Soul Kitchen - a Jon Bon Jovi project

A long time ago, a Belgian friend of mine interviewed Jon Bon Jovi for a popular magazine in Belgium. She told me he was a super nice guy. Well, after hearing about his latest project in New Jersey, I am pretty much convinced that he is.
He has set up a community restaurant called Soul Kitchen in Redbank, NJ that has no prices on the menu! If you don’t have the money to pay for your meal, you can volunteer in exchange for your meal.
People who do have the funds to pay for their meals, can pay 10$ or anything on top of that to cover someone else’s meal. I really love this concept. For the 10$, you get a three-course meal of nutritious American fare and you will most likely get to be seated next to people you don’t know. No reservations, no credit cards, just cash or volunteer time.

The restaurant is open:

Thursday, Friday & Saturday
Seating from 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Sundays Seating from 12:00pm - 3:00pm

More information:

Soul Kitchen: http://www.jbjsoulkitchen.org/about
Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation: http://www.jonbonjovisoulfoundation.org/

I’d say, spread the word and let's go eat!

"Nickel and Dimed"

As a European, I know it is difficult to get used to the idea of tipping when visiting the US. It’s just one of those things that Europeans think should be included with the price of the service.

As a tour director/guide, I know how important tipping is since much of our income depends on it. So maybe this book is a good read before you visit the US.

It totally changed my own mind about tipping, even after having lived in the US for a number of years.

Barbara Ehrenreich’s book “Nickel and Dimed” (2001) is really an eye-opener to a harsh reality. Many Americans who work in minimum wage jobs have to work very hard to make ends meet. Barbara (who holds a PhD) actually goes undercover herself to work in low-wage jobs (waitress, hotel maid, cleaning lady, nursing-home aide, and Wal-Mart associate) and the book’s first edition was written in a time of prosperity. Her story holds even more true in this economy. In 2008 an updated version of the book became available.

The book is also available in Dutch (“De achterkant van de Amerikaanse droom” - Atlas).

You can read more about Barbara Ehrenreich at www.barbaraehrenreich.com.

Death Vallley NP - California

This place is the most outer worldly landscape I have seen. It is also the driest (60mm of average annual precipitation), hottest (56.7˚C), and lowest (86m below sea level) point in North America.

One of the first stops when arriving in Death Valley NP from Las Vegas is Zabriskie Point. It’s part of the Amargosa Range and has one of the most spectacular scenic views in Death Valley. For those of you who are U2 fans, it is also the picture of the cover of the Joshua Tree album (1987). It’s especially beautiful at sunset.

The most famous place for a photo stop is of course Bad Water Basin, the lowest point of North America. You can take a walk out on the salt flats (you don’t have to travel all the way to Bolivia to do that) and take in some seemingly endless views of Death Valley.

There are not many options in Death Valley in terms of food, but the Wrangler buffet at Furnace Creek was good quality. However, it does get crazy busy in there, so be prepared to arm wrestle for your pasta with marinara sauce.

Accommodations? Well, I have never overnighted near or in Death Valley NP, so I wouldn’t know what to recommend, but I am sure the Furnace Creek Resort is fine. And no it’s not a fatamorgana! They even have a golf course…a true oasis in the middle of the desert landscape.

On the way back to Las Vegas, make sure to stop for a refreshment at the Amargosa Opera Café in Death Valley Junction. The owners are really nice and always willing to tell stories. Maybe you can even catch an evening performance by former Broadway star Marta Becket at the Opera House. This town is quite a cool (no pun intended) place to visit and I think the café, hotel and opera house employ about the entire population of Death Valley Junction (I think it has less than 10 people). If you get out of your car in the middle of the summer, you will understand why. ;-)

Be prepared when you go to Death Valley NP! It gets hot and then hotter! Spring is the best time to visit when the wild flowers are blooming.

Extra credit:
Lowest point in the Western Hemisphere is in Argentina (-105m).
Hottest temperature ever in the Western Hemisphere was measured in Libya (57.8˚C).

For more information:

http://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm

http://www.furnacecreekresort.com/

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Bryce Canyon, UT is my favorite National Park I have visited so far (with Death Valley,CA being a close second). Why? Because the hoodoos are breathtakingly beautiful and the park is small enough to visit even if you don’t have that much time on your hands.

Every time I return to Bryce, it looks different to me. I have seen it a few times with snow and in freezing temperatures, but also when it was sunny and warm in the summer months.

People always seem to forget the high elevation of the park. It’s at about 2500 to 2800 meters, so you will feel this when walking up to the viewpoints. Generally, people are not ready for the cool windy conditions in the fall. Check the weather forecast on the park’s website before you go.

What to do?
When I visit the park, I usually drive all the way to Bryce Point (the park only has a north entrance), then I make my way back with the visitors center as my final stop.
From Bryce Point you can drive to Inspiration Point (which has bathrooms) for another look over Bryce Amphitheater.
If you want to do a short walk along the rim, you can head to Sunset Point (bathrooms) and walk to Sunrise Point. For a more strenuous walk, you can walk part (or all) of the Navajo Loop which starts at Sunset Point. The Navajo Loop will give you a different angle for photos as it takes you into the canyon. The peace and quiet (if you are not there during peak season) is a nice way to wrap up a visit to the park.

Needless to say, we have to support our national parks, so a visit to the Visitors Center for a unique souvenir (America’s National Parks Monopoly anyone?) is a must.

I just love the colors and shapes of the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon, they just never get boring to me. Not sure when I will visit next, but I am sure I will be back.

Where to stay?
I have stayed at Bryce View Lodge a number of times. It’s basic accommodations, but going across the street to Ruby’s Inn Buffet Restaurant is one of my favorite dinners. Don’t forget to wash it down with a locally brewed Utah beer! The rooms are clean and the staff is generally helpful. That’s all I really care about when looking for a place to stay near a National Park.

For more information:
http://www.bryceviewlodge.com/

http://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm

San Diego

First fam. trip of 2011 will be going to San Diego! It will be one of the stops on the West Coast Tours I will be doing this summer, so time to check out this sunny city. It will be a nice break from all the snow and ice on the East Coast.

Check out The Traveling Belgian on Facebook for more information, updates, and photos.

Happy Travels in 2011!

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope 2011 will bring lots of travel opportunities for everyone around the globe.

Lonely Planet recently published its list of Top 10 Countries for 2011.

See the entire list here: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/travel-tips-and-articles/76164

Brazil, Italy, and Japan made the cut. I apparently have 7 more countries to go this year to finish their list.

Happy Travels in 2011!

The Capitol - Washington D.C.

I recently had to visit Washington D.C. again to take the Tour Guide license exam (and yes, I did pass). The city was definitely much quieter than the times I had been there this year in the spring and summer time (read: there were no student groups and tourist buses) and I must say that the holiday spirit made the nation’s capital quite enchanting.

This is the perfect time to visit the Capitol building. A few years ago I had done the same thing: jumped on an Amtrak train to D.C. on a sunny, but chilly day in November and off I went to explore the museums and memorials without the lines and crowds. This time it was no different. I ended up walking into the new Capitol Building Visitor Center at 2:50pm and was told I could get right on the last tour at 3:10pm. Great! During tourist season, they tell you to be there 45 minutes in advance and you have to have a reservation.

The tour hadn’t changed since I was last there in 2006, but the building is still awe-inspiring. Gazing up into the rotunda just makes you lose your balance. The tour starts off with a 15 min film titled ‘E Pluribus Unum’ (Latin for out of many, one), then you get a high-tech headset so you can hear your tour guide at all times, and off you go into this sanctuary of American democracy.

You will visit the Rotunda, the old House of Representatives Chamber (interestingly enough this was once a farmer’s market) and the former Supreme Court chamber. If you have a visitors pass from your congressperson for the House of Representatives and/or the Senate Chamber, you can go there after the tour. You will have to give up your electronics before entering as no phones and cameras are allowed there. The House can sometimes be very busy when representatives are called in to vote but sometimes nothing is going on there. I enjoyed seeing the House because it’s also where the President holds the State of the Union address and where you can see the famous portrait of George Washington which was saved by Dolley Madison right before the British torched the White House in 1814.

The Capitol is worth a visit, but I would only go in off-peak season and I would make sure you have a pass for the House or Senate from your congressperson to round off your visit.

The nearest metro station is Capitol South on the Blue or Orange line.

More info: http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/