Meet, Plan, Go! (or...What Do You Want Out of Life?)

A few weeks ago we joined a small group for one of the national Meet, Plan, Go! events in Orlando, while others were being held throughout North America. Meet, Plan, Go is essentially a movement to encourage North Americans to take part in career break travel. As the name entails, the idea is to meet at the events and via web channels with others who have fulfilled such travel dreams or are in various stages of planning, to then be inspired to begin one's own planning and then to go!

For us, it was a bit backwards since we have already done career break travel (or in my case, digital nomad travel), however it was still great to hear stories, learn about some additional resources and ideas, and be surrounded by like-minded people. When you're passionate about something, you can sometimes be a bit hard to take for others who don't share that passion (thought bubble above the head of any person talking to me, "Enough already with the travel stories!"). Getting together with those who share your passion is energizing (and is the next best outlet to blogging for telling all your stories and hearing about places you dream of going:-).

What impressed me most about the panelists we heard was the variety of lifestyles, situations and motivations they started from to reach the common denominator of extended travel. I hear a lot of different comments from people when we're sharing our story, along the lines of "You're lucky to be able to do that" (yes, I agree:-) and "You can do it because...(you don't have kids, your job allows it, fill in the blank here)" or "How??" (which often relates to money). For us, it is true, some of the challenges were easier because of our jobs, lifestyles, etc. However, the panelists proved that people in a variety of circumstances were able to overcome obstacles they faced.

This isn't just about travel though, because that may not be something that matters to you. But if it is a priority and you think you can't do it, there's a lot of people out there who can tell you otherwise. For example, on the Orlando panel, there was a couple with three high-school aged children who traveled around the world for a year (after a slight detour in planning when their original savings plans were derailed by the housing market crash) and a solo woman traveler who is also a "digital nomad" and is now venturing out with her young niece for a year! I've read a number of blogs and articles about every type of traveler you can imagine: from older women who travel amongst youth backpackers to families with all ages of children and people from wide-ranging career and financial situations.

I guess my biggest take away is that these lessons can be applied to life whether travel is important to you or not. It's about what you want in life and the feeling many people have that they are stuck without choices. As a conservative worrier, believe me when I say, I know it isn't easy to face the unknown or make big changes. I am someone who generally sees the glass half-full and sometimes can get all too comfortable with the status quo because of this. I'm always pretty pleased with where I live, who I am with and what I do for a living or fun. I can easily get into a rut (and often do). But, I guess I've also always had a certain restlessness (I'll put the positive spin on it and call it intellectual curiosity) that doesn't allow me to settle in to my rut for too long.

What do you want to change in your life? What little steps can you take to start making that happen today? Do you try to prioritize the things you are passionate about daily?

If you're curious about the logistics of how some of these career break travelers made it happen (how did they save the money?, school the kids?, what did it cos?t, how did they handle medical insurance?, etc.), check out the Meet, Plan, Go! website and some of the blogs and social media sites of the various panelists or other round-the-world, career break travelers or digital nomads.

I would also recommend The Passion Test, a book and methodical system of identifying your passions and putting them first in your life (whether those passions are a hobby you want to improve, a business you want to grow, your children and family, friends, a better relationship with your partner or travel...).

Does this inspire you or tick you off? Do you think my view is unrealistic, idealistic, unsympathetic? Have you or someone you know changed courses in a big way and lived to tell about it?

Florida's Many Festivals

The weather in Florida right now is glorious. We rarely get temperatures this cool at this time of year (Halloween can be tricky when you're burning up in those heavy costumes). However, because things have generally cooled down a bit, this is the time of year when you'll find multiple festivals every weekend. Last weekend for example, there was Clearwater Jazz Holiday, an Octoberfest at the local Catholic church, an antique car show, and the "Taste of Dunedin" all within a 10 mile radius.

Most of the towns in the Tampa Bay area have a full schedule of events throughout fall (and spring). Part of the reason we chose Dunedin was that we found ourselves visiting for some event or another almost every weekend when we moved to the area.

If you are planning a trip to the area (oh, or if you live here!), here are some resources to find out what might be going on (or to plan when to visit):

Old Palm Harbor Main Street website: events in downtown Palm Harbor, Florida

St. Petersburg, Florida official site: events in St. Pete (today there is more than one thing listed for almost every hour!)-events are color-coded based on the type of event

Island Time: links to the various towns' events calendars plus more festivals throughout Florida

Dunedin Wines the Blues is one festival I would highly recommend, whether you like good blues music, wine or just a general good time in a fun, downtown atmosphere. For all of the events happening in Dunedin, visit the city of Dunedin events calendar.

In addition to the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, which is one of the area's premier events for locals and out-of-town visitors, you can find a variety of arts events, crafts shows, great music festivals, beer events, sporting events (we loved going to the Indy car races in St. Pete), and unique local celebrations such as Stone Crab weekend at Frenchy's Restaurants and the Palm Harbor Citrus Festival. The Strawberry Festival in Plant City is one of the most delicious!

Because of the beautiful weather and scenery, you'll find some type of outdoor celebration on almost any night. For example every evening, Sunsets at Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach has live music/entertainment, arts and crafts and (free!) one of the most striking sunsets you will ever see.

A Few Favorites in Tampa Bay, Florida

Listening to The Amateur Traveler podcast (highly recommended!), I was inspired to write about my hometown area. The podcast guests often talk about places they have traveled, but are mixed with guests from a particular area talking about their hometowns. Even though we sometimes neglect to take advantage of all our hometown has to offer, we all know some of the great spots and can be inspired to get out and explore those things that we should be enjoying!

I've had the chance to visit a few local treasures lately that are well worth a visit. First is the Salvador Dali museum in St. Pete which I covered in a recent post, "A Surreal Adventure Nearby". This is a world class collection, now housed in a world class building. While you are taking in some art, it is worth stopping by the Chihuly Collection at the Morean Arts Center. Many people would be surprised to learn St. Pete is such a great arts destination. Complete your day of the arts with the Museum of Fine Arts and touring the local galleries and shops. Or, check out some great local theatre at American Stage or the Progress Energy Center for the Arts.

Of course, for those less inclined towards art, there are all of the expected activities in the area such as beaches and water sports. Cross the bridge from Tampa and head in almost any direction and you'll find some of the most beautiful beaches you have seen. Honeymoon Island State Park is one of my favorites and often voted a top beach in the U.S. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are unlimited opportunities to fish, swim, kayak, paddleboard, bike and do just about any activity. I'll dedicate another post to more specifics about the beaches and outdoor activities, as well as some ideas on specific towns to visit and places to stay.

For now, I cannot neglect to mention Clearwater's biggest current celebrity, Winter the Dolphin. If you've seen (or heard of) the movie Dolphin Tail, you know Winter's story. Winter lives in the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, another local treasure worth a visit. Not only can you see Winter (and buy any type of merchandise you can imagine) but you'll see many other animals with similar stories and learn about the rescue and rehabilitation done by this facility. Expect crowds, at least while the glory from the movie lasts. However, it is still very manageable. They offer various packages too, including a combination with a "Sea Life Safari" cruise and several behind the scenes and interactive options (and photo opportunities with the celebrity:-). You can get discounted tickets as a AAA member or senior citizen (sidebar: I find it amazing that 60 and older is considered senior!). I'd recommend checking it out online and consider purchasing your tickets online too (especially if you want to do any of the special tours) due to the popularity.

After your visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Winter, hop over to Clearwater Beach for a sunset dinner at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, preferably a grouper sandwich. If you're in town from about mid October to April/May, you have to try the stone crab claws. Frenchy's actually holds a big stone crab celebration every year at the beginning of the season. That same weekend is the Clearwater Jazz Holiday. If you are a fan of jazz, or just like sitting in a beautiful setting outdoors listening to live music, plan to visit this event. Another big surprise, this is currently a free event, run mostly by volunteers (such as ourselves) and embraced by the community for many years. Read more about the event in our Clearwater Jazz Holiday post from last year's event and on the Jazz Holiday website.

When you attempt to talk (or write) about your local area, you gain a better appreciation for all the area has to offer...and you realize you can't possibly cover it in one post. My goal is to do a series of posts covering the area as we "travel locally" so check back for more soon and let me know some of your local Tampa Bay favorites!

A Surreal Adventure Nearby

The Salvador Dalí Museum
St. Petersburg, FL

After spending time in Dalí´s home country of Spain (well, Catalonia, really), it is interesting that we only have to go a short distance from home to see one of the best (if not the best) collections of his works. Not that odd, I suppose, since the U.S. was his adopted home during the war years and he deeply identified with the innovation and discovery he saw and experienced here. During this time, he and Gala befriended the Morses, a couple who became not only friends, but serious collectors. It is thanks to them (and the locals who helped eventually bring the collection here for its permanent home) that we in the Tampa Bay area can enjoy a world-class collections of Dalí´s work. You can read more about the history of the collection and museum at the museum site here.

We had been to the museum before, but it has moved to a new home and we wanted to see the building as well as view the collection now that we have more context of Dalí's homeland and influences. It means a lot more to view his paintings of Cadaques after seeing the beachfront in Catalonia and to hear about his admiration for Velasquez after viewing many of his works at the Prado. And, with the complexity of Dalí, you could visit many times and discover something new each time, to say nothing of rotating exhibits and new features.

The new museum is a truly worthy home for this collection. Dalí would have appreciated the building's and grounds' aesthetic. Set on the waterfront, it is a beautiful area to enjoy, rivaling the seafront towns where Dali spent much of his time in Spain. The collections are housed in two wings divided by a stunning circular staircase and wall of over 1,000 glass triangles known as the Glass Enigma. Lennie Bennett of the St. Pete Times did a great overview of the unique features of the building.

Because there is so much complexity to this art and it helps to understand the context and meaning, which are so tied in with what was going on in Dalí's life and the world around him, I recommend a guided tour. The museum has regular docent-led tours as well as audio guides. Both are free! The museum has a fairly pricey entrance fee ($21) so this is a nice feature that they should offer (there are senior, student, and member discounts as well as discount tickets available at AAA, which we purchased and also helped us avoid the ticket line). I got one of the audio devices and listened to most of the segments as we viewed the collection (and building, as the audio also talks about the museum's history and creation of this new building). Bryan didn't get an audio guide, but listened to bits of a docent tour which had started before we arrived. The crowds were a bit much on this fall Saturday and locals are probably better off choosing a weekday or weeknight (the museum has $10 admission Thur. nights).

This new building provides space for all the works to be on display at once, and I will certainly go back to spend more time exploring each one. This is the largest collection of his Masterworks and one can spend a lot of time soaking in all the detail and expression held in these intriguing works (to say nothing of reflecting upon his personal evolution along with the context of what was going on in the world and specifically the creative movements of the times). Our visit was truly enriched by the memories of viewing art from Picasso, Velasquez, Miro and others in Spain as well as immersing ourselves in the scenery and culture of Catalonia and Spain. If you can't have that context, you will still get a lot out of the museum but I would recommend doing a "mini immersion" by perhaps reading up on Dalí, Spanish history and culture, and the Surrealists or even watching some films or shows about Spain.

If you visit, plan some time in St. Petersburg beyond the museum. This is one of the nicest cities nearby, with a pretty lively downtown and waterfront. Feel a little Spanish by taking in a coffee in a local cafe or wine and a snack or meal at a sidewalk table (the museum has a cafe offering a small array of Spanish selections to get you in the mood). One of the other treasures in the area that I highly recommend is the Holocaust museum. I was surprised by the quality of this museum, which doesn't compete with the size of the D.C. Holocaust museum but is done very thoughtfully. It may be a lot to take in within one day, though. Instead, spend a night and explore the city and its many art galleries, the new Chihuly museum (another local treasure), the waterfront and beach and much more. Make that a few nights!

More pictures of the new Dalí museum:

The Art of the Tour: Some Favorite Tours from Around the World

Most of the time we explore new places on our own, but a great tour can help bring context to a place and better organize your explorations. Here are some ponderings on tours and highlights of some favorites from over the years of travels...

We made a good choice contacting Aziz Begdouri (pictured above) based on Rick Steves' recommendation in the Morocco side trip section of his Spain guide. Actually, we initially planned a short bus tour to take us from Denia, Spain down to the Costa del Sol and over to Morocco...but in one of life's more fortunate detours the ferries were canceled due to high winds and we ended up joining the others in the group on the day trip to Gibraltar. We got to enjoy Gibraltar, get a nice refund and ended up with a more personal experience of Morocco.

Being a slow time for tourism, we almost ended up with a private tour but had an even more enjoyable experience with another American couple, swapping questions and conversation with each other about travels and with Aziz about life in Morocco. We had planned on a shorter tour of the markets and old town, while they had wanted a longer tour including a short mini-bus ride to the outskirts and beaches. Aziz was completely fair and kept with his quoted price for our original tour even though we got the extras. And, it was nice seeing the larger context of Tangier and the beautiful beaches. The tour through the markets and tiny, winding streets of the old town was fast-paced and an overload on the senses. We had some downtime over one of the best lunches I have ever eaten and some requisite shopping (minus pressure from our guide). Missing out on any big rug commissions, Aziz was kind enough to help us find the specific souvenirs we wanted...some Moroccan coins for Bryan and a charm for me to add to my travel charm bracelet.

One of my absolute favorite tours was our Old Madrid Wine and Tapas tour, which Bryan found online and booked for us and our friends on our first night in Madrid. Our host was passionate about Madrid, great food and wine. This was where we first learned about Vermut del grifo, which became a favorite treat for the rest of our short time in Spain (we were pained that we had missed out on this for so many months). It was so fun to chat with the other tour-goers and we did not leave hungry (or thirsty) and felt truly welcomed to Madrid.

We also had a wonderful historical walking tour in Granada, with a small group of English and Spanish speaking tourists. It put the city and region in to the context of the history and struggles between the Moors and Christians. The local T.I. (tourist information) offices in Spain and elsewhere often offer good, inexpensive city tours such as this. Other times we have also used Rick Steves' podcast tours to get some background and good information while walking on our own (I particularly liked his Venice tours, especially the one to go along with the Vaperetto ride).

Many travelers will roll their eyes at this, but another favorite for us is the "hop on, hop off" city tour. Some, especially trolley tours in Savannah, GA and Washington, DC, have offered knowledgeable guides and a delightful experience. Other times, we see it more as a means to get oriented and be transported around to spots we get off to further explore. Sometimes the tours aren't that pleasant in places where it is hard to see much (or too cold to go on the top of those double deckers), traffic is clogged and the headphone narration is pretty basic. I still find it worthwhile, though, as you have a sense of where everything is and typically get two days worth of transportation for the fee. You'd really miss out if you didn't get off and explore on foot too, though.

We generally don't take fully-guided trips, but there are times when it makes sense. For example, we had a great trip with Sports Travel & Tours to the Cal Ripken Baseball Hall of Fame Induction (along with several stops at games along the way from Camden Yards to Yankee Field). We did "do our own thing" a few times, such as taking the subway to the Mets game instead of getting back on the bus again. For an event like this where hotels were booked well in advance and there are a lot of logistics for an individual traveler trying to fit in with huge crowds, the tour made life a lot easier. They even brought us ice-dipped towels and cold drinks when we were all sweltering in the audience. I was impressed by their level of organization and the quality of the overall tour-great for sports fans! But, generally I'd rather plan on my own and take some risks, have some adventures and work on our own time table.

I started thinking about this post after reading a book, Too Much Tuscan Sun, recently. It is a funny glimpse in to the world of a Chianti tour guide and his often amusing customers (you can find it in my Amazon favorites on the sidebar of the blog).

I will review some additional tours we have taken in future posts. You will find information within our specific travel posts about additional tours, resources and favorite spots from our travels over the years and we welcome comments and input from others!

A Long Weekend in Old San Juan

We took the opportunity to spend the holiday weekend exploring a new place (thanks to an email alert about good deals!)--San Juan, Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a beautiful island. It is pretty easy to get to from Florida and a nice cross of staying in the U.S. while feeling like you're in a whole different place. I look forward to exploring it more, as I know there are many beautiful spots. For this trip, we stayed in old San Juan and got to explore all of the historic sights, beautiful architecture and lively shops and restaurants.

San Juan feels like being in some small Spanish town, as it should. Puerto Rico's location on the route to the "new world" has made it a strategic spot since its early discovery (in 1493 on Columbus' 2nd voyage) and founding by Ponce de Leon as a Spanish colony in 1508. Two major fortifications were built (La Fortaleza and Castillo San Felipe del Morro) and later, the city was walled in and further protected by Castillo San Cristobal. The island was an ideal spot, along the current of the trade winds and the major island with water, shelter and supplies for ships sailing from Europe. San Juan's deep bay made an excellent port, readily defended.

Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory in 1898 and its future fate may be considered again soon by its residents. President Obama made the first presidential visit in 50 years recently and offered his support to the residents' decision, possibly on statehood. It was interesting to contemplate the island's history and future as we visited over Independence Day weekend.

We really enjoyed walking all over the small town, rambling through the cobblestone streets (check out this picture of the unique blue cobblestones and explanation of their origin), peaking in the shops, photographing some of the beautiful buildings and enjoying plenty of good meals.

Castillo San Cristobal offered beautiful views of the surrounding seas and overlooking the town, as well as a glimpse in to history. I especially enjoyed going in to the observation posts created during World War II, with small windows to spot approaching threats. We walked around the city walls several times, and enjoyed taking in the view from El Morro as well. I enjoy old cemeteries, and San Juan has a beautiful one right at the water's edge. (Really-don't be spooked by them-you're missing out. They can be so beautiful and interesting. I spent a long time wandering through one in London, looking at the inscriptions and different grave stones. My favorite inscription: "Got her wish-gone to nag him." I hope she's haunting someone over that!)

The colorful buildings in San Juan give the town a bright, Caribbean feel with an interesting mix of architecture. There are numerous outdoor cafes and tons of jewelry and souvenir shops for the cruise ship visitors. I had fun window shopping and met the friendliest ladies in a local shop selling miniature replicas of the old houses and buildings of San Juan ("Feel free to ask us anything. It doesn't have to be about the shop, anything about San Juan...").

We stayed at the Sheraton, which was pretty standard but recommended for its great location to explore the town. We barely walked through the casino, but the on-site restaurant came in handy for brunch when we were hit with a deluge on Sunday morning. Three cruise ships were in port on Sunday, but the sites didn't seem completely overwhelmed (we ventured out after the flood receded).

We had a lot of good food...too much, in fact. A few places we tried that I would recommend: on Fortaleza St., the main shopping artery-Pirilo (good pizzas, tasty Puerto Rican tapas and creative drinks), Marmalade (a bit pricey, but unique takes on classics, very inventive), Pieria (good tapas) and nearby, Fefo's Deli & Tapas (great mofongo, sandwiches and breakfast). We had a nice dinner in the beautiful courtyard of El Convento Hotel at El Picoteo. It was a great setting and the tapas were quite tasty. After leaving there, though, we spotted Rosa Triana Tasca and visited the next night...it just had that authentic Spanish Tasca look, and didn't disappoint. In no way the atmosphere of El Picoteo, but at the same time it felt like we could be in Spain. And, the tapas were very authentic (with the addition of some Puerto Rican specialties), though the portions were more American (should have ordered much less!).

We also made the obligatory stop at the home of the Pina Colada (how did I miss this important historical fact that the drink was invented here?!?...though the details are open to some dispute apparently), Restaurant Barrachina. Regardless, it was tasty and sometimes you just have to be a tourist!

To view the rest of our pictures, check out our San Juan gallery.

What a Trip! Our (almost) year on the road...

It has been a fantastic year (almost) of being road warriors so I thought I'd do a little summary (well, I will shoot for little, but it's been a big year!) and share some thoughts.

200 days on the move (with a few more to come soon...)
6 countries (U.S. included)
3 continents

Here's a list of all the cities where we touched down:

U.S.: Atlanta, Greensboro, Nashville, Oak Ridge, TN, Nags Head/Outer Banks, NC, Charleston,SC, Richmond, Washington, D.C, Baltimore, Charleston, SC, Seattle, San Clemente, Laguna Beach & Anaheim, CA

Canada: Vancouver, British Columbia; Parksville, BC; Victoria, BC (& a few other little towns on Vancouver Island)

U.K.: Gibraltar, London, Bath, Lacock, Stonehenge

Spain: Alicante, Valencia, Denia, Benidorm, Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, Sevilla, Vejer de la Frontera, Jerez, San pol de Mar, Montserrat

Morrocco: Tangier

Italy: Venice

People most often ask what our favorite place/experience was, and that is truly a hard question to answer (like picking your favorite child:-). But, overall I tell people that the ability to live in Spain for three months and the day-to-day experiences are some of the fondest memories. That may not be the most exciting answer, compared to standing at the top of Gibraltar looking out into Africa or absorbing the sights and smells of the crowded markets in Tangier, but it holds the dearest spot in my heart. There is something different about being settled in a "home away from home" and doing all of the day to day (sometimes mundane) tasks in a new place that made me feel very alive and refreshed. I never did a "gap year" or a semester abroad, but I fully believe it is something everyone should experience at some point in life.

There is so much to discover, no matter how short or long a distance you travel. We went to new neighborhoods and caught up with old friends in places we had lived before, like Atlanta and Nashville. We delved in to bits of American history at Oak Ridge and on a Charleston carriage tour. Our relaxing visit to the Outer Banks was full of memories of family beach trips over the years. We've tasted wine in such a wide variety of regions, I've learned good wine is not exclusive to one terrior. And, we've seen the differences and similarities of people of many cultures. And, rediscovered the goodness inherent in humankind.

One of my other loves in life is reading and I always try to put my books together with my travels and places. I have tried to absorb things about the history and culture of some of the places we have traveled by simultaneously reading books about them or by local authors. I think I read every memoir of expats in Spain (and there are quite a few, full of humorous stories). I enjoyed some wonderful novels based in Barcelona, a history of Venice, a modern day look at Spanish culture and politics , and laughed my way through Bill Bryson's account of England during our days in the U.K. I try to rotate some of those books throughout the Amazon favorites section on the blog, but feel free to email me for (or with) suggestions too.

What will I take away from our journeys? A brain bursting with memories...sights, sounds, smells, newly discovered favorite foods and beverages and new friends. Also, a renewed love for travel and zest for life. Travel can be discomforting in many ways, and that's a positive in that it gets you "out of the rut"...that's my experience at least.

You can not only discover new things about the world, but about yourself. You may rethink your priorities or be opened up to ideas you wouldn't have at home. For some, it means coming home and feeling a renewed appreciation of the comforts of home. For others, it is a reminder of all that there is left to explore. And, that coming home can mean many different things. Personally, I have learned that home is not my house and that things mean very little to me. But, home is friends and family who mean everything. Home doesn't have to be a place...I feel the world is my home and that I was meant to see more of it. I have had wanderlust as long as I can remember and I know it is part of me. I am anchored by my friends and family who I know will be close by wherever I go. Fortunately, with today's technology and (relative) ease of travel, we're never far apart.

We've been lucky to do a lot of travel before this whirlwind trip as well, and you can read about more of our adventures in past posts. You can see we don't necessarily discriminate in the type of travel we will do...everything from baseball trips around the U.S. to luxury cruises. But, our favorite travel really is getting in to the local area and discovering as much on our own as we can...and getting those glimpses of day to day life even if it isn't a three month stay.

Happy travels to all and here's to many more adventures!