Photo: Mozambique Beer

Sometime the best part of a vacation is relaxing with a good local beer. 

~Jade

Stuck at an Abandoned Brothel

Anticipating your adventures is one of the best parts of traveling. Pre-trip planning – picking the perfect hotel, finding activities, making your packing list – not only makes for a more enjoyable trip, but it's a way to start the excitement before you even board your flight or hop in your car. Plans often fall apart...but that's not always a bad thing. Thanks to good old Facebook, yesterday we were reminded of one of our earliest trips together and how it went wrong.

The year was 2010 and we were on summer break after our first year of teaching. Since we were both home in Washington and had to make our way back to Louisiana we decided to take the long way round. Sputnik, Jade, and G Dog (Jade's puppy) jumped into the Little Yellow Submarine (Jade's car) for a rambling drive through Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

Sputnik chill in' in Pacman.

As we drive we're usually pretty cautious of how much gas is left. At a quarter tank it's time to think about feeding Pacman (another name for Jade's car). When we pulled out of Yosemite we still had three quarters, which should have been more than enough to get us to the next gas station as we headed to the Grand Canyon. Should have been.

If you've ever been to Yosemite you know that the roads in and out are pretty winding and unpopulated. Since our route took us through the park, we left a different way than we came. As 21st century girls we naturally had no road map or written directions. Instead we used the Google Maps on an iPhone. This means when Jade missed the turn for Highway 120, Google just rerouted us. No problem, right? Wrong!

At that point in time there was still about half a tank of gas in the Little Yellow Sub. That means we had 200 miles to fill up.

This part of the country has a whole lot of nothing.

After 100 miles of nothingness we started to get nervous. At some point, we crossed the border into Nevada and Sputnik started to look ahead at the towns Google said were supposed to be there. Each named dot on the map turned out to be nothing more than a cluster of run-down homes or expansive farms. But alas, not a single place to feed Alfalfa (yet another name for the car). Naturally, as we were coming down to the wire, phone service cut out too. Without cell coverage, there would be no help from AAA. As the needle on the gas gauge twitched toward empty, we grew more and more concerned that the Sub would just roll to a stop in the middle of the road. We pondered our options. Should we stop at the next dwelling and ask for help? Wave down one of the seldom passing-by trucks? As we plowed ahead, we murmured encouraging words to little Alfalfa. Just a few more miles... 

And just as we were giving up hope we pulled out of the mini mountains onto a long, straight, flat stretch of highway. We traveled on for about 10 minutes hoping, hoping, hoping for gas, or at least cell service. And FINALLY we found bars just as we hit a junction with a large, empty, safe looking parking lot.

Once we found cell phone service, we decided we better stay put. We parked Pacman, made a call to AAA, and began to explore. Turns out, we'd pulled into the parking lot of the legendary Cottontail Ranch, a decades-old brothel reportedly frequented by such patrons as Howard Hughes. Behind the shuttered building, we could still make out the overgrown landing strip that once accommodated the private planes of the rich and famous. The Ranch no doubt also hosted some of the many truck drivers who pass by regularly. The brothel closed in 2004 after more than three decades in business and by the time of our visit, was a mere shadow of its former glory. 

The now-shuttered Cottontail Ranch in Nevada

We camped out in the parking lot to wait for our AAA guy to arrive with gas to get us to the nearest station. The temperature, fortunately, was milder than one might expect of a midsummer afternoon in the Nevada desert. We sang songs and explored the property while G Dog refused to sit in the shade and insisted on trying to eat rocks. While few people passed by we actually had to assure one friendly truck driver that help was already on its way. (Truck drivers, by the way, are some of the friendliest and most helpful people you'll meet on the road!) When our AAA service person arrived, he brought with him a generous seven gallons of gas, which filled Alfalfa more than halfway. Good thing we stopped, he told us. The next gas station was still 100 miles down the road!

Back on the road, skirting the edges of Death Valley, we naturally stopped to refill on gas (and tasty snacks) as soon as possible. Because we'd spent an unplanned three hours in the Nevada desert, we had to adjust our initial goal of reaching the Grand Canyon that day. So we made a wholly unexpected, but nonetheless welcome, stop in Las Vegas. It was the first visit for both of us to this glittery metropolis that seems more like a theme park than a city. Much like the Cottontail Ranch, it feels out of place, as if someone misread a map and plopped buildings where they didn't belong. But as with the Cottontail Ranch, folks have shown they're willing to pay big bucks to fly to the middle of the Nevada desert for the diversions of Las Vegas. 

G-Dog, enjoying some summer sun.

We pulled up to a trusty, well-situated La Quinta, only a few short blocks from the Strip. Without the budget for a proper Vegas vacation we simply drove back and forth along the strip (which is very congested, by the way) observing all the pretty lights and looking for dinner. On retiring to our hotel we agreed we would some day have to come back and do it right.

It's funny, this part of the trip was what should have been a disaster but ended up being one of our fondest memories of all time. It showed that even when things go wrong we can make it through and have a great time. And really, what's so bad about relaxing in the sun for 3 hours with your best friend and a beautiful dog? ~Sputnik & Jade

Ilha de Moçambique

A few weeks ago my friend Panda and I returned from an absolutely amazing trip to Ilha de Moçambique (Mozambique Island). Over the next few weeks I'll chronicle the various pieces of the trip but let's start with a basic overview of where we visited.

Mozambique

A typical idyllic Mozambique beach

This approximately 800,000 sq km coastal country is a treasure trove of beautiful sights and complex history. Inland, there are mountains to climb and national parks to explore. Along the shores of the India Ocean there are several large cities, picturesque beaches, and fish fresh from the sea.

"Vascodagama" by
Ernesto Casanova

History

In 1498, the explorer Vasco da Gama first made shore in the area populated by both Bantu peoples and Arab and Persian traders. By 1505 de Gama's Portuguese brethren had established important posts here for their gold, ivory, and (ultimately) slave trade routes. In the 17th century, they divided much of the terrain through land grants called prazos but it wasn't until the late 19th century that true Portuguese control was established through a treaty with Britain. Between the 1920s and 1950s more and more colonists arrived as a result of ministry official and eventual Prime Minister António Salazar's policies barring non-Portuguese investments in Portuguese colonies. Mozambique obtained independence from Portugal in 1975 after close to 15 years of fighting. The new country struggled with infrastructure, education, and civil war. 1994 marked their first democratic elections and a new period of peace. Since that time Mozambique has been heralded as an example of the possibility of democracy and post war unity in Africa. 

Today

Today, the land is primarily populated by traditional ethnic groups with only 10% speaking Portuguese (the official language). Of course, that one-tenth of the population is the fraction primarily seen in cities and vacations spots frequented by tourists (as we did). The majority of Mozambicans are employed in subsistence farming with just under 70% living in rural settings. As in most of Sub-Saharian Africa, Mozambique has been hit hard by the HIV epidemic with a world prevalence ranking of 8th and 1.567 million people living with HIV. The primary religions are Catholicism and Islam (we stayed down the street from a Mosque during Ramadan and were woken nightly at about 3 am with prayers).  

A beach on the island

The Ilha

Our trip was spent almost entirely on the Ilha de Moçambique. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a 3 km long islet crowded with homes made through traditional methods and speckled with cobble stoned streets.

The name

The country was actually named after the island and not the other way around. When Vasco de Gama arrived he asked for the name of the place and locals said, "Ali Musa Mbiki". This was not actually the name of the island (it had none at the time) but rather an Arab trader who had become sultan. de Gama combined that into Mozambique which became the title for the island and later the territory. 

History

The fort

Prior to de Gama's arrival the island was already an important trading post between Madagascar, Persia, and Arabia and the introduction of the Portuguese expanded it to include routes between Western Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and China. The Fort of São Sebastião protected the island for centuries and still stands today as the oldest fort in Southern Africa. During a months long siege by the Dutch, Portuguese soldiers were able to hold claim to the island by retreating into the fort and closing the doors. 

Items from shipwrecks (like the porcelain
in the lower right) still wash ashore

The importance of this stop on trade routes lead the island to be the capital of Portuguese East Africa until it was moved at the end of the 19th century. So many vessels coming through also meant many were wrecked in inclement weather. Artefacts continue to wash ashore from these sunken ships today.

A home made by traditional techniques

Since the establishment of a port to this day the same building techniques have been used. Stone was mined from the centre of the island and transported to the edges for longer lasting buildings. The quarry was then turned into a settlement which holds a combination of brick and thatched homes.

One of the Catholic churches

Today 

The people of the island are a mixture of descendants of Portuguese, Bantu, Swahili, and Arab with a small expat community as well. There are two primary religions: Islam and Catholicism.

Fishermen repairing a net

Fishing  is the primary occupation with seafood dominating the diet on the island. Throughout the day men can be seen carrying their catch, repairing nets, and doing upkeep on wooden boats. 

The Governor's Palace

Tourism

There are several museums concerning the history of the island. The Fort, the former Governor's Palace, and the Maritime Museum are run by the same organisation and can be visited for one admission fee. 

Locals can be hired for the day to take tourists across the bay to various beaches and islands but unless you are fluent in Portuguese it is very difficult. Only one or two English speaking guides are available. If you're interested they will find you in the square in front of the museum or on the dock. There is one tourism company called Ilha Blue (they will be getting their own post to come because they're awesome) which offers packages such as snorkelling, sunset cruises, whale watching, and a walk through a Swahili village.

A delicious seafood salad

There are multiple restaurants scattered along the island. Most are run by expats with one or two run by locals. All have traditional food (primarily seafood) and employ locals. The establishments take turns for days off so business gets spread around.

There are a few hotels (Patio dos Quintalinhos, Casa Branca, and Hotel Omuhi'piti) but the cheapest lodging (and in my opinion best) options are home stays which operate like hotels in a local's house. Panda and I stayed at Amakuthini (also known as Casa de Luis) which was essentially a hostel in Luis's courtyard. She offered both dormitories and private rooms and for an additional nominal fee, dinner (which were some of the best meals we had on the trip). Other home stays are Casa de Dona Kero, Residencial Amy, and Casa de Dona Shamu.

Further Info

Panda and Jade at the Fort

Like I stated earlier, I intend to go into much greater detail on specific parts of the trip so keep an eye out for that. But for now here are some sources I used to double check history and sites useful for planning the trip:

Lonley Planet-I used their Southern Africa guide and their website 

Ilha Blue Island Safaris

CIA World Factbook 

UNESCO

~Jade 

(Vegetarian) Memphis BBQ

When Jade and I decided to go to Memphis in 2011, one of the first things I did was research places to eat. As a vegetarian who loves food, I've realized the importance of planning ahead to find satisfying, meat-free local fare. One of the first places my search revealed was the award-winning Central BBQ, an authentic, inexpensive joint with three locations around the city. They offer a variety of meat platters and sandwiches that are all doused in a delectable homemade sauce. Also on the menu is a vegetarian portabella sandwich. I put the place on my list.

Can't make the trip to Memphis? Central BBQ sells their sauces and seasonings online.

We visited the midtown location of Central BBQ during the dinner rush. After ordering and receiving our sandwiches, we took a seat on the outside patio, where a musical duo was performing. Mine – the portabella BBQ – was topped with homemade coleslaw and smoked gouda. It looked delicious. I dug in.

Heaven in a plastic red basket.

The thing is, if I'm going to get sticky-sweet barbecue sauce all over my face, it better be damn good. I hate mess. I hate stickiness. I eat pizza with a fork. But after my first sloppy bite of this portabella BBQ sandwich, I did not care. I devoured the thing. I had sauce on my face, on my hands, on my shirt. This sandwich was INCREDIBLE. Slimy, gooey, tangy, incredible. Not to oversell it, but it may have been the best sandwich I've eaten in my life.

Yes, I clipped back my bangs in preparation for this bad boy.

Jade got a similarly delicious meat option. In addition to the portabella option, Central BBQ offers sandwiches with pork, beef brisket, pulled chicken, and more. If you want to go full-on carnivore, you can choose one of the "just meat" choices. But we really, really recommend the sandwiches.

Jade's sandwich – one of the meatier options.

I'm not gonna lie. There were several times while we were living in Baton Rouge that I considered making the five-hour trip just for that sandwich. It was the highlight of the trip. (OK, Les Miserables – the reason we made the trip in the first place – was pretty great too.) You should go to Memphis for this sandwich. Next time I get the chance, I know I will.

Teaser: Mmmm...Memphis BBQ

Sputnik here. Look forward to a post next Friday about our food adventures in Memphis! This vegetarian BBQ burger was one of the best things I've ever eaten...

I Love You Orlando (The Best Part of Orlando)

ORLANDO! ORLANDO!

Sea World and Disney and Putt Putt Golfing...and UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ORLANDO! (Apologies if you don't get the Book of Mormon reference.)

We actually started this post out as being about Orlando in general but we realized Universal is the best part and we can write about it for FOREVER.

What makes Universal Studios The Greatest Place On Earth?

Butterbeer!!!!!

1) You'll Forget All Your Problems

How could you NOT when you're on the World's Best Roller Coaster, THE HULK?!

2) You'll See All Your Favorite Things

Comic book nerd? Check out Marvel Superhero Island and hang out with Spidey and the gang! Aspiring paleontologist? Get up close and personal with a T-Rex in Jurassic Park. Harry Potter geek? OMG the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will BLOW YOUR MIND. Not to mention a general celebration of film.

3) Butter beer. 'Nuff said.

Seriously though, it's awesome!

Universal is probably our favorite place in the entire world to visit, and we like visiting a lot of places. In the space of three years we went twice with our friend Ash Tree, once alone together, Sputnik went once with Miller Time, and Jade tried to go twice (neither time successful) with visiting friends. It's now been more than two years since either of us has had a fix and we're going a little crazy.

Nothing beats the hulk...

There aren't many things that get the two of us out of bed at 6 o'clock in the morning (we're both confirmed night owls), but when we're in Orlando, we're up and out the door in plenty of time to get to Universal the moment it opens. (Jade actually did this once after only about 3 hours of sleep. Quote: "Totally worth it.") These first few minutes in the park, as the rides make their first runs and before the crowds start pouring in, are magical. It's a time before the lines, the beating sun, and the obscene hordes.  We always take advantage of this by riding The Incredible Hulk a half-dozen times (100% completely NOT exaggerating). Nothing gets you pumped for an awesome day like a high-speed roller coaster (just make sure you pack the Dramamine). More of us might be morning people if we could ride one of these every day before breakfast.

Where else can you explore Hogwarts, drink butter beer, and ride dragons?

The little details make
 all the difference

Not far from the Hulk is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Hogsmead. Since this part of the park is relatively new (and Harry Potter related) it's always busy. We try to hit it in the morning of off days to avoid the massive amounts of people. (Seriously, they will start keeping people out of this part of the park on really busy days.) The Dragon Challenge, which is actually two inverted steel roller coasters modeled after the triwizard task, is the major traditional coaster but the main event at WWoHP is the Forbidden Journey. This dark ride takes you throughout Hogwarts on a mixed media adventure giving Harry Potter fans a closer look at the magical world. One of the things Universal does exceptionally well is making the queue part of a ride's experience and the Forbidden Journey is no exception. As one of the most popular rides in the park the wait time is frequently well over an hour but no one could possibly be bored as they walk through the castle seeing sights such as the Green Houses, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, the Headmaster's Office, and many others. Throughout both the line and the park itself small details, many of which move or make sounds, add to the experience. In the ladies' room outside of the Three Broomsticks you can actually hear Moaning Myrtle as you use the loo.

There is also a station for the Hogwarts Express which, as of earlier this year, carries passengers from Hogsmead (in Islands of Adventure) to Diagon Alley (in Universal Studios Florida). We can't wait to explore the Escape from Gringotts, the Leaky Cauldron, and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes next time we go in this new section of the park.

Ash Tree in front of the Hogwarts Express

But wait, there's more!

As if all of that wasn't enough to fill your time there's a whole 'nother park. The Wizarding World-Hogsmead and the Hulk ride are both part of the Islands of Adventure, arguably the better of the two parks. (So says Sputnik. We'll save the debate for another day.) But don't choose just one, because Universal Studios Florida (that's the other park) has some noteworthy attractions.

The Siiiiiimmmmpsooooonss........and the Mummy

The Simpsons Ride (it replaced the old Back to the Future ride) is well worth the lengthy line (plus, you'll get fun clips from the show to entertain you). The first time we rode it we literally walked out with dropped jaws. And the Revenge of the Mummy is a spooky indoor high speed roller coaster with its own plot line (SPOILER ALERT: avoid the Mummy!). One of the best features of this ride is three separate LIM launches which take the rider from a complete standstill to 45 mph in about 3 seconds.

We ARE galaxy defenders

We kick butt at our favorite ride

But above and beyond all else (as of our last visit in 2012) our favorite ride in this park is Men In Black: Alien Attack. We usually save it for the very end of the day so we can do it over and over and over again. This is not in any way an exaggeration. We once rode MIB 10 times in a row. In it, you ride around an indoor track and shoot aliens on the streets of Manhattan. So it's both a ride AND a game! You rack up points based on the number and kind of targets you hit. DON'T PRESS THE RED BUTTON! Until the end. Then PRESS THE RED BUTTON!  But be careful, right before you leave Agent J might neuralize you if you don't make the cut and you'll forget the whole thing. We've ridden this dozens of times, kind of kick ass at it, and have learned most of the tricks (with the help of the very friendly staff). Not to brag, but we've even unlocked the MIB suit.

And then it's time to go home 

At the very end of the night in Universal Studios Florida there's a lagoon show to close down the park. The first two times we went it was Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular. This fireworks attraction, which graced the body of water for five years, combined scenes from Universal films projected on inflated spheres with various fire, light, and water effects. It has since been replaced with Universal's Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories which opened about a week after we visited the last time. The glimpses we saw of test runs though made it clear it was just as good and definitely the perfect way to finish off an amazing day.

We'll be back

These are of course just some of the highlights of Universal Orlando Resort. It's kind of fitting that one of the attractions we didn't speak of is Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time. Arnold must have been channeling us when he grunted "I'll be back." Hopefully it'll be soon (we actually kind of are already planning our next trip) and we can tell you about all the other amazing parts of Universal then.

~Sputnik & Jade

Teaser

Here's a little teaser of the post we're working on for next week:

Make sure to come back next Friday!