Sweet Home Chicago

Well friends, this is it.  With the summer within reach, we have finally landed at our final destination. And, of course, what would be a better way to wrap things up than in the city I call home, Chicago?

Chicago River and surrounding skyline.  Photo courtesy of HuffingtonPost.com

I could go on for days about things you can do/see in Chicago:

• Shopping?  Hit up Michigan Avenue. 
• Into broadway musicals?  Checkout Broadway in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, Chicago Theatre or Bank of America Theatre (just to name a few).
• Enjoy art?  Chicago has several art institutes/museums you can spend a full day at such as The Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art and DePaul's Art Museum.
• Sports fanatic?  Go to a Chicago Cubs, Chicago Sox, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Fire or Chicago Sky game and experience it first-hand rather than in front of your television screen.
• None of those options seem interesting to you?  Visit The Bean, Navy Pier, The Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, take a boat ride on the Chicago River, or relax at one of the 18 places to recharge and feel inspired!

These are only a handful of places to see while visiting the City of Chicago.  By now, you know that we don't focus on these places while in our destination's country.  Oh, no, we like to find something different and bring light to it.  That's why today, for our final destination, we are going to focus on the food truck industry of Chicago.

Doughnut Vault

The Vault Truck.  Photo courtesy of wttw.com

The Doughnut Vault truck, referred to as "The Vault" on the streets of Chicago, comes out between 7:30-8:30 a.m. everyday and will "ride 'n' park" until The Vault is empty.  Everyday Doughnut Vault features two-to-three specials.  For instance, according to their Twitter: "@doughnutvault: #Franklin has birthday cake old fashioned on special today! And the jelly is raspberry filled with vanilla glaze." Doughnut Vault tweets and updates Facebook on their every move.  If you're having a hard time finding The Vault, there is a Chicago Food Truck Finder website where every verified Chicago food truck's current location is pinned!

Flirty Cupcakes

Flirty Cupcakes On Wheels and cupcakes.  Photo courtesy of foodsmackdown.com

Flirty Cupcakes not only has Flirty Cupcakes on Wheels, but also two Chicago-based locations.  Offering baking classes, delivery and catering opportunities, Flirty Cupcakes is the perfect shop (or stop) for sweet-lovers.  Flirty Cupcakes on Wheels is said to be on the intersection of "oohh and aahh," but if you cannot find that intersection on Google Maps, their full van stop schedule van be found on their website.

The Corner Pharmacy

The Corner Farmacy's truck.  Photo courtesy of thecornerfarmacy.com

If your taste buds aren't fans of cupcakes or doughnuts, The Corner Farmacy is most likely to be your favorite!  Providing Chicagoans with "fresh eats on the streets," the Corner Farmacy aims to bring together community and local resources.  The menu offers seasonal eats as well as freshly squeezed juices.  A sample menu as well as their daily routes can be found on their homepage!

I've had a blast exploring the world with you, but it is time for you to explore on your own.  I hope that you have enjoyed our destinations and have opened your mind to other cultures throughout our time together.

If nothing else, remember this: 

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."

-St. Augustine

Reservation for Two

Hello friends, and welcome back!  I have a special treat for you this week.  Usually on Hidden Coves, we explore actual destinations; that's so amateur of us!  As somebody who loves to travel, I nearly forgot one of the most important parts of the traveler's checklist: where are we going to stay?

Have no fear!  This week we aren't going to find just another hidden gem.  Instead, we're going to find several hidden gems that allow us to not only see them, but stay in them.  So pack your bag, but not too heavy.  After all, we still have to travel around the world in order to check in to our reservation!

Poseidon Undersea Resort

Poseidon.  Photo courtesy of jebiga.com

First on our list is Poseidon.  Creatively named after the Greek God of the Sea, Poseidon is set to be the first underwater resort in the world.  Now, before you leave my blog (not that you would EVER do that) and try to make reservations, re-read that last sentence: it is set to be the first undersea resort.  

Poseidon's concept is currently being brought to life off of the Fijian coast thanks to US Submarines, Inc.'s President L. Bruce Jones.  It will be located 40-feet under water and accessible by two elevators.  One elevator will lead to a unit including 24 suites, a restaurant and a bar.  The other will lead to a separate unit that includes a library, a spa, a conference room, a theatre and a wedding chapel.

Photos courtesy of lanewstalk.com and gallivant.com 

If you haven't fainted from either your anxiety or excitement yet, I'm sure this will do just the trick: one week's stay at Poseidon will set you back $30,000.  

Now, if you're still with me, check out this official concept video of Poseidon.  I know that most people cannot afford it, but it doesn't hurt to dream.

Kakslauttanen's Glass Igloos 

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort.  Photo courtesy of weather.com

Moving a little closer to what I would assume is a desired price point, we come to Finland's Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. With prices averaging about $200 per person per night during the high-season, singles, couples and families can live in a glass-roofed igloo with an unbelievable view of the Northern Lights.

Photo courtesy of tourismontheedge.com

Aside from the view, this resort provides guests with many more amenities than most.  Guests have access to PR events being held at the resort, such as top-of-the-line car launches.  Smoke saunas and ice swimming are also included in your stay; both are believed to relieve physical and spiritual stress.  If that isn't enough, you can always rent equipment and clothing to ski or sled.  Afterwards, try out some of the food at one of the many restaurants on-site.

TreeHouse Point

TreeHouse Point's Binbibi treehouse.  Photo courtesy of treehousepoint.com

Calling all inner-children!  Our final hidden hotel this week is TreeHouse Point located right here in the United States.  TreeHouse Point emphasizes the importance of connecting with nature, and what better way for us to experience total peace and tranquility than living in the forest for a night?  

Because TreeHouse Point is inspired by nature, they offer tours as well as yoga sessions three days a week.   For those that are not afraid of group yoga, a drop-in class is only $15, or you can purchase a 5-class punchcard for $60.  You can also schedule a 60-minute, one-on-one session for $75 or even purchase private group sessions.  Prices vary on the number of guests.

There are endless possibilities to connect with the great outdoors.  Today we only explored three of the countless hotels and resorts where you are face-to-face with nature from the moment you arrive.  That's all for this week, come back in two weeks when we reveal the final hidden cove!

The DR Has It All (Literally)

Hello, and welcome back!  Last week we explored Caminito del Rey, the world's most dangerous hiking trail.  This week, I thought we would change things up just a bit.

Usually on Hidden Coves, we explore all of the beautiful and underrated places our world has to offer.  Unfortunately, we never take time to realize that many hidden gems are located right next to places people would never want to explore.

Neighborhood in a typical Dominican city.

Two years ago, I spent two weeks in Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana.  To most, this city would be considered anything but paradise: no beaches, no gourmet food, and you couldn't even drink the water!  Unlike in America, it was rare for the children to have two-parent households (or, should I say hut-holds), and it was even rarer to have a parent that wasn't involved in either drugs or prostitution.

Now I know that you may be thinking, "why is Hannah's Hidden Cove this week so depressing?"  Just hang in there!  I promise I have a point.

For 12 of the 14 days I was in the Dominican, I stayed in this city with these kids.  We made crafts and sang together every day.  I played street baseball when I had free time.  I ate food prepared by the locals.  I knew these kids and their stories.  They lived anything but the "American dream" that we all are comfortably living today.

When we think of a third-world country, these are the images that typically come to mind.  We picture children playing on the streets and UNICEF commercials asking us to donate money.  Yet we rarely realize what's happening just down the street from these communities.

Resort in the Dominican Republic.  Photo courtesy of cheapcaribbean.com

For the final two days of my mission trip, we stayed in an all-inclusive resort.  We drove only an hour away from the poverty-stricken community in which we were staying beforehand.  To me, it's absolutely crazy to believe that, after driving only one hour, we were able to switch from a third- to a first-world community.  The Dominican Republic really has it all.  

The resort my mission team stayed in.

So, in today's blog, I'm switching it up.  I believe that the hidden gem in the Dominican Republic isn't the resort which I stayed in.  Although the resort had multiple gourmet buffets, swimming pools with cabanas to swim to and drink, and the Atlantic Ocean as its backyard, that is not what I considered paradise.  To me, paradise was seeing the children smile as they learned the words to a new song and created a new craft.  

So, friends, that is why this week's hidden cove is Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  I challenge you to find the beauty that is hiding under a coat of dust.  I know that when I found it, it stuck with me much longer than the photographs of a beautiful ocean or castle did.  

That's all I have for you this week.  Remember to come back next week as we reveal another hidden cove!  Have you visited anywhere that stuck out?  Comment below and let me know.  Who knows, maybe your hidden cove will be featured!

(No Longer) The Most Dangerous Trail in the World

It's not every week that I get to share a hidden gem that is what one might consider "newsworthy," but this week is different!  Two days ago, Caminito del Ray, known for being the most dangerous trail in the world, reopened its entry points for tourists.  Grab your hardhat and hang on tight, this week's hidden cove might make your heart skip a beat!

Caminito del Rey, photo courtesy of Reuters. 

Caminito del Rey is a five-mile path along the walls of the El Chorro gorge in Southern Spain.  Originally constructed between 1901-1905, the walkway was used as a connection road between two hydroelectric plants.  It was then named Caminito del Ray, or "King's Little Pathway," by King Alfonso XIII in 1921.  

The pathway was closed for good in 2000 when many tourists fell to their deaths.  The entryways were destroyed; anybody caught trespassing would be fined a minimum of $6,500.  

Photos courtesy of Reuters. 

The trail reopened this week after undergoing a $5.8 million restoration project.  Unfortunately, the trail is no longer considered the most dangerous one in the world, but I think anybody would agree that being a little safer is much more worthwhile than having a catchy title.  

The renovations included rebuilding or reconstructing a majority of the walkways.  Wood and steel walkways now hover just above the original walkways, as seen below.  Before the renovations, handrails did not exist in the park.  

Photo courtesy of Reuters. 

Tourists will still consider this walkway "dangerous" and "risky," for many of the pathways are still very narrow and over 300-feet above the ground.  Luckily, a new protocol for this route is that all hikers must wear a hardhat - provided by the groundskeepers.  There is also now a minimum age requirement for the trail, eight-years-old, as well as restrictions for handicapped tourists.  As they say, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Tickets can be purchased online for tourists preparing to walk the trail.  Groups of 50 depart every 30 minutes, and park officials expect about 600 tourists will complete the trek each day.  Tickets are already booked up until late June.

If you aren't one for experiencing heights, this trek may not be for you.  Hey, that's OK!  We are bound to find another hidden cove that will give you the same sense of adrenaline without the height, narrowness, and spine-chilling sensations that come with the Caminito del Ray package.  

Remember to come back next week as we explore the world and find hidden gems together.  Until then!

To "Ta Prohm"

Known to many travelers as the "Kingdom of Contradictions," the Kingdom of Cambodia is exactly that.  From beauty to neglect, rich to poor, and even new to old, Cambodia is filled with hidden treasures for the curious traveler to uncover.  That's where we head to today, so buckle up; we are about to travel not only across the globe from our last destination, but also back in time: hundreds of years ago!

Ta Prohm Temple in Angkor, Cambodia.  Photo courtesy of visitwonders.com

The Ta Prohm Temple is known by several different names.  Depending on who one is speaking with, this same temple may be referred to as the "temple of Angkor" or "Rajavihara."

Sometime between the 12th and 13th Century, the Ta Prohm Temple was built under the order of Khmer King Jayavarman VII.  The temple was originally built to be a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university.  It then became a very well-known temple, but as the Khmer Empire fell, Ta Prohm was abandoned.  It went centuries without any visitors.

Roots are seen growing through the temple.  Photo courtesy of WordPress.com

Finally the 21st Century comes around, as do some visitors.  The Ta Prohm finally had somebody wondering about its history and try to restore its natural beauty.  Unfortunately, there is not a single photograph of the original, functioning temple - which makes sense considering that was hundreds of years before the camera was invented - but nevertheless, there is no possible way to fully restore the temple.

In 1992, UNESCO added Ta Prohm to the World Heritage List.

As of 2013, the Archeological Survey of India has maintained most of the temple, making sure that it is safe for visitors to walk into.  Many of the restorations were done by scratch.  The Archeological Survey of India is content with the rehab that was put in, for they wanted to make sure that the temple was safe, yet still showed the neglect it received throughout the centuries.

 

Inside the temple.  Photo courtesy of WTFoto.com and tripideas.org

Legend has it that King Jayavarman VII constructed Ta Prohm in honor of his family.  Details inside the temple are modeled after his mother, father, brother and guru.  Remains of those artifacts still reside inside the temple.

There is much, much more history and beauty than I can put into words in this week's blog post.  If you are interested in learning more about the Ta Prohm Temple, start off with a virtual panoramic tour, provided by Air Pano.

That's all for this week!  Remember to stop by next Wednesday as we reveal the next hidden wonder. Until then!

Say "Neigh!"

Hi friends, welcome back!

Have you ever noticed that many of our destinations are pretty timeless?  That is, most places that we have visited weren't made or created just yesterday.  Today's hidden cove is different; it may have not been created just yesterday, but it was created about one and one-half years ago.  Buckle up and get ready for the ride!

Being only 246 miles away (for us Midwesterners, that's about a six and one-half hour's drive) from last week's destination, today we are visiting The Kelpies in Scotland.  Imagine this: you're driving on a highway, already accompanied by naturally beautiful scenery, when you see two horse heads towering 100 feet above you!  What's that I hear?  You're saying, "neigh, I don't believe you?"  

The Kelpies, photographed by stevehuffphoto.com

Do you believe me now?

In October of 2013, street artist and sculptor Andy Scott completed the sculptures that now mark the beginning of the Forth and Clyde Canal.  The canal was actually extended to accommodate for the Kelpies, which opened to the public in April of 2014.

If you're wondering why Andy Scott created two 100-feet tall horse heads, you probably aren't from Scotland.  You see, these monuments celebrate the history of Scotland and its horse-powered heritage.   The Kelpies' name is also significant, for it reflects the mythological transforming beasts that have the strength of ten horses.  This, then, is comparable with the transformational change and endurance of Scotland's inland waterways.

When asked about the design, Andy Scott stated:

"The original concept of mythical water horses was a valid starting point for the artistic development of the structures ... I took that concept and moved with it towards a more equine and contemporary response, shifting from any mythological references towards a socio-historical monument intended to celebrate the horse's role in industry and agriculture as well as the obvious association with the canals as tow horses."  

Want a three-dimmensional view of this sculpture?  You can get that without traveling to the Kelpies!  Check out this video: 

And as if the sculpture alone isn't enough, the lighting at night time makes it completely awing! 

 

Photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk and roseparks.co.uk

If you are lucky enough to visit these horses, there is more to do than simply take a selfie.  The Kelpies has its own visitor center, available to provide tourists with tons more information than I have provided here and even guided tours.  

The Kelpies are actually set in a park called The Helix, so once the tour is over and ten selfies are taken, visitors can take part in daily events listed on The Helix's website or simply walk the trails, go cycling, perform some water sports, or even take part in a community volunteer event.

That's all we have for this destination!  Remember to come back next week as we discover another hidden cove.  Have you found any hidden coves while traveling or in your hometown?  Let me know!  Comment below or feel free to e-mail me at hannahtadey@gmail.com. 

Luck of the Irish

Hello, friends!  It has been a while since we last caught up, so let's jump right in.  By the way, happy St. Patrick's Day!  In honor of the holiday, today we are traveling to Ireland.  Buckle up, this is about to be a dazzling ride!

Ireland.  Photo courtesy of www.naturalhistoryonthenet.com 

Today, Ireland is mainly known - and celebrated - for its beer, along with the high alcohol tolerance of the Irish people.  Although St. Paddy's Day is a great reason to grab a beer with some friends, there is much more to this breathtaking country.

Don't believe me?  Well, let's take a quick look some of the places and things Ireland has to offer its 7.3 million yearly tourists:

Guinness

Photo courtesy of Guinness.com

What's a tribute blog to Ireland without their famous Guinness beer?  If, today, you drink some sort of alcohol, make sure it's a Guinness.    After all, the average Irishman drinks 34.6 gallons of beer each year!  According to Ireland Favorites, Guinness has to be poured the proper way in order to have the best taste: "In a clean tulip glass tilt glass at 45 degree angle and fill to 3/4, let the Guinness settle for 90 seconds or so, fill remainder of glass leaving creamy head on top. Admire nicely poured Guinness for a few seconds letting it again settle, take first sip and savor."

Castles

Photo courtesy of untapped cities.com

When looking at a bird's-eye view of Ireland, one would see two main things: greenery and castles.  Castles play a major role in not only the architecture of the land, but also the history.  Now in the 21-century, tourists can go on tours of historic castles, and even rent out rooms in the smaller castles.  When researching some of the castles in Ireland, one smaller one stuck out: Belle Isle Castle.

Belle Isle Castle

Photo courtesy of Belle-Isle.com

The Belle Isle Castle may look mediocre from the outside when compared to other castles.  I mean, look: there's no moat, no high towers for the guards, nothing of that sort.  What this castle does have, however, is Irish charm and character.  The Belle Isle Castle is one that can be rented out to tourists for weddings, parties, or even a couple's getaway.  The rooms are renovated, so they have a more modern charm rather than a "this castle was built in the 1500s and I can tell, but not in a good way" charm.

One can choose to stay directly in the castle or can stay in one of the several cottages on the estate.  If the group has a large number of guests, such as a family, there are newly renovated holiday cottages that can sleep up to eight guests.

When the couple, wedding party, or group of close friends books a stay at the castle, there is much more to do than simply exploring the castle.  With private fishing lakes, shooting ranges and sailboats on the estate, there is more to do than a day's time allows.

That's all I have for you this week!  Have a safe St. Patrick's Day, and remember to join me back here next week when we reveal my next hidden cove!