Bob Travel

On your next trip to North Carolina look out for the fourth garden, the Gateway Garden which should open in 2010.  The first phase was begun in May of 2009 and is located about one half mile from Business 85 and the I-40 near Barber Park.  The city of Greensboro has been planning this garden for over ten years and should represent everything learned from four decades of building gardens.  The master plan includes eleven acres on which you will find the Michel Family Children’s Garden, the Greensboro Heritage Garden, a Japanese Garden, a Rain Garden, a Rose Garden, a Visitors Center, and a walking trails that lead into the White Oak Forest.

There’s a chill in the air and on the misty hill slopes in Northern Thailand the roses are encouraged to grow. Some blooms are larger than apples and come in colors from red and orange to crimson and white. They are harvested daily and brought to all the flower markets in Bangkok. I learned this on one of my many business trips. Staying at one of Thailand Luxury Hotels, I would arrange to meet these growers of flowers and see how they cultivated their flowers.

I learned from a manager of a floral project, which was initiated by the Royal family of Thailand, that right now, it’s peak production season for roses. They bloom best between February and July. The elevation and the environment are extremely conducive for the roses. But, the manager did tell me that there are signs that the business’s which grow the roses and the carnations in Fang located in Chiang Mai, not too far above sea level, might soon dwindle because of the competitor growers in China’s southern Yunnan province.

Right now, apparently, there is a surplus of flowers in the market due to the flowers coming from Kunming, the capital of Yunnan. Plus, the flowers coming from this region are less expensive and the quality seems to be better. More and more flower shops in Bangkok are carrying only flowers from China. I can’t blame them really, they are cheaper and look better. I asked one shop owner about why she choose China’s flowers over her own countries flowers and she said she’s been in the flower business for over 25 years and she says that the flowers from China are delivered within 2 days of order. Plus, they stay fresher, longer.  I can see that Thailand’s flower business will be hurt and may even collapse if they can’t produce and deliver the same as China.

Because of it’s two National Parks and well over a dozen sanctuaries, Rajasthan is known throughout the world as the best viewing of wildlife. That’s why I have book a room at on of Rajasthan Luxury Hotels for a month. I’ve specifically would like to see a tiger in the wild. I’ve only seen them in zoos and they seem so lifeless and sad. I would like to see one in its full majesty.

I heard that Sariska National Park it internationally known for its tigers and I’ve read the latest data confirming that there are now 35 tiger roaming the forest. Of course, there are other predators including the panther, hyenas and foxes. Also there are the animals being preyed on like the chital, the sambhar, the four horned antelope, wild boar, nilgai, civets and the humble hare. I’m not too into birds, but the peafowl, the gray partridge, quails, white-breasted kingfishers, tree pies, grouses and the golden-backed woodpeckers are the forests resident birds.

When I arrived to Sariska, I found the landscape comprised of hills and narrow valleys creating the Aravali hill range. Sariskas topography supports a scrub-thorn arid forest perfect for the tiger. Dry deciduous trees, big rocks with ledges and tall grasses. The climate when I was there, I found to be erratic, it rained early in the morning, but only two hours later it became boiling hot with the sunshine barring overhead.

I didn’t get to see the tigers while I was there, but I did get to see the ruins of a medieval Temple of the Hindu God Shiva. The ruins of the Temple Garh-Rajor which was built in the 10th century and a 17th century castle build on a sharp hilltop at Kanakwari which provided an excellent view of Sariska’s avian inhabitants in full flight. I was disappointed about not seen a majestic tiger in the wild, but I did get to pet them in a tiger enclosure. Still it’s not the same, but then again I wasn’t on an elephant while walking in Sariska and from what I hear it the preferred way to see the tiger.

With beautiful beaches, incredible weather and a vast array of luxury hotels, Marbella is becoming the favorite destination for the rich and the famous, as well as the not so.  This village in Spain, some calling it the Spanish answer to St. Tropez, has gone through some changes, one of which is due to the previous mayor Jesus Gil.  Gil did what Daley in Chicago did, sponsored a massive project to upgrade the landscaping of the city, and the result is stunning.  And even though this has become a hot-spot for celebrities, there is still a side of Marbella that remains real, and down to earth.  Just walking throughout the alley ways and the back streets will illustrate that this is one town that holds onto and values their own particular individuality.

Orange Square is one spot that tourists will come upon during a walking tour.  This is said to be one of the most beautiful squares in the city, also home to the tourist office and the town hall.  Detailed maps are found here that will guide one on the rest of their journey of the streets of Marbella.  This area is also home to many art galleries, bistros, coffee shops and bars.  The activity in this square is happening day and night.  And should one visit at just the right time, when the trees and the flowers are in bloom, the colors contrasting against the blue sky will amaze and astound.  Many have chosen to make Marbella their permanent residence after a visit or two, especially those in the field of the visual arts, be they painters or photographers, once they leave they just think about coming back, and eventually just move here.

Coming off the square like spokes of a bicycle wheel, are smaller streets and alleys.  This area gives one the feel of being in tiny village, rather than a cosmopolitan city.  There are restaurants and local hangouts where one can strike up conversations with the locals.  Again, it is no wonder that artists find refuge, in the quiet and the creative inspiration, that is also located to a bit of action and life.  For all one needs to do should they desire a bit of modern interaction, is to take a stroll down the Avenida del Mar, where skyscrapers and classy nightclubs line the Costa, and the feeling in the air is celebratory and exciting.  In all this small town of Spain offers everything to the modern traveler, beauty and excitement, luxury and realness.

The outdoor kitchen multiplies your cooking options, and choosing the right outdoor kitchen accessories multiplies this geometrically.  First, with an outdoor kitchen, suddenly there are possibilities for flavors that were unheard of before.  There is also the immense social nature of cooking outdoors, that makes a party really lively, and can make a simple family meal into a very special occasion.  It can also become an every day luxury, and it never gets old.  With the right accessories, there are radical changes possible for outdoor cooking.

The outdoor kitchen grill smoker box can help you to take all of your new grilling techniques and add the amazing possibilities of smoking to your culinary repertoire.  Smoking foods on the grill is an old art form, and one that is, like any art form, in a constant state of evolution.  These accessories move it to a new level, where the state of the art grill merges with the exceptional flavor provided with wood flavoring.  The most advanced cooking techniques are brought to a new level.  Hickory and mesquite are just the beginning of the flavors that can be used to infuse your food, and this will have your whole family, all your guests, and your whole neighborhood, deliciously curious about what’s on.

There are infinite possibilities for what will work with this smoker box, but consider trying grilled mesquite tuna.  Preparing the tuna with the right marinade can do wonders to this already mouth-watering meal.  Try different kinds of pepper, italian dressings and seasonings, or even portabella mushrooms to complete the taste.  Other options for grilling mesquite tuna with your smoker box are trying minced garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper.  Experiment with different oils, too, to lock in the flavors.  Feel free to try combinations of flavors, because with the smoker, you’re bound to have a fantastic result!

My first trip to Australia to visit a good friend of my was back in the 70’s. They treated me to a traditional backyard Aussie BBQ. The backyard area was big and roomy with plenty of outdoor kitchen cabinets and a built-in grill. These people were serious about their BBQ. They purposely built their home up instead of spread out just so they could have their lovely traditional Aussie backyard. A backyard built to entertain while they put one on the barbie.

My second and final trip to Australia was in 2007. My friends have moved on and are now living in Thailand. My next stop by the way. But, being here now, in Australia, I’ve notice somethings changed. It seems that today’s home lack a backyard. The newer homes are on just has much land as what my friends had, but instead of building up the new homes spread out. Single stories. No room for a backyard, really. No room to entertain, to put on on the barbie. This is a dramatic change which started in the 90’s. It seems that people are spending their money on floor area instead of backyard area.

These new homes contradict the open-air lifestyle for which Australians are internationally renowned for. I guess I can understand that it’s cheaper to build a single-story house, but to lose a culture over it?  I don’t know. It saddens me really. I had such fond memories of the time I spent in my friends backyard and looking forward to telling all my friends in the States that I was treated to a traditional Aussie ‘putting one on the barbie’.  Which I did, I even wrote about it for my local newspaper. Australia’s changing, for the better? I really can’t say. As I’ve said, though, my second trip to Australia was my last.