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.

Magical Christmas at the Osthoff Resort

 Magical Christmas at the Osthoff Resort                                                                                       

Pamela O’Meara

The Osthoff Resort sits on Elkhart lake.

Several reindeer and St. Nicholas dressed in red velvet greet visitors at the Old World Christmas Market at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wis., an hour north of Milwaukee.

In a football-sized, heated tent, guests can check out around 100 booths of Christmas gifts ranging from cashmere and silk scarves from Turkey, red, blue and white blown glass tree ornaments from the Czech Republic, Russian nesting dolls, German cuckoo clocks and nutcrackers, imported sweaters and lace table cloths from the former East Germany to wine, chocolate, elk and deerskin gloves,fine  jewelry and pastel drawings.

Some booths offer samples such as chocolate truffles and hot mulled wine. The food court serves a German-style lunch of pumpkin soup, roast sauerbraten, spaetzle, red cabbage and apple strudel Vendors and guests come from all over for the market and other holiday festivities. I had the pleasure of attending.

Buche de Noel is made and served at the Osthoff Cooking school.

The Osthoff Resort has played host to this old world-style Christmas market event for about 15 years and hosts many other holiday events as well. The resort is dressed to the hilt with beautifully decorated Christmas trees at every turn in the hall, a 19-foot tree in the Elk Room overlooking Elkhart Lake, pine branches wrapped around stair rails, poinsettias and Christmas wreaths.

For families, there’s a chance to visit with Santa and then have breakfast at a child-sized buffet line. The next day a Christmas brunch with St. Nicholas is followed by a chance to see a reindeer with a big rack and even a camel up close. Then there are Christmas cookie decorating and ornament making workshops and a ride on old-fashioned horse-drawn hay wagon with people sitting on hay bales. Percherons named Bud and Ace pull the wagon and are gentle enough for children to pet. Two singers lead the Christmas caroling for all                                                          

Tatiana Alkata shows off one of her holiday gifts.

to join in. Hot chocolate Christmas cookies are served afterwards. Ice skating takes place in the outdoor courtyard.

The cooking school offers a class on preparing a traditional French Christmas meal with French onion soup, scallops, various breads, hash-brown-style potatoes embedded with onions and bacon pieces, beef tenderloin and a dessert of buche de noel, a rolled chocolate cake filled with chocolate frosting, surprisingly light and delicious. Additional classes are offered on bread and cookie baking for the holidays.

Mrs. Claus offers advice on decorating cookies.

With light snow falling, holiday lights all over the grounds and inside the resort, and people feeling the holiday spirit, I found the Osthoff a magical place to be just before Christmas.

See more pictures on the photos page

Chateau Morriesette Winery on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Chateau Morriesette Winery is on the Blue Ridge Parkway

By Pamela O’Meara

Chateau Morrisette is the largest winery in Virgina.

Did you know that Virginia is the fifth largest wine-producing state in the nation after California, New York, Washington and Oregon? In addition, Virginia was named one of the top 10 wine travel destinations for 2012 by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
Much of the wine is produced in the southwest part of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway. This includes the French-style Chateau Morrisette Winery, which is about an hour from Roanoke and the largest winery in Virginia.

Pork tenderloin with succotash and collard greens is a specialty.

On my recent trip there, friends and I toured the wine-making facilities to see how the wine is made in huge steel tanks and aged in wooden barrels. Then we did a wine tasting of about 10 different wines, some red, some white, some fruity, and ranging from dry to sweet, including sweet mountain apple wine which I bought to take home because it was delicious and different.

Chateau Morriesette sells over 80,000 cases of wine a year of 23 uniquely different wines, including their signature wines of Our Dog Blue and Black Dog, based on the owner’s black labrador and the theme of making wine more friendly, not snobby, said general manager George Weldon.

The dining room faces the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The winery takes care in designing labels for the bottles, Weldon said, because.80 percent of all wine purchased is by women, often based on the label,

The winery’s large, wood-paneled dining room overlooking the mountains is a great place for lunch. For my relaxing lunch, I ordered cinnamon pork tenderloin with succotash and collard greens, and a duck egg roll, all delicious and unique, and served with wine, of course.

It’s not just the wine but also the spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the food, along with special events that draw visitors. It’s also a popular site for weddings. Building a hotel is in the works, too. So if you’re in Roanoke, a trip along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway south to Chateau Morriesette makes a great day trip.

See more photos on the new "Pictures" page!

Chambourcin wine featuring the "Black Dog" label and a tasting glass

Blue Ridge Vineyard Shares Recipes

Blue Ridge Vineyard’s Mulled Wine Recipe
	Ingredients: 1 Bottle of Blue Ridge Vineyard Sweet Shiloh 4 cups Apple Cider 1 16 oz can of Peach Pieces, add the juice as well The spice bag: 1 Cinnamon stick, Break the sticks into pieces 5 Whole Cloves 6 Candied Ginger 5 Allspice, ¼ teaspoon of ground, or to taste1 Nutmeg, ½ to ¾ teaspoon ground, or to taste Method: 1. In a large pan, over medium heat, warm the wine, cider and peaches. 2. Add the bag of spices right away. 3. Bring the heat up, do not boil. 4. Test it for sweet and spice. If it is not sweet enough add sugar to taste and stir to dissolve. Not enough spice, add more, a little at a time. 5. Serve in a heatproof glass. Makes around 8 servings
Blue Ridge Vineyard’s Famous Sangria
	Ingredients: 1 Lemon 1 Lime 1 Orange 1 Bottle Blue Ridge Vineyard Sweet Shiloh 6 Oz Crushed Pineapple 1 Wedge Mango, Minced. 2 Cups real Gingerale (No Cheap Stuff) Several Fresh Strawberries Method: 1. Cut Lemon, Lime, and Orange into small wedges. 2. Squeeze into Sweet Shiloh 3. Add Crushed Pineapple 4. Add Mango 5. Chill. Let sit overnight. Just before serving: 6. Cut Stawberries 7. Add Strawberries and Gingerale 8. Enjoy!
Blue Ridge Mountain Burgers
	Ingredients: 2 cups of Blue Ridge Vineyard Big Bear Red Wine 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1 lb lean ground beef Salt Pepper Worcestershire sauce 1 medium slicing tomato, cut into 1/2 inch slices Olive oil 3 Burger buns ("everything" buns pictured) 3 slices of your favorite cheese Method: 1. Preheat your grill to medium-high. 2. In a medium sauce pan over high heat, combine the      wine and brown sugar, stirring until dissolved. 3. Let boil and reduce to 6 Tbsp (3/8 cup).      This will take about ~25 minutes. Let cool to      room temp, ~10 minutes. 4. In a medium bowl, crumble ground beef and season      with salt, pepper, and a couple dashes of      Worcestershire sauce. 5. Add 1/4 cup of red wine reduction and lightly toss to mix. 6. Form 3 burger patties, handling as little as possible      (they'll feel really loose and fragile). 7. Drizzle tomato slices with olive oil and season      with salt and pepper. 8. Place burgers and tomatoes on the grill. Grill the      burgers to desired doneness (I typically cook both      the tomatoes and burgers ~4 minutes on each side). 9. Top with a slice of cheese and remove from the grill. 10. Place on a burger bun, drizzle the remaining red wine     reduction over the burgers, and top with a grilled tomato      slice and the top bun.

Re-printed with permission.

Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia

Colorful trees are a highlight along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
By Pamela O'Meara

Sometimes the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia meanders through a tunnel of trees and other times, it opens up for views of the distant mountain ridges, which often have a hazy
bluish tint. Occasionally just a few peaks are visible as the clouds roll
in. In the fall, the mountain ash, maples, dogwood, birches and tulip trees
turn red, orange and yellow and people come from all over for the view. In
the spring and summer, purple rhododendron and flame azalea bushes, and a
host of wildflowers including trillium, mountain laurel and pink lady¹s
slippers brighten the scenic drive and overlooks.
This 469-mile parkway follows the eastern crest of the southern Appalachian Mountains through Virginia, linking the Shenandoah National Park to the north and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the south.
Over 100 species of birds fly through during the spring migration, and
wildlife like deer, black bears and foxes might be seen along the road. Nine
campgrounds and many hiking trails and picnic areas are available in this
National Park, the longest and narrowest in the country. The famous
Appalachian Trail runs alongside part of the parkway, which roughly parallels Interstate 81.

Roaring Run furnace used to produce pig iron.

 On my recent trip to Roanoke, the largest Virginia city along the parkway, a few of us headed north through the colorful trees, past dairy farms and apple orchards, and stopped at the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest­, just off the parkway, for a hike. I walked carefully on the rocky Streamside Trail that followed Roaring Run Creek up to the 30-foot cascade of white water of Roaring Run Falls, and I stopped often to take pictures and admire the view of the rocky walls, trees, flowing water and bridges crisscrossing the creek.

Traveling along the parkway on a cloudy day.

I returned the same way, due to time constraints, but hikers can return on the Woodlands Trail through the forest. Either way, visitors can check out the old brick Roaring Run Furnace, which is listed on the National Register and was in operation from the 1847 to the 1850s. From veins of iron ore in the rocks, the furnace produced the low-grade pig iron, which was shipped down the James River to Lynchburg and Richmond for making tools or railroad tracks for the development of the nation and for the Civil War.

Then we headed farther north on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Peaks of Otter for dinner at that rustic lodge. Walking down the path to the lake, I could barely see the water, due to low clouds and fog. One great blue heron stood on the shore looking for fish. It felt mysterious. Then we enjoyed a buffet dinner with locally grown food and wines before heading back to Roanoke.