Attractions

If you are visiting Alaska to see glaciers, then visiting Glacier Bay National Park, in southeast Alaska, about 60 miles northwest of Juneau, is probably your best bet. Accessible only by boat or plane, it is also one of the more expensive places to visit glaciers in Alaska, but with 16 tidewater glaciers to visit, you will certainly get your money’s worth. In preparation for your trip, read John Muir’s excellent account of his first sight of Glacier Bay in 1879, in Travels in Alaska.

Glacier National Park

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Shopping at the Saturday morning Farmer's Market in Downtown Sarasota, Florida

Greg Howe, chef de cuisine at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota’s Vernona Restaurant, is so passionate about fresh products that he’s created a “Market Lunch” program to educate people about Sarasota’s finest, freshest, and often organic produce. The monthly class, held on the last Saturday of the month between September and May, takes participants through Sarasota’s Farmer’s Market, where Chef introduces them to the farmers and producers from whom he buys many of Vernona’s fresh seafood, vegetables, and herbs.

The class begins at 9 a.m. in the Lobby Lounge of The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota where guests are offered coffee and an organic smoothie created by the chef. With drink in hand, the students depart for the Farmer’s Market. Chef Howe walks from stand to stand, explaining the difference between products, advantages of buying locally, and how to discern a “good” vegetable from a “bad”one. He answers questions and shares his knowledge while students touch, smell, and discuss the products. Read More »

Shenandoah National Park

Ski resorts, caverns, and the birthplace of President Woodrow Wilson are easily accessible from Virginia’s Interstate 81, but just a few miles to the east, a much slower pace can be found in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park.

Shenandoah National Park

Famous for: Beautiful vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Read More »

Top job as in high altitude job. Location – Peak of  3,560 ft tall mountain in Wales; Weather conditions:- Winds over 150mph (twice hurricane force), with over 5 metres of rain and temperatures of -20°C  (excluding wind chill).

Hafod Eryri

Hafod Eryri, Snowdon Mountain’s summit top visitor center and cafe, needs a new manager.

Hafod Eryri was once described by Prince Charles as the highest slum in Britain. To upp the stakes a bit for you, they spent £8.3 million and built a brand new building which opened last year.

That said, there isn’t much scope for you to make things worse. In the very short period since its opening, Hafod Eryri has managed to acquire a nasty reputation for long queues and a littered cafe.

Plus, the Daily Telegraph’s food critic said the cafe’s preheated sausage rolls and Knorr soup left him “sick to the pit” of his stomach.

If you’re willing to brave the elements and beat the bad rap and soup, then Welcome to the Snowdon Mountain Railway, your prospective employer.

Oh, and a word of warning about the warrior ghosts. At 3,560ft (1,085m) it is a true mountain and a place of legend – said to be the burial place of the giant ogre Rhita, vanquished by King Arthur. Some believe that Arthur’s Knights still sleep beneath. 

There is, however, one thing that offers hope for success – the natural beauty of Snowdonia and the scenic journey by train from Llanberis Station, with plenty to see in between – Hebron, Half Way Point, Rocky Valley, and the black volcanic rock face of Clogwyn du’r Arddu. All this topped with the majestic beauty of Yr Wyddfa, aka Snowdon, at the end of the rail.

With such beauty and the biggest attractions in Wales at your disposal, the tourists will come regardless – even if you continue Hafod Eryri’s stellar tradition of ineptitude. If you think you’re the right candidate for this job, please visit www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/

Photo by Patrick Mackie

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