Archive for the ‘Go’ Category

I know I’m not the only person to have a strange interest in visiting graveyards and cemeteries when traveling. For me, it’s not that they might be haunted or contain some sort of afterlife presence, but that they hold a somber but enlightening look at how society remembers those who came before us.

The outskirts of Virginia City, Nevada, are reminiscent of Western Nevada in general — dry, dusty and deserted. Scrub bushes dot gently rolling hills. Wild horses wander through the miles of BLM-managed land. Homes show signs of wind friction and hot sun. It is here — away from the Wild West vibe of Virginia City — that I wander through the town’s weathered cemetery. Grave sites are randomly placed; some have cast iron fencing marking the plots. Headstones are broken, faded and fallen over. Identities are lost and, in many cases, worn down blocks offer the only reminder of people who once were.

Most intriguing to me, however, are the bedposts. These old bedposts — sometimes a single one and sometimes grouped with others — do not come with headstones. Instead, these bedposts are the sole markers of Virginia City’s former prostitutes, who, like everyone else, lived and died. These are identities without names, remembered only by profession.

Images: Virginia City Cemetery | Nevada

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Culture, History and Traditions at the Chickasaw Cultural Center | OklahomaDespite the number of people who have tried to explain the concept of Native American nations to me, I’m consistently confused. How are these nations different than what’s going on in the states in which they’re located? Why do we use American money in them? Who oversees judicial matters, and what happens if something happens in a sovereign nation between two non-Native Americans?

As convoluted as the whole concept still seems to me, I’ve finally come to one important conclusion: The most important thing to realize is that the Native American nations in the United States are really, at their most basic level, communities of people with a shared culture and history.

When we drove over the border into the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, there was nothing different about the appearance of the landscape. People wore the same clothing inside the nation as they did in Oklahoma City. There was nothing remarkable about our entrance into the Chickasaw Nation, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything remarkable to find there.

I quickly learned that the Chickasaw people are progressive, adept at adopting those things going on outside the official borders while still holding on to those ideas, concepts and traditions that set them apart from others. The Chickasaw Cultural Center, located about an hour from Oklahoma City by car, is a state-of-the-art, multi-building facility with several purposes, most notably to capture the essence of the Chickasaw culture, preserve and protect the Chicksaw history through extensive research and archives, and share Chickasaw culture with those like myself who are unfamiliar with it.

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A Sweet Tooth at Bedré Fine Chocolates | OklahomaOklahoma surprised me. A lot. And one of the things that most surprised me was the discovery of Bedré Fine Chocolates — both a factory and a shop owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation.

When I think of fine chocolate, I picture it served on small china plates in quaint cafes (though I’ve been known to break open a box or two in my own kitchen as well). An antiquated image, yes, but what I picture nonetheless.

Bedré Fine Chocolates is neither snooty nor snobby, and its candy is not served on small china plates or out of a quaint café. But the company does craft incredibly delicious treats, is super affordable and is well worth the stop if you’re heading through America’s Heartland.

It’s a small operation as most chocolate factories are. People are often surprised how little space it takes to make chocolate, and Bedré Fine Chocolates is no exception. When guests enter, they walk into a small shop coated in the lingering aroma of warm cocoa. A long glass counter with rows of chocolates (my favorites are the chocolate cowboy boots) and shelves stacked with gift boxes crowd the room, tempting guests to pick up a box of milk peanut clusters, dark chocolate crisps or pecan caramel treats.

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The Grand Canyon.

It is arguably Arizona’s most famous claim to fame and absolutely one of the most popular destinations in the United States. Millions of people visit the Grand Canyon every year, but most visit in the summer, when crowds are crammed at the overlooks and trails are anything but peaceful.

Visiting the Grand Canyon in the winter offers a new perspective of this famous natural wonder. There are still lots of people but far fewer than in the summer, and the pace of life is much more laid back. A few of the roads aren’t plowed, and if you venture up these hard-to-navigate trails on your own, you essentially have the entire place to yourself.

Winter at the Grand Canyon still requires advance planning: Book a room at the lodge or a cabin in advance, and be prepared for snowy conditions. Warm clothes, an ice scraper for your car and winter provisions are all necessary. But it’s so worth it. If you don’t believe me, let the pictures speak for themselves:

Images: South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Winter

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Finding Life in Death Valley | CaliforniaThe Badlands of Death Valley spread like crystallized sugar for miles toward the horizon. The ground stretched, dried cracks like wrinkles on a spinster’s face pulled outward, trying to connect to anything within its grasp. A fine dust covered the earth in places, kicked up by the occasional hot breeze. My throat stiffened with each breath.

If a place could be a hyperbole, then Death Valley would win. it is the hottest, driest and lowest point in the United States, and by any common sense accounts, those things would make it a nightmare to visit. It is a place where a person can sweat profusely without showing any signs of moisture depletion. A place where lips stay chapped and hands are void of moisture. A place where most living things have escaped or died out, never to return to such a harsh environment.

At Badwater, 282 feet below sea level, I drain my water bottle, eager to refill it when I get the chance. A murky puddle is roped off, a delicate ecosystem that can easily be damaged by wandering feet. Along a short walk into the desert landscape, we find yet another puddle called Devil’s Hole, where a few pupfish swim in it. The fish has lived in isolation in Death Valley for an estimated 25,000 years, surviving and thriving in water that is 93 degrees Fahrenheit.

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A Visit to Arenal Observatory Lodge | Costa Rica

The entire Arenal region of Costa Rica is focused on Arenal Volcano, one of the country’s most famous volcanoes. Until 2010, this was the most active volcano in Costa Rica, and it continues to smoke on a frequent basis.

Near the base of the volcano, a touristy (and relatively pricey) little city has popped up to feed the fury of travelers who want to bask in the volcano’s shadow. Hot springs and spas, tour groups run by just about everyone in town and kitschy shops selling sarongs and keychains have made the town a fairly unattractive one. And, yet, there is a way to enjoy Arenal Volcano without immersing yourself in too much of the touristy crap that has spread out along the base of this otherwise impressive natural phenomenon.

While visiting the Arenal region, we decided to spend a day at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, which was the best decision we made in the area. Arenal Observatory Lodge is a hotel that sits on a nature reserve, so it is void of any of the tacky stuff found on the southern and eastern sides of the volcano. The hotel itself has 48 rooms, but the property is what makes it particularly attractive. Near the lodge are short trails leading through the woods and past gorgeous bushes and trees filled with flowers. Beyond the immediate vicinity are primary and secondary rainforests, waterfalls and seven miles of hiking trails as well as opportunities to spot wildlife (we saw both a coyote and a kudamundi), several species of birds and great views of the volcano.

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