Surprising Buffalo

Few sights I’ve seen are as majestic as Machu Picchu. After a 2-hour train ride from Ollantaytambo, you arrive at the town of Aguas Calientes and switch to a bus for a 20-minute drive on a series of switchbacks up to the base of Machu Picchu. When you arrive, you better have one of the coveted timed tickets to enter these late 15th-century Incan ruins that miraculously the Spaniards never found. Row after row of stone walls lead up the steep hillsides creating a far more vast archaeological wonder than one can imagine on that quintessential photograph from above Machu Picchu. We arrived a little after 2:30 pm, when the crowds were already thinning, to feel the smooth rocks of the temple, see the maze of aqueducts, and find the sun dial that was used to predict summer solstice. The tightly knit stone structures are impressive, but to be honest pale in comparison to the surrounding landscape, a panorama of jagged peaks that lead to the snow-capped Andes in the distance. This includes Huayna Picchu, the striking peak you see behind every photo of Machu Picchu. We had the opportunity hike this peak the next morning at 7 am, but I chose to hike part of the Inca Trail rising above Machu Picchu to the Sun Gate. Every step you took on the 3-hour round-trip trek was another mesmerizing view of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains. Fantastic!
A 90-minute drive from Lake Manyara Airport or a morning drive from Arusha through the sylvan farmland around Lake Manyara is the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. This over the top “Out of Africa” style resort is perched on the rim of the crater. It’s a spectacular spot and the perfect place to rest after an afternoon game drive in the crater or before the next morning’s game drive. Ngorongoro Crater is best done in the beginning of your trip since the caldera floor is crowded with land rovers, yet the animals, familiar with traffic, reward visitors with fabulous close-ups. Realize, however, that this popular locale might feel too commercial after visiting the vast Serengeti or the exclusive Grumeti.
Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I like to promote small outfitters from each of their respective countries. After all, who knows their region of the world better than a local? That said, I just received an email from Jhonathan Rodrigues, owner of Adventure Kingdom on the island of Madeira. 35 miles long and 13 miles wide, Madeira is best known for its mountainous interior, with Pico Ruivo rising 6100 feet in the center. Cliffs plummet to the sea from towering heights, ravines are cut into rough and hewn terrain to form more than 40 canyons. Indeed, it’s one of the best locales on Earth to go canyoneering. Adventure Kingdom leads guided jaunts to do just that, along with trekking deep into the heart of the island, and, for the less intrepid, walking along the “Levadas,” irrigation channels built hundreds of years ago, now laced with footpaths.
I’m in the midst of writing a story for The Boston Globe on how cruise lines are adding more and more active shore excursions for their clientele. For years, cruise lines were the antithesis of an active lifestyle, catering to a sedentary clientele who were far more fixated on the buffet tables. That’s changed dramatically in the past 3 to 5 years. Cruise brokers like Todd Smith, owner of AdventureSmithExplorations, feature small cruise lines whose specialty is getting people off the ship for a dose of adventure. Next spring, they’re unveiling two ships in Alaska, the M/V Wilderness Adventurer and M/V Wilderness Discoverer, that will feature overnight hiking and sea kayaking jaunts, white water rafting, and fishing charters that pick you up right from the boat. Each ship only carries 49 passengers, which helps them cater to your every whim.
There’s no better way to see a city then with a local, and if that person has to be a passionate historian, then you’ve hit the jackpot. Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of going on a 90-minute tour of the St. Lawrence Market with Bruce Bell, the same Bruce Bell that’s responsible for placing 100 plaques around the city detailing the most historic moments in Toronto. Bell met me at the St. Lawrence Market, where the city of York originated. Walk inside the thriving food market and you can still see the façade of the first city hall, occupying this site since 1854. I’ve always loved a good market and the St. Lawrence has such a rich history that it’s no wonder National Geographic recently called it the number one food market in the world.
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Thank You Steve for your nice review of Buffalo, N.Y. it’s nice to hear from people whom have seen some of the hidden treasures that this “rust belt” city has to offer.
Just want to say that the LaFayette Hotel wasn’t dormant and up until the building sold people lived there in long term hotel / apts (more or less a flop house, but not dormant) and the new steack house was a gem of a dive bar that frequently had live music, Lafayette Tap Room. They did improve on the building greatly and are now trying to make it more upscale and less rust belt chic as it was, but my point is that it was far from dormant as long as you weren’t afraid to go to the places that arent bright and new and shiny
What was the writing assignment, and when will it be published? We here in Buffalo always enjoy reading about what other people think of our city.
Thanks for the kind words about our architecture and citizens.
Glad your visit was an enjoyable one. If time allows, you might want to stop by again soon at the end of the month for Garden Walk Buffalo (the largest in the nation). Really showcases Buffalo’s citizens in ways not many events can. Or at least get one of your co-workers to come!
I’m not associated with it in anyway, I just think it’s awesome: http://www.gardenwalkbuffalo.com/
Glad you had a great time in our fair city! Mike A.’s and Bistro Europa are indeed wonderful! We’re surprising folks quite a bit more these days.
A couple observations:
– Buffalo did not have more millionaires per capita than any city in America at the turn of the last century. I cringe when this urban myth is repeated here (which is often!). Indeed, because there was no income tax at the turn of the century, there is no way to confirm such a sweeping statement. It is make believe. Folks in Elmira, NY, also make this claim.
– Sullivan, Olmsted, and Wright were not persuaded to create work in Buffalo because there was a giant pile of money in town. Other cities had money, too. They worked here because a handful of forward-thinking folks like William Dorsheimer and Darwin D. Martin were fascinated by their ideas and were in positions to hire them on major projects. Buffalo lucked out with uncommonly progressive leadership at a few key junctures in its history. Money alone cannot produce this outcome.
We hope to see you back in Buffalo soon!
Thanks for clarifying, Chris and Neil. I’ll make those changes for The Boston Globe story. Kirk, the story is planning to run sometime in September. Thanks for your interest!