Sopa Azteca
I first come to el Day Ef-ay–Mexico City, the Distrito Federale–on a layover on my way home from Chiapas. I’m supposed to have three hours between flights, but in a fit of adventure, encouraged by a burned-out lawyer I met in San Cristobal de las Casas, I fly in the night before, check my suitcase at the airport, and ride into town with just a change of clothes and a single page photocopied from Gary’s guidebook.
Clutching my daypack against pickpockets on the Metro, I emerge from the darkness in an area that hasn’t been rebuilt since the 1985 earthquake. Half-terrified by warnings of kidnappers and drug dealers, I wander to the Zocalo, the giant plaza at the center of the city, entranced by teenagers twirling in Aztec circles between the ruins of Tenochitlan and the colonial National Cathedral. I risk my life in a VW taxi that whisks me back to my hotel unharmed. Continue reading »
San Francisco’s fabulous fog
You’ve seen the solid gray postcard titled “San Francisco by Day,” and the black one “San Francisco by Night.” And yes, the fog sometimes spoils the 4th of July fireworks. But it also sells tons of sweatshirts to unsuspecting tourists who never read Mark Twain and come in summer, actually expecting summer. And when you look at it just right, the fog is nothing short of magic.
- Fog at Golden Gate Bridge by day. Photo: Jutta Diemath
- Fog hugging San Francisco at night. Photo: Jutta Diemath
Cayuga Park: A neighborhood treasure
First thing you notice is a huge lizard lurking in the tree. Then you see the birds. The snakes. The man on the bicycle. And that’s just the first glimpse of the hundreds of whimsical wooden sculptures scattered along the paths that meander around Cayuga Park.
This magic is the work of Demetrio Braceros, the city gardener who transformed the area from a littered, crime-ridden, dangerous spot into this unlikely wonderland with Bart thundering above. Demi, who retired in 2008, describes the transformation like this: “Little by little it began to shine.” Now a group of residents maintains the playground and an extensive restoration is scheduled as part of San Francisco’s parks bond measure.
If you go towards evening and work up an appetite, be sure to check out another unlikely combination–Broken Record. Think dive bar and gourmet comfort food and you get the idea.
Bliss Dance kicks off “Beyond”
She’s 40 feet tall and came to dance on Treasure Island this spring, after presiding over last year’s Burning Man festival. At night, she’s lit by thousands of LED lights you can see all the way from San Francisco.
Bliss Dance was created by artist Marco Cochrane. I found her through a tip from a friend, who knew I’d love her. She expresses what I feel when I find art in unexpected places, explore hidden gardens, or follow my nose to the best croissants this side of Paris. When I see neighbors turning blight into beauty. When all seems right with the world.
I’ll start this blog with my own discoveries, close to home and where I roam. Please share yours!
From Burning Man to Treasure Island
about
Sometimes you stumble across the most amazing places. You get a tip from a fellow traveller. Or you're lucky enough to have local friends share their secrets.
This blog is about those places — beyond the top-10 attractions and far away from the crowds, the malls, and the theme parks.
Enjoy my favorite places. And please share yours!
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