Tiny Fredericksburg’s take on history, outdoor activities and food is as big as all Texas

Tiny Fredericksburg’s take on history, outdoor activities and food is as big as all Texas

Fredericksburg, Texas, in the Texas hill country, is one of the best-kept secrets in travel. This small town offers visitors a menu of options. Take the kids or grandkids in the summer to see the National Museum of the Pacific War, which has earned rave reviews from ages 9 to 90 for its engaging look at the experience of World War II. Go with friends to browse the boutiques, relax in the spas, visit picturesque homes and historic buildings and tour the wineries. Or, even better, plan a winter getaway to this temperate region for hiking and biking, rock climbing, year-round golfing and seasonal birding tours. Shoppers and diners will find it’s a haven for artists, a treasure trove of antiques and a spot for gourmet dining and specialty foods.
The 10,500-population town, about the size of Sauk Rapids, is the former home of Lyndon Johnson, the nation’s 36th president.
Huffington Post calls Fredericksburg one of six small towns to visit this year and Southern Living Magazine calls it a “small town we love.” It’s less expensive, less crowded than most touristy destinations and combines the flavor of its small-town German heritage with the sophistication of a larger city.
When I found out several friends were going, including Shelly and Dan Edwardson of Shoreview, I was curious, and off I went.

The Pacific theater
The National Museum of the Pacific War is the only institution in the continental U.S. dedicated to telling the story of the war in the Pacific.

The B-25 Mitchell, the most-heavily-armed warplane in World War II.

It was formerly called the Nimitz Museum, as Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, who commanded the war in the Pacific theater, grew up in Fredericksburg.
Friends and I started our tour in a darkened room of the George H. W. Bush Gallery with one of the five remaining HA-19 Japanese two-person mini submarines, one of which was spotted from the USS Ward, a ship carrying many Minnesotan sailors, just before the Pearl Harbor attack. The museum’s “you are there” approach presents the Pearl Harbor attack with video imagery, recollections from people who were there and the sounds of the bombing, air-raid sirens and destruction heard that day. I felt I was right in the middle of the attack that brought the U.S. into World War II.
We went from room to room and saw tanks that were bombed, an atomic bomb casing and the B-25 from the historic Doolittle Raid led by Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle to bomb targets in Japan in retaliation for Pearl Harbor.
Visitors could read the wall signs or delve deeper into the stories told by soldiers who were actually there. Exhibits followed the whole Pacific campaign and the major battles with interactive displays.

The toll paid in lives is illustrated in photos and firsthand accounts.

The museum detailed the seeds of conflict and also the effects of the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan. One room showed a wall-size picture of the first wave of U.S. fighters who tried to take an island, cut down in a row in the sand as they struggled up the beach.
By the time I finished going through this war museum, I was in tears over the extent of the war - the damage, the deaths and heroism of the soldiers of my parents’ generation.
My late father served in the Army in the Philippines and never talked about the war, maybe because the memories were simply too terrible.

Sunday houses
Fredericksburg was settled by German immigrants in the 1840s, including the grandfather of Admiral Nimitz, and the town still retains its German flavor.

A “Sunday house” at the Pioneer Museum complex.

In Germany over a century and a half ago, there was oppression and unrest. So many Germans headed to the U.S., the land of opportunity and Texas officials offered land as an enticement.
Early immigrants were well-educated, and the first influx of farmers were followed by skilled workers. The German language was predominant through the 1940s, and the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce still advertises “kinderspiel” events especially for kids.
The early farming immigrants also received town lots, where they built little houses -- a parlor on the first floor and a sleeping loft on the second. These came to be called “Sunday houses” once settlers acquired their 10-acre farms (far less than the 320 acres per family they expected) outside town. Roads to town were in horrible shape back then, so families stayed in their Sunday houses on weekends to do business, socialize and attend church.
We took a walking tour of the National Historic District to learn more. Sunday houses, several with additions added over the years, are still there. The Pioneer Museum complex, which celebrates the Fredericksburg of old, has a barn, blacksmith shop, school, bathhouse, social hall, firefighter museum and several homes.

Biking, hiking, wine tasting
With moderate winter temperatures, Fredericksburg is considered by some to be the bicycling capital of Texas due to its rolling hills and panoramic views. So four of us went to Bicycleworks where we were fitted with bikes and helmets and then rode through the edge of town past sheep and goat farms and out into the rolling hills.
Hiking is also popular. One afternoon a few of us went to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and started climbing a narrow, rocky path up to the huge pink granite dome, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, for a spectacular, panoramic view of the area.
But I was afraid of falling, so I went back down and did an easier hike on trails around the base of Enchanted Rock among the trees and flowers while they reached the summit. 

A wine lover’s haven
The Texas Hill Country was named one of the 10 best wine destinations around the world in 2014 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Fredericksburg is at the epicenter with 14 wineries plus dozens more within an hour or two, and the area is one of the fastest growing wine-producing regions in the U.S.

In his tasting room, Ken Maxwell serves wine samples and talks about his wine making.

In the early years, Mexicans planted vineyards for sacramental wine. Then in the early 1920s, the modern wine industry began, often with Spanish and Mediterranean-style grapes that were well suited for the hot summers.
Today, many wineries have fun tasting rooms, including Grape Creek Vineyards, 4.0 Cellars, Torre di Pietra, and Pedernales Cellars, where I enjoyed sampling Texas wines like Tempranillo and Viognier.
For a chance of pace, visitors might visit nearby Luckenbach, the town made famous by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson’s 1976 country hit. I watched a few men strumming guitars, spotted a rooster crowing in the tree, and soaked up the laid-back atmosphere.
For a fun and offbeat vacation in the fall, winter and spring (or summer if you like hot weather), Fredericksburg offers the ease of getting around a small town plus biking, hiking, trendy restaurants, art galleries and shops, wineries, history and many different festivals.
“I really loved the Texas Hill Country scenery in that area,” Shelly said. “Fredericksburg is a must stop for its German heritage and restaurants, small-town charm, Pacific War Museum and good shopping.”
I couldn’t have summed it up any better.

For more information, go to www.visitfredericksburgtx.com.
Pamela O’Meara can be reached at pomeara@lillienews.com or at 651-748-7818.

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Where to stay:

Fredericksburg Inn and Suites is in the heart of town.
The Hangar Hotel mimics a World War II hangar. Private planes frequently land there.
Barons Creekside has individual cabins partially constructed with wood and stained glass shipped from owner Daniel Meyer’s old home in Switzerland.
The county has 407 bed and breakfasts and guest houses.

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Where to eat:

West End Pizza - In the outdoor courtyard, enjoy a pasta and pizza feast and top it off with homemade cheesecake.

Shrimp and crab cakes at the Navajo Grill

Clear River Pecan Company - Try a colorful chef’s salad with pecans and one of their specialty homemade ice creams like peach amaretto pecan with a chocolate chip cookie.
Navajo Grill - Sit outside on a covered patio and try some small plates like duck with lentils and squash, rib trio, goat cheese with pork charcuterie, and shrimp and crab cakes with guava and kiwi salsa. Top it off with chocolate torte.
Fredericksburg Brewing Co. - The grilled catfish smothered with a delicious chopped tomato sauce is a winner. Try a glass of award-winning beer at the oldest brewpub in Texas.
Chocolat! - Sample dark chocolate with liquid orange liquor or a variety of other flavors.

White Gull Inn’s Door County Cherry-Stuffed French Toast

White Gull Inn’s Door County Cherry-Stuffed French Toast

(Voted America’s Favorite Breakfast by viewers of Good Morning America, 2010)

Yield:  6 servings

1 loaf unsliced egg bread

2 packages 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups tart Montmorency cherries, drained, divided*

3 eggs

½ cup milk

Cinnamon

Powdered Sugar

Trim ends from loaf and cut bread into six 1.5 inch thick slices.  Make a cut three-quarters down the middle of each slice.  (Bread will appear to have two separate slices, but will be joined together at bottom.)  Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese and one cup of the cherries.  Spread approximately 1/6 of the mixture into the pocket of each slice of bread.  Gently press slices together, evenly distributing filling. 

In a separate bowl, beat eggs and milk together.  Dip stuffed slices into egg mixture and coat all sides.  Place immediately on a lightly oiled, heated griddle and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cook over medium heat until golden brown, turning to cook second side. 

Remove cooked slices from griddle and place on a cutting board.  Gently cut each piece in half, forming two triangles.  Arrange two triangles on individual plates.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining cherries.  Serve with maple syrup and butter.

*Frozen Montmorency cherries are sold in some supermarkets and specialty food stores

and also can be purchased at or ordered directly from several  Door County orchards and farm markets.  For information on where frozen Door County cherries are sold near you, or to order from our supplier, Seaquist Orchards in Ellison Bay,  email Robin Seaquist, rseaquist@dcwis.com.

In Door County, ‘ life is just a bowl of cherries’

In Door County, ‘ life is just a bowl of cherries’

Pamela O’Meara

It’s cherry season now in Door County, Wisconsin, and thousands of cherry trees are laden with bright the bright red fruit. You can pick your own Montmorency tart cherries or buy them at cherry stands and shops along the road, eat a variety of dishes that feature cherries and learn the history of cherries.

Apple cherry hard cider tastings are held at Island Orchard Cider

That’s what I did recently.

In the 1950s and ‘60s Door County reigned supreme as the nation’s cherry capital with more than a million cherry trees. While the Traverse City, Michigan area now claims the title, Door County is still the place to go for cherries.

 The Door County peninsula, a finger of land north of Green Bay, is surrounded by the water of Lake Michigan.  During the mid-May to October the tourist season, a variety of colorful flowers are in bloom around the family-owned restaurants and lodgings. The quaint villages nestled in the bays are clean and welcoming. People are friendly. The beaches with their sparkling water and sea gulls flying around are inviting. Hiking, bicycling, kayaking and other summer sports, summer theaters and lighthouses are popular attractions. Some call it the Cape Cod of the Midwest.

The rolling farm land in the middle of the peninsula is a rocky limestone underneath with just a little topsoil. Early settlers discovered that cherry trees flourished there because they have a shallow root system suitable for this shallow soil.

Dale Seaquist, talks about growing and harvesting cherries.

At Seaquist Orchards in Sister Bay, owner Dale Seaquist talked about his 1,000-acre orchard, the largest in Door County, and told us that nowadays he uses a machine that shakes the trees and captures the falling cherries in an upside-down umbrella gadget and uses a drum-like machine to pits thousands of cherries in minutes. We watched preparations for baking cherry pies and browed around the cherry store to sample cherry fudge, cherry salsa, cherry jam and more.

Then after picking some cherries, we made cherry bounce, which I had never heard of. We washed our cherries and then packed a pint jar two-thirds full, added about 1/3 cup sugar and filled the remaining space with brandy. I’m saving it for a Christmas drink and garnish.

Tourists climb around the rocks along the water in one of the small towns.

Out in the country, Country Ovens has dehydrators that produce Montmorency tart dried cherries and more recently, tart cherry juice full of antioxidants they are marketing to college and professional sports teams like the University of Minnesota. We sampled the cherry juice, cherry trail mix, salsa and jam and bought dried cherries to take home.

Since it’s the cherry season, and tart cherries are often touted as having powerful anti-inflammatory properties, I decided to eat as many dishes with cherries as I could. So for my dinner the first night on the expansive outdoor deck overlooking the bay at the Carrington Pub and Grill  in Egg Harbor, part of the Landmark Resort where I stayed for a few nights. I ordered a thick slab of tender pork ribs with a sauce full of cherries, cherry crisp for dessert and wine with a lovely red cherry essence.

Servers at Fred and Fuzzie's Waterfronnt Grill prepare to serve cherry margaritas.

Breakfast the next morning at Bistro at Liberty Square in Egg Harbor included cherry oatmeal, French toast baked with walnuts and heaped with whole cherries plus a glass of cherry juice. Then in Ellison Bay, we stopped at Island Orchard Cider for a taste of hard cherry cider on the way to Wilson’s in Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor in the town of Ephraim where cherry ice cream, shakes and sodas were featured.

 At Rawleys Bay Resort we enjoyed a dinner buffet of tilapia with a lemon cherry cream sauce, pork with cherry sauce, chicken with cherries, creamed corn with cherries and dessert of cherry pie, bars and cake, plus a drink of cherry juice, vodka and ginger ale. Then I walked out to the pier there to look out at the water and charter fishing boats and saw a mink, slick from the water, climbing among the rocks.

The following day at the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek, we had French toast stuffed with cherries and cream cheese, which was the winner of the Best Breakfast in American Challenge on Good Morning America. Later, we stopped at Fred & Fuzzie’s Waterfront Grill in Sister Bay, where we sat at picnic tables on the lawn overlooking the sparkling bay for lunch. I ordered a cherry chicken wrap served with a cherry margarita.

In between, we stopped at a Peninsula State Park overlook to see Strawberry Island and across the bay, Marquette, Michigan. A bald eagle swooped by. We climbed an old fire tower for an even better view. And we did a Segway ride out in the country past a Seaquist cherry orchard.

The traditional Door County fish boil at The Old Post Office restaurant in Ephraim included cherry pie for desert. Fish is cooked outside in a big kettle while everyone sits around in a circle watching. First in the kettle is salt and then potatoes, onions, freshly caught whitefish. At the end it is all flamed up high to cut the fat in the fish. The fish is delicious. Afterwards, we saw a stunning red sunset over the bay.

So there are lots of summer water and trail activities in Door County. Eating all things cherry and learning the history of cherries is a unique addition to a vacation at this time of the year.

Photos By Pamela O'Meara

Fly, fish and float at Lake of the Ozarks

For years, friends have been talking about their boating, fishing and wine tasting trips to the beautiful resort area of the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri, and I wanted to go, too. Finally, the timing was right this spring and off I went.

This colorful salad was featured at H. Toad’s Bar and Grill at Camden on the Lake Resort.

For a visual introduction to the area, I met up with pilot Corey Leuwerke from Lake Aviation Center. The first thing I apprehensively said as I climbed aboard his small plane was I might get air sick. He reassuringly said that after a couple of initial bumps, the flight would be smooth and I should be fine. But remembering two previous experiences, I made sure my barf bag was handy as we flew over the 92-mile-long lake in his little Cessna to see how the lake snaked back and forth instead of being round like most lakes. Leuwerke pointed out the dam that produced the lake and circled around the intriguing castle ruins we later visited.
The ride was fun and smooth just as he said, and I loved it.
The lake came into being in the late 1920s when a utility company built the Bagnell Dam to produce power, turning the Osage River into the new Lake of the Ozarks, the second-largest manmade lake in Missouri and a popular tourist destination for boating, fishing, golf and other summer water activities. The picturesque area attracts over 5 million visitors annually.

A wealthy Kansas City businessman chose a hilltop near Lake of the Oaarks to build a retreat

Lake of the Ozarks State Park at one end of the water offers miles of hiking and biking trails, quiet camping and a couple of beaches. The other side of the lake is lined with homes ranging from small to over almost $2 million, plus condos and hotels. Many homes are vacation rentals for all the people flocking there.
Out on the water
Our morning pontoon boat ride on the Aquatic Trail in the serene state park side of the lake featured turkey vultures circling the sky, a few great blue herons flying in and out and a bald eagle sitting on a log at the water’s edge.
Our guide, Cindy Hall from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said these birds migrated south from Minnesota and other Midwestern states for the winter and would soon be heading back. The white dogwood bushes and dark pink redbud trees were in full spring bloom on the hillsides and created a lovely backdrop as she talked about the rock formations on the bluffs and the history of the area.

The green leaves against the turquoise water are found in Ha Ha Tonka State Park.

Later, we met boat captain Jack Uxa of Jack’s Guide Service, and he took us fishing for bass and crappies. A mist of water sprayed up on us, and the wind blew our hair as we sped to one of his favorite spots where the bass were making their beds and getting ready to spawn. Uxa, who was a guide at Gunflint Lodge in northern Minnesota for three summers, has equipment for beginning anglers to professionals, and says fishing for bass and crappies goes on all year on the lake, and only paddlefish have a season.
Being out on the lake was so fun. I caught three crappies and one bass, and had many more bites. But since I’m a very inexperienced angler, I didn’t reel in fast enough, and most managed to wiggle off my hook. Before long we moved to another one of Uxa’s favorite spots. My fishing partner caught about seven or eight fish, including one chunky bass. We took lots of pictures of each other and our fishing guide took some for us. We even looked down the throat of a couple of fish and took photos of that. We laughed a lot and figured Jack probably thought we were a little crazy, but he made the trip fun for us novices.
Castle ruins and a romantic cave
Later on, we hiked up a hill to the castle ruins we first saw from the air. Over a century ago, a wealthy Kansas City businessman purchased 2,500 acres so he could build a European-style castle for his private retreat. Luck wasn’t with him, however. Construction began in 1905, but in 1906, he died in an auto crash. His sons completed the castle, but a fire in 1942 gutted the inside. Today the bare stone walls remain at the edge of a cliff - the stark and mysterious remnants of one man’s dream.
The state of Missouri purchased the property in 1978 and opened it to the public as Ha Ha Tonka State Park. Today the park occupies over 17,000 acres and has 85 miles of shoreline near Camdenton, one of the towns on Lake of the Ozarks. Near the base of the castle ruins, we had a lovely hike to one of the state’s largest natural springs.
Bridal Cave in Camdenton was extensive, beautiful and unexpectedly memorable. The varied rock formations were impressive, and one large, tall cave room was full of stalactites that look like organ pipes fit for a wedding.
Legend has it that an Osage Indian couple were the first to be married there in the early 1800s.
Since then, about 2,400 weddings have taken place, and friends on this trip renewed their wedding vows on their anniversary that day in a very touching ceremony that brought tears to my eyes. Then we celebrated with a champagne dinner complete with a wedding cake at the elegant Vine Restaurant and Art Gallery.

Like over 2,400 people before them, Susan and Steve Pollack renewed their wedding vows in the spectacular Bridal Cave near the Lake of the Ozarks.

Missouri is also known for its wineries, and people travel hundreds of miles to the Lake of the Ozarks to enjoy the area’s breathtaking beauty and regional wines. Golden Rock Winery offers wine tastings and a restaurant with delicious food. Seven Springs Winery sits atop a hill, so after a wine tasting, we sat on the patio sipping a full glass of wine, eating a light lunch and admiring the view.
Lake of the Ozarks likes to brag that it has more shoreline than California has on the Pacific Ocean, Hall says. I can see why people who enjoy water activities, golfing and hiking, and just being outside love the Lake of the Ozarks. It’s 558 miles from St. Paul and an easy side trip on the way to Branson.
The Willmore Lodge Museum and Visitors Center explains the history and construction of the dam and offers visitors information about the area.

For more information online about accomodations, activities, restaurants and shopping, go to www.funlake.com.
Pamela O’Meara can be reached at pomeara@lillienews.com.

Elkhart Lake and the Osthoff Resort

Elkhart Lake and the Osthoff Resort

By Pamela O’Meara

The four diamond Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin.

Water activities, beach chairs, flower gardens, a highly rated resort and a quaint village with good restaurants are featured in Elkhart, Lake Wisconsin, located between Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

I fell in love with the place after a previous visit and figured the Osthoff Resort right on Elkhart Lake would be a great place to take my family. So my two daughters, two granddaughters and I recently headed there for relaxation, water activities and good food.

The Four Diamond Osthoff is a white Victorian-style but modern structure rated one of the top resorts in the continental U. S. by Travel + Leisure Magazine last year and also one of America’s top lake resorts. It has a well-known spa and cooking school as well. Unfortunately, the cooking school wasn’t open while we were there during the week.

The Osthoff’s first-class condos are for rent on a daily basis. For our three days there, we had a full kitchen, dining and living rooms, patio overlooking the lake plus three bedrooms and two baths. It meant we could have enough space and flexibility to do group and individual activities and eat what we liked, often having delicious leftovers for breakfast – like pizza, beet and shrimp salad and a veggie sandwich – for me while granddaughters liked room service. We could have cooked our own meals from scratch, which would have been convenient if we had stayed longer.

The Off the Rail sandwich and coffee shop is an inviting place.

But we ate dinner at Otto’s Restaurant one night and picked up pizzas at the Lake Street Café another time. On our last night, we all chose food from different restaurants but ate together. A couple of us got carryout from Lola’s on the Lake in the Osthoff – a shrimp and pea pasta with homemade noodles and beet salad with shrimp -- one ordered a steak form Otto’s and the kids got from pizza from Three Guys and a Pizza Pie.

Two of us who are early risers walked a couple of blocks through the Osthoff gardens, along the lake and past the smaller Victorian Village and Siebken resorts to the little red Off the Rail sandwich and coffee shop for lattes or Americanos and muffins. The offbeat café serves delicious, homemade soups and sandwiches and shows a lot of character with its railroad theme since it sits right across from the old railroad station where, decades ago, visitors arrived from Chicago.

The edges of two water bicycles can be seen on Elkhart Lake.

On the sunniest day, the teens rented water bicycles while one daughter and I took a two-person recliner-style pedal bike and we all headed out to the middle of the lake and around a few homes. It was lovely being out on the water. Then we ate lunch on the Osthoff’s lake deck after the kids also make sand castles. In the evening we took a pontoon ride around the lake while our guide talked about famous homeowners, preservation of old boat houses and some history of the area. We followed that with a bonfire on the beach and roasted marshmallows to make s’mores – compliments of the Osthoff.

On all three days, my grandkids enjoyed swimming in the outdoor pool surrounded by pots of flowers while a couple of us adults sat nearby. They also went for a bike ride.

One really nice thing about the resort was the feeling of safety – that  teens could walk around or go to the pool or stop in a restaurant or gift shop on their own or walk around the grounds.

The swimming pool at the Osthoff Resort is surrounded by flowers.

On our last evening, we all gave ourselves facials and then we curled up on the sofa and chairs to watch a teen-style movie. My granddaughters were intrigued that I neither fell asleep -- my usual habit – nor got bored.

Our trip was a good bonding experience, full of good conversations, and made me appreciate my daughters and granddaughters all the more. We’re thinking about where we might go next.

Elkhart Lake is also the home of a famous Road America Raceway and host to NASCAR and cycling races.

For more information about the Osthoff Resort and Elkhart Lake, go to http://www.osthoff.com

Photos by: Pam O'Meara

Arches National Park is a ‘red rock wonderland’ says National Park Service

Arches National Park is a ‘red rock wonderland’ says National Park Service
By Pamela O’Meara

I can’t believe it took me so many years to visit Utah’s stunning national parks and monuments. A friend who had been there several times recently offered to take me on a whirlwind tour to most of them. It was too good an offer to turn down.
Each national park has something unique. One of my favorites is Arches National Park with its red outcroppings rising majestically, some with spectacular arches that Mother Nature carved into the red sandstone rocks. Located between Canyonlands National Park and Moab, Arches’ stunning scenery makes you pull out your camera at every turn in the road or on the walking trail.
Driving into the park, visitors see a rock formation nicknamed The Three Gossips, The organ, Double Arch, Courthouse Towers, Turret Arch, Cove Arch, Landscape Arch and Balanced Rock among some 2,000 arches and rock formations. The circle drive through the park has many viewing points where people can get out and hike to various spectacular arches and other red rocks.
My first stop and hike was to Cove Arch and then Double Arch and

Turret Arch, where many visitors from the U.S. and abroad were taking photos and admiring the scenery. I offered to take photos of a few people in exchange for photos of me by the arches.
Then starting the 1 ½ mile twisty hike uphill to Delicate Arch, I began to get scared of falling when the path got steeper and petered out so people were climbing on rocks. Unlike the others, I turned around, missing the spectacular, often photographed view from the top – the scenery through the arch. My rock-climbing friend who had sprinted

on ahead only to discover I wasn’t right behind, was surprised at my fear and couldn’t understand my anxiety. Along that trail, I stopped at the Wolfe Ranch to peek into the one-room cabin where the Wolfe family lived for a decade or two. Their remote ranch is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
At Sand Dune Arch, I squeezed through a narrow opening between tall red spires and to my amazement, I walked into what seemed like a cathedral with red rocks towering overhead, a big arch and red sand where kids were running around sliding. That

was the most unusual and beautiful single spot I saw in the park.
The Devil’s Garden Trail to Landscape Arch was very scenic, busy and not scary. I took photo after photo as I did throughout Arches. The trail was wide, smooth and comfortable enough to stand and gaze at the rock formations and twisted trees and open spaces.
There are many other trails as well for the younger, hardier set.
Visitors to Arches National Park will find campgrounds in and near the park or hotels in nearby Moab. Moab has great bicycling trails, some of which are paved. It’s also a popular place for four-wheelers and trucks with giant tires that can go on rough trails. And it’s popular with runners. My niece and nephew did a half marathon from Moab along Arches and Canyonlands a week after I was there and loved the area.
The surprise of the trip was oil and gas drilling outside the pristine Canyonlands and Arch

es national parks. Along with pump jacks and gas pipelines off the roads, oil tankers rumbled by on the roads, probably wearing them out. Some storage tanks were camouflaged with green paint to hide them from the view of visitors. I was appalled at the whole situation and wondered what we are doing to our environment.
But in spite of signs of gas and oil drilling outside, I urge everyone to visit to the amazing Arches National Park with its spectacular red rock outcroppings and arches. And while you are out there, visit Canyonlands, Bryce, and Zion as well.

Photos by Pam O'Meara

Magnificent Canyonlands Sculpted by Glaciers, Wind and Rain

Magnificent Canyonlands Sculpted by Glaciers, Wind and Rain

By Pamela O’Meara

No wonder John Wayne movies were filmed around the red rock formations in Monument Valley surrounding Goulding’s Lodge, an old trading post on the Navajo Reservation at the northern edge of Arizona. The scenery is fantastic, especially when the sun shines on the rock formations, intensifying the red color we viewed from the lodge.

After taking many sunrise photos, we headed north through Monument Valley to Natural Bridges National Monument and then Canyonlands National Park in Utah. About 250 miles later, we ended up in Moab, UT.

On the way, we drove up Moki Dugway, a dirt road with steep switchbacks leading up to a plateau going up 1,100 feet in three miles and overlooking the Valley of the Gods. It was a bit scary but the scenery was amazing. We also stopped at Natural Bridges National Monument and then continuing north, we passed the Mexican Hat rock formation and then stopped at Newspaper Rock, located in the southeast corner of Canyonlands and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There was a wall of petroglyphs – hundreds of black figures of humans and animals on a dark red sandstone cliff -- dating from BC to 1350 A.D., the sign said.

In the adjacent parking lot, a Navajo woman was selling necklaces she made with sterling silver and beads. She displayed them on the hood of her car, and I bought one with a turtle pendant, which she said would protect me from evil spirits.

The Colorado and Green rivers meet up in Canyonlands and eons ago helped form the deep valleys. It was hard to imagine the earth rising up to form mountains and the melting glaciers forming rivers that carve out enormous valleys.

Further north in Canyonlands by the visitors’ center, we talked to three young women who were getting ready for a bicycle trail ride 50 miles that day and 50 the next before they headed back home to Salt Lake City. A number of people were out hiking. Since I’m a bit of a scardy cat freaked out by fear of falling, we settled for a few somewhat flat walks among the piñon pine and juniper trees to look out over the canyon in several spots. At some lookouts, we saw the snow-covered LaSalle Mountains far in the background.

In one spot, several black cows stood along the road, hovering over another one that was hit by a car and killed during the previous night. They seemed to be grieving.

One disheartening surprise was the presence of cricket pumps and pump jacks drilling for oil, sometimes camouflaged in green, just outside the eastern and northern boundaries of the park. A park ranger said drilling has increased in the last five years. We saw a natural gas line being installed to reclaim the gas being burned off from the oil, and we saw tanker trucks on the road.

The ranger said it’s BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land and open lease by law so ranchers lease it for cattle just as oil companies lease the oil rights – and there are 128 leases for oil extraction. Potash is also under ground.

The drilling is controversial as evidenced by a front-page article I read in the Moab newspaper that night.

But in spite of the drilling just outside the park border, visitors like me can’t help but be overwhelmed by the stunning beauty of Canyonlands and hope the land won’t be damaged. The National Parks Conservation Association strives to protect this land amazing land.

The big problem on a trip like this is that taking one photo or even 10 or a panorama just cannot capture the beauty and immensity of the canyons and mountain croppings and colors in the rocks.

Photos by Pamela O'Meara

Saguaros stand tall in National Park in Arizona

Saguaros stand tall in National Park in Arizona

Pamela O’Meara

Each time I’ve seen Saguaro cacti in Arizona, I’m reminded of soldiers standing at attention on hillsides or reaching toward the sky to worship the sun. Some Native American tribes may believe the saguaros are their dead ancestors.

I’ve heard people say the saguaros don’t grow any arms till age 75. In the meantime, birds peck holes in their bodies to make nests. Baby saguaros begin their lives from seeds growing in the shade of palo verde trees, which are called “nurse trees” for providing the in right growing conditions – shade, nutrients, protection from storms. The palo verde eventually die off, while saguaros slowly grow into giants, some eventually reaching 70 feet.

Saguaro National Park in Tucson, AZ is home to the giant cacti that are found only in the Sonoran Desert, including southwest Arizona and part of California and Mexico. This national park has districts on the east and west sides of Tucson with a visitor center at each side. The Tucson Mountains in the west and the Rincon Mountains in the east are full of these soldiers. Many other kinds of cacti, including barrel, cholla and prickly pear are abundant in the park.

President Herbert Hoover created the Saguaro National Monument in1933. In1994, Congress elevated it to a National Park.

The park has 150 miles of well-maintained hiking trails. While hiking in the backcountry in the summer is not advisable, the roads have plenty of pullouts for picture taking, and the outdoor Desert Museum adjacent to the western park offers plenty of saguaros up close. I’ve taken some great photos in this museum but for sunset photos, I drove into the park to watch the setting sun put a red glow onto the giant saguaros.

Photos By Pamela O'Meara

On the road from Tucson to Monument Valley

On the road from Tucson to Monument Valley

Pamela O’Meara

Goulding's Lodge.

Traveling from Tucson, AZ to Monument Valley, UT, I saw the most amazing scenery, which varied from the mountains in Tucson with saguaro cacti to flatter land to different mountain ranges with various colorful rock formations and through the Apache Reservation. Then my friend’s GPS showed a shortcut and suddenly, we were on dirt and gravel roads for hours through the Navajo and Hopi reservations, passing ranches with occasional horses or cows. We had to turn back a couple of times when the road nearly petered out.

We went past a couple of oil rigs and the Peabody coal mining operation. I picked up the Navajo Times and read that in the 1950s and ‘60s, the Navajos were aggressively making deals with uranium mining companies and made lots of money. Then they got lots of sores that turned out to be cancer.

Eventually a report was written about the dangers of uranium but written in English, which most Navajos couldn’t read then. The ones who could read ignored it the way people ignored the cancer-causing risks of smoking cigarettes back then.

Goulding's in Arizona

Nowadays, the tribe members are signing contracts –they do have legal advisors – for oil rights and expecting to make lots of money by drilling on their tribal lands. We saw some drilling rigs off the road.

The land formations and colors on the trip were pretty amazing. We got to Monument Valley before sunset, about two hours later than planned, due to the GPS fast route being way off.

We spent the night at Goulding’s Lodge, once an old trading post, nestled right at the bottom of a huge red rock formation, with other formations visible from the patio. Many John Wayne movies once were filmed there, Visitors can take four-wheel drive tours though this land or camp in the area. In the dining room of this international destination, we could hear different languages being spoken.

Tomorrow we will tour Monument Valley and take lots of photos of this spectacular place.

Photos by Pam O'Meara

Pamplona Spain: following Hemingway’s footsteps

Pamplona Spain: following Hemingway’s footsteps

Pamela O'Meara

Balconies in Pamplona overlook the street where the bulls run.

My balcony at the Gran Hotel La Perla in Pamplona, Spain, overlooked a narrow street lined with 18th century yellow, blue, tan and pink buildings along the route of the running of the bulls during the July festival of Sanfermines. The run was immortalized in Ernest Hemingway's book, "The Sun Also Rises."
I was in Pamplona in September during San Fermin Txikito, a  smaller,
family-oriented festival similar to what Hemingway experienced minus the bulls. As we elbowed our way through the festival crowd in the narrow streets of the old city, we stayed close to our tour guide, José Luis Del Pra, an architect who is fluent in English. He caught up with the zampanzares -- people wearing giant brass bells on their backs – the gigantes y cabezudos (giants and big heads), and the groups of costumed dancers, musicians, and kids on their fathers' shoulders. The gigantes dressed in lace and satin and representing the mythical kings and queens of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, towered over everyone as they walked through the crowds.

Running of the bulls
Jose also walked us along the half-mile route of the running of the bulls, and took us to the Museo del Encierro  -- museum of the running of the bulls  -- where we learned the history of the event and watched a live video, reminescent of Hemingway’s story.
Hemingway, a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and living
in Paris, first visited Pamplona in 1923 to watch the running of the bulls, a throwback to

The zampanzares jiggle their hips to jangle the giant brass
bells on their back

medieval times when farmers drove their bulls to market.
“In the Sun Also Rises,” he wrote, "I went out on the balcony (of La Perla).... All the balconies were crowded with people. Suddenly a crowd came down the street. They were all running, packed close together. They passed along and up the street toward the bullring and behind them came more men running faster ... and then the bulls galloping, tossing their heads up and down. .... One man fell, rolled to the gutter, and lay quiet. The bulls went right on and did not notice him.... After lunch we went over to the Iruña."
Hemingway's book put Pamplona on the world map and turned the running of the bulls into an international event now attended by a million people a year. To honor Hemingway, a large stone statue of him overlooks the bull ring.
La Perla owner Rafael Moreno gave us a tour of Hemingway's room from which he watched the running of the bulls many times between 1923 and 1959. It still has his original furniture and copies of all of his books, for which he was awarded both the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes. In lower level of the hotel, La Cocina de Alex Múgica was a favorite place for Hemingway to eat and drink. Since then, La Perla has been updated to a five-star hotel with free wi fi.

Eating, drinking, fishing
In the evening, we went to Café Iruña, established in 1888, where a
life-size bronze-like statue of Hemingway greeted us from the corner of the bar and his photos were on every wall. We enjoyed wine and pintxos – small servings of- little sausages, calamari and ham sandwiches -- while we imagined Hemingway eating and drinking there with his expatriate friends.
Then we stopped at Café Bar Gaucho for pintxos like eel with tomato sauce and black olives on toast, a spinach and shrimp pastry and rosado wine from the Navarra region and at Restaurante Baserri. These pintxos may not what Hemingway and his buddies ate but they were colorful, delicious and unique.
Outside, a man on the street stopped us and showed us scars on his neck and abdomen where he was gored during the running with the bulls.
Back at la Plaza del Castillo, the main square of the old city, we sat
outside with a beer listening to the Nebari Quartet playing from the balcony of La Perla in memory of violinist and composer Pablo
Sarasate, whose music Hemingway would have heard there.

Earlier that day, we walked along the thick old fortress walls of the Citadel and stepped into

This statue of San Fermin, patron saint of Pamplona, is in the Church of San Saturnino.

the gothic Cathedral of Pamplona and the mysterious ancient churches of San Lorenzo and San Saturnino. We saw many pilgrims with the walking sticks and backpacks on the Camino de Santiago, which legend says was taken by St. James as he preached.

One day we headed northeast of Pamplona, the capital city of the Navarra region, and climbed to an outlook in the foothills of the Pyrenees to see the Irati River where Hemingway went fishing with his friends and also wrote about in “The Sun Also Rises.” We
stopped at the Hotel Burguete where he carved his name in the piano during his stay there on a fishing trip. With Excursiones Auñak, we drove through the Selva de Irati, the second largest beech and fir forest in Europe. It has scenic hiking trails that perhaps Hemingway enjoyed. We drove through small villages into the mountains where five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain trained, and then along part of the Camino de Santiago, We stopped

The Irati River is where Hemingway wrote about in “The Sun Also Rises.”

at the ruins of an old munitions plant in Orbaitzeta. Unused for over a century, it now has leafy vegetation growing through crumbling in the iron and stone structure.

While Hemingway put Pamplona on the world map, and it’s fun to trace his footsteps, Pamplona and the Navarra are so much more than Hemingway. It’s the delicious local food, colorfully presented, the centuries of history, the varied landscape and friendly people as well.

Grapes and wine are featured at a wine tasting at Pagos de Araiz Winery near Olite.

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Palace and vineyards
With our Novotur guide Francisco Glaria Baines, we headed south of Pamplona past fields of sunflowers and corn to the Iglesia Fortaleza de Ujué, a well-preserved 13th century fortification perched on top of a hill and built to protect local citizens in war. When they were under siege, they stayed in the fortification, which contained a well, large stash of food and a church dating to the 12th century with a statue of Mary wearing armor and holding baby Jesus.  Inside the fortress in the bar of Meson Las Torres we enjoyed cortados (espresso with milk) and caramelized walnuts handmade by local ladies before our tour began.
Nearby, we went to the Royal Palace of Olite, one of the most interesting Gothic complexes in Europe and a National Monument. It was built for Charles lll of Navarra in the early 1400s, and Walt Disney filmed sleeping beauty there. Now in ruins, the palace once had modern amenities like running water, an ice house and a central heating system.
Part of the palace has been renovated and turned into the Olite Parador ­ one of 94 government-run hotels often located in historic buildings. This parador has wi fi for guests and a restaurant in a palace setting.
At the nearby Pagos de Araiz Winery, we learned the wine-making process, saw the owners’ art gallery with statues of the apostles and famous paintings, and finished our day by sampling wines from their modern vineyards.

SEE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

For more information on Pamplona and the Navarra region:

http://www.turismo.navarra.es/eng/propuestas/descubra-reyno/

http://www.turismodepamplona.es/verpagina.aspx?idpag=1&idioma=5

Pamela O'Meara is a staff writer Lillie News. This story is reprinted with permission.