BYO(E)B to Paris: That is Bring Your Own Empty! Bottle to Use at the New Water Fountain in Paris

In an effort to curb the obscene amount of plastic bottles generated from bottled water consumption, Paris’s public water company, Eau de Paris, has introduced an experimental water fountain gushing with the bubbly - not champagne - but sparkling water, or “Eau gazeuse”. Before you get too excited dreaming about free-flowing Perrier, note that this is public tap water with carbon dioxide added. Fair enough, as that is how most seltzers and club sodas are made. The Paris water supply comes from both groundwater and river sources which are then filtered and processed producing clean water.

This is wonderful for the environment as the French are known for their high consumption of  bottled water. Part of Paris’s Climate Action Plan drafted in 2007 is to increase tap water use and decrease bottled water use. Critical, as the water utility estimates that somewhere in the order of 500,000 cubic feet of plastic water bottle trash is generated in the city every year.

Paris has over 950 public water fountains around the city. The new fizzy water fountain is in the Reuilly Garden (Jardin de Reuilly) in the 12th arrondissement out by the Bercy,  Austerlitz and Lyon train stations. Situated on the site of a former freight train station, the park is now home to a variety of plants including roses, bamboo, heathers, as well as playing fields, a central lawn covering over an acre, and a reflecting pool. The new water fountains have six taps offering both bubbly and plain water - avec and sans gaz.

If you find yourself in Paris, walk or catch a Metro to the Jardin de Reuilly to sample the new fountains, but make sure you bring your own bottle, or two. The closest metro stops to Jardin de Reuilly are Montgallet and Dugommier.

A Piece of Magic Ancient Forest

I learned about some of the last remains of the once bountiful European primeval forest not from a guidebook or fellow traveler, but rather from the book, The Zookeeper's Wife - an excellent read. The Białowieza Forest, originally all within Russian borders, now lies partly in Belarus, known there as Belovzhskaya Pushcha,  and partly in Poland almost due east of Warsaw. Fortunately for everyone the forest was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and about fourteen years later as a Biosphere Reserve.

The protected forest covers almost 38,000 acres. Tree lovers and huggers will especially appreciate the grandmother oak trees some over 800 years old and reaching 150 feet tall! Interestingly this patch of forest has alternated through hundreds of years of history between a protected forest reserve and a hunting ground. Most of the wild animals were hunted to near extinction, but now many of the indigenous animals - wolf, lynx, peregrine falcon- can be found at the park zoo including the Wisent (pronounced Vizent) - the European version of the American Buffalo which now has a protected reserve within the park.

To help preserve this treasured plot of forest, tourists are not allowed into the deepest part of the reserve - only researchers are allowed access. Guided tours are available to certain areas. But there are routes in the Hwozna Protective Unit for walking and biking (skiing in the winter), as well as special guided tours through some of the more restricted areas of the park - the Orłówka Protective Unit. All must be arranged through the park.

The Park Website, fortunately with an English version, offers extensive  information about the flora and fauna in the park, museum opening times, entry fees, as well as details about the 105 guest beds available in the adjacent Palace Park.

The Website also instructs you in how to behave should you come upon one of the massive Wisents in your touring - most importantly remain calm (if you can) while you marvel at these incredible creatures and majestic, wise trees.

Białowieza National Park 
17-230 Białowieza, Park Pałacowy 11, Poland 
Tel: (+48) 85 682-9700 or 85 681-2306 
E-mail: bpn@bpn.com.pl; Web; You can reach the park by train and bus.

The Zookeeper's Wife, Diane Ackerman. Norton 2007

Stargazing in Scotland

For those of us that have joy-filled memories of lying on our backs in a meadow gazing up at the heavens being amazed and overwhelmed by the vastness of the universe and the infinite number of stars shining down on us, you will appreciate the efforts of the International Dark Sky Association.

The Association has a program where it approves Dark Sky Parks - places where visitors can see the vast starlit night without interference from the copious light pollution that limits stargazing in densely populated parts of the world. Currently there are only four such parks in the world. There are of course plenty of wilderness areas and huge tracks of sparsely inhabited parts of the world where stargazing is possible. The Dark Sky Association is recognizing national parks or areas that make huge efforts to create a dark sky area.

The International Dark Sky Association not only promotes observing the night sky, but also works as an advocacy organization to raise awareness about the hazards of over-lighting, and working to reduce light pollution around the world. At the Dark Sky website you can find information about the best stargazing destinations as well as practical information about lighting fixtures that minimize light pollution – information you will hopefully share with your town and city officials.

For stargazing travelers, you can find three official Dark Sky Parks in the United States in Utah, and somewhat surprisingly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. 

The latest approved Dark Sky Park is in the southwest corner of Scotland, the first of its kind in Britain, located in the Galloway Forest Park. The park covers almost 200,000 acres with special roads for stargazers - most access is by foot, bikes and horses. Galloway claims there are 7000 visible stars as well as the Milky Way so on a clear night you will have plenty to observe. You can view specific information about the park’s dark sky program at their Web site. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland's own dark sky organization, Dark Sky Scotland, offers astronomy events,  a free downloadable beginners guide to astronomy, and community workshops.

Galloway Forest Park's general Web site offers downloadable guides to their events and twenty-seven walking trails, as well as information about canoeing, biking, and other activities. To reach the park, you can use the VERY useful Traveline Scotland Web site where you can plan your trip throughout Scotland using public transportation. I wish every country had such a service! 

Happy stargazing wherever you are, but certainly if you find yourself in this corner of Scotland - I wish for you many shooting stars.

Photo from NASA archive

Magical Christmas: Markets in France

If you are thinking about a different Christmas experience and want to travel, both literally, as well as figuratively back in time, I would suggest going to one or more of the traditional Christmas markets that are held in Europe from the end of November to the end of December. France, Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom have the greatest number of markets.

These markets conjure the images I remember from holiday books I used to read to my children -- The Gift by Aliana Brodmann, and The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden – both wonderful tales and with old fashioned Christmas markets featured in the stories.

France boasts over eighty Christmas Markets, or Marché de Noel as they are called in French. Some towns and villages have one Sunday in November or December dedicated to a Christmas market, but the large markets last for around four weeks and are usually open every day and all day.

Strasbourg, in the Alsace region of northeastern France, is home to the oldest Christmas Market in France - over four hundred years old. The Strasbourg market is today much like it was when it started in 1570, filled with musicians, craftspeople, food, and special events. There are special areas like the “Sharing Village” where sixty charity and humanitarian organizations have information about their work and where on December 14th a Flame of Peace from Bethlehem will be lit. You will find beautiful light displays amidst the stalls and historical buildings.

This year the Strasbourg market is held from November 28 to December 31, and is open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm daily, until 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. The market is such a tradition that the city has a Web page dedicated to it called Strasbourg Capitale de Noel. On the  “Practical Information” page you can download a PDF map of the practical aspects of the Market from tram routes to market stand locations most of which are located within the pedestrian zone of the city marked in yellow. At the “Editorial” page you can download a fourteen-page program guide listing musical and other performances and exhibits throughout the five-week market.

For green travelers you will be happy to know that Strasbourg is a very biker friendly city with over three hundred miles of bike paths and 18,000 bike racks for parking. Velolocation is a not for profit bike rental program with low cost bike rentals.

Metz, in the Lorraine region of northeast France, is under an hour and a half on the TGV high speed train from Paris with many daily round trips. Known as a Garden City (Ville Jardin), Metz has eleven parks and gardens covering four hundred and seventy acres. It also has one of the largest pedestrian areas in France so walkers rejoice!

Metz hosts a glorious and magical Christmas Market in the old city centre in and around the Place Saint Jacques, Place de General De Gaulle, Place Saint Louis, and the Esplanade. This quintessential Christmas Market with around one hundred stalls and filled with lights, roasted chestnuts, carolers, street musicians and dancers will be held this year from November 21 to December 27, open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, 9:00pm on Saturday night.

These are just two of the beautiful Christmas markets in France – I will cover more in subsequent posts – stay tuned.

Photo from the Metz Christmas Market Web site

Enjoying the Country in the City: Green Space and Markets in New York City

While many people think of New York City as a hunk of grey concrete, there are many things “green” in the city. Two recent posts (see archives) have talked about some great green eating in the city. Public transportation and walking are the only way to get around, and for the brave, bicycling. While the downtown “Village” of Manhattan, and the boroughs (Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island) can be a little confusing to navigate, the center of Manhattan is very simple. It is based on a grid and numbered with ascending numbers going uptown or north. Below Central Park (south of 59th Street) most of the avenues are numbered and ascend from East to West. On either side of the park some of the avenues are named. For a native New Yorker these are ingrained as to which are West Side and which are East side, for visitors it is best to carry a map.

For literally green areas of the city there are over 1700 parks and recreational areas, the largest of which is Central Park, designated a National Historic Landmark, with 843 acres and 26,000 trees, the park runs 2.5 miles long by .5 miles wide. Strawberry Fields, named in honor of John Lennon, covers 2.5 acres within Central Park on the West side between 71st and 74th Streets. Strawberry Fields, considered a “Quiet Space” in Central Park, has a mosaic inscribed with the word “Imagine”. One hundred and twenty-one countries recognize Strawberry Fields as a Garden of Peace. Central Park is filled with trails and sites, ball fields, theaters, flowers and more. See the web site below for full information.

New York City has numerous Farmer’s Markets, called Greenmarkets. Thirty markets operate seasonally sometime between April and November, while sixteen markets are open year round. Some of the larger year round markets include:
Union Square in Manhattan between 14th-17th streets and Broadway, once a haven for drug dealers and users, is now a refurbished mini-park, home to the Union Square GreenMarket. Accessible by many subway lines and buses, the Union Square GreenMarket is open year round from 8am-6pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Farmers sell a variety of fresh, local foods including in-season specialties such as cherries and peaches, as well as vegetables, meats, dairy products, crafts and plants.
At the north entrance of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Grand Army Plaza hosts a GreenMarket on Saturdays year round from 8am-4pm.
The Bowling Green GreenMarket is held at the southern tip of Manhattan at Broadway and Battery Place on Tuesdays and Thursdays around the year from 8am to 5pm. See the website information below for a full listing of all the GreenMarkets with their days, times and locations.

On sunny days the green spaces of New York come alive with walkers, joggers, bicyclers, roller bladers, sunbathers and others enjoying the country in the city. The GreenMarkets are always bustling, so arrive earlier rather than later for the best selections. You will find it almost hard to believe you are in one of the largest cities in the world!

To find Parks throughout New York City go to the following link for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation - http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/park_list/index.html
You can also find free wifi hotspots in city parks including seven in Central Park, two in Prospect Park, and throughout Union Square, Washington Square and Battery Parks. For information specific to Central Park see the Central Park Conservancy - http://www.centralparknyc.org - for maps, events, sites and hours.


At the Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC) – www.cenyc.org - you will find full information about Greenmarket Farmer’s Markets throughout the five boroughs with a downloadable map at: http://www.cenyc.org/files/gmkt/map.pdf . The Council also provides information about recycling throughout the city, as well as how to generally live a greener lifestyle using non-toxic alternatives to common products.

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre, Italy...
I sort of hate to write about Cinque Terre but thankfully it has its own self-protecting mechanism in place – allowing only so many people at a time into the area so as to minimize the human impact, controlled by a limit on ticket passes sold.

Cinque Terre sits on the coast of the Ligurian Sea - the northern Mediterranean in the western upper curve of the Italian coast. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site which affords it recognition and protection as a unique and extraordinary spot on earth. The five villages that make up the Cinque (five) Terre (land/villages) are Rio Maggiore, Manarola, Carniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso spread along 12 km of spectacular Mediterranean coast. The villages are built into the hill/cliff-sides and footpaths (sentieri in Italian) connect the villages as well as an underground train. Cars can only access the upper parts of some of the villages. Maps are available from the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre - www.parconazionale5terre.it - as well as the "Carta" - ticket you purchase at the local train station which allows you to walk on the footpaths and ride the train between the villages. A word of caution - do not plan a tight schedule - every train was between 15-30 minutes late when we were there.

There are a number of path options - along the coast,or up through the olive orchards, or through tiny paths between grape vines. Be prepared for trail closures – mudslides, downed trees – nature at work. Whatever trail you take, be assured that there is no shortage of photo opportunities no matter the weather.

The combination of the ancient, the necessary and the modern is breathtaking – dry stone walls, terracing, bountiful food, the brilliant turquoise mixed with olive leaf silver, the yellow of the lemons and the pastel rainbow of the buildings stacked into the hillsides all illuminate the magnificence of humans and nature together - rather than spoils, riches on every level.

While we were there - we had to make an impromptu route change as there had been a mudslide on our path, closing the trail. Our unmarked path brought us to the back of one of the towns where we serendipitously found a wonderful, unadvertised hostel (Ostello in Italian) - www.hostel5Terre.com - off the beaten path where we could bed down for the night at 17 Euros per person and for an extra 5 euros have a large bowl of pasta and organic local basil pesto. It doesn't get much better than that!

In Manarola village there is one of the best smoothie and fruit drink places I have ever found - we had one that was apple,cardamon and lemon - divine! and another that was mandarin, melon and lemon. They also had drinks with an almond milk base. Everything we had was delicious and with wonderful combinations of flavors. They are up the hill on the right - can't miss them - and don't.

The local people were open and friendly. In a little ceramic shop in Manarola, run by people who have lived there all their lives, I purchased a huge, round platter hand-painted in pastel colors depicting each of the five villages. They were so delighted that I was buying the huge platter that they gave me 2 other hand-painted dishes - all of which I have hanging in my kitchen at home.

The official, local organic Pesto is made with the Parco Nazionale label on it and is incredible - made with local lemons, olive oil, and basil (basilico). Remember to buy a few jars to savor once you are home.

Cinque Terre is heaven for the eco-conscious traveler - you will not want to leave.