CaliFrisco

So before you venture to California you will probably learn two things. 1) Locals hate it when you call California, Cali, and two) Frisco is a Texas town and should never be used to refer to San Francisco. Yes, both these rules were completely disregarded in the title of this blog. Whether this was to poke at Californian locals, or to peak their interest/enrage them enough to hop on this blog and rack up my page views is still up for debate!

Regardless, I'm writing this blog about the beautiful location known as San Francisco, California with vivid images of my recent visit west to see the city. (I know the blog is a little off schedule, but when  I realized that I could write about San Francisco after just visiting I was willing to take the hit...)

So there are a lot of pinnacles to San Francisco, but I'm going to talk about the ones I got to see. I have visited the city twice now, but this time around I got to do what I wanted to most; just dive in and get lost! However, before I was able to get lost I went on a boat cruise around the bay area! With student discount it was $21.00 and lasted an hour taking us out of port, under the Golden Gate Bridge, and around the island of Alcatraz. It was pretty neat, but honestly, if you've got the time you could do it by yourself. (Fair warning Alcatraz tours are booked months in advance if you want to get on the island!) Oh and did I mention the Golden Gate Bridge is only 1.7 miles long... walking distance.

All photo credit goes to my friends Tessa Taylor and Morgan Leichtenberger

Pier 39, the port where our boat cruise left, is a cool place to kill a couple hours. They have a whole section devoted to the local sea lions, a very unique mall strip on the wharf, and some bombin' crepes. Bubba Gumps has a location there as well if you're feeling shrimp (it's good, not good enough to die over, so if you're allergic please don't, but if you're not its definitely worth your time... plus they have Forrest Gump on loop so it's like dinner and a movie).

Next it was time to get lost. The crew that we had created in the city split into three. The largest of the groups ventured to Ghiradelli Square, home of the fancy square chocolates and some pretty testy sundaes as well. The next group was made of six and they wondered over to druggy lane, Otherwise known as Haight and Ashburry. From there they made it to the Full House house and took some worthy pictures! My friend, Zoe, and I disappeared from the group. We went to some of the parks around the bay, found a homeless hangout under some trees or really big vines (still don't really know what they were), and then somehow wound up in Chinatown. We didn't make it to Golden Gate Park like we had hoped but the ones we passed through were basically big open fields, perfect for a nap, with some statues around them. Chinatown isn't nearly as sketchy as it's made out to be either. Granted it was the middle of the day, but I was the only white kid I knew of within three blocks of myself (Zoe is mostly Chinese) and I was able to go in and by something from one of their market stands! (Don't get me wrong, I was as lost as a Nemo, but it wasn't threatening, it was exciting!)

Hippy Central                                Of course we landed on Lombard street at some point.

Eventually we made our way to the Dragon Gates, walked back to our bus stop, and headed back to Sacramento, where we were staying. Apparently the large group was summing up the trip to "Frisco" and one of the three statements that were agreed upon was, "Where's Nate?"

It made me laugh, but hey! The best way to get to know a place is to just get lost in it (there's this really good cafe called The Epicenter Cafe on Harrison Street that I found; it is recommended). So where ever you go in the future, get lost and let that start your adventure!

Buried in a Wall

So we just got done with a great ancient city so how do we keep going!? How about a great wall?

The Great Wall of China

This sucker is huge! It's over 21,000 km long and has been standing for more than 2,300 years! I have had the opportunity to see the wall for myself and when you are standing on one end and have no idea how far it goes on, you can be stuck in awe. Being the ignorant little nine year old I was, I remember being absolutely convinced I could walk/bike the whole thing with ease... I was either very stupid or very hopeful.

It's reaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllyyyyyyyy looooooooooongggggggggg

Since 1644 (after the Ming Dynasty was overthrown), work on the wall ceased. There has been restoration work done on the wall since 1957, but none of it has been done with military intentions, all were for the sole reason of tourism and preserving history. In December of 1987 the Great Wall was even placed on the World Heritage List UNESCO.

It's not always continuous either!

Another thing that's cool, but most people don't even consider, is that the wall is not continuous all the way through! There are plenty of parts where the Chinese Dynasty decided that mountains and rivers did the job for the wall. There are also places fortified with circular loops and parallel walls. This was the location of many battles so military stratagem was of importance. The wall was so important that it continued to be built for six dynasties! And when one person died while building the wall they were simply absorbed by the wall... no joke, it is thought that 400,000 people are buried within the wall...

With 400k buried in it, I feel like the wall could be really
creepy on some nights... Just imagine the Ghost Stories !!

There are so many wonders that come with the Great Wall, but one thing you must watch out for is the simple fact that you are a tourist. And tourist means money. And people try to take that money.
While I was visiting China the one thing that got me were the beggars...

Now we all have the neighborhood homeless we've seen or the beggars that stay on the corner of the street asking for food, money, or some other item, but these might have been the most aggressive beggars I have ever seen in my life. Now I'm not saying they tackled anyone to the ground, or that we were frequently pick pocketed out of our belongings, but they did manage to almost scare my mother to death when they decided that my seven year old sister looked old enough to buy a hand crocheted scarf and pulled her over to their booth. Needless to say, we were linked for the rest of the day like the chain of day care kids you see walking around campus every once in a while.

courtesy of wikipedia

The Great Wall is definitely not the only thing to check out if you make your way to China, but its definitely one you should keep on your radar. There are some AMAZING restaurants, including a Mongolian BBQ style place (where you cook your own food in front of you) that I can never seem to forget (but alas I can never remember the name....). The tiny villages are also very tranquil and an experience just to see! Overall China was a pretty cool place, just watch your wallets (and small children if you have some with you).

Wisdom's City

So while you were climbing around the Pyramids of Egypt, suddenly you realize that you are extremely close to the Mediterranean Sea (thank you middle school geography). You know what's on the other side? OK, there are a lot of countries over in Europe, but the place that's really close. Just north of you...

Greece

Athens, Greece

Specifically Athens, Greece is where we will be going. Now what use to be an easy journey by sea, has become rather difficult. Occasionally there is a ferry that travels between the two countries and there are freighters, but the average traveler is not going to want to book a freighter. Who said we were average tourists though?

Regardless there are ways to go between the two. One route I found hops to Cyprus, then to Rhodes, Greece, and then to Piraeus (which so happens to be right outside of our predetermined destination... Athens! If you actually take this route at any time in your life check with the cruises that operate these routes. You can't reserve seats if you're going one way so you need to make sure there are seats available. It's a little bit of a hassle, but you could check out Cyprus too, which is its own adventure.

Once in Athens the fun can begin. I've always been interested in Greek Mythology and when you're in Athens, you're in the heart of it all. The totem of ancient Greece, the Olive tree finds its origins in the city of Athens. The reason the city itself is called Athens is after the Greek goddess Athena. The short story is that Athena gave the city a better gift than Poseidon, the Olive tree, so she became the god to be enshrined in the city. As the city's protector, many temples were dedicated to Athena. Probably the most famous one was the Parthenon of the Acropolis.

An Olive Tree

Built during the Golden Era of Athens, the Parthenon was erected by the Pericles administration and the architects Iktinos and Kalikrates. Its original columns and marble construction would prove to be some of the most influential architecture in history. All you have to do is go to a library or some government building here in the United States to see that. One cool little detail about the building itself is that the external pillars aren't actually straight, they were built a little curved. With the Attica landscape, this made it so no matter what angle you look from the pillars look straight!

The Parthenon

These are some of the remains of the statues of important
mythological individuals that were located in the Parthenon

Sadly in 1687 the Venetian army blew the building to pieces. When the bomb went off the only wall left standing was to the East and countless artifacts were destroyed. As time moved forward no one made an attempt to collect the untimely rubble so pieces have disappeared as tourists throughout time have taken a souvenir for themselves. Now the most important pieces reside in the Acropolis Museum. This exhibit was finalized in 2011 and sits 300 meters from the ruined temple.

Possibly the most important statue of the Parthenon,
the statue dedicated to the goddess of wisdom,
Athena.

This place in itself holds a history of mythology, architecture, and even battles. I think it would be undoubtedly worth going and seeing/exploring. Pericles had the right idea when he said, "...we shall be the marvel of the present day and of ages yet to come."

203 Steps to the Top

I've realized that as I'm finding places I want to visit I've avoided some very important popular places! The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World must not be overlooked so I will now explore a country that includes one of those wonders.

courtesy of flicker

Egypt

Destination one when you are in Egypt has to be the pyramids of Giza. Although they may not be the most exciting place for some, they are the Wonder that comes from Egypt and they can easily contend with the most recognizable piece of the world. Known as some of the "most magnificent man-made structures in history," the sheer massiveness of these pyramids bring awe to tourists everywhere. The pyramids were built in the beginning of the Old Egyptian Kingdom, and they ended around the sixth dynasty (roughly 2325 BC). The oldest known pyramid is known as Step Pyramid and was built at Saqqara in 2630 BC. Giza is the oldest of the three pyramids of Giza and is the most celebrated pyramid (it's also where the title of this blog comes from). This pyramid is the only surviving structure out of the seven ancient wonders!

 

Step Pyramid

Pyramid of Giza

Going back a few sentences, I want to point out something. Cool thing about Saqqara... you can go inside a the pyramids here!...

I'll just let that soak in...

Who wouldn't want to!

Unless you're claustrophobic of course, then I wouldn't recommend it.

Inside Saqqara --  the Djoser Pyramid

The next big thing about Egypt is the Great Sphinx. With the head of a human and a lion's body the statue is "the first truly colossal royal sculpture in Egypt." Next to the pyramids its a national symbol of Egypt, no matter what time period you're talking about. Located south of Khafre's pyramid at Giza one cannot forget the fact that this monumental statue is also connected to a temple! Honestly there's no losing here because as long as you make it to Giza you're guaranteed to see at least two of the most known worldly structures.

The Great Sphinx

Although there are plenty of other places you can explore in Egypt, from Cairo, the Egyptian Museums, and Luxor, to the Nile (of course), and their gods' temples, the two next places are the final two I will recommend for Egypt. The Valley of the Kings is a royal burial ground for a large amount of Egyptian pharaohs, queens, priests, and other elites. I can only imagine the atmosphere around the place, mystic and other worldly. After being on a college campus for a while I feel like the change in just the atmosphere would be its own adventure. The other place is known as Karnak Temple. Being the largest religious building ever made, the place spells playground! You could very easily wonder through the 200 acres of land exploring the Hypostyle hall or the statue of the god Amun and not see another tourist for hours at a time!

 

Valley of the Kings

Karnak Temple

Like I said... playground.

Egypt itself is like a giant amusement park of history and exploration!

Stars in the Lake

Have you ever been to the arboretum at night? It's stunning how many more stars you can see in the sky on a clear night when you're out there compared to when you're on your way back from either a late class or practice. Can it get any better!?

Lake Titicaca

Resting on the border between Peru and Bolivia, this lake holds some amazing secrets. With an area of 58,000 square kilometers and an altitude of 3,812 m it stands as the highest navigable lake in the world (which basically means that a vessel can pass through it). There are two popular spots to see while you are visiting the lake: Puno and the Isla del Sol. 

courtesy of wikipedia

Puno is the capital of the Puno Region of Southeastern Peru and is located on the western edge of Lake Titicaca. The city has been nicknamed the "Capital folklorica del Peru" due to its location near the Lake. Why? It is said that Lake Titicaca is the birth place of the Inca civilization. According to mythology, the sun god Viraccha had the first Inca king, Manco Capac, rise out of the Lake's waters and start the civilization. 

The city remains cold and dry year round due to its high altitude so dress warm, but be careful because the sun will get you! During July/August one tourist is hospitalized with a sunburn almost everyday. On top of that make sure you take time to get use to the altitude (because altitude sickness sucks...)

courtesy of wikipedia

The Island of the Sun, is located on the other side of the Lake within Bolivia's borders. Being the most sacred of any Inca site it is the specific location of the beginnings of the Inca Empire. The lake actually takes its name from the ancient Aymara language's name for the island, Titi'kaka, which means "the puma rock." From the island you can experience the civilization in an unforgettable way. You get to stand in the ancient relics, feel the unique atmosphere, and even view the beautiful Andes!

With over 180 ancient relics the island is definitely worth going to (but be warned, there are no formal roads, if any at all). Keep in mind, if you do go to the island, the only way to get there is by boat and typically you'll want a guide to go with you! One of the greatest things about the island is the way of life on the island. Although some may be unappreciative, there is no noise, no motorized vehicles, and the living space is very clean making the island probably one of the most tranquil places you may ever visit.

courtesy of pinterest

To finish off, one of the best experiences you'll get while you're at the lake is looking at the sky. The region lacks so much light pollution that you can actually see the Milky Way on a clear night!

Between the sights and history found within the lake itself, the trip is definitely worth it.

Marathon on A Mountain

Can you imagine a marathon on a mountain? I can't.

But I've also run one...

How does that work?

Mount Marathon

 

Thanks to my Mom for getting the pictures to me

An iconic annual race officially began on July 4, 1915. Known as Mount Marathon, the race is held in Seward, AK and is a popular event that touches the people around the world! The race is held annually on July fourth, but it isn't easy to get a slot in. Racing is sought after by everyone who makes their way to the scene, from places like Colorado, Canada, Australia, and even a number of European countries! Slots are either earned by winning other races that are declared eligible races, or won through lottery or raffle. If you're lucky you'll get a spot through raffle, but the truly dedicated pay thousands to race! The only upside is that once you race once you are guaranteed a slot to race in the next consecutive year. But don't miss a year or else the slot will be forfeited to the next racer!

The race itself consists of a mile and a half up and another mile and a half down! I know... it's not really a marathon, but its up a mountain so it makes up for it (not really). The mountain isn't your normal mountain though. The popular route takes you through a section with heavy foliage first. Honestly, it was like rock climbing and tree climbing had a baby. Then you would bust through the forest's limits and race up loose shale until you reached the turnaround point. For the 17 and younger race the turnaround was about two thirds of the way up the whole mountain. Adults trek the whole ordeal. The fastest standing time for the whole race stands at 41:48 by Kilian Jornet Burgada from 2015.

The way down, which is also the other way up, consists of falling rocks, a lot of "Heads Up!" and a waterfall! If you choose to you may brave the waterfall, but be warned, extensive and life threatening injuries have been realized within that short 30 second stretch of danger. The safer way down is through a series of switchbacks in the trees. You are informed of the dangers before each race as the gruesome pictures of broken legs and people being removed from the race by stretcher due to nasty falls (normally down the waterfall...).Regardless, everyone races, whether because we're crazy, don't care, or don't scare easy, I don't know.

Beyond the race, Seward is filled with life during the week of the fourth. People from all over the world come to celebrate the holiday, event, and the outdoors in general. Most people camp or stay in cabins during the week, and it is an experience not easily forgotten. With all the opportunities that come with the week it makes my top ten list of places to go on random vacations if you ever feel the need to get away, specifically on the fourth!

P Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney

If you recognized that from Finding Nemo you might know where I'm headed next!

Alright so after one heck of a backpacking trip I'd be down for an opera, how about you? Let's head to Australia, but I wouldn't recommend staying there specifically. I think there's a cooler place off of its East Coast.

Fiji

Courtesy of Poseidon Resorts

OK it's not quite open yet due to some problems it ran into regarding location, but there's this really cool place called the Poseidon Undersea Resort in Fiji that I'd want to stay in personally. Construction began in 2001 in the attempt to realize L. Bruce Jones, Chairman of US Submarines dream. It was set to open in 2008, but was delayed due to location issues. That's OK though, at least 150,000 people already preregistered to spend a week in the hotel when it finally opens its doors! I'm not sure when that will be but on their website they said locations for a second resort are being investigated by their management team! It's a pretty penny to stay there (roughly £9,000 per week) but you aren't there to think about money, just enjoy the experience! OK most of us may opt out of staying here purely because of money, but it's my blog and I like to dream. Besides by the time we can actually afford to go there it should be open! There's more to this place too so check out the links! Now I'll talk about what we'll do besides live underwater for a week.

Australia

So Fiji just so happens to be off the East Coast of Australia. In all reality, I think if one can afford the trip to the resort in Fiji they can also afford a boat ride or quick plane to Australia. Luckily everything we would want to do is on the closest coast.

Courtesy of pixabay

So of course now that we are on the Continent and State of Australia we must go to an opera! The Sydney Opera House is pretty well known and if you don't know about it, whether just randomly or from Finding Nemo, you might be living under a rock. Located in the Harbor of Sydney the House is one of the most recognized buildings as of now. With its unique architecture and beautiful scenery one rarely doesn't recognize the fin like building. If you plan your trip right, in early June you can catch the annual Vivid Sydney festival as well! Then of course the Royal Botanic Garden is prime for a mid-day picnic lunch! Check out all the ongoing operas, music performances, and theater happening at the House though before you plan your trip because a good show can make your trip that much better!

Courtesy of Wikipedia

My next recommendation is to head north where you'll find the Great Barrier Reef! Being longer than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing that's is visible with the naked eye from space, the Reef is a remarkable place. With over 100 islands and unique ports and towns scattered within it, this is one place you'll want to visit before you kick the bucket. It is extremely popular so the more accessible beaches and snorkeling grounds will probably be crowded, but if you can get away on your own self-sail ship, or go scuba diving to another island, it's a place of breath taking beauty.

The Way of St. James

It's been a rather relaxing few days not drowning! Now who's feeling a good old fashioned walk?

El Camino de Santiago

Let's walk and talk. Scratch that, this baby is not a walk, it's an experience you have with yourself, a backpack, and, hopefully, a lot of cool strangers! Stretching a total distance of roughly 500 miles from St. Jean-Pied-du-Port near Biarritz in France to Santiago in Spain. This specific route is only the most popular one among adventurers. There are many more trails one can take, some much shorter, some much longer.

 
Courtesy of the picture pages of the Camino

Thanks to the 1987 book, The Pilgrimage, by Paulo Coelho, and the 2010 drama/adventure film, The Way, el Camino de Santiago soared in popularity.

Starting on the border of France the popular route gets crowded typically around mid-summer. The trip itself is a renowned pilgrimage among its travelers, some of which are there for religious purposes while others are there for the trip and the exercise (and typically find some religious take away). Whatever your reason for taking the time to backpack the Camino you'll definitely take one thing away from it. You'll never again be so close to your feet.

The trip itself is supposed to be an enlightening experience. You'll pass through rustic villages every day, you stay in albergues that house all the pilgrims, and the social experience isn't comparable to any other long distance backpacking trip. You can experience the bells-and-smells churches along the way and hear stories from every hiker you pass. As you hike the trail is typically near a paved road and it's wide enough for comfortable conversation and travel with partners you may randomly pick up on the way! Through out the trip you receive stamps at each of the inns and they serve as confirmation that you've traveled the path! It's kind of like how the branding on the Fuji hiking sticks works!


Courtesy of Luis Hernandez and Qbit

The trip is also a very safe one. Francis Tapon, an avid hiker and author, decided to rip the Camino apart in the article he wrote about it, but he does describe its safety net. It's rarely ever away from a paved road, which is both good and bad. You also have resupply stations available to you every hour or so, depending on how fast you walk, so you really don't have to pack heavy at all. It's also a very practical long distance trip on foot (or as practical as one can get). It takes anywhere from a week and a half to a month and people over the age of 65 still take the trip! So no excuses! ...unless you're broken.

Although you receive a certificate of completion in Santiago the true finish is said to be at Fisterra, the westernmost part of Spain. It's a great view of the Atlantic and worth the extra time! This is actually where John Adams landed before taking the Camino backwards to Paris to ask the French for help during the American Revolution! Or so it's said.


Courtesy of Alex Camara and aherrero

My recommendation depends on the reasons you decide to take the hike. For hiking purposes take one of the less traveled trails, like the Camino del Norte, during a less traveled (and less hot) season and maybe detour to Los Picos de Europa. Francis Tapon offers a beautiful trip on his website (linked above) if you're up for it. For the social butterfly or if you want the full experience of el Camino de Santiago, take the trail itself. It may not be the most beautiful one and maybe it has a little to much asphalt for your taste, but you won't regret it!

Happy Hiking!

The Death Spa

Alright! So we're in Japan after a long hike and now we just want to go relax! Let's head west towards a sea that could be so relaxing you feel dead! O.K. the feeling of death may not be appealing, but I think you get the idea.

The Dead Sea

Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Connecting Jordan and Israel this place is one of serenity and salinity. Though I imagine the calm nature around the sea is a little eerie. Due to the salt concentration of 33.7% in this salt water lake there is no life, with the exception of tourists and the occasional bacteria during the rainy season. The lake (yes it's not actually considered a sea by definition) is the fifth saltiest body of water on the planet. It's 9.6 times saltier than the Oceans! If you've ever been to the beach you know how salty a mouth full of ocean water is. Now imagine on top of that you dump the contents of a salt shaker in your mouth, but the salt is bitter. I recommend keeping your mouth shut while you’re in the water...

Now I've never been but it is a popular place because of a couple reasons beyond the lack of life. The salt levels make it monumentally easier to float on top of the water and it has health benefits! I personally finding floating to be more effort, physically and mentally, than just wading around in the pool so the prospect of floating without effort sounds pretty cool! On top of that the lake has low allergen levels, a plethora of different minerals, and the UV radiation and atmospheric pressure are both at lower levels! The special bitter salt also serves a dual purpose! It's known to help with a variety of skin conditions and reduce stress, muscle aches, and pain. All things considered it makes for one hell of a "death" spa.

 
Courtesy of Flickr and Wikipedia Commons

Its location is also a thing of wonder in itself. The Dead Sea can be found at the deepest point of the Great Rift Valley. The valley is the "longest geographic phenomenon" known to the Earth according to Sankalan Baidya on Facts Legend.. Being 4000 miles long and passing through 20 different countries, it's pretty impressive. The lake itself is located 427 meters below sea level and then it's another 306 meters deep!

Overall it'd be a cool place to visit and see. Ever heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls? Yeah those were here. It gets mentioned in the Bible more than a few times and I think you definitely know it's a cool place when it was one of Cleopatra's hot spots.  

Courtesy of Flickr

Alright, given it is a body of water and all I’m doing is praising it I do feel the obligation to slip in a warning. YOU CAN STILL DROWN. At 1.24 kg/L the salinity level may help you float, but the flip side is that it’s so dense it makes movement rather difficult. It is denser than the human body after all. All you have to do is STAY ON YOUR BACK. Even if you are a strong swimmer you may not be able to flip back around if you get put on your stomach. Then when you take in a mouth full of the water the salt will ruin kidney and heart function, disrupt normal blood flow, and cardiac arrest becomes inevitable. Essentially you drown without sinking. Please stay alive.