If you’ve ever seen a mom going through TSA pushing a a stroller and dragging along a Little Mermaid suitcase while bouncing a crying toddler on her hip, you have to give it to her for those nerves of steel (no matter how much the Banshee-like screams coming from the child make you cringe). In honor of Mother’s Day, I spoke with a few moms I know about their top tips for traveling with children. Here’s their tried-and-true advice for parents new to the travel game.
Eight travel mommies give their tips for traveling with children
Drew, now 3, sits at Mesa Gateway Airport with his great grandmother before boarding his first flight at age 1. Mom Kelli encourages first-time traveling parents to pack double of everything they think they will need.
“When Drew was just turning 1 I went on a short flight with family. My thought as a first-time mom was to travel at times he would be tired so that he would sleep and I was exactly wrong. My No. 1 travel tip that I’ve learned the hard way is to make sure the kids are well rested and well fed. If you attempt to board a plane at bed time, you will have a cranky, confused little one and heaven forbid you have any sort of delay. My second tip with kids…when in doubt just pack it. Think you’ll need one diaper? Pack two. Think your little one won’t be hungry until you get there? Pack a snack anyway. Your daughter hasn’t exploded a diaper in weeks? Pack an extra change of clothes (for baby AND for mommy) anyway.” -Kelli Hernandez, Mother of Andrew (Drew), 3, and Alaina, 1
“Be sure to bring blankets and soft toys from home to make the baby’s bed at your destination. Kids are like dogs and operate on sense of smell. If it isn’t familiar, they aren’t going to want to sleep. With jet lag and infants/toddlers, there is no escaping the week of pain. Make sure they get plenty of sun in the day to reset internal clocks. At night, even if they aren’t sleeping, keep the room dark. Maybe you’ll have to adjust bedtime a little bit later, but the sooner you get back to your schedule the better for everyone.” -Erica Lyn, Mother of Eden, 1, and soon-to-be Eden’s little brother/sister
“One thing Chloe loves when we travel: Melissa and Doug makes a coloring ‘book’ with thick cardboard pages where you use a brush filled with water to ‘paint.’ It’s perfect for travel because water is so easy to clean. We also sing silly songs. She loves making up her own songs and singing them to us!” -Debra Mimbs, Mother of Chloe, 2
“Definitely iPad, LeapFrog, DVD player (good one and fully charged). Small gifts or treats that your kids love – wrap them up as small gifts and each 30 minutes (if he is under 4) or every hour (above 5), you can give them one present at a time. Tips: coloring books, small puzzle, special theme toy of their favorite movie, such as Toy Story or Cars. Small eats are a MUST. Another tip, be the last one getting on the plane; it will give you enough time to change diapers in a more comfortable and spacious bathroom. Also time for them to run around and GET TIRED! Try to get seats closer to the bathroom where you can have quick trips and be closer to the kitchen area so it’s easier to get a glass of water for your little ones. I hope it helps, it can try your patience, but if you are prepared, it makes it easier for you, the kids and all the passengers will be truly thankful!” –Patricia Kavanagh, Mother of Elias, 11, and Mattias, 4
Xavier, 1, snacks on some fresh fruit while on a 14-hour road trip from El Paso, Texas, to Los Angeles. Having snacks for the little ones during long hauls is a must.
“X has had some big road trips in his 18 months on Earth. Last summer we took a huge road trip from El Paso, Texas, to California. He was 11 months. The trip from El Paso to Los Angeles is a 14-hour drive. This was his fourth road trip, but with this one we left really early in the morning so he slept a good two to three hours after we left. We took tons of water, fresh fruits, crackers and homemade baby food in a cooler. We made sure he had toys to play with and music to dance to. Every time we stopped for gas, we made sure he got out with us and let him stretch his legs and feet. When he would start to get fussy, we would take turns sitting in back with him. That worked the best because we could play with him and read to and sing with him. This has worked for us a lot. This baby has traveled thousands of miles in a car and seems to be a champ now. So, my list for a great baby road trip: 1. Snacks 2. Fresh fruit 3. Baby food 4. Toys 5. Books 6. Music 7. Plenty of stops to stretch out 8. Switching mom and dad to sit in the back to play with baby if fussy.” -Jennifer Gonzalez, Mother of Xavier, 1
“I think the most important thing I’ve learned after LOTS of traveling with the kids is that it’s a good idea to always keep Motrin and Children’s Pepto-Bismol in your handbag or carry-on. That way you are prepared for fevers, headaches, tummy aches, etc. (We’ve learned this the hard way.) Also, little snacks are important — I usually have raisins, nuts and granola bars. As for keeping them entertained, the best thing I’ve found is the iPod. Belly really enjoys having podcasts that teach foreign languages put on hers. Sutt sticks to music, but either way, it keeps them busy and quiet.” -Haley McPhail, Mother of Bellamy, 10, and Sutton, 8
Of course you want to pack extra clothes when your child gets messy, but what about an unexpected change in weather? When you’re expecting spring temperatures in your destination but don’t get above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll be glad for those sweatshirts and gloves. Be sure wherever you’re going to pack one or two outfits for opposite of the weather you’re expecting. -Chasity McCoy, Mother of Parker, 7
Grayson, 1, prepares for his airplane ride from Virginia to Alabama at 8 months old. Mom Elizabeth says the iPod and snacks are her must haves when traveling with children.
“I would say snacks and an iPad are my two ‘must haves’ for travel. As the mother of an 18 month old, my son is on the move 24-7. Food and episodes of Curious George are my only hope. As an advocate for breastfeeding, I also recommend freezing a couple bottles of breast milk the night before a trip so you don’t have to bring a pump. The day of the trip, bring some bottles that aren’t frozen and some that are. I gave Grayson a bottle at take off and landing for each flight. The frozen bottles were ready for the second flight. I used water with a little juice for flavor on the way back. The bottle at takeoff and landing worked brilliantly because it kept his ears from popping and made him sleepy between the bottle and the plane engine. The only time it backfired was when we got stuck on the runway in Atlanta for two hours coming home late at night. The plane’s engine was off and he would not sleep. He went through two bottles of water/juice and I ran out for take-off. He eventually crashed but it was torture. Though I am an advocate for breastfeeding in public, you are in pretty tight quarters on the airplane. I did try to book mostly window seats so I could lean into the window and throw a blanket over me if I needed to breastfeed to calm him or sooth him to sleep. Now that he is 18 months, future trips will likely require that I book an aisle seat to constantly get up and move around with him.” -Elizabeth Dyer Brooks, Mother of Grayson, 1
Happy Mother’s Day to all our worktrotter moms. May you have smiling faces and clean hands as you travel with children.
The Victory Arch in downtown, honoring veterans and remembering America’s wars, is an iconic symbol of Newport News.
A great place to live, work and play. When I worked in public affairs for military posts and bases, I included this line in quite a few marketing materials for the installations. It’s a great slogan, and I can personally apply it to Newport News, Va., (no snarky comments from you Southsiders!) since that was my last permanent home in the States. I miss much and more about this port town, and I enjoy visiting any chance I get.
Favorite Newport News Places
Hilton Village
This neighborhood of Newport News feels like Main Street USA. When you walk down the boutique-lined Main Street, you can find clothes, antiques, hand-crafted jewelry, bistros and more. My top three places to visit in Hilton Village are The Magickal Attic where my friend Melissa Kepley can supply any of your Pagan needs, Couture Cakes by Nika where the Orange Dreamsickle Cupcake is simply to die for, and Plantiques where you can get your fill of vintage antiques and try out some delicious Southern favorites in the cafe.
These monsters plagued us in our basement until we learned they were cave crickets common to Southeast Virginia. They can be viewed up close and personal, if you dare, at the Virginia Living Museum. Photo Credit: Gunther Tschuch via Creative Commons License.
Virginia Living Museum
If you’re an animal lover, then you’ll love the Virginia Living Museum with all its natural habitats and wild species exhibits. The museum offers hands-on learning activities and an outdoor nature walk through woodland animal spaces.
Funny story, when we first moved into our house in Newport News, we kept finding these enormous jumping spiders in the basement. I hate detest these eight-legged monsters, and I kept telling Chris they were radioactive freaks of nature since we lived across the street from the Newport News Shipyard where some of the ships in port used nuclear materials aboard. My theory, some normal spiders had gotten into the radioactive waste aboard these ships and then made their way across the street to our basement. It wasn’t until we visited the VLM for the first time that I learned the creatures weren’t actually spiders but a type of cave cricket common to Southeast Virginia. Even though I was no longer afraid of becoming SpiderWoman if bitten, I still did not like to find these awful insects that are completely different than the nice little crickets I used to catch as a kid in Georgia.
Mariners’ Museum
As home to the great Civil War naval battle of the Monitor and Merrimack, the Mariners’ Museum focuses on the nautical history of the area. With exhibits and collections that feature vessels, tools and other seafaring items, the museum is known as “America’s National Maritime Museum.” Within the museum grounds, you can also take a walk or run through pristine nature on the Noland Trail. A 5-mile walking/running path along the edge of Lake Maury cutting through the 550 acres of the Mariners’ Museum Park, the trail is an active place for walkers/runners of all caliber.
From Huntington Park, there is a lovely view of the James River Bridge. Like many other places in the city, the park is named for Collis P. Huntington, a railroad tycoon who was a founding developer for the modern-day Newport News.
Huntington Park
Within walking distance of our old neighborhood, North End Huntington Heights, was a man-made beach on the James River, beautiful rose garden, walking trail, play area and fishing pier at the Huntington Park. Also located in the park is the Virginia War Museum where you can learn about the commonwealth’s key roles in major American conflicts and the large military presence in Hampton Roads.
City Center at Oyster Point & Port Warwick
A mixed-use development, City Center at Oyster Point is a one-stop location for shopping, dining and entertainment. Chris and I especially enjoyed the outdoor concerts at the pavilion around the lake. Across Jefferson Avenue is another similar mixed-used development with another variety of shops, Port Warwick. Instead of a lake, this area is centered around an open green where many festivals and farmers markets are held.
Fort Eustis & The Transportation Museum
The Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis relives the history of military transportation and its role in protecting our nation. From tanks to planes, you can find exhibits of all modes, shapes and sizes. Half of Joint Base Langley-Eustis and an active military installation, Fort Eustis is home to many commands and the main training ground for transportation soldiers. Be prepared to have your vehicle inspected upon entering the installation, and have valid driver’s license or identification card and insurance ready to receive a visitor’s pass.
Newport News Eats
Newport News offers a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and bistros to meet your tastes. Circa 1918 in Hilton Village is an excellent option for a date night with its unique menu and chef’s daily creations. If you’re looking for a Latin American taste, try Mambo Grill or La Pena Horeb where Spanish and Caribbean flavors combine. If Mexican is what you crave (like me!) check out the many Plaza Aztecas in town – my favorite Mexican restaurants outside of El Paso, Texas. For pizza, check out The Brickhouse Tavern in Port Warwick where the specialty is thin crust. My favorite pho place is Bamboo One with delicious bubble teas. Finally, The Train Station provides a wonderful evening meal with wine and live jazz.
Working in Newport News
The crane at the Newport News Shipyard is the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Huntington Ingalls Industries that operates the shipyard is Virginia’s largest industrial employer.
Home to Virginia’s largest industrial employer, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News is a pro-business city. Along with healthcare services, manufacturing, printing, and wholesale distribution, the fastest growing employer segment in the city is technology.
For an insider perspective, I spoke with Gail Benge Kent about why she has based her business, The Buzz Factoree, a public relations and marketing firm that helps small and mid-sized businesses and non-profits tell their stories to achieve goals through traditional and new media, in the city. Working in Newport News since the late 1970s, Gail has seen the area grow in terms of technology, higher education with Christopher Newport University and cultural arts. “There are lots of opportunities for doing business here, and the people, for the most part, are really diverse and friendly. I think that’s because there are so many people from other parts of the country who came here by virtue of the military at some point in their lives. I think that allows us to maintain a fresher perspective.”
Celebrating 2009 Halloween at our annual party in Newport News. We give the city an 8+. What would you give it?
When she’s not meeting with clients, writing copy, updating websites, or pitching a story idea to the media, Gail enjoys spending time with family and friends at one of the city’s many entertainment venues, such as the Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center, Peninsula Fine Arts Center or the Ferguson Center for the Arts. “When I first moved to the Virginia Peninsula after having lived in Norfolk for a year, I was told ‘It’s a great place to live, but you wouldn’t want to visit there,’ meaning it’s a great place to raise a family, but there’s not much to do. That’s really not true any longer.”
Rating Newport News
I give Newport News a 8+. What is your favorite “hometown”?
A neighboring building bricked up its windows overnight. The day before, this had been a classroom. When it re-opened a few days later, it had turned into office space. Just an example of the ongoing changes you witness in Shanghai.
Shanghai is always changing. Chances are that by the time you read this blog, many of the sites I observed and places I frequented will have experienced changes potentially involving bulldozers and wrecking balls. The sounds of construction are ubiquitous. It’s a city where you can visit your favorite noodle restaurant Monday, find it closed Tuesday and re-opened as a French delicatessen Wednesday.
Working in Shanghai
The Chinese work experience is still influenced by years spent under absolute Communism. You see this influence when a shopkeeper does not go out of his way to provide ample customer service or makes a decision to maximize profits for this individual purchase without regard to potential revenues from future purchases. You see this influence as you enter a subway station and pass through a security checkpoint with three people assigned to direct your bag toward the X-ray machine, not really caring if you choose not to do so, and two more employees sitting behind the X-ray desk but staring more intently at their cellphones than the display. You see this influence when you enter a fast food restaurant and attempt to carry your trash to the bin, but instead you are intercepted and glared at by the employee assigned to pick up trash from tables. The trash strewn throughout the restaurant necessitates that person’s job, and he doesn’t want you taking away that necessity by throwing away your own trash. Only IKEA’s cafe has attempted to buck this trend by hanging signs that cleaning up after yourself will help keep costs low. IKEA, too, however, has learned that you must adapt to Chinese culture and tolerates clientele who choose to nap on their showroom beds for an hour or two while visiting the store.
I was told that conditions were even more distinguishable before Chinese economics became driven by “two systems.” In the 1980s it was impossible to find a hotel room. A traveler would enter hotel lobby after hotel lobby being told the hotel was filled to capacity while rarely encountering a guest. Hotel owners and staff were paid the same regardless of the amount of work they performed and handed revenues over to the government; therefore, with no incentives to increase take-home pay, they simply told most potential guests that all rooms were occupied and avoided the labor required when checking someone in and cleaning his room. In this Internet age, we didn’t have trouble locating vacancies in hotels; however, upon being unable to book on a Chinese airline’s website, I contacted customer service for assistance and was told that if I continued to have trouble I should book through Orbitz or Expedia instead of the airline.
The age of Communism has brought women into an equal standing with men in the workplace. You see women doing every job that men perform, from heavy construction and roofing to office leadership. It’s ironic, in fact, that although the one-child policy has led to China having less young women than young men, I met single independent female office managers much more frequently in China than in other countries I’ve resided. One Shanghai resident, told me, “In the past in China, the woman stayed in the home and the man worked. This was due to religious beliefs. When the Communist Party came, however, and outlawed religions, they also liberated women. Everyone went to work for equal salary. Today, it’s almost impossible for a man to support his family if he only works because taxes in China are based on a single person and not on the family. So much of his salary will go to taxes as if he were single, and he will not have enough money for the family to live a good life.”
A mother reviews the marriage candidates in hope of finding a suitable one for her child. At the marriage market in People’s Square, parents search profiles of potential partners and consult with matchmakers to find acceptable spouses for their children.
While these “Lost Women,” as single working women are known in China, are considered acceptable to younger Shanghainese who continue to marry at later ages, it is quite troublesome to older members of the family who covet relationships and family and its integral place in Chinese history. You’ll find no better place to observe this than the marriage market in People’s Square Saturday mornings. Here, parents converge and look at statistics of other singles while talking to matchmakers and excitedly calling their offspring with potential prospects. However, traditionally, a man must pay for a house and wedding expenditures before the ceremony is arranged. In Shanghai, a city more expensive than other parts of China, this brings a steep price tag of 2 Million RMB on average ($333,000 USD), equal to the salaries of 116 people in Gansu Province.
If you own a business in Shanghai, it’s also quite common to have to completely overhaul your work force following the annual Chinese New Year holiday. This is because many people who have come to the city to gain experience go home for the holiday, receive a job offer utilizing their newly obtained skills, and decide to stay home rather than return to the city of smog, high prices and homesickness. Many businesses setup a bonus scheme with payouts at this time of year, requiring the post-holiday trek back to Shanghai before an employee can receive his bonus.
Shanghai Eats
The iconic Lucky Cat gets a NYC makeover at Fortune Cookie. American Chinese food is the menu at this one-of-a-kind restaurant in Shanghai.
Shanghai is the first international hub I’ve lived in which I felt that I could satisfy literally any craving for any type of cuisine. Some restaurants, such as Stubb’s Bar-B-Q from Texas or my favorite American breakfast spot in Shanghai, Hillbilly Tea of Louisville, Ky., actually set up their second locations in Shanghai, and maintain only one location per hemisphere. If you’re in the mood for German, try Abbey Road. If you’re looking for a British pub to watch the Premier League game, head to The Camel. You can even find Americanized Chinese food, with the accompanying fortune cookie (yes, that’s an American invention) at the appropriately named Fortune Cookie restaurant. As in most countries outside of North America, just don’t go looking for good Mexican food.
All holidays and celebrations also come to Shanghai. We never knew that Canada had a separate Thanksgiving Day until it was celebrated in Shanghai. For our American Thanksgiving we enjoyed our turkey and dressing with a side of salsa and belly dancers at Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse.
China has its own fast food restaurants, such as this Kung Fu that serves traditional Chinese food on the go and Dico’s that is a main competitor to KFC.
You will find a plethora of American fast food restaurants in Shanghai, particularly those owned by YUM Brands. Our apartment was within a couple of blocks from hundreds of restaurants in Xujuahui, including Subway, Dairy Queen, Carl’s Jr., Papa John’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut and KFC. However, despite being your favorite American brand, they may not accept your credit card as most Chinese businesses accept only cash and possibly the Chinese credit card UnionPay. This may apply even at Pizza Hut. Speaking of Pizza Hut, most Chinese people go there not to dine on pizza but to order shrimp and steak. KFC is everywhere as is its domestic Chinese rival Dico’s. In Shanghai, Uncle Fast Food is popular and Kung Fu also appears interesting, although I found neither chain appealing.
A Shanghainese style Friday night involves a trip to a restaurant, preferably Hot Pot on most occasions, followed by a trip to Karaoke Television (KTV). A Hot Pot restaurant in China is basically like what Americans know as the Melting Pot chain, except that the Chinese would be baffled by the fact that Americans see it as a premium restaurant and actually pay extra to cook their own food at the table. Choose your mushrooms and vegetables along with some beef, pork and lamb and mix it all together in the simmering pot built into your table. If you’re at a low end restaurant, skip on the lamb. It is wildly popular in China, leading to large quantities of imports from New Zealand and fakes (also known as cat) for restaurants that do not have the means to stock it.
If you’re looking for street food, be cautious but don’t pass up on the opportunity. Our friends recommend Qibao, Shanghai’s closest “water town” with plenty of street food popular with Chinese tourists.
The nightlife in Shanghai is ever changing so we won’t mention any specific clubs here. As a Westerner, however, you’ll have plenty of businesses competing for your attention as the sight of Westerners in an establishment leads to a site being tagged as high-end and desirable for many wealthy Chinese to join them. If you find a promoter to grant your entrance, you’ll therefore pay no cover charges and have a selection of free drinks. Many of these establishments take up residence at The Bund, a row of historically significant buildings established by British settlers that today has the best view of Pudong’s famous Shanghai skyline.
A foreigner in Shanghai
As light skin is highly valued in the culture, Chinese people can take extreme measures to avoid harmful UV rays. The facekini women wear to the beach is just one example.
Anytime you leave the major city in China, prepare to face the paparazzi like a Hollywood star back home. People in rural areas have in their lives rarely seen Caucasians and in Chinese pop culture, whitened skin is seen as most beautiful. Chinese women will actually apply topical agents and makeups to permanently and temporarily whiten their skin. The same intention of ensuring their skin does not darken led to the popularity of the infamous Chinese facekini on China’s beaches. Whether they see you as beautiful or maybe as a huge freak, the Chinese people who have not often encountered foreigners will openly snap your pictures with their phones and cameras. Others will rush to you and ask for you to pose with them. Some may even throw their babies into your arms so that they can tell their son or daughter years later about the time he or she met a Westerner. Watch out, though, for the ‘xiao pi hai’ as babies are thrown in your direction. Diapers are not so common in China and this is the term that refers to Chinese toddlers who wear open seated pants that expose their bare buttocks so they’re ready to drop waste at any moment, possibly on that IKEA mattress mentioned above. The term was also used to describe Justin Bieber as he paraded through China, having his bodyguards carry him through attractions such as the Great Wall so that he was not “weakened.”
Shanghai is nice for international residents because you can find so many pieces of home, but if you’re in Shanghai for a short period of time, avoid those niceties and see something authentic. Take a walk down Beijing Lu rather than the overly touristy Nanjing Road nearby and you will have a completely different impression. Rather than being swarmed by men selling fake watches and exchanging money under familiar neon signs of businesses seen in every major city, you’ll see pajama-clad Shanghainese people going about their daily life.
Getting around Shanghai
The Shanghai subway is the best method of transportation in the city. Beware the buses, though, and the be cautious when using taxis if you don’t speak the language.
The quickest way into town from the airport is on the Maglev train but check its location versus where you’re actually headed. Chances are you’ll still have quite a distance to go once you disembark. If you don’t have much luggage and it’s early, Chinese public transportation is excellent and it’s quite easy to navigate the metro, with plentiful English announcements and maps. Do not expect this same simplicity on public buses. Westerners will quickly find that they do not have the amount of personal space that they are accustomed to and that the pushing and shoving on to the subway is not considered rude – it’s just a part of the culture. Getting off the subway often requires pushing through a horde of oncomers of all ages who rush for available seats like Western preschoolers playing musical chairs. If you take a taxi, bring the address in Chinese text or download the translational phone app as 99 percent of taxi drivers do not speak English. Counterfeit money is also an issue, so if you are riding the taxi along an obvious tourist path (airport to hotel) watch closely for scams and do not allow your 100 RMB bill to leave your sight until you are sure it has been accepted. A taxi driver may switch your bill with a fake and then claim to have no change.
The method Westerners are generally told to avoid is driving. While we have driven in most international destinations, we did not drive in China. Taxis and drivers are cheap compared to most other destinations. Meanwhile, a Westerner is seen as likely more wealthy than the average Chinese person and many people are said to see a Westerner as the potential largest payday of their life if they happen to be “injured” by him. One Chinese man told us, “In China if an old man falls in the street, no one dares to help him because there are too many liars and extortionists who will say you caused him to fall. We have a traditional story in China about a man and a wolf. The man helps the wolf again and again but finally the wolf eats the man. This is how we feel in China, that a man who does good will often have bad done to him.” Adding to the complexity, although rarely enforced, it is officially illegal for a foreigner to use a GPS device in China.
Another health hazard that Westerners often hear is the smog. It’s not so bad in summer when the clear beautiful shots of the Pudong skyline are printed in July and August issues of periodicals around the world. In the winter months, however, when little rain and heating sources are fired up across the metro area, smog descends on the city. The rest of the world has taken their pollution problems and moved them to China through the build up of industry. Needing jobs for such a large population, China has accepted those problems with open arms as a necessary evil. When smog hit record levels this winter, China “fixed” the problem by changing the scale that measures pollution so that it doesn’t reach that height again. Beijing had another solution – destroying barbecue grills.
Shopping in Shanghai
Antiques can be found in many street markets throughout Shanghai, but Dong Tai Road Antiques Market offers the most variety. A sought after item, citizens were required by law to carry a copy of Quotations from Chairman Mao (the small red book to the left) on their person at all times during the Cultural Revolution.
China is not so keen on intellectual property protection and the big magnet for tourists in this regard is found at 580 Nanjing Xi Lu. Here, hawkers begin negotiations at astronomical prices, possibly higher than you could purchase the real item in some cases. As you enter, you’ll pass posters adorning the entrance referring to the Chinese government’s fight to protect intellectual property with notices that the trade is illegal. This warning is basically all that the Chinese government does to comply with international trade laws. If you do decide to venture inside and test your negotiating skills for some grey area merchandise of questionable quality, check out recent prices negotiated by other customers.
Major neighborhoods in Shanghai each contain DVD stores where the latest titles (cinema and DVD releases) can be purchased for 10 RMB or less (6 RMB = 1 USD). Ironically, the ease of piracy through P2P software has put many of these pirates-for-profit out of business in less populated neighborhoods.
For other shopping needs, Shanghai likely has a market to fit your desires. The Dong Tai Road Antiques Market is a great place to find souvenirs. “Antiques,” however, may have been made last year. Many business travelers head directly to the South Bund Fabric Market and have their dimensions measured up for a suit or dress to be prepared during the next 24-48 hours. Be ready to negotiate at either place.
Rating Shanghai
I give Shanghai an 8. What city is your “world hub” where you feel that you can find absolutely anything you desire?
With more than 220,000 miles, we’re calling Ponty home as we travel around in the U.S.
Miles on Ponty = 8,000. Oil changes = 2. States visited = 12.
Where we’ve been
I’ve been keeping track of our lives through stats such as these since Chris and I returned to the States. I’ve been back since the first of January when I flew into New York City for my residency with Syracuse University. Chris has been back since the start of February when he flew into Jacksonville, Fla., just in time for the Super Bowl. I’m sitting in Alabama as I write this post, but I expect I will be on to another state by the time it posts.
We’ve visited friends and family in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri. We’ve been tourists in Arkansas checking out Eureka Springs, Tennessee visiting Al Green’s church, Mississippi touring the birthplace of Elvis Presley, taking photos with Superman in Illinois, and catching beads at Mardi Gras in Louisiana.
Where we’re going
In Metropolis, Ill., the home of Superman, you take photos with Superman or Lois Lane statues, visit the Metropolis comic book store, or step inside a famous phone booth.
All this traveling has been between Chris working distantly for the office in China and me doing my freelance jobs and schoolwork. We are waiting on work visas to get back into Switzerland where Chris has officially accepted a (more) permanent position with his company working in the nuclear platform. Though we’re not sure when the visas will come in, we expect we’ll be leaving the U.S. in mid to late spring.
While we’re in the States and since this may be the last time we get this flexibility for a long time to come, we want to squeeze in as much as we can. We want to see as many of our friends and (likable) family members as we can, and we want to see as much of home as possible.
Where is home?
Speaking of home, we’ve been asked many times now where home is. We don’t really have a concrete answer for that. Is it Alabama where Chris’ family is, Georgia where mine is, or is it Virginia where our house is? Should we say Zürich since we’re heading there? Guest books now present a 10-minute discussion for us. Sometime we even just put Ponty down, my 13-year old Pontiac Sunfire.
Does home even have to be a physical place? Are we even from just one place? I was born in Germany, then moved to Texas, and I did almost all of my schooling in Georgia until I started at SU. Chris was born and raised in Alabama, but he now has been out of the state for more than a decade. Check out this TED talk and you be the judge of where home is.
What does this mean for Working 2 Live?
In the coming weeks, we’ll be focusing on WorkLife Travel Destinations posts mixed with some event recaps and visa instructions. Until we get back into Switzerland, we most likely will be slim on cultural posts. As always, though, we would love to hear from our WorkTrotters about what you all want to read. Any ideas? Let us know in the comments.
At the Drepung Monastery, monks’ hats should remind them of the chicken while their shoes remind them of the pig and their belts of the snake. The chicken = desire, pig = ignorance and snake = hatred. These are the three traits that man should be struggling to give up according to Buddhism.
Mao Zedong ultimately failed. Nowhere was that more evident than Tibet. Sure, he captured the land and people must now move from place to place only with the permission of Chinese authorities. Sure, his soldiers ruined many relics and burned irreplaceable scriptures during his most misguided period, the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Yet, despite angering and hurting the Tibetan people, he was unable to break them. While he sought to destroy a religion that he abhorred and labeled a poison, it is possible that he only made the religious fervor of the Tibetan people stronger and unwillingly allowed a previously isolated and contained religion to grow as exiles fled to India.
Our first look at Tibet
As we exited the train upon arrival in Lhasa, we were immediately stopped by a couple of police officers and directed to the side of the building where our paperwork was reviewed and we were escorted along with a few other foreigners to our respective guides. We met our guide and our driver and climbed into the 4×4 Land Cruiser that would be our mode of transportation for the next several days.
A few moments later, we were in the fairly elegant lobby of the Yak Hotel (one of the few places that we’ve stayed in either Tibet or mainland China that quickly come to mind as recommended) and began counting out our cash payment. Cash remains the order of business in China and the largest available bill is a 100 (worth about $16), so transactions like this require a lot of bills. Locals began gathering at the windows peering in to watch us count our money in Nucky Thompson -like fashion. We stopped and asked if this was ok, and we were quickly reassured by agency and hotel staff that it was no problem. Crime is a rarity in China, largely because of the historical harsh repercussions.
The culture of Tibet
Many Tibetans walk around spinning prayer wheels. If the wheel is spinning, you are automatically sending your prayers.
The differences between the Tibetan people and the Chinese people to their east could not be more distinct. Maybe it’s the lack of electricity and modern western entertainment or maybe it’s the religious and cultural resistance to outside influence, but whatever the reason, the people of the Tibetan countryside do not desire to emulate Hollywood or any other land of the West. Men still wear traditional clothing daily, women still braid a colorful mixture of thread into their hair and all still carry prayer wheels, devices that are said to send your prayers automatically as long as they are spinning.
Our trip began and ended in Lhasa. The city is to the Tibetan Buddhist what Saudi Arabia’s Mecca is to the Muslim. At least once in a Tibetan Buddhist’s lifetime, he should make the journey to Lhasa and pay homage by walking clockwise circles around the city’s three holy sites. One tour guide stopped us to brag that he had come from the countryside to his job and had now made enough money to bring his 80-year old father on the pilgrimage to Lhasa. His father, he said, had given up on making the journey “in this lifetime” because he was so poor.
Reincarnation is central to Tibetan Buddhism and worshipers believe that they have been placed in Tibet to worship and take it easy for one life as a reward for past lives. Dogs are generally well fed and cared for as they are deemed one step from human and will likely progress to human form in the next lifetime. Tibetan Buddhists are generous, seeing the Temple as a bank where they can deposit funds for future lives.
A taste of Tibet
Tibetan Monks light yak butter coandles during the Butter Lamp Festival (Chötrul Düchen). The festival dates back to the 15th century, when believers would light butter lamps in honor of the enlightenment day of the Gelukpa school founder of Tibetan Buddhism – Je Tsongkhapa.
We happened to arrive during the Tibetan Butter Lamp Festival, an event that attracts even more religious pilgrims than usual but less in number than the swarms of Chinese military that descended nightly from buses and gave the local Dico’s (Chinese KFC equivalent) the majority of its business. American fast food restaurants have not appeared in Tibet. It’s one of the few places we’ve been with no McDonald’s and no KFC. One Tibetan man told us, “Tibetans had rather go to a hometown restaurant that is cheaper and healthier or cook their own food from the farm. If a Tibetan is seen in these fast food places, people will wonder what is wrong with him.”
We don’t really have too many food recommendations as yak meat dominates the menu in Tibet since it is the only animal plentiful enough to adequately feed the population while surviving the high elevation in both live and food forms. The yak concoctions are similar to leftover turkey recipes found in American kitchens subsequently after Thanksgiving holiday. We dined on yak curry, yak steak, fried yak (both meat and cheese), Hawaiian yak pizza (substitute yak for ham and add pineapple), yak chili, yak burgers, yak butter tea and yak meat pancakes. However, every piece of the yak is utilized, from the skulls hung above doorway entrances to thwart off evil spirits to the dried yak dung bricks that would keep us warm and toasty as we ventured into the countryside.
In a strange land
The Tibetan people stared, pointed and talked about us. Foreigners are still a spectacle. However, once they informed their friends of our presence and heads turned toward us, their glances were always accompanied by pleasant smiles. Historically, the Tibetan people did not want foreigners in their country. The 10th Panchen Lama, the top yellow sect Lama staying in the country after the Dalai Lama fled, pushed to keep trains away from Tibet until his death. We were swarmed on social media by Western political activists who object to the “Disneyfication” of Tibet by the Chinese. Still the Tibetans have come to realize that in a landlocked area surrounded by mountains and Chinese police, without navigable passageways to transport goods, the tourist is one of their greatest potential sources of income and they certainly prefer the Western tourist over the Chinese tourist.
Site of a sky burial with tomb stupa where the body is chopped up and fed to the birds. When a boy turns 18, he is sent to see a sky burial. Tibetan man: “We see the bird as a very special holy animal because you never find the bird’s body when it gets old and dies. The bird that is very old will fly higher and higher into the sky until the sun burns it. Ninety percent of funerals for people in Tibet are by sky burial to the birds from the mountain or hillside. A few people in rural areas do not have access so they have a water burial and feed to the fish. Then a few others who died of poison or disease may be buried or burned.”
Our guide and driver carried several permits for approximately hourly stops at Chinese checkpoints requiring them to leave the car and ensure the police that we were staying on our designated path. The checkpoint entries were marked with specific times which brought about an interesting side effect that we often had to stall for this designated time slot, giving us unscripted stops at places where locals unscreened by the government lingered. These were some of our most enjoyable stops with intriguing conversations. One man warned us, “Everyone needs to find a religion. Otherwise, you are a student of Mao Zedong. Don’t take anyone’s word for which religion is for you. You have to try them yourself but if you do not try them and search then you are with the bad people like Mao Zedong. Dalai Lama good! Mao bad!”
With the good and indifference of a lack of change over time, of course, also comes the bad. The Chinese sometimes point to the “dark side” of Tibetan culture and purported cruel regimes as evidence for why they needed change. On Tibetan farms, decisions are generally made solely based on what’s good for the farm. Thus, we learned that a rural Tibetan wedding also takes place in support of the farm. When the oldest boy is around 18, the father will look around for an acceptable wife for him and his brothers. When he finds her, he meets with her parents and once they have agreed that the family’s home is adequate, she is taken around to different members of his family to see if they approve then finally locked in a room at the new family’s house for seven days. During this time, only the oldest son can enter the room to see her and she is often crying. After the seven days, the door is unlocked, her family and the wedding ceremony will soon commence with one woman and a line of six to seven males, some as young as 8 or 9 years old. When a baby is born, the oldest son is called the father and the other boys are called uncles. Only the youngest son may go and marry later for love. All of the middle boys must share this wife and take care of the farm work. We were told that most restaurant and hotel workers in the city of Lhasa were runaway girls attempting to avoid this fate.
In some poor Tibetan towns, women and children leaned against the glass looking in at customers as they ate. As soon as you were finished, they would enter the restaurant with bags asking you to dump your leftovers into the bag. Here, two children share some of those leftovers.
Our scripted stops included key monasteries holding tomb stupas for each of the 13 prior Dalai Lamas, hot springs renowned for their healing powers, and a journey higher and higher into the mountains. In addition to the gorgeous monasteries, lakes and mountains, we saw villages with no utilities and poor Tibetan mothers queuing at restaurant exits while holding plastic bags and begging for leftovers.
Chinese mainlanders generally point to all the money given to the Tibetans by the Chinese government. The Tibetans, they say, benefit from transportation, utilities and free housing brought to them by the Chinese government. When asked about the scenes of strikingly poor inhabitants and a lack of utilities, these proponents of Tibetan occupancy respond that cities must be kept to a minimum because if you give the people too much, they will rebel against you.
Ain’t no mountain high enough
“Don’t take oxygen because we’re only going to go higher and if you take it here, you’re going to need it for 24 hours a day there,” our tour guide warned us throughout the journey as we passed other Westerners returning from pharmacies with canned oxygen. We stuck with the proven antidote, Coca-Cola, to help ease the elevation-induced headaches.
Though the Mount Everest Base Camp was closed, we were able to get some wonderful view of the world’s tallest mountain,
Although Mount Everest Base Camp had been closed by Chinese authorities for winter weather, our night on the edge of Mount Everest proved to be memorable. In a town with no electricity or plumbing, we huddled in the hotel “restaurant,” staying warm while the stove in the center of the room burned dry bricks of yak dung. Most of us slept on sofas that lined the perimeter of the serving area rather than retreating to our unheated rooms in freezing conditions.
A once in a lifetime trip
From Mount Everest, we retraced our steps back to Lhasa and returned to our home in Mainland China, saving neighboring Nepal for another adventure. Our trip to Tibet proved worthwhile, escaping modern Western life for a few days away from the easy access of McDonald’s, KFC and high-speed Internet, away from even basic plumbing and electricity.
In contention annually for the best boardwalk and oceanfront in the nation, Virginia Beach is a wonderful beach town. Photo Credit: Andy Rodgers.
Have you ever wondered what locals really think of tourists? What a tourist destination is like in the off-season? I first experienced this working in one of the, if not the, most well-known area of Hampton Roads – Virginia Beach. As a multiple award-winning beach tourist destination, this Southside locale draws about 3 million visitors each year, and, from first-hand experience, I can tell you the locals hate to love this source of economic wealth.
Favorite Virginia Beach Places
Fort Story
Now known as Joint Expeditionary Base East since the implementation of the controversial Congress-directed initiative Joint Basing, the former Army installation Fort Story is now connected to the Navy’s Little Creek Expeditionary Base to form Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.
Working for the Army and on this base from 2007 to 2009, I was fortunate enough to have a view of the Atlantic Ocean everyday at work as the installation is located along the coast. Several tourist sites are located within the borders of Fort Story, including a commemorative cross that marks where John Smith and company first landed on their maiden voyage to the nation, the site of the city’s annual Easter Sunrise Service, and the Cape Henry Lighthouse, one of the first public projects commissioned by the U.S. government. If you visit, though, be aware Fort Story is an active military installation and you will have to undergo a vehicle inspection to obtain a visitor’s pass to the sites.
The Oceanfront
The iconic King Neptune sculpture stands guard over the Virginia Beach boardwalk. The Neptune Festival held each September promotes community life on the boardwalk. Photo Credit: Andy Rodgers
Lined with your typical ice cream parlors, souvenir shops, old-time photo booths, bicycle rentals, and other nostalgic boardwalk boutiques, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront is annually in contention for the best oceanfront and boardwalk in the nation. In the summer months, performers from barber shop quartets to magicians can be found up and down the boardwalk, and each weekend is dedicated to a festival from sandcastles to monster trucks as part of the Beach Street USA program. In the off-season, you can enjoy the solitude of a walk down the boardwalk with few other guests and stop to admire the iconic King Neptune statue and other nautical sculptures.
Mount Trashmore
Built upon layers of solid waste, hence the name, Mount Trashmore is a famous city park offering plenty of green space, recreational activities and a full-size lake. During nice weather, this is a great place to spread out a picnic and watch the many families flying kites, playing horseshoes, and walking the many trails.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Thousands of animals representing more than 300 species call the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center home. With exhibits such as Chesapeake Light Tower Aquarium where the most species of sea turtles co-habitat anywhere to the Blue Crab Corner featuring the mascot animal of the Tidwater region plus an IMAX theater and special events, the VAMSC offers an underwater adventure for all ages. Located along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, the center also has an active rescue and rehabilitation program for sea animals washed upon shore. Annually, the Stranded Response Team assists more than 100 marine animals and 300 sea turtles who are found along Virginia’s coasts.
Virginia Beach Eats
As you can imagine, with the city’s proximity to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean, seafood, good seafood, is the staple. Most city restaurants also participate in Virginia Beach’s sustainable seafood program, developed by the VAMSC. Two award-winning restaurants that support the eco-friendly method of catching fresh fish are Catch 31 next to the oceanfront and Lynnhaven Fish House. Try one of the chef’s creative specials at the Catch, and don’t miss the popular regional favorite She-Crab Soup at the Fish House.
My absolute favorite breakfast joint ever is Citrus, a bit off the beaten path, which in Virginia Beach means not oceanside. This place has the best chocolate chip pancakes, grits and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Another unique offering is Taste Unlimited. Although this specialty store is a small chain, it originated in Virgina Beach and specializes in Virginia-grown delicacies, such as Smithfield ham and Williamsburg wine. Some of the best deli sandwiches are served fresh daily at these quaint stores.
Working in Virginia Beach
As the largest city in the Commonwealth, Virginia Beach offers an attractive set of economic resources to businesses. With above-average media household income and educational levels, the city sports a less than average unemployment rate.
For a closer look at the city’s thriving economy, we turn to native Christine Brantley, the community relations and development manager for Virginia Beach Public Library. Attending to the 10 libraries in the VBPL system, Christine travels through the city frequently. “… with every quick trip I find something scenic – from a field with deer in one section of the city to the beaches at the oceanfront or the Town Center skyline. Having lived in the DC area, where I commuted 30 miles to work and back, every day on I-95, I think Virginia Beach’s traffic is very manageable.”
The former Fort Story offers many tourist sites, including the First Landing Cross and the Cape Henry Lighthouse seen here. Completed in 1792, the lighthouse to the right was one of the first commissioned projects of the U.S. government.
Lunch hours during the work week are a treat with a wide variety of restaurants and shopping boutiques. For a great and quick lunch, Christine recommends Azar’s for terrific Mediterranean food and Bangkok Garden for wonderful Thai cuisine. Afterward, check out the shopping in Town Center or near the oceanfront.
For unwinding after work, Christine enjoys the many happy-hour spots the city has to offer. “You can find great happy hour food and drink specials at Bonefish Grill on Virginia Beach Boulevard. On a recent Tuesday night, I met my cousin at McCormick & Schmick at Town Center after work for happy hour and then we caught Fifty Shades!: The Musical at the Sandler Center.” For a typical date night, Christine suggests dinner at Croakers on Shore Drive (her favorite menu item is the She-Crab soup) followed by a show at the Funny Bone Comedy Club at Town Center.
In the summer, weekends are best spent on the beautiful beach front. Christine also recommends checking out the bike and hiking trails at the First Landing State Park. “From my perspective as a 40-something mom of a middle-schooler, Virginia Beach offers a great balance of outdoor activities, entertainment and fun, as well as lots of business and networking opportunities. I have great quality of life living and working in Virginia Beach.”
Rating Virginia Beach
I give Virginia Beach a 7+. What is your favorite beach town?
The first city we explore in the Hampton Roads region, Hampton, Va., was my first home when I moved to the area in 2007. The city was founded by English settlers in the early 1600s and now is the oldest continuous English settlement in the U.S. With a great mix of history and contemporary fun, Hampton offers a variety of activities for all.
Favorite Hampton Places
The Casemate Museum features the room where Confederate President Jefferson Davis was imprisoned during the Civil War. The museum offers free admission.
Fort Monroe & Casemate Museum
In the mid-1800s, the U.S. Army completed a new installation on Point Comfort where 200 years earlier the English settlers developed a strategic defense on the water of the confluence of the Elizabeth, James and Nansemond rivers. Named in honor of the president at the time, Fort Monroe played key roles in America’s defense until its closure in 2011. Surrounded by a moat, the fort was the largest stone fort ever built in the U.S. Today, the fort is registered as a National Monument opened to the public. With historical buildings throughout, you can view places such as where President Lincoln gave a speech during the Civil War and where Edgar Allan Poe stayed during his time in service stationed at the post.
Located on the fort’s ground, the Casemate Museum features relics and exhibits throughout the fort’s history inside a former series of jail cells. For free admission, you can also view where the Confederate President Jefferson Davis was imprisoned during the Civil War.
Virginia Air & Space Center and Downtown
Within the city limits, you’ll find Langley Air Force Base and NASA Langley Research Center where many aeronautical ventures take place. In support of this aviation focus, the Virginia Air & Space Center opened to the public in 1992 as the official visitor’s center for LAFB and NASA LRC. For an admission cost, you can view historic aircraft, artifacts from various missions, and participate in interactive modules, such as the Apollo 12 Command Center. With the IMAX Theater, you can also watch 3D movies that take you to outer space.
The annual Blackbeard Pirates Festival is held on the waterfront in Historical Downtown Hampton. Each year, attendees dress up and act out famous pirate escapades to the delight of hundreds of spectators.
Located in central downtown, the Center is next door to the turn-of-the-century restored carousel and popular restaurants and shopping boutiques. My favorite part of downtown is the waterfront location, making it perfect for the annual Blackbeard Pirates Festival and Hampton Bay Days. You can also take boat tours from the launch at the downtown visitor’s center to Fort Wool.
Peninsula Town Center
A premier mixed-use complex, the Peninsula Town Center was opened in 2010 to become the shopping, dining and nightlife destination for the city. With department and specialty stores, casual to upscale restaurants, and plenty of entertainment venues, PTC offers something for everyone. My particular favorites were Chipotle and Cinebistro.
Buckroe Beach
With major tourist beaches in the Hampton Roads region, it’s nice to find a quieter spot at Buckroe Beach. Once part of a major amusement park and resort destination in the late 1800s, early 1900s, the Beach is now used by locals and does draw some tourism with performances at the pavilion throughout the summer. The pier is also popular with fishermen.
Sandy Bottom Nature Park
For the great outdoors, take a hike through the trails and around the lake of the Sandy Bottom Nature Park. Made from reclaimed land of a former trash dump, the Park offers educational environmental programs and wildlife exhibits.
St. John’s Church in Historical Downtown Hampton is part of the nostalgic atmosphere you can find by the waterfront. With greats shopping boutiques, eateries and entertainment options, Downtown Hampton is an ideal spot to spend a weekend. ,
Hampton Eats
One of my top breakfast spots in the nation is located in Hampton. Tommy’s on Mercury Boulevard was opened by Greek immigrants, and the diner offers hearty platters of grits, bacon, eggs, pancakes and more for less than $7. The line out the door each morning speaks to how good this place is. Jack’s is another diner that is a great place to get a taste of the local life, but the food is nowhere near the quality of what you’ll find at Tommy’s.
For a more unique experience, The Grey Goose is set up as a Southern tea room, featuring dishes such as Brunswick stew, seafood chowders and pulled pork sandwiches. La Bodega offers wines from the Commonwealth, microcraft beers, and specialty meat and cheeses. If you’re looking for English imports, check out the quaint Best of British shop, also in Historical Downtown Hampton.
Working in Hampton
Located in the geographic center of Hampton Roads, Hampton is an attractive option for retail and hotel businesses. With its aeronautical history, the city is rich with aerospace industry and promotes several industrial parks.
Jason Brown, an active-duty U.S. Air Force public affairs specialist at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, has been in Hampton since 2009. He says the city has recently seen a rise in economic development with booms in entertainment districts and a revitalization of downtown. He also likes the central location of the city. “As Hampton is centrally located in Hampton Roads at the southernmost tip of the Peninsula, getting to the various locales is easy — I-64 and I-664, which pass directly through the city, provide commuters the pipeline to travel easily to the Southside cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, or westward toward neighboring Newport News, Yorktown, Williamsburg and Richmond.”
As Hampton Roads is notorious for its traffic jams, Jason says Hampton does a good job of handling commuter traffic loads. As the opening of the dreaded Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel is located in Hampton, the city offers primary thoroughfares to ease congestion, and it also helps these roadways are well monitored by local police.
I give Hampton a 6. What would you give it?
With such a variety of activities, Jason says he doesn’t have to look far for something fun to enjoy in the city each weekend. From the quaint shops of the downtown area to the sophisticated venues in the PTC, date nights to family-friendly activities abound. Jason especially enjoys taking in special events at the iconic Hampton Coliseum, such as concerts and trade shows. “Hampton’s blend of history and modern convenience make the city an ‘up-and-comer’ among places to live and work.”
Rating Hampton
I give Hampton a 6. What is your favorite waterside festival?
Hampton University was founded in the 1860s after the Civil War to serve the new freedmen population. Today, the college is one of several higher education institutions in Hampton Roads.
Last week I returned to what Chris and I claim home: Hampton Roads, Va. We still own a house there; it was the last place we lived together before we moved overseas; and whenever we’re asked overseas where we’re from, we always say Virginia. I was in town for a week visiting old friends and co-workers, checking on our house, and hosting a professional development session for the Public Relations Society of America Hampton Roads Chapter. Being back home felt so good, especially after not visiting in the last year. On a trip to Alaska in 2011, we met an English lady in her 90s who had traveled the world and still continued to do so. She told us she loved to travel, but her favorite part was always going home. I completely understood her sentiment on this trip back to Hampton Roads.
A short history of Hampton Roads
The area, located in the extreme southeast corner of Virginia, is made up of several cities and counties. Officially, there are seven cities in two geographic locations. On the Peninsula, you have Hampton and Newport News. On the South Side, there is Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. In the outlying areas of Hampton Roads, there is Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown making up the Colonial Triangle; Isle of Wight County including the famous hams of Smithfield; in the Middle Peninsula you’ll find Gloucester and Matthews counties; and reaching across the North Carolina state line you’ll find the popular beaches of Outer Banks.
With a history reaching back more than 400 years, Hampton Roads has earned its nickname “Birthplace of America.” Sites like Colonial Williamsburg bring that history to life for thousands of tourists each year.
You may think with the name “Roads” the designation refers to on-land pathways. You’d be wrong. With the Chesapeake Bay, James River, Elizabeth River and Atlantic Ocean, Hampton Roads actually refers to the many waterways in the area. As the world’s largest natural port, Hampton Roads was the ideal spot for the first settlers from England to make landfall and set up homesteads, giving the area the nickname of “Birthplace of America.” With historical figures like Pocahontas and John Smith along with key battles during the Revolutionary and Civil wars having roots in the area, Hampton Roads is widely known for its linkage to American history and brings mass amounts of tourism each year. In 2007, in honor of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, America’s first colony, the entire commonwealth (note that Virginia is classified as a commonwealth and not a state) underwent an 18-month celebration campaign, even including to this day commemorative license plates.
Hampton Roads today
As industry continued to grow in the area due to the plentiful transportation routes, Hampton Roads has become home to major companies, such as Norfolk Southern and Huntington Ingalls Industries. Centered around the natural harbor, Hampton Roads is a leader in the import/export business. With a metro population of more than 1.5 million, the area continues to grow economically with a Gross Regional Product of $84 billion plus.
With a large military presence, Hampton Roads is known for its patriotism. On many occasions we were fortunate enough to support our troops, such as when we helped welcome home our friend, Travis Tucker, from a deployment on the USS Harry Truman in 2010.
Along with industry, Hampton Roads is also known for its high concentration of military. With every branch represented throughout Tidewater, almost one-fourth of all active-duty service members are stationed in the area. With events like the Virginia Beach Patriotic Festival and military appreciation days at the local sports venues, Hampton Roads is as patriotic as it gets.
Unfortunately, though, the region is notorious for its traffic. Due to the mass amount of water and nautical travel, bridges and tunnels are a mainstay of the area. With these in place, backups and accidents are all too common. The infrastructure of these dated roadways is a source of concern, and with the implementation of tolls soon to come, the woes never seem to cease.
Covering Hampton Roads
For the next several WorkLife Travel Destinations, we’ll be exploring the cities and outlying areas of Hampton Roads one by one and finding out what makes them such wonderful tourist destinations. Want to know something specific about a Tidewater city or county? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll cover it in a post.
We’ve been traveling in and out of your borders now for more than 15 months. We’ve lived on three continents, visiting more than 20 countries. Along the way, we’ve picked up some habits that won’t be considered “normal” or “acceptable” back inside the homeland. As we prepare to come back once again, this time for the longest visit since leaving in August 2012, we must apologize in advance for the transgressions we know we’ll unwittingly commit. So, by country we’ve lived in, please excuse:
After sipping fresh coconut water on a Brazilian beach, mainland U.S. beaches just pale in comparison.
Brazil
1. Our constant beeping of the car horn. We’re not angry at you other drivers, really, we just want you to know we’re there or we’re coming to make an extra lane because there’s space between you and that semi. Just beware the long car horn, then we’re angry.
2. If we look at disgust at the packaged and processed fruit juices in the grocery store. Where is the coconut water or fresh watermelon juice?
3. Our visible disappointment at the mainland beaches. After Brazil, you really just can’t compare.
4. If our bathing suits seem a bit inappropriate for public use, especially in front of children.
With the emphasis on the dairy industry in Switzerland, is it any wonder we’ve lost our taste for American-made chocolate?
Switzerland
5. Us just saying it: the chocolate sucks.
6. Us as we lament about the lack of good public transportation. What do you mean Amtrack is late?
7. If we forget and start to fill up our water bottle at a outdoor fountain, please stop and remind us where we are.
8 . If we flip out on you for playing music or having a TV on, talking loudly, or even taking a shower after 10 p.m. Respect the quiet hours!
When the everyday hustle and bustle is a crowded-free-for-all, you would forget silly concepts like personal space, too.
China
9. If we invade your personal space. We’ve kind of forgotten what those parameters are anymore.
10. If we forget to wait for you to exit a subway car or taxi or we shove and push you in a crowd, elbows out. We don’t mean it personally, you’re just in our way, we’re in a hurry, and we don’t notice your existence.
11. Our lax standards on sanitation. The dish has a hair in it? Just one? It’s still good. You dropped a utensil on the floor? A piece of candy? Haven’t you heard of the five10 20-second rule?
12. If we don’t wait for you, the pedestrian, in a crosswalk. Don’t you know we, in our banged-up Pontiac or on our rusted moped, have the right-of-way? We will hit, or at least bump, you.
United States, you’re our home, and we’ll will always love you. It’s really not you, it’s us. We’ve just come to love so many others. Please forgive us if we offend you. We do, though, look forward to seeing you again soon.
Sincerely,
Chris & Monica
P.S.
As we make the transition from six-month stints to a more permanent stay somewhere, we’ll be taking a few weeks off from the blog with a trip to Tibet thrown in the mix. We’ll be posting again Jan. 8, 2014. Happy Holidays!
With its many palm trees and distinct rich history, Charleston exudes its own style of Southern charm.
A close cousin to Savannah, Charleston, S.C., has its own brand of Southern charm. A slower pace carries the breeze from the harbor through the Spanish moss, and you can feel the old aristocratic presence this city is still known for today. A staple in the Lowcountry, Charleston is a step back in time.
Favorite Charleston Places
Forts Sumter and Moultrie
Known as the spot where the U.S. Civil War began, the Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Monument operated by the National Park Service offers history buffs and families a walk through history. Within the fortified walls, you’ll find Union and Confederate memorabilia. Outside the walls, you can view the American Indians Osceloa’s grave.
A throwback to days-gone-by, Page’s Thieves Market on U.S. 17 offers hard-to-find antiques and memorabilia.
Page’s Thieves Market
Located in nearby Mt. Pleasant, Page’s Thieves Market is an antique and auction house with unique Southern finds. From period furniture to zany advertisements, you can discover all matters of treasures here.
U.S. 17 Coastal Highway
Take a ride out of town down this scenic highway where Spanish moss grows abundantly and you can smell the salt in the air. Be sure to stop by one of the many stands all along the highway where the Gullah sell their sweetgrass baskets and other weavings.
With well-preserved historical buildings, Charleston has many museums offering tours for a look back at life during the Civil War and antebellum periods.
Historical Walk
With a rich history and a major city in the Civil War period, Charleston has preserved many of its historical landmarks. Places such as the Nathaniel Russell House have been turned into museums and can be toured for a look back at how decor and life were in those times.
Another significant architectural nod to Charleston is its many historical churches. From the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist to the French Protestant Huguenot Church, it’s no wonder these many well-preserved places of worship have earned the city the nickname “The Holy City.”
Theater 99
Chris’ high school friend, Dusty Slay, is a comedian who regularly performs at Theater 99. Known for its improv performance, this “comedy hub of Charleston” provides a great place to try out your funny bone in classes or shows.
Charleston Eats
Hominy Grill is our favorite Charleston restaurant. Known for its elegant twist on Southern classics, we highly recommend the Big Nasty Biscuit.
Known for its Southern cuisine and fresh seafood, there are plenty of options to satisfy any craving. We like Hominy Grill for its elegant twist on Southern classics. For a favorite Southern classic in its own South Carolina style, check out Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q joint for some great eats.
Matt Hutcheson, former Charleston resident and high school classmate, highly recommends Hyman’s Seafood. Beware, though, with the popularity of this place, long waits are the norm. If a burger is more to your taste, don’t miss Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan Island. With a theme in honor of Edgar Allen Poe’s time at Fort Moultrie, the restaurant is known for its unique burger combination, like the PB&J and jalapeno burger, and wide bar selection.
Speaking of burgers, Dusty’s favorite is at the Big Gun Burger Shop where he also hosts an open mic night. Combined with an extensive craft beer selection, this joint offers up the American classic not to be missed. Other recommendations include a pub crawl across town on a Sunday afternoon starting at Gene’s Haufbrau, the oldest bar in Charleston, hitting the many open-air bars downtown, and ending at The Rooftop Bar at The Vendue with an excellent view of the harbor. If the hipster scene is what you seek, Dusty says to check out the posh bars and restaurants north of Calhoun Street. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Upper Deck Tavern on King Street is the best dive bar in town. “The food and beverage scene is so good in Charleston that when I first moved here, I gained 40 pounds right away,” says Dusty.
Working in Charleston
Though laid back, Charleston has a thriving economy through its many businesses. Brian Still explains what makes the Palmetto City the place to consider home.
With a view of Fort Sumter, one can imagine the smell of salt in the air throughout Charleston. Waterfront views are plentiful in supply in this coastal town.
A former patient care tech in the Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit at the Medical University of South Carolina and now studying to be a doctor, Brian has lived and worked in Charleston since 2005. With fantastic year-round weather, his commute to the university each day is made easy with the views of the ocean and the smell of the saltwater in the air.
After work, he enjoys the social scene in the many restaurants and nightlife options offered by the city. “Another great advantage to Charleston is that it is a city that loves to showcase its love for everything culinary. There are so many restaurants and all of them are so delicious that there is never a shortage of new places to eat,” Brian says. “Charleston, probably more than any city I’ve been to, also caters to people who like to have a drink while they socialize. The nightlife in Charleston is one of its major selling points for most people of all ages.”
If you’re a pet lover, then Charleston is the place to be. According to Brian, the best part of Charleston is its affinity toward our furry four-legged friends. “Charleston is a city that caters to canines. You can bring your dog pretty much ANYWHERE in this city,” he says. “There are outdoor malls, dog-friendly beaches, dog parks, and nearly every restaurant has patio seating for people who bring their dogs. There are even some bars that allow dogs!”
We give Charleston a 7+. What would you give it?
On the weekends, Brian can be found at the many events held around the city outdoors. “Charleston is also a city that does not take its free time lightly … there are numerous events and activities happening all over town like art walks through the downtown art galleries, charity motorcycle rides, you name it! The majority of them are outdoors (the beautiful weather I was talking about) and most include some kind of alcoholic beverage.”
As his final piece of advice, Brian suggests being prepared to fall in love with Charleston upon your first visit. “The only recommendation I have for people who are considering visiting is, don’t visit unless you would consider moving because myself, like many others, came to visit and ended up never leaving!”
We give Charleston a 7+. What is your favorite city in South Carolina?
