Archives for May 2011

Photo: Early Christian Priest

May 31, 2011 By Jillian

Entering into the rock hewn churchs in Lalibela, Ethiopia was like stepping back in time. Dimly lit by the sunlight, the churches were hewn out caves. Brightly painted religious scenes decorated the ceilings and walls and inside nearly every church was a priest. Most simply ignored us, but a few entrepreneurial types pulled out crosses and religious treasures to show us. This of course had it’s fee, which they were more than happy to collect.

Ethiopians practice a distinct form of Christianity. Early adopters of Christianity, it is believed Ethiopia became a Christian nation sometime around 340 AD. As Islam great in the seventh century, Ethiopia was in effect isolated from the rest of the Christian world, giving it today a very distinct form of Orthodox Christianity. Lalibela is home to several monolithic churches, and is considered a pilgrimage site for Ethiopians. Local clergy believe the layout of the churches to be a symbolic representation of Jerusalem, adding to its religious holiness.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

The sacrifice is real

May 30, 2011 By Jillian

Over the centuries countries and civilizations have erected hundreds of war memorials. To either glorify victories (Arc de Triomphe in Paris) or remembered the fallen (Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC) these memorials seem as ubiquitous as the human experience.

On our trip around the world we saw discrete memorials to fallen soldiers by the side of the road in Georgia, huge memorials to those lost in war in India and even modern graffiti marking for all eternity a life lost due to conflict. Some poignant, others grandiose, the memorials and monuments all commemorate and celebrate the lives of those who have given it all for their country.

Many countries take a day to commemorate these lives; in the U.S, we observe the last Monday of May as Memorial Day. There are parades, bar-b-ques, mattress and car sales, and for all the flag waving and ketchup pouring you’d hardly know at all that this holiday is a solemn one. As a child I looked forward to the holiday as a three day weekend and my memories are of parades full of high-school bands, scouts, civic leaders and older war veterans. As time goes on, I realize that some of those veterans are now my age, and many who have died in our recent conflicts are younger than I. Despite the fact that I have several family members in the military, I have been fortunate enough never to have lost a love one to war. I had no experience to draw on until this year.

Last summer in Berlin we met an Iraqi girl who had fled her homeland since the fall of Saddam. Almost immediately I was put in a position to defend the actions of my country. Almost immediately the military situation that had been flickering on the TV for so many years became tangible and real. It was real. It is real.

Whether you are in the U.S. or not today, take a second to consider the sacrifice of those who have lost their lives to war.

They are not a thing of the past, they are very real.

Photo: Flag Waving

May 30, 2011 By Jillian

America is a bit like Washington, D.C. That is to say almost everyone is from somewhere else and we’re proud of it. We label ourselves as Irish Americans, Asian Americans or Jewish Americans, and although we may be proud of our heritage, unlike transients in D.C., we have no intention of ever going back.

My father’s side of the family has been in the U.S since the early 18th century when one man arrived from Ireland as an indentured servant. Eventually he was freed and we can trace our lineage, although it’s a bit spotty, back to the founding years of this country. The other side of my family arrived in the early 20th century. We are what my dad says lovingly “Heinz-57”, our family heritage has a little bit of everything. I’m part Native American (several different tribes), part Irish, part Scottish, part English, part Ukrainian and the list goes on and on…

Today in the U.S, we celebrate memorial day, a day to remember those that have given their lives for our country. They have fought and died for the ideals and values that we hold sacred. They are from all sorts of backgrounds, races, cultures and classes. Some arrived as servants, others as slaves and others as refugees. Since our founding days we have been a country of immigrants and over time we’ve meshed into the society we are today. Hopefully when you look at the U.S. be you an American or a foreigner, you see that same mosaic of cultures today. Not one ideology represents us all, not one way of thinking or one political party can encompass all our opinions. We are a “Heinz 57” nation, a nation comprised of many varieties of people.

Today’s picture comes from Hawaii, it’s the flag that commemorates the USS Arizona, destroyed in the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

The Best Hawaiian Night Out

May 29, 2011 By Jillian

[Note: We went to Kauai for our honeymoon, but missed most of the nightlife. These places sound fantastic! Life music, cocktails and a Hawaiian breeze? What could be better! ]

Say aloha to Kauai, home to some of the most glamorous and lively bars and clubs in the whole of Hawaii. With stunning mountains and beautiful beaches too, Kauai is undoubtedly one of the Pacific’s gems.

Bar Acuda in Hanalei is the perfect start to any evening out. Renowned for fabulous Tapas and wine, this is one of the most popular sports with locals. For something a little more upbeat head to Trees Lounge in Kapaa. With live music every night, local art hanging from the walls and delicious martinis at happy hour, this place is not to be missed. To enjoy a martini or Hawaiian cocktail with a view of the sunset, The Seaview Terrace in Koloa is the place for you. Sip on your drinks and enjoy the local appetizer, ‘pupu’ whilst you witness the traditional torch lighting ceremony take place as the sun goes down. The name may not enthuse you but Stevenson’s Library in Koloa is the most fashionable bar on the island. Hardwood bars, antique pool tables and lovely views of the ocean all make the library the height of sophistication. But such sophistication comes at a price; $45 dollars for a glass of port anyone?

The restaurants of Hawaii can be just as memorable as the finest bars. Roy’s Poipu Bar and Grill in Koloa, Kauai serves some of the best steaks and seafood dishes around. With an extensive cocktail and mojito menu to match their fantastic cuisine, your night is sure to be far from dull. The Plantation Gardens Restaurant and Bar in Poipu provides another fine dining experience. Fresh produce, handcrafted cocktails and views of the beautiful, surrounding gardens all give this place the thumbs up.

Live music is certainly not in short supply on Kauai. The Happy Talk Lounge at Hanalei Bay Resort is the perfect venue to chill out and listen to some local talent. For something truly loud, not to mention wild, head to the Tradewinds nightclub in Kapaa. With a relaxed open air atmosphere and plenty of cocktails, it’s no wonder that this place is so popular. If you’re feeling brave why not try their world famous Oyster Shooter? Picture this: an oyster placed in a shot glass smothered in homemade cocktail sauce, all topped off with chilli pepper water. Yum…

It’s hard to know where to start your perfect bar crawl in Kauai. With so many diverse and atmospheric places to go, you’re utterly spoilt for choice. Just don’t go too heavy on the oyster shots…

Author: Imogen Nation

Thanks to Imogen for today’s guest post. If you’re interested in guest blogging for IShouldLogOff, email us at info [at] ishouldlogoff.com. Thank!

Photo: Fin del Camino

May 27, 2011 By Jillian

We’ve been hiking a lot over the years, but never had we seen a sign announcing the end of the road quite like this. Sure it was late spring in Bariloche, Argentina, but did we expect to see so much snow? Not on your life. Planning our hike from the hiking club’s information center we were surprised when they told us some of the refugios (refuges) were closed. It was November, just weeks before summer began- and they were closed for SNOW. So we planned a day hike. Needless to say after several hours of climbing uphill it started to snow. Maybe a mile further up we came to piles of snow and pretty soon there was significant accumulation.

This was the end of our road. We hiked a bit further, but soon it was clear that without snow shoes we were never going to make it to the top of the mountain. And so we did what anyone would do in those circumstances…we played in the snow. Snowballs, snowmen, the whole nine yards.

So since it’s nearing summer here in North America, we dedicate this photo to Summer. Hope you find your fin del camino this summer!

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

We loved Argentina and still consider Bariloche to be one of the best places on our whole trip. If we could give an award for “place most likely we would want to live” it would be Bariloche. From delicious chocolate to beautiful mountains, a big lake and great seasons, we loved everything about Bariloche. If you’re heading to Argentina or just want some food for thought, check out our Independent Travelers Guide to Argentina and keep an eye on those late holidays deals on discount travel sites!

Photo: Early Christian Priest

The sacrifice is real

Photo: Flag Waving

The Best Hawaiian Night Out

Photo: Fin del Camino

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