Raul - ilivetotravel's travel log

Snowy Scenes from My Window Seat

19 February 2014 by Raul 7 Comments

As I departed from New York City via LaGuardia airport a week ago or so, I snapped some quick photos from my smartphone. Little did I realize how good the pictures would turn out (for a smartphone). The flight took off in a westerly direction, crossed Manhattan and the Hudson River into New Jersey after which the turn south began…

winter, snow, New York City, Manhattan, Hudson River, view from plane, New Jersey, photos, window seat

Taking off!

Right after take-off

Note the shadow of my plane in the water!

Block buildings…

The Hudson River

Over New Jersey

If someone can identify any of the parts of NY/NJ shown in these pictures, I’d love to know!

Filed Under: Special Photos, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: Hudson River, Manhattan, New Jersey, New York City, photos, snow, view from plane, window seat, winter

Travel Inspiring Reads – “Dark Star Safari”

17 February 2014 by Raul Leave a Comment

“Dark Star Safari – Overland from Cairo to Cape Town” presents the story of Paul Theroux’ overland crossing of Africa, quite the safari! (“Safari” means journey in Swahili.)

I enjoyed this book because it presented interesting topics:

Thought-provoking questions
Rich descriptions of places
Horror stories
Good history nuggets
Ideas for off-the-beaten-path places to visit.

Let’s go through these briefly…

Thought-provoking questions

While a book about travel, certainly part of travel is gaining an understanding of the local situation (at least for me). The author helps the reader gain an understanding of the current state and what makes it difficult for Africa to break bad cycles. For example, he points out how education in some of the countries suffers because those that have education and could be teachers are pulled by foreign NGOs for other activities (though I think he misses the point that often what those people go do is to try to help while also further developing capacity in these would-be teachers). He also discusses with people he meets the issues introduced by corruption and mis-management without writing a dissertation about it.

One thing that was unfortunate is that the author seemed interested in putting down NGOs (“the agents of virtue in white Land-Rovers”) wherever he could which is unfortunate since many do very good work on behalf of those in need (even if not all are perfect; many have learned and evolved their approaches). It is unfortunate in my opinion since it gives the impression that he has a chip on his shoulder and, as a reader, that diminishes my appreciation for his critical thinking (though it does not impact my appreciation of his writing effort). Also, I would worry that readers unfamiliar with the questions and topics involved may just take his word for it.

Rich descriptions of places

The rich descriptions he captures of what he sees make you want to explore the places he visits. For example, this is his description of Bayna l-Qasrayn, a street in Cairo:

“Perhaps the oldest inhabited street in the high-density city of Cairo, one thousand years of donkey droppings, hawkers’ wagons, barrow boys, veiled women, jostling camels, hand-holding men, and hubble-bubble smoker, among mosques and princes’ palaces, and a bazaar with shops selling trinket, brass pots and sack of beans…”

I also enjoyed relating to some of his observations, not dissimilar to my own. For example, in many hotels in Egypt there are metal detectors. I often wondered what were they really good for should someone just decide to park a truck full of explosives in front of a hotel. He is much more eloquent than me as he shares his observations on security while in Aswan:

“There were metal detectors at the entrances to most buildings though they were seldom used and seemed more symbolic than practical… Certainly the electricity supply was unreliable and there seemed to be a labor shortage. The armed men, with assault rifles slung at their sides, meant to reassure the tourists simply looked sinister and added to the atmosphere of menace.”

Horror stories

His description of travel through southern Ethiopia and Kenya to Nairobi is filled with frustrating anecdotes and mis-adventures. Unhelpful government people, bad roads, vehicle breakdowns, touts and thieves, etc. all color this part of trip. You suffer with him and then remember to be happy you are not him. Good reading though!

Good history nuggets

The book also included great nuggets of history which certainly pleased this fan of history. It informed me about Italy’s horrible choices when it came to Ethiopia since the late 19^th century – a story I had never heard about. In 1896, the Ethiopians trounced 20,000 invaders from the Italian army at Adwa (a place I had never heard of). Those poor young men, sent there by crazy leadership ill-equipped, for no good reason, to die or otherwise suffer. Unfortunately, all these created resentment that the Fascists in the 1930s wanted to act on. So off they went (with poison gas and all) to invade Ethiopia whose fighters were still using the same weapons from the 1896 era… (Don’t mean to pick on Italy, by the way… History is loaded with ugly decisions by many!)

Ideas for off-the-beaten places to visit

The book introduces a reader like me to places I had never ever heard of but that I may enjoy visiting. For example, his inclusion of Lalibela in Ethiopia where there are twelfth century Coptic churches carved into the mountains adds to my already-existing desire to explore Ethiopia!

Favorite quote

One of the pieces of wisdom he heard in north Sudan during this safari struck me as universally true and is my favorite quote of the book:

“The criterion is how you treat the weak. The measure of civilized behavior is compassion.” – Sadig el Mahdi

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While the author can come across a little self-absorbed or sanctimonious, the story of his crossing Africa overland is gripping and well-written, sharing a lot more than just a narrative of adventures and mis-adventures. I wish I could do that trip… Maybe.

Filed Under: Africa, Travel Reads Tagged With: adventure, Africa, Cairo, Ethiopia, inspiration, journal, reading, travel book

The Power Capitals: Washington, D.C., Beijing and London

14 February 2014 by Raul Leave a Comment

When I was a kid (some would argue I am still one), I was fascinated with knowing capital cities and flags. Not really sure why, perhaps it was an early predictor of future sanity. I was pondering the other day that there are countries that I have visited whose capital cities I have not than I thought. So I started thinking which capital cities have I visited and could there be some common thread to some of them. That led me to think of a new series to briefly chat about the capital cities I have visited.

White House, Washington D.C., DC, center of power, President's residence, US flag, photo

The White House, literally and/or figuratively, the world’s center of power

In this group, I’d thought I’d include some capitals that represent power centers. While I could add a few others, those fit better within future categories I will be sharing. For this post of power centers, I have chosen to include: Beijing, Washington, D.C., and London.

Entrance to the Forbidden City Beijing, China bicycles cars pollution

Entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing just north of Tiananmen Square

These are certainly global power centers for financial and political reasons. But they could not be any more different from each other. The following statements, of course, are up for discussion and challenge but they sort of indicate how I “feel” these power centers:

Whereas London exudes history, D.C. has it but as a secondary or tertiary theme to its power center persona, whereas Beijing seems hell-bent on destroying its fascinating history.
Whereas Beijing is exotic to me, D.C. exudes a vibrancy that is uncommon for me and that thrills me, and London exhibits a self-assured calm that almost makes it familiar, yet not exotic nor vibrant.
While London feels cozy as you spend time in its neighborhoods (despite its incredible size), Beijing feels large and cold. And D.C. … well at times it feels just like a large political amusement park until you explore what’s behind “public D.C.”.
All three can feel impersonal, but I think once you get to know London and D.C. that changes with the only difference being that D.C. seems more transient than London does, making London more of a place where one can grow deep roots.

Where I would live? I would say D.C. hands down. In fact, in any list, this would be on my top three places to live. I feel the energy and it transcends the political activity-related energy. I love walking the treed streets of the city, admiring architecture new and old, and discovering places to hang out (London does offer some of this.)

Where I would learn the most? I would say Beijing with its long history and fascinating culture.

Where I felt people warmth? London would have an edge on D.C. but, in reality, none, I’d venture say, excel at people warmth. Not sure if that is related to the power center nature of the city, the culture of the country/city, or some other factor (like it just takes time to feel it).

Any big gripe on any of these? The pollution in Beijing is about the worst I’ve experienced. I got sick from it, putting a big damper on my time there. And no “nearby Rio de Janeiro” (as Sao Paulo has) for me to go “heal.” 🙂

Where would I love to return? Sure, I’d enjoy going back to London but D.C. would be it. Beijing… Been there, done that. I’d rather learn about China through other places.

The City, London, England, United Kingdom, power center, capital city, financial center

London is a power center, especially in global finance

Of course, different strokes for different folks – what’s delicious to me may be bland to another so take it all with a grain of salt and share your impressions of any of these cities if you have visited them! Regardless, these are fascinating cities to explore.

Filed Under: Asia, Europe, United Kingdom, US & Canada Tagged With: Beijing, capital cities, China, country, D.C., DC, London, power center, travel, UK, USA, Washington

Brașov : The Gem of Transylvania

12 February 2014 by Raul 13 Comments

In 2012, I was fortunate to hike in the Transylvanian Alps in Romania for four days. It was a wonderful experience as it was trekking with purpose: to help orphaned kids in a Romanian orphanage in the town of Brașov (pronounced BRA-shov). I have shared about the hike and the service aspects of this incredible trek. But what I have not done is pay the town of Brașov its due… You see, Brașov was totally unexpected for me given my limited exposure to Romania before this trip. Also, it was unexpected after spending a couple of days in Bucharest. Brașov could not be any more different than its counterpart south of the mountains. And that may be true of many towns in Romania if my visit to Iași added further to the case…

Headed towards city council (the tower) and main square of Brașov

Brașov, Romania, Black Church, White Tower, Black Tower, Transylvania

Black Church and the White and Black Towers on the hill

German Saxons were influential in shaping the region and this town going as far back as the 12th century when the Hungarian overlords of the area brought these industrious folks to help develop the area. Brașov could be said was founded by Teutonic Knights but even after they left, the settlers stayed continuing to influence this town, so much so, that German is still an important language in the area (I found just as many people who spoke German there as English) though some of that could be due to more modern reasons too. In any case, all you need to do is look at the architecture of this beautiful town surrounding a good bit by mountains to see what I mean. You feel you are in maybe some part of Germany or Austria in the old part of the town.

Brașov, Romania, Transylvania, architecture

Beautiful buildings everywhere

Detail on an old building

Some of the key sights and sites of the town include:

The Black Church, one of the largest (if not the largest) Gothic churches in southeastern Europe
The Black Church

Clock of the Black Church
The old city gates that remain (Catherine’s which is the only original medieval gate still standing, and Şchei which is more recent from the 1820s)
The medieval city walls and fortifications, which you can get onto and walk pieces of it to see some of and go up the old towers (the White and Black towers)
The White Tower (I hope that is self-evident!)

The Black Tower, which does not look as black as the White Tower looks white!
The main square or piața (Piața Sfatului) with all the cafés and lively scene
Brașov’s main square or piata full of life (and pigeons!)

Musicians playing on a street leading to the piata on a summer night
Rope Street, the narrowest street in Romania
The first Romanian school (originally built in 1495 and re-built almost a century later into the current structure) sits next to St. Nicholas Church (which itself dates from the 16th century) and its small but interesting museum (we got a fun and lively short lecture by a priest named Vasile on the history of the school)
St. Nicholas Church in Brașov

Brașov is not only rich in history and architecture but it is also a perfect spot to explore Transylvania (which is WAY more than Bran’s Castle!) and from which to launch any summer or winter sports activities. The hiking is phenomenal with beautiful landscapes that feel untouched by modernity and I can only imagine how neat the skiing is!

Street art near the main post office

And the food, oh, the food! I loved it!

fried pork chunks, onions, Romanian food

Fried pork chunks – mmm!!!!

dessert, Brasov, Romania, food, delicious, travel

Deliciousness

Fresh from the bakery!

Here a couple of images showing the range of “interesting” to be found in doors around town!

Near St. Nicholas Church

door, tilted door, Brasov, Romania, red door

Was someone drunk? Or am I?

I enjoyed my days in Brașov before and after the hike and can safely say this is a MUST when visiting Romania.

Filed Under: Europe, Romania, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, Black Church, Brasov, First Romanian School, food, German Saxons, medieval city walls, Romania, tower

Anatomy of a Business Trip to NYC

10 February 2014 by Raul 15 Comments

I have been traveling for business a long time. From weekly trips to the same location for months on end (Toronto, Chile, Wichita, New Jersey) to the occasional international trip for a couple of weeks (Nice, Sao Paulo) to a day trip (Montreal, Munich). Mercifully, I have rarely been involved in the one-city-per-day-on-a-given-week – which I am grateful as that is truly loaded with all sorts of travel hell. Business travel may sound glamorous but most people will tell you it is far from it. It can be grueling, frustrating, fun, life-interrupting, rewarding – and often all at the same time.

As I was flying home yesterday from my most recent business trip, I’d thought I’d break down a sample, short business trip.

Destination: The Big Apple. Can one complain? The days were beautiful if very cold.

Empire State Building, New York City, NYC, Manhattan, blue sky, clouds, architecture

Picture perfect day!

Companions: 2 colleagues, not necessarily flying together

Purpose: Meet two companies who are partners.

Duration: The trip was to be two days worth of business meetings.

Airport of choice: LaGuardia. Pluses: It is a little closer to Manhattan, easier to get to. In addition, bad as the airport is, it is small and manageable. The flip side is that Delta flies better planes to JFK with larger business class cabins which seemingly would improve the odds of my getting my complimentary upgrades and seats that are much more comfortable in business class.

Class flown: On the way up, no complimentary upgrade: economy, exit row window. On the way back, upgraded right before boarding to bulkhead window. Bulkhead not my favorite but better than coach!

Cost: This all got decided a little over two weeks ahead of time but me being part of the traveling group was decided a little over a day ahead of the 7-day advance purchase of the ticket so the flight from Atlanta to NYC ran about $490.

Lodging: I was trying to find a hotel that had a good rate and close to at least one of the offices we were visiting and likely not too far from the places where the others were staying. None of us stayed in the same hotel but ended up within a block or two of each other. I stayed at a boutique hotel from Marriott’s Autograph Collection. Downside: no executive lounge. Upside: they gave you a breakfast voucher to the bistro that connects to the hotel which ended up being quite a good deal. And the room was not as small as I typically expect when I hear “boutique hotel.”

Friends seen: This business trip was likely to not afford me free time to see people I know including two cousins who live in NYC. However, I could not just not see anyone so I booked a flight for the night before the meetings and made sure my arrival would allow me time for dinner. So I called one of my cousins who I knew lived close by and I went to have dinner with him and his wife.

Travel hassles: Zero. Yep, you heard it. I have shared before my pet peeves about inflight experiences but none on this trip! It was a close one, though, as the morning of my arrival day, NYC had been blanketed with snow/sleet so flights that morning from Atlanta had been cancelled. The afternoon flights proceeded without issue. And one big reward: since many people stayed home, heading into Midtown from LaGuardia at 6 PM took all of 23 minutes as there was NO traffic out and about! My one concern heading into this trip was that I needed to be home early Friday night and, knowing LaGuardia and its track record on on-time departures, I was worried my Friday evening would be ruined. The flight left on time and I was home by 5:30PM -> success!

Dining experiences: My cousin and his wife took me to Stanton Social on the Lower East Side. We enjoyed a small plate dinner. The French Onion soup dumplings were awesome as were the barrio-style taquitos, the chicken and waffle, and my hot chocolate shot (dessert). The next evening, the folks we met with in the afternoon took us to a pub called Puck Fair, which ended up being about a half mile from I had eaten the night before so it turns out my dinners were centered around Houston St. Puck Fair is supposed to disappear in a few months as those buildings will be razed for new development which is a shame. The pub, which maybe has been around for a decade, is made to look ancient lending it great pub ambiance. For the second night in a row, my dinner was was small plates. This time shredded pork sandwich sliders, mini burger sliders, sausage rolls, curry French fries, cheeses, and they were all delicious. That and 4 pints of Guinness. We had a great time hearing stories and getting to know each other. Of course, hanging with my cousin and his wife was far more enjoyable but I was glad the second night wasn’t a stuffy business dinner – far from it!

Business: I had never been in NYC for business which surprises me after a long career in consulting. So it was cool to see NYC through slightly different lenses than I was used to. The business objectives of the trip were accomplished which is important since the nuisance of travel for a short visit would have felt worse had the meetings not been productive. But they were, I learned a good bit, and it is good to connect faces with names and voices. I am glad the trip took place.

On the “even better” category: Because I was upgraded on the way back, I was able to get a larger tray table which makes working on the laptop so much easier. That and my glass of wine made me very productive so all the to do’s out of the meetings were taken care of en route home so these to do’s will not pile on to my regular load of work when I return to the office on Monday. Success!

So, this trip is one for the books now (or for the blog??)!

Do you travel for business? Any stories worth sharing (as this one did not offer the usual drama of airports, loud fellow passengers, delays, etc.)??

Filed Under: New York, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: business travel, dining, food, Manhattan, New York City

Photo of the Week: Tanyard Creek Reflection

8 February 2014 by Raul 3 Comments

Tanyard Creek reflection on a beautiful February winter day. 150 yrs ago this coming July, this area was a bloody battlefield during the Peachtree Creek battle in the U.S. Civil War.

Filed Under: Georgia, US & Canada Tagged With: Atlanta, Civil War, nature, photo, Tanyard Creek

Boarding Pass Series: Hats off, TWA!

6 February 2014 by Raul 1 Comment

Many, and I mean, MANY, years ago I had the pleasure of flying Trans-World Airlines, or “TWA“, a now-defunct airline absorbed by a lesser player many years ago. This airline, steeped in aviation history, had an incredible international route system and rivaled the likes of PanAm (and outlasted it by a few years).

I got to fly it only domestically in the U.S. but grew to love it quickly with its friendly flight attendants and the occasional -and welcome- complimentary first class upgrades without having to accumulate a gazillion miles before being treated to a free upgrade… (Much better than airlines these days…) And those flight attendants in first class did pour the wine gleefully and frequently even in short flights. Not in an “I-do-the-first-serving-as-part-of-the-standard-thing” and “maybe-come-by-and-offer-you-a-refill-out-of-obligation-and-more-only-if-you-happen-to-catch-me-or-ring-me”, as many U.S. airlines do today. No, they really just were happy to keep you happy! As a freshly minted 24-year old traveling for business, seeing myself flying high and mightily in a first class seat being poured the wine (or beverage of my choice) freely, I did not pass up the opportunities… (I think back and see myself as a 24-year old wondering what people around me thought; me with my briefcase (no laptops back then!) with my baby face, sitting in first place probably not quite looking like I belonged. I was fortunate to have experiences like that… (but they came with brutal work schedules as I was a grunt in a large management consulting firm…).

So, ex-TWA-ers, if you read this, hats off to you. And that earns you this boarding pass series post. Thanks for the good rides! Miss ya.

Read some more Boarding Pass Series entries!

Headed to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
And Constantinople bound! OK, Istanbul…
Finally, to my hometown airline, looking at the beverage options back in the 1980s with Delta

Filed Under: Boarding Pass Series Tagged With: airline, boarding pass, boarding pass TWA, first class, flying, history, service, Trans-World, TWA

At Punta Cana and Altos de Chavon in the Dominican Republic

4 February 2014 by Raul 6 Comments

My family does enjoy the beach more so one of the options when we travel together and are not hitting a cruise (a great way for us to travel together) is to go to a nice resort. A few years back, we chose to go to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, where we stayed at a Riu resort. We lived for many years next door in Puerto Rico and were quite familiar with the Dom. Rep. since there were many Dominicans in P.R. and you heard about it often enough in TV. But I had never gone.

Now, I am not known to be the type to lay at a beach for hours on end, days on end. I like my time in the beach to be an hour or two, most of that in the shade of some tree (or umbrella) enjoying the breezes and sounds of the sea – a most relaxing activity. Couple that with a beverage and it is perfect. Then I get bored. Sure, a dip in the water or two helps. And then I move on.

Punta Cana

Punta Cana is on the eastern coast of the Dom. Rep. – almost exactly on the easternmost tip of the Hispaniola, pointing towards Puerto Rico. There are many resorts in the area at all price levels. The beaches are Caribbean prime. Why go further from North America with places like this at its doorstep! The resort had a great beach and great pools – areas we enjoyed on a daily basis even if sometimes I just hung out under the shade napping or reading a book. Of course, food is part of the enjoyment of a good vacation and we ate pretty well. The room was very spacious and very nicely done – that’s all REAL wood, not pressed wood…

My nephew enjoying the resort room while playing his beloved video games!

Altos de Chavón, La Romana

But, the itch to explore is never down-and-out with me so we did plan for a day of seeing the countryside and visiting a couple of places we had heard about before. One, the basilica of Altagracia in Higüey, was on our way out to La Romana so it was an easy stop to admire this massive church. At La Romana, we visited Altos de Chavón, a charming recreation of any-town Middle Age Europe, complete with an amphitheater that has been used by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Duran Duran, and Julio Iglesias.

Altos de Chavon, Dominican Republic, La Romana, travel,

Beautiful medieval European architecture with tropical foliage!

Altos de Chavon, Dominican Republic, La Romana, travel, skinny cat

The skinniest cat I have seen. It was tough being a medieval cat!

Altos de Chavon, Dominican Republic, La Romana, travel, , door

Charming details around the town

Altos de Chavon, Dominican Republic, La Romana, travel, amphitheater

The amphitheater – would love to see a show here

We all enjoyed walking around, exploring the town, looking at the shops and, why not, even a burro ride!

Altos de Chavon, La Romana, Dominican Republic, girl on a burro

My niece enjoying a ride around the town

On the way out we crossed the Chavon River which offered incredible views! Leaving this corner of paradise was hard to do but this view was a nice departing gift!

fly over, Punta Cana, resorts, sea, beaches, Dominican Republic

View of Punta Cana resorts from the plane

Have you been to the Dominican Republic? What are your favorite spots there?

Filed Under: Dominican Republic, Travel Journal Tagged With: Altos de Chavon, beach, Caribbean, Dominican Republic, La Romana, Punta Cana, resort, travel, vacation

Sights of Pucón, Chile

31 January 2014 by Raul 12 Comments

Many moons ago, I spent a few days in a beautiful corner of Chile: Pucón. Pucón, about 480 mi (775 km) south of Santiago, sits on the eastern shorelines of Lake Villarica in the region called Araucanía, looked over by the Villarica volcano. The town by now has gained reknown for its beautiful setting and the opportunity for great outdoor activities (skiing, hiking, white river rafting, hot springs, etc.). Maybe it is now a little too popular but its setting is definitely gifted and well worth going down the beaten path to it. Warning: The photos are “vintage”, meaning pre-digital and by a dozen years or so! They may not do justice to this part of Chile – but I hope you can imagine…

“A” Marks the Spot

Nine of us drove down in a minivan, leaving Santiago in the early evening and arriving early the next morning after I-don’t-know-how-many-hours of driving down the Panamerican Highway which was one lane in each direction most of the way (back then). Thankfully, I didn’t have driving duties so I could try to sleep some. It was a fun group and a fun ride!

In Pucón

Once in Pucón, we stayed at a hotel on the shores of Lake Villarica, not far from the town itself but not in it. It was an idyllic spot with a peaceful view of the lake, home-cooked meals, and easy access to the places we wanted to go.

Welcome to Pucón

The lake-facing side of the hotel

The Villarica volcano

One of our first outings was to go up the Villarica volcano, to the top of the ski slopes that sit on it. Ski season had just ended so I was bummed as I would have loved to ski down a volcano!

The Villarica volcano on nice day

The top of the Villarica volcano once we drove up as far as we could. Shame ski season was over!

Our group (minus 3) at the volcano

Salto del León

We were lucky that one in our group knew the area as his sister had a house in Pucón. That got us to see some places perhaps less visited by, er, visitors. El Salto del León was one of these places. Beautiful waterfalls in a gorgeous setting.

Salto del León

The Trancura Valley

The Trancura River is born in the Andes near Pucón and runs its course to the Pacific Ocean. Snow melt contributes to its waters and the rapid fall in altitude makes its waters fast. Perfect for white water rafting. I had never white water rafted before and was not sure about it but it was lots of fun though the water was FRIGID and we were ill-prepared for that!

That area, sort of east-southeast of Pucón, was simply beautiful. Lush greens and other vegetation, old bridges, and little development made me feel I was enjoying a unique place.

Trancura, Pucon, Chile, river, nature, outdoors

Scenes from the Trancura Valley

old bridge, Pucón, Chile, Villarica, Trancura

We were not certain our minivan could cross this bridge. We all got out & left only the one driving stay in it!

The fearless group (minus the photographer!)

When I returned to Chile in 2010, I wanted to return to Pucón but there was so much of Chile I had not seen yet that those places (the Atacama desert, Patagonia, etc.) took precedence and my time there ended without returning to Pucón. But, oh, I shall return!

Filed Under: Chile, Travel Journal Tagged With: adventure, Araucania, Chile, nature, outdoors, pucon, trancura, Villarica, volcano, waterfall

The Timeless Capitals: Rome, Athens, Cairo

29 January 2014 by Raul 7 Comments

I have traveled to a good bunch of countries and hope to add more over time. Most of the time, that means I have visited their capital cities even if briefly. Rare is the case where I have not visited a capital city of a country I have been to. Honduras, Mexico and the Dominican Republic come to mind. Tanzania does too, now that I think about it, since Dodoma -not Dar es Salaam- is its capital. I thought it would be cool to do a series of the capitals I have visited… Let’s start with the timeless!

The timeless capital cities

One cannot argue that there are cities that are timeless. Many are not capital cities. But as the theme is capital cities, I will pick three that are timeless fully aware that I am stating the obvious given the choices: Rome, Athens, and Cairo.

Just thinking about the “youngest” one of these goes back a couple of thousands of years. Mind boggling. )Of course, there are much younger capital cities that I could call timeless too.) Going to any of these can be daunting with all the possibilities to explore the ancient, the old, and the recent (say, last 200 hundred years??).

Athenas – Atenas – Athina

Athens may be the easiest to navigate in terms of this but it still requires time to learn all about it. It also merits exploring the “recent” not just the old or ancient. In any of these cities, one can get stuck just on the archeology or history “touring” and miss the vibrant cities they are now, their history notwithstanding.

Acropolis, Athens. modern Athens, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

The modern outskirts of Athens towards Piraeus

A juxtaposition of modern Athens and old Athens

Rome – Roma

Rome has such depth that one could just focus on the Roman Empire period, or just the food, or just the Catholic, or just the modern life – and spend weeks on any of the topics. A first visit to Rome can really consume one in the key sights to be seen – and that is OK, no reason to stress about it. But either carve out time for, or plan to return for, diving in to the other experiences. And don’t worry, Rome is eternal so it will all still be around for your next visit!

Pantheon, Rome, Italy, Panteon, Roma, architecture, photo, Canon EOS Rebel, travel

The old: Pantheon

food, carbonara, Italian food, Rome, Italy, food porn, Olympus

The food: Carbonara – my favorite dish to have in Rome!

Olympus, St. Peter's at night, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, architecture, night time

The Catholic: St. Peter’s Square at night

Tourist, Pantheon, Rome, Italy, Canon EOS Rebel, photo, travel

The visitor: Is this a Roman look-alike soaking in the incredible Pantheon?

Cairo – El Cairo – La Caire – Al-Qaherah – القاهرة‎

About Cairo, what I can safely state is that it is one complex city! For someone not used to large cities in countries where one doesn’t speak the language or one is not familiar with the culture, it can be overwhelming. I felt that way on my first day there during my first visit. And then you start walking around, sensing the vibe, having contact with the friendly locals, and the city opens up differently than expected. Yes, there are key sights to be seen – the “musts,” but in Cairo, as in other places, the best part is the “experiencing,” not just the touring (I am not an anti-touring snob, just a proponent of experiencing!). I believe it totally change what Cairo is in our minds to become more immersed (to the extent one can in a one week visit…).

Pyramids, Cheops, Giza, Cairo, Egypt, travel, architecture, ancient Egypt

The “musts”: The Giza pyramids

Cairo, Le Caire, Egypt, shisha pipe, hookah, chilling, experience, travel, photo

The “experiences”: At the Grand Bazaar

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These cities are timeless for their longevity and history yet they could also be grouped into other categories in this series. I preferred placing them in the timeless group as they serve witness to the development of civilization, to the evolution of how we humans operate, and to the great achievements of the past while yet being alive in this modern world – not just being city-museums. So go and explore these timeless capitals!

tourists, Italy, Canon EOS Rebel, baby carrier

Tourists enjoying a timeless capital: Rome!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these cities if you have visited – or how you envision them if you have not!

Filed Under: Africa, Europe, Travel Journal Tagged With: Athens, Cairo, Canon EOS Rebel, capital cities, country, Egypt, Greece, history, Italy, photo, Rome, timeless, travel

Photo of the Week – Sunset over Alta

27 January 2014 by Raul 7 Comments

A decade or so ago, I tried skiing in Alta, Utah for the first and only time. But it is not only because I did not like it: I LOVED it. But the friends I ski with live in Colorado and when I’ve gone to visit and go ski, they have chosen ski areas closer to them (and I am not complaining: I’ve discovered many a place I like there too).

Among the many things I loved about my time in Alta was the time we went up in a cat to a ridge to watch the sun set. A relative of my friends worked grooming slopes so he got special permission to take us up on a fun ride to the ridge.

Nothing like a beautiful sunset!

Filed Under: Special Photos, US & Canada, Utah Tagged With: Alta, mountain, ski, sky, sunset, Utah

The Foshay Tower: A View from Above in Minneapolis

22 January 2014 by Raul 2 Comments

Whenever I go to a new town, I seek to take a peek at it from a good vantage point. That usually means a climb or a ride up somewhere (read about my favorite “climbs” in Europe). When I recently went to Minneapolis, I asked where could I go for a view from above. The Foshay Tower was the answer.

Foshay Tower, Minneapolis, architecture, art deco, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel, Minnesota

Meet the Foshay Tower!

Foshay Tower, Minneapolis, architecture, art deco, travel, photo, Olympus, Minnesota

Poster depicting the tower – neat!

The tower, completed in 1929 and inspired on the Washington Monument, was converted from an office building into a W Hotel in 2008. To go up to the museum and the observation deck, one buys a ticket for a nominal fee at the front desk of the hotel. The interior of that area of the hotel is of the period when the hotel was built (art deco) but updated for a hotel lobby. I really liked the elevators as they made me feel I was going back to the time when the hotel was built.

The museum at the top provides the history of the tower and was small enough to check it out before stepping outside for the views. Newer buildings have been erected close to the tower so the views are not completely open all around but, as the photos may show, these buildings can provide interesting targets for photos or even help frame photos.