Weekend in Monterey

My husband Michael and I spent our first anniversary in Monterey. We woke up early on Saturday and started our mini road trip off with Peet's coffee. It is definitely my favorite way to start a road trip. We chose to drive on Highway 1 for a change of pace, and definitely enjoyed it. As you get closer to Monterey Bay the air changes and the fruit stands beside the road increase.

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Monterey. The hotel reminds me of a lodge almost the way it is situated and the exterior colors. The lobby is nice and open with a fireplace, and the check in process was friendly. They had our room ready at 11:00 AM, so that was a nice surprise. The rooms themselves have been recently upgraded with modern amenities, and the bathroom was awesome! Tile shower with half a glass door, large rectangular sink that sat on top of the counter, great lighting... The room was inviting and comfortable. We had a balcony overlooking the pool, so that was a nice feature. We bought a bottle of Monterey County Pinot Noir and enjoyed it on the balcony while talking and watching people swim. It was a nice way to ease into our first night.

The spa is under renovation, but we were able to get massages in our room. The Hyatt arranged two massage therapists to come up to our room, and it was very relaxing. Usually Michael and I like to explore local eateries and stay away from hotel restaurants, but we decided to be very low key the first night and check out the Hyatt's Italian restaurant Tusca. It was a good choice. One entire wall of the restaurant is floor to celing windows over looking the greens of the golf course. We ate as the sun set, and the view was relaxing. I had the chef's special risotto and a perfectly cooked halibut. Delicious!

The next day was the first Sunday of the football season, so we started off the day with Bloody Marys and football at the Hyatt's sports bar Knuckles before heading out to explore Monterey's wine country. The sports bar was a great start to the day, although I would have to say that the Hyatt's breakfast buffet was a bit over priced.

Monterey's Wine Country is gorgeous! If you haven't checked it out you should definitely do so. The best part of the day was the drive to the first winery. The road is so peaceful and gently follows trees and farmland, and eventually you see the first vineyards. The tasting rooms are for the most part small, but with incredible views. Our absolute favorite view was at Hahn's. They are on the top of a hill at the end of a two mile road through rows and rows of grapes. The view from the parking lot alone is worth the drive out there... The soft yellow and greens of the hills and vineyards are in front of a soft blue sky are what California is all about to me.

Monterey's downtown area is fun, too. They have nice restaurants, bookshops, and coffee shops. We kind of stumbled into an Italian Festival while we were there, so we watched people play bocce ball and people watched. The weather was perfect for walking around. It was about 70 degrees and very pleasant.

We didn't travel very far this time, but we did get away from it all. It was relaxing to just hit the road with our ipod and check out the sites.

So, where should we go next? Hmmm... It is not an unpleasant question to ponder!

Costa Rica – Road to Torteguero

This is my first travel blog, and I have to admit that I am very late in writing it. I recently had the pleasure of touring Costa Rica on a light blue bus with some other travel agents, a couple guides, and a representative from Way to Go Costa Rica. It was a fast paced adventure full of hotels, singing on the bus, Costa Rican beer, a volcano, and oh... so much more.
We started off in San Jose, and we were bused over to the Best Western. The rooms were relatively plain, but welcome after my first redeye flight. (I will have to pause here and add that we flew on Taca airlines and changed planes in San Salvador. They serve food and alcohol for free on Taca. Yes, free. And the service is friendly. The change of planes was not bad in San Salvador, either. The gates were very close and it was unintimidating.)
We settled into our rooms, and everyone went their own ways to grab food and relax for a bit before our hotel inspections for the day. For those of you not familiar with hotel inspections they entail walking around a hotel and checking out the rooms, grounds, and services. They are great for travel agents because we get the chance to really understand a hotel and are better able to recommend it to our clients.
My first Costa Rican Meal: I left the Best Western and went right next door to a small shopping center where they had a food counter of sorts. I had black beans, rice, fried plantains, and a tiny salad. It was delicious! So inexpensive, too. My first meal was a whopping $4.
At this point the other 11 travel agents and I boarded our shuttle and made our way to some hotels in San Jose. I won't list them all here at this point, but if you have any questions, please contact me! I'd love to share. I will say that I saw the San Jose Marriott and Casa Roland among others.
That night we had dinner across the street from our hotel, and then enjoyed our first (of many) Costa Rican beers back at the Best Western bar for Happy Hour. Their happy hour was great! Free drinks for an hour and a half. FREE! They served the national alcohol of choice: Guaro with fresh fruit juice. They also served free beer. We sat outside and talked while drinking our free beverages. We all felt relaxed and like we had finally arrived!
The next day we had to meet our bus at 5:45 AM. They toured us through the city of San Jose before our drive to Torteguero.
The drive to Torteguero was so fun! Let me just tell you about the roads, though. Most of the times the roads are bumpy, and sometimes they are windy. But if you are traveling with a good group and a good driver you won’t even notice! On the way to Torteguero we stopped at the banana plantation and I had my first fresh coconut. It was delicious, especially because it was really hot and humid outside. After a while we stopped at a little restaurant on the side of the road. It was outdoor seating and buffet style. They served Costa Rican’s national dish – Gallo Pinto. Delicious! It is basically black beans, rice, lazano, (the salsa of Costa Rica), onions, cilantro… and maybe a few other things. Sooo good! Traditionally they make Gallo Pinto from the leftover beans and rice from the previous nights’ dinner. The restaurant also had my other favorite – fried plantains. Seriously good.
When you arrive to the canals of Torteguero there is a large convenience store that sells all kinds of snacks and drinks. They also have a tiny kitchen that sells chicken and tortillas for about a dollar. We stocked up on some Imperial beer for the two hour boat ride to our lodge. It was beautiful on the boat. The day was so hot, so it felt great to glide on the water in our open air boat. Our tour guide was amazing. His name is Victor, and he could tell us the name of specific birds just by hearing their calls. The canals are lined with thick foliage, and it opens to the Caribbean.
I would have to say that Torteguero was my favorite part of the entire trip. The thing about the area is that it’s completely cut off from the rest of the world. The lodge we stayed at had a ceiling fan, beds, and a bathroom. That is about it. There are rocking chairs on the porch, and a water cooler outside every few rooms. And you don’t miss the internet or TV or even air conditioning. In Torteguero you are immersed in the wild life and the jungle of it all. It is just you, the rainfall, the monkeys, the birds…
I really could go on and on about Costa Rica, and soon I will tell you more. Next time I’ll tell you about Arenal. We got to see the volcano without cloud cover, and I hear that makes us very lucky. I’ll also tell you about Manual Antonio and our close encounter with over twenty monkeys. Until then, happy travels!