Moon Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains

Help me clear my office bookshelves of my last several copies of Moon Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains (Avalon Travel, 2010).  I’m selling signed copies directly from my web site for $11.00, and yes, that’s actually cheaper than Amazon.com.  The first edition of Moon Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains is part of Avalon Travel’s popular Moon Handbook series and provides an insider’s perspective on where (and where not) to go when traveling along the Blue Ridge Parkway and in the Great Smoky Mountains.  What overlooked sights should you be sure to see?  What mob scenes should you avoid?  Where are the best uncrowded hiking trails?  And where can you find the most delectable dishes in the southern mountains?  My book is an ideal companion for independent travelers looking for real advice (as well history, culture, and commentary).

I had the opportunity to fly to northern Europe aboard Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) earlier this summer, and I was shocked by the service.  How could I be shocked, you wonder, after paying $6 for a plastic tray with two cheese slices and three grapes aboard Delta Airlines earlier in the year or standing in line for four hours after my Christmas flight on AirTran was cancelled and they then sent me racing to another airport (3 hours away) to catch an alternate ride?

I was shocked by the superior service.  Yes, I said superior. Here I had been dreading my 8+ hour flight from Dulles to Copenhagen, knowing it was surely going to be hell.  After all, I’d flown cross country (Richmond to Juneau) eight months earlier and was certain I’d never had such a long and miserable flight in my life, and this one was going to be across the Atlantic!

SAS set out to startle me.  First, the seats were comfortable (and no, I was not in business class), and there was actually some leg room.  My knees were not jammed up against the seat in front of me, and get this, all the food was free.  And we’re not talking stale crackers and dried up prunes but full meals–truly steaming hot chicken with mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls with butter, cheese and crackers, chocolate cake for dessert, plus complimentary wine and beer.  Yes, you read correctly.  I said free alcohol.

And then, they offered free snacks throughout the flight, a lovely morning breakfast consisting of a ham and turkey sandwich with yogurt, hot moist towels, free movies, free music, free games.

I was utterly placated.

And that’s the idea.  SAS has obviously grasped the notion that if you provide fine customer service you’ll have a lot fewer grumbling passengers making flight attendants’ lives miserable…and gasp, repeat business.  (Did I mention I’m trying to figure out how to avoid flying in the U.S. ever again?)

Oh, yeah, and SAS didn’t raise a big stink about carry-on luggage either.  No weighing.  No extra charges.  No telling you you couldn’t have that carry-on bag because that book you purchased at the airport counts as a carry-on, so either toss the book or check your handbag.

And what’s even more remarkable?  On my one-hour connecting flight from Copenhagen to Oslo, I received breakfast again for free, of course.  It was like flying in the 20th century–remember those days?

Who ever heard of starting a vacation (involving a flight) pleasantly?  Thank you, SAS….

View south of Blue Grass Valley

A typical Highland County whirlwind thunderstorm with pounding rains and wild winds whipped through our farm last night, but it came with rewards–10 minutes of stunning light and gorgeous rainbows afterward.  Enjoy the views….

Rainbow over Devil's Backbone

View from our cottage on the Naeroy Fjord...the saving grace of an otherwise disappointing stay

VRBO, for example, is designed to list homes rented out directly by the owners of the houses, not by rental agencies.  However, some owners get around this by listing their rentals themselves and then referring you back to the rental agency when you contact them.  It may not seem like a terrible thing on the surface, save for the fact that one reason people like myself use VRBO is to avoid the impersonal experience, pages of rental agreements, often ridiculous security deposits, and poor housekeeping services of agencies.  Last fall, I rented a beach house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina through VRBO and experienced this very situation–the owner referred me to his rental agency.  The result was an otherwise fine soundfront house with lovely views and a swimming pool spoiled by the poor cleaning services of the agency.  We spent the first day of our vacation scrubbing the place from top to bottom.

More recently we rented a cottage in Norway overlooking the Naeroy Fjord, an arm of the Sogne Fjord (the world’s longest), through HomeAway.  While the view was certainly priceless, the cottage turned out to be less than tidy and we found ourselves confronted with owners who turned out to be less than honest in their dealings.  When I came home and submitted a review of the property to HomeAway they declined to publish it.   I began to understand why all the reviews on HomeAway are so positive–they don’t publish negative reviews of their properties.  Understandably, they don’t wish to lose the business of the property owners who pay to have their rentals listed on the site.  But they also risk alienating vacationers who are not permitted to provide honest reviews…unless, of course, they’re good ones.

So before you send in that deposit on a vacation rental, exercise a little extra care…lest you spend your downtime scrubbing sinks and floors instead of enjoying your getaway.

Geiranger Fjord

This may well be the most photographed scene in Norway.  You see it on the covers of all the guidebooks.  It’s the Geiranger Fjord, and while by no means the most beautiful of Norway’s fjords, it is among the easiest to photograph thanks to a model observation deck, courtesy of those amazing Norwegian engineers who seem to be able to build anything anywhere under any conditions.   My drive along the Geiranger Fjord was part of a near 24-hour grand tour of Norway’s west-central coast.  Think you can’t see Norway in a nutshell in 24 hours or less?  All you need are fearless driving skills, the ability to maneuver skillfully on paved goat paths, and lots and lots of caffeine.  Oh yeah, and you need to do it in summer, so you can take advantage of 20 hours of sunshine.  Stay tuned….

But forgive me while I wax sentimental in recognition of the upcoming Independence Day holiday.  I really do love America (our awful domestic airline service and the IRS notwithstanding), though it takes an occasional trip abroad to remind me of it sometimes.  Here’s why it’s still pretty darn good to be an American:

• No matter who you are or into what situation you were born, you really can be anything you want to be or do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it.
• We  still honor the free market system that drives the competition necessary to the pursuit of innovation and excellence.
• We permit and encourage the right of every man and woman to question authority.
• There are no limits (at least for now) on what any of us can achieve with hard work, dedication, and passion.

And, of course, you can buy gas here 24 hours a day, seven days a week for under $3 a gallon.  Thank you, great and great-great grandparents for getting on those ships and crossing the Atlantic…and never looking back.

Happy 4th of July!

Guest blogger Anne Gore Galegor, Political Military Planner, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, U.S. Joint Forces Command, recounts her recent visit to the landscape of the Battle of the Bulge.

Driving into Bastogne, the homes and farms are placed in nothing less than a fairytale setting.  Most homes are “older” (1950s due to the bombing during World War II) concrete block homes with beautiful rock facades.  Arranged around the homes are large meticulously landscaped gardens with shrubbery and flowers and small grass lawns.   Any large stretches of open landscape are used as pasture for cattle and sheep.   Every so often a random white birch or fir tree breaks the rolling landscape, and in all its pastoral serenity, it is hard to believe this dreamy rural area was the place of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II.

American Memorial commemorating the Battle of the Bulge

Though nearly 70 years separate us from the Battle of the Bulge, the people of Bastogne continue to commemorate the sacrifice of the Allies to hold fast and save their town.  Upon arriving in the historic town center, our first exposure to anything reminiscent of war is the American tank perched in front of the visitor’s center, pointing its barrel toward the American monument.   We headed straight for the trail to the memorial, a large star-shaped structure commemorating the forty-seven American states that conscripted their sons (and daughters) to fight the tyranny of the Nazi regime.   The memorial from the people of Bastogne is a gift and long-lasting thank you to the people of the United States for saving their town from the grip of German forces.  The adjacent visitor’s center is filled with uniforms, weapons and supplies with a self-guided walking tour ending with a video, well worth the 8 Euro to gain admittance.

We drove back into the center of town for lunch.  The streets are lined with patisseries, boulangeries, and boutique shops.  A quaint small town that still loves America.  Where a Belgium flag flies, a U.S. flag is right beside it.  We had lunch at the Leo Restaurant, a perfect balance of casual elegance with a highly motivated staff and delicious food.   We all enjoyed white wine and Juliper Beer, steaks, hearty bread, and creme’ brulee’.  For the first time since high school, I was forced to speak French, and I performed adequately, getting exactly what I ordered, prepared perfectly.

American Cemetery in Luxemburg

Our last objective of the day was visiting the American Cemetery in Luxemburg.  Walking in the gates,  it was clear this is a graciously preserved memorial to the American sacrifices during World War II.  Standing at the top of the burial grounds, the design is striking: not one headstone hides another.  You can literally see every marker, represented by a cross or Star of David.  Of the over 5,000 soldiers and one nurse buried in this cemetery, most were victims of the Battle of Bastogne.  This is also where General George S. Patton is buried; his final wish was to be buried with his men from the Battle of Bastogne.  His grave stands at the top of the cemetery, symbolizing Patton leading  his army even in death.

No bikes on the sidewalks, but horses are okay.

So it might be a bit hard to see since I took this picture through the window of a moving bus, but you’ll have to trust me on this: this young woman is indeed riding a horse down the sidewalk in St. Petersburg, a designer purse on one shoulder, while drinking a bottled iced tea (or is it vodka in disguise?), smoking a cigarette, and talking on her cell phone.  Ah, you say, impossible, as she’d have to be doing it all with one hand since her right is holding the reins.  I promise.  I and a dozen other passengers saw it with our own eyes.

Shoes and Stockings St. Petersburg Style

While the vestiges of communism linger here (there’s no such thing as an elegant family home; ramshackle apartments are all the rage), fashion is a serious priority.  Jeans and sneakers are not a common sight on the streets of St. Petersburg.  Women prefer heels, mini-skirts, and chunky accessories.  This former Russian capital is a virtual poster child for Sex and the City sans New York.

If you’re into shoes, bring your camera and your zoom lens….

Yep, the Russians love it, too.