Christopher Columbus, known as “the man who discovered America,” once remarked, “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” His wanderlust directed him westward to the Orient when he stumbled in the New World in 1492. This remarkable discovery altered the course of western history.
A visit to the city of Columbus, Ohio in the United States unraveled not just recollections of the intrepid explorer after which it was named but created an appreciation for the various interests and attractions this capital city has to offer. In the past, Cincinnati and Cleveland surpassed Columbus in popularity; but today, Columbus has flourished as it revels in its own homegrown culture, sports, entertainment with a peculiar vibe all its own.
Gracious Tita Lita Rodriguez who migrated here in the ‘80s, loves this city where peace and loving kindness among its citizens reign. A family reunion planned by her loving children Anna, Tony, Joefil and Angela brought us all here as we explored the city and its environs.
Our fond recollections include memories of strolling around the polar bear sanctuary at the famous Columbus Zoo of Jack Hanna fame on a sweltering Friday afternoon. The great white polar bear splatters around as it dives and somersaults in the ice-cold waters to the delight of the many spectators. It actually crossed my mind to dive in the freezing waters until I realized that it may be dangerous to get in the water with an over 1,000-pound polar bear. From here, we hastily walked over to the park’s newest attraction and acquisition, the stingray pond where one can actually pet and feed these slimy and graceful creatures.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is an adventure that features a world of natural wonders. The zoo has over 9,000 animals with 650 species from around the globe. Be delighted as polar bears swim above your head, greet the playful koalas and gorillas, be amused by the giant pachyderms and be amazed by the endearing manatees. The zoo, named No. 1 in America by USA Travel Guide provides more than $1 million annually to support over 70 conservation projects worldwide. A recreation and education destination, it also includes the 22-acre Zoombezi Bay Water Park and 18-hole Safari Golf Club.
Soon, a blast of air whipped over my skin, sending goose bumps up my spine. Perplexed, I stared up at the mighty sky that, to my recollection, had been immensely azure and clear just a minute ago. Thick ominous gray clouds spread for miles on the horizon. The ashen vale of clouds appeared like a rollercoaster as it lined the silvery heavens and one could hear a faster staccato pulse and finally a deluge of thunder and rain.
I learned that rain in Columbus is not very common but perhaps the surging temperatures caused the heavy downpour. From the zoo, our gregarious group decided to embark on another attraction — this time, down under. Here, we would be oblivious to the torrents of rain. We proceeded to the Ohio Caverns, an enchanting haven that seemed altogether like a different kingdom in itself. Far famed grottoes, underground glories and subterranean wonders abound here, leaving the spectator spellbound. Even the children in our group Ellie Rodriguez, Stevie and Sammy Cao and Rianne Mendoza truly enjoyed this amazing encounter with nature’s finest phenomena.
From comfortable walks, the tourist may view distant recesses into lands of enchantment. Each scene shows the magnificence of diamond-like crystal formations in unlimited shapes and sizes. When you enter the caverns, you are at a depth of 35 feet below the surface. The deepest point in the tour is 103 feet.
Seemingly timeless and ageless and known as America’s most colorful caverns, with an amazing crisp and very cool 54 degrees Fahrenheit temperature every single day of the year, it felt like we were in an air-conditioned wine cellar with dramatic stalactites and stalagmites as silent but powerful witnesses to our adventure. Caves like this are called show caves and are very popular here. The caves are well lit, well ventilated, very clean, and with competent guides who explain each and every priceless attraction. Imagine a 400,000-year-old stalactite called the Crystal King that is truly a geo-hedonist’s dream. The largest and most perfectly formed of the pure white crystal stalactites to be found in the cave, it is nearly five feet long.
Words and pictures are inadequate to describe the eclectic array of colors accented by the contrasting translucent crystals — fashioned by an Eternal Hand ages ago in total darkness. We all agreed that this is truly a gallery of the Creator’s finest art. Joefil even shared that he was considering the Ohio Caverns as a possible venue for his wedding to his fiancée Mae Aler in June 2013.
From the Ohio Caverns, we proceeded to the Wilds for the safari zip line. I didn’t expect that there were 10 amazing zip lines that allow you to explore the entire property that is filled with lakes, rainforests and animals like gazelles, giraffes, coyotes, rhinoceros, buffalos as well as swans and giant catfish. I was teasing my winsome companion Ellie that if we fell from the zip line into the mouth of an awaiting alligator in the lake, it would definitely be a Crocodile Dundee moment.
Jack Hanna’s “Into the Wild” takes viewers on excursions around the world through the eyes of America’s most beloved animal adventurer and his family. More than just a collection of animal escapades, “Into the Wild” provides insight into the protection and conservation of some of our planet’s most precious and endangered species. Into the Wild is unscripted and action packed — it takes you on a raucous ride, leaving you with a renewed appreciation for all creatures, great and small. Other attractions in Columbus include viewing the art collections at the Columbus Museum of Art and the magnificent roses at Whetstone Park. The Franklin Conservatory and Botanical Garden also boasts beautiful flora and fauna. The city is peppered with government landmarks, both historic and modern. You can savor celebrated attractions and explore the unique neighborhood in Central Ohio, home of the world’s largest traditional Christian church fellowships called Amish Mennonites. One of my favorite films, entitled Witness, tackles a story that unfolds in an Amish community that has always intrigued me. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress and reluctance to adapt to the convenience of modern technology. They reject pride and arrogance, consider big families as a blessing from God and place a high value on humility and submitting to the will of Jesus.
A visit to Columbus is never complete without a walk through the campus of the vibrant university, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Since this was Anna, Tony, Angela and her husband Phong Cao’s alma mater, it was a stroll down memory lane for each of them. Ohio State University is the third largest university campus in the United States. It is considered to be one of America’s Public Ivy universities, which recognizes top public research universities in the United States. With alumni living in all 50 states and 157 different nations, their significant consequence is more than sheer numbers. Famous alumni include astronaut Nancy Currie who flew four missions on the space shuttle while Charles Csuri is considered to be the father of computer animation. A vaccine against feline leukemia was developed by Richard Olsen, the moisture-proof cellophane was developed by a team of scientists led by William Hale Charche, car batteries were perfected by Charles Kettering and Tony Rodriguez was part of the team from the US National Science Foundation that funded the Atacama Large Millimeter/Sub millimeter Array, which is the most advanced radio telescope system used to discover new galaxies and study dark energy, dark matter and new patterns of the solar system.
Columbus City, just like its founder, is truly a land of diverse interests and attractions where its dynamic people have crossed the oceans without fear to lose sight of the shores.
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For more information, check the website of Discover Ohio.com. Philippine Airlines flies to SFO daily. For reservation, call 855-8888. Take a domestic flight from SFO to Columbus Airport.)
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E-mail the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.