For many years my husband and I lived in the Stuttgart area of Germany – less than two hours from the French border and Alsace. Whenever we had the chance, we’d hop in the car and head in that direction—for a day, a weekend, or even longer. We loved the food, the scenery, the ambience —and the wine. We’d often stop for a degustation (tasting). Many wineries display degustation signs, beckoning you to stop for a sip or more.

Small Town in the Alsace Countryside. Photo: Leah Larkin.

Alsace is an ideal place to mix travel with wine tasting. The Alsace Wine Route extends for 105 miles from Marlenheim in the north near Strasbourg to Thann in the south, almost at the Swiss border. It twists through a rolling landscape of vineyards stretched along the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, from one quaint and charming village to another. Castles perch on top many a mountain. You could tour the area in a day, but that would be a pity. Better to drive through the region at a leisurely pace and linger.

The Alsace Countryside. Photo: Domaine Pfister.

In warm weather, tasting tables are often set up in the pretty courtyards of half-timbered vintner houses. Wooden wine barrels, old wine presses, and hanging geraniums decorate the courtyards and create the perfect tasting atmosphere. Keep in mind that tasters are expected to buy at least a few bottles.

Streets Strewn with Spring Flower. Photo: Domaine Pfister

One of our favorite stops was the town of Mittelbergheim at the family winery, Domaine Armand Gilg. Nelly Gilg told us that 20 years ago or more there were many Alsatian vintners producing mediocre wines but that global warming has made it easier for everyone to produce quality wines. “Grapes look for sun and warmth. They ripen earlier now. We’ve gained a month.” She explained that the vines now begin to flower in early June with harvest normally 100 days later, meaning that grapes are usually ready for picking in mid-September. “In my grandfather’s day, the vines didn’t flower until late June and harvest was in October.” Alsace wines are made primarily from aromatic grape varieties and are mainly white, both dry and sweet, although the majority is dry.

Domaine GILG Winery. Photo: Domaine Gilg

Another one of our favorite wineries is Louis Sipp in the charming town of Ribeauvillé. “Our wines are different than the other white wines of France, such as Burgundy and Bordeaux,” explains Simone Sipp who runs the winery with her husband Louis. “Our grape varieties are fresher and fruitier and we make our wine in a different way. Our grapes are all cultivated by hand. Very little wine in Alsace is aged in oak.” Since 2005, all the Sipp wines are organic, she said.

Sipp Wine. Photo: Leah Larkin.

Alsatian wines are generally named after the grape variety from which they are produced, the main ones being Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Gewürztraminer. The dry Rieslings are some of the most noted in the world and Gewürztraminer, also renowned, is characterized as “intense, complex and offering an explosion of exotic fruits and spices.” It’s more expensive than most of the others because the grapes are tiny and fragile and yield less juice. Edelzwicker is another Alsatian blend made from several varieties. The Alsatian sparkling wine is Crémant d’Alsace, produced using the Champagne wine-making method and often from several grape varieties.

Vineyards in the Alsace Countryside. Photo: Domaine Gilg

For historical reasons, Alsatian wines have a strong German influence. During the past 100 years, Alsace went from France to Germany, back to France, back to Germany, and finally to France again. Some say the region has a German character with a French soul. Its two most important grapes, Riesling and Gewürtztraminer, are German. The Pinot Noir grape produces the red wine of the region which is pale in color and usually classified as rosé. “Pinot Noir is becoming more important in Alsace thanks to improved growing methods and production techniques,” said Melanie Pfister who took over running the family wine estate, Domaine Pfister in Dahlenheim. The 32-year-old vintner said more and more women are now involved in Alsatian wine production.

Alsace Vineyards. Photo: Domaine Pfister.

The climate and soil in Alsace are ideal for producing fine wines. To the east beyond the RhineRiver the massive Black Forest protects its towns and vineyards from bleak east winds.  To the west the Vosges Mountains provide a barrier to the Atlantic storms which sweep across northern France. Along with Champagne, it’s the most northerly wine-producing region in France and is one of the country’s sunniest wine regions with a warm, dry, semi-continental climate. Its vineyards are situated on the sub-Vosgian foothills at an altitude between 200 and 400 meters (660 – 1,320 feet) taking advantage of maximum sun exposure.

Wine Aging in Oak Barrels. Photo: Gilg Wines.

The region has a complicated geological history giving it a variety of soils. At Turckheim and Wintzenheim, for example, there are granite terraces side by side with calcareous strips.  At Riquewihr, sandstone and schist lie next to limestone. Growers carefully match each wine variety to the parcel of land whose soil is best suited to it. Wines are labeled Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (certificate of origin) or Alsace Grand Cru Contrôlée. The latter is used to designate a wine from a specific vineyard site with lower than average yields and strict vineyard cultivation rules. There is a third label for the sparkling wine: Crémant d’Alsace Contrôlée.

The wines, which are bottled in elongated green bottles, should be served cool but not chilled (46-50 degrees F.) and shouldn’t be stored in the refrigerator as this could spoil the bouquet. They are best drunk young, from six months to five years, and are served in Alsace in special glasses – tulip shaped with a rounded bowl and long, colored stem (usually green). Sipp pointed out that a good quality wine can rest for three to four years, giving it time to develop.

Alsatian wines marry well with food and can enhance red or white meat, as well as fish and seafood. Muscat is a perfect aperitif. Gewürztraminer is recommended as an accompaniment to foie gras, as well as ethnic dishes such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and Mexican.  Riesling, a “gastronomic wine par excellence,” is ideal with fish, shellfish, seafood, white meat, and that Alsatian specialty, choucroute (sauerkraut).

Tasting Room. Photo: Domaine Pfister.

A drive along the wine route can be enriched with a stop for a hike in the vineyards. Signposted trails plunge deep into the vine-covered slopes, offering wonderful photo opps, as well as the opportunity to see vine cultivation up close. There are 26 different trails in the region, and each has informative signs explaining the work of the winegrower and the character of each grape variety.

Villages Surrounded by Vineyards. Photo: Leah Larkin.

From April to October, many winegrowing villages have festivals and wine fairs.

“Where there is wine there is joie de vivre. Wine generates happiness and conviviality.”  says vintner Jean Sipp, a cousin of Simone Sipp who also has a winery in the town of Ribeauvillé. We found plenty of joie de vivre, not to mention delicious wines, along the Route du Vin.

www.vinsalsace.com

*For more information on travel in France, there’s no better tool than a DK Eyewitness Travel Guide

Cheese and chocolate – as much a part of Switzerland as banks and watches.  But, those are not edible and tasting local favorites is one of the highlights of traveling.

Photo: Leah Larkin

A great destination in Switzerland for savoring the best of both cheese and chocolate is the Fribourg region in the western part of the country.  Visit beautiful towns, Fribourg, Gruyères and Murten, and head to nearby cheese and chocolate factories for tasting and purchasing if you wish.

Let’s start with cheese and Gruyères. The town that gave its name to one of Switzerland’s best known cheeses, Gruyère, is the quintessential Swiss burg with flower-bedecked rustic chalets and superb mountain views. It was named among the 14 most beautiful villages in Europe by Travel and Leisure magazine. The town has an interesting museum, a castle and restaurants with the perfect ambience to enjoy that cheese favorite, fondue.

My favorite part of the town castle is the gardens – giant splashes of color surrounded by ancient walls with a mountain backdrop.  The castle film is another winner – an entertaining multimedia production on the castle’s history.  Birds fly onto the screen from the ceiling.  Horse hooves pound.  Monks chant in ancient Latin.  There’s a battle, a fire, flashing lights, shouts and screams.  Fun entertainment.

Photo: Leah Larkin

The HR Giger Museum features three floors of grotesque and strange art from the Swiss surrealist and Academy Award winning designer of “Alien.”  It’s dark and mystical — and weird.   The nearby Giger bar with its Giger oversized skeleton like chairs and ceiling is also a bit off the wall.  The bar is next to a retirement center so most of the regular patrons are senior citizens who seem out of place in this far out environment.

Photo: Leah Larkin

Gruyères is the place to try fondue.  This Swiss specialty is made throughout the country, using different mixtures of Swiss cheeses.  However, an authentic fondue should always be part Gruyère cheese.  In Gruyères fondue is made with half Gruyère and half Vacherin cheese.  Swiss dry white wine is the beverage of choice to accompany fondue.

For more cheese, visit the co-op demonstration dairy, La Maison du Gruyère, located in Pringy just outside the town.  Walk through the second floor of the building, past various exhibits and view cheese making in progess as you listen to commentary on a headset. The cows that are responsible for the distinctive cheese graze in high mountain pastures in the summer, feeding on various grasses – 220 pounds per cow per day. They spend the winter in barns and are fed hay.  That diet, as well as following the production steps of an ancient recipe, makes Gruyère special.  Each cow produces 26 gallons of milk per day.

Photo: Leah Larkin

For sanitary reasons, cheese production is behind glass, but you can watch blades turn in enormous vats of curdled milk and view row upon row of giant cheese rounds, each weighing 77 pounds. The dairy produces 48 of these gigantic wheels of cheese each day.  The rounds age from three months to one year, with the older (my favorite) having a much stronger taste.  Some 7,000 rounds are stored continually in the Gruyère cellars.

At the end of the tour visitors are given a package with three different types of Gruyère to sample.  And, if you want to take some home, the shop sells all varieties, as well as Swiss souvenirs.

Photo: Leah Larkin

But my advice is to save some money for chocolate.  The Maison Cailler Chocolate Factory, the “most visited place in western Switzerland,” is located in nearby Broc.   “Yesterday we had 2,200 visitors,” a guide told us.  No wonder. It’s delightful and delicious.  The tasting (all sorts of chocolate pralines and as much as you want) is preceded by a fun and informative multimedia tour.  Visitors are divided into small groups for the tour which leads through several dimly lit rooms with moving exhibits illustrating the history of chocolate.  There’s commentary, sound effects, smoke, flashing lights and more.   You’ll learn that Spanish Conquistador Don Hernán Cortés went to America seeking yellow gold, but came back with brown gold, cocoa beans.  The Jesuits liked hot chocolate.  The Pope said it was permissible to drink it during Lent.  Marie Antoinette wanted hot chocolate for her last meal… plus more chocolate trivia.

Photo: Leah Larkin

Move on to a room full of huge canvas bags of cocoa beans from different parts of the world. Then, watch the automated chocolate production where robots do most of the work. The grand finale – a room with dozens of trays of all kinds of filled chocolates.  It’s hard not to overindulge.  “Oh, just one more,” you say as another tray of yet another variety is placed before you. Of course, you can’t leave without passing through the shop which offers all sizes and flavors of Cailler chocolate bars.

Photo: Leah Larkin

It would be a pity to limit your focus to cheese and chocolate and neglect the main city of the region, Fribourg. This charming medieval city occupies a dramatic site on a rocky spur at a bend in the Sarine River, the dividing line between both the German and French speaking sections of the country, as well as the city which is bilingual. Places on the west river bank in Fribourg have French names; those on the east, German names.

Photo: Leah Larkin

Switzerland has four official languages, yet the majority of the population speaks German (74%) followed by French (21%), Italian (4%) and just 1%, Rhaeto-Romanic or Rumantsch. Fribourg today claims more French speakers than German, although in the distant past the opposite was true.  Fribourg was founded in 1157, with its name derived from the German frei (free) and Burg (fort).

A steep set of steps connects Fribourg’s upper and lower towns, a distance of some 330 feet.  Trekking between the two can easily make you out of breath, so stop for a rest and admire stunning views of rooftops, steeples, rugged cliffs, distant mountains and the river below.   That, too, can take your breath away.

The Basse Ville, (lower town), the historic old town on the river bank, is a medieval treasure. Wander across its bridges, along twisting, skinny streets, past ancient fountains and gothic houses.  The upper town is the new town with a busy shopping street, a university, train station and more.

Photo: Leah Larkin

The pleasant city of 33,000 is noted for excellent cuisine (14 gourmet restaurants) and its native son, the artist Jean Tinguely (1925-1991), famous for his bizarre moving creations made of mechanical scraps and other used materials. Tinguely’s fountain symbolizes a car crash and is the piece de resistance in the city park paying tribute to the Formula I racer Joe Siffert who died in a racing accident.  More of his off the wall creations, many powered by water or electricity, are in the museum, Espace Jean Tinguely – Niki de Saint Phalle, a former tramway depot.  French artist Saint Phalle was Tinguely’s companion.  Her works, whimsical, brightly colored feminine shapes known as “nanas,” are another attraction in this amusing and amazing museum.

Also in the amazing category is Fribourg’s funicular, dating from 1899 and constructed using waste water for power.  It connects the upper and lower towns and is still powered with recycled water.  “Ecology before our time,” commented a guide.

Fribourg’s Gothic cathedral, St. Nicholas, is a city landmark with its 225 foot high tower jutting above the town’s red rooftops.  Stained glass windows by the Polish painter Jozef Mehoffer are outstanding examples of religious Art Nouveau.

Photo: Leah Larkin

Another gem of a town in the region is Murten, straddling the shores of a lake by the same name in the heart of the three lakes region between Bern and Lausanne. This medieval town is the capital of the Lake District in the Swiss canton of Fribourg. Murten’s ancient walls surrounding the town still stand with 12 of their 14 original towers.  Stroll along the ramparts walkway for stunning views of the lake, distant hills and mountains, and the tile rooftops at your feet. You’ll find plenty of photo opps.

Photo: Leah Larkin

Inside the walls, where 400 of the town’s 6,000 residents live, there’s more Middle Ages ambience with a wide cobbled street bordered by arcades with intriguing shops.  One sells dozens of kinds of schnapps and grappas, 30 different kinds of cooking oils and 25 different vinegars.  A bakery window beckons with displays of the local specialty, Nidelkuchen, a luscious cream cake with caramel frosting. There’s a flower shop, a butcher, clothing boutiques and cafes with outdoor tables.

Murten was destroyed by fire in 1416 and entirely rebuilt in stone. Most of the houses within the walls date from that period and are under national protection. They must have tile roofs and are not permitted to have antennas.  The city gate is a clock tower with a working clock that dates to 1712. Every day it’s wound by hand. “First Swiss quality,” commented a local. “

Photo: Leah Larkin

Like Fribourg, Murten is on the border of the French and German speaking regions of Switzerland with one fourth of its population listed as speaking French while the rest speak German.  “Most people communicate in both languages,” said a guide who explained that both French and German are taught in schools.

“The French are not extremely serious,” she said.  “They are apt to drink a glass of wine more frequently. The Germans are strict and serious. To live together we have to adapt.  One culture learns from the other.” No doubt some of those German speakers have learned the pleasures of drinking wine from the French speakers whom they join for boat excursions across the lake to the opposite shore where vineyards cover the slopes and wonderful wines can be tasted at local wineries.                                                          

The area code for Switzerland is 41.

The Paon Bali Cooking Class is much more than chopping, dicing and stir frying. Along with these basic cooking tasks and learning about tasty Balinese cuisine, it’s an enriching introduction to Balinese life and customs.

Ni Luh Made Puspawati, who asks to be called Puspa, and her husband, Wayan Subawa, offer cooking classes in their charming home just outside the town of Ubud. But, before getting started there are the preparations—a trip to Ubud’s bustling market where all manner of fruits and vegetables are for sale. Some women sit on the ground with their produce spread out on blankets while others have stands to display their merchandise. It’s crowded and chaotic but fascinating.

To westerners, much of the produce is exotic and unknown. Our market guide, Nyoman Murdiono, lets us taste mangosteen, durian, jackfruit, hairy fruit (rambutan) and more. He leads us to the knife section and explains the different kinds of tools needed in the Balinese kitchen. Next, the spices. My classmates and I make a few key purchases.

Buying Mangosteens at the Ubud Market. Photo: Leah Larkin.

On the way back home where cooking will get underway, we stop at the rice paddies near the village. “Each family has a rice paddy,” Murdiono explained. “If a village has 150 families, it will have 150 rice paddies. He plucks a shoot of rice and shows us where a grain is growing. We walk on to the village school where he explains the Balinese educational system as children eagerly pose for photos.

At the family home, Subawa, the man of the house, greets us. “You are a guest in my home,” he says as he offers each of us a welcome drink, refreshing lime juice. A Balinese home is made of several sections, each an individual structure. The complex always includes the family temple which faces east. Most Balinese are devout Hindus, and religion plays an important role in their lives, including their culinary traditions. Religious ceremonies and festivals which involve special foods are prevalent. Subawa shows us the building where he and his wife sleep, and the rocks adjacent to the entrance marking the spots where the placentas of their children are buried. Placenta burial is very important to the Balinese who believe the spirit of the placenta will ensure that children remember their parents.

Wayan Subawa Shows his Guests Around his House. Photo: Leah Larkin.

He then ushers us to the outdoor kitchen overlooking the jungle where Puspa, our effervescent and ever smiling teacher, and several assistants take over. We will be preparing Balinese – not Indonesian – dishes, Puspa, explains. Bali is one of 13,466 islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago. Its cuisine is influenced by both China and India. A typical meal consists of many different dishes, always accompanied by rice. The food is pungent and spicy enriched with the flavors of fresh ginger, raw chilies, shrimp paste, palm sugar, and tamarind. During our morning session, we prepared eight different dishes, all of which we savor for lunch, the finale of our cooking class.

Cleanliness is foremost at Puspa’s school. We were directed to wash our hands several times, and given plastic gloves for some of the tasks. Most of the prep had been done prior, so we were spared the chopping and dicing. But we did blend and sauté under Puspa’s watchful eye. We all took turns using a “Balinese blender”—a bowl filled with ingredients which you mash and blend with a long pole.

Trying out a Balinese Blender. Photo: Leah Larkin.

Most of our dishes were cooked in coconut oil, which we learned “is basic to Balinese cooking.” In country villages people make their own coconut oil. Puspa also makes her own and she demonstrated how it is made on an outdoor fire, a lengthy multi-step process. But the result, she assured us, is much better than store bought oil. Coconut oil has other uses, too. The Balinese rub babies’ fingers with the oil, use it for massages and put it on mosquito bites.

Another basic is the yellow sauce which is called for in numerous recipes. We whipped it up in no time as all the chopping had been done before our arrival. We were given copies of all the recipes we learned but this one I was most interested in trying when I returned home. Garlic, galangal, fresh turmeric, two different kinds of hot chilies, lemon grass and shrimp paste are among the ingredients. I found most of these at an Asian store, with the exception of fresh turmeric for which I had to substitute turmeric powder. This is a sauce with a punch that adds the magic touch to Balinese cuisine. Making the sauce at home was time consuming; however, the recipe makes a large quantity which can be kept in the refrigerator for two to three weeks for reuse. It’s the key ingredient in Chicken in Coconut Cream, a tasty concoction which I made for guests who loved it. Steamed Fish in Banana Leaves and Coconut and Snake Bean Salad were two other recipes that called for the yellow sauce.

Keeping the Fire Going in the Outdoor Stove. Photo: Leah Larkin.

Peanut sauce is another frequent ingredient in Balinese cuisine and is much easier to make than the yellow. One of my favorite dishes was Vegetables in Peanut Sauce. You can use any veggies of your choice. Pusba’s version included a combination of cabbage, string beans, cucumber and tofu. This sauce is also used in Chicken Sate (minced chicken grilled on bamboo sticks). If you can’t find bamboo sticks just use ice cream sticks or chop sticks, our teacher suggested.

Traditional Balinese Dishes. Photo: Leah Larkin.

But, almost everyone’s favorite dish was Deep Fried Tempe (an Indonesian soybean variant) in Sweet Soy Sauce. No yellow or peanut sauces in this recipe, instead the ingredients are 10 red chilies and five kaffir lime leaves. I’m not a huge tofu fan, but this was terrific.

Puspa Teaching her Students. Photo: Leah Larkin.

Clear Mushroom and Vegetable Soup was our first course, while Boiled Banana in Palm Sugar Syrup was the finale—all delicious and beautifully presented.

Pusba’s enthusiasm for Bali and its food is a key element in her class. Her course is fun, entertaining, educational—and delicious. She started her home cooking school five years ago and is proud to announce that on Trip Advisor it’s the number two cooking school in Ubud, but the third tourist attraction in the town.

“People are interested in traditional food,” she said. “I love to invite people to my house. I love to show Balinese life.”

The marks recording the young boy’s height etched on the walls of the medieval chateau stopped at 1 meter 52 (4 feet 9 inches).  The famous post-impressionist painter, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, had spent summers in the chateau as a child and at age 14, after two falls resulting in broken legs which never healed properly, he stopped growing.  He developed an adult sized torso, but his legs remained child sized. Unable to participate in sports, he immersed himself in art. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of the artist whose cabaret posters have become synonymous with Paris and Montmartre, the neighborhood famous for its bohemian lifestyle and the haunt of artists, writers, and philosophers in the late 1800s.

Chateau du Bosc (where Toulouse-Lautrec spent summers as a child)

During a tour of Chateau du Bosc in the Midi-Pyrénées region of southwestern France, I learned much more about Lautrec.  Nicole-Berangere Tapie de Celeyran, 89, a distant cousin of the artist, loves guiding visitors through her home. Tiny, frail, and slightly hunchbacked, she charges up the long staircases with the vitality of a teenager. I followed her from the kitchen where she pointed out Lautrec’s sketches on the wall, upstairs to a lavish salon and dining room, a bedroom, hallways, and then into the garden. “I love to talk.  I want to preserve this house, the spirit of the family,” she says. She also wants to show Lautrec mementoes and correct misconceptions about the legendary artist.

Mme. Nicole-Berangere Tapie de Celeyran showing Toulouse-Lautrec sketches

She embellishes the tour with stories passed on from her grandmother and other ancestors who knew the artist. Lautrec’s father and uncles often went hunting.  They’d come back after an outing and relate tales of their adventures.  Lautrec would sit on the floor and use the coal from the fireplace to make drawings of their exploits, she said. In his bedroom, the floor scattered with toys, she points out a boat Lautrec had made after one of his accidents.

It was all fascinating, especially as told by this delightful and amazing woman, and perfect background for a visit to the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum in the nearby town, Albi, where Lautrec was born in 1864. He became an alcoholic and died at the age of 37 due to complications of alcoholism and syphilis. More than 1,000 of his works – paintings, lithographs, drawings and the famous posters — are on display in the museum which has the largest collection of his works in the world. “What is important in a painting is the person.  Landscape is secondary.  That was his philosophy,” a museum guide recounts.  He painted psychological portraits and he understood advertising, hence the posters, she continues.

Albi, perched on the banks of the Tarn River spanned by an ancient bridge, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the spires of its mighty cathedral dominate the skyline. It almost seems too picture-perfect. The cathedral, Sainte Cécile, is the only one in France that is still in its original condition, the 15^th century painted walls still visible today. During the Middle Ages, churches were painted although the paint on most has long since vanished. It has survived here because the cathedral is very dark.

Albi

Another curious if not incredible attraction is Albi’s Museum of Miniatures.  It houses 55 miniature rooms all made by a 79-year-old woman who started the project 40 years ago.  As a child she wanted a dollhouse, but she never got one.  So, at the age of 39 she set out to make her own, room by room.  The museum curator told us that it takes her from six months to a year to make one room.  She is now busy making a miniature church.

Toulouse-Lautrec Museum

Albi and its sights were just one of many places I visited recently while exploring the Midi-Pyrénées region along with Toulouse, Rodez and Conques. The latter was my favorite and it’s easy to understand why it was named one of the “plus beaux villages de France,” (most beautiful villages in France).  The tiny burg of half-timbered houses and Romanesque fountains is nestled in a valley surrounded by green. Its Romanesque Abbey Church is magnificent – and quite an experience. Every evening at 9:30 p.m. during the summer, Jean Daniel, a Benedictine monk, pounds away on a powerful organ while visitors walk around the upper galleries of the immense structure. Spotlights grow dim and then brighter, highlighting the 250 sculpted capitals atop the gallery columns. Shadows move. The sounds are not somber church music, in fact, nothing like it.  During my visit The House of the Rising Sun was the monk’s selection and it made for a sound and light show like no other.

The church’s roots go back to the eighth century when a Benedictine monastery was established at the site in the wilderness. Relics were needed to give the new monastery clout.  In the ninth century one monk set off to Agen and came back with part of the skull of Saint Foy, a Christian who had been martyred in the town in 303 A.D.  Miracles were soon attributed to the relic, and Conques became a pilgrimage site, a holy place to visit on the road to Santiago de Compostela, the well-known pilgrimage destination in northwestern Spain where the remains of St. James are said to be buried.

Pilgrims in Conques enroute to Santiago de Compostela

Every year about 13,000 pilgrims make the visit to Conques, a town with just 90 year-round residents. Most visit the treasury as well as the church. Lavish, bejeweled gold and silver reliquaries are displayed in glass cases.  The most elaborate is said to enclose the foreskin of Christ.  “How do you know it’s the foreskin of Christ?” asked a doubting visitor.  “I don’t know.  I was not present at the circumcision,” quipped the guide.

Romanesque Abbey Church in Conques

The Conques Abbey Church has another attraction – windows designed by the French contemporary artist Pierre Soulages.  These bear no resemblance to the usual stained glass windows found in most churches, but were designed to let light penetrate the grandiose yet somber structure. The Soulages windows, made up of geometric shapes of glass of varying density, change color depending on the exterior light. Soulages was born in 1919 in Rodez, a Midi- Pyrénées town now a must for contemporary art fans.  In May, the Soulages Museum opened with some 500 works of the renowned abstract artist who is known for his devotion to the color black.

Toulouse, France’s fourth largest city known as the European capital of aeronautics and the home of Airbus, is the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées region.  This university city which is often called the “ville rose” (pink city) due to the bricks produced here and used in the construction of many of its buildings, is vibrant and attractive with magnificent churches, lively markets and excellent restaurants. Saint Sernin Basilica, the largest complex of Romanesque buildings in the world, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site because it was a major stop en route to Santiago de Compostela.  The Jacobin Monastery, stark on the outside, is a marvel inside with famous and unique palm tree arches.  Another World Heritage site is the Canal du Midi which flows through Toulouse connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean.  The city on the banks of the Garonne River has several noted museums, including the Augustins, a fine arts museum with sculptures and paintings by famous names of the art world, including Rubens, Delacroix and Corot.  Those who prefer airplanes to art will want to tour the Airbus plant facilities where the world’s largest airplane is now under construction. Tours of two different Concordes are also available.

Toulouse, city center.

Foie gras, the fattened liver of force fed geese and ducks, may be controversial, but it’s an exquisite treat and the star of the cuisine of southwestern France. It’s found on many restaurant menus in Toulouse, as well as throughout the Midi- Pyrénées.  Toulouse is best known for its sausage and the regional dish, cassoulet, a hearty stew of meats and beans. Among its wonderful restaurants are several which have earned coveted Michelin stars. The town has several markets, all fun for foodies.

Cassoulet

The area code for France is 33. 

I’m passionate about food and cooking. Cookbooks – I have hundreds.  I love trying new recipes and experimenting with exotic ingredients.  Over the years I’ve attended many a cooking class, often during my travels to learn about ethnic cuisines yet I had never attended one in France.  Shame!  Now is the time. The mother of all cooking schools, Le Cordon Bleu, is headquartered in Paris and is legendary. My idol, Julia Child, got her start there. So, on a recent trip to Paris to see my American dentist, I set a day aside for Le Cordon Bleu.  I was overwhelmed. This is indeed the Harvard of cooking schools; like no other.

“The Art of Cooking like a Chef,” was the title of my full-day course, three hours of demonstration in the morning, followed by an afternoon workshop. Twenty-five of us from 11 different countries watched and listened as our teacher, Chef Guillaume Siegler, prepared three different and demanding dishes in the kitchen classroom.  He spoke in French, with a translator explaining all in English.

Photo by Leah Larkin

Chef Guillaume Siegler Working Under a Large Mirror

First Course:  Pineapple and green zebra tomatoes, creamy burrata, basil, olive oil, pomegranate red pesto. 

First Step:  Peel the tomatoes.  “The skin is disagreeable to the mouth,” said Chef Siegler. He was right, but at home I usually skip this step — never again if I want to cook like a chef. 

The tangy red pesto was a mixture of raspberries, tomato pulp, pomegranate juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and green Tabasco, all mixed in a food processor. As he moved from tomatoes to pomegranates, Siegler, who has worked in many famous restaurants in Paris as well as his own in Tokyo, spewed out words of culinary wisdom: “To cook well, you must think about what you’re serving.” “Respect all products but work only with excellent products.”

He put this into practice putting the finishing touches on the tomato-pomegranate-burrata concoction rejecting the basil on hand — too wilted.  Then he sent an assistant to the school’s roof garden to pluck some fresh. The finished dish was food photo perfect – almost too beautiful to eat.  It went into the fridge then we moved on to the main course:  Roasted rack of lamb with parsley crust, pearled jus with rosemary, and summer vegetable tian.

Photo Courtesy of Le Cordon Bleu

Rooftop Garden at Le Cordon Bleu

Lamb is a favorite of mine, and I’ve always been in awe of a rack with the bones perfectly crowning the roast.  Although I’m an ambitious cook, I’d never attempted it. Deboning that hunk of meat is no day at the beach.  With skill, precision and speed, Chef cut away, explaining the intricacies of the task. “Remove some of the skin, but not too much. Get rid of the nerve which is attached to the bone. Make careful incisions to free the meat from the bones” He went on to brown the bones and trimmings for the jus.  “Let the oil smoke to make sure it’s hot before you add. Don’t stir. Let it alone. The heat will do the work.”

The summer vegetable tian was next.  Rows of sliced vegetables (eggplant, tomato and zucchini) were attractively layered on top of a bed of sautéed onions. I have sautéed onions zillions of times, and never gave much thought to it.  That will change.  There is a professional approach to even this simple task.  “Sweat the onions.  Add a bit of salt.  Don’t color them.  Mix vigorously.  Taste.  Salt and pepper.” 

Photo by Leah Larkin

Vegetable Tian Ready for the Oven

He used a mandolin to get perfect, even slices of the veggies, showing how to save your fingers while using this dangerous tool. You start by holding the vegetable down with your knuckles, then as it gets smaller, you switch to using the palm of your hand.  Having recently sliced off a tiny bit of my fingertip slicing potatoes with one, I will surely heed this.   

Photo by Leah Larkin

Siegler Demonstrates How to Use a Mandolin

By now I was starving, and all the heavenly aromas had only fired up my appetite.  Alas, we were all given small portions of his creations to sample.  “Where’s the wine?” someone asked.  No wine, but each dish was delectable.

The afternoon workshop was going to be held in a state-of-the art, gleaming stainless-steel teaching kitchen where each student has his own work station. But thanks to the GPS on my phone, I made a wrong turn exiting the metro and missed the first 15 minutes. I quickly donned my Cordon Bleu apron and chef’s toque and hurried in to see that we had each been presented with a lamb rib roast. I already knew I’d be cooking in the workshop, but didn’t realize I’d be preparing the complete dish so hadn’t paid close attention to the intricate instructions in the morning session. I reasoned that if I was planning to make a rack of lamb, I’d order the meat right from the butcher.

Photo Courtesy of Le Cordon Bleu

The Professional Kitchen Classroom

So, feeling a little stupid and humiliated, I seek assistance. Alisa, a bubbly young Russian woman next to me, guides me through the initial steps then she in turn seeks help from the Russian doctor next to her.  They had met the day before at another Cordon Bleu course. The doctor’s technique is exceptional, applying her knowledge of anatomy to the lamb, making precise incisions. Chef Siegler races from station to station, guiding, critiquing, encouraging.  “Five more minutes to finish,” he announces.  We had to move on to the jus, the crust and the vegetables and tension was mounting. “I love to cook and I love to share with my students,” Siegler tells me, “but I must have my eyes on everything here.  Some students have never even held a knife.”

My classmates appear to be wielding their knives fairly well. Some have previously taken Cordon Bleu courses. One from Paris plans to follow up and enroll in a course for professionals to qualify for a position in the food industry. The dedicated chef comes around to inspect each student’s lamb. The star of the class, Anze from Slovenia, has managed to perfectly duplicate Siegler’s demonstration lamb.  All of us are in awe, even Siegler.  The doctor’s efforts are also impressive.  Others, while perhaps less perfect, are acceptable but unfortunately not mine.  When he sees my massacred meat, Chef Siegler pronounces: “You will have a filet instead of a rack,” then proceeds with Formula 1 speed to show me how to remove the bones and fat, leaving a filet. At least I am not alone in my failure, however, as Lorraine from Shanghai is in the same boat. “We don’t cook like this in China,” she proclaims.”

Photo by Leah Larkin

Anze’s Perfect Rack of Lamb

With limited time left tasks are divided as we move on. I opt for dicing and sautéing onions for the tian, figuring I can’t screw that up.  And, I remembered his instructions.  We’re each given an aluminum container to assemble our own tians with the onions and other veggies we had sliced.

These, along with the racks and filets go into the ovens. 

The reward:  We each get a tian and our lamb to take home.  My husband and I had rented an Airbnb for the weekend so I call ahead and tell him to get a bottle of good red wine because I am bringing dinner.  I may not have prepared the perfect rack of lamb, but my filet was superb.  The tian: delicious, definitely a three-star meal. The day had been fun, enjoyable and educational and I learned many new techniques which I have been putting into practice.  I have been inspired and now approach my cooking with renewed enthusiasm and vigor.

Photo by Leah Larkin

The Finished Meal

Next time I visit Paris I will definitely schedule another Cordon Bleu course along with my dentist appointment. And I will arrive on time and pay closer attention to everything.

It’s futuristic, fantastic, glamorous — a fascinating place for a stopover if you’re flying to Asia.  On a recent visit to Sri Lanka, we decided to break up the long journey and check out the capital of the U Arab Emirates, the largest and wealthiest of the seven emirates that make up the U.A.E. We had visited neighboring Dubai years ago, long before it was “on the map,” as they say. Like Dubai back then, construction and progress run rampant in Abu Dhabi, where silhouettes of sleek, modern skyscrapers cut into the desert sky.

“For a time, both emirates seemed locked in a battle to build the most glittering skyline,” noted an article in Global Traveler. “But lately, Abu Dhabi has repositioned itself as New York to Dubai’s LA, serving as the cultural heart of the U.A.E., while Dubai’s economy is centered largely on real estate.” Nonetheless, Abu Dhabi does have its share of tourist attractions, but nothing of great interest was within walking distance of our hotel. Fortunately taxis are reasonable, and our driver, Mohammed, an Indian from Kerala, took us to the sights. He told us he was just one of the many foreign residents that make up 65% of the population, fifty percent of which are Indians, the majority from Kerala in the southern part of the country.

Photo by Leah Larkin

Glass Blower in Heritage Village

Abu Dhabi’s piece de resistance and top attraction is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a dazzling edifice of domes, minarets, and reflecting pools, incorporating crystal, marble and exotic materials from all corners of the globe. Elements of Moroccan, Persian, and Arab styles blend in this monumental beauty, which has a capacity for 41,000 worshipers. Look down to admire the world’s largest carpet; look up at seven dazzling gold and crystal chandeliers. Non-Muslim visitors are welcome, and like all females, I was given a blue abaya to wear. We wandered around with many others, taking pictures while Mohammed went to pray.

Photo by Lean Larkin

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Emirates Palace, billed as a “7 star luxury hotel,” is another must-see. Tourists are free to explore cavernous public areas of the $3 billion hotel and marvel at the abundance of gold leaf and marble. After sipping a pricy coffee in the posh surroundings, I asked where the gold bar vending machine was (mentioned in a New York Times article), only to be informed it had been removed.  Pity – that was my souvenir of choice!

Photo by Leah Larkin

The Opulent Emirates Palace Hotel

Markets are my passion so naturally I asked Mohammed to show us the fish market. I envisioned a collection of stalls with fishermen selling their catches, but instead we found a huge warehouse with aisle after aisle of sea creatures in all sizes, shapes, and varieties. Continuing to the date market, another vast structure with nothing but dates of many different kinds, we sampled a chocolate covered one – exquisite.  Then it was on to Heritage Village, an old fortress with Bedouin tents and old stone houses, where the Abu Dhabi of bygone days has been recreated. Artisans are at work in many enclosures; I spied a purse in the leather workshop and tried to bargain with the shopkeeper, who was attired in the long traditional Muslim robe. I assumed he was a native. Not so: He too was from India. Foreign workers (and we met many) come to Abu Dhabi, where earnings are good, and work for several years, saving, only to return home, a Nigerian taxi driver explained. He had a degree, but there were no jobs for him in Nigeria.

Photo by Leah Larkin

Fresh Fish at the Market

Shopping and amusement parks are other Abu Dhabi favorites. Yas Island is home to Waterworld, a Florida-style theme park with water rides, as well as Ferrari World, where you can ride the world’s fastest roller coaster.  The Formula Rossa reaches speeds of almost 150 mph in less than five seconds and recreates the Formula 1 driving experience. Here you can also shop one of the world’s largest shopping centers or at one of the many malls closer to town for everything from electronics to clothes and jewelry. For up market shopping, it’s The Galleria on Al Marya Island, featuring all the luxury brands, from Balenciaga to Bulgari, as well as trendy cafes and restaurants. 

Photo by Leah Larkin

Abu Dhabi’s Glittering Skyline

Visitors to Abu Dhabi in the near future will enjoy major attractions on Saadiyat Island (Happiness Island), a $27 billion project that will include the first outpost of the Louvre outside Paris, a Frank Gehry designed Guggenheim museum, and more. The Louvre is supposed to open this year, although no date has been set. The island will also feature beach resorts, some of which are already open. Alas, the fall in oil prices has delayed the completion of these showpieces. Abu Dhabi has about a tenth of the world’s oil reserves which accounts for its wealth. But, the reserves are declining, so the emirate is preparing for life without oil. Masdar City, a $22 billion project currently under construction, aims to create the world’s first carbon-neutral city powered almost entirely by solar and other renewable energy sources. Driverless vehicles will be the mode of transport for its automated public transportation system.

Photo Courtesy of SaadiyatCulturalDistrict

Bird’s Eye View of Saadiyat Island

Abu Dhabi is more than just a big city. Uninhabited spaces and massive sand dunes stretch to the border of Saudi Arabia, and on the Oman border is the oasis city of Al Ain, a burst of lush greenery in the desert. Visitors can experience the desert hinterland with popular dune-bashing tours, which was definitely the highlight of our Dubai visit years ago. You ride in a 4 X 4 with a daredevil driver determined to provide plenty of thrills as he powers the vehicle straight up a dune at full speed, then veers for a quick downhill run. I remember thinking we would surely topple over. More than once we got stuck, but he had the skills and knew the tricks to free us, having a great time all the while. We were bounced, jilted, and bumped, but it was hilarious fun. Sunset dune trips usually include the chance to ride a camel, get a grip on falconry, and henna painting. You can even try sand skiing or snowboarding. After the desert activity, enjoy a barbecue around a campfire at dusk and marvel at the magnificent star-filled sky. Belly dancers are an integral part of these desert dinners and most tour companies feature them.

Photo Courtesy of VisitAbuDhabi

Al Ain Palace Museum

Summers are scorchers in Abu Dhabi, with temperatures often reaching 104 degrees from June to August. November through March is the ideal time to visit. We found the people, namely foreign workers, all super friendly and helpful, and most spoke English. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that alcoholic beverages are only served in international hotels, but sans drink, there are all manner of ethnic restaurants abound. We tried Thai, Italian, Middle Eastern, and French. See my suggestions following.

The country code for the UAE is 971, for Abu Dhabi, 971-2.

Climbing to the top of Sigiriya (Lion Rock) is a must-do in Sri Lanka. The massive stone monolith with steep vertiginous metal stairs attached to its vertical walls draws crowds despite its demands. I had told our guide that we were reasonably fit and up for moderate hiking. Then I spied that giant rock and was ready to wimp out.  It was hot, very hot and there were no shade trees leading up to the summit.  It was also crowded with a single file line of slowly moving bodies inching upwards. It did not look like fun.  Was it worth it?  Could I make it?

Photo by Leah Larkin

The Sigiriya Climb-Sri Lanka’s Signature Attraction

“You can do it,” our guide Nimal assured us; so, we forged ahead.  Fortunately, a landing with a gallery of remarkable frescoes provided a welcome break half way up.  The reward, stunning vistas at the top, was well deserved. It is generally believed that Sigiriya was a royal citadel during the fifth century, although another theory maintains that it was a monastery and religious site.  Our guide adhered to the citadel theory and told us that King Kassapa had 500 concubines, for whom he built swimming pools with diving boards.

Photo by Leah Larkin

Giant Buddhas at Polonnaruwa

Memorable Sights

There are many more astonishing sights in Sri Lanka, an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of India.  Although not much bigger than Wales, Sri Lanka packs a lot into its small area:  glorious beaches, ancient temples, hillside tea plantations, wildlife sanctuaries, rain forested peaks, and even more challenging climbs. The country’s 30-year civil war, which ended in 2009, had kept visitors away but that certainly is no longer the case. At Sigiriya, and just about everywhere we went during our two-week tour of the country, we encountered lots of tourists.

Photo by Leah Larkin

Climbing the Mihinthale Temple Complex

Remarkable Temples

We visited many other sites, temples and ruins.  The city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka’s ancient capital, is an entire complex of archaeological and architectural treasures.  We followed a parade of worshipers walking with a giant piece of orange cloth, 300 meters long.  We were told it symbolized Buddha’s skin and was to be wrapped around Ruvanvelisaya, a magnificent white dagoba or shrine for sacred relics. The climb at Mihinthale, another temple complex, was beyond us:  1,843 granite slab steps with the sun blazing down on them. No shoes allowed –you had to ascend barefoot.  No way!

Polonnaruwa was Sri Lanka’s medieval capital from the 11^th to the 13^th centuries and we toured the area by bicycle with stops to admire and photograph.  The major attraction is the site with colossal Buddhas carved out of a rock wall.

At Dambulla Royal Rock Temple, some 150 different Buddhas are enshrined in five caves.  The Disney-like entrance to the site, with a monstrous Golden Temple, seems out of place, but the gentle climb along a wooded path to this hilltop temple complex is easy and pleasant.  Entrance to the caves is controlled with a certain number admitted for each visit. It is well worth the wait to see these remarkable statues in the dimly lit, mystical ambience.

Intriguing Cultures

Both tourists and worshipers flock to Kandy, a lovely hilly town whose magnet is the Sacred Tooth Temple. This is where one of Buddha’s teeth is said to be hidden inside a golden shrine or casket which in turn contains six more caskets, much like a Russian box.  We joined a large crowd and patiently waited in line for a night time opening of the heavily guarded room containing the shrine, and then came our turn to file by the relic casket. Although there was little to see, the holy ritual and huge temple complex were both intriguing.

Photo by Leah Larkin

Sri Lanka is Home to 4,000 Elephants

Wildlife in the National Parks

As a cat lover (big and small), my voyage to Sri Lanka was filled with hopes of spotting a leopard. Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park is said to be home to at least 25 of these felines and we visited it along with two others. Sadly, no leopard showed us his spots, but we did see elephants, a spotted deer, a wild boar, a mongoose, turtles, and a sloth bear, a rare sighting according to the guide. We also saw lots of birds including numerous peacocks. Sir Lanka is a paradise for birders with 400 distinct species, 26 of which are unique to the country.

Photo by Leah Larkin

Safari Parks Shelter Wildlife

Some 4,000 Asian elephants, an endangered species, make their home in the tiny nation and herds of 200 or more are a common sight in August and September in Minneriya National Park. The herds we saw were much smaller, 25 to 30, but fascinating. The pachyderms are accustomed to tourists and come very close to the safari vehicles. Guides know many of them by name.  Elephants need about five square kilometers each to support their 200 kilograms per day appetites. Deforestation and over development in Sri Lanka have diminished their habitat. As in Africa, they encroach on farmland. As in Africa, it’s elephants vs. humans, a challenging conflict.

Turtle Havens

On a visit to a turtle hatchery we learned about the island’s sea turtles which lay their eggs along the coast. Eggs not collected by poachers (turtle egg omelettes are popular) hatch after several weeks and hundreds of baby turtles make their perilous way to the sea. Few survive with many being devoured by fish and birds. At a hatchery eggs are collected then hatched in an incubator. After just one day, they are released into the sea at night. Even using this method, only one in 100 survive, about the same as in nature.  The hatchery we visited had been started in 2000 by the current owner’s father who died shortly afterward.  It was then that his sister took over but sadly in 2004 she and another sister as well their children and his mother all perished in the devastating tsunami which ravaged the country, killing roughly 40,000 people. The owner and his surviving brother decided to refurbish the hatchery and reopen it.

Photo by Leah Larkin

98 Acres Resort

Culinary Adventures Big and Small

No doubt more popular than its animals and safari parks are Sri Lanka’s beaches. They are indeed grand, but the mountainous interior was my favorite. We spent two nights in the hills above Ella, a picturesque area of tea plantations with splendid views, hiking trails and cooler temperatures … a paradise.  In the valley below, culinary adventure awaited. I love to savor ethnic tastes and try to incorporate a cooking lesson into my travels. A course in the home of Chef Iran near Ella was perfect.  Sri Lankan food is not for sissies. It’s HOT!  We watched and helped Iran prepare seven different dishes, and he adjusted the spices (i.e. the heat factor) to our western palates. The full meal with all his delicacies was fabulous and we found it just right on the heat scale.

Throughout our two-week itinerary in the country, we frequently stopped at simple restaurants where buffets were the norm. Our guide and driver Nimal would check with the kitchen staff about the numerous dishes, then tell us which to avoid — the ones with a fire factor of at least four hot peppers. There were many.  Even some of the milder ones were too much … maybe we were sissies after all?  Hotel restaurants, which cater to international visitors, offer both Sri Lankan favorites and western fare.  Sometimes there you’ll find the local specialties toned down a bit, but not always.  After setting my mouth aflame more than once, I learned to start with tiny tastes.

Photo by Leah Larkin

A Local Fruit Market

The island nation offers an abundance of fish, exotic fruits, including 20 various kinds of bananas, all manner of vegetables — and spices galore. Cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, mace, tamarind and vanilla are among the Spice Island’s notable products. They grow in abundance all over the island in fertile and diverse soil types and varying temperatures and are important exports. Yet it’s chilies which are consumed the most and are a key ingredient in the national dish of rice and curry, which Sri Lankans eat three times per day. It can be made with meat, fish or vegetables, and usually has coconut milk and a blend of spices which enhance the dish with intense and exotic flavors.

A Mix of Religious Cultures

Sri Lanka is a land of many religions with Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians known to visit the same pilgrimage sites. Many people are vegetarians, although it’s not necessarily because of religious restrictions.  Nimal said his family did not eat beef.  “Cows are gentle animals and give us milk.  No need to eat them.”  They also reject pork because (as he quoted,) “pigs are dirty animals.”

Photo by Leah Larkin

Temples at Mhinthale

Roaming the Local Markets

The best places to experience the bounty of Sri Lanka are its markets. During our travels we visited several, all vibrant scenes bursting with color and hectic activity.  At the Pettah markets in Colombo huge trucks overloaded with produce drove through lanes crowded with shoppers. At the vast Dambulla Wholesale Produce market, once can see an incredible variety of produce but must stay out of the way of frantic workers.  A vendor at the market in Kandy gave us samples of fruits we were not familiar with — mangosteen and red bananas.  And I purchased spices there for myself and friends.

Photo by Leah Larkin

Chilies: A Key Ingredient in the Rice and Curry Dish

When I recently used some of those spices to make Iran’s Chicken Curry, an incredibly tasty dish, I experienced a euphoric déjà vu of this fascinating, splendid land that lasted for days.

The country code for Sri Lanka is 94.

Egypt should be on everyone’s bucket list. It was, after all, a tourist destination for the ancient Greeks and Romans who visited this wondrous land to marvel at the Pyramids and the Colossi of Thebes. Along the Nile are more must-see, astonishing sights. For an enjoyable and relaxing way to visit, consider sailing. All manner of tourist ships cruise the river with stops for shore visits. We chose a Dahabiya, a type of passenger sailboat popular on the Nile. Our comfortable craft had eight cabins, each with its own bath. “There’s no place I’d rather be than on the water,” said my friend Lynne once who had spent much of her youth on a sailboat. Now I can relate. Cruising the Nile was a delight– serene and soothing as well as entertaining.

Leah Larkin

Cruising the Nile River

Introducing the Nile

The Nile is calm. The only sounds were the purr of the tugboat motor and an occasional call to prayer from an onshore mosque. Meals, delicious and copious, were on the open upper deck, but under an awning (the Egyptian sun is powerful). Our 12 shipmates came from six different countries. While the Egyptian staff were friendly and helpful, they were not exactly eager to hoist the ship’s two sails. We repeatedly asked when we’d be “sailing”, literally. Finally, they gave in to pressure and raised one of them (quite a procedure) which stayed up only long enough for a few souvenir photos. It was the towboat that kept us going.

The Nile, the world’s longest river, originates in the highland lakes of Uganda and Ethiopia and flows into the Mediterranean. For centuries civilizations have settled along its fertile valley. The rest of Egypt is mostly desert as we could see on our long (four hours) and somewhat boring ride from Hurghada on the Red Sea where our flight landed. We cruised from Luxor upriver to Aswan, then back to Luxor, disembarking most days to visit the extraordinary sights, ancient temples and tombs.

Leah Larkin

Temple of Philae

The Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings outside Luxor with its richly decorated royal tombs is astonishing. For a period of some 500 years (16th to 11th century BC) Egyptians buried the mummies of pharaohs in secret, elaborate tombs here believing they would be saved for eternity. Sixty -three tombs have been discovered; eight are open for viewing, but not all at the same time. The most famous is Tutankhamen’s, discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Descending shafts into this underworld of murals depicting gods, goddesses, kings, queens, snakes, beasts and battles is an adventure. Guides give lessons on Egyptian mythology, explaining who’s who, but keeping track is a challenge. Hats off to Egyptologists.

Even though we visited the Valley of the Kings early in the day, it was hot and quite crowded. Tourism in Egypt it seems is threatening the treasures. Visitors to the tombs are said to leave behind 2.8 grams of sweat each which corrodes the murals. A long-term goal is to create life-size replicas of the royal tombs at a nearby site so tourists would no longer see the real thing.

Exploring Esna

Fortunately for us we continued cruising on up the Nile to see more, returning to Luxor at the end of the adventure for visits to the famed Karnak temple complex and the city bazaar. To avoid the heat and the crowds, we often disembarked very early or late in the day. We arrived in Esna as the town was waking up, shopkeepers putting out their wares and children setting off to school. The aroma of freshly baked bread drifted through the alleys.

We were the only visitors to Esna’s Temple of Khnum which made it especially enjoyable and intriguing. The temple was buried under Nile mud for centuries and houses were built on top. In 1860 only the Hypostyle Hall was excavated to minimize further damage to the town. It sits nine meters below ground level, down crumbling steps. Our guide pointed out architectural details and told us about the ram-headed god Khnum, the temple’s namesake.

Leah Larkin

Temple of Edfu

Edfu’s Temple

Edfu’s temple is dedicated to Horus, the falcon god. The mammoth edifice ranks as one of the Nile’s finest sites and it’s popular with both tourists and aggressive vendors. No matter where you go in Egypt, you’ll encounter hucksters plying souvenirs and more. We had been warned that it was best to ignore them because If you show even the slightest interest in their wares, they will pester you annoyingly until you give in and buy something. One day a group of children followed me, and I disobeyed that advice. They should be in school, not selling souvenirs, we were told. But this time it was late in the day and the kids were irresistible. I weakened and bought a few cheap bracelets. Children frequently followed us on our visits, practicing their English: “Where you from?” “What’s your name?”

By the time we reached Edfu’s temple (a carriage ride from the boat) most tourists had departed. The haunting call to prayer echoed through colonnaded passageways with the sun’s fading light adding to the mysterious ambiance. This was the Egypt of legends.

Temples and Tombs

At Kom Ombo we visited a temple dedicated to two gods, Haroeris (the “good doctor”) and Sobek (the crocodile god). Egyptians worshipped and feared crocodiles. The site features a crocodile museum with mummified crocodiles. On the doctoring side of the temple, our guide pointed out a wall relief depicting pharmacy instruments as well as hieroglyphics detailing recipes for medications.

From Aswan, where our boat turned around for the return to Luxor, an optional tour to Abu Simbel was offered. I remember being impressed by this monumental sight with its gigantic statues on a previous visit years ago. I wanted my husband to see it. By car the trip is four hours through the desert. To avoid the heat, we had a 4 a.m. wake up call. Even though we arrived at 9 a.m. the sun was already blistering. Throngs of Chinese tourists with cell phone cameras clogged the narrow passageways inside the tombs.

What is remarkable about Abu Simbel, and several other huge temple complexes is that they were all moved to be saved from drowning under the waters of Lake Nasser, the world’s largest reservoir created when the High Dam (the second dam) was constructed on the Nile. Between 1964 and 1966 Abu Simbel was hand sawed into 1041 blocks weighing up to 30 tons each and reassembled 210 meters behind its original site. We visited the dam and the impressive Soviet-Egyptian monument honoring the cooperation between the two nations in its construction.

Leah Larkin

Soviet Egyptian Monument

Language Lessons and Photo Opps

Another optional tour, to a Nubian village, was disappointing. Nubians, the earliest settlers on the Nile with their own culture and language, still live in traditional villages in southern Egypt. Unfortunately, the one we visited was primarily a collection of shops selling the usual souvenirs. However, it did include an entertaining visit to a school where a jovial “teacher” stood at a blackboard and instructed us in pronouncing our names in Nubian. Lots of laughs. This time we were surrounded by Taiwanese. They loved it.

Karnak, our final site visit, is gigantic, with three different enclosures on three square kilometers. After following the guide to the most notable ruins, we had time to explore – and photograph – at leisure. Here, as at other sites, enterprising Egyptians wearing their long gallabiyahs, offer to show you the best spots for photos, then pose for the perfect shot. Of course, they expect baksheesh (tips). If they don’t think it’s enough, they will let you know.

Leah Larkin

An Artisan at Work

Bargaining and Balloons

Shopping is part of the travel experience. As with most group tours, our guide led us to his shops, warning that we could be ripped off shopping elsewhere. Of course, the guides get their cut at these places. I like to shop and explore on my own and pleaded to visit the bazaar. The guide was very reluctant, but finally, I escaped long enough to find a pair of silver earrings. I relished wandering through the colorful, congested souks, taking photos and bargaining with vendors without the group and leader.
We had hoped to end our visit to the Nile and its sights with a balloon ride. British passengers on our boat had been enthralled with the river views, the Valley of the Kings, the desert and more.

Another 4 a.m. wake up call. We were driven to a field where huge colorful, deflated balloons blanketed the ground, surrounded by groups of eager passengers. It was cold at that early hour without a single refreshment stand offering coffee. We waited, and waited, and waited, about three hours, for the signal that visibility was OK, and we could soar into the sky. Sadly, visibility never improved, so no balloon ride.

But the boat was bliss.

Our cruise as described here was booked with Memphis Tours Cairo, www.memphistours.com. Prices for an 8-day, 7-night cruise on a Dahabiya vary with the season, starting at $1945 per person. All cabins have private baths and meals are included. Cruises depart year-round from Luxor on Saturdays.

Rajasthan is all about color: vibrant saris wrapped around women, towering turbans crowning men’s heads, markets bursting with colorful vegetables, fabric and jewelry. Even towns are associated with color – Jaipur, “the pink city” and Jodhpur, “the blue town.” Palaces, temples, forts, crafts, folk art, bustling cities, big cats, and a varied landscape – Rajasthan, India’s best loved region, has it all. Its legendary cities were built by mighty Rajput warriors. These warrior princes, when not fighting amongst themselves, constructed hundreds of forts, palaces, and temples, indulging their fondness for pomp and ceremony. Many of the sparkling palaces are now hotels offering luxurious accommodations.

Leah Larkin

Palace of the Wind in Jaipur

Off the Beaten Path

We were impressed with all the must-see sights, but even more so when we ventured off the beaten track. Jaipur, the pink city, is famed for its imposing Amber Fort and Palace, located several miles outside town, high on a hill, with ramparts, gates and cobbled paths. Its City Palace with courtyards, chambers and dazzling treasures is another astonishing sight.

We stayed at the Samode Haveli, a lavish palace still owned by maharajas and now a hotel whose manager conducts a “morning walk through the pink city.” Most guided tours offer nothing “out of the box,” he said. We left the hotel at 6 a.m. and followed him to places not on the tourist circuit. We visited the market, stopped for special street food tastings, and learned about garbage collection, street sweepers, religion and more.

Leah Larkin

An Offering of Marigolds to Hindu Gods

Hindis believe that all living things are gods and cannot be killed. As an animal lover, I was intrigued with the sacred, ubiquitous cows, stray dogs and monkeys. The cows that wander freely everywhere usually belong to someone, he said. The owners tie up the calves and let the mothers roam, knowing they will come back to their babies. The dogs, he said, usually have homes of a sort too. “Everyone makes so much food, so they give leftovers to the dogs.” They wander, return and “guard the house.” But beware of monkeys. We noticed a group of these rascals on our walk. “That one is especially bad,” he said, pointing to the dominant male. “He sends his troops out to scout houses and when the coast is clear, they return and raid the place. They know how to open refrigerators and are very intelligent.”

We visited Rajasthan in May when temperatures reach 45 C° (113 F°) and even above. All sightseeing was done in the early morning or late afternoon when it was cooler. It was still very hot but exploring at these times had one huge advantage – no crowds.

Step Well Dinner at Narlai

Village of Narlai

The idyllic “holy” village of Narlai sits at the base of a towering rock hill topped with a colossal elephant statue. We, and an Indian family, were the only guests at Rawla, an ancient hunting manor that originally belonged to the King of Jodhpur and served as a retreat for the royal family.

Part of our visit included dinner at a step well in the hills surrounding the village, “a surreal mesmerizing experience,” according to the resort literature. It was that and more. I was draped in shimmering scarves and a colorful turban was perched atop my husband’s head. We boarded an oxcart, sat regally on pillows, and set off along a bumpy dusty road. Soon it would be dark, but it was still light enough to admire distant mountains, lonely cows foraging for food and the occasional villager checking on his sheep. Step wells are just that – subterranean Indian architectural structures, accessed by a series of steps down to a pool of water. Our adventure led us to one from the 16th century.

Dinner at the edge of this magical place was good, but it was the ambiance that deserved the stars. Seven hundred oil lamps flickered around the deep hole and hypnotic sounds echoed from the eerie darkness. Costumed servers mysteriously appeared offering us all manner of delicacies on silver trays. It was all very touristy and not the kind of experience we typically like. But we were the only guests – just us, the servers, and a few musicians in the midst of this wild and weird setting. When there are more participants (almost always), more entertainment accompanies the spectacle. We had it all to ourselves, and it was indeed “mesmerizing.”

Jaswant Thada a Cenotaph in Jodhpur

Bishnoi & The Narlai Hills

Again, no other tourists on our visit to a tiny enclave of Bishnoi, a tribe known for its love of wild animals. The tribal leader, a jovial character, showed us how he wraps 15 meters of cloth around his head to form his turban. He insisted we taste Bhang, a very potent brew which “can make you crazy.” Alcohol is supposedly forbidden, but “Lord Shiva likes Bhang so much we offer it to him,” – and have a healthy shot in the process.

But the highlight of our Rajasthan trip waited in the Narlai hills – the secretive and seldom-seen leopard. On a previous safari in Africa, then another in Sri Lanka, I had hoped for a sighting. No luck. The jeep bounced around the back country near our hotel, off roads into fields, through bush, stopping frequently to scour the landscape. A few peacocks. Antelope. Errant cows. Nary a leopard. I was more than a little disappointed, certain this was another failed mission. As we approached a range of rocky slopes, the vehicle came to a speedy halt. “There, up there, a leopard.” A leopard? Where? I had a hard time finding him. The spots and the beige coat blended right in with the background. The guide gave me his binoculars. Yes. There he was, magnificent Bhamsa, a 3-year-old male leopard lounging high on the rocks.

India rewarded us with not just one leopard, but two tigers. During the first stop on our Rajasthan tour, we visited the Ranthambore National Park, a vast wildlife reserve and home to 68 tigers. This time our driver spotted two tigers on the move.

Jodhpur’s Majestic Fort

Jodhpur

Jodhpur, the blue town, claims “the most formidable fort in all of Rajasthan.” Its Majestic Fort, originally built in 1459, has been enlarged over the centuries by reigning maharajas. Inside are palaces and courtyards to explore, as well as a museum with the trappings of Indian royalty on display. From its hilltop perch, the view over the sea of blue buildings is breathtaking.

Jodhpur’s bazaar, like those in Rajasthan, is a riot of color, noise and people packed into narrow alleys. Women balance baskets on their heads. Motorcycles snake through the chaos. Crafty merchants try to lure you into their shops. We even spotted a man riding an elephant on the adjacent traffic-jammed main street.

Lakeside Udaipur is a jewel, as is its world-famous Lake Palace Hotel, a fantasy of white marble on Jagniwas Island. We took a boat to the island, wandered through courtyards and gardens, past lotus ponds, then splurged on dinner there. The return boat ride was pure romance with glittering lights on the gleaming water and the silhouettes of the City Palace’s towers and cupolas as a backdrop. This stunning palace has a museum with a collection of maharaja treasures: decorative arts, paintings, enamel and glasswork.

Leah Larkin

Lakeside Udaipur

Bargain Hunting

Guides get a cut if they succeed in taking you to one of their buddies for bargains and you make a purchase. We told the Jodhpur guide we were not interested in buying anything. He persisted. He has a friend who has a warehouse full of exclusive merchandise sold to Bergdorf Goodman, Nieman Marcus etc. “Just have a look.” OK. Why not. It was a plot. The “friend” told us to sit and sip tea while he proceeded to unroll giant reams of gorgeous cashmere and pashmina. Naively, I thought this merchandise was all for wholesale purchase, certainly not retail like in a brick and mortar store. Of course not! I fell for the hype. Now I have a huge piece of pashmina, a souvenir of vibrant Rajasthan color. What I am going to do with it I still have not figured out.

Leah Larkin

A Rahjasthan Souvenir

Postscript from the Author:

Our fascinating 11-day tour of Rajasthan with private driver and local guides was organized by Wild Frontiers. Accommodations in the gorgeous maharaja palace hotels were fabulous. www.wildfrontiers.co.uk