How to Survive the Grand Canyon

What qualifies me, a 14 year old to guide you over a professional? Well my blog won’t be so boring that you can not be bothered to read the whole thing (at least I hope so). I have hiked in and out of the Grand Canyon in a day while passing about 15 posted signs not to and a few signs by the rangers bearing the same message.  The Grand Canyon is unbelievably massive. I really can not describe its size so I won’t even try. The hike up the Grand Canyon takes twice the time it does to go down, so start early in the morning. Now for planning routs you have two choices on the south rim.The Bright angel and the Kaibab Trail. The Kaibab trail is like a shortcut. It is really bumpy filled with tons of divots (and also views). The advantage is it is miles shorter.

How to prepare for the Grand Canyon: First, Carbo-load. The night before you leave eat as many carbs as possible. This will give you energy.  Next pack lots of food. You will be very hungry. I recommend taking 2 liter containers for water and 1 liter of actual water. There are water stops on the way.  On the hike down, you will pass O’Neal’s Butte if you take the Kaibab Trail. This is your time to enjoy the views. At the bottom you will find a hotel, the Colorado river, and two bridges leading to each of the trails.  You can switch trails at this time. Warning: You have to hike another two miles sideways at the level of the river to get to the hotel on the Bright Angel Trail.  You have seen the views; now it is time to pay the piper. One mile up is the price. I strongly recommend coming back up the trail you came because of the extra lateral hike. But hey, if you want to hike another two miles after that, feel free.

Rostock Christmas Market

It is December now, and we are going home to Texas in two weeks. For our last trip, we decided to get in the Christmas spirit by going to the Rostock Christmas Market. Germany has always been famous for its Christmas markets, and the one in Rostock is the largest one accessible by ferry. There are bigger ones, but they are all farther south, away from the coast. We went, not just for the shopping, but for the rides as well. We were not disappointed. The term “Christmas Market” may be a little misleading, perhaps “Christmas Carnival” would be more appropriate.

Germany as a whole tends to make parking easy, at least compared to Scandinavian countries. Denmark, for instance, makes finding parking in town like finding liquor during the prohibition, and the fines are comparable as well. However, even in Germany, in the middle of town on the first weekend of the Christmas market, parking is a little sparse. We found a parking spot after a few minutes, and the price was not outrageous, but we were lucky to find it so easily.  A short walk took us to the delightful sights and sounds of a German Christmas market in full swing.

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The Christmas Market featured stalls selling everything from crystals and semi-precious stones to hats that used to be wolves.  The myriad of decorated stalls lined up along pedestrian streets and throughout the historic town square.There was an impressive medieval section accessible by a side street, with vendors selling furs, wooden weapons, etc., all while dressed up like merchants straight out of the Middle Ages. In the main section of the market, the booths were decorated predominantly in red, and the smell of cooking sausage wafted across the town. Several of the booths scattered throughout the market sold every kind of sweet imaginable. Even if you are looking to buy something not sold at the Christmas Market, the sides of the streets are lined with department stores. There is even a small shopping mall that opens out onto the street where the stalls are set up.

In addition to the fantastic confection stands and souvenir shops, the Christmas Market has a ride for everybody, from little baby roller coasters to a giant spinning pendulum we nicknamed “The Pendulum of Doom”. This and most of the other more adventurous rides were grouped at one end of the market, while the gentler rides, the ferris wheel, which commands an unparalleled view of the city, and the carnival games were grouped at the other. There was a ride to please everybody.

 

I highly recommend the Rostock Christmas Market, it really had something for everybody. I may not have visited the other German Christmas Markets, but Rostock will be tough to beat.

Tallinn

On our most recent and perhaps my favorite trip, we took an overnight ferry all the way across the Baltic to Tallinn, Estonia. We took the Tallink cruise line, which you can read about here.

Tallinn was unlike any European city I have ever seen, though in some ways it seemed like it should have resembled Lübeck, it didn’t. (Read my post on Lübeck here.) Lübeck and Tallinn are both port cities, and were both members of the Hanseatic League.  Much of the medieval structures were made out of limestone, unlike Lübeck, which was predominantly red brick.  While the stone buildings somewhat resemble those of Scandinavian cities, in Stockholm it feels like all the buildings are two to three centuries old. In Tallinn, it feels like all the buildings are four to five centuries old. Also, while Tallinn was bombed in WWII, the red army mostly blasted the houses in the predominantly wooden suburbs into kindling, since Russia needed their industrial capabilities. Lübeck was not so lucky. As a result, I got the feeling that Tallinn’s historical buildings were a little taken for granted.

My favorite attraction in Tallinn was the Russian Orthodox Church, which I thought was much nicer than any Catholic or Protestant Church I have visited. By no means was the church small, but I got the impression that it sought to impress, not by its size, but with its beautiful paintings and lively contrasting colors. Unfortunately,  we were unable to take pictures of the interior of the church.

Tallinn is a truly beautiful city, and due to its setting on a hill overlooking the harbor, there are some amazing views. The oldest part of the city is surrounded by a medieval wall, and a few towers set into the battlements still stand. One of them, the maiden tower, even has a small restaurant in it, providing an incredible view of the red-tiled rooftops across the city. If you like, you can walk along the wall from there. The streets and alleys are so narrow in places, it almost seems as if roof jumping could be a viable means of transportation.

One unfortunate thing about traveling to Estonia by cruise or ferry is the walk from the boat. It must be a mile of uphill walking to reach the edge of the town center. Beyond that point you would have to walk even if you brought your car, since there is very little parking in town. As a result, if you do not bring a car on the ferry, you will probably want to book a taxi or take a bus. Another unfortunate thing about Estonia in general is that not many Estonians speak more than tourist English. Anything more complicated than, “How much does this cost?” and most of them will not understand what you are saying

. Thankfully though, as far as European countries go, Estonia is one of the cheaper ones. It also has an abundance of  amber shops, so souvenirs will not be an issue. It is also generally quite clean. The cigarette butts were few, and there was no graffiti that I could see. The old buildings were well kept up, so the town was in as good shape for tourists as possible.

If you decide to take a trip to Tallinn, which I highly recommend, I have a bit of advice for you. If whoever would be driving is comfortable doing so in a foreign country, bring a car, and if not, be prepared to use public transport, and get some Estonian cash as soon as possible.

The Baltic Queen

On my family’s most recent trip, we tried something new. Instead of driving or taking a train to our destination, we took a cruise from Stockholm, Sweden to Tallinn, Estonia. We took the Tallink Line, since it appeared to be the most family friendly. While the childrens activities were a tad underwhelming, the cruise, for the most part, lived up to our expectations. The pubs and bars were at the ends of the ship, so you only found them if you wanted to, and the casino really only ammounted to a dozen slot machines in an alcove. Tallink line was undoubtedly the right choice when it came to a cruise line.

Tallink line is not only family friendly, it is affordable too. Tickets and cabins for five cost less than a hotel per night, and while the food is not particularly cheap or good, it was not bad either, and cheaper than some Scandinavian cities. While the website advertised a game lounge, and I am sure one of their boats has one, all the Baltic Queen had was a small arcade. There was a nice, well supervised playroom for children ages six and under, and there were probably some organised children’s activities during the summer, there was very little for older children to do in November. We were fortunate enough to have our tablets with us, so we did not have any problems finding something to do.

The accommodations aboard the Baltic Queen did not disappoint. While the rooms were small, they were clean, comfortable, and tastefully decorated. Each room had three bunks and a fold out couch that sleeps one, a small TV, and a bathroom with a shower. Each cabin even had a generously sized window. The only minor annoyance was that you had to go up one floor and sit near a window to get Wi-Fi.

Perhaps my favorite part of the cruise was sailing back into Stockholm. For over an hour and a half, our ten story hotel wove between the little green islands with their little red houses. How the captain memorized the route I have no idea. He probably had a map with the safe route marked on it. Otherwise, he would have had no idea whether the water was deep enough for the ship. Watching the islands go by is not something you can miss, any time you spend on the last day looking somewhere other than out the window is time wasted.

If you want to take a cruise/ferry across the Baltic, Tallink Line is the way to go. Just be sure to bring something to do, a book or a video game would be best, and keep your eyes peeled outside of Stockholm.

Lübeck

Lübeck, Germany

Lübeck is a town on an island in the Trave River, just south of its mouth in Travemund. It may just have the most historical buildings of any town I have seen, but unlike most medieval towns, Lübeck is not associated with any castle. Instead, as the center of the Hanseatic League, it was established around the marketplace, the town square.

Getting into Lübeck can be a little tricky. When we drove there from Denmark, we were in trouble as soon as we left the highway. Compared to drivers in Sweden, (who are rather passive,) Germans are, shall we say, assertive drivers, not to mention that the urban streets were quite narrow. Once you cross onto the island the streets only get more confusing and constricted. I recommend getting a hotel on or near the island, parking your car, and walking to see whatever you wish to see.

I mentioned before that Lübeck was the center of the Hanseatic League. The League was an alliance of Baltic merchants created to ensure fair trade and provide security for the merchants from member cities. It functioned a bit like a modern labor union, except that labor unions do not have a navy, and they negotiate with the management of companies, not kings. This union of merchants, at its peak, included the major port cities along the Baltic, all the way up the coast of Norway to Bergen, and it even owned some land around the port of London. One can see why Lübeck would be full of history.

Just walking down the cobbled streets of Lübeck, there are historical buildings left and right. Just as you have not visited Paris if you have not seen the Eiffel Tower, you have not visited Northern Germany if you have not seen the Holstein Gate. In the time of the Hanseatic League there were four bridges into the city each guarded by a gate, but today, only the western one, the Holstein Gate still stands. However, even it does not stand straight, but the two towers on either side of the gate tilt in separate directions. I am amazed that it has not broken apart, twisting like that. I suppose that the Germans are famous for their engineering for a reason.

Holstein Gate

There are many other sights to see in Lübeck, but since we only stayed one night, we did not come close to seeing them all. As for souvenirs, I recommend the Heart of Glass art glass shop. They have some truly beautiful art, though if you plan to take it on a plane, I would try to get something sturdy. When we visited, I purchased a glass deer, and I am still worried about its antlers.

Given its remarkable history as the center of the Hanseatic League, and despite heavy bombing during WWII, Lübeck is full of beautiful historical sites. Some of the highlights of my trip were St. Maria’s Cathedral, Schiffergesellschaft restaurant, and The Puppet Museum.   If you visit Northern Germany, any  one of these is a must see.

St. Marien Church

Schiffergesellschaft restaurant

Moose Park

If you go to Scandinavia, and do not see a moose, you will most likely be disappointed. South of Stockholm, they can be hard to spot. If you want to make sure you see one, you will have to see it in captivity. While there are a number of moose parks in Sweden, I recommend Smålandet Markaryds Älgsafari.

First, I would like to clarify what moose are in the Smålandet park. The dozen or so moose are Eurasian Elk. This is an unfortunate name, as it causes a lot of confusion. They are not elk, (a smaller member of the deer family,); they are moose. The park also has an enclosure with American Bison which, depending on where you are from, may be just as exciting.

Pay admission at the gift shop, and drive through the three kilometers of winding forest road at your own pace, or ride the little train like you find in a zoo. Depending on the time of year, the train may make its rounds once or twice a day, every day or just on weekends. (I recommend a car, that way, you can stay in there until the park closes.) Driving through the park, you should not have much trouble spotting a moose in the first kilometer. They are surprisingly well camouflaged, but the roads are laid out so that they cannot get far enough away from the path to hide themselves. After the first kilometer, you have the opportunity to turn off into the bison area, or continue through the remaining two kilometers of road in the moose enclosure. Be sure to bring the moose something to eat; they like apples and carrots, but even a juicy reed will do. One of the moose in particular may even stick its head in your car if you bring it something tasty. (Thankfully, this one does not have antlers, otherwise you might find a few holes in your upholstery.)

Smålandet gift shop has one of the most extensive collections of moose-related souvenirs I have ever seen. It also has a cafe that serves moose sausage, but it is only open in the summer time. If the kids do not like shopping, even for stuffed animals and bumper stickers, they can play with the goats in back.  However, be sure to tell them to avoid the dark green shoots on the left side of the pen, they are stinging nettle and should be avoided.  Sweden has some especially stinging nettle.

I really enjoyed the moose park, and I fail to see how anyone wouldn’t. The kids will enjoy it, especially if the friendly moose lets them feed and pet him. And who doesn’t want to see a moose up close? If you are in Scandinavia and have your heart set on seeing a moose, Smålandet Markaryds Älgsafari is the place to go.

(For more information on Smålandet Markaryds Älgsafari, click here)

Varberg

Varberg Castle is a huge fortress built on a cliff overlooking the Orasund, the sound between Sweden and Denmark. It was converted into a prison in the 1800’s, though, with views like that, I fail to see how that is punishment. The fortress is currently being restored. (Read more about Varberg Castle here.) However, despite the cannons and views, a four-year old would still be thoroughly bored by the end. That is where Spoookitetsparken comes in

World’s Best Playgrounds

I know, as well as anyone, how hard it is to travel with younger siblings. They have short attention spans, they tire easily, and they are rarely interested in history. I have found that they sit through museums and castles much better if they are promised a reward…. An exceptional playground usually works. Over time, I plan to add more playgrounds, as well as well as links to my posts on nearby attractions over time. Check back later for more.

SPÖÖÖKITETSPARKEN:

Spööökitetsparken, as its name suggests, (in Swedish anyway,) is a haunted themed playground across the street from Varberg Castle. (Read my mini-post on Varberg Castle here, or read more at the fortress website here.) Spööökitetsparken is one of the best playgrounds I have ever seen, with its two-story haunted house with cobweb rope ladders and giant slide.It is quite large and beautifully kept up, with its spooky fake trees to climb on, more cobweb rope ladders, giant wooden bats suspended on springs, and much more. It is the only playground I have seen with a small trampoline built into the ground.

With its unique theme and amazing equipment, Spööökitetsparken is sure to please even the most jaded playground connoisseur.

Houston Children’s Museum:

If you are in Houston with a small child to keep entertained, the Houston Children’s Museum is a sure way to do so. It has so many things to do, you could come back day after day, never having to revisit an attraction.

One of my, not to mention my brother’s, favorite attractions at the museum was the Power Tower, which is possibly the most unique playground I have ever seen. It is a three-story series of warped disks, roughly three feet in diameter and shaped a bit like giant Pringle’s. These were suspended from metal support beams and surrounded by a safety net. It may look a little odd, with a name that has very little to do with what it actually is, but it was a surprising amount of fun, even for someone my size. It has openings accessing both levels of the museum, not to mention the staircase in between. Somehow, the Power Tower conveys the feeling of being in a subterranean tunnel, while still allowing one to see where he is going. The best part is, it’s indoors! Cold or heat, rain or shine, the Children’s Museum is always open. This can come in handy, especially around August. This playground really is a must-see.

Egeskov

If you happen to be in Denmark, and you have a group with widely varying preferences, there is one place sure to please all of them. Egeskov is a Renaissance Castle in the Danish countryside. It is situated on vast grounds, which include the castle, a catwalk through the trees, a hot dog and popsicle stand, antique car, motorcycle, and plane museums, an extensive playground, several mazes, and a fantastic garden.

Egeskov Castle was built in the middle of a small lake in Funnen, the second largest island in the Danish Archipelago, during the 1500’s, and it’s foundations were constructed of oak pilings driven into the riverbed. (I have no idea how they have not rotted already.) On the grounds, the antique vehicle museums have been converted from farm buildings, though, from the inside, you would never have guessed their original purpose.

One of the best things about Egeskov is its wide assortment of children’s activities. Most castles bore little kids out of their minds, but Egeskov presents just as many enjoyable activities for children as it does for adults. Egeskov has an enormous playground tucked into the woods in addition to its 3 mazes, one of which has an elevated walkway and a slide as an exit, though parents can take the stairs. (Follow the right hand wall and you will never get lost. When you reach a dead-end, simply turn around and follow the wall that is now on your right.) The Egeskov grounds are a children’s wonderland.

If someone does not enjoy castles, antique vehicles, playgrounds or mazes, chances are, they will derive at least some enjoyment from the gardens. Egeskov was named the best restored castle garden in 2012, and spread throughout the grounds are, one thousand five hundred thirty-eight varieties of fuchsia. 1538! Nearly 8 varieties of fuchsia for every nation on the planet. The garden is not even restricted to fuchsia. And I have not even mentioned the peacocks.

Egeskov may not be the biggest castle, but unlike any other historical building I have been to, enjoyment does not only come from appreciation of the architecture. Egeskov has so many things to do, especially for children, that anyone can find something they can enjoy.