ADDICTED TO TRAVEL? 10 gift ideas for the tested traveler on your list!

A TRAVEL JOURNAL: This is no typical journal! Your favorite traveler will want to preserve all those travel scraps and stories, and here is my personal favorite! It's...

***Compact (6”x9”) ***Adjustable (you can put in as many pages as you like) ***Refillable (so re-usable, for trip after trip ***Durable (has a soft leather cover) ***And Attractive… here, check it out:

Leather Travel Journal from Leelanau Trading Co

A DRAWSTRING BAG: These are indispensable! Advise your traveler to leave the big suitcase in the hotel and go on their daytrips with this 12”x18” drawstring sack! It holds everything they need for a daytrip -- their camera, beachtowel, jacket, map, guidebook, or water bottle – but collapses into nothing in their luggage-perfect space saver!

Here's a version with MLB logos!

You can even make your own!

Plain black is my choice!

THE POINT IT BOOK: This 3”x5” thin paperback takes up no space but is a lifesaver when they don’t speak the language. With clear photos on every category they could need… from food to medical to destinations…. it enables the English-speaking traveler to communicate with foreign waiters, hotel clerks, taxi drivers, and locals. Here's what it looks like!

HEADLAMP OR MICRO-FLASHLIGHT: Handy for all kinds of after-dark situations… reading on the train, following a map in a dark city, rummaging through luggage in a dark room, or walking a cobbled street or forest path… both of these versions serve the same purpose, and both are lightweight. The headlamp is less attractive, but more useful for hands -free lighting! Check it out: http://www.consumersearch.com/headlamps

ELECTRICAL ADAPTORS:

Whether new to international travel, or just trying a unique destination, this kit is a MUST! This kit contains adapters for most areas, except Africa, and adapts most cameras/appliances, except some high watt hair dryers. Everything you need to know about International Electricity!

FOR THE LADIES ON YOUR LIST... THE LONG SWEATERCOAT: Wear it on the plane, sleep under it occasionally, use it as a house coat over PJs, roll it up for a pillow, throw it over bare shoulders to enter a church or mosque, use it for nights out on the town, and have a picnic on it by day. It's usually acrylic with big black buttons, so it doesn't show dirt, and washes to look like new. Big sweatercoats can be found online or in stores like Nordstroms (and sometimes even at Gap). Here are some choices: http://www.thefind.com/pets/info-sweater-coat

FOR YOUR WORLD CUP FANS (hosted in South Africa, June 2010):

The movie, “The Miracle Match”

SOCCERNOMICS, a book all about why England loses, why Germany and Brazil win, and why the US, Japan, Australia, Turkey - and even Iraq - are destined to become the Kings of the World's most popular sport!

The book, The History of the World Cup 1930-2006

Noisemakers and Cheering stuff, like this: The Thunderstick

YEARLONG TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY: For truly addicted travelers who hit the road many times a year, an ANNUAL, multi-trip policy is practical! They may think their medical coverage here at home covers them on the road, but will it evacuate them from remote areas? Is it primary coverage when they’re abroad? Does it cover all the countries they are venturing into? And what about trip cancellation, interruption, or inconvenience? http://www.travelguard.com/travelinsurance/annual.asp

ALL KINDS OF PHOTO CREATIONS to keep those travel memories alive after the trip: Think about…

a photo puzzle!

a photo collage canvas for the wall!

a photo luggage tag for their next trip!

Brighton Virginia photo bag!

A GIFT CERTIFICATE WITH TOUGH LOVE TRAVEL, for custom trip planning services for their next trip! Email Melanie@toughlovetravel.com for more info!

Snowy Winter Fun: ALASKA!

What do the words, “Alaskan Vacation”, bring to mind?

...cruiseships, grizzlies fishing for salmon, herds of caribou grazing on the grassy plains of Denali…

But what about Alaska in Winter?

The best time to experience Alaska’s wondrous Aurora Borealis – or Northern Lights, it is also the time when this northernmost state comes to life. You won’t be stuck in darkness – in fact, there’re 6-13 hours of daylight each day (depending on your location in this huge state).And it’s not a frozen wasteland - temperatures average around 20* (especially around the coast).

In fact, it is in Winter that Alaska shows its true spirit!

Here’s some special things that Alaska offers, only in winter:

ü Dogsled overnights. Only on the snowy terrain of winter can you actually embark on a dog sled trip out into the wilderness. You’ll learn to mush the dogs, take in jaw-dropping scenery, experience the awe of the snow-cloaked deep woods (and the best views for the Aurora)… all in the safe and wilderness-saavy hands of a guide! They’ll even outfit you in special gear, tuck you into an inflatable, fully-heated tent, and cook your dinner on the campfire, right before your eyes. Meet one of the best guides: Kathy Lenniger, of Sled Dog Adventures! (read more about Kathy on the sidebar!)

ü Winter carnivals! The Fur Rendezvous, or RONDY, in Anchorage in February, hosts everything from trapping to dog sledding to arts and snow sculptures, family skates and snowtrick exhibitions, basketball and soccer (and showshoe softball), trains, parades, and even fireworks!

ü Check out the world-famous IDITAROD!

Called the “Last Great Race on Earth”, this 1150-mile sled dog race leaves Anchorage each March, and heads out to Nome on the western Bering Sea. The dogs race for 10-17 days… but the party lasts even longer! Here it is:

ü All things ICE - Ice sculpturing, ice bars, ice festivals! The King of all festivals is the World Ice Art Championship, held each winter in Fairbanks! Sculptors from all over the world create incredible designs (a process with chainsaws, chisels, and ladders, all of which you can watch!), then there is a magical lighting ceremony! The resulting Ice Park stay open all March, so grab a hot chocolate and go for a snowy stroll.

ü Ride the Polar Express! Train adventure is one of my all-time favorite things to do! Alaskan Railroad offers a special winter trip between Anchorage and Fairbanks, with a whistle-stop in Denali Park. It only runs on weekends, so book your trip in advance!

ü All kinds of skiing, snowboarding, and skating! In the mountain town of Girdwood, just 40 miles south of Anchorage, you can stay at the Alyeska Lodge and do all kinds of mountain sports! (of course... the trails are lit up for “night” skiing)

ü Snowshoe or hike! Anchorage has a 120 mile trail system. Here’s a map:

ü See Mt McKinley from the air!

You may not want to climb this 20,000 foot peak in winter, but you can be just as awed from the window of a prop-plane, and for convenience, many of the flight-seeing excursions depart right from Anchorage!

ü Soak in the Hot Springs! Not exclusive to winter, but certainly all the more enticing, the hot springs above Anchorage have natural rock pools, where the heat soaks deeply into your bones as you marvel at the snowbanks and frosty trees in this steam-filled wonderland.

ü Snowmachine! We call it “snowmobiling”, but up in Alaska, they call them snowmachines, and they are a practical way-of-life, not just a recreational toy. They can take you out to remote lodges, on a short park trail, or down the street to the grocery!

ü Experience Alaska’s Native Culture! At the Native Heritage Center in NE Anchorage, you can see dancing, films, and a host of exhibits. It’s harder to coordinate a visit here in the winter – its open only on Saturdays and for special monthly events! – but its worth the effort to schedule! Among other special events, they have Indigenous World Film Fests, Playwright projects, Art workshops, drumming, and more. Check it out: http://www.alaskanative.net/en/main_nav/about_us/

ü Go to a professional hockey game! The Alaska Aces are your team!

ü H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark! Open most evenings and all day on weekends, this place is a hit! They have pools and whirlpools, and even a Riverwalk – it’s a lazy river with current!

ü Go rustic! Stay in a yurt on the river! The Eagle River Nature Center is rustic – no joking! You hike to it by a short trail- or by walking along the frozen river- and must bring all your own provisions, but it comes with beds, a woodstove, a huge stack of firewood, bear-proof storage and an outdoor latrine!

ü Marvel at the Northern Lights! This is no staged light show, so you can see them anyplace, anytime, but statistics show that you have an excellent chance of viewing them if you stay for 3 nights or more! Wilderness locations, free of light pollution, are the best venues! For a novel – and comfortable - way to view the Aurora, try the SnowCoaches, up at Chena Hot Springs Resort. They depart each night at 10 pm and chug ½ hour uphill to a perfect vantage point… you have til 2 am to take in the spectacle!

Sunny Winter Fun: BELIZE!

Belize makes the “short list” of winter vacation inspirations for its sheer range of attractions – marine to inland (offshore cays to underground caves), historic to cultural (colonial sailing lore to hand-ground corn tortillas), man-made to natural (3000-year-old Mayan ruins to Jacques Cousteau’s Wall)!

Belize offers excitement for both the soul and the body, and is also the perfect place for both to relax!

It’s vaccination-free, english-speaking, and safe, yet authentic, and only 7 hours from NYC!

When I was in Belize, I wanted to experience it all! So I devised Adventure Week – split between inland jungles, caves, and Ruins, and the rest on the water!

Landing in Belize City, there’re plenty of modern hotels, where I organized myself, enjoyed the pool and bar, then struck out with my guide into the country. The drive took me through backcountry villages, past locals harvesting coffee and ginger, near Mayan ruins, along the Guatemalan border, and into the Jungle to my lodge.

My private jungle chalet was really neither… shared with a spider or 2, and more shack than chalet, it was tucked under the rainforest canopy, in a tiny village consisting of no more than an open air dining hall and oddly elegant pool. It did have a private modern bath, and at my doorstep, a jungle teeming with excitement! I laid in bed that first night, in the pure dark that only true wilderness reveals, and listened to unrecognizable creatures mate and hunt, just on the other side of the wall.

Rainforest location is perfect for all kinds of adventure. I chose jungle mountain biking, whitewater kayaking on the Mopan, and an intriguing tube float through an underground cave! (there’s also zip-lining – or Aerial Tours, as they like to call it - plus hiking and caving) The biking was a bit wild – between boulders, branches, and bogs, I more than once met the mud of the rainforest, but otherwise, these treks are good for anyone, as long as they are mildly athletic and mostly game!

And best of all, guides bring all the equipment and know-how, including interesting tidbits about tropical animals, medicinal uses of jungle plants, and more… so all you have to do is show up with a smile!

In restorative contrast, I spent afternoons wandering Mayan ruins, learning the history of the centuries, and marveling at the intricate and artistic stonework that I clamored over in my quest for the peak! There, above the jungle canopy at the temple’s highest point, I was bathed by tropical winds as I took in views, far into Guatemala and even at times to the coast.

My guide was full of stories, of both long gone civilizations and recent archeology work, and I found myself imagining these ancient lives, here is this deep jungle setting, and the interconnected society that must have thrived throughout the Yucatan around the time of Christ.

No visit to Belize would be complete, though, without time on the water, so for the 2^nd half of my week, I headed to the coast, to a launch that delivered me to my private cabana on a remote caye, about 45 minutes offshore, run by Slickrock Adventures. Completely comfortable (of course, your definition of “comfort” must include solar showers) and with full service (not only meals, but a nightly cocktail hour - Belikins and beach volleyball), this caye feels like Robinson Crusoe at the Regency!

Just check out the photos… they are too good to be true!

Again, my idea of vacation is more adventure than relaxation, so I crammed my days - sea kayaking to science labs on nearby cays, scuba diving down Jacque Cousteau’s Wall, snorkeling “treks” through the endless shallows (just drop a mushroom anchor off your kayak and jump in!), windsurfing and paddle-boarding, punctuated by naps in the shaded hammock of my private cabana.

We coined the Sunset Surf Club, where we surf-kayaked the perky, but not pummeling, surf onto our west end beach, as the water turned from light blue to dark green, then plum and finally that luminescent peach, reflecting the sun as it set over our island.

Snowy Winter Fun: GUNNISON VALLEY!

Pick you Winter Passion! There’s…

…THE DOWNHILL!

With wild, ungroomed, “local” Monarch 45 minutes up the Pass, and the more formal and formidable Crested Butte 45 minutes up the Valley, you have your choice of terrain and atmosphere!

Our group was partial to Monarch… they leave mounds (and mounds!) of snow on the hill, and that doesn’t even count the hike to off-piste, snow-filled Mirkwood! We loved the tree glades! (well, me and my snowboard got swallowed by tree wells a few times, but our more advanced riders were fine!)

Crested Butte had more challenging runs, which made up for the more challenging crowds! But it also offered much-enjoyed amenities – you can learn to drive a snowcat, take a guided mountain snowshoe, sleighride, tube, or race! To hear about our “Last Tracks”… read on!

…THE BACKCOUNTRY!

We felt like pioneers! Skiing out to our own rustic cabin, hours off the road and tucked into a remote cleft of the valley, we chose this area because it was:

remote (far from cars and public),

pristine (check out the photos…http://picasaweb.google.com/toughlovetravel/ColoradoSnowyFun#),

and only moderately challenging (which pleased my teenagers!)

If it were up to me? I’d pick the 5-day, over-the-pass-to Aspen! … but both offer that complete escape and- more importantly – the perfect venue for family bonding. What is better than hot cinnamon rolls and scrabble in front of a wood fire in a snowstorm?

To make this backcountry adventure super-easy, hire a guide! They will organize your gear, plan your meals (and shop!), know the directions, and even cook for you. They take care of all the details, so you just show up and have fun! It’s worth the investment!

They even found us a guide for our dog, Patrick, who’s a good little Nordic skier, but who wasn’t allowed to stay overnight in the protected BioReserve of the cabin.

I like to sum up our backcountry experience as “4* at 4am in 4’ of snow… The Outhouse”… but it’s really not that forbidding. It’s FABULOUS!

…THE NASCAR OF WINTER (SNOWMOBILING)

If you’re under 30 and male, it is irresistible… you’re “called” to race in the snow. But even if you’re not a risktaker, snowmobiling is super!

The guides gear you up so you stay warm. They know “the ropes” for the snowy warren of mountain trails, so you’re safe. And, yes, there’s a faint odor of diesel and it’s a bit hard on your lower back… but it’s also stunningly, magically beautiful! See for yourself:

…THE NIGHTLIFE

They call it “Last Tracks’!

The lift was closing for the day, and everyone was being turned away.. except for us few, who had reserved “Last Tracks”.

In the dimming weak winter light, we gondola-ed up to mid-mountain, and took a last run, down to a mountain chalet, where the chef had rack of lamb and a roaring fire waiting for us! We had a wine at the Ice Bar for starters, and finished up hours later with chocolate torte and espresso, all under the cozy rafters of this alpine lodge while the snow swirled and whipped the windows just inches away.

At the end of our impossibly lavish wilderness meal, the guides gave us each a headlamp, and we bundled up, braved the freeze outside, stepped into our skis and by the flame of the torch, sluiced with our guides, in our last tracks down to the village.

We spent 7 days here, but could have stayed 7 weeks!

Sunny Winter Fun: THE BAHAMAS

I took 4 sons, for 4 weeks, on a 44’ sloop, through the Abacos… that garland of natural and remote islands circling the NE edge of the grand Bahama chain! We swam with dolphins, made campfires in isolated coves, dove for granddaddy starfish, watched conch harvests, biked and fished, went scuba diving at the Green Turtle, and soaked up sunsets at tiki bars in the middle of nowhere!

You can do this too! It’s this simple:

~Pick a boat! Here is a dependable outfit: http://www.floridayacht.com/

~Get yourself to Miami! It’s only 50 miles from there to the Bahamas, and riding the current of the Gulf stream north to your landfall makes for an easy sail!

~Meet our savvy seaman, Captain Dave! He knows the “ropes” and can be hired to guide you every step of the way, for a safe and anxiety-free journey!

~Do you sailing homework: Sailing the ocean (even just 50 miles of it) is no small undertaking! It can be done by inexperienced adventurers (accompanied by able Captain, of course!) but deserves thoughtful planning.

Work with the captain to organize a thorough safety equipment list, and know how to use it! I invested in water-activated beacons for each life jacket and a Serious spotlight!

Make a Rule Chart, review it with every single person, post it in the boat, and ENFORCE IT STRICTLY! Our big one was: No one on deck without a life jacket!

Pack a good first aid kit. You will be on your own a lot of the time, so be ready to deal with sunburn, insects (take a good After-bite pen), intestinal upset, splinters, burns and cuts!

~Plan! This is the fun part! Get everyone involved!

Start by getting Capt Dave to recommend a good route (the Bahamas has over 700 islands, scattered over 500 miles, with some routes more catering to sailboats than others!

Create a list of activities your family or group enjoys. Are you scuba divers? History lovers? Interested in fishing? Work these into the itinerary.

Plan LOTS of on-board activities. Reading books, marine biology charts and directories, nautical lessons, fishing gear, special menus/treats (the galley works while you’re sailing!), board games of all sorts, CARDS (and a card game book, for new ideas along the way), and journals with journaling supplies!

~Buy a chart (nautical term for “map”—makes you sound official!) so you all can follow, and mark, your route!

~Prepare to be flexible! Many things may change your plans. On our trip, we had setbacks from (more than one) thunderstorm, a melted impellor, a lost ATM card, a jammed toe, and a recalcitrant 14 year old.

~Get excited! So much is in store for you… great seafood, senses full of fresh air and water landscapes, a novel “home”, lands to explore, meals in your bathing suit, and time uninterrupted for you to share with those you love!

If all this just sounds like too much to tackle, the Bahamas are also perfect for:

…an overnight escape to Nassau -less than 2 hours travel time away! (Remind you of those Suitcase parties from college days?)

...a weekend break, for a mini-vacation of sunshine and beaches! (and gambling)

…a Cruise! (Princess, Royal Caribbean, and NCL are just a few cruise lines showcasing Bahamas as a port destination!)

...a romantic getaway at Sandals! Choose between the Royal Bahamian spa resort & offshore island or -- opening January 2010 -- the Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma! Check it out:

http://www.sandals.com/main/emerald/em-home.cfm

…a family vacation to a barefoot-only resort on one of Bahamas outlying islands (see Sidebar. This place is so wonderful, I’ll blog on it soon!)

Whichever way suits you, remember the Bahamas for accessible, inexpensive, island adventure this winter!

Snowy Winter Fun: TELLURIDE!

Somewhere on the dark cliff above us, a wolf howled.

It was 12* on the icy wooden deck when we slipped into the cliffside hottubs for our moonlight soak. Our Jacuzzi-ed arms stretched out along the tub’s edge, steaming upwards to the star-strewn sky and to that lone, howling wolf.

The howl was otherworldly. Then it struck again,.

Its clarity so seamlessly matched the brilliant, frigid sky, that I felt suspended between that dark umbrella above and the twinkling village of Ouray below… soaking with wolves!

I had arrived in Telluride 5 days before and knew right away that it was MY kind of town! More than scenery and powder and cowboy charm (just grungy enough to be authentic), the town was easily walkable and, thanks to a Green initiative, so was the mountain! Telluride is molded right into the box canyon of the San Juans-- into such a corner, as a matter of fact, that, in decades past, smog had plagued this pristine outpost. With a vengeance, the town declared a Green plan (see the sidebar), starring a free gondola system which connects the town with the mountain village, all ski runs, and the entire network of ski-side restaurants and activities, from 7am til midnight! I realized that, with this setup, I could enjoy a completely car-free adventure!

We found our hotel clean and comfortable, with a BBQ grill sticking out of a snowbank only 20 feet from the courtyard Jacuzzi. (We spent at least one memorable night in the hottub, doing rock-paper-scissors for who had to flip the steaks and who had to replenish the beers) Only 2 minutes down the street was the free gondola, and a short walk the other direction took you to more than a dozen dark taverns like The Last Dollar and Fly Me To The Moon—or Smugglers with homebrews and local bands. We considered a more elegant evening at the wine and champagne bar, Bubble and O2 Bar, but could never seem to get out of our ski bibs!

Right there in the village is great food too! Fine steak houses like the Chop House (good competition for AllRed’s at the top of the gondola) compete with the clever open kitchen at the Mexican joint, La Cantina… and even Baked In Telluride is tempting, where from 5:30 am til 10 pm you can get homemade breads, tacos, soups, and Telluride’s favorite pizza. Town had so many choices, as a matter of fact, that we instituted a Progressive Dinner, to let us enjoy a different venue for each course of dinner!

Of course, in order to enjoy the town, you have to leave the mountain, and, at Telluride, THAT’S not easy! Our favorite après ski was right down the Village Express run, at the Gorrono Ranch cowboy bar. It’s “the beach”-- loads of lawn chairs spread over the snow under the wide, toasting sun. Check it out in the top photo! Cold beers, warm rays, fun guitar tunes off the outdoor mic.... our legs turned leaden and begged us never to leave!

The mountain invited us to 120 trails, with over 300 annual inches of snowfall, but our favorites were Magnolia, with its tree islands and sunny runs, the Upper See Forever along the ridgeline, and the best…. the hike-to Black Iron Bowl, where we found fresh tracks on every run!

We had also read about Revelation Bowl, where the terrain challenges even the old timers! My ski mates sluiced around boulders and moguls, and when I could no longer keep up, I settled myself onto the deck in the belly of the Bowl, unpacked my dark chocolate and clementines, and enjoyed the snow show!

Sunny Winter Fun Spotlight: BARBADOS

A gal emailed me the other day, “What’s there to do in Barbados?”

Don’t start me!, I say.

Between a wild ocean and tranquil sea, exciting diving and enticing dining, mountain crags to sugar cane fields, a British heritage with a Bajan spirit, and an island culture that’s as welcoming as it is exotic…. Barbados was a 2^nd home to my family for 20 years, but today also welcomes honeymooners and single travelers of all ages. Try this:

• Toast coconut bread, slather on some butter, and enjoy!

• Get introduced (underwater, of course) to the island’s family of SEA TURTLES

• Collect art at a local potter! Their operation has gotten really sophisticated, including a website with online orders, but it all started as a Mom and her son, mixing unique glazes on a hilltop in the parish of St Thomas. (see sidebar)

• Learn to water ski… here’s our trusty water-sports guide, Brian, who taught my 4 year old to ski, right off the sand!

• Do all kinds of water sports… banana boating, jet-skiing, tubing, sundowners, restaurant ferries!

• Attend a church service, and be ready to dance!

• Go on island safari, to see the sites and hear the heritage!

• Day sail to the Grenadines! 4 hours, yet a world, away, is this pristine diving hideout in the tropics!

• Go underground… in Harrison’s Cave!

• Brunch with the locals on christophene, plantains, pumpkin, and flying fish! Or try CouCou, the national dish of Barbados, made with cornmeal and okra.

• Go on a Rum Tour… learn how they harvest, press, and process the sugar cane for your punch!

• Cheer at a polo match!

• Meet a local painter, right on the sand! He’s been a fixture since the early 80’s.

• Watch world-class windsurfing competitions off of Crane Beach!

• Hang at a neighborhood pub over a Banks (the local brew)!

• Ride horses, surfboards, segways, golf carts, 4x4 jeeps… or rent a moke!

• Walk the cruise ship dock!

• Take the kids to see monkeys, tortoises, and peacocks at the Wildlife Reserve!

• Rock at a Reggae Party… check out the Gap for the hottest spot!

• Smell the flowers at the Botanical Gardens!

• Boogie board ‘til you drop, on the perfect waves at south shore! Atlantic meets Caribbean here, so the waves have punch without being painful.

Stay tuned in the next few weeks, as Tough Love Travel inspires you for Winter Travel… to both hot and cold climes!

DESTINATION WEDDINGS: What about Block Island?

Your Welcome reception could look like this: a Lobster Bake Shore Dinner!

Your Rehearsal Dinner could look like this: a sundowner sail on a 50' catamaran!

Your Vows on your big day could look like this: the historic home and lawn of the Sullivan House, overlooking the sea of masts on the Great Salt Pond, and the beaches of the Atlantic.

Your honeymoon night could look like this: a berth on your own sailboat

"on the hook" for complete honeymooning privacy!

There are other inspired destination wedding sites: Caribbean islands, cruise ships, and all kinds of outdoor parks and waterfronts. Check out the sidebars!

Along with Block Island, they all offer remarkable settings, unique cuisines, and exotic atmospheres.

Block Island, alone, though, offers convenience! Reached by 2-hour car (or Amtrak) from NYC and 1-hour ferry ride, Block Island offers the unique feature of an accessible, affordable, and comfortable destination, which is a wonderful feature to be able to offer your elderly, budgeted, or time-strapped guests.

You won't be skimping, though, on your destination wedding, on Block Island! It offers a range of lodging, from budget bunkrooms to gracious victorian guesthouses ...a host of fun from sailing to biking, sunrise kayaking to beach picnicking to gallery nights... and scrumptious foods from homemade custards to fresh-picked island berries to lobster every way, all day.

How to eat a Pigeon, Egyptian-Style

You can get Hamam (pigeon) butterflied and grilled, stuffed and baked, or in tagen with tomatoes and rice.

We tried other Egyptian favorites too-- falafels right out of the sidewalk skillet, 2-am snacks at the kebab stand on the corner, and delectably spicy lamb meatballs called koftas. Our favorite meal was the blackened fish, grilled before our eyes in Khan el-Khalili’s farmer’s market.

So it was an ironic coincidence that I tried that Egyptian household favorite, pigeon, in the manicured garden of westernized, 5* Hotel on Zamalek Island, in the heart of the ex-pat district, in the middle of the Nile.

Seated on the umbrella-ed patio, we were delighted to find this revered specialty on the menu. We had read about this local favorite, and had listened patiently for weeks now, to drooling dining tales of our fellow travelers. Now, just hours before our departure, we finally had our chance to try it. We sat making light conversation, enjoying our rare cocktail (liquor is all but prohibited in Cairo), but the whole time, I eyed the other tables, and momentarily wondered why no one – neither the affluent locals families nor the stylish European travelers – was seated before a plate of the Revered Pigeon. Smugly I thought, they just don’t know the good stuff!

And then, with a flourish of my charming Arabic waiter, my much-anticipated entrée arrived… and it looked more like a bat than lunch! Check it out:

I prodded it with my fork—seemed a bit like a tiny game hen. I smelled it - yummy. I examined its shape, with the barely recognizable head and beak grilled intact – no problem. And so, with undaunted zest, I dug in!

Forget game hens! It was more like eating a small lake trout, with tiny needles of bones in every forkful. I worked diligently but was never able to scrounge even a full bite. I snuck in forkfuls of rice, just to keep up the illusion of a normal meal.

Finally, I gave up. How could this possibly be a household staple? Everyone in Cairo would be emaciated!

Only one thing to do! I rolled up my sleeves and picked up the “leg”… recall Tom Hanks in the movie, “BIG”, eating the mini corncob, teeth razoring over the fine edges… that was my pigeon experience!

No worries… I kept working away at it, and soon had a matchstick-esque pile of bones on my plate. That’s when I noticed a pair of coifed and starched Egyptian businessmen at the next table, raising eyebrows and whispering to each other. Clearly, I had taken a social misstep…. Was it wrong to eat food with your hands in Cairo culture?

I tried to “clean up my act’, but finesse as I might, I rather messily – and hungrily – made my way to the bottom of the pigeon. I even sampled the tiny head and beak. Somewhere along the way, I recalled my father’s comments about the similarly slim rewards of “picking” Blue Crabs on the Chesapeake… well, he had no room to complain until he mastered this miniscule meal.

The waiter finally arrived at our table and asked about our meal. Did I feel elated, to have finally tasted the Revered Pigeon? Or was I just plain ornery from frustrated hunger? Clearly, I was shamed by my apparently uncouth table manners. I decided I could trust the waiter, so I confided the scorn of my whispering neighbors.

He literally roared with laughter.

They were not judging my etiquette… they were just wondering what the hell I was doing, picking around the bones. I was supposed to EAT the entire bird, bones and all!