Ah ... April in Paris

The scent of freshly baked croissants gently accents the morning's fresh air while songbirds announce the dawn of a new day. At night, in this city of light, young couples stroll hand in hand past cozy cafés, the sound of a distant accordion drips and echoes through the narrow cobblestone streets.

Ah ... April in Paris.

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Well, maybe that's a bit dreamy, but let's go with it anyway!

Grab your best bottle of French bubbly, pop the cork, and get ready for an intimate journey. Presented in the always engaging picture-n-caption format ...

It's time to visit Paris!

Relax in your chaise lounge and raise your glass to Paris! The City of Luuuuuv!

Let's begin, shall we?

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Paris is very statue-y, fountain-y, and garden-y!

Exact numbers are hard to come by, but Paris is home to ~1,500 statues, ~1,300 fountains, and ~ 500 gardens/parks. That's a lot of green space with water splashing on sculptures!

Above, La Fontaine de l'Observatoire is one such installation. At the top, four women—representing Europe, Africa, Asia, and America—hold up the world because Atlas apparently got tired. Of note, the African woman's ankle is shackled, but the chain attached is broken; a reminder of the (then) recent abolition of slavery. The eight seahorses below the women are being completely drenched by what can only be described as projectile vomiting courtesy of eight turtles.

It seems like it's tough to a member of this statue. Still, it's super cool.

Biking with our hosts

How could we resist a trip to Paris when an invitation from longtime friend, John Morgan, and his wife, Claire Beckman, was on the table? With a family apartment available, just blocks from the Seine, a week in Paris was a no-brainer. More importantly, we had time for a long awaited catch-up.

John and I go way back to our early teens. Our gang (you know who you are) managed to get through the Moscow, Idaho, school system and the University of Idaho without getting caught. That's all I'm going to say. I now invoke the 5th Amendment rights afforded to me by the Constitution of the United States of America.

Seriously, we had a good time back then, and we did here too! Above, the intrepid urban explorers pose for a photo while crossing the Seine during our Fat Tire Bike Secrets of Paris tour. The tour was a blast and, led by a very knowledgeable guide, we did see some off-the-beaten path sights.

The next day Natalie and I rented bikes for our own Paris biking tour, and that's when we learned that having a guide to follow on the busy city streets is a real bonus. Navigating which street bike path goes where and in what direction on our own was a bit tricky at times; we survived.
 

Oopsies!

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you're in a public place and you forgot to wear any clothes? And you're frozen in place? Well, that's what this gal endures every day at Le Petit Palais.

Le Petit Palais is, appropriately, located next to Le Grand Palais and was built as a temporary exhibition space for the 1900 Universal Exposition. Soon after, it became the city's museum of fine arts.

Unlike the bigger museums of Paris, Le Petit Palais is a fun stop. There's no entrance fee, it's not crazy crowded, and it's small enough to see in a couple of hours, thereby avoiding rubbery legs. Being fully dressed is mandatory, however, so claiming you just woke up from a nightmare and found yourself naked in the middle of the museum probably won't pass muster.
 

Paris is museum-y too!

The king of Paris' 130+ museums is, of course, Le Louvre. This massive complex has a long history—beginning in the 12th century—that I'm going to skip for your reading pleasure. Each year nine million tourists wander through its massive halls for hours until their legs turn into rubbery appendages ... and then they realize they saw a fraction of the artwork.

Having experienced rubbery Louvre legs ourselves in 2014, we elected to bypass reliving the sensation (and save the $32 per person entrance fee). Still, we took time to walk through the ginormous plazas to say "hi" to fellow tourists. As the world's most visited destination city, Paris plays host to ~50 million out-of-towners each year, and as you can see, many of them converged at the Louvre on this fine April afternoon.

Ha! Ha!

I take pictures of other people as they take selfies, ussies, and poser shots for their Instagram and TikTok feeds. The image above, at the Louvre, features a young woman who posed for many shots in order to get an Instagram keeper; it must be exhausting. But I had the last laugh as I caught the unassuming girl running right across their shot.

Be sure to see the Paris photo album linked here and at the end of this post where I've included other funny—and even alluring—poser shots.

Calm before the storm

Not that long ago, you could be fairly certain to dodge big crowds by visiting Europe during the spring or fall shoulder seasons. Sadly, it seems those days are mostly gone—at least in places like Paris. The city center was awash with mobs of tourists, and the most popular attractions regularly had lines at entrances.

But there's at least one way to see the city in a different light: Get up early and have a walkabout!

As some of you may know, my picture does not appear next to the definition of early bird in the dictionary. But I was the early bird at least one day, and it paid off. Streets and sidewalks were nearly vacant of cars or people. Cafés were busy preparing for the day, and places that are normally overrun—like the Louvre—had just a handful of fellow early birds who were also taking pictures of the calm before the storm. In fact, when I strolled through the smaller of the two Louvre courtyards, I was the only person there. Truly remarkable.

Above, the view along the Pont (bridge) du Carrousel looks toward one of the Louvre's main entrances. There just wasn't much going on at 7:30 in the morning. As I crossed the bridge, I noticed that the River Seine was also calm; there wasn't a single boat in motion.

The one thing you will find open are the bakeries. And ooh la la! (That's French for OMG!), Parisian bakeries are as good as everyone says they are.

At early morning, museums won't be open, and river boat rides won't be operating. But if you ask me, that's the time to see Paris ... and to enjoy a warm, fresh croissant along the way.
  

A poster too far?

You can't avoid the bouquinistes (booksellers) of Paris along the banks of the Seine. Working out of their iconic green stands, sellers have sold books here since the 16th century! Most of the novels and romantasy books from that era have been well picked over, but one never knows when a first edition Gutenberg might pop up!

Then again, you might run into a more contemporary find. Above, there are Beatles and Daft Punk concert posters for sale. Both are theoretically authentic. But there's also an undeniable find—the Taylor Swift Swifties Jesus Christ poster. And nope! I did NOT make that title up.

I don't know what I was thinking: I took the photo but didn't buy it! Silly me. Thankfully, all is not lost. I'll soon have a print of this fine art ... and you can too! Just go to ArtPal and get your copy today!

Café culture and "steak frites"

The café culture is alive and well in Paris. Cafés tend to serve the same assortment of food and drinks, and in the heart of the city, they're everywhere. This means you can find a favorite café and enjoy, knowing you're probably not missing out; you can relax.

Selecting a restaurant can be quite another thing. Every ethnicity under the sun is available. What to do? Well, you can take a chance (because it's probably good), or ... you can have a very authentic French dinner of steak frites—or steak and fries—at one of three Relais de l'Entrecôte locations in the city.

Relais de l'Entrecôte makes dining easy: The only decision you have to make is how you'd like your steak: rare or medium.* Within minutes, a fresh green salad (dressed with walnuts and a mustard vinaigrette) and baguette slices are delivered to get you started.

After that, a small portion of steak arrives (cooked to perfection, sliced, and generously dressed in an herb pepper sauce) along with a large portion of hot french fries. So good! It's easy to finish the plate.

And THEN your waitperson comes back with the second half of your portion of steak and fries! It's genius ... Your steak and fries are always hot.

Relais de l'Entrecôte is popular. We arrived at 6:00 and waited in line for their 6:30 opening. But the wait was just fine because we met fellow travelers Loyd and Anita Bondoc and ended up having dinner together sitting at side-by-side outdoor tables.

Find your comfort café but make sure to go to Relais. You'll love the steak frites ... and you just might meet some fun people!

*You do make other choices at Relais, like what you want to drink and have for dessert, if any. We added two beverages, coffee, and shared a dessert. The cost? $80 for two, and no tipping! The same quality food and service at the price is tough to match on this side of the pond.

Arrrgh matey! We be the creepy pirate clowns!

On the Right Bank of the Seine, running aside the Jardin de Tuileries is the Tuileries Tunnel, an 800-meter-long biking/pedestrian-only tunnel. Inside, the tunnel's walls are lined with amazing street art, such as that depicted above.

Here, the creepy pirate clowns threaten to come to life, jumping from their home on the wall to chase unsuspecting pedestrians to the tunnel's end. Then they return and lie in wait for their next victim.

It may not be the Louvre with the Mona Lisa, but if you go to Paris, the Tuileries Tunnel is a pretty cool "must see." Besides, if it's a hot day or rainy day, the tunnel is a nice respite ... well, until you come upon the creepy pirate clowns. Then you'd better RUUUUN!

The bored family

The stone carvings adorning so many buildings of Paris can be lost in plain sight. From gargoyles to grotesques, pedimental sculptures to friezes ... and don't forget the chimeras ... a lot of the best artwork is on the outside of whatever historic building you're in, just waiting to be seen.

Sometimes the stonework scenes are creepy. Wait! No, actually, they're often creepy, featuring demons, odd humans, and frightening monkeys, but other times they're kind of funny.

Pictured here is a family alongside the steps leading into Le Petit Palais. Wow! They exude excitement. Maybe they weren't carved from stone. Rather, maybe they turned to stone through the sheer boredom during another ancient Greek holiday to an average Mediterranean island awash in sunshine. 

Guess what this is?

Is it my hand holding funky marshmallows on sticks? No, it's not. It's actually the 41-foot-tall Bouquet of Tulips metal sculpture by American pop artist Jeff Koons, commissioned to create a work to honor the 130 victims of the 2015 Paris attacks. It's an amazing work; the detail of the skin is remarkably lifelike.

The tulips? OK ... maybe? But my-oh-my, based on some of the critiques I found online, opinions run deep ... really deep. This BBC article from 2019 paints the picture of Paris' relationship with new art pretty well: Is Bouquet of Tulips the year’s most controversial artwork? The article opens with "Years before it first dominated the Paris skyline in 1889, the Eiffel Tower was described as “a hole-riddled suppository” and “a truly tragic street lamp” by prominent French intellectuals."

Ouch! I think some intellectuals missed their morning café and croissant.

Oh well, I liked Bouquet of Tulips. But if it were up to me, I'd use real giant marshmallows that disintegrate into a sweet sticky mess every time it rains. Paris intellects would luuuuuv me and my art.

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And there you have it!

There's no doubt that Paris is a big city. Honestly, it was smelly at times, and definitely overrun with tourists, but we had a blast all the same. Thanks so much to John and Claire for hosting us ... it was a real treat!

This trip's final chapter is coming soon: Biking in France's Loire Valley!

Until then ... Ciao!

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BUT WAIT!  ... The photo album!

The blog tells one part of the story ... the photo album fills in the rest. They go together ... like young Parisien couples strolling hand in hand past cozy cafés. You'll luuuuuv it! ... even when you're running for your life from the creepy pirate clowns!

Seriously, the photo album shows so much more.

Here's how to view it:

1. Click this link to access the album.
2. When the album displays, click the Play slideshow icon in the upper right corner.
3. As soon as the slideshow begins to play, click the Pause slideshow icon at the lower center.
4. Now you can advance the slideshow at your own pace using the right or left arrows at the bottom center of the screen.

Enjoy!

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Like the TourAlongWithTodd blog and want to keep up to date?

Email me at todd@toddchavez.com and I’ll add you to the list!

An Astonishing Azorean Adventure!

We like islands.

We like their smaller sizes, unique cultures and, oddly enough, the quirky weather. So, it's not a big surprise that an archipelago in the Atlantic would bubble up to the top of our list.

Welcome to the Azores ... islands oozing with Portuguese magic!

So pour yourself a big glass of fun, find a shady spot to sit back and relax, and come along on a trip to green volcanic islands—presented in easy-to-read picture-n-caption format!

Don't forget to click the link to the photo album at the end!

Let's begin, shall we?

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An Azorean horse, of course!

I didn't want to lead off with a geologic diagram of São Miguel Island because that's kind of dry, so let's go with a horse!

This gal was laying in her pasture on a sunny afternoon, minding her own business, when I stopped to shoot her (with my camera). No sooner had I gotten out of the car than she slowly stood up and casually walked toward me. I think she'd done horse modeling before.

Alas, I had no apple to share with her. Next time, I promise.

And now ... a little background

The nine islands of the Azores are really out there—900 miles from mainland Portugal and 1,220 miles from Newfoundland, Canada—sitting atop the mid-Atlantic ridge where the North American, Eurasian, and African tectonic plates converge. And they didn't appear instantaneously. The diagram shows that the largest of the islands—São Miguel—was formed during six periods of volcanic activity ranging from 4.2 million to 50 thousand years ago. That's a pretty big spread.

In more recent history, the islands were visited by Norse/northern European seafarers but weren't permanently inhabited until the Portuguese settled here in the 1500s. Today, 240,000 people call the Azores home, but outward migration and an aging population have slowed growth. In fact, there's a sizeable expat population living in North America.

Of course, tectonic and volcanic events continue to this day. If you live here, a little "shake & bake" is part of the deal. 

Size is relative

São Miguel Island is about 40 miles long and 10 miles wide. The view above shows one-half of the island stretching west into the distance with the capital, Ponta Delgada, on the left, and Ribeira Grande on the right. The two are situated at the thin waist of the island, so are just about 5 miles apart.

Don't let the seemingly diminutive size give you the idea that getting around the island is a snap. It's not! While there a few "fast" roads, most are narrow two-lane affairs that twist and wind, up and down, all over the place! Still, it's actually fun to drive here ... albeit that the Azorean behind you, who knows the road much better, will drive right up your exhaust pipe ... and then some.

FUN FACT: São Miguel Island is home to 140,000 of the archipelago's entire population of 240,000.

The best pineapples in the world?

The islands are lush, green, often damp, but not tropical; they experience significant seasonal weather fluctuations. Nevertheless, after the collapse of orange plantations in the 1860s, pineapples from South America were imported as a new crop. It's not warm enough to grow them outside, so they're grown in greenhouses across the island, and the effort has paid off. Some claim they are the best pineapples in the world.*

We didn't have much to compare them to, but the fresh pineapple fruit, pineapple sherbert, and pineapple liquor we sampled at the Augusto Arruda Pineapple Plantation were excellent!

A fine, balanced meal, good for the entire family. 

*Azores’ claim of ‘world’s best pineapples’ not bragging - The Charlotte News

Speaking of STEW!

Nothing could be more Azorean than the Cozido das Furnas. This hearty stew is a concoction of beef, pork, chicken, chorizo, blood sausage, sweet potatoes, taro root, and cabbage—all layered in large pots and then cooked in steaming, malodorous volcanic soil.

Hours later, local restaurants retrieve their pots in time for dinner service. We stopped at Tony's restaurant in Furnas late one afternoon and were lucky enough to be served this meatalicious dish early.

We ordered one serving ... and it was HUGE! The image above doesn't do justice to the size of the plate. We tried to empty the plate; we came close.

To see the stew's creation in action, view this Anthony Bourdain clip, beginning at the five-minute mark:    

Geothermal Cooking in the Azores | Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

Wanna make it yourself? See Cozido das Furnas: History, Recipe and Where to Eat. Of course, to be completely authentic, you'll have to dig a hole in the ground until you hit scalding hot jets of geothermal steam. That part could be tricky.
 

My girls!

There's no question that cattle dominate the landscape; they're scattered here, there, and everywhere. From what we saw, they enjoy a pretty nice life munching on nature's green salad. In return, the cows produce milk ... a LOT of milk. In fact, the nine islands account for 30% of Portugal's production. Above, four cows took great interest in me or my camera ... I'm pretty sure it was me. I have that effect on cows.

And then there's CHEESE!

With so much milk production, it's no surprise that cheese is a thing on the Azores. According to Portuguese Cheese Down Under, half of all Portuguese cheese comes from the Azores.

Natalie and I stopped at the Arco da Velha restaurant in São Miguel for a late afternoon libation and snack. Rodrigo, our host at the restaurant, insisted we try something authentic to the islands. How about CHEESE!

Our cheese plate was made up of samples from five of the islands (though all nine make their own cheeses), as well as different breads and jams. Rodrigo explained what bread/jam paired best with which cheese. Natalie was able to keep up, but I was soon confused, so I went rogue and made random combinations. Later, and in a cheese coma, we thanked Rodrigo and waddled back to the car.

OH!, which cheese won our taste test? Without doubt, the cheese from São Jorge. 

Sometimes you drive, sometimes you hike

The Azores are the tops of volcanos sticking out of the Atlantic. This means they typically have very steep slopes, but every now and then, there are flat spots—called fajãs—where lava flowed into the sea. Flat spots make good places to build villages. Sometimes you can drive to them, but other times hiking is the only option.

Pictured above, a very steep (but paved) road took us to Fajã dos Cubres where we enjoyed a lunch of rabbit and a walkabout. The poor bunny was delicious!

Ah ... this reminds me of the classic childhood song, Here Comes Peter Cottontail.

Sing it with me now ...

"Here comes Peter Cottontail
 Hopping down the bunny trail
 Hippity-hoppity, landing on my PLATE!"

Tastes like chicken!

Ah! That's better

The hike to Rocha da Relva was simple enough. Hike 1,200 feet down a narrow, paved path to reach the stretched-out village and hike back up.

Established in the 15th century, Rocha da Relva is known for its unique microclimate perfect for vineyards and other small-farm crops. Today, about 50 small homes are dotted along the trail.

How did they transport building materials to do any of this?

Azorean Donkeys!

FUN FACT: Rocha da Relva also served as a refuge to escape the plague!

NOT SO FUN FACT: Azorean donkeys were brought to the islands by the Portuguese and became an endemic breed—Burro da Ilha Graciosa. They once numbered 8,000 but today are slowly recovering from a decimated population of just 26 in 2001.

The reward!

There's a pot-o-gold at the end of every rainbow ... or a waterfall at the end of every trail. In this case, it's the Salto do Prego waterfall at the southeastern corner of São Miguel. The hike featured steep sections, areas of tall bamboo, and hordes of very colorful free-roaming chickens. Not a bad day's excursion.

We took a loop trail back, and that's when things got interesting ... in a good way.
 

Quick! Somebody call Century 21!

Halfway down the loop trail, we came to the lost village of Sanguinho.

Established in the early 20th century as a small farming community, Sanguinho's population reached 200 at its peak, but by the 1970s, the wave of emigration to the U.S. and Canada drained the village of its inhabitants ... and nature began the reclamation process.

Today, Sanguinho is slowly being repopulated with an emphasis on eco-tourism, so if you're looking for an opportunity to open an eco Airbnb on the Azores, there are some deals here. Go ahead, call Century 21 to find out how you can get in on this real estate bonanza!

Guess who's from England?

When we first arrived at the lost village of Sanguinho, we saw nothing but real estate opportunities. But then we saw a few people. And then we saw the Bar Loj snack hut ... and it was open and doing brisk business. Like all other smart hikers on the trail that afternoon, we thought an adult beverage and salty snack was a very good idea.

The snack hut was so unexpected.

Also unexpected was Marco, the snack hut's proprietor. Marco is a Portuguese name, but this Marco was definitely British ... given away by his accent, teeth, and "Keith Richards" style of dress.  

The road down

The loop trail back to our starting point at Faial da Terra had other steep sections, like the section here. This is the "road" to the lost village of Sanguinho. We did not want to be on those pavers in rain. And we would never want to be Azorean donkeys hauling supplies up it!

Looks can be deceiving

It seems like a nice enough day. Fog up high? No worries. Partly sunny down low? Yes. It seemed like a perfect day for a hike around the Caldeira do Alferes.

After multiple visits to Atlantic and North Sea islands, we should have known to anticipate things like wind and rain. Though this image portrays a pastoral scene from afar, have a look at this brief video shot at the same time.

We were happy with our decision to not take that hike. And then a mother-daughter team from Belgium came into view, hiking the caldera's trail in the wind and fog. OMG! Are we wimps now?
 

A much better view when it's not in the clouds

Two days later, the weather at Caldeira do Alferes looked a lot more like the plethora of similar images on Instagram. Finally, I could get my photo of the same scene. It's pretty cool though: Caldera lakes and the ocean in the background.

Determined to discredit any evidence of being wimps, we took on three short hikes in the Sete Cidades Volcanic Complex (above) and crushed them! But by the end of the day, my right knee decided it didn't want to play this game anymore. While it had been a wuss off and on for months, the knee was now in full protest mode. For the rest of the trip, it gave me daily reminders of how much humans need knees.

Stupid knee party pooper!

Read THESE tea leaves!

Gorreana Tea Plantation is Europe's oldest tea growing and production facility. After 140 years, tea harvesting in the fields is mechanized, but the indoor processing part is still very old school, complete with people hand selecting leaves from piles on tables. Seriously—selecting tea leaves by hand ... 33 TONS a year ... BY HAND! You can see them in action here!

STOP STALKING US!

The main attraction at Gorreana Tea Plantation is hiking the three miles through the thousands of rows of carefully trimmed tea plants.

Above, Natalie poses with Lauren and Ingrid. Lauren and Ingrid are the daughter-mother team from Belgium whom we first met two days earlier as they shamed us by hiking in big wind and fog at the caldera. The very next day, we ran into them again at a waterfall where they were hiking (in the rain of course) whereas we took the dryer shortcut using a car ... and then this day at the tea plantation.

They seemed nice enough, but I'm pretty sure they were stalking us.

Beware the Belgians!

Picture perfect in Velas

Velas is the largest town on São Jorge Island, the second Azorean island we visited. The town isn't big, and in April, it's not busy either ... and that was just fine with us. Later in the season, when the summer kicks in, Velas is the main port for ferries coming from other islands.

Curb appeal?

After arriving at São Jorge, the first piece of business was to get to a grocery store to stock our villa. The Interweb's map told us there was such a place not too far away. We arrived ... but did we? We did! But Bom Dia was an odd grocery store outside and in. Nevertheless, it had the basics for a spaghetti dinner.

A few days later we stopped at a much newer store in Velas, and even its exterior had a weird industrial drabby vibe.

Looking for work on a remote island? I hear there's an opening for an architectural exterior designer on São Jorge. No experience needed!

Stone walls

It wasn't so much of a choice as it was a need: Portuguese settlers needed to clear rock-covered islands to create fields to plant crops to eat. I suppose they could have asked their poor donkeys to haul the stones off to the sea and dump them there, but after a few trips, the smarter donkeys would have just continued walking into the sea to put an end to their misery.

The second option—to stack the rock into walls—was the winning solution. These rock walls continue to be used today as a means to keep animals in place and to grow crops in microclimates protecting them from wind and cold, and sometimes sea salt mists.

Rock walls are still built with amazing results, but the traditional art of mortarless wall building is fading. Today, mortar is used to help keep them upright ... a nice feature to have when the earth starts shaking. 

If you'd like a side trip to learn more about these walls, see Basalt Stone Walls of the Azores - Azores Almanac.

Not my photo (but I wish it was)!

No, it's not my photo, but I needed an image for the story. The photo credit goes to Sos Cagarro – save the Cory’s Shearwaters! | Guide to The Azores).

Cory's shearwaters are fine ocean birds, and I encourage you to visit the website. It has great information and also has a brief recording (below) of their very creepy and disturbing call—which you should listen to before proceeding.

Reader participation required!

1. Turn up your speaker's volume.
2. Click HERE.
3. On the page that appears, click the play button triangle.

Now, imagine you're standing outside, in the dark, and those sounds are swirling around your head, in frightening Dolby surround sound. That was our experience.

I'm not sure about you, but I think the Cory's shearwaters' song is the perfect addition to any horror scene. You know, like when a freaky clown is chasing you down a dark hallway? And he's getting closer ... and closer? And everything suddenly goes black! And then there's a scream and ...

Sweet dreams!

Coffee? 

Airlines have done a remarkable job of charging extra for almost everything, and here's a prime example. Our TAP Air Portugal flight back to Lisbon offered complimentary water (gosh, thanks), but coffee was on my mind. The cost? €4.00 (about $5.00). What the heck, let's go for it! The flight attendant swiped my card and then poured hot water into a paper cup, opened a packet of instant coffee, poured it into the water, and stirred. And that was my coffee. My vile, vile coffee.

With a considerable twinge of irony, I noticed an article in the in-flight magazine highlighting the CEO of the company that supplies TAPs coffee, complete with a snappy picture of him holding a steaming cup of their product.

I wonder if he's ever had the packet version. I'm guessing not. But when he does, he's in for a treat. A vile, vile treat.

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And there you have it!

We got a good start to exploring the Azores—they really are astonishing. But my wanderlust kicks in when I think of the seven islands we didn't see. Maybe someday?

But this trip isn't over ...

Coming to you real soon: Paris and the Loire Valley!

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And now, a SPECIAL BONUS ...

PICTURES! ... carefully curated with you in mind.

The blog post tells just one part of the story ... the photo album fills in the rest. They go hand in hand ... like the disturbing song of Cory's shearwaters and creepy clowns chasing you!

Seriously, the photo album shows so much more.

Each photo includes a brief caption, so you know what you're looking at.

Here's how to make the most of viewing the photo album:

1. Click this link to access the album.
2. When the album displays, click the Play slideshow icon in the upper right corner.
3. As soon as the slideshow begins to play, click the Pause slideshow icon at the lower center.
4. Now you can advance the slideshow at your own pace using the right or left arrows at the bottom center of the screen.

Enjoy!

__________________________________________________________________________

Like the TourAlongWithTodd blog and want to keep up to date?

Email me at todd@toddchavez.com and I’ll add you to the list!

A Whirlwind Tour with the Tasmanian Devil!

If you fly 7,400 miles to get to New Zealand, it's silly to not fly another 1,200 miles to reach Tasmania, right? It seemed logical enough to us. So, on day 22 of the trip, we did just that.

Come along on a devilish 12-day tornadic tour of the world's 26th largest island — Tasmania!

Here's how you do it: Fill a tumbler with your favorite cool beverage, fire up the barbie, and ready yourself for an always awesome Picture-n-Caption format presentation ... and relax ... it's SUMMMERTIME down under!

No worries, mate! 

Let's begin, shall we?

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Hobart
Australia ... ah, the land of penal colonies.

That's what happens when you have an empire so vast that you can send your undesirables to the other side of the globe. Britain founded Hobart for this purpose in 1804, never mind what the Aboriginal Tasmanians thought about this after being there for 35,000 years.

Oopsies!

Today, Hobart's a bustling city that doesn't feel very big, has all the comforts of home, and is a perfect hub for exploring southeast Tasmania.

MONA
Just a 20-minute speed-ferry ride up the Derwent River from Hobart is MONA — The Museum of Old and New Art — the Southern Hemisphere's largest private museum.

Opened in 2011, MONA is amazing! Most of the museum is contained in an underground labyrinth and features a crazy and wide variety of art installations, though not all are kid friendly. One hall contained adult-only art that sometimes made even me wince! As I exited the hall, a mom and dad — with kids in tow — were debating going in. I offered, "No, probably not a good idea." Had they gone in, they would have spent the rest of the day explaining certain facts of life ... and related human idiosyncrasies.

I like to think I prevented a life-altering disaster. Go me!

Pictured above is one of my favorite exhibits. I kid you not ... when I saw this from above, where I snapped this image, the illusion was so powerful that I thought I was looking down onto a platform above an abyss lit from below. It didn't make sensory sense. I went downstairs and took a turn walking the plank. The plank is actually a waist-high walled walkway extending out into a pool of pitch-black oil. The oil comes to the very, very tip-top of the walkway walls. It's super cool ... and oily.

Ramen noodles as art
In a large room at MONA, there's an oversized plate on the floor with ramen noodles and their package. Is that really art worthy of MONA? But a closer look reveals that the noodles are really rubber bands, with their box in the middle. Weird, yes, but still, is that really art worthy?

I don't know, but it sure is fun when you learn that the challenge is to put your whole body through the rubber band. I shed my coat and camera and gave it a try, starting with my head and moving the rubber band down toward my feet.

Did I meet the challenge? Did the rubber band snap? I'm not telling. But you can see how it turned out on this video!

MONA was a day well spent!

Wally the wallaby
Now I feel bad. You see, pictured above is my lunch at MONA, featuring wallaby. I had heard that wallaby is a nuisance species, ergo, I was not only satisfying my need for nourishment but helping the Tasmanian conservation effort at the same time.

Now, back home, I learned from the Interwebs that they're kind of like deer — a nuisance to some but not to others.

I'll say this: It was a very tasty lunch! Sorry, Wally.

Fun fact: Tasmania produces 85% of the world's legal opiates. On occasion, wallabies have managed to sneak into the guarded fields, graze on poppies ... and then hop around in drug-induced circles! Whacked-out wandering, wobbling wallabies!

Fun fact: Like in New Zealand, there's no tipping in Tasmania. What's more, in virtually all cases, we were not even given the chance to tip; you tap your card, watch or phone on the card reader and done! There's simply no expectation of a tip.

Fun fact: In 34 days of travel, we used cash ZERO times. Natalie found a New Zealand coin on a sidewalk and brought it home. We're hoping this won't cause a currency imbalance resulting in an international incident. You just never know these days. Shhhh! Mum's the word.

Christmas in summer
Even though the days were getting longer and warmer, there were plenty of prompts to jump into the holidays. TV ads with Santa were plentiful, and Black Friday sales were in full swing. We even witnessed holiday goers dressed as Santas on a pub crawl. It almost felt like home.

We also noticed that Christmas lights down under are sparse. What do the people of Oceana have against Christmas lights? Nothing really. But it's summer and, by the time the holidays roll around, there are many more hours of daylight than darkness; there's no one awake to "oooh" and "aaah" over pretty Christmas light displays.

Not so fun fact: Advertising, fast-food franchises, and TV shows have a less-than-subtle American influence. Anyone up for a bucket of KFC and binging the new season of Love Island — Australia or The Real Housewives of Melbourne? (Yes, these shows exist.)

South Lynne
We stayed in some interesting places over the five weeks; most were pretty good. However, our place in Dunedin (New Zealand) was a certifiable mansion that just freaked me out. So big and creepy! It would make a great shoot location for a chainsaw horror movie. Simon and Natalie liked it more. 

I'm gradually learning to look at the pretty online pictures of accommodations and then bring my expectations down a notch or two.

Quick tip: Take note of what the online pictures don't show. For example, if there are no photos of the kitchen, it's likely because the kitchen sucks.

Still, our place in Launceston, Tasmania, exceeded expectations. A crazy-nice art deco home (pictured above), South Lynne was cozy, clean and as picture-perfect as advertised!

Dali
Launceston, in Tasmania's north, isn't where we expected to run into an exhibit of Salvador Dali's art, but it's there!

Dali's paintings and drawings were super fun to see up close. My favorite was the original photograph, "Dali Atomicus." My photo of his photo is lacking, so go here to see a better image and read the incredible story of its creation: The Story Behind "Dali Atomicus," One of the Most Influential Photographs Ever Taken.

Do you think we could throw cats around like that today? Nah ... probably not. 

Jacob's Ladder
A day trip from Launceston, Jacob's Ladder in Ben Lomond National Park, was an attention grabber. This 11-mile gravel road is listed on Dangerous Roads primarily due to the six steep single-track hairpin switchbacks nears its top.

We simply had to drive this road!

At the top of Jacob's exhilarating ladder is a massive plateau hosting the Ben Lomond Alpine Resort — Tasmania's only commercial ski area. Being late spring, everything was closed, and because it was super windy and cold, we decided hiking in freezing fog was less fun than we thought.

At the start of the road, the gal at the coffee shop (serving coffee with marshmallows), told us the road almost never closes due to weather. I'm not so sure about those single-track switchbacks on icy roads. It's steep and narrow.

Cheer up ... or I'll eat you
New Zealand has wildlife, but Tasmania has it in spades.

During our brief exploration of the Ben Lomond ski area, Simon spotted one, then two, then many wallabies!

This group of wallabies didn't seem bothered much by the weather or us. They were dedicated to munching scrub brush. But this close encounter did bring one thing to the forefront: Wallabies look perpetually pissed. Like, "Don't come any closer or I'll kickbox you into oblivion!"

I'm pretty sure this is why they're considered food.

We saw many other creatures in the wild too — such as echidna, wombat, kookaburra, a variety of parrots (including the green rosella), potoroo, and even a baby Tasmanian devil desperately crawling up a road embankment to get away from our car.

Unfortunately, for many of these creatures, being nocturnal is not a bonus when it comes to playing chicken with cars ... because the cars win. The roadway evidence of this was remarkable. In fact, in some areas, the posted nighttime speed limit is just 40 mph, perhaps so the animals have a sporting chance to win now and then. Go animals!

Cradle Mountain
Cradle Mountain is not the tallest mountain in Tasmania, but it's probably the most photographed one. It's a must see on the island. Once again, we got lucky. We had one specific day to visit Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park. The day started windy and rainy, but the clouds parted for our hike around Dove Lake. Above and at center, Little Horn is on the left and Cradle Mountain is on the right.

There were hordes of other tourists taking the shuttle buses to the visitor center where the hike begins. We thought we were destined for a crowded trail. Nope! It seems very few who start the four-mile lake circuit complete it. There were remarkably few fellow hikers after the first half mile. We were OK with that!

Bay of Fires
Along the northeastern coast — near Binalong Bay — is the Bay of Fires. At first glance, it's easy to think the name is derived from the bright red lichen-covered granite boulders. But NO! The bay was so named in the 1770s after explorers saw the fires of Aboriginal people living along the bay.

Fast forward to our visit, and wildfires were already in play on Tasmania, burning in the south and north. Dry weather is one thing, but it doesn't help that the most abundant tree is the highly flammable eucalyptus. Although it's a native species, it's also favored as timber and widely planted. It's interesting to note that Portugal also has a eucalyptus-fed wildfire problem ... but their trees are not native. They were introduced in the 18th century from ... wait for it ... Australia!

Oopsies!

Soaking up the Down Under
Here we are at our very best ... just for you!

Well ... maybe not our VERY best.

Actually, not great at all.

We can't even keep our eyes open!

We'll NEVER make it as Instagram influencers!

And there you have it, a devilishly spinning Tasmanian tour — and we didn't even see the west side of the island!

Our Oceana trip was a whirlwind of 34 days flying, driving, hiking ... and even a hot tub ... yet somehow, we didn't get sick!

Will there be another TourAlongWithTodd blog post in 2026? Of course! 

Stay tuned.

Until then ... ciao!

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And now, a BONUS ...

PICTURES! ... carefully curated with you in mind.

The blog post only tells one part of the story ... the photo album fills in the rest. They go hand in hand ... like opium-dazed wallabies hopping in circles together in a lush poppy meadow on a sunny summer's day!

Seriously, there are events in the album that aren't in the blog at all.

Each photo includes a brief caption so you know what you're looking at.

Here's how to make the most of viewing the photo album:

1. Click this link to access the album.
2. When the album displays, click the Play slideshow icon in the upper right corner.
3. As soon as the slideshow begins to play, click the Pause slideshow icon at the lower center (you can also click the Full screen button to maximize the image size on your screen).
4. Now you can advance the slideshow—at your own pace, image by image—using the right or left arrows at the bottom center of the screen.

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