Places That Live On In My Memory
“We tend to think of landscapes as affecting us most strongly when we are in them or on them, when they offer us the primary sensations of touch and sight. But there are also the landscapes we bear with us in absentia, those places that live on in memory long after they have withdrawn in actuality, and such places – retreated to most often when we are most remote from them - are among the most important landscapes we possess.”
The zuiderMRKT, a delightful neighbourhood market in Amsterdam Oud-Zuid.
Facebook reminds me that every year at the beginning of May, I have been traveling. This year would have been no exception. I should have been returning from a facilitators’ retreat just outside of Baltimore earlier this week, my head full of ideas and enthusiasm. And today, my husband and I would have been on a ferry headed to a secluded oceanfront cabin we had booked for a week of reading, hiking, and relaxing. Instead, this year I am visiting those places that live on in my memory – and dreaming about future trips.
May travels fall under three themes for me. My main reason for travel at this time of year is anniversary celebrations. We are celebrating 34 years of marriage today and when we can, we like to escape for some quality alone time – and a break from the hustle and bustle of work. Today is also Mother’s Day and the best gift my girls can give me is time. I’m happy with a walk and a glass of wine on a sunny patio, but the long weekends that the three of us spend together, usually involving spa treatments, good food, and books, are extra special. And last, it is about my roots, aching homesickness for my birthplace or visiting childhood friends, both young and old.
Over the past 10 years, I have visited numerous countries and varying landscapes, but the accommodations, routines, and activities have taken on a rhythm of predictability. This predictability may sound boring – and I feel like I need to add that there have been some nail-biting adventures during those travels – but I suppose what I’m trying to convey is that I have learned what I need from a trip so I come home feeling relaxed and satiated.
Accommodations
I don’t often stay in hotels anymore unless it’s an airport hotel because I have an early morning flight. My accommodation of choice for many years now has been an apartment or house rental or a resort with fully equipped suites. Some, especially those close enough for a long weekend, we return to regularly - Point-No-Point Resort (Sooke, BC), Pacific Sands Resort (Tofino, BC), First Tracks Lodge (Creekside/Whistler, BC) and the Cove Lakeside Resort (West Kelowna, BC). What do these local places have in common? They’re close to nature, hiking – and microbreweries! Some of our other favourites from the past few years include:
Maile Treehouse, Volcano Village, Hawaii
The canal deck at the Leidsche Woert, Leiden, the Netherlands
Maile Treehouse (Volcano Village, Hawaii)
This is one of our favourite Hawaiian holiday accommodations and we’ve stayed here more than once. One anniversary we booked a personal chef to cook us a meal in our own kitchen, after enjoying a lomi-lomi massage. We love walking along the lanes and visiting the local market in this village that feels like a tropical version of our island home.
De Leidsche Woert (Leiden, the Netherlands)
Every few years I am drawn back to my birthplace, Leiden. Last year was the first time I went with my husband and we stayed in this renovated heritage building. I have stayed in several lovely apartments in Leiden, including Villa Rameau, but this is the one I would go back . We started our mornings with breakfast on the deck overlooking the canal and, after wandering and exploring for hours, we would wrap up our days back on the deck for a drink.
Routines
When I head off on long weekends with my girls we spend lazy mornings reading and drinking coffee before heading off on adventures. But when my husband and I head off, our daily routine is the exact opposite. We wake up early in the morning and enjoy coffee and breakfast in bed. Then we hit the road, heading to hiking trails, early morning markets, or scenic routes. We tend to avoid tourist attractions and, if we stop for breakfast or lunch, we head to a diner or restaurant frequented by locals. By 3 pm we are usually ‘home’. We pour a drink, grab our books or the crib set and we spend lazy afternoons on the patio, deck, or lanai. We usually plan one nice restaurant dinner during our holiday but we’re happiest using fresh, local ingredients to cook dinner at home. And then it is almost always early to bed.
Enjoying a walk in the dunes between Katwijk aan Zee and Nordwijk
Activities
Although we do plan occasional daring adventures– flying over hot lava in a doors-off helicopter or grizzly bear viewing - most of our vacation activities are pretty tame. So what do we like to do?
Outdoor markets: We love fresh, locally sourced produce and foods! Some of our favourites? Hilo Farmers Market, Leiden Street Market, and the Mercado del Pueblo in Sayulita, Mexico.
Birding: We can’t name most species and we almost always forget our binoculars but we do enjoy seeing and hearing local birds.
Hiking: We’ve marvelled at the rock spires in the Chiricahua Mountains in southwestern Arizona, seen moose along the Skerwink Trail in Newfoundland, and gotten hopelessly lost in Pacific Rim National Park, on the west coast of Canada. On almost every hike the breathtaking beauty of nature blows us away.
Local people and culture: We always learn a few words of the country we’re visiting, we are respectful of local culture and traditions, and we enjoy opportunities to speak with local people. If there is a cooking class we’ll be there! I’ve learned to make Thai vegetable soup in Chiang Mai, chicken sate in Ubud, and goat tagine in Marrakech. These dishes never taste quite the same when I try to replicate them at home though, probably because I don’t have access to fresh, local ingredients.
As I write this blog post I am transported back to smells, sounds, and sights that are stored in my memory. I hope to re-visit some of the places I’ve mentioned so I can deepen my knowledge and experiences of familiar places. But I also want to discover new destinations. We are talking about heading to Vietnam, after having to cancel our trip last year because of a family illness. I also want to go trekking in Jordan and l would love to walk another Camino. I find the planning of future trips just as satisfying as reminiscing of past trips. Are you beginning to think about your next trip? Where do you plan to travel, once border restrictions are lifted and international flights return?
I’m also thinking I’d like to go on a trip somewhere with like-minded women. Women who might be interested in enjoying some adventurous solo travel and exploring local culture and experience. Is that something you might be interested in?