Barbara's Travel Blog

Whips, chains & Pierce Brosnan

I'm cocooned in the back seat of Abby's car now, on the way home from the stagette weekend in Vancouver. FYI, in Canada they call it a "stagette," not "bachelorette" party. Being the internationally savvy women that we are, we quickly adapted to the local language. For example, there was absolutely no giggling when we saw this "speed hump" sign.

In contrast to my days of rest, relaxation and solitude in Whistler, the stagette weekend was a whirlwind of group activities. We started Friday night with dinner at a Tapas restaurant, which turned out to also be hosting a lesbian stagette party and a straight stag party. Since we were only on night one of two, we were a bit shown up by the lesbians, who had raunchy gifts, silly bridal-wear and a list of assignments for the bride. One of these assignments was to kiss a straight women, and after we pointed out that Abby is a straight woman, she got her first lesbian kiss (bringing the number of people Abby has kissed to 73).

After dinner we walked a few thousand miles trying to figure out which bar we wanted to go to, and finally settled at Ginger, where we drank, watched weird videos on the wall, and did the Funky Chicken (or maybe that was just Andi?).

On Saturday we had a group breakfast at the Elbow Room, where insulting the customer is the name of the game. For example, when we arrived and found out they had forgotten our breakfast reservation for 11 people, Hannah - who was perfectly calm at the time - was told "don't get in a huff." They also made Abby wear an ugly and uncomfortable hat. Good times.

When we were done being verbally assaulted, Jen and I headed to do a little shopping while the rest of the group went for a bike ride. The shopping might night have warranted a mention, except that while walking between stores, we passed none other than Pierce Brosnan! He was in town filming a new movie, according to the Globe & Mail. When we first spotted him, I had one of those "Hey, that guy looks a lot like Pierce Brosnan" moments, and then realized it actually was Pierce Brosnan. We held it together while he walked toward us, then promptly looked at each other and collapsed in giggles as soon as he had passed. In true movie star fashion, he didn't react in the slightest. And in case you were wondering, yes, he's as attractive in person as on screen.

While it was hard to top our celebrity encounter, some of our purchases helped us do just that. Jen and I had picked up some special gifts for Abby - a whip, collar and leash - which we gave to her during a little party in her room before the evening's festivities. Abby was already a spectacle in a white sundress and veil, but when we headed out for the night with her on the leash, we attracted non-stop attention. Old ladies gaped in horror, men grinned lasciviously, cars slowed, and little children asked, "Mommy, why is that lady on a leash?" It was a blast.

Sushi dinner was great, the gay drag show a little less so, but all told it was a very enjoyable and entertaining weekend. We got to hear about how Andi deflowered a priest (!), learn a few tidbits we didn't know about Abby and Scott (say hi to Joe and the girls, please), chat with a drag queen, and conquer Kim's personal version of hell - listening to techno while waiting for a drag show to commence. What more could a girl ask for?

More photos at http://babas.typepad.com/photos/great_northwest/.

Zip me up

Yesterday I went on a Zipline Tour, which was SO COOL! I can't recommend this highly enough. Unless you're scared of heights - then it would basically suck.

The tour consists of gliding along a series of steel siplines supsended high above the river that divides Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. They just opened a new, higher and longer course that I opted for, which takes you as high as 450 feet and one line almost a half mile long.

In between ziplines, you take short hikes, some through suspended bridges and platforms high in the trees of an old-growth forest. The guides give an overview of mountain ecology, and it was pretty cool to learn that Whistler is working to become the world's most sustainable community.

I'm very impressed that they came up with this method for people to be able to see the old-growth forests with minimal impact, and this is yet another example of how Whistler is more than just a ski destination. In fact, one of the guides told me they operate the zipline tours every day of the year.

There were about 10 of us on the tour, including a kid who looked to be about 8 years old. Most of us didn't find out until later that he had a bit of a breakdown after he got out of the van at the first zipline, but his mother worked some magic and he did the tour with gusto. I suppose the prospect of admitting you're scared in front of your two older brothers is enough to get any kid to fling himself across a river several hundred feet in the air. His oldest brother proved the gutsiest though - he went across one of the lines upside down.

Also on the tour were three Japanese guys who didn't speak much English, which became evident on the longest line. The guide had asked us to do a "cannonball" the whole way across, because on that particular line the wind can slow you down so much that you won't make it all the way to the other side. At which point they just desert you, since you clearly need to learn a lesson. (Okay, actually they extend a hook along the line and drag you in by your gear.) Anyway, one of the Japanese guys clearly didn't get the concept of the cannonball, because as he was coming across we could see he had his arms and legs extended as far as he possibly could. Pretty much the exact opposite of a cannonball. Needless to say, he got the hook.

On the drive up, we also got to see some of the construction for the 2010 Olympics. This shot is where one of the bobsled runs will be. The tour didn't end with another van ride though - it turns out the final zipline drops you right into the village. Cool!

More photos at http://babas.typepad.com/photos/great_northwest/.

Getting some R&R

I've been in Whistler for two days now, and so far it's living up to my expectations. The village actually reminds me a lot of Chamonix, but bigger and more Americanized (think Gap Kids and Spaghetti Factory).

I arrived Sunday night and settled into the Westin, which has been great on all fronts except one: The air conditioning. Turns out Whistler doesn't often get 90- to 100-degree highs, so the air conditioning isn't really equipped to handle that kind of heat. Thankfully, the weather cooled down to the 80s, so my thermostat has actually gone below 74 today.

I spent my first day doing strenuous things like sleeping in, doing yoga, getting a massage, laying out by the pool and napping. I did manage to drag myself out to dinner at a French restaurant called Val D’Isere, which I highly recommend. The food was fantastic, and the outdoor seating offers great people-watching.

Today, I opted for a slightly more active day, with a trip to Whistler Peak. The ride up the Gondola took at least 20 minutes, and then there was a hike and an additional chairlift ride to get to the peak, which is more than 7,000 feet above sea level. The views were gorgeous, including a slice of an actual glacier, although I have to admit the most breathtaking sight was on the very steep final leg of the chairlift.

After checking out the peak, I hiked the Harmony Lake loop, which was great going in - downhill, great views, culminating in the arrival at the beautiful Harmony Lake. As you may have deduced by now, however, the return was not so fun. A steep uphill climb the whole way back, with the sun beating down on me and mosquitos that swarmed every time I paused to catch my breath. Blech. But it was worth it for the stellar views. Which is easy to say now that it's over.

More photos at http://babas.typepad.com/photos/great_northwest/.

Get on the bus

Today I'm blogging on a bus on my way from Seattle to Whistler, by way of Vancouver B.C. I decided to do the train/bus combo instead of driving, and while I'm glad not to be behind the wheel for 5-6 hours today, I could live without the public transport experience.

Yes, I admit it - I'm a public transport snob. I'm fine with it under the right circumstances, but US buses and trains don't fit those criteria. For example, the train leaving Portland yesterday left 45 minutes late. Not because it arrived 45 minutes late, mind you - everyone had boarded in plenty of time to leave as scheduled. So why were we late, you might ask? I couldn't tell you, since there was no announcement, apology, or communication of any sort.

As for the bus, it's okay I guess, minus the annoying British 20-something girls who keep clapping and giggling, one of whom arrived at the departure time without a ticket, holding us up an extra 10 minutes. Thank goodness for my iPod - without it, the exposure to the general public would probably kill me (death by annoyance).

Last night was Erik's (of Erik & Lenore) 40th birthday party. It was actually his 40 ½ birthday, since the dead of winter isn't the greatest time of year for a party in Seattle. They hosted a dinner cruise, which was a fabulous choice, considering the high temps we've been experiencing in the northwest the past few days (107 in Portland Friday!). The breezes off the water were a welcome relief, though I was still tempted to molest the ice sculpture.

The cruise took a couple laps around Lake Union, giving us a great view of the Space Needle and downtown Seattle, then went over to Lake Washington via the ship canal that connects the two lakes. On Lake Washington we got to see how the rich and famous live - the highlight being when we cruised by Bill Gates' house. (It's quite the setup, though hard to tell from the photos, since they've done a good job of using trees to keep out prying eyes.) We also got to see a spectacular sunset - all told, a lovely evening.

Back to the bus now - we just had to abandon the British girls at the Canadian border because one of them can't find her passport. Classic. You can imagine how sad I am to see them go.

More when I get to Whistler.

P.S. Additional photos at http://babas.typepad.com/photos/great_northwest/index.html.

That's right - I'm not from Texas (but I love Lyle Lovett anyway)

It took me a while to get around to downloading the photos off my phone, but here are a few snaps from the Lyle Lovett concert I went to the weekend before last with my Mom, Katie, Mark, Nicole and Nate. It was the debut of the new summer concert series at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon.

The Oregonian had some interesting background on the venue:

"Its original run as a concert site, beginning in 1994, was short-lived. According to several sources in the concert business, McMenamins managers felt the shows were too disruptive to the lucrative weddings and other business at the site. But sometimes a good idea is worth trying again. And so the eastern part of the grounds at Edgefield will once again be a field of musical dreams this summer."

Lyle and his large band were a fantastic choice to kick off the return of this venue. Lyle is always entertaining, and this was the first time I've seen him perform with the large band, and they rocked the house. Even Katie's husband Mark was into it, defying his preconception that Lyle = country.

Sorry for the lame cell phone photos. I lost my camera charger, but I've ordered a replacement, so the suffering should be over soon.

A Day in the Life

My boss complained about my snoozer of a blog entry earlier this week, so it looks like I'll have to resort to writing about my business travel. Last night and today I was in San Francisco for a processor launch at the Four Seasons, which sounds more exciting than it actually was. People who don't do much business travel think it's all very glamorous and fun. Those people are wrong.

After a late evening flight on a cramped little Horizon Air plane, I arrived at my hotel around midnight. Did I mention my hotel was the Marriott? Yeah - if you thought Intel was springing for employees to sleep at the Four Seasons just because we have an event there, you were wrong again.

Six hours later (keeping in mind that I'm one of those people who needs a full eight hours), I woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head, and did an hour of e-mail before looking up and noticing I was late. Around the block to the event (suitcase & laptop bag in tow) for four hours of standing in heels, applauding on cue, and politely schmoozing.

The highlight of the day was a stolen hour gabbing with a CNET reporter (and fellow blogger) about corporate blogging trends and strategies, with a tangent on child-rearing philosophies (his, since I have no legitimate grounds for having any).

Then off to the airport, quick get online to catch up on e-mail, oh wait, flight's delayed, more e-mail, now hurry up and get on the plane so we can wait on the tarmac for what feels like eons, wait for the beep so I can open my laptop and do yet more e-mail, say a silent thanks for Horizon Air's free beer and wine, finally land in Portland, fight the traffic home, and finally - breathe a sigh of relief... home at last.

Ready to sign up for corporate life yet? :-)

Congrats to Ash

Congratulations to my reporter friend Ashlee Vance, who was published in the Economist this month. You can read his fabulous article about the Los Alamos National Laboratory here.

My travels so far this year

I've traveled a LOT this year, and am sorry to say I didn't take photos of most of it. After returning from Thailand, in the last six months I've been to Santa Clara and San Francisco, CA (many times); Mount Hood, OR; Boston; New Jersey; Phoenix, AZ; the Oregon coast; and Seattle.

I do have a few cell phone snaps the trip to Arizona. I was there for work, but came in early to spend the weekend hanging out with my coworker Laura and her friends Becky and Lyndsay. It was a fun girly weekend, with pedicures, a trip to the Frank LLoyd school, pool time, and more.

   

Starting up again

If you're a regular follower of my travel blogs, you've probably noticed that my past blogging has been around major trips - my two month sabbatical in Europe, and a four-month rotation in Asia. Hold on to your seats though, because that's about to change.

That's right - starting now, you get fabulous Barbara blogging year-round, whenever I'm traveling, or just have something exciting to share. I've also merged my sabbatical and Asia blogs into this one.

I know, it's exciting. Try to contain yourself.