Category Archives: Attractions

Moving Along Iceland’s Ring Road

Leaving Reykjavik and heading south, we went along Iceland’s Ring Road, a national highway that connects towns and passes by fjords, mountains, farmland and plateaus. Also known as Route 1, this main road is about 830 miles and connects to picturesque sites including two major waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.

For most of the Ring Road, it’s like any common interstate highway you may have driven on, with two split lanes going in different directions. Time wise, the route is well traveled during the summer months yet during winter it can be a different story. Certain parts of it are often closed due to bad weather or road conditions. So, if you happen to be there (from October through April), check ahead before driving out.

Seljalandsfoss

While en route, we made stops at these outdoor marvels. At Seljalandsfoss, there is a trail that leads you literally go behind these falls. Starting from the right, the trail winds around the back of the waterfall going underneath a cavern. Here, you can see and hear up close the continuing water. Then, you can head back out to the left to climb up a viewing area to check a different angle of Seljalandsfoss. Be careful, too, as these spots can be slippery.

Skógafoss

Equally if not more inspiring, Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s largest waterfalls. You can get quite close to the waterfall and the spray coming off is amazing to see and feel. Just remember, as you get towards the mist, to protect your camera lens! As you are able to walk along the base of the waterfalls, you can also get to different levels for more than one side view.

On the east side of Skógafoss, there is a long staircase in which you make the climb to get all the way to the top, or stop at side paths along the way that lead to lookout points. I tried to go up the entire staircase to reach the pinnacle, but due to having limited time — and me needing a lot more of time to get up and back down in one piece — I decided to go along one of the side trails and then back down to the base instead.

Solheimajökull glacier

In addition to waterfalls, Iceland’s glaciers are a beauty unto themselves. You can actually book tours to climb them, or simply walk near them. The day’s itinerary included a spot at the amazing Solheimajökull glacier, an outlet of an ice cap known as Mýrdalsjökull. You can walk up to this glacier, and get close enough to touch the ice and see the river next to it.

My time outdoors ended with a jaunt to Dyrholaey Nature Reserve, not too far from the town of Vik. Since 1978, this marine protected area consists of cliffs and a rock archway where puffins and other species of birds come to roost. Unfortunately, on this day, the weather suddenly changed and didn’t want to cooperate on giving us a clear view. However, it is neat to walk around here. And, of course, be careful near the edges.

Taking a Dip in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon

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One of Iceland’s well-visited attractions is the Blue Lagoon. A by-product of a nearby geothermal power plant called Svartsengi, the lagoon is a pool and spa complex that is worth taking a trip to and a dip in.

About a 40-minute drive from Reykjavik, this outdoor lagoon is in the middle of a lava field and recognized for its bluish and milky-white water. It is quite warm and contains minerals such as silica that are believed to help in treating certain skin ailments like psoriasis. Silica, which is white in color, is found in different sections of the lagoon, and you can dig it up with your hands and lather it on your face or body. Think of it as a mud mask.

Way before going in the water and even before heading to the changing room area, your visit to the Blue Lagoon starts by purchasing a towel and a special blue wristband that closes your locker. Robes can also be rented separately.

Once you’re set there, head to men or women’s changing room areas to get into your swimsuit and put your stuff in an available locker. On the ladies’ side, this area is quite big (there are lower and upper levels) and you might have to walk around a bit to find an empty locker. After three tries, I found one, slipped into my swimsuit and closed my locker by raising my wristband against a wall panel.

Going in or coming out, you will be passing by shower stalls and sharing open changing areas with countless other visitors, so don’t get nervous or uncomfortable if you see a lot of skin. It’s like being at the local gym. Once you’re ready, grab your towel and head down to the lagoon.

It’s a blissful scene here. Being in the warm water (maybe around 86 F/32 C in temperature) and looking out at the surrounding mountains and up at the clear blue sky is quite surreal. The lagoon’s waters are pretty clean as they get renewed every 40 hours. It’s not that deep either.

Areas close to the edge of the lagoon are quite shallow, so be a bit careful. I was in a hurry to get next to one of these spots so that a nice lady could take my picture and I smacked the side of my leg hard against a mound. Oh well. Just more time to spend in the water to help my sore muscles.

Around the lagoon, there are also bridges and an outdoor bar where you can swim up to and order drinks. I didn’t get any but I heard for payment you just flash your wristband and your drink is put on your tab. Instead, I floated along and chatted with other visitors.

Back indoors, there are two dining options. A cafe has sandwiches, salads, chips and drinks and a restaurant offers more upscale choices. At the gift shop, you can buy skin care products made with minerals from the sea waters but they can be a bit pricey.

If you don’t have a car, you can get to the Blue Lagoon by bus from Keflavik International Airport, which is a 20-minute ride, and through tour operators. It’s nice option for those who have a layover that gives them enough time to head out the lagoon and back.

Interestingly, the lagoon is located where the Eurasian and American tectonic plates meet, so it’s actually set between two continents. Other than the lagoon though, there isn’t much else in this region to visit. However, the scenery is interesting. You will notice how the 2010 volcanic eruption has changed the look of this landscape and probably spot some Icelandic horses, too.

At Lyman Orchards, Sunflowers Are A-maze-ing

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On Sunday, I walked among a field of sunflowers. And yes, to sound like a dork, it was “a-maze-ing.” I’ll also add that it’s definitely worth paying a visit to Lyman Orchards, a 1,100-acre farm in Central Connecticut, this month. At this farm in Middlefield, an absolutely beautiful sunflower maze is open for exploring now through Sunday, August 25.

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More than 300,000 sunflowers make up this two-mile maze. Before heading in, go up on an observation deck first to get a nice overview. Then as you are walking through the maze, keep an eye out for shades that go beyond the typical sunflower yellow. My friend and I spotted a few reds and oranges, and even darker tinted ones like a rich purple or even black.

sun 11 The size of some of the flower heads were close to matching dinner plates, and, due to weight, a few were bent over a little bit. We even spotted one or two little ones still waiting to bloom.

The maze’s path is pretty simple, and there are a few place markers but finding your way isn’t too bad. There is an admission fee of $10, with $1 going to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. And while you are at Lyman Orchards, take advantage of the opportunity to do some picking. The orchard here is quite impressive, as almost 100 different types of fruits are grown from June through October.

In keeping with what’s in season, right now your picking options include blueberries, pears and peaches, and pretty soon, apples. I haven’t gone picking before, so I grabbed a container and headed for the blueberry bushes. After digging and going around nets (and having my friend tug me free from one thanks to my pants getting caught), I got a handful of berries to bring home.

If farming isn’t really your thing, and maybe golf is instead, there is a golf course down the road. Also owned by Lyman Orchards, Lyman Orchards Golf has three different style courses. And if you miss out on the Sunflower Maze, there will be a corn maze set to open August 31 and run through November 3. For getting to the orchard, at 3 Lyman Road, I suggest taking Merritt Parkway to CT-66 E but you can also go on I-95 to pick up I-91.

Russian & Turkish Baths: An Old World Approach to Modern Health

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Going to a spa is one thing, but have you ever been inside a banya or booked a platza? You can find out what they are at Russian & Turkish Baths, a traditional bathhouse in New York City’s East Village since 1892.

On East 10th Street and near 1st Avenue, this institution is an old-school health club. Both men and women get basic services such as massages and scrubs or sit in steam rooms or saunas to relax or rejuvenate. If you’re used to upscale venues, here’s an important thing to keep in mind before your visit. There are no frills. It is very simple in appearance and formalities.

Upon entering, the staff at the front desk gives you a locker key (they take your wallet and keys for safe keeping inside a safety deposit box at the desk). You can grab a robe (a plain black one that is short in length) and black shorts to slip on and a pair of sandals. Pick up your towel or two before you walk into either the men or women’s locker room to get ready.

I decided to come to the bathhouse after seeing a daily deals promotion that included admission (a separate fee) plus the cost of a service. During my recent visit, I got a massage that ended up being a shiatsu, and headed to the upper level of the building where the massage rooms are. After the massage, my masseuse pitched some additional treatments such as scrubs I could purchase and have while I was still there. I found I had to be a bit firm but still polite on my decline. Also, keep in mind, there is a tip scale requirement. When I was ready, he took me around the building to show me where other services were.

Also upstairs, there is a sun deck which is an outdoor patio with lounge chairs for relaxing and hanging out. The lower level of the building houses two different saunas, a steam room, a pretty cold dipping pool and showers. A section called the Russian Room gets its heat from hot stones but has a shower head for cooling down quickly (I jumped at that one). This room is also where a treatment called platza happens. You’re scrubbed hard with a broom made of fresh oak leaves, which have a natural astringent, and dripping with olive oil soap. It’s said to be a major skin cleanser.

The lower level can also get quite communal, as you sit alongside both genders and various ages. Just relax and get comfortable. It also makes for some good people watching. Being a newbie, a few guys were kind to point me in the right direction to restrooms and showers and suggested how and when I should cool off. I also chatted with a couple that came here often and other women who were new to the place like me.

The Russian & Turkish Baths are co-ed most of the day on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. There are times for women only are on Wednesday mornings through early afternoon and then men only times most of Thursday afternoon and then again Sunday morning until early afternoon. Also note: the place is owned and operated by two different men who have separate schedules. You can only use admission passes you buy during the shift of the manager you bought it from. Don’t forget to bring a bathing suit and a bottle of water with you. Check the website for more information and a full schedule beforehand.

Seeing Suva and Heading to a Cultural Center

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Fiji’s capital city of Suva, on the Island of Viti Levu, has a number of retail shops, government buildings, shopping malls, a movie theater multiplex, and eateries. It’s also where heads of state and diplomats reside. Plus, it’s home to Suva Municipal Market, an open-air food market; seminaries and colleges like the University of the South Pacific; a Municipal Handicraft Centre; and the factory for Pure Fiji, a popular line of skincare and haircare products.

While in Suva, we drove by and stopped at many important places. The Presidential Palace is once where Fiji’s British governors resided during colonization. It also has a changing of the guard ceremony on the last day of each month. Next on to Albert Park, where aviator Charles Kingsford Smith landed his plane, a trimotor Fokker VII-3M, in early June 1928. Last Saturday, we saw rugby matches going on there.

Across from Albert Park, the Thurston Gardens is also the location for The Fiji Museum, which has two halls of impressive archeological findings and exhibits on Fiji’s various residents, indigenous and settlers that came to the islands over the past century. The museum has quite a collection, which dates back 3,700 years!

Having a good regular admission price, the Fiji Museum’s lower level contains exhibits relating to fishing and sailing. One eye-catching display is a double-hulled canoe with five steering oars that require a few hands to lift, as well as a house raft made out of bamboo. Pottery is also on view at the museum, particularly with the Lepati, a group of people who created a type of pottery known as Lepita pottery. Visitors can also learn more about Masi, which mixes intricate patterns and warm colors for detailed clothing designs.

There are also exhibits showing historical periods such as the arrival of religious missionaries to Fiji and other nationalities such as Indian peoples who came to Fiji during its time as a British colony as indentured labor.

Heading toward Pacific Harbour, we visited the Arts Village, a cultural center that holds demonstrations on Fijian traditions through reenactments. Locals perform various roles found in a village. On the property, a guide takes visitors to a tribal chief’s bure to meet him and observe interactions between him and his tribe’s various members in his home. First, a “visitor” would give a Tama, which is a call to asking permission to enter the bure. A yes or no answer from the chef would be delivered.

Removing our shoes upon entering the bure, we learned that the chief has a spokesperson that interacts in him giving order or responding to delivered messages. Inside his home, the chief has one wife, other “wives” serve as concubines, and servants. Each person in a tribe has a specific role such as a messenger or a spokesperson. Actors demonstrated how the chief would react to certain news, as well as showing his interactions with his tribesmen. Also, while inside the bure, we also participated in a kava drinking ceremony.

Among the shows performed at the Arts Center are a fire walking demonstration. One island where fire walking is credited to being from is Beqa. Only males are permitted to participate in fire walking, where they move across heated stones, and they have to refrain from certain activities like having coconuts in order to do so. Meke, form of traditional communal Fijian dances, were also performed.

The Arts Village also has a number of restaurants and shops, with the option of having a lovo lunch. This type of meal is cooked in an earthen fire pit. Guests too can choose to stay at the site in dormitory accommodations inside its Tsulu Beach Bunkhouse. These cultural offerings make The Arts Village at Pacific Harbour worth a visit!

From a Marketplace to a Mud Bath

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Wednesday afternoon was our first group venture to explore Fijian culture. Heading back to downtown Nadi, we stopped at Nadi Municipal Market, a daily-run (except for Sundays) marketplace where farmers bring in their crops for sale and city folk and villagers come by to buy them. Merchants are friendly and, after asking for approval first, are okay with you taking a picture of them at their spots or stalls.

While exploring the market, you get to see and learn a lot about the fruits and vegetables that are staples in the Fijian diet. There is also similar produce to what we have at home.

Taro, a stout and starchy root vegetable, tastes close to a potato is found here in stalk bunches. Jackfruit, another common Fijian produce, reminds me of a watermelon due to its green rind and shape. Tomatoes, ginger, chilies, yams, green beans, carrots, plantains and pineapples are also found here. Also, kava, the roots from a peppery plant used in making kava, the liquid drink, can be bought.

In addition to fruits and vegetables, spices such as cumin, mustard and fennel seeds, cinnamon, and anise stars, are also sold from booths. There is also a fish market on the premises, selling recent catches (my guide tells me it’s better to get fresh fish straight from fisheries) such as, surprising to me, barracuda.

Sri Siva Subrahmaniya Swami Temple

Also with culture, Fiji has an Indian population dating back to when Indian labors were brought to Fiji by the British in the late 1800s (Fiji had been colonized from 1874 until the late 1970s) to work on sugarcane plantations. Our next stop was at the Sri Siva Subrahmaniya Swami Temple, a colorful house of worship erected in 1994 by skilled workers flown in from India.

This South Indian-style temple is built in dedication to Muruga, a mythical general, and is graced with an array of basic colors with intricate patterns. Visitors can explore the temple and its grounds for a small admission price but they are required to remove their shoes before entering. You also have to cover your bare shoulders and legs with a sulu (a wrap skirt).

Garden of the Sleeping Giant

Most people might remember the late actor Raymond Burr for his role as Perry Mason, but he has ties to Fiji, living here. In 1977, Burr established a garden to house orchids that is now known today as “Garden of the Sleeping Giant,” because of it being in a mountain region called the same name.

Located four miles north of Nadi Airport, this garden is said to hold Fiji’s largest orchid collection. Walking through this garden, you’ll catch various species with different shapes, sizes and colors (there is one that looks like toucans), along with other unique and lovely tropical plants.

The garden doesn’t stop at orchids. In fact, you can follow along a path that leads you to a shady region that is like stepping into a Garden of Eden. A guide accompanies you along this walk, pointing out and giving descriptions on various plants, and the path winds along near a leaf pond and ends near a rustic fixture used for ceremonies. You also get a closer look at the mountains.

Sabeto Mud Pool and Hot Spring

We ended our outing at the Sabeto Mud Pool and Hot Spring, located halfway between Nadi and Lautoka. Here we had two options: having a mud bath, by being coated in mud (with minerals good for the skin) and then rising off in a hot spring, a Fijian massage and then also a rinse, or doing both. After you complete your choice, you take a tip in a hot spring to rinse off. I decided on getting a massage.

Our group will soon get going to the Pacific Coast, to get to our next place of stay by motorboat! But first, we will be staying on Denerau Island most of the day to learn more about Fijian cuisine, by cooking it.

Still Turning Pages: Connecticut’s Independent Bookstores

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As much as online retailers and chain stores make shopping for books more convenient, I’m glad to see that independent booksellers aren’t fading away. Like many states across the U.S., Connecticut has a good number of stores successfully staying in stock. They have mass selections or promote specialty genres, carry a signature look and know the importance of good customer service.

While I’m trying to hit up as many book sellers as I can around Connecticut, start off with these two “good reads”:

The Book Barn, Niantic

Many friends of mine have driven up to this fun place. So I had to see it too. It’s right off of I-95, and I made it the first of two stops on my literary day trip.

In 1988, Randi White and his wife Mo turned a new chapter in their lives when they co-founded The Book Barn, an always-evolving book business that is a collection of amusements. Literally.

On the grounds adjacent to a three-story barn, which is called the Main Barn and contains nonfiction, teens and children’s, The Book Barn has a fun approach to stacking. Whimsical makeshift homes along the property shelve various paperbacks and hardcovers by category or subject.

Named after the famous landmark, Ellis Island is a depository for new arrivals (the public can bring books for potential sale) to be sorted. Some section names are fitting, others fun. The Haunted Bookshop has mystery and suspense, while Hades holds romance and chick-lit. As for books, the inventory contains a wide range of rare finds and popular titles, dating back to the 1600s up to this week’s bestseller.

Along with its main location on West Main Street, there are two other venues in Niantic: Book Barn Downtown and Book Barn Midtown.

RJ Julia Bookseller, Madison

This second stop is not too far from I-95. Though a Main Street fixture in Madison, RJ Julia Bookseller gets visitors from all across the United States and some even from overseas. They are authors who frequently come in for lectures and signings. Wall photos show off many guests such as the late writer Nora Ephron and celebrity TV chef and local resident Jacques Pepin.

Opening its doors in 1990, owner Roxanne J. Coady founded her store in an empty brick building with the notion of caring for and calling her customers as what they are: readers. With two levels and a separately run café and bistro, the store is graced wooden panel shelves and a neat green ceiling above the main cash registers.

An attached yellow building extends RJ Julia’s holdings with a children’s section and has space for visiting authors that come in for appearances at least a few times every week. Recently the bookstore invented its own Espresso Book Machine to encourage aspiring authors to bind personal writings and mementos into freshly made paperbacks. I understand that Coady has been looking to retire and sell her store. However, as a staff member told me, she’s waiting for the right buyer to come that will stay in line with her shop’s mission.

So, tell me. What’s your favorite “indie” bookstore?

Seeing Familiar Places and New Ones on Connecticut Open House Day

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Indoors or outside, the weather was great this past Saturday, June 8 for Connecticut residents to check out our state’s annual Open House Day. With more than 100 attractions statewide participating, I decided to stick around Fairfield County to get reacquainted with two museums that I last saw as a child. Plus, one has a new neighbor that is worth climbing around.

First, I headed out to The Discovery Museum and Planetarium on Bridgeport’s Park Avenue, near the city’s border with Fairfield. A mainstay since I can remember, the three-level museum pays tribute to milestones in science, innovation, and exploration. On the main level, the museum’s “Adventure Science” section starts with a jungle gym set up that provides a miniature version of the Adventure Park located next door. Younger visitors didn’t hesitant to try it out, climbing, jumping and running around the structure.

Moving on across the wing, the next space shows how Bridgeport and other places in Connecticut made major strides in engineering such as Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, whose founder Igor Sikorsky is credited with launching the U.S. helicopter. With space exploration, Hamilton Sunstrand Space Systems in Windsor Locks (now known as UTC Aerospace Systems) developed a portable life support system for NASA space suits worn by Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong for the 1969 moonwalk.

Speaking of outer space, the lower level holds the museum’s Planetarium and a Challenger Learning Center, along with AV displays about the planets and enlarged photos of the cosmos. Here youngsters can also go exploring with MoonBase Discovery, a section with shuttles for climbing inside and getting behind the wheel. Don’t forget to head up to the third floor for more hands-on activity with a mixture of exhibits highlighting energy in all its various forms.

Going back outside, my next stop was at The Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum, which is behind the museum’s property. Opened two years ago, the aerial attraction sits on five acres of woods in Veterans Memorial Park, with 11 different course levels that encourage you to climb, crawl, pull through and step across one platform to the next and reach the end point by zip lining.

Choose to stick in your comfort zone, starting with a new purple line, or perhaps challenge yourself to reach a level like the double black diamond (60 feet up). Go at your own place. Other things help put fears aside. The park’s crew members suit you up in a fitted harness and gloves and give clear instructions about the magnetic clips you’re given to get to each point.

And you’re not left hanging mid-course. Call for help by saying “staff,” which I did, and they will come. I finished with a needed upper body workout and a confidence boost.

Finishing out the day, I drove up to Stamford for a quick jaunt around the Stamford Museum & Nature Center, which is close to the Merritt Parkway. The 118-acre property has a nice mix of family activities: hiking trails, a working farm, a children’s playground, nature center, a nature preserve, and an observatory. Heckscher Farm is home to goats, sheep, pigs and chickens, with an organic vegetable garden and an animal embassy. Step inside Bendel Mansion and Museum Galleries to see the former summer home of New York designer and department store owner Henri Willis Bendel.

Even if Connecticut Open House Day is now closed, get out and see these places!