From Suite to Tent: What Made Accommodations Memorable in Jordan

19 July 2013 by Raul 17 Comments

Throughout all my travels, I have experienced different types of accommodations. A rented apartment in Tuscany, Krakow, Paris and Sofia. No-frills basic hotels in Stone Town, Moshi, Aswan and Brasov. Bed & breakfasts in Sonoma, the Dordogne, and Tavistock. Middle-of-the-road hotels in Reston, Stellenbosch and Venice. Top-of-the-line in Santiago de Chile, Mykonos, Boca Raton, and Washington D.C. And a camping tent in Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The type of place I stay at is not happenstance – though staying at a youth hostel in my very late 30s in Oslo was due to no hotels being available for my business trip… quite the experience! I select the type of place I stay at based on many factors, such as:

am I going solo or with others
nature of the trip (business or personal)
am I staying in one place for the most part or roaming
what I want to spend,
what am I looking to experience in this vacation (I may only need a bed or I may want to enjoy a royal experience in my lodging).

But seldom do I experience many types of lodging in one trip. And that’s exactly what I did in my recent trip to Jordan. My trip to Jordan confirmed for me that that special something is what makes accommodations truly enjoyable and memorable (which is just as important as enjoying them at the moment!) regardless of the type of accommodation.

Here are the places I stayed at and why they each became as memorable a part of my trip as the many of the sights and sites I got to see in awesome Jordan.

Standard nice hotel

I got to continue my Marriott stays quite accidentally (as I did not have a hand in choosing this time), in both Amman and Petra. Marriotts give you that standard feel that provides continuity for the very frequent traveler who moves around towns and hotels. I can count on standard amenities, service and comfort in these.

The Amman Marriott first surprises because it feels like it is in the middle of a neighborhood. Then you have to go through security – and odd thing but one that I am sure they do to keep me safe and unconcerned. I felt both. The restaurant offers a great breakfast buffet. The outdoor pool area is spacious enough but there is ALSO an indoor pool and and jacuzzi so something for everyone’s water preferences. The hallways in the room floors feel very luxurious and the rooms are nicer than the regular Marriott I have experienced and I separate this from the room I actually got which was an upgrade due to my Platinum Elite status with the chain: I got quite a nice suite!!!

Marriott Amman Jordan lobby photo Canon EOS Rebel

Amman Marriott: A great lobby to hang out and read your paper

The Petra Marriott is a smaller hotel than the one in Amman – but what it lacks in size (no executive lounge, for example) it makes up for in the view. The hotel faces the mountains around Petra from a high vantage point which makes it a great place to watch sunset as well! The breakfast buffet was also smaller when compared to the Amman one and the staff not as “going out of their way” but it was still a good breakfast.

Lobby area

Atrium

Beautiful sunset looking towards the mountains by Petra

Sunset view towards Petra and the hotel’s pool area

Clearly the view from the Petra Marriott made it most memorable but that feeling of arriving at a “second home”-type of place was also pretty darn cool.

Roughing it in a camp

One night we actually “roughed” it at Camp Rummana in the Dana Biosphere Reserve where one can see nature at its best is this part of Jordan. I put rough in quote because, though sleeping in a tent and using a common bathroom facility are not high-styling it, these tents beat the tent I slept in while climbing Kilimanjaro for sure. The tents were spacious and they had mattresses on the ground. There was a common bathroom facility (a hike away if you woke up in the middle of the night and “had to go”) with showers and also a dining area where we had our meals. Closer to the sleeping tents, was a set of large tents to hang out after dinner before bedtime – true to the Bedouin way.

Inside of a tent in Camp Rummana in the Dana Biosphere Reserve Olympus

A mattress and the basics

tents, Rummana camp, Jordan, Dana Biosphere Reserve

The sleeping tent area of the Rummana camp

Dining area in Camp Rummana in Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan

The dining area. No, he is not a giant.

Nothing like being so close to nature to make a place memorable and the Rummana Camp definitely connected me with the great setting.

An ecolodge

After the hike through the Dana-Feynan canyon, we arrived exhausted at the Feynan Ecolodge, right in the heart of the Dana Biosphere Reserve. It has been rated one of the world’s top 50 ecolodges by National Geographic’s Adventure magazine. A partnership between the Royal Conservation Society of Jordan and EcoHotels, this lodge seeks to fit in not only with the terrain but also by respecting the local traditions and culture and providing the opportunity for an economic livelihood for the locals of the area. There is a LOT that is done right by this ecolodge, so remote from main roads and anything urban yet surrounded by some incredible landscapes and skies as well as by the welcoming Bedouins of the area.

The ecolodge as one approaches it – unassuming!

Feynan is an ecolodge which means little or no electricity available (you can re-charge your device on one of two power outlets in the lobby) which is tough but, at the same time, we are too connected some times so maybe this is a good break? It also means it only offers vegetarian fare as meat would require refrigeration. But the food was delicious and quite diverse much to my surprise! The rooms are very nice; no frills but nice. Each has its own bathroom. Oh and water is free – straight from a mineral spring so it is safe to drink! Now, if it is a hot time of the year, know that the rooms have no fans or A/C (of course) – but you are here for the adventure, right? Finally, it also has a rooftop telescope – a great place to explore the skies at night.

Room at Feynan Ecolodge in Jordan's Dana Biosphere Reserve Olympus

Room at the ecolodge

Earthen jar or pitcher in the Feynan Ecolodge - mineral watier

Earthen pitcher of mineral water awaits in the room

The ability to get close to the locals without being taken to a “shop” definitely made the Feynan Ecolodge quite memorable to me as was the interesting sunset I got to watch.

A place with an experience

After exploring the Wadi Rum by pick-up truck well into the evening, we arrived at a Captain’s Desert Private Camp to spend the night. But it was not just to have dinner and spend the night. There was to be music and more of a soirée experience. The tents were different than the Rummana Camp‘s but no worse, no better. There was a nice area to have dinner and hang out, and, in fact, some folks opted to sleep there under the stars. What was really cool about this place was that it was nested in canyon walls and it was beautiful in the morning.

Captain desert camp in the Wadi Rum, Jordan

Tents in Captain’s Desert Camp

Hanging out at the camp

The Bedouin experience and the setting made the Captain’s Desert Camp quite a memorable place to stay. I wish I had been feeling 100% that night to enjoy it more!

A hideaway

We got to stay at this hideaway two times each for one night. The Evason Ma’in Six Senses hotel may have some details to work out, mainly in its managerial/front office efforts, but the place is in an idyllic and very secluded setting. Further, it provides great comfort in its rooms, offers great views, and is around hot springs that offer great relaxation.

Room at the Evason Ma'in Six Senses hotel in Jordan

Room. Really like the wooden shutter doors and spacious comfort

Lobby of the Evason Ma'in Six Senses hotel in Jordan

Lobby area

Detail of the lobby area

The uniqueness of the setting and the proximity and relative isolation of the hot springs as well as the inviting rooms made this place a memorable part of my trip.

And the “living-it-up” resort

My last night in Jordan was by the Dead Sea, where great resorts are located. I stayed at the Mövenpick, a 5-star resort with a great view, a great offering in terms of food and fun, and an interesting design whether in architectural details or in the concept itself.

Movepick resort Dead Sea Jordan luxury comfort

Incredible details in the decorations at the main entrance

The room was not as luxurious as I would have expected but it was comfortable and spacious for sure.

The hotel grounds had several pools including one only for adults (closest to the Dead Sea).

Pools Movenpick hotel resort Dead Sea Jordan Olympus

One of the all-ages pool overlooking the Dead Sea

The main hotel building had many different areas to lounge in with very nice decorations and details. The restaurant was outstanding in the diversity and quality of the buffet it offered for dinner and breakfast.

Room

Lounge Movenpick resort by the Dead Sea in Jordan Olympus

One of the many sitting areas

At night there was an area that offered music and belly dancing without the corniness typically associated with belly dancing in the U.S. (where there HAS to be audience participation); you could just really appreciate the art form here without worrying you were going to be called upon to make a fool of yourself…

Movenpick Dead Sea Jordan resort outdoor Olympus

Outdoor area for drinks and entertainment in the evening

What made this place the most memorable was the amazing sunset I got to live through and watch…

Sunset Dead Sea pool Movenpick resort Jordan amazing awesome infinity Olympus photo

The lowest of the pools, closest to the Dead Sea during a GREAT sunset

Glorious, eh?

Sunset Dead Sea birds tree Jordan Canon EOS Rebel, photo

Is this a sunset scene or what??!!

Nuff said!

During this trip, I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board. That notwithstanding, the stories I share were my real experiences and nothing else. As they always are!

Filed Under: Asia, Jordan, Travel Journal Tagged With: accommodations, Amman, camp, Canon EOS Rebel, ecolodge, evason, Feynan, hotel, Jordan, lodging, luxury, Marriott, movenpick, Petra, photos, resort, rummana, six senses, spa, sunset

Landing in Sao Paulo and Experiencing It

20 June 2013 by Raul 12 Comments

As a travel blogger, I read other bloggers’ blogs because, you could say, I like the topic. I always enjoy when one of them goes to Brazil for the first time and I get to read their writings about their experience. Those writings remind me I want to go back badly. I traveled to Brazil (Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro) a few times for business in the late 1990s and found it a mesmerizing country even though I spent weekdays working. But the cool thing was that Brazil was a great experience even while working – THAT’S how great this country and its people are!

Let me jog your memory – if you are old enough!

My trips to Brazil happened in 1997 – a LONG time ago: before the Internet was prevalent, email being a young thing in the consumer space, and when flights used PAPER tickets!

Airplane ticket old non-electronic flight memento souvenir antique

Who remembers these???

Landing in Sao Paulo

Arriving in Sao Paulo for the first time I remember looking out of my plane window and seeing high rises as far as my eyes could see on final approach. It was MIND-BLOWING!

Landing Sao Paulo Guarulhos airport city urban

This pic doesn’t show the true myriad of high rises!

I remember that the airport had bank machines right when one went outside after claiming luggage and going through customs. (Exit and make a left.) I was quite impressed by that (remember, this is the late 1990s and though bank machine existed since the 1980s, international networks connecting bank machines abroad to your bank at home was not commonplace yet!). I wonder if that bank machine is still there… Anyone??

Working in Brazil

One of the things I consider myself lucky to have experienced was working in Brazil. It is one thing to go to the beaches of Rio and things like that – all wonderful experiences. But it is another to be truly in the day-to-day hustle-and-bustle in a business environment. And one thing I learned is that Brazilians are just as warm and fun at work as they are out in the beaches or clubs. I got to speak “portuñol” at work with colleagues who did not speak English. It was a fun meeting when I met with the Marketing Director at my client and he spoke Brazilian Portuguese and me in my Spanish peppered with the few words in Portuguese that I had picked up that were different than Spanish (“acho” in Portuguese, “creo” in Spanish; meaning, “I believe”).

What number, obrigado?

Another funny thing from those days that I wonder if it still exists in Brazil in “this day and age”: I worked on a high-rise building on floor 10, 11, or 12, I can’t recall. When you walked into the elevator, you were NOT supposed to press the button for the floor you were going to. No, no voice recognition back then. See, in that building and -probably many others- there were “elevator ladies.” I know, I know, that sounds like a variation of the world’s oldest profession but it wasn’t – to my knowledge anyway. They had a stool to sit on, though they weren’t always sitting on them. Their job was to “man” the controls of the elevator. You know those complicated buttons next to those hieroglyphs we call “numbers.” Yes, I am sure a legacy of some nanny state period. And when they went home, guess what? The elevators would no longer run. I learned that the hard way one day when I stay beyond their working hours (which you can imagine, were not too many minutes after 5 or 6 PM – I can’t recall). So, I walked down the stairs that night. What I did get to appreciate was how quickly they learned the floor you normally went to such that you no longer had to tell them which floor’s button they needed to press. See? They were EFFICIENT!

A convenient bridge to Rio de Janeiro

Work was in Sao Paulo but I got to take the ponte aerea (“air bridge”) to Rio for the weekends :). The ponte aerea was a multi-flight per hour air-bus that enabled the passenger to just arrive at the airport and buy a ticket for the next flight with an open seat from whichever of the three participating airlines. If I recall, back then there were three flights per hour. I REALLY appreciated not having to stress over traffic delays for a scheduled flight time (and, boy, is traffic BAD in Sao Paulo!). Mercifully, this ponte aerea ran from Congonhas airport which was right in the city versus Guarulhos, the big international airport, which is way further out. I have read since that this arrangement ended as the domestic airlines decided to go their own way in terms of flight schedules and pricing.

ponte aerea air bridge congonhas airport sao paulo brazil

Three airlines that partnered in the late 1990s on the air bridge

In any case, Congonhas (site of a few plane crashes) is known for being a difficult airport to land and take-off from given it is surrounded by high rises (clearly the city grew without proper regulations) and short runways. Before 1985, when it used to be the main airport of the city, longer haul flights had to go to Rio and then passengers would go on a smaller plane to Sao Paulo.. At the time I was blissfully oblivious to all this and just enjoyed said take-offs and landings… In any case, more about Rio in another post!

Congonhas (Source: http://xtremefast.com/information/the-world%E2%80%99s-7-strangest-airports.html)

Food in Brazil

One thing I learned to love in Sao Paulo was pao de queijo. It is the small morsel filled with cheese that you get with that shot of espresso anywhere down any street.

pao de queijo brazil espresso morsel cheese

Mmm!!!!!

It is ADDICTIVE – as are the espresso shots and any coffee for that matter in Brazil. At work, there was a young woman who worked out of a mini-kitchen, almost a closet, whose sole job seemed to be to walk around the floor wearing a maid uniform serving rounds of coffee. It was a throwback to how things must have been long ago in corporate America, think Mad Men maybe.

One thing I learned during those trips was how good food was in Sao Paulo! I am not just talking local food, though “local food” there means a high diversity of regional cuisines like form Bahia (Bargaço on Oscar Freire was outstanding!) and others. I am also talking about French, Italian, Japanese, etc. Speaking of Japanese, did you know Brazil has the largest colony of Japanese outside of Japan? They migrated to Brazil starting in the early 20th century and it is said there over a million people of Japanese descent in the country. But I digress. I had many phenomenal meals. And I wonder if any of those places are still there… La Vecchia Cucina, Charló, Gero, etc. (OK, I just searched and they seem to still be open! Now I REALLY have to go back!)

Charlo Restaurant food Sao Paulo, Brazil

One of the many restaurants in Sao Paulo that I enjoyed. I just looked in the Internet and it seems to still exist!

The food in Sao Paulo is some of the best I have ever had in one city. PERIOD!

Sorry Sao Paulo, I can’t do you justice here…

This post will not get even close to do justice to this megalopolis (that feels like one for sure!). But, trust me, Sao Paulo is understatedly fascinating. Food, art, nightlife (oh yes, I had a BLAST!), architecture and people all make it a really interesting place to visit. It doesn’t feel like London, Paris, or its closest neighbor, Rio. Because this is not a city one explores – it is a city one experiences!

Ave. Paulista in Sao Paulo, Brazil architecture

View towards Ave. Paulista

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As I wrote this post, I was amazed at how good these photos look despite being 16 years old back in the day when all photos were, umm, not digital! Thanks to my faithful Canon EOS Rebel!

Filed Under: Brazil, South America Tagged With: air bridge, architecture, Ave Paulista, brazil., Canon EOS Rebel, coffee, Congonhas, espresso, food, Gero, Guarulhos, pao de queijo, paper tickets, ponte aerea, Rio, sao paulo, travel, Vecchia Cucina

The Charming Town of Kotor, Montenegro

13 June 2013 by Raul 12 Comments

Kotor, Montenegro was an almost accidental destination for me. The anchor destination for the trip was Italy but my wanderlust wanted me to go further to new places (even though Pompeii was new to me). So I added Croatia by visiting the gem of the Adriatic: Dubrovnik. But then I found out about day trips to Mostar (in Bosnia-Herzegovina) and Montenegro. It didn’t take much for me to say “sold!” Kotor was a very picturesque and “alive” town with its cafés and old architecture.

Café scene in old town Kotor, Montenegro Canon EOS Rebel

Part of the café scene

Kotor sits between the bay of the same and the mountain of St. John which was fortified as early as the 6th century. This town has passed from empire to empire from Roman times, Byzantine times, Republic of Venice’s time, Hapsburg times, Bulgarian times, Ottoman times and Yugoslav times among others (even if not all those officially had the name “empire”…). You get the picture of the changes this places must have gone through over two millenia!

Sea Gate in Kotor, Montenegro part of the fortifications city wall Canon EOS Rebel

The Sea Gate which dates from the 16th century

Madonna with Child in the Sea Gate

fortification wall tower Kotor Montenegro St. John history Canon EOS Rebel

Fortifications consist of large walls interspersed with towers along the water and up the mountain

Its architecture, heavily influenced by the Venetian style, contributed to it being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site which seconds my recommendation that this is a place that ought to be checked out – the trip to reach it is both, worth effort AND beautiful as Kotor Bay is a unique setting – in and of itself worth seeing in person.

Churches in Kotor

Kotor has quite a few churches from different times – 11 if I counted correctly on the tourist map for this town of around 13,000 inhabitants.

St. Tryphon's Cathedral in Kotor, Montenegro - crucifix, museum Canon EOS Rebel

Crucifix in the small gallery on the second level of St. Tryphon’s Cathedral

St. Tryphon's Cathedral - alter and crucifix in Kotor, Montenegro Canon EOS Rebel

Altar and crucifix in St. Tryphon’s Cathedral

St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in front of St. Lucas in Kotor, Montenegro Canon EOS Rebel

St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church (facing St. Lucas Church) in Kotor, Montenegro

Church of St. Lucas in Kotor, Montenegro Romanesque architecture photo Canon EOS Rebel

12th century Church of St. Lucas – Romanesque style

Getting lost in Kotor -and is true in many places – is a neat way to see this town and, trust me, you won’t be lost for too long as you are bound by the mountain, the moat or the Sea Gate!

Filed Under: Europe, Montenegro, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, Canon EOS Rebel, church, Eastern Europe, Kotor, montenegro, photography

Photo of the Week – Santiago’s Fresh Seafood at the Mercado Central

23 August 2012 by Raul 4 Comments

I loved spending a year in Santiago, Chile with the Andes as a majestic backdrop and in a country that offers so many beautiful landscapes from deserts in the north to fjords in the south.

One of my favorite places in Santiago is the Mercado Central where one cannot only shop for fresh seafood but, actually, sit down and have some lunch on said seafood, accompanied, of course, with a nice Chilean white wine.

But don’t only stop to eat. Walk around and check out the colorful – and slightly smelly – stands!

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: Canon EOS Rebel, Chile, market, Mercado Central, photo, Santiago, seafood

A Day Trip in the Balkans: Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina

26 April 2012 by Raul 5 Comments

When I was looking for a place to go after my trip to Rome with friends, I literally went online and looked at the possible tours available in countries in the area that I did not know or know well. Not many of those left in that region for me except east of Italy. I look at the tours because it helps me understand what are the key places to see.

I had pondered making Dubrovnik that next place after Rome because it seemed beautiful in the pictures I have seen and some folks in Twitter travel world spoke highly of it. As I reviewed the tours that were possible, I learned that there were 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites in neighboring Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro that were possible as day trips. I would say my ears perked up but it would really have been my eyes, not my ears!

That caught my attention as I have wanted to see more of the former European Communist block and those countries seemed a little less, what’s the word, westernized? modernized? than, say, the Czech Republic for example. I have been to Bulgaria and Poland and the former definitely gave me the best feel for how things may have been in the old days (though, certainly, these countries have made good strides to leave that past behind).

Bosnia & Herzegovina

The country is more often than not just called Bosnia but there really is a region of the country called Herzegovina so, at least in this section’s title, I will call it by its full name. But it is too long to type throughout so from now on, Bosnia it is.

Bosnia has had a VERY difficult and horrible recent history. I will not get into that except to say that people seem to get along well enough in the small part of the country I got to see. I will also mention that pockmarks of the violence are still evident in buildings around (that’s also true in Dubrovnik).

Bosnia, Mostar, Balkan War, war-damaged building, explore, travel

Damage from the war

I ended up signing up through Viator for the day trip. It was to be a long day (about 12 hrs). But it didn’t feel long and drawn out. First, though, an interesting geographical fact is that to get to Mostar (Bosnia, or “B”) from Dubrovnik (Croatia, or “C”) you have to do some border crossing paso-doble. You leave C to enter B and about 9 kms later you leave B to re-enter C, and then you leave C again to enter B and then proceed on to Mostar… See, back when there existed the Republic of Venice (“RoV”) and the Republic of Dubrovnik (“RoD”), the RoD got along better with their Ottoman neighbors than with their RoV neighbors. So they (the RoD) sold a tract of land between RoD and RoV to the Ottomans to serve as a buffer. As history moved on and these 3 players disappeared or morphed or blended, that tract of land remained in what became Bosnia. The first 2 border crossings (C to B, and B back to C) were pretty easy – barely anything happened. But the last one (C to B the 2nd time, you following?) was a lot more formal and slow (almost an hour). The same would be true on the reverse, the initial entry into C from B was long but the last 2 crossings were cake.

We stopped at a hamlet on the way to Mostar called Počitelj (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocitelj). It has a citadel at the top (which I didn’t get to visit) and overlooks the Neretva River which we followed most of the way from entering Bosnia until Mostar. It has really neat stone buildings and the town was of strategic importance back in the day. Besides the architecture, what caught my eye were the stray cats that I saw – they were tempting me to photograph them!

Bosnia, town, stone building, Počitelj, travel, explore, photo

The hamlet of Počitelj

Mostar is an old town across the Neretva river (in Herzegovina!) where a very important Ottoman sultan asked for this bridge to be built (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mostar). Most = Bridge. The bridge lasted until it was bombed during the 1990s wars in the area but it was quickly rebuilt using the debris from the original bridge.

Mostar, Bosnia, bridge, Balkan War, Neretva, photo, travel, explore

The re-built bridge

Steps up the Mostar bridge

On the bridge – a happy traveler!

Looking at old town from the bridge

Old town from the bridge

The old town is very charming and, by now, has the usual range of tourist shops but yet it retains a different air from its unique position geographically and in history near important crossroads across different cultures and temporal kingdoms. It is hard to describe but you do feel it is a land with connected yet different circumstances throughout history than Dubrovnik.

Along a shopping street in old town

Café

Faded but beautiful colors

Around old town

Outside of old town

Nearby mountains

Mostar was held a lot of charm even if it did not have such an iconic and laden-with-meaning bridge. Check it out if you can!

Mostar, Bosnia, bridge, Balkan War, Neretva, photo, travel, explore, cat, gato

One of the most pervasive sights during the day trip!

Pin this image to your travel board!!

Filed Under: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Europe Tagged With: Bosnia, Canon EOS Rebel, Herzegovina, Mostar, Neretva, photo, Pocitelj

Visiting Old Cairo – and Feeling Cairo

13 July 2009 by Raul 14 Comments

I am fortunate to have visited Cairo two times: once in 1998 and then in 2007. The first with friends and the second for work. However, while we hit some of the key places to see in Cairo in the first trip, one grave mistake was not to explore Old Cairo… Old Cairo is the way to feel the real Cairo!

A First-Timer in Cairo in 1998

Let me take a step back and tell you about the first visit to Cairo. For that trip, I joined 4 friends about 2 weeks before they were to depart due to an opening in my work schedule in between projects. There were no pre-defined itinerary or arrangements except the plane ticket and the hotel for the first night in Cairo as we were landing at night. I didn’t fly with them as I was using miles to get there so I flew from Atlanta via Newark, Paris, and Istanbul to get to Cairo (I was going to visit Istanbul after Egypt). The first thing that struck me as I got off the airplane and walked the steps was the smell of burning wood, followed quickly by the sense of being in a dry place!

My friends and I were supposed to meet at the airport (I was arriving after they did) but, when I got there, my friends were nowhere to be found. Eventually, I was taken by a customs (or was it immigration?) official eager to take me to his cousin’s taxi business (funny how that works…). I got his “cousin” to let me use his phone to ring our hotel in Cairo – my friends were already there! What happened? The airport had 2 different terminals and we had landed on opposite ones so they ended up going to the hotel. I ended up riding with the customs official’s cousin who, try as he did, could not hit a pedestrian…

I will admit that I was uncharacteristically anxious being there my first time. It was the year after the massacre of tourists at Queen Hatshepsut’s temple in Luxor where many were gunned down execution style. It took the first full day of being in the city to get past this initial anxiety. People’s friendliness made me feel welcome and comfortable and pretty soon I was back to normal mode: ready to explore!

We decided to not spend too much time in Cairo but did want to see the essentials. As happens to most tourists, we were offered a camel ride to see the Pyramids “from behind” by first being taken to someone’s store or house (hard to tell the difference) where we were swayed to hire them with tea and plenty of smiles and friendliness. Riding the camels was a fun ride but they ride differently than horses… However, we did not see the Pyramids up close so we were left still wanting to do that. We tried again the next day to get close to the Pyramids by hiring horses to get us there. I emphasized to our guide that if I didn’t touch the Pyramids, I would not pay – I really wanted to make sure we didn’t get cheated again from seeing them up close. So he made my horse gallop super fast either to pay me back for being demanding or to make sure he could get us further than he had planned in the time he had!

Yet ANOTHER picture of the Pyramids!

Next on the list: The Mohammed Ali Mosque in The Citadel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo_Citadel) which was spectacular (as was the Citadel itself). For sure, one of the best places to see!

Mohamad Ali Mosque

We visited the Egyptian Museum which, as you can imagine, have some neat things to show from pharaonic times for those who enjoy the topic. We also hired a car to drive us to Saqqara, a step pyramid south of the city. The site was worth the trip but the drive to it also allowed us to see life outside of the city (e.g., bread being made on a wood burning “stove” by the side of the road).

The end of our stay in Cairo came quickly and we took the overnight train which would take us to the southern city of Aswan. So ended my first visit to Cairo back in 1998…

Cairo Re-Visited 10 Years Later

I returned to Cairo on business to attend a conference with colleagues from around the world. Having gone once and checked out the main sights, it was actually very nice to return and not feel the pressure of visiting a must-see list of places. Instead, we discovered hole-in-the-wall places to eat at, hired a boat for a group of us to cruise up and down the Nile at night, visited Khan el-Khalili (the bazaar or souk), etc. It was a very nice way to enjoy Cairo and just be. In fact, we return to el-Khalili another day not only to shop but, again, to sit and watch life go by – so enjoyable!

grand bazaar, Khan el-Khalili, must see Cairo, Egypt, what to see in Cairo, things to do in Cairo, visiting Cairo

Around one of the entrances to Khan el-Khalili

grand bazaar, Khan el-Khalili, must see Cairo, Egypt, what to see in Cairo, things to do in Cairo, visiting Cairo, scenes of cairo

Exploring Khan el-Khalili in Cairo, Egypt

I did add to my list of visited sites the Old City which I missed the first time there. What a tremendous miss on a visit to Egypt! The Old City is a phenomenal corner of the large metropolis and full of neat architecture and history… I am glad I got to “re-do” Cairo so I could correct my rookie mistake from 1998!

We first visited the Amr Mosque (Mosque of Amr ibn al-As), first mosque built in Egypt (and Africa) initially built in the 7th century but built-on and expanded over the centuries.

Amr Mosque, large mosque in Cairo, must see Cairo, Egypt, what to see in Cairo, things to do in Cairo, visiting Cairo, scenes of cairo

Mosque in Old City Cairo

…then the Church of St. George (originally built in the 10th century but completely re-built in 1904)…

Christian Church in Cairo, Coptic church, St. George Church, large mosque in Cairo, must see Cairo, Egypt, what to see in Cairo, things to do in Cairo, visiting Cairo, scenes of cairo

Church of St. George

Christian Church in Cairo, Coptic church, St. George Church, must see Cairo, Egypt, what to see in Cairo, things to do in Cairo, visiting Cairo, scenes of cairo

Light in the dome of the Church of St. George

Detail at the entrance to St. George Church: St. George on his Arabian horse slaying the dragon

… then the Hanging Church (St. Virgin Mary’s Church, largely rebuilt in the 10th century but originally built on the 7th; the main nave is built over a passageway, hence the name “hanging”)…

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Mural in the entrance to the Hanging Church

First entrance to the Hanging Church

Facing out from the front porch of the Hanging Church, a narrow entrance in a crowded part of town!

Doorway in the Hanging Church

Interior of the Hanging Church

and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. However, this was not a matter of just visiting important sites as I had always been curious about Coptic Egypt. I really liked the Old City as it was loaded with history and meaning: just about anywhere you look, there is an interesting site or alley!

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Crypt of the Holy Family under St. Sergius Church

Cairo – Always Something New to Experience

My second trip differed significantly from the first in many ways. However, Cairo offered me great experiences both times. The city itself awes you (or intimidates you!) as it teems with so many people, so many cars, and so many sounds (and do watch out for those cars!). Some of my favorite images are those of the people I interacted with or saw in their day-to-day life.

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The world’s most dedicated and daring tea server: crossing the crazy streets of Cairo with a tray-full of tea!

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Taking a load of fresh bread from a bakery around the suk in Cairo, Khan el-Khalili

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Sipping tea while watching others play a game in Khan el-Khalili

It can be initially daunting but then, if you let yourself wander a little and soak life in, say, at a local tea shop, you can begin to see beyond the main things that draw us to go there in the first place – really get a feel for the tempo of and life in this ancient and fascinating city.

Filed Under: Africa, Egypt Tagged With: Cairo, Cairo bazaar, Canon EOS Rebel, Citadel, Egypt, Hanging Church, Khan el -Khalili, Mohamad Ali mosque, Old City Cairo, photo, travel, what is there to see citadel

Criss-crossing the southern island of New Zealand

30 June 2009 by Raul 4 Comments

Besides flying into and out of the country and riding the TranzAlpine train, buses (or coaches) were my main mode of travel. I was surprised that trains were not talked about much in my readings about how to move about the country but it seems buses are the main way to get around (outside of driving).

Backtracking a little, I did not sign up for a standard guided tour but instead bought a package of transportation and accommodations based on the places I wanted to visit. The agency that helped me basically ensured the places were sequenced in a logical manner and handled the synchronization of schedules when connections were required or when special linkages to other events were needed. The package also included a couple of main attractions (like the ferry ride through Milford Sound). I really liked the idea of an independent tour, as they are called, since I wasn’t looking forward to the “confines” of a guided tour nor of driving around solo.

The “Bus/Coach Experience”

I was not sure what to expect from taking a bus around and in between towns. I was not expecting a regular public transportation bus (as I know them in the U.S. and Europe) but also was not expecting a major tour bus type. These inter city type of buses (InterCity seems to be the largest bus company around but there are others affiliated with tour companies) pretty much go everywhere and are fairly comfortable. Many will have a restroom (or “toilet”) on board and, if not, they will make frequent stops every couple of hours or so for nature breaks, food breaks, and even some photo opps. The drivers for these buses will even do some narration of what you are looking at or going through which was a very nice surprise so that you could understand better the land you are observing. Some of these drivers were a veritable fountain of facts and knowledge! The buses were also on time and some even picked you up/dropped you off at your hotel. In researching the options, there were buses that seemed to be focusing on college-aged tourists – I sensed as much and stayed away from those as I am well past that age. Make sure you understand the focus of any bus company you choose!

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Early morning view of the Tasman Sea from the southern island coastal road

Following a circuit around the south island of New Zealand

Another curious thing about doing an independent tour and using the bus system to get around in the south island is that, more likely than not, you are really following a circuit that goes something like this with variations possible: Christchurch, Greymouth, glaciers, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Te Anau, Dunedin, and back to Christchurch. Some of the variations include the Catlins, Invercargill, Stewart Island and a few other places at the very south and very north of the island. (I didn’t do the same type of travel in the north island so I am not as familiar with what a good circuit might be there.)

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Nice roads on New Zealand’s southern island

The neat thing for me was that I began to run into the same people at different stages of the circuit (people who were going counterclockwise on that circuit; the opposite direction is also possible!). Sometimes we would be in the same bus 2 or 3 places in a row. Sometimes we broke the sequence only to reconnect later in the trip. It took at least a couple of times of coinciding before really chatting them up. And I actually enjoyed running into the same people later in the trip. Grace from NJ, Chris from London, the Lees from Hong Kong, a couple from Delhi, etc. were some of those folks I ran into a few times. I also did meet other folks whom I only saw at one spot but got to chat or hang out (Ben from Tamworth and Ryan from Melbourne).

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One of the most majestic segments of the circuit – I wish I could have sat there for a few hours!

Finally, because of the various stops the buses make, you get to see a couple of smaller towns even if for a short 30 minute walk. We are talking small towns (the largest I reckon was about 4,000 people) so 30 minutes gets you at least a peek at the town center which is better than a drive-by. If you like seeing small towns, clearly driving around would be better as you can decide how long to stay somewhere but I enjoyed seeing places like Wanaka (on the shore of Lake Hawea and somewhere I would stay instead of Queenstown if I ever return!), and Hokitika near Greymouth.

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The town of Wanaka by the lake of the same name was peaceful and in an incredible setting

So, among the various good ways to travel the country, the bus system gets a thumbs up. And you will never be a total stranger to everyone while going around NZ!

Filed Under: Australia & NZ, New Zealand - Southern Island Tagged With: Canon EOS Rebel, lake, mountains, New Zealand, photos, road, sunrise, Tasman Sea, travel, Wanaka

How I Found the North Island of New Zealand Different than the South Island

30 June 2009 by Raul 2 Comments

When I planned my trip to New Zealand, I decided based on my interests and what was on offer to spend more time in the South Island than in the North Island. However, this does not mean the North Island lacks places to explore. I left the visit to the North Island for the last 4 days of my month-long trip down under making Auckland my base and then traveling around the center of the island to visit places like the Waitomo glowworm caves (incredible!), Rotorua, Taupo, Huka Falls, and the geothermal fields. There was so much to see that even 2 days for these sites was a bit rushed.

Huka Falls

I noticed a few differences between the two islands during my visit quite easily: two different worlds. Clearly, the North Island is more densely populated (this does not mean it feels crowded) and there was more evidence of human presence along the roads traveled in that part of the North Island whereas the South Island felt more vast and empty. Also, the presence of the Maori culture was much more evident in the North Island than it was in the parts of the south Island that I visited. Finally, the North Island also seems to have more going on in terms of volcanoes and geothermal activity but the South Island has the more extreme mountain scenery (the Southern Alps, glaciers, fiords). Here is a bit more of the North Island…

Meeting the Maori Culture for the First Time

One of the highlights for me of the north island was to get a small peek at Maori culture by visiting the Auckland Museum (I highly recommend it) and one of the cultural visits in the Rotorua area. It was great to understand better the songs and dances of the Maori, including the scary “haka” that I was familiar with only through watching the All Blacks rugby team in action!

Sample Maori meeting hall – being greeted when we arrived

Maori dance performance

Hot Lava, Anyone?

Another highlight for me was visiting the geothermal fields and understanding why those fields exist and are so active – the area is a very “alive” volcanic area. I visited a few sites where I saw geysers and thermal pools. The Artists Palette and the Champagne Pool were my favorite among the various famous sites near Taupo. But everywhere you looked, you could see a column of steam coming off the ground, not only in the areas set up for visitors but just about anywhere you looked. I have never seen anything like that before! Of course, along with all this comes a strong “aroma” of sulfur.

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Part of the Artists Palette pool

Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating too much so I did not get a good view of the lakes in the area. It rained a good bit the weekend I was in the North Island so I am sure that kept me from enjoying some nice views.

Auckland

In Auckland itself, I limited myself to the Auckland Museum and the Maritime Museum, and to do a very long walk around the central business district (“CBD“), Ponsonby (where I stayed) and “K” road (Karangahape is the proper name). While the central business district had some neat architecture that I assume is early 20th century, it was the districts of Parnell and Ponsonby that seemed to have more of the charming feel. I did not explore beyond this central core of the city so there is likely more than I got to see. For instance, the central business district waterfront area is only a fraction of the coastline that is available to the city, which is bounded on one side by the Pacific Ocean and on the other by the Tasman Sea.

Buildings seem to grow out of the ground in Auckland!

Auckland definitely felt very different than everything else I had seen in NZ in the trip. It is the most populous city in NZ (around 1.3 million residents out of the 4.something in the entire country). By comparison, the next largest city I visited, Christchurch, has about 350,000 residents. Dunedin, a charming southern town, even less. After spending a week in the southern half of the South Island, coming to Auckland required a bit of an adjustment for sure.

Other Areas

Among the many things I did not see but heard were worth seeing were the Coromandel Peninsula, the city of Wellington, islands off Auckland like Waiheke, the areas on the north of the North Island, etc. It seems, therefore, that I need to return to NZ to complete my visit 🙂 GLADLY!

Filed Under: Australia & NZ, New Zealand - Northern Island Tagged With: Auckland, Canon EOS Rebel, geothermal, Huka Falls, New Zealand, photo, Rotorua, Taupo, travel

Arriving in the Southern Island of Middle Earth: Christchurch, New Zealand

21 June 2009 by Raul 5 Comments

There are so many awesome places in New Zealand but I feel Christchurch, though not one of the top 2 cities in NZ, may be the best place to hit first on a trip over (Dunedin is not far behind!).

The arrival

I arrived in Christchurch on the eastern coast of the southern island of New Zealand (where Lord of the Rings was filmed; the lands in the movie were called “Middle Earth” for those who may not be familiar with the movie!). From the plane we flew over the southern Alps, as they are unofficially called. In this picture, we pass over the highest peaks and you can even see a glacier coming down. This is the view you want to see ahead of coming to NZ!

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Glacier flowing to lower right corner of pic as I fly over the Southern Alps in New Zealand

It was around 230 PM and we were delayed getting off the plane because a passenger had flu-like symptoms. Nice. The health person from the airport had to board the plane and do some kind of test on the passenger before any of us could get off. I could not see exactly what he was doing but after a few minutes of whatever, we were allowed to get off the plane. The airport claims to be the “top carbon neutral airport company in the southern hemisphere” which I found amusing for a couple of reasons, one of which is the recurrent theme in Australia and NZ of claims about a place being the “—-est” (tallest, biggest, cleanest, etc.) in the “southern hemisphere”. Considering how little of the world is in the southern hemisphere, these claims almost seem too easy 🙂 but, heck, someone’s got to make the claim!

Besides being carbon neutral, the airport is nice and small and it was very easy to just go to the bus stop and catch bus 29 intown. It dropped me off very close to my bed and breakfast but apparently I signaled “stop” one street too early so I walked an extra block. No worries, extra exercise. The streets were very pleasant and had the air of a place where people knew each other, where people felt safe, and where the pace was not too fast and not too slow – a great place to get to know NZ and, especially, the south island.

A great place to stay in Christchurch

The Orari Bed and Breakfast was in an old house and was very nice. At 6 PM they cracked open some wine for the guests so I knew I had ample time to walk around before sunset (around 430 PM) and be back to shower, unpack and get some wine. The room was frigid when I got there though they had turned on the standing heating unit probably just before I arrived. I thought I would freeze that night but the standing units (there was another one) and the heating blanket worked really well. In fact, all too well, I was burning up in the middle of the night and had to turn off the heating blanket! It was the first time I had used one… I was very glad with my choice of place to stay due to a great location next to an art museum but otherwise not in the middle of things, yet a short walk away from places to eat, the city center, etc. Oh, and the staff is great! It definitely made me feel Christchurch and NZ was putting its best foot forward to welcome me.

The Garden City

The town of Christchurch is called the Garden City and I would agree with that although it was the beginning of winter. The “suburbs” were very nice but also the areas closer to the city center. The city center itself was manageable and with some key sights to check out.

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The ill-fated cathedral, fatally damaged in the earthquake and now being rebuilt in Christchurch

Christchurch cathedral New Zealand earthquake southern island

Interior of the cathedral of Christchurch before it was destroyed

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A friendly game of chess in Christchurch’s main square

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Beautiful architecture in the center of Christchurch

New Regent street in Christchurch before earthquake New Zealand Canon EOS Rebel

New Regent St. in Christchurch – seriously damaged during the earthquake

I strolled down Oxford Terrace by the small river that cuts through the town as there were a lot of restaurants/cafes/pubs along the street and I wanted to scope out where I would have dinner later that night. I settled for a place called Sticky Fingers where I later got to enjoy a very nice Sauvignon Blanc wine from Marlborough called Cloudy Bay. The place has a nice smart and modern ambiance. The seating areas was very comfy and next to but separate enough from the bar area. The food was good but I would not say stellar. Other restaurants in the strip that caught my attention were Ferment and Liquidity.

My visit in Christchurch was short and I am going back at the end of my tour of the southern island so I should get to sample another restaurant and sip on the wine at Orari. The tempo of the city and its charm served as a great welcome mat for this first time visitor to the magical place that is New Zealand.

(Pictures taken with Canon EOS Rebel)

Filed Under: Australia & NZ, New Zealand - Southern Island Tagged With: architecture, Canon EOS Rebel, cathedral, Christchurch, earthquake, Marlborough, New Zealand, photo, Sauvignon Blanc, travel, Wine

Roaming Around Panama, Coast to Coast

21 April 2009 by Raul 1 Comment

I visited Panama to see relatives and enjoy a little low-key sightseeing beyond my usual haunts of Panama City and the Pearl archipelago. It started with an unusual stop for a tourist…

Witnessing the good work of the Missionaries of Charity

One day during my visit, we visited the house of the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s order). My aunt volunteers there every day and she wanted to show us the place. WOW, these nuns do incredible work with those who have nothing and who are the worse-off of the poor and sick. Amazing. The nuns themselves come from all over the world and many actually come from India. It is neat to hear their Spanish with a very slight Indian accent. Later, when we drove to the other side of Panama, to the town of Colón, we visited the other house these Missionaries have in Panama. So in one weekend I covered all their houses in Panama! Anyway, kind and selfless work.

Colón, a true Caribbean town in Panama

Colón, on the Caribbean end of the Panama Canal (Panama City is on the Pacific end of the Canal), is most definitely a Caribbean town. The architecture, the people, and something in the air just made me feel I was in the Caribbean. Interesting how less than 50 miles distance can make such a big difference! I was told the road was really bad (the new highway is still being built but is close to being finished) but, actually, it didn’t seem that bad to me. Perhaps I was expecting rural Tanzania type of road conditions… Anyhow, the drive took an hour and a half and it will be very nice when this highway is finished as it should take an hour or less. The drive is scenic though my relatives said it wasn’t totally safe. Colón is the second largest trade free zone in the world (after Hong Kong) and it seems to be doing OK with that business. I wish I had more time to stay around and explore but we had to get back to Panama City as I was leaving the next morning.

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Damaged building

Typical home in the center of Colón

The streets of Colón are very colorful!

An inland “oasis” in Gamboa

I also got to visit Gamboa in the interior and next to Lake Gatún (which provides the water the Panama Canal needs to operate since water is a key tool in operating the gates or “esclusas” that control ships crossing the Canal). We visited the Gamboa Resort which had great views of the area.

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The view from the main building at the resort: spectacular!

There are tours that take you to see monkeys and other wildlife as well as a canopy tram tour that allows a bird’s eye view over the area. Next time, I will try to take advantage of some of those tour opportunities for a change!

Beach time near Coronado

Finally, we went to a beach next to Coronado on the Pacific called Punto Barco where one of my cousins has a beach house. The beach may not be the best in the world but to have a house there would be a dream! My cousin outdid herself with great food (ceviche!!) and the family had a great time hanging out.

As usual, my visit ends and I long for more time there. My relatives there always manage to take great care of us and make us feel very welcome. I hope to go back and maybe this time not take 2 years in between trips!

Filed Under: South America Tagged With: beach, Canon EOS Rebel, Caribbean, Colon, Coronado, duty free zone, Gamboa, Lake Gatun, Pacific, Panama, photo, Punto Barco, travel

Lima – Impressions of an Old and Large Imperial Capital

8 September 2008 by Raul 2 Comments

NOTE: This is the first of a series of posts that relate my experiences during a 5-week trip to Perú earlier in 2008.

Arrival in Lima

I arrived in Lima in a direct flight from Atlanta. The airport in Lima is very modern but the lines were long, especially landing at midnight US time. The taxi ride took about 30 minutes and I finally went to bed around 1AM.

The hotel, as many hotels around here, is a standalone operation. The building itself looks like from the 1970s. You would be amazed at how little concern for safety there is in the design, something probably that would not pass muster in many places… I can open the window (which is over 6 ft wide) almost to the full extent but the worrying thing is that the wall below the window is about 2.5 feet tall. Yikes! All you have to do is trip on some shoe left around and, sayonara room and hello gravity!

Said low wall on the window looking out from my 11th story room

View from my hotel room

Hard City to Move Around

The first work day started with the car that was supposed to pick me up not showing up. It was to be an omen for later in the day when waiting for a taxi to take me back to the hotel took 2 full hours by the clock! This all was a good reminder to not expect things to be like they are at home – always a good reminder.

I was advised against renting a car due to all the construction going on re-paving streets. I was told the government decided belatedly to tear them up and re-do them ahead of an upcoming international summit – but they were doing most of the work concurrently making driving even more chaotic in this labyrinthine town. However, I also suspect that even with perfectly paved roads, the city road layout was confusing enough that I would not want to drive on them!

Street on the outskirt of Lima

The Parts of Town Where I Operated

The area where I stayed was called Miraflores. It is a very nice residential area. Not an area of mansions per se but lots of high rises, nice streets, etc. The hotel, as most places around here, does not have A/C or heating. It seems the weather is fairly mild for the most part. With the windows open, the climate in the room is quite nice but you get the traffic noise. After a night, you are used to it so it isn’t as bad as it may seem (plus I always have earplugs handy!).

A street corner in an older part of Lima

Work is in another district called Jesús María (“Jesus Mary”, kind of odd-sounding even for a Catholic like me…) with a lot of old houses that have, for the most part, been converted to offices but which retain a lot of architectural charm.

Building in Lima, Peru near the Jesus Maria area

Old style building near work

Near work is an old ministry building (about 10 or 12 stories high and monstrously large) which has a very large crack running through the outside of the building caused by the recent earthquake in Pisco – the building has been condemned, thankfully, but the building sits there as a reminder of the risks Lima runs as a large city in an earthquake-active zone…

My First Lunches – A Great Sign of What to Expect in Lima!

On my first day, lunch was at an early 130PM… I was starving! There was nothing around work so a colleague drove me to a restaurant where I committed 3 cardinal sins in the span of 3 minutes. The restaurant was very nice and my colleague told me not to worry… My 3 sins were:

eating sauces that were cream or milk based (milk here is not always pasteurized)
eating raw fish (ceviche)
drinking a lemonade that I didn’t see prepared with bottled water.

If there was a good time to teach me a lesson this should have been it… 36 hours later, I was still good – whew!! Of course, a good restaurant would not be a problem but I was still a little out of sorts to remember that with it being my first day in a new country with little sleep, and in a new work situation…

Another day for lunch we went to a home-style place that had a nice and complete lunch for 8 soles (about $3). It was delicious (chicken soup was the appetizer and it isn’t the run-of-the-mill chicken soup!). With prices like these, I knew I was going to eat like a king!

A Lunch I Will Never Forget

I tried the traditional mountain / Inca delicacy at lunch one day: guinea pig. It took a bit for me to accept the idea I was to take a bite of it but a coworker invited me to her restaurant, her treat, and I could not refuse the hospitality. I made sure I drove a deep work conversation during the lunch so I would not think of what I was eating.

Yes, folks, it tastes “like” chicken though it has less meat on it (some say rabbit but I disagree, though it has been 25 yrs since I had rabbitt…). I was lucky enough (God takes care of me) to mention to my colleague that I didn’t want to see a picture of one before eating it. Boy, was I glad I said that flippantly! When ordering, my colleague was kind enough to specify to the waitress to bring it without the head on mine and on hers. Can you imagine if that had shown up with a head??!! I would have likely gagged.

A Couple of Interesting Areas of the City

The area of Barranco is a beautiful, seaside part of town. It is just a few minutes from Larcomar, the mall hanging off the cliff by the Pacific Ocean, and offers quite a few options for dining and shopping.

Barranco

I visited the Lima city center at night. It was VERY impressive. Colonial architecture on a grand scale which makes sense since Lima was in effect the capital of South America (more or less) during the colonial times due to the riches of Perú. It was very well policed, lively, and I felt safe.
My hotel was in Miraflores, on Ave. Larco which ends at the JW Marriott and across from it, Larcomar, a shopping center with lots of restaurants overlooking the Pacific Ocean from its perch on what seems to be a cliffside. Cool place to go.
Miraflores has a park, further inland than my hotel, on Ave. Larco that is very charming with a plaza and neat architecture around. There is also a GREAT and big place to buy arts & crafts from Peru nearby (Mercado Artesanal, close to Narciso de la Colina). Finally, lots of shoe shiners who, for like 40 cents, will do a great job shining your shoes!

Miraflores Church on Ave. Larco in the Parque Central de Miraflores

Miraflores Church in the Parque Central de Miraflores

Building on the Parque Central

Getting a shoe shine in the Parque Central de Miraflores, Lima, Peru

The after (left) and before (right) of the well-priced shoe shine!

On the Road Again

I found out on the first day I was not to be based in Lima as I had understood before the trip. In fact the first week was the only full week I was to spend in Lima. The flipside was that I was going to get to see the country!

That first weekend I was to leave for Cusco, the base for going to Machu Picchu, to spend 3 days visiting projects and, over the weekend, go to MP (as a tourist). Originally I was planning to see MP at the end of the trip but since the local office had decided I should go to Puno (which is higher than Cusco), it made good sense to go to Cusco before Puno to acclimatize first to Cusco which would then make acclimatizing to Puno a tad easier. I liked the plan because Puno is up at 12,421 ft (3,860 m)!

– Read about my Puno visit here and here.
– Read about my Cusco visit here.

Some Random Observations and Musings about Lima

I got to try a Peruvian Malbec wine while in Lima. I haven’t had wine so sweet without it being supposed to be sweet! Clearly sugar was added to the wine by the “winemaker” to cover its poor quality… I couldn’t finish it. Of course it cost only $4 – you get what you pay for. I was just hoping that good, basic local wines would exist. I switched to water…
The city streets are kept very clean of trash and all streets have street signs with their name (not something I have seen consistently outside of US/Canada/Europe)
Though the city is very polluted, it is not as bad as, say, Beijing.
They have this dish called tacu tacu which consists of smashed beans and rice served with beef or seafood. I tried it with seafood. Though I don’t eat calamari and other seafood items, I ate it ALL, except the octopus. The sauce was superb.
They always serve a plate full of corn kernels to snack on while you wait for appetizers or food. It is a different type of corn than regular corn (it is larger and whiter) and they toast them and put some salt on it. It is quite nice.
Oh, and did I mention I worked close to Chewbacca from Star Wars? It took me a few days to realize the Chewbacca noise I heard every 15 mins or so was a creaking door around the corner from where I sat…
Finally, Peruvians are super nice! I would love to see more of this beautiful country and its great and proud people.

These are my impressions and experiences in the bustling, large, and noisy city that is Lima, Perú. What have been yours??