“All-Inclusive” is a term that too often conjures images of never-ending cheap booze, buffet lines that lead off into the sunset, and hoards of drunk spring breakers. People think of Cancun, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic. Places often billed as “too dangerous” for young independent travelers, places that cater to the patent non-traveler.
A View of the Occidental Grand Papagayo
As an independent traveler, I had always overlooked all-inclusive resorts in favor of private rentals, small hotels, scrimping and saving and always looking for the most unique accommodations for the least amount of money. I have quickly perused websites like Apple Vacations and whimsically thought about endless buffets and bar tabs, but my experience with Occidental was the first time I took the plunge.
The Grounds at the Grand Papagayo
One of my oldest friends decided on a destination wedding, and an all-inclusive option in Costa Rica seemed like the easiest solution to the ever-growing complications of modern American weddings. The wedding itself at the Occidental Grand Papagayo was wonderfully simple: the resort took care of the setting and set up, a fitting display of tropical flowers and flowing whites and purples, an ample champagne toast, a marimba band and delicious buffet dinner near the pool. The guests enjoyed bottomless, tropically-colored drinks and excellent service during the reception and ceremony. The resort provided anything we could need for the festivities.
The Carver-Bonomini Wedding
The hotel itself has a comfortable, open-air lobby on top of the hill above the bay that catches the ocean breezes as they drift inland. The views are stunning, and the grounds are immaculately kept. You can chill out with wildlife — iguanas, coatimundi, capuchin and howler monkeys — from anywhere on the property; we even heard reports from some in our party that they had some early morning visitors on their patios and porches. As many reviews indicate, however, the guest rooms are tired and need some updating. In the tropical heat and humidity, it can be hard to keep the mildew, soft woods and crumbling corners at bay. The Royal Club rooms are definitely nicer and provide better views of the surrounding bay, and with some of the extra perks, it’s definitely worth the extra money. But the dark bathrooms and peeling paint in the regular rooms are really only an issue if you plan to spend time in your room, and let’s be honest: why? There are patios on each room with comfortable Adirondack-style chairs, ample porch space at and around the bar and swimming pool, a beautiful, Pacific beach that’s as private as you can get in Costa Rica, and a whole slew of excursions you can take advantage of (try heading down to the beach to find Johnny D. for better deals and more personal service). With so much to do, there’s no need to spend time fretting about the little things that don’t work in your room.
Sunset at the Beach at Grand Papagayo
This all-inclusive resort also manages to skirt the Playboy stereotype, providing a calmer, more adult atmosphere. You won’t find all-night ragers or rooms full of drunken college kids. You’re more likely to find a friendly, late-night water volleyball game than 20-somethings doing shots. There is a disco, but it’s generally quite quiet. Mostly, guests mull around the romantic lobby sipping on cocktails (slip the bartender an extra couple of bucks for better drinks), talking and playing board games.
Dancing in the Lobby
Food at the buffets is fine; many who have stayed at all-inclusive resorts said that it was pretty on par with other hotels. Meals include ample fresh fruits — perfect for days spent outside in the sweltering heat and humidity — as well as gallo pinto, American favorites and fresh seafood. The make-your-own Bloody Marys at breakfast are worth getting up for. There are also two a la carte restuarants at the resort. L’Oriental is an Asian fusion eatery, where the dishes are extremely flavorful but not very spicy-hot. The Italian is right next door and offers typical Italian fare, a step up from the buffet. In both restaurants, the romantic ambiance in the small spaces is a nice change from the buffet and snack bar, and the service is relaxed but attentive. Many people complained about the slow pace, but we found it to be delightfully unhurried. Our drinks were quietly refilled without asking, and finished dishes were swept away immediately. The pauses between courses were, we found, the perfect times to digest, sip our wine and talk. One of the great criticisms of the resort, however, is that both restaurants require reservations — made day of — and guests can only reserve one dinner for every three or four nights stayed (though we did hear of people finagling an extra reservation).
Iguana!
The entire resort is decidedly un-rushed, and laying around enjoying the pool or the beach or the sun or your tropical drink seems to be the order of every day. The staff is extremely friendly and concerned that you have a good time there, despite some of the resort’s other shortcomings. Throwing in a little bit of Spanish, whatever you know, helps a lot, and though some of the employees are not native Spanish speakers, some don’t speak any English at all. Some appliances, notably light fixtures and air conditioners, are old and worn and could probably use replacing, but the staff answers complaints as quickly and quietly as they can. They tend not to refill your mini-fridge, but you can always head to the bar and get some drinks to go (or order in-room dining if you’ve upgraded to the Royal Club).
View of the Bay from one part of the Resort
If you’re looking for an uncomplicated, worry-free vacation, the Occidental Grand Papagayo — starting at $230 a night, all-inclusive — offers a great deal (check out other resorts in the area, which start at around $230 per person, per night). This might be the perfect place to get to know your friends, your partner, or yourself just a little better. Don’t expect dance parties or drama; leave the spring breakers at home. What you can find here is calmness, a retreat from loud noises and constant action, something a little slower than you’re used to.
Cheeky Magpie-Jay
Oh, and watch out for the magpie-jays, who will happily relieve you of your nachos, mojitos, or bathing suit top, the cheeky devils.
And the sun sets on our first day on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica…
Guanacaste Sunset
Guanacaste Sunset
Guanacaste Sunset
Guanacaste Sunset
Guanacaste Sunset
Guanacaste Sunset
Guanacaste Sunset
Is there anything more perfect than a sunset of tangerines and yellows, a fresh tropical drink and a relaxed, Tico-style meal on the beach?
On that sunny, summer morning in 79 AD, people in Pompeii awoke to the grumblings of an unhappy god. Vulcan was angry.
Relics from the Lost Pompeii
But no Roman had any reason to think that the mountain, which had been silent for generations, would suddenly come awake.
One of the elaborate paintings that lined the walls of homes in Pompeii
They didn’t even have a word for “volcano,” assuming that the slumbering Vesuvius was nothing more than a rocky monument to the heavens.
A Turkish idol imported to Pompeii that combines religious symbols from all over the Orient
As ash and smoke began to fill the streets and shops of the city, residents attempted to gather their belongings and flee, only to find themselves trapped between the erupting volcano and the sea.
What Remains
Some died instantly, succumbing to the surges of fire and rock and lava. Others suffered slowly, suffocating in the stifling air full of gasses billowing up from the bowels of the earth.
What did this man see on his last day?
At the end of the day, there was nothing left but the ghosts of Pompeii.
A Day in Pompeii is on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center through August 12, 2012.
At the dawn of the 1940s, Cincinnati was the 14th biggest city in the United States, bustling with life and history. Today, it doesn’t even skim the top 20…
But the Gateway to the West, the Queen City, has its own rich history of ethnic growth and divide, of going to war and falling from grace.
Cincinnati Streetcar
In 1940, the Cincinnati Reds beat the Detroit Tigers in the world series; they played several games here at Crosley Field:
Crosley Field
Cincinnati in its Heyday
The first woman to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery was Cincinnati local Helen Taft, who died in 1943.
Cincinnati in its Heyday
During WWII, gas and rubber were tightly rationed for everyone in the United States, and in Cincinnati, the streetcar became a popular means of transportation.
Wandering the Cincinnati Streetcar
But rationing seemed to suit the people of the Queen City, and the 1940s in the tri-state area were constantly hopping with development, art, culture, and those crazy mobsters from across the river.
Cincinnati Streetcar
Cincinnati Streetcar
Many Downtown dwellers today are hoping for a revival of the streetcar, bringing a more urban feel to this small city.
Cincinnati Streetcar
Cincinnati sweetheart Doris Day was just beginning her famous career in the city in the 1940s, performing as a vocalist for local bands and building her reputation, just as the city was beginning to fade…
Being a 40s Film Star
Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.
– Mark Twain
Baying at the Full Moon as it Rises Over Sinks Canyon
Full Moon Drum Circle
Full Moon Drum Circle
Full Moon Drum Circle
Full Moon Drum Circle
Full Moon Drum Circle
Full Moon Drum Circle
Happy First Full Moon of Spring!
Vintage Baseball in South Pass City, WY
Vintage Baseball in South Pass City, WY
Go Reds!
Spring Baseball in the Rockies
In the Minors
In the Minors
In the Minors
On the Field at Great American Ball Park
Great American Ball Park
We're totally on TV!
Jerry Hairston
We're ready for Baseball!
Happy Opening Day, Everybody!
I headed back east to my old stomping grounds recently to visit friends and family. New Richmond, Ohio, was the same as it always has been… quiet, green, leafy, that sweet smell of humidity and muddy water and boat exhaust drifting up from the thick depths of the Ohio River. One thing that HAD changed was Moscow, a small town just to the east of NR, a town that had been standing at the very lips of the Ohio for more than a century.
I remember as kid huddling in the basement several times a year, the tornado sirens blaring as golf-ball-sized chunks of hail smooshed golf-ball-sized dents into our cars and wooden siding. A couple of times, we heard about tornadoes to the north, up where the county gets flat and exposed. But we were always safe so close to the river.
Until March 2, when a wayward funnel cloud, part of a system that stretched across Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, touched down on the hillside boundary of the floodplain and made its way into Moscow with surprising voracity. What was left behind when the tornado lifted was this:
Tornado Damage in Moscow, OH
Eighty percent of the town was completely destroyed. There used to be homes standing in the empty spaces you see above. An entire hillside, once covered with thick deciduous trees, sits torn and squished and chaotically flat against the highway and the forest beyond. Some houses stand as they’ve always stood — brick heavy and worn with one hundred years of stories to tell — and others are gone, just gone. Nothing left, but gaps in the grass. I knew plenty of people from Moscow and a fair few who live here still, and yet only one person in the entire town died in the freak weather, a victim of nature’s sometimes-vicious sense of humor. That town, that place once trapped in a bubble at the edge of Appalachia, has changed utterly.
We spent last weekend visiting friends who just moved to New Castle, CO. We explored their small town, as well as Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Minturn (fantastic, tiny railroad town on the backside of the Vail ski area on the way to Leadville), Leadville and everywhere in between.
Highlights
Antiques at the Old Town Hall, New Castle, CO
New Castle:
- White River Bar and Grill offers a selection of funky macaroni and cheeses and local microbrews, which is really the highlight of anyone’s day. Also, they have a real dart board but a shortage of real darts; bring your own if you want to play.
- Hogback Pizza is rumored to offer great pizza, supplemented by various pinball machines, but it also has whimsical hours, so we weren’t able to try it.
Pinballin' at the White River Bar
Glenwood Springs:
- Obviously, the hot springs are popular. There are two large pools (one hotter than the other) and some waterslides that don’t operate in the winter. And it’s not cheap: admission for an adult is $13.75 in the off season (up to $18.75 in high seasons), and the massaging jets and lockers all cost extra. It can also get crowded: we went on a Saturday night, and it was should-to-shoulder at times. There are other hot springs and vapor caves in the area that visitors can try. Keep in mind that here at Glenwood, there is no alcohol allowed.
- Fin’s Grill and Rawbar in downtown Glenwood is a fantastic, if pricey, little restaurant, and they fly in fresh seafood every day. Oysters are delicious, the raw bar tenders are hilarious and friendly, and there is a cheerful, after-work-cocktail vibe that makes anyone feel comfortable.
- If you’re in the mood for some microbrews, head to Glenwood Canyon Brewing Company, located inside the historic Hotel Denver. The food is… fine, and the atmosphere is lacking, but there are nice views of the historic train (now Amtrak) station from the bar, and the beer is good. Worth it for a drink and a snack before heading out for more adventures.
- The Pullman bills itself as a laid-back, neighborhood joint, and the decor and reasonable prices certainly lend to this atmosphere. It makes a convenient and comfortable place to have a meal or just hang out for a few drinks. Nice beer list and some really eclectic menu items.
Glenwood Hot Springs, CO
Glenwood Springs, CO
Aspen:
- I’m going to be honest, the only reason we really went to to Aspen was for crepes. Our friends live close enough to the town that this trip is entirely within reason; plus, you can’t argue with someone who is craving crepes. So we hit up Creperie du Village, a new creperie and fondue restaurant tucked into the basement of street-level shops. It feels like a rustic bar hidden away in the Alps: dark woods and low ceilings and crowded tables and candles, bottles of wine and barrels lining the walls. The kind of place you could curl up with a drink and watch the snow fall all around after a full powder day. The crepes — both sweet and savory — are delicious, and the fondu looked just as good (though we didn’t get the chance to try it). It’s a great late-night locale, as well!
- We also stopped in for a Strongbow cider (on tap!) at the new FinBarr’s Irish Pub and Kitchen. Open since just the beginning of the 2011-2012 winter ski season, this basement bar already has a reputation for its nightlife scene. The open room has low ceilings, dark wood accents and exposed brick interiors, and several TVs show a variety of European sports (as well as the standard American sportsbar fare). They do the whole Irish pub thing: bangers and mash, beef stew, etc., as well as burgers. We tried the beer cheese fondue (with pretzels), which was tasty but skimpy and made a fine snack. They also do aprés ski, but with the muted elegance of the decor, I wouldn’t recommend stomping in with your gear on.
Creperie du Village, Aspen, CO
Minturn:
- This is an adorable little railroad town, full of Rocky Mountain rustic cabins and condos, art galleries, ski shops and outdoor adventurers, located off of I-70 on the way to Leadville on highway 24. The main attraction is the Minturn Saloon, which claims to be the most historic saloon in Vail Valley (whatever that means). It has been rated as one of the best bars in the US by NYT and Esquire, and as Best Apres Ski Bar by several magazines. It sits at the official end of the Minturn Mile, an adventurous, backcountry ski route that can be reached only from the out-of-bounds access gate on the Lost Boy run at Vail. The saloon is a rustic bar with a yuppie-hippie vibe and a roaring fire place and is filled with one of the most interesting groups of white people I’ve seen since my last Steely Dan concert.
Leadville:
- Leadville has a reputation among, well, everyone else in Colorado as being a rough-and-ready mountain where real-life shootouts and saloon brawls are the norm. But behind the Wild West facade, this silver mining town hides rows of pristine Victorian homes, crowds of young, outdoor enthusiasts and a sly hippie vibe. If you’re looking for a place with an interesting selection of beer (for 10,200 feet) and eclectic food, hit up the unassuming Tennessee Pass Cafe in downtown (not to be confused with Tennessee Pass Cookhouse, the elegant, ski-in restaurant located outside of town). Try the melanzana rolls, which are totally unique and tasty. They also serve lots of small plates, as well as curries, burgers and burritos, and they try to be as green and recycle-friendly as possible.
- If you happen to actually be IN the mood for the Wild West, head over to the Silver Dollar Saloon, just down the street. The bar is incredible: large and ornate, worn down in a historic way, and the whole place has the feeling of a rough saloon. The bartenders are gruff but not unfriendly, the beer list is short and the whiskey list is much longer. There are low tables and high booths, each giving off the air of poker, cigars and gunfights. They serve basic bar food — though we didn’t get the chance to try any — and they have a working phone booth INSIDE the bar, for those of us whose cell phones might not like high elevations.
- If you like meat and don’t like decisions, try Quincy’s Steaks and Spirits. All they serve is steak, and your only choice is what size and what you want on your potato. The end. But it IS a Leadville institution.
Rosie's Brewpub in Leadville, CO, now closed
The ceremony took place at the warming hut in scenic Sinks Canyon in Shoshone National Forest near Lander, WY. The reception was held at City Park in Lander, WY.
This is a selection of images from the shoot:
The Wedding Procession
Meeting the Bride
During the Ceremony
Waiting
The Whole Gang
Groomsmen
Groomsmen
Bridesmaids
Bridesmaids
Erika and Moncha
Horsin' Around
The Getaway Limo
Crossing the Creek
At City Park
At City Park
Congratulations, Erika and Anthony!
Herculean tyrants
Predator
Thunder lizards
Chrinoid
Creatures from the depths
Triceratops
Jurassic beasts
Archaeopteryx, the Thermopolis Specimen
The terrifying monsters that occupy the imaginations of children
But I'm a Vegetarian!
Ancient mysteries
Velociraptor
The reptiles that once reigned without mercy
Velociraptor
The demons that once roamed the hot jungles of a changing world
Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed?
When dinosaurs ruled the Earth
Peekaboo!
The Wyoming Dinosaur Center is located at the top of a hill in Thermopolis, Wyoming. At $10 per person, it can be a bit pricey, but the unattractive warehouse is home to a surprisingly extensive collection of fossils, including the largest skeleton found in Wyoming and the only complete archaeopteryx fossil on display in North America. For $100 ($80 for kids), you can help out on an actual dinosaur dig near the Wind River Canyon during the summer, and they have fun activities for kids all year round. Worth a look if you’re into paleontology.
