Dixie Supply Bakery & Cafe has etched itself into my heart with one single taste of their creamy grits, cooked to perfection, without any pretention. When facing the multitude of options in the culinary capital of the South you may be tempted to overlook a humble storefront bakery cafe sharing parking lot space with a gas station.
La Lomita was the very first restaurant visited on my first trip to Isla Mujeres in February 2005. Landing at noon, we made the decision to grab lunch and pick up some groceries before hailing a cab for Villas Punta Sur at the south end of the island. A map was consulted to get our bearings. Looking up Avenida Juarez, there was La Lomita, just a half a block away. Thus began a multi-year love affair with Isla Mujeres and its food.
If you enjoy native cultures, and nature and wildlife experiences, few islands can rival Borneo’s deep treasure trove of offerings. In Sarawak you can watch furry red Orangutans up close and personal, walk along an entire longhouse village raised high up on stilts, and kayak down a gentle river past enormous rock formations and some of the most rugged jungle terrain imaginable, all on the same day.
Climbing an active volcano isn’t something you get to do every day and there are very few places in the world where it’s even possible. One volcano where it’s possible and even reasonably manageable is Pacaya in Guatemala. Pacaya’s 90-minute strenuous walk up to the volcano cone can be eased by taking a ‘taxi,’ which is a horse, or four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Only half the distance from Vancouver as the Whistler/Blackcomb peak-to-peak gondola, the new Sea to Sky Gondola, just minutes south of Squamish, British Columbia, makes a nice day trip for those of us who don’t want to spend the entire day traveling. Less than an hour’s drive from just about anywhere in Vancouver, this new facility offers easy hiking trails and sweeping views of not only the Squamish Inlet, but also Diamond Head and Sky Pilot mountain ranges. The drive up the Sea to Sky Highway is always scenic on a sunny day, and a very pleasant day trip can be accomplished in five or six hours.
