A rare glimpse of deep inside the Chrysler Building lobby

A Wealth of Free Tours Exist in New York City. You Just Have to Know Where to Look.

Information imparted with wit and eloquence always seems to sink in to my head better and longer, and so I will forever remember the details provided by Peter Laskowich on the Grand Tour of the Grand Central Terminal neighborhood. Buildings tell us things was the theme of the tour; illustrated repeatedly as Peter lead us around the neighborhood, for a rare glimpse deep inside the Chrysler Building lobby, and throughout the terminal. His comedic timing, depth of knowledge and interactive style easily kept us engaged for 1.5 hours.

Although I live here, I occasionally join tours of my own city and this one did not disappoint. Amid the largest tour group I’ve ever been in since grammar school, Peter herded us around what I never knew was Terminal City, the multi block development around Grand Central that was the place to be after it was erected. Few of the original Terminal City buildings remain. Yet, the elite moved to Park Avenue and never left despite the Metro North trains rumbling below their million dollar real estate.

The Campbell Apartment: formerly the office of a well connected guy – now a cocktail lounge inside Grand Central

One of the best things about this tour? Free. Well, let’s say free with a tip. Offered on Fridays at 12:30 by the Grand Central Partnership, it is just one of many excellent, free touring options available in New York. On any given day, an industrious person can find free tours throughout the city. I found the Grand Tour listed in the pages of Time Out New York, but others I overheard discussing it found it via the internet. Google: “Free Tours New York City” is a good way to start.

Here are just a few I’ve found:

The Lower East Side Business District has 3 walking tours. They also offer a variety of podcasts on their site. Other districts, like the Downtown Alliance offer do-it-yourself walking tour guides. The Village Alliance lists several itineraries on their site, that include restaurants and shopping ideas.

The Central Park Conservancy offers 10 different tours throughout the year that highlight different areas of the park.

Brooklyn Brewery has free tours from 1-5 PM on the hour, on Saturday and 1-4 PM on the hour, on Sunday. These are no reservations and popular. Getting there early is a good idea. Wear closed shoes, not sandals. There is also a tasting room. Small batch tours are also available during the week by reservation on their site.

Free Tours by Foot are pay as you wish tours with a lot of choices. Mostly neighborhood, they also offer food focused and sunset tours.

Big Apple Greeters are highly recommended volunteer guides, screened and trained by the organization. Reserve well in advance. Each guide has areas of expertise, and you can arrange a highly customized tour. 300+ guides visit 114+ neighborhoods. Guides are free, tips are not allowed – a donation to the organization is appreciated.

It’s stating the obvious that NYC can be expensive, but a little advance research and planning can save money and enhance your trip. Free does not equal mediocre. The Grand Central tour with Peter Laskowich was one of the best, most informative tours I’ve ever taken.

NYC Walking Tours on Amazon:

City Walks: New York – 50 Adventures on Foot on individual cards with maps

New York: 15 Walking Tours, An Architectural Guide to the Metropolis

Radical Walking Tours of New York City – for those interested in a political and historical view to NY.

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January 29, 2013. 5 Ships in Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Avoiding crowds of cruise ship passengers took on new meaning on Grand Cayman, where 4 ships per day was typical on most weekdays; 5 on Tuesday.

This is not an attempt to bash people who cruise; just evade them.

One of the 5 ships that arrived in Georgetown, Grand Cayman on January 29th – Independence of the Seas – holds 4,370 passengers and 1,360 crew. Even if half the cabins were unsold, there were easily 10,000 cruise ship passengers and crew on Grand Cayman that day. For a snorkeler who prefers not to have others’ fins in her face – it was necessary to be strategic. Plus, craft vendors tend to jack up the prices on the days cruise ships are in town. This isn’t specific to Grand Cayman; in fact Grand Cayman tends to have higher end stores with clearly marked, fixed prices.

To find out how many ships will be in port so you can plan around them check CruiseTT. A quick check of CruiseTT for January 29th showed 4 ships on a day I know there were 5, so if the difference between 4 or 5 ships makes a difference to you, you can also check the site for the port on the island you’re visiting.

More Ships… January 30, Grand Cayman

Usually, ports are busiest with cruise ships during the week. On the weekend most ships are heading toward or in their home ports, unloading departing passengers and getting ready for the following week’s group.

Therefore, weekends are the best time to visit the more popular or touristy attractions where the cruise passengers are most likely to opt for when picking land excursions. These attractions are usually pretty obvious. On Grand Cayman, think Stingray City. In the Maya Riviera, it would be Tulum, Xel Ha or Xcaret. In Belize, the zoo, cave tubing or maybe the Mayan ruin at Altun Ha. Knowing the typical excursions sold to passengers makes it easy to miss the bulk of them.  Cruisecritic is a great source of information about the offerings at every port.

Not every port involves excursions. For example, there are several great snorkeling spots right off the coast of Georgetown, the capitol of Grand Cayman, a few yards from the cruise piers. Eden Rock is a dive center about a 5 minute walk out of town that I repeatedly read on Tripadvisor was well worth visiting, but best avoided on cruise ship days. No problem, I went on Sunday afternoon and had it almost to myself. The following Sunday, I snorkeled the Wreck of the Gamma in town alone with 3 divers (I only saw bubbles). I also made sure to visit the popular Cemetery Beach on Sunday due to it’s proximity to Tiki Beach, where based on the stacks of beach chairs on non-cruise days I guessed huge numbers of cruise people would be brought on buses.

On the Tuesday of 5 Ships, I took the mini bus to Bodden Town, which I knew was way off the cruise passenger radar. Bodden Town was originally the capital of the Cayman Islands, and supposedly has great, shallow snorkeling from several noted spots along the coast. After visiting the Bodden Town Art Gallery, I wandered around looking at the historical buildings like the Mission House and the uniquely styled churches. The water was too rough for snorkeling, but I enjoyed a peaceful day alone on the public beach reading a book on one of many available, free chaise lounges, under shade! Shade is a hard to come by commodity in Grand Cayman, unless you want to pay $10 CI dollars ($12.50 US) for an umbrella to go with your $10 CI beach chair at Royal Palms.

Bodden Town Public Beach. Chairs, shade, peace. No crowds

By the time I returned to town, 3 of the ships were gone, so I stopped in at the popular Rackham’s for a very late lunch. While I ate my excellent conch fritters with tropical side salad, the last of the cruise passengers scurried off to make their tenders and the last boat of the day blasted its farewell.

The next day, I went to Cheeseburger Reef near my hotel. Named for its location off the coast of Burger King, it is also very close to Georgetown. Luckily I got there early because about an hour and a half into the snorkel, I heard a buzzing noise. The fish began to scram – and there were 4 people with underwater fans pulling them along.

Scare the fish away, why don’t you? At Cheeseburger Reef, Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Thursday, I had the brilliant idea to walk to another renowned snorkeling site, Smith’s Cove. Just outside of town, I heard. The people who raved about it told me to walk so I could stop at Pure Art and Cathy Church’s underwater photography gallery. It was a little further than expected, but eventually I arrived at Sunset House Hotel. The photography was so amazing, I was in awe.

In retrospect I should have spent more time checking out this hotel, and the water there before walking any further. After what seemed like another mile, I arrived to very rough water. Definitely no snorkeling, but I put on the gear and went out, just in case. As suspected, there was too much churn and I couldn’t see a thing. But, once again, I found a peaceful beach scene with mostly locals and long-time/term visitors. No cruisers with boxed lunches or matching towels.

By the time I walked back to town, there was only 1 ship in port, and only a couple of men about to dive at Eden Rock, so I jumped in the water there.

Kissing the Stingray at Stingray City, on a less busy day

Friday I had planned to go to Stingray City with Soto Cruises because rumor had it there was no ship that day. In fact, there was, but it had to moor off another part of the island because the water in Georgetown was too rough. Had I known that about the water, I would have abandoned the plan, but instead I went snorkeling in rough seas! Luckily, I took 2 Bonine before the boat ride.

Friday afternoon, the seas in front of my hotel, Harbourview,  had calmed enough that I could snorkel there but the vibration from the cruise ships still moored offshore was so disturbing I had to stop. I kept thinking the Atlantis submarine was going to appear and mow me down.

By Saturday, the ships were gone and the island was peaceful again.

Grand Cayman Resources:

Where to stay? Harbourview - great location, affordable. Very friendly staff and wonderful, hands-on owners.

Where to eat? Rackham’s, Da Fish Shack. The Captain Bakery

Testudo’s Snorkel Guide – Cayman Off the Beaten Path – great guide to snorkel sites with entry info and photos for locating the entry and parking.

Cayman Good Taste - guide to restaurants

Fodor’s In Focus Cayman Islands 2013

Diving and Snorkeling Cayman Islands – these Lonely Planet guides are outdated but the reefs haven’t moved.

Cayman Island Fish and Creature Guide (Reef Card)

My indispensable tool for every snorkeling trip:

Kwik Tek Dry Pak

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Empire State Building New Years Light Show 2012/3

Greetings from my rooftop in NYC!

My resolution – again – is to be a more active blogger in 2013!

Best wishes for a wonderful, healthy, happily employed and prosperous 2013! May your travels be frequent, fun and fruitful.

Love,

Eva

My personal Thank You to the management and staff of Kimpton’s Eventi Hotel and the Holiday Inn Manhattan

Eventi Hotel’s food court seating area – a haven for the Chelsea community and hotel guests during Hurricane Sandy

The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy would have been a lot harder to deal with, had it not been for the kindness of the Holiday Inn Manhattan, and the haven that the  area behind the Eventi’s food court turned into for a lot of New Yorkers.

While at least one hotel – across from the Holiday Inn – blocked their outdoor outlets, these 2 hotels were saviors to New Yorkers and visitors alike, who needed running electronic devices to maintain a lifeline to family, friends and managers.

Holiday Inn Manhattan guests (we non-guest outlet users stood on the other side of the courtyard to allow guests their privacy)

The Holiday Inn doormen nodded it was OK to me each time I plugged in to one of the many outlets in the courtyard in front of the hotel. The first day after the electricity (and running water) went out, I tried various places, but the waits were long and the settings were uncomfortable. Once I found the Holiday Inn, with their multitude of outlets and no lines I never went back to the Post Office.

Day 2 of no electricity or running water – I decided it was time to check into a hotel if I could find an affordable one (the upcoming NY Marathon never occurred to me). Since it was still my birthday month, and I had 20% off birthday offer from Kimpton, I started there. Unfortunately their wifi and thus reservation system was down and the helpful woman at the front desk suggested I return the next day because she thought a group would be leaving early. After hearing $399 at another hotel, I decided that I’m not that much of a princess – and figured the power would be on any minute – so I never checked back.

Upon leaving the Eventi lobby, I noticed there was a coffee stand in the entrance to the hotel’s food court, which I used to frequent but thought was closed. Because of the way the food court is sort of tented-looking, it appeared the huge multi-level seating area in the back was gone, but it fact, it was still there. New, padded swivel boat chairs were installed, and there was a huge screen TV playing the news. It was the first I saw of what was going on in Staten Island, which made what we were experiencing minor.

But, there were outlets. Plenty of outlets and very few people. The next day, a lot more people arrived – all with power strips so there were always plenty of outlets.

As the days progressed, this area became a sanctuary for the Chelsea community. All of us were thrilled to have at least one hot meal a day – the options at the food court are just what you need when living with disaster. Wood fired pizzas; quality hamburgers or kobe beef hotdogs; and a fish shack with a lot of fried seafood. The oyster Po Boy wasn’t reminiscent of New Orleans, but it was laden with fried oysters. Plus, a Tiki bar with a choice of draft beers, exotic cocktails and wine served by the always friendly and smiling Esther. It will not take another disaster to get me back for the Mezcal watermelon juice cocktail.

If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you know I am a loyal Kimpton guest. In fact the much delayed next post here was supposed to be about my excellent stay at their newest hotel in DC – Donovan House. The treatment my neighbors and I received from the staff of the food court area has only served to increase that loyalty. Be warned Tripadvisor forum readers – I will be recommending the Eventi whenever you ask about hotels in the neighborhood – and Kimpton hotels wherever they exist.

While I can’t vouch for the rooms at the Holiday Inn on West 26th, I can tell you the staff is wonderful. While powering up there, I witnessed a lot of interaction between hotel guests and staff and there seemed to be a lot of camaraderie.

So, thank you again to everyone at the Eventi Hotel and Holiday Inn Manhattan. You are my personal heroes of the hurricane.

Ruinart’s Magnum Alley – paradise for any Champagne lover

Drinking Champagne is certainly my idea of a perfect way to spend a major birthday and so I planned a day trip to Reims for the big day during my celebratory trip to Paris.

My French friend Antoine, whose birthday was a week away, joined me. He offered to drive, but for obvious reasons we decided to take the TGV train.

Although visiting small growers in the countryside would be ideal, we stuck to the houses with tasting rooms in Reims. We were slightly limited by the fact my birthday was on a Monday, the day many houses are closed. Ruinart and Mumm were available and I booked appointments for one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. It was easy to do this via email in English.

Booking TGV

Also easy and can be done on their site in English. For tips, check out Paris by Train. Book 60 days in advance to get the lowest, PREMS fares, but keep in mind they are non-cancellable, non-refundable, and have steep fees for changes. With the time difference, east coast Americans can book at 6pm which is midnight in Paris, thus the next day. If you’re an American, make sure to click on “Great Britain” or you will be redirected to a 3rd party with higher prices.

Reims Cathedral, under restoration of course.

Reims

Antoine and I ended up on separate trains to Reims and he suggested we meet at the cafe in the station. “There is always a cafe in the gare (station),” he informed me. He was right, and there he was, eating his pain raisin.

We got a map of the town and began the 15 minute walk to Ruinart. Reims is a very walkable city and there are beautiful buildings, Champagne houses and parks at every turn. Even in late October, the trees were green and the air was warm enough to walk comfortably.

One of several Roman limestone pits at Ruinart in Reims

Ruinart has the oldest Roman limestone quarries, or crayeres, in Reims and the tour begins with a 139 step descent. The quarries were spectacular and I wish my photography skills did them justice. Cavernous rooms that were dug with implements from above by ancient Romans. More impressive were the 1000s of bottles of vintage and NV Champagne in halls that seemed to extend forever. Magnum Alley, as they call the area where the magnums are stored, appeared to go on for a mile and was heaven for this Champagne enthusiast.

Bottles on racks being hand-riddled at Ruinart

We learned about the Champagne production process from an extremely knowledgeable guide who spoke perfect, British-accented English. For some reason, the information about riddling – the systematic angling of the bottle, then removal of the yeast residue towards the end of the process – stuck with me most. Most of this is done by machine now, but magnums and larger bottles have to be riddled by hand.

Another interesting area is the hall where every vintage ever produced is saved for current and future winemakers to taste and research as they develop new wines.

After the tour, we proceeded back up the 139 steps, which was a lot easier than it sounded when Ruinart warned me about the elevator renovation in the confirmation email. The woman in our small group with the Jimmy Choo 6″ stilettos also seemed to have no problem (very impressive!).

Following the tour was the highly anticipated cuvee tasting, where we sampled Ruinart Blanc de Blanc, Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart rose’. Everything we tasted was wonderful and being able to compare the wines enhanced our understanding of the production techniques and depth of quality.

We stopped in a great, lunch place on the way back into the center of Reims that featured salads from various regions from France. I’m still craving boudin blanc like the one served on my Perigord salad.

We arrived at Mumm just in time for our 2pm tour. Mumm is a larger operation and the group was slightly bigger. The tour was more formal, with graphics and models to display the process. At the end is the Museum, full of historical implements used to make, bottle and store Champagne. We had the Grand Cru tasting and were very impressed with the quality, selection and variety of their offerings.

Reims Cathedral nave

Following the tasting, we had enough time to visit Reims Cathedral before the train. This major cathedral, where French kings were once crowned, is a major pilgrimage site for school children and lovers of history. Built to replace an older church ruined by fire, it was partially completed in 1299.

We checked out Champagne prices in the stores near the cathedral, but there were no bargains. Prices were similar to Paris.

When we got to the train station, Antoine realized that his ticket was so inexpensive because he had a several hour wait in Champagne-Ardennes instead of the 10 minute connection I had. Rather than wait for hours, he paid a 29 euro fee to change to a better connection, making my point about being careful when you book the PREMS fares.

The train ride back to Paris was painless and quick, making this an easy day trip, even when doing it at the tail end of a strike that had impacted mass transit for weeks.

If you would rather take a tour, there are many options. O Chateau is highly recommended.

Reading back on my Travel Photography page here, it all seems so quaint. Photo storage devices; portable hard drives. I wrote that content last March, now it is outdated.

Cloud computing makes all of this unnecessary. You can store all – or your most important images in the cloud and not have to take the time to backup to an external device.

When I was developing his site earlier this year, my client Francois at the Saint Barth Dental Association introduced me to Dropbox. Dropbox gives you 5 gigs of free cloud storage. As you refer friends or add devices, you get more storage.

Unlike sites like Flickr, Webshots or even Smugmug, the transfer is instantaneous. You drag and drop the photos from the folder where you stored them to the DropBox folder on your hard drive. As long as you have internet access, the photos are securely stored. For professionals, you may want to research how securely.

Wifi was spotty in the last 2 hotels I stayed in Ecuador, so as soon as I got through security at the airport, I uploaded. It took a few minutes to transfer 10 days worth of shots.

You can share documents, videos – any sort of file, quickly and easily. You can even store a scan of your passport and credit cards in case of emergencies.

Dropbox has changed my life. I know my files are as secure as they can be and I can eliminate one piece of equipment from my bag. It is still necessary to bring a laptop, but I would be doing that anyway.

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Program and What it Means to You

Over 5000 products from 128 countries can be imported into the United States duty free due to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. Started to promote economic growth in developing nations, it has the benefit of providing customs exemptions on many of the craft items visitors bring home from traveling.

Most crafts, handmade jewelry, ceramics, glass, most handwoven textiles and some carpets are covered by this program and do not count toward your $800 customs allowance. Apparel,  footwear, watches, handbags and luggage are not covered by GSP. Manufacturing products, including chemicals are included but I hope you’re not planning to bring them home in your suitcase. Here is a lengthy list of covered products (you need to scroll past the bovines).

This means you can buy that $800 lens in Bangkok and still purchase hill tribe embroidery and jewelry in Chiang Mai.

For a list of countries covered by GSP, click here.

Although I attempt to write for an international audience, I’m only sure how this impacts Americans. However, GSP is a worldwide program developed by the WTO and your country could participate. For more information, see this Wikipedia entry and research your country’s customs regulations.

Philadelphia’s Swann Memorial Fountain, with Color Race participants in background

A Day Trip is good; a Weekend is better. Overnight works.

Lower Merrion, PA always seemed elusive for this reluctant driver, and I was thrilled when I found out the Barnes Foundation was opening a Philadelphia location. The day tickets went on sale to the public in mid May, I booked. My nearby cousin Mark and his wife Cindy were interested in joining me.

There’s a lot to see and do in Philadelphia, so I planned on making a night of it. With an overnight trip, you can see at least 2 museums, or a museum and another attraction. Maybe crucial historical sights like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall? The city is also a mecca for those interested in antiques. Plus, Philadelphia has so many restaurants worth visiting, it will be difficult to limit yourself to one dinner.

Maya incense burner, Penn Museum’s Maya 2012 exhibit

A great hotel in Philadelphia costs about the same as the cheaper ones in NYC.  For visitors to New York who want to combine a different city or just have a change of scenery, a night or two in Philadelphia is an attractive option. You can usually get into the high quality, centrally located Loews for about $159. The new Sonesta is about the same. Kimpton Hotels often has specials; look for deals on the Palomar and inaugural rates on their soon to open Monaco. In order to economize, I took advantage of my college’s discount rate at the Club Quarters. More on that later.

Since I was allowed to check in immediately, I dropped my bag in my room and returned to the front desk for advice about taking the mass transit system towards the University of Pennsylvania. As an enthusiast of all things Maya since my first trip to Chichen Itza in 1991, I was excited to discover that the Penn Museum’s current exhibit was Maya 2012.

Luckily, I had checked out the Philadelphia Tourism Board’s very user friendly art site, Withart, or I would never have known about this exhibit.

Reading Terminal Market

First, I made a quick stop at nearby Reading Terminal Market for lunch. This food hall showcases a multitude of stands, stores and restaurants – and has everything from Chinese dumplings to tacos. I visit it on every trip to stock up on products from Kauffman’s Lancaster County Produce, a Pennsylvania Dutch stand that makes products worth hauling long distances. Laden with heavy jars of raspberry spread, apricot and peach butter, I make a stop at the hotel to unload.

Detailed Maya carving on animal bone at the Penn Museum’s Maya 2012 exhibit

Maya 2012

Confirmed what I’ve long believed based on what little I’ve grasped touring 20+ Maya ruins and meeting many Maya. The Maya calendar was cyclical. The world is not going to end in December, but I’m glad people in the Yucatan are seeing an increase in tourism dollars.

What was most impressive about this exhibit is the collection. The Penn Museum has major artifacts. Some of those exhibited are reproductions but many are not. The exhibit also explains, clearly, how this end of the world theory evolved. There is in-depth information about the calendar and the ways the Maya calculated and counted time periods.

Interesting educational tools are provided for children to explore various aspects of the exhibit. From the discussions I could overhear as I walked through the gallery, it was a thought provoking exhibit for children and adults alike. I also overheard a lot of “we should go to Copan” comments. I agree.

Any Maya or Mexico enthusiast will want to check out the Penn Museum’s substantial Mexican collection. Only 1/2 hour remained before the museum closed, but I noticed stelae from Palenque and other ruins; pottery from all over the country. There is a vast collection of regional Guatemalan and Mexican textiles, including embroidered and woven huipils (the handmade blouses or dresses worn by Maya women). Each town has a different weaving or embroidery pattern and many are represented here.

Example of Maya Weaving from Guatemala highlands

By the time I walk back to the trolley stop and return to the hotel, I have about a 1/2 hour to cool down before dinner.

Garces Trading Company

It was difficult making a choice for my 1 dinner slot. I have just one word – Garces. I’ve wanted to visit a Jose Garces restaurant before he ever became Iron Chef and that feeling intensified as I watched him cook on the series. In the end, I picked Garces Trading Company, which was a good intro.

It was a nice walk along Walnut Street to Locust Street from my hotel, despite the heat. All over Philadelphia, there are spectacular murals and I am glad I glimpsed this one on the way to dinner, considering my meandering path.

Philadelphia mural and charming street – off Walnut Street?

I was greeted warmly and shown to a table near the in-house wine shop. Although this isn’t one of Garces’ tapas specific restaurants it was easy to assemble a tapas-like selection. First was beautifully fatty jamon Iberico served interestingly on a dark grey slate with a dish of honey. The honey was OK, but I preferred the ham alone on bread with a few drops of the Garces Trading Company olive oil from the bottle on the table.

Next, 2 small, rectangular Staub cocottes arrived. One with roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta or something similar. The other – roasted wild mushrooms with brandy cream and hazelnuts. Both were so good I would literally get back on the bus to Philadelphia for more. Especially the mushrooms.

Since the restaurant is also a store, you can buy reasonably priced wines from the shop and have them served at your table for a $10 corkage fee. Considering some of the bottles listed on the blackboard were $9.99, this can be quite a bargain compared with paying the typical restaurant wine markup. Not sure if this is common throughout Philadelphia, but it is a very civilized system.

Since the restaurant is also a store, of course I had to buy a bottle of the olive oil to join the 3 jars of fruit spreads and butters being carried back to NYC.

The Barnes Foundation Philadelphia’s elegant entrance

The Barnes Foundation

All in all, it is well worth the pain of admission, but it is so painful. It took 45 minutes to get from the entry into the gallery, and I was the 2nd person on line with 3 staff members behind the desk. My cousins arrived separately and had a similar experience. Hopefully, by the time you go, the mess at the front desk will have been resolved.

Some Tips: reserve in advance. You cannot currently arrive and walk into this museum without a reservation. If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, download the audio guide to the museum in advance for free. If not, make sure to offer to pay for it when you check in at the front desk, or you will have to return to the end of the slow moving entry line. No one asks if you want a guide when you check in at the desk and there is no sign. Maybe by the time you read this, they will have resolved this situation – enough people were loudly complaining when I was there on 7/8.

If you don’t plan to join a docent lead tour, time your arrival so that you’re not commencing your visit with a tour. The group is large and the docent has to be loud to be heard – we had to move fast to get in front of the group to be able to hear our audio guides.

Bring only a tiny handbag or be prepared to check it in the downstairs check room. You can carry your wallet and phone. Photos of the building are allowed, but photography in the galleries is forbidden.

Once you finally get in, it is completely worth the aggravation and frustration of the entry process. Hundreds of Renoirs; if I recall correctly the audio guide said over 200. The best of 19th and 20th century European and American art, with some African, Asian and Middle Eastern works represented.

The ensembles of art, sculpture, metal work, pottery and furniture are as Albert Barnes arranged and displayed them in the original Lower Merrion location. According to the audio guide, Barnes spent extensive time working with the placement of these objects, by color, theme or feel, instead of any chronological order or grouping by artist. As new works were acquired, the ensembles were rearranged.

American crafts are well represented here. Metal and ironwork features in many of the ensembles. Pennsylvania German furniture and metalwork. Native American ceramics. In the upstairs galleries, glass showcases display gorgeous Navajo jewelry.

The Barnes Foundation was founded in 1922 by Albert Barnes to promote “the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts.” For an in-depth look at how the collection was moved to this location against the terms of Albert Barnes’ will, check out the fascinating documentary “The Art of the Steal.”

I wish I could remember the name of the place where we had lunch afterwards. It was around the corner from the museum and had a great chicken cutlet sandwich.

Club Quarters

Club Quarters is also very well located on Chestnut Street, near several trolley stops and bus lines. Despite the heatwave, I walked from 30th Street Station, the main train station and depot for discount bus lines like Bolt and Mega. It was only about 10 blocks.

My Club Quarters in-room reference library

I had read that the Clubsize rooms were small on Tripadvisor, but for a person traveling alone for a few nights they’re fine. There was a queen sized bed near the window, a simple alarm clock, a desk and a tiny bathroom. The sheets were a little scratchy. Several useful books for longer term business guests were provided, plus a notebook of local restaurants that deliver to the hotel.

The TV was weirdly positioned over the desk with an adjustable arm. It was better for watching TV as I got ready in the morning than from the bed. Despite some Tripadvisor complaints, I didn’t hear any street noise on the 8th floor, but it could depend which way your room is facing. The air conditioner was not quiet. In order to sleep, I had to position a pillow over my ears.

However, this hotel has a lot of benefits in addition to the great location and low price. Friendly, helpful, attentive front desk staff. Amenities like free wifi, free purified water refilling stations on each floor. Coffee makers in the rooms and morning coffee in the lobby. PCs for guest use, including one dedicated to printing airline boarding passes. Storing my bag securely after check out was not a problem.

The Penn Museum is also offering hotel packages in combination with the Maya 2012 exhibit.

Getting Around Philadelphia

For some reason, I had never attempted the Philadelphia trolley system before. It was quick and easy. Even on the weekends the trains seem frequent. If I just missed one it was about 5 minutes until the next. There is no need to have a ticket; you pay $2 in a machine as you board. The machine takes coins or bills.

Philadelphia also has a good bus system. A route from Market Street goes to Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where the Barnes, Rodin, Franklin Institute and Philadelphia Museum of Art are located.

Getting There

Because this was supposed to be an economical trip, I opted for Bolt Bus instead of Amtrak. Bolt Bus, a division of Greyhound, offers $10 fares and usually provides quick, safe service to Philadelphia, DC and Boston. If Amtrak was more reliable, it might have been a quicker option for traveling back to NYC on the Sunday of 4th of July weekend, but it is gamble.

Unfortunately, I chose the front seat diagonally behind the driver for the trip to Philadelphia and could see her texting the entire way. I nicely asked her to stop, but she ignored me – or possibly couldn’t hear me with her headphones in her  ears. I’ve since emailed Bolt Bus about the incident, with no response. Although our driver for the return trip, Donna, was wonderful – I will not be taking Bolt Bus again.

If you do opt for Bolt, or their competitor Mega Bus, they leave from a spot very close to 30th Street Station. You can take the trolley, bus or Septa to get there.

Even on the Sunday of July 4th weekend, the ride back was only 2 hours, making Philadelphia an easy day trip from New York. Considering it’s a major city in close proximity to New York, it has a completely different feel and is well worth a visit.

In closing, I admit I’ve been a very inactive blogger and am not doing much to engage you, my loyal readers. I promise to provide you with more informational yet entertaining posts in the coming weeks – on a weekly basis. Thank you for sticking with me!

For more information about Philadelphia:

Frommer’s Guide to Philadelphia and the Amish Country (2011)

VisitPhilly.com

Master weaver Miguel Andrango demonstrates spinning wool

To find superior textiles in Ecuador, you need to go beyond the textile market in Otavalo and Quito’s upscale stores like Olga Fisch and Tianguez. You have to go to the source…

As my hotelier in Otavalo said “there isn’t a handwoven thing in that market.” The famous Otavalo textile market is worth a visit for the craft items; especially on Saturday when artisans appear from the countryside, bringing unique products distinguished from the mostly mass produced goods sold during the week. But in general, this is not the place to buy quality weavings to the extent of say, Pisac market in Peru.

Instead, for $10/hour, a cab driver like the wonderful Arturo can facilitate visits to the best weavers in the area, with stops at scenic viewpoints, areas of interest and leather-producing towns like Cotacachi. If you don’t speak Spanish, discuss your plans with your hotelier and ask someone bilingual at the hotel communicate your specific stops to the driver. Or you can always write a list of desired stops.

Spinning demo at Museo de Obraje, Otavalo

Before visiting weavers’ workshops, a good place to start is the small, but informative Museo de Tejidos El Obraje in Otavalo. Don Maldonado gives tours in Spanish only, but there is a written guide to the exhibits in several languages. The museum outlines the process of making wool and weaving from removing the wool from the animal to the finished piece. Also illustrated are the methods for making straw mats and espadrille soles.

Calle Sucre 608. $2. Confirm hours when in Otavalo.

The Hands of Don Miguel Andrango

Miguel Andrango

Ecuador’s most famous weaver, Miguel Andrango, can be visited by appointment. If you are visiting only one weaver in Ecuador, make it Señor Andrango. Definitely have your hotel call first; you might not consider the view of El Corazon – the heart on the mountain – worth the somewhat rocky trip to his village to discover he isn’t available.

He discusses his process in Spanish, and demonstrates how he prepares the wool to be woven on a back strap loom. He also briefly educated us about his sources for dye colors (walnuts, insects), using a basket of spectacularly hued earth tone wool balls to illustrate his examples.

Another weaver demonstrated the back strap loom, which I could have watched for hours. However, seeing Señor Andrango card and spin wool was magical, and I’m glad I got to observe the master.

Señor Andrango is planning to establish a weaving school to pass on his techniques to keep the weaving tradition alive in Ecuador. The workshop where we watched the student at work had incredible light – and although I haven’t woven since high school, it is very tempting to sign up.

There is no cost for the lengthy demonstration and no pressure at all to buy, and a donation for the school is appreciated. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, it is well worth visiting for anyone seriously interested in weaving.

Miguel Andrango’s Tahuantinsuyo Weaving Workshop, Agato, Ecuador. Appointments recommended. 

Master weaver Jose Cotacachi preparing loom

 Jose Cotacachi

Jose Cotacachi weaves on a treadle loom in his workshop in Peguche. He creates brightly colored complex geometric patterns based on symbols from pre-Hispanic civilizations, as well pieces that showcase various images of Ecuador like birds, volcanoes, indigenous people and animals. He produces woven sweaters in addition to tapestries. He briefly demonstrated weaving on the treadle loom and answered questions before leading us around his gallery.

Prices were affordable. My new friend from the hotel and I bought tapestries.

Open Daily. We visited Señor Cotacachi in his workshop on the main street in Peguche, not in the workshop in his home pictured on his site. You can also get to Peguche by regular bus from Otavalo.

Taller de Macana, eclectic collection

Taller de Macana – Jose Jimenez

Just outside of Gualaceo, near the Andean town of Cuenca, is the premier Ikat weaving workshop of Jose Jimenez. Ikat is a dye-resistance technique, sort of like batik or tie-dye, that originated in Asia.

Bindings are tightly wrapped around threads, which are then dyed. When the binding is removed, that area remains free from dye. These threads are then painstakingly woven to form patterns.

Senor Jimenez related it often takes up to 3 months to produce 1 shawl using this technique.

He started with a thorough explanation of the development of the dyes. Burned walnuts to produce color variations; cochinilla insects; imported indigo and colors derived from plants and flowers. It was fascinating. Adding water or salt to the cochinilla completely changed the color from pink to tomato to purple or fuscia.

Binding the warp threads prior to dye application

Dyed threads bound and prepared for a 2nd color application

Then, we watched 2 women bind the warp (vertical threads that “string” the loom) prior to dying, so that these colors remain after being dipped in the next dye.

Finally, he brought us upstairs to his workshop, with outstanding views of the countryside. Here, he demonstrated his back strap loom technique. Each string is strategically positioned to form patterns with the colored warp. This is what makes each shawl a 3 month process.

My shawl, being completed. Taller de Macana Ikat Workshop

After the shawl or pano is woven, the ends are knotted in a style similar to macrame’. Others are knotted/crocheted with meaningful words like “recuerdo.” A woman was working on knotting a gorgeous purple/black shawl when we arrived. Of course, after checking out all the shawls for sale, I decided the one being completed was the one I loved, and the knotting was rapidly finished.

Although Javier, the driver thought I was being extravagant, $40 for the beautiful shawl that involved such substantial work was a fair price. This belief was confirmed as I traveled around the country and saw significantly more expensive (from $65) yet lower quality Ikat shawls at very high prices stores like the renowned Olga Fisch and Tianguez stores in Quito.

Javier was arranged by my hotel in Cuenca, Casa San Rafael, for $40 for the first 3 hours and $10 for each additional hour. We also visited the craft town of Gualaceo, and Chordeleg, a town known for filigree silver and gold jewelry. Javier also took me to his favorite place for chancho – roasted pig, in Cuenca (see post below for a photo). The red double-decker bus tour company in Cuenca also offers tours to Gualaceo and Chordeleg – combined with Ingapirca (an Incan ruin) but I doubt they stop at the Taller de Macana.

For a few dollars more than a group tour, a custom itinerary with a taxi driver enables you to visit the sights most important to you, including the master weavers of Ecuador.

Ecuador trip planning resource:

Moon Guide, Ecuador 2012