too surprised. We hit a tree, apparently (“tree strike”) and some drunk and rowdy passengers also had to be removed from the train.
It did seem like there were a few intoxicated and shady characters riding with us but for the most part all my fellow passengers were very pleasant. I had breakfast and lunch in the dining car and had some great conversations with a Canadian couple, an elderly lady from Argentina, a grandmother from upstate New York and a Bostonian who was enjoying his new city of Portland.
The economy class seats are pretty comfortable and roomy.
I was certainly able to do get a good snooze. I wish the wi-fi was actually functional though.
But my favourite thing about the Coast Starlight was the view. I woke up soon after sunrise to landscapes that quite literally took my breath away (well, for a few seconds).
I have two more train trips left on this journey – a short one on the Cascades (also Amtrak) from Seattle to Vancouver, and then a much more substantial 24 hour+ trip from Vancouver to Saskatoon on The Canadian (from Via Rail). I am practically counting down the days!
San Francisco Obsession
Ever since I was a young nerd watching music documentaries, I’ve wanted to go to San Francisco.
But strangely, until I got to the airport, I had forgotten all about all those hours watching VHS and dreaming about wearing tie-dye and walking through Haight-Ashbury. It wasn’t until I was settled in my temporary home that I realised. “I’m HERE!” I was so excited. I couldn’t sit still.
The next day was sunny and I walked up Valencia St, then onto Haight. The pastel houses and blue sky were so bright that I actually felt giddy. I was full of energy and it seemed like the city was, too.
My week in San Francisco was really wonderful. The people I met were all positive and interested in the world. The sun shone every day, and all the food was delicious.
Mission
I stayed in two different rooms, because I extended my stay to a full week. They were both in the Mission, which is colourful and vibrant, and very Hispanic. I saw avocados for sale there for 79 cents! It wasn’t really near Downtown but one great point about San Francisco is that it’s quite easy to get around with public transport. You can always use Uber or Lyft as well.
Old-school F streetcar
Fisherman’s Wharf is nice to visit for a few hours but every local knows that it’s where all the tourists hang out. I enjoyed being among all the people and next to the bay.
I didn’t visit Alcatraz. I’ve been to a few prisons before as a tourist and find it consistently depressing. But to each their own. I found a museum of antique arcade games which you could still play for a quarter. They were creepy.
One of my days was spent riding over the Golden Gate Bridge and I’ve already written about that. When the weather turned chilly later in the week I headed to Golden Gate Park. 
You could spend days exploring the park and I guess that plenty of people do, but I went straight for De Young museum to explore their art galleries. There was a special exhibition of Georgia O’Keeffe’s works from her time at Lake George. These paintings were compelling but I have to admit I rushed through them so I could see the rest of the museum before closing time. One California-inspired painting really stood out.
“A Particular Kind Of Heaven” by Ed Ruscha
Anyone who has listened to the podcast 99% Invisible recently will have learnt about Sutro Baths. They are ruins of an elaborate bathing complex built in 1898. Imagine my delight when I realised that I could actually visit Sutro Baths! It was every bit as lovely as I imagined. It was windy and cold but the sea was sparkling and the air was fresh and salty.
My run of sunny days continued right up to the Sunday before I left, when I got up early to climb the big hill at Bernal Heights Park, which had spectacular views of the shiny city – my new favourite place.
I even saw a snake. A passerby noticed it and told me that it was a gopher snake. Not very scary.
The people I was staying with (I am now a big fan of Airbnb) invited me to join them at the How Weird Street Faire. People danced and smoked and drank in the sun, every costume more bizarre than the last. It was great.
I hear that the Folsom Street Fair is more crazy though. Something for next time.
I left for Oakland to get my train to Portland, feeling very grateful for everything I’d seen and all the people I’d met. What a beautiful, fascinating place. It was a sad goodbye to California.
I woke up in Oregon.
Checking in with ABC Radio
On May the Fourth I chatted with Rod Quinn on Overnights, the show on ABC Local Radio that I was producing before I left the country. We talked about my travels in San Francisco and Mexico City as well as Airbnb and basketball.
Golden Gate Bridge bike ride
I’ve always loved cycling and am missing my nice old Schwinn quite a bit while I’m away. Before coming to San Francisco I’d heard that a nice thing to do was to hire a bike and pedal over the famous red bridge to the little towns on the other side. I didn’t waste any time – in fact, it might have been better to wait an extra day to avoid doing this big trip on the hottest day of the month, but such is life.
There are plenty of bicycle hire shops in SF but I chose Blazing Saddles because I could get a discount for booking online. It was $36 for the full day and they gave me some maps and directions. I still got lost, but that was all part of the fun – thank goodness for Google Maps.
I rode along the bay to Fort Point, also known as the spot in Hitchcock’s Vertigo where Madeleine is about to jump into the San Francisco Bay. What a film, what a city!
The climb up to the bridge’s entry point was the most strenuous part of the whole trip, made worse because I was wearing jeans – I really didn’t bring a lot of outfits to the States. I got up to the bridge all sweaty and red-faced but absolutely loving it. Look, there’s the city, and we’re all standing on the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE!!
From there the ride was pretty easy, down to the little seaside town of Sausalito.
View from Sausalito
Some bikers get the ferry back from there, some go on into the forest to see some redwoods, which I intended to do, but in the end I continued on to the next town on the water which is called Tiburon.
Riding around on a hot day past the green hills and little rivers, I was the happiest girl in the world. I had no idea that the Bay Area looked like this – what a stunner!
When I reached the ferry terminal at Tiburon, I got off my bike and starting seeing stars. It had been a long ride – I think about 25 kilometres and it was about 29 degrees that day. I staggered over to the cafe on the wharf and guzzled an iced coffee while I waited for my boat.
Ferry terminal at Tiburon, with SF in the background across the bay
This was probably the only “touristy” thing I did in San Francisco but ended up being one of the best things I’ve done, ever. Gorgeous weather, amazing scenery and some much-needed fitness and fresh air. I’m still raving about it.
Five Days in Mexico City
On my last night in Mexico City I went up to my hostel rooftop with bare feet. There was a cool breeze which carried music from a bar somewhere, and I could see the city lit up all the way to the glittering hills on the horizon.
Before visiting Distrito Federal I had never set foot in Latin America. Stories and photos from more adventurous amigos had persuaded me to buy some flights from California. It was my first dip into a world that I had previously never given much thought.
I was immediately out of my depth. Arrogance or laziness, probably both, had convinced me that I would get by easily with a couple of vaguely correct (in pronunciation) words of Spanish and a cheerful demeanour. I was completely useless. I couldn’t even order what I wanted to eat (my attempt at procuring a milkshake was a mild disaster) and I stood out painfully with blondish hair and misguided wardrobe choices.
But that was no reason not to enjoy the beauty of the Centro Historico – slightly leaning monuments to colonial grandeur like the National Palace, Palacio de Bellas Artes and the city cathedral.
Palacio de Bellas Artes
Cathedral
Mexico City has, I’ve read, more museums than any other city in the world, and displays its turbulent history with pride. Pre-hispanic cultures are honoured everywhere and I had the opportunity to see a whole lot of artefacts from the Mexica (Aztecs) – the massive Anthropological Museum is one example.
One night I drank some beers at nice little bars in well-to-do areas with some Australian friends who were studying at the biggest public university there. They had a lot of stories and said that they felt like the vastness of Mexico City meant that they hadn’t really been able to scratch the surface. One of them was living in a beautiful casa in lovely Coyoacan, painted red and with a front courtyard where we had a, well, energetic fiesta.
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera lived together in the same neighbourhood as my friend, for many years in the famous Casa Azul (Blue House). Walking through the museum that is there now, I was almost teary at the love and admiration that had obviously been employed in arranging the objects of the wonderful lady’s colourful and troubled life. Her studio remains intact, with bottles of paint next to the easel with a wheelchair in front of it. Her death mask lies on her “day bed”, wrapped up in a scarf, and her ashes reside on the dressing table in an urn shaped like a toad – apparently referencing her pet name for Diego. There was a special exhibition of her wardrobe – colourful dresses and scarves, but also her medical apparatuses like corsets and braces, decorated with drawings and little mirrors stuck on them. It made me uncomfortable to think that we were all looking at something so personal of Frida’s, but maybe she would have enjoyed the thought.
Diego Rivera’s work is pretty hard to miss in Mexico City. A very notable example is his mural of Mexican history which adorns the top of the staircase at the National Palace, from where Cortes once ran his new dominion. It’s vivid and slightly unsettling, but striking – what I imagine all his and also Frida’s work to be.
Behind the National Palace, archaeologists discovered the ruins of the old empire’s centre point – the Templo Mayor.
On my last morning I left my hostel and rushed over to the Palace of the Inquisition. I didn’t even know that it existed until the night before, when, to my delight, I discovered that it now housed a Museum of Mexican Medicine. When I arrived I must have been the only visitor. This grand old building with its bright yellow walls and sunny courtyard – all to myself, although I could only imagine what horrors it had seen in past centuries.
I spent so long there that I ran out of time to have a last meal of street food tacos with plenty of chilli and lime. I felt like I had seen and learnt so much in a few days that if that was my biggest regret, I did pretty well.
Lucie Heather Ethel 