No matter how many times I fly on an airplane, I still enjoy the rumble of the wheels picking off from the ground, the speed of the plane taking flight into the skies, and the weight of its altitude lifting off your shoulders. And 14 hours from now, I will still be waiting in that cramped economy class seating area, eating airplane food, and getting up now and then – to use the restroom, say hi to relatives sitting on the other side of the plane, or peering through the window at a glance toward the ant-sized cars and specs of people.

Arriving at our first destination, Kunming, China, we (Mom, Dad, Aunt, Uncle, and I) entered nothing but humidity and hot winds blowing our faces. Walking through to the local areas of town, we toured most of Western China’s highlights. From the scenic parks of Tiger Leaping Gorge to their famous temples, we experienced everything.

One of our very first stops was the Reed Flute Caves, which was highlighted by its colorful lighted landscape of stalagmites and stalactites, forming a mountainous appearance while leaving the lights gleaming from behind the rocks. Taking a break from the humidity outside, we continued to venture inside the cave to find them shaped into trees, carved into statues, and formed into the fantasies of dragons and castles. Going deeper into the cave, there was only more of the variety of colored rocks, forming more of the recognizable symbols of the Christmas spirit.

However, one of my favorite places had to be Tiger Leaping Gorge. Located in a nearby city, called Lijiang, we exhaustingly walked down 2,000 steps to find ourselves surrounded by the meaning of beauty and adventure all in itself. While trees and lakes surrounded its vicinity, rushing and roaring rapids came crashing down like a gigantic waterfall that’s nearly a few feet away from you.

But even more exciting was the lake nearby it, as it was my first time ever riding on top of a yak. Though I was only able to ride a very short distance, it amazed me to be in the middle of the river, watching the water slide down farther beneath me. Simply put, the bumpy, furry 5 minute experience was the highlight of my trip.

Although the fuzziness of that first ride was quite bumpy, venturing into another province with our gigantic bus was even worse. With the rocks and dips every second, our trip toward Shangri La was exactly like riding the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. We basically bumped into every direction, rocking back and forth on an out-of control vehicle.

When we finally arrived, however, the experience was simply breathtaking. Large landscapes of peaceful and beautiful views surrounded us in a 360° direction. Filled with plenty of trees, lakes, and mountains, the picturesque view would be a photographer’s dream spot. On the high tops of hills, temples awaited us with golden statues and intricate pictures detailing China’s past.

But no matter how many times I go to China, I will still enjoy all of its many landscapes, road trips, and traditions, as their scenic views continue taking my breath away in a glance toward heaven on earth.

Temecula Olive Oil Company

We started the day in Old Town. Walking through the quaint city it brought the feeling of being in the old west, with the wooden walkways creaking as we moved along. We ventured into Temecula Olive Oil Company. Surprisingly, that was where our tasting would begin. We mozied on over to the “bar” where we were served a variety of family made olive oils and balsamics. My favorite had to be the Citrus Reserve, who would have thought blood oranges tasted so good combined with olive oil?

As we walked around historic Old Town, The Old Town Sweet Shop and Old Town Rootbeer Company were definitely first on our list. These are a must for anyone visiting the city.

Once we finished in Old Town we made our way to our final destination – Ponte Family Estate and Winery. As we pulled in the driveway of the barn style Tasting Room, we immediately knew we were in the country, wine country!

Our tour of the winery and grounds started, naturally, with a glass of their Moscato in hand. Our friendly guide Ty showed us all that the winery had to offer. The tour felt more like we were catching up with an old friend. We momentarily forgot it was a business. We explored the wine making process and even tasted a Port wine straight from the oak barrels in their Mission style Barrel Room.

Ponte Vineyards are among the oldest and largest in the Temecula Wine Country. Claudio Ponte has owned the 310-acre vineyards since 1984. The vineyards include single named grape varieties such as Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc. I’ll be honest I am more of a white wine and sweet wine drinker. Once in the tasting room, Ty introduced as to their most popular hand crafted wine called Beverino. It’s a sweet boysenberry and black raspberry infused red wine that I am officially hooked on, you have try it!

Shhh ….. we had a sneak peak at what the accommodations will look like when their two-story, sixty-room boutique hotel, Ponte Vineyard Inn, is completed in April of 2012. These modern yet homey feeling rooms will be the perfect relaxation place after a fun filled day enjoying the winery. The hotel will be complete with a garden which leads to a pond.

We ended our day at the all-outdoor restaurant featuring casual Californian cuisine with an Italian influence. The Restaurant at Ponte where Chef

Roasted half chicken with pan jus along with fried basmati rice and Temecula summer vegetables

Vincent Logan has created an amazing menu was delizioso. I am a huge bread person and their rosemary bread with scallion olive oil was out of this world. I experienced the roasted half chicken with pan jus along with fried basmati rice and Temecula summer vegetables. My friend, Dianna , enjoyed a grilled pork tenderloin with a port cherry ginger sauce complete with truffle mashed potatoes and summer vegetables. These dishes gave savory a whole new meaning. It is no wonder they are an award winning venue.

Beginning in August when you take a tour you may also be able to taste the grapes right off the vines. On October 2, the 9th Annual Grape Stomp is on tap. You can enjoy tractor rides through the vineyard and can also enter their Grape Stomp Competition with a chance to win a case of Ponte wine, and much more.

For more information about Ponte Family Estate and Winery contact (951) 694-8855 or visit www.pontewinery.com

Machu Picchu Celebrates 100 Years
By Jennifer Elrod
Recently I travelled to Peru and was able to partake in visiting one of the “New Seven World Wonders”, Machu Picchu during its 100 Year Celebration. To visit Machu Picchu you must take an hour and a half bus ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, which lies in the western part of the valley and is relatively close to the Inca trail and Machu Picchu. From Ollantaytambo, you must walk down from the center of the city to the train station (about a fifteen minute walk) to take the two-hour train into Agua Calientes. Agua Calientes is the little quaint town located in The Sacred Valley below Machu Picchu. The town boasts much tourism and you can visit the shops and rest up at a hostal or hotel before your morning travels up the mountain.
To give a brief history: Hiriam Bingham brought world attention to the “discovery” of Machu Picchu with the help of native Quechuans in 1911. Machu Picchu is believed to be the Lost City of the Incan that started being built in 1430s AD, at the height of the Inca Empire. It was abandoned less than 100 years later before the Spanish Conquest. An interesting fact is that the Spanish conquerors never found the Incan civilization of Machu Picchu. While the Spanish were responsible for plundering a majority of Incan sites, this one remained a secret to the rest of the world until Bingham.
It is beautiful, to say the least, exploring the ruins you are left with your jaw on the floor at the beauty and how intricately the Incans built the city without the modern tools we currently have. Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. One of the marvels of Machu Picchu is the way in which the massive stone structures were constructed. The stones were fitted together in a method called “dry stone” technique. Dry stone technique involves fitting stones together with no mortar or binding material whatsoever. The stones are cut precisely enough to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. It is still a mystery how the Incas accomplished this. How did the Incas split the rocks? The stone material used was granite. Granite is one of the hardest stones in existence. Even with today’s modern technology, it can take hours to cut through granite and requires specialized tools. Machu Picchu builders are considered to be one of the best stone masters in the world. Not only do the stones at Machu Picchu interlock and are polished smooth, but they are constructed so precisely that there are still places today where a razor blade cannot enter between the polished stones.
Waking up at 4am is a difficult task but our team wanted to be able to get up to the mountain as soon as it opened to take the most unobstructed photos. We were in line by 4:30am and the busses began taking groups of fifty up, at around 5:30am. We did a guided tour to begin by the time we got into the site at 7am, which I recommend if you want specific history of each of the sections of the ruins. For the brave of heart, lung, and leg you can hike Waynu Picchu, the mountain behind Machu Picchu, seen in most pictures of the ruins. This hike only allows 400 up a day, 200 at 7am and another 200 at 11am. One of the reasons our group got up and in line so early was to insure spaces to do the hike. Our group of ten arrived ten minutes before 9am, with twenty spaces left in the morning hike group after we had previously been told by several guides that the spaces were filled already. For the physically fit, it takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour without having to let my people pass you along the trail going up or down. Once you begin climbing something takes you over and you just can’t turn back without reaching the top. Through the sweat and heavy breathing, I made it to the top and there is nothing more beautiful that looking down at Machu Picchu from this bird’s eye view. I was overcome with emotion at the top of the mountain; I was so proud of myself and my team and proud of the strength and perseverance that overtook me in knowing that despite not being at my healthiest weight, having two slipped disks in my back and asthma… I DID IT! I can forever look at pictures of Machu Picchu and say, “I hiked that mountain right there.”

By: Jennifer Elrod

In March, this newspaper ran an article about missing flamingos from a team fundraiser for young missionaries. After three more months of fundraisers, the nine team members had raised $1000 over the goal and were ready to embark on the trip of lifetime. Many young people spend their summers basking in the warmth of the sun by a nice pool or lounging around the beach, however, for myself and my team, we would travel to Peru through Christ’s Church of the Valley located in San Dimas to serve the city of Cusco, Peru alongside local missionaries, Ricky and Tracie Olivares.

With a rocky start to the trip with a layover that turned from 7 into 14 hours, we finally made it to Cusco a day and half after leaving Los Angeles. Apparently coming from Southern California brought the rain to Cusco for their winter season, where it never rains.
We spent 10-days traveling through the city working at the church doing VBS activities, like a Noah’s Ark bible lesson via puppet show. We volunteered at a special needs hospital, made and delivered food baskets , painted the interior of the church, and painted a community member’s house. We shared life experiences with those willing to listen, played games and did crafts with the kids, practiced our Spanish, tried the local fare of guinea pig and alpaca dishes, and hiked the many stairs through the hillsides of Cusco at the elevation of 13,000 feet.

One struggle among many short-term missionaries is adjusting to the area in which you are serving. For me personally, it was difficult to adjust to the altitude, even though I had altitude sickness pills. Having asthma and two slipped discs in my back did not help my situation either, after a flight or two of stairs, I was breathing heavily and my heart racing- 11,000 feet is a big difference from the 500 feet of grand ol’ Monrovia. Also the adjustment can be difficult on the stomach, from basic bodily functions to staying hydrated, we all faced waves of diarrhea and stomach aches to just being irritable from exhaustion.
The foods one consumes in foreign countries can also play havoc with your digestive track, we tried alpaca and guinea pig. Alpaca was actually tasty, it was a little bit of a chewier than beef. Guinea pig, however has the texture of chicken but has an odd after bite to it. We also ate a lot of other meats and starchy foods.
One of the joys of traveling is getting to see different parts of the world, but I believe one of the greatest memories for me was watching the joy on the kids faces in playing clapping games and just getting to hug and love them. The majority of the children in Cusco come from broken homes where alcoholism and sexual abuse are common. The children just need to be loved and need the opportunity to be kids, verses having to sell tourist items on the street to help provide for their families.
Also to see the beauty when overlooking the city and seeing a rainbow, a memory of the Cusco flag like the rainbow in the story of Noah’s Ark, as a sign of hope and promise for a better future for the city and the hope that I will be returning to the city in the future. I would not trade my breathless, good-willed adventure through the city of Cusco, Peru for a day in the warmth of the sun at a California beach.
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: As Cunard’s Queen Victoria nears the end of her debut Americas season and the last of four calls to the Port of Los Angeles, she will make history when she meets sister ship Queen Mary in Long Beach for a Cunard Royal Rendezvous and fireworks celebration. The first-ever Cunard Royal Rendezvous happened in Long Beach back in February 2006 when, on the occasion of her maiden call to Los Angeles, Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 met her namesake Queen Mary.

Queen Victoria’s Americas season continues through late March, and in addition to the Los Angeles calls features transits through the Panama Canal, roundtrip voyages to Hawaii, and one Getaway voyage to Mexico.

In celebration of this historic event, the Queen Mary is offering FREE admission for the day for guests to board the ship and experience her attraction features, including guided tours, dining and shopping in her classic boutiques. The historic liner is celebrating the 75th anniversary of her maiden voyage later this year.

In Cunard’s legendary 171-year legacy, the iconic Queen Mary epitomized the golden age of ocean travel and served as a Cunard liner for more than 30 years. Additionally, she served as a troopship during World War II and a Royal Mail Ship, under contract for the British Royal Mail service. Queen Mary’s influence lives on today serving as an interior design inspiration for the modern Cunard fleet, the youngest luxury fleet at sea, and continues to be a popular destination for tourists and maritime enthusiasts alike. She retired from service in 1967, resides in Long Beach, CA as a popular hotel, museum and tourist attraction.

Debuting in December 2007, Queen Victoria is the third largest Cunarder ever built, weighing in at 90,000 tons. The 2,000 passenger liner is infused with a sense of luxury and tradition, from the Royal Court Theatre, which includes the first private viewing boxes at sea, to the signature two-storey library, featuring a spiral staircase and nearly 6,000 volumes.

Local Maritime Enthusiasts
Brian O’ Connor, Spokesman, Cunard Line
Mr. Uwe Roggenthien, General Manager, Queen Mary

Thu 3 March
5:30 – 6:15 PM Queen Victoria sails into Long Beach Harbor
6:15 – 6:45 PM Queen Victoria & Queen Mary Rendezvous;
– Ship’s Whistle Salute, pyrotechnics / fireworks display

PUBLIC
VIEWING LOCATION: Aboard The Queen Mary – Promenade Deck – Aft (back)
1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, CA 90802

The Su Nido Hotel, which means "your nest" in Spanish, is just a three-minute walk from the main drag, which has colorful art galleries, shops, restaurants, museums, thrift stores, and beautiful mountain vistas.

I’m surprised at how many people I talk to that have yet to discover the magic of Ojai. The tiny idyllic town, hidden in a bowl of hills behind Ventura, has to be one of the best kept secrets in Southern California. In fact, I’m almost afraid of telling people about my last visit for fear of letting the cat out of the bag. But it’s my job, so here goes.

I began a recent getaway to slow-moving town at the Su Nido Hotel, a beautiful boutique inn located in the heart of the village. Designed in Mission Revival style, Su Nido features spacious one- and two- bedroom suites, built around a charming cobblestone courtyard with trickling fountains, arched doorways and spiral staircases. It instantly reminded me of Spain.

Su Nido means “your nest” in Spanish, and after a friend and I checked into our suite, we felt like we were in a big, cozy nest. The feeling was highlighted by a a plush feather bed in the bedroom, a fireplace in the living room, a quaint kitchen area, free wireless Internet, and a private balcony.

One of “our nest’s” best features was its proximity to downtown. We were only a three-minute walk from the main drag, with all its colorful art galleries, shops, restaurants, museums, thrift stores and beautiful mountain vistas.

After spending the afternoon strolling down Ojai Ave. we found the Azu Restaurant, which also featured a Spanish flare. Led by Chef Laurel Moore, Azu serves an eclectic California Spanish Menu inspired by traditional Mediterranean Cuisine with fresh local ingredients grown and hand-picked by Moore from local farms and her own garden.

For our dinner at Azu we enjoyed a roasted beet salad with ricotta Salata, fried chickpeas, Moroccan olives and sherry vinaigrette; and the chef’s unique chile relleno, stuffed with Ojai spinach, pine nuts, currants and Oaxacan Mexican cheese.

For the main course my friend had pan roasted Chilean sea bass with lemon risotto, and I devoured a memorable seafood paella with shrimp, calamari, scallops, sausage, saffron rice, artichoke and peas. We shared homemade banana fudge gelato for dessert.

The next morning we kept with our unplanned “Spanish getaway to Ojai” with a tour of the Ojai Olive Oil Farm (www.ojaioliveoil.com). Here we met owners Ron and Alice Asquith, who first showed us their groves of olive trees from Spain, France and Italy. We then went inside and learned how olives are processed to make oil. Our tour ended with a tasting of numerous award-winning olive oils.

After the farm I relaxed at the Su Nido and then took an exciting electric bike ride through the back roads of Ojai with Kelly Pasco, owner of Project Ride (www.project-ride.com). Dubbed
“Spirit of Ojai,” the journey began at Meditation Mount and continued around Ojai, while Kelly discussed Ojai’s prominent New Age Movement leaders, the native Chumash Indians, and local organic farms.

For more info on visiting Ojai, visit www.ojaivisitors.com. For more info on staying at Su Nido, call (805) 646-7080 or visit www.sunidoinn.com.

I answered the call of the wild last summer when I took a land tour of “last frontier” via a mixture of trains and coaches running through beautifully rugged interior.

The journey began in July, when a friend and I flew to Fairbanks and met up with representatives from Gray Line of Alaska, a tour company associated with Holland America Cruise Line. We then took a comfortable charted bus to the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks.

After checking-in, we explored the small town charm of Fairbanks, where gold mining history coexists with art deco buildings, native peoples and rugged individuals. Located 358 miles north of Anchorage at the end of the Alaska Highway, Fairbanks sees remarkable temperature fluctuations, ranging from 65 degrees below zero in the winter to more than 90 degrees in the summer.

In the morning we drove to historic Gold Dredge No.8, where between 1928 and 1959, hundreds of thousands of ounces of gold passed through the five-deck dredge, which functioned as a gigantic mechanical gold pan. Our tour featured a wooden train ride through an actual mine used in the early 1900’s, real gold-panning and a hearty miner’s lunch of stew and biscuits.

The next day we visited the world-famous Alaskan Pipeline. A marvel of engineering, the 800-mile-long pipeline was built to move oil from the North Slope of Alaska in Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. Along the way, the pipeline crosses three mountain ranges and 800 rivers and streams.

Our next excursion was a paddlewheel cruise down the Chena River and encountered a dog sled training operation, an Alaskan boat plane pilot, and an authentic Native Alaskan village.

We then boarded the McKinley Express. Operated by Holland America, the two-story dining-lounge cars are highlighted by glass domed roofs which blend into the train’s large side windows, providing riders incredible 360-degree views of the Alaskan landscape.

On our four-hour trip to Denali National Park, we past lush forests, rivers and streams lined rocks and beaver houses, lonely bridges, grazing moose, bald eagles, Alaskan peaks covered with snow, and opaque lakes shimmering in the middle of lost meadows.

At Denali National Park we checked into the McKinley Chalet Resort, overlooking the gorgeous Nenana River, in the shadow of Mt. McKinley. From here we explored the park and the tiny town of Talkeetna.

The next day we met Iditarod champion Martin Buser and his dog sled team. We then visited Kenai Fjords National Park, near Seward, where we took a cruise deep into the fjords. During the voyage we drifted past towering glacier ice and encountered bald eagles, sea otters, sea lions, hump back whales, and an pod of killer whales.

Gray Line of Alaska is currently taking reservations for the 2010 season, which runs May – September. For more info and specials, visit: www.graylineofalaska.com or call (888) 452-1737.

Each March hundreds of thousands of swallows fly into San Juan Capistrano to relax in mud nests and enjoy the warm coastal climate. I don’t visit the city as often, but when I do it’s always a fun and rewarding experience.
Some friends and I began a recent getaway to the town at Mission San Juan Capistrano, the state’s oldest and most famous mission. Originally founded on October 30, 1775, the site was abandoned eight days later after an attack at the San Diego Mission sent shock waves up the coast, causing builders to bury their church bells and flee.
The mission was founded again a year later on November 1, 1776 when father Junipero Serra returned to the site and found the original bells and cross still safe in their hiding place in the ground. Shortly thereafter a little adobe chapel was built, which to this day stands as the oldest church structure in California. After completing the chapel the Spaniards built a magnificent stone church, which was destroyed in the earthquake of 1812.
Today the 10-acre mission grounds feature numerous buildings and spectacular ruins from the early days of California. There are also beautiful gardens, statues, fountains and walkways, as well as a cemetery where former inhabitants are buried in marked and unmarked graves.
After touring the mission, we walked a couple blocks to Los Rios Historic District, one of the oldest continuing neighborhoods in the state. Located across the railroad tracks of the Capistrano Depot, the area resembles a movie set and boasts 31 classic structures lining both sides of Los Rios Street. Among these structures are three adobe homes built in 1794 for Mission families.
Other neighborhood highlights include the O’Neill Museum, a 100-year-old wooden structure with period furniture and guided history tours; the Zoomars Petting Zoo, where children can ride ponies and feed rabbits, goats and llamas. There are also a handful of interesting shops and cafes – all located in historic old homes, shaded by willow, eucalyptus and palm trees, and cactus and bougainvillea plants.
From the Los Rios we got back in the car drove a few miles down Ortega Highway to Caspers Wilderness Park, an 8,000-acre protected wilderness preserve nestled among the river terraces and sandstone canyons of the western coastal Santa Ana Mountains. The park offers picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and numerous camp sites.
During our visit we found a secluded valley, surrounded by native Live Oak and California Sycamore trees and enjoyed a picnic. While eating we spotted rabbits and squirrels. After lunch we found a hiking trail and followed it over rocks and cactus to a beautiful flowing stream at the base of a verdant hill. We then discovered a horse pen with two playful stallions rolling around the dirt.
For more information on San Juan Capistrano, visit: www.sanjuancapistrano.net. Admission to the mission is $9 for adults and $5 for children. For information, visit www.missionsjc.com. Car admission to Caspers Wilderness Park is $5. For more info visit: www.ocparks.com/caspers.

My getaway began Saturday morning at Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, where a friend and I purchased two whale watching tickets through Island Packers and boarded a 68-ft. vessel named Vanguard.

With a cool wind blowing and an escort of squawking seagulls, we set out on a four-hour journey in search of Eschrichtius robustus, or gray whale. Thirty minutes into the adventure we encountered school of playful risso dolphins, jumping alongside the boat, delighted to see us. A crew member said the mammals were in the area feeding on squid.

When the dolphins departed, the captain turned down the engines and nearly 80 passengers and crew scanned the ocean surface for signs of whales. In a few moments the captain turned everyone’s attention to 75 yards off the right side of the bow.

“Do you see that glossy, calm area in the water, with no ripples, that kind of looks like an oil spill,” he asked. “Well that is the footprint, or impression that a whale makes on the water’s surface when it dives.”

As we studied the footprint, a spout of water erupted like a volcano and a huge gray and white body rolled atop the surface, exposing a large dorsal fin. As we gasped in amazement, the whale vanished, leaving us in silence, with cameras and binoculars in hand. In a couple minutes, the beast popped up a few hundred yards in the other direction and our ship began pursuit.

We enjoyed a few more good looks at the whale and his friends before the ship reached the rocky perimeter of Anacapa Island, where we spotted a herd of brown sea lions and California seals.

On the way back to the harbor, I sipped hot chocolate and read about gray whales. Growing to 50 ft, they began migrating in October as northern ice pushes southward. Swimming around the clock, up to 25,000 of them cover 80 miles per day until reaching Baja by early January. After relaxing in Mexico for a while, they head back up the coast around April, completing their 12,500-mile roundtrip.

Island Packers offers daily whale watching trips from Oxnard and Ventura. When the gray whales leave in March, they began Humpback whale tours. For more information, call (805) 642-1393 or visit www.islandpackers.com. For an overnight getaway package, Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel & Resort in Oxnard is offering a romantic Whale Watching Package, with overnight accommodations in a deluxe suite, two whale watching tickets with Island Packers, full breakfast, and a daily Manager’s Reception with free beer, wine, well drinks. For more information on the Whale Watching Packages call (805) 984-2500 or visit mandalaybeach.embassysuites.com.

And the park has a little something for everyone. Do you like animals? There is the zoo the equestrian center and even pony rides for the little ones. Like animals, but don’t want to get up close and personal with the real ones, how about the Merry-Go-Round?

But horses and a Merry-Go Round are not the only means of transportation featured. There are bicycle rentals, the live Steamers and the miniature Griffith Park Southern Railroad. And if that weren’t enough, there is Travel Town itself, a favorite of train buffs everywhere (there is even a model railroad there).

Still not satisfied? What about the Gene Autry National Center with its Museum of the American West, dedicated to the history and culture of the West and the cowboys (both real and cinematic) that gave it such romance? Or the Greek Theatre with its regular parade of summer concerts (think Hot August Nights)? And the Griffith Observatory? It is world famous.

If you cannot find something to interest you at Griffith Park, you just aren’t looking. There are hiking trails and picnic area, a fern grotto and even a bird sanctuary. There are now more than 4000 acres of urban park with a wilderness area. Perhaps the best way to plan a staycation trip to the Park is to check out the park web site: just Google Griffith Park. It is a wonderful gateway to all the attractions.

The park is open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., but the bridal trails, hiking paths and mountain roads close at sunset. Needless to say many attractions are open much later than sunset, but only in the more urban and developed areas. Perhaps the big three are the Zoo, the Gene Autry Center and the Observatory.

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

The zoo may not be as famous as it neighbor to the south in San Diego, but the L.A. Zoo is still a “must see” attraction in L.A. The zoo is open daily (except Christmas) from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., but ticket sales stop at 4 P.M. and the staff begins putting animals away for the night at that time.

The City of Los Angeles owns the entire Zoo, its land and facilities, and the animals. Animal care, grounds maintenance, construction, education, public information, and administrative staff are City employees. However, the Zoo does get a great deal of support from the

Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), a private, nonprofit, fundraising organization to support the Zoo many of whose members volunteer at the zoo.

When you enter you will be given a map of the entire zoo and botanical gardens. On the map are complete listings of the times for the zoo’s bird show and information on the regularly scheduled “Animals and You” program in the children’s zoo. Or you can check at the zoo’s web site for this information in advance.

The zoo has a great audio tour which you can download from your computer or for those of us who refuse to deal with an ipod, you can call the tour on your cell phone. For English, call 866/933-4005. For Spanish, call 866/933-4006. There is more information about this on the map you are given upon arrival.

While the map is a “must” when there, I suggest preplanning your visit by going to the web site. There are even tips on line regarding how best to photograph the animals.

You will not starve at the zoo as there are plenty of eating establishments, but they do tend to lean toward the fast food. You can always pack your own lunch, but avoid the temptation to feed the animals; this is a major no no as they are on well regulated diets.

General Admission Prices: Adults (ages 13 – up) -$13; Seniors (age 62 and up)-$10; Children (ages 2 to 12)-$8: Children (under 2)-Free and Parking is free.

Gene Autry Museum

This is a part of the Gene Autry National Center. It was originally called the Autry Museum of Western Heritage and is now properly referred to as the Museum of the American West, but like the television show, Disneyland (which was never actually called that) everyone just calls it the Gene Autry Museum in honor of the man who was the driving force behind its establishment.

Autry was a “singing cowboy” on the radio and in various B movies and serials during the 1930s through the early 1950s; he then moved on to television. Think: “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” “Back in the Saddle Again,” “I’ve got Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle,” and his most popular, “Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer” and you have Gene Autry. Since he was not a great actor, he was wisely cast as Gene Autry, a singing cowboy from the radio who gets into various adventures. Acting may not have been his strong suit, but he was an astute businessman and amassed quite a fortune (he used to own the Angles) and dedicated a part of that fortune to the museum he established.

There are wonderful exhibits of Western Art at the Autry. I especially love the Bierstadt and Moran paintings, but there are also special exhibits which change on a regular basis. Check the museum web site for information on these which currently include “Dreamers in Dream City” (the photos and stories of some of the people who shaped L.A.), “charting the Canyon (an exhibit regarding the Grand Canyon) and “Seasonal Overture” (the oil paintings of Karen Kitchel. But are subject to change in January.

What I love (and what youngster are thrilled by) are the exhibits dedicated to the history of the cowboys, but real and imaginary. There is even a section where kids can dress up for photos and another where with the assistance of a blue screen, they can “star” in their own western oater. This is a place for grandparents to bring the grandchildren. We can point out such memorabilia as the same Dale Evans Cowgirl outfit we got for Christmas one year or the Roy Rogers lunch box which toted our PB&J sandwiches to elementary school.

The Autry shows us the West and the “West is Billy the Kid, buffalo stampedes, snakeskin boots, cavalry charges, Colt firearms, ‘wanted’ posters, the Oklahoma land rush, wagon trains, ‘wild west shows’, western movies” and more as their web site points out

The museum is open Tue – Sun from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. except on Thursday when it stays open until 8 P.M. It is closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Admission: $9.00 for Adults, $5.00 for students (13-18) and seniors (60+), $5.00 Adult Students (18 and over with ID), $3.00 for children (3-12). Free for children under 3. Parking is free in the lot it shares with the Zoo. Both can be reached from the 134 Freeway using the Zoo exit.

Griffith Observatory

On the other side of the park is the Griffith Observatory. Located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood, it is reached via Los Feliz Blvd. Exit the Southbound 5 Frwy at Los Feliz West and proceed to Hillhurst turning right and following the signs.

Perhaps one of the most popular things about the observatory is that admission to the building and grounds is FREE. There is a nominal charge to see shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. The opening show,”Centered in the Universe,” takes visitors on a journey of cosmic exploration and discovery. The second program is “Water Is Life.” It leads viewers on a search for water, and therefore the possibly of life beyond Earth. Lastly there is “First Light: The Telescope Changed Everything” which explores the night sky and how Galileo’s observations changed our understanding of the universe. There are eight shows each weekday and ten shows each weekend day. The schedule for shows is described on the observatory’s web site. The planetarium is closed on Mondays.

Tickets to the shows are only available at the observatory and there is a strict schedule on when tickets go on sale for each show.

Ticket Prices for shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium are: Adults and Children 13 years and older – $7.00; Seniors (60 years and older) and students with ID – $5.00; Children 5-12 years $3.00. Small children (under 5 years) are FREE (but must sit on the lap of a parent or guardian). The shows at the planetarium are NOT designed for small children and they will ONLY be admitted to the first show each day.

In addition to the planetarium there is the 200-seat Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater. Seating for all events here is on a walk-in, first come, first served basis. “The Once and Future Griffith Observatory” is a 24 minute film about the history of the Observatory and an overview of what the observatory has to offer. It is a good starting point and is narrated by…Leonard Nimoy (so who else?). This show is usually shown every hour on the hour.

On the first Friday of each month at 7:30 P.M., the Observatory presents “All Space Considered” in this Theater. It is “an inside look at the most talked-about subjects in astronomy, space science, and space exploration.” The 90-minute presentations are offered free to the public. Check the web site for the current show.

In addition to these multimedia presentations, there are several exhibit halls at the observatory. The Wilder Hall of the Eye examines the history and progress of man’s observation of the skies. The Ahmanson Hall of the Sky focuses on our sun and moon. It has one of the largest solar telescopes in the nation open to the public. The W.M. Keck Foundation Central Rotunda is the original observatory building and features a Foucault pendulum (think of the foyer of the Smithsonian in D.C.)

The Cosmic Connection is a corridor which leads from the old building to the new expansion. It features a time line of the universe. This new addition is the Gunther exhibit gallery with even more static and interactive displays.

And there are more exhibits outside the observatory. There is the Monument to Astronomers, and observation Terraces. The thing I have always found a little strange has always been the Rebel without a Cause Monument. James Dean or Galileo Galilei? This is after all the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo and therefore the International Year of Astronomy. That alone is a great reason to visit the observatory.

Attractions in Griffith Park

•Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Dr. (323) 667-2000

•Bicycle Rental, 4730 Crystal Springs Dr.(Ranger Station Parking Lot) (323) 653-4099

•Greek Theatre, 2700 North Vermont Ave. (323) 665-1927

•Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round, Park Center, (323) 665-3051

•Griffith Observatory, 2800 E. Observatory Rd. (323) 664-1191

•Griffith Park Southern Railroad, Corner Los Feliz/Riverside Dr. (323) 664-6788

•L.A. Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA (323) 840-9063

•L.A. Live Steamers, 5200 Zoo Dr (323) 662-5874

•L.A. Zoo, 5333 Zoo Dr. (323) 666-4650

•Pony Rides, Corner Los Feliz/Riverside Dr. (323) 664-3266

•Travel Town, 5200 Zoo Dr. (323) 662-5874

For more information on these and other attractions, visit lacity.org/rap/dos/parks/griffithpk/griffith.htm or just Google Griffith Park; it’s faster.