My First Landing in Europe – Spain via Amsterdam
Back in early 1992, a couple of friends and I had the flash thought that we needed to go to the Olympics in Barcelona that summer. Why not, right? As we started reading about Spain we decided we needed to check out a few places besides Barcelona which was bound to be zoo-like during the Games. I, having studied high school in a Latin country, knew a lot more than my peers about the historical cities and buildings in Spain (El Alhambra in Granada; la Mezquita de Córdoba; and the importance of Sevilla in the discovery and colonization of the New World by Spain). I recall one afternoon setting out a large map of Spain on the floor of one of my friend’s apartment and with a book of Spain at hand, set out to plan an itinerary of sorts. Our third friend wasn’t there but he would be fine with whatever we decided.
Planning
OK, that was the extent of our planning. Those days being pre-Internet, expensive international long distance and 3 of us very busy guys, we did not further planning than our route and the car rental (if memory serves me right on that last bit). No hotels, no tickets to events, nothing. We got our tickets but I was to fly a day earlier and from JFK given where I was at the time. The two of them would fly in together the next day on a direct flight from Atlanta (I was connecting through Amsterdam for a cheaper flight – important back then as I think I ended up paying on the cheaper flight about $900!).
Crossing the Pond
This was my first time in Europe but not my first time abroad. I had already been to Panama, Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. Leaving out of JFK was then, as it still is today, an experience. What a zoo. Right after our KLM 747 pulled away from the gate, a TWA plane taking off had to abort the takeoff and crashed (no one died mericfully; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_843). A sort of benefit from this event is that I now can remember the day I flew to Spain for the first time! (July 30th, 1992).
Anyway, on with the story… This event resulted in planes not taking off for a few hrs but JFK airport being JFK, people and flights kept piling on so we were not taken back to the gate. Instead, we sat on the tarmac for about 4 hrs. The crew decided to go ahead and serve dinner during the period. The plane was hot and this Norwegian woman around me kept talking non-stop. I was not a happy camper… Mercifully, after the dinner service, the plane’s doors were open and staffed by flight attendants (so no one would jump off, I suppose). This helped make the plane a tad less warm and likely prevented someone from slapping the Norwegian silly.
Of course, this meant I would miss my connection to Madrid in Amsterdam. I didn’t miss it by much and that probably irritated me more. But I have to say the travel gods were smiling upon me. Can you imagine if my first landing in Europe with a missed connection had been in CDG?? That would have been a dreadful experience and I am glad I was at beautiful and efficient Schiphol!
In Madrid – Olé
KLM properly took care of putting me on another flight to my destination so I boarded an Iberia flight a couple of hours later to get to Madrid. Of course I was jetlagged but the excitement of being in Europe carried me through. I don’t recall at this point how much I may have slept on the trans-Atlantic flight (I am not a big plane sleeper) but I remember dozing off on the way to Madrid. I had done some research on how to get to town and had ended up booking a hostal for my first night in Madrid (we were to leave Madrid the next day after my friends landed).
An easy bus ride from the airport to Plaza Colón dropped me, off for little money, a few blocks from my hostal. I don’t know if it was technically a hostal but it was like a massive apartment (or several) that an older couple ran (Hostal Principado, near the Thyssen Museum). The room was small but clean and efficient. However, it got loud outside late at night and I learned my first lesson on bringing along earplugs!
I used the rest of the day to walk around and explore. Thanks to trip notes I took at the time, I remember that I walked around the Parque del Retiro then headed to the Puera del Sol and ended up having tapas at the Cervecería Alemana, back then recommended by my guide book.
Parque del Retiro
The next day, I took the same bus back to pick up my friends at the airport. These not being the days of international ATM’ing, we headed to the American Express office to exchange currency prior to heading to the Chamartín train station to book our train tickets for the overnight ride to Barcelona. One of my friends didn’t speak anything but English and the other, son of Colombian parents raised in the U.S., understood some but couldn’t speak Spanish much which meant I did a lot of the talking – which was fine by me! By the way, we did all this carrying our bags with us (shoulder bag for me)!
We explored some of Madrid that day to keep everyone awake and since we had no accommodations in Madrid as I had checked out of the hostal. (Thinking back, why didn’t I ask them if I could leave my bags and my friends’ bags during that day???) We went to the Palacio Real, Madrid’s awesome Plaza Mayor, and walked to the Gran Vía (a main avenue in Madrid; a great bakery in Puerto Rico which sourced many a birthday cake in our family!). We walked back to the Paseo del Prado (the road where the Prado museum is located) and we decided to just head to the train station from there.
We got lucky that we got a 6-bed compartment (two bunks of 3 beds) just for the 3 of us so we could spread out. Not having been in a real train before, much less overnight, I didn’t sleep soundly but well enough for the purpose.
Our Olympic adventure in Barcelona, subject of my next entry, was about to start!
An Austin Tweetup
I never thought I’d be part of something called a “tweetup” but last Friday I found myself traveling to Austin, TX to take part in one… How did I get there? Well, I often participate in Twitter on travel chats and through that eventually connected with three 3 people that I enjoyed “chatting” with via Twitter. The idea came up that maybe we should meet up at some point. Since the 3 of them had Texas connections and 2 of them lived there, we decided to plan a weekend in Austin, TX. Since I have good friends there, I figured I could see my new friends and my old friends in one weekend.
Getting There
Getting there was challenging as I wanted to stick to my main airline and there are no direct flights. Also, as I had been traveling a lot recently, I wanted to make sure I could make a stop at home before continuing to travel after the trip to Austin. No worries, a little fingerwork yielded a good itinerary at a reasonable price even if with a very tight connection in Memphis on my way to Austin (54mins). The connection was perfectly fine but then the flight to Austin got delayed 1.5 hrs which pretty much killed joining folks that night.
One Sick Puppy
Unfortunately, I was starting to get sick when I flew to Austin and that got worse over the weekend. I missed the evening tweetup events and that was a real bummer. But Saturday I did get to be with these new friends, now not just “online friends” and we got to explore a little bit of Austin.
Austin in One Day
The day started with breakfast at one of the food truck parking lots on 1st St. A taco place and a doughnut one were the choices on the one we settled on - and I was keen on getting a big ole loaded donut! The donut took a good bit to be prepared but it was loaded with fried bananas, cream and the donut itself. MAJOR sugar overload!
We decided to walk around that part of town and then proceeded to South Congress to walk around the shops. People were out and about that day! It felt like maybe this was the first spring day after a long winter but this was mid-January. Eventually we made it to Allen Boots. I wsan’t looking for a pair of boots but did see a belt I really liked and since most of my belts are run-of-the-mill boring, I went for it. What a great way to add Texas to my “wardrobe” without it having to be a t-shirt!
We decided it was a good enough time to head out to Driftwood, TX to eat some BBQ at Salt Lick (www.saltlickbbq.com). (After returning home from the trip, I saw the place featured in a Top Chef Texas episode.) The place is massive and even has a winery. While we waited 45 mins for our table, we sampled wines which were pretty good. I especially liked their Brut. The place is chop-chop, meaning, all business. They serve you very fast and they don’t seem to want people lingering at the table (based on a posted sign). But they were very friendly so no complaints here. Based on the amount of people wanting to eat there, I am glad people didn’t linger before WE were seated! The foot was great – I had the brisket and sausage and I can say, hands down, the sausage were far better. They had a slight sweet taste that I enjoyed.
After Salt Lick (and a group picture in the parking lot), we drove back into town to walk around the Capitol grounds and take various pictures. At that point, I started feeling the cold getting worse so I was not able to linger much and continue on for drinks and dinner which means I missed out on more fun with the group and on checking out the Four Seasons where 2 of them were staying. I got some meds at the hotel store and basically slept through the evening, night and a good bit of the morning before my local friends picked me up around 11.
Tweetup: Thumbs Up or Down?
Not sure how other “tweetups” go but this group was a phenomenal group of folks! The folks were in real life as I had thought they were from our Twitter chats. I hope their blogs about the tweetup do the weekend better justice (especially since they can talk about the happy hours and dinners that I missed) and I can’t wait to read them!
I am very glad I went for it and I look forward to another one of these with these folks and perhaps other Twitter friends we have met over the last year through our travel chats.
Experiencing some of Trinidad and Tobago
It all started with a friend telling me: “I am going to visit my cousin in Trinidad & Tobago over Thanksgiving, do you want come?” Well, the answer to that question is always “yes” (it is like a genetic thing with me) though then I have to check: can I, really. My parents would be in the midst of a move. Work was not in a hectic period. I could use points for more than half of the hotel stay. But my hometown airline didn’t travel to/from the destinations. My friend told me the relative was a foreign diplomat in T&T and that Curacao was also being thrown into the plans for a couple of days. After checking out flight cost, with this other new info, I thought this would be a good opportunity to go to places not in my top 20 but worth checking out nevertheless.
So, following my gut, like I did with the Greece opportunity, I went for it with less than a month’s notice. Phenomenal!
Trinidad
The flight Port of Spain was about 3.5 hrs from Miami. It was later in the evening so it was a mellow flight. We landed and the airport was pretty straightforward and on we went. I was dropped off at my hotel (my friend was staying with the relative) and deep sleep based on the late hour (around 1AM, if memory serves me right). The plans were for me to be picked up around 2PM since said-relative had to work part of the day. I did what came naturally to me: sleep in. After that, I unpacked, grabbed coffee, and relaxed outdoors in the pool area. I was picked up a little earlier (around 1PM) and we went for lunch.
The place the local picked was local cuisine. I guess I need to be more specific since some may say there are two types of local cuisines in T&T… Stepping back, T&T had slaves brought over as most islands in the Caribbean. But, after slavery was abolished, the Brits (so civilized…) brought Indians as INDENTURED workers (read, slaves with pay). I will reserve further opinions on the topic… Anyhow, there is a more traditional Caribbean cuisine with fruit sauces, etc. but there is also Indian cuisine that is fully Trini. So, this first lunch place was more of the Caribbean cuisine but different than the Greater Antilles’ cuisine with which I am more familiar (rice and beans and some meat). The place was called Veni Mangé (come eat in some sort of French) (http://www.venimange.com/) My friend’s cousin (I will call her “the cousin” going forward!) has been there many times and rents a place from a sister of the owner. The place is located in a former house so the architecture appealed to me. The decor seems to be Haitian art (for sale). And the food, oh, the food! We ordered 3 dishes to share so we could try them all. Oxtail with dumplings, fried flying fish, and creole beef with eggplant. Plus side dishes and some tropical red juice from a fruit I didn’t recognize (even if I did grow up in the northern Caribbean…)
Lunch at Veni Mangé
The rest of the day we drove around various parts of town. Had some drinks by a yacht club a little north of town (I think by Diego Martin or past it, at least), hanging out at the Hilton outside terrace, and even a stop at a shopping mall (I could have been anywhere in ther U.S.)!
Maracas Bay
The beach to go to in Trinidad seems to be Maracas Bay. It is a short drive from Port of Spain that includes driving through a beautiful forest and the views of the sea from up high. However, due to some recent rains, the area of Maraval on the outskirts of Port of Spain had sustained high waters from the river and traffic moved slowly through part – however, we counted our blessings because the road had been closed earlier that day.
The flood damage in Maraval
At some point we stopped on a roadside stand where among the things they sold as various fruits soaked in chadon beni, a delicious mix of cilantro and garlic (sometimes with black pepper too). I tried the mango and it was outstanding (though at first it wasn’t appealing to me).
The mango in chadon beni
Maracas was very empty on this weekday and we thought it was due to people avoiding Maraval, not being sure if the road would be passable. But after a little bit, people started appearing and the beach was a little more animated. It was a beautiful setting, not as cove-like as the beaches we would see in Tobago. Locals flock to this beach on the weekends and I can imagine it is a good place to be.
Maracas Bay
Finally, the thing to do in Maracas is eat bake and shark, a sort of sandwich of shark topped with any number of toppings you self-serve on it. Richard’s is the most famous and I hear they can have long lines. Much to our chagrin, it was closed as they were tiling the floor of the table area (upgrade! they must be doing well). We ate at another one in the area and the bake and shark lived to its fame!
Tobago
Our hostess suggested we spend a day in Tobago, known for its beaches and more geared to tourism than Trinidad (they have not invested heavily in tourism since they have lots of oil – though you could be forgiven for thinking it is a poor country; where do oil profits go?!). A ferry would take a few hours so we decided to just fly over there in 20 mins. Our flight over was at 8AM and the return was at 9PM. We decided against staying overnight the night before or the night of because we had such limited time in Trinidad & Tobago. Oh, and the day after, we had a 7AM flight to Curaçao! We planned to rent a car and drive around and also our hostess got a hotel room so we could shower before heading back to Trinidad.
The Caribbean Airlines flight was efficient and quick. Picking up the rental car at the Tobago airport was pretty straightforward. Our hotel was pretty close to the airport so we stopped to check it out and have breakast which was pretty nice.
Unfortunately, neither the car rental agency person nor the hotel clerk were terribly knowledgeable about which beaches were better to explore and our hostess only knew the one by the main resort. The only nugget we got was that maybe Charlotteville and Englishman’s Bay were probably the ones to check out. Charlotteville was on the other end of the island and, given the island is so small, I suggested we go and that we go there first to do the longer drive first and then make our way back to the hotel making stops anywhere we wanted based on the time left.
It took us about 1.5 hrs to make it to Charlotteville driving on a coastal road (the highway) which, though small, was in good condition (this was to be true almost everywhere!). Right before getting to Charlotteville we passed a nice beach which the map had marked with many a SCUBA flag which must mean it has good snorkeling/diving going on. However, it was the morning of a rainy weekday so we didn’t see anyone at the beach.
Charlotteville seemed like a quaint town or village facing the beach. I was to learn many of the beaches here were in cove-like settings which were beautiful but which are very different from the expansive beaches in places like PR, Florida, etc. Again, the weather was not favorable so it was empty. I wish I had seen it with a little more life…
Charlottesville beach
From Charlotteville we started off to Englishman’s Bay halfway back to where we started from. However, a piece of the road was sort of broken up due to rains, I suppose. So, off the car I got to find rocks to cover up the mud. With a deep step on the pedal and an almost empty car, the car passed and on we went. We stopped at Bloody Bay where a school bus full of kids was playing at the beach.
After a quick stop, we kept on going back but somewhere missed a turn. After driving through a beautiful forest-like area (it was a national park, we found out), we surfaced on the other side of the small island so we decided to just keep on going as we were starving. We stopped at a place right before Scarborough called Café Havana. It wasn’t really Cuban but was nice and open and just what we needed. It was next to a beautiful hotel overlooking a small cove. It would certainly be a place to stay at should there be a repeat visit.
Hotel view
So…
Trinidad and Tobago was not in my top 20 of places to go. But this was a good opportunity that offered me seeing some of it through the eyes of a resident which is always better than just being a visitor. Who would have told me at the start of 2011 that I was to see Trinidad & Tobago and Greece in the year? Living with spontaneity brings these happy surprises and new discoveries. Do you have any similar travel destination surprises?
Pictures of the Week – Alta: Ski Heaven
Many moons ago I resumed skiing after a long hiatus. Friends’ parents decided to invite me to their annual family ski trip AS A SURPRISE to my friends. I arrived first in Salt Lake City and made my way to the awesome house at the foot of the Alta ski resort. Their surprise was a great moment and I thank their parents for creating the opportunity.
But I loved re-kindling my enjoyment of skiing and no better resort than Alta since snowboarding was a no-no! My friend’s brother worked at the resort and got us to go on one of the monster machines they use to groom the slopes at night for a beautiful sunset ride. We brought wine and cheese as he drove us up – a thrill ride for sure given the size of the machine and the slopes. But we were rewarded with the view below which I have played with a lot. Check out the view and some of the results of my playing. I would love to hear what you think!
The Magnificent View
Playing with B&W
My Favorite
Picture of the Week – The Grandiose Andes
I dream of the Andes
The Himalayas sound remote and far away? Well, the Andes are ALMOST as tall and with spectacular views. Not into flying, well you can take a VERY short flight from Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina (for peanuts if you buy the ticket in Chile) and you get this impressive view. I fell in love with the view in 1991 and it took 19 yrs to see it again. But I did. God’s wonderful work on display!
Steve Jobs, Technology and Travel
Steve Jobs’ passing should come as no surprise. We are all going to die someday. What seems is so different about his is that it is about someone who in the span of sort of 30-35 years brought about a revolution in how technology fits into our lives. Or better said, of how our lives are enabled by the technology around us.
Let’s not overstate it (e.g., he didn’t invent microwaves, cable TV, remote controls, cell phone technology). Yet, nothing in technology has become so ubiquitous and so TRANSFORMATIVE as the personal computer and the derivative devices that made him so iconic (iPad, iPod, iPhone). Yes, the microwave transformed a potential kitchen slave into a cooking-slacker. No small contribution there and this writer is especially thankful.
Yet, the technology that we now live with and cannot live without – and which a generation ALREADY ALIVE will not understand how the world operated without it – was brought forth by innovation and a wave of creativity that Steve Jobs helped unleash.
The power of technology to transform our lives is evident to all of us and we can all think about how it has made our lives easier. I think about how travel has been made so much easier because of how technology has revolutionized just about every aspect of our lives…
Back in 1991 I was sent to Chile to work for a few months. Some of the ways I had to operate and live were so much harder due to being abroad.
- Back then ATMs existed but the international network either did not exist or did not exist in Chile. I could not withdraw money for my daily life as I would use in the U.S. Now security and communications technology make this a no-brainer. In fact, sometimes I may not need cash or a credit card but could use my device!
- To call the U.S. and speak with family was prohibitively expensive, at the tune of $2/min. Forget about calling friends. I remember one of the most expensive calls was calling my grandmother in Miami. We talked for about an hour. Looking back it was money very well spent as it would be one of the last times I ever talked to her. Now? Goodness, first, international LD is not that expensive; callback schemes make it even cheaper. Skype has made it even free if you have the right connection! And, let’s not forget – I can be walking around town and talk to someone. Back then maybe a cordless phone in the apartment was the extent of the freedom (we forget even these small details!).
- Expensive phone calls took care of staying in touch via live voice but surely a quick mass email, no? No. It was snail mail or nothing. I did write a few letters – I had to keep in touch with my Mom, sister, grandmother, Father, relatives, etc. But who wants to sit down and write a letter on paper? Back then I was used to it as I wrote to my grandmother usually once or twice a month but when I was in another country, making new friends, exploring in my early 20s, who wanted to sit down and write a letter by hand?? Use MS Word you say? It did not exist in our work PCs (in Chile OR in the US). Now we can SMS from our phones, email from any Internet kiosk or handheld, tweet every thought anywhere as we move about, etc.
- I explored a bit of Chile and loved Santiago. Sharing that with friends? Mailing post cards to my closest friends was the extent of it and some did not arrive. No posting tweets about the sight I am currently looking at, nor blogging about the discoveries I was making. Much less anyone clicking Like or leaving a comment to let me know they got it, they liked it, and that I was not forgotten!
- As I explored, I loved taking pictures of everything and anything that struck my fancy. That meant buying film, developing it, throwing away many pix, realizing some pix did not turn out how I wanted & regretting the lost chance, and then I had to carry TONS of pix back to the States when I returned. My family and friends, if they ever saw them, had to wait until I saw them in person to see my pix. And how many sessions of show-and-tell did I really want to do anyway? My friends in Chile (which included other expats from the U.S. and Argentina) also took a lot of pix and we all wanted copies of each others’ pix. I remember a session we had one night at my apt where everyone brought their pix and negatives and every marked which pix they wanted a copy of so then they could be made. And everyone paid for their copies. Think of the logistics! Today? God, so simple: the moment you take the pic you know if you have what you want; load them in Flickr, Facebook, whatever, and your family and friends can see what you are exploring; having them uploaded, other friends who traveled with you can get their own copies made and no work for you. SO SIMPLE!
- Even how we research, book, and manage our travel is so much easier and user-friendly. First, we have the Internet to do reseach with whether it’d be travel sites, Twitter, etc. Before it was just books. Second, we can price shop from the comfort of our couch and do it at our pace, etc without being forced to go to a travel agency. Third, we can book/modify/cancel at the click of a mouse. Fourth, we can use tools like TripIt and Kayak’s MyTrips to keep track of it all! Before, it was once you get the paper ticket, hold on to it carefully, put it all in one place, and maybe write down by hand the specifics of your itinerary.
- In a new town and all of a sudden out of ideas of where to eat or what are good places? Before, you were limited to the local info or the travel book which could be dated. Today? Jump on TripAdvisor and check out the latest reviews and contribute your own. Not sure where the restaurant is? Click on the address and find it on a map that is telling you exactly where you are as well.
I am glad I have been alive to see these improvements which have greatly enabled me to enjoy my travels even more.
So Steve Jobs (or his company) may not have invented all these things but he was a catalyst for bringing computing power and technology into the consumer’s hands – literally. His influence has shaped our world and helped improved how we live. He and other innovators and creators have transformed the world during my lifetime through technology. He was the most visible of these and, as the icon of this technology revolution, he will be missed. RIP.
A Quick Visit to Ancient Athens
I have left writing about Athens for last, no particular reason. I guess if it has been there a couple of millenia without me writing about it, what’s a couple more weeks, right?
Landing in Athens, I was immediately thrown back to landing in Santiago, Chile from the vantage point of my airplane seat. Seemingly, the same semi-arid look to the hills around the airport and the fact that there were hills in the landing path of the plane…
Upon landing, I was not leaving the airport since I had a flight to Mykonos in 3 hrs. I had carried all my luggage on board as I didn’t want to risk lost luggage in the 3 flights I had to take to get to Mykonos. A small roller bag and a backpack were all I had so that was good. I went through immigration and then went to check in for the flight to Mykonos since I would have to check the roller bag as it was too big for the smaller plane’s cabin compartments. Once that was done, my step was just a bit faster as I was freed from the bag. I went to a café at the airport, ate something and promptly discovered that it offers free wi fi for 60 minutes. I had not brought my laptop but had by nice Android with me so I was able to leave some messages about having gotten there safely, etc. The Athens airport was clean, well organized, with signage in English for everything – much better than some airports in the States, as a matter of fact.
I returned to Athens 4 days later after my visit to Mykonos and headed to the suburb of Athens named Kifissia. I already wrote about the wedding events that led me to stay there, how I and later moved to downtown Athens proper after the wedding events were over.
Downtown Athens, I found, was again well signed for tourists, and there was plenty of info (for example, at the airport or kiosks) about the city. As most cities, it has the Hop On/Hop Off type of buses which is a great way to get your bearings. I used them to go take a peek at the port town of Piraeus and generally move about town as the buses stopped at my hotel. I don’t mind walking, which I did, but it was sometimes more about getting to and from faster than walking.
Downtown Athens has a LOT to see and experience. Experience being a key thing since I imagine most of us visitors jam pack seeing every possible sight (I don’t blame us!) and forget to just feel Athens. I tried to do both and I am pleased with what I got to do on both counts though I certainly did not have enough time to do both well.
The Acropolis
Of course, first stop was the Acropolis. If nothing else, that stop has to be made. I had read that it was better to go early to avoid the afternoon sun but I also discovered that the volume of tour buses is greater later in the day. Pictures I took when I arrived and when I left of the entrance to the Acropolis show a marked increase in the number of people coming in. Though there were a lot of people when I got there, it wasn’t too bad. One could manage. The ticket to get into the Acropolis serves to enter other historic sites in that neighborhood so the 12euros was well worth it.
A bit of Athens from the Acropolis
Unfortunately, the scaffolding in parts of the Parthenon detract from it but it still is an impressive structure considering its size, age, and location. I was even more impressed with the great walls around the hill of the Acropolis. The walls on the side of the hill were very high at some points – how did they manage to build those back when?! The views from the Acropolis were very nice. As one walks around, one gets a view of all of Athens. The Temple of Zeus this way, Piraeus that way, etc. The Acropolis has more than the Parthenon, of course. I especially like the Erechtheion and the Porch of the Caryatids – the latter being the object of MANY pictures I took. At the foot of the Acropolis are a couple of ampitheater-like sites that you can view from above and, one of which, you can actually visit when you get back down to street level. It is amazing to think of the key historical figures and events that took place around these sites. A good guide or good reference material will cite examples for these places. Incredible to see firsthand that which we learned in high school (much as I had forgotten a good bit of whatever it was I learned!).
One key place to see at the feet of the Acropolis is the NEW Acropolis Museum http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/. Unfortunately, poor planning left it on my to do list as the day I thought of going, my last day in Athens, was the day the museum was closed… It was very highly recommended so I regret my mistake.
Plaka/Monestariki
Also at the feet of the Acropolis are the areas of Plaka and Monestariki. The former seemed to be more about cafés, local and tourist shopping, and real life. The latter seemed more a nexus of transportation (train station is there), eateries and the flea market. However, I do them a disfavor as there are beautiful and old churches as well as very old sites like the Ancient Agora. So these areas are both for tsightseeing and experiencing Athens. I greatly enjoyed sitting at a side street café on a wide pedestrian street (off Ermou St.) and drinking a Greek frappé (a must have!). I did this in the same café two days in a row – that’s how much I liked observing life and sipping my frappé. These areas also made for great photo opps with all the people walking by.
Street scenes - 1. Friendly table game on a sidewalk. 2. Tourist movement through Plaka - lots and fast
Other Places in Athens
I cannot do Athens justice, nor will I try. Of the many other places in Athens, some of the ones that may be worth seeing are:
- Lycabettus Hill: the tallest hill in Athens (abt 900 ft) best reached by funicular though you can walk it up or taxi part of the way. The best view of all of Athens especially as you get to look DOWN on the Acropolis! I highly recommend seeing it. The neighborhood around it is nice to walk in as well so an enjoyable little trip. It is not far from Parliament so walking to the funicular is easy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycabettus_Hill
- Parliament and Syntagmam Square: typically something tourists go see in any capital but with all the recent economic woes and protests in Athens, more of us know the name of this square than before. It is not that it is an impressive square (like Krakow’s) or Parliament (like England’s) but it is the center of political activity these days.
- Olympic Stadium: where the first Games of the Modern Olympics took place in 1886.
- Temple of Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch: almost side by side and just about across from Melina Mercouri Square, these are also visible from the Acropolis (I guess everything is…). The former is about 2500 yrs old give or take and the latter a youthful 1900 yrs old… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Olympian_Zeus,_Athens http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_of_Hadrian
The Acropolis from Lycabettus Hill
Athens impressed me as did the overall visit to this ancient land. I am eager to go back and keep exploring all that was left to be seen AND experienced by me in Athens, the Isles and the rest of the country!
Enjoying a Break in Mykonos – A Little Bit of Paradise
After landing in Athens, I made a connection to my Olympic Airlines flight to Mykonos. The Athens airport was extremely modern and well-signed so it was pretty easy to do the connection. I had ample time so I ate something at an airport cafe and took advantage of the free-wifi the airport offers for 60 minutes.
Flying over the Aegean was dreamy, seeing all those islands dotting that beautiful-blue Aegean Sea. It was a vision.
The Mykonos airport as can be expected is small but efficient. I was met by a car from the resort where I was going to stay, the Apanema Resort which I discovered and selected after referencing Trip Advisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189430-d472069-r118507219-Apanema_Resort-Mykonos_Cyclades.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT). The hotel is across the water, separated from it horizontally by a road and by a boardwalk under construction right by the water’s edge, and vertically by maybe 20m. This gives the hotel great views of the sea and the cruise ships coming in and out of Mykonos. This one especially made for a sight right in front of us!
The hotel is a short walk from the northern edge of the Chora (“the main town” of Mykonos), about 500m. Not a bad walk but you do have to walk on a curvy road without sidewalks… They are finishing what looks like a boardwalk down below but I didn’t a way up near the hotel. In any case, the resort with its infinity pool, personalized breakfast til late and nice poolside area was a great choice for me.
So, I went to Mykonos as I wrote in another blog entry because I wanted to see one of the more popular Greek isles since I had limited time and because several people recommended Mykonos over Santorini as a solo traveler. Though I am not a bar scene person nor a beach bum, Mykonos was a perfect place to go. First of all, it is not just beaches and clubs. There are a couple of museums (which I did not get to see) that are recommended plus a 20-min ferry ride away is Delos Island, a remarkable visible record of ancient Greek history. In addition, there are so many people coming and going in Mykonos that sitting down to people watch can occupy plenty of time. Plenty of shops around for those who may enjoy walking around and perusing (not yours truly). Finally, and more my cup of tea, so much material for photography! From the architecture, to the people candids, to the sunsets. Plenty to photograph. I played with my camera all the time and greatly enjoyed it.
Regarding Delos Island, it is best seen with a tour guide who can tell you what you are looking at and the interesting history of the place. It is a good 2-4 hour visit depending on whether you want to do some solo (i.e., unguided) hiking. Be warned: no one stays in the island except archeologists and the last ferry out is at 3 PM so plan accordingly! The ferry leaves near Little Venice. There is a small museum and a small cafe. Sunscreen and water definitely recommended!
Delos Island
In terms of beaches, the hotel recommended Elia as more relaxing than Paradise but I ended checking out both. Elia was bigger but without as many facilities as Paradise. However, Elia still had a restaurant, clean restrooms and the like. In both beaches you can rent a chair and an umbrella for 6-8 euros and both offer bar service though in Paradise no one came by the 2 hours I was there. I hear Paradise becomes party central after 4 PM but I left around that time. Overall, I think Elia felt less crowded (though neither was too crowded as it was the end of the season) and spacious. Elia had a more mixed crowd whereas Paradise early in the day felt more like families or couples, though it could have been the part of the beach I plopped myself at. To get to the beaches you can rent a car or scooter, take a taxi (though it will be expensive), or just take the local bus with for around 2 euros each way, is pretty cheap. Paradise has more buses in the schedule than Elia which is less frequent. You can also connect among several beaches by taking a caique or boat. That may be a good way to sample different beaches in one day.
The Little Venice area of the Chora is one of the more popular parts of town. There is everything there from shops, to the emblematic Paraportiani church, to clubs/bars/restaurants. In the places facing the water (Katerina’s and Kastro, for example), you have great views of the windmills and of sunset.
View from Little Venice of the windmills
I lounged a couple of afternoons sipping mojitos, taking pictures, and just admiring the vistas. In that area I found two places that I enjoyed eating at. One was Nikos Taverna. I don’t know if the food qualifies as extraordinary but sitting at the plaza above the restaurant level makes for great people watching without feeling crowded in. I enjoyed my time sitting there watching life.
- View from my table at Kounelas
The catch of the day at Kounelas
I actually would like to return sometime, try staying in different parts of the island. However, I would also like to explore other Greek isles. The problem is which and how much time can I take to do it!The Main Events in Greece – Or Why I Went to Greece in the First Place!
I got to Athens early on a sunny day’s morning. (Is it ever not a sunny day in Greece, I wonder??) Because that evening I was attending a wedding reception in Kapandriti, way outside of Athens to the north (I think), I did not go to Athens proper but instead to the town/suburb of Kifissia, a very nice/upscale district to my eyes. It was a lot closer to Kapandriti (though not super close) so it made sense to spend the night there especially considering that the wedding party could go quite late so it would help shorten the ride back.
I checked in at my hotel a few blocks away from the main street at Kifissia, which is loaded with shops and restaurants, near a square whose name escapes me but that sounds Greek to me… The hotel I stayed at was the Theoxenia House, related to the Theoxenia Palace. I chose it based on Trip Advisor reviews which is quickly becoming a good way for me to determine things like this. (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1026500-d617814-Reviews-Theoxenia_House_Hotel-Kifissia_Attica.html) It was functional for the 24 hrs I was going to be there. I went off to explore and have lunch. It was a very windy day. As I sat in the cafe, they served me potato chips on a small plate when they brought me my glass of wine while I waited for my meal. The chips mostly flew away due to the wind! It was incredible. As was my food. A great way to start this leg of the trip and to set me up for a nap as I knew I was going to face a very long night of wedding partying.
I met up with a friend of the couple to taxi over to the wedding, a nice $42 cab ride to a winery in Kapandriti. As we waited for the groom and bride, besides mingling, we went on a tour of the new museum the winery was about to open. Though the tour was in Greek, a lot of the stuff they had was pretty neat (old grape presses, old machines used to make corks, old ways of bottling and corking the wine, etc.).
The winery's grounds around the reception area
The wedding couple finally made their entrance (the actual wedding had taken place in Atlanta and there had been a very private blessing right before the reception with only the closest family) and the party began. A very nice meal with lamb, pork, and many of the things I associated with Greek food. Of course, there was wine galore and I had to work at managing my intake despite the pressure and the many toasts! The family had prepared a great slideshow of pix from the Atlanta wedding so the Greece family members could see what had taken place in Atlanta since most or all could not make the trip over. It was a great touch and for me great to see what has just transpired a week before though it felt like months before since I had in the meantime been exploring other parts of Greece.
Finally, there was the dancing. Everyone was in the mood for a good time and a good time was had. Especially neat for a foreigner like me was to see them do some of the typical Greek dances which I inevitably had to join and which I performed quite poorly. Nevertheless, the crowd was so much fun, it didn’t matter.
Around 230AM or so, we rolled away as someone from the family offered us a ride back which was greatly appreciated. I conked out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Gladly, I had behaved well enough so the next morning was not a pain. After getting ready, I decided not to hang around in Kifissia until the late afternoon family BBQ I was invited to go to, but instead to head into Athens proper and check in at the hotel where I would spend the next 2 nights. I figured I didn’t want to lug around my luggage, much as it is made to lug around I suppose, to the BBQ, etc. and check in late that night. I took a cab to make it easier and got to the Ledras Marriott where immediately, I felt like almost home with the standard Marriott approach, design and amenities (like the executive lounge). It was a smart move as I could then just relax until the BBQ. I had lunch and ended up at the rooftop pool, and later a nap.
Eventually I made contact with the group and started headed out of town again, first to Kifissia to meet up with someone else and then to catch a ride to Oropo, a town further away north than Kapandriti by the cost facing the island of Evia.
The marker shows where Oropo is in relation to Athens
The BBQ was at an aunt’s house in an area that would not qualify as rural but was not too urban, making it a very nice place to spend a late Saturday afternoon. The groom and bride opened gifts as a sheep was rotisseried and the other food prepared. The meal was a feast for sure!
As we were eating, the family found out I was single and unattached at which point they all became very interested in my case. My friend told me: “you are in trouble now! they are making it their business to find you someone!” Even Yaya, the elderly grandmother told me I was handsome, a good catch, and that she wished me happiness - all in Greek but at some point I got a sense of what she was saying and asked someone half-jokingly ”is she proposing to me?” and the answer was “pretty much”!
After this feast, a cousin of the bride who was our ride back, told us we were going to another cousin’s BBQ that night. My jaw dropped. I could not comprehend how I would stuff another morsel of anything in me. And here we were headed to another BBQ! We made it over to the house overlooking the town and sea from a distance. We had a few beers, hung out with the very friendly cousins, and eventually helped start the fire to roast the lamb. I was not understanding how after the long night the night before, I was going to make it this night when the fire was just getting started. Much to my relief, our ride announced we were heading out as he needed to go. Though I was definitely enjoying myself, I was a relieved, I must admit. And the trip back to my hotel began.
These experiences have given me a much greater appreciation of Greek culture and Greeks, beyond the Greek union protesters which seem to define what being Greek is these days to those of us too far and too unconnected with Greece or Greeks. Being of Latin background myself, I am quite familiar and comfortable with the friendliness and warmth that I received from my friend’s Greek relatives. I miss those things living in Atlanta/the U.S. My trip was well worth it even if I had not done anything else that be a part of the celebration of my friends’ marriage thanks to the experiences I had with this family. Efjaristo poli, Stelliani and Tom!
And to Greece I Went
Three months ago, I head no idea I would be coming to Greece in September. A friend was getting married to a Greek-American and one night having dinner with them, they told me there would be a second event in Greece itself after the wedding in Atlanta; the key was when they said they would love anyone coming from the U.S. My eyes opened big (at least, I think they did…) and an idea was born.
I had to make sure it would work with work but I planned it as if it would be OK. Sure enough, most things are possible with good planning so on September 11 (yes, I know…), I boarded my plane to JFK where I would connect with my flight to Athens.
But, as is usual with most of my trips, it can’t just be “the one thing”. I had never been to Greece though, clearly, with all the history it has, it was on my bucket list towards the top. However, I said to myself, how could I go to Athens and NOT hit the islands?? That had to be addressed so I began asking around amongst people who have traveled here and the bride herself, which island to go to.
I am not a party-goer (anymore; did plenty of that already) so finding party islands was not the goal. However, since I would be traveling alone, I definitely wanted somewhere that was not just for honeymooners and had something more than beaches since I am also not one to spend 3 days, 8 hrs each at the beach. Santorini and Mykonos were my finalists just because they are so well known and I wanted to hit one of them (no time for two of them given the wedding related events and my schedule). Everything zoomed in on Mykonos as the place to go. Though it is known for the partying, it is also very close to Delos Island with its rich history (in mythology and after). Friends also thought the eating and bar district would be fun for a solo traveler. I will write more about Mykonos but my friends were spot on.
In the end, I would have like 3.5 days in Athens but about 1.5/2 were to be with my friends and the Greek side of the family for various activities including the reception in Kapandriti, north of Athens, and a BBQ at a relative’s in Oropou. So, Athens was not a hard thing to figure out since the short time there would be taken up with the key sights everyone sees the first time (again, more later on this…).
I did split my stay in Athens in 2 as the reception being further north, it made more sense to stay in the stylish neighborhood of Kifissia than in Athens proper. Yet for the sightseeing at the end of the trip, it would make better sense to stay in the Athens city center (that and I could stay for free at the Marriott there with my points!). So, that became the plan and it worked out well.
As a side note, my connection on the way back was an overnight 11-hr layover in Paris. As soon as I heard my boss was not going to be in this week, I went ahead and made it a 35-hr layover just to walk around Paris (I lived there in 1999 and have been back a few times since so it is like going to a second hometown of sorts). I planned to do a maison du chocolat tour friends did in April and just hang out.
So, out of nothing, it would seem, a great trip shaped up. Stay tuned for my writings on all the exploring!
Picture of the Week – Grapes of Bordeaux
Visiting Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou in St. Julien was a neat experience since we got a private tour. But, of course, my eyes go to the grapes and the vines. Thinking how these little round things will produce a wonderful liquid for us humans to enjoy… This picture is to not me about perfection in photographic technique but about the grapes, full of color, full of pulp, and ready to be taken…
A Propos of Earthquakes
As I have written elsewhere in this blog, I missed the Chile earthquake of Feb 2010 by a day and a half. How lucky of me! Our company did not allow us to return for 3 weeks and in those 3 weeks the more powerful aftershocks took place so I also missed those mercifully since I was staying usually at floor 20 and above at the Santiago Marriott during my stay in Santiago… I did experience a few smaller aftershocks most of which I was too busy/carried away with work to realize they were taking place except people would point it out.
This week’s Virginia quake, therefore, took me back to Chile and even my childhood in Puerto Rico where we did experience quakes like the one that just struck Virginia this past week. I knew what to do, I knew to worry but not panic, etc. But what I had forgotten was the rumble of the building as it shook – it is an eerie sound and many a person in Chile told me that was the worst part of the very long earthquake in February, more than the shaking itself.
Here are some of my pix from the damage in Santiago… Worth saying that these are only from the Centro. I did not see or capture damage outside of that area (I wasn’t hunting for it, most of these were near work!). Also, it is worth noting that these buildings are old and built before serious earthquake-safety codes were developed and implemented. Newer structures fared better.
Picture of the Week – Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Many moons ago I finally got to see Istanbul, er, Constantinople, er Byzantium. After so many years hearing about this place and its history, I finally was going to see face-to-face some of the places I had studied or heard about. At the top of my list: the Hagia Sophia. A monument of Christianity that transcended time, religion, and utilization. Here is one of my pictures of that amazing creation of architects, engineers, and builders…
Hagia Sophia
Pictures of the Week – Sights of Chile
I loved Chile from a 3-month stint there 20 yrs ago before I went back in Dec 2009. I have written about what I saw, did and felt in other entries in my blog so I won’t repeat myself, but I continue to long to go back even after spending all of 2010 in Chile… Why? Well, take a look below and read my other entries about Chile (http://ilivetotravel.wordpress.com/tag/chile/)
Near the Lagunas Altiplánicas in the Atacama
Penguins in Punta Arenas
Elation at seeing the Torres del Paine!
Around the Salar de Atacama
The hills of Valparaiso! Steps and foniculars!
Yours truly enjoying Valle Nevado!
Great summary of the juxtaposition of old and new in Santiago: the Cathedral and a building across the street
Paradise: the Chilean Patagonia (as seen from la Cueva del Milodon)
Saving the best for last... What I really miss is seeing this just about every day I was in Santiago...
Can’t a Guy Just Get Out of the Sinai Peninsula? Please?
There are two travel stories of mine that family and friends greatly enjoy, remind me of, and ask to re-tell. One is easier to tell than the other and it involved a monkey and me in Tanzania. But that is for another day… I almost forget these stories until out of nowhere, in some group gathering, someone will bring them up. The second and longer story is the one I will tell you here. It is not that it is ROFL-funny, nor I-was-in-serious-danger-scary. But it has a little bit of many things…
Picture this: Sharm-el-Sheikh, the Sinai Peninsula, 1998
I’d gone to Egypt with 4 friends on a whim. They had planned the trip a few weeks in advance (planning meaning they had a plane ticket and knew the parts of Egypt they wanted to hit). I suddenly had availability to take off from work and planned on joining them like 2 weeks before the trip. I love that stuff. But, because I joined them later, my travel differed from them. On top of that, I had decided to go see a friend in Istanbul afterwards.
We get to the Sinai Peninsula by flying from Luxor after exploring Nile-hugging Egypt. Well, 4 of us, the 5th took a bus to Hurghada and then I-don’t-know-what. (He told us he severely regretted taking the long painful bus ride…) Sharm-el-Sheikh, to be more precise, was our destination. Sharm is a popular resort town that many foreigners come to sun and scuba in; some don’t even hit Cairo when they come from Europe to vacation in Sharm.
The others in my group were scuba divers and I wasn’t so after a day of snorkeling, I was ready to explore other things. So I went to the St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mt. Sinai from Moses, burning bush and 10 commandment fame. We also did some off-road fun roading in a Hummer through red canyons in the area. And, I took a flight to Aqaba, Jordan from which I would take a 2 hour bus to see Petra. Phenomenal day trip but long. And with implications…
It’s the Little Glitches…
There was one little glitch in my independent travel. Specifically, the one to Jordan. You see, the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt is surrounded by extra security that you are told it’s “because of the Israelis” except that seaside towns on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula are flooded by Israeli tourists so clearly their military are not about to invade. It is probably more because of the Bedouin who live in the remote areas of the peninsula and who do not get along with the central government from Cairo or its representatives on the peninsula (trust me, this matters to my story!). So, the area around Sharm-el-Sheikh in the Sinai Peninsula is actually a special zone. Special for military, special for foreigners. Europeans are a big market for this resort town and come in charter flights from everywhere in Europe. To attract them and make things easier, the visa requirement to get to Egypt doesn’t apply to get to Sharm-el-Sheikh. But if tourists who enter Egypt DIRECTLY by flying to Sharm want to go elsewhere in Egypt, they need to get a normal Egyptian tourist visa to cross through the checkpoints around this special security/tourism zone.
A Stereotype Helps Me
When I boarded the little plane to Jordan, I invalidated my entry visa into Egypt (I had entered through Cairo). No problem, I was returning to Sharm where I did not need a visa to get in (it was not that I had had one already for Egypt; that one was now invalidated when I left the country). Except no one told me as I cleared immigration at Sharm’s airport that there was this thing and that if I were going to Cairo, I would need a new visa to enter “mainland” Egypt which I could get right then and there. So, with this background, you can understand the setup and where this is headed.
I had to return to Cairo to catch my flight to Istanbul. So, I get instructions from the hotel on where the bus stop is, they hail me a taxi and I wait at the stop with other tourists and locals. I get on the bus, happily and ready to get back to Cairo. Not 10 minutes later we hit the first military/security checkpoint. They come on board and want to see everyone’s papers so I provide my passport. A few minutes later, I am made to get off the bus with my things. I am a little shocked but don’t want to challenge anyone with big guns. They explain to me I need a visa to “enter” Egypt. I say that I have one but they tell me that was voided when I left the country (they could see my Jordan entry/exit stamps – such efficiency I am sure is rare in Egyptian bureaucracy, except at this checkpoint!). So I ask if I can get it there but it is just a checkpoint in a road so I am told I need to go back to Sharm to the port (or the airport if you fly in which I had not that day) to get the visa. They proceed to stop the next car coming the OTHER way and tell the guy he has to take me to Sharm, to the port. I have no idea what they literally said as I don’t speak Arabic. All I know is I am being told to get in this stranger’s car and that does not please me. Stereotypes can be valuable: this guy had a few dry cleaning items hanging from the backseat oh-shit handle so I took some measure of reassurance that maybe this guy was not a serial killer.
Re-Directed at the Port
He didn’t speak English so he just drove on with me in the car (I guess they do what they are told) and dropped me off at the port’s entrance (I offered him money which he refused – talk about setting me straight!) where two 18-year old guards with big guns greet me. They don’t understand me much but one takes me to the office building but only if I leave my large backpack and shoulder bag (with my more important valuables!) at the gate. Well, no choice but to comply. Off I go to the office, where I am told I need a stamp. I reply questioningly of the official: isn’t that what I am there for, to get the visa? The official says yes but the visa requires a stamp be bought from the bank and then that is what says I paid for the visa so the visa can be stamped. They don’t sell the stamps at the port so I am told to head into town to go to the bank and get the stamp and come back. Off I go, to claim my belongings hoping they are still all there. They are. The entrance to the port is on this little circle of a street off the main road in the middle of nowhere beyond the west end of Sharm, and not close to the main road. But providentially a taxi with a passenger is passing right by and I stop it.
The passenger is one of the many expats who live in Sharm who work in tourism. In her case in the boats that take people out to scuba. She is Italian and tells me she is trying to get to the drugstore intown and for some reason they went through this side road (it still makes no sense why as it is only a half-circle with nothing else but the port entrance). So we head intown and they drop me off at the bank.
Sorry, No Cigar at the Bank
I go to the big dark door and it is locked. I knock and eventually someone opens up and tells me they are closed for the rest of the day. I beg and plea that I just need this one stamp and would they please. No way. So I stand there going “what the heck” and he tells me to try at the airport where the bank’s branch there is likely open (I can’t remember if it was a Friday or just lunch hour break).
So, the airport is at the OPPOSITE end of Sharm-el-Sheikh. And I am running low on Egyptian pounds. Remember I was supposed to leave Egypt the next morning and my only expected expense after getting to Cairo would be dinner and hotel which I could pay with credit card so I was trying to not withdraw more local money. I hail a cab who takes me to the airport where, if I need to, I will withdraw more money thinking I will have a lot left over if I get money… At the airport, I face what looks like two tourist buses about to offload into the little security area to enter the terminal so I forget about the money question. I am itching to get back to catch a bus to Cairo before it gets too late. The taxi drops me right in front of the buses so I manage to avoid most people getting off and their drama.
Victory. I buy the darn stamp no problem and get another taxi to take me back to the port. I get to the port and my, by now, good friends at the gate are waving at me and smiling as they see me get off the taxi, as if seeing an old friend (I wonder what they were really thinking!). I know the routine so I drop the backpack but manage to take my shoulder bag with me to the office accompanied by one of the friendly soldiers. A clerk tells me his boss, the official I had spoken to earlier, had left for a few hours and that I should go and try later. At that point, I am taken over by a mix of outrage and acting skills.
Acting up at the Port
I huff, sit down on a chair and say I would wait as I need to make it to Cairo that night to catch my flight the next day at the crack of dawn. The clerk seems taken aback by my reaction and insists I need to leave and come back later. To me, that is the stupidest thing for many reasons. Where would I go with luggage and little cash (I had not withdrawn money at the airport)? What if I missed the official again when he came back? etc. So I said I was staying to wait and that was that. Immediately, I pull out my book (“History of the Arab Peoples”!) and plop down even further into my chair which clearly exasperates him. He goes off to his little desk and gets on the phone and starts what sounds like yelling and gesticulating. In Egypt that could be he is angry or just that he is telling his wife he loves her. It is hard to tell the difference. Time passes and I am flipping the book’s pages as if I am actually reading it (I am not as I can’t focus) and as if the book’s pages are to blame for this little chaos in my day. I wasn’t angry – but I was close to tears not for fear but for sheer frustration at what I could not totally control and at being in this situation because I didn’t research and because immigration at the Sharm airport had not offered information I could have needed…
What seems forever-later but probably was just 45 minutes, the official comes back not quite in his full uniform (official may make him sound too mundane a goverment person; he seemed to have a position of power in the port). He talks to the clerk and calls me into his office where he reviews my passport. He asks me “Did you give him money?” referring to the clerk. I realize I am at a critical juncture here. So I go with the truth and a twist. “No, should I have?” He shakes his head no, stamps the visa on the passport, and waves me off. I start walking out of the building faster with each step before anyone thinks of anything else for me to comply with. I smile at the guards, they are smiling at me, I pick up my stuff and wave these friendly guys goodbye.
Success Breeds the Need for a Plan to Get Out
Now to find a taxi with my luggage in this remote corner of Sharm. Nothing in sight. Not the random luck of the first time leaving the port. I start walking towards the main road when, around the bend and behind this massive rock, there in the shade is a taxi parked. Its driver is off to the side by the rock, with a pail of water cleansing his face and arms. I can’t believe my eyes (and I wish so badly I had taken a picture of this). But there he is and he is willing to take me back into town!!
I don’t quite know if the bus stop is the best place to go as it is barely a stop. I need to know when is the next bus to Cairo though I begin contemplating heading back to the airport and catching a flight and be done with the military checkpoints on the road – I don’t want to give bad luck a chance! But a flight would set me back money-wise a good bit. I decide it would be best to head back to the hotel (the Sanafir) since they were so helpful. They immediately get on the phone, make a few calls, and tell me a bus to Cairo is about to be at the bus stop in less than 10 minutes!! So they run outside with me, hail a cab, tell him where to take me, and tell him to do it fast. I like how they took ownership of helping me out!
I make it to the stop and get on the bus. Praying nothing else comes up at the checkpoint. It doesn’t. I am on my way to freaking Cairo to leave Egypt almost like Moses and his people. The main story ends here but let me drive it all the way home until I am at my hotel in Heliopolis.
The Bus Ride and the Finish Line
Since this stop is after the intown stop(s), the bus is pretty full. The bus was mostly Egyptians with a smattering of tourists (funnily, mostly towards the front). I sit near the back next to a fellow maybe my age that spoke some English. We speak a little bit until the movie started to play in the little overhead TVs: Speed. Let me tell you, that is not the movie you want to see while your bus is careening up the Sinai with ever-so-slight movements side-to-side… It eventually gets dark and I miss seeing the Suez Canal with any clarity so I can’t say I’ve seen it. But I don’t care at this moment. The guy and I pick up talking as we approach Cairo and I ask him how far my hotel is from the bus station. He tells me not far and that he will get his brother, who is picking him up, to drop me off on their way home. I cringe at getting into another stranger’s car but besides being close to out of money, I just don’t care anymore. I’ve had a long and action-packed day and I don’t care. I ask him for his address to send him a post card from Atlanta (which I did send) and proceed to take the ride to my hotel. I say my goodbyes and happily enter my hotel for a nice shower and bedtime as I have an early flight out.
So ends the story of my leaving the Sinai Peninsula. Had my friends been with me, it would have been a little more fun for sure. But I am glad I am tenacious and able to think things through on the spot. I just don’t like HAVING to do it like I did that day!!
One observation: I did not meet one single person that day that was rude to me. The bank guy was not rude, he was just neutral and did not care. The port clerk? He was probably going to be reprimanded for making his boss come back to the port from his afternoon break but he probably understood I needed the visa to leave and hence called him to come back. Most Egyptians along this experience were friendly and helpful. That (which matches experiences in Aswan and Luxor) is why I always think fondly of Egypt and its people. But lesson learned: traveler beware of visa requirements as they could vary WITHIN a country!!!
Right in My Hometown… Atlanta – What to See
Someone suggested on a blog I read that reading a blog about a place written by a local can be better for a visitor than a blog about the place written by a visitor. I agree that a local can give a unique perspective though I still like hearing a visitor’s perspective about a place. Regardless, I thought I’d give my hometown a crack in my blog though these entries will not be about a trip for me. Well, it was the first time I got here as a teen in the 80s…
Atlanta Skyline 1984
Getting Around
Back then, Atlanta felt sleepy. Everything closed at 10PM including McDonalds. One or two shopping malls within my reach. Taking the subway to the Arts Center station and from there connect to a bus to get to Lenox Mall or Perimeter Mall. Boy, how things change: the subway now goes to those places and beyond. MARTA, as the subway system is called, does not have a great metro network unfortunately due to small-mindedness and the high cost of digging into solid rock. But at least it does cover a good distance in the lines it does have. The best part was when they finally extended MARTA to the airport. Brilliant. But stay tuned, there is a project called the Beltine (www.beltline.org) which promises to add a circular route, intown, connecting at 5 places with the various MARTA lines. That long-term project will begin to impact how we rely on public transport, at least for those of us who live intown for whom the Beltline may be just a walk away.
Or that’s the hope in this car-loving city. Because if you come, I’d strongly recommend right now to rent a car. Else, you are stuck to downtown and the MARTA line or hard-to-hail taxis.
Downtown Points of Interest
Atlanta is a wonderful place to live but I would not place it in a top 5, perhaps even top 10, places to visit in the U.S. if you come from abroad (my fellow locals may kill me for saying that… or do I just want a good secret kept secret??). However, there is a lot of charm and things to discover in and around the city for those who can forgive it for not having the scale and worldliness of NYC or the beautiful natural setting of San Fran… Nightlife is pretty limited in downtown proper unless there are a few conventions concurrently taking place. But I define downtown as a very small part of the city. A few blocks away begin neat parts of the city!
Despite all that, it has some cools to see and do.
In this part of town, you must definitely see the Aquarium – an impressive colossus best seend during a weekday (www.georgiaaquarium.org). Right next to it is the new Coca-Cola Museum (www.worldofcoca-cola.com) (true Atlantans know to put the dash between Coca and Cola!). I haven’t seen the new one but the old one was on the fascinating side so this must be too. CNN is located on the opposite end of Centennial Olympic Park and its tour can be interesting. Finally, the MLK Memorial is on the opposite end of downtown and an important historical site (http://www.nps.gov/malu/index.htm). Underground Atlanta unfortunately became a massive souvenir shop SLASH smaller crime center so it is hard to recommend except you can see what are old buildings for Atlanta and imagine how it used to be end of 19th century which is of some value.
Oh, one more thing. If you like a good view, go up to the rooftop bar at the Westin Peachtree for a phenomenal set of views of the city. But no need to walk around, just plop down, have a drink and the place will rotate for you. ‘Cause that’s how we roll.
Just Outside Downtown and Beyond but Still in the City
Just outside of downtown, a few gems to check out.
- First, the Fox Theater dating from the 1920s has really interesting architecture (this is not where “Gone with the Wind” had its premiere; that theater is now the site of the Georgia-Pacific skyscraper in downtown right across from where Margaret Mitchell, the author, was struck by a bus leading to her eventual death…).
- Second, the Oakland Cemetery (http://www.oaklandcemetery.com/). One of the oldest places in town and with some famous people buried there (e.g., Bobby Jones). The Jewish sector of the cemetery speaks to the long-standing presence in the city of the Jewish community and has some of the most interesting tombstones. Go and walk about. And bring your camera for some photo opps within the cemetery and of the downtown skyline, one of my favorite places to photograph it! Also, it seems to put on a good tour during Halloween but I haven’t been to it…
- Third: Piedmont Park, our Central Park (or is Central Park NYC’s Piedmont Park?). Expansive, with great views of the Midtown skyline, and plenty of people watching to do as you relax in this urban oasis.
- Fourth: the Inman Park neighborhood. What used to be the suburbs in the 1910s, where the original owners of Coca-Cola (after the druggist who developed the formula) lived, and site of some beautiful turn of the century homes (19th to 20th turn of the century!). As old as Atlanta gets for the most part and especially fun in April when a tour of homes is held.
- Fifth: The Fernbank Museum of Natural History (www.fernbankmuseum.org) in the beautiful neighborhood around Ponce de Leon Ave. with its exhibits and IMAX museum. Granted, just about every city has one but it can be a nice break plus if you drive around the neighborhood you will see something a lot prettier than downtown!
- Sixth: Get lost in the neighborhoods just east and west of I-75, inside the perimeter (I-285, the ring road around the city) and north of the Chattahooche River. You WILL get lost without a GPS or map. But the houses go from impressive to almost Versailles itself. Not a piece of Atlanta people get to see or understand when just coming for a convention and a MANDATORY part of the tour I give friends and family when they come. These neighborhoods are part of Buckhead and Vinings but very different than Buckhead as you may know it by Peachtree Street.
- Seventh: Shoot the Hootch! Or, get on a raft and go down river down the Chattahoochee River. A typical summer outing for me when I was in college and right after but fun for families. The river is pretty mild – but wear a lot of sunscreen!
Fox Theater
If you have children and all this sounds too adult, the Children’s Museum (www.childrensmuseum.org) right near the Aquarium could give the kiddos a good target place. So mix the Aquarium and this museum (which is very much about hands-on activities and perfect for kids up to 7 years old) in on your schedule for the kids’ sake!
What Else Can You Tell Us, You Ask, about Things not in but Near Atlanta?
- Stone Mountain Park (about 20-25 mins away) has what is supposed to be the single largest mountain of granite. This mountain is walkable up the side or one can go up using a cable car. Back in the 1930s a giant, football field-sized carving of Confederate heroes was made on the flatter side of the mountain and, whether you like the people depicted or not, it is something to see. In summertime, a laser show takes places at night against it that is worth watching. Stone Mountain, among many other attractions, features a model of a real life Southern plantation. They moved structures from several plantations around the state to depict life on a plantation. It is very much worth seeing.
- For fun in the park, Six Flags over Georgia west of the city is ideal. I am not much for this type of parks but it is good if you like ‘em!
- Callaway Gardens south of the city offers very nice, obvious, gardens but also things like butterfly exhibits and golf. It is a family resort for those seeking that type of environment. (www.callawaygardens.com)
- North of the city, you can head up the North Georgia mountains where towns like Dahlonega & Blairsville offer a great view into the south and mountain living (a lot of retirees from other states landing up there! it is a choice spot for retirement in the corner of North Carolina, Tennesee and Georgia, 2 hrs away from Atlanta’s airport and less from Chattanooga). Helen, GA is a pseudo-German town with fun Oktoberfest though a little cheesy overall for me.
- Though I haven’t been to it, I have heard good things about Sweetwater Creek Park (http://gastateparks.org/info/sweetwater/) which sounds like nature’s oasis within a stone’s throw of the city. Just like that you will find fascinating gems of nature and history (another example, the town of Madison about an hour plus east of Atlanta).
- About an hour north on I-75, there is a true jewel of a museum. It was quite unexpected when I heard about it and I was very impressed with its modernity, and the quality and contents of this museum given the setting in Cartersville, GA: The Booth Western Art Museum (http://www.boothmuseum.org/)
- Further north and getting close to the Tennessee state line are Rock City and Ruby Falls. Pretty neat places to explore and fun for the kids.
Rock city (photo from http://roadsidegeorgia.com/site/rockcity)
Within the metro area, going to towns like Decatur with its diverse scene and great places to eat and Marietta with its old style town square and shops are great places to discover on your own.
Packaging It All Up
It is all fine and good to list all the things that can be done but how to package it and get it organized for execution? Well, I can provide a strawman of how I would package up all the things to see and do. Next installment of the blog!
What About Food?
In the third and final installment of this Atlanta series, I will discuss food and try to identify places near the stuff I have mentioned here so you can plan. This will be my favorite section for sure!
Other thoughts on things to do in Atlanta? There is plenty more especially right outside the city. Pipe in and help inform others on your recommendations!
Picture(s) of the Week – Going down the Nile in a felucca
Many moons ago I went to Egypt for the first time, deciding -on a whim- to join several co-workers who had planned to go for 7-10 days with no plans other than a plane ticket. Among the many things we did, we hired a felucca to take us around for 24 hrs from Aswan to a point downriver where we would catch a caravan towards Luxor.
Feluccas near Aswan
One of the neat things about this approach was the ability to get away from the crowds, the noise, the everyday (for us!) and get a little closer to the Nile and its surroundings.
Picture of the "outdoor bedroom" the felucca offered - 5 of us fit just fine!
Captain Bob, our felucca captain, and his assistant cooked for us on the felucca and we slept pretty much under the stars (it got cold!!!). Though they brought bottled water for cooking, the cleaning of utensils and pots happened with river water with the associated impact to my stomach the next morning.
But, you know what? I’d go through it again just to get to experience the Nile like this for the first time. Now, I would NOT suffer that again for a second time. The second time, I will be more picky with my source of food but I highly recommend doing the felucca ride for 24 hours. Just peaceful!!!
In the end, it was about getting to awesome Luxor. Though the caravan was required due to safety concerns in the area south of Luxor and it felt odd to us, we made it to the destination – Luxor has a lot to offer so don’t miss it!
Temple at Luxor
A younger version of yours truly in Luxor with my OWN private sphinx
Travel Musings – On the List for a Future Trip to Patagonia
Reminiscing about my trip to Patagonia and the southern tip of the Americas, I think about what I didn’t get to see… Somehow, 7 months later, Patagonia’s grasp on my mind and my spirit is still very strong. I don’t know if it is the remoteness, the “unspoiltness” (though there is tourism there), the closer-to-how-it-used-be, or just a magnificent nature landscape. But Patagonia has got hold of me. I long to return. I’d thought I’d write down those things I would have liked to have time for in case I can go back again – then all I would have to do is look up this entry and, voilá, my travel plans are ready! And perhaps help a fellow traveler or dream-of-traveler…
Towards the top of the list is that I never actually made it to Tierra del Fuego proper. I thought I was going to TdF by going to Punta Arenas but it turns out TdF is the island across the Straits of Magellan from Punta Arenas and my itinerary had me going NORTH and SOUTH of Punta Arenas but not EAST… Now, I am not sure what I would have seen there that would have been worth the trip but, definitely, I would have liked to explore it. (The thought that I went SOUTH of Pta Arenas but didn’t make it to TdF is somehow mindboggling, n’est-ce pas?)
In TdF, Ushuaia would have been the thing I wanted to see the most. A few travelers told me that it was way more beautiful than Punta Arenas and I can imagine that it would be as Punta Arenas as a town was not necessarily scenic nor quaint for the most part.
While I got to navigate a fjord near Puerto Natales and saw plenty of lakes and a couple of glaciers, I would have liked to go further west and north of the area navigating fjords up the Chilean coast. THAT would be a dream. Going to TdF would be about checking it off. Going to Ushuaia would be special. But spending time up and down all those fjords… well, that would be like something.
And, while at it, a cruise through the southern/eastern side of the Straits of Magellan all the way down to Cabo de Hornos would have been a cool thing to do – but taking some dramamine along as I hear the waters can be quite choppy (and that may be soft-pedaling the water conditions from the stories other travelers told me…). Lowest in my priorities for this return trip but worth noting.
Finally, I would go back to the nice hotel in between Puerto Natales and Cerro Castillo called Hotel Posada 3 Pasos (http://www.hotel3pasos.cl check it out but don’t DARE tell folks about it!!) and spend a few days in the quiet and the beauty that now I understand to be the essence of Patagonia. This would be my TOP priority if I go back…
View from the grounds of Hotel 3 Pasos
Picture of the Week – I Dream of “Return to Cradle Mountain”
Cradle Mountain
Colorful Trail
Around the Lodge
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