Green is Good!

Welcome back!

I hope you all have experienced some good luck after eating some paczki last Tuesday.  This week, we are leaving our traditional routes of Europe and America and traveling to the Arabian Peninsula.  The United Arab Emirates, otherwise known as the UAE, is home to 9.2 million people.  Of those people, 7.8 million are expatriates, simply meaning that they are not technically citizens of the UAE, but living in the country, temporarily or permanently, for work.

World map zoomed in on the UAE.  Photo courtesy of ras.ae

The fact that about 85% of the people living in the UAE are there for work is easy to understand.  Think about it, when we usually hear "UAE," we typically picture either the world's tallest skyscraper or the general city of Dubai.

 

Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and Dubai at night. Photos courtesy of wnova.com and docusign.com

It goes without saying that the UAE has much more to offer rather than stunning skylines, and that's where we are heading to today.  Today's destination: Safa Park, Dubai.

The city of Dubai can be roughly compared to New York City.  The town is wall-to-wall jam packed with businesses, restaurants and attractions.  Sure, everybody loves the city life.  That's why people go to New York City: to experience the upscale, urban, fast-paced lifestyle. But there's a reason Central Park exists in NYC, people need time to slow it down.  Dubai has its own "Central Park," named Safa Park. 

Aerial view of Safa Park.  Photo courtesy of magic-uae.ru

Safa Park is located on the outskirts of Dubai.  It was created in 1975 by illegal immigrants who resided in makeshift homes where the park is now located.  The Dubai government had the illegal immigrants create the park and then granted them amnesty.  

The park has been through several renovations.  In the 40 years it has existed, the park went from being a simple nature park to the park we see above with recreational and service facilities.  

A waterfall flows to the largest of the three lakes, where tourists can then go on a boat tour. According to WhatsOn.ae, a website based in Dubai and intended to bring tourists to the city, Safa Park is the "vast park... [the] perfect place to get lost at the weekend – literally if you come across the mini maze." They continue to say that in the park, tourists can also stop at the fresh farmer's market or stop in the Archive for some coffee.

Whether you're in NYC or Dubai, The Smoky Mountains or the Tatras Mountains, there is serenity just around the corner.  Come back next week as we reveal yet another hidden cove. 

Being "Buried" Isn't Necessarily A Bad Thing

Hello all!

As you probably know, today is Fat Tuesday; the day we indulge in all of those sweet treats that we promise to give up for these next 40 days of Lent.  Fat Tuesday also means another thing, though.  Today is Paczki Day!

Photo of delicious paczki courtesy of ChicagoNow.com

Paczki are doughnut-like pastries, traditional to Polish cuisine.  The pastries are fried, filled with either creme or jelly, and finally topped with either glaze or powdered sugar.  There goes that New Year's resolution of eating clean, at least for today!

The Poles are six-times as lucky as we Americans that are celebrating this tradition today, though.  As the old tradition goes, the Poles celebrated this Fat Day as, more or less, Fat Week.  The Thursday before Lent begins is Fat Thursday, marking the beginning of a week-long adventure of stuffing your face with greasy, lard-filled foods and washing it all down with vodka.  Although the Poles don't stick to such tradition anymore, they still celebrate Fat Week with Paczki.

Polish tradition holds much more than this sweet treat, though.  Traveling to the boarder of Poland and Slovakia, we find the hidden gem of Zakopane, which literally translates to "buried". 

Zakopane's view from the mountain tops.  Photo courtesy of fotocommunity.com

Buried between the mountains, the 32-square-mile city of Zakopane once served as an underground staging route between Poland and Hungary.  It later became known for its unique architecture, simply known as Zakopane Style.  

Only 250,000 tourists visit Zakopane annually, which is a shame considering what the city has to offer.  Whatever the weather, tourists have enough to keep themselves busy for a long stay.

Mountaineering (Mountain Climbing), Skiing and Snowboarding 

Kasprowy Wierch, photo courtesy of tematy.podroze.gazeta.pl

Zakopane is a dream come true for winter adventure enthusiasts.  The city has hosted the FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships on several occasions.  The city also hosted the 2015 Fadoodalie Winter Olympic Games; it even had a bid on the 2006 Winter Olympics.  Many tourists will ski and snowboard Kasprowy Wierch mountain.  If you're more into mountain climbing, the Mieguszowiecki szcyzyt trail is for you.

Hiking, Climbing and Spelunking

Morskiego Oka, photo courtesy of Tamerlan

Zakopane is the perfect summer destination for mountain hiking and climbing lovers.  Morskiego Oka holds the largest peak in the Polish Tatras Mountains; Rysy is 2,499 meters above the surface.  If you're up for a mysterious adventure, you can always go spelunking (cave exploring) as well.

Experiencing Goral Culture

Kulig, photo courtesy of Robert Wojtowicz

The term "Goral" translates to "mountain" or "hill".  Considering these people live in the valleys of the Polish Tatras Mountains, it is easy to see how they got their name. Goral culture is rich in its unique foods, speech, architecture, music and costume.  If you want to experience this culture at its finest, visit Zakopane around Christmas time.  The Gorals celebrate the holidays with their traditional style, including dances, horse-drawn sleighs (called Kulig), and even roasted lamb. 

Strolling Krupowki Street

Krupowki Street, photo courtesy of yrushka.com

Krupowki Street is the most popular street in Zakopane.  Lined with shops, restaurants, hotels, carnival rides and performers, it is definitely a must-see for tourists.  Krupowki Street is also the perfect destination if you are looking to bring home a traditional souvenir.  Oscypek, a smoked cheese made out of salted sheep milk, is unique to the Tatra Mountain region.  If you aren't a cheese-lover, you can always take home a ciupaga, otherwise called a shepherd's axe. 

That's all I have for you for this hidden gem!  Make sure to go buy a dozen Paczki today so you can experience a bit of Poland with me.  After all, they are said to bring good luck for the year if you eat one on Fat Tuesday!  Come back next week; together we will discover another beautiful hidden cove of the heart. 

"Hello!" From Hidden Hawai'i

Last time we went exploring together, we traveled halfway across the world to Kangaroo Island, Australia.  This time, though, we are traveling somewhere closer to my hometown... Sort of.  We're staying in my country, but we're actually venturing out from the mainland over to the Island of Hawai'i and exploring the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.  Let me warn you, this isn't going to be the "beachy," sunny, or sandy Hawaii you expect!

Photo courtesy of GoHawaii.com

Hawai'i is the largest island of the Hawaiian Islands, but, strangely, is not the island of choice for most tourists.  As we've learned through my other posts, this means that there's bound to be a hidden cove to uncover.  

Not far within the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park lies Nahuku, also known as "Thurston Lava Tube".  The path to Nahuku is a 30 minute descent to "prehistoric times," explains Instant Hawaii.  On the hike down, tall plants will tower over you and your friends; you will quickly begin to smell that "nature in the rain" smell, for the trail becomes dark and moist.  Finally, you arrive at the entrance of Thurston Lava Tube, Nahuku: a 500-year-old lava tube.

Photo courtesy of InstantHawaii.com

These lava tubes, what we mainland Americans would call "caves", were formed hundreds of years ago as volcano magma squeezed through the rocks, leaving caves as their tracks. The dried magma left beautiful, warm colors, which literally surround the tubes.  The ceiling heights vary from 10-feet to as tall as 50-feet.  

There are many tubes breaking off from the main path, but those typically have a dead-end.  Confused?  Picture your veins; there are your main, large veins, which branch off to smaller veins, and then again branch off to smaller veins, and eventually those tiny veins come to a dead-end.  That is exactly how Nahuku is structured.  

 

Photos courtesy of bigislandguru.com

The main path of the cave is already lit, but for you adventurous tourists, there is a completely dark, natural tube right after the lit path ends.  If you plan on venturing on, make sure to bring your own flashlight.  For those who are content with seeing the lit tubes and moving on to other sights of the park, there is an exit right before the unlit tube begins.  

Once you are done hiking through the Nahuku's lava tubes, you will arrive about 100 feet away from where the trail started.  This is definitely an added perk.  Personally, I am always exhausted after I have seen the main attraction, so it's nice that you are only a short walk away from your car.

That's all I have for you this week!  If you would like any additional information on Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, I would recommend visiting GoHawaii.com.  Be sure to return next week as we return to Europe and visit the home of the White Eagle.

Have you visited anywhere unique lately?  Contact me to feature your story!  HannahTadey@gmail.com

Across the Sparkling Sea I See...Kangaroos?

Traveling over 9,500 miles from my last post's location, we arrive in the land of the Aussies.  Now, Aussies tend to live primarily on the Coasts of Australia - especially on the East Coast - in urbanized areas such as Queensland and the Gold Coast.  Unfortunately, many tourists flock to these destinations as well.  Venturing out to other regions, we can find many hidden treasures of the island.

Population map of Australia, 2014.  Courtesy of Reddit.com

For example, on one of Australia's smaller islands south of the mainland is populated by none other than the famous Australian marsupial, the kangaroo.  This island, actually named Kangaroo Island, is home to much more than the kangaroo, though.  According to Australia.com, Kangaroo Island is the home of animals such as sea lions, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, penguins, echidnas, and a diversity of birds.

The island holds more than this wide array of Aussie wildlife, though.  Tourists can also experience original foods and wines, explore the history and mysteries, swim, surf and snorkel the sparkling waters, or they can simply take in the beauty of the natural land.  Though all of that sounds great, I would like to focus on the beauty and history of the island.  If you're interested in the anything else listed above, definitely visit Australia's official website as well as Kangaroo Island's official website.

Kagaroo Island's history begins with European settlers assuming that the land was uninhabited due to the lack of campfires as well as the wildlife still being, well, wild.  There is no documentation as to what happened to the natives already living on the island, however mainland Aussie natives call the island "Karta," which translates to "land of the dead."

Fastforward to the 19 century, history tells the tales of sailors, soldiers and lighthouse keepers.  While visiting the island, tourists can actually experience these parts of history by doing activities such as:

• Staying in a restored lighthouse and reading the lighthouse keeper's diaries about his day-to-day life,
• Diving the waters and personally seeing shipwrecks as old as the 1800's,
• Climbing over 500 steps to experience the same views as a European explorer did to survey the land in the 1900's, or even
• Visiting the first known mulberry tree.

If you're not into physically going places to experience the history, that's OK!  The island also has a museum full of the island's history.  

Let's get down to this 'roo business!  

While visiting the island, take advantage of the land.  Rent an ATV or a bicycle.  While out on the paths, you are guaranteed to spot several kangaroos - and other wild animals - going about their day.  Locals like to call the island "a zoo without fences," for whichever way you look you are bound to see something.  Feel free to take pictures of these island natives for they are very comfortable with the idea of humans being near.

Once you have gotten over the kangaroo hype and want to continue to see what the land has to offer, start by checking out some of the island's points of interest:

• Surf the sand dunes of Vivonne Bay,
• Go caving in the underground caves of Kelly Hill Conservation Park,
• Follow the Dudley Peninsula to Cape Willoughby,
• Swim and sail the bay, or even
• Water dive - South Australia has the best water temperatures for water diving.

If all of this doesn't have you looking up flights to South Australia, I don't know what will!  This island has it all: history, wildlife, tourism amenities, and of course the coast.  Catch you all next week when we travel back to America for another hidden cove of the heart.