"The Napa Valley of Oysters"

       Personally, I would rather eat fresh seafood than just about anything else. And happily, there is more than ample opportunity to indulge my seafood desires where I live part-time, in Midcoast Maine (by Midcoast I mean about 1.5 hours north of Portland, on the coast). I have posted here numerous times about my adventures as a "fried fish freak" and my adoration for Bet, the force-of-nature behind Bet's Fish Fry on the Boothbay Common (now closed for the season). But there are other joys to explore, even beyond the ever-present lobstah roll. 

      This year I have enjoyed more oysters than ever before, and lately I am meeting more local folks in the oyster business -- farmers, servers, business owners. So I thought it might be fun to guide friends and readers through some places where they might learn, taste and enjoy their own oyster experience. Right now, early Fall, is prime oyster-harvesting season, a good time to get your oysters on.

      First, the warning part: sometimes you can get sick, very sick, from eating a tainted oyster. This has not happened to me, but I know it happens. After reading up on illness from oysters, my own strategy has been to eat oysters that are fresh, kept cold, and come to me close to their source. I also eat them cooked a good part of the time. 

      It turns out that the Damariscotta River presents excellent conditions for growing oysters, and in fact this has been the case since before Christ. While in the area you can visit the Whaleback Shell Middens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaleback_Shell_Midden which were formed between 200 BC and 1000 AD by prehistoric people dumping their oyster shells by the river. There are two midden sites in Damariscotta and Newcastle; I believe that both are in the Register of Historic Sites.

      Today, the River is known as "The Napa Valley of Oysters," since it hosts more than a dozen oyster farms that actively grow oysters under a variety of conditions to create a palette of tastes and consistencies. Some oysters are grown lower and closer to the river bottom, and they will have a bolder flavor that many favor. Those grown closer to where the river meets the sea have briny flavors that people love. It's fun to sample, so my suggestion is to head to a place like The Shuck Station on Maine Street in Newcastle, Maine https://www.facebook.com/ShuckStation/ and try several kinds. My man Brendan Parsons and his staff (esp. Joel) do a fantastic job providing patrons with oyster education and maybe 8 different varieties of local oysters fresh on any given day. You can do a "taste of the river" plate. Beyond this, the staff at Shuck Station has come up with some exciting dishes using cooked oysters --- like fried in a po'boy and oyster tacos, and poached in "brushella" with pesto, fresh tomatoes and a thick slice of mozzerella. Oh, my, that is so tasty! Anyway, the Shuck Station is my "go-to" these days, and my band 32 North plays outside sometimes, so please check it out. 

Map of Damariscotta River showing Farms (courtesy Shuck Station)

Fried Oysters and my fave, Rockefeller

Oyster Taco (above) and Brushella (below)

       For excellent "oyster ed" and some of the best oysters in the area, take a lovely drive on River Road in Newcastle and head down to Glidden Point Oyster Farm  http://www.gliddenpoint.com . Here you can bring a cold bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre and buy your Glidden Point "selects" at $1.50-$2. per oyster. A very well-regarded oyster. You can shuck your own and enjoy them on a picnic bench. Glidden also does an oyster tour (with the awesome Annie) and this is fun and educational. Check with the farm re times. 

More Rockefellers (above);  Annie explains oyster growing, and  some Glidden selects with BYOB (below)

       In Damariscotta, King Eider's Pub  http://www.kingeiderspub.com/1003/Page.aspx presents a very respectable oyster option. Go downstairs into the pub, and order 6 or 12 and enjoy with a variety of brews or other bevs. Fresh, iced and expertly shucked, the Pub does a fine job. But it is a big "tight" downstairs and raw is usually the only option. 

     We have brought friends and family down to Broad Cove Marine and "Lusty's" to enjoy lobster, steamers and other seafood treats in an authentic "in the rough" wharf setting. http://www.broadcovemarine.com/lobster---seafood.html I haven't had oysters there, but lobster and steamers are well-priced and super fresh. And the place is still undiscovered, so never a wait.

      Remember that some of these places close for the season (often after Columbus Day) so always call first. 

      THIS YEAR'S OYSTER FESTIVAL takes place on SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 at Schooner Landing in Damariscotta https://www.damariscottaoyster.com/about/. Mountains of local oysters prepared different ways with exhibits, music and a great atmosphere on the water. Come out and enjoy!

        

BOTSWANA and ZIMBABWE 2018

Just about everyone I met during our recent vacation in Africa agrees that planning  for safari requires lots of consideration, research and money. Even if one decides to simply put the trip in the hands of a travel agent or outfitter, there are still many choices to be made. What area do you want to visit? What are you hoping to see there? What kind of experience are you looking for? What kind of accomodations and food? Given that this is “bucket list” travel, the kind of thing we don’t do every day, and considering the high price tag, choices must be made wisely. 

We’ve just returned from our second safari trip. In 2005 we went to Tanzania and had an awesome adventure exploring Serengeti and the Ngorogoro Crater with a wonderful guide named Peter. We chose an outfitter based on price and its web site (and perhaps its NH location), and we lucked out.

This time we began planning for an April, 2018 trip to Botswana and Zimbabwe back in July 2017. We have had a trusted travel agent for the last ten or so years, so we gave her our wish list and some descriptors and began the process of shaping the trip. In the end, after trip insurance and inter-Africa flights, we could have bought a new car for the dough we parted with.

 In a nutshell, the trip took about two weeks. We flew from Boston through London to Johannesburg, South Africa. We spent a day with a guide visiting Jo’burg including a trip to Aparteid Museum and the Mandela homestead (This guided tour was a gift from our travel agent. We love our travel agent). Then we flew to Maun, Botswana and from there to Shinde camp, located in the Okavango Delta. The safari flights (Safari Air) are run in coordination with the camps in the bush, like a bus shuttle. After five days, we flew to Kananacamp, also in Okavango Delta for three more days in the bush. Both Shinde and Kanana are run by Ker & Downey. Finally, we flew to Victoria Falls, drove into Zimbabwe and stayed at the Victoria Falls River Lodgeon the Menbezi River. We enjoyed some other activities there, including a private tour of Victoria Falls, and after three days flew to Jo’burg, London and home.  

The Okavango Delta, where we spent most of our trip, is a very large and somewhat grassy/ swampy inland delta, one of the seven wonders of Africa. The 5000-square mile delta is the result of a depression of tectonic plates. Its water does not empty into the sea; it evaporates. It is a beautiful, broad landscape dotted with trees, palms and brush, with some island formations. Large numbers of mammals, 400 bird species and 71 fish species are found, with many migratory species. The delta creates canals and water areas supporting hippos and fishing and allowing some boat navigation. It is, in short, an area deserving of one’s time and extensive exploration. Hence our 8 days in the same area. 

 Some descriptions, information, reviews and suggestion appear below.

Above all, we recommend Shinde Camphttp://www.kerdowneybotswana.com/our-camps/shinde/for its wonderful guides and staff, its location and accomodations, and its activities on offer. It is true that Kananahttp://www.kerdowneybotswana.com/our-camps/kanana/(also run by the Ker & Downey) is similar and has the advantage of the sleep-out platform for the adventurous, but the tents are closer, and the staff was simply not as wonderful.  Both camps have excellent guides. Both camps offer game drives, night drives, walking safari and makorro (dug-out canoe rides), but only Shinde has the larger fishing boat. Both camps will surprise guests with “sundowners” and meals for everyone as a group (maybe 18 or so?) out on a lake or in the bush. Torches, candles, full bar, excellent food, all under the stars. Lovely. By the way, all of the guides and guests eat together at these camps -- always several great conversations and lots of laughs. I should add that internet is available but very limited. Leave your laptop at home.

Sundowners with full bar and snax

What will you see there? Elephants, cheetahs, lions, wilderbeest, kudu, impala, giraffe, leopard, the endangered wild dogs, buffalo, hyena, warthog, many birds, etc. etc. You can fish (mostly tilapia) and watch many cool birds (including the lovely lilac-breasted roller and malachite kingfisher). 

The Victoria Falls River Lodgehttps://www.victoriafallsriverlodge.comin Zimbabwe has sumptuous accomodations. It also boasts an advantaged location inside Membezi National Park and right on the Menbezi River. The guest buildings have indoor and outdoor showers, plunge pools and lots of room. There is a lodge building where meals are taken and internet is provided. Game drives and river cruises are available free of charge twice daily, as are group tours of Victoria Falls. The food is high quality and beverages are free. Recommended.

The Apartheid Museumin Johannesburg http://www.apartheidmuseum.orgis well worth a visit. Beautifully designed and compellingly presented, the museum’s mission is to provide a clear and well-documented history of apartheid and its effect on southern Africa.  Combine with a visit to Soweto. Recommended. 

Victoria Falls, located on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia,is considered one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. It is the largest falls in the world, twice the size of Niagara Falls. You can view the Falls from either Zambia or Zimbabwe, although we hear that the Zimbabwe view is superior. There is a statue of Livingstone, a walking path and a few close-up viewing points, one slippery and perilously close to the edge. Fifteen minute helicopter rides are available for big bucks. There are enormous plumes of mist that often roll in and wet everyone down. I’m glad I saw Victoria Falls once, but would not rush back to do it again.

All in all, an incredible, memorable trip. Hope we can get back to southern Africa in the near future. 

Ecuador 2018: Quito, Mindo, Quito

       Prompted by reports of excellent birding in the Mindo cloud forest and a lovely colonial city in Quito, my lovah and I headed to Ecuador in February, 2018. This is the farthest south in South America either of us has traveled. Transportation is fairly direct on Copa Airlines--- one flight from Boston to Panama City, and then a short flight from there to Quito. Our itinerary was three nights in Quito's historic old town, six nights in Mindo, and the last two nights in the business district of North Quito.

       The capital of Ecuador, Quito sits in the Andes almost two miles above sea level. There are about 2.6 million inhabitants, and the town is built out, not up. It is the highest official capital city in the world, and visitors from "low" places should take a day to acclimate gently with some coco leaf tea (found in all convenience stores and sold on the street). The old historic section of town is beautifully preserved with fabulous old architecture and squares. It was one of the first UNESCO sites, designated in 1978. We found the people to be unfailingly friendly and helpful, and we felt secure and safe at all times.

       For our first days in Quito we stayed at Carlota Hotel in the historic center http://carlota.ec/en/ . It is a beautiful old building from 1905, completely renovated and made ecologically sustainable. The location is perfect for visiting the main square and historic sites. We rented the "superior suite" called Campanaria http://carlota.ec/en/room/campanaria/  with a hefty room rate. The room was indeed sweet, but not suite  --- that is to say, it was very small. We literally could not move about the room at the same time. I did not have enough room to put my pants on over on my side of the bed. No closets or storage space. Very small sink space. And the room was so noisy we could people on both sides of us, conversations, alarms going off, and even the doorbell ringing downstairs as occupants got locked out after 10 pm. I was not pleased, and had a few civil words with management. To his credit, the executive manager did the right thing. Our room rate was adjusted. Carlota was pretty, but over-priced and not traveler-friendly. I would probably pass next time.

       For our last two nights in Quito, we stayed on the north side, in the business district, at Le Parc Hotel http://en.leparc.com.ec . It is modern, luxe, well-situated, and reasonably priced. We were given a "special room" by the employee who checked us in, and it was spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows. Unfortunately, the hotel's nightclub was one floor over us, and the music (live and canned) played on until 1 a.m. every morning (earplugs provided). Also, Le Parc's bathroom has an unusual shower/tub design that is a bit tricky to navigate and not recommended for elderly or large folks. However, there is a lot to love about Le Parc. It has a sleek design. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the breakfast buffet was delicious, there's tea and coffee offered with cookies all afternoon, and the hotel has its own car service, which comes in handy. Thumbs up on this one.

       ACTIVITIES IN QUITO. There are lots of worthwhile sights and activities in and around Quito, and a few are reviewed below:

       Free Walking Tour through Community Adventures. This is a free, interactive tour of Old Town given by experienced guides and lasting three hours. The tour begins at Community Adventures (a tour/hostel company) and the first stop, the Mercado Central, was one of my faves. Lots of friendly international travelers, a bit of history, several photo ops, and a fun half day for the price of a tip. Can't beat that.

     

Juice ladies at Mercado Central. Make mine guanoabana.

       Tour of Otavalo Marketplace, Cuicocha Lagoon, Mitad del Mundo, Peguche Waterfall by Quito Bus Tours. This was an 8 hour adventure that covers a lot of good stuff with a knowledgeable and entertaining guide aboard a small bus. The requisite stop at 0 degrees Latitude (the equator), a very cool indigenous market, a volcanic lagoon, etc. etc.

       The Presidential Palace. Show up in the morning with your passport to reserve your spot on this free tour of the residence of Ecuador's president. Sometimes they take your photo in the main hall and present it to you at the conclusion of the hour tour.

       Zazu (http://zazuquito.com). For a great splurge meal, try the seven course tasting menu. The smoked octopus with crispy quinoa, chorizo and mandioc was quite delicious, as was the stone crab dish below. [NB: quinoa --an ancient grain ---is favored in these parts. Nice, nutty flavor] 

        

                             

Deconstructed Quito Mule, a salubrious bev

Stone Crab, cucumber, cilantro, avocado, jalapeños

     Mindo

       We had a superb experience at Las Terrazas de Dana Lodge in Mindo  https://www.lasterrazasdedana.com . Las Terrazas was really the inspiration for this entire trip. I had read about its "privileged" location in the Mindo cloud forest, with great birding and other activities, super-high scores from visitors at Trip Advisor and Booking.com, and a variety of day trips offered in the Lodge's birding packages. However, nothing prepared us for the warm hospitality and personal service offered by David Brito and his sister, Ana.

     David sent a driver to pick us up in Quito and drive us the hour and a half to Mindo. From the moment we arrived until the moment David dropped us off in Mindo six days later, we were cared for, looked after, fed well and shown a wonderful time. The room was new, spacious, private and quite comfortable. It featured a large patio with table and chairs that looked off into the mountains with hummingbirds flitting around the bushes. There was also a large hot tub in the roomy bathroom.  Meals were served in the main lodge or your room, and they were quite tasty (my dinner fave was the local fresh trout with garlic, although the fettuccine bolognese was authentic, too.) Cocktails and wine were available. The local fruit juices are always on offer and I found them irresistible.

     I signed us up for a Six Day Birding Package. It was chock full of activity from before dawn until 5:00 pm. Cheryl and I with David driving and The Amazing Danny, our guide (more about him below). This was as serious a birding experience as I've had, but we saw so such dramatically beautiful scenery, that the birds seemed just part of the larger show. 

             

Owl Butterflies at the Mariposaria

Golden Quetzal (iPhone thru scope)

               

Glistening Green Tanager (iPhone thru scope)

       On the other hand, the birds were magnificent. Danny deserves so much praise for his passion, honed ability and willingness to educate. We were pretty wowed. One half day: visit the lek at dawn to see the cock-in the-rock; the golden quetzal set against a golden valley in the background; climbing up the hillside and finding more birds; homemade brunch of baked, stuffed plantain, deep-fried empanadas stuffed with cheese (get away, Satan!), and coffee watching mountain birds at the feeders.  There were some truly unforgettable experiences during our stay in Mindo. The last day, birding at the Artisana Reserve, we saw its snow-capped volcano; mountains, rivers and gorges; a Giant Hummingbird and the Andean Condor. With the perfect local lunch. 

                             

Artisana 

    David also took us in town to explore the Butterfly Farm and Orchid Garden. His amazing sister Ana took us to a wonderful cocoa tour-n-taste at The Quetzal in Mindo. All on our schedule! And they do laundry!

     Las Terrazas de Dana and David Brito get my highest compliments and deepest thanks.This was a five-star vacation experience.  David is going to be a leader in the Mindo community. He is already leading with many ecological implementations in the Lodge (see the web site). Do yourself a favor and enjoy a great experience at Las Terrazas.

     

Return to Panama 2017-2018

We enjoyed Panama so much last March that we decided to do a return trip. This time we flew down to Panama City just after Christmas, stayed five nights at The Canopy Lodge with a birding package, spent several nights in the hills of Boquete at The Panamonte, then returned to Panama City for two nights in Casco Viejo at The Concordia.

Flights are direct Boston to Panama City on Copa, and US dollars are used in Pamama. You do not need a visa. Transport can be part of your lodging. These factors make the basics easy.

The Canopy Lodge http://www.canopytower.com/The%20Lodge , is one of four Canopy eco-properties one can visit in Panama. It is certainly more comfortable and better situated than The Canopy Tower. The Lodge will pick you up in a van from the airport in Panama City and drive you  two hours to the Lodge, located in Valle Anton. This a lovely area with a small town, markets, a Serpentarium and Butterfly Farm.  Rooms are simple and very comfortable, but windows are partially screened with no AC or heat. This would normally be fine, except that the weather we encountered was unseasonably wet and everything in the room felt damp. The food is solid and plentiful with three squares every day, and sometimes (like New Year's Eve) a special meal. There are special animal feeding tables close to the lodge which are stocked every morning and afternoon with fruit, and the birds (and other critters) come visiting en mass. The guides are amazing, especially Danilo, who has been there since the Lodge opened.
This is not a cheap option. I think staying at The Lodge may cost as much as $400. pp per day. But lodging, meals, guides, transport, and snacks are included. Lots of education and entertainment value.

Napping screech owls

Three-toed sloth at Canopy Lodge

From Panama City, we flew to the city of David, the closest airport to Boquete. It is a fairly inexpensive flight on Copa. There, a driver from Panamonte http://www.panamonte.com/en/ picked us up and deposited us at the inn. The inn has comfortable accommodations, a very nice bar, a small interior garden, and a restaurant. It's location is walking distance from the town of Boquete, which is convenient for dinner and shopping (what there is of it). Next time I might elect to stay farther north of the town. The area up in the hills is quite beautiful -- full of coffee plants, banana, coconut and fir trees -- and some of the inns have lovely grounds, trails and activities. You can book birding, white-water rafting, etc. We enjoyed an excellent Coffee Tour booked through the hotel:

tasting coffee, touring the plants, and "honey"roasted beans

In town, we ate our best dinner at Retrogusto, where two Italian guys from Napoli produce real homemade Italian food at very reasonable prices. The salads are super fresh and delicious, and the lamb ravioli with mint pesto was excellent. However, the restaurant is chaotic, with lots of people getting turned away, and an over-worked staff. Not relaxing. We also ate at Colibri, which was good but not amazing. A very solid place for breakfast and lunch is Sugar and Spice -- fabulous salads, smoothies and burritos in a casual atmosphere. Excellent value.

Back in Panama City, we had a very good stay at La Concordia in Casco Viejo. http://panamahotelcollection.com/en/aboutus/affiliated/la_concordia/ . Casco Viejo is the oldest part of Panama City, and has been made into a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a new hotel that was created in a completely re-habed old building. The rooms are lovely. The staff, especially our angel Norka, is wonderful. The only problems are (1) traffic next to the hotel on weekend nights, which is loud, and (2) local discos that play loud Latino dance music on weekends until 2 am.

We had two amazing dining experiences in Panama City. The first was at Calliope http://www.calioperestaurant.com . This was our second visit to this restaurant, but the trick we learned this year is: sit at the kitchen bar. They treat you as family and bring you many tasty (free) treats. We had the slow-cooked beef short rib with mushroom risotto, and the purple cassava gnocchi with sweet gorgonzola and lavender cream. Both were superb. The staff was very friendly and enthusiastic. The kitchen worked flawlessly. High grades.

purple cassava gnocchi at Calliope

We also dined for a second time at Intimo, a restaurant that has garnered some excellent reviews in the past year around the work of Chef "Chombolin." Intimo has been awarded the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for 2017. Read more here: https://www.intimorestaurante.com/ We enjoyed some inventive cocktails, a very fine tasting menu, with special bread service (the warm marrow spread was incredible), a delicious piece of sea bass and a cool take on Chinese fried rice. Incredibly, the chef bought us dinner (maybe because it was my birthday?). Amazing!

We also returned to Gehry's BioMuseo because it is so wonderful. http://www.biomuseopanama.org/en

One can use taxis or Uber in Panama City, but be careful to negotiate with taxi drivers before you take off. Ask a local what the fare should be, or you will almost certainly pay too much.  Uber works, but there may be dropped rides and traffic, so give yourself enough time.