The Stuttgart Wine Festival

This is a post from Jason Perk's travel blog about his recent trip to Germany:


Tonight was our last night in Germany, and the viastore folks took us out to the Stuttgart Wine Festival to show us a good time. We had been talking about this all week, and word had gotten around that we were planning this, so by the time we got to it, we had a large following. Mark, myself, John, Ben and Rick, and we were joined by Martin and Regina Rommler, Halina Janischewski, Dieter Ruffner, Matthias Müller and Birgit Stark from viastore GmbH, and finally, Ben’s friend Arnin who is from Germany.

The plan was for the US folks and Arnin to meet at the central train station in Stuttgart at 7 PM. Ben and I, being the good hosts that we are, decided to go and pick up Rick at the train station near his hotel so he did not have to find his own way. He moved to a hotel that day that was near the airport, about a 25 minute train ride. So, Ben and I are off, on our own on the Stuttgart trains system for the first time…..and you know how I am on my own in Germany.

Seemed simple enough though, make one train change at the main station, and I will take us right to Rick. So we boarded the train in Feuerbach, and took our seats….they were pretty nice, with tables on the side and everything. Here is a picture…


If you notice in the upper right of this picture, it says “To 1st Class Section”….this is a picture of the door Ben and I passed through after about 10 minutes on this train. Yup, that’s right, we got on the train, apparently through the first class entrance, which I am sure is well marked on the outside. It was funny, as soon as we sat down we both started commenting how comfy the seats were, and how it was cool there were tables…..and no one else was in our section….this was the best train in the whole fleet..

Then I think we started to add things up, the nice seats, tables, no one else in our area…..and the door to this area looked familiar….oh, we had seen it from the other side on our last train ride….so we scurried out of there.

After picking up Rick, and making it to the main station, we had a bit of a wait as we were early, and the Bietigheim boys were running a little late. But we did find Arnin, and were chatting with him for a bit. Then Rick took off to find the bathroom. When he returned, he told me he had to pay 30 cents to get into the bathroom. I said no way, this was surely a blogable item. So I ran over to take a picture.

Sure enough, there it is, a turnstile to get into the bathroom. 30 cents, you gotta be kidding me. Arnin said it was so that the homeless wouldn’t go in there to sleep, makes sense now, maybe they do this in the US in big cities, I have no idea, but it was still funny.

What you cannot see in my picture however, is that right after the flash hit the turnstile, an older gentlemen turned the corner and was headed out. I can only imagine what was running through his head as he saw me taking a picture of him emerging from the bathroom. I ran back to the group, and started to tell them about this guy, and when I turned around to point, he was about 5 feet from me, giving me one of the worst stink eyes I have ever gotten as he slowly passed by…….wasn’t sure if he was just letting me know he was displeased, or if he was keeping an eye on me because he was not sure what I would do….anywho, more good times.

So, the Wine Festival, we got off the train in Stuttgart and had to hoof it a bit, but it did allow us to walk through a cool part of the city…

All in all, another great night here in Germany, thanks again to our German colleagues for showing us a great time while we were in their neck of the woods.

About the author:

Jason Perks is a project manager for Blesco, Inc. in Grand Rapids. Read about his travel adventure at Traveling Jason's blog.

This is the New Castle in Stuttgart’s Schlossplatz (town square) built in 1746.

Shopping center opposite the New Castle

Entering the Wine Festival

This is our tent, where we had a table reserved, with a rather surly gentleman sitting out from….I think he’s the bouncer at this club.

I would call this the German Sampler Platter, I believe it has Lentil, Sauerkraut, Pork, some form of hot dog and Maultaschen (ravioli).

The author taking care of "business"

Finding Paradise in Costa Rica

Sunrise over Osa Peninsula rainforest 

Though I am a self proclaimed urban dweller and can talk for days about my favorite cities around the world (Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Prague, etc.), by far one of the most life changing destinations was the country of Costa Rica.  I took a short ten days in 2003 to escape the chilly Chicago April weather to jump in and out of questionable small planes, buses and boats to see the sites of what was then still fairly underdeveloped areas of lush rainforest, dread-locked surfer beaches and funky eco-hotels. 

My adventure began with the most take-your-breath-away taxi ride I’ve ever experienced, between the capital city of San Jose to the popular destination of the still active volcano, Arenal.

After horseback riding the base of the volcano, jumping into a harness to fly around the zip lines for a canopy tour and enjoying the rumble and fire shows of the erupting beauty it was off to the highlight of the trip, Osa Peninsula.  Osa juts out into the Pacific Ocean at the southernmost tip of Costa Rica.  The faint of heart do not typically make it this remote location in Costa Rica.  It took a white knuckled flight in a 12 seat plane, landing on a dirt strip in the middle of nowhere (after passing low first to shoo the cows of our landing strip) a bumpy ride in an old school bus through plantation fields and boat ride through a river, out into the ocean and around a bay until finding…paradise.

The rainforest, to say the least, is a humbling experience.  To walk amongst the intricate eco-system, one feels very small…and fortunate to be part of this beautiful world.  I will return, someday.

About the author:

Ashley Cole resides in Heritage Hill in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Besides running her interior design business, Ashley Cole Design,  she enjoys modeling, traveling the world, yoga, dance, photography and being a student of life.

Air strip in Southern Costa Rica

Iguana Lodge

Arenal Volcano

View from taxi ride

Villa at Iguana Lodge

Arenal village

"Broccoli trees" - the leaves don't touch each other, creating an open space

between the foliage to allow sunlight through

Waterfall between San Jose and La Fortuna

Osa Peninsula rainforest tour

Mama and baby monkey hanging out

Osa Peninsula beach

Deck at Iguana Lodge

Japanese Love Hotels

Over the past weekend, we celebrated our one year anniversary of living abroad in Okinawa. 

It's been a fast and crazy year with all the big changes in our daily lives-- driving on the left side of the road, learning Japanese, and discovering 100 yen stores, but it's been fun too.

One of the funny things we remember about moving to our apartment last year was that we happened to find ourselves in a peculiar part of town. During the day, it's your average hillside island community with gorgeous vistas of the ocean and cool breezes.  

Imagine our surprise to discover at night, the neon comes out full force! That's right, we found ourselves living smack in the middle of Love Hotel Alley. 

What are love hotels? Fascinating places really as we learned from our investigation. We toured our neighborhood and made this video of our favorites along with some cultural information about them. It should be clarified these are our "favorites" from the outside only. We have yet to pay our hourly charge and actually go inside! 

About the author:

Mary Richardson is the woman behind one of my favorite travel blogs: Mary and Sean's Adventure Abroad. She and her husband, Sean, are expats living in Okinawa, Japan.

Discover Spain

The author in front of hand painted Spanish fans

Spain … that is, the intense spirit of flamenco and the fiery collision of modern (Cataluña) and archaic (Andalucía) tradition. In this country that never sleeps, there is always a reason to party and stay up late. Not quite sure how they manage to be up and awake but  the secret might just be renewed energy after a good afternoon siesta! Each city that we visited – Madrid, Segovia, Avila, Sevilla, and Barcelona – had a charm uniquely its own.


We soaked in Madrid’s art, culture, and history walking through the Jardin Botanico, the Museo del Prado, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, the Catedral de San Isidro, the Palacio Real, the El Rastro flea market, and more.  We took an hour-long train ride to see the Monasterio de San Lorenzo del Escorial, which was once the Royal Palace and is now the burial site for the Royal Family; and then a 15-minute cab ride to the Valle de los Caidos, a memorial to lives lost in the Spanish Civil War and where General Franco is buried.


Segovia’s serpentine aqueduct is spectacular and resembles a ship’s helm – a grand entrance to the Old Town! Would you believe that its two tiers of 166 arches and 128 pillars were built without mortar? It’s amazing! Segovia’s romantic Alcazar, with its spiraling towers and pointed turrets, was reportedly the model for the castle in the Disney movie Cinderella.


Avila’s almost-perfect medieval walls, 10 feet thick and 40 feet high, are incredible! Even the cathedral was built as part of the walls. There is a walkway around the top where you can almost imagine an army of Moors approaching the city. It is also the hometown of Spain’s patron saint, Santa Teresa de Avila. We tried the “melts-in-your-mouth” yema that the city is famous for. Very rich and sinful!
Our hotel in Sevilla, Alfonso XIII, was another high point. It is, perhaps, the most exotic hotel I’ve ever experienced. Truly a work of art, its archways, inlaid columns, marble floors, tile and woodwork are astonishing. So this is how it feels to be royalty! Not far from the hotel is the Alcazar, still used as a private residence for the Spanish royals, and the Cathedral of Sevilla, where we took a carriage ride around the city to see the Plaza de España, Teatro dela Maestranza, and Toro del Oro.


Our final stop, Barcelona, cannot be dismissed. Once home to Miró and Picasso, it lives up to its reputation as the mecca for bold creativity. Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllό, and Parc Guëll definitely caught the attention of my girls, Katrina and Ashley, with its avant-garde style. Another favorite was Las Ramblas, the heart of Barcelona’s street life, filled with cafes, shops, street artists, and vendors selling souvenirs, flowers, and all kinds of pets (turtles, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks,parrots, love birds, fish, chicks, and more). I loved the La Boqueria, which reminded me of the markets in the Philippines, with stands selling meat, fish, wine, cheese, fruits, nuts, breads, and produce.


The saying “when you’re in Rome, do as the Romans do” cannot be as applicable to Spain when it comes to food. We always left room for something else as we walked through the streets. I recommend going tasca to tasca leading up to dinner at 11 p.m. or so! From the paella, cochinillo asado, Jabugo ham, spicy salami, tapas, and the manchego cheese … there are endless possibilities of what and where to eat.


About the author:


Anzelle David is my cousin who lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with her husband and two daughters, Kat and Ashley. She is a vice president for Fleishman-Hillard.

Valle De Los Caidos

Segovia's Alcazar

Kat and Ashley at Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia

A Different "Made in China" Perspective

I imagined nine days of getting know to China and ...the imagination came to fruition! I jumped the plane(s) with some 40 West Michiganders to explore the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou, a tour offered under the umbrella of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.

You ask..

How long is the flight? LA to Beijing, 13 hours. Beijing to Shanghia 1.5 hours. Bring a book...or two

China is full of life, prolific new construction, rice/hot tea/and beer at every family style meal! Think Washington DC when you visit Beijing, NYC with a Shanghai stop. Out of the city, mountains begin to rise, in preparation for a view of the Great Wall. Bicyclists and Scooters mingled with the city traffic, and... it's cold in November!

These are my recommendations: climb UP (and DOWN) the Great Wall (especially IN the snow), a visit to a tea Plantation, Tian An Men Square plus the Temple of Heaven. Tiger Hill is the "Leaning Tower of China" and you really do linger..in the Lingering Garden.

Some cultural aspects worth noting:  the awesome athleticism of the Acrobats, watching those skilled in the handmaking of oriental rugs, pottery, embroidery, silk, and witnessing the marketing of the jade and pearl products, plus Herbal medicine.. very intense.

Are there china "oddities"? Ladies, study up on your "restroom" options, beware a dog with orange ears and yellow tail, prepare for the human mosquitos, lots of "personals" hang out to dry, and...it's ok to slurp your soup. There's a scale in every hotel bathroom (?) and make note that the official state bird is the crane (due to the high rise construction)

From this experience, I came away with a deeper appreciation of this home of the "Made in China" label, that we're all on this earth together to make it a better place. To boot, no jet lag!


About the author:


Shelley Irwin is a host and producer for National Public Radio in Grand Rapids. 

Tulum, Mexico

The author sipping coco frio at the ruins of Tulum

For many of us, the Mayan Riviera conjures up images of mystery, adventure and miles of beaches under Mexico sunshine. Not many people, however, experience the Mayan Riviera beyond the large city of Cancun. Few venture past the monolithic hotel and resort complexes that extend south toward the famous reefs of Cozumeland Playa del Carmen. But if one chooses to travel further by just a few hours, one can abandon the over-curated visitor experience to find the natural beauty of the local people and land of the Maya Riviera. For us, our most recent Mexico adventure was to Tulum, ancient Maya seaport of the Yucatan Peninsula.

It was March 2009 and our visit to Tulum was scheduled to extend over the First Day of Spring (Vernal Equinox). To anyone living in Michigan, the First Day of Spring is a marker that reminds us that, well, someday the snow will melt. So, as both a gesture to old man winter and in search of sand, beautiful people and adventure, our Tulum trip was one of those impulse vacations I am known to book.

One of my favorite parts of the vacation is the research beforehand. I love reading guides, reviews, and history books about a place before a visit. To me, its as fun as the trip itself. We delved into the history of the Yucatan peninsula; learning more about the Ancient Maya people, the environment of the Yucatan, and its culture as it is today. We arranged our itinerary around the equinox to visit the ruins of Tulum and Coba, as the both the equinoxes and solstices are marked in the precision of the Maya architecture that can be found within its ancient ruins.

In addition to its rich Maya heritage, Tulum is known for its stretch of small, boutique resorts on the beach – many of which characterize themselves as “eco-resorts” (fyi: this term is subject to broad interpretation). Of the various eco-resorts, we selected Azulik, known for its hand-crafted (electricity-free) casitas perched atop a rock outcrop overlooking the ocean. It's intimate setting made for wonderful relaxing (albeit very windy at times) on the patio in the soaking tub. We had amazing sunrises (because of the time change we were wide awake for them) and also enjoyed seeing the stars overhead at night-time.

Time slows down in Mexico. Life is too fast in the north country, in my opinion. Perhaps it is beach culture that melted back the layers of stress that accumulates from a modern American life. Who knows. “Impulse booking,” in the case of this trip, did not mean random. While it was planned last-minute, it was a journey Seth and I needed to take together.

We were grateful time slowed - it allowed Seth and I to reconnect (even if he was drugged on a blend of Actifed and some antibiotics for part of the trip while fighting a sinus infection). Maybe it was the magical moments among the spirits of an ancient past early on Equinox morning at Coba, or perhaps it was the sweet embrace of the balmy ocean breezes. We only know that it gave us time to remember that we share a path together, and we can only hope that it is as lasting as the limestone sacbes made by the Maya people nearly 2,000 years ago.


About the author:


Lisa Rose Starner is the principal for Soil Water Sun Grow Creative. The "Foodie Chefs" of six one six nicknamed her the "Kitchen Alchemist" for her passionate and instinctive approach to cooking. She is one of the true champions of the sustainability movement in West Michigan. She is also a mother of two beautiful kids. 

Rock sculpture at Azulik Beach

Sunrise at Azulik eco-resort

Seth indulging in the Punta Allen ceviche

The Mysterious Machu Picchu

I hiked the Inca Trail 2 years ago and on the 5th day, finally arrived at the world wonder just in time for sunrise.  The place is absolutely amazing.  It’s a hidden, stone walled city perched on top of a large peak that traditionally only could be accessed by foot.  According to legend, when the conquistadors invaded the Incan tribes in modern day Peru, they were never able to overcome the elevation and the vertical trek to actually make it to the Incan capital city.  Most of the city of Machu Picchu is still intact.  You can visit the various temples on the city’s grounds and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to hang out with several llamas and alpacas that roam the city’s cliffs. 


About the author:


John Kim is a medical student at Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine.