Cultural Travel
Books Prompt Travel . . . and Vice Versa
Aug 22nd
Several best-selling books in the past few years have led their fans to travel to the locations in which the plots are set. A whole industry seems to have sprung up offering tours and packages built around the settings of Elizabeth Gilbert‘s memoir Eat, Pray, Love – which will likely go into overdrive with the recent release of the movie based on the book. Popular excursions based on sites mentioned in Stieg Larsson‘s Millennium series of thrillers are selling out in Sweden. One community which has perhaps benefitted the most, proportionately, from fan interest in the locale of their favorite books is tiny Forks, Wash. Ever since the first book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series was published, the community at the edge of the continent which had suffered through severe economic decline as the logging and fishing industries sagged has enjoyed a welcome influx of tourist dollars.
Certainly, this is not a new phenomenom in the worlds of publishing and tourism. Readers of Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes for years have sought locations in London and throughout the U. K. mentioned in the books penned by J. K. Rowling and Arthur Conan Doyle. (I remember my girls being thrilled, several years ago, to be traveling through King’s Cross Station, from which the Hogwart’s Express departs for the wizarding school in the Potter series.) Surely, any writer who has the skill to describe a foreign place in intriguing and enticing prose (and populate it with enchanting characters in a thrilling plot) will likely set his readers to dreaming of visiting that spot. Indeed, for many of us, our first introductions to worlds outside our familiar circuits probably came through the pages of a book.
Conversely, the memories of and lessons learned by travelers have for centuries led them to share their experiences in books that have become literary classics — and in turn sent their readers off on explorations of their own. John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley and William Least Heat Moon’s Blue Highways early gave me a desire to hit the road and explore our country. Even more ambitious journeys such as those related in Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft and Honeymoon with My Brother by Franz Wisner can set one to dreaming and considering the possibilities of life-changing travels of one’s own.
Do you have a favorite travel book? Is there a book, fiction or nonfiction, which has spurred you to journey to see the sights it describes (or at least dream of doing so?)? Have you chosen to read a book based solely upon its setting? How have books affected your travel plans?
– Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor
An Experience to Remember
Jul 8th
This past spring semester, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad. I was based in Rome but took advantage of weekends and breaks to travel around Europe. After all my trips and travels, Rome remains one of my favorite destinations.
Living in a place gives you a unique feel for the city, one that a week’s vacation could never provide. It’s the little things that the usual traveler will never be able to experience that create the most substantial memories.
I lived in Trastevere, a section of Rome across the Tiber from the main historical sites. There, I was able to experience the Roman lifestyle firsthand. I attended Santa Maria in Trastevere every Sunday for Mass and went to the same restaurant every week for their 10-euro student meal. These little treats made my time in Rome special and gave me a genuine experience abroad.
One of my fondest memories in Trastevere was going to the grocery store every few days. I bought the same things every time I went, and there were even times when I had no idea what I was purchasing. With poor Italian skills, my purchases were often random and occasionally wrong. Many times I just bought things because the picture on the box looked good or the name sounded exciting. Fortunately, I was never disappointed — even with my miserable skills in the kitchen.
One day in particular stands out to me. I was going through my usual shopping routine when I got to the check-out line. The store was a family-run business, and there was often a line at the register. I was waiting in line and I lost myself in thought and replaced my usual smile with a pensive expression. As I approached the cashier, an Italian man in his late 40s turned to me and said, “Smile!” He also broke into a big smile. It was this little act of reminding me to savor every moment that an average traveler may not get to experience. For this reason, that moment and this store will be a huge part of my Italian memories.
Another unique experience I had while in Rome was seeing all the sights without the crowds. It was amazing to walk right into the Colosseum and tour the Vatican as slowly as I wanted. I was able to see the beauty of Rome without being distracted by the tourists that flock the city come May.
Travel not only for the sights but for the experience of the culture. After my time abroad, I firmly believe no trip is complete until you wander into the little shops, eat the local cuisine and interact with the locals. Hotels are everywhere; it’s the culture that makes a place.
– Mary Carpenter, intern
“Art and Wine Entwined”
Jun 27th
One of the most beautiful and unusual wineries I’ve ever visited is located about an hour’s drive north of Auckland, New Zealand. Richard and Christine Didsbury own Brick Bay Vineyard, establishing the vines in 1996 and producing some lovely wines strictly from their own grapes. We had met Richard earlier on the day we visited the winery, as he is one of the driving forces behind the village of Matakana and its well-known Farmers Market. The winery and its unique sculpture trail seem to be Christine’s special loves, and she was our gracious and knowledgeable hostess on our afternoon visit there.
One approaches Brick Bay’s tasting room dropping from the thoroughfare stretched along a hilly crest down over rolling pastureland which spills eventually into the bay and sea. Tucked into a fold in the hills about halfway down is The Glass House, the winery’s three-year-old tasting room, an elegant, one-story, all-glass building cantilevered over a small lake and its outflowing creek. We arrived as a light rain dimpled the waters of the lake, breaking up the colorful reflections of the autumn-tinged vines which climb a slope beyond. Geese and swans floated peacefully on the surface amid still-flowering water lilies. There was a timeless quality to the scene — vaguely recalling a Japanese garden while feeling very modern as well.
Joining the natural beauty were a number of sculptures scattered along the shore of the lake and even positioned on the water itself. These were just a few of the installations which make up the Brick Bay Sculpture Trail. Christine’s long-time passion for sculpture was the impetus for the 2-kilometer trail, which includes nearly 50 pieces of art selected by a curatorial panel. The Brick Bay Sculpture Trust administers surplus revenue from the operation of the trail, making funds available to artists who otherwise could not afford the expense of creating or installing works of a scale for such an outdoor exhibition.
Intermittent but sometimes heavy showers prevented us from being able to walk the entire trail, but quick forays in a number of directions exposed us to the variety of both the terrain the trail covers (alongside lakes, swamps, vineyards and native bush) and the mediums and forms of the pieces exhibited. I found it a brilliant and delightful venue in which the Didsburys provide invaluable exposure for New Zealand artists.
We also took time to sit down and sample a few Brick Bay wines, accompanied by vineyard platters boasting local cheeses, sausages and cured meats, fruit, vegetables,  pates and remoulades. The winery’s fairly small production means one can generally find it’s wines only at a limited number of fine restaurants in New Zealand, but tastes of the 2009 Pinot Gris and Pharos, a premium red blend from 2005, showed the artistry applied to their development.
I hope to return to New Zealand some day, and Brick Bay Vineyard is on my list of places I’d revisit. And rain or not, next time I’ll be sure to take in the entire Sculpture Trail and its lovely views — both natural and man-made.
– Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor
Wining and Dining on Waiheke Island
May 15th
My second full day in New Zealand was one of my favorites (and they were all pretty spectacular). It began with a 45-minute ferry ride out of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour to Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf east of the City of Sails. It was a lovely, sunny morning, and I took my seat on the upper open deck of the ferry to take in the scenery and enjoy the mild air. We passed by Rangitoto Island, born of the last eruption in the area some 600 years ago. Its volcanic origins are obvious in its cone-shaped peak, and its heavily forested slopes are now a nature preserve popular for bush walks and daytrips from the city.
Once we landed at Waiheke, we were met by Steve from Ananda Tours, who gave us a brief overview of the island and its history. Once covered with towering kauri trees, prized for their tall, straight, knot-free trunks by the British navy, the island was mostly deforested by 1850. Sheep and beef farms then took over, but over the last 30 years or so vineyards and olive groves have crowded out the more traditional agriculture. Its location means the island receives almost 30 percent less rainfall than Auckland and can be several degrees warmer, and together with its rocky soil provides the right kind of growing conditions for grape vines. It’s also a beautiful setting and just far enough from the city to provide wonderful weekend and holiday getaways without requiring extensive travel time. The island’s permanent population of 8,000 residents swells to 40,000 in the summer months, and our brief visit there made me wish I had the chance to make several long-weekend stays.
Our first stop was at the Rangihoua Estate to sample several of their award-winning, certified organic extra virgin olive oils. I enjoyed the chance to experience the different flavors evident in oils made from different varieties of olives as well as some unique blends. Next it was on to Te Whau Vineyard (pronounced “tee fou” — “wh” in Maori is pronounced “f”), where owner Tony Forsyth, a retired psychologist, explained his philosophy of both winemaking and his award-winning cafe while pouring tastes of some luscious Bordeaux-blend reds. Unfortunately, his production of less than a thousand cases a year means that you won’t get this wine in the States unless you’re a member of his wine club.
The next winery we visited, Stonyridge Vineyard (and Restaurant), produces both red and white wines and also boasts a large and productive olive orchard. Here again some valley vineyards with a toasty microclimate allow the winery to produce some lovely red blends from the grapes harvested there. While 62 percent of New Zealand wine grape production is in Sauvignon Blanc, it was nice to get the chance to try these tasty, lesser-known reds. We arrived just a few days after the fall crush had been completed, so the staff was pretty exhausted but nonetheless cheerful and welcoming. Winemaker Summer Bell proudly showed us the all-by-hand production line and basket press before we headed upstairs to a wide, shaded deck looking out over the rows of autumn-colored vines. While it would have been pleasant to linger there and partake of the winery’s cafe offerings along with more wine, lunch was scheduled at our final stop on the tour.
We arrived at Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant already in a jolly mood; and the views, setting and meal there were a fantastic cap to the day. The hand-hewn, mudbrick buildings set into the hillside and the French potager gardens (with herbs and vegetables grown in them incorporated into the menu) could have been dropped straight from Bordeaux. I could see why this is a favorite spot for weddings: The wide, brick terrace and rustic-formal dining room look out over the vineyards and then far down to the shimmering sea beyond. The wide windows and french doors were thrown open to the mild and sunny day, so we drank in the views as we sipped sparkling wine before lunch. The four-course affair was delectable and beautifully presented as well, with local seafood, beef and produce prominently featured. It would have been lovely to have lingered the rest of the afternoon there, but all too soon we had to drag ourselves away to catch the ferry back to Auckland.
I do know this: When (not if) I return to this region again, I will be scheduling at least two or three days on this idyllic island to more leisurely enjoy its wines, vistas and laid-back ambience.
– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader
