Bisbee, Ariz. and the Queen Mine

One hundred years ago, the mines were the lifeblood of the west.

In the heart of the mountains 90 miles southeast of Tucson, Ariz., Bisbee flourished in a bustling, late 19th century economy. The town’s cornerstone was the Queen Mine, a rust-colored quarry rich with gold, silver, copper, turquoise, lead and zinc. It drew job-seekers to the area in such droves that by the early 1900’s, it was the largest community between St. Louis, Missouri and San Franciso, Cali., with a population of over 20,000. The mine shut down in the 1970's, and Bisbee has since transformed into an artist’s haven and tourist town where one can experience a miner’s life as it was a century ago.

I first visited Bisbee on a crisp autumn day, and at first sight was impressed by the history it exuded. The heart of the town is set amidst hilly terrain with distinguished, century-old buildings lining its narrow streets like soldiers from a bygone era. The roads were narrow and clean, the buildings clearly from another time, and 20th-century electrical wires crisscrossed crazily above my head in between their mostly straight paths between lamp posts.

On Main Street, a cozy, two-lane road lined with remarkable brick buildings, tourists were out enjoying the beautiful November weather. They gazed at local artwork and garden sculptures inside souvenir shops, peeked into old saloons that are now vibrant pubs, sampled the local cuisine in cafes both posh and pedestrian, and sipped on their coffee cups to-go. I quickly discovered that hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops cover the limited sprawl of downtown, and while parking can be a challenge, almost everything is within a ten-minute walk from anywhere in the area.

Walking is definitely the best way to experience this charming, historic place. An unhurried stroll through town can easily take a couple of hours, but beware: the streets can be quite steep, and stairways are aplenty, and sometimes are the only option to advance your journey without turning back. The fun, though, lies in discovery: during one leisurely stroll, I found the town’s old prison building that is now a hotel; a long outdoor stairway where the annual Bisbee 1000-step race is held; vivid stained glass windows that are magnificent from one church’s dim interior; and a man who walks around town with a mouse perched on the back of a cat strapped to the back of a dog. (Apparently he is a local attraction himself.)

The homes around Bisbee are quite the draw for the history buff or architecture enthusiast, for they are all of the Western/Victorian design that was common when the town was founded. To see these genuine, lived-in houses that are sometimes perilously perched on a hillside, you can get on a Lavender Jeep Tour and drive up and down some steep, absurdly narrow streets. You can also take the Historic Walking Tour, the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour, or better yet, a once-in-a-lifetime Hearse Tour (pun intended) to visit the creepiest addresses in town.

If downtown and its locals are the heart of Bisbee, then its soul is the place where it all began: the Queen Mine. Being one of the town’s main attractions, reservations for tours are highly recommended. Having made mine in advance, I headed to the old excavation site which is a short walk from downtown, and entered a cavernous, nondescript complex. Though the mine closed down in the 1970’s, the main building is now a museum that houses everything from actual machinery used by workers underground to everyday items like blasting caps, wrenches, antique-looking headlamps and old mason jars.

In the main lobby, a sign informs me that it’s a constant 46 degrees Fahrenheit in the mine. I donned the mandatory heavy, bright yellow coat called a slicker, put on a hard hat with a headlamp, and got on a small train that pulled me and 15 other people into the depths of the Queen Mine. It was unbelievably dark, and the noise of the rail cars echoed loudly through the tunnel as we shimmied along.

Our tour guide was a gentleman who used to work in the mine. I listened intently as he told us stories at every stop; as we journeyed deeper into the cavern, so did I into his fascinating tales. In the cold and austere underground, he painted a picture of grueling days, of how he and his friends would carry out their tasks, from planting explosives and scurrying away, to using the facilities down in the mine. In the darkened shafts, he showed us a pair of toilets which were elevated about three feet from the ground, side by side with no walls between them; I had never seen anything like it. On and on went his stories, and so did our learning of subterranean life. Finally, at the end of the tour, our train noisily emerged from the cavern and into welcome sunlight. 

The following day, I said goodbye to this historic town and began my journey back to Phoenix. I drove past the mine’s quarry, its walls hundreds of feet deep around a chasm twice as wide, silent and empty, the past suspended in its massive void. I imagined it teeming with unassuming men, toiling underground for years as they arduously carved their and this town’s future. I felt immense respect for them and the hazards of their trade.

Bisbee is by no means the megalopolis that Phoenix is, but it has brought forth its share of legends, of humanity at its rawest, a town where both culture and notoriety daily welcomed its struggling, rough-edged miners. The West -- proud, fierce, and still a bit wild -- wouldn’t be what it is today were it not for the mines; they have shaped the lives of peoples and the destiny of states. The spirit that made Bisbee the stronghold of Cochise County still runs through Arizona’s veins, 125 years after its founding.

I invite you to visit Bisbee, feel its allure, set foot in the Queen Mine and be awed. Immerse yourself in a moment of history. Then let it change your life. #

The Dream That Is El Nido

The small chartered jet landed on a dirt runway and coasted to a halt. Swaying to and fro next to a gentle carabao, six elderly ladies in native dress sang to us as we deplaned. Welcome to El Nido, they chanted in Filipino, as we were offered iced tea and servings of kuchinta sprinkled with coconut.

This little town in the province of Palawan and its majestic limestone cliffs, rising straight up from the roiling sea, had captured my imagination for as long as I can remember. This had always been my dream destination in my homeland. Finally, I was here to see it for myself.

For once in my life, I treated myself and booked a water cottage at the posh El Nido Lagen resort. The unforgettable experience started back at a private airport in Manila where we got on a chartered flight, and continued as we rode the resort’s customized jeepney through town. Along a winding dirt road we passed farms watched over by scrawny cows, delicate huts that were homes to families, and sari-sari stores with ropes of cracker nuts dangling in their windows. It made me terribly aware of the contrast in lives between these farmers and fishermen and the more affluent visitors just around the corner.

At the edge of town, I had my first look at El Nido’s limestone cliffs -- a sheer face towered a hundred feet right behind a nearby row of houses and fishing boats! Mouth still agape, I was handed my life vest, and my luggage taken on another vessel. I would see them again in my room, I was told, and I didn’t doubt it. We boarded what our local friends called a “small boat” which took us farther out to sea where we transferred -- via balancing act and a lot of helping hands -- to a “big boat,” which could probably take 20 people. On the “big boat,” we cruised for about half an hour through Bacuit Bay towards our resort on Lagen Island.

Sticky salt water splashed on my face, and my hair was plastered to my head by the wind as we sped across the water. I sat and gawked as the landscape turned truly astonishing. Dozens of islands seemed to have randomly sprung from the water, all of different shapes and sizes. Some beckoned me with white sand beaches lined with countless coconut trees; others were made of bare rock at which the pounding waves continued to eat away. But what was truly jaw-dropping were the vertical cliff faces jutting out of the water straight up into the sky for a hundred feet or more.

Soon we were approaching El Nido Lagen, a resort built within a huge island cove, with its main lodge guarded by thick rain forest covering a three-hundred-foot-high hill. Again, we were helped into a “small boat” to enter the cove, and we glided on clear, shallow water into the property. For a second time, I was welcomed by cheerful, singing faces, was offered drinks as I checked in, and then given the key to my fantastic cottage over the water. And yes, I was reunited with my luggage.

The rest of my stay was even more impressive than my first day. The resort’s seemingly costly rates turn out a bit more reasonable when you consider what’s included: three buffet meals daily and personally assigned snorkeling equipment are just the beginning. Take your pick from a plethora of outdoor pursuits: kayaking, guided hiking, rock climbing, beach volleyball, island hopping, cave exploration, and more – all included in their daily rate. Other activities such as scuba diving and use of motorized equipment such as a hobby cat are also available for an additional fee. And if you don’t quite know what to do, guest coordinators are always on hand to tell you about any and all activities and their schedules.

Being a lover of the outdoors, I filled my four-day visit with as many adventures as I could. I first took a guided hike on Lagen Island on the Monkey Trail, which goes up a steep hillside through the humid rain forest, and emerged on the other side of the island on an isolated cove draped in the lightest sand. And what better way to return to the resort than by kayaking around the isle’s splendid cliffs right back to my water cottage?

I had heard of the famed Small Lagoon and Big Lagoon and eagerly got on a boat to explore them. Indeed, they did not disappoint: gliding through these waters was one of the most intimately breathtaking encounters with nature that I have ever experienced. Our boat sailed along some of the shallowest water in the bay, with towering walls mere dozens of feet from us. At the small lagoon, I got on a kayak and bumpily maneuvered the craft through a skinny keyhole made of rock. There were rumors of an old shark in these waters, but I did not see it. I paddled around the weirdly-shaped lagoon, surrounded on all sides by what else but walls of limestone with the most tenacious of plant life sticking out. It was exhilarating and scary at the same time.

The next day, I joined an island hopping tour where I explored a cave, hiked to the top of an island, had a buffet lunch at another island, took a 30-minute siesta by the beach, and sailed out to walk on a sandbar in the middle of the sea. Finally, my last hurrah was an hour of snorkeling through El Nido’s warm, clear waters that is home to eye-popping corals and colorful fish that stunned me with their beauty and drew my first underwater gasp of awe.

On my last day, my guide Dennis (whom I had grown quite fond of) yelled at me “Ma’am Cy!” and waved goodbye from the pier. I waved back, overflowing with joy and gratitude. Our welcome party became our farewell crew as they, too, waved goodbye from the cove, and we sped away, returning the gesture until they disappeared from view. I took a good hard look at the towering limestone cliffs of my dreams, burning their images into my brain as we flew between islands.

We approached the pier and for the first time in three days, I heard the roar of a car engine.

The dream was over.

Arizona Filipino Forum Publishes My First Travel Article

I volunteered to write for a local Filipino community newspaper called the Arizona Filipino Forum. My friend's wife is the editor-in-chief and they are both very active in the local community -- they are inspirations! My first travel article was published in this month's issue, and I'm so excited! Here is a scanned image (thanks, Jamal!) and the full text.



Discover Durango
Historic mountain town offers scenic train ride and a journey back in time

I didn’t know quite what to expect heading into the city of Durango, Colorado. Driving eight hours from the desert of the Grand Canyon State to the alpine terrain of the Centennial State, I had visions of a town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, with restaurants and souvenir shops lining Main Avenue awaiting the usual throng of summer tourists.

Little did I know that Durango was much, much more than that.

We arrived late on a Friday afternoon to the downpour of a summer thunderstorm, cleansing, sweet-smelling, without the aroma of desert sand as I had gotten used to. It lasted all of 20 minutes. And then the shiny, wet streets were bustling once more.

Durango with its population of 14,000 is larger than your average mountain locale. On this Friday evening, Main Avenue was a throbbing vein of locals and tourists alike. Smiling young adults chatted and laughed as they headed towards the local bars. Live music tinkled through the mountain air as local bands jazzed up the atmosphere to something akin to a party.

Tourists ambled down the sidewalks to explore their dining options. My adventurous taste buds marveled at one culinary find: few towns offer the option of a Himalayan kitchen, and that’s where I ended up seated at a table, sampling the tasty delicacies of Tibet and Nepal from half a globe away.

Begin to discover Durango’s past and you will see that this historic town has kept its old western roots that make it one of the destinations of choice in southwestern Colorado. Downtown Durango is a Nationally Registered Historic District, one of many significant and preservation-worthy sites on a registry administered by the Department of the Interior. Boutique hotels from the 1800’s line Main Avenue with their nostalgic architecture in full display, taking one back 120 years to a more lawless, yet somehow more innocent time.

Durango does not just dwell on its past; there is always something for the here-and-now. Perched at an altitude of 6,512 ft above sea level, the town’s location offers a climate that thrives with activity year-round. Hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, kayaking, golfing, horseback riding, and glider and balloon rides are available for the outdoor enthusiasts. Museums, stagecoach rides, jeep tours and other guided visits are on hand for the history buffs. And for souls in need of a peaceful respite, there are hot springs, spas, and numerous shops and art galleries to discover the local flavor and enrich the spirit.

In the fall, one can simply visit the town to marvel at the changing colors of autumn. And in the winter, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, ice climbing, snowboarding and sleigh ride opportunities are up for grabs.

But the crown jewel of this town’s attractions is one that will take a full day to enjoy and a lifetime to wrap one’s head around: a train ride on the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Completed in 1882, the line was originally built to carry silver and gold ore through the San Juan Mountains between Durango and the historic mining town of Silverton. Today, it carries travelers on an authentic coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive through breathtaking canyons, with spectacular views of the Animas River as the train follows it upstream.

I took the 9 a.m. train on a Saturday morning, enjoying a hot chocolate from the concessions car as we inched away from the station at 35 mph, eventually speeding up as we left the congestion of town. Before long, the view of rural neighborhoods and pine forests opened up to striking, picturesque canyons, with dramatic views of the hundred-mile long Animas River. The train ran beside the flowing water through the forested mountains; sometimes the river’s shimmering surface was a steep hundred-foot drop below, sometimes it was a mere ten yards outside my window.

Three enchanting hours later, the tiny town of Silverton came into view. I stepped out of the train car onto a dirt road in a sparse locale, with multihued buildings on all of three streets exuding a quaint, old air straight out of an old western. Everywhere I looked, the vista ended at the foot of a rocky, pine-covered hill that rose even higher than where I was at 9,300 feet.

I had a few hours to have lunch and explore this town whose famous visitors once included Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Restaurants were few, souvenir shops were aplenty, and just as I like my mountain towns, no familiar store chains were to be found. At 3:15 p.m., the train sounded four whistles that signaled imminent departure, and soon we were chugging down the railroad once again, this time following the Animas River downstream.

I sat and lazily welcomed the three-hour ride back to Durango, watching the afternoon sun break through the peaks and trees, often illuminating a wide abyss on one side as impenetrable mountain rock stared me in the face on the other.

As my mind settled in to enjoy a second helping of the scenery, it wasn’t difficult to ponder the colossal effort it took to build such a passage through the mountains. But to boggle the mind and squeeze the heart, I knew for certain that there were women like me, women I would never come to know, who saw these same magnificent views, jostled about in the exact same seat, smelled the same whiff of soot and ash, and wondered at the efforts of the same railroad workers, while traveling on these same tracks 120 years ago.

Such is the gift of a journey to a town like Durango. It isn’t just about a ride through the mountains, and neither is it about a trip back in time. It is much, much more than that. And I shall leave it up to you to find. #

Hong Kong 2008, Day 2 - Whampoa Garden

 
Friday, Feb. 22, 2008. Hong Kong.

The Harbour Plaza Hong Kong is a gorgeous hotel, one of Fodor’s Top 10 in Hong Kong, in the unusual setting of Whampoa Garden. Surrounded by a few strips malls, high rise apartments and department stores, it gave me the opportunity to find a few things on my list:
(1) A convenience store where I could buy a phone card and communicate instructions to my family who were arriving from the Philippines the next day;
(2) A store where I could get some shampoo, laundry detergent, Kleenex, and other stuff for living out of a suitcase for three weeks.
(3) A good, inexpensive place to have breakfast to avoid the pricey hotel buffets.

I had the whole morning to myself as Billy used the treadmill at the hotel’s exercise facility. Knowing I had to walk around solo in a foreign country, I dialed “0” on the hotel phone for some advice. The lady assured me this was a very safe area to explore by myself, and told me where to find a nearby department store named Jusco which had its own grocery store. I remembered how department stores in the Philippines were one-stop-shops for everything, too, unlike in the US. Must be an Asian thing.

I walked around the block, feeling the cool morning air on my face, anticipating the frequent spring drizzle that we would encounter for the rest of our stay. Whampoa Garden was clean and close enough to several apartments that people would be coming and going at all times of the day and night. I found a place to have breakfast (Café de Coral) that was reasonably priced, and made a long distance call to the Philippines at a nearby 7-11. Down the street there was even a Pacific Coffee Company coffee shop with Internet stations. I loved Whampoa Garden!

I then walked to Jusco and hesitantly entered the doors into their crammed and very pink Girls Clothes section. I took the escalators to the lower level and as promised, found a full service grocery store that even had fresh fruit!

Proud of my solo adventure in a foreign land, I took home my prize purchases and surprised Billy with a few bananas. He didn’t seem to appreciate the big-deal-ness of my morning; I was giddy with excitement and very pleased with myself. I don’t walk around solo in a strange land very often!

We had brunch at the Cafe de Coral and then took the train to see the immense statue of the Tian Tan Buddha.

(To be continued.)

My 25 Random Things (from a Facebook thang)

1. I love 80's music.

2. I play acoustic guitar (classical and chords).

3. I got my first dog when I was about 5, and named her Doggie.

4. When I was 8, I loved Sanrio stuff, and now seeing Hello Kitty brings back warm fuzzy memories.

5. I procrastinate.

6. I have seen every episode of "The X Files" and "Quantum Leap." (Currently working on "NCIS")

7. I've been to the Grand Canyon 8 times but have yet to hike it.

8. The highest altitude I've reached on a hike is 12,890 ft (Colorado). The longest I've ever hiked is 11.5 miles. (Iceline Trail, Canadian Rockies). The most beautiful trail I've ever hiked is in British Columbia (The Alpine Route in Lake O'Hara)

9. I could stay for a very long time in a room full of books.

10. My ideal home is a mountain retreat on a ranch where my dogs can run free.

11. Before I die, I want to hike: 1) The Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas; 2) Patagonia at the southern tip of Argentina; 3) the Salkantay or Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru; 4) the Karakoram mountain range in Asia; and 5) the Milford Track (or others) in New Zealand.

12. My favorite color is a deep sky blue.

13. I've skydived from 18,000 feet, freefalling for the first 60 seconds.

14. I've backpacked and spent the night on a beach by the ocean; in a jungle in the mountains; by a roaring waterfall; and on frigid grasslands at 9,000 ft above sea level, all in the Philippines.

15. I've rapelled down a cliff beside said roaring waterfall, twice.

16. While hiking the Canadian Rockies in 2006, I was caught in a snowstorm on a mountaintop and thought I was going to lose a few fingers to frostbite.

17. I like to download my hiking routes from my GPS to my map software, upload it to Google Earth, then explore the terrain and relive the hike in 3D.

18. I'm a Trekkie, but I love Star Wars more.

19. I could read the seven books of Stephen King's Dark Tower series over and over again.

20. I've had a crush on Johnny Depp since I first saw him on 21 Jump Street when I was 14.

21. I love to write, take pictures, play volleyball, badminton, table tennis, and chess, play trivia and word games, read, travel, explore new places, and HIKE.

22. I can read the contours on a topographic map, know what "magnetic declination" means, and how to adjust it on my compass.

23. I know a little bit of Japanese and French, and can understand 80% of anything I read in Spanish.

24. Everyone should read "The Road Less Traveled" at least once in their life.

25. Hanging out with friends in college was the most fun I ever had.