Concierge Tours of Colorado

11/18/2024

11/18/2024

Natural water sources are plentiful on Sao Miguel and that means waterfalls! It’s easy to find waterfalls on various hikes and some are even drive-by. All of them are picture perfect.

We caught the end of the hydrangea season on the island. For flowers lovers, this is a paradise of beauty. Everywhere, private, public or just wild, is covered in beautiful bushes of hydrangeas of all colors. They grow along the streets, frame fences and accent homes. While the main color is purplish blue, they also came in pale yellow, pink, green, deeper red and all combinations. I asked Ruben about the colors of the flowers, and he told me that you can influence the colors by what is buried in the ground with them. For instance, by burying nails near the roots, the flowers would cast more of a rust color.

11/15/2024

Sao Miguel is an island formed by volcanic activity in the Atlantic Ocean. While things are currently quiet, there is evidence of this activity and history of it around the island. Hot springs!! My favorite activity of all is lounging on warm water in a tropical setting.

With many choices around the island from hot water on the coast mixed with waves of cold sea water to a formal garden resort. We chose Pocas da Dona Beija in the town of Furnas. Reservations must be made online in advance. There is a limit of 90 minutes for each reservation. Rain was strong and steady on this tropical part of the island and when we arrived, there was a group of people waiting for the same time slot. The wet rush to the lockers and changing rooms took some time to get through and burned up 20 minutes of the allotted time. I should have put my suit on in the car.
The water was delightful with 5 different pools. We found the perfect pool with a massaging waterfall and met another couple who advised us on a place for lunch.

Furnas is known for a special dish called cozido. Various meats and vegetables are cooked in a large stockpot and placed underground where the volcanic thermal cooks it for 6 hours, adding a hint of sulfur. In English it’s called “boiled meat.” I called it delicious! Some families have their own cozido cooking holes that have passed down through generations.
https://pocadadonabeija.com/en/ Colorado

11/12/2024

I can always spot a Tour Guide (since I am one) by the way he balances getting his guests whatever they need and sitting down to talk with them. It’s a fine line between too much and too little attention. Without intruding on their table, I was able to stop him so we could negotiate a tour for the next day. We needed someone who knows the area, help us acclimate and feel good about where we are and what we are doing. We needed to hike and talk!

Ruben picked us up in his car the next morning as scheduled, wearing his purple advertising t-shirt and rainbow shoes and socks. On closer look, he was sporting gear from the Chicago Marathon which he ran a couple of years ago. His health was obviously good and body strong. His demeanor was very easy to be around. I enjoyed handing off all responsibility to someone else.

Our first stop was not far from our lodging and it was also our first waterfall hike. The trail followed a water system up through the trees to the dam. Along the way, we saw steaming ground from the geothermal features of the island. This was really our get-to-know each other time. He had a great system of taking turns talking about ourselves, which helped him understand what we are looking for in the day together.

I picked up some ideas from Ruben on improving my skills as a Private Tour Guide. Although I probably won’t go as far as de-boning fish for my people, I will step up my game.

11/11/2024

Each year, Bob and I take part in a Sober January tradition. This drives our travel for the following season and often our plans revolve around wine tasting. Last year, we followed the zinfandel vine to its original ancestral home of Croatia. This year we followed the port wine grapes around Portugal and the Douro Valley. But first, we needed to get there!

The Azores are part of Portugal and is an archipelago composed of 9 volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atlantic Ocean, about 870 miles west of Lisbon. To get there, SATA Airlines offers a flight from Boston that leaves around 9pm and arrives in Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel at 6am (island time). They offer a free layover in the Azores up to 7 days before continuing to our next destination, Porto.

A car is vital to explore the island if you don’t have a guide to drive you but prepare for manual transmission and get the smallest car you can deal with. It’s actually a much better choice considering the roads and steep hills. I was fortunate that we landed early on a Sunday morning, and I could re-learn my manual driving skills on unknown roads without pedestrians. Having no idea which way to go, we set off towards the town we had lodging in.

Arriving Ribeira Grande at daybreak was quite an adventure. I really needed to get my feet on the ground and out of the car, so I parked off the street in an area of business so we could search for food. The activity at the corner business was noticeable and spilling out on the street. It wasn’t until getting closer that we realized it was a bar (with a café sign) and it was a group of drunk men welcoming in the day. Finally, after walking for a while, we found a resort with beach access that offered a buffet breakfast.

Most of that first day was spent driving in circles on very narrow streets. Eventually, we found the Gorreana Tea Plantation to stop and enjoy a cup of tea on a balcony overlooking the plantation and sea. Here we met Ruben.

09/27/2024

Peak color season is here in the central mountains outside of Denver! It is a great time to head to the hills and go leaf peeping

07/07/2024

The Summer White House
In 1911, John Brisben Walker, owner of the property that is now Mount Falcon Park, promoted the idea of a summer White House. The cornerstone of Colorado Yule marble was laid July 4, 1914 on this proposed site for the building. This is all that remains of his dreams for a "castle in the clouds" for the enjoyments of the presidents of the United States.

06/27/2024

Wildflower season in Colorado!

06/24/2024

Went looking for some wildflowers today! While the flowers were a bit limited in early summer, the views and destination was fantastic!

06/16/2024

Golden CO is happening today with the Scandinavian Festival. If you are searching for pillaging supplies or other wares, this is the place to go!

05/21/2024

One of the most unique and enlightening things to do when visiting Crestone, CO is an ashram visit. Everyone is welcome to these quiet and peaceful places to take moments of reflection. These are not tourist traps but actual ashrams where followers live, work and study. Visit with an open mind and a closed mouth. The Haidakhandi Universal Ashram was the weekend highlight for my family group visiting from India.

05/15/2024

Medano Creek at the Great Sand Dunes National Park is a spectacular sight to see! Formed from the runoff of melting snow on the surrounding peaks, Medano flows only for a short season. While the day was cool and windy, it felt great to take off shoes to walk through the water that was warmed by the sand. It's easy to get to as the creek flows near the main parking lot. As my guest said, "All diseases are left there."

05/07/2024

This beautiful lioness at the Denver Zoo watched the crowd very carefully. As soon as she saw the service dog with my tour guest, she charged the window in a flash. The little kids standing in front of me all screamed and the dog didn't flinch. The animals can see us from the other side of the glass in case you are wondering

03/20/2024

I had the honor of taking a family of 3 to the Phoenix Gold Mine last week! I’ve been going there regularly for 10 years with guests from all over the world. The mine is still owned and managed by Mosch family members after the passing of Al several years ago.

Each time I go there, more improvements are offered to guests. Sometimes, it’s just little improvements such as a port-a-potty and wash station instead of the old, smelly outhouse. The Tour Guides are fantastic and engaging for each guest. Everyone has the opportunity to briefly feel what life in the old mining days was like and get their hands wet panning for gold.

I highly recommend a trip to the Phoenix to discover living history and meet the people who live it!