Search Results

A bridge on the Stillwater River, on the Nye Road below Stillwater Mine, is one of dozens washed away. Photo shows where bridge once stood over the water. Remains of the bridge are on the bank.  Tragedy visits Montana's rivers in record flooding; bridges, homes, roads, lost to raging waters  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER  FLOODING, MUDSLIDES and high temperatures conspired to close Yellowstone National Park this week for the first summer season in its 150 year history. The road to Stillwater Mine was washed out, but the mine quickly worked to create this secondary road late Thursday. The disaster also closed Stillwater Mine, the only platinum and palladium mine in the United States and one of the largest in the world. Rains from recent storms and snow run-off added to the tragic mix of elements to collapse bridges and wash away roads and homes in many parts of Montana, including Stillwater County, where I grew up and where my partner and photographic collaborator Bruce Keller spend part of each year. Some friends were evacuated from their homes along both the Stillwater River and the river's West Fork. Mudslides washed out bridges and altered our route home. This employee housing building near Gardiner was washed away by the high waters and mud. WE DROVE past several of Montana's "flood hot spots" this week, on our way in from California via the Targhee Pass and West Yellowstone. Seeing "Yellowstone Park closed" signs made us sad and we feel sorrow for those who lost homes, belongings, even some sheep and cattle.  We're lucky to be spared and safely at our summer place in southcentral Montana with only a few soggy pieces of land where culverts overflowed and the water came up to the gate -- but not the house which is on higher ground. My native state has experienced its worst flood since 1918, and, as one old timer said, "We're four years late for the 'hundred years flood' and this one is a whopper." The Yellowstone River hit its highest level in decades, and the surge moved through through nearby communities.  When we crossed the bridge over the Yellowstone, just south of Columbus, the river was the highest I've seen and the familiar  island west of the bridge was completely gone. In Billings, 40 miles east of Columbus, residents were hit by flooding fallout, too.   The roiling waters threatened to cut off fresh drinking water supplies and officials Wednesday asked residents to conserve water as they shut down the water treatment plant for a day. Operations were restored Thursday. OFFICIALS ARE  keeping a sharp eye on river levels in our corner of the state. This house on the Stillwater hangs precariously Thursday afternoon as water recedes a bit. In the Park and nearby communities, residents are dreading the economic disaster that will affect them as long as the park remains closed. One photographer friend speculated that Gardiner will be a ghost town, since most of its residents make their year's living off the three summer months of tourism. Restaurants, rafting and hiking companies, horse back riding outfits, motels, souvenir shops are all anticipating a disastrous summer unless the park is able to open quickly. THE FLOOD  has wiped out miles of roads and dozens if not hundreds of bridges in the park and surrounding towns. Many who didn't lose homes have suffered serious water damage from Gardiner to Livingston, Big Timber and all along the Yellowstone's surrounding communities. In our particular neck of the woods, floodwaters from the Stillwater River eroded the road to the Stillwater Mine, stranding some employees and shutting down operations. Campers near Woodbine Falls, where we frequently hike, were safely evacuated before anyone could be hurt. Homes, sheds, garages and many other buildings were destroyed, this one on the Nye Road. KELLER JUST returned from a photo-taking drive up Nye Road to the mine, with fresh pictures for this breaking story. He observed that the mine has created a temporary road near the washed out road, so that operations can resume sooner rather than later.  The mine has been in operation since 1986, has annual production of 250,000 to 350,000 oz of platinum and palladium in concentrate and is accessed by a 580m-deep shaft and five surface portals. It has its own commissary, medical center, helicopter pad and employs 1,000 people.  It generates a whopping $711 million in revenue so its closure -- even for a short time --  has a definite economic effect. In Red Lodge, some people evacuated along swollen Rock Creek and Main Street was badly flooded, stopping traffic.   In the Park, superintendent Cam Sholly said there is still 12 inches of snowpack in the higher mountain altitudes, "and if we get continued warming temperatures and the right mixture of precipitation like we did Sunday, we could easily have another flood event." Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers roll up their sleeves and put on their work clothes to help neighbors on the West Fork of the Stillwater River, where the flood wrecked their guest house. UP NEXT: The ability to rebound and help neighbors is one of the best and most admirable traits of the human race. We're following the record flood and its tremendous damage, with a look at the rebuilding effort in many Montana counties, and in the country's first and oldest national park.  Yellowstone has been closed for the first time during its busy summer season, with more than 80,000 people expected to visit this month. Thousands were evacuated last week when the flood broke and the park is slowly reopening in part.  The greatest damage in the northern part of the park won't be repaired for months, possibly years.  Remember to explore, learn, live -- and help your friends -- and check us out weekly for a fresh look at nature, travel, the arts and life in the West: www.whereiscookie.com Montana's

President Harry Truman spent happy, relaxing times during his tenure, establishing a southern White House in Key West, and hosting cabinet members and many dignitaries for poker and fishing. Guides tell colorful Hemingway stories at the Key West home where he lived 11 years, from 1931. HOMESWEET HOME: FAMED WRITER, U.S. CHIEF LIVED IN KEY WEST, SHARED A LOVE OF  LAID-BACK  FLORIDA TOWN   President Harry Truman's "Little White House" offered him a warm, relaxing break from the tensions of public office . STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THE PRESIDENT  who ended World War II and the writer who ran with the bulls in Pamplona loved Key West, Florida. Neither could claim to be a "conch" (native son) -- but each fished the waters and relaxed in the town.  Both men established homes in this laid-back berg, spending treasured days there.  Harry Truman escaped Washington D.C.'s cruel winters, spending 11 extended stays during his Presidency,1946-1952. Beginning in 1931, Ernest Hemingway spent a half-dozen years in Key West. Both men are remembered in museums centered in the homes they lovingly furnished. The Hemingway House in Key West is a lovely Spanish Colonial home, beautifully maintained . TRUMAN HELD card games, planned fishing trips and hosted foreign dignitaries. His Presidential limo is parked outside.  Hemingway staged lavish soirees and designed a special cemetery for his famous six-toed cats, offspring of a captain's gift. Both men's homes and gardens are  meticulously maintained as museums and visitor attractions with well informed, story-telling guides. On Hemingway's upstairs bed, one of 50 cats naps. Each one is carefully chosen from  offspring of the author's famous six-toed cats. LAID BACK Key West has a bohemian feel, much as it did in the days Truman and Hemingway fell in love with the place. It continues to attract an assortment of eccentrics, sun seekers and tourists -- with a loyal "local" clientele who proudly call themselves conchs -- that is, proud people born in Key West. The range of admirers includes dozens of writers, politicians, actors and five presidents besides Truman. According to our volunteer guide, a retired history professor, Truman found Key West Two of the mostly spayed and neutered  felines in the garden .     to be a sanctuary -- a welcome respite from the pressures and tensions of life in the U.S. Capitol.  He lovingly created his fascinating Florida White House. Hemingway tributes, friends, ex-wives, hunting expeditions, cats are celebrated. ACCLAIMED WRITER Ernest Hemingway was equally captivated, purchasing a lavish home -- mostly with his wife's money -- entertaining fellow writers and artists.  It, too, is now a fine museum. The Hemingway House, across from the Key West Lighthouse is on the far southern coast of the island. THE HEMINGWAY house has an open, airy feeling, with plenty of natural light and a compact study up the stairs in a separate building, where the author spent long hours writing.  Among the memorabilia are sculptures, trophies of his hunting expeditions, drawings and photos of wildlife and family portraits. One wall brings chuckles.  On it hangs a four-part collage of the author's quartet of wives:  Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer, Martha Gellhorn and Mary Hemingway, his last wife, with him until his suicide in 1961.  Hemingway is in the center. President Harry Truman loved Key West and kept a selection of short-sleeved tropical weather shirts in his closet. It was during the "Pauline years" -- 1927 to 1940 -- that Hemingway lived in Key West, and it was through her uncle Gus that the house came to the couple. According to our lively guide, the couple spent happy years raising their boys and socializing before he left her for his third wife, Martha, originally a friend of Pauline's. The lovely pink and coral hues of the protected conch. Florida restaurants serve conch harvested in other parts of the Caribbean.  TRUMAN'S TENURE came when his doctor recommended a warm place to rest during his 19th month as President.  He returned each November and December, February and March for the next seven years, relaxing on the wrap-around enclosed porch, playing cards, strolling the town and escaping secret service guards to have coffee and shoot the breeze at a beloved restaurant, Pepe's Cafe. Conch fritters -- enjoyed by both Truman and Hemingway --  are  a popular item but the seafood is from outside Florida waters. (In Florida, conch is protected.)  Reportedly, he loved seafood in particular conch fritters. Hemingway's fondness for seafood  is well documented, too. He particularly liked to eat fish he'd caught. Truman  hosted many fishing trips for Cabinet members and other politicians, who stayed in guestrooms of the 1890 building, once officers' quarters on the town's submarine base naval station. SO MUCH  about Key West captivates the imagination.  Thousands of people have felt the allure and magic of this southern most point on the continental United States.   MORE INFO:   www.fla-keys.com/key-west/ www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.org/      www.hemingwayhome.com/   Footnote about "conch" as applied to people: Mayor Dennis Wardlow, in a statement of protest and secession, declared the independence of Key West on April 23, 1982. The Mayor was designated the Prime Minister and the territory was given the name Conch Republic, with local citizens called Conchs. The Conch Republic was declared in 1982 during a  tongue-in-cheek secession from the United States. "The Conch Republic" tongue-in-cheek moniker has been maintained as a tourism booster.  One is not a conch (pronounced "conk," like "conk your head") simply by living in Key West.  You must be born there. If you've lived seven years, you're considered a "freshwater conch" a la Hemingway.  The conch is a large sea snail living in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico.  The beautiful, coral-colored critters were almost extinct and are now protected, with heavy fines for taking a shell with the living creature within.   So while the former President was a visitor only-- albeit for long stays -- he didn't actually live there full time.  The famed author, on the other hand, did, and thus his ranking as a "freshwater conch." Mahi mahi is part of a Cuban inspired food tour in Key West, featuring five small-plate delicacies and a walking tour of the town's historic district. UP NEXT : No, not conch, but tasty mahi mahi in photo at right, served with a Carribean-style rice side dish and mango salsa during our foodie walking tour in Key West, Florida.  We sampled conch fritters (photo above) along with other popular bites on this Cuban inspired tasting tour.  We sampled five small plates, including a shredded, roast pork deliciously spicy and served with freshly baked, slightly sweet Cuban bread and barbecue sauce. We cap our walking tour and feast with key lime pie, made famous in the Florida Keys. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each week for fresh spins on the arts, travel, nature, family and more. food:  www.whereiscookie.com

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers off to board a Cessna for a fabulous tour around the island of Kauai, Hawaii.Entering the state called for patience, QR codes and long lines. PANDEMIC TRAVEL CALLS FOR CAUTION, CARE, COURTESY, HOPE AND FORTITUDE Keller and Cookie put a lei-clad capon 2021, with caution, masks and hope. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER TRAVEL TODAY in Covid times is unlike anything we've experienced anywhere in the world. It calls for courtesy, patience, flexibility, adjustment -- plus the ability to land on one's feet. If one wants to travel again -- and we do -- it's important to soldier on, obey the rules and pick up the pieces of life "B.C.," (before Covid.)  On our current trip, we found entry to Hawaii to be time consuming and stressful.  We're here now, spending a couple weeks during the year's busiest travel season.  It's much like entering Europe, Asia or South America and takes equal time. While as U.S. citizens, we don't have to contend with a customs line, travelers must line up to show IDs and QR codes -- an electronic version of health documents, verifying vaccination. QR codes must be shown entering Hawaii. Rules change quickly so check the website.    WE SPENT nearly 90 minutes in a line at Honolulu International Airport, waiting to show we'd followed the "Safe Travel Hawaii" protocol to prove vaccination and allow us entry into the state. Because of the delay in working up the long line, we missed our connection to Lihue, and had to  rebook for a flight to Kauai two hours later. This involved retagging our bags (another long line) which resulted in our nearly missing that second flight, too. Although this sounds like a lot to contend with, it's nothing compared to intra-Europe travel.  Israeli friends tested a half-dozen times on a recent trip to the Greek Isles and Italy, then a trans-Atlantic sail to Madeira and on to the U.S.  Vaccination proof was carried with passports for frequent use. IT'S BEEN TWO  years since Covid introduced us to our new reality: masking, distancing, vaccinations, cancelled trips, frustration, testing and worry. Our Hawai'i resort on Kailua Kona required our QR codes, proving  vaccination. We must also wear bracelets and masks on the property. We knew when we booked this trip, it would be a close call to make the inter-island connection. We were grateful our Hawaiian fire dance banquet was the next evening -- or we might have missed that, too.  Other aspects to note: *Hotel maid service is bare bones as the industry recovers from closures, lay-offs and employee shortages.  Our pricy resort requires 24-hour advance request for room cleaning and provides bags for setting out our own trash and towels. *Many hotels now require proof of vaccination; the word is that airlines will soon follow suit. ALTHOUGH OUR "travel wings" have been clipped, we are "triple vaxed," and back on the road, writing this piece from a hotel overlooking Kauai's Wailua Bay at Kauai's lovely Hilton Garden Inn, and the splendid, showy Hilton Waikoloa Village. Roosters and parrots are singing, greeting a splendid time in paradise.  We've had sporadic rain for days -- "liquid sunshine"  -- but are thankful to be traveling again.   A few weeks ago, masks briefly off at Palm  Desert's Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.   Who would have guessed our pandemic purgatory would continue into a third winter?  "First Covid winter, second Covid winter," our niece Amarylla says. Now we embark upon "third Covid winter."  Instead of lions and tigers and bears, oh my, we have masking, distancing and fears. Double oh my! A few years ago, New Year's Day in Rome before masking, at the beautiful Trevi Fountain.  WE ARE lifelong travelers, born and bred.  Keller grew up with an Army dad and adventuresome mom.  He spent the first two years of life on a military base in Europe.  Cookie's dad was a pilot and her mother loved travel, too, so she grew up in the back seat of a Cessna, taking family train trips to New York to see plays, baseball games and a memorable 1964 World's Fair. Traveling domestically with elderly Yorkie Nick is nothing compared to traveling to Hawaii in COVID times. When Keller and I met 14 years ago, we began a tradition of "holidays on the road." It has taken us to New Year's Eve climbing Sydney's famous Harbour Bridge in Australia, to Singapore, Barcelona, Rome, the Austrian Alps, Iceland for the Northern Lights and on many cruises. Last year -- before our first vaccination in late January -- we spent the holidays in southern California, at our nearby Hotel Del Coronado.  We brought our aging, loveable Yorkie, Nick, and with the vaccine still weeks away, we were in full-out masking mode, using room service, making our own hotel bed.   New Year's Eve just before Covid, December of 2019. Since then, we've had six cruises cancelled and continue to rebook and hope we'll be cruising again by spring.  MANY OF OUR friends in Europe, New Zealand, Israel, the UK and Asia were disappointed when trips cancelled. English friends had planned to be in Austria for the beautiful Christmas markets this year, but that plan fell apart because of high Covid numbers in Austria. Our Israeli friends experienced their British Air flight from Washington, D.C. to Tel Aviv cancelled.  They had to rebook on El Al, at a much higher price, lost their business seats and departed from JFK instead. Says our friend, a seasoned traveler, "As far as I am concerned, traveling in COVID times, especially long trips, is a 'No No'." Full vaccination is required for anyone travelling abroad and we recommend it for domestic travel, too -- in fact, any travel at all, even a simple auto or train trip within the same county, state or district.  The CDC advises against travel unless fully vaccinated, and as of Dec. 6, Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers brave the 2021-22 holidays at Hilton Waikoloa Village. insists that international travelers show negative Covid test results. WHEREVER YOU  are as the ball drops Saturday in New York's Times Square, may your 2022 be filled with love, kindness, caution and good health.  For the mandatory state of Hawaii travel and health form, go to: travel.hawaii.gov You'll need to create an account, upload required documents and receive a QR code to present upon entering Hawaii. It's a long, laborious procedure.  You'll register with Safe Travel Hawaii, and follow instructions. If you don't, you'll be pulled aside and mandatory quarantine will be strictly enforced. cdc.gov .coronavirus for the most recent recommendations and rules. Cookie and Keller set sail in Key West, about to board a famous boat, "When and If," designed for famed Army general Patton, for "when and if" he could sail after WWII.  UP NEXT :  Key West calls.  The furthest point south in the United States is a lively place with plenty to do, plus history, cats, roosters and museums. We recently spent a week in this lively town, famous for watersports, an energetic nightlife, beaches, historic sites and its lovely pastel, conch-style architecture which reminds of the nearby Caribbean.  Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on nature, dining, travel, the arts, family and more:   www.whereiscookie.com

Bruce Keller displays the cookies he begged for and which the non-baker Cookie provided. He pronounced them "incredible - far beyond edible ." THREE KINDS OF COOKIES: LABOR OF LOVE FROM A LOUSY BAKER's KITCHEN RESTORES HOLIDAY TRADITION STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS Grandmother Olive's vintage cookie cutters. PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER   I AN NOT A BAKER. The art demands a precision that most improvisational cooks like me lack. But I can still picture helping my grandmother make holiday cookies in the   1950s. The ritual was about  much more than sweets.  It was about sharing, learning, being together with my siblings and one of our all time favorite individuals. The memories come happily alive. As I enter her well lit, geranium filled kitchen, I smell cookies baking, see  ingredients and utensils on the green counter.  My grandmother, Olive, places a large yellow earthenware mixing bowl on the kitchen counter. She holds her long wooden spoon like a conductor's baton, directing each grandchild to a specific task. "Peny, beat the eggs."  "Cookie, measure sugar." "Rick, soften butter -- use a mixing spoon, not hands." The little kids had separate "ingredients" -- flour, water, sprinkles to make their own faux cookies.  "Watch how I sift the flour." "Here are measuring cups and spoons."  "Add an extra half-teaspoon of vanilla."  Then we mix the dry and moist ingredients. The first of the chocolate cookies cool on the counter and we children hurry to sample.  We sing Christmas carols as we work.  Soon the counter is a mess of spilled sugar, wayward spices, egg shells. There's flour on the floor, in our hair. (Gran wears a pair of her clean pink knickers on her head, which makes us giggle.) The happily cluttered kitchen cupboard bears witness to our endeavor.   For me and my siblings, it's a cherished memory.  Grandmother Olive Nystul  (minus her classic hair net. ) CHRISTMAS COOKIES are a tradition in many families, and for mine, the cookies were several kinds: ginger snaps, sugar cookies and the family favorite: filled cookies, usually mincemeat and dates, with walnuts or pecans, sometimes coconut. Gram was a great improviser and encouraged that in all of us youngsters -- not only in the kitchen, but at the piano, the garden, in life in general.   Her notes are priceless, and I've included them here. GRAM OLIVE'S FAMOUS FILLED CHRISTMAS COOKIES Dry ingredients: Mix together: 5 tsp baking powder, 4 cups sifted flour, 1 cup raw oatmeal, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, optional nutmeg, cloves, ginger or allspice  In separate large mixing bowl, mix: 2 cups butter, 1 cup milk or buttermilk, 2 eggs. Cream these 3 ingredients with 2 cups packed brown sugar.) Add sifted dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Chill dough a half hour. Filling (have fun, improvise): 1 l/2 cup of dates, cup of jarred mincemeat or raisins, half-cup walnuts, 3 tbsp brandy or liquor of choice, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey. Coconut, cranberries, grated orange rind. Chocolate or caramel chips make the filling too "goopy." Nice idea. Grandmother Olive's filled cookies create family ambiance, teach baking skills and and leave lasting memories. If pressed for time, substitute 3-4 nine-inch prepared pie crust for dough. (No need to announce this.) Roll pastry thin on floured surface.  Pre-heat oven 350 degrees. Cut in circles or squares, top of large glass works well.   Separate dough into four or five rounds; refrigerate, remove one at a time. Fill each cookie with generous spoon of filling, pinch edges. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Can store dough for a week or more, if covered. Store cookies in air tight jar. In our house, they don't usually last more than a day or two. This is a great recipe for introducing kids to the art of baking.    "Keller and Cookie" on the road at Christmas time, off to catch some sun, bound for a holiday away from home. UP NEXT: Happy holidays and a joyous New Year! We've spent many a New Year's Eve on the road, ushering in the next day on Bali, in Buenos Aires, Berlin and in Big Timber, Montana!   We take a look at the traditions and fun of celebrating this festive season and the turn of the year -- from Europe to our own back yards in San Diego and the West Fork of the Stillwater River. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh spin on travel, nature, family, the arts and more: www.whereiscookie.com  Please share the link with like-minded folks.

Montana's most recent "gathering of the clan" --  50 people for Cookie's birthday celebration before Covid. Today, we give thanks for each of these  loved ones -- who came from all over the country.    MEMORIES, MAGIC AND MISSING THE HAPPY CHAOS OF HOLIDAYS STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WE SANG this song with gusto, to please our grandmother Olive who taught us the melody and her revised lyrics. Her favorite holiday was Thanksgiving. Coming shortly after her Nov. 19 birthday, it was an extension of that -- a bonus time together to play music, Scrabble, pinochle and cribbage, to visit, cook and feast. Thanksgiving aboard Celebrity Century, with niece Amarylla, mum Ellen, sister Robbie, and Cookie. Friends were invited -- "strays," as gran called them.  That included the Catholic priest, widowed neighbors, a favorite teacher -- divorced and alone -- later college and newspaper friends whose families lived on the other side of the country. Gran's turkey wiggle recipe MY GRANDPARENTS lived next door, so we didn't have far to go -- not "over the river" or "through the wood" but "down the steps and across the grass," our revised lyric. We were lucky to grow up with grandpa Keller's and  Cookie's first Thanksgiving  together was on the road at a Cuban restaurant. rents steps away.  Having two homes was a luxury and our grandparents' plant and antique-filled house was safe haven from the tumult of our own hectic digs. But there was joy in the chaos of our home, and I miss the holiday activity -- rehearsing in the music room for our traditional after-dinner concert, the wallop of ping pong paddles and balls in the garage game room, the milkman's faithful trudge up the back steps bringing beverages, cheeses and butter right into the kitchen, the reassuring slap of the morning paper against the front door, cats jumping on our beds to awaken us, dogs bringing their favorite fetch toys, fish to feed, plants to water, phone calls from those who couldn't make it. One of Gran's beautiful tables.  OUR PARENTS would chat and tease, making appetizers and drinks for their open house. Next door, grandpa Gus whistled "Red River Valley" while helping gran Olive stuff and tie the the bird.  We relished that alluring smell of turkey roasting, pumpkin pies baking, her famous mincemeat cookies cooling. I was in charge of setting several tables in the dining room, living room and kitchen-- two or three small ones for the kids. Granddad carved after sharpening his knife on a slick black stone. Then, a weekend of leisurely prepared leftovers, including gran's famous "Turkey Wiggle." Everyone raided the frig for sandwiches  -- turkey, cranberry, mayonnaise, lettuce, swiss cheese, stuffing, sweet potatoes and pear chutney. Tupperwares of green and black olives, radishes, dill pickles, cucumber chips. IT ALL SEEMS very Norman Rockwell, or "Father Knows Best."  Of course our lives were more complex than that. There were arguments, losses,  Thanksgiving for Keller and Cookie is usually on the road -- here at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. disappointments, illness, sorrow. As I grew older, married and embarked on my newspaper career, there were more empty chairs at the family's home table. With grandparents gone, Thanksgiving began to include a a trip somewhere.  Siblings and friends scattered across the U.S., as our Thanksgivings split into smaller groups, not one massive gathering as in days of yore. THIS THANKSGIVING -- spending time with my beloved Keller, we're relaxing with my Georgia sister and brother-in-law in Florida. I'm thankful for those wonderful memories -- corny, sentimental, glorified by time, knighted by my affection for those departed and still on Earth. Cookie and Keller on Thanksgiving Day at  Malta's Blue Lagoon. Thanksgiving tradition now is a trip somewhere for these travel writers. LET'S CELEBRATE friendships and family, those old and deep bonds with people we may not see or talk to except on holidays, but hold dear in our hearts and memories.  This year, let's be especially thankful for science, which has given us vaccinations to withstand the virus and hope for a brighter future. We're thankful to be "triple Pfizered," with our boosters and certificates in hand.  We're thankful to be fit enough to exercise, walk, travel, explore the world. I'm thankful for masking, and for others who have the courtesy to respect that.  Thanksgiving 2021: Celebrating with David and  Misha Minesinger, Cookie and Keller in Atlanta. NOW, BOTH Keller and I are orphans, the senior members of our families -- his small one and my giant, scattered clan.  We miss our elders, and sometimes don't feel ready for our positions. Our friends feel the same -- all miss their families and carry sentimental memories of Thanksgiving Day.  Although I've not been a regular church goer for decades, I always play this wonderful old Dutch hymn on the nearest piano -- whether on a ship, or a host's home: Cookie plays piano Thanksgiving ship board.  We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing; He chastens and hastens His will to make known; The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing; Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own. FOR ALL  my blessings, I  am thankful: health, travel, music, friends, family. In my heart, we are ever together.     This splendidly preserved Victorian house is a museum now in Astoria, Oregon, where we visit next.   UP NEXT:  Astoria, Oregon, is named for John Jacob Astor the first. He is revered, although he didn't found this charming oceanside town or even visit.  But his descendants have visited -- along with millions of tourists from all over the world. Find out why the town is so appealing as we take you there for a trolley ride, a climb up an intriguing tower for a bird's eye view of the Pacific, Victorian architecture and a world-class maritime museum and a foodie's paradise.  Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on the world of arts, music, travel, family, nature and more:  whereiscookie.com .

Our taxi driver, Marcos, is a native New York taxi driver.  He picked us up at JFK, drove us to Midtown, recommended a fine Italian restaurant, and told lively stories. Thanks, Marcos. A nurse at Scripps Hospital in San Diego gives Bruce Keller his Pfizer vaccination. LABOR DAY KUDOS: HOMAGE TO THE WORKERS WHO FEED, CLOTHE, TRANSPORT AND SUSTAIN US IN COVID AND BETTER TIMES STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER A trolley driver takes a break between tours in San Diego's Old Town, mask briefly off. THIS WEEK we celebrate Labor Day, and the heroic workers who have kept us healthy, fed, entertained, hopeful, vaccinated and moving around safely during the pandemic. This week, we express our gratitude to those legions of life-saving workers: health care staff, hotel and restaurant crews, bank tellers, grocery store clerks, truck drivers, cruise personnel, pilots and flight attendants, mail carriers, vegetable and fruit stand sellers, fitness trainers, construction workers, taxi and bus drivers, coffee shop baristas, buskers who braved the streets and subways, and many others. They've played a major role in keeping us relatively sane and healthy during this unprecedented 18 months of isolation, anxiety and distress. Two delightful American Cruise Lines hosts greet passengers on a recent domestic cruise. LABOR DAY  2021  occurs on Monday, Sept. 6. Let's pay tribute to these important people.      A volunteer at Monterey Bay Aquarium describes the wonders of the kelp beds in the sea. The day traditionally honors the contributions and achievements of American workers and for decades has been  observed on the first Monday in September. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894.  This year, it takes on new and profound meaning as we face the continuing challenges brought about by the pandemic. Construction workers in New York City prepare their day's labor with a safety talk . THE IDEA for Labor Day was the brainchild of Peter J. McGuire, a carpenter and labor union leader.  He came up with the notion to celebrate workers and honor their accomplishments.  He thought the nation should give thanks to American workers in a formal, public way, and that workers  should be recognized on a special day each year.  He drafted a proposal and presented it to New York's Central Labor Union early in 1882. They thought the idea a good one and so plans were put in place. The first Labor Day was held on a Tuesday, Sept.5, of that year, 1882, in New York City. It was a joyous affair, with a day off for workers who joined their families to celebrate with picnics, concerts and speeches. A Home Depot clerk helps Bruce Keller with his purchases for a home repair project he undertook during the pandemic . Twelve years later, the nation followed suit and it became a federal occasion. CONSIDERING the dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people who have helped us through "pandemic purgatory," we add our thanks to the gratitude of millions to say, "We greatly appreciate you for risking your own safety to help us and our countrymen and women survive Covid."   And we thank workers around the globe who have kept the world running, even with the pitfalls and dangers of the virus, its spread and now the dangerous variants. A Hilton maid cleans a room door, readying it for a guest. Workers have bought us groceries, tools, beverages, prescriptions and vitamins, dog food, technology supplies and much more since our world changed in early spring of 2020. Delivery men and women were cordial and helpful, bringing  boxes inside, wearing gloves and masks, cautious to make sure pens and laptops are wiped clean if a signature was needed. We traveled a half-dozen times domestically, always carefully.  We have great respect for the Hilton brand properties in which we've stayed -- Hilton Garden Inns, Doubletrees, Hampton Inns, Homewood Suites, and the Curio Collection properties.  We enjoyed our membership in Hilton Grand Vacations and had a wonderful trip to Hawaii with our  Cookie, Keller, Amarylla, James, Steve, and -- in the hatch, Peny Ganner -- in Hawaii. Masks off briefly just for the mahalo photo.   San Francisco family in May.  We managed to resurrect a week of happiness, even in the shadow of the pandemic. We sailed, rode horses, took helicopter rides, lazed about the pool -- happy that our fellow travelers were mostly respectful, courteous, masked and vaccinated. Again, thanks to our extreme caution, the scientists who developed vaccines, and the tireless workers!   One World Trade Center stands a proud 1,776 feet high,  symbolizing America's endurance and its determination to rebuild.   UP NEXT:  It's been twenty years since "9/11."  As the world remembers Sept. 11, 2001, with all its shock, sorrow, horror, and loss of life and property, we visit  the beautiful new building and memorial which pay respect to the nearly 3,000 lives lost. In the two decades since these barbaric acts of terrorism took down the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York, we ask that this horror be remembered by future generations.  We explore the memorial and grounds of the new One World Trade Center and pay homage to the murdered. Meanwhile, as we pay our respects, please remember to celebrate each day, explore, learn and live and catch us each week for a fresh spin on travel, the arts, nature, family, friendship, loss and renewal: whereiscookie.com  Please share the link.

An enthusiastic sportsman does a flip from a wakeboard behind a ski boat on Lake Tahoe. The beautiful background of mountains and trees forms a picture-perfect shoreline. Views from hotels in the Lake Tahoe area usually have spectacular views of lake, water,    ONCE THE FIRES ARE CONTAINED,  TAHOE AND TRUCKEE OFFER ACTION, OR PEACEFUL GET-AWAYS -- BY LAND, LAKE  MOUNTAINTOP -- STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS Eateries satisfy every taste, and many offer views of the spectacular water.  PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER A breathtaking sunset before the latest fires near Lake Tahoe  draws the eye to the lake and surrounding woods, now  in a blaze of fire and smoke.   MAGIC IN THE mountains  is threatened by ferocious wild fires -- as Tahoe and Truckee fight blazes, and winds whip the Caldor Fire across 149,000 acres of this beautiful corner of the world.  We pray for control, remembering fondly the cool evenings and warm, sunny days we enjoy twice a year on our spring and fall drives between California and Montana. Crews battle the Caldor Fire Saturday, 13 miles from the lake. It has destroyed building. Evacuations may be underway.                                                                              --photo courtesy ABC7 News WHETHER YOUR ideal holiday is action packed, or simply soaking up the scenery with a cup of tea or glass of wine, you'll find both options -- and everything in between -- in the towns of Lake Tahoe and Truckee. I still remember the horrible fires of 1988 which scarred over a million acres of our beloved Yellowstone National Park. Tahoe -- like Yellowstone -- will eventually recover.  ONCE THE FIRES  are contained, there should be time to plan a late-summer or early autumn trip to these treasures in the mountains of California.  The fires are slowly being put under control and tourism is expected to be resurrected with warm weather into October. When the smoke clears, you'll find fun or relaxation to suit your taste. Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers take in Lake Tahoe at least once a year. Here, they are in the woods near the lake. TAHOE IS KNOWN for its steep granite cliff sides,  towering mountaintops, plus crystal-clear waters. This enticing combination earns the Tahoe area an international reputation with boaters, sailors, and water sports enthusiasts of all kinds.  The Tahoe area features a large, beautiful freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, straddling the border of California and Nevada. As in Vegas, the south shore casinos are open 24-7, but in Tahoe you'll likely have a view of the mountains -- not the wall -- when you take a break from the blackjack table.  Dining options abound from American to Chinese, Japanese to Vietnamese, and Italian, Greek and Thai. With a nod to its place in the west, you'll also find plenty of burger and steak options. IF YOU'RE looking for glitz, glamor and nightlife, the south shore of the lake is where you'll want to locate. The casinos are clean and most have smoke-free areas.  While there is not the multitude of shows one finds in Las Vegas, there's plenty to choose from -- comedy, live music, variety, and some decent bands for dancing. A stately home  in Tahoe's Incline Village. THE SIGNIFICANT difference between north and south Tahoe is in the bars and restaurants.  The south shore has plenty of both, many with live music.   The north is quieter, more laid-back, home to a more sedate community of full-time residents and wealthy "second home" people.  Tourists who stay here seek a more scenery-oriented country vacation experience. North shore towns are are smaller and more sedate, with businesses and eateries closing earlier than in the south. Small towns such as Incline Village offer beautifully landscaped residential areas and some palatial  private homes, many with boat houses and staff to run their high-end digs.  The scenery is spectacular. Fans of winter and cold-weather sport  will find plenty of options in that area, too.  LAKE TAHOE  is known for its beaches and ski resorts. Truckee is known for its logging, ice harvesting, the Emigrant Trail, and the tragic journey of the Donner Party, which spent a horrific winter struggling to survive and starving in the Sierra Nevada. We discovered new detail about their fascinating story at the well designed Donner Memorial State Park museum and Pioneer Monument. Hit the casinos or plan a dinner cruise on a river boat. Read a book with a view of the lake. Take to a rental boat, or grab your binoculars and take a bird watching hike. The area offers something for everyone. For more information or to help plan a stay: www.visitinglaketahoe.com A worker at a Hilton hotel, a brand which won kudos for its groundbreaking hygiene protocol, still in effect. UP NEXT : As summer winds down, we're celebrating labor as we've witnessed it these past months of  pandemic purgatory. Labor Day, 2021, is a time for us to express our gratitude to all those who have bravely entered into the work force -- whether in medicine and science, or at hospitals, hotels, malls, restaurants and transportation venues. Celebrating those who labor -- from taxi drivers to front-liners, up next at www.whereiscookie.com   Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, the arts, nature, family and more.

Biking the neighborhood was a daily diversion for Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers. Here their aging Yorkshire terrier, Nick, poses with them.  (He walked daily, but didn't ride!) Scrabble continues to be a regular feature for weary, Covid cautious Cookie and Keller who are well past 100 games. The ritual began early in the pandemic. CHIN UP: SCRABBLE MARATHON, MEMORIES,  AQUARIUMS, GARAGE PARTIES, BIKE RIDES HELP RIDE OUT 'PANDEMIC PURGATORY'   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER HOPING FOR an end to the purgatory of the pandemic, we hauled out board games, played piano and sang, visited friends for the occasional distanced and masked party,  and awaited a vaccine. Friend Yosh and Keller towel off after a dip in the Dead Sea, a happy memory that helped us survive the long seige of the pandemic.  We thought it would be weeks, then months, then we passed the one-year mark. Now after nearly 18 months, we are cautiously traveling again, grateful to be fully vaccinated. If this period has taught us anything, it's that life is short and precarious. Be grateful for small things. We know we're not out of the woods yet, so we play Scrabble, take photos, ride bikes, plant flowers and admire the aquarium our friend Phyllis developed. Shopping by telephone and computer avoided stores, cheered up Cookie. We're in contact via email, and FaceBook, with friends all over the world. It's fun to trade photos of trips in safer, happier times, such as our tour of Israel with our friends and guides Yosh and Shula.  (The boys took a dip in the Dead Sea, the girls shopped for sea salt and souvenirs.) ENGLISH FRIENDS Sue and John and their son Johnny contracted Covid despite their vaccinations. Our Israeli pals are dealing with multiple health issues. Both couples' travel plans have been curtailed, disrupted, delayed. Even though their travails are distressing, the contact is crucial to keeping us all relatively sane and connected.  Garage parties for happy hour were a regular pep-up for Keller and Cookie, sometimes in theirs, and other times in friends' garages.  Crafts and hobbies have become hugely important as we stave off boredom and anxiety. One older Oregon friend documented her life, publishing a book just shy of her 94th birthday. A friend in Montana hauled out his late wife's sewing machine and taught himself to create simple clothes for a homeless shelter. We cope with Covid in the kitchen, preparing great meals together. Super Scrabble is a ritual with more than 100 close games which usually exceed 700 points. Venturing out with caution was one of Keller's regular feats. Here, he checks out of Home Depot for a repair project .  IN ONE game, I drew the dreaded "Q" at the end of the game. Keller used all his letters forcing me to deduct my Q 10 and add 10 to his score. He eked out a 4-point victory....731 to 727. Each game takes three 90-minute sessions during which we reminisce about past trips, share our love of exploring other cultures, seeing new places, tasting new cuisine, hearing new music, trying new mountain trails, beaches, parks. WE STILL SHOP  on line, eagerly awaiting the knock at the door and greeting the masked delivery person with gusto. Keller made this print of his intriguing photo of the Yaquina Lighthouse in Newport, Oregon. It was fun to look at the variety via technology. Even though are occasional substitutions, it beats venturing out into the world with things so tenuous. We occasionally re-enter the world of shopping in stores, with Keller doing repair projects around the house, picking up supplies at Home Depot. His photography hobby continues to be a godsend, as he selects favorite images and makes prints to share and sell. One, of the Yaquina Lighthouse in Newport, Oregon, is a favorite of mine for its dizzying view of the circular stairway to the top.  SHARING hobbies and talents is a lifeline.  My piano and writing, Keller's woodworking and photography, Shula's wonderful  paintings, the vocal gifts of singer Barbie in New Zealand, gardening and horse riding for the Yorkshire farmers...... Hearing how these cherished friends survive the challenges of the pandemic makes us appreciate them even more -- and be grateful for life.   THESE INTERESTING people we've met on our trips have become lifelong pals. Because travel brought us together, it remains a binding thread. Imagination, creativity and patience help, too. Hearing how they're coping helps us keep our own chins up. Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett plan a reunion concert billed as "One Last Time." We'll be there and will report on the performance of these two talented friends. UP NEXT : Tony turns 95! The legendary jazz singer Tony Bennett will be 95 years old on Aug. 3, and he is celebrating with a concert. He'll sing a 90-minute set with his friend and "Cheek to Cheek" collaborator, Lady Gaga. Their two-night sold-out gig at Radio City Music Hall (Aug. 3 and Aug. 5) will wrap the 75-year career of the incredible Bennett, who has performed the last five years despite his battle with Alzheimer's. We'll be in the audience, breaking the bank for this once-in-a-lifetime farewell concert. Break a leg, Tony and Gaga. We love and admire  you both and can't wait for this bittersweet celebration of a lifetime of music.

Malta is one of several sun-soaked Mediterranean islands now open to U.S. citizens under certain restrictive conditions, including which state you come from. Here, Valletta at sunset from our ship. TESTING, QUARANTINING STILL IN PLACE BUT MANY COUNTRIES ARE OPENING UP NOW AFTER MONTHS OF SLUMPING TOURISM Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyersare traveling again, with caution and vaccinations. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER U.S. PASSPORT holders have more international travel options now than at any point during the grueling Covid pandemic. From Italy to the Netherlands, Poland to Peru, people are traveling again. Vaccinated travelers have a definite advantage and do not need to get tested before leaving the United States unless required by their destination. (Some countries do require this, so check it out. Other countries, like New Zealand, have closed borders to all but residents.)   Cinque Terra in Italy is open again, as Italy welcomes tourists who have either been vaccinated or have a recent negative Covid test. Italy is open for vaccinated or negative-test tourists -- good news for travelers yearning to explore the charming villages of Cinque Terra,  drive the stunning Amalfi coast or relax in Tuscany's inviting vineyards and hills. Many other countries have followed suit.  For all of us -- whether in the U.S., Europe, South America, Asia or the Middle East -- the key is to be flexible and do the homework.  Be aware that while restrictions are lifting, the Covid variants are causing a backslide in some parts of the world. Costa Rica's beaches, rich wildlife and beautiful landscapes draw visitors. Here, Cookie and Keller take to a dune buggy near the water. No testing or quarantines are required ALL AIR passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens, are required to have a negative Covid test result or documentation of recovery from the virus before they board a flight to the United States. Masks are still required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the U.S. and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Total U.S. cases have passed the 347 million mark since the pandemic started, but the rate of new cases is far below the winter peak. The U.S. is one of the world leaders in vaccination rates and has been leading among nations with a population over 100 million. But we're not out of the woods. THE DELTA variant remains Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, Mas La Boella is a boutique hotel near Tarragona, Spain, now reopen.    a concern. Some nations are still overwhelmed by Covid. And several U.S. states report an alarmingly low vaccination rate. Still, more and more of Europe is opening up to leisure travelers -- especially the fully vaccinated. Besides Italy and Greece, Germany, Spain and Austria have reopened their doors. The global situation is in flux, though. Even as some places reopen, others are closing again. Ultimately, it's up to the individual to decide whether travel to international destinations is a good idea. If you're not fully vaccinated, the risks are greater and nations can change their rules at any time. You may have to adhere to strict curfews and mask mandates. Violations can involve fines and even jail. Cookie and Keller are at home on the range -- and in the kitchen, traveling again, too, with caution. WE ADVISE getting expert advice. Both our U.S. State Department and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention provide Covid risk assessments by country. Both agencies rate many of the countries open to travelers at Level 4, the highest risk for the virus. Also, remember that air passengers two and older must show proof of a negative Covid no more than three days old to enter the U.S.  Most countries in the developed world offer similar advise. Google your country and plug in "Covid regulations." Keller and Cookie enjoy a garage party -- masks off briefly for snacks, wine and Keller's non-alcoholic beer. UP NEXT:  What kept us relatively sane these trying "Covid months"? Diversions. What would we do without activities to help us through this now 16 months of pandemic purgatory? We travel loving folks rely on our travel loving friends to buoy our sagging  spirits.    During these past months, we have all missed personal contact with family and friends. So we relied even more on hobbies, emails, texts and old-fashioned letters from friends around the world. We are thankful for music, writing, Scrabble and the occasional masked-and-distanced gathering. As we emerge from the veil of Covid, we salute creative thinking and the travel-friendship connection. For many of us, the ability to communicate has been a life-saver in these stressful times. Connecting with friends around the globe is essential in the isolation and fear surrounding the virus. We do our part to revive old-fashioned hobbies and communication, with our modern recipe for combating "the Covid blues." Remember to explore, learn and live at  www.whereiscookie.com

Cannery Row lives on in Monterey, with upscale shops, eateries.  The fish canning industry flourished from the early 1900s to 1973.  CANNERY ROW VISIT RECALLS FILM PREMIERE  OF 1982 NICK NOLTE, STEINBECK CENTER, MEMORIES AND  TWO PACKS OF MARLBOROS STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By  BRUCE KELLER THE STORIES of writer John Steinbeck tell of man's struggles and search for justice. The American Dream is just out of reach for his downtrodden,  repressed characters. Steinbeck was a Californian -- born in Salinas in 1902 -- also lived in Monterey.   He experienced life in both of these contrasting towns -- the farming based Salinas, where his dad was an expert gardener, and the artsy Monterey, with which his bookish mother more identified. John Steinbeck's hometown celebrates his life in a multi- million dollar museum. --photo courtesy NPR The two cities are in many ways the Athens and Sparta of this part of central California. Monterey boasts lavish ocean-front property, boutiques, pricey hotels and B&Bs. The inland Salinas Valley is known as "The Salad Bowl of the World" for its quality produce: lettuce, broccoli, mushrooms, strawberries and more.  'Travels with Charley' inspires road trip STEINBECK WAS  drawn to the rough and tumble times and characters he observed during the fish canning industry's heyday. He was a keen observer, fascinated by the colorful but turbulent life on the waterfront. His passion for this part of the state -- and for travel -- lives on in a center memorializing him, his work, his ideals and characters. Prostitutes, fishermen, cooks, shop keepers, denizens of an often dirty life inhabit his prose. My 1982 visit was for the world premiere of "Cannery Row," a movie starring Nick Nolte and Debra Winger. It is based on the Steinbeck novel published in 1945 when the author was living with his second wife and son Thom in Monterey. Nick Nolte in 1982. He turned 81 in February . Debra Winger and Nick Nolte star in "Cannery Row." - -photo courtesy MGM Salinas, in Central California, feeds the nation with its rich variety of farm produce from fertile valleys.   We walked down the hill he strolled to downtown Alvarado Street, reminiscing about my visit, chatting with a shopkeeper who said Steinbeck returned several times to his stomping grounds, and connected with California throughout his life.  He studied at Stanford University and was a tour guide in Lake Tahoe before his work won acclaim and a Nobel Prize. Six years after the Nobel honor, he died in 1968 in New York City, not his native state. IN 1982, NOLTE was 41 and 28 years away from quitting cigarettes. But he was trying. During a round table interview, he needed a smoke and said, "Whoever gets me a pack of Marlboros aces a one-on-one." I jumped up, headed for the hotel lobby, slipped a $5 bill into the machine and bought two packs. Cigarettes were 60 cents a pack. I was so excited, I left the change. The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas pays tribute to a native son who won fame and in 1962, a Nobel Prize . It was a great interview and I sent him a note when he finally kicked the habit in 2010 -- using electronic cigarettes.  The film's focus is the decline of the fish canning industry, set during the Great Depression. It is based on a pair of Steinbeck novels ("Cannery Row" and "Sweet Thursday.") The last cannery closed in 1973, nine years before the film, which ranks as a sentimental favorite of mine. I love my back story, the whimsical characters and cinematography by Swedish born Sven Nykvist. BTW, Winger plays Nolte's love interest, and David S. Ward made his directorial debut. FANS OF STEINBECK  know his familiar themes:  the pursuit of  the American Dream, the need for compassion, the importance of unification, the mass hardship and suffering in life. We visited his museum, with its grand National Steinbeck Exhibition Hall, taking a pleasant journey through the author's "Valley of the World."     Salinas is known for its vibrant agriculture. While  not as "artsy" as its neighbor Monterey, it boasts galleries which struggled during Covid.    The lore of the sardine canning period lives on, here in a boat by a brewery in Monterey.   The exhibit offers a unique slant on Steinbeck -- organized geographically, so we visited locations in which he lived, traveled to, and wrote about. Each location features information, details and displays, including theatrical sets and "scenes" from the author's life. We watched films, listened to sound clips and viewed artifacts about Steinbeck's life and writings. The Packard Foundation, which funded the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, also endowed the Steinbeck museum. Its mission is to encourage his goals: to participate, to inspire, to educate, and to understand one another. It opened in 1998, 30 years after the author's death, in his hometown of Salinas. It pays homage to his 1962 Nobel Prize, awarded for his "realistic and imaginative writings, combining sympathetic humor and keen social perception." Malta's history and culture and Mediterranean warmth are attracting visitors again, as Covid numbers shrink. UP NEXT: The world is opening up as Covid shows signs of being controlled, if not conquered.  From Peru to Poland, Kenya to Croatia, travel is opening up again. It's critical to research your destination for each country has its rules and regulations and there are stiff fines -- even jailing -- if protocol is not observed and followed.  We take you to the best and safest spots, with caution and care, but the knowledge that our world is once again opening and welcoming the traveler. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, the arts, family and more: whereiscookie.com

At a California vaccination center, masking is required to enter. More than 60 per cent of Californians are vaccinated now -- over 23 million people -- so people are feeling more confident to stop masking and distancing. The CDC recommends continued masking and safety protocol for the non-vaccinated. MASKING, DISTANCING DISAPPEAR AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER All across California and into Nevada, we found hand-made signs for vaccine centers.  Masking, we noted, is still happening in some areas, but in more rural areas and small towns, masking is disappearing. ON OUR FIRST long road trip as the world  recovers from months of pandemic and isolation, we found mixed reactions and a clear division of thinking on masking, distancing and the Covid vaccine itself. In cities with high-end hotels and shops, people are still masking. At the Monterey Aquarium, for instance, masking is essential to enter and masks must be worn throughout the visit.  A couple places still took temperature checks.  BUT IN RURAL  areas and less populated places -- where people don't travel much -- masking has all but disappeared. At a small cafe near Rexburg, Idaho, a waitress told us, "We don't much go for that vaccine business here." This upscale Asian restaurant in the Bay Area still honors safety cubicles and masking for servers. IN A POST -Covid nutshell, we found a marked division between believers and skeptics regarding the vaccines.  As we approach 700,000 people dead in the U.S. and nearly four million casualties worldwide, Covid is still very much on many peoples' minds while others seem to have forgotten about it and are blissfully moving on. We're gratefully "double Pfizered." We awaited the vaccine eagerly. Because of Keller's severely compromised post-transplant immune system, our doctors got us in the first wave of vaccinated people. We masked all the way to Montana.   IN TRAVELING through five states, we found fewer and fewer people are masking. Yet only about half of the U.S. population has been vaccinated (only 22 per cent worldwide and less than one percent in low-income countries.) We noticed that foreign visitors tended to be masked in hotels, shops and when entering restaurants.  But a computer repairman we met told us he is not yet vaccinated but intends to be. "I'm not worried," he said, when I told him we were fully vaccinated. The Cody, Wyoming, gunfight participants were not masked, nor were most of the onlookers . In a northern California eatery, both entering customers and servers were masked and distancing and safety-conscious cubicles were still in place. AT OUR HOTELS  in Lake Tahoe, California, and Elko, Nevada, the ladies who checked us in wore masks, and masking signs were still posted on the hotel doors. But about half of the people we encountered were maskless. (There's no way to tell, of course, who is vaccinated and who is not.)  Hilton brand properties continue excellent hygiene policies, here a  "clean stay" sealer on a pristine room.  In our hotel in Pocatello, Idaho,  our receptionist was not masked, and the breakfast buffet had been restored and was packed. Most hotels did away with buffets early on in the pandemic, going instead with "grab and go" pre-prepared breakfast packages. Two of our six hotels still offered the bagged breakfast, but slowly the popular breakfast buffets are being restored. WE ARE loyal to the Hilton brand, and were happy to see that the hygiene practices Hilton pioneered are still in place: safety stickers on the doors -- to be broken only by the guest -- alcohol rubs around "high use" areas such as door handles, TV controls, etc. Cups and glasses in the bathroom and beside coffee machines are still wrapped in plastic.  At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, masks are  mandatory. (Cookie cheated for a few seconds,  and Keller kept his mask half-on for the selfie.) If you need towels, call housekeeping, which is still by request only. Room service orders are carefully wrapped and left outside the door so there is no human contact. ACCORDING  to new guidance from the CDC, fully vaccinated people can now participate in indoor and outdoor activities without a mask and without physical distancing. However, for people who are not fully vaccinated, the CDC continues to recommend mask wearing and other preventive measures in outdoor settings and in most indoor settings. All a work in progress. Here in Stockholm, some residents believe Sweden should have taken a more serious stance on the pandemic in the early stages. The country had one of Europe's highest  infection rates and is still struggling to contain Covid.   UP NEXT: As the delta variant raises new concerns about the spread of the virus, we're checking with our friends in Sweden, Israel, Australia and the UK, to see how they're coping with the new threat.  The pandemic is far from controlled and countries are clamping down and revising rules, imposing new testing procedures and requirements. We take a look at recent changes and interview our friends around the globe. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each week for a fresh look at travel, health, the arts, nature, family and more: whereiscookie.com

Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park is the park's largest lake and, many believe, the most beautiful in the park. Record numbers of tourists are expected in national parks as the veil of the pandemic slowly lifts and people seek solace in nature .    MILLIONS OF TRAVEL STARVED TOURISTS TURN TO PARKS, NATURE, OUTDOOR DINING FOR PANDEMIC RELIEF STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers in Grand Teton. PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER AS THE VEIL of the pandemic slowly lifts, record numbers of travelers are taking to parks and open spaces worldwide. After months of lock down, the outdoors offers inspiration and relief. In the U.S., tourists are flocking to revel in the landscapes of Glacier, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon and Grand Teton national parks.  In Europe, outdoor parks and mountain trails are welcoming record numbers of enthusiasts, joyous to be outdoors again. Nature and its varied landscapes offer a calming coda to months of isolation caused by the spread of COVID-19. The world famous Vigeland Park in Norway is welcoming thousands to its outdoor sculpture. THROUGHOUT  the world, where citizens are vaccinated, outdoor venues, concert spaces and parks are welcoming record numbers of guests.  Norway's Vigeland Park, featuring the intriguing sculpture of Gustav Vigeland, is a wonderful, family-friendly outdoor arena. Remarkably, it's free, honoring the sculptor's wishes and a substantial endowment. The fascinating venue is really a park within a park, located in Frognerparken (Frogner Park), the largest public park in Oslo.  A popular spot in all weather, this lovely park also boasts an open-air pool, restaurants, a museum and much more. A natural backdrop provides a stunning setting for The Domo, one of many intriguing sculptures on view at Tippet Rise. Vigeland was a conservationist and hiker and wanted his sculpture to be showcased in a venue offering the compliment of nature's healing  balm. This life-saving pairing -- art and the outdoors --  is a magical elixir, a sanity saver and health booster for millions of us now more than ever. TIPPET RISE  Art Center in my native Montana is open. This unique venue in the spectacular plains and hills of south-central Montana is open for hiking and biking on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from June 25 through Sept. Although there is no concert season again this year, outdoor enthusiasts are welcome to bring a mountain bike or hiking shoes and tour the remarkable collection of huge sculptures and soak up the gorgeous Montana landscape. Hiking and bicycling tours are free of charge, but require reservations. Call 406 328-7820.   Montana's and Wyoming's Rocky Mountains are drawing tourists, here near Cody, Wyo. We need all the open space we can find, so we turn to nature for relief and inspiration. AFTER MONTHS of isolation, people -- including the two of us travel writers -- are anxious to travel again.    National parks predict tourist numbers will more than double this year, as families, hikers, bikers, campers and cyclists hit the roads. Whether in search of geysers, sand dunes, beaches or wildlife refuges, folks are heading to the parks by the tens of thousands.  As travel restrictions start to lift in Europe and beyond, and talks of a UK-US travel corridor heat up, travel is returning, slowly becoming possible. The the European Union, a Covid travel pass is being rolled out across the bloc so travelers are again moving about within Europe. The canals of Venice are expected to draw record numbers of tourists, as Europe opens up slowly to post-Covid travel. In several European countries, international tourists have been welcome since the start of June, with most visitors needing only to present a negative Covid test or vaccination card upon arrival. Visitors from some countries, like the U.S., may still need to follow a 10-day quarantine. Restrictions are lifting country by country, however. So check with individual tourist bureaus. HAPPY NEWS  is that many European countries, including Italy, are expected to be classed as "low risk" by the end of June. Cafes, bars, restaurants, hotels and In Ashland, Oregon, the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival is opening its famous Allen Elizabethan Theater after a long lock-down . theaters have partially reopened to the public in many European countries, and parks. In Ashland, Oregon, for instance, after 16 months of lock-down, the world famous Allen Elizabethan Theater is staging its first show. Outdoor dining worldwide is more popular than it has ever been. Many restaurants have opened patio areas, and will likely keep them even after the virus is quelled. Keller and Cookie hold Nick on a road trip. They're awaiting room service at a hotel pool .  Masks were removed for the photo and eating. OBVIOUSLY, TRAVEL can increase a person’s risk of getting and spreading the virus, so it is still wise to take precautions. Remember that we're in close contact with one another, sometimes for prolonged periods. We are also exposed to more frequently touched surfaces. Air or train travel requires spending time in security lines and busy airport terminals.  So even though the CDC has loosened its requirements for masking, we recommend it. We're also devoted "hand-sanitizers." We also distance whenever possible. We ask for outdoor dining seating whenever possible.  At a recent play, we were seated six feet from others. On a flight to Hawaii, a middle seat was empty, but that is soon ending, making masking even more important.  So be shrewd, be cautious, be protected. And with these careful conditions, we can once again travel. Happy, safe trails!   In Salinas and Monterey, at Cannery Row in the old part of Monterey, most people were masked and thoughtful. UP NEXT:    Vaccinated and grateful, we hit the deck running -- "double Pfizered" and happy to travel again.  On the road, we're taking note of trends.  We weighed the pros and cons and decided in favor of traveling.  So as we cross several states, we continue to mask as we observe without judgment. We inquire about vaccinating and we remain vigilant sanitizers. We're surprised that many are not vaccinated and do not believe in masking. A post-Covid post-mortem awaits. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, the arts, food, family, cruising and more: whereiscookie.com