Running to Explore Washington, D.C.

30 March 2011 by Raul Leave a Comment

I write this post in March 2011 when I started a project in D.C. We are near the end of 2012 and I am still on the project in D.C. It is neat to re-read what I wrote about when I first “landed” in D.C.!

I am lucky to find myself working in another great location. This is one much closer to home the last: Santiago, Chile. By about 8 hrs by plane. I am now in Washington, D.C., the U.S. capital and one of the most important cities in the world. The simplified and shortened commute is making for a happier me and a less tired body. Arriving at work after flying in is different than after the 9.5 hr red eye to Santiago!

I love D.C. because I feel the cosmopolitan nature of the city with embassies and international organizations everywhere. I feel the energy of probably many events happening here – without being aware of them – that can impact more than a few. Of course, one can also take the view that perhaps a lot of nothing happens here but I will leave that for other blogs and keep my opinions to myself though I will say there is truth to both views 🙂 Again, I love this city.

Lots to Explore in Washington, D.C.

I am very fortunate that my work location is just 2 blocks from the White House and I get to stay generally within a 2 mile radius of that location which makes for nice walks to and from work and exploring different side streets and some of what I considerable highly desirable residential areas of DC. Longer walks can take me to Chinatown with the many good eateries and more touristy sites like the Spy Museum and others. A cab or rail ride away are other neighborhoods with very distinct personalities. one that I have recently been introduced to is Capitol Hills. Many eateries and a charming area with my favorite eatery being Belga Cafe where the mussels dishes are phenomenal.

Since I am here during the week for the most part, I have not explored the tourist sites. Having been here many times before, I probably have covered a good number of them. However, some I last saw in 1983 and others more recently but still a decade ago. So I will spend a few weekends here this year catching up on known ones and exploring the new ones. Of the places I have seen, the Holocaust Museum ranks up there as do the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials and the other memorials that have sprung in that area like the Vietnam Memorial. Of the places I haven’t seen, I hope to finally do a tour of the White House, perhaps see a session of Congress and maybe even a Supreme Court session. Of the museums, I would like to re visit the Smithsonian ones for sure. But I know there are smaller ones that are worth exploring.

This week I am staying in Rosslyn for a change. Normally I like to stay in downtown D.C. proper, like at the Mayflower Hotel. Tonight I wanted to go for a run and thought I’d run by the river, something I’ve wanted to do since I arrived here. I ran a couple of weeks ago from the hotel past the White House to the Washington Monument down The Mall to the Capitol. What a neat run! On the return leg, as we passed the White House, the Presidential motorcade was making its way back to the White House. That was a real treat. No matter what stripes you wear, the office of the President of the U.S. is awe-inspiring in spite of the occupants. Seeing the motorcade made me proud.

My Running Route

So today I ran across the Key Bridge down past the “new” waterfront in Georgetown towards Watergate and the Kennedy Center and across the Memorial Bridge to the trail on the Virginia side of the Potomac. I decided to bring my small digital camera with me and think I got some neat shots as the sun was lower in the sky and provided nice light. Some of the sights during my run:

Looking towards Watergate from the Key Bridge

View of the Georgetown Canal

Rowers in the Potomac

Lincoln and Washington Memorials

It was cold and especially when crossing the Memorial Bridge as it was windier. But the run was excellent and I even got to go by the famous cherry trees currently blossoming. Normally, I get bored running on my own but I have a feeling that will not be the case in this city! I am beginning to think running tourism should be a new travel category – I am looking forward to looking for new routes and exploring the area via my running, killing two birds with a stone.

What other unique ways can you think to explore new places?

Filed Under: US & Canada, Washington, D.C. Tagged With: jogging route, Kennedy Center, Key Bridge, Mayflower Hotel, monument, Potomac, Rosslyn, running, trails, travel, Washington DC

A Year On… A Final Trip to Chile

27 November 2010 by Raul 1 Comment

It will almost be a year to the day since I traveled to Chile for the first time in 18 yrs. I was expecting an infrequent trip there in the year to follow due to work but a couple of months in, the game changed and I got to practically be based in Santiago for most of 2010. The surprise was pleasant for the most part, except I had not planned to live far from home for so long, even if I did get to come home for long weekends at least twice every month. Now, I have one more trip down to Chile of a few weeks before this chapter of my life closes…

It is important to note that I had wanted to stay in Chile back then in 1991. I enjoyed life there SO much. But without too much on my resume yet, being “too green”, and no easy way to figure things out (no Internet!), I just went back to the U.S. when the assignment ended.

Seeing Santiago after 18 years was a strange experience. I was able to recognize places from my life those 3 months around 1990-91 (my apt building, work, Brannigan’s on Calle Suecia, the McDs by Parque Arauco where I used to go eat after playing racquetball, and the old parts of town among others). But, of course, 18 yrs in a good economic climate bring about lots of change. I recall back then a skyline littered with cranes of high rises being built. Well, by now, I am happy to report they finished the buildings… and then some! Sanhattan did not exist when I was there – not in its current form, at least. The area around Parque Arauco and Parque Arauco itself have been developed beyond recognition. I got to re-connect with friends from those days there and while their lives of course had changed, the friends were pretty much as I remembered them (physically and personality-wise).

I got to sample numerous excellent restaurants from a list built up by recommendations from a couple of choice people who clearly know food. I have hit just about every recommendation except for some. By now, with 3 weeks left in my assignment, I am more interested in eating at my favorite places than discovering new ones. Tiramisu and Cuero Vaca (http://www.cuerovaca.cl/) rank up there in my book (good eats!). I will be eating there again for sure! [Check out this review of Tiramisu at the NYT: http://tinyurl.com/2fcbum7]

Of course, I got to be in Chile on or around key events in its national history: the earthquake of February 27, the national elections that made history, the trapped miners, the bicentennial (bicentenario), and the national soccer team making it to the 2nd round in the World Cup. Wow, what timing, don’t you agree??

I got to sample the Atacama desert, hop over the Andes to Mendoza, and explore more of Valparaíso. Hopefully, before I return, I will also get to see Patagonia and the key sights down there – Torres del Paine, the Magellan Straits by Punta Arenas, the Perito Moreno glacier, and a few other sights. Places left to see or see again include Valdivia, Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and neighboring towns along the area, and the lakes crossing of the Andes to reach Bariloche. Had work stretched into January, I would have been able to add them to my “itinerary”. But with work wrapping up mid-December, I only had time for one destination before coming home for Christmas. So I think I chose well with the trip to Tierra del Fuego.

Now, I need to focus on the hardest week of work in the whole year, then stabilize things before I move on. I am thankful God granted me the opportunity to return to a land that I love and to have made it for a long stint so that I got to internalize it all. Now, I am ready to leave Chile behind knowing I can always come “home” but ready to focus on my life in my real home…

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: calle suecia, Chile, earthquake, magellan straits, miners, parque arauco, Patagonia, perito moreno glacier, Sanhattan, Santiago, torres del paine, travel

Making the Most of My Short Visit to Puerto Rico

21 September 2010 by Raul Leave a Comment

I went to Puerto Rico, where I lived for 15 yrs growing up, for a long weekend after a 5-year absence. It is always an interesting trip when I go with the mix of family, friends, and lots of memories. Most of my family has moved away from there and many friends are no longer there either but I still never have time to see the ones who remain. Also, I never have enough time to see things I want to re-visit or things that I just plain and simple have never seen before (like La Parguera or the Bacardi distillery, must-sees). It is funny how that goes! While this trip was due to a family member’s illness, I did get a little time to go around some.

I had never spent too much time (other than driving through) some of the towns due west of Bayamón. In particular, I saw more of Vega Baja, Vega Alta, and Toa Baja in a day or two of going from place to place this weekend that the sum of the time I ever spent there before. It is interesting to see how densely populated some of these towns can be (and how bad traffic can be!). Yet, along the coast (where the “Baja” towns are) I saw some of the “‘hidden away” beaches I had never been to before, far away from tourist areas and the local crowds (like Los Tubos and Puerto Nuevo, which I hear surfers love).

In terms of food, my Dad took me to a real treat of a place, La Casita Blanca, a small restaurant of typical Puerto Rican food near Barrio Obrero, a neighborhood that had glory days a long time ago but that even in my childhood was already known for higher levels of crime and, therefore, a “must stay away from” area. The restaurant is quaint and picturesque and is located in a semi-residential, semi-commercial street (Ave. Tapia).

When you sit down to eat, they serve you not only the typical basket of garlic bread but also fried cod (“bacalaito“), and a small serving of an awesome chicken soup. When you are done, they serve you a small dose of anise to cleanse the palate. I had to go for the carne frita (friend pork chunks) and mofongo (friend mashed plantains) – one of my favorite Puerto Rican dishes! The place was a really neat hole-in-the-wall that had a lot of character, great food, and friendly staff.

A house in the old part of Barrio Obrero

Finally, I had to have my “quesitos“, a Spanish-influenced pastry filled with cream cheese that I can’t find at home (though I have it whenever I go to Miami or Tampa). My favorite place to eat these in PR is La Ceiba on Ave. Roosevelt. That, a “croqueta de jamón” and a cortadito (coffee and milk) make for a most bodacious breakfast! A sister bakery to La Ceiba is La España, on Ave. Baldorioty near the airport (next to a cemetery and across from another one!). So, not only do I enjoy going to La Ceiba but on the way out of the island, I make a stop at La España to eat some goodies, and take some home with me 🙂

Filed Under: Caribbean/C America, Puerto Rico Tagged With: food, Puerto Rico, travel

Visiting my First Eastern European Capital: Bulgaria’s Sofia

23 April 2010 by Raul 9 Comments

As I wrote in other entries about the trip to Bulgaria, the main purpose of my visit to Sofia was to attend a wedding. Around the various events, though, I had time to check out the city, of about 1.2 million residents (15th largest city in the European Union as of this writing) by walking around a lot and stopping at key sites based on my travel guide and curiosity.

Sofia was a Roman capital, which belies my ignorance as I didn’t realize the Romans got to this part of Europe. It also was home to a Celtic tribe before that. And about the 7th century BC, it was home to the Thracians. All this followed by probably gazillions of tribes, peoples, empires given its strategic location in southeastern Europe. I did not realize how old this city was in its history! But there was a lot of learning and discovery for me as I spent time in Bulgaria’s capital…

Churches and Religion

I guess the main type of site to visit is churches. There are a lot of churches in Sofia and out in the country. In Sofia, I visited the Saint Nedelya, Saint Sofia, Saint George, Alexander Nevski (the Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral), and perhaps a few other lesser known ones.

Saint George, a 4th century church! (between the Sheraton and the Presidency)

Cathedral of Alexander Nevski in Sofia

I began to see that while each church is unique in its own way, they tend to be quite dark and austere. I imagine this is as intended but being new to visiting Orthodox churches, that was a new piece of “data” for me. The iconostasis, or what to be is the back of the altar area, was always unique and beautiful. There were always icons placed around the church; the faithful would walk to each, bow, perhaps kiss it and say a prayer. The faithful would also buy candles upon entering the church and light them as they prayed. It was moving to see the display of faith.

Inside the Cathedral of Alexander Nevski

My mind wondered how religion and its public expression may have changed since the fall of communism (a religion of its own in my opinion but of a darker sort…). Regardless, it is good to see that it is alive.

Reminders of the Communist Past

Walking around town, you see a fairly modern and free society – and then you run into sights that remind you of the serious communist past of the country. I recall reading somewhere that Bulgaria was more Soviet than the Soviet Union itself (well, the communist leadership anyway; not sure that all Bulgarians shared that preference!).

Office House of the National Assembly in Sofia, Bulgaria; formerly the House of the Communist Party of Bulgaria

Office House of the National Assembly; formerly the House of the Communist Party of Bulgaria

Mural on the side of a building in Sofia

Statues in a park in Sofia

Guard post in Sofia, Bulgaria reminiscent of communist times

Guard post at an intersection

Rain, Rain on My Face

It rained most of the time I was in Sofia, except during the weekend which was perfect since that’s when the wedding events were taking place – I can only imagine the bride’s concern at all that rain right before her wedding day! The worst part was that water didn’t clear fast enough from the curb so when walking in narrow-sidewalked streets, you played a game of dodge of sorts… Most drivers slowed down, if not for the common potholes, for us as pedestrians. But there were one or two drivers who saw opportunity in the convergence of curb water and pedestrians… Evil! 🙂

Pothole (LOL, not from Sofia, just searched for a pic on the Net)

While it was common to see potholes on the streets, I may add that the sidewalks weren’t much different! You really had to watch where you stepped. In some places where the sidewalk was made up of square tiles, you had to mind that the tile could be lose and, if so, there was water under it, so stepping on it could also mean getting splashed even if a little bit, by oneself! The rain did not deter me -or the locals- from venturing out.

Vitosha is the name of the main shopping street where only the tram and buses travel the roadway and which sort of ends at the church of Saint Nedela. I enjoyed walking it and seeing the shops – and the folks. I wondered if people thought I was a local given my looks…

Vitosha (not my picture!)

Because of the rain, there was not much available in terms of open-air cafes. I don’t recall seeing many places with that type of facilities, except maybe in Vitosha street. Because it is still a heavy-smoking culture and because I am no longer used to being around smoking, I was longing for an open-air cafe but the rain pretty much killed that possibility even where such cafes existed. I did manage on the weekend to sit at Flo-cafe across from Saint Nedelya and enjoyed a beer sitting outside. It was cool enough that I wanted to be inside but not too much that it was going to be intolerable so I opted for “fresh air”.

The weather did not allow for the best of photos but some of the views were still worth a picture!

National Theater in Sofia, a beautiful building

I visited the Archeological Museum (across from the Presidency) which was as impressive a building as it was in terms of its contents. It was well labeled in Bulgarian and English and I recommend it if you are interested in artifacts from a long time ago.

Guards at the Presidency

There were other museums that I did not get to visit (National Art, Natural History) as I wasn’t feeling too museum-bound in spite of the rain which invited one to find indoor entertainment/activities. Some key places offered info via your mobile phone and were so identified with signs like the one below.

Bulgarian and the Cyrillic Alphabet

I walked around the Presidency, the Party building (former home of the Communist Party), and many non-descript sidestreets that allowed me to see more about real life in Sofia. One key challenge at the beginning was figuring out where I was on the map. Most street signs, not all, were only in Bulgarian.

Building in Sofia, Bulgaria - neat color and architecture

Around Sofia’s center

As you may know, they use the Cyrillic alphabet which often but not always looks like the Greek letters we used in my science/math classes in college. I finally figured out the value of studying engineering when one does not work as an engineer: it is easier to sort through Cyrillic/Greek alphabets when traveling abroad!! I would like to say that I can finally justify my engineering degree as it was going to help me in my travels!

Having said that, it was not cake to sort through Cyrillic but, I like puzzles so I kept looking up the letter “conversion” to my alphabet and kept trying to read signs phonetically. I think that helped me a lot as I was able by the 4th or 5th day to pronounce most words I read. Now, that did not mean I knew what the word meant! But since my map used English street names, it helped me at least learn to find my spot on the map and then get to learn how to move about the city. In about 3 days, I didn’t need a map to navigate around my part of the city as my sense of direction and memory allowed me to get rid of the dependency on the map.

Some words in Bulgarian are similar enough to words in languages I speak so being able to read the Cyrillic helped me out. Of course, I also made an effort to learn a few words in Bulgarian (to read menus, for example) so that helped. I did notice some French influence and I wondered how that came about and if it had always been like that or if that was a post-Communist thing. For example, the word for “thank you” in Bulgarian is quite long so people just say “merci”. Another example is that one can say “aerogara” to refer to the airport. If you are curious on the Cyrillic alphabet and how it came about, check this link out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrillic_alphabet

Impressions of Sofia and Bulgaria

I could clearly tell that Sofia was a capital city given all the government buildings around the area where I stayed. The former influence of the Soviet Union was felt in some of the architecture though there is enough of other architecture that I didn’t feel like I was drowning in state-planned architecture (mercifully).

I was sad to see the state of some of the buildings and infrastructure. Bulgaria is now in the EU but that is also an expensive proposition for a country recently escaping from communism that may not have had the pre-communism experience of capitalism other ex-Soviet bloc countries may have had (like the Czech Republic). I could see that the country is moving forward but I didn’t feel unbridled energy. A local told me that Bulgarians don’t like to see others “get ahead”, that they want everyone to be the same and that such mentality keeps the entire country from exploding in growth and new ventures, things needed to help lift a country to the next level. I wondered if his viewpoint was skewed in any way but what he said made sense to me knowing that the country had been under a stern Stalinist model for close to 50 years.

I think the country is blessed with great natural beauty, a perfect setting for trade (it is at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East/Turkey), great climate, and a rich history. It is a great destination should folks be willing to go somewhere different where the sights and “feel” of the city are not exactly those of the major European capitals or even towns like Tours, Toledo, Siena, Salzburg, or Krakow. I wish I had had more time to explore other areas of the city and more of the countryside and smaller towns to experience it more fully. But I am glad I got to get at least a peek at it and finally get a real picture of that country that seemed so inaccessible and remote in my childhood…

Filed Under: Bulgaria, Europe Tagged With: bulgaria, church, communist, photo, religion, Sofia, travel

What Makes All the Difference on a Business Trip…

8 April 2010 by Raul Leave a Comment

I am sitting on the 22nd floor of my hotel room in Santiago wanting to catch up on my writing and talk about my trip to Valparaiso, Chile, catch up on earthquake impacts to a trip to the lake district, and other discoveries about Santiago. But I’m too distracted. Too distracted with work. With getting to the U.S. for most weekends and hurrying through keeping in touch with those I love back home. With planning a vacation with a cousin to Bulgaria and Denmark with a 1-day trip to say hi to a friend in Sweden.

But what is compelling me to sit in front of the PC for yet another 1/2 hour is wanting to talk about those people who are strangers to you for the most part but who make your time away from home -at a hotel in another city other than your home- get as close to “real” as you get when on business trips.

I normally haven’t had my own access to the “special” lounge at my regular Santiago hotel (Marriott) but get access normally by going with colleagues who do have access. Of course, after this week, I get access on my own right because of reaching the 50 stays in one calendar year. Anyway, through past visits, we have met some of the staff at this special lounge. Some are strict about the rules that say at 830 PM the wine and other liquor is retired from access. And then there are those employees who seem to get that we all don’t just come to another country on business because we work 9 to 5 and have the luxury to get back to the hotel between 630-830PM to enjoy the special treats…

Those employees who realize that the key to great customer service is about making us, the weary travelers, have a sense that we can get that one (or two…) free glasses of wine at a lounge so we can sorta feel maybe we could be at home. Don’t get me wrong, I still have sat in the lobby and paid for drinks when able to go to the special lounge at the “right” hours – the scene at the lobby can be quite interesting. So I am not just after a free drink or two or three or… But going to the lounge does also give you contact with other human beings who recognize you and through the small talk make you feel you are not just a stranger, a number, a credit card at this hotel.

So, to these folks I say, salud. You are doing an awesome job and I hope your employer, Marriott, realizes that you are doing more to retain my loyalty than even the ability to use my points gets them. Emilio, Fernando, Katherine, Baruk: may your employer realize the value you are to them and I wish you the best. Thanks for helping us feel not totally away from a place like home. You guys are piola.

Filed Under: Chile, South America, Travel Stories Tagged With: Chile, hotel, Marriott, Santiago, travel

2009 in Review

25 December 2009 by Raul Leave a Comment

Well, 2009 is almost in the books and who would have told me at this same point in 2008 all that I would do in 2009! On the less glamorous side, sinus surgery and losing my job. Yep, I wouldn’t have imagined both. But, on the more exciting side of things, I certainly had even less of an idea that I would get to see the land of John Paul II (Poland), the mythical (at least for those of us far from it) land down under (Australia), the majestic islands in the far south Pacific (New Zealand), the mountains and beauty of the granite state (New Hampshire), and 18 years later a country I loved when I lived there (Chile). I also did get to visit more familiar places like Tampa, DC, Panama, NYC, and Denver but most of those were in my plans already.

So I sit here during Christmas Day wondering which places will I get to see in 2010 for the first time and what will I discover in more familiar places… I can’t wait to find out! Could it be the year I see the Holy Land? Or check out Iceland? Perhaps visit southern Chile and the lake district? Or finishing off “Western” Europe by seeing Portugal and Ireland?? Or, why not, go to Australia again and explore other parts of the continent? SO much to see, so little time and money!

Thanks 2009, and good riddance in a way. 2010, bring it on!

Filed Under: Travel Stories Tagged With: Australia, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, travel

Santiago Visit Continues – Lucky Me

17 December 2009 by Raul 2 Comments

So, I came back to Santiago after 18 yrs. That was 3 weeks ago. I went to the US and then I turned right around to come down to Chile! Crazy? Heck, no. I don’t mind coming to this town and country! I am traveling here for business but seldom is business travel the vehicle to get back to a place I want to keep coming back to…

On the first trip, I traveled 3 hours south of Santiago to an area right outside of the town of Curicó. Why Curicó? Well, my friend’s son was competing in the national championship of Chilean motocross, of course! I have never been to a motocross race before and it was definitely a fun event to be at. But the best part was the drive down there with the Andes to my left and the lesser range of mountains to my right. The views were great. However, though I stayed in the shade most of the time, I got quite sunburnt unintentionally. One has to remember that the sun here hits harder!

That first week, most of my free time was spent with fellow co-workers on the same trip as me. But I did get to sample two great local restaurants, one in Bellavista and the other, well, in a part of town whose name I can’t remember. The former was a seafood place in a very artsy-bohemian part of town named Bellavista. Pablo Neruda’s (former!) home is located there. Also, that is the place where you go to go up Cerro Santa Lucía for great city views (on the less-smoggy days…). Bellavista is practically littered with cheap bars and eateries where lots of young people hang out as well as better dineries and an area called Patio Bellavista with good shopping and more places to eat and have a drink. Azul Profundo, the name of the restaurant on Constitución 111, was simply outstanding. The seafood, as pretty much anywhere here, is quite fresh. http://www.flip360.cl/ver_local.php?id=1035&ver=panorama&idPanorama=1035&categoria=51

I then was taken another night to a Peruvian restaurant called La Mar (actually, a ¨cevichería”) on Nueva Costanera (http://www.biggi.cl/4DCGI/Noticia466). It seems Peruvian restaurants are the bomb these days not sure if because more Peruvians live here or just because. This was a classy place with very cleverly designed indoor and outdoor seating areas. You can go there for sure and sit outside and people-watch (both in the restaurant and also those who walk down the streets). It is located in a very nice residential neighborhood and I highly recommend their food!

I am staying at the local Marriott (OK, this is not a backpacking it kind of trip! it is a beautiful building! As I was looking for a pic of the 40-story hotel, I found a Spanish wikipedia entry that says the building can stand an 8.0 earthquake – I will sleep well tonight!) where 3 weeks before I came, a small bomb was found and detonated outside. It is a little weird because I don’t associate Chile with crime like that. So, I remain undisturbed about it. The hotel has a good sitting area downstairs where in the evening between 7 and 9 PM they have happy hour with free hors d’oeuvres. I have once or twice opted to go for pisco sours (yes, more than 1!!) and these hors d’oeuvres for dinner. Don’t get me wrong, there is FINE dining in this city for sure. But after nights of going out, it is nice to just camp. The added bonus is that it seems that locals like to come to this happy hour so you get to be with locals though you are at the hotel. I have noticed that every night there are several groups of local women who apparently choose to meet here to have a night out at one of the nice hotels in town. I do not exaggerate, these women look like upper class folks who meet here for kicks (it isn’t a cheap place so my observation is likely not off the mark).

Next to the hotel there is a very nice mall called Parque Arauco. It has the usual types of stores but also a great outdoor area with many restaurants. El Otro Sitio, a Peruvian (!) restaurant, was quite good and reasonable in terms of price. In these Peruvian restaurants, ceviche is typically the draw, as only Peruvians can make it – phenomenal stuff!

Alright, I intend to think about what these two quick back-to-back trips have meant to me and I have to say that the main conclusion is how awesome it is that today I feel as strongly as I did 18 yrs ago that I love this city and this country.

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: Bellavista, Chile, Curico, food, Marriott, Santiago, travel

Back to Chile – What I Hope to Enjoy Again

15 November 2009 by Raul 1 Comment

It has been a while since I write on the blog. It has been a busy time as I have been on job search. But, that period is coming to an end and, lo and behold, my next job will start with a business trip to Chile.

Lo and behold for many reasons. One, though the job is in the States, my first day will take place visiting the Chilean operations of the company. Two, I could only have dreamed that my next job had an international angle to it but it turns out it produces that angle from the get-go. And three, I worked in Chile back in 1991 greatly enjoying the place, the lifestyle, and the people and, yet, I never got to go back (I did try). It has been a long 18 years and I finally get to fulfill the desire to go back. Will El Tallarin Gordo still serve as good a meal as it did back then (I do know it exists still thanks to the Internet)? Does Pollo al Coñac still exist in Lo Barnechea? Will I get to visit Los Dominicos again to make some purchases of Chilean arts and crafts? Does the Pizza Hut near the offices where I worked still exist? Does Coppola still serve wonderful ice cream? (notice most of these are about food!)

I do not have to wonder about re-connecting with my friends as we managed to re-connect after that odd period between 1991 and the late 90s bridging over the period when people did not have emails or laptops to the new highly connected world of today with email, Facebook, Skype, etc. I will get to see my friends and, by now, their kids. I also hope to do at least a quick drive-about the old hangouts for memories’ sake. Always healthy for me.

I do expect Santiago to be totally transformed. I was there in the aftermath of Pinochet as Chile was beginning to come of age after the close of 2 decades of Pinochet. Chile was under a construction boom at the time and I hear that boom kept on going years after I left. What was new then (e.g., the Hyatt) will be rather old by now.

I long to eat palta York. Drink a Chilean pisco sour. Eat one of those Chilean sandwiches whose main ingredient is mayonnaise, then the bread, and then a filet of pork. Oh, and Chilean wine, of course. I long to see the amazing Andes, which greeted me every morning when I woke up as my bedroom faced these magnificent mountains and I left my curtains open at night so I could have them be the first thing I saw every morning…

With these random thoughts I wrap up this entry. I will certainly write more once I am there and share my observations and reflections of a city likely transformed since I last saw it. Yet, I hope I will feel as if I were going back home after a long exile…

If anyone has recommendations of good places to eat these days from hole-in-the-walls to nicer places, please share. Though I won’t be able to spend time sightseeing per se, drop your suggestions on that too as it may help others! Vamos po’!

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: Andes, Chile, food, Santiago, travel

A Wonderful Spot in New Hampshire

21 August 2009 by Raul 9 Comments

What did I know about New Hampshire before I went there? Well, an uncle was born there. A high school friend (and NH resident) boasted about the natural beauty. A place where folks have an independent spirit. Somewhere crunched in New England. No, I had never heard of the old man rock (sorry) nor of its recent demise (double sorry). I also did not know how sensitive a topic this was! After hanging on to an invitation from my friend for a few years, the opportunity materialized to actually go for more than a 3 day weekend so I went for it.

Getting to Intervale, New Hampshire

Getting to my friend’s place in Intervale would require a bit of coordination and a few different means of transportation. However, it was easy and quite comfortable. (Perhaps my recent trip down under from Atlanta would make any other trip seem easy…) At Logan airport in Boston, I was able to catch a very comfortable coach that would take me north to Portsmouth, NH where my friend would pick me up and then drive close to another 2 hrs to get to their place. (If you do take the coach, buy the ticket online as you cannot buy it from the driver and will have to stand in line when you get to the destination as they take your driver’s license away to ensure you pay! Now this could be dated info but check before you go.)

Portsmouth

While the plan was not to go sightseeing in Portsmouth, it was after lunch and neither of us had had lunch. After grabbing a quick bite to eat, we walked around the downtown area of Portsmouth. It was a charming town and perhaps because of the beautiful day the town was teeming with people walking about and soaking up the sun.

A Mountain Biking Marathon? That Is Nuts! But Fun

My friend’s husband and oldest son were to participate in what I consider a mountain biking marathon called the 24 Hours of Great Glen (right by Mt. Washington) where individuals and teams bike -in theory- for 24 hours solid with the individual and team making the most laps winning. The other son served as the videographer and my friend and I acted as groupies, I suppose. It was definitely something I had not seen before and I greatly enjoyed the atmosphere at the event and seeing folks come down the intimidating “Chute” where I think I would even worry if I had to WALK it down! My friend’s son and his team did awesome and won their category – way to go Slow and Steady Gets Eaten by a Bear! (I think the team name itself guaranteed their success.)

Nature: Rivers, Waterfalls, and Mountains

So, for all these years, my friend kept telling me to go around July or August so I could get in the river. Well, it was not just one river nor were they just rivers. The rivers had all sorts of rock formations and waterfalls which means you not only got in and got wet but you got to climb around rocks and even throw yourself down “natural water slides” letting the current take you down whether with an inner tube or without one. I tried the latter though I admit it took me a little bit to summon of the courage. But before any of that were possible I had to accept and tolerate the FRIGID waters! Wow, the water was so cold my feet hurt! But, of course, nature takes its course so as soon as my feet were sufficiently cold, I no longer felt anything which facilitated continuing my entry into the waters. My friend managed to take some rather unflattering pix of me in the process of getting in and jumping in which I will most certainly not be loading here 🙂

We also drove to the Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods (famous for being where the IMF was created) – a very impressive structure in an even more impressive natural setting! The drive there though was just as impressive and we even saw a moose roadside minding its business, whatever moose business is about.

In all, I have to admit being very impressed at the natural beauty and the amount of places to see and explore in New Hampshire. Places to hike, places to get wet, places to swim, places to sit and soak nature in. How did I never hear about this (friend aside)?? Is someone trying to keep this a secret? I think there is likely a conspiracy here somewhere…

Old Friends, New Friends and a Discovery

Topping the weekend off was meeting some of my friends’ friends and going to one of their places to eat a wonderful lobster paella. Good food, good setting (a house by a river), and great folks. I also discovered a place of wonder called Patch’s. A gas station-cum-small-diner-cum-post-office – a veritable all in one.

Getting to hang out with old friends, getting to know their kids much older than last time I saw them (2000!), and enjoying the natural beauty of NH made for a perfect 5 day trip and great memories. I wonder what the rest of NH is like – perhaps I will get to find out in a future trip to the granite state!

New Hampshire waterfall - nature outdoors

A happy ilivetotravel!

Filed Under: New Hampshire, US & Canada Tagged With: mountain-biking, mountaitn, mt. washington, New Hampshire, photos, portsmouth, river, tourism, travel

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!

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Around one of the entrances to Khan el-Khalili

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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.

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Mosque in Old City Cairo

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

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Church of St. George

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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

A Very Southern City – Dunedin

3 July 2009 by Raul 4 Comments

Well, by southern I mean “geographically”. It was the southernmost city I visited in New Zealand and I was expecting it to be frigid but, mercifully, it was not. In fact, we had some really beautiful days though one morning we had minor rain.

Dunedin with about 130,000 inhabitants is quite a pleasant town to explore. Not far from Christchurch, it does feel very different. Dunedin has Scottish roots but, never having been to Scotland, they were not as easy for me to identify (Christchurch is said to be more English). However, I enjoyed the town as it was quite walkable – except for the steep hills! Dunedin sits by the water but it is surrounded by hills. The city’s area includes the slopes of these hills where many neighborhoods are located. It is a nice drive to go up to higher ground and see the old houses as the road curves along, while looking down on the city.

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Typical architecture in the area in Dunedin, New Zealand

But having walked a few of these streets, I can certify they are steep! In fact, Dunedin does lay claim to the steepest street in the world and I am not surprised.

A residential street in a steep street in Dunedin, New Zealand, Canon EOS Rebel, travel

A steep street but FAR from the steepest!

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Yep. This is the steepest street in the world.

During my visit, I explored the Otago Museum right by the university. It is a very nice museum (and free to boot!). It is an excellent place to take the kids. http://www.otagomuseum.govt.nz/

I also took tours of the Cadbury factory (also good for the kids) where they kept giving us different chocolate bars along the way (not all were to my liking as they were mainly milk chocolate based and I am a dark chocolate fan) as they showed us how chocolate is made (very interesting) and of the Speight’s brewery (where, of course, we sampled their beer – very nice! sure, why not, also good for the kids! lol ).

Dunedin’s railway station is a piece of art onto itself, both the exterior and the interior, and a must-see if you visit. The style is such that its architect, named George, became better known as “Gingerbread” George!

Railway station Dunedin New Zealand Gingerbread George, Canon EOS Rebel, travel

The beautiful railway station built in the early 20th century

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Details of the booking hall in the railway station

Finally, the main street itself has a good number of places to eat as well as places to shop so walking it up and down a couple of time is certainly worth it.

Main street in Dunedin, New Zealand

I found Dunedin to be quite charming and the people friendly. I got there after crossing the Southern Alps and exploring majestic fjordland I am not sure how cold it gets in the winter being so far south but I counted my blessings of not finding out in person!

Filed Under: Australia & NZ, New Zealand - Southern Island Tagged With: Dunedin, New Zealand, photo, travel

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!