The Silent "I"

Carnival of Cities: January 27 Edition

Welcome to the January 27 Edition of the Carnival of Cities!  Join us for a virtual tour of some of the world's great cities and towns with our intrepid travel writers from around the globe.

North America

Starting out in Vancouver, Canada, just in time for the Winter Olympics, Julie Ovenell-Carter shows us the Hottest tickets in town: My Top 5 picks for Vancouver’s 2010 Cultural Olympiad posted at theseboots.travel for anyone who's just not that into sports, or wants to take a break from the action to enjoy some culture.

Jump in your virtual convertible and drive on down the coast to my home state of California,  where Caitlin will introduce you to the real Surf City in Driving Highway 1 in California: Santa Cruz and The Lost Boys Railroad Bridge at Roaming Tales. Keep going past Big Sur and Hearst Castle, all the way down the Pacific Coast Highway, where Joanne will entice you with Newport Beach Romance posted at Newport Beach Vacation for you and your valentine. 

No valentine? No worries! Follow Peter Kimmich through a tour of The Best Walking Bars in LA, Part 1: Los Feliz posted at TryOurLA.  Be sure to sober up before going along with Jim to the Hash House A Go Go, San Diego via Wanderlust Journey.

You'll need to abandon the convertible and fly out to the Midwest, and pick up a mini-van to brave the weather in Minnesota, in order to check out Beth Blair's Family Tips for Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America over at The Vacation Gals. No kids? My son will be glad to join you, since he loves Nickelodeon!

While you're in Midwest, Jordy Clements invites you to check out Omaha, Nebraska with Guerrilla Trail Crew: Tweets, Shovels, and Rides Again posted at Omaha.net - Local

In Michigan, Case Ernsting provides great information on Amish Furniture at Think Local Washtenaw County posted at Home and Decor, and tips on local Couples Getaways in the Midwest posted at FinditLocal411 Blog.

In Kentucky, Jack for Prema Michael shows us Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, Lexington, Kentucky posted over at Eyeflare Travel Articles and Tips.  Then, travel down to Texas with Tui Cameron and do a little Shark-gazing at the Dallas World Aquarium posted at Mental Mosaic: Have Blog, Will Travel.

On the East Coast, Jon Rochetti tells us how the DC Flamenco Festival Dances into Town at The PlanetEye Traveler - Washington DC.  Victoria gives us a Londoner's nostalgic look The Big Apple at one of my favorite family travel blogs, It's a small world after all.

Europe

After you're done touring North America, head on over to The Continent, to some well-traveled roads, and a few off-the-beaten path locations that our travelers have discovered.

Curious about post-war Bosnia?  Look no further than Mostar: From the Ruins posted at Twenty-Something Travel, where you will see how this nation has fared since the war.

On a budget? Find out ways to travel in Germany without spending your life savings with Munich Alberto's Cheap Hotels In Munich posted at Cheap Hotels Inn.  For a more in-depth look at accommodations on the Rhine, Jim & Martha show us Bed & Breakfasts vs. Hostels: Bacharach posted at Wanderlust Journey.

Want to save money in Scandinavia?  Just follow Martin Andrews  Seeking Discount Travel Deals To Explore OsloBrad Alexzander and  How To Find Discount Travel Deals To Visit Stockholm Sweden posted at Globe Cheap Travel. 

If Rome is where the heart is, check out Sam's New !! The 10 Best Tourist Attractions in Rome Italy  at Travel Welcome and Robin Locker's lovely Cul de Sac posted at the beautiful My Melange. Robin's blog gets my vote for best design this time around.

For a gorgeous view of Spain, be sure to read Lena's 3 Facts: Barcelona posted at The Colors Magazine. The photos are muy fantastico!

Asia

Only one stop in Asia this time around, this time a view of Old Delhi as seen through the eyes of a woman traveling alone at Cold SnapDragon.

Africa

For a peek at life in Africa, Lanora Mueller shares moving account of her experiences in the Congo at Impressions of Kinshasa, posted at writing travel.

Last, but not least, we certainly have to acknowledge the devastation brought by this month's earthquake to our friends in Haiti.  June Tree presents some excellent advice on Haiti Relief Efforts and How To Help at The Digerati Life. I hope you will all take the time to stop by and find out ways you can help those in the greatest need right now.

Thanks to all the wonderful travelers who participated in this edition of the Carnival of Cities!  I look forward to reading the next edition, hosted by Family Travel Guides.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of cities using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Limahuli Hibiscus

via flickr.com

From our recent trip to Hawaii.

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Bake Sale to Send Dr. Enoch Choi to Haiti

Today, January 23, come to Draegers in Menlo Park and buy homemade treats at the PAMP bake sale. The sale runs from 8-3.  Proceeds go to supporting local doctor Enoch Choi get a mobile clinic to Haiti.

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Kaua'i's Western Beaches

Surf's Up at Polihale State Park

Kaua'i has a multitude of gorgeous, white sand beaches, and we had time on our last trip to explore some that we hadn't been to in prior years.  We also spent a good deal of time at the beach by our hotel, Kalapaki Beach, due to its convenience and accessibility.  Despite its convenience, it got a little crowded some days, so we went in search of a quieter spot.

Probably the most popular beach in Kaua'i is Poipu Beach on the Western side of the island, but when we were there briefly on Friday, it seemed as though every square inch of this tiny, crescent-shaped bit of sand seemed was covered by someone's beach towel and coconut-oiled body.  One of our local friends characterized it as "the new Waikiki."  The abundance of timeshares, hotels, and guest-houses in Poipu make it a popular tourist spot.  While it's a nice spot, with shallow pools for kids to play in, and interesting fish to look at, it wasn't quite what we were looking for in terms of "beach getaway."

We drove a little further north to the equally beautiful (and relatively empty) Salt Pond Beach Park.  Near the historic town of Hanapepe, the Salt Pond is where Hawaiians have traditionally gone to gather sea salt for cooking.  It's a lovely park, with a grassy area leading to a sandy beach, with a rock-enclosed space perfect for kids to splash around it in, protected from the rough waves.

Limahuli Gardens, Kaua'i: A Walk Through Ancient Hawaii

Kaua'i is known as the "Garden Island" due to its abundance of flowers and plants. There are a number of gorgeous botanical gardens on the island, but in all of our years of visiting Kaua'i, we've rarely taken the time to explore them.  On our trip to Kaua'i in December, we opted to spend an afternoon exploring Limahuli Garden and Preserve, a beautiful hillside garden featuring plants native to Kaua'i and those introduced by the Polynesians.  Limahuli is one of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens located on Kaua'i.  It is located at the far, far north end of the island, in Ha'ena, near the end of the road and the beginning of the Napali Coast.

Dining in Kaua'i: 2010 Edition

 

Kauai has a number of great restaurants that will suit any palate, even the pickiest of children (or adults for that matter).  This was our sixth trip here, so we have some old stand-bys that we try to get to every time we come, and always try something new.  I wrote up a list of recommendations on our last trip here, and already shared my thoughts on Verde, so here are a few additional recommendations:

1. Brennecke's Beach Broiler:  Brennecke's in Poipu is a venerable seafood restaurant, unpretentious, but featuring fresh, grilled fish dishes and generous portions.  Decorated with a sports theme, it doesn't look like much, but the food is good, and the site offers views of the sunset off the western shore of the island.  I had grilled shrimp and ono, served up with hearty potatoes au gratin and broccoli, with a side of crisp pineapple salsa (pictured above).  Everything was cooked to perfection, and tasted great together. Location: 2100 Hoone Rd., Poipu Beach, Koloa, HI. Reservations Recommended.

Dining in Kaua'i: Verde

If you're looking for an inexpensive, yet delicious place to dine in Kauai, look no further than Verde, a New Mexican-Hawaiian fusion restaurant in Kapa'a (think: Ahi Tostadas and you get the idea).  It may look like a typical taco stand, but it's about as far from Taco Bell as Hawaii is from the North Pole.

Chef-Owner Josh Stevens moved to Kaua'i after stints as chef in some of Oahu and Maui's best hotel restaurants.  A native of New Mexico, Chef Josh imports in chiles and flavors from the region and blends it with the best of local ingredients to make tasty, creative concoctions like the Cali Burrito I had (pictured), or the Chile Seared Ahi tacos.  He also features flavorful vegan and gluten-free meals, so there is something for just about every palate.  The chile spice can be either mild or hot, red or green, and seasoned to your liking.

I'm not a huge fan of hot food, but the burrito I had was flavorful without being overpowering. It was a good size, but not the gigantic football size that you get in some restaurants that you can't possible eat, or if you do, immediately feel ill.  We also shared chips lightly dusted with chile powder served with some excellent guacamole.

Located in a fairly nondescript stripmall in Kapa'a, I was surprised that such good food was being served up in such humble surroundings. This was probably our best food find on this trip, thanks to our friends, locals Donn and Nancy Forbes, who are dedicated regulars.  Verde had not yet opened when we were in Kauai in 2007, so this was a new place for us.  Thanks, Donn & Nancy!

This is a great place to go if you've had enough kalua pork sandwiches, poi, and spam musubi, and want something a little different. Verde is located at 4 Kuhio Highway, Kapa'a, Kauai.

Handwoven baskets by side of the road, Kaua'i. #travel

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Koi Pond at Kaua'i Marriott Resort

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Wailua Falls, Kaua'i

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