Author Archives: LivingTheQLife

Some Hikes are Worth the Effort

1st May, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

AdventureHiking-TrekkingNaturePhotographyScenery

When you go hiking in the mountains of Colorado, you expect the hikes to be fairly strenuous. Unless you’re going on a relatively short hike, there is most likely going to be a significant change in elevation.  After all, you’re in the mountains and if you’re going to go hiking, it isn’t going to be flat.  With that said, some hikes are harder than others.  We’ve hiked to the top of Pikes Peak, which is a 12 mile (19 kilometre) hike one-way to the summit and an elevation gain of over 8,000 feet (or 2,500 meters) as well as hiked on trails with ledges that were only as wide as our feet.  We’re definitely not rock climbers, but from time to time you have to do some boulder scrambling in order to reach some of the more remote locations when hiking.

The hike that we took when we were in Breckenridge, Colorado, was one of those hikes.  The interesting thing about hiking, when you have to scale some rocks or go on the edge of some steep cliffs, is that it is usually more unnerving going down than it is going up.  When you’re going up the mountain, your focus is on the trail ahead of you and reaching the top of whatever you’re scaling.  When you’re heading down, you tend to see how steep things really are and that makes it a little bit more scary.

We almost turned around a couple of times during the hike, but the payoff at the end was worth the effort.  As is often the case when you hike in Colorado, the views at the peak or the end of a trail are absolutely spectacular.  This particular hike brought us to a gorgeous pond where we sat and ate a brief lunch while we watched the mountain goats relax on the boulders above us.  It was just the two of us and nature, and it was one of the most tranquil and relaxing experiences that we’ve had hiking.  Perhaps it was due to the lack of oxygen and exhaustion, but the beauty around us was almost euphoric.

Unfortunately, all hikes must end and eventually you have to work your way back down and back to reality and to civilization.  On our way back down, when we reached the spot where we had climbed up several boulders along a very steep cliff, we scooted ourselves down as opposed to walking, not wanting to tumble down into the ravine.  Hearts pounding, once we were down from the boulders, it was back to a normal hike and we were able to once again enjoy the beauty that surrounded us.  There truly isn’t anything like hiking in the mountains and totally immersing oneself in nature.

Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic

26th April, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

BeachesHolidaysLuxuryRelaxingResorts

A year ago at this time, we were spending a week at the Paradisus Palma Real in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.  If you get the chance to travel to the “DR” as it is often called, you should definitely do so.  The beaches were amazing and the resorts spectacular!  The only downside to our visit was that this resort wasn’t really close to any local towns, so it was a rare trip for us when we didn’t venture out of the resort.  Needless to say, that didn’t stop us from having a very relaxing and enjoyable stay.

The resort offered royal service, which apparently is quite common in Caribbean resorts.  It entailed us getting a beach front room in a private, all adult, area of the resort, with a private concierge.  We were able to eat at any of the restaurants on the vast compound, which is really three different resorts in different areas of the overall property.  We were given a cell phone with a direct dial number to our concierge who would make reservations for us to any of the restaurants or various shows.  We were quite spoiled.  It was an all-inclusive resort, but based upon the research that we had done prior to choosing this particular resort, it seems that pretty much all of the resorts in the Caribbean are all-inclusive.

Probably the best part of getting the royal service was the staff in our private area.  On our first day, we picked out a cabana on the beach where we could sit in the shade and they brought us a couple of lounge chairs for sitting in the sun.  That became “our” cabana and chairs, and every morning Pedro would put towels and magazines out so that our spot was reserved.  No reason for us to rush to get a prime spot on the beach.  We had a private, secluded pool and we also had our own pool bar where they took very good care of us.

We will definitely try some other resorts in the Caribbean, but Punta Cana, with beaches that face both the Atlantic and Caribbean, is definitely worth a visit.  We would also recommend the royal service to anyone who has the opportunity.  It is a bit of a splurge, but truly worth the extra expense, especially if you’re not travelling with children.

Walking the Streets of Paris

21st April, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

CultureLocal LifeSightseeingTravelWalking

At the time that we visited Paris, there was a transit strike occurring, which limited the availability of buses and trains.  So, when we arrived early in the morning on our first day in Paris, we went to our hotel, which was really more of a bed and breakfast, checked our bags and headed out into the city, determined to make the most of our first day.  We were staying on the famous left bank in the Latin Quarter, just a few blocks from Notre Dame.  We had heard before we arrived that the strike was occurring, so we knew that transportation was going to be limited.  Undaunted, we decided that we would simply walk to the places that we wanted to see.

Our first stop, the Eiffel Tower.  Along the way, we walked along the Seine River, strolled through beautiful gardens, and gazed at the amazing historic architecture.  Instead of being frustrated that it took as long as it did to make our way to the tower, we really felt like we were able to truly immerse ourselves in the city.  This was the first time that we explored a city exclusively on foot and it has become our favorite way to really get to know a city.  Do you need to be smart and avoid certain parts of a city, especially at night, of course you do.  But as long as you’re smart about it, you will be fine, even in cities that are known for crime.

Walking the side streets of Paris allowed us to find small shops with various goods that we would have never found otherwise.  We discovered restaurants along the way that we would make sure to come back to later and enjoy a fine meal.  One of our fondest memories was almost one of the most expensive impulse purchases we’ve ever made.  We found an old book store that sold rare books, so we just had to go in and check out the old leather books that adorned their shelves.  We spoke with the owners, who showed us a first edition of Don Quixote, which we examined wearing white gloves.  We are huge fans of books and we were tempted to purchase the two-volume set, but chose not to blow our daughter’s college fund on such a self-indulgent gift to ourselves.

As the day wore on, we were getting quite hungry as 6:00 p.m. approached.  Unfortunately, unlike the United States where restaurants start getting busy around this time, in Paris restaurants don’t even open their doors until 8:00 p.m., so we couldn’t find a place to eat.  We had decided to go back to our hotel to change clothes before going out to dinner, but we found that we were a little bit lost.  We found a restaurant that, although not open for business, did have its doors open, so we went in and asked directions.  We speak enough French to get by, but apparently didn’t put the correct accent on the street name, so it took several attempts, but finally it clicked and they were able to point us in the right direction.

Our first day in Paris was definitely a long, full day, but walking the streets made us feel like we were locals before the day was over.  We fell in love with the city and enjoyed our time there immensely.  We probably would have loved Paris just as much had we not been forced to walk around the city, but strolling down the streets certainly made it even more memorable.  We often compare it to our trip to London, where we rode on the tube and “popped up” at the different locations, feeling like gophers popping up, looking around, and then retreating back underground.  We never felt that we got a true sense of the city like we did in Paris, so we’ve been determined to try and walk as much as possible ever since, just so that we see a city the way it is meant to be seen, on foot.

Buying Silk in Kanchipuram

4th April, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

CultureGood ValueShoppingTemplesTravel

One of the most memorable day trips from Chennai was our trip to Kanchipuram.  We were told that Kanchipuram was the place in the state of Tamil Nadu to buy silk, so we drove the hour southwest out of Chennai to visit the city.  In addition to buying scarves and other silk products, we also visited the Ekambareswarar Temple, which was another gorgeous temple that we were able to see while we were there.  It was one of the hottest days that we encountered while we were in India, but the beautiful sights and the thrill of buying the silk items more than made up for any discomfort we felt.

Walking around the Ekambareswarar Temple was one of the few times while we were in India that we weren’t overwhelmed by crowds.  Obviously, it is India, so that is a relative term, but it did feel more relaxed than some of the other places that we went to.  As with most temples, tour guides will come up to you and offer to take you on a tour and the price always has to be negotiated, but we chose not to pay for a tour at this particular temple.  Heading southwest away from Chennai takes you to more of a jungle feel and we enjoyed seeing the parrots that were content to make the temple grounds their home.

One memory that we’ll never forget was getting blessed by a temple elephant while we were in the temple.  Apparently, at the time that we were in India, many of the temple elephants were on “holiday” when they are pampered and spoiled once a year for all of their hard work.  We handed the elephant a coin, which he took with his trunk, and then we bowed and the elephant gently tapped us on the head with his trunk.  We were surprised by how soft the elephant’s trunk was, we were expecting it to be leathery and hard, but it wasn’t.  In addition to being blessed by the elephant, another interesting sight within the temple was seeing all of the ribbons tied to the “wishing tree”.  We were told that many women would tie a ribbon in the hope of getting pregnant, but people would also tie ribbons on the tree for many other reasons as well.  It was just another tradition that we enjoyed learning about.

Going to the silk shop was quite the experience.  We were told that Indian women from around the country order wedding saris from Kanchipuram due to the high quality of the silk.  We sat down at a table and the owner of the shop started pulling out bundles of silk and laying them before us.  If we found a color pattern that we liked, he would pull out several more bundles and lay them in front of us.  There were two shop girls who would hold them up in front of us, wrap them around Dona’s shoulder while speaking only to Pete.  We knew in advance that Indian men would rarely address women directly, so we weren’t surprised by the way that they communicated with us.

We ended up buying scarves for every female family member that we could think of as well as a beautiful table runner that we use on our formal dining room table.  The best thing that we bought, however, was an absolutely gorgeous sari.  Not only was the silk incredibly sensuous, but it was more than affordable.  Everything that we bought in Kanchipuram that day probably cost us less than what a single silk scarf would cost us here in the United States and was even less expensive than the silk that we bought in Chennai.

If you are ever in Tamil Nadu and want to buy some silk, a trip to Kanchipuram should definitely be on your agenda.  The owner of the store couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly, despite the language barrier, but fortunately we had our driver plus a co-worker to help ease the communication process.  Fortunately, you don’t have to haggle over prices at the silk shops, the price that they quote is what you pay and it is so reasonable, there isn’t any reason to complain.  We came home with several souvenirs on our trip, but the silk items we bought are definitely some of our most treasured.  Not to mention that our family and friends were quite thrilled to receive such beautiful items.

Top 10 Tips for Visiting Yellowstone

23rd March, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

Family TravelHiking-TrekkingNational ParksNatureWildlife

We have been fortunate to have been able to visit Yellowstone National Park over a dozen times in the past fifteen years and through those visits we’ve definitely learned some lessons.  It seems that most visitors to the park drive the various roads that traverse the park, stopping at each of the various landmarks as well as stopping whenever they run across a large number of vehicles pulled off on the side of the road, the sure sign of a wildlife spotting. Especially during the summer, there can be hundreds of people crammed around the walkways to get a glimpse at Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Prismatic Spring, or the Paint Pots.  If you want to make the most of your visit to Yellowstone, here are a few things that we recommend.

  1. Hike one of the many trails that are in the park. When hiking, the park recommends that you go in groups of three or more, make noise, and carry bear spray, but we’ve found that just the two of us is fine.  It never ceases to amaze us at how many people cram into the walkways and viewing stations, but as soon as we step onto a trail, we’re virtually alone in the park.  Some of the most beautiful sites can only be seen by hiking to them and it also greatly increases your chances of seeing wildlife in the park.  Some of the trails can be strenuous, so be sure to know your limits and always hydrate appropriately.
  2. Talk to a ranger at one of the visitor centers or ranger stations located throughout the park. The rangers will be able to tell where certain wildlife is more likely to be seen, which trails are the best to hike and which ones should be avoided or are closed, as well as just provide great information on the park itself.  The rangers are there to assist people and are always extremely friendly and proud of the park that they serve.  Don’t be afraid to ask them questions, whether it is about where to go and what to see or questions about the various animals, plants, or geological wonders that abound throughout the park.
  3. Visit the park during the off-season. Having been to Yellowstone in all four seasons, we enjoy going almost anytime other than summer.  Fall is probably our favorite season as the Aspens have turned to a spectacular gold and the animals are all very active as they prepare themselves for the upcoming winter.  During winter, though, you are more likely to see wolves or some of the more reclusive animals, but be prepared for snow and check for road closures as not all roads are open during the winter.  Spring is also a wonderful time to visit the park as the wildflowers start to bloom and you will likely see some newly born wildlife with their parents.
  4. Go on a ranger led hike. It is worthwhile checking on the availability of the ranger led activities in advance as some of them book out weeks in advance.  Ranger led hikes allow limited numbers of participants, so you really get a one on one experience and learn things about the park that you never would otherwise.  The rangers all have vast knowledge about the history of the park as well as everything within the park and they are enthusiastic to share that knowledge with you.
  5. Don’t approach any of the wildlife. It amazes us every year to hear about people approaching wildlife in the park and then being seriously injured or killed.  None of the animals are tame, they are all wild animals and this isn’t a petting zoo.  The elk and bison may seem docile, but any animal that is startled or protecting its young can be unpredictable and aggressive.  We all want that amazing photo to share with our friends, but it isn’t worth risking injury or death for it, having a telephoto lens is a much safer way to get that special shot.
  6. Take your time in the park and give yourself several days to see everything. There is too much to see in Yellowstone to try and cram it in to a single day or even a couple of days.  Despite all of the times that we’ve been to the park, we’re still finding new places to hike and new beautiful sites to see.  Especially if you visit the park during the summer, expect plenty of traffic on the roads and around all of the major attractions.  Don’t be one of those people who stop at one of the various geological wonders like Old Faithful or the Grand Prismatic Spring, take a couple of quick pictures, and jump back in the car.  Take time to look around, read what information is available about what you’re viewing, and look for ways to view it that are different.  Perhaps you’ll capture a picture that is truly different than what most park visitors see.
  7. Don’t over plan, see the main attractions, but give yourself time to explore.  There is so much to do and see in the park that you could put yourself on a tight schedule and try to see it all, but then you’d miss out on some great opportunities.  Give yourself a chance to take a boat out onto Yellowstone Lake or go horseback riding in the park or Grand Tetons.  Have dinner on a covered wagon excursion or pack a picnic lunch to eat on a long hike.  The best memories are usually those that were made because of a spontaneous decision, so let yourself find one of those memories in Yellowstone.
  8. Visit the park near dawn or dusk.  If you’re going to Yellowstone, it is likely that you’re hoping for the opportunity to see some of the wildlife that is abundant in the park.  Although the bison and elk are easy to see in the park, especially in summer, other animals can be harder to find.  It is well worth getting up early or staying late in the park because the wildlife is more active during those times.  We’ve been fortunate to see bears, both black and grizzly, moose, wolves, elk, bison, bald eagles, coyotes, beavers, and many others during our various visits.
  9. If you have younger children, have them do the Junior Ranger program. We’ve had the kids participate in the Junior Ranger program at several national parks and earn the Junior Ranger badge at each of them.  The Junior Ranger program is a great way to entertain the kids, while also helping them learn about the park and the animals that reside there.  They are given a booklet with several pages to complete (simple games like word find or match this animal to its environment, etc.) and when completed and returned to the ranger station, they are awarded their very own ranger badge.
  10. Be very observant and always scan all around you whether you’re driving through the park or hiking. You’ll likely run across a large group of vehicles pulled over on the side of the road with people out with their cameras taking pictures of some sort of wildlife.  If you want to be the first vehicle to stop for that wildlife encounter, pay close attention to your surroundings at all times.  You’d be surprised at how often you may run across something very interesting just by having everyone in the car, obviously not the driver, looking through the trees for anything that might be an animal.  It is even more important to be observant when you’re hiking because you don’t want to surprise an animal while on a trail.  Always look as far ahead as possible as well as scanning in all directions, just to be sure that you see any animals before they see you.

Iceland – The Golden Circle

20th March, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

AdventureNatureRoad TripsSightseeingTours

One of the most popular tours to take from Reykjavik is the Golden Circle. There are plenty of reasons why the Golden Circle is so popular and we were amazed by the impressive sights at each of the stops. Actual driving time is about four hours, but it takes at least six to eight hours with stops and hiking around to see everything that each destination has to offer.  Assuming that you take the circle in the traditional direction, the first stop is Þingvellir National Park (pronounced Thingvellir in English), the second stop is Geysir, and the third stop is the Gullfoss waterfall.  There are definitely some other stops that are worthwhile, but these three are “can’t miss” locations, each for their own reasons.

Þingvellir National Park is interesting for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost is its natural beauty, which we’re sure is spectacular in any season, but since we were there during the tail end of the winter season, we enjoyed the snow-covered scenery.  It is also home to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which is where the tectonic plates of North America and Europe slowly separate away from each other.  Iceland offers several opportunities to stand in both the North American Continent and the European Continent, but obviously Iceland is a European country.  From a historical perspective, it is also the site of the first Icelandic Parliament, called Alþingi (Althing in English), dating back to 930 AD, which we learned even more about during our visit to Borganese (more about that later).  It is just north of the largest lake in Iceland, Þingvallavatn, which was mostly frozen while we were there, but still quite spectacular.

Having rented a car, we were doing a self-guided tour as opposed to riding one of the buses filled with other tourists.  We’re not a big fan of crowds, so we preferred to do it ourselves and do our best to avoid the throngs of tourists that were there at the same time as us.  Despite the fact that we were in Iceland in what is considered to be their off-season, we found that there were plenty of tours running every day, so we can only imagine how busy the summer season must be.  The good thing for us was that we could wait a few minutes and the tour guides would cattle call their group back to the bus and at least for a few minutes, we would have relatively quiet access to each of the sites.  But if you do rent your own car and do the tour yourself, be careful because the environment can be very harsh and one mistake could lead to disaster.  This didn’t lead to disaster, but a tourist plowed their car into a snowdrift and we tried to help them get the car out of the drift, but were unsuccessful.  Fortunately, they were able to call for help, but in these conditions it could have been disastrous.

Geysir, also known as The Great Geysir, is a spectacular geyser and is what all other geysers are named after.  Obviously, Iceland is known as the “Island of Fire and Ice” due to all of the volcanos and thermal activity that occur throughout the island.  Hot springs and geysers can be found throughout the island, but The Great Geysir is the most famous, having been active for 10,000 years, although it can go dormant due to earthquake activity for long periods at a time.  While we were there, it was quite active, erupting several times in a twenty to thirty minute stretch.  Having been to Yellowstone National Park and seeing Old Faithful as often as we have, it is always fascinating to watch as the water in the mouth of the geyser ebbs up and down until it reaches its crescendo.

We had missed the hotel where we were hoping to have lunch, so we grabbed some fries from the cafeteria.  Since Geysir was obviously the lunch stop for the tour buses, we had no desire to sit in the cafeteria surrounded by the large crowds, so we figured we would just save our appetite for a delicious Icelandic dinner that evening.  One thing that we did learn is that finding restaurants outside of Reykjavik is not as easy as it has been in other places we’ve visited.  The countryside is dotted with wonderful little farms and small villages, but very few cafes and diners where you can grab a bite to eat, so planning ahead as to where you want to stop is a definite must.

The final stop was the waterfall at Gullfoss.  This was truly the most spectacular sight that we saw during the day and one that will last with us for years to come.  Despite being cold from being sprayed with the mist from the falls, it was as beautiful as anything that we’ve ever seen.  The combination of ice and rushing water made for a fascinating contrast that was mesmerizing to watch.  If we weren’t so cold, we could have hiked around the falls and captured them from every angle possible for hours.  Even if you don’t have time to do the full circle, a trip to Gullfoss is an absolute must.

We continued around the circle, surrounded by incredible beauty, with only one other sight that we wanted to see along the way.  Despite the crowds that were at each of the stops, the roads were mostly empty and for most of the time that we spent driving, there wasn’t another soul around, which felt a little ominous at times.  It gave us a sense of how harsh it must be to live there during the winter and how hard it must have been for the earliest settlers of the island.  Another stop worth seeing is a volcano caldera called Kerið (pronounced Kerith in English) that is along the circle, which isn’t nearly as busy as other stops.  Also, no matter where you go in Iceland you will find plenty of Icelandic horses, which are furrier than those that we find here in North America.

All in all, the Golden Circle was amazing, but it was only our second day in Iceland (we’ll talk about our first day a little later), so there were plenty more amazing sights to see before our trip would be over.  We know that we’ve said that we don’t get pictures of sunrises because we’re just not up that early, but Iceland changed that for us since the sun rises so late.  We couldn’t have been happier with our decision to visit Iceland; it was one of those experiences that will stay with you forever.

The Louvre – An Art Lovers Paradise

22nd February, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

Art GalleriesAttractionsCultureHistoric BldgsMuseums

We are not art aficionados, but we do really enjoy and appreciate art. Needless to say, one should not go to Paris without visiting the Louvre. It is definitely a museum that you could visit a hundred times and always see and find something new. Of course there is the Mona Lisa, which draws huge lines to see, but there is so much more. Paintings, statues, and other works of art from all of the masters such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Giovanni Bellini, and Rembrandt, just to name a few.

Obviously, art museums should be visited whenever you go to any major city, they contain a rich heritage of our human existence.  In some ways, looking at art is like drinking wine.  It isn’t about who the artist is, what the subject is, whether it is traditional, modern, abstract, or how critically acclaimed a piece may be.  What matters is in the eye of the beholder.  As they say, drink a wine that you like, not one that is expensive or is “supposed” to go with a specific food, so should you treat your art experience, find what you like and devour that.  Art should move you on the inside and the best art pieces will leave a lasting impression on your soul.

Take time to take a look at the architecture of the Louvre.  It is a former palace, before Louis XIV moved to the Palace of Versailles, and the buildings themselves are exquisite.  If you’ve seen the movie, the Da Vinci Code, you’re very familiar with the Louvre Pyramid.  It certainly stands in stark contrast to the Louvre itself with its modern feel, but we didn’t find it to be “a scar on the face of Paris”, but again, we’re not Parisian.  It is part of the whole experience, so take time to stand in the courtyard and enjoy the grandeur of it all.

If you are an art scholar, student, art enthusiast, or simply someone who likes art, the Louvre is a must to visit.  If you have the time, sit in front of the paintings, absorb them, take in the details, just don’t rush off to the next one on the list.  For that matter, take the list of art with you so that you can be sure to see some of the more famous pieces, but don’t use that as your guide.  Stop and look at artwork that grabs your attention, that speaks to you, don’t let others decide for you which pieces you should see.  Someday soon we’ll be back to Paris, it is one of, if not the, favorite city we’ve ever had the pleasure to enjoy and the Louvre will be part of our return trip.

Seeking Adventure

12th February, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

ActivitiesAdrenalineAdventureExcursionsTravel

We’re not exactly thrill seekers, but we do like to push our limits at times and do things that take us out of our comfort zone. One of the nice things about resort destinations these days is that they provide all sorts of opportunities for those that would like to do something a little more adventurous. Whether you are into diving, snorkeling, paddle-boarding, swimming with dolphins, sharks, turtles, there is something for everyone. When we were in Puerto Vallarta, we decided to give zip lining a try and we weren’t disappointed.

At the time that we travelled to Puerto Vallarta, the swine flu was at its peak in Mexico City and there was a lot of concern about travelling to Mexico.  Despite the fact that there were no cases of the swine flu in Jalisco, the state where Puerto Vallarta resides, the airline that we had originally booked our flight on had cancelled.  Fortunately we were able to get onto a different airline, but the net result was that while we were in Puerto Vallarta, we practically had everything to ourselves.  So, when we booked our zip line tour with Canopy Tours, we ended up with pretty much a private tour.

It was quite an amazing time flying through the jungle over huge canyons – this was the setting of the Predator movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.  We all three, have a bit of a fear of heights, so this wasn’t an easy task for us to leap off the platform and soar through the air with rocks and boulders hundreds of feet below us.  The guides continued to encourage us to be more bold with every attempt, at first going with us and then convincing us to let our hands go from the trolley and hang upside down as we flew backwards with only the harness to keep us from falling.  They offered to adjust our harnesses so that we could go face down, “Superman” style, but we chose not to take our chances with not being able to hold onto anything at all!

At the end of the tour, feet a little shaky as we got back onto terra firma, we had a shot of tequila and waited for them to give us the DVD with the film that they had taken of us (don’t worry, we didn’t include that in the post).  From there we went to feed the monkeys that were in a large caged preserve.  Clearly the monkeys were quite used to the tourists as they climbed all over us, even sitting in our hands and taking the food.  Although it isn’t like seeing them in the wild, it was still a lot of fun to interact with the monkeys and have them be so friendly.

Our experience was a little unique since it was just the three of us, our guides, and a couple of their girlfriends, but it is definitely something that you should consider doing if you get the opportunity.  Perhaps it was partially because the guides had their girlfriends with them and they wanted to show off that they pushed our boundaries as much as they did, but at the end of the day, we were grateful for the experience.  We would have never imagined ourselves flying upside down through the jungle canopy, but now we couldn’t imagine ourselves having not being so daring.

Mahabalipuram – Temples by the Ocean

3rd February, 2016 | Article By LivingTheQLife

AdventureCultureLandmarksTemplesTravel

One of our favorite day trips when we were in Chennai, India, a few years ago was to visit Mahabalipuram.  Mahabalipuram is an ancient historic town with beautiful monuments and temples that has made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Along the way we stopped at DakshinaChitra, which is a museum and heritage village depicting the culture and heritage of South India.  We also stopped at Tiger Cave, a place where we didn’t know what to expect to see, as our guide didn’t tell us anything about it other than the name.  After a long day of touring monuments and temples, we stopped at a Radisson Resort to enjoy a nice meal at their restaurant while watching the waves break on the beach.

To be clear, we did not attempt to drive while we were in India.  The traffic is far too chaotic, with the constant blasts of horns, not used in anger, but meant to let other drivers know where you are and what you’re doing.  Sort of “Hey, I’m coming up behind you on your right” instead of “get out of my way”.  We hired a driver from our hotel who took us around Chennai and drove us on our excursions, acting as a personal tour guide for us.  We headed south out of Chennai, out of the hectic city traffic, and onto the highways following the coastline towards Mahabalipuram.  Before we started, our driver let us know that there would be several tolls along the way, so we prepaid him so that he could pay as we passed through each of them.

Our first stop was at DakshinaChitra, which means “a picture of the south”.  We had a wonderful time wandering through the village, where each section of the 10 acre site represents a different portion of southern India.  Each is meant to represent the culture of the region, from art, clothing, typical homes, etc.  Even though they are merely representations, it is still a sight worth visiting and walking through the Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh sections.  The Kerala section features a Hindu house and granary and textile exhibition.  The Tamil Nadu section features a merchant’s house with basket weavers and art exhibits.  Those are two of the largest sections, but we had a wonderful time on our self-guided tour of the whole site.

Next was our stop at Tiger Cave.  On the way, we conjectured that we might be seeing some sort of zoo with tigers, or perhaps a giant cave with tigers carved into its walls.  It turned out to be closer to the latter, but still not what we expected.  It is a Hindu temple complex located on the Bay of Bengal.  There is a cave with the heads of tigers carved into the mouth of it, but the site is all about the temples.  When the waters of the tsunami of 2004 receded, more temples were revealed, which is the only good that could have possibly come out of that horrific event.  They are still excavating new temples and monuments today, which is quite exciting to see.  As you enter the site, tour guides approach you and you negotiate the price that you’re willing to pay for your tour.  Our driver had told us the maximum amount that we should pay, although we’d read similar information online.  Once the amount was agreed upon, our guide took us through the complex, providing history on the ancient temples and carvings, which are over two thousand years old.  It was quite interesting, but really just a gentle build-up to what we’d see when we reached Mahabalipuram.

Upon arrival at Mahabalipuram, our driver found us a tour guide and once again, we had to negotiate the price we would pay for our tour.  It is hard to describe how beautiful the temples and monuments are when you see them in person.  Throughout our trip to India, we rarely saw any westerners, and even at such a formidable tourist attraction as this, it continued to be the case.  There were so many interesting things to see, such as Krishna’s Butter Ball, which is a huge boulder that balances on the side of hill, seemingly defying gravity.  Its name comes from Hindu mythology and Krishna’s love of butter as a child; stealing butter from his mother’s butter jar.  Legend has it that several kings tried to pull the stone down the hill using elephants, but the stone wouldn’t budge.

There are several important structures at the site:  Thirukadalmallai Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Bagiratha’s Penance, which is a giant rock relief, Vahara Cave Temple, which again isn’t really a cave, but a giant rock that has been carved out with sculptures carved into its walls.  The Shore Temple with its beautiful views of the Bay of Bengal.  And Pancha Rathas, or Five Chariots, which are five enormous pyramid-like structures, each carved from a single stone.  The carvings on each of the temples and monuments represent stories meant to glorify the gods.  Our guide took time to explain each of them to us, as we were overwhelmed with the amazing Hindu mythology.  There is so much to see and take in that a single visit to Mahabalipuram probably doesn’t do it justice, but unfortunately we only had time for a single visit.

When our tour was complete, our driver decided that he and the tour guide would grab a quick meal so that we could have time to do “some souvenir shopping” at the store of a relative of our tour guide.  It was a little frustrating as we didn’t really want tourist trinkets and the collusion between our guide and driver to try and make us feel obligated to buy something was all too obvious.  Shortly, however, we were on the road back towards Chennai where we stopped at the Radisson for a late lunch.  It was a beautiful resort and was actually one of the only non-Indian meals that we had during our time in India.  After relaxing at the beach bar for a little while, it became apparent why this area is a popular destination for beach lovers wanting to enjoy some leisure time by the Indian Ocean.

As we drove back into Chennai, we saw what looked like bodies being hung in effigy from the roofs of several buildings.  We knew that the elections had happened just prior to our arrival and that there were some protests (will tell you about our arrival at the Chennai airport in another post), so we thought that this might be related to that.  We asked our driver and were surprised to learn that they were there to keep bad spirits from inhabiting new construction before it is completed, thus bringing the owners bad luck and misfortune.  We didn’t take any pictures, not wanting to get any bad luck ourselves for doing so.

All in all, it was an incredible day, full of exploration, learning, and appreciation for India’s rich culture.  If you make it to southern India, whether to Chennai or to Pondicherry, you should definitely make your way to Mahabalipuram for an experience that you’ll never forget.