Dream Destination: Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik's Old Town is perhaps best identified by its orange roofs. (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

I’ve been dreaming of Dubrovnik, Croatia’s romantic, trapped-in-time city, since Jade and I began discussing our (as of yet unscheduled) eastern Europe tour. In spite of the fact that it’s inaccessible by train – our preferred mode of European transport – Dubrovnik is on my must-see list for the trip.

To add to my anticipation, my all-time favorite show, Game of Thrones, is filming part of season two in the medieval city. They’re also filming in two of my other Dream Destinations, Northern Ireland and Iceland. Oh, what I would give to be on that production crew…

Dubrovnik is a walled city on the Adriatic Sea, well-preserved since its medieval hey-day. (Poet Lord Byron called it the Pearl of the Adriatic.) The city’s first pharmacy, established in 1317, is still open today. Dubrovnik’s walled Old City was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.

Dubrovnik combines all the best of a perfect travel escape: sunny beaches, sidewalk cafés and an almost pearlescent radiance (hence Byron’s nickname for the city). The city is geographically isolated by mountains and sea, making it a hassle to get in (by air seems to be best, but you can also reach it by ferry or car). But that kind of isolation makes a place all the more relaxing once you’re there.

Sponza Palace is one of the many medieval

sights in Dubrovnik's Old Town. (Photo byLászló Szalai)

Many of Dubrovnik’s most exciting sights are from its medieval prime. Visitors can walk the city walls that have protected Dubrovnik since the 13^th century. Other medieval sights include the Franciscan and Dominican Monasteries and the Rector’s Palace. Other palaces, as well as cathedrals and fountains, delight sightseers.

More adventurous types can go on sea kayaking excursions or dive in the Adriatic. Visitors looking to venture further beyond the city walls can travel to Mostar, Montenegro or any of a number of islands, including Korcula (with a beautiful medieval city) or Lokrum, with a ruined Benedictine monastery and botanical gardens. Mostar and Montenegro are accessible by bus or car. Both islands are accessible by ferry.

What to eat: Seafood! It’s on the Adriatic Sea, after all. Seafood specialties include squid, octopus and all sorts of shellfish. Risotto is another local specialty, and you can find seafood risotto all around the city. My fellow vegetarians might have a tougher time in this city, but the city seems to have a variety of pizza and pasta places that might serve.

Where to stay: The most convenient – and most expensive – part of Dubrovnik in which to sleep is the city’s Old Town. Budget options include Fresh* Sheets hostel (www.freshsheetshostel.com) and the Old Town Hostel (www.dubrovnikoldtownhostel.com).  Rooms Vicelic (rooms-vicelic.com) is a guesthouse inside the city walls, and has two other properties with rooms and apartments just outside the Old Town.

For more information and details to plan your trip to Dubrovnik, visit:

• Lonely Planet: Dubrovnik
• Croatia Travel Blog
• Frommer’s Dubrovnik

– Sputnik

Changing habits, perspectives since 9/11

The tenth anniversary of the September 11^th attacks tomorrow has brought about a barrage of media coverage asking variations on the same question: how have the United States and the world changed since that day?

Certainly, the attacks fundamentally changed the way we travel. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the airline industry saw a record number of passengers during the August before the attacks. It took three years for airlines to recover those numbers.

Airport security has changed drastically, and new policies have discouraged many from flying. Recent research by the U.S. Travel Association finds that travelers avoid two to three trips per year due to the “unnecessary hassles” of airport security.

I was 14 years old when the planes hit the twin towers, the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania. The events of that day have had a profound effect on my generation, which was too young to experience the fears of the Cold War and oblivious to suffering in other parts of the world. From our perspective, we lived in a world absent of the kind of fear and suffering that previous generations faced.

The events exacerbated my already-pronounced fear of flying, which remains with me to this day. For others, post-9/11 biases have affected how they view other cultures and have discouraged global understanding. Unpopular U.S. policy decisions after the attacks have also caused many to fear discrimination or retaliation when traveling abroad.

On his blog today, travel writer Rick Steves is encouraging Americans to continue traveling, in spite of fears and a recent U.S. State Department alert reminding travelers of the continued threat of terrorism. I echo Steves’ statement. Travel not only promotes your own understanding of other cultures, it encourages others to better understand yours.

I’d like to hear from you. How did your travels change on September 11, 2001, and how have they evolved over the last ten years?

To read more about how travel and our perspectives have changed over the last ten years, check out some of these stories around the web:

“Security has changed flying in myriad was since 9/11,” Vancouver Sun

“The true cost of 9/11 for travelers,” Smart Money

“From 9/11/01 to 9/11/11,” Blog Gone Europe (Rick Steves)

– Sputnik

Butterbeer

Jade and Sputnik tasting frozen butterbeer at Universal Studios

This is where our dorkiness comes through. Butterbeer is one of the most amazing drinks you will ever have. I've been fantasizing about its flavor since I was 12 years old. Last April I finally got my chance when Sputnik and I spent a week in Orlando with our friend Ash Tree. At some time I'm sure we'll go into detail about the whole trip but for now I'd like to focus on the butterbeer.

If you don't know, butterbeer is a beverage of wizards and witches from Harry Potter. The first time Harry tastes it he thought "it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside." J.K. Rowling was quoted in Bon Appetite as saying "I imagine it to taste a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch."

With the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando Island's of Adventure, many fans (myself included) were particularly excited to finally taste the brew. Universal's version is not exactly what's described in the books but it's pretty darn good.

The version in the book should be slightly alcoholic; not enough to effect a teenager but plenty to get a house elf wasted. Since Universal's is mostly (I believe) aimed towards children there's no booze. Harry and his friends drink butterbeer two ways, cold in a bottle or hot in a mug. Again, the theme park has a different take. The only option is in a mug either chilled or frozen. Both are delicious. I feel the differences can be forgiven since the park has their own perogative.

Ash Tree and Jade enjoying some homemade butterbeer

About a month after our trip, Ash Tree and I made some of our own based on a recipe found here: http://wizardingworldpark.com/top-5-butterbeer-recipes/2010/08/20/  If you're interested in making it, we used recipe number1. This came very close to what we had at the park. One of the things I like best about this recipe is it can be served warm and easily be made alcoholic (instead of rum extract use actual rum) to more closely resemble what is described in the book. This version was so good Sputnik and I made a batch to celebrate Harry Potter's birthday at the end of July. We can't wait to find another occasion to make it or get the opportunity to return to Universal!

~Jade

Memphis, Tennessee!

Courtesy of Memphis Travel

Jade and I are spending a weekend in Memphis in a couple of weeks to see the touring Les Miserables show (so excited!!!).

We're still researching and prioritizing options for the trip, and trying to make the most of our short time there. Of course we're looking at Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum. I'm also excited to tour downtown on the streetcar and check out Memphis's musical roots on Beale Street.

I looked at Urban Spoon to find some cheap, highly-rated places to eat. We can't go to Memphis without trying some barbeque, and I found a great-sounding place with a vegetarian option! The award-winning Central BBQ in central Memphis has complete plates for under $10 and sandwiches for under $5 – including a portobella mushroom sandwich that I can't wait to try. We're also going to check out Muddy's Bake Shop, with awesome-sounding cupcake flavors, like prozac and razzle dazzle.

Anyone have suggestions for other sights or great places to eat?

– Sputnik

New Ideas

First, I know I have not kept my resolution. I'm sorry. Finding time is not easy.

Sputnik and I have had a little brainstorm today and have some new ideas. I'm not going to reveal them at this point since we are still working out the details. In the meantime, here's a fun photo of us and our friend Ash Tree from a trip we took to Orlando in April.

-Jade

Summer Plans?

Shanti Bhavan, about 2 hours from Bangaluru, educates
the lowest caste of Indian children, ages 4-17.
(Courtesy of Shanti Bhavan)

As teachers, we pretty much have our vacation time mapped out for us. So right now we're in the process of making plans for our two-month break this summer. We could tour central Europe. We could road trip across the U.S. We could visit every national park within a 500 mile radius.


Or, we could continue teaching. Today, we went to an informal info session on teaching at Shanti Bhavan, a school for ages 4 to 17 that seeks to provide a world class education to some of the poorest kids in the world. The school is located about 2 hours from Bangaluru (formerly Bangalore) in southern India. Many of its teachers are volunteers who donate anywhere between a month or a year of time working at the school. Kids receive instruction in general academics, as well as arts enrichment, economics and other subjects.

The two of us are considering applying to spend 4 to 6 weeks teaching at the school this coming summer, then spending an additional week or two exploring the country by train. Our room and all our meals (which are mostly vegetarian) would be provided free of cost. All we'd need to cover is airfare and any additional travel within the country.

We're super pumped for this possibility, and we'll keep you informed about the application process and let you know as our summer plans develop. If you're interested in the organization, you might like to check our their website at http://www.shantibhavanonline.org/index.html or their blog at http://sbchildren.blogspot.com/

Essential Hosteling Accessories

That's me, Sputnik, at the Valley Hostel in Lauterbrunnen,
Switzerland, where I went during the summer 2010.

As I’ve mentioned previously, my dad and I spent a month touring western Europe last summer. We were on a budget, so we stayed mostly in hostels, with the occasional small hotel or B&B thrown in the mix. Here’s a list of items we brought and found immensely helpful, and a few items we wish we’d packed.

Sleep sack. Some hostels will require you to rent sheets, or might not have any at all. And then, of course, there are the hostels with questionable cleanliness. A sleep sack will keep you clean under the covers. You can get cotton sacks, or splurge and get silk, which are much lighter and smaller. Check out the Sea to Summit collection ($26.95-$64.95, www.rei.com).

The lightweight Jetlag Alarm Clock
takes up barely any room in your
pack. (Courtesy A+R)

Portable alarm clock. You don’t want to miss the sights (or your train)! Pack a lightweight one to save space. Try the Travel Alarm Clock (Rick Steves, $15.95) or Sam Hecht’s Jetlag Alarm Clock (www.aplusrstore.com, $40).

Ear plugs. Every hosteller has stories about snoring bunkmates or drunk and stumbling spring breakers. Unless you sleep as deep as the Mariana Trench, you’ll be glad to have these on hand. You might also want to pick up a sleep mask for the same reason.

A good paperback. Not only does a good book help pass the time, but many hostels have book exchanges, so when you’re done with the one you bring, you can choose another one. A book that somehow involves your destination is a nice choice.

Headset. No one wants to hear the other side of your Skype conversation. Get a lightweight, USB headset, complete with a microphone, to easily voice- and video-chat over the internet. Try the super lightweight Freetalk hands-free device, which also helps to cancel out that background hostel noise (shop.skype.com, $49.88). Jade also recommends the Skullcandy line of headsets (skullcandy.com).

Deck of cards. You don’t need to speak the same language to connect over a card game. It’s also a great diversion if you’re stuck inside or outside your hostel during lock-in or lock-out hours.

The FlexiLock allows you to
secure your belongings.
(Rick Steves' Travel Store)

Combination lock. Most hostels have lockers of some sort, but often they require you to supply your own lock. A combination lock is better, because then you don’t have to worry about misplacing a key. When hostelling, though, make sure to keep the really important stuff (passport, credit cards, big bills) in a money belt, and keep that money belt on you at all times, even when you sleep! I like the FlexiLock, which has a flexible cable, allowing you to secure your stuff in lockers, on trains and elsewhere (Rick Steves, $9.95).

Netbook. If you’ve got the space, a netbook (smaller and lighter than a regular laptop) will be immensely useful. You can Skype, Facebook and e-mail, and you can also use it to confirm hostel reservations, check museum hours or catch up on the news. In my experience, most hostels have internet, and if they don’t, they can recommend a nearby internet café. Since there’s no way to protect your stuff fully while hostelling, don’t invest in expensive or attractive-looking netbooks (or really, any technology).

Clothesline. Dry out hand-washed laundry or wet clothes overnight using a packable clothesline. You can get some that have clips attached (like REI’s Hang-up Clothesline, $9.50) or with braided elastic, so you can stretch it and hold clothes in place (Travel Clothesline, Rick Steves, $9.95). Also pick up detergent, like Tide Liquid Detergent Travel Sink Packs, with just enough soap to wash a few clothes in the sink.

If you can think of any other essentials, mention them in the comments!

-- Sputnik

A Bit About Sputnik

Hello fellow travelers,

Sputnik in Siena, Italy.

Sputnik here, writing to tell you a little about myself and my travel philosophy. As a kid, I did a lot of traveling in the United States and Canada. I've been to 37 U.S. states and 6 Canadian provinces. My favorites so far are Massachusetts (where I spent most of my summers as a kid), Arizona, Quebec, and of course, my home state of Washington.

Until recently, I hadn't had travel experience outside of North America. Last summer, my dad and I did a tour of western Europe, visiting France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. The trip only increased my appetite for international travel. Next, I'm looking forward to trips to India, Spain and central Europe.

Even before my Europe trip, my passion for travel was inspired by my French language studies and by Rick Steves' TV program and travel books. In future posts, I'll further explore my mild Rick Steves obsession...

A final note -- I'm vegetarian, which affects my travel plans, especially internationally. I'll post about my food experiences along my journeys.

Thanks for traveling our way!

-- Sputnik

Welcome to Our Awesome Blog

Howdy y'all! Can you tell we're in the south? Welcome to our brand new blog. This is Meghan (Sputnik) and Anne (Jade). From now on we will be using our travel names. We've started this blog to share our travel adventures, aspirations, and advice to you, our fellow wanderers. We're not by any means experts but rather we enjoy the path through life. Sometimes we will post together and sometimes we will post alone. You can always tell who is writing by the sign-off at the bottom.

Enough about that. You probably want to know a little about us. We are currently special education teachers in Jackson, Louisiana. Neither of us is from here although this is where we met. Completely coincidentally we are both from Washington State, love to travel, and are complete goof balls. Because we both have a teacher's income all of our trips are low budget. As we post more you will surely get to know our distinct personalities. Just to end on a cheesy note: thanks for wandering by!


-Sputnik & Jade