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Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers pay their respects to Jean Sibelius in Helsinki. LIVELY SCANDINAVIAN CITY IS FUN BECAUSE IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND UNCROWDED Cookie peeks out from behind a bronze of Sibelius, erected to appease critics of the larger, abstract sculpture which remains dominant.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER    AS MUSICIANS and artists, we made our first tour stop in Helsinki at the memorial to the famed Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius. Aptly named the Sibelius Monument, it was erected in 1967 by Finnish sculptor Eila Hiltunen. It is a striking abstract sculpture, as impressive to the eye as the dramatic composer's work is to the ear. It can be seen from a half mile away and  resembles clusters of organ pipes.  Helsinki Cathedral is beautiful to admire from the outside. The intriguing jagged monument consists of over 600 steel pipes unevenly grouped together at various heights.  Part of the monument can be "walked under," and the highest pipe reaches over 27 feet in the air. We watched people sing and shout at various places around the monument, as the pipes carried their voices. The much photographed landmark was designed to embody the spirit of Sibelius’ music, but its abstract nature caused complaint from the people, so a more traditional image was commissioned. It rests near the larger original tribute sculpture. ONE CANNOT  miss Helsinki’s most famous landmark, the Helsinki Cathedral. The brilliant white building with the green dome dominates the skyline.  We'd seen enough cathedrals for this trip, so we admired its beauty from outside, making our way slowly up the steps to notice its sweeping lines. Our fellow tour bus passengers view Uspenski Cathedral. After Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square, our guide took us to nearby Market Square then we did a drive-by of the famous red brick Uspenski Cathedral. Completed in 1868 in the Katajanokka district of Helsinki, the Cathedral is the largest orthodox church in Western Europe. With its golden cupolas and red brick facade, it remains a vivid symbol of the Russian impact on Finnish history. NOT SURPRISINGLY , Finland's neighbors have dominated its history.  First it was part of the Swedish Empire, then of the Russian. Finland did not gain its independence until a little over a century ago, in 1917. Its language and culture are neither Scandinavian nor Russian, but a Magyar-Estonian hybrid, the result of migrants who came from the southeast. OUR   FAVORITE  view of Helsinki is from the water, and it's easy to line up a two-hour harbor cruise, where you'll see the iconic city images from the Gulf of Finland.    Helsinki has lots of water besides the Gulf.  The Vantaa River, brooks, ditches, bonds and wells count for 500 square kilometres of Helsinki's total 686 square kilometres. Helsinki from the water offers memorable views. The M/S Helsinki offers lunch and dinner cruises, a relaxing way to enjoy a Nordic summer afternoon or autumn evening. We found the boat comfortable and the food fresh and with a Finnish flair -- rye bread, meatballs, smoked salmon, salads and berry pie.  The Finns invented the sauna, here at Loyly in Helsinki. We couldn't "Finnish" our visit without a sauna, an invention of Finland.  The oldest Finnish saunas date back 10,000 years ago, after the Ice Age. Originally, saunas were earth pits covered with animal skins. The first saunas with stoves and chimneys were used in the western countryside and spread to 18th century city saunas. We spent a typical sauna evening in Löyly, a modern seaside sauna with a stylish, glass-walled restaurant and sweeping views .  Löyly is the Finnish word for steam. The place is so named because of the steam released when water is thrown on hot rocks. The soft moist heat warms the body and relaxes the mind. A two-hour booking costs 19 euros and includes a towel, seat cover, soap and shampoo. A swim suit is the order of the day at a public sauna, but if you have friends in Helsinki, you'll likely use only a towel -- or your birthday suit. Enjoy this link to hear "Finlandia," by Jean Sibelius:  "Finlandia" Youtube video   https://youtu.be/fE0RbPsC9uE The Gefion Fountain of Copenhagen features oxen pulling a plow driven by the powerful Norse Goddess Gefion.  UP NEXT: While we're in the neighborhood, we invite you on our continuing tour of lively Scandinavian capitals.  Next up, Copenhagen, then on to Oslo and Stockholm. Tourism is gradually opening up and Americans are beginning to travel again. Even if your journeys are strictly via armchair while we await a vaccine, come enjoy the cities we visited just before the virus curtailed travel. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a novel look at travel, art, nature family and more: whereiscookie.com

Denmark's lovely capital Copenhagen, offers spires, canals, fun food and a famed pedestrian paradise. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Danes loved to walk and bike, and tourists follow suit. IMAGINE,  if you will, Denmark's two most famous citizens stopping to share a coffee and a chat. Although they were vastly different men, Hans Christian Andersen and Soren Kirekegaard might have bumped into one another while taking their morning constitutionals. The year would have been around 1850, where both men frequented Copenhagen's waterfront district. Both shared an abiding love for this lovely corner of the city.  Both would likely have carried books under their arms. Another famous Dane   Anderson, Denmark's beloved fairy tale writer, and Kierkegaard, theologian and existentialism's progenitor, loved walking the streets of the largest of Denmark's 500 islands.   St. Alban's is Copehnagen's finest example of Gothic architecture, and not far from the Little Mermaid. We followed their custom on a visit, before Covid gutted our travel plans. Copenhagen remains high on our list of favorite cities, and we've booked a return for next spring -- fingers crossed. Meanwhile, we're sharing commentary and favorite photos of Scandinavia's largest city. Those clever, fun-loving but stylish Danes have managed to combine urban sophistication and Continental charm with the laid back feel of a small village. Pedestrians still rule in Copenhagen, where its famed walking street Strøget, remains the backbone of the city as it has for decades. It's history dates back to 1960, when the city's old but beloved narrow streets were threatened by expanding shopping areas around central Copenhagen. Book your tickets to Tivoli ahead. "Sidewalks were becoming more and more crowded," our guide told us. "Pedestrians were bumping into each other, cars couldn't move." So Copenhagen's City Council established a car free pedestrian zone from the westerly Town Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv (The Kings New Square) in the eastern part of the town called “Strøget.” It includes a maze of small streets and historical squares fanning out from “Strøget” and the mediaeval part of Copenhagen. It's nearly 3.2 kilometers and Danes consider it the oldest and longest pedestrian street system in the world, dating back to Roman times as it does. Gefion Fountain, famous for its oxen and the famous goddess. DANES ENJOY  a colorful reputation  and have become expert at recreational pursuits.  More reserved, rural Scandinavians consider Copenhagen a den of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, "a Valhalla of vice," our guide jokingly offered. It's true that Denmark was the first country in the world to abolish restrictions on the sale of pornographic literature to adults.  Yet Copenhagen is also famous for its art and culture, including its world class Royal Danish Ballet, and of course the famous Little Mermaid statue, which rises green and sleek from the waterfront -- smaller than most people expect. She is immortalized in Andersen's tale of a mermaid who falls hard for a mortal prince who, alas, loves another. Church of Our Savoir has a top stairway.  AN ARCHITECTURAL  delight is the Öresund Bridge which links the city to Malmo in southern Sweden. It supports a four-lane road carrying six million vehicles a year, with two train tracks on a lower deck, transporting eight million people a year. It was once possible to walk across the bridge, during "open bridge days," but that was curtailed a decade ago. You'll want to spend part of a day in Tivoli Gardens, famous for its fun rides, lovely gardens and delicious albeit expensive food. If you're a fan of churches, Denmark's Church of Our Saviour is a beautiful baroque edifice famous for its helix spire and winding external staircase which offers fine views of the central City. It is also noted for its carillon, the largest in northern Europe, which plays melodies every hour from 8 a.m. to midnight.   The city sits on the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager. Its historic center, contains Frederiksstaden, an 18th-century rococo district, home to the royal family’s Amalienborg Palace. Nearby is Christiansborg Palace and the Renaissance-era Rosenborg Castle, surrounded by gardens and home to the crown jewels. Freetown Christiania is a hangover from the hippy days of the 1960s and 1970s, a colorful commune of around 1,000 free-thinking residents, still thriving today. Danes know how to relax and enjoy. OUR FAVORITE haunt remains the city's colorful harbor area, Nyhavn, with its memorable character -- and lively characters, plus an array of sturdy fishing boats, hardy sailors, graceful yachts, tatoo parlors, beer joints and cheap smørrebrød, those famous open-faced sandwiches invented in Denmark.  If you're there early, you can also sample coffee and a warm Danish. Funny enough, the origin of the famous pastry is not Danish at all, but derives from a strike amongst bakery workers in Denmark in 1850. Bakery owners were forced to hire workers from abroad, including several Austrian bakers who brought along their traditional pastry recipes.   Keller and Cookie aboard a Stockholm ferry transiting the city's many islands. UP NEXT: We're touring the colorful Scandinavian capitals. Up next: Stockholm, 14 islands and 50 bridges on the Baltic Sea archipelago. Come with us on the cobblestone streets to the old town Gamla Stan, visit a 13th-century cathedral, the Kungliga Slottet Royal Palace and the Nobel Museum. We also take time for a water taxi ride. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at travel, family, nature and the arts: whereiscookie.com

Stockholm, with its beautiful location on the water, is considered one of the world's prettiest cities. From street bazaars to Nobel pomp, Stockholm spells variety.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER STOCKHOLM  is a city of water, museums, street markets, stately squares, lively arts, buskers, pomp and subway art to knock your socks off.   It's a city of contrasts, home to the Nobel Prize ceremonies, a museum celebrating the musical group, ABBA, a famous ship museum and a connection to rock legend Frank Zappa. Inhabited for years by the Danes, it has been Swedish territory since 1523 and underwent a renaissance in the 18th century.  This enrichment era included architectural, artistic, government and economic expansion, along with development of the sciences, medicine and literature.  IT SEEMS fitting that Stockholm is home to the revered Nobel prizes, six international awards given annually for outstanding work in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, economics and the promotion  of peace. The Nobel Prizes, first awarded in 1901, were established by the will of inventor Alfred Nobel and are traditionally awarded on Dec. 10, the anniversary of his death. We Americans proudly recall that the  2009 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to our U.S. President Barack Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people". Stockholm's imposing City Hall has a prime location. The colorful Swedish flag waves on a boat trip with Stockholm skyline behind. FOR ANYONE who loves ABBA or "Mamma Mia," the flashy ABBA Museum is worth a visit with its interactive displays and narratives from the artists. Find it near the impressive displays in the Vasa Museum.  Its wares include the 17th century war ship, salvaged centuries after she sunk on her maiden voyage in 1628. Besides ABBA (acronym for the four singers' names), there's another musical tie to the city.  A famous 1973 Stockholm concert was immortalized because singer Frank Zappa's group appeared in transition, between the subversive vaudeville of the original Mothers of Invention and the juvenile obscenities of later albums. Zappa memorabilia abounds. Another side of Sweden The ABBA museum celebrates one the successful music groups. THE CITY' s modern subway system, Tunnelbanan, has flashy art and is among the most dramatic in the world, with its elegant ceramic figures, glass prisms and colorful murals contributed by 70 imaginative Swedish artists.   Stockholm's subway system offers wild art. Narrow streets, winding alleys, medieval charm and a sophisticated cultural life all beckon the traveler, with some of the world's most posh waterway architecture, a beautiful Royal Palace, a Parliament to rival London's and the Nobel Prize reception hall.  Grand architecture, street fairs, buskers, street food, fine eateries and the relic of that mighty warship point to the variety that personifies Stockholm and its love affair with the water. We had only a couple of days, and could easily have stayed a month, to further explore the city's enticing green gardens, cobblestone walkways and a Swedish food feast we barely sampled. If all this sounds appealing, toss in a 700-year old Old town and one of the world's most elegant cathedrals -- and prepare to enjoy a Stockholm visit. Traditional yellow houses date to early 19th Century painters. UP NEXT:  While we're in Scandinavia, let's pop over to Skagen, Denmark, a picturesque port town at the north end of Denmark’s Jutland peninsula. The famous Skagen Painters are inspired by the area's special light and landscape. On Skagen’s northeastern outskirts, locals go to Grenen Beach, to step one foot each in two bodies of water. Here is the convergence of the Skagerrak and Kattegat seas. The artful homes have a distinct style -- traditionally yellow with orange tiled roofs, many inhabited by artists . Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a fresh look at nature, travel, family and the arts: www.whereiscookie.com

Skagen's distinctive yellow houses always sport orange tiled roofs, an artistic tradition. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Fishing is an important part of Skagen's economy. WE'D VISITED  Denmark several times, but never its picturesque port town, Skagen, sitting peacefully at the north end of Denmark’s Jutland peninsula. Its population of 8,000 people increases by 2,000 during the summer months.  We visited in September, a year ago, when travel was safe and unencumbered.  Slowly, Denmark is reopening to tourism and this northernmost township on the east coast of the peninsula, welcomes travelers. Because of its prime seaside location, the town of Skagen is the main fishing port for all of Denmark. Another reason for Skagen's popularity, we discovered, is its beautiful turquoise blue waters and the vast expanse of the sea. Skagen's yellow houses and orange tiled roofs. We were among a couple hundred tourists who came to enjoy the town's scenic views, old-fashioned streets and charming waterfront.  The unique Skagen architecture is a draw, too -- yellow houses with orange tiled roofs. The picturesque little town of Skagen owes its popularity to an artists' colony which settled there in the 1880s. Known as the "Nordic Light Painters," their work was prized for the shimmering light.  A Nordic Light exhibition celebrates the movement each August and several museums exhibit works by these eccentric and talented Skagen painters, who were inspired by Skagen's light and landscape. TODAY, SKAGEN  is both a fishing port and a tourist destination. An oil by Michael Peter Ancher of Skagen. The characteristic yellow and orange roofed houses are still occupied by fishermen and painters. A few are b&bs, and the town also offers several pleasant hotels. The people of Skagen are proud of both legacies -- their expert fishing fame and stable of famous artists.  The Local History Archive in Skagen's former courthouse, exhibits town history, artistic tradition and maritime heritage.  Skagen's shifting dunes provided a pleasant hike for us.  A main attraction is Grenen Beach, on Skagen’s northeastern outskirts.  It boasts the convergence of the Skagerrak and Kattegat seas. The trick -- we couldn't resist the temptation -- is to stand with one foot in the Skagerrak and the other in the Kattegat. One body in two seas! The shifting dunes are another attraction.  These migrating wonders are pushed by the wind and sea, moving and changing each year.  The shifting sands have covered entire buildings, including a church known, literally, as Den Tilsandede Kirke. Now only the steeple is visible on this buried 17th Century house of worship. SKAGEN IS   also home to some of the world's great eagles, who fly free in the Eagle Sanctuary. We listened to folk music, too, with Skagen's street buskers doing a brisk business.   If your idea of a holiday means watching the sun setting over the water, enjoying a panoramic view of the sea, strolling a welcoming village, visiting  its beaches and waterfront, and eating freshly caught seafood, Skagen's your place for laid back R&R. And don't worry if you aren't sure how to pronounce Skagen. Three acceptable pronunciations are listed in a local guidebook: Skah-guhn,” “Skay-gen,” or “Skay-en" as in "just sayin'." Sculptor Gustav Vigeland gave his many statues to Oslo.  UP NEXT: We end our salute to Scandinavian capitals with a visit to the Viking land of Oslo, Norway, and a trip to a farm near the city. Founded in 1050, Oslo sits on the left bank of the Akere River and is an intriguing blend of modern and historic. The Viking influence is felt everywhere, and the country's noteworthy artistic heritage is celebrated in Vigeland Sculpture Park, which hosts Gustav Vigeland's impressive sculptures. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at nature, travel, family and the arts: whereiscookie.com

If you enter Oslo by boat, you will transit Akershus Harbor and its Renaissance Fortress. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER A statue honoring playwright Henrik Ibsen invites one to the National Theater. MY NORWEGIAN  is showing, so indulge me, please, as I wax affectionately about Norway's capital, Oslo. It's a proud city, which grew from a rustic 9th Century village to a bustling region of nearly a million people. Cookie and Keller in Akershus Harbor. Norwegian wood escape Oslo is also a city of graceful architecture, scenic landscapes and rich history, proud of its artistic heritage and long legacy of maritime life. For art lovers, it's a place to honor Norway's great dramatist, Henrik Ibsen, and its most famous painter, Edvard Munch. Both men's accomplishments are featured in many places in the city -- from galleries to concert halls, parks to museum exhibits. FOR FANS of the sea, Oslo offers world class maritime museums celebrating Norway's centuries old shipping history.  The country has long been   a major player on the world's oceans.  In 1875, Norway was the world's third largest shipping nation with 60,000 sailors. The first regional shipowners association was formed in Norway in 1899. The Norwegian Maritime Museum is rich in experiences and activities with indoor and outdoor exhibitions in a unique maritime environment. The waterside Viking Ship Museum displays impressive Viking ships from the 9th century. Oslo's Radhus, Town Hall is a striking building with twin red brick towers. THIS BUSTLING  capital of Norway sits on the country’s southern coast at the head of the Oslofjord. It’s known for its green spaces, many on picturesque Bygdøy Peninsula. If you're feeling athletic, the Holmenkollbakken is a ski-jumping hill with panoramic views of the fjord and a world class ski museum.  A word about safety.  Unlike other European cities, you'll have little to worry about in Oslo. Crime is nearly non-existent, people are helpful and speak beautiful English, city streets are clean. Norwegians proudly tell visitors that they're more likely to fall off a cliff or be hit by a meteor than be attacked in Oslo. Oslo's maritime history is celebrated in a pair of striking museums along the water. Oslo is also a wonderful city to navigate -- whether solo or with a family or group. WE'RE BIG FANS of city passes and the Oslo pass is a nifty one, offering entry to more than 30 museums and attractions, free travel on all public transport and other attractive perks. If you enjoy museums and public transportation, it's cheaper to get the Oslo pass before your trip. You'll likely want to buy some Viking art, also known as Norse art. Viking souvenirs abound,  because since the 10th Century, my Viking ancestors adorned myriad objects with carving and fine metalwork.  Oslo's Nobel Peace Center is a proud testimony to Sweden's generous inventor, Alfred Nobel, and his ideals.  The Viking symbol is found on everything from bedspreads to tablecloths, coffee mugs to plates and pajamas.  I love my sterling silver earrings -- shaped like Viking helmets. Set sail on NCL WHILE STOCKHOLM is home to the Nobel prize hall, Oslo is proud of its Nobel Peace Center. One of the five Nobel prizes, the Peace Prize, is awarded in Oslo. The recipient of this coveted prize is chosen by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Inside the graceful building is a permanent exhibit about Swedish born Alfred Nobel, who -- like his native country -- had deep ties to Norway. Two Americans, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barrack Obama, won the Peace Prize, given annually to someone who has “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Sculptor Gustav Vigeland donated his collection.  FINALLY don't miss Viegland Park, with its 212 enormous sculptures by Gustav Viegland, the country's most prolific and generous sculptor.  He worked in granite, bronze and wrought iron over a period of 40 years, donating the lion's share of his imaginative work to Oslo. The Park is one of the most popular attractions in Scandinavia. visitoslo.com/en/activities-and-attractions/oslo-pass/ The culture of Japan is celebrated at San Francisco's Japan Center, where an entire neighborhood features all things Japanese.  UP NEXT:   Perhaps you're missing international travel.  You're not alone. So if you'd like a taste of Europe, South America or Asia without leaving the continent, join us next week for a special column on "foreign pleasures close to home." The piece will feature ethnic neighborhoods, with museums, restaurants, architecture and attractions that reflect the influence of other cultures, but on our own continent.  We have suggestions for visiting U.S. and Canadian cities with a European feel -- San Francisco, New Orleans, Montreal, Victoria and more. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at travel, nature, family and the arts: whereiscookie.com

A mother whale and her calf in flowers draw the eye to Victoria's famous Hotel Fairmont Empress. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Japan Center in San Francisco, offers shopping, museums, restaurants, artwork. WITH TRAVEL outside our continent limited by the virus scourge, it's time to look for the exotic without leaving North America. Do come along. It's possible to sample a bit of Europe, Asia or South America, right here in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. WITH A VISIT to Victoria, B.C., you'll enjoy the feeling of the British Isles. The city's British connection is time honored in the lovely Hotel Fairmont Empress, opened in 1908 as one of Canada's grand railway hotels. Its central downtown harbor location on Goverment Street offers a dazzling view of the city's Parliament, and its Chatequesque style reminds of Switzerland. Since its opening, the hotel experienced two expansions, in 1910, and again in 1928. The building received designation as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981 and underwent a $60 million restoration in 2015. THE CITY'S Colonial past shows in its Victorian architecture, including stately Craigdarroch Castle mansion. Butchart Gardens, with 55 acres of vivid floral displays, statuary, ponds and a carousel, is one of many formal gardens near or in the city. A street in Solvang -- complete with windmill -- could be a street in the Netherlands, with all manner of Danish goods. Restaurants have a continental feel. You'll find fish and chips as tasty as any in merry olde England, bakeries with yummy scones, pubs galore and tea shops including decades old Murchie's, with an array of all things British for a stylish afternoon tea. You'll feel you've crossed the pond in British Columbia.                       SAN FRANCISCO is home to a huge Asian community and nowhere is it more alive than in the city's artistically designed Japan Center. Pagados, hotels, shrines, galleries, restaurants and the beautiful Japan Center Malls display authentic cultural icons and excellent, reasonable shopping.  New York City's Chinatown is world renowned for its shops, its bustling feeling -- much like Hong Kong or Shanghai, and its authentic Chinese food, shops with herbs and remedies, and temples. It's a unique, lively and expansive neighborhood full of people, scents and the feel of China. New York's Chinatown is bustling, authentic. SOLVANG , in southern California's pretty  Santa Ynez Valley, is known for its Danish-style architecture and fine wineries. The Elverhøj Museum of History and Art explores the city's Danish heritage through stories and photos. The Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum exhibits dozens of classic American, Japanese and European motorbikes while the Old Mission Santa Inés is an early-1800s Franciscan church. Solvang's nightlife is exciting -- with a cosmopolitan feel. Many Danish Americans consider Solvang their cultural home, visiting regularly, even purchasing second homes in the quaint town and pleasant valley.              HERE'S A FEW  other places where we've felt   connected to our ancestry. So much of culture carries on its time honored links with our motherlands -- in architecture, historical sites, dining, museums, clothing and grocery stores, souvenir shops and more.    A charming hotel, the Queen Mary, is permanently docked in Long Beach, reminding of cruising days abroad. NASHVILLE'S  Parthenon was built for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition. It stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville's premier urban park. The re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Greek originals.       Nashville's Parthenon is a full-sized replica of the one in Athens. THE QUEEN MARY , docked in Long Beach, is the place to go if you are a fan of cruising and miss sailing the oceans and high seas. Now a beautiful hotel,, the Queen Mary set a new benchmark in transatlantic travel, which the rich and famous considered as the only civilized way to travel. She quickly seized hearts and imaginations on both sides of the Atlantic, representing the elegance and spirit of an era known for its class and style.   MEXICO OFFERS Latin feel in its music, architecture, food and the pulsing mix of cultures.  Try Mazatlan, Mexico City and Guadalajara for history, museums, cathedrals and old-fashioned Mexican spirit. Cancun, Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas offer modern hotels, beaches, fine contemporary restaurants and an interesting mix of tourists from Europe and both Americas.   This church in Mazatlan is one of many popular for weddings. San Miguel de Allende is a lovely mile-high oasis in the central Mexican mountains.  Its history dates to 1542 and it is famous for its fine Mexican cuisine and luxurious hotels -- one with a cooking school. ALSO CONSIDER Leavenworth, Washington, 200 miles east of Seattle, which looks as if it were plucked form the Bavarian Alps. New Orleans offers Creole and Cajun treats, spectacular dining and food reflecting the mixed cultural bag -- from beignets to gumbo and spicy po boy sandwiches. When seeking European atmosphere in North America, consider Quebec City, where you'll hear French and find an array of cultural, historic and gastronomic attractions -- cobblestone streets, lively arts, fun-loving people.  From France to Scandinavia, Italy, Greece, England, China, Japan and South and Central America, we can find the trappings of other cultures in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Safer than international travel right now -- and most of us are within driving distance to at least one of these. UP NEXT: Yellowstone and the Tetons in autumn.  Come along with us to two of our country's most beautiful national parks.  They're no prettier than in autumn, when the golden and reddish tones of fall blanket the valleys.  Wildlife viewing is splendid in autumn, and we're on the lookout for bison and bears, swans, elk and moose.  Perhaps even a wolf or two in the beautiful Lamar Valley.  Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a unique look at nature, the arts, family, travel, health and more. Bison graze on fall grasses while geyers steam. Please share this link and our stories with your friends!  www.whereiscookie.com

Spectacular views await at every turn on a trek through Yellowstone and Teton this week. DAZZLING WATERS, BLUE SKIES, HALLMARK CLOUDS, AUTUMN LEAVES PLUS CRITTERS OFFER PRIME TIME PARK VIEWING STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER AUTUMN IS NO  no more splendid than in our country's national parks. Elk are bugling, leaves are changing, crowds are thinning. Cool evenings and warm days are just what the doctor ordered during these anxious Covid-19 times. A walk to Jenny Lake yields golden autumn colors and a short wait for the Jenny Lake Boating Co. ferry. What could be more ideal than a leisurely gambol through Grant Teton and Yellowstone, two of our country's spectacular national parks. WE SET OFF  Thursday afternoon, to spend five days enjoying  yellow and golden leaves, with a few dark reds -- moving in the wind against blue skies and clouds straight out of Hallmark. Glorious greens of fir, pine and tamarack trees catch the eye with our slow, "critter spotting" driving. We love the tamaracks, those showy deciduous beauties growing up to 150 feet. Park's pleasures are timeless Walking paths in both Yellowstone and Teton invite Keller and Cookie to explore. Keller and Cookie, Rick Cosgriffe and Jane Milder atop the summit after riding Bridger Gondola, with Yorkie Nick. WE ENTERED Yellowstone on our annual park pilgrimage, driving the winding road through Wapiti Valley outside of Cody, Wyoming, taking our time to the park's East Entrance The first night, we'd parked ourselves in front of Cody's legendary Irma Hotel.  We angled ourselves onto the front row after the entertaining trolley ride to the nearby dam and around the town. (More about Cody and that fun town in next week's whereiscookie ). Then a leisurely drive through the park, with its many lakes including Yellowstone, over Fishing Bridge, and south down to the Grand Tetons. The dramatic mountains were named by French-Canadian trappers who admired the "big breasts" of the range. Take guests to the park   JUST SOUTH of Yellowstone and north of the town of Jackson, Grand Teton's sprawling 310,000 acres include lush valley floors, mountain meadows, alpine lakes and the rising peaks of the spectacular Teton Range. The massive Jackson Hole Aerial Tram, nicknamed "Big Red," was closed. But the cozy Bridger Gondola was running, perfect for the four of us humans and Nicky, our 10-pound, 15 year old Yorkshire Terrier. We waited only a few minutes for one of several "dog friendly" gondolas to whisk by, lifting us over 4,000 vertical feet in 15 minutes to a spectacular view of the valley. A boat ride and tram ride on Bridger Gondola, enticed us as we explored the two pretty parks.  OUR FELLOW gondoliers were hikers and backpackers hitting the high country.  Many others, though, took the gondola simply for the experience and the stunning view, enjoying a cup or tea or glass of wine before the the ride back down.  The two parks offer so many pleasures The Bridger Gondola in Grand Teton has several dog friendly compartments. that it is difficult to single out a few, but we advise spending at least four days if you plan to see parts of both Yellowstone and Teton. There are activities for families, hikes for couples, places to recharge for a solo traveler. Animals are active in the crisp fall air. We saw black bears, elk and moose along to complement the changing landscape. More than half of the world's thermal features are found in Yellowstone.  Teton boasts some of the world's most spectacular peaks. We invite you to share our national parks with your friends! Cookie and Nick along for the ride through Yellowstone and Teton and the lively surrounding towns.  UP NEXT:   We look forward to sharing more of our five-day national parks adventure, enjoying the bounty of wildlife and scenery, and exploring the towns around the park.  Next week, we take you to Cody, Wyoming, with its Buffalo Bill lore and a fun trolley to see the sights. We advise on dog friendly protocol if you're taking your pup along for the ride. Down the road, we hit the reopened Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, and explore West Yellowstone.  Please share this link with your friends, and remember to explore, learn and live: whereiscookie.com

Cody's Buffalo Bill Center of the West is a world class complex of interesting and varied museums.   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Irma Hotel diners enjoy a leisurely meal, as Queen Victoria's beautiful bar forms an historic backdrop, a gift to Buffalo Bill. MORE THAN 100  years after his death in 1917, Buffalo Bill Cody lives on in the western town of Cody, Wyoming. Buffalo Bill Cody rode throughout the world in his famous Wild West show. More on lively Cody  Named after the famed soldier, buffalo hunter and internationally known showman, the town of Cody pays homage to the flamboyant man in its world class museum, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, and in a hotel named after his beloved daughter Irma. WE SPENT  a pleasant night and day in Cody, enroute to Yellowstone National Park, only 50 gorgeous miles away to the East Entrance.  Cody is famous for its western ambiance, including a seasonal shootout at dusk by the Irma Hotel. Its historic bar, built in 1902, boasts stiff drinks while the restaurant serves up country cooking. The hotel's much photographed cherry wood bar was given to Buffalo Bill as thanks for his entrepreneurial tour of Europe and the United Kingdom.  Bestowing the gift was one of Bill's  ardent fans, England's Queen Victoria. Quaint rooms are also designed in the Victorian style. IT'S FUN TO stroll the streets for western wear, rib-sticking food, ethnic fare including Asian and Mexican offerings, and galleries featuring western paintings, pottery and crafts. A highlight of our Cody visit was an lively hour spent aboard a green trolley of Cody Trolley Tours. Two entertaining and knowledgeable guides walked us through the history of the town, with historical stories, photos, stops at various locations and audio clips. They highlight old and new attractions around town, with video clips, artwork and relics such as a buffalo horn.  Cody Trolley Tours offers an entertaining look at the town.   WE ENJOYED the stories of the guides, particularly the one claiming that Bill's body rests in a picturesque gravesite atop Lookout Mountain, high above the town of Golden, Colorado. While his will stipulated he be brought back to Cody, his widow, Louisa Cody, claimed that officials conspired to have Buffalo Bill buried in Denver.   Others believe those are not really Buffalo Bill's remains.  They think that Bill's Cody friends talked their way into the mortuary after his sudden 1917 death in Denver. Lore says the pals switched the body before it was buried, bringing the real Bill back to Wyoming.  The controversy still fuels arguments.   Try San Diego's trolley "Give us an hour and we'll give you 100 years," is Cody Trolley Tours' motto.  We take trolley tours all over the world, wherever offered.  This is one of the most fun we've experienced. Cody is a lively place, and even with Covid, masking and distancing, we managed to enjoy ourselves.  Cookie poses by a whimsical Larry Pirnie art piece at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The shops, restaurants, an entertaining walking tour and planning for the Yellowstone and Grand Teton visit made the visit a pleasant one.  The Irma remains the city's grand dame, and you'll not want to miss an afternoon or morning at the Buffalo Bill Center for the West, with its impressive array of museums ranging from Plains Indian exhibits, to one of the world's finest displays of western art and a firearms collection considered the most impressive in the Americas. CODY'S ROUGH and tumble roots have spawned a town both sophisticated and "small.'' It retains the feel of a western village but offering citified amenities the seasoned traveler expects. For instance, there's a popular dinner show with western fare and cowboy music produced by Cody Cattle Company, a nightly seasonal rodeo, and the long-running shoot-out outside the Irma.  The acting is far from Broadway quality and the script is not Pulitzer material, but the half-hour show is a fun diversion. We sat with a couple of Swiss honeymooners and a family from Sacramento, all enjoying the spectacle.  If you book the Trolley Tour, take advantage of its front-row seat perk. For $3 more than the $25 tour price, the tour's amiable office worker Mitch places a sticker on a chair and you're sitting front-row for the action. You'll meet Butch Cassidy, Sundance, the town drunk, and a couple of lively chorus girls. A fake town backdrop is set up in the street and traffic is closed off for the bank robbery and jail break. THE OTHER  much enjoyed feature of the tour was a visit to the extraordinary Buffalo Bill Dam.  The trolley tour does a quick drive-by, so we stopped the next morning enroute to Yellowstone. With guns blazing, actors in Cody's seasonal nightly gunfight entertain a global audience . At its christening in 1910, it was heralded as an engineering marvel, one of the first concrete arch dams built in the United States. Standing an impressive 325 feet high, it was then the highest dam in the world -- even surpassing New York's famed Croton Dam. That's up next. We also enjoyed a tasty, authentic Mexican meal at Zapata's, with its welcoming outdoor patio, excellent margaritas and pleasant, accommodating service.  Please keep tuning us in and share the link. codytrolleytours.com ; codychamber.org centerofthewest.org bbdvc.com ; zapatascody.com   Spectacular view from the walkway above the Buffalo Bill Dam. UP NEXT : The Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center offers an eye-catching walkway across the dam, with a view down to the beautiful Shoshone River.  It's on the way from Cody, Wyoming, to Yellowstone National Park's east entrance. The dam was completed 110 years ago in 1910, an engineering marvel at the time and still impressive today.  We'll take you there next week. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fresh look at travel, the arts, family, nature and more: whereiscookie.com

The Buffalo Bill Dam and Visitor Center offers a sweeping view of the reservoir. Writer-photographer Rick Cosgriffe takes his camera for a walk on the dam, with its fine views and interesting history.  MAN MADE WONDER BROUGHT A BLOOM TO ARID WYOMING DESERT LAND STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IF YOUR travels take you through Cody, Wyoming, and into the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park, you'll be near one of the world's great man made wonders. Don't pass it by.   You have an opportunity to visit Buffalo Bill Dam and Visitor Center, just 40 miles from Yellowstone and a scenic six-mile drive from Cody. So you can visit it going either direction. The impressive concrete arch-gravity dam on the Shoshone River is a much visited Wyoming site, known internationally as a remarkable engineering experiment. Named after the famous Wild West figure, William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, founder of the nearby town, the dam's visitor center provides a sweeping view of the reservoir formed by its construction. Rivers and streams running the reservoir deposit fallen trees which collect beneath the viewing area.  A walkway from the Visitor Center takes one over the dam. KNOWN AT the time of its construction as Shoshone Dam, it was renamed in 1946 to honor Cody, whose celebrity, dreams and generosity actually made the dam possible. The showman was among visionaries and investors who formed the Shoshone Land and Irrigation Company, dreaming of turning the arid area into farmland. But even after acquiring water rights from the Shoshone River to irrigate 60,000 acres, the project proved cost prohibitive.  So Wyoming's State Board of Land Commissioners asked the Federal Government for help.   Scrub land near the dam shows how arid the region is. The dam made farming in the nearby valleys possible. Then Bill Cody stepped saved the day. In early 1904, Cody transferred his water rights to the Secretary of the Interior and in July of that year, exploratory drilling began for Shoshone Dam.   Thirty-six years after completion, in 1946, it was renamed Buffalo Bill Dam in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Cody, the man who made it possible. THE DAM changed the face and future of Wyoming and   was the key to opening 90,000 acres in the northwestern corner of the state.  Wyoming's parched prairie gave way to irrigated farm land. So dry and forbidding was this part of the state prior to the dam that it was one of the last regions in the United States to be settled.  It wasn’t until the 1890s, with dreams of irrigating the region and turning it into productive farmland, that a wave of people began to settle there. That surge in the population coincided with Wyoming's statehood, July 10, 1890. A series of photos and commentary details the construction of the dam. Those facts, and more about the Dam's sometimes troubled history are detailed in the Visitor Center.  Most of us aren't aware that there were deaths during the perilous project.  BECAUSE THERE was no steel reinforcement used to build the dam, construction crews went through a huge amount of dynamite. Over the six years of construction, seven workers died in accidents -- from blast injuries and falls. It's worth spending an hour with the handsome displays in the Visitor Center to realize the human sacrifice. The 350 feet high structure was designed by engineer Daniel Webster Cole and built over a six-year period between 1905 and 1910, originally 325 feet, enlarged in the 1980s.  Today, the dam attracts plenty of tourists as well as local fishermen, even in the winter. Golden eagles may be viewed around the dam. This one was  injured on the road and brought to the Buffalo Bill Center's rescued bird habitat. Ice fishing has become popular here;  most of these intrepid fishermen pursue trout. The reservoir  contains both warm and cold water fish species including cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat rainbow hybrids, brown trout, lake trout, walleye and perch. If you've got the time, picnic tables with pretty views are set about the grounds and there's a small boat ramp. Swimming and bird and wildlife viewing are another attraction. We were thrilled to see both golden and bald eagles on our recent visit. Cookie and Keller, with Yorkie Nick stand on the lawn of the Museum of the Rockies by "Big Mike." UP NEXT : Bozeman, Montana, is a college town, haven for nature lovers, with enough cosmopolitan attractions to to draw visitors from all over the world.  It's also a museum and foodie haven.  After being closed for several months, the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman is open again, and showcasing wonderful exhibits. The Gallatin County Museum is a charming diversion, too. Find out more about this fast-growing town, a gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a fresh look at nature, travel, the arts, family and more. Share the links you like from whereiscookie.com

The view from your private balcony at Cavalier Oceanfront Resort on the Central California Coast  is stellar. You will find you don't want to leave your room, but there's lots to see if you do. COMFY BEDS, FIREPLACE, VIEWS AT CAVALIER MAKE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST APPEALING -- PLUS ELEPHANT SEALS TO WATCH STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Small, clean, comfy, Cavalier Oceanfront Resort has all the comforts of home -- plus ocean views. YEARS AGO,  we were looking for a mid-way stop between our niece's home in Redwood City and Port Hueneme's lovely harbor, where we'd spend a few days before heading into the home stretch for San Diego. The beautifully rugged coastline of Central California has long been a favorite of ours, and during that long ago autumn, we discovered Cavalier Oceanfront Resort.  We've been regulars ever since. It's private, offers fresh air and spectacular views, and especially in these COVID times, it's a healthy way to travel, stay protected and safe without flying. The town of San Simeon is most famous for the temporarily closed Hearst Castle, that stately and eclectic masterpiece designed by architect Julia Morgan for newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. But while COVID has put a halt to castle visits, there is still much to recommend this beautiful area. Gorgeous sunsets await in Central California, where the ocean views and walking are tops. CHIEF LURE for us is the resort, nestled on a scenic seaside bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. You'll never want to leave your room, with its comfy balcony rocking chairs, spacious relaxing interior complete with desk if you're on a work trip, and splendid day-long views.    Located on picturesque Highway 1, the laid back but top service hotel is dog and family friendly.  It also attracts wedding parties and families on holiday or reunion.  And it's a favorite romantic stop for couples, including regulars like ourselves.  It's a great base for exploring beaches, the nearby Paso Robles wine country, and the quaint seaside village of Cambria with its fun shops, historic homes and fine restaurants. And yes, elephant seals....read on. WE LOVE the Cavalier for its gorgeous ocean view rooms.  Among bountiful amenities are a welcoming fireplace, with unlimited wood blocks, a smart little bar-frig stocked with a dozen beverages, and plentiful munchies for a kicked-back stay.  Ocean view rooms, a fireplace and comfy arm chairs and balcony rockers so you can enjoy the sea from inside or outside your room.  Besides large rooms with comfy beds, we are delighted at the efficient room service with a surprisingly complete menu. (We dined in one night on a tasty Caesar salad, terrific clam chowder and decadent chocolate cake.) The Cavalier has some interesting touches, including this column, once part of Hearst's collection. WE EVEN STAYED an extra day so we could visit the amazing critters who inhabit Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.  Since we discovered the hotel, we've made an annual pilgrimage to see these gentle giants up close and in their element. These magnificent marine mammals lie on the beach, and occasionally swim and frolic, just off Highway 1, along the coastline a few miles north of the Cavalier. The rookery is free, and open to the public, year-round. The rookery hosts the largest seal in the northern hemisphere, and these elephant seals migrate there twice each year.  While offshore, they spend eight or nine months diving down to 5,800 feet, feeding for hours at a time. The rest of the year, they mate, birth, molt, and rest onshore. What a life. We see them right near the Cavalier, about 90 miles south of Monterey. THE BUSY but not over-crowded viewing areas are open every day, are wheelchair accessible and free. The nicely designed viewing areas are part of the California Coastal National Monument, protected by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.   The magnificent elephant seals of the Central California Coast near Cavalier Oceanfront Resort are a wonderful sight .   WE COUNTED several hundred seals of the estimated 24,000 the rookery hosts during the year.  We spotted several baby elephant seals and a couple giant 5,000-pound adult males, who sport that odd bulbous nose. Females weigh about 1,800 pounds, and newborn pups about 70 pounds. The animal's name comes from the male nose, which resembles an elephant’s trunk. This crazy looking proboscis impresses other males during during mating season when the guys sound a loud loud call to challenge one another. We heard a few!   A stay on the Central California coast, at our choice, Cavalier Oceanfront Resort, offers an opportunity to spend time with the fascinating elephant seal, here snoozing.   WHAT MAKES the rookery special to us is that the elephant seal is a real  comeback kid.  The species was almost wiped out by hunters. Like whales, they were slaughtered by the thousands from the 18th to the 20th century. Using blubber for oil nearly drove the elephant seal to the extinct list. At one point, only a single colony of 50 seals remained on an island in Baja. IF YOU CAN  pull yourself away from the Cavalier's ocean views, a first-class coffee maker in your room, cocktails in the frig, a fire place and that fabulous bed, the helpful folks at the front desk will guide you to the elephant seals, just a few miles up the road. They'll also encourage a visit to Cambria, a nearby village worth a few hours. There's also beach time, wine tasting and hiking possibilities.  Even with Hearst Castle's temporary closure due to COVID, there's plenty to do and see. And you can always consider Cavaliar a friendly yet private place to just "plunk down" for a few days. The hotel is a lovely destination in itself. cavalierresort.com ; elephantseal.org An uncrowded bird's eye view from a perch above the Pacific,  near scenic Point Arena, in northern California. UP NEXT: We've assembled some of our favorite scenic shots from this current road trip. Come enjoy the rivers, woods, beaches and off-road wonders that can be yours on a safety-minded, short or long driving trip during COVID times.  As we avoid the virus through healthy, cautious living, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each Friday for a fresh look at travel, the arts, nature, family and more:  whereiscookie.com Please share the link, too! We appreciate the exposure.

FESTIVAL'S 90th SEASON IS INVENTIVE  MIX OF THOUGHT PROVOKING WORKS  Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers return to a favorite venue, the internationally acclaimed Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The Carpe Diem Kids share their critiques and praise for a spectacular season. KUDOS FOR ACTORS, DIRECTORS, SETS, COSTUMES, LIGHTING AND A DARING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" thanks to OSF and Dublin's Abbey Theatre for supplemental photos Tim Bond is OSF's seventh artistic director, a creative and thoughtful man who champions the original. He guides a gifted company in the festival's remarkable 90th season.  WHEN ANGUS Bowmer dreamed of a festival to honor theater and the works of William Shakespeare, the clever Scotsman had only a shoe string budget. But his ideas were larger than life. The Allen Elizabethan Theatre grounds post-performance. The crowds are gone; energy, enthusiasm, appreciation remain. Ninety years later, voila: the Tony winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Located in southern Oregon in the mid-sized town of Ashland, "The Festival,'' as locals call it, draws its company and audiences from across the United States. Its reach extends into Europe, Canada and beyond.  We sat next to a couple from Mexico City at one performance. The festival's $37 million budget is a far cry from proceeds of boxing matches which funded the festival early years. Actors Herbert Siguenza and Raul Cardona create magic in a modern, moving spin on Cervantes' "Don Quixote." The work is "Quixote Nuevo" by playwright Octavio Solis, directed with passion and imagination by Lisa Portes.  WE ARE regulars at this magnificent three-theater creation. (Four venues if one counts the outdoor "Green Room" with pre-show entertainment from dance to jazz and play cuttings.) We've endowed seats, taken back stage tours, enjoyed lectures, rose from our seats in countless standing ovations, and spread the word internationally with our musings and photos. Since childhood, I've missed only two years at this gem. We've seen the festival through highs and lows: a well deserved Tony Award for best regional theater, budget cuts, staffing shake-ups, COVID woes and seven artistic directors. We've applauded productions sunshine and rain, smog and forest fire smoke. We've shed layers in sweltering heat at the venerable Black Swan (now used for costumes, rehearsals and meetings). We've bundled up in the outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre where one chilly long ago autumn, we watched in rain as "Macbeth" actors entered in garbage bags to protect their Elizabethan costumes from the fierce storm.  As rain ceased, actors returned to the stage, sans garbage bags. It was a magical if soggy evening. Kate Wisniewski plays the title role in "Julius Caesar," OSF's electrifying all-female production of the classic. It puts a contemporary spin on the 1599 work which featured all males, as was the tradition of the times. THIS YEAR'S docket is the best we've seen in a decade:  varied, lively, brilliantly acted, artfully staged and directed. Sets, costumes and lighting equal any we've seen on Broadway or London's West End. Such success starts at the top, so festival artistic director Tim Bond and his key players deserve enthusiastic kudos. "Come From Away" will perform at OSF in the 2026 season, a heartwarming story of a small town in Newfoundland which welcomed stranded passengers after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Bond and his staff assembled a season both timely and compelling. There's "Quixote Nuevo," a wonderful spin on Cervantes' "Don Quixote"; a spot-on production of Oscar Wilde's a flawless "The Importance of Being Earnest" and a captivating all-female "Julius Caesar." An enthralling "Shane" features the gifted Chris Butler in a riveting contemporary interpretation of the beloved 1953 film. One of my favorite Sondheim musicals, "Into the Woods," is stunning. "As You Like It" is delightfully fast paced and funny. There's not a clunker in the docket which runs through Oct. 25.  Colorful costumes set the tone for a splashy, fast-paced "As You Like It" in Thomas Theatre. EACH OF TODAY'S  trio of OSF theaters resides in a special corner of my heart.  I came of age watching Shakespeare in the Elizabethan. I endowed three seats in the beloved Bowmer. I knew the gentle spirit after whom the Thomas Theatre is named. It replaced the smaller Black Swan, long a family favorite, and carries on the same spirit of pioneering daring in its presentations. Witness a spirited "As You Like It" with its gender bending plot and dazzling costumes to knock your socks off.  Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers outside the converted Baptist Church, for 40 years, the popular Oregon Cabaret Theatre. DON'T MISS another first-rate theatrical endeavor in Ashland.  Oregon Cabaret Theatre is just across the street from OSF in a converted church. Now in its 40th season, it offers a lively range of works. We've seen polished mysteries, comedy and classic musicals, including "Sweeney Todd," and "Kinky Boots." We recommend it for a cozy venue (we like the balcony tables), delicious appetizers, brunches and dinner offerings, jazzy cocktails. It's a pleasing, energetic complement to OSF.  Ashland offers dozens of restaurant and lodging options for your visit. Our favorite places to stay -- enjoyed for decades -- are the elegant Ashland Springs Hotel, smack in town center, steps from the theaters, and Ashland Hills, in a wooded area with a pool, blackberry bushes and occasional deer.   Artful Ashland Springs Hotel stands gracefully in downtown Ashland, steps from the festival. www.osfashland.org  or 800 219-8161 www.AshlandSpringsHotel.com or 541-488-1700; 885 795-4545 www.AshlandHillsHotel.com 541 482-8310  www.oregoncabaret.com 541 488-2902   UP NEXT: ALASKA BY TRAIN Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers are escorted on board by the gracious conductor of the Anchorage-Seward route, Brenda Robinson. She's been with the popular and extensive rail operation for 30 years. See Alaska's wonders by rail. Picture yourself in a comfy train car, watching the wonders of Alaska unfold outside. We recently stepped aboard a lovely train to take us from Anchorage to Seward. The wonders of Alaska were right out the window as we traveled several eye-popping hours past gorgeous alpine scenery and the sea. Established in 1903 and completed in 1923, the Alaska Railroad is an iconic part of any Alaskan adventure. This historic rail operation was the only land connector of Anchorage to Fairbanks until 1971. We'll take readers along for a ringside view of spectacular Alaskan landscape with pointers on booking. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly, as whereiscookie.com and "The Carpe Diem Kids," take a fresh spin on travel, the arts, nature, family and more. Please share the links at: www.whereiscookie.com

Part of Legoland is open for business and family fun.  The park's popular Sea Life Aquarium is reopened, and the rest of the park is planning to announce its reopening soon. Reservations are required, admissions are limited and masks are required.  COVID CONSTRAINTS INCLUDE MASKS, DISTANCING, LIMITED NUMBERS, SANITIZING STATIONS AND MORE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER The new cubs are a big hit at the reopening of San Diego's world renowned zoo, now once again welcoming tourists. PLANS FOR reopening California's popular theme parks change by the minute, as Covid numbers rise and families anxiously await returning to traditional summer activities. California's famous zoos, theme parks and other outdoor diversions have been closed since mid-March and after these long closures, a few of these popular attractions are up and running again. Many, though, including Disneyland, have been forced to reschedule, or postpone reopening's, based on spiking of the spiking virus and changing guidelines. Reopening dates in mid-July were cancelled by Disneyland, SeaWorld and other enterprises, to the disappointment of both vacationers and bored locals. Mickey and Minnie will have to wait to greet Disneyland fans. The good news, though, is that two much loved San Diego animal venues are again receiving delighted guests and showing off some rare newborns. Guests at the reopened San Diego Zoo are getting a first look at a pair of two-month old endangered Amur leopard cubs. They're exploring their outdoor habitat with mom, Satka, and zoo goers are delighted as fewer than 100 Amur leopards are believed to exist in their historic range in Russia and China. While Legoland's Sea Life Aquarium is open, the popular Sea World (see above, the famous dolphin show) has delayed its reopening. Since mid-March when the zoo and its safari park closed, a limited staff has been caring for the animals during the zoo's first closing in its 103 year history. MOST VENUES  that have reopened have limited shopping, dining, and other experiences available and are operating on reduced hours, limited capacity, temperature checks, enforced masking and installation of hand sanitizing stations. At the Safari Park, guests cannot feed animals as they once could, at least until further notice. At Legoland's Sea Life arm, extreme distancing and hygiene protocol is in place as visitors step aboard a moving walkway to  view 4,000 sea animals inside its aquarium. Sea Life at Legoland is open, but the rest of the park  is not yet reopened. The aquarium can monitor distancing on its moving walkway.   During the closure, the Sea Life arm at Legoland has welcomed baby cuttlefish and is awaiting the birth of ocean tank baby horn sharks. Guests can again explore the 200,000-gallon ocean tank as they walk below sharks, rays, tropical fish and other sea animals. Another "seafaring" enterprise, San Diego's world famous Maritime Museum reopened this week. The classic Star of India at San Diego's Maritime Museum awaits visitors and masking is part of the "reopening" act. The museum specializes in collecting, preserving, and presenting the area's rich maritime heritage and historic connections with the Pacific world. It opened its doors again Wednesday so limited guests may again admire its bounty of historic vessels, all lovingly restored and maintained by volunteers. On view is the world’s oldest active sailing ship, Star of India. Other interesting vessels await inspection on the waterfront including the classic Berkeley steamboat, but the submarine is temporarily off limits, along with the gift shop. Self-guided tours are available. THEME PARKS  in Europe, China, Texas and Florida have reopened, but California is taking a cautious high road. While Legoland's aquarium is  open, the larger part of the theme park's opening is delayed, along with reopenings of Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain and SeaWorld San Diego. Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse greet crowds at Disney World in Florida, which will reopen July 11.  California's Disneyland opening date is unknown. Knott’s Berry Farm has not yet set any reopening date, the only southern California theme park not to do so. DISNEYLAND's  July 17 reopening date was squelched in part by a coalition of unions representing 17,000 Disneyland cast members who picketed and sent a letter to Gov. Newsom to stop the Anaheim theme park from reopening. Disneyland's editorial content director Thomas Smith confirmed Wednesday that the world's first theme park's reopening is waiting for new instruction from the State of California. Disneyland performers successfully picketed, persuading California to delay the reopening. "We're told California won't issue new theme park reopening guidelines until after July 4," Smith said. Given the time required to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart business, the delay is unavoidable.   Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is reopening July 11, and in California Downtown Disney will reopen July 9, as planned.  The food extravaganza complies with restaurant opening rules. Penelope Ganner spreads her wings by the frolicking whales at Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, California. It reopens this week. BECAUSE AQUARIUMS  and zoos also fall into a separate category cleared for reopening, Birch Aquarium in San Diego is reopening. The popular aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, opened to donors and members July 1, and will begin its public reopening on July Fourth, with sharks and rays, native to La Jolla's waters, in a 13,000-gallon tank. We love taking our little guests to the ocean view tide pools for close-up views of sea stars, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, lobsters and more. California is experiencing surges in the virus, including  nearly 8,000 new cases of 240,000 cases and over 7,500 deaths.  Visit with care. legoland.com/california/sea-life-aquarium/sea-life-aquarium-attractions/ sdmaritime.org ; zoo.sandiegozoo.org ;   aquarium.ucsd.edu/ Cruises are booking again, and one of the lines, American Cruise Lines, is appealing to many because its options are close to home.  Designed to navigate the inland waterways of the Pacific Northwest, the new   American Constellation brings guests to lovely ports larger ships can't access. UP NEXT:  While theme parks and zoos are cautiously reopening around the world, cruising is also making a "Covid comeback." American Cruise Lines is leading the return with its attractive docket of American based river and "close to home" cruising allowing many travelers to drive rather than fly to  a departure port. We'll share what American and other international cruise lines are doing with start-up dates and itineraries worldwide for those of us who love cruising. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch whereiscookie.com  for a fresh look at travel, nature, the arts, family and more.