I’m Back

Just got back from a few weeks in California. We were there for a family wedding, some visiting, and a little R&R.

Our trip coincided with the mid-term elections there. Now it's tempting for a Canadian (especially one as wise and all-knowing as I) to comment on the state of American politics, but I'm going to (mostly) refrain. America's problems are deeply enmeshed in its social conditions, history, and political traditions: any solutions have to come out of that context, not from the glib prescriptions of outsiders. The issues confronting Americans, and Californians specifically, are so complex, that, frankly, I rarely could think of anything useful to say. And besides, I'm not sure our own politics could withstand close scrutiny any better.

Another thing my brief visit taught me is that Americans are far more diverse than Canadians generally assume. So, mostly, I listened. And while I heard partisans and politicians on both sides purport to have all the answers (well, the victorious Republicans anyway. The Democrats looked liked the dazed survivors of a car wreck), ordinary folk were more ambivalent. While I didn't detect a consensus on any issues, most people I spoke to expressed a simple desire that all sides could work together to find common ground to address the challenges facing their state and nation.

So enough of the serious stuff. What did I do that was fun?

We concluded our trip with a five-day visit to Palm Springs, a part of California we hadn't been to before. It's in the desert about a two hour drive southeast of Los Angeles, nestled in the Coachella Valley, surrounded by mountains, the highest of which reaches nearly 3,300 metres. They block out clouds that would bring rain, making the climate dry, hot, and sunny. While we were there, temperatures ranged from 28C-38C, with humidity of about 25% and plenty of sunshine. In fact, the area boasts 354 days of sun a year. Since temperatures average over 40C for several months in the summer, winter is the peak tourist season.

That makes it popular with retirees, and golf courses and snowbirds abound. Much of the surrounding, and actually interspersed, land belongs to the Agua Caliente Cahuilla Native Americans. They operate various enterprises, including casinos and resorts, but also have preserved ancestral areas for hiking and archaeological investigation.

Palm Springs itself has about 45,000 permanent residents and there are several other contiguous towns and cities, each with its own character. Palm Springs seems the most diverse, with a large artistic and gay/lesbian population. Palm Desert is more upscale, with a shopping street, the Paseo, reminiscent of a mini-Rodeo Drive. Cathedral City seems like the poorer cousin, while we stayed in a hotel and golf/spa resort that was actually in Rancho Mirage, which seemed to be composed largely of golf courses and gated communities.

Gated communities appear to be the dominant residential pattern and that was a bit disconcerting to us. Driving past kilometre after kilometre of wall with only the occasional entrance and gatehouse created a sense that there was no "there" there in some places.

We liked the Palm Springs area: the spectacular mountain scenery, the warmth and sunshine. But if we return we'd probably choose to stay in Palm Springs proper, as there's more to see and do within walking or short-driving distance.

A Week in Boston – Part 2

During our week in Boston, we stayed in a Hyatt Summerfield Suites hotel in suburban Waltham. Intended primarily as longer stay, executive accommodation for the many high tech firms in the area, we shared a two-bedroom, two-bath suite with another couple. The rate for a two-bed suite isn't that much more than for a one-bed, but sharing effectively cut our room rate in half. Our suite also had a full kitchen and living area. Parking, wi-fi, breakfast, and a light evening meal Monday through Thursday were all complimentary. The hotel also had a pool, spa, fitness room and business center. A complimentary hotel shuttle operated in a six-mile radius. It's a great choice for families or groups of friends like us.

We got even greater value by taking advantage of a little-known offer available at Costco. Members can purchase $100 worth of Hyatt check (sic) certificates for $80, effectively taking 20% off their rate. You simply use them like cash when you check out. There was a Costco a few minutes away and I called ahead to make sure there were some in stock (stores sometimes run out). I know it sounds almost too good to be true, but it's for real.

And remember: no matter which hotel you stay at, check to see if it's part of a chain. If so, go online and sign up for the loyalty program. It doesn't matter if you'll never stay there again; in your member profile you can set your earnings preference to earn points in the airline miles plan of your choice instead of the hotel's plan.

We stayed in Waltham because hotel rates in Boston, especially in summer, are very expensive. By sharing a two-bedroom suite and using the check certificates, we saved at least 75% off the price of a room in a downtown hotel. But we still had to get downtown.

Fortunately, Boston has an extensive and inexpensive transit system, the MBTA, or "T". A week-long pass cost only $15. We drove to the nearby station, parked for $5.75 a day, and took a 35-minute ride into the city. Inconvenient, yes, but our group of four couples saved literally thousands on the cost of accommodation.

And when I got home, I got a piece of good news. You may recall my writing on March 31 about for-a-fee U.S. dollar credit cards available from Canadian banks, which save you the 2.5% "foreign currency conversion fee" you're charged if you use your Canadian credit card in the U.S. I mentioned that BMO waived the $25 annual fee the first year for my card, but the good news in the mail when I got home was that if I spend $1,000 per year (no problem there), the fee will be waived every year from now on. So, to summarize: get the card and save 2.5%; spend $1,000 per year and it's free.

Cheaping out when you travel robs you of most of its pleasure, but finding ways to save money lets you travel more and leaves you with more money for the things you enjoy.

A Week in Boston -- Part 1

Nothing turns out exactly the way you plan.

I'm just back from a week in Boston. Some of the things I did, I hadn't planned on, and I didn't do some of the things I was looking forward to, but it was an interesting and enjoyable time anyway.

For example, I hadn't planned on being hit by a cyclist while crossing the street (he was running a red light on the curb side of a van). No serious damage, just shaken up and a bruised forearm.

I didn't get to the Boston Brewing Company, home of Sam Adams Boston Lager. Sam Adams brews were available everywhere -- the Sam's Summer Ale was especially tasty as a lunch-time beer -- so a long subway ride to the brewery just didn't seem worth it. I've seen plenty of breweries. I didn't eat at Cheers either, but I did make it to the gift shop in the Quincy Market for a few souvenirs.

I did get to Watch City Brewing in Waltham, though. No bacon-flavoured beer, but plenty of other weird and wonderfully flavoured brews made on site and great food. Recommended. And everywhere we ate, there were locally brewed beers of high quality. I tried as many as I could.

For me, the most memorable parts of a holiday are often the things you didn't know about until you stumbled upon them. Most memorable taste was the scallops at Legal Seafood in Boston. Grilled simply, they were still the slightest bit translucent on the inside -- perfection. And most memorable meal was lunch on the rooftop deck at 7th Wave in Rockport on Cape Ann, an hour north of Boston. A breeze off the ocean on a hot day, a view of the harbour, and a new sandwich discovery -- how come no one thought of this before? -- the smoked salmon BLT.

Most over-rated restaurant was Giacomo's on Hanover Street in the North End's Little Italy. TripAdvisor rates it #4 of nearly 2,000 Boston restaurants and #1 for Italian food. It's small and crowded and the line forms before the doors open at 5:00. The prices are reasonable, especially for wine, and while the food is good (not great), the atmosphere is more fast food than fine dining. Cash only, no desserts. Go across the street to Mike's Pastries.

There was also a Red Sox game, a day-long bus tour of the city, the Common, Freedom Trail, the Aquarium, the Market, and Harvard. Probably my favourite day, the day spent touring the campus and some of the museums reminded me that learning and scholarship still do matter in a world that sometimes seems dominated by reality TV and Shakespalin.

Next post, I'll write about our accommodations, getting around Boston, and some ways we found to make our holiday more affordable.