#123: Chichen Itza (Page 791; 2nd Ed pg 960)

March 2, 2012: Welcome to Chichen Itza! Dave and I traveled to the Riviera Maya from Feb. 29 - March 5, 2012 with my cousin Seth and his wife, Cari. Chichen Itza is located about 2- 2 1/2 hours east from the coastline.

Here we are in front of El Castillo pyramid, which is nearly 80 feet high. Each side of the pyramid has 91 steps, which, with the addition of the topmost platform, equal 365 -- one for each day of the year.

Another angle of El Castillo

The juego de Pelota (the main ball court). This is the largest ball court in all of Mesoamerica.

There is a goal like this sticking out of the wall on either side. They think a game somewhat like soccer was played here with a ball and no hands.

There are rows of freestanding columns that used to be covered by a roof. It's quite a sight because there are so many.

El Caracol. This was used as an astronomical observatory.

Verdict: Do I think you should see at least one Mayan ruin in your lifetime? Yes. But I'm not totally sure why this was chosen in the 1000 Places Book above all the rest. For example, we also saw Tulum and Ek Balam on this trip and I was really impressed with both of those as well. But, the main pyramid is especially impressive at Chichen Itza, so I'm guessing that may be why? Anyway, in terms of cost, if you decide to drive there from Cancun/Riviera Maya, be forewarned that there are two cash-only tolls that total ~$26 each way. Parking at Chichen Itza is ~$5. We were told we had to purchase two separate tickets (one in to the park and the other was a government fee of some sort) and they were sold at two separate booths. It was very confusing. Anyway, one ticket was $57 pesos (at the time of this writing, $1 = ~$12.50 pesos) and the other was $120 pesos, so it cost a total of $177 pesos/person. And they only accept cash. There was one ATM there, but it was broken when we were there, so bring plenty of cash! Also, it used to be that you could climb on the ruins and up to the top of El Castillo. That is no longer the case. And also, there were vendors selling souvenirs throughout the entire place, so that definitely took away from the experience, in my opinion.

#122: Charlie Trotter's (Page 625)

Nov. 25, 2011: I was in Chicago to visit my family for Thanksgiving this past week and, with three things still left to see/do in the Chicago area in my 1000 Places book, I was determined to do at least one of them! I got my wish on the day after Thanksgiving when we ventured in to Chicago to go to Charlie Trotter's. Charlie Trotter's is located in the Lincoln Park section of Chicago at 816 West Armitage and is one of the finest restaurants in the world. It has been voted as one of the "World's 50 Best Restaurants" by Restaurant Magazine continually since 2004. The restaurant is open Tues- Sat with two seatings each evening. The Tues-Thurs seatings are at 6 and 9pm and the Fri/Sat seatings are at 5:30 and 9pm. The Grand Menu is $165 per person, the Vegetable Menu is $135 per person and the coveted Kitchen Table menu is $225 per person. Reservations are required, but there are 3 dining rooms, which each seat ~32 guests, so the restaurant can accommodate ~100 guests at each seating or ~200 guests/evening. HOWEVER, if you don't have $200 burning a hole in your pocket to spend on a single meal, you can always check out "Trotters To Go", a gourmet retail shop located just a mile or so from the restaurant that is also owned and operated by the famed Chef Trotter. We checked this shop out and enjoyed a delicious butternut squash with pine nuts, scones and caramel apple butter.

Verdict: As I've said before, I do not consider myself a "foodie." And, therefore, this is not a "must do" before you die. But, hey, if you've got cash to burn, you might as well check out one of the "World's 50 Best Restaurants" for 8 years running!

#121: Chez Panisse (Page 582)

October 29, 2011: My sister, Maret lives in Menlo Park, CA which is just an hour or so from Berkeley. So, when I flew out there a couple weeks ago to run a half-marathon with her, I made reservations at the famed Chez Panisse.

Here is a copy of the menu, which changes on a weekly basis.

Chez Panisse was started by Alice Waters who is known for her simplicity in preparation using the freshest ingredients and making very flavorful food with beautiful presentation.

Verdict: Was the food delicious? Yes. Is it something you have to do before you die? No. I didn't love Berkeley and the atmosphere of the restaurant was fine, but forgettable. We were there right when the sun was setting and the sun was right in my eyes and very distracting/uncomfortable. I didn't say anything, but the waiter must have observed me trying in vain to dodge the sun because he came up and asked me if I would like him to close the blinds. "That would be fabulous," I responded. Just as I was starting to enjoy the fact that I could see, another employee came over, pulled up the blinds and said something about Alice Waters calling and wanting the blind up. What? I was so confused and slightly annoyed. I'm paying how much for this meal? And it matters more to Ms. Waters about the position of her blinds for a period of 15 minutes than her patron being able to see the menu or her food?

#120 Monterey Peninsula (Page 577)

October 27, 2011: I flew to San Francisco from Maryland - my 3rd time in three years. And yet, I had never made it to the Monterey Peninsula! So this time I made it a priority and I'm glad I did! I met my friend Mindy in San Francisco, then we rented a car and headed for the coast. Our first stop was in Carmel. After having a delicious lunch, we walked down Ocean Drive and walked right on to this gorgeous beach with Pebble Beach Golf course in the background.

Next, we paid $9.50 to do the 17-mile drive where we saw houses like this......

And Pebble Beach

From there, we drove to Monterey, which is right next to Carmel and met up with our friend, Tiffany. This is where the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium is located.

We got cookies at the Nestle Cookie shop and appetizers at the El Torito that sits on the water where you can eat and enjoy views like this.

Verdict: Yup, I think it's a must. The United States has several charming towns, scenic spots and ocean views. But the Monterey Peninsula combines it all together and it's spectacular!

#119: Cage Diving with the Great Whites

September 2011: When we started planning our itinerary for our 3 days in Cape Town, swimming with Great White Sharks was first on my list. I'd seen documentaries about it, I'd read about it, I'd heard about it..... I was determined to do it! After doing quite a bit of research, we settled on going out with Brian McFarland, who has been featured on several documentaries and has spent his entire life around Great Whites.

Verdict: It was AMAZING!!!!! Absolutely one of the most fantastic, incredible things I have ever done and I absolutely LOVED it! And as I was eye to eye with one of the most magnificent creatures in the ocean, I thought to my self, "How in the world is this not listed as one of the 1000 Places book????" Well, it absolutely should be! Yes, we had terrible choppy seas and high swells and yes, we got crazy sick, but it was so worth it. We saw 9 sharks and saw them time and again, so it seemed like we saw many more. And this is one of those things you can't just explain. You have to do it. You have to experience it. It cost ~$250 per person. And, although I don't have any personal experience with any of the other shark diving operations, I would HIGHLY recommend this one. Brian and his team were incredible. As for logistics, they take off from Gansbaii, a two-hour drive from Cape Town.