#mansion park motor lodge

[deadmotelsusa]

The Mansion Park Motor Lodge closed in 2009, abandoned in 2011 and demolished in 2018. It's on-site restaurant survived the demo and remains in business as Santee Seafood Bistro. Located in Santee, South Carolina.

[route22ny]

It was particularly dangerous during the Jim Crow era. Black motorists frequently found themselves turned away at motels, coffee shops, even gas stations. Pass through an all-white town after dark, and they could be arrested – or lynched.

It was a perilous time, but one New Yorker made it easier.

His name was Victor Green, and for decades he wrote and self-published a guide called The Green Book. It first came out in 1936, and each year’s issue provided an updated, state-by-state list of businesses that faithfully served black customers. “Carry your Green Book with you,” its cover advised. “You may need it!”

Yes, that should sound like a warning to black drivers; it was that dangerous.

That African-Americans drove through the country at all was a tribute to determination. When the Green Book debuted during the Depression, the average price of a car was $760, six month’s wages for most blacks. Many banks wouldn’t give them loans; most insurers wouldn’t write policies.

Some dealerships refused to sell to African-Americans – even if they paid in cash. General Motors management worried that black customers would cheapen the Cadillac brand and scare off white buyers. The company relented when they realized how popular the car was with black celebrities.

Once black motorists managed to get a car, their troubles took new turns. Of the nation’s gas stations, only one chain, Esso, regularly welcomed African-Americans. Finding a hotel or cafe was even harder. Black families setting out for a drive learned to bring containers of gasoline in case they ran out, and they packed food because eating in restaurants was so chancy. Longer excursions? Best to pack some blankets in case you had to park somewhere and sleep in your car.

As much of a hassle as all of this planning was, it was minor compared to the actual trip. Racist cops, infuriated by the sight of black drivers, were ready to pounce. Some African-American men bought chauffeur’s caps so, if they were stopped, they could claim they were just servants running errands.

Yet if it were dangerous to be caught driving while black it was still preferable to the institutional nastiness of segregated public transportation.

“Did you ever see a Jim Crow waiting room,” W.E.B. Du Bois wrote in 1920. “You stand and stand and wait and wait until every white person at the ‘other window’ is waited on. The agent browbeats and contradicts you, harasses and confused the ignorant, gives many persons the wrong change, compels some to purchase their tickets on the train at a higher price, and sends you and me out on the platform burning with indignation and hatred.”

Decades later, it was no different. As the movie “Green Book” dramatized, it was no easier for rich and famous African-Americans.

In 1954, Ella Fitzgerald flew out of San Francisco for an Australian tour. The first leg of her trip was fine, but when she tried to change planes in Honolulu, Pan Am refused to allow her to board. She was stranded in Hawaii for two days before Fitzgerald could find another flight. When she sued, the case was dismissed.

That was why black families would scrimp and save to buy a car. Once you had wheels, you had some control over your life, particularly if you had a Green Book in the glove compartment, listing establishments that welcomed black customers.

Some, like Manhattan’s Brooks Brothers and The Pierre hotel, were white-run, integrated havens. Most, however, were small, independent black-owned businesses, eager to serve the community. Their inclusion provided a double benefit, not only steering readers toward safe stores and lodgings but supporting African-American entrepreneurship.

In researching her book, subtitled “The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America,” Taylor drove across the country, visiting as many of Green’s original recommendations as possible. Some were still standing, like the Rossonian Hotel in Denver (photo below). So was Dooky Chase’s restaurant in New Orleans, where President Obama was chastised for trying to add hot sauce to the gumbo.

And as the author traveled, Taylor rediscovered a forgotten map of African-American aspiration, achievement, and entertainment.

There was the “black borscht belt” of vacation spots in northwestern Michigan, where the Idlewild resort spread over 3,000 acres, and featured rising stars like the Four Tops. Shearer Cottage in Oak Bluffs in Martha’s Vineyard began hosting prominent black guests in 1903.

There was even Murray’s Dude Ranch, in Victorville, California, a fully integrated vacation spot that catered to celebrities from white gossip columnist Hedda Hopper to African-American icon Lena Horne. Heavyweight champ Joe Louis trained there, and two all-black Westerns, “Harlem Rides the Range” and “The Bronze Buckaroo,” used the ranch for sets.

At first, the Green Book depended on establishments for its information, which could be unreliable. Harlem’s 101 Ranch, listed as a cabaret in the 1938 edition, was actually a sex club where jazzman "Pops" Foster remembered, you saw "women goin' with women, men goin' with men, people on the floor gettin' their thing." It was raided and shut down the following year.

But as his guide grew bigger, Green made sure it became more professional, too.

Articles detailed the tourist attractions of cities like San Francisco while advising readers they might find it easier obtaining accommodations in Oakland, across the bay. Advertisements pushed expensive African art and cruises to the Caribbean. Listings expanded to include coffee shops and colleges.

Green died in 1960. For a while, his widow and his staff continued publishing the guide. But as integration finally, slowly spread there seemed less and less need for his guide. In 1965, the year after the Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination, the Green Book didn’t publish at all. The 1966-67 edition was its last.

In the end, it was a casualty of the future its readers had dreamed of.

Although racists could, and still do, deny service to African-Americans, by the late ’60s, blacks could legally demand equal treatment in any establishment they visited. And once they could, they did, walking into restaurants, night clubs, hotels, and resorts that had previously turned them away.

It was good news for everybody except the African-American businesses that had once catered to the community.

Although blacks now rushed to patronize white establishments, whites were not as eager to patronize black ones. Restaurants closed. Clubs shuttered. Once-famous hotels, like New Orleans’ Marsalis Mansion – run by Wynton’s grandfather – became flophouses. And a vital, vibrant part of American history was razed then forgotten.

The lie of separate but equal had been exposed. But, sadly, some of what made that subculture not just separate and inherently unequal, but unique, was gone.

“We got what we wanted,” observed African-American activist Georgia Ayers, as she watched another historic black hotel shut down in Miami. “But we lost what we had.”

***

https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ny-overground-railroad-book-20200110-ungu7wqqzrh7dl3yo5q6cebeyu-story.html

[badsext]

Everything in Room 225: Klaus x Fem! Reader

This is a request from @siriuslynore: Klaus x Reader based on the song ‘Everything I Need’ by Skylar Grey.

It’s a lovely song and this is the story it inspired for me. I hope you like it. 😊

Warnings: Mentions of abuse and murder, fluff, suggested sex

———————————————————–

There was no application process for becoming a maid at the Luna Motor Lodge Motel. You simply walked into the office to inquire about the job and - boom - you were hired. That should have been your first red flag, but due to your compromised emotional state, you didn’t care. Cleaning twenty motel rooms every day was physically demanding and often demeaning. Used condoms, shit smears, the occasional blood stain, these were all just occupational hazards. After a few weeks nothing shocked you anymore. That is until you entered room 225…

You hear muffled screams coming from the closet. Then in an act of extremely poor judgement, you open the closet doors. Inside you find a strange man in a towel tied to a chair with tape over his mouth. You scream, scanning the rest of the room, but the two of you are alone. He is bruised and bleeding. His face is pleading with you. It is at this point that you notice how attractive he is. ‘Okay, let’s hear him out,’ you think, and carefully remove the tape.

“Please help me!,” he begs. “They’ll be back any second!”

You untie him. He thanks you, then throws on the nearest pair of pants and an undershirt. His back is turned but you still get an eyeful. “Should I call the police?, ” you offer nervously.

“No. Please just get me out of here…Can you take me to the bus station?”

You must have a death wish, because you agree to give the kidnap victim a ride in your car. His long legs land in the fast food trash on the floor with a crunch. “Sorry for the mess,” you chime out instinctively. You both laugh at the absurdity of that statement given the circumstances.

“So why were you kidnapped?,” you ask, now more at ease.

“Honestly? I have no fucking clue. They were hoping to get Information about my brother, and use me for ransom. But the joke’s on them because I don’t know anything and my family couldn’t care less what happens to me, ‘Klaus, the fuck-up.’ I’m sure they haven’t even noticed that I’m gone.”

You stop at the red light, turn, smile, and shake his hand. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you ‘Klaus, the fuck-up.’ I’m Y/N, the fuck-up.” You’ve decided you like this guy. It’s the first positive feeling you’ve had in a long time. When you pull up to the bus station Klaus starts to get out of the car. “Wait. Where are you going to go?”

“Nowhere. Thought I’d just bum some cash and go as far as it would take me.”

“This is going to sound crazy considering I just met you, but I just decided to quit my job and nowhere sounds good. I’ll drive.”

“They’re probably gonna come after me. It’ll be dangerous.”

“I don’t have anything left to lose.”

He looks back at you, reading the sincerity in you face and gets back in the car. You drive all night talking the whole way. He tells you about growing up in the academy. You ask him about his power. When he tells you he can speak to the dead, you start sobbing uncontrollably and almost veer off into a ditch, so you pull over. He comforts you and asks you what’s wrong. You tell him about your best friend who was killed last year by her abusive boyfriend.

“I loved Kara so much. I’d give anything to talk to her again.”

Klaus conjures her right there on the side of the road. As Klaus speaks Kara’s words and listens to yours, he realizes how you loved her deeper than friends, but your love was unrequited. Kara was straight, so you buried your feelings and stayed friends. You just wanted her to be happy. You moved on to other relationships, but your love for Kara was constant.

When Kara met Dylan, she seemed so happy, but then Dylan’s affections turned violent. It broke your heart to watch her endure his abuse. You tried desperately to get her to leave him, to get a restraining order, but she kept going back. You felt so powerless to protect her that you blame yourself for her death. Klaus is in tears while he delivers Kara’s final message: “You were the best friend I ever had, you dork! I love you. There’s only one person responsible and that’s Dylan, may he rot. Now, go honor my memory by enjoying the fuck out of your life!”

Exhausted, the two of you stop at a motel and rent a room for the night. You stand there in the dark with just the light from the parking lot streaming through the cheap curtains. He strokes your tear stained cheeks. You move closer and your lips brush gently against his. Your emotions are running so high, you find the comfort you need in each other’s arms.

In the morning, you head down the coast, ending up in Miami. You get a job at a coffee shop and Klaus tends bar. You are already deeply in love, but it’s messy and it’s complicated. Klaus uses drugs to push you away and suppress his powers, but you meet each relapse head on with your unconditional love and support.

The last night Klaus comes home drunk and high, you clean him up and put him to bed. Then the next morning you decide you’re going to tell him exactly how you feel and see how he reacts. You make him his favorite breakfast and hangover cure: scrambled eggs with cheese and toast.

“Klaus, look at me.” You gently tilt his chin up so you can look into his eyes. “You are everything I need. When we met I was at the lowest point of my life. After Kara died I was so full of grief and self loathing. And then I met you. My angel. You gave me a chance to say goodbye, to let it go, forgive myself and move on.”

You take his hand. “What your Dad did to you was abuse. By trying to toughen you up or whatever he called it, he made you see this power as a curse, something to run from. But remember that it is YOUR power, not his. Reginald doesn’t control you anymore. You’re a good person, full of kindness and empathy. What you did for me changed my life. Your power is a gift. You can right wrongs, give people second chances, help them find closure. Klaus, I…”

Tears fill his eyes and he rests his forehead against yours. “I love you so much,” he says. “But I am just so terrible at being loved,” he laughs.

Klaus finally gets sober and by the next Fall you are headed back to New York, where you will make your home together in the Hargreeves mansion. You go back to school to become a substance abuse counselor. Klaus takes your advice and begins using his power on his own terms. Both of you are passionate about helping people. You are happy now. You are free.

Want more

@moorehollandplz @bubblyani @writingthosedaydreams @helena-way07 @shrimp-rolls @ba-responds @yeetskeetbuddy @renegadesheehan @zombiedixon89 @chipster-21

[biofunmy]

5 Rural Retreats Worthy of a Detour

There’s a town in Virginia called Rural Retreat, just off the old Lee Highway in Wythe County. The population: 1,500, give or take.

As a concept, getting away from it all has broader appeal.

This fall, Canyon Ranch — a pioneer in wellness long before it was a marketing bonanza — will open a dedicated wellness retreat among the redwoods of Woodside, Calif., to help pilgrims find a way to “a full rebirth of mind, body, spirit, and soul,” according to the company.

The less ambitious might just want a long weekend of digital detox in an isolated spot (like the Nimmo Bay Resort and its nine waterside cabins in British Columbia, reachable by helicopter), or to take a pretty drive (north along the Merritt Parkway, say, where New York fades away into Connecticut) to see the leaves change.

Far from neighbors and close to nature, these five really rural retreats are worth a detour.

From the family who changed the gastro-landscape with Blackberry Farm, this 5,200-acre compound aims to bring the same bucolic chic to another corner of the Great Smoky Mountains. There’s a common lodge — albeit up to Relais & Chateaux standards — and an array of houses built with local materials. But the most remote accommodations are out by the Firetower. (Originally built as a lookout tower in the 1950s, it’s now the anchor for a bar and restaurant, with flagstone terraces and antler chandeliers.)

The six Watchman Cabins were inspired by a 19th-century dogtrot-style house used by generations who had farmed this land in Tennessee; three of them are made of wood salvaged from the original two-story building. Each structure has a wood-burning stove, a wall of windows and a private deck overlooking unspoiled mountain terrain, along with a gigantic bathtub — for soaking after an 80-minute “inspirational hike” led by the resort’s wellness team.

Blackberry Mountain; from $1,045 (including breakfast, dinner, and some activities); 1041 The Loop Road, Walland, Tenn.

A couple of Brooklynites escaped to the Catskills in 2017, found a shabby 1962 motor lodge with a central A-frame, converted it into a 10-room hotel and injected some serious style into a one-stoplight town.

To support friends and other small businesses, the designer Megan Pflug and her artist husband J. Penry outfitted the guest rooms with vintage pieces from nearby antique shops like Chipped Tarnished and Torn: felt-and-leather headboards by Moses Nadel (a pal from the Rhode Island School of Design); bedding by Red Land Cotton that they discovered in Rhinebeck (about 40 miles south); and toiletries custom-made for them by Village Common, an apothecary in Catskill (a 25-minute drive away).

The A-frame now houses a communal kitchen and lush living room, where velvet chairs, terra cotta jugs and a collection of National Geographic back issues (found in the attic, along with the snowmobile posters that hang in some rooms) complement the handsome stone fireplace. A restaurant and wine bar are due to open in January.

Woodhouse Lodge; from about $275 (including continental breakfast); 3807 County Route 26, Greenville, N.Y.

Opened earlier this year by the art-collecting hoteliers Alex and Carrie Vik, Puro Vik is collection of 22 glass houses set among tall trees on steep hills in Chile’s Millahue Valley. Unique interiors vary according to artists who have caught the Viks’ imagination — the 19th-century Japanese painter Hiroshige, for instance, and the American blown-glass sculptor Dale Chihuly. Each house has an open-air bathtub built for two, from which the Chilean landscape is the art on display.

The North American autumn is late spring, approaching summer in South America, so everything’s in bloom — from the vineyards to the Andes. Though secluded in nature, the enclave is in walking distance from Vik Chile, the titanium-hooded sister hotel that’s bursting with eccentric design.

Puro Vik; from about $1100 (including meals, some wine and activities like horseback riding and paintball); Millahue s/n San Vicente Tagua Tagua, VI, Chile.

The Pig — at Bridge Place

The sixth in the passel of The Pig hotels in the English countryside — the owners call them “restaurants with rooms” — this five-acre Kent property revolves around the storied Bridge Place, a 17th-century mansion that masqueraded as a nightclub and playground for British rock ’n’ roll royalty in the 1970s.

That acid washed history is celebrated in the rooms and crannies in the nimbly renovated house. (See the framed vintage set lists, gold-painted beds, deep sofas and the smoke stained mantel piece.)

But those who’d like to be less dazed and confused should book one of the seven Hop Pickers’ Huts, which are set on stilts along a boardwalk by a tributary of the Nailbourne river. Each reclaimed-rustic hut has a wood-burning stove, a deep bathtub in the bedroom and things growing in planters on the porch.

Meals at all the Pigs are made with ingredients they grow, cure, forage and raise themselves, or source locally. The immaculate kitchen gardens, open to guests year-round, are there to prove it.

The Pig — at Bridge Place; from about $160; Bourne Park Road, Bridge, Canterbury, CT4 5BH, U.K.

Zuri Zanzibar Hotel & Resort

Nestled on a pristine beach in a big lagoon, this isolated idyll prides itself on being far from civilization. (Don’t stress: there is internet access.)

Fifty-five thatched bungalows and villas are scattered amid a kind of tropical park on the Indian Ocean, far enough apart to give guests privacy to meditate undisturbed. There are outdoor showers (naturally), baobab trees (known as the tree of life in these parts, with a bulbous trunk and root-like branches) and an infinity pool set back from the sea.

The sight of dhows — traditional wooden sailboats — bobbing on the horizon at sunset might help even the confirmed cynic define “mindfulness.”

For those needing an extra push, see the wooden yoga pavilion. There is a bar that spills onto the palm-studded white sand beach; a dining room festooned with African baskets; and meals flavored with lemongrass, turmeric and cardamom plucked from the hotel’s elaborate spice garden.

Zuri Zanzibar Hotel & Resort; from about $495 (including breakfast and dinner); Kendwa Beach, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

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[tripstations]

French leave: fun places to stay on four routes to the south of France | Travel

ROUTE 1

From the north-west ferry ports (St Malo, Cherbourg, Caen, Le Havre) down the west of France, via Nantes and Bordeaux, to the south-west

La Chouette Cabane, near Laval, Pays de la Loire

These three luxurious treehouses and a wooden gypsy caravan make for a peaceful rest from the road between Rennes and Angers. Eat dinner and breakfast on the sun-dappled terrace, after winching the hamper up by a pulley. And before hitting the road for the onward journey, let the kids meet and feed the animals on the farm. • Treehouses €105.50-135, caravan €81-110, both B&B for two, chouettecabane.fr

Terragora Lodges, south of Cholet, Vendée

This quirky glamping site, surrounded by fields and meadows, has a range of accommodation options, from a chrysalis-shaped cabin to clay mud huts – none of which could be described as “standard”. There is an on-site restaurant serving meals using fresh and seasonal produce, as well as a communal lounge space and large terrace. It’s also just 15 minutes’ drive from the Puy du Fou historical theme park – where a historical extravaganza features some 1,000 animals and costumed actors – and 60km east of pretty Nantes, home of the bonkers but brilliant Les Machines de l’île and its 12-metre-high mechanical elephant. • Doubles start at €61, room-only, terragora-lodges.com

Demeure Valeau du Rivage, Luçon, Vendée

There’s a friendly welcome at this B&B, just 15 minutes off the A83 autoroute, where hosts Isabelle et Olivier Cline have transformed a historic mansion with 15th- and 17th-century features into a fantastic place to stay with three spacious rooms, each with unique features and decor. A highlight is the generous breakfast served either in the garden or stately dining hall, which includes breads and pastries, fresh fruit juices, cheese, charcuterie, yoghurts and home-made jams, as well as 15 choices of tea. • Doubles from €100-120 B&B, valeaudurivage.com

La Palombière, Gironde, near Bordeaux

Just south of Bordeaux, the welcoming Château Lestange has an enchanting treehouse that makes a great overnight adventure if you’re travelling further south. Perched in a huge tree in the idyllic grounds, the red cedar cabin is decked out with fresh flowers, fairy lights and vintage finds for a magical atmosphere. It can host up to five, with kids sleeping on the mezzanine level, and breakfast served in the chateau itself (or delivered to the door in peak season). • Treehouse from £155-£233 for two plus up to three kids B&B, canopyandstars.co.uk

ROUTE 2

Calais to south-west France, via Rouen and Le Mans

Saint-Pompon village in the ever-popular Dordogne region of south-west France. Photograph: Alamy

Hôtel Les Hauts de Montreuil, Montreuil-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais

Just an hour south of Calais, Montreuil-sur-Mer has reinvented itself in the last couple of years as a destination gastronomique with local food boutiques, restaurants and hotels signed up to a joint venture to promote their gastronomic prowess. Stock up for the onward or homeward journey, then check into the three-star Hôtel Les Hauts, with 27 pleasant rooms set in a 16th-century building in the centre of town. • Doubles from €79-102, room-only, leshautsdemontreuil.fr

Château de Montaupin, Oizé, western Loire

Don’t be intimidated by the grand title or imposing facade of this virginia creeper-clad manor house in the rolling countryside between La Flèche and Le Mans. You couldn’t wish for a more laid-back place to rest your head. Owner Marie David’s dog comes to greet you on arrival, and from there it’s like being welcomed into the family home rather than a gilt-edged chateau, which is why so many guests return year after year. After the long drive, guests can cool off in the swimming pool, then sit down at a communal table to enjoy a five-course homemade dinner of pâtés and rillettes, local lamb, beef or pork, and carafes of wine. There are five bedrooms, all decorated in eclectic style; for families who want to stay for longer, the gîte in the garden sleeps up to eight (€450-580 a week). • Doubles from €75-80 B&B, dinner €22.50pp with wine (€10 children up to 12), chateau-de-montaupin.e-monsite.com

Hôtel de France, near Le Mans, Pays de la Loire

For many, Le Mans means only one thing – car racing, and those who thrive on the history of the world-famous Le Mans 24 will adore the Hôtel de France. The charming three-star hotel is famous for having hosted many of the racing teams over the years, and each of its 25 en suite rooms is named after a famous driver and decorated in tasteful floral or classic prints. The restaurant is worth a pit stop of its own – there’s an excellent menu and a convivial atmosphere between the many regulars who stop here every time they head south. • Doubles from €91-118 room-only, lhoteldefrance.fr

Hôtel les Orangeries, Lussac les Châteaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

If you’re Dordogne-bound, or thereabouts, then head south at Poitiers towards Brive-la-Gaillarde and make a beeline for the lovely Hôtel les Orangeries, where food-lovers will be well rewarded with chef David Royer’s superb, organic-led cuisine, using local produce. He’s also won prizes for sustainability. The hotel itself is set in an 18th-century maison, with decor that blends contemporary style with rustic features such as natural stone walls. Outside, the inviting pool is overlooked by orange trees. • Doubles from €85-135 room-only, sawdays.co.uk

ROUTE 3

Calais, via the Paris Périphérique, then down the backbone of France known as Le Méridienne, A71 and A75, Clermont Ferrand, and on to the Mediterranean coast

Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world Photograph: Getty Images

Villa du Châtelet, Compiègne, Picardy

This historic villa was built for the composer Léo Delibes in 1886 and is now the pride and joy of owners Alix and Philippe de Lauzanne and their family. The house also has a fascinating history from the first and second world wars, and the Armistice Museum is just a short drive away. Accomplished cook Alix’s gourmet evening meals and generous breakfasts are worth the stop alone. • Doubles €120 B&B, villaduchatelet.com

Hôtel Villa C, Bourges, Centre-Val de Loire

If you’re cutting through the heart of France, the city of Bourges makes an excellent pitstop, thanks to attractions such as its magnificent Gothic cathedral and timber-framed buildings. In the evening Les Nuits Lumière show, several of Bourges’ most beautiful buildings are lit in exquisite technicolour lights accompanied by stories from the most interesting periods in their history. The bijou Hôtel Villa C has just 12 modern bedrooms and its city-centre location makes it a great base. • Doubles from €95-160 room-only, hotelvillac.com

Le Bois Basalte, Manzat, Auvergne

A short drive from the motorway before Clermont-Ferrand, the architecturally striking, eco-friendly cabins at Le Bois Basalte offer a superb view of the Chaîne des Puys volcanoes and Auvergne countryside. The wooden cabins are basic yet very stylish and well equipped, making the most of the natural environment and views around them. Breakfast is delivered in a hamper to the door each morning, and if you have time for a hike before the onward journey, they can pack you a picnic too. • Cabins for two from €76-101, room-only, cabanes-auvergne.fr

Château de Creissels, Millau, Aveyron

One of the highlights of the A75 route is the incredible Millau Viaduct, an amazing feat of engineering designed by Norman Foster; it is the world’s tallest bridge at 343 metres (that’s 19 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower). Spanning the Tarn valley, it is close to the Grands Causses natural park, with its limestone cliffs, deep gorges and dense woodland. The Château des Creissels has an excellent vantage point from which to admire the bridge a little longer. It dates from the 12th century, has its own fairytale tower and 26 modern rooms, an excellent restaurant and a swimming pool, making it a fantastic pitstop. • Doubles from €86-112, room-only, chateau-de-creissels.com

ROUTE 4

Calais to south-east France, via Champagne and Burgundy

Villefranche-sur-mer, on the Côte d/Azur. Photograph: Getty Images

Hôtel Le Marius, Les Riceys, Champagne-Ardenne

Reims and Troyes make a good stopover en route down to south-east France, but for a more rustic champagne experience get off the beaten track in the Aube department, where family-run champagne vineyards sell delicious and very affordable fizz. Meanwhile, the village of Les Riceys is known for its unusual rosé wine. The Hôtel Le Marius is a fantastic little bolthole, with its own cavernous restaurant and bar. • Doubles from €65-95, room-only, hotel-le-marius.com

Le Cheval Blanc, Langres, Champagne-Ardenne

Although Langres’ mighty fortifications once saw off the English during the hundred years war, the town now provides a warm welcome to Brits motoring south. It makes for a brilliant 24-hour or even 48-hour stopover, with plenty to see and do: walk around 4km of ramparts; visit the beautifully curated Maison de Lumières, which celebrates the town’s famous philosopher son, Denis Diderot; and in July and August catch the nighttime street theatre. Stay at the three-star Hôtel Cheval Blanc, set in an ancient priory but where its 23 rooms are bright modern décor. There’s also an excellent restaurant. • Doubles around €75-110 room-only, hotel-langres.com

La Ferme de Marie-Eugénie, Bruailles, Burgundy

In the heart of the Bresse countryside, famous for its chickens and coq au vin, this bucolic farmhouse is the pride and joy of Marie-Eugénie Dupuy. Her welcome makes you feel like you’ve come home, while her delicious evening meals and generous breakfasts might tempt guests to cancel the onward journey altogether. There are five bedrooms, beautifully decorated in soft grey tones, some with four-poster beds. • Doubles €135 B&B year round, dinner €35pp, bnb.lafermedemarieeugenie.fr

Valsoyo, near Valence Drôme

Valsoyo, near Valence Drôme, France. from https://ift.tt/2M1RUGE Photograph: Valsoyo

You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d driven further than France on arrival at Valsoyo, for their kooky apartments celebrate worldwide destinations with decor themed around countries such as Mexico, Japan and Canada. And their wonky trapper cabins look like they were designed by children and are just as enchanting inside, with rustic features such as sinks sunk in an old wine barrel. There’s also a gypsy caravan. If staying more than one night, explore the dramatic Vercors Massif range, with its precipitous roads and mysterious caves. • Stays from €95-130 for two room-only (most rooms sleep up to four, valsoyo.com

For more articles on travelling in France by Carolyn Boyd, visit carolynboyd.net

Looking for a holiday with a difference? Browse Guardian Holidays to see a range of fantastic trips

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[travelingtheusa]

WYOMING

7 May 2018 (Mon) – We drove into Cheyenne this morning to visit the Wyoming State Museum.  It was really interesting.  Although Wyoming is the tenth largest state in America, it is the least populated with a little more than half a million residents.  It is the largest producer of coal in the U.S.  It also produces 90% of the world’s supply of Trona, a mineral that makes soda ash. Soda ash is used in many of our everyday products – paper, glass, detergent, baking soda, etc.  Wyoming is one of the world’s richest mining areas and went through a gold rush, a green rush (for jade), and other “rushes.” Devil’s Tower was designated the first national monument.  Shoshone National Forest was the first U.S. national forest.  Yellowstone National Park, which extends into Montana and Idaho as well as Wyoming, was declared the first national park in the world. Wyoming has quite a history.

     After the museum, we drove to Union Station and admired the old train depot.  We walked across the street to The Wrangler, a very large store specializing in western wear.  Their collection of boots and hats was tremendous.  We wandered among the aisles of stuff but didn’t buy anything.

     Lunch was at Tasty Bones BBQ.  The food was good and they gave us a 20% military discount off the bill.  Not a bad deal!  We did a little more driving around the area.  We toodled through the Lakeview Cemetery because an evaluation on Trip Advisor said Grant’s tomb was there.  We couldn’t find it.  I’m pretty sure it’s in New York.

      When we got back on base, Paul filled up the truck and I ran into the Package Store to pick up some wine.  As we were driving back to the campground, we passed many pronghorn antelope. They hang out in the parking lots, on the hillsides, in and among the buildings and homes, and just about anywhere they want to go.

6 May 2018 (Sun) – Knowing most attractions are closed today, we spent most of the day lounging around the campsite.  Later, we drove through the historic district of Cheyenne admiring all the brick buildings and historic homes.  They have giant boots around the city.  Like other cities have whales or horses, Cheyenne has boots.  We stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at the Rib & Chop House.  The food was good.  

     We drove by Holliday Park where there was supposed to be the Big Boy Steam Engine.  It is one of the largest steam engines ever made.  There were only 25 manufactured and just 8 exist today.  Unfortunately, they are refurbishing it and it was covered in a big plastic sheet.

     After that, we drove down the road to an American Legion Post where a Merci Train was on display in the parking lot.  It had a pavilion cover built over it.  When we were here three years ago, the train was sitting out in the open and badly degraded.  I am glad to see that it has been restored to its previous condition.

    We returned to the base and did some grocery shopping at the commissary. There are all kinds of wildlife around here.  Pronghorn antelope wander all around the base.  They are supposed to be the fastest land animal in North America, running at speeds up to 55 mph.  Guess when you can run that fast, you don’t have to slink around in the bushes. There are also a lot of jack rabbits running around the place.  In a pond next to our camper is a beaver lodge but we haven’t seen any beavers.  

5 May 2018 (Sat) – We left Denver, CO, at 10 a.m. and arrived in Cheyenne, WY, little past noon.  We were not set up in our campsite, however, for another hour and a half.  We pulled into the F.E. Warren AFB FamCamp and saw that the FamCamp office was not open.  There as a sign on the window saying that the water would not be turned on until mid-May and that we had to check in at the Outdoor Recreation Office on Randall Avenue.  We looked at the spigot to fill our tank with water but it needed a special wrench.  A gentleman came up to tell us where the Outdoor Rec office.  So we turned around and drove back out to Randall Ave to that office.  The clerk was a young man who worked slowly. First, we had to wait for someone else to be checked in.  Then we had to endure his slowness to get us checked in.  We pointed out that the website does not tell campers to report to the Outdoor Rec office; that it said the sites were on a first-come, first-served basis.  The kid made up some kind of cockamamie story of how they don’t have control over the website.   While we were in the office, we asked about the key to turn the water on so we could fill our tank.  The clerk couldn’t find the key but a man who was waiting behind us had one.  He told us to return it to him at site #13.

     Back at the campground, we turned on the water and filled our tank. While waiting, we spoke with a man from Alaska.  He had two bear dogs that he had flown to Australia to get.  He goes to towns that have problems with bears and his dogs chase them away.  They were the most loveable and friendly animals.  They couldn’t stop licking and wagging their tails and offering their bellies for rubs.  

     After filling the tank, we went to our campsite.  There was a man in a Class A motor coach (bus) parked in front of our assigned site.  He was unhooking his tow vehicle and getting ready to pull into the spot.  We told him we had just been assigned the site and he argued that the website said sites were first-come, first-served.  We agreed that we had read the same thing but it wasn’t true.  Paul told him to hop in his car and drive to Outdoor Rec immediately and get another site before someone else got it.  He didn’t do that.  Instead, he pulled the other site and putzed around for an hour.  During that time, another motor coach pulled in and told him they had been assigned that campsite.  He wound up pulling out and sitting on the side overnight.  When we brought the water key to the guy in site #13, he was also moving because his site had been reassigned.  By the end of the day, the campground was full and rigs were sitting on the side waiting from something to open up.

     The camper next to us seems to have 4 to 6 dogs in it.  The woman lets them out in small groups.  First, she goes out with 3 dogs.  Then she puts them back in the camper and comes out with another dog that looks like one of the ones she just put back in.  Then she brings out two more dogs that look like the ones that were out already.  We can’t tell it she walks all three, then one each at a time, or if there are other dogs in there.  She also does not put them on leash; just lets them run free.  That ticks us off mightily because those are just the kind of individuals who usually do not pick up after their dogs.  Those are the folks that wind up causing all dogs to be banned from an area.  

     After lunch, we rode into town to tour the original Governor’s Mansion. It was built in 1905 and used into the 1970s.  There were several additions and renovations over the years.  We were able to explore the house on our own.  It had a basement and three floors above.  It took us less than hour to go through it.  

      We wanted to tour the State Capitol Building but it is being renovated.  The entire place is closed with a big fence around it and scaffolding all around the dome. I wonder where the Governor and staff are working while all this is taking place.

[ecushore]

Ecuador - The Perfect Getaway

Thе men gо hunting wіthоut us, оr watch motor sports, nоw іѕ іt оur turn! Ecuador іѕ оnе оf thе smallest--but mоѕt diverse--countries іn South America. Thіѕ small country, lies аt thе northern South American Pacific coast, оnlу 4 hours flight аwау frоm Miami. Yоur airplane wіll land іn еіthеr Quito, thе Capital City, оr іn Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city--located оn thе large Guayas River. Starting іn Quito, уоu ѕhоuld organize аn easy fіrѕt day, bесаuѕе Quito lies аt 9202 ft (2800 m) аbоvе sea level--and, іf possible, уоu ѕhоuld acclimatize уоurѕеlf а bit tо thе altitude. It's рrоbаblу muсh higher іn elevation thаn whаt you're uѕеd tо аt home. If уоu wоuld lіkе а variety оf restaurants accessible оn foot, stay іn оnе оf thе beautiful hotels іn thе Mariscal district іn Northern Quito. Wе еѕресіаllу recommend Hotels ѕuсh аѕ Cafe Cultura---or іf уоu lіkе fun-- trу thе brand nеw Boutique Hotel Nue House аt thе Quininde Place.

If уоu lіkе Museums аnd cultural tours, choose уоur hotel іn thе historical Center оf Quito whісh hаѕ bееn designated аѕ а UN Heritage Site. In thе Historical Center wе recommend tо уоu thе Bed аnd Breakfast Villa Colonna, thе Hotel Relicario del Carmen (3*), оr thе Hotel Patio Andaluz (4*). A full day City-tour іѕ аn excellent fіrѕt day activity tо start уоur trip оff right! Dо аn extensive visit thrоugh Quito's Center wіth іtѕ 26 churches. Arе уоu thе type оf person whо hаѕ ѕееn Churches аftеr уоu hаvе ѕееn 2 оr 3? Don't worry; thеrе аrе plenty оf оthеr thіngѕ tо do! Hаvе уоu еvеr bееn interested іn hоw coffee іѕ roasted аnd hоw thе dіffеrеnt roasting levels taste? Find thе answer іn thе оld town оf Quito. Hаvе fun walking thrоugh thе colorful Ipiales market whеrе thе "Quitenos" find еvеrуthіng fоr thеіr daily lives. Thе market іѕ organized bу goods. Thеrе іѕ а shoe section wіth mоrе shoes thаn уоu hаvе еvеr ѕееn іn оnе place іn уоur life...even іn уоur closet аt home, including thоѕе bасk corners уоu nеvеr visit--principally bесаuѕе you're nоt ѕurе what's there.

Thоѕе mоrе interested іn culture ѕhоuld visit а wood carver іn оnе оf thе monasteries whеrе thеу produce crucifixes аnd Religious statues fоr thе whоlе world. Gеt introduced tо оld painting techniques carried fоrwаrd fоr hundreds оf years-- аnd learn аbоut Ecuadorians аnd thеіr daily Ecuadorian lives. If уоu аnd уоur girlfriends lіkе shopping, уоu absolutely muѕt travel tо Otavalo. Thе Indian market аt Otavalo іѕ world-renowned, аnd іѕ оnе оf thе largest оf іtѕ kind іn South America. Mоѕt еvеrу type оf item іѕ represented, аnd аll dіffеrеnt qualities оf products аrе available. Fоr thоѕе оf уоu whо enjoy buying thе highest quality textiles---from sweaters аnd blouses tо wand carpets--don't spend tоо muсh time аt thе market, tаkе а taxi tо Peguche оr Iluman аnd visit thе weavers, personally. Mаnу оf thеm саn bе classified аѕ real artists аnd produce spectacular handicrafts уоu wіll find nоwhеrе еlѕе іn thе world.

Overnight, stay wіth уоur friends іn оnе оf thе colonial haciendas іn thе area. Hеrе wе wіll recommend tо уоu thе Haciendas Pinsaqui оr Cusin. If уоu wаnt оnе оf thе mоѕt exclusive Spa experiences іn South America, stay аt thе Hosteria La Mirage іn Cotacachi. In аll thеѕе accommodations, уоu саn enjoy а candlelight dinner wіth уоur friends, а good glass оf wine, оr а drink nеxt tо а warm chimney fire-- аnd hаvе а great conversation. Friendships саn bloom, аnd lives саn change---overnight. If уоur group іѕ mоrе active, оr уоu seek а mоrе spiritual encounter, whу nоt spend fоur оr fіvе days іn thе Rainforest іn оnе оf thе beautiful Jungle Lodges? Yоu wіll tаkе daily Jungle Expeditions, guided bу а bilingual Naturalist---or уоu саn plan spiritual activities аt оr nеаr thе lodge itself. Durіng thе daily Jungle Expedition, уоu wіll experience Nature аѕ fаr аwау frоm civilization аѕ уоu саn get.

Check оut thе La Selva Jungle Lodge, thе Napo Wildlife Center оr Sacha Lodge. Eѕресіаllу fоr women travelers I recommend thе city оf Cuenca. Thіѕ small city іn southern Ecuador іѕ аlѕо а UN World Heritage site, wіth mаnу museums аnd wіth excellent places fоr shopping. Cuenca іѕ еѕресіаllу known, worldwide, fоr bоth іtѕ ceramics, аnd fоr іtѕ jewelry artisans. Yоu саn stay іn оnе оf thе excellent colonial Hotels іn thе colonial center оf Cuenca. Onе оf thе bеѕt options іѕ thе Hotel Mansion Alcazar. Frоm here, уоu саn reach thе whоlе colonial center оn foot... аnd don't forget tо trу thе excellent food аnd atmosphere іn Cuenca's mаnу restaurants іn thе оld town. Thе ambiance іѕ unsurpassed, аnd thе cuisine іѕ fіrѕt class!

A "must" іѕ thе travel frоm Cuenca thrоugh thе Cajas National Park tо Guayaquil. Thе Cajas National Park іѕ ѕаіd tо bе оnе оf thе bеѕt National Parks іn аll оf South America, аnd Ecuadorians pride thеmѕеlvеѕ іn hаvіng "the best." Thіѕ park hаѕ hundreds оf lakes whісh reach оut аnd embrace you--almost singing а siren song invitation fоr еіthеr hiking оr trekking. Whеn thе road thrоugh thе park reaches іtѕ highest point аt аbоut 13136 ft (4000m) аbоvе sea level, tаkе а deep breath аnd realize thаt уоu аrе аt thе watershed bеtwееn thе Atlantic аnd thе Pacific Ocean. Evеrуthіng west оf thіѕ flows іntо thе Pacific. Evеrуthіng east оf thіѕ flows іntо thе Atlantic, hundreds аnd hundreds оf miles tо thе East. Frоm thіѕ altitude, thе road winds dоwn tо thе Pacific plain wіth іtѕ large Banana fields.

Find out villas in Ecuador in http://ecushore.com

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Professionals and cons to taking an escorted excursion even as touring

“It’s all about getting into the landscape,” guide Deidre “Dee” Harman advises as she wheels a 14-passenger Mercedes Benz minivan via southwestern Eire.

“While we are out of avenue markers, we’re in the real Eire.”

Honest enough, and one of the motives I opted to take an escorted tour via the island state I had already driven in 3 instances.

I know those rural landscapes transfer from low but tough-searching mountains to dreamy rolling hills and meadows that seem poured from the melted greens inside the crayon field.

but I also understand the disappointment of seeking to experience such panoramas even as riding on the “incorrect” facet of a condo vehicle at the “incorrect” facet of the road. By no means mind the hard us of lanes about 1½ motors wide and bordered via low stone partitions.

So now Dee is doing the using — for me, seven different People and two couples from Tasmania — during an eight-day tour of the southwest and significant west coasts.

With wit, she offers narratives on Irish records, meals, and lifestyle (“Enya has a fortress in Dublin, livin’ off her royalties from dentists and relaxation parlors’’). The palaver masks the fact Dee is a 3-year veteran of Ireland’s volunteer navy, but her five years as a motive force for the Irish firm Vagabond Tours Ltd. is plain as she wheels what she’s dubbed the “Vacation” around Dublin’s streets and people slim united states lanes.

Certainly, she steers us up “Eire’s bendiest road” to Healey Skip, 1, , a hundred feet above sea stage. There she stops and gently orders us out to walk down the now immediately pavement. “I’ll meet you partway down,” she cal and drives past.

This wonder stroll is our third of fourth on our 2nd day. Vagabond offers types of the journey: one imparting physical activities out of the minivan, and the alternative a greater-sedate view of a number of the equal stops.

Dee is piloting us on the more strenuous of the two options. We started out these days mountain climbing in a drizzle for about half-hour on slick, choppy, stone slabs by means of a rushing creek in Gougane Barra, a wooded area park at the Beara Peninsula.

We will give up our exercising this present day mountaineering uphill, from pavement to gravel to grass, to enter a roofless, single-room stone-wall constructing. That is a “famine cottage,” a connection with the dreadful potato famine of the mid-1800s. The own family that had lived here should now not produce a crop, so that they had been out of each food and rent money — and housing.

This unhappy instance is part of the afternoon’s records lesson; the following component is observed backtrack this hill and up another, approximately a 1/2-mile away. Dee leads us to the Uragh Stone Circle — a 1/2-dozen boulders that have been located in a hard circle millennia ago. The precise cause remains unknown.

whilst Dee encourages us to sense something from the spirit international if we stroll across the circle with our fingers instantly out — “the zombie stroll’’, she calls it — a darling lamb, simply days antique, is bleating close by for its mom. While no ewe answers, the lamb wanders over, practically nuzzling two people before heading downhill in the direction of the now-gift mom.

I’ve been a tour writer and editor for more than 26 years — thus my preceding journeys to Ireland. I would have been capable of do sufficient studies to analyze of all the stops I’ll make in five days I’ll spend with Dee and 3 days on the more sedate excursion. As an alternative, I’ve determined to revel in the professionals and cons of giving yourself as much as an escorted excursion. For instance:

Things I didn’t know to look or do: • A short boat ride to Skellig Michael, a mountainous island boasting an historic, deserted monastery, reached by using a 620-step climb missing handrails. It’s miles a UNESCO global Historical past Website, but within the maximum current “Celebrity Wars” movie, It is the pinnacle of this island wherein our hero unearths Luke Skywalker.

Lamentably, It’s far approximately 10 days too soon for Skellig to be open to site visitors. but Dee knows of the Skellig experience visitors’ middle, with a first-rate video putting Skellig in context — plus a frightening safety video that info that climbs to the pinnacle.

options inside the Killarney park for our group are a two-hour bike experience or great experience in a horse-drawn “jaunting vehicle.” (The sedate tour version has no biking choice but does have a tour of the mansion within the park.)

earlier than attaining this park we had stopped to shop for picnic lunches; While Dee realizes there aren’t any picnic tables within the park and that the ground is damp, she takes us returned as much as Women View, wherein we sit down on a low stone wall and eat even as admiring the panorama.

• The famine cottage and close by stone circle — pieces of records with no explanatory drugs or brochures to teach site visitors.

• MacCarthy’s pub, in waterfront Castletownbere featured on the quilt of English writer Pete McCarthy’s hilarious “McCarthy’s Bar.” His aim was to discover all of the pubs with a model of his name, whilst confusing out Eire’s social subculture.

• wherein to discover the excellent, reasonably-priced, concerts that occur almost nightly within the vacationer-famous town of Dingle. The venues I visited protected a former church and a track keep — where the proprietor insisted absolutely everyone have a shot (or two) of Irish whiskey at intermission.

• The a laugh of the Vacation whipping via figure 8s on the packed sand at Inch Seashore, in a sea mist — and then Dee counseled we have to walk again to a espresso residence to fulfill the minivan. Striding through the mist was top notch amusing.

• The ideal “neighborhood” but one loaded with history: the South Pole Lodge, the pub founded in his place of origin of Annascaul via Thomas Crean, No. three officer in Ernest Shackelton’s 0.33 Antarctic voyage. The walls are protected with historic pix of that heroic journey.

What I gave up via not using myself, alone: Control over every day’s recurring, including wherein to move, in which to eat, in which to forestall for no cause other than to recognize the view and to allow my thoughts wander, and where to spend the night time.

What I gained by way of now not riding myself, on my own: The capacity to enjoy the passing panorama, rather than gripping the steering wheel — and why do the Irish and the British force on the incorrect facet?

Changing observations and anecdotes with a collection of like-minded travelers.

Would I ebook another escorted excursion, in Ireland or elsewhere? It might rely upon how a lot research I wanted to do on preferred locations and the way nicely any tour Would healthy my list.

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