Paris is her home away from home
On a recent trip to Great Britain, I decided at the last minute to snip two days off from my time in London and go somewhere I’ve never been before: the Orkney Islands. Perched just an hour’s ferry ride north of the Scottish mainland, these islands are remote, historic, and — for the right traveler — well worth the effort.
Orkney has two draws unmatched elsewhere in Scotland: some of the finest prehistoric sites in northern Europe, and a harbor with fascinating remnants of both World Wars.
I flew into a tiny slingshot of an airport in the only sizable town, Kirkwall. My first evening, I wandered down to the town’s cathedral and happened upon a stirring band of pipers and drummers. I watched as little local kids splashed in a cultural puddle created by the band, the wail of the pipes, the towering stony church, and adoring townsfolk ... and I could almost see them absorbing into their DNA what it means to be “Orcadian” (as locals are called).
With no real tradition for clans or tartans, Orkney feels not “Highlander” or even “Scottish,” but uniquely Orcadian. Though Orkney was inhabited by Picts from the sixth century BC, during most of its formative history — from 875 until 1468 — it was a prized trading hub of the Norwegian realm, giving it a feel more Scandinavian than Celtic.
The next day I traveled to the west coast, where I explored the Neolithic
Born in the Dominican Republic, actress Katherine Castro (“Someday”) has a minimalist’s approach to hitting the road. “Travel light,” she says. “Less is more. If it doesn’t fit in your carry-on, you don’t need it.”
A resident of West Hollywood, California, Castro says it’s helpful that she speaks several languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Arabic), but stepping outside of your comfort zone can make trips an enjoyable learning experience regardless of your level of fluency.
An edited version of our conversation follows.
Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: Paris. It’s my home away from home. Definitely visit the Louvre and perhaps split it into different days. One day isn’t enough to fully enjoy it and take in all the art. Also visit the Musée D’Orsay. Walk everywhere. Go for a picnic at the Trocadero Gardens. Lay on the grass. It’s so relaxing. Go for a ride with the boys from Retro Tours Paris. It’s a fun way to discover the city and learn about Paris, riding on a sidecar of a classic motorcycle.
I spent Christmas in Paris one time. It was especially beautiful, because it snowed. Then I went to Singapore for
New Year’s.
Q: What untapped destination should people know about?
A: Bahia de las Águilas and Samaná in the Dominican village of Skara Brae — and as the wind blew across the bluff, I understood why those early locals lived like moles in underground stone settlements. Orkney is blanketed with the remains of Neolithic communities where subterranean homes were connected by tunnels and lit only by whale-oil lamps. Standing there on that desolate bluff, all alone with these ruins, I marveled at how all of this was accomplished w ithout
QRepublic. My country has so many hidden treasures.
Q: What are your five favorite cities?
A: Paris, London, Hong Kong, Amman, Jordan, and Rio de Janeiro.
Q: Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A: Rio de Janeiro. The weather, the people, the colors, the food — everything about it felt like the Dominican Republic, with the difference being that the language is Portuguese.
Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A: Sunglasses, lip balm, wallet, phone, earbuds, scrunchie, a hat and trainers to walk everywhere.
Q: What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?
A: Spa day! Getting a two-hour massage is always a must. And Spotify. I love playing music everywhere I go. the use of metal tools.
Because sandstone is a natural insulator, these spaces — while cramped and dank — would have been warm and cozy during battering storms. A primitive sewer system, flushed by a rerouted stream, ran beneath the homes, functioning not too differently from modern sewers.
A short drive away is Maeshowe — the finest chambered tomb north of
Q: What is your best vacation memory?
A: It has to be when I went to the Middle East for the first time. Jordan was my first stop and I fell in love with Amman. The food is so delicious and the people are so warm and open. And going to Petra. It was just breathtaking.
On that same trip I went to Egypt and, of course, a stop in Alexandria to go to the Pyramids was a must. The energy is so strong there it literally gives you goosebumps.
Another favorite was when I went to Berlin for a Coldplay concert. I had never been to Berlin before and it was one of the most fun trips ever, not to mention the concert was spectacular!
Q: Where is the most romantic destination?
A: Bali, Indonesia. You feel like you’re on another planet altogether and it stimulates all your senses. It’s quite amazing. the Alps, built around 3500 BC. From the outside, it looks like yet another big mound. But inside, the burial chamber is remarkably intact. Crouching down to squeeze through the entry passage, I kept thinking, “For 5,000 years, people have lowered their heads to enter this sacred space.” At the winter solstice, the setting sun shines through the entry tunnel, illuminating the entrance to the main cell. How prehistoric people managed to build this still puzzles present-day engineers.
Orkney’s arc of scattered islands forms one of the world’s largest natural harbors, called Scapa Flow, which was used by Britain’s Royal Navy during wartime. During World War I, dozens of old ships and fishing vessels were intentionally sunk to block the gaps between the islets that define Scapa Flow. You can still see many of these “block ships” breaking the surface today.
At the end of World War I, a fleet of 74 captured German ships was anchored here. Exactly 100 years ago — just before the Treaty of Versailles was formally enacted — the British admiral took most of his ships out on a “victory lap” patrol. Once they were gone, the German commander ordered his men to scuttle the entire fleet, rather than turn it over. The interned ships had not actually surrendered, so there were no British soldiers on board. When the British returned, 52 German ships littered the bottom of the bay. While most of the ships were later salvaged for scrap, to this day, German crockery washes up on Orkney beaches after a storm.
Perched on a little rise above this harbor is Orkney’s most fascinating WWII site: the Italian Chapel. Italian POWs imprisoned here were allowed to create a Catholic chapel to remind them of their homeland. While the front view is a pretty NeoBaroque facade, if you circle around you’ll see that the core of the structure is two prefab huts (similar to Quonset huts). Inside, you can see the remarkable craftsmanship of the artists who decorated the church.
Even on a short visit, Orkney can be alluring for travelers seeking a contrast to the rest of Scotland. The islands’ claims to fame — astonishing prehistoric sites, Old Norse heritage, and recent history as a WWI and WWII naval base — combine to spur travelers’ imaginations.
Rick Steves (www.rick steves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@rick steves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.