72 Hours in Chamonix: Summer edition

Rather than bore you with our *exact* weekend itinerary - because let's be honest, you don't need to know what we did from morning til night (and believe me, you really don't want to know all the details), I thought it would make most sense to lay out the best of the best things to do while in Chamonix over a summer weekend. I've intentionally not gone too detailed here as I think the best spots are THE BEST SPOTS and you should take our word for it and focus on those (for example, we went back to Cool Cats 4x over the weekend, so yeah - you can say we're regulars). In my humble opinion, you truly cannot go wrong with any of the below. 

GETTING TO CHAMONIX

Land, and walk immediately to the Mountain Dropoffs desk. (Make a reservation ahead of time, and put in your itinerary on their website, and they will figure out all the details for you - you just need to show up). 

They're the best outfitter in town and their drivers are usually awesome and fun to talk to. I've met new adventure friends on the one hour shuttle every time I've ever taken it and subsequently planned trips around the world with them (hi Scott!) - you're always destined to have a good time with Mountain Dropoffs. 

WHERE TO STAY

I've stayed at a few hotels in Chamonix, all with good experiences/great amenities:

• Higher End: Hotel Mont Blanc (I stayed there and wrote about it in the fall)
• Middle: Chalet Whymper Chamonix
• Affordable: Langley Hotel Gustavia

ACTIVITIES

• Lac Blanc: Wake up early and either walk or shuttle to the Flegere lift. Take the cable car up and hike to Lac Blanc (half day activity)
• Mer de Glace: Take the Aguille du Midi cable car halfway up to Plan d'Aguille, and hike over to Lac Bleu & Mer de Glace.  Stop at the hut for photos, a beer, some souvenirs & take the train back to Chamonix (half day activity)

• Arête des Cosmiques: Hire a guide for the day to take you out trekking from the top of l'Aguille du Midi. As for premium adventure companies, I cannot recommend Adventure Base enough.  We went on the day's adventure with Fabio from Adventure Base.  After spending time with him, he is in my humble opinion one of the best, most experienced guides in Chamonix & has become a personal friend.  Adventure Base as an organization is great, as you can contact them with your desired activity for the day like we did, and they will line you up with an available guide. We wanted to do a half day trip alpine ridge, and AB did not disappoint!

POST HIKE EATS

• Cool Cats Chamonix: something tells me you also want to look as cool as Chaniel and get this 'cool' picture for the gram. But besides the photo opp, their artisanal hot dogs, indulgent nachos and fries are the perfect post-hike refuel. You will not regret it. I think about their pulled pork nachos every day.
• Chambre Neuf: after a few days of french fries, nachos and hot dogs, my body was screaming for some nutrition... get the salmon salad and a charcuterie plate and you won't be disappointed.
• Elevation 1904: American food... beers, burgers, burritos. Cannot go wrong.

BEST WATERING HOLES

• Micro Brasserie de Chamonix: good selection of locally brewed beers which are great, though I recommend against the food there, as it is rather uninspiring
• Berlucoquet Wine Bar: amazing curated wines and the sweetest couple own the place (and have for over a decade), perfect place to spend a rainy evening
• The Pub: the best place to catch a game, knock back a few Heinekens, and take in some live music

FANCY(ISH) EATS

We didn't do a lot of eating out at fancy restaurants but from prior experience, I can recommend:

• Restaurant Cap Horn: truly a nice night out with white tablecloths and a dressier scene, though they have a sushi menu too for the more price conscious
• Munchie: Sushi, Asian food, with a creative twist. Lots of options and a moderately priced menu. A nice scene.
• Atmosphere: pricier, white table cloth, but worth every penny. A nice ambiance, with classic and well-prepared European cuisine.

SPECIAL MENTION

• We went to Buck's every day for breakfast. Their smoked salmon bagel, quiche and coffees kept us going all week long, and it was right on the way to the Aiguille du Midi tram station. Easy for breakfast and for grabbing a sandwich to-go. A two-for-one stop. 

Best of Amsterdam: Visit Like A Local

As an American living in Amsterdam, I am asked monthly, if not weekly, for Amsterdam recommendations... and I can't say I blame people for struggling with what to do here (I was in your shoes every time I visited before moving to the Netherlands). 

With that said, and admittedly biased as a now-resident, I think Amsterdam is the most beautiful city in Europe. Accordingly, I feel it is actually my duty to help people see the *real* Amsterdam - the one with which I have become enamored - and enjoy it in all of its glory, even if for just a weekend.

My goal in writing this list is to get people off the beaten path, not just walking around the riff-raffy Amsterdam you hear about in tales and guide books from decades ago. The city has become quite gentrified and is no longer the red light window-dominated scene that it used to be. It's interesting, modern, forward-thinking, and full of charm - if you know where to look.

Without further ado, these are my recommendations for this city I have grown to love so dearly. I think these locations give tourists at least a preliminary sense of Dutch culture, city life - but with a touch of hospitality since you are on vacation after all. Of course, these are just my recommendations, and I certainly have not tried everything - but I feel comfortable sending people to each and every one of these, and they have impressed me time and time again - enough that I just keep going back!

HOTELS:

• The Hoxton - super mod, posh, and a lobby / lounge scene enjoyed by even locals. You can never go wrong staying at a Hoxton and the rooms are super quirky, Amsterdammy, and many offer canal views.

• The Pulitzer - a unique hotel, as it is made up of an intricate maze of 25 connecting Golden Age canal houses. They also offer a really unique wooden boat tour (far less touristy than the stretch limo Lover's Canal Cruise boats) of Amsterdam (cost not included), which can be arranged at the front desk.

• The Weavery - for a real, authentic canal house experience. The owners are just lovely (tell Bettina and Driss that I sent you!) and it's a B&B type experience (but don't worry, they are hands-off and won't be in your space if you so choose.

• Mr. Jordaan - slightly off the beaten path, in a good way - a fun opportunity to stay in one of the hip Amsterdam neighborhoods, the Jordaan district. Near weekend markets, fun shops, etc.

RESTAURANTS:

BREAKFAST/BRUNCH:

• Buffet van Odette - you actually can't go wrong with anything on their menu - believe me, I've tried it all

• Winkel 43 - this place has been around for decades. You only need to know two words when you go there: Apple Pie. I've never had a better one.

• Omelegg - if you are a fan of omelettes and eggs, then head here. There are two locations: the Red Light District (tourist central) and one in De Pijp. I'd recommend the latter.

CASUAL LUNCH/DINNER:

• Cafe de Blaffende Vis - a rotating small menu of Dutch favorites and snacks - a great place to spend the night drinking Heineken after Heineken

• La Perla - absolute best pizza in town - you can take away from across the street, if you prefer

• Foodhallen - a large hall of food vendors, open 7 days a week - large variety of food/drinks to try and a fun scene!

• Boca's - sharing platters of classic favorites with a local twist; get the fries sampler

• Thrill Grill - great burger spot which has Beyond Meat on offer; lots of meatless options!

• VEGAN OPTION: Meatless District - consistently voted one of the best vegan options in the Netherlands, but definitely not a sleeper option even for those who enjoy meat; every meal is divine.

TRADITIONAL DUTCH:

• Cafe de Tuin - quite a fun local scene, get the bitterballen - it makes all of the lists for being the best in town

• Moeders - the most Dutch that you can get; the walls are adorned with photos of actual moms and antiques. A quirky place that can't be missed

NICE EVENING OUT:

• Choux Restaurant - a less traditional menu which you choose by selecting ingredients which appeal, and are presented with surprising, unexpected dishes. An amazing wine selection as well.

• Restaurant Vlaming - classic, extremely well prepared dishes in a fun neighborhood with cozy scene. Even Bill Clinton recently went here!

• Repeat from above: Buffet van Odette - they can do no wrong.

DRINKS:

• I'm convinced the best way to see a city is to go on a pub/cafe crawl - this definitely applies in Amsterdam. Here's my prior list of the Best Brown Cafes of Amsterdam

• Special mentions go to Proeflokaal Arendsnest (huge selection of local Dutch beers), Brouwerij 't IJ (excellent local brewery at the base of a windmill), and Cafe 't Smalle - none of these three should be missed.

• There are a couple other fun breweries worth trying: Brouwerij Troost (there are several locations) and Oedipus Brewery

FOODS TO TRY:

• Bitterballen

• Stroopwafels

• Fries with various mayos/ketchups/sauces

• Herring sandwich

• Tony's Chocolonely (buy a bunch and bring em home - they make great gifts! The orange flavor, salty chocolate, is the most popular and for good reason!)

Gran Paradiso & Mont Blanc Expedition in Chamonix with Mont Blanc Guides

"We all have the same sickness," said our guide Fabio, in reference to himself and the three other mountain guides leading our trip. "All of us guides come from different places in the world, but all four of us are afflicted with the same disease: we just cannot get enough of the mountains, and the list of places to see never gets shorter." These type of sick people, I've come to realize, are my tribe - and his comments couldn't have made me feel more at home as I threw myself into another high altitude expedition and a week in Chamonix with Mont Blanc Guides.

Ever since moving to Europe a few years ago, I have had my sights set on Mont Blanc. In fact, a first-time trip to the Alps (more specifically, the almighty Matterhorn in neighbouring Zermatt, Switzerland) is what inspired me to move to Europe in the first place. It took only one time trekking the trails and traversing the mountains in Switzerland and I was hooked. I knew I needed to spend much more time in these precious places - and what better way to fulfill this dream than to summit the highest peak in the Alps. 

Mont Blanc Guides chalet in Chamonix

Three course meals at the chalet

My experience has taught me that these types of mountain expeditions are best completed with 1) a knowledgeable and experienced guide, and 2) a group of similarly fit, like-minded individuals, with whom to share the experience. After all, the best things truly are most enjoyed with good company.  While I appreciate the people who boast about completing missions "un-guided," I've come to greatly appreciate the value in having a guide, as learning not only technical skills, but also about the local culture/history is equally as important to me as the mission itself. 

With this thought in mind, I set out to find a solid resource which would make this possible and within minutes, I landed on the website of Mont Blanc Guides. Needless to say, they know what they are doing and made it an incredibly easy decision for me to choose to work with them. Their website was in English (more rare than you might think), well laid out/organized, and even provided a "fitness test" to new mountaineers to help determine how close they were to the fitness level needed to succeed at summiting something like Mont Blanc.

The other important differentiator to me was the fact that Mont Blanc Guides would handle all logistics - from meals, to lodging, to guides, and hut reservations.  Anybody who has taken on big mountaineering adventures, knows these details are a substantial part of the trip and require someone who knows what they are doing and has it down to a science.

Other services/providers I looked at required you to find your own hotel room for the week (and who really wants to go back to a hotel across town every night only to meet up with your crew again the next morning?), or provide your own meals. MBG on the other hand, houses all participants in "The Castle" or the chalet, right in the middle of Chamonix. You get a bunk buddy for the week, as you are required to share a twin room with a fellow guest, and everyone enjoys a three course breakfast/dinner together on all nights spent at the Castle. Plus, because it is 'home' for the week, you have a place to leave your things even when you are up in the mountain huts - which was a game changer for someone like me, who absolutely hates dealing with the logistical nightmare of having to unpack and repack bags all week, only to put them into storage. In the end, it was an easy sell and I happily sent off my deposit to MBG.

Sunny Chamonix afternoon

Chamonix downtown

I chose to start my 6-day course on a Saturday, so I would only need to take 5 days off of work. I flew from Amsterdam into Geneva, arranged a quick one hour shuttle with the most popular service in town (Mountain Dropoffs), and was at the chalet in no time. The group who had started their trek on Wednesday that week was there when I walked in the door and overlapped with us in the chalet on our first night, which gave us ample time to get a realtime download of what the week would hold -- from a client perspective, which tends to be the most honest. They gave us tips as to what gear we would need vs what we wouldn't, where to stock up on Snickers bars in town, and what advice to take/ignore, all of which was immensely helpful to make sure we had the important stuff. 

We also had plenty of time to wander around Chamonix - which in the summer season, is quite the attraction in itself. During the week we were there, a slew of ultramarathons and mountain races were taking place, and at any given time, one could catch a plethora of post-race runners stumbling around town on a quest to find a burger and a beer. It was an awesome time of year to just hang out, people watch, and shop to your heart's delight (I spent what felt like half of my month's pay check in Salomon, Millet, and Columbia - damn you, Chamonix).  

Twin room in Mont Blanc Guides chalet

Gear laid out "military style" for inspections

DAY ONE: TREK TO CHABOD HUT ON WAY TO GRAN PARADISO

After our first dinner getting to know our adventure-mates for the week, we all woke up ready and excited to start our quest.  The morning started with a quick debriefing and intro from John, the MBG founder, after which we were instructed to lay out our gear on our beds "military style," so our diligent guides could survey our gear.  They were quite strict with us as to what we should/could bring up the mountain, and rightfully so, as every extra item (literally, shampoo bottles were eliminated from the packing list) adds extra weight to your back during the climb.

The packing list on the MBG website was pretty straightforward and technical items (ice axe, crampons, harness) could be rented from MBG on site, which made things easy (I didn't want to be troubled with trying to get crampons through airport security!). Anything else you were missing could be bought or rented in town, which was a 5 min walk away - Chamonix is the mecca of mountaineering, after all, so you did not need to walk far to find the necessities. 

Around 11am, we were off over the border to Italy for a three day training climb of Gran Paradiso (4061m).  They took it easy on us for the first day: we only needed to get ourselves up 1000m to the Chabod hut, which took 2.5 hours in the afternoon.  At the hut, we settled into our bunks (all 10 of us, including guides, shared one bedroom, which was surprisingly comfy), and enjoyed some downtime. Showers were pay-per-shower (3 Euros each), and beers/snacks could be purchased at a reasonable price with cash. Most of us waited to shower until the next day, knowing it would be most appreciated post-summit.  After a hearty pasta dinner and dessert, we were off to bed, as the 4am wake up call would come quickly.

Group photo halfway up to Chabod hut

Settling into bunk beds at Chabod hut

DAY TWO: CHABOD HUT TO GRAN PARADISO SUMMIT AND BACK

Mont Blanc Guides aptly calls this day the "dress rehearsal" for Mont Blanc.  And indeed it is.  You rise at 4am, do a last check of your bag, and prepare to head up the mountain. One of my teammates, Kevin, made the fatal mistake of turning on the light in the dorm room we all shared at 3:55am, only to be yelled at to turn it off, and give us our last 5 minutes of rest. (He didn't make that mistake again the rest of the trip.) Once we were all awake, all we had left to do was shove as many calories into our mouths as possible before setting out.

This morning served to be an excellent trial run indeed, as it made the gear prep and check for Mont Blanc only a couple of days later far easier, having already done it once.  From the Chabod hut up to the summit, we only had to climb 1400m, so not terrible, and was a good opportunity for us all to test out our crampon and ice axe skills. 

Approaching the summit of Gran Paradiso

Gran Paradiso Summit

The ascent took around 4-5 hours, which was the requirement from Mont Blanc Guides for us to "prove" that we were worthy (and not a safety hazard) for the much bigger Mont Blanc trek later in the week. The entire team made it without too much trouble, and we waited our turn to summit at the somewhat congested Gran Paradiso summit ridge. This ridge was by far the scariest part of any climbing that week, as there is quite a substantial exposed section. I'm pretty sure I heard about 14 different languages being spoken amongst the 40-50 individuals scrambling around at the top, and it was quite entertaining despite all the chaos to hear the guides quibble with each other over whose group would go first.  Totally worth it for the #summitselfie.

The walk back down was easy and uneventful, and quite slushy given the sun had come up and already started to melt quite a bit of the snow which had been frozen solid on our way up. Conditions this time of year were perfect, with minimal sketchy crevasses, so we could glissade down the mountain without needing to exercise too much caution.

Descent to Chabod Hut from Gran Paradiso Summit

Beers were enjoyed upon our return to the chalet, knowing that all we had to do the next day was get back down to the car and rest.

DAY THREE: CHABOD HUT TO CHALET / CHAMONIX

We did an easy descent on Day 3 from the Chabod Hut through a scenic Gran Paradiso National Park. Given that Gran Paradiso and this portion of the week was in Italy, it was only fitting for us to stop for espressos and gelato before heading back into France. That pistachio and stracciatella gelato was well-earned, and I enjoyed it accordingly.

We were back in Chamonix by early afternoon, which gave us ample time to do some shopping, indulge in a much-needed shower, eat a hearty three course chalet dinner, and unpack/repack our bags for the big show, which would commence the next morning.

DAY FOUR: CHAMONIX TO TETE ROUSSE HUT

We started this morning by meeting the additional 2 guides who would be joining us on this trip: Ally and Tomas. We were only required to have one guide per 4 people for the Gran Paradiso outing, but for a Mont Blanc summit, it was necessary to have one guide for every 2 people. Both guides were awesome: Ally and I swapped stories about Yosemite and Bay Area adventures and travel mishaps (we had both spent a decent amount of time out there over the past couple of years), and Tomas relived stories of his very admirable Andean summits, whilst reminding me that fashion is "very important" in the mountains (as he adjusted his intentionally mismatched blue and yellow socks.) We were off to an excellent start with our late joiners.

There are many schools of thought as to the best way to climb Mont Blanc. Some people believe that the Gouter hut gives the best chance at summitting, as it is up higher on the mountain, and breaks up the ascent into two reasonable day climbs.  But reservations are harder to come by there, and the Tete Rousse (3167m up) has its benefits as well.  In our case, the Tete Rousse was a bit more accomodating for our needs, so we resolved to stay there both the night before and after our attempted summit. This decision also allowed us to again have a "home base" where we could leave our belongings on summit day (no need for toiletries, etc, to be going up the mountain with us), which made for lighter packs. 

Ascending to the Tete Rousse hut

Climbers gather before dinner at Tete Rousse hut

We were in position for the next day's ascent with minimum energy expenditure, and at 3167m, our overnight at Tete Rousse allowed us to acclimatize gradually as we worked our way up the mountain. We enjoyed a dinner of lentil soup, bread/cheese, and beef stew to fuel us for the next day's adventure, and were in bed by 8:30pm, in anticipation of a 4am wakeup call for our summit. 

DAY FIVE: THE BIG SHOW: ASCENT OF MONT BLANC (4,808m)

I couldn't believe how quickly summit day was upon us, as it seemed like we had just arrived in Chamonix, yet here we had already climbed one mountain and spent nearly a week together.

We rolled out of bed at Tete Rousse at the very generous wakeup time of 4am (other teams had left at 1am, but we opted for a later start given the anticipated weather window) and started our journey up.  All week, our guides and John at MBG had given us advice which I found to really come in handy on summit day: 'take the summit in 2 hour intervals, and just keep moving - don't worry about the end.'  They were spot on with the advice. All in all, we targeted to have a 11-12 hour day from Tete Rousse to summit and back. 6 sets of 2 hour pushes - easy.

The route from Tete Rousse hut to summit - 12 hours round trip

The ascent / summit portion of the day could best be thought of in three sections:

1) Tete Rousse Hut (3,167m) to Gouter Hut (3,815m): a steep rock climb/scramble.

The Tete Rousse to Gouter hut was the most demanding section of the entire summit bid for me. Not only are you doing this part in the dark, but there is quite a bit of scrambling which requires a lot of emotional energy/attention early on in the day. Fortunately, the sun did begin to come up pretty soon after we started, given the long days this time of the year, which made for a beautiful sunrise.

The Grand Couloir (location shown on map), only an hour into the ascent, has also earned itself quite a reputation and has itself inhibited many climbers from even getting up onto the mountain for an attempt at the summit. One only needs to YouTube "Grand Couloir Mont Blanc" to see why; this area is completely fine/safe when nothing is happening there, but on a bad day, rocks the size of basketballs come aggressively tumbling down the mountain and propel people down the couloir before you know what has hit you - and has led to many of the fatalities on the mountain in the past. It's absolutely necessary to approach this section with caution and the proper equipment - crampons, and proper ropes (thankfully, we did not find out until later that an unprepared climber had tumbled to their death off this section only 12 hours prior to us crossing). 

 After two hours of hard and cautious climbing paired with incredible sunrise views of the Alps, we found ourselves approaching the Gouter hut.

Sun rising as we made our way towards the Gouter hut

Approaching the Gouter hut after a two hour scramble

2) Gouter hut to the Vallot hut (4,362m): a very snowy uphill walk/climb.

We stopped in at the Gouter hut after the initial climb to leave behind some equipment (helmets were no longer necessary after the first scramble), warm up, and have a quick cup of coffee with a snack - which to be honest, felt a bit like cheating the summit, but was a welcome respite.

(*Fun fact: gouter, in French, actually means to have an afternoon snack, so it is aptly named as a designated place to sit, take some time, and eat to fuel up!)

The new Gouter hut was built in 2013

Heading up the mountain post Gouter hut mid morning

Only 20 minutes later, we were bundled back up and ready to head to the Vallot hut. This 2-hour stretch was one of the most enjoyable, as the morning light was perfectly illuminating all of the surrounding alps, and the walking was relatively effortless so long as you were paying attention. We were extremely fortunate with weather conditions and enjoyed a perfect blue bird morning. No major effort needed here, other than to just keep walking and stay warm.

3) Vallot hut (4,362m) to Mont Blanc Summit (4,810m) : the final steep, sketchy/icy/windy 2.5 hour push. 

The Vallot hut was truly a sight to see, and was a good stop off point to check in with other climbers. While called a hut, it is really a glorified shoebox, as it's only a 35 m^2 shelter made of aluminum sheets placed on both sides of two thin layers of plywood. We popped in to do a quick clothing swap (here, we added every layer we had brought including wind proof pants and heavy jackets), and chat with a few other climbers who were either also headed for the summit or had just come down. What I didn't expect to see when we walked in was 7 or 8 climbers piled upon each other in a corner, in full gear (sunglasses, goggles and all!), sleeping in unison. Likely they had already summited that morning and were too wrecked to head back down without a bit of shuteye. Others stood around, waiting for the winds to die down for a second attempt to summit, as excessive winds earlier in the morning had thwarted their first attempts, but not enough for them to give up on the day. There was a real sense of simple and pure mountain camaraderie there which I will not soon forget.

Vallot Hut is an aluminum shed for climbers to rest

After 10 minutes and a couple packs of energy chews later, we headed out for our final summit push! Those last two and a half hours were challenging and required you to be careful, so as not to make a misstep on some of the more narrow areas as you approached the summit. Fortunately, I have never had any issues with altitude sickness which meant I felt quite well as we approached the 4,810m summit, while some of the others on our trip fought a constant feeling of illness/headache and shortness of breath. Thankful to not be afflicted with any significant physical complaints, I truly and humbly had nothing to do but keep walking (there were quite a few false summits on your way up), and take in the absolutely incredible views of the Alps (when not getting pelted in the face with ice). With views like those, I could have kept walking for hours, but was happy when we finally reached the summit around 10:30am. WE DID IT!!

The way down was uneventful, but it has to be said that like on any mountain, it is especially wise not to be lazy on the descent, as this is where costly mistakes are often made. Especially on the initial two hour scramble, which would be the final 2 hours of our descent that day, we had to be especially cautious as many rocks were loose and falling. Not to mention, we still had to cross the Grand Couloir, which always requires special attention and respect. On our way down, we heard helicopters, which it turned out were there trying to locate the belongings of the person who had fallen to their death the day prior. Quite the ominous background sound, for tired climbers just wanting to get back to the hut - and a clear reminder of the dangers of the mountains.  Fortunately, we went through all of the above without incident, and were back down at the Tete Rousse by around 3:30pm. 

DAY SIX: TETE ROUSSE HUT BACK TO VALLEY / CHAMONIX

We all woke up super pleased with ourselves for our work the day prior, and scarfed down breakfast, anxious to get down off the mountain and shower since we had not been able to after the summit (no running water at the Tete Rousse hut!)

After 3 short hours of uneventful downhill hiking and a quick train ride the rest of the way, we were back in the village and made time to pose for one more group shot.

Team photo in village post-Mont Blanc summit

Veggie tacos and sweet potato fries from Monkey, the perfect post-adventure meal

We went back to the chalet, where a plethora of homemade cakes and pastries were waiting for us with coffee and tea (and a couple well-earned Heinekens for good measure!) and we made one final toast to our guides before we would send them along their way.

As we sat around the table recounting stories and laughs from the past week, Tomas prompted us to go around the table and each give one word that would best describe our feelings about the week/adventure. "ICY, hard, fun..." answered my new friends around the table... then my word came to me quickly and easily: INSPIRING.

The people I had been around the entire week INSPIRED me to want to complete this task as a team. The guides we had the pleasure of climbing with motivated and INSPIRED me to want to keep pushing my limits, and more importantly: become a smarter mountaineer. The experience itself, too, further INSPIRED the "sickness" in me: to keep on chasing these summits, pushing beyond my comfort zones, and not let anything stand in the way.

So, I said it then and I stand by my (cheesy, but true) word choice today: climbing Mont Blanc INSPIRED me, and I suspect will continue to inspire me to chase my affliction for many years to come :)

Three final things:

1) I would be remiss if I didn't mention the amazing dinner we had as a team on our last night in Chamonix. We went to Monkey and it was incredible - great tacos, burgers, fries, beer selection and all of the other post-adventure food you could ever ask for.  It's a must.

2) We spoke in quite a lot of depth while trekking about Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, as well as his thoughts on living an unconventional life. Those discussions have stuck with me and rattled around in my head since. I would like to leave you with a few of my favorite quotes I've been reading, in reflection:

“There was no solution, save that universal solution which life gives to all questions, even the most complex and insolvable: One must live in the needs of the day--that is, forget oneself.” 

“Without knowledge of what I am and why I am here, it is impossible to live, and since I cannot know that, I cannot live either. In an infinity of time, in an infinity of matter, and an infinity of space a bubble-organism emerges while will exist for a little time and then burst, and that bubble am I.” 

“There are people who, on meeting a successful rival, no matter in what, are at once disposed to turn their backs on everything good in him, and to see only what is bad. There are people, on the other hand, who desire above all to find in that lucky rival the qualities by which he has outstripped them, and seek with a throbbing ache at heart only what is good.”

3) One final shoutout to our guides, all of whom I would highly recommend to ANYONE for any Chamonix outings, or other expeditions around the world... I would trust any of these guys with my life on a future mountain expedition, and am so excited to follow all of their future adventures:

Neil Mackay https://skiascent.com/

Fabio Levi https://www.facebook.com/fabio.levi 

Ally Swinton http://allyswinton.blogspot.com/

Tomas Franchini https://tomasfranchini.com/ 

The Ultimate Guide to Tel Aviv: Hotels, Food, & Paletas

It was recently pointed out to me that I probably know Tel Aviv better than I know my current home city – which made me think that a highlights post could be useful to others who are visiting this interesting and dynamic city for the first time or others just looking for a few new spots to try on an upcoming visit.

There are plenty of reasons to visit Tel Aviv. The beach, the people, the ever developing and changing food culture, Israeli wines, the Bauhaus architecture, the weather, and of course the history. 

But maybe not the politics. I will leave it with the fact that I believe that you have to visit the place to better understand. The lens through which the world sees Israel portrayed can only be interpreted and then commented on once you have seen it yourself.

So – what to do, where to sleep, eat and drink in Tel Aviv? 

Stay:

I like to stay within walking distance of the sea. The beachfront is impressive and offers miles/km of walking, running, biking, scooting, swimming, surfing, outdoor gym, volleyball, kadima, people watching, restaurant, bar options and of course sand (it’s good beach sand, not that rocky stuff you get elsewhere on the Mediterranean). The beach front promenade is being renovated (finishing later 2018) and is a great investment made by the city 

I tend to avoid the larger hotels... I know some that like the reliability of the Hilton, the David Intercontinental, the Sheraton, etc - but for me they feel like any other hotel in the world and my preference is always for the smaller, quirkier, unique hotels that better reflect where they are.

Mendeli Street Hotel –  boutique-y and the rooms are on the small side but super comfortable and they have possibly the best breakfast in Tel Aviv courtesy of Mashya  (see restaurants below)

Market House Hotel   – boutique hotel in Old Jaffa next to the market… flea market by day, hub for dining, drinking and socializing at night. Try to get one of the rooms with a balcony. Glass floor panels in the lobby show old Jaffa ruins discovered during renovation.

The Setai   – right on the ‘corner’ of the Old Port in Jaffa. Was under construction for years and is now open. It looks great from the outside and website and the location is excellent. Will try to stay there at some point.

Brown Hotels  – I have not stayed in them but walk past them, some are in good locations and look like solid options from the outside/lobby.

Tel Aviv beachfront

Eat:  

Mediterranean / Middle Eastern?:  it is a difficult and catch all category to assign… let’s just call it Israeli Cuisine:

Pua - a bit of a clunky website but don’t be put off by it and go. Ask for a table outside (one side of the street is smoking, the other is non but it does not really matter). The salads are good, and don’t be discouraged by the menu item called ‘Meat Sandwich’ – it is excellent; as are the dumplings and the fish kebab.

Pu'a Restaurant in Jaffa

La Shuk - terrible website. Great food.  Dizengoff Square is under construction so sit inside/at the bar.

Mashya is one of Tel Aviv’s top rated restaurants and is busy almost every night of the week. It is innovative Israeli cuisine and uses local and seasonal ingredients. A bit spendy, but super tasty - it is in the Mendeli Street Hotel so can feel a bit redundant if you are staying there.

Container - in the Old Jaffa Port. Go here during the day, sit outside after you have been trekking around all over the city and have a refreshing beverage and snack. Excellent view of the water and equally excellent people watching.

Night Kitchen - reminds me a lot of La Shuk (above) but is perhaps a notch or two 'trendier' reflected in both its decor and the people that visit it. This could be because of the location as well... who knows - it is a good, fun restaurant - another 'multiple dishes to share' concept.

Night Kitchen - Lilenblum Street Tel Aviv near Rothchild Boulevard

Barvazu Urban Sandwich - the Mac & Cheese 

Dr Shakshuka - I like this place because of the logo, which is also a near life size stand up sign on the street and when I walked in – there he was in real life! Use google for other reviews in English / your language.

Hashomer 1 - this is kind of a street food stand off of the HaCarmel Market - but if I am going to recommend one street food stand - this is it. I get the chicken in a roll thing and I think you should too... maybe with a side of the eggplant and a local beer (Goldstar does not count as local by the way)

Hashomer1 Eggplant - my photo of the chicken sandwich thing is terrible...

Barvazi Urban Sandwich - get the Mac & Cheese with meat (photo above). I would have gone back the next day for another one but schedule changes intervened!  Again – google it for directions and whatnot. Their insta is worth the link and definitely try some of the other sandwiches too...they are always inventing new ones.

Herzl 16 - come to see the shell of the first elevator that was ever installed in Tel Aviv (maybe Israel?) and stay for the coffee and egg sandwich (I have not eaten anything else there but apparently its good too)

Dallal:     it’s a little expensive but I keep going back here. It is in Neve Tsedek, and like visiting someone’s house for dinner (where everyone sits at separate tables and keeps to themselves). Decent local wine selection, terrible local beer selection.

Popina: also in Neve Tsedek (at the top end) the concept here is innovative sharing plates.  They are all good, go with their recommendations on the night.

North Abraxas – no plates!  Lot's of people at the front and you can't tell who works there! Different dishes all the time! Eyal Shani is maybe the most well known chef from Israel in recent years. Also the home of the roasted/blow torched cauliflower global trend (see Instagram and this article)

Port Said - another Eyal Shani restaurant tucked away off of Allenby Street. Good fresh food, good environment.

Fish Restaurants:   It’s not called seafood here… and of course, being on the Sea, you have to go to a fish restaurant…

Barbounia: You pick out the fish you want to eat from a line-up, then sit and eat all of the fun salads and dips and pickled stuff (they bring you something like 12 little dishes) while they cook it. 

Manta Ray:  An institution in Tel Aviv. Everyone goes to Manta Ray once. Usually on an expense account. The location is everything. It is literally on the beach. It’s expensive, but go at sunset on a nice day and you will not care. The food is very good too.

Shila:  A great fish restaurant. Not the greatest location (totally fine/safe/etc, just not atmospheric). Always seems to be a fun night out when going there. Also known for its Mahlabi

Hummus

I know – it took this long to post hummus spots in Tel Aviv!? My top 3 are as follows, and apparently great hummus does not equal great website:

Mashawsha –  my go to hummus place. Apparently it is a ‘lighter style’ of hummus from the north which is why it is ok to have it for dinner. (I have been told that hummus is too heavy and therefore is only a morning or afternoon meal. I also do not adhere to this advice). I get the hummus and a small Israeli salad which looks like:

apologies for photo quality... I do not have a better one and probably just always start eating right away!

Abu Hasan – the oldest, the most often top rated in Israel, and maybe the most authentic.  Get there early-ish as there can be lines, and they close up shop when they run out of hummus for the day (I know from a long, hungry walk back to my hotel that they are not open at night).

Magen David   - there is a lot of misinformation out there on this place – it was never a synagogue...it is just a design choice. It does have good hummus and is in the ha’Carmel market so a great option if you are in the area there. Again only open in the kind of 11am to 3pm-ish range.

Falafel

Hakosem  - There is really only one falafel (and shawarma) place for me (they have hummus too… and other stuff) I get the ½ falafel pita and a ½ shawarma pita ad then roll back to my hotel feeling proud of myself. It’s great. I go every time I am in TLV.

Hakosem Tel Aviv

Other solid options are Falafel Gina: this is all in Hebrew so good luck, but they have three locations and then Shemesh Shawarma. Not in Tel Aviv (it is in Ramat Gan) and currently in the middle of some pretty terrible construction for the light rail outside… but if you are nearby – you owe it to yourself.  I cannot find a decent website for it at all so here are some images

 Burgers:

Yes, burgers. A huge (and competitive) burger scene popped up in TLV in recent years.  My best: Vitrina.    The burger is great and the way the fries are done is the differentiator (half regular, half sweet potato with lemon zest).  That link is also a good site, and has their top Tel Aviv burger ranking spot-on....

Markets: I’m picking two… one authentic and one kind of a concept like you find in Madrid (a renovated space that is all indoors and is a destination to eat, browse local foodie stuff and not haggle). 

Carmel or Ha’Carmel: full on market experience but now cleaned up and has trendy restaurants and a brewery on the small side streets that spur off. It is also next to Nahalat Binyamin crafts market on Tuesday and Friday

Sarona Market: the whole area used to be terrible and now Sarona Market is at the hub of a reinvented area that is totally worth a visit… it is just kind of on the opposite end of the spectrum from Ha’Carmel! 

Nuts, Spices, Dates, Dried Fruit, Tahini and more in Sarona Market

Gifts:

These days it is rare to find something that you can bring back that is not already sold by Amazon…  Go to one of Zielinski and Rozen shops (Jaffa Flea Market and Dizengoff Square are most convenient) and bring back body wash, room spray, scent (the perfume/cologne is unisex) and maybe a candle.

Zielinski and Rozen's unique scents

Museums / Clubs / Theatre

I have been to:

Tel Aviv Museum of Art: It was good. This is also a good reference for museums and galleries.  And Tel Aviv street art is fantastic…and ubiquitous, so just walk around the city more and enjoy.

Clara:- is / was a large club. It was fun. It is on the beach in between Jaffa and Tel Aviv. I have not been back. Also their facebook grammar is poor. And it might not even be open any more…

The nightlife scene in Tel Aviv changes often and while it is universally known for being great, it is fickle… so check the google or these links:

https://theculturetrip.com/middle-east/israel/articles/the-best-nightclubs-in-tel-aviv/

https://www.secrettelaviv.com/magazine/blog/best-bars-and-clubs

Performing arts / theater:  Suzanne Dallal Center in Neve Tsedek.

Snack: If you see Paletas on your travels - stop and try out some of the different unique flavors... I'm partial to the Matcha, Pistachio, and Mahlabi. They are not popsicles... much better.

Paletas

and the juice bars...  choose a combo... pomegranate/carrot?  pineapple/banana...  etc. The juice stands seem to be on every other corner

Juice Bar / Stand Tel Aviv

If you are thinking of exploring further - here is a look at a trip to Jerusalem and the Negev desert area in the south - it was an amazing experience. Get out and see it for yourself.

By the way – the tap water is fine to drink. Enjoy! 

Rock the Kasbah: Toubkal and Tagines

When I survey my ever-growing list of mountains to climb, Mt Toubkal never would have made an appearance a few years back.  It's a bit off the beaten path from some of the other big aspirational climbs around the world (Kili, Vinson, Elbrus, etc) but at 4,167 metres (13,671 ft), it is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco, North Africa and the Arab World.  Our guide, Mohamed, told us that Toubkal is actually said to be a harder hike than Kili given the relative brevity of the hike. Rather than a long couple week slog, this is a direct uphill walk/crawl for 2 days. 

Women's cooperatives selling rugs on the way from Imlil to the Kasbah

Coming down from the Toubkal Summit

But for me, what was most appealing was that we could summit a significant mountain in the course of a long weekend, and I could be back at my desk for work on Tuesday morning. As soon as I learned this, I booked the trip immediately. Done.

What I didn't fully expect and was pleasantly surprised by was the fact that we could also partake in a lot of Moroccan cuisine/culture all in the same four days.  Our experience at Kasbah du Toubkal - with particular thanks to our guides Mohamed, Yousef, and Hassan - was certainly a memorable one and an adventure I will recommend for years to come.

Without further ado, here's how the schedule panned out:

Day One: Marrakech / Imlil / Kasbah du Toubkal

Our flight landed in Marrakech around 4pm and we opted to go straight to the Kasbah rather than making a pit stop in Marrakech. I had been to Marrakech before, and knew we would have some time at the tail end of our trip to wander around. From my perspective, a few hours (or maybe one night i.e. 24 hours maximum) is more than enough time in Marrakech. It's a bit like some of the other crazy cities of the world - the best comparison I could give was to Kathmandu, for anyone who has been to Nepal - and generally I find that walking around a city with so much chaos is more stress than its worth to me.  We were ready to get to the mountains.

Kasbah du Toubkal, one of Nat Geo's Unique Lodges of the World, kindly handled all arrangements for us to get to Imlil. Our driver met us at the airport holding a big sign with our name, and off we went.  We drove through dusty red terrain and winding roads as we climbed into the mountains, passing by little villages (Asni is not to be missed if you want to visit a weekly souk) and even the Richard Branson hotel (our driver rolled his eyes, as he declared "that place is a fake experience - everything they bring in is from India and the UK!") Probably won't need to visit that tourist trap anytime soon.

Walking through Imlil with our luggage mule 

In less than 90 minutes in the car, we arrived to Imlil, a very small village which serves as the epicenter of the valley.  From here, we exited our taxi and were greeted by a mule sent down from the kasbah.  Our bags were effortlessly loaded into his carry baskets and we headed on our way.  After walking only five minutes through town and then uphill through a wooded area, we emerged into Moroccan kasbah bliss, entering large wooden doors which led to the main room where folks from around the world were gathered, eating tagine and sipping on Berber whiskey (better known to us Westerners as mint tea). 

A very warm welcome to Kasbah du Toubkal, indeed.

Main entry way to Kasbah du Toubkal

Because it was Ramadan, we had brought our own wine to the Kasbah, as none would be available for another few weeks. A purchase we were glad to have made at the airport in anticipation of our stay. We ended our night by the fireplace, chatting with a fellow traveler (hi Barry!).  Life is good.

Day Two: Kasbah du Toubkal / Aroumd / Refuge du Toubkal 

Breakfast at the Kasbah consisted of local fruits / dates / grains, traditional homemade yogurt (I wish I could have brought some home!) as well as an ample selection of Moroccan pancakes, honey, almond butter, and always the traditional bread wheel to enjoy with your choice of toppings.  If there's one thing for sure when visiting Berber villages, it's that you won't go hungry: this place embodies hospitality at its finest, always providing you with everything you could ask for -- and then some.

Breakfast bar at Kasbah du Toubkal

Typical breakfast at Kasbah du Toubkal

After packing an overnight bag to be carried by our mule, we met our guide Mohamed and got started around 9:30am on our trek into the High Atlas Mountains. The first day starts with an easy walk to Aroumd, the highest Berber village in the Ait Mizane Valley of the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Its population sits at around only 1,900 people, and is largely made up of people working in tourism. The village is built on a huge moraine spur above the valley and boasts steep-tiered fields of potatoes, onions, barley and various kinds of fruit, their terraces edged with purple iris.  Walnuts and cherries are some of the most fruitful trees in this area, and they export much of their crop to Marrakech and beyond. 

A boy looks out from his home in a Berber village in Imlil Valley

Before long - and dare I say, almost too soon after starting our trek, Mohamed stops us for lunch in Sidi Chamharouch, a Berber settlement which has grown up around a Muslim shrine. Here, our guides prepare us a lovely lunch of tea and more salad / meat / bread than we can justify having burned the calories for.  We pass by a few shops which remind me of Nepal tea houses where various trinkets are being sold, along with traditional hiking snacks: Twix bars, crisps, Kitkats, Fanta (which is "fanta-tastic," according to Mohamed) and chocolate biscuits. We say farewell to the shop owners and are headed out again - this time on a much steeper climb up.

After 6 hours total, we arrive at Refuge du Toubkal, which is a pleasant surprise to us, having set our expectations low for what a dormitory-like tea house might offer. This is nothing like the tea houses we stayed in in Nepal and strikes us as majestic and almost castle-like from the outside. On the inside, you can choose to stay in either a dormitory room or a private room - with most people opting to stay in the dorm rooms. One word to the wise is that if you are a very light sleeper, you may want to do a private room, as people will be stirring all night in anticipation of a 2:45am/3am wake up time to summit Toubkal the next morning. Someone told us that everyone will start at 3am regardless of preference (i.e. if you had wanted to start your hike later), because there's no way of possibly "sleeping in" given all the commotion of others preparing for their early hikes. They were right. 

We arrived at the Refuge around 4pm which gave us plenty of time to settle in, relax, and make new friends.  Several other guides came over to speak with us about Berber life/tradition, and even extended an invite for us to come back and stay with them ("for no cost!") during the August festival when everyone in Imlil comes together to celebrate. I don't think they were joking. We talked late into the night about the djellabas we would wear and the songs we would sing and dance - and laughed as we watched Youtube videos on Mohamed's phone from last year's festival, and tried to recreate the dance moves in our room before bed.  I even tried to convince Mohamed that we open an ice cream store called Djellaba Gelato.  The verdict is still out on that one.  A night of true bliss, and contentment, indeed.

Approaching Refuge du Toubkal on the afternoon of Day 2

Day Three: Refuge du Toubkal / Toubkal Summit / Imlil

The alarm rang early at 3am, and we pulled ourselves out of our slumber, packing our bags by headlamp light, as the power is turned off in the morning hours at the Refuge. We brushed our teeth simultaneously with 100 other people preparing to climb up to the summit, and all headed down to the breakfast room to force down as many calories as we could to fuel our hike. But most importantly: coffee, all the coffee.

Heading up Mount Toubkal in good company

Nearing the summit of Mt Toubkal at 6am

What surprised us most about the Atlas Mountains was how alpine it gets so quickly.  You feel like you're in the desert on day 1, until suddenly you're not - and the peaks start to rival those of the Dolomites or the Alps.  We trudged through snow and ice packs (on the edge of somewhat sketchy ice slopes, which I'm glad we did not actually fully see until we were coming down from the summit). We oscillated through waves of feeling great and "oh my god it's freaking cold and windy - I want to be back in bed" but ultimately, made it to the top in about 3 hours flat.  Not bad when all has been said and done.  Our guides and new friends summited around the same time, so we had a nice little crew of people up there to soak in the accomplishment together. While the weather forecast had initially threatened to be quite ominous on summit day, we enjoyed nearly clear skies, with a few peaks being hugged by some puffy clouds, which only made the views more stunning. 

The high of the summit wouldn't last for long - as we knew we had a long day ahead: not only 2-3 hours back down to the Refuge (that scramble down turned out to be a bit harder than you would expect, given the large ice patches in early summer, and loose rocks), but then another 6-7 hours back down all the way to Imlil/the Kasbah. We spent 10 minutes taking in the views and then started our descent, stopping at the Kasbah only for a quick tea and to grab our bags/overnight gear for the rest of the day's trek.

Picnic lunch on our way back to Imlil

The rest of the day was a calm walk and relatively effortless compared to the prior 24 hours. Sure, our legs were tired, our minds fatigued, and our faces a bit wind blown after hours spent in the early morning mountain air, but these are the days we live for, so complaints were nonexistent. We were happy, tired, and also looking forward to a hot shower. The day was punctuated with a surprise picnic set up for us by our guides, in a valley next to a waterfall, just before we hit Sidi Chamharouch. Pasta perfection. We arrived back to town around 4pm, and sat still the rest of the evening. Our new friends with whom we had summited earlier that morning were heading to Imlil, to then take a car back to Marrakech, adding another 1.5 hours to their long day, so we parted ways as they continued onward. Needless to say, we were extremely grateful for the pit stop at the Kasbah for the night.

Mules heading up on our way back to Kasbah

Day Four: Kasbah du Toubkal / Marrakech

We woke up the next morning, with the soreness starting to set in (but it hurt so good!) and ready to head to Marrakech. Again, the Kasbah facilitated a driver for us from Imlil, which made the entire transportation process fluid. Knowing that we wanted to walk around Marrakech for a few hours before our 7pm flight back to Amsterdam, they even facilitated a place for us to drop off our bags in Marrakech so we didn't have to haul them around. And the place just so happened to be right across from the main square. Easy peasy lemon squeezy (as Mohamed likes to say). 

A few hours in Marrakech was enough for us, especially since we would not have an opportunity to stay in a riad, which I had done before (and highly recommend if you do decide to spend a day or two there). With only a few hours in Marrakech, we did (and I would suggest) the following:

• Visit Djemaa el Fna, the epicenter of Marrakech, with the Rahba Lakdima, also known as the Place des Épices, or Spice Traders Square 
• Sit at a rooftop bar
• Eat a really really good tagine - my favorite stops: Grand Cafe de la Poste, Nomad, Le Jardin
• Enjoy a relaxing and therapeutic hammam
• Avoid the monkeys / snakes (tourist traps)
• Visit the Saadian tombs
• Visit the Koutoubia mosque
• Stay in a riad, if you have the time

After quite a few trips and expeditions under my belt, it still surprises me to this day that you can do so much in only four days. We were eternally grateful to the guides and hosts at Kasbah du Toubkal for being so gracious and generous with every single aspect of the program, and for handling all of the coordination for us - cars, hikes, booking of refuge, and food. While you can do it yourself, it certainly helps to have local knowledge. We also spoke quite a bit on the trip about the value in having a guide - especially if it's a good one. We all know that person who likes to boast that they did a trip "unguided," but I am extremely "pro-guide" as to me, a guide translates to the trip having knowledge and context - which make you more than just a trekker, but in fact, a local - if only for a short time.

Some basic stats / helpful hints about Marrakech:

• Flight time from Amsterdam: 3.5 - 4 hours
• Currency: Dirham (can be exchanged at airport)
• How to say hello: Azul
• Time zone: UTC + 1
• Coolest month: January / Hottest month: July
• International dialing code: 00212
• Arrange airport transfers to hotel via your hotel or riad to make for an easier transfer; it can be difficult for drivers to navigate directly to your accommodation 

Last but not least, some quick tips for Toubkal hike:

• Wear very solid hiking boots - you will greatly struggle with sneakers, given the ice pack
• Bring trekking poles - they were extremely useful to us on the way up (and perhaps more importantly, on the way down) the mountain
• Bring/wear heavy duty gloves - my hands were freezing even with them
• Bring/wear a Buff - maybe even two - one for your ears, and one for your face. You'll need it.
• Wear plenty of windproof gear - it will be instrumental on summit day.
• Check your headlamp batteries - summit morning is quite dark until the sun comes up.
• Bring toilet paper for the squatty potties - there are a few regular bathrooms at the refuge, some with TP, but if you need to make an unexpected stop, you'll be grateful for the TP.